yea that great VVhale which God hath made to play therein 800. b. 56. 28. VVhen God hideth his face all things are troubled and when he taketh away their breath they die returne to their dust 141. a 61. 29. VVhen God taketh the breth from his creatures they dye and returne to their dust 81. a 25. 83. b 32. 107. a. 10. 30. God sendeth forth his spirite and they are created and he renueth the face of the earth 141. a 57. 32. God loketh on the earth and it trembleth he toucheth the mountaines and thy smoke 752. b 1. 107. 34. The frutefull lande becommeth barren for the wickednes of them that dwell therein 520 â–ª a 2. 42. The rightuous shal see it and reioyce but al iniquitie shall stop hir mouth 102. b 16. 24. VVho is wise that he may obserue these things and consider the goodnesse of the Lord. 96. a 47. 110. 4. The Lord hath sworne will not repent that thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech 816. b 33. 112. 1. Blessed is the maÌ„ that feareth God. 380. a. 20. 113. 6 God abaseth himself to beholde the heauen and the earth 438 a 43. 6. The righteous shall be in euerlasting remembrance 350. a. 18. 115. 11. You that feare the Lorde put your trust in him 532. a. 3. 16. God hath giuen the earth to the sonnes of men 432. b. 55. 116. 10. I beleued therfore did I speak for I was sore troubled 130. a. 13. 373. b. 35. 628. a. 28. 695. b. 8. 696. b. 28. 12. 13. I will call vpon the name of God for all his benefites towardes me 425. b. 5. 449. b. 54. 118. 3. 4. The house of Aaron saith that the mercy of God dureth for euer and they that feare him say that that his goodnesse dureth for euer 532 a. 1. 17. I shall liue and declare the workes of the Lord. 210. a. 61 18. The Lord hath chastened me fore but he hath not deliuered me to death â–ª 656. b. 8 119. Beth. VVherin shall a young man redresse his way in taking hede according to thy word 269. a 8 37. Hâ— Lord turne away mine eies from regarding vanity 570. a. 6â— 67. Teth. Before I was afflicted I went astray 656 b. 8. 71. It is good for me that I haue ben afflicted that I may learne thy statutes 107. b. 13 Nun. The woord of the Lord is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path 257. b. 48. 818. b. 56 98. 99. 100. Mem. Thou hast made me wiser by thy commaundements and I haue passed in wisedome al my teachers I haue passed the auncient in knowledge 695. b. 46 120. 7. I seeke peace and when I speake therof they are bent to war. 75. a. 32. 123. 1. God dwelleth in the heauens 436. a. 5 125. 1. They that trust in the lord shal be as the mount Sion which can not be moued from his place but remaineth for euer 88. b. 5 3. The rodde of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of rightuous 89. a 7. 126. 1. God is knowne in Iâ—dea â–ª and his name is great in Israell 156. b. 15. 127. 2. It is in vayne for you too rise earely and to lye down late and eate the bread of sorow for God wil surely giue rest to his beloued 472. b 21. 3. Children are the inheritance of the Lorde the fruite of the wombe the reward that he giueth 91. a 2. 112. a. 12. 128. 2. Blissed is the man that eateth the labor of his hands 388. a 48. 3. The wiâ—e of the rightuous shal be like a fruitfull vine vpon the sides of the house of the rightuous and his children like the Oliue plantes round about hâ— table 351. a 57. 129. 4. The rightuous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked 89. a 7. 6. All those that hate Sion shall be as the grasse on the house toppes which withereth before it come forth 158. b 42. 130. 3. Lord who is he that shall stand 458. a 25. 4. There is mercie with the Lord to the end that he may be feared 361 a 31. 448. a 5. 131. 1. I haue not walked in things more greate and maruellous than apperteined vnto me 594. b 26. 133. Through out the Psalme 8. a 43. 138. 8. The Lorde will performe his worke toward me 197. b 31. 285. b 139. 7. 8. VVhether shall I goe from thy spirite or whether shall I flie from thy presence If I ascende into heauen thou art there If I make my bed in the sepulchre thou art there 185. b 45. 456. a 12. 12 â–ª The darkenesse hydeth not from thee and the night shineth as the day 679 â–ª a 47. 14. Lorde marueilous are thy workes 766. a 10. 140 4. The wicked haue sharpened their tongue like a serpent the poyson of vipers is vnder their lips 191. b 33. 143 â–ª 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunte for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified 458. a 25 â–ª 669. b 20. 5 â–ª I doe remember the time past I meditate in all thy workes 157. a 7. 145. 9. 17. The mercie of God is ouer all his workes 433. b 44. 18. God is nere vnto all that call vpon him 357. a 14. 507. d 23. 146. 7. 8. 9. God executeth iustice for the oppressed hee looseth those that are bounde hee keepeth the straunger he comforreth the fatherlesse and the wydowe 433 b 27. 147. 9. God geeueth to beasts their foode and to the young rauens that crie 776. b. 3. 148. Throughout the Psalme You creaturâ— of heauen praise ye the Lord. 56. b 55. Prouerbes 15. THe wise man shall heare and increase in learning 529. b 18 532. a 34. 541. b 38. 661. a 37. 696. b 32. 5. 15. Drinke the waters of the Cesterne and of the riuers out of the middes of thine owne well 544. b 50. 8. 1. Doth not wisedome cry vnderstanding vtter her voyce 526. b 33. 751. b 32. 22. The lorde hath possessed me in the beginning of his waye and was before his woorkes of olde 751. b 33. 31. I toke my solace in the compasse of his earth and my delight is with the children of men 427. a 14. 527. a 39. 751. b 33. 9. 10. The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lorde 529. b 18 532. a 34. 541. b 38. 10 7. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed 350. a 59. 14. That which he feareth shall come vpon him 305. a 43. 12. 10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast but the affection of the wicked is cruell 610. a 37. 14 27. The feare of the Lorde is a welspring of lyfe to auoide the snares of death 529. b 5â— 16. 1. The preparations of the harte are in man but the answere of the tongue is of the Lorde 66. a 9. 9. The Lorde directeth the steps of man. 303. b 30. 14. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death 309. a 48. 17. 5. Hee
820. a 60. 25. 1. 2. 3. Abraham had taken an otherwise called Keturah which bare him Zimram and Iokshan Medan and Midean and Ishbak Shuah and Iokshan begat Sheba and Dedan and Abraham liued an hundreth seauentie and fiue yeares 351. b 25. 820 261. 24. 41. Esau sayd I will slay my brother Iacob 351. b 29. 355. b 13. 12. The Angelles of God went vp and downe by the ladder 17. a 57. 17. Iacob vvas affrayd and sayd how fearefull is this place this is none other but the house of God this is the gate of heauen 77. b. 60. 32. 24. A man wrastled with Iacob vnto the breaking of the day 52. b 5. Thy name shall no more bee called Iacob but Israell because thou hast had power with god and thou shalt also preuaile with men 663. b 31. 47. 9. Fewe and euill haue the dayes of my lyfe bene and haue not attained vnto the years of the lyfe of my fathers 407. b 25. Exodus 1. 16. VVHen ye doe the office of a midwyfe c. if it bee a sonne then ye shall kill him but if it bee a daughter then let her liue 3. a 39. 11. 5. And all the first borne in the land of Egypt shall die 16. a 56. 19. 9. The lord sayde vnto Moyses loe I come vnto thee in a thicke cloud 753. b 46. 10. Bee you sanctified for to morow the Lord will declare his glory 11. b 41. 16. The thirde day when it was morning there was thunders and lighteninges and a thicke cloud vppon the mount and the sounde of a trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that vvas in the Campe were affraid 79. b 10. 625. a 50. 753. b 40. 754. a 4. 20. 2. I am the Lorde thy GOD. 412. a 46. 5. 6. God visiteth the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vppon the third and fourth generatiō shewing mercy vnto thousandes to them that loue him 417. b 3. 18. 19. Al the people saw the thūders the lightnings the sounde of the trumpet and the mountaine smoking vvhen the people savv it they fled and stod a far of said vn to Moses talke thou with vs and vve wil heare but let not god talke with vs lest we die 79. b 12. 632. a 8. 22. 21. Thou shalt not doe iniury to a straunger neither oppresse him for ye were stranges in the land of Egypt 600. a 57. 23 If you vex or trouble the vvidovve and fatherlesse I vvill heare their crie 468. a 27. 26. If thou take thy neighbors rayment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the sun go down for it is his couering vvherein hee should sleepe 431. a 31. 28. Thou shalt not curse the prince of thy people 674. b 55. 23. 4. 5. If thou meete thine enemies oxe or his asse going a straye thou shalt bring him vnto him againe if thou see thine enemies asse lying vnder his burden thou shalt help him vp againe with it 597. b 12. 28. 12. Aaron shall beare their names before the lord vpon his tvvo shoulders for a remēbrance 227. b 30 30. 18. Thou shalt put vvater in to the lauer 11. a 32. 32. 1. Make vs Gods to goe be fore vs. 436. a 48. 32. 32. Now either pardon their sinne or if thou vvilt not race me out of the booke vvhich thou hast vvritten 59. a 29. 33. 19. I will shew mercy to whō I vvill shew mercy and I will haue compassion on whom I will haue compassion 689. b 35. 34. 7. God will visit the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third fourth generatiō 351. a 51. 38. Moses made an end of communing with the children of Israel and put a vayle vpō his face 632. a 14 Leuiticus 16. 3. AAron shall enter into the sanctuarie with a young bullocke forthe sinnes of the people a ram for a biūt offring 816. a 60. 17. Aaron shall make reconciliation in the sanctuarie for all the house of Israell 816. a 60. 18. 5. The man that kepeth the ordinance of God shall liue in the same 189. a 17. 204. a 6. 5. Keepe my statuts and my iudgments which if a man doe he shall then liue in them 261. a 3. 575. b 19 754. a 12. 19. 18. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 319. b 36. 33. 34. If any stranger dwell in your lande you shall doe him no wrong 600. a 58. 26. 3. 4. If wee doe the will of God he wil send vs rayne in due season and the land shall yeeld her increase 447. a 14. 5. 6. They that feare God shall sleepe surely and shall haue peace 230. a 56 1. 1 a 14. 14. They that doe not the vvil of God shall be visited with feare and swelling and burning which shall consume the eyes and make the soule heauie 497. b 8. 16. If you transgresse my commaundementes I will punishe you with feare swelling and burning that shall consume the eyes make the soule heauie 606. b 24. 17. I vvil set my face against you and ye shall fal before your enemies and they that hate you shall raigne ouer you and ye shall flee when non pursueth you 111. a 59. 518. b 54. 19. God will make the heauens of the transgressours to be vnto thē iron and their earth as brasse 240. b 46. 744. b 50. 23. 24. God will smite the transgressours yet seauen times for their sinnes 107. a 16. 325. b 10. 817. a 28. 25. God will send a swoorde vppon the vvicked that shall auenge the quarrell of his couenaunt 230. a 11. 28. I will walke with you stubbournely and I will correct you seauen times for your sinnes 465. a 29. 36. Vppon them that are left among you I will sende a faintnesse into their hartes in the lande of their enemies and the sounde of a leafe shaking shall chase them and they shall flee as fleing from a svvord and they shall fall no man pursuing thē 111. a 59. 36. The transgressours of the law shall flee as fleing from a swoorde 302. b 46. 36. The sound of a leafe shaking shall chase the wicked 393. b 25. 518. b 54. Numbers 11. 23. THe hande of the Lorde is not shortened 559. b 27. 12. 6. God will be knovven too his Prophetes by visions and vvill speake vnto them by dreame 639. a 25. 23. 10. Balaam desired to dye the death of the righteous 421. b 40. 29. God is not as man that he should lye 461. a 34. Deuteronomie 1. 16. YOu shall iudge iustly beetvveene euery man and his brother the stranger that is vvith him 671. a 20. 4. 6. The ordinauntes of GOD are our wisedome and vnderstanding in the sight of the people 527. a 12. 529. a 42. 19. Lifting vp thine eyes to heauen and beholding the sunne and the moone and the starres with all the hoste of heauen thou shalt not worshippe
the ayde that God giueth them how hee suffereth them not to be vtterly ouercome by Satan and therevppon doo quiet themselues and take comfort in that hee preserueth them The number of them is very small and yet is not this written in vaine But in generall we haue now to consider that the faithfull may wel sigh and grone all their life long till God haue taken them out of the world alwayes wishing for their ende that is to saye for death and yet notwithstanding they must restreyne them selues in such wise as they maye wholly submitte themselues to Gods good pleasure knowing that they are not made for themselues Firste I say that the faithfull maye well sighe as folke that are wearie of their long pinning in this prison of theirfleshe namely for the cause that I haue touched which is bicause they serue not God in such freedome as were requisite but drawe their lines amisse so as they woorke awrye and oftentimes swarue aside And which more is wee muste syghe but so farrefoorth as is lawfull for vs which is to be done so often as we enter into the consyderation of our owne ouerwearinesse when the matter standeth vpon the seruing of god For that must spurre vs to desire God to take vs out of this worlde and make vs haue an eye too the lyfe that is prepared for vs in heauen which shall be fully shewed vpon vs at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And heereby wee see howe it is not onely graunted to Goddes children to wishe for deathe but also that they ought to wish for it For they shewe not a good proofe of their fayth except they seeke to go out of this worlde according as in deed all things hast and labour toward their marke But our mark is aloft and therfore must we neuer leaue running till wee come to our wayes ende whyche GOD hathe sette vs and wee muste desire that that may be quickly Neuerthelesse lette vs alwayes beare in mynde the cause that I haue spoken namely that wee must not bee prouoked to wish for death bycause we be subiect some to sicknesse some to pouertie some too one thing and some to an other but bycause we be not fully reformed to the image of God and bycause wee haue many imperfections in vs Marke well I say the cause that muste spurre and prouoke vs too desire death namely too the ende that beeing ridde of thys mortall bodye whyche is like a cabane full of all stinche and noysomnesse we maye bee fully reformed to the image of God so as hee may reigne in vs and all the corruption of our nature bee vtterly done away And furthermore lette vs keepe vs within the compasse of desiring to lyue and dye at Goddes pleasure so as wee maye not bee gyuen too oure owne wyll but so as wee maye make as a sacrifyze of it in that behalfe that our liuing maye not bee too our selues but to God so as wee may saye Lorde I knowe myne owne frailtie Neuerthelesse it is thy wyll too holde me in this world and heere I am and good reason it is that I shoulde tarrie heere But whensoeuer it shall please thee to call me hence I make no great accompt of my lyfe it is alwayes at thy commaundemente too dispose of it at thine owne pleasure Beholde I saye howe wee ought too deale in thys case And heerewithall lette vs haue oure affections euermore quieted yea euen in suche sorte as wee maye continuallye prayse Gods name assuring our selues that both in life and deathe hee will alwayes shewe hymselfe a Father and Sauioure towardes vs But after that Iob hath spoken so he addeth That such as are so distressed in their heartes would bee full gladde and fayne if they myghte fynde theyr graue VVherein hee bewrayeth himselfe too speake through a brutishe and vnaduised affection and that hee keepeth neyther measure nor modestie For hee confesseth that wee come too naught there So then wee see howe hee is falne howbeit not wyth a deadly fall but with a halfe fall and God rayseth hym vp agayne afterwarde as wee shall see Yet neuerthelesse the case standeth so as wee must verily condemne thys infirmitie heere in Iob that is to saye hee was so dismayed with heauinesse as he could no more taste of Goddes goodnesse thereby too gather neuer so little comforte too susteine hymselfe by But forasmuche as wee see that thys befell vntoo hym so much the more must we bee earnest in praying vntoo God that sorow maye not ouermate vs so as wee shoulde bee vtterly ouerwhelmed by it Therefore lette vs alwayes be so vnderpropped and stayed vp as wee may fight against sorrowfulnesse and feele that it is good for vs to liue heere according to Goddes will and that although wee haue great griefes and troubles heere yet must wee stande fully resolued vppon thys poynte that it is good for vs too continue here still in this worlde And wherefore To the ende that God may bee glorifyed in vs too the ende that our fayth may bee tryed to the ende wee should call vppon him and professe him to be always our father notwithstanding that he scourge vs and to the end that by meanes thereof wee may bee prepared too the heauenly lyfe Thys taste of the said fatherly goodnesse must alwayes make vs desyrous to go vntoo God and not suffer vs too gyue bridle too anye one outrageous and beastly affection as we see that Iob hath done heere And by the waye hee sheweth whence thys heauinesse came vppon him that had so wholly swallowed him vp and from whence also it proceedeth in those that are so dismayde as they can not admit any comforte to assuage their myseries He sayeth To the man whose waye is hidden and which God hath shut in as if hee had made the hedges round about it that no man should enter into it This is well worthy to bee noted For Iob sheweth wherein hee fayled namely in not yelding himselfe inough to Gods prouidence Yet notwithstanding heerewithall he discouereth a disease wherevnto all of vs are subiect That is to witte that wee be desirous to knowe all that muste befall vs and what our state shall be and al this we would haue declared to vs in so muche that when wee are in perplexitie so as wee knowe not what shall become of vs and that the inconuenience pincheth vs and we see no end of it then are wee at the poynte of vtter despaire Lo heere a mischiefe that is ouercommon and ordinarie And we must marke it well to the ende wee maye seeke the remedie on the contrary part VVhat then is the inclination of men It is that they could well find in their hearts to leape vp too the cloudes too knowe what shall be the course of their whole life And wee see how they determine with themselues I will do this and that Salomon mocking at the ouerweening that is in mâ—n sayeth that they determine vpon their
should followe the measure that I haue spoken of alreadie Nowe wee see the profite that redoundeth too vs by this doctrine if wee can applye it well too oure vse that is too witte that when wee desire too bee heard at Gods hande the same must not bee too bring excuses as thoughe wee were not faultie and that wee could lessen our offences or rather make them none at all but it must bee too enter intoo the knowledge of them yea and to enter in such wise as wee may bee vtterly throwne downe and there may bee none other shift for vs but to flee vnto Gods goodnesse and that when wee shall haue condemned our whole life we may notwithstanding not ceasse to truste in the mercie which hee hath promised to wretched sinners when they mislike of their sinnes and condemne them desyring nothing but that God should receyue them to mercie Yee see then in what wise wee ought to practize this sayde request But it is harde for vs to attayne to such reason and therefore we must streyne our selues to it For this hardnesse muste not put vs out of hearte but rather prouoke vs too runne vntoo God praying him of hys grace too touch vs in suche wyse with his doctrine as by the meanes of hys worde wee maye offer vp suche requestes vnto him as wee may feele in the fruite of them Our faultes are tolde vs dayly and yet there are few that thinke vpon them God therefore perceyuing vs to be so slow yea euen in such sort as he is not able to moue vs by his worde lifteth vp his hand and sendeth vs some chastizements And bicause that if the affliction be but small it is nothing to vs wee do but shake oure eare at it as the prouerbe sayth God doubleth his stripes and scourgeth vs more and more holding our nozes to the gryndstone as they say and withdrawing himselfe from vs so as hys spirite is as it were quenched in vs and we feele not that he gouerneth vs any more in so muche that we become poore desperate soules and crie out alas what is this Afterwarde we become so inraged that wee would fayne haue God to giue vs some release and if hee giue vs it not yee shall see vs vtterly past our selues so as there is no remedie in our state Then may we well desire God to withdrawe his hande and to giue vs leaue to say Alas Lorde thou seest I am a sillie creature I feele heere thy chastizementes which are ouergreat considering myne infirmitie True it is this chastyzement is due to mee yea and I ought to feele yet muche more but my strength is so feeble and weake as to my seeming I am already shet vp in the dungeon of hell Alas my God voutsafe thou therefore to alay thy rygour a little that I may haue leysure to take my breath and too bethinke my selfe better than I haue done VVhen I haue such a releef I will come to thee and my woundes shall be assuaged For I see that the very meane to take good by thy scourging is that I abide not vnreformable vnder thy hand Behold the goodnesse that God dothe vnto vs when he suffereth vs to come vnto him Neuerthelesse when we make such request vnto him it must bee done with such condition as this VVell Lord it is true that the petition which I make is for my necessity thou seest I am able to beare no more and if thou preuent not the mischeefe I must needes fall into such a gulfe of confuzion as I shall neuer get out of it againe Neuerthelesse Lord I referre my self wholly vnto thee thou knowest what is meet and conuenient for me and thou arte able to remedie the extremities wherein I am according as thou haste infinite meanes to plucke thy seruant euen out of death Now then if we adde this condition God dothe well suffer vs to make suche request yea and he will like well of it Lo what wee haue to marke in this sentence But by the waye wee muste not thinke that Iob was so farre ouerseene as too beare himselfe in hand that hee was faultlesse and that hee was ready to enter into lawe with God and to pleade agaynst him weening that he shuld get the better haÌ„d Let vs not think that Iob was sotted with such a follye VVhat then VVee must hinke that he spake without aduisement as we bee wont to doe when our affections ouermaster vs For we haue our eyes so bleared as we discerne nothing at all As for example If a man bee besides himselfe for greese and anguish as he knoweth not himself any more some light wordes will escape from him and if hee bee told of it he will answere it was not so Yet is it true that he shall haue spoken them Yea but it shall not seeme so too his owne vnderstanding bycause his wit is troubled and confounded For as I haue sayde our passions carie vs away in such wyse as we bee in a maner beside our selues in that cace and yet in the meane whyle God ceasseth not to maynteyne alwayes a knowledge in vs the which shall notwithstanding bee as good as choked VVhen a man couereth a fire wyth asshes and earth if there be a great Cole in it it will lye hyd vnderneath and a man shall not see any thing nor perceyue any heate Euen so doth God sometymes suffer all discretion too be as it were choked in vs and in that cace wee see nothing but the asshes that is to saye the passions that are vppermoste and wee see some steame but the fire sheweth not it selfe at all Euen so then standeth the cace wyth vs And when Iob made this protestation hee felte himself in such extremitie that hee sought meanes too come before God saying that hee would be the first that should speake Let vs bee sure that hee spake this as a man vtterly rauing in his fittes Seeing the cace is suche let vs learne to walke alwayes in humilitie and let vs be well ware that our affections doe not carye vs awaye after such a sorte as wee knowe not what wee doe or say Lo heere a sentence that is verye profitable and full of good learning For first of all wee see that our affections are like wylde beastes which dashe vs against god But let vs come to rushe at him and what shall we winne by it Are wee hardâ—r than hee Are wee able too make him to bowe or else too breake him Alas wee muste needes bee crusshed and broken in peeces when we rushe against him so furiously And not onely so but also hee will ouerthrow vs with his blast he nedeth but his breth as the Scripture sayeth to destroye vs vndoo vs and bring vs to nought Therefore let vs vnderstand that our passions must bee repressed and wee must hold them in awe yea and we must as it were fetter them that is to say we must do the vttermost that we can to abate the
