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 sixth Chapter of the sixth consideration of the good on the right hand.

¶ The sixt Chapiter of the sixth consideration of the good on the right hand.

This benefit is the Church or congregation of the faithful, the new creature of God, our brethren and friends, wherein we see nothing but all goodness and consolation, although we see not this continually with the corporal eyes as we may see in the contrary Image of evils: but with the spiritual eye, and also that those goods, which we see the faithful possess, be not to be rejected: but rather to consider that God doth comfort us in such commodities, For the Psalmist in the. 73. Psalm durst not condemn nor reject those that possessed riches of the world, saith. If I should speak so: I should condemn the generations of thy Children, that is to say. If I should say, that they be all wicked, and that all ⟨p. 51⟩those that be rich, honourable, & healthful, be reprobate: I should condemn thy very servants, of whom there be rich, honourable, & healthful. And also where as Saint Paul exhorteth Timothy to give commandment to the rich of this world that they be not proud, yet he doth not forbid to have riches: and the scriptures showeth that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were rich, and Daniel and his fellows were honoured in Babylon, and also many other kings in Judah were found faithful servants of GOD. The Psalmist casteth his eyes upon these, and saith. If I had so said: I had reproved the generations of thy Children, GOD (I say) giveth abundance of these riches to his people of tentimes, for the relief aswell of them selves as of others, but these goods be not there own proper & effectual goods: but only figures and shadows of the true goods, which be faith, hope, charity and other graces ⟨image 64⟩and gifts, which be all made common by charity. This is the communion of saints in the which we should glory. And who is he that will not rejoice now, yea although it be in the middest of great evils, if he believe that this is true, that is to say If he believe that the goodness of all the Saints be his, and that his evil is their evil also? This Image is most pleasant and amiable to behold, which the Apostle to the Galatians painteth and describeth to us in this for. Bear the burdens one of an other, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Is not this a good thing to be in such a ace: that when one member suffereth, all the rest suffer also? and when one is glorified all the other rejoice with him?