Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	death_n	sin_n	sin_v	6,726	5	9.1768	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69056	Sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, vpon the booke of Iob. Translated out of French by Arthur Golding; Sermons de M. Jean Calvin sur le livre de Job. English	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606.	1574 (1574)	STC 4445; ESTC S107160	2,180,861	896

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

vs not thinke herevppon that God pardoneth our sinnes too let vs fall asleepe in them but to the ende wee should seeke to him and make the priuiledge which is giuen vs auaylable that is to wit bee bold too call vpon him as our father and assure our selues that he will heare vs Eliu hauing spoken so addeth he wil loke towards men and say I haue sinned I haue turned awaye from goodnesse and it hath not booted me hee hath deliuered my soule from the pit This text is expounded by some men as though Eliu spake of God saying that it is hee that looketh so towards men and that if any man say I haue done amisse then wheras hee had beene in the darknesse of death God deliuereth his soule from the pit and restoreth to him the light of life Howbeeit forasmuch as word for word it is set downe thus he will looke towards men and say I haue done amisse I haue turned away from goodnesse and it hath not stoode me in any stead or was not meete and conuenient for mee a man maye see and easly gather that Eliu goeth on still with his matter shewing that they which are brought so lowe as to feele their sinnes and to bee euen at deathes dore if God shew them the fauour to call them back againe and giue them hope of life and specially cheere their harts so as they are able to cal vpoÌ„ him in true assurednesse of faithe doo afterward turne themselues to men and declare their miseries to the intent to magnifie the infinite goodnesse of God which they haue felt And so the second frute of the forgiuenesse of sinnes is that when the wretched sinner knoweth that God hath not shaken him off but as yet openeth him the way and giueth him accesse too come vntoo him like as hee rested thervpon too call vpon God and afterward made the frute of faith auaylable so also it behoueth him too confesse the sayd goodnesse of God before men and not to be ashamed to shewe the misery wherin hee was vntill God had deliuered him by his mercy To be short like as when God hath sent vs the promises of his gospell wee ought to acknowledge theÌ„ and to seeke vnto him so also it behoueth vs to mourne before meÌ„ For it is not ynough that euery of vs should pray to God priuily by himselfe but it behoueth vs also to set forth his glory and to indeuer to prouoke our neighbours too the same so as one of vs may be edified by another and hee that hath felt how good and mercyfull God is must shewe it vntoo others that they may take example at it And when there is such an agrement amongs vs we must also preache Gods praises togither according as euery one of vs is bound vntoo him and there is not any man which may not iustly confesse that God hath a hundred times plucked him out of his graue and quickned him Ye see theÌ„ in effect what the meening of Eliu is Howbeit that we may the better profit by this sentence let vs marke that it behoueth vs first to enter into ourselues and theÌ„ to go vnto God afterward to go vnto our neighbours Thus ye see three things which wee haue too marke and it is an order which wee ought to kepe well The first is that men should examin their owne conscieÌ„ces haue an eye to their whole lyfe And why To be ashamed of their sinnes For vntill wee haue well perceyued that wee bee worse than wretched how will we haue recourse vnto God VVee will not be moued to seke him nor to desire forgiuenesse So then it is requisite for vs too begin at the sayd point namely too feele our sinnes how greuouse they bee and also too feele and conceyue the wrathe of God too the intent wee may bee as it were forlorne and behold hell as it were gaping vpon vs to swallowe vs vp and be so vtterly astonished as we may be driuen to say Alas what is to be done So that we may haue no rest in ourselues but languishe so in our miseries as wee may come with an earnest zeale too seke the lord Thus ye see the first steppe that wee must begin at The second is that wee must come vnto God and seeing hee taryeth not till wee seeke him but of his infinite goodnesse preuenteth vs in somuch that hee inspireth vs to the end we should seeke him and flee for refuge vnto his mercie there rest wheÌ„ we haue any promises of his goodnesse set afore vs seing that hee seketh sinners to bring them from death to life wee must take those promises and apply them too our vse saying euen so my God thou shewest that thou art willing to receiue sinners too mercy behold I am one yea and I am so forlorne as I wote not any more what too doo Therfore I doubt not Lord but thou wilt make mee feele they grace and goodnesse So Lord there will I rest and although I bee hemmed in with many troubles and sorowes which were able to turne me from thee Yet will I rest vpon thy promises and therwith call vpon thee assuring myselfe that thou wilt strengthen mee against all Satans temptations Thus ye see how it behoueth vs to deale The third point is the conclusion that Eliu maketh here which is that we must declare Gods goodnesse to our neighbours so farforth as is needfull to their edifying that he may be praised with one accord and that all men may confesse that there is no welfare but in his mercy and that we are all damned if the only goodnesse of our God remedy it not These say I are the three degrees which it behoueth vs to keepe But I told you that we must begin at ourselues And why VVee shall see many which will blase abroade Gods praises with full mouth but they haue not well foremynded theÌ„ in their hart There are which think themselues discharged when they haue sayd O my God haue pitie vpon mee I haue bene such a one I haue done such an euill deede True it is that such men haue some feeling in themselues and speake not altogither through hypocrisie But yet notwithstanding there is much wind in them and their mouth is larger than their heart For scarcely haue they tasted of Gods mercy and yet they would haue men to thinke that they haue felt it throughly and that they be full fraught with it But there is vanitie and ambition in such men when they wyden their mouth after that sort too speake well and in the meane whyle haue not mynded Gods grace too feele it accordingly that it myght be well imprinted in their consciences and they themselues bee ryghtly nurrished with it That is the cause why I sayd that before wee speake it behoueth vs to haue considered well what we haue seene afore that is too say too haue examined well our selues too haue bene diligent in serching how wretched wee be and too

to drown theÌ„ in the deepe of hell bicause they could not make their profit of it Neuerthelesse the holy ghost prouoketh vs to receue the exhortacion that is made vnto vs here VVherfore let vs fight against the pride and hypocrisie that are in vs For they be the two things which keepe vs from humbling of ourselues before God and from confessing of our faults before men Hypocrisie maketh vs to labour coÌ„tinually to cloke our sinnes to preteÌ„d to giue ourselues vnto goodnesse when in the meane whyle our hart is farre from it and we go the cleane contrary way And againe pride maketh vs to desire always to be in good reputacion Alas we seke to be esteemed among men or at leastwise to kepe ourselues from reproche and although we know our owne sinnes yet are we loth to be told of theÌ„ and in the meane whyle behold our condemnacion increaseth and doubleth before God and his Angels And therfore let vs learne too tame this pride vntill it be fully subdewed so as wee may come to our God with all humilitie and not only coÌ„fesse our wretchednesse before him but also indeuer too edifie our neighbours If a maÌ„ demand for what cause we shuld speake so before men there are two reasons The one is that God might bee knowne too bee only righteouse as I haue sayd and that his grace might appeare and shyne forth Although God could forbeare our confession yet notwithstanding hee will haue it openly and manyfestly knowne that we are in his det And we see it is impossible to knowe his goodnesse towards vs if wee be not vtterly cast downe and euen at the point of dispaire Thus ye see the first reason why wee ought too confesse before our neighbours the goodnesse that we haue felt at Gods haÌ„d in that hee hath deliuered vs froÌ„ death and froÌ„ the destruction wherin we were plunged Also there is a second reson which is that other men should be edified by our example I haue bin exercised in affliction and God hath bin so gratiouse to deliuer mee out of it It is good that other should knowe of it that when God shal afflict them they may think with themselues behold Gods hand is vpon me and he summoneth me And why For I was as it were drunckeÌ„ in my sinnes I was as a stray beast and now I see that he intendeth to drawe me home and to set mee into the waye of saluation again Therfore it is good that men should be warned of Gods working which wee haue felt in our selues according as we see in very deede that the confessions whiche the faithfull haue made in tymes past do serue at this daye for our learning If wee had not the example of Dauid in the greate numbers of afflictioÌ„s which hee felt and ouercame As soone as wee felt any small aduersitie wee should forthwith bee at the point of dispayre But when wee see that the issewe was good and profitable vnto Dauid and that he confesseth it too haue bin a necessarie thing for him too bee so afflicted and chastized at Gods hand wee also doo trust in God and flee vnto him assuring our selues that it is his office too raise men out of the graue when hee hath cast them into it So then when wee confesse our sinnes and report how God hath visited vs with rigor for a time and afterward quickned vs againe it serueth to instruct our neighbours that they may not bee nouices nor thinke it straunge when God shall visit them in their turne and that as I haue sayd they may know themselues to be wretched sinners and seeke the remedie of it by putting their trust in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and be more and more stirred vp too serue and honor him when they shal haue felt his goodnes and grace by experieÌ„ce in that he hath receyued them so to mercy Thus ye see that the thing which is shewed here is not vnprofitable For a huÌ„dred are edified and instructed by the example of one maÌ„ And therfore let vs learne to put away retchlesnesse wheÌ„ our Lord shall haue shewed vs any fauour so as wee may magnifie his goodnesse before men and the same may bee preached with one common accord And afterward it is said for a conclusion he hath deliuered my soule from the pit and my life from entring into the graue Truely this cannot bee throughly dispatched as now but it must suffize vs to haue a short abridgement of it as neede requireth for the ioyning of this parte too that with I haue declared already Discourse hath bin made of the coÌ„fessing of sinnes how meÌ„ ought not to be ashamed to coÌ„demne theÌ„selues that afterward it behoueth theÌ„ immediatly to adde the praise of God in that they haue knowne his goodnesse And therfore it is said I haue sinned I haue turned away froÌ„ goodnesse yea and It hath not booted me at all But my God hath drawne me out of the pit TheÌ„ assone as the holy ghost hath taught vs to acknowledge our wretchednes to be ashamed of it he will haue vs immediatly to preache gods mercy according as we haue felt it how he suffred vs not to perish as we must needs haue don if he had not helped vs And let vs marke wel how it is sayd here vnto sinners that it shal not boote theÌ„ to resist their maker Then what shal we gaine when we hyde our sinnes and thinke not vpoÌ„ theÌ„ but rather nourish them by fond selfelyking Alas alas it is alwayes too our greater destruction But when God discouereth our iniquities and maketh vs too feele them theÌ„ doth he procure our profit For therein he prouoketh vs too resort vnto him Thus ye see the first point that we haue to marke in this streyne and further lette vs marke also that when God shaketh vs off and layeth our wickednesse too our charge there is no remedy but wee must be forlorne vntill our God be pitifull to vs and receyue vs too mercie And therfore whensoeuer God forgiueth our sinnes it is all one as if he raysed vs froÌ„ death so as wee must conclude that when wee be so reconciled vntoo God then hath hee wrought a resurrection in vs. VVe were dead and there was no hope of lyfe in respect of our selues and he reacheth out his hand to make vs alyue agayne and too drawe vs vnto him So then lette vs learne to magnify the grace of the forgiuenesse of sinnes acknowledging that God doth rayse vs to life as often as it pleaseth him to receyue vs to mercy And forasmuch as we see that Satan ceasseth not to thrust vs from so great a benefite let vs be so much the more inflamed and prouoked to exalt it highly as it deserueth Now lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgemente of our sinnes praying him so to exercise vs in his iudgementes in the knowledge of our

and fall downe and serue them whiche the Lorde thy GOD hath distributed to all people vnder the whole heauen 593. b 26. 745. a 13. 24. God is a consuming fire 395. a 30. 643. a 28. 6. 5. Thou shalt loue thy GOD vvith all thy hart soule and vnderstanding 570. b 40. 10. GOD hath promised to Israell to make them dvvell in houses whiche they haue not builded 388. a 46. 8. 3. Man lyueth not by breade onely but by euery woorde that proceedeth out of the mouth of god 347. a 54. 3. God hath fedde his people of Israell in the Desert vvith Manna to geeue vs knovvledge that man liueth not by bread onely but by all that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. 385. a 13. 10. 17. GOD accepteth no persons nor taketh no gyftes 673. a 20. 12. 7. You shall eate before God and you shall reioyce 376. a 42. 7. They that feare GOD shall eate and reioice before him 448. b 46. 7. You shall reioyce in all that in the which God hath blessed you 509. b 55. 7. Thou shalt reioyce in the presence of thy God 510. a 30. 7. Thou shalt reioyce before the the Lorde thy God eating and drinking 592. a 40. 18. Thou shalt reioyce before God in al that thou puttest thy hand too 509. b 58. 32. All that God commaundeth vs we ought to doe without putting any thing there too or taking ought there from 327. a 25. 15. 9. Bevvare that there bee not a wicked thought in thine hart to say the seauenth yeare the yeare of freedome is at hande and that thine eye bee not euill against thy brother to giue him nought then I will heare his crye 468. a 28. 16. 19. Rewardes blinde the eyes of the wise and peruert the woordes of the iust 315. b 52. 18. 11 Thou shalt not goe to witches and inchaunters or that councelleth vvith famyliar spirites nor aske counsell at the deade 624 a 54. 18. God will rayse vp a Prophet from amongst vs 624. a 59 24. 12. 13. If it bee a poore body thou shalt not sleepe vvith his pledge but shalt restore him his pledge when the Sunne goeth downe that hee may sleepe in his rayment 431. a 45. 15. Thou shalt not defraude the hirelinge of his wages leste hee crye agaynste thee 468. a 25. 17. Thou shalt not take the wydovves rayment to pledge 431. a 35. 27. 16. Cursed bee hee that Curseth his Father and moother 204. a 30. 15. Cursed be the man that shall make any carued or molten Image vvhiche is abhomination vnto the Lorde 26. Cursed bee hee that cofirmeth not all the vvordes of this law to doe them 26. Cursed be hee that hath not fulfilled all the law 261. a 2. 28. 1. If Israell doe the will of God he vvill set him vp on high aboue all the nations of the earth 447. a 15. 2. If Israell dooe the will of GOD hee shall bee fylled wyth all maner of blessinges 447. a 16. 4. The fruite of thy bodie shal be blessed and the fruit of thy ground and the fruite of thy cattell 417. b 3. 229. a 45. 10. All people of the earth shall see that the name of the LORDE is called vppon ouer the godly and they shall feare him 11. God maketh the Godly to abounde in riches and in the fruite of his body 351. a 59. 15. 18. If Israell vvill not obey the voyce of the Lorde Cursed shall bee the fruite of his body the fruite of his Lande the fruite of his kyne and sheepe 15. VVhosoeuer obeyeth not the voyce of the Lorde shall bee afflicted after diuers sortes 606. b 2â— 22. The LORDE will smite the trensgressours of the Lavve with the swoorde and will pursue him till hee make him peryshe 230. a 29. 23. The heauen that shall bee ouer thy heade shall bee brasse and the earth that is vnder thee shall bee of Iron 240. b 46. 744. b 49. 25. The Lorde shall cause the transgressour of the Law to fall before his enemies 230. a 11 30. The rebels shall plant the vineyardes but they shall gather no grapes 349. a 56. 471. a 28. 33. People vnknowen shall eate the fruite of the earthe of the wicked and all his labours 306. a 36. 38. 39. 40. Thou shalt sowe and gather lyttle thou shalt plant a Vineyarde and shalt not drinke of the wyne thou shalt haue Oliue trees but shalt not anointe thy selfe vvith the oyle 471. a 26. 48. The transgressour of the Lawe shall serue his enemie vvhich the Lorde shall sende vppon him 230. a 14. 49. The LORD shall rayse against the transgressours of the law a people from a farre euen from the endes of the earth flying swift as an Eagle 230 a 24. 65. GOD vvill giue a trembling heart vnto the transgressours of the Lavve and dazeling eyes and a sorrovvfull minde 230. a 14. 66. 67. Thy lyfe shall hange beefore thee and thou shalt feare both night and day and haue none assuraunce of thy lyfe Thou shalt saye in the morning would to God it were eueninge and at eueninge thou shalt saye woulde GOD it were morning for the feare of thine heart which thou shalt feare and for the sight of thine eys which thou shalt see 111. b 5. 66. 67. Thy lyfe shall hang before thee thou shalt say in the morning would GOD it were euening 111. b 5. 29. 4. The Lorde hath not giuen you an hart to perceiue eyes to see and cares to heare vnto this day 335. a 11. 29. The secrets of the Lorde are not reuealed vnto vs for to doe aii the words of this law 772. a 33. 30. 6. The Lorde will circumcise thine hart and the hart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lord with all thine hart and with all thy soule that thou mayest liue 225. a 15. 12. VVho shall goe beyonde the sea who shal goe vp to heauen who shall goe dovvne into the deepe to bring vs the worde that is very nere vs. 221. a 46. 527. a 28. 19. I call heauen and earth to record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing therfore chuse life that thou mayest liue 685. a 39. 32. 2. My doctrine shall droppe as the raine my woorde shall distill as doth the devv 551. a 48. 10. GOD keepeth his people as the apple of his eye 182. b 56. 11. The Eagle fluttereth ouer her byrdes stretcheth out her winges taketh them and beareth them on her winges 146. b 42. 15. He that should haue ben vpight vvaxed fat and hath spurned 441. a 50. 22. The fyre is kindled in my wrath and shall burne vnto the bottom of hell and shall consume the earth with her incrase set on fire the soundations of the mountaynes 5â—â— a 23. 34. Althings are shut vp in gods Cofers 208. a 22. 323 b 8. 34. Is not this layd in store wyth me sealed vp among my treasures 581. a 45.

God through Iesus Christ our Lorde 53. b 38. 64. a 19 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ 290. a 31. 8. 7. The wisdome of the fleshe is enmitie against God. 40. b 60. 43. a 36. 204. b 3. 253. b 33. 293. a 30. 685 a 17. 10. If Christ be in you the body is dead bicause of sinne but the spirit is life for rightuousnesse sake 19. b 38 84. b 34. 10. 11. And if Christ be in you the body is dead bicause of sin but the spirite is life for rightuousnesse sake which shall quicken our mortal bodies 360. b 50. 15. Ye haue receyued the spirite of Adoption 17. a 25. 351. a 50. 17. If vve suffer with him we shall be glorified with him 185. b 17. 584. b. 10. 18. The heauenly glorie shall bee shevved vnto vs. 185. b 17. 24. 25. VVe are saued by hope but hope that is seene is no hope for hovv can a man hope for that which he seeth But we hope for that we see not wee do with pacience abide 60 b 23. 368. b 57. 26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for vve know not to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with sighes which can not be expressed 116. b 30. 177. b 23. 651. a 56. 28. All things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen too them that are called of his purpose 108. a 21. 29. Those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his soÌ„ne 43. b 47. 819 b 11. 31. If God be on our side who can be against vs. 456. b 1. 33. It is God that iustifieth 333. b 35 35. VVho shal separate vs from the loue of Christe shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famin or nakednes or peril or svvord 111. b 38 36. In all things we are more than conquerors through him that loued vs. 29. a 6. 38. 39. I am assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges too come nor heigth nor depthe nor any other creature shall be able to separate froÌ„ the loue of God which is Iesus Christ our Lord. 111. b 38. 211. b 30. 9 3. I would wish my selfe to bee separated from Christe for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the flesh 59. a 58. 15. I will haue mercie on him to whom I will shewe mercie 689. b 34 20. VVho art thou vvhich pleadest against God 343. a 54. 755. b 25. 22. 23. God will she we his wratâ— in vesselles of wrath ordeined to destruction and shevv his glorie in vessels of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorie 706. b 53. 10. 10. VVith the hart man beleeueth vnto rightuousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation 460. b 50. 655. a 56. 12. God is rich vnto all that cal on him 596 b 56. 13. VVho so euer shall call on the name Lorde shal be saued 225. b 44. 356. b 47. 17. Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 661. b 22. 810. a 3 11 8. God giueth eyes not to see and eares not to heare those which feare not him 810. b 16. 33. O the depnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God hovv vnsearchable are his iudgements 206. b 34. 151. a 38. 637. b 23. 34. VVho hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who vvas his counseller 525. a 3. 35. VVho hath giuen vntoo God first and hee shall be recompensed 803. a 38. 12. 3. That no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand 403. b 31. 8. He that sheweth mercie let him do it with cheerefulnesse 585. b 34. 15. Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe 124. a 60. 442. b 53. 568. a 16. 16. Make your selues equall too them of the lower sorte bee not wise in your selues 377. a 55. 557. a 40 677. a 13. 17. Procure thinges honest in the sight of all men 603. b 42. 20. If thine enemie hunger feede him If hee thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heap coles of fire on his head 600. a 42. 13. All powers are ordeined of God. 675. a 20. 9. Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe 319. b 42. 14. 8. VVhether we liue or die wee are the Lordes 290. b 37. 10. VVe shall all appeere before the iudgement seate of Christ 731. a 17. 365. b 11. 400. b 57. 569. a 30. 680. a 55. 679. a 6. 11. I liue saith the Lord and euerie knee shall bow to me and all tongs shall giue praise vnto God. 731. a 14. 17. The kingdome of heauen is spirituall peace 303. a 29. 19. Let vs followe those thinges which concern to edificatioÌ„ 293. a 4 15. 2. Let euery man please his neighbor in that is good to edification 293. a 4. 4. VVhat soeuer things are vvritteÌ„ afore time are written for our learning that we through pacience and comforte of the scriptures might haue hope 28. b 22. 106. a 22. 16. That I should be the minister of Iesus Christ towards the gentiles ministring the Gospell of God that the offering vp of the gentiles might be acceptable 741. a 30. 16. 21. Timotheus my companion and Lucius and â—ason and Sosipater my kinsmen salute you 618. b 39. 1. Corinthians 18. THE preaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse 619. b 29. 19. I will destroy the wisdome of the wise â–ª and will cast avvay the vnderstanding of the prudent 620. b 29. 755. b. 7. 21. For seing the world by wisdome knewe not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleue 335. b 8. 2. 4. 5. The word of God is not in entencing speach of mans wisdome but in plaine euidence of the spirit that our faith should not bee in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 531. a 46. 9. The things which eye hath not seen neither eare hath hard neither came into mans hart are which god hath prepared for them that loue him 742. b 17. 808. b 10. 10. 11. 12. God hath reueled his secrets vnto vs by his spirit for the spirit searcheth al things yea the deepe things of God and hee is giuen vnto vs to knowe those things which are giuen vs of God. 296. a 55. 742. b 48. 810. a 6. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vntoo him 808. b 8. 619. b 29. 3. 6. I haue plaÌ„ted Apollo watred but God gaue the increase 810. a 10. 10. As a skilfull maister builder I haue laid the foundation 2. a 16. 18. 19. If any man seeme to be wise let him be a foole 223. a 17. 487. b 3. 522. a 5. 522 a 48. 619. b 37. 695. b. 25. 4. 4 5. I know nothing by my self yet I am not therby iustined but he that iudgeth

