XIII

Anthony:  Cousin, it would be a long work to peruse every comfort that a man may well take in tribulation.  For as many comforts, you know, may a man take thereof, as there be good commodities therein.  And of those there are surely so many that it would be very long to rehearse and treat of them.  But meseemeth we cannot lightly better perceive what profit and commodity, and thereby what comfort, they may take of it who have it, than if we well consider what harm the lack of it is, and thereby what discomfort the lack should be to them that never have it.

So is it now that all holy men agree, and all the scripture is full, and our own experience proveth before our eyes, that we are not come into this wretched world to dwell here.  We have not, as St. Paul saith, our dwelling-city here, but we are seeking for the city that is to come.  And St. Paul telleth us that we do seek for it, because he would put us in mind that we should seek for it, as good folk who fain would come thither.  For surely whosoever setteth so little by it that he careth not to seek for it, it will I fear be long ere he come to it, and marvellous great grace if ever he come thither.  “Run,” saith St. Paul, “so that you may get it.”  If it must then be gotten with running, when shall he come at it who lifteth not one step toward it?

Now, because this world is, as I tell you, not our eternal dwelling, but our little-while wandering, God would that we should use it as folk who were weary of it.  And he would that we should in this vale of labour, toil, tears, and misery not look for rest and ease, game, pleasure, wealth, and felicity.  For those who do so fare like a foolish fellow who, going towards his own house where he should be wealthy, would for a tapster’s pleasure become a hostler by the way, and die in a stable, and never come home.

And would God that those that drown themselves in the desire of this world’s wretched wealth, were not yet more fools than he!  But alas, their folly as far surpasseth the foolishness of that silly fellow as there is difference between the height of heaven and the very depth of hell.  For our Saviour saith, “Woe may you be that laugh now, for you shall wail and weep.”  And “There is a time of weeping,” saith the scripture, “and there is a time of laughing.”  But, as you see, he setteth the weeping time before, for that is the time of this wretched world, and the laughing time shall come after in heaven.  There is also a time of sowing and a time of reaping, too.  Now must we in this world sow, that we may in the other world reap.  And in this short sowing time of this weeping world, must we water our seed with the showers of our tears.  And then shall we have in heaven a merry laughing harvest forever.  “They went forth and sowed their seeds weeping,” saith the prophet.  But what, saith he, shall follow thereof?  “They shall come again more than laughing, with great joy