Now, prosperity was promised to the children of Israel in the old law as a special gift of God, because of their imperfection at that time, to draw them to God with gay things and pleasant, as men, to make children learn, give them cake-bread and butter.  For, as the scripture maketh mention, that people were much after the manner of children in lack of wit and in waywardness.  And therefore was their master Moses called Pedagogus, that is, a teacher of children or (as they call such a one in the grammar schools) an “usher” or “master of the petits.”  For, as St. Paul saith, “the old law brought nothing unto perfection.”  And God also threateneth folk with tribulation in this world for sin, not because worldly tribulation is evil, but that we should well beware of the sickness of sin for fear of the thing to follow.  For that thing, though it be indeed a very good wholesome thing if we take it well, is yet, because it is painful, the thing that we are loth to have.  But this I say yet again and again, that the scripture undoubtedly so commandeth tribulation as far the better thing in this world toward the getting of the true good that God giveth in the world to come, that in comparison it utterly discommendeth this worldly wretched wealth and discomfortable comfort.  For to what other thing tend the words of Ecclesiastes that I rehearsed to you now, that it is better to be in the house of heaviness than to be at a feast?  Whereto tendeth this comparison of his, that the wise man’s heart draweth thither where folk are in sadness, and the heart of a fool is where he may find mirth?  Whereto tendeth this threat of the wise man, that he who delighteth in wealth shall fall into woe?  “Laughter,” saith he, “shall be mingled with sorrow, and the end of mirth is taken up with heaviness.”  And our Saviour saith himself, “Woe be to you that laugh, for you shall weep and wail.”  But he saith, on the other hand, “Blessed are they that weep and wail, for they shall be comforted.”  And he saith to his disciples, “The world shall rejoice and you shall be sorry, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.”  And so it is now, as you well know, and the mirth of many who then were in joy is now turned all to sorrow.  And thus you see plainly by scripture that, in matter of true comfort, tribulation is as far above prosperity as the day is about the night.

Another pre-eminence of tribulation over wealth, in occasion of merit and reward, shall well appear upon certain considerations well marked in them both.  Tribulation meriteth in patience and in the obedient conforming of the man’s will unto God, and in thanks given to God for his visitation.  If you reckon me now, against these, many other good deeds that a wealthy man may do—­as, by riches to give alms, or by authority to labour in doing many men justice—­or if you find further any other such thing; first, I say that the patient person in tribulation hath, in all these virtues of a wealthy man, an occasion of merit which the wealthy man hath