his people in the lande of Canaan Againe wee knowe howe the holy Scripture saith generally that the man is happie whiche eateth the labour of his owne hands and is nurrished therewith Therefore if we intend to haue our goodes to do vs good let vs learne too haue them in such cace as wee may say that God hath giuen vs them For God meddleth not with crafts and extortions I confesse in deede that the wicked are not inriched without his will but yet it is not therefore too be sayd that he alloweth of their doings Nother is it ment that the wicked acknowledge God to say I thanke God I thinke my selfe beholding to him for that which he hath giuen me No for they hold them as it were of the Diuell and not of Gods blissing Therefore let vs on our side learne as I said afore to make account of this promise that we be happie when we eate the labour of our hands that is too say when we eate not any thing but such as we haue gotten by good lawfull meanes allowed of god Furthermore let vs assure our selues that it is to no purpose too builde in this world For all things heere are fleeting and transitorie Let vs not be like these fooles that make their nest in this worlde as who would say they looked neuer to go out of it Therefore let vs not bee tied to it For whiche is our chiefe house It is our bodie Though a man haue great palaces and as sumptuouse houses as any be in the world it is certaine that he cannot continue in them for euer he cannot keepe himselfe in prison there So then the peculiarest lodging that euery man hath is his owne body and yet wee see what brittlenesse is in it VVhat firmenesse hath it It is nothing but corruption and rottennesse VVhat is to be done then Let vs hie vs to the heauenly building that is to say let vs desire to be so repaired as Gods spirite may dwell in vs and wee bee made his temples and that whatsoeuer is now corruptible and transitorie in vs may be renewed so as we may be set in the same state that is promised vs Yee see then that we must not in this world seeke to draw other mens goodes to vs to take pleasure in that whiche is none of ours but liue cōtented with whatsoeuer God giueth vs and therewithall pray God so to builde vs as we may be his temples to the end he may dwell in vs by his holy spirite and not suffer Satan to carrie vs away or to enter into vs too nurrish our vices and sinnes in vs for by that meanes he would make our bodies foule stinking stables But we know that God cannot dwell in any filthy place Therefore if wee will haue him to settle in vs wee must first pray him too clenze vs from all vncleannesse to the end he may build vs by his grace to bee true Temples of his holy spirite Lo how wee may be well builded But wee muste vnderstand that all proceedeth of his meere grace according as the Scripture auoucheth it to bee his charge to build vp Sion Then like as generally our Lord Iesus Christ buildeth all the whole body of his Churche so also let vs assure ourselues that he must be fayne too builde each one of vs And that is the thing that we must ame at VVe must not be wedded to the flightfull corruptible things of this worlde but we must hie vs to the euerlasting things and labour for them more more till we become fullie to them Now lette vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may learne too mislike them more and more and too take suche hartie remorse that wee ouercome all temptations and hie vs alwayes to the heauenly glory where our true heritage is and that we may be so giuen vnto it as we may seeke nothing but to please our God and to frame our selues wholly to his will so as wee may shewe by our deedes that his calling of vs vnto him is not in vaine but that wee be willing to glorifie him in all our whole life acknowledging the benefites whiche hee giueth vs of his meere grace too the end wee should yeeld him praise and do him his due honour That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and nations of the earth c. The .lxxvj. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the .xx. Chapter 20 He shall feele no suffizance in his bellie nother shall he keepe his desire 21 There is none of his meate left Therefore shall not his goodes be multiplied 22 VVhen his abundance is at the full he shal be in anguish all the hands of labouring men shal come vnto him 23 VVhen he hath vvherevvith to fil his bellie God shall sende him the dread of his vvrath and make it to raine vpon his meate 24 VVhen he fleeth from the yron vveapons a bovve of steele shall meete vvith him 25 The svvord shall bee dravven out and shall cut him it shall passe through his gall fearefulnesse shall be vpon him ZOphar going forward with the matter that he delt with yesterday addeth here that the wicked man neuer hath any contentation nor rest nor shall fare any thing the better by aught that he leaueth behinde him nother shall his goodes thriue with his heire or successour This sentence hath bin declared alredy Howbeit for the larger confirmation thereof it is repeted once againe that we may beare it the better in mind and also be the better perswaded of it For if we see a man haue abundance of goodes we are of opinion that he wanteth nothing and that he hath contentation and all felicitie so as he needeth to do nothing else but take his pleasure seeing that all things answer his harts desire after that māner Marke I pray you how we perceyue not the wretchednesse that is hid in them whome God curseth but giue iudgement according to that which we see with our eyes But Gods iudgement is inclozed in their bones and in their maree And therefore yee see it is for our behoofe to heare this sentēce often that we may be the surer of it and haue the remēberance of it printed in our hart On the other side when we looke vpon a rich man we thinke that heauen earth should mingle themselues togither to confound him And therefore God declareth that although man haue neuer so great welth yet shall the same perish euery whit and vanish away in such wise as there shal be nothing for his heire or successor to hope for VVherefore let vs marke well these two points that we may learne to set more store by Gods blissing than by all the welth in the world and not be tempted too couet cursed riches which cannot come to a good end bicause God will
engraneth the same still with his finger that is to say with the holy Ghoste So let vs come backe againe to the article that I haue touched which is that the Scripture speaketh of the battells which wee haue in our owne nature without taking hold of Gods goodnesse which is from aboue As how VVe haue alredy alledged some records where it is sayd That a man is but a breath or a wind that passeth away and returneth no more It should seeme that man is likened to the brute beastes Yea and he should be like them in verie deede if God did not put to his hande For whence commeth the immortalitie of our soules but of a speciall fauour that God beareth vs Saint Paule saieth that only God is immortall VVe then are rransitorie we doe nothing else but fade awaye and what are oure soules Euen the very Angels of heauen shoulde also bee mortall howbeit for so muche as God hath breathed his owne power into them they must needs continue in him It is he from whēce procedeth the immortalitie I say euē of the Angels and it behoueth vs also on our part to draw out of the same well according as it is said in the Psalme Lord in thee is the fountaine of life and in thy light shall we be enlightned VVe see now how men being considered in them selues haue nothing in them but dedlinesse according as it is sayd in another sentence of the hundred and fourth Psalm Lord drawe thou away thy spirite and all things shall decaye and come too nothing Nowe when the holie Scripture speaketh after this manner it is not too take from vs the hope of the Resurrection nother is it to make vs thynke that wee bee not immortall but wee muste alwayes beginne at thys poynte namelye too knowe what oure owne weakenesse is and afterwarde mount vp by degrees to know what God hath put into vs VVhat are men then A wind a smoke Howebeit for as much as God hath breathed a continuing power intoo vs therefore wee bee immortall Furthermore it behoueth God to stablishe that thing whiche he hath once put into vs for if hee mainteyned it not by his grace all woulde goe to decay And specially we must come to the Highest poynt that is to witte to the Resurrection which is promised vs And where shall wee fynde that Not in our owne nature But wee muste stie vppe aboue the worlde and wee must vnderstande that there is none but onely Iesus Christe whiche is the true mirrour wherein to see that thing There wee see that God will rayse vs vp againe too glorie that hee will plucke vs out of the corruption and rottennesse wherein we nowe walke and wherein wee shoulde abyde for euer were it not for this extraordinarie remedie whereby hee helpeth the matter Yee see then howe wee must bee fayne too come too Iesus Christ to knowe whereat it behoueth vs to looke when we hope to be raysed vp agayne at the last day Verely Sainct Paule vseth certaine similitudes whiche hee taketh of the common order of nature too shewe the Resurrection as when he sayth ye see how the graines of corne and other seeds are cast into the ground and there rotting do growe vp againe Nowe saythe hee in that men sowe the bare corne and afterwarde the same groweth vp againe out of the rottennesse whereintoo it behoued it to be first turned ye haue a figure and image of the Resurrection But yet is not this as muche to say as that wee see oure Resurrection there It serueth onely too shewe that the faythlesse are vnthankfull and ouerlewde to Godwarde when they dispute how it is possible that our bodies shoulde ryse againe after they be so rotted and turned into duste If suche as will be so wise in theyr owne conceyte do shoote out their suttle deuises and therevpon conclude that it is vnpossible for God to rayse vs vp againe Saincte Paule sheweth that suche folke are malicious and that it is nothing else but their owne vnthankfulnesse that turneth them awaye from the receyuing of this power of God whereby hee poomiseth too set vs in perfite state agayne And why so For he gyueth vs certayne familiar likelyhodes in the order of nature too assure vs of his good purpose So then when Sainct Paule vseth the foresayde maner of reasoning it is not meante that oure Resurrection shall bee as a naturall thing but it is to make vs vnderstand the infinite power of God and to honour him and to yeelde him the prayse that belongeth vnto him and therewithall to looke vpon the promise which he hath made vs which is that although it farre surmount all our vnderstanding and bee a verie straunge thing that God shoulde make vs newe agayne when wee bee turned intoo duste yet notwithstanding hee will restore vs euen when wee shall haue beene turned too nothyng Althoughe I saye that this be hard to be beleeued yet must we trust that God is neuerthelesse able to doe it by his power wherethrough hee is able to doe all things according as it is sayde in another place to the Philippians Nowe therefore let mens wittes discourse what they can let them raunge euen to the Diuelles in hell and yet it is certayne that they shall not bee able too diminishe Gods power Neuerthelesse when they encounter the sayd promise that is made vs of the Resurrection which is the thing that surmounteth all our capacitie they go about to diminish yea and as much as in them lyeth vtterly too abolishe Gods wonderfull power whereby hee is able to do all things Nowe let vs come againe to that which is sayde heere Alas Lorde I shall see no more good The eye of the Seer shall see me no more I shall no more returne out of my graue VVhy speaketh Iob thus Is hee as a man in dispayre that casteth awaye all the taste whiche hee had earst felte of Gods goodnesse touching the Resurrection No but hee setteth out man alone by him selfe from the graces whereof God hathe made him partaker by his owne meere goodnesse And euen so ought wee to doe likewyse Yea and it is a speciall poynte well worthie to bee marked for moste men abuse them selues and haue not the discretion too saye Beholde oure God hath done vs exceeding muche good but wee must consider that wee bee beholding to him for all that euer wee haue And it is a ryght necessarie lesson for vs nowe a dayes For how shall men be able to humble themselues except they set before them on the one syde Gods gracious goodnesse to say This is not myne own I haue not this of my selfe my possessing of it is but bycause hee lendeth it me therefore I must do him homage for it and therewithall consider howe fauourable my God is to mee and howe bountifull hee sheweth himselfe towarde me Thus yee see that the meaning of Iobs wordes is to expresse what man is if God leaue him vp to himselfe
his Lord the Trewand of his Schoolemayster or the theef of the gallowes but too conceyue such an inward reuerence of him by reason of his iustice mercie wisedome power prouidence and ryghtuousenesse as too thinke him woorthie of all honour and obedience and too yeeld the same willingly and hartely vnto him so as wee would be lothe and sorie too offend him euen though wee myght be sure too scape vnpunished The onely meanes too bring vs whervnto is the ryght knowing of his holie woord and the stedfast cleauing therevnto without swaruing one way or other and without taking leaue too do anye thing that is not warranted there This feare of God caused Iob too drawe his eyesight alwayes inward and to looke only vnto Gods will not regarding eyther what his owne affection and lustes stirred him to or what his power riches and authoritie inabled him to doo or what any outward occasions and oportunities moued him to or what the intycementes of the world and the persuasions of men allured him to doo or finally what fame or infamie gayne or losse loue or hatred or anye thing else prouoked him to doo but what he knewe ought too bee doone of ryght equitie reason and conscience For when mennes eyes I meene their myndes and wittes which are in deede the very eyes or lampes of lyght too the whole man are occupyed outwardly eyther they rushe foorth into all lewdnesse and become vtterly wicked like wild horses that haue cast their ryders and runne looce withersoeuer furie inforceth them and the greater that such persones are the more harme do they bothe by deede and by example or else they bee dazeled with the glittering glosse of vainglorie accompanied with feare of punishment or hope of reward and so finally fall into the sound sleepe of senslesse hypocrisie doing all things in obedience of their owne will and not of Gods will. These later sort are tolerable in the actiue and ciuill life and oftentymes do greate good bothe too their neyghbours and to the whole common weale but neuer too themselues bycause their good doing springeth not from the right roote which is the hartie obedience of God ne tendeth too the right end which is the only glorie of God and therfore they may well bee likened too the shipwrights that builded the Arke of Noe and yet perished themselues in the flud But the other sort do good nother too themselues nor to others except it be against their wills when God maketh them an ensample of his rightfull iustice by giuing them the due reward of their wickednesse Howbeeit forasmuchas these things together with all others poynts before rehersed in this Epistle are largely and substaÌ„tially discussed by the faithfull and learned seruant of God Maister Iohn Caluin in these Sermons of his vppon the booke of Iob and it were an vnseemly thing for an vnexpert scholer to wryte the battell of Troy againe after Homer as the Prouerb sayeth I will not be tediouse in withholding your L. long from the reading of the Sermons themselues Neuerthelesse I haue presumed vpon your L. patience to set downe this foresayd breef abstract of this woork to the intent your honour and all other noble men to whom cheefly vnder our most graciouse soueraine Ladie Queene Elizabeth the care of Gods Religion and of this common weale belongeth beholding the groundwoorke and as it were the platforme of so many excellent matters and thervpon considering the goodnesse necessarinesse and profitablenesse therof to the whole churche of God and too the furtherance of eche mannes saluation myght like the better of the booke as I doubt not but that the oftener your L. shall reade any part of it the better you will like it and by your wellyking cause it too be the more imbraced of others too their singular comfort edifying and welfare For although the books of holie Scripture take no authoritie or credit of man but haue a singular kind of spirit lyfe and woorkfulnesse in themselues Yet notwithstanding forasmuchas it is incident to the nature welneere of all inferioures too regard or neglect euen the best things according as their superiors seeme to make more or lesse account of them and when godly and well disposed men haue taken peines to open the Scriptures too the vnderstanding and capacitie of the people their doings and writings are oftentymes more slightly and negligently receyued than they deserue too be The wellyking of such noble men and magistrates as God hath moreouer innobled with the knowledge of his Gospell is a greate furtherance to the good accepting of bothe of them among all inferiour degrees and God looketh to be so glorified at their hands VVherfore I humbly commend this woork together with my translation therof vnto your good L. accustomed fauour wherof I haue had so often trial heretofore in accepting of diuers woorks of mine though conteyning good commendable and godly matters yet not of like substance importance and trauell vnto this And my trust is that your goodnesse bothe in respecte of the newyere vnder the benefit whereof I am the bolder to present it as a token of my bound dutie and thankfull mynd towards your honour and also in respect of the woork it self which being aduizedly red will doubtlesse yeeld much more frute than can be expressed in woords will beare with my faults and imperfections where any shall occurre For although my coÌ„science beare mee witnesse that I haue delt playnly and faithfully in all respects and not stepped aside willingly in any poynt from the beaten path and although some may thinke it straunge that hee which aduentureth vpon so greate and weightie woorks should in any wyse seeke excuse of ignorance or ouersight yet notwithstanding forasmuchas I knowe the generall infirmitie of mannes nature how easie it is too slip vnwares and this woork is the first of any greate weyght that euer I translated out of the French â—oong to be published I craue it as a speciall fauour to my self and as a benefite to the Churche of God that where any fault shall be found I may be made priuie to them and I will be as forward as the forwardest to amend them Thus beseeching God too graunt your L. to see many happie and prosperouse newyeeres vpon this Realme and vpon the Churche of God furthered and aduaunced by your good counsell and indeuer to the increace of your owne honour bothe here and in the world to come I humbly take my leaue VVritten the last of December 1573. Your honours most humble alwayes to commaund Arthur Golding ¶ TO AL GENTLE READERS GREETING IF euer men needed too learne vvhat patience is surely the state of this present time ought to leade yea and too dravve them to it For if vvee looke vvell about vs vvee shall finde that there hath not bin almost any Realme or countrie vvherein God hath not vttered great scourges If ye demaund the cause it is euident so as euen the blinde as ye vvould say may
see it Let the old men that are now aliue consider the vvicked things vvhich they haue seene committed commonly since they vvere firste able to remember vnto this day and must they not needs say as it vvas sayd of the tyme of the generall flud that all flesh hath corrupted his vvayes vpon earth that all is full of extorcion and outrage and that such as beare the name of ChristiaÌ„s do as sayth Sainct Peter fulfill the vvaye of the heathen by liuing in shamefulnesse pride lecherie drunkennesse gluttonie quaffing and abhominable idolatrie But like as it is good to knovve the causes of the aduersities that happen to the intent that men may the better bethink themselues to amend as vvell publikely as priuately so is it right necessarie to be â—ensed vvith true patience that vve sink not vnder the burthen vvhen Gods scourges continue long vpon vs for euen that also is one of the points of the amendment vvhich he requireth of vs Neuerthelesse it is a thing that cannot be learned else vvhere than in Gods vvord For although the ancient Philosophers and other vvise men of the vvorld haue spoken of it and giuen certaine rules of it yet vvas there neuer any man found that for all his learning therof in their schoole could shevve that he knevve vvhat it is at the neede and vvhen it commeth to the putting of it in vre And in very deede euen those that tooke vpon them as I sayd to teach others besids that their doctrine vvas vnperfect itself most commonly vvist not vvhere they vvere vvhen it came to the point that they should haue practized it in daungers those that did best shevved I vvot not vvhat a resemblance of patience vvhich being more neerly considered vvas cleane contrarie Therfore not vvithout cause doeth the Apostle sainct Paule send vs too the vvhole scripture to learne patience and comfort according also as in another text he sayeth that the end of the scripture is to make a man perfect and readye in all good vvorks But yet among the books of Scripture the booke of IOB is commended to vs by name for that purpose by the Apostle Sainct Iames. And the verie bare reading of the storie shevveth sufficiently that it is not vvith out cause Neuerthelesse it is not to bee doubted but that the help of a good expounder is very profitable euen to the skilfullest and likevvise necessarie in common for the better knovving and vnderstanding of the diuersitie of the matters and for the furtherance of a mannes ovvne profiting in the doctrine that is conteyned in it That is it vvhich hath moued certaine goodmen to put foorth his yeere The Sermons of the faithfull seruant of God and his Churche Maister Iohn Caluin vpon the booke of Iob notvvithstanding that he himselfe vvhich is the author of them and at vvhose mouth they vvere gathered vvithstoode it as much as he could according as hee hath done vvith his other SermoÌ„s Furthermore although other meÌ„ of knovvledge haue trauelled to giue a more easie vnderstaÌ„ding of this booke by their vvrytings yet notvvithstaÌ„ding besides that these Sermons are in the common French toung his maner of handling the doctrine thereof is so playne and vvell framed to the capacitie of the grossest sorte as yee vvould terme them hovvbeit vvithout omitting any needfull things and moreouer so applied one vvay other to the behoof of the present time that surely all suche as intend too iudge vprightly and vvithouâ—malice shall find good helpe heere vvhervvith too content themselues For profe vvherof it is not novv needfull to shevv a summe of the booke or of the chiefe points of doctrine and of the vse of the same diuerse vvays For besides that he shall better find it here and there in reading his Sermons the first conteyneth a sufficient discourse and yet very short to be easly borne in mynd Hovvsoeuer the cace stand if those that read the vvhole be folke that haue already left Idolatrie and giuen themselues to the doctrine of the Gospell they shall find heere vvhervvith to further themselues â–ª still more and more in the knovvledge of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ and specially too strengthen themselues vvith right patience in their aduersities Or if they be such as haue not yet knovvne or listed to discerne the true Religion to frame themselues therafter by leauing the false Religions vvhat occasion so euer hath letted theÌ„ yet being vvarned by the doctrine of this booke so chavved to them as they shall finde it and cheefly being vvakened by Gods extraordinarie iudgement in Iobs persone vvhiche they shall see there layde forth and declared at length they shall be prepared to bethinke theÌ„selues better to take profite of the great number of aduersities vvhich are seene novvadaies in the vvorlde of farre greater vvhervvith it is verie likely that God threatneth men for the greate open despizing of his Gospell For although the things that are happened this yeere as well in his punishmeÌ„ts layd vpoÌ„ the vvicked sort the enimies of Christ as in his chastizements layd vpon the faithfull be verie terrible Yet notvvithstanding forasmuchas very fevve amende and contrarivvise most men grovve more spitefull in fighting against Iesus Christ and some hauing begonne to do vvell vvex rechelesse againe yea viterly turne avvay there is none other thing too bee looked for but that he vvill continue to smite still So then the first sort shall haue to consider that if Iob being a sound and rightuouse man that feared God and eschevved euill according as it is vvitnessed of him and liuing so long tyme before the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and the great light of the Gospell vvas handled so straungely at Gods hand vvho loued him and that the same vvas too the end that his patience should be tried it is no maruell though vve novv in these latter dayes vnder the reigne of Iesus Christ haue novv and then many crosses to beare be for our peculiar faults chastized vvith strype vpon strype at the hand of the liuing God vvho notvvithstanding loueth vs for the seruing of vvhom according to his vvoord vve be turned from ydolls vnto him as sayth Sainct Paule to the Thessalonians The second sort shall haue to thinke bethinke yea to chavv as their cudde that if God do so shake therodde in his hand ouer those that are already reclamed to his sure to bridle them make them vvalke right frovvard throughout that if he haue gone that vvay to vvorke vvith Iob as is reported heere vvho notvvithstanding had bene as an Angell in the vvorld in indeuering to do his dutie to God and man VVhat is likely to lyght vpon themselues if they do not in generall amend and vtterly forsake their foolish shamefull and vvicked idolatrie aud particularly the manifest contempt of God vvherof they be full liuing at this day as Epicures Atheists moreouer some their vvhordome bauderie some their drunkennesse
of the things whiche the theeues dyd and that the Dyuell was a doer of them too Nowe then wee see heere howe God is euermore soueraine in degree in guiding and disposing the things that are here belowe to leade them to suche ende as hee thinketh good And heere is no matter for vs too iudge of after our owne vnderstanding as some ouerweening persons doe who will needes be wyse in making God and all his whole worlde subiect to their owne fansie These are beastes yea and as beetleheaded beastes as any can bee They haue neither knowledge nor wit and yet to purchase them selues estimation they saye they see no reason why God should be the doer of all things for then should he be the authour of sin Do they not then controll the holy ghost for speaking so for we must needs yeld to that And when a man hath debated the matter throughly to and fro hee must needes come too the sayde conclusion namely that we comprehende not the greatnesse and heigth of Gods dooings further than it pleaseth him to gyue vs some tast of them at leastwyse according to oure capacitie whiche is ouersmall None knoweth Gods workes but himselfe alone they are a bottomelesse depe as the scripture saith and we haue no means to attain to them in so muche that all they which will search them shal be confounded except they goe too it with all reuerence and lowlynesse Therefore it belongeth onely vnto God to giue vs knowledge what howe and wherfore he doth and therewithal it behoueth vs to content our selues with that which the scripture telleth vs And although it seeme straunge vnto vs and we be not able to comprehende it by oure capacitie and reason yet must we confesse that God is ryghtuous And forasmuch as wee attaine it not let vs tary the comming of the latter daye at which time we shall knowe no more by parcelmeale nor as it were in dimnesse as Sainct Paule sayth but wee shall then behold the things face to face which are shewed vs now as it were in a glasse Thus then wee see an excellente Texte too shewe vs howe God guydeth and gouerneth the whole worlde by hys Prouidence But wee haue further too note too what purpose the Holye Ghoste telleth vs that GOD dothe all and that nothing can come too passe without his consent It is to the ende that wee myght despise Sathan and all wicked menne when wee see them practyze and inuente neuer so manye thinges bycause wee are sure they are not able to bring theyr enterpryses about See then howe God meaneth to assure vs of his protection and too shewe vs howe Sathan is so farre off from beeing mayster of himselfe too accomplishe the thing that hee would that hee is fayne too serue Gods tourne Seeing that the case standeth so lette vs apply the holie scripture to suche vse as this namely that althoughe wee bee hemmed in with enemies rounde about and be heere as a sheepe in a woules throate yet notwithstanding we must not ceasse to trust in God and to warrant oure selues that as long as we be vnder the shadow of his wings we shall be sure of our saluation Howe so Bycause hee hath soueraine dominion ouer al creatures in such sort as he holdeth euen Satan himselfe and all wicked persons of the world in awe leadeth all things to such issue as he thinketh good â–ª Lo whervpon we ought to stay that we maye call vpon God quietly and when wee haue called vpon him assure our selues that hee will guyde vs And heerewithall it behoueth vs to beare in mynd that which I haue touched that is to wit that we become no iudges of God for that were ouergreat presumption VVere it not too diuelish a pryde if men shoulde not acknowledge God to be rightuous except they could perceiue him to be so but would haue God to humble and abase himselfe so muche us to say wel I see I must be accomptable to you As for those that aduaunce themselues into such pryde are they not al well worthy to be quite ouerwhelmed by God Yes certesse are they Also wee see here why Salomon sayth that they whiche are ouerinquisitiue in searching Gods maiestie too farre and more than is requisite for them shall be ouerwhelmed in their owne pryde so as they shall bee confounded Then there remayneth nothing for vs but to haue the sayde sobrietie of praying vnto God too teach vs so much as is for our benefite and behoofe and to receiue whatsoeuer he saith for good and rightful with out pleading to the contrarie Thus ye see howe we ought to proceede But many men thinke themselues too haue gained muche when they haue founde some trifling cauillation to vpholde that â–ª God doth not all the thinges that are doone by Sathan and by wicked men It is commonly alledged for answere that when wicked folke doe anye euill God worketh not that but onely suffereth it and simply giueth them leaue But seeing hee hath authoritie and power to let them is not his suffering or permission all one as if hee did it himselfe Therfore that is but a very fonde excuse and God hath no neede of oure leasings to maintayne his truth and ryghtuousnesse wythall VVee must not finde such startingholes to stoppe wicked folkes mouthes withall which woulde speake blasphemie against Gods holinesse but it is inough to haue that whiche the holie scripture telleth vs For that God not onely permitteth and giueth leaue but also executeth his will both by the diuell and by wicked persons it appeareth by this that the Scripture sayth not Lorde thou haste permitted but Lorde thou haste doone Like as where Dauid confesseth his sinnes and offences when God had punished him grieuously he sayth Lord of whome shall I complayne for I see it is thy hande and although that Dauid was persecuted by wicked men yet he called it the hande of god Beholde howe the Lorde himself speaketh VVill wee bee wiser than hee Shall we make him beleeue that he had neede of our gaye coloures to warrante him that no man may offer him reproch For see how he speaketh of his owne woorkes VVhen he mynded to punishe Dauid for rauishing Bethsabee hee sayde vnto him thou hast doone this thing priuilye but I will make the Sunne too beare witnesse of it Howe was that VVhat was it that God would do vnto Dauid It was that Absolom should rauish his fathers wiues and defile them in the presence of all the people in the sight of the Sunne Ye see here an inceste which is horrible and against nature and yet neuerthelesse God saith flatly I will do it for those be his words VVe see then how it is not a single leaue or permission â–ª but that God himselfe worketh in such wise as the wicked must needes bee the instrumentes of his will as wee haue sayd And I pray you as touching the office of a iudge is it no more but to giue the
