maner of speeche that is verie ryfe among the Hebrewes as when it is sayd that the Prophet and the wise man will lay their hande vpon their mouth it is to do vs too wit that things shall bee so confuzed as the skilfullest and best practized men that are shall not knowe what to say but shall bee vtterly past their wittes And so sayeth Iob nowe that such as are so abasshed must lay their hande vpon their mouth to keepe silence And why For the iudgement that God executed vppon the persone of Iob was terrible and dreadfull to mannes vnderstanding and if a manne shoulde iudge of it after the fleshe hee coulde not bee but amazed at the sight of Iobs persone But nowe let vs gather the common doctrine of this which is that when God worketh after such a maner as wee are not acquainted with wee haue too glorifie him for when he sheweth vs the reason of his woorkes and will haue them knowne to vs then he putteth words into our mouth that wee may bee able to speake of them Againe when we see that Gods workes outpasse our vnderstanding so as wee knowe not why hee disposeth the things so which we see what is to be done VVee must lay our hande vpon our mouth that is to say we must not be so bolde as to prattle of them VVherefore let vs lerne to knowe our owne abilitie that wee fling not our selues astray ouer all the feeldes but rather follow alwayes the right way For the doing heereof we need to knowe no more but what is giuen vs according also as Saint Paule bringeth vs to the same rule namely to knowe no more than God leadeth vs vnto So long as he reacheth vs his hande let vs go boldely but when he leadeth vs no further we must stoppe there and be as dumbe True it is that we must always haue our mouth open after one sort that is to glorifie god But when wee presume to bring him vnder the compasse of our vnderstanding and would haue him too reserue nothing too himselfe whither go wee then Is â—it not an open despyting of God Hee intendeth too hyde the thing from vs And why Too the intent wee shoulde knowe our owne ignorance and yet not ceasse to acknowledge him to bee rightuous and too honour his woonderfull and incomprehensible ordinance So then as I haue touched alreadie whensoeuer God sheweth vs the reason of his works let vs thank his goodnesse and say Lorde thou commest downe verie lowe to vs wretched creatures when thou vouchsauest to shewe vs why thou doost this or that and thy goodnesse deserueth well to bee magnified by vs when thou communicatest it so familiarly too suche as are not woorth it But if God hyde the reason of his woorkes from vs and that it bee to highe for vs to reach vnto Let vs shet our mouth that is to say let vs not be talkatiue to babble after our owne fancie but let vs glorifie God and not bee ashamed to be ignorant For the verie wisedome of the faythfull is too knowe no more than it hath pleased God to shewe them Therefore let vs make silence vnto God after what sort soeuer he worke till the last day of discouerie bee come when wee shall see him face to face in his glorie and maiestie Now let vs fall downe before the face of our good god with acknowledgement of our sins praying him to make vs feele them better so as we being cast downe in our selues may not seeke to be set vp by any but by him that we may be taught to pitie our neighbours and to reache them our hand and not to be cruell iudges when we see other men in aduersitie but that euery one of vs may bethinke himself to the ende that when we our selues be in perplexitie and our God afflicteth vs we may assure our selues that he will pitie vs as no doubt but hee will shewe himselfe a pitifull father towardes vs if wee returne vnto him with true humilitie and obedience and grauntvs the grace to holde our selues contented with that which hee maketh vs priuie vnto as nowe till hee haue gathered vs to himselfe too bee made like vnto him in glorie That it may please him to graunt this grace c. The .lxxix. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xxj. Chapter 7 VVhy do the vvicked liue and grovv olde and vvelter in riches 8 Their seede is mainteyned before theyr eyes vvith them and their generations is in theyr presence 9 Their house is quiet vvithout feare the scourge of God is not vpon them 10 Their Bull commeth to gendering and his seede misseth not their Covve calueth and is not barrein 11 They sende forth their little ones like sheepe and their children daunce 12 They play vpon the Taber and the Harpe and make merrie vvith the sounde of the Organs WE saw yesterday for what intent Iob did set down a saying which at the first sight might haue seemed euill which was that God leaueth the wicked vnpunished For that seemeth not too bee agreeable too his office but rather that in as muche as hee is iudge of the worlde it is his dutie to redresse the mischeeues that are done here beneath Ought he not to restreyn men when he sees them out of square Or when he seeth himselfe despized ought he not to mainteyn his owne glory to pul down those that are so mounted vp in pride and rebelliousnesse But wee see that the wicked do rage against god and abide by it It seemeth theÌ„ that God is a sleepe Therfore doth not Iob blaspheme God in making such complaints No for his meening is to shew simply that although God be the iudge of the world yet it foloweth not that the chastizings and punishments which he executeth vpon sinnes should always be apparant so as men might see them with their eies and point at theÌ„ with the finger Then if God delay his iudgements it behoueth vs to stay our owne wisdome and not to suffer it to rauÌ„ge abrode after the imaginations of mans brayne least we be to hastie And though we see that the punishments are not so executed as were to be wished yet let vs not be troubled nor offended at it but let vs quietly wayt till the coÌ„uenient time be come which god knoweth and not we Now then we see in effect what Iob intended Howbeit he intermedleth it also with the teÌ„ptations which the faithfull may haue For inasmuch as god maketh such delay and seemeth to them to be ouerâ—â—w it cannot be but they must needs conceiue some greefe and weerynesse but yet must we resistit Nowe let vs see after what maner Iob speaketh VVheefore saith he do the wicked liue wherefore become they old wherfore increase they in riches As if he shuld say Among al their desires men think the cheef and happiest to be in helth and secondly to haue long life and thirdly to haue abundance of goodes These are
too take vs out of this worlde although our bodies rotte away yet notwithstanding seeyng hee hath printed the seale of his holy spirite in oure soules thinke we that they shall perish when as he is the protector of them So then the frayltie that is in mans lyfe ought too stirre vs vp the more too magnifie Gods goodnesse towardes vs If God wrought after an other order that is too witte if when hee bringeth vs lacke to himselfe by fayth hee shoulde place vs heere as it were in a little Paradise so as we shoulde be like the Angelles and his power should shew it selfe in vs and we be voyde of all these infirmities which wee see and our lyfe might not bee like a shadowe that vanisheth away nor wee bee walled in with so many miseries but God shoulde dwel in the middes of vs reigne peasably in vs Verely these gracious gistes were so well worthy to bee highly esteemed But yet shoulde wee in the meane while mistake them we should not know from whence they come wee should be caryed away into a vaingloriousnesse As nowe when God humbleth vs so manie wayes if wee looke vpon our present state wee see nothing but death And yet neuerthelesse on the other parte hee sheweth vs and maketh vs too perceyue it bothe by experience and by faith that we be aliue yea verely in him as of whose lyfe we be parttakers and hee maketh vs to see as it were in a glasse the sayde immortalitie whiche we wayte for Seeing then that God after hee hath humbled vs bringeth vs too the hope that I spake of haue wee not the more cause to make much of his goodnesse to vswarde and to say Alas Lord that thy spirite should dwell heere in our bodies which are but wormes and as for our soules there is nothing but wickednesse in them and yet notwithstanding thou O Lorde hast chosen both our bodies and oure soules to bee the temples of thy maiestie thou haste dedicated them to that vse Lorde howe greatly are wee in thy dette How much are we boūd vnto thee Againe although this body heere doo go too decay yet are wee sure that they shall bee restored once againe and that in sted of this transitory lodging wee haue a dwelling place prepared for vs in Heauen and therefore it ought not to greeue vs to droope away by little and little tyll wee bee quite and cleane dispatched Seeing wee haue that ought we not to be stirred the more to praise God So then wee see howe wee may applie that thing to oure instruction which Iob turneth here to an euill vse in going about too expresse the pangs that he felt whereagainst he fought And furthermore when wee speake of our owne state let vs marke well that on the one side we must cōsider what wee our selues are on the other side what God is able to doo what his power is I haue saide already that it is very requisite that men should know thēselues and looke into themselues And why I haue told you that also alredy that is to wit bycause we neede no pricking forwarde to vainegloriousnesse For how frayle so euer we bee yet it is to be seene that the most parte of vs ruffile it out and runne riot and forget the miseries that ought too brydle them VVee see this with our eyes and euery one of vs shoulde bee infected with that vice if God prouided not for it Therefore wee cannot forbeare the considering what our miserie and feeblenes are and that oure lyfe is as wretched as any thing can be VVhē we know this we shall haue good cause too mislike of oure selues and too call vpon God and too praye him too haue pitie vpon vs And also therewithall we muste consider what his power is And why For if we measure that which wee hope for by that whiche wee see what will become of it VVhat shall become of the resurrection VVhat shall become of the euerlasting saluation that is promised vs VVhat shal become of his heauenly glory For is it likely that when our bodyes are rotten they shall bee parttakers of Gods glory Or that we who see oure selues to bee so frayle as now muste be companions with the Angels in Paradise or specially that wee shall bee matched with the sonne of God VVee knowe that all maiestie and all soueraintie bothe in heauen and earth are gyuen vnto him Is it likely that we should resemble him or that wee shoulde be members of his body to be partakers of al that whiche is gyuen vntoo him Can this enter intoo mans reason VVhat is to bee done then Lette vs acknowledge that whiche Sainct Paule sayeth to the Philippians that God will rayse vs vp by his power whereby he made al things See whether Sainct Paule sendeth vs when hee intendeth too strengthen vs in the hope of the resurrection As if he should say My friends let vs not looke at that whiche is possible in oure imagination for God wyll not haue men to rest there But let vs enter into a higher consideration whiche is that God disposeth all things yea euen aboue our vnderstanding insomuch that whē wee thinke vpon his works we be astonished and not without cause For he worketh wōderously insomuch that we through that power of his sayeth he whereby he made all things are transformed into the glory of our Lorde Iesus Christ And although our bodyes be nowe weake and subiect to so many necessities yet shall they be taken into the heauenly glory Thus yee see the two things which wee haue to consider namely too humble oure selues on the one side and on the other too haue a certayne and infallible hope of that whiche surmounteth our capacitie and cannot be conceyued of vs in case as we bee But heerewithall let vs gather that whiche Iob meeneth heere For inasmuch as man cannot receyue of himselfe nor is renued as trees are but is as if a riuer shoulde drye vp or as if the waters should shrinke out of the sea therfore woulde hee that we should not be plaged at Gods hand so long as we be in this world Yea but it is cleane contrarie For if that men so destitute as they bee cannot for all that holde themselues from pride and excesse and from starting out of their bounds what would they do if they had no correction as I saide afore So much the more then had God neede to abate mens pride and presumption whiche cannot easily correct it selfe Forasmuche then as men do so lifte vp themselues againste God and euery man forget himselfe yea and is puffed vp when hee hath rest case we had neede to be chastized and to haue newe corrections day by day Yea verely For if God should let vs rūne out the race of our life withoute making vs too feele his roddes not quicken vs vp when we haue done amisse Alas he shoulde neuer come in time VVhereto tende the corrections that God
haue escaped Gods hand if it had bin possible For he knew well it was a far terribler matter to haue God to be his iudge than too die a hundred times And this ought to touch vs the neerer and to make vs thinke better vpon our sinnes than wee haue done to the end we may knowe that when wee shall haue indured all the miseries of the worlde it is nothing in comparison of appeering before Gods iudgemēt seate when it commeth to the yeelding vp of an account If we be but sicke a little wee cry out alas and if there happen vs any mischance men shall heare vs make complaints and yet our sinnes shall be buryed all the while and neuer come too our thought or remembrance Heereby wee shewe howe vntoward we be in iudging of things Therefore as oft as wee heare that those whiche haue bin scourged at Gods hand haue desired death and to be hidden in their graue let vs assure our selues that the same is the thing whiche we ought to feare aboue all other that is too witte that God sheweth himselfe as it were an aduersarie agaynste vs And when we be perswaded that the same is the greatest daunger that can befall vnto man wee wyll laboure by all meanes to retourne vnto him VVhen oure sinnes come to our minde Alas will wee say in what cace are we For if God shew himselfe our enemie how shall wee doe in what cace shall wee bee Then let vs preuent the matter and behold wee shall be so prouoked to seeke vnto God for grace as we shall neuer be at rest till hee bee at one with vs Thus ye see the vse wherevnto we ought to applie this lesson And wee must marke well howe hee saith I would fayue that thou baddest hidden me in the graue and that I were shut vp in it vntill sucke tyme as I were cut off Heere hee sheweth wherefore hee desireth deathe namely bycause hee felt himselfe shutte vp vnder Gods iudgement and could find no way to scape out And hereby we bee warned that our startingholes shall serue vs to no purpose in the ende and that when we haue fisked hither and thither neuer so much we must be fayne to be as it were shut vp VVe shall haue profited well for one day if we can beare this lesson in mind VVhy so for although God threaten vs neuer so much yet it is seene that there needeth not any thing to make vs beleue that we be able to shift out of it according as euerie of vs imagineth one shift or other insomuch that our hypocrisie is the cause that Gods threatnings pierce not our harts as were requisite And there is nothing that prouoketh more Gods extreeme vengeance than when hee sees that wee make none account of his wrath Lo what prouoketh him extreemely So then let vs learne by that which is sayd here that whensoeuer God listeth to pinch vs in good earnest there will be no scaping for vs neither by one meanes nor other but we must be fayne to be fast shut vp On the other side if God giue vs any respite and specially if hee shewe vs howe wee may obteyne fauour at his hande let vs vse that oportunitie It is sayde immediately I woulde that thou haddest hidden me in the graue Here it might bee demaunded And is not death a token of Gods wrath and curse Is our comming thither too any reliefe VVhat doth that boote vs Verely it seemeth too bee the vttermost extremitie and that God cannot shewe any greater rigour vpon vs than to put vs to death But Iob hath here conceyued death amisse as I haue shewed heretofore and that must we beare well in minde Hee was ouerpressed with anguish bycause God made him to feele his miserie Therevpon he bethinketh himselfe how he might bee rid of it At leastwise sayth he I should wander in the darke But as long as I beare my flesh as he sayth for a conclusion in the ende and so long as my soule is in me I am in payne I am tormented and I haue nothing but distresse If God had taken me out of this worlde I shoulde haue some case and there woulde be an ende and as hee hath sayde afore he should haue his end as the hireling whom ye see at rest when his terme is at an ende and his couenant come out Thus ye see why he desireth here too bee shet vp in his graue Furthermore let vs marke that hee knewe well ynoughe that men ceasse not too bee vnder Gods hande by dying but that they must be fayne to be iudged by him and to feele him still Iob knewe that well ynough But in the meane while he had an eye to the miserie where with he was pressed and he was as it were so fast tyed therevnto as hee thought not of all the rest Yee see then that when God persecuteth a poore sinner hee hath no further respect but to say Alas must I bee enclosed here without remedie and must my miserie encrease and I perish in the end bicause God will neuer leaue pursuing me The sinner hath no respect but of the thing that is so harde for him to beare For this cause he thought death to be nothing and that it shoulde serue him to be a salue for his sores After that maner spake Iob in desiring to be couered in his graue and to be as it were locked vp in the same And when he sayth Vntill thou bethinke thee of me and vntill thou set me a day thereby hee sheweth howe there is some feeling still euen after death howbeeit that to his seeming as he was then caryed away and rauished there shall be some respite for him to take his breath inso ▪ much that when he shail be gone out of this worlde then shall he not be in such confusion nor in so harde and heauie cace as he felt there But as I haue sayde Iob coulde not but knowe that euen after death wee haue an account to make for he sayth I will wayte in the graue vntill thou appoynt me a time to bethinke thy selfe of me This Bethinking here is nothing else but Gods calling of his creatures to iudgement But Iob was so troubled in wit and the sayde passion did so turmoyle him as he iudged not with so setled a minde as he ought to doo And why First and formost so long as we liue in this worlde what shoulde wee more desire than that God shoulde haue vs in remembrance For if he forget vs what shall become of vs Peter sayde Get thee away from mee O Lorde for I am a wretched sinner Yea but we must go the contrarie way to worke and say Lorde come neerer vs for without thy grace we be nothing So then it is very needfull that god should remember vs And how To mainteine and preserue vs so as he vpholde vs and haue pitie vpon our feeblenesse to releeue the same and to guide vs by his prouidence Ye see
