What wit have we poor fools to know what will serve us?  For the blessed apostle himself in his sore tribulation, praying thrice unto God to take it away from him, was answered again by God (in a manner) that he was but a fool in asking that request, but that the help of God’s grace in that tribulation to strengthen him was far better for him than to take that tribulation from him.  And therefore, perceiving well by experience the truth of the lesson, he giveth us good warning not to be too bold of our minds, when we require aught of God, at his own pleasure.  For his own Holy Spirit so sore desireth our welfare that, as men say, he groaneth for us, in such wise as no tongue can tell.  “What we may pray for, that would be behovable for us, we cannot ourselves tell,” saith St. Paul, “but the Spirit himself desireth for us with unspeakable groanings.”

And therefore I say, for conclusion of this point, let us never ask of God precisely our own ease by delivery from our tribulation, but pray for his aid and comfort by such ways as he himself shall best like, and then may we take comfort even of our such request.  For we may be sure that this mind cometh of God.  And also we may be very sure that as he beginneth to work with us, so—­unless we ourselves fly from him—­he will not fail to tarry with us.  And then, if he dwell with us, what trouble can do us harm?  “If God be with us,” saith St. Paul, “who can stand against us?”

VII

Vincent:  You have, good uncle, well opened and declared the question that I demanded you—­that is, what manner of comfort a man might pray for in tribulation.  And now proceed forth, good uncle, and show us yet farther some other spiritual comfort in tribulation.

Anthony:  This may be, methinketh, good cousin, great comfort in tribulation:  that every tribulation which any time falleth unto us is either sent to be medicinable, if men will so take it; or may become medicinable, if men will so make it; or is better than medicinable, unless we will forsake it.

Vincent:  Surely this is very comforting—­if we can well perceive it!

Anthony:  There three things that I tell you, we shall consider thus:  Every tribulation that we fall in, either cometh by our own known deserving deed bringing us to it, as the sickness that followeth our intemperate surfeit or the imprisonment or other punishment put upon a man for his heinous crime; or else it is sent us by God without any certain deserving cause open and known to ourselves, either for punishment of some sins past (we know not certainly which) or for preserving us from sin in which we would otherwise be like to fall; or finally it is not due to the man’s sin at all but is for the proof of his patience and increase of his merit.  In all the former cases tribulation is, if we will, medicinable.  In this last case of all, it is better than medicinable.