no further knowledge but of oure sinnes and of Gods iustice wee muste bee fayne too rest there So then we must not thinke it straunge that Iob speaking of death should say that men go into a darke coast where there is nothing but darknesse and disorder And why so For hee matcheth sinne and Gods curse togither with death and so long as God holdeth him locked vp in distresse there is as it were a certayne hartburning so as he seeketh not the meane of grace which is the true remedy to shew vs that there is light euen in death and some order also in darknesse how darke soeuer it be bycause that after we haue once bin brought to dust wee shall bee rayzed vp agayne Iob perceyued not this And why Bycause it behooued God first too make hym feele hys sharpe and sore rigoure and afterwarde to comfort hym againe And it is a text whiche wee ought too marke well For if wee mynde too receyue the grace that God giueth vs and offereth too vs continually in oure Lorde Iesus Christe wee must first feele what wee oure selues are and in what plight wee bee Are wee desyrous I say too taste what the heauenly lyfe is Firste wee muste knowe too what ende wee bee borne yea euen according as wee bee sinners in Adam And in good sooth it is not without cause that Sainct Paule sayeth that that whiche is corruptible goeth formost For hee speaketh not onely of the order that God holdeth in nature but also of that whiche it behoueth vs too consider on oure part Therefore wee muste vnderstande that although wee bee borne into this worlde and be as noble and excellent creatures of God as any can bee Yet notwithstanding by meanes of sinne death hath as it were abolished and razed out that noblenesse in so muche that God misliketh vs and disclaymeth vs as though hys hande had not fashioned vs bycause we bee disfigured and the Deuill hath sette his markes and stampe vppon vs and furthermore beeing subiect too the cursse that was pronounced vppon Adam wee are as good as banished oute of the whole worlde so as there is neyther heauen nor earthe but it abhorreth vs This say I is the thing that wee haue too marke in our selues But if wee enter intoo that battell it is certaine that wee shall be confounded vtterly Yee see that the cause why men stande so muche in their owne conceyte is for that they cannot bethinke them of Gods iustice as they ought too doo But yet must wee come too that poynt Howbeeit when wee shall haue considered howe wretched oure lyfe is and that death is yet more wretched bycause it is the greate gulfe that serueth too shewe vs of what importance the cursse is which God pronounced against vs with his owne mouth I say when we shall haue considered that we must also beware that wee be not vtterly swallowed vp of heauinesse And what remedie is there The remedie is to turne oure eyes too our Lorde Iesus Christ For the meane whereby God inlighteneth vs in the middes of darkenesse is howe oure Lorde Iesus Christ offereth himselfe vnto vs in whome we haue the true daysunne of rightuousnesse Nowe then if wee haue that regarde with vs no death can be dreadfull vnto vs And heere ye see why Dauid sayeth that Gods sheepehooke shall comfort him in the shadow of death and in the darknesse VVhen as hee speaketh of Gods sheepehooke he meaneth that hee shall bee afraid of nothing so long as God sheweth himselfe a shepeheard towards him And how should he shew himselfe a sheepherd but in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ So then let vs first consider of what minde Iob speaketh heere Hee knoweth that if men be considered in themselues it is their verye nature to haue nothing else but all manner of confusion both in their life and in their death Howbeeit seeyng wee haue the sonne of God although our state seeme neuer so wretched insomuch that wee bee but as poore woormes subiect too corruption and rottennesse yet come wee too the tasting of the benefite whiche God gaue vs when hee made light to issue out of the middes of darknesse according as it is sayde in the creation of the worlde that God turned the darknesse intoo light Seeyng wee knowe this wee haue too reioyce in that by the meanes of his onely sonne hee hath caused hys goodnesse and grace to shine foorth in our death yea euen more than in our lyfe For when it seemeth that we shoulde enter intoo the dungeons and gulfes of hell Then dooth God open vs the gate of his kingdome and euen then hee maketh vs too enter intoo the dwelling place whereoutof wee bee nowe after a sort banished And Christ inlightneth vs not onely in deathe to the intent that the darknesse whiche is there shoulde not darken vs and quite ouerwhelme vs but also in our life Thys present worlde as the Scripture telleth vs is full of darknesse and wee bee poore blind soules in it and yet in the meane whyle Iesus Christ cesseth not to inlighten vs by hys Gospell VVee haue the lawe and the Prophetes which are as burning Cressettes too vs And wee haue the Gospell whiche is yet a farre greater light yea euen as it were the light of high noone Yee see then howe oure Lorde Iesus Christe will bee a sufficient light for vs both in lyfe and deathe so wee looke vnto him But as I haue touched heeretofore wee must first feele what disorder and confuzion enuironeth vs round aboute vntill suche time as Iesus Christ haue reached vs hys hand Furthermore when Iesus Christ hath inlightned vs so as we shall haue walked in hope of the euerlasting lyfe while we be in this world although God take vs hence and death before our eyes yet let vs not therefore ceasse to call vpon God and to tarie his leysure till he comfort our soules in his owne Kingdome For they be alwais incombered and haue not their perfect ioy so long as they dwell in our bodies and till that God take them vp to himselfe for a doo True it is that if we thinke vpon death alone by it selfe without lifting vp our selues any higher God may now and then bring vs to the same point that he brought Iob. Iob had both faith and hope of the euerlasting life and yet for a little while he was ouerraught with such a feare as he conceyued nothing else in death but all confuzion and disorder For when he looked to his graue he saw hell open to swallow him vp And the hauing of suche conceytes greeued Iob muche more than all the torments that he coulde indure in his body But like as God did plucke him out in the end and gyue him victory against such temptations so will he do to vs likewise Neuerthelesse we be warned heereby that wee had neede to walke warely praying our good God that when it shall please him to call vs to account in
But if a man haue an euill liking so hee consent not thoroughly to it the Papistes say it is no sinne at all and that is a horrible blasphemy It is said thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy strength VVhat is meant by minde strength God hath not limited the loue that we owe vnto him that it should be onely in our harts mindes but he sayde that our wit reason and vnderstāding all our strēgth that is to say al the abilities powers that are in our nature muste also be thorowly applied thervnto Now then if a man cōceyue any euil although he consent not to it nor yeelde his affection fully thervnto I pray you doth he loue God with al his mind No if a man haue neuer so litle a peece of himselfe inclining to corruptiō although with all the rest he indeuour himselfe to accomplish the lawe doth he loue God as he ought to doo No vndoubtedly for sinne is nothing else but a transgressing of Gods lawe Therfore lette vs conclude that all the vayne thoughtes which prouoke vs vnto euill are sinne and that wee are guyltie of them too Godward vnlesse he beare with vs of his infinite goodnesse But hee forgiueth them to those that are his Neuerthelesse it behoueth them to acknowledge it for sinne and whosoeuer dooth flatter himselfe doth but prouoke Gods wrath and couer the mischiefe too his owne damnation For in the ende his hypocrisie must be discouered and layd open to be punished with all the rest They then whiche imagine that they do not amisse nor offende God when they bee tempted to euill gayne nothing by it nother do they amend their market for needes muste that hypocrisie of theirs be grieuously punished VVherefore as I sayde afore although wee consent not to euill but only be as it were tickled with it and haue some liking of it howbeit that we withstand it It is already a fault ouersight in vs If wee do but conceyue such euill liking it already bewrayerh the corruptnesse of our nature And surely if euill dwelled not in vs that we were not alredy turned away from the soundnesse cleerenesse which God had put in the first man out of all doubt we should haue our eyesight much more pure and chast than it is all our senses as our hearing our speaking and all the rest should be so pure cleane as they should haue no stayne in them And for proofe hereof let vs consider well how Moyses sayeth that when Satan came to beguyle Eue consequently hir husband after that they had giuen eare vnto him and bin corrupted with desirousnesse to be like vnto God they looked vpon the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill and saw it was to be liked for the obteining of knowledge And howe looked they vpon it had not Adam and Eue seene it already before For God had sayde vnto them eate not of the fruite that I haue forbidden you For in what houre soeuer you eate thereof I tell you plainely you are separated from me cōdemned to death So then ye see that Adam Eue had looked vpon the Tree before and why then doth Moyses laye it now too theyr charge as a sinne bycause they did beholde it with a lyking of it that is too say with an vngratious and vntowarde luste in that they thought it good to eate of And whereof came that euen of their hearte which beeyng corrupted did immediatly marre their eyesight And lyke as when a man hath his eysighte marred with ouermuche drinking there is some inwarde disease and some burning or some other vncōme going before the losse of his eyes or lyke as when a man becommeth blind there went cōmonly some rewme or some other like thing before which in processe of time taketh away his sight euen so is it with all the wicked lookes whiche are to bee condemned For if the hearte were not already infected and corrupted with some lewde liking the eye as I sayde should be pure cleene of himselfe so as wee might beholde Gods creatures and not bee tempted too any wickednesse But forasmuche as wee cannot as nowe open our eyes but wee shall conceyue some wicked luste nor can say this is fayre or that is good but immediatly wee offende God is it not a greate vntowardnesse So then let vs know that the cause thereof is the reygning of sinne in vs which doubtlesse hath hilde suche possession of vs euer since Adams fall that oure nature is so corrupted as we cannot looke vpon any thing that is termed fayre and bewtifull but that in steade of beeing prouoked too loue God and to prayse him for his goodnesse for bestowing of so many benefites vpon vs we offende him And so insteade of glorifying God and of beeing prouoked too loue him we cannot commend any thing to be fayre and good but therwithall our conceyte is tickled yea stirred vp either to couetousnesse or to whoredome or too voluptuousnesse To be short looke whatsoeuer is fayre or good vnder heauen the same turneth vs away frō our God whereas it ought to leade vs vnto him Is not God the welspring of all bewtie and goodnesse yes and surely the sayd wicked lust nother reigneth nor ought to reigne in the childrē of God but I speake of that which is naturally in mā vntil such time as God haue wrought in him true it is that the faythfull shall not bee so peruerted nor haue their wittes so corrupted as to draw alwaies vnto euill but yet shall they alwaies haue some remnant of the sayd infection that they bring out of their mothers wōbe which is that they shall alwayes haue some inwarde prickings to moue them vnto euil notwithstanding that they hate it beate it downe at the first rising vp And in good fayth as I sayd which of vs cōceyueth not this fancy that God hath no care of him so soone as wee indure any aduersitie and beholde it is a blasphemy yea and a cursed blasphemie if we consent vnto it and that our minde doo rest neuer so little vpon it notwithstanding that our will do not fully purpose it Nowe then we see that if a man be tempted to euill although he cōsent not vnto it but suppresse it and fight agaynst it yet notwithstanding he fayleth not to offende god And why for it is a transgressing of his law as I haue shewed you already Also it cānot but proceede frō an euill fountayne for the eye of it selfe shold not be corrupted nother doth sinne begin to come first frō thence VVhence then frō the minde and soule of man for doubtlesse the euill must needes be conceyued first within before the eye do tende so vnto euill and bee prouoked therevnto And so yee see the cause why I sayd that Iob in protesting that he absteined from all euill and vnchast lookes sheweth vs that suche as are infected therwith
trueth now adayes 713. b 21. Comfort and Comforting The true and vpright Comforting 69. b 52. 70. a 23. Tvvo things requisit in Comforting that is too say Compassion and Comfort 49. a 7. The chiefest Comfort and relief that can be giuen to the Afflicted 50. b 2. None can CoÌ„fort Counsell or teach others wel but such as first are acquainted vvith their ovvne infirmities 630. b 7. The Crosse of Christ and his resurrection are our Comforts 819. b 8. They that will Comfort the afflicted and sorrowfull must bee pitifull them selues and not churlishe or vnkinde 332. b 56. How we ought to Comfort our selues out of the Scriptures vvhen we be afflicted 333. a 32. Hovve necessarie Gods Comforts are 297. a 8. The true meane of Comforting and gladding others or ourselues 6â—0 a 32 651. a b. All men are not to be Comforted after one fashion 318. a 7. Commaundements The CoÌ„maundements of God are in separable and do al of them make but one rightuousnesse 685. b 23. 686. a 46. Looke more in Counsel and in Lawe and in Gods word Compassion Hovve farre Compassion extendeth 124. a 44. VVee ought to haue Compassion of the afflicted 124. a 27. He that hath no Compassion of the afflicted hath no feare of god 124 b 2. If vve will haue God mercifull to vs we must haue Compassion of our neighbours 328. b 9. Looke more in Almes Mercie and pitie Of Condemnation and Condemning Two sortes of healthfull Condemnation 814. b 10. VVee should rather Condemne our selues than other men 87. b 58. The diuers sortes of Condemnation vvhich God pronounceth vpon men 814. b 6. VVe must learne to Condemne our selues 573. a 5. God should find alvvays in vs wherfore too Condemne vs if hee bare not with vs of his infinite goodnesse 565. b 3. Confession Confessing The Confession vvhich the scripture requireth of vs in respect of men 602. a 23. The true manner of Confessing our faultes 602. a 20. 603. a b 809. a 1. He that doth coÌ„trarie to that which Confesseth is double condemnable 552. a 14. The two causes why God will haue vs to confesse our owne giltinesse and too acknovvledge his goodnesse before men 656. a 40. The former Confessions of other meÌ„ in olde time doe serue for our instruction and comfort 656. b 3. Conscience A good Conscience holdeth vs alwayes in stedfastnesse 131. a 47. A Conscience pressed vvith Gods iudgement is alvvayes troubled in an agonie 139. a 13. Constancie Constancie is persisting in goodnesse and in eschuing of euill 20. b 1. 10 Constancie commended 41. a 13. Consuming God can Consume vs without any inferior meanes 728. b 15. Gods working in Consuming nations without any apparant plague in the place where they dvvell 728 a 31. Of Contempt If any man be brought to ConteÌ„pt let vs consider that as much might befall to vs. 557. a 49. Of Corruption The Corruption of mans nature is the cause of Gods rigor 105. b 44. Our Corruptions are a bottomelesse pit 79. a 40. VVhence our Corruption commeth 300. b 10. Of the Corruption of mans nature by originall sinne 274. a 10. Of Couetousnesse Couetousnesse in all men generally 33. b 16. Couetousnesse is Idolatrie 591. a 40 Counsell VVhen God bereeueth men of their wit and discretion they can neuer receiue any good Counsell 312. a 46. The Papisticaâ—â— difference betweene a Counsell and commaundement 597. a 19. The daunger oâ—dispising or neglecting of good Counsell or admonition 15. a 21. Countenance Looke Face Craftinesse Of Craftinesse against God and his vvord 294. a 1. Of Creation Creatures The right consideration of our Creation serueth to abate the pride of all states and degrees 302. a 44. If a man knevve the end of his Creation hee would alwayes be desirous to profit in knovvledge 551. a 5. VVee could not rule the least liuing Creature on earth if God giue vs not povver ouer it 782. a 12. Gods goodnesse in submitting and imploying his Creatures too our vse and seruice 745. a 1. God sheweth hmiselfe so manifestly in his Creatures as hee leaueth vs vtterly without excuse of ignoraÌ„ce if we honor him not 235. a 16. b. The increase and multiplying of all liuing Creatures come of Gods only prouidence 778. a 1. All Gods Creatures are mirrors and Images of his povver wisedome rightuousnesse and prouidence 786. a 44. 787. a b. 801. a b 802. a b. 803 a b. 804. a b. 805. a b. Al Gods Creatures as wel sencelesse as hauing sence doe teach vs our obedience and subiection vntoo God. 745. b 53. 746. b 50. 778. a 48. 779. a b. 780. a b. 781. a b. 782. a b. 783. a b. 784. a b. 785. a b. 786. a b. 802. a 55. 803 a b. 804. a b. Al the Creatures of God owe seruice too his children by right of their inheritance 766. b 19 Cunningnesse Cunningnesse to ouerthrovv a good matter is a hatefull vice before God. 132. b 59. Of Curiositie The vayne Curiositie of men in searching Gods secrets 60. b 42. 772. a 59. God will not feede our fond Curiositie 525. b 1. Of Cursing VVhat it is too Curse God. 15. b. 30. 42. 53. 35. a 37. How horrible a thing it is too curse God. 15. b. 30. The Curse of God is alvvayes vpon the vvicked in what prosperitie so euer they be 514. b 44. How men Curse God to his face 22. a 58. VVee may Curse the vvicked and what is ment by Cursing 88. b 10. 89. a 26. D. Of Dalying It is not for vs too Dally with God. 310. a 9. To Dally vvith Gods vvord and raise vnprofitable questions and vaine disputations in the handling ther of is highe treason against God. 291. b 35. Damnation Our Damnation shall be the greater if we amend not at Gods warning and chastizementes 721. a 49. 722. b 13. Darknesse The kingdome of Darkenesse 196. a 23. Dauid Dauids numbring of the people 24. b 58. Dauid was a frayle man. 28. a 57. Dauid ouershootes himself through prosperitie 30. a 54. Dauids aduoutrie punished 37. b. 15. Dauid a paterne of patience to al meÌ„ of honor 554. b 22. Dauncing Dauncing is a cursed mirth 408. a 7 Day Our Day is sufficieÌ„t too make vs inexcusable 156. b 9. VVhich are called the Dayes of the Lord. 466. b 51. Deceiptes Deceiptes are worse than open violence 574. b 51. Defence How needfull Gods defence is for vs 22. b 24. 30. b 55. VVe neede not be afrayd so long as we be vnder the Defence and tuition of God. 805. a 7. How needfull it is for vs to be Defended of God. 30. b 58. Hovve farre we may Defend our selselues 98. a 3. Gods Defending and protecting of vs is a corzie to Sathan and al the wicked 19. b 32. Gods Defence and protection doe imbolden incourage strengthen vphold and vvarrant the godly against all temptations perils and assaults 19. b 35. God vvill Defend vs no lesse than he did the
that the Image of GOD is printed alyke in them bothe but yet is the woman inferiour too the man and wee muste goe by those degrees whiche God hathe sette in the order of nature So then it is reason that God shoulde bee gloryfied bothe in males and females howebeeit that hee muste chiefly bee gloryfied at the byrthe of a manchilde and yet cleane contrarywise Iob sayeth Curssed bee the night wherein it was reported that a manchilde was borne And why did hee so For it had not become him too haue thoughte well of all these thinges according as God had disposed the dayes Yes but Iob turneth all to the contrarie And heere wee see that whiche I haue touched namely that hee so wanzeth awaye in his owne passions as hee forgetteth Gods graciousnesse whereof hee had spoken afore For he had sayde very well seeing we haue receiued benefite at Gods hande why shoulde wee not also receyue euill For wee bee bounde too bee subiect vntoo him Iob shoulde haue borne these thinges well in minde Howbeeit for as muche as it is an excellenter matter too haue a manchilde borne than too haue a womanchilde hee sayeth cursed bee the night wherein hee was conceyued But as I haue sayde afore all this is too teache vs too praye God too arme vs and too giue vs strength and power too withstande temptations considering that hee which is a patterne of pacience was so carried away And therefore if at any time wee bee incombred with any excesse so as oure fleshe prouoketh vs in suche wise as wee haue not so quiet a mynde too obey God as were too bee desyred let not that cause vs too bee out of heart sithe wee see that the same thing hath befalne vntoo Iob. Then behoueth it vs too humble oure selues acknowledging our owne frayltie and in the meane whyle too be of a good courage vntill God haue giuen vs the full victorie Furthermore wee haue too marke also that suche as haue children oughte so too reioyce in the hauing of menchildren as they reiect not theyr daughters as wee see some vaineglorious fooles doo who thinke that God dothe them greate wrong if hee sende them not menchildren And for what purpose Too the ende too continue theyr houses too purchase estimation and too come in credite Lo after what manner men woulde as it were prolong theyr owne lyfe for euer And yet in the meane whyle if God giue them daughters it is for their profite and they knowe it not and therefore they woulde haue God too consent too theyr foolishe fancies Also God dooth oftentymes punishe this presumptuousnesse For hee giueth menchildren too those that are too desirous of them and they scratch out their eyes in the ende and are as Seagulfes too swallowe vppe their substaunce The fathers are of opinion that theyr children shall increase their house when they haue malechildren And yet most commonly it is an occasion too bring a house too confusion so as it shall bee poynted at wyth the finger And what is the cause thereof It is for that men applye not themselues too God and too his will. VVhen men desire too haue children that desire is good so it bee well ruled But it must come too this poynt Lorde if thou giue mee issue let it bee too the ende that thy name may bee honoured when I am gone And if thou doo mee the worship too bee a father let mee so bring vppe the children that thou shalt giue mee as they maye bee rightly thine so as they maye learne too serue thee and thou guide them according too thy good will. Beholde I say howe fathers and mothers muste content themselues VVhen God sendeth them but one childe whereas they woulde haue three or foure and when God sendeth them a daughter whereas they woulde haue a sonne let them say Euen so Lord thou knowest what is meete for vs and wee must frame our selues thereafter Behold I say wherein the blissing of God sheweth it self But forasmuch as men are inordinate in their desires it is meete that God should scorne them and their follies By the way we be taught also not to despise one another For whereas God hath honoured men in giuing them the dignitie of beeing the heade of mankinde and appoynted the woman too bee inferiour in degree men muste not bee proude of it And truely wee heare howe Sainct Paule sayth that mankynde is come of the man that is to wit of Adam But howe dooth hee continue but by meanes of women If men coulde separate themselues from women and maynteyne a little worlde by themselues alone they shoulde haue good cause too make their boast But nowe if a man consider himselfe hee can no sooner say my father but hee must by and by say also my mother So then seeing that mankinde is continued by meanes of the woman it becommeth vs too thinke that wee bee bounde one of vs too another Furthermore too what purpose is it that the woman was created Verily that shee shoulde bee a helpe too man and it behoueth hir also too bee subiect to him But yet for all that shee is mannes companion as the Scripture termeth hir For it is sayde that among all the thinges that God created there was not anye helper that coulde bee meete for Adam And why so bycause hee was not of nature like vntoo beastes but was of a more excellent creation Nowe if women bee mennes companions there is no cause of disdeyne that men shoulde trample them vnder theyr feete or shake them off or holde scorne of them but they must bee knitte togither with the sayd mutuall bond saying Very well God created vs and fashioned vs and hee mainteyneth vs by menne and women and that is done too the ende wee shoulde liue togither in one common accorde knowing that there is a bonde of copartnershippe whiche God hathe consecrated as inuiolable betwixt vs Thus wee see what wee haue too remember that wee may behaue our selues vprightly And nowe let vs come too that whiche is rehearsed heere It is sayde that Iob wyshed that the daye of his byrthe were ouerwhelmed with darkenesse that it were brunt vppe wyth the beate of the daye and with stormes and tempectes that it were stryken oute of the course of the yeare that it mighte haue no starres and that it might not come intoo the Kalender too bee vnder the gouernment of the Moone It seemeth heere that he woulde peruert the whole order of nature But hereby wee see howe oure passions boyle wythin vs True it is that if men coulde mourne without excesse in their afflictions it were not too be condemned VVhy so For our Lorde Iesus Christ was not affectionlesse yea wee see that when hee endured any greefe hee felt it hee sighed at it and he was sadde for it and yet for all that he was the vnspotted Lambe of God insomuche that there was nothing in him that coulde be blamed How is it then that hee had
is in this world But God hath appointed it an ende and when he calleth vs to himselfe then is the good and sure reste And the cace standeth not therevpon hauing a lyfe that is equall with this life in length of tyme but God maketh vs partakers of his owne life which is endlesse And therefore let vs be of good cheere seeing wee haue whereof to reioyce in the shortnesse of oure life and cause to bee pacient and no cause at all too bee very muche out of quiet And why For if we had a hope of the heauenly life then should we perceiue that this world is nothing And if wee be now and then disquieted VVell may wee sigh for the matter but we shall be comforted by and by bicause wee bee sure that God will bring vs to a good end by receyuing vs intoo his euerlasting reste Thus yee see in what wise wee ought to marke this doctrine if we purpose too fare the better for it Furthermore sorasmuch as wee see men so turmoyled with vnquietnesse and tormenting themselues with their owne affections and lusts we haue so muche the more cause to bridle our fleshly affections For which of vs coueteth not to liue in peace VVee can well confesse that although we haue all the world at wil yet notwithstanding if wee bee vnquieted in oure selues behold it is so greate a corzie that all the reste is nothing woorth we caÌ„ confesse this And wherin lyeth our peace In hauing our eye vpon God and in resting in suche wiâ—e vpon the loue that hee beareth vs namely vpon his free loue as we do acknowledge our selues to be alwayes vnhappie till hee receyue vs to himselfe and moreouer in traueling towardes him and his kingdome withoute setting our harts vpon these corruptible things Lo where in the peace of men coÌ„sisteth But in steade hereof it seemeth that we will make warre with God to the ende he should rise vp againste vs and make vs feele what an enemie wee haue when he is faine to set vpon vs And therefore let euery of vs beware that he bridle his passions affectioÌ„s For if we come like wilde beastes to lift vp our selues against our God muste we not be worse than starke mad Then let vs beare well in mind what is sayde here coÌ„cerning the troublesomnesse of maÌ„s life let vs so thinke vpoÌ„ it as it may serue to rule and correct oure wicked lustes which stirre vs thrust vs forward vnto all euill Ye see then in what wise wee ought to practize this lesson to receiue good auailable instruction by it to our saluation Specalâ—y vpon this poynt where it is sayd that no man can make that thing pure cleane which commeth of vncleannesse and filthinesse let vs marke well that here our Lord ment to send vs to confusion to the intent we should not haue aught wherof to boast but onely in him and of his meere goodnesse And it is requisite that men should be shamed after that sort bicause they blindfold their owne eyes beare themselues in hand that there is much worthinesse in them VVee see the diuell neuer ceassed yet to deface that which is coÌ„teined in the holy scripture coÌ„cerning the corruption that is in maÌ„ There haue bin heretiks inough which haue borne the world in hand that originall sinne is nothing except we follow Adam of our owne will. But yet Gods will was that they shoulde not altogither preuaile Neuerthelesse in the papacie ther is forging of free will and there is buylding of morall vertues the reason whereof is set downe afore And too what ende tendeth all this but that men should like well of themselues and thinke themselues to haue some goodnesse in them Not that any body dareth saye that a man is able to saue himselfe For euen in the papacie it will be confessed that wee haue neede of Gods grace not onely in forgyuing oure sinnes but also in aiding vs with his holy spirite And yet for all this they saye not that all commeth of him The Papistes will not confesse that But they say that we haue a certayne portion of goodnesse in oure selues and that God had neede to helpe vs out with the reste Lo howe God is made a cohelper that is to say he must help our infirmitie but yet muste wee on our side be companions with him The deuill hath so bewitched men as hee maketh them beleeue they bee I wote not what and yet for all that wee see also that to the worldwarde men stande greatly in their owne conceits How commeth it to passe that suche as haue any witte or knowledge do so aduance themselues As for them that are in credite and authoritie are they not as idols that honoure themselues To be short there needeth nothing to perswade men that there is greate worthinesse in them For althoughe no man tell it them yet dooth euery man forge and frame store of leazings to beguyle himselfe withall and if there be any flatterings put to vs besides wee receyue them as easily as may be and they be suger to vs God therfore is fayne to knocke vs harde vpon the heads with greate beetels to beate vs downe for if he shoulde let vs alone as wee bee pryde woulde dwell continually in vs and we would not bow downe our necke nother wold we bee acknowne of our dette as they say And that is the cause why the holy Ghost speaketh to vs of the vncleannesse whiche is in vs by nature as when Dauid in the one and fifteth Psalme sayeth that hee was begotten in sinne and that his mother conceyued him in sinne hee accuseth not nother his father nor his mother but pleadeth gyltie for himselfe as if he had sayd that he was vncleane before God euen from his byrth Howbeit we see that Iob was so carryed awaye in his former passions as hee applyed this thing too the cleane coÌ„trarie VVherfore sayeth he that the thing which commeth of vncleannesse cannot be pure cleane His intent is to seeke some startinghole to abate the damnation that lyeth vpon all men But it is cleane coÌ„trariwise as we see in the text that I alledged out of Dauid For after that Dauid had acknowledged his horrible sinne whereby he had offended God he hilde not himselfe coÌ„tented with that but passed further saying Alas Lorde it is not onely in my life time that I haue done amisse but I haue also brought suche a possession of sinne from my byrth that euer since I was borne into the world I haue still increased more more in the euil wherof I haue the seede within me Thus ye see how Dauid did set originall sinne before hys eyes not to hunt for any pretence too cleere himself before God but to passe the coÌ„demnation wherin he was Then must we so deale when we speake of originall sinne as it may not bee too exempt our selues from Gods iudgemente as wee see these skoffers doo whiche say that
aire he wil much more feede the faithfull 776. a 53. Men must not despise the foode of their soules 550. b 32. There is in man a double feeling and conceyuing 535. a 44. Although men shut their eyes yet doth god make them to feele him in their consciences 736. a 30. To feele no grief or remorse of conscience is the extremest of al miseries 739. a 2. Flattery and Fattering The aptnesse of man to flatter himselfe in his sinnes 93. a 50. Mennes ouerweening in flattering themselues and the remedy there of 790. b. 30. VVe must not flatter our selues in our euill doings how faire colour soeuer we haue to alledge 792. a 30. He that flattereth himselfe renounceth God. 596. a 59. He that flattereth the wicked sheweth that he hath no trust in God. 479. b 54. The cursednesse of flattery 336. a. 21. Figures Figures themselues must cease yet the substance of them be reteined still 11. a 51. Fooles and Folie VVhat is ment by the woord foole 87. a 53. VVho are fooles 89. b 1. The foly of wise worldlings 521. b 53 Our first lesson in Gods schole is to become fooles 522. a 54. How we may iudge of fooles 89. b 8 Forbearing The reprobates gaine nothing by Gods long forbearing of them 690. a 5. Looke more in Sparing and Suffering Forget VVhat is ment by forgetting God. 159. b. 40. VVe must not forget our selues whē God spareth vs. 567. b. 53. VVe soone forget what so euer wee learne at a sermon or in the scripture 540. b 22. How God is said to forget vs. 281. b 31. Forgiue and Forgiuenesse It belongeth alonly to God to forgiue or to punish sinners 689. a 3. Gods free mercy is the cause and foundation of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes 647. b 40. 649. a 50. 689 a 28. b 31. Forgiuenes of sinnes commeth onely by the preaching of the Gospell 648. b 38. Gods forgiuing of our fins is as a raizing of vs vp from death 656. b 58 To what ende God forgiueth vs our sinnes 653. a 32. The way to escape Gods heauy hād is to seeke forgiuenesse of our sinnes 680. a 28. The opinion of Papistes concerning Gods forgiuing of sins 689. a 28. Frayelty Our frayelty is set foorth in the person of Iob. 135. a 42. God spareth vs because of our fraielty 140. a 20. Our fraielty must bee set before our eyes in our prayers 140. a 28. Our fraielty must bee mentioned in our praiers with humility 140. a 42. VVhy the Scripture telleth vs that God pitieth vs in respecte of our fraielty 140. a 53. In prayer to alledge our own fraielty and abiectnesse is acceptable to God. 267. b 11. Frendshippe No frendship but among the godly 8. b 1. Looke more in Brotherly Loue. Freewill VVhy the Papistes imagin a freewil 791. a 23. The papistes ground of freewill 224 b 32. 257. a 39. 684. b 48. The establishers for freewill and their reasons 253. b 25. 254. a 54. A briefe ouerthrowe of freewill 522. a 43. Frowardnesse Our vntowardnes and frowardnes make God rougher to vs than he would be 33. a 15. Funeralles Funeralles and Tombes that are ouer sumptuous are a kinde of resisting God and nature 33. b 27. Fight Mannes greatest fight is against him selfe and his own vices 279. b 53. G Gate VVhat is ment by Gate 90. b 58. VVhat is ment by falling downe i◠the Gate 90. b. 54. Generalnesse Generalnesse of sinne is no excuse of sinning 20. b. 1. 19. Giftes The Giftes of the minde and al sciences trades and handicraftes come of God and not of nature 619. a 18. To what ende GOD bestoweth his Giftes of grace vppon vs. 619. a 44. The Giftes which God giueth must be communicated to our neighboures 14. a 7. 373. a 50. 377. a 44. Gods Giftes ought not to serue too any vaine glory 373. b 55. The Giftes that God giueth vs must make vs the earnester in glorifiing God. 13. b 59. The despising of GODS Giftes in men redoundeth to the iniury of God himselfe 301. b 21. In Iobes time he that had excellent Giftes was reuerenced of the whole people 552. b 57. God doth and may iustly at his pleasure both giue and take away 33. a 60. VVee shall pay dearely for GODS Giftes if they be not bestowed as they ought to be 544. b 34. VVe must not bee proude of GODS Giftes in nature or otherwyse 797 a 33. It is a hard matter for a man not to abuse God his Giftes 568. a 46. The more Gods Giftes are the more are the afflictions and trialles of them that haue them 320. b 27. Glory and Glorify VVherein Gods Glory consisteth 235. b 47. God giueth vs cause to Glorifie and praise him euen in our troubles and afflictions how boisterous so euer he seeme to vs. 25. b. 10. VVe can not Glorify God in our aduersities except we be perswaded that they be for our Saluation welfare 699. b. 8. The meane to Glorifie God aright 630. a 27. God neuer ceaseth to giue vs cause to Glorifie him by dooing vs good 705. a 5. Men ought not to glory in their present greatnes 61. b 6. Of the Glory of this world 350. b. 44 God. VVhat is comprehended vnder the word God. 151. b. 28. God applyeth himselfe to vs after all fashions to the intent to winne vs 753. a. 37. God enuieth not any mannes vertuousnesse or weldoing 715. b 36. God neuer failith vs at our need 109. a. 21. God is not bound to vs but we wholy to him 27. a 23. 701. b 35. 803. a. 34. 804. a b. God is the fountaine of all equity right 151. a 11. God is not affectioned a◠men are 701. b 36. 703 a 30. 715. b. 14. God is not like vs neiger hath he any part of our nature in him 701. b 26. 702. b 32. 715. a 35. God is vnchaungeable and a true perfourmer of his promises 28. a 37. and 60. God is likened to earthly Princes 16 b. 31. God is openly shewed in the person of his Sonne 11. b 43. God is vnpartiall 716. b 42. God knoweth better what it is meet for vs thā we our selues do 30. a 5. God knoweth ourwayes and reckeneth our steppes 574. a 15. God knoweth what is meet for our triall without Sathans counsel 20 b 54. God laieth not more vppon vs than we be able to beare 25. b 20. God must haue the prayse of our worldly welfare and of all other thinges 22. b 60. 33 b 48. It is against Gods nature to deale roughly or to bee angry with vs. 726. a 40. God neuer reiecteth such as come vnto him vnfaynedly 156. b 32. God serueth his owne tourne by Sathan and the wicked and yet the euil remaineth still in them 24. b 50. 36. a 41. 37. b 25. 38. a 2. God and Sathan worke both in one act but yet to contrary endes 38. a 12. God neuer suffreth good men to perish 158. b. 12. GOD tourneth euill
Shamefastnesse Shamefastnesse too doe euill in respect of man is no vertue of it self 538. b 37. Shamefastnesse is quite rased out in all men 539. b 20. VVe must not be loth nor ashamed too acknovvledge our vnaduised wordes or opinions that wee haue hild before wee knew the trueth 808. b 32. Shewe God sheweth himselfe to vs in al his workes 795. b 25. Shrift Of Popish Shrift 648. b 20. The blasphemousenesse of Popishe Shrift 654. a 42. Shine VVhat is ment by the Shining of light in darknesse 706. b 23. Simplicity The opinion of the world concerning honest simple men 101. b 12. VVhat is happened in Popedome vnder colour of Simplycity 130. a 59. Of the Simplicity of faith that Papistes require 294. b 15. Sinne. VVhat Sinne is 64. a. 61. Sinne is not of gods creatiō in man but of the Diuels procurement 17 b 41. Sinne is the cause of all our miseries 53. b 20. There are three degrees of faultines in Sinne although it come not to the outward deede 569. a 59. VVherefore Sinne is termed by many names in the Scripture 266. b 22. Hovv all mankinde is infected vvyth original Sinne corruption notwithstanding our soules bee not deliuered from Adam but onely our bodyes 272. a 51. The destinction of Sinne into wilful Sinne and Sinne of ignorance hath no substance 266. a 43. The very conceiuing of Sinne is Sin. 47. b 59. 792. a 4. Originall Sinne corrupteth euen the thinges that are good 8. b 5. Man is nothing the more excused because Sinne is in him by nature 270. a 39. The very disposition or motion too misselyke of Sinne commeth of God. 689. b 3. Of the sweetenesse that wicked men finde in their vices and Sinnes 382 b 39. Mens Sinnes are not alvvayes to bee measured by their afflictions 497. a 38. It is not for men to cloke their Sins before God. 656. b 46. Sinne is to be shunned as a pestilent aire plague or poysoned meate 20. b 23. VVhether a man ought too bee mistrustfull and afraide of sinnes vnknowen 15. a 48. The blasphemous opinion of the Papistes concerning the motion or conceite of Sinne. 570. b 34. Signes Al the Signes and wonders that God vvrought in old time ought to be vvarrants of his word vnto vs. 754 b 13. Skorne Looke Sclaunder Skyes The Skies and the aire and al things in them are altred disposed by Gods appointment and not by their owne power 773. b 14. The Skies are recordes both of Gods fanour of his wrath 772. b 49. Slauery The greatest Slauery that can come to man is to be subiect to his own vices 412. b 37. Sclaunder Sathans practise by stirring vp malicious folk to Sclaunder vs is that vve should conclude that we haue lost our time in doing good 555. a 37. VVe must take it in good part when men Sclaunder vs. 555. b 21. By Iobes example vve must learne to beare Sclaunders reproches 555 b 6. VVhen wee bee scorned by such as haue no commendable thinge in them it is much more hard to vs. 557. b 24. Against the temptation of Sclaunder 291. a 55. Sleepe Gods preseruing of vs and his vvatching ouer vs when we be a slepe ought to prouoke vs to reioyce in him 705. a 44. Slowe VVhen ther is any talk of Gods Iudgementes we are so slowe that it moueth vs not a whit 573. a 52. Snowe The ingendring of Snovve 770. a 21. Sunne The Sunne and Moone and all the host of Heauen with the clouds such other things are seruaunts to Gods elect people 745. a 1. The wonderfull certainty and euennes which the Sunne kepeth in going his dayly and yearely courses 764. b 17. The course of the Sunne maketh the diuersity of seasons 172. a 4. The light of the Sun is a parte of the inheritance of Gods children 766. b 18. Sorowe The Sorovve that is not to be shunned 811. b 26. Commendable and godly Sorrowe 32. b 38. Mens inordinatenes in Sorrowing 32. a 25. Vncommendable hipocritly wicked Sorrow 32. a 16. b 31. Harty Sorrovve will vtter it selfe perforce 32. a 47. It is a thing not too be desired neuer to haue any Sorrow at al. 565. a 29. It beboueth the godly to be touched with griefe Sorrovv when God layeth his hand vppon them 31. b 51. 32. b 20. 52. Sackcloth shearing of mens heades rending of their garments casting of dust ashes vppon them vvere tokens of repentance or else of great Sorrowe among the people of the Easte Countries in olde time 32. a b. Signes of Sorrovv do vary according to the diuersity of the customes of Countries 32. a 10. VVhat thinges ought to prouoke vs to Sorrowe 53. b. 17. The common manner of putting away Sorrow or griefe 32. a 57. Soueraigntie Looke Subiection VVherin consisteth the Soueraignty that God hath ouer vs. 482. a 31. Looke more in Prouidence Sowe and Reape Such as we Sowe such shal we reape 74. b 28. Soule The Soule is not immortall of it selfe 201. b 25. The death lyfe of the Soule 278. a 23. Sathan neuer hath any povver ouer the Soules of the Godly 24. a 35. All men are infected vvith originall Sinne notwithstanding that our Soules be not deriued from Adam 272. a. 51. The Sadduces denie the immortality of the Soule 404. b 46. Soundnesse Soundnes what it is the Image therof in Iob. 3. b 8. 5. b 25. A description of true Soundnes 4. a 25. Soundnes vnperfecte in this lyfe 3. b 42. Soundnes of hart is the first point the very ground of true holinesse 20. a 7. Soundnes of harte is the foundation vvheron we must groūd ourselues vvherein the same is shewed 40. a 32. VVe ought not only inwardly to be Sound but also shevve our deedes that we be such as we seeme 339. a 12. More Soundnesse of lyfe in the olde time then in these dayes 3. a 17. Spare Gods Sparing of vs and his doing of vs good is not for any vvorthines or deseruing of ours but for his own free mercies sake or for some other cause 746. a 56. 747. a 6. Seeing that GOD spareth not whole natiōs that offend much lesse shal he spare any one man. 728. a 20. Speake and speech In vvhat wise GOD speaketh to al sortes of men and openeth theyr eares 639. a 53. Gods speaking to vs is not too leaue vs in dout 685. a 55. God speaketh to vs after tvvo fashions 810. a 4. God is fain to speake to vs in way of skorne and mockage why 691. a 56. 670. a VVhy God speaketh to vs by men rather than by himselfe immediatly 631. a 55. God hath diuers maners of speaking to put vs to silence 795. b 36. 796. The two thinges that vvee learne by Gods speaking to vs. 637. b 59. It ought to suffise vs too haue heard God spoken of 810. a 1. Speech and the end vse thereof 47 b 49. 56. b 4. 130. a 15. Our ouerhastinesse in
