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
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
VVelspring VVee must be fountaines or VVelsprings of liuing water and vvhat is ment thereby 126. a 22. 127. a 10 Pryde is the VVelspring of all our disordered dealings 541. a 35. VVelth VVorldly welth and prosperitie shal not defende men from the hande of God. 677. b 9. VVhale The VVhale and the description of him 800. b 52. 801. a b. 802. a b. 803 a b. Proofes of Gods mightie power wisdome and the rightuousnesse in the VVhale 801 b 40. 802. a b. 803. a b. VVhoredome VVho so suffereth VVhoredome to bee committed is a baude before God. 581. b 30. VVicked and VVickednes All men of all degrees are VVicked if God restreyne them not by his holie spirit 675. b 32. The VVicked are Gods seruauntes tooles and instrumentes vvherewith hee serueth his owne turne iustly and rightfully and yet their VVickednesse can not bee fathered vpon him 36. a 45. 37. b 24. 38. a 1. The more that God bereth with the VVicked the more do they hardē in their sinnes 547. a 23. The VVicked can not do any more or any othervvise than God permitteth them 36. a 38. 37. b 41. 322 b 35. The VVicked is to bee condemned for his VVickednesse hovv so euer his state standeth 87. b 88. a b. and so forth All the wicked vvant three thinges 505. a 32. VVhy the VVicked are sayde to bee planted 87. b 30. The VVicked perisheth before hee be full ripe 314 a 2◠VVhy the wicked are suffred sometimes vnpunished 405. a 2. VVhy God giueth the wicked their full scope in this vvorld 767. a 1. Though the VVicked be not troubled yet are they not throughly in quiet bicause they haue an euil conscience 518. a 50. Though God spare the wicked for a time yet he suffereth them not to scape altogether scotfree 812. a 50. God neuer fauoreth the VVicked 165. a 30. God is an enemie too all VVicked folke in generall ▪ 797. a 60. God ouertaketh the wicked in their owne vvyles 75. b 10. 99. a 41. The wicked shall at length bee confounded ▪ 767. a 41. 316. b 53. VVhy God destroyeth the VVicked 198 a 18. The VVicked come not willingly to the Lord. 508. a b. If VVicked men escape vnpunished in this world their iudgements is the greater 512. b 27. The ende of the VVicked 87. a 27. 378. a 41. An admonition too the wicked 512. b 36. The VVickednesse of these present dayes 90. a 19. VVickednesse increaseth vvhen it is not resisted 478. a 52. VVill. The VVill of God is the fountaine of all rightuousnesse 243. a 19. Gods only VVill is vnto vs a sufficient reason of all his doings 803. a 43. If we enter to deep into the serching of Gods VVill and works it vvill turne to our destruction 809. b 14 Gods VVill and mans VVill cannot stand togither and why 695. a 20. VVilfulnesse VVilfulnesse of opinions is extreme follie 674. a 46. VVilfulnesse is a deadly plague 129. b 20. The malicious VVilfulnesse of man. 289. a 41. VVinke VVhen God VVinketh most at our sinnes then stande wee in worste case 691. a 9. Though God VVinke at thinges for a time yet in the ende he will call for an account of them 534. a 2. VVisdome The VVisedome of God is infinite 95. a 12. God hath all perfection of vvisdome in him 526. a 4. God is vvise after two sortes 238. b 46. 243. a 38. VVhat is our true VVisedome and wherein it consisteth 87. a 60. 89. b 10. 95. b 15. 219. b 53. 421. a 35. 526. b. 26. 659. a 49. 660. a 42. 692. a 32. 788. a 48. 789. a b. 814. a 29. From whence vvisedome commeth 101. a 50. 512. a 39. 523. a 60. Gods children must not be without VVisedome and discretion 130. a 59. VVhat is the principall point of mās VVisdome 525. a 54. VVisedome is not tyed to the age nor to the state and degree of calling 620. a 43. If man had the vnderstanding of all thinges that are hidden yet God his VVisdome is farre higher 519. b 52. The VVisdome and strength of mā is but smoke before God. 246. b 1. All the VVisdome knovvledge rightuousnesse and strength of man is nothing before God 755. a 35. A patterne of a vvorldly wise man. 101. b 2. VVorldly VVisdome is foolishnesse 101. b 23. God punisheth the pryde of such as trust in their owne vvisedome in inferiour things 521. b 50. God blindeth the wise euē in vvorldly thinges much more in the secrets of his Gospell and therefore wee ought not to bee offended when vve se the vvise of the vvorld haue no tast of the Gospell 335. a 22. 38. VVishe VVe may VVish for nothing vvhich we ought not to pray for 100. b 40 Man is tempted to vvishe his ovvne vndoing 514. a 51. VVit. VVee must not trust too our owne VVit and why 695. b 32. Hee that proudly presumeth of his owne VVit robbeth God of his honor 522 a 11. God will punish such as apply their VVits to naughtie purposes 522. a 16. The cause why the Papists and heretikes stand so stifly to the Articles that are in controuersie betweene them and vs is for that they trust more too their owne wit than to the scriptures 696. a 4. VVitnesse The vpright and such as are no hipocrites refuse not euen the VVitnesse of men concerning their giltlesnesse 329. b 5. VVoman VVomen are not to be despized 55. a 47. The naturall kindnesse of VVomen toward their children and vvhēce it proceedeth 784. a 41. Gods VVoorde or the Scripture Gods VVord is a consuming fire 395 b 15. Gods worde must be our only direction 86. a 60. Gods vvorde is the Armour and vveapon of Christians 31. a 17. Gods worde is not darke of it selfe 637. a 11. The Maiestie simplicitie and easie plainnesse of Gods word 753. b 18. 772. b 18. The Scripture applyeth it self to our capacitie 38. b 18. God goodnesse in shewing him selfe to vs by his word and the vse and end thereof 741. a 18. The authoritie and obedience that must bee yeelded of all states and degrees to Gods worde 329. b 26. 540. b 1. 627. a 15. 628. a 51. 631. a 20 Gods shewing of him selfe in his word is farre excellenter than his shewing of him self in his vvorks 741. b 11. VVhat maner of thing the Doctrin of Gods word is and howe it differeth from other Sciences 660. b 57. The vvorde without the working of Gods spirite is but a deade thing 810. a 19. They that reiecte and refuse Gods word are vvorsse than the Papists 738. a They that disdeine to learne at Gods vvord are worsse than brute beastes 661 a 45. VVherfore many take no profit by hearing Gods vvorde 253. a 60. Hovve we ought to behaue our selues vvhen wee see Gods worde so little receiued 291. a 20. VVee ought to bee desirous of Gods worde and why 70. a 43. The profite of Gods worde when it is rightly applyed 486. a 47. VVhat is to be done that wee
too walke simply to whome God hathe not giuen so great abundaunce than for suche as haue a great raunge The cace is like as if a man were in some little boate and in some small riuer It is like ynough that hee might bee tossed and it is like ynough that hee might rushe against some stub or against some banke of the riuer but hee is not in suche daunger as hee that is in a shippe on the middes of the sea where the waues and stormes are farre more violent Euen so say I stands the cace betweene the poore and the rich For surely so long as we be in thys worlde we rowe vpon the water where wee may bee tossed with tempestes and rushe agaynste some thing and euermore be in daunger Thus are the poore as it were on a little Ryuer but the ryche are as it were on the middes of the sea so as they hardly can scape synkyng in some whyrlepoole or other Now then if there be no excuse for the rych sorte what shal become of those to whome God giueth the meane too holde themselues in simplicite VVe see therefore that here is a generall lesson to serue for all men aswel great as small and that it behoueth ech man to benefit himselfe by the example that is set here before our eyes But yet herewithall the vertue of Iob is right commendable for wee heare the iudgement of our Lorde Iesu Christe how it is right hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Not for that riches do of themselues hinder vs from seruing God as I haue sayde but it hapneth through our naughtinesse and corruption that where as it becommeth vs to take occasion to be drawen vnto God by the benefits which he bestoweth vpon vs we be the further drawen backe from him VVherefore we see that Iob was a man of wonderfull vertue seeing that in the midst of such riches he had not his eyes blyndfolded to conceiue any pride in his hart so as hee should tread other folkes vnder his feete or forget God or become a dissolute vaine and pompous person but hilde on his race whyche he had begon Lo here the vertue that was commendable in him And this is done to the end that if wee can not attayne to be full equal with him yet euery one of vs shuld looke to himselfe and goe on forward to the marke that is sette afore him Furthermore we see also that riches of themselues are not to be condemned as some fantasticall persons surmise who hold opinion that a riche man can not be a Christian For let them fynd me any of the pore that may be compared to Iob in this vertue and then let thē condemne riches But when a mā shal haue sought throughout all the poore men in the worlde hardly shall hee fynde one that shall come any thing neere thys man Seeing then that the case is so lette vs marke that riches of themselues and of their own nature are not to be condemned and specially that it is a great blasphemie against God if a man find such fault with riches that he thinketh the partie which possesseth them to be vtterly mard For from whence come riches but from God Therfore when a man condemneth them hee setteth hymselfe agaynste god And further it behoueth vs too marke that God must nedes work farre more maruellously in a rich man than in a pore man as I haue sayde afore For I haue alreadye shewed the difficultie that a man hathe to mayntayne himselfe in simplicitie and vprightnesse when hee hath abundaunce of goodes Then had God neede to vtter a singular force of hys holie Spirite to preserue rich menne from corrupting of themselues But if a man despyze suche a grace of God doth hee not lyfte vp hymselfe agaynst God Hereby then we be warned not to cōdemne Ryches in them selues lyke also as we see howe our Lord Iesus Christe hath shewed vs by matching the poore and the rich togither in the kingdome of heauen when hee speaketh of Lazarus in sainct Luke He sayeth there that the Angells caried Lazarus For albeit that hee was an outcast among men a poore creature of whome no account was made in somuch that he was forsaken of all men yet neuerthelesse behold how the Angells carie his soule into Abrahams bosome And what was thys Abraham A man rich both in cattell and in money and in houshold and in all other things sauing houses and lands for those were not lawfull for him to haue bycause it behoued him to tary Gods leysure till he gaue him the land of Canaan to inherite True it is that he purchased a burying place but he had not any inheritance notwithstanding that his mouables were very greate Therfore when we see the soule of Lazarus caried by Angels into the bosome of Abraham who is the father of the faithfull wee perceiue that God of his infinite grace and goodnesse calleth both riche and poore to saluation And vnto this purpose maketh that also whiche S. Paule sayth namely that God wil haue al men to be saued For he speketh of kings and princes who of ordinarie do missebehaue themselues in their greatnesse and can not find in their harts to stoup vnto God yea it seemeth to themselues that they be no mortall men and yet God picketh out some of them to himselfe will not haue al to be lost and to perish Thus ye see what we haue to marke Yet for all this the rich mē must not flatter themselues but rather know howe they stand as it wer vpon yee where they may soone slide and that they be as it were among thornes so as it behoueth them to looke diligētly to themselues for being pricked Lo how eche one of vs ought to be touched with carefulnesse to cōmend our selues vnto God that we may walke according to his will. And vpon this saying That Iob had seuen sonnes and three daughters I note how it doth vs too wit that God had sent his blissing vpon him to make him prosper by all meanes And as I haue touched heretofore we shal herafter better see the cause why al this is expressed and the intent of the holie Ghost that is to wit that it was an incomparable vertue in Iob to beare paciently Gods taking away of all the things which he had put into his hand And it is very wel declared also how his children behaued themselues and how he himself also on his part gouerned thē in the feare of god And this is done to the end that we should vnderstand that when God afflicteth vs he sheweth by effect that he can dispose of hys creatures at his own pleasure and that although we be at our wits ende and see not the reason why God handleth men so roughly yet it becommeth vs to cast downe our eyes and to confesse that he is rightuous and to wait hys leysure vntil he discouer vnto vs the cause why he disposeth
was a commendable thing so to do Forasmuche as hee knewe that he ment not to finde faulte with the thing that was good but sought for the remedie that if any faulte laye hid vnder it it myght please God to amende it as if hee shoulde say Of good reason ought we to craue pardon at Gods hand to the end he may supply our infirmitie VVe see then after what maner Iob proceedeth here and also after what maner wee muste proceede And furthermore let vs marke that Iob in cōmaunding his children to sanctifie themselues hath shewed the maner of the bringing vp which he gaue them in their childehood that is to wit to serue God If it had bene simply sayde that Iob had sanctified the Lorde a man myght say Very well he was a good man for his owne behalfe but he had no greate regard of his children he did inough for the discharging of himselfe to Godwarde but he hath laide the bridle in the necke of the others But contrarily it is sayd that he commanded them to sanctifie themselues which thing it had bene in vayne and vnauaylable for him to doo had they not bene taught long afore howe they ought to walke in the feare of god And although they were as then men-growen and euery of them had a house of his owne and kept a table by himselfe Yet notwithstanding Iob ceassed not to keepe thē cōtinually vnder some awe Behold here a doctrine very profitable for vs which is that parentes must so guyde their children as God may bee honored of them all And it behoueth vs to marke this doctrine the better forasmuch as we see it is so ill put in vre For in these dayes they that haue children coulde well finde in their harts to haue them taught but hardly shall ye finde one among a hundred that is led with a zeale and affection to Godward How are they led then Euery man mindeth his owne profite Hee may well say I woulde fayne haue my sonne taught but what that if he be of a good wit he may come forewarde that he may make himselfe braue that he maye gather goods that he may come to credite and honour Lo here the respects that fathers haue in their desire to haue their childrē brought vp But where is there a man to be found so well aduised or bent to such simplicitie as to say It is ynough for mee that my childe serue God for I am sure that God will blisse him and make him to prosper and although he bee poore to the worldewarde it is ynough for me that God is his father And God also will render such rewarde vnto the fathers as they haue deserued For they imagine that they haue done very muche for their children when they haue aduaunced them and God suffereth their children to put out their eyes and to bee as hangmen to torment them VVe see it to be so before our eyes and yet they perceiue not howe it is God that chastyzeth them and that iustly And therfore so much the more hehoueth it vs to marke well the doctrine which the holy Ghost sheweth vs here vnder the example of Iob that is to witte that fathers and mothers should holde their children in such awe as they may cause them to serue god And specially this circumstance is not to be forgotten namely that although Iobs children were growen to full yeeres of discretion yet neuerthelesse their father hilde them alwayes as it were vnder awe warning them to aske forgiuenesse of God when they had offended him and to purifie themselues But now adayes as soone as children be ten yeeres old by and by they thinke themselues men when notwithstanding it were meete to gyue them the rodde fiftene yeeres after that they weare the furniture of a man and seeme to thēselues to bee maruelous sellowes for they bee no better but sillie offskoorings and as for to suffer any correctiō or any instruction it is very straunge with them yea they woulde thinke they had greate wrong and iniurie offered them Contrariwise we see what is sayde here But what The fathers are worthie to haue their children disobedidient and stubborne agaynst them VVhy so For meete it is that he which wil be honored should be honorable that is to wit it is requisite that he shoulde shewe cause why to be honored Howe then shall a father purchace himselfe authoritie towardes his children to bee obeyed of them and to keepe them in feare Euen by hauing suche a grauitie and stayednesse in himselfe as his children ought to be ashamed to gaynsay him or to stand agaynst him in any thing But if the fathers shake off the feare of God howe can it bee that their children should obey thern sith that they themselues yeelde not God the honour that belongeth vnto him Lo heere the cause why children shew themselues so loth to bee corrected and why they cannot be kept in awe namely for that their fathers are disobedient vnto god And so it is that both the fathers and the children are condemned heere the fathers for their negligence in not taking heede to bring vp their children in the feare of God and the children for not suffering themselues to bee gouerned by their fathers And heere they haue a goodly example for it is spoken of suche as may saye My father hath kept me in awe as long as I was yong and yet must I still be alwayes vnder the rod Iobs children might haue sayde so But wee see that although they be come to haue householdes of their owne yet are they still vnder the gouernance of their father for in the text it is not sayde that they gaynesayde any thing that he commaunded them as it is reported of the children of Hely but rather that they obeyed him to the ende they myght be parttakers of the sacrifizes which he offered for them This that wee heare then is inough to condemne all these petie roysters which make such a brauerie and carie their crest so high They know not what this awefulnesse in any wise meaneth they are but offskoorings and yet neuerthelesse they will beare the countenaunce of men But wee see here how those that are of age and discretion to guyde a household orderly be hilde still vnder the gouernment and obedience of their fathers Furthermore as concerning this worde Sacrifize it is ment according to the ordinarie custome of the lawe whereby to the intent a man myght be partetaker of the sacrifizes it behoued him to be purisyed that he myght be dewly disposed therevnto And albeit that Iob was not of the countrie where the lawe of Moyses was written but rather by all likelyhood was before Moyses was borne yet notwithstanding it hath alwayes bene a custome among the faithfull that when they shoulde sacrifize vnto God they had some signe of clenzing that is to witte of purging themselues from the filthinesse where with they had bene imbrewed and defiled And this was not inuented
hangman leaue to do what he list VVhen a iudge muste set vpon an offender and giue sentence according as law and conscience will beare will hee say to the hangmaÌ„ I giue thee leaue go do what thou wilt with this man No but contrarywise hee peonounceth the sentence and afterwarde according too the same putteth â–ª the offender intoo the Hangmannes handes too doe execution vpon him Beholde God is the soueraine Iudge of the worlde and doe not wee dishonour hym in saying that hee doth but giue Sathan leaue to doe what he liâ—teth is not this as much as to mocke Gods iustice and to peruert all order Yes out of doubt is it So then let vs marke that when the wicked runne ryot and seeke nothing else but to put al to confusion God is neuerthelesse aboue them guyding and gouerning thinges after suche a sorte as nothing commeth too passe without his Prouidence nor otherwyse than hee hath disposed it And here we see why it is expressely sayde that God wageth them whiche are caryed awaye by their owne ambition or couetousnesse too make warres and too cause all the troubles of the worlde and that hee entertayneth them in his seruice For hee termeth them his seruauntes My seruaunt Nabuchodonozor sayeth hee And what maner a one was Nabuchodonozor Firste and formoste hee was an idolater and secondly a wicked caytife that desired nothing but too sheade mannes bloud and too turmoyle the whole worlde as muche as in hym laye There was neyther equitie nor vprightnesse in hym and yet notwithstanding God auoucheth him to bee his seruant And in what wyse Hee muste not onely permitte him or giue him leaue for it were a beastlynesse to talke so and if Asses coulde speake they woulde behaue themselues more reasonably than those that pretend themselues to bee wyse after that sort Nowe then wee see howe God executeth his commaundementes and ordinances so Yea but he erewithall lette vs beare in mynde that the euyll can not by anye meanes bee fathered vppon hym Sathan muste beare the blame styll for his owne naughtynesse and menne are reproued and condemned by theyr owne conscience whiche shall bee theyr iudge and GOD shall bee gloryfyed in all that hee doth And howe is that VVee knowe that all thinges oughte too bee esteemed according to the intente and ende that men ame at Let vs nowe consider after what sort God guydeth and gouerneth the thinges that are doone heere beneath It is true as wee haue seene alreadye that Sathans desyre is nothyng else but too destroye and bryng all thynges too ruyne But God on the other syde intendeth a cleane contrarie ende For all his woorkes are called iudgementes and in so saying the holie Scripture by that one woorde alone meaneth too take awaye all the lewde imaginations that myghte come in oure myndes so as this is as a marke to iustifye all the woorkes of God that is to wit that they be iudgementes and rightfulnesse And for proofe hereof God punisheth such as haue offended And who is hee that is able too pleade against him that hee doth not well moreouer his meaning is too inure his faythfull ones too pacience too mortifye their fleshly affections and to teache them lowlinesse VVhat say wee too these thinges can wee condemne them It is very certayne that we can not Take me euen the wickeddest men that liue and demaund of them whither it bee lawfull for God to chastize mennes sinnes and transgressions or whither it belong vnto him to humble those that are his too exercyse the obedientnesse of their fayth and to tame them to the end they may lerne to renownce the world And they shal bee fayne to glorifye God spyte of their teethe Seing then that God leueleth at that marke it foloweth that all his works are iust and ryghtfull notwithstanding that men do cauill against them True it is that the wicked cease not to grunte and barke against God though they cannot byte him but yet muste it nedes come to passe as Dauid sayeth in the one and fyftith Psalme that is too wit that God shall bee iustifyed or founde rightuouse in iudging It is not without cause that Dauid speaketh so For hee knewe howe there is so ouergreat at boldnesse and naughtinesse in men that they desyre nothing more than to lift vp themselues againste God and to caste foorth woordes at all aduenture Dauid therefore perceyuing such malapertnesse and frowardnesse in the worlde sayeth Verye well true it is that the creatures passe their boundes so far and with such excesse that God muste needes bee blasphemed and put too reproche and his creatures become as his iudges But yet for all that he shall be found cleere VVhen men haue grudged their fill against him in the ende and at the knitting vppe his rightuousnesse will appeare spight of their teeth Then let vs not maruel though there be murmuring against the doctrine for it must needes be so and the holy ghost hath prophecied so beforehand as we see but let vs walke on in singlenesse of mynde and hold our selues coÌ„tented with that which God declareth to vs concerning himself Thus we see how we ought to practise the sayde lesson And therwithall let vs hold fast the comfort that is giuen vs here and let vs fence oure selues with it that is to wit that Sathan and all the wicked folke in the worlde may lifte vp themselues against vs but yet for all that they must passe vnder the hand of God and execute his will. And that shall bee perforce spyte of their teethe but yet it shall be so bycause God hath soueraine preeminence ouer all the world and as well the diuel as the wicked sort are subiecte to him and can do nothing without his consent And here we see why it is sayd againe that Sathan appeared among the children of God before hym For as I haue declared heeretofore Sathan ment not too disguyze himselfe thorough hypocrisie that hee myghte intermeddle himselfe among the Angels But hee is fayne too appeare before God to yeelde an accompt of his doings Not that the thing is do one in some place certayne but the Scripture speaketh so too applye it selfe too oure rudenesse bycause wee conceiue not howe all thinges are presente afore God and that hee is of suche a power and preeminence as nothing is hidde from him VVhen this is vttered vnto vs we must acknowledge that the Scripture applyeth it selfe to oure reason and that it teacheth vs by such meane as is most conuenient for vs and moste agreeable to our vnderstanding God therefore is lykened heere to a Prince that holdeth his Assyses or court whervnto all men muste come before him and there bee iudged And thus yee see why it is sayde that vpon a certayne daye the Dyuell made hys apparance with the Angelles Lette vs marke then that lyke as God sendeth his Angels to guyde vs to be ministers of our welfare so that they bee as it were his
that God would not haue handled him so sharply except hee had bene a castaway And so they tooke suche a conceyte by reason of the excessiue miseries that they sawe in Iob ▪ as they lost their courage to comfort him And here wee see why it is sayde in the Psalme Happie is the man that hath consideration of them that are in trouble Dauid had passed that way as well as Iob. For hee had indured great aduersities in suche sorte as hee was lyke as if hee had bin forsaken of God according as I haue sayde heretofore And a man might say But beholde is it not too bee seene that it was but a fondnesse for him too glorie of his trusting in God and to warrant himselfe that he woulde succour him for wee see the plaine contrarie For asmuche therefore as Dauid was condemned by men vnder the colour that God persecuted him and exercised his pacience in sundriewise hee sayeth Right happie is the man that hath consideration of the afflicted Hereby he meaneth that if wee see any man in anguish for his hard aduersities God requyreth aboue all things that we should not at the first dashe take suche conceyte as to say O he is damned God sheweth full well that hee purposeth to cut him off there is no more hope of him behold he is past recouerie VVe must not bee so rigorous but wee must haue the wit to say verie well let vs wayt what God will do aduersities are common as well to good men as to bad and when they light vppon good men they are not without a cause VVhen God scourgeth them although wee perceyue not the cause wherefore he doth it yet it becōmeth vs to consider that God is rightuous VVee see then that afflictions are common both to Gods chosen people and such as hee holdeth for his children and ▪ also too the castawayes and those that go into damnation But forasmuche as it is not for vs too iudge of it except God hath shewed vs what ende the afflictions shall come vnto ▪ it becommeth vs to holde our verdit in suspence as if a man should say Is this man afflicted very well let vs acknowledge the hande of God and begin to say Alas I haue well deserued as much or more wretched creature looke if thou haue not offended thy God so many wayes as he may punishe thee an hundred thousand folde more than him whom thou seest too indure so much Let vs then aduise our selues to conclude thus Very well I see this poore man is handled very roughly true it is that hee lead a naughtie life and that hee suffereth rightfully but yet we knowe not what God will do with him Lo here the wisedome that Dauid exhorteth vs vnto namely that wee shoulde wayte too see whether God will deliuer those whome hee persecuteth with his owne hande albeit that it be rightfully done Also let vs learne to be fenced agaynst all stumblingblocks that may come in our way that wee bee not troubled when things exceede our imagination and that we be not letted by them to do our duetie continually and that our harte fayle vs not in the middes of our iourney Truely this lesson is hard too put in vre but so muche the more payne ought we to put our selues vnto and God will giue vs the grace to bring it about This is the thing that I spake of at the beginning namely that if we haue a desire and zeale to comfort our neighbours wee must desire of God too furnish vs with the meanes to do it to the intent that whē it commeth to be put in vre we become not vnprofitable like blockes of woode yet notwithstanding it must not be thought ouer straunge that Iobs friends were so astonied considering the plight wherein they founde him for he was vtterly disfigured so as they coulde not know him at the first sight as the text sayeth Vndoubtedly they had such an affection rooted in their hart that when they sawe him so miserable yet they coulde not cease to shewe that they loued him still howbeit that when they knewe him they were vtterly astonished It is consequently sayd That they lyfted vp their voyce and fell a weeping These teares here came not of counterfeytnesse it was a good affection that they had Howbeeit forasmuch as they were abashed by reason of the great miseries that Iob indured wee see they bee so troubled and dashed out of countenaunce as they bee not able to doo their duetie as they meant to do Then to haue some loue to vtter the signes of it is not all that is requyred but this loue must be well ruled to the end we may well serue one anothers turne as God commaundeth As touching that it is sayd that they rent theyr clothes and cast dust vppon theyr heades that they cast themselues vpon the grounde and were seuen dayes and seuen nightes without speaking any woorde therein we see the sayde compassion whereof we haue spoken afore and besides that we see howe their meening was to humble thēselues with Iob as it were to make intercession to Godward to haue pitie vpon him For when the men of olde time did cast dust vpon their heads it was in token of humilitie and acknowledgement of their sinnes And first they knewe that their estate was to say doth God punish vs then let vs bethinke vs of that whiche wee haue forgotten that is too wit that wee bee but rottennesse and a thing of nothing For when men are in prosperitie they make themselues drunken they flaunt it they sore in the ayre and they be not touched with any care But assoone as God smyteth them then they storme and they consider neither whence they are come nor whither they must returne Also the men of olde tyme to the end too bring all this to remembrance vsed the sayd Ceremonie thereby yeelding themselues faultie before God as though they had beene wretched offenders And the thing that is requyred at offenders handes is that they should acknowledge their faults craue pardon yeeld themselues guiltie before God and returne vnto him with true repentance Iob had good occasion so to do and his friendes also could not shew forth their friendship if they had not done the like For we bee bound to take vpon vs the persone of our neighbours too aske God forgiuenesse in their behalfe The greatest reliefe that we can giue to such as are in distresse is too pray God that he will not shake them off altogither But wee cannot by our prayers succour those that are in aduersitie without hauing that which I haue recited that is too wit without keeping of them companie to humble our selues afore God and without cōming to them too mourne with them Dauid protesteth that he did it euen for his enimies and that when he saw them running intoo destruction hee was sorie for them in his hart and shead bitter teares and sighes for them If Dauid haue done thus for his