would fayne glorifie him in all his workes if he thinke it possible to know all surely he dishonoreth god Can we do God a greater dishonour than to go about to incloze his mighty power within the capacitie of our witte It is more than if a man would take vpon him to shet vp both sea and land in his owne fist or to hold them betwene a cupple of his fingers surely it is a greater madnesse For the heauen the earth are not so great things as the Iustice power wisdome and goodnesse of god they be but little marks of them So then although men bee neuer so diligent in searching gods works yet if they think themselues so sharpwitted as to attayne to them or so self wise as to say I know as much as is too bee knowne and I see now perfectly how good and wise God is beholde there is shamefull wrong offered him VVherfore let vs marke well that the chief poynt whiche wee ought too beare in mind in considering Gods works is to bethink vs of our owne weaknesse and to know that our own wit is to feeble to mount so high so as we must be fayne to confesse with Dauid wonderfull are thy woorkes ô Lorde and who can recken them vppe vntoo thee True it is that Dauid reckeneth them well instructing others to thinke well vpon it Howbeit after he hath sayd what he can hee addeth in the end Lord who is it that caÌ„ atteyn to them Euen so is it sayd now in this streyne Behold the Owtleets sayeth Iob these sayth hee are but the suburbes For if we will enter into the hart of Gods works we shall neuer atteyne to it VVee bee to slow and to lumpish to mount vp so high VVee bee not so lythe as too retch out ourselues so farre and wide nother haue we such a liuelinesse in vs but that all our wits must bee fayne too bee â–ª ouerwhelmed So then when we haue applyed all our indeuer throughly too know Gods works howe excellent they be if we atteyn not to the perfection of that knowledge let vs remember ourselues that we haue found but only the Owtleets that it is impossible for vs to come to the depth of them For our capacitie will not serue vs therto VVee bee to grosse and weake and there is but a small peece of that in vs which is in him insomuche that if the Angels of heauen came and preached vntoo vs yet could they shew vs but a small part of gods woorks And what shall mortal creatures then do here bylow Sith it is so let vs lerne to magnify God in suche wise as nothing may let vs to yeeld him his due prayse For although wee should all the time of our life imploy our whole wit too the glorifying and magnifying of him yet were it impossible to discharge our selues of the hundreth parte of the the dutie that we owe vnto him Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them that with harâ—ie repentance and desire of forgiuenesse wee may beseeche him too amend our misdooings and too ridde vs more and more of our vyces too the ende that whyle wee liue in this worlde wee may inioy the great good that he doeth vs in applying the same to right vse namely too the seruing and honoring of him in such wise as wee may not haue our eyes shet when he sheweth his maiestie after so euident a fashion And forasmuch as we be as it were dazeled in our owne vnderstanding let vs beseeche him too inlighten vs by his holie spirit and too waken vs from theâ— drouzinesse wherein wee bee that wee maye not seeke any thing else than to spende our selues in his seruice and to incorage others thereto by our example so as hee may bee exalted and magnified of all men with one common consent as he deserueth And for performance thereof let vs pray him to rayse vp true and faythfull ministers of his woord c. The .xcvij. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxvij. Chapter IOb tooke vp his parable agayne and sayd 2. God liueth who hath taken away my right the almightie vvho hath set my soule in bitternes 3. So long as my breath shall continue and the spirit of God is in my nozethrills 4. My lippes shall speake no vvickednesse and my toung shall vtter no deceyte HEere we haue still the same matter that hathe bene treated of heretofore For Iob vpholdeth that he was not afflicted for the faults which he had committed but that there was some secrete reason and that if he listed to debate pleade the matter he could iustifie his cace not agaynst god but agaynst such as woulde beare him downe that hee was a wicked man and conclude that the afflictions whiche he indured were bycause of the greatnesse of his sinnes Iob then vpholdeth that the cause which moued God to punish him was not that he was wickedder than other men but for some secret and vnknowne reason too men and therfore that it behoucth them to mount higher than to to the ordinarie iustice of God that is shewed in his law Now wee see what the ground woorke of this chapter is And therfore it is sayd that Iob tooke vp his parable newe agayne And to the intent that the thing whiche he sayeth may be of the more authoritie he beginneth with a protestation that importeth an othe God sayeth he liueth who hath taken away my right euen the Almighty hathe set my soule in anguish and yet for al that I wil neuer swarue And whereas I haue maynteyned my selfe too bee rightuouse that was not through any pryde nor for any hypocrisie nor of any sturdinesse nor for that I knewe not that God myght afflict mee after that sorte but bycause I am not suche a one as you make mee too bee nother will I euer graunt that Gods punishing of mee is for my desertes at leastwyse if I bee compared with other men For you pretende a false and wicked thing which is that God handleth men in this worlde and in this present lyfe according too their woorthinesse and deseruinges But it is not so for God doeth oftentymes deferre the punishments which he intendeth too lay vppon men so as they bee not perceyued till after their death And on the contrarie part diuers tymes hee pretendeth signes of greate rigour agaynst those whome he loueth whiche haue serued him faythfully Therfore we must not make too much haste of Gods iudgements nor think them to be executed at the firste brunt for then shoulde God bee vniuste VVee see thinges disordered at this present and what a thing were it if wee looked and hoped not for a redresse hereafter in tyme too come God were woorse than blind For we haue skill ynough too say that things go not as they ought too doe Then doeth it followe that eyther God knoweth not what he
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
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
that mocketh the poore reprocheth him that made him 583. b 57. 27. 28. A man of vnderstanding is sober in his speache likewise a foole when he holdeth his peace is counted wise 251. a 50 â–ª 400. b 42 18. 3. VVhen the wicked commeth then commeth contempt and with the vile man reproch 473. a 14. 739. a 8. 10. The name of the Lorde is a strong tower the righteous commeth thither and is exalted 356. b 46. 20. 7 The children of the righteous shall bee blessed after him 417 b 10. 24. The steps of man are ruled by the Lord. 303. b. 30. 21. 13. He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore shall also crie and not be hearde 328. b 30. 431 b 38. 472. a 26 543. b 57. 22. 2. God hath made rich and the poore 431. b 37. 6. Teach a childe in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it â–ª 380. a 51 24. 16. The iust falleth seauen times and riseth againe but the wicked fall into euill 69. a 11. and 108. b 34. 25. 22. Thou shalt lay coales vppon his head and the Lord shall recompence thee 600. a 36. 27. It is no glory vnto those that seeke their owne glory 37. a 40. 27. 7. He that is very hungry although he eate bitter meat it seemeth vnto him sweet 382. b 49. 28. 1. The wicked flie when none pursueth but the righteous are bolde as a Lyon. 111 â–ª a 59. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaye 15. a 57. 448. b 3. 682. a 10. 30. 32. If thou hast thought wickedly laye thy hande on thy mouth 403. b 7. Ecclesiastes 5. 15. VVHat profite hath hee â–ª that hath trauailed for the winde 673 a 18. 9. 4. It is better to a liuing dog â–ª then to a dead Lyon. 424. a 34. Isaie â— 3 THe OXe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters â—rib but Israell â–ª hath not knowen â–ª my people hath not vnderstand 235. b 26. 784. a 15. 6. From the soule of the foote vnto the heade there is nothing whole therin but wounds and swellinges and â—ores full of corruption they haue not beene wrapped nor bounde vp nor molyfied with oyle 721. a 32. â—2 If you come too appeare in my presence and to treade in my courtes who hath required this of your hands 327. b. 29. 15. VVhen you make many praiers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud 327. b 18. 18. Come now sayth the Lorde let vs reason together when your sinnes shall be red as C 〈…〉 zin they shall be made white as snow 330. b 59. 453. a 56. 2. 19. They that feele the wrath of God shall goe into the holes of the rockes and into the caues of the earth for feare of the Lorde when he shall arise to destroy the earth 280. a 35. 411. a 17. 644. b 36. 22. Cease you from the man whose breath is in his nosethrels 311. b 59. 3. 10 Say ye it shall be well with the iust for he shall eate the fruites of his woorkes 2â—1 a 15. 413. a 35. 666. b 47. 5. 3. You inhabitauntes of Ierusalem and you men of Iuda iudge beetweene mee and my Vineyarde 190. a 39. 4. VVhat could I haue done any more to my vineyard that I haue not done VVhy haue I looked that it should bringe foorth grapes and it bringeth forth wylde grapes 161. b 57. 11. VVoe vnto you because you rise vp earely to follow drunkennes 721. b 38. 13. My people is gone into captiuitie â–ª because they had no knowledge and their nobles haue bene famished and the multitude is dryed vp with thirst 530. a 21. 20. VVoe vnto them that call good euill and euill good 131. a 15. 24. As the flame of fire deuoureth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so theyr roote shall bee as rottennesse and their budde shall rise vp like duste for they haue caste of the Lawe of the lord of hostes and haue blasphemed the word of the holy one of Israell 60. b 25. 26. God will whistle to a people from the end of the earth and beholde they shall come hastly wyth speede 671. b 43. 30. Beholde the darkenesse of afflictions vppon the people 535. b 51. 6. 2. The Seraphines stoode vnder the Lorde and euery one of them had sixe vvinges with twaine they couered their face and with tvvaine they couered their feete 156. a 20. 715. b 55. 5. Mine eyes haue sene the king the Lord of hostes 77. b 60. 9. In hearing ye shall heare and shall not vnderstande and in seeing ye shall see and shall not perceiue 810. b 13. 11. I sayde hovv long Lord and hee sayde vntill the cities bee wasted without inhabitaunt and the houses vvithout men and the lande be vtterly desolate 336. a 3. 7. 18. In that day shall God whistle after afly that is at the vttermost partes of the flouddes of Egipt and after the Bee whiche is in the land of Assur 671. b 44. 8. 9. 10 Gather together on heapes O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces and harken all yee of farre countries make your selues readie and ye shall be broken in pieces take couÌ„cell it shal be brought to nought speake the woord and it shall not stande for the Lord is with vs. 99. b 32. 10. Take councell and it shall be brought to nought speake the vvord and it shall not stand 392. a 60. 4â—1 260. 9. 13. The people is not tourned towarde him that strooke them and haue not besought the lord of hosts 721. a 27. 10. 12 VVhen the Lord hath accomplished all his vvorke vppon mount Sion and in Ierusalem I will visit the fruite of the proude hearte of the king of Assur 812. a 49. 11. 2 The spirit of wisedome vertue shall reste vppon him 548. b 1. 616. a 58. 4. God shall smite the earth vvith the rodde of his mouth shall slay the vvicked vvith the spirit of his lips 76. a 20. 13. 10. The starres of heauen and the planetes thereof shall not geeue their light the sunne shall bee darkened in his going foorth and the moone shall not cause her light to shine 299. b 1. 15. 7. They shall beare their prouision to the floud of the Arabians 184 a 40. 19. 11. The princes of Soan are fooles the princes of Noph haue erred they haue caused Egipt to erre 246. a 50. 14. The Lorde hath mingled among the Egiptians the spirit of errours and hath caused Egipt to erre in euery vvorke thereof as a drunken man erreth in his vomite 99. b 19. 22. 14. Let vs eate and drink for tomorrow we shall die 721. b 16. 24. 23. The moone shall bee abashed and the Sunne ashamed when the LORDE of hostes shall raigne in mount Syon and in Ierusalem and when hee shall bee glofyed in the presence of his auncient men 81. b 9. 26. 1. God is our vvall and bulwarke 508. b
52. 9. For seeing thy iudgementes are in the earth the inhabytauntes of the worlde shall learne righteousnesse 153. a 1. 387. b 35. 438. b 40. 534. a 1. 626 b 29. 683. b 33. 18. VVee haue conceyued and wee haue trauayled as though vve should haue brought forth the wind 317. a 2. 28. 9. 10. VVhome shall the Lorde teache knowledge them that are vveyned from mylke and drawen from the brestes For precept must bee vpon precept precept vppon precept line vpon line line vppon line a little here a little there 236. b 15. 15. The wicked saith the scourge that runneth shall not come vpon vs for wee are hidden vnder falshoode 417. a 42. 518. a 60. 603 a 3. 29. 10. The LORDE shall couer you vvith a spiritte of slumber hee will shutte your eyes hee vvill couer your prophetes and your chiefe Seers 99. b 19. 13. This people dravve nere me vvith theyr mouth and honour me wyth theyr lippes but theyr hearte 20. is farre from mee 62â— b 40. 508. a 14. The wisedome of the wise men shall perishe 620. b 29. 15. VVoe vnto them that seeke deepe to hyde theyr counsayle from the Lorde for their vvoorkes are in darkenesse and they saye who seeth vs and who knovveth vs. 101. a 7. â—0 2. They haue not asked at the mouth of the LORDE 15. b 9. 33. His buyldinge is much fire wood and the breathe of the LORDE is lyke a ryuer of litymstone that dooth kyndle it 395 b 1. 33. 1. VVoe vnto thee that spoylest vvhen thou shalt cease too spoyle thou shalt bee spoyled 75. a 9. 6. The stabylitie of times shall bee strength saluation wisedome knowledge and the feare of the Lorde 530. a 6. 11. Ye shall conceiue chaffe and bring sorth stubble 717. a 21. 34 4. The hoste of heauen shall bee dissolued and the heauens bee folden lyke a booke and all their hostes shall fall as the leafe falleth from the vine 35. 3. Strengthen the weake handes comfort the feeble knees 70. a 33. 70. b 46. 37. 24. 25. 26. By thy seruauntes hast thou rayled on the Lorde and hast sayd I will come vp in the multitude of my chariots to the toppe of the mountaines to the sids of Lebanon and will cut dovvne the highe Cedres thereof and the faire firre trees and I will goe vp to the height of his toppe and to the forests of his fruitfull places I will pearce through the earth and drinke the waters and with the plant of my feet will I drie all the ryuers of the besieged places Hast thou not heard hovv I haue of olde time made it and haue formed it long agoe and novv will I bring it that it shall be destroyed and layd on ruinous heaps as cityes defenced 99. b 53. 38. 12. 13. My age is departed is tourned behinde me like a sheppards tent I haue cut of my life like a weauer he will cutte mee of from the beginning from day to night thou wilt consume mee 139. a 49. 114. b 10. I rekened to the morning he hath broken all my bones like a Lyon from day to night wilt thou make an end of me 114. b 10. 14. Like a crane or a Swallovv so didde I chatter I didde mourne as a Dooue mine eyes are fayled in looking vp on hye Lord euill oppresseth me comfort mee 116. b 14. 17. Beholde for felicitie I bytternes vppon bitternes but it was thy pleasure too deliuer my soule from the pitte of corruption thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe 69. a 30. 20 VVee will sing my songes all the dayes of our lyfe in the house of the Lord. 210. a 61. 39. 2. Ezechias vvas gladde of Ambassadours of BABYLON and shewed them the house of the treasures the siluer and the golde and the perfumes and precious oyntments and all the places of his munitions 30. a 44. 40. 1 Comfort ye comfort ye my people will the lord say 2. Geeue ioy to the hearte of Ierusalem for her time is accomplished the iniquitie thereof is pardoned 135. b 58. 6. 7. 8. All fleshe is grasse and all the glory thereof is as the flovverof the fielde The grasse vvithe reth the flower vadeth beecause the vvinde of the LORDE bloweth vppon it surely the people is grasse The grasse withereth the flower vadeth but the vvoorde of the Lorde shall stande for euer 83. b 46. 12. VVho is hee that hath measured the vvaters in his fiste and compassed the heauens with his spanne vvho is hee that comprehended the dust of the earth vvith three fingers 769. a 46. 13. VVho hath instructed the spirite of the Lord or who hath ben his counceller 525. a 4. 22. The inhabitauntes of the earth are as grashoppers 427. b 26. 463. b 29. 715. b 43. 24. God vvill blowe vppon the Princes of the earth and they shall be withered and the whyrle winde vvill take them away as stubble 804. b 42. 27. VVherefore then sayest thou O Iacob and wherefore speakest thou O Israell My waye is hidde from the LORDE and my iudgementes is passed ouer of my God. 5â— b 3. 41. 1. Let the Ilandes keepe scilence beefore mee and let the people renue their strength and then let them speake let vs come together in iudgement 190. a 39. 8. Thou Israell art my seruaunt and thou IACOB whome I haue chosen the seede of Abraham my welbeloued 15. b 3. 14. Feare not worme of Iacob you deade men of ISRAELL I will helpe thee sayth the Lord and thy redeemer the holy one of Israell 51. b 3. 42. 16. I will tourne darkenesse into light 535. b 50. 4â— 2. VVhen thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee and through the flouddes that they doe not ouerflowe thee vvhen thou walkest throughe the verye fyre thou shalt not bee burnte neyther shall the flame kindle vpon thee 110. a 58. 100. b 25. I putte avvaye the iniquitie of the sinners for myne ovvne sake sayeth the LORDE 333. b 30. 45. 7. God hath created light and darkenesse and hathe made peace and created aduersitye 323. b. 6. 9. VVoe bee vnto him that stryueth vvyth his maker 243. a 55. 19 I haue not spoken in secret I sayde not in vaine to the seede of IACOB seeke you mee 220. b 42. 23. Euery knee shall bowe beefore GOD. 481. b 42. 497. b 33. 731. a 14. 48. 22. There is no peace vnto the vvicked 518. b 48. 49. 8. Thus sayth the Lorde in an exceptable time haue I hard thee and in a day of saluation haue I helped thee 155. b 40. 13. Reioyce O yee heauens and bee ioyfull O earthe braste foorth into prayse O mountaines for the Lorde hath comforted his people 650. b 4. 15. Canne a vvoman forgette her Chylde though they shoulde forget yet will I not forget thee 784. a 61. 50. 2. The hande of the Lorde is not shortened that it can not deliuer 359. b 30. 51. 8. The worme shall eate the wicked lyke vvoolle 590.
