Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Again, secondly, I answer, there may be another reason ¹why there may be a less affliction, and it may be born with much impatience, when a great and heavy one may be born with more patience and more comfort. The ²reason hereof is this, because when a man hath but one particular loss, when a man hath but a light cross, this serves only to provoke and stir up corruption in him, and then a man (as it were) is armed against God, then he is ready to fight against him: but now if the temptation or trial be a sore, and through temptation, it will vanquish and subdue corruption, and bring him on his knees, and so he falls flat before the Lord: In such a case I say, a man that hath his corruption subdued, though it were a trial ten times greater, and more sore, yet he may live upon better terms with the Lord, and more comfortably then another man with a lighter cross.

Again, secondly, I answer, there may be another reason ¹why there may be a less affliction, and it may be born with much impatience, when a great and heavy one may be born with more patience and more comfort. The ²reason hereof is this, because when a man hath but one particular loss, when a man hath but a light cross, this serves onely to provoke and stir up corruption in him, and then a man (as it were) is armed against God, then he is ready to fight against him: but now if the temptation or tryal be a sore, and through temptation, it will vanquish and subdue corruption, and bring him on his knees, and so he falls flat before the Lord: In such a case I say, a man that hath his corruption subdued, though it were a tryal tentimes greater, and more sore, yet he may live upon better terms with the Lord, and more comfortably then another man with a lighter cross.

1. 12.
2. 2Great afflictions may be born with more patience then less.