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
hate our lyfe or for that wee bee weery to bee hilde here bycause wee bee handled ouer rigorously but wee muste beare our lot paciently in wayting Gods leysure to delyuer vs And wee see that Paule holdeth the selfe same measure when hee sayeth to the Romanes Alas who shall delyuer mee from this mortall body For I am vnhappie But yet therewithall hee sayeth Thankes bee to God through our Lorde Iesus Christe Lo heere howe Sainct Paule on the one syde calleth himselfe vnhappie and desireth to bee taken out of the worlde and on the other syde is contented and at reste bycause God preserueth him and hee knoweth that God wyll neuer forsake him howbeit that hee bee subiecte to many miseries VVee see heere his contentation And that wee may the better vnderstande the whole lette vs marke howe Iob hath done amysse in two poyntes That is to witte in not hauing the regarde that hee ought to haue had in desyring death and also in not keeping measure Heere wee see two faultes that are very grosse VVhen I say that Iob had not his eyes fastned vpon the marke that hee oughte I meane that his wyshing for death was not bycause hee sawe himselfe to bee a miserable sinner and coulde not attayne to the perfection whiche all of vs oughte to labour for but bycause hee was weerie of the nipping greefes as well whiche hee presently indured in his persone as which hee had susteyned before in his gooddes And so hee desired death bycause it seemed to him that God pressed him ouersore Thus wee see the firste faulte that I spake of But if wee apply the same to our owne vse it wyll bee yet better vnderstoode and apparaunte If a man searche and trye him selfe throughly and thinke thus with himselfe I am giuen to suche a vice and I fight agaynste it but I can not come to my purpose and the matter is not for one vice alone but I haue two or three that torment mee Surely yet I will not giue my selfe to the brydle neither will I wounde my selfe I feare the vengeance of God and wyll holde my selfe in suche sorte as I bee not vtterly vanquished I see I muste bee muche more earnest in seruing God and in fighting agaynst the worlde and mine owne fleshe as it is verye requisite I shoulde bee for I am hilde backe and hindered by myne owne lustes I saye if a man acknowledge himselfe suche a one after hee hath well examined his lyfe hee sayeth therevpon yea my God I see my selfe in miserable plyght and when shall I bee deliuered out of it For needes muste I beare sinne in me and although it reigne not in me yet doth it dwell in mee And what else is sinne but the Diuelles scepter whereby hee reigneth ouer vs Then am I the bondslaue of Satan and of death O my God muste I tarie euermore in this weerysome plight A Christian man may well haue suche sighes and beseech God to set him free from suche a bondage wherein hee seeth himselfe to bee But if the matter concerne aduersitie we must regard nother colde nor heate nor pouertie nor sicknesse but we must haue our eye onely on our sinnes And specially when God punisheth vs in what wise soeuer it bee wee muste mounte vp higher without any resting vpon the bodily aduersitie and thinke thus with our selues behold the fruites of our sinnes forasmuche as wee haue done agaynst Gods wyll it is good reason that hee shoulde shewe himselfe a iudge towardes vs VVhen wee haue thus acknowledged our sinnes the same worketh a remorse in vs and prouoketh vs to conceyue the sorow whereof S. Paule speaketh And thus muche as concerning the firste poynte But it is not ynough to thinke as afore is sayde that is to wit to wishe death in suche wise as I haue earst shewed but it be houeth also to keepe measure I say wee muste not onely wish it vpon good cause but wee muste also brydle our desire so as it bee ruled by the good pleasure of god And this will bring to passe that the outrage whiche is shewed heere in Iob shall bee restreyned as with a brydle I haue alreadie touched this poynt in the texte which I alleaged out of S. Paule For after he had made his moane and wished to be deliuered out of this prison of death he addeth I thanke my God and hee ceasseth not to bee quyet euen in the midst of those complaynts and longings And why so for hee seeth it is good reason that God shoulde bee the master and gouerne vs at his pleasure and that wee shoulde paciently wayte for such ende as hee listeth to gyue vs S. Paule perceyuing this concludeth immediately that although hee be a wretched sinner yet notwithstanding he is sure that God will guyde him in such wise as his saluation can not miscarie S. Paule thē had an eye to those two things And therefore hee sayeth that hee yeeldeth God thankes notwithstanding that hee bee in miserie Euen so muste wee do And in so doyng we shall not onely be the readier to indure all the miseries of this world for the honour of God that hee may bee glorified bothe in our persons and in our humilitie but also wee shall bee wylling to suffer for our neyghboures as Sainct Paule also sheweth vs by his owne example Hee sayeth to the Philippians that as for himselfe it shoulde bee farre better for him to bee taken oute of the worlde but for youre sakes sayeth hee it is requisite that I lyue bicause I know that you haue as yet neede of my laboure and that God imployeth mee aboute the edifying of your fayth and vnto him do I submit my selfe And afterwarde hee sayeth Although it were for my behoofe to goe hence oute of hande yet am I willing to abyde here still Lo howe Sainct Paule exhorteth all men to submitte themselues in suche wyse vnto Gods pleasure as whyle they lyue in thys worlde they may not onely beare theyr afflictions pacientlie but also bee readie to suffer for theyr neyghbours so as theyr labour may be profitable to the cōmon weale and they themselues do seruice to the Churche of god Thus wee see what wee haue to marke But what This lesson is not yet vnderstode for asmuche as there are very few that put it in vre for if God leaue vs in rest yee shall see vs so blinded with vayne and fond ioy and wee bee so ouersotted as we know neither death nor our owne frailtie any more neither haue we any discretion at all And if God visite vs with any afflictions it needes not to bee asked whether we blaspheme or no or whether any othes passe out of our mouth or no there will be store of misliking of murmuring ▪ and of impaciencie which shall bee full of sturdinesse And when the wind is in that dore with vs how many be there that thinke vpon their sinnes and that grone vnder such a burden and therewithall looke vnto
it please hym too punishe vs wee are readye to receyue his stripes with all meekenesse Loe howe wee ought to deale But there is yet more which is that the faithfull man must enter intoo himselfe acknowledge his sinnes and consider that he giueth continually newe occasion why God shoulde iustly punishe hym So then although wee bee promised that God will mainteyne vs in this worlde as though wee were brooded vnder his wings so as we shal bee there in peace and without anye disquietnesse yet doo our sinnes cause hym to chastize vs and too shewe some roughnesse towardes vs God can not abyde too suffer vs to runne so into decay and if he should leaue vs after that sort at randon without any chastizemente it woulde bee oure vtter vndoing If earthlye fathers marre their children when they cocker them too much it is certaine that we shoulde bee much more marred if God shoulde not chastize vs and shewe some signe of roughnesse towardes vs For as experience sheweth we abuse his goodnesse in all respectes The faithfull therefore acknowledging themselues too offende God without ceasing must also beare in minde that hee hath roddes in a readinesse too beate them for their sinnes and that either to day or tomorrow he can chaunge the prosperitie which they presently enioy and therevppon deale rigorously with them So then let vs marke that we must not sleepe after such a sort but that when GOD mainteineth vs here in quietnesse wee must also haue an eye to that which may betide vs and be alwayes ready to receyue the afflictions that he shall send vs Now let vs come to that which is reported heere that is to witte that Eliphas the Themanite one of Iobs friendes that came too comfort him is entred into talke against him For he telleth him in effect how he seeth too well that the feare of God and the purenesse which he seemed to haue in outward appearance was but hypocrisie bicause hee delte so farre out of square and could not paciently receyue the correction that God sent him But anon after he entreth yet further that is to witte that of force it must needes be that Iob is a reprobate considering that God handleth him so roughly And why so for the good men are neuer smitten with such extremitie Lo heere the first grounde that this Eliphas taketh to reason vppon against Iob. But we must be thinke vs of that whiche I haue declared heeretofore which is that Iob hath a good case but hee handleth it very ill and that his countercompanions hauean ill case and handle it very wel according as sometimes a man may set a faire coloure vpon an euill matter and so do they It standeth vs in hand to mark this for otherwise all the talke that is rehearsed too vs here will be confused Iob as I haue said hath a good case For he acknowledgeth that it is God whiche scourgeth him and although he account himselfe worthie of suche corrections in as much as he is a sinner yet notwithstanding hee is fully perswaded that God looketh not at that and that his sending of so great aduersities vnto him is not in respecte of his sinnes but for some other secrete cause whereof he is not priuie In the meane while he shutteth his mouth and sayth that he can win nothing by pleading against god Yet ceasseth he not to vse muche wandring talke And that is the cause why I sayd that he handled a good case amisse But they that visite him do take an vntrue principle which is that God doth alwayes deale with men in this earthly life according to their desertes Thys saying is vtterly false for we see the plaine contrary and the scripture sheweth it vs and experience serueth vs for another proofe of it But yet the case so standeth as in the meane season they that say so ceasse not to alleage good and holy reasons whereoutof wee also may gather good and profitable doctrin Howbeit for the better vnderstanding of the whole let vs call to remembrance howe it is sayde in the Psalme Blessed is the man that considereth aright of hym that is smitten that is to saye which iudgeth discreetely of hym that is afflicted And what maner of wisedome is that It is too thinke that God will deliuer him in the tyme of aduersitie Thus wee see what the holy ghost requireth of vs if wee will not bee rashe iudges and turne all Goddes woorkes vpside downe VVhen wee see poore men beaten that they can beare no more wee must vnderstande that God is so mercifull as he will succoure them and that it is not to be sayd that hee meeneth to destroy them vtterly To be short if we will bee discreete iudgers of the chastizements and corrections that God sendeth vppon men wee muste wayte for the ende of them and we must not bee ouerhastie to giue sentence at the first dash but we must stay our selues and marke what it pleaseth God to do And according as he sayeth that his displeasure is short and that his mercie lasteth vnto life wee must encline our selues to wayte on the hitherside that is to witte to hope well and to wayte for a good and happie issue Thus we see what wee haue to marke But Iobs friendes remembred not that and that was the cause why they ouershot themselues They see Iob smitten with extremitie and therevpon conclude that God meant to shew in hym an example of a reprobate person and that those thinges had not happened vnto him if hee had not beene a wicked and vngracious person And why so for they conceyued not that which the scripture sheweth vs namely howe it is the propertie of God too succoure those that are his when they be in distresse And the scripture telleth vs not onely that God aydeth the afflicted but also that he draweth those out of their graues which seme to bee alreadye deade Although then that our afflictions bee great and excessiue yet muste wee still hope for Gods helpe whych doubtlesse will bee beyonde all the opinion of man and beyonde all the meanes that we can conceyue And it is not in thys Text onely that the Scripture speaketh so but it is a doctrine very ryfe through out It is sayde that the righteous man not only shall bee shaken but also that hee shall fall seuen tymes a day Then may we fall many tymes but yet shall Gods hande bee ready to hold vs vp so as our fallings shall not bee deadly at leastwyse not too broose vs so sore but that God shall delyuer vs Beholde howe the Scripture speaketh True it is that there bee dyuerse promises whereby it seemeth that God maketh a difference of his owne children from the reprobates and despisers of hys woorde as when hee sayeth that the hardhearted man shall bee tamed by force of strypes lyke a Mule or a restye horse and that GOD wyll not ceasse too beate vppon them wyth greate strokes whyche are so rebellious and
out of it he will cloth vs with it agayne And here we se wherfore S. Paule wheÌ„ he hath sayd that we must grone so loÌ„gas we liue in this world addeth not for that we desire to be vnclothed for wee desire to bee here still beholde wherevnto our nature driueth vs but bicause we knowe there is another better dwelling place prepared for vs wheÌ„ this lodging of ours is once destroyed that God will cloth vs with his own immortalitie bring vs again into our true state And this is the thing wherein we differ from the vnbeleuers and froÌ„ those that haue not tasted a whit of Gods grace Thus we see why it is sayd in this sentence Shall not all their excellency bee taken away with them For if ye do but behold what the present state of men is coÌ„sider what they be in themselues ye must needes conclude that they be brought to nothing by death But we haue the grace of God which is a supernaturall succor to vs in somuche that in perishing we perish not wheÌ„ we be vnclothed we be immediatly clothed againe as I haue sayde already And thus we see why Eliphas addeth Not in wisedome For hee intendeth alwayes to condemne men bycause they be so blockishe as they neuer thinke vpon themselues TheÌ„ let vs marke that it is great wisdome to prepare our selues vnto â—â—ath to passe through it cheerfully wheÌ„ we come at it I say we shall haue profited greatly and be reputed for wise in Gods sight wheÌ„ we shall haue learned this present lesson throughly be able to put it in vre to receiue fruit by it and yet notwithstaÌ„ding we see how euery man shunneth it For it is a melancolike matter in somuch that if a man speake of death euery maÌ„ is greued at it falles into his dumps Neuerthelesse the cace so staÌ„deth that if men set not their mindes vpon it they muste needes ouershoote theÌ„selues in all their deuises in all their coÌ„sultations and all the greatest wisedome that they weene to haue must needes be turned into foolishnesse And wherfore For is there any greater folly thaÌ„ for a man not to know himselfe to what purpose serue all our wisedome discretion but to loke to our selues And so they that thinke not vpon death ne put theÌ„seluesin mind of it ouershoote theÌ„selues as much as is possible for them Yea they coulde finde in their hartes to play the wilde Colts in forgetting themselues VVe see then how it is al one as if men ment to bury all the wit and reason that God hath giuen them Therfore it is not without cause that Eliphas coÌ„demneth men here for dying without wisedome For it is as much to say as although God haue told them wherevnto they must come haue set the Butte before their eies as if he should say Go me thither yet they run astray all their life long know not whither they go And when it coÌ„meth to the poynt that they must depart hence they grunt and grudge at it striuing fighting against God although it boote theÌ„ not to do so yet shew they a furious sturdinesse Thus theÌ„ do we now see in effect what wee haue to marke in this text It remayneth to see the coÌ„clusion that Eliphas maketh here which is that he sayeth to Iob that when he hath turned him on al sides He shall not finde any faythfull man of his sort nor of his coÌ„pany but that he is as a man vtterly forsaken of god Hereby we see that when he spake of men heretofore hee toke them as they are in their owne proper nature that is to wit without hauing any respect too the speciall grace whiche God giueth too those that are his in opening his kingdome vnto him in giuing theÌ„ the hope of saluatioÌ„ in gouerning them by his holy spirite in making theÌ„ to go to a better and an euerlasting life Eliphas then ment here to set meÌ„ downe in their owne proper state and plight suche as they bee of their owne selues during the time that they be separated froÌ„ god And this appeareth in that he sayth to Iob Thou canst not find so much as one faythfull maÌ„ of thy sort or whome thou mayest call thy companion VVhy so For sayth he Anger sleaeth the fooles and Enuie or spite or fretting or choler or moodinesse whiche gnaweth a man like a wilde beaste is the thing sayth he which killeth the witlesse But certesse according as I haue declared already Eliphas doth amisse in applying this to the person of Iob yea and he doth him great wrong in it Yet notwithstanding this doctrine ceasseth not to bee both true and very profitable As how That is to wit that as oft as wee bee chastized at Gods hand wee muste haue an eye to those that haue gone afore vs to see whether they haue suffred the like torments and anguish or no. For if wee see Gods children to haue traced the path before vs it muste not greeue vs to be ioyned with theÌ„ As howe VVe see that the holy fathers which were farre excelleÌ„ter thaÌ„ all other men haue indured aduersitie no men more Now if God haue not spared theÌ„ why should we chalenge more priuilege thaÌ„ they had So theÌ„ as oft as we see that Gods children haue bene beaten with diuers rods and vexed with many miseries greeses we haue wherwith to comfort ourselues and to chere vp our harts For we must alway haue an eye to the end howe God neuer forsooke them but pityed them when they were come to such extremityes So must we also hope that he will doas much for vs Marke this for a speciall poynte Furthermore if wee will haue God to bee pitifull and mercifull vnto vs in our aduersities let vs beware that wee frette not agaynst him and that we kicke not againste the spurre For if wee doo then shall this sentence bee verified vpon vs That anger sleaeth the fooles as if it were sayde that suche as chafe and grinde their teeth against their afflictions shew theÌ„selue to haue profited euill in Gods schole And what shall they gaine by it in the ende It shall be a doubling of their miserie VVheÌ„ they shall haue fomed out their rage against God or wheÌ„ they shall haue spewed out their blasphemies do they thinke they haue wonne their prize by it Alas it may not bee so they deceyue themselues too much For as I haue sayde already it shall be but a doubling of their miserie Lo howe Anger sleaeth the foole Moreouer wheÌ„ they haue a spite at others stand pleading agaynst God for dealing roughlyer with them than with such such what else doth such maner of fretting but make them to pyne theÌ„selues away so as in the ende they perish come vtterly to nought Behold what we haue to gather vpon this text But the Papistes were too too farre ouersotted when they made this saying of Eliphas to serue
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
but also we see howe he guideth and disposeth all things giueth raine and winde and sendeth the cōtrarie also when he listeth And thus much cōcerning this saying of Eliphas Furthermore let vs marke how it is not ynough to yeelde vnto God this honor and soueraintie too dispose of all his creatures at his owne pleasure but we must also consider the ende wherefore ▪ VVhich is that we shuld lern therby to submit our selues vnto him to acknowlege him for our father master See whereat the holy Scripture amed but we fayle therof in two poynts For first and formost we regarde not God whether he raine or whether he make fayre weather we shet our eyes True it is that wee bee glad if rayne come when it may serue our turne but in the meane while we passe not to knowe how it is of Gods sending our minds are so tyed to the earth as they cannot mount vp thither Also when wee haue faire weather so as we see the sunne and are glad of his shining yet notwithstāding we cōsider not how it is god that hath kindled such a Cresset to giue vs light Thus haue we no regarde at all of God whiche is a verye great and ouer beastly vice But let vs put the cace that God come into our thought yet is not that all For there are many that should say God bee praysed for this faire weather but in the meane while they forget all this they neuer remēber to say It is God that giueth vs this faire weather to shewe himselfe a father towardes vs Therfore it becōmeth vs to be like minded vnto him and behaue our selues as his true children and therwithall to bethinke ourselues thus behold how all Gods creatures obey him yet what obedience hath he at our hād Vndoubtedly when we beholde the order of nature it must lead vs to a certen fear of god to the present tasting of his goodnesse to the end we may be giuē vp vnto him wholly dedicated to his obedience Lo in what maner we must practize the sayde lesson which Eliphas sheweth vs heere that is to witte when God sendeth rayne and maketh the water too runne gushing thorough the streetes VVe see also after what maner the holy scripture speketh therof And I haue tolde you already how it is good wisdome to know to what end intēt the holy ▪ ghost setteth down these things vnto vs which is that thereby we may lerne to feare to honor our God to know what maner of authoritie it is that wee graunt vnto him and what maner of soueraintie he hath ouer vs therevpon come to the iustice also too humble our selues vnder the same True it is that Eliphas misbehaueth himselfe in applying this thing too the person of Iob neuerthelesse as I haue said heretofore the doctrine is good of the holy ghost we must not receiue it as the doctrine of a mortal mā but we must say that the spirit of god spake in him therefore no more remaineth for vs to do but to haue the said wisdome and discretion of knowing how to profite our selues in time and place and by that which is shewed vs heere Then let vs not be like Eliphas who wresteth all things to the person of Iob. But when we haue receyued this generall doctrine and confessed the same to be true let euery one of vs arme himselfe with it accordingly Now then we see in effect what is shewed vs heere that is to wit that all the inconueniences wherevnto our life is subiect must be fathered vpon our sinnes and that wee muste not blame neither heauen nor earth nor any other creatures if we prosper not as wee woulde wishe but euery one of vs must condemne himselfe and consider howe we haue the wood within vs which is the fewell that kindleth the fire of Gods wrath and that forsomuche as wee bee giuen to euill euen from our byrth we must not maruell though wee bee subiect to so many miseries and necessities So then if we be troubled in dyuers maners let vs not blame God for it but let vs haue an eie to the welspring that is to wit that our sinnes are the cause of all the inconueniences which wee endure in this world Let vs take heede therefore that we plead not any more agaynst him as we haue bin wont to do but rather let vs yeelde our selues giltie and let vs knowe that he is rightuous in punishing vs to the intēt we may learne to feare and honor him in all humblenesse as becommeth vs Thus ye see what we haue to remember vpō this text wayting till the residue may be layde foorth more fully Nowe let vs cast our selues downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our offences beseeching him too make vs knowe them better than we haue done and aboue all things to holde vs in such awe vnder his Maiestie as wee maye bee touched too the quicke and bee no more so dull as wee haue beene heretofore but may knowe after what maner wee ought too iudge of all his workes and therewithall haue an eye too that which is in them according as hee sheweth it vntoo vs by his worde too the intent that wee humbling oure selues vnder the greatnesse of his Maiestie maye desyre nothing but too glorifie his name in all poynts not onely with our mouth but also in verye deede and shewe that hee is well worthie too reigne ouer vs and that all things both great and small ought to humble themselues vnto him and to honour him That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. The twentith Sermon which is the fourth vpon the fifth Chapter 11 It is in him too exalt the despysed and to bring them to safetie vvhich are vexed at the heart 12 Hee disappoynteth the thoughtes of the vvicked in such vvise as their handes do not the thing that they enterprise 13 Hee ouertaketh the vvise in their ovvne vvilynesse and disappoynteth the determination of the craftie 14 So as at noonetyde they vvalke in darkenesse and grope about them in the ▪ rode day light as in the night 15 He plucketh avvay the oppressed from the svvord from the mouth and from the hand of them that are too strong 16 So is there hope for heereafter for the oppressed and the mouthe of vvickednesse shall be stopped out WHere as it is sayde heere that God exalteth suche as are despised it is a sentence well worthy to bee borne in minde For heereby we be warned too repayre vnto him when wee see our selues so oppressed by the proude as it seemeth that we shall bee vtterly ouerwhelmed specially forasmuche as it is sayde that God plucketh him backe too safetie which is vexed at the hart If wee bee so tormented with aduersities as wee be in extreme anguishe let vs learne to call vpon our
