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…

The third chapter of the third consideration, which is of the evil past or behind us.

The third chapter of the third consideration, which is of the euill past or behind vs.

Herein more then in the rest notably shineth the sweet mercy of God the father, which is able to comfort us in all our distress. ¹For every man never feeleth the hand of God more present upon him, then when he calleth to mind the years of his life past. Saint Augustine saith: If a man should choose either to dye, or to lead again his life past, he would choose rather to die, considering so great perils & evils, which he hath scarce and hardly avoided. Which saying is most true, if it be well & duly weighed. For here a man may see, how often he hath without his own study, without his own care, yea without and contrary to his desire, done and suffered many things, whereof he did not so much as think before they were done, or in doing, that the work being ended, he is then first compelled to say: Howe hath it come to pass that I have done these things, which I did not think on, or thought of other ⟨p. 13⟩things? so that the proverb is true: Man purposeth, but God disposeth, that is, altereth, and bringeth to pass an other thing then man purposeth, that even in this one thing we can not deny, that our life and actions are governed & directed, not by our own wisdom, but by the marvellous power, counsel, & goodness of God. Hereby we perceive how often God hath been with us, when we neither saw nor felt it, and how truly Peter said: Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you.

HErein more then in ye rest notably shineth the sweete mercye of God the father, which is able to comfort vs in all our distresse. ¹For euery man neuer feeleth the hand of God more present vpon him, then when he calleth to minde the yeares of his life past. Sainct Augustine saith: If a man should choose either to dye, or to leade againe his life past, he would choose rather to die, considering so great perills & euils, which he hath scarce and hardely auoided. Which saying is most true, if it be well & duely weyed. For here a man may see, how often he hath without his owne studye, without his owne care, yea without and contrary to his desire, done and suffered many thinges, whereof he did not so much as thinke before they were done, or in doing, that the worke being ended, he is then first compelled to say: Howe hath it come to passe that I haue done these thinges, which I did not thinke on, or thought of other