him that there may be some meanes of attonemeÌ„t betwene vs and his Maiestie Ye see how God is estraunged and separated from vs and what is the cause of it Our sinnes sayeth the Prophete Esay For God dwelleth in vs by his power Howe haue wee our beeing our moouing and our lyfe Howe haue wee any continuance at all but by reason that his power is spred out throughe all things And yet for all that wee ceasse not to bee separated from him through our sinnes and iniquities VVhat must wee doo then VVhat remayneth more That Iesus Christ put himselfe betwixte vs Iesus Christe muste bee fayne too bee oure daysman not too passe in iudgement vppon the Maiestie of God nor too sette God at the barre with vs but to bee the meane to reconcile vs vnto God and to draw vs after him as our heade to knit vs in such wife vnto God as wee may be all one in him as the Scripture speaketh And herevpon let vs learne to humble our selues and say â–ª Lord we come vnto thee not too pleade nor to presume vpon any thing that is in vs or in our owne persons but bicause thou art fauourable to vs and bicause thou art willing too receyue vs for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake That is the thing whereof we vaunte our selues Not that wee must not continue confounded as in respect of our selues but that forasmuch as it pleaseth thee to make vs feele thine infinite goodnesse which thou hast set forth in thine onely sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ whome thou gauest too death for our sakes wee will not nowe doubt but thou wilt receyue vs notwithstanding that wee bee too vnworthie of it But no we let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgemente of the innumerable sinnes which we ceasse not to commit dayly against him beseeching him that forasmuche as wee bee full of filthinesse and infection it may please him to purge vs and to rid vs from all our spttes and specially too correct this hypocrisie of ours where vnto we bee much giuen to the ende that we misliking the faults and offences which we haue committed heeretofore may desire nothing somuch as too returne vnto him with true repentance assuring oure selues that we shall not fayle too get pardon at his hande at leastwise so well come too him in true soundnesse of hearte praying him moreouer too gouerne vs in suche wise by his holy spirite that although wee bee full of many infirmities and bee so manye wayes defiled yet it may please him to receyue vs and not to vse rigour and extremity towardes vs That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The .xxxviij. Sermon which is the first vpon the tenth Chapter 1 MY soule is cut off in my lyfe I vvill leaue my complaynte vpon my selfe I vvill speake in my bitternesse 2 I vvill say too God condemne mee not shevve mee vvhy thou pleadest agaynst mee 3 Is it good for thee to doo mee vvrong or too caste avvay the vvorke of thine ovvne handes and to cleere the deuice of the vvicked 4 Hast thou eyes of fleshe lookest thou after the maner of men 5 Are thy dayes as the dayes of men are thy yeares as the yeares of a mortall man 6 That thou shouâ—dest serche out mine iniquitie and make inquirie of my sinne THe things that are spoken here by Iob may well bee spoken by euery of vs so farrefoorth as they bee good and holy prayers made vnto God and as he will allowe them And first of all if wee bee pressed with anguish wee may well say that we shall get no good by aduauÌ„cing ourselues against God in going to lawe with him Secondly we may desire him too make vs feele oure sinnes For the cheefe condemnation that hee shall pronounce vpon vs shall boote no whit to oure saluation except wee bee touched to be ouerthrowne in our selues For a man muste become his owne iudge and condemne himselfe if he will bee quit at Gods hande Also we may well marke all the shewes that are added immediatly that is to witte that it is no reason that God shoulde giue the wicked shorte occasion too like of theyr blasphemies and lewde dealings and that on the othersyde hee is no earthlye creature that hee shoulde bee desyrous too reuenge himselfe and finally that wee bee the woorke of his handes Lastly we may well saye that hee neede not too put men too the racke too boulte oute their misdeedes for all is knowne vntoo him So then wee may well vse the woordes that are reported heere in good sorte But wee see howe Iob vttereth his passions where with hee was caryed away not that hee resisted them not as I haue declared asore and yet for all that it is not to be gathered but that in the meane while hee was coÌ„bred with them a the first brunt And he confesseth here that he was in suche bitternesse that although he should gayne nothing by it yet could he not but strengthen himselfe in his complayntes or rather giue them theyr full scope For the Hebrew woorde that is put there signifieth bothe to leaue or let looce and also to fortifie or strengthen Therefore let vs marke well that Iob speaketh heere as a man ouerfull of passions Neuerthelesse hee knoweth what the nature of God is and restreyneth himselfe neither laboureth he to make his own cace good by accusing god But contrariwise he confesseth that hee is amazed and as it were out of his witte as men say And therfore he resorteth to praying vnto God that before hee condemne him hee shoulde shewe him wherefore hee goeth to law with him and that before he bring him downe to that poynt he should make him perceyue the reason why hee indureth it And now let vs go through with these matters from woorde to woorde He sayeth My soule is cut off in my life The Hebrew worde signifieth oftentimes to mislyke as if he should say my soule is wearie of my life or I am lothe to liue any longer But the truer meening is to say My soule is cut off in my life And why so For although he were alyue yet notwithstanding hee confesseth that his state was such as he was euen as good as deade Behold sayeth he my lyfe is no lyfe For I lyue in death And thus yee see that his meening was so And hereby hee confesseth himselfe to be as it were past hope yea verely as in respect of Gods handling of him Hee had still a hope in God howbeeit too truste therevnto it behoued him to go out of his owne person And this is a poynt whiche wee ought to marke throughlye For if wee looke but vppon oure presente state what can wee doo that wee shoulde not bee vtterlie ouerthrowen by it And for proofe heereof althoughe a man bee at his ease yet hath hee no continuance too beare oute
no further knowledge but of oure sinnes and of Gods iustice wee muste bee fayne too rest there So then we must not thinke it straunge that Iob speaking of death should say that men go into a darke coast where there is nothing but darknesse and disorder And why so For hee matcheth sinne and Gods curse togither with death and so long as God holdeth him locked vp in distresse there is as it were a certayne hartburning so as he seeketh not the meane of grace which is the true remedy to shew vs that there is light euen in death and some order also in darknesse how darke soeuer it be bycause that after we haue once bin brought to dust wee shall bee rayzed vp agayne Iob perceyued not this And why Bycause it behooued God first too make hym feele hys sharpe and sore rigoure and afterwarde to comfort hym againe And it is a text whiche wee ought too marke well For if wee mynde too receyue the grace that God giueth vs and offereth too vs continually in oure Lorde Iesus Christe wee must first feele what wee oure selues are and in what plight wee bee Are wee desyrous I say too taste what the heauenly lyfe is Firste wee muste knowe too what ende wee bee borne yea euen according as wee bee sinners in Adam And in good sooth it is not without cause that Sainct Paule sayeth that that whiche is corruptible goeth formost For hee speaketh not onely of the order that God holdeth in nature but also of that whiche it behoueth vs too consider on oure part Therefore wee muste vnderstande that although wee bee borne into this worlde and be as noble and excellent creatures of God as any can bee Yet notwithstanding by meanes of sinne death hath as it were abolished and razed out that noblenesse in so muche that God misliketh vs and disclaymeth vs as though hys hande had not fashioned vs bycause we bee disfigured and the Deuill hath sette his markes and stampe vppon vs and furthermore beeing subiect too the cursse that was pronounced vppon Adam wee are as good as banished oute of the whole worlde so as there is neyther heauen nor earthe but it abhorreth vs This say I is the thing that wee haue too marke in our selues But if wee enter intoo that battell it is certaine that wee shall be confounded vtterly Yee see that the cause why men stande so muche in their owne conceyte is for that they cannot bethinke them of Gods iustice as they ought too doo But yet must wee come too that poynt Howbeeit when wee shall haue considered howe wretched oure lyfe is and that death is yet more wretched bycause it is the greate gulfe that serueth too shewe vs of what importance the cursse is which God pronounced against vs with his owne mouth I say when we shall haue considered that we must also beware that wee be not vtterly swallowed vp of heauinesse And what remedie is there The remedie is to turne oure eyes too our Lorde Iesus Christ For the meane whereby God inlighteneth vs in the middes of darkenesse is howe oure Lorde Iesus Christ offereth himselfe vnto vs in whome we haue the true daysunne of rightuousnesse Nowe then if wee haue that regarde with vs no death can be dreadfull vnto vs And heere ye see why Dauid sayeth that Gods sheepehooke shall comfort him in the shadow of death and in the darknesse VVhen as hee speaketh of Gods sheepehooke he meaneth that hee shall bee afraid of nothing so long as God sheweth himselfe a shepeheard towards him And how should he shew himselfe a sheepherd but in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ So then let vs first consider of what minde Iob speaketh heere Hee knoweth that if men be considered in themselues it is their verye nature to haue nothing else but all manner of confusion both in their life and in their death Howbeeit seeyng wee haue the sonne of God although our state seeme neuer so wretched insomuch that wee bee but as poore woormes subiect too corruption and rottennesse yet come wee too the tasting of the benefite whiche God gaue vs when hee made light to issue out of the middes of darknesse according as it is sayde in the creation of the worlde that God turned the darknesse intoo light Seeyng wee knowe this wee haue too reioyce in that by the meanes of his onely sonne hee hath caused hys goodnesse and grace to shine foorth in our death yea euen more than in our lyfe For when it seemeth that we shoulde enter intoo the dungeons and gulfes of hell Then dooth God open vs the gate of his kingdome and euen then hee maketh vs too enter intoo the dwelling place whereoutof wee bee nowe after a sort banished And Christ inlightneth vs not onely in deathe to the intent that the darknesse whiche is there shoulde not darken vs and quite ouerwhelme vs but also in our life Thys present worlde as the Scripture telleth vs is full of darknesse and wee bee poore blind soules in it and yet in the meane whyle Iesus Christ cesseth not to inlighten vs by hys Gospell VVee haue the lawe and the Prophetes which are as burning Cressettes too vs And wee haue the Gospell whiche is yet a farre greater light yea euen as it were the light of high noone Yee see then howe oure Lorde Iesus Christe will bee a sufficient light for vs both in lyfe and deathe so wee looke vnto him But as I haue touched heeretofore wee must first feele what disorder and confuzion enuironeth vs round aboute vntill suche time as Iesus Christ haue reached vs hys hand Furthermore when Iesus Christ hath inlightned vs so as we shall haue walked in hope of the euerlasting lyfe while we be in this world although God take vs hence and death before our eyes yet let vs not therefore ceasse to call vpon God and to tarie his leysure till he comfort our soules in his owne Kingdome For they be alwais incombered and haue not their perfect ioy so long as they dwell in our bodies and till that God take them vp to himselfe for a doo True it is that if we thinke vpon death alone by it selfe without lifting vp our selues any higher God may now and then bring vs to the same point that he brought Iob. Iob had both faith and hope of the euerlasting life and yet for a little while he was ouerraught with such a feare as he conceyued nothing else in death but all confuzion and disorder For when he looked to his graue he saw hell open to swallow him vp And the hauing of suche conceytes greeued Iob muche more than all the torments that he coulde indure in his body But like as God did plucke him out in the end and gyue him victory against such temptations so will he do to vs likewise Neuerthelesse we be warned heereby that wee had neede to walke warely praying our good God that when it shall please him to call vs to account in
knowledge depart out of the world willingly to receiue full fruition of the things that are promised here and whiche we hope for The wicked therefore are plucked away And yet if wee wey the matter well it is a thing against nature to be plucked away so And although the sayde sturdinesse that I spake of bee in all vnbeleeuers yet notwithstanding God hath diuerse times inforced the very Paynims to vtter suche wordes as declare vs to bee vnexcusable if wee shunne death in that wise and be to much wedded to this present life and like as a iudge wyll inforce an offender to consesse what he will haue him by holding him vpon the racke Euen so as I sayde afore God hath as it were by force wrested a confusion out of the Paynims too shewe that all suche as die not willingly and with a quyet harte are as monsters that turne nature quyte vpsyde downe There is a Heathenman that neuer hearde one woorde of good doctrine who when he was tolde of the death of his sonne answered I knowe that I begate him mortall Lo heere a confession made by a Heathen man whiche is ynough to condemne the whole worlde It is as muche as if hee had sayde sith that God hath set vs heere it behoueth vs to wayte after what sorte it pleaseth him too dispoze of vs so as if he list to take vs hence we ought to acknowledge that our life muste bee subiecte to his will. Another Heathen man sayeth Beholde I am in this worlde as if I were sette to bee a watchman in a castle or as if it were sayde to a souldier come hither go thither so hath God set vs here in this worlde with condition to call vs hence when he listeth The Heathen men that haue spoken after that sorte are too sufficient witnesses to condemne al such as will reply to sette any colour vpon their lewde affections in that cace and to excuse them And furthermore as I haue sayde alreadie lette vs marke that those Heathenmen spake not so but by constraynte of God which thing was done to the ende that we shoulde haue oure condemnation written and pronounced by them if wee agree not to his wyll But nowe what is to be done If wee will dispose our selues to dye willingly and go too rest our selues in God lette vs learne to knowe the vices that hinder vs and the remedies to redresse them Then firste of all lette vs learne to submit our selues vnto God and let vs not be so frowarde and madde as to wishe too exempt our selues from the subiection of him that created and shaped vs Behold the first thing whervnto it behoueth the faithfull sort to apply thēselues is to acknowledge to what ende wee be created and shaped Beholde God hath all soueraine dominion ouer vs therefore it behoueth vs to submit ourselues vnto him to dedicate ourselues so wholly to his seruice as wee may be alwayes his both in life death VVhen a man can so submit himselfe to God with all reuerence low linesse and so renounce himself as to say it is mete that the Creator shold haue the vpper hand of thee and be thy maister that is a good beginning Truely this lesson might holde vs tacke three dayes yea and three moneths too But it is ynough for vs if wee knowe the effecte of that whiche I haue touched that euery man may thinke vppon it at leysure Ye see then that the firste lesson whiche it standeth vs in hande too muze vppon if wee minde to liue and die quietly and not too bee plucked out of the worlde by force and violence is to submit our selues to Gods good will. And the seconde is that wee know to what ende and intent wee bee put into this worlde for without that are wee not as brute beastes An Oxe knoweth not wherefore God created him nother doo all other beastes also But man cannot bee excused For he hath witte and reason and God calleth him further than the worlde to the intent he shoulde knowe that his lyfe is but a wayfaring The brute beastes knowe not what deathe is tyll menne haue brought them to it and cut their throtes or till they die of some mischaunce Then doo not they discerne betweene life and death but men haue the vnderstanding thereof yea and our Lorde doth dayly set mirrours of our frayltie before our eyes Nowe if wee thinke not vpon them I pray you are wee not tooto brutishe Nay whiche woorse is the brute beastes muste condemne vs For although an Oxe know not wherefore he is created yet doth he still folowe some order of nature VVhy holdeth he down his hornes and boweth his necke to before the yoke but bicause our Lorde hath giuen him his lesson withoute wyll and withoute vnderstanding so as the poore beaste hath an inclination to doo that whiche is his duetie And is it not a shamefull thing that men in the meane while are more stubborne than Oxen Horses or Asses So then lette vs learne wherefore God hath sette vs in this ▪ worlde and to what purpose we liue heere that is to wit to the ende wee shoulde knowe that wee bee set here but as in a iourney and that wee bee lodged and susteyned heere on earth at Gods coste and that therefore we muste hang wholly vpon his grace feeling him to bee oure Sauiour and father according as hee sheweth himselfe towardes vs by his dooings when wee bee gyuen to serue him Thus then ye see the seconde poynte that wee haue to beare in minde if wee purpose too die willingly and not to bee plucked hence by violente force of Gods hande There is a thirde which is the cheefest of all and that is the heauenly lyfe For death is alwayes terrible to vs of it selfe and wee cannot but be afrayde when a man doth but speake to vs of it and wee be stryken with some astonishment if wee doo but thinke of it And therefore Sainct Paule sayeth that wee desire not death and that it is impossible for a man to be brought to desire to die we shunne it as much as is possible And why For God hath imprinted a feeling in vs that deathe is a curse and as it were a diffeating of nature and a changing of Gods order from that whiche it was before man sinned So then wee cannot but shunne death euen bycause it is contrarie too our fleshe and the terror thereof dismayeth vs by reason of the knowledge that God hath giuen vs And therefore Sainct Paule in the forealleadged chapter sayeth that we desire death not in respect of it selfe but bicause we know that as yet wee are but as it were in transitorie dwelling-places VVhat is our bodie It is so corruptible a thing that the leaues of a tree are not so soone rotten as we be But wee knowe that there is a house prepared for vs and that when wee bee restored to the heauenly glorie wee shall be lodged not
to kepe them from stumbling into a deadly fal but that God do hold them back by afflictions And so ye see that the cause why wâ—e fall not intoo the graue is that God afflicteth vs But therewithall Eliu sheweth vs howe harshe this medicine is in that hee sayeth that it consumeth oure fleshe so as wee haue no more the shape of man but are like vntoo deade men that are taken out of the earthe and oure bones doe clatter without and wee can not so much as take breathe but are in continuall tormente so as wee haue no release but God persecuteth vs with such extremitie as we can no more Thus he sheweth that God can not at the first blowe winne that thing at mennes hande which were to be desired that is to wit that they should knowe themselues wretched and full of infirmities and there vpon stoup vnto him but that they must be faine to be ouercom with strong hand and continual torments or else they will neuer yeelde and submit them selues vnto him Behold the two poyntes which wee haue to marke And as touching the firste let vs learne to beare our afflictions patiently sith wee see that they serue vs for medicines and salues Is it a small thing for vs to bee drawne out of the graue These wordes concerne not onely the bodily death whiche passeth awaye but also by a similitude the euerlasting damnation is termed heere a graue or a pit Then are we readie to fall not to breake our armes or our legges no nor only to breake our neckes but also to perishe for euer and to be wiped out of the booke of life and to be cut off from the kingdome of heauen Lo to what state our pride bringeth vs For so long as we flicker after that sorte in the ayre and thinke wee haue anye strength of our selues and build thervpon after our own fancie I say so long as we be possessed with suche foolishe presumtioÌ„ we are always ready to stumble and to perish But God hauing pitie on vs sendeth such remedie as he knoweth to be conuenient which is that he afflicteth vs and beateth vs with his roddes If we grudge and can not be pacient when God doth so chastise vs Is it not an extreme vnthankfulnesse not to suffer God to remedie our destruction to draw vs froÌ„ it So then let vs mark well that here the holy ghost ment to make gods chasticemeÌ„ts sweet and amiable to vs to the end we should beare them â–ª quietly when they be sent vs Marke that for one poynt Verely this will seeme straunge too fleshely reason For oure fleshely reason will saye coulde God prouide no better meane for oure welfare than by tormenting vs after that sort Behoued it him to sende vs to death that he might call vs vnto life Surely it is an incredible manner of proceeding if a man debate it according too his owne reason and he will thinke it but a foolishnesse that God shoulde kill vs in pardoning vs For what are afflictions Signes of his wrath and wee knowe that all diseases are the messengers of death and that all the sorrowes whiche we conceiue are drownings of vs But our Lord sendeth vs sorrows sicknesses and tormentes and holdeth vs in them as vpon the racke till we can no more and till wee faynte in suche wise as our life draweth to the graue For these words concerne not the small afflictions where with we are accustomed but they concern Gods sending of vs to so great extremitie as there remayneth no more hope in vs And how is that must God cast vs into the bottome of death to the end to drawe vs out againe But so worketh he and we must not pleade against him for we shall alwayes haue the worse end of the staf And out of doubt that is the cause why the holy scripture sayeth that it is his ordinarie maner to kil before he quicken and to bring to the graue before he raise to life Then let vs vnderstaÌ„d that God intendeth heere to exercise oure obedience by trying vs to the vttermost so as wee can indure no more no nor so much as drawe our breath but seeme to bee vtterly choked Therefore when our Lorde bringeth vs to that point it is to the end to know whether we be wholly his and whether wee can abyde to be gouerned by his hand or no. Howsoeuer the world go â–ª when we be tempted in our troubles and greefes let this sentence come to our mynde to comfort vs withall behold it is sayde that God in bringing men to their graue intendeth to drawe them out againe and that in consuming their fleshe hee mindeth to restore it again and that in tormenting them with extremitie hee purposeth to comfort them and too bring them to rest Seeing it is so let vs take hold of this comfort and let it suffize vs to assuage all our sorrowes let vs not be out of hart although it seeme that we be vtterly forlorne let vs alwayes passe further and further in the strength of this doctrine and let vs learne to raise vp our selues by it euen when wee bee cast downe into hell Thus ye see what we haue to beare in mynde And afterwarde when Eliu maketh so long a description of Gods chastizements it is to shew vs how dreadfull his wrath is And this also is a very profitable lesson for vs For which of vs thinketh of the greatnes of Gods wrath as it is spoken of the holy scripture It is sayd in the song of Moyses who knoweth the greatnesse of thy wrath And vndoubtedly although Gods wrath bee a fire that consumeth all things yet notwithstanding we thinke not vpon it but ouerpasse it It is tolde vs in Sermons and we reade goodly texts of it but we are not touched with it nother doth any maÌ„ rest vpon it For as much then as we make no accouÌ„t of Gods iustice and take it to be but as a sport we ought to marke wel the counsell that is giuen vs by the holy ghost like as in this text it is saide tha God breaketh mens bones that is to say vseth so great violence as there remaineth no strength at al in them vnconsumed Their flesh wasteth and consumeth away so as there remaineth but an image of death and a man is so continually tormented as he is like a deade man It is not without cause that all this is set afore vs but it is too the ende to waken vs and that when God vttereth his iudgementes against vs to make vs feele our sinnes we should the better be thinke vs that those tormentes are more terrible than can be expressed According also as wee see howe the holie scripture vseth many comparisons in that behalfe VVhy doth it likeÌ„ God to a Lion that breketh and brozeth things with his teeth and plucketh them in peeces with his pawes It is not to attribute such a crueltie vnto God as is not coÌ„uenient for him but
they may be one as we are one 191. b 3. Actes 1. 18. IVdas purchased a field with the reward of iniquitie and hauing cast downe himself hedlong he brast a sunder in the midst 601. a 60. 689. b 10. 2. 22. VVhosoeuer shal cal on the name of the Lorde shall bee saued 356. b 52. 37. Now when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and the other Apostles men and brethren vvhat shall we do 817. b 25. 3. 20. The time of our refreshing shall be when our Lord shal appeere to iudge the vvorld 421. b 58. 7. 5. God promised to giue to Abraham and his posteritie the lande of Canaan 7. b 32. 31. 32. VVhen Moyses sawe the Angell of the Lord he wondered at the sight and as he drewe neere too consider it the voyce of the Lorde came vnto him saying I am the god of thy fathers the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob Then Moyses trembled durst not behold it 77. b 60. 44. Our fathers had the tabernacles of witnesse 13. b 30. 9. 4. 6. Paule beeing cast to the grounde heard a voyce saying vnto him Saule Saule why persecutest thou me Hee then both trembling and a stoned sayde Lord what wilt thou that I do And the Lord sayde vnto him Arise and go into the Citie and it shall bee tolde thee what thou shalt doe and hee vvas three dayes vvithout sight and neyther eate nor drank â—14 b 36. 13. 22. I haue found Dauid a man after mine ovvne hart which vvil do all things that I wil. 371 a 32. 580. a 16 14. 16. God suffred the gentiles to walk in their ovvn ways 612. a 48 7. God left not him selfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruit full seasons filling our heartes with foode and gladnesse 93 b 57. 1. 2. The faithfull which were at Listra and Iconium reported well of Timothie 618. b 40. 7. 27. That they might seeke the Lorde if so be they might haue groped after him and found him 733. b 40. 28. The Lorde is not farre from euerie one of vs for in him wee liue and moue and haue our being 148. b. 12. 31. 32. The time of ignorance God regarded not but nowe hee admonisheth all men euerie where to repente bycause hee hath ordeined a daye in the vvhich hee vvill iudge the worlde 612. a 48. 680. b 3. 18. 6. Your bloude be vpon your ovvne heade I am cleane 32. b 11. 23. 5. I knewe not brethren that he was the high Priest for it is vvritten Thou shalte not curse the Prince of the people 674. b 58. 28. 26. Goe too this people and say you heare with your eare and vnderstande not and in seeing you see and perceiue not 810. b 16. Romanes 1. 1. PAule a seruaunte of Iesus Christe called too bee an Apostle put apart to preache the Gospell of God. 220. a 6. 4. Christe was declared too bee the sonne of God touching the spirite of sanctification 370. b 7. 20. The inuisible things of God are seene in the creation of the world being considered in his workes to the entent that they shoulde bee without excuse 171. a 37. 612. a 60. 22. Bycause that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neyther vvere thankfull but became vayne in their imaginations and their foolishe heartes were blinded 93. b 38. 173. a 4. 235. a 5. 25. God forsaketh all those whiche turne his truth into a lye 436. a 22. 28. As the wicked regarded not to knowe God so God deliuered them vppe into a reprobate mynde 335. a 45. 354 a 43. 2. 4. Despisest thou the ryches of his goodnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that he leadeth thee to repentance 182. b 20 416. b 45. 5. By the hardnesse of our harts we heape Gods wrath vpon vs. 397. b 22. 504 b 26. 669. a 10. 11. God hath no respecte of persons 673. a 23. 14. The gentles do by nature the things conteyned in the law for it is writte in their harts 612. b 5. 684. a 18 15. The conscience beareth witnesse of the lawe to all 176. a 50 16. God vvill iudge men according to the Gospell of men 628. b 16. 3. 4. God is true and euerie man a lier 655. a 38. 5. Is God vnrightuous when hee punisheth 151. b 20. 6. Else hovve shall God iudge the world 151. b 22. 8. And as wee are blamed and as some affirme that we say VVhy let vs do euil that good may come therof vvhose damnation is iust 216. a 49 9. VVe are all vnder sinne 607. b 36 10. There is none rightuous no not one 300. a 36. 18. The feare of God is not before our eyes 4 43. b 54. 19. That God may bee iust euerie mouth must be stopped and all the world coÌ„fesse it selfe culpable before God. 116. a 55. 175. b 20. 216. a 49. 274. b 39. 607. b 36. 61 4. a 4 4. 21. Nowe is the rightuousnesse of God manifest vvithout the law hauing vvitnesse of the lawe and of the prophetes 78. b 2. 23. VVee are all depriued of the glorie of God. 175. b 21. 176. a 49. 27. Man is iustified by faith vvithout the works of the Lawe 176. b 22. 4 13. The promise was not giuen to Abraham through the law or to his seede to wit too bee heire of the worlde but through the rightuousnesse of faith 27. a 55. 766. b 16. 17. God calleth those things which be not as though they were 156. b 23 18. Abraham aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that hee should bee the father of many nations according too that which was spoken too him so shall thy seede be 102. a 24. 472. b 1. 537. b 39. 5. 1. Beeing iustified by faith wee haue peace tovvarde God. 507. b 21. 552. b 23. 3. 4. 5. VVe reioyce in tribulatioÌ„s knowing that tribulations bringeth pacience and pacience experieÌ„ce experience hope And hope maketh not ashamed bicause the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holie ghost vvhich is giuen vnto vs. 106. a 22. 650. 47. 10. VVhen we were enemies wee vvere reconciled to God by the deth of Christ 597. b 52. 16. 17. VVee are seruantes to him whom we obey 300. b 23. 17 19. Ye haue bin the seruants of sinne 300. b 23. 20. VVhen we vvere the sernantes of sinne wee were free from rightuousnesse 412. b 50. 7. 9. I once was aliue vvithout the lavv but vvhen the commaundemeÌ„t came sin reuiued 188. b 58. 203. a 22. 10. The same commaundement vvhich was ordeined vntoo life was found to be vnto me death 188. b 58 14. I am sold vnder sinne 300. b 23. 19. I doe not the good which I vvould but the euill which I vvould not that do 1. 52 b 38. 663. b 20. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thank