acknowledging him to be iust and vpright and not too grudge against him nor to fall striuing with him assuring ourselues that we shall always be vanquished in pleding against him So theÌ„ the thing that we haue briefly to beare in mind in this story is that God hath such a souerainty ouer his creatures as he may dispose of theÌ„ at his pleasure and that when he sheweth any rigour which we thinke strange at the first blushe yet notwithstanding wee must holde our peace and not grudge but rather confesse that he is rightuous and wait till he shew vs wherefore he chastizeth vs And here withall we haue to behold the patientnesse of the man that is set heere before our eyes according as S. Iames exhorteth vs For when God sheweth vs that we ought to beare all the miseries that he shal send vpon vs we can well afooâ—d to confesse that it is our dutie so to doe but yet there withall wee alledge our owne frayltie and wee beare oureselues in hande that that ought to serue for our excuse VVherfore it is good for vs to haue such examples as shewe vnto vs howe there haue bin other men as fraile as we who neuerthelesse haue resisted temptations and continued stedfastly in obedience vnto God although he haue scourged them eueÌ„ with extremitie Thus haue we here an excellent mirrour Moreouer we haue to coÌ„sider not only the patience of Iob but also the issue of it as Sainct Iames sayth For had Iob continued in miserie albeit that hee had had more than Angelical strength in himself yet had that bene no happie issue But when we see he was not disappointed of his hope and that he found grace bycause he humbled himselfe before God vpon the sight of suche an issue wee may conclude that ther is nothing better than to submit ourselues vnto God and to suffer peaceably whatsoeuer he sendeth vs vntill hee deliuer vs of his owne mere goodnesse And herewithal besides the storie we haue to consider the doctrine comprised in this booke That is to wit concerning those that came vnto Iob vnder pretence to comfort him and yet tormeÌ„ted him much more than did his owne miseries and concerning the answeres that he vsed to repulse their checks wherwith it seemed they would haue dauÌ„ted him But first of all as in respect of our afflictions we haue to note that although God send them and that they proceede from him yet notwithstanding the diuell also stirreth them vp in vs according as S. Paule telleth vs that we haue war against the spirituall powers For when the diuel hath once kindled the fire he hath also his bellows that is to say he findeth men that are fit to pricke vs always forwarde both to feede the euill and to encrease it So then we shall see how Iob besides the miserie that he endured was also tormented both by his friendes and by his wyfe and aboue all by such as came to tempt him spiritually For I call it a spirituall temptation not only when wee be smitten and afflicted in our bodies but also when the dyuell coÌ„mes to put a toy in our head that God is our deadly enimie and that it is not for vs to resort any more vnto him but rather to assure our selues that henceforthe hee will not shew vs any mercy See whervnto al the discours tendeth which Iobs friends layd afore him It was to make him beleeue that he was a man forsaken of God and that he deceiued himself in imagining that God would be mercifull vnto him Surely these spirituall battelles are farre more harder to be borne than all the miseries and aduersities that we can suffer by any persecution And yet doth God let Satan ninne so farre vpon the brydle that he also bringeth his seruants with him who giue vs such assaults as wee see Iob hath endured Marke well this for a speciall poynt But here withall we haue further to marke that in all this disputation Iob mainteineth a good case And yet it is more that Iob mainteining a good quarell did handle it il and that the other setting forth an vniust matter did conuey it well The vnderstanding of this will be as a key to open vnto vs all this whole booke Howe is it that Iob mainteineth the good case It is in that hee knoweth that God dothe not euer punishe menne according too the measure of their sinnes but hath his secrete iudgementes whereof he maketh vs not priuie and therefore that it behoueth vs to wait till he reueale vnto vs for what cause he doth this or that Thus is he in this whole discourse persuaded that God doth not always punish meÌ„ according to the measure of their sinnes â–ª and therevpon assureth himselfe that he is not a man reiected of God as they woulde make him to beleeue Beholde heere a good and true case notwithstanding that it be ill handled For Iob raungeth here out of his boundes and vseth such excessiue and outrageous talke that in many pointes he seemeth a desparate person And specially he so chafeth as it seemeth that he would euen resist god Thus may vee see a good case missehandled But on the contrarie part they â–ª that vndertake the euill case that is to wit that God doth alwayes punishe men according to the measure of their sinnes haue goodly and holie sentences and there is nothing in their whole talk which would not entice vs to receyue it as if the holy Ghost himselfe had vttered it For it is plaine truth they be the groundes of religion they treate of Gods prouidence they treat of his iustice they treate of mennes sinnes Thus see wee a doctrine whiche wee must receyue without gaynsaying and yet the drifte of it is euill namely for that these men labour thereby to cast Iob into despaire and to drowne him altogither But hereby we see that when we haue a sure grounde it behooueth vs to looke that wee builde vpon it in such wise as all things be answerable therevnto according as Sainct Paule sayth of himselfe that he builded well for as much as he founded the Church vpon the pure doctrine of Iesus Christ and therfore that it hath such a conformitie in it as those that come after him shal not make any other foundation eyther of chaffe or of stubble or of any other brittle stuffe but haue a good foundation stedfast and substantiall readie layd to their hand Likewise in our whole lyfe we haue to looke vnto this point namely that if wee be grounded vpon good and rightfull reason it behoueth eche one of vs to stande vpon his garde that he reele not ne wauer not one way or other For ther is nothing easier than to marre a good and rightfull matter so sinfull is our nature as wee finde by experience at all times God of his grace may giue vs a good case and yet we may bee so stinged by our enimies that wee can not holde our selues within our
wee say that all the miseryes of this present lyfe are the fruites of our sinnes wee haue occasion too sighe not for that we bee so miserable or for that our state is so harde and troublesome but for that we be giuen to so much naughtinesse and to so great rebelliousnesse agaynst God that whereas his image ought to shyne foorth in vs it seemeth that wee haue conspyred too doo him spyte And this is the cause why Sainct Paule lamenteth and wee see here the true sorrow which Christians ought to make but not for their hauing of cold and heate not for their induring of diseases and other calamities but for that they see themselues as it were in the prison and bondage of sinne VVretch that I am sayeth Sainct Paule And sayeth hee so bycause hee is impacient or for that hee lyfteth vp himselfe agaynste God No but for that hee is the instrument of the holy ghost and sheweth vs that in this present life wee haue cause too sighe and grone without ceassing And why so for wee bee shutte vp in a deadly pryson and are subiecte too so many wicked lustes as wee can not by any meanes atteyne to dedicate our selues vnto God by reason of the great number of our corruptions which ceasse not too prouoke vs vnto euill Thus wee see howe wee maye lament our cace after the example of Saynct Paule who giueth vs a rule thereof But here wee see howe Iob cursed the daye of his byrthe wherein hee is not too bee excused neyther can it bee sayde that hee ouershotte not himselfe And why so For it behoueth vs too ioyne them bothe togyther that is too witte that when God created vs hee also prynted hys owne Image in vs and dyd vs the honour too bee the excellentest of all hys creatures In whiche respecte wee haue cause too blisse his name continually And althoughe this life bee so full of miseries as nothing can bee more yet the cace standeth so as wee can not sufficientlye value the inestimable benefite that God hath bestowed vppon vs in giuing vs this present lyfe bycause that by mainteyning vs therein hee maketh vs too feele by experience that hee hathe a care of vs and wyll not by any meanes forsake vs howsoeuer the worlde go Seeing wee haue this haue wee not whereof too reioyce euen in the middest of all our aduersityes So then the faythfull man whiche speaketh with good aduisement will neuer cursse the daye of his byrth what miserie soeuer he indure Iob therefore behaueth hym selfe vnthankefully to Godwarde in cursing so the day of his byrth and it cannot bee sayde that hee deserued not blame for passing his boundes Furthermore let vs marke that the Children of God maye also blisse their byrthday I meane in not considering their wants too bewayle themselues wyth Sainct Paule but simplie in hauing an eye too the benefyte whiche God gaue them when hee sent them into the worlde True it is that the Heathen men abused it for when they solemnized theyr byrthday they did it too exceede in many follies and superfluous pompes But the very original and welspring of the solemnizing of byrthdayes was for that the holye fathers knewe it was good reason too yeelde God thankes and therefore they hilde that daye as a solemne feast to the ende to prouoke themselues to prayse god Yea verily for when wee haue passed some yeares of our life althoughe wee ought too call Gods benefites too remembraunce incessauntly yet is it requisite that at the day of our entraunce into the worlde there should bee kepte an euerlasting memoriall of them so as wee might say I see well that this yeare is past God hathe brought mee hitherto I haue off ended him many wayes and therefore it is meete that I shoulde nowe aske hym forgiuenesse But aboue all things hee hathe shewed mee great fauour hee hath maynteyned mee alwayes in hope of the saluation that he hath giuen me and he hath deliuered me from many daungers and therefore it becommeth mee too call the same to remembraunce And nowe that I am too enter intoo another yeare it is good that I prepare my selfe to the seruing of god For the euill aduentures that I haue passed shewe me howe great neede I haue of his succour and that without him I shall bee vndoone a hundred thousande times Thus we see howe the holye fathers were woont to solemnize theyr byrthdayes and howe it is a good and profitable exercise The Heathen men I say haue abused it and wee see at thys day howe they that call themselues Christians doe play flat mockholyday with God when they solemnize theyr byrthdayes For they make no reckening of prayers nor of thankesgyuing nor of the acknowledging of theyr sinnes nor of Gods benefites but of pampering themselues after a beastly manner But as I haue sayde it behoueth vs alwayes too blisse God vpon our byrthdayes And why for as muche as God hath set vs heere in this worlde too bee his children hee hath not put vs foorth as Oxen and dogges but as reasonable creatures that beare his Image And further for as muche as wee bee baptyzed in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Chryst and that besydes oure creation God hathe also moreouer prynted hys marke vppon vs for an aduauntage too the intent wee shoulde bee as his deere friendes and bee receyued intoo hys Churche therein wee haue cause too blisse God double And so they that cursse the day of theyr byrthe by chafing at the miseryes and afflictions that they endure shewe well that they bee vnthankefull and that their owne afflictions doo too muche ouermaster them Euen so stoode the cace with Iob. And therefore wee haue the more cause too pray vntoo God without ceassing that hee will vouchsafe too holde vs backe and that if nowe and then hee suffer vs too let slippe some wicked wordes and that we bee not so stedfast as were requisite yet notwithstanding that thoughe wee bee shaken wee may not fall but recouer our selues agayne and learne too gather oure wittes better aboute vs too brydle oure selues and that when wee see there hathe beene any frayltie in vs wee maye condemne the faulte too the intent too returne by and by agayne intoo the right waye Thus yee see what wee haue too marke heere But when it is sayde Cursed bee the night wherein worde was brought beholde a manchilde is conceyued it shoulde seeme that Iob meant too spyte God in so dooing For thoughe wee haue cause as I haue earst sayde too blisse God for creating vs after hys owne Image and likenesse yet is our case suche as the menne are preferred before the women in mankinde we know that God hathe ordeyned man as the heade and giuen him the dignitie and preheminence ouer the woman And heere wee see also why Sainct Paule sayeth that the man muste goe with the heade bare bicause hee is the glorie of God and the woman the glorie of the man True it is
destitute of all meanes of helpe and succour In deede some do referre this vnto men but it is to be vnderstoode howe it is God that hath bestripped them and left them destitute of all succour to the intent they shoulde neuer be holpen vp againe But as for our partes according to that whiche I haue touched already wee haue so much the more cause to cast downe our eyes to pray God to make vs walke aright in his obedience and that although wee perceyue not his curse vpon vs nor vpon our childrē yet notwithstanding we may take it for a conclusion that God hath meanes to vs incomprehensible insomuche that when it shall seeme vnto vs that all thinges go well and that wee haue prouided aforehande not onely for our whole lyfe but also for after our death that our children also may be in good surenesse of welfare so as it may seeme wee haue set all things in good order and nothing is amisse wee may consider that all this is nothing and that as soone as God doo but blowe vpon our determination and deuises hee shall turne them all vpside downe VVhen wee knowe this let vs not abuse his pacience and if hee spare vs for a time let it not make vs to ouersleepe our selues and to sooth our selues in our vices but let it learne vs to returne vnto him in due season and to preuent this vengeance wherewith he manaceth all despisers in this place But herewithall let vs marke that oftentymes the good men and their children may happen to be persecuted vniustly Neuerthelesse the holy Ghost presupposeth that which is true and which we also may sticke vnto as most certaine and infallible which is that in scourging and troubling of vs God hath a respect to prouide for vs by it in the ende and when he hath sufficiently tried vs and humbled vs he will turne the euill to our benefite and to our welfare as I haue sayde But contrarywise whereas it is sayd that the race of the wicked shall stumble and be set farre from helpe it is to expresse that whē God intendeth to punish the wicked hee proceedeth with it in such sort as men may perceyue hee doth it not to tame them that they might returne vnto him nor to mortifie their fleshly affections nor finally to cure them like a phisition but to confounde them and to bring them to vtter destruction Behold what the holy ghost presupposeth Also let vs learne to discerne the chastizements that God vseth towardes his children too their benefite from the punishments which he sendeth vpon the wicked not to amende them but to shew himselfe a iudge agaynst them It followeth That the goodes of suche men shall bee deuoured by the hungrie yea euen too the picking out of their corne from among the thornes so as not only their fieldes shall be reaped by their enemies who shall deuour al their substance but also men shall scrape altogither that is betweene the hedges so as if there be any thing hidden and it bee but a two or three eares of corne among the bushes it shall bee gleaned vp Heereby Eliphas meeneth that Gods iudgements vpon the wicked are not lyke vnto the corrections which hee sendeth too his children but that he sheweth howe he hath vtterly cast them off and that hee pitieth them not any more and that hee will not haue them feele any more of his fatherly goodnesse bycause hee acknowledgeth them not for his Lo what the effect is of that which is spoken here And herevpon wee haue nowe too call too mynde what I haue declared afore that is too witte that if wee bee troubled vexed and tormented by the wicked wee must paciently abide Gods leysure till hee put too his hande too succour vs And although wee perceyue not Gods iudgementes at the first pushe yet notwithstanding let vs assure our selues that hee will execute them in due time and place Also when wee see the execution of them let the same make vs too stande in awe and sithe wee see his vengeance is so horrible let vs brydle our selues and beware wee tempt not God as Sainct Paule also exhorteth vs Lette no man abuse you sayeth hee with vayne woordes For by reason of suche things the vengeance of God is woont too come vppon the vnbeleeuers and stubburne personnes Therefore when God doth so shewe vs his iudgementes let vs quake at them and let vs stande in feare and awe of him submitting our selues wholly to that whiche hee sayeth and vttereth And this is it that hee addeth howbeeit that it cannot be expounded at this present namely that it becommeth vs too yeelde our selues in suche wyse too Gods will as we may answere So bee it too all that euer he sayeth vnto vs assuring our selues that things fall not out by chaunce in this worlde nor that it is long of the earth ayre or heauen that men are afflicted but that men beare their bane in themselues Then let vs acknowledge it and when there happen any afflictions in the worlde let vs be sure it is the hande of God whiche lighteth vpon vs for our sinnes and that all the mischiefe commeth of our selues and that we haue the verie welspring and groundworke thereof within vs Let vs I say acknowledge this to the ende we may mislyke of our selues in our vices and therevpon pray God to drawe vs to himselfe and to make his graces which he hath put intoo vs auaylable to our saluation that being mainteyned by his power which he hath openly shewed towards vs in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ we may be able to prosper through his blissing And let vs cast our selues downe before the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele thē in such wise as we may returne to him in true repentance and suffer our selues to be gouerned henceforth by his hande yea after such maner as his holy name may bee glorifyed by vs in all our whole lyfe And so let vs all saye Almightie God and heauenly father c. The nintenth Sermon which is the thirde vpon the fift Chapter This Sermon conteyneth yet still the exposition of the sixth and seuenth verses and then as followeth 8 But I vvill reason vvith God and turne my talke vnto God. 9 It is he that doth great vvorkes yea euen vnsercheable vvoorkes and vvhich doth vvonderfull deedes vvithout ende 10 VVhich giueth raine vpon the earth vvhich maketh the vvaters to gushe dovvne the streetes I Began heertosore to tell what is ment by this saying That trouble commeth not out of the earth nor miserie out of the dust but that man is borne to labour For when wee bee troubled with any inconuenience wee gaze about vs here and there and search all corners of our wits to finde the cause of it out of our selues and yet of all the while we perceiue not that God scourgeth vs for our sinnes and that the
fountaine of all the aduersities mishaps that we indure here below must be sought for in our owne life Then are we warned by this sentence that when wee heare speaking of the miseries of mans life and that eche one of vs also feeleth his part and portion therof our wits must not wander abrode nor fetch long windlasses atoneside or atother but euery man must enter into himselfe too searche out his owne sinnes and so shal we find that it is no maruell though we be beset round about with so many necessities and our life subiect to this so wretched state VVhy so For like as wood carieth that nature and propertie in it that he receyueth fire and kindleth easily so also standeth the cace with vs For we haue sin which is as it were the wood and matter of all afflictions wherevpon commeth the wrath of God so must we nedes be cōsumed The sparkles therfore do flie aloft sayth Eliphas and yet if there were not a secrete operation in the steele when it is striken vpon the stith it is certain that no sparks would passe out Euen so it behoueth vs to vnderstand that the fire of al our miseries is inclosed in our selues And we shal haue profited greatly if we beare away this lesson For although euery one of vs confesse that God scourgeth vs iustly yet do we not enter into this foresayd consideration but rather labor to shun it as much as we can VVhensoeuer a man hath any aduersitie God knocketh at his doore and prouoketh him to thinke vpon his sinnes But the man makes none accoūt of it yea rather which worse is he sleepeth soundly in his aduersitie and fathereth it either vpon this thing or vpon that and he will find some casuall chaunce or other which he goeth to seeke a great way off and neuer entreth intoo the examination of hys owne life Therefore whereas we be subiect to so many miseries and wantes let vs learne to take the whole burthen and blame of it vppon oure selues and not charge eyther heauen or earth with it As for example when wee see the weather distempered so as there commeth frost or thunder or haile let vs assure our selues it is not the aire that is so disposed of it selfe or if there come a drought it is not the heauen that is so hardened of it owne nature or if the earth be barrein it proceedeth not of it owne kind but we our selues are the cause of all And therfore when it is sayd that we be borne vnto it Eliphas presupposeth that forasmuch as we be borne to euill and are wholy inclined to ouermany vices it is meete that we should bee handled therafter and that God should answere vs according as we come vnto him But verily we bring al corruption with vs out of our mothers wombe so as we be naturally giuen to naughtinesse and sinne and therefore muste our state be sutable therevnto that is to say forasmuch as god findeth vs to be such he must also send vs that which he knoweth to bee conuenient iust and rightfull for vs And so Eliphas meeneth not that God created vs of purpose to deale so hardly with vs but he taketh man in his corrupt nature euer since he was turned away from God saith it is requisit that his estate shuld be such as it is bicause we be not able to conceiue how God spreadeth out his goodnesse vpon vs and intreateth vs gently as if wee were obedient vnto him in all poynts But forasmuch as men do neuer humble themselues except they bee constrained therto by force but indeuer to striue against god Eliphas addeth here another sentence that is to wit that he turneth himselfe vnto God and purposeth to reason with him as if he should say Men cannot abide to receiue this doctrine namely that it shoulde bee tolde them that they be well worthie to bee scourged and therefore that they must not striue agaynst it but take al in good worth not blame the other creaturs for the miseries that they indure but rather acknowledge thēselues to be the cause therof Men thē cannot stoupe to cōceiue that this is true except they be made to stoupe by shewing thē what the maiestie of God is And therfore vntil we haue our sinnes layd afore vs and bee made to perceyue howe it is God with whome wee haue too deale there is not that man whiche will not holde himselfe aloofe or that hath not his answers readie at his tongs end or that setteth not some color vpō his misdoings And though we be not altogither rebellious yet notwithstāding there wil be such a carelesnesse in vs that whatsoeuer mē sayto vs it is al one and wee are neyther greeued nor moued at all our vices VVhat must we do the VVe shal neuer lerne true humilitie vntil we be made to vnderstand that it is god to whō we must answere that we be cited to appere at his throne to feele him our iugde and moreouer also that we cannot escape his hande but that all our life must be knowne and examined there VVhen we be brought to this poynt that we must be faine to looke vnto God we begin after a sort to rouze vp our selues so as we be no more so carelesse drousie as we were there is no more of this loftinesse and fond ouerweening to sooth and flatter ourselues withall we come to haue some feeling and perceyuing of our miseries but aboue all when Gods Maiestie is set before oure eyes it is too make vs feele howe dreadfull it is and when his greatnesse is sette afore vs it maketh vs too tremble yet the more VVe see it is no sporting matter heere is no sleeping for vs nor no bearing of oure selues in hande with this or that VVherfore for there is no more roome for flatteries when God who is a consuming fire appeareth and maketh vs to come nere vnto him so as wee perceyue howe it is hee that maketh the mountaynes to melt and is able to make cleane riddance of all things Therefore when we know this greatnesse of God needes must we sinke vnder it and forget all pride Thus much concerning the intent of Eliphas But nowe must we consider this doctrine to applie it to our selues First of al as oft as we feel not our selues sufficiētly wakened to condemne our selues in our sinnes let vs vse the order that is set downe to vs here which is to haue an eye vnto god How is that VVee may see some man that is sufficiently conuinced of his sinnes who notwithstanding goeth on still and followeth his owne swinge and if he be reproued or else otherwise feele remorse in his owne conscience he passeth it ouer and taketh no great greefe for it and why so Bycause hee hath not his eye vpon god Thus yee see what maketh vs to continue in our sinnes yee see what is the cause why wee bee not cast downe with true humilitie namely bycause we
were greatlye too the defacing of my glorie and Maiestie Yee see then what Iobs cheefe meening is Furthermore wee haue too marke that this present sentence is not like that of the eyght Psalme where it is sayde Lorde what is man that thou makest so muche of him Yee see heere howe the woordes are sette in theyr proper signification but in Iobs saying they bee taken cleane contrarie For in the said text of the Psalme which I haue alledged Dauid recounteth Gods infinite goodnesse in that he thinketh so vpon his creatures and that he vouchsafeth too haue a care of them too guyde them and to gouerne them If ye looke vpon man in himselfe ye shall see so poore a creature as it may well seeme that God ought not too haue respect of him or too caste his eye vppon him Nowe then when wee see that God not onely vouchsafeth too gouerne men but also maketh them Lordes of all his creatures according as it is sayde there that hee hath made both the beastes of the feelde and the byrdes of the ayre and the fishes of the sea too serue our turnes withall seeing hee hath so disposed all things to serue vs and to succour our necesâ—ities it seemeth that God beareth vs suche a loue as hee putteth all that he hath vnder our hands saying I withhold nothing from you Ye see then that the wretchednesse and poorenesse of men yeeldeth a greater beauty to Gods goodnesse and mercie than if wee had any thing of oure owne that coulde prouoke him to do vs good Thus ye see Dauids playne meening And this thing is specially fulfilled in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ For although hee be the onely sonne of God yet notwithstanding so it is that in respect of his manhoode hee was the sonne of Abraham and was fully like vs in all poynts sinne onely excepted And so when we see that God hath made much of him by gyuing all things intoo his hande to the ende that wee shoulde recouer that thing in him whiche wee loste in Adam therein God hath shewed the greate and infinite treasures of his mercie And verely Iesus Christe is the true looking glasse of Gods grace whiche afterward is spred out vpon all his members And so after the example of Dauid wee haue good cause too exalte the goodnesse of God when wee see that hauing begonne first in Adam and afterwarde in Iesus Christ by whome all is made whole agayne that was beaten downe and defaced in Adam hee continueth still at this day in doing vs good and we bee made parttakers of all his riches Heerein wee haue good cause too maruell and too saye Alas Lorde what are wee that thou visitest vs that thou vsest vs so familiarly that wee bee as thy children that thou holdest vs as in thy lappe that thou shewest thy selfe so bountifull towardes vs I o what wee ought too doo But in this place Iob taketh all too the fiat contrarie VVherein wee see that when mennes mouthes are oute of taste nothing can like them in cace as if a mannes stomacke were squeymishe by meanes of sicknesse the beste and finest meates that coulde bee brought vntoo him shoulde haue no sauour with him but should lothe him and prouoke him as it were too vomiting So standeth the cace with vs when wee bee yll disposed and haue not a right and well ruled iudgement Gods graces shall haue no taste nor sauer with vs Is there any thing that oughte too prouoke vs more too loue God than when wee knowe that hee commeth downe after that sorte vnto vs and that hee dooth as ye woulde say put the meate into our mouthes as a moother dooth too hir yong babes and that hee hath his wings spred oute too receyue vs vnder them as it is sayde in the song of Moyses VVhen wee see God too haue so familiar a care of vs is it not ynoughe too rauishe vs oute of our wittes Ought not the consideration therof to susfize vs throughly But as for them that are forweeryed and full of anguishe they come so farre shorte of tasting this too theyr profite that they coulde finde in theyr hartes that God were a greate way off from them according as wee see it is happened vnto Iob â–ª at leastewise in respect of his fleshly affection No doubt but hee resisted it and had pacience howbeit that the same were secrete and hidden within him neuerthelesse it behooued the same passion to shewe it selfe whatsoeuer it were and God ment too humble him thereby VVee see then howe Iob turneth Gods prouidence quite vpside downe and that in steade of coÌ„forting and cheering himselfe therewith he woulde fayne that God were farre of VVhat is man sayeth he that thou makest so muche of him Yea verely But if God chastize vs wheÌ„ we do amisse must we therefore say he aduaunceth vs to muche and that he doeth vs wrong It is not with him as it is with mortall men For if a man bee offended with me he will hold scorne to match himselfe with his vnderling but will bende himselfe agaynste his equall And wherefore For the matter standeth vpon reuenging But if God chastize vs for the faultes that wee haue committed it is not too auenge himselfe of vs hee passeth for no such thing VVhat then For two reasons The one is that wee muste bee fayne to take him for our iudge spite of oure teeth when wee haue despyzed him neuer so muche And the other is that he would not haue vs to perishe and therefore he correcteth vs to the end we should come backe agayne to him and he calleth vs by that meanes to repentance VVee will not say they are vncomely things for God to punishe vs and to preace so vpon vs too the intent too plucke vs backe from our sinnes and to shew himselfe to be our iudge and that we should learne to be subiect vnto him VVe see then howe thaÌ„klesse men are sith they turne the good turnes vpside downe which God doth to them And moreouer lette vs vnderstand that if it befell vnto Iob to bee so tempted as hee wished God awaye from him the like temptation may well happen vnto vs not only to shake vs but also to put vs to such a plundge as we shall be quite ouerthrown Then must men bee well aduised to fense themselues aforehaÌ„d and accordingly to that which I haue declared we must acknowledge that God bindeth vs exceedingly much vnto him in that he vouchsafeth to visit vs and as it were to keepe watch and warde ouer our life and too haue a fatherly â–ª care of vs as wee can neuer magnifie his grace to muche Yea and when hee punisheth vs for our sinnes let vs assure our selues that his chastening of vs is not for that wee bee worthy of it there is no cause why hee shoulde once put to his hande but that hee should let vs go for suche as we are Then in sending vs punishmeÌ„ts God sheweth
punisheth whoredomes it is too the ende that wee shoulde walke in all cleanlinesse bothe of bodie and soule Thus yee see then howe it is Gods will that menne should behold and consider his iudgements specially when they bee manyfest A man may well saye sometimes that God is righteous And why for hee hath punished suche a one yea euen bycause hee was a man of a wicked and dissolute life Hee hath executed his vengeance vpon such a countrie And why for it was full of all filthynesse and vncleannesse VVee may well speake after this maner and so ought wee to doe howe bee it not alwayes For as I haue sayde alreadie hee holdeth not on all by one rule VVhat is to bee done then VVee must come vp higher and saye that God is alwayes righteous howe so euer hee handle men And this is a poynte well worthie to bee noted for in these dayes wee shall see some beastes who notwithstanding will weene themselues to bee clearkly fellowes when they shall haue maynteined Gods iustice by their owne reason and phantasticall wit. They would that God should bee esteemed righteous And why for handling euerie man according to their desertes as I touched afore And too bring this too passe they are fayne to graunt me a free will and Gods election must be ouerthrowne and brought too naught For to saye that God choseth whome hee listeth and calleth them to saluation through his owne free goodnesse and that hee forsaketh the residue they thinke it verie straunge to bee spoken bycause they can not comprehende the reason of it And heere yee see why these rogues that counterfaite to bee great clearkes ouerturne the foundacions of our fayth to proue Gods rightuousnesse euen after their owne fansie And why is that By cause they can not mount so hygh as too knowe that God is rightuous in comparison of men whatsoeuer they be True it is that it stādeth vs in hād to beware of another extremitie which is faultie For we shal see some of as slaunderous conuersation as may be who if they perceiue their leudnesse to be discouered fall by and by to saying As for me I am an honest man yea to the worldward I confesse euery man is a sinner to God-ward and so will he shroude himselfe vnder the common cloake Looke vpon a whorehunter that hathe haunted the stewes halfe a score yeares Looke vpon a blasphemer that ceasseth not to rayle at God and to spyte hym Looke vpon a villaine that despiseth God and all religion Looke vpon an vnthrifte or an vnconscionable person that seeketh nought else but to be catching withoute faithfulnesse or honest dealing and such dogges will say it is true that they be sinners before God for no manne is righteous They goe no further with their faultes but so which are so hideous as maye bee but shrowde themselues vnder the cloake of naturall infirmitie saying that there is no manne that can bee equall with god They thinke they haue doone verie muche in yeelding suche a confession But I haue shewed alreadie that it behooueth vs to haue both these two points The one is that we must acknowledge god to be rightuous in respect of the whole worlde and that men muste not pleade nor dispute wyth him whosoeuer they be or what so euer they be able to alledge but must bee abashed both great and small Lo here one speciall poynt The other is that ech man should haue an eye particularly to himselfe and that euery man should be sorie for his faults and abhorre them and condemne them and that heerevpon we should also consider the vengeance and punishmentes whiche God sendeth vpon sinnes to the ende we should learne to fare the better thereby If we be beaten with his roddes let euerie of vs saye it is good right I haue well deserued it If God teach vs at other mens coste so as hee chastizeth other men before our eyes let the same touch vs and let vs applie such examples to our owne instruction to the intent to preuent the matter that God bee not compelled to fall vpon vs bycause wee haue not profyted by the chastizementes which hee hath shewed vs in the person of others Thus yee see the two poyntes which wee haue to marke and to put in vre Now let vs come to the laying forth of that which is sayd here by Iob. I know for a truth saith he that man shall not be iustifyed with God. So it is set downe but this word with importeth as much as to Godward And it is a doctrin of great weight if a man know it wel VVhat is the cause that men iustifye themselues so boldly that is to say that they presume so muche of themselues that they set so much store by themselues and that they bee so full of pryde VVhat else is the cause of it but only their staying here belowe that euery man compareth himselfe with his neyghbour Yee see then wherevnto we runne And yee see also why Saint Paule sendeth vs to the great iudge saying that euerie man shall beare his owne burthen As if he had sayde my friendes men beguile themselues when they make suche comparisons as these VVhat I see other men liue no better than my selfe and if I haue faultes in me so haue other men in them too Ye see then what is the cause that men condemne not themselues as they ought to doe but rather sooth themselues in iustifying their owne cace But heere it is expressely sayde that man shall not be iustifyed with god VVhat must wee then doe as ofte as any man speaketh to vs of our sinnes and laieth them afore vs let vs learne to know that we must not hold oure eyes here belowe but looke vp to the iudgement seat of our Lord Iesus Christ where we haue our accounte to make we muste knowe the incomprehensible maiestie of god Therefore lette euerie man thinke thereof and then shall all of vs bee wakened to withdrawe oure selues out of our follies and wee shall haue no moe of these vaine imaginacions and dotages that haue bin wont to rocke sinners asleepe Had this bin obserued there shoulde bee none of the debates that are nowe adayes in christendome aboute the rightuousnesse of fayth The Papistes can not be persuaded of this that we say namely that wee become rightuous throughe the meere fauoure of God in oure Lorde Iesus Christe And why what shall become of the merites say they and of the good workes wherein the saluation of menne consisteth And why do the Papistes stande so vpon their merites and why are they so besotted with them but bycause they looke not vp to God They dispute in theyr schooles whether good workes deserue recompence and wages as well as euill workes deserue punishment for they be things flat contrarie If mens sinnes deserue to be punished then must there also be some rewarde for vertues for otherwise Gods iustice shoulde not bee indifferent yea to our seeming and so