me is the lord Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the hart manifest then shall euerie man haue praise of God. 131. b 35. 187. b 4. 608. b 23. 7. VVho is it hath preferred thee 463. a 48. 11. Vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst 349. b 15. 549. b 4. 12 13. VVe are reuiled persecuted we are made the filth of this world 350. b 58. 499. b 7. 5. 7. 8. Christ was sacrificed as the true pascall Lamb. c. 11. b 28. 6. 18. Flee fornication euery sinne that a man doth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne soule 580. b 38. 19. VVee haue our bodies of God â–ª not of ourselues 4 12. a 9. 580. b 47 20. Glorifie God in your bodie in your spirit for they are Gods. â—80 b 47. 7. 29. That those which are rich do as if they were not 6. b 28 34. b 10. 30. 31. They that buy as thoughe they possessed not and they that vse this worlde as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this worlde goeth avvay 61. b 14. 8. 1. Knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth 292. a 1 529. b 10. 9. 27. I beate dovvne my body bring it vnto subiection least by any means wheÌ„ I haue preched to others I my self shuld he reproued 71. a 60. 10. 1. Brethren I would not that ye shuld be ignorant that all our fathers were vnder the cloud al passed through the sea 153. b 19. 6. 11. All thinges came vnto them for examples 166. a 33. 340. a 35. 13. God is faithfull which wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that ye are able but will euen giue the issue with the temptatioÌ„ that ye may be able to beare 63 a 29. 106. b 56 228. b 54. 818. b 54. 31 VVhether we eate or drinke or what so euer we do wee must do all in the name of God â–ª 9 b 20. 11. 7. A man ought not too couer his heade for as muche as hee is the image and glorie of God â–ª but the woman is the glorie of the man 54. b 32. 11. Neither is the man without the woman neither the woman without the man in the Lorde 55. a 54. 19. There muste bee heresies euen among you 〈…〉 at they which are approued among you might be knowne 132 a 24. 32. VVhen wee are iudged wee are chasâ—â—ed of the Lord bâ—cause we should not be condemned with the worlde 726 a 2. 771. a 60. 12. 7. The manifestation of the spirite is giuen too euerie man too profite withall 373 b 39 696. b 53. 1. 10. Speake yee all one thing and that there bee no dissentions among you 616. a 58. 13. 3. Though I feede the poore with all my goodes and haue no loue it profiteth mee nothing 49. a 17. 7. Loue hopeth al things 48. b 48 9. 10. VVee knowe in part and we prophesie in part but when that which is perfecte is come then that which is in part shall bee abolished 37. a 3. 60. b 57. 152. a 8. 12. Novv we see through a glasse darkely but then shall wee see face to face Nowe I knowe in parte but then I shal knowe euen as I am knowne 772. b 36. 241. b 53. 37. a 3. 60. b. 57. 152. a 8. 632. a 1. 14. 20. Bee not children in vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnesâ—e be childreÌ„ 294. b 19. 378 b 5. 24. 2. If all prophesie and there come in one that beleeueth noâ— hee is rebuked and iudged of all And so are the secretes of his heart made manifest 679. b 46. 27. 28. 29. 30. If any man speake a straunge tong let it be by two or at the moste by three and that by course and let one interprete c. 133. b 37. 624. a 10. 696. b 55. 40. Let all things be doone honestly and by order 624. a 9. 15. 19. If in this life onely wee haue hope wee are of all men the most miserable 162. a 29. 341. a 23. 33. Euill speakings corrupt good maners 236. b 4. 36. O foole that which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye 141 b 30. 368. 269. b 46. 46. That which is naturall goeth before 212. a 46. 53. That which is corruptible in vs must be abolished 348. a 9. 57. VVee haue the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 567. a 6. 58. My beloued brethren be yee sted fast vnmoueable aboundant alwayes in the worke of the Lorde for as much as ye knowe that your laboure is not in vaine in the Lorde 71. b 46. 2. Corinthians 1. â—2 GOD hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our hearts 284. b 28. 2. 11. VVee knovve the suttleties of Satan 422. a 41. 3. 5. VVee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God 203. b 5. 253. b 30. 597. â— 32. 18. By the spiâ—te of the Lorde we shall be chaunged into the image of glorie 370. b 8. 4. 4. The GOD of this worlde blindeth the mindes of the infidels that the light of the Gospell shineth not vnto them 710. a 24. 6. God shineth in our heartes to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ 212. b 54. 8. Being afflicted on euerie side yet not in distresse 158. b 16. 13. VVee beleeue and therefore we speake 373. b 37. 696. b 28. 17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glorie 136. b 16. 5. 1. VVhen our bodies shall bee dessolued by death wee haue an eternall building in heauen 278. b 61. 348. a 14. 269. b 46. 2. For therefore vvee sighe desiring to bee clothed with our house which is from heauen 85. a. 14. 4. VVee desire not to bee vnclothed but to be clothed vpon 506. a 22. 5. God hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts 284. b 28. 7. VVe walke by fayth and not by sight 60. b 25. 651. a 34. 10. VVee shall all appeere before the iudgement seate of Christ 731. a 17. 365. b 11. 400. b. 57. 669. a 30. 680. a 55. 679 a 6. 17. If any man bee in Christe let him be a newe creature 250. a 7. 284 a 25. 18. God hath reconciled vs to him selfe by Iesus Christ and hath giuen vs the ministerie of reconciliation 444 b 4. 645. b 51 648. a 33. 19. The Gospell is the worde of reconciliation 444. b 4. 62. God hath sayde I haue heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee beholde nowe the accepted time behold nowe the day of saluation 155 b 40 650. a 24. 7. VVe must passe by the armour of rightuousnesse on the right hand and on the left 554. a 50. 8. VVe must passe by honor
benefites vpō vs according as Iob hath shewed heeretofore VVee see then howe this onely one consideration ought to asswage our sorrowes according as it is to bee seene that if men put suger or hony into a medicine that is ouer bitter it wyll alay it in suche sorte as the pacient may the better take it wheras otherwise it would go neere to choke him But there is yet a further matter in this namely that God sheweth vs the vse of his chastyzementes whiche hee sendeth vs whiche is not that hee meeneth to destroy vs so ofte as hee scourgeth vs but that it is for our profite and welfare and hee promiseth vs that if wee bee faythfull hee will not suffer vs to be racked out of measure but will supporte vs So then if wee bee afflicted there is no reason why wee shoulde take pritche agaynst God as though we founde nothing but rigour at his hande For wee bee so comforted in our afflictions as if our vnthankfulnesse letted vs not we myght reioyce and say Blissed be the name of God although hee sende vs not all our owne desires Thus muche for the firste poynte And nowe herewithall wee muste marke also the seconde article whiche I haue touched already which 〈◊〉 that although wee haue nothing but distresse although we bee hilde as it were vpon the racke and that wee haue nothing at all to comforte vs yet muste wee not bee hasty to take pritche agaynst God but wee muste rather call vpon him according as it is sayde let him that is sorrowfull pray Sainct Iames sheweth vs the meane whiche wee oughte to holde If wee bee merrie sayeth he let vs sing not after the maner of the worlde whiche ruffleth it and royetteth it without acknowledging that his goods come of God but in rendring prayse to God for our gladnesse And if wee bee in sorrowe and heauinesse let vs pray vnto God beseeching him to pitie vs and to abate his rigour Thus wee see that when the faythfull are at theyr wittes ende so as they can no further go yet muste they not rushe agaynste God and finde faulte with him neither muste they outrage as those do whiche are full of pryde and rebelliousnesse but rather let vs thinke thus Lorde I see my selfe to bee a wretched creature I knowe not where too become I woote not what to doo except thou receyue me to mercy and shewe thy selfe so pitifull towardes mee as to releeue me of my miserie which I can no longer beare Thus wee see that the children of God muste beare their aduersities paciētly although God chastize them roughly for a tyme And it is to be seene that although Iob had cōtinually minded the same lesson yet was hee not sufficiently armed to withstand temptations for he sayth here VVhy do the God giue light to suche as are of troubled mindes He remembred not that God had iust cause to keepe men in the middes of many miseries and that although their state bee wretched here belowe yet is God righteous still and that albeit he punishe vs and keepe vs occupied many wayes yet it becommeth not vs to holde plea with him vnder colour that he holdeth vs here against our will and that we be shutte vp in prison while wee bee in this lyfe neither must we conceyue any displeasure for all that Iob did not sufficiently consider this Nowe if suche a persone as Iob was happened to ouershoote himselfe and to kicke agaynste God for want of hauing the sayde regarde that I haue spoken of muche more muste wee set our mindes vpon the sayde two poyntes that is to wit that we beare in remembrance that God neuer forsaketh vs and therefore that wee may not bee ouersorowfull when God sendeth vs any aduersities bycause wee bee sure that his chastizing of vs is after such a sorte as therewithall hee releeueth our greefe at leastwise if it be not long of our selues and of our owne vnthankfulnesse And secondly that whē wee bee distressed that wee can no more God calleth and allureth vs friendly vnto him yea I say hee prouoketh vs to resorte vnto prayer as often as wee bee as it were vtterly stripped out of all that wee haue Lo heere the true remedy which is to call vpon our good God to haue pitie vpon vs and not to suffer vs to bee so dismayde as to say I wote not what to do and it is to no purpose to go vnto god Let vs keepe our selues from suche incombrance perswade our selues that wee shall alwayes be sure to fare well if wee call vpon God who will bee alwayes mercifull to vs euen in the middest of our afflictions VVhen wee haue these two poynts well settled in our remembrāce we shall no more say VVherefore is it that God holdeth those heere whiche are in sorrowe of minde For wee see wherefore hee doeth it There is greate reason why God shoulde chastyze men For how greate are our sinnes the number of them is infinite Agayne if wee looke vpon our lustes there is also a very bottomlesse gulfe whiche hath neede to bee mended God therefore muste mortifie vs Furthermore if wee consider howe muche wee bee gyuen too the worlde wee shall finde that our afflictions had neede too bee plucked from it by Gods chastyzementes Moreouer howe greate is our pryde and presumptuousnesse And therefore muste God needes humble vs Besides all this howe colde are wee to craue his helpe and therefore hee muste bee fayne too inforce vs too it Finally ought not our fayth to bee tryed and made knowen Then see wee not reasons inowe why God holdeth vs heere and will haue vs to bee miserable so as there is nothing but payne trouble torment and anguishe in all our whole lyfe Is there not sufficient reason why God shoulde do this Marke heere a speciall poynte And sithe that hee continually calleth vs vnto him and maketh vs free passage vnto him and that wee haue suche a remedie in our miseries may wee not holde our selues well apayed VVee see howe wee oughte too bee armed and fenced agaynste the sayde temptations whiche reygned ouermuche in Iob howebeit that hee was not vtterly ouercome of it For when Iob speaketh heere of suche as desire the graue and whiche willingly dyg for it as for some hidden treasure longing to dye and cannot hee putteth him selfe in the same ranke as wee shall see by the sequele wherin he confirmeth his owne infirmitie and vice For it is not lawfull for the faythfull to mislyke their owne lyfe and to wishe so for death True it is that wee may wishe for death in one respect whiche is in consideration that wee bee hilde here in suche bondage of sinne as wee can not serue God so freely as were to bee wished bycause we are ouerfraught with vices In respect here of it is certaine that we may sigh and desire God to take vs quickly out of the worlde But as is sayde afore it may not bee for that we
whole life and whereas they can not moue the tip of their tung without God do guide it yet determine they vppon this and that And what a mockerie is it They are not able to moue the tippe of their toung and yet they presume to say Behold I will do this a ten yeeres hence according also as Sainct Iames agreeth with Salomon in scorning of the sayd presumptuousnesse which is in men For so long as God letteth vs alone at our ease euery man beleeueth what hee listeth himselfe and we take our selues to bee petigoddes But assoone as God turneth his hand and beateth vs with his roddes ye shall see vs so amazed as we wote not where to become we thinke it not possible for vs euer to scape out of our miseries we looke on the one side and on the other and we see no end at all of them we bee as it were so shet vp in them that wee cannot take hold of the goodnesse and mightie power of God to succoure vs And this is the very affection that Iob sheweth vs heere which is an ouercommon disease as wee fynd well ynough by experience For there is not any thing that troubleth and tormenteth vs so much as when wee see our selues shut vp and know not what will be the ende of our miseries nor what shall become of vs in so much as being assayled on all sides we conclude with our selues that we can neuer get away without vtter oppression and ouerthrowe Haue we this sayd disease Then let vs resort to the remedie For if the disease be not cured wee must needes fall into the said excessiue passion whereof mention is made heere namely that wee shall wish for death as men in despaire and shall haue no assuagement of our miseries but only to desire God to ouerwhelme vs out of hande But the conueniente remedie of this disease is to referre our selues to Gods prouidence that hee may see brightly for vs and that sith we bee blynd and in darknesse our God may guyde vs as he knoweth is good for vs and leade vs foorth in all our enterprises Behold also wherevnto the holy scripture bringeth vs backe Ieremie sayth O Lorde I knowe that the way of man is not in his owne power neither is it in man to walke and direct his owne steppes This is as much to say as a man taketh too muche vppon him when he purposeth to dispose of his owne lyfe Let vs vnderstand then that it is Gods will to humble vs in as much as he shutteth our eyes so as wee see not what must become of vs and we know not too day what wee haue to do tomorow but God entertayneth vs by the day lyke iourneymen as men terme them after the maner of a hyreling who being waged for a daye woteth not who shall set him a worke the next morowe Behold how God will haue vs to liue to the ende we should learne to depend wholly vpon him saying True it is Lord that my life is frayle but yet thou knowest what shall betide me thou hast forseene it Lorde and therefore I put my selfe into thyne hande I haue many cares too tormente and trouble me but I discharge mee of them intoo thy lappe forasmuch as I am sure too bee safe vnder thy protection and custodie I holde my selfe contented Thus we see how it behoueth vs to deale And when we haue this sayd Prouidence of God thoroughly imprinted in our hartes so as we can depend wholly vpon it although we bee turmoyled with many troubles in this world yet we see a good foundation that will make vs to stand steadie and constant in our calling to serue God according to hys will all the dayes of our life Then let vs learne to settle our selues vpon the sayde prouidence of God and when we see things so shuffled togither in the worlde as wee know not on whych syde to turne vs we may not therefore ceasse to be apeaceable and quiet assuring our selues that God ordereth and guydeth all things in suche wise as there is nothing that can hinder the welfare of the faithfull seeing that he hath once takeÌ„ them into his protectioÌ„ Thus we see what we haue to marke in this straine Now in the ende Iob addeth that hee hath no rest and that â—e is in beauinesse before he take his repast and yet notwithstanding sayeth he I haue not behaued my selfe heeretofore as most men do I haue not settled my selfe in my prosperitie but I haue continually feared the miserie that is come vppn me Let vs marke then this complaynt of Iobs For on the one syde it sheweth that his miserie was extreme and therewithall sayeth hee what is the cause why GOD handleth me so For when God threateneth menne hee sayeth Forasmuche as thou hast made thy selfe drunken in thyne owne pleasures forasmuch as thou hast bene as it were blinded by them forasmuch as thou wart so altered when I didde thee good that thou hast not knowen mee thou maist see wherefore I intend to punish thee And God sheweth precisely that he caÌ„not away with this fleshly selfeloue which is in men For wheÌ„ they weene that they shall alwayes haue ease at will and when they shall say peace and all is safe behold a sodayn storme shall ouerthrow them which they forsaw not afore haÌ„d VVe see then how god punisheth this presumption and rashnesse that is in men who whyle they bee in prosperitie beleeue they shall dwell in it for euer and in the meane season consider not that they are in the hande of God nor thinke vpon their owne frailtie But God cannot abide that for when we be at our ease wee must referre all vnto God and therewithall prepare ourselues too bee afflicted when it shall please hym and in such maner as hee knoweth to be expedient So then for asmuche as GOD threateneth those that are blynded after that manner in their pleasures Iob beholding himselfe so sore tormented and afflicted was amazed at it bycause hee had not at any tyme sotted hymselfe in his abundance but had alwayes fore mistrusted the mischiefe that was nowe lyghted vppon him and had not borne hymselfe in hand that hee should from thencefoorth continue in the ease and prosperitie that God had set him in lyke them that thinke no more of their mortall lyfe when God hathe once aduaunced them aboue others He sayeth he had continually thought afore hand on the miseries that myght happen vnto him How then hapned it that hee was so ouertaken Although this thing cannot now be discoursed at length yet may we gather thereby in one word that in asmuch as Iob who had alwayes put himselfe in a readinesse to indure the aduersitie that God should send vnto him was ouertaken with such anguishe and so greate it standeth vs on hande to looke to haue much worse according to our deserts And if God spare vs and hold vs vp for a time let vs not therevppon conceyue
sort and in such as surmount all our capacitie Specially when the cace concerneth our redemption and when it concerneth Gods sealing vp of the recorde of our adoption in vs by hys holy Spirite it is a matter that surmounteth the common order of nature Chiefly when it is sayd that he hath chozen vs before the worlde was made and that hee hath chozen vs not all in generall but so many as hee thought good and that hee hath forsaken the rest do◠wee not see secretes that are too highe for vs VVhat is to be done then Let vs assure our selues we be tootoo vnexcusable if in this behalfe we walk not with feare and warenesse considering that these are things incomprehensible and if we thinke to attaine so high our desire to stye vp after that maner aboue the skyes hauing no wings will make vs breake our neckes Moreouer when we haue giuen the glory vnto God and confessed not onely with mouth but also in very deede that his workes are incomprehensible and as a bottomlesse pitte to swallow vp all our vnderstanding let vs not ceasse to pray him too make vs perceyuc them so farre foorth as he knoweth them meete for our capacitie and therewithall let vs also searche that which is shewed vs in the holy Scripture For God will not haue vs negligent it is not for vs to say with the Papistes O wee muste not bee inquisitiue of Gods secretes For why then was the holy Scripture giuen vs Gods will is that euery man shoulde seeke after him but yet therewithall his wyll is also that men shoulde holde the waye which hee sheweth them that is to wit that they should with al humilitie follow that which is conteyned in the holy scripture Nowe when wee haue learned that which God teacheth vs in his schole let vs hold vs to it and if there come any toy in our head to the contrarie so as our harts be tickled to seeke for more than is meete for vs to know let vs beware that we haue the wisdome modesty to say Poore creature is it meete that thou shouldest presume to haue a larger instruction thā that which God giues thee in the holy scripture So then let vs wey well this saying to the end we may hold our selues in such sobrietie as we iudge not rashly of Gods workes For by and by it is sayd That God is he which doth wonderfull deedes without end VVhereas Gods wor◠are called wonderful or secret for so the worde importeth it is to bring vs to the reuerencing of thē For Gods meening is not that our knowing of such greatnesse in his works shoulde be to astonish vs and to driue vs further off from him but contrarywise to draw vs to such a reuerence as we shoulde honor him saying Lorde howe mightie art thou Lorde howe great is thy power thy goodnesse thy iustice and thy wisdome Vndoubtedly Dauid knew wel the infinit greatnesse of gods workes and yet notwithstanding hee ceasseth not to say Lorde thy works are full of wisdome and rightuousnesse He knew well what we haue to consider of Gods works and yet hee honoured them neuerthelesse Let vs learne then too conceyue suche a greatnesse of Gods workes as might make vs dull lyke brute beastes so as we should not knowe where to become nor take any instruction of good learning by them but so too conceyue of it as the same may serue to represse vs that our wits be not ouerwandring and that wee play not horses that are broken loose and so take libertie as I haue tolde you to say I will know how this and this cōmeth to passe Not so but let vs be modest For our true wisedome is to be ignorant in the things that God will haue hidden frō vs Thus we see how we must prepare our selues to lowlinesse modestie And furthermore let vs vnderstand ther withall that we must reuerence the workes of god And howe To comprehende the infinite wisedome rightuousnesse and power that is conteyned in thē according to our smal capacitie assuring our selues that God doth not any thing without reason no not although the same be not knowne vnto vs at the first dash For God doth not alwayes vtter a present reason in his workes so as mē may perceiue thē and againe the sayd wisdome is so deepe as it is named a bottomlesse pit Therefore let vs learne to reuerēce gods works although we perceiue not euermore the cause why hee worketh so VVee see well then in what wise Gods workes are wonderfull And hee sayth expressely that they haue none ende VVhereby men are yet better humbled For it wee chaunce to come to the full vnderstanding of some one thing O it seemeth to vs that nothing can go beyonde vs we be so cunning that all questions whiche can be propounded vnto vs shall bee assoiled out of hand But put the cace we be able to iudge of Gods workes as of two or of three or of a hundred VVhat is that It is right nought And why so For they are without number But as I haue sayd alreadie the least of Gods workes is ynough to ouerwhelme vs and what then shall become of vs whē we come to the sayd bottomlesse depth whereof there is none ende Lo howe it behoueth vs to wey well that which is spoken heere generally in way of preface to make vs to enter into better consideration of all Gods workes than we are wont to do that we may yeeld the honor vnto his Maiestie which is due to him But as I haue touched heeretofore after that Eliphas hath spoken so in generall he speaketh particularly also saying That God giueth raine vpon the earth and maketh the waters to gush downe the streetes This seemeth to bee nothing to the purpose For the matter in hand is only that men may perceiue thēselues to be rightly punished and that if God handle thē after his own wil they must not stand pleading against him for they shall gaine nothing by so doing but must of necessitie be ouercome And why thē is mention made here of the rayne This should seeme to be a bymatter But we must marke that when we bee put in mynde of the cōmon order which God kepeth in gouerniug his creatures it is to the end that we should apply it al wholy to our owne vse For when we haue run vp and downe trauersed frō one side to another we must enter into our selues we must waken vp our wits and we must apply all this doctrine too such vse as I haue spoken of which is that we may honour God as he deserueth Thus ye see why here is mention made of the raine And no doubt but that vnder one particular Eliphas cōprehendeth them all as if he should say VVe not onely see that God hath created all things and that there is such workmanship in the skies in the earth as al they that think vpon it must needes be astonied at it