bothe his goodnesse and iustice And why so For by this meanes he calleth men to repentance and afterwarde hee maketh them too feele him too be theyr iudge that they may humble themselues Hee chastizeth them to their profit if their vnthankfulnesse hinder not their profiting Lo what wee haue too remember in this streyne Howsoeuer the worlde go let vs keepe our selues from saying too god And what is man that thou magnifiest him so as thou visitest him a mornings Lette vs not be greeued if God set sure watch vpon vs all no let vs not do so For that is for those to do which woulde haue the brydle layd looce in their necke to runne at rouers to the end that God should not chastize them at all But if it were so what should we gayne by it Let vs put the cace that God did shet his eyes and that he did let vs runne at randon all the feeldes ouer so as wee gaue oure selues to riot he passed not of it what should become of vs Beholde the diuell would ceaze vpon vs and wee should be his pray and he woulde carie vs euen into destruction So then let vs know that there is nothing better for our welfare than that God should haue his eies open continually that he should see all that we do and specially that he should gage the bottome of our thoughts and that wee shoulde not remoue one fingers bredth nor step forth one pace but he should note it marke it assuring our selues I say that it should not be for our profit if he did otherwise Thus yee see what we haue to gather vpon this text And by and by Iob addeth Howe long will it bee ere thou let mee alone and withdrawe â—â—y selfe from mee tyll I haue swallowed in my spittle Heere Iob declareth his passions wherewith hee had bene tempted By the way wee haue to beare in minde what hath bene sayde heretofore that is to wit that Iob felt alwayes some comfort that God forsooke him not for a full doo Iob then sheweth heere after what sort hee was affectioned as in respect of the flesh to the intent his freendes might knowe that he made not so great complaint without cause And the better to expresse the anguish wherein hee was hee turneth himselfe to God bicause hee sees hee shall gaine nothing at mens hands But yet for all that he ceasseth not to regarde men yea euen too much For had he bene well gathered into himselfe and had hee made his prayer vnto God it is certayne that hee had behaued himselfe more quietly and hee had shewed a greater token of fayth and pacience VVhat is the cause that Iob martyreth himselfe in such sort as it may seeme at the first blush that hee is a desperate person It is for that hee hath an eye to the reproches that are offered him and he is not able to beare them to passe them ouer and to haue an eye vnto god And this is it that I sayde heretofore namely that if men come to molest and to sting vs we must not looke vpon that wee muste not cast our countenance thitherwarde but forasmuch as wee perceyue that Satan laboureth too bring vs by that meanes to confusion wee muste come streyght vnto God we must mourne before him and we muste assure our selues that hee will cause vs to feele the auaylablenesse of his chastizements the better that we cannot bee thrust out of the way as when men were the marke that wee ame at But yet neuerthelesse Iobs purpose in this streyne was too expresse the vehemencie of his affection the better by turning his talke vntoo God as if hee had sayde VVell ye vnderstand nothing at all I see yee perceyue not the spirituall battell wherevntoo God hath put me and therefore I must talke to him that is my iudge To bee short it is all one as if Iob had sayde This that I speake is no counterfeyte stuffe but it is as if God himselfe were heere And hee sayeth as hee had touched afore that his lyfe was nothing but vanitie in so muche that God ought to take himselfe awaye from him vntill hee bad swallowed in his spittle according as wee may saye too take his breath Heereby Iob meeneth that God pursueth vppon him ouer roughly and it seemeth that hee woulde pleade agaynste God as hee hath done heeretofore But I haue tolde you alreadie that hee dooth but expresse the passions of the fleshe And truely whensoeuer God giueth men the grace too frame themselues vntoo him and too beare their crosse and afflictions paciently it is not in suche wise as they should bee altogither without feeling it is not that they shoulde bee vnmooueable and vnprofitable when men trouble them and torment them But it is too the intent they shoulde fully settle themselues to beare all this with pacience and that they shoulde conclude It is meete that my God should haue the maysterie and that I should frame my selfe too his lure and therefore yeelde my selfe ouer vnto his good pleasure But howsoeuer the worlde go none is is able to do it without incountering Iob then expresseth heere his owne pasâ—ions in suche sorte as hee felt them in the meane while Gods grace is as it were buried for the tyme not that it was vtterly quenched for as I haue sayde God vphilde him But it will come too passe that when the firste passions assaulte the faythfull they shall as a man woulde say be harried away in suche maner as it may seeme that God gouerneth them not any more and that they play the horses that are broken looce Nay but it is as if a man were vpon a horse and very well yee see the horse flingeth and kicketh and doth all that he can to escape and to runne ouer all the feelde but anone the man that is handsome can tell well inough howe too tame him hee will reyne him vp with the brydle and bring him too a good pace Euen so is it with vs that wee shall oftentimes bee caryed awaye headlong by our ouerheady passions but yet for all this God will not let vs alone so but will rather reyne vs vp and drawe vs too him according as we shall see howe hee worketh towardes Iob. But as it hath bene declared heeretofore it is true that wee may well alledge vnto God the frayltie of our lyfe when wee woulde obteyne some mercie and releefe at his hande But Iob speaketh heere excessiuely as a man that is out of his wittes and knoweth not to whome hee ought to direct his woordes Euery faithfull bodye will lightly say Lorde my dayes are nothing but vanitie and smoke therefore haue pitie vpon so miserable a creature This request is good and holy God accepteth it in good woorth bycause we be taught by his holie spirite to speake so But Iob steppeth to him after an other fashion and with another maner of style Howe my dayes sayeth he are but
Therfore if God scourge vs and sende vs afflictions we must blame our sinnes for it Thus ye see in effect what wee haue too make heere And moreouer that which hee addeth serueth yet further to confirme this present matter that is to wit That if our beginnings be small God will increase the more and more This is added for the nonce that men shoulde not measure Gods grace by that which they perceyue For here ye see what the cause is that maketh vs faint harted and too haue a slender hope namely bicause we haue an eie to the worldly meanes and thervpon make our cōclusion what shall become of vs Beholde if a thing be in such state or such such a thing or such a thing shall be the meane of it and we consider not that it is easie for him to helpe vs we are of opinion that the thing is vnpossible Now then we see howe the holy Ghost ment too correct the frowarde iudgement that is in vs in that we imagin of Gods grace after our owne capacitie and by that which we are able to see Contrarywise it is sayde that God hath wonderfull meanes and incōprehensible to vs to augment that which seemeth to be very small and notwithstanding that wee were as good as at deathes doore so as it might seeme we should neuer be plucked out of our miseries yet shal God well finde some good way out of them This cannot bee perceyued at the first his intent is also to bring vs lowe to the ende we may learne to flee too him for refuge For what would become of vs if that were not How should our fayth be exercized If we make our reckening to say that God wil worke according to that which we conceiue by the inferiour causes of this worlde wherein shall Gods power be knowne wherein shoulde his sayd grace be so wonderfull as to make vs amazed at it As in deede it is sayde in the Psalme that when God guideth his in sauing them it is as it were in a dreame and the matter is so straunge that euerie man is astonied when hee beholdeth that which was not looked for So then let vs marke well that when our sinnes shall haue sent vs downe to the bottomlesse pitte so as wee may thinke our selues vtterly shette vp in despayre wee must fight against oure owne vnderstanding and conclude that God can well skill to increase the things that are small For as the scripture saith it is his office and peculiar propertie to cal that which is not as though it were too the ende to giue vs a newe beeing which wee haue not Lo what wee haue to gather of this streyne Nowe to giue authoritie to his talke Baldad sayeth Aske the yeares of olde time and despose thy selfe too inquyre of the fathers VVhereby hee dooth vs to vnderstande that the thing which hee hath spoken is knowne to bee true by all experience of long time Inquyre sayth hee not onely of them that liue at this day but of those that are departed long ago Searche from age to age and thou shalt finde that God neuer reiected such as come vnto him and that their expectation was neuer superfluous nor vnauaylable verely if they sought him without dissimulation And afterward he addeth VVe are but of yesterday we are vnskilfull for our dayes are but a shadow But the fathers will answere thee and speake in the strength of their heart that is to say in suche wise as thou shalt haue a full resolution and a stedfast ground and reason which shall not come from the tip of the tongue but from a well foreconsidered vnderstanding VVhen Baldad speaketh here of the fathers no doubt but hee meeneth the former experience of all times as wee haue touched already and he speaketh not only of the old mē that liued at that time but also of suche as were alreadie dead A man will perchaunce demaund how it should be done was it possible for Iob to go too bee instructed at their handes The answere is easie namely that it is not ment of the men but of the things that had bene done in the time of them accordingly as their stories do witnesse vntoo vs Beholde Baldad ment to say thus I bring thee not an vncouth doctrine for when thou shalt haue made a long back search euen from the creation of the worlde thou shalt finde that God hath alwayes wrought after the same maner that is to wit that so soone as men haue returned from their iniquities God hath reached them his hande and the gate of saluation hath beene opened vntoo them this sayth he shalt thou vnderstande Also this instruction is verie profitable for vs namely that wee must not shette our eyes agaynst that which God sheweth vs and hath shewed vs in all times of the world but rather we must consider the things that haue beene done in former times that wee may applie them too our owne vse True it is that as men giue themselues too vanitie they cannot gather their wittes vnto them to applie them to such a studie except God compell them therevnto And heere yee see the cause why Dauid protesteth that when he was afflicted hee called too remembrance the former yeares of olde time and bethought himself of them And therefore wee must lay this for a grounde namely that wee bethinke vs well of Gods workes and not onely of those which wee haue seene in our owne time but also of that which hath beene reported to vs of olde It hath alwayes bin Gods will that there should be stories to the ende that the remembrance of things might be preserued by that meanes And notwithstanding that men take pleasure in reading of stories yet is it but a vaine sporting of themselues bicause they applie not the matters of all former times too their instruction whiche are a true schoole to teach vs to rule our life For there we beholde Gods iudgements there wee beholde howe he hath assisted such as fled to him for succour and specially howe he hath confirmed his gracious goodnesse insomuch that although all men were faythlesse yet hee reserued some men to the knowledge of his truth howbeit that the full time was not yet then come To be short if our eies were cleare and cleane not so dimmed as they be we should see that Gods workes are a deepe sea and bottomlesse pit of wisdome Then if we minde to bee well setled in good doctrine let vs learne not only to looke a foot or twain before our nozes as men say but also to stretch out our wits to that which happened before we were borne And aboue all things we ought to bee moued so to do forasmuch as we see it hath pleased God that there should be as it were a glasse wherein wee might beholde after what maner he hath in all times preserued and mainteyned his Church since the worlde was made by strengthning the good men to fight agaynst all assaultes and
God as in respect of himselfe did punish men without cause For as I haue sayde afore that were an vniuste Tyrannie But hee taketh these woordes without cause in respect of that whiche we perceyue And herein it is included that wee must reuerence Gods iustice Although it be hidden and ouercast with darke and thicke cloudes yet must wee beleeue that there is nothing but right and indifferencie in it And although that to the seeming of our naturall reason wee finde no iustice in God but rather that his iustice is as it were transformed into vnrightuousnesse yet must we glorifie him neuerthelesse Thus yee see what Iob ment by saying that hee was wounded without cause that is to wit as if a man shoulde haue demaunded of him knowest thou any euident cause in thy selfe why God punisheth thee I see none For Iob was handled after a very straunge fashion VVee haue seene howe hee was as it were a mirrour of a castaway and howe it might seeme that God was minded too vtter all his anger and wrath agaynst him Iob therefore sawe not too what ende God did this there was no reason in it as too his knowledge That is true for hee speaketh not in hypocrisie And in deede God did it not in that respect he punished not Iob as who shoulde say hee was a wicked man and therefore ought to be punished more than other men VVherefore did he it then It is bycause the Diuell accuseth him that he had neither vprightnesse nor soundnesse in him and God ment that he should come to the trial and that men should knowe what ▪ a one he is Gods intent then was not to punish Iobs sinnes in like measure as he had offended For in the meane while he spared many ▪ wicked men and dealt not so roughly with them And so we see now that Iob blasphemeth not at all when he sayth that god woundeth him without cause for as muche as the woorde is ment simply as he speaketh it that is to wit that he knew not any speciall cause why God punisheth him so according as of truth he knew none But out of all doubt if God should vse all the rigour that were possible agaynst a man that were like the Angels of Heauen and walked in all soundnesse and perfection I say if God should vtter all his rigour agaynst him yet shoulde hee be iust and rightuous still Yea verely and yet were that without cause True it is that if we take counsel of our own braine if we discusse the cace as it commeth too our owne fleshly vnderstanding wee shall say it is without cause But without any inquisition or without running a heade it behoueth vs to conclude that forasmuch as God is rightuous he knoweth why he doth it VVee see no cause but yet must we glorifie him Lo in what plight Iob was And he addeth That God giueth him not respite too take breath but feedeth him with bitternesse Here Iob sheweth that besides that his miserie is great and excessiue it doth also holde on still and the chiefe piece of his temptation is that God feedeth him with bitternesse that is too say that he filleth him in such wise with anguish as he cannot finde so much as one little scrappe of his goodnesse too refresh him with that he may take courage And here ye see yet better howe God doth now and then cast his seruants euen to the bottom of their graue And it is a thing that we ought too marke well For there is not that man of vs which shall not finde himselfe sore combered when God turneth his backe vpon vs or if we perceyue him to haue a terrible countenance so as he shewe himselfe to be as it were angry with vs For then alas euen the boldest and most aduenterous are so quayled as they see nothing but death before their eyes Howe shall wee doo then who are yet so weake and feeble So muche the more therefore doth it stande vs in hande too marke well these textes that is to wit that when God not onely hath giuen poore creatures some signe of his anger but also holdeth them locked vp there so that when they woulde take winde and drawe their breath in hope to haue some little smack of his fauour to alay their grieses withal God commeth on still to increase the miserie Seeing that Iob hath bin in such extremitie why should not we be so to ▪ Therefore whensoeuer we be in any meane aduersitie let vs prepare our selues to receyue grieuouser when it pleaseth God to sende them vntill that he haue remedied all our miseries Thus ye see what we haue to mark vpō this text But Iob bewrayeth himselfe more openly anon after in saying If ye speake of strength who is like vnto God If the matter must come too iustice who is he that can summon him Or who can find any matter that we hold plea with him as if we stoode vpon euen grounde with him There is none at all I conclude then sayth he that God consumeth the righteous and the vnrighteous all togither There are two wayes for vs to recouer our right when men shal haue taken ought from vs that is ours for wee go about it either by force or by way of iustice Princes mainteyne theyr quarelles with bloudshedde and priuate persones woulde do as much if they might be suffered Alwayes they woulde begin by way of deedes and hardly can they withhold them selues from it what punnishment so euer be prepared for them And there is also the ordinarie meanes of Iustice Iob taketh both these things here as if he shold say True it is that I find my self tormented with extremitie and yet notwithstanding howe shall I withstand my God For if I fall to violence what shall I gaine by it I am no egall match for him If I go to it by waye of Iustice will he receyue me who shall take vpon him as Iudge or vmper betwixt vs whereat shall I beginne my plea To be short I see that God consumeth both the righteous and the wicked This talke seemeth yet more straunge than that which we haue set downe howbeeit if wee looke well into it we may after a sort make them both one which thing will be verie good and very fit to serue our turne VVhereas Iob sayeth there is none that can match God in strength nor that can holde plea with him in law bicause he will not be so much at comaundement he meeneth not hereby to impute vnto God such a lawlesse power as to do what he listeth and to deale vniustly True it is that we ought to aske none other reason at Gods hand than his own good will but yet therwithall we must hold it for a certaintie that Gods will cannot be otherwise than iust rightfull no though we see it not to be so but rather the flat eōtrarie Here then Iob taketh his ground vpō that which I haue discoursed afore that is to wit
sentence wherein it is sayde Thou wilt she we thy selfe maruellous against mee But Iob passed measure that is certaine hee sheweth heere that he was tempted of an outrageous passion For hee sayth thou wilt shewe thy selfe maruellous whereby he declareth and confesseth that for his owne parte hee was vtterly dismayde and thought it verie straunge that God should scourge him so But wee must beware that hee be not maruellous to vs after that sort True it is that when we perceiue Gods maruellous and secret dealings we may well be so abashed as to say Alas Lord we see our own weaknesse and rudenesse in that we thinke the workes of thy hands to be strange But what for that Thou shalt enlighten vs by little and little vntill wee bee come into thy Sanctuarie VVe haue one foote there alreadie truly we are but at the curtins we see thee but aloofe but the time will come that thou shalt giue vs a more familiar knowledge And therfore let it not greeue vs that God should haue his secretes in such wise which surmount our capacitie But yet doth this amaze vs for a man may alledge and howe so doth not all our welfare and happinesse consist in the knowing of God and of his will Yes verely so farre foorth as is expedient for vs But let vs marke that God hath giuen vs a way to know him which is conuenient and fit for vs He could well giue vs the full and perfect light at this day but he seeth it is not for our profite and therefore he giueth vs but a certaine portion and he applyeth himselfe vnto vs And therefore let it not greeue vs to haue this knowledge of God as yet by measure as it is giuen vs in the scripture and to waite till he haue bereft vs of this mortall body and specially till he haue wholly reformed our myndes that they maye bee no more so wrapped in these worldlinesse and earthlinesse and specially in the sinfulnesse that procedeth of the sinne of Adam And by and by for a finall concluzion Iob declareth wherein God shewed himselfe maruellous againste him that is to wit In â—â—at he will â–ª renue his stripes and fall to chaunging True it is that the Hebrew word whiche is put for Stripes woundes or plagues signifieth as muche as Records witnesses or witnessings not without cause For the plagues which God sendeth vpon men are as it were witnesses brought forth against them and proofes that God maketh too bring things to knowledge But in this place Iob speaketh of Stripes woundes or plagues whereby he meeneth the chastizements that God had layd vpon him Therefore he saith they were renued in so much that he had newe chastizements layde vpon him This is a thing wel worthy to be noted For although we find Gods working to be straunge to our vnderstanding yet notwithstanding there is nothing that hindreth vs more from the knowledge of Gods rightuousnesse than this temptation doth That I say is the thing wherein men find themselues most hindred True it is that as oft as any man alledgeth any piece of scripture to vs which is not to oure lyking the same greeueth vs and by and by we fall to arguing against god But specially weshewe our stubbornesse when we be smitten and beaten by the hand of God and we can not be brought to confesse that God is rightuous in all his chastizements Behold say I a thing whervnto we can not be made to agree And so yee see why Iob hauing spoken of Gods wonderfull working addeth Thou doublest thy plagues against mee But for as muche as this matter can not bee discoursed at length to daye let vs marke that there is nothing else for vs to doe but to flee vnto God praying him to giue vs such a tast of his word as we may quietly receiue whatsoeuer is conteyned in the same and yet that whensoeuer it shall please him to vse rigour towardes vs he will so moderate his roddes that although he make vs feele the smart of them yet we may not cease to haue recourse vnto him as to our father to the ende he may alwayes receiue vs as his children And nowe let vs kneele downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs knowe them in such wise as wee may not anye more bee blinded with hypocrisie or with pryde or with the fonde follies whereof oure heades are full but that being vtterly ashamed we may always haue recourse to the remedie that is giuen vs which is too embrace the redemption that is purchased vs by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that we knowing the same to bee the onely meane whereby wee may bee reconciled vnto God may come to it with assured trust that hee will heare vs And therewithall that it maye please him so to ayde vs with his holie spirite as he may make vs to walke in the feare and obedience of him vntill he shall haue restored vs fully and that there remayne no more sinne and corruption in vs That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also too all people and nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignorant soules from the miserable bondage of error c. The â–ª xlj Sermon which is the fourth vpon the tenth Chapter 18 VVhy haste thou broughte mee out of the vvombe O that I had dyed before any eye had seene mee 19 That I had bin as if I had neuer bin and that I had bene caryed from the vvombe to the gâ—raue 20 Shal not the portion of my dayes come sone to an end Let him vvithdravve himselfe quickly that I may take my breath agayne 21 Before I go into the countrie of darknesse and into the shadovve of death â–ª from vvhence there is no returning agayne 22 Intoo the darke countrie vvhere there is nothing but darknesse euen thicke darknesse vvhere there is nothing but disorder and vvhen it shoulde shine there is but darkenesse WE must call to mynde what was spoken yesterdaye concerning Gods chaunging of his plagues that is too witte that when God scourgeth men hee hath diuers meanes to doe it and when hee hathe vsed one kind of correction hee hath another alwayes in store Therefore let vs not thinke we be scaped his hand when hee hath deliuered vs from some one trouble but let vs prepare our selues till it please him to shew vs mercie For beholde the only meane to set vs at rest is to stand in Gods fauour Otherwise hee will make vs feele that which is contayned in the song of Moyses namely that he hath diuers sorts of chastizementes in his cofers and storehouses But in the meane whyle wee see that Iob beeing sore pressed desireth God to put him to death out of hande VVee haue seene the same sentence heeretofore And heere hee confirmeth his matter therewith as if hee shoulde say it is not without cause that I wishe
so seeing that God persecuteth mee so sharply as I haue no cause nor respite by any meanes but am vtterly confounded And whereas Iob sayth Wherefore haste thou taken mee out of my mothers wombe no doubt but he sinned in so saying For it is a poynt of vnthankfulnesse in men not to acknowledge them selues verie much beholden to God in that hee hathe made them and fashioned them notwithstanding that they liue neuer so miserably in this world And is it a small thing that God hath put vs into this worlde to reigne therein to haue the fruition of all his creatures to beare his image heere to knowe him to be our father yea and to fynd him to be so by experience Ought we to hold skorne of such an honoure as he doth vnto vs VVe see then that Iob is not altogither to be excused when hee wisheth to haue bin caried from his mothers wombe to his graue or rather not to haue bin borne at all True it is that he made not this conclusion to rest fully vpon it but that he bewrayeth the passions wherwith he was moued although he consented not to them But the popish doctors say that that is no sinne but so to say is a great beastlinesse in them They holde opynion that if a man bee prouoked in himselfe to vengeance or to robberie or to any suche other things the same is no sinne so hee reste not vppon it ne fully purpose it in hys heart but rather they esteeme it as a vertue bycause they say they bee suche battels as a man outstandeth Verely they graunt that before baptim it is sinne so as if a Turke or a heathen man be tempted to do euill he is forthwith giltie before God But they say that all suche sinnes are so scoured oute of vs by baptim as wee rather deserue prayse afore God for not consenting to suche temptations than to bee esteemed as sinners and to haue done amisse But as I earst sayd it is to brutish a bestlinesse For to whome dothe God speake when hee sayth that men muste loue him with all their hearte and with all theyr strength Speaketh he not to the Iewes who were of his Churche And dothe not the same belong vnto vs at his day Is it not a rule common to vs all If we be bound to loue God with all our strength and with all our mynde and on the other side if it bee so that looke with howe many lewde affections wee bee combered so many striuings and enmities we haue against the loue that we owe vnto God wee must needes conclude also that they bee as many sinnes or else that it is no sinne at all too rebell against God and too haue transgressed his commaundements Ye see then a thing against nature True it is that our sinnes are not layde to our charge but yet it enseweth not therefore that wee bee not worthy to bee punished before God were it not that he of his owne meere goodnesse doth take vs to mercie Let vs vnderstand then that when so euer oure fleshe tempteth vs vnto euill although there be no resting or determining vppon it yet may God iustly punish vs neuerthe later he of his owne free goodnesse spareth vs so as the same commeth not to account Iob therefore did amisse And on oure side let vs know that God may cal vs to iudgement and account if we haue a temptation that doth but make vs to swarue a little and although we bring not the same to effect nor be ouercome of it yet are we alreadie gone astraye and it behoueth vs to confesse our faulte but yet notwithstanding it behooueth vs also to settle oure selues vppon the free mercie that God graunteth in forgetting and buriyng all those things And nowe let vs come to Iobs talke Hee sayth Wherefore hast thou taken mee out of my moothers wombe Verely if wee looke no further but to the lyfe of man wee shall alwayes be fayne to come to this prouerb whiche is common among the heathen or at leaste wyse among the most part of them namely that it were good for men neuer to bee borne or else to dye out of hande They that haue reckned the miseries and inconueniences whereto we be subiect whyle we liue heere by lowe haue thought how now It were better for men neuer to be borne For what else is the beginning of their life but weeping and wayling The little babes before they haue any vnderstanding doe shewe there is such a seagulfe of miseries in vs as it is a pitie and terrour to beholde and afterwarde as we growe in yeares so doe our miseries increace in number and quantitie Therefore it were better for men that they might neuer be borne and if they must needes bee borne it were good for them too dye quickly that they might haue no long iourney to make And this talke hath partly some reason howbeit it is not without vnthankefulnesse And why so For although the miseries bee innumerable wherewith men be oppressed yet must wee wey them in the balance with the honoure that God doth vs in making vs Lords ouer his creatures to haue dominion ouer them heere below as his childrē whome hee maketh to feele him as a father towardes vs and morouer bycause his setting of vs here in this world is to aduaunce vs aloft that is to witte too the heauenly life wherof he giueth vs some perceyuerance and feeling afore hande If this be throughly knowne surely it ouercommeth all the miseries and troubles that can happen to men in this worlde And thus yee see why I sayde that this sentence namely that it were best for men not to be borne at all might seeme to bee grounded vppon some reason and yet it was not without vnthankfulnesse For wee must not forget what God giueth vs to recompence it withall But so farre off is Iob of cōming to that point that hee had leuer not to haue bin borne at all And why Bicause he was so combered his minde was so amazed his harte was so seazed and forepossessed with griefe as hee could not consider that God had neuerthelesse created him after his owne Image that hee had kepte him in the worlde as one of his children and that hee made him tast of the euerlasting life whervnto men are allured Iob could not come to that poynt And why His hart was so closed vp with sorrowe as hee had none eye but too his miserie And therefore lette vs marke well that if our afflictions bee greate wee are alwayes subiect to this fault whiche Iob bewrayeth in himselfe whiche is that wee forget Gods gracious benefites and that althoughe wee bee put in remembrance of them yet wee finde no taste nor sauour in them they touch vs not to our comfort or to asswage our sorrow that wee might take breath to say Lord although I be beaten by thy hand and that it bee to heauie a burthen for me to beare yet notwithstanding I