of god ne haue our eyes shet to the world ward in respect of any opinion that men can conceyue of vs or of any other thing that can be layde vpon vs Therefore without hauing respect of any such thing it behoueth vs to consider our selues in such cace as we are in before God and then shall we bee rightly meekened and not speake feynedly nor disguyze things knowing well that we can gaine nothing by so doing Marke that for one poynt And further let vs marke well this maner of speach which Iob vseth So long sayeth he as there shall be any winde or breath in me and so long as the spirite of God is in my nozethrilles For he speaketh not of his life as though he hilde it without the grace of god True it is that we may say it is a thing common ynough and no man will denie but we bee beholden too God for our breath and for all the liuelinesse that we haue but yet for all that howe many are there that acknowledge it in good earnest men liue here after so brutish a fashion as it might be sayde that they take themselues to be susteyned of themselues and of their owne power To bee short there are very few that know rightly what S. Paule meaneth by saying that we haue our life mouing and beeing in God there are verie fewe I say which know that And therefore let vs marke well how Iob sheweth vs here that hee was not caryed away as many men are who are so dazeled with their passions as they haue no more skill at all neyther know what they say True it is that vndiscrete woordes escaped him as wee haue seene and shall see hereafter but yet neuerthelesse hee alwayes hilde himselfe vpon the good foundation and although the buylding were not sutable to the same yet I say he hilde himselfe in the feare and awe of god And further lette vs marke well this circumstance that Iob speaketh not at his owne leysure and ease Yee see hee is in such afflictions as God seemeth to bee fully determined too destroy him vtterly and yet he honoreth him still for his life acknowledging him to bee the partie of whom hee hath his lyfe And I pray you what excuse shall wee haue if we bee not fully resolued thereof sith that God giueth vs releace too make vs mindefull of his grace or if wee do not acknowledge and confesse that our life and all that euer dependeth therevpon proceede of his grace and power Shall wee not bee the more vnexcusable As oft then as wee thinke vpon our life let vs remember that it behoueth vs to make the same confession that Iob maketh here namely that there is neyther blast nor breath in mee of myne owne power but it is God that hath giuen me euerywhit of it True it is that when Iob speaketh here of Gods spirite we must not imagin as the phantasticall sort do who thinke that the very substance of Gods spirite is in them for there is not a more abhominable heresie than that is And it behoueth vs alwayes too marke suche manner of speaches in the holy Scripture to the ende we fall not into such heresie as to say that Gods spirite is in vs as touching his verie substance For what a thing were that It should insue that Gods spirite were subiect to ignorance to chaunge and to mutabilitie yea and that he were defiled and steyned with our sinnes and vyces And yet neuerthelesse as I haue sayde it is a poynt that hath sore troubled the Christen Church like as the vnhappie Heretike that was punished here had a conceyte to say that mens soules were parttakers of the substance of the Godhead But that is a thing so horrible and agaynst nature as a man must needes be vtterly growne out of kinde ere he can come to it So then let vs marke that the speaking of Gods spirite here importeth not that the substance of him is in vs but it is ment of his breathing that is to say of that which he inspireth into vs by his power according as we see how the Sunne abydeth in the skie and yet the brightnesse of his beames doth in such wise come to vs as we inioy his light and heate But is that as much too say therefore that we holde the Sunne here beneath And in good sooth when as we see that the Sunne by his power which hee sheadeth downe hither cheereth the earth in such wise as it beareth frute and yeeldeth sustenance too the nourishment of men what shall the incomprehensible power do which is in God himselfe and in his spirit Cannot the same spread out it selfe euen vnto vs and yet notwithstanding we not haue any of his substance So then let vs marke well that the verie substance of Gods spirite is not in vs but his power is shed forth in such wise as we liue by it and are confirmed by meanes thereof knowing that it behoueth vs to holde our life of God according as it is he onely of whom we holde all things by the grace of his holy spirite VVherefore let vs consider that if wee ought to acknowledge gods grace in the things that concerne this present life much more ought wee to seeke in him the things that belong to the endlesse life as the thing whervnto he calleth vs shewing vs that we must alwayes labour thitherward till he haue deliuered vs from all the bandes and lets of this present life Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to bring vs so to his lure that when we know our sinnes we may alwayes giue him glorie and prayse not doubting but that if hee scourge vs the same is for our welfare and soulehealth And yet notwithstanding let vs learne too submit our selues so farre vnto him as wee may suffer our selues to be brought to nothing in our selues that we may be strengthened by his hande yea and that so strongly and mightily as we may bee able to withstand all temptations through the power and meane of our Lorde Iesus Christ so that both in life and death he may alwayes find vs obedient children according as hee sheweth himselfe a mercifull father towardes vs That it may please him to giue this grace not onely to vs but c. The .xcviij. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xxvij. Chapter 5 God forbid that I should iustifie you I vvill neuer giue ouer mine innocencie till till I die 6 I vvill keepe my rightuousnesse and not forsake it and my heart shall not vpbrayde mee vvith my dayes 7 Cursed be he that gainsayeth mee and vvicked be he that rizeth vp agaynst mee 8 For vvhat is the hope of the hypocrite vvhen he hath heaped vp and that God plucketh avvay his soule AFter that Iob had declared his minde concerning that which hee had sayde and shewed that hee had not blasphemed God but onely ment that the afflictions
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 burīall 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
5. 8 I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship towardes thy holy Temple 464. a 31. 7. 10. God tryeth the heart and the reines 149. a 6. 16. The wicked shall fal in the pit that he hath digged 75. a 15. 8. 2. 10. The name of the Lorde is great and excellent through out all the earth 495. b 23. 5. VVhat is man that thou art mindfull or him 146. a 40. 9. 3. Thou turnest man to destruction againe thou saiest returne yee sonnes of men 764. a 33. 10. 4. The wicked is so fierce that he careth not for God he thinketh that there is no God. 596. a 53. 6. The wicked sayth in his heart I shall neuer be moued bicause he seeleth no aduersities 314. b 49. 417. a 43. 549. a 1. 11. The wicked sayth in his hart God hath forgotten him he hideth away his face and wil neuer see 678. b 58. 11. 4. 5. The eyes of the Lord will consider his eye liddes will trie the children of men The Lord will trie the rightuous but he hateth the wicked and him that loueth wrong 75. b 52. 12. 7. The woord of the Lorde is like siluer tried fired seuen times 461. b 47. 13. 1. How long Lorde wilt thou hide thy face from me 648. a 2. 2. How long shall I take counsell with myself hauing wearinesse dayly in mine heart Howe long shall mine enemies be exalted aboue me 138. b 36. 14. 2. The Lord looked dovvne from heauen vpon the children of men too see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God. 200. a 38. 3. Ther is not one man only that doth good 396. a 6. 813. b 21. 15. 4. A vile person is contemned but he honoreth them that fear the Lorde he that sweareth too his owne hinderance and changeth not his oth 89. b 26. 16. 2. Our weldoing extendeth not to God. 425. a 60. 701. b 59. 5 The Lord is my reward 413. a 43. 593. a. 18. 10 God will not suffer his holy one to see corruption 333. a. 15. 17. 3. VVhen thou hast proued and visited mine hart in the night when thou hast tried me thou hast found nothing I purposed that my mouth should not offend 50. b. 48. 8. Keepe me as the apple of thine eye and hide me vnder the shadow of thy winges 259. a. 43. 18. 2. 3. God is our strength rock fortresse deliuerer buckler the horne of our saluation our refuge 508. b. 54. 27. VVith the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure and with the frovvard thou vvilt shew thy self froward 86. b. 38. 107. a. 18. 28. God will saue the poore people and will cast downe the proude lookes 246. b. 38. 42. The vnbeleuing cried but the Lord answered them not 218. a. 57. 19. 2. The Heauens shew foorth the glory of God. 235. a. 35. 8. The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimony of the Lord is faith full giuing wisedome to the ignorant 18. b. 33. 11 The commandements of God are svveeter than the hony and that distilleth from the hony combe 70. b. 3. 12. By thy commaundements thy seruaunt is made more circumspect and there is great reward in keeping of them 71. b. 40. 13. VVho can vnderstand his faultes clense me from my secrete faults 168. a. 57. 274. b. 46. 429. a. 13. 22. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 57. b. 49. 2. My God I cry all the day and thou aunswerest not and by night and cease not 357. a. 11. 7. I am a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people 351. a. 8. 10. Thou didst draw me out of the wombe 57. b. 53. 22. 15. 16. I am powred out like water and all my bones are out of ioint my hart is like wax it is molten in the midst of my bowels my strength is dried vp like a potshard and my tongue cleaueth to my iaws 57. b. 44. 24. Ye that feare the Lord praise him 532. a 3. 4. Though I shuld vvalk through the valley of the shadowe of death I wil feare none euil for thou art with me thy rodde and thy staffe they coÌ„fort me 74. a 44. 25. 11. Pardon mine iniquitie for 〈…〉 is great 428. b 26. 26. 6. I will wash my handes in innocencie 188. a 31. 226. b. 12. 27. 5. God hideth his in his tabernacle in the time of trouble 395. a 10. 28. 7. 8. The Lord is my strength and my shield he is the strength of the deliueraunce of his annointed 508. b 54. 29. 9. Euerie man declareth the glorie of God in his Temple 741. b 28. 30. 4. O Lord thou hast brought vp my soule out of the graue thou hast reuiued me from them that go downe to the pit 69. a 30. 6. God indureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life weeping may abide at euening but ioy commeth in the morning 68. b 49. 7. VVhen I was in my prosperitie I sayde I shall neuer bee moued â—30 a 57. 31. 4. God is our strong rocke and house of defence 508. b 51. 6. Into thy hand I commend my spirit for thou hast redemed me lord God of truth 111. b 16. 10 Haue mercie vpon me ô Lord for I am in trouble mine eye my soule and my bellie are consumed with griefe 114. b 15. 10. 11. Mine eye my soule and my bellie are consumed with griefe my life is wasted with heauinesse and my bones are consumed 564. b 15. 12. I was a reproch among mine enemies and neighbors 351. a 7. 20. God reserueth his goods for those that feare him 390. a 1. 32. 1. Blissed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen 328. a 55. 333. b 15. 455. b. 51. 3. VVhen I held my tung my bones consumed when I roared all the day 144. b 9. 4. For thine hande is heauie vpon me day and night my moisture is turned into drought of sommer 118. a 42. 8. The rightuous prayeth to God in time conuenient 508. b 18. 9. Be ye not like an horse or like a mule which vnderstaÌ„d not whose mouthes thou dost bind with bit bridle least they come neere thee 69. a 20. 104. a 55. 33. 7. God gathereth the waters of the sea together as vpon an heape laieth vp the depthes in his treasures 491. a 57. 19 The Lord deliuereth the soule of the rightuous from death preserueth him aliue in the time of famine 306. a 39. 34. 8. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth rouÌ„d about theÌ„ that feare him and deliuereth him 16. a. 51. 26. a 45. 9. Tast how good the Lord is 411. a 28. 11. They that seeke the Lord shall lacke no good thing 72. b 58. 16. The eyes of the Lorde are vpon the rightuous and his eares are open vnto their crie 73. a 48. 17. The face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut of
the yeare with thy goodnesse and thy steppes drop fatnesse 766. a 2. 66. 3. O God how maruellous are thy workes 766. a 12. 10. O God thou hast proued vs thou hast tried vs as siluer is tried 69. a 37. 12. Thou hast caused men to ride ouer our heads we went into fire into water but thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place 69. a 73 110. a 58. 320. b 5â— 68. 21. God is our God to saue vs to the euerlasting Lorde belongeth the issues of death 74. a 28. 109. b 13. 69. 2. 3. 4. The waters are entred euen to my soule I sticke fast in the deepe myre I am wearie of crying my throte is drie mine eies fail whilest I waite for my God. 564. b 15. 5. They that hate mee without a cause are mo in nuÌ„ber than the haires of my head they that would destroy me and are my enemies falsely are mightie so that I am constreined too restore that which I toke not 75. a 36. 10. The zeale of thine house hath eaten mee the rebukes of them that defamed thee are falne vpon me 45. b 16. 71. 20 God hath taken me vppe from the depthe of the earth 320. b. 48. 2. As for mee my feete were almost gone and my steps had welny slipt 44. b 12. 4. There are no bands in the deth of the children of God. 344. b 48. 6. Pryde compasseth the wicked as a chayne and crueltie couereth them as a garment 309. b 10. 7. Their eyes stande out for fatnesse they haue more than heart can thinke 88. b 7. 310. b 6. 723. b 14. 9. The wicked set their mouthes against heauen and their tong trotteth through the earth 795. b 39. 13. It is in vayne that I haue washed my handes in purenesse and kept my hart pure 668. b 33. 700. a 54. 17. It is too troublesome a thing to consider the ende of the wicked 313 b 59. 77. 11. I sayd it is my death then I remembred the yeares of the right hand of the Lord. 284. a 14. 20. Thy way hath ben in the sea and thy pathes in the great waters 30. The meate was yet in their throte 392. a 8. 32. The reprobate sinned still when the wrath of God came vpon them 392. a 9. 39. God remembreth that we are flesh and as a wind that passeth and returneth not again 140. a â—8 566. a â—3 71. From thence where Dauid followed the Ewes with yong God brought him to feede his people laacob and Israell his heritage 30. a 61. 7â— 5. Howe long Lord wilt thou be angrie for euer shall thy Iealousie burne like fire 138. b 36. 80. 4. O God cause thy face too shine and we shall be saued 796. b 15 8. Lorde cause thy face too shine vpon vs and wee shall bee deliuered 796. b 16. 81. 3. God letteth the wicked goe aecording too the presumption of their harts and walke in their counsels 257. a 47. 82. 1. God standeth in the assemblie of gods and iudgeth among the Gods. 17. a 29. 6. You are Gods and ye are al the children of the most high 61. b 10. 88. 4. Blowe the trumpet in the newe moone in the solemnitie and on the day of our feast 114. b 12. 89. 33. God wil visit the sinnes of his with a rod. 361. a 14. 90. 3. God turneth man too destruction againe thou sayest returne ye sonnes of men 277. a 7. 504. b 56. 4. A thousand yeares in thy fight are as yesterday 157. b 53. 11. VVho knoweth the power of thy wrath for according to thy fear is thine anger 643. a 27. 12. Teach vs rightly to nuÌ„ber our dayes that we may apply our hartes vnto wisdome 83. a 4. 20. O Lord cause thy face to shine and we shall be saued 796. b 15. 91 4. The faithfull are sure vnder the wings of the Lord. 395. a 10. 11. Hee shall giue his Angelles charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes 16. a 51. 12. The Angelles shall beare thee in their handes that thou hurte nor thy foote againste a stone 108. b 47. 277. a 7. 359. b 44. 15. Hee shall call vpon me and I will heare him 413. b 29. 92. 8. O Lord howe glorious are thy workes and thy thoughtes are verie deepe 766. a 14. 13. The rightuous shall florishe like a palme tree 350. a 18. 94. 7. The wicked say the Lorde shal not see neyther will the God of Iacob regard it 678. b 56. 11. The Lorde knoweth that the thoughts of men are euill 695. b 25. 19. VVhen I had many thoughts in my selfe thy comforts haue reioyced my soule 303. b 6. 95. 1. Come let vs reioyce vnto the Lord let vs sing aloud vnto the rock of our saluation 155. b 34. 6. Come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord. 155. b 35. 7. The Lord is our God and we are the people of his pasture 285. b. 60. 8. Harden not your hearts as in Meribah and as in the day of Massah in the wildernesse 50. b 48. 97. 5. The mountaines melted like wax at the presence of the Lord. 173. b 58. 100. 3. God hath made vs and not we 746. a 12. 102. 17. God shall build vp Sion 388. b 38. 27. 28. 29. The earth and the heauens shall perish â–ª but thou shalt endure all shall waxe olde as dooth a garment as a vesture shalte thou change them and they shal be changed But thou art for euer thy yeears shall neuer haue end The children of thy seruantes shall continue and their seede shal be established before thee 84 â–ª b 17. 103. 4. The Lorde redeemeth the life from the graue and crouneth vs with mercie and compassion 74. a 6. 14. God knoweth that we be but dust â–ª 140. a. 28. 20. Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that doe his commaundement in obeying the voice of his word 17. a 5. 104. 1. 3. God is clothed with glorie and honor which layeth the beames of his chambers in the waters and maketh the thicke cloudes his chariot walketh vpon the wings of the winde 735. a 55 795. a 53. 4. God maketh the windes his messaÌ„gers and a flaming fire his ministers 29. b 40. 12 VVhen the sunne riseth they retire and couch in their dennes 776 a 17. 13. Then goeth man forth to his worke and too his labour vatill the euening 344. a 58. 14. God causeth grasse to growe for the cattell and herbe for the vse of maÌ„ that he may bring forth bread out of the earth 344. a 14. 15. God causeth wine too growe which reioyceth the heart of man 509. b 57. 19. God made the Moone for certaine seasons the Sunne knoweth his going downe 344. a 38. 20. God hath made the darknes 344. a 38. 24. O Lord howe manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them al the earth is full of thy riches 95. b 4. 26. The ships runne in the Sea
by man we must not thinke all this to haue bene deuised as a tryfling toy by men but it was Gods will it shoulde bee so And wherefore for his meaning was to put men in remembrance that they are not worthie to approche vnto him VVhen wee come vnto God it behoueth vs to acknowledge our owne poorenesse and to be ashamed of it and to say Howe dare I preace before the maiestie of my God what fauour shall I find there Gods will is to haue this knowen in all ages and now although wee haue not the sayde Ceremonic of clenzing our selues yet it behoueth vs to haue the meaning of it in vs that is to wit that at all times and as oft as we come vnto God to make our prayers and petitions vnto him wee must acknowledge that we be vnworthie sauing that wee knowe the meane wherby he receyueth vs that is to wit to clēze our selues by beleeuing in our Lord Iesu Christ knowing that he is the onely wasshing whereby all our spottes may be made cleane VVill we then be acceptable vnto God It behoueth vs to attayne to it by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ shrowding vs vnder the grace which he hath purchaced vs by his death and Pasion as who is the full perfection and accomplishment of the things that haue bene giuen forth in old time in figures and shadowes Therefore let vs caste our selues flat before the face of our good God with acknowledgmēt of our offences beseeching him to make vs know better what we haue lefte vndone and that as long as wee liue in this corruptible worlde we acknowledging our selues to bee wrapped in many sinnes may resist the temptations of our fleshe and buckie our selues to battell agaynste all things that may turne vs aside frō the obeying of our god And although we faile in diuerse sorts yet neuerthelesse let vs pray that we may walke in such soundnesse afore him as we may desire nothing but to dedicate our selues wholy vnto him and that it may please him to accept the seruice that wee offer vnto him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ notwithstanding that it be vnperfect vntill such time as his glory shall shine fully in vs That it may please him to bestowe this benefite and grace not onely vpon vs but also vpon all people and Nations of the Earth c. The third Sermon vpon the first Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the text of the fifth verse which is set downe in the laste Sermon afore according also as it bath partly bene shewed alreadie I Began to tell you yesterdaye what is ment by this saying that Iob sanctified his children or commaunded them that euerye of them shoulde sanctifie himselfe For vnder the Lawe and before the Lawe when men offered sacrifizes it behoueth the offerers to bee clenzed before hande and that was to doe them to wit howe wee be not worthie to approche vnto God by reason of our vnclennesse and filthinesse If wee come vnto God such as wee bee of our selues wee deserue to bee shaken off and to be taken at his hand for stinking carions Therfore it standeth vs in hand to make our selues cleane And how may that be done The men of old time had certaine Ceremonies according as it was needefull that they should haue suche healpes before the cōming of our Lorde Iesu Christ by reason of the rawenesse of the tyme But nowe in these dayes we know how we ought to haue recourse to the preciouse bloud of Gods sonne which was shedde to washe vs withall Therefore if we meane to be receyued for cleane before God it behoueth vs to repayre to the bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ And furthermore wee must also sighe for our sinnes For by this meanes are we to be clenzed namely by acknowledging the euill that is in vs which by and by causeth a sorinesse and hatred of ourselues for that wee haue bene so vnhappie as to displease god And thus we see why we haue no more the figures that were before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet do keepe still the truth and substance of them VVhat is to bee done then at all times and as oft as we call vpon God Euery one of vs must haue an eye to his owne poorenesse and vnclennesse and be displeased with himselfe for it and therewithall also desire our Lorde Iesus Christ to washe vs and make vs cleane with his bloud so that we may appeare as if we were pure and cleane in the presence of God his father And this is to be done not onely one day in a weeke nor for some certayne tyme but continually all our life long and we must beare in mind how sainct Paule sayeth that our Lorde Iesu Christ was sacrifized as the true Easterlambe to the end that we shoulde still be coparteners of that sacrifyze specially as he sayeth in all purenesse He sayeth not that Christians ought to sanctifie themselues vnto God once a yeere but that they ought to continewe their holinesse all their lyfe through out VVherefore Bycause the sacrifize which Iesus Christ hath offered and whereof wee be made coparteners is euerlasting and the vertue thereof indureth for euer So then let vs euery morning and euening apply our indeuour to that which is shewed vs here that is to wit to sanctifie our selues vntill it please God to be so graciouse vnto vs as to dwell with vs for euer From the time that the lawe was published God specially cōmaunded the Iewes saying Sanctifie your selues for to morrow saieth Moyses the Lord will shew you his glorie But God is openly shewed vnto vs in the person of his sonne yea and that in such wise as we may behold him as it were face to face so the Gospel be preached for ther hath God discouered himselfe familiarly vnto vs Therefore it becommeth vs to haue the sayd affection and zel◠which I haue spoken of that is to wit that we be wholly and fully giuen vnto him forsaking all filthinesse that may hinder vs from the seruing and honouring of him But it foloweth that Iob offred sacrifyzes according to the number of his children VVe haue alreadie briefly shewed that although Iob feared least his children had offended God yet notwithstanding hee forbade them not to keepe companie stil togither bicause their so doing was a good thing but sought the remedie of the infirmities wherevnto men are inclined and subiect Moreouer it may be demaunded how it came to passe that Iob durst offer sacrifize seeing he was not instructed in the lawe specially for asmuch as it is very likely that he liued before Moyses was borne For the Sacrifyzes that mē offer vnto God without fayth deserue to be mislyked How then coulde Iob offer sacrifyze hauing not any assurance of Gods will VVe muste call agayne to minde that which hath bene touched in the first Lecture that is to wit that it was Gods will to haue alwaies some
could they inioy it for euer if God should not cōtinue the sayd grace which he hath put into them And like as wee speake of lyfe so must wee speake of righteousnesse also The Aungels are not stedfast further foorth than God holdeth them vp by his hād Rightly are they called Principalities powers but that is bicause God executeth his power by them and guideth them To bee shorte the Angels haue nothing in thēselues whereof to make their boast For all the power and stedfastnesse which they haue they holde it of God and are so much the more indetted to him for it As touching that which followeth namely that God findeth or putteth for the Hebrew worde importeth that God putteth follie or vanitie it implyeth not that the vanity which is in the Angelles commeth of God but the meening of it is that hee putteth it to them or chargeth them with it by his iudgement that is to say that as a iudge he giueth sentence that there is folly vanitie that is to say that there is faultinesse in the Angelles yea that they could not stande before him if he would deale rigorously with them Verily this seemeth straunge to suche as are not exercised in the holy scripture But if wee wiste what the righteousnesse of God is wee should not marueyle that the Angels themselues are found to be faultie if he should cōpare them with himselfe For we must alwayes come back to this poynt that the good things that are in all creatures are small in estimation of that whiche is in God which is vtterly infinite Therefore we must alwaies put a difference betweene the one the other VVe see the Angels haue wonderfull power vertues specially in respect of vs for notwithstanding that the Angels abide in the degree of creatures yet may wee well glorifie thē But when we come to God the greatnesse of him muste swallowe vp all the reste in likewise as wee see howe the Sūne darkneth all the Starres of the Skie And what is the Sunne He is a planet as well as the rest and yet neuerthelesse bicause God hath graunted that creature to haue more brightnesse than the other Starres all of them must needes he ouershadowed so as no Starre cā be pereeyued when the Sunne hath his full power And what will bee done thē whē God himselfe cōmeth foorth As the Prophet Esay sayth there shall be neither Sunne nor Moone any more but the brightnesse of God shall be suche as it shall be seene knowne ouer all VVhen Esay speaketh of Gods kingdome he sheweth that all things muste bee done away nothing be glorified but onely god Seeing it is so let vs referre it also to that which is spoken here that is to wit that God findeth lacke in his Angelles although they bee his seruantes And yet this is no let but that the seruice which the Angels do vnto God is perfect according to the perfection that can be in creatures likewise as in that respect when in praying wee desire God that his will may be done on earth as it is in heauen wee witnesse that there is no vntowardnesse in the obedience which the Angels yeeld vnto him but that he reigneth in thē after such a peaceable maner as they be wholly conformable to his will. But we must alwaies beare in minde that which I haue touched that as long as we go no further but to the degree state of creatures there shall be a perfection in the Angels verily such perfectiō as may be in creatures But come we once vnto God the sayd perfection is as it were swallowed vp like as the Starres appeere not any any more when the Sunne giues his light Furthermore it behoueth vs to marke well how S. Paule sayeth that Iesus Christ is come to gather togither the things that are in heauen and earth And therby he sheweth that the Angelles haue their stedfastnesse in the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ forsomuch as hee is the mediator betwene God and his creatures True it is that Iesus Christ redemed not the Angels for they needed not to be raunsomed frō death whervnto they were not yet falne but yet was he their mediator And how so to the intent to ioyne thē vnto God in al perfectiō afterward to mainteyne thē by his grace that they may bee preserued from falling Nowe seeing that God findeth faultinesse in his Angels that is to say that they haue no stedfastnesse in them further thā they be mainteyned frō aboue what is to be thought of vs VVe must bee faine to come to that which Eliphas addeth Are mē of such glory yea or of such power as the Angels of heauen Let their cace be cōsidered For how were we created we dwell in corruptible transitorie lodgings Brag wee as much as wee list yet is there nothing but vanitie in vs that is to say our bodies are but dust poulder and all muste go into corruption Thē seeing that wee dwell in houses of Clay will we be excellenter than those that dwell in the glorie of God and beholde his face alreadie The Angelles beeing not subiect to any of the chaunges turnings of this world dwell alreadie in the heauenly immortality And we find by experience that our lyfe is no better than a blast and we looke to be dispatched out of this worlde euery minute of an houre Sith the cace standeth so how commes it to passe that we presume so of our selues To be short there is no stedfastnesse in men which doth not slip and vanishe away by by Thē if the case stāde betwene God and vs let vs learne to haue good regard to the one side that is to wit vnto god True it is that we vnderstād not his mighty power as apperteineth but the Angels which are now much neerer to him thā we be which behold his face haue no such perfection but that some fault may be found in them if hee list to examine them with rigor VVhat shall become of vs then if we consider our owne weaknesse what shal become of our vertues if we would cōpare thē with the Angels which are so noble excellēt creatures Thus we see what we haue to remēber in this sentēce For the residue cānot be declared at this present Now let vs fall down before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him so to dispose vs to the receyuing of his worde as wee may not come to it heedlesly as the things that we heare may run in at the one care and out at the other but that wee may beare them away and imprint thē throughly in our harts to make vs chaunge our wicked affectiōs to renounce our selues that being quite ridde of all vaine trust in our selues wee may desire nothing but to worship the greate God to yeeld him the prayse that he deserueth specially for the inestimable grace that he giueth vs in