it please hym too punishe vs wee are readye to receyue his stripes with all meekenesse Loe howe wee ought to deale But there is yet more which is that the faithfull man must enter intoo himselfe acknowledge his sinnes and consider that he giueth continually newe occasion why God shoulde iustly punishe hym So then although wee bee promised that God will mainteyne vs in this worlde as though wee were brooded vnder his wings so as we shal bee there in peace and without anye disquietnesse yet doo our sinnes cause hym to chastize vs and too shewe some roughnesse towardes vs God can not abyde too suffer vs to runne so into decay and if he should leaue vs after that sort at randon without any chastizemente it woulde bee oure vtter vndoing If earthlye fathers marre their children when they cocker them too much it is certaine that we shoulde bee much more marred if God shoulde not chastize vs and shewe some signe of roughnesse towardes vs For as experience sheweth we abuse his goodnesse in all respectes The faithfull therefore acknowledging themselues too offende God without ceasing must also beare in minde that hee hath roddes in a readinesse too beate them for their sinnes and that either to day or tomorrow he can chaunge the prosperitie which they presently enioy and therevppon deale rigorously with them So then let vs marke that we must not sleepe after such a sort but that when GOD mainteineth vs here in quietnesse wee must also haue an eye to that which may betide vs and be alwayes ready to receyue the afflictions that he shall send vs Now let vs come to that which is reported heere that is to witte that Eliphas the Themanite one of Iobs friendes that came too comfort him is entred into talke against him For he telleth him in effect how he seeth too well that the feare of God and the purenesse which he seemed to haue in outward appearance was but hypocrisie bicause hee delte so farre out of square and could not paciently receyue the correction that God sent him But anon after he entreth yet further that is to witte that of force it must needes be that Iob is a reprobate considering that God handleth him so roughly And why so for the good men are neuer smitten with such extremitie Lo heere the first grounde that this Eliphas taketh to reason vppon against Iob. But we must be thinke vs of that whiche I haue declared heeretofore which is that Iob hath a good case but hee handleth it very ill and that his countercompanions hauean ill case and handle it very wel according as sometimes a man may set a faire coloure vpon an euill matter and so do they It standeth vs in hand to mark this for otherwise all the talke that is rehearsed too vs here will be confused Iob as I haue said hath a good case For he acknowledgeth that it is God whiche scourgeth him and although he account himselfe worthie of suche corrections in as much as he is a sinner yet notwithstanding hee is fully perswaded that God looketh not at that and that his sending of so great aduersities vnto him is not in respecte of his sinnes but for some other secrete cause whereof he is not priuie In the meane while he shutteth his mouth and sayth that he can win nothing by pleading against god Yet ceasseth he not to vse muche wandring talke And that is the cause why I sayd that he handled a good case amisse But they that visite him do take an vntrue principle which is that God doth alwayes deale with men in this earthly life according to their desertes Thys saying is vtterly false for we see the plaine contrary and the scripture sheweth it vs and experience serueth vs for another proofe of it But yet the case so standeth as in the meane season they that say so ceasse not to alleage good and holy reasons whereoutof wee also may gather good and profitable doctrin Howbeit for the better vnderstanding of the whole let vs call to remembrance howe it is sayde in the Psalme Blessed is the man that considereth aright of hym that is smitten that is to saye which iudgeth discreetely of hym that is afflicted And what maner of wisedome is that It is too thinke that God will deliuer him in the tyme of aduersitie Thus wee see what the holy ghost requireth of vs if wee will not bee rashe iudges and turne all Goddes woorkes vpside downe VVhen wee see poore men beaten that they can beare no more wee must vnderstande that God is so mercifull as he will succoure them and that it is not to be sayd that hee meeneth to destroy them vtterly To be short if we will bee discreete iudgers of the chastizements and corrections that God sendeth vppon men wee muste wayte for the ende of them and we must not bee ouerhastie to giue sentence at the first dash but we must stay our selues and marke what it pleaseth God to do And according as he sayeth that his displeasure is short and that his mercie lasteth vnto life wee must encline our selues to wayte on the hitherside that is to witte to hope well and to wayte for a good and happie issue Thus we see what wee haue to marke But Iobs friendes remembred not that and that was the cause why they ouershot themselues They see Iob smitten with extremitie and therevpon conclude that God meant to shew in hym an example of a reprobate person and that those thinges had not happened vnto him if hee had not beene a wicked and vngracious person And why so for they conceyued not that which the scripture sheweth vs namely howe it is the propertie of God too succoure those that are his when they be in distresse And the scripture telleth vs not onely that God aydeth the afflicted but also that he draweth those out of their graues which seme to bee alreadye deade Although then that our afflictions bee great and excessiue yet muste wee still hope for Gods helpe whych doubtlesse will bee beyonde all the opinion of man and beyonde all the meanes that we can conceyue And it is not in thys Text onely that the Scripture speaketh so but it is a doctrine very ryfe through out It is sayde that the righteous man not only shall bee shaken but also that hee shall fall seuen tymes a day Then may we fall many tymes but yet shall Gods hande bee ready to hold vs vp so as our fallings shall not bee deadly at leastwyse not too broose vs so sore but that God shall delyuer vs Beholde howe the Scripture speaketh True it is that there bee dyuerse promises whereby it seemeth that God maketh a difference of his owne children from the reprobates and despisers of hys woorde as when hee sayeth that the hardhearted man shall bee tamed by force of strypes lyke a Mule or a restye horse and that GOD wyll not ceasse too beate vppon them wyth greate strokes whyche are so rebellious and
outwarde but that the worde whiche issued out of oure mouthe is throughly rooted in our hart But here we see what the vse of Gods word is namely not only to teache and to shewe what is good but also too correct suche as haue done amisse to rebuke suche as deale disorderly and to strengthen the weake the feeble and those that are of small courage And therefore the Prophet Esay auoucheth that it belongeth too the charge of all Prophets all teachers of the Church and all suche as haue charge too beare abroade the worde of God not onely too vtter that whyche is commaunded them too speake wee may see heere what God will haue declared vnto vs but also too haue the cheerefulnesse too spurre and pricke forwarde them that are lazie too giue courage too the weake too lift vp them that are falne and too bring backe them that stray into the right way Thus ye see what is the true vse of Gods worde namely that it is the way aswell too instruct men aright as also to shewe the effectualnesse of the Gospell according also as when Sainct Paule telleth vs howe wee must applye the holy scripture too our instruction he sayeth that it serueth not onely to knowe what is good and too discerne betweene good and euill but also to exhorte too reproue and to conuince vs And heereby wee must bee the more prouoked to receyue Gods worde desirously and with a cheerefull and louing affection for somuch as wee see howe all that belongeth to our welfare is comprehended therein God then not onely bringeth vs that whyche is for our behoofe too knowe but also forasmuche as he seeth our frailtie he intendeth too remedie it and will haue hys word to serue to strengthen vs and forasmuch as he seeth wee be brittle and in daunger too fall hee setteth vs vp agayne anone after and forasmuch as hee seeth vs inclined too hypocrisie and too soothe our selues in our owne vices he spurreth vs too the ende wee may perceyue our owne euills and not delight in them Seeyng then that wee perceyue how God hathe so well prouided for all things whiche hee knoweth too bee behoosefull as hee will haue hys worde too serue vs throughly in that behalfe ought not wee to bee the more inslamed too receyue the same worde Seeing wee perceyuc it too bee suche a treasure ought wee not I saye too receyue it with a cheerefull minde considering howe it is sweeter than hony as it is sayde in the nyneteenth Psalme Also when wee heare the worde of God it standeth vs in hande too knowe wherefore There are that would haue a man too doo nothing else but say Beholde what wee haue too marke vpon this text and that man should make colde expositions and that there shoulde bee no exhortations no rebuking of vices nor liuelynesse Yea but that were as muche as too deface the doctrine of God as if a man shoulde cut a sunder the sinewes of a body that it might haue no more strength in it VVhat is too bee done then VVhen wee come too a Sermon or when any man readeth alone by him selfe wee must vnderstande that it is Gods intent not onely too shewe vs what is good as if he should say go on that way but also too rebuke our sinnes in vs that it may be as a messenger too pricke vs forwarde too learne too humble our selues before him Is it euen so Then let vs marke also howe sluggish wee bee and that wee hye vs not vnto him with suche zele as were requisite insomuch that hee is fayne to gyue vs some strokes of the spurre too quicken vs vp and all his exhortations serue too humble vs and too make vs too submit oure selues frankly to hys will Thus we see how wee ought to deale to make the worde of God to serue oure vse and in what wise we ought too put it in vre Aboue all they that are cheefe in this charge must marke well that they bee not quite discharged when they haue faithfully informed the people what is good but also that they muste haue the foresayd liuelinesse of encouraging them too the intent that suche as are dull may be somewhat quickned and of comforting suche as are in distresse too the intent they may finde reliefe in God and of rebukyng such as delight in their owne vices too spurre them in suche wise as they may be abashed and ashamed in them selues And like as the ministers and teachers must applye these things to all men openly so muste euery one of vs apply it to himselfe following that whiche the Apostle sayth in the Epistle to the Hebrues for in alleaging the saying of the prophet Esay he sayth wee must not tarrye till others speake too vs but euery one of vs must bee a scholemaster to him selfe As if he should saye Beholde how that vnto all such as are appoynted to carrie abroade Gods worde in his name the Prophet Esay giueth commaundement to comfort the trembling knees to stay vp the handes of suche as faynt to releeue such as are oppressed and too pull them backe intoo the right pathe which are gone astray But yet neuerthelesse my freends sayth he marke howe euery one of you also is bounde to succour him that is weake and feeble to cherishe him that is weery and out of heart to comforte them that are oppressed with sorrowe and to be short to imploy him selfe in that which he knoweth to bee meete and expedient for the welfare of his neyghbours and finallye that euery one of vs must do the duetie of a preacher towards him selfe Lo what we haue to marke in this texte And whereas recorde is gyuen vnto Iob that he had instructed many Heere is shewed vs first the excellent vertue that was in hym And we must also take instruction by it too doo the lyke that is to witte to drawe all men with vs as much as in vs lyeth too serue God with one common consent True it is that all men are not indewed with so great giftes but yet must euery man consider hys owne measure and imploy him selfe according as God hathe gyuen hym abilitie towardes hys neyghbors Therefore wee must vnderstande that whatsoeuer God hath imprinted in eche of vs for the common buylding vp of hys Churche wee must discharge our selues of it and according to the giftes that euery of vs hath receyued so must he profite others and all of vs must communicate togythers that we may go to God with one accorde and euery man shewe openly that he hath a desire too serue his neighbours turne But nowe let vs come to the conclusion that Eliphas maketh Forasmuche sayth hee as thou art out of pacience when the aduersitie is come vppon thee it must needes bee sayde that thou hast beene but an hypocrite and that the feare which thou hast had was but a hope and a looking that God should alwayes fauour thee Verily had Iob beene suche a one as
Eliphas surmizeth him to bee hys saying had beene true For as I haue touched afore the marke to knowe hypocrites by is when they can babble to teach others and shewe not in deede that their doctrine serueth their owne turne and when they haue a fayre vtterance but keepe nothing within too serue their owne turne at their neede Then let vs learne too bee euery man hys owne scholemaster and teacher And if we minde to profite our neighbours by this doctrine let euery one of vs begin with it at hym selfe And whereas Eliphas dothe Iob wrong in saying that hee founde hym astonished as though there had beene nother witte nor reason in hym wee perceyue thereby that to humble vs therewith God may well suffer vs to bee so delte withall but yet wee muste also presuppose that whatsoeuer temptations happen too Gods children they shall neuer vtterly decay but God will succoure them in such wise as they shall haue wherewith too stablishe and strengthen themselues notwithstanding that of nature they bee so feeble and weake as euen to stumble without ablenesse to rise agayne were it not that God reached out hys hande vntoo them Then let vs vnderstande that when wee haue taught other men and wrought wonders in reprouing the sturdie and wilfull sorte in refourmyng those that went astray and in strengthning suche as are faynthearted wee shall bee so muche the more blameable and worthie to bee condemned if we shewe not by our owne dooings that we speake it from our hearte and earnestly The greater then shall the damnation of those bee who hauyng medled wyth teachyng of others doe themselues take no profite at all by the doctrine And this ought well to make vs too walke in feare and humblenesse Therefore when it commeth to the cace of instructing let vs thinke thus True it is that God will haue mee serue my neyghboures turnes But so it is that I muste bee myne owne iudge I carye abroade his woorde and therfore I must teach myne owne selfe Otherwyse if I frame not my life according to that whiche I speake and vtter with my mouth it wil be to my greate and horrible confusion Aboue all men the ministers of the Gospel must well consider this Here we see also why Sainct Paule sayeth that he blamed and condemned himselfe to the ende he might be the first in the ranke when the condemning of others shall come in question To be brief we that haue the charge to beare about the woorde of God shall bee so muche the more blame-worthie though we haue faithefully taughte that whiche God himselfe hath shed out vpon vs â–ª by the gift of his holy spirit if we haue not begonne to shewe the same at our owne persons And so must we amende others Lette vs firste amend our selues Must we exhort others Lette vs first exhort our selues and lette vs alwayes bee the firste in leading of the daunce Specially when we rebuke such as haue doone amisse let vs practise that whiche Saincte Paule sayeth that is to wit let vs vse all softenesse in reprouing them that haue doone amisse And that it is so looke vpon thy selfe sayeth he and if thou find thy selfe frayle then must thou beare with thy neighbours and yet in the meanewhyle the same muste not hinder the liuely admonishments whiche God enioyneth vs Thus wee see what we haue to gather that we may profit our selues by this text that is to wit that as ofte as it shal please God to correct vs after what maner so euer it be wee muste shewe that when wee be desirous to comfort other men that are in lyke troubles we haue bin good and faithfull teachers towardes our selues As concerning the sentence where it is sayde Was not thy feare then a counterfeaâ—nesse â— were not thy hope and the simplicitie of thy wayes so lykewise Here Eliphas meaneth to shewe Iob that he had bene an hypocrite and hadde not serued God but for desire too seeme and to be seene And certain it is that if we serue not God yea though we feare that wee shall haue him agaynst vs it is but a slauish maner of seruice For God will not haue vs to bee as hirelings in seruing him but he will haue vs to goe to it with a free courage and to be so wholly giuen vnto him as we may say Lorde we be thyne and reason it is that euery one of vs shoulde dedicate himselfe vnto thee and labour to glorifie thy name VVe see then howe we ought to haue a free heart in seruing of God and not bee led to it by slauishe constraynt True it is that in some other textes it is rightly sayde that we may well serue God considering that we shall not be disappoynted of our labour according as it is sayde in the nintenth Psalme and in other lyke places But all thys doth easily agree togither that is to wit that in seruing of God we must be led â–ª with a free mynded affection and yet neuerthelesse must assure ourselues that God wil not suffer our laboure to bee vnprofitable according also as Sainct Paule speaketh God sayth he is rightuous who promiseth that your trauailing shall not be in vayne so as it shoulde be loste labour when you bee so persecuted The holie Scripture is full of this doctrine and specially it is sayde in effecte that suche as truste in God shall not loze their rewarde Then as touching the first poynt wee may well haue an eye too the promisses that God hathe made vs namely that wee shall not loze our labour in seruing him nor bee disappoynted of our longing but that our rewarde is greate in heauen and yet notwithstanding that in the meane time the seruice that we doo vnto God must bee free harted that is to witte that wheÌ„ soeuer it pleaseth hym to plague vs wee must not therefore ceasse to continue our obedience towardes him and to walke in hys feare as wel as when he dealt gently with vs and mainteyned vs in good plight And in doing hereof ye see how we must not loke too haue a hyrelings rewarde to say ô I will serue God conditionally that hee deale with me after mine owne desire If wee come too this poynte it is no seruing of God after the manner of children but after the manner of those that be hyred for wages by the day VVhat is to be done then wee must haue a freeharted affection too dedicate our selues wholy vnto God and to giue our selues wholly to the seruing of him yea euen as well in wo as in weale being well assured that our labour shall not be disappointed when wee shall haue proceeded in such simplicitie But for asmuche as this matter can not be layde foorth at length as nowe we will keepe the rest till tomorrow Now let vs humble our selues in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs vnderstande them better that wee maye dislyke them and seeke
the remedies which hee offereth vs to the ende they maye bee corrected and therewithall guyde vs in such wyse in this worlde as wee may desire nothing but to please him in all pointes and all respectes and to follow hys holy commaundements And so let vs all say Almighty God our heauenly father c. The fiftenth Sermon which is the second vpon the fourth Chapter This Sermon contayneth yet still the exposition of the sixth verse and then afterward as followeth 7. Consider I pray thee vvho euer perished beeing an innocent or vvhere haue the vpright bene destroyed 8. As I haue seene they that plough vnrightuousnesse and sovv incomberance gather the same 9. They perished vvith the blast of God and vvere consumed vvith the breath of hys mouth 10. The roring of the Lyon the noyze of the Libarde and the teeth of the Lyons vvhelpes are dispatched 11. The Lyon perisheth for vvant of pray and the Lyonesses vvhelpes are chaced avvay FIrst and formost wee haue too beare in mind what was declared yesterday which is that to serue God aright wee must bee ledde by a freeharted affection to giue our selues vntoo him withoute hauing any respect of being well intreated at his hand afterward or that he will send vs our owne hartes desire For as for those that wyll so indent wyth God to receyue at Gods hand what soeuer they themselues desire first they shew themselues too be ouerfleshly and too much gyuen too their lustes and secondly they woulde bynde God after a very straunge fashion and behaue not themselues as children towardes theyr father For they bee driuen by a slauishe respecte they bee hyrelinges and wagismen VVhat muste wee doo then Referring our selues to Gods good pleasure we muste haue suche a constancie in vs as too honour him bothe in woe and weale and too desire too bee hys and too continue in the obeying of him what soeuer hee doo too vs or how soeuer hee dispose of vs If wee bee not of this mynde all the seruice wee can do him shall like hym neuer a whit notwithstanding that it bee neuer so well liked and esteemed of the worlde And therefore lette vs not referre our fearing and reuerencing of God too the ende that wee would haue him doo what wee liste But although hee be rough and sharpe towards vs so as it may sometymes seeme that hee would thunder vpon vs yet neuerthelesse lette vs abyde still in awe and say Lorde it is reason that thou shouldest raigne ouer thy creatures Also it is not for the childe to commaunde his father nor too binde hym too the stake but too say Here I am Sir gouerne you mee according too your good pleasure for I protest I desire nothing but to be subiect vnto you Behold what we haue to doo But surely wee know well inough that as the Scripture sheweth vs it is not lost labour to serue God for he hath promised vs a plentifull reward and we shall not be disappointed of our expectation But yet must the said freeharted affection go before it that wee make not any bargayning with God to say he is bound to vs according too our appetities and that he must of necessitie graunt vs what so euer we haue imagined in our owne brayne Lo how gods seruants knowing that their seruice is acceptable that it shall not be vnprofitable do notwithstanding not reste themselues vpon the reward that is promised them much lesse then must they intend to bring God to the bente of their bowe or to taske him of necessitie to doo thys or that but must with all lowlinesse referre themselues wholy in all things to his pleasure And whereas I speake here of reward I debate not whither reward be due vnto vs or no for as now we stand not vpon that matter VVhen we haue done all that is possible to be done God shall be neuer a whit in our debt But when he promiseth vs reward I vnderstand it to be of freegift and that it is not for that we haue deserued it or for that wee be worthy of it but bycause that as he hath receyued vs into his fauour so will he also allowe of our workes yea whiche hee hymselfe doth by his holy spirit For as touching goodnesse there is none in vs and yet looke what God hath giuen vs he accepteth it as if wee brought it too hym of our owne And when he receyueth our workes so of his owne mere goodnesse it is too gyue vs the better courage too serue him by hauing an eye too hys promises wherein he protesteth vntoo vs that our rewarde is great in heauen yea and that hee will blisse vs in thys world also so as wee shall not want any thing at all Then may wee cast our eyes heerevpon and comfort our selues but heerewithall as I haue sayde wee muste not recken that God should deale with vs after our owne deuice but rather determine with our selues to referre the matter wholly vnto him and to submit ourselues wholly to his good will. Thus we see the doctrine that wee haue to gather of this texte which is very profitable for vs For it is a marke whereby to discerne Hypocrites from Gods children An Hypocrite may well magnifie God with full mouthe in time of prosperitie But if the worlde goe against his desire a man shall see that all is chaunged with him And what is the cause of it It is for that suche maner of men beare no reuerence to Godwarde further forth than hee applyeth himselfe vnto them And what kinde of reuerence is that If I be minded to serue mine owne torne by one very well bicause I can drawe profite out of him I will make good countenaunce to him but if he perceiue it he will shake me off like a vilaine and hee serues me but well Nowe if mortall men can not beare such carlishnesse what shall become of vs when we come vnto God shall we loue him or shall we honor him but only so farre forth as may be for our owne profit what a mockery is that See we not how the order of nature is peruerted But if there be true friendship betwene vs and any man we wil honor him for his vertues which we know to bee in him and to the ende wee may liue togither in one cōmon accord to serue god I say that when God giueth vs such marks we may well serue honor a man So then we may well haue this regarde to creatures which are nothing But as touching God hee must bee honored for his owne sake bicause he deserueth it and we must be so rauished to the honoring of him as we may not thinke of oure selues sauing as in seconde place and in inferiour degree VVee maye see then howe the hypocrites bewray themselues by repyning againste God in the time of aduersitie and when hee handleth them not after their owne fansie And for as much as most men are giuen to this vice wee see