I should say I cannot suppose that God doth heare me when he shal haue answered me for I haue an eye to this present affliction wherewith I am so wholly possessed as nothing may assuage my grief This is it that I haue touched already namely that the woundes which God maketh when he sheweth himself as our enemie whē he cyteth vs to iudgement we see nothing but an angry coūtenance are very sensible Therfore whē we come to that poynt it is certaine that we bee so ouerwhelmed with sorrow as nothing may cōfort vs nor giue vs pacientnesse Now we see what Iobs meening is that is to wit that for that present time Gods wrath the feeling that he had therof bereft him of al mean of cōforting himselfe and of all harkning to the declaration that could be made to him to comfort him withall But we must alwayes beare in minde what hath bin declared heretofore that is to wit that God neuer sheweth himselfe so angrie towardes his owne but that he maketh them to feele hys goodnesse in some wise or other howbeeit not so as they alwayes perceiue it And it is a thing not easie to comprehend that this should be so Neuerthelesse it behoueth vs to wayt for it if we wil be Gods children but yet we shall haue much ado to perceiue it but by practise Some poore mā being assaulted with these tēptations shall perchanc I say how is it doth God regard me No for beholde pine away I cal vpon him and yet I find no cōfort and therfore it is a signe that he hath shaken me off Afterward his sinnes come to his remembrance the Diuel stirreth vp store of such stuffe as are horrible Thus ye see a poore creature that is vtterly ouerwhelmed VVhen this is past then cōmeth God to make al whole again the conscience that was so tormented afore becōmeth quiet loke where was nothing but darkenesse before there doeth he nowe shine there sheweth he a swete amiable coūtenance after the maner of fayre weather That is to wit though the partie were in such temptations for a time did God suffer his fayth to perish and to be vtterly disfeated No it is impossible for fayth is an vncorruptible seede in oure soules Howbeeit as I haue sayd alreadie as in respect of mans whole naturall wit and reason we must needes be as blind vntill God shew vs his fauor And it behoueth vs to marke wel these wordes when Iob sayth that God smyteth him with a whirlewind for his intent is too vtter an extraordinarie maner of dealing It is not as though God layd vpon me with a cudgell or as though he had giuen mee a stripe with a swoorde But he hath afrighted me sayeth he as if hee had cast downe some thunderbolte or some whirlwinde vpon mee The blowes that wee receyue heere bylowe are not alwayes so deadly but if thunder light vpon vs from heauen wee bee but deade men Iob therfore meeneth that the wounds which he hath receiued are as if he were sunken into the bottōlesse deepes And why For sayeth he lightning and whirlwinde are falne vpon me frō heauen And this is worth the noting For it is one of Satans policies to driue vs to despayre by bearing vs in hand that God hādleth vs with vnaccustomed rigour for Satan will tell vs in our eare what meenest thou It is true that God chastizeth sinners and afterwarde pitieth them God visiteth his owne whom he loueth but that is after a fatherly maner and he alwayes moderateth his rigour But as for thee doth he hādle thee so He thundreth agaynst thee and howe canst thou perswade thy selfe then that he will shewe thee mercie It is impossible Now then when the Diuell beares vs in hand that God vseth an accustomed rigour agaynst vs he maketh vs to conclude that wee shall thenceforth haue no more recourse vntoo him nor must not trust any more that euer he will receyue vs to fauour So much the more then behoueth it vs to marke this text wherein Iob sayth that he was smitten with a whirlewinde Nowe if he haue passed that way and yet for all that wee see that God did succour him neuerthelesse Let vs wayte for the like in our selues And furthermore let vs marke well how Iob speaketh heere according to his affliction hee was not senselesse God then not onely thundred vpon him but also gaue him the knowledge to feele that God thundered It had beene ynough to haue ouerwhelmed him but in the meane season hee had a secrete remedie as I haue sayde Therefore let vs hope for the like As concerning that he addeth that God hath giuen him many wounds without cause it seemeth very rude geere For that God should tormēt men after a sort without cause it is not onely simple vniustice but such a crueltie as he were not to bee taken any more for iudge of the worlde but rather for a tyrant It seemeth that Iob blasphemeth God here in saying that hee was smitten and wounded withoute cause But if we remember what hath bene sayd we shall know his meening and what hee speaketh For the holy Ghost hath guyded and gouerned him in his tung to the intent that we shoulde haue an instruction that might bee much to our profite Iob then first sayeth here according to his naturall vnderstanding that God smiteth him without cause And afterwarde moreouer let vs marke that these wordes without cause haue respect to the apparant opē knowledge of men I haue told you heretofore that Gods Iustice is knowne two wayes For sometimes God punisheth the sinnes that are notorious to the worldwarde Ye see that God chastizeth such a one And why for men haue knowne him a shameful whoremaster full of silthinesse dishonestie men haue knowne him to be a blasphemer and swearer men haue knowne him for a drunkard ryotter men haue knowne him to be giuen to raking to extortion and to all vnfaithfulnesse VVell when God executeth his iustice vpon such a one there is no man but he seeth it beholde God is a iudge when he suffereth not crimes to scape vnpunished Also Gods iustice is knowne in his secrete iudgements when wee see God smite and torment such folke as had no notable faults in them but rather they had some vertues in them Ye shall see sometimes that a whole Citie or a whole Countrie is put to hauocke yee see all is put to the fire and swoorde yea euen the little babes in whom was nothing too bee seene but innocencie VVell yee see things that too our seeming are straunge In this cace we must glorifie God yea euen though the reason thereof bee not open vntoo vs God will not shewe vs at the first day why he suffereth and ordeyneth such things May wee dispute with him and aske why he doth it or demaunde the reason of it Yee see then what Iob ment by these wordes without cause his meening was not that
in the myre whē he shall haue washed himselfe that is to say God will finde meanes to shake mee off as a wretched and vnperfite creature although I haue giuen my minde to all purenesse that my life might bee ruled by his lawe and by his ordinance and that my woorkes might be good and holy yet notwithstanding all the sayde purenesse shall bee but filth if Gods rightfulnesse passe vpon it And I haue sayde alreadie that this present lesson ought well to astonishe vs For though we were as pure as the Angelles yet were wee not able too stande but by the grace of God and so farre forth as hee vpholdeth vs as his creatures withoute vsing his rigour agaynst vs For if hee listed to handle vs as wee deserue howe should we do Now then if God may ouerwhelme we were like the Angels alas is there any cause why we shoulde auaunce our selues seeing we drink sinne as a fishe sucketh in water according as it is sayde in this selfe same booke seeing we ceasse not to go agaynst the rule that hee hath giuen vs and seeing wee perceyue not some one condemnation but a hundred thousand yea an infinite number of condemnations before vs Alas what shall become of mans pride Hereby wee see what rage or rather furie hath bin still is in the Popedome in alledging their owne merites For the wretched folke are so puffed vp with pryde as they weene themselues able to purchase Paradise And if they do amisse in anye poynt they haue meanes of theyr owne too recompence God they haue their satisfactions and they haue theyr woorkes of ouerplusse or supererogation as they terme them and all these are payments too discharge thēselues with against god The deuill muste needes haue be witched men when they could so beare themselues in hand that they were able to binde God to them by thir works And so let vs wey well this doctrine but by the way let vs represse our affections and hold them shorte that wee come not to the same poynt that Iob was at Not that hee rested vpon that poynt for that had bene a blasphemie but hee confesseth himselfe too haue beene tempted and too haue beene prouoked too say Go too if God were a man as I am that I might bee bolde to answere him that we might go to lawe togither and that some body might take vpon him too bee vmper betwixt vs then woulde I speake freely and not bee afrayde If God woulde gyue me leaue to holde plea with him and suffer a iudge to be set ouer vs both then coulde I talke boldly against him Beholde here a right daungerous temptation And as I sayde afore if Iob had concluded therevpon in himselfe it had beene a cursed blasphemie Therefore he sheweth that he was tossed with that temptation howbeit that he withstood it all the while And it may happen that we also shall bee in such troubles at times For vnto mans vnderstanding it is a verie straunge thing that when wee shall haue kept Gods lawe that is to say if it were possible to bee doone yet wee shall not bee discharged before him Men haue alwayes some what too replie in this cace and at least they will lament their state make their moane saying is it possible that God shoulde deale so rygorously with vs as that oure fulfilling of his lawe shoulde bee nothing woorth Men then haue a cace whiche they themselues shall thinke too bee verie worthie of fauour and so shall it seeme too bee too the worldewarde But when wee bee egged after that sort wee muste holde our selues in awe learne to know that Gods rightfulnesse the which wee cannot comprehende as nowe is hidden from vs to the intent we shoulde honor it For wee haue two wayes to magnifie god The one is according to the maner of his manifesting of himselfe vntoo vs Yee see howe God dooth in his lawe shewe himselfe a iudge too condemne vs and in his Gospell hee sheweth himselfe a father to acquit vs That is to say when he commaundeth vs to do the thing that is good and rightuous and therewithall threatneth vs that if we haue fayled in any thing wee muste be accursed when God sheweth himselfe after that maner wee haue wherefore to glorifie him and too acknowledge that hee is rightuous howesoeuer the cace stande For if wee perishe yet haue wee no cause to grudge at it Agayne if God call vs too himselfe offering vs his grace in oure Lorde Iesus Christ and shewing that hee desireth nothing but to be at one with vs ye see yet a greater cause too glorifie him in his rightuousnesse forasmuche as hee hath pulled vs oute of hell and reached vs his hande Yee see then by this howe wee muste glorifie God in double wise when hee vttereth himselfe vntoo vs by his woorde As muche is too be sayde of his woorke VVhen God beareth with vs by hys mercie let vs vnderstand that he coulde thunder downe vpon vs and that it is of his speciall fauour that hee doth it not Againe when he chastizeth vs for our offences of purpose to drawe vs to repentance see yee not howe he ministreth as many causes too sing his prayses vnto him Yes verelye And so inasmuche as God sheweth himselfe too bee both good and rightuous and wyse as well by his woorde as by his workes wee haue wherefore to glorifie him But haue wee done so wee must mount yet higher that is to wit we muste glorifie God though hee hide himselfe from vs and shewe not himselfe too vs neyther by his rightuousnesse nor by his goodnesse nor by anye other thing whiche mighte cause vs too saye that the sayde glory were due vnto him As for example VVhen the scripture speaketh too vs of his election that hee choozeth whome hee lyketh and casteth awaye the residue and that hee disposeth of mankinde at his owne pleasure and likewise when he scourgeth the good and seaueth them oppressed and wee see that all things are confounded in this worlde in these caces God hydeth himselfe that is to say he sheweth not himselfe to vsafter such a fashion as our reason may be able to take holde of his rightfulnesse goodnesse power and wisedome and yet must we yeeld him his due glorie Thus yee see what we haue to marke vpon this streyne And in so doing we may well correct and beate backe the temptation wherof Iob speaketh here Hee sayeth Let God go to law with mee giue me leaue to plead against him and I will do it boldely Alas and how shall wee bee able to bring oure matters to passe As I haue touched afore Iob ment too expresse here that he was tempted to repine against God in that wise but hee resisted that incounter And euen so must we do How is that Bicause that as I haue sayde alreadie although God shoulde giue vs the sayde libertie of pleading against him yet should wee be confounded but Iob
him that there may be some meanes of attonemeÌ„t betwene vs and his Maiestie Ye see how God is estraunged and separated from vs and what is the cause of it Our sinnes sayeth the Prophete Esay For God dwelleth in vs by his power Howe haue wee our beeing our moouing and our lyfe Howe haue wee any continuance at all but by reason that his power is spred out throughe all things And yet for all that wee ceasse not to bee separated from him through our sinnes and iniquities VVhat must wee doo then VVhat remayneth more That Iesus Christ put himselfe betwixte vs Iesus Christe muste bee fayne too bee oure daysman not too passe in iudgement vppon the Maiestie of God nor too sette God at the barre with vs but to bee the meane to reconcile vs vnto God and to draw vs after him as our heade to knit vs in such wife vnto God as wee may be all one in him as the Scripture speaketh And herevpon let vs learne to humble our selues and say â–ª Lord we come vnto thee not too pleade nor to presume vpon any thing that is in vs or in our owne persons but bicause thou art fauourable to vs and bicause thou art willing too receyue vs for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake That is the thing whereof we vaunte our selues Not that wee must not continue confounded as in respect of our selues but that forasmuch as it pleaseth thee to make vs feele thine infinite goodnesse which thou hast set forth in thine onely sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ whome thou gauest too death for our sakes wee will not nowe doubt but thou wilt receyue vs notwithstanding that wee bee too vnworthie of it But no we let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgemente of the innumerable sinnes which we ceasse not to commit dayly against him beseeching him that forasmuche as wee bee full of filthinesse and infection it may please him to purge vs and to rid vs from all our spttes and specially too correct this hypocrisie of ours where vnto we bee much giuen to the ende that we misliking the faults and offences which we haue committed heeretofore may desire nothing somuch as too returne vnto him with true repentance assuring oure selues that we shall not fayle too get pardon at his hande at leastwise so well come too him in true soundnesse of hearte praying him moreouer too gouerne vs in suche wise by his holy spirite that although wee bee full of many infirmities and bee so manye wayes defiled yet it may please him to receyue vs and not to vse rigour and extremity towardes vs That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The .xxxviij. Sermon which is the first vpon the tenth Chapter 1 MY soule is cut off in my lyfe I vvill leaue my complaynte vpon my selfe I vvill speake in my bitternesse 2 I vvill say too God condemne mee not shevve mee vvhy thou pleadest agaynst mee 3 Is it good for thee to doo mee vvrong or too caste avvay the vvorke of thine ovvne handes and to cleere the deuice of the vvicked 4 Hast thou eyes of fleshe lookest thou after the maner of men 5 Are thy dayes as the dayes of men are thy yeares as the yeares of a mortall man 6 That thou shouâ—dest serche out mine iniquitie and make inquirie of my sinne THe things that are spoken here by Iob may well bee spoken by euery of vs so farrefoorth as they bee good and holy prayers made vnto God and as he will allowe them And first of all if wee bee pressed with anguish wee may well say that we shall get no good by aduauÌ„cing ourselues against God in going to lawe with him Secondly we may desire him too make vs feele oure sinnes For the cheefe condemnation that hee shall pronounce vpon vs shall boote no whit to oure saluation except wee bee touched to be ouerthrowne in our selues For a man muste become his owne iudge and condemne himselfe if he will bee quit at Gods hande Also we may well marke all the shewes that are added immediatly that is to witte that it is no reason that God shoulde giue the wicked shorte occasion too like of theyr blasphemies and lewde dealings and that on the othersyde hee is no earthlye creature that hee shoulde bee desyrous too reuenge himselfe and finally that wee bee the woorke of his handes Lastly we may well saye that hee neede not too put men too the racke too boulte oute their misdeedes for all is knowne vntoo him So then wee may well vse the woordes that are reported heere in good sorte But wee see howe Iob vttereth his passions where with hee was caryed away not that hee resisted them not as I haue declared asore and yet for all that it is not to be gathered but that in the meane while hee was coÌ„bred with them a the first brunt And he confesseth here that he was in suche bitternesse that although he should gayne nothing by it yet could he not but strengthen himselfe in his complayntes or rather giue them theyr full scope For the Hebrew woorde that is put there signifieth bothe to leaue or let looce and also to fortifie or strengthen Therefore let vs marke well that Iob speaketh heere as a man ouerfull of passions Neuerthelesse hee knoweth what the nature of God is and restreyneth himselfe neither laboureth he to make his own cace good by accusing god But contrariwise he confesseth that hee is amazed and as it were out of his witte as men say And therfore he resorteth to praying vnto God that before hee condemne him hee shoulde shewe him wherefore hee goeth to law with him and that before he bring him downe to that poynt he should make him perceyue the reason why hee indureth it And now let vs go through with these matters from woorde to woorde He sayeth My soule is cut off in my life The Hebrew worde signifieth oftentimes to mislyke as if he should say my soule is wearie of my life or I am lothe to liue any longer But the truer meening is to say My soule is cut off in my life And why so For although he were alyue yet notwithstanding hee confesseth that his state was such as he was euen as good as deade Behold sayeth he my lyfe is no lyfe For I lyue in death And thus yee see that his meening was so And hereby hee confesseth himselfe to be as it were past hope yea verely as in respect of Gods handling of him Hee had still a hope in God howbeeit too truste therevnto it behoued him to go out of his owne person And this is a poynt whiche wee ought to marke throughlye For if wee looke but vppon oure presente state what can wee doo that wee shoulde not bee vtterlie ouerthrowen by it And for proofe heereof althoughe a man bee at his ease yet hath hee no continuance too beare oute
is rightuous Furthermore let vs marke wel that when we bee rightuous that is to say when wee bee not vtterly wicked and out of al square al the rightuousnesse that is in vs shall bee but a franke and free acceptation As howe True it is that the faithfull are called rightuous not onely bycause God forgcueth them theyr sinnes and receyueth them too mercie but also bycause hee lyketh well of theyr life It is sayde that Simeon was a good and ryghtuous man and Zacharie and Elizabeth his wife were rightuous also And why Bycause they walked in Gods lawe and commaundements The same is sayde also of the holie Patriarkes Yea but let vs marke that it was bycause God of his owne free goodnesse receyued them and layde not theyr synnes too theyr charge VVhen wee saye that menne are made righteous by sayth it is as much to say as God forgiueth their sinnes and cleerely acquiteth them for our Lord Iefus Christes sake Like wise it behoueth vs to vnderstand that wee are rightuous in our workes bycause God accepteth vs to fauour for our workes deserue too bee alwayes refuzed at his hande I speake not of the workes which men doe of their owne power for in them there is nothing but all villanie and rebellion But euen when a man is gouerned by Gods spirite and by his grace doth walke in good workes yet are all his good workes vnperfecte and God might cast them off yea and they are so farre of from any worthynesse or deseruing as the Papists imagine as there is nothing but filthynesse in them Neuerthelesse yet God receyueth them Yea euen as a father receiueth that whiche commeth from his childe though it bee nothing worth So then although wee bee rightuous that is to say althoughe wee haue some likelyhoode of rightuousnesse let vs marke well that the same deserueth not to be accepted so before god And why Bycause it is written cursed be he that performeth not all the things which are conteyned in the booke of the lawe Nowe there is no man that performeth so muche as any one thing I meane that performeth it with a pure and perfect mynd And therefore it followeth that God may damne vs all And so we must be fayne to holde downe oure heades yea euen without going any further than to the law and yet is that nothing if we come to Gods rightuousnesse whiche is incomprehensible too vs Let vs put the cace that a man behaued hym selfe in all poyntes as became him ▪ what might hee doe might hee therefore pleade againste God No ▪ hee must come shorte of that And why For God oweth vs nothing ▪ That is true ▪ but hee hath pomised that who so euer dothe those things shall liue in them Yea but wee must vnderstande that hee hath made that promise of his owne free bountifulnesse VVe see howe our Lord Iesus Christ saith that when a seruaunt shall haue doone all that hee can for his maister hee speaketh of the seruantes that were in those dayes that is to witte of slaues that were in bondage too be bought and solde then if a slaue doe all that hee can for his master shal his master rise from the table and say I will nowe serue thee another whyle No. For it is the seruaunts dutie to serue his maister and not that the master should abace him selfe to his seruant or bee bounde vnto him in any thing Euē so faith Christ when ye haue done al that is commaunded you assure yourselues ye are still vnprofitable seruantes And in so saying Iesus Christ meeneth not that there was euer any man founde or that any can be founde to haue performed all that God commaundeth but he putteth the cace that it were so So also must we do Let vs put the cace that a man had fulfilled the lawe yet behoueth it him to reuerence God with al humilitie saying Alas Lorde I will still submit my selfe vnder thy hand for I knowe well that all that I haue done is of thee and that there can not so muche as one drop of goodnesse proceede out of mee And althoughe thou accepte mee that is not bycause I am worthy or bycause I haue deserued it but it is of thyne owne free fauour Lo howe wee ought too deale Furthermore let vs bee well ware of the excessiue passion that was in Iob. It behoueth vs too conceiue the souereine rightuousnesse of God in such sort as I haue sayde And that must be to the end we may be the more induced to humilitie and not to say If I be rightuous yet will I not lift vp my head seeing mine affliction For it is certaine that God will performe whatsoeuer he hath promised yea euen in that he hath saide he that doth these things shall liue in them And certainely if we be able to performe the law to the full let vs assure ourselues that God hath his rewarde ready to reward vs with Then must we not say as Iob doth that seing our reproch and seeing he scourgeth vs we be confounded by a power that we know not of and that although the same bee far out of measure yet we dare not grudge against it bicause we shall win nought by so doing No let vs not be caried away so far but let vs thinke that God neuer chastizeth his seruantes without iust cause yea thoughe hee haue no eye to their sinnes as it is certaine that Iob was not punished as a wicked offender True it is that God had iust cause to punishe him an hundred times more but God had not that respect and meaning with him VVhat then his intent was to trie his pacience and to cleare him of the slaunder that Sathan made of him in saying Iob obeyeth God bycause he is in prosperitie and therefore God meant to shewe the contrarie So then when wee speake of Gods soueraine iustice let not our talke bee to thinke that he presseth vs out of measure nor to auaunce our selues against him by force but let it bee to honoure him in his wonderfull secretes yea euen in suche wise as wee may bee fully resolued to say in our selues Alas it is not for vs to alledge that though we be righteous yet we will not bee so bolde as to lift vp our head for wee haue good cause to hang downe oure heades continually For although God set not him selfe downe in his throne too condemne vs we haue our iudge within vs Can not euerye man condemne himselfe hathe not euery man the witte to perceiue himselfe to bee more than blameable Let vs marke then that there needs none other condemnation for vs than that whiche is conteyned in the lawe wherewith bothe great and small ought too bee well acquainted And after Iob hath spoken so hee addeth that hee would fayne that his plague were increased Yea but what then Although it increased sayth hee yet wilte thou come vpon me as a Lyon and wilte shewe thy selfe maruellous against me Heere as
by meanes wherof Gods Gospell was despised and those troublers had theyr full scope And they that had nother wisedome nor discretion to consider what was for their profit suffered themselues to be led by such as had nothing but fayre glozings without any holinesse S. Paule then perceyuing this telleth them No no If these maner of men purchace themselues estimation by those meanes I may so do as wel as they but I wil not for that is not the thing wherin we must be esteemed according as he concludeth in the end that if any mā will be coūted to be of Gods church he must become a new creature Ye see then sayeth hee that the estimation is to be had at Gods hand and not by these braueries wherwith mens heads are buzied Neuerthelesse S. Paul as we see ment to shew that he was not inferiour to those that pretended greate styles too bee in some preheminence and dignitie to the worldward after the same maner that Iob doth here Hee sawe that those men mēt to treade Gods truth vnder foote bicause they were in reputation But Iob for his part telleth them hee vnderstoode the things as well as they and therevpon he purposed to warne them to be more lowly to yeeld themselues teachable And although they had beene vtterly vnamendable stubborne in their folly yet neuerthelesse Iobs mind was that Gods truth which had bene in maner preuerted by them should haue full authoritie as it deserueth Thus much cōcerning the first poynt And by the way we must be warned not to seeke prayse or reputation afore men For if we intende that it is certayne that in stead of mainteyning the truth we shall marre all and God also will suffer vs to be sotted in our own folly and to bee made a very laughing stocke Then let vs bee well ware that we seeke not our owne prayse But when our Lord giueth vs the grace to teach others let the same tende to this marke namely to honour him and to cause the thing to be well accepted which cōmeth of him so as men may submit themselues vnto it and wee our selues shewe example to others to do so according also as oure Lorde Iesus Christe setteth the same thing downe for a marke too discerne the good and true doctrine by For when a man seeketh the glory of God men know thereby that he is a minister of the truth But if he desire to be exalted and esteemed he must needes disguise marre all the pure doctrine must needes be defaced through his vayngloriousnesse Marke this for a speciall poynt But nowe let vs come to that whiche Iob sayeth Yee are sayeth hee forgers of lyes aud pelting Phisitions and I woulde fayne that ye shoul◠all of you hold your tungs for that were moste wisedome for you VVhen Iob calleth them forgers of lyes which had spoken afore wee see strayte wayes too what purpose he sayeth it Nowe lette vs take the saying that is added namely that thei be pelting Phisitiōs VVhy so Bicause they misapplye their medicines as wee haue seene It hath beene tolde you already that the doctrine whiche hath bene set downe by these men was good and holy howbeit that it was ill applied to the person of Iob. It is as if a Phisition shoulde choze good drugs but yet without knowing the parties disease complexion or nature should say to him Lo here is a good medicine and a well tryed and therefore it shall doo this man good But if hee deale so whereas he saueth one hee shall kyll another Therefore it behooueth a Phisition to bee wise that hee knowe his pacients complexion and disease But these men heere had no suche regarde And thus yee see why Iob called them pelting Phisitions of no value And beholde heere a text well woorthie to bee marked VVe knowe that Gods woorde is the ordinarie foode of oure Soules but yet must the same serue vs also for Phisicke when wee be diseased Breade hath alwayes his accustomed vse but Gods woorde muste not onely feede vs it muste furthermore heale our diseases and clenze vs And therfore there must be discretion vsed in the applying of it For without that we shall confounde all As howe If a poore man bee desolate and haue a troubled conscience we see him at the poynt of despayre if one should set Gods threatnings and vengeance afore him what were it els but to send him headlong forward I see a wall that shaketh alreadie and I beate at it with greate strokes of a 〈…〉 attocke is it not the next way to throw it downe Then must wee marke how they bee disposed with whome wee haue to doo For if a poore man bee already dismayed at Gods wrath know not where to become he had need to bee comforted and cheered vp with the promises that God giueth to wretched sinners in calling them too him so sweetely This medicine then must be applyed peculiarly too suche as haue neede of it But there are others which are shamelesse despise God and scoffe at all that euer is sayd to them now if a man come to cocker them in it by offering them the mercy of God and by setting afore them the pitie that God hathe of vs were it not a foolishe proceeding For suche folke haue neede to bee touched to the quicke and to bee threatned yea to be wounded euen to the bottome of the hart if it bee possible that they may knowe what it is too stomake in that wise agaynst god Now then wee see that the holy Scripture beyng the spirituall Phisicke of our soules must be applyed according to euery mans dispositiō And now let vs marke in what state Iob was Hee was extremely pressed with the affliction that God had sente him and wee haue seene the reason why namely for that it behoued his pacience to bee exercised God gyueth him pacience howbeit not but that hee shoulde haue muche infirmitie therewith for like a wretched man hee starteth out of square casteth forth bubbles and froth agaynste god Not that he leapeth quite out of his boundes but he holdeth not suche an euennesse measure as hee oughte to haue done Thē how soeuer the case stoode there was infirmity in Iob. He knew wel ynough how it was God that afflicted him howbeit forasmuch as he sawe not the cause why he thought that God pressed him too sore and that hee oughte to haue spared him more And what doe they that come to comforte him They tell him that God is rightuous that is true Herevpō they cōclude that God punisheth not men without good causes that his handling of thē so roughly is by reason of their sinnes all this is true But they misapply it particularly in cōcluding that God handleth euery man according to his desert for we see the flat cōtrary Out of a general principle that is good true they draw an euill cōsequence For although God be iust
reasons to defende himselfe withall that he shall be quitte before God if he may haue leaue to plead his cace And he pleadeth not before men for he had to deale with deafe eares but he would haue those to whom he speaketh to holde their peace and to heare what hee shall debate and too wayte for the ende and issue of that which shall be vttered of god VVee see then what the summe of his intent is that is to wit he ment to say that he should bee quit if he myght haue leaue and libertie to debate his cace And wherevpon dependeth this VVee must call to mynde what hath beene declared afore that is to witte the two sortes of Gods rightuousnesse That God will sometimes iudge men by his lawe for there he hath giuen vs a ryghtuousnesse whiche is throughlye knowne and apparant vnto vs God doth as it were enter into couenaunt with vs when he giueth vs this rule marke howe I will haue men to liue hee that doth not all these things cursed be hee and who so euer performeth my law shall liue Seing then that our Lord hath so certifyed vs of his will hee hath shewed vs a rightuousnesse that is altogither apparant But if he should iudge vs therafter we should be fayne to enter into an account and to to examine our life by euery commaundement and too thinke with our selues Go too wherein hast thou doone amisse Behold thy God requireth such a thing hast thou performed it No then thou seest wherin thou art faultie Marke I say how we shall be condemned by the law Likewise on the contrarie part if we knowe ourselues to haue fulfilled Gods law which is vnpossible but I admit it were so I say when a man trieth his works throughly if he finde that his life hath bin conformable to Gods law then is hee iustified after the rightuousnesse that is apparant and knowne to vs But yet for all this Iob hath protested heretofore that there is a higher rightuousnesse in God whereby hee could condemne euen the Angelles VVherefore is that For although God allowe a mans life when it is throughly framed according to his lawe yet is not he bound thereby neyther is it as much to saye as we owe him no more seruice and that he should hold vs acquit For if we compare the perfection that is in God with the perfection that is in the creature what wil come of it The Sunne may be darkned though it giue light to al the world that is to say ther is nothing that can suffize or satisfie that matter So then let vs marke well that whē so euer God listeth to iudge vs by his lawe although wee know no euill nor vice in our selues yet should wee not bee rightuous for all that But let vs come to that which Iob sayth VVhen so euer I shall haue leaue to plead my cace sayth he and to lay forth my matter in order and to alledge all my reasons I knowe that I shall then be iustified That is to say If God would iudge me but according to his lawe and that I might answere to shewe what my life hath bene then should I be iustifyed But I haue told you that this is impossible For there needes none other proofe to shew that al men are cursed and damned then that God sayth that whosoeuer performeth not all these things shall bee accursed VVhen S. Paule goeth about to proue that no man shall be iustified by the deedes of the lawe but that we be all giltie before God so as all mouthes must bee stopped hee alledgeth the same sentence Yea But doth it follow therevpon that we are all damned VVee must looke whether we do Gods lawe or no. And S. Paule presuppeseth that wee do it not that is to say that there is none whiche dischargeth his dutie but all of vs are farre off from it So then what meeneth Iob to say that hee shall be iustified if God would admit him to stand to his defence as if God had not wherof to accuse him or that he were not faultie in any thing And we knowe that in so much as hee was a mortall man hee was clothed with many infirmities and sinnes How then doth hee meene that hee could be quit First of all wee must call to mynde what hath bene touched heretofore namely that Iob looketh not simply at his own deseruing nor what he is of himselfe but at Gods intent in scourging him As howe VVee haue seene that God findeth sinnes in vs that are worthy to bee punished Go to hee beareth with them and forgiueth them and yet in the meane while he will afflict vs for some other cause as befell vnto Iob. True it is that he was a wretched sinner that God according to his lawe might haue punished him extremely but yet notwithstanding he had no suche respect VVe haue seene afore that God punished not Iobs sinnes as of set purpose to punishe him as if he should say I will punish this man bicause hee hath deserued it or bycause he hath liued naughtily No God had no such respect with him VVhat then He intended that Iob should be a mirrour to all men to the end that when we beholde him we may haue occasion to humble ourselues knowing that Gods hande is too heauie for vs to beare also considering our own frailtie and that according to his secret and incomprehensible iustice hee might handle vs a hundred thousand times roughlier than he doth therwithall also haue an eye to the pacientnesse of the man God then ment to vse Iob to all these matters and so we see that his intent was not to punish him And that is the cause why Iob saith that if he had leaue to speake and to open his cace at large he should be found rightuous according to Gods intent that is to say as in respect of the present affliction that he endured God should not find any iniquitie in him in that behalfe but contrariwise allow him for one of his seruants But Iob in so saying reiecteth not the forgiuenesse of sinnes wherevpon all our rightuousnesse is founded VVe say that men are made rightuous by only faith bycause wee are damned in our workes this is true and bring all damnation and cursednesse before God and therefore must all of vs abyde shame and confuzion For this cause it standeth vs in hande to borrowe a rightuousnesse that God maye like and allowe which thing is done when our Lord Iesus Christ clotheth vs with his owne rightuousnesse and the same is allowed vs before god Ye see then that we become rightuous by fayth bycause we bee clenzed and scoured from our sinnes in the death and passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And in the meane time God guideth vs by his holy spirit and guiding vs accepteth the seruice that we yeelde him that is to say he accepteth the goodnesse which hee hath put into vs For there is not so much as
not only are not contented to passe oure boundes but also wee woulde fayne stye aboue the cloudes Ye see then what is the cause of our decay namely this foolishe ouerweening wherewith we be dazeled And moreouer the same doth so hinder vs from calling vpon God that whereas wee ought too resorte too him for refuge and too broode our selues vnder his wings euerie of vs runneth ryot and to our own seeming wee can moue mountaines and worke wonders Thus ye see wherein the cheef point of our saluation halteth that is to wit that whereas wee ought to flee vnto God by prayer of supplication specially when wee be pinched with any aduersitie and at the last cast wee goe too seeke worldly helpes or else wee yeelde too oure owne fonde fancies which haue deceyued vs VVoulde wee then bee exempted from suche illuzions and vayne thoughts ▪ Let vs loke vpon our selues in the example of Iob cōsider that seing he hath abiddē these spiritual battels that is to say seing god pressed him in suche wise that hee felte him as his enemie if God doo nowe adayes shewe himseife our iudge wee can not shun his hand nor escape his rigour True it is that if wee haue any such conceyte wee shall be so dismayde as wee shall see nothing but the gulfe of hell gaping vpon vs and it shall bee impossible for vs to haue eyther reason modestie stay or measure at all And well ought wee to consider this that we may quake at it Yea but our quaking must be such as the terrour of it may not continue in vs but that we may come to the remedie of it that is to wit ▪ wee must pray vnto God to graunt vs the grace to fynde rest in him in the middes of our troubles and that wee maye bee sure of it notwithstanding that for a tyme hee make countenance to set himselfe agaynst vs to destroy vs vtterly Lo howe wee haue neede to pray vnto God that he will not handle vs rigorously And moreouer whē he sayth Graunt me these two things and I wilcome with my head bolt vpright and I will not hide my self before thee Let vs marke that it is not for vs to summon god in desiring him that he should not punishe vs before hee haue made vs to vnderstand our sinnes And why For it were to great an intruding vpon his iurisdiction Shall the wretched offender appoint his iudge what to do True it is that an earthly iudge may be ouerrigorous for a man may be pressed too cruelly but it cannot be so between God and vs for whēsoeuer he punisheth vs he beareth with vs and as for excesse there is neuer none in him It is true that we perceiue not why he doth things neither do wee see the ballance and weights which he vseth Nay rather it seemeth to vs that he turneth al things topsie turuie and yet for al that it behoueth vs to honor him in his secret iudgemēts And let vs assure ourselues that the things which we think to be full strange are neuerthelesse ruled in all vprightnesse and equitie in as much as they proceede from him and that they shall be manifested to vs in the ende Then neede we not to haue this pride of desiring to range God vnto our fancie and to require him to do so or so But let vs content ourselues with his good will praying him to giue vs pacience and full obedience till he haue made vs perceiue that all his doings are good Verely we may well desire God to indite vs before hee punishe vs VVherefore To the intent we may be our own iudges For what shall it auaile vs though God punish vs euen with extremitie ▪ if in the meane season we continue stubburne in our naughtinesse or if wee be so slouthfull and dul headed as not to thinke vpon them at al◠It would alwaies be to our greater damnation God should beate vpon vs and we would not bow down our backes Our hart would be neuerawhit the more supple in so muche that it would become like a styth which beateth backe all blowes So then Gods chastizementes shall neuer further our welfare except we be our owne iudges to condemne ourselues first And how may that be if we know not our faults For as for those that say I know that I am a wretched sinner haue well deserued the punishmēt that I suffer and in the meane while enter not therewithall into their own harts to feele their sinnes suche are but hypocrites in saying I haue well deserued this chastizement without knowing how or wherfore True it is that we ought to condemne our sinnes which we know not of but yet must wee begin at this poynt namely of examining our consciences by seeking there for the thing whiche is ynough to conuict vs Otherwise it is vnpossible that euer man should humble himself before God and condemne himself truly and vnfaynedly So then ye see to what end we may require God to enter processe against vs before he punishe vs that is to say that he shew vs the fauor to lay our sins before vs to the ende we may see our owne condemnation and first of al be beaten downe in our selues Lo in what wise we may make that request and not by reason of astonishment as Iob did when our affliction carieth vs away Neuerthelesse although it be lawfull for vs yea and behooffull also to make such petition vnto God that is to wit that he would admitte vs and receiue vs to debate our cace with him yet must we not require him to withdraw his hand For God can well do both these things at once that is to wit he can make vs our proces and therin shewe vs that he hath iust cause to punish vs when we see our sinnes and therewithall also continue to make vs feele the strokes of his hand God then can well do both those things togither And forsomuch as they may match togither the receiuing of them togither muste not bee thought strāge But I told you that in this behalf we must not be altogither like Iob. And why For when he requireth after that maner to be admitted to his defence it is al one as I haue tolde you already as if he would pleade against god For according as he had sayd that he should be iustified and acquit he addeth nowe That he will speake first if God giue him leaue to speake or else he will answere whē God hath begon to speake Here Iob maketh not his request to the end aforesayd that is to wit to pray God to moderate his rigour and yet notwithstanding too make vs too perceyue our faults and that when he hath brought vs to such lowlinesse as we can become our owne iudges then euery one of vs may willingly passe vnder condemnation But Iobs intent here is into enter into a cleane contrarie cace VVee see then wherein hee fayleth and this is shewed vs to the entente wee