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 stādeth so that if God listeth to iudge his Angelles with rigor hee shoulde finde sault ynough in thē what thē should become of thē which are so vnable to say any thing for themselues as they haue nothing in thē but vanity Neuertheles it might seeme that that which is rehersed here was not sufficiēt to proue the intent of Eliphas For albeit that mē 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 trāsitory vanisheth away euery minute of an houre to say that God may cōdemne vs But if all things be well cōsidered the reasons that are here alleaged are fitte for the purpose For the case stādeth not simply vpō mens frailtie as in respect of their bodies but vpō theyr dwelling here in this corruptible flesh that they be so earthly as they thinke not on themselues although they haue death cōtinually 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 thē further than they be vphilde by the grace of God They might fade and vanish away of thēselues 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 frō the said heauēly glory they are here in the sayd transitory lodging for what else are our bodies Thē 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 argumēt 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 mā 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 thē 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 thē 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 incōbrance trouble with them but as for vnderstanding or reason there is small or none in little ones And certesse draw we once neere mās estate our lustes are so ouerboyling as we cānot 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 VVhē 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 Coūtrey 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 cōsisteth 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
vs in our prayers for to that intent doth the holie Ghoste speake it Then let vs beare in mind that if we will moue God to pitie we must not alledge that we haue deserued aught at his hande or that there is any excellencie in oure persons or in our nature All this gere must be laide vnder foote and there is none otherway for vs to deale but to acknowledge Alas Lorde what am I but rottennesse I fleete awaye incontinently there is no strength in me my life is but a shadow VVhen we speake after this maner it is a following of the warning that the holie Ghost giueth vs But we must aduise our selues well after what sort and to what purpose we vse such maner of speech that is to wit that all should redound to Gods glorie and to worship him by humbling ourselues vnto him For there are that can skil to say Alas I am but a worme ther is nothing in mee but vanitie my life is but a smoke that vanisheth away yet in the mean while they haue nother humilitie nor obedience to abace themselues before God and to acknowledge how it is he to whom they are beholding for al things but cleane contrariwise the same shall tende rather to make suche complaint as this How now Seing that God hath authoritie ouer all his creatures were it not meete that hee shoulde giue vs that which he taketh from vs were it not meete that we should haue this or that Then let vs marke that when the Scripture telleth vs that God pitieth vs in consideration that wee bee so frayle and that our life is lesse than nothing it is not doone to giue vs occasion to murmure and fret in our selues bycause our state is so despizable and nothing is in vs whereof wee may vaunt oure selues but rather all confusion but it is done to the ende we should knowe howe wee bring not any thing to God why hee should shewe vs fauoure and that in the meane season if hee seeke for anye thing I wote not what that might prouoke him to loue vs he shall not find aught at all and so he shall shake vs off VVhat must we do then For as muche as God seeth that wee bee more than wretched he must haue pitie vpon our state considering that there is nothing in all our wisedome but only mere follie and nothing in all our vertues but onely leasing and wickednesse Seeing then that we knowe that God bereaueth vs of all our glorie let vs be sure he will not haue vs presume to chalendge any thing to our selues that we should bring any worthinesse into his presence to say yea Lord why shouldest not thou shewe me fauoure For I haue done this and that and there is such a thing in mee But let vs haue our mouthes shut as in respect of all our worthinesse and assure our selues that we must drawe licoure from out of the onely free mercie of god Thus yee see with what an intent we must call our miseries to rememberaunce that is to witte not to complaine or murmure against God but to humble our selues and to abace oure selues vtterly that God alone may be honoured and that it may bee knowne that when hee doth vs good it is not for that we bring him on to doe it nor for that he findeth aught in vs wherefore he should be bounde to it but it is bycause he hath compassion of vs for that hee seeth vs to bee so fraile and that all our life is but a thing of nothing But nowe let vs come to that whiche is continued heere Remember that my lyfe is nothing This request is good when Iob saith vnto God Lord I am tormented heere O that it might please thee to giue me comfort And why for thou knowest what I am and of what nature I am VVhen Iob protesteth this it is a good and holie request yea verely so the affection be right Certaine it is that hee had a right intent but yet therewithall it coulde not bee saide but that hee ouershot himselfe in going too farre as wee shall see better by the sequele And therefore let vs marke that in alledging our frailtie before God it is not ynough to humble our selues and too confesse that wee haue nothing wherein wee may auaunce our selues but wee must haue the modestie to confesse that God is rightuous in making vs to bee in suche state yea though wee perceiue not the cause of it and that although hee haue hid these secretes from vs yet must not we plead againste him nor haue any harteburning in vs as if we were ouersore pressed but muste bridle oure selues with this that God hathe had iuste cause to set vs in suche state as wee might bee hedged in with all manner of miseries and afflictions VVhy so To the ende to holde vs in awe and subiection vnto him and that we might not haue the sayde presumption and puffednesse of pryde And heerevnto Iob addeth That his lyfe is nothing and that hee shall not returne agayne to see good that is to saye to take pleasure of the things that God giueth men in this present life The eye sayth he of the Seer shal see me no more that is to say I shall bee no longer heere And in the ende hee likeneth man to a cloude Yee see how a cloude vanisheth awaye and a man can not tell where it becommeth and it returneth no more into his former state And euen so hee that goeth down into the graue shal come no more vp again Iob speketh here of the frailtie of mans life And it is to the ende that God should not handle him with such rigour according as hee will saye anon in another streine what am I that thou shouldest stretch out thyne arme againste mee as if hee should saye Lorde wilte thou fight against a shadowe But a man maye thinke it straunge that Iob speaking of death leaueth no more hope nother for him selfe nor for all mankinde as who should saye that in dying wee doe perishe and are vtterly dispatched for a doe and shall neuer be restored agayne For hee sayth that the man which is once layde in his graue abydeth there and neuer returneth anye more It seemeth heere that Iob speaketh like an vnbeleeuer that hathe nother knowne nor tasted aught at all of the true Religion But we must consider that in this place hee speaketh of the deathe of men as it is in it selfe like as the holy scripture also vseth the same manner of inditing very oftentimes elsewhere And we must not thinke it straunge that Iob hath spoken according to the same maner that we be taught by the holy Ghost The things that wee haue in these dayes were not yet written in the time of Iob but yet had God ingrauen all those things in the hearts of his faithfull ones which are now written Yea and God euen yet still at this day maketh vs to feele the same in our hearts and
likewyse bee tormented so that they shall pay very deere for all their ioyes Lo how the Scripture auoucheth it and it behoueth vs to receyue that which is spoken there and to be throughly resolued of it And when wee haue doone God the honour too giue credite to his worde then will hee make vs to vnderstande that which other men perceyue not namely that in the middes of the greatest aduersitie and heauinesse that can betide vs we haue still cause to laugh that is to say to comfort and cheere our selues bycause we haue an eye to the happie ende which God promiseth notwithstanding that the same can not bee perceyued by our earthly eyes and vnderstanding Neuerthelesse it is certayne that God fauoureth not the wicked And why Bycause that althoughe they haue neuer so muche prosperitie and although they flourish neuer so much to outward appearance yet is all of it turned to their ruine and confusion And contrariwise though the faithfull be scourged and tormented many wayes yet notwithstanding for as muche as they bee vphild by the hande of God â–ª they neuer miscarie and all turneth to their welfare and profit And herein we see that thing accomplished which is conteyned heere To bee short we see what we haue to marke vpon this texte So then let vs learne not to put our trust in this worlde nor in any of the inferiour meanes heere belowe But let vs leane vnto God seeing that hee hath giuen vs our Lorde Iesus Christ to the end that being graffed in him we may drayne such strength and sap from him that although our life bee hidden so as wee bee euen as it were in death we may not ceasse to continue still and to be maynteined in good and sure state wayting till this good God haue deliuered vs out of all worldly miseries and oute of all the troubles which wee bee fayne to suffer heere vntill hee call vs and bring vs into the kingdome of heauen and the glorie which he hath purchased by the precious bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ And nowe let vs fall flat before the presence of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them better than wee haue done and that therewithall wee maye haue oure recourse vnto him knowing howe it is he onely that can amend vs and all our euill affections and therefore that it maye please him too drawe vs backe in suche wise that forsaking our selues and all that is in this worlde wee maye laboure for the heauenly life vntill suche time as hauing ouercome all the aduersitie of this present life and beeing come to the ende of all the battels wherewyth wee are assayled we may fully enioy all the victories whiche he giueth vs nowe by the grace of his holye spirite That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The .xxxiij. Sermon which is the first vpon the ninth Chapter IOb ansvvered and sayd 2 Of a truth I knovv that man shall not bee iustified to Godvvard 3 If he vvould dispute vvith him he should not ansvvere him one poynt of a thousand 4 He is vvise of hart and mightie in strength And vvho is he that shall set him selfe against him and haue peace 5 Hee remoueth the mountaynes and they feele not vvhen hee ouerthrovveth them in hys vvrath 6 He remoueth the earth out of hir place and the pillers thereof do quake ALthough men bee enforced to confesse that God is righteous and that there is no fault to be founde in him Yet notwithstanding their passions are so outrageous that if any of them be afflicted a man shal heare those that are so smitten not onely grudge againste God but also blaspheme him with full mouthe And yet for all that their torment is neuer the lesse but it seemeth too them that they reuenge them selues after a sorte when they can so rayle against him with whome they haue to doe So muche the more therefore behooueth it vs to bethinke vs of Gods righteousnesse a great whyle aforehand to the ende that when he scourgeth vs we may alwayes abyde in the lowlinesse to knowe him as he is that is to witte that hee is ryghteouse and vnblameable Neuerthelesse the whole matter consisteth not onely in confessing generally that God is ryghteouse for wee haue seene heeretofore how Baldad mainteining the sayd cace that God is rightuous wrested it after an euill fashion in staying vppon thys poynte namely that God punisheth men according too their desert But as wee haue seene alreadie that rule holdeth not continually alike God doth somtimes spare the wicked and beare with them and sometimes hee chastizeth those whome hee loueth and handeleth them much more rigorously than those that are vtterly past amendment Then if wee will deeme that God chastizeth euery man according too his desertes what shall become of it when men couet to maynteine his rightuousnesse by that meanes they take a wrong way Yee see then here is a fault for when men will take vpon them to measure Gods iustice and to say hee punisheth no man but for his sinnes yea and looke in what manner and quantitie euerye one hath offended thereafter muste God paye him home in this worlde then do they not take Gods iustice as they ought to doe In this respecte Iob treateth nowe muche better of the manner of Gods iustice and howe it â—s to be knowne than Baldad hath done That is to wit without hauing respecte to one sinne or other but onely taking menne as they bee from their moothers wombe yet notwithstanding the whole worlde muste needes bee condemned afore God and it is apparant that althoughe the afflictions seeme roughe yet notwithstanding God can not be reproued Then let vs marke well that they be two diuers maners of speeche to saye God is rightuous for he punisheth men according to their deserte and too say God is rightuous for how so euer hee handleth men yet must wee alwayes keepe oure mouthes shet and not grudge against him bycause wee can not gaine any thing thereby If wee see a wicked man punished at Gods hand as I haue touched afore then is it Gods meaning that men should knowe the particular iudgement which hee executeth to the ende that men should bee warned by it And the holie Scripture speaketh after the same manner VVee see that God punisheth whoredomes cruelties periuries blasphemies and suche other like thinges Yea verelie eyther vpon mens persons or else vpon countries or vppon some place that shall haue bene giuen too some crime VVhen God layeth his hande vpon suche therein hee sheweth a mirrour to instructe vs according as S. Paule speaketh when hee sayeth that God punisheth the sinners to the intent that euery man shoulde beware For when hee punisheth rebellions against his worde it is to make vs walke in feare VVhen hee punisheth wicked lustes it is to holde vs in awe VVhen hee
him that there may be some meanes of attonemeÌ„t betwene vs and his Maiestie Ye see how God is estraunged and separated from vs and what is the cause of it Our sinnes sayeth the Prophete Esay For God dwelleth in vs by his power Howe haue wee our beeing our moouing and our lyfe Howe haue wee any continuance at all but by reason that his power is spred out throughe all things And yet for all that wee ceasse not to bee separated from him through our sinnes and iniquities VVhat must wee doo then VVhat remayneth more That Iesus Christ put himselfe betwixte vs Iesus Christe muste bee fayne too bee oure daysman not too passe in iudgement vppon the Maiestie of God nor too sette God at the barre with vs but to bee the meane to reconcile vs vnto God and to draw vs after him as our heade to knit vs in such wife vnto God as wee may be all one in him as the Scripture speaketh And herevpon let vs learne to humble our selues and say â–ª Lord we come vnto thee not too pleade nor to presume vpon any thing that is in vs or in our owne persons but bicause thou art fauourable to vs and bicause thou art willing too receyue vs for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake That is the thing whereof we vaunte our selues Not that wee must not continue confounded as in respect of our selues but that forasmuch as it pleaseth thee to make vs feele thine infinite goodnesse which thou hast set forth in thine onely sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ whome thou gauest too death for our sakes wee will not nowe doubt but thou wilt receyue vs notwithstanding that wee bee too vnworthie of it But no we let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgemente of the innumerable sinnes which we ceasse not to commit dayly against him beseeching him that forasmuche as wee bee full of filthinesse and infection it may please him to purge vs and to rid vs from all our spttes and specially too correct this hypocrisie of ours where vnto we bee much giuen to the ende that we misliking the faults and offences which we haue committed heeretofore may desire nothing somuch as too returne vnto him with true repentance assuring oure selues that we shall not fayle too get pardon at his hande at leastwise so well come too him in true soundnesse of hearte praying him moreouer too gouerne vs in suche wise by his holy spirite that although wee bee full of many infirmities and bee so manye wayes defiled yet it may please him to receyue vs and not to vse rigour and extremity towardes vs That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The .xxxviij. Sermon which is the first vpon the tenth Chapter 1 MY soule is cut off in my lyfe I vvill leaue my complaynte vpon my selfe I vvill speake in my bitternesse 2 I vvill say too God condemne mee not shevve mee vvhy thou pleadest agaynst mee 3 Is it good for thee to doo mee vvrong or too caste avvay the vvorke of thine ovvne handes and to cleere the deuice of the vvicked 4 Hast thou eyes of fleshe lookest thou after the maner of men 5 Are thy dayes as the dayes of men are thy yeares as the yeares of a mortall man 6 That thou shouâ—dest serche out mine iniquitie and make inquirie of my sinne THe things that are spoken here by Iob may well bee spoken by euery of vs so farrefoorth as they bee good and holy prayers made vnto God and as he will allowe them And first of all if wee bee pressed with anguish wee may well say that we shall get no good by aduauÌ„cing ourselues against God in going to lawe with him Secondly we may desire him too make vs feele oure sinnes For the cheefe condemnation that hee shall pronounce vpon vs shall boote no whit to oure saluation except wee bee touched to be ouerthrowne in our selues For a man muste become his owne iudge and condemne himselfe if he will bee quit at Gods hande Also we may well marke all the shewes that are added immediatly that is to witte that it is no reason that God shoulde giue the wicked shorte occasion too like of theyr blasphemies and lewde dealings and that on the othersyde hee is no earthlye creature that hee shoulde bee desyrous too reuenge himselfe and finally that wee bee the woorke of his handes Lastly we may well saye that hee neede not too put men too the racke too boulte oute their misdeedes for all is knowne vntoo him So then wee may well vse the woordes that are reported heere in good sorte But wee see howe Iob vttereth his passions where with hee was caryed away not that hee resisted them not as I haue declared asore and yet for all that it is not to be gathered but that in the meane while hee was coÌ„bred with them a the first brunt And he confesseth here that he was in suche bitternesse that although he should gayne nothing by it yet could he not but strengthen himselfe in his complayntes or rather giue them theyr full scope For the Hebrew woorde that is put there signifieth bothe to leaue or let looce and also to fortifie or strengthen Therefore let vs marke well that Iob speaketh heere as a man ouerfull of passions Neuerthelesse hee knoweth what the nature of God is and restreyneth himselfe neither laboureth he to make his own cace good by accusing god But contrariwise he confesseth that hee is amazed and as it were out of his witte as men say And therfore he resorteth to praying vnto God that before hee condemne him hee shoulde shewe him wherefore hee goeth to law with him and that before he bring him downe to that poynt he should make him perceyue the reason why hee indureth it And now let vs go through with these matters from woorde to woorde He sayeth My soule is cut off in my life The Hebrew worde signifieth oftentimes to mislyke as if he should say my soule is wearie of my life or I am lothe to liue any longer But the truer meening is to say My soule is cut off in my life And why so For although he were alyue yet notwithstanding hee confesseth that his state was such as he was euen as good as deade Behold sayeth he my lyfe is no lyfe For I lyue in death And thus yee see that his meening was so And hereby hee confesseth himselfe to be as it were past hope yea verely as in respect of Gods handling of him Hee had still a hope in God howbeeit too truste therevnto it behoued him to go out of his owne person And this is a poynt whiche wee ought to marke throughlye For if wee looke but vppon oure presente state what can wee doo that wee shoulde not bee vtterlie ouerthrowen by it And for proofe heereof althoughe a man bee at his ease yet hath hee no continuance too beare oute
