A right comfortable treatise containing fourteen points of consolation for them that labour and…A right comfortable treatise containing fourteene pointes of consolation for them that labor and…

This is the Church of the Saints, ¹the new creature of God, our brethren & friends, in whom we see nothing but good, nothing but consolation, howbeit not always with fleshly eyes (for according to the outward appearance they are for the most part to be referred to the contrary consideration ⟨p. 74⟩of evils) but with spiritual eyes. Although even those their good things also which are seen with fleshly eyes, are not to be rejected, but we may perceive that even in these God doth comfort us. For David in the 72 Psalm durst not disallow of all that possessed riches in the world, saying: If I should say that I would judge after this sort, lo then I should condemn the generation of thy children, that is, if I should say that all are evil, which are rich, healthful, and had in estimation, I should then condemn thy Saints, of whom many are such. The Apostle moreover teacheth Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not hie minded, not forbidding them to be rich. And the Scripture declareth that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were rich. Daniel with his fellows were had in honour and reputation even in Babylon: finally many Kings of Judah were holy men. David therefore considering these saith: If I should say that I would judge so, I should condemn the generation of thy children. God I say giveth to his abundance of these good things, to the comfort of them & of others, but these are not their ⟨p. 75⟩proper good things, yea they are but shadows in respect of the true good things, which are faith, hope, love, and other graces and gifts, all which are made common by love.

THis is the Church of the Saincts, ¹the newe creature of God, our brethren & frends, in whom we see nothing but good, nothing but consolation, howebeit not alwaies wt fleshly eies (for according to ye outward appearāce they are for ye most part to be referred to the contrary consideration ⟨p. 74⟩of euils) but with spiritual eyes. Although euen those their good thinges also which are seene with fleshly eies, are not to be reiected, but we may perceiue that euen in these God doth comfort vs. For Dauid in the 72 Psalme durst not disalow of all that possessed riches in the world, saying: If I should say that I woulde iudge after this sort, lo then I should cōdemne ye generation of thy children, that is, if I shoulde say that all are euill, which are rich, healthful, and had in estimation, I shoulde then condemne thy Sainctes, of whome many are such. The Apostle moreouer teacheth Timothe to charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not hie minded, not forbidding them to be rich. And ye Scripture declareth that Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob were rich. Daniel with his fellowes were had in honour and reputacion euen in Babylon: finally many Kinges of Iuda were holy men. Dauid therfore cōsidering these sayth: If I should say that I would iudge so, I shoulde condemne the generation of thy children. God I say giueth to his abundance of these good thinges, to the comfort of them & of others, but these are not their