aire he wil much more feede the faithfull 776. a 53. Men must not despise the foode of their soules 550. b 32. There is in man a double feeling and conceyuing 535. a 44. Although men shut their eyes yet doth god make them to feele him in their consciences 736. a 30. To feele no grief or remorse of conscience is the extremest of al miseries 739. a 2. Flattery and Fattering The aptnesse of man to flatter himselfe in his sinnes 93. a 50. Mennes ouerweening in flattering themselues and the remedy there of 790. b. 30. VVe must not flatter our selues in our euill doings how faire colour soeuer we haue to alledge 792. a 30. He that flattereth himselfe renounceth God. 596. a 59. He that flattereth the wicked sheweth that he hath no trust in God. 479. b 54. The cursednesse of flattery 336. a. 21. Figures Figures themselues must cease yet the substance of them be reteined still 11. a 51. Fooles and Folie VVhat is ment by the woord foole 87. a 53. VVho are fooles 89. b 1. The foly of wise worldlings 521. b 53 Our first lesson in Gods schole is to become fooles 522. a 54. How we may iudge of fooles 89. b 8 Forbearing The reprobates gaine nothing by Gods long forbearing of them 690. a 5. Looke more in Sparing and Suffering Forget VVhat is ment by forgetting God. 159. b. 40. VVe must not forget our selues whē God spareth vs. 567. b. 53. VVe soone forget what so euer wee learne at a sermon or in the scripture 540. b 22. How God is said to forget vs. 281. b 31. Forgiue and Forgiuenesse It belongeth alonly to God to forgiue or to punish sinners 689. a 3. Gods free mercy is the cause and foundation of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes 647. b 40. 649. a 50. 689 a 28. b 31. Forgiuenes of sinnes commeth onely by the preaching of the Gospell 648. b 38. Gods forgiuing of our fins is as a raizing of vs vp from death 656. b 58 To what ende God forgiueth vs our sinnes 653. a 32. The way to escape Gods heauy hād is to seeke forgiuenesse of our sinnes 680. a 28. The opinion of Papistes concerning Gods forgiuing of sins 689. a 28. Frayelty Our frayelty is set foorth in the person of Iob. 135. a 42. God spareth vs because of our fraielty 140. a 20. Our fraielty must bee set before our eyes in our prayers 140. a 28. Our fraielty must bee mentioned in our praiers with humility 140. a 42. VVhy the Scripture telleth vs that God pitieth vs in respecte of our fraielty 140. a 53. In prayer to alledge our own fraielty and abiectnesse is acceptable to God. 267. b 11. Frendshippe No frendship but among the godly 8. b 1. Looke more in Brotherly Loue. Freewill VVhy the Papistes imagin a freewil 791. a 23. The papistes ground of freewill 224 b 32. 257. a 39. 684. b 48. The establishers for freewill and their reasons 253. b 25. 254. a 54. A briefe ouerthrowe of freewill 522. a 43. Frowardnesse Our vntowardnes and frowardnes make God rougher to vs than he would be 33. a 15. Funeralles Funeralles and Tombes that are ouer sumptuous are a kinde of resisting God and nature 33. b 27. Fight Mannes greatest fight is against him selfe and his own vices 279. b 53. G Gate VVhat is ment by Gate 90. b 58. VVhat is ment by falling downe i◠the Gate 90. b. 54. Generalnesse Generalnesse of sinne is no excuse of sinning 20. b. 1. 19. Giftes The Giftes of the minde and al sciences trades and handicraftes come of God and not of nature 619. a 18. To what ende GOD bestoweth his Giftes of grace vppon vs. 619. a 44. The Giftes which God giueth must be communicated to our neighboures 14. a 7. 373. a 50. 377. a 44. Gods Giftes ought not to serue too any vaine glory 373. b 55. The Giftes that God giueth vs must make vs the earnester in glorifiing God. 13. b 59. The despising of GODS Giftes in men redoundeth to the iniury of God himselfe 301. b 21. In Iobes time he that had excellent Giftes was reuerenced of the whole people 552. b 57. God doth and may iustly at his pleasure both giue and take away 33. a 60. VVee shall pay dearely for GODS Giftes if they be not bestowed as they ought to be 544. b 34. VVe must not bee proude of GODS Giftes in nature or otherwyse 797 a 33. It is a hard matter for a man not to abuse God his Giftes 568. a 46. The more Gods Giftes are the more are the afflictions and trialles of them that haue them 320. b 27. Glory and Glorify VVherein Gods Glory consisteth 235. b 47. God giueth vs cause to Glorifie and praise him euen in our troubles and afflictions how boisterous so euer he seeme to vs. 25. b. 10. VVe can not Glorify God in our aduersities except we be perswaded that they be for our Saluation welfare 699. b. 8. The meane to Glorifie God aright 630. a 27. God neuer ceaseth to giue vs cause to Glorifie him by dooing vs good 705. a 5. Men ought not to glory in their present greatnes 61. b 6. Of the Glory of this world 350. b. 44 God. VVhat is comprehended vnder the word God. 151. b. 28. God applyeth himselfe to vs after all fashions to the intent to winne vs 753. a. 37. God enuieth not any mannes vertuousnesse or weldoing 715. b 36. God neuer failith vs at our need 109. a. 21. God is not bound to vs but we wholy to him 27. a 23. 701. b 35. 803. a. 34. 804. a b. God is the fountaine of all equity right 151. a 11. God is not affectioned a◠men are 701. b 36. 703 a 30. 715. b. 14. God is not like vs neiger hath he any part of our nature in him 701. b 26. 702. b 32. 715. a 35. God is vnchaungeable and a true perfourmer of his promises 28. a 37. and 60. God is likened to earthly Princes 16 b. 31. God is openly shewed in the person of his Sonne 11. b 43. God is vnpartiall 716. b 42. God knoweth better what it is meet for vs thā we our selues do 30. a 5. God knoweth ourwayes and reckeneth our steppes 574. a 15. God knoweth what is meet for our triall without Sathans counsel 20 b 54. God laieth not more vppon vs than we be able to beare 25. b 20. God must haue the prayse of our worldly welfare and of all other thinges 22. b 60. 33 b 48. It is against Gods nature to deale roughly or to bee angry with vs. 726. a 40. God neuer reiecteth such as come vnto him vnfaynedly 156. b 32. God serueth his owne tourne by Sathan and the wicked and yet the euil remaineth still in them 24. b 50. 36. a 41. 37. b 25. 38. a 2. God and Sathan worke both in one act but yet to contrary endes 38. a 12. God neuer suffreth good men to perish 158. b. 12. GOD tourneth euill
Shamefastnesse Shamefastnesse too doe euill in respect of man is no vertue of it self 538. b 37. Shamefastnesse is quite rased out in all men 539. b 20. VVe must not be loth nor ashamed too acknovvledge our vnaduised wordes or opinions that wee haue hild before wee knew the trueth 808. b 32. Shewe God sheweth himselfe to vs in al his workes 795. b 25. Shrift Of Popish Shrift 648. b 20. The blasphemousenesse of Popishe Shrift 654. a 42. Shine VVhat is ment by the Shining of light in darknesse 706. b 23. Simplicity The opinion of the world concerning honest simple men 101. b 12. VVhat is happened in Popedome vnder colour of Simplycity 130. a 59. Of the Simplicity of faith that Papistes require 294. b 15. Sinne. VVhat Sinne is 64. a. 61. Sinne is not of gods creatiō in man but of the Diuels procurement 17 b 41. Sinne is the cause of all our miseries 53. b 20. There are three degrees of faultines in Sinne although it come not to the outward deede 569. a 59. VVherefore Sinne is termed by many names in the Scripture 266. b 22. Hovv all mankinde is infected vvyth original Sinne corruption notwithstanding our soules bee not deliuered from Adam but onely our bodyes 272. a 51. The destinction of Sinne into wilful Sinne and Sinne of ignorance hath no substance 266. a 43. The very conceiuing of Sinne is Sin. 47. b 59. 792. a 4. Originall Sinne corrupteth euen the thinges that are good 8. b 5. Man is nothing the more excused because Sinne is in him by nature 270. a 39. The very disposition or motion too misselyke of Sinne commeth of God. 689. b 3. Of the sweetenesse that wicked men finde in their vices and Sinnes 382 b 39. Mens Sinnes are not alvvayes to bee measured by their afflictions 497. a 38. It is not for men to cloke their Sins before God. 656. b 46. Sinne is to be shunned as a pestilent aire plague or poysoned meate 20. b 23. VVhether a man ought too bee mistrustfull and afraide of sinnes vnknowen 15. a 48. The blasphemous opinion of the Papistes concerning the motion or conceite of Sinne. 570. b 34. Signes Al the Signes and wonders that God vvrought in old time ought to be vvarrants of his word vnto vs. 754 b 13. Skorne Looke Sclaunder Skyes The Skies and the aire and al things in them are altred disposed by Gods appointment and not by their owne power 773. b 14. The Skies are recordes both of Gods fanour of his wrath 772. b 49. Slauery The greatest Slauery that can come to man is to be subiect to his own vices 412. b 37. Sclaunder Sathans practise by stirring vp malicious folk to Sclaunder vs is that vve should conclude that we haue lost our time in doing good 555. a 37. VVe must take it in good part when men Sclaunder vs. 555. b 21. By Iobes example vve must learne to beare Sclaunders reproches 555 b 6. VVhen wee bee scorned by such as haue no commendable thinge in them it is much more hard to vs. 557. b 24. Against the temptation of Sclaunder 291. a 55. Sleepe Gods preseruing of vs and his vvatching ouer vs when we be a slepe ought to prouoke vs to reioyce in him 705. a 44. Slowe VVhen ther is any talk of Gods Iudgementes we are so slowe that it moueth vs not a whit 573. a 52. Snowe The ingendring of Snovve 770. a 21. Sunne The Sunne and Moone and all the host of Heauen with the clouds such other things are seruaunts to Gods elect people 745. a 1. The wonderfull certainty and euennes which the Sunne kepeth in going his dayly and yearely courses 764. b 17. The course of the Sunne maketh the diuersity of seasons 172. a 4. The light of the Sun is a parte of the inheritance of Gods children 766. b 18. Sorowe The Sorovve that is not to be shunned 811. b 26. Commendable and godly Sorrowe 32. b 38. Mens inordinatenes in Sorrowing 32. a 25. Vncommendable hipocritly wicked Sorrow 32. a 16. b 31. Harty Sorrovve will vtter it selfe perforce 32. a 47. It is a thing not too be desired neuer to haue any Sorrow at al. 565. a 29. It beboueth the godly to be touched with griefe Sorrovv when God layeth his hand vppon them 31. b 51. 32. b 20. 52. Sackcloth shearing of mens heades rending of their garments casting of dust ashes vppon them vvere tokens of repentance or else of great Sorrowe among the people of the Easte Countries in olde time 32. a b. Signes of Sorrovv do vary according to the diuersity of the customes of Countries 32. a 10. VVhat thinges ought to prouoke vs to Sorrowe 53. b. 17. The common manner of putting away Sorrow or griefe 32. a 57. Soueraigntie Looke Subiection VVherin consisteth the Soueraignty that God hath ouer vs. 482. a 31. Looke more in Prouidence Sowe and Reape Such as we Sowe such shal we reape 74. b 28. Soule The Soule is not immortall of it selfe 201. b 25. The death lyfe of the Soule 278. a 23. Sathan neuer hath any povver ouer the Soules of the Godly 24. a 35. All men are infected vvith originall Sinne notwithstanding that our Soules be not deriued from Adam 272. a. 51. The Sadduces denie the immortality of the Soule 404. b 46. Soundnesse Soundnes what it is the Image therof in Iob. 3. b 8. 5. b 25. A description of true Soundnes 4. a 25. Soundnes vnperfecte in this lyfe 3. b 42. Soundnes of hart is the first point the very ground of true holinesse 20. a 7. Soundnes of harte is the foundation vvheron we must groūd ourselues vvherein the same is shewed 40. a 32. VVe ought not only inwardly to be Sound but also shevve our deedes that we be such as we seeme 339. a 12. More Soundnesse of lyfe in the olde time then in these dayes 3. a 17. Spare Gods Sparing of vs and his doing of vs good is not for any vvorthines or deseruing of ours but for his own free mercies sake or for some other cause 746. a 56. 747. a 6. Seeing that GOD spareth not whole natiōs that offend much lesse shal he spare any one man. 728. a 20. Speake and speech In vvhat wise GOD speaketh to al sortes of men and openeth theyr eares 639. a 53. Gods speaking to vs is not too leaue vs in dout 685. a 55. God speaketh to vs after tvvo fashions 810. a 4. God is fain to speake to vs in way of skorne and mockage why 691. a 56. 670. a VVhy God speaketh to vs by men rather than by himselfe immediatly 631. a 55. God hath diuers maners of speaking to put vs to silence 795. b 36. 796. The two thinges that vvee learne by Gods speaking to vs. 637. b 59. It ought to suffise vs too haue heard God spoken of 810. a 1. Speech and the end vse thereof 47 b 49. 56. b 4. 130. a 15. Our ouerhastinesse in
his Angels to mainteine vs and wil haue them to be the workers of our welfare Now that we may the better vnderstād that which I haue touched let vs first marke that Iob is punished here in sundrie sorts that is to wit in all his goods and in his children Sathan was hilde shorte so as he could not attempt any thing againste his person but only against his goods This sheweth ful wel that god had giuen thē vp into his hands afterward Iobs childrē also which were as deare to him as his owne life And ther is yet one other poynt which is that Iob forewent not his goods and his children all after one manner but the Diuell had a policie to send him diuers temptations For he stirred him vp enemies on the one side and hee himselfe serued to send downe lightening from the heauē tempests from the ayre on the other side Lo how this seruant of God is tormented in diuers sorts And it might augmēt his griefe and trouble him yet more too thinke thus with himselfe How now Not onely men are contrarie to mee but also God himselfe fighteth agaynst me Beholde here the crastynesse of Satan True it is that this will seeme straunge to vs at the first push and here we may see what hath moued some men too be of opinion that God hath set vs downe here a certaine potrayture of pacience and not aplayne storie or deede done But suche men vnderstande not how God dealeth with his seruantes according too the measure of sayth which hee hath distrybuted vnto them Howe is that VVe are not tempted all alyke for God hath not made vs all so strong as were requisite There are some weakelinges and God supporteth them And if he chastize them it is to humble them to the ende they should take heede to themselues and call vpon God more earnestly There are other some farre more strong and stoute and wherefore are they so Bycause God hath powred out his spirite vppon them in much greater abundance For as I haue earst sayde accordingly as God dealeth vnto vs of the strength that is in himselfe so doth he exercise vs he will haue our fayth tried which thing we are sure is not agaynst our profit howbeit that he only know wherefore he doth it He is not bound to vs to giue vs one droppe of strength hee may leaue vs in our owne weakenesse too cause vs to bee oppressed and vtterly destroyed euery minute of an houre For in our selues wee haue no meane too resist sauing so farre foorth as God strengthneth vs by his grace Yet notwithstanding as I haue sayde that is not all after one fashion For the one sorte abyde weake styll and the other sorte haue a farre greater strength And here wee see wherefore the holye men that haue beene indued with excellent graces haue also beene much more tormented in their life VVhich of vs hath beene so roughly dealt with as Abraham or hath had so miserable a life as neuer to be in rest For wee see that God commaunded him to forsake his natiue Countrie and when hee had done so hee taryed lingring in the middes of hys iourney vntill his father was deceassed by the way In the ende hee went into the countrye and yet hee wyst not which way he shoulde take nor whither he should go For God vouchsaued not too tell him which was the Countrie that hee called him vnto but hilde him as a foule vpon the water VVhen he was come thither some troubled him ▪ othersome spyted him and he had nothing but vnquietnesse VVithin a while when the men had wrought him as muche spyte as they coulde famine persecuted him so as he was faine too get him away and his wife was taken from him After warde when he returned he was new to begin againe and he was faine too go to another place too seeke pasture And yet for all this God sayde to him Take no thought I will giue thee this lande and thou shalt be Lord and maister of it Yea but he sawe nothing Of all this while he had not a place to settle in and yet notwithstanding God promyseth too make him heire of the whole worlde Afterwarde while it was lykely that he shoulde haue had issue he had none and yet was that the thing that should haue bin his comfort He is olde and drouping and yet God sayeth vnto him Thou canst haue no welfare except thou haue issue And howe could that bee for he is alreadie so aged as he could not well tarric for it God hath giuen him Ismaell But he must be banished and cut off from that house After in the end◠when he had Isaac according too the promise God plucked that sunne of his from him and sayd to him Go kill him This is yet more than we haue heard of Iob for if a father heare that his children be slaine with lightning or else that some bodie hath murdered them surely it muste needes be a great griefe to him and hard to beare But to go kill his childe with his owne hande that is a thing too extreme for him to doe But Abraham must come in place againe heere Afterwarde when God had giuen hym his sonne againe as though he had bin raysed vp frō death hee shewed him what maner of promise it was that hee had made vnto him Hitherto sayth God I haue borne thee in hande that thou shouldest inherite this lande But so farre off art thou from enioying it thy selfe or from taking possession of it during thy life that thine ofspring muste bee dryuen from hence and dwell in a strange lande vnder exceeding cruell tirannie by the space of foure hundred yeares ▪ VVe see howe God exercised his seruaunt Abraham after a straunge fashion vnaccustomed among men ▪ And wherefore For he had also strengthened him by his holy spirite and therefore hee gaue him great and verie rough assaultes See then howe God woorketh in those that are the excellenter sort to the ende they shoulde bee as mirrours and examples vnto vs to follow And in good sooth a man shal neuer make such workemanship in a little shop as in a great one where hee may haue stuffe and store of workemen so as all things are well furnished and in good order For if he haue but a small shop hee shall not be able too doo any great peece of woorke Euen so dooth God VVee see then howe it was conuenient that Iob shoulde be set foorth vnto vs as a patterne and that God shoulde plague him to the vttermost too the intent that when we compare our selues with him euery one of vs may bee ashamed seeing we be not able to suffer any affliction be it neuer so light or meane for we be so tender as it is pitie to see it If God sende vs any aduersitie wee neuer consider wherein he spareth vs but our minde is vpon our present griefe and we will not bee comforted by taking
benefites vpō vs according as Iob hath shewed heeretofore VVee see then howe this onely one consideration ought to asswage our sorrowes according as it is to bee seene that if men put suger or hony into a medicine that is ouer bitter it wyll alay it in suche sorte as the pacient may the better take it wheras otherwise it would go neere to choke him But there is yet a further matter in this namely that God sheweth vs the vse of his chastyzementes whiche hee sendeth vs whiche is not that hee meeneth to destroy vs so ofte as hee scourgeth vs but that it is for our profite and welfare and hee promiseth vs that if wee bee faythfull hee will not suffer vs to be racked out of measure but will supporte vs So then if wee bee afflicted there is no reason why wee shoulde take pritche agaynst God as though we founde nothing but rigour at his hande For wee bee so comforted in our afflictions as if our vnthankfulnesse letted vs not we myght reioyce and say Blissed be the name of God although hee sende vs not all our owne desires Thus muche for the firste poynte And nowe herewithall wee muste marke also the seconde article whiche I haue touched already which 〈◊〉 that although wee haue nothing but distresse although we bee hilde as it were vpon the racke and that wee haue nothing at all to comforte vs yet muste wee not bee hasty to take pritche agaynst God but wee muste rather call vpon him according as it is sayde let him that is sorrowfull pray Sainct Iames sheweth vs the meane whiche wee oughte to holde If wee bee merrie sayeth he let vs sing not after the maner of the worlde whiche ruffleth it and royetteth it without acknowledging that his goods come of God but in rendring prayse to God for our gladnesse And if wee bee in sorrowe and heauinesse let vs pray vnto God beseeching him to pitie vs and to abate his rigour Thus wee see that when the faythfull are at theyr wittes ende so as they can no further go yet muste they not rushe agaynste God and finde faulte with him neither muste they outrage as those do whiche are full of pryde and rebelliousnesse but rather let vs thinke thus Lorde I see my selfe to bee a wretched creature I knowe not where too become I woote not what to doo except thou receyue me to mercy and shewe thy selfe so pitifull towardes mee as to releeue me of my miserie which I can no longer beare Thus wee see that the children of God muste beare their aduersities paciētly although God chastize them roughly for a tyme And it is to be seene that although Iob had cōtinually minded the same lesson yet was hee not sufficiently armed to withstand temptations for he sayth here VVhy do the God giue light to suche as are of troubled mindes He remembred not that God had iust cause to keepe men in the middes of many miseries and that although their state bee wretched here belowe yet is God righteous still and that albeit he punishe vs and keepe vs occupied many wayes yet it becommeth not vs to holde plea with him vnder colour that he holdeth vs here against our will and that we be shutte vp in prison while wee bee in this lyfe neither must we conceyue any displeasure for all that Iob did not sufficiently consider this Nowe if suche a persone as Iob was happened to ouershoote himselfe and to kicke agaynste God for want of hauing the sayde regarde that I haue spoken of muche more muste wee set our mindes vpon the sayde two poyntes that is to wit that we beare in remembrance that God neuer forsaketh vs and therefore that wee may not bee ouersorowfull when God sendeth vs any aduersities bycause wee bee sure that his chastizing of vs is after such a sorte as therewithall hee releeueth our greefe at leastwise if it be not long of our selues and of our owne vnthankfulnesse And secondly that whē wee bee distressed that wee can no more God calleth and allureth vs friendly vnto him yea I say hee prouoketh vs to resorte vnto prayer as often as wee bee as it were vtterly stripped out of all that wee haue Lo heere the true remedy which is to call vpon our good God to haue pitie vpon vs and not to suffer vs to bee so dismayde as to say I wote not what to do and it is to no purpose to go vnto god Let vs keepe our selues from suche incombrance perswade our selues that wee shall alwayes be sure to fare well if wee call vpon God who will bee alwayes mercifull to vs euen in the middest of our afflictions VVhen wee haue these two poynts well settled in our remembrāce we shall no more say VVherefore is it that God holdeth those heere whiche are in sorrowe of minde For wee see wherefore hee doeth it There is greate reason why God shoulde chastyze men For how greate are our sinnes the number of them is infinite Agayne if wee looke vpon our lustes there is also a very bottomlesse gulfe whiche hath neede to bee mended God therefore muste mortifie vs Furthermore if wee consider howe muche wee bee gyuen too the worlde wee shall finde that our afflictions had neede too bee plucked from it by Gods chastyzementes Moreouer howe greate is our pryde and presumptuousnesse And therefore muste God needes humble vs Besides all this howe colde are wee to craue his helpe and therefore hee muste bee fayne too inforce vs too it Finally ought not our fayth to bee tryed and made knowen Then see wee not reasons inowe why God holdeth vs heere and will haue vs to bee miserable so as there is nothing but payne trouble torment and anguishe in all our whole lyfe Is there not sufficient reason why God shoulde do this Marke heere a speciall poynte And sithe that hee continually calleth vs vnto him and maketh vs free passage vnto him and that wee haue suche a remedie in our miseries may wee not holde our selues well apayed VVee see howe wee oughte too bee armed and fenced agaynste the sayde temptations whiche reygned ouermuche in Iob howebeit that hee was not vtterly ouercome of it For when Iob speaketh heere of suche as desire the graue and whiche willingly dyg for it as for some hidden treasure longing to dye and cannot hee putteth him selfe in the same ranke as wee shall see by the sequele wherin he confirmeth his owne infirmitie and vice For it is not lawfull for the faythfull to mislyke their owne lyfe and to wishe so for death True it is that wee may wishe for death in one respect whiche is in consideration that wee bee hilde here in suche bondage of sinne as wee can not serue God so freely as were to bee wished bycause we are ouerfraught with vices In respect here of it is certaine that we may sigh and desire God to take vs quickly out of the worlde But as is sayde afore it may not bee for that we
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
the ayde that God giueth them how hee suffereth them not to be vtterly ouercome by Satan and therevppon doo quiet themselues and take comfort in that hee preserueth them The number of them is very small and yet is not this written in vaine But in generall we haue now to consider that the faithfull may wel sigh and grone all their life long till God haue taken them out of the world alwayes wishing for their ende that is to saye for death and yet notwithstanding they must restreyne them selues in such wise as they maye wholly submitte themselues to Gods good pleasure knowing that they are not made for themselues Firste I say that the faithfull maye well sighe as folke that are wearie of their long pinning in this prison of theirfleshe namely for the cause that I haue touched which is bicause they serue not God in such freedome as were requisite but drawe their lines amisse so as they woorke awrye and oftentimes swarue aside And which more is wee muste syghe but so farrefoorth as is lawfull for vs which is to be done so often as we enter into the consyderation of our owne ouerwearinesse when the matter standeth vpon the seruing of god For that must spurre vs to desire God to take vs out of this worlde and make vs haue an eye too the lyfe that is prepared for vs in heauen which shall be fully shewed vpon vs at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And heereby wee see howe it is not onely graunted to Goddes children to wishe for deathe but also that they ought to wish for it For they shewe not a good proofe of their fayth except they seeke to go out of this worlde according as in deed all things hast and labour toward their marke But our mark is aloft and therfore must we neuer leaue running till wee come to our wayes ende whyche GOD hathe sette vs and wee muste desire that that may be quickly Neuerthelesse lette vs alwayes beare in mynde the cause that I haue spoken namely that wee must not bee prouoked to wish for death bycause we be subiect some to sicknesse some to pouertie some too one thing and some to an other but bycause we be not fully reformed to the image of God and bycause wee haue many imperfections in vs Marke well I say the cause that muste spurre and prouoke vs too desire death namely too the ende that beeing ridde of thys mortall bodye whyche is like a cabane full of all stinche and noysomnesse we maye bee fully reformed to the image of God so as hee may reigne in vs and all the corruption of our nature bee vtterly done away And furthermore lette vs keepe vs within the compasse of desiring to lyue and dye at Goddes pleasure so as wee maye not bee gyuen too oure owne wyll but so as wee maye make as a sacrifyze of it in that behalfe that our liuing maye not bee too our selues but to God so as wee may saye Lorde I knowe myne owne frailtie Neuerthelesse it is thy wyll too holde me in this world and heere I am and good reason it is that I shoulde tarrie heere But whensoeuer it shall please thee to call me hence I make no great accompt of my lyfe it is alwayes at thy commaundemente too dispose of it at thine owne pleasure Beholde I saye howe wee ought too deale in thys case And heerewithall lette vs haue oure affections euermore quieted yea euen in suche sorte as wee maye continuallye prayse Gods name assuring our selues that both in life and deathe hee will alwayes shewe hymselfe a Father and Sauioure towardes vs But after that Iob hath spoken so he addeth That such as are so distressed in their heartes would bee full gladde and fayne if they myghte fynde theyr graue VVherein hee bewrayeth himselfe too speake through a brutishe and vnaduised affection and that hee keepeth neyther measure nor modestie For hee confesseth that wee come too naught there So then wee see howe hee is falne howbeit not wyth a deadly fall but with a halfe fall and God rayseth hym vp agayne afterwarde as wee shall see Yet neuerthelesse the case standeth so as wee must verily condemne thys infirmitie heere in Iob that is to saye hee was so dismayed with heauinesse as he could no more taste of Goddes goodnesse thereby too gather neuer so little comforte too susteine hymselfe by But forasmuche as wee see that thys befell vntoo hym so much the more must we bee earnest in praying vntoo God that sorow maye not ouermate vs so as wee shoulde bee vtterly ouerwhelmed by it Therefore lette vs alwayes be so vnderpropped and stayed vp as wee may fight against sorrowfulnesse and feele that it is good for vs to liue heere according to Goddes will and that although wee haue great griefes and troubles heere yet must wee stande fully resolued vppon thys poynte that it is good for vs too continue here still in this worlde And wherefore To the ende that God may bee glorifyed in vs too the ende that our fayth may bee tryed to the ende wee should call vppon him and professe him to be always our father notwithstanding that he scourge vs and to the end that by meanes thereof wee may bee prepared too the heauenly lyfe Thys taste of the said fatherly goodnesse must alwayes make vs desyrous to go vntoo God and not suffer vs too gyue bridle too anye one outrageous and beastly affection as we see that Iob hath done heere And by the waye hee sheweth whence thys heauinesse came vppon him that had so wholly swallowed him vp and from whence also it proceedeth in those that are so dismayde as they can not admit any comforte to assuage their myseries He sayeth To the man whose waye is hidden and which God hath shut in as if hee had made the hedges round about it that no man should enter into it This is well worthy to bee noted For Iob sheweth wherein hee fayled namely in not yelding himselfe inough to Gods prouidence Yet notwithstanding heerewithall he discouereth a disease wherevnto all of vs are subiect That is to witte that wee be desirous to knowe all that muste befall vs and what our state shall be and al this we would haue declared to vs in so muche that when wee are in perplexitie so as wee knowe not what shall become of vs and that the inconuenience pincheth vs and we see no end of it then are wee at the poynte of vtter despaire Lo heere a mischiefe that is ouercommon and ordinarie And we must marke it well to the ende wee maye seeke the remedie on the contrary part VVhat then is the inclination of men It is that they could well find in their hearts to leape vp too the cloudes too knowe what shall be the course of their whole life And wee see how they determine with themselues I will do this and that Salomon mocking at the ouerweening that is in mâ—n sayeth that they determine vpon their