passeth on further and toucheth cunningly certayne particulars to the intent that we shoulde ▪ knowe the workmanship of the skyes Howbeit althoughe that all men be not Astronomers yet is there not any man that can excuse himselfe that God giueth him not sufficiente knowledge of those things if wee shet not our eyes when the Sunne shyneth The shepherdes of the countrie can well skill too speake of the Starres yea and they giue them names Howbeeit in namyng them it is certain that they darken the glorie of God and wherof commeth that must not the euill be imputed too men There are twoo Starres that are named heere And the Poets haue feyned many fables and fond things of them VVherof commeth such vnreasonablenesse Of the vaynesse and naughtinesse of men They haue said that such a Starre was the crounet or Garlond of a woman or else the woman hirselfe Lo heere a cow lo there an ox Lo heere this and lo there that to be short Lo a sort of dotages Neuerthelesse wee haue to marke that these dotages are sprung out of Satans suttlest wylinesse For his desyre was so farre as was possible for him to deface this fayre lookingglasse wherein Gods will was to bee sene and knowen It is sayd by Moyses that God garnished the heauen with all the hostes thereof Moyses termeth the Starres as well the Planets as the residue the Hoste of heauen And why so for they be the furniture of the heauen the skyes should be without beautie or fashiō if it were not garnished with starres and this was performed in the creation of the worlde as Moyses declareth it But see howe the diuell beguyleth men to make them forget the record that God hath gyuen them by his workes and to make them beleeue that the Starres are come from this place and from that Yea and men haue intermingled them with villanies and filthinesse ther was nothing else with them but the whoredomes of their Idolls when they spake of the Starres of heauen And lyke as the Pope canonizeth saincts whome he listeth So the Idolaters canonized the Lemans of their Idolls and woulde fayne haue had heauen infected wyth their filthinesse as well as the earth Yee see then how Satan hath sent his illusions into the worlde to abolishe the knowledge of God if it were possible for him and too darken it in suche wise as men might wander after theyr owne follyes and haue no feeling at all of the pure truth as were requisite VVhat is too bee done then Lette vs marke well that Iobs intent heere is to teache vs too bee Astronomers so farre as our capacitie will beare that we may referre all to the glorifying of God so goodly order in the heauen as we see As touching the first point I sayde that God intendeth to make vs Astronomers yea so farre forth as eche mans capacitie wil beare it For to decypher particularly how many Starres there are and therewithall to tell of the other Skylights which men call planets to witte what distance there is in highnesse and lownesse how long and large they be and what respects they haue one to another in good sooth we cannot all comprehend that geere were it not that wee see by experience that the Sunne is hygher than the moone And how is that It is bycause that when the moone commeth full betweene our sight and the Sunne behold there is made an Eclipse whereby I saye we perceyue that the Moone is the lower Then may we well perceyue suche things But yet notwithstanding in the meane while wee knowe not the space nor the reason howe it commeth too passe that the Moone passeth so betweene the Sunne and vs Therefore euery man cannot knowe this Howbeit wee haue some kynd of conceyuings of it which ought to be ynough too humble vs that we may consider the workes of god And in the meane while our Lord would that the grosser sort I meene those that haue not the meane to follow learning should haue sufficient occasion and be wise ynough to glorifie him in that it is sayd by Moyses that there are two greate lyghts the one to rule the day and the other to rule the nyght Not that the Moone is bigger than the other Starres or Planets for it is certayne that there are Starres in the skye which are bigger than the Moone And why cannot wee see them so great Bycause of their farre distance from vs For they are exceeding hygh in respecte of vs insomuch that they seeme not so great as they bee by reason of the greate distaunce that is betweene the skyes and vs And God speaketh vnto vs of these things according to our perceyuing of them and not according as they be VVhy so It is as if he should say True it is that all men atteyne not to so sharp vnderstanding as too know how big the planets are what is the proportion of the Starres and how they bee diuided euery man I say knowes not this but open you your eyes and looke vp and ye shall see the Sunne which is a lanterne of light yea and the greate light that lighteneth the whole world and yee shall see the shyning of the Moone Then if men had no more but this it is ynough to make them glorifie the infinit wisdome of god According also as it is sayde that God hath cut off all excuse to the intent they should not raunge at all aduenture Bycause they bee no greate clerks he sayeth no more but open your eyes withoute hauing any further skill and ye shall be constreyned too honour mee and to woonder at my wisdome and power and at the goodnesse also that I vse towardes you in imploying such creatures to your seruice And al the matter lyes in our referring of these things to their right ende wherein we see the fondnesse of mannes wit. The Philosophers displayed the great Treasures of Gods wisdome as in respect of Astrologie for it is a thing that surmounteth all opinion of man to see how they could spye out that thing that was so hidden True it is that suche as shall reade Astrologie may well comprehend and knowe any thing that is spoken thereof in books But the woonderousnesse is of them that did first write them I speake of the ryght Astrologie and not of the bastard astrologie which the soothsayers and sorcerers vse in telling men their good fortunes and such like things I speake of the learning of that science whereby men knowe the order of the skies and this goodly furniture which men see And certesse a man shall see woonderfull things so as he shall be abashed to heare the Astronomers speake True it is that they imagin things that are not in the skyes but they imagin them not without reason for they doo it to shewe by certaine degrees and measures the things that myght be to hygh and to deepe to comprehend VVell and haue the Philosophers disputed much of thys matter Hathe God giuen them
vs bycause wee haue vnderstanding and reason bycause wee discerne betweene good and euill and bycause men are borne to haue some order and common societie amōg themselues so as euerie man hath a conscience of his own too tell him what is euill and what is good Yee see then howe God hath graunted men a prerogatiue whiche is not onely that hee hath giuen them life but also inlightned their myndes in such wise as they iudge and discerne yea and take holde of eternall life Then if wee consider well what is in men it is certeine that wee shall wonder But there is nothing whereat we shall be more astonied than at the reason which God hath put into vs For ye see that if a man heare of things that he neuer sawe hee conceiueth them in his mynd VVhen men looke aforehand vnto thinges that are to come and compare them wyth things past they commit all of it vnto memorie And againe when anye thing is read or reported to them they also iudge of it Thus see you how God hath indued men with a grace that can not bee valewed sufficiently And therefore let vs learne too consider well what God hath giuen vs and we shall haue cause ynough to glorifie him yea and wee shall not neede to passe out of our selues for it And heere also yee see why Saint Paule in that goodly Sermon which hee made in the Citie of Athens sayth that men neede not to go farre to learne to knowe god For sayth hee it is in him that we haue our being life and mouing And if wee be blinde let vs but fall to groping and grope with our handes as a poore blinde man doth in the darke For although he see nothing at all yet he gropeth about him and thereafter taketh his way Therefore if wee bee blinde sayth Saint Paule yet may wee grope out Gods workes in as much as he hath giuen vs wit and reason so that wee bee vtterly vnexcusable if wee make not this grace auailable where of mention is made heere And in conclusion wee must also marke well howe Iob sayeth heere It is thy visstation ô Lord that hath preserued my Soule Hitherto hee hath spoken of that whiche wee may see in our creation or begetting VVhen any of vs is begotten then doth the myre shewe it self that is to say we be full of infection and filthinesse And therewithall appeereth also the sayde workmanship which God hath put into it both in respecte of body and soule But what for that If God preserued vs not wee should needes perishe euerie minute of an houre as it is sayde in the Psalme Lorde when thou sendest forth thy Spirit all things are renewed and when thou withdrawest it all thinges goe to wrecke and decay God then must bee sayne to mainteine vs too looke vnto vs and to bee alwayes at hande with vs or otherwyse we be vtterly vndoone Beholde heere a poynt that is well worth the weying namely this visitation of Gods in looking to our soules And the soules are spoken of precisely by name VVhy so If he had sayde Lord thy visitation preserueth my body my bodye shall not goe to the graue at the first brunt and why so euen bicause thou mainteinest it by thy power if there had beene no more but that sayd it had bene muche but it is farre more without comparison when Iob speaketh of the Soule And why For it seemeth vnto vs that our soule hath of it self the power to quicken our body and to giue it liuelynesse And this is partly true But it behoueth vs to vnderstand moreouer that our soules are not immortall of their own power nother is the life of them inclosed in themselues as though it had his roote there VVhere is their life thē In god So farre forth then as God putteth any drop or sparke of life into mennes soules so farre forth haue they liuelynesse in them and not otherwise Thus yee see what wee haue to marke vpon this streyne And specially let vs hearken what the holie Ghoste meant to expresse by this worde visitation which is that God mainteineth vs continually and looketh to vs to preserue vs or else we should goe to wrecke The Philosophers can well say that God hathe created and fashyoned vs and that wee haue our beeing of him but therewithall they are of opinion that after God hath set vs in our race euery man guydeth and gouerneth himselfe Lo howe they deface the goodnesse and power of God and vntoo the same loudnesse are all men inclyned So muche the more then standeth it vs in hande to marke well this word visitation which importeth as much to saye as when God hath put vs into this worlde hee letteth vs not alone there as if he should say walke yee euery one as ye can but he abideth with vs continually and hath his hande alwayes stretched out to breathe his power into vs to the intent we should not miscarie Therefore seeing wee can not continue except he haue his eye alwayes vpon vs to visite vs and loke to vs wee muste learne to rule our life in such wyse as if we were euermore in his presence And for as much as the same assureth vs of Gods infinite goodnesse whiche hee sheweth towardes vs let it make vs to walke in the feare of him to magnifie him and to yeelde him his due praise And nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs perceiue them better that wee may be sorie for them and be so greeued as wee alwayes seeke the remedie of them which is his reforming of thē by his holie spirite that like as he hath created vs mortall men so he will make vs members of our Lord Iesus Christ that we may be repayred after his image and that he loke not at that which hee hathe put into vs by nature but at that which hee hath put into vs by his grace whiche surmounteth all specially seeing he hath voutsaued to make vs new creatures to inherite his heauenly kingdome And further let vs beseech him not onely too continue the good that he hath begonne in vs but also to increase the same till it bee come to full perfection and in the meane time beare with our infirmities that although we be guiltie before him yet he will not condemne vs with rigoure but recciue vs as his childrē accordingly as he hath voutsaued to adopte vs in the name and by the meane of oure Lorde Iesus Christ That it may please him c. The .xl. Sermon which is the third vpon the tenth Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the .xiiij. and .xv. verses and then vpon that which falloweth 16 Let it increase come thou as a Lyon and shevve thy selfe maruelous vpon mee 17 Thou renevvest thy plagues againste mee thy vvrath increaseth about mee the svvoorde of chaunge and the multitude are vpon mee YEsterday we sawe how
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
greatly bounde and indetted vnto him as it is impossible for vs to discharge our selues towardes hym Beholde after what sort hys name shall be honored Agayne the yeelding of our selues ouer to him and to his prouidence in our prayers is the very meane to obserue the spirituall Sabboth or rest Besides thys prayer importeth a confession of our fayth Also we not only desire God to vouchsafe to succour vs but also we yeeld him thankes for the benefites that we haue receyued at hys hand And so wee see that vnder our calling vpō our God is cōprehended whatsoeuer perteyneth to his honour But heereby we see that in Poperie the seruice of God hath not onely bene peruerted and marred but also as good as vtterly abolished True it is that men will easily say that they ought to pray vnto God but after what maner Before we come thyther say the Papistes we must runne and trotte from Sainct to Sainct the virgin Marie must be the mother of mercie and the treasurie of saluation euery Sainct muste haue his office thither must men haue their recourse there must they repose their trust God muste haue but a little sprinkling in somuch as he shall hardly be knowne in so great a number And wee must not in any wise begin at him for they beare themselues in hand that if they go not first to the Heesaincts and Sheesaincts God shaketh thē off Of Iesus Christ there is no speaking nor of seeking vnto him as too the mediator that hee shoulde make our way too God his father of all thys geere they haue no skill what it meeneth Seeing then that the principall poynt which perteineth to Gods honor is not obserued there let vs assure our selues that it is euē so with all the rest that are inferiour And therefore let vs thanke our good God for drawing vs out of these horrible dungeons and for shewing vs that it is he to whome we must hold our selues whom we must call vpō as our father that we take heede to keepe the way wherby he sheweth vs to come vnto him namely by assuring our selues that hys seate is not terrible vnto vs to make vs shunne it but rather amiable for vs to come vnto in asmuch as our lord Iesus Christ reacheth vs his hand and that his office is to make intercession for vs and that God also hath opened vs the gate desiring nothing of vs from day to day but that we should come vnto him Lette vs I say acknowledge that the same is an inestimable benefite vnto vs therwithall let vs haue pitie vpon these blynde wretches whyche go astray after that manner in somuch that if it come to the poynt of calling vpon God they wote not at which end to begin And verely hereby it appereth that their state is most miserable For wherein lieth al the welfare of men wherein is al their happinesse but in that as I haue sayde they haue theyr recourse vnto God according as it is sayd that whosoeuer calleth vpō the name of the Lord shal be safe But the cace standeth so with the wretched Papistes as they wote not what the calling vpō God is Therefore it must be concluded that they muste needes be bereft of al hope of saluation and banished out of Gods kingdome seing they know not what it is to call vpon god And it appeereth for they come not to it but with doubting trembling and therewithall they haue a thousand windlasses before they come at God bycause they haue not Iesus Christ to their guide and foreleader So then let vs marke wel this streyne wherein mention is made of stretching out our handes vnto god VVhy so For in asmuch as we cannot stye vp into heauē by reason of our infirmities it behoueth vs to haue some signe that may serue to make outward protestatiō of the inwarde secrete doing Ye see our hartes cannot be seene ▪ of me But if we pray vnfainedly our hart lifteth it selfe vp aloft that is as much as if we came before God to lay foorth all that euer we haue within vs This doing I say is inuisible Neuerthelesse by holding vp our hands vnto God we declare that it is he to whom we haue all our refuge Thus we see why Prayer is betokened by the signe of it in the holy scripture not that the same signe is the whole or the principall poynt of prayer For the Hypocrites can skil wel ynough to stretch out both their hands their armes too and it seemeth that all that euer is in thē were burning fire yet for al that there is nothing but falshod in them and they do but mocke with god Therefore it behoueth that this signe be true the scripture also presupposeth it to be so And here ye see also why it is sayde that our Heart must be disposed If Zophar had sayde no more but stretch out thy handes vnto God men myght haue alledged that God is contented when they come to him but with Ceremonies But when as he sayth that afore all things our heart must be sound so as there be no wrything nor crokeduesse in it it is as much to say as the same must be layd as a foūdacion whervpon to build And hereby we see that the lifting vp of our hands vnto heauē is nothing vnles our hart go before it so as the hāds may be a true recorde of that which is in the man and of that which God himselfe knoweth to be there For as concerning the residue of our life peraduenture men will regard vs and we may haue some regard of thē But verely that must not be for desire of any prayse for if we desire to be allowed of creatures we receiue our wages as sayth our Lord Iesus Christ Yet notwithstanding let men see vs in all the rest of our life but when we pray vnto God euery man must retire shrinke into himselfe that he may acknowledge behold I am before God behold I am at the throne of his maiestie and so of all the doings of our life prayer must he remoued furthest off from hypocrisie vntruth But in the mean while this is very ill put in vre For let a man marke howe the hypocrites in the Papacie play mockeholiday with God there shal be store of liplabour and that is the thing wherein they bewraye themselues most Though there be hypocrisie in all their other things yet is there most of al in the praiers of the Papists And on our side would God there were the like consideratiō as I haue spokē of that is to say that euery of vs retired into himself when he cōmeth to praying vnto God that we were as it were locked vp in that behalf so as we had no respect at all of the world Thē should there be another maner of perfectnesse in our prayers than there is those that haue no feare of god durst not be so bold as to call vpon
him for all your pretence of desirousnesse too iustifie him Hee will shewe that hee abhorreth such dealings and that he will be mainteyned by his owne rightuousnesse withoute borrowing of anye meanes to be acquitted at mens hands and without borrowing of theyr leazings and of the excuses that they shall haue forged VVhereas Iob sayeth hee will talke with God and dispute against him verely there is some excuse in that saying but lette vs also marke the good that is in it that wee maye discerne it from the euill Beholde the good that is in this saying of Iobs is that he wyll turne awaye from men And why For they with whome he had too doo perceyued not the spirituall battell that he had in himselfe and that he could haue found in his harte too haue indured a hundred times more so be it that God had sweetened his stripes with such comfort as hee might haue knowen that God is fauourable to me and he will neuer faile me Had Iob bene throughly perswaded of that and that God had hylde him by his mighty hande no doubt but hee had bene ready to haue iudured a hundred tymes more How be it forasmuche as he perceyued perceyued nothing in God but rigour so as it seemed to him that God was vtterly agaynst him and persecuted him with extremitie he woteth not where he is behold he is out of his wittes But suche spirituall battels are not easie to bee knowen of men And therefore Iob sayeth that bee will talke with God that is too saye that hee will shrinke into himselfe and that being so gathered close in secrete hee will holde himselfe there For men take these words at randon and wrest them as they list themselues but God knoweth well ynough too what ende his speaking tendeth Marke this for a speciall poynte And further let vs also marke that when the cace standeth vpon the framing of our selues vnto pacience if we indure any aduersitie we must comfort our selues in God and if wee bee tryed so as the Diuell tempteth and thrusteth vs forewarde to despayre there is nothing so good as to gather oure wittes home And why so For so long as wee gaze at men wee shall nothing auayle but whiche more is wee shall do our selues harme If I bee troubled that I can no more well if I cōforte my selfe with fayre shewes onely and make greate protestations before men God will laugh my fondnesse to scorne in so much that when I come to my selfe agayne and am alone my conscience will pinche mee and then shall I feele how all that euer I pretended was but smoke And why Bicause I haue had more regarde of men than of god So then when a man intendeth to frame himselfe vnto pacience it is good for him to withdraw into himselfe as if he were separated frō the whole worlde and to referre himselfe wholly vnto God and suffer himselfe too bee gouerned by him And truly seing we are in such necessities we haue good cause to call vpon God but how shall we call vpon him if we bee not as it were cut off from men For so long as I am fastened to this or that so long am I turned asyde from god VVee see then that we must cut off all those cordes that hold vs backe and present our selues before the maiestie of God as the only partie whome wee haue regard of True it is that we muste regarde our neyghbours also bothe too edifie them and to receyue comfort at their handes But in the meane whyle wee muste beginne at this poynt that is to wit at the laying open of our harts before God that we disburden all our matters sorowes and cares vnto him Yee see then howe our talking with God muste bee to the ende that men drawe vs not hither and thither but that like as God seeth vs so wee haue our eyes settled and fastened vpon him alone and all that is hidden in our hartes maye bee clenzed and voyded away when wee bee come to that poynte and are appeered be fore him Thus yee see the good that wee haue to gather out of these woordes of Iob and howe they bee profitable for oure instruction But there is also euill in them which is that hee will enter into disputation with god True it is that sometimes God giueth vs leaue too reason with him yea but oure disputings muste not bee long and besides that the conclusion of them muste alwayes bee to glorifie him As howe VVee see that the Prophets finde fault with the calamities and desolations which they sawe for they say Lorde howe can it bee that thou shouldest destroye thy people wilt thou suffer things to be confounded after this sorte wilt thou neuer set them in order Thus yee see one kinde of disputing or reasoning with god Yea but the Prophets holy men rested not in that poynte For when they had bewrayed their infirmities after that maner they alwayes concluded do thou therwith and dispose thou thereof according to thy wonderfull wisedome it is not for vs to replie against thee and therefore wee will paciently wayte what shall become of thy worke True it is that wee bee sore amazed as nowe when wee see things go to suche confusion Yet notwithstanding Lorde thou wilt prouide well ynough for all and in suche wise as thy name maye bee praysed vntill suche time as all bee set in order agayne we will as it were shrinke down our heads to the groūd according as it is sayde I will lay my mouth to the duste and the Sainctes muste bee humbled in that wise leremie was in horrible extremitie when hee saide so for he saw the vtter desolation of Gods Churche in so muche that his couenant seemed to bee abolished his whole seruice turned vpside downe and the hope of the whole worlde buryed And therefore after that Ieremie had made his moane hee sayeth hee will lay his mouth to the grounde and rather eate duste and dung than lifte vp his beake to lette his tung at large agaynst god Yee see then howe it is lawfull for vs sometime to reason with God howbeit so as it bee very mildly and that the winding vp of it bee as I haue sayde that is to witte too glorifie God referring oure selues wholly vnto him Lo in effect what wee haue too marke But lette vs come backe agayne too Iobs persone He intendeth to dispute against God and after what maner It is after suche a sorte that althoughe he knowe there is a double rightuousnesse in God that is to witte the same which is manifested to vs in his law and the other which he keepeth hidden yet hee coulde not conceyue the cause why God tormented him after that sorte but it seemed to him that God ought too haue borne with him Therefore in this disputing Iob vexeth himselfe and this passion of his is farre out of square and the disputation is ioyned with it and dependeth vppon it Ye see then that Iob