ende hee may bee inclined to pitie vs And the holy scripture is full of suche texts where the faithfull say Alas Lorde what is man Behold Dauid sayth Seeing that my life is but a breath that passeth away without returning Lorde wilte not thou haue pitie vpon vs to succoure vs seeing thou perceyuest vs to be so fraile And that God heareth suche requests it appeereth by other texts as by this he remembered that they were but flesh a breath that passeth and returneth not agayne Yee see then ho 〈…〉 God witnesseth that when hee shewed mercie to the children of Israell and dealt not with them according to theyr deserts it was bycause he sawe they were but flesh and that there was nothing but corruption in them and therefore hee bare with them Seeing then that Gods will is such as to spare vs in consideration of the wretchednesse that is in vs it is certayne that we may and ought to alledge that poynt vnto hym when we intend to obteyne mercie at his hand Therefore let vs marke well that the words which Iob vseth are lawfull for vs and that the same is a good forme of praying vnto God so be it that we go to him with humilitie and say Lord consider what I am for I am as a leafe yea euen as a leafe that is already withered and yet goest thou about to wipe me out and to ouerwhelme me vtterly and who am I I am as stubble that is already dry or as grasse that is already cut downe there is no more life nor substance in me alas my God if thou persecute me moreouer what shall become of me If wee speake after this maner God will accept suche complaints Not when we come to him with suche pride as if he were bound vnto vs but when wee lay oure miseries before him to the end he should succoure vs and remedie them such maner of prayers are heard at his hande And therewithall let vs beware of questioning as Iob doeth VVhy esteemest thou me as thine enimie Iob alledgeth it as an vnseemely thing for god to do as if he had said See Lorde thou art almightie and what am I lesse than nothing And yet commest thou to holde plea againste me whereas I am but a wretched rotten tree and there is nother life nor sap more in me VVilt thou then trie thy strength against me as he sayeth heeretofore so repeteth he his wordes And that is the cause why I sayde that wee must keepe our selues from being so caried away by oure affections For although God be almightie and wee as frayle as may be yet notwithstanding it is not for nought that he entereth into battell against vs If wee thinke that straunge we must shut our eyes that is to say we must not be so ouerwise in our owne vnderstanding as to saye I would fayne knowe the reason why God handleth mee after this sort Let vs keepe our selues from suche presumptuousnesse Yea marie but what is meant by this that God who hath all things in his hande and with his onely looke maketh the mountaynes to melt as waxe agaynste the fire or as snow against the sunne who with his only word cā destroy the whole world doth neuerthelesse aduaunce himselfe to fight hand to hand with me I say wyth me that am a wretched creature VVhat meeneth that VVell may we argue on that sort but God will make the conclusion to confound vs Then let vs not be ouerwise as I sayd but let vs take Gods scourging of vs for good how great or how strong so euer he be and how dreadfull so euer his maiestie bee towards vs let vs not ceasse too yeeld him the glory assuring ourselues that hee is righteouse and that hee doth all-things according too reason though hee bend himselfe againste vs and make countenance as though hee would ouerwhelme vs But in very deede there is good cause why God should shew himselfe our enimie yea euen though we be vnable to withstande him that he despise vs For inasmuch as we be so proude as wee will not stoupe vnder him and will always seeme rightuouse he must needes shew vs our lesson yea and he must shew vs it by force for by our good will we will not yeeld our selues giltie and therefore God compelleth vs by scourging vs according to our deserts And is not thys a iust cause why God should shewe himselfe our enimie Againe put the cace that God mind not to scourge vs for our sinnes yet if he shew himselfe to bee our enimie and be against vs it is to the end wee should fight againste the temptation of desirousnesse to know why we be so condemned which is a very great and combersome temptation Gods meening therefore is to see whither wee wyll abide firme and stedfast in his seruice notwithstanding that he seeme to be our enimie And seeing that his drift is such why should we not beare it paciently Ye see then how we ought to be restreyned from pleading notwithstanding that God shewe himselfe our enimie and that there be no power nor abilitie in vs to resist him For hee hath iust reason to do so though we bee not priuie too it and againe he sheweth vs it partly wherefore wee oughte to bee contented with the smallest tast that hee giueth vs Heerewithall we must take warning by these two similitudes what we be namely to the end wee may learne too walke warely and also know how great neede we haue to be hild vp and mainteyned by Gods hand and to be strēgthened by his goodnesse VVhat is a man when God leaueth him in his naturall state No doubt but hee thynkes himselfe a iolly fellow For we see how men are sotted in ouerweening and beare themselues in hand that by theyr owne wisdome strength and all that they haue besides they be able to moue mountaynes and woorke wonders But what sayeth the scripture of them Beholde a broken leafe behold a withered herb behold drye stubble That is to say we be without freshnesse without substantialnesse and worsse than nothing and whatsoeuer glory we weene we haue it is but a blast Seeing then that God setteth such mirrours afore vs let vs looke vppon oure owne feeblenesse and learne to humble our selues and to rid and strip ourselues naked from all ouerweening For what do men whē they challenge any thing to themselues but deceiue themselues as it were wittingly and willingly Lo howe God commeth foorth and telleth vs he will not haue vs so beguiled with fond and foolish opinions And therfore he telleth vs we be no better than grasse cut downe which withereth out of hand so as we be without lyfe and destitute of all strength and grace Thus much concerning this poynt Now Iob addeth That God holdeth him locked vp as in a payre of stockes and therewithall he sayeth also that God wryteth bitternesse against hym and maketh hym to possesse all the sinnes of his youth thou lockest mee in
the stockes sayeth he And why is that He sayeth that God sheweth nothing but signes of wrath against him And forasmuch as sentences are oftentymes giuen by writing Iob hauing an eye to the common phrase of his country sayeth that God writeth bitternesse against him that is to say that he chargeth him with the greeuousest crymes that could be deuised Like as a iudge that abhorreth a wretched offēder which is before him inhaunceth his offences and goeth about to shew that they be so outrageouse as they cānot be punished too rigorously According heerevnto Iob complayneth that God writeth so ouerrigorous a sentence against him as it is ynough too make a mans heare stand vp stiffe vpon his head And he addeth further that he reneweth the remembrance of the sinnes of his youth of purpose to make him possesse them And what doeth this Making of him to possesse them import It is as much to say as I cold not be stripped out of my clothes but I must also bee as it were bound Like as when a man is in hys house for when he is abrode in the feeldes hee is after a sort stripped out of his possessions euen so doest thou Lord make me to keepe possession of my sinnes That is to say I cannot be rid of this cursed and vnhappie possession of my sinnes I am so wrapped in them as I cannot get out of them Heere Iob acknowledgeth that God hath iust cause to scourge hym but yet for all that he ceasseth not to be out of pacience and to chafe And therefore so much the more ought wee to stande vpon our gard seeing that hee which was the singular mirroure of pacience was neuerthelesse prouoked too such temptations But now let vs come to knowe why he speaketh of the sinnes of his youth There are two reasons The one is bycause that in that age the lustes are seene to be whotest And for that cause also it is sayd in the Psalme How shall a yong man order his wayes euen by keeping thy word VVhy is there more speaking of yong folke rather than of others It is bycause that mannes nature which is alwayes sinfull and wicked doeth then cast vp his greatest froath and hath then most boyling affections and therefore hath neede of strongest bridle Forsomuch then as men committe most faultes in their youth Iob speaketh precisely there of And here ye see also why Dauid saith Lord remember not the faults of my youth He speaketh expresly of that age bycause hee knewe hee passed it not without offending God many wayes For there is greate vnaduisednesse and vnruly lust wherewith a yong man is blinded insomuch that he thinketh that nothing is vnpossible to him there is no stayednesse to rule hym withall but there is excesse of ouerweening and such other like things And so ye see one reason why the sinnes of youth are spoken of heere The second reason is that Iob ment to declare that God brought all his sinnes too rememberance as if he should frame an inditement of all the faultes that he had done euer since he was a child And in so doing he complayneth of ouergreat rigoure as if he should saye Lorde though I haue erewhyles doone amisse well thou hast bene so gracious to me as too bryng mee backe and to reforme me to thy seruice wherefore then doost thou gather a beadroll of my faultes whyche ought to haue bene forgotten VVherefore commest thou to lay them before me agayne Seeing thou hast pardoned me them is it meete that I should be intangled in them new agayne Yee see then whereat Iob amed And heereby we be taught that when God writeth bitterly against vs that is to say when he sheweth vs all the signes of rigour and that we be lothsome in his sight wee must not thinke wee haue gayned aught by finding fault wyth him For wee haue well deserued much more and that is the poynt that we must alwayes come backe vntoo Furthermore of whome is it long that God writeth bitterly against vs and that hee vseth not his accustomed sweetenesse which he is wont to vse towards those that are hys Of whome is it long say I that he sheweth not hymselfe so sweete but of our selues For Gods pressing of vs with his iudgemente is bycause hee seeth well that wee haue neede of such and so vehement a remedie And for proofe therof it is no easie matter to meeken a man that is so giuen to pride God then writeth bitterly against vs to the end wee should bee vtterly abashed and yet in the meane while he ceasseth not to receyue vs to mercie True it is that he will hyde himselfe for a time as hee hid hymselfe from Iob according as he will say heereafter Wherefore hydest thou thy face from me But let vs marke that after God hath hid his face away so for a season he will shewe hymselfe graciouse and pitifull towardes vs yea verely when he perceyueth it to be meete for vs It is true that he maketh delay and letteth vs linger in payne but he wil helpe vs in conuenient season Then let vs marke that whensoeuer God wryteth bitterly against vs it is to assuage the miserie within a while after according as it is his office to put vs into the graue and too pull vs out againe They that abide in condemnation haue no will to come to Gods mercie and to the redemption whyche he hath purchaced for vs and that is the cause why they be shet out In the meane time we haue whereof to thanke God hartily for somuch as wee see that beeyng woorthy too bee condemned at hys hande wee are neuerthelesse acquit See howe God allureth vs dayly VVhen wee come too a Sermon there he sheweth vs what we be and what oure sinnes and vices are there hee condemneth vs and dayly pronounceth many sentences against vs insomuch that we cannot open the holy scripture but we shall find some condemnation there in euery leafe On the other side we cannot so couer our vices but God will shewe vs them beholde thou hast doone suche a saulte beholde thou haste committed such a sinne See I pray you how our Lord dealeth But hath he once made vs ashamed of our sinnes By and by after hee sheweth vs that he will bee mercifull to vs for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Thus yee see what ought to make vs to magnifie hys goodnesse Furthermore although hee bryng oure olde sinnes too remembraunce agayne lette vs assure our selues hee doeth vs no wrong therein nother haue wee any cause too replye agaynst hym but wee haue so muche the more cause too blisse hym in that wee see that when hee hath once forgyuen oure olde sinnes he receyueth vs still to mercie for euer after In what state doeth God finde vs when we come out of our moothers womb It is true that the naughtinesse which is in vs is not yet perceyued but yet haue we the seede thereof inclosed in vs so as we
see the vnquietnesse that beginneth to martir men But is a man come to fiftie yeeres old It may be sayde that deathe is seene too summon them dayly Although there were no diseases at all to assayle vs yet it is well seene that we draw neere our ende Is a man come too fourescore yeeres It is seene that his graue is at hande so as in a manner hee is no more alyue For it wyll greeue a man to see himselfe vnmeete for the world hee seeth that hee is a burthen and it brings many troubles and if he be combersome to others hee is more combersome to hymselfe Therefore it is not for nought that this is told vs And why for as I haue earst sayde wee set more by one yeere in this worlde than wee ought too doo by a hundred and agayne wee consider not howe oure lyfe is misguided when it is not put to the true vse of of it So muche the more then standeth it vs in hande to bethinke vs well of suche sayings and warnings that is to witte that man borne of woman is of a very shorte and flightfull lyfe But for the better conceyuing of this shortnesse we must also match it with the troubles that are in it For put cace that our life were farre longer what cause haue we to like so well of it seeing we be so vexed in it VVhy do we not rather come to the seeking of the rest that is prepared for vs in heauen And heerewithall we haue further to marke from whence these troubles come vpon vs that is to witte from our owne naughtie affections For if wee were troubled but by other folks and in the meane while were at rest in ourselues yea verely at true rest we might well complayne of our disquietnesse that this present life had not his free course and that it went not in his owne pace But forasmuch as euery man is a hangman to himselfe as I haue sayd already and our owne lusts passions and desires are the cause of our vnquietnesse and incomberance to whome or against whome shall we make oure complaint Then let vs learne that when we haue considered all well we must not blame God nor commence action against him but only find fault with ourselues For the finall poynt whervnto we must come is to know the shortnesse of our life and to bee abashed at it when wee thinke thereof But this is yet better expressed in that which foloweth when he sayth who is he that is pure or how can that thing be cleane which commeth of vncleannesse or filthinesse By this saying we bee admonished that all the miseries which we indure proceede of the coruption of mans nature And for the better comprehending of this doctrine let vs note that when there is any speaking of mā or of that whiche is in him the question concerneth not Gods worke or creation for Adam was created another manner of one than we be at this day VVe be falne from the state wherein God had set Adam and all mankinde in Adams persone Adam was created after the image of god and endewed with excellent giftes of grace yea and vnsubiect to death And what importeth that image of God A perfectnesse a rightuousnesse and a soundnesse wherethrough God vttered his great riches so that in effect mā was as a mirrour of the excellent glory that shyneth fully in god But by sin we be bereft of all gifts of grace banished out of the kingdome of god And bycause he hath forsaken vs we are also destitute of life whereof he is the fountayne and welspring For wherein lyeth the fulnesse of al good things but only in God Then must we needes conclude that being cut off from him wee bee left in all miserie yea and euen in death But say I this proceedeth not of our creation but of that wee be destitute of the benefite that God had giuen vs and hencefoorth haue it not any more And how are we bereft of it By sin Here a man mighte moue a question It seemeth that Iobs meening is that the cause of our vnbeleefe of all the sinnes and vices that are in vs is bycause wee come and descend of Adams race and we come not of Adam but as concerning our body VVhere doth sinne dwell where hath he his proper seate In the Soule But there is no shew of reason that means soules also should come of the race line of Adam Therefore it seemeth that Iob reasoneth not aright But we haue to marke that like as God created all mankind after his owne image in the person of Adam euē so also through Adams sin not only Adam himselfe but consequently also all his ofspring were depriued and shet out from the grace that had bin bestowed vpon him And whereof commeth that Bycause wee were all inclosed within his persone according to the will of god VVee must not heere dispute by naturall reason to knowe whether it be so or no. It behoueth vs to know that it was Gods will to giue that to our first father which he would haue vs to be and when he tooke the same from him we also were in the same ruine and confuzion with him Then let vs haue an eye too this ordinance of God let vs settle ourselues therevpon and let vs not beleeue our own wit and imagination Thus yee see shortly what we haue too beare away True it is that this matter might bee dilated more at large but it is ynough for vs too vnderstande the cheefe poynt in two or three words which is to mind the thing that is conteyned here namely that it is no maruell though men be full of vncleannesse and that there is nothing in them but filthinesse And why For they be taken out of a corrupt lump and therefore there is not so much as one that is otherwise True it is that although Iesus Christ was very man yet was he exempted from all our vncleannesse but that was bycause he was conceuyed by the holy Ghost God ordeyned peculiarly that oure Lord Iesus Christe should bee conceyued by power from aboue And why To the end that Adams vncleannesse might not light into hym nor hee bee defiled therewith But when that wee be conceiued forasmuch as it is by the common order of mans nature we be subiect too the said corruption It is not possible to find any one mortall wight that is not full of all vnrighteousnesse sauing only our Lord Iesus Christ And why For let vs marke from whence we come So then wee haue to call to rememberance what hath bin touched that is too witte in what wise wee ought to alledge vntoo God the shortnesse of our life and the miseries wherevnto the same is subiecte which is to the end he shuld haue pitie vpon vs and not to murmure against him Howbeit therewithall we must also mislike of our owne life And that is it that I haue touched already namely that if we wist well
that our life is flightfull and bethought vs of the miseries wherewyth it is fraughted and as it were pestered we wold not be so farre in loue with it as wee bee but heere ye see a good cause why we ought to be so much the more waker Neuerthelesse it behoueth vs too keepe a measure in thys behalfe For there haue bin many of the heathen whyche haue knowen the thing rightly that is spoken heere and haue bin so fully perswaded of it that they haue bin weery and loth to liue in this world yea we see they haue fordone themselues And how was that They sawe well the miseries that are heere But wee must not come too such extremitie VVhat then VVhen wee consider that our life vanisheth away in a moment let vs consider also from whence the same swiftnesse proceedeth that is too witte from sinne For we were not created to the end that death should haue dominion ouer vs That is come vppon vs from our father Adam in somuch as all of vs are giltie of his sinne Therefore when there is any talke of the shortnesse of our life wee must enter into this acknowledgement of originall sinne And againe whence come all the miseries that hedge vs in round about but bycause wee be banished out of Gods kingdome where all our welfare lieth Then are wee miserable so long as we be separated from god But we be separated by reason of our sinnes and therefore it standeth vs on hande to returne always thither VVhen we haue learned too blame our selues after this sort we shal not deale as those do that murmure against god Howe now say they It is seene that men are as it were the cheefe woorke of God among all his creatures it was his will too shewe muche more excellencie and dignitie in them than in al the rest yet are they vexed troubled beyoÌ„d all measure And what â—meaneth that Verely many heathenish folke haue herevpoÌ„ taken occasion to murmure against God as who should say he had set man vpon a scaffold to make a mockerie and gazingstocke of him notwithstanding that hee seeme to be the noblest of all creatures But when we shal haue coÌ„sidered that all the miseries wherto we be subiect proceede of our owne faultinesse bicause wee be all sinfull we shall haue our mouthes stopped so as we shall no more presume to murmure against god Marke that for one poynte But yet is not that ynough For vnlesse wee haue an eye to the remedie that God hath giuen vs out of all doubt we shall be caried away with such desperation as we cannot but blaspheme god And in very deede it is certaine that those which fordoo theÌ„selues do it as it were in despite of god And why For although they had knowen theÌ„selues blameworthy of their owne miseries yet had it not booted them to the asswagement of theyr sorrow heauinesse Therfore if we will not fall into despaire let vs haue an eye to that which is able to asswage all our anguish As for example First although our life be miserable yet neuerthelesse God maketh vs to taste of his goodnesse so many wayes as wee may well conclude that we be rightly happy bicause he maketh vs parttakers of his benefites Our life is short howbeit it is not so short but God gyueth vs respite ynough to knowe him to bee our father and sauioure and to taste what his power is in vs and calleth vs vnto him If we shold not haue this benefite paste a quarter of an houre nor inioy it any longer time I pray you ought we not to make account of suche a benefite Agayne although wee suffer heate and colde and hunger and thirst and bee diuerse wayes persecuted and besydes the inconueniences that happen at other mens handes wee haue a gulfe within vs as in deede wee haue store of temptations that come vpon vs whiche verely are as manye incomberances Yet notwithstanding God giueth vs some tast of his mercie in that we see hee holdeth vs vp and in that when it pleaseth him too chastise vs either he giueth vs pacience or else so measureth his rigoure as we alwaies feele his goodnesse Seing then that euen in the troubles and vnquietnesse of the worlde wee haue some occasion too comforte and cheere vp our selues in God Is not that a recompence that ought too suffize vs can we nowe complayne that God hath set vs in this worlde Haue wee not cause rather too blisse and glorifie him Then lette vs marke well that it standeth vs in hande to beware that we fall not into such extremitie as to say VVo worth man it were better that he had neuer bin borne than to be so turmoyled in this worlde If we haue not the foresayde consideration we may be sure we shall come to confusion VVhat is to bee done then VVe muste ioyne both the poynts togither and say Alas what is this present life For we bee no sooner entred into it but wee giue vp the Ghoste And if wee tarry heere any while at all we see nothing before our eyes but miserie Not only the graue hemmeth vs in on all sides but also it were better for vs to die some one kinde of death out of hande than too bee so assaulted with thousande thousands And afterward when wee haue ouerpassed so many incomberances in effect wee doo but pine away by peecemeale Therefore if wee bethinke vs well of oure state we shall haue good cause to mislike this worlde bycause that all the inconueniences whiche wee indure do proceede of our owne sinnes But what though Yet doth God in the meane while make vs to feele his goodnesse and he will not haue vs so dismaide and ouersorrowed as we should not haue whereof to reioyce in him Furthermore forasmuche as he sheweth vs that wee be but wayfarers in this worlde and that our miseries shall not continue here for euer the shortnesse of our lyfe ought not to greeue vs but rather to comfort vs And howe is that For as for those which are so fantasticall as to say Tushe what is mans life It is gone with the turning of a hande They that rest vpon that poynte do fall to hartburning and say muste wee liue so small a while Doth God play mockholyday with vs to say returne agayne to mee out of hand Coulde he not giue vs a longer lyfe or at leastwise make vs too knowe what were the remedie of oure life But we haue not one day of good tyme for our life hangeth by a threed and death is alwayes betweene our teeth Behold I say at what poynt they be whiche do altogither settle and reste themselues vpon the shortnesse of maÌ„s life But let vs thinke thus with our selues VVell then God meeneth not that wee shoulde linger heere foreuer True it is that wee bee subiect to many miseries in so much that he which knoweth his owne state oughte to sigh and grone continually so long as he
they haue neede to haue it beaten into thē still and when a man telleth vs one thing often it is too our greate profit and furtherance But Iob was not at that poynt it greeued him not to make account of a good lesson bicause it ▪ was common Nother was he curious of his desires But as I saide afore hee sheweth simply that his miserie was so excessiue as hee had neede to be comforted after an extraordinarie manner Like as when a man is sicke of a common disease folke will also vse a lighte remedie But if the disease bee sharpe ▪ the Phisition muste be fayne to proceede further For if he should applie one medicine to all diseases what a thing were it In like cace is it with aduersities VVee see a man that is sorrowfull for the deathe of his Father or of his wife or of his children or else some losse is happened vnto him VVell one bringeth him some meane comfort and such as God hath set foorth But if there bee any that is not tormented after some one manner onely but whiche feeleth the hande of God persecuting him on all sides so that as soone as one inconuenience is befalne him there followe two or three mo in the necke of it and hee is not onely afflicted in his body in his person in his goodes and in his frends but also as we haue seene in Iob is pressed with spirituall temptations as thoughe God meent to drowne him vtterly there we must go to work after a more exquisite fashion For if ye vexe a poore man that is already hartbroken to what purpose shall all that you can bring serue It were muche better that a man hilde his peace that God myght worke to supply the default of men Thus ye see what Iob meent Beholde Eliphas telleth Iob that God punisheth wicked men to shew himselfe the iudge of the world and that they may well fence thēselues but they cannot scape his handes but that hee will vtterly destroye them howe greate traynes and bandes of men soeuer they haue But what If a man should apply this matter vnto Iob it were as muche as too beare him downe that God was hys enimie bycause hee was a wicked man and also that there had bene nothing but hypocrisie in him Beholde a matter misapplyed Therefore it is not withoute cause that hee sayeth Gotoo I knowe these things and euen nowe coulde I serue myne owne turne with them if I had neede of them But that was not the cace For Iob had conceyued in his minde that hee was not punished for his sinnes sake and that God had not any suche intente Not that hee felte not himselfe faultie and woorthy too indure yet more if God listed too examine him with rigoure but bicause hee knewe that God handled him not so for his sinnes sake but had another intent Iob knowing this reiecteth the talke that they hild with him And why Bycause it was vnreasonable You are yrksome comforters to mee sayeth hee And what is the reason Bycause they brought not conuenient remedies Heereby wee bee warned that if wee minde too comforte our neyghboures in their heauinesse and troubles wee muste not go to it at randon as many men doo which haue no more songs but one and haue no regarde at all too whome they sing it For some man muste bee handled after one fashion and some man after another As for example if there bee one that is stubborne against God in that cace a man muste speake with another manner of style and tearmes than too a poore creature that hath walked alwayes in simplicitie And so according as the maladie is it is needefull that a man bee warned too proceede thereafter As for example if men bee dullardes they muste bee cryed vnto and their negligence muste bee rebuked too the intente they maye feele the hande of God and humble themselues vnder the same Therefore wee haue neede of greate wisedome if wee will comforte those whome God afflicteth as wee ought to doo Thus yee see what wee haue too beare in minde concerning this sentence where it is sayde that suche as pretended to comforte Iob were yrkesome comforters bycause they broughte not any thing whereby hee might fare the better And nowe Iob addeth VVhen will there bee an ende of youre wyndy woordes Hee tearmeth those woordes wyndy wherein there is no substance that is too saye whiche are not able too edifye a man according as the holye Scripture vseth the same similitude For when it is requyred that a man shoulde bee taughte howe too obtayne his Saluation It is sayde hee is edifyed Howe Euen bycause hee is firste founded and afterwarde buylded vppon so as hee is confirmed in the feare of God hee is confirmed in his lawe hee is confirmed in pacience to beare afflictions stedfastly and afterwarde hee is fully resolued too praye vnto God too prayse him to flee vnto him Contrariwise if the words be but to trouble ones brayne and that a man do but trifle and babble so as the hearer receyueth no good instruction to apply to his welfare all are but wyndy wordes And so lette vs marke that if we will meddle with exhortation or doctrine aboue all things it behooueth vs too tende to the sayde substantialnesse that is to witte that suche as heare vs may receyue some good instruction so as they maye bee inured too walke according too godlynesse and bee grounded in the truste of his mercye and frame themselues too call vppon him not doubtinglye and waueringly but assuring themselues that they shall bee hearde Yee see then howe wee oughte too study too instructe oure neyghboures substantially that the thing whiche wee haue learned may not slippe away like winde And furthermore euery of vs muste also bende too suche teaching that wee couet not too bee filled with wynde as wee see manye curiouse folke are who woulde fayne haue men listen vntoo them that they myghte feede their eares and satisfye theyr fonde fancies They imagine this and that and woulde fayne haue men too lysten to theyr complayntes too dispute of matters that are to no edifying And the minde of man is ouermuche inclined too this vice yea and wholly gyuen vnto it For that if euerie of vs shoulde followe his owne appetite it is certaine that there woulde bee none other question among vs but howe wee myghte holde vnprofitable talke of this and that whiche shoulde spredde into the ayre and haue no substance in it nor aught at all but winde And therefore learne to seeke that whiche is good and conuenient too edifye vs in the feare of God and in fayth and pacience and in all good and profitable things Thus yee see what wee haue too remember in this sentence where Iob maketh mention of windye woordes Neuerthelesse wee muste also take heede too oure selues that wee refuse all talke that shall bee ministred vnto vs as thoughe it were wyndy but wee muste learne to taste whither
Iob was tempted therevnto when he sawe he coulde haue no reason at his freendes handes But yet he returneth to the principall and standeth not vppon the other poynt bicause he had an euill cace And he sayth Thinke ye to preuayle against me by vaunting your selues bicause ye see mee in such plight or thinke you that my cace is past recouerie and that I shall bee damned bycause ye see me to be as miserable a creature as may be Know yee sayth he that God hath ouerthrowne mee in iudgement that is to say ye must not dispute heere by reason for God ruleth not himselfe according to mans capacitie I can haue no right at his hand I may well contende but yet must I stande to my harmes I muste bee oppressed and yet if I crie or if I make moane my miserie is neuer the more assuaged It booteth me not for he hath shewed himselfe too bee mine enimie he hath sent me innumerable miseries like an armie to beseege mee I am tormented and which worse is I see no issue in all my way and it seemeth that he hath inclosed mee and locked me vp and that there is no maner of meane to scape the miseries that presse me and torment mee This were verie straunge talke at the first sight if we had not alreadie vnderstoode partly wherevpon Iob groundeth himself and that the same were not now newly againe brought to remembrance as it shall be shewed anon by Gods leaue But let vs go forwarde with Iobs talke This complaint which he maketh to his freendes is iust that is to witte that it was a pleasure to them to put him too confusion Now as I haue sayde heretofore if a man be smitten with Gods roddes although there bee iust cause to finde fault with him yet muste the same be done with a milde spirite that the medicine bee not too sharpe considering that the hand of God hath rigour ynough in it selfe without adding any more to it If a man beare himself stoutly against God seeme not to feele any miserie but playeth the madman and is not by any meanes reformable there we haue to vse greater sharpnesse For when men abuse Gods pacience goodnesse such statelinesse must be tamed And if God handle them not at the firste as they deserue so as they become more hardeharted and wilfull bycause hee beareth with them then ye see wherein he ought to vse greater rigor For it is not to be borne that men shoulde outface God after that sort turne his goodnesse gentlenesse into such poison therby to inuenim themselues more more against him Let a man handle them mildly they runne ryot in their delights so as they become as it were bewitched a man cannot wring any reason oute of them nor drawe them to repentance But if a man be hartbroken and it is to be seene that God hath wrought with him in such wise alredie as we ought to be moued to compassion what a matter were it to set vpon him with rigor VVee shoulde shew our selues to haue no māhood in vs True it is that if a man were afflicted as much as were possible yet if wee see him still hardharted against God that all the corrections which hee hath receyued haue not amended him there it behoueth to vse rigor But yet neuerthelesse wee must still haue pitie of the miserie that we see him in and if wee be kindharted there will bee some mitigation and gentlenesse and we will vse him after some quiet fashion Nowe as for Iobs freendes there was no suche dealing in them For had they taken things as they ought they had founde that he humbled himself vnder the hand of god And surely although it seemed straunge to him to be hādled so Yet notwithstanding hee ceassed not too confesse that God was his iudge and had all power ouer him Therevpon they fall to rayling at him and beare him in hande cleane contrary to the truth that hee was a wicked man that there was nothing but hypocrisie in him that hee had neuer serued God hartily and that they whiche were not afflicted as he was were much better rightuouser than hee If Iob would haue agreed with them hee must haue renounced God and spoken against his owne conscience Yee see then wherevpon hee standeth And heereby wee bee taught that when God afflicteth any of our neyghboures wee muste not by and by conclude that they be the worst men aliue But wee muste haue regard to iudge vprightly as wee woulde haue other men to do by vs and to say It maye bee that Gods meening is but to trye their pacience Althoughe they haue walked vprightly before him and with a good zeale yet notwithstanding hee intendeth that wee shoulde haue mirroures And if it please him too conceale the cause from vs or if they haue doone amisse and God doo punishe them yet muste wee not measure theyr sinnes by the punishmente that wee see And why For hee behaueth himselfe more hardly towarde the rightuous than towarde the woorser sorte bicause hee reserueth the wickeddest till the ende and that is to make them the more vnexcusable For they doo nothing else but heape vp store of his wrath and horrible vengeance vppon theyr owne heades Yee see then howe it becommeth vs too bee wyse and modeste when wee see poore men in aduersitie too the ende that wee go not the wrong way to woorke Agayne although God shewe vs as it were with his finger that there is iust cause when he sendeth suche miseries vpon any man let vs learne to make oure owne profite of it And that wee may so doo lette vs haue an eye to our selues For when God maketh vs too perceyue his iudgementes after that sorte his intent is too instruct vs at another mans coste Therfore it is to no purpose for vs to condemne suche as are in aduersitie without hauing regarde too oure selues But it behooueth euerie of vs too enter intoo himselfe and too bethinke him ▪ Alas in that my God hath preserued mee I am bounde vntoo him for it yea and I also may bee chastyzed some one waye or other VVherefore I muste acknowldge that my God spareth mee ▪ and that whereas I am not scourged with extremitie and specially for that I am at mine ease and reste the same commeth of his meere mercie I saye lette vs acknowledge these things that we may haue occasion to bee our owne iudges and not to condemne other folkes without looking to oure selues And by the way wee see what a temptation it is when men gyue an outwarde and wrongfull iudgement of vs and that it is very harde to keepe measure in that cace sith that Iob who had suche a pacientnesse as we haue seene and as the Scripture reporteth of him hath notwithstanding ouer leaped his boundes and was not able so too brydle himselfe as no euill woorde myght scape from him True it is that he hath good right too