God sith he chalengeth it as his office to saue those that are in such distresse as they are able too indure no more True it is that God can giue his seruaunts such prosperitie as they shall neuer be disquieted but he hath rightfull reason to moue him not to doe it For wee see the pryde that is in mans nature and although it appeare not fully yet is the seede of it hidden there God therefore must remedie it and the meane thereof is to tame vs by affliction Surely wee shall see diuers that will suffer many aduersities and yet for all that bee neuer the more humbled For like as a restie iade will suffer himselfe to bee beaten and his bellye to bee ripte rather than hee will obey so is it with them that are stubborne too the vttermost But when it pleaseth God too tame men he maketh the afflictions to bee of force whiche hee sendeth too them so as they serue for medicines too purge them of the sayde pryde and presumptuousnesse whereout of they could not otherwise drawe themselues VVee see then howe it is not without cause that God dothe so exercise his children as euen too suffer them too bee despized too the worldwarde and too bee scorned and too bee quite and cleane without authoritie or credite and to bee shorte too seeme too bee vtterly forsaken of him VVhy then doth hee so Bycause they haue neede to bee in such aschole VVherefore sendeth hee them so many aduersities that they are fayne to sighe and grone and wote not on whiche side too turne them It is too make them too call vpon him and too flee vnto him for refuge VVee see then howe that by these afflictions wee bee taught first to knowe ourselues that we presume not any thing of our selues nor bee puffed vp with pryde and statelynesse and secondly not too take too muche pleasure in oure owne lustes but rather too forsake all worldly thinges and finally to call vpon God whiche is the principallest pointe of all For as long as men bee at their ease although they dare not say that they can goe beyond God yet by their doings they shewe themselues so sotted as they haue no minde too call vpon God nor to commende them selues vnto him Yee see then why God suffreth his seruauntes to bee afflicted in suche wise yea euen as to bee pinched with anguishe of hearte that they wote not where to become any more Therefore let vs beare this doctrine well in mynde considering â—hat it is so muche for our profite and furthermore aboue all let vs aduise oure selues too practize it at oure neede VVhensoeuer wee shall bee oppressed by men and when it shall seeme that wee must needes perishe seeing it is declared heere howe it is Gods office to lifte vppe them that are so oppressed and to recomforte them that are so in sorrowe let vs not doubte but hee will performe his promise for hee hath not forgotten his nature wee shal certeinely finde that hee will shewe himselfe to bee the same which hee was at the beginning And heere wee see also wherefore hee abaceth suche as are aduaunced too some dignitie or honour VVhen some man beholdeth suche backtumblings he thinkes it to bee but the wheele of fortune the wicked sorte grudge that God shoulde play so with men as with a ball but this happeneth by reason of the vnthankfulnesse of suche as are in hyghe estate For they forget from whence their welfare commeth and therevpon they bee so sotted with their greatnesse that they wexe stoute againste God and dyuers wayes fall too outrage and therefore God is fayne too abate suche manner of pryde And so wee see the cause that maketh God too pull downe those whome hee had exalted afore namely I say bycause they can not keepe themselues within the boundes of modestie nor giue the glorie vnto God nor know what they are of themselues and contrariwyse the honour that God hathe doone vnto them but forget themselues and aduaunce themselues without measure And therefore God is fayne to shewe them howe â—bey bee nothing and that they doe but beguyle them selues by their pryde And therefore let them that are aduaunced too hyghe estate beware that they walke in the feare of God and in carefulnesse Moreouer suche as are bace and despyzed haue inough wherewith too comforte themselues as I haue sayde in that they haue this promise that it belongeth too God too giue helpe to suche as are in distresse Lo what wee haue to marke And although this bee not done alwayes apparantly to the eye yet notwithstanding suche as are sorrowfull at the heart aright that is to saye whiche are so caste downe as they flee vnto God and seeke no reliefe but at his hande shall feele the operation of his doctrine And certesse all of vs in generall doe finde by experience that God lifteth vp them that are despyzed for what are wee by nature In what plight dothe God finde vs when hee adopteth vs to bee his children are wee not plunged in all filthynesse and infection And not onely so but also he is fayne to drawe vs out of the gulfe of Hell. By reason whereof it may well bee sayde that doubtlesse of nature wee bee cursed caytifes we bring nothing with vs but the image of deathe there is nothing in vs but sinne and specially as it is sayde in Ezechiell wee bee lyke a chylde that is newely come out of the wombe of his mother yea euen of a mother that is full of corruption insomuche as besides the other myseries wherein hee is wrapped he hath also all maner of filthinesse gore bloud and all maner of vncleannesse as the Prophete speaketh there VVee see then what our state is till God haue made vs cleane And so seeing that euerie one of vs alreadie knoweth in him selfe and in his owne behalfe howe God hath exalted vs calling vs to the hope of the kingdome of heauen and of eternall lyfe yea and that he hath plucked vs euen out of the bottomlesse pit of death and clenzed vs from our so stinking filthinesse haue wee not cause too hope for the like heereafter And therefore aboue all things when wee bee in suche distresse as wee can beare no more let vs then put vp our sute vnto him that it maye please him too succour vs and too haue pitie of vs VVee see then howe God regardeth suche as bee as it were the ofcastes of the worlde too the ende too succour them For it followeth immediatly that hee breaketh the determinations of the wicked too the ende that their handes shoulde not accomplyshe anye of their enterprises VVee see here yet one comfort more whiche it behoueth vs to marke well that wee may bee pacient in this world notwithstanding that our enemies assayle vs on all sides True it is that God spareth vs sometimes and that hee sheweth not open warre againste vs and that the wicked haue not alwayrs the power too persecute vs
world howe too vtter the loue that he beareth vs nor his great goodnesse towardes vs better than by giuing vs issue Finally it is sayde that the faithfull man shall be gathered into his graue as a stacke of corne is gathered togither in due time and layde into the Berne and also that a man shall come thither in abundance that is to say hee shall haue liued his fill Heere Eliphas meant to say that God wyll preserue hys seruantes from violent death and guyde them after suche sorte in this worlde that when soeuer they must depart it shall be as if a man gathered corne in haruest time And it is better that corne shoulde bee layde intoo a Berne than that it shoulde perishe in the fieldes for what were it too leaue corne standing in the fielde after that it is dead ripe â–ª The graynes must needes shedde and come to naught the birdes will eate some of it and the reste of it muste rotte and be troden intoo the dirte But if it bee gathered intoo the Berne a man may applye it too good vse So then Eliphas promiseth that after that God hath made the faithfull too bring foorth fruite in the world they shall come too full rypenesse and he will gather them vp too himselfe as menne gather corne True it is that hee doth not thus alwayes for wee see sometimes how God suffereth his seruantes too fall into violent death and that he plucketh them out of this worlde in the floure of their age yea and euen in their infancie VVee see that Cain came to greate yeeres of age and Abell was raught away by the sworde How is it meant then that God will preserue his faithfull ones euen till they bee full rype as if a man shoulde gather corne into a Berne wee must marke first of all that when the holy Scripture speaketh of these worldly blissinges it intendeth that it falleth out so commonly and not that it falleth out so continually Furthermore wee muste make comparison betweene the greater benefyte and the lesser VVhen God suffereth his children too bee taken out of the worlde betymes â–ª it is for their profyte For God prouideth better for the faithfull man when hee calleth him to him at the age of twentie of thirtie yeeres than when hee letteth him liue till threescore And specially when wee see the worlde flowing out intoo suche corruption that all is confounded nowe a dayes I praye you ought wee not too esteeme them more happie in that God hath drawen them away too himselfe than if they had longer time too languishe heere It were a miracle if menne coulde continue heere and come al to olde age For wee see what snares Satan layeth for vs and howe it is right harde to walke through so many outrages Therefore if God pull away his children quickly lette vs bee sure that he dooth it for their greater benefite And specially wee haue herevppon too vnderstand that although they bee bereft of this blissing whyche is small in respect of that which God wyll gyue them yet dothe he not ceasse too loue and fauoure them by suffering them too fall so into speedie death lyke as those that are persecuted by tyrantes haue a moste precious deathe For they offer vp a sacrifize whyche is moste acceptable too God and it is an offering of sweete sauour when hee seeth hys woorde sealed vp with the bloud of Martyrs So then when wee compare the lesse with the greater wee shall finde that this promisse of feeling continually the sayde blissing of God in sending them to their graâ—e as corne that is gathered in his due time is not in vayne towardes the faithfull For how soeuer the world go he rypeneth them continually If a faythfull man die at the age of thirtie yeeres what doth he It seemeth not that he is greatly sorie for it hee maketh no great struggeling against it as wee see the vnbeleeuers do yea when they bee euen as stale as earth as the Prouerbe sayeth Beholde a despizer of God and a worldling whych neuer thought vppon death and when it commeth too the poynte that God will pinche him in good earnest it will make him grinde his teethe and frette with hymselfe weening too withstande death and saying Can I not prolong my lyfe one yeere longer He takes hymselfe too bee a peece of greene woode that crackleth on all sides Contrariwise when a faythfull persone dieth although he indure muche yet hee betaketh hymselfe vntoo God and comforteth hymselfe in hym and although there bee striuing seene in his body yet hath hee his mynde quiet and he desireth nothing but too frame himselfe too Gods good will choozing rather too dye when God calleth him than too liue heere To be shorte he desireth nothing but too obey his good heauenly father VVe see then howe God dothe alwayes rypen hys seruants before he call them out of the worlde so as they bee fully satisfyed when they come too their graues and hee that bringeth but twentie yeeres too his graue is more rype than another that shall bring as ye would say a million of yeeres with him according as we see how the vnbeleeuers do fret and chafe themselues against God when he calleth them so as they bee neuer rype nor olde ynough So then let vs marke that God bereeueth not his children of the thing that hee promiseth them in this texte that is to witte that how soeuer the worlde go they shall come to their graue lyke corne that is through ripe and meete to be applyed to good vse And therefore let euery one of vs bee contented when God hath giuen him the grace to liue in this worlde seeing we haue recorde in our consciences that we be verely his and that hee will drawe vs to himselfe And although it please him to keepe vs in this worlde for a time to exercise vs with many afflictions and miseries yet let vs not ceasse to taste continually of his goodnesse which he maketh vs too feele so many wayes and whereof we shall haue full fruition after this present lyfe when hee shal haue called vs to the eternall rest which he hath prepared for vs and which is purchased for vs by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ And let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of oure faultes praying him too giue vs the grace that in walking through so many daungers wee may knowe howe oure sinnes are the cause of it and that wee haue neede too bee so beaten and chastized at his hande And therewithall let vs pray him too graunt vs the grace that the corrections which hee sendeth vs maye not bee vnprofitable too vs but that we may through them learne too feare his iustice so as we may bee the earnester too call vpon him in our necessities And also that he will giue vs the grace to walke togither in one right brotherhoode and thereby shewe howe wee be rightly his children
14 Hee that is afflicted ought to haue a good turne of his friende but men haue forsaken the feare of the almightie God. WEe haue too goe forwarde with the matter that I began alreadie which is that Iob tormenteth him selfe heere not for the miserie which hee indureth in his bodie but bycause God hilde him as a poore condemned person and bycause hee dealeth as a iudge with him and is altogither against him Ye see then wherefore Iob is more greeued than for all the rest that hee coulde suffer That is to wit bycause he feeleth Gods hande heauie vppon him as Dauid speaketh in the two and thirtie Psalme And let vs marke this well alwayes For otherwise we shall not knowe to what purpose hee sayeth I woulde I were deade I would God woulde kill mee I would I were cut off from the world for then shoulde I haue some ease and I shoulde bee no more so sore pressed And coulde there befall him any worse thing than death specially than a death of Gods sending wherein he should knowe that God woulde vtterly ouerwhelme him And were not that the extremest of all miseries and yet for all that hee sayth that if God woulde dispatch him at one blowe he could well beare it but to linger pyning as hee doth and too bee pressed so long a while hee sayth it is impossible for him too keepe measure for it is all one as if hee were hilde in a burning fire Then let vs marke well this diuersitie whiche is betweene a man that is ouerwhelmed at the first stroke and another whom God holdeth as it were vpon the Rack whom he scourgeth a long while without giuing hym any respite and which is not releeued in his miserie but must be faine to abyde it out continually Let vs nowe come to the ripping vp of the cace that Iob pleadeth here First hee sheweth that his cheefe desire shoulde be to die and to be cut off True it is as I haue touched heeretofore that Gods children may well wishe death howbeit to an other ende and for an other respect than hee doth heere like as all of vs must with S. Paule desire to be let looce from the bondage of sinne wherin we be hilde prisoners Saint Paule is not mooued there with any temptations of the fleshe but rather the desire that hee hath to imploy himselfe in Gods seruice without let driueth him too wishe that he might passe out of the prison of his bodie VVhy so For so long as wee bee in this worlde we must alwayes be wrapped in many miseries and wee ceasse not too offende God beeing so weake as wee bee Saint Paule then is sorie that hee must liue so long in offending God and this kinde of desire is good and holy and proceedeth of the holy Ghost But there are verie fewe that desire too go out of the worlde in this respect For so long as we bee at our ease we care not a whit what vyces and imperfections we haue nor to be so forwarde in seruing God as were requisite this geere toucheth vs not a whit VVhat then If there betide vs any trouble if we fall into any disease if matters fal not out as we would haue them then wee wish our selues out of the worlde and there is none other talke but of oure wearinesse in despizing of oure lyfe Yee see then what Iobs wishing was It was not chiefly bycause hee knewe what his state was but bicause the miserie that hee felt did nippe him therefore hee was desirous too haue his request at Gods hande For he not onely desireth it in his hart but also addresseth himselfe to God too make sute for it And this is yet another mischiefe that a man wisshing death as Iob doth heere shall bee as ye woulde say shet vp and shrunke into himselfe so as he shall not dare present himselfe vnto God to pray for it though it so be that he haue cōmitted a great offence before For we must not presume to hide our selues nor to haue any backe nookes wherein to make wisshes that are wicked and reiected of god But yet when a man shall come so farre forth as to make such request vnto God no doubt but he sinneth double VVhy so For it is an ouergreat rashnesse for vs to come to vnhallow the name of god How is it then that wee must pray VVhat rule must we obserue in that behalfe That we request nothing which is not agreeable too hys wil according as S. Iohn speaketh in his Canonical Epistle And verely our Lorde Iesus Christ sheweth full well that we must keepe the sayd modestie when he setteth downe this petition That Gods will be done Ye see then how Iob vnhalloweth the name of God when he dareth make such and so excessiue a request Nowe then for the first poynt whereas it is lawfull for men too wishe that God woulde deliuer them quickly out of this mortall bodie when their life is besieged here with so many wantes and miseries it is not by reason of the troubles that we must indure here but bicause we are alwayes subiect to many vices Marke this for a speciall poynt Let vs marke further that when God afflicteth vs and that there happen things that are sowre to vs we must not wish death therfore but rather wee must buckle our selues to the combate sith that the will of God is so Thirdly when we desire too bee set free from this bondage of sinne and that God shoulde breake the bondes that holde vs as nowe Let men do it measurably so as we may be readie to bee humbled as muche as shall please him And although it greeue vs and that we sighe bicause wee cannot giue our selues wholly to do what God commaundeth wee must first haue this cōsideration to say VVell Lord if it be thy will that I beeing a poore sinner and hauing vices continually lurking in me shoulde serue thee graunt mee the grace too acknowledge my faultes that I may sigh before thee to craue pardon for them at thy hande Beholde say I the measure which it behoueth vs to keepe Furthermore let vs learne by the example of Iob that when wee come before God it is not for vs too bring thither oure owne desires and our owne lustes and to speake whatsoeuer commeth at our tungs ende but our requestes must alwayes bee framed according to Gods promises and according to that which he giueth vs leaue to demaunde of him Ye see then whereat we must begin if wee will pray vnto God as becommeth vs That is we must not be rash to threape this or that at his hande but wee must consider well what is lawfull for vs according to his will. For what honour do all those yeelde vnto God which craue whatsoeuer commeth in their minde without foreconsideration Their meening is to haue his head vnder their gyrdle Beholde say I an vntollerable presumptuousnesse when a mortall man will beare suche sway as God must bee
in a thousand there shall be a hundred thousand others wherat we ought to learne somewhat more But if wee be so dull as that nother heauen nor earth can profit vs let vs come to our selues Let vs bethinke vs well then doth God come so familiarly vnto vs as well in his works as in all things that we see in our selues Though we cannot knowe him as he is yet at leastwise let vs perceyue him whē he worketh so familiarly in vs But it is certayne that we fayle in that behalf and therfore we must conclude that wee haue no wit to knowe god Now then when we shall haue inquired of Gods presence and power let vs lerne to humble ourselues according as Iob addeth heere for a conclusion Behold sayeth he whensoeuer I shall come to answer before him I will neuer attempt to iustifie my selfe but I wil submit myselfe to my iudge to intreate him Now we see wherevnto all leaneth that Iob hath spoken although his talke be disordered Verely we may gather a good lesson of it though we haue no more but the generalitie that hath bin declared heeretofore But now when Iob sheweth vs the mark that he shooteth at it is certayne that that wil profit vs double So then let vs marke well this word how that after that Iob hath spoken of Gods power and wisdome and giuen some mirrours and presidents of it he sayeth what is to be done then my frēds Ye se God is our iudge VVhen euery of vs hath looked into himself put the cace that we be no euill doers that haue led altogither a wicked life put the cace wee haue bin no whoremongers no murtherers nor Theeues put the cace that God bee not able to charge vs that we haue liued naughtily and wantonly yet notwithstanding who is he that dares be so bold as to opē his mouth to say I am rightuouse and I deserue well that thou shouldest receyue me to mercie where is he that dares presume to be so bold ▪ what is to bee doone then VVe must come before our iudge too intreate him by fayre meanes And this worde Intrcate importeth that we must pleade gilty that is to say that wee must knowe how there is nothing but matter of death and damnation in vs that there is nothing but sin wickednesse in vs that we haue none other refuge but only to his mere mercie Thus ye see what the word Intreate importeth And so as oft as there is any speaking of presenting our selues before Gods maiestie let vs marke well that he cannot bee glorified at our hands as he ought to bee except wee bee brought vtterly vnder foote so as all mouthes be stopped and the whole world confesse themselues indetted vntoo God as S. Paule speaketh in the thirde to the Romanes Therfore when we come to make intreatance before our iudge let it not be with a mynd to iustifie our selues for we shall get no good by so doing Also let vs not imagin that the honor which God requireth of vs consisteth in ceremonies nor in braueries nor in any other like things let vs not stand vpō apish toyes as the Papists do vpō I wote not what other gewgawes that men haue broughte in of thēselues I say let vs not think that God will be serued honored at our hands with such geere But let vs bend our wits to dedicate our selues wholly vntoo hym framing ourselues after the rule that hee hath giuen vs in his word assuring ourselues that if we do so he will dayly increace his graciouse gifts more and more in vs vntill he haue brought vs to saluation notwithstanding that we be vnworthy of it And now let vs fal flat before the face of our good God with aknowledgemēt of the innumerable faults which we cōmit dayly against him beseching him to make vs know thē better than we haue done that wee may bee touched with true repentance desire him to guide vs in all our ways leading vs by his holy spirit and receiuing vs as hys childrē whom he hath adopted in the person of his onely Sonne that he wil make the preciouse bloud auaylable which he hath shed for our redemptiō to the end that being confounded in our own sinnes in the offences that we haue cōmitted against him wee may flee to his mercie for refuge that in the mean while it may please him to susteyn vs in our infirmities not suffer vs to be giuē ouer to worldly vanities but that we may couet the heauēly things apply al our wits therevnto That it may c. The .xxxv. Sermon which is the thirde vpon the ninth Chapter This Sermon contayneth still the exposition of the .xiij .xiiij. and .xv. verses and then the text that is set downe here 16 If I call vpon him and he ansvver mee yet vvould I not thinke that he hath heard mee 17 He hath smitten mee dovvne vvith a vvhirle vvind and he hath vvounded me vvithout cause 18 He giueth mee no ley sure to take breathe but he filleth mee vvith bitternesse 19 If man go to strength beholde hee is strong and if a man deale vvith hym by Iustice vvho is he that may cope vvith him 20 If I iustifie my selfe myne ovvne mouth condemneth mee If I alledge myne vprightnesse he shall esteeme me frovvard 21 If I say I am sound yet knovv I not my soule and my life misliketh me 22 Behold one point vvherein I am resolued that is to vvit that God destroyeth the ryghtuous and the vnryghtuouse alike YEsterday wee treated of thys poynte namely that although wee knowe not our sinnes sufficiently yet notwithstanding it behoueth vs to come vnto God with intreatance That is to say euery of vs must acknowledge himselfe a wretched sinner and assure ourselues that all of vs haue neede of the mercie of him that can condemne vs with good right according as Paule sayeth that al of vs are runne in arrerages with him And why so bycause sayeth he we be destitute of Gods glory As to menward we may wel glorifie ourselues and it maye seeme vntoo vs that wee haue good cause so to doo But come wee once too the greate iudgementseate there we must al of vs stand confounded And here ye see why it is sayd that if God withdrawe not his wrath all strong helpes shall bee beaten downe by hym and when we shall haue gathered togither all that may ayde vs God shall ouerturne it euery whit except he be pacified that is to say except that hee of his goodnesse receyue vs to mercie For there is no hope at all that wee should preuayle agaynst him Therfore it behoueth vs to fall to some agreement And how may God be set at one with men Is it by making payement of themselues or is it by shewing themselues to be rightuouse when hee maketh inquisition No but by making intreatance according to that which I haue sayd already Then let vs mark how it