vs that euen those which haue vsed visions from heauen haue had muche a do to vnderstande a little of such secrecie So then let vs vnderstande that it behoueth vs to be diligent in this article for when we haue imployed all our wittes about it yet shall we not comprehende the hundreth part of that which is in it And for proofe heereof is not Gods rightuousnesse an infinit thing And are not our corruptions as a Sea or as a bottomlesse pitte Therefore we must not maruell at Eliphas for telling vs heere that hee had but a small taste of this article But let vs nowe come too that which hee addeth which is That a breath or winde went to and fro so as his to die quaked and shuddered and his heare stoode vppe stiffe throughout all his bodie and that there appeered an image vnto him which hee knewe not and that at the ende he heard a voyce of silence All this was done to the ende which I haue touched that is to wit to make Eliphas readie to receiue that which God purposed to saye to him and to prepare him in suche wise as he might vnderstand howe it was God that spake to the ende that his doctrine might bee of authoritie and furthermore that Eliphas might bee humbled so as hee might no more bee hoissed vp with presumption according as men commonly chalenge to themselues I wote not what It behoued Eliphas to be altogither abased to the end he might know his owne want and giue the glorie vnto god True it is that in these dayes we haue no such visions as they had in times past But it behoueth vs to knowe that whereas God gaue such signes to the auncient Fathers they must serue for vs also at this day And therefore when we reade the holie Scripture or come to a Sermon wee must bee touched with the Maiestie of God to yeelde him reuerence so as wee defile not his holie truth by esteeming it as if a man should tell vs some merie conceyted tale but rather thinke thus Seeing that our maker speaketh vnto vs it behoueth all knees to bowe before him and all men ought to quake at that which he sayth Lo what we haue to mark in this sentēce And moreouer we know that God in publishing his lawe shewed tokens to affray all such as he ment to teach at that time and therevpon the people sayd Let vs not come neere the mountaine for we shall al die if God speak vnto vs Thus ye see how it was Gods will to authorize his lawe in such wise as the people were vtterly dismaid by reason of the great number of miracles that he shewed And was this done for their sakes onely which were of that time No but God ment to giue vs also knowledge of his power whiche is permanent vnto the worlds ende The Gospel hath had yet greater proofe of maiestie So then ther is nothing that either can or ought to hinder vs frō receiuing of the Gospel except our own vnthankfulnesse and vngraciousnesse put out oure eyes Although wee can not see all the wonders that God hath shewed yet must we hold ourselues cōtented in that God teacheth vs by his worde wythout any longing for newe visions as many wandring spirites doe whiche woulde that the Angels shoulde come downe from heauen and bring them some newe reuelations But heerein they doe God great wrong for that they content not themselues in that God hath shewed himselfe so familiarly vnto vs For seeing that we haue the holy Scripture it is certaine that wee can not wante any thing And aboue all thinges in this brightnesse of the Gospell wee haue a perfection of wisdome as Sainct Paule sheweth Syth the cace standeth so they that are tickled with a fonde desire to haue some visions doe well bewraye that they neuer knewe what the holy Scripture is Then let vs contente vs with that whiche it hathe pleased God to disclose vnto vs as well by his Prophetes as by his Sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christe assuring our selues that there he maketh vs a finall conclusion without any further passing And hereby wee see whereunto they are come that haue such a desyre to raunge abroade and to leape beyonde their boundes Heere we see from whence came the horrible confusion that is in the Popedome heere wee see wherevpon the Pope groundeth all his doctrine For hee sayth that the Apostles haue not declared all that is for the profyte of the Churche and that the holy Ghoste is come to make men to frame newe articles and too make men too reste themselues vpon holy Councels For as much then as the Pope and all his hangers on haue not hild themselues to the purenesse of the holie Scripture God hath vndoubtedly blinded them in their owne folies and wee see some among them to bee so dull and brutishe and finally which haue beene growne so farre out of kynde as to worshippe stones and stockes of timber and that things are so farre out of square that euen little babes might well be ashamed of them And this commeth of that Diuelish curiositie that they bee not contented to be taught simply by the holy Scripture Beholde also wherevpon the Religion of the Turkes is founded Mahomet hath reported himselfe to bee the partie that shoulde bring the full Reuelation ouer and besydes the Gospell And by meanes thereof they be vtterly become brute beastes And at this day wee see that those poore beastes buzie their heades about as doltishe and vnsensible things as any can bee But it is the iuste vengeance of God who hath gyuen them ouer to a wilfull stubborne mynde As much hathe bene doone to other fantasticall persones and specially of our dayes which haue troubled the Churche and would needs haue their visions And it was one of the Articles of that cursed creature Seruet that was burnt For he sayde that the holy Ghoste had not reygned as yet but that hee was too come That wycked creature dishonored God as thoughe the Fathers of olde tyme had had but a shadowe of the holie Ghoste and as though that after he had once shedde out himselfe visibly vpon the Apostles hee had retyred agayne incontinently in suche sorte as the Churche hath beene destitute of the holy Ghoste Beholde what hee did sette downe and as in respect of himselfe he would haue made himselfe a Mahomet to haue the holy Ghost at his cōmaundement But a man may see how the Diuell had caried him away and it was requisite that God should bring some such men to that poynt to the end we might the more abhor them But for our part let vs followe the order that I haue told alreadie that is to wit let vs be taught according to the rule that God hath ordeyned and let vs not be so headie as to bynde God to agree to our desires nor to our fashions but let vs content vs with the holy Scripture seeing that God hath inclosed vs within
euery whit of it goeth incontinently vnto dust we be consumed either by woormes or by winde that is too say wee bee dispatched as soone as a worme whiche is but a thing of nought and which wee scarce esteeme as a liuing creature yet are we consumed sooner than it Thus we see what is sayd vnto vs in the firste place Afterward Eliphas addeth That men perishe and are câ—nsumed from morning vnto euening Some expounde this as though it were ment that men perishe in small time that is verie true But herewithall there is yet more that is to wit that wee passe not a minute of our lyfe but it is as it were an approching vnto death If we coÌ„sider it well when a man riseth in the Morning he is sure he shall not steppe foorth one pace he is sure he shall not take his repaste hee is sure hee shall not turne about his hande but he shall still wex elder and elder and his life euer shortneth Then must we consider euen by eye sight that our life fleeteth slideth away from vs Thus we see what is ment by beeing coÌ„sumed from Morning to Euening And it is sayde afterward that men perish for euer bycause no man thinkes vpoÌ„ it VVe must treate of these two poynts that wee may profit our selues by this doctrine The one poyntis that whatsoeuer we do we should alwayes haue death before our eye and be prouoked to thinke vpon it This as I haue sayde is well knowne among men the verie Heathen had skill to say so But what for that Euery man can playe the Doctor in teaching other men that which is conteyned here yet in the meane while there is neuer a good scholler of vs all in this behalfe For there is not any man whiche sheweth by his dooings that euer he knew what it is to be consumed from Morning to Euening that is to wit that all his lustinesse is but seeblenesse and that there is no stedfastnesse in vs to holde our selues in one coÌ„tinuall state but that we alwaies hast toward death death towards vs so as we must needes come thither at legnth Verily if we had no more but this single doctrine alone It would stand vs in no steade but to make vs storme torment our selues like as wheÌ„ the Paynims knew that our life was so flightfull they coÌ„cluded thervpon that it was best neuer to be borne and that the sooner wee dyed the better it was for vs Lo how the Paynims reiected the grace of God bicause they knewe not the honour that he doth vs when he sendeth vs into this worlde euen to shewe himselfe a father towards vs For in asmuch as wee be reasonable creatures haue the image of God printed in oure naturâ— wee haue a record that he holdeth vs here as his childreÌ„ And to despise such a grace and to say it had bene better for vs neuer to haue bene created is it not apparant blasphemie So then it is not ynough for vs to know that so long as we bee in this world wee bee consumed euery minute of an houre But wee must come to the seconde poynt that is to wit that when we haue well behild how brittle our life is we muste also marke how wee bee repayred agayne by Gods grace specially how we be susteyned vphilde by the same according also as these two poynts are matched togither in the hundreth and fourth Psalme For it is sayde there that as soone as God withdraweth his spirite and woorking all goeth to decay Yea but the Prophete addeth also that if God spredde foorth his power all is renewed in this worlde and all things take their liuelinesse of him VVee see then what we haue to marke that is to wit that when wee know our selues to bee lesse than nothing and that we be so subiect vnto death as wee muste runne thither as ye would say spite of our teeth we must vnderstaÌ„d also that in this so greate weaknesse God holdeth vs by the hand so as we be vphild by his power and strengthned by his grate Behold wherein we haue to reioyce But the chiefe poynt is that we should haue an eye to the benefit good grace which God hath giuen vs aboue the order of nature in restoring vs by his worde as the Prophet Esay sayth All fleshe is but as grasse Verily man is greene florisheth for a while but he withereth by by VVheras the word of the Lorde indureth for euer yea not only to coÌ„tinue in heaueÌ„ but also to the end that by it we may haue euerlasting life and be redeemed out of the vniuersall corruption of this earthly life that God may dwell in vs make vs parttakers of his euerlastingnesse VVe see theÌ„ wherto we muste come to profit our selues by this lesson as we shall see yet once againe anon Furthermore forasmuch as we see our selues wanze away so fast that froÌ„ Morning to Euening we go coÌ„tinually to our decay therfore must we bee the busier to bestow the time wel that god giueth vs bicause it is so short God hath put vs into this world to keepe vs occupied in his seruice if we haue long time yet caÌ„ we not be to diligent nor earnest in dooing our dutie too discharge our seluâ—s wheÌ„ it shall come to the poynt to do God seruice both with our bodies our soules But forasmuchas we see that he needeth but to turne his hand and behold we be at the last cast ought we not to be much more earnester to runne according also as the Scripture exhorteth vs shewing vs that this life heere is but a race and therefore we may not go loyteringly but euery maÌ„ must chere vp himselfe pricke and spurre forward himselfe Thus wee see what wee had as yet to note vpon this sentence where it is sayde that men are coÌ„sumed away froÌ„ morning to night But now let vs come to that which Eliphas addeth He sayth That they perish for euer bicause no man thinketh vpon it A man might demaunde heere whether wee shun death when wee thinke not vpon it For in the nine and forty Psalme it is sayd that the wise men and fooles are gathered all into one herde So then it behoueth vs to vnderstand that all mankind is shet vp vnder this necessitie of dying And wherfore then is it sayde here that all perish for euer bicause none thinke of it Firste of all Eliphas ment to teaâ—he vs here that men do as it were wex beastly when they looke not to theÌ„selues For loke what he speaketh here wee must alwayes referre it to the present case Hee maketh it not his generall case to treate of that mans life is traÌ„sitorie without going any further but he intendeth to shew vs that for somuch as we bee poore silie creatures creeping here vpon the earth wee cannot attayne to the perfection of Angels nor yet come nere it So then whereas he sayeth
hee is well able to make those men dullardes which take themselues to be very politike and wise men I say he will make them so dull as that euen the little children shall laugh at their beastlinesse according as we see in verye deede For if wee marke how Gods truth is incountred now adayes by these clawebackes and by all the Popes vpholders we shall see them so besotted as it were not likely that men could come to such doltishnesse Specially if a man marke those which weene themselues to be cunningest it should seeme that they be confederate with vs and that wee haue giuen them wages to mocke Antichrist their mayster they would faine pleasure him and they disgrace him more and more And for proofe hereof if a man reade their bookes he will say they speake in fauour of vs and for my part I knowe it to be so VVhereof commeth this then no doubt but God accomplisheth that thing in them which is spoken heere and I knowe it manifestly So then seing that God sheweth in very deed how the thing which he hath spoken here is not in vaine Let vs learne to stay ourselues vpon him not douting but he is able to ouerthrow al the practises and deuises of such as take themselues to be the cunningest and that hee will make them to grope about them at hygh noone as if they were blindfolded in the darke And hee sayeth expresly That God ouertaketh the wyse in theyr wylynesse VVhen Eliphas vseth this worde wyse hee doth it after the maner of men who glorifie themselues in that behalfe VVisdome is the singular gift of God and a good and cōmendable thing and in good sooth from whence cōmeth it but from the holy Ghost who is the fountaine and welspring thereof according also as the holie scripture sheweth vs And wee our selues also do knowe it to be so if we be not to to vnthankfull Seing then that wisdome is so excellent a thing can it be condemned It is certein that all the wittinesse and wylynesse whiche wee see in the wicked and in the enemies of God deserueth not to be called wisdome But what For as muche as they boaste of it and are taken to bee so to the worldwarde Eliphas vseth the same worde according also as it is ouercommon to say behold yonder goes a wyse man And what is ment by this wyse man In effect a very diuelish creature For if a man will bee taken for a wyse man hee must haue no loyaltie no faythfulnesse no vpright dealing no conscience in him hee must bee able to mocke the whole world he must be able to aduaunce himselfe hee must haue many fayre colours to beguile and deceiue men withall O this is a man full of wisdome and yet in the meane while he shall haue nothing in him but fraude and naughtinesse hee shall haue nothing in him but hypocrysie and dissimulation And if a man bee mynded to walke in simplicitie and vprightnesse and meneth not to do any man wrong tush he shall be counted a dolt and an idiot yea and although hee haue witte ynough in him and that euen the wicked men themselues are inforced to confesse it in so much as they are faine to say yee see how such as man is wise ynough if he listed to put foorth himselfe but he is to carelesse and passeth for nothing but to welter in his owne ease without putting of himselfe in hazard Behold howe the world iudgeth of him And why so Bycause that suche a one giueth not himselfe to craftinesse and snatching as other men do So then forsomuch as the world hath this worde wisdome in his mouth and vnhaloweth it for it is a holie thing howbeit fasly abused yee see why Eliphas sayeth verie well let vs put the cace that these wyles were wisdome in deed as they be termed and as they be commonly taken to bee howbeeit that they are not so but I wyll graunt them that title yet notwythstanding God knoweth well ynough howe to disappoint them in their owne naughtinesse For here it is shewed that the sayd wisdome whereof the wicked vaunte them selues is not worthye of so honorable a title And wherfore for when al is said it is but wylinesse Thus yee see what we haue to marke in this text But nowe must we receiue warning to belowly when we see God put himselfe heere as principall partie against all such as practyze any euill against their neybours and seeke to winde about them by suttletie VVhen wee see how God setteth himself against them in that behalfe and sheweth himselfe to bee the aduersarie partie I pray you ought we not to haue good hold of our selues notwithstanding that wee bee tempted to vse crafte and suttletie and therewithall haue witte inough to bring our matters about As for example it maye oftentimes happen that God putteth good men into our handes whome wee may beguile and leade about by the noze as the prouerb sayth verie well when such occasions are offered wee ought to haue good stay considering howe God sayeth If yee vse deceyte and guyle you make not warre againste men but against mee True it is that you maye easily beguyle a sillie soule but in verie deede your leueling is at me therefore I will step before you and shewe you how it is mine office to dash and disappoint al the vngracious practizes that wicked folke take in hand So then brag as much as you list of your owne wisdome for I will put you to confusion and euerye man shall laugh you to skorne And wherefore Bycause your enterpryses are against me and yee beare your selues in hande that ye bee able to compasse all things by your policies and wiles but you shall fynde howe there is no wisedome but in mee furthermore aboue all when the case standeth vpon walking before God let vs looke that we rid and clenze ourselues from all hypocrisie for the woorst wylinesse in the whole world is when men woulde beguyle God not that they say they will doo it nor that they vse any suche language but so it is that they haue it printed in their hart And it is not without cause that the Prophet Esaye sayeth VVo be to you that dig caues vnder the earth as who should say yee could hyde your selues in them from whome euen from God himselfe And this is ouerryfe now adayes VVhat is to bee seene in all the worlde for first of al what is it that men doo thinke concerning God There is not that man which thinketh not himselfe suttle ynough to scape out of his hande And this is the verye cause why the wicked and the despizers of God do run at royot and beare themselues in hande how it is but a beastlinesse for vs to be afrayd of the iudgemēt to come VVhen they see vs stande vpon the same that is to wit when they see vs exhort the people too feare the wrathe and vengeance of God and shew them how it
as we be of the lesse power against such afflictions For if God spare vs for a time we knowe not that he keepeth vs for the ende VVe see many that haue beene carelesse and haue made good cheere all the tyme of their life yea and euen when men haue laboured to make them feele God and his iudgemēt they haue turned all into mockage but whose iolitie God hath so abated when they drewe towarde death that insteade of the iesting and sporting wherevnto they had bene giuen they haue bene faine as then to feele the terrors of hell and were as ye would say locked vp in them yea and vtterly ouerwhelmed of thē bicause God had cast his lightning vpon them I say we shal see some come to this state And why so God punisheth the pride wherewith they were puffed vp in their own conceyt to greeue him with Therfore when the scripture speaketh to vs of the dreadfulnesse which they conceyue that feele God to be their iudge let vs learne how it is to the ende that euery of vs should thinke vpon it And certainly the bodily harmes do wey very much with vs according as we be wholy giuen to our flesh and to this present life But beholde here the Scripture which speaketh to vs of amischiefe that is farre more to be feared and which ought to astonish vs more which is when he maketh vs to feele our sinnes and summoneth vs to appeare before him For then he toucheth vs much more than if our bodies were torne in peeces or if he shoulde lay as many miseries vpon vs as were possible Sith the cace standeth so let vs feare God and let vs not thinke our selues too haue made the better market when we shunne his iudgement but let vs holde vs to it with our good will and let euery of vs come to this obedience of examining his life in such wise as he lay the account of his sinnes open afore it Ye see then howe wee must deale when we heare the words that are rehersed to vs heere And Iob sayth that then he shoulde haue comfort and that he shoulde warme himselfe or rather be merrie in his sorrow or greefe For the Hebrew worde which hevseth in this place signifieth to burne or to be warmed and some translate it to be merrie To keepe the proper and naturall meening of the worde let vs take I shoulde bee warmed in my sorrow His meening then is that he should haue ease if God woulde stretch out his hande to cut him off at the first blowe and that it greeueth him to be pyned and that God vseth not his force to ouerwhelm him at once that his miserie might quickly bee at an ende But yet surely they that are so dispatched vppon the sodaine ceasse not too be afflicted still It easeth them not so farre as that they feele no more any great paine But Iob speaketh like a man ouerpassionate that knoweth no more where hee is and therefore to his seeming there is no better comfort than too bee vtterly razed oute as soone as God layeth his hand vpon him As how VVhen wee haue any present passion wee imagine that there is none other miserie in the whole worlde but that VVhen a man is pressed with a sorrowe that is great and excessiue hee thinketh nothing at all of other mens greefes those are nothing with him If he be in a heate he coulde finde in his hart to bee cooled yea euen in yce And yet if hee bee fornummed with colde the same passion also will bee greeuous too him to beare and as bitter as the heate that he shall haue indured afore Yea verily If a man haue eyther heate or colde or any other thing that troubleth him in his bodie yee shall see him so ouertaken as hee shall thinke that all the contrarie miseries woulde bee an ease vntoo him and that is bycause our passions carie vs away Lo howe Iob hath spoken Let vs marke then that when we fancie releefes and easments it is not that they woulde bee so thoughe God shoulde sende vs all our desyres wee shoulde finde that wee did but fall out of one miserie into another and that there is none other ease but to haue god fauourable vnto vs And for proofe hereof if it please him to giue vs pacience whē we lose but a finger he can also well giue it vs when wee lose the whole hande yea and euen when wee shall bee faine to lose the whole body Then muste wee not thinke that the miserie is in the thing it selfe but rather in our owne frayltie For if we be weake left vp to our selues no doubt but we shall be vtterly confounded But if God haue strengthened vs with his grace although wee haue a huge mountaine to beare yet shall we well beare it out And why For Gods power shall bee ynough in that behalfe There needeth but one foote of water to drowne a man one other will drawe him out of the sea Therefore if God reach vs his hand although we were plunged ouer heade and eares yer might we scape But if it please not him to deliuer vs wee shall not fayle to come to vtter ruine Sith the case standeth so let vs not thinke too haue case when God shall haue chaunged the kind of miserie but let vs assure our selues that wee cannot bee eased except God be mercifull fauourable to vs and except he haue pitie vpon vs shew vs that he hath forgiuen our sinnes See here the true rest Otherwise we must bee faine to liue in continuall vnquietnesse like as when a sicke man turneth and tumbleth hither and thither hee thinketh hee hath some releefe or if hee bee suffered to shifte from one bedde to another beholde too his owne seeming hee is halfe whole But when he hath tossed and turmoyled himselfe throughly he seeth that his maladie is feercer vpon him so little or nothing at all is hee mended by it Euen so is it with all of vs It seemeth to vs that wee should be in better cace if God would afflict vs after another maner than he doth but that would neuer a whit asswage our greefe In this cace it behoueth vs too flee vnto God and too pray him too withdrawe his hande from vs and when hee hath once receyued vs too his mercie then wee shall see our selues rightly eased As concerning that Iob sayeth that hee shoulde bee warmed in his sorowe hee meeneth that his sorow should bee asswaged to his comfort Like as when there is a greate fyre vnder a pot the fleshe will by and by bee sodden as soone as the pot is throughly heated otherwise the fleshe wyll lie saping a long while and become vnsauerie So then is it It seemeth too Iob that when wee pine and linger in suche extremities it is nothing else but too make vs rotte awaye in oure miseries But yet neuerthelesse as I haue sayde men doo not then ceasse too shewe themselues vtterly
sayd heretofore that Iob had such a courage and constancie as is wonderfull among men and yet a man may see in what taking he is So theÌ„ what shall become of those that haue nothyng but infirmitie and whiche haue scarcely receyued three droppes of courageousnesse to susteyne themselues withall in the middes of their afflictions Must not suche men quayle out of hand when wee see that Iob was so beaten downe whome God had strengthned so mightily wyth his grace But first of all let vs foreward with this lesson to apply the same to our owne vse namely that a time is apointed to man that is vpon the earth For it is profitable for vs to comfort vs in our afflictions And specially when it commeth to the seruing of God and too walke in feare and awfulnesse this ought to come to our remembrance according also as we see the holy scripture speaketh â–ª True it is that Iob misapplieth this sentence but yet of it selfe it is good and holy and as I haue sayd alredy it ought to serue vs for a very profitable instruction As doubtlesse when sainct Peter telleth vs that we must walke in feare bycause God sercheth the bottome of mens hartes and iudgeth without accepting of persons and that wee must one day render an account afore him and that when wee haue contented mortall men with some outwarde apparance it is nothing worth for hee shall discouer all oure affections and thoughts in good sooth it should seeme to be a hard cace that Gods children should be fayne to lyue here as it were in feare and vnquietnesse For saint Peter addeth It is sayth he during the pilgrimage of our lyfe VVe see how saint Peter foresetteth a time to the faithfull to walke after that sort verely to the end to giue theÌ„ some comfort and that they should take some courage by hauing an eye to the euerlasting rest that is prepared for them in heauen Then may we well profite ourselues by this sentence when it is sayd that there is a time appointed vnto man vpon earth And what a matter were it if our life should be prolonged without ende and wee still continue in such cace for there is no rest for men True it is that those which shunne God and drag backe from him hope well that they do themselues a good turne yea so long as they may royst it out in their delights and pleasures but yet in the meane while they must bee â—ame to be inuironed with many miseries wee may haue fayre wherewith to dispatch our selues but yet doth God holde vs there as it were imprisoned VVhat a matter were it then if we should bee in miserie without hope of any deliuerance or setting free It were ynough to set vs in a rage and to cast vs into despaire As oft then as we thinke vpon the great number of greeuances wants and afflictioÌ„s that are in this world let vs marke that God comforteth and releeueth vs by saying thus VVell yee passe through thys world but your life is short therefore indure ye paciently the afflictions that are so short and in the end yee shall come to the rest that I haue prepared for you Ye see after what sorte we ought to mind this doctrine if we intende to take profite by it As much is to be said of all the chastizementes that God sendeth vs For that whiche I haue said hitherto extendeth generally to our whole life But in particular whensoeuer we shall indure any aduersitie verely god will send an end of it according as we see how he speaketh by his prophet Esay when he commaundeth him to coÌ„forte his people Thine apointed time sayth he is at an end He speaketh there of the captiuitie of Babylon For his meaning is that although hee scourgeth his people for their sinnes yet he inteÌ„deth not to coÌ„sume theÌ„ vtterly but keepeth a measure in his corrections that anone after they may haue some release and knowe that God hath had pitie of them and will not punish them to the vttermost and therefore that they ought to be thaÌ„kfull towards him for his goodnesse VVee see then howe that in all the whole course of our life we must be fayne to suffer aduersities heere howbeit God will not prolong them beyond their appoynted time But soothly it should seeme that this is a common thing though God spake not of it and euen the heathen men I meene euen the moste brutish of them haue alwayes had their recourse too that poynt For in all the miseries that could befall them they comforted themselues therewith saying well there is no miserie so great but it hath an end See I pray you howe they measured their passions It seemeth then to be a superfluous doctrine when God to comfort vs with declareth that there is a time foreset too men and that theyr dayes are as the dayes of an hireling Howbeit wee haue to marke that whatsoeuer men conceyue in their imagination yet when God presseth them they are abashed at it and to their seeming they are in a bottomlesse gulfe whereout of they can neuer scape So long as wee bee in reste we haue the skill to say that when aduersities bee great and sharpe they are not of long continuance But if God summon vs afore him and make vs to feeele oure sinnes his iustice is so dreadfull to vs as behold we are inclozed round about with a maze whereoutof wee see no way to scape so as it seemeth that he will make vs go euery day deeper into it than other Yee see then howe men are astonyed when Gods iustice toucheth them in good earnest And so much the more behoofefull for vs is thys doctrine when God telleth vs that forasmuche as wee must passe through many miseries while we liue in thys world wee ought to consider that our life is transitorie and so shall it not greeue vs to be vnder such a state seeing that the end of it is appoynted aforehand And afterward if God chastize vs if he send vs any afflictions well he presseth vs now but it will not last so for euer It is certayne that we be not able to hold out ouerlong therefore he keepeth measure for he knoweth what is conuenient for vs So then let vs abide paciently till he delyuer vs and we shall not be disappointed of such hope Verely if euery of vs haue an eye to himselfe we shall finde oure selues to haue very great neede to be put in mind of thys gere For although we know it yet we forget it and wote not what it meeneth when wee come to the putting of it in vre And for proofe heereof there is not any of vs that fayth not will this geare neuer be done If wee haue any affliction so as one be sicke another pinched with pouertie and the thirde tormented with some hartgriefe that troubleth him without ceassing we aske shall we always be new to begin again will there neuer be end of