no further knowledge but of oure sinnes and of Gods iustice wee muste bee fayne too rest there So then we must not thinke it straunge that Iob speaking of death should say that men go into a darke coast where there is nothing but darknesse and disorder And why so For hee matcheth sinne and Gods curse togither with death and so long as God holdeth him locked vp in distresse there is as it were a certayne hartburning so as he seeketh not the meane of grace which is the true remedy to shew vs that there is light euen in death and some order also in darknesse how darke soeuer it be bycause that after we haue once bin brought to dust wee shall bee rayzed vp agayne Iob perceyued not this And why Bycause it behooued God first too make hym feele hys sharpe and sore rigoure and afterwarde to comfort hym againe And it is a text whiche wee ought too marke well For if wee mynde too receyue the grace that God giueth vs and offereth too vs continually in oure Lorde Iesus Christe wee must first feele what wee oure selues are and in what plight wee bee Are wee desyrous I say too taste what the heauenly lyfe is Firste wee muste knowe too what ende wee bee borne yea euen according as wee bee sinners in Adam And in good sooth it is not without cause that Sainct Paule sayeth that that whiche is corruptible goeth formost For hee speaketh not onely of the order that God holdeth in nature but also of that whiche it behoueth vs too consider on oure part Therefore wee muste vnderstande that although wee bee borne into this worlde and be as noble and excellent creatures of God as any can bee Yet notwithstanding by meanes of sinne death hath as it were abolished and razed out that noblenesse in so muche that God misliketh vs and disclaymeth vs as though hys hande had not fashioned vs bycause we bee disfigured and the Deuill hath sette his markes and stampe vppon vs and furthermore beeing subiect too the cursse that was pronounced vppon Adam wee are as good as banished oute of the whole worlde so as there is neyther heauen nor earthe but it abhorreth vs This say I is the thing that wee haue too marke in our selues But if wee enter intoo that battell it is certaine that wee shall be confounded vtterly Yee see that the cause why men stande so muche in their owne conceyte is for that they cannot bethinke them of Gods iustice as they ought too doo But yet must wee come too that poynt Howbeeit when wee shall haue considered howe wretched oure lyfe is and that death is yet more wretched bycause it is the greate gulfe that serueth too shewe vs of what importance the cursse is which God pronounced against vs with his owne mouth I say when we shall haue considered that we must also beware that wee be not vtterly swallowed vp of heauinesse And what remedie is there The remedie is to turne oure eyes too our Lorde Iesus Christ For the meane whereby God inlighteneth vs in the middes of darkenesse is howe oure Lorde Iesus Christ offereth himselfe vnto vs in whome we haue the true daysunne of rightuousnesse Nowe then if wee haue that regarde with vs no death can be dreadfull vnto vs And heere ye see why Dauid sayeth that Gods sheepehooke shall comfort him in the shadow of death and in the darknesse VVhen as hee speaketh of Gods sheepehooke he meaneth that hee shall bee afraid of nothing so long as God sheweth himselfe a shepeheard towards him And how should he shew himselfe a sheepherd but in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ So then let vs first consider of what minde Iob speaketh heere Hee knoweth that if men be considered in themselues it is their verye nature to haue nothing else but all manner of confusion both in their life and in their death Howbeeit seeyng wee haue the sonne of God although our state seeme neuer so wretched insomuch that wee bee but as poore woormes subiect too corruption and rottennesse yet come wee too the tasting of the benefite whiche God gaue vs when hee made light to issue out of the middes of darknesse according as it is sayde in the creation of the worlde that God turned the darknesse intoo light Seeyng wee knowe this wee haue too reioyce in that by the meanes of his onely sonne hee hath caused hys goodnesse and grace to shine foorth in our death yea euen more than in our lyfe For when it seemeth that we shoulde enter intoo the dungeons and gulfes of hell Then dooth God open vs the gate of his kingdome and euen then hee maketh vs too enter intoo the dwelling place whereoutof wee bee nowe after a sort banished And Christ inlightneth vs not onely in deathe to the intent that the darknesse whiche is there shoulde not darken vs and quite ouerwhelme vs but also in our life Thys present worlde as the Scripture telleth vs is full of darknesse and wee bee poore blind soules in it and yet in the meane whyle Iesus Christ cesseth not to inlighten vs by hys Gospell VVee haue the lawe and the Prophetes which are as burning Cressettes too vs And wee haue the Gospell whiche is yet a farre greater light yea euen as it were the light of high noone Yee see then howe oure Lorde Iesus Christe will bee a sufficient light for vs both in lyfe and deathe so wee looke vnto him But as I haue touched heeretofore wee must first feele what disorder and confuzion enuironeth vs round aboute vntill suche time as Iesus Christ haue reached vs hys hand Furthermore when Iesus Christ hath inlightned vs so as we shall haue walked in hope of the euerlasting lyfe while we be in this world although God take vs hence and death before our eyes yet let vs not therefore ceasse to call vpon God and to tarie his leysure till he comfort our soules in his owne Kingdome For they be alwais incombered and haue not their perfect ioy so long as they dwell in our bodies and till that God take them vp to himselfe for a doo True it is that if we thinke vpon death alone by it selfe without lifting vp our selues any higher God may now and then bring vs to the same point that he brought Iob. Iob had both faith and hope of the euerlasting life and yet for a little while he was ouerraught with such a feare as he conceyued nothing else in death but all confuzion and disorder For when he looked to his graue he saw hell open to swallow him vp And the hauing of suche conceytes greeued Iob muche more than all the torments that he coulde indure in his body But like as God did plucke him out in the end and gyue him victory against such temptations so will he do to vs likewise Neuerthelesse we be warned heereby that wee had neede to walke warely praying our good God that when it shall please him to call vs to account in
as concerning the secretes that are hid from vs men must learne to vse modestie in them To be short our wisedome must be to herken vnto God and to follow simply that which he sayeth without going any further There are say I two things wherein the true wisedome of men cōsisteth That is to say To heare God speake and without gainesaying to follow whatsoeuer is conteyned in his woord so as the same may haue authoritie to make vs feare God and too humble our selues vnder him Lo heere a good meane to become wise But lyke as it behoueth vs too obey God and to follow that which he sheweth vs so also must we not desire to know more than is conteined in his word For when men wil needes be wise against God they become starke mad VVe see what befel to our forefather Adam yea euē in the time that he was most pure soūd being created after the image of God when he was in far more excellent and noble state than men be now adayes for the image of God is so darkned in vs as there is no more light nor almost aught els than darkenesse in vs Adam could not content himselfe with that state but was desirous to haue a higher perfection and whereinto is he falne Into so foule a sinke as we ought henceforth to be ashamed of our state Now I pray you if we climbe still to the saide highnesse wherwith Adam was tempted and the wretchednesse where into we are falne or rather tumbled cannot meeken vs must we not bee punished double Therefore lette vs learne not to couet to know more than God sheweth vs as I haue sayd alreadye Yet notwithstanding let vs not ceasse to searche the secretes that are conteined in the holy Scripture nother let vs do as the Papists do who say that their forbearing to know autht is bicause the doctrine of the holy Scripture cannot be throughly comprehended of all men and bicause men are in great daūger to be intangled in many errours and heresies and bycause they see how all the confusednesse of the world springeth of this that men are caried away with a fonde desire of knowledge as they terme it and haue not the modestie to content themselues wyth an ouerwrapped faith of beleeuing simply whatsoeuer is hilde by the holy Church It seemeth at the first blushe that this hath some colour and yet all is but crused blasphemie against god And why for as I haue sayde alreadye although the doctrine that is in the Lawe and the Gospell be so high as our mindes are not able to reache vnto yet hath not God published his Law in vaine neyther is it for naught that he hath cōmaunded his Gospell to be preched to al creatures yea euen to the ignorantest sorte for he disclozeth himselfe there after so louing and gentle a fashion as there is no man but hee may be familiarly acquaynted with that whiche is shewed there So then let vs not be vnthankfull to our God let vs not accuse him to haue spoken out of the bottome of a bottle For he protesteth by hys Prophet Esay that he calleth vs not to him in vayne and that he hath not spoken in huddermudder but that his voyce soundeth lowd cleere so as it ought to be heard of all men and all of vs ought to receyue it Then sith the cace standeth so let vs hardily study Gods worde let vs apply all our wittes therevnto and our labour shall not be vnprofitable And furthermore let vs vse the sayd sobernesse that I haue spoken of And heere ye may see why S. Paule meening to correct the foolishe and rashe curiositie that is in men ▪ sheweth them whereto they ought to apply themselues that is to wit to knowe throughly what the loue is which God hath shewed vs in our Lord Iesus Christ so as wee neede to do nothing els all our life long than to seeke diligently the sayde grace that is shewed vs in our Lord Iesus Christ as how wee bee rescued from Satanstyrannie and set free from the bondage of sinne and death howe that whereas wee were vtterly damned by nature and wretched and lothely sinners before God wee be now become rightuous before him so 〈…〉 he receyueth vs and liketh well of vs Howe we be gouerned by his holy spirite to the ende wee should fight against the lustes of our owne fleshe and howe wee bee reserued vnder his hande and protection so that althoughe the Diuell practyze too ouerthrowe vs euery minute of an houre yet wee maye be able to driue him backe bycause we be in the sheepefolde and keeping of the good sheepeherd Jesus Christe who hath promised that he will not suffer any of them to perish whome the father hath put into his hande Therefore let vs get the knowledge of these things and further also how we ought continually to preace vnto God how it is lawfull for vs to call vpon him with open mouthe bycause he hath giuen vs a mediator who maketh vs way vnto him and howe that Iesus Christe beareth worde for vs so as God dothe out of all doubt heare vs when wee praye to him in Christes name If we knowe these things well then is our tyme well bestowed For this cause S. Paule addeth what is oure heygth our depthe and oure bredth and to be short he willeth men to behold howe they maye bee perfectly wyse namely by knowing thorowly the grace that is vttered and wrought vnto them in our Lorde Iesus Christe Heerewithall let vs learne to knowe that we must not indeuer to clymbe so high as to vnderstand what the wisedome of God is in it selfe For it is a deepe gulfe and who is hee that can attayne to it Let vs be sure that all our strength will come shorte of it Therefore men must humble themselues And so lette vs beare in mynde what S. Paule sayeth to vs namely that when we shall haue styed vp aloft aboue the heauens we shall not atteyne to knowe aught else than the fatherly loue of oure God assuring our selues that therein wee shall haue the perfection of all wisdome whiche shall stretch out it selfe high and deepe farre and wyde and on all sides In these wordes S. Paule taunteth these curious heades that are fisking here and there desirous to stye vp aloft and to sinke down low beneath and to search things ouer and ouer and yet in the meane whyle there is nothing but vanitie in them and the nimbler they bee the lesse surenesse and firmenesse is there in them S. Paule therefore checketh men for making their discourses so sondly and therewithall sheweth them that if they were giuen too the holding of that whiche is for their profite they would content themselues with that which is shewed them simply in the Scripture And heere yee see also why Moyses after he had published the lawe sayeth Aske no mo questions saying who is he that shall climbe into heauen who is he that
mouth For God hath set hys sustenance in the labour of his hands If I do him wrong it is as much as if I sucked the bloud out of him whome God hath cōmended vnto me and whome I am bound to releeue Yee see then how euery man ought to haue an eye to his estate and I haue alleaged examples to the end that euery one of vs should lay it forth by peecemeale that according as any of vs haue too deale with our neybours we should behaue our selues in such wise as wee might giue no man occasion to complayne of vs and furthermore also that euery man should haue an eye to hys owne household For before God it is not ynough for a faithful man to forbeare euildoing directly himselfe but also he will haue al croked wayes to be farre from vs and specially that we haue a care to gouerne our houses that God may be honored both of the childrē and of the husband and of the wife and of the master of the mēseruants and of the mayd seruants And would God that this were thought vpon better than it is For where the heads of a house go astray and haue no feare of God nor religiō in them there it is to be seene that al goeth to wrecke and that the children also do no honour to their father mother for they become not better but before they can haue any discretion ye shall see them rooted in naughtinesse and the men and maydens shal be full of corruptiō True it is that maysters and mistresses can tel wel ynough how to finde fault when their seruants commit any lewd prankes or filche any thing from them or serue them not as they would haue them but in the meane while if God be offended a thousand wayes it makes no matter that shal be let slip So much the more therfore behoueth it vs to marke well that which I haue saide namely that we must not thinke to content God by being carefull to serue him all onely in our owne persones but wee must also haue an eye to those whome we haue charge of that we keepe away euill in any wise assuring our selues that if we consent vntoo it wee must bee wrapped in the same damnation that the wicked are But if we be so diligent as to take heede to it let vs not doubt but our God will regard vs with mercie and be neere at hande to vs wyth all blissing and grace according as is promised heere Verily we haue yet one poynt more to marke which is that Gods fauour will not shewe it selfe alwayes at the firste brunt The promises that are conteyned heere are taken out of the Lawe or at leastwise are of the same effect For as I haue tolde you wee knowe not in what tyme this booke was written But howsoeuer the cace stande we see that the spirite of God spake to them For ye see heere a doctrine which is conformable to that whiche is conteyned in the lawe of Moyses where our Lorde promiseth to blisse those that serue him and to dwell among them and to make them perceyue howe auayleable hys presence is that is to witte that their life shall be happie by it But lette vs beare in minde that which I haue touched that is to wit that God maketh vs not to feele hys fauour at the first push Therefore whereas it is sayd that such as walke in the feare of God shal be blissed and hee will make them to prosper it is not ment that God visiteth not his seruants in such wise as he seemeth to bee alienated quite from them and that although they call vpō him they must be faine to linger in paine so as they wote not where they be but that to their seeming God hath vtterly forsaken them Then must we bee fayne to walke in this world through many afflictions notwithstanding that wee serue god But heerewithall we haue a double comfort which is that on the one side it is certayne that although our hart tende vnto God yet notwithstanding forasmuch as it is not with such zele as it ought nother do we serue him with such affection as we be bound too do therefore we must bee faine to suffer punishment and correction of our sinnes but yet by that meanes God maketh vs to consider our owne wants that wee mighte humble our selues fall to amendment and returne vnto him when we haue bin exercised after that sort with the troubles that hee sendeth Lo heere one great comforte The other is that we bee made like vnto our Lord Iesus Christe that like as hee is entred into the kingdome of heauen by tribulation and death euen so we that are hys members do now beare his markes in being troubled in this worlde to the end that he may cause vs to come too the glory of his resurrection VVe see then that all oure aduersities are turned to our welfare And heerewithall we ought also to comfore our selues in this that oure God will not put vs to further triall than he knoweth is meete and behofefull for vs and that although wee must be faine to endure many wants and miseries and that our state seeme to bee the wretcheddest in the worlde yet will not God ceasse to make vs feele continuallye that hee is neere vs and hathe not forsaken vs but watcheth alwayes ouer vs and will defende vs too the ende if wee seeke it is at hande and indeuoure to serue and honoure hym so it be with a pure and right meening mynde vtterly voyde of all hypocrisie as I haue declared alreadie But let vs cast our selues downe before our good God and father with acknowledgement of oure faultes and sinnes praying him to bring vs backe vnto himselfe and that for as much as he seeth such an vntowardnesse in our nature that all oure thoughtes and all our affections are bent to euill so as there is nothing in all oure intentes but vanitie and leasing it may please him to reforme vs in such wise as wee may become newe ceatures and that wee knowing our selues to bee destitute of all goodnesse maye seeke in his fauoure for all that belongeth to oure saluation yea and to our bodyly life I say that wee maye seeke it in him according as it is his office to giue bountifully vnto vs specially in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and that being gouerned by his spirite wee maye call vppon him as oure father and therewithall bee ioyned and knitte togither in one true brotherly affection so as wee maye declare thereby that wee bee his children and that wee growe more and more in true vnion and charitie vntill that beeing receyued into the heauenly heritage wee maye enioy the true vnion whiche is begonne alreadie in vs That it maye please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The .xlv. Sermon which is the first vpon the twelfth Chapter IOb ansvvered
reasons to defende himselfe withall that he shall be quitte before God if he may haue leaue to plead his cace And he pleadeth not before men for he had to deale with deafe eares but he would haue those to whom he speaketh to holde their peace and to heare what hee shall debate and too wayte for the ende and issue of that which shall be vttered of god VVee see then what the summe of his intent is that is to wit he ment to say that he should bee quit if he myght haue leaue and libertie to debate his cace And wherevpon dependeth this VVee must call to mynde what hath beene declared afore that is to witte the two sortes of Gods rightuousnesse That God will sometimes iudge men by his lawe for there he hath giuen vs a ryghtuousnesse whiche is throughlye knowne and apparant vnto vs God doth as it were enter into couenaunt with vs when he giueth vs this rule marke howe I will haue men to liue hee that doth not all these things cursed be hee and who so euer performeth my law shall liue Seing then that our Lord hath so certifyed vs of his will hee hath shewed vs a rightuousnesse that is altogither apparant But if he should iudge vs therafter we should be fayne to enter into an account and to to examine our life by euery commaundement and too thinke with our selues Go too wherein hast thou doone amisse Behold thy God requireth such a thing hast thou performed it No then thou seest wherin thou art faultie Marke I say how we shall be condemned by the law Likewise on the contrarie part if we knowe ourselues to haue fulfilled Gods law which is vnpossible but I admit it were so I say when a man trieth his works throughly if he finde that his life hath bin conformable to Gods law then is hee iustified after the rightuousnesse that is apparant and knowne to vs But yet for all this Iob hath protested heretofore that there is a higher rightuousnesse in God whereby hee could condemne euen the Angelles VVherefore is that For although God allowe a mans life when it is throughly framed according to his lawe yet is not he bound thereby neyther is it as much to saye as we owe him no more seruice and that he should hold vs acquit For if we compare the perfection that is in God with the perfection that is in the creature what wil come of it The Sunne may be darkned though it giue light to al the world that is to say ther is nothing that can suffize or satisfie that matter So then let vs marke well that whē so euer God listeth to iudge vs by his lawe although wee know no euill nor vice in our selues yet should wee not bee rightuous for all that But let vs come to that which Iob sayth VVhen so euer I shall haue leaue to plead my cace sayth he and to lay forth my matter in order and to alledge all my reasons I knowe that I shall then be iustified That is to say If God would iudge me but according to his lawe and that I might answere to shewe what my life hath bene then should I be iustifyed But I haue told you that this is impossible For there needes none other proofe to shew that al men are cursed and damned then that God sayth that whosoeuer performeth not all these things shall bee accursed VVhen S. Paule goeth about to proue that no man shall be iustified by the deedes of the lawe but that we be all giltie before God so as all mouthes must bee stopped hee alledgeth the same sentence Yea But doth it follow therevpon that we are all damned VVee must looke whether we do Gods lawe or no. And S. Paule presuppeseth that wee do it not that is to say that there is none whiche dischargeth his dutie but all of vs are farre off from it So then what meeneth Iob to say that hee shall be iustified if God would admit him to stand to his defence as if God had not wherof to accuse him or that he were not faultie in any thing And we knowe that in so much as hee was a mortall man hee was clothed with many infirmities and sinnes How then doth hee meene that hee could be quit First of all wee must call to mynde what hath bene touched heretofore namely that Iob looketh not simply at his own deseruing nor what he is of himselfe but at Gods intent in scourging him As howe VVee haue seene that God findeth sinnes in vs that are worthy to bee punished Go to hee beareth with them and forgiueth them and yet in the meane while he will afflict vs for some other cause as befell vnto Iob. True it is that he was a wretched sinner that God according to his lawe might haue punished him extremely but yet notwithstanding he had no suche respect VVe haue seene afore that God punished not Iobs sinnes as of set purpose to punishe him as if he should say I will punish this man bicause hee hath deserued it or bycause he hath liued naughtily No God had no such respect with him VVhat then He intended that Iob should be a mirrour to all men to the end that when we beholde him we may haue occasion to humble ourselues knowing that Gods hande is too heauie for vs to beare also considering our own frailtie and that according to his secret and incomprehensible iustice hee might handle vs a hundred thousand times roughlier than he doth therwithall also haue an eye to the pacientnesse of the man God then ment to vse Iob to all these matters and so we see that his intent was not to punish him And that is the cause why Iob saith that if he had leaue to speake and to open his cace at large he should be found rightuous according to Gods intent that is to say as in respect of the present affliction that he endured God should not find any iniquitie in him in that behalfe but contrariwise allow him for one of his seruants But Iob in so saying reiecteth not the forgiuenesse of sinnes wherevpon all our rightuousnesse is founded VVe say that men are made rightuous by only faith bycause wee are damned in our workes this is true and bring all damnation and cursednesse before God and therefore must all of vs abyde shame and confuzion For this cause it standeth vs in hande to borrowe a rightuousnesse that God maye like and allowe which thing is done when our Lord Iesus Christ clotheth vs with his owne rightuousnesse and the same is allowed vs before god Ye see then that we become rightuous by fayth bycause we bee clenzed and scoured from our sinnes in the death and passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And in the meane time God guideth vs by his holy spirit and guiding vs accepteth the seruice that we yeelde him that is to say he accepteth the goodnesse which hee hath put into vs For there is not so much as
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 rūne here there letthē go on till they were falne downe tūbled 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 whē 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 hād 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 cōplayned 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 cōfounded 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 cā neuer be set beside the saluatiō that is prepared for vs Ye see thē 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 whē 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