wicked too take highly vpon them and too beare themselues in hande that they shall bee sette vp againe for God will plucke them vp roote and rinde and although they haue had some bud left that is too say although God haue left them some little shewe so as it might seeme that they were not vtterly dispatched yet shall it fade away specially at the day of his wrath Now must we wey this saying For it dothe vs to vnderstande that wee must notimagin that God is ydle when he ouerpasseth things putteth not his hand to the punishing of the wicked And why For hee hathe his conuenient seasons Then hathe Gods wrath a certaine determinate day whiche wee know not of Therefore when wee see the wicked in prosperitie and in their triumphes and it seemeth that no misfortune shall euer befall them let it come too oure remembrance that the wrath of God hath a day and that God knoweth when it is time to punishe I say let vs tarie paciently and in the meane while learne heereby not too fall asleepe if God spare vs And if our Lorde make vs not to feele this vengeance for a time but let vs alone and handle vs gently although wee haue offended him I say let vs not flatter oure selues therefore for there is not a more daungerous deceyte than when men sleepe saping in their sinnes and thinke not vpon Gods wrath vnder colour that he beareth with them For then do they gather a great heape of wrath to themselues as Saint Paule sayeth in the second Chapter to the Romanes Then let vs learne not too flatter our selues at suche time as wee bee in rest but let vs dayly thinke vpon the daye of Gods wrathe and preuent it namely by trembling continually before oure iudge praying him too receyue vs too mercie bycause we be so greatly indetted vnto him and let vs keepe our mouthes shet when it commeth too the mainteyning of our cace Now if Zophar had applyed this matter rightly hee had not condemned Iob as he did but hee had acknowledged that of Iob whiche hee speaketh generally that is too wit that whereas the wicked doo prosper and yet notwithstanding Iob hauing led a blamelesse life is punished so rigorously it is not to be sayd that God disalloweth him and alloweth the wicked For hee hathe a day for his wrath True it is that Zophar is as a Prophet of god But yet dothe hee peruert all things as Balaam did bycause hee discerneth not the fitte time of Goddes wrath whereof hee spake And for this cause ought wee too giue the better heede to this saying to the ende wee haue the sayde skill that I spake of namely too consider that God hath his couuenient tymes to punishe the wicked To conclude all the doctrine that wee haue heard hee sayth in the ende Such is the portion of the wicked yea at Gods hand at Gods hand also his heritage is like bycause of his wordes As touching this conclusion it is as it were a sealing of that which we haue heard heere before to the intent it might be of the more authoritie in our hartes that we might be fully assured of it receyue it without any doubting Marke then the portion of the wicked And at whose hande At Gods. As if he had sayde True it is that the wicked rufsle it out in this worlde and play the looce Colts for they beleeue not that there is a iudge in heauen neyther thinke they vpon him But yet for all that they cannot pluck that preheminence from his maiestie and hee prepareth their indytement This then serueth expressely too daunt the wicked which put God out of their minde as much as they can Also is it a good lesson for all the faythfull to teache them to say Go to wee may do muche euill that shall bee pardoned at mens handes yea and they shall neuer say so muche as blacke is our eye for it But in the end wee must come before the iudge when we come thither this forbearing at mens hands will turne too our double condemnation That is the counsell which we haue too gather of this text when the name of God is expressed heere two times For men oftentimes discharge not their dutie specially those I meene that are in office to do it VVe neuer passe of admonishing such as do amisse nor of correcting them but we winke at them Yea and the Magistrate whiche ought to put to his hande to represse offences doth verie often let all alone Men then bothe generally and particularly dissemble and make countenance not to see a whitte But God is not negligent in his office For as well they that haue beene borne with as those that haue borne with them must come to accoūt So then the name of God togither with the circumstance of the text ought to wey greatly with vs sith we know it is not without cause said that suche is the portion of the wicked yea euen at Gods-bāde For it serueth to wipe away all these vaine hopes whiche we be woont to conceyue when men giue vs their hande and eyther winke at our sinnes or else pardon them Let vs not trust vpon that For it will bee a double confusion to vs afore god And let vs assure our selues that although we be scaped from the worlde yet must God shew himselfe to be our iudge Now whereas mention is made of portion and heritage that also serueth to do vs too vnderstande that we must be fully resolued of this poynt that God will not leaue the wicked vnpunished And like as euerie man calleth that thing his portion which is ordeyned or alotted vnto him So hathe our Lorde alreadie assigned too the wicked that whiche belongeth vnto them that is their heritage that is too say that same is as theyr patrimonie so as there is nothing more peculiarly a mans owne than the punishment that God will lay vpon the wicked And hee speaketh purposely of their woordes Howe so True it is that some men restreyne this to the blasphemies that the wicked belke out agaynst God but the worde that is sette downe heere soundeth none euill So then it must be taken more simply that is to witte that wicked men may well alledge as many excuses as they list but they shall gaine nothing by it for they shall bee condemned with all their wordes Surely Zophar had an eye to Iob and therein as I sayde afore he applied it amisse vnto him but yet it ceasseth not to be true good in it selfe And it is the holy Ghoste that pronounceth heere in generall that the wicked with all their gay woordes shall be rooted out by the hande of god Therfore this worde is not couched heere without cause For we see continually how the wicked are desirous to pleade agaynst God thinking to worke wonders with their vntoward allegatiōs And truly God suffereth them to hold plea so for a time but at length hee
is needefull for vs Let vs note then that by the mouthe of a rude man which had not such wisedome as he ought to haue had for the apt applying of the truth to his vse the holy Ghost doth shew vs what we haue to do when wee come to recken with God namely to know that we are in euery point guiltie and by all meanes bounde vnto hym and that he is nothing at all bound vnto vs and furthermore also that we can do him no harme And that when he bringeth vs to the law and condemneth vs it is not for his owne profite but for our saluatīon and wealth Yea let vs assure our selues that euen when we be condemned it is to the end that we might be afterward acquit by hym least we should fall into that condemnation whereintoo the wicked shall be constreyned to come in the end On the other side let vs knowe that when God bringeth vs thus to iudgement it is too examine oure sinnes and too search out our whole life to the end we should be displeased with our sinnes But in the meane season when we shal haue ripped vp all that is in vs and thinke that we knowe what is there let vs vnderstand that we haue not yet perceyued the hundred part of it I speake euen of them that haue a cleare sight and flatter not themselues nor foster any euill For howsoeuer it be for as much as men be dul and haue a short and dimme sight it is certayne that they shall not perceyue the hundreth part of their sinnes But God who hath a farre more cleare sight than wee haue knoweth them If we fall into a sinne to day and be manifestly conuicted thereof we will committe another by to morrow in the morning yea and the day shall not passe without a great number of offences and transgressions And we are euer new to begin agayne For wee shall not be conuinced of one fault only or of two or of three but of an hundred And so what shal become of vs then VVhē a man hath well examined his cōscience and findeth himselfe so many wayes guiltie and then cōcludeth that God knoweth yet a hundred times more wher can he become therevpon Must we not needs be astonied at it must not our heares stand vpright vpon our heads and we be plūged in the bottome of death Thus much we haue to note vpon this place that is to wit that as oft as in hearing the word of God preached the vyces wherewith we be spotted are condemned euery man must enter into himselfe and make his owne processe and tarie not till God prosecute the law against him but say within himselfe Alas I haue offended on this wise and not only once nor twice but so many times and more And if I haue offended on this wise ther are diuers other ways so that if God would turne vp my filthinesse what a thing would it be I should be vtterly vndone This I say would bring vs to humilitie and repentance so as wee should not bee so slacke as wee haue bin too approch vnto our God or at the least wee should be no more so stubborne to striue against hys corrections Yea and let vs be so much the more carefull too do thus bycause we see the most part of men delight and glory in their sinnes and where they should sigh grone ▪ and be vtterly ashamed they will be counted good Christians yea of the perfectest that may be found In deede they will say generally I am a man and all men must confesse themselues sinners but yet there is none that dothe better than I I know none that hath a better will to lyue well than I. And who are they that say thus Filthy naughtypackes yea and so filthy that the ayre stinketh of theyr wickednesse and yet will they in this cace make a playne mocke at god Now as I haue sayd if wee examine oureselues well there shall remayne vnto vs nothing but vtter confusion insomuche that wee must needes acknowledge our selues guiltie not for one sinne nor for two ▪ but throughly and wholy knowing that wee are accursed of God and most miserable were it not that he hath pitie and compassion on vs To be breefe we are heere taught that men muste not confesse themselues sinners before God lightly and as it were for fashion sake as they doo which thinke it ynough to say oh I do not denie but that there be some faultes in me No we must not do so but we must make the burthen so heauie as we can beare it no more For indeede so shall God be truly glorified whych is not when men say that they haue some small infirmities and imperfections in them but whē with Dauid they speake of the greatnesse of their sinnes and of the multitude of their iniquities And as Daniell speaketh of it in his confession who was an Angel in comparison of other men and yet he sayeth I haue confessed my sinnes the sinnes of my people Hee speaketh not as of some small fault but he sayeth our sinnes O Lord are great and outrageous And so let vs learne to acknowledge what wee are yea and that in such sort as God may be truly glorified throughly and for the whole Thus muche for one point And what hope may we haue that God will receiue vs and be fauourable and mercifull vnto vs if we be not as it were ouerwhelmed with oure sinnes that wee haue committed Our Lord Iesus sayth not Come vnto me all ye that say I am a sinner there are infirmities in me no he sayeth not so But all ye that are loden and wearie whose shoulders do bend vnder the weight of your sinnes These are they that be called of Iesus Christe too the ende they may find mercie in him and in his grace and not they that so mocke with God making a light confession and beyng not once touched in their harts This is it that we haue to note vppon this worde Furthermore to come to suche a knowledge we must particularly examine the sinnes wee haue committed for a man shall neuer truly say I am as it were throwne into the bottome of hell vnlesse hee bee well searched out and haue considered his sinnes and marked them well one after another Vnlesse then wee do thus particularly examine our selues we shall neuer perceyue our iniquities to be infinite and innumerable For this cause is the matter heere couched in this order For Eliphas after he hath pronounced in generall termes that the sinne of Iob was great and his iniquities infinite sayeth Hast thou not spoyled him that was naked hast thou not taken a pledge without a cause Hast thou not withdrawne the bread from him that was a hungred Hast thou not denyed hym water to drinke that was a thirst And in the meane season wast not thou confederate with men full of violence This is the cause why God dothe nowe persecute thee It is true
as we haue already sayde that Eliphas doth Iob great iniurie and wrong but in the meane season the spirite of God intendeth heere to teach vs the order whiche wee muste keepe for to be truly humbled before God least wee become hard harted and by that meanes prouoke his vengeance in striuing against him To be breefe let vs note that men shall neuer feele thēselues sinners as they ought to do except they doo particularly consider themselues and afterwarde enter into an account as it were by parcelmeale True it is that wee can neuer make an ende but wee must alwayes conclude with Dauid VVho can vnderstande hys faultes But yet wee maye not therefore say that thyngs muste bee passed ouer lightly and not bee searched out to the ground If an earthly iudge can bee sharpe witted and attentiue too heare a processe which is but for the life of one man must not we I praye you when wee haue offended oure God haue therein a greater care yea and when the processe is not criminall but onely for some small summe of money yet must the iudge looke neerely too it too see whether there bee witnesses too it whether in their processe they haue proceeded aright and that the things be verified and yet the controuersie shall bee but for ten or twentie Florens for an hundred crownes or for some other tryfle And if the iudge doo not his duetie hee muste needes bee counted guiltie before God as a theefe for he is worse than a theefe seeyng that he stealeth an other mans goodes and substance and that which apperteyneth to one he gyueth vnto another And when God dooth so farre honour vs as too make vs iudges of our owne liues yea and doth it for our saluation shall we I pray you be excused if we be negligent and close vp our eyes at that which is so good and profitable for vs It is certayne that wee shall not So then let vs wey well that whiche I haue touched that is to wit that men shall neuer truly knowe themselues sinners as they ought to do and as it is requisite vntill they haue examined their liues particularly And indeede we see how Dauid vseth the matter For one fault onely bringeth him into the middes of the sea when he seeth that hee hath committed so heynous an offence before God as to be the cause of the cruell murther not onely of one man but of many whyles he went about to kill Vrias Therefore when he saw the wickednesse of hys sinne the enormitie thereof constrayneth him not onely to thinke vpon that fault alone but also to consider hymselfe more neerely yea and to behold himselfe as in the mids of the Sea and to condemne himselfe vtterly Thus also must we do And therefore the popish shrift was a diuelish thing ▪ when they would haue men shriue thēselues in the priests eare for to spew out their sinnes there as if a drunkard should go spew out his wine when hee hathe taken in somuch that hys stomacke is not able too beare it God then will not haue vs to make such a confession for it is cleane contrarie and repugnant to hys word On the other side also hee wyll not haue vs too saye at one word I haue offended and to passe ouer the coales lightly as the prouerb is heere in this countrey but to cōsider ourselues neere at hand and euery man to enter into hys owne conscience and to acknowledge thus well I am not onely giltie before God for one fault alone but for such a fault and such a fault and not onely for one tyme but I still fall to it agayne VVhen we examine ourselues thus after suche a speciall sorte wee may well conclude Lorde our iniquities are infinite oure transgressions are innumerable Thys is it wherein God will bee glorifyed Thus muste the poore sinners bee touched too the quicke and wounded in their conscience that they maye bee displeased with their sinnes In deede they that confesse themselues in generall termes and saye I am a sinner as all other men are do well declare that they bee not touched inwardly in the bottome of their hart and that they cannot tell what it is to know their sinnes for to be displeased with them But as for vs let vs learne to searche all our sinnes euen to the bottome and when wee haue gathered any number let vs knowe that there is a hundred times more and let vs be ashamed in ourselues and acknowledge the condēnation sighing before God and saying alas Lorde it is true that our sinnes are many in number and our iniquities infinite but lette the multitude of thy mercies be poured vppon vs as Dauid speaketh of it For the only way to obteyne forgiuenesse of all our sinnes is when it pleaseth God to couer them of his goodnesse to do them away and to clense vs from thē by the power of his holy spirit Now let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes desiring him to make vs haue a better feeling of them than wee haue had and on the other side too make vs beholde his holy maiestie to the end that beeing as it were quite throwen downe we may be raised vp againe by none other meanes but by his mercie and grace which hee hath shewed vs in our Lord Iesus Christ And in the meane season lette vs come and yeeld ourselues to the great sauiour as he calleth vs vnto him to reward vs with the crowne of glorye hauing no respect too so many miseries as are in vs So shal we al say O God most mighty heauēly father c. The .lxxxiiij. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xxij. Chapter This Sermon doth prosecute the exposition of the sixth seuen and eyght verses and afterward of the texte beere adioyned 9 Thou hast let the vvidovves go emptie and the arme of the fatherlesse hath bin broken 10 And therefore the snares do compasse thee about and so day ne feare doth trouble thee 11 And darknesse maketh that thou canst not see and the great vvaters couer thee A Man mighte maruell how and for what cause Eliphas here accuseth Iob of such crimes as were neuer found in him For as we shall see heereafter Iob had bin a very courteouse and liberall man all the dayes of his life as hee protesteth that he hath bin the defender of the fatherlesse the protectour of widowes the eye of the blind the legges of the lame and that his hand was neuer closed to the needie VVherefore then doth Eliphas accuse him to haue taken away the goodes and substance of his neighbours by violence that he was not pitifull that he had bin a cruell mā that hee had deuoured his goodes himselfe alone It seemeth that in these things there is no reason But wee must note that Eliphas iudgeth of the person of Iob by the affliction and this is the cause that hee mistaketh all things as wee
haue shewed before that we must beware when God punisheth a man that wee do not conclude therevpon that hee is a wicked man and that he is handled according to his deserts for that is a setting the cart before the horse as the Prouerb sayeth Euen so dealeth Eliphas and therefore his iudgement is corrupted Furthermore that which hee heere propoundeth muste not be simply vnderstanded but it is as much as if he should exhorte Iob well too consider his whole life and seeyng that hee is so afflicted after a straunge fashion hee should conclude that he had bin a wicked man and that his offences were so outrageouse that God had powred a horrible vengeance vppon him As if hee should say see if in the time of thy prosperitie thou hast not beene cruell Looke if thou haue not constreyned poore men too euill things Consider if thou haue not denyed him ayde that required it of thee VVay with thy selfe whyther thou haue not bin a contemner of God and seeyng that nowe thou remaynest yet in it and wilte iustify thy selfe it is a token that thou makest a playne mocke at God for it is time for thee to humble thy selfe now or neuer And seing thou art thus throwen downe must thou not needes acknowledge thy iudge and condemne thy selfe But now thou still continuest in the minde too fight agaynste God I must needes therefore conclude that thou arte a mocker and a scorner Thus doth Eliphas heere proceede Heereby we see what a thing it is too iudge so rashly for we consider neyther that whych is good in men nor the vertues that God hath placed in them and wee vse trifling and light coniectures where no coloure or shew is Had Eliphas euer seene in Iob that thyng whych heere he layeth to his charge No surely as Iob doth afterwarde declare it VVhy then doth Eliphas thus reproue hym bycause he is soreincombered with this foolish fantasie seeing that Iob is greeuously punished of God it muste needes be that he hath committed some crimes yea and that God hath vtterly reiected him This is an euill conclusion that Eliphas maketh And why God will sometimes punish his seruants not according too their faultes that they haue committed but to trie their pacience and beside that to shew that if he deale so with a greene tree what shall become of that whiche is drie Furthermore he intendeth to mortify them concerning this world and to teach them that the miseries which wee suffer in thys world shall be no hinderance to the blessednesse that is promised vs though it bee hidden and is not shewed in this world VVe see then that God hath many causes too afflict his Now if we conclude therevppon that his afflicting of them is for that they led a cursed and wicked life it is the next way to peruertal But yet there is a thing behind that is worse which is that we enter into foolish coniectures And what are they This man hath bin to mens sight a man of a good conuersation and how then shall we find in him the cause wherefore he hath deserued to be so delt withall This is it that giueth vs occasion to dreame and dote as Elphas doth heere VVherefore we must bee more sober and refrayne our selues when we go about to giue iudgement vpon our neighbour And therefore let vs not go to it at aduentures but let vs examine well theyr life and when we know a man to be a wicked person and a despiser of God so as his faults be notoriouse then wee may well say that God punisheth him And why too the end that we should be taught by his example and that the same might be a profitable lesson for vs Besides that whē we perceyue not in a man the cause why God shoulde punish him seuerely if any calamitie happen vnto him let vs stay our iudgemente and practise that whiche is heere alledged out of the Psalme that is let vs be rather pitifull and inclined to the good part and thinke al as if our Lord would deale with vs according to our deserts what shuld become of vs For we are no better than this man yea we may say that we be worse and yet wee see how he is plaged By this let vs learne that God will leade vs farther and sheweth vs that our life is nothing and that moreouer hee intendeth too exercise his in diuers battels and when they shall haue shewed themselues pacient in the mids of their afflictions he wil haue them comfort themselues in this that they know there is a better rest prepared for them in another place Thus then must we in thys cace procede Now let vs particularly examine that which is touched heere Eliphas sayth Thou hast taken a gage of thy neighboure without cause thou hast spoyled him that was naked Heere we see that our sinnes ceasse not to bee odious in the sight of God although men condemne vs not For if a man be so cruell to take a pledge of some poore man when hee lendeth him at his neede if hee take from him either the couerlet of his bed or his coate wherwith he should be clothed no man will sue him in the law for it For if he should be sued there hee should be acquited And why he hath lent him his money and it was lawfull for him to take a pledge for his assurance Before men hee can by no meanes be constreyned but we must not therfore thinke to be acquited before god And therefore when wee thynke and perswade our selues to be iust and innocent before God bycause wee haue not bene reproued before men wee are deceyued For worldly policie serueth not too bring vs to the perfection that God requireth of vs as of hys children it is sufficient that by it we be so maynteyned that euery mā may inioy his right that the strongest carrie it not away and that deceit extorcion iniuries and outrages bee punished To this purpose should worldly policie serue But when wee come before God it is not ynough for vs to alledge I haue bin no theefe to be led to the galowes or to bee whipped I haue murthered no mā that I shuld be condēned to death I haue committed no crime that bringeth with it eyther bodily punishment or infamie VVhen wee shall haue alledged all this it is to no purpose And why for if I haue borne my neighboure but a secret grudge I am alreadye accounted a murtherer before god If I haue attempted to corrupt and abuse another mans wife or if I haue looked on hir vnchastly lo I am condemned as a whoremōger if I couet an other mans goodes and seeke to drawe them vnto me although men do not cast it in my teethe yet am I taken for a theefe before god VVe may thē out of this place gather a profitable doctrine which is that we may not flatter ourselues when men cannot charge vs in our whole life that we haue bin sued in
not moue one finger breadth and much lesse caÌ„ we come vnto him as wee ought to do nay rather which worse is men will alwayes assay to runne backe when they doubt of the good will of God yea his maiestie shal be fearful vnto them If we conceiue in our mindes that God will deale rigorously with vs and that he is our iudge VVe must needs be so afraid of him as to runne from him as much as is possible for vs Thus to be short we see that vnles we haue tasted this fatherly goodnesse of God and be assured that hee is ready to receyue vs too mercie a man shall neuer cause vs too do so much as to â—ome too repentance For this cause it is specially sayd in this place that if Iob returne God wil blisse him euery way that whereas he hath bene spoyled of all his substance he shal be enriched agayne more than euer he was he shall haue plenty of golde and siluer he shall haue all things at his will and God will so prosper him that there shall be nothing but cause of ioy thankesgiuing VVe see then briefly what is the minde of Eliphas namely that Iob shold be stirred vp to returne vnto God by coÌ„ceyuing the sayd good hope that â–ª he shall not come to him in vaine nor be disapointed in seeking God bycause he is alwayes ready to forgiue vs our offences wheÌ„ we runne vnto him and will of his infinite goodnesse blot out all our sinnes True it is that Eliphas doothe alwayes passe measure in that he thinketh that god maketh those whom he loueth to prosper all alike in this world That is to great an ouersight For wee see how God afflicteth his proueth their pacience by making them subiect to mâ—ny miseries and yet for al that he ceaseth not to loue theÌ„ Therfore meÌ„ must not deceiue themselues by imagining that God will sende them all their hearts desire when â—e is mercyfull vnto them But we must come againe to that which is sayde in the law that is to wit that like as all aduersities are scourges to punish our sinnes so contrariwise when he receyueth vs vnto him if we come with repentance we shall be handled so louingly as hee will cause vs to prosper so farre forth as shall be expedient for our saluatioÌ„ Howsoeuer it be this doctrine is true and very profitable that when we returne vnto God iniquitie shall be driuen from vs and by that meanes we shall prosper For what is the cause that we are thus afflicted one with pouertie an other with diseases an other with many torments that are layd on him â–ª Is it bycause God who is our father taketh pleasure in dealing roughly with vs no surely it is not therfore but it is bicause wee are not meete to enioy the benefits whiche hee hath prepared for vs and is ready to bestow vpon vs He seeth that wee can not abyde that he should deale with vs according to his naturall inclination that is to say that he should send vs all that wee would desire for if we had wealth health and ease at will we would by by become drunken in our pleasures kick against our God as horses that are to well fedde and pampered God then perceyuing that we can not vse wel the benefits that he bestoweth vpon vs cutteth them off not bycause he is a niggard as we haue sayd but bicause he knoweth what we can beare is coÌ„strayned to bestow his benefits vpon vs by small portions to the end we may hunger thirst for them bicause we are so inclined too spend them riotously and also that there followeth after them this wicked tayle of spiritual drunkennesse that we make no more accompt of him but become so wanton with them as he caÌ„ not any more enjoy vs For this cause are we afflicted so many wayes Furthermore let vs consider the offences that euery one of vs committeth and if God should let vs alone vncorrected there should not be one man but he would fal asleepe in his sinnes become so hardened in them that his boldenesse would increase more and more God then peâ—ceyuing that if he bare too much with vs hee should suffer vs to runne into destruction findeth a remedie for this mischiefe And therefore wee are so muche the more beholding and bounde vntoo him To be short we constraine God to deale so rigorously with vs as he doth For if wee would giue place too his goodnes it is certain that he would make vs prosper euery way this world should be vnto vs an earthlie Paradise where should be nothing but rest ioy wee should haue cause always to lift vp ourheads before him according as mentioÌ„ is made heere For this cause then is it sayd that if we retourne vnto God he wil chaunge all our aduersities miseries into welth our life shal be so happy as wee shall haue cause too reioyce fully and to giue him thanks for that he hath bin so good a father vnto vs and for that we haue found him too be suche a one This is the briefâ— summe of this place Now haue we a good and profitable lesson to gather out of it whiche is to huÌ„ble our selues so oft as we are afflicted and not to do as wee are wont that is to were not to snappe against God by chafing and fretting at him as if he had done vs some great wroÌ„g If a maÌ„ feele some want of things necessary for the maynteynaÌ„ce of his familie and matters come not too passe according to his minde he is displeased and murmureth in his heart against God if an other bee stricken with some disease if an other be yet more oppressed with pouertie a man shal heare murmuring on euery side Thus then our fleshe prouoketh vs alwayes and pricketh vs forward too kicke agaynst god And wherefore Bycause wee consider not that his chastizing of vs is of purpose too bring vs too the knowledge of our sinnes to the end that wee should sigh in our selues and be ashamed of the euils which we haue committed and dayly doo committe and retourne vntoo him desiring pardon for the same Furthermore wee must apply to our vse that whiche hath bene touched that is to say that our God seing vs too slowe of nature too returne vnto him when we are gone from him calleth vs louingly vnto him and putteth vs in good comfort that we shal be receiued of him and not seke him in vaine VVhat wil we haue more when we haue offended our God we deserue to be cast off yea and although we should aske him forgiuenesse an hundred thousande times yet might hee refuse vs Now theÌ„ sith that contrariwise he coÌ„meth to vs assuring vs that he requireth nothing else but to be at one with vs and that if we wil seke attonemeÌ„t with him he is already wholly disposed thervnto must it not needes followe that we are verie hardharted and
expedient for vs according also as when hee commeth neere vnto vs is it for that he is afrayde or for that hee seeketh any profite by vs No it is nothing so but he knoweth that wee haue neede too bee kept in obedience and awe For that is the cheefe thing that he requireth of vs and that is the sea of all vertue that bringeth vs to saluation Therfore it behoueth vs to be rightly subiect vnto god For if he hild not his maiestie ouer vs and shewed vs not what wee bee and what our state is and hilde vs not vnder his feete what would become of vs considering the pride and malapertnesse that are in vs all God then in not shewing vs the reason of his works doth it to the end we should lerne to obey him Againe if we see not why he doth this or that how shall we comprehend his being we be sure as I sayd that if he trie vs it is for our welfare And in good sooth which of vs trieth himself Nay contrarywise in steede of lighting a candle to serch our owne wants and sinnes we quench the cresset that God hath lighted too our hande VVhat else is the discretion that hee hath giuen vs to discerne betwene good euill but as it were a candle which he hath lighted to the end we might perceyue the naughtinesse that is in our selues But we see how men labor to quench all the sayd knowledge and would faine suppresse their owne consciences that they might liue like swine bee no more ashamed nor abashed at the euill which they commit Men then go about to become brute beastes and so we see that they indeuer to quench the lamp or candle that God had lighted in them to draw them them to this triall Seeing it is so it is good reason that God shoulde search and trie vs bycause wee will not do it our selues as our dutie were to do but by our good willes woulde become like brute beasts and dispatch our selues of al discretion and reason Thus ye see that the thing which we haue to marke in this text is that forsomuch as God knoweth our wayes and woorkes aforehand it behoueth vs to conclude that if hee make vs too passe as Gold through the furnace the same is for our profite and welfare And although we perceyue not the reason of it we ought to be contented that our Lorde is rightuous and that hee will in the ende shew vs whersore he hath tryed vs after that maner in making vs too passe through so many afflictions as gold passeth through fire Although then that this be greeuous to beare yet God doth it not without cause VVe perceyue it not as yet bycause our wit is too weake Howbeit our Lord will in time make vs perceyue that he wrought not at all aduenture but that he knew what was meete for our welfare This is in effect the thing whiche we haue to beare away heere Nowe when Iob hath sayde so he addeth this protestation That his foote bad walked in Gods path and that hee bad not left his way nor turned asyde from the commaundement of Gods owne mouth but bad set more store by it than by his owne liuing or manner of dealing True it is that Iob might well protest that hee had walked so vprightly as that he was not of the number of the dispisers of God nor of the number of looce liuers that were giuen to all naughtinesse Iob might well say so for it was true according also as wee see that Dauid might well say Lorde I haue kept thy commaundementes with my whole hart Lorde I haue set more store by thy lawe than by gold and siluer all my delight hath bin in them I haue not weltred in my wicked affections but all my pleasure hath bin in the hearing of thy lawe VVhen Dauid speaketh after that maner is it too boast himselfe before God No for in another place he sayth Lorde who is able to stand before thee If thou enter into account with men no creature can bee iustified Therefore enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lorde For who is he O Lord that shall stand vp if thou marke all our faultes VVe see then that Dauid dooth willingly yeeld himselfe guiltie and that whereas he protesteth himselfe too haue followed Gods commaundements it is al one as if he acknowledged the gracious giftes that heé had receyued at his hand did him homage for them saying thus Lord thou hast done me exceeding great good thou haste gouerned me by thy holy spirite my following of thy commaundements came not of my selfe but thy guiding of me caused me to giue my selfe therevnto Dauid by yeelding such honour vntoo God confirmed himselfe more and more in good hope assuring himselfe that as hee had felt God good and gracious too him heeretofore so hee would neuer sayle him heereafter If Iob had proceeded after that maner his protestation had bin good and holy But what his meening heere is to go to lawe with God and to vphold that if God handled him after the ordinarie rule of his lawe hee shoulde haue no cause to vse such rigour towardes him Iob is grossely ouerseene in this behalfe For if God had iisted to haue punished him for the sinnes that hee had committed he might iustly haue done it and in that he doth it not it is of his meere free goodnesse Iob therefore dooth not discerne aright betweene God and his own person For he should haue sayd Lord it is true that thou chastizest me and I know and thou migh test do it euen by thy law ▪ and it is true also that I haue indeuered too walke before thee in as great soundnesse as was possible for mee to do Neuerthelesse there hath alwayes bin somewhat amisse and therefore thou shalt find all my workes to be sinsull Iob might haue spoken so and sayd well Lorde I knowe well thou bearest with me and that proceedeth of thy fatherly goodnesse And although thou chastize me yet thou makest mee too perceyue that thou doest it not for my sinnes but bycause it pleaseth thee too exercise my pacience Neuerthelater in the meane whyle I feele my selfe combered extreemely and therefore I muste conclude that thou doest it vpon some secrete and wonderfull purpose If Iob had spoken so all had bin well But he was caried away by the pangs of hys passions And thereby we are all warned as I say de afore to mistrust our selues when we be afflicted For we be as ye would say so dazeled as wee cannot discerne what is good And if this thing befell vnto Iob who is setheere before our eyes as a myrrour of pacience what will become of vs Therefore when wee bee afflicted lette vs pray God so to hold vs in awe as we may glorifie him and that if any toyes come in our heades too grudge agaynst him they may be beaten downe knowing that we cannot speake one word of our selues but the
regardeth it Do not men wilfully harden their hearts againste Gods warnings And may it not well be sayde that Satan hath bewitched vs Yes but there is yet more For beside suche warnings God sheweth vs by his worde what our faultes are and maketh vs to feele them and draweth vs to himselfe And yet for all this wee ceasse not to welter still in our owne filth and to growe as it were senslesse Hereby therefore it appeereth that this lesson is verie yll put in vre But yet is it not written in vaine and as I haue sayde it is well worthie to bee marked as in respecte of it selfe That is to say for as much as men labour to excuse and iustifie them selues in their euill dooings and yet can not bring it to passe it standeth euerie one of vs in hand to awake and to consider that we shall gaine nothing by our colouring of things for that can serue no further but to eschue the reproch of the worlde If a man haue spent the night secretly in whoredome if he haue gone a theeuing if he haue beguiled his neighbour or if he haue shet the doores to him to practize some treason truly menne can not condemne him till his lewdnesse bee knowne abroade but can he eschue the presence of god Furthermore let vs marke well howe the Apostle telleth vs that the worde of God is a two edged sworde and entereth through the bones and the maree so as there is nothing hidden from it but God examineth vs in our thoughtes and in our affections when he appoynteth his worde to be preached vnto vs Also let vs adde the lesson which S. Paule giueth vs which is that sith wee haue the Gospell to enlighten vs we be no more the children of darknesse but of light Suche as haue not Gods worde thinke they haue made a fayre hand if their sinne be once buried and come no more too their remembrance But what God doth so inlighten vs by his doctrin that we haue daylight in the night according as it is sayde that the Sunne shall no more shine vpon the Church by daye nor the Moone by night but the Lorde shall be the continuall light of it Truly the order of nature continueth always in his state but yet therewithall let a man lay himselfe in his bed or shet himselfe in his chamber or hide himselfe so close as no man may knowe what hee sayth or what he doth and yet the doctrine of the Gospell doth alwayes shine vpon him he can not quench the knowledge that God hath giuen him And out of doubt although the scornefull and heathenish sort labour to do it as we see howe there be mad beastes in these dayes which seeke mothing but to abolishe all religion yet will God haue the sayde Lampe of his worde to burne alwayes before them that they maye perceyue their owne damnation by it Then seeing that God hathe giuen vs the doctrine of his Gospell the brightnesse whereof wee can not dimme let vs bethinke ourselues and vnderstand that when theeues whoremasters and other euill dooers seeke couert they teache vs howe we ought to walke seeing that God is with vs and we present with him and that hee sheweth himselfe as it were with open face eyther as our father or as our iudge VVherefore let vs learne to dedicate our whole life vnto him and whereas wee see that such as would couer their euill dooing shunne the light as the shadowe of death and are glad when night commeth let vs vse the light that is giuen vs to keepe vs from straying out of our waye and from swaruing aside specially seeing that our Lord calleth vs and reacheth out his hande to drawe vs to him Thus ye see howe wee ought to profite ourselues by the grace that God giueth vs in making vs to know our sinnes and wretchednesse by meanes of his Gospell Furthermore let vs marke that like as the wicked doe hate the light of the day and could find in their heart that the Sunne were plucked out of the skie to the ende that they myght alwayes haue freedome to do euill so do they much more shunne the light of the Gospell And heere ye see also the cause why the same doctrine of the Gospell is so yll receiued of the world as our Lord Iesus Christ sayth It is a wonder howe that men should bee so stubborne againste God specially seeing he sendeth his own sonne to be our redeemer and offereth vs forgiuenesse of our sinnes desiring vs with a great gentlenesse and freendlinesse as can be Howe can it be will many say that men should bee so stubborne as to forsake the goodnesse of God Is it not an outrageous churlishnesse Yes certainly is it But behold the reason why the world hateth the Gospell is bycause that as our sauiour Christe sayth who so euer doth euill hateth the light Now the cace standeth so that most men giue themselues to all euill yea and ouen they that are conuicted of their wilfulnesse ceasse not too harden themselues but would faine shet their eyes to spite God with all their heart Then seeing it is so is it any wonder that men bee loth to tast of the Gospell or to byte of it but rather play the mad bedlems Ought it to be thought strange No For we see that theeues murtherers whoremongers and all other euill doers could wel find in their hearts to haue the Sunne darkened and that it should no more shine in the world But as I haue sayde the brightnesse of the Gospell is yet farre greater For that serueth not to gyude our eyes only and to shew vs the way outwardly but it entreth euen into oure secrete thoughtes and must examine that which is hidden in the verie bottome of our hearts So then yee see why the wicked are loth to come to this doctrin or to frame thēselues by any means vnto it But yet must we on our side deale cleane contrariwise as I haue sayde alreadie And therefore as touching the order of nature when God maketh his daisunne to shine let vs vnderstand that it is to the ende that euerie man should giue himselfe to goodnesse and do his dutie Marke that for one point Againe when wee shall haue walked according to our calling and state euery māseruing God and his neighbor all the day long let vs assure our selues that wee must not abuse the darkenesse of the night to libertie of dooing euill And why For the Lampe of Gods worde neuer goeth out as I haue declared alreadie Therefore both day and night let vs bee the children of light and let vs awake and be inlightned as Saint Paule sayth I say let vs not fall asleepe by soothing our selues in our sinnes neyther let vs thinke our selues to be innocent before god But rather let euerie one of vs quicken vp himselfe and not be drowned in our owne conceits so as we should bee past shame of doing of euill but let vs bee sober