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
ende hee may bee inclined to pitie vs And the holy scripture is full of suche texts where the faithfull say Alas Lorde what is man Behold Dauid sayth Seeing that my life is but a breath that passeth away without returning Lorde wilte not thou haue pitie vpon vs to succoure vs seeing thou perceyuest vs to be so fraile And that God heareth suche requests it appeereth by other texts as by this he remembered that they were but flesh a breath that passeth and returneth not agayne Yee see then ho 〈…〉 God witnesseth that when hee shewed mercie to the children of Israell and dealt not with them according to theyr deserts it was bycause he sawe they were but flesh and that there was nothing but corruption in them and therefore hee bare with them Seeing then that Gods will is such as to spare vs in consideration of the wretchednesse that is in vs it is certayne that we may and ought to alledge that poynt vnto hym when we intend to obteyne mercie at his hand Therefore let vs marke well that the words which Iob vseth are lawfull for vs and that the same is a good forme of praying vnto God so be it that we go to him with humilitie and say Lord consider what I am for I am as a leafe yea euen as a leafe that is already withered and yet goest thou about to wipe me out and to ouerwhelme me vtterly and who am I I am as stubble that is already dry or as grasse that is already cut downe there is no more life nor substance in me alas my God if thou persecute me moreouer what shall become of me If wee speake after this maner God will accept suche complaints Not when we come to him with suche pride as if he were bound vnto vs but when wee lay oure miseries before him to the end he should succoure vs and remedie them such maner of prayers are heard at his hande And therewithall let vs beware of questioning as Iob doeth VVhy esteemest thou me as thine enimie Iob alledgeth it as an vnseemely thing for god to do as if he had said See Lorde thou art almightie and what am I lesse than nothing And yet commest thou to holde plea againste me whereas I am but a wretched rotten tree and there is nother life nor sap more in me VVilt thou then trie thy strength against me as he sayeth heeretofore so repeteth he his wordes And that is the cause why I sayde that wee must keepe our selues from being so caried away by oure affections For although God be almightie and wee as frayle as may be yet notwithstanding it is not for nought that he entereth into battell against vs If wee thinke that straunge we must shut our eyes that is to say we must not be so ouerwise in our owne vnderstanding as to saye I would fayne knowe the reason why God handleth mee after this sort Let vs keepe our selues from suche presumptuousnesse Yea marie but what is meant by this that God who hath all things in his hande and with his onely looke maketh the mountaynes to melt as waxe agaynste the fire or as snow against the sunne who with his only word cā destroy the whole world doth neuerthelesse aduaunce himselfe to fight hand to hand with me I say wyth me that am a wretched creature VVhat meeneth that VVell may we argue on that sort but God will make the conclusion to confound vs Then let vs not be ouerwise as I sayd but let vs take Gods scourging of vs for good how great or how strong so euer he be and how dreadfull so euer his maiestie bee towards vs let vs not ceasse too yeeld him the glory assuring ourselues that hee is righteouse and that hee doth all-things according too reason though hee bend himselfe againste vs and make countenance as though hee would ouerwhelme vs But in very deede there is good cause why God should shew himselfe our enimie yea euen though we be vnable to withstande him that he despise vs For inasmuch as we be so proude as wee will not stoupe vnder him and will always seeme rightuouse he must needes shew vs our lesson yea and he must shew vs it by force for by our good will we will not yeeld our selues giltie and therefore God compelleth vs by scourging vs according to our deserts And is not thys a iust cause why God should shewe himselfe our enimie Againe put the cace that God mind not to scourge vs for our sinnes yet if he shew himselfe to bee our enimie and be against vs it is to the end wee should fight againste the temptation of desirousnesse to know why we be so condemned which is a very great and combersome temptation Gods meening therefore is to see whither wee wyll abide firme and stedfast in his seruice notwithstanding that he seeme to be our enimie And seeing that his drift is such why should we not beare it paciently Ye see then how we ought to be restreyned from pleading notwithstanding that God shewe himselfe our enimie and that there be no power nor abilitie in vs to resist him For hee hath iust reason to do so though we bee not priuie too it and againe he sheweth vs it partly wherefore wee oughte to bee contented with the smallest tast that hee giueth vs Heerewithall we must take warning by these two similitudes what we be namely to the end wee may learne too walke warely and also know how great neede we haue to be hild vp and mainteyned by Gods hand and to be strēgthened by his goodnesse VVhat is a man when God leaueth him in his naturall state No doubt but hee thynkes himselfe a iolly fellow For we see how men are sotted in ouerweening and beare themselues in hand that by theyr owne wisdome strength and all that they haue besides they be able to moue mountaynes and woorke wonders But what sayeth the scripture of them Beholde a broken leafe behold a withered herb behold drye stubble That is to say we be without freshnesse without substantialnesse and worsse than nothing and whatsoeuer glory we weene we haue it is but a blast Seeing then that God setteth such mirrours afore vs let vs looke vppon oure owne feeblenesse and learne to humble our selues and to rid and strip ourselues naked from all ouerweening For what do men whē they challenge any thing to themselues but deceiue themselues as it were wittingly and willingly Lo howe God commeth foorth and telleth vs he will not haue vs so beguiled with fond and foolish opinions And therfore he telleth vs we be no better than grasse cut downe which withereth out of hand so as we be without lyfe and destitute of all strength and grace Thus much concerning this poynt Now Iob addeth That God holdeth him locked vp as in a payre of stockes and therewithall he sayeth also that God wryteth bitternesse against hym and maketh hym to possesse all the sinnes of his youth thou lockest mee in
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
bundell and thou hast added to mine iniquitie 18 A Mountayne perisheth infalling dovvne and a Rocke vvasteth 19 The vvaters consume stones thou destroyest the earth vvith floudes of vvaters thou takest avvay hope from the man that is in miserie 20 Thou vtterest thy force to ouercome him thou couerest his face and sendest him avvay 21 He knovveth not vvhither his sonnes be exalted or vvhither they be oppressed and distressed 22 But his flesh mourneth so long as it is vpon him and his soule is in sorrovv WEe sawe yesterday in what wise wee may answere God that is to say in what wyse wee maye come freely vntoo him namely by knowing that hee loueth vs and that hee accepteth vs as the woorke of his hande For so long as wee knowe not whither God misliketh vs or no we must needes be afrayd and shun his presence as much as is possible and so ye see in what cace the wretched creatures are which haue no tast of gods goodnesse to trust in him that they might comfort themselues Therefore let vs marke well that it behoueth vs to be persuaded of Gods loue towardes vs that thereby we may conceyue such trust as we may present our selues vnto him and be well assured that our soueraigne welfare is to answere him that is too say not to hyde our selues from his sight but too bee alwayes willing to be guided by his hand so as we desire nothing but to be vnder his hande and at his direction But by the way we haue to consider these wordes the woorke of thine handes For the thing wherein wee may settle oure trust that we be acceptable to God is that hee hath created vs and that we be his Then must wee not pretende to bee loued at Gods hande for any desertes of our owne but bycause hee sees wee are his workemanship True it is that wee are his woorkemanship alreadie in that wee bee men But there is yet more that is to wit he hath fashioned vs new again after his owne Image through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVhen the holy Ghost teacheth vs how we should pray vnto God he setteth these wordes afore vs Lorde we are thy workemanship After this maner it is said in Esay likewise in the fourescoure and fiftenth Psalme VVe are thy flocke we are the work of thy handes and in other textes Lorde thou wilt not despise the woorke of thine handes thou wilt not forsake that which thou hast begunne without finishing of it Yee see then whereof we ought to take occasion too trust in god For if we be agreeable vntoo him and come vntoo him we be sure that he is readie to receyue vs And why Euen bicause we be his creatures and he hath formed vs and he will not cast away the thing that commeth of himselfe Marke this for one poynt Howbeeit as I sayde wee must not looke onely too our first creation for the hope that we shall haue thereby will be verie slender bicause Gods Image is as it were blotted oute in vs by Adams sinne Forasmuch as God of his owne infinite mercie hath renued vs and adopted vs too bee his children in our Lorde Iesus Christ and imprinted his Image agayne in vs therein wee bee his woorekmanshippe and maye come with our heades vpright too call vpon him and assure our selues that hee will not shake vs off but that wee shall bee welcome too him Therefore let vs marke well this streyne according too the profitablenesse thereof which is that men are in a wretched cace when they know not whether God doo loue them or no. And why For they muste needes bee afrayde and the same fearefulnesse must needes cause and ingender a rebelliousnesse in them so as they shun God and eschue his hand as much as they can and striue agaynst him Ye see then that men are as wilde beastes and cannot submit themselues vntoo God vntill such time as they know that he loueth them But on the contrarie side when wee knowe that God fauoreth vs then are wee bold to approch vnto him yea euen to answere him that is to say to yeeld ourselues simply to his will and to take in good worth whatsoeuer hee doth or dispozeth of vs yea and although hee scourge vs torment vs and put vs too distresse yet must wee still flee vnto him as to him that hath a care of our saluation and will bring vs therevnto And how shall that be done Not for our desertes but bicause God is woont too poure out his grace vpon vs and bicause we be beholden to him for all the good things that we haue Thus ye see that if wee acknowledge our selues alreadie bounde exceedingly vnto God and yet notwithstanding that he will still increase his grace in vs vntill he haue brought vs to full perfection we may be out of doubt that he wil performe al that he hath begon in vs Lo here in effect what we haue too beare in minde concerning this streyne Therevpon Iob entereth againe intoo his complaintes And no maruell though he do so For although Gods children do comfort themselues in the middes of their sorowes and set before their eies the things that may giue them good hope yet for all that they cannot but be tossed with some troubles and when they haue indured one battell they must bee faine to enter into a second and a third See in what minde Iob was He tooke the sentence that we haue seene to resolue himselfe that he might come freely vnto god And the reason is bicause God accepteth the worke of his owne handes But now beholde he is assayled new againe How Thou numbrest my steppes sayth he and delayest not my sinne The text is Thou keepest not my sinne But this worde keepe signifieth to watch or wayte vpon In effect Iobs meening is â–ª that Gods iudgement presseth him too excessiuely Howbeit he speaketh as a man not wel at ease in his mind For it is certaine that God is alwayes slow to wrath as he himselfe telleth vs and wee our selues see VVhich of vs perceyueth not that God vseth great and long sufferance towards vs when we haue offended him For if hee were hastie to punish vs what should become of vs So then we see that God doth well ynough keepe our sinnes that is to say put them vp and not punishe them so rigorously as we haue deserued VVherefore then is it that Iob complayneth so It is bicause he felt himselfe shet vp in suche anguish as he was able to indure no more He looketh not rightly vnto Gods doing neither is he able to iudge aright in such trouble but hee complayneth according too hys greefe Hereby we see that when we bee so heddie in our affections we cannot iudge of Gods works with a setled minde Therefore it is no maruell though at moste tymes we glorifie not God as were requisite and as we ought to doo And why For our passions doo so carrie vs away that
with great power to ouercome silie creatures that are lesse thaÌ„ nothing Therfore if he vse great violence as though hee woulde thunder vpon the Mountaynes or as though hee ment to ouerturne the rocks and too cliue them asunder and too scatter the stones there is no reason in so dooing Thus ye see what Iob ment to say But we must always remember that Iob speaketh not as a man in his right wits nor as a man that considereth things as he ought to doo that he might mind them with reason but flingeth himself out of his bounds agaynst god And why For he sheweth after what maner hee had bin tossed and shaken not that he resisted not the temptations as I haue sayd afore but bicause he felt so vehemeÌ„t temptations in himself by reason of his vexation and torments howbeeit that he withstood them by the grace of god By this we perceiue that if God plague vs it cannot be but we shall be troubled if we looke vpon others and the same is an augmenting of our owne miserie So much the more then must we bridle our affections therwithal resort vnto God that it may please him to restreyne our lustes and not suffer vs at any time to ouershoote our selues and moreouer that when he intendeth to humble vs and therevpon giueth vs the bridle in such wise as we cannot refraine from chafing against him when he afflicteth vs it may please him too graunt vs the grace to resist and fight still not suffer vs to aâ—ide in those murmurings to chafe still vpon the bit but that we may so maister our selues by the apparaÌ„t working of his holy spirit as we may subdue our flesh hold our selues in true subiection and as he may dispose of vs and we glorifie him in all his doings Thus ye see what we haue to beare away in the first place of this sentence As for the rest when he sayeth that man is miserable and hath such store of miseries as cannot well be expressed he meeneth to conclude thereby that God ought not to pursue men so sore But by the way let vs looke a little vpon the hardnesse that is in vs when God afflicteth vs Though we be beaten neuer so much is it seene that we be euer a whit the softer or that we bowe our neckes the more or that he winneth vs to become teachable obedient Alas no. But we see that God may make the same complaynt in these dayes which he made in the prophet Esays time what shall I do more sayth he For from the soale of the foote to the crowne of the heade there is no whole part in this people God is wearie bicause he had chastized that people so muche and assayde too bring them too amendment VVell then yee see heere a people that was beaten and double beaten and forwoâ—e wyth plagues warres and famine both generally and particularly Finally they are become like wretched lepres that rotte in their owne afflictions and yet for all that they are styll as stubburne or more stubburne than euer they were afore Yee see then that our Lorde dealeth in this behalfe as a father that seeth no amendmente in hys Children and is greeued at the hart that notwithstandyng al the correction which he vseth yet his children are altogither stubborne and vnreformable and therefore hee maketh his moane saying Alas what a thing is this I haue lost my labour Euen so doth God complayne of his people And see we not as much in our selues at this day So then let vs marke that although we be miserable and haue many defaults in vs yet ceasse wee not therefore to be still hard harted and stubborne Yea and in respect of the blind pride and feerce presumptuousnesse that is in vs and as in respect of our rebellion and wilfull stubbornnesse in all these things we exceede both the Mountaines the Rockes notwithstaÌ„ding that we be but a little shadow or a smoke And therefore let vs not thinke it straÌ„ge if God vtter such force for the correcting of vs And why For he respecteth not the infirmitie that is in vs but the wilfull hardhartednesse wherethrough wee would withstand him Are the Mountaynes very high Let vs looke a little vpon the hart of man Ther is such a trayterousnesse in vs that we could find in our harts to mount aboue the Cloudes yea and too atteyne too Gods throne to plucke him out of it And although wee bee but wretched carions yet notwithstanding there is suche a malapertnesse in vs as wee would controll God in all his works and cannot finde in our hartes too submit our selues vntoo him and to say well Lorde hold thou the soueraigntie ouer all thy creatures and let none grudge against thee but we will put God to his stint at euery turne and then if we do not all things after our fashion and to our liking we fall to checking of hym Agayne if hee giue vs not leaue to do what we list but holde vs short then â—o say we must we be in so strayte a bondage It seemeth that God is mynded of set purpose to trouble men heere without hauing regard of our state but sith he appoynteth vs to liue heere bilow why suffreth he vs not to haue at leastwise that which our nature desireth or else why gaue he vs not another inclination See the diuelish pryde that is in men Moreouer there is in vs a malicious wilfulnesse so as if God labour to bring vs backe to him is hee able to compasse it Are we teachable On which side so euer he turne vs it booteth not For wee haue alwayes the sayde ouerstatelinesse and pride of hart And although we haue played the hypocrites for a little whyle lette a man but turne his hand and he shall finde that there was poyson hidden vnderneath so as we returne to doing as we did afore VVe see then that this hardhartednesse hath neede too bee corrected after a straunge fashion And thys is it which our Lorde speaketh of in Ieremie For he complayneth of the people that they were vnreformable howbeeit it is vnder another similitude than the Prophete Esay dooth it as I haue alledged afore and the comparison that God maketh there is very fitte for the matter which we be now in hande with God sayeth that the people are like a Cake that is baked on the one side and vnbaked on the other As for example let vs put the cace that a man make a hote fire and the harth is all burning and sparckling well then one takes a Cake and layes it vpon it the Cake baketh not but scorcheth on the one side and is soft paste still on the other Euen so is it with vs on the one part there is nothing but frailtie according as it is seene that men can say well ynough Alas what are men they are nothing but wretchednesse and miserie VVe speake very truely in so saying Howbeit when God visiteth vs
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