admit nothing els but only Gods wil to rule and gouerne our whole life Howbeit that is not all that we haue to do For it is to no purpose for men to beate our eares with preaching and to say behold thus muste yee do behold thus doth God commaund you vntill such time as we haue learned that it is he only that printeth his lawe in our harts and ingraueth it in our bowels that it is he which giueth vs power to sticke to hys commaundements that it is he which by his holy spirite giueth force effectualnesse to the doctrine that it is he which of his goodnesse accepteth vs forgiueth vs our sinnes I say it is all to no purpose till we haue learned those things and bene taught to resort vnto him to demaund at his hande whatsoeuer wee haue neede of It is not ynough for vs to haue it told vs thus and thus must ye do but as I sayd God must be fayne to giue vs strength to performe that which we shall craue at his hand Furthermore by this wee bee admonished that our faith is not edified by aduersitie but that it always ingendreth in vs a desire to prayse God and to resort vnto him VVhen it is tolde vs that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath reconciled vs to God his father and shed his bloud to wash vs with that wee might be pure and cleane and that he hath payde the price of our raunsome that wee might be quit by his rightuousnesse and so become acceptable to God and he vse his mercie towardes vs the knowing of all these things say I is to the end we should throughly cleaue vnto him and say well then how may we bee saued but only by the meere grace of God in asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ hath made satisfaction for vs and to the end that our faith shoulde rest therevpon But must we therfore lie still asleepe No no but we must awake that we may repaire vnto God and say where is our welfare In the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe therefore we must seeke it there for we shall not finde it among men And how must wee seeke it but by prayers and supplications Then let vs come vnto God and say Lord sith thou seest vs voyde of all goodnesse fill thou vs with thy grace True it is that we be wretched sinners howbeit for asmuch as wee bee the members of thy Sonnes body wee shall bee made rightuous by hym True it is that we be full of spottes but hee hath wherewith too clenze vs hee hath a good washing for vs True it is that wee bee giltie of euerlasting death and bound therevntoo but our Lorde Iesus Christ hath set vs free from it VVherefore Lorde bee so good too vs as to make vs partakers of the thing which is purchaced for vs by thine infinite goodnesse Beholde in what manner we ought to haue recourse vnto God lette vs say yea Lorde fill thou vs with thy holy spirite that hee may leade vs by his strength and suffer vs not to faynt for any temptation that can befall vs Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to marke out of thys streyne But Eliphas doth afterwarde vpbrayd Iob that he hath chozen the tung of craftinesse This present saying importeth that hee doth but mocke with God as they do whiche are bereft of all feare and reuerence and haue not any more reason in them For sometimes men shall sinne through simplicitie and yet stande in some feare of God howbeit they shall be dulled for the time according as wee shall see many that are not touched after a liuely sorte but are little better than brute beastes and yet notwithstanding there shall some feare of God lie hidden in them whych is as good as choked wel then such manner of folke haue more simplicitie than craftinesse and malice in them But othersome thinke themselues to be very sharpwitted if they can scoffe at all religion and dally with God and with his maiestie and take vnmeasurable libertie to follow all euill of set purpose Ye see then that the craftie or suttle folke of whome Eliphas maketh mention in thys streyne are not such as do amisse through ignorance and ouersight but suche as wilfully and of set purpose make none account of God nor of the handling of hys woord contemptuously to make a sport or a stage play of it for behold that is the toppe of all iniquitie So then lette vs marke well that if God let men runne so farre vpon the brydle as to shew themselues suttlewitted against hym then hath Satan taken suche possession of them as it is right harde to bring them backe againe to the right way yea and in a manner impossible And wee see also in what wise the Prophet Esay thundereth against suche kinde of folke saying Cursed be you that make you lurkingholes for he vseth that similitude inspeaking of these suttleheaded folke which beare themselues in hand that they can beguile god VVhen they haue sharpened their wittes and inuented fine slightes beholde all their strayning of themselues is to abolish the feare of god For mark wherat they begin If we be so bridled say they that if there be but one word of scripture for a thing we must yeeld vnto it without gaynesaying what a thing were that for there are many things that are not vnderstoode and againe a man may doubt of this or that And what a thing is it for vs to be compelled to yeeld suche authoritie too Gods word as it may not be lawfull for vs to aske how the cace standeth These politike heads therefore which are so desirous to worke wyles with God begin at this poynte namely of taking leaue to keepe men from seeing what the thing is that men call Gods word to the end that all mouthes should be tungtied that mē might raze it out quite and cleane And whē they be once entred into that doubt afterwarde they harden themselues in it And good reason it is that God shoulde leaue them there and that Satan should cary them headlong And when they bee come to that poynt they do nothing else but bleare out their tung against al doctrine there is no more greefe nor remorse of conscience in them but to be short they bee bereft of all humanitie and become brutish Thus yee see why I sayde that it is impossible that those whome God hath left at that poynt should euer returne to the way of saluation And therefore let vs beware that we hold oure selues streytly in subiection vnto God to beare suche reuerence to his worde as wee may shunne and vtterly abhorre and detest the slightes and suttleties wherein the wicked sort delight and welter themselues For they think not themselues to be sharpwitted ynough till they haue despized god Also there are of these fantastical and fleeing heades to be seene who thinke themselues to be very dullards and of no estimation till they
whome he shall render an account Such as are ordeyned to be Shepherds to feede Gods people muste imploye all their strength and power therevpon nother muste they openly or particularly conceale that which they haue receyued according wherevnto Sainte Paule sheweth that hee is cleare from blud that is to say he is not faultie before God for hee had taught them Gods truthe faythfullye without ceassing as well at home in theyr houses as openly abroade Also let the Magistrate for his parte looke too himselfe and let him not through negligence quenche the lyghte that God hath put into him But to the vttermoste of his power let him indeuer that iustice maye reigne and haue hir full course that God maye be honoured and his truth receyued and that leasings and all thinges that are contrarie to true Religion may be done away Lo what wee haue to remember in this streyne Nowe whereas Eliphas sayth that God had giuen them the land and no stranger had passed through it it is to expresse that they had receyued an excellent prerogatiue from aboue For it is certaine that if a man be able to mainteine the gouernement that is put into his hande it is a token that God fauoreth him and it becommeth him to acknowledge that benefite For there is no pollicie of manable to do that throughly Also wheras Eliphas sayth that those of whom he speaketh had reigned peasably and that God had blissed them in such wise as they were not troubled but had so guided their subiectes as their dominion conteined in quietnesse thereby we be done to vnderstand that when God maynteineth states and a countrie is in peace wee must not father it vpon mortall men but acknowledge it to be the speciall benefite of god And our acknowledging of it must not be honoring the men by whome God serued his turne in doing it but also in yeelding God his due prayse Nowe let vs come to the chiefe article that we haue touched Eliphas saith that the wicked man is alway as it were trauelling with childe that he neuer hath any rest that hee is in continuall tormente that hee looketh euer at the sworde and that he knoweth not the number of his dayes And our Lorde vseth the same threat against the transgressers of his lawe namely that he will sende them such a fearefulnesse that their life shall hang afore them by a thread that their eyes shall bee sunken in their heade and that they shall bee in such anguishe of mynde that in the morning they shall say who will warrant mee my life vntill night and when night is come howe maye I indure till tomorrowe Lo howe God punisheth such as walke not purely according to his law And in good faith what purenesse is there in our life If we desire to be at rest and not to be tossed with any cares it behoueth vs to knowe that we be in Gods protection and we must be fully resolued of it and then it is certayne that wee may passe through fire and water that is to say hap what hap will wee shall bee sure of a good and stedfast leaningstocke But if wee knowe not that God watcheth ouer vs or at leastwise if wee thinke hee is against vs wee must needes be afrayde and not knowe where to become Therefore it is not without cause that God vseth the said manace againste the transgressers of his law And so is Eliphassis saying very true that the wicked is alwayes fearefull according also as the Prophet Esay likeneth the thoughts of wicked folkes too waues that beate one againste another VVhen any tempest is yee see the water stirreth and the waues come rushing one againste another and breake asunder Euen so is it with a man that is not ayded by god It is not any one passion that shall carrie him away and torment him but there shall bee many contraries and hee shall bee in such a pecke of troubles with it that hee shall bee vtterly at his wittes ende And so when it is tolde vs that the wicked man is in such vnquietnesse Let vs assure oure selues that it is Gods rightfull vengeance vpon all those that haue not sought to bee at peace with him And howe maye wee haue peace with God By walking in a good and pure conscience and specially by knowing that wee haue none other foundation too stande vppon saue onely his mercy in that wee bee in his fauoure for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake and that there with wee call vpon him assuring oure selues to bee happie both in life and death bycause it pleaseth him to be present with vs and to receyue vs and gather vs vp to himselfe Marke I say howe the way for men too haue peace with God is to assure them selues that their sinnes are forgiuen and to praye vnto him and therewithall to walke in his obedience so as they indeuer to haue a good and pure conscience towards their neighbours And this peace is ioyned with a ioye which Sainte Paule termeth the ioy of the holy Ghost which is when we bee strengthened by fayth Saint Paule sayth that this ioy is ghostly and he vseth that terme purposely bycause the wicked do sometimes reioyce that is to say they friske and laugh and are merrie when all things goe well with them and they forget themselues after such a sort as they feele not their owne miserie but become dull Yea but this peace where with God filleth them shall bee nothing at all to their profite And what manner of peace is it It is not for that they drawe neere vnto God but rather they turne their tayle vpon him But the true peace which is happie and blissed of God is when wee haue an eye vntoo him and come to him and thervpon are in quiet assuring our selues that hee receyueth reckeneth and auoweth vs to bee his so as he will not giue vs vp but guide vs always both in life and death Thus ye see what wee haue to remember in this sentence Howbeit it is true that eueramong the faythfull are in suche troubles as a man can hardly discerne betweene them and the dispisers of God but yet in the end God setteth them at rest For by handling them after that manner hee maketh them too knowe their owne weakenesse that they maye humble themselues and learne too call vpon him and put themselues wholly into his hande and trust altogither to hys goodnesse Moreouer somtimes he pricketh and spurreth vs too come too him the more earnestly and too beseech him to reach vs his hande and to shew that he hath a care of vs and that whensoeuer we bee tossed after that sorte we neede no more but to vnlode our cares into his lappe and to rest our selues there in all caces and there to take all our contentation and comforte Yee see then that the faythfull may well be stricken with feare and troubling but yet will God make them to feele what that peace is which hee
vpon the racke And what kinde of thing is that sound whiche God sendeth them euen when al things are at rest when there is no noise at al to trouble them For yet neuerthelesse must this pursue them insomuch that they shall start and tremble at it according as we see in the example of Caine. Beholde Caine had no rest and yet who pursued him God had appointed no iudge to arreigne him neither had he any bodie to stande agaynst him Verely the bloud of Abell cried out for vengeance But as for men hee was sure ynough hee triumphed hee built a Citie after the name of his eldest sonne euery man stoode in awe of him and yet in the meane while he quaked like the leafe of a tree And wherof came that Euen of the secrete voyce of the voyce that was not herd with the eare but yet was the same a dreadful noise insomuch as although the wicked knowe not what it is that God sheweth them yet notwithstanding they cease not to be continually agast Nowe when we heare this let vs pray God to make vs heere also the sweete and amiable voyce whereby hee sendeth vs tidings of his fatherly goodnesse loue Thus ye see that the only remedie whereby we may bee deliuered of the sayde fearefulnesse and astonishment where with the wicked are dismayde is for vs to beseeche God to make vs heare the voyce of the Gospell where hee telleth vs that he receyueth vs louingly that he is our father that hee accepteth vs as rightuous for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake and that both in life and in death hee will alwayes holde vs in his hande VVhen this voice soundeth in our eares so as wee vnderstand it throughly we shall not be dismaide at these deafe and blinde scarings as the vnbeleeuers are but wee shall bee surely fenced against all the dismayings that can betide vs Therefore if we haue our recourse vnto God and he by his holy spirite giue vs the grace too rest vpon his promises let vs not doubt but he will stablish vs more and more in all the good things that hee shall haue giuen vs and so strengthen vs by his power that in all the terrours of this worlde we shall euermore stand stedfast vntill he haue taken vs into his eternall rest Nowe let vs cast our selues downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of oure faultes praying him to make vs feele them too our dislyking of them and that in the meane time wee may not ceasse too trust that lyke as hee receyueth wretched sinners vnto mercie which is the thing wherein hee vttereth the richnesse of his gracious goodnesse so also it may please him to make vs partakers thereof and that therewithall it may please him also too continue that which hee hathe begonne in vs vntill he haue brought vs too the full and whole perfection ▪ And so let vs all say Almightie God oure heauenly father wee acknowledge and confesse according too the truth that wee bee not woorthie too lyft vppe our eyes too Heauen too present oure selues before thee nor to presume so farre as c. The .lx. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the .xv. Chapter 23 Hee vvill trotte vppe and dovvne for breade knovving that the time of darkenesse is in hys hand 24 Anguish amazeth him and ouercommeth him as a king that is prepared to battell 25 Bycause hee hath lift vp his hande agaynst God and strengthned himselfe agaynste the Almightie 26 He vvill leape vpon his necke and crush the strongest part of his shield 27 He hath couered his face vvith fat and fatted his bovvels 28 He hath inhabited the desert Cities and the ruinous houses that vvere falne dovvne 29 He shall not aduaunce himselfe his riches shall not continue neither shall there bee any remainder of them YEsterday I shewed you to howe many miseries and daungers our life is subiect insomuch that wee must alwayes needes tremble for feare if we seke not our rest in God knowing that he hath care of vs and will mainteine vs If this were not we should neuer be in quiet Moreouer whē we vouchsafe not too heare the voyce of peace whiche God prepareth and sendeth vs we must be scared by men And it is a iust punishment for the vnthankfulnesse of all such as receyue not so great a benefite for it is impossible that God should beare it Beholde how God sheweth vs that first hee is willing too forgiue vs our sinnes and that although we deserue to bee ouerwhelmed at his hand yet he desireth nothing but to be at one with vs by his mercie He addeth that he taketh vs intoo his protection and will be the keeper of our life Are wee not worthie to bee deliuered vnto Satan if we refuse this honour and priuiledge and not onely to be vexed by men but also too quake and be afrayd though no man pursue vs Then let vs learne to rest our selues vpon God and to sticke to the promises that he hath giuen vs to the end we may walke safely and quietly heere beneath in the middes of daungers And nowe Eliphas addeth that the wicked man shall trot vp and downe for bread knowing that the day of darkenesse is in his hande Some lay forth this sentence as if he sayde that God will impouerish the wicked howe great riches so euer they haue so as they must bee faine to beg True it is that that cursse is conteyned in the law and we heare also howe it is sayde in the Psalme that the rightuous is neuer forsaken nor his seede begge their breade but God nurrisheth those that are his in the tyme of dearth If God prouide in such wise for his faythfull ones as too succour them at their neede wee must not thinke it straunge that on the contrarie part hee plucketh his benefites out of the wicked mens handes bycause they be sotted on them and make Idols of them certenly we see that the riche folke of this worlde become hungerstaruen notwithstanding that they despise bothe God and men and beare themselues in hande that all is for them And this causeth God nowe and then to spoyle them and strip them in such wise as they are seene to go a begging notwithstanding that they had such abundance erewhile as they were readie too burst But in this place Eliphas ment to say more For he not onely speaketh of the need wherevnto they bee brought which despise God but he meeneth also that euen in the middes of their riches they shall still be full of care and no whitte better than poore folke but shall thinke with themselues Go to it may be that I shall want as wee see by experience For although God giue the vnbeleeuers all that euer they can wishe so as they haue their Garners and Cellers full and money wherewith to buy both corne and wine yea and although they haue prouision made for them yet are they afrayde that the earth shoulde faile
shewe vs which waye is good for vs too go yet wee go quite contrarie Beholde a horrible vengeance And yet wee see dayly that such as are wilfull and haue often tempted God by reiecting his grace are in the ende forced to fall into such a blindnesse as they do no more discerne ne can any more beleeue the doctrine of fayth Also heere ye see that it is not a common gift vnto all men to beleeue the Gospell VVe see the woorde of God is preached and shoulde there be any gainsaying if men were not wilfull and frowarde VVhereas God declared himselfe to be a father and a Sauiour and aboue all thing whereas he seeing vs full of sinnes giueth vs a warrant of oure saluation in the person of his sonne assuring vs that although we bee full of all iniquitie yet notwithstanding our Lord Iesus Christ hath satisfied for vs so that by the meanes of his death and passion we be set cleere and may appeare before gods iudgementseate and bee hilde there for rightuous and giltlesse I pray you if we were not vtterly brutish which of vs woulde not giue eare to it with earnest desire But we see that the Gospell is despized yea that many conceyue such rancour agaynst it as they would rather pluck God oute of his seate than submit themselues too hys doctrine And whereof commeth this but that it is not in mans power too beleeue the benefite vntill it bee giuen him of God and that when men are left to themselues and giuen vp too lewde minde they must needes reiect all goodnesse and chooze all euill and altogither too their owne destruction Forasmuch as wee see this let vs humble our selues For he that will aduaunce himselfe in his owne conceyte must in the ende be bereft of all vnderstanding For it behoueth vs to keepe our allegeance vnto God when he hath giuen vs a right minde cleere vnderstanding and good reason and at the leastwise wee must confesse that the same commeth of him and pray him too continue it in vs and not suffer vs too abuse so singular a gift but rather cause vs to applie it to the right vse namely by yeelding our selues to his obeysance and by sticking throughly to his doctrine Ye see thē what we haue to do when we see so many poore blinde soules wandring ouer the fieldes and not able to discerne any thing who euen though a man would guide them shew them the right way woulde neuerthelesse draw still the contrary way I say we must acknowledge that we our selues shoulde doo the like if God did not by strong hand hold vs and drawe vs to himselfe For it is not ynough for him to call vs and to shew vs which way we should go but he must bee faine to draw vs also as the holy scripture sayeth that is to say he must giue such an operation too the knowledge which hee offereth vs as we may be touched with it and oure harte as it were tyed to it Therefore after that God hath taught vs what to doo hee muste also immedatly therewithall giue vs a minde to followe the good And so as I sayde wee may gather a good and profitable lesson of this saying That the wicked wyll not beleeue And why Bicause hee is deceyued with vanitie And the reason is added expressely bycause that when a man is forepossessed by naughtie affections and snarled in many errours and corruptions yee see he is like a desperate person there is no comming to him to shewe him his errour Howbeit wee bee deceyued with vanitie before hande by nature what bring wee out of oure moothers wombe when it is sayde that there is nothing but foolishnesse and vntruthe in our vnderstanding Beholde a generall sentence too shewe that as soone as wee bee borne into the worlde we bee quyte and cleane voyde of truthe afore hande vntill suche tyme as God haue reformed vs And why wee go on forewarde altogither vntoo euill And therefore wee shoulde bee shet vp in this condemnation all the sorte of vs were it not that God did drawe vs oute of it by hys mercie For wee are all of vs deceyued by vanitie and none of is fit to receiue that which is good true and profitable for our welfare But if wee bee intyced to manye deceites Satan will beguyle vs out of hande As howe Marke mee a yoong man that hath liued in simplicitie all his lyfe or that hath not liued any long tyme As for example admitte there bee a yoong man of twenty yeares age that hath bene well brought vp from the beginning and hath not tasted of false doctrine nor of other wicked things Although that suche a one seeme to bee sufficiently well disposed to receyue goodnesse and too yeelde himselfe teachable Yet muste God bee fayne to woorke in him or else he can neuer come to good And why For oure nature is forwarde vnto euill and altogither gyuen vntoo it as I sayde afore But if there bee any one that is wylye and full of naughtinesse and hath bene nuzled in wicked doctrine and superstition as wee see the Papistes are that is muche more These Clawebackes and Hypocrites that are armed a long time afore hand against God and carryed headlong away in theyr errours haue in such wyse applyed theyr whole indeuor too intangle themselues in the snares of Satan as it is not possible to get them out agayne Then is it certaine that these sorte of men do muche lesse beleeue as wee see by experience For God dooth still shewe fauour to those that haue had any simplicitie but as for those that are so sotted in erroure and wholly giuen too it the iustice of God must needes bee shewed vpon them except it bee his pleasure too woorke after a woonderfull fashion according as hee can well drawe whome hee listeth out of the bottome of hell But when hee doeth so it is a miracle well worthie too bee knowne and magnified Neuerthelesse wee perceyue that whiche is sayde namelye that the wicked man shall not beleeue after hee is once sotted in vanitie I say wee perceyue that God executeth his vengeance vpon suche as are hardened in euill by long continuance in it Nowe when we heare this wee haue cause too thanke God for drawing of vs too the knowledge of his Gospell and for giuing vs a minde to cleaue vntoo it For that commeth not of our selues it is a speciall gifte of the holy Ghost Moreouer also wee bee warned to keepe our eyes open that Satan dazell vs not by setting his erroures and deceyts in our sight And why For if wee suffer our selues to bee misseled and deceyued willinglye the mischeefe must needes be increased euen till it come to the proofe wherof Eliphas speaketh here that is to wit till wee bee disfurnished of all reason and bee no more able too beleeue that whiche is for our welfare but sette our selues quite cleane against it If we will not
in our harts to bee as they be saying And why am not I suche a one Beholde yonder naughtypacke is at his ease and in the meane while I am put behind the doore I see he settes his foote vpon my throte and why haue I no meanes to be reuenged of him See howe oure afflictions chafe vs withoute measure as soone as we see the wicked prosper But contrariwise oure Lorde sayeth to vs VVell Sirs it is true that yee may after a sorte bee tempted by beholding this goodly shewe for mens lustes are suddeyne and headie But what for that yee see howe a vine is stripped of his vnripe grapes when it is new burieoned there needeth but one froste to kill them Or if the grapes bee growne to bee full fashioned beholde there falleth a storme that sweepes them all awaye so as there remayneth nother grape nor leafe but the vine is left all bare Also looke me vpon an Oliue tree wherein is the beautie of it Is it not in his floures And yet notwithstanding if the floures be frostbitten or if any tempeste light vpon them all is caste down Euen so is it with the felicitie of the wicked Truly too the seeming of poore ignorant folke their prosperitie shall bee suche as nothing may seeme more desirable than to be in theyr cace but anone both their floure and their frute fade away before they bee rype God will plucke away all before it come too perfection according as I tolde you that they shall not come to so much perfectiō as to shoote out any floures or frute that shall not be taken away before it come to be seasonable Thus yee see in effect what is shewed vs heere And as I sayde afore it serueth too confirme the matter that hathe beene discoursed already Then let vs learne hereby not to desire the felicitie that lasteth not past a day or avery little time But lette vs learne to bee throughly happy as our Lorde would haue vs to be which is to bee well settled in him and to assure our selues that if we bee blissed of God the same shall make vs too prosper not onely for a daye or twayne but also bothe in life and deathe True it is that muche aduersitie may befall vs in the meane whyle but what a priuiledge haue we whē we may betake our selues vnto God and in that we know he will not lay more vpō vs than we be able to beare specially that he will turne all our aduersities to oure welfare and saluation Seeyng then that we haue this prerogatiue haue wee not wherewith to bee contented Although the wicked be at theyr ease for the present time what certeintie haue they for the time to come Although they aduaunce thēselues thinke that God is not able to shake them as it is sayde in the Psalme yet haue they stings within For God woundeth and pricketh them or else tosseth them from syde to side in suche stormes as they be not able to auoyde So then let vs marke that if we desire to be in Gods fauour and to haue a continuing prosperitie we must be grounded in him and then can we neuer quayle VVee knowe what is sayde in another sentence of a Psalme where the wicked are spoken of namely that they bee like greate trees whiche men stub vp so as there remayneth no printe of them but they are plucked vp by the roote But on the contrary parte we must as Dauid sayeth bee like an Olife in the house of the Lorde whiche florisheth alwaies Also this similitude is takē after the same sort both in the firste Psalme and in Ieremie where it is mente that if we trust in God and runne vnto him and hang vpō him we shall bee like a tree that is planted by the water or riuers side so as wee shall alwaies haue good sappe to florish bring foorth frute Now seeing it is so that God hauing drawen vs from the corruptions vayne alluremēts of this world offereth vs also this euerlasting happinesse must we not needs be out of our wits if we go not to it Then let vs bethinke vs well learne to bereeue our selues of all the lusts of our flesh which serue for nothing but to deceiue vs yea and to leade vs to destruction and learne to know where our welfare lyeth Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in minde But alas it is a hard thing as I sayde afore VVe be straitewayes drawen to that which hath a fayre shew and therefore it standeth vs on hande too marke well the similitudes that Eliphas bringeth heere VVe see an Olife tree that looketh faire but it is not of any continuaunce And lette vs also haue an eye too the Storme that is at hande vpon the wicked For God holdeth them at that poynte too beate them downe And althoughe wee perceyue it not at the firste dashe yet if wee looke at Gods iustice with the eyesight of faith wee shall see that all they which are not rooted in God cannot come too full ripenesse nor neuer bring foorth good frute but shall soone come too plucking vp And why For God hath sayde it VVee shall see them drowned in their owne pride And why For Gods word cannot lye So then as ofte as we bee moued by our sensualitie and foolishe imaginations let vs retyre to Gods woorde and looke for that whiche wee sawe not afore specially for the thing that is hydden that we may know it and thervpon turne away from all the vayne conceites that deceyue vs Lo what wee haue to beare away in this streyne And in the ende it is sayde that the householde of the wicked shall be desolate and fyre shall consume the house of Brybes Vnder this terme Hypocrite according too the sense of it in other textes also Eliphas comprehendeth all suche as haue frowarde and disloyall hartes to Godwarde who sayeth hee muste perishe yea euen with all their house and retinue And afterwarde he addeth that the house of Brybes shall be consumed VVhereas he speaketh of the companie of Hypocrites it is to expresse the better that althoughe the wicked haue greate traynes and greate and long tayles yet for all that they shall not misse to bee consumed Then shall yee see farre wickedder men than the common simple sort are and they shall carrye greate companies and bandes after them whiche make a greate shewe they shall haue their alliances and assemblies and so drawe long traynes after them But Eliphas sayeth expresly that suche assemblies shall come to nought meening too shewe howe it is true that the wicked mainteyne themselues for a time by those alliances and that they fortifie themselues of purpose to mainteine their state in somuche that euery one of them thinketh himselfe strong ynough to beare out all bruntes But the wrath of God is kindled to burne them vp all Yea and wee see howe the Prophete speaketh of them when hee likeneth them too faggots of thornes If