vanitie and commest thou heere to set thy selfe agaynste mee VVilt thou not giue mee respite to swallowe downe my spittle VVhy doost thou not get thee from mee Hee is of opinion that if God woulde drawe away his hande from him he should haue some ease Yea but what woulde become of vs if God should lette vs alone Shoulde wee haue power to swallowe downe our spittle Howe coulde wee breathe if the spirite that gyueth liuelynesse to all things shoulde forsake vs Doe wee not see that wee should needes decay But as I haue declared alreadie Iob is an amazed man that hath no consideration but of his miserie And this serueth vs for a good and profitable warning For we see what it is too bee ouerpressed with our owne passions namely that wee forgo all wisedome and pacience and become as dull as brute beastes Verely it will not seeme so to vs But if wee marke mennes passions a farre off what they bee wee shall finde that they make vs altogither blockishe so as wee haue no knowledge at all Agayne wee haue not holde of our selues to bee competent iudges and it is too bee seene that all our wittes are confounded at our neede Lette euerie of vs marke men when they bee cumbred with vehement passions or else let vs consider how wee our selues fare if God pinche vs with any aduersitie that is ouerroughe for vs wee bee so daunted as wee haue no hart too call vpon God wee cannot bethinke vs of the promises that are conteyned in holye writte and then what remedie is there for our miseries Nowe then as I haue sayde there is suche a headinesse in oure passions that if God shoulde not ouermayster them from aboue yea euen by the woonderfull power of his holie spirite in suche wise as wee might know his maiestie therein and that there is more in it than man can skill off it is certayne that it were ynough too mingle and confounde heauen and earth togither at euerie blowe But yet neuerthelesse as I haue touched alreadie Iob had a farre other consideration with him in asmuche as Gods spirite was in him but if God remedie it not by the grace of his holy spirite there is no question but yee shall finde man in his owne naturall kinde and ye shall finde his passions such as they are according to the flesh Get thee from me sayeth Iob. And what shoulde become of vs if God shoulde let vs alone so as wee shoulde abyde without his ayde and assistence It is in him that wee haue our beeing our liuing and oure mouing as the scripture speaketh and as wee our selues doo see the experience Can wee swallowe downe oure spittle if God shoulde gyue vs vp That is much like as who woulde saye there is more power in vs than in the Angelles of heauen For if God shoulde leaue them too themselues what woulde become of them Beholde they are immortall creatures and are already in the glorie of heauen and behold the maiestie of God and yet neuerthelesse they shoulde vanish away and be brought to nothing if God shoulde withdraw himselfe from them and can we that are full of corruptiō haue more force Therfore whyle God gyueth vs some leysure let vs learne to thinke vppon oure infirmities whiche are so excessiue in vs and too knowe that there is nothing better than that God shoulde visit vs looke to vs and dispose of vs for else wee shoulde decay euery minute Thus yee see what wee haue to marke vpon this streyne And it is certayne that in the person of one faythfull and pacient man God intended to gyue vs a mirrour of our inordinate affections to the ende wee shoulde beware of them and seeke too feele the succour and refreshment that are shewed vs heere And howe shall wee feele it There is no better way than too call vpon him that hath all power in himselfe that he may restreyne vs and not suffer vs to starte aside when wee be chastyzed after that sorte by his hand Nowe hee addeth immediately I haue sinned what shall I do to thee O thou the keeper of men Some men expound this as though Iob disputed agaynst God saying I can do none other but sinne wherefore haste thou made mee suche a one If thou bee the preseruer of men why shouldest thou condemne mee so seeyng it lyeth in thee too saue mee But a man may well see that this is not the naturall meening and such as take it so neuer knewe the intent of the holy Ghost as toucing this streyne moreouer they haue yll considered that which is witnessed to vs concerning Iob how hee was pacient how soeuer the worlde went with him VVhat is it then that Iob ment It is as if he should say well I confesse my fault I cannot scape the iudgement of god VVhy so Hee is the keeper of men But this woorde Keeper hath bene misconstrued for men haue taken it for a preseruer of mankinde and for one that sheeldeth them vnder his protectiō It is certeyne that as the Greeke translater also hath well marked whiche thing hee is not commonly woont too doe Iob ment too say that God wayteth vppon vs that hee watcheth vs and that hee knoweth all as if a man shoulde watche one too spie and marke all that euer hee dooth and sayeth Yee see then in what sense Iob applyeth this title vnto God That is the Keeper of men True it is that God dooth well preserue vs that he hath vs in his hande and that oure lyfe continueth by him But yet is this no let that hee shoulde not bee called oure Keeper in respect that hee seeth and beholdeth all that wee doo so as wee can not hyde oure selues from him according as all the scripture sayth that he sercheth men examineth theyr thoughtes ciscouereth all things and nothing is hidden from him in all our lyfe And it appeareth that Iob ment so for why and to what purpose sayth he VVhat shall I do to thee if it be not bicause he must be fayne to yeelde himselfe giltie Lorde sayeth hee I can gaine nothing at thy hand by starting aside I confesse my det I haue sinned but by the way what shall I do to thee For I must be fayne to passe that way and why letst thou me not alone Although thou see heere a poore creature cast vnder foote that hath neyther strength nor power yet neuerthelesse thou followest vppon him with thy rigoure still I acknowledge my selfe too bee indetted to thee and yet thou holdest mee still vpon the racke as if a iudge shoulde holde a malefactor vpon the racke and say too him Tell mee thy fault and that the malefactor shoulde answere I will so I haue committed such a murther yea twoo or three and suche and suche are accessaries Too what purpose shoulde the Iudge holde him still vpon the racke after suche confession Beholde here the like cace concerning Iob. Truth Lorde sayeth he I haue sinned thou
hapneth that wicked men rayle at God and other some blaspheme him and men dare not open their mouthe to reproue and rebuke them in so much that they haue full scope and triumph to the worldward when this is seene the weake are greeued and it seemeth to them that the mightie power and rightuousnesse of God are defaced therby and so they can not yeld him the glory that belongeth to him But we see how it is as it were a naturall thing in man to pleade after that maner against God and although it be a monstrous thing and such a one as we ought to abhor exceedingly yet is it an ordinarie vice Sith the case standeth so let vs not bee ouer muche disquieted when it hapneth Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in mind And it behoueth vs too marke well what is added here for the second poynt that is to wit that if God charge vs with a thousande articles we be not able scarsly to answere one Here we be admonished that when we haue serched out oure vices to the vttermoste that wee shall not come to the knowledge of the hundreth parte no nor to so much as one of euerie thousand True it is that if men examine themselues well without hypocrisie they muste needes finde themselues wrapped in so many euilles as they may bee ashamed of themselues and vtterly dismayed specially wee For thoughe a man picke out them that bee the holyest yet muste they raunge them selues in one ranke with Dauid who hathe confessed that no man can attayne to the true knowledge of his sinnes Nowe if the holiest and suche as seeme Angells are altogither confounded in their sinnes bycause the number of them is infinite I pray you what is to bee sayde of the common sort For wee must neuer take our selues to haue profited so much but that wee be still farre behynde them that I speake of So then if men examine their liues throughly they shall find such a bottomlesse gulf of sinnes as they shall be vtterly dismayed But is this all we attayne not yet the knowledge of the hundreth part in such sort as were requisite And why so Ye see that Dauid who entred his faults cryed out who is he that knoweth his owne sinnes Hee confesseth then that he knew exceeding much and afterward he addeth Lord clenze me from my secrete sinnes And why sayeth he so How calleth he them secret sinnes for it behoueth vs to knowe our sinnes or else we can not confesse them to be sinnes The answer is that Dauid wist wel that God seeth more cleerely than wee doe And so seeing our own conscience vpbraydeth vs what shall we say to the iudgement of God Ye see then the order that we haue to kepe that is too wit that euery of vs enter into himselfe and search out his owne vices throughly so farre as hee can come to the knowledge of them And haue we sifted thē out well behold our conscience is our iudge and what maner iudge is it True it is a iudge that is greatly to bee feared but dothe not God see farre more cleerer than a mortall man My conscience accuseth mee of a thousand sinnes and if God enter into reckening with mee shall hee not find many mo So then it standeth vs in hand to wey well what is sayde heere that is to witte that of a thousand poyntes we can hard and scarsly answere vnto one and that when wee shall haue espyed one faulte by our selues God passeth farre further for he seeth the sins that we be not priuie to Nowe then folowing that which is sayd here let vs lerne to bethink vs of our faults in such wise as wee may be fully resolued in our selues that God contenteth not himself with that which commeth to our owne knowledge but will iudge according to that which he himselfe seeth and knoweth and not according to that which we can finde for we will leape ouer the quicke coles as it is sayde in the prouerbe but God plungeth vs in them ouer head and eares It is he to whome it belongeth too search the heart as the Scripture attributeth vntoo him And besides this wee discerne not so well betweene vices and vertues as we ought to doe That poynt therefore must be reserued vnto him And wherefore descerne we them not If we will iudge well and rightly of all our works it standeth vs in hand to know what perfection is For without perfectnesse there is nothing good before God that is to say all is but filthynesse wher there wants perfection And who is he that deserueth to be allowed of God if this perfection shewe not itselfe in him But nowe howe shall we know what perfection is considering that our eysight is so dim and that we see but as it were in the twylight Although God inlighten vs yet haue not wee so pure and cleane a sight as can vse the brightnesse which hee sheweth vs True it is that the worde of God entreth intoo the bottome of oure heartes and perceth through our bones and the marie and all that is in them True it is that it is a burning cresset true it is that Iesus Christ is called the daysunne and that he shineth ouer al but yet for all that our eysight ceasseth not to be dim stil Therefore it standeth vs greatly in hande to knowe what perfection is And hereby we be put in mynde that when soeuer we take things to bee good and perceyue not any fault in them yet are they not therefore without faulte for we knowe not the perfection that God requireth To be shorte there is none but only God that knoweth what perfection and soundnesse is And why It is in him hee knoweth it and we be too feeble to atteyne vnto it That is the cause why it is sayde that wee may well set a fayre face vpon the matter but we shall not be able to answer one poore poynte of a thousand that shall bee alledged and layde afore vs And I haue tolde you already that men are warned that if they will pleade with God they shall alwayes find themselues confounded to their damnation Howbeit all to late And this warning is very profitable for vs what is the reason To the intent that before the blowe come euery man shoulde holde himselfe within the boundes of sobernesse and modestie to say Alas what a thing is it for vs to go to law with our God Thinke we to get the vpper hande of him nay cleane contrariwise God shall ouerwhelme vs And behold the only way to be acquit at his hand is for euery man to cōdemne himselfe But if we fall to sturdinesse God wil punish vs for such pride It may be that at the first push hee wil not shew vs our confusion but at the length we shal be so snarled in it as wee shall not winde our selues out agayne Yee see then intoo what a maze God casteth all the presumptuous sort which vndertake to
the warder of Iustice should represse such as vexe good men after that fashion But contrarywise it is to bee seene that they be so giuen to themselues that they lette all go too hauocke VVhat is to be sayd but that the magistrates which ought to yeeld euery man his right suffer the wicked to doo the worst they can A man shall find no reliefe at their hands but when he shall haue wayted to haue them do their dutie it is to no purpose they are but Idols And what is the cause of all this And who is too blame for this sayeth Iob but God For is not God the gouerner of the earth Then ought not all the wicked too bee rooted out of it Or else if he beare with them and lay the raynes of the brydle in their neck to vexe and trouble good men without stopping them of their purpose may it not be sayde that God doth all this geere On the otherside is it not sayd that it is Gods office too gouerne suche by his holy spirite as walke in his feare and in modestie Moreouer he telleth vs how he hath stablished the Ciuill state of the world and that iudges can haue nother wisdome nor discretion but at his hand Seing then that God leaueth magistrats so blind that they be as Idols and so lazie as they haue neither courage nor inclination in them too maynteyne good and to punish euill no bodie is to be blamed but God as it is sayd here by Iob. True it is that this sentence may be expounded otherwyse But wee must not stand here vpon diuersitie of expositions wee must haue an eye onely to the naturall meening Thus ye see in effect what Iob ment to say here Vpon this verse wee haue a good lesson to gather which is first that when wee see things so disordered that the wicked triumph weltring in their pleasures inioying abundance of goodes no man gainsaying them and working their excesses and out ages without touche of brest we must consider howe it is no new thing that we should be greatly astonished at suche a temptation For it is good yea and needfull for vs to bee armed agaynst suche imaginations VVee see howe our owne minde driueth vs therevnto so as if things fall not out according to our fancie it seemeth to vs that al things are turned by fortune and that God regardeth no more the worlde or rather that hee forsloweth his duetie or that he is as it were asleepe or else that he regardeth neither good nor euill Lo what fancies runne in our heades if we be not restreyned according as the Scripture telleth vs that wee ought not too thinke it straunge though the earth be deliuered after that sort intoo the hande of the wicked And why For our sinnes deserue that the wicked should haue full power ouer vs If wee obeyed God as becommeth vs it is certaine that things should be ruled here after such fashion as we shoulde bee contented But forasmuch as we bee stubborne against our God and play the horses that are broken looce it is good reason that he also should giue the wicked scope to the ende that we might be chastized by the hand of them And why so for our vnthankfulnesse deserueth well that God shoulde bring forth his roddes and make vs feele them with al rigour Therefore when this is knowne to vs we thinke it no straunge sight to see things so cōfounded here below as we may say that the earth is deliuered into the handes of the wicked or that wee shoulde sighe at the comming thereof too passe bycause that God giueth vs warning of our sinnes And verely we haue good cause to sigh seeing that the wicked and the despyzers of God must not onely defile the earth but also haue their full scope God hath created men after his owne image and put all things into their hande to the intent they shoulde bee as his lieutenants here But behold the wicked and such as seeke nothing but to offende God and to deface his maiestie and glorie displace his children whom he hath appointed here to be his owne heritage VVhen wee see all things thus turned topsitoruie must we not needes grone and must not this prouoke vs to pray God to vouchsafe too set all things againe in their right state Furthermore when it is sayde that God is hee that shutteth the eyes of the Iudges let vs marke howe it is as much to say as that they which haue the administration of Iustice committed vnto them cannot haue the minde to do it except it be giuen them from aboue For a man is not able to gouerne himselfe and how shall he then gouerne a whole realme ▪ Furthermore it is a matter of great preeminence to execute Gods office in this worlde and therefore God must bee fayne to worke in those whom he hath sette in high estate and authoritie And as for the parties themselues that are in it they must bee so much the earnester in calling vpon God that it may please him to guide thē and helpe them For if a man thinke himself to be of sufficient abilitie when he is set in the siege of iustice trust in his owne wisdome and power God will laugh him to scorne and make him a very blockheade They therefore whom God choozeth must humble themselues so much the more and not presume vpō any thing that is in them ▪ selues but must craue the spirite of wisedome the spirite of stoutnesse and the spirit of vprightnesse that god may giue them the power and abilitie to discharge their duties faythfully Thus yee see howe Magistrates ought to betake themselues vntoo God in all care and feare And we also that are vnder them muste all of vs on our parte doo the like For if there bee no iustice among vs beholde the curse of God is vpon vs and the Lande muste bee defyled so farre tyll God poure out hys vttermoste wrath vpon vs and in the meane while wee oure selues muste bothe suffer and see good men suffer and none of both to be maynteyned as they ought to be Seeing then that it is for the welfare of a whole Realme when God giueth his spirite too Princes and Magistrates and men of Law it is for vs to cal vpon him that he suffer them not to be blinded and vnable to discerne aught and blockishe as though they saw not the euil doings that are cōmitted And like as we must sewe for the grace and goodnesse of our God that it may please him to graunt his spirite vnto Magistrates so must wee also pray him too giue vs such strength and stoutnesse as wee may not bee out of heart when wee see things go amisse as wee see them go too much yea and from euill too worse so as the Magistrates in stead of rising vp when they see neede and of beeing readie at hande to mainteine the right knowing thēselues to bee ordeyned of God for the same purpose
men be sinners haue deserued it yet doth it not follow that God punisheth them therafter to the ful or that he kepeth one continuall rate so as he should presently punishe those that haue offended and reserue nothing tyll the latter daye Also it followeth not that Iob was a wicked man and an hypocrite that God shewed euidently that he was shaken off or that he had nothing else but hypocrisie in him before All these things are false notwithstanding that these men take them and deriue them from a true grounde And so yee see wherefore Iob calleth them pelting Physitions This streyne then warneth vs to pray God to gyue vs wisedome that we may take the holy Scripture to such end as it perteyneth and that wee may haue the discretion to applie it in suche wise as wee may do good with it and that it bee not pulled too and fro by the toppe as they say according as manie men abuse it Furthermore when wee take in hand to teache our neyghbours let vs consider well what is fit for them The holye Scripture sayeth S. Paule is fit to teache too incourage to warne too reproue and to redresse Yea but it muste bee considered what maner of one the partie is that it muste be applyed vnto as I sayde afore If wee see a poore sinner that is caste downe and mourneth for his sinnes and desireth nothing but to returne vnto God let it be shewed him that God is ready too accept him and receyue him Yee see then howe wee ought too deale in that behalfe Contrarywise if wee see one that is proude and statelye wee knocke vppon his harde parte with a beetle to make him meeken himselfe before god And if wee see a slouthfull persone hee muste bee pricked forewarde like an Asse Thus yee see howe the holy Scipture maye bee profitable too vs But in the meane season wee muste also keepe the same maner of proceeding on our owne behalfe For wee muste bee the same to our neyghbors that wee be to our selues VVee see that when theyr conscience is combered and themselues are disquieted in mynde they feede theyr owne humour For they take Gods threatenings so rygorously as they thinke they shoulde neuer come soone ynough too despayre Lette vs keepe vs from suche dealing And when wee spie Satans wylinesse in making vs beleeue that we be vtterly paste recouery and that there is no helpe too comforte vs lette vs resist it and applye the remedie therevnto It is Satan that woorketh and therefore wee on the contrarye parte muste seeke some asswagemente too bring vs backe vnto God wee muste enter intoo his promises wee muste gyue heedefull eare vnto them and wee muste set all our wittes vpon them Moreouer when wee see there is to much slouthfulnesse in our selues so as wee haue neede too bee prycked and spurred lette vs take vs too the exhortations that are in the holy Scripture Thus yee see howe we may bee good Phisitions bothe towardes our selues and towardes oure neyghboures by considering what is meete and conuenient for vs And as touching that Iob sayeth that he would fayne that his freendes woulde holde theyr peace that they myght bee counted wise men it agreeth with the common Prouerbe that Salomon vseth whiche is that a foole may bee counted wise while hee holdeth his peace True it is that a man is neuer the better for hiding his owne shame so long as his folly abides still within him and he nurishe it priuilie neuerthelesse it is a beginning too doo well when a man hathe holde of himselfe and can rule hys tung for it is a token that he delighteth not altogither in his owne follie True it is that some can couer their folly for a tyme but in the ende they bee fayne too bewraye themselues and to make menne too knowe what they bee that is to witte fooles Neuerthelesse if a man haue skill to keepe silence although he be but of a weake wit and haue not such discretion as were requisite yet is it a greate poynt of wisedome that he knoweth it and fodeth not himselfe in his vice but rather laboureth ▪ to amende it I say although suche follie remayne in a man yet is it a greate poynt of wisedome when he auaunceth not himselfe but knoweth himselfe in such sort as he misliketh of it and humbleth himselfe But if a man bewray himselfe to bee a foole by his owne tung it is a token that he is a starke foole according as we often see that such as haue leaste skill are babbling without reason so as a man cannot by any meanes hold them from it but when he hath talked with them a whole houre togyther hee shall finde them to bee the same men still Therefore when men are perceyued to bee at that poynte it is a signe of extreme foly And therefore let this Prouerbe put vs in minde of that which S. Iames telleth also that is to wit that it is a greate vertue when a man can skill to holde his tung and to vse it soberly And why For if wee bee too hastie too speake it hindreth vs frō hearing that whiche is for oure pofit VVhat is the cause that many men profit not at all in the woorde of God It is bycause they are too hastie that whereas they ought to bee quiet and whereas onely God ought to haue the hearing they step forth with their bubbles and caste foorth their talke yea euen at randon Therefore they shet the gate in suche wise against themselues as they cannot bee instructed though the doctrine be offered thē For this cause let vs marke well that whō S. Iames counseleth vs to brydle oure tungs his meening is that we should be quiet discrete to heare if wee purpose to profit by that which is sayd vnto vs and further that among men we must not be to talkatiue nor wearie them with our vnprofitable babbling and this must euery one of vs put in vre It is not needefull too make long sermons of it for these are suche things as shoulde rather be continually minded than set forth at large with manye woordes And the more that we perceyue it to bee harde to frame oure selues vnto the same vertue so muche the more ought wee too esteeme it in the man that can skill to speake as muche as hee ought and no more But nowe lette vs come to the cheefe poynt that is touched heere Iob sayeth That hee will neuerthelesse talke with God and that hee will reason against him but he blameth those that had gone aboute to ouercome him by theyr disputations ▪ as who shoulde say they woulde speake in the defence of god Thinke yee sayeth hee that God hath neede of your leazings or that you shoulde come here to bee his proctours and aduocates hath he neede that men should defende him after suche a fashion Thinke you that this shall auayle you when he commeth to try you ye muste bee ouerwhelmed by