Gods will that hee should bee as it were torne in peeces yea though it were wrongfully For that is not the matter that must greeue vs but rather we must bee of good cheere when our consciences aunswereth well for vs before God and when wee knowe that men persecute vs wrongfully This saye I is a thing that ought to vphold vs the better for we must not be so foolishe as to say what nowe what cause can men find to scorne me after this sort True it is that if wee be reproched for oure sinnes sake the same ought to frame vs so much the more vnto pacience But if our Lord suffer vs to be slandered by them and to be scorned by them whē notwithstanding wee shall haue liued well and not haue giuen occasion to the wicked and to backbiters to doe vs iniurie let vs assure ourselues that our Lord hath graunted vs a singular grace in exempting vs so from the spitefulnesse of men as all their ill will towards vs is without cause And therefore if he will haue vs to suffer vniustly let vs passe thorough it and not thinke it strange Thus ye see the doctrine which we haue to gather vpon this texte But now it behoueth vs to marke that although the gracious giftes and benefites which we shall haue receiued at Gods hande ought to comforte vs in our afflictions yet notwithstanding it is not possible but that if we haue bin in estimation it will be a great greefe and a dubble hart-sore to vs to see our selues scorned afterwarde but yet it behoueth vs to resiste such temptations Our pacience must not bee a senslesnesse but it consisteth in this that when we fele the things which are declared here by Iob yet neuerthelesse we take courage to walke stil as before God and if it please him that wee shall bee wrongfully slaundered wee arme our selues against such battels that we may not bee foyled how so euer the world go For the thing that Sathan practizeth by stirring vp maliciouse folke and by inforcing them too slaunder and backebite vs is that wee should conclude that wee haue lost oure time in dooing good VVhat I haue indeuered to lyue without blame I haue streined my selfe to doe good to euerie man There is no man that can say that I haue eyther done him hurt or harme and yet I see I am persecuted after this manner VVhat haue I gayned then by walking vprightly Thus ye see that the craft and pollicie of Sathan is to make vs beleeue that wee lose oure laboure in doing good and therevpon to carrie vs so away as we should no more sticke to anoy or hinder men And on the otherside let vs marke that mens vnkindnesse ought to prouoke vs so much the more to remit our selues wholly vnto God beeing sure that it is hee to whome we must yeelde our account and that his allowing of vs ought to suffise vs Do wee then see men vnthankfull towardes vs so as when wee haue indeuered to doe them good they turne and spit in oure faces and burden vs with false slaunders Let vs assure our selues that thereby God calleth vs too him as if hee should say I will haue you too walke as it were before my face and therefore you shall not be recompenced nowe here bylowe but be you contented to haue obeyed me in all points VVheras men do so rayle vpon you it is to the ende you shoulde not stay your selues nother vpon them nor vpon their opinion nor beeled with suche fondnesse as to say you haue well deserued that men should praise your vertues Thus yee see after what sorte wee ought to fight against this temptation which is spoken of heere And by the waye let vs marke that our Lorde ment to giue vs a singular instruction by these chaunges heere I meane by the chaunge that happened vntoo Iob and by all the other chaunges which we see in the holie Scripture and which we behold dayly with our eyes and reade in heathen stories And why First of all as was declared yesterday they that are aduaunced too honoure and dignitie haue a bridle too reine them backe from warranting them selues too continue alwayes in that state and to make them know that in the turning of a hande God not onely can shake them ▪ but also vtterly ouerthrowe them from the hyghnesse wherein he hath set them So that in stead of the honour which he hath gyuen them they shall see them selues assaulted on all sides with wrongs scornings and slanders Yee see then that all suche as feare God ought to brydle them selues when they are in such state and dignitie and make their account that earely or late all maye chaunge For God to proue their meekenesse will giue menne libertie to scorne them and to doe them many outrages Also we see that the verie Paynims knewe this and that they haue made many common Prouerbes of it whiche serue to take away all excuse from vs True it is that they did ill put them in vre And why Bycause it is hard for men to hold themselues sober when they haue the world at will and that fortune as they terme it doth smile vpon them It is too common a vice among men too besotte themselues in their prosperitie and wee can well ynough say it but there be fewe of vs that take heede of it Although then that those sayings be ordinary euery where and all men confesse them to bee true namely that a man ought not to glorie of his prosperitie nor to sotte himself in it nor to beleeue that it shall tarrie with him for euer but that he ought to thinke vpon the changes and alterations that may happen yet notwithstanding no man applyeth his indeuer to doe so and therefore so muche the more behoueth it vs to take payne bycause wee see oure selues so soone ouertaken with the delightes and gloriousnesse of this world To the end therefore that no man suffer him selfe to be caried away by his inordinate lustes it behoueth vs to marke the doctrine so muche the better which is set downe heere And so let all menne that feare God bethinke them selues whyle they are in honoure that God is well able too bring them downe yea and that they muste not promise them selues eyther monethes or dayes but dispose themselues euerie minute to haue their shoulders readie too beare the burthen of reproch when so euer it shall please God too put them too shame before men Marke that for one point And surely considering the frowardnesse which we see in the worlde noweadayes it standeth vs so much the more in hande to take warning hereof ▪ For it is a wonder that a man which walketh vprightly can be honoured at this day True it is that the wicked may bee held so short spite of their teeth as they shall be fayne to leaue vertue but yet misse they not afterward to fall againe to such outrage as to slander the good and to turne
in his wits therfore he is not to be vtterly excused as I haue declared heretofore And truely whensoeuer our affections ouermayster vs it is vnpossible that we should think of god speake of him so reuerently as we ought to do VVhy so For our affections are blind and if we will speake of God with such reuerēce as he deserueth it behoueth vs to gather our wits to vs and to kepe thē quiet and peasable So then seeing that Iob sheweth and declareth here what his former temptations were no dout but he speaketh vnaduisedly And therefore we must not draw this saying to an example as though it were lawfull for vs to follow them But let vs consider that although a man indeuer to bridle himselfe yet can he not so ouerrule his infirmitie but that there is alwayes somewhat in him worthie of blame and to be condemned And so much the more ought we to be heedfull to brydle our affections considering that do the best we can we cannot be so subiect vnto God as were requisite Thus then there are two things which we haue to note the one is that when God sheweth himselfe to be against vs in stead of receiuing vs to his free goodnesse and loue seemeth to be our enimie and our owne sinnes reproue vs and we see nothing but the signes of his curse vpon vs It cānot be but we must needs be extremely tormented Marke that for one point And it is a necessarie lesson to the ende that euery man may prepare himself afore hand that when wee come to the pinch we may bee so armed as we fall not into vtter despaire but that in the middest of the gulfs we may tast some part of Gods comfort to wayte paciently for the good issue that we see not And therfore let vs not think it to be a thing to bee desyred neuer to haue any anguish at all nor to be put in any feare For that is more meeter for the infidels and for the despisers of God which are become brutishe as I haue declared afore The swine and the oxe feele their miserie no further than their outward sense leadeth them and euen so fare lewde persones that are doted in their vnderstanding and would faine forget God and thrust the remembraunce of his name vnder foote But contrarywise let vs be sure it is expedient for vs to bee wakened from such drowsinesse and to feele Gods wrath to the ende we may walk in the greater warinesse and learne therby to humble our selues For mē shall neuer know and acknowledge their owne weakenesse sufficiently till they haue cyted themselues before god It is sayd that the man is happie which trieth and examineth himselfe And why For behold this retchlesnesse of ours whē our wits be as it were dulled with it is the high way to destruction And seing it is good and expedient for our welfare to bee carefull let vs vnderstand that it is not without cause that our Lorde maketh vs to feele his wrath to the intent we should bethink vs the better of our sinnes Mark that for one point And for the second let vs marke that wee can neuer bee brought so well too the obedience of our God and to the ruling of our affections but there will be ouergreat gainstriuings still according as wee see that although Iob were a mirrour of pacience yet notwithstanding he was not so well stayed as to ouermayster himselfe when hee spake of god For he proceeded not with such a reuerence as hee ought to haue done but ranne hedlong into this temptatiō wherof he was not ouercome but resisted it although with much ado Seing then that the passions which are in vs are so farre out of square let vs learne to hold them as it were in prison and when we haue well fought to tame our selues let vs still consider that there is much imperfection in vs and that God should always find wherfore to condemne vs if he bare not with vs of his infinite goodnesse Lo what we haue to note And now to expresse the great feare greef and miserie that Iob was touched withall he addeth that God had lifted him vp vpon the winde and made him to ride as it were in the aire caused all his strength and substance to faile him VVhen a man is so caught vp and caried away as it were in a whirle winde it is a dreadfull thing For if a man were beaten down and died there it woulde not be so terrible as when God hoyseth him vp into the aire as it were with a sodaine tempest VVe see then that Iobs intent is to confirme the matter which hee hath declared that is to wit that God exerciseth and tryeth his seruaunts after straunge fashions And therfore let vs not conceyue Gods wrath onely according to the examples that wee haue seene with our eyes and felt by our owne experience but let vs vnderstand that God can try vs by such meanes as are vnknowne to vs yea euē in such wise as we shall be worse than forlorne And whē we know this let vs also pray God to strengthen vs at our need and although that to the outwarde apparance wee see nothing on all sides but the graue and it seemeth that we shoulde be swallowed vp not only of bodily death but also of hel Yet notwithstāding let vs not cease to cōtinue in the feare of our God and to rest always vpon the trust of his goodnesse determining fully to call vpon him and to flee vnto him alone for refuge yea though all our senses withstood it and that it seemed to vs that wee were barred from all accesse vnto him Thus ye see what we haue to minde in these verses And so let vs not thinke it to bee a needlesse tale when mention is made of the windes and of the stormes and of Gods making of him to ride in the aire For it serueth to shewe that our Lorde hath straunge wayes to chastice vs when it pleaseth him and that wee ought not to be taken vnwares by them for want of hauing thought of them before hand And furthermore if we feele not so great and outrageous afflictions in vs let vs assure oure selues it is bycause God beareth with vs So then what ought we to do when we suffer aduersitie If we be grieued and tormented more than reason for so it may seeme vnto vs let vs take example of Iob. How now Thou art not yet come too the extremitie that this good seruant of Gods was at And what is the cause therof but for that thy God hath respect of thy feblenesse but he will not handle thee so roughly though hee could well do it and hath iust cause so too do Thou seest then howe he vseth gentlenesse still towards thee what rigour soeuer thou feelest thou art not yet so martyred as that thou canst say that he is come vpō thee as a cruel liō that hath torne thee in peeces Thou canst
thing simply we conceyue it not but are possessed with suche dulnesse as we feele not the strokes of Gods hand though he strike vs hard And how then shall wee bee wounded as wee ought to bee by the threatnings that he giueth vs surely if hee do but speake we wil not be touched nor cast downe in ourselues seing that we cannot bee sufficiently humbled by the blowes of his hande And so let vs marke well that our carelesnesse and dulnesse are reproued here VVherefore let vs wake seeing that God calleth vpon vs so earnestly and lette vs learne to thinke better vpon ourselues This is it that we haue too marke in this verse In conclusion whereas Iob addeth doeth not God looke vpon my wayes and keepe a reckening of all my steppes Let vs marke well that hee applieth the doctrine to himselfe whiche hee had set downe in generall For he had sayde what is the hyre or portion of God from aboue what is the heritage of God from heauen Iob had spoken so of all men and now he applyeth the same doctrine to his owne vse declaring to what purpose he had spoken so therefore as often as Gods iudgements come to our remembrance whither men do â—â—l vs of theÌ„ or we ourselues reade theÌ„ let vs haue the wisdome to enter into ourselues and to looke euery one vpon his owne person For Gods iudgemeÌ„ts must not lie as it were buryed and neuer bee spoken of but euerye man muste make them auaylable to himselfe and put them too his owne particular vse Ye see then how we haue to marke that after Iob had set downe a generall doctrine he came by and by to the beholding of his owne persone saying God sercheth and knoweth my wayes that is to say forasmuche as God is iudge of all men I cannot escape his hand For doth not God sayeth he knowe all my wayes and dooth he not keepe a reckening of my steppes Thus much concerning the first poynt And as touching the seconde let vs marke also the stile that Iob vseth which is that God marketh his wayes and steppes and keepeth a reckening of them For it serueth too expresse â–ª that God beholdeth them not aloofe nor onely looketh vpon the things that are apparant to the worlde but also looketh neerely and narrowly to all our woorkes and noteth and marketh euerychone of them and that his sighte is not dimme nor vieweth things at randon but marketh counteth numbreth all things so as nothing escapeth him nother is any thing forgotten with him Now then I pray you haue not we the better cause to consider our wayes and to recken our owne steppes when wee see that all is present before God what is the cause why meÌ„ do scarcely know the hundreth parte of their sinnes yea and some man shall commit one faulte a hundred times a day and yet scarce thinke once vpon it what is the cause hereof It is for that wee thinke not that God watcheth ouer vs nor that wee are so before his sight so as nothing may be hidden from him nor he forget any of all our workes and thoughtes Therefore lette vs way well the woordes that are coÌ„teyned here namely that God knoweth our waies and reckeneth our steppes that is to say that the number of them is set downe before him and that euery article thorough out to the laste muste come to account ye see what they shall gayne whiche haue cloked their euill doing with lying and flattering for all muste come to light VVhat remayneth then To looke more neerely to our selues than we haue bene wont to do and to watche continually to the ende wee bee not taken vnwares by the stales that are layde for vs on all sides And seeing we be in daunger of falling into so many vices wherewith oure nature is stuffed let vs examine them well that we may bee sorie for them and pleade guiltie before God and in mourning for them lette vs styll confesse with Dauid that it is vnpossible for vs to knowe all our faultes And therefore lette vs pray our good God that when he hath looked vpon the faultes and sinnes whiche we ourselues cannot see it may please him to blotte them out that by meanes thereof we may not repose the truste of our welfare and saluation in any other thing than in his receyuing of vs to mercie for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake also in oure hauing of the washing wherewith hee hathe clenzed vs that is to say the bloud which he hath shedde for our redemption Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so too feele them that beeing displeased with ourselues for them we may learne to hate them and abhorre them more and more and to follow that which he commaundeth and appoynteth with greater earnestnesse and affection and therewithall that it may please him so to reforme vs by his holy spirit as he may reigne quietly in vs and we be ioyned to him in suche perfection as we may seeke nothing but to bee wholly conformable to his rightuousnesse whiche thing shall then be accomplished when he shall haue taken vs out of this corruptible lyfe That it may please him to graunt this grace c. The Cij Sermon which is the second vpon the .xxxj. Chapter 5 If I haue vvalked in leazing or if my foote haue bene hasty to deceyte 6 Let God vvey my vvorkes in the ballaunce of Iustice and let him trie mine vprightnesse 7 If my steppes haue turned out of the vvay or if my hart haue vvalked after mine eyes or if any spotte haue cleaued to my handes 8 Then let me sovve and let an other man eate the frute and let my plantes be rooted vp AFter that Iob hath protested that he had liued chastly in suche sorte as his eyes were not defiled with one euill looke nowe hee addeth that hee had liued so vprightly among his neyghbours that his foote stepped not aside too deceyte or malice VVe see then that as now he toucheth another kinde of soundnesse besides that which he made mention of yesterday And hee will also lay foorth the principall poyntes of mans lyfe by particulars and not withoute cause For it is not ynough for a man too haue absteyned from whoredome except hee bee also cleere from thefte guyle extortion for God will not haue the things sundred which he hath set togither He hath giuen his whole law to rule our life and as he hath forbidden whordome so hath he also condemned stealing lying extortion and such other things Therfore if a man intend to serue God it is not ynough for him to bee cleere from one sinne but he must frame his whole life after the law For as I sayde afore it were otherwise a separating of the things whiche caÌ„not by any meanes be put asunder without apeachemeÌ„t of Gods rightuousnesse Thus ye see why Iob after he had made protestation of
respecte I vtterly despize and defie the whole world Let me haue a strong partie to put in accusation against mee yea and let him make a great booke of it It shall not greeue me to carry it vpon my shoulder For it shall be no heauy burthen to mee but rather it shall be a crowne to me and an ornamēt to deck me withall Now we see in effect what Iob ment to say namely that he had bin no such mā as he was reputed and taken to be according as wee see how his freends cōdemned him for a reprobate bycause he indured so greate torments and it seemed vntoo them that God ment to vtter his vengeance to the intent that Iob should be a mirrour of wicked men whom God doth vtterly destroy Iob therfore protesteth that he is no such man and therewithall desireth no more but to haue audience Before whom not before men onely but that God should answere him that is to say that God shoulde make his rightuousnesse to be knowne and then woulde hee mainteyne that his suffering was not for his sinnes namely if the thing might bee throughly considered and that God would pronounce sentence as by way of ordinarie proces and not by prerogatiue of his high and secrete power so as men might not knowe why he worketh after that maner And wee haue seene heretofore that it is not without cause that Iob should make that wish And why For diuerse times God chasticeth vs according too the threatnings that are set downe in his lawe that is to wit that when wee bee punished it is by reason of our sinnes and that is the most ordinarie maner Ye see that god suffered not our misdeedes vnpunished and after he had giuen vs a rule whereby to liue well he added threatnings saying If ye breake my commaundements I will punishe you with warre pestilence and famin with sicknesse pouertie and diuers other things VVell then if we be beaten with Gods roddes it behoueth vs to lay our life too his law and if we find our selues to haue done amisse there our inditement is throughly framed and our iudgement already giuen vpon vs and there remayneth nothing but execution Thus you see the ordinarie maner that God vseth in chastizing men But in Iob he had an other respect For he punished no him for his sins not that he deserued it not for there is no creature so rightuous that can exempt himself from Gods corrections But yet for all that as I haue declared afore God had not a respect to Iobs offences hee punished him not in that measure by reason of his misdeedes but to trie the faith and pacience of his seruant and also to make him an example to al the world In the meane while Iob had his mouth shet so as hee wist not what to say and therefore it behoueth vs not to enquire any other cause why he was handled so roughly It is a secret vnknowne to men Then is it not without cause that Iob desireth God to answere him that is to say too enter into plea with him and to suffer him to mainteyne his owne soundnesse and to let him know why he indureth such torments But herewithall let vs marke that it is not lawfull for men too chalenge God after that sort For it is good reason that hee shoulde handle vs after hys owne pleasure and that we should stoupe to him although the cause of his iudgements bee not apparant vntoo vs Then if it please God to visit vs with rigour and wee see not why hee doth it yet must wee keepe our mouth shet that we murmur not agaynst him and neuerthelesse haue it open still too glorifie him confessing that although his iudgements bee a bottomlesse deepe yet they cease not to be iust and rightfull Thus ye see what wee haue to note For in good faith there is not a more terrible thing than if God should enter into lawe with vs If he set himselse agaynst vs alas what shall become of vs Then if we fall too prouoking of him and desire too go too lawe with him is not to our great confusion And this doctrine is well worthie to bee noted For wee see howe men doo dayly fall to murmuring and grudging in themselues And what else is that but to prouoke God and to desire to go to lawe with him But shall we bring our matters well to passe True it is that they which skirmish after that fashion when they bee afflicted say not that they woulde haue God to be agaynst them but in the meane whyle that is the marke which they shoote at For if a man bee impacient in his affliction and holde not himselfe in quiet by yeelding to Gods good will too take correction at his hande I pray you doth he not lift vp himselfe to the intent that God being so prouoked to wrath should maynteyne his owne right Let vs kepe our selues from quarelling with God when he stryketh vs with his rods that we haue him not our deadly enimie and let vs learne rather to submit vs vnto his hande and to like well of that which he doth although the reason thereof bee hidden from vs for a time Surely wee ought too desire earnestly that it may please God to shewe vs why he scourgeth vs Howbeeit that must not bee done to any other ende than too profit our selues by his corrections and to applie our chasticements to our instruction when we know the cause of them Therfore when euery of vs feeling his owne sinnes is sorie that hee hath offended God and ashamed of his owne lewdnesse and therevpon humbleth himselfe seeking remedie to turne away from his euill I say when we by all meanes indeuer to apply Gods corrections too our owne vse and to make them turne into such a discipline as we may shewe our selues not to be vtterly past amendment we may well after that maner desire God to make vs vnderstande why he scourgeth vs to the end that hys corrections be not in vaine But if he list to vse his power and too holde vs there as it were in ignorance so as wee know not why he vseth so great rigor against vs yet must wee in suche extremitie cast downe our heades and flee for refuge vnto that which I haue declared alredie namely that God is rightuous in all respectes and therefore that although wee knowe not the cause why hee afflicteth vs yet wee must not ceasse too glorifie him continually Lo what wee haue to marke in this streyne And heerewithall let vs come to that which Iob sayeth My marke sayeth hee is that the almightie shoulde answere me If mine aduersarie wright a booke and it behoue mee to beare it I will not bee ashamed to cary it I shall not be like an offendour that is indyted and condemned but that booke shall rather maynteyne my soundnesse I durst sayth he dock my selfe with it as with a crowne VVhen Iob speaketh so hee meeneth that all the
accusations whiche were layde agaynst him were false and that hee had bene wrongfully slaundered cōsidering that he had liued innocently Howbeeit in saying so he meeneth not that he had bin vtterly cleare so as there was no fault to be found in him For as it was seene yesterday he hath confessed himself a sinner yea and protested that hee hid not his faultes as men are woont to doo and according as wee see mens hypocrisie to be such as euery man woulde fayne hyde himselfe with vayne and tryfling lurkingholes Iob declared that he intended no such thing but that hee freely condemned him selfe when he had done amisse yea and taryed not till men of authoritie reproued him but suffered himselfe to bee shamed by the most despised sort and humbled himself so low as too receyue correction by those which were not worthie to looke vpon him So then in this text Iob meeneth not that he was vtterly without sinne or stayne for then were there contrarietie in his wordes but he layeth forth his cace according as we haue seene that is to say that hee was not as a reprobate and that although God handled him roughly yet folowed it not that he did it for any heynous faultes of his but for some other secrete cause VVe see then in effect that Iob ment not to exalt himselfe against God with such pride as many do which vphold thēselues to be rightuous yea euē without feeling the sinnes that they haue cōmitted And although he had liued as an Angel yet notwithstanding he knew well that God might find sufficient cause in him to punish him Neuerthelesse he mainteineth his own vncorruptnesse to the intent to separate himself from the nūber of the despisers of god Hereby we be taught that there is a meane for vs to mainteyne a good cace VVee knowe that they which are most faultie are by their good will most bolde to iustifie themselues when they are rebuked And although their condemnation be apparant ynough and euery man doeth see that they bee nothing worth yet notwithstanding they will bee most shamelesse in mainteyning themselues to bee faultlesse and affirme themselues too haue great wrong to bee reproued But contrariwyse although Gods children haue indeuered to walke aright yet notwithstanding the first thing that they do is that they yeeld themselues guiltie and acknowledge themselues too bee wretched sinners Therevpon wee see that if a man go about to iustifie himselfe without exception hee vndertaketh warre against god For whosoeuer sayeth that he is no sinner intendeth to make God a lier as sayeth S. Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle God hath pronounced one generall sentence vpon vs all and experience also ought to shewe vs that all of vs ought to flee too Gods mercie for refuge He then that will iustifie himselfe without exception warreth manifestly agaynst God and iustleth with him And what shall he winne by it in the ende Nothing But what must we do after wee haue acknowledged our faults If we be reprōued for any thing and feele our selues guiltie let vs cast downe our heades and acknowledge our selues to haue deserued that God shoulde put vs too such shame as to bee condemned by men yea euen of the bacest sort and to haue them to be our iudges But if wee knowe not that wee haue offended in the thing whereof wee are accused Gods meening is to humble vs after another sort Neuerthelesse it behoueth vs to receiue correction paciently Finally if men reproue vs and will through rashnesse beare vs downe that wee be offenders whereas we knowe the contrarie It were hypocrisie for vs to graunt that such slaunders are true If a man were accused of robberie of whordome or of murther and were cleere of it so as he might protest before God and his Angels that there is no such thing in him If hee doo condemne himselfe hee doth euill So then we may well mainteyne our clearnesse after the maner that Iob doth not onely in respect of our honestie as the vainglorious sort do which will not in any wise be touched at al but are so tender of their honour as they cannot suffer it to bee touched no not though they haue desamed themselues but would haue their shame couered yet in the meane whyle they themselues blaze it abroade so as euery man knoweth it VVe must not go that way to worke but euery man must in that case iudge of himselfe as hee ought to do of his neighbours and we must learne to condemne the euill and to allowe the good without accepting of persons Lo after what maner wee may maynteyne a good quarell And that is the cause why Iob sayeth if God would answere mee though all the men vpon the earth shoulde bende themselues agaynst me and that mine aduersarie partie alledge all that is possible I shall be so farre off from beeing ashamed to beare it that I shall take it as a crowne to deck me withall It shall be an ornament vnto me But herewithall let vs marke also that when we intende to mainteyne our owne innocencie It is not ynough for vs to hyde our shame before men but oure princypall poynt must bee that God may bee as our warrant and answere for vs True it is that the answere where of Iob speaketh is ment as I haue declared that is to wit that God shoulde as it were enter an ordinarie proces against him and shew the cause why he scourge◠him but yet therewithall Iob pretendeth that if God would giue him libertie to mainteyne his case all woulde make on his side and they that had reiected him bicause of his extreme afflictions should be founde lyers So then as I haue touched afore we see it is to no purpose to haue escaped from mē but we must specially haue an eye vnto God to bring oure good cace before him that he as I sayd may warrant it and wee receyue sentence of discharge at his hande And would God that this were well printed in our hartes For we see nowadayes that all is one with vs so we may bee released before the world we seeke nothing but that and so is God despised For there is none of vs which thinketh that euer hee shall render an account before him But we looke that no man may byte vs and that if any man come to assayle vs we may haue wherwith to keepe him off Therefore when we be so escaped from the worlde wee thinke all is safe and so in the meane whyle that is the thing which maketh vs bolde to exalt our selues the more against God wherfore let vs think wel vpon this doctrine that is to wit that it is a wretched reward when the world shall soothe vs and God allowe vs not And therefore aboue all things let euery man examin himself what he is and let not that be done after his owne fancie but according to Gods lawe For we knowe we bee no competent iudges but it behoueth vs too receyue
haue good record that we be not faultie before God and can also shewe the same in deede Then although men make bookes against vs that it to say although they deface vs with so many blames and slaūders as shal seeme to be houge moūtaynes yet shall the same be no heauy burthen to vs bycause we shall be vphild by Gods hand and rest ourselues vppon him But rather we shall make it a crowne or garland vnto vs For it is much better for vs to be so blamed of the world and that God should allowe of vs than to be flattered on all sides and that the same should excuse vs according as we see there be many that take libertie to do euill and to despise God bycause the world sootheth them For what is the reason that so many mē runne out of square and giue themselues the bridle to all euill but bycause they haue bin spared and mēnes eyes haue ben shet to wink at all their wicked doings Lo what is the cause of their destruction So then it is much better that our Lord shoulde bee our warrant and in the meane whyle the whole world bee against vs than to be praysed and commended of the world and in the meane whyle to haue heauē crye out for vengeaunce against vs VVe see how the Pope is exalted nowadayes in his holinesse and that although he be a monster and a diuell incernate yet do all men bowe to him and giue greater titles of honour to him than to god And in the meane whyle is not this a cause to augment his damnation more and more As much is to be sayd of them that iustifie the world too the ende the world also should receiue and flatter them in all their sinnes But contrariwise as I haue sayd let vs learne too looke continually vnto God and in the meane whyle if hee suffer vs to bee vniustly condemned of men let vs suffer it paciently and not cease to beare our heads still vpright Furthermore according to that whiche is sayd here concerning the reckening of all our steppes let vs bee ready to yeeld an account whensoeuer we shall be accused of any cryme Let vs not thinke too scape Gods iudgement by concealing any misdeede in vs but let vs consider that it behoueth vs to aunswere for ourselues and that although men doo iustifie vs yet they cannot hyde the things that are in vs from god Now after that Iob hath spoken so he added his last protestation for a full knitting vp If my land sayeth he haue cried against me or if the furrowes thereof complaine that I haue eaten the foyson of it without money or if those that haue tilled it complaine of me that I haue oppressed them let mee eate Tristles insteade of wheate and darnell insteade of barley Hereby Iob concludeth that whiche wee haue seene afore that is to wit that although he had bin greuously afflicted by the hand of God yet notwithstanding men ought not to haue condemned him as though he had bene a greater offender than others whome God spared And why For as I haue sayd God keepeth not all one rate in afflicting men Sometime hee punisheth them for their sinnes and otherwhyles whē he intendeth to visite his owne seruaunts with extreme rigor he reserueth the cause of their afflictiōs to himselfe For although they haue serued him and indeuored to frame themselues wholly to his righteousnesse yet will he not therfore forbeare to send them right greate afflictions In that case we knowe not what to say vntill the last day when God shall manifest the things vnto vs whiche now are hidden So then Iob sheweth that wee must not esteeme his lyfe according to the state wherein he is For although he bee the miserablest of all men to outward sight yet doeth he protest that hee had a desire to serue god And wherein sheweth he that wee haue heretofore seene many of his protestations and now this is the last that his land cried not out against him True it is that the earth hath no mouth to cry nor complaine nother hath it feeling to suffer any wrong at our hand nother semeth it that we do the earth any wrong insomuch that although it could speake yet a mā wold not say that it had cause either to cry or to wepe or to make any complainte against vs VVhat doeth Iob then meene by saying that his land complayned not and that his furrowes wept not He meneth not that the earth of it selfe hath cause to complayne but the holy scripture vseth such maner of speche to make vs perceiue the better and with greater vehemencie that if we do amisse before God the creatures shall be against vs and beare witnesse against vs As how If we haue oppressed the poore labourers that til the earth to giue vs foode If we haue vsed extortiō against thē or if we haue plucked away their goods not only they shall beare witnesse against vs but the earth whiche they haue tilled shall also depose against vs And why ▪ For they haue bestowed their sweate there and that is as their blood Now it is a greate cruelty in vs whē we think not how the earth on her behalf hath opened her bowels according to the order that God hath fet and yelded her frute when shee was tilled The earth thē hath don hir dutie wrought with hir labourer as if ther were a mutuall agreement betwixt thē and yet notwithstanding behold how the Seagulfes deuoure the foyson of the earth taking away mens goods and doing them a thousand extortions Then if the laborer complaine must not the earth also on hir parte answere which hath bin as it were tormented Yee see then why the holy scripture vseth such speech wee see the hardnesse that is in vs in so much that if a mā tel vs of our sinnes we think our selues quite discharged if we may find some prety starting hole And although we be cōuicted of thē before God yet are we not so afraide as to bee sory for them or to feele how dreadful the wrath of God is Therfore it behoueth vs to be spurred not as asses but as folke that are vtterly hardened Insomuch that whē God striketh vpō vs with mayne strokes as vpon stones he can no more soften vs or make vs to yeld than stithies or anuildes except it be by force Thus ye see what we haue to marke And so as oftē as the scripture speaketh after that maner namely that the earth crieth out and that hir furrowes aske vengeāce let vs vnderstand that God reproueth our stubbornesse and sheweth vs that we be so blinded in our sinnes as we cannot come to knowledge except he drawe vs to it by some violent meanes Marke well that point So therfore let vs not continue hardharted whē we see our Lord vseth such vehemencie against vs to wake vs withal but at leastwise let vs then enter into the examination of our faults and bee cast
vs It is certayne that wee would make our selues more rightuouse than god True it is that we will not say it neither wyll wee thinke it but the thing sheweth it selfe And it is ynough to condemne vs if wee doo not glorifie Gods iustice in allowing it to be rightfull This will bee the better vnderstood by an example Behold Iob knoweth God to be righteous yea and he vnfeynedly acknowledgeth hym so to be and as for his owne part he acknowledgeth himselfe a wretched sinner and that there are many faults too be found in him yea and that if he should quarell agaynst God hee shoulde bee vanquished a thousande tymes before hee coulde aunswere to any one poynte Iob then meeneth not directly to iustifie himselfe aboue God no nor to make hymselfe equall with hym but in the meane whyle what sayeth hee I maruayle why God afflicteth mee thus VVhat fault is there in mee And agayne I am a poore creature full of infirmitie and is it meete that God shoulde stretche oute his strong arme agaynst mee VVhy doth he not kill me out of hande VVhen Iob runneth out intoo so many murmurings and grudgings no doubt but hee iustifieth himselfe aboue god And why For it seemeth to him that God is vnreasonable in afflicting him so and bycause hee knewe not why it was done hee desired God to come thither as his aduersarie partie Afterwarde agayne hee is angrie that God consumeth him not out of hand and that he sendeth hym not quite away Seeing then that Iob had so headie passions no doubt but in so doing he made himself more rightuous than god And this is it that I tolde you euen now namely that wee shall oftentimes blaspheme God in our passions ere wee thinke of it VVhiche thing ought too cause vs to take the more heede that wee giue not oure passions the brydle least we fall to such wretchednesse as to blaspheme God ere we be aware This doctrine then is very profitable for vs when the holy Ghost telleth vs that all suche as grudge and murmure in their afflictions and cannot submit themselues too the mightie hande of God to confesse that all his doings are rightfull and reasonable do make themselues more rightuous than God and that although they say it not but protest a hundred times that they neuer ment to think it yet neuerthelesse it is so indeede And behold a competent Iudge hath gyuen determinate sentence vpon it and therefore there is no kicking against it for we shall gaine nothing by it So then what remayneth but to learne first and formost too condemne our selues and too bring our inditement alwayes ready made when we come before God and too say that we be wretched sinners And furthermore that when Gods iudgements which he shall execute vpon vs seeme ouersharp vnto vs lette vs beare them paciently without making any great inquiries If we thinke it strange that God should handle vs with any great rigour and see not the reason why he doth it or if the miserie seeme too hard and that God spareth not our frailtie nor hath such pitie of vs as he ought to haue let vs not giue bridle too our fancies to consent vnto them but let vs always beare in minde that God is rightuous howsoeuer the world go True it is that wee shall not perceyue the reason why hee doth it And whereof commeth that but of oure owne infirmitie and rudenesse Is it meete that wee shoulde measure Gods iustice by our witte VVhat a presumptuousnesse were that VVhat reason were in it So then let vs learne to glorifie God in al things that he doth and although his hande bee rough towardes vs yet let vs not ceasse co confesse still Alas Lord if I go to law with thee I know well my cace is ouerthrowne Beholde how Ieremie proceedeth in that behalfe and sheweth vs the way in the things that we haue to do For although things wer in so great confuzion as he might haue beene caried away in a madnesse too murmure with the rest of the people yet notwithstanding he vseth this preface Lorde I knowe thou art rightuous Truely I would fayne enter into disputation with thee I am prouoked thereto by my fleshly desire and bycause I see thinges so farre out of order I woulde fayne inquire the cause why thou workest after such a sort For I am tempted therevnto Howbeit Lorde before I take leaue to aske why thou dealest thus I protest first that thou art rightuous and vnpartiall and that nothing can come frō thee which is not worthy of praise Thus ye see that the manner of proceeding whiche wee ought to hold so often as wee haue too deale with Gods incomprehensible iudgementes is too consider that oure wit is not able too mount so highe and that they bee too deepe a dungeon for vs to go downe into And let vs practise this thing cheefely in our selues For inasmuche as men are full of hypocrisie they alwayes beleeue themselues to bee cleare and guiltlesse before god And although they bee not fully perswaded of it yet they beare themselues in hand that God hath no cause to pursue thē with so great rigoure Euery man flattereth himselfe too lessen his owne sinnes although he bee fully conuicted VVell sayeth hee it is true that I am a sinner yet am I not of the worst sorte in the worlde And why know we not the greatnesse of our sinnes Bycause we tie scarfes afore oure eyes Forasmuche then as wee are puffed vp with pryde it standeth vs in hand to practize this lesson specially when God afflicteth vs namely not too enter into quarelling with him althoughe hys chastizementes seeme ouerrough to vs But too acknowledge that there is a measurablenesse in all his doings and that hee is not excessiue to the ende that the same may teache vs too frame ourselues quietly vntoo his will. And whensoeuer Gods chastizing of vs is not in respect of our sinnes let vs assure ourselues that the same is a singular grace and a speciall priuiledge which hee giueth vnto vs For there were alwayes iust cause too punishe vs althoughe we were the rightuousest persons in the world But nowe are we farre off from such perfection VVhat might God then doo vntoo vs Neuerthelesse if hee visite vs too trie our pacience and graunt vs the grace too suffer for his names sake when he myght punishe vs for our sinnes let vs vnderstand that hee doth vs an excellent great honour And therefore let vs humble our selues and euery one of vs in his owne behalfe haue the modestie too say well I would fayne that God should vse me after another fashion for to my seeming hee passeth measure in afflicting mee but yet for all that I know hee doth it not without cause and sith his afflicting of mee is not for my sinnes it is so muche the more fauour that he sheweth mee For I haue deserued much more and therefore it behoueth me to stoupe and to