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 cānot 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 cōfort thēselues 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 saluatiō Iob thē speaketh not here throughly like a faithful mā no but as I haue sayd already he vttereth his passions as euery one of vs findeth by experiēce 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
hath the issues or outegoings of death in his hande that is too saye hee hathe the meanes whereby too deliuer vs yea euen althoughe the same bee incomprehensible too vs Neuerthelesse lette vs heereby take warning to bee alwayes readie too departe out of the worlde and not be too much wedded to our beeing heere by low For what shoulde wee gayne by it So then lette vs alwayes haue the one foote lyfted vp as if wee shoulde enter intoo our graue and lette vs goe lustily too it making this conclusion with our selues that wee goe not thither to tarie there for euer but that oure Lorde hath shewed vs in the persone of our Lord Iesus Christe that hee will not haue vs too perishe in death nor too abyde in rottennesse for euer But let vs proceede further It is sayde Of a truthe there be Dallyers with mee and myne eye continueth in their bitternesse Heere Iob findeth faulte with those that came too comforte him and did nothing else but put him too more trouble Hee termeth them Dallyers that scoffe at folke in aduersitie bicause they came not too iudge of his affliction with compassion and humanitie as they ought to haue doone and so hee addeth that they could bring nothing but vexation too greeue him the more and that he was fayne to beholde still the miserie and bitternesse that they had procured him And hereby we bee aduertised that if wee will comforte the sorrowfull and afflicted aright we muste not come with an vnkyndely heart as it were of steele or of yron but wee must bee pitiful Then must not a man thinke himselfe meete to comforte suche as are in trouble and incomberance except he cloth him selfe with their passions that is to say except hee do as it were put himselfe into their cace It is true For such as to their owne seeming are stoutest to comfort poore folke in distresse shall doo them small good if they come but with tongue and with breuerie of gay words They may well discourse of matters but it shal be to no purpose For it is impossible for vs to vse the doctrine that shall be fitte to asswage the greefes of our neighbours vnlesse we feele them and be touched with them ourselues Therefore let vs marke well by the word Dallyers that all suche as are churlishe or vnkynde can by no meane comforte those that are incombered with tribulation Marke that for one poynt Agayne seeing we know that it behoueth vs to bee pitifull toward such as suffer any miserie let vs bethynke vs how it is sayd in the Psalme Blissed is the man that hath consideration of the poore God will delyuer hym in the day of his aduersitie For it is to do vs to wit that it behoueth vs to haue a singular discretion to iudge aright of the aduersities of our neighbours and that wee muste follow the same discrete dealing which God sheweth vs and giueth vnto vs For without that wee shall go cleane contrary to worke and if a man be plagued we shall hold talke with him ouerthwartly without any discretion Thē must God giue vs vnderstanding too deeme aright of other folkes afflictions And heerevpon when we come to comfort such as indure any aduersitie specially if it be to shew them their faultes let vs not go too it sharpely as it were to set oure foote vppon their throte when they bee downe but rather let vs haue a mind and desire to releeue them and help them vp But aboue all things we must beseech God to giue vs the spirit of vnderstanding as I sayd Moreouer this thing must also be practized that is to wit when any of vs is in trouble he must haue a care to apply the holy scripture to such vse as he may be comforted by it VVhy so For we bee offended if a man commeth too sting vs and to heape vp yet more trouble vpon vs when we be in aduersitie already and wee will soone say it is a greate crueltie and that there is no honestie and good dealing in men when they handle vs after that sort and yet for all that euery one of vs will do the lyke to hymselfe As how If I be in any he auinesse and take the holy scripture to comfort mee with I bethinke me not to take the texts that should do it but rather if I meete with any threatening in steade that the scripture should make mee feele some taste of Gods goodnesse to my comforte in hym and assuage all my sorrowes I set my selfe on fire and increace my greefe more and more See then how we ouershoote ouerselues bycause we haue not the skill to cōfort our selues as we ought to do and as God would wee should do And therefore not only let vs haue pitie and compassiō of our neyghbours when they be in aduersitie but also let euery of vs looke to hymselfe to comfort and assuage hys owne sorrowes aright when he lighteth into such extremitie Now it followeth that Iob desireth God to lay downe a gage and to giue a pledge or too put in a suretie VVho is he sayeth Iob that will touch me in my hand He returneth too the matter that was declared yesterday which is that hee woulde fayne go to law with God yea and do it as with his fellowe or hys equall For why demaundeth hee a gage why demaundeth hee a suretie or warrantize It is bycause he would haue God too abace himselfe from his maiestie as if he should say Surely so long as thou continuest in thy greatnesse I dare not come to dispute against thee for thou art ouermightie to confound mee But giue mee leaue to talke with thee lay me downe a gage bynd thy selfe to abyde tryall and submit thy selfe too the authoritie of a iudge in cace as if a man that is no dweller in a place shoulde hyre a house and put in suretyes for it VVhat Iob meeneth by saying VVho is hee that will touch mee in the hand It is as muche to say as who is he that will vndertake too bee suretie for mee For men vsed that ceremonie and like as now adayes men signe a paper in the hand of a iudge or of a notarie so in those dayes the parties touched one another in the hand too gyue theyr fayth and to bind them selues Yee see then what Iobs meening was But yee would knowe whither this demaund of his were to bee excused in that he desired God that hee myght pleade against him It is very certayne that it was not to bee excused For as I touched glauncingly yesterday we ought too desire nothing more than to come before God and to haue hym to be our iudge yea and that he should handle vs as hee listeth himselfe True it is that if he should vtter his rigour against vs there were no shift but we should be confounded VVo bee to those wretched creatures that come to be iudged rigorously and without mercie But forasmuch as God loueth vs too
receyue vs through the forgiuenesse of our sinnes whiche hee offereth vs and sheweth hymselfe to bee at one with vs in our Lorde Iesus Christe and pronounceth all them blissed whose sinnes are forgiuen when we heare of these things can wee wish a better cace than to come before the face of him that taketh away oure sinnes and casteth them behynde hys backe and into the bottome of the Sea as it is sayde ▪ And specially let vs looke vppon oure Lorde Iesus Christ too whome all power of iudgemente is gyuen whiche serueth to maynteyne our cace and he is our aduocate Thynke wee not that hee will make the bitter death auaylable which he indured for vs So then if men were as well aduyzed as they ought to be there were nothing too bee more wished than to be iudged at Gods hand at leastwise so they had recourse to his mercie and yeelded themselues intoo the handes of our Lord Iesus Christ who will not iudge vs to our condemnation but rather acquit vs And why For in that behalfe wee may say with Sainct Paule It is God that acquitteth vs who shall condemne vs VVho shall accuse vs seeyng that Iesus Christ is our aduocate that defendeth oure cace and the partie that answereth for vs before God hys father Shall wee now feare too bee accused or condemned But what Iob hath vttered hymselfe heere in such wise as hee founde himselfe turmoyled with hys owne passions and torments and heereby wee bee taught to represse oure owne naughtinesse VVhy so For wee see what the inordinatenesse of our nature is If wee giue oure affections head whereto must we come Iob desyreth to go to law wyth god Alas and can he preuayle in his sute No hee desireth too bee vtterly ouerwhelmed As much would we doo were it not that God restreyneth vs by gyuing vs the grace too subdue our passions Then let vs marke well first that when men suffer themselues too bee caried away by their fleshly affections they ouershoote themselues so far become so hardharted as they make no bones to rush against God and that is a horrible thing For there is not that mā of vs which abhorreth not to aduāce himself after that sort against god but yet for al that we do so and it is an ordinarie vyce among vs VVhat is to be done heerevpon VVe must learne to brydle oure affections seeyng they be so furiouse and do arme vs after that manner against god For this example is set afore vs to the end that euery of vs should indeuer to represse them as much as in vs lyeth Marke that for one poynt Agayne lette vs not desire too diminish the maiestie of God for the easing of our selues For if his hand be ouerstrong and ouerheauie vpon vs when he afflicteth vs let vs assure our selues that hee vpholdeth vs by a farre stronger and mightier puissance VVhen our Lord visiteth vs and sendeth vs any affliction well wee may then say heere is a burthen too heauie for me to beare I can no more indure it But when we be so feeble let vs consider a little by what meanes wee hold out but one minute of an houre How are we able to resist Is it of our own manfulnesse Is it for that wee of oure selues can warde Gods blowes when hee striketh vs or for that wee are able too outstand his force No no. But it is bycause that when hee striketh vs with the one hand hee holdeth vs vp with the other For else it is certayne we should be vndone at euery blowe God should neede no more but to giue vs one fillup as they say or but to make countenance to strike vs and we were dispatched out of hande Seeyng it is so with vs that we cannot holde out when God afflicteth vs but by his power were it not a greate follye in vs to desyre therevpon that his mightinesse should bee abated VVherefore as I haue sayde erewhyle Let vs learne not to desire that his glory should bee diminished for the easing of vs For that were the cleane wrong way and wee should bee vtterly disappoynted of our desire if we thought too bee eased by the weakening and effeebling of Gods hande For that were the next way too send vs packing bycause there is none other meane too preserue vs but onely Gods vttering of his strength in vs as I haue sayde afore That is another poynt whyche wee haue too consider in this texte And therewithall let vs marke also that it is an horrible blasphemie to require God to lay vs downe a gage and too put vs in a pledge or suretie And why For it is a likelyhod that wee trust not too his faithfulnesse True it is that Iob vseth these words to declare that there is an ouerhygh power in God and that no mortall man durst incounter it except God would release his owne right and yet neuerthelesse that God gyueth vs other assurances to come vntoo hym VVhich are they It is that he will haue men content themselues with his single word as good reason is they should VVill wee then bee assured Let vs giue eare to Gods promises let vs imbrace them and let vs beleeue that hee ment not to feede vs with leasing not to soade vs with vayne and frutelesse hope but that hee is faythfull too performe all that he hath promised Thus yee see to what poynt it behoueth vs too come And besides this we haue a good gage in our Lord Iesus Christ For we see that all that euer God promised was warranted at such time as he gaue his onely sonne to death and rayzed him vp agayne Do wee not then see a gage that ought to assure vs sufficiently Besides this God sealeth his promises in our harts by his holy Ghost Marke then what a goodly record this is namely to haue our Lorde himself speake to the end we might not doubt of his truthe but might boast to our selues that whatsoeuer is conteyned in his word is altogither sure and deceytlesse vnto vs Marke I say marke the assurances whiche God gyueth vs and the goodes that hee putteth into our handes to warrant vs Other pledge and assurance hee will not haue vs to demaund and therefore let vs learne too content our selues with that This in effect is all that we haue to consider vpon this verse But yet for all that it behoueth vs to turne backe to that which I haue touched that is to wit that seeing our Lord voutsafeth to handle vs so sweetly and telleth vs that we must not be afraid to come before his face so much the more vnthākfulnesse is in vs if we desire to go to law with him For must not a man be totoo froward when he refuzeth to bee iudged by God Yes and sith that God promiseth that euen when he vseth greatest rigour yet will hee not forget his goodnesse too releeue and mainteyne vs continually as he shal see needfull and to giue a good and desirable
the grace of god If it please our Lorde wee shall bee fedde though there want bread drink meate according as he sayeth he wil feede those that are his euen in the time of famine But cōtrariwise a man may haue his garners full and well stored and he may be so full till he burst and yet shall he not be sustenanced euer a whit the more for it To be shorte God shewed once in the Manna how it is he onely that susteyneth vs by his power If the foode that we eate be blissed of God it will serue our turne as the Manna did and if there be any scarcitie of it God will well supply it Againe if Gods blissing bee not vpon vs nothing can do vs good wee must needes wexe leane wee muste needes starue and pine away with our abundance Then is this sentence of Bildads very true and we see there are many other textes of Scripture that agree with it VVherefore let vs learne to profite our selues by it let vs vnderstād that wee haue nother strength nor sustenance but by the spreading out of Gods goodnesse vpon vs whiche is the thing from whence we drawe lyfe and the meane wherby wee bee preserued and maynteyned in our state and therefore let vs settle our whole trust vpon that Furthermore when wee see the wicked to be strong lette vs assure our selues that it shall not last euer True it is that wee muste not imagine as Bildad did namely that God sheweth to our eyesight the thing that is spoken here but wee muste tarie paciently and giue God leaue to execute his judgements when he shall thinke good Thus ye see what we haue to marke in this streyne And now he addeth immediatly that the first borne of death shall eate his braunches or the members of his skinne yea it shall eate his members for that parcell is repeted VVhereas mention is made here of the firstborne of death it behoueth vs too vnderstād some exquisite kind of death For when some mē die we see they passe away easily God spareth thē Othersome are tormented in suche wise as they pine away by peecemeale and are worne away too the harde bones and othersome go away without any feeling Then let vs marke here that this woord The firstborne of death carieth in it a great force when a man is hilde as it were vpon the racke and that God dismayeth him and frayeth him and wrappes him in anguish on all sides in somuch that he seeth nothing but a bottomlesse pitte of horrible feare Bildad therefore sayeth it shall happen after that maner to the wicked True it is that all of vs are mortall and that God hathe put vs into this worlde with condition to take vs hence againe Surely we cānot come to the heauēly life except the corruptible that is in vs be first put away as S. Paule speaketh VVhat must be done then Let euery man dispose himselfe to die assuring our selues that God doth vs an inestimable grace in voutchsafing to deliuer vs frō corruptiō by the meanes of death that although this trāsitory lodging of our body be destroyed yet will he reare vp a new buyldingin vs which shall be much more excellēt in asmuch as we shall be clothed with glorie immortality But on the cōtrarie part let vs assure our selues that our Lord will sende the first-borne of death vpō the wicked so as their death must be full of terrour without any cōfort vnasswaged of the misery that is in it And here ye see that the thing wherein we differ from the vnbeleeuers is that although both of vs must be fayn to passe through death togither and that the same be common to all men without exception yet notwithstandinge God reacheth vs his hande when wee come to the poynt of death so as wee go to him with a quiet minde are able to cōmende our soules vnto him with a true and rightordered trust that hee may receyue them as a good and faythfull keeper But as for the wicked they muste bee fayne too go hence with great violence and to bee troubled and dismayed and too striue with God and to storme and to haue nothing that may comfort them Neuerthelesse let vs bethinke vs of that which hath bene sayde namely that this thing shall not be alwayes apparant For sometime God sendeth a violent death too his children But although their body bee payned yet is not their soule therefore in the worse cace And this is it wherein Baldad was deceyued according as wee haue alwayes too beare in minde that wee muste not iudge by eyesight but for asmuche as Gods iudgements are hidden from vs and wee know not how God executeth them we must not vse our owne wit and imagination in that behalfe Howebeit if God execute his iudgements after a visible maner let vs marke them that wee may take good by them If wee see them not well let vs vnderstand that hee hath reserued the vtterance of them till the last day for the triall of our fayth But yet in the meane whyle wee must bee fully resolued that although death be common too all men yet are the faythfull so comforted and strengthened by Gods goodnesse as they come willingly vnto him knowing that hee will receyue them according also as they bee sure that he will keepe their soules well and safely vnto the latter day in so much that they cannot perish bicause hee hath cōmitted thē into the hād of our Lord Iesus Christ and he hath taken them into his protectiō The faythfull therfore wil go willingly vnto death Contrarywise there lighteth an exquisite and dreadfull death vpon the wicked bycause that first they knowe not whither they goe and secondly Gods Iustice pursueth them in such wise as they can cōceyue nothing but feare and dismayednesse VVhen we heare that the sayde priuiledge is giuen too vs wee haue good cause to thanke our good God and to prepare our selues to liue or die at his pleasure Then lette vs not bee stubborne when hee goeth about too take vs out of this worlde sith suche comfort is prepared for vs Now it insueth immediatly that his hope shall bee rooted out of his tent and that hee shall bee brought too the king of death VVhen he sayeth that the hope of the vngodly shall bee rooted out of his tent thereby it is done vs to vnderstād that God will for a time lodge such as are vnworthie of it so as they shall haue ease at will yea and dwell in palaces whyle in the meane season the poore faythfull ones shall scarsely haue a little cotage too retyre vnto Thus the despyzers of God whiche are giuen too all naughtinesse shall dwell in this worlde as though the Lordship thereof belonged too none but them They shall haue wide and large houses they shal haue goodly long walks and therewithall their trust shall bee in their pleasures that is to say they shall thinke themselues
for so men are wont to do with wilde beasts Let vs know then that if god deale rigorously with vs it is for that we haue rebelled against him thervpon let vs examine our liues and enquire whether wee haue not offended him And moreouer wheÌ„ such feare coÌ„meth vpoÌ„ vs that we be astonied therwith â–ª bicause we haue not walked quietly in the obedieÌ„ce of our god For vnto theÌ„ that are at peace with him he promiseth that he will keep them although they were beseeged of their enimies and that although they were in the midds of many daÌ„gers yet shal they be alwaies in safetie and sleepe quietly and rest vnder his shadow Therfore if we be astonied with feare let vs vnderstaÌ„d that God punisheth vs bicause we haue not simply walked vnder his obedience To be short euen as peace is a singular gift of God so troubles that come vpon vs are curses sent froÌ„ him I said that peace is a singular gift of God how is that wheÌ„ we shal haue called vpon God with a true assuraÌ„ce that he will heare vs and that he requireth nothing else but that wee should come vnto him it is an inestimable benefite and such a treasure as can neuer be sufficiently valued neither can we obtain the same but by the meanes of faith when we know that God is our father in our sauiour Iesus Christ Now this is not vnderstanded onely of the eternall saluation of our soules but also for that in this world we haue the priuiledge to run vnto God and to coÌ„mend our liues into his hands and to seeke him in all our needes and necessities VVhen we shall haue gotten this peace that wee can stay our selues vpon the prouidence of God and cast all our carcks cares vpon him it is a singular benefite that god hath bestowed vpon vs Contrariwise when we are troubled it is said it is an extreme curse And why Is not the state condition of man most miserable when he is in such feare and astonishmeÌ„t as he seeth nothing but dauÌ„gers on euery side of him and yet caÌ„not come vnto God for to find rest and assurance in him when man is in such feare is he not already as it were in hell Yes surely And therefore let vs assure ourselues that although all things come to passe as we would wish yet if we haue not peace it is nothing Howbeit let vs note also that wee must not seeke our peace in this world as the wicked do â–ª for so loÌ„g as they are not troubled nor molested they perswade maruellous things to themselues they triumph therevpon do all things to spite God withall VVee must not haue a peace that proceedeth of retchlesnesse and blockishnesse And why For they which so triuÌ„ph in this worlde haue neuer any peace but while they forget God â–ª and that is a cursed peace It were better for vs to be in trouble that we might come vnto our God seeke meanes to be reconciled vnto him than to be so past feeling Let vs note then that our peace may not be only while we liue at ease But it must bee grounded in God haue respect vnto him In the meane season let vs knowe that when wee are in trouble it is God that visiteth vs for our sinnes yea and also by this meanes he calleth vs vnto him to the end we should seeke such peace as he hath promised vs froÌ„ him In deede Eliphas sheweth that the troubles whereof hee speaketh and the feare wherwith Iob as he thought was seized were only for that he could not trust in the goodnesse fauour of god And this is a very profitable thing and worthy to be noted For it may happen that euen the faithful shal be in great troubles anguishes as they are not altogither without feeling and yet God ceasseth not to giue them light VVhen they see theÌ„selues in this cace as it were in deepe dungeoÌ„s yet haue they alwaies some light from God they feele his goodnesse and when they haue receiued some comfort he leadeth them stil forth so as they be staied vpon his promise which is infallible To be briefe what assault soeuer they haue they alwaies lift vp their heads looking for their saluation froÌ„ him It is as when a man is ready to be drowned and God reache him his hand Behold he is as though he were restored to life againe looketh vp to Heauen But when wee haue no light and darknesse coÌ„passeth vs on euery side so that we can perceiue no goodnesse from God nor that he is minded to shew vs any fauour then are we in a wofull cace Therefore if wee will be assured in all these spirituall battels which we must abide in this world which are so many feares troubles as God sendeth to trie our coÌ„stancie and stedfastnesse Let vs determine with our selues to set our eyes vpon this light that he sheweth vs that is to say vpon the promises that he maketh vs which are conteyned in his word And if we herken diligently vnto them to stay and repose our selues wholly vpon them Let vs not doubt but he will giue vs such quiet and rest as wee may say Lord I will not be afeard of any euill although I should walke in the shadow of death so that I bee vnder the shadow of thy wings and in thy protection Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes desiring him to giue vs suche knowledge of them as it may not onely cause vs to confesse them but also to hate them and too bee displeased with oure selues for them and too seeke meanes too bee absolued of God from them beseeching him also that he will so guide vs by his holy spirite as we being wholly in his subiection and obedience may seeke nothing else but to yeeld ourselues obedieÌ„t vnto his will. And for as much as he commaundeth vs to liue togither in this world as brethren let vs continue in this brotherly vnitie which he hath consecrated among vs and let euery man imploy himselfe to help his neighbours to the end that wee may vnfeynedly call vpon him as oure father and that hee may acknowledge and auouche vs for his children as he hath giuen vs the testimonie of this adoption in our harts by his holy spirite and by the grace that he hath shewed vs in our sauiour Iesus Christ That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The .lxxxv. Sermon which is the third vpon the .xxij. Chapter 12 Is not God on high in the heauen and behold the heigth of the starres hovv high they are 13 And yet thou â—aist hovv should God knovv can he iudge through the Cloudes 14 Do not the clouds hide him that he caÌ„ see nothing he vvalketh in the circle of the heauen 15 Hast not thou marked the old