vanitie wee shall alwayes bee in a mammering there needeth but one little ▪ blast of wind and behold our faith is quite blowne downe Then let vs beare in mind that antiquitie muste not beare suche sway with vs but that yong folke may vtterly refuse to be ruled by such as are their elders specially if they go about to turne them from that whyche they haue learned concerning the only one God and his truth Lo what wee haue to marke And heere withall as for those that haue liued long time in this world let them not glory in their age nor say that they ought to take other folkes in a trip but rather knowe that they are so muche ▪ the more bound vnto God for giuing them the meanes and occasiōs to be settled and stayed ▪ and furthermore let them father all their wisedome vpon God so as all pride be cast downe that they imagine not themselues to haue gotten any knowledge eyther by length of tyme or by finenesse of witte or by their owne forecast or by their great experience or by any thing els How then ▪ Bycause it hath pleased God to poure out his spirit vpon vs that we might know how greatly wee be beholden vntoo him And let the yong men also on their side knowe that if God haue giuen them any gift of grace it is bycause he will not leaue them destitute of his spirite no more than the old folke and such as haue liued a long time but intēdeth to shew that in making vs all partakers of the selfe-same grace of his spirite he will also make vs all heyres of his heauenly kingdome to come to his euerlasting glory which he hath now reuealed vnto vs already in part Now let vs kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying hym to make vs so to feele them as we may flee to him alone as to the partie that is able to remedie all our harmes and seeke him in such wise as wee may bee hilde prisoners vnder his obedience and not desire any thing but to sticke purely and simply to his word renouncing what soeuer is of our owne nature bycause there is nothing but corruption and frowardnesse in it and also praying him too renew vs in such wise by his holy spirite that by being likeshapen to his image we may haue so much the better certentie and proofe that he taketh vs for his children and we also may yeelde him thanks agayne as too our father That it may please him to graunt this grace not only too vs but also to all people c. The .lviij. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xv. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the .viij. ix and x. verses and then vpon that which followeth 11 Seeme Gods comfortes a small thing vnto thee and is this straunge vntoo thee 12 VVhy is thy hart rauished and vvhy do thyne eyes make signe 13 That thou bucklest thy selfe against God and vtterest the vvordes of thy mouth before hym 14 VVhat is man that hee should bee cleane or he that is borne of vvoman that he shoulde be rightuouse 15 Behold he findeth no stedfastnesse in his Saincts nother are the heauens cleane in his sight 16 And hovv much more is man abhominable and filthie vvho drinketh iniquitie as vvater WE sawe yesterday the reproche that was offered vnto Iob in respect of his age and therevpon I saide it was good reason that yong folke should be ruled by the counsell of their elders and giue eare to suche as haue had more experience by reason of lōg vse and also that forasmuch as God hath giuen old men the grace to liue long they ought to consider that they are bound to teach others and to shew them the way and yet for all that that both yong and old ought too knowe that there is no true wisdome but of God who giueth it from aboue and that God dealeth foorth the same in such wise as he thinketh good and men must not imagine that he is bounde vnto them for he hath promised to poure out his spirit vpon greate and small as he listeth to the end it may be knowen too bee a free gift and that the praise of it ought to be giuen to him alone Now heere agayne Eliphas vpbraydeth Iob that he hath not heard Gods secretes This poynteth at all men in generall For it behoueth vs too vnderstande the rudenesse and weakenesse of our owne witte and the true meane to do it is to reuerence Gods secrets knowing that they are incomprehensible and too high for vs to attaine vnto For as long as men presume vpon their owne wit and thinke to atteyne too the heighth of Gods secrets it is certayne that they cannot be humbled nor brought to anye modestie Ye see then that the poynt whereto we must come is that we must reuerence and honour Gods secrets seeing we haue not the capacitie to cōprehend them in so much that we haue no more to do but to acknowledge our own infirmitie and to crie out euery one with Dauid Lorde how high are thy determinations how ought we to reuerence them Yee see then in effect what Eliphas ment in saying vnto Iob that he had not heard the secrets of God. And this doctrine is as often repeted and as common in the holy scripture as any can be bycause it is hard to abate the pride which is naturally rooted in all men For not onely euery one of vs will take vpon him to bee wiser than hys fellowe but also we cannot finde in our harts to acknowledge oure owne slendernesse to humble our selues euen when we come before god Therefore we haue neede to be brought low and to be warned as the Scripture doth it that we must not go about to comprehend the purpose of god For that is too high and to profound a thing for vs VVhat remayneth then To honour it acknowledging our owne rawnesse and weakenesse as I sayd afore But by the way wee muste come to that whiche Sainct Paule sayeth in the first to the Corinthians that is to wit that our Sauiour hath giuen vs of his owne spirit whereby we know and comprehend that which is aboue all our capacitie Then although we be not of counsell with God yet hath he shewed vs the fauour and honour to disclose vnto vs that which is vnknowne and hidden from vs How is that There is none that knoweth what is in man but the spirit whiche dwelleth in him sayeth S. Paule and the spirit that dwelleth in God is giuen vnto vs Thus ye see how we be made partakers of the things that are vtterly separated from vs and wherevnto wee cannot by anye meanes approch Marke heere a singular grace whych we ought to make great account of namely that our Lorde hath inlightened vs euen vs that were wretched blynde soules And although we comprehend not the things that are heere bylow yet are wee lifted vp aboue the
and lette them playe the drunken sottes and yet shall not GOD leaue hys looking downe from Heauen And what shall he fynde here stinch and lothlinesse VVe be lothsome to God and yet in the meane while we thinke ourselues to haue maruellous stuffe in vs But what gayne we by it So then as oft as we be tempted to pride and statelinesse to thinke wee haue any apparance of vertue in vs let it come to oure mynde to summon our selues before God and let vs bethinke vs of this dreadfull saying that when God hath looked downe and when hee hath examined men throughly there is not one not euen one hut hee is infected and stinking before him and lothely in his sight Thus then ye see how this sentence is to be vnderstood And whereas it is sayde that wee drinke iniquitie as it were water it serueth yet better to expresse that all our whole life is giuen to euill and that as fish feedeth vpon the water so men doe nothing else but feede vpon sinne Verely wee ought not to blame God for the euill that is in vs for Adam was not created in the corruption which is spoken of here but he purchaced it of himself for God found all the things to be good which he had made Man therefore who is the excellentest of all creatures was not marred after that fashion till he had withdrawne him selfe from god But when he had once separated himself from the fountaine of rightuousnesse what could remain vnto him but naughtinesse and corruption Thus we see from whence all our naughtinesse proceedeth and that we ought not to blame God for the vices wherevnto we be subiect and vnder which we be hild prisoners according to the Scripture which sayth that wee be sold vnder sinne and become the bondslaues of Satan VVe must not blame God for this but wee must learne to knowe that it is the heritage which we haue from our father Adam and therefore we must take the whole blame to ourselues before god Lo in what wise we must vnderstand this corruption and bondage of sinne that is spoken of here not to make it serue for an excuse to say alas what can we do withall as wee see those doe which blaspheme God for say they seeing that men are so giuen to euill what can they do with it They haue not the power to withstande the temptations and ought they not then to be acquit And if God condemne them therevpon is hee not too cruell Yee shall see men blaspheme after that sort And therefore let vs keepe oure mouthes shut assuring oure selues that all the euill resteth in our selues and that wee be vtterly soked in wickednesse and that if wee will bee iustifyed before God it be houeth vs to yeeld ourselues giltie of our owne accorde Otherwise that which is sayd in the one and fyfteth Psalme muste euermore bee accomplyshed namely that God shall alwayes bee founde ryghtuous in iudging Thoughe wee fall too checking against him yet shall he continue alwayes rightuous yea euen to our confusion Are we then desirous to be iustified before God There is but one onely meane to doe it which is to come and confesse that there is nothing but horrible confusion in vs and that we haue not so much as one drop of goodnesse And therefore let vs desire God to receiue vs to his mercie and to make vs rightuous for our Lord Iesus Christes sake That is to say to wash away all our filthynesse with the bloude of his Sonne and to impute his rightuousnesse vnto vs as of a truth when wee be clothed with his garmentes wee shall be acceptable to our good God bycause we shall haue a perfect and more than angelicall rightuousnesse in vs. Now let vs fall down in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of oure saultes praying him too reach vs his hande that wee may not continue in trouble and shame and that although we haue to walke through many temptations yet wee may not bee destitute of hys ayde and succor but that by his comforting and strengthening of vs wee maye so get the victorie in all incounters as we may haue cause to yeld him thankes and that according to his working in vs wee may be stablished for the time too come euen till wee haue obteyned the full victorie and are come to the glorie of Heauen where we shall triumphe with our Lord Iesus Christ That it may please him to graunt this grace c. The .lix. Sermon which is the third vpon the fiftenth Chapter 17 I vvill tell thee heare me I haue seene and I vvill declare vnto thee 18 VVhat vvise men haue told as they receiued it from their fathers and haue not concealed it 19 To vvhom alone the land vvas giuen and the stranger passed not through them 20 The vvicked is alvvayes as it vvere in a trauell of childe and the number of yeres is hid from the outrageous 21 The noise of feare is in his eares vvhen he is in peace behold the destroyer shal come vpon him 22 He beleeueth not to get out of darknesse he shall see the svvorde YEsterday we sawe in what plight man is when hee is out of Gods fauour that is to wit that ther is nothing but confusion and filthinesse in him so farre is hee off from beeing able too haue anye rightuousnesse that maye stande before god Nowe in the meane while we haue to consider Gods great goodnesse towardes vs in clothing vs with a rightuousnesse that surmounteth the ryghtuousnesse of Aungels VVee bee as wretched and miserable sinners as can be and yet notwithstanding God maketh vs ryghtuouse after a more excellent and precious maner than the very Angels are as in respect of their nature onely for otherwise they be partakers of the glory of Iesus Christ bycause he is the common head of all For Christes rightuousnesse is giuen vnto vs which farre excelleth the rightuousnesse of the Angels And heerein wee haue cause to magnifie the goodnesse of our god But in the meane season let vs come to the matter that Eliphas pursueth heere He treateth of a thing that it is true in it selfe if it were rightly applyed that is to witte that the wicked neuer haue any rest but are in suche vnquiethesse as they neede none other hangman to torment them than themselues But heerevpon he concludeth amisse that Iob is a wicked man For although hee were astonished at his greefes yet notwithstanding as hath bene sayde already hee ceassed not to trust still in god The doctrine therefore as I said is good and holy but the same must bee applyed accordingly And for this cause I tolde you that in reading the holy scripture wee must alwayes pray God to giue vs the skill and discretion to perceiue to what end he tendeth and what his drift is that wee may fare the better by that which shall bee shewed vs for wee shall goe continually backward if God driue vs not forward
end to all oure afflictions must not we needes be toto vnkynd if we refuze suche a benefite and priuiledge So then there is no way for vs but to humble and present our selues at the iudgement seate of God that wee may be vphild by his grace Now Iob addeth Bycause thou hast couered their hart that they can haue no vnderstandyng thou wilt not exalte them Heere Iob strengtheneth himselfe against those that vexed him vnder the colour of comforting him But we haue to remember what hath bene sayd namely that Iob bewrayeth all his affections and so it is no woonder though he continue not all in one tale but shift eft into one matter and eft into another and so shewe himselfe variable And wherfore is that Bycause he speaketh as in his combate VVe knowe that when a man is fighting of a combate he keepeth not alwayes one countenance but is fayne to trauerse his ground to fet a compasse about to shift handes to retire and to auaunce forewarde after as his enimie preaceth vppon him or as he himselfe espyeth his owne aduauntage Euen so is it with vs when wee fall to resisting of our temptations Sometimes we stoupe to saue our selues and sometymes wee giue backe too auoyd a blowe After as God giueth vs respit so take wee hart agayne and are releeued when it was lykely we shuld haue bene ouerthrowen The thing therefore that we see here in Iob is that now he taketh courage and sayth Lord it is true that it is a corzie to mee to see my freendes become dalyers and to doo nothing else but vexe mee but yet must I not discomfort my selfe for all that And why For I see well they haue none vnderstanding and therefore I must not take hold of them seeing there is no reason in them If a beast came running vppon mee or if a dogge hild mee at a bay I myght well vse fayre woordes to appeaze them but it could not preuayle for they vnderstand them not So then ô Lord I must not take it too hart when I heare the wandering talke of these men here VVhy so Bycause thou hast couered their hart that they can haue no vnderstanding And thys is it that I haue touched already namely that if we will comfort wretched folke in their afflictions wee must desire God too giue vs his spirit and wisdome to do it withall For our talk shall be vaine and vnprofitable sauing so farre foorth as he reacheth vs his hand like as on the contrarie part wee shall speake to edifying if he guyde vs It is sayd that he couereth their hart that they might haue none vnderstanding as if a man should say hee blyndfoldeth their eyes For in the scripture this word Hart is sometimes taken for the mynd In deede it is not taken so continually for it is sometimes taken for a truenesse and for a pure conscience But whereas it is sayde by Moyses God hath not giuen you a hart to vnderstand no not euē vnto this day wee see that the word Hart is taken there for the mynde Euen so is it also in this sentence Iob therefore meeneth that God hath as it were blyndfolded the eyes of these men heere which thought themselues very wise and that thereby they became as good as beasts Now let vs marke what manner of men these freendes of Iob were It is euident by their talke that they were excellent men and no fooles For we see they were men of experience and men of great wit yea and it is sayd that God had sent them And how then shall they do that scarsly haue one iote of wisedome what shall become of them when it pleaseth God to blynd them Agayne if God do so blind the wise let those that thinke themselues skilfull and trust to their owne sharp wit and presume much vpon their owne policie learne to humble themselues knowing that God can so blynde their eyes as they shall not see a whit at high nooneday Thus see yea profitable lesson for such as take pride in their owne wisedome and thinke that nothing ought to passe but by their aduice VVhat shall become of them when God shall haue blynded them Thus the blynde wretches haue their eyes seeled vp that they can discerne nothing and what shall the end of them be God will not exalt them that is to say hee will put them too shame in the ende Now if this bee verified of worldly things what is to be sayd of the secretes of the heauenlye kingdome which do farre surmount al the wit of mā Behold God blindeth the eyes of the wise euen in worldly affayres and in the things that concerne this present life insomuch that euen those that are most craftie of greatest wit become like little babes and do fond deedes and are readye to fall downe at euery blowe Men see this And what is the cause It is for that God hath couered their eyesight And how shall wee then doo when wee must be fayne to mount vp hygher to the wonderfull secretes which cannot be knowne vnlesse God haue inlightened vs by his holy spirit Heereby wee bee warned not to take offence when wee see the wyse men of the worlde haue no tast of the Gospell nor of any poynt of the doctrine of Saluation And why It is not a dishe whereof euery man may be hys owne caruer God must bee fayne too worke there by his holy spirite And that is a thing well worthy too bee noted For wee see many wretched weaklings at this day which rest themselues vpon thys that the wise men of the world cannot frame themselues to the Gospell How is it say they that such a man being a man of so great reputation sauoreth not of the Gospell Yea and there needeth no alledging of some one man but of whole Nations For men will say what In suche a Nation where there are so many wyse heads we see the Gospell is not receyned As who should say that the receyuing of the Gospell came of our owne towardnesse that we by our own motherwit were able to comprehend what soeuer God sheweth vs in the holy Scripture No. But cleane contrariwise it is sayd that we be blinded in that behalfe and that all the wisdome of God is foolishnesse to mans reason Seeing then that the cace standeth so let vs not thinke it straunge though suche as presume to know themselues be blynded after that sort And why For God forsaketh them by reason of their pride And further hee is no schoolemaister but for the humble and little ones But these men will be great ones and are they then able too take any profite at all in Gods schoole No. So then seeing wee perceyue that God blyndeth men after that sort let vs for our part learne not too trust in ourselues but to desire him to guyde vs by his holy Ghost and so to gouerne vs as we may see cleerely in the middes of the darknesse of this world
Yea for hys word is the cresset that must serue too that purpose as S. Peter discourseth Although then that there be nothyng but darknesse in the world yet shall we be well guyded if wee followe the doctrine of the holye scripture But yet aboue all things God must bee fayne too inlighten vs with hys holy spirite hee must take away the kerchiefs where with Satan hath blindfolded vs and hee must open oure eyes Seeyng then that it lyeth in him only too do that let vs craue that grace wyth all lowlinesse vtterly distrusting in our selues And moreouer let vs marke the saying that is added Lorde seeyng thou hast couered theyr eyes thou wilt not exalte them For when Iob sayeth that the blind folke of whome he speaketh shall not be exalted hee meeneth as I haue told you before that they shall bee confounded and God shall laugh them to skorne and make them a iestingstocke Therefore let vs bee afrayd least when wee bee destitute of Gods spirit and of the lyght which wee should receyue thereby we be confounded in the end and our Lord cause vs too be driuen foorth headlong like wretched beastes and so wee fall intoo so manye irksome thinges as euery man bee ashamed of vs and yet in the meane whyle we ourselues perceyue not our owne shame For behold how the world goeth with all those whome God hath giuen vp too a lewde mynd how that as Sainct Paule sayeth in the first Chapter too the Romanes when God hathe bereft men of witte and reason they shall no more discerne aught at all And in good fayth wee see howe the wretched idolaters cast themselues downe before a pecce of wood to worship it and is not that a beastly thyng Yes verely Howbeeit when God hath blinded men after that sort they must needs become starke beasts and fall from euill too euill and finally giue themselues ouer to so shamefull deedes as they forgo all countenance of honestie and fall too working against nature and too dooing of things which men would abhorre If we would but looke vppon drunkards which are as swine if wee would looke vppon whorehunters whiche are so chafed with the fire of their owne lust as they haue no more modestie nor honestie in them ought we not to tremble at the sight thereof knowtng that all of them are the frutes of Gods vengeance when he blindeth men and sieleth vp their eyes in suche sorte as they bee not able to see or discerne aught any more And yet is not this the last parte of their cōfuzion VVe must come to that which the prophet Esay sayeth VVhen God hath spoken of his punishing and of his blynding of men and vntill when sayeth the prophet vntill their Cities be beaten downe theyr people destroyed and nothing left vnconfounded See what the frute is of this blinding of men And therfore we must walke aduisedly in feare and pray God that he wyll neuer suffer vs to haue our eyes so blyndfolded Thus much concerning this sentence Now Iob addeth That hee which telleth his freend flattering tales shall haue the eyes of his children to fayle Heere Iob speaketh according to the circumstance of the place For wee haue seene heeretofore of what opinion his freendes were namely that it might be perceyued and iudged in this worlde whiche be Gods chozen and which be the reprobates But that were as much to say as there were no last iudgement wherevntoo any thing should be reserued For if wee wyll esteeme of men according to Gods present handling of them heere what a thing were it Ye see then it were a very vntoward doctrine to iudge so But Iob vseth this worde Flalterie of set purpose as if he should say he that preacheth prosperitie to his freend that is to say he that shall say to a man Gotoo thou art happie thou art beloued of God for thou prosperest thou liuest at thine ease thou art rich and in the fauour of the world he I say that talketh after thys sort is cursed so as the eyes of his children shall fall out that is to say hee shall be accursed not onely in his owne persone but also in his ofspring And heereby we be warned first not to rest our selues vpon the prosperitie of this transitorie life for that will bring nothing but flatterie Marke that for one poynt And this lesson will greatly auauntage vs if we can practyse it throughly It is sayd too be a flatterie when men rest wholly vpon the prosperitie of this transitorie and worldly life And why For they beare themselues in hande that they bee beloued of god And this was the cause of the ruine and destruction of the Sodomites Liued they not in pleasure and ease whyle their arreignement was a making in heauen Verely that was the sentence that was giuen and pronounced againste them in the persone of Abraham Sixscore yeeres before the Flud the world did so exceede in delights and pleasures as it seemed that God shoulde no more haue any charge of men and they were sore abashed at their suddayne surprizing when they doubted it not So then it were a playne falshood too esteeme Gods fauour by the present prosperitie And therefore let vs not take occasion to flatter our selues for it nor to say O God loueth and fauoreth vs for he prospereth vs I say let vs beware wee beguyle not ourselues after that sort for that will bee but our confuzion Thus yee see what this word Flatterie importeth And therewithall wee haue to note that it is too wretched a dealing both for our selues and for our neybours when we vse the sayd flattering And why For euery man dazeleth his owne eyes and seeketh too lift vp himselfe against God when he is in prosperitie And again we deceyue our freendes also For wee make them that are at their ease to beleeue that they bee as good as in Gods lap yet for al that they be as it were in the gulfe of hell or very neere it Therefore it is not without cause that Iob doth here pronounce such greeuous punishment against those that preach prosperitie after that sort to their neighbours VVhat is to be done in effect VVhen we be in prosperitie let vs cheere vp one another to serue God to busie ourselues in yeelding him thāks for the goodnesse that he sheweth vs And when we be in aduersitie let vs take the promises that are giuē vs to cōfort vs withall and make them to serue our purpose And therewithal let vs be alwayes ready too receyue aduersitie notwithstanding that God do shew himself gētle and louing towards vs I say let vs not ceasse to prepare ourselues to chastizement but let vs bee willing to receyue the stripes of hys hand if it please him to handle vs rigorously Furthermore let not our mind be troubled to say that God doth hādle men heere according to their deserts But whensoeuer he afflicteth vs let vs vnderstand that he chastizeth vs for
