The fourth Chapter. That tribulacion is a meane to dravve men to that good mynd to desyre and long for the com

Vincent. FOrsoothe good vncle, this good mynde of longyng for Gods comfort, is a good cause of great comfort in dede: our lord in tribulacion send it vs. But by this I see wel, yt woe may thei be, which in tribulacion lacke that mind and that desyre, not to be comforted by God, but are either of slouth or impacience discomfortlesse, or of folye seeke for theyr chiefe ease and comfort any where elles.

Anthonie,. That is, good cosyn, verye trewe, as long as they stand in that state. But than must you consider, that tribulacion is yet a meane to dryue hym from that state. And that is one of the causes for whiche God sendeth it vnto man. For albeit that payn was ordeyned of God for the punyshmente of synnes (for whiche they that neuer can nowe but sinne, can neuer be but euer punished in hell) yet in thys worlde, in whiche his high mercy geueth men space to be better, the punyshmente by tribulacion that he sendeth[…] serueth ordinarily for a meane of amendment.

Sainct Paule was himselfe sore agaynst Chryst, tyll Christ gaue him a great fall and threw him to the ground, and strake him starke blynde: and with that tribulacion he turned to him at the fyrst woorde, and God was his phisicion, and healed hym soone after both in body and soule by his Minister Ananias, and made him his blessed Apostle. Some are in the beginning of tribulacion verye stubborne and stiffe against god, and yet at length tribulacion bringeth thē home. The proude King Pharao dyd abyde and endure two or thre of the first plages, and would not once s[…]oupe at thē. But then god layd on a sorer lashe that made him crye to him for helpe, and then sente he for Moyses and Aaron, and confessed him selfe a synner, and god for good and righteous, and praid thē to praie for him, and to withdrawe that plage, and he would let thē go. But when his tribulacion was withdrawen, than was he naught agayne. So was his tribulacion occasion of his profyt, and his helpe againe cause of his harme. For his tribulacion made him cal to god, and his helpe made hard hys heart againe. Many a man that in an easy tribulacion falleth to seke his ease in ye pastime of worldly fantasyes, fyndeth in a greater paine al those comfortes so feble, that he is faine to fall to the seking of goddes helpe. And therefore is I saye, the very tribulacion it selfe many tymes, a meane to bringe the man to the takyng of the afore remembred comforte therin: that is to witte, to the desyer of comfort geuē by god, which desyre of goddes comfort is as I haue proued you, greate cause of comforte it selfe.