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 creatioÌ„ 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 grouÌ„d 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 natioÌ„s 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 vnderstaÌ„d 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 theÌ„ vp into his hands afterward Iobs childreÌ„ 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 heaueÌ„ tempests from the ayre on the other side Lo how this seruant of God is tormented in diuers sorts And it might augmeÌ„t 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 â–ª 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 endâ— 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 froÌ„ 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 â–ª VVe see howe God exercised his seruaunt Abraham after a straunge fashion vnaccustomed among men â–ª 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

matches to set vs the more on fire agaynste God in our afflictions we must not giue eare to him least he entrap vs and therefore that we must bethinke vs of this lesson a long time aforehand whiche serueth to gyue vs victorie against suche encounters And here we see wherefore it is sayd in Esay Say ye there is a reward for the rightuous That is to saye conclude you so with your selues VVhen you see all things so confounded as it may seeme that all order is turned vpside downe and that God fauoreth the wicked and hateth the godly or rather that Fortune beareth all the sway and that God is a sleepe in heauen and gouerneth no more the things here beneath yet must you alwayes assure your selues of this that the rightuous shall reape the frute of their labours So then it is true that there can not be a worse temptation than too thinke that wee lose our labour in seruing God and in praysing his name and in holding our selues vnder hym And therefore it behoueth vs to be fully perswaded that God will in no wise disappoint those that honour and serue him If we haue not this opinion it is impossible that euer we should haue the least desire that can bee in the world to giue our selues vnto god If wee imagin that God turneth his backe vpon vs that hee makes a sporte to see vs turmoyle so here below that hee shutteth hys eyes and that it is but lost time to walke in all carefulnes who is he that can bende himselfe to do well Now then forasmuch as it behoueth those that serue God and come neerest vntoo hym too bee fully resolued that hee rewardeth those that feare him we see that the woorst and deadliest temptation that Satan can trumpe in our way is when he beares vs in hand that we doo but lose tyme when wee praye vntoo God and make our recourse vntoo him And so much the more must wee be watchfull againste such temptations as we perceiue them to bee so wicked and daungerous Herewithall let vs beare in mynd that it behoueth vs to be ready fenced againste the greatest freendes that we haue The cace is so heere as I may yeeld nother to my wyfe nor to my neighbour simply no nor euen to him whome I trust best For our linking one with another must be such as wee alwayes haue regard of God and that the bond of our coÌ„cord and freÌ„dship proceede from him Also let vs remember that if a man haue a diuell in his house too disquiet him or if hee haue two or three so much the more neede hath hee too stande vpon his gard and it may in no wise serue to excuse them for setting themselues in a chafe against god For it declareth vnto vs that wee must gard our selues on all sydes And why so for Satan oure mortall enimie is ouerwilye he spieth on what side he may best enter and if there be any feeble place there will he make a breach And the easiest entrance that he hath into vs is by the loue that the husbande beareth too the wife and a singular freend vnto him that he trusteth Satan sees well ynough that we gyue way to such manner of persons and therefore he laboreth the more earnestly too serue hys owne turne by them against vs Yet must not this diminishe the frendships that are good and godly but the husband must pray God that he suffer not his wife to be as a firebronde of hell to kindle the fire of impacience or of distrust in him to prouoke him to blaspheme Also it behoueth the wife to pray God that hir husband may guide hir as is coÌ„uenient and be alwayes able to instructe hir aright as hir head and superioure And moreouer when God hath gyuen vs freends and acquaintance we must pray hym that they may serue all to hys honoure so as eche of vs maye further other in the way of saluation and not entice one another vnto wickednesse Thus we see what we haue to do in the firste poynte and consequently let vs aduise our selues well that euery one of them both wiues and husbands freends and kinsfolke may helpe vs to serue God and that wee our selues may ame alwayes at that marke specially wheÌ„ we see that God dwelleth in them and that he vseth them as his owne hands to guide vs withall But if a freend or a kinsman or a wife go about to driue vs to despaire then out of all peraduenture wee must renounce them all for God must bee preferred and our frendship must begin at him and leuell at him as at their true mark And this is it that we haue to marke in this streyne according also as Iob sheweth vs by his owne example saying Thou hast spoken lyke a foolish woman verely we haue receyued good at the hand of the Lord and shall wee not also receyue euill VVhen as Iob answereth that his wyfe hath spoken foolishly thereby we be admonished that we ought to reproue suche blasphemies sharply for asmuche as they bee spewed out by Satan For if we see a sword drawen against vs or a foyne cast at vs to wound vs vnto deathe what would we do in that behalfe would we suffer our selues to be slayne without making countenance of any thyng No but we would take heede to shift off the blowe or to ward it if we set any store by our life Euen so when Iob saw himselfe so persecuted of his owne wife and that she wente about not too worke him some harme in his body only but to sende him to the deepe pit of hell he resisted hir stoutly VVe see then with what corage we ought too proceede in suche cases and how it is no dalying with Satan seing we find him so furious an enemie nor no going to the matter as though we went to some light skirmishe that were easy to ouercome And furthermore Iob had also an eye to that which hath bene recyted heretofore For as I haue sayd if a man vpbrayd vs that it is but a vayn thing to trust in God true it is that the same doing troubleth vs and is ynough to quench our fayth and therewithall God is accused of misdealing and of mocking hys seruaÌ„ts and specially of vniustice all that is proper to him is plucked from him and he shall be no longer God except hee discerne good from euill to aduance those that serue him in soundnesse so as he may be iudge of the world and ready to heare them that resort to him for succoure If God be bereft of such vertues we see most certainly that both his glory and his Godhead and his being are quite abolished So then Iob could not beare with such blasphemies according also as it is sayd in the Psalme that the zeale of Gods house ought too bite our harts and to consume vs and that the reproch which men offer vnto him ought to rebound vpon vs so as it behoueth vs to be

to bee well vnderstoode VVee see howe the present afflictions blinde vs If it bee sommer and that wee bee ouerwhote for wee muste take theyr familiar examples it seemeth one of the paynefullest troubles that a man can indure specially if a man bee so ouerloden that hee faynt and bee not able to holde out any further hee woulde haue a froste that shoulde clyue the stones and hee thinkes hee shoulde bee well refreshed and that hee shoulde bee the more at his ease And if it bee winter wee will thinke that no heate can bee to greate for vs Lo howe the present passions cary vs away and this befalleth too all men Yet notwithstanding some are muche more tender and nyce to suffer aduersitie than other some bee Therefore according as eche mans nature and complexion is thereafter doth hee torment himselfe with the aduersitie that hee indureth and thereafter dothe hee martyr himselfe to the vttermoste For asmuche as wee see suche experiences wee knowe that men are caryed away by their affections in suche wise as they thinke vpon nothing but the thing that grieueth and tormenteth them And the same thing is to bee seene heere in Iob. For hee is so ouerpressed with his miserie that hee loâ—â—eth most vntoo that whiche shoulde befall him after his death and thinketh nothing at all of the seconde lyfe I saye hee thought nothing at all of it when he spake after that sorte at aduenture True it is that hee had the knowledge and beliefe of it printed in his harte but it lay as a couered fyre which is as it were choked with ashes And let vs not thinke it straunge that our euill and sinfull affections shoulde cause vs so to forgette the things that we knewe and were sure of afore For wee see howe good zeale hath had the same propertie both in Moyses and in sainct Paule VVhen Moyses desired God too bee striken out of the booke of lyfe to the ende that the people might bee saued wee see there a good and holy minde euen suche a one as God allowed of and yet was there somewhat too bee gainesayde in it Doth Moyses thinke that God can roote out his owne chozen Is God chaungeable in his purpose Moyses knewe well that God had chozen him and accepted him too bee one of his children Howe dothe hee then desyre to bee wyped out of the booke of lyfe It was as muche to saye as if hee had neuer bene reckened in the number of them that muste obteyne euerlasting lyfe Dothe hee demaunde it of God in waye of Hypocrisie No there is nothing that caryeth him away but his owne zealousnesse which is so feruent in him as hee passeth sor nothing but the welfare of the people that was committed vnto him For what a matter was it when hee hearde the sentence of condemnation that God woulde destroy all the children of Abraham If this offpriug that God hath chozen to himselfe bee so rooted out the couenant of God muste also needes bee abolyshed Lorde then rather lette me bee razed out of thy booke than too say that al this people heere shall perishe Moyses then was seazed with so greate an anguishe that hee forgat himselfe hee had no more regarde of himselfe neyther considered he that those whome God hath chozen muste of necessitie bee preserued euen too the ende This was gone from him for a little while and thus wee see why he desired to be wyped out of the booke of lyfe As much is to bee sayde of Sainct Paule I woulde wishe sayeth hee to bee cursed for my brethrens sake Howe so Sainct Paule knew himselfe too bee a member of our Lorde Iesus Christe and was sure that hee was an instrument purposely chozen too glorifie him and woulde hee nowe repeale the sayde grace woulde hee breake off the course of Gods determination when as hee knewe well that it is vnchaungeable No as hee himselfe declareth anone after Then was there some contrarietie in him Yea but no inconuenience came of that For as I sayde his zeale whiche is good and holy draue him and inflamed him in suche sorte as hee had no respect of his owne welfare for the present tyme but was desirous that God should fulfill his promise in the ofspring of Abraham to the intent that his name myght not bee blasphemed Nowe wee see by example that good affections doo sometimes as it were steppe asyde out of the way in Gods children and make them to forget that which is knowen and certayne vnto theÌ„ And sith the cace staÌ„deth so we must not thinke it straunge though Iob were so hardly distressed that hee was forced to speake like a harebrayne so as he maketh all men alike and equall when they bee deade and it should seeme by his saying that menne perishe and that there is none other lyfe after this His dealing thus is not for that he had not well coÌ„ceyued an other opinion in his minde and ingraued in his harte but hee speaketh as a man that raueth in a traunce For his griefe had so blinded him that hee was not his owne man but was become like the boyling sea wherein the waues iustle one agaynste another Then see wee a fayre lookingglasse whereby wee may perceyue that our affections are blinde bicause they folowe not reason too knowe the things that wee ought too bee moste certayne and fully resolued of in all the worlde For what shall become of vs if wee knowe not that wee are created to a better lyfe It were better for vs that wee were Asses Oxen. For the brute beastes inioy the present lyfe they feede they take theyr rest and they trauell without any greate feeling of it But men eate not one morsell of breade without care in the middes of their pleasures they haue a number of hartbytings of their owne besydes that they wante not anoyances at other mens handes for euery man for himselfe becommeth his owne hangman Therefore if wee haue no hope of the seconde lyfe what shall become of vs And truely our Lordes will is that the same shoulde abyde printed in the hartes of all menne according as wee see that although the Heathen men were become brutishe yet notwithstanding they retayned styll some knowledge of the seconde lyfe and of the immortalitie of the soule And as for those that knewe it not God hathe lefte some marke or other whereby too make them vnexcusable yea and it were but euen the toombes that they haue made too burie deadefolkes in Euen that is a recorde of the resurrection But heere wee see that Iob wiste nothing of all this VVhat shall wee saye then but as wee haue sayde alreadie that is too witte that when wee gyue heade to our affections they put out our eyes or else seele them vp so close as wee can see neuerawhit but speake off and on without any aduysed vnderstanding or staye of our talke Beholde wherevpon wee ought too muze But on the other side lette vs

marke the grace that was gyuen to Iob in that hee did not vtterly consent too this so raunging talke for that had bene a blaspheming of God but onely did lette slippe suche woordes at randon If a man had asked him by and by what sayest thou is there no difference betweene good men and badde dothe death make a finall ende of all thinges Thou speakest heere lyke an infidell that neuer knewe of God nor of Gods religion For God teacheth vs that after death there is a better lyfe than this and an euerlasting heritage which hee hath prepared for those that are his and for those whome hee hath chozen and as for the reprobates seeyng that they haue despyzed him during theyr lyfe they shall knowe him to bee their iudge If Iob had bene posed thus hee woulde haue confessed suche things yea euen vnfaynedly and yet for all that hee ceasseth not to ouershoote himselfe in the same things Also wee see that all the matter consisteth not in knowing but wee muste perseuer in the same knowledge to withstande temptations with it when they assayle vs For if we haue readde the holy Scripture if wee haue haunted sermons if we haue bene taught that which is requisite for a mans saluation and yet for all that bee negligent and bende not oure minde to bethinke vs of the things that wee haue hearde afore it is all one as if a man beeing well furnished with Corselet Murryon swoorde and Target shoulde hang them all vp vpon a spirget and suffer his armour to ruste and his swoorde to sticke faste to the scabberd when hee should come to haue neede of them Hee may well say I haue armour and weapon ready but what shall it boote him to looke vpon them yee see his furniture is vnprofitable bycause hee hath suffered it to ruste and moreouer hee shall not knowe howe to handle eyther swoorde or target at his neede Euen so standeth the case with vs VVee may well haue knowne the thing that is good and conuenient for our saluation and yet for all that when as wee thinke our selues too bee handsome and well appoynted men wee shall not haue the skill howe to applie all things to our behoofe but this knowledge of ours shall bee as it were rustie so as it shall not come to our remembrance when wee haue neede of it and when it might stande vs in beste steade Then see wee here a good lesson for vs which is that it is not ynough for vs to haue knowen the thing that God sheweth vs for our profit but wee muste also exercise it without ceassing and our remembrance muste bee refreshed to the intent wee may knowe which is the true vse of the holy Scripture For if that whiche is spoken of here befell vnto Iob who notwithstanding had earnestly minded the worde of God I meene not the word written but the woorde that God hath giuen him by aspiracion if he I say missed not to be besotted at his most neede what shall become of vs that are muche weaker than hee was And therefore lette vs beseeche this good God that if at any time for to make vs humble he suffer our owne infirmitie too ouerrule vs so as wee haue no suche power too warde Satans blowes as were requisite yet notwithstanding the same may bee crossed out of his reckening booke and not bee called to account Thus wee see what wee haue to do But will wee bee assoyled at Gods hande Then muste wee first condemne the faultes that wee perceyue in ourselues Furthermore as touching the state of the seconde lyfe the Scripture sheweth vs as muche as is expedient to bee knowen in this behalfe which is that it is true that when men are come to the ende of their race God draweth them backe from hence beneathe For this life is likened too a course or a race Therfore we haue made an ende of our race or iourney at death But yet for all that wee ceasse not eyther to bee in payne or else to bee in blissed ioye after that our soules are parted from our bodies Lo what wee haue too beare in minde As touching the paynes of this present lyfe as the care of eating and drinking of mainteyning oure selues in apparell and of keeping oure selues from harme taking as well by meanes of men as by meanes of beastes all this shall vtterly ceasse and yet in the meane while it is saide that the childreÌ„ of God are gathered vp into ioy True it is that as yet wee haue not the crowne that is promised vs and whiche is prepared for vs For the whole body of Iesus Christ muste bee made full and perfect togyther And heere wee see why it is sayde that our lyfe lyeth hidde in Christe vntill the tyme of his câ—mming But yet the faythfull resting in Abrahams bosome are already so farre foorth parttakers of the sayde ioy as they knowe that God is their father and that the truste whiche they haue had in him is not in vayne And specially wee muste marke howe Sainct Paule sayeth that as long as wee bee shutte vp within this mortall body wee walke in hope without any beholding or sight of the things that are promised vs for all those things are hid from vs but when wee bee parted out of the worlde wee see the thing that wee hoped for and the thing that was earst hid from vs is then shewed openly vnto vs VVe see then howe the faythfull that are departed out of this worlde are in ioy with God and do knowe that forasmuche as they bee Christes members they can not perishe yea and that they knowe it muche better and with a greater power than they had done during this present lyfe And as for the reprobates they are as condemned caytifs that wayte but for the houre of execution and torment For they be sure alreadie of coÌ„demnation And heere wee see why it is sayde that the diuelles are locked vp in darke prisons and bounde as it were in chaynes vntill they come to the sayde finall confusion whiche is prepared for them agaynste the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe Thus wee see what the Scripture dothe briefly shewe vs concerning the state of the seconde lyfe in wayting for the laste daye But it is spoken soberly vnto vs bycause wee bee too muche gyuen too fonde and curious questions And wee see that men loue better too bee inquisitiue what is done in Paradise than too knowe whiche is the waye too come thither Beholde God him selfe telleth vs saying Come to mee Hee sheweth vs how wee may come thither and wee passe not for it You woulde maruell to see howe colde we bee when it standeth vpon the poynt of going vnto him by the meanes that hee hath giuen vs and yet in the meane whyle wee bee buzie in demaunding what is done heere and what is doone there what is this and what is that VVee be desirous too knowe that whiche God hath hidden from vs for hee

will not haue vs too knowe ought as nowe but onely in parte And heere wee see why the holye Scripture vseth such a sobernesse It is bycause wee shoulde not couet too bee ouersuttle in these fonde questions but bee contented too knowe that whiche is for our profite Yet neuerthelesse it standeth vs in hande to bee well resolued in the sayde article that is to witte that in death there is not reste for all men True it is that all men yea euen the wicked also as I haue sayde shall bee discharged of the necessities of this present lyfe But in the meane season they fayle not to bee tormented feeling God too bee theyr iudge at whose hande they can looke for no mercy for they knowe that this confusion is throughly ready for them and that they shall bee plunged downe into hell Seeing I say that they are caste and repriued to that day they feele an vnquietnesse whiche passeth all the paynes and tormentes of this worlde It behoueth vs too knowe this to the intent that while wee lyue here belowe wee may pray God to guyde vs with his holy spirite that wee may not couer any vnlawfull thing wayting continually tyll hee accomplishe his promise in gathering vs all togyther into his heauenly kingdome Lo what wee haue to beare in minde And as touching the reste although Iobs talk was out of square as I haue said alredy yet notwithstanding wee may gather some good and profitable lesson of it Howe so VVhen hee sayeth that Kinges and Princes doo buylde vp desert places hee sheweth the foolishe vaynegloriousnesse that is in worldelings and in suche as woulde make themselues renoumed heere VVhen men deuise practyze and consulte of buylding houses and palaces wee knowe that commonly there is excesse VVheÌ„ they proceede according to the order of nature and say very vell it is Gods wyll that wee shoulde lodge heere belowe and therevpon doe buylde themselues houses to dwell in according to theyr articles it is a very good lyne that they drawe by But they that meane too magnifie themselues in the worlde content not themselues with that but wil printe an euerlastingnesse of their names in their palaces and castelles and they wyll haue them to bee seene a farre off VVho buylded suche a place it was yonder Prince Thus yee see the vayne gloriousnesse that passeth beyonde the order of nature And that was it that Iob mente too gyue inkling of As if hee had sayde men that lyue vpon earth are prycked with muche care in such wyse as they take muche payne and fayle not to heaue out one another For they bee so prycked with theyr owne lustes that they wage battell agaynste nature For what meaneth this their buylding in desertes It is too make buyldinges that are as it were incredible that when a man commeth too the place hee maye take vp hys hande and blisse him saying Howe is it posible too haue buylded in this place For if a situation bee conuenient and easie to buylde vpon and a man see some fayre buylding vpon it very well it shall be thought no strange matter and it will bee mockt at by some maner of quippe But if a man see a place that is as it were vnapprochable and some other take vpon him to say I wyll make it a place of estimation then beholde the desert is buylded vp Beholde it is made as a new worlde Suche maner of men meene as it were to stomake agaynste god For they purpose too reforme the worlde and the order that God hath set in it they wyll haue it seene that nothing shall let them of theyr purpose And whereas God hath sette barres before them to say you muste go no further they leape quite ouer them Lo what vainegloriousnesse is in many men and this is the thing that Iob mente too betoken heere Also as I sayde his woordes are farre out of square but howsoeuer the case standeth a man maye yet gather some good lesson of them Moreouer when hee addeth That the seruaunt is set free from his mayster and that the poore and the riche are all one it is to shewe vs that men muste not glorie in theyr present greatenesse according as sainct Paule speaketh of principalities wherein hee speaketh as Dauid dothe For thus hee sayeth in the Psalme I haue sayde ye are Gods. VVhich is as muche to say that Princes and suche as are in authoritie are Gods liâ—â—etenants and haue preheminence aboue the reste of the worlde as thoughe God had priuiledged them But what for that yet are yee mortall men and shall dye as men and so assure your selues Thus wee see that they whiche are aduaunced to hyghe estate oughte not to dazle mens eyes but rather acknowledge theyr owne frayle state and that for asmuche as the worlde and the shape thereof passeth away theyr riches theyr credite and their honor shall come to nought Therefore let them not besot them selues But let them continually thinke vpon death and let those that haue seruauntes and subiectes vnder them thinke thus with themselues we muste come to account wee haue one in heauen who is maister of vs all as sainct Paule sayeth there will be no accepting of persons there shall bee no more bondage or mastershippe for men too alleage before god True it is that the earthly policie and also the state of Magistrates is ordeyned of god But all this concerneth the worlde and worldely things whiche shall take an ende And therefore muste these things bee transitorie also Then let vs all take heede that wee holde our selues in lowlynesse and modestie and that wee attempt not any thing whiche God hath not giuen vs libertie to doe But nowe let vs returne to the matter that wee beganne withall that is too wit that Iobs talke ceassed not too bee outrageous and excessiue and without any measure and that if hee hadde consented vnto it it had beene horrible blasphemie But the case so standeth that forasmuche as he had not suche a strength in him selfe as to bee able too master himselfe hee was attaynted with many euill faultes as men muste needes feele in the encountering that they haue alwayes infirmities in theyr fleshe And furthermore wee see heere howe Iob speaketh of little babes For whereas hee sayeth As an vntimely byrthe it is as muche as if hee ment too tell vs that when God putteth an humane creature into the mothers wombe it hath no soule But contrarily wee knowe that when the creature is conceyued in the mothers wombe God breatheth a soule into it and it is certayne that it hathe in it the seede of lyfe And so Iob sheweth himselfe not too bee well ynough settled in his wittes to consider of Gods workes and too iudge rightly of them too discerne betweene blacke and whyte but is altogyther strayght And whereof commeth that Euen of the hardinesse of his passions as I haue sayde VVee see heere as it were a tempeste or storme that maketh

there is cause why we ought to marke this lesson the better And nowe Eliphas addeth Consider if euer anye rightuous man haue perished Marke if the right dealing men haue beene rooted out Eliphas as I haue sayde alreadie taketh heere a good sentence so as the reasons which he bringeth heere against Iob are good and holy notwithstanding that the case bee euill And surely the principles that are set down here are drawne out of Gods pure truth By reason whereof it is as much as if the holy Ghost had pronounced this saying That neuer any rightuous man had yet perished and that neuer any right dealing man had bene destroyed Neither could any suche thing happen VVhy so For God hathe promised to haue a care of the rightuous as it is saide The eyes of the Lorde are vpon the rightuous and his eares are open to their prayers to heare them and to succour them at their neede The Scripture is full of this matter that is to wit that Gods hande is stretched out to preserue the rightuous which call vpon him and put their trust in him For needes must the Diuell haue bene stronger than God if the rightuous might haue perished and therefore let vs alwayes haue recourse to this sentence of Iesus Christe The father who hath put you into my handes is stronger than all His meaning is that our welfare shall neuer be in hazarde for so muche as God taketh vs into his keeping VVherefore for he will spread out his power vs to mainteine vs Therefore let vs conclude that our welfare is in good suretie when God hath once taken charge of it And so it is a sure doctrine that the righteous can not perishe nor the right dealing men be rooted out But there is great difference perishing and afflicting for punishments and afflictions serue not alwayes to destroy men as I haue declared partly already Yet may the affliction be so grieuous somtimes as it will seeme that they be deadly VVhat is to be done then we must conclude according as I haue shewed here before that for so much as God chalendgeth it to be his office to pull men out of their graues we need not doubt but that we shall be succored by him when wee haue endured for a time VVe see then that Eliphas misapplieth his matter as thoughe Iob were perished alreadie and that God had forsaken him vtterly without any remedy But it is not so True it is that he was a poore man altogither disfigured irksome to beholde and a spectacle that might shew the wrath of God but yet did not God ceasse to loue him as we may see and as experience sheweth at the ende Eliphas therefore is preuented with a dread which maketh him to misdeeme in so muche that hee leaueth no more roome for Gods mercy and â—meere goodnesse Lo wherein he ouershot himselfe Also when we see a maÌ„ in such miserable plight that he seemeth to be vtterly fordone and that there is no more hope of his recouerie let vs learne let vs learne I saye to magnifie Gods goodnesse and to hope that hee can yet still remedie the mischiefes that seeme incurable True it is that to mannes expectation all may be fordone but God hath meanes which are incomprehensible to vs whereby to succoure his seruantes when hee listeth to shewe himselfe pitifull towardes them Let vs tarie his leysure till hee shewe vs the ende and in the meane while let vs suspende oure iudgements least we be iudged to be ouer hastie and rashe Thus wee see what wee haue to marke namely that wee must acknowledge the power of God to be so great as he is able to succour those that are as it were ouerthrowne and that he is able to quicken them againe although they were already dead But we must not applye this doctrine only to our neighbors we must also practise it ech one of vs in himself And wherefore For when God sendeth vs many great troubles and by and by wee conceiue that which is spoken here of Iob we neede no Eliphas to vexe vs to beare vs in hand that we be past recouerie Ther is none of vs al that hath not the seed of harburning in him selfe to trouble to martyr himself in his afflictions yea euen to driue vs into despaire Our owne nature affordeth vs that So then when God scourgeth vs we he troubled with such an imagination at this Howe nowe God hath promised to succour such as are his and thou pinest away here yea euen with extremitie Thou callest vpon God hee answereth thee not VVhere are his promises Thou seest well inough hee hath shaken thee off and therefore there is no cause why thou shouldest anye more thinke that he accounteth thee for any of his For if thou were it is highe time for him to looke vpon thee and to pitie thee nowe or neuer But he shetteth his eyes and makes as though hee sawe thee not and therefore thou seest he hathe vtterly forsaken thee Beholde the temptations wherevnto we be subiecte and which steppe before vs to driue vs vtterly into dispaire So muche the more then haue we neede to be fensed against such a conflict And after what maner It is as I haue sayd that when any mans mynde casteth such temptations before him hee must answere and say It is true that neuer rightuous man yet perished it is true that the right dealing men can not be roted out but what is this perishing it is more than to bee onely afflicted And wherefore For the holy Scripture telleth vs that God rayseth vp the dead that hee gyueth courage to such as are vtterly dismayed and that he recouereth suche as are wounded to death VVhen the Scripture sayth so is it not to shew that God vttereth his working towardes all that are afflicted Yes for when it is sayde you that are deade you that are alreadie rotten lift vp your selues receiue yee full liuelynesse and flourish yee as fresh herbes To whom is it that Esay speaketh It is to the faythfull The faithfull then must sometimes become lyke rotten carkesses that God maye gyue them liuelynesse againe For as wee see the hearbes to become greene in the springtime which were as good as deade in the winter euen so muste God worke in vs There bee many other sentences which tend vnto the self same end So then wee perceiue that God preserueth not his seruauntes as one that meaneth to make them Cokneys but as hee that myndeth to take them out of their graues and to mainteine them after a wonderful fashyon to the intent they may knowe howe it is hee to whom it belongeth to haue dominion ouer death and to giue life And therefore we haue a warrant that the issues of death are in Gods hande Beholde heere a notable promisse VVhen Dauid intendeth to shewe vs howe it is God that guydeth vs hee sayth that the issues or outgoings of death belong vnto him And why is that

