Acts 19:28

Afflictions cut us off from the sympathy we have for the present world, as appears in this, that we wish for death immediately, and cease to be loving of the body: which very thing is the greatest part of wisdom, to have no hankering, no ties to the present life. The soul which is afflicted does not wish to be concerned about many things: repose and stillness are all it desired, content for its part to have done with the things present, even though there be nothing else to follow.

A great good is affliction: and we learn this from our own children: for without affliction a boy would learn nothing useful. But we, more than they, need affliction. For if there, when the passions as yet are quiet, chastisement benefits them, how much more us, especially possessed as we are by so many! Nay, we behoove rather to have schoolmasters than they: since the faults of children cannot be great, but ours are exceeding great. Our schoolmaster is affliction. Let us then not draw it down willingly upon ourselves, but when it is come let us bear it bravely, being, as it is, always the cause of numberless good things; that so we may both obtain grace from God, and the good things which are laid up for them that love Him, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Observe the testimonies borne to the Apostles by their enemies, that they overthrew their worship. There at Lystra they brought "garlands and oxen." Here he says, "This our craft is in danger to be set at naught. - Ye have filled all everywhere with your doctrine." So said the Jews also with regard to Christ: "Ye see how the world is going after Him"; and, "The Romans shall come and take away our city." And again on another occasion, "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also." - "And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath." Upon what was that wrath called forth? On hearing about Diana, and about their source of gain.

"And when they heard, they were filled with wrath, and shouted, Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" For each city had its proper gods. They thought to make their voice a barrier against the Divine Spirit. Children indeed, these Greeks! And their feeling was as if by their voice they could reinstate the worship of her, and undo what had taken place!

Seest thou how God permits trials, and by them stirs up and awakens the disciples, and makes them more energetic? Then let us not sink down under trials: for He Himself will "also make the way of escape, that we may be able to bear them." Nothing so makes friends, and rivets them so firmly, as affliction: nothing so fastens and compacts the souls of believers: nothing is so seasonable for us teachers in order that the things said by us may be heard. For the hearer when he is in ease is listless and indolent, and seems to suffer annoyance from the speaker: but when he is in affliction and distress, he falls into a great longing for the hearing. For when distressed in his soul, he seeks on all sides to find comfort for his affliction: and the preaching brings no small comfort.