And then if
this be thus, I can perceive no cause why you should give the
pre-eminence unto tribulation, or wherefore you should reckon more
cause of comfort in it than in prosperity, but rather a great deal
less--in a manner, by half.
For in prosperity a man is well at ease, and may also, by giving
thanks to God, get good unto his soul; whereas in tribulation,
though he may merit by patience (as the other, in abundance of
worldly wealth, may merit by thanks), yet lacketh he much comfort
that the wealthy man hath, in that he is sore grieved with
heaviness and pain. Besides, a wealthy man, well at ease, may pray
to God quietly and merrily with alacrity and great quietness of
mind, whereas he who lieth groaning in his grief cannot endure to
pray nor can he hardly think upon anything but his pain.
ANTHONY: To begin, cousin, where you leave off: The prayers of him
that is in wealth and him that is in woe, if the men be both
wicked, are both alike. For neither hath the one desire to pray,
nor the other either. And as one is hindered with his pain, so is
the other with his pleasure--saving that pain stirreth a man
sometimes to call upon God in his grief, though he be right bad,
whereas pleasure pulleth his mind another way, though he be good
enough.
And this point I think there are few that can, if they say true,
say that they find it otherwise.
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