sinnes and so wounded with the inwarde conceyte of his iudgements as we may desire nothing but that he should take vs to mercie and receyue vs vnto him not onely to forgiue vs our sinnes past but also to amend in such wise for the time to come as we may walke in his obedience howbeeit that the same walking must not be to the ende to pay him with our merites and workes and to make vs returne into his fauour and too beseech him to gouerne vs in such wise by his holy spirit as we may continually call vpon him and sue too him as to our Father And nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the presence of our good God and father with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him that his making of vs to feele them may be to amende vs in such wise as we may not desire any thing so much as to come nearer and nearer vnto him vntil we be come thither in full perfection And so let vs all say Almightie God and our heauenly father we knowledge c. The .xliij. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the .xj. Chapter 7 Shalt thou finde God in seeking him Shalt thou finde the full perfection of the almightie 8 It surmounteth the heigth of the heauens vvhat vvilt thou doo It is deeper than the bottomlesse depthes hovve vvilt thou comprehend it 9 The vvydenesse of it is broder than the Earth and the largenesse of it is greater than the Sea. 10 VVhen he moueth himselfe to shet vp or to leaue out vvho shall let him 11 And seeing hee knovveth that men are vaine and seeth that they be of no force shall hee not perceyue 12 That an emptie man is indued vvith hart and a man is borne like a vvilde Asse FOr asmuch as it is no easie matter for vs to conceyue howe too humble our selues therefore ye see how God standeth the more vpon this doctrine too the ende we may haue so much the more occasion to put the same in vre Yesterday wee sawe that if God punish vs we must not replie agaynst him for in the ende we shal find that he hath borne with vs alreadie â–ª and that he might of right vse greater rigour towards vs And if he heare vs not it is bicause our sinnes haue separated him from vs and we are vnworthie to bee heard but are forgotten at his hande by reason of our sinnes according as it is sayd that the wicked shal gain nothing when they thinke too haue their recourse vntoo him as in verie deede they go not too him vnseynedly And as for the good if God heare them it is not oute of hande or at leastwise hee suffereth them not to perceyue it bycause it is good that they should be meekned After the setting foorth of this article that it is not lawfull for men to iustifie themselues before God now in generall it is sayde that we labour in vaine if we go about to seeke out his wisdome VVhy so For it ouerreacheth the Heauens it is deeper tâ—an the bottomlesse pittes and the wydenesse of it stretcheth through all Let vs haue an eye to our owne measure Beholde howe man who would ouerreach the whole earth needeth no more than sixe foote too couer him Man is desirous to inclose the whole sea in his imagination and in the meane while hee himselfe is nothing He would fayne surmount the heauens and howe shall hee come thither Hee woulde gage the bottome of the depthes and what meanes hath he to do it withall Neuerthelesse let vs put the cace that mans minde is able to stye aboue the heauen â–ª and that nothing could be hidden from it yet should we come short of Gods wisdome bicause it is infinite â–ª It cannot bee compared eyther with the deepes or with the heauens for it farre ouerpasseth them all And therefore let vs assure our selues that oure presumption is foolish when wee go about to knowe the reason of Gods doings Thus ye see in effect what is shewed to vs heere VVherefore let vs marke that this word Wisedome is taken heere for Gods purpose determination or intent which we be not able to comprehend True it is that wee may well tast some little portion of Gods wisedome like as when we beholde his creatures there he sheweth himselfe vnto vs howbeit but partly Let vs no more but take a braunch of some herbe and wee shall see after what sorte and with what cunning God hathe wrought there The same is a very lookingglasse of hys wisedome Then is it much more reason that when wee come to his greater and choycer works we should there perceyue that Gods wisedome is a woonderfull thing if we haue any tast at all of it But by the way the perfectnesse thereof is spoken of heere that is to witte that if wee will needes knowe why God doth all things or if a man be desyrous to see what end God setteth afore hymselfe and what cause moueth him therevnto wee muste needes be vtterly confounded But heere first of all wee be admonished of the rawnesse of our wit and vnderstaÌ„ding to the intent wee passe not our boundes nor play not the horses that are broken looce as wee see that the ouerweening and pride of oure nature driueth vs therevnto But hereby wee haue also to consider the goodnesse of our God who applyeth himselfe vnto vs and too oure feeblenesse that we at leastwise tast of that whiche is incomprehensible vnto vs and although we conceiue it not throughly ne tast it fully yet he sheweth it to vs and maketh vs to feele it so far foorth as is for our profite Thus see you two articles which are well woorthy to be marked As touching the first I haue tolde you how it behoueth men to coÌ„sider how rawe and how weake of vnderstanding they bee that they presume not to thrust themselues too farre forwarde too make inquisition of Gods woorkes more than hee willeth them and giueth them leaue to do I say more than hee willeth them and gyueth them leaue to do â–ª For as I haue touched already God of his goodnesse doth not vtterly barre vs from hauing any perceyuerance at all of his wisedome but it behoueth vs to keepe measure Then let vs be well aduised that euery of vs haue an eye to hys owne habilitie and too marke howe suttle and sharpe witted wee bee and howe greatly gyuen too this ouerboldenesse wherevnto oure owne nature eggeth vs continually How is that VVe woulde alwayes bring God to account of all his doings VVhen we meete with any straunge thing and men say vntoo vs such is Gods good pleasure bycause he hath ordeyned so and therefore we must not pleade against hym yea say wee But why dooth hee not otherwise For suche an inconuenience will insue heerevpon and the matters may drawe quite and cleane awke from that which might bee for our profite Thus we see howe that at euery push we woulde fayne haue God to yeeld vs a reason why
secrets from the wise men and greate men of the world and openeth them to the little ones and yet some of them are but very beastes But yet they glory in it as though there were no diuinitie but in them But what Is it Gods will that men should vaunt themselues of theyr slendernesse to despise the gifts that are of him and deserue to be esteemed VVhēce come all sciences VVhēce commeth the discretion that is more in one man than in another Are they not all riuers flowing out of one fountaine that is to witte out of the spirit of God Yes vndoutedly are they So then let vs learne not to despise Gods gifts when they appeere in men but to profit our selues by them and to applye them to our owne vse For if wee refuse all that is in men without discretion Surely that is too great a folly Men say A fooles bolt is soone shot and are not we double fooles when wee iudge without anye knowledge or discretion And yet we see many such and diuerse will say Such a thing was hilde and obserued yea and ther is reason in it howbeit forasmuch as it commeth of men I refuze it Nay but what canst thou tell whither such a thing came first from God by the meanes of men Therefore when a man layeth any doctrine before vs we must not be so swift and hastie to refuze it but wee muste sift it Thus ye see the modesty that we must vse to eschue the extremitie that I spake of But there is also the other extremitie that I touched that is to witte as the same which we see in the Papists Behold say they I will holde me to that whiche hath bin taught me from my childhod I will follow my fathers and auncesters and that is of antiquitie And shall God forgo his authoritie in the meane while Must men be aduanced so high that God should be thrust vnder their feete VVere it not better that the sunne were plucked out of the skie and throwne into the bottome of the sea For behold heere a greater and more outrage ouse confusion Therefore let vs keepe our selues well from offering suche outrage vntoo God as to leaue him behind vs and to hold our selues wholly vnto men For our receiuing of that whiche commeth by men and which God giueth vs by their meanes must bee after such a sort as God may always haue his whole due as hee may be exalted as both great and small may be taught by him as we may protest that our teachablnesse towards men serueth not to abate any whit of Gods duetie nor of hys soueraintie which he hath ouer vs but to guide vs vntoo him and to stop all mouthes when he speaketh so as wee may hold our peace and he not bee hindred too leade vs whither he listeth and that we may without any gainsaying receyue whatsoeuer proceedeth out of his mouth Ye see then the modestie that ought to be in vs And heereby a man may perceiue what a doltishnesse it is for the papists to say O see humilitie is so great a vertue as it can neuer be condemned at Gods hand Yea verely but what manner of humilitie is the humilitie of the Papists It is a crouching vnto men and shaking off of Gods yoke yea and a spiting of him by all meanes possible And what a diuelish humilitie is this that the creatures should be aduaunced and obeyed and the creator be as a thing of nothing Then let our humbling of our selues be after such a sort as that for the maintenance of the sayd meekenesse towards men we may bee of a mild mind to receyue that which is for our behoofe and profite and yet neuerthelesse that God may reygne ouer vs and be our only master and teacher so as the authoritie which he lendeth to men may be no derogation at all to himselfe Let vs not be forepossessed with any fond imagination to say such a man sayd it and therefore it must be beleeued And who is this suche a man Is he not a mortall man Is hee not a frayle creature wherin ther is nothing but vanitie There let vs beware of sticking so much vnto men that wee returne not alwayes vnto God nor be grounded vpon him and that the certaintie of oure fayth bee not ioyned and knit to his word Thus ye see what wee haue to marke It is he therefore in whome is wisdome and skifulnesse and wit and counsell VVhen it is sayd It is he it is to exclude al that is in men For when the Sunne shineth it darkneth the light of all the Starres and what can men doo when God commeth among them And that is the cause why it is sayd by the prophet Esay That all creatures must ceasse when God shyneth And Iob ment too repeate expresly heere with many words that the perfection of all wisdom is in God too the intent wee shoulde not surmise that it needed to bee supplyed as wee see men so foolish that if they haue receyued anie blissing at Gods hande they must be adding of somewhat to it they must make some mingling of it No no there must be no patching and piecing in that matter VVhen God putteth his wisdome into vs it must bee vsed pure and simply and men must not adde any thing to it whatsoeuer it be But Iob ment too step yet farther as I haue touched afore namely that there is in God a secret wisdome which surmounteth all the capacitie of man and wherevnto wee cannot attayne as yet True it is that Gods wisdome is not diuers and of sundrie sorts as in respecte of it selfe for his wisdome is a thing inseparable and such as cannot be diuided or parted But in respecte of vs and to our seeming God is wise after two sortes that is to wit wee may say there are two particular kinds of Gods wisdome howbeit but in respect of our selues And howe is that There is the wisdome which is conteyned in his word the which hee imparteth in such wise vnto vs as we become wise by receyuing the instruction that hee giueth vs and that is the wisdome whiche hee communicateth to his creatures and moreouer there is that wisdome which he keepeth still in hymselfe And what manner of one is that It is the woonderful Prouidence whereby he gouerneth the world beyond all that wee can conceyue Beholde God dispozeth the things which we take to be very confuzed to our vnderstanding VVhen tyrants beare sway as shal be sayd hereafter when wicked mē seduce sillie folke and carie their soules to destruction and when the other sort are saued all this is done by the wonderfull prouidence of god But if we seeke what is the reason of all this then are wee in such a gulfe as all our wits must needes be swallowed vp Thus ye see a wisdome which God keepeth to himselfe whereof he maketh not men partakers according also as it is vnpossible for them to atteyne vnto it
and reuerence his mightie powe rassuring our selues that the same is ruled with al vprightnes indifferencie notwithstanding that we be not priuy to it yea eueÌ„ at suche times as God blindeth men and raiseth vp deceiuers to beguile them so as false doctrines abuses heresies haue their full scope God giueth SataÌ„ful power to punish our sinnes Furthermore a man might moue yet many other questioÌ„s How Is it possible that God shoulde serue his owne turne by SataÌ„ There is nothing but malice naughtinesse in him And besides that looke vpon a wicked maÌ„ that hath none other intent but to ouerthrowe all goodnesse and to destroy it and yet he doth it and bringeth it to passe Seemeth it not that hee is acquit bycause his seruice hath bene to the accomplishing of Gods will Men will moue such questions as these which serue to grauell oure wits and for that cause Iob as I sayde hath vsed this preface Power and dominion are in God that is to say that forsomuch as he hath al things in his hande it is reason that he should dispose of his creatures at his owne pleasure that forsomuchas he is iudge of the whole worlde therefore he cannot do amisse nother it is impossible for him to swarue one waye or other from right dealing For his will although it be vnknowne to vs is the fountayne of all rightuousnesse VVhen a man hath doone any thing his doing is examined VVhy so For wee haue a rule aboue vs and verely our wittes are changeable from good to euill yea and which worse is they be naturally altogither euill crooked vntoward there is no rightnesse at all in theÌ„ For we be subiect to be caried heere there by our owne fancie By reason whereof our dooings had neede to be examined and that there should bee a hygher rule ouer theÌ„ For if meÌ„ should haue the rule of theÌ„selues it is certaine that there would be nothing but coÌ„fusion in their state And here yee see why the heatheÌ„ meÌ„ theÌ„selues sayd that the lawe ought to be as a God ouer vs and that God ought to bee our lawe But the cace standeth not so with god Therefore when we come to his will it is the rule of all right The rightuousnesse wherby we muste be ruled and wherto we muste be subiect is aboue vs but is Gods will aboue that according as I haue shewed alredie that Gods rightuousnesse is after two sorts the one as he hath shewed vs in his lawe by the which he will haue the world to be ruled and the other incomprehensible insomuch as now theÌ„ we must be faine to winck wheÌ„ God worketh and be content to knowe nother how nor why he doth it And so wheÌ„ the reason of any of Gods doings is not reueled vnto vs let vs vnderstand that the same is a poynt of the rightuousnesse that is in his secrete wyll whiche surmounteth the â—ule that is manifest knowne to vs Verely this doctrine wil be very hard to many meÌ„ but let vs content our selues with that which is auouched to vs Seing that the Scripture speaketh so all of vs muste answer Amen and acknowledge the thing that is told vs here that is to wit when we see folke erre and deceyuers to haue their full scope the same happeneth not without Gods prouidence But besides this that hath bene sayd let vs also bethink vs of the warning that Paule and also the prophet Esay giue which is that if men looke well vpon themselues they shall not be so hardie as to lifte vp them selues against God and to checke agaynst his truthe For what are we VVee bee earth and dung And what an authoritie hath God So then if men looked well vpoÌ„ their owne state surely they would not presume to lift vp theÌ„selues in suche wise against God and also these dogges which forbeare not too barke though they cannot byte would not be so bold But let vs leaue them at that point stil If they coÌ„tent not theÌ„selues with that which the holy scripture speaketh let them go seeke their answers otherwheres For there are that take greate paynes to answere their questioÌ„s But that is to no purpose And why For we tempt God manifestly if we desire to passe our boundes Behold God telleth vs that he doth many things whereof the reason is concealed froÌ„ vs as now If we be desirous to know the same is it not a forcible breaking of the wall that God hath set agaynst vs He hath barred vs froÌ„ it as if he should say ye shall not passe beyond this now if wee passe it is it not a plaine despising of God So then let vs not ouer labour our selues to content the fond curiositie of those that auaunce themselues after that maner against God but rather let vs lerne to conâ—ute them after the fashion maner of S. Paules speeche saying who art thou ô man That one word Man Man is ynough too stop the mouthes of all such as lift vp themselues in that wise agaynst god For vnder the word Man is compreheÌ„ded so much wretchednesse as we ought not only to cast downe our heads but also if the earth could open we should be swallowed into the bottomlesse pit when we haue this diuelishe pride in vs of lifting vp our selues against god Moreouer lette vs marke that this doctrine bringeth vs great comfort if so be that we can applie the same too our vse VVhen it is said that both the deceiuers the deceyued belong vnto God thereby we vnderstande that God bridleth Satan all deceyuers so as we cannot without his will bee troubled with false doctrine nor with heresies nor with any other darnell that serueth too turne vs aside froÌ„ the purenesse of the Gospel And why For God holdeth the deceyuers in his hand yea euen from Satan who is their head vnto all theÌ„ that serue his turne Seeing that God holdeth them so in his hande it is certaine that they can attempt nothing farther than he giueth them the bridle And although they attempt yet haue they no aduauntage ouer vs bycause that those which are deceyued are likewise in the hande of God too Now seing we be in his hand let vs referre our selues vnto him he will not suffer vs to be of the number of those whom Satan ouerthroweth but we shall alwayes get the vpper hand of the lies which he shal trump in our wayes Lo how we ought to practize this doctrine not in murmuring against God nor in desiring to make a fond she we and foolish brauerie to say Tush I will dispute agaynst all this and if a man cannot yeeld me a reason of it I will neuer bowe Let vs beware of making such brags and as I haue sayde let vs rather humble our selues to honor that thing with all reuerence which we know not And although we see things so confuzed in the world as there remayneth nothing for vs but to
men be sinners haue deserued it yet doth it not follow that God punisheth them therafter to the ful or that he kepeth one continuall rate so as he should presently punishe those that haue offended and reserue nothing tyll the latter daye Also it followeth not that Iob was a wicked man and an hypocrite that God shewed euidently that he was shaken off or that he had nothing else but hypocrisie in him before All these things are false notwithstanding that these men take them and deriue them from a true grounde And so yee see wherefore Iob calleth them pelting Physitions This streyne then warneth vs to pray God to gyue vs wisedome that we may take the holy Scripture to such end as it perteyneth and that wee may haue the discretion to applie it in suche wise as wee may do good with it and that it bee not pulled too and fro by the toppe as they say according as manie men abuse it Furthermore when wee take in hand to teache our neyghbours let vs consider well what is fit for them The holye Scripture sayeth S. Paule is fit to teache too incourage to warne too reproue and to redresse Yea but it muste bee considered what maner of one the partie is that it muste be applyed vnto as I sayde afore If wee see a poore sinner that is caste downe and mourneth for his sinnes and desireth nothing but to returne vnto God let it be shewed him that God is ready too accept him and receyue him Yee see then howe wee ought too deale in that behalfe Contrarywise if wee see one that is proude and statelye wee knocke vppon his harde parte with a beetle to make him meeken himselfe before god And if wee see a slouthfull persone hee muste bee pricked forewarde like an Asse Thus yee see howe the holy Scipture maye bee profitable too vs But in the meane season wee muste also keepe the same maner of proceeding on our owne behalfe For wee muste bee the same to our neyghbors that wee be to our selues VVee see that when theyr conscience is combered and themselues are disquieted in mynde they feede theyr owne humour For they take Gods threatenings so rygorously as they thinke they shoulde neuer come soone ynough too despayre Lette vs keepe vs from suche dealing And when wee spie Satans wylinesse in making vs beleeue that we be vtterly paste recouery and that there is no helpe too comforte vs lette vs resist it and applye the remedie therevnto It is Satan that woorketh and therefore wee on the contrarye parte muste seeke some asswagemente too bring vs backe vnto God wee muste enter intoo his promises wee muste gyue heedefull eare vnto them and wee muste set all our wittes vpon them Moreouer when wee see there is to much slouthfulnesse in our selues so as wee haue neede too bee prycked and spurred lette vs take vs too the exhortations that are in the holy Scripture Thus yee see howe we may bee good Phisitions bothe towardes our selues and towardes oure neyghboures by considering what is meete and conuenient for vs And as touching that Iob sayeth that he would fayne that his freendes woulde holde theyr peace that they myght bee counted wise men it agreeth with the common Prouerbe that Salomon vseth whiche is that a foole may bee counted wise while hee holdeth his peace True it is that a man is neuer the better for hiding his owne shame so long as his folly abides still within him and he nurishe it priuilie neuerthelesse it is a beginning too doo well when a man hathe holde of himselfe and can rule hys tung for it is a token that he delighteth not altogither in his owne follie True it is that some can couer their folly for a tyme but in the ende they bee fayne too bewraye themselues and to make menne too knowe what they bee that is to witte fooles Neuerthelesse if a man haue skill to keepe silence although he be but of a weake wit and haue not such discretion as were requisite yet is it a greate poynt of wisedome that he knoweth it and fodeth not himselfe in his vice but rather laboureth ▪ to amende it I say although suche follie remayne in a man yet is it a greate poynt of wisedome when he auaunceth not himselfe but knoweth himselfe in such sort as he misliketh of it and humbleth himselfe But if a man bewray himselfe to bee a foole by his owne tung it is a token that he is a starke foole according as we often see that such as haue leaste skill are babbling without reason so as a man cannot by any meanes hold them from it but when he hath talked with them a whole houre togyther hee shall finde them to bee the same men still Therefore when men are perceyued to bee at that poynte it is a signe of extreme foly And therefore let this Prouerbe put vs in minde of that which S. Iames telleth also that is to wit that it is a greate vertue when a man can skill to holde his tung and to vse it soberly And why For if wee bee too hastie too speake it hindreth vs frō hearing that whiche is for oure pofit VVhat is the cause that many men profit not at all in the woorde of God It is bycause they are too hastie that whereas they ought to bee quiet and whereas onely God ought to haue the hearing they step forth with their bubbles and caste foorth their talke yea euen at randon Therefore they shet the gate in suche wise against themselues as they cannot bee instructed though the doctrine be offered thē For this cause let vs marke well that whō S. Iames counseleth vs to brydle oure tungs his meening is that we should be quiet discrete to heare if wee purpose to profit by that which is sayd vnto vs and further that among men we must not be to talkatiue nor wearie them with our vnprofitable babbling and this must euery one of vs put in vre It is not needefull too make long sermons of it for these are suche things as shoulde rather be continually minded than set forth at large with manye woordes And the more that we perceyue it to bee harde to frame oure selues vnto the same vertue so muche the more ought wee too esteeme it in the man that can skill to speake as muche as hee ought and no more But nowe lette vs come to the cheefe poynt that is touched heere Iob sayeth That hee will neuerthelesse talke with God and that hee will reason against him but he blameth those that had gone aboute to ouercome him by theyr disputations ▪ as who shoulde say they woulde speake in the defence of god Thinke yee sayeth hee that God hath neede of your leazings or that you shoulde come here to bee his proctours and aduocates hath he neede that men should defende him after suche a fashion Thinke you that this shall auayle you when he commeth to try you ye muste bee ouerwhelmed by
him for all your pretence of desirousnesse too iustifie him Hee will shewe that hee abhorreth such dealings and that he will be mainteyned by his owne rightuousnesse withoute borrowing of anye meanes to be acquitted at mens hands and without borrowing of theyr leazings and of the excuses that they shall haue forged VVhereas Iob sayeth hee will talke with God and dispute against him verely there is some excuse in that saying but lette vs also marke the good that is in it that wee maye discerne it from the euill Beholde the good that is in this saying of Iobs is that he wyll turne awaye from men And why For they with whome he had too doo perceyued not the spirituall battell that he had in himselfe and that he could haue found in his harte too haue indured a hundred times more so be it that God had sweetened his stripes with such comfort as hee might haue knowen that God is fauourable to me and he will neuer faile me Had Iob bene throughly perswaded of that and that God had hylde him by his mighty hande no doubt but hee had bene ready to haue iudured a hundred tymes more How be it forasmuche as he perceyued perceyued nothing in God but rigour so as it seemed to him that God was vtterly agaynst him and persecuted him with extremitie he woteth not where he is behold he is out of his wittes But suche spirituall battels are not easie to bee knowen of men And therefore Iob sayeth that bee will talke with God that is too saye that hee will shrinke into himselfe and that being so gathered close in secrete hee will holde himselfe there For men take these words at randon and wrest them as they list themselues but God knoweth well ynough too what ende his speaking tendeth Marke this for a speciall poynte And further let vs also marke that when the cace standeth vpon the framing of our selues vnto pacience if we indure any aduersitie we must comfort our selues in God and if wee bee tryed so as the Diuell tempteth and thrusteth vs forewarde to despayre there is nothing so good as to gather oure wittes home And why so For so long as wee gaze at men wee shall nothing auayle but whiche more is wee shall do our selues harme If I bee troubled that I can no more well if I cōforte my selfe with fayre shewes onely and make greate protestations before men God will laugh my fondnesse to scorne in so much that when I come to my selfe agayne and am alone my conscience will pinche mee and then shall I feele how all that euer I pretended was but smoke And why Bicause I haue had more regarde of men than of god So then when a man intendeth to frame himselfe vnto pacience it is good for him to withdraw into himselfe as if he were separated frō the whole worlde and to referre himselfe wholly vnto God and suffer himselfe too bee gouerned by him And truly seing we are in such necessities we haue good cause to call vpon God but how shall we call vpon him if we bee not as it were cut off from men For so long as I am fastened to this or that so long am I turned asyde from god VVee see then that we must cut off all those cordes that hold vs backe and present our selues before the maiestie of God as the only partie whome wee haue regard of True it is that we muste regarde our neyghbours also bothe too edifie them and to receyue comfort at their handes But in the meane whyle wee muste beginne at this poynt that is to wit at the laying open of our harts before God that we disburden all our matters sorowes and cares vnto him Yee see then howe our talking with God muste bee to the ende that men drawe vs not hither and thither but that like as God seeth vs so wee haue our eyes settled and fastened vpon him alone and all that is hidden in our hartes maye bee clenzed and voyded away when wee bee come to that poynte and are appeered be fore him Thus yee see the good that wee haue to gather out of these woordes of Iob and howe they bee profitable for oure instruction But there is also euill in them which is that hee will enter into disputation with god True it is that sometimes God giueth vs leaue too reason with him yea but oure disputings muste not bee long and besides that the conclusion of them muste alwayes bee to glorifie him As howe VVee see that the Prophets finde fault with the calamities and desolations which they sawe for they say Lorde howe can it bee that thou shouldest destroye thy people wilt thou suffer things to be confounded after this sorte wilt thou neuer set them in order Thus yee see one kinde of disputing or reasoning with god Yea but the Prophets holy men rested not in that poynte For when they had bewrayed their infirmities after that maner they alwayes concluded do thou therwith and dispose thou thereof according to thy wonderfull wisedome it is not for vs to replie against thee and therefore wee will paciently wayte what shall become of thy worke True it is that wee bee sore amazed as nowe when wee see things go to suche confusion Yet notwithstanding Lorde thou wilt prouide well ynough for all and in suche wise as thy name maye bee praysed vntill suche time as all bee set in order agayne we will as it were shrinke down our heads to the groūd according as it is sayde I will lay my mouth to the duste and the Sainctes muste bee humbled in that wise leremie was in horrible extremitie when hee saide so for he saw the vtter desolation of Gods Churche in so muche that his couenant seemed to bee abolished his whole seruice turned vpside downe and the hope of the whole worlde buryed And therefore after that Ieremie had made his moane hee sayeth hee will lay his mouth to the grounde and rather eate duste and dung than lifte vp his beake to lette his tung at large agaynst god Yee see then howe it is lawfull for vs sometime to reason with God howbeit so as it bee very mildly and that the winding vp of it bee as I haue sayde that is to witte too glorifie God referring oure selues wholly vnto him Lo in effect what wee haue too marke But lette vs come backe agayne too Iobs persone He intendeth to dispute against God and after what maner It is after suche a sorte that althoughe he knowe there is a double rightuousnesse in God that is to witte the same which is manifested to vs in his law and the other which he keepeth hidden yet hee coulde not conceyue the cause why God tormented him after that sorte but it seemed to him that God ought too haue borne with him Therefore in this disputing Iob vexeth himselfe and this passion of his is farre out of square and the disputation is ioyned with it and dependeth vppon it Ye see then that Iob