wee not to be excused For sinne ought not to bee imputed vnto vs excepte wee bee able too absteyne from it Seeing then that that power is not in vs it followeth that there is no more sinne in the worlde Heerevpon there steppe in sticklers whiche woulde fayne play the Philosophers too defende God and to cleere him of all these slaunders O say they it is true that wee bee weake and that wee can doo nothing vnlesse God helpe vs but his grace is readie for vs take it who will and wee may make it auaylable if the faulte bee not in oure selues Beholde howe men are desirous to curry fauoure with God by defacing the doctrine of the holye Scripture as thoughe God stoode in neede of their vntruthes So is it also with Gods Election VVhen men saye that God chooseth whome he thinketh good and leaueth the residue and that it is vnknowne why hee doth it sauing that it so pleaseth him and that his only wil ought to suffise vs for a finall conclusion that those whome God hath chozen haue too consider his goodnesse and mercie and that as touching those that are forsaken they be ▪ as it were mirrours of his vengeance when men speake after that manner it is according too the Scripture But nowe beholde howe the malicious sorte do ranckle and spewe out their blasphemies against God yea say they and if he chooze whome he listeth then is he an accepter of persones VVhy doth he chooze the one rather than the other Verely as who shoulde say that God regarded our fayre eyes in choozing of vs and that the cause sprang not in himselfe that is too say in his owne meere goodnesse But yee see howe men are alwayes desyrous too checke agaynst god And herevpon come in these sticklers that I spake of to qualifie the matter O say they we must not say that God doth after that sort chooze whom he thinketh good for that shoulde giue the wicked men occasion to runne further oute of square but wee muste rowe betweene bothe the streames too content the one as well as the other VVell then say they it is true that God choozeth but it is those whome hee foresawe too bee disposed to receyue his grace And on the other side looke whome he foreknewe to bee wicked and that they woulde not bee the better for his choozyng of them them dooth hee leaue suche as they bee knowing well ynough that they would be vndone by their owne Free-will Thus yee see howe the wicked sorte doo speake of Gods election euen peruerting all truth and yet they beare themselues in hande that God liketh well of them for doing so But let vs rather assure our selues that God abhorreth them as this text sheweth vs And so yee see to what vse we muste apply this doctrine if we minde to fare the better by it Surely it deserueth to be layde forth more at length and so it shal be God willing but as nowe the tyme will not suffer a man to say any more But now let vs caste our selues downe before the presence oure good God with acknowledgemente of oure sinnes praying him to humble vs in such wise that being conuicted of offending him diuers wayes we may seeke nothing but his fauour and that if he afflict vs for a time and vse suche rigour as may seeme excessiue vnto vs yet wee maye still keepe our mouth shet wayting pacientlie till hee deliuer vs from all our troubles and that in the meane season wee may giue him his due glory acknowledging the authoritie which he hath ouer vs and all creatures That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and Nations c. The .l. Sermon which is the second vpon the thirtenth Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the vij viij ix and .x. verses and then as followeth 11 Doth not his Maiestie amaze you doth not the feare of him fall vpon you 12 Your remembrance is like vnto asshes and your bodies to bodies of clay 13 Holde your tungs in my pesence and lette mee speake and let happen too mee vvhat can 14 VVherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my soule into my handes 15 Although he kill mee yet vvill I trust in him neuerthelesse I vvill reproue my vvayes in hys sight WE haue to go forward with the matter that wee began yesterday which is that the scripture sheweth vs many things which our vnderstāding cānot brooke For when a man speaketh to vs after that maner cōcerning god there is suche a scornfulnesse in vs as to our seeming wee are not bound to receyue any thing which we finde not to be good Herevpon there haue bene some that would fayne play the wyze men in disguising of things to the end that all might be wel liked according as I alledged two examples yesterday The one cōcerneth Freewill For beholde what the Scripture telleth vs namely that men cā do no good at all but are hilde prizoners altogither vnto euill Many are of opiniō that if it were so thē sinners were excused quit in asmuchas they haue no power in them to do good And there are forgers of lyes whiche rowe betweene two streames and say that then it were better to graunt men some Freewill to the intent they maye bee blameworthie when they haue doone amisse Yea but the Scripture speaketh otherwise VVherefore is it that they flee to such startingholes if it be not that they forge leasings to curry fauour with God hath hee neede of theyr lies muste his trueth bee mainteyned by that meane As much is to bee sayde of those that darken Gods grace in that he hath chozen whom he thought good before the creation of the world and reiected the rest And howe is that It is a very sore poynte and wee see that many men haue stumbled at it Yee see what these Sages alledge and yet in the meane whyle they steppe in like sticklers saying we say that God hath chozen those that ought to be saued And why is that bycause hee foresawe that they would be well dispozed therevnto Therefore in asmuch as hee foreknewe that they woulde bee ready to receyue his grace hee marked them out that hee might say these are myne But dooth the Scripture speake so No it speaketh cleane contrarie For it sayeth that God fyndeth vs all alike and that it is hee which putteth a difference betwixt vs and that there is nother barrell better herring of vs sauing that God of his owne infinite goodnesse draweth vs oute of death Thus yee see the pure and simple doctrine of the holy Scripture VVherefore doo men come too brabble heere As I tolde you it is because they thinke too excuse God by it Yea muste God bee fayne too borrowe oure lyes and must we bee his spokesmen with oure wrangling trickes lyke as wee see that euill cases had neede to be well coloured and altogyther turkined that it
god But what VVee steppe to it bluntly and it seemeth to vs that God will suffer men to play with him as he addeth immediatelye after Therefore when wee speake of God let vs learne to conceiue the infinite glory that is in him For when we haue once conceyued that it cannot be but wee muste bee humbled to saye Alas it is no speaking of God after the manner of men nor making of any comparison with him For what shoulde be made of him â–ª where woulde wee set him or in what degree woulde we place him VVoulde we haue him matched with his creatures Is not that asmuche as too make him a thing of nothing And what shall become of his maiesty when men haue abaced him after that sort â–ª Then if we had the wit to conceyue or but only to tast what Gods infinite glory is it is certaine that we shoulde learne to humble our selues vnderneath the same and not be any more so ouerweening as to make our selues beleeue this or that Furthermore let vs bethinke our selues For the feeblenesse and wretchednesse that are in mans nature giue a far greater glosse to Gods Maiestie insomuch as he muste needes bee magnified the more when wee knowe throughly what wee our selues are If we had in vs the glory of Angelles we shoulde approche the neerer vnto God but yet shoulde we be faine to do as the Angels do according as it is sayd of theÌ„ vnder the shape of Cherubins that they were fayne too hyde their faces and were not able too looke vpon God throughly True it is that the Scripture sayeth they see Gods face But howe is that seeing of it They are not able to abyde it withoute casting downe theyr eyes and as it were withoute couering theyr faces with theyr wings that is to say they are not able to doo it without a bashfulnesse in reuerencing God as their soueraine vnto whome they are not able to atteyne and withoute acknowledging the same highnesse to humble theÌ„selues therevnto Lo how it is with the Angelles of heauen And now how fare wee that are but rottennesse As touching our soules they bee but as little sparkes whiche shoulde bee quenched out by and by and passe away intoo a shadow were it not that God preserueth them in their state and that hee did it of his owne meere goodnesse Then haue wee not in our selues the power to stande one minute of an hower but God must be fayne to preserue vs bycause there is nothing in vs but smoke and vanitie VVhen we knowe this it is certaine that all presumptuousnesse will be well beaten downe in vs so as we shall no more haue this foolish desire of disputing after our owne maner to paynt God with our colours according as wee see him disfigured and rent in peeces by men VVe shall no more bee so presumptious and malaparte when wee knowe what his glorie is and haue well bethought vs of the weakenesse that is in oure selues Thus yee see after what sorte wee shall bee astonished with feare of him as Iob speaketh heere For it is impossible that this knowledge of God should bee ydle in men and that it shoulde not cast them downe in suche wise as they durst no more bee so bolde to babble of god For when they haue spoken so at randon it is a token that they neuer knewe him nor felte what his Maiestie is And why As I sayde afore it is a liuelye feeling when wee once vnderstande that it is God that hath created vs and that wee are of him and that whether we looke vpwarde or downward all things are in his hand and that there is in him a wonderfull rightuousuesse there is in him a wisedome that is hid from vs there is in him an incomparable goodnesse If wee knowe all these things it cannot bee but we muste needes bee astonied and abashed in our selues so as we shall vtterly abace our selues before him honour his highnesse which is infinite So then let vs learne to know better what God is to the ende we may be trayned to all modestie and sobernesse and therewithall also let vs examine what we our selues are VVhen we see our owne fleshe doth tickle vs to like well of our selues so as wee be inclined to flatter our selues and seeke to stande in our owne conceyte let vs stirre vp our selues too say whence commeth this vice It is bycause thou haste not yet knowne thy selfe Consider who thou art do but enter into thy selfe and be iudge of thine owne state There we shall finde that we haue a bottomlesse gulfe of sinfulnesse in vs and that we bee wrapped in such ignorance as is horrible to behold which is as it were so thicke a darknesse as it vtterly choketh and strangleth vs and so far off are we from hauing our eyes open to knowe God as wee see not the thing that is before oure noze â–ª Therefore wheÌ„ men shall haue be thought themselues in that wise it is certaine that they shall be so touched with the Maiestie of God that whereas it was seene that they were full of pryde and as it were harebraynd in fearing of God so as there were no reuerence nor modesty in them at all then the feare of God shall fall vpon them In steade of the greate and straunge fastnesse that is too bee seene in the world men shall find the reuerent awe of god And why For as I sayde when wee haue once conceyued what God is wee shall stoope vnder him Agayne on the otherside when wee see what oure selues are wee shall haue no more cause too stande in oure owne conceyte nor to aduaunce our selues in any manner wise Thus yee see what Iob mente to be token by these twoo sentences And for the greater confirmation hee sayeth Yea but thinke you that hee wyll beare with you if yee dally with him as with a man Hee sheweth vs heerein that men are beguiled in that they knowing not the Maiestie of God to honour the same as they ought to doo doo dally with him VVhereas we ought to honour him wee play with him as we bee wont to play in dealing one with another that hee that can deceyue sticketh not to deceyue and all is well ynough so it bee not perceyued And like as we conuey our wyles among men so also woulde we make our couin to passe for good payment to Godwarde but that is too too greate an abuse Therfore let vs not thinke too dallie with such a craftesmayster and to scape vnpunished For althoughe God suffer men too runne â—yote for a tyme yet in the ende hee will not misse too shewe them that hee is not the partie that they tooke him for but another manner of man Hee is not the partie that they tooke him to bee bycause hee is not lyke the creatures which ought to be obedient to the common rule in suche wise as they may bee brought too an accounte and measured by the lawe that
fall too chawing vpon the bitte in hatching so lewde opinions which are cleane contrarie to fayth it is all one as if men should fall to deuifing of their state wyth their enemies that come too besiege theyr Citie For if they giue eare to them and allowe their counsell it is the destruction of the whole towne They will not set opē their gates to them but it is all one as if they did Euen so is it with those that snarle themselues in their owne lewde opinions which Satan putteth in theyr heades for if they abyde by them the ende will be the leading of them too destruction VVhat is to bee done then Let vs followe the experience that is shewed vs heere by Iob. Verely hee was assaulted daungerously when he doubted whether he should euer rize again or no seing that God had brought him so low And if hee had continued in that minde too the ende what a thing had it beene But after hee had beene so assayled he cutteth off the matter out of hande No sayth he I will tarie the day of my chaunge howe so euer I speede Lo what we haue to do namely too conclude according to Gods truth Also when we conceyue any lewd imaginations that may turne vs from the fayth and from the way of saluation wee must by and by come backe and take holde of some sentence of the scripture and when we see our selues fenced with Gods truth the conclusion must be that wee will not dispute about it seeing that God hath spoken it Thus ye see the souerein remedie that wee haue to beate backe Satan in this behalfe that is to wit when he goeth about to turne vs aside from the fayth and from obeying of Gods worde Furthermore when Iob fayth that be will tarie for his chaunge that worde deserueth to be weyed throughly Verely he speaketh of the resurrection and therefore meeneth that we must be wholly renued so as the corruption whiche is in vs by reason of Adams sin be vtterly done away and God receyue vs into the immortalitie of his kingdom Lo here the chaunge whereof Iob speaketh And the same is also the thing that we must haue an eie vnto For without the resurrection wee cannot comfort our selues neyther wil al that euer man can alledge be sufficient to cheere vs VVee see also that the holy scripture directeth the faythfull thither when it purposeth too content them and too giue them assured and settled rest Be ye sure say the seruants of God that wee bee called to bee partakers of the heauenly glorie which God hath promised too those that are his and therefore be ye glad of it Howbeeit for the better assurance of this last chaunge wee must consider the chaunges that God maketh at this day ▪ euen during the course of this life howe God maketh many alterations in vs whereby he giueth vs alreadie some taste of the last chaunge As for example VVe be in some trouble well we be as it were shet vp there VVhen wee looke for the ende of it wee see none there is no remedie it is past recouerie and we be forlorne and sodenly God hath such pitie vpon vs as we be deliuered out of hand See ye not a chaunge that ought too lead vs further forth which is too vnderstande that there is a muche perfecter deliuerance than all these are which wee perceyue at this day particularly Then let vs learne to acquaint our selues well with the chaunges that God maketh dayly that wee may bee lifted vp a high and by that meanes be quiet till the time that we be renued in the kingdome of heauen Also heere yee see after what maner Dauid hath spoken For when he speaketh of the chaunges of Gods hand whether it be in rescuing men out of trouble or in casting them into it that saying is of great weight though it seeme not so For men haue alwayes this fonde opinion concerning fortune too say See what ill fortune is befalne mee or see what good fortune is happened mee No they bee the chaunges of Gods hande and to that poynt must wee alwayes bee brought Howbeeit among all the chaunges that are made in the worlde the liuelyest Image of the last renewment is Gods quickning of vs by his holye spirite and his inlightning of vs by fayth and his making of vs newe creatures in oure Lorde Iesus Christ as the scripture speaketh Let vs consider what the birth of men is True it is that when wee come intoo this worlde wee bring some remnant of Gods Image wherein Adam was created howbeeit the same Image is so disfygured as we bee full of vnrightuousnesse and there is nothing but blindnesse and ignorance in our minde Yee see then what the state of men is at their byrth But God inlightneth vs by his holy spirite yea euen in suche wise as wee be able to beholde him so farrefoorth as is expedient for the transforming of vs intoo his glorie and for the reforming of vs by his holy spirite Therefore when God shall haue so chaunged vs as wee feele him dwelling in vs and by meanes thereof wee fight agaynst our wicked lustes and whereas other men doo ordinarily delight in their vices and as it were bathe themselues in them we seeke the cleane contrarie so as what euill soeuer is in vs the same mislikes vs and we mourne for it and therewithall follow the good and be altogither desirous to giue our selues ouer to the seruing of God Is not that a woonderfull chaunge For such maner of dooings will neuer spring out of our selues VVhen wee taste of Gods goodnesse so as we be sure of his fatherly loue towardes vs and specially haue the certentie of our saluation to call vpon him as our father See yee not a chaunge that is able to shewe howe mightifull Gods hand is For men of their owne nature can neuer open their mouthes to call vppon God in truth True it is that they may well haue some ceremonies as the Heathen folke pray vntoo God and the Papistes also doo babble and make prayers that are long ynough but all this is nothing bicause they bee not assured in theyr prayers nor fully perswaded that God should bee their father Do wee then see that God is willing too heare vs Are wee desirous too serue him and to honour him It is euen as much as if he had chaunged vs and caste vs newe agayne in a mowlde and as though he had put vs newe againe to making For doubtlesse it is not for naught that the Scripture calleth vs new creatures in oure Lorde Iesus Christ And in other places where wee be sayde to be his workemanship bicause hee hath created vs to good woorkes Saint Paule meeneth not that God hath created vs onely to bee mortall men but also to the entent wee should do good workes Therfore when God dooth so chaunge his faythfull ones yee see a speciall woorke of his wherein he vttereth his power
iustifie themselues before God For first and formost they had neede to be cleaner and purer than the Angelles and they had neede to surmoung the brightnesse of the Sunne and the Starres seeing that the heauens themselues are infected ▪ before God if comparison should be made betwene them and him This hath bene treated of in part already heeretofore Howbeit as it is not repeated here without cause so haue wee neede to call to mynde the things that haue bene fayde afore For it is a notable lesson and such a one as can not be minded too often First it behoueth vs to knowe after what sorte the Angels haue not stedfastnesse before god Some haue expounded it of the Diuels but there is no reason in so doing For what a thing were it to say the Diuels are not rightuous and therefore must not men take vpon them to be so VVe knowe that the Diuell is the Prince of all iniquitie and naughtinesse But here is expresse mention made of the Angels And ye see howe that in this place they be termed the Saints or holy ones of God according also as the holie Scripture yeeldeth them the same title and oftentimes calleth them the elect or chozen Angels But now let vs consider after what sort God findeth no stedfastnesse in them It is not onely bycause they should not haue the constancie to cotinue in goodnesse vnlesse God preserued thē by his power ▪ but bycause that of a verie truth they haue not so sound and exquisite a rightuousnesse as that they might rest themselues vpon the same when it commeth to the poynt of presenting themselues afore God to render their account That point say I shall not be found in the Angels And howe so For we see they haue none other desire but to obey God nother are they subiect to euill lustes as wee bee there is no temptation in them to thrust them out of the way And when we desire that Gods will should bee doone in earth as it is in heauen wee meene thereby that the obedience which the Angels yelde vnto God is without impeachment and not an vnperfecte and feeble thing as ours is who when we desire to doe good do go to it limpingly and are not the tenth parte so giuen to the seruing of God as were requisite Howe then doe we vnderstande that God findeth not stedfastnesse in his Angels that is to say they be not able to answere before him I haue tolde you afore that in iudging of vs God vseth the measure which he hath set down in his law that is to wit that we loue him with all our heart with all our mynd and with all our strength Thus yee see a meane rightuousnesse wherewith God contenteth himself when the cace concerneth iudging of Angels and men But euē according to this rightuousnesse we be faultie for who is he that can boast of the yelding vp of his whole affection vnto God and not to haue bene drawne away from it by some wicked lust Alas we be so farre off from atteyning to that poynt as it is very much if we bee in the way thitherward Yee see then that all men are condemned before God euen as in respect of this mean rightuousnesse And yee see also that when Sainte Paule alledgeth this sentence Cursed is hee that fulfilleth not all the thinges that are conteyned in the law he saith it is a sentence that condemneth vs all But the Angelles are acceptable too God in respect of this rightuousnesse And why Bycause there is no blemishe nor spotte in them but all their desires are set wholly to the seruing and honoring of God so as they giue themselues to nothing else And so according to the rightuousnesse of the law God accepteth thē as I said afore But there is another higher rightuousnesse in God which surmounteth all creatures in so muche as no Angell is able to satisfie it And no wonder at all for what comparison is there betweene an infinite thing and a thing that hath boundes Behold although the Angels haue great glory in them yet are they but creatures And what is God He is an infinit thing in so much that when we thinke vpon him wee ought to be rauished into astonishment So then let vs not thinke it strange that Gods rightuousnesse should be so high that when all creatures come to that poynt all that is to bee found in them shall be nothing at all but they shall deserue to be vtterly wiped out Therefore it is saide here that God findeth no stedfastnesse in his Angels that is to say if hee listed too vse the sayd extreme examination towarde the Angelles they must needes vanishe away and all must needes bee cast downe and sunken Howbeit for as much as God is contented to bee honored and serued by them according to the rule that hee hath giuen vs in his lawe they stand before his face and hee auoweth them for ryghtuouse as they be in deede and tryed so to bee But these be two diuers thinges namely that God hath a ryghtuousnesse which he hath measured after our capacitie and yet commeth to such rigour as to say who is hee that hath atteyned to it Now then we see that if we come before God there we shall be condemned and accursed And so farre are we vnable to stande vpright that the very Angels of Heauen are confounded there And why Bycause the verie Heauens them selues are not cleane For whereas God hath created the sunne to giue light to the worlde and giuen some brightnesse to the Starres also it followeth not therefore that they haue a diuine perfection VVe must remember what hath bene sayd afore namely that all the creatures that God made do keepe still some markes of his grace But if a man woulde compare that which is in the creatures with that which is in God hee shall fynde that the one is all and the other is nothing Thus yee see howe the heauens are not cleane that is to saye that there is alwayes some imperfection in the creatures so as they haue not the power to stand before God as in respect of the infinite glorie that is in him And now it is sayde that seeing the cace is such what shall become of men This is it that I haue touched alreadie namely that although God would examine vs but after the mean rightuousnesse which he hath set forth in his lawe yet we should all of vs be found giltie and an vniuersall damnation should lie vpon all mankind vnder the which we lie ouerthrowne To be short behold howe men are confuted two wayes For if we will come to God with our head vpright and goe about to iustifie our selues before him our confusion must needes appeere so muche the more For shall we be rightuouser than the Angels of Heauen But we see there is no creature that is able to holde out when he commeth before the creator The Creator must needs swallow vp all with
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
they shake off all feare and beare themselues in hand that they should not indure him any more to be their iudge â–ª and to be short that they ought not to owe God so much dutie as to come to account before him and therwithal they become the bolder too giue themselues ouer to all naughtinesse as though it were lawfull to doo what they list And Eliphas giueth the title of almightie vnto God purposely according to the circumstance of the place Not that God can at any time be ouercome but Eliphas inteÌ„ded here to scorne the pridefulnesse of the wicked in strengthning themselues after that maner against god And who is he what meene you He is the Almightie yea and what shal become of your strength If ye had to incouÌ„ter with creatures it wouldstand ye in hand to knowe which of them is strongest But sith you make warre with God must ye not needes be ouerthrowne ere ye come to hand strokes There is no strength but of him yea and whereas yee haue borowed it of him will ye come to turne it against him Thinke ye that hee will suffer the strength whiche he hath giuen you to diminish any whitte of his maiestie Must it not needes serue him to confounde you withall Yee see then for what cause Eliphas hath expressely sette downe here the worde Almightie in reproching men for strengthning theÌ„selues agaynst god But we haue yet one other good and profitable lesson to gather hereof which is that if wee will not haue warre with God we must bee well ware that we absteyne from all euill doing and from all wrong â–ª and we must liue among our neighbours without working them any anoyance or iniurie For assoone as wee doo but stirre one finger too poll other men of their goodes or to trouble one and too deuour another beholde God is as it were chalenged by vs to make warre with vs bycause wee haue gone aboute euill towardes them whom hee hath taken vntoo his tuicion VVee see that when earthly Princes haue giuen their protection to any house if a man doo them any wrong it is not simple felonie but high treason whereof they will bee auenged And doo wee imagine that God will bee lesse priuileged than Princes Hee hathe set his badge vpon all poore folke by taking them into his owne charge and protection Nowe if any man come too torment them and afflict them will he suffer it Then as I sayde let vs learne to brydle our selues to the ende that wee vse no outrage against our neighbours And further more also let vs keepe our selues from this frenzie that is spoken of heere For we bee not well in our wittes if we take our selues too be mightie and strong before god Therefore let vs aduisedly walke in modestie and acknowledging the frailtie of our nature let vs humble our selues and let the same serue to holde vs within our boundes and knowing that thing whiche God permitteth vs too knowe let vs bee contented too walke plainly on oure waye wythout running ouer the feeldes like stray cattell for what else is that but too strengthen our selues agaynst God when wee presume to doo that which God hath forbidden vs shall wee esteeme it too bee but a single disobedience Is it not more than a diuelish furiousnesse So then let vs vncace our selues out of all pride and presumption and simplie followe that which God sheweth vs And if wee be tempted nowe and then with the sayde vaine fancie let vs marke well this woorde Almightie too brydle vs withall saying Howe nowe wretched creature what wilt thou doo wherevpon muzest thou For thou strengthenest thy selfe in thine euill and beholde God telleth thee that hee will lift vp himselfe agaynst thee and thou must be faine too feele him thy foe and mortall enimie Therefore restreyne thy selfe except thou intende too feele his mightie hand which is able to destroy thee quite and to make cleane riddance of thee Marke I say what wee haue too note in this sentence And furthermore let vs hearken howe Eliphas addeth that God willâ—aze the wicked folkes by the neckes and that if they bee neuer so well armed so as they haue both helmet and sheelde God will seaze vpon them through the thickest of their furn ture VVhereas hee sayeth that God will seaze the wicked by the necke it is to shew that they shall bee caught in suche wise as they cannot by any meanes escape For it is sayde that a man is hilde by the necke when hee is shet vp in extremitie and distresse God therfore sheweth that hee will deale after the same fashion with wicked folke and that he will not handle them with strokes of cudgels nor onely giue them a blow or twaine but seaze vpon their neckes to choke them And good reason it is that it shoulde be so For we see howe cruell they haue beene to their neighbours and that they haue hilde their foote vpon their throtes as muche as they coulde God therefore must not vse gentle corrections towardes them but his assayling of them must bee with extremitie to their confuzion And forasmuch as the wicked do trust in their armour and artillerie bicause they bee well furnished and forasmuch as they will needes barre God from comming at them it is sayd purposely that he will nippe them through the thickest of their armour and that all their resistance and fortifying of themselues against God shall not boote them a whit against his force They shall haue both corsâ—et and sheeld and yet for all that God will compasse his intent VVherby we be warned to walk continually in feare for we ought to be afraid of Gods punishings according as the holy scripture sayeth that it is a dreadfull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing god Let vs not surmize that wee haue too doo with a mortall man Assoone then as God threatneth let vs fall flatte down and not be so hardharted as to swell agaynst god The wrath of a king sayeth Salomon is the messenger of death and what will the wrath of God himselfe be when God sendeth vs woorde of his displeasure see wee not howe death is present at our backes Therefore let vs not misbehaue our selues for all the helpe that wee can haue at the handes of men or of all other creatures let vs not thinke our selues too bee euer the neerer our purpose when we imagin our cace to be well prouided for For if wee were to fight agaynst creatures it might auayle vs but forasmuch as oure warre is with God can wee serue our turnes agaynst him with that which hee hath in hys hande and with that which hee disposeth at his pleasure VVhen we shall purpose to march on the one side he will make vs turne head another way if he thinke good Yee see then howe we haue to consider that if wee arme our selues agaynst God our owne sword must cut our throte For God will not sende an armie