he is angry with vs but rather for that he intendeth to humble vs and to knowe whether wee will bee subiect vntoo him in all poyntes and also to mortifie our lustes when wee are in this forwardenesse wee muste immediately haue an other consideration whiche is that yet neuerthelesse God can well finde good cause to punishe vs if it please him Although then that God spare vs and will not vse his rygour towardes vs in respect of our sinnes yet notwithstanding he may do it and there is iust cause to do it VVhy then doth hee it not Bicause of his goodnesse and yet in the meane while hee afflicteth vs for some other respect Marke that for one poynt And the seconde is that if God shewe vs not why hee afflicteth vs it behoueth vs to cast downe our heades vntil he come neerer to vs and make vs perceyue why hee dealeth so with vs Therefore wee ought to tarie his leysure and not to giue brydle to our affections Iob fayled in these two poyntes For although he acknowledged himselfe to bee a sinner yet notwithstanding he gaue not God the glorie whiche was due vnto him The reason whereof was that hee had not sufficiently minded this poynt that God if hee had listed might haue punished him much more rigorously yea euen for his sinnes And againe we haue seene how he raunged abrode and chafed in himselfe saying what meeneth God I am here a wretched creature and is it meere that God should stretch out his arme against me And is there any reason in this dealing It seemed then that hee ment to accuse God of some tyrannie not that he concluded so in himselfe but that hee was tempted so to do That is the thing wherein Iob fayled And therefore it is not without cause that Eliu sayeth vnto him how now Thou hast ment to iustifie thy selfe as if thou were pure and cleare without sinne And therein thou shalt neuer be acquit nor get the better ende of the staffe So then to the intent we may profite by this doctrine let vs beare in minde that if God punish vs for our sinnes it behoueth vs first of all too yeeld our selues guiltie And there is nothing more expedient than that For if we intende to bee iustified afore God what els haue we to do but to looke vnto our owne lyfe and to knowe that we are well worthie to be beaten with Gods scourges seeing we haue offended him so many wayes Notwithstanding if God haue some other respect in afflicting vs and yet handle vs more roughly than such as are altogither vnruly make an vtter skorne of Gods maiestie lette vs marke that his doing of it is not bicause of our sinnes VVhy then Hee intendeth to trie vs to make vs knowe whither we be wholly his or no. For so long as things go as wee woulde haue them what knowe wee whether wee be forwarde to serue God or no ▪ But when we must be fayne to renoūce our owne will to subdue all our owne naturall witte and vnderstanding and to be short to fight against our owne affections that is a true triall of oure seruing of god Therfore when the cace shall stand so let vs thinke in our selues truly my God may iustly ouerwhelme me a hundred thousand times For although he haue graunted mee the grace to walke in his feare and to indeuer my selfe to serue him yet were that nothing at all I could not stand one minute of an houre vnlesse he vphild mee by his infinite goodnesse Surely he will vpholde mee Howbeeit therewithall he maketh mee subiect vnder his hande and sheweth me that I ought to hang wholly vpō him Go to he doth it for a good cause and therefore it behoueth vs to be quiet so that after wee haue inquired why God vexeth vs so sore why he persecuteth vs so extremely we perceyue no cause why It behooueth vs to conclude O my God thy determinations are incomprehensible forasmuch as I am not able as now to knowe any more by reason of the rudenesse and infirmitie of my vnderstanding I will wayte paciently till thou make me to perceiue the cause why So Lorde when I shall haue taried in this sort like a poore blinde soule thou wilt open mine eyes and make me perceyue wherevnto these things tende what shall bee the ende of them and I shall profite better by them than I do now Yee see then that the wisedome which ought to be in the faythfull is to haue such mildenesse as too confesse alwayes that God is rightuous although they perceyue not the reason of his workes And heerewithall also they muste with all humilitie acknowledge themselues wretched sinners and that God mighte finde cause ynough to make cleane riddance of them if he listed not too beare with them of his owne meere grace Thus ye see in effect what we haue to gather of this text Now let vs come to that which he addeth God sayth he hath taken occasion or picked a quarell against mee and thervpon hath sette my feete in the stockes and tormented mee and looked vnto all my pathes he spieth mee out hath his eye so vpon me as I cannot stirre a finger but by by I haue committed a faulte True it is that Iob intendeth not too accuse God of vnrightuousnes or of punishing him without cause Howbeit herewithall let vs marke well that he was so caried away with his affections as ther scaped many disordered woords by fits whiche are not to be excused And I haue noted all this heeretofore as opportunitie required as they came in place For I haue shewed you that Iob skirmished to much against God yet was still pacient resting in full purpose too glorifie him notwithstanding that he was troubled at times and was broughte so lowe as he wist not howe to recouer And this is well woorthy to be noted as whereof wee may gather a good lesson which is that although we be not so caried away as to purpose too blaspheme God yet notwithstanding assoone as we haue neuer so little libertie immediatly we ouershoote oure selues and there is no ho in vs It is a pitie to see what man is for hee is so fraughte with euill that assoone as he hath a little libertie giuen him by by hee raungeth out on the one side or on the other and wil not hold the right way but gaddeth astray yea euen or euer he thinke it It is certayne that if Iob had bene asked whether God sought occasion against him to handle him so cruelly he would haue answered no he is rightuous yea and hee woulde haue sayde it without hypocrisie Yet notwithstāding he is charged here not without cause to haue striued agaynste God as if hee had sought vayne shiftes How cōmeth that to passe and why Bycause Iob was tossed too and fro in his sorrowe and nowe and then had not so good stay of himselfe as he ought to haue
to kepe them from stumbling into a deadly fal but that God do hold them back by afflictions And so ye see that the cause why wâ—e fall not intoo the graue is that God afflicteth vs But therewithall Eliu sheweth vs howe harshe this medicine is in that hee sayeth that it consumeth oure fleshe so as wee haue no more the shape of man but are like vntoo deade men that are taken out of the earthe and oure bones doe clatter without and wee can not so much as take breathe but are in continuall tormente so as wee haue no release but God persecuteth vs with such extremitie as we can no more Thus he sheweth that God can not at the first blowe winne that thing at mennes hande which were to be desired that is to wit that they should knowe themselues wretched and full of infirmities and there vpon stoup vnto him but that they must be faine to be ouercom with strong hand and continual torments or else they will neuer yeelde and submit them selues vnto him Behold the two poyntes which wee haue to marke And as touching the firste let vs learne to beare our afflictions patiently sith wee see that they serue vs for medicines and salues Is it a small thing for vs to bee drawne out of the graue These wordes concerne not onely the bodily death whiche passeth awaye but also by a similitude the euerlasting damnation is termed heere a graue or a pit Then are we readie to fall not to breake our armes or our legges no nor only to breake our neckes but also to perishe for euer and to be wiped out of the booke of life and to be cut off from the kingdome of heauen Lo to what state our pride bringeth vs For so long as we flicker after that sorte in the ayre and thinke wee haue anye strength of our selues and build thervpon after our own fancie I say so long as we be possessed with suche foolishe presumtioÌ„ we are always ready to stumble and to perish But God hauing pitie on vs sendeth such remedie as he knoweth to be conuenient which is that he afflicteth vs and beateth vs with his roddes If we grudge and can not be pacient when God doth so chastise vs Is it not an extreme vnthankfulnesse not to suffer God to remedie our destruction to draw vs froÌ„ it So then let vs mark well that here the holy ghost ment to make gods chasticemeÌ„ts sweet and amiable to vs to the end we should beare them â–ª quietly when they be sent vs Marke that for one poynt Verely this will seeme straunge too fleshely reason For oure fleshely reason will saye coulde God prouide no better meane for oure welfare than by tormenting vs after that sort Behoued it him to sende vs to death that he might call vs vnto life Surely it is an incredible manner of proceeding if a man debate it according too his owne reason and he will thinke it but a foolishnesse that God shoulde kill vs in pardoning vs For what are afflictions Signes of his wrath and wee knowe that all diseases are the messengers of death and that all the sorrowes whiche we conceiue are drownings of vs But our Lord sendeth vs sorrows sicknesses and tormentes and holdeth vs in them as vpon the racke till we can no more and till wee faynte in suche wise as our life draweth to the graue For these words concerne not the small afflictions where with we are accustomed but they concern Gods sending of vs to so great extremitie as there remayneth no more hope in vs And how is that must God cast vs into the bottome of death to the end to drawe vs out againe But so worketh he and we must not pleade against him for we shall alwayes haue the worse end of the staf And out of doubt that is the cause why the holy scripture sayeth that it is his ordinarie maner to kil before he quicken and to bring to the graue before he raise to life Then let vs vnderstaÌ„d that God intendeth heere to exercise oure obedience by trying vs to the vttermost so as wee can indure no more no nor so much as drawe our breath but seeme to bee vtterly choked Therefore when our Lorde bringeth vs to that point it is to the end to know whether we be wholly his and whether wee can abyde to be gouerned by his hand or no. Howsoeuer the world go â–ª when we be tempted in our troubles and greefes let this sentence come to our mynde to comfort vs withall behold it is sayde that God in bringing men to their graue intendeth to drawe them out againe and that in consuming their fleshe hee mindeth to restore it again and that in tormenting them with extremitie hee purposeth to comfort them and too bring them to rest Seeing it is so let vs take hold of this comfort and let it suffize vs to assuage all our sorrowes let vs not be out of hart although it seeme that we be vtterly forlorne let vs alwayes passe further and further in the strength of this doctrine and let vs learne to raise vp our selues by it euen when wee bee cast downe into hell Thus ye see what we haue to beare in mynde And afterwarde when Eliu maketh so long a description of Gods chastizements it is to shew vs how dreadfull his wrath is And this also is a very profitable lesson for vs For which of vs thinketh of the greatnes of Gods wrath as it is spoken of the holy scripture It is sayd in the song of Moyses who knoweth the greatnesse of thy wrath And vndoubtedly although Gods wrath bee a fire that consumeth all things yet notwithstanding we thinke not vpon it but ouerpasse it It is tolde vs in Sermons and we reade goodly texts of it but we are not touched with it nother doth any maÌ„ rest vpon it For as much then as we make no accouÌ„t of Gods iustice and take it to be but as a sport we ought to marke wel the counsell that is giuen vs by the holy ghost like as in this text it is saide tha God breaketh mens bones that is to say vseth so great violence as there remaineth no strength at al in them vnconsumed Their flesh wasteth and consumeth away so as there remaineth but an image of death and a man is so continually tormented as he is like a deade man It is not without cause that all this is set afore vs but it is too the ende to waken vs and that when God vttereth his iudgementes against vs to make vs feele our sinnes we should the better be thinke vs that those tormentes are more terrible than can be expressed According also as wee see howe the holie scripture vseth many comparisons in that behalfe VVhy doth it likeÌ„ God to a Lion that breketh and brozeth things with his teeth and plucketh them in peeces with his pawes It is not to attribute such a crueltie vnto God as is not coÌ„uenient for him but
the wicked shal be afflicted too how be it it doth but make thē hardhearted and chafe against God and so little fare they the better by their afflictiō that it doth the more bewraye thire wickednes bring them to the full measure of it But whē God afflicteth his chosen he ouermastreth mortifieth thē in such wise as they tremble before his maiestie becom vtterly dismayed like mē half dead insomuch that there is no more hope of life in thē in respect of themselues and to the worldward and finally ther remaineth nothing for them but that God shuld haue pitie of them And Eliu setteth out the meane whereby god maketh his chastizemēts auaileable towards the faithful that is to wit by comforting them through his goodnesse and by telling them that he is readie to forgiue their sins For althoughe afflictions bee for oure profite and serue vs for medicines and salues as was shewed yesterdaye yet notwithstanding it appeereth not so but by the ende Nowe the ende is shewed vs heere whiche is that God reacheth vs his hande assuring vs that hee will bee mercifull too vs howe so euer the worlde goe notwithstanding that hee hath handled vs roughly Then let vs marke well that the life of oure soules consisteth in the worde of God whereby hee gyueth vs assurance of his mercie and goodnesse towardes vs And too the intente wee shoulde esteeme this benefite as it deserueth it is sayde that hee which is the warranter of the remission of oure sinnes is as an odde man among a thousande so as hee is not to be found at aduenture but is a treasure which God reserueth to those whome hee thinketh good Besides this I haue tolde you that God in promising men the forgiuenesse of their sinnes giueth charge and commission too the ministers of his word to drawe them from death according as it is expressely sayd that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed to those which preach the Gospell Too what ende To forgiue sinnes not of their owne authoritie but to the intent that the wretched sinners may be the better assured of their saluation and not doubt but God receyueth them to mercie Therefore the ministers tell them in his name that they bee quit before his iudgement seate And this is the cause why it is expressely sayde that God will haue mercie of a man when hee sendeth him a good and faythfull teacher and giueth his appoynted ministers the sayde charge and office of rescuing and deliuering the wretched creature that was in way of damnation Howe be it to the ende that all these thinges may bee the better vnderstoode heere are three points to be marked The one is that Eliu sheweth vs the cause and foundation of the forgiuenesse of oure sinnes namely that God is mercifull vnto vs and of his infinite goodnes wil not haue vs to perish That is one point The seconde is that the office of such as preach the Gospell is to drawe wretched soules out of death and to set them at libertie And the third is that the same is not done but by expresse commission giuen of God according also as it belongeth not to a mortall man to take vpon him so hygh a thing which is aboue our abilitie Then as touching the first point we see that the holy ghost bringeth vs here to the welspring of the grace which wee obteyne of god VVhen he forgiueth vs oursinnes why is it Not for that we are worthy of it not for that we are able too bee beforehande with him not for that we bring any thing that ought to procure his fauour towards vs but bycause he loketh vpon vs with mercy To be short the holy ghost fathereth the remission of our sinnes vpō the only free goodnesse of God for wee be so wretched as there is nothing but damnation in vs Behold it pleaseth God to succour vs and he doth it not for any thing that hee findeth in vs saue only infinite miseries but of his owne goodnesse which moueth him thervnto This then is a point which we ought to marke well to the end that when we come to obteyne forgyuenesse at Gods hand we may not imagin to appeaze him with our owne merits nor to be particausers of the remission of our sinnes but looke vpon that which is told vs here that is to wit that when God will haue pitie of vs he receiueth vs to mercie out of hand And so Eliu ment to aduertize vs that God doth not alwayes make vs to feele that goodnesse but that although he loue vs and bee minded to prouide for the things which he knoweth to be profitable for vs yet doth hee not alwayes giue vs that feeling but hideth it vtterly from vs as when God afflicteth vs it is sayde that he turneth his backe to vs or else that hee voutsafeth not too looke vpon vs or else that his countenaunce is louring towardes vs and that we be not able to beholde it Then let vs marke well that the faythfull shal now and then be dismayed and seke God and not be able to find him not that he hath forgotten them or reiected them but bicause hee will not as then make them too feele his loue And that is the cause why Eliu sayeth expressely that God is mercifull to vs when hee sendeth vs witnesse of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by his word not that hee was not so before but bycause wee are then sure of it by experience and do as it were take possession of his goodnesse which was vnknown vnto vs for a time The seconde poynt was that the office of such as preache the Gospel is to forgiue sinnes And it is a notable poynt For without that we were vtterly forlorne and past recouerie Ther is none other meane to giue vs hope of saluation than by assuring vs that oure sinnes are forgiuen afore God and wee quite and cleane discharged For as it hath bene sayd that is the ryghtuousnesse whereby we are acceptable vnto him So long as oure sinnes are imputed vnto vs God must needes hate vs and what else is the beeing of Gods wrath vpon vs but a bottomlesse gulfe of all cursednesse Againe when wee be reconciled vntoo him the gate of Paradise is opened vnto vs he acknowledgeth vs for his children and the heritage of heauen is alreadie prepared for vs And howe may that be obteyned By hauing good and faythfull teachers too preache the Gospel vnto vs For the end whereat God ameth is attonement or reconciliation with vs according as Sainct Paule declareth where hee expresseth that the propertie of the Gospel is to be a message of attonement betweene God and man which is that Iesus Christ who knewe no sinne but was the vnspotted Lambe did put himselfe vnder the curse of our sinnes to the end that we should finde the rightuousnesse of God in him that is too saye after wee are washed in his bloud and haue put oure selues vnder the
to remember in this sentence According herevnto Eliu for the greater confirmation of it sayth that God will not condemne for nought nor ouerthrowe the right He speaketh no new thing but ratifieth his own matter euen by aunswering vnto that which was alledged by Iob. First therefore he sayth that God will not condemne for nought that is to say men can neuer alledge that hee doth them wrong or that he maketh them beleeue that they haue done amisse when they haue not according as oftentimes a poore innocent shall be oppressed among earthly Iudges by charging him with a thing of nothing wherein he is not faulty and yet he must be fame to passe that way and there shal be false witnesses too face him down though he were the righteousest man in the world There then a man may oftentimes be punished wrongfully without cause But it is not so with Gods iustice he needeth not to shewe why or to keepe great registers for proofes or for excuce of himselfe when he is slaundered by men euery mā carieth his owne indytement written and well sealed in himself I say we neede none other Iudge than our owne conscience and though euery man knowe it not presently yet will God waken vs well inough spight of our teeth and when wee shall haue flattered our selues a long time yet must we returne to this point to be conuicted namely that he had iuste cause too punish vs And this is the cause also why Eliu addeth that God will not ouerthrow the right For when wee haue no better shift we flee too this startinghole that God is almightie and doth what he list and wee cannot resist him and that he dealeth crosly and ouerthwartly with vs And although wee speake not so yet haue wee such crooked thoughts so that vnder the colour that God is Almightie and that we be poore fraile creatures we would make him beleeue that he tormenteth vs to sore But contrarywise it is sayd that God peruerteth not the right that is to say that he neuer punisheth men without a continuall respect of bearing with them according as he knoweth to be expedient And if there were cause to spare them any more surely he would do it bicause he knoweth what is meete for them So then let vs practize well this lesson of humbling our selues before God whensoeuer he chastizeth vs let vs keepe our mouthes shut that we replie not agaynst him and there withal let vs be meeke and let not hypocrisie blinde vs to sooth our selues in our misdoings Thus ye see in effect howe it behoueth vs to condemne our selues and therevpon to acknowledge that God is righteous in punishing vs and that he ouerthroweth not the right that is in vs so as if we haue a good cace he will mainteyne it himselfe and wee shall neede neyther Proctor nor Aduocate for he himselfe will bee our warrant as who desireth nothing so much as to quit vs So then if wee be condemned by him wee muste passe that way and acknowledge that we haue well deserued it True it is that this will well be sayde ingenerall but it behoueth euery one of vs particularly and in respect of his owne person to haue this lesson well printed in his minde And specially when wee bee beaten with Gods scourges so as one of vs is pinched with pouertie another with sicknes and a third with some wrong that is done vnto him on what side soeuer any aduersitie come vppon vs let vs acknowledge that it is the hande of God which visiteth vs And why There is good reason that wee shoulde do so For wee bee wretched sinners and ranke rebelles against him and wee must not go aboute to qualifie our faultes and too say that Gods punishments are vnmeasurable as though hee had no cause too punishe vs But contrarywise thoughe hee shoulde execute a muche greater rygour yea euen to the vtter ouerwhelming of vs yet let vs confesse that it were not too muche considering that our sinnes are come to their full measure Yee see then after what sorte wee ought too vnderstande this sentence And afterward he addeth who is he whom God hath ordeyned too set ouer the worlde besides himselfe Albeit that the woorde which Eliu vseth here dothe sometimes signifie to visite forasmuchas the sense is all one we neede not to stande muche vpon the worde To bee short Eliu ment to say that there is none but God whiche gouerneth the worlde and that he hath not any fellow neither is there any other creator to haue builded the heauen the earth but he hath all in his hande and guydeth and gouerneth all his creatures at this day so as nothing is done without his will. Yee see in effect what Eliu ment to say here But it should seeme that this reason is not fitte to mainteyne the righteousnesse of god For his mightinesse is not in question here and besides that as I haue touched alreadie somtimes vnder the colour that God is Almightie men would accuse him of tyranny as though he had no regard of our infirmitie and weaknesse Marke then howe men take occasion to aduance themselues agaynst God by confessing his almightinesse saying It is true that he is the souereine but yet it foloweth not therfore that he hath not good stay and gouernment of himselfe as he ought to haue For albeit that men vex torment his seruants yet it seemeth that hee passeth not for it nor hath any regarde of them But contrariwise Eliu intendeth to shew that God is righteous And how sheweth he it For he onely sayth he gouerneth the worlde This seemeth to be nothing to the purpose But when all is well considered it is a peremptory reason as they term it and sufficient ynough to stop all our mouths And this is it which he meeneth by this which he addeth immediately after namely shall he whiche is vnrighteous gouerne True it is that in respect of the worlde the wicked shall somtimes gouerne And why For behold kings which are borne of women come to the crowne by heritage and so likewise the Princes And they bestow offices vpon their bawdes and vpon men of no value as it is well knowne what maner of ones these Courtiers are or else they sell the offices and so all iustice goeth to wracke And how are things handled where gouernors are ordeyned by electiō and voyce of the people Not in the feare of God nor in reuerence as though they ment to ordeyne officers that shuld raign with iustice but with flocking into tauerns there they cōmit the shamefullest things that cā be Then seeing that kings and their officers magistrates that go by election come to their degree by so diuelish meanes the wicked must needes raigne But it is not so with God And why Bicause that naturally he hath the souerein dominion of the whole world the same is due vnto him he was not chosen to it by rascals that woulde
his hand Therefore it followeth that after he hath wincked at vs in the ende wee must needes come to that which is conteyned here namely that in open sight and after a notable fashion hee will breake all those in peeces that are so turned awaye from him Lo what wee haue too beare away in this sentence And it is sayd immediatly to make the crie of the poore come vnto him and to make him heare the exclamation of the afflicted Heere Eliu noteth one kynde of sinne whiche God punisheth in men True it is that wee offende many wayes Howebeit for as much as men can not bee brought too knowe their faultes vntill they be more than conuicted of them here Eliu hath set downe a kinde of sinne which is most apparant and easiest to bee seene For when outrages and extortions are committed so as one man polleth another of his goodes and they that are greeued haue no redresse at all they crye oute vnto God and men heare their complaintes and euerie bodie rueth and abhorreth their cace Thus yee see one kynde of wyckednesse whiche is well known both to great and small which is when we see that there is no iustice but might ouercommeth right and wee dwell as it were among theeues For hee that listeth too make his hand by pillage taketh no thought when he hath done all the wickednesse that can bee bycause there is no redresse nor any order to be taken VVhen suche things happen euery man can speake of them For this cause the holie ghost hath chozen a sinne that is most notorious to the intent we should be the better conuicted Herewithal let vs marke that vnder one kynde the whole is comprehended For in what wise so euer we offend God he hath alwayes iust cause to punish vs and as I haue declared alreadie his law cannot be deuided it must continue whole in one and his cōmaundements must be so knit togither as al of them may make but one rightuousnesse Howbeit for as much as we be such hypocrites and euery man writheth himself like a snake to the intent to hide his sinnes God intendeth here to draw vs as it were by force and to compell vs to confesse the dette If a poore man haue any wrong and outrage done vnto him hee will aske vengeance of the partie and his cōplaints shall come abroad so as the ayre shall ring of them and seeing it is so thinke we that it can be hidden from God think we that he will let it slippe what is to be done then First as I haue said alreadie let vs marke that although no man in the world complayne of vs yet will our sinnes crie out againste vs and the sounde of our offences will mount vp to heauen If a thing bee remoued wee see it maketh a great noyse and when wee breake the rightuousnesse of God is it not more than if wee should ouerthowe a house thinke we ther is anything more precious than the order which God hath stablished too make vs walke according to his will VVe goe about to destroy all that And is not that more as I sayd than if we should ouerthrowe some building And do we thinke that the noyse of it commeth not to the eares of God Then let vs marke well that as oft as we breake Gods lawe the crie of it mounteth vp vnto heaue and our sinnes aske vengeance of vs For although men bee dumme and open not their mouthes to say any thing yet do not our sinnes fayle to bee registred before god Lo what we haue to marke in the first place But if men themselues crie out against vs and we be euill spokē of for oure wickednesse and heare their complaintes and grudgings is there not much more reason that we should thinke that God heareth all such cries And let vs euery way marke that it is not for nought sayd the crie of Sodome is come vp vnto me and therfore I am come down to see whither it be so or no. But let vs assure our selues that our Lords eares are not deaf so as our offences shuld not alwayes come to knowledge before him Neuerthelesse when there is such crying out vpon vs and such confusion he must needes note it the more For of very truth as I haue touched already it is a thing of no smal waight when we go about after that sort to ouerthrow the thing that our Lord hath stablished And in good sooth what is the rule of good life Is it not as it were an Image of God shining amongs men And when wee goe about to ouerthrowe that I pray you what a confuzion is it Howbeit let vs mark by the way that God will not leaue them vnpunished which haue wrongfully vexed and troubled the poore True it is that the great ones wexe bold when they see poore men destitute of succour so as they are not releeued nor haue any freends or kinsfolke to sticke by thē And therevpon it seemeth vnto them that they may doe what they list And that is the cause why they fall to all outrage But let vs marke howe it is sayd that God hath a care of them and therfore the more that poore folk are left vp to al wrongs and no man succoreth them so much the more doth God declare that hee hath a care of them to reuenge them If this were well considered we would bee lesse hastie to trouble our neighboures and specially those that can not make their part good For it as a breaking of the protectiō that he hath set vpon their persons and in the end wee must feele that he is our aduersarie for it Do we then see a pore man Let vs be as it were stopped there that we do him no harme violēce nor outrage And why For God will step before him and althoughe the poore man do beare paciently the wrong that is done him yet shall not the crie of it misse to come vp to heauē and to be heard at Gods hande And like as this doctrine ought to serue for a warning that euery of vs may bridle himself and abstein frō euil doing so also the poore ought to be well comforted sith they see that God hath them in his protection and that though the wicked do trouble vex them yet God bridleth their rage and watcheth ouer the poore and will in the end shewe that he neuer forgate them Then seing that God taketh our quarell vpon him let vs refer it vnto him and let it assuage our sorowe and greef when we be wrongfully afflicted so as men doe eate vsvp and we haue no remedie but seeme to be as sheepe in the wolues throate Go too our Lorde hath promised that the crie of all extorcions which men doe shall come vp to him Seeing wee haue this buttresse let vs be contented and tarie till hee shewe by effect that he is neere vs and hath a care of our welfare Lo howe wee ought to practize this sentence
pleaseth God to shewe himselfe vnto vs it behoueth vs too knowe him and to consider his workes as he sheweth vs them and to be attentiue to mark the reason why he doth so And when hee worketh after a straunge fashion that is vnknowne to vs let vs reuerence such secrets acknowledging neuerthelesse that he is alwayes rightuous howe so euer the world go and let vs dwell continually in that beleef hold vs quiet wayting paciently til he shew vs more fully the things that are hidden from vs as now assuring our selues that during this life our knowing muste be but onely in part Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too make vs so too feele them that all the time of oure life wee maye mourne before him desiring him of forgiuenesse and acknowledging our selues exceedingly giltie vntill that hee of his free goodnesse deliuer vs from the damnations wherein wee are and from the dangers wherewith we are besieged That so long as we be in this world we acknowledging our infirmitie and weakenesse may suffer him too gouerne vs and guide vs too the right way of saluation in such wise as we may neuer be shaken downe but that what so euer temptations befall vs wee may stande stedfast in the calling of our God till he haue taken vs out of this world to bring vs into his heauenly kingdome where wee shall inioy the euerlasting rest that he hath prepared for vs That it may please him c. The Cxxxiiij Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the .xxxiiij. Chapter 29 And vvhen hee hideth his face vvho is hee that shall see him hee is vpon nations and vpon men togither 30 In that an Ipocrite reigneth and there is a stumbling blocke to the people 31 It belongeth to God to say I haue forgiuen I vvill not destroy 32 But that vvhiche I haue not receyued teache thou mee if I haue doone vvickedly I vvill doe so no more IT was partly declared yesterday after what maner God hideth his face from vs that it be not seene that is to wit when meÌ„ are troubled in this worlde and see not the reason and ende of his dooings like as on the contrarie part if God graunt vs the grace to see that he gouerneth all things and to perceiue a fayre and well disposed order then is it as thoughe his countenaunce shone vpon vs as the Sunne Doe we then see the state of the worlde so troubled as wee wote not what to say to it It is all one as if God hild his face from vs And in that cace what is there for vs to do but to huÌ„ble our selues according as it is sayd in the Prophet that in the time of aduersitie the wise man will lay his mouth to the ground and hold his peace verely as one knowing that wee shall gayne nothing by striuing when God listeth to handle vs so with extremitie Ye see then that the end wherevnto this sentence tendeth is to exhorte vs to modestie and sobernesse bycause our wittes are too rude and to grosse to comprehend Gods secrets and moreouer bicause God intendeth purposely to humble vs when he withdraweth himself from vs And this is done saith Eliu as well vpon a whole nation as vpon one man. Both generally and particularly God caÌ„ so intangle things as we shal not know the reason of them and if we will speake of them we should not know at what end to beginne And for the better expressing of his mynde he addeth In so muche that the hypocrite reigneth True it is that this present sentence may be layde forth diuersly but the sequele of the texte sheweth wel ynough that the meening is that when a wicked man or when a naughtypacke reigneth and there is a stumbling blocke or a snare caste among â—he people for the wordes import eyther of both it is a trouble to vs when wee see the wicked reigne so as there is nothing but tyrannie or any equitie and vprightnesse remayning but we bee as it were vtterly folorne and God is not seene If enormities bee committed so as there is quareling and snatching on all sides or if snares bee layde so as poore folke knowe not howe to scape then is God as it were withdrawne from vs True it is that he is neuer the further from vs nor hath the lesse care of vs howebeit wee see it not On the other side when we be not able to consider what is done it seemeth to vs that God regardeth vs not we see nothing but darknesse the light that ought to guide vs shineth not vnto vs Nowe then what should we do but shrinke down our heads hold our mouthes shet wayt Gods leisure paciently til he remedie the inconueniences that trouble vs Also let vs always be at this point neuer to inquire further than is lawful for vs It behoueth vs to think well that God doth such things without cause why but we must enter into the consideration of our sins for if wee will enter curiously into the discussing of Gods secrets and incomprehensible determinations it is a pride that wil vtterly ouerthrow vs And therfore as I haue said afore let vs learne not to be otherwise knowing that god will somtimes lead vs like poore blind soules As touching this sentence where it is said that the wicked man reygneth let vs marke that although it bee a sore temptation to see such reygne as are naughtypackes despizers of God and giuen to all euill and to see that might ouercoÌ„meth right so as a man can not tell whither to go for refuge surely it is a great and hard crosse to ouercome neuerthelesse the holy Ghost intended to set it before vs to the intent that we shold be armed against it So theÌ„ hath vnrightuousnesse gotten full scope Are the wicked growne so Iustie as to confound all things and to handle matters with such corruptioÌ„ as there may be no more remedie The holy ghost aduertizeth vs that it is Gods will to hide his face after that maner to the intent to trie our obedience Therfore let vs rarie till he inlighten vs and then shall wee knowe how that he hath not sent these troubles among vs without cause Thus ye see in effect after what maner wee ought to put this sentence in vre Now Eliu addeth that it beloÌ„geth to god to say I haue forgiuen I wil no more destroy As if he should say that god holdeth the raines in his hand to guide men at his pleasure and if it please him to punish our sinnes wee haue nothing to replie why he should not condemne vs and if hee beare with vs yea or list to forgiue vs altogither who shall resist him who shall let him to shewe vs fauour True it is that this is straunge too mans vnderstanding at the first sight For seeing that God is no accepter of persons wee aske why he forgiueth one rather than another VVhy