our lord Iesus Christ and for the loue that hee hath shewed vs in him in that he spared him not but deliuered him to death for vs that he may make vs so to feele the frute effectualnesse which he hath purchased vs by his death passion as in the ende we may bee receyued as righteous and giltlesse by God his father That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but also c. The seuententh Sermon which is the fourth vpon the fourth Chapter and the firste vpon the fift Chapter This Sermon conteyneth still the exposition of the xviij and xix verses of the fourth Chapter and then as followeth 20 From morning to Euening they bee destroyed and bicause no man setteth his minde vpon it they perish for euer 21 Doth not their excellencie go avvay vvith them they shall perishe but not in vvisedome Nowe followeth the fifte Chapter 1 CAll novv if there be any to aunsvvere thee and consider any one of the Sainctes 2 Doubtlesse Anger sleaeth the foole and enuie killeth the vvitlesse person WE haue seene already wherevnto this talketendeth that is to witte to humble men bycause they be farre from the perfection of the Angels And sith the case staÌ„deth so that if God listeth to iudge his Angelles with rigor hee shoulde finde sault ynough in theÌ„ what theÌ„ should become of theÌ„ which are so vnable to say any thing for themselues as they haue nothing in theÌ„ but vanity Neuertheles it might seeme that that which is rehersed here was not sufficieÌ„t to proue the intent of Eliphas For albeit that meÌ„ be feeble and albeit that their life be nothing yet doth it not therfore follow that they bee either sinners or faultie before god For they be seueral things to say our life is traÌ„sitory vanisheth away euery minute of an houre to say that God may coÌ„demne vs But if all things be well coÌ„sidered the reasons that are here alleaged are fitte for the purpose For the case staÌ„deth not simply vpoÌ„ mens frailtie as in respect of their bodies but vpoÌ„ theyr dwelling here in this corruptible flesh that they be so earthly as they thinke not on themselues although they haue death coÌ„tinually before their eies Also wee must marke the comparison in such maner forme as it is set down here betweene the Angels mortall men VVe see the Angels are nere vnto God and beholde his glory are wholy giuen to his seruice yet for all that there is no stedfastnesse in theÌ„ further than they be vphilde by the grace of God They might fade and vanish away of theÌ„selues were it not that God of his meere goodnesse mainteyned them But now let vs come to men VVhere dwell they They bee farre inough off froÌ„ the said heaueÌ„ly glory they are here in the sayd transitory lodging for what else are our bodies TheÌ„ are we to speake properly in our graues For our bodies are prisons as darke to hinder vs from the beholding of God as if wee were alreadie vnder the earth VVhat is our foundation duste and yet wee consider our selues neuer the more how that wee continually go into decay and that death threatneth vs incessantly we consider not this a whitte Therefore wee neede not too woonder though there be nothing else but infirmitie in men seeing that the Angels whiche are so neere vnto God haue not so exquisite a perfection but that God maye condemne them if he list to enter into iudgement with them Now we see that the argumeÌ„t whiche Eliphas vseth here is very fit and agreing to his purpose But nowe remayneth to wey the words that are touched here that we may aduatage our selues by them Truely when any man speaketh to vs of the shortnesse of our life we thinke it to be but a nedelesse talk for who is he that knowes it not But it is not for nought that God speaketh so oft of it and putteth vs in remembrance of it For had we throughly conceyued what our life is it is certayne that firste wee woulde not bee so worldly as wee bee neyther woulde oure thoughts bee so blockishe as they bee And secondly we would haue regarde of the heauenly kingdome and rest our selues wholly thervpon But we despise the heauenly life and are so intangled heere as wee cannot be drawne hence It foloweth then that none of vs knowe what the thing is which euery of vs confesseth that is to say that our life is but as a shadow that passeth away that a maÌ„ is but like a floure or a greene herbe which incontinently is cut downe and withereth To be short although the prouerbs that import the ouershortnesse of this worldly life haue alwayes bene rife ynough yet still are yet do they not peerce to the harts of vs And here wee see why we be warned to thinke vpon it the better Surely if wee could recken our yeares as Moyses speaketh of theÌ„ in the xc Psalme certesse we should be taught as well to thinke vpon death as also to tend to the marke that God calles vs to But what we wote not how to count theÌ„ vpon our fingers For behold our childhod is such that they which are in it differ little or nothing from brute beastes sauing that there is more incoÌ„brance trouble with them but as for vnderstanding or reason there is small or none in little ones And certesse draw we once neere maÌ„s estate our lustes are so ouerboyling as we caÌ„not be bridled Are we come to mans estate It passeth away out of hand anon old age attacheth vs so as there remaineth nothing to vs but to be weery of our life to put other folkes to trouble payne Now then if we wist how to recken the race of our life vpon our fingers certeynly wee shoulde not be such dullards as wee bee And therefore let vs not thinke wee lose our time when we set our mindes vpon this lesson that is to witte to knowe that our life is nothing and that a hundred thousand deathes manace vs in the cheefe lustinesse that we haue here below VVheÌ„ any of our kinsfolke or friends depart or if we see any Corse go to buriall we haue the wit to say And what is mans life If there be any greate death in a Towne or in a CouÌ„trey wee bee yet more mooued But all this is forgotten with vs by and by Therefore haue wee neede to exercise our selues in this doctrine all the tyme of oure life And thus wee see why the Scripture speaketh so vnto vs As concerning the present text it is sayd first of all That men dwell in houses of Clay and that their foundation is but duste That is to say if wee consider this present life by it selfe wherein coÌ„sisteth it In beeing inclosed within lodgings that tende but to corruption And what else are those but our bodies Behold then what our stedfastnesse is that is to witte that

euery whit of it goeth incontinently vnto dust we be consumed either by woormes or by winde that is too say wee bee dispatched as soone as a worme whiche is but a thing of nought and which wee scarce esteeme as a liuing creature yet are we consumed sooner than it Thus we see what is sayd vnto vs in the firste place Afterward Eliphas addeth That men perishe and are câ—nsumed from morning vnto euening Some expounde this as though it were ment that men perishe in small time that is verie true But herewithall there is yet more that is to wit that wee passe not a minute of our lyfe but it is as it were an approching vnto death If we coÌ„sider it well when a man riseth in the Morning he is sure he shall not steppe foorth one pace he is sure he shall not take his repaste hee is sure hee shall not turne about his hande but he shall still wex elder and elder and his life euer shortneth Then must we consider euen by eye sight that our life fleeteth slideth away from vs Thus we see what is ment by beeing coÌ„sumed from Morning to Euening And it is sayde afterward that men perish for euer bycause no man thinkes vpoÌ„ it VVe must treate of these two poynts that wee may profit our selues by this doctrine The one poyntis that whatsoeuer we do we should alwayes haue death before our eye and be prouoked to thinke vpon it This as I haue sayde is well knowne among men the verie Heathen had skill to say so But what for that Euery man can playe the Doctor in teaching other men that which is conteyned here yet in the meane while there is neuer a good scholler of vs all in this behalfe For there is not any man whiche sheweth by his dooings that euer he knew what it is to be consumed from Morning to Euening that is to wit that all his lustinesse is but seeblenesse and that there is no stedfastnesse in vs to holde our selues in one coÌ„tinuall state but that we alwaies hast toward death death towards vs so as we must needes come thither at legnth Verily if we had no more but this single doctrine alone It would stand vs in no steade but to make vs storme torment our selues like as wheÌ„ the Paynims knew that our life was so flightfull they coÌ„cluded thervpon that it was best neuer to be borne and that the sooner wee dyed the better it was for vs Lo how the Paynims reiected the grace of God bicause they knewe not the honour that he doth vs when he sendeth vs into this worlde euen to shewe himselfe a father towards vs For in asmuch as wee be reasonable creatures haue the image of God printed in oure naturâ— wee haue a record that he holdeth vs here as his childreÌ„ And to despise such a grace and to say it had bene better for vs neuer to haue bene created is it not apparant blasphemie So then it is not ynough for vs to know that so long as we bee in this world wee bee consumed euery minute of an houre But wee must come to the seconde poynt that is to wit that when we haue well behild how brittle our life is we muste also marke how wee bee repayred agayne by Gods grace specially how we be susteyned vphilde by the same according also as these two poynts are matched togither in the hundreth and fourth Psalme For it is sayde there that as soone as God withdraweth his spirite and woorking all goeth to decay Yea but the Prophete addeth also that if God spredde foorth his power all is renewed in this worlde and all things take their liuelinesse of him VVee see then what we haue to marke that is to wit that when wee know our selues to bee lesse than nothing and that we be so subiect vnto death as wee muste runne thither as ye would say spite of our teeth we must vnderstaÌ„d also that in this so greate weaknesse God holdeth vs by the hand so as we be vphild by his power and strengthned by his grate Behold wherein we haue to reioyce But the chiefe poynt is that we should haue an eye to the benefit good grace which God hath giuen vs aboue the order of nature in restoring vs by his worde as the Prophet Esay sayth All fleshe is but as grasse Verily man is greene florisheth for a while but he withereth by by VVheras the word of the Lorde indureth for euer yea not only to coÌ„tinue in heaueÌ„ but also to the end that by it we may haue euerlasting life and be redeemed out of the vniuersall corruption of this earthly life that God may dwell in vs make vs parttakers of his euerlastingnesse VVe see theÌ„ wherto we muste come to profit our selues by this lesson as we shall see yet once againe anon Furthermore forasmuch as we see our selues wanze away so fast that froÌ„ Morning to Euening we go coÌ„tinually to our decay therfore must we bee the busier to bestow the time wel that god giueth vs bicause it is so short God hath put vs into this world to keepe vs occupied in his seruice if we haue long time yet caÌ„ we not be to diligent nor earnest in dooing our dutie too discharge our seluâ—s wheÌ„ it shall come to the poynt to do God seruice both with our bodies our soules But forasmuchas we see that he needeth but to turne his hand and behold we be at the last cast ought we not to be much more earnester to runne according also as the Scripture exhorteth vs shewing vs that this life heere is but a race and therefore we may not go loyteringly but euery maÌ„ must chere vp himselfe pricke and spurre forward himselfe Thus wee see what wee had as yet to note vpon this sentence where it is sayde that men are coÌ„sumed away froÌ„ morning to night But now let vs come to that which Eliphas addeth He sayth That they perish for euer bicause no man thinketh vpon it A man might demaunde heere whether wee shun death when wee thinke not vpon it For in the nine and forty Psalme it is sayd that the wise men and fooles are gathered all into one herde So then it behoueth vs to vnderstand that all mankind is shet vp vnder this necessitie of dying And wherfore then is it sayde here that all perish for euer bicause none thinke of it Firste of all Eliphas ment to teaâ—he vs here that men do as it were wex beastly when they looke not to theÌ„selues For loke what he speaketh here wee must alwayes referre it to the present case Hee maketh it not his generall case to treate of that mans life is traÌ„sitorie without going any further but he intendeth to shew vs that for somuch as we bee poore silie creatures creeping here vpon the earth wee cannot attayne to the perfection of Angels nor yet come nere it So then whereas he sayeth

that all perish for euer bicause none thinke of it hee meeneth that men go on as brute beastes without iudgement without discretion without thinking vpon death any long time aforehand therefore are taken tardy On the other side hee purposeth to declare what men are of their owne nature were it not that God hath gathered them to himselfe and gouerned them by his holy spirite to the end they should take hede to this doctrine Behold the two poynts which wee haue to marke here And as touching the first It draweth nere to the text which we alleaged euen now out of the Prophet For there the Prophet mocketh the carelesnesse of men that make their account to dwell here below for euer notwithstanding that they ought well to perceyue what their life is that is to wit that in the turning of a hand ye shall see it broken off But no man thinks of that It should seeme that men take pleasure in beguiling and forgetting themselues they consider not their endes but they beare themselues in hande that they be as it were Idols Is not this a wilfull sotting of themselues in brutishnesse But the Prophet saith this folly is reproued that it is well knowen by experience that men deceyue theÌ„selues and throw themselues hedlong into destruction when they frame themselues such an immortalitie as to imagine that they shall dwell here for euer Thus we see a follie here whiche is conuinced euen by eyesight But yet sayth he so farre off are their posteritie froÌ„ wexing any whit the wizer by it that they be gathered thither in one flocke like sheepe the graue swalloweth them vp both greate and small and yet of all the while none of them thinkes vpon it See howe this geere relieth to the purpose of Eliphas So then let vs marke that the holye Ghost intendeth to do vs to vnderstand that forasmuche as wee bee so flyghtfull we ought to haue death alwayes before our eyes to the ende wee shoulde make hast thitherward and not be attached with fearefulnesse when it shall please God to take vs out of this worlde nor yet be amazed as wee see the moste part to bee who are striken with such an astonishmeÌ„t that they know not where they be Therfore if we bethinke vs a great while afore hande what our end shall be and vpon what condition we were created then shall we not perish like fooles without thinking vpon it But there is yet more that is to witte that we must haue a further foresight thaÌ„ to this matter onely if we will not perish for euer VVhy so For here is mention made but of men in their owne kinde Now it is certaine that if we haue not an eie to the renewment which God maketh by the power of his spirite wee must all of vs be consumed And for the better conceyuing heereof let vs take the helpe of that which is sayd in the hundred and second Psalme There to the intent that men should not ouerlike of themselues in their owne state nor brag of any lustinesse of their owne the Prophet giueth vs euen the very skies for an example Although wee see so hygh a maiesty in them as wee bee driuen into a maze with it yet notwithstanding euen those selfe same skies must grow olde and be chaunged and go into corruption as a garment doth And what then shall become of men Must not they needes bee much more frayle But in the meane season saith he the sonnes of Gods children shall continue If wee bee giuen to the feare of God wee shall haue a firme and well settled state Behold how the Prophet separateth Gods children from the common order of nature when they haue once the seede of life in them whereof Sainct Paule also speaketh in the eyght to the Romanes For see how hee comforteth vs forasmuche as we be loden with the burthen with the corruptible weight of the body wee haue sayeth hee the spirite of God which is the seede of our true life and by his power we shall one day bee fully restored And therefore let vs marke well that such as thinke vpon their frailtie as they ought to do after they haue knowen theÌ„selues to be nothing and that there is nought else but vanity and leasing in them shall not perish for altogither And why so For they seeke the remedy whiche God hath offered them which is that they shall bee gathered out of this bondage of death and be renued by God who hath chosen them to himselfe and make his power to flowe downe vpon them that they may drawe water out of that fountayne of lyfe VVee see then how suche as bethinke themselues both of this present life and of the ende thereof cannot be consumed for euer bycause God remedieth the wretched state wherein wee bee borne by nature and calleth them to himselfe This is it that we haue to gather of this sentence and this is it that I touched not long since that is to wit that wheÌ„ we haue singly perceyued that our life is nothing our so doing will not greatly boote vs VVhy so For it will but make vs dismayde But if we will take courage we must haue an eye to both the poynts that is to wit that when we see the necessitie that is in vs vntill we drawe nere vnto our God wee must mourne and not do as the worldlings doo who beeing drunken in theyr pompes pleasures or riches doo wittingly and willingly mocke and beguile themselues But as I haue sayde wee must cast away all these kinde of blindfoldings and open our eies and wheÌ„ we be come vnto our God haue acknowledged the miserable plight wherin we be we must assure our selues that God will reach out his hand vnto vs bicause he seeketh nothing else but to succour vs and to draw vs out of the darkenesse wherin we be by nature Thus we see what wee haue to marke in effect And immediatly after it is sayde That the exceliencie of men shall be taken away in them and that they shall perishe and not in wisedome True it is that it behoueth vs to be humbled by death that is to witte that God should bereue vs of all glory and that wee shoulde be brought as it were to nothing to the end we might know that al our stedfastnesse power proceedeth not froÌ„ else where than froÌ„ the free gooduesse of our God and to be short that we liue not in our selues but bicause it pleaseth God to haue vs too come neere vnto him that we should draw out of the fulnesse that is in him according as he hath giuen it vs in our Lord Iesus Christ For he is the fouÌ„taine that is opened vnto vs which God sheweth vs and whervnto he leadeth vs to the intent we may be filled therwith Then behoueth it vs to be brought to nothing in our owne nature yet therwithall to know that after that God hath once stripped 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

wee ought too put our selues in good readinesse to battell sith that God afflicteth vs and that we shal not feele any thing saue that we indure to the world warde but the chiefe is sithe wee knowe wee must come to a reckening before god For if hee make vs feele our sinnes by shewing himselfe a rigorous iudge beholde that is as it were the depthe of hell and the gulfes that are open to swallowe vs vp VVe must haue bethought vs of these things before hande that wee may know how to humble our selues that this conceit also doe not vtterly confounde vs And here yee see why Iob who was a man of such vertue and excellencie was notwithstanding so pressed And wherefore For by his example God meant to shewe howe it is no small matter to come before his Maiestie and before his iudgement seate to answere for our whole life Then let vs apply our selues to receiue the warnings whiche God giueth vs of our sinnes notwithstanding that we haue verie rough assaultes And let vs Leseech God to holde vs vp that putting our trust in the grace that is offered vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ we may not ceasse to continue and hold out to the end yea euen till he haue humbled vs as he knoweth to be needfull for vs And specially let vs marke well this circumstance VVhen I haue thought that my bed should giue me rest I founde a burning fire in talking to my selfe True it is that we may well hope that God will releeue vs but it is not for vs to appoint him either time or place that must be put ouer wholly to his good will. Then must wee not seeke our rest neither in our bed nor in any other thing but let vs cast vp our sighes vnto God that it may please him to refreshe vs of our sorrowes But by the way as I sayde it is a strange cace that Iob should feele himselfe so burned by talking to himself I haue told you howe this circumstance is well worthy to be marked For whereas men do commonly babble so muche in making their mone their talking of this and that doth but set them more on fire VVhat is the cause that wee ouershote our selues after suche sort in our passions It is bycause euerye of vs flingeth out at randon and deceyueth himself But Iob sayth here how it was contrariwise with him that is to say that he spake in himselfe How then VVhen a man shrinketh intoo himselfe and striueth too keepe himselfe from passing his boundes in wordes for feare of resisting God and represseth his affections is that an occasion to set him on fyre Yea surely sometimes according as it is sayd in the two and thirtie Psalme in such other texts But yet notwithstaÌ„ding it is not as much to say on the contrarie part that we should therefore bee lauishe of our wordes and complaintes to euery bodye to fynde ease of oure griefe and to quench the fire whereof mention is made heere but tather let vs enter into oure selues True it is that sometimes our passions kindle by talking so to oure selues but yet notwithstanding God will soone after do his office in quenching the fire that shal be kindled by him As for example looke vpon a poore man whome God scourgeth And why the man oftentimes knoweth not why and yet notwithstanding in the ende God will turne it too good But if the poore man continue still in his anguishe what shall hee doe Let him enter into himselfe Howe Let him say hath thy God forsaken thee Or else let him say loke well vpon thy selfe poore creature needs must thou haue offended God greeuously seeing hee executeth suche rigour vpon thee But in the ende the holie Ghoste will still make him to take holde to taste and to apply to his owne vse that the holie Scripture in speaking of the roughest assaultes doth neuerthelesse set forth to vs the infinite goodnesse of our God to the intent that in the middes of oure greatest afflictions wee should be assured that God will deliuer vs out of all our aduersities in time conuenient Yee see then howe Iob hath bene exercized But yet neuerthelesse hee presently protesteth that hee felte himselfe in the greater heate when he had mourned and muzed in himselfe And he ought to acknowledge Verie well my God I haue not yet inough true it is that my miserie is very great in respecte of my ablenesse to beare it but it must yet increase more Lo what Iob ought to haue considered and it had bene a point of true wisedome But seeing that hee did it not euen he which was of such a courage as a maÌ„ may see so much the more behoueth it vs to stand vpon our gard and to aduise oure selues well that we pleade not againste God when he afflicteth vs for seare least he put vs to such reproch as we shall not know where to become And hee sayeth that it is God that troubleth him in visions by night according as wee haue seene alreadie heertofore that hee had not to doo with men to feele paine in his bodie onely but that aboue all he was faine to abide temptations as if God were against him Herevpon hee concludeth that his soule had chosen the halter that is to say that he wished the miserablest death that could bee and that he had leuer be hanged than to be in suche case And howe so Those are the wordes of a man in despayre But let vs marke that Iob in speaking so sayth not that he had hilde himselfe there not that he had that purpose settled in him selfe but hee protesteth onely that in making comparison of his life with the worst death that could happen vnto him he was so dismayde with it for a time as hee loked no further asore him than to the feeling of the sorrowes that pinched him Herevpon then let vs consider that if God haue not spared his seruaÌ„t Iob it may fall out that we shall be tormented as he was True it is that God knowing what wee bee able to beare will not suffer the temptations to bee so greate as they haue bene in man who had receyued more strength of the holy Ghost than we but yet muste euery of vs be visited by the hande of God in such sorte that sometime our lyfe shall be more miserable than the death of him that is hanged I say wee must bee fayne to come therevnto and therefore it standeth vs in hand to be throughly in a redinesse But let vs learne to fence our selues with that whiche is shewed vs in the holy scripture namely that we shall haue matter of gladnesse ynough when wee shall haue increased and profited in Iesus Christ as well to death as to lyfe Are wee then ioyned to Iesus Christ Although oure lyfe bee more than miserable yet shall it turne to oure profite so as if we haue troubles in this world the same shall be as many helpes to our saluation

