Vincent:  Verily, good uncle, methinketh this is said marvellous well.  And it specially delighteth and comforteth me to hear it, because of our principal fear that I first spoke of, the Turk’s cruel incursion into this country of ours.

Anthony:  Cousin, as for the matter of that fear, I purpose to touch it last of all.  Nor meant I here to speak of it, had it not been that the vehemency of your objection brought it in my way.  But otherwise I would rather have put instead some example of those who suffer tribulation for maintenance of right and justice, and choose rather to take harm than to do wrong in any manner of matter.  For surely if a man may—­as indeed he may—­have great comfort in the clearness of his conscience, who hath a false crime put upon him and by false witness proved upon him, and who is falsely punished and put to worldly shame and pain for it; a hundred times more comfort may he have in his heart who, where white is called black and right is called wrong, abideth by the truth and is persecuted for justice.

Vincent:  Then if a man sue me wrongfully for my own land, in which I myself have good right, it is a comfort yet to defend it well, since God shall give me thanks for it?

Anthony:  Nay nay, cousin, nay, there walk you somewhat wide.  For there you defend your own right for your temporal avail.  But St. Paul counseleth, “Defend not yourselves, my more dear friends,” and our Saviour counseleth, “If a man will strive with thee at the law and take away thy coat, leave him thy gown too.”  The defence therefore of our own right asketh no reward.  Say you speed well, if you get leave; look hardly for no thanks!

But on the other hand, if you do as St. Paul biddeth, “Seek not for your own profit but for other folk’s” and defend therefore of pity a poor widow or a poor fatherless child, and rather suffer sorrow by some strong extortioner than suffer them to take wrong; or if you be a judge and have such zeal to justice that you will abide tribulation by the malice of some mighty man rather than judge wrong for his favour—­such tribulations, lo, are those that are better than only medicinable.  And every man upon whom they fall may be bold so to reckon them, and in his deep trouble may well say to himself the words that Christ hath taught him for his comfort, “Blessed be the merciful men, for they shall have mercy given them.  Blessed be they that suffer persecution for justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Here is a high comfort, lo, for those that are in this case.  And their own conscience can show it to them, and can fill their hearts so full with spiritual joy that the pleasure may far surmount the heaviness and grief of all their temporal trouble.  But God’s nearer cause of faith against the Turks hath yet a far surpassing comfort that by many degrees far excelleth this.  And that, as I have said, I purpose to treat last.  And for this time this sufficeth concerning the special comfort that men may take in this third kind of tribulation.