doth he beare with a wicked man when hee is seene too bee altogither out of order Then may we well trouble our heades to seeke why God dealeth after that maner but what conclusion must wee make saue onely too referre all things to himselfe in his owne purpose knowing that it is not for vs to rule him yea and that wee are not able to comprehende the things that are too highe for vs For when it pleaseth God too humble vs he hath meanes to do it which can by no meanes sinke in our naturall vnderstanding Lo in effect what is sayde vntoo vs heere And whereas heere is mention made of Gods iudgementes whereby hee chastizeth our sinnes let vs beare in minde what hath beene sayde namely that the rightuousest man that is shall finde himselfe guiltie twice yea a hundred tymes more than he suffereth and therefore that we haue no cause to complaine Furthermore if it please God too forgiue vs let vs vnderstande that hee dooth it not for our desertes nor for any thing that he findeth in vs but of his owne free mercie And this ought to be marked well bycause the thing which I haue tolde you alreadie to come naturally intoo mens imaginations hath beene the cause of bringing false and wicked doctrines into Christendome And the Papistes are still imbrued with this errour that God pardoneth the sinnes of those that turne vntoo him euen bycause hee seeth some good motion in them VVhen the Papists speake of the forgiuenesse of sinnes they alwayes imagine that a man must on his owne syde depose himselfe afore hande and purchace that grace before God and that although it bee not of full worthinesse yet notwithstanding there must bee a certaine meeting togither that is to say it is good reason that God seeing any good disposition in man shoulde helpe him as in respect of the same And what hath caused such dotage to bee alledged Euen bycause men conceyue not that God hath such a libertie as is giuen him heere that is to wit that it belongeth to him to say I will forgiue Forasmuch as this thing hath not beene conceyued therefore the Papistes haue forged this diuelishe imagination that God forgyueth those which are any whitte disposed with a good motion and purpose to repent and that although they haue not done so many good deedes as they may deserue to be accepted yet notwithstanding God receyueth them to mercie bycause of the good disposition that hee findeth in them But contrarily let vs holde the doctrine that is conteyned here namely that whereas all men bee alike and that damnation is common to all men so as they bee all intangled in it God pardoneth some and leaueth the residue in the damnation wherein they are alreadie VVhy doth he so It is not for vs to dispute of it Let vs holde this too humble our selues withall and let vs not forge meanes in our owne head which the holy scripture speaketh not of And in good sooth who giueth such motion vnto a man to mislike of his sinne but only god who hath alreadie touched him by his holy spirit For naturally we be all euill and when wee haue committed it wee are still more and more disposed vnto it and hypocrisie blindeth vs by flattering vs in the same Therefore when a sinner mislyketh of his sinne it is a token that God hath already touched him True it is that Cain and Iudas were greatly greeued at the feeling of their offences but that was not for the misliking of them nay rather they gnashed their teeth against God and hardned themselues in their euill Therfore when a sinner feeleth remorse in himself and is touched to humble himself before God we must cōclude that it is a marke of the holy ghost Now then if God giue vs a plyable affection to mislike of our selues and to draw vnto him it is a token that he hath shewed vs mercie And surely is it not a good warrant of his mercie Shall wee then say that a man hath deserued to haue sinne forgiuen him of God bycause he was therevnto disposed wee see then that the Papists haue in this behalfe falsified and disguised Gods doctrine fathering that thing vppon man which belongeth not vnto him And therfore so much the better ought we to marke and remember this saying that when men haue cast themselues into destruction and are hild in thraldome of sin so as Satan possesseth them none but God hath authoritie to say I forgiue And whom forgiueth he we must not tie his grace neither to one thing nor other but let him vse his owne minde to dispose all things according to his free goodnesse Therfore when he forgiueth one man hee may well leaue another in damnation according also as it is sayd in Moises and alledged by Saint Paule as a recorde of great importance aboue others I will forgiue whom I will forgiue and I will shewe mercy to whom I will shew mercy In saying so God sheweth vs that we must not inquyre why hee doth it for hee cutteth away all such questions VVhom then doth God pardon Euen whom it pleaseth him It is not any mortall man that ordereth that matter it is the liuing God who declareth that when hee sheweth mercie wee must not aske why hee doth it nor to whom nor whether one man bee better disposed than another or whether therhath beene any desert good motion or other meane aforehand No. For God will haue men to content themselues with his doings Therefore whereas hee sheweth mercie vnto some and not vnto all it behoueth vs too magnifie his goodnesse and if he shew any apparance of his iustice let vs assure our selues that hee is not bounde vnto vs And vndoubtedly this diuersitie sheweth vs so much the better that whē he draweth vs euē out of death it selfe hee dooth it not but of his owne free minde and that wee for oure part shoulde bee vtterly forlorne and damned if wee were not succoured by him Thus then yee see howe wee may bee the more prouoked to glorifie God and to knowe his mere grace towardes vs and that our saluation is grounded onely vpon his good will in receyuing vs to mercie that is to wit in that on the contrarie part hee forsaketh whom hee listeth and sheweth not like mercy to all but letteth some alone so as they are not raysed to saluation Thus ye see what we haue to remember in this streyne Now he addeth that he will no more destroy when he hath so pardoned And herein we haue one good lesson more which is that when God spareth sinners he is reconciled vnto them and fully at one with them True it is that sometimes God punisheth not the wicked and although their sinnes be told thē and brought to their remembrance it will seeme that they are escaped his hand for a time But then is not this saying performed that God will not destroy And why forthere he forgiueth not but nourisheth the wicked
as men fat oxen and swine to the ende to kill them VVe see that when an oxe hath bin leane all his life long if a man intend to kill him hee will bestowe the more cost vpon him and likewyse will hee do with a Swine to make him well larded Nowe the Prophete vseth this similitude too shewe vs that the state of the reprobates and despysers of God is neuer the better for that they are not punished out of hande according as wee haue seene bothe in leremie and Ezechiell that such as are reserued make neuer the better market for their long tariance but as they are worse before God and haue pyled vp a great heape of cursednesse vpon their heades so also must God poure out the greater rigor vpon them And so although our Lord punish them not the first day yet ceasseth he not to holde them there still vnder his wrath and vengeance And therefore this text belongeth not vntoo them But when our Lorde dooth set menne quite and cleare and will not punishe them any more why is that It is bycause he hath forgiuen theyr sinnes I tolde you that this lesson is verie profitable And why For first of all wee bee so fleshly as wee passe for no more sobeit that God make vs not to feele his rigor Although he be angry with vs and reiect vs and as it were banishe vs his house all this toucheth vs not like as if a diseased persone were as good as rotten inwardly in his bodie and yet notwithstanding all were one too him so long as he feeleth no greefe VVhen a man hath an ague if he feele no alterations nor paine of heade or backe all is well hee ouerpasseth it and yet notwithstanding the disease lurketh so within as it becommeth deadly Contrarywise if he be sore athirst it were good for him to indure it for a time to remedie the ague which is his cheefe disease But a man is so sensuall as he careth for nothing but for the taking away of the greefe and passion of the present fitte that troubleth him Euen so is it with vs For although God bee offended with vs that seemeth to be nothing wee perceyue it not bycause of our dulnesse and therefore wee heape sinne vpon sinne and continue alwayes harde harted So much the more then behoueth it vs to marke howe it is sayde in this streyne that wee shall not escape Gods hande except hee forgiue vs our sinnes It behoueth vs to go to the roote let vs not desire God onely to deliuer vs from our sicknesses wantes and such other things but let vs specially pray him too bee mercifull vnto vs and when we haue once forgotten that wee shall bee deliuered from all inconueniences And yet further for the better conceyuing of this doctrine let vs marke that although wee bee in prosperitie yet if in the meane while God bee our enimie the mischeefe shall continue still with vs and his benefites shall turne to our bane Then if wee vse Gods giftes vntoo his displeasure all the benefites that hee bestoweth vpon vs must turne too oure greater condemnation lyke as on the contrarie parte when wee bee reconcylēd vntoo God and he hath pardoned oure offences although hee chastize vs the same shall bee a medicine too vs and all our afflictions shall bee blessed before him in so much that they shall turne to our saluation as Saint Paule sayth in the eight to the Romaines Beholde here howe it is a right necessarie poynt to knowe that we shall alwayes bee shet vp vnder the cursse of God vntill such time as hee hath pardoned our sinnes And herevpon let vs learne not to bee afrayde of miseries and aduersities onely but specially of Gods wrath which we ceasse not to prouoke And when we shall haue done amisse let vs not begin at the outward afflictions as who should say that our returning vnto god should be to the end he should no more afflict vs but let vs pray him to bee so gracious as too purge and clense vs of oure sinnes to the ende there may bee nothing in vs that may kindle him agaynst vs or displease him True it is that the chastizementes and corrections which God sendeth vs are as strokes of a spurre too pricke vs forwarde and when he seeth vs dull hee driueth vs by that meanes to repentance but yet must wee not be at this poynt to say well I am content so God withdrawe his hande from mee No wee must not doo so for wee shall haue gayned verie little if we get nothing but that VVhat then Let vs go vnto our God and pray him to bee at one with vs and to do so muche for vs that when wee haue beene gently chastized wee maye knowe hys goodnesse towardes vs And I pray you marke what is the cause why God doubleth his strypes and striketh muche more roughly vppon vs VVhy so If a man bee chastized hee feeleth that God visiteth him and perceyueth all things to go better with him So then a man humbleth himselfe when hee hath offended God and he desireth to bee deliuered and that God should take away his aduersitie at the first brunt but in the meane while the poore soule hath no wit to enter into himselfe and to search his owne faultes and to atteyne to so much reason as to say alas I must seeke to recouer the fauour of my god He thinkes it ynough if he be no more pressed like a dogge that doth but shake his eares when hee hath scaped with a blowe of a cudgell Such a one goeth not so farre as he ought to do hee resteth at the outwarde part and therfore God followeth with striking him still So then we see howe lightly men dispatche themselues when God chastizeth them too make them come to repentaunce for they may well haue some conceyte of it but the same passeth away oute of hand Nowe sith that God seeth that although a man perceiue not his own harme yet the filthinesse doth settle still within him he is fayne to presse him to the ende hee may know that the disease would increase if he purged it not to the bottom Then let vs vnderstand that we do but growe worse and worse vntill that God haue shewed vs mercie And therefore wee must not onely desire him to giue vs health soundnesse and whatsoeuer else our flesh desireth but also to blotte our sinnes and to gouerne vs so by his holy spirit as there may not bee any thing in vs too prouoke his displeasure agaynst vs And this is the cause why Dauid and the other holy Prophetes when they felte themselues beaten and tormented at Gods hande did not say onely Lorde deliuer mee from this affliction True it is that they desired that too but first of all they desyred God to forgiue them their sinnes and to be no more angrie with them And why spake they so For they sawe well from whence afflictions come howe that they be the
it is sayde in the sixtenth Psalme Lorde my goodes cannot come at thee Howe then But I honour thy sainctes that are on earth Forasmuch as God can receiue no benefite by vs he commendeth our neyghbours vnto vs and when we do good to such as are in necessitie lyuing freendly and vprightly among men and indeuering to imploye our selues faythfully where we be able to help and succour God accepteth suche things as sacrifices So then lette vs remember this doctrine where it is sayde that we cannot bring any thing vnto god For it serueth to abate all pryde in vs to the intent we might not thinke that God is any thing beholden to vs nor be led vnto foolish superstitions to gad vp and downe and to doo many things of no valewe as though God tooke pleasure in them And why For wee can bring nothing at all to him But we muste also apply this doctrine to the present intent of Eliu which is that God is not like mortall men whiche are moued and touched And why Bicause they haue neede one of anothers helpe and cannot set lyght by other mens force Thus ye see what the cause is that wee bee mooued and caryed to and fro But there muste no suche dotages enter into oure heade concerning God for hee behaueth not himself after our maner nother can we do him any good Contrarywise also it is sayd that if we sinne wee can hurt him by it True it is that when wee off end God we do as much as in vs lyeth impeach his rightuousnesse and by that meanes he is very ill delt withall Therfore when we sinne wee are blamewoorthy no lesse than if wee hadde impeached the maiestie of god VVee knowe what is the rule of rightuousnesse which he commaundeth vs wheÌ„ we go contrary to that it is asmuch as if we would barre him from reygning plucke him out of his seate and as it were trample him vnder our feete Of al these things are men giltie but yet cannot God be either increased or diminished in himself Therfore let vs marke well that by our sinning we hurt not god Neuerthelesse as touching them that blaspheme God true it is that when they spew out their venime therby they deface his glory according as it is sayde that his name is euill spoken of his glory diminished when we acknowledge him not to bee good rightuouse and wise by confessing it before men And so is his reygning diminished howbeeit in respect of vs And not in respect of himselfe But in the meane season what do we by sinning when we haue done neuer somuch we cannot do him any anoyaunce Let the best archer in the worlde shoote vp and see if hee shall hit the skie VVhen wee haue practized all that is possible can wee come at God Can we by any meanes touche him No surely But which more is all that we cast vpward must fall downe vpon our owne heades If I shoote at a man and hit him I wound him but I cannot hit God as I sayd afore VVe may well runne casting of stones and we may wel shoote bothe with bowes and gunnes but yet shall God bee alwayes farre ynough from the dinte of oure strokes True it is as I haue already sayde that wee may well barke but wee can neuer byte VVhen men caste vp theyr blowes where lyght they Shall they passe aboue the skies No. But they shall fall backe vpon their owne heades And so men cannot auaunce themselues agaynste God but too their own coÌ„fuzioÌ„ Thus ye see a text here well worthy to be noted VVherein Eliu sheweth that if we do amisse we can do God no hurt at all by it And thervpon we haue a double instruction to gather The one is that God sheweth a singular and infinite goodnesse towards vs in that it pleaseth him to accepte our seruice although hee receyue no profite by it and that the same touche him not at all Marke that for one And this ought to be vnderstoode in one word But forasmuch as there be some ignorant persons heere it is requisite to declare it more fully Yee see then that God might reiect vs without making accounte of any of vs And why For as I haue sayde lette all the world streyne it selfe as muche as it can and yet shall wee not bee able to do any thing that can profit our god And yet notwithstanding hee telleth vs that if we indeuer to do good and to walke in his commaundements our dooings are acceptable sacrifices vntoo him Nowe is it not a singular comfort that he gyueth when he sayeth I accept your doings and although they be not worthy to be estemed at my hande yet I take them in good woorthe and bind my selfe to you as if I were beholding to you for it Is it not a souereyne goodnesse when God doeth this of his owne accord Then let vs learne to magnifie the mercie of our God for accepting our works wheras they deserue it not nor he on his side is any thing bounde by theÌ„ Also let it serue to incourage vs to do well when wee see that God receyueth the thing at our hande whiche is nothing woorthe and putteth all the poynts of our workes as it were into articles in his bookes of accounte for that they be acceptable to him thorough his owne goodnesâ—e And in good soothe is it not an inestimable goodnesse of our God such a one asought to rauishe vs into woonderment when wee thinke vpon it VVee see then howe graciouse he sheweth himselfe towards vs And â–ª on the other side wee muste consider the other poynt that it sette downe here which is That do we neuer somuch euill we can not burt our God. Therefore lette vs assure ourselues that God will not punishe vs for our sinnes by reason of any spyght he beareth vnto vs nor for that he desireth to bee reuenged as a man doeth when he is offended For when a man hath any wrong doone him so as hee is harmed in his owne person or hindred in his goods he will seeke to bee reuenged God I say is not moued with such considerations VVherefore then doeth hee threaten vs Bycause he will not haue vs perishe he sheweth the fatherly regard which he hath of our welfare and in the meane whyle if he punishe vs indeede therin he sheweth his iustice For in this cace there is no going too lawe with him as if he had some priuate quarell to vs but he punisheth vs as a iuste iudge according as his office nature do afford Then seing that our God proceedeth after that manner what haue we to do but to consider his fatherly loue when hee chastyzeth vs For by that meane hee draweth vs backe from the waye of damnation wherein wee are Therefore when we feele his hande how rough soeuer it be let vs alwayes consider that he sheweth himselfe rightuouse VVhat is to be done then but onely to truste in him and to
bicause wee haue no settlednesse but are tossed with vnquietnesse yea euē with boyling vnquietnesse so as we would haue God to make hast according to our fancie If he do not things as we imagined in our minde it seemeth to vs that all things are forlorn and past recouerie bicause we vnderstand them not For so long as we think but vpō our selues it causeth vs to be out of pacience and there is no obedience at all to be founde in vs and therefore so much the more doth it stād vs in hād to put this doctrin in vre So then whē we see al things in hurlyburly so as God seemeth to haue shet his eyes and to haue turned his back vpon vs let vs vnderstand that it is bycause of our sinne Yet neuerthelesse let the same confyrme oure fayth and let vs bee quiet assuring our selues that it is Gods office too inioyne vs silence vntill conuenient time bee come yea and vntill hee knowe it too bee conuenient For it is not for vs to binde him to the stake and to say this thing must be done after this manner and that thing after that But we must learne to repose ourselues in God and then shall all pryde bee beaten downe so as we shall thinke all Gods doings too bee good ryghtfull and iust although they seeme straunge to vs at the first sight Thus yee see what we haue to marke in this texte Nowe Eliu addeth that Gods present visiting or punishing is not in his anger and that hee knoweth not in multitude greatly Truely this text is somwhat hard but the playne meening of it in effecte is this That although God do nowe shewe himself rough and sharpe yet notwithstanding if we knew how dreadful and terrible his wrath is we would say it is none of the things which wee see in this world And why For hee will not examine things to the vttermost Hee searcheth not things too deepe he doth but only passe ouer them and as it were with a glaunce as men terme it Heereby Eliu ment to shew that when we be afflicted to the vttermoste so as God seemeth to thunder in suche wise vpon vs as if he would ouerwhelme vs it behoueth vs to consider what his wrath is and that if hee would vtter it too the full it were able to destroy not only some one man but also a hundred thousand worlds yea and to consume them vtterly and to bring them to nothing Yee see then whervnto we be brought by the holie ghost Furthermore it is a verie profitable admonishment too assuage the afflictions that God sendeth vs For what causeth vs too think that we be tormented out of measure It is bicause that to our seeming God could not do worsse and we can not offend God more on our part than when we cōceiue suche an opinion of it So then according to that which I haue shewed let vs learne to cōsider what Gods wrath is that is to say how dreadfull it is And although hee shewe himself very rough towards vs yet notwithstanding let vs assure our selues it is not the hundred part of that whiche we should feel if he would execute such rigor vpon vs as we haue deserued Seing thē that we may know that gods wrath is suche as is able in one minute of an houre to destroy a hundred thousand worlds and that neither mē in earth nor Angels in heauē should be able to abide it but heauen and earth and al that else is besides shuld be melted away like snow yea and be brought vtterly to nothing we ought to humble ourselues notwithstanding that god deale sharply with vs and send vs very rough punishmēts Much more thē ought we stil to be pacient seing that god spareth vs bereth with vs And in good sooth haue we not cause to giue him thankes seeing he vttereth not his wrath against vs as wee are worthie Is it not a sufficient matter to giue vs heart and to cheere vs vp throughly in the midst of our afflictions when wee consider and can say in our selues true it is that I am as good as ouerwhelmed and it seemeth to be Gods will that I shall vtterly perish but yet is his rigor nothing so great vpon me as I might feele it if he had no respect of my feeblenesse For as muche then as my God beareth with me I will trust in him and not ceasse to seeke him for hee giueth me still some signe that I may haue entrance too come vnto him Behold I say howe we haue cause rather to blisse God in our afflictions when wee knowe that he beareth with vs. And therewithall also we be taught to trust in him seing that he openeth vs the gate to the end we might still aske him forgiuenesse of oure sinnes and beseech him to haue mercie vpon vs And therfore let vs wey well these words of Eliu when he sayth that Gods present punishing is nothing in respect of his wrath wherefore we must not say what The miserie is great and I can indure no more It is certaine that if a man haue an eye to Gods wrath and compare it with all that can be indured in this world he shall finde that in verie deede all that can bee layde vpon vs heere is nothing to it Now seeing that all is nothing and that God searcheth vs not with extremitie but passeth ouer vs lightly and as you would say glauncingly so as he maketh a countenance to trie vs but examineth vs not straightly bycause wee bee not able too beare it let vs learne to restreyne our murmurings and if oure fleshe prouoke vs to impaciencie as we be ouermuch giuen vntoo it let this remedie serue too correct that vice Howe nowe wretched creature what intendest thou too doe VVilt thou spight thy God Thou seest that hee beareth still with thee thou haste prouoked his wrath so sore as thou mightest well deserue to be rooted out of the world a hundred times thou art worthy to bee drowned in the deepe of hell and yet thou seest that he maketh his sunne to shine vpon thee hee nourisheth thee with his breade and maynteyneth thee in this presente lyfe at his owne charges Thou arte not worthie to bee in the number of the workes which he hath created and yet he giueth thee respite still to returne vnto him VVhen we thinke vpon these things wee haue wherewith to comfort our selues that we might not be too much cumbred with impaciencie Thus in effecte yee see the doctrine that wee haue to gather in this texte And heerewithall let vs marke that although our Lord do not nowe visit vs in his wrath nor examine things to the vttermost we must not thervpon fall a sleepe for the great day will come wherin nothing shall be forgotten As nowe God winketh at things and punisheth not the wicked they take libertie as thoughe they were scaped out of the iudges hande and should neuer yeelde an account but they shall paye
deare for the time when they shall so abuse his pacience which woulde allure them vnto goodnesse by giuing them respite to amende Seing then that the wicked do so mocke at God horrible vengeance must needes fall vpon their heade in the ende and that shall be at the great day Furthermore if God spare vs let vs not ceasse too bee watchfull and if hee chastice vs and beate vs with his roddes let vs alwayes consider howe terrible his wrath is and therevpon conclude that hee doth but summon vs And why Too the ende wee should preuent his last iudgement Therefore let vs alwayes thinke vpon the great daye and not tarie till wee bee taken tardie with the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christe but let euerie of vs condemne himselfe when God stirreth vs therevnto Furthermore let vs alwayes beare in remembraunce that God is oftentimes myndefull of mercie in the middes of his displeasure and that the same is the cause why hee examineth not the great multitude of oure sinnes For how great is the multitude of oure sinnes I praye you if euerie man would examine himselfe as he ought to do should he not finde an infinite number of sinnes in him yea and of so heynous offences as would vtterly dismay him But the cause why we consider not the greatnesse of our sinnes is our hypocrisie which hindereth vs and keepeth our eyes blindfolded But if a man would examine himselfe throughly hee shoulde finde him selfe a hundred thousande times confounded before hee came halfe too his wayes ende For God seeth muche more cleerely than wee doe VVhen we haue spyed one fault God wil spie out a hundred thousande yea euen of millions what shall the heauenly Iudge doe So then let vs marke that God forbeareth vs of his owne mercie to the ende he would not trie vs in the multitude of oure sinnes that is too say not search vs to the vttermost And Eliu sayth expresly here in multitude greatly or in great number to signifie that it were impossible that any creature shoulde stande out if God of his goodnesse did not spare them and continually abate the rigoure of the punishmentes which wee haue deserued by our sinnes And heerevpon as I haue sayde alreadie wee must needes thinke that there is a farre other iudgement than can bee perceyued in this worlde howbeeit wee knowe it not as yet and God beareth with vs And when wee bee come to the lowlynesse too condemne ourselues and to craue forgiuenesse at his hande let vs not doubte but that when wee shall appeare before his iudgement seate at the latter day all our sinnes shal be wyped out there and let vs vnderstande that the examining of vs which hee doth nowe put vs to in part to the end he may not examine any thing at al at the latter day and that the remembrance of our offences may bee so abolished as they may not come to account before him but that we may bee receyued there as rightuous as thoughe there had bin nothing in vs but al innocencie and soundnesse Ye see then that it behoueth vs so to apply this doctrine to our vse as we may learne so to walke in hope as wee may alwayes goe forwarde to the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and also profite our selues when wee see that oure Lorde sheweth vs tokens of his wrath and vengeance as at this present Alas what calamities are to be seene through the whole worlde And wee might say that God is vtterly alienated from vs if wee had not his doctrine to fense vs withall Surely when wee doe throughly consider the outrageous iniquities that reigne euerie where it appeareth playnly that God beareth with the worlde and proceedeth not with suche rigour as men haue deserued Therefore let vs learne hereby to returne vnto him with the better heart not doubting but hee will receyue vs And besides that let vs holde our thoughtes and affections fettered and brideled And for as much as Eliu hath here condemned al wicked thoughts wandring wordes and false ymaginations let vs beseech God first to clenze our heartes from all the wicked fancies wherein we bee too much intangled and therewithall to bridle our tongs that we may not vtter any thing but to his honour according to the request which Dauid maketh saying Lorde open thou our lippes that my mouth may set forth thy prayse So then wee haue good cause too praye God so to gouerne both our myndes and our tungs that all our thoughts and wordes may be to his honour For if Dauid who was so holie a Prophete needed to craue this at his hande what had we neede to do which are so euill taught Seeing it is so let vs bee well aduised that whensoeuer wee thinke of God wee esteeme him good wise and rightuous in all respectes and that when so euer wee speake of him it maye bee too call vpon him and to yelde him thankes for his goodnesse which he maketh vs to feele in these dayes wayting till wee bee filled with it to the full Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to touche vs so to the quicke as we may learne to returne better vnto him with true repentaunce so bethinking vs of oure life paste as wee maye amende it heereafter and henceforth learne to giue our selues wholly too his seruice in following his holie commaundementes as they are shewed in his lawe whereby wee ought to rule oure whole life And so let vs say Almightie God oure heauenly father wee acknowledge and confesse c. The Cxxxix Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxxvj. Chapter ELiu spake againe and sayde 2 Heare me and I vvill argue vvith thee for yet haue I vvordes to speake of God. 3 I vvill extend my knovvledge a farre off and proue him to be rightuous vvhich made me 4 My vvordes shall be voyde of vntruth and the perfect of knovvledge shall be vvith thee 5 God being mightie yea being mightie in strength of mynde enuieth not or reiecteth not 6 He quickneth not the vvicked but giueth iudgement to the afflicted 7 He vvill not turne avvay his eyes from the rightuous THey that had heeeretofore vphild that God leaueth no sinne vnpunished in this world are beguiled as hath bin declared more fully alreadie And sure we see that God reserueth the punishment of many faultes to the ende to make vs looke the further For if he should as now execute a full iudging wherin nothing were missing we should haue no occasion to hope for the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ he shuld haue no more to do in iudging of the world for all would be done afore hande So then Gods punishing of sinnes in this world is not at all times nor all after one rate It is ynoughe that hee gyueth vs some tokens and markes that he is Iudge of the world The like also is perceyued in mainteyning the godly It is said that
bycause they be common among vs VVhat is the cause why we esteeme not Gods doings to be a myracle but for that wee bee inured to them by custome I see it raine verie well I am not moued a whit at it by cause it is an ordinarie matter to me But surely it is a villaynous vnthankfulnesse that whereas God doth dayly woorke a myracle we should be as it were dulled thereby and not thinke vpon it any more So then although raine haile the rising of tempests by the order of nature be ordinarie things yet let vs not forbeare too marke well all those things and to consider by peacemeale how our Lord layeth forth the infinite treasures of his power and maies 〈…〉 to the end to be honored at our hands Thus ye see what wee haue to beare in minde Howbeeit before I passe any further it might be demaunded too what purpose Eliu alledgeth these things seeing he reasoneth of a farre other matter which is too shewe that God is incomprehensible in his dooings and that men must not presume to striue against him nor too mainteyne their owne quarelles as though they were rightfull and that God were cruell in afflicting them This seemeth to be nothing at all too the purpose But I haue resolued this question alreadie Onely I will say a worde of it sleâ—ghtly to renue the remembraÌ„ce of the thing that hath bin spoken heeretofore at length VVhich is that the inferior things are set generally heere afore vs to make vs mount vp higher to Gods secrete incomprehensible iudgements VVhen we see the raine the clowdes the stormes and the hayle surely they be naturall things as men terme them they serue for this â–ª transitorie life and they concerne the worlde and things here beneath Yet notwithstanding we be so coÌ„founded by them as we be inforced to reuereÌ„ce the maiestie of god For when wee shall haue inquired how it is possible for those things to be done our wittes fayle vs and there remayneth nothing for vs but to humble our selues before god Now if these small and lowe things compell vs too honour God and that our infirmitie bewrayeth it selfe therein what shall become of vs when we fall to mounting aboue the Clowdes yea and aboue all the Skies and when wee come too the euerlasting purpose which God holdeth there as it were hiddeÌ„ in himself Then if it come too that point I pray you what shall become of mennes wittes They may well flitter and fiske about but a man may sooner breake his necke a hundred thousande times than attaine vnto god Ye see then what the manner of Elius teaching is heere For by these things which seeme small bycause custome hath made them common among vs â–ª he sheweth that God in his highnesse ought of duetie to be honoured at our handes for wee shall neuer comprehende what he is And why VVe comprehende not what the Clowdes are but our wittes misse of that For we see it is no striuing in this behalfagainst Gods doings Shall I go set an order in the Clowdes to say it must not bee so or so that it is but a tale of a tubbe that the raine is ingendred of the vapours of the earth â–ª that the Sunne draweth vp the things heere beneath after that maner by the heate of his beames Shal we say I stoppe God from dispozing all things according to the order which he hath set in nature Alas that were too damnable an outrage euerie man will graunt that Now seeing that our weakenesse sheweth it selfe in these small things which are ryfe and commoÌ„ and which God setteth before our eyes for yet neuerthelesse wee knowe that it behoueth vs too fall down there before God to worship him and to confesse that our vnderstanding is nothing at all specially sith it comprehendeth not the things that wee see day by day much more reason is it that we should brydle our wittes and reyne them short when wee come too his secrete determinations and iudgements which hee executeth not euerie day and which are not so common and ryfe among vs And why so For it is a diuelishe pride when a man wil mount so high and therefore he must needes fall into so vtter ruine as he can neuer get vp againe Then let vs kepe vs from this statelinesse of desiring to rise vp against God namely in his secrete determinations whiche surmount the whole order of nature and all the things that we are able to comprehende by our vnderstanding This is in effecte the thing that Eliu looked at and amed at Nowe by the way let vs marke for an ende and knitting vp that whereas it is sayde that God executeâ—â— his iudgements and giueth men abundantly wherewith too liue It is to the ende wee shoulde knowe that all the order of nature is in Gods hande and that the ayre is not gouerned by it selfe nor the raine commeth at the appoyntement of the Sunne How then For we see contrarie effects Beholde water drowneth men and sweepeth them quite away and againe it mainteyneth them Yee see heere two contrarie woorkings nourishment on the one side and wasting on the other so as God destroyeth and ouerwhelmeth all â–ª Both these twaine we see and what is the cause thereof but that God ouerruleth things from aboue So then let vs learne too magnifie God in this that wee see him applie his creatures too such vse as hee thinketh good Furthermore when on the one side wee see his rigour seeing that hee myndeth too punishe our sinnes wee ought too consider that therein hee sheweth himselfe a Iudge to the ende wee shoulde condemne our selues before him and flee for refuge too his mercie forsomuch as he vttereth the treasures of his goodnesse and sheweth himselfe liberall VVhich thing hee doth at such time as he declareth himselfe to haue a care of vs by sending vs prouision by the Clowdes wherby he maketh the earth frutefull to the ende it should yeeld vs sustenance VVhen wee see this on the other side let vs bee satisfyed with the goodnesse of our God too put our whole trust therein and to rest therevpon concluding that sithe hee sheweth himself a father in the cherishing of our bodyes which are but fraile carkesses much more reason it is that seeing he hath fashioned vs anewe vnto his owne glorie we should not doubt but he is charie of our saluation and that he sheweth himselfe a father in that more than in all the rest This is it that we haue too marke in this streyne where we see that God as nowe applieth his creatures to his owne pleasure vsing them on the one syde as Roddes to execute his iustice and on the otherside making them to serue our turne euen by imploying them too releeue the necessities of this present lyfe Therefore let vs beare all these things in minde that wee may bee taught in his feare both to reioyce and rest in his goodnesse and also too settle our
nurrisheth vs in whose hand we be and which wexeth not old that hee might haue neede of vs he giueth vs innumerable good thinges and we consider not somuch as to yeelde him his due prayse now seing we be so lewde and froward neede there any other witnesses than the Storkes to condemne vs howbeit for asmuch as God strayeth here longer vpō the Estriche lette vs come to that which is spoken of it Behold sayeth hee the Estrich mocketh both the horse and his Rider This serueth to shew the nimblenesse that is in that great birdbeast for it is half a bird of the ayre and half a beast of the earth and hee hath such a weightie bodie as he can not mount vp to flie aloft but flickereth in such wise as hee cannot bee outgone A man may well runne poste after him but hee cannot ouertake him For what with his halfe leaping vppon his Clees and what with his halfe flying with his winges he passeth all the swiftnesse that can bee in horses or in any other beastes Marke that for one poynt And the same swiftnesse is matched with pollicie so as those beastes can take vp stones by the way and throwe them at such as follow after them Thus see yee two things in this Birdbeast on the one side foolishnesse howbeeit matched with aduisednesse in gathering vp stones as he runneth and in casting them backward at such as pursue him This I say is one wonderfull thing that is to be seene in Estridges On the otherside there is such foolishnesse in them that if they may once hide their heads they thinke that all their bodies are hidden and yet the huge carkesses of them are seene still And as touching their egges they sitte not vpō them but for asmuch as they keepe in whote countries they hide them in the sand and the Sunne giuing warmth vnto them doth by that meanes hath them If a mā consider on the one side the sorecast of these Birdbeasts in defending themselues and on the otherside their foolishnesse in hiding their Egges shall hee not see a wonderfull worke of God in guyding all after that sort Furthermore whereas mention is made of the strength and swiftnesse of this Birdbeast lette vs vnderstande that in those things it surmounteth vs VVe may well make our brags but the Estriches go beyond vs in that cace Marke this for one poynt that men must not set so much store by themselues as they haue beene wont too do for God will sende them backe continually too these examples which serue too mocke their foolish boasting On the otherside when wee see that these Birdbeasts which haue strength and nimblenesse yea and policie also in other things are so fond in one poynt that they shewe nother wit nor skill ought not wee to glorifie Gods goodnesse towards vs For who hath giuen vs more vnderstanding than the Estridges haue Haue menne gotten it by their owne power Is there eyther Gold or Siluer that can buy such a marchaundize Then let euery man acknowledge how much wee bee bound vnto God for giuing vs such discretion and lette vs beare in minde that it behoueth vs to yeelde him his due prayse Thus ye see what Gods meening is in this text Also whereas it is sayd that God hath bereft the Estrich of wisedome let vs vnderstand that it is too warne vs that in asmuch as wee haue reason and discretion wee bee so much the more bound vnto God for giuing vs so inestimable a benefite and priuiledge For what a thing is it too discerne betweene good and euill and too know what is our duetie not onely for walking in this worlde but also to attayne to the euerlasting lyfe what a principal thing is it that we know how God hath created vs after his owne image and prepared our heritage for vs aboue Seing then that wee haue the skill too discerne betweene honestie and dishonestie and betweene vice and vertue and that moreouer God doth so inlighten vs by his holy spirite that the heauens are after asort opened vnto vs and we passe aboue the world to come to the companie of the Angelles and to the endlesse glorie which is purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ in asmuch say I as wee haue all this how much ought wee too make of such a treasure And by the way who is he that giueth it vs For as I haue erst sayde wee should bee lyke these foolishe Birdbeastes that are spoken of heere and wee shoulde haue no more witte than the Estriches but that God prouideth otherwyse for vs Thus then yee see howe men ought too bridle themselues and too apply all their wit and reason too the honoring of God and not aduaunce themselues any more agaynst him But the cheefe thing is that they muste obey him and consider that there is infirmitie still in themselues and that it is ynough for them if they can in some small quantitie discerne the greatnesse and heights of Gods workes and that in creeping vpon the earth they go foreward still with all hūblenesse and modestie knowing well that they cannot as yet atteyne too the depth of Gods secretes And that is the thing which I touched at the beginning for the better confirmation of this texte namely that God on the one side intendeth too make vs perceyue his goodnesse to the ende wee should haue no cause too be greeued or to be out of patience as though he had giuen a better state to the wilde beasts than to vs and yet neuerthelesse to the intent to humble vs wee see our serues in such plight by reason of the corruption that wee caught by sinne that the beastes do passe vs in some respects and particular poynts True it is that wee shall alwayes bee preferred before the beastes and bee placed in higher degree aboue them Yea and whereas we haue not so great strength and nimblenesse as the beasts haue the same is to our profite that is to wit too humble vs withall for otherwise wee would neuer bee tamed VVe see that although wee be put in minde of our weakenesse by many things which wee behold yet notwithstanding God is fayne to complayne of vs that we be like wilde beasts as hath bene sayde And which woorse is an Oxe will know his owners cribbe where hee is fedde and an Asse or a Horse will know his maysters stable but we will not know our maker to be short he can by no meanes tame vs Therefore it is good for vs that wee haue not such force and strength as the wilde beastes haue for what a thing were it how could we be delt withall Moreouer by the way let vs alwayes beare in minde that wee must haue recourse too the number of benefites that God hath specially bestowed vpon vs and not vpon the beasts according as it is sayde heere of reason and vnderstanding Howbeeit lette vs not simply consider the reason that is common in all men but let vs also