and to drie them vp VVee see all these things and we see not so much as one floure and this is a cutting vs off Beholde heere a kynd of death which lasteth not for a daye or twayne but for foure or fine moneths Neuerthelesse although the life of the trees be vnseene yet is their sap in their roote and in the hart of the wood Euen so is it with vs that our life also is hidden howe be it not in our selues For that were a poore kind of hiding There should need no great frost to sterue it vp nor great wet to marre it For we carrie fire and frost ynough in our selues to consume it But our life is hidden in God hee is the keeper of it and wee knowe that Iesus Christ is the partie from out of whome wee drawe all our life So then let vs content our selues with the sayde headdinesse True it is that if a man take vp a tree and purpose to set it againe hee had neede to make hast For if a tree tarrie anye long time aboue the grounde it will neuer take roote any more though it bee planted newe againe But God hathe an other manner of power than the laborers of the earth haue Neuerthelesse wee see sometimes that men are cunning and can well keepe a tree aliue for a time They will laye it in a shadie place where nother wynde nor sunne shall come at it to drye it so as the sappe shall alwayes bee kepte close in it men will fynde some meanes or other and although they cannot saue the liues of trees for euer yet will they helpe them in some sorte And let not vs thinke that when God listeth to keepe vs vnplanted a long time hee can not for all that preserue vs yea euen in such wise as it shall not be hard for him to make vs take roote newe againe when so euer it pleaseth him Yee see then what wee haue to beare in mynde And it is the thing wherein euery one of vs must exercise himselfe and giue his whole mynde to it that we may profite our selues by the similitude that is spoken of heere And for to conclude with and to confirme this matter it behoueth vs to marke well what is sayd here namely That God will neuer lend his hand to the wicked but contrariwise will put the enemies of good men to shame and haue pitie of th â–ª good men continually Verely if wee should put God to his stint to say that in respect of this present life hee should behaue himselfe in such sorte towardes vs as wee should alwayes bee blissed at his hande and continue alwayes in prosperitie this doctrine were false And also we haue recordes ynowe in the Scripture that God will not hold any such rule here as that they whose father and sauiour he is should liue at their ease and rest and in verie deede it were not expedient for vs As for example if in these days the good men were handled gentlie at Gods hande and had all things at their wish and desire and that the wicked were punished roughly where were the hoping for the latter daye wee should fall so sound asleepe in that cace as nothing should â–ª be more needefull than that our Lord Iesus Christ should appeate to iudge the world And why so Gods iudgementes should bee altogither apparaunt and there should be none other hope of saluation VVee see then that although God suffer things to bee confused in this worlde so as good folke are tormented to the vttermoste and wicked folke aduaunced in triumphe yet wee bee so drouzie and so dulheaded as wee can not bee moued to come vnto God and to consider what he sayth to vs namely that our life is hidden as yet and that wee muste tarrie till it bee reuealed by the comming of Iesus Christ VVee can not attaine to this consideration by no meanes no not although God prouoke vs and drawe vs to it as it were by force VVhat would we do then if God disposed mannes life in such wise as all were well ordered there and no man indured anye aduersitie but that men might say Behold how God aydeth the good therewithall shewing himselfe an enemie to the bad and that he can not beare with them nor suffer them It is certayne that wee would make our heauen heere and wee would conclude that it were a fondnesse to waite for the comming of Christ and that it were not to bee looked for So then wee see it is not for our profite that God should as nowe vphold vs after an ordinarie and vnpartiall maner to shew himselfe fauourable to the faithfull and to punishe the naughtipacks but rather that he should seeme to dissemble for a time when the wicked ouershoote themselues working him displeasure and nothing else but mocking him VVell it seemeth that God is a sleepe or rather that hee is not able too represse them the wycked muste ruffle it oute and haue the better hande for the tyme And on the contrarie when the good are troubled and tormented God muste not succoure them they muste syghe after him and crye vpon him and all this seemes to bee in vayne for if they were heard the effecte would shewe it It is good therefore that things should goe so And why If there were none other reason than I haue alledged alreadie were it not inough And here we must also rehearse other texts of Scripture as when it is sayd that our faythe is muche more precious than corruptible metalles so that if golde and syluer muste passe through the fyre too bee fyned from their drosse oure fayth muste also bee tryed so muche the more thorrowlye as it is more precious before god And howe shall this be done by afflictions Marke then what wee haue to note that we may fare the better for this texte which is that God lendeth his hande to the wicked fauouring them and shewing him selfe too bee their friende and that on the contrarie hee will not shewe his loue towards the faithfull at the first but suffereth them to languishe in suche wise as they bee trampled vnder foote and there is no likelyhoode that euer they should bee set vp againe God then maye well doe all these thinges and yet in the meane whyle he ceasseth not to fulfill that which is conteyned heere that is to witte that hee reacheth not his hande vnto the wicked And why For all the goodes whiche they haue and all that euer they delight in or glorye of must euery whit of it turne to their confusion But wee perceyue not this excepte wee gyue eare to that whiche is spoken too vs in the holie Scripture VVhen we shall haue harkened to heare what God vttereth then will hee giue vs eyes to behold that which is hidden from vs How is that Behold our Sauioure Iesus Christe cryeth wo bee to you that laugh nowe for yee shall weepe VVo bee to them that ruffle it out for they must

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 iâ— 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 wheÌ„ 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 theÌ„selues 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 burtheÌ„ 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

it Then let vs tary and be quiet and conclude that it is impossible that God shoulde fauour the deuises of the wicked howsoeuer hee seeme to dissemble the matter in the meane while towards vs And therefore we must bee pacient to the end For in time conuenient he will shewe vs that wee haue not bene deceyued in wayting his leysure Lo what we haue too note concerning this text Now as touching that which Iob addeth that is to wit whither God haue such eyes as man hath or else whither his tyme bee as the tyme of a mortall man it is too shewe that God needeth not to make long inquests against vs as if hee should say Lord thou knowest all things yea and they were present with thee before the creation of the worlde Therefore thou needest not to vse the ordinarie course of earthly iudges who make long processes whyle they hold offenders vpon the racke For they do so bycause of their ignorance but thou haste no neede too do it So then wherefore handlest thou me so rigorously Iob speaketh very well of Gods nature but hee concludeth very ill For he bewrayeth his excessiue passion as I sayd afore But the cheefe point is that we should consider how too apply this lesson to our owne vse VVhereas Iob desyreth to be eased bycause God hath not the eyes of a mortall man Let vs vnderstand that when God scourgeth vs he doeth it not too boult out the certaintie of aught that is vnknowen or concealed from him but to make vs to vnderstaÌ„d it VVhy doth god suffer vs to pine away by processe of time seing he can make cleane riddance of vs aâ— the first blowe He doth it to the end we should bethinke our selues the better And heere Iob is contrary to hymselfe VVherein we see that mennes passions are so diuers that oftentimes they speake against themselues EueÌ„ as we see the waues of the sea do breake one another with their violence euen so do our passions which are contrary and repugnant one against another in vs VVe see it not awhit But if we would shore vp our eyes we shoulde find there is suche contrariousnesse in our selues as wee speake one while one thing and another while another And behold what happened vnto Iob. He sayd euen now condemne me not but shewe me wherefore thou sewest me VVell God ment to shew him why but he on his side knew it not Howbeit he sayeth that hee is pressed ouerfore not that hee had not pacience continually as I haue sayd but the same was not so perfect as were requisite So then whensoeuer and as oft as we shal happen to be smitten by Gods hand and that as soone as we be scaped out of one wo wee enter into another so as wee continue in lingering paine and see no end of our miseries but when we thinke to plucke the one foote out of the myre the other sinketh further in Let vs aknowledge that God afflicteth vs not bycause hee taketh any pleasure profit or aduauntage by it but bycause it is his will to draw vs too him by that meane And so let the same make vs to thinke those afflictions sweete and amiable seeing wee perceyue them to tend to our saluation and welfare In any wise let vs not be out of hart when he scourgeth vs diuers ways And when he hath giuen vs one stripe if he turne agayne and strike vs twyce or thrice more Let vs say well Lord seing it pleaseth thee to hold vs as it were vpon the racke suffer vs not to be rooted in naughtinesse as we shoulde grind our teethe against thee though we be conuicted of our sinnes but make vs to come with right meekenesse to sue for thy mercie that we may find thee fauorable pitifull towards vs Behold I say how we ought to do And bycause we haue none accesse to God but by our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs repayre vnto him praying him to put vs in such redinesse as we may be receyued at his hande And although we must be fayne to indure many troubles and miseries during this present life yet if we beare them paciently let vs not doubt but all shall turne to our welfare and serue vs in sted of salues and mediciues And now let vs present our selues before the maiestie of our good god in aknowledging the innumerable faults where of we be giltie in his sight praying him that after he hath made vs to perceiue them he will also withdrawe vs from theÌ„ and so gouerne vs by his holy spirit as we may fight in such wise against the temptations of our flesh and of the world that when we haue ouercome them we may come to the triumph of glory which is prepared for vs in heauen And so let vs all say Almghtie God c. The .xxxix. Sermon which is the second vpon the tenth Chapter 7 Thou knovvest that I cannot do vvickedly and that no man can deliuer me from thy hande 8 Thy handes haue made mee they haue fashyoned me vvholly round about and doost thou destroy me 9 Remember that thou haste made me as of clay and that thou shalt bring mee into dust agayne 10 Haste not thou poured me out like milke hast not thou set mee togither like cheese 11 Haste thou not clothed mee vvith skin and fleshe and knit mee togither vvith bones and sinevves 12 Thou hast giuen me life and grace and thy visitation hath preserued my Soule 13 These thinges haste thou hidden in thee and yet notvvithstanding I knovve that it is so vvith thee 14 If I haue sinned thou vvilt imprison mee thou vvilt not suffer me to scape vnpunished 15 If I haue done a misse vvo is mee If I haue bin righteouse yet shall I not lift vp my head seeing I am filled vvith shame and knovving mine affliction IOb going forwarde with that whyche was declared yesterday telleth God heere that hee needeth not to make inquisition after the manner of earthly iudges VVhy so Thou knowest saith he that I can do no euill and that no man can deliuer me from thy band If men haue an offender in warde they will be afrayd least he should do worse than hee had done afore if he escape and specially they laboure to reuenge themselues of that which is past And that is the cause why men are fayne to kill those in whome there is no hope of amendment afterwarde But Iob sayeth that it is not so with god VVherefore Thou knowest sayeth he that I can do no euill and thou knowest that although thou deliuer me from this punishmente I am alwayes subiect to thee whensoeuer it pleaseth thee thou canst bring me agayne too this wretched plight wherein I am now Seeing it is so what should prouoke thee to put mee to so many torments As I haue sayd already all these requests may well be made vnto God so it be with al lowlinesse that we stand not in contention as though wee wold blame

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

paste wee shall bee quyte discharged For if Deathe bee once come it is as wee had made an ende of oure taske we haue cause to be gladde bycause wee come too reste Thus yee see what Iobs meaning is But heerewithall wee muste also beare continually in minde what hath bene sayde namely that heere hee declareth his owne passions which we muste not allowe of for so muche as God condemneth them And wherefore are they wrytten Firste to the ende that we myght see that eueÌ„ the perfectest sort although they bee neuer so pacient fayle not too haue greate hardinesse in fyghting agaynste the passions of theyr fleshe when God layeth his hande vpon them VVe must not thinke that Iob and suche other lyke were made of steele or senslesse folke Althoughe there were a singular stoutenesse in them that they indeuored themselues to obey God yet was it not withoute touche of breste for they were fayne too feeele maruaylous stings in theyr fleshe And althoughe they outstoode the temptations and gat the vpper hande of them yet had they stormes and were tossed too and fro in the meane season And this is tolde vs to the end we should stand the more vpon our garde and pray God too strengthen vs assuring our selues that although wee had neuer so good a desire to honoure him yet should wee be vanquished by and by were it not that he holdeth vs vp by his hand and giueth vs strength from aboue to fight valiantly with stedfastnesse Besides this we be admonished also not to be out of hart though wee seeme at the poynt to quayle nor to bee discouraged for all that For the excellentest men that euer were haue alwayes bin so effeebled for a tyme howbeit God hath stood to them in such wise as they haue gotten the vpper hande in all their battelles And God will giue suche victorie also if we call vpon him and bee not so foolishe as to sooth our selues in our owne vices Finally let vs coÌ„sider to what vse wee ought to applie that whiche is sayde heere namely that God hath bounded the tyme of mans lyfe Very well Is it to the ende wee might say hee ought too leaue vs as he found vs and that he should get him away from vs as Iob sayde yesterday that it seemed vnreasonable that God shoulde open his eyes vpon so wretched creatures and that hee ought to let men alone there bycause they bee not worthy too bee matched with him for what strength is there in them No. But lette vs marke what a fayre hande we shoulde make if God shoulde get him away from vs I meane if he shoulde not guyde vs to redresse vs when wee do amisse If wee liue but one daye without Gods visitation we fall asleepe in our sinnes much more if hee spare vs a long time according as wee see that when men are in prosperitie they know not that there is a God which is a iudge ouer them they cannot find in their harts to be hild vnder any yoke or to be bridled a man cannot by any meanes bring them to reason Seeing it is so how rebellious wold we be if God should let vs alone all the time of our life How woulde we play the horses that are broken looce There wold be no way to make vs to knowe our selues that wee might returne vnto god Therefore it behoueth vs to pray him too pitie vs and so to tame all the lustes of our flesh as we may bee teachable and obedient towardes him So then let vs marke well that it was an excessiue passion in Iob too alledge that it were meete and conuenient for God to let men alone as they are bicause their life is shorte and brittle and bicause that hee himselfe hathe assigned it a determinate terme Agayne it is verie requisite that God should watch ouer vs and looke narrowly to vs bycause it lyeth not in vs to guyde oure owne steppes And if wee were not in his protection I pray you what wold become of vs For it is pitifull to see with how many deathes wee be beseeged Had not God neede then to haue a fatherly care of oure life So whereas Iob desireth God to withdrawe himselfe from him let vs pray him to draw neerer vs and that in two sortes The first is that inasmuch as it is for our behoofe to be in his custodie to be mainteyned by him bicause we liue not but in him nor are susteyned but by his power it may please him to make vs feele his presence and to know that he is newre at hande to vs too aide vs and succoure vs And furthermore whiche is the second point that it may also please him to bee neere at hande with vs to chastize vs when hee seeth vs too farre out of square True it is that wee ought to pray him too vse such gentlenesse towardes vs as we may not be pressed more than we bee able to beare But yet therewithall we haue also to desire him to lifte vp his hande when hee seeth that wee haue neede of any correction For if hee shoulde let vs alone it were ynough to rocke vs asleepe and to make vs very blocks Thus much concerning that poynt But aboue all we ought to wey well that which is sayde heere namely That the life of a man is determined by God that bee hath the account of oure monethes in his handes and that he hath sette an ordinance whiche cannot bee passed Heerevpon wee haue cause to take greate comforte for that our life is in Gods hande Beholde heere what is the cause that men are so fearefull as they dare not stirre one finger but with trembling and it seemeth too them that this thing or that thing may befall them namely for that they knowe not that God hath them in his keeping and that it belongeth to him as well to take them out of this world as he hath created them For were wee throughly perswaded of that it is certaine that we should go on our pace not be so tormented as we be So much the more then ought wee to make accounte of the doctrine that is conteyned heere that is to witte that God hath limited our dayes Howbeit it is true that we must keepe a meane in this behalfe For although wee ought to warrant oure selues seeing our life is in Gods hande yet must wee not be rash to cast our selues geerishly into any daunger but wee muste walke aduisedly according as God commaundeth vs There are some fantasticall persones who hearing that the dayes of a man are numbered and that wee can nother lengthen nor shorten our lyfe bycause it is in Gods hand and at his good pleasure will by and by say very well then if I do all that comes in my heade it is all one he that is borne to be hanged shall neuer be drowned as the prouerb sayes among the Papists Yea when the vnthrifts that are among vs are disposed to dally

charged to haue coÌ„cluded that God doth vtterly roote out men wheÌ„ he taketh them out of the world Iob I say made no such finall coÌ„clusion But yet for all that we muste note that he was so dazeled with his passions that as theÌ„ he remembred not that man continueth still in God after his death hath there a secret life that the same life hath a good seede so as we shall be fully restored to a perfectioÌ„ from which we be farre off as nowe that is to witte in his heauenly glory and glorious immortalitie Iob theÌ„ had not that rememberance with him to settle himselfe therevpon but was dazeled in his passions for a time And therefore wee muste looke to our selues that we be the warer as I saide afore Euen so is it in the rest of these wordes Certainly Iob knew well that God doth men a singular good turne when he visiteth them And if a man had asked him why Is it not a great honor that God doth to vs in that wheras we be but stinking carkasses yet he voutsafeth to caste his eye vpon vs to chastize vs when we haue done amisse as the father doth his child He wolde haue answered Yes But yet for all this he was not able to conceyue it at the first brunt that hee might haue resisted his owne passions but was fayne to bee tormented and too indure greate distresse So muche the more then ought wee too receyue this aduertyzemente Alas Lord our lyfe is but short and brittle there is nothing but filthinesse and corruption in vs and yet for all that thou forgettest vs not Deserue wee that thou shouldest regarde vs Are wee worthy that thou shouldest visit vs Alas no Lorde For the very Angelles of Heauen are not woorthie of that and how then shoulde we bee worthie who are but rottennesse and stinche But what for that Thou of thyne infinite goodnesse arte willing to be friendly and familiar with vs and thou beholdest vs with pitie And when wee haue doone amisse in steade of tying vs therevnto thou still pullest vs backe to thee and asâ—aiest all meanes too bring vs too repentance And Lorde what a goodnesse is that Lo howe wee ought to speake The same also is to bee sayde in this presente sentence that wee maye fare the better by it For sithe that men haue no strength in themselues nor can spring and shoote forth braunches newe agayne as trees doo whiche haue some roote in the earth but doo rotte away quite and cleane let vs acknowledge the good that God doeth vs in that it pleaseth him too preserue oure life after the common order of nature and also keepeth it hydden alofte too bee manifested agayne in tyme conuenient Therefore lette vs acknowledge the same too bee an inestimable priuiledge But for the better vnderstanding of this lesson lette vs marke firste that although men bee immortall yet they haue it not of theyr owne strength For it is not withoute cause that Sainct Paule yeeldeth the title of immortalitie and euerlastingnesse peculiarlie vnto god And what shall wee saye of the Angelles then VVhat shall wee saye of men Are they mortall as the brute beastes It is certaine that we feele well how God breatheth power into oure soules Yee see then that wee haue this spirituall life from else where and as it were do borrowe it But that is not all For although our soules come not to nought ne rotte away as our bodies do yet notwithstaÌ„ding when they be alienated from God they be in a farre more horrible death than if they were vtterly returned to nothing Our state were better if we were vtterly foredone than to beeseparated from God and to feele him to bee against vs Then muste God be faine to giue vs another life which is that hee knit vs to himselfe by the grace of his holy Spirite so as hee may lyue and reigne in vs If we haue this once it is the chiefe benefite wherein wee can ioy But in the meane while God worketh after a straunge fashion and vnknowen too mannes reason For let vs consider what the state of the faithfull is during their life in this world They are not only set in like state with the vnbeleuers but are made muche more poore and miserable For if a man looke vpon the children of God he shall finde that they bee afflicted so as it seemeth that they ought to bee cut off from mankind as though they were not worthy to lyue vppon the earthe Thus ye see after what sort God suffreth his to be dealte withall VVhat is to be done then Let vs come backe to that which Sainct Paule saith to the Colossians that is to witte that we be deade and that our life lyeth hid in our Lorde Iesus Christe and God will shewe it in due time And by this we see a goodly similitude in that which Iob setteth downe For he saieth that the trees fade at the coÌ„ming of winter there appeereth no more greenenesse in them and it seemeth that all is dead when the leaues are falne off and the trees themselues frostebitten and yet for all that life ceasseth not to lye hid both in the rootes and in the heart of them VVee see that when the spring time is come all shootes foorth againe and the liuelines that was vnseene for a time sheweth it selfe anewe Nowe if God shew vs this in the trees will he not vtter a greater operation towards vs that are so excellent creatures Soothly when Sainct Paule speaketh of the resurrection he reproueth men for their beastlinesse bicause they coÌ„sider not how God doth shewe vs as it were naturall figures of the resurrection by the growing of the corne vpon the earth Looke vpon the corne that is in the barn it is drye it is cast into the grounde and there it rotteth VVe see it springeth vp againe and for one graine there commeth vp twentie or thirtie or ten Seeing then that God reneweth the graines bothe of wheate and of other corne yea and that euen by rotting what will hee do to men VVill he not vtter a farre greater woorke in them Now then are not we senslesse and brutish when we perceyue not after what manner God worketh to confirme vs in the hope of the life that hee hathe promised vs As much is to be thought of that which he sayeth here now For when wee see the trees whiche in winter time were deade or at leastwise seemed deade become freshe and greene againe in the spring time we must be coÌ„firmed in that which God declareth vnto vs namely that although our life be hidden and we be heere as it were in the shadow of death yet should not that hinder vs to lifte vp our heades continuallye and looke for the resurrection that hee hath promised vs Yea and euen nowe although wee seeme deade yet haue wee Gods spirite dwelling in vs which is a sufficient warrant of oure life And whensoeuer it shall please God

too take vs out of this worlde although our bodies rotte away yet notwithstanding seeyng hee hath printed the seale of his holy spirite in oure soules thinke we that they shall perish when as he is the protector of them So then the frayltie that is in mans lyfe ought too stirre vs vp the more too magnifie Gods goodnesse towardes vs If God wrought after an other order that is too witte if when hee bringeth vs lacke to himselfe by fayth hee shoulde place vs heere as it were in a little Paradise so as we shoulde be like the Angelles and his power should shew it selfe in vs and we be voyde of all these infirmities which wee see and our lyfe might not bee like a shadowe that vanisheth away nor wee bee walled in with so many miseries but God shoulde dwel in the middes of vs reigne peasably in vs Verely these gracious gistes were so well worthy to bee highly esteemed But yet shoulde wee in the meane while mistake them we should not know from whence they come wee should be caryed away into a vaingloriousnesse As nowe when God humbleth vs so manie wayes if wee looke vpon our present state wee see nothing but death And yet neuerthelesse on the other parte hee sheweth vs and maketh vs too perceyue it bothe by experience and by faith that we be aliue yea verely in him as of whose lyfe we be parttakers and hee maketh vs to see as it were in a glasse the sayde immortalitie whiche we wayte for Seeing then that God after hee hath humbled vs bringeth vs too the hope that I spake of haue wee not the more cause to make much of his goodnesse to vswarde and to say Alas Lord that thy spirite should dwell heere in our bodies which are but wormes and as for our soules there is nothing but wickednesse in them and yet notwithstanding thou O Lorde hast chosen both our bodies and oure soules to bee the temples of thy maiestie thou haste dedicated them to that vse Lorde howe greatly are wee in thy dette How much are we bouÌ„d vnto thee Againe although this body heere doo go too decay yet are wee sure that they shall bee restored once againe and that in sted of this transitory lodging wee haue a dwelling place prepared for vs in Heauen and therefore it ought not to greeue vs to droope away by little and little tyll wee bee quite and cleane dispatched Seeing wee haue that ought we not to be stirred the more to praise God So then wee see howe wee may applie that thing to oure instruction which Iob turneth here to an euill vse in going about too expresse the pangs that he felt whereagainst he fought And furthermore when wee speake of our owne state let vs marke well that on the one side we must coÌ„sider what wee our selues are on the other side what God is able to doo what his power is I haue saide already that it is very requisite that men should know theÌ„selues and looke into themselues And why I haue told you that also alredy that is to wit bycause we neede no pricking forwarde to vainegloriousnesse For how frayle so euer we bee yet it is to be seene that the most parte of vs ruffile it out and runne riot and forget the miseries that ought too brydle them VVee see this with our eyes and euery one of vs shoulde bee infected with that vice if God prouided not for it Therefore wee cannot forbeare the considering what our miserie and feeblenes are and that oure lyfe is as wretched as any thing can be VVheÌ„ we know this we shall haue good cause too mislike of oure selues and too call vpon God and too praye him too haue pitie vpon vs And also therewithall we muste consider what his power is And why For if we measure that which wee hope for by that whiche wee see what will become of it VVhat shall become of the resurrection VVhat shall become of the euerlasting saluation that is promised vs VVhat shal become of his heauenly glory For is it likely that when our bodyes are rotten they shall bee parttakers of Gods glory Or that we who see oure selues to bee so frayle as now muste be companions with the Angels in Paradise or specially that wee shall bee matched with the sonne of God VVee knowe that all maiestie and all soueraintie bothe in heauen and earth are gyuen vnto him Is it likely that we should resemble him or that wee shoulde be members of his body to be partakers of al that whiche is gyuen vntoo him Can this enter intoo mans reason VVhat is to bee done then Lette vs acknowledge that whiche Sainct Paule sayeth to the Philippians that God will rayse vs vp by his power whereby he made al things See whether Sainct Paule sendeth vs when hee intendeth too strengthen vs in the hope of the resurrection As if he should say My friends let vs not looke at that whiche is possible in oure imagination for God wyll not haue men to rest there But let vs enter into a higher consideration whiche is that God disposeth all things yea euen aboue our vnderstanding insomuch that wheÌ„ wee thinke vpon his works we be astonished and not without cause For he worketh woÌ„derously insomuch that we through that power of his sayeth he whereby he made all things are transformed into the glory of our Lorde Iesus Christ And although our bodyes be nowe weake and subiect to so many necessities yet shall they be taken into the heauenly glory Thus yee see the two things which wee haue to consider namely too humble oure selues on the one side and on the other too haue a certayne and infallible hope of that whiche surmounteth our capacitie and cannot be conceyued of vs in case as we bee But heerewithall let vs gather that whiche Iob meeneth heere For inasmuch as man cannot receyue of himselfe nor is renued as trees are but is as if a riuer shoulde drye vp or as if the waters should shrinke out of the sea therfore woulde hee that we should not be plaged at Gods hand so long as we be in this world Yea but it is cleane contrarie For if that men so destitute as they bee cannot for all that holde themselues from pride and excesse and from starting out of their bounds what would they do if they had no correction as I saide afore So much the more then had God neede to abate mens pride and presumption whiche cannot easily correct it selfe Forasmuche then as men do so lifte vp themselues againste God and euery man forget himselfe yea and is puffed vp when hee hath rest case we had neede to be chastized and to haue newe corrections day by day Yea verely For if God should let vs ruÌ„ne out the race of our life withoute making vs too feele his roddes not quicken vs vp when we haue done amisse Alas he shoulde neuer come in time VVhereto tende the corrections that God

