walk after such a sort in brotherly vnitie as we may all of vs with one cōmon accord as it were with one mouth claim him to be our father And so let vs al say Almightie God c. The Cxiiij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the .xxxj. Chapter 16 If I haue disappoynted the poore of his desire or if I haue vveryed the eyes of the vvidovve 17 If I haue eaten my morsels alone and that the fatherlesse hath not had his part thereof 18 For from my youth hee hath beene brought vp with me as if I vvere his father and shee hathe beene vvith me from the vvombe of my mother 19 If I haue seene a man perish for vvant of a coate or the poore for vvant of a garment 20 If his loynes haue not blissed mee if he haue not beene vvarmed vvith the fleece of my lambes 21 If I haue lift vp my hande against the fatherlesse seeing my helpe at the gate 22 Let mine arme fall from my shoulder and let mine arme be broken from the bones 23 For I haue feared the punishment of God and could not beare his burthen HEere Iob sheweth what manner of louingnesse hee had to succoure the poore and needie He had protested heeretofore that he had not done any man wrong but here he passeth yet further namely that pitying the necessitie of suche as came too him for succoure hee releeued them of his owne goodes and substaunce yea euen without making them to linger for it VVherein he sheweth himselfe to haue had a willing forwardnesse that is too saye that hee was no sooner requested but he employed him selfe and delayed not from day to day as those do that loue to be lugged by the eare And this is the cause why he sayth If I haue disappoynted the poore of his desire that is too say if I succoured not the poore when I sawe him want and needie or if I haue weryed the eye of the widowe For if wee wayte for anything with a longing our eye is alwayes vpon it and when wee looke ouer earnestly vpon anye thing oure eyes faynte and dazel VVee see then howe Iobs meening is that he hung not downe his groyne in his bosome as they say when poore folkes came to desire his help but succoured them out of hand Also hee addeth that hee sawe not men sterue for colde which wanted rayment but rather delt so with them as their loynes and sides blissed him that is to say they felt the fauour whiche he shewed them They were warmed with the fleece of my lambes to be short he sayth that he had not eaten his morsells alone nor deuoured by himselfe the goodes that God had giuen him but had giuen the widowes and fatherlesse part with him whome sayth he I haue brought vp with me as their father VVherein he doth vs to wit that he had bin a father to the fatherlesse From my mothers womb sayth he I haue had the widow with me I haue taken vntoo mee the poore that needed suctour and I haue neuer fayled them And if it bee not so let my shoulders fall out of the socket that is too say let me bee dismembred and let me fall in peeces like a rotten carren Let mine arme sayth he be thrust out of the ioynt and let the bones of it be broken Let the world see gods great and horrible curse vppon me and my body sayeth hee if I haue done wrong to those that were feeble and not able to reuenge themselues like as if I haue lifted vp my hand against the fatherlesse and although I were able to do them wrong for any help they shoulde haue at mās hand and that iustice might vphold me in my wrong yet notwithstanding if I haue attempted any such thing lette me be torne in peeces and rot aliue And that it is so I was alwayes afrayd of Gods scourge for I was not able to beare his burthen Herein he declareth as he hath done heeretofore that it was not the respect of men or the shame of the world or any other consideratiō that lifted him from doing euill but that forasmuch as he saw that God was hys iudge therefore he walked vprightly And althoughe hee might haue gone vnpunished to the worldward without feare of being pursued by way of iustice or otherwise and might haue taken libertie to doo harme too the meaner sort by reason of his credit yet notwithstanding hee always had a consideration to say verely my God I knowe that thy wrath would be terrible vnto me and how shuld Ibe able to indure it To be short Iob sheweth heere that his absteyning from sinne was not for feare of punishment for he sawe none before his eyes but for consciēce sake whiche compelled him to obey God and too feare his iudgement to come This is the effect of that whyche is conteyned heere And first of all we haue heere one lesson to shew that we be Gods children which is that wee must be pitiful to help our neighbors at their need Almes deedes therefore are commended to vs heere It hath bin tolde you often heeretofore that this word Almes importeth as much as mercy Now we see that among other tytles God chalengeth this vnto himselfe that he is gentle and mercifull Then can wee not bee his children neyther will he acknowledge