The.xi. Chapter. An other kynde of comforte yet in the base kynde of tribul • cion sent for our synne

Vincent. OF trouth good vncle, albeit yt euery of these kindes of […]ribulacions haue cause of comfort in thē as you haue wel declared, if mē wil so considre them: yet hath this thyrd kinde aboue all a speciall prerogatiue therin.

☞Anthony. That is vndoubtedly true, but yet is there not good Cosyn the moste base kynde of them all, but that it hath moe causes of comfort then I haue spokē of yet. For I haue you wote well in that kynde that is sent vs for our synne, spoken of none other comforte yet but twayn: that is to witte, one that it refrayneth vs from the synne that els we woulde fall in, and in that serueth vs through the merite of Christes passiō as a meane by whiche God kepeth vs from hell, and serueth for the satisfaccion of suche payne as els we shoulde endure in purgatorye. Howbeit there is therin an other great cause of ioye besides this: For surely those paines here sent vs for our sinnes in whatsoeuer wise they happen vnto vs, be our synne neuer so sore, nor neuer so open and euidente vnto oure selfe and all the worlde to, yet if we praye for grace to take it mekely and paciently, and confessing to god that it is farre ouer litle for our fault, beseche hym yet neuerthelesse yt sith we shall come hence so void of al good workes wherof we should haue any reward in heauē to bee, not onely so mercyfull to vs as to take that oure presente tribulacion in reliefe of oure paynes in purgatory: but also so gracious vnto vs as to take our pacience therein for a matter of merite and rewarde in heauen. I verely trust, and nothyng doubte it, but God shall of his high bountie graunte vs our boone. For likewise as in hell paine serueth onely for punishmente withoute any maner of purgeyng, because all possibilitie of purgeyng is passed: and in purgatorye punishmente serueth for onely purgeing, because the place of deseruyng is passed. So whyle we bee yet in this worlde in whiche is oure place and oure time of merite and well deseruyng, the trybulacyon that is sente vs for oure sinne here, shall if we faythfullye so desyre (beside the clensyng and purgeyng of our payn,) serue vs also for encrease of rewarde. And so shall I suppose and truste in Goddes goodnes al such penaunce and good woorkes as a manne willinglye performeth enioyned by his gostlye father in confession, or whiche he willinglye farther doth of his owne deuocyon besyde. For thoughe mannes penaunce with all the good woorkes that he can dooe, be not able to satisfie of them selfe for the leaste synne that we doe, yet the lyberall goodnesse of God through the merite of Chrystes byt[…]er passyon, wythoute whiche all oure woorkes coulde neyther satisfie, nor deserue, nor yet doe not in dede neither merite nor satisfye so muche as a sponefull to a greate vessell full in comparyson of the merite and satisfaccion that Christe hath meryted and satysfied for vs himselfe: thys lyberall goodnesse of GOD I saye, shall yet at our faythefull instaunce and requeste, cause oure penaunce and tribulacion paciently taken in this world to serue vs in the other worlde both for release and rewarde tempored after suche rate as his high goodnes and wisdome shal see conueniently for vs: wherof our blinde mortalite can not here ymagine nor deuise the stynt. And thus hath yet euen the fyrst kind of tribulacion and the moste basse, though not fully so great as the seconde, & very farre lesse than the thyrd farre greater cause of cōfort yet, thā I spake of before[…]