as in a little shedde vnder leaues that are soone rotten but in an euerlasting house that is full of glorie Seeing then that we knowe that God calleth vs to so happie a lyfe and gyueth vs assurance of it in oure Lorde Iesus Christe wee neede not to shunne death sith that therby we enter into the full possession of our saluation To be shorte wee come not to death as the vnbeleuers do The vnbeleeuers say I know not whither I go If they haue any opinion of the immortalitie of their soules eyther they muste needes bee dismayed at it when they know that God shall be theyr iudge or else they shall be sotted in such wise as they shall thinke there is no better lyfe than this But for our parte it behoueth vs to know that God hath created vs after his owne image and likenesse to the intente to gather vs vp to himselfe and that wee shoulde bee sure that he will do it if wee referre our selues wholly vnto him following the example that oure Lorde Iesus Christe sheweth vs Father sayeth â—ee vnto thee do I commende my spirite Then lette vs learne too saye freely vnto God Lorde I yeelde my soule into thy handes Thus yee see howe wee shall bee safe when wee knowe that God is the keeper of our soules Thus ye see how we shall go gladly and with a good will vnto death bycause our soules are in Gods keeping till he knit them to theyr bodies agayne in his comming at the laste daye VVhen wee bee at this poynt then to confirme the sayde prayer withall thou mayst adde Thou hast redeemed me ô Lorde God of truth Lo howe Dauid speaketh and Iesus Christ hath vsed the same to shew that it is a requeste whiche oughte too bee common to all members of the Church So then to the ende that we doubt not of Gods receyuing of our soules into his keeping when we betake them to him vnfaynedly let vs know that he is the God of truth in so muche that hee will not suffer vs to perishe whatsoeuer befall vs so wee haue the heart and minde to put ourselues into his handes Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgemente of our sinnes praying him to haue pitie vppon vs wretched creatures and bycause wee be so loth to followe that which he sheweth vs that it may please him to stablish vs in such a zeale by his holy Spirite as wee may neuer swarue nor be turned from the right way wherein he shall haue once set vs And for asmuch as so long as we liue in this worlde we be inclined yea and giuen vp to many vices and imperfections lette vs pray him to graunt vs the grace to resiste them in such wise as hee may bee glorified by oure confessing of his name whyther it bee in lyfe or deathe and that in the meane whyle wee may bee knitte too him by fayth and hope so as wee may persiste therein too the ende and vntill hee haue gathered vs into the euerlasting heritage whiche is purchased for vs by oure Lorde Iesus Christe That it may please him too graunte this grace not onely to vs but also too all people and Nations of the Earth bringing backe all poore ignorante soules from the miserable bondage of errour and darkenesse to the right way of saluation for the doing whereof it may please him to rayse c. The .xcix. Sermon which is the third vpon the .xxvij. Chapter 8 VVhat is the hope of the hypocrite vvhen he shall haue heaped vp and God shall haue plucked avvay his Soule 9 VVill God heare his crye vvhen trouble commeth vpon him 10 VVill he set his delyght on the Almightie vvill hee call vpon God at all times 11 I vvill teach you vvhat is in the hande of God and I vvill not conceale from you vvhat is vvith the Almightie 12 Beholde yee haue seene all these things and vvhy do yee vanishe avvay in vanitie WE sawe yesterday that if we will iudge of the state of men wee must not rest vpon this present life but we must go further for if we loke no further thaÌ„ to the life of man we shall see that it is but as a shadow although it were grauÌ„ted that he had all his own harts desire so as god wold giue him whatsoeuer he wold wish what were al that but a smoke that passeth away out of hand Therfore it behoueth vs to come too the hope that Iob speaketh of heere that we may haue skill to discerne whither a mans life be happie or vnhappie And hee bringeth vs purposely vnto death declaring that sith the vnbeleeuers or despisers of God are plucked out of this world by violence it behoueth vs to coÌ„clude that they be all vnhappy and that the pleasures riches honour such other like things which they haue are but deceitfull vanitie and we must not busie our heads about them Therfore when a maÌ„ liueth after such a sort in this world as he knoweth himselfe to be in Gods hand so as he resteth disposeth himselfe vpon his goodnesse and therewithall is readie to remoue hence as oft whensoeuer God shall call him assuring himself that his euerlasting abiding place is not here but in heaueÌ„ then is he in the cace that he may be deemed a happy maÌ„ But as for him that regardeth not God ne trusteth in his goodnesse ne knoweth himselfe to be in his keeping but woulde fayne dwell euer in this worlde and cannot bee gotten hence but by force and constraynt although such a man haue all that he can wish for a time yet is he but a wretched creature And for the better confirmation of this matter Iob addeth as now That God wyll not beare the wicked when they pray no not euen in the middes of their distresses This deserueth too bee well marked Iob sheweth wherein the cheefe weale that wee can haue or wishe to haue consisteth namely in hauing recourse vnto God that he be mercifull to vs to succour vs at our neede Let vs put the cace that a man had all things else that coulde be imagined and yet wanted this surely all the rest were nothing woorthe but shoulde bee turned into his bane VVhat if a man laugh what if he liue in ioy and pleasure what if hee haue goods ynough and to muche what if all men honour him and to be shorte what if hee seeme to be a Petigod here by lowe as in a Paradise yet if he haue not this priuiledge of resorting vntoo God with full beleefe that his resorting to him shall not bee in vayne but that his requestes shall bee graunted all that euer he can haue besides shall bee but a curse to him and an increace of his decay Then lette vs marke well that it is not for nought that Iob bringeth vs heere to the principall poynt of our whole life as in respecte of the weale that wee can wishe which is that God shoulde
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 frō 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 Forwhēsoeuer 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 vpō 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 whē 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 whē 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
yong men which had as it were couched downe before him heeretofore rose vp at one side and tripped vp his heeles to make him fall or cast stones in his way for him to dash or stumble at Heereby hee meeneth that he was mocked on all sides and had no more the reuerence that he spake of before To be short he meeneth that God had layde him open to all iniuries And afterward he addeth that his soule vexed him VVherfore hee sheweth that hee was wounded throughe and through For it might fall out that a man should be mocked and not passe greatly for it But Iob sheweth that the reproches and iniuries which men did vnto him touched him to the hearte And that is the cause why hee sayeth That his soule had beene persecuted and his welfare as it were plucked from him The Hebrue worde which he vseth doth properly signifie Royall Princely or excellent and also boūtifull liberall willing or freeharted and the worde Soule is not expressed Therefore it seemeth that Iob ment too name his soule and to terme it Royall or princely as the noblest freest liberallest or boūtifullest part like as kings and princes are termed bountifull or liberall bicause they be full of liberalitie and haue wherewith to do it Howbeit for as much as it is the manner of the Hebrewe tung diuers times to repete one thing twice or else to set down two wordes that are neere of signification the one to the other and tende both to one ende the verie meening of this text is That Iob sayth that his highnesse was ouerthrowne and his welfare taken quite from him First therefore he setteth downe the worde Excellencie or Highnesse and afterward addeth the word Welfare which hath a further scope The naturall meening then is that whereas hee had bene in great dignitie before nowe all was quite dashed And whereas he had bin well garded so as it might seeme that no aduersitie coulde euer haue touched him his welfare was so appayred and oppressed by men that he is become almost vtterly destitute of the comfort of all those whom he had vsed theretofore And hereby we are alwayes put in mynde as I touched yesterday to fense oure selues against such chaunges seeing wee haue the example of Iob. He was excellent among menne for a time and his state had bin as noble as any mans And now behold God setteth him as a horrible gasingstocke Euerie man had bin readie to serue hin and it seemed that the whole worlde should haue fauored him And yet notwithstanding euen they that had earst bin his freends become as wild beasts and raged against him to bereaue him of his welfare For as much as we see this let vs prepare ourselues if it please God to afflict vs after the same sort And if he do it let it not trouble vs out of measure seeing that the same happened vnto Iob. For although God exercised his seruaunt in such wise for a time as hee might seeme to haue vtterly forsaken him yet notwithstanding we see that he looked alwayes vpon him with pitie and the issue sheweth that it was not in vaine for him to haue wayghted his leysure at whose hand he had receiued so many benefites before and to haue called vpon him ▪ and to haue fled to him for refuge Therefore let vs do the like let vs repose our selues vpon Gods goodnesse and let vs hold vs always to his promise and he will make vs feele that the ende shall be none other towards vs than it was towardes Iob. Furthermore although I stand not vpon euery word it behoueth euerie of vs to mynde the things that are treated of here For Iob ment to expresse vnto vs that his state was so miserable as it was able to make our hairs stand vp vpon our head And why First and formost as I haue shewed he excuseth himselfe of his impaciencie and of his tormenting of himself bicause his afflictions greued him For the excessiuenesse of them caused him to doe so In the meane while let vs not doubt but that the holie Ghoste speaketh by his mouth too the intent that if oure aduersities seeme great and vnable to bee borne wee may compare them with the things that hapned to Iob. And seeing that he was scourged much more than we can be we must not be so nyce and as it were childishe when oure aduersities pinch vs and to think that God afflicteth vs to sore But let vs say how now did there not happen as much vnto Iob Yea and was not the miserie which hee indured much more excessiue and outrageous than this Yee see then how we must learn pacience by that which is declared here at length touching the aduersities that Iob suffered And herewithall commeth to this purpose the thing whiche I haue touched that is too wit that the miserie which Iob indured was with in him and that he was not only mocked scorned and wronged by men but also was cast downe in himself For although a mans enemies mocke him and he perceiue well that they backebyte him on all sides yet if he be at rest in himselfe such a man shall not be so greatly tormented as he that is vtterly dismayed and can indure no more And vndoubtedly if a man see suche crueltie in men as they are not satisfyed with the miserie that hee indureth but also fall to blowing of the fire and to greeuing of him further when they see him as good as halfe deade alreadie so as euerie man striketh at him too murther him and to increase the torment wherwith he is alreadie afflicted to the vttermoste that augmenteth his greef and anguish much more Thus ye see what Iob ment in this streine when he sayth that terrour tooke hold on him that he had no rest that his pulses did beat continually and that he had no releef at all like as a man that is in a continuall ague or that is so tormented as he hath no leysure to take his breath Iob then by such complaints signifieth that hee is not onely mocked as diuers are which yet for all that forsake not their meate and drinke and myrth nor as they that are able to defend thēselues so as though men practize euil against them they are not able to bring it to passe but contrariwise he sheweth that he was so afflicted as he stoode in feare of it And vnder this worde Feare hee comprehendeth all the anguishes that wee can feele when either our Lord God or men do set themselues against vs Yea and that word importeth much more than heauinesse or anguishe for heauinesse is a greef for aduersities present But when we are in feare it is as if we sawe death threaten vs and that wee were besieged with many daungers For then we imagin how now Indeede I am in miserie alreadie but that is nothing For suche a miserie may happen moreouer and peraduenture also an other on the other side and yet another to that
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 drūken 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
marke first of all that it hath alwayes bin Gods wil that the louing of their enimies shoulde bee the marke of his children And for proofe heereof let vs harken what is sayde in the lawe of Moyses If thine enimies oxe or asse be fallē into a ditch thou shalt lift him out God cōmaūdeth vs to do good to our enimies brute beasts shall we not then do the best we cā to succour their owne persons I am bound to procure mine enemies welfare and to shew it euē in his cattell what shall I then do to his person which is muche more precious So then we haue to conclude agaynst the horrible blasphemie of the Papists that Gods wil hath at all times bin that the faithful should loue those that hate them and indeuer to doo those good whiche hurte them Marke that for one poynt And heerevpon wee haue also to marke that it is not a counsell that may freely bee left vndone but a streyght cōmaundement against the which wee cannot striue without offending God deadly Nowe seing it is so that God woulde binde the faithfull to loue their enimies euen in the time of the lawe muche more reason is it that we should haue the sayde rule nowe For we haue a more large declaratiō of it by the holy mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ The doctrine of the law is darke of it selfe yea and it was wrested awry by the Scribes and the Phariseys but nowe hath Iesus Christe brought it againe to his purenesse told vs that if we loue not those which hate vs and indeuer not to helpe those that would hurt vs we shall not be acknowledged for Gods childrē Surely it is a horrible threate that wee shall bee disherited of Gods kingdome and that he wil shake vs off and bannishe vs from the fellowship of his children Seeyng then that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath with suche threatening tolde vs that we must beare good will to our enimies let vs learne to frame our selues to that doctrine and therin acknowledge that the shamelesse boldenesse of the Papists hath bene to villeynous yea and to diuelishe in saying that Iesus Christes woordes are but a simple admonition seeing it is matched with such a sentence of damnation that God wyll renounce vs and banishe vs oute of his kingdome if wee ouermaster not our heartes so farre as too loue those that hate vs Moreouer wee haue also a mirror heereof in our Lorde Iesus Christ for he offered himselfe for suche as were his deadly enimies VVherefore indured hee so bytter death but too reconcyle vs Nowe if there behooued a reconciliation too bee made then was there a hatred and God and we were at oddes Behold then our Lorde Iesus Christe yeelded himselfe to death yea and too all curses to recouer vs vntoo God his father at suche tyme as wee were his enemies and ought not such a pledge to breake our hearts though they were harder than stone And this is it also wherevntoo Sainct Paule bringeth vs backe in the Epistle too the Ephesians when he goeth about to subdue all the hatred which wee haue cōceyued agaynst our enimies Thus then the order whiche we haue to note is that those whiche liued vnder the lawe offended God when they intended to reuenge themselues and therfore what shall become of vs which haue such a declaration as I haue told you already Howbeit it is not ynough for vs to beare our enimies no euill will but we must also haue a minde to seeke their benefite and welfare And this is well woorthie to bee noted For diuers haue thōght they should be discharged before God so they ranne not with naked sworde agaynst those that haue offended them or done them any wrong As for mee say they I will seeke no reuenge but I pray God auenge mee of them it would do mee good at the heart if I might see a mischiefe light vpon them Yea nay here is another manner of practising of this doctrine when Iesus Christ declareth vnto vs that we muste pray for them that curse vs speake well of them that backbite vs and do good to them that seeke to hurt vs But contrariwise wee are so full of poyson that we desire nothing but that God shoulde ouerwhelme them And on what side soeuer any mishap befalleth them we are glad of it Can this be done without the ouerthrow of all that is conteyned in the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ There are others also to be found which haue not so malicious a heart as to suffer their wicked lustes to haue open libertie but they wyll say as for mee I am ready to forgiue him and I wishe him no more harme than too my selfe and yet in the meane season they cannot wish the welfare and profite of such as haue displeased them or with whome the bee offended But let vs marke that it is not ynough for vs to absteyne from all reuenging with our handes our tongues nother is it ynough for vs too put away euill will so as wee would not wish any harme or aduersitie to such as are our enimies but it behooueth vs too go one degree further And how is that It is that we muste loue them For if Iob had not loued his enimies surely he would haue reioyced at their misfortune So then lette vs learne not onely too keepe our hearts locked vp that they bee not prouoked agaynst such as offend vs but let vs learne to beare thē such an affection of freendship as we may be sorie when any euill happeneth vntoo them and also haue pitie and cōpassion of them and if this seeme to hard for vs to do was not Iob a man subiect to affections as wee bee and yet did God get the vpper hande of them Then behooueth it vs to fight That cannot be done without great inforcemente It is true but wee muste force oure selues howbeeit not vpon truste of our owne strength but with praying vnto God to giue vs the spirite of meekenesse to bring vs thither as wee see his woorde leadeth vs VVhat is to be done then If I looke vnto the thing that is commaunded it is certayne that my nature draweth quyte backwarde For I shall be angry when a man hurteth mee or hath practized any euill agaynste mee And although I loue vprightnesse and good dealing yet shall I not fayle to bee inflamed with harteburning and to haue some desire of reuenge against such as haue gone about to do me harme Yet notwithstanding I see heere that Iesus Christ condēneth mee and pronounceth this dreadful sentence that God will shake mee off and that I shall be razed out of the number of his children if I loue not mine enimies And therfore seeing I know not onely the infirmitie but also the frowardnesse of my nature it behoueth mee too pray God too correcte these vices in mee I knowe that I haue nothing but bitternesse in mee wel then God hath the spirite of
sweetenesse therefore it behoueth mee to seeke it at his hande Go too there is in mee a certayne frowardnesse that vexeth mee and God hath the spirite of meekenesse and gentlenesse then behoueth it mee to desire him to make me partaker of it If wee haue our recourse after this sort vnto God surely we shall not want any thing Furthermore lette vs enter into our selues and inforce our selues for what shall wee gayne by soothing of our selues It is true in deede that God commaundeth mee suche a thing but I am a man I feele mine owne infirmitie yea and I am diseased Behold the Phisition offereth himseife and commeth with the Medicine in his hande and yet had I leuer to continue still in my disease than to suffer any medicine to bee ministred vntoo mee nowe then I pray you am I therefore too bee excused VVherefore inasmuch as we knowe the vices that are in vs lette vs go to the remedie wee neede not seeke farre for it and although wee be very loth yet behoueth it vs to fight againste our lustes assuring our selues that they bee as madde beastes and therefore greate force and violence muste be vsed to oppresse them And heere yee see why I sayde that it behoued vs to streine and inforce our selues for wee shall haue muche a do to bring it to passe Neuerthelesse if wee go too it after this sorte God will turne the bitternesse of our nature into louing kindnesse and sweetnesse and he wil not suffer vs to hate our enimies And for this consideration as oft as wee bee tempted to hate our enimies we must cal to minde the request that wee make when wee desire God too forgiue vs oure faults as we forgiue them that offend vs For there it behooueth vs to be cited before God according as in very deede we come to present our selues before Gods iudgement seate Howe VVhen I proteste vnto my God that I forgiue mine enimies and that I desire none other pardon than I graunt them and yet in the meane while there is nothing but dissimulation in mee VVhat Shall not my prayer bee turned intoo cursing If wee thought well vppon this surely wee myghte breake the wicked stomacke that is in vs and at lengthe God shoulde haue the victorie so as it should be easie for vs euen to loue them that hate vs But that wee maye the better knowe the euill that is in vs let vs go to it by degrees as the Scripture leadeth vs It is not possible but wee shall bee styrred vp when a man dooth vs any wrong VVell there is one sinne already if we do but grudge agaynst him in our hearte according as our Lorde Iesus Christe sayeth wee haue already gayned the euerlasting fire And his expressing hereof is by a similitude which hee borroweth of the maner of the iudgements that were in his time Therfore to make comparison of the three degrees of offending in this behalfe he sayeth that the firste is worthie to be punished by iudgemente But when wee open our mouth to vtter any woordes of spyte or disdayne agaynste him that hath offended vs then is there a condemnation yet grieuouser and more to be feared as if we were condemned by a counsell or cōsistorie somewhat more solemnely assembled according as Iesus Christ alledgeth that similitude The third degree is whē we come to open raging in woordes thorough choler and this offence deserueth to bee punished as it were by the chiefe court of iustice But Iesus Christ leuing the similitude sayth playnly that such a one is worthy of hell fire He meeneth that all three are worthy of it but yet notwithstanding he sheweth the degrees of the euill Then if a man haue any sodaine choler although the same settle not in his hearte yet ye see hee hath already deserued euerlasting death before god How shall we do then if we foster deadly hatred in our heartes and be full of venemous rancour to be reuenged of them that haue done vs any wrong wherefore let vs learne to correcte this vice in vs and vnderstande that if any euill worde haue scaped our mouth it behoueth vs to be sorie for it and to fall to that which Sainct Paule sayth namely that the sunne go not downe vpon your wrath leaste ye giue possession vnto Sathan Heereby we be warned that if we haue bene moued to any displeasure the same must passe away and the sunne must not go downe vpon it so as our anger shoulde multiplie in it selfe And why The punishment that Sainct Paule addeth ought to touch vs neere For sayth he it is to giue Satan possession of vs If a mā should demaund of any of vs whether we would that the Diuell should haue the masterie of vs and reygne ouer vs and be our Prince we woulde vtterly abhorre it And yet notwithstanding we do it as oft as we beare any euill will agaynst our enemies VVe cannot make God a lyer nor his holie spirite which speaketh by the mouth of S. Paule But when wee knowe this let vs passe further and thinke thus with oure selues yonder same is a creature of God and I see hee is a wretched damned soule what ought wee to do then but onely pray God for such as are in the way too destruction And agayne hath not oure Lorde Iesus Christe redeemed mennes soules true it is that the effect of his death cōmeth not to the whole worlde Neuerthelesse for asmuche as it is not in vs too discerne betweene the rightuous and the synners that go to destruction but that Iesus Christe hath to our knowledge suffered his death and passion as well for them as for vs therefore it behooueth vs to labour to bring euery man too saluation that the grace of oure Lorde Iesus Christe may bee auayleable to them And furthermore if this bee to heauie for vs lette vs consider what comparison there is betweene God and vs For who is hee that offendeth not God dayly And yet neuerthelesse assoone as wee returne vnto him hee giueth vs libertie too come familiarly thither without doubting that wee shall be receyued And yet in the meane whyle if any man offende vs there is no meanes to be founde to make vs freendes agayne Thus yee see what we haue to gather of this sentence where we heare Iob protest that hee not onely forbare all reuenge but also was sory when any euill happened to his enemies and his hearte reioyced not when hee hearde speaking of it Neuerthelesse the holy Scripture telleth vs that the rightuous shall reioyce at the confuziō of the wicked and that is true Howbeit to the intent to haue such a gladnesse as God alloweth it behoueth vs to be scoured clensed from all priuy malice all regarde of oure owne persons VVhen Gods children reioyce at the aduersitie of the wicked it must be to the ende to acknowledge that God is iust and rightuous and yet therwithall they must also take warning to walke in feare