they haue neede to haue it beaten into thē still and when a man telleth vs one thing often it is too our greate profit and furtherance But Iob was not at that poynt it greeued him not to make account of a good lesson bicause it ▪ was common Nother was he curious of his desires But as I saide afore hee sheweth simply that his miserie was so excessiue as hee had neede to be comforted after an extraordinarie manner Like as when a man is sicke of a common disease folke will also vse a lighte remedie But if the disease bee sharpe ▪ the Phisition muste be fayne to proceede further For if he should applie one medicine to all diseases what a thing were it In like cace is it with aduersities VVee see a man that is sorrowfull for the deathe of his Father or of his wife or of his children or else some losse is happened vnto him VVell one bringeth him some meane comfort and such as God hath set foorth But if there bee any that is not tormented after some one manner onely but whiche feeleth the hande of God persecuting him on all sides so that as soone as one inconuenience is befalne him there followe two or three mo in the necke of it and hee is not onely afflicted in his body in his person in his goodes and in his frends but also as we haue seene in Iob is pressed with spirituall temptations as thoughe God meent to drowne him vtterly there we must go to work after a more exquisite fashion For if ye vexe a poore man that is already hartbroken to what purpose shall all that you can bring serue It were muche better that a man hilde his peace that God myght worke to supply the default of men Thus ye see what Iob meent Beholde Eliphas telleth Iob that God punisheth wicked men to shew himselfe the iudge of the world and that they may well fence thēselues but they cannot scape his handes but that hee will vtterly destroye them howe greate traynes and bandes of men soeuer they haue But what If a man should apply this matter vnto Iob it were as muche as too beare him downe that God was hys enimie bycause hee was a wicked man and also that there had bene nothing but hypocrisie in him Beholde a matter misapplyed Therefore it is not withoute cause that hee sayeth Gotoo I knowe these things and euen nowe coulde I serue myne owne turne with them if I had neede of them But that was not the cace For Iob had conceyued in his minde that hee was not punished for his sinnes sake and that God had not any suche intente Not that hee felte not himselfe faultie and woorthy too indure yet more if God listed too examine him with rigoure but bicause hee knewe that God handled him not so for his sinnes sake but had another intent Iob knowing this reiecteth the talke that they hild with him And why Bycause it was vnreasonable You are yrksome comforters to mee sayeth hee And what is the reason Bycause they brought not conuenient remedies Heereby wee bee warned that if wee minde too comforte our neyghboures in their heauinesse and troubles wee muste not go to it at randon as many men doo which haue no more songs but one and haue no regarde at all too whome they sing it For some man muste bee handled after one fashion and some man after another As for example if there bee one that is stubborne against God in that cace a man muste speake with another manner of style and tearmes than too a poore creature that hath walked alwayes in simplicitie And so according as the maladie is it is needefull that a man bee warned too proceede thereafter As for example if men bee dullardes they muste bee cryed vnto and their negligence muste bee rebuked too the intente they maye feele the hande of God and humble themselues vnder the same Therefore wee haue neede of greate wisedome if wee will comforte those whome God afflicteth as wee ought to doo Thus yee see what wee haue too beare in minde concerning this sentence where it is sayde that suche as pretended to comforte Iob were yrkesome comforters bycause they broughte not any thing whereby hee might fare the better And nowe Iob addeth VVhen will there bee an ende of youre wyndy woordes Hee tearmeth those woordes wyndy wherein there is no substance that is too saye whiche are not able too edifye a man according as the holye Scripture vseth the same similitude For when it is requyred that a man shoulde bee taughte howe too obtayne his Saluation It is sayde hee is edifyed Howe Euen bycause hee is firste founded and afterwarde buylded vppon so as hee is confirmed in the feare of God hee is confirmed in his lawe hee is confirmed in pacience to beare afflictions stedfastly and afterwarde hee is fully resolued too praye vnto God too prayse him to flee vnto him Contrariwise if the words be but to trouble ones brayne and that a man do but trifle and babble so as the hearer receyueth no good instruction to apply to his welfare all are but wyndy wordes And so lette vs marke that if we will meddle with exhortation or doctrine aboue all things it behooueth vs too tende to the sayde substantialnesse that is to witte that suche as heare vs may receyue some good instruction so as they maye bee inured too walke according too godlynesse and bee grounded in the truste of his mercye and frame themselues too call vppon him not doubtinglye and waueringly but assuring themselues that they shall bee hearde Yee see then howe wee oughte too study too instructe oure neyghboures substantially that the thing whiche wee haue learned may not slippe away like winde And furthermore euery of vs muste also bende too suche teaching that wee couet not too bee filled with wynde as wee see manye curiouse folke are who woulde fayne haue men listen vntoo them that they myghte feede their eares and satisfye theyr fonde fancies They imagine this and that and woulde fayne haue men too lysten to theyr complayntes too dispute of matters that are to no edifying And the minde of man is ouermuche inclined too this vice yea and wholly gyuen vnto it For that if euerie of vs shoulde followe his owne appetite it is certaine that there woulde bee none other question among vs but howe wee myghte holde vnprofitable talke of this and that whiche shoulde spredde into the ayre and haue no substance in it nor aught at all but winde And therefore learne to seeke that whiche is good and conuenient too edifye vs in the feare of God and in fayth and pacience and in all good and profitable things Thus yee see what wee haue too remember in this sentence where Iob maketh mention of windye woordes Neuerthelesse wee muste also take heede too oure selues that wee refuse all talke that shall bee ministred vnto vs as thoughe it were wyndy but wee muste learne to taste whither
with the eye of pitie that by reason of the spreading out of his mercie vpon vs and vpon all Nations of the earth wee may haue occasion to sound forth his prayses euery where And so let vs say Almightie God our heauenly father wee acknowledge and confesse c. The .lxiiij. Sermon which is the third vpon the .xvj. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the .xvij. verse and then vpon the text that followeth 18 O earth hide thou not my bloud neither let there be any place for my cries 19 For euen novve is my vvitnesse in heauen and he that vvarrant eth me is in the highest places 20 My friendes are Rhetoricians against me and myne eyes poure out teares vnto God. 21 O that it vvere lavvfull for man to reason vvith God as vvith the sonne of man his neighbor 22 Beholde the short yeares shall slide avvaye and I enter into the vvaye by the vvhich I shall not come backe againe IOB intending too make protestation of hys owne vpryghtnesse setteth downe heere twoo thinges that is too witte that hee hath not delte amisse towards men and that hee hathe called vpon God purely And that was by referring his life too the lawe bicause that there our Lorde sheweth both howe wee muste serue him and howe wee muste bee conuersant among men insomuch that we be often spoken to of it and not without cause For it is no small matter to bee able to guide our life in suche wise as it maye please god VVe see then what Iobs intent was namely to shew that he had indeuered to serue god and to walk with his neighbours without hurting or annoying of any bodie True it is that heere hee setteth downe but two particulars Howbeit his meening is to comprehende the whole For when hee sayth there is no outrage nor excesse in his handes it importeth as muche as that he had liued withoute giuing any man cause to complayne of him as who shoulde say hee had not procured them any harme or losse True it is that wee may doe some wrong and iniurie without any shew of violence But for as much as when men giue themselues too harmefulnesse they starte out of their boundes and streyne themselues too racke one to pill another and to deuour the third therefore Iob purposely sayeth that there had beene no rauening in his handes As much is ment by the seconde saying For the seruing of God consisteth not only in the exercise of prayer But for so much as that is the chief point vnder that particular Iob hath comprehended the whole Nowe then wee see after what sorte our life may bee allowable afore God that is to witte when it is duely referred to his lawe For God will not haue men to liue after their owne swinge nor too delight in this or that as they thinke best themselues nor to be their owne iudges But hee himselfe will haue the whole authoritie ouer vs and that wee should be gouerned according to his word So then to the ende that wee labour not in vaine let vs learne too walke according to Gods commaundement Marke that for one poynte Verely this is oftentimes shewed vs but yet for all that wee see howe the worlde doth alwayes runne astraye and men delight to much in their owne fancies Therefore it is not without cause that the holie Scripture doth so often sende vs to this poynt that wee should liue not after our owne liking but according as God hath commaunded Againe whereas vnder the worde Prayer heere is mention made of the whole seruice of God wee ought to weye the same throughly For the most part of men thinke not at al of praying vnto God and wee see howe the world dischargeth it selfe of it verie lightly Neuerthelesse when the Scripture speaketh of the honouring of God the chiefest poynte of it which it setteth downe to vs is prayer and had this bene obserued as it ought to bee the manner of praying had bene much more esteemed among men so as they would not haue swarued one waye nor other but haue followed that which the holie Scripture sheweth But nowe cleane contrariwise it is come to passe that men haue taken such a scope in praying vntoo God as there is no reckening made of knowing what is good and profytable too bee prayed for or in what maner but euerie man steppes to it like blinde Bayarde and commes not duetifully vntoo god And whence proceedeth this ouerweenyng Bycause wee take not Prayer too bee a thing of so great estimation as it is For if wee tooke it for the cheefe poynte of Gods Seruice it is certayne that wee woulde go to it with farre greater heartinesse than we do Againe wee see that in steade of praying vnto God menne are giuen to praying to Sainctes deceased and the worlde which yeeldeth that thing to creatures which is peculiar vnto God thinketh not the same to bee otherwyse than good If a man aske the Papistes why they terme the Virgin Marie their hope of saluation why they flee to hir and why euery one of them hath his seuerall Saincte to be his patrone if a man tell them it is blasphemie against God it is verie hard to make them beleue so And why Bicause they neuer knewe nor tasted of that which the holie Scripture vttereth so diligently that is to wit that to serue God aright it behooueth vs to praye vnto him Surely the greatest and honorablest seruice that he requireth of vs and the greatest and souerainest worship that he alloweth is for vs too haue oure recourse vntoo him Now had the Papists considered this would it not haue yrked them to haue gone to a deade creature and to say I worship God or rather I yeelde him his due Prayer is the principall seruice that he requireth at oure handes and yet they will conuey the same ouer to a creature Is not this a peruerting of the order of nature So much the better therefore ought wee to marke throughly what is conteyned here that is to wit that by this word prayer Iob ment to shewe that he had serued God purely And so if men will nowe giue proofe of their vprightnesse let them not alledge their Gewgawes as the hypocrites are wont to doe saying Haue wee not fasted haue wee not done this or that But wee muste vnderstande that our Lorde will haue vs ruled after his lawe and hee will haue the whole authoritie ouer vs Marke that for one poynt Furthermore wee haue also to note that our prayer shall neuer bee pure before God nor acceptable vnto him vnlesse our handes bee cleere from violence And why If wee bee cruell and wrangling with our neighbors God putteth vs backe and we haue no accesse vnto him True it is that many do giue the aduenture to pray vnto God although they be full of rauening and haue troubled one and tormented an other yet ceasse they not to bee hardie ynough to call vpon god But surely their prayers
are abhominable bycause their handes are stayned with bloude that is to say with wicked doings And heere yee see also why God complayneth by his Prophet Esay that the Iewes came to weare the pauement of his Temple And so hee mocketh them meening that hee liketh not their comming to his Temple and of their making of resemblance as though they ment to worshippe him For sayth he your handes are full of bloud that is to say ye haue not ceassed to anoy and hurt your neighbors Nowe thinke you that I will giue you accesse to me or that I will haue any acquaintance with you Thus yee see in effecte what we haue to consider in this sentence And nowe Iob addeth O earth byde not my bloude neither let my teares take place Some haue misinterpreted this sentence that the earth bideth not the bloud For they vnderstood it that Iob should wish to haue his miseries knowne and that for as much as hee was afflicted after so excessiue a fashion hee desired that his bloude might not be hidden but that the earth might crie for vengeance of it But to what purpose were that He was not plagued by men And ment he that the earth should aske vengeance against God Againe on the otherside the texte declareth it selfe anon after And needes must a man shet his owne eyes if he will be ouerseene in so easie a matter For Iob heere toucheth two points The one is in these words O earth hide not my blud the other is in these neither let my cries take place VVhat meeneth hee by wishing that his cryes should not take place It is as muche to say as when hee hathe ouerlaboured himselfe in crying and turmoyling it shall bee but laboure lost bycause God refuseth it And that if hee come to men he shall gayne nothing by it Syth the cace standeth so wee maye easily conclude that in saying O earth hide not my bloude he graunteth that if he haue done amisse the matter shall come to account and iudgement and all his whole life shall bee layde afore him and his inditement shall bee framed with extremitie and God will handle him according to his deserts And doubtlesse in the holy Scripture the worde Bloude is oftentimes taken for all horrible crimes As for example Lorde deliuer me from bloude that is to saye Lorde deliuer mee from all the deadly sinnes that I haue commited VVherfore wee see that Iob in this place termeth all the trāsgressions and crimes that hee might haue committed by the name of his Bloud And that is according to his matter For he had sayde that his handes were cleere from rauin And for a confirmation thereof hee addeth that if God finde him guiltie in any thing whatsoeuer it be hee is contented that the same shall come to light and to account and that his sinnes should bee no longer concealed but that God shoulde bring them abroade and that when he is throughly examined if hee bee found faultie hee is contented that God should shewe him no fauoure nor mercie And afterward hee sayth that although hee sighe and shreeke yet notwithstanding let it not boote him but let al his outcries be lost so as it may seeme that Gods eares are stopped Now we see what Iobs meening is And heere we haue to call to mynde a thing that hath beene treated of afore that Iobs raging is bycause hee looketh not at Gods soueraine iustice whiche is so perfecte and exquisite as no creature is able to stande with it no not euen the Angelles as hath beene sayde heeretofore For had Iob looked well vpon that it would haue hilde him in awe so as he should neuer haue made suche protestations Moreouer wee must call to remembrance that Iobs intent is not to iustifie himselfe as though hee were vtterly innocent but he loketh at the respect why God should punish him which was not that he had deserued it as men are commonly punished for their misdeeds Also God had another respect that is to wit he ment to set him forth as a mirrour to all men and to trie his pacience Iob then meeneth not to declare heere that his life was wholly pure and that he had neuer done amisse but his meening is that God punisheth him as rigorously as if he were a wicked caytife and had led a more licencious life than all other men Lo heere in effect what we haue to beare away But as for vs let vs assure our selues that if God plague vs it is for our sinnes And although our conscience witnessed that wee desire to serue and honour him yea euen without hypocrisie yet notwithstanding we shall come farre short of beeing so cleare as we ought to bee and wee should bee found indaungered a hundred thousand wayes Therefore let euery man looke neerely to himself and whē we know our faults best let vs be sure that God knoweth a hundred times more by vs than we our selues do For if we knowe some one fault is not God more sharpe sighted as sayth Sainte Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle So then let vs learne too humble oure selues and to beseech God to hide our faultes For it behoueth vs to come backe to that which is sayde in the two and thirtie Psalme namely Blessed is the man whose sinnes the Lorde couereth and whose iniquities hee calleth not to remembrance If God discouer oure faultes we must all of vs perishe yea euen the perfectest So then the onely refuge of our welfare is to praye vnto God to hide all our transgressions that they maye not come too account before him For if he intende to iudge them there is no shift but hell must be prepared for vs Furthermore let vs desire God to hearken to our cries vnworthy though they bee For if God delay the graunting of our requestes till wee haue serued him in all perfection alas what shall become of vs There shall not be any one but the gate shall bee shet against him so as hee shall haue no entrance vnto god Our cries therfore must be receiued notwithstanding that we haue deserued to be shaken off Neuerthelesse it behoueth vs to doe our indeuer to liue quietly with our neighbors that we may haue Gods fauour and finde him such a one towards vs as we desire VVhy so For it is written iudgement without mercie shall he haue that hath bene mercilesse Ye see how Saint Iames telleth vs that God will deale rigorously with vs if we haue no pittie and compassion vpon our neighbors heere VVhat thing can betide vs so dreadfull as when God handleth vs rigorously And contrariwise where is there any hope for vs to conceyue but in Gods vsing of his infinite goodnesse which he sheweth in not imputing our sinnes to vs Againe Salomon sayth that hee which stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore shall cry himselfe and not be heard Then if our neighbours be in aduersitie and desire our ayde and yetnotwithstanding we be deafe so
our sinnes And if hee spare vs let vs vnderstand that hys meening is to draw vs to him by gētlenesse And so whatsoeuer betide vs Let nothing hinder vs to lift vp our heds cōtinually to seke our life cōtentatiō in heauē in the happie rest that tarieth for vs And let it not greeue vs to be aflicted here seing our god calleth vs to the triūph that is purchaced for vs by the death of our Lord Iesus Christ But let vs cast ourselues flat before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying hym to make vs feele what his wrath is in suche wise by oure aduersities as wee may not ceasse too tast alwayes his fatherly mercie and to haue recourse to the same so grounding and setling ourselues therevpon as wee may neuer swarue from it not doubting but he will deliuer vs from all our afflictions in conuenient time and ease vs of al our miseries and that although we bee pinched to the vttermost as nowe yet wee shall bee fully dispatched of them when he hath bereft vs of this flesh too make vs parttakers of all the benefites whych hee hathe prepared for vs aloft in hys heauenly glorye where wee shall triumphe with oure Lorde Iesus Christ according as hee hath gone afore vs in the glorye of his resurrection That it maye please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .lxvj. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xvij. Chapter 6 He hath made me a common byvvord and set me to be an open gazingstocke 7 Myne eyes is dimmed vvith sorovve and all my limbes are as a shadovve 8 The rightuouse vvill bee astonished at this and the innocent shall lift vp himselfe against the hypocrite 9 The rightuouse vvill hold his vvay and he that hath cleane hands shall be strengthened 10 All of you returne turne ye agayne for there is not one vvise man among you 11 My dayes are glyded avvay mine enterprizes are past and the thoughts of my hart 12 Haue turned day into night they haue offered mee darknesse for light that approched 13 If I tarrie the graue is my house I shall make my bed in the dark 14 I vvill say too the dust thou art my father and to corruption thou art my mother and my sister 15 VVhere is then myne expectation and vvhat is it that my hope must looke for 16 They shall go dovvne into the bottom of the graue there vvee shall bee layed in the earth or our bed shall be in the dust IOb following the matter that he entered into afore intēdeth to shew briefly that as in respect of his present state he is vtterly forlorne and there is no remedie for his miseries Seing the cace is such he must be faine to conclude that if the talk of those that spake afore him be true that is to wit that mē are delt within this world according to their deserts and that we must esteme Gods grace or his loue or hatred according to the state of this present lyfe it shall not boote him at all to flee vnto god Ye see then in effect what we haue to marke And first of al it is sayd that God hath made him as it were a mockingstocke that he was set to be a Gazingstock and for men to make tales of For the second woord which he vseth which I haue translated Gazingstocke signifieth a Timbrell And marke here how some men haue thought that Iob ment to compare heere his prosperitie with his aduersitie so great and extreme as it was at that time as if he had sayd Heretofore I haue bene in great triumph and nowe God hath handled me in such wise as I see my self to be a by-word and a gazingstocke True it is that in steade of Gazingstocke some trāslate it Hel and whereas I haue translated Open it is before them or in their sight And so their opinion is that Iob ment too say that men had damned him as a wretched creature before the tyme But when all is well considered the playne meening is that which I haue touched For it is but a repeting of one matter twyce for the greater confirmation of it according to the common custome of the holie Scripture And therefore the thing that he intēdeth to set downe is that in asmuch as God hath made him as a mirrour of aduersitie if wee should esteeme men in Gods fauour or displeasure by the state of this present life wee should hold him for a forlorne persone But yet for all that he takes himselfe for none such howbeit that he were not vtterly without feeling but what infirmities soeuer he had in him yet did he fight agaynst them and was sure and fully resolued that God would at length pitie him and therefore hild his mouth as it were shet vntill he sawe some end of his miseries And in this respect he addeth That the rightuouse shall be astonished at it but yet neuerthelesse the innocent shall lift vp himselfe against the hypocrite the rightuouse shall hold on their wayes and such as haue cleane handes shall gather new strength to be the more stedfast In saying that the ryghtuouse shall bee astonished Iob meeneth that when wee see the aduersities that God sendeth too such as haue serued him and walked in his feare with a pure conscience we thinke it straunge and are abashed at it And in good sooth we see it runnes in our minde that if God do gouerne the world it is good reason that he should spare good men and such as haue indeuered to walk purely before him and that he should handle them as a father doeth his children And if we see thē afflicted extremely at Gods hand we imagin eyther that he hath turned his backe wil not think vpō earthly things or else that he passeth not how mē liue nor how they behaue thēselues This then is the cause why we be oftētymes astonished at the aduersitie of rightuouse mē when God seemeth to shewe himself their enemie and they see nothing but signes of crueltie And that is the cause why Iob speaketh of astonishment Howbeit he sayeth that yet neuerthelesse the innocentes shall auaunce themselues aboue the hypocrites that is to say they shal not be so sore astonished but they shal make a good winding vp And there is not a sentence which we ought to marke better thā this VVhy so For we know by experiēce how hard it is for men to iudge aright of Gods dooings as in respect of that which we see presently For as hath bene declared more fully already god executes not his iudgemēts after such sort in this world as that all things should be well ruled and nothing out of square But contrariwyse things are confounded and if we see a wicked man punished a rightuouse man is punished much more and if wee see a good man prosper a wicked man shall prosper
that the wicked shall haue roume long and large ynough to sporte in according as we see how they leape about to and fro and therefore it seemeth not that they walke alwayes in streyts Indeede wee see it not but they themselues feele it much better than wee can imagine Againe albeit that we see it not continually yet doth God at length performe that which is sayd here euen according as Bildad vttereth it namely that feare shall dismay them But hee mistaketh the woorde feare as though Gods enemies shoulde needes knowe and conceyue their sinnes too bee afrayde and to repent them and that is not so And why These twoo things namely that the wicked should be amazed with feare and yet be merry and triumphe cannot stande togither For when the despyzers of God would be merrie they ouershoote themselues they forget themselues they become beasts they beleeue they be able to worke wonders and they think themselues the happiest men in the worlde that they can anger god Lo what the ioy of the wicked sorte is that is too witte a furious ioy and a ioy that so bereeues them of their wittes and reason as it leaues no modestie at all in them But yet in the meane whyle God doth now and then call them to account and he summoneth them within so as they be constreyned to perceyue that they must bee fayne to come before him And yet for all this they burie that knowledge as muche as they can and are contented to abyde deafe and blind and nother to see no◠yet to heare what God sheweth telleth them Now wee see how wee ought to set foorth this lesson that wee may practise it too our profite It is in effect that although the wicked haue the worlde at will that is not as much to say as their lyfe is therefore happy And why VVhat is the cheife welfare of man To bee sure that his conscience is quiet and at reste so as hee may goe on in true constancie through life and through death yea and euen be merrie But doth that befall to the wicked No for although they streyne themselues to set light by God and to bee voyde of sadnesse yet are they faine to be sorie out of quiet spite of their teeth Hereby wee see that their life is vnhappie for all the goods that they can haue And so if we vnderstād that God will be mercifull to vs although we be vexed on all sides yet is it a comfort to vs in the middes of al our sorrowes that we are sure that God wil end them to our profit and welfare to the confusion of our enimies Thus ye see how wee must practyze this lesson Verely it deserueth to bee discoursed more at length and so it shall bee by Gods leaue at the next Lecture But as nowe the present time will not suffer vs to goe any further Now let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him that when he hath made vs perceyue our selues well worthie to be bereft of all light and to be cast into horrible darknesse for reiecting the grace of his holy spirite which he had offered vs it may neuerthelesse please him to pity vs and like as hee hath once inlightened vs by his woorde and holie Ghoste so too increase the same light more and more in vs and specially too make vs too prosper in that which he knoweth to be fit for vs And yet in the meane while that he suffer vs not too be tied to the corruptible goodes of this world to rest our selues to much vpon them but that wee may alwaies go forward to the euerlasting heritage prepared for vs in heauen so as wee may not be vanquished by the temptations that may befall vs but get the vpper hand in all battelles wherwith we be assayled wayting till our God haue deliuered vs from all miseries of this world and taken vs vp into the blissednesse that is prepared for vs in heauen where wee shall haue our full contentation That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to c. The .lxviij. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xviij. Chapter 12 His strength shal be in famine and breaking of anguish shal be at his side 13 The firstborne of death shall eate vp his braunches or the members of his skinne yea it shall eate vp his members 14 His hope shall be rooted out of his tent and the king of feare shall make him come 15 He that is none of his shall dvvell in his tent and brimstone shall bee povvred vpon his dvvelling place 16 His rootes shall vvither bylovve and his boughes shall bee cut off aloft 17 His name shall perish from of the earth and he shall haue no more renoume any vvhere 18 He shall be cast out of light into darknesse and driuen quite out of the vvorld 19 He shall haue nother Sonnes nor graundchildren among the people nor any ouerliuer in his dvvellings 20 They that liue after him shall be astonied at his day and they that go afore him shal be caught vvith feare 21 Surely such are the Tents of the vvicked and the place of him that knovveth not God. WEe haue too go forwarde with the matter that was begunne yesterday For here Bildad sheweth that God suffereth not the wicked too scape vnpunished howsoeuer the worlde go This saying is very true as I said afore if it bee rightly vnderstood that is to wit prouided that we minde not to binde God in such wise as wee haue bene wont too do to punish the wicked after this maner or that maner but giue him leaue to execute his owne iudgements And now let vs looke vpon that which followeth Here Bildad sayeth first of al that famine shall be the strength of the wicked and that breaking shall be readie or iust by him at his side VVhen he speaketh of strēgth no doubt but he meeneth not all abilitie as if he should say that the wicked mans nurrishmēt shal be turned into hunger And herevnto agreeth the secōd part of the streyne where he addeth that his sides or ribbes shall do nothing else but burst asunder For the ribbes betoken strength according as wee know that the flesh alone were not able to beare vp a mā vnlesse he had ribbes which are of a harder substance wherin consisteth al the force of him Then in effect we vnderstād that god will so curse the wicked that although they seeme strōg and wel furnished of al that belongs to them yet shal not that keepe them from broozing and breaking And that we may fare the better by this sentēce we haue to mark first that according to the Scripture Man is not nurrished by only bread but by euery woorde that proceedeth out of the mouth of god VVherein Moyses doth vs to wit that the abundance which we haue is not able to susteine vs VVhat then nothing els but