the inconueniences of this lyfe and if hee looke vppon his owne frayltie hee is beseeged with a hundred deathes and hee hath but a shadowe of lyfe But speciallie when God scourgeth vs and sheweth himselfe as oure aduersarie so as it shoulde seeme hee will thunder vpon vs so as on the one side we consider oure sinnes and on the other syde haue an eye too this so perfect and highe rightuousnesse whiche is in God it is certayne that wee cannot conceyue any hope of saluation in oure selues Notwithstanding they that suffer themselues too bee ouercome by suche temptations doo well shewe themselues to bee ouerdull that is too say that they haue not any suche feeling of Gods iudgement as they ought too haue For whosoeuer is touched rightlye and to the quicke shall feele himselfe as it were in hell when hee bethinketh him of his sinnes and speciallye if God summon him before his seate and make him feele howe gyltie hee is It is not for nought then that I tolde you that Iob confesseth himselfe too bee as it were paste hope yea verely as in respect of himselfe Neuerthelater so it is that hee tasted Gods mercie and fatherlye loue wherevntoo hee alwayes had his recourse That was the thing whereby hee was susteyned and ouercame so greate a temptation And it is for vs also to do the like For after wee haue considered oure sinnes and bee sory for them wee must herken too this sweete and amyable voyce whereby God calleth vs too himselfe for he promiseth not saluation and life too the Angels onely and to such as are able to shew themselues rightuous for if it were so there were not that man i◠the worlde which should not bee shet out from lyfe and saluation But God declareth that he will be fauorable to sinners which are vtterly cast downe in themselues so as they know not where to become Yee see then howe it is not in our selues but out of our selues that we must seke comfort whē we haue sorowed at the sight of our sinnes And when wee feele such troubles as we see nothing but hell open before vs to swallow vs vp then must wee lift vp our eyes aloft too looke vpon the inestimable goodnesse of our God whereby hee is willing to call vs to saluation notwithstanding that wee bee as good as damned alreadie Thus ye see what we haue to note vpon the first place Now wheras Iob sayeth that seeing it is so Hee will take leaue to talke against himselfe or vpon himselfe therin he declareth that he meeneth to bewray the passions wherwith he was turmoyled whiche of themselues were euill and damnable Neuerthelesse Iob intended too lay them foorth to the end men might know that he was oppressed with heauinesse yea euen with such heauinesse as hee saw no remedie but was fayne to make his moane so being a frayle man But the holye Ghost had yet a further foresight For he ment that Iob should bee a Prophet and teacher vnto vs to giue vs warning what oure affections be For it behoueth men to know themselues and to be warned of their infirmities that they may take heede too themselues brydle thēselues for somuche as if they let themselues at liberty they shall keepe neither meane nor measure Lo howe wee ought too applie this lesson too oure instruction Neuerthelesse it behoueth vs to marke well this speeche where Iob sayeth that hee will take libertie to make complayntes agaynste himselfe As if hee shoulde saye I knowe I shall gayne nothing by standing in contention with god Yee see then that the Preface whiche he vseth importeth a very profitable lesson For men are of opinion that they shall discharge themselues well ynoughe if they maye frette and grudge agaynste god And heere yee see wherein the wicked comforte themselues For beholde it wyll seeme too them that they are well eased of theyr burthen when they haue spewed out some blasphemies and vttered theyr impatience and yet for all that it booteth them nothing at all they make theyr cace muche woorse than it was If wee haue any thing that ouerlodeth vs well if wee can caste it too the grounde wee bee vnburthened it is true but If I haue a greate burthen vpon my shoulders or betwixt myne armes and I woulde caste it vpon myne heade and make a greate striuing to doo it that were the nexte waye too breake my necke And what haue I gayned by that Euen so is it with vs when wee will pleade with God it is all one as if wee woulde hoyse vp a burthen vpon our heade and it muste needes fall vpon it for any thing that wee can doo for whiche waye soeuer wee flee it shall lyghte vppon vs VVee see then that men doo nought but destroye themselues when they vomite and spewe vp theyr murmurings and blasphemies after that fashion agaynst god And thus yee perceyue why I sayde that this lesson is greatly for oure profite True it is that God woulde haue vs vse this homelinesse of vnburthening our selues intoo his lappe But the manner of proceeding therein is verye diuerse as it is sayde in the Psalmes and in many other places of the holy scripture the manner is that wee shoulde consider that God will prouide for all and that forasmuch as it is his office too gouerne the world he can well remedie all our needes and will giue vs releefe when we be ouerfore oppressed Lo howe wee may lay all our cares and greefes in Gods lap and he will take charge of them whereby we shall be eased of them yea if wee come to him with prayer and supplication If we haue any heauinesse or greefe that nippeth vs let vs say well Lorde it is in thee to succoure thy faithfull seruants when they pyne in payne I come hither not knowing what shall become of me if thou pitie me not Now therefore when wee shall haue requested God after that sort and he shall haue yeelded vs recorde that he hath not bene deafe to our desires but that we are sure he hath heard them that is a good discharge for God commeth still before vs and receyueth our burthē which we deliuer vnto him But as for those that harden themselues in their pryde and are puffed vp with it and caried away by impaciencie what do they They bend themselues agaynst God as if a man would shoote an arrow at heauen and the same must needes fall backe vppon their owne heade or as if a man shoulde cast vp a stone and the same should light vpon his owne pate also Therfore when we make our complayntes let vs be well aduised that the same be done with all lowlinesse yea and that we rest wholly vppon Gods prouidence grounding our selues vppon the goodnesse and fatherly loue whych he hath shewed vs and going vntoo him with prayer and supplication If we do so then shall we be vnburthened and God will prouide for all But if we thinke to amende our cace by
a thing well woorth the noting For wee take oure selues for stoute men of warre and too haue beene tryed too the vttermost when wee haue indured some sicknesse or some other aduersitie and wee thinke then that God ought not too beginne new agayne with vs but that wee bee quite discharged and are become stoute champions And yet notwithstanding all the bodily afflictions that we can indure are nothing in respect of the distresse that a poore sinner is in when hee perceyueth that God is as it were a partie agaynst him and persecuteth him so as hee can finde no meanes too come too attonement and agreement with him Therefore when oure sinnes come after that sorte before vs and the diuell maketh vs to feele Gods wrath and agayne on the other syde oure owne conscience reprooueth vs so as God seemeth too bee vtterly angrie with vs that say I is a farre greater and dreadefuller anguishe than all the miseries are that wee can indure in our fleshe And therefore lette vs prepare oure selues to suche spirituall battelles praying God too strengthen vs for we see how all mans strength fayleth in that behalfe so as wee shall bee quickly ouerwhelmed if wee bee not propped vp from aboue and lifted vp by God when wee bee fallen and sette agayne into the right way when wee bee stepped oute of it By the waye when Iob sayeth Lette him gette him from mee a whyle VVe see yet better howe miserable the state of poore synners is when they haue this conceyte that God perse cuteth them and is agaynste them For wherein lyeth all oure welfare and all oure ioy but in that God is neere at hande too vs and in that wee feele howe his gracious fauoure is neuer separated from vs But a cleane contrarie when a poore sinner is so scared with Gods iudgement he desireth nothing but too hyde himselfe and too finde some secrete nooke that God myght see him no more and that hee myght not make him feele his hande any more And so the greatest benefite that poore sinners could haue when they feele themselues so tormented with Gods iudgement is to preace neere to him to craue helpe and succour at his hande and their vtter vndooing is to shrinke away from him VVee see then what men are when God sheweth himselfe angry with them For they haue none other shift than to heape wickednesse vpon wickednesse and to enter into hell For it is a veâ—ie hell when wee be shrunke awaye after that sorte from god And yet notwithstanding when God holdeth them at that poynt beholde howe all poore sinners wishe that hee would make them perceyue how there is nothing in him but his wrath and curse But heereby wee muste bee prouoked to pray God that whatsoeuer vengcance wee haue deserued for our sinnes yet wee may not forget this grace whiche hee offereth vs namely that wee shoulde alwayes haue recourse to his goodnesse and that although he haue good right to bee angrie with vs yet neuerthelesse we may assure our selues that hee ceasseth not to allure vs to him For his goodnesse surmounteth the rigoure of his iustice whiche is due to vs for our sinnes and thereby let vs be comforted vntill hee haue withdrawne his hand from vs Then let vs not shrinke backe when hee absenteth himselfe from vs but rather let vs say Lorde withdraw thine anger for if thou shew vs thine angrie couÌ„tenance it is all one as if wee were drowned alreadie in hell Lo what wee haue too marke in this streyne And therefore let vs bethinke vs to profite oure selues by it that wee quayle not when God listeth too trie vs and too prooue to the quicke what our strength constancie is in such temptations And here yee see howe wee may say with Sainct Paule neyther things present nor things too come nor life nor death nor any thing else is able too separate vs from the loue of God that is to say nothing can disappoynte vs that wee shoulde not alwayes feele his fatherly loue whiche hee vseth towardes vs to asswage and sweeten our sorrowes withall Sainct Paule setteth down things to come as if he shoulde say true it is that men are subiect to infinite miseries as we can neither number nor measure them The miseries that are in our nature are as it were a maze and yet for all that if wee holde our selues by our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the bande betwene God and vs and looke vpon him as the partie that knitteth vs to God his father There shall bee nothing too hinder vs that we shoulde not be alwayes merie Lo what wee haue to desire at Gods hande when wee knowe in what plyght wee bee Nowe in the ende Iob speaketh of the state of suche as are departed saying Before I go intoo the darke countrey and intoo the lyghtlesse pitte where there is nothing but confuzion and disorder and where is night when the day ought to shine Here Iob speaketh like a man that hath no beleefe either of the immortality of the soule or of the resurrection that is promised vs VVhere is he become then Let vs marke that in this place he expresseth the passions of a wretched sinner which seeleth nothing but Gods wrath as I haue touched heere too fore but yet haue wee neede too bee put oftentymes in minde of it bycause it is for our behoofe Iob then is brought here to suche a hell of minde as hee thinketh that God is his iudge and himselfe as a reprobate before him so as there is no hope of grace or forgiuenesse for him Lo wherfore in speaking of death hee feeleth nothing but confuzion And howe so For death serueth too turne Gods order vpside downe like as sinne had turned all things vpside downe For when God created man it was not to the intent he should haue bin mortall True it is that we should not haue liued euermore in this worlde in the same state that Adam was in For God would haue chaunged vs into glorious immortalitie But yet notwithstanding we shuld not haue bi 〈…〉 ayn to haue dyed neither should oure mortalitie haue needed to haue bin renued The state of Adam should haue bin such as when he had liued his full time in this world he should haue had his euerlasting heritage with god But sinne stepped in And beholde God added death out of hande yea euen a death wherein there is nothing but confusion And why For thereby man coulde perceyue nothing but Gods curse vppon hym which hath after a sort cut off man from the number of creatures Ye see howe God who hath settled vs in this worlde to liue heere as his children taketh vs away when he bereaueth vs of thys life whiche is all one as if hee shoulde driue vs out of hys house and shoulde shewe howe hee myndeth not to recken vs any more in the number of hys creatures See ye not an horrible confuzion And so the cace standeth that when wee haue
speaketh after the same manner in the hundred and nyneteenth Psalme but yet in comparison Iob was euen at the pittes bottome as wee see if wee looke no further but vppon that which hee indured in his bodye seeing hee was so broken out as a man woulde disdeyne to looke vpon hym yea and that the verye sight of him was ynough too make a mannes haire stande vppe vpon his head and that hee was become so hydeous a thing as would shame a man yea and loth his heart to beholde him Nowe then if Iob had indured no more but these paynes in his bodie had it not bene verie much But the cheefe poynt as I sayde was the feeling of Gods iudgement and how God persecuted him in so much that hee found no fauour at his hand but it seemed to him that God meant to adde continually plague vpon plague till hee had sent him to the bottome of death and damnation Seeing then that Iob was layde at so roughly let vs not thinke it straunge that there were some temptations out of square in him For it was meete that God should in that poynte vtter the perfectnesse of his owne strength in the infirmitie of man But let vs on oure side apply this too our instruction And firste of all if God sende vs so great and excessiue afflictions as wee bee in maner swallowrd vp let not that make vs too despayre as shall bee declared yet more at full heereafter but let vs resiste it knowing that God doth still reserue his mercie readie for vs in time conuenient And if wee bee payned more than wee woulde wishe Let vs assure our selues that God will let the maladie rypen to heale it the better If a man haue a plague sore well it is seene that the sore stinketh and that it is ynough too impayre the health of the whole man and yet for all that the I hisition or Surgion will not launce the Byle at the first dash And why For hee should but make it more firie bycause the matter is not yet rype But hee will lay some drawing playster too it fyrste too make the sore too rypen and then afterwarde hee will bee bolde to launce it Euen so dealeth God with vs For hee seeth that wee haue verye noysome plague sores and what then Let vs not thinke it straunge that hee healeth them not at the first dashe For the disease must first bee made rype and then afterwarde God maye put too his hande and fynde conuenient remedies Then let vs assure our selues that God knoweth what is good and conuenient for vs and therefore let vs tarie his leysure with pacience But if wee bee too egre in making haste when wee endure anye afflictions what excuse can there bee for vs Specially sythe wee see that Iob was come too the gulfe of Hell and yet neuerthelesse did humble himselfe before God â–ª and that although hee endured so greeuous tormentes and was in so excessiue sorrowe yet hee restrayned him selfe I say if a man that was so punished dyd still brydle him selfe I praye you shall wee not bee too too vnexcusable if wee chafe and fret oure selues in our aduersities Then let vs consider these thinges and let euery of vs haue an eye too him selfe VVhen wee see that such a seruant of God hath bene tryed after that sort to the vttermost wee must be so much the more mylde in our aduersities and not stomacke at God as wee haue beene wonte too doe Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in mynde concerning this streyne And Iob sayeth That although God kill hym yet will be trust in him neuerthelesse hee will reprooue his owne waâ—es before Gods presence True it is that the Hebrewe worde Lo which I translate In him maye bee taken for Not and so doth it signifye properly Nothwithstanding it is some tymes taken Relatiuely as they tearme it and one letter is chaunged intoo another whiche is a common vse among the Hebrewes Neuerthelesse the meening is all one in eyther of both the wayes For if yee reade Not it muste bee in waye of demannding a question as thus Thoughe hee kill mee shall I not trust in hym Yes I will still trust in him Or else if yee read thoughe hee kill mee VVhen hee shall haue killed mee yet will I put my truste in him wee see that the substance of the matter is not chaunged To bee short Iobs meening is that although hee bee ouerthrowne and as it were inraged by passions yet is it not as muche to say as that he hath forgone all pacience and intendeth to staÌ„d in contention with God or to alienate himselfe quite and cleane froÌ„ him or that he is minded to stomack the matter in such wise as he will haue no more to do with him VVherefore â–ª He protesteth that he hopeth whatsoeuer come of it Although hee kill me saith he and confound me yet will I not cease to trust in him neuertherlesse I will reproue my wayes in his sight Thus am I fayne to intermeddle this vehemencie which you see and whiche you perceiue I say I am faine to intermeddle it with the hope which I haue in god And here we haue a faire and excellent mirrour of Gods working For he suffereth the faithful to fal to the end that their faith may be the better tryed These things seeme vnable to be matched togither in themselues but God himselfe maketh them to agree At the first blush a man would say lo heere is fire and water but at the last God bringeth al things to such an end as there is no disagreement at all There haue bene some whiche in their disputations would fayne alwayes conclude after the manner of the Philosophers and al things are so put in order as there is no disagreement but a certaine league or couenant throughout all things but such men neuer knewe what it is to haue bene sifted by God and to haue passed through his iudgementes And why For as I haue sayd God handleth vs after such a straunge fashion that all things are confounded in that cace And in good sooth there are things in vs also which can neuer be made to agree For some times we be desirous to liue and sometimes wee woulde fayne dye and these are things contrarie Yea but the respectes are diuers for as sayth Saint Paule naturally we couet to bee and consequently wee shunne death Death is horrible to vs â–ª bicause it is contrarie to oure nature That is the thing that dismayeth a man But on the other part wee see that wee bee hild heere as in a prison so long as this bodye of oures compasseth vs about wee are in bondage to sinne and therefore we be inforced to syghe and to be sorie and therewithall too long for the euerlastingnesse whiche is promised vs after the time that God shall â–ª haue taken vs out of this worlde for when wee drawe towarde death then come wee to it and death is
see the vnquietnesse that beginneth to martir men But is a man come to fiftie yeeres old It may be sayde that deathe is seene too summon them dayly Although there were no diseases at all to assayle vs yet it is well seene that we draw neere our ende Is a man come too fourescore yeeres It is seene that his graue is at hande so as in a manner hee is no more alyue For it wyll greeue a man to see himselfe vnmeete for the world hee seeth that hee is a burthen and it brings many troubles and if he be combersome to others hee is more combersome to hymselfe Therefore it is not for nought that this is told vs And why for as I haue earst sayde wee set more by one yeere in this worlde than wee ought too doo by a hundred and agayne wee consider not howe oure lyfe is misguided when it is not put to the true vse of of it So muche the more then standeth it vs in hande to bethinke vs well of suche sayings and warnings that is to witte that man borne of woman is of a very shorte and flightfull lyfe But for the better conceyuing of this shortnesse we must also match it with the troubles that are in it For put cace that our life were farre longer what cause haue we to like so well of it seeing we be so vexed in it VVhy do we not rather come to the seeking of the rest that is prepared for vs in heauen And heerewithall we haue further to marke from whence these troubles come vpon vs that is to witte from our owne naughtie affections For if wee were troubled but by other folks and in the meane while were at rest in ourselues yea verely at true rest we might well complayne of our disquietnesse that this present life had not his free course and that it went not in his owne pace But forasmuch as euery man is a hangman to himselfe as I haue sayd already and our owne lusts passions and desires are the cause of our vnquietnesse and incomberance to whome or against whome shall we make oure complaint Then let vs learne that when we haue considered all well we must not blame God nor commence action against him but only find fault with ourselues For the finall poynt whervnto we must come is to know the shortnesse of our life and to bee abashed at it when wee thinke thereof But this is yet better expressed in that which foloweth when he sayth who is he that is pure or how can that thing be cleane which commeth of vncleannesse or filthinesse By this saying we bee admonished that all the miseries which we indure proceede of the coruption of mans nature And for the better comprehending of this doctrine let vs note that when there is any speaking of mā or of that whiche is in him the question concerneth not Gods worke or creation for Adam was created another manner of one than we be at this day VVe be falne from the state wherein God had set Adam and all mankinde in Adams persone Adam was created after the image of god and endewed with excellent giftes of grace yea and vnsubiect to death And what importeth that image of God A perfectnesse a rightuousnesse and a soundnesse wherethrough God vttered his great riches so that in effect mā was as a mirrour of the excellent glory that shyneth fully in god But by sin we be bereft of all gifts of grace banished out of the kingdome of god And bycause he hath forsaken vs we are also destitute of life whereof he is the fountayne and welspring For wherein lyeth the fulnesse of al good things but only in God Then must we needes conclude that being cut off from him wee bee left in all miserie yea and euen in death But say I this proceedeth not of our creation but of that wee be destitute of the benefite that God had giuen vs and hencefoorth haue it not any more And how are we bereft of it By sin Here a man mighte moue a question It seemeth that Iobs meening is that the cause of our vnbeleefe of all the sinnes and vices that are in vs is bycause wee come and descend of Adams race and we come not of Adam but as concerning our body VVhere doth sinne dwell where hath he his proper seate In the Soule But there is no shew of reason that means soules also should come of the race line of Adam Therefore it seemeth that Iob reasoneth not aright But we haue to marke that like as God created all mankind after his owne image in the person of Adam euē so also through Adams sin not only Adam himselfe but consequently also all his ofspring were depriued and shet out from the grace that had bin bestowed vpon him And whereof commeth that Bycause wee were all inclosed within his persone according to the will of god VVee must not heere dispute by naturall reason to knowe whether it be so or no. It behoueth vs to know that it was Gods will to giue that to our first father which he would haue vs to be and when he tooke the same from him we also were in the same ruine and confuzion with him Then let vs haue an eye too this ordinance of God let vs settle ourselues therevpon and let vs not beleeue our own wit and imagination Thus yee see shortly what we haue too beare away True it is that this matter might bee dilated more at large but it is ynough for vs too vnderstande the cheefe poynt in two or three words which is to mind the thing that is conteyned here namely that it is no maruell though men be full of vncleannesse and that there is nothing in them but filthinesse And why For they be taken out of a corrupt lump and therefore there is not so much as one that is otherwise True it is that although Iesus Christ was very man yet was he exempted from all our vncleannesse but that was bycause he was conceuyed by the holy Ghost God ordeyned peculiarly that oure Lord Iesus Christe should bee conceyued by power from aboue And why To the end that Adams vncleannesse might not light into hym nor hee bee defiled therewith But when that wee be conceiued forasmuch as it is by the common order of mans nature we be subiect too the said corruption It is not possible to find any one mortall wight that is not full of all vnrighteousnesse sauing only our Lord Iesus Christ And why For let vs marke from whence we come So then wee haue to call to rememberance what hath bin touched that is too witte in what wise wee ought to alledge vntoo God the shortnesse of our life and the miseries wherevnto the same is subiecte which is to the end he shuld haue pitie vpon vs and not to murmure against him Howbeit therewithall we must also mislike of our owne life And that is it that I haue touched already namely that if we wist well
that our life is flightfull and bethought vs of the miseries wherewyth it is fraughted and as it were pestered we wold not be so farre in loue with it as wee bee but heere ye see a good cause why we ought to be so much the more waker Neuerthelesse it behoueth vs too keepe a measure in thys behalfe For there haue bin many of the heathen whyche haue knowen the thing rightly that is spoken heere and haue bin so fully perswaded of it that they haue bin weery and loth to liue in this world yea we see they haue fordone themselues And how was that They sawe well the miseries that are heere But wee must not come too such extremitie VVhat then VVhen wee consider that our life vanisheth away in a moment let vs consider also from whence the same swiftnesse proceedeth that is too witte from sinne For we were not created to the end that death should haue dominion ouer vs That is come vppon vs from our father Adam in somuch as all of vs are giltie of his sinne Therefore when there is any talke of the shortnesse of our life wee must enter into this acknowledgement of originall sinne And againe whence come all the miseries that hedge vs in round about but bycause wee be banished out of Gods kingdome where all our welfare lieth Then are wee miserable so long as we be separated from god But we be separated by reason of our sinnes and therefore it standeth vs on hande to returne always thither VVhen we haue learned too blame our selues after this sort we shal not deale as those do that murmure against god Howe now say they It is seene that men are as it were the cheefe woorke of God among all his creatures it was his will too shewe muche more excellencie and dignitie in them than in al the rest yet are they vexed troubled beyoÌ„d all measure And what â—meaneth that Verely many heathenish folke haue herevpoÌ„ taken occasion to murmure against God as who should say he had set man vpon a scaffold to make a mockerie and gazingstocke of him notwithstanding that hee seeme to be the noblest of all creatures But when we shal haue coÌ„sidered that all the miseries wherto we be subiect proceede of our owne faultinesse bicause wee be all sinfull we shall haue our mouthes stopped so as we shall no more presume to murmure against god Marke that for one poynte But yet is not that ynough For vnlesse wee haue an eye to the remedie that God hath giuen vs out of all doubt we shall be caried away with such desperation as we cannot but blaspheme god And in very deede it is certaine that those which fordoo theÌ„selues do it as it were in despite of god And why For although they had knowen theÌ„selues blameworthy of their owne miseries yet had it not booted them to the asswagement of theyr sorrow heauinesse Therfore if we will not fall into despaire let vs haue an eye to that which is able to asswage all our anguish As for example First although our life be miserable yet neuerthelesse God maketh vs to taste of his goodnesse so many wayes as wee may well conclude that we be rightly happy bicause he maketh vs parttakers of his benefites Our life is short howbeit it is not so short but God gyueth vs respite ynough to knowe him to bee our father and sauioure and to taste what his power is in vs and calleth vs vnto him If we shold not haue this benefite paste a quarter of an houre nor inioy it any longer time I pray you ought we not to make account of suche a benefite Agayne although wee suffer heate and colde and hunger and thirst and bee diuerse wayes persecuted and besydes the inconueniences that happen at other mens handes wee haue a gulfe within vs as in deede wee haue store of temptations that come vpon vs whiche verely are as manye incomberances Yet notwithstanding God giueth vs some tast of his mercie in that we see hee holdeth vs vp and in that when it pleaseth him too chastise vs either he giueth vs pacience or else so measureth his rigoure as we alwaies feele his goodnesse Seing then that euen in the troubles and vnquietnesse of the worlde wee haue some occasion too comforte and cheere vp our selues in God Is not that a recompence that ought too suffize vs can we nowe complayne that God hath set vs in this worlde Haue wee not cause rather too blisse and glorifie him Then lette vs marke well that it standeth vs in hande to beware that we fall not into such extremitie as to say VVo worth man it were better that he had neuer bin borne than to be so turmoyled in this worlde If we haue not the foresayde consideration we may be sure we shall come to confusion VVhat is to bee done then VVe muste ioyne both the poynts togither and say Alas what is this present life For we bee no sooner entred into it but wee giue vp the Ghoste And if wee tarry heere any while at all we see nothing before our eyes but miserie Not only the graue hemmeth vs in on all sides but also it were better for vs to die some one kinde of death out of hande than too bee so assaulted with thousande thousands And afterward when wee haue ouerpassed so many incomberances in effect wee doo but pine away by peecemeale Therefore if wee bethinke vs well of oure state we shall haue good cause to mislike this worlde bycause that all the inconueniences whiche wee indure do proceede of our owne sinnes But what though Yet doth God in the meane while make vs to feele his goodnesse and he will not haue vs so dismaide and ouersorrowed as we should not haue whereof to reioyce in him Furthermore forasmuche as he sheweth vs that wee be but wayfarers in this worlde and that our miseries shall not continue here for euer the shortnesse of our lyfe ought not to greeue vs but rather to comfort vs And howe is that For as for those which are so fantasticall as to say Tushe what is mans life It is gone with the turning of a hande They that rest vpon that poynte do fall to hartburning and say muste wee liue so small a while Doth God play mockholyday with vs to say returne agayne to mee out of hand Coulde he not giue vs a longer lyfe or at leastwise make vs too knowe what were the remedie of oure life But we haue not one day of good tyme for our life hangeth by a threed and death is alwayes betweene our teeth Behold I say at what poynt they be whiche do altogither settle and reste themselues vpon the shortnesse of maÌ„s life But let vs thinke thus with our selues VVell then God meeneth not that wee shoulde linger heere foreuer True it is that wee bee subiect to many miseries in so much that he which knoweth his owne state oughte to sigh and grone continually so long as he