sendeth vs nowadayes but too call vs to repentance Now if God should tarry till wee were deade the gate would be shut there would be no tyme of returning vnto him Behold sayeth Sainct Paule the acceptable dayes the dayes of saluation are while wee bee in our way Then if God should see men go astray ruÌ„ne here there lettheÌ„ go on till they were falne downe tuÌ„bled headlong into the pit which they coulde neuer get out of what a thing were that Therefore it behoueth vs to reason contrary too that whiche Iob did that is to wit that seeing our life is short not in so good cace as a tree let vs put the cace it were so bicause that wheÌ„ we be departed out of the world it seemeth that all is perished therfore it is good that God should chastize vs as long as we liue And to what end To call vs to repentance for after deathe there shall bee no more time And as for the reste lette vs not doubt as I haue touched afore but Iob was of opinion that it is good for men too bee visited of Gods haÌ„d although they shunne it But there are skoffers whiche alledge Iobs example for a shrowding sheete saying Beholde the holy men haue forgotten the hope of the resurruction they chafed against God coÌ„playned that God pressed them ouersore in somuche that they had no leysure too subdue their imperfections and why then shall not the lyke bee lawfull for vs But as I haue declared already although wee bee pacient in bearing of Gods chastyzementes and in induring them quietlye as wee ought to do yet fayle we not to be moued to haue oure fleshe too shewe it selfe somewhat rebellious in vs Therefore wee cannot come vntoo God too serue him but wee shall bee assayled and pricked on all sides But what for that VVee muste styll fighte according as the Apostle sayeth that wee shall get no victorye but by fyghting And the cheefe battell that wee haue to fighte is agaynste oure selues and agaynste oure owne vices and that is the thing wherein wee muste imploye oure whole force So then lette vs marke that whereas Iob speaketh heere of the lyfe of man as a persone withoute regarde of the resurrection to come hee rested not wholly vpon that poynte for hee had well foreseene what that was but meant to expresse the passion that he felt to the end that euery of vs should bethinke himselfe and not be caryed away when such temptations befall vs Moreouer if Iob were weakened after that sort let vs assure our selues that we shall be weakened much more Howbeit God whiche assisted him will do the like for vs also For his power is as inuincible to maynteyne vs at this daye as it was then Hee calleth vs too him at this daye euen of his owne goodnesse which is not abated that he shoulde not make vs to feele it as well as he made his seruants of old time to fele it And therfore when we see all things so coÌ„founded nowadayes in the world as we wote not what to say nor where to become let vs runne to our good God casting our eyes vpon oure Lorde Iesus Christ who will deliuer vs from all miseries from all the troubles that are at this day in this world VVell then do we feele our selues feeble weake Let vs looke vpon our Lord Iesus Christ who is the power of God his father Do we see our selues as good as already dead The fountaine of lyfe is come vnto vs forsomuch as God hath sent vs his only sonne And to what end Euen to draw vs out of the dungeons of death and to assure vs that beeing vnited vnto him we caÌ„ neuer be set beside the saluatioÌ„ that is prepared for vs Ye see theÌ„ that if we haue our eye settled vpon our Lord Iesus Christ we shall not fayle to thinke our selues safe as wel in the midds of death as of the troubles of this worlde bicause that by the meanes of him we be sure we shall come to the heauenly glory wherinto he is entered before vs when we haue finished the course whiche wee haue to runne which now is subiect to so many miseries But let vs fall downe before the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceyue them better than we haue done and yet notwithstanding after such a sort as we may not become as folke forlorne but returne too the remedie desiring him to bee pitifull to vs and to shewe himselfe the same towardes vs which he hath bin towardes his in all times and furthermore that seeing it hath pleased him too bee at one with vs in the persone of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen in his owne selfe vs so good a gage of his loue speciallye by the death and passion whiche he indured for our sakes hee suffer vs not to forget or too despize so greate a benefite but rather that wee may put oure whole truste in him and by that meanes be stirred vp to call vppon oure good God in all oure necessities and miseries That it may please him to graunte this grace not onely too vs but also to all people c. The .lv. Sermon which is the third vpon the .xiiij. Chapter 13 O that thou vvoldest hide me in the graue and that thou hadst shut me vp till thine anger vvere abated and that thou vvoldest set me a time vvherein to thinke vpon me 14 Shall the man that is dead liue agayne All the dayes of my battell I vvill vvayte till my chaunge come 15 O that thou vvoldest ansvvere me vvhen I call to thee O that thou vvoldest fauour the vvorke of thy handes THe Prophet Esay shewing howe horrible Gods wrath is and howe heauy too beare sayeth that such as feele it wold faine that the mountaines shoulde hide them and wishe that they myghte fall downe vpon their heads and our Lord Iesus Christ also hath vsed the selfe same words And that is done to shewe vs that we must not bee so dulheaded as we be For we know not what a thing it is to haue God against vs True it is that wee shall well ynough feele the mischeefe wheÌ„ he persecuteth vs but that is not all nor the cheefe thing that wee haue too doo It standeth vs in hande to wey throughly what Gods wrath is And why so For when we vnderstand Gods hande then bethinke we our selues of our sinnes And therevpon wee bee abashed and perceyue full well that we muste needes perishe except God haue pitie vpon vs Howbeeit forasmuche as we shunne that feeling our Lorde exerciseth vs to make vs thoughly awake when he intendeth to shewe vs mercie Thus yee see what is to be gathered of Iobs woordes when he sayth O that thou woldest hide me in the graue For hee preferred death before his life in cace as it was And why Bicause he wold

goods riches that be they as it were puffed vp agaynst God and full of poyson and presumptuousnesse And although they bee but leane of bodie yet are they readie to burst with another cursed fatnesse forasmuch as they be puffed vp agaynst god Yea and we see that their fatnesse that is to wit their diuelish malapertnesse maketh their eyes to strout out of their heades as it is sayde in the threescore and thirteenth Psalme that their eyes are as good as halfe bursten by reason that they bleare them selues in their delightes and pleasures and consider not that they may bee bereft of them all in one minute of an houre Marke I say howe fatnesse blindeth the wicked and howe they are as good as bursten to their owne shame and destruction But nowe let vs come to an other sentence Eliphas sayeth that the wicked shall not prosper And what is the reason It is bicause hee is puffed vp with famesse VVill wee then be blissed of God and bee mainteyned in good state and true happinesse Let vs kepe vs well from pampering our selues with fatnesse that is to say let vs keepe vs from being pampered wyth pryde that wee presume not too make our selues this or that but let vs walke in all mildenesse knowing that we depende vpon the hande of God and that when hee hath lyfted vs vp hee can also soone cast vs downe agayne Therefore let vs bee moued so muche the more to serue and honour him and let vs not bee so vngracious as too giue him occasion too ouerthrowe that which hee hath buylded and too destroy it quite bicause wee woulde make an other Towre of Babilon and prefume too lift vppe our selues agaynst him Euen so happeneth it sayeth Eliphas Although the wicked haue inhabited the desert Cities that is too say although they haue had suche scope as it might seeme they woulde make the world new again For to inhabite desert Townes is as much as not to bee contented with the possession of things that are in good plyght but too fyght agaynst God that they might bee newe makers of the worlde and setters vp of things that were destroyed The wicked then may well haue all this outwarde shew but there shall be no continuance bicause they aduaunce themselues against god But on the contraripart when we be vndone and stripped starke naked then will God shew vs the fauour to build vp againe the things that are forsaken condicionally that we go not about it with vaine pryde nor presume any thing vpon our selues but desire him to reach vs his strong hand and so too guide and gouerne vs alwayes by his holy spirite that when hee hath once begon to shew his gracious fauour towards vs hee will continue the same and bring it to perfection Nowe let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them in such wise as we may learne too mislike more and more of our selues and that forasmuch as we be so much giuen to pryde and vaine presumption it may please him to open our eies that when we perceiue our owne feeblenesse and infirmitie wee may run wholly vnto him and in calling vpon him acknowledge that we haue no power too strengthen our selues furtherfoorth than it pleaseth him too quicken vs that are in death and as it were to rayse vs vp againe to life and moreouer that hee will mainteyne vs in his fauour and make vs so too feele it both in bodie and soule as we may desire nothing but to yeeld our selues wholly to his seruice and that by our example wee may allure others too lyke humilitie so as he may bee honoured and glorified both of great and small That for the dooing hereof it may please him too rayse vp true and faythfull c. The .lxj. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the .xv. Chapter 30 He shall not depart out of darknesse the flame shall sindge his braunches and he shall go avvay vvith the breath of his mouth 31 He shall be deceyued vvith vanitie and shall not stand For vanitie is his chaunge 32 He shall be consumed before his time and his braunches shall not florish 33 He shall be bereft of his sourenesse as a vine is and God shall cast him off as an Olife tree dooth his floures 34 The congregation of the hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall deuoure the house of brybes 35 For he conceyueth mischeefe and bringeth forth vanitie his belly prepareth deceyt YEsterday we saw howe the despysers of God aduaunced themselues in suche wise as it may seeme there are none but they and that God gyueth them great aduauntage fauouring them in suche wise as they not only mainteyne themselues in their state but do as it were make a new worlde and yet notwithstanding that their ende cannot bee but cursed and shamefull And this is it that Eliphas addeth a newe saying that the wicked shall not depart out of darkenesse And herein he discerneth the children of God and the afflictions that they indure from those whome God hath vtterly reiected For it may come to passe that we shall bee in darknesse as wee see the holy Prophets complaine that God hath withdrawne his light from them so as they grope about and knowe not which way too turne them neuerthelesse God giueth them an end of it after they haue languished for a time and reacheth them his hand and draweth them out of it But it is sayde of the wicked that they shall neuer be set out of darknesse but shall abide ouerthrowne in it without ende And hereby as I sayd they be discerned from those whom God afflicteth but for a tyme and whom hee meeneth too succour It is sayde that God will deuoure their braunches that is too say howe greatly soeuer they bee aduaunced God will coÌ„sume them For in this place I take not their braunches for their children and ofspring but for their whole state And surely vnder that terme is comprehended all that euer springeth out of a tree to do vs to vnderstande that when God shall haue punished the wicked they may well conceyue many hopes and beare themselues in hand that they shall spring againe but theyr hope is a slope sayeth Eliphas VVhy so Fire shall consume all that is to say Gods wrath shall be as a fire to burne them vp and when they are likely to releeue againe it shall not be so Finally he addeth that the wicked shall go away with the breath of his mouth True it is that this may wel be verified of god For the scripture sayeth oftentymes that God will consume the wicked with the onely breath of hys mouth to shewe what power hee hath to punish the wicked and his enemies God then needeth not to arme him self neither needeth he to make any preparation too punish those whom hee listeth let him but onely open his mouth and breath vpon his enimies and behold they be

a man haue gathered Bryers and thornes and made a faggot of them they wyll bee so snarled as hee wyll bee loth too put his hande to them and hee shall not knowe on what side too take holde of them and specially if he woulde draw out abough of them hee cannot But if hee put fyre to them immediatly they kindle and crackle and cast a farre greater blaze than if they were faste and substantiall woodde Euen so is it with the wicked They be like thornes and bryers and when they bee plasshed one within another a man cannot tell howe to vndoo them nother can hee well come at them But as soone as God putteth fire to them then must they needes cracke in peeces and vtterly consume out of hande Ye see then what Eliphas ment in saying that the assemblies of Hypocrites shall perishe For his meening is that a wicked man maye drawe a greate trayne and bande of men after him but it shall stand him in no sted too mainteyne him against Gods wrath This ought to assure vs that when wee see the wicked men so furnished so allyed and so garded yet shall they not therfore misse to bee suddeynly cast downe and consumed so as wee shall see that this was not spoken for nought And hereby wee be admonished to knit our selues togither in the right feare of God and to haue none other bande too hold vs linked togither but him seruing him with a good conscience and putting our whole truste in him and helping one another and finally to haue such agreement among our selues as euery of vs may sette his minde too walke faithfully before God and man If wee deale after this sort God will blisse our concord otherwise all must needes go to wrecke and hauock It is purposely sayd that the house of Brybes or bryberie shall come too nought For all buyldings that haue bin set vp by pilling and polling must needes perish and decay of themselues I meene not onely the houses that are buylded of Stone or Timber but I meene that when a man enricheth himselfe by bryberie and rewardes so as hee draweth to him on the one side and snatcheth on the other side and is giuen too scraping deceyuing and extortion what hath he doone Hee gathereth woodde and then commeth there a little sparke of Gods wrath and consumeth it euery whit For if there be no woodde the fire can take no holde But the wicked do pyle vp such a stacke on al sides that the wood of it serueth for wood too burne vp them and all theyr traine So then this text ought to be well borne in minde that wee may walke soundly and purely Thus much for the firste poynt And seeing we be warned that when the wicked sorte haue inriched themselues by receyuing of gifts brybes all of it shall in the end go to destruction let not vs repine at them but lette euery of vs looke to himselfe and walke in his owne calling Let those that be called to the state of Iustices be ware to mainteine themselues without bryberie and remember howe it is sayde that giftes do blinde the eyes of the wise and peruert the vnderstanding of the rightuouse Therefore let them absteyne from all corruption to the intent they may continue cleere and sounde Marke this for a speciall poynte Agayne let those that bee in priuate state walke vprightly also Let euery man bethinke himselfe go too I maye aduance my selfe in this world by vsing of wicked trades howbeeit for as muche as they bee things condemned of God what shall do but onely kindle his wrath against me Lo how all the faithfull ought to hold themselues in awe And moreouer wheÌ„ we see the wicked lay baites on euery side and beare themselues in hande that they haue greatly gayned when they haue gotten muche riches by taking of bribes gifts Let vs say yet will God at leÌ„gth shew how he hath not in vayne sayd that which we heare in this place and whiche the holy Ghost hath vttered by the mouth of Eliphas â–ª For God wil not suffer his threatnings to be in vayne but will match the execution of theÌ„ with them anone after â–ª Ye see then how we must be quiet when we see such as rap and rend and pill and poll on all sides Verely we must assure our selues that the things shall not continue with them that God will take suche order as it had bene farre better for them too haue eaten bare breade and to haue bene contented with a little thaÌ„ too haue glutted themselues after that fashion at other mens cost and to haue drawen all to themselues to make themselues rich for euery whit of it must go to nought and their houses muste fall vpon their heades that is to say the goods that they haue gathered shall bee to their ruine and destruction True it is that for a time they shall haue such scope as it may well seeme that their state shall last for euer But let vs be pacient tarry Gods leysure as I sayde afore till he finish out his woorke And in the meane while lette vs desire nothing but to stande in his grace and fauour For truely that is the onely meane not only to mainteyne vs in our state all the time of our life but also to giue vs a better life after our death as he hath promised vs in the kingdome of heauen Nowe let vs caste our selues downe in the presence of oure good God with acknowledgement of oure faultes praying him to gyue vs suche repentaunce as wee maye chaunge from our naughty life day by daye and not desire any thing but to renounce al our naughty affections and all things that may turne vs from his seruice and the greate number of wicked lustes wherevnto we be subiect and giuen and that forsomuch as wee be so full of infection it may please him to vpholde vs by his mercie and dayly to pardon vs our faultes vntill hee haue fully clothed vs agayne with his rightuousnesse at such time as he shall haue taken vs out of this worlde too make vs part takers of his heauenly glorye That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also c. The .lxij. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xvj. Chapter with a little remnant of the laste verse of the fifteenth Chapter 1 IOb ansvvered and saide 2 I haue often hearde suche things you be all of you yrksome comforters 3 VVhen vvill there bean ende of your vvindy vvoordes And vvherevvith imboldenest thou thy selfe to ansvvere 4 I coulde speake as you do If your soulevvere in my soules steade I coulde holde you company in talke and I coulde nod my heade at you 5 I could strengthen you vvith vvoordes and my talke should be to receiuegriefe 6 But if I speake â–ª my sorrovve vvill not abate and if I hold my peace vvhat releefe haue I 7 He hath loden me vvith anguish he hath made all my

AFter that Iob had made protestation of his innocencie as we haue seene hee addeth that the same booteth him not and that hee seeth hymselfe in manner forlorne I go sayth hee intoo the path whereby I shall neuer returne agayne And anon he addeth a complaynt of the shortnesse of our life meening thereby that God ought to handle men lesse rigorously seeing they do but passe away ouer the earth Afterwarde he confirmeth this matter new agayne saying that his breath is vnsauerie or his breath is quite spent and hee hath no more lustinesse in him so that there remayneth nothyng for him but the graue on which side so euer he turne him he seeth present death and hee is hemmed in round about so as he caÌ„not scape the graue that is prepared for him Ye see in effect what Iob meeneth Surely as in respect of his motherwit he could not perceiue but that God was minded to dispatch him quite cleane But he might haue loked higher acording as we know that euen in the extremitie of death the faithful must still hope for life so coÌ„fort theÌ„selues in their tribulations as they may not doubt but God will giue them a good end Moreouer God not onely giueth vs wherewith to comfort ourselues in oure tribulations but also whereof to glorie and triumph assuring ourselues that the same shal turne to our saluatioÌ„ Iob theÌ„ speaketh not here throughly like a faithful maÌ„ no but as I haue sayd already he vttereth his passions as euery one of vs findeth by experieÌ„ce in himself that although he rest vpon gods promises and comfort himself with them yet notwithstanding he ceasseth not to be disquieted and troubled in himselfe VVe shall not ouercome temptations at the first pushe but we must be fayn to fight with great force and difficultie VVhen wee haue such a battell we may well saye with Iob that we see nothing but the Graue that our breath is forespente that our liuelynesse is cut away and that ther is no more recouerie VVe may then say so for ought that we see howbeit as soone as we haue espied out oure miseries and felte them wee must lift vp oure selues higher vnto Godwarde and not doubte but hee will deliuer vs yea and make that thing turne too our profite whiche wee thinke to bee too oure harme Yee see then in effecte after what sort wee muste practize this sentence that is too wit first of all when any of vs is in suche distresse as he woteth not what to say ne seeth any ende of his cace well we must not therfore bee astonyed thoughe accordyng to the fleshe we dread present death and God seeme too haue forsaken vs and will helpe vs no more And why VVee see that Iob came too the lyke distresse and yet notwithstandyng hee ceassed not too beleeue that God would haue pitie of him in the ende after hee had foughte a good whyle neyther doubted hee of the victorie Yee see then that our owne feeblenesse ought not too bee any discomfort vntoo vs But as soone as we feele suche impedimentes let vs cast our eye vpon God and say well we must bee fayne to passe heere thorough the pathe whereby neuer man returneth agayne according to the course of kind Yea but hath not God promised his seruauntes to holde them by the hande in the middes of death Yes then let vs marche on boldly Againe haue wee not Iesus Christe for our guyde Then let vs goe to death Doe wee not know howe it is the entrie wherby to come to the glorie of heauen Seeing that the resurrection was ioyned too the deathe of Gods sonne was not that also too assure vs that God will not suffer vs too continue in rottennesse Knowe we not that that whiche is written in the sixteenth Psalme was fulfilled in him namely that God preserued hym from rotting too the ende that wee shoulde bee made free from it and drawne quite out of it at length Seeyng then that wee haue suche promises at Goddes hande and suche assuraunce in the persone of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste wee ought to fyghte manfully agaynst the dreadfulnesse of death Loe in effect what wee haue to remember in this streyn Herewithall wee bee also put in mynde of the brittlenesse of our lyfe My breath is forespent sayeth Iob. And in good sooth what is the lustinesse of all men It is but a blaste Agayne were our lyfe as long as wee woulde wishe yet were it but a little start Then are the yeares but few in number as in respecte of mannes lyfe All the lystynesse that wee haue in it is but as a thyng that is so withered as it fadeth awaye Seeing it is so let vs learne not too ouersleepe our selues heere knowing that God in shewing vs howe frayle we be in this worlde giueth vs occasion too thinke vppon him and to seeke for the heauenly life and not too torment oure selues out of measure sith wee see that oure lyfe goeth too decay and by little and little fadeth vtterly Therefore let vs not bee greeued at it And why Assoone as God settleth vs in this worlde hee telleth vs it too the entent wee shoulde passe swiftely awaye and as it were too make but a turne heere as though it seemed that our life were verie strong and in no wise to be misliked This is the thing whiche wee haue yet too remember in this sentence Also it is to bee noted vpon this worde Graues that we bee besieged not with any one kind of death but with many VVe haue but one life yea and the same is verie flightfull consisting in one blast which is nothing But if wee looke nerely about vs whole hundreds of deaths beset vs round about And so ye see why Iob vseth the plurall number Graues It had bene ynough for him too haue sayde The graue is prepared for mee I cannot escape but hee sayeth The graues are prepared for mee And needeth one man anye more than one pitte No but Iob meeneth that as sone as he were neuer so little passed oute of one death another shoulde wayte for hym yea and another after that and too bee shorte hee shoulde bee fayne too perishe thoughe hee had passed neuer so many daungers True it is that wee come not all intoo suche extremities as Iob was at But yet is there none of vs that findeth not himselfe in the same cace that is too saye that he hath but one lyfe among a number of deathes that are readie for vs VVhat is too bee doone then VVe must learne too praye vntoo oure God and to betake oure lyfe intoo his handes too the ende wee may bee sure of it Seeing then that it pleaseth God too be the keeper of oure lyfe lette vs walke on our course withoute ouermuche carefulnesse Agayne though there were a thousande deathes readie too swallowe vs vp God is strong ynough too plucke vs out of them as it is sayde in the Psalme that it is hee that