al those mischieues must spring of the rage wherwith they be moued thinke they that the swoorde is not readie for them Againe as touching those that serue theyr lustes and feede their humours thinke they that God ought not to drawe out his sword vpon them to But let vs not looke vpon them onely For we see those that are nother Kings nor Princes nor of abilitie to make hauock of countries or to enter vpon them with force which not withstanding ceasse not to be as full of malice as they or rather fuller For they play the little Scorpions whiche when they cannot hurt otherwise do cast out their poyson at their tayles and we see how euery man seeketh too anoy and trouble other Therefore must not men needes feele that which is said heere that is to wit that the sword is drawne out against all such manner of folke And so yee see why Iob doth purposely say to the inteÌ„t ye should know True it is that these men were no doltes such as knew not that there is a God in heauen who is iudge of the worlde No they were men of skill of experience as wee haue seene by their talke and shall see heereafter by Gods leaue VVhy then doth Iob say vnto them to the intent yee should know It is bycause men beyng blinded by theyr naughty affections know not God but beleeue that wheÌ„ they haue once drawne a curtayne betweene God and themselues God should not see them any more nor be able to punish them as they deserue Then lette vs looke vppon the sworde althoughe wee see it not yet wyth our eyes that is to say Although God do not yet shewe vs any signes that he is mynded too punishe vs and too make vs knowe that hee is the iudge of the worlde and lette vs thinke that hee is desirous to drawe vs to hym and to shewe that hee will not vse any excessiue rigoure towardes vs specially if wee bee not rigorous towardes our neighbours Furthermore lette vs vnderstande that it is not ynough for vs to absteyne from all euill but it behoueth also too helpe all suche as are in aduersitie For though a man coulde protest that he hath absteyned from all iniurie and doing of wrong yet shall he not therfore be discharged before god And why For hee oughte to help and succour those that haue neede of succoure Now if they that haue absteyned from euill doing are not quit before God but are hilde as offenders I pray you what shall we say of those which do nothyng else but practise mischeefe day and night and are alwayes deuising howe they may trouble and vexe now this man and now that man VVhen wicked men do so sharpen their wits of set purpose to hurt their neighbours is it not reason that Gods sworde should by and by be sharpened againste them Then let vs bethinke our selues and not only bee ready to releeue suche as are in necessititie but also for asmuch as there is so muche miserie and wretchednesse through the whole world let vs haue pitie and compassion of them that are farre off and let oure sight extende euen thither to them accordingly as charitie ought too inflame all mankind and let vs pray God to vouchsafe to pittie them that are so distressed that when he hath chastized them with roddes he will bring them home to himselfe and make all that to turne to their saluation in somuch that whereas wee haue now occasion to sigh we may then reioyce togither and prayse his name with one common accord Now let vs cast our selues downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgemente of oure faultes praying him to make vs feele theÌ„ in such wise as we may haue regard to amend them and that therewithall euery one of vs may haue a mynde to humble himselfe vnder Gods mightie hand and in steade of condemning others learne to feele the euilles that are in our selues so as we may seeke to him to purge and clense vs till he haue clothed vs fully with his owne rightuousnesse And so let vs say Almighty God our heauenly father c. The .lxxiij. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xx. Chapter SOphar the Naamathite ansvvered and sayd 2 My thoughts inforce me to ansvvere and hastinesse is in mee 3 I haue heard the correction of my reproche and the spirite of myne vnderstanding enforceth me to ansvvere 4 Hast thou not knovvne the time of old since God placed man vpon the earth 5 That the aduauncement of the vvicked is but of short time and that the ioy of hypocrites shall not indure 6 Though they be lifted vp to heauen and haue raysed their head aboue the cloudes 7 Yet shall they perish as their ovvne dung and they that haue seene theÌ„ shall say vvhere are they THat wee may the better profite by thys doctrine wee haue to beare in mynde how it hath bene declared before that suche as incountered with Iob saying that God leaueth not the wicked vnpunished haue taken a grounde that it is true in it selfe but they applyed it amisse to the persone of Iob. And this is a cause why we ought to pray alwayes vnto God to giue vs skill and discretion to know howe to apply that thing rightly which we shall haue learned out of Gods word For wee may turne that thing too euill which might be to our profite according as we see how a number abuse the holy scripture crossely ouerthwartly â–ª Therefore it standeth vs in hand to marke this poynt and then shall we see that heere are good and very profitable instructions Now the effect of that whiche Sophar sayeth heere is that althoughe the wicked and the despizers of God bee seene to prosper heere for a whyle yet must they perish and the end of them must be miserable according as it hath alwayes bene seene and put in vre and God will execute his iudgements to the worlds end â—s he hath done afore But ere he come to that poynt â–ª hee vseth a preface that is to wit that he is inforced to answer and compelled so to do as well by the spirit of his vnderstanding as also bycause he was ashamed to be so checked at Iobs hand specially sith he knew as he himselfe sayeth that his owne sayings were true and that Iob reasoneth to the contrary Now if it were so â–ª then had Sophar good reason For first of all when God giueth vs any grace it is not to the intent the same should serue for our selues alone but we ought to make our neyghbours partakers of it Then if God giue more vnderstanding to one man than to another ought he to keepe it to himselfe alone No. But looke what gifts God bestoweth vpon vs wee muste labour to communicate them that oure neyghbours may bee edified by them as well as our selues and God bee honoured with one common consent S. Paule also sheweth the same namely that if a man haue receyued any
possession of vs ere we be aware Therfore let vs keepe vs from hardening so in euill and as soone as wee perceyue that our flesh and naughtie nature egge vs and prouoke vs to step asyde let vs be restreyned by the feare of god And if we be falne let vs doe our endeuer to get vp againe incontinently and when wee bee out of the way let vs returne by and by I say it is not for vs to delay till to morrow And specially when a yong man standeth vpon the ordering of his life let him be well aduised that he gyue not himselfe ouer to vice and filthinesse For if he weene too returne when hee listeth himselfe hee is deceyued Yee see then that the fyrst thing wee haue too marke is that wee must not bee saped in our sinnes Nowe then it is a verie fitte manner of speaking to say that the bones of the wicked are full of their youth that is to wit the wicked not onely haue some fleeting lustes as a man shall see some folke that haue not anye malicious wilfulnesse in them nor are vtterly despyzers of God but haue still some seede of godnesse and would fayne giue themselues to weldoing howbeit for as muche as they haue no holde of themselues nor are constant assoone as they meete with any prouocation they streit ouershoote themselues we shall see some such I say But Sophar meeneth much more heere that is to wit they haue their bones full of naughtinesse within and are soked or steeped in it and they delight themselues in it And we see also that when the diuell poisoneth men it is not by stinging them lightly but by sheading his venim into the bottome of their heart so as their witte and vnderstanding may conceyue nothing but euill Lo howe God punisheth such as haue despyzed him and gyuen themselues ouer to euill so as they do dayly appayre and wex euer woorse and woorse Hereby we see that it is not in mannes choyce to repent when he listeth as these scoffers say mocking God with Tush there needs but one good sigh at the end But who shal giue them that sigh VVherefore let vs beware that we welter not in our sinnes For if they once get into our bones and intoo our maree oure naughtinesse will goe with vs to our graue and well may wee stryue against it but yet must we be fayne to dwell with it still in our olde skin Therfore let vs beware that such vengeance of God light not vpon vs Furthermore as I haue sayde there is another lesson for vs too gather out his saying that the bones of the wicked are full in their youth and that they shall lie down with them in their graue where their naughtinesse shall lie with them sayth Sophar Hereby he meeneth that when the wicked are as yee would say redie too burst for fulnesse of goodes and pleasures God will make them leane ynough so as they shall wither away and be fayne to go starke naked to their graue That serueth too confirme the matter that was discoursed not long afore that is to witte that when the wicked haue their owne wish and are in their cheefe iollitie so as they seeme to bee the happyest men in the whole world it is all one as if their bones had bene full in their youth that is to say as if God had first giuen them all that they could wish and afterward made them to lay themselues downe to sleepe And with whom Euen euery man by himselfe alone that is to say with no more but only his bare carkesse For God vncaseth them and when they be stripped starke naked he sendeth them to their graue Hereby we bee admonished that when wee see the wicked men haue meate and drinke their fill yea euen till they burst so as their riches flowe vnto them more than they desire and they be honored and haue all their pleasures I say we be warned not to be out of quiet when wee see such things For seing that our Lord hath told vs that it must be so it is good reason that we should passe ouer such stumbling-blockes and not be shaken by them But let vs marke wel their ende which Sophar sheweth here howe that euerie one of them must goe lie downe alone by himselfe in his graue Then seeing it is so let vs tarie till our Lord vncase the wicked and then we shal haue no more cause to enuie them nor to ouershoote ourselues with them If it be sayd that it is a common thing to vs all to goe to dust and there to rot it is true Howbeit we haue good companie inasmuch as wee haue walked in the feare of God during our life For we know that if we yelde our soules into his handes hee will keepe them well and faithfully VVe shall be well accompanied in as much as we knowe that the very Angels of God as the scripture telleth vs shall receiue our soules to put them into this saide good and safe keeping vntill wee rise againe into the heauenly glorie Albeit then that to outward apparance euerie one of vs be cut off from the world and from the companie of men and layd in our graues Yet shall we be well accompanied to Godward when wee haue walked in the feare of him But on the contrarie part the wicked must lie still in the dust and although they haue had great traines and band es and haue as ye would say trayled a long tayle after them yet must God bring them too the ende that is declared here Afterward it is sayd that if euill be sweete in their mouth they will holde it vnder their tong they wil spare it without swallowing of it downe and keepe it still in the palate of their mouth and further that it shall be turned into the gall of an Adder in their bowels and that assoone as they haue swallowed it down they shall spue it vp againe And among these things hee spake also of the children of the wicked which thing I had forgotten Sophar therfore among those other things sayth that wicked folkes children shall flatter the poore and their handes shall restore the riches that they bad possessed Hereby hee doth vs to vnderstande that God will vtter his vengeance and make it to be felte not onely in the persons of those whome he speaketh of but also in their children according also as the Scripture sayeth that God will make the iniquitie of the fathers to come home into the bosomes of their children It maye seeme at the first blushe that this agreeth not with Gods rightuousnesse For the soule that hath sinned shall beare the punishment of his sinnes as it is said in Ezechiel How is it then that God punisheth the children for the sinnes of their fathers Hee doth so in deede Howbeit we must presuppose that God doeth oftentimes of his owne gracious goodnesse exempte the children of the wicked and not ceasse too blisse notwithstanding that they
secrete and incomprehensible power Yet notwithstanding in the meane whyle it is not to bee sayde that oure Lorde hath not his creatures in his owne hande to arme them in suche wise agaynst vs as euerie of them shall bee swordes bowes arrowes and other weapons whiche God will stirre vp to destroy vs withall And this is made purposely bycause that when the wicked bee puffed vp in their pride they thinke to get the maystrie by their hardhartednesse as it is too bee seene that if these shamelesse folkes bee rebuked for their sinnes yea euen for their notorious sinnes whiche little children can bee iudges of yet keepe they still a brazen face for a man shall neuer outface them till they bee conuinced thrice tentymes tolde VVell then and after what maner doth God bring them too reason in the ende Euen by arming the heauens agaynst them that is too saye by discouering their shamefulnesse by all meanes For when they shall haue vsed suche vnshamefastnesse and scoffed at all the warnings that are giuen them yea and made a scorne of all Gods threatnings then muste they bee so persecuted yea euen without putting too of any mannes hande that when God alone pursueth them they shall not knowe where too become but chafe vpon their brydle too spyte God withall But is their furie once ouerpast Then muste they bee rooted out with their shamelesse stubburnnesse when they haue abused Gods pacience ouerlong Thus ye see in effect what Zophar mente too say And what haue wee too doo True it is that sometymes wee shall bee wrongfully diffamed and oppressed with false slaunders But wee maye commend our cace vntoo God and hee will make oure rightuousnesse to shine as bright as the morning as the Scripture sayth insomuche that when the night is passed and wee haue had some darke storme that hath suppressed the knowledge of oure innocencie our God will in the ende shewe himselfe to bee our warrant and maynteyne our cace in spyte of the wicked and of all their lyes But on the contrarie part when wee go about too woorke wyles and thinke too scape by oure shiftes and hypocrisies let vs looke for that whiche is spoken heere namely that the heauens shall bewraye our iniquitie and spite of our teeth wee must come too the open light and be discouered as at midday VVee will bee in oure lurkingholes verie well God will suffer vs too bee there for a little while but hee can skill well ynough too hale vs oute of oure deepest dungeons and too bewray oure shamefulnesse VVhether wee will or no wee muste bee ashamed of the shrowding of our sinnes whiche shall then steppe vp agaynst vs yea and all creatures with them notwithstanding that for a tyme it haue seemed that there was neyther heauen nor earth whiche fauoured vs not For if God become oure enimie all creatures must needes shewe themselues too bee subiect vntoo him True it is that this happeneth not alwayes nor oute of hande according as I haue declared heeretofore that Gods iudgements are executed diuersly But yet muste wee alwayes haue this saying before oure eyes that is too witte that the heauens shall bewraye the iniquitie of suche as despize God and the earth shall ryse vp agaynst them too the ende wee may learne too discouer our owne iniquities vntoo God as the Scripture counselleth vs too doo Then let vs of oure owne free accorde acknowledge our dettes and confesse our selues blameworthy before god Haue wee so disclosed oure owne iniquitie Then dooth God couer it then dooth hee burie it then dooth he cast it intoo the bottom of the Sea so as it shall neuer come too remembrance any more Agayne haue wee shewed bothe too heauen and earth that oure onely desire is that God should pitie vs bycause hee might with good right condemne vs Beholde the heauens shall bee as a mantle to vs and the earth shall likewise couer vs so as oure iniquities shall be buried But I say wee muste confesse oure iniquities vntoo heauen that is too say before god And wee must also confesse them in the earth when wee shall haue cast stumblingblockes into the Churche and haue liued amisse For we must not bee ashamed too yelde our selues guiltie before men after we haue sorrowed before god But if wee minde too shift off things by lying God must be fayne to shew that he hathe not spoken this sentence in vayne After that Zophar hath spoken so bee addeth that the bud of his house shall go away like flowing water in the day of Gods wrath Now when mention is made heere of the budde of the house of wicked men it is too expresse that all the hope which they haue for the time too come shall beguile them For when the wicked are cropped by Gods hande they hope still too bud agayne and to renue and recouer their former state But it is sayd that God will disappoynt that budding and make them slide away as water in the day of his wrath True it is that when the faythfull are smitten by Gods hande they alwayes releeue themselues with hope that their miserie shall not indure for euer according as it is promised thē that Gods wrath indureth but the turning of a hand but his mercie shall last towardes them for euer So then the faythfull may and ought well too comfort themselues bycause they know that God will make them too spring agayne And the holy Scripture vseth often this similitude that although they be cropped yettheir roote is left still in the grounde Nowe when they take such hope do they presume vpon their owne power Or is it their intent to spite God No but after they haue acknowledged that they be worthie to be forsaken of God they truste in him that hee will haue mercie vpon their infirmities Contrariwise when the wicked hope that their afflictiōs shall not continue for euer it is after a maner by defying God and with a kinde of iustling agaynst him to knowe who is hardest Beholde God is agaynst them and they on their side sticke too their tackling that is too say they are so wilfully bent vntoo sturdinesse as they determine neuer to bow their neckes but to continue alwayes stiffe agaynst god Therevpon they flatter themselues and beleeue that the miserie whiche they endure shall passe away and that when they bee once gone all shall go well with them And wherevpon commeth it that they take such hart of grace As I sayde afore it is not for that they haue any trust in Gods mercie but it proceedeth of a diuelishe pride so as they beare themselues in hande that Gods hande is not strong ynough to daunt them by reason whereof they wil not in any wise submit themselues vntoo him And therefore it behoueth vs too marke well how it is conteyned in this sentence that God will make all their budding to fade away like water that is too say it shall be too no purpose for the
sheweth that whiche is written in Genesis namely that his spirite shall not striue any longer with man God had borne with as outrageous wickednesse as could bee and when he sawe that men abused his pacience after that maner he sayde I will no longer pleade with you I must be fayne to put to my hande Thus ye see how it is sayde heere that the wicked may well file their tongues to iustify themselues for they can good skill to chop Logicke with God but shall that further their cace No no. They rather sharpē the sword and God must bee fayne to execute the sorer iustice and the terribler vengeance vpon their heades So then men may be armed with their tongues to pleade agaynst god but God hath his hande armed and will stretch it out of heauen to confounde all suche as shall so pleade agaynst him And this saying ought too touche the wicked more than it doth But what Heereby it is seene that there is a brutishe blockishnesse in the greater parte of the worlde Noweadayes there is no bowing vnder the woorde of God nor vnder the corrections that are done vnto vs in his name and by his authoritie For men encounter them with such sturdinesse as it is well too bee perceyued that there is no more religion among them than is among the Turkes and Paynims And not onely warnings are in vayne that are giuen men in secret but also if open faults be spoken of in the Pulpit whereas men ought too aske God mercie and too sue to him for it with all humblenesse what is too bee seene but that men are fully bent to stande stoutly agaynste God As for example when I spake the last Sunday of the shamefull outrage that had beene doone heereby at Cologny they fell to iustifying of themselues and too conspyring agaynst God and too deuising with themselues howe too hide the thing that was altogither apparant The matter is that the Sermon was broken off in the Church and yet coulde not be obteyned at those roysters handes too leaue off when they were warned the matter was complayned of As howe Such a thing is not too bee suffered But men will seeke meanes too coloure all yea and some will picke a quarell as if they had great wrong doone vnto them Yee wretched men yee shoulde haue prepared youre selues too the Lordes supper and I tolde you of that shamefull disorder to the intent ye shoulde bee sorie for it or at leastwise if ye had not beene become deuils ye should haue beene somewhat touched to conforme your selues but you come cleane contrariwise in a rage too woorke all mischeefe Is it not apparant heereby that you seeke nothing but too fight openly agaynst God But if wee speake of secreter matters yet the whole worlde knoweth them For wee see open whoredomes wee see blasphemies wee see drunkennesse gluttonie and other excesses wee see the despysing of Gods woorde and all ecclesiasticall order wee see briberies and cruelties and that there is as muche gentlenesse among men as among woolues so as there is none other meening but to doo violence too one and too poll another and finally all shame is gone These things are apparant But what if there be other more outrageous things and that a man shoulde speake of them in the Pulpit A man might well bee the more wearie And with what conscience come you too receyue the Lordes Supper at my hande Thou commest euen with the same that Iudas did But thou shalt bee sure too feele Gods vengeance with trembling as Cain did and that thou art a manifest and apparant reprobate I haue alledged this example too the ende wee might learne not too stande checking agaynst god For if hee list to pleade with vs alas what defence shall wee haue too get the vpper hande in our cace But yet let vs not thinke that God needeth to studie howe to tell a long tale for hee will conclude and execute his sentence without pronouncing it newe agayne for we haue ynough in the holy Scripture wherein hee sheweth himselfe to be iudge of the whole worlde Thus ye see what we haue to marke in this text that is too wit that if wee confesse our faultes afore God wee shall be forgiuen at his hande But if wee stande pleading with him or if wee seeke lurkingholes to hyde oure iniquities wee shall not only be conuinced by his worde but also hee will lay so rough hand vpon vs as we shall be ouerwhelmed vnder him yea euen without any remedie and then will it bee no time too aske forgiuenesse Therefore let vs take the conuenient time that God assigneth vs while he offereth vs the meane to obteyne mercie of him by his Gospell Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too make vs so to feele them as it may leade vs too true repentance and that in steede of hardning of oure selues we may bee so hartbroken yea euen before hee make vs feele the sorenesse of his wrath as euery one of vs maybe his owne iudge to the ende that when wee shall appeare before the iudgement seate of our Lorde Iesus Christ all oure sinnes maye there bee couered and buryed by his rightuousnesse And so let vs all say Almightie God oure heauenly father c. The .lxxvij. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxj. Chapter ANd Iob ansvvered and sayde 2 Heare my vvordes and let it be for your comfortes 3 Beare vvith me and I vvill speake and vvhen I haue spoken mocke you on 4 Is my talking vnto man If it vvere so hovv should not my spirit faint 5 Marke me and be abashed and lay your hande vpon your mouth 6 Verely vvhen I bethinke me I am afrayde and feare taketh holde on my flesh IT seemeth after a sort that the woordes whiche Iob setteth downe heere are contrarie to the worde of God inasmuche as hee auoucheth that God punisheth notthe wicked but letteth them alone so as they prosper But wee haue seene heretofore that wee must consider the iudgements that God executeth in the worlde according to the recorde of the holy Scripture Then at the first sight this talke of Iobs seemeth vtterly repugnant too all truth but we must remember what hath been sayde heeretofore namely that when the holy Scripture speaketh of Gods iudgements it sayeth not that hee accomplisheth them peremptorily for somtimes he taketh in hande to shew himselfe iudge of the worlde but that is not in all poynts and all caces nor yet after all one rate Therfore it ought to suffize vs that God giueth vs some token that the wicked cannot scape his hande but must come too account before him Neuerthelesse God doth sometimes dissemble and we see it by experience So then it behoueth vs to acknowledge that God dothe by his prouidence gouerne the worlde maynteyne and preserue the good and punishe the wicked as wee make it no generall rule that all suche
