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…

¶ The third Chapter of the third consideration which is the good passed or after us.

¶ The third Chapiter of the third consideration whiche is the good passed or after vs.

This good is easy to consider by his opposite or contrary evil passed, only it is a help to him that would consider here Saint Augustine in his confessions, He is a good teacher in this, where he reciteth the good graces and benefits that he hath received from his mothers womb. So is likewise the Psalmist in the. 138. Psalm. Saying. Lord thou hast proved me, or among other things marvelling of the providence of God, upon him self saith▪ Thou hast known my thoughts afar of, thou hast tried my hart and my reins, as if he had said ⟨p. 39⟩I see now how far of it is from me all that ever I thought or did, or all that I might obtain or posses, or how little is put in execution by my proper means or industry, but that all this hath been disposed and ordained long time before by thy ordinance and providence (O Lord) briefly thou hast foreseen all my ways, or rather in thy might and power we do learn these things by our own experience, for if we call to remembrance our life passed, is it not enough to astony us that we have thought willed, done, and said such things, which we have little or nothing foreseen? How often had we done things, clean contrary, if we had been left in our own free will? So that we now beginning to understand and to behold the providence and care of God, to be present and favourable toward us by his vigilant help and succour, that we have nether thought willed nor said, but that ⟨image 52⟩he hath before ordained. As it is said in the. 7. Chapter of Sapience. We and our words be all in the hand of God, as Saint Paul saith, the which doth all things in us. Wherefore then be we so without understanding, and have our hearts so hardened? Wherefore be we not ashamed miserable that we be? that being showed by our own proper experience we seeing plainly and openly, how often the Lord hath been careful for us, and watchful even unto this hour, and how he hath endowed us with all manner of good and great benefits, and yet cannot we resign and acknowledge to him the only care and watch over us in a very little present evil. But we behave our selves as though he had forsaken us or as though that we could put it of or quit our selves of it. Is it not said in the. 139. Psalm. I am poor and miserable but the Lord careth for me? Upon this. S. Augustine saith.