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
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
And seeing I haue hym mine enemie what shall become of mee Iob then was tormented with that temptation which was euill bicause he marked howe God was so agaynst him but yet was he not ouercome And although the battell were verie sore and hard for him to endure out yet gat he the vpper hande Thus yee see after what sort wee must take this sentence For had Iob settled in that opinion it had beene a cursed blasphemie too aske whether man shall rise againe or no. But surely hee was assayled in such wise as yet neuerthelesse hee abode styll in the beleefe that hee had conceyued and the spirite of God gaue him the vpper hande VVee muste not therefore charge him with blasphemie for so dooing neyther muste wee condemne him of misbeleefe for it For fayth is not withoute fighting it behoueth hir too bee throughly exercized And howe is that done By the Diuels casting of many occasions of vnbeleefe and misbeleefe in our way Thus yee see the true tryall of our fayth Iob then must not bee cast out of the number and companie of the faythfull for beeing so assaulted Also it is to bee noted that hee did not alonely doubt but also was so caryed away bycause he was pressed by Gods hande If Iob had bene demaunded whether men perish vtterly by dying hee woulde haue answered no. For although the bodie rot away God will rayse it againe and the soule is reserued till the last day at whiche time we shall be wholy restored Iob woulde surely haue answered so if he had bin examined of death in generall But forasmuch as the cace is nowe become peculiar too himself bicause God pincheth him so sore as hee woteth not where to become insomuch as it seemeth that God is fully determined to confounde and ouerwhelme him for euer he is sore dismayd therat and that is the cause of his doubting Therfore let vs mark that Iob had an eie to that which was in his owne person that is to wit to Gods rigor which was so great as there was no likelihood at all that euer he should get out of the miserie wherin he was For this cause he sayth Shall the man that is dead rise again ▪ Verely hee meeneth of death in cace as when God vttereth all his force too bring a manne too naught And what is that It is as if hee shoulde say Alas Lorde it seemeth that thou art mynded too barre mee of the hope whiche thou haste gyuen vs of oure rysing agayne For seeing thou handlest mee so rygorously dooth not thys straunge dealing which thou vsest towardes mee tende too the vtter fordooing of me And when thou hast fordone me who is he that can make mee vp againe Then his surmising is not that God will put him ouer too a further time but that he will vtterly root him out of the number of creatures And that is the cause why he demaūdeth whither it be possible for a man to come to life again when he is once dead It is bicause God dealeth so straūgely with him as it may seeme that hee is minded too bring him vtterly to naught And hereby we be warned to pray God to handle vs so measurably as we may alwayes haue the hope to assure our selues that our miserie shal not endure for euer but that God will remedie them and that it is his office to rayze them out of their graues which are in them For if we belecue not that wee must needes fall into horrible dispayre which will dismay vs as wee see it had happened vnto Iob if God had not hilde him vp by strong hand And here ye see also why it is sayd Lord chastice me howbeeit with reason Not that God is at any time vnreasonable But by this worde Reason or Iudgement Ieremiement a moderate fashion agreeable to oure infirmitie when we bee not tempted so strongly but wee may alwayes perceyue that God will pitie vs in the ende and remedie our miseries Thus ye see wherof we bee admonished in this text when it is demaunded whether the man that is once deade shall liue againe As touching that which insueth namely I will wayte till the day of my chaunging come some men expound it that if Iob wist that God woulde rayze the deade and that there were any hope of the resurrection and renewment hee woulde wayte for that day But it must bee taken more plainly that is too wit Lorde comfort me for I am nowe at my wittes ende ▪ I see thou vsest nothing but force I see thou executest no thing but violence agaynst mee and so must I still fight and streyne my selfe to the vttermost and I haue none other comfort but only to waite for the day of my change See then in effect after what sort Iob vnderstoode that saying Hee rather reasoneth with himselfe and wyth God whether a man shall returne to lyfe againe when he is deade As if hee shoulde say I see my selfe heere in so ▪ wretched state as too mine owne seeming I must bee vtterly terly confounded and there is no meanes of recouerie For sith that God is agaynst mee and is minded to bring me to naught what is to bee sayde to it But yet heerevpon hee inforceth himselfe and calleth his courage too him concluding thus yet will I wayte for the day of my chaunge Heereby therefore wee perceyue that Iob gat the vpper hande and wanne the prize in that battell For notwithstanding that he entered into debate whether he shoulde rize agayne or no yet in the ende he sayth Beholde I will wayte for the day of my chaunge yea euen all the time of my trauell As if he had sayd True it is that as long as my time lasteth I wishe that God shoulde keepe mee shette vp in my graue that hee shoulde caste mee intoo some dungeon and that he shoulde cause the hilles to fall vpon mee but yet must I tarie his leysure still yea euen in the middes of the affictions wherein I am And although they be harde and vnable to be indured yet notwithstanding forasmuche as there is a chaunge the same must suffice me to giue me some comfort and to nourish me in the obedience of God Now we see what the meening of Iobs words is And we haue a good and profitable lesson to picke out of this saying First whensoeuer wee be assayled by Satan and tormented with naughtie ymaginations and specially when there commeth any distrust to leade vs too dispayre wee must not make these disputations but quickly and shortly conclude too resolue our selues vpon Gods truth As howe Some haue a pleasure too intangle themselues in lewde imaginations and there will come some opinion in theyr heade yea euen some opinion that is lewde and tendeth euen too the dashing of themselues agaynst god And heerevpon they fall too debating and imagining whether the same be possible or no. And howe fareth it Therefore when our heades runne vpon wheeles after that sort and we
congregation desolate 8 He hath parched me vvith vvrinckles for a vvitnesse and leannesse is come vpon mee vvhiche vvitnesseth it in my face 9 He hath torne mee in his vvrath hee hath handled me furiously â–ª he grindeth his teeth at mee and mi 〈…〉 emie sharpeneth mee and stareth vvith his eyes agaynst me AFter that Eliphas hath told vs that the wicked despizers of God are cursed and all their matters go againste them for a conclusion hee addeth that they conceyue sorrowe and bring foorth peyne aud their belly breedeth craft and deceyte VVhereby hee doeth vs too witte that all the outwarde shewes whiche wicked folkes haue boote them not awhit but God turneth them cleane contratie too theyr thinking by meanes whereof â–ª they bee disappoynted of their expectation True it is that this sentence is expounded as thoughe it were a reason that Eliphas rendreth that is too witte â–ª that Gods afflicting and cursing of the wicked and hypocrites is not without cause And why For they do nothing but practize mischiefe to the whole worlde Therfore after as they trouble their neyghbours so are they payed with like measure And truely the holy Scripture doth oftentimes vse that manner of speaking as in the seuenth Psalme Esay also sayeth the same in his nine and fyftieth Chapter Therefore when the holy Ghost meeneth to declare that men are giuen to naughtineffe and sinne in all their intentes thoughts and affections he vseth this similitude that they be as a woman with child VVhen they haue conceiued peine saieth he that is too say whereas they haue conceiued or deuised mischiefe agaynst their neyghboures to trouble them or too oppresse them they bryng foorthe iniquitie that is too say they execute the mischiefe that they had deuised But this sense agreeth not with the texte For as I haue sayde already Eliphas hath already heretofore rendred sufficient reason why God should be so much against the wicked And as now he meeneth to say no more but that although they behight themselues good hope and beare themselues in hande that they shall compasse all theyr matters by some meanes or other yet in the ende they shall bee confounded And why Bicause there is nothing but Gods blissing that maketh vs to prosper Therefore they shall winne nothing by foding themselues with any hope in theyr harte For God shall turne all topsiteruie And it is not heere only that the Scripture speaketh after that maner In the sixe and twentith Chapter of the Prophet Esay it is sayde Lorde we haue traueled before thy face as a woman with childe and yet haue conceyued and brought foorth nothing but winde Verely it is the faithfull that speake and complaine in that wise before god Howbeeit they acknowledge and confesse theyr sinnes For at that time when they sayde they traueled as a woman with childe God did persecute them iustly for their offences But they say they coÌ„ceiued and brought foorth wind that is to say assoone as they looked for some ease of theyr miseries it vanished altogither intoo ayre and smoke and after long lingering in peyne their miserie was neuer awhit amended Here Eliphas passeth further and sayth that the wicked do but breede childe and bring foorth mischiefe to themselues and that their bellie nurrisheth deceyte that is too say vayne and guilefull hopes which shall deceyue them in the ende And it is the same threatning which God vttereth in the three and thirtieth of Esay againste the skornfull whiche haue made none account of his worde and specially whiche haue bin hardened Behold saith he ye coÌ„ceiue chaffe bring foorth dung As if he should say you bee stubborne againste my word bicause ye cannot perceiue the euill that you haue committed and howe sore you haue prouoked my wrath agaynst you But your flattering of your selues shall not stande you in any steade for notwithstanding all youre flatteries you shall perceiue that you haue conceiued nothing but chaffe and stubble and that all shall vanishe away into ayre and you shall know that all your flatteries haue profited nothing at all Now then wee see in effecte that Eliphassis meening is that the wicked may for a time be well at their ease God will not presse them so hard but that they shall fode themselues with some hope But what for that yet shall God do the beste and worst they can so presse them that they shall haue a worme to gnaw them within theyr owne consciences shall alwayes prick them and they shall haue remorses and stings too torment them secretly yea and in the ende God shall sende them so strong and excessiue anguishe as they shall bee dryuen of force too bring foorth that whiche they haue bred inwardly And why For their bellie conceyued nothing but guyle that is too saye although they perceyued not theyr owne harmes at the firste yet did they nothing but worke their owne decay seeyng they were not in the fauoure of god They warranted themselues this and that and yet when all came too all their cace was nothing but playne deceyte But nowe lette vs come to Iobs answere Hee telleth them firste that hee had often hearde the like things and therefeore that they bee but yrksome comforters specially for setting vpon him with so troublesome woords In saying that he had often heard the like things hee meeneth that they shoulde not haue brought him ordinarie and common remedies seeing his miserie was so greate and extreme but they shoulde rather haue brought him some louing comforte and suche as mighte haue serued his turne than haue hilde suche talke with him as men are woont to doo after a slight fashion with him that is but measurably afflicted Thus yee see what Iob meente in saying that hee had oftentimes hearde suche matters afore But surelye whensoeuer a man bringeth vs a comfort that wee be acquainted withall afore wee muste not holde skorne of â–ª it And why â–ª For though we be instructed coÌ„cerning Gods goodnesse and exhorted to pacience to day â–ª it may escape oure remembraunce and wee shall neuer thinke vppon it more True it is that the matter will not bee darke vnto vs Neuerthelesse if we bee afflicted a man put vs in remembrance of that which hath bin tolde vs afore lette vs not thinke it a needelesse talke And why â–ª For the cace standeth vpon the practizing of that which we haue heard â—e vnderstood howbeit that we were not yet touched to the quicke bicause occasioÌ„ serued not But if God nip vs with any distresse or heauinesse â–ª then doth he make vs to taste of the comforts that men haue drawen out of his worde and brought vnto vs And in good faith Iob was none of these nicelings which are alwaies longing for I wote not what nouelties cannot abide that a man should tell theÌ„ one tale twice O say they I haue hearde of this afore I haue hadde mine eares cloyed with this tale Yea but yet for all that
end to all oure afflictions must not we needes be toto vnkynd if we refuze suche a benefite and priuiledge So then there is no way for vs but to humble and present our selues at the iudgement seate of God that wee may be vphild by his grace Now Iob addeth Bycause thou hast couered their hart that they can haue no vnderstandyng thou wilt not exalte them Heere Iob strengtheneth himselfe against those that vexed him vnder the colour of comforting him But we haue to remember what hath bene sayd namely that Iob bewrayeth all his affections and so it is no woonder though he continue not all in one tale but shift eft into one matter and eft into another and so shewe himselfe variable And wherfore is that Bycause he speaketh as in his combate VVe knowe that when a man is fighting of a combate he keepeth not alwayes one countenance but is fayne to trauerse his ground to fet a compasse about to shift handes to retire and to auaunce forewarde after as his enimie preaceth vppon him or as he himselfe espyeth his owne aduauntage Euen so is it with vs when wee fall to resisting of our temptations Sometimes we stoupe to saue our selues and sometymes wee giue backe too auoyd a blowe After as God giueth vs respit so take wee hart agayne and are releeued when it was lykely we shuld haue bene ouerthrowen The thing therefore that we see here in Iob is that now he taketh courage and sayth Lord it is true that it is a corzie to mee to see my freendes become dalyers and to doo nothing else but vexe mee but yet must I not discomfort my selfe for all that And why For I see well they haue none vnderstanding and therefore I must not take hold of them seeing there is no reason in them If a beast came running vppon mee or if a dogge hild mee at a bay I myght well vse fayre woordes to appeaze them but it could not preuayle for they vnderstand them not So then ô Lord I must not take it too hart when I heare the wandering talke of these men here VVhy so Bycause thou hast couered their hart that they can haue no vnderstanding And thys is it that I haue touched already namely that if we will comfort wretched folke in their afflictions wee must desire God too giue vs his spirit and wisdome to do it withall For our talk shall be vaine and vnprofitable sauing so farre foorth as he reacheth vs his hand like as on the contrarie part wee shall speake to edifying if he guyde vs It is sayd that he couereth their hart that they might haue none vnderstanding as if a man should say hee blyndfoldeth their eyes For in the scripture this word Hart is sometimes taken for the mynd In deede it is not taken so continually for it is sometimes taken for a truenesse and for a pure conscience But whereas it is sayde by Moyses God hath not giuen you a hart to vnderstand no not euē vnto this day wee see that the word Hart is taken there for the mynde Euen so is it also in this sentence Iob therefore meeneth that God hath as it were blyndfolded the eyes of these men heere which thought themselues very wise and that thereby they became as good as beasts Now let vs marke what manner of men these freendes of Iob were It is euident by their talke that they were excellent men and no fooles For we see they were men of experience and men of great wit yea and it is sayd that God had sent them And how then shall they do that scarsly haue one iote of wisedome what shall become of them when it pleaseth God to blynd them Agayne if God do so blind the wise let those that thinke themselues skilfull and trust to their owne sharp wit and presume much vpon their owne policie learne to humble themselues knowing that God can so blynde their eyes as they shall not see a whit at high nooneday Thus see yea profitable lesson for such as take pride in their owne wisedome and thinke that nothing ought to passe but by their aduice VVhat shall become of them when God shall haue blynded them Thus the blynde wretches haue their eyes seeled vp that they can discerne nothing and what shall the end of them be God will not exalt them that is to say hee will put them too shame in the ende Now if this bee verified of worldly things what is to be sayd of the secretes of the heauenlye kingdome which do farre surmount al the wit of mā Behold God blindeth the eyes of the wise euen in worldly affayres and in the things that concerne this present life insomuch that euen those that are most craftie of greatest wit become like little babes and do fond deedes and are readye to fall downe at euery blowe Men see this And what is the cause It is for that God hath couered their eyesight And how shall wee then doo when wee must be fayne to mount vp hygher to the wonderfull secretes which cannot be knowne vnlesse God haue inlightened vs by his holy spirit Heereby wee bee warned not to take offence when wee see the wyse men of the worlde haue no tast of the Gospell nor of any poynt of the doctrine of Saluation And why It is not a dishe whereof euery man may be hys owne caruer God must bee fayne too worke there by his holy spirite And that is a thing well worthy too bee noted For wee see many wretched weaklings at this day which rest themselues vpon thys that the wise men of the world cannot frame themselues to the Gospell How is it say they that such a man being a man of so great reputation sauoreth not of the Gospell Yea and there needeth no alledging of some one man but of whole Nations For men will say what In suche a Nation where there are so many wyse heads we see the Gospell is not receyned As who should say that the receyuing of the Gospell came of our owne towardnesse that we by our own motherwit were able to comprehend what soeuer God sheweth vs in the holy Scripture No. But cleane contrariwise it is sayd that we be blinded in that behalfe and that all the wisdome of God is foolishnesse to mans reason Seeing then that the cace standeth so let vs not thinke it straunge though suche as presume to know themselues be blynded after that sort And why For God forsaketh them by reason of their pride And further hee is no schoolemaister but for the humble and little ones But these men will be great ones and are they then able too take any profite at all in Gods schoole No. So then seeing wee perceyue that God blyndeth men after that sort let vs for our part learne not too trust in ourselues but to desire him to guyde vs by his holy Ghost and so to gouerne vs as we may see cleerely in the middes of the darknesse of this world
though it bee hidden from thē for a time whē he sheweth nothing but vtter rigour against them Therfore let vs cōfort ourselues in it and say yet will I hold still this hope continually that my God will at length pitie mee and that I shall perceyue him to be my father And although I haue happened to lift vp my self against him for a time yet wil I still returne to the sayd conclusion VVe see then what maner of doctrine we haue to gather of this sentēce for our better edifying that is to wit that we must take al the miseries of this present life and specially all those which wee ourselues feele and which we see in al Gods children as an opē declaratiō that God reserueth much better things for vs and the same must be a cause to confirme vs in the hope of the heauenly life as we now see that Paule speaketh in the second to the Thessalonians For in rehersing that one had suffered many things and had bene vexed by the wicked It is sayeth he an euident token of Gods iust iudgement for it is a reasonable thing and agreeable to his nature to giue you releef when ye haue ben so oppressed and therfore assure yourselues that seing you haue not had your rest vpon earthe God prepareth it for you in heauē Again on the otherside if it be a thing that standeth vpō Gods Iustice that the wicked shuld be punished according to their deserts and yet notwithstāding we see it not done in this worlde assure yourselues that in your aduersities troubles and miseries God doth as it were in a glasse shewe you that you shall oneday come vnto him and that also is the verie thing wherevnto your hope must bee referred So then as long as wee be in this world if God send vs neuer so much pouertie and tribulation let vs learne to be drawen to the hope of the heauenly life VVhen we see good folk and Gods sillie children roughly handled laughed to scorne their pacience abused and themselues left succorlesse I say whē we see al this let vs vnderstād that God declareth that although things be confuzed in this earthly life yet must wee not therfore runne out of square but looke further afore vs how wee muste not nestle ourselues in this world nor in these corruptible things but onely passe through thē and right swiftly and as it were a full gallop Furthermore if god spare vs let vs acknowledge that he pitieth vs that his interteyning of vs in rest is to giue vs some tast of his goodnesse But specially he will haue the same too serue for the time to come to the intent we should lerne to be the bolder to trust in him not doubting but he will deliuer vs from all the battels and assaults of this world too make vs partakers of all the benefits whiche he hath prepared for such as come willingly to shroude themselues vnder the shadow of our Lord Iesu Christ Now let vs cast ourselues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgmēt of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may returne to him vnfeinedly in returning come with true fayth and repentance desirouse to be rid of all the vices corruptions of our flesh not douting for all that but that our Lord will alwayes behold vs with pitie and receiue vs to mercie for his sake whom he hath giuen vs to be our mediator And so let vs all say Almightie God c. The .lxvij. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xviij. Chapter THen Bildad the Suite ansvvered saying 2 VVhen vvill yee make an ende of your vvoordes Herken and let vs speake 3 VVherefore are vvee counted as beasts and in your opinion are dullardes and of no value 4 This man teareth his ovvne soule in a rage shall the earth be forsaken for thy sake Shall the Rockes bee remoued out of their places 5 Verely the light of the vvicked shall bee quenched and the sparke of their fire shall not shine 6 His light shall bee dimmed in his tent and his lampe that shyneth vpon him shall be put out 7 His steppes shall be restreyned and his ovvne deuice shall cast him dovvne 8 For a net is spred out vnder his feete and he shall vvalke vpon Snares 9 The Grinnes shall catch him by the heele and the Theeues shall come vpon him 10 His pitfall is hidden in the earth and his trappe in his vvay 11 Fearfulnesse shall make him afrayd on euery side driue him too his feete and vvhich vvay soeuer he go they shall make him to fall I Haue tolde you heretofore how it is a true and very profitable doctrine that God punisheth mens faults too shewe himself too be our iudge so the same be vnderstood and handled skilfully And her by we see how it is not 〈…〉 ugh to take some point of holy Scripture in generall but that we must so apply it to our vse as we may fare the better by it Also experience sheweth what a number there are that abuse the holy Scripture by tossing things to and fro and by taking them at all aduenture That whiche they speake is true so it were well applied But what They turne it cleane cōtrarie to the meening of the holy ghost and so is the truth vtterly corrupted The self same thing doth Bildad here a newe For he vndertaketh that which he had spoken afore namely that although the wicked prosper for a time yet shal they be cōfounded in the end and God will not suffer their prosperitie to last for euer This is true But therewithall he passeth measure by vpholding that the punishments which God sendeth vpō the wicked are alwayes so full and apparant as men may finally discerne by eyesight that God iudgeth them in this present life whereas contrarywise that is not alwayes seene nother must we make a general rule of it Lo wherin Bildad is ouerseene yea notwithstanding that the doctrine of it self be good and holie And so although that at the first blush there seeme to be no harme in it yet if we be once throughly perswaded of it that is to wit that God punisheth all wicked mē so as it is seene to the eye great daunger will insue of it For proofe therof if things fall out contrarie to our expectation it will seeme vntoo vs that God is no more the iudge of the worlde that he hath giuen vp his office and that things are ruled here by fortune And that is a cursed blasphemie Herevpon we shall be tempted with such impatiencie that we shall stomacke when wee see that God setteth not a stay in things disordered And finally wee shall be prouoked to giue our selues to all naughtinesse For we shall thinke it but lost time that is spent in doyng good seing that God hath no regard of mē to guide them but leaueth them as it were at randon To be short so little shall we be able to
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