haue escaped Gods hand if it had bin possible For he knew well it was a far terribler matter to haue God to be his iudge than too die a hundred times And this ought to touch vs the neerer and to make vs thinke better vpon our sinnes than wee haue done to the end we may knowe that when wee shall haue indured all the miseries of the worlde it is nothing in comparison of appeering before Gods iudgemēt seate when it commeth to the yeelding vp of an account If we be but sicke a little wee cry out alas and if there happen vs any mischance men shall heare vs make complaints and yet our sinnes shall be buryed all the while and neuer come too our thought or remembrance Heereby wee shewe howe vntoward we be in iudging of things Therefore as oft as wee heare that those whiche haue bin scourged at Gods hand haue desired death and to be hidden in their graue let vs assure our selues that the same is the thing whiche we ought to feare aboue all other that is too witte that God sheweth himselfe as it were an aduersarie agaynste vs And when we be perswaded that the same is the greatest daunger that can befall vnto man wee wyll laboure by all meanes to retourne vnto him VVhen oure sinnes come to our minde Alas will wee say in what cace are we For if God shew himselfe our enemie how shall wee doe in what cace shall wee bee Then let vs preuent the matter and behold wee shall be so prouoked to seeke vnto God for grace as we shall neuer be at rest till hee bee at one with vs Thus ye see the vse wherevnto we ought to applie this lesson And wee must marke well howe hee saith I would fayue that thou baddest hidden me in the graue and that I were shut vp in it vntill sucke tyme as I were cut off Heere hee sheweth wherefore hee desireth deathe namely bycause hee felt himselfe shutte vp vnder Gods iudgement and could find no way to scape out And hereby we bee warned that our startingholes shall serue vs to no purpose in the ende and that when we haue fisked hither and thither neuer so much we must be fayne to be as it were shut vp VVe shall haue profited well for one day if we can beare this lesson in mind VVhy so for although God threaten vs neuer so much yet it is seene that there needeth not any thing to make vs beleue that we be able to shift out of it according as euerie of vs imagineth one shift or other insomuch that our hypocrisie is the cause that Gods threatnings pierce not our harts as were requisite And there is nothing that prouoketh more Gods extreeme vengeance than when hee sees that wee make none account of his wrath Lo what prouoketh him extreemely So then let vs learne by that which is sayd here that whensoeuer God listeth to pinch vs in good earnest there will be no scaping for vs neither by one meanes nor other but we must be fayne to be fast shut vp On the other side if God giue vs any respite and specially if hee shewe vs howe wee may obteyne fauour at his hande let vs vse that oportunitie It is sayde immediately I woulde that thou haddest hidden me in the graue Here it might bee demaunded And is not death a token of Gods wrath and curse Is our comming thither too any reliefe VVhat doth that boote vs Verely it seemeth too bee the vttermost extremitie and that God cannot shewe any greater rigour vpon vs than to put vs to death But Iob hath here conceyued death amisse as I haue shewed heretofore and that must we beare well in minde Hee was ouerpressed with anguish bycause God made him to feele his miserie Therevpon he bethinketh himselfe how he might bee rid of it At leastwise sayth he I should wander in the darke But as long as I beare my flesh as he sayth for a conclusion in the ende and so long as my soule is in me I am in payne I am tormented and I haue nothing but distresse If God had taken me out of this worlde I shoulde haue some case and there woulde be an ende and as hee hath sayde afore he should haue his end as the hireling whom ye see at rest when his terme is at an ende and his couenant come out Thus ye see why he desireth here too bee shet vp in his graue Furthermore let vs marke that hee knewe well ynoughe that men ceasse not too bee vnder Gods hande by dying but that they must be fayne to be iudged by him and to feele him still Iob knewe that well ynough But in the meane while he had an eye to the miserie where with he was pressed and he was as it were so fast tyed therevnto as hee thought not of all the rest Yee see then that when God persecuteth a poore sinner hee hath no further respect but to say Alas must I bee enclosed here without remedie and must my miserie encrease and I perish in the end bicause God will neuer leaue pursuing me The sinner hath no respect but of the thing that is so harde for him to beare For this cause he thought death to be nothing and that it shoulde serue him to be a salue for his sores After that maner spake Iob in desiring to be couered in his graue and to be as it were locked vp in the same And when he sayth Vntill thou bethinke thee of me and vntill thou set me a day thereby hee sheweth howe there is some feeling still euen after death howbeeit that to his seeming as he was then caryed away and rauished there shall be some respite for him to take his breath inso ▪ much that when he shail be gone out of this worlde then shall he not be in such confusion nor in so harde and heauie cace as he felt there But as I haue sayde Iob coulde not but knowe that euen after death wee haue an account to make for he sayth I will wayte in the graue vntill thou appoynt me a time to bethinke thy selfe of me This Bethinking here is nothing else but Gods calling of his creatures to iudgement But Iob was so troubled in wit and the sayde passion did so turmoyle him as he iudged not with so setled a minde as he ought to doo And why First and formost so long as we liue in this worlde what shoulde wee more desire than that God shoulde haue vs in remembrance For if he forget vs what shall become of vs Peter sayde Get thee away from mee O Lorde for I am a wretched sinner Yea but we must go the contrarie way to worke and say Lorde come neerer vs for without thy grace we be nothing So then it is very needfull that god should remember vs And how To mainteine and preserue vs so as he vpholde vs and haue pitie vpon our feeblenesse to releeue the same and to guide vs by his prouidence Ye see
whome he shall render an account Such as are ordeyned to be Shepherds to feede Gods people muste imploye all their strength and power therevpon nother muste they openly or particularly conceale that which they haue receyued according wherevnto Sainte Paule sheweth that hee is cleare from blud that is to say he is not faultie before God for hee had taught them Gods truthe faythfullye without ceassing as well at home in theyr houses as openly abroade Also let the Magistrate for his parte looke too himselfe and let him not through negligence quenche the lyghte that God hath put into him But to the vttermoste of his power let him indeuer that iustice maye reigne and haue hir full course that God maye be honoured and his truth receyued and that leasings and all thinges that are contrarie to true Religion may be done away Lo what wee haue to remember in this streyne Nowe whereas Eliphas sayth that God had giuen them the land and no stranger had passed through it it is to expresse that they had receyued an excellent prerogatiue from aboue For it is certaine that if a man be able to mainteine the gouernement that is put into his hande it is a token that God fauoreth him and it becommeth him to acknowledge that benefite For there is no pollicie of manable to do that throughly Also wheras Eliphas sayth that those of whom he speaketh had reigned peasably and that God had blissed them in such wise as they were not troubled but had so guided their subiectes as their dominion conteined in quietnesse thereby we be done to vnderstand that when God maynteineth states and a countrie is in peace wee must not father it vpon mortall men but acknowledge it to be the speciall benefite of god And our acknowledging of it must not be honoring the men by whome God serued his turne in doing it but also in yeelding God his due prayse Nowe let vs come to the chiefe article that we haue touched Eliphas saith that the wicked man is alway as it were trauelling with childe that he neuer hath any rest that hee is in continuall tormente that hee looketh euer at the sworde and that he knoweth not the number of his dayes And our Lorde vseth the same threat against the transgressers of his lawe namely that he will sende them such a fearefulnesse that their life shall hang afore them by a thread that their eyes shall bee sunken in their heade and that they shall bee in such anguishe of mynde that in the morning they shall say who will warrant mee my life vntill night and when night is come howe maye I indure till tomorrowe Lo howe God punisheth such as walke not purely according to his law And in good faith what purenesse is there in our life If we desire to be at rest and not to be tossed with any cares it behoueth vs to knowe that we be in Gods protection and we must be fully resolued of it and then it is certayne that wee may passe through fire and water that is to say hap what hap will wee shall bee sure of a good and stedfast leaningstocke But if wee knowe not that God watcheth ouer vs or at leastwise if wee thinke hee is against vs wee must needes be afrayde and not knowe where to become Therefore it is not without cause that God vseth the said manace againste the transgressers of his law And so is Eliphassis saying very true that the wicked is alwayes fearefull according also as the Prophet Esay likeneth the thoughts of wicked folkes too waues that beate one againste another VVhen any tempest is yee see the water stirreth and the waues come rushing one againste another and breake asunder Euen so is it with a man that is not ayded by god It is not any one passion that shall carrie him away and torment him but there shall bee many contraries and hee shall bee in such a pecke of troubles with it that hee shall bee vtterly at his wittes ende And so when it is tolde vs that the wicked man is in such vnquietnesse Let vs assure oure selues that it is Gods rightfull vengeance vpon all those that haue not sought to bee at peace with him And howe maye wee haue peace with God By walking in a good and pure conscience and specially by knowing that wee haue none other foundation too stande vppon saue onely his mercy in that wee bee in his fauoure for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake and that there with wee call vpon him assuring oure selues to bee happie both in life and death bycause it pleaseth him to be present with vs and to receyue vs and gather vs vp to himselfe Marke I say howe the way for men too haue peace with God is to assure them selues that their sinnes are forgiuen and to praye vnto him and therewithall to walke in his obedience so as they indeuer to haue a good and pure conscience towards their neighbours And this peace is ioyned with a ioye which Sainte Paule termeth the ioy of the holy Ghost which is when we bee strengthened by fayth Saint Paule sayth that this ioy is ghostly and he vseth that terme purposely bycause the wicked do sometimes reioyce that is to say they friske and laugh and are merrie when all things goe well with them and they forget themselues after such a sort as they feele not their owne miserie but become dull Yea but this peace where with God filleth them shall bee nothing at all to their profite And what manner of peace is it It is not for that they drawe neere vnto God but rather they turne their tayle vpon him But the true peace which is happie and blissed of God is when wee haue an eye vntoo him and come to him and thervpon are in quiet assuring our selues that hee receyueth reckeneth and auoweth vs to bee his so as he will not giue vs vp but guide vs always both in life and death Thus ye see what wee haue to remember in this sentence Howbeit it is true that eueramong the faythfull are in suche troubles as a man can hardly discerne betweene them and the dispisers of God but yet in the end God setteth them at rest For by handling them after that manner hee maketh them too knowe their owne weakenesse that they maye humble themselues and learne too call vpon him and put themselues wholly into his hande and trust altogither to hys goodnesse Moreouer somtimes he pricketh and spurreth vs too come too him the more earnestly and too beseech him to reach vs his hande and to shew that he hath a care of vs and that whensoeuer we bee tossed after that sorte we neede no more but to vnlode our cares into his lappe and to rest our selues there in all caces and there to take all our contentation and comforte Yee see then that the faythfull may well be stricken with feare and troubling but yet will God make them to feele what that peace is which hee
the grace of god If it please our Lorde wee shall bee fedde though there want bread drink meate according as he sayeth he wil feede those that are his euen in the time of famine But cōtrariwise a man may haue his garners full and well stored and he may be so full till he burst and yet shall he not be sustenanced euer a whit the more for it To be shorte God shewed once in the Manna how it is he onely that susteyneth vs by his power If the foode that we eate be blissed of God it will serue our turne as the Manna did and if there be any scarcitie of it God will well supply it Againe if Gods blissing bee not vpon vs nothing can do vs good wee must needes wexe leane wee muste needes starue and pine away with our abundance Then is this sentence of Bildads very true and we see there are many other textes of Scripture that agree with it VVherefore let vs learne to profite our selues by it let vs vnderstād that wee haue nother strength nor sustenance but by the spreading out of Gods goodnesse vpon vs whiche is the thing from whence we drawe lyfe and the meane wherby wee bee preserued and maynteyned in our state and therefore let vs settle our whole trust vpon that Furthermore when wee see the wicked to be strong lette vs assure our selues that it shall not last euer True it is that wee muste not imagine as Bildad did namely that God sheweth to our eyesight the thing that is spoken here but wee muste tarie paciently and giue God leaue to execute his judgements when he shall thinke good Thus ye see what we haue to marke in this streyne And now he addeth immediatly that the first borne of death shall eate his braunches or the members of his skinne yea it shall eate his members for that parcell is repeted VVhereas mention is made here of the firstborne of death it behoueth vs too vnderstād some exquisite kind of death For when some mē die we see they passe away easily God spareth thē Othersome are tormented in suche wise as they pine away by peecemeale and are worne away too the harde bones and othersome go away without any feeling Then let vs marke here that this woord The firstborne of death carieth in it a great force when a man is hilde as it were vpon the racke and that God dismayeth him and frayeth him and wrappes him in anguish on all sides in somuch that he seeth nothing but a bottomlesse pitte of horrible feare Bildad therefore sayeth it shall happen after that maner to the wicked True it is that all of vs are mortall and that God hathe put vs into this worlde with condition to take vs hence againe Surely we cānot come to the heauēly life except the corruptible that is in vs be first put away as S. Paule speaketh VVhat must be done then Let euery man dispose himselfe to die assuring our selues that God doth vs an inestimable grace in voutchsafing to deliuer vs frō corruptiō by the meanes of death that although this trāsitory lodging of our body be destroyed yet will he reare vp a new buyldingin vs which shall be much more excellēt in asmuch as we shall be clothed with glorie immortality But on the cōtrarie part let vs assure our selues that our Lord will sende the first-borne of death vpō the wicked so as their death must be full of terrour without any cōfort vnasswaged of the misery that is in it And here ye see that the thing wherein we differ from the vnbeleeuers is that although both of vs must be fayn to passe through death togither and that the same be common to all men without exception yet notwithstandinge God reacheth vs his hande when wee come to the poynt of death so as wee go to him with a quiet minde are able to cōmende our soules vnto him with a true and rightordered trust that hee may receyue them as a good and faythfull keeper But as for the wicked they muste bee fayne too go hence with great violence and to bee troubled and dismayed and too striue with God and to storme and to haue nothing that may comfort them Neuerthelesse let vs bethinke vs of that which hath bene sayde namely that this thing shall not be alwayes apparant For sometime God sendeth a violent death too his children But although their body bee payned yet is not their soule therefore in the worse cace And this is it wherein Baldad was deceyued according as wee haue alwayes too beare in minde that wee muste not iudge by eyesight but for asmuche as Gods iudgements are hidden from vs and wee know not how God executeth them we must not vse our owne wit and imagination in that behalfe Howebeit if God execute his iudgements after a visible maner let vs marke them that wee may take good by them If wee see them not well let vs vnderstand that hee hath reserued the vtterance of them till the last day for the triall of our fayth But yet in the meane whyle wee must bee fully resolued that although death be common too all men yet are the faythfull so comforted and strengthened by Gods goodnesse as they come willingly vnto him knowing that hee will receyue them according also as they bee sure that he will keepe their soules well and safely vnto the latter day in so much that they cannot perish bicause hee hath cōmitted thē into the hād of our Lord Iesus Christ and he hath taken them into his protectiō The faythfull therfore wil go willingly vnto death Contrarywise there lighteth an exquisite and dreadfull death vpon the wicked bycause that first they knowe not whither they goe and secondly Gods Iustice pursueth them in such wise as they can cōceyue nothing but feare and dismayednesse VVhen we heare that the sayde priuiledge is giuen too vs wee haue good cause to thanke our good God and to prepare our selues to liue or die at his pleasure Then lette vs not bee stubborne when hee goeth about too take vs out of this worlde sith suche comfort is prepared for vs Now it insueth immediatly that his hope shall bee rooted out of his tent and that hee shall bee brought too the king of death VVhen he sayeth that the hope of the vngodly shall bee rooted out of his tent thereby it is done vs to vnderstād that God will for a time lodge such as are vnworthie of it so as they shall haue ease at will yea and dwell in palaces whyle in the meane season the poore faythfull ones shall scarsely haue a little cotage too retyre vnto Thus the despyzers of God whiche are giuen too all naughtinesse shall dwell in this worlde as though the Lordship thereof belonged too none but them They shall haue wide and large houses they shal haue goodly long walks and therewithall their trust shall bee in their pleasures that is to say they shall thinke themselues
whiche appeareth not presently VVherefore let vs learne which is a thing as needefull as may be to bee throughly perswaded that although the godly be afflicted yet ceasse they not to be happie inasmuch as they haue recourse to God and bow downe their neckes to the bearing of the yoke that is laid vpon them and are sure that though God trie their obedientnesse yet he ceasseth not to loue them VVhen wee be once perswaded of this wee haue profited greatly for the whole time of our life And in good sooth let vs looke vpon the infirmitie that is in vs For as soone as we haue any temptation we be so abashed and dismayd as there is no comforting of vs If wee see the wicked prosper and that God beareth with them more than wee woulde hee should there is nothing with vs but grating of our teeth and it seemeth to vs that there is no more hope for vs but that we bee vtterly deceyued in calling vpon God and in seruing him Againe if our state be not such as our fleshe woulde wish it our courage quayleth yea and we fall too fretting and chafing agaynst God and finally wee bee so combered as wee cannot assure our selues that it is for our behoofe to resort vntoo God in the middes of all our miseries nor asswage our sorrowes in that we knowe that he will alwayes be our sauiour and father VVherefore let vs fight against our infirmitie that we may be fully resolued thereof Also on the contrary when we see the prosperitie of the wicked let vs not faint for it but let vs alwayes plucke vp a good hart assuring our selues that God doth but fat them as an Oxe or a Hog For when a man intendeth to kill an oxe he will fat him and hee will bestowe more cost vpon him when he prepareth him to bee drawne to the slaughterhouse than when he purposeth to labour him in the plough The like will he do with a hog Our Lorde then handleth wicked men in this worlde as Oxen or Swine he fatteth and pampereth them till they burst againe But it is to their destruction and forasmuch as they abuse his goodnesse pacience they do but heape vp the store of wrath whereof S. Paule speaketh by defiling all the benefites which they receyue at Gods hande during the time that he is so bountifull to them Then seeing that this doctrine is so profitable vntoo vs and that on the other side it is very hard to be comprehended let vs not thinke straunge of the often repeating of it For wee haue neede to record this lesson oft bycause wee vnderstand it not at the first sight Yea and we haue profited very well if of all our life long we haue but begon well to conceyue it and we forget it againe by and by though it bee dayly rehearsed vnto vs But nowe let vs come to Iobs wordes VVhat is the hope of the Hypocrite when he shal haue heaped vp and God shall take away his soule By these wordes Iob signifieth that wee must not inclose mans happinesse within his present life Howe then may wee say that men are happie or vnhappie we must not haue our eyes fastened vpon this world for that is a verie narrow bounds but we must go to death for that is the poynt where our Lord sheweth vs that it is to no purpose for vs to haue liued heere in ease to haue ho orded vp much goodes too haue beene in honour and credite to haue crammed our selues with quietnesse and to bee short to haue had all our wishes heere God I say sheweth in death that al this geere was but as a flightfull and vanishing shadowe And therefore if we will iudge rightly of mens states whether they be happie or vnhappie let vs not looke onely too their liuing here or how they be dealt withall for a twentie thirtie or fiftie yeares but let vs consider that when men passe hence God calleth them to him according as it is sayde in the ninetith Psalme that God causeth them to make but one turne as though they ranne in a ring and then come home too me yee sonnes of menne sayeth hee Marke what we haue to conceyue in the first place to the end we bee not ouertaken with a false opinion as all they bee whiche thinke no further than vpon this present lyfe For they are rauished incontinentlie as soone as they see one that is riche and they say he hath so much goods he hath so much of fayre landes there is nothing but triumphing with him hee is well housed hee hath mony in his purse agayne such a one is of greate credite well freended greatly allyed another is counted very wise so as euery man stoupeth to him Lo how our eyes shall be dazeled or rather seeled vp so as we shall discerne no more when wee thinke no further but vpon this worlde And therefore let vs beare in minde what is sayde here namely that God sheweth by death that it is to no purpose too haue liued at ease in this world and that the state of men is not to bee esteemed thereby for that were to fonde a iudgement And Iob sayeth expresly that although a wicked man haue heaped vp neuer so muche that is too say put the cace that in this life a man had all that euer were possible to be wished yet must we not thinke him to be in the better cace therfore And why For what shall become of him sayeth Iob when God shall plucke away his soule The woorde plucke sheweth that the deathe of the wicked is alwayes forcible Yea truely although they be as good as rotten in this worlde so as God suffer them to liue till very age cōsume them and they do but droupe halfe a score yeeres before they die although they die exceeding old and full of yeeres yet are they plucked awaye VVhat is the reason Firste bycause they can not yeeld themselues to Gods will and secōdly bicause they neuer knew to what ende they were put into this world that is to wit to the ende that they should be called away againe vntoo God and muche lesse are they sure of the heauenly life euerlasting heritage that is prepared for vs Thus doo all wicked men want three things whiche are that they haue not the skill to obey God to suffer themselues to bee gouerned by him they knowe not the end of their creation that is to wit that they were put into this wold vpon condition that they shoulde but onely passe through it and finally they wote not what the heauenly life is nor that it is the place where we muste haue our reste And forasmuche as the wicked haue not comprehended these three things it is no maruell thoughe they be plucked out of the worlde and that God is fayne to hale them hēce by force so as they go not to him with a willing minde Contrariwise the faythfull beeing contented to haue lyued in his
namely that the wicked shall heape vp golde and siluer and moueables and yet in the ende good men shall come to bee clothed with them True it is that bycause Gods children walke simply and playnly they may want many thyngs and it may seeme that pouertie threatneth to attache them within a daye or twaine but yet God prouideth in such wise for them as they alwayes kepe on their way still VVee see then that the godly shall sometymes bee clothed with the spoyle of the wicked but yet for all that what a thing were it to make a certaine rule of it and too bynde God to it continually VVherefore it behoueth vs to beare alwayes in mynd that Gods iudgements are not euer apparant and visible to bee seene with mens eyes VVhen we see a wicked man rich we stumble at it saying what meeneth this And when wee see the wicked and the despyzers of God honoured it seemeth too vs that God gouerneth not the worlde and that thinges are guided by Fortune Behold how faith is vtterly defaced when we go about to measure Gods iudgementes by the thinges that wee can presently see with oure eyes And therefore let vs learne too suspende oure iudgementes Verely if God plucke the wicked mennes goodes out of their hands let vs vnderstand that he fulfilleth the threat whiche wee heare spoken of in this place And if hee doe not let vs marke that hee reserueth the execution of his iustice vntill the last day and that he will not bring things to perfection as nowe bycause he will nourishe our hope still and not haue vs wedded to this world nor seeke our felicitie heere bylowe as in a Paradise of pleasure but to lift vp our eyes aloft and to passe as lightly through this worlde as through a iourney knowing oure selues to bee wayfarers and wanderers in this worlde and that therefore it behoueth vs to trauell continually to the heauenly and euerlasting heritage As muche is mente by that which followeth which is That the wicked man shall buylde his house as a moth and that it shall hee as a watchmans Caban euen suche a watchmans Caban as watcheth the Vyneyardes VVhen the vnbeleeuers and the despizers of God doe buyld they beare themselues in hand that they shall dwel in them a thousand yeares after their death For doth not the statelinesse that is seene in the buildings that are made by the despizers of God shewe that they imagine an immortalitie in this world They beare themselues in hand that they shall prolong their life by their Palaces VVhen a man hath builded his house to continue for a thousande yeares he beleeues that his house is tyed to him and that he shall by that meanes be renoumed But God scorneth such ouerwening For this cause Iob compareth the houses of wicked men too the houses of mothes Howe so The moth marreth and wasteth all things to make himselfe a lodging he eateth cloth he eateth furre he eateth all that he findeth and to be shorte where so euer a moth lodgeth it is alwayes too another bodies cost and hinderance and yet notwithstanding there is nothing but corcuption and vermine in his lodging VVhen a vinekeeper maketh his Caban to watch the vineyardes it is but for three monthes for as sone as the vinetage is done down goes the Caban and although no man set hande to it yet it falleth downe of it selfe Euen so it is sayd here that the wicked men do make them stately houses and beare them selues in hand that whē they haue buylded after that maner they shall dwell in them for euer But what VVhat are they themselues Euen as a moth that is to say they haue nothing but corruption and that must they be sayne to carrie with them continually Seing it is so surely their houses will not continue long True it is that they shall make a great shewe for a time but in the ende God will beate downe their houses so as they shall not abyde in them any long while Thus see yee a notable iudgement that God executeth vpō those that will make such estimation of thē selues in this world And for as much as we see examples thereof wee ought too marke them well and thereby learne not to nestle out selues in this world nor to build by guile wrong and extortion Let our building be according to the goods that God hath giuen vs And let not such as are well housed besot them selues in their owne lustes to nestle themselues here For let men nestle themselues vpon earth as much as they list and yet shall it not barre God from plucking them away Then let vs kepe our selues well from making our nest here bylowe according as it will bee sayde in the nine and twentith Chapter that Iob made his reckning that his state should neuer change But men beguile them selues in behighting them selues suche euerlastingnesse and God also laugheth their fonde presumption to scorne And therefore if the godly be lodged after their owne minde yet let them count them selues as straungers in this worlde and let them be alwayes readie to part hence whensoeuer it shall please god And if they haue not the commodities that were to bee wished yet let them goe for warde still and learne to knowe that God aduertizeth them by eyesight that this is not the place where they must abyde but that it behoueth them to passe further Thus then ye see what we haue to remember when we perceiue that our Lorde will not haue men too set their mindes vpon the thinges here bylow Therfore let vs trauell the right way where hee calleth vs and then shall wee bee blissed then shall euerie of vs dwell in rest all the time that he hath to liue bycause we shall not bee troubled with the vnquietnesse which the wicked and the despizers of God haue Thus much concerning that poynt And furthermore although that both we our selues and also our houses bee nothing but corruption yet haue we this promise to comfort vs that when wee bee restored fully to the heauenly glorie we shall haue no more need of these materiall buildings here bylowe yea and that our bodie itselfe shall bee another manner of thing than it is nowe But yet therwithall let vs learn also not to build with snatching and catching and other leude dealings For that is the cause why oure Lorde doth so destory the great Palaces that are builded and throwe them quite downe According also as wee see the Prophets threaten that they shal be the dwelling places of shreeke Oules of wylde beasts of birds of pray yea and of nightcrowes and wylde woodwardes Our Lorde then doth it not but to auenge him selfe of the robberies and extortions that are committed for the buylding of great places according as it is sayde in the Prophete Abacucke that when suche as haue bereft other men of their goods doe build there is as it were a quire betweene the walles so as one wall shall
