, for the divers occasions that we shall
afterwards have to touch upon them in more places than one. But
here will I say this, which I learned of St. Bernard: He who in
tribulation turneth himself unto worldly vanities, to get help and
comfort from them, fareth like a man who in peril of drowning
catcheth whatsoever cometh next to hand, and that holdeth he fast,
be it never so simple a stick. But then that helpeth him not, for
he draweth that stick down under the water with him, and there they
lie both drowned together. So surely, if we accustom ourselves to
put our trust of comfort in the delight of these childish worldly
things, God shall for that foul fault suffer our tribulation to
grow so great that all the pleasures of this world shall never bear
us up, but all our childish pleasure shall drown with us in the
depth of tribulation.

The other sort is, I say, of those who long and desire to be
comforted by God. And as I told you before, they undoubtedly have a
great cause of comfort even in that point alone, that they consider
themselves to desire and long to be comforted by almighty God. This
mind of theirs may well be cause of great comfort to them, for two
great considerations.

One is that they see themselves seek for their comfort where they
cannot fail to find it. For God both can give them comfort, and
will. He can, for he is all-mighty; he will, for he is all-good,
and hath himself promised, "Ask and you shall have." He who hath
faith--as he must needs have who shall take comfort--cannot doubt
but what God will surely keep his promise. And therefore hath he a
great cause to be of good comfort, as I say, in that he considereth
that he longeth to be comforted by him who, his faith maketh him
sure, will not fail to comfort him.

But here consider this: I speak here of him who in tribulation
longeth to be comforted by God, and who referreth the manner of his
comforting to God. Such a man holdeth himself content, whether God
comfort him by taking away or diminishing the tribulation itself,
or by giving him patience and spiritual consolation therein. For if
he long only to have God take his trouble from him, we cannot so
well warrant that mind for a cause of so great comfort. For a man
may desire that who never mindeth to be the better, and also may he
miss the effect of his desire, because his request is haply not
good for him. And of this kind of longing and requiring, we shall
have occasion hereafter to sp