expedient for vs according also as when hee commeth neere vnto vs is it for that he is afrayde or for that hee seeketh any profite by vs No it is nothing so but he knoweth that wee haue neede too bee kept in obedience and awe For that is the cheefe thing that he requireth of vs and that is the sea of all vertue that bringeth vs to saluation Therfore it behoueth vs to be rightly subiect vnto god For if he hild not his maiestie ouer vs and shewed vs not what wee bee and what our state is and hilde vs not vnder his feete what would become of vs considering the pride and malapertnesse that are in vs all God then in not shewing vs the reason of his works doth it to the end we should lerne to obey him Againe if we see not why he doth this or that how shall we comprehend his being we be sure as I sayd that if he trie vs it is for our welfare And in good sooth which of vs trieth himself Nay contrarywise in steede of lighting a candle to serch our owne wants and sinnes we quench the cresset that God hath lighted too our hande VVhat else is the discretion that hee hath giuen vs to discerne betwene good euill but as it were a candle which he hath lighted to the end we might perceyue the naughtinesse that is in our selues But we see how men labor to quench all the sayd knowledge and would faine suppresse their owne consciences that they might liue like swine bee no more ashamed nor abashed at the euill which they commit Men then go about to become brute beastes and so we see that they indeuer to quench the lamp or candle that God had lighted in them to draw them them to this triall Seeing it is so it is good reason that God shoulde search and trie vs bycause wee will not do it our selues as our dutie were to do but by our good willes woulde become like brute beasts and dispatch our selues of al discretion and reason Thus ye see that the thing which we haue to marke in this text is that forsomuch as God knoweth our wayes and woorkes aforehand it behoueth vs to conclude that if hee make vs too passe as Gold through the furnace the same is for our profite and welfare And although we perceyue not the reason of it we ought to be contented that our Lorde is rightuous and that hee will in the ende shew vs whersore he hath tryed vs after that maner in making vs too passe through so many afflictions as gold passeth through fire Although then that this be greeuous to beare yet God doth it not without cause VVe perceyue it not as yet bycause our wit is too weake Howbeit our Lord will in time make vs perceyue that he wrought not at all aduenture but that he knew what was meete for our welfare This is in effect the thing whiche we haue to beare away heere Nowe when Iob hath sayde so he addeth this protestation That his foote bad walked in Gods path and that hee bad not left his way nor turned asyde from the commaundement of Gods owne mouth but bad set more store by it than by his owne liuing or manner of dealing True it is that Iob might well protest that hee had walked so vprightly as that he was not of the number of the dispisers of God nor of the number of looce liuers that were giuen to all naughtinesse Iob might well say so for it was true according also as wee see that Dauid might well say Lorde I haue kept thy commaundementes with my whole hart Lorde I haue set more store by thy lawe than by gold and siluer all my delight hath bin in them I haue not weltred in my wicked affections but all my pleasure hath bin in the hearing of thy lawe VVhen Dauid speaketh after that maner is it too boast himselfe before God No for in another place he sayth Lorde who is able to stand before thee If thou enter into account with men no creature can bee iustified Therefore enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lorde For who is he O Lord that shall stand vp if thou marke all our faultes VVe see then that Dauid dooth willingly yeeld himselfe guiltie and that whereas he protesteth himselfe too haue followed Gods commaundements it is al one as if he acknowledged the gracious giftes that heé had receyued at his hand did him homage for them saying thus Lord thou hast done me exceeding great good thou haste gouerned me by thy holy spirite my following of thy commaundements came not of my selfe but thy guiding of me caused me to giue my selfe therevnto Dauid by yeelding such honour vntoo God confirmed himselfe more and more in good hope assuring himselfe that as hee had felt God good and gracious too him heeretofore so hee would neuer sayle him heereafter If Iob had proceeded after that maner his protestation had bin good and holy But what his meening heere is to go to lawe with God and to vphold that if God handled him after the ordinarie rule of his lawe hee shoulde haue no cause to vse such rigour towardes him Iob is grossely ouerseene in this behalfe For if God had iisted to haue punished him for the sinnes that hee had committed he might iustly haue done it and in that he doth it not it is of his meere free goodnesse Iob therefore dooth not discerne aright betweene God and his own person For he should haue sayd Lord it is true that thou chastizest me and I know and thou migh test do it euen by thy law ▪ and it is true also that I haue indeuered too walke before thee in as great soundnesse as was possible for mee to do Neuerthelesse there hath alwayes bin somewhat amisse and therefore thou shalt find all my workes to be sinsull Iob might haue spoken so and sayd well Lorde I knowe well thou bearest with me and that proceedeth of thy fatherly goodnesse And although thou chastize me yet thou makest mee too perceyue that thou doest it not for my sinnes but bycause it pleaseth thee too exercise my pacience Neuerthelater in the meane whyle I feele my selfe combered extreemely and therefore I muste conclude that thou doest it vpon some secrete and wonderfull purpose If Iob had spoken so all had bin well But he was caried away by the pangs of hys passions And thereby we are all warned as I say de afore to mistrust our selues when we be afflicted For we be as ye would say so dazeled as wee cannot discerne what is good And if this thing befell vnto Iob who is setheere before our eyes as a myrrour of pacience what will become of vs Therefore when wee bee afflicted lette vs pray God so to hold vs in awe as we may glorifie him and that if any toyes come in our heades too grudge agaynst him they may be beaten downe knowing that we cannot speake one word of our selues but the
hath bereft me of my iudgement euen the Almightie who hath set my soule in anguish Here Iob playeth not the restie Horse For although he haue double anguishe yet knoweth hee well that God hath all dominion and superioritie ouer him For he woulde not say God liueth except it were to honour him as if hee shoulde say Lorde I am thy sillie creature and thou hast all power ouer mee I sayd he was in double affliction which thing we ought to marke well For wee haue seene howe hee was persecuted both in his goodes and in his persone so that he indured as much as was possible for a mortal wight to indure And yet had he another affliction which is that hee was tormented by such as came to moue him to despayre For it passed all other miseries too haue it sayde too him God hateth thee thou seest well ynough that thou hast no more accesse to him it is in vain for thee to looke for any ease at his hand for hee is agaynst thee and he giueth thee a sure token of it in afflicting thee after this maner VVhat shouldest thou do but condemne thy whole life afore passed If thou wilt haue any mercie at Gods hande thou must chaunge altogither and acknowledge that hitherto thou hast beene starke naught a mocker of God and a man full of hypocrisie and lewdnesse Thus then ye see the two afflictions that Iob indured and yet notwithstanding honored God still For he sweareth by his name howbeeit not as men do nowe adayes whiche blaspheme God in swearing For doubtlesse what else are the othes that are sworne now adayes for the most part but reproches vnto God in despizing his name Like as if a man sweare at aduenture he sheweth well that hee regardeth not the name of God which ought to be holy in our sight that whensoeuer wee heare any speaking of it wee ought too cast downe oure heades and acknowledge the infinite glorie that is in him But contrarywise the name of God runneth roundly in our mouthes in way of mockage And therefore looke how many light othes a man maketh so many are the reproches and iniuries wherewith hee disgraceth the name of god Againe there are also forswearings which are yet more heynous in so muche that after a man hath invred himselfe to sweare foolishly he goeth foreward with it to falsifie the truth to turne it into a lie and the name of God shall run in such wise with it as it shall bee a pleasure for men to think vpon it But Iob in his swearing had an eye to the principall poynt whiche is that when wee sweare by the name of God we must acknowledge him to bee our iudge yeelding him his due authoritie by setting our selues before his throne to be cōdemned by him if we haue done amisse VVe see then how Iob acknowledgeth his afflictions too come of Gods hande and dealeth not stubbornly Hee kicketh not agaynst his mayster like a restie Iade but humbleth himselfe and sayeth God liueth howsoeuer the world goeth True it is that I see my selfe to be a forlorne man and I indure so much as it is impossible for mee to be so pacient as I ought to bee Yet will I not be so desperate as to play the mad bedlem and to say I knowe not what God is I would he would let me alone and that he had no more power ouer me but contrarywise I know him to be my iudge and to haue all authoritie I will not imbrace the mightie power which he hath ouer me but I will hold me alwayes vnder his hand acknowledging my afflictions to bee of his sending And therfore not without cause haue I sayd that we haue here an excellent doctrine For we be taught first to acquaint our selues with chastizement correction at Gods hand VVherefore when we happen to be tempted to despayre and feele such a fearfulnesse in our selues as we think our selues to be alreadie in hell let vs acknowledge our owne frailtie and leane vnto this namely that God hydeth our iudgement and bereeueth vs in such wise of our right as we seeme to our selues to be forlorne past al recouery VVell then God hideth away our right And what is to be done we must cast downe our heades and tarie till God lift vs vp by the chin and redresse our state and set vs vp againe and mainteyne our cace so that if we be oppressed and turmoyled by men if folke bleare out their tungs at vs and make a ieastingstock of vs yet must not we lose our courage And why For we see the example that is set down to vs here Behold then how the faythful ought to come to this practize to profite themselues by it And although they cannot conceyue the reason of the things that God doth to them yet neuerthelesse they must always become so lowly as to say Lord deale thou with vs as it shall please thee and therewithall giue vs power too prayse thee alwayes in thy workes and to say the Lord liueth although we be confounded Thus ye see what wee haue to marke in this streyne and now it will be easie for vs to knowe the things that are conteyned in it And sith we haue comprized the whole summe we need no more but to ioyne and cloze the sentences that followe vnto it For Iob sayth that so long as he liueth there shall not passe any deceyte nor wicked worde out of his mouth Hereby he sheweth that he speaketh as in the presence of god And that is a thing well worthie to be noted I haue tolde you oftentimes in expounding this booke how there is an ouer-common vice among men which marreth them which is that they be so wedded to the world as they neuer come in the presence of God to examine themselues there As how If men blame vs falsly we rest so much vpon them as we enter not into our selues to examine our selues before god But what is to be done The cleane contrarie if we will answere men well let vs first accuse our selues and let vs be fully resolued vpon it in our conscience before God without hauing an eie to one man or other For the cause why we be hypocrites in al our doings and take so much paine too couer and colour our faults is for that we woulde fayne keepe still the good reputation and credite that we haue among men But contrariwise Iob sheweth that hee setteth himselfe as it were in the presence of God and that although he speake before men yet is hee not forepossessed with so foolish ambition as to pretend to be vtterly blame lesse No but he iudgeth himselfe before God and according as hee findeth in his conscience so layeth he forth the matter openly So then let vs mark that it is as euill a thing as can bee deuized to rest so vpon men and not to begin at this poynt that is to say when we iudge not our selues as in the presence
serue too true edifying And that is it which S. Paule meeneth by saying that all holy Scripture is profitable But how is it that God hath sayde vnto men that it is wisdome to feare hym he sayde it and also shewed it in deede when hee published hys lawe and expounded it first by the Prophets and lastly by the Gospell Yee see then how God sheweth vs that our wisedome is to feare him But now to make this doctrine the more profitable let vs note firste what the goodnesse of our God is in that he maketh vs partakers of the wisdome which he knoweth to bee good and expediente for vs notwithstanding that wee bee bereft of it and shet out from it by nature It hath bin sayd already that wisedome is not to be found nother amongst the liuing nor amōgst the dead and that a man may go into the deepe for it and tarrie there for euer confounded without finding it For there is no wisedome but in god The dead may say wee haue heard speaking of it but that is all we know it not nother haue we any familiaritie with it But now behold our Lord doth vs the honour and grace too offer vs thys wisedome which is a secret and inestimable treasure VVe haue no accesse to it of our selues and God offereth it vs after such a sort as we neede not to make any long circuites for the finding of it And why Let vs but only suffer our selues to be taught of our God and this treasure shall be put into our handes Then is it a singular benefite of God when hee vouchsaueth too communicate that thing vnto vs which we were so vnacquaynted with and from which we were vtterly depriued and banished And heere ye see why he vpbraydeth men with this vnthankfulnesse in the eyght Chapter of the Prouerbs where hee sayeth that wisedome crieth out in the streetes and in the open places come yee to me I am ready too shewe my selfe to you She knocketh at the gates she declareth that hir desire is too dwell among men and yet no man receyueth hir men mocke at hir and make none account of so great a benefite that is offered them Ye see then that the blame which God vpbraydeth vs withall is that wee may well knowe that wisedome is suche a precious thing as nother gold nor siluer may be comparable to it and therfore that we must needes say we bee worse than straught and that the Diuell hath betwitched vs if we make none accounte of the sayd wisdome seeing that she offereth hir selfe vnto vs There needes no greate seeking and ransacking for hir there needes no great paynes taking or farregoing we neede but to receyue hir when she is set afore vs and yet for all that we see that no man makes account of hir VVhy so The weight of a pinne as they say will occupy our heads ther is not any one of vs al but he is so wedded to his owne selfe profite as we set more by the gayne of a pennie or a shilling than wee do by the wisedome of god Agayne it is no one thing that letteth vs but according as euery man is giuen to one vice or other so is hee easly turned aside and drawne away from god A whorehunter will bee so weltred in his filthinesse that his eares shall be stopped yea and he will be vtterly deafe so as it is no speaking to him god may crie out alowde vnto him but he will not heare aught at all The couetous persone doth the like and the drunkard as much To be short we see that the lets are many which turne mē aside from suffering themselues to be taught by god But yet for al this the vice that God findeth fault withall in this text of Salomons is ouercommon and ordinarie that is to wit that when he sendeth this treasure of wisedome whiche ought to be common too all men knocking at their gates and bidding them to the feast euery man doth rather shrinke away thā draw neerer Furthermore as God in that place accuseth and condemneth men for their beastly carelesnesse and vnthankfulnesse so sheweth he all the faithfull how greatly they ought to esteeme to bee taught of him according as it is sayde in the fourth of Deuteronomie behold thy wisedome and vnderstanding is too haue thy God come vnto thee and too shew thee his will what is good for thine instruction and to edifie thee in him Lo wherevnto our Lord calleth vs when hee intendeth too bring vs to himselfe by shewing vs that all our true wisedome and vnderstanding is to hearken vnto him namely by conceyuing what he sheweth vs in his worde As if hee should say ye wretched soules deceyue not your selues by setting your minds vppon vaine things as the worldlings and vnbeleeuers do but hold ye to that which I tell you assuring your selues that that only is your true wisedome and vnderstanding and that you are but fooles yea and mad men if ye attempt to step out of those boundes And therewithall he vpbraydeth them new agayne and in vpbrayding them sheweth that wee be vtterly without excuse if we walke not aright seeing we haue his woorde And why Say not any more sayeth he in the thirtith of Deuteronomie who shall climbe vp intoo heauen or who shall go downe into the deepe or who shall passe ouer the Sea Beholde the woorde is in thy heart and in thy mouth Our Lord then declareth that we cannot alledge that it is ouerhard for vs too conceyue the things that are aboue vs For if wee alledge the dulnesse of our vnderstanding or the highnesse of the secretes in heauen No no sayeth God I haue prouided for all that I haue made way aforehande for by giuing you my lawe and by shewing you my wyll I haue so raught you wisedome as the same would very fayne dwell among you according also as it is sayde in the eight of the Prouerbes My delight is to dwell among men Ye shall not neede therefore to make long iourneyes to come vnto me ye neede not to stie aboue the clowdes ye neede not to go downe into the deepes nother neede yee too go ouer the Seas For when my woord is giuen into your mouthes and put into your hartes behold that is all your wisedome that is the thing that you must rest vppon Nowe then first of all seeing the case standeth so if men despize this grace of God when it is offered them by communicating hys worde vnto them they make warre against him asmuch as in them lieth Therefore let vs take good heede too our selues For we see heere a saying that ought to wey greatly with vs when it is sayd that wisedome delighteth to dwell among vs God in that place bringeth in hys owne wisedome which he sendeth vs as it were in hys owne persone So then seeing it delighteth God that wee should receyue his wisedome let vs assure our selues that in refusing it we make warre against
thus with oure selues how nowe I like not of this it is a blasphemie to thinke that God pitieth not such as call vpon him or that he wil not succour such as seeke him it is all one as if we would denie that he gouerned the worlde Therfore whensoeuer suche things come to our thought surely it is a faulte it behoueth vs to conclude alas Lord wretched creatures are wee and full of vanitie sith we can conceyue so monstruous thoughtes The seconde poynt is that when aduersitie presseth vs and our griefe increaseth more and more wee fall to such murmurings as this Alas shoulde I linger after this sorte if God thought vpon mee woulde he not haue a care to helpe mee he doeth it not but dissembleth and therefore it seemeth that he hath quite gyuen mee vp VVhen we conceyue such thoughts and debate with ourselues whither God hath a care of vs or no then it behoueth vs to consider what a one he hath declared himselfe to be towards vs and to receyue his promises and to ground ourselues vpon them to say no howsoeuer the worlde go yet will I truste in my God and flee to him for refuge Howbeeit although we finally atteyne to this assurance and vndoubtednesse yet notwithstanding if we wauer and doubte before we come therevnto it is a greater fault than the first and we are already guiltie of mistrust vnbeliefe before God bicause we haue receyued so wicked a temptation Lastely commeth the third degree when we be vtterly ouerthrowen and know not what to say but onely after this sort See my miserie hath gotten the vpper hande and God hath forslowed to long to reach me his hand I see I am quite paste hope of recouerie VVhē we be so cast downe as we can no more call vpon God nor take tast of his promises to rest vpon them and to comforte our selues with them that is the third degree of sinne For like as when a childe is full shaped in the mothers wombe there remaineth no more but that it shoulde bee borne so in this cace there wanteth no more but the comming of it into the outwarde deede But now let vs come to Iobs woordes I haue made a league sayeth hee or couenawit with myne eyes I haue tolde you that this is a token of greate perfection And why For if a man can withholde his sight so as hee conceyue not any thing that might drawe him vnto euill by looking about him ▪ and shewe that there is true chastitie and honestie in him It must needes be sayd that he is cleere as an Angel from all corruption And Iobs protesting heereof is not in vayne wherefore let vs consider that hee liued in this worlde as an Angell of god True it is that of nature hee was not so and also wheras he sayeth that he made a couenaunt that was doone after hee had so profited in the feare of God as hee had thruste his vnruly lustes vnder foote and so ouermastered his affections as hee was able to bridle them and keepe them vnder to say I wil not lust any euill too couet it or wishe it I wyll haue no vayne in mee that shall tende to the displeasure of God but I wyll brydle my selfe both in myne eyes and in my mouth and in mine eares Thus yee see in what wise Iob made his couenaunt It was not by hauing suche a soundenesse in his nature for he was a man subiect to affections as we bee and no doubte but hee had many temptations in his lyfe Howbeeit hee walked in suche wise as hee was so inured with the feare of God as not to admit any wicked lustes Thē was it become an habite as men terme it that is to say he was so inured vnto it as he was no more wauering to starte out on the one side or the other or too pouoke himselfe to this or that To be short we see here how Iob mēt to declare that he not only indeuered to serue God but also had inforced himselfe in such wise to it as he had tamed and subdued all the affections of his fleshe insomuch that it was nomore payne to him to serue God bicause he had not the battails which we haue in vs by reason of our frayltie yea by reason of the corruptiō that is in our nature But let vs marke that this came not of his owne power neither could he of himself haue purchaced such perfectiō but it behoued god to reforme him in such wise by his holy spirit as he was after a sort separated frō the cōmon range of men For it is not without cause that Dauid maketh this request vnto God Lorde turne away mine eies that they may see no vanitie If Iob had of himself had the things which he protesteth here no doubt but Dauid might haue obteined such a stedfastnesse as well as he so as he should not haue cōceiued any vanitie nor had his eyes misseled caried away by any menes But forasmuch as Dauid cōfesseth that he neither had it nor could obtayne it but by the meere grace of God it followeth therfore that Iob coulde not through his owne free will make such a couenant as to say that reason beareth suche sway in him as he could ouermaster all his affections but he meeneth here to yeeld God the prayse of that benefit Then doth he not vaunte magnifie himselfe as though he had purchaced such a grace of his owne trauell but hee acknowledgeth that god had so gouerned him as his eye-sight did not prouoke him any more vnto euill Furthermore whē Iob speaketh so let vs marke that on the other side he doth vs to vnderstand that if a man behold a wife or a mayde and thereby be tempted vnto euill it is sinne already before God yea although there be no outwarde acte nor any putting forth of a mans selfe to deflowre or to beguyle the woman nor any will at all to consent in a mans selfe to wish it Then although a man haue not that intent with him but resist the sayd temptation wherewith he is prouoked yet notwithstanding he fayleth not to offend god And there is not a poynt better worthy to bee marked than this Verely wee heare the sentence whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ gyueth vpon it namely that wee must not thinke ourselues to be cleere discharged before God by absteyning frō whoredome in respect of the body but that if a man do but looke vpon a woman with an vnchaste looke he is already condemned for a whoremonger before god And moreouer as I haue sayd alreadie although our will consent not vnto it yet muste wee confesse that we haue done amisse before God so that we must humble ourselues The Papists can wel ynough say that if a man consent vnto euill that is to say if he lust after it in such wise as he woulde fayne do it if occasion serued they graunt that such a consent is a damnable sinne