that the wicked shall haue roume long and large ynough to sporte in according as we see how they leape about to and fro and therefore it seemeth not that they walke alwayes in streyts Indeede wee see it not but they themselues feele it much better than wee can imagine Againe albeit that we see it not continually yet doth God at length performe that which is sayd here euen according as Bildad vttereth it namely that feare shall dismay them But hee mistaketh the woorde feare as though Gods enemies shoulde needes knowe and conceyue their sinnes too bee afrayde and to repent them and that is not so And why These twoo things namely that the wicked should be amazed with feare and yet be merry and triumphe cannot stande togither For when the despyzers of God would be merrie they ouershoote themselues they forget themselues they become beasts they beleeue they be able to worke wonders and they think themselues the happiest men in the worlde that they can anger god Lo what the ioy of the wicked sorte is that is too witte a furious ioy and a ioy that so bereeues them of their wittes and reason as it leaues no modestie at all in them But yet in the meane whyle God doth now and then call them to account and he summoneth them within so as they be constreyned to perceyue that they must bee fayne to come before him And yet for all this they burie that knowledge as muche as they can and are contented to abyde deafe and blind and nother to see noâ— yet to heare what God sheweth telleth them Now wee see how wee ought to set foorth this lesson that wee may practise it too our profite It is in effect that although the wicked haue the worlde at will that is not as much to say as their lyfe is therefore happy And why VVhat is the cheife welfare of man To bee sure that his conscience is quiet and at reste so as hee may goe on in true constancie through life and through death yea and euen be merrie But doth that befall to the wicked No for although they streyne themselues to set light by God and to bee voyde of sadnesse yet are they faine to be sorie out of quiet spite of their teeth Hereby wee see that their life is vnhappie for all the goods that they can haue And so if we vnderstaÌ„d that God will be mercifull to vs although we be vexed on all sides yet is it a comfort to vs in the middes of al our sorrowes that we are sure that God wil end them to our profit and welfare to the confusion of our enimies Thus ye see how wee must practyze this lesson Verely it deserueth to bee discoursed more at length and so it shall bee by Gods leaue at the next Lecture But as nowe the present time will not suffer vs to goe any further Now let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him that when he hath made vs perceyue our selues well worthie to be bereft of all light and to be cast into horrible darknesse for reiecting the grace of his holy spirite which he had offered vs it may neuerthelesse please him to pity vs and like as hee hath once inlightened vs by his woorde and holie Ghoste so too increase the same light more and more in vs and specially too make vs too prosper in that which he knoweth to be fit for vs And yet in the meane while that he suffer vs not too be tied to the corruptible goodes of this world to rest our selues to much vpon them but that wee may alwaies go forward to the euerlasting heritage prepared for vs in heauen so as wee may not be vanquished by the temptations that may befall vs but get the vpper hand in all battelles wherwith we be assayled wayting till our God haue deliuered vs from all miseries of this world and taken vs vp into the blissednesse that is prepared for vs in heauen where wee shall haue our full contentation That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to c. The .lxviij. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xviij. Chapter 12 His strength shal be in famine and breaking of anguish shal be at his side 13 The firstborne of death shall eate vp his braunches or the members of his skinne yea it shall eate vp his members 14 His hope shall be rooted out of his tent and the king of feare shall make him come 15 He that is none of his shall dvvell in his tent and brimstone shall bee povvred vpon his dvvelling place 16 His rootes shall vvither bylovve and his boughes shall bee cut off aloft 17 His name shall perish from of the earth and he shall haue no more renoume any vvhere 18 He shall be cast out of light into darknesse and driuen quite out of the vvorld 19 He shall haue nother Sonnes nor graundchildren among the people nor any ouerliuer in his dvvellings 20 They that liue after him shall be astonied at his day and they that go afore him shal be caught vvith feare 21 Surely such are the Tents of the vvicked and the place of him that knovveth not God. WEe haue too go forwarde with the matter that was begunne yesterday For here Bildad sheweth that God suffereth not the wicked too scape vnpunished howsoeuer the worlde go This saying is very true as I said afore if it bee rightly vnderstood that is to wit prouided that we minde not to binde God in such wise as wee haue bene wont too do to punish the wicked after this maner or that maner but giue him leaue to execute his owne iudgements And now let vs looke vpon that which followeth Here Bildad sayeth first of al that famine shall be the strength of the wicked and that breaking shall be readie or iust by him at his side VVhen he speaketh of streÌ„gth no doubt but he meeneth not all abilitie as if he should say that the wicked mans nurrishmeÌ„t shal be turned into hunger And herevnto agreeth the secoÌ„d part of the streyne where he addeth that his sides or ribbes shall do nothing else but burst asunder For the ribbes betoken strength according as wee know that the flesh alone were not able to beare vp a maÌ„ vnlesse he had ribbes which are of a harder substance wherin consisteth al the force of him Then in effect we vnderstaÌ„d that god will so curse the wicked that although they seeme stroÌ„g and wel furnished of al that belongs to them yet shal not that keepe them from broozing and breaking And that we may fare the better by this senteÌ„ce we haue to mark first that according to the Scripture Man is not nurrished by only bread but by euery woorde that proceedeth out of the mouth of god VVherein Moyses doth vs to wit that the abundance which we haue is not able to susteine vs VVhat then nothing els but

seeme to bee but a shadowe and my life vanisheth away out of hand but yet for all that my God will shewe himselfe mightie in my behalfe so as I shall see him If Iob spake thus in the time when there was not yet any greate learning nor perchaunce the Law was yet written but admit it were nother were there yet any Prophetes at leastwise not any mo than Moyses for the Prophets make mention of Iob as of a man of old time I say if Iob hauing but only a little sparke of light was so strengthened in his afflictions and that not only when he saw some one kind of death but also when God seemed to haue set hym as a spectacle among men a dreadfull and terrible thing he was able to say yet shall I see my God what excuse is there for vs in these dayes when God sheweth vs the resurrection so neerely and expresly and giueth vs so many goodly promises of it And specially considering how we see the mirrour and substance thereof in our Lorde Iesus Christ whome he hath rayzed againe to the intent to put vs out of doubt that we shall one day be parttakers of the same immortall glorie Then if after so muche assurance we cannot be brought to be of the same beliefe that Iob was of must we not needes be charged with vnthankfulnesse For if we could imbrace Gods promises with true fayth would they not be of sufficient power to make vs to mount ouer all the temptations that do so reigne ouer vs So then let vs marke well this text that wee may say with S. Paule That if this cotage of our body were gone for he termeth it a cotage as a thing made of leaues or as a shed that is nothing woorth wee haue a much better and excellenter buylding prepared for vs in heauen If this outward man that is to say if all that pertayneth too this present life and all that is seene were done away yet would God renew vs againe yea and he maketh vs alreadie to beholde our resurrection after a sort in that we see our bodies waste away after that manner according also as in another texte the same S. Paule sendeth vs too the seede that is cast into the earth saying that the same cannot grow to haue a liuely roote and to yeeld good fruite except it first rotte Do wee then see that death hath dominion ouer vs Lette vs marke that God is minded to giue vs a true life that is to say the heauenly life which is purchaced for vs by the precious bloud of his Sonne If that were not the least temptation in the worlde woulde ouercome vs For as I haue sayd already all the miseries that we haue too suffer are as many messages of death Now if wee sawe death and thought it shuld make cleane riddance of vs must we not needes vtterly quayle Then is there none other meane to comfort vs in oure afflictions but onely this doctrine that when all that euer is in vs in consumed yet shall wee not ceasse to see our God yea and to see him in our flesh Afterward it is sayd Mine eyes shall beholde him and none other Iob addeth this as continuing the matter that he maynteyned that is to wit Seing that my God hath assured me that he will make mee strong agayne I will hold me wholly vnto him â–ª I neede not to stray any further nor too bee haled one way or other for it behoueth me to holde my selfe to him alone Myne eyes then shall behold him and none other Behold heere one goodly lesson more That which hee spake erewhyle that is to wit that hee shoulde see God in his flesh hath a relation to experience that God should set him vp agayne vpon his feete But that which he speaketh nowe is spoken in another respect that is to witte in respect of hope For God is seene of vs in two maners VVe see hym when he sheweth himselfe a father and Sauiour in effect by giuing vs open proofe and experience of it Behold my God hath delyuered me from such a sicknesse which was as it were a raysing from death the same is a recorde that he hath layde his hand vpon me to succoure me thus do I see him yea and I see him effectually Howbeit eueÌ„ while I am sicke and when there is no more likelyhood of recouerie I ceasse not to see God still For I put my trust in him â–ª Agayne I wayte paciently for the ende that hee shall giue me and I doubt not but I am his still althoughe hee take me out of the world Thus ye see yet another maner of beholding God Iob then meeneth that he shal see God in effect by being set againe in his former state And secondly he addeth that hee will not ceasse to beholde hym although he be ouerwhelmed with miseries that hee can no more Mine eyes sayeth he shall be fastned vpon him and I will not looke aside from him Heere we see what is the nature of fayth namely to gather it selfe in such wyse vnto God as it wander not abrode nor bee drawne away as wee commonly bee I pray you what is the cause that wee cannot repose our selues vpon God as it were meete wee should It is bycause wee parte Gods office and all his power intoo so many peeces and gobbettes as wee leaue him little or nothing VVee can well ynough say it is God to whome it belongeth too mainteyne vs but yet for all that wee ceasse not to trudge vp and downe and forewarde and backwarde too seeke meanes to lyue by not as gyuen of God and proceeding from hym but wee attribute the very power of God too the meanes themselues whereby we make them as idolles Thus ye see how we cannot looke vpon God with a pure eye nor settle our trust and contentation in him Therefore let vs marke well the woordes that Iob vseth heere which are that his eyes shall behold God and none other as if hee had sayde I will holde me there I will not be fleeting as men are but I will put my selfe wholly to my God and say It is thou Lord yea it is thou only of whome I holde my lyfe and when I am gone hence thou shalte restore mee agayne as thou haste promised And lette vs make this comparison betweene Iob and our selues that if Iob hauing not had such assurance of Gods goodnesse nor so familiar teaching by the hundreth parte as wee haue doo notwithstanding say that hee shall and will beholde God are wee to bee excused when wee fleete too and fro specially seeing that our Lorde Iesus Christe offereth himselfe vnto vs in whome dwelleth the whole fulnesse of the glorie of the Godhead and in whom the ful power of the holy Ghoste was shewed at suche time as hee was rayzed from the dead And surely wee neede not too streyne our eyesight too looke farre for him for the Gospell is the cleere looking glasse wherein

that hee may bring all their enterprises to a good ende No. There is nothing with them but pride and statelinesse in somuche as they thinke they shall welynough finde very good and conuenient shiftes in their owne braynes Agayne they know not howe it belongeth too God to guide all things and too leade their doings too their end and marke The wicked yeld not that honour vnto god So then they consult they beate their braynes as the Prophet Esay saith they make their discourses they conclude and they beare themselues in hande that they can go through with all things and bring them too passe as they themselues haue deuised But God sheweth that all shall fall out cleane contrarie too their attempts bycause they haue bene so caried away by their owne fond fancies Then let vs marke well that if the wicked be neuer so suttle and it seeme also too be easie for them to find startingholes by reason they haue laid so well for their affayres aforehand yet notwithstanding God will find them out in the ende and they shall not be able too scape out of his nettes This is in effect the thing that is shewed vs here And why For God hath diuers meanes to persecute his enimies He is not as an earthly Prince who when he hath made great preparation preuailes not by it at all but is disappoynted of his hope and is new to begin againe But without remouing or without deuising any thing hee needes no more but too speake the word and it will bring more to pafse than all the armies of the worlde VVe see how he hath incountered his enimies diuerse times Did he rayse any great hoste of men when he punished Pharao and all the Egiptians No he sent him woormes and filthynesse Beholde how God woorketh when it pleaseth him Agayne if he suffer the wicked too scape some harme it foloweth not that they by their policie haue ouercome Gods hande which was against them But our Lord suffereth it too the end that their condemnation shoulde growe the greater and that they should waxe wilfull in their opinion according also as wee see it come too passe For when the wicked escape some aduersitie vnouerwhelmed they do but shake their eares and they be quite dispatched as they surmize and therevpon they take greater libertie afterwarde God then doth now and then send but some small aduersitie to the wicked and pursueth them not with any greate rigoure but lets them go as if they were escaped scotfree But what It is to dubble it anone after For in so much as they scoffe at Gods pacience and prouoke his anger more and more he also must be fayne to vtter his roughnesse and to thunder vpon them and whereas he had scarce giuen them a ticke with a rod he must bee faine to draw out his sword against them and too take his bow and shoote at them And therefore let vs learne to minde this saying well aforehand too the ende that if our Lorde visit vs we may not thinke to shunne the mischiefe by our owne byleapes but rather commit ourselues vnto him that in sted of persocuting vs as his deadly enimies as we deserue too be he may voutsafe to take vs to mercie And this is the cause why his threatnings are repeted so often in the holy Scripture For it is not heere onely that it is sayd that the wicked man shall flee from the weapons of yron and meete with a bow of steele But we see how the Lord himselfe speaketh it by his Prophet saying It shall be too small purpose for thee to hide thy selfe in thine house If thou go out into the feelds thou shalt meete with wilde beasts when thou art escaped from the mouth of the Lion there shall bee a Beare that shall find thee welynough Heereby our Lord sheweth that he hath all creatures in his hande and can serue his owne turne with them to persecute men so as wee cannot make account to be discharged till wee haue found fauoure in his sight and that he haue pitie of vs So then the onely meane to be sure and safe is that God haue receiued vs But if we flee aloofe froÌ„ him he hath too long hands and when hee hath drawne his sworde he hath a bow also that is to say he hath so many sortes of chastizings and punishmens as in the ende wee must needes fall vnhappily except we be reconciled vnto him as I haue shewed alredy Nowe like as God threatneth swords bowes wild beasts and Scorpions to such as lift vp themselues against him and stoutly harden themselues against his hand so also on the contrarie parte hee sheweth that hee hath wayes without number too saue those that flee for refuge to his goodnesse and put theyr trust therein True it is that wee shall be inuironed with many miseries and many deathes shall lie in wayte for vs but God also hath diuerse wayes to succoure vs yea which are to vs incomprehensible Therefore when wee be vnprouided of all meanes so as it shall seeme too vs that we be vndone let vs bethinke our selues thus God hath some issue of death which is knowne to himselfe and the same is hidden from vs bycause he intendeth to exercise our fayth let vs tarrie till he discouer his goodnesse and when it shall please him to make his countenance to shine vpon vs then shall we perceiue that we be in life euen in the midds of death Ye see then that the threatnings which God maketh to the wicked ought to make vs too resort vnto him and so shall wee haue full matter of gladnesse and rest notwithstanding that wee be in many daungers and that assoone as wee bee passed out of one another is at hand and it seemeth to vs that we can neuer be deliuered For like as God hath swords to punish the wicked so hath he infinite deliuerances to succoure his faithfull ones Lo in effect what wee haue to remember in this verse And for a conclusion it is said that the sword shall be drawen and pearce through his gall and that fearefulnesse shal be vpon him VVhen hee saith that the sworde shall bee drawne and pearce the wicked quite and cleane through his gall it is as muche to say as it shall bee a deadly stroke that shall wounde him to the harte and this serueth too do vs too vnderstande that Gods punishementes shall sometimes bee suddayne True it is that they are not alwayes so and therefore it must not be made a generall rule Also as I haue tolde you the question is not whither God perfourme his iudgements swiftly but yet doth hee giue vs some shewe of them euen in this life too the ende wee should the earnestlier herken for the last day whereas all things shall bee set agayne in their full state and perfection Neuerthelesse as I saide Gods iudgementes shall sometime bee suddaine and that is it that Zophar ment too expresse in saying the sword is

mirth that God condemneth VVhereby we ought to take warning to restreyne our selues and whereas we see there are many whose whole delight is too seeke such pastimes let vs say a mischeefe on them And if we will not haue the same curse to light vpon our selues let vs learne too absent our selues from such looce and wanton pastimes but let vs rather aduisedly restreyn our selues and set God alwayes before our eyes to the end that hee may blisse our mirth and we so vse his benefits as we may neuer cease to trauel vp to heauenward Thus ye see how it behoueth vs to apply all our mirth to this ende namely that there may be a melodie sounding in vs whereby the name of God may be blissed and glorified in our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too make vs so to feele them as wee may be hartily sorie for them and in returning vnto him desyre him to mortifie our whole nature ruling all our thoughts and affections by his rightuousnesse and making vs newe creatures to the ende we may so passe through this world as we may not be hindered by any stumbling blocks and bylettes that are in it nor cumbered and thrust out of the way by the miseries that wee haue to indure heere nor by the aduersities that God sendeth nor tempted by the prosperitie of the wicked but that wee may fight stoutly agaynst all temptations euen till hee gather vs intoo his heauenly rest and make vs inioy the inheritance that hee hath promised vs whereof we be yet destitute for a time that our fayth and hope might be exercised That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. The .lxxx. Sermon which is the third vpon the .xxj. Chapter This sermon conteyneth the rest of the declaration of the xij verse and so forth of the text that here followeth 13 They spende their dayes in vvelth and sodenly they go dovvne to the graue 14 And yet they say vnto God depart from vs for vve desire not to knovv thy vvayes 15 VVho is the almightie that vve shoulde serue him or vvhat shall it profit vs to pray vnto him IT was yesterday declared that Iob here speaketh of those that abuse the benefits which God bestoweth vpon them during this mortall life so as they be caried away with pleasure and are as it were drunken therwith And hereby we ought too take warning so too reioyce that there bee alwayes a measure in vs and that we bridle our selues For the thing that ought moste too put vs in rememberance of God is the receyuing of the benefites that hee bestoweth vpon vs which thing ought to drawe vs vnto him and make vs too loue him Contrarywise we see that they which reioyce without measure and order forget God and are so glad that they thinke no more on him neyther will any more be subiect vnto him So then let vs follow this modestie or meane that I haue spoken of and learne so too moderate all our pleasures that wee bee not caryed away with the worlde And there with all also bicause heere is mention made of the flute of the taboret harpe other instrumentes of musike let vs note that the things which of their owne nature be good ought not by vs to bee put to an euill vse As musike of it selfe cannot bee condemned but forasmuch as the worlde doth almost alway abuse it we ought to be so much the more circumspect this place warneth vs thereof VVee see at this day that they whiche vse musike doo swell with poyson agaynste God they become hardharted they wil haue their songs yea and what manner of songs full of all villanie and ribauldrie And afterward they fall to dauncing whiche is the cheefest mischeefe of all For there is alway such vnchaste behauiour in dauncing that of it selfe and as they abuse it to speake the truth at one worde it is nothing else but an enticement to whoredome So then it is not without a cause that Iob inteÌ„ding to declare that the children of this worlde and the despizers of God doo passe measure in their reioycings speaketh of the sounde of the taboret of the flute and of other instrumentes of musike As I haue already touched hee dooth not so condemne these things as though they were euill of their owne nature but he considereth the abuse that therin is committed for men doo neuer so well keepe measure as to vse musike modestly This vice then is heere to be noted to the end that we may so thinke of it as we may take some profit thereby To be breefe let vs as long as we liste excuse the vanities that are committed in musike yet doo we see that the spirit of God condemneth them bicause that men delight to much in them and when they sette their delight and pleasure in these base earthly things they thinke not a whit vpon God nother do they ascribe the whole vnto him This is the summe of that which we haue to note out of this place Now at leÌ„gth it is sayd that God wil suffer the despizers of his maiestie to go to theyr graue in a minute of an houre after that they haue speÌ„t their whole lyfe in greate ioye and pleasure This thing also is very well noted in the threescore and thirteenth Psalme although he vseth another similitude there which is that the wicked go to their death without any impeachement or hinderance that they haue nother bands nor cords And thereby the Prophet ment to shew that the children of God in this world doo nothing but pine away hang the wings for sicknesse and diseases and other suche like things are as it were bandes that draw vs vnto death and pull vs backe agayne from it On the one side when wee be sicke we see that death threatneth vs for we are therby taught howe frayle a thing our life is yea they are all of them messengers whiche God sendeth to say vnto vs Prepare your selues for you haue nothing certayne nor sure in this worlde These then are bandes of death which draw vs vnto him And againe we go on pyning and cannot dye yea a man woulde thinke sometyme that wee should not liue halfe a yeare to an ende at the moste and yet wee go foorth on and in the meane season the disease continueth still with vs This wee see in the children of God but in that while the wicked spende theyr tyme in myrth and ioye yea they are lustie and full of courage and when they come to their death it seemeth that euen as they woulde wishe they laye them downe to sleepe This will seeme very strange but let vs keepe in remeÌ„brance that which hath bin alredy declared that is to wit howe Iob ment to shewe that although God punishe not all trespasses heere in this world yet

of his naturall wit assuring himself that that is not a matter for men to purchase estimation by but that he ought too be gouerned by the spirit of God and too haue the vertue whereof S. Paule speaketh to the end he may know that it is God which hath sent him That thing therefore is very requisite But if a man marke well the processe of the text Iob following that which he had touched afore intendeth rather to shew that Bildads words were not well disposed because they did not quicken his soule whiche is the principall poynt that we haue to marke in Gods word I said afore that Gods worde serueth to teach the ignoraunt and too strengthen the weake and that is bicause it incourageth such as are faint colde and slouthfull weakeneth such as are asleepe in their sinnes spurneth such foreward as lag behind and raizeth such as are falne downe yet there is one thing more namely that it quickeneth suche as are dead And this is it that Iob meant to shew when he said Of whome is the spirite that is gone out of thee that is too say in the power of thy wordes Therefore lette vs marke that the worde of God is then well handled when it giueth vs courage to go forewarde and strengtheneth our feeblenes making vs nimble whereas our leggs were broken and making vs stoute and lusty whereas we were destitute of all valiantnesse afore but yet muste it also giue vs life when we be as good as dead And this is verified specially of the Gospell For behold how our Lord Iesus Christ speaketh in the fifth of Saint Iohn The time is come saithe hee that the voice of the sonne of man shall be heard not only of the liuing but also of the dead And who be those dead Surely no maÌ„ can be exempted For whereat beginneth God to make his doctrine auaylable in vs Euen at the drawing of vs out of the spiritual death wherin we were all hild For till such time as God inlightneth vs by his word wee be blind till he open our eares we be deafe till he giue vs faith wee haue nother soule nor hart True it is that we may well seeme to haue some outward shew of life the vnbeleeuers do eate and drinke as well as the faithfull againe they can go about their businesse yea and oftentimes there feeme too bee greate vertues in them But all that is nothing bycause that in asmuch as they bee straungers from God all that is in them is but death and vtter confusion God then must be fayne to drawe vs out of death vnto himselfe as the poynt whereat hee muste begin too make his worde auaylable in vs And in good sooth let vs see what streÌ„gth there is in men till God haue strengthened them by his woord They trust in themselues that is to say they leane vnto a reede that shall make them breake their neck Yea and it is all one as if a man woulde gore himselfe vpon a pike For in asmuch as it hath a sharp point and is armed with yron if a man leane vppon it ye see it pricketh him through And such is the trust that we haue in oure owne strength that it must needes be our death Therfore let vs marke well that there is not one drop of life in vs till god draw vs out of death yea euen by the power of his word And therin wee see howe wretched the state of the vnbeleuers is True it is that they be so sotted in their outrages as they perceiue not their owne harmes But yet will the holy scripture always shewe it selfe true in auouching vs to bee dead and vtterly forlorne and that there is nothing but cursednesse in vs so long as wee bee straungers from God And yet for all that we see how thaÌ„klesse the world is How many are there to be found that wil suffer themselues to bee rayzed and quickened God offereth vs this benefite when he willeth his word to be preached published to all men Thus ye see then that life is offered vs and we forsake it that is to say the great multitude shrinketh away from it and thrusteth away the benefite which they might inioy by it See ye not a shamefull thanklesnesse Must not men needes be out of their right wits Yet notwithstanding wee see there are fewe whiche submit themselues to the Gospell and giue care to it VVee see they rayle agaynst it and mocke at it and slaunder it and lift vp themselues agaynst God with such rage as there is lesse to be gotten at their hands than of wild beasts Then sithe wee see the number of them too be so small whiche receyue the doctrine of saluation and that the greatest parte withdrawe themselues from it some as I sayd making none account of it some mocking at it and some outrageously setting themselues against it so as they shew full well that there is nothing in them but wickednesse agaynst God therby it is seene how mightily Satan hathe bewitched them But howsoeuer the world go we ought to marke well this sentence where it is sayd that the spirit ought to passe out of vs that is to say that whereas we were dead afore assoone as wee heare the worde of God the same must giue vs such a liuelinesse as our spirit may shew itselfe whiche had not onely bene in a swound but also vtterly quenched before True it is that the worde of God cannot doo this thing in that it is vttered by the mouth of a mortall man for it must first bee quickened it selfe that it may quickeÌ„ vs How is that VVhen I speake it is not in mee too touche folkes harts nor too make the doctrine that I preach to enter so into euery man as they may bee moued too come vntoo god Howe then Our Lord had neede to make his word auaylable by the working of his holy spirit and too quicken it before it enter into vs that it may take roote there and be vnto vs incorruptible seede of life Ye see then that God must be fayne to worke by his secrete power ere his doctrine can auaile that is preached to vs by men That is true But where of commeth this fault Euen of our selues For God muste bee fayne to boare our eares or else wee will neuer heare him and hee must be fayne too soften our hearts and to make them fleshly for of themselues they be as hard as flint and full of rebellion Yet notwithstanding the worde of God ought to conteine in it the saide power and propertie of mortifying our soules And let vs not maruell at it For to what ende hath God ordeyned his woorde and appoynted it to bee preached his intent is too bring vs too himselfe and to come neere vnto vs and not only so but also too dwell with vs For he is the welspring of life and there is nothing in vs but death Seeing then that hee maketh vs partakers of