let vs marke that God doth erewhiles for a time bereeue the faithfull of the benefytes that he hath promised them to the intent they shoulde bee prouoked to pray to him and also when hee intendeth too humble them or when hee chastizeth them for their sinnes As for Iob it is certayne that hee suffered not for the offences that hee had committed Not that God founde not ynough in him wherefore to punish him but as I haue declared heeretofore bycause hee had not that respect onely but rather meent to trye his pacience But as for vs if hee depriue vs of the blissings that he hath promised vs it is for that we haue offended him and are not woorthy too enioy them or else it is a dashe with the spurre whiche hee gyueth vs to make vs praye vnto him the more earnestly Thus dothe God promise his faithfull that he will guide them in their waies yea that he will lend thē his Angels to bee their guides so as they shall not step one pace awry nor be incoūtered with any euill This is a goodly promise But yet notwithstāding it will seeme vnto vs that our way is shut vp that there is nothing but brābles bushes afore vs that there is nothing but mountaines rockes round about vs thus are we inclosed no likelihode of possibilitie to get out VVhat haue we to do in this cace but only to say alas I am not worthy that God shold performe the goodnesse that he hath promised to his children I should haue my way plaine leuel I know not on which side to step now therfore it behoueth me to acknowledge my faults Truly God hath promised to send his Angelles to guide his faithfull ones But what for that It seemeth cleane otherwise in me Therfore it behoueth me to pray him to voutsafe to shew the performance of the promise towardes me Thus are we by suche meanes stirred vp to call vpon god Heerewithall let vs vnderstand that hee will not berceue vs of skill and discretion vnto the ende but will make vs too finde waye where none is and his woorking shall bee so muche the better knowen vnto vs whereby wee shall haue the greater occasion too glorifie him whē he shall haue wrought after such a manner as we looked not for For when God hath gone beyonde oure witte and hope we haue so much the more cause to glorifie him Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to marke in this sentence Now Iob addeth that God had bereft him of his glory and plucked the crowne from his heade that hee had consumed him destroyed him and berefte him of his hope as a tree that is cut vp Heere Iob betokeneth two things the one is that God scourgeth him so roughly that if hee were compared with other men he shoulde be founde to indure much more than they And secondly he saieth that he is not as other that are in aduersitie who though they suffer very greate miserie yet notwithstanding are as a tree that is plucked vp but yet hath some little roote or string left behinde so as there is yet still some hope for them But as for me saith he I am plucked vp after suche a sorte as there remaineth no piece of mee but God seemeth too haue stubbed mee vp quite and cleane For although he were not yet rooted out of the world yet was his life like a deathe Yea and God had giuen him so many woundes as there had lighted miseries and calamities vpon him his children had bene cursed to deathe before him all his goodes had bene taken awaye and destroyed and his bodie was become a rotten carkesse Therefore it is not causelesse that hee sayeth that God had cut him vp and berefte him of his hope like as if a tree were plucked vp quite and cleane out of the grounde so as there remained nothing of it the strength thereof fadeth awaye and it is not too bee hoped that it will spring any more vppon the earth to bring foorth any frute bicause it hath lost all his freshnesse Iob then sayeth that hee was dealt with in like wise Now when we heare these things we muste not maruell that he was so sore greeued as it seemed that nothing myghte comforte him any more For whiche of vs would not be more impacient if he indured but the hundreth part of that which he indured But yet we perceiue that God stood by him Then must we hope that hee will do as much towardes vs VVhat is the cause of the impaciencie that is oftentimes in vs Like as when wee desire to bee pacient in our aduersities it behooueth vs too take comforte in the fauoure of our God so also on the contrarie part when we cannot abide that God should smite vs but are so testie that to our seeming there is nother order nor reason in his dooyng then goes oure hope to wrecke Euen so happened it to Iob. He not only displeased God by ouershooting himselfe in suche wyse as wee haue seene but also it was not long of himselfe that hee was not caste downe headlong into despaire and he deserued well that God shoulde haue rooted him out and berefte him of all hope and made him as a tree plucked vp roote and rind For in speaking after suche sort as wee see Iob was so bereft of Gods grace as hee had bin vtterly vndoone and as it were plunged into hell if God had not reached him his hand a farre off So then let vs assure our selues it was Gods singular goodnesse that he suffered not his seruaunte too fall euen into the bottomlesse pitte and that thereby we be admonished that God had neede to mainteine vs yea and to lift vs vp againe when we be falne For God woorketh after two sortes towards vs to the ende we should call vpon him Sometimes hee preserueth vs in suche wise by his power as wee fall not at all and sometimes he suffereth vs to fall to the end to lift vs vp againe afterward Yet notwithstanding it is true that we muste not tempt God too giue vs the bridle like frantike folke vnder coloure that he hath well holpen vp suche as haue falne for then shoulde wee abuse his grace Agayne it becommeth vs to magnifie his gracious goodnesse towards Iob assuring our selues that when wee bee as good as quyte quayled hee commeth to vs and seekes vs out and very needefull it is that he shoulde worke after that sort for otherwise we should be vndone at euery blowe as wee see heere in a fayre lookingglesse Thus much concerning that saying And furthermore that wee may withstand suche temptations let vs marke that oure life must be hidden as S. Paule also speaketh of it True it is that we be like a tree that is pulled vp but yet doth not God ceasse to giue vs secret strength and wee shall haue continuall freshnesse notwithstanding that wee seeme to be perished Thē let vs not esteeme our
not be so well contented as wee be For all things in this world may perish fade away sauing this fountaine that is too wit the hand of God which neuer drieth So then it is not without cause sayd heere precysely that such as feele not the sayd nurrishment of God but play the wilde beastes may well burst themselues and when they haue all the pits and all the welsprings in the worlde yea and the great riuers too yet must they be a◠thirst in the middes of them and all their abundance shal not be able to suffize them And what is the cause It is for that they be destitute of Gods blissing For as I said that is it wherein consisteth all the rest and contentation of men and that is the meane too fill them and satisfie them that is to say to make them say ho that they may prayse God and alwaies go on forewarde in their race Then if we haue not this blissing of God all the goods in the world cannot suffize vs These sayings are common ynough as it should seeme and yet who is fully perswaded that they be true For if it were so surely we should see equitie and vprightnesse reigne among mē and there should not neede so many lawes nor so many Iusticers to represse the extortions that are committed Yea there should not neede so much teaching and exhorting For euery man would bee his owne schoolemaister and teacher and euery man would carie Iustice with him inclozed in his hart so as it should not be needefull to come to the iudge there should neede no Seriants aduocats nor processes For we would preuent the mischeef and assure our selues that god who hath put the goods of the world into our hands could susteine vs as he thought good and as he hath promised vs although we had not one graine of corne no nor one drop of water And in good sooth wee be conuinced hereof by experience For by crauing our ordinarie foode at his hād we be fed like little babes by his goodnesse If we haue not much yet let vs content our selues For he sheweth vs the grace to nurrish vs as if Manna fell vpon vs from heauen If wee haue much he will haue vs to put it to the right vse whiche is that wee must not bee as cormorants to keepe euery of vs to himself that which wee haue receiued but must communicate it to such as haue want and neede of it So then seing that our Lord auoucheth himselfe to be the fosterfather of those that are his let vs not feare that we shall be left destitute of that which he knoweth to be needefull for vs but let vs hold our selues contented with so faire a promise Certainly if we had that discretion in vs euery one of vs would be refrayned and there should neede no threatnings nor lawes to say Abstaine ye from euildoing hurt not your neighbours do no man wrōg do no more to others than ye would haue done to your selues for euery man would be brideled of himselfe and be induced to vprightnesse and we would not go to violence as wee do But now it is seene that mens lusts are so outrageous as they cannot by any meanes bee tamed no cords nor cheines are able to tie them Then I say there shoulde neede no such constreints but our handes would of our owne accord bee as it were tied vp from doing euill yea and we would be desirous to serue euery mans turne and to do them good For these causes wee ought to minde this lesson well For it will be ynough to draw vs backe from all vanitie and loocenesse from all excessiue lusts and from all the wrongs and extortions that we haue bin wont to do for the enriching of our selues Moreouer it will stirre vs vp to regard God by resting vpon his onely blissing and therewithall to vse well the goodes that hee hath put vs in trust with knowing that wee bee but stewards and that his giuing of them to vs is vpon condition that wee should yeeld him a good and faithfull account of them by shewing that none of vs hath deuoured them alone by himselfe but made our neighbours partakers of them according to the abilitie that wee haue receiued Thus yee see in effect what is conteined here Now it is saide That the wicked shall restore that whiche they haue gotten and that it shall not abide with them no verely according to the measure of their change nother shall they inioy them That which wee haue herd heretofore is expressed heere more at full How is it then that the wicked are neuer satisfied although they haue gathered so much goodes as they seeme ready to burst VVherfore do they alwaies want It is bicause our Lord prospereth not the things that they haue in their hands For like as a man might cast much goodes into a gulfe and yet they should not be seene so an insatiable man may snatch and catch on all sides and yet not ceasse to be hungrie stil And this commeth of twoo causes For as it is a singular grace of God when wee can content our selues with a little so as we call vpon his name and waite to be fed at his hande according as we haue found our selues to haue bin nurrished by him heretofore so on the contrarie part when he suffereth the couetousnesse of the vnbeleeuers to bee kindled so as they bee alwaies gathering and euermore coueting and neuer contented The same is a punishment to them Then let vs marke well that the first cause why the wicked cannot inioy the great goodes that they haue gathered is bicause our Lorde sets their lusts on fire and suffereth them too haue a racke within them that neuer ceasseth too torment them and the Deuill still kindleth the fire by Gods iuste permission in the hartes of them that regard not him Thus muche concerning the firste point The second cause is that like as God increaceth one graine of corne to the nurrishing of those that are his and maketh it to multiplie too a hundred so as a little shall suffise them and make them fat So likewise on the contrarie part he curseth and withereth all that euer the wicked can cram in They shall eate dubble that is too say they shall gather ynough and too much howbeit God will consume it euery whit as it is sayd to the Prophete and all shall go to naught so as a greate heape of goodes shall vanish away in a minute of an houre Yee see then that God rooteth vp that whiche men made greate account of and that is the cause why the wicked cannot enioy that whiche they possesse True it is that they will bee proude ynough according also as our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth in the parable of the riche man that had inlarged his barnes My soule saith he be merrie for now haste thou well wherewith too feede thee beholde thou haste suche abundance as thou canst neuer wante Those
one whit touched therwith But I speake now of thē that looke rightly vnto god For in beholding the meates they acknowledge in thēselues saying It is God that maketh vs partakers of those his benefits Vpon what cōdicion if we be his children well then wee inioy part of our enheritance and it is as an earnest peny that hee giueth vs to assure vs that he hath created all things for our sakes But if we be not his children then must it be imputed vnto vs for theft yea for high treason Now when the faithful enter into such tēptation thervpō they must needs be stricken with great sadnesse and anguish of mind so as they cannot swalow downe one crūme of bread with mirth contentation This is it that wee haue to note vpon this place where it is sayd that the mā which is truely conuerted shal reioyce in his God according also as it is sayde in the lawe thou shalt eate drink as in the presence of thy God and shale be merry before him There also our god doth very well seperate his children and his faythful ones from the vnfaithfull shewing that although the wicked haue meate drink abundantly yet cease they not to be accursed all their deynties and pleasures shall bee turned too their confusiō Let vs not then be tempted to become like vnto them but if we will leade a happy life rightly inioy the benefits that God bestoweth here vpon vs wee must haue him before our eyes and do him homage for all know that he sheweth him self to be our fosterfather and causeth vs to feele his goodnes to the end that we might be drawen vp higher be alwayes more and more assured of this fatherlie loue that hee beareth vs and too bee short that the corruptible benefites whiche he bestoweth vpon vs in this world might be as it were helps to lifte vs vp into heauen there to lay holde vpon the eternall life whereunto this oure good God hath called vs Farthermore the meanes howe to reioyce aright in God is also immediatly expressed namely by calling vpon him and by paying our vowes vnto him when hee hath hearde vs This is a good and profitable declaration of this ioye for inasmuch as there is nothing else but the curse of God in all the benefites that we receyue at his hande vnlesse we taste of his goodnesse in them so as wee may reioyce and wholly repose content our selues in him it standeth vs in hand to consider well howe we may atteyne vnto it what is the true meanes It is here expressed that we must first call vpon him and afterwarde paye him our vowes when hee hath hearde vs There are two things here perteyning to our dutie and the thirde is the promise that God maketh vs that we shal not call vpon him in vaine nor our prayers be voyde or vnprofitable The end therfore whereat we must beginne is to pray vntoo God yea euen before wee reache out our handes one way or other to eate or to drinke For if we do not begin at this ende that 's is to say at the calling vpon our God certaynly all order is peruerted So then let vs learne that the cheefe exercise and studie whiche the faythfull ought to haue in this worlde is to runne vnto their God and acknowledging him to bee the fountaine of all goodnesse to seeke it in him protesting that they looke not for so much as one drop of welfare eyther to bodie or to soules other than is giuen them by his free mercie and goodnesse VVhen we haue learned well this lesson wee shall be more inflamed to pray vnto God than otherwayes we are And we see howe necessitie vrgeth vs in such sorte as we are in a maner at our wittes endes Euery man can confesse that the pouerties and afflictions wherewith wee are inuironed are infinite and yet howe slacke and slowe are wee to praye vnto God whereas there are a hundred thousande causes in one daye that vrge vs to pray vnto God scarcely doo we thinke on him three or foure tymes and yet that is so coldly as nothing can bee more Therefore wee shall haue profited greatly if wee haue once learned this lesson and can practise it as it behoueth vs protesting that all the benefites which we receyue are his and in his hande and that it be longeth vnto him too giue vs them And to the ende wee shoulde not go vnto him doubting as we are wont to do there is a promisse added therevntoo that hee will immediatly heare vs And without this promise al prayers are nothing else but meere hypocrisie For what is it to pray vnto god It is a witnessing of our fayth VVell if we doubt and wauer and stand in a mammering and know not whither God will heare vs or no it is certaine that wee haue no fayth And so wee take the name of God in vayne forasmuche as our prayer whiche ought too bee a testimonie of our saythe declareth that there is nought else but vncertaintie in vs nother muste we thinke that hee will heare vs when wee go too him in suche a sorte And in deede it is one of the cheefe articles of our christian beleefe to assure our selues by Gods promise that hee is readie too receyue oure prayers at all times and as often as we come vnto him beeing perswaded that he taryeth for vs and requireth nothing else but that we shoulde seeke him for the gate is open vnto vs so wee come vntoo him in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And heereby it is seene that all Christen be leefe hath bene abolished vnder the Pope and is yet still at this present For they speake muche of theyr praying vntoo God But what certayntie haue they that they shall bee hearde none at all For contrariwise they are not ashamed to say that wee muste go to him doubtingly This I say is the opinion euen of the greate Doctours and not onely of the ideotes They say it is a presum tuousnesse if we pray vnto God with a stedfast beleefe that hee will heare vs and that we shall obteine our requests But surely it is a horrible trayterousnesse if men wauer and gaze about when they praye vntoo god Heereof commeth this superstitiousnesse that wee muste haue patrones too make intercession for vs vntoo God and besides euerye mans priuate patrone they must also haue a speciall warrant For they haue neuer doone VVhen they haue patched and peeced toogither so as they knowe not on whiche side to turne them nor wherevnto to hold them they are as greate clerkes at the ende as they were at the beginning for they knowe not whither they haue gotten any thing by theyr praying vnto god Furthermore they neuer praye vntoo God but they serue him laste there the patrones and aduocates muste haue the firste wordes and as it were the first frutes Prayer is the cheefe seruice that God requireth of vs and what
Iames not only scorneth but also sharpely rebuketh those that honour the wicked after that sort For it is a defiling of the thing which God hath dedicated to a good vse VVhat ought men too honour sauing God and that which proceedeth from him Therefore when wicked men are had in suche reputation the thing that belongeth vntoo God is plucked from him and giuen too the Diuell True it is that if a wicked man bee in aucthoritie men may well honour him not in respect of his owne persone but in respect of his office But when vices are had in estimation and praysed for vertues Is it not a mingle mangle to ouerthrowe all order Therfore we ought to marke well this text that whereas Iob speaketh of the honour that was done vntoo him hee sayth not that it was by reason of his ryches or of his credite but for his vertues The young men sayeth bee hidde themselues when they sawe mee VVhat moued the yong men too hyde themselues For if a man passe his boundes yong men will rather take the more boldenesse too doo euill when they shall haue suche a shadowe and proppe to beare them vp Then if men stoode so much in awe of Iob that they hid themselues from his sight it is a signe that he had such vertues in him as men were inforced to honour him for them and not for his ryches Lo what we haue to marke in the first place But herewithall let vs marke also that this word Hyde importeth a shame which those had that feared not god For yet neuerthelesse they were hilde in awe before men and were loth to haue their lewdnesse knowne And specially if a vertuous man that haue some grauitie in him do come in the way they that meene to do euill hyde themselues from hys presence To what purpose serueth such shamefastnesse For it seemeth to be a superfluous thing It is certaine that if a man absteyne from dooing euill onely in respect of some person thereby he sheweth that he hath not as yet profited and it is also a slender honouring of god But yet notwithstanding there commeth double profite of it The one is that like as a childe before he know what reason is or haue any discretion shall neuerthelesse bee inured to good things Euen so our Lord causeth this shamefastnesse which of it selfe is naught too serue too drawe those forward by little and little which haue not yet proceded so farre as to loue vertue for it owne sake As for example looke vpon a man that is vnconstant and hath not the feare and loue of God yet rooted in him but is altogither as it were dazeled and taketh leaue to do euill and to ouershoote himselfe yet hath he still a bridle and is not vtterly past shame VVee shall see diuers which of themselues will commonly bee ouerseene when they are in euill companie and a man shall no sooner intice suche to do amisse but they will bend to and fro and yet for al that if they haue any shamefastnesse as soone as a man whome they reuerence doeth but cast his eye aside vpon them they will bee so abashed as they could finde in their hearts to bee buried and if a man tell them their faultes they haue not a word to answere but will rather fal a weping than reply Thus ye see it is some token that a man is not altogither past hope of amendment when hee keepeth stil this modestie of knowing the shamefulnes of his owne sinne Neuerthelesse it is euident that this shamefastnesse is not a vertue of it self Howbeit such a man will come home by little and little and our Lorde causeth that medicine to serue him as a sirop for a preparatiue agaynst some disease to the end that the pacient may afterwards receyue some strong medicine Lo heere a sirop which doeth but alter And what commeth of it It healeth not the pacient but yet it is a good preparatiue and when a man hath taken halfe a chaunge after that sort so as hee is readie aforehand for the medicine the medicine hath the more force In like cace is it with shamefastnesse For of it selfe it is not able to heale our vyces nor to clense vs of them nor to make vs to walke as it becommeth vs but it prepareth vs so as wee do not vtterly passe our boundes Thus then ye see one vse and profit which our Lord picked out of the shamefastnes that is in wauering and light mynded folke which as I sayde haue not such foundation as they ought to haue and in whom the feare of his name is not well rooted But there is yet one other vse that is to wit that all excuses are taken from vs and that God giueth vs a marke as if hee ingraued it and brended it in our forehead to say that we cannot iustifie our faults VVhy so I will go hyde mee from the presence of a man And what is the cause of it Shame And whence commeth this shame God hath printed it in mee as it were with a searingiron insomuche that whereas otherwyse I woulde suffer the sunne the heauen the earth and men to beare witnesse of my lewdnesse Yet notwithstanding I am restrayned when I see that men shall point at me with their fingers and that I shall bee hated and abhorred For vice is cursed of it selfe VVee see then that this shamefastnesse which men haue is as a processe that God maketh agaynst vs aforehande as if he shoulde charge a Iewrie and take informations and inditements agaynst vs to the end we should be cast and that notwithstanding al the shifts that we could alledge yet neuerthelesse our brondmarke shoulde bewray that all vices are vices and worthy to be condemned And so although a man bee otherwise blockishe and not touched any whitte with the knoweledge of his sinnes yet inasmuch as he hath shamefastnesse by that meanes he is made vnexcusable Nowe then wee see what doctrine wee haue to gather of this streyne The first is that our Lorde warneth vs that when we haue any shame of euill doing and shun mens presence and would be loth to haue our lewdnesse knowne wee must vnderstande that thereby God aduertiseth vs that it is not for vs to flatter our selues in our sinnes nor to hide them but rather that wee must learne to condemne them Furthermore if we bee so abashed before men let vs assure oure selues wee cannot escape the presence of god VVee maye well locke vp oure selues in oure lurking holes but wee shall gaine nothing by it His eie must alwayes see vs and not onely marke the workes that are to bee seene of the worlde but also our secretest and deepest thoughtes Therefore let vs learne not only to feare men but specially the heauenly iudge that seeth vs and also let not the said shamefastnesse gouern vs for we must not stay there as I haue sayd alreadie It were all one as if a childe should abyde alwayes in his Apcee
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
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
confounded nowadayes lette vs learne too returne thether as God calleth vs whiche is that his doctrine shoulde bee heard and take place amongs vs so as all of vs shoulde be diligent to receyne it he which knowes hee hath done amisse should seeke to amend it that by that meanes we myght all doo honour to him that ought too haue souereyntie ouer vs and consider that if Iob were condemned for gyuing himselfe the brydle too muche in that hee mortified not his affections nor hilde them sufficiently in awe Alas what shall become of vs Then let vs thinke vpon it be ashamed to see the wretchednesse that hath reygned too muche amongst vs For I pray you to what purpose is it for vs too speake of the reformation of the Gospell when in the meane season wee stryue after this sort against God whereas wickednesse hath his full scope nowadayes so farre of are men frō repressing it that it is rather mainteyned with tooth and nayle insomuch that if a man take vpon him to speake and to shew them their faultes then the lambe doth alwayes trouble the water These stinking goates that croude thēselues intoo Gods churche do trouble and defile all the holinesse that God hath set amongs vs by his word in the meane whyle these silie lambes muste be accuzed as though they were the cause of all the euill Sith wee see this let vs learne to strengthen incourage ourselues that when wee see the euill in others we may take heede that it bee not also in ourselues And furthermore whē we feele that our Lord graunteth vs the grace too submit ourselues vnto him in all mildnesse so as we suffer ourselues to bee taught although we see wickednesse raygne not onely let vs not cōsent vnto it but also let vs resist it stoutly to the vttermost of our power For he that dissembleth or draweth a curten before his eyes whē wickednesse rangeth abrode the deuill carieth away his vnderlings after that sort is as gilty in Gods iudgemente as if hee had maynteyned the euill Thus ye see how we ought to practize this doctrine if wee will do God his dewe seruice and acknowledge him to be Lord souereygne ouer all monarchies and principalities in the worlde Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs to repente them that beeing gouerned by his holy spirite we may fight mansully agaynst all the temptations and afflictions of the worlde and whyle that it shall please him to keepe vs heere wee may seeke to bee altogither subiect to his holye commaundementes And so let vs say Almightie God our heauenly father we acknowledge and confesse according to the truth that wee be not woorthie to lifte vp our eyes to heauen to present our selues before thee nor to presume so farre as that our prayers c. The .cxxxvj. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxxv. Chapter ELiu proceedeth saying 2 Diddest thou thinke this aright vvhen thou saydest my rightuousnesse is aboue God 3 For thou hast sayd vvhat shall it profit mee or vvhat shall it auayle mee not to haue sinned 4 I vvill ansvvere thee and thy freendes likevvise 5 Looke vp to the heauens and behold them looke vp to the ayre that is aboue thee 6 If thou sinnest vvhat dost thou against him And if thy sinnes be multiplied vvhat hurtest thou him 7 If thou be rightuous vvhat giuest thou him Or vvhat shall he receyue at thy hande ELiu continueth heere still to blame Iob sor blaspheming the ryghtuousnesse of God he groundeth it vpō this poynt that Iob had ment that his owne rightiousnesse surmounted God. Not that he vttered those words or pretended any thing but by cause hee had mainteyned his owne rightuousnesse in such wise as though God had tormented him wrong fully and without cause And therevpon it shoulde haue insued that God dealte not reasonably with him but afflicted him out of measure Howbeeit for the better conceyuing hereof it behoueth vs to call to mind what hath bene sette downe heeretoofore VVhen Iob spake of his owne ryghtuousnesse it was onely to the ende to shewe that hee was not punished for his offences and that hee ought not too bee iudged wicked bycause God afflicted him so greeuously aboue all other men For as I haue told you God in afflicting men hath not alwayes an eye too the punishing of theyr sinnes but intendeth too trye their pacience as bee sell vnto Iob when God gaue Satan the brydle For it was not bycause Iob was a naughtye packe and had prouoked Gods wrath by greate offences No but although Satan founde no faulte in him yet notwithstanding he obteyned leaue to torment him So then the cause why God afflicted Iob after that sorte was not for that he was angrie with him but for that he intended to trye his obedience that it might be a mirrour vnto vs Therefore Iob fought very well in saying that he was not punished for his offences but that there was some other respect And therein he deserueth not to be condemned But his faulte was that beeing troubled with the vehemencie of his passions he thought firste of all that God vsed no measure but was so sore agaynste him and that a poore creature oughte not too bee punished after that sorte and so did hee murmure in that behalfe True it is that Iob flattered not himselfe in his infirmitie but yet had he not so good stay of himselfe as hee ought to haue had And agayne the greatest mischeefe was that hee thought vppon nothing but his anguishe insomuche that at tymes his fayth was as it were choked and hee looked no more to the heauenly life nor to the reward that is promised too all the faythfull after theyr manfull fighting He coulde not atteyne to that bycause he was forepossessed with his greefe and as it were troubled and vtterlye ouer whelmed Yee see then that Iob confesseth ryghtlye in generall that God hath prepared an euerlasting heritage that cannot fayle for those that are his and that the wicked also cannot scape his hande but although they triumphe in this world and take their pleasure heere yet they shall pay very deere for it Iob knewe all these things in generall but when hee ment to apply the doctrine to himselfe he coulde not bring it to passe bycause his hearte was distressed and hee stormed too muche VVhen hee was at that afterdeele hee gazed here there coulde not see three foote afore him without dazeling of his eyes his wits were after a sorte berest him That was the cause why he could not cōfort himself with the hope of the reste that was promised him For hee had assuaged all his anguishe if he had remitted himself vnto God to say euen so Lorde yet haue I alwayes hoped that thou wilt make mee feele that such as shall haue suffered their afflictions paciently shall be happy in the