But if a man haue an euill liking so hee consent not thoroughly to it the Papistes say it is no sinne at all and that is a horrible blasphemy It is said thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy strength VVhat is meant by minde strength God hath not limited the loue that we owe vnto him that it should be onely in our harts mindes but he sayde that our wit reason and vnderstāding all our strēgth that is to say al the abilities powers that are in our nature muste also be thorowly applied thervnto Now then if a man cōceyue any euil although he consent not to it nor yeelde his affection fully thervnto I pray you doth he loue God with al his mind No if a man haue neuer so litle a peece of himselfe inclining to corruptiō although with all the rest he indeuour himselfe to accomplish the lawe doth he loue God as he ought to doo No vndoubtedly for sinne is nothing else but a transgressing of Gods lawe Therfore lette vs conclude that all the vayne thoughtes which prouoke vs vnto euill are sinne and that wee are guyltie of them too Godward vnlesse he beare with vs of his infinite goodnesse But hee forgiueth them to those that are his Neuerthelesse it behoueth them to acknowledge it for sinne and whosoeuer dooth flatter himselfe doth but prouoke Gods wrath and couer the mischiefe too his owne damnation For in the ende his hypocrisie must be discouered and layd open to be punished with all the rest They then whiche imagine that they do not amisse nor offende God when they bee tempted to euill gayne nothing by it nother do they amend their market for needes muste that hypocrisie of theirs be grieuously punished VVherefore as I sayde afore although wee consent not to euill but only be as it were tickled with it and haue some liking of it howbeit that we withstand it It is already a fault ouersight in vs If wee do but conceyue such euill liking it already bewrayerh the corruptnesse of our nature And surely if euill dwelled not in vs that we were not alredy turned away from the soundnesse cleerenesse which God had put in the first man out of all doubt we should haue our eyesight much more pure and chast than it is all our senses as our hearing our speaking and all the rest should be so pure cleane as they should haue no stayne in them And for proofe hereof let vs consider well how Moyses sayeth that when Satan came to beguyle Eue consequently hir husband after that they had giuen eare vnto him and bin corrupted with desirousnesse to be like vnto God they looked vpon the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill and saw it was to be liked for the obteining of knowledge And howe looked they vpon it had not Adam and Eue seene it already before For God had sayde vnto them eate not of the fruite that I haue forbidden you For in what houre soeuer you eate thereof I tell you plainely you are separated from me cōdemned to death So then ye see that Adam Eue had looked vpon the Tree before and why then doth Moyses laye it now too theyr charge as a sinne bycause they did beholde it with a lyking of it that is too say with an vngratious and vntowarde luste in that they thought it good to eate of And whereof came that euen of their hearte which beeyng corrupted did immediatly marre their eyesight And lyke as when a man hath his eysighte marred with ouermuche drinking there is some inwarde disease and some burning or some other vncōme going before the losse of his eyes or lyke as when a man becommeth blind there went cōmonly some rewme or some other like thing before which in processe of time taketh away his sight euen so is it with all the wicked lookes whiche are to bee condemned For if the hearte were not already infected and corrupted with some lewde liking the eye as I sayde should be pure cleene of himselfe so as wee might beholde Gods creatures and not bee tempted too any wickednesse But forasmuche as wee cannot as nowe open our eyes but wee shall conceyue some wicked luste nor can say this is fayre or that is good but immediatly wee offende God is it not a greate vntowardnesse So then let vs know that the cause thereof is the reygning of sinne in vs which doubtlesse hath hilde suche possession of vs euer since Adams fall that oure nature is so corrupted as we cannot looke vpon any thing that is termed fayre and bewtifull but that in steade of beeing prouoked too loue God and to prayse him for his goodnesse for bestowing of so many benefites vpon vs we offende him And so insteade of glorifying God and of beeing prouoked too loue him we cannot commend any thing to be fayre and good but therwithall our conceyte is tickled yea stirred vp either to couetousnesse or to whoredome or too voluptuousnesse To be short looke whatsoeuer is fayre or good vnder heauen the same turneth vs away frō our God whereas it ought to leade vs vnto him Is not God the welspring of all bewtie and goodnesse yes and surely the sayd wicked lust nother reigneth nor ought to reigne in the childrē of God but I speake of that which is naturally in mā vntil such time as God haue wrought in him true it is that the faythfull shall not bee so peruerted nor haue their wittes so corrupted as to draw alwaies vnto euill but yet shall they alwaies haue some remnant of the sayd infection that they bring out of their mothers wōbe which is that they shall alwayes haue some inwarde prickings to moue them vnto euil notwithstanding that they hate it beate it downe at the first rising vp And in good fayth as I sayd which of vs cōceyueth not this fancy that God hath no care of him so soone as wee indure any aduersitie and beholde it is a blasphemy yea and a cursed blasphemie if we consent vnto it and that our minde doo rest neuer so little vpon it notwithstanding that our will do not fully purpose it Nowe then we see that if a man be tempted to euill although he cōsent not vnto it but suppresse it and fight agaynst it yet notwithstanding he fayleth not to offende god And why for it is a transgressing of his law as I haue shewed you already Also it cānot but proceede frō an euill fountayne for the eye of it selfe shold not be corrupted nother doth sinne begin to come first frō thence VVhence then frō the minde and soule of man for doubtlesse the euill must needes be conceyued first within before the eye do tende so vnto euill and bee prouoked therevnto And so yee see the cause why I sayd that Iob in protesting that he absteined from all euill and vnchast lookes sheweth vs that suche as are infected therwith
were before men nother muste wee rest our eyes vpon them but we muste beholde the heauenly iudge and vnderstande that it is he to whome wee muste make our answere and yeelde our account Marke that for one poynt Furthermore as I haue touched alreadie Iob acknowledgeth here that God will not suffer vnchaste lookes vnpunished And why For they are all of them sinnes And afterwarde hee addeth that the vnrightuous man shall be cut of VVherein hee sheweth that hee whiche hath giuen his eyes to vanitie is condemned for a sinner and a wicked man before God notwithstanding that hee haue not consented fully vnto it Let vs beare in minde what hath bene sayde concerning Iobs tyme For although we know not whither he liued before the lawe or no yet notwithstanding he liued afore the Prophetes times as wee haue declared in that mention is made of him as of a man of auncient tyme And so ye see that Iob was in such time as God had not yet giuen any large vtteraunce of his doctrine nor suche lyghte as came afterwarde For the Prophets did greatly inlighten the things that were darke in the law Iob liued afore their time and therfore had but as it were some litle sparke in respect of the doctrine that was afterward and yet neuerthelesse he knewe he coulde not be tempted to any euill luste but he should be blameworthy before god And what shall wee bee then who haue the sunne of rightuousnesse shyning vpon vs in the highnoone day For beholde Iesus Christ with his Gospel bringeth vsso great light as we haue no excuse If wee say I vnderstande it not it is too high and profounde a matter what haue wee not doctrine large ynough seeing that Gods will is shewed vs too the full How then shoulde we be excused if wee knewe no more than Iob knew And heerein it is to be seene howe greate and horrible Gods vengeance is in the Popedome seeing that those beasts durst denie that a man sinneth when hee is so tempted vnto euil hath such prouocation in him and conceiueth so euill thoughts sobeeit that he consent not throughly to it But Iob who as I haue declared already had no doctrine at all in coÌ„parison of that we haue did neuerthelesse know this well ynough And therefore let vs looke more neerely to ourselues seing that God hath graunted vs such grace priuiledge as to make his truth much more knowne vnto vs thaÌ„ it was at that time let vs be watchfull assoone as we opeÌ„ our eyes espy any vanitie or euill affection in vs let vs thinke with our selues ô there is some euil hid vnder this we haue offended our God therfore our eyes are attaynted already seeing that the euill sheweth it selfe abroade If there bee sparkes is it not by reason of fire Therfore we must learn to condemne ourselues and vndoubtedly if it were not for Gods mercy wee shoulde be ouerwhelmed for it For that is the portion of our heritage that is prepared for vs from aboue True it is that men cannot iustifie vs but we muste be fayne to appeare before God who will iudge of the matter farre otherwise And Iob sayeth expresly from aboue from heauen The repeating of this worde here is no superfluous speache And why For hee maketh a couert comparison betweene Gods iudgement the opinions that we can purchace afore men Ye see then that men may iustifie vs in all poyntes and not know our filthinesse and pouertie by reason whereof wee shall be taken for little Angels and thervpon thinke that there is nothing amisse in vs but what haue we gayned by it Nothing at all for behold how Iob calleth vs vp aboue Very well true it is that sinners may perchaunce cleere themselues and easily be allowed among men For there shall bee nothing but vertue to outwarde appearance but they muste come vp aloft and there will God ouerthrow all the vayne opinions that haue reigned for a time And therefore lette vs learne that like as we are blameworthy in that wee haue bene tempted to wicked lustes so also our hyre is prepared from heauen that is to say from aboue except oure good God spare vs vse his fatherly goodnesse towards vs Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in minde to the ende we may magnifie the goodnesse of our God in that he punisheth vs not with rigour and also be prouoked to aske him forgiuenesse of our faults from day to day Now it is sayde immediatly is there not a cutting off for the vnrighteous and a punishment for such as commit crymesâ—doth not God looke vpon my wayes and doth he not nuÌ„ber all my steppes Heere Iob expresseth plainelye the portion and heritage whereof he spake And it serueth to wounde vs the more to the quicke by the feeling of our sinnes True it is that he standeth not vpon all the things that are spoken of in the lawe nother vseth he so many wordes but yet doth the holye Ghoste gyue vs heere a common lesson by his mouth For when there is any talke of Gods iudgement and of the punishment that he sendeth vpon sinners we are so slow as the same moueth vs not a whit therfore our Lord is fayne to waken vs to make vs feele better how terrible his wrath is that it is a horrible thing to haue it so against vs Thus ye see why Iob addeth the declaratioÌ„ that is coÌ„teined here saying is there not a cutting off for the vnrightuous or shall not the wicked man bee punished what is ment by this cutting off that the wicked deserue to be rooted out that God should vtterly ouerwhelme them and destroy them according as the woord Cutting of importeth more than heyre and heritage For as I haue sayd men beare themselues in hande that they shall scape with some light punishment and like as when an offender is kepte in pryson and knoweth not that he hath deserued haÌ„ging he beareth himselfe in hand that he shall scape with a whipping or that hee shall be banished euen so say I men conceyue not Gods wrath as it is neither knowe they the punishmentes which they are woorthy of bycause they thinke not of the euerlasting death VVe see then how Iob after he had spoken of the portion which is prepared froÌ„ aboue for the wicked doth not without cause adde that there is a cutting of coÌ„fusion to destroy them vtterly And heereby wee knowe that Gods spirite reproueth vs of rechlesnesse If we were attentiue at the first to know Gods iudgemeÌ„ts or at leastwise to vnderstaÌ„d our owne faultes we should not haue neede of the doubling of his woordes it were ynoughe for vs to haue bene warned in one single woorde But after that the holie Ghoste had spoken of the portion that God prepareth for all the despisers of his lawe nowe he addeth a cutting of bycause we be as it were brutishe and when a man telleth vs a
I not serued God as I ought to doe And though I haue committed some fault is ther not some meanes to recōpence it withall Yes And I haue done this and that Behold I say howe men would euer put some barre in Gods way to the end he should haue no vantage of them Thus seeke they their rightuousnesse in their owne merits But when God intendeth to giue vs a rightuousnesse whereby we may stande before him he vseth a contrarie kynde of speach which is that he admitteth vs and accepteth vs for ryghtuouse by couering oure sinnes VVhere on then shall our ryghtuousnesse rest On the free mercie of our God bycause that when hee hath once scoured awaye oure spots with the bloud of his sonne and discharged vs from death and damnation by the raunsome which oure Lord Iesus Christ payde vpon the Crosse he wipeth oute our sinnes and layeth not oure offences to oure charge Thus the ryghtuousnesse which is preached vntoo vs by Gods messengers is that wee be iustified or accepted for ryghtuous And it is not without cause that the holye scripture vseth continually the word iustifie It might wel sayd that we finde fauour or grace when God pardoneth vs according also as it is often said so but the holieghoste thought it not ynough to vse such words And why For so long as wee bee sinners God muste needes hate vs wee knowe that hee is the welspring of ryghtuousnesse and there is no agreeument betwene him and vnryghtuousnesse Therefore so long as we be sinners we be lothly in Gods sight and hee must needes reiect vs and to bee short we haue no enteraunce vnto God till wee bee iust and ryghtuous Nowe then howe become we rightuous It is bycause God regardeth not oure sinnes but buryeth them and hydeth them and clenseth vs from them So then our sinnes are wiped out in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ in so much that wee bee taken for ryghtuous and God findeth no more fault with vs when he accepteth vs after that sort for his sonnes sake This is the ryghtuhusnesse that is spoken of in this strayne Furthermore whereas it is sayde expresly that the messenger which recomforteth vs is one among a thousande It is to make vs set the more store by the benefyte whereof wee sildome make account that is to wit of the meane of our attonement or reconciliation Then is it declared that the same is no base nor common thing It can not at all times be stumbled vpon that we should haue a man sente of God to warrant our saluation or to bee the meane of oure attonement with him and therefore it is no suche thing that wee shoulde cast it vnder our feete And that is the cause why the Prophete Esay sayth how beutifull are the feete of them that bring glad tydings of peace Nowe by the feete the Prophet meeneth their comming and presence as if hee shoulde say if the worlde knewe what a benefite it is when God declareth his mercie vnto it it would loue and esteeme those that preache the Gospell and it would acknowledge that God hath committed suche a treasure vntoo them as surmounteth all the goods that we can wishe Sainct Paule also alledging the same text applyeth it to shewe that the preaching of the Gospell is a singular gifte of god Then let vs not thinke that the same commeth of men but let vs be fully assured and resolued that God seeketh vs when his Gospell is preached vnto vs God must bee the builder thereof such goodnesse must proceed from him and therefore if wee father it vpon men it is too great an vnkyndnesse VVherefore let vs beware that wee deface not the goodnesse of God and when the Church is in such order that we haue preaching and all other things let vs assure our selues that it is all one as if God came to seke vs to bring vs to saluation And there withall let vs knowe that hee granteth not that grace and priuiledge to al men In good soth ther are countries which we esteeme and also to the worldward are to be more esteemed than we which yet notwithstanding haue not the message of saluation Let a man go through the whole world let him serch al natiōs yea euen those which haue bene most excellent in times past let them go seeke in Greece where al sciences of the world were inclosed as it seemed let him go into Italie into Fraunce which now is in some estimation or let him go into Spaine And what shall hee finde but vtter desolation For there not onely those which ought to be the messengers of saluation are vtterly dumme but whiche worse is yee shall heare mastie dogges barking oute blasphemies againste God and yee shall see wretched soules led too destruction and the Diuell hunting euerie where after his praye For vndoubtedly looke howe manye preachers goe vp into their Pulpits so many dogges are there to hunt and fetche in the game and too bring it into Sathans toyles that the wretched soules maye goe to damnation But heere wee haue Gods promises preached vnto vs to leade vs to saluation Therefore wee see it is not without cause sayde that a faythfull messenger of Gods grace is an odde man among a thousande and so rare a benefite as wee ought too esteeme hyghly Howe be it this is not sayde to make vs esteeme the persons but to make vs to receyue the benefite which is ministered vntoo vs by them with the greater reuerence that is to say to make vs receyue the grace of God for so much as it pleaseth him to drawe vs to him and to iustifie vs of his fatherly loue shewing vs that although wee bee wretched and miserable and that there bee nothing in vs but deathe and damnation yet hee will not leaue vs there but deliuer vs by the meane of oure Lorde Iesus Christe Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God praying him so to make vs feele our faultes as wee may mortifie all our lustes more and more and bee withdrawn from the corruptions of this world and frame our selues to seeke vnto him and that for as much as in this mortal life we be subiect to much wretch ednesse and miserie It may please him to reach vs his hand from aboue too deliuer vs from them after hee hath once taken vs from the gulfe of death That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nacions of the earth c. The Cxxvj. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the .xxxiij. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the xxiij xxiiij xxv verses and then vpon that which is added heere 29 He shal pray God and appease him and behold his face in triumphe and a mans rightuousnesse shall be restored vnto him WE saw yesterday that whē God afflicteth vs he procureth oure saluation by that means although it seeme not so to vs True it is that
the wicked shal be afflicted too how be it it doth but make thē hardhearted and chafe against God and so little fare they the better by their afflictiō that it doth the more bewraye thire wickednes bring them to the full measure of it But whē God afflicteth his chosen he ouermastreth mortifieth thē in such wise as they tremble before his maiestie becom vtterly dismayed like mē half dead insomuch that there is no more hope of life in thē in respect of themselues and to the worldward and finally ther remaineth nothing for them but that God shuld haue pitie of them And Eliu setteth out the meane whereby god maketh his chastizemēts auaileable towards the faithful that is to wit by comforting them through his goodnesse and by telling them that he is readie to forgiue their sins For althoughe afflictions bee for oure profite and serue vs for medicines and salues as was shewed yesterdaye yet notwithstanding it appeereth not so but by the ende Nowe the ende is shewed vs heere whiche is that God reacheth vs his hande assuring vs that hee will bee mercifull too vs howe so euer the worlde goe notwithstanding that hee hath handled vs roughly Then let vs marke well that the life of oure soules consisteth in the worde of God whereby hee gyueth vs assurance of his mercie and goodnesse towardes vs And too the intente wee shoulde esteeme this benefite as it deserueth it is sayde that hee which is the warranter of the remission of oure sinnes is as an odde man among a thousande so as hee is not to be found at aduenture but is a treasure which God reserueth to those whome hee thinketh good Besides this I haue tolde you that God in promising men the forgiuenesse of their sinnes giueth charge and commission too the ministers of his word to drawe them from death according as it is expressely sayd that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed to those which preach the Gospell Too what ende To forgiue sinnes not of their owne authoritie but to the intent that the wretched sinners may be the better assured of their saluation and not doubt but God receyueth them to mercie Therefore the ministers tell them in his name that they bee quit before his iudgement seate And this is the cause why it is expressely sayde that God will haue mercie of a man when hee sendeth him a good and faythfull teacher and giueth his appoynted ministers the sayde charge and office of rescuing and deliuering the wretched creature that was in way of damnation Howe be it to the ende that all these thinges may bee the better vnderstoode heere are three points to be marked The one is that Eliu sheweth vs the cause and foundation of the forgiuenesse of oure sinnes namely that God is mercifull vnto vs and of his infinite goodnes wil not haue vs to perish That is one point The seconde is that the office of such as preach the Gospell is to drawe wretched soules out of death and to set them at libertie And the third is that the same is not done but by expresse commission giuen of God according also as it belongeth not to a mortall man to take vpon him so hygh a thing which is aboue our abilitie Then as touching the first point we see that the holy ghost bringeth vs here to the welspring of the grace which wee obteyne of god VVhen he forgiueth vs oursinnes why is it Not for that we are worthy of it not for that we are able too bee beforehande with him not for that we bring any thing that ought to procure his fauour towards vs but bycause he loketh vpon vs with mercy To be short the holy ghost fathereth the remission of our sinnes vpō the only free goodnesse of God for wee be so wretched as there is nothing but damnation in vs Behold it pleaseth God to succour vs and he doth it not for any thing that hee findeth in vs saue only infinite miseries but of his owne goodnesse which moueth him thervnto This then is a point which we ought to marke well to the end that when we come to obteyne forgyuenesse at Gods hand we may not imagin to appeaze him with our owne merits nor to be particausers of the remission of our sinnes but looke vpon that which is told vs here that is to wit that when God will haue pitie of vs he receiueth vs to mercie out of hand And so Eliu ment to aduertize vs that God doth not alwayes make vs to feele that goodnesse but that although he loue vs and bee minded to prouide for the things which he knoweth to be profitable for vs yet doth hee not alwayes giue vs that feeling but hideth it vtterly from vs as when God afflicteth vs it is sayde that he turneth his backe to vs or else that hee voutsafeth not too looke vpon vs or else that his countenaunce is louring towardes vs and that we be not able to beholde it Then let vs marke well that the faythfull shal now and then be dismayed and seke God and not be able to find him not that he hath forgotten them or reiected them but bicause hee will not as then make them too feele his loue And that is the cause why Eliu sayeth expressely that God is mercifull to vs when hee sendeth vs witnesse of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by his word not that hee was not so before but bycause wee are then sure of it by experience and do as it were take possession of his goodnesse which was vnknown vnto vs for a time The seconde poynt was that the office of such as preache the Gospel is to forgiue sinnes And it is a notable poynt For without that we were vtterly forlorne and past recouerie Ther is none other meane to giue vs hope of saluation than by assuring vs that oure sinnes are forgiuen afore God and wee quite and cleane discharged For as it hath bene sayd that is the ryghtuousnesse whereby we are acceptable vnto him So long as oure sinnes are imputed vnto vs God must needes hate vs and what else is the beeing of Gods wrath vpon vs but a bottomlesse gulfe of all cursednesse Againe when wee be reconciled vntoo him the gate of Paradise is opened vnto vs he acknowledgeth vs for his children and the heritage of heauen is alreadie prepared for vs And howe may that be obteyned By hauing good and faythfull teachers too preache the Gospel vnto vs For the end whereat God ameth is attonement or reconciliation with vs according as Sainct Paule declareth where hee expresseth that the propertie of the Gospel is to be a message of attonement betweene God and man which is that Iesus Christ who knewe no sinne but was the vnspotted Lambe did put himselfe vnder the curse of our sinnes to the end that we should finde the rightuousnesse of God in him that is too saye after wee are washed in his bloud and haue put oure selues vnder the