the order of nature But when wee haue once felt well the greeuousnesse of Gods iudgements and afterward are able too receyue the promises of the gospell and too call vpon God with trust in him and too rest vpon his mercie and fatherly goodnesse by feeling him fauorable too vs and that he is redie to help vs when wee haue doone all this then is it tyme to looke towards men that is to say too edifie our neyghbours This then is an inferior thing to that which hath bin declared afore And what is to be done in looking towards men wee must say I haue sinned I haue turned aside from goodnesse I haue bene a wretched man Here then it is shewed vs after what sort God ought too be glorified by vs that is too wit we must acknowledge that he only is righteouse and that there is nothing but iniquitie in vs as S. Paule sayeth in the third too the Romaynes For whē he sayth there that God is iustified he meeneth that we ourselues must first bee condemned If God should bee counted ryghteouse and wee ryghteouse to what a thing were that Then should hee haue a ryghteousnesse that were common and intermedled with men but when wee bee vtterly conuicted and no man dareth exempt himself but cōtrariwise we willingly yeld ourselues gilty and resort to the only goodnesse of God knowing that it belongeth to him only to iustifie vs bycause he is the fountayne of all righteousnesse that is the ryght acknowledging of him to bee righteouse VVherfore let vs learne too do as is shewed vs here For it is a generall rule for all the faythfull and it is not giuen by a mortal man but by the holy ghost Are we then desirouse to publish Gods goodnes which he had shewed vs in forgiuing vs our sinnes It behoueth vs to make this confession with the mouthe to our saluation according also as Sainct Paule sayeth in the tenth too the Romaynes that our beleuing with the hart maketh vs righteouse and our confessing with the mouthe maketh vs safe And sainct Paule is a good and faythfull expounder of this presente text For as I sayd afore if wee begin at the mouth all will bee but wynd and smoke Therfore we must first beleeue with the hart that is to say we must gather ourselues vnto God and enter into our owne consciences and therewithall bethinke vs of his promises that wee may flee vntoo him and vnto his mere mercy for refuge This done the mouthe must followe next And the confession of the mouth will then bee too our saluation when wee shall haue so beleeued with our hart vnto righteousnesse Yet notwithstanding these two things must bee matched togither according as wee see that they are inseparable Now wheras it is sayd I haue sinned I haue turned away from goodnesse and it hath not profited mee The holy ghost sheweth vs that our confession must bee pure and freeharted and that we must not speake by halues as the hypocrites do which say O it is true that all the world is sinfull and all men are faulty and so too their owne seeming they are wel quit Surely there is no dallying after that sort with God but wee must set foorth our sinnes to the vttermost that is too say wee must feele them to bee an intollerable burthen according also as wee see that Daniell doeth saying Lord wee haue sinned Is that all no but he addeth wee haue delt wickedly wee haue trayterously transgressed the lawe and wee haue beene wilfull and froward For what cause doeth Daniell packe so many words togither and make such a heape of them It is to shewe vs that such as will discharge themselues so lyghtly too Godward with speaking but a word of their faults and away are but hypocrites and neuer felt what their offences are So thē let vs marke wel that there is no superfluitie in this text where Eliu after hee had shewed that the sinner which is quit at Gods hand will cōfesse his fault sayth not only I haue sinned but also addeth I haue turned away from goodnesse VVherin hee doeth vs to vnderstand that a man must not stick to confesse his det fully and to say I haue bene vtterly froward and maliciouse I haue bin giuen to all wickednesse I haue strayed 〈◊〉 cleane from the waye of saluation I haue be 〈…〉 elf against God and I haue giuen myselfe wholy vntoo Satan as much as was in me Thus ye see how wee must deale that is to wit not for countenaunce sake but so as the hart do speke before God and then the mouthe also agree with it too confesse before men what wee haue felt within ourselues And this is in effect the thing which is shewed vs here But now let vs apply this too our selues cōsider what entraunce we giue vnto God to lay forth the treasures of his goodnesse towards vs For a man shall see nothing throughout but hardnesse of hart shamelessenesse How many are there in these dayes that humble thēselues Nay cōtrariwise al are wild beasts and those which bee most faultie are leaste ashamed too mainteyne their wickednesse and to set vp their bristles against men whēsoeuer they go about to amend thē and yet notwithstanding these men cease not too vaunt themselues of the gospell As for reformacion it is nothing worth with thē and yet it is the Apcee of the christians And what is the first lesson that wee ought to beare in mind but only this namely that wee may be inlightened to knowe the wrath of God to feele how haynouse our sinnes are so as we may bee sory and vtterly ashamed of them and that wee may imbrace Gods mercy and take hold of it to the ende to be reconciled to him for our lord Iesus Christs sake and by the meane of his deth and passion And finally to confesse our wretchednesse before men to the ende that the whole prayse may bee yeelded vnto God as meete is it should be Beholde I say wherevnto wee ought to inure our selues But what as I haue touched afore when men haue done amisse and that not lyghtely but greeuously so as one becommeth a drunkard another a whoremayster a third a swearer the fourthe full of malice and crueltie another a beater of him that seeks nothing at his hand If a man shewed them their faults what shall he see wild beasts which can by no meanes be tamed and which make but a skorne of all the warnings that are giuē them For scarcely is there one amongs ten whiche hathe such lowlinesse and modestie in him as too confesse his fault when hee hath done amisse Seing it is so do we not shet the gate against our God do we not reiect the grace which is offered vs by the gospell To be short we cannot abyde that God should forgiue our sinnes And so wee see that the preaching of the gospell vnto many men must be too bereue them of all excuse
must inspire vs with his grace and inlighten our harts which are full of rebelliousnesse Then vntill suche time as God hath reformed vs Surely wee will alwayes shet our eyes that we may not see his wayes Now if this bee spokē of such as had not the meanes that God giueth vnto vs what shall become of vs For it behoueth vs to come backe againe to the point which I haue touched I sayde euen now that the heathen men were not to be excused in turning awaye from God and therefore muche more are we double backslyders we I say whom God had drawne vnto him Nowe if it bee sayde that the heathen men haue not regarded Gods goodnesse nor lyued and walked accordyng too godlynesse I praye you in what cace are wee whiche haue a farre other knowledge than was gyuen vntoo them For our Lorde poynteth vs as it were with his finger what way we shall go And the texte which I alledged out of Moyses namely that is the way walke therein is of greate importaunce I take heauen and earthe to witnesse sayeth hee that this daye I haue shewed you life and death and that if you goe amisse yee shall bee withoute excuse before god For it appeareth that you seeke your owne destruction And why For in as muche as your God teacheth you and graunteth you such prerogatiue as to declare his will vnto you it is all one as if he should put the way into our handes and you refuse it and choose death Nowe when men make suche a choyce must they not needes become starke Diuels So then this protestation of Moses ought to perce our harts and make vs to bethink our selues better And sith we see that our Lorde setteth a doctrine before vs whiche is for our behoofe as it were in a glasse or a liuely picture let vs not playe the blynde and bleare eyde folke nother let vs drawe a curten before vs too the intent to bee ignorant in that which wee ought to knowe whereas in deede the thing is manifest ynoughe vnto vs And heerewithall let vs mark that when God speaketh to vs it is not to leaue vs in doubt so as wee should not knowe what his wordes ment but contrariwise to the ende wee shoulde receyue good doctrine and instruction by his worde And this is another poynt well worthy to be marked For many pretend that Gods word is so deepe as men cannot tell what to take too or what to followe But this is an accusing of God as if so be he mocked vs in putting vs in hope to deceiue vs Therfore let vs marke wel that when God speaketh it is to the end we should receiue good doctrin and that wee should become wise and skilfull to followe the thing that is good according as it is sayd that the word of God giueth wisdome to the ignorant which is by knowing their owne slendernesse that they may yeld thēselues vnto him Then shall we alwayes find the sayd vse to our owne profite in the worde of God if wee haue the wisdome to be desirous to goe forwarde in the right way of saluation and to keepe vs in it And if a man turne aside bycause he hath not considered Gods wayes it can not be said that he hath erred for want of better abilitie but contrariwise he himself is the cause of al his euil and it ought to be wyted vpon him There is yet one saying more to be noted which is that he speaketh of all the wayes of God. VVherein wee be aduertized that it is not ynough for vs too content vs in parte and too serue him by halues but we must throughly and wholy frame our liues altogither to his will. For to giue eare to al that he saith and to submit a mans selfe to him without exception come both to one end and vndoubtedly those two commaundements are inseparable Like as God himself cannot be deuided so also let vs marke that his rightuousnesse can not be deuided VVhat maner of one is the rightuousnesse of God He hath comprehended it in his whole lawe He saith not only that a man shall absteyne from whoredome nother hath he only forbidden theft nother hath he only cōdemned murther but he hath ioyned ten commaundements togither and will haue men to hold them all Now if one man obey God in chastitie and another in absteining frō fleecing of his neighbour and a third in keeping himselfe from dooing wrong or violence or from taking leaue to hurte or harme other men is not this a rending of Gods rightuousnesse in peeces For as I said al the commaundements are inseparable and there is in them a holy bond which ought to bee kept vnbroken And so let vs marke well that if we will be blissed of God we must take good heede not to some one part of his wayes but to all Thus ye see what Eliu ment to note heere And heereby we see that euerie man ought to bee diligent in looking to himselfe Therefore if we intend to examine our life wel and to square out our works and our thoughts by it when we haue sound any outward or actuall sinne in vs let vs proceede further and see whether wee haue not had wicked affections and thervpon let vs learne to condemne our selues and pray him to clenze vs from the euill which we feele so in our selues Lo howe we ought to practize this sentence And furthermore it is shewed vs also that when men haue once begon to ouershoot themselues they run astray further and further and become euerie day worsse than other till they haue renounced God and quite caste him vp VVe are not so malicious as to giue our selues ouer to al vices at the first day we shall be hild in the feare of God for a while but if we take liberty to runne at rouers and God do happen to winke at our sinnes and iniquities then Satan taketh possession both of our soules bodies thenceforth carieth vs away in such wise as we become vtterly vnrecouerable Ye see then that after men haue once left to frame themselues wholly to Gods wil and to giue themselues to soūdnesse and simplicitie they do so appayre as there is no more consideration in them but they greeue God not in some one sinne only but by all meanes and in all caces so as they vtterly reiect al his wayes And furthermore wee see heere yet better than afore howe rightfull Gods iustice is in chastizing vs And why They that had done amisse rebelled still further against God they ranne away from him and had no will to be taught good but gaue themselues ouer vnto euill wittingly and willingly then is it not high time that God should set to his hande to correcte them nowe or neuer Seeing it is so let vs alwayes be fully persuaded that God neuer punisheth vs till he haue bene to much prouoked to anger and that wee haue deserued long time afore too bee thundred at by
it may please him too rayse vp true and faithfull ministers of his worde c. The Cxlix Sermon which is the third vpon the .xxxviij. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the. 8. 9. 10. and. 11. verses and then vpon the Text that is added 12 Hast thou since they dayes commaunded the breake of the day or hast thou appointed the light his place 13 That it myght take holde of the Corners of the earth and that the vvicked myght bee shaken out by it 14 It is transformed as clay vvhereon a marke is set and they holde themselues as a garment 15 And the light shall be hidden from the vvicked and the arme that is lifted vp shall be broken 16 Haste thou entered intoo the deepe vvaters of the Sea or hast thou searched the bottome of the depthes 17 Are the gates of death knovvne vnto thee or hast thou seene the gates of the shadovv of death THe thing that causeth men to iudge folishly of Gods works is that they make too muche haste and tarry not for the ende that they might know how God hath prouided for all things And so all of vs do put this prouerbe in vre That hast maketh wast Therfore we haue need to refraine our selues that we be not too hasty in casting forth our iudgemeÌ„t aforehand thereof the things ought well to warne vs whiche are spoken here concerning the Sea. For if wee loke vpoÌ„ the mouÌ„ting vp of the waues it semeth that they shold ouerwhelme all that the worlde should be swallowed vp and we perchaunce will say that God ought to haue remedied it But when the waues retire agayne and breake in theÌ„selues cannot passe their bounds then do we by by perceiue Gods woÌ„derfull wisdome power the better forasmuch as we see that although the sea rush foorth with suche headinesse yet notwithstanding he holdeth it back as a man should weeld a litle babe as was declared yesterday Then if we be once able to comprehend Gods workes in their pâ—â—â—ection we shall haue wherfore to glorifie him in all respectes But if we fall too shooting foorth of our iudgement in post haste as we be woont to do our rashnesse will shewe it selfe and confuzion shall befall vs for our ouerboldnesse Therfore let vs beare wel in minde how it is sayde heere that God hath giuen the Sea a lawe to say to it thou shalt go but thus farre and no further If the sea were euer calme and that there were neuer any storme or tempest men shold not so well perceiue Gods prouidence and his fatherly care whiche he hath of men to maintaine them where he hath planted them But wheÌ„ as the sea hath leaue to lift vp it selfe so high mightily yet it cannot passe his bounds but is restreyned by this ordinance of God therby we may perceine that god hath dispozed all things in good measure and reason Now this may be extended further For wheÌ„ we see warres moued it seemeth that all things both high and lowe shoulde bee mingled togither and by and by wee woulde condemne God if it lay in our power or else wee fall to iangling against him for suffring all things too go after that maner But if we tary the end of them paciently we shal perceiue that on the one side God chastizeth men iustlye by styrring vp warres among them and on the other side that thereby hee intendeth to shewe his power For when the fire is so kindled it shall anone after be quenched in a minute of an houre And then doeth God execute his office wherof it is sayd in the. xlvj Psalme that it belongeth too him to breake the speares to knap asunder the swoordes to ouerthrow the Chariots and too appease the things againe that were so troubled afore VVee muste then haue Gods ordinance alwayes before our eyes in our mind whereby hee so guydeth and gouerneth the troubles that seeme to tend to an euill end as he turneth them altogither vnto good For God thinketh it not ynough to cure the mischefe but he also vseth it to a good end insomuch that we be driuen to confesse that it is much better for vs that these troubles shoulde happen than if we shoulde alwayes liue in peace and rest And therefore if we consider well the causes whiche moue God to sende such troubles into the worlde we will no more murmure against him And although we conceiue theÌ„ not yet let vs not therfore ceasse to honor reuereÌ„tly the secret determination which God kepeth to himself but let vstary his leysure paciently acknowledging our owne small capacitie rudenesse and then shall we folow the rule that is giuen vs here according as it is further saide Hast thou in all thy dayes commaunded the morning light Hast thou made it too knowe his place when it ought to come forth Heere our Lorde proceedeth to mocke at mens pride when they take vpon theÌ„ to iudge of him saying how long is it since you were borne VVas there no light nor day before you were Seeing ye be so wise as to find fault with mee it is as much to say as there was no order in the world before you were borne the morning light wist not whence to come nor whither to go without you there had bin no orderlinesse nothing had bin made if you had not bin Sith ye thinke your selues so wise will needes control me I do but only aske you whether you haue at any time appointed froÌ„ whence the light shall arise and although ye neuer did it nor can do it yet you are stil finding of sault with my doings As for me I haue alwayes set the difference betwixt light darknesse euer since the beginning of the worlde I haue appoynted the night tyme for darkenesse and caused the breake of the day too come foorth at my pleasure I haue set an euerlasting order which ought to bee wonderfull And if ye were not to churlish ye could not but confesse that these things are as excellent as can be Nowe all this was done before you were borne or any of all your aunceters yea euen before any man was created And what meane you then to fall to controlling of mee VVhy set you vp your bristles against me Do but recken the yeres a little which the world hath continued I haue gouerned hitherto yea and that in suche wise as all creatures muste nedes coÌ„fesse that they be astonished at the sight of that which I shew them And yet to your seeming I haue done nothing at all before your times Do ye knowe howe the light should be disposed and how to draw it out of darknesse as wise as yee weene your selues to bee Heere then first of all our Lorde bringeth vs backe to our birth as if hee shoulde say recken your yeares howe long is it ago since yee came into the worlde Beholde men are but as Snayles assoone as they bee borne death threatneth theÌ„ Go too
and transitorie prosperitie For the heauenly life was not then so perfectly discouered as 〈…〉 is nowadayes by the Gospell Iesus Christ was not yet manifested who came downe hither to lift vs vp and clothed himselfe with our flesh too shew that God dwelleth in vs and hath ioyned vs to his glorie immortalitie These things were not yet come to passe and therfore it behoued the faithfull too be handled partly like little children And that is the cause why that when the auncient fathers are spoken of in the scripture it is purposely said that God blissed them in their ofspring in their cattell in their possessions and in such other things and specially in length of life and why so It was for them to be helped by those meanes in wayting till the heauenly life were discouered vnto vs vnto whom our Lord Iesus Christ hath opened the gate of Paradise by his comming to make vs mount vp a loft with him Then if God make not vs now to prosper so much to the worldwarde wee must not be greeued at it for our state is not worse thā the state of the auncient fathers wee haue afarre better recompence which ought to comfort vs For example let vs take but only that whiche is said concerning long life God in his law hath highly esteemed the long life that he gaue to the faithfull And yet notwithstanding many vnbeleeuers and vtter reprobates haue liued long Therfore we must not rest there forasmuch as it is a benefite that may be cōmon as well to Gods enimies as to his friends It is not the souereine good thing it is not the true and perfect happinesse no it commeth farre short of it But we must also adde the second point which is that the fathers of old time knewe not yet so perfectly as wee do that God had prepared them an heritage in heauen True it is that they had some taste of it and they had the same faith which we haue but yet had they no such opening as wee haue in our Lord Iesus Christ Therefore it was meet that God should let them liue long and make them too profit in knowledge by long experience in the world Lo why Iob liued long time Now adayes our life is shorter and that is bycause Iesus Christ is appeared vnto vs and hath shewed vs that we are but straungers in this worlde that we might runne to the heritage which is purchased by his bloud The thing that was then but in shadowes was too be confirmed by visible benefites But now we haue the substance the shadowes and figures are past wee haue the bodie of them in our Lorde Iesus Christ therfore wee must be contented with whatsoeuer God giueth vs and referre our selues wholy to his guiding And furthermore let vs vnderstand that wee must bee contented with the life that we haue liued whensoeuer it shall please God to take vs out of the world True it is that when the scripture speaketh so of Iob and Abraham that they died olde men and full satisfied with dayes it is to expresse the temporall blissing that I haue spoken of But howsoeuer they fared neither Iob nor Abraham nor such other like would euer haue bin satisfied with liuing in this worlde if they had not amed at a better and more excellēt end Ye see thē how it was requisit that God should prolong their life to the end to giue them the longer experience of his goodnesse which thing is not nowe so requisite for vs whiche haue a more large declaration of Gods fatherly loue towards vs Therfore it behoueth vs to be satisfied with our life and too dispose our selues to die when it shall please God so as we may go hence with a glad hart not with gnashing of our teeth as the vnbeleeuers do For if they had liued a hundred thousand yeres yet would they faine tary here beneath still for they haue none other hope but of this present life it seemeth to thē that death dispatcheth all And that is the cause why they are neuer redy to go out of the world Contrariwise the fathers of old time were wont to confirme their faith by the length of the life which God gaue thē and therwithal disposed themselues to depart whensoeuer God listed to take them hence too himselfe And what ought we on our side to do nowadays I haue told you alredie that we must not loke to liue long to take knowledge of gods fatherly loue therby for if you liued but three dayes in this world it were inough to giue vs a tast of Gods goodnesse mercie and to cōfirme our faith For seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath died and is rise again we need no long time in this world to know that God is our father and that we be sure of our saluation Therfore as soone he giueth vs knowledge of the truth of his Gospell let vs alwayes be readie too die assuring our selues that hee hath adopted vs for his children and that he will shew himselfe our father both in life and death Ye see then that we must alwayes be satisfied with life seeing that God hath giuē vs so good a pledge of his loue in our Lorde Iesus Christ and we must not desire too haue our life prolonged here to the end to haue a larger confirmation thereof VVherfore let vs continually pray him that hauing guided vs cōtinually with his holy spirit he will draw vs hence too himselfe and that wee may come thither full satisfied bycause he hath nourished and mainteyned vs and shewed vs that our true life and euerlasting happinesse is prepared for vs aboue Now let vs fal down before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too vouchsafe to touch vs with them more and more that we may come to him with true repentance to frame our selues after his rightuousnesse and that for asmuch as we be wretched sinners and wrapped and ouerwhelmed in so many temptatiōs as it is impossible for vs too discharge our selues of the hundreth part of our dutie it may please him too ayde vs with his holy spirite and too beare with our infirmities and imperfections vntill hee haue quite cleane rid vs of them And so let vs al say Almightie God heauenly father c. All prayse honor and thankes be vnto God. ¶ The prayer which master Iohn Caluin made ordinarily before the beginning of his Sermons LEt vs call vpon our good God and father praying him too vouchsafe to turne avvay his face from the great number of faults and offences vvhereby vve cease not too prouoke his vvrath against vs and forasmuch as vve be too too vnvvorthie to appeare before his maiestie it may please him too looke vppon vs in the countenance of his vvelbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ accepting the desert of his death and passion for a full recompence of all our sinnes that by meanes therof he may likevvell