vs for such except we labour to follow his example in this behalfe namely to be moued too pitie when we see any poore folke in aduersitie and to go about to prouide for them euery of vs according to his abilitie True it is that we may giue all our substance and yet our doing shal not be counted a vertue For before the hand be opened to giue it behoueth the hart to bee touched with cōpassion But if we haue pitie of those which are in aduersitie it behoueth vs also to succour them too our power For as S. Iames sayth if I say to apoore man my freend God help thee thereby I shew that I haue no loue in me If I say it is great pitie of this man and yet in the meane whyle labour not too succour him whome I ought to releeue it is a mockerie and I am but an hypocrite That is to say I see there how God sheweth mee a pitifull cace and it is as much as if God gaue mee occasion to imploy my selfe and thereby I see that hee calleth me and yet in the meane while I make no countenance of it at all If there were but one drop of kindnesse in m◠would I not indeuer to help such a necessitie for my part So then wee haue too beare in mind in this text that the holy Ghost exhorteth vs too almes deedes and that the same consisteth in two poynts that is to say in being pitifull towards our neighbours when we see them in aduersitie and also when we haue such a pitifull affection as we seeke the meanes to succour them and euery man streyneth himself to his power
likewyse bee tormented so that they shall pay very deere for all their ioyes Lo how the Scripture auoucheth it and it behoueth vs to receyue that which is spoken there and to be throughly resolued of it And when wee haue doone God the honour too giue credite to his worde then will hee make vs to vnderstande that which other men perceyue not namely that in the middes of the greatest aduersitie and heauinesse that can betide vs we haue still cause to laugh that is to say to comfort and cheere our selues bycause we haue an eye to the happie ende which God promiseth notwithstanding that the same can not bee perceyued by our earthly eyes and vnderstanding Neuerthelesse it is certayne that God fauoureth not the wicked And why Bycause that althoughe they haue neuer so muche prosperitie and although they flourish neuer so much to outward appearance yet is all of it turned to their ruine and confusion And contrariwise though the faithfull be scourged and tormented many wayes yet notwithstanding for as muche as they bee vphild by the hande of God â–ª they neuer miscarie and all turneth to their welfare and profit And herein we see that thing accomplished which is conteyned heere To bee short we see what we haue to marke vpon this texte So then let vs learne not to put our trust in this worlde nor in any of the inferiour meanes heere belowe But let vs leane vnto God seeing that hee hath giuen vs our Lorde Iesus Christ to the end that being graffed in him we may drayne such strength and sap from him that although our life bee hidden so as wee bee euen as it were in death we may not ceasse to continue still and to be maynteined in good and sure state wayting till this good God haue deliuered vs out of all worldly miseries and oute of all the troubles which wee bee fayne to suffer heere vntill hee call vs and bring vs into the kingdome of heauen and the glorie which he hath purchased by the precious bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ And nowe let vs fall flat before the presence of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them better than wee haue done and that therewithall wee maye haue oure recourse vnto him knowing howe it is he onely that can amend vs and all our euill affections and therefore that it maye please him too drawe vs backe in suche wise that forsaking our selues and all that is in this worlde wee maye laboure for the heauenly life vntill suche time as hauing ouercome all the aduersitie of this present life and beeing come to the ende of all the battels wherewyth wee are assayled we may fully enioy all the victories whiche he giueth vs nowe by the grace of his holye spirite That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The .xxxiij. Sermon which is the first vpon the ninth Chapter IOb ansvvered and sayd 2 Of a truth I knovv that man shall not bee iustified to Godvvard 3 If he vvould dispute vvith him he should not ansvvere him one poynt of a thousand 4 He is vvise of hart and mightie in strength And vvho is he that shall set him selfe against him and haue peace 5 Hee remoueth the mountaynes and they feele not vvhen hee ouerthrovveth them in hys vvrath 6 He remoueth the earth out of hir place and the pillers thereof do quake ALthough men bee enforced to confesse that God is righteous and that there is no fault to be founde in him Yet notwithstanding their passions are so outrageous that if any of them be afflicted a man shal heare