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 theÌ„selues 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 â–ª 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

purposely VVben trouble commeth vpon the hypocrite bicause that then we knowe and feele howe auaylable our prayers are and what frute they yeeld vs True it is that God sheweth his goodnesse towardes vs euery minute of an houre and although we perceyue it not by and by yet doth he preserue vs froÌ„ the miseries that hang ouer our heade and putteth his hande betwixt vs and them So then we cannot but be acquainted with Gods grace in the time of prosperitie knowe that we be mainteyned by the same but yet haue we not so certaine and euident experience of his fauour help in prosperitie as in aduersitie ForwheÌ„soeuer miserie pincheth vs and death threatneth vs we haue the wit to discerne that we were forlorne and fordone if God should not step before vs to reskue vs And in good sooth howe should we be troubled if wee had not that consideration Ye see then an euident demonstration that God hath had pitie vpon vs And so affliction is the thing wherein God sheweth himselfe cheefly to be our sauiour And heere ye see why it is sayd in the Psalme Thou shalt call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me But is it therfore to be said that we must not seeke vnto God but when we be in necessitie and at the last caste No for we should be too retchlesse if wee should tarry till such constraint came Then behooueth it vs to call vpoÌ„ God at all times as shall be shewed anone But yet doth our Lord prouoke vs by scourging vs in so doing he correcteth our slouthfulnesse quickeneth vs vp to come vnto him It is expresly sayd that that is the time wherein we muste call vpon him and that that is the very due and conuenient season according as it is sayd in the two and thirtith Psalme that the rightuous shal seeke God in due time that is to say wheÌ„ their aduersitie presseth them Not that we haue not occasion to do so continually but bycause we haue more occasion then than at any other time And hereby we be warned that whensoeuer we be pinched to the vttermost so as we can abide no more wee muste not faynte but rather take courage to come vnto God knowing that he allureth vs not only by worde of mouth but also by his doings and that hee not onely reacheth vs his hand and willeth vs to take it but also dooth as it were drawe vs by force by reason of the great sluggishnesse that is in vs Lo what we haue to mark in this streine Now herewithall let vs vnderstand what is the frute of our faith It is that in all our aduersities wee be right happy and that all the curses which God sendeth vppon men for their sinnes are turned to our welfare by meanes of faith wheÌ„ we pray vnto God and haue our recourse vnto him And why For in the mids of our troubles he sheweth himselfe our Sauiour and maketh vs too feele that hee is neere at hande with vs After that Iob hath sayde so he addeth that the vngodly will not delighte in the Almightie nor seeke alwaies vnto him VVhen he sayth that the wicked man will not seeke alwaies vnto God it is a confirmation of that which hath bene touched already that is to witte that we must not onely pray when we can none otherwise do but also that we muste do it ordinarily as in very deede we cannot passe one minute of an houre without Gods helpe And surely the fauoure that we looke for at his hande consisteth not onely in deliuering from death when wee be as good as at the pits brim but also in preseruing vs and in turning awaye euill from vs For we see that in this life we bee continually beseeged with a hundred deathes and the miseries wheretoo we be subiect are without number God therefore muste be fayne to garde vs and to be our wall and bulwarke according also as he sayeth by his Prophet Esay that hee is our fortresse and shielde and so is hee also named oftentimes in the Psalmes Yee see then how we ought to call vpon God not onely when hee toucheth vs and smiteth as it were with hard strokes vpon vs but euen when wee be at our ease and rest perceyue no daunger towarde euen then say I behoueth it vs neuerthelesse to consider to how many miseries our life is subiect that beeing perswaded that wee can not escape them excepte God preserue vs we may runne vnto him and say Alas Lorde keepe vs thou vnder thy protection and by thy prouidence make vs able too passe through so manye deathes which hem vs in rounde about And this muste bee done both euening morning Moreouer we know without going any further what temptations assayle vs dayly And therefore when we pray vnto God it must not only be that he shoulde preserue vs from the daungers wherin we are concerning this present life but the cheefe poynt is that he shoulde reach out his hande to deliuer vs from Satans temptations and not suffer vs too fall into euill according as there are deadly downefalles whereinto we may tumble euery minute of an houre if wee be not hild vp by his power So then lette vs marke what neede the faythfull haue too bee so defended and shielded by Gods hande For when Satan cannot ouercome vs on the one side hee vndermineth vs anewe both before and behind and hee assaulteth as well at one side as on the other and as well aboue as beneath He hath so many fyrie and burning dartes that hee woulde wounde vs to the death were it not that God dooth defende and preserue vs So then it is not ynough for vs to pray onely once a day or when the neede it selfe constrayneth vs but it standeth vs in hand to do it continually and to make an ordinarie exercise of it And thus ye see why it is sayde that the wicked prayeth not at all tymes vnto God. But there is yet one poynte more which we ought to marke well For Iobs intent is to do vs to wit that whereas the wicked man doth nowe and then make countenaunce to pray yet doeth he not continue in that minde he proceedeth not constantly and after one continuall rate And heere ye see wherein the prayers of the hypocrites differ from the prayers of Gods children For an hypocrite withoute examining of his owne hearte will welynough doo the same thing that Gods children do to outwarde sight hee will pray vnto God yea and he will acknowledge that he hath neede to do so But if the least temptation in the world light vpon him he fretteth with himselfe meddleth no more with calling vpon God but grunteth agaynst him and fometh vp such rage as he sheweth well that he nother depended vppon God before nor trusted in him nor soughte him with a rightmeening minde and that all was but counterfetnesse Thus ye see how the

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 wheÌ„ 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 vpoÌ„ those that will make such estimation of theÌ„ 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

crie oute I am builded vpon bloud and another I of murther Therefore let the faythfull aduise them selues well when they builde that it bee not vppon goodes wrongfully gotten if they mynde too haue ioy of their dwelling And therewithall how so euer the worlde goe let them not rest there to make their nest of it but let them be readie to remoue when so euer it shall please god Nowe furthermore it is sayde That the wicked man shall die and not bee buried honourably and that hee shall open his eyes and see nothing This serueth too conclude the matter that hath bene treated of for Iob meeneth that it maye well come to passe and so it doeth indeede that the wicked shall stumble yea euen after hee hath bene aduaunced For the thing whereat he looketh is that our Lorde exalteth the wicked and afterwarde letteth them fall yea euen a deadly fall For as touching their death they are not buried honorably and agayne when they looke about them they finde no succoure but are disappoynted of their longing Heere we haue a faire looking glasse of Gods iudgementes howebeit that we play not those which held argument against Iob that is too wit that wee goe not about too inforce God too set things in their perfecte state For that shall not bee done till the last day Yet in the meane season it behoueth vs to bee warned to looke vpon Gods hande as ofte as our Lord ouerthroweth the wicked and beateth them down VVee must not in this poynte seeke any chaunce as the children of this world do whiche imagin a wheele of Fortune where as menne are hoysed vp alofte and afterwarde let fall agayne For the chaunges and returnings which we see in the world are not things that happen by aduenture but it behoueth vp too father them vppon the hand of god As howe Sometimes hee punisheth them that haue abused his grace and sometimes hee beareth with them so as it is not perceyued that hee myndeth too punishe them but yet they shall haue so much the more terrible account to make as I haue touched alreadie Notwithstanding if wee see the wicked fall it behoueth vs to knowe that God did not aduaunce them without cause but that the same was to the ende that their fall shoulde be the greeuouser euen to breake their necke Then after they had beene hoysed vp aloft God must make them to fall after that fashion Furthermore it is not for nought that their buriall is spoken of heere For although it bee neyther heere nor there in respecte of our saluation yet are there two things to be considered The one is that the wicked doe at their death defye God and nature and thinke too prolong their greatenesse and pompousnesse still in spyte of nature when oure Lorde conueyeth them into rottennesse Yea euen then do I say the wordly and fleshely men make muche more brauerie than in all their life afore For their sumptuouse buriall is too saue their memoriall from perishing that men might speake of it for euer So then we see that the foolish curiositie which the worldlings and vnbeleeuers vse in beeing buried with great pompe is to continue their pride in despite of god But God laugheth such presumption to scorne For hee disappoynteth their expectation in so much that whereas they purposed to be buried honorably diuers times he hath giuen them a cleane contrarie buriall Marke that for one point But yet it is also to be considered that buriall was brought in by god It is no inuention of man without good grounde but it is Gods ordinance to the end it should be a witnesse vnto vs of the resurrection euerlasting life VVhen men be buried they are layde vp in the earth as in a store house vntill they maye bee raysed vp agayne at the last day and so our buriall is vnto vs as a looking glasse of the resurrection Therefore when the wicked are disappoynted of buriall it is as much as if oure Lorde vttered his cursse vpon them after a visible manner yea euen as well in deathe as in life according as it is sayde heere And yet notwithstanding lette vs marke that if the wicked bee buried honourably wee muste not bee troubled at it nor thinke that God hathe forgotten hym selfe or that hee executeth not his iudgementes in conuenient time for wee see what the Scripture sayeth of the riche man namely that he was buried And what sayeth it of Lazarus There is no mention made of his buriall in so much that it is not known whether he were eaten with dogges or whether he were cast abroade into the feeldes The Scripture speaketh not of it it speaketh but of the buriall of the riche man Contrariwise if Gods children happen sometimes to lye vnburied is it to be concluded therfore that they are accursed No like as when the wicked are buryed it is not too bee sayd that they are blessed in their death But it is to shewe vs that God executeth not his temporall punishmentes after one egall rate in this worlde but reserueth the chiefe to himselfe till the latter day As much is to be sayd when wee see good men burned and put to open shame and Gods children perishe with the wicked yea as touching the bodie so as they bee caried to the gallowes For although they bee the martyrs of Iesus christ and that that slaunder bee more honour to them before God than all the preserments in the world yet not withstanding God gyueth them not buriÌ„all And howe commeth that too passe Howe falleth out the threatnings against the wicked that is spoken of here It behoueth vs to come backe to that which I haue sayde namely that they be suche iudgementes as are hidden and incomprehensible as yet and that it behoueth vs to tarie till our Lorde bring vs to that daye wherein all things shall bee discouered In the meane season let vs knowe that the heauen shall serue for a tumbe too suche as are so martyred I meane too the innocents that are put to reproche by the wicked and the persecuters And that if they had the honorablest buriall in the worlde it were nothing in comparison of the benefite and priuiledge that God giueth them For can a man finde a more honourable tumbe than the heauen But oure Lorde maketh that to serue for a tumbe for his children when he bereaueth them of common and ordinarie buriall And so if it please God to haue vs buried let vs know that the same is as a record of his goodnesse And if hee bereeue the wicked of their buriall let vs also behold his vengeance both in their life and in their death Yet notwithstanding let vs learne to refraine our selues and to haue our eyes as it were closed vp in respect of his secrete iudgemenres vntill we become vnto the last day where hee will shewe vs the things perfectly which are now out of order Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure

that our naturall wit doth rest vpon and looke at The things that we feele see and touche Therefore when God leaueth vs in such extremitie as we knowe not what shall become of vs there seemeth to be a thicke cloude betwene him and vs and that we be no more vnder his haÌ„d guiding But yet notwithstaÌ„ding see how God promiseth to be neere at hand to vs VVheÌ„ we thinke he is furthest off froÌ„ vs And when it shall seeme that his eyes are shut he will haue vs to thinke thus hath God spoken it Let vs hardly hold vs to his promis Now then we see that there is a double coÌ„ceiuing in the faithfull and it standeth vs in hand to practise this well It is not ynough too say it but euery man must put it in vre in himselfe VVheÌ„ any aduersitie befalleth vs we caÌ„not but think that God hath turned his back vpon vs See wherevnto our nature driueth vs But afterwarde it behoueth vs to run immediatly to the promises of God who biddeth vs call vpon him in the day of our trouble In that he willeth vs to call vpon him it is a token that we are in his keeping protectioÌ„ So theÌ„ we see that fayth must ouerrule our naturall reason to the ende wee may be quiet in the mids of all our miseries wayting for Gods succour walking as hee commandeth vs According herevnto Iob sayeth here VVhere are the tymes become wherein God preserued mee For he meeneth that God hath shewed by effect and by very eysight that he had preserued him as if some maÌ„ shold say seeing that Iob is so persecuted is it to be sayd that God keepeth him Is it to be sayd that God mainteineth him No but rather that God hath forsakeÌ„ him as a wretched creature Iob theÌ„ speaketh not heere of the thing as it was in very deede as thoughe God had at that time forgotteÌ„ him but he speketh of that which might seeme to meÌ„ of that which he perceyueth by his naturall wit howbeit that he resisted it by the force of faith resting himselfe vpon Gods promises fighting against the teÌ„tation that was put vnto him Yee see then in what wise it behoueth vs to take this text therewithall to apply it to ourselues and so let vs vnderstande that if we be in prosperitie we muste not terme it good fortune according to the maner of meÌ„ which alwaies are so malicious that they rob and bereue God of his honour that beloÌ„geth vnto him but we must vse such language as this namely that God preserueth vs VVhat is the cause then that God prospereth vs what is the cause that we liue are still mainteyned wheÌ„ we be beseeged with a thousand deathes It is bicause God pitieth vs is our Protectour Lo how it behoueth vs alwaies to resort to Gods prouideÌ„ce that we may yeeld him the prayse of al the benefites which he bestoweth vpoÌ„ vs yea eueÌ„ in respect of this traÌ„sitory life And furthermore wheÌ„ our Lord chaungeth to outward apperance and suffereth vs to be assaulted on all sides so as one maÌ„ pilleth vs and another defameth vs many aduersities light vpoÌ„ vs might it not be sayd to maÌ„s seeming that God hath forsakeÌ„ vs will no more come at vs Yet notwithstanding let vs not cease to receyue the promis which God giueth vs yea to hope euen against hope as which is the lesson that is taught vs in the person of our father AbrahaÌ„ as S. Paule speaketh of him But Iob addeth that in that time God had lightned his lampe vpoÌ„ him and that he had walked in his lyght in the middes of darkenesse Let vs marke how it is diuers times said that God inlighteneth vs when he teacheth vs by his worde and for that cause is it termed a lampe But in this text it hath another sense For Iob meeneth not simply that God taughte him by his lawe or by any reuelation of the holy Ghoste But that God had giuen him comfort in all his aduersities therwithall also a good desirable issue of them VVhat then is the lampe of God It was Iobs prosperitie in that God stoode by him according also as we see that the scripture likneth the afflictioÌ„s of this present life vnto darknesse As for exaÌ„ple if we be in warre or be troubled with famine or pestilence we are as it were in the night Gods countenaÌ„ce is hidden from vs we know not on which side to turne vs So on the contrarie part when our Lord haÌ„dleth vs louingly it is asmuche as if the sunne did shine vpoÌ„ vs we see that the daylight maketh men glad coÌ„trariwise that the light maketh men sadde and heauy Also when it is clowdie and raynie weather we are after a sort beaten downe and euery one of vs shrinketh So then let vs marke that Iob doth here coÌ„tinue his matter by saying that the lampe of God shined vpon him when hee was in happie state euery man laughed vpon him VVherein is coÌ„firmed yet better the doctrine which I haue touched namely that neede must not father the prosperitie of this world vpon fortune as we see these worldlings do which looke not vnto Gods haÌ„d nother in weale nor wo. Therfore we muste not do so but rather whensoeuer we haue any prosperitie let vs consider that God shineth vpon vs and sheweth vs a louing countenance and would haue vs to know him to be our father that we might glorifie him Behold then how our Lord sheweth vs his countenance in all prosperitie to the end that by seeing him we might haue occasion to prayse his goodnesse also be drawen vnto him by his gentle allurement and that both of them might giue vs courage too loue him and to yeelde oureselues to his seruice Nowe wee see that these manner of speeches are not superfluons when in stead of saying after the manner of the vnbeleeuers I haue had good fortune I haue liued at mine ease Iob sayeth that God had shone vpon him with his lampe and addeth that God had giuen him lyght in the middest of darkenesse And hee sayeth this bicause it is not possible but that we must be in many inconueniences and daungers in this worlde I meane euen those which seeme to haue all things as they would wish Although we perceyue some man to be as it were exempted from all trouble Yet notwithstanding so long as he is vpon earth he must nedes walke among thornes VVe shall alwayes be threatned with many deaths and though a man haue his Garners Cellers full yet is it not to be sayde but that he may be made poore in the turning of a hand So then let vs marke well that in the middes of this worlde wee be alwaies as it were in darkenesse that is to say we be besette with many troubles and daungers insomuch that if our Lord prouided not for vs we could not step one pace forward no nor

Therefore when we foresee such daungers and it seemeth vnto vs that when we bee escaped from one death there commeth a second and a thirde and to be short we are assayled on all sides that is a thing that stryketh our hart dead and that is it which Iob meeneth by saying that feare had caught holde of him within And this text ought to bee well marked of vs For the chiefe benefit which wee haue and which men do also naturally desire is to be in safetie and God also when hee speaketh of his blissings doeth aboue all things promise vs rest and that when we be in his custodie we shall sleepe at our ease without feare of beeing waked so as we shall not feare to sleepe euen vnder a tree or by a highe wayes side and although wee had neither doore nor barre nor lock nor key to our chamber yet we shall be safe vnder his protection Neuerthelesse wee see how Iob sayeth that he was possessed with feare It seemeth then that hee had no more trust in God and consequently that he was bereft of the souerain benefit that we desire and which God hath promised too all his children And verely the faythfull shal always haue finally such rest in theÌ„selues as they may be cheerfull in their aduersities and that is bycause they rest vpon Gods goodnesse and know well that he will neuer forget theÌ„ Ye see then a rest which can neuer fail al the faithful so long as they trust in God and that did Iob well feele in part But herewithall let vs mark that now and then God will cast his seruants in such trouble I meane for a little while as they shall not know where they be And this ioy of the holy Ghost is as it were ouerwhelmed and choked in them so as they cannot resort vnto God nor warrant themselues that he watcheth ouer them nor be sure to say no no Howsoeuer the world goeth yet will my God preserue me indeed I perceyue not that he is minded to succour me but yet will I tary his leysure paciently The faithfull then may at times be scarce fully out of doubt and they shall be tossed with so great waues and stormes as they shall not know where to becom but shall be caried with such violence and tossed and turmoyled after such a fashion as their rest shall bee turned into trouble and what is to be done then It behoueth vs to vnderstande that first of all to be peaceable yea euen in the middest of all our aduersities â–ª it standeth vs in hande to flee to our God to be out of doubt that his promising too bee alwayes with vs is not vaine Therefore let vs mind Gods promises that we may be armed with them on all sides so as we may bee quiet in the middest of our aduersities For there is none other safetie for vs but the hope of succour at Gods hand So long as we haue that we cannot but fal vpon our feet as the prouerbe sayth But assone as we bee turned away from God and cannot beleue that he will helpe vs and hath a fatherly care of our welfare wee are vtterly dismayed and so amazed as we knowe no meanes in the world to quiet our selues And therefore let vs learne to settle our selues in Gods promises if we wil not be ouerwhelmed with trembling and fearefulnesse in the middes of our aduersityes Furthermore if now and then we be so fore oppressed as we knowe not where to become yet let vs not ceasse to resort to our God hoping that hee will chace away oure darknesse and not suffer vs to continue alwayes in suche distresse as there should be no remedie nor asswagement of our sorrowes Now sith wee see that the like happened vnto Iob and also vnto Dauid who are two myriours of pacience fayth and hope let vs not bee too much discomforted when it seemeth too the infirmitie of our fleshe that we be vtterly ouerwhelmed with aduersitie and seazed with such feare as we be vtterly forlorne For surely God will worke continually in his faythfull ones and although his woorke appeare not to the eye yet shall they feele it And truly although the faythfull bee in such anguish and feare as there seemeth to bee no more hope for them in the goodnesse of God yet shal they not quayle but be succored by him notwithstanding that they be not able to perceyue his succour by their natural reason Thus ye see how wee ought to proceede in our heauinesse and howe wee ought to practise this doctrine to profite oure selues by it And when as Iob addeth that God had cast him to the ground and that he was become like dust and ashes for he had erst sayde that his garments were chaunged and cleaued as it were to his skin Thereby he sheweth that he was vtterly ouerthrowne and that there was not one sparke of hope of lyfe left in him insomuch that it might haue bin sayde beholde a man vtterly consumed in whom there reigneth nothing but death For by these wordes carth dust and ashes he not onely meeneth that his strength fayled him but also that hee was become as a dead coarse yea euen as good as halfe rotten Iob then sheweth right wel that there was no more token of life in this extreeme affliction which he indured but rather that hee was condemned yea euen of all men wherein it is shewed vs that our trust muste not bee tyed too the things that are seene but that wee muste trust in God yea euen in the middest of death And that when wee seeme to bee past recouerie yet notwithstanding wee must take holde of the life that God hathe promised vs and continually imbrace it And herewithall let vs marke also that Gods power is not subiect too any humaine or worldely meanes but that hee worketh after such a fashion as is incomprehensible and secrete vntoo vs Lo here the two things which wee haue too marke in this text which goe ioyntly one with another For why haue wee sayde that fayth muste not bee inclosed in the things that wee see but bycause it is grounded vpon the power of God But this power is infinite and may not bee compassed or ruled by worldly meanes or by ought that can be seene For God is able to worke after such maner as is vnknowne to vs Seeing it is so it behoueth our fayth also too be inlarged lykewise And so for the better vnderstanding of this doctrine let vs begin at the seconde poynt which I haue touched which is that Gods power whereby he intendeth to work for our welfare is not bouÌ„ded within these lower things and therfore that wee must not say that God will do thus or thus bycause the order of nature is so or bycause wee see some likelihood of it or bycause there is such a meane or helpe to compasse it For that were to doo him great wrong inasmuch as the things that are in him are infinite