be well considered that wee bee not able to see God howbeit as I haue said alreadie true it is that God graunteth vs the grace and priuiledge to shewe him selfe vntoo vs howbeit that is but so farre foorth as hee knoweth too bee expedient for vs God beeing inuisible of him selfe sheweth him selfe in a glasse so farre as is conuenient for vs that is to wit in his worde and in his workes but yet must wee not be to inquisitiue of him And this is also the cause why he sendeth vs alwayes to the meane which he hath hilde to allure vs to knowe of him For he knoweth our ouerboldnesse and also the ficklenesse of our wit and that wee be so vnconstant as it is pitie to see Truely they are two great vices when men are so ouerhardie and also haue so disordered lustes On the otherside there is ignorance or rather beastlinesse and moreouer also frowardnesse And therefore we haue neede to bee restrayned by the meane that God hath giuen vs which is too bee contented with the things that are cōteyned in the holy scripture assuring oure selues that wee shall bee no more in danger of straying if wee followe that way without stepping out of it and consider Gods workes not to iudge of them after our owne fancie and liking but onely by hearing what he telleth vs by his worde and by suffering our selues to be taught at his mouth so as wee desire to haue none other cunning but that And furthermore for as muche as it is sayde that our Lorde Iesus Christe is the liuely image wherein to beholde whatsoeuer is good and conuenient for vs to know let vs rest there according also as it is sayd in another place that al the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are layde vp in him Then let vs marke well that we be blinde wretches and that if we wil inquire of God by our owne wit he shall be hidden from vs and we shall neuer come neere him and much lesse be able to come at him And therfore we must learne to condemne our selues vtterly confessing that there is nothing in vs but meere brutishnesse Haue wee once acknowledged that let vs praye God too inlighten vs by his holie spirite that we may not be full of presumptuousnesse and pryde to say I am able to seke thē of my self Let vs kepe our selues from such diuelish presumption and let vs hūble oure selues before God praying him to inlighten vs And herewithall also seeing he hath ordeined his word to be the meane to shewe him selfe vnto vs let vs bee as it were tyed to it and not attempt to passe beyond it Thus much concerning the first poynt that is shewed vs heere Nowe let vs come to that which is sayde that there is a iudgement before his face and that we must wayte for it I haue touched alreadie that we must not esteeme Gods iudgementes by our eyesight for that is too short and it is so dimme as it is pitifull VVhat then Let vs vnderstande that God dwelling in vnapprochable light as the Scripture sayeth reserueth too himselfe the knowledge of the things which are to profound for vs Therfore let vs conclude that God is rightuous although wee see it not and that whensoeuer we finde his doings straunge and are offended at them we must thinke thus wretched creature thou hast eyes in deede but they are too dimme yea and they are starke blinde and althoughe thy God inlighten thee yea euen with some good portion yet wil he still restraine thee to the end thou maist do him the honour to confesse that he is rightuous Seeing then that thy wit and vnderstanding are so weake what a thing were it if thou wouldest comprehende the infinite wisedome of God Therfore refer the things vnto thy god which passe thine vnderstanding for thou seest not the reason in that behalf vntil thou beare wel in mind fully beleue this lesson in thy hart that there is iudgement before the face of God. Marke I say how it behoueth vs to correct the ouerboldnesse that is in vs to the end we may cōfesse that although we might seeme to haue cause to enter into disputation against god yet notwithstanding he seeth the things that are hid from vs And this is the comparison of the contrarie things that I spake of euen now Then whereas it is sayd that there is iudgement in Gods sight it is also declared vnto vs that it is not in our sight as if Eliu should say God seeth and not men God knoweth and man is ignorant VVil we thē reserue vnto God his due honor VVe must rid ourselues of the vaine presumption wherein wee are puffed vp by nature for we would be to wise and we are alwayes tickled with this diuelishe lust of desirousnesse to inquire of the things that belong not vnto vs Therefore let vs be contented to glorify God yelding vnto him that which is his own namely a wisdome that surmounteth al our vnderstāding capacitie But it is impossible that this shuld be done without hope for that is the stay that holdeth vs in the obeying of our God and the thing that nourisheth vs in modestie lowlinesse and out of dout if we hoped not that things shuld go better and that God would giue them such an end as we cannot now perceiue it is certein that our minds should neuer be quiet Then let vs marke that if we will giue God the glorie which belongeth vnto him by confessing him to be rightuous it behoueth vs to be hopeful And although things go amisse so as all is in a broile and it semeth that heauen and earth should be cōfounded togither yet must we rest vpon the promises that he hath giuen vs which are that for asmuch as he turneth the darknesse into light as he hath shewed in the creation of the world and knoweth how to draw good out of euil he wil so dispose the things that seemed to be vtterly out of order as it shall be perceiued in the ende that he hath a wonderfull wisdome Neuerthelesse that is not at the first brunt Therfore here is a good doctrin warning namely that we must not iudge of things at the first sight for that were too hastie and rash a iudgement but hope must go before vs and be as a lampe to shewe vs the way And what is the oyle of this lampe That is to say how are we inlightned by it By sticking to Gods promises For if we wait paciently til God worke according as he hath spokē with his mouth and vntil his hand vtter it self in conuenient time then shall we learne to be modest and to glorify him by confessing him to be rightuous in all his doings notwithstanding that we be troubled heere and seeme to be in the midst of many gulfes And this is the true studie of Christians Furthermore marke here how we be nowe adayes so easily caried or rather vtterly driuen out of the way
we ouerpasse the things that we see a day times but in the night we thinke vpon thē with more leysure settlednesse we cōprehēd them better Neuerthelesse we must keepe a measure in musing vpon Gods works That is to wit if they be to high for vs and passe the reache of our vnderstanding wee muste stoppe there and glorifie him specially when it pleaseth him too conceale the reason of his doings from vs And that is the cause why he sayeth in the text that we must not spende the night in musing to muche bowe the people are rooted out vnder them It is good to seeke howe God rooteth out nations to the end to learne humilitie For it behoueth vs to reason in this wise namely that if God passe not to destroy a whole countrie and the inhabiters thereof what shall become of any one poore man Shall one man be proude and thinke to haue an euerlasting state whē he setteth before his eyes that God sweepeth away a great multitude of people in the minute of an houre Ye see then a profitable comparison How If God spare not a whole countrie when they haue offended him what shall become of mee in whom he knoweth an exceeding great number of sinnes For I am but a wretched creature Furthermore when we shall haue muzed vpon such things and now then our minds are troubled amazed by reason of sundry doubts that come in our heades which we be not able to resolue what haue we else to do but to holde our selues within such sobrietie as to reuerence Gods iudgements although we comprehend them not Therefore it behoueth vs to take good heede to Gods works but yet must we beware that we ouershoot not our selues in making to lōg depe search for them And that is the cause why we be forbidden in this text to consume or swallowe vp the night Marke that for one poynte And furthermore let vs marke that wheras it is said that the people are rooted out vnder them it is to magnifie gods power the more in that he causeth mē to sinke as it were into a bottomlesse pitte in the same place that he shall haue giuen thē to dwell in If a whole nacion were driuen out before our eyes cōueyed into some far countrie continued still the same that it was that were no matter to make vs to wonder so much But when suddeine changes come in the world it will seeme that God maketh mē to melt away like snow And in very dede we see that some countrie hath bin very well peopled now at this day it is layd waste VVhat is become of the inhabiters True it is that they be scartered here there but yet the remēbrance of them is as it were razed out forasmuch as a man cannot poynt them out to know where they are become Thus ye see what is imported in this sentence where it is sayd that nacions shall be rooted out of their place and as it were vnder their foote as though the earth had opened swalowed them vp so as a man might not perceiue the print of their path VVhen God worketh after that fashiō it is a wonderfuller thing than if the people were remoued from place to place and that it were seene how God dislodgeth a whole countrie to giue them a new dwelling And hereby we be warned that in considering Gods iudgementes wee muste looke hygher than our owne wittes can reach vnto for that is the cause why we feare not God so much as wee ought to do Yet notwithstanding wee diminishe not his power in not fearing the highnesse that is in him whiche ought to make vs afrayde Therfore as oft as we set our mindes to the considering of Gods iudgements which he executeth in this world let vs learn to consider with ourselues that it is to high a thing for vs that when we haue throughly thought vpon it we must be faine to stop short for our wittes reach not so far and wide ▪ Besides this heere is also one other good admonition which is that God needeth not to vse the inferiour and visible meanes if hee liste to consume vs for when we stande fastest hee can make vs melte away The earth that beareth vs too day shall fayle vs tomorrow Although we haue none enimy to assaile vs and although God sende no greate armies agaynst vs truly he nedeth no more but to giue vs one angry looke and we shall be consumed yea euen without putting any hande vnto vs Hee shall not neede to chaunge our place hee shall not neede to remoue vs a farre off hee shall not neede to caste vs downe to breake our neckes for when we stand surest vpon our feete and we seeme best able to hold ourselues in good plight euen then shall we soonest perishe if God be agaynst vs and no man shall be able to rid vs from his hande Seeing that this is tolde vs lette vs learne too humble ourselues and not too haue any other foundacion than the souereyne power from aboue And forasmuch as God promiseth to reache vs his hand let vs truste therevnto and referre our selues wholly vnto him therewithall acknowledging oure owne vanitie and vnsufficiencie to the end we be not puffed vp with any presumption that maketh vs drunken Thus ye see in effect what we haue to beare away in this verse Now it is sayde immediatly keepe thee from turning to iniquitie for thou baste chozen it rather than affliction or else bycause of affliction for the Hebrew woorde and manner of speach importeth both twayne First formost Iob is warned here that hee shoulde not turne to euill And vnder that terme wee meene not eyther robberie or murther or spitefulnesse or suche other like things but we vnderstande the hartburnings againste God and the grudgings and rebellings that proceede of impaciencie The cause then why it is sayd that lob must keepe himselfe from turning vnto euill is for that he shewed not himselfe to bee pacientynough in submitting himselfe vnto God and in acknowledging his rightuousnesse during the time of his aduersitie And it is purposely sayd vnto him that he should stand vpon his gard for it is a harde thing too forbeare falling when we be pinched with aduersitie Agayne looke what is sayde vnto Iob ought to serue vs all And so let vs take this saying as an exhortatiō of the holy Ghosts to vs al in cōmon that we should be watchfull whē we bee afflicted so as we swarue not aside vnto euill VVhat is the reason For assoone as Gods hand toucheth vs we be greued out of measure and there needeth no more to put vs out of patience Specially if the affliction be greate and violent then are we vtterly dismayd what stoutnesse soeuer there were in vs afore and whereas a man would haue thought vs to be inuincible we bee quite out of hart and wote not where to become Seeing then that there is such frailtie
shet their eies yet can they not bring to passe that god shoulde not set himselfe afore them and that his works should not be knowne to them Hereby we be warned that if any man knowe not God the same commeth not of simple ignorance but rather of stubborne wilfulnesse bycause hee turneth away from him For as I haue sayde afore Gods workes are to manifest vnto vs they shew themselues euery where and therefore we can not bee ignorant of them except we list ourselues In respect whereof it is sayde That men beholde them a farre off For this similitude importeth that they bee so excellent and that there is such a greatnesse and maiestie in them that although there be a farre distance betwene them and vs yet are we able to see them VVe knowe that if a man be farre off from vs our eye sight will not reach thither but it fadeth by the way or if there bee a great Castell it will seeme to be but a little cabban if we looke at it a farre off and a whole towne wil seeme to be but a two or three houses Thus doth farre distance diminish the outwarde appearance of things which are great when wee see them neere at hande VVe haue experience ynough of it in the Sunne For it seemeth to bee scarcely two foote broade and yet notwithstanding if a man knowe the reason and the things which the Philosophers and those that are acquainted with the secretes of nature do shew he shall perceyue that the Sunne is much greater than the whole earth And here it is sayde expresly that men beholde Gods workes a farre of How farre off So farre as our eye sight must needes be vtterly dazeled But yet as farre of as it is we perceyue how God worketh and therefore it followeth that there is such a maiestie in Gods woorkes as wee ought of duetie to honour him therein Nowe then let vs marke that such as glorifie not God as they should do can not cloke themselues with ignorance for it is but a vaine couert bicause his works cannot but be knowne vnto theÌ„ In so muche that if wee alledge that our eye sight is too weake and that Gods working is too high for vs it is to be replyed that although Gods woorkes be not nigh vs yet wee ceasse not too perceyue them so farre forth as is needefull for the magnifying of them And although our eyesight be verie feeble yet is there such a greatnesse excellencie and worthinesse in Gods woorkes as wee haue some inckling of them Therfore let vs lerne to apply our mindes too the knowing of the things that God sheweth vs Furthermore let vs marke also that it behoueth vs to know God and his workes according too our owne measure If he shew himself a farre of let vs content ourselues therewith True it is that we may well desire to haue him to come neere vs and on our part also it behoueth vs too streyne our selues from day to day to haue a more familiar and full knowledge of him and of his workes But yet for all that we must walke in humilitie and if God list not to bee knowne to the full but onely in part let vs holde our selues to that which pleaseth him And in the meane while as I sayde let vs not play the purblind or starkblind bussards wilfully but let vs suffer God to shew himselfe to vs and when he hath shewed himselfe and wee knowe him let vs honor him and yeeld him his deserued prayse Nowe herewithall Eliu sayth that bycause God is great we knowe him not neither is there any numbring or accounting of his yeaâ—es This sentence shoulde seeme to repâ—gne that which I haue sayd alreadie for to know and not to know are things vtterly contrary VVe saw in the last verse that although God be far off from vs yet notwithstanding his workes are so great that we see them and now it is sayde that God cannot be knowne But by the knowing that is spoken of here it is ment that we cannot comprehende God in such wise as he is in his maiestie wee come farre short of that it is ynough for vs that wee haue some little taste of it we be not able to comprehend the infinite light that is in him it suffizeth that wee haue some little sparkes therof Thus then ye see in what wise God is not knowne namely in that our capacitie is too small to conceyue and comprehend him Yet notwithstanding his meening is not to be vtterly hid froÌ„ men for he sheweth himself inough to be honoured at their handes Therfore this knowledge which we haue of God is not to bee able to determine of him and to say throughly what is in him but yet neuerthelesse we are vnexcusable if wee honour him not forsomuch as he hath shewed himselfe in such portion vnto vs as hee knoweth vs able to beare and as is for our profite Now we see after what maner we beholde God and howe he may be knowne of vs that is to wit by looking at him as it were in a glasse when he claddeth himselfe with that visible maiestie which is seene in heauen and earth Lo in what wize he ought to be looked vpon And for that cause it is sayd that the creatures are as his seate those are his ornaments and as a Prince that appareleth himselfe in his royaltie too haue the more reuerence euen so Gods ornaments are in the heauen and in the earth and there it is that he must be looked vpon For as for his substance or being that is inuisible and hidden from vs But he vttereth his vertues in suche wyse that although wee were blind yet might we grope them according also as S. Paule vseth the same similitude in the 17. of the Actes Seeing it is so let vs learne that we do then see God when we consider his workes for his mightie power appeereth there and sheweth vs that he deserueth well to bee glorifyed at our handes But yet must wee not presume to knowe him perfectly so as we should be able to define what his glory is for that passeth all our vnderstanding wee must cast downe our eyes and confesse that hee dwelleth in vnapprochable light Therefore our knowing of God is but in part and therewithall it behoueth vs to confesse that we bee so ignorant and weake as it is ynough for vs to haue some tast of Gods maiestie and we must holde ourselues at that stay sith we see that our wits fayle vs and that we be as good as forlorne I say it behoueth vs to holde ourselues within our owne slendernesse praying God to rid vs of this mortall flesh to the intent we may behold him as he is when we be become like vnto him as it is sayd in S. Iohn and furthermore that in wayting for that day he reforme vs presently after his owne image to the end we may beholde him the better For thereafter as God clenseth vs from all
our fleshly vices and from all the heauie drosse that wee feele in ourselues so maketh hee vs the meeter to beholde him And so vpon the knowledge of the weakenesse of our owne wittes we haue to pray vnto God to reforme vs more and more to the ende wee may profite and increase in his knowledge VVheras mention is made of the numbering of his yeares and whereas it is sayd that they cannot be reckned truely a man may thinke it rude geere at the first blushe for inasmuch as God had no beginning it needeth not to bee sayde of that euerlastingnesse that the yeares thereof cannot bee reckned and therefore that saying might seeme superfluous But if wee consider what Eliu amed wee shall finde that saying greatly to our profite And why As I haue sayde heretofore men are so caried away with pride as they find fault with Gods doings and will needes controll him And whereof commeth such saucinesse but that in effect they think themselues wizer than God Nowe to beate downe such ouerweening it is sayd here that a man cannot recken the number of Gods yeares Therfore whensoeuer we would be iudges ouer him and are tempted with the sayde presumptuousnesse and desire to mount higher than becoÌ„meth vs or is lawfull for vs lette vs bethinke our selues thus wretched creature thou are but as a snayle it is not past three dayes ago since thou camest first vpon the earth I meene euen them that had liued a foure or fiuescore yeares yet thou wilt take vpon thee to iudge thy god And in what plight art thou For when thou shalt haue reached to the verie creation of the worlde it is nothing in comparison of the euerlastingnesse that is in him So then thou seest nowe thine owne follie and that thou art out of thy wittes when thou enterest into such a maze as too go aboute to iudge him Therefore let vs learne that here is not only told vs that Gods age is endlesse but we muste also compare it with the shortnesse of our life according as we be warned to do For we knowe that we be transitorie and slippe away like a shadowe Then must we compare the sayde shortnesse of our life with the endlesse time of God and the euerlastingnesse which hathe neither time nor bounds and that wil serue well to keepe vs from aduauncing our selues into such presumption as wee haue bene woonted to Thus wee see in effect what Eliu telleth vs here Now must we come to the declaratioÌ„ of that which he sayeth concerning Gods workes For hee alledgeth the Raine thunders and vapours and such other like things as Hayle tempests and whirlewinds VVhen wee see those things God giueth vs suche signes of his maiestie as wee must needes honour him or else wee bee too vnthankfull and blockish True it is that God hathe other woorkes higher and harder too comprehende than these but the intent of the holy Ghost was to teach vs grossely according to our rudenesse and homelinesse and therfore Eliu setteth down here an example of the works of nature which we say are common VVee neede not to go to schoole nor to be great Clerkes to haue knowledge of Rayne of hayle of faire weather and of the chaunges that we see in the ayre True it is that the reasons of them are not verie common and ordinarie For if a man should aske a poore sillie soule how Raine is ingendred he could not resolue him of it bicause wee see not howe the water mounteth vp nor also howe the water can bee ingendred in the ayre and it might seeme a thing agaynst reason So the playne countrymen cannot discusse the things that are to be knowne by Philosophie as howe the rayne is ingendered by drawing vppe of the vapours of steames in so much that when the Sunne strykâ—th vpon the earth forasmuch as the earth is full of holes and not so close shet but that there are little vaines in it he draweth vp the vapours aloft and by little and little they become thicke and when they be in the middes of the ayre there they ingender rayne For by that meanes the moystures are drawne vp by little and little vntil that al of theÌ„ grow ripe to giue vs raine Againe the countryfolke vnderstand not wherof it commeth to passe that there is not so great heate in the middle roome of the ayre although the same be neerer to the Sunne For the cause of it is that the heate setteth it self here vpoÌ„ the earth as vpon a harth whereas in the ayre it spreadeth abroade in such wise as it cannot rest there And that is the cause why hayle is ingendred there as we see It is a straunge matter in so much that we would hardly beleeue it if it were not a common thing among vs that the hayle should thicken in the ayre and that although the Sunne be neerer therevnto than to vs yet notwithstanding as we see there must needes bee a great coldnesse there The ignorant therefore haue no knowledge of these things neither can they find oute the reason of it but are amazed at it Howbeit although wee knowe not the reason yet the thing it selfe is sufficiently knowne insomuch that it appeareth that the drawing vp of the vapours from the earth after that maner and the ingendering of raine afterwarde and also the holding of the raine in the ayre after it is ingendered there according as it is sayde that the clowdes are bottels barrels or tubbes are a woonderfull woorke of god And in good sooth if there were barrelles in the ayre to holde the water in it were not a notabler myracle than too see the clowdes hanging ouer vs VVhat letteth that they fall not downe to ouerwhelme vs and too destroy the earth Muste it not needes bee an excellent power whereat our wittes must be amazed This is the cause why I sayde that without any going too Schoole or without any curious great booke learning a man shal find sufficient knowledge of Gods workes in the order of nature to make him vnexcusable bycause the same is so common among vs As for example when wee looke vppon the rayne hayle thunder and such other like things the same shewe vs a certaine maiestie of God too make vs afrayde so as wee must needes bee moued spyte of our teeth for by that meanes our Lord inforceth vs to know the maiestie that is in him notwithstanding that we through our vnthankfulnesse indeuer to quenche it too the vttermost of oure power Now then we see why mention is made here vnto vs of the raine such other like things Not bicause that God hath not other workes more wonderfull and excellent but to the ende we should not pretende ignorance for the holy Ghost setteth before vs the things that are seene and knowne of the whole world Seing it is so what haue wee to do but to worship God yeelding him his deserued honor and to beate downe all pride in our selues so as