those that are so smitten not onely grudge againste God but also blaspheme him with full mouthe And yet for all that their torment is neuer the lesse but it seemeth too them that they reuenge them selues after a sorte when they can so rayle against him with whome they haue to doe So muche the more therefore behooueth it vs to bethinke vs of Gods righteousnesse a great whyle aforehand to the ende that when he scourgeth vs we may alwayes abyde in the lowlinesse to knowe him as he is that is to witte that hee is ryghteouse and vnblameable Neuerthelesse the whole matter consisteth not onely in confessing generally that God is ryghteouse for wee haue seene heeretofore how Baldad mainteining the sayd cace that God is rightuous wrested it after an euill fashion in staying vppon thys poynte namely that God punisheth men according too their desert But as wee haue seene alreadie that rule holdeth not continually alike God doth somtimes spare the wicked and beare with them and sometimes hee chastizeth those whome hee loueth and handeleth them much more rigorously than those that are vtterly past amendment Then if wee will deeme that God chastizeth euery man according too his desertes what shall become of it when men couet to maynteine his rightuousnesse by that meanes they take a wrong way Yee see then here is a fault for when men will take vpon them to measure Gods iustice and to say hee punisheth no man but for his sinnes yea and looke in what manner and quantitie euerye one hath offended thereafter muste God paye him home in this worlde then do they not take Gods iustice as they ought to doe In this respecte Iob treateth nowe muche better of the manner of Gods iustice and howe it â—s to be knowne than Baldad hath done That is to wit without hauing respecte to one sinne or other but onely taking menne as they bee from their moothers wombe yet notwithstanding the whole worlde muste needes bee condemned afore God and it is apparant that althoughe the afflictions seeme roughe yet notwithstanding God can not be reproued Then let vs marke well that they be two diuers maners of speeche to saye God is rightuous for he punisheth men according to their deserte and too say God is rightuous for how so euer hee handleth men yet must wee alwayes keepe oure mouthes shet and not grudge against him bycause wee can not gaine any thing thereby If wee see a wicked man punished at Gods hand as I haue touched afore then is it Gods meaning that men should knowe the particular iudgement which hee executeth to the ende that men should bee warned by it And the holie Scripture speaketh after the same manner VVee see that God punisheth whoredomes cruelties periuries blasphemies and suche other like thinges Yea verelie eyther vpon mens persons or else vpon countries or vppon some place that shall haue bene giuen too some crime VVhen God layeth his hande vpon suche therein hee sheweth a mirrour to instructe vs according as S. Paule speaketh when hee sayeth that God punisheth the sinners to the intent that euery man shoulde beware For when hee punisheth rebellions against his worde it is to make vs walke in feare VVhen hee punisheth wicked lustes it is to holde vs in awe VVhen hee
they take an el so as ther is no ho nor measure with them But surely it behoueth vs to spare those that are our inferiors and aboue whom God hath aduanced vs ▪ And what then must we do when we haue to deal with our equals or superiors A master shall be condemned before God if he oppresse his seruant by violence or if he be so presumptuous and stately as he can not abyde that his seruant should defend him selfe in a good quarel And what shall become of the seruant if he bee stubborne against his maister VVhat shall become of the child that setteth himselfe against his father or of the subiect that riseth against his Soueraine Surely these things are lesse to bee borne withall Then see wee heere a generall doctrine cōmon to all men which is first that such as are aduaunced to any authoritie must knowe that Gods setting of them in that state is not to giue them the bridle to vex others and to trample them vnder their fete but it behoueth them to refraine them selues alwayes of lowlynesse and myldnesse Marke that for one poynt For the authoritie which is amongst men ought not to haue suche preheminence that he which serueth and is of lowe degree should therefore be despized True it is that a man should be maister of his owne house and there is no souereintie so noble as that And therefore a man woulde looke too haue him selfe only heard and obeyed in his owne house Neuerthelesse wee see that a maister hath no such power ouer his men and maydes but that hee ought too heare them paciently when any wrong is done them Then if a mā ought to vse such gentlenesse towards his vnderlings in his owne house what ought such to do which haue authoritie of iustice For they haue no