haue bene come too the verie point to haue bene swallowed vp into the dungeon of hell And afterward when wee haue bene brought too that afterdeele too imbrace Gods promises and too haue such a lyuely feeling of them as wee maye call vppon him with a full trust True it is that this cannot bee doone perfectly but yet must wee go towards it yet must wee creepe neerer and neerer too it and wee must strayne ourselues too come at it Verie well haue wee made such profers Then is it tyme too open our mouth and too prayse Gods goodnesse that other men may bee drawne too him by our example and that all men may know how there is none other hope of saluation than in his only infinite goodnesse when it pleaseth him to make the death and passion of his Sonne auaylable to take away our sinnes so as wee may be wasshed cleane from all spottes and vncleannesse and be accepted for ryghteouse before him And this matter concerneth not the shrift of the Papistes but the confession of a Christian which ought to be put in vre among vs and is not I haue told you heretofore that one of the cursed blasphemies in the Popedome is too tye the forgiuenesse of sinnes to the Shrift that is made in a mannes eare for God neuer requyred it And in good sooth it is vnpossible that euer any men should knowe the hundreth part of their faults I meene euen of their grossest faults And how shall they doo then if they go about too number the offences which they haue doone vnwittingly Therfore the Shrift that is amoÌ„g the Papists is as a gulf of hell But there is a Christian confession which is allowed by the woord of God which is that wee should generally confesse our sinnes and when any of vs hathe giuen any cause of stumbling hee should acknowledge his fault too amend the euill That say I is the thing which wee haue to do when God shall haue afflicted vs and afterward remedied our aduersities It is not ment that wee should go blowe in a mannes eare too tell all our offences there nor also that wee should mount vp vpon a scaffold too tell particularly the faults that wee haue committed and after what maner wee did them No wee neede no more but too confesse our defaultes in generall and therewithall too consider that our Lord hath bound vs to him exceedingly in that hee hath giuen vs a happie and wisshed end of our toubles which would haue ouerwhelmed vs if hee had not reached vs his hand and set vs vp againe Also when wee haue offended our neyghbours by giuing euill example wee must acknowledge our faults and not bee ashamed too confesse them with sorinesse in our harts I sayd that this latter confession is ill practized among vs for wee see the pryde that is in most men True it is that they dare not say that they bee righteouse howbeeit when they confesse themselues sinners it is but a cloke of hypocrisie they say that all men are so and so wheras euery man ought too feele his owne misdooings wee fall too couering of them with the mantle of other men And that is a playne mocking of god So then if wee intend too confesse vnfeynedly that wee be bound vnto God and to humble ourselues before him let vs speake according to the feeling of our owne consciences and the miserie wherin wee haue bene pluÌ„dged and the deadlinesse wherout of God hath made vs way Marke that for one point Also there are othersome who when they haue committed any offence doo fall too blaspheming of God when a whole streete is infected with whoredome if a man reproue them for it they will aske him whither they bring him backe too popishnesse or no bycause they bee told of their faults As who would say that God would haue stumbling blocks nurrished and that the partie which hathe troubled the church should fare the better for his hardnesse and wilfull stubbornnesse So then let vs marke that when God discouereth our sinnes it is too the ende that if wee haue caused any trouble or offence wee should labour too amend it and not be ashamed to open our mouth to confesse what wee haue doone And that is the thing which is shewed vs now namely that when the sinner wil seeke vnto God for pardon and afterward come familiarly to him to take him for his father trusting in his mercy hee must also turne himselfe vnto men Hee must not only pray in secret nor only say in his hart I haue sinned and after that sort aske forgiuenesse and returne vnto God but hee must also turne vnto his neighbours And wheras erst hee went aboute too deceiue God and would haue rocked his owne conscience asleepe he shall coÌ„ceiue such a greef and confuzion in himself that God shall be glorified by it and such as were as it were asleepe shall awake those whose mouthes were out of tast shall find some â—auour in the grace of God such as were swalowed vp with sorowe shall knowe that God opened them the gate too come vnto him and too bee short such as were in despayre shall recouer hope of life and saluation Ye see then that the holy ghost ment in effect to declare in this text that when we haue prayed vnto God euery man secretly by himself wee must likewise offer him a generall sacrifice before men â–ª in acknowledging how much we be bouÌ„d to his goodnesse and in humbling our selues in our sinnes considering how wee had bin damned creatures if he had not pitied vs Therfore it is sayd that hee will haue an eye vnto meÌ„ And it behooueth vs to mark the order wherof I haue made mention already For Eliu began not at that point but sayde at the entraunce that the sinner shall be wakened namely for that God shal send him remorse of conscience and if hee receyue not that nor become the better for the warnings which are giuen him nor bee afrayd of Gods iustice for all the threatnings that are made vnto him hee shall feele his hand so hard and heuie as hee shall be inforced to perceyue his owne confuzion and to be greeued at it and to become as a dead maÌ„ And afterward when hee shall come to quickening God shall cause the gospell to be preached and the promises of saluation too bee offered vnto him and hee shall receyue them to his benefit Herevpon he shall call vnto God and conceiue such a confidence as he shall without any douting go vnto God as vnto his father and say Seing that God hath adopted me into the number of his children I may well take this libertie of coÌ„ming vnto him and seing he allureth mee so sweetly vntoo him I must not doubt but he will receyue mee This doone it is tyme to looke towards men If wee should looke first vntoo men and make fayre confessions before wee haue beene sorie and throughly greeued within it were a peruerting of
for salues medecines marke that for one poynt Therefore although they be bitter at the first sight yet let vs receyue them at Gods hande knowing that they be recordes of his loue and that hee hath a care of vs too woorke oure saluation Beholde I say the thing that ought too appease all our grudgings so as we shoulde not be impacient when God chastizeth vs And why so For it is for our profite that it shoulde be so Neuerthelesse it is not ynough to knowe that afflictions serue vs for medicines but it behooueth vs also to consider for what disease and then will we like the better of them If a man bee sicke but of some small light or cōmon disease yet will he like well of the thing that shall remedie him But if hee be wholly giuen ouer and taken but for a dead man and yet recouer then will hee set the more store by the remedy that was giuen him Euē so is it with the thing that Eliu sheweth here For hee sayeth that God in afflicting of vs doth not only remedy our vices but also fetch vs from the graue quicken vs Hereby he sheweth that we be vndone and vtterly drowned in destruction except God plucke vs backe vnto him euen by violent meanes And sure it coulde none otherwise bee considering our hardhartednesse or rather that we be so snarled in our sinnes as we cānot easily be woūd out of them Seing then that God rayseth vs agayne according as was treated more at large yesterday let vs assure our selues that wee cannot sufficiently esteeme the goodnesse that hee sheweth vs when it pleaseth him too chastize vs That therefore is the second poynt which we haue to marke The third is that we must nedes passe that way For in that he sayth to the intent to draw backe ▪ he betokeneth an inforcing necessitie True it is that god could well saue vs without this meane but here is no disputing of Gods mightie power and Eliu hath respect too oure state which also is the poynt that we must rest vpon And therfore let vs learne that if God shold deale gently with vs and let vs alone in quiet that we might sleepe in oure sinnes without waking it woulde be the cause of our destruction Then is it nedefull that we shoulde be handled with such rigor as we oftentimes are yea if he bare not with our frailtie and feeblenesse he should be faine to vse a farre greater roughnesse towards vs Therfore howsoeuer a man be afflicted he ought to beare it paciētly assuring himselfe that God doth it not without cause no nor euen without a necessary cause Also therwithall we haue to marke the cōparison which is set betwene the graue the lighte of life VVhat is it when God with draweth vs backe from death And why doth he bring vs to the light of life yee see on the one side an extreme miserie yee see also one the other side a souerayne benefite And therfore let vs learne that if God suffer vs to folow our own lusts we make hast alwaies towards the graue that is to say we do nothing but plundge ourselues into vtter destruction out of the which we cā neuer get out agayne Lo what mā would do if God should giue him the bridle And hereby we haue good cause to mislike of ourselues cōsidering the frowardnes that is in vs True it is that euery one of vs wil say he is desirous to go vnto God to attayne to saluation but in the meane while what do we looke vpon our life looke vpon our thoughts looke vpon our whole doings it will seeme that we be mad in seeking our owne destruction For wee ceasse not to prouoke the wrath of God as who should say we coulde neuer come soone ynough to the depth of our misery Seeing then that we be so giuen too all euill by nature as though wee were desyrous to perishe wilfully let euery man learne to knowe himselfe and to mislike of himselfe and therevpon suffer God to gouerne him seeyng our owne guyding and gouernment is so wretched and vnhappy and let vs forget all the foolishe presumptions wherewith the worlde is so sotted that euery man thinkes himself wise ynough if he may haue his owne free will. Lo howe men deceyue themselues in making themselues beleue that they haue greate store both of wisedome and strength But contrariwise we see that God had neede to correct by force this cursed affection of desiring to knowe more than is meete for vs Therwithall on the other side let vs cōsider whervnto God calleth vs when he draweth vs backe from the graue into the light of life He setteth vs not in some middle state to say ye shall not be starke dead ye shall but lāguish but hee calleth vs to the light of lyfe that is to wit to that newenesse whereby we are regenerated to the incorruptible and heauenly lyfe The matter then concerneth not Gods deliuering of vs onely from death but also his bringing of vs to his euerlasting kingdome And although we walke in many corruptions here bylowe and are beset round about with them yea and that they dwell in vs and are euen in our bones and maree yet will God guyde and gouerne vs euen till wee come into his kingdome Thus ye see a cōparison which cōfirmeth yet better the infinite gracious goodnesse of our god to the end we should be the more stirred to seeke him when he shall haue brought vs into the right way indeuer our selues to go forwarde from day to day and when hee shall haue drawne vs backe suffer him to teach vs and desire him to continue his teaching styll And here withall let vs marke also that we muste not be discouraged though we do oftentimes fall backe seeme to clyue asunder And when God hath set vs in a good trade and that we be as it were throughly tamed if the vices of our fleshe happen nowe and then to get the vpper hande of vs so as we be driuen from him and our infirmitie groweth into misbeleefe so as we be couered with darkenesse let vs not therfore be out of heart And why For it is sayde that God will worke many times in a man to the intent too bring him into the light of lyfe Therefore when we be come vnto God and haue had a sure hope of saluation if now and then we fall into trouble and anguish so as a suddayne storme seemeth to ouerwhelme vs let vs not therfore cease to trust in god And why For it is sayde that he will beginne his woorke new agayne in vs not that we should giue our selues the brydle lette vs beware of that but that in the meane while we shoulde put in vre the saying of the Prophet Esay whiche is to strengthen the quaking legges and too cheere vp the faynting hearts If a man bee strong in despysing God and in making no accounte of his grace he had
for something which we had that were worthy of prayse no for what is it that can hurt him should God be any whit diminished by our hauing of some truth on our side No but forasmuch as it is for our behoofe to be vtterly throwne downe bicause we cannot receiue the benefite which he offreth vs vnlesse we be quite clean voyde of all presumption and vanitie therfore he bereeueth vs first of all vayneglory sheweth vs that we haue nothing but shame and reproch in vs and that we be infected and as it were rotten in our filthinesse God say I is fayne to bring vs to that poynt not for that he is grieued at our rightuousnesse for it is well knowne that there is no faulte in him but bicause it is for our profite So then what remayneth for vs but to humble our selues and to receyue the promises which are giuen vs of our saluation And forasmuch as the Diuell eggeth vs to stray from the obedience of our God and from harkening quietly vnto him let vs brydle our mindes yea let vs brydle them short and say yet must thy God raygne ouer thee and be thy maister and thou muste bee his scholler and receyue whatsoeuer is deliuered thee in his name Lo heere in effect what we haue to remember concerning the exhortation that Eliu maketh here vnto Iob. And heerevpon we may also gather that which I haue touched already namely that we shall neuer profite till we haue learned to hold our peace And what is this holding of our peace whereof Eliu speaketh It is that wee shoulde not be to wise in our owne conceite nor suttle to reply against God to say how is this or howe is that For wee muste be contented with that whiche God sheweth vs bycause obedience pleaseth him beste of all things And so yee see that the chiefe poynt of faith is to be quiet to Godward For whē men are so presumptious as to take vppon them of theyr owne reason to conclude vppon the things whiche they ought to stande vnto surely God wyll blinde them and he must needes punish such pryde VVhat is to bee done then wee are commaunded to keepe silence that is too say to beate downe all the pryde that is in oure nature so as we may not thinke our selues to haue any wisdome of our owne but may seeke it at Gods hand and suffer him to teach vs that we may profite Now let vs come to that which Eliu addeth in generall He sayeth heare mee ye wise men giue care to mee yee men of vnderstanding for the mouth iudgeth of meates whether they bee sauery or no and the eare tryeth woordes Here Eliu doth firste of all tell vs and aduertise vs that this doctrine is not onely for the rude and ignorant but also for all men and therefore that no man must hold skorne of it as though he were learned inough already for the wisest may be more confirmed here and finde that they loose not theyr time in harkening to that whiche is sayde and conteyned here And vndoubtedly if we knewe what is in vs we would be more attentiue to heare the doctrine that is dayly preached vnto vs And firste of all is it not a thrusting away of God if wee take skorne to be taught as though hee had ordeyned an vnprofitable thing Beholde it is Gods will that the Gospel should be preached that men should heare it and giue eare vntoo it But hath he sayde that ought too bee done but only of the ignorant of such as are still as it were in theyr Apcee No It is spoken to the whole bodie of his church insomuch that he will haue both great and small to followe that rule And S. Paule sheweth that we muste continue in this order till we bee come to the perfect age euen to the age of our Lord Iesus Christ But where shall we finde this perfect man He is not to be founde in this mortall life we muste be bereft of this mortall body and God muste haue taken vs home too himselfe before wee can come to this perfection So then seeing it is Gods wil that the whole body of his Church shoulde be taught yea euen the perfectest and excellentest sorte shall it not be to lewde an ouerweening if wee beare men inhande that the doctrine is superfluous for vs and that wee haue no neede of it lette vs looke vppon the example of S. Paule who was a mirrour of Angelike holynesse and yet notwithstanding hee sayeth that he indeueed still to go forward dayly VVhen he was neere death and had foughten valiauntly for the honour of God yet stil hee forgatte all that hee had doone afore And althoughe hee had serued God faythfully and suffered manye things for his names sake yet notwithstanding hee had his eye alwayes vpon that which was remayning and sayde I must not regarde that I haue doone one thing or other and in the meane while fall asleepe and not indeuer my selfe too passe further but I must keepe on forwarde and streyne my selfe to come to that which remayneth Herein say I S. Paule sheweth vs well what wee haue to doo So then lette vs marke that we muste not be to nice to shake off the doctrine which is set afore vs as though it coulde serue vs to no purpose or as though we were learned ynough already For heere the spirite of God exhorteth the wise men and men of most vnderstanding to heare and receyue the things that are sayde Therefore wee see that Gods wisedome is so infinite as it can neuer be throughly comprehended So long as men liue in this worlde it is ynough that they haue some tast of it and profite dayly more more in it On the other side let vs marke wel that when wee haue learned any thing wee keepe it ill and forget it out of hande and therefore wee had neede too be put in minde of it and God is so gratious vnto vs as to set his mercie afore vs to the ende we should not be vtterly as it were desperate and paste hope of trusting in him For the vnderstanding of a thing in our brayne is not all that wee haue to do but it must more ouer be printed in our hart This doctrine is not speculatyue or a gaze as men may terme it as humane sciences be for in them it is ynough to haue conceyued what they be but this muste be rooted in our heartes Now let vs consider whether we haue such a beleefe of Gods will as wee neede not to be dayly put in minde of it and shewed it And so it is to be concluded that the wise men and men of vnderstanding are counselled here to harken and giue eare and thereby as I sayde all loftinesse must be layde downe and we muste intend to be taught of god And so much the more muste we follow the rule that is giuen vs heere bicause wee see that the world findeth no tast
in Gods worde The ignorant bicause they knowe not what it is do shet it out of their dores and are loth at any time to come to good doctrine The fickleheaded assoone as they heare but some woorde at a glaunce thinke themselues to bee so greate Clarkes as they haue ynough of it and therevpon ouerpasse it according as wee see to muche experience of it in these dayes Howe many are there that haue their eares stopped and which although the woorde of God do dayly sounde foorth so as they might be partakers of the doctrine of lyfe and saluation yet notwithstanding make none account of it And why For they haue no taste of it There are some to be seene who hauing vnderstoode some small thing of the Gospell doo beare themselues in hande that they are so great clarkes as they neede not to heare any more VVhat a number of these fantasticall and lightheaded Christians are there which say as for me I vnderstoode the truth it is thus many yeeres ago since I knewe the Gospell And what knowe they of it That a man may well eate flesh vpon the frydayes that a man is not bounde to shriue himselfe and therevpon they fall to babling and mingle cursed blasphemies with the slender things which they know I wote not howe And why For they hilde skorne to be taught in Gods schoole For somuch then as we see that God doth so punish mens negligence wee ought to take the more heede of this doctrine and to marke well howe Salomon sayeth that the wise men shal grow continually in wisedome by hearing Now if God so punishe the negligence and ouersight of men what shall become of theyr pryde when they shet the gate wilfully agaynst all good doctrine and conceyuing a disdayne agaynst it do swell like toades so as they will not in any wise bee taught After that Eliu hath exhorted the wise men and men of vnderstanding to heare he addeth the reason For the mouth sayeth he doth serue to tast meates and the eare to trie and iudge woordes Hereby he betokeneth that such as disdayne to giue eare to God and to his truth to be taught by it seeke not to be confirmed more more in the things that they haue heard already peruerte the order of nature and become as it were monsters and woorse than brute beastes And why For a beast followeth his owne kinde but behold a man whiche shall call himselfe wise hauing reason and discretion and which was created after the image of God to be inlightened in all truthe shall notwithstanding gyue his minde dayly to eate and drinke but not to profit in Gods woorde He hath that point cōmon with the brute beasts for they bee nourished with foode and seeke no further And a man who woulde be more excellent than the Angles of heauen doth notwithstāding giue himself wholly to eating and drinking like a beast and in the meane season vouchsafeth not to vse his eares whiche hee hath receyued to a more noble and pretious intent than eating and drinking For these serue but to maynteyne vs in this transitory life but the other serue to giue vs hope of the euerlasting life and saluation Then it a man will not vse suche a gift of God muste he not be esteemed as a monster agaynst nature as I haue sayde or as a double beast Now we see what Elius meening is for hee sayeth to vs my freendes if any man refuse to bee taught marke what he doth for when God created vs hee gaue vs a mouth to tast meates to the intent we should receyue foode dayly at his hand And the same is a benefite which we ought to esteeme in that our Lorde nourisheth vs by it but that is not the principall benefite For hee gaue vs eares also And to what purpose For to be taught by They are not to communicate one with another onely about the buying of bootes shooes cappes bread and wine the vse of the tongue and of the eares is yet more noble that is to wit to leade vs into truth by the meane of Gods woord that we might know how we were created incorruptible and that when we be passed out of this world there is an heritage prepared for vs aboue and to be shorte to bring vs vnto god Fayth commeth by hearing as sayeth Sainct Paule Seeing then that God hath ordeyned our eares to so excellent an vse as to lifte vs vp to heauen to beholde our God and to behold him as our father to witnesse vnto vs that hee receyueth vs as his children and to sowe the seede of the incorruptible life in vs in the middes of the corruptions that are in vs seeing I say that wee may obtaine such a benefite by the eare shoulde wee play the deafe men or stop our eares when men speake vnto vs tell vs of the truth which we know to be for our saluatiō Is it not an ouergreate beastlinesse to do so Then muste not a man boast any more of perfectnesse wisedome and vnderstanding if he cannot abyde to be taught But contrariwise he is worse than all the beasts in the worlde as I haue shewed before And althoughe this sentence of it selfe haue no neede of long exposition yet notwithstanding wee haue neede to bee quickned and styrred vp too knowe it For we see in what cace wee bee Euery man is busie ynough about the things that concerne this present lyfe but as for our owne saluation and the glory of God a man cannot bring vs too thinke vpon them VVee are carefull ynough to eate and drinke not onely to dresse it three or foure houres aforehand but also to make prouision a long time afore yea euen for foure liues For men haue so greate care to compasse transitorie goodes to the end they may neuer haue want that they are euer in hand with them And although they haue inough to find them during their life yet they beare themselues in hand that they shoulde wante euen after theyr deathe Yee see then howe we be gyuen to the transitory things of this world without cōsidering that God hath not created vs as brute beasts but haue giuen vs a more excellent thing than our bodie which is the hope of the eternall life that we looke for Seing then that of very nature we be so brutish wee haue so muche the more neede too marke that whiche is shewed vs here that is to wit that seeing God hath created and fashioned vs and that there is no parte of vs nother in our body nor in our soule which is idle but that al ought to be applyed to some vse wee ought to make all those things auaylable which God hath giuen vs Seeing also that we are so buzied in our earthly cares that some 〈…〉 arre themselues with eating and drinking and are alwayes at their gluttony and riot and other some are busie in pinching and gathering and desire nothing but too heape vp more and
it may please him too rayse vp true and faithfull ministers of his worde c. The Cxlix Sermon which is the third vpon the .xxxviij. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the. 8. 9. 10. and. 11. verses and then vpon the Text that is added 12 Hast thou since they dayes commaunded the breake of the day or hast thou appointed the light his place 13 That it myght take holde of the Corners of the earth and that the vvicked myght bee shaken out by it 14 It is transformed as clay vvhereon a marke is set and they holde themselues as a garment 15 And the light shall be hidden from the vvicked and the arme that is lifted vp shall be broken 16 Haste thou entered intoo the deepe vvaters of the Sea or hast thou searched the bottome of the depthes 17 Are the gates of death knovvne vnto thee or hast thou seene the gates of the shadovv of death THe thing that causeth men to iudge folishly of Gods works is that they make too muche haste and tarry not for the ende that they might know how God hath prouided for all things And so all of vs do put this prouerbe in vre That hast maketh wast Therfore we haue need to refraine our selues that we be not too hasty in casting forth our iudgemeÌ„t aforehand thereof the things ought well to warne vs whiche are spoken here concerning the Sea. For if wee loke vpoÌ„ the mouÌ„ting vp of the waues it semeth that they shold ouerwhelme all that the worlde should be swallowed vp and we perchaunce will say that God ought to haue remedied it But when the waues retire agayne and breake in theÌ„selues cannot passe their bounds then do we by by perceiue Gods woÌ„derfull wisdome power the better forasmuch as we see that although the sea rush foorth with suche headinesse yet notwithstanding he holdeth it back as a man should weeld a litle babe as was declared yesterday Then if we be once able to comprehend Gods workes in their pâ—â—â—ection we shall haue wherfore to glorifie him in all respectes But if we fall too shooting foorth of our iudgement in post haste as we be woont to do our rashnesse will shewe it selfe and confuzion shall befall vs for our ouerboldnesse Therfore let vs beare wel in minde how it is sayde heere that God hath giuen the Sea a lawe to say to it thou shalt go but thus farre and no further If the sea were euer calme and that there were neuer any storme or tempest men shold not so well perceiue Gods prouidence and his fatherly care whiche he hath of men to maintaine them where he hath planted them But wheÌ„ as the sea hath leaue to lift vp it selfe so high mightily yet it cannot passe his bounds but is restreyned by this ordinance of God therby we may perceine that god hath dispozed all things in good measure and reason Now this may be extended further For wheÌ„ we see warres moued it seemeth that all things both high and lowe shoulde bee mingled togither and by and by wee woulde condemne God if it lay in our power or else wee fall to iangling against him for suffring all things too go after that maner But if we tary the end of them paciently we shal perceiue that on the one side God chastizeth men iustlye by styrring vp warres among them and on the other side that thereby hee intendeth to shewe his power For when the fire is so kindled it shall anone after be quenched in a minute of an houre And then doeth God execute his office wherof it is sayd in the. xlvj Psalme that it belongeth too him to breake the speares to knap asunder the swoordes to ouerthrow the Chariots and too appease the things againe that were so troubled afore VVee muste then haue Gods ordinance alwayes before our eyes in our mind whereby hee so guydeth and gouerneth the troubles that seeme to tend to an euill end as he turneth them altogither vnto good For God thinketh it not ynough to cure the mischefe but he also vseth it to a good end insomuch that we be driuen to confesse that it is much better for vs that these troubles shoulde happen than if we shoulde alwayes liue in peace and rest And therefore if we consider well the causes whiche moue God to sende such troubles into the worlde we will no more murmure against him And although we conceiue theÌ„ not yet let vs not therfore ceasse to honor reuereÌ„tly the secret determination which God kepeth to himself but let vstary his leysure paciently acknowledging our owne small capacitie rudenesse and then shall we folow the rule that is giuen vs here according as it is further saide Hast thou in all thy dayes commaunded the morning light Hast thou made it too knowe his place when it ought to come forth Heere our Lorde proceedeth to mocke at mens pride when they take vpon theÌ„ to iudge of him saying how long is it since you were borne VVas there no light nor day before you were Seeing ye be so wise as to find fault with mee it is as much to say as there was no order in the world before you were borne the morning light wist not whence to come nor whither to go without you there had bin no orderlinesse nothing had bin made if you had not bin Sith ye thinke your selues so wise will needes control me I do but only aske you whether you haue at any time appointed froÌ„ whence the light shall arise and although ye neuer did it nor can do it yet you are stil finding of sault with my doings As for me I haue alwayes set the difference betwixt light darknesse euer since the beginning of the worlde I haue appoynted the night tyme for darkenesse and caused the breake of the day too come foorth at my pleasure I haue set an euerlasting order which ought to bee wonderfull And if ye were not to churlish ye could not but confesse that these things are as excellent as can be Nowe all this was done before you were borne or any of all your aunceters yea euen before any man was created And what meane you then to fall to controlling of mee VVhy set you vp your bristles against me Do but recken the yeres a little which the world hath continued I haue gouerned hitherto yea and that in suche wise as all creatures muste nedes coÌ„fesse that they be astonished at the sight of that which I shew them And yet to your seeming I haue done nothing at all before your times Do ye knowe howe the light should be disposed and how to draw it out of darknesse as wise as yee weene your selues to bee Heere then first of all our Lorde bringeth vs backe to our birth as if hee shoulde say recken your yeares howe long is it ago since yee came into the worlde Beholde men are but as Snayles assoone as they bee borne death threatneth theÌ„ Go too