Therfore we must not inclose Gods mightie power within our imagination vnderstanding Like as Gods goodnesse is endlesse and a bottomlesse pit so also are his wisdome and rightuousnesse and the same is to be said of his power Now if we would comprehende this mightinesse and power I pray you are wee able too inclose it in our brayne It is impossible So then let vs marke well that when God intendeth to saue vs he doeth it not after the common fashion but worketh by miracle towards vs insomuch that he will rayse vs euen from death And that is the cause why he chalengeth the office of sending men to the graue and of talling them backe againe Also it is sayd in the Psalme that the issues or outgoings of death are in the hand of our god VVhen it is sayde of our God it is to the ende that the faythfull shoulde taste the neerenesse of God and that hee shoulde make them feele the thing by experience which is conteyned heere namely that he hath the issues of death in his hande And what are those issues It is that when death shall haue reigned ouer vs and we seeme to be vtterly ouerwhelmed so as there is no more hope of life our Lord can well quicken vs yea euen after a wonderfull fashion vnknowne vntoo vs and which men cannot perceiue vntill it be shewed by effect And this is the cause also why Ezechiell had this vision giuen him that when God vttered his worde the bones that were drye before and wherein there was no substaunce came togither and the sinewes did knitte againe and breath and liuelinesse came into them and so they became liuing men Thus ye see howe we ought to bee grounded vpon the inestimable power of our God that is to wit that when it commeth too the trusting in him we must not fall to reasoning â–ª Hath God any meanes to do it Are the things likely or haue wee any thing in vs to further him No no but God knoweth howe too deale and therefore let vs wayte at his hande But now as I sayde it behoueth our sayth too bee inlarged vpon the mightie power of God and seeing that Gods mightie power is not to be measured nor to be inclosed and made subiect to worldly and naturall meanes our beleefe also must stretch out both hie and lowe and become infinite Verely it will neuer be so perfect as it ought to be we shal but only haue some little pece of it But yet must we labor forward and although our beleefe be weake and that we haue receyued it by measure yet must we alwayes tend to that marke VVhat marke Euen too rest our selues on God and to wayte for helpe at his hande And how shall we wayte for it must we rest vpon these earthly things No no but euery one of vs must stirre vp himselfe and consider well Lord thou art Almightte Therefore thou wilt saue vs by thy mightie power which is vnknowne to vs as yet Lo what is shewed vs in this streyne So then seeing that God hath giuen vs such a proofe of his mightie power in the person of Iob let the same confirme vs so much the more In the ende after that Iob hath spoken of the wrongs and reproches that were done vntoo him and complained of the feare wherewith he was seazed he directeth himselfe vnto God and sayeth that althoughe be turned himselfe vnto God to call vpon him be was not heard yea and that when he â—â—ld on and wayted Gods leysure God pitied him not ne made any countenance to regard him but which worse is turned toward him as a cruell person Surely this is the greeuousest temptation that myghte bee For if any aduersitie happen vntoo vs wee knowe that Gods setting of vs in this worlde is with condition that wee should be tempted diuers wayes and martyred with many miseries too the intent to shewe vs that this transitorie lyfe is nothing woorth and againe if wee haue some sorrowe our frayltie beareth it and if wee bee not stoute ynough to comfort our selues we impute it still to the feblenesse of our nature But when we flee vnto God and yet feele no ease at his hand but rather that he dissembleth so as the tyme seemeth to bee lost in praying vnto him then are we at an vtter extremitie VVhy so For it is a soueraine remedie whiche God giueth vs when hee sayeth come vnto mee when you are at an afterdeale yea and as good as deade and you shall perceyue that I haue power to quicken you I recouer those that are quayled I rayse vp them that are dead and I fetch them out of their graues which were suncken in it yea euen so deepe as it might seeme that they should neuer come out again God therfore is liberall ynough to promise vs that he wil neuer refuze our prayers but come we to seke him he shrinketh away and seemeth to be deaf This is a temptation that is able to ouerwhelme vs vtterly Therfore let vs mark well this text how Iob ment to declare that he was come euen vnto hel and that he was not chastized after the common fashion but that God to outward appearance had so forsaken him as he might coÌ„clude I haue hitherto bin deceyued in seruing God and I haue beguiled my self in hoping that he would helpe me and be my sauiour and why For in deed he sayth that his seruants shall be afflicted howbeit he calleth them to him saying cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee thou shalt glorifie me for the same Then ought we to hope for life eueÌ„ in death through his power For behold God openeth vs the gate when he sayth that he is nere all those that call vpon him in truth But now saith Iob if I seeke thee I sâ—nd thee not â–ª if I call vpon thee thou answerest me not I knock and the gate is still kept shut VVhy sayth he so For a man might first demaund whether God hath not performed the sayd promise wich he made to al the faithfull of being nere to all those which call vpon him For although those textes were not yet written yet did not God cease to haue pitie vpon his continually Howbeit in causing them to be written afterward he had declared what a one he is and what a one he hath always shewed himself to be Then if Iob had lost his labor in praying vnto God these promises should haue bin false that God wil be nere vnto all those that call vpon him in truth and that he will heare all those that cal vpoÌ„ him and graunt whatsoeuer is asked him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ yea and that he will be readie to succor vs before we open our mouth But let vs mark wel that although Iob did not as theÌ„ perceyue that god would succor him yet notwithstanding he knew it in the end God also made him to feele it

giue vs some truce while wee bee heere VVhy vtterest thou so great rigour agaynst vs Thus ye see in effect what Iob ment too say And I haue tolde you alreadie in what wise it may bee lawfull for vs too vse this complaynt that is too witte without murmuring or disputing And by the way let vs marke that too the intent wee lift not vp our selues agaynst God ne stryue agaynst the roddes wherewith hee scourgeth vs in this extremitie it behoueth vs to come to one other consideration which is that although we go forwarde vnto death and haue alwayes one foote in the graue yet wee knowe that god hath stretched out his hand to deliuer vs thence For to what ende came Iesus Christ into the world Yea why went he downe into hell that is to say why suffered hee the anguishes that were due to all wretched sinners but too deliuer vs from them So then if men cannot nowe conceyue good hope to bee comforted in death it is al one as if they would denie that our Lord Iesus Christ hath suffered it in his person For whereas the Sonne of God abaced himself so farre as to be subiect to our curse and to feele Gods hand agaynst him that was to the end to deliuer vs from death and to assure vs that the victorie which he hath purchased is for vs Seeing then that he hath power ouer death let his resurrection alwayes come before our eies and let vs assure our selues that God hath stretched out his strong and victorious hande to deliuer vs from the bondage of Satan And therin let vs consider that although wee haue many aduersities to suffer in this mortal life and that it please God to exercise vs we must not thinke it straunge nor enter intoo the waylings and complaints which are made here too say yea what am I when I haue passed through this worlde I must go to the graue and no man can rescue me But wee shal be rescued well ynough if we haue Iesus Christ for our redemer who is ordeyned to bee our pledge and warrant and hath abolished the paynes of death broken the bandes of Satan and burst open the brasen Gates too set vs free Seeing we know this let vs be pacient in the middes of al the aduersities of this worlde assuring our selues that although we haue battayls here bylow we haue a rest prepared for vs aboue in heauen and if we fight manfully here let vs assure our selues that wee cannot but triumph in heauen Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde for the fencing and arming of our selues agaynst the temptations wherwith Iob was assaulted and which he had so much ado to withstand Furthermore let vs marke well the thing that he addeth which is haut not I wept with him that was in aduersitie and had hard and sharpe dayes or tymes was not my soule sorrowfull with the poore or afflicted Now then I haue looked for good and euill is happened vntoo mee I haue hoped for light and behold here is darkenesse Hereby Iob declareth that he seeth not the reason why God dealeth so roughly with him forasmuch as in his prosperitie hee had not bene cruell but pitifull towards the poore and such as were in heauinesse and that hee had not bene drunken in his pleasures but had alwayes considered what the miseries of mans life are so that hee wept with them that did weepe and kept companie with such as were tormented with aduersitie Thus ye see what Iob alledgeth to shewe that there is no reason why he should be so afflicted And surely when God beateth vs with his roddes commonly it is bicause he seeth that we cannot beare our owne ease and that our flesh groweth ouerlustie or else we be cruell towards our neighbours Lo heere the two causes why God doth ordinarily afflict vs And wee see also that in the Scripture hee threatneth those that doo so passe their bounds in their prosperitie wo be to you sayeth it that laugh for you shall weepe And why for men cannot forbeare from ouerreaching themselues when they bee in rest and things fall out as they woulde haue them for then they forget themselues and think they are exempted from all aduersities and are as it were drunken folkes like as a drunken man hath no staye of himselfe but rusheth with his hornes as a wilde beast euen so fare the most part of men when God handleth them gently that is too say they abuse his goodnesse and fling out at rouers giue the bridle to their lusts For hath a man meate and drinke euen his fill therevpon insueth whoredome and shamfull wantonnesse yea and blasphemies and violences and moreouer fond iests and playes and such other things to be short a man cannot hold himself in good modestie so long as he is at his ease Ye see then that the cause why God afflicteth men is for that he seeth it is for their behoofe to be so corrected Furthermore there is yet one other inconuenience For they that haue the world at will passe not for poore men that are in aduersitie but despise them and set their feete in their necks VVe see that in this respect it was sayde in reproch of Sodom and Gomor behold there was aboundance of bread and therewithall pleasure and crueltie so as they vouchsafed not to succor such as were in need Forsomuch then as they that are at their ease wil not intermeddle themselues with the troubles and incumberances of their neighbors but holde themselues as it were in an earthly Paradyse and exempt themselues from the feeling of all their greefs and aduersities God must bee faine to handle them roughly when their turne commes about and forsomuch as they haue had no pitie nor compassion of the miseries that they haue seene in their brethren God must bee faine to make them fele by force anon after that they be but men They would discharge themselues of all worldly miseries and God sheweth them perforce that they must of necessitie knowe themselues to be such as they are Ye see then that the doctrine which wee haue to mark is that Gods ordinarie afflicting of men is either bycause they haue beene cruell in the time of their prosperitie or bycause they haue made themselues druÌ„ken in their lawlesse pleasure But he erewithall let vs marke also that God might iustly keepe vs occupied with aduersities though the foresayde causes were not and that hee hath secret determinations wherof we perceyue not the reason like as it hapned vnto Iob. And that is the cause why Iob complaineth For it seemeth to him that God ought not to haue afflicted him after that maner seing he had behaued himself so aduisedly but rather he thinketh that god shuld haue spared him seing he had bin so fellowlike and freendly a man and bin sad and sorie with such as were in aduersitie But what for that Hereby we see that wee haue two things to beare away The

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

we seeke rest we shall finde none if God bee our enemie that is to say if we take hold of his wrath For when the Scripture sayth that God is our enemie and is angrie with vs it meeneth not that he is so in deede but that he pretendeth to be so bycause we haue neede to be put in feare that we may be sorie for our sinnes So then let vs marke well that when a man is so tormented hee is forced to haue warre without end and if he seeke to haue rest he shall find none For the hand of God is to long we shall not be able to scape from it till we bee reconciled to him This is the thing that ought to bee vnderstoode in this sentence And if God giue vs any release let vs assure ourselues that he bereth with our infirmitie and the same ought to serue to our singular comfort For although god examine vs roughly and bring vs euen to the pits brim yet notwithstanding hee giueth vs still some taste of his goodnesse with it that wee may take breathe againe It is sayde heere that hee hath not graunted this grace vntoo all men but that he persecuted some in such sorte as they had no rest at all And what meeneth he by saying so He speketh not of the reprobates only but of those whom he had chosen and whose saluation he had procured and furthered by that meanes So then let vs vnderstande that when God suffereth vs not to be afflicted ouersore but giueth vs only some litle stripes he hath a respect to our feblenesse bycause he seeth we are too weake Furthermore when hee sayeth that a man forsaketh his meate in so much that he findeth no tast in pleasaunt meates and woulde fayne be out of the world It is to shewe vs that when we be touched with the feeling of Gods wrathe and haue conceyued it too the quicke wee can find no tast in any thing VVhat is it then that giueth vs tast of all the benefits that wee receyued at Gos hand in this worlde It is his grace True it is that the heathenishe sort and the despysers of God whiche are saped in their sinnes and are become vtterly brutishe and feele no more sting of greef doo finde taste ynough in their pleasures yea euen in their beastly pleasures For they haue not yet conceyued the wrathe of god But as for those that feele God against them they must needes mislike al things that are desirable of their owne nature yea and vtterly lothe them And why â–ª For they cannot take pleasure euen to liue Although this life bee full of much wretchednesse and is as it were a Sea of all miseries yet must we set store by it bycause God hath set vs in it and preserueth vs in it to the intent wee shoulde knowe him to bee our Creator and father according as in deede the end why we were created and why we be mainteyned in this transitorie life is that we should know how it is God that interteyneth vs here and that we should feele his fatherly goodnesse in that it pleaseth him to haue a care of vs and to gouerne vs So then our life ought to be deare vnto vs in that respect and when he sheweth himself angry our life must needs be bitter For it is impossible that a man should not desire too bee fordon when he feeleth that according as it is wriâ—ten that they shall say too the mountaynes couer vs Thus ye see to what point wee are come And therfore let vs learne to find tast first of all in the goodnesse of our God to the end that the rest of his benefits may be pleasant vnto vs and that wee may finde sauor in them I say let vs learne to tast the goodnesse of God that is to say let vs not be so giueÌ„ to worldly things as that our cheef marke should not be to say let vs seeke to obey our God and to submit our selues quietly vnder his hand Yee see then what we must desire Haue wee so do one whensoeuer we inioy the benefits that he giueth vs whither it be in eating and drincking or in the rest of our life let our reioycing be in suche wise as it may bee wholly referred too the acknowledging of the fatherly goodnesse of our God too say behold God doeth well shewe the care which he hath of our welfare seing he voutsafeth to feede our wretched bodies Behold they be but deade carkases and yet God voutsafeth to nourishe them Yee see then that it behoueth vs to eate and drinck in such sorte as wee may thinke continually vpon the goodnesse of our god Furthermore when all things be out of tast with vs and that we be so ouerpressed with anguishe as our very life is hatefull too vs let vs consider from whence the same proceedeth And that is bycause God hath hidden his coÌ„tenaunce from vs we feele no more his fatherly goodnesse which should make vs too sinde tast and sauoure in all his benefites So then if wee mourne and bee in perplexitie and anguishe let vs praye God to make vs feele his goodnesse whiche as yet is vnknowne to vs And when we feele that let it serue vs not only to take breth by and to set vs in rest but also to restore vs in such wise that wheras we were vtterly dismayed afore we may gather newe courage and come againe to the floure of our age according at it it sayde heere byandby after Thus ye see what we haue to beare in mynd To be short it is sayd that the flesh of a man shall waste awaye so as it can not bee sayde any more that he is aliue Now if it be so that we must be brought as it were to nothing and that God doth vtterly disfigure vs let vs loke to arme oureselues with pacience and not enter into disputation although we come to the sayde extrametie And why For it is sayd that God haÌ„dleth the chosen after that sort Here is no speaking of those whom he intendeth to ouerthrowe and destroy but of those whome he hath ordeyned to saluation which are in his hand and whome he guideth Euen those doth hee disfigure in suche wise as a man would take them to be vtterly forlorn Seing it is so let vs pray him that although we become like as dead meÌ„ yethe wil kepe our life hiddeÌ„ in his hand And very needfull it is that he should do so For although all men be not afflicted so roughly as Eliu speaketh of here and that God vse not such rigour but wher he listeth yet notwithstandding generally it behoueth our life to be as it were a kind and shape of deathe as Sainct paule sayth And as wee see that in winter time the trees haue nother floures nor leaues nor any freshnesse in them but their life is drawne into them Euen so must our life bee hidden in the hande of god And when we haue done him the

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 coÌ„mon 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 EueÌ„ 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 caÌ„not easily be wouÌ„d 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 â–ª 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 pacieÌ„tly assuring himselfe that God doth it not without cause no nor euen without a necessary cause Also therwithall we haue to marke the coÌ„parison 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 caÌ„ neuer get out agayne Lo what maÌ„ would do if God should giue him the bridle And hereby we haue good cause to mislike of ourselues coÌ„sidering 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 coÌ„sider 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 laÌ„guish 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 coÌ„parison which coÌ„firmeth 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

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 coÌ„mon 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 notwithstaÌ„ding 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 saluatioÌ„ 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 coÌ„sidering 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 ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ 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

and transitorie prosperitie For the heauenly life was not then so perfectly discouered as ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ 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 thaÌ„ 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 coÌ„mon 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 excelleÌ„t end Ye see theÌ„ 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 theÌ„ 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 theÌ„ 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 coÌ„firme 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 giueÌ„ 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 coÌ„tinually 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 temptatioÌ„s 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. Â¶ 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

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

the verie gate of life assuring our selues that for as much as Iesus Christe hath passed the same away wee neede not to bee afrayde that death shall haue any power ouer vs for it is a rebated or blunted swoord whereof the point is broken off so as it cannot hurt vs and although it draw some bloud of vs yet notwithstanding the same shall be but to rid vs from all diseases It shoulde seeme that these affections are contrarie and so they bee in deede But God agreeth them verie well in suche wyse that the things which wee haue conceyued by our naturall wit are put vnder foote bycause fayth getteth the vpper hande As muche is to be sayde of that which Iob handleth in this streine For ye see that the faythfull are fully resolued vpon this pointe namely to put their trust in God and to hope for saluation at his hande howe so euer hee would goe But this thing they can not doe excepte they hild him for their father and resorted to him for refuge as if they should say behold God hath bene my father to the vttermost and therewithall hath giuen me leaue to come vnto him Therefore muste I call vpon him put my selfe intoo his keeping and not doubt but he will alwayes be mercifull vnto mee Yea but he scourgeth mee and when I am in mind to come neere him I shall not perceiue that he hath heard me Verely this conceite is hard and combersome to beare but yet must I tary the leasure of my God with pacience and do him the honor to rest my selfe vpon his promises Lo howe the faithfull are fully resolued in that point But on the otherside it behoueth them to knowe themselues and it is vnpossible that they should knowe their owne infirmities but that they must also make their moane and say How now And these are things contrarie For if we ought to tarie Gods leysure with silence is it meete for vs to make a disputing and to enter into coÌ„plaints For so to do is contrarie to faith True it is that it is contrarie at the firste sight but God setteth them at one well ynough For after we haue bene tossed and turmoyled with some hartburning behold faith draweth vs in such wise vnto stilnesse as finally wee conclude thus Out of all doubt the goodnesse of God will neuer forsake vs howsoeuer the world go but we shall always find him fauorable althoughe hee shewe not himselfe so at the first brunt Thus ye see what we haue to gather in effect vpon this streine Nowe wee see whereat Iob amed when hee sayde although God kill me yet will I put my trust in him and yet neuerthelesse I will reason with God and reproue mine own ways For the Hebrew word that he vseth signifieth to Reproue and also to Debate or Pleade So then his saying and protestation is that hee is not the man whom the parties that had spoken toke him to be For they toke him to be such a one as would haue played double or quit that he woulde haue trusted no more in God and that hee had spoken those things as it were in dispite of god But he telleth them he is none such for he holdeth him still to his trust in god Nowe then seeing that he trusteth in God he must of necessitie submit himselfe to him For too trust in God is not too shrinke awaye from him and to holde ones selfe aloofe But contrariwise to trust in God is to come vnto him when he seemeth farre off from vs euen then to streine our selues to get to him therwithal moreouer to do as the holy scripture telleth vs namely to shroud ourselues vnder the shadowe of his wings and to returne vnto him that he may receyue vs into his lap as a child is receyued of his own father Ye see then what is conteined here For when Iob saith he will trust in God continually he sheweth that hee is not as one of these stragglers that make out-leaps bicause they be desirous to play the horses that are broken looce It is cleane contrarie saith he for I desire nothing but to be neere him and that he should haue his hand vpon mee Heereby then is hee cleared of the false slaunder that he was charged withall But yet neuerthelesse he saith afterward Beholde yet muste I reason with God concerning my wayes that is to say the hope that I haue is not such as is vtterly vnmingled with complaintes so as I should not lift vp my selfe nor murmure against God at all True it is that this proceedeth of infirmitie yea euen of sinfull infirmitie worthy to be condemned But howe so euer the cace stande God letteth him not goe altogither For as I sayde afore faith ouerruleth our affections VVhen wee truste in God and call vpon him it is not as much to say as wee should neuer haue any bickerings in our selues But fayth must get the vpper hande the peace whereof S. Paule speaketh must winne the victorie that is to say it must get the maistrie in our hearts In that hee speaketh of the peace of God and attributeth victory vnto it he sheweth wel that we shall haue turmoylings in vs and that we shall be tossed to and fro But what remedie is ther for it This peace of God must be of such power as it may get the maistrie in the end and all our passions be brought in awe of it Then let vs marke well that in protesting that he will trust in God Iob doth also coÌ„fesse his owne infirmitie and shew that he is not so perfect but that there is alwayes some fault to be found in him But yet neuerthelesse hee fleeth alwayes to God for refuge Sith the cace standeth so let vs also on our side vnderstaÌ„d that wheÌ„ we be shakeÌ„ with the prouocations of our flesh and our owne affections do somewhat carie vs away we muste not therefore despayre nor imagine that God will helpe vs no more But let vs plucke vp oure heartes to trust in him and although wee doe it not so perfectly as were requisite yet let vs be sure that hee will make vs to feele that our wayting vpon him is not in vayne For hee will strengthen vs continually more and more in faythe and make the same to get the vpper hand of al the temptations of the world and of this present life But let vs fall downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of oure faultes praying him too make vs feele them in suche wise as beeing ashamed of them in our selues we may labour to haue oure recourse to him and to his mercie And that it may please him not onely to forgiue vs our faults that are past â–ª but also to rid vs out of the miseries wherein we be that being receyued into his protection and custodie wee may neuer slip from him and that howsoeuer Satan practize againste vs hee neuerthelesse will bee alwayes so at hande as wee maye

himselfe and of his graces by his worde and seeing that he myndeth to dwell in vs yea to liue in vs to the ende that we may lyue in him doo ye not see the sayde rising agayne too life whereof I spake afore And therefore let vs vnderstand at a woorde that as long as wee be strangers froÌ„ God howe goodly shewes so euer we make we bee toto wretched there is nothing but cursednes in vs and our wretched soules are dead although there appeere some liuelinesse in them to our imagination VVhat is to be done then Euen to be quickned by Gods gathering of vs to himself which thing hee doth by the mean of his word Seeing that this treasure is such and so inestimable let vs set much store by it and let vs value it as it deserueth and let not vs by our vnthankfulnesse stay God from making vs too feele the power and workfulnesse which he offereth vnto vs Thus then yee see in effect what wee haue too marke in that saying of Iobs Nowe hee addeth consequently That hee may say many things of Gods prouidence but it behoueth him too consider too what ende hee referreth them For if his wordes wauer so in the ayre it were better for him too holde his peace So then it behooueth men too bethinke them well too what ende they dispute of Gods worde that the parties may bee edifyed by their doctrine Iob therefore sheweth heere that Bildad came not too the pith of the matter but only wandered aloofe in woords VVherefore Hee ought saith Iob too haue come too the poynt as shall bee declared heereafter But in the meane while hee sheweth that hee is not ignorant of the same vertue where of Bildad speaketh when hee sayth that God gouerneth all things and that the great power and maiestie which are in him ought to be terrible to vs and that wee ought too come and submit oureselues to him with all reuerence to doe him seruice True it is that this doctrine is of it selfe very profytable and we may not despise it when it is preached in generall but yet notwithstanding it is needefull to looke well too the handling of it when it is to bee applyed particularly assuring our selues that it is too no purpose to tell a long tale of things that belong not to the matter which is in hand but men ought too come too the very poynt as they say Thus then the thing wherein Iob founde fault with Bildad was that in his disputing of Gods prouidence hee had no respect whereto his words might serue And that is the cause why Iob sayth nowe I am not ignoraunt that god hath created the world that he gouerneth all things that he holdeth all things in his hand and that his maiestie ought too be honoured All these things I knowe But for the better vnderstanding of the matter Let vs marke that there are some persons to whome it behoueth vs to shew Gods mightie power too bring them too a feare of his maiestie that they may stande in such awe of him as they ought to do VVhy so For wee see many sauadge folke whiche haue muche ado to conceiue that there is a God in heauen that gouerneth all things they bee little better than brute beasts Verely if a man speake too them of God they make a trifle of it and say yea marrie there is a god But yet they neuer wist what his glory is nother had they euer any feeling of the wonderfull power that is in him Also it behooueth vs too shewe them that Gods seruice is spirituall and that wee must come too it soundly and roundly and bee cleane purged from all hypocrisie As for to know what Gods will is tush they neuer enquired after it for they haue bene letted to muche by worldly things Yee see then that moste men are heathenish and so snarled in the delights of the present life as they thinke not at al vpon god Such manner of men had neede to haue the former matters told them at leÌ„gth too make them feele what Gods maiestie is No doubt but all of vs haue neede of it euery one according too his measure But I say that these matters must be laide forth at length to such as haue neede to bee called to the knowing of God that they may be forced to tremble vnder the maiestie of him whome they had scoffed at afore This is one point which we haue to marke Also there are other men that had neede to be brought to this consideration I meane euen of those that haue a right feare of god Euen they say I must be taught and put in minde what gods maiestie is to the ende they may always quake vnder it and be meekened as becommeth them But yet is not that all that they haue to doo they must not generally reste heere And why For when they haue learned that they haue but laide their foundation they muste afterwarde build vpon it yea and that in suche wise as the buylding may be skilfully applyed to the ground worke that is made already vnder the earthe Then if a man speake too suche as haue the feare of God in them and abace and humble themselues vnder Gods mighty hand hee must not rest vpon those generall matters but particularly consider what is for eache mans behoofe that hee may buyld well vpon the foundation that is layd already This is it that Iob meant to declare heere Nowe lette vs come to the words which he vseth He saith that the dead things are formed vnder the waters and in the places neere about As if he had said Goto thou hast talked to mee of Gods mightinesse and tolde me that his armies are without number and that all creatures are in his hand All this I confesse yea I looke yet further For I looke euen intoo the bottomlesse deepes euen into the nauill of the earth I see how God bringeth foorth things that were not before and quickeneth the things that were dead VVhence commeth the life of all creatures It is as a thing that is hidden in the deepest gulfes If it be demaunded by what meanes wee bee serued in our state or out of what place God hath sought the life that hee giueth vnto men it is as much as if he would go fetch it out of the bottomlesse deepes How commeth it to passe that the earth bringeth foorth frutes Howe commeth it too passe that the come whiche beareth suche a blade do the afterwarde yeld the graine Now these are secrets of God which are hidden From these things Iob commeth vp aloft and sayeth I know well that God hath spred out the heauen yea euen in a waste place where there was no settling This is as much as if some body would hang the ayre with Tapistrie and that were impossible with men but therein god meante too shewe hi â–ª wonderfull power True it is that Iob dooth set downe the north coâ—st precisely and yet he speaketh of the

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