There is a learned man which hath a saying which is most true:  he saith, Plus crux quam tranquillitas invitat ad Christum; “The cross and persecution bring us sooner to Christ than prosperity and wealth.”  Therefore St. Peter saith, Humiliamini sub potenti manu Dei; “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.”  Look, what God layeth upon you, bear it willingly and humbly.  But you will say, “I pray you, tell me what is my cross?” Answer:  This that God layeth upon you, that same is your cross; not that which you of your own wilfulness lay upon yourselves:  as there was a certain sect which were called Flagellarii, which scourged themselves with whips till the blood ran from their bodies; this was a cross, but it was not the cross of God.  No, no:  he laid not that upon them, they did it of their own head.  Therefore look, what God layeth upon me, that same is my cross, which I ought to take in good part; as when I fall in poverty, or in miseries, I ought to be content withal; when my neighbour doth me wrong, taketh away my goods, robbeth me of my good name and fame, I shall bear it willingly, considering that it is God’s cross, and that nothing can be done against me without his permission.  There falleth never a sparrow to the ground without his permission; yea, not a hair falleth from our head without his will.  Seeing then that there is nothing done without his will, I ought to bear this cross which he layeth upon me willingly, without any murmuring or grudging.

But I pray you, consider these words of St. Peter well:  Humiliamini sub potenti manu Dei; “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.”  Here St. Peter signifieth unto us that God is a mighty God, which can take away the cross from us when it seemeth him good; yea, and he can send patience in the midst of all trouble and miseries.  St. Paul, that elect instrument of God, shewed a reason wherefore God layeth afflictions upon us, saying:  Corripimur a Domino, ne cum mundo condemnemur; “We are chastened of the Lord, lest we should be condemned with the world.”  For you see by daily experience, that the most part of wicked men are lucky in this world; they bear the swing, all things goeth after their minds; for God letteth them have their pleasures here.  And therefore this is a common saying, “The more wicked, the more lucky:”  but they that pertain to God, that shall inherit everlasting life, they must go to the pot; they must suffer here, according to that scripture, Judicium a domo Dei incipit; “The judgment of God beginneth at the house of God.”  Therefore it cometh of the goodness of God, when we be put to taste the sauce of tribulation:  for he doth it to a good end, namely, that we should not be condemned with this wicked world.  For these sauces are very good for us; for they make us more hungry and lusty to come to Christ and feed upon him.  And truly, when it goeth well with us, we forget Christ, our hearts