vs to mark wel what is conteyned in this verse where on the one syde Eliu protesteth that all Gods workes are myracles and on the other side he saith it behoueth vs to stay vpon them namely bicause our wit is to feble to haue any true knowledge of them out of hand Therefore we had neede to bestowe all our studie therevpon Furthermore we be commaunded expresly too beaâ—ken for except God speake vnto vs as for vs we may well apply al our wittes to the considering of his workes but we shall neuer come to the cheef point Yee see then how we haue three points to beare in mynde The one concerneth the excellencie and maiestie that is to bee seene in all Gods workes so as they bee not to be despized The second is that for as much as men are rude and grosse witted their looking vpon the things that God setteth afore them muste not bee with casting their eyes aside at them with a glaunce and awaye but they must stay vpoÌ„ them and settle their minds throughly to them and be diligent in them to the vttermost The third is that that they must not trust in their owne reason nor thinke them selues to haue skill ynough to iudge of them but consider how it belongeth to God to shew vs by his worde what we haue to conceyue and that that is the point whereat we must beginne and that till we haue bene at Gods schole wee shall haue but a dim eyesight so as his workes shall passe away before vs and wee not perceiue them as were requisit for vs to do and to be short wee shall haue no discretion at all vntill God haue made vs wise Yet these things neede not so greatly to be layde foorth at length as to be well weyed of euerie of vs And therefore as ofte as we come to the considering of Gods workes let vs lifte vp our wits alofte to reuerence them that is to say to honour Gods infinite wisedome power and rightuousnesse which appeere in them Let that serue for one point To bee shorte who so euer thinketh vpon Gods works without reuerencing of them that is to say without yeelding him honour and without acknowledging them to be full of wisdome power and goodnesse he is vnkynd and traterous vnto god And therefore as oft as any man speakes to vs of Gods works let vs yeeld this reuerence to them to take them as miracles that surmount all our wits and wherein God vttereth his maiestie after suche a sorte as wee haue good cause to honour him Besides this as I haue touched already we must on the other side consider what is in ourselues to the end we take not ourselues to bee so sharpwitted as to knowe all things in a moment Then let vs be contented to breathe vpon the things that we conceiue not at the first sight and let vs not bee wearie of that studie If wee haue lyued a good while in the worlde and be still but as nouices and haue not that perfecte vnderstanding which were to bee wished yet let vs not be out of heart but go forward stil without studie for wee shall haue profited much if we can in oure whole life haue learned to vnderstande the wonders that are conteyned in the workes of god Howbeeit it is true that it behoueth vs to go still on foreward and whereas in this place here is mention made of staying it is not ment that wee should bee ydly occupied in gazing aboute for our musing vpon God muste not hinder oure seruing of him nor our imploying of our selues about the things that he hath appoynted It is cleane contrariwyse that is to wit the more a man considereth Gods workes the more ought he to bee stirred vp to do his duetie and the more ought hee to be prouoked and thrust foreward therevnto Truely they that stay in thinking vpon Gods workes doe but as it were goe backe to leape the better For the end of it is that wee should not bee wanderers as wee see men do which runne trotting vp and downe from place to place and could find in their harts to remoue the world with them when they be so letted in their enterprises But what for that They may well breake their armes and legges and yet be neuer the further soreward if they hold not the right way VVhat is to bee done then Let vs bee guided by sober aduisednesse And so let vs stay in such wise vpon Gods workes as wee may bee restreyned from wandring after that sort and not become stragglers Howbeeit therewithall let vs also apply our selues to that which God commaundeth and let that bee our marke to shoote at Furthermore let vs assure ourselues that of our owne nature we haue nother wit nor reason to giue eare vnto God for it belongeth to him to shewe vs what wee ought to consider in his workes that we may fare the better by them True it is that the heathen men haue disputed curiously of the secretes of nature and in a manner nothing hath beene hidden from them Yea but all was but a musing vpon the worlde and not a comming vnto god And what else is suche wisdome than a confuzed dungeon For what an vnthankefulnesse is it that men should so curiously search out all Gods workes and not thinke vpon the maker of them nor any whit regarde him Therefore cursed be the wisdome which buzieth it selfe about the curiouse searching out of the inferiour or lower causes and in the meane whyle despyzeth the maker Yet notwithstanding it is certayne that God gaue vnderstanding to those that treated so curiously of the order of nature howbeeit for as much as they heard not God speake he had his worde to guide them aright they missed their way For the cheefe point was that they should haue submitted themselues vnto God and considered his glorie whiche appeereth to vs in all his workes but they did it not So then let vs marke well that whensoeuer we reade these great philosophers or heare them speake and perceyue howe they knew the things that seeme incomprehensible to vs they be as lookingglasses of the blindnesse that is in all men vntill that God haue taught them in his schole Are we sharperwitted than those men were VVe come farre short of them and yet we see they had not any taste of god And therefore if we be desirous to comprehende Gods workes let vs not trust to our own skilfulnesse nother let vs presume vpon our owne naturall power But let vs herken to that which God speketh to vs and when we be taught by his wordes let vs go on after his guiding and then shal we know his works in such sorte as wee shall apply them to oure vse and instruction Thus much concerning this first verse Nowe Eliu goeth forward immediatly with this matter He asketh whither Iob can tell what commaundement God hath giuen to all his creatures what ordinance he hath set in the clouds how
our hearts hoppe in our belly as they say and too set much store by our selues but when we come vnto God then must all of it quite quaile There is not then so lustie and stoute a fellow that hath in that cace one whit of strength at all all holinesse all wisdome and all that euer else is fayleth vtterly in that behalfe Therfore at a worde let all the worlde knowe that their furniture shall not boote them before God but we must be vtterly desaced and emptied before God so as he leaue not one drop of power or strength in vs other than wee shail take of him as by way of borrowing acknowledging that all proceedeth of his meere goodnesse Now then we see what this worde valiant man importeth It doth vs too wit that what speciall power or vertues soeuer wee haue the same must not puffe vs vp with pride agaynst god Furthermore it is sayd also that Iob wrappeth or darkneth secrets in wordes without knowledge Hereby God sheweth that when we haue to deale with his secrets we must bethinke our selues well that we may proceede soberly and with all reuerence For vnder this worde secrets God intended to signifie the high things wherof Iob had spoken VVe may well dispute of many petie trifles yea and discourse of them at randon and in so doing our talke shall be but vaine and fond but yet shall there not be any blasphemie there in neither shall Gods name be vnhallowed But when we enter into the doctrine of saluation and into Gods works and fal to disputing of his prouidence and wil theÌ„ must we not go to it so vnaduisedly for we do but wrap vp or intangle secrets in vnskilfull wordes VVe see then wherein God rebuketh Iob namely for speaking to hastily of things that outreached his capacitie For althogh he had excellent giftes of grace yet ought he alwayes to haue humbled himselfe with acknowledgement of his infirmities and also to haue brydeled himselfe sith hee was well neere out of his wittes and wist not what to think of Gods iudgements And forasmuch as hee felt himselfe at such an afterdeale he should haue had an eie to the feeblenesse of his owne vnderstanding and acknowledging him self to be a nâ—â—rtall man he should haue said Alas there is nothing but ignorance and foolishnesse in me Herewithal he should also haue looked vp to the inestimable maiestie and incomprehensible purpose of God and that shoulde haue meekned him Howbeeit he did neither the one nor the other So theÌ„ â–ª although he were not quite strayd from the right way but went forwarde still to the true marke yet doo wee see here that hee is rebuked by Gods owne mouth And this text putteth vs in mind of the reuerence which God will haue vs too beare to his mysteries and to the things that concerne his heauenly kingdome If we reason but about our owne matters we need not to go to it with so precise carefulnesse for they be but earthly things which passe away But whensoeuer wee fall too talking of God or of his workes or of his truth or of the things that are conteyned in his worde we must come to it with reuerence and feare and not open our lippes too flush out whatsoeuer commeth to our tungs end â—orhaue our witts to busie to inquire of the things that belong not to vs nor are lawful for vs but we must restreyne our desyres and brydle our tongues And why For they be the secretes of God that is to say they be to darke and high things for vs to meddle with Therfore we must not think to atteyne to them furtherfoorth than God listeth too instruct vs of his owne mere goodnesse And woulde God that this thing were wel put in vre for then should we not haue the bickerings that are nowadays through the whole world But what It is to be seene that verie fewe are touched with the maiestie of god VVhen wee treate of his worde and of the doctrine of our saluation and of the holy Scripture euerie one falles to it at aduenture and euery man shootes forth his verdit as though they reasoned but of mooneshine in the water They be such things as passe all vnderstanding of man and yet notwithstanding it is manifest that we be bolder to treate of Gods so high mysteries which ought too rauish oure wittes too wonder at them and which we ought to honor with all awefulnesse I say wee be bolder to babble of theÌ„ than if a maÌ„ spake but of a matter of fiue shillings value or of some trifle I wote not what And what is the cause here of but that men haue not considered howe God hydeth and ouercasteth his owne secrete determinations and hath in his holy scripture vttered vnto vs his will wherevntoo it behoueth vs to bee subiect VVe see on the one side howe the Papists blaspheme God wresting falsifying marring and corrupting the whole holy Scripture so as they sticke not to scorne God and all his woorde And why For they neuer tasted what this woorde secrete meeneth Also there are drunkards among vs which coulde find in their harts to subdue God to their fantasticall minde Though they were the wisest men in the worlde and the best seene in the holy scripture yet should they bee fayne to come too this poynt That Gods secrete determination is aboue vs But they be vtterly dull and brutish there is neither skill nor reason in them the wine ouermaystreth them lyke swine and yet they will needes playe the diuines and controll things in such wise that if a man shoulde nowe adayes beleeue them hee shoulde be driuen to frame and forge a newe Gospell And therfore let vs remember how it is shewed vs heere that when wee talke of God wee must not take libertie too pleade and babble as wee oure selues thinke good but consider that he hath reueled his secretes vntoo vs in the holy Scripture and that bothe greate and small must submit themselues therevntoo too honour them And that is the cause why heere is mention made of wordes without knowledge Nowe then God sheweth vs heere that whensoeuer wee speake of him and of his workes it is a matter of secrecie a high matter On the other side what is it that we can bring forth what is that little which wee can conceyue in our vnderstanding It is but woordes without knowledge Let men put themselues into the balance and they shall bee found lighter than vanitie it selfe as it is sayde in the Psalme So much the more then behoueth it vs too marke this doctrine that there is neither skill nor aptnesse in vs to treate of Gods workes except hee teach vs The way for vs too become wise is to be gouerned by the spirit and word of god And therfore when we finde not the thing in Gods worde which we desire to knowe let vs vnderstand that it behoueth vs to abide ignorant of it and therevpon too keepe our mouthes shet
power that is matched with rightfulnesse And that is the cause why mention is made purposely of the proud and wicked sort Therefore let vs marke well these two things namely that God doth here magnifie himselfe forasmuch as he can with his onely looke ouerthrow and destroy the wicked ▪ and yet notwithstanding spareth his creatures and vttereth not his sayde power but vpon the proude and the wicked God then is almightie but yet howsoeuer the worlde go he will haue his rightuousnesse knowne to go with it and he will haue men to confesse according as the thing it selfe sheweth that his so doing is to vanquish the affections and lustes of all suche as yeelde and submitte themselues to his maiestie and that on the contrary part he thundereth vpon all such as presume too much vpon themselues and become prowde and vse replying and incountering with God to make him their mortall enemie And as wee haue spoken of Gods voyce before so must wee nowe speake of his looke or countenaunce The faythfull beseech God to shew them his countenance for that is the thing wherein consisteth al our ioy happinesse and welfare according as it is sayde in the Psalme Lorde shew vs thy countenance and we shal be safe That is al our welfare that is all our contentation that is all that we can wish VVhat is the thing then that is most to be desired of vs It is Gods countenance like as contrarywise when he turneth his backe vpon vs and hideth himselfe from vs we must needes be as forlorne and out of heart for there is not any thing wherein a man may finde rest but onely in knowing that God hath a care of him So long then as God vouchsaseth too haue his eye vppon vs wee haue whereof to be glad for we bee sure that he will mainteine vs and that wee shall not neede too bee afrayde of any thing But if God forget vs we be at our wittes ende and not without good cause For wee bee as it were left vp to Satan to pray vpon and an hundred thousand deathes beset vs round about and there is no remedie for vs VVe see then that Gods looke is a thing to be wished for specially if we come to him with all humblenesse and with a desirousnesse and true intent to stick vnto him But if we loke aloft as it is sayd in another place and haue a foreheade of brasse and be puffed vp too vaunt our selues before God as it were in spite of him then must he bee faine to looke vpon vs with another maner of countenance which shall not serue to cheere vs vp but to destroy vs vtterly Then needeth there no more but one looke of God to ridde all men quite and cleane out of the worlde when they cast a proude looke agaynst him Aud therefore let vs learne that which is sayde heere namely that Gods looking vpon the proude sort is to destroy them vtterly And why Bycause that they haue had a wicked looke VVherefore let vs cast downe our heades and go vnto God too do him obeysance and therewithall let vs pray him too lighten our eyes that we may seeke him as our father and he looke vpon vs in such wise as we may haue thereby all perfectnesse of ioy and true contentation to rest our selues vpon But by the way it is shewed vs in this streyne that as the Scripture speaketh oftentymes it is Gods office to ouerthrow such as aduaunce themselues according as it is sayde that whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall bee brought low Then let vs mark well that God is at deadly and vnreconciliable foad with all such as kepe not within their bounds ne acknowledge their owne slendernesse by humbling themselues but will needes make themselues great men so as God must be fain to incounter them and they two must iustle togither VVere this throughly considered we should not need so many Sermons to bring vs to lowlinesse For is it not a horrible thing that wormes of the earth should come of set purpose too fight agaynst God But yet so it is that all such as presume of themselues all such as think they be of any valour at al all such as beare themselues in hand that they be either wise or vertuous or rightuous all such say I do make warre against god Though they speake it not with their mouth yet is it all one for so it is in very deed and therfore God telleth vs that a man cannot iustifie himselfe but that in so doing he assaulteth heauē Now then if we were throughly persuaded of this doctrine that all proude folkes are gods enimies and prouoke his wrath against themselues we would walk in another maner of meeldnesse and simplicitie than we do But what It seemeth to vs that God ought to shrinke away too make vs roome Marke I pray you how men besot thēselues Neuerthelesse if we woulde nowadayes herken too this doctrine to frame our selues thereafter we shoulde at length perceyue by experience that it is not for nought sayde That the countenance of the Lorde is vpon the loftie ones too roote them out of the worlde and that none but the meeke ones haue the euerlasting heritage Howbeit to the intent we may profit the more by this lesson let vs marke well who be the proude ones For the pryde is not alwayes knowne vnto men to condemne it but whosoeuer trusteth in his owne strength whosoeuer presumeth vpon his owne rightuousnesse or wisedome whosoeuer sotteth himselfe in his owne greatnesse and credit and to be short whosoeuer wilfully ouerpasseth his bounds in any thing the same is a proude bodie before god And how is it that men ouerpasse their boundes Euen when they thinke themselues to haue any sparke of goodnesse of themselues For vntil such time as wee bee as ye woulde say quite and cleane emptied there is neither meekenesse nor meeldnesse in vs Furthermore when God shall haue giuen vs any grace and bestowed the giftes of his holy spirite vpon vs let not the same make vs to set vp our bristles agaynst him to offend him If wee haue a good and sharpe vnderstanding the same commeth not of our owne moother wit and therefore wee must not take occasion to exalt our selues for it for we be so much the more bound vnto god Againe let him that is greatest indeuer to serue the smallest and let him not despise those whom God hath inhonoured by setting them in like degree with him Then if we imagin that there is any thing in vs or if we be puffed vp with pride too disdaine our neighbours by reason of Gods gracious giftes it is a presumptuousnesse that offendeth God and prouoketh his vengeance agaynst vs VVhat is too bee done then If wee will not haue God agaynst vs let vs learne to distrust the things that are in our selues and not conceyue any presumption that may lift vs vp but to be short at one worde let vs say we be nothing
in any presumption or vayne trust Thus ye see how we ought to profit oure selues by this text and by the experience which our Lord giueth vs of it all our life long But Iob vseth the mo similitudes to expresse that which he had sayde that is too say that the deaw shall lye alwayes vpon his haruest or vpon his braunches for the Hebrewe woorde importeth both twayn and all commeth to one end And againe that his dayes shall be multiplyed as the sand As if hee shoulde saye without number And againe that his glory shall be renued and that his bow shall not be beaten down True it is that some men vnderstand these sayings to concerne the hope of the resurrection but men may see by the whole proces of the matter that Iob treateth of the state of this present lyfe Therefore we must not climb so hye nor seeke so curious a gloze but content our selues with the naturall sense which I haue set downe already whiche is that Iob meeneth heere to say that his state was well settled so as men thought not that euer they should haue seene it fall intoo so miserable a plight as it was then And as I sayd that is a circumstance to make many men to wonder For whē we see such changes we fall to reasoning with ourselues how happeneth it that God thundereth vppon so hye mountaynes and smiteth so great heads Is it possible we consider not that God intendeth too vtter his power in that cace to the end that men shoulde not trust so muche too themselues but learne to referre themselues wholly vnto him and to rest altogithervpon his goodnesse and not to promise themselues any thing after their owne imagination So much the more then behoueth it vs to marke wel this circumstance that Iobs aduauncement was not onely for a day two or three or for some short time but that hee seemed to be vtterly exempted from all dangers and too be no more in perill of any misfortune and yet notwithstanding that God smote so roughly vpon him with hys hand as he was vtterly defaced VVherefore let vs vnderstand that God ment to giue vs a notable looking glasse heere to the end we should always kepe good watch and whē we haue called vpō god if it please him to send vs any affliction we might receiue it paciētly inasmuch as we had after that sort forsene it And surely whatsoeuer vertu there be in vs the same must not stir vs vp the more whē ther hapneth any change but we must vnderstād that according as our Lord hath giuen vs of his gracious gifts specially after as he shal haue gouerned vs by his holy spirit to vse thē well and as it becommeth vs the same must serue to stablish vs in pacientnesse notwithstanding that we be weakened yea and vtterly beaten down in our bodies Then let vs assure ourselues that God will come to vtter the strength of his spirit in sustcining vs to the end we may fight against such temptations and that the victory which we shall haue gotten may be so much the more glorious bycause his goodnesse hath bin the more increased towards vs Lo heere what wee haue to marke And now Iob goeth on with his matter which he had dealt in before which is the great authoritie that hee had gotten not through vain reputatiō but by his wisdom and grauitie bicause he had so gouerned himself that euery man reuerēced him Therfore he sayth expresly that al mē herkned to him yea and that they berkned in such sort as they waited for his words and euery man gaped as a man that is athirst or as we see how the earth when it is very dry doth crany as if so be it desired rain to drinke Iob then declareth that he himselfe was such a one that is to wit that hee was as the rain and the deaw and that all such as heard him were as it were altered at his words and hung vpon his talke as vpō an vnreuocable iudgement And this is declared vntoo vs purposely to the end we should know first what a mā Iob was whom we see so sore smitten by Gods hand Therefore let vs not complayne grudge against God nor accuse him of cruelty when he afflicteth vs For we see what Iob gayned by it namely that he abode vanquished cōfounded whē he went about to striue against the chastizementes that God sent him and yet neuerthelesse ye see what holinesse of life and what perfection was in hym Therfore let vs learn that God is always iust in afflicting vs and that if we compare ourselues with Iob we shal find ourselues to be far short of the perfectiō that was in him and yet was he beaten more sharply than we be So thē we haue none other shift but to receyue Gods stripes wyth all lowlinesse and pacience Marke that for one point And herewithal we see in Iobs person what reuerēce we ought to beare to such as God sendeth to teach vs faythfully It is sayd that men hearkened to him with longing wherein he sheweth that mē ought to haue a desire to profit in knowledge that seing nature prouoketh thē to desire to eate and drinke for the nourishment of their bodies they must not despise the foode of their soules whiche is the knowledge and lerning of goodnesse wherby they differ from brute beasts VVhē we know a thing to be good to mainteine vs we neede neither master nor teacher to teach vs to couet it neither need we any prouocation to it or any body to put vs in mind of it Euery man as I sayd can skil to couet to eate and drinke euery man can desire too bee clothed VVhy so For we know that those things cōcerne our life But now is not our soule the excellentest part of vs And how ought that to be interteyned Not with eating and drinking But there is a thing agreeable too the nature of it which is to haue reason vnderstanding that our life be not brutish but that we may shew ourselues to be creatures formed after the image of god So then in this verse it is shewed vs that if we be not too blockish or at leastwise if we haue any reason at all in vs wee oughte cōtinually to deuise how we may profit by knowing too what end man is borne in this world namely to be more and more stablished in the knowledge of God after wee haue once receyued it But wee see many so retchlesse as they passe not to heare any thing we see othersom that cannot be satisfied with dispising the doctrin but they also hate it vtterly absent thēselues from it asmuche as they cā And do such folk deserue to be counted men No for the thing wherin wee differ from brute beastes is that we haue some reason vnderstanding in vs to discerne betwene good and euil yet notwithstanding ther is such grosnes infirmitie in our wits as we
haue neede of furtherances Yea and though wee had al the furtherances that could be wished yet is it apparant that there is still default in vs For what is the cause that wee reiect all the benefites that God offereth vs but bycause we bee woise than beasts So then wee must needes conclude that if a man knew the ende of his creation and why hee liueth in this world he would always be moued to profit in knowledge as to set his mind therevpon and hee would neuer refuse the meanes whē they were offred but would think with himself behold God intendeth to teach me therfore it behoueth me to yeelde my selfe willing to learne and to giue eare to his doctrine which he setteth afore me as which is good and auailable for my saluation Lo what desire ought to be in vs But now let vs looke vpon oure owne retchlesnesse For God is so gracious vnto vs as to giue vs his word and not only sendeth vs some man that hath a good wit and vnderstanding but also is willing too do the duty of a master himselfe And although hee come not downe from heauen in his owne visible person yet haue we his law his Prophets and his Gospel which giue vs infallible assurance and record that it is he which speaketh there Then seing that God openeth his holy mouth to teache vs although hee vse mortall men as his instruments I pray you are not we too vnthākfull if we vouchsafe not to profit in his schoole And yet neuerthelesse we see how we fare in that behalfe VVherfore it behoueth vs to remember well the lesson that is shewed heere in respect that God vpbraydeth vs according also as Iesus Christ hath done the Iewes and hypocrites saying you cā skill to discerne the seasons you can tell when the Sunne will cheere the earth you know when the weather will be cleare and fayre so as you may go about your businesse And why discerne we not that whiche belongeth to oure soules Bicause we are too much wedded to thys presente life There is none of vs but he wisheth for raine when he knoweth it to be needefull saying O nowe it were good for the earth to be watered Agayne if we haue neede of heate or of faire weather or of any thing else wee can so good skill to forecast the things that cōcerne the commodities of this temporall life as there is no lacke at al in vs in that behalfe But behold God sendeth vs his word and we know not the due time of his visitation to enter whē the gate is opened vs hee calleth vs on all sides and wee take scorne to come in Furthermore let vs marke well that this similitude is not set downe without cause where Iob sayeth That his words were wished and wayted for as the raine or deaw And Moyses also vseth the same in his song ye heauens saith he let my wordes drop as the deaw or the raine in their season Now for the vnderstanding hereof we must not only consider the raine in it selfe but also marke the vse and profit that it bringeth vs Rain in some respect may be hurtfull as vnto them that are wet too the hard skin when they go abrode in the feelds and to all other men also when it keepeth them within the doores But yet for all that a seasonable rayne bringeth vs sustenance by moysting the earth whiche could yeeld no frute without it Thus ye see why rayne is to be desired And so let vs vnderstand that wee on oure part are muche more barreyn than the earth For proofe heereof we can bryng foorth nothing but shrewd weedes True it is that in respect of euil we be too frutestil but in respect of good we cannot bring foorth so muche as one grayne of corne or one braunch of good herb and much lesse can wee bryng foorth any one good nourishing frute wherewith to feede our selues or shoote foorth one blade of good corne vntil god haue chaunged our nature But hath God put good into vs He must also be faine to water it or else it will bee either choked with briars or else grow wilde Our Lorde then must worke in that behalfe And beholde the meane that he intendeth to keepe is that he sendeth vs his word as raine to the ende that beeing so moystned wee maye see what his woorking and cheerefulnesse is and that the good roote which he hath planted in vs may not perish but increase more and more and bud bring foorth good frute Furthermore let vs take heede we become not like stones and blockes when God rayneth so vppon vs The rain doth the earth good when it is well tilled but will it do any good to a rock No none at all the rayne is but lost vpon it Euē so is it with men If we be well tilled and minded to yeelde vnder the obedience of oure God when he maketh his word to raine vpon vs Certenly it will enter into our harts and we shal feele the working of it so as we shal be the more disposed vnto goodnesse and our good works shal shewe that we haue not bin watered in vayne and that Gods minde was not that his graces should be lost in vs But if we continue alwayes in oure cursed nature as many men do which are wilfull and froward then shall we be like rocks hee will raine vpon vs but what for that VVee shall haue no disposition to receyue the raine and that will cost vs right deere Therefore let vs vnderstand that it is a raine of Gods sending when he will haue his worde preached vnto vs And that if when it streameth downe vpon vs we make it too vanish in the aire and suffer it not to light vpon the ground we may be sure that such vnthankfulnesse shall not scape vnpunished Thus ye see to what end it behoueth vs too apply the similitude that Iob vseth heere when he sayth that his wordes were wayted for and longed for as the rayne and deawe That is to wit we must assure ourselues that the good doctrine whiche God sendeth vnto vs for oure welfare commeth to vs from heauen and that although we heare it at a mortall mans hand yet notwithstādyng it is of Gods sending Ye see then how Gods desire is too water vs Too what intent To make vs receyue good seede out of hand and to bring foorth good frute according as it is added heere For Iob not only sayth that hys words were longed and wayted for But also that men receiued them immediatly with greate and earnest good will and also that there was no more replying to the cōtrary Then if it please God to teach vs and for the doing thereof to raise vp meete men induced with the grace of his holy spirit vnder whome wee may profite Let vs giue eare to them with all reuerence and yeeld too theyr good doctrine without any constraint True it is that we ought to examine spirits and