such power as masters haue ouer their seruants They haue an honorable authoritie and preheminence but that is not to lord it ouer mē so as others should be in bondage to them Nay rather let not kings and princes flatter themselues neither let them beare them selues in hand that the world is made for thē but rather that they are made for the multitude Hath not God stablished principalities and kingdoms for the common welfare It was not to aduaunce two or three onely aboue the rest no but it was to the ende there should be some order and state of gouernement among men And therefore Kings and Princes ought to beware that they liue in suche wise ouer their Subiectes as they misuse them not nor execute any tyrannie ouer them For they shall be much lesse excuseable than are the maysters that deale cruelly with their seruants And muche lesse libertie haue they whiche are called to the state of iustice and set as Gods officers to yelde euerie man his right If such forget them selues or bee caried awaye with pryde God must needes punish them more roughly than the masters that haue doone any outrage or wrong to their brethren that serued them Furthermore is it so that such as haue any authoritie ouer others must not exalte them selues VVhat shall they do then which are of equall state How ought euerie one of vs to liue with his neighboure If a man exalte him selfe whereas hee ought too acknowledge him selfe equall and fellowe like so as hee playeth the Bull I praye you muste not suche pryde bee tamed And when a man that hath nothing in him but headie rashnesse woulde take vpon him such anthoritie ouer his neighbours as hee will not vouchsafe to looke vpon them but askew and beare him selfe in hande that all the worlde ought to quake at his looke should not God set his hande to suche braueries So then let vs marke well this streine For it serueth not onely too teach mildnesse and gentlenesse vnto masters but also and of much more dutie to all men in generall And therefore as we see that God will haue all inferiors to suffer and indure suche as haue authoritie ouer them It behoueth euerie of vs too loke to his owne state and calling and to learne to frame our selues vnto such mildenesse as neither the maister do oppresse the seruaunt nor the seruaunt striue againste his maister but euerie man so discharge his owne duetie as God may be serued aboue all Thus ye see what we haue to marke in this streine And for to conuicte vs the more if perchaunce we were so farre out of our wits that euerie of vs woulde take more vpon him than belongeth vnto him let vs marke that when wee fall too bee so proude and become so cruell towardes those that are vnder vs we shall not onely be condemned by the mouth of God and his Prophets but also the verie heathen men must be our iudges at the last day I sayde euen nowe that by the lawes of man a mayster in those dayes had power of lyfe and death ouer his seruantes And what sayde the heathen men thereof It becommeth vs too vse our seruantes as hirelings that is to saye as folke that wee haue taken for wages not as though they were our vnderlings These are their owne wordes If the vnbeleeuers that were at that time had such a regarde of humanitie as it seemed to them that euerie man ought to bridle him selfe euen althoughe hee had free libertie giuen to doe what he listed with his seruants I pray you what excuse is there for vs which are inlightned by Gods word if we haue not such a consideration at the least So then let vs marke that if God aduaunce vs to any authoritie it is to trie oure modestie And if hee giue vs men seruantes and mayde seruants to be vnder vs it is to the end to inure vs with the humanitie and vpright dealing which is spoken of heere and to the end we should shewe that if God haue shewed vs any speciall fauour we ought to thinke our selues beholden to him for it and by meanes thereof be prouoked to vse it soberly And seing that he which hath all power ouer vs doth neuerthelesse spare vs It behoueth vs to follow him willingly as his children and to resemble him in goodnesse towardes others Furthermore when a man will vnder the coloure of his authoritie vaunt him selfe cruelly against others let vs assure oure selues that that power of his is vtterly peruerse Yea I say it is a signe of an ouer malicious nature when a man aduaunceth himselfe after that sort by reason of his credite Contrariwise it is certaine that such as are of a myld and louing nature will alwayes spare their inferiours And the more authoritie that God giueth them the more are they restreyned yea euen of their owne accord For heere is no speaking of the constraint that commeth by other men lyke those which play the Lyamhoundes and vse all kynde of flatterie while they are able too doe nothing and afterwardes ouerpasse their bounds when they be aduaunced shewing them selues to haue no myldenesse in them but