A06514:32
A treatise co[n]teining certain meditatio[n]s of true & perfect consolatio[n], ... Written in the…A treatice co[n]teining certain meditatio[n]s of trew & perfect consolatio[n], ... Written in the…
A treatise co[n]teining certain meditatio[n]s of true & perfect consolatio[n], ... Written in the French tongue, and translated in to English by Robert FillsA treatice co[n]teining certain meditatio[n]s of trew & perfect consolatio[n], ... Written in the Frenche tung, and translated in to Englishe by Robert Fills
London : J. Alde, 1564
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
¶ The third Chapter or third consideration which is the evil passed▪ or behind us.
¶ The third Chapiter or third consideration whiche is the euel passed▪ or behinde vs.
IN this evil shineth most excellently, and above the others, the great bountifulness ⟨image 21⟩& mercy of God our father, mighty to comfort us in all our anguishes and sorrows. For there is not one of us all, that shall feel the hand of God more presently upon him: then when he calleth to memory the years of his life past. Saint Augustine saith, if the choice were given to a man, to die or to return again, to his first life, he would rather choose the death, seeing so many evils and so great dangers, that he hath passed, and with how great difficulty, and pain. The which sentence is true if it be well considered. For as we may see here, how often times that man without his own endeavour, without any care, yea with out and against his own desire, hath done and suffered many things of which if he had taken counsel before they were done, or that he did take counsel, that after the work being finished, he was constrained and abashed in him self, and to say. Too ⟨p. 9⟩what purpose are these things happened to me? or how are they come to pass, contrary to my intent and thought? or that I have purposed far other wise. So that this proverb is true. Man purposeth and God disposeth. That is to say, he doth it otherwise, and clean contrary to that man hath purposed. So that if we had but only this to behold: we can not deny but our operations, our life and our acts to be governed by the counsel and bountiful puissance of God, & not by our own prudence. Here we may see how often times God hath been with us, when we saw him not, nor felt him, and how veritable it is that Saint Peter hath said. That the merciful God hath care for us all. Wherefore if we had neither books nor preaching, yet our own lives carried and led through so many evils and dangers: would show us sufficiently the divine bountifulness of God is very near us, as