Abraham was also,
you know, a man of great substance, and so continued all his life
in honour and wealth. Yea, and when he died, too, he went unto such
wealth that when Lazarus died in tribulation and poverty, the best
place that he came to was that rich man's bosom!
Finally, good uncle, this we find before our eyes, and every day we
prove it by plain experience that many a man is right wealthy and
yet therewith right good, and many a miserable wretch is as evil as
he is wretched. And therefore it seemeth hard, good uncle, that
between prosperity and tribulation the matter should go thus, that
tribulation should be given always by God to those that he loveth,
for a sign of salvation, and prosperity sent for displeasure, as a
token of eternal damnation.
XVI
ANTHONY: I said not, cousin, that for an undoubted rule, worldly
prosperity were always displeasing to God or tribulation evermore
wholesome to every man--or else I meant not to say it. For well I
know that our Lord giveth in this world unto either sort of folk
either sort of fortune. "He maketh his sun to shine both upon the
good and the bad, and his rain to fall both on the just and on the
unjust." And on the other hand, "he scourgeth every son that he
receiveth," yet he beateth not only good folk that he loveth, but
"there are many scourges for sinners" also.
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