shew by opē signes that there is nothing else but cursednesse in him till God receiue him and gather him home too him True it is that this matter myght bee layd foorth more at length neuerthelesse it will suffize vs in effect that the asshes and dust that are spoken of heere are not the cheef poynt of repentance but only an outward token of it Furthermore this token is not alwayes requisite but if it be to make open protestation of an outrageouse crime It behoueth the faithfull too be wel aduised that they repent and mislike of themselues all their life long for we passe not any one day without many misdooings we cōmit infinite faults without our knowledge yea and euē thinking that we do well so as if we examine ourselues throughly we shal alwayes find that there is somewhat still amisse in vs Therfore haue we cause of sorrowe and yet notwithstanding we shal not neede to make open protestation before men Then may repentance well be without the outward signes ioyned with it but when our faults are grosse and Gods wrath sheweth it selfe towards vs thē must we not only be sorie and mislyke of our selues but also in consideratiō that the same may edifie our neighbours we must adde some outward signes as if a man haue giuen some stumbling blocke seeth that Gods name is blasphemed by it and God discouereth his shame hee must not only mislyke and hate himselfe but also match his doing with outward humilitie before men as with a record or seale to ratifie his repētance And this must be not only in euery particular persone but also in the whole people according as wee see it hath alwayes bin the practize of the churche Moreouer let vs marke wel that it is not ynough for vs to haue the outward tokens but our hart must specially be wounded that being throughly greeued for prouoking Gods wrath against vs we may conceyue a sorinesse and condemne ourselues and be vtterly dismayed in ourselues And that is the sorrowe wherof Sainct Paule speaketh which he sayeth that we must not shun bycause it is to our saluatiō And therfore it is sayd also in the Prophet Ioell rend your harts and not your garments True it is that vnto such as had offended greuously and were desirouse that God should heare them the Prophet giueth commandment to returne with sackloth dust and asshes and to confesse themselues to be offenders and to craue forgiuenesse and too declare with solemne protestation that they haue deserued death but if he haue pitie of thē Howbeit forasmuchas men are so sore inclyned to hypocrisie and wil needes content God with fayre contenāces and forget that which ought to be the first cheef point the Prophet sayeth expresly that their harts must be rent and that the hardnesse of them must be put away So wee see that the effect which Iob ment to say is that in repenting him of his vnaduized speeche hee addeth that his so doing was no light nor small sin but so heynouse that hee is readye too shewe himselfe as a wretched offender that had committed a crime woorthie of death and hath none other hope nor refuge but only to the mere mercie of god yea and euen to make the same protestation willingly before men to the end that such as haue bene offended by him may be set vp againe and all men knowe that he desireth nothing but to humble himselfe vnder Gods hand Now seing it is so when we on our side haue doone any fault let vs learne not to lessen it nor to hyde it but to acknowledge it yea euen to the vtter abacing of ourselues Againe when we haue begonne to mislyke of our sinnes in our hart and to Iothe them and to be sorie for thē to the end that God should not enter into account with vs let vs also haue the modestie before men too vse the protestations which God liketh of namely too confesse that in all respects we haue deserued death but if God admit vs to mercie and let not the shame of our sin hinder vs from making amends for the offence whiche wee haue giuen by our dooing amisse Herevpon it is sayde that God after he had spoken vnto Iob turned himselfe to Eliphas the Themanite and sayd vnto him My wrath is kindled against thee and thy companions for yee haue not spoken rightly before mee as my seruant Iob hath done VVee haue seene heretofore that God found fault with Iob and nowe secondarily he findeth fault with his companions yea and that much more roughly Before we come to the comparison that is made here betwene Iob and his freends wee haue to marke the order which is that it is sayd that God hauing spoken those woordes vnto Iob turned his talke to those that had wrongfully condemned him Hereby we be warned that although God chastize his own with fatherly gētlenesse yet notwithstanding hee executeth his Iustice throughly vpon them according as it is sayd that his punishments or chastizements begin at his owne house or Churche Yee see then that God rebuketh Iob and in the meane whyle letteth the other alone whiche had offended more grossely than he A mā might demād here yea is it so VVhy doeth God set himselfe alonly at Iob and at the partie that had least offended For although he had done faults yet were they more too bee borne withall than the faults of his companions and yet God seemeth to vtter all his rigour against him alone Lo what a man might say Howbeit he is rebuked first bycause the thing which I haue alledged out of the Prophet must be sulfilled that is to wit that God beginneth to chastize his own householdfolke first VVhen he intendeth to execute his iustice he beginneth not at the vnbeleeuers he letteth thē alone he spareth them as though he had forgotten their faults Not that they be not throughly recorded or shall not come to account but for that he suffereth the sins of those whom he loueth not to ripe yea to rotte Yea in the meane while he chastizeth those whō he hath adopted and whom he auoweth for his children he sheweth them signes of roughnesse whyle those that are strangers to him take their rest welter in their ease pleasures Thus ye see what is shewed vs in this text and it is a verie profitable lesson for vs For wee see dayly the state of the faithfull is more miserable than the state of the despisers of god The godly seeme too be vtterly forsaken of him they drag their wings after thē and they do but pine away in this world and in the meane whyle the wicked set vp their crests and are merrie and make iolly chere euen in skorne of god Now how would it trouble men to see these things if wee had not this doctrine that iudgement beginneth at Gods owne house according also as it is sayd in the Prophete Esay that when God shall haue finished all his
and passion if we thinke to be quit before God by any other meane than by the clensing which Christ hath made or for any other cause than for that hee hath made satisfaction for vs to discharge vs of the condemnation of death wherein we were Then if we seeke to obteyne mercie as we haue need to do and as which is the onely meanes wherby for vs to come vnto God wee must alwayes beare in minde the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the sacrifize of out redemption and attonement VVhen we go this way too woorke let vs not doubt but that inasmuch as our Lorde hath shewed himselfe pitiful towarde such as offended in the time of the figures of the lawe yea and extended his mercie to those that were not the bodie of his peculiar people hee will also receyue vs at this day seeing that the Gospell is published thorow the whole worlde and that he hath made a common league as well with the Gentiles as with the Iewes so as there is no more any wal to put difference betwixt them Let vs not doubt I say but that if we haue recourse vnto God by meanes of the sayd Sacrifice he will preuent vs to the intent that hauing obteyned fauor at his hande we may be assured of our saluation Now let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too clenze vs more and more from them and that whensoeuer we bee rebuked by him he will therwithall make vs too feele his fatherly goodnesse soo as wee may haue whereof to take comfort in our aduersityes and not bee greeued though hee beginne too chastize vs and in the meane while spare the wretched vnbeleeuers knowing that by that meanes hee declareth too vs that seeing he hath chosen vs to himselfe hee will not haue vs too â—â—rishe And therefore let vs pray him that hee suffer not his roddes to be vnprofitable to vs so as we shoulde abyde still hardened in oure sinnes but that hee wyll drawe vs to him throughly that wee may with all lowlinesse acknowledge our sinnes and bee sorie for them in our heartes yea and also protest before men how much we be bound vnto his mercie to the ende that our neighbors may be edified by vs and one of vs draw another to the glorifying of him in all our whole life and for the doing hereof it may please him to stirre vp true c. The Clix Sermon which is the thirde vpon the .xlij. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the eight verse and then vpon the Text insuing 9 Then Eliphas the Themanite and Baldad the Suhite and Sophar the Naamathite vvent and did as God had commaunded and the Lorde receyued the face of Iob. 10 And the Lorde turned the captiuitie of Iob vvhen he prayed for his freends and he blissed the latter state of Iob more than the first 11 And all his brethren and all his sisters came vnto him and all they that had bin of his acquaintance before and they are vvith him in his house and had compassion of him and comforted him of all the aduersitie which the Lord had caused to come vpon him and he receiued of eche of them a peece of siluer and of ech of them an ornament of golde 12 And the Lorde blissed the latter state of Iob more than the first insomuch that hee had .xiiij. thousand sheepe six thousand Camels a thousand yoke of oxen a thousand Sheeasses 13 Also he had seuen sonnes and three daughters 14 And he called the name of one Iemima and the name of another Kezia and the name of the thirde Kerenhapuk 15 And there vvere not founde more fairer vvomen in all the Countrey than Iobs daughters and their father gaue them in heritance among their brethren 16 And after these things Iob liued a hundred and forrie yeares and he savv his sonnes and his sonnes vnto the fourth generation 17 And he died aged and full satisfied vvith dayes WEe haue seene howe God in rebuking Iobs freends would not leaue them hopelesse but called them to repentance by telling them that hee woulde heare them and haue pitie vpon them And so ye see that corrections are profitable too vs when God shetteth not the gate agaynst vs but sheweth vs that he is readie to receyue vs to mercie For otherwise what should it boot vs to be coÌ„uicted of our sinnes VVe should be drowned in dispaire if we toke not hold of Gods mercie and so shoulde wee neuer bee touched with true earnestnesse to repent vs of our euill doings but rather wexe hardhearted so as we should chafe vpon the brydle and there should be none amendment in vs Therfore let vs marke well that God worketh men a singular benefite when after his causing of theÌ„ to feele theyr owne naughtinesse he sheweth them that yet notwithstanding they shal obteyne fauour if they seeke it But heerewithal we haue seene also that God commaunded those men to bring their sacrifices to Iob to the end that he should pray for them and that was too humble them For although God shewe himselfe gentle welminded towardes vs yet haue we neede that he should partly shew himselfe hard to be intreated of vs Yea that is to make vs haue a disliking of our sinnes for oftentimes it seemeth sufficient to vs to haue giueÌ„ one good sigh and away as we commonly say in our tongue and so we do as it were but dally with god Repentance ought to make vs vtterly dismayd and it ought to sttike vs with feare wheÌ„ we consider Gods wrath which is able to ouerwhelme vs vtterly VVe thinke not vpon that but wee passe ouer it as wee would passe ouer whote burning coles as they say In this respect it is good profitable for vs that our Lorde should as it were reine vs short shew vs that there is yet still some naughtinesse lurking in vs the which it standeth vs in hande too perceyue better Then Gods afoording of so large penywoorthes of his mercie vnto men is to the intent they should alwayes bee the more humbled and cal to mind the faults which they haue committed That therfore is the reason why it is said in this text that Iob should pray for those that had offended But yet notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but that as well by the sacrifices as by Iobs person God ment too shewe that men haue neede of some meane or Mediator to make them way to him and to cause them to finde fauour according as we see that in the law God had ordeyned the high Priest to enter alone into the Sanctuarie in the name of all the people and that all men else should stande aloofe acknowledging themselues vnworthie to preace neere the presence of god For that was to betoken that without a Mediator to go in vnto God on oure behalfe it shoulde neuer bee lawfull for vs to pray vntoo him
and transitorie prosperitie For the heauenly life was not then so perfectly discouered as 〈…〉 is nowadayes by the Gospell Iesus Christ was not yet manifested who came downe hither to lift vs vp and clothed himselfe with our flesh too shew that God dwelleth in vs and hath ioyned vs to his glorie immortalitie These things were not yet come to passe and therfore it behoued the faithfull too be handled partly like little children And that is the cause why that when the auncient fathers are spoken of in the scripture it is purposely said that God blissed them in their ofspring in their cattell in their possessions and in such other things and specially in length of life and why so It was for them to be helped by those meanes in wayting till the heauenly life were discouered vnto vs vnto whom our Lord Iesus Christ hath opened the gate of Paradise by his comming to make vs mount vp a loft with him Then if God make not vs now to prosper so much to the worldwarde wee must not be greeued at it for our state is not worse thā the state of the auncient fathers wee haue afarre better recompence which ought to comfort vs For example let vs take but only that whiche is said concerning long life God in his law hath highly esteemed the long life that he gaue to the faithfull And yet notwithstanding many vnbeleeuers and vtter reprobates haue liued long Therfore we must not rest there forasmuch as it is a benefite that may be cōmon as well to Gods enimies as to his friends It is not the souereine good thing it is not the true and perfect happinesse no it commeth farre short of it But we must also adde the second point which is that the fathers of old time knewe not yet so perfectly as wee do that God had prepared them an heritage in heauen True it is that they had some taste of it and they had the same faith which we haue but yet had they no such opening as wee haue in our Lord Iesus Christ Therefore it was meet that God should let them liue long and make them too profit in knowledge by long experience in the world Lo why Iob liued long time Now adayes our life is shorter and that is bycause Iesus Christ is appeared vnto vs and hath shewed vs that we are but straungers in this worlde that we might runne to the heritage which is purchased by his bloud The thing that was then but in shadowes was too be confirmed by visible benefites But now we haue the substance the shadowes and figures are past wee haue the bodie of them in our Lorde Iesus Christ therfore wee must be contented with whatsoeuer God giueth vs and referre our selues wholy to his guiding And furthermore let vs vnderstand that wee must bee contented with the life that we haue liued whensoeuer it shall please God to take vs out of the world True it is that when the scripture speaketh so of Iob and Abraham that they died olde men and full satisfied with dayes it is to expresse the temporall blissing that I haue spoken of But howsoeuer they fared neither Iob nor Abraham nor such other like would euer haue bin satisfied with liuing in this worlde if they had not amed at a better and more excellēt end Ye see thē how it was requisit that God should prolong their life to the end to giue them the longer experience of his goodnesse which thing is not nowe so requisite for vs whiche haue a more large declaration of Gods fatherly loue towards vs Therfore it behoueth vs to be satisfied with our life and too dispose our selues to die when it shall please God so as we may go hence with a glad hart not with gnashing of our teeth as the vnbeleeuers do For if they had liued a hundred thousand yeres yet would they faine tary here beneath still for they haue none other hope but of this present life it seemeth to thē that death dispatcheth all And that is the cause why they are neuer redy to go out of the world Contrariwise the fathers of old time were wont to confirme their faith by the length of the life which God gaue thē and therwithal disposed themselues to depart whensoeuer God listed to take them hence too himselfe And what ought we on our side to do nowadays I haue told you alredie that we must not loke to liue long to take knowledge of gods fatherly loue therby for if you liued but three dayes in this world it were inough to giue vs a tast of Gods goodnesse mercie and to cōfirme our faith For seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath died and is rise again we need no long time in this world to know that God is our father and that we be sure of our saluation Therfore as soone he giueth vs knowledge of the truth of his Gospell let vs alwayes be readie too die assuring our selues that hee hath adopted vs for his children and that he will shew himselfe our father both in life and death Ye see then that we must alwayes be satisfied with life seeing that God hath giuē vs so good a pledge of his loue in our Lorde Iesus Christ and we must not desire too haue our life prolonged here to the end to haue a larger confirmation thereof VVherfore let vs continually pray him that hauing guided vs cōtinually with his holy spirit he will draw vs hence too himselfe and that wee may come thither full satisfied bycause he hath nourished and mainteyned vs and shewed vs that our true life and euerlasting happinesse is prepared for vs aboue Now let vs fal down before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too vouchsafe to touch vs with them more and more that we may come to him with true repentance to frame our selues after his rightuousnesse and that for asmuch as we be wretched sinners and wrapped and ouerwhelmed in so many temptatiōs as it is impossible for vs too discharge our selues of the hundreth part of our dutie it may please him too ayde vs with his holy spirite and too beare with our infirmities and imperfections vntill hee haue quite cleane rid vs of them And so let vs al say Almightie God heauenly father c. All prayse honor and thankes be vnto God. ¶ The prayer which master Iohn Caluin made ordinarily before the beginning of his Sermons LEt vs call vpon our good God and father praying him too vouchsafe to turne avvay his face from the great number of faults and offences vvhereby vve cease not too prouoke his vvrath against vs and forasmuch as vve be too too vnvvorthie to appeare before his maiestie it may please him too looke vppon vs in the countenance of his vvelbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ accepting the desert of his death and passion for a full recompence of all our sinnes that by meanes therof he may likevvell
one is that if our Lord make vs to prosper so as we haue peace and rest and all that is necessarie for vs and we be exempted from all greef for a time we must not be to delicate nor to tender in shrinking away frō shewing pitie and compassion towards such as are in aduersitie but we must be touched with the greefes of our neighbors to mourne with thē and to relieue them to our power at leastwise to pray vnto god for them when we can help thē by none other meanes Thus then ye see the first doctrine that we haue to marke And furthermore let vs not fall a slepe in our pleasures fo as we shold not cōtinually know that here is not any thing certaine nor be readie to suffer whensoeuer it shal please god The first thing I say which we haue to beare in minde is that we must not forget our selues whē God spareth vs For what is the cause that prosperitie cōtinueth not stil with vs It is for that we abuse it as I haue said alredie And secondly if god send vs afflictions let vs bethink our selues wel and examin whither we haue not bene sleepie in the time of our prosperitie For hereby we be put in mind to know our faults and to condemne thē before God saying Lord thou hast good cause to punish vs and why For since the time that thou didst prosper vs by thy fauor we haue forgotten thee and layd the brydle in our neckes and taken to much libertie And therefore it is good reason that thou shouldest punish vs and that we should feele the fruite of our sinne and vnrulynesse Lo howe wee ought to call to mynde our former faultes when God visiteth vs by any affliction And specially howe wee ought to consider well whether wee haue not beene vnmercifull towarde such as deserued our succour For wee haue made no account of others it is good reason that our Lorde should handle vs roughly again that we shuld lerne to acknowlege our faults by our Lords sharpnesse and rigor towards vs Mark that for one point But yet further although wee haue indeuored to help our neighbors and haue had compassion of their miseries and mourned with them that mourne as S. Paul exhorteth vs to do yet notwithstanding let vs not cease alwayes to dispose ourselues to the suffering of the corrections which it shall please God to send vs yea euē though we know not the cause why he doth it If wee haue beene watchfull in the time of prosperitie and not abused oure ease yet wil not God misse to handle vs roughly now and then If we aske why he doth it the reason will not be manifest at the first But he doth it to humble vs and so let vs alwayes acknowledge him to be rightuous And that is the cause why I sayd that we ought to beare in mind these two reasons distinctly First that we remēber the threatnings which are written in the holy scripture agaynst such as are vnmercifull to their neighbors and play the beasts in their prosperitie And secondly that we consider that although men behaue themselues myldely soberly and freendly yet notwithstanding God ceasseth not to afflict them after an extraordinarie maner as we see hath happened vnto Iob. VVhat is to be done then In stead of that he sayeth heere I haue wayted for light and beholde heere is darknesse I haue hoped for good and behold here is euill let vs looke for good according as God promiseth it For as S. Paule sayeth the feare of God hath promises not only of the euerlasting life but also of the present and transitorie life So then let vs always loke for welfare at gods hand but yet let vs not looke for it in such wise as we shuld not be readie to receyue aduersitie whensoeuer it shall please him to send it vs For wheras god promiseth vs to handle vs gently to vse fatherly and louing kindnesse towards vs it is but condicionally so farre forth as is expedient for our saluatiō And why For his temporall benefits are such as it behoueth him to deale them forth and to distribute them by measure And what is the reason It is the same that I haue alledged alreadie namely that it is an impossibilitie or at leastwise a verie hard matter that men should not either abuse and corrupt Gods gifts or bestow them cleane contrarie to his meening So then we may wel hope that when God had done vs good hee will continue the same yea and also increase it still but wee must not also looke that we should not therewithall dispose our selues wholy too receyue aduersitie whensoeuer it shall please him to send it VVhy so we must not make reckning that wee haue an euerlasting state in oure life without any chaunge Let vs consider that as our life is fraile so also it behoueth vs to bee subiect to many chaunges and that if we haue prosperitie to day God may disappoint vs of it to morow and although we see not the reason why yet he knoweth it and let vs be contented with it Ye see then after what sort the faithful ought to looke for the temporal benefits of this world that is that when they inioy them they must beleue fully that god will continue his dealing towards them as he hath done thitherto Howbeit in looking for prosperitie it behooueth them to prepare themselues to receyue aduersitie in such sort as they may not bee taken vnwares nor thinke it straunge if hee bereeue them of his benefits when he had handled them as gently as may bee for a time I say they must not thinke it any noueltie if God turne his hande the contrarie way and smite them Thus ye see that our looking for prosperitie must be with continuall disposing of our selues too suffer aduersitie yea and to suffer it paciently to the ende wee miscarie not when it commeth vpon vs And furthermore let vs in conclusion marke well what is sayd here concerning Iob. He complayneth that he was a companion of dragons and a brother of Estriges that is to say as a wilde man so as he was no more of the number and companie of other men but God had so farre forsaken him that hee was become as a wilde beast And who is he that speaketh it A man that liued in such holynesse and perfection as hee might rather haue bene compared with an Angell than with a mortall creature and yet for all that we see how he was hādled Hereby we be warned to put our selues wholy into the handes of God and not cease to truste in him though he scourge vs roughly and seme minded to ouerwhelme vs vtterly But to put that thing in vre which we haue seene here before namely that though he shoulde kill vs yet we would hope still for his mercie and fight against the battails of death and grounding our selues vpō his promises hold our owne still and continue stedfast in the middest
of all our aduersities Lo what wee haue too marke And furthermore if God scourge vs for our sinnes we must be the lesse plunged in sorrow by reason of those afflictions and take them so much the more meekely and with a quiet mind considering how we haue neede to be handled so sharply in respect of the diseases that are roted in vs In the meane while forasmuch as wee cannot bee mery but with offending of God wee haue a threatning added here that he will change our harp into mourning and our Organs into voyce of lamenting VVee see how the world abuseth Gods benefits in these dayes For if euery man looke into himselfe wee shall see that if our Lorde giue vs rest by and by wee start out of our thinges as the Prouerbe sayth And againe if we come to the common state alas we see that the world is as farre out of order as may be and to be short it seemeth that men haue conspired to greue God and the more that he sheweth himself louing and kinde towards vs it seemeth that wee become so much the bolder to prouoke him Sith it is so we may well be afrayd that he will turne both our harpes and our organes to weping wayling sorow For we are well worthie of it And good reason it is that he should cast vs into heauinesse and anguish seeing that wee haue abused his benefits so shamefully Yet notwithstanding if it please God to make vs feele his hand by afflictions whether we know the cause of it or no let vs not therfore cease to flee vnto him in hope that he will receiue vs to mercy yea verely if we condemne our faults that our cōdemning of them be in suche wise as we assure and warrant ourselues that he will continue his goodnesse towards vs make vs alwayes too feele his grace euen till hee haue filled vs with it to the full Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too make vs so to feele them as it may bee to bring vs to trewe repentance and that yet notwithstanding wee may not ceasse to tast cōtinually of his goodnesse towards vs to put our trust therin to flee thervnto for our refuge in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe And so let vs all say Almightie c. The Cxj. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxxj. Chapter I Haue made a couenant vvith mine eyes And haue I 〈…〉 looked vpon a mayde 2 And vvhat is the portion of God from aboue and the inheritance of the almightie of heauen 3 Is there not a cutting off for the rightuouse and confuzion for suche as conspire or practize vvickednesse 4 Doeth not he beholde my vvayes doth not he count all my Steppes WEe haue seene already heeretofore howe Iob protested that he was no such man as his friendes would haue made him beleeue for they were of opinion that hee was a reprobate afore god Therfore he declared that hee had lyued holily and vprightly nowe hee returneth agayne too the same matter and not without cause For it was a grieuous temptation that men should take him to be an hypocrite notwithstanding that he had walked in vprightnesse of heart and playne meening before god And furthermore he had had no regard of his owne reputation nor what men thought of him for God knewe him True it is that he ought not to haue thought it straunge that hee sholde bee afflicted of Gods hande although he had liued as we see here but yet was it good that he knewe the ende and cause why God visited him so But we shall see this more fully in the winding vp of the Chapter Now let vs looke to that which is cōtayned here which is that Iob intendeth to declare that he hath serued God faithfully and that his induring of so grieuous and excessiue miseries is not for any offence that he had committed but for some other secrete reason knowne vnto God which men can neyther know nor discerne Firste he giueth record of his soundnesse when he sayeth that he made a couenaunt with his eyes not to caste any vnchaste looke vpon any mayde liuing And it is a signe of great and as it were Angelicall perfection in man if he be able to protest that he hath not bin prouoked vnto euill For it may well be that a man shall haue some sodaine fleeting temptation and yet notwithstanding not consent therevnto but rather shake it off and hate it And truely it were a great vertue if a man coulde haue all his wits so sound and vnattainted of any corruption as he could neuer be inticed But Iob passeth beyonde this And for the better vnderstanding heereof let vs marke that there are three degrees of faultinesse ere sinne haue his full shape I meene euen although the sinne come not to actuall doing VVhen S. Iames speaketh of sinne he vseth the similitude of childebearing For he sayeth that luste conceyueth and afterward bringeth forth sinne that the sinne is accomplished when it commeth into the actuall deede by executing of the thing But I saye there are three degrees of faultinesse in a sinne although it come not to the outwarde deede The firste is a fleeting imagination or thought which a man conceyueth by the beholding of any thing for thervpon some one toy or other will come in his head Or else although he see nothing yet notwithstanding his minde is so tickle vnto euill as it carieth him heere and there and maketh many fancies to runne in his heade And out of doubt the same is a faultinesse but yet is not that imputed vnto vs for sinne The second degree is that vpon the conceyuing of such a fancie we be somwhat tickled and feele that our wil swayeth that way and although there bee no consente or agreeyng vnto it yet notwithstanding there is some inwarde pricking to prouoke vs vntoo it Nowe that is a wicked sinne and as it were already conceyued afterwarde followeth consente when wee settle our wil vpon it so as there is no let in vs for the performance of the euill but the want of occasion and opportunitie there ye see the thirde degree and then is the sinne fully shapen in vs although there bee no outwarde deede at all And this is well woorthy to be noted For althoughe it may seeme a harde matter yet notwithstanding there is nother man nor woman but hee findeth the thing that I speake of and hath experience of it from day to day As for example when wee bee afflicted it will come in our imagination to thinke doth God minde vs There is no man that can holde himselfe from suche conceytes For oure nature is so corrupted and inclined vnto euill as it is vnpossible that wee shoulde not haue such conceytes And surely it is already a faulte when suche a thing dooth but come in theyr minde notwithstanding that wee chace it away and thinke