For as he biddeth us take our pain
patiently, and exhort our neighbours to do also the same, so
biddeth he us also not forbear to do our best to remove the pain
from us both. And then, since it is God who teacheth both, I shall
not need to break my brain in devising wherefore he would bid us to
do both, the one seeming opposed to the other.
If he send the scourge of scarcity and great famine, he will that
we shall bear it patiently; but yet will he that we shall eat our
meat when we can get it. If he send us the plague of pestilence, he
will that we shall patiently take it; but yet will he that we let
blood, and lay plasters to draw it and ripen it, and lance it, and
get it away. Both these points teacheth God in scripture, in more
than many places. Fasting is better than eating, and hath more
thanks of God, and yet will God that we shall eat. Praying is
better than drinking, and much more pleasing to God, and yet will
God that we shall drink. Keeping vigil is much more acceptable to
God than sleeping, and yet will God that we shall sleep. God hath
given us our bodies here to keep, and will that we maintain them to
do him service with, till he send for us hence.
Now we cannot tell surely how much tribulation may mar the body or
peradventure hurt the soul also.
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