follie when we take vpon vs to speak so vnaduisedly of God and his workes Therefore let vs marke well this manner of speaking whiche is set downe here namely who shall report it to him we debate matters heere by lowe and yet in the meane whyle wee bee but frogges The frogges can make a great crooking well ynoughe in their marishes and puddles and yet men passe by them and stay not for all their crooking Euen so is it with all the talke that men hold for there is no reason in it They do but babble and yet they beare themselues in hande that God will hold his peace and doe all that they would haue him to do But it is cleane contrarie Therefore let vs learne that when so euer we lifte vp our neb against God we shall winne nothing by it but our wordes shall slip into the ayre and vanish away as smoke Neuerthelesse let vs marke by the way that our words shal not fall to the ground but must be registred to our great and horrible confuzion Then if our pryde be such as we dare murmure againste God suche blasphemousnesse muste needes come too a reckening and not scape vnpunished Therefore let vs not imagine too gayne any thing against God but whensoeuer we be tempted to stand in contention with him let vs call this saying to remembrance namely who shall report it to him True it is that God hereth it and nothing escapeth him but yet for all that he voutsafeth not to stoupe to our bibblebabble as thoughe wee were his matches Tush we be but frogges as I sayd afore To be short this serueth to shewe vs that wee shall neuer get the vpper hande in pleading against God and moreouer that there is no reasō why he shuld abace him self so much as to answere vs And why For it toucheth him not we cannot come neere him with our babbling although wee fyle our tungs so as they cut and slyce smoothely in the aire yet shall God abyde still safe and sound and hee needeth not to streyne himselfe to reply againste vs or to find any excuse for that were needelesse So then let vs learn to speak with such reuerence that the words which we shall vtter may bee made of praysings so as God may accept them And how may we do that By his purging of oure tunges that is too say by vttering nothing but that which commeth of his word and which we haue learned in his schole And for a conclusion let vs marke what Eliu addeth If any man speake sayth he shall be not be swallowed vp He sheweth vs heere what confusion is prepared for all such as dare so set themselues against God and would fayne finde fault with his workes VVhat shall they gayne then in the end They shall all be swallowed vp VVe see that all creatures must needes tremble at God maiestie And what shal be done then when there is manifest rebellion God can with one frown make the mountaines and rocks to melt emptie the sea destroy the whole world if he list And surely there is no rebellion nother in the earth nor in the water nor in any of all the rest of suche creatures But behold man who is but a handfull of dust will needes wage battle against his maker and I pray you can he hold out All the world should perish as sone as it came vnder Gods hand and behold a worme a wretched carion wil put God to silence And not only so but he wil also rob God of his honoure and not haue him too bee counted wyse and ryghtuouse as hee is woorthie Alas must we not needes be worsse than blynd when we come rushing with such boldnesse against him Therfore let vs marke well according to that which I haue touched that when we set vp our bristles after that sorte against God wee seeke but our owne destruction and too bee quyte swallowed vp VVill we then be mainteyned vnder the hand and keeping of our God Let vs learne to humble ourselues to him and to pray him to shewe him selfe too vs and according as it shall haue pleased him too shewe himselfe so also to graunt vs the grace too walke in continuall modestie and to haue our eye alwayes vpon this marke namely that hee deserueth to bee honoured at our hand and that we acknowledging our selues to owe him suche reuerence may learne too submitte vs wholly vnto him Thus ye see howe we may approch vnto our God without feare of the fyre of his terrible wrathe Nay rather let vs be sure that he will bee as a refreshing vnto vs so as wee shall be mainteyned by his grace condicionally that wee come too him with all humilitie withoute preacing ouer farre too inquire of him and his secretes Therefore wee must contente our selues with that which he sheweth vs by his worde assuring our selues that it is for him to reach vs his hand and for vs to go as hee guydeth vs. Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them continually more and more And that for as much as it pleaseth him to graunt vs so greate aboundance of worldly benefites as to haue applyed and ordeyned all his creatures to our vse wee by receyuing suche bountifulnesse at his hande may learne to knowe him for our father assuring our selues that seeing he hath a care of our bodies in this world hee will not fayle vs in the things that concerne the spirituall life of our soules and that although in this world we bee tangled in many affections which comber our wittes so as they bee not at libertie too consider Gods workes accordingly yet wee may not therefore ceasse too take courage to muze vpon them and that in the meane season he guide vs in suche wise by his holie spirite as wee may learne to like well of all his doings and to glorifie him in his iustice truth and goodnesse and in all his other vertues which he sheweth vs dayly in his workes That it may please him c. The Cxlvij Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxxviij. Chapter THe Lorde ansvvering Iob out of a vvhirlevvinde sayde 2 VVho is he that darkeneth the secretes in vvordes vvithout knovvledge 3 Girde vp thy loynes like a valiant man and tell me the thing that I shall demaunde thee 4 VVhere vvert thou vvhen I layde the foundation of the earth tell it if thou haste vnderstanding WEe haue seene heretofore that Eliu intending too rebuke Iob protested that he himself was a mortall man as Iob was to the end he should not cōplaine that hee was handled with too high a power And so he shewed that Gods will was to win him by reason and gentlenesse according also as he dealeth towards vs For he beareth with vs making his worde to bee preached to vs by men like our selues so as we may come the more familiarly to heare things that he
works And why Bicause we be not acquainted with oure owne smalnesse nor haue at any tyme learned that God intendeth to holde vs in awe to the ende wee shoulde not presume aught of our selues when he giueth vs such instructions here bilowe VVe nede not mount aboue the cloudes to know the incomprehensible maiesty of our God let vs but cast downe our eyes and looke to our feete as I haue sayd afore we shall be confounded out of hand How then should it be possible for vs to enter into the secret purpose of our God to know al things so as nothing might escape vs Our nature were rather to go downwarde than to mount vpward VVho is he then that hath giuen vs wings to stie so high Nay we be so lūpish that we fall alwaies to the ground and yet notwithstanding if we looke but euen vpon the things heere beneath beholde they be as bottomlesse pittes to swallow vs vp And howe shall wee then mount vp to heauen too searche the things that God hath shet vp there Muste it not needes be a marueilous ouerweening and such a one as cōmeth of forgetfulnesse For if we had but one drop of settled witte surely we would rather learne to be modest Yee see then that this doctrine is not superfluous at leastwise if men woulde put it well in vre But for a conclusion let vs learne that God hath granted vs a singular benefite forsomuch as in this our weaknesse rawnesse of vnderstanding hee hath gyuen vs a farre better thing than the sight of the bottomlesse deepes VVhy so For in the Lookingglasse of his Gospel he maketh vs to behold the secretes of heauen so farre foorth as is expedient for vs Yea I say so farre as is necessary for vs for it is not for vs to follow our owne foolish and inordinate lustes but we must cōtent our selues with that which God openeth vnto vs not be curious in searching beyond his word Let it contente vs that hee inlighteneth vs with his holy spirite to the ende wee may iudge of his woorkes as becommeth vs And if we do so then shall the thing be fulfilled whiche Moyses sayeth namely Say not any more who shall go downe into the deepes VVho shall climbe vp aboue the clowdes VVho shall go ouer the Sea Beholde the woorde of God is in thy mouthe and in thine heart Content thy selfe So then seeing that God granteth vs this prerogatiue of teaching vs all things in his schoole which hee knoweth to be for our profite it is as good as if he made vs to passe ouer the sea or to go down into the deepes or to climbe aboue the clowdes or to be short to come as it were into his bosome VVhat desire we more Then let vs bee contented with the knowledge whiche hee gyueth vs as nowe by his woorde and by the learning of his Gospell wayting till hee discouer it more fully and largely vnto vs which shall then come to passe when hee maketh vs to see the things face to face which we see now but in part Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may thinke better vpō the wantes and corruptions of our nature than wee haue done to the end that we distrusting ourselues and being vtterly at our wittes end may run vnto him not desire any thing but that he will so gouerne vs as wee may bee clenzed from all our vices so reformed after his image as all the sinfulnesse of our nature may be beaten downe killed to the ende that we feeling how his power hath wrought so in vs may glory in nothing but in his meere goodnesse That it may please him to graūt this grace not only to vs but also to al people and nations of the earth bringing backe al poore ignorant soules frō the miserable bondage of errour and darknesse to the right c. The Cl. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the .xxxviij. Chapter 18 Hast thou considered the large places of the earth tell if thou knovve all this 19 VVhich is the vvay vvhere lyght dvvelleth and vvhere is the place of darkenesse 20 That thou maist receiue it into his boundes and vnderstande the pathes of his house 21 Hast thou knovvne before thou vvert borne though thy dayes be many in number 22 Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snovve Or hast thou seene the treasures of the Haile 23 VVhich I haue layde vp for the tyme of aduersitie and for the day of vvarre and battel 24 By vvhat vvay is the light parted and is the East vvinde scattered vpon the earth 25 VVho is hee that hath deuided the course of the Rayne and the vvaye for the lyghtning of the thunders 26 To make it rayne vpon the land vvhere no person is vpon the vvildernesse vvhere is no mā 27 To fill the vvild and vvast places and to make the budde of herbes to come foorth 28 VVho is the father of the rayne or vvho hath begotten the droppes of the deavve 29 Out of vvhose belly came the yce and vvho hath ingendred the frost of the heauen 30 The vvaters are hidden as a stone and the face of the deepe is frozen 31 Canst thou restreine the pleasantnesse of the Pleyades or vntie the bandes of Orion 32 Canst thou make the Mazzaroth to come forth in their time or canst thou guyde Arcturus vvith his Sonnes ALthough the matters that are rehersed heere do seeme to bee none other than such as are commōly knowne already yet if wee looke well too all things euery man will deeme it needeful that our ouerweening should be repressed not with a woord or twayne but with long declaracions such as God maketh here For although we haue graūted that our wits are to weake to comprehend Gods works yet notwithstanding there needeth but the turning of a hand to leade vs into some foolish curiositie and presumption and that foolehardinesse caryeth vs away headlong like a madnesse And therefore let vs not thinke it straunge that our Lorde vseth here so long talke to make vs perceiue how it is not for vs to iudge of his works but that it is ynough if wee know them in part according to our rudenesse and that he giue vs some taste of them And that is the meane wherby we shall to our profite beare away the things that shall bee spoken thereof Now let vs looke vpon that which is sayd heere Mention is made of the earth and God demaundeth whither a man be able to measure it or no. And there is a dubble measuring of the earthe The one is too knowe of what largenesse the worlde that is inhabited is of and this may after a sort be comprehended by coniecture Also there is the whole earth in it self in comprehending the same parte that is so couered with the sea as it is not seene and it is impossible too
towards vs wee may couet nothing but to yeld him his due glorie for bestowing so many of his graciouse benefites vpon vs as in that he hath made vs Lords and Maisters of his creatures here bylowe which were able to scare vs out of our witts so as we may not be vnthankful for such priuiledge and prerogatiue as hee hath graunted vs but do him homage for all the benefits that we haue receiued at his hand wayting to haue him increase them euen till he haue brought vs too the ful perfectiō And so let vs all say Almightie God c. The Clvij Sermon which is the first vpon the .xlij. Chapter IOb ansvvered the Lord and sayd 2 I knovve that thou canst doo all things and that no thought shall be kept backe from thee 3 VVho is hee that darkeneth secrets vvithout knovvedge I spake and vnderstoode not these things are vvonderfull aboue mee I haue not knovvne them 4 Herken therfore and I vvill speake ▪ and I vvill aske of thee to the end thou mayst teach mee 5 I haue herd of thee vvith myne eare and novv myne eye hath seenethee WE sawe heeretofore the frute that grew of the declaration which God made vntoo Iob and whereas hee doubled his woordes it appeered more euidently vnto vs how much hee profited by that correction He had alredye repented and now is he touched more to the quicke And so we see that when God hath once taught vs oftentymes the same profiteth vs but in part and although we think there is nothing amisse that we be come to the right point yet shall it be but a little preparatiue too it God therfore must be fayne too hold on in teaching vs that the doctrine which wee haue herd may be the better rooted in our harts and wee bee the more moued with it and settle our selues wholly in it To be short we see that repentance is not perfected at the first dash but that after God hath planed vs he had neede also too poolish vs like as when a man maketh a peece of woorke in wood or stone hee must haue much heawing about it The same way also must our Lord take with vs or else we shall haue but a small entrance into repentance and the same will vanish away by and by ▪ or else continue a rude and vnperfect thing And that is the cause why we must suffer God patiētly if after once correcting of vs for our faults he cōtent not himself with one stroke of the rodde but pay vs double for that is for our profit Furthermore when wee haue herd any good instruction for our welfare if we haue receiued the same let vs assure ourselues it is but with smal tast so as we be not yet rightly repented but haue neede to go to it new again VVherfore let vs not leaue the doctrin which we haue herd but let vs indeuer to profit dayly more more knowing that it behoueth vs to draw neerer and nerer vnto God all the days of our lyfe to be stablished still more and more in his feare and loue Or else without that we be vnstedfast returne to our old byasse whē we think ourselues to be wholly brought home it shall be nothing but a smoke that will vanish away out of hand Yee see then what wee haue to beare in mynd Also according to Iobs example when we haue cōsidered our faults one day let vs streyne ourselues to knowe them yet better the next day and to be the more greeued at them For if we think we haue discharged our dutie with the saying of one word or with the conceyuing of some one good thought wee deceyue ourselues So then repentance must alwayes be a conquerout insomuch that if it be vnfeyned it must be doubled But now let vs come to that it is sayd heere I knowe that thou canst do all things and that no thought shall bee kept back or letted from thee Some expound this as though Iob yeelded all power might vnto God and therwithall also an infinite forecast to prouide for all things to guide them as though he should say Lord I knowe thou haste al things in thy hand and that nothing is hidden frō thee and that thou art priuie to all things But it is a common maner of speche amōg the Hebrewes to say No thought shall bee letted from thee that is to say whatsoeuer thou haste ordeyned and commaunded yea and whatsoeuer thou haste intended in thy mynde shall euery whit of it bee redily executed so as thou shalt not neede to trouble thyselfe as though thou were letted or as though thou couldest fayle in any thing Then let vs marke that this is spoken simply of Gods infinite power and the twoo sayings are verified bothe of one thing God therfore is almightie As how For looke what hee purposeth in his minde he can execute it byandby without any lette But it shoulde seeme that Iob heere confesseth not all that hee ought to do for he had protested heretofore that God ruleth the world but yet he ceassed not to murmur against him It seemeth then that he hath not profited a whit and that he returneth stil to the foresayd article that although God be almightie yet he fayleth not now and then to vse ouergreat rigor so as the poore creatures suffer to much and are tormēted to excessiuely at his hand Howbeit we must cōsider that here Iob acknowledgeth Gods almightinesse after another maner than he had doone afore that is to wit by humbling himself vnder Gods mightie hand in acknowledging that it is not for mortall men too resist him nor too checke against him Sometymes wee can say that God hath all things in his hand and guiding but in the meane whyle wee will not ceasse to fret and repyne if he do not all things to our lyking And wherof commeth that Euen of that we haue not throughly conceyued his hygh power to submit our selues to it nor considered that he being almightie guideth al things iustly and vprightly so as it is good reason that he should handle vs and weeld vs as he listeth and wee keepe our mouthes shet without replying to any thing which he doth Thē if we acknowledge Gods almightinesse by vtter disabling of ourselues vnder him and by confessing it to be good reason that he should reigne and haue all authoritie ouer vs and that we should obey him yea and that not by constreynt but of a meeke and meeld mind that is doubtlesse a true cōfessing that God is almightie But if wee will take vpon vs aboue him and handle him after our mind and haue him to followe our wills and to do according to our conceyts and imaginations alas it is an euill acknowledging of his almightinesse for wee would bee his fellowes yea and we would be aboue him to in that point Therfore let vs mark well that Iob treateth of Gods almightinesse in another sense heere than he hath done
and passion if we thinke to be quit before God by any other meane than by the clensing which Christ hath made or for any other cause than for that hee hath made satisfaction for vs to discharge vs of the condemnation of death wherein we were Then if we seeke to obteyne mercie as we haue need to do and as which is the onely meanes wherby for vs to come vnto God wee must alwayes beare in minde the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the sacrifize of out redemption and attonement VVhen we go this way too woorke let vs not doubt but that inasmuch as our Lorde hath shewed himselfe pitiful towarde such as offended in the time of the figures of the lawe yea and extended his mercie to those that were not the bodie of his peculiar people hee will also receyue vs at this day seeing that the Gospell is published thorow the whole worlde and that he hath made a common league as well with the Gentiles as with the Iewes so as there is no more any wal to put difference betwixt them Let vs not doubt I say but that if we haue recourse vnto God by meanes of the sayd Sacrifice he will preuent vs to the intent that hauing obteyned fauor at his hande we may be assured of our saluation Now let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too clenze vs more and more from them and that whensoeuer we bee rebuked by him he will therwithall make vs too feele his fatherly goodnesse soo as wee may haue whereof to take comfort in our aduersityes and not bee greeued though hee beginne too chastize vs and in the meane while spare the wretched vnbeleeuers knowing that by that meanes hee declareth too vs that seeing he hath chosen vs to himselfe hee will not haue vs too â—â—rishe And therefore let vs pray him that hee suffer not his roddes to be vnprofitable to vs so as we shoulde abyde still hardened in oure sinnes but that hee wyll drawe vs to him throughly that wee may with all lowlinesse acknowledge our sinnes and bee sorie for them in our heartes yea and also protest before men how much we be bound vnto his mercie to the ende that our neighbors may be edified by vs and one of vs draw another to the glorifying of him in all our whole life and for the doing hereof it may please him to stirre vp true c. The Clix Sermon which is the thirde vpon the .xlij. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the eight verse and then vpon the Text insuing 9 Then Eliphas the Themanite and Baldad the Suhite and Sophar the Naamathite vvent and did as God had commaunded and the Lorde receyued the face of Iob. 10 And the Lorde turned the captiuitie of Iob vvhen he prayed for his freends and he blissed the latter state of Iob more than the first 11 And all his brethren and all his sisters came vnto him and all they that had bin of his acquaintance before and they are vvith him in his house and had compassion of him and comforted him of all the aduersitie which the Lord had caused to come vpon him and he receiued of eche of them a peece of siluer and of ech of them an ornament of golde 12 And the Lorde blissed the latter state of Iob more than the first insomuch that hee had .xiiij. thousand sheepe six thousand Camels a thousand yoke of oxen a thousand Sheeasses 13 Also he had seuen sonnes and three daughters 14 And he called the name of one Iemima and the name of another Kezia and the name of the thirde Kerenhapuk 15 And there vvere not founde more fairer vvomen in all the Countrey than Iobs daughters and their father gaue them in heritance among their brethren 16 And after these things Iob liued a hundred and forrie yeares and he savv his sonnes and his sonnes vnto the fourth generation 17 And he died aged and full satisfied vvith dayes WEe haue seene howe God in rebuking Iobs freends would not leaue them hopelesse but called them to repentance by telling them that hee woulde heare them and haue pitie vpon them And so ye see that corrections are profitable too vs when God shetteth not the gate agaynst vs but sheweth vs that he is readie to receyue vs to mercie For otherwise what should it boot vs to be coÌ„uicted of our sinnes VVe should be drowned in dispaire if we toke not hold of Gods mercie and so shoulde wee neuer bee touched with true earnestnesse to repent vs of our euill doings but rather wexe hardhearted so as we should chafe vpon the brydle and there should be none amendment in vs Therfore let vs marke well that God worketh men a singular benefite when after his causing of theÌ„ to feele theyr owne naughtinesse he sheweth them that yet notwithstanding they shal obteyne fauour if they seeke it But heerewithal we haue seene also that God commaunded those men to bring their sacrifices to Iob to the end that he should pray for them and that was too humble them For although God shewe himselfe gentle welminded towardes vs yet haue we neede that he should partly shew himselfe hard to be intreated of vs Yea that is to make vs haue a disliking of our sinnes for oftentimes it seemeth sufficient to vs to haue giueÌ„ one good sigh and away as we commonly say in our tongue and so we do as it were but dally with god Repentance ought to make vs vtterly dismayd and it ought to sttike vs with feare wheÌ„ we consider Gods wrath which is able to ouerwhelme vs vtterly VVe thinke not vpon that but wee passe ouer it as wee would passe ouer whote burning coles as they say In this respect it is good profitable for vs that our Lorde should as it were reine vs short shew vs that there is yet still some naughtinesse lurking in vs the which it standeth vs in hande too perceyue better Then Gods afoording of so large penywoorthes of his mercie vnto men is to the intent they should alwayes bee the more humbled and cal to mind the faults which they haue committed That therfore is the reason why it is said in this text that Iob should pray for those that had offended But yet notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but that as well by the sacrifices as by Iobs person God ment too shewe that men haue neede of some meane or Mediator to make them way to him and to cause them to finde fauour according as we see that in the law God had ordeyned the high Priest to enter alone into the Sanctuarie in the name of all the people and that all men else should stande aloofe acknowledging themselues vnworthie to preace neere the presence of god For that was to betoken that without a Mediator to go in vnto God on oure behalfe it shoulde neuer bee lawfull for vs to pray vntoo him