men beginne to mistrust the promisse of God when they see the wicked prosper while the poore faithful are afflicted and tormēted on euery side VVell there is yet an other worde to note which is that after that Iob hath spoken of the seruice of God ▪ in the seconde place he setteth here prayer that is to say the reuerence that men do vnto God in humbling themselues vnder him and in making request vnto him It is not without cause that Iob did vse this worde Truth it is that God will be honored and serued of vs in charitie brotherly loue temperāce humilitie other such like things hee will haue vs to loue one an other to seeke to releeue our neighbours and euery man to submit himselfe to that which is commaunded him as his calling requireth and to liue togither and euery man to apply himself to his labour without deceyuing any mā This is the seruice of God and they are all of them acceptable sacrifizes vnto him but yet to serue God well we must begin at this end namely to honor him in giuing him the prayse that is due vnto him and that is done by supplication and prayer As for example if a man walke without doing any euill so as he cannot bee accused that he hath deceyued any man that hee hath bene cruell that hee hath troubled his neyghbour nor can bee conuinced either of whoredome or of drunkēnesse but to be short hath absteined from all notable vices in the sight of men and yet haue nother religion nor fayth in his harte but hath quite forsaken God shall his life for all this be accepted of God No for it is nothing but vanitie all this is nothing but filthinesse before god And why what is it to haue giuen vnto men that which apperteyneth vnto them and to deceyue God ▪ and robbe him of his preheminence and authoritie And shoulde not God haue a greater priuiledge without comparison than al creatures So then it is not without cause that Iob minding to shew what is the true seruice of God putteth downe this speciall kinde of seruice to weete prayer when we come to present oure selues before him in prayer According too this the holy scripture sheweth that it is the cheefe sacrifize which God requireth of vs as it is sayd in the fiftith Psalme that he hath refused al the ceremonies wherwith the hypocrites make a shew of seruing him For whē they haue doone many goodly outwarde things they thinke that God is greately bounde too heare them VVhat is it then that God requireth of vs Call vpon mee in the day of thy neede and I will heare thee and so shalt thou glorifie mee The cheefe seruice therfore that God requireth of vs is that wee call vpon him knowing that when wee come vnto him in truth he will make vs parttakers of all his benefites and so gouerne vs by his spirite that we shal neuer be bereft of his graces For this cause then Iob minding to shewe what is the seruice of God sayeth that too pray vnto him is a thing most excellēt of all To be short wee learne hereby that if we intende to leade a well disposed lyfe and suche a one as God alloweth and accepteth wee muste firste of all put our trust in him knowing that wee bee wretched creatures when wee haue not recourse vnto his goodnesse But contrarywise if wee stay our selues vpon it wee shall want nothing that he knoweth to bee expedient for our saluation Furthermore lette vs take heede that we giue good example to all men that wee bee not cruell to our neyghbours but rather indeuer to helpe them at all tymes and in all caces bearing with the weake and communicating the things that wee haue vnto the needie VVhen our lyfe is thus ruled that is a true seruing of god But if wee robbe God of his honour and make a pretence too serue him and yet liue like Cattes and Dogges among our selues it is true that with our mouthe wee shall make protestation that wee serue God but it will appeare in deede that we are his mortall enimies that there is nothing in vs but rebelliousnesse and that wee do nothing but make warre agaynst him all our lyfe long Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them better than wee haue heeretofore done to the ende wee may bee sorie for them and therewithall seeke the remedie in him so that beeing purged clenzed from our sinnes wee may seeke nothing else but to cleaue vnto his rightuousnesse And that wee may so do let vs alwaies looke vnto him knowing well that hee hath placed vs in this world to the end that we should alwaies go forward vnto him yea in such sorte as we doubt not but that hee hath a fatherly care ouer vs And in the meane season let vs desire to be instructed by his worde that he would alwaies lighten vs not only in our outward workes but also in all our thoughts affections so that with hart minde we may be wholly giuen to him to the ende that his holy name may bee glorified in oure whole life That it may please him to graūt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and Nations c. The .lxxxj. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the .xxj. Chapter 16 Their prosperitie is not in their ovvne hande let the intent of the vvicked be farre from mee 17 Hovv is the candle of the vvicked put out and their destruction commeth vpon them and God deuideth their lines in his vvrath 18 So that they be as chaffe before the vvinde and as the stubble in the vvhirlevvinde 19 The Lorde hideth his strength for his Sonnes and payeth him and he shall see it 20 His eyes shall see his destruction he drinketh of the furie of the Almightie 21 And vvhat pleasure leaueth he in his house he seeth his dayes shortened WE haue before shewed what the minde of Iob is that is to wit that the iudgements of God in this worlde are not so apparant to the eye that a man may thervpon certainely conclude that according as euery man liueth well or ill so is he punished or receyueth at God his hande his due wages but rather that in this transitorie life there is a cōfusion of things so that the wicked liueth at ease the godly is tormēted all the dayes of his life And yet for all that Iob doth acknowledge that God ceasseth not to be a rightuous iudge that men should not stay vpō the present estate of things that it is not true felicitie which the wicked enioy whiles God winketh at their faultes in sparing them VVee see then in a briefe summe the discourse that Iob maketh here and it is a thing very profitable For first of all when we consider the matters of this worlde it is a very harde thing to perswade vs
it shall come to passe that the faithfull in possessing things shall be as if they possessed them not as S. Paule sayeth For they do not perswade themselues that the things are theirs for euer they know that they may become poore when it shall please God and nothing shall bee straunge vnto them when it shall happen As also on the contrary parte if God sende vs pouertie let vs thinke thus well Lorde thou haste riches in thy hande and thou couldeste bestowe them vpon vs if thou diddest see it good in the meane season lette it bee thy pleasure to feede vs and as thou seest our neede vouchsafe to helpe vs and suffer vs not to be afflicted beyonde measure Also when wee see the wicked to glorie in their welth it is nothing lette vs knowe that that whiche they thinke they haue in hande they haue it not And why Bicause our Lorde is aboue them This is it that wee muste keepe in remembrance And furthermore when it is sayde let the intent of the wicked be farre from vs let vs learne that we must not be as it were in the darke too fall a sleepe in things present and to stande to muche in our owne conceyte for our wealth and aboundance nor be angry with God if hee handle vs not after our owne minde VVe muste not then become such for what is the intent of the wicked it is that when God sendeth them the thing that they desire they are so puffed vp with pride as a man can no longer beare them they wyll not acknowledge themselues any more to bee mortall men but they exalte themselues aboue their degree and ascende so highe that in the ende they muste needes fall and breake their necke a man shall finde nothing in them but arrogancie and spiritual drunkennesse where with they become so beastly that if at any tyme a man speake vnto them of deathe of sicknesse or of pouertie they thinke that it can not come neere them that a man dooth them greate iniurie to say so vnto them If any man will go aboute to humble them and say vnto them let vs knowe howe weake and frayle our state and condition is they wyll aunswere yea but am I as other men are am I to bee counted in the number of them that are so dealt withall Thus the wicked become so proude in their prosperitie that there is no dealing with them To be shorte they forget that they be men and creatures and perswade themselues that they are no more subiecte to the corrections that God layeth vpon vs in this world Furthermore if they bee afflicted then they rage they gnashe the teethe and bite the nayle agaynste God and a man shall see them fome at the mouth in theyr rage And why by cause they haue not yet learned to submit themselues vnder the hande of God and to offer themselues vnto him for a sacrifice to the ende they may be dedicated vnto him to bee dealte withall as it shall please him they knowe nothing at all what all this meaneth So then when God dealeth with vs fauourably wee muste bridle our selues knowing that he declareth vnto vs his fatherly loue to the ende he might draw vs vnto him and that we should come vnto him with true humilitie as it becōmeth vs saying well Lorde seeing thou shewest thy selfe so fauourable it is very meete that I shoulde cleaue vnto thee And how It is not in placing felicitie here but cōtrariwise when thou shalte afflicte mee I shall saye well Lorde thou doest waken mee least I should stay my selfe and become carelesse here beneath putting my trust and confidence in this world and in earthly things thou wilt humble mee and tame mee to the ende I should so much the more couragiously looke vnto thee that I myght atteyne vnto thy heauenly kingdome Thus muste we haue our intentes seuered from the wicked that is to say oure mindes may not be here so entāgled with worldly things that they should make vs to become brute beastes and so drunken that we shoulde no more thinke vpon God but contrarywise wee muste contemne and despize all those things wherein the wicked are woont to delight knowing that although wee bee poore and miserable yet oure state is not the worse for that bicause we haue good hope that God wyll haue pitie and compassion on vs This is the sūme of that which we haue to note out of this place Now Iob addeth Howe is the Lampe of the wicked quenchea How is their destruction come vpon them and howe hath God settled their liues or their sorrowes This is a confirmation of that which hath bene already hearde By this woorde Lampe Iob setteth out theyr prosperitie according as the holy Scripture vseth that maner of speach namely of cōparing the goods of this worlde too bryghtnesse and the afflictions to darkenesse Hee sayeth then that the lampe of the wicked shall be quenched but he speaketh of it as it were with an admiration bycause this same is so doone as it passeth mans witte and otherwise than wee can conceyue For as I haue sayde we haue our eyes so bleared that wee can not see a farre of what God mindeth to do neither what he hath playnly spoken VVhen wee see the wicked prosper wee thinke that this prosperitie of theirs shall neuer be quenched wee cannot comprehende it althoughe the Scripture speaketh of it although wee haue experience of it dayly in that wee see that God throweth downe the wicked after they be exalted euen as it were vp to the clowdes VVhen we haue seene this we thinke no more of it neyther do we thinke that the thing can euer come too passe and yet God hath shewed it vs and as it were poynted it oute with his finger So then for as much as mans witte doth not ascende so high and we are so faste tyed to things present that wee cannot conceyue what God mindeth too doo Iob speaketh heere as of a straunge thing How sayeth hee is the lampe of the wicked quenched and theyr destruction come vpon them when hee sayeth that theyr destruction commeth vpon them hee sheweth that when God entreateth the wycked gentlye for a time wee muste not fasten our eyes vpon the earth for when we reason whether God be iudge and whether the wicked shall be punished in the end we must not cōsider what may happen on this behalfe or on that No for whereas they be drunken in their wealth wheras they be lifted vp in their pryde and whereas they thinke that no harme cā happen vnto them and that all creatures are appoynted to serue them all this is nothing And why for God shall sende theyr destruction from aboue Nowe whereas we should looke vp on high it is not ment that we should looke according to our outwarde sense for we shall not attayne vnto God there is to greate a distance we should faint by the way VVhat must we do then Let vs
vs that the wicked shall alwayes remayne in their state and condition and that God hath so established them here that they shall neuer bee moued and they also be puffed vp with this pryde as it is said in the Psalme there shall neuer any harme come neare them let vs not ceasse to comprehend this iudgement of God as it is here declared that is to say sodaine and that hee shall not neede to order things long before for God is aboue al this common order of nature so that he can worke after a fashion that is new and strange to vs Nowe Iob addeth herewithall that God not only punisheth the wicked in their owne persons but also extendeth his chastizements and punishmentes euen vnto their children and that the wicked shall in their life time know that there is nothing but vanitie in their state yea and will they nill they perceyue that they stande vppon an vnsure grounde before that God haue cast them downe It is true that they cease not from their pryde for all that but howe so euer it bee God vrgeth them so farre that they perceyue they can not alwayes continue so This is the summe of that which Iob meant to intreate of heere Now we haue to note first when he speaketh of the children that it is according too the common doctrine of the holie Scripture that is to say that God blisseth not onley the faythfull themselues but also continueth his fauour vpon their children Thus you see that God beareth vs such loue as he is not content nor thinketh it ynough to haue a care of our saluation and to giue vs that which he knoweth to bee meete and profitable for vs but also hee embraceth our children and sheweth himselfe a father to them likewise VVe see then howe the goodnesse of God is described vntoo vs in the holie Scripture that is that when he hath receyued vs vnto him and testified vnto vs that we are vnder his hand and protection he sheweth also the same fauoure vnto our children for our sakes Seeing it is so wee haue good cause to repose our selues on him for wee must conclude that if for our sake hee continueth his fauoure towardes them that succeede vs by a more strong reason wee shall alwayes finde him a mercyfull father Ought we then to mistrust him and his goodnesse seeing that he is so fauorable as to haue a care ouer them also that come of vs Nowe on the contrarie part it is sayde that God curseth the race of the wicked And howe for they are destitute of the guyding of the holie Ghost so that all must go to naught and heerein we haue none occasion to murmure and grudge againste God as there are some that wil thinke it very strange VVhat say they is it possible that God should punishe the children for the fathers sake is it not sayde that hee that sinneth shall beare his owne iniquitie and that the Sonne shall not be punished for the fathers sake yes truely and that in such sorte as the sonne hathe no cause to complayne as though he were rightuous and that God notwithstanding that the punishment is due vnto his father causeth it to fall vpon him who is innocent and guiltlesse for that can not happen But when it is sayde that God will requite the iniquitie of the fathers into the bosome of the Sonnes it is not for that he doth them any wrong but it is for that he leaueth the wicked there Nowe when wee are forsaken of God what can wee doe but mischiefe Thus we see then that God sheweth not suche fauour to the wicked as too giue them his holie spirite and so the Diuell must needes raigne ouer them and stirre them vp too prouoke the wrathe of God more and more and too hasten their own destruction The childrē then are wrapped vp togither with their fathers for when a house is cursed of god the same is in the possession and thraldom of Satan and the spirit of God ruleth not there Therfore the children are so punished for their fathers as it is a iust iudgement vpon themselues also they can not say we are giltlesse for they are found faultie before God as well as their fathers And on the contrarie parte when the children of the faythfull continue folowing the steps of their fathers then the blissing of God appeereth so that menne haue not wherefore to glorie in themselues the children will not say this heritage appertayneth vnto vs God causeth vs too prosper bycause our fathers were worthie to haue suche a succession No but the whole must bee attributed to the onely free goodnesse of God who worketh beeing not bounden vntoo men neyther owing them anye thing but bycause it so pleaseth hym This is it thē that we haue to learne when it is sayd that although God punishe not the wicked at the first yet he will addresse himselfe to their children that is to say hee will reserue punishment for them And this is to prosecute this matter that wee must not giue iudgement vpon the prouidence of God by that which maye bee seene in this world but must quiet our mynds and stay our iudgement vntill God shewe that his time is come It becommeth not vs then to appoynt the times Men are froward when they make suche haste But you see that God hath a peculiar fashion in his dooings whiche is sometimes straunge vnto vs but yet must we humble our minds and say Lorde we will like well of it what so euer thou shalt do although it bee not agreeing to our fantasie This is it then that we haue to note vpon this worde to hide or reserue when it is sayd that God reserueth for the children of the wicked the punishment that he hath executed vpon their fathers True it is that this can not enter intoo all mens heads neyther is it a common doctrine And this is the cause wherefore I sayde that we must herevnto apply our whole studie for menne of their owne nature are so hastie and impacient that they woulde haue God too set before their eyes what he mindeth to do neither can we giue place to his prouidence excepte hee make his hande verie manifest And on the contrarie part vpon what condition are wee placed in this worlde Is it not that wee shoulde bee in continuall combates knowing that in this worlde wee must bee tossed and turmoyled this way and that waye and so let vs exercise our selues in these reseruations that are heere mencioned VVhen wee see the wicked so triumphe that it seemeth that God hath giuen them a priuiledge aboue all other men well let vs waite still And why for heere is mention made of reseruing or of hyding VVee see not yet what is meant by it and therfore let vs take heed that we iudge not of things vnknowne for so might we be reproued of rashnesse But when shall we see when it shall please God to open our eyes and too
obserued in the meane season none accompt to bee made of that whiche god ordeyneth This is the matter whereaboutes we striue Now although we know that all is but abuse and superstition when men walke after their owne will yet notwithstanding men can not bee stayed but they will go on still beyond all measure And we see how hard a thing it is to stay mē with this bridle of bowing their neckes downe in all caces too receyue the yoake that God will lay vpon them ▪ Yea and when we haue cast off the tirannie of the Pope we cannot quietly yeeld our selues obedient vnto God without gainsaying ▪ but if any thing seeme to bee hard and troublesome wee kicke agaynst it And what is it that maketh vs so bolde but bycause there is suche a wilfull loftinesse and presumption in the mindes of men as they cannot content themselues with the simple lawe of God we see then how needfull it is for vs to be oftentimes put in remembrance of this point to wete that we must hearkē what God speaketh vnto vs And hereby we be put in mind that wee be like wretched beasts that there is neither wisedom nor discretion in vs that we can neuer knowe the right way till God reache out his hand vnto vs and shew vs which way we should walke Thus muche for one poynt Furthermore it is also declared vnto vs that we shall still bee caried away with our euil affections till wee haue learned and inured our selues too obey God without any gainsaying or replie For so long as wee reserue any libertie to our selues it cannot bee chosen but wee muste striue and swel and rankle against the doctrine of God if it presse vs too muche that is to witte beyond our capacitie VVhat must we do then let vs lay from vs all striuing and all the fayre reasons that we can inuent for the defence of our fancies and wicked lustes and let vs become as meeke as lambes and suffer God to handle vs as he list so sone as he shal giue vs a token too come vntoo him Finally it is shewed vs that we must not be like shaking reedes to suffer our selues to be led this way that way according as the Papists will in deede confesse that we must follow that whiche God cōmaundeth but they mixte therewithall their owne foolishe toyes yea and a worse thing than that they so esteeme of mens inuentions as the holy Scripture is despised thereby and they make such a cōfused mixture of al things as a man cānot tell who should preuayle God or mē But here as I haue touched the holy Ghost maketh a distinction betweene God and his creatures signifiyng that wee shall neuer be well gouerned nor haue any right reformation in our liues vnlesse God aboue reigne ouer vs and become our teacher master and that we know that the whole perfectiō of our life cōsisteth in this simple obeying of him Thus much cōcerning this saying we must also beare wel in remēbrance that which Eliphas addeth cōcerning the settling of gods lawe in our hearts for as I haue already touched it is no seruice of God to make but fayr shews Men may well iustifie vs whē they see nothing in vs that they can reproue And why so bicause they cānot behold the secrete affectiōs for it is peculiar vnto God to search mens harts But although men deeme vs to be as Angels yet if our hart bee not right and pure and settled in that vprightnesse and soundnesse whereof the Scripture speaketh so much all the rest shall vanish away like smoake And so if we will leade a holy life wee muste not begin at the feete nor yet at the hāds to say I will refrayne my self from doing euill in such sort as I will not be found blame worthy but euery of vs must enter into himself know that all our euill appetites are rebellious against God and that he cānot raigne ouer vs vntil suche time as the same be quite put away Then let vs see to it that we purge our hearts to the end that we may walke soūdly before God if we intēd to bring forth good fruits al our life lōg let vs looke to it that there be first a good roote And this is it that is ment whē it is sayd if you liue by the spirit walke also according to the spirite Here is set downe life afterward workes VVe must first liue by the spirit of God that is to say the spirite of God must dwell in vs to beate downe all that is contrarie to the worde of God and his rightuousnesse And afterward the same must appeare in our whole conuersatiō life that men may know what trees we be by bringing forth such fruit For this cause also it is sayd that the worde of God hath the propertie of a sharpe two edged sword to examine trie euen to the maree so as there may be nother thoughts nor affections in men but the same should bee wholly discouered And also in an other place it is sayd That they which profite in the woorde of God ought to be reproued in themselues that is to say they must appeare as it were before God present themselues before his heauenly seate and there discouer their offences which before were hidde for this cause haue I specially declared that to profite well in the schoole of God wee must take his woorde in our hearts Now it followeth by and by if thou returne vnto the Almighty thou shalt be buylt and shalt driue away iniquitie far from thy Tent. And afterward Thou shalt lay golde vpon the dust and thou shalt haue such store of the gold of Ophir as there be pebble stones in a riuer Here Eliphas the better to stirre vp Iob sheweth him what profit shal come vnto him when he shall be so conuerted vnto god Now wee must alwaies leaue the person of Iob bicause these things are euill applied vntoo him But yet the doctrine ceaseth not to be good for vs and meete for our saluation accordingly as we see that God vseth the like stile whē he exhorteth vs to repētance that is to wit he doth not simply commaunde vs that which we should do but he addeth a promisse to the intent to incourage vs the better vnto it And in deede if we should heare but onely our dutie not be certified of Gods good will toward vs it would be a meane too stay vs and hinder vs so as wee should haue no zeale nor affectiō to draw neere vnto god VVhen ◠man is in doubte and knoweth not whether he shall doo himselfe good or no by cōming vnto God hee becōmeth carelesse Therfore that we may be willing to returne into the right way wee must be assured that God doth wayte vpon vs and is ready to receyue vs yea and doth already reach out his hand vnto vs If we haue not this assurance in our selues wee can
not alledge one thing or other to make it go for good but seeing our Lord hath spoken it we must hold vs simply to his word which he hath giuen vs Nowe remayneth to marke the worde that is set downe in that place namely that wee must lay vp Gods doctrine as a treasure in our hartes For vnlesse it be laide vp after that maner it will neuer take liuely root according as we shall see many that will bee moued when they heare God spoken of and be somwhat well disposed howbeit that disposition is not throughly planted in them and therefore we see that the fayth which appeared in them for a time vanisheth away Then let vs marke well that wee haue neuer profited well in Gods schoole till his worde be so deepely rooted in our harts that is too say till wee haue receyued it with such a mind as it is not a flightfull motion to allowe or like well of the thing that is told vs but a hartie affection settled vppon it in good earnest And that is the cause why it is oftentymes tolde vs that the seruice of God is inward and spirituall For although wee had satisfied the whole worlde and all men thought vs to be vtterly faultlesse yet might God iustly refuse all this goodly outward shewe wherein men sooth vs if the hart go not afore it So then let vs beare this saying in minde that it behoueth vs to lay vp Gods worde And howe Not to burie it for if we beleeue with our hart vnto rightuousnesse wee must also confesse it with our mouth that wee may be safe Then must Gods worde shewe it selfe for if wee do not so men may thinke that it is not in vs But yet for all that the good woorkes which the faythfull do must first proceede out of the sayde hartie affection and not of any flightfull and inconstant motion Furthermore the worde lay vp will be well ynough vnderstood if wee take the similitude of a treasure and applie it also as our Lorde Iesus Christ dooth when he sayeth that if a man bee well stored of thinges hee may fetche foorth whatsoeuer hee hath neede of both for his owne householde and also for other mens vse For if a man bee so niggardly that when he hath his Chestes full of money and his garners and cellers throughly stored he will both starue himselfe and not releeue any other bodie will menne say that such a one knoweth too what purpose it serueth to be riche No but he is a starke beast Therefore let vs vnderstande that our hoording must be to the end we may vse it discretely according as the cace shall require And when wee haue the treasure of the doctrine of saluation layd vp in our harts we must not onely pro-fite our selues by it but also edifie our neighbours Yea and let vs beare in minde how Saint Paule sayth that the mysterie of fayth must bee kept in a good conscience Thus ye see in effect how we haue to note vpon the sayd text that if wee will be learned in Gods worde wee must not only conceyue some opinion of it in our brayne but we must lay it vp diligently in our hartes as an inestimable treasure Now let vs come to that which Iob addeth He sayth that if God be minded to do a thing no man shal turn him from it This is still a continuing of the matter that he had in hande namely that God vsed an absolute power agaynst him so as there was no going to law with him to obteyne his right But I haue tolde you that this is ouermuch For although Iob knewe that God punished him not for his sinnes yet ought hee too haue bin fully resolued that God is rightuous and vnpartiall in all his dooings But he surmiseth a lawlesse power that hath nother rule nor measure with it wherein hee doth God wrong Neuerthelesse the sentence is true if it bee applied as it ought to be namely that God is alwayes at one poynt or in one mind that is to say that he is constant and vnuariable and cannot be turned one way or other according as we see that euē Balaam the lier was inforced to acknowledge that God is not like men who chaunge their minds and are variable and inconstant Hath hee sayd any thing saith Balaam which he performeth not So this doctrine of it selfe is good and the holy Scripture is full of that matter but nowe must we applie it to our instruction It serueth to two purposes the one is that when God hath spoken a thing and promiseth to be mercifull and fauourable to vs and to succour vs in all our needes we must stedfastly beleeue it and rest vpon it without any douting whither he will performe his promise or no. VVhy for his truth is infallible Likewise on the contrary part if hee threaten vs wee must tremble assuring our selues that it is not for vs to dallie with such a master Thus yee see to what end all the things tend that are spoken in the holy Scripture concerning Gods constancie and stedfastnesse in executing his determination VVe knowe that God vttereth his minde vnto vs when he auoucheth himselfe to be pitifull and that he receyueth vs too mercie Seeing then that our Lorde doth so call vs vnto him it is not to beguile vs and too foade vs with some vayne hope And therefore inasmuch as we haue such assurance of his good will let vs boldely stay and rest therevppon And why For hee chaungeth not though all the world should make sute to him yet should it not cause him too alter his mind And by that meanes we may glorie against all that the diuell can deuise or practise yea and although we see the whole worlde bent against Gods promises yet shall we neuerthelesse be alwayes at rest according also as wee see howe the holy Ghost armeth the faythfull with such trust and teacheth them too defie all theyr enimies Goto sayth he lay your heades togither and do the worst you can yet shall the thing that God hath promised hold out to the end Againe he sayth he will be neere at hande too vs and that when the diuell and men haue practized their vttermost agaynst vs hee will beate downe all their defences Then seeing it is so we may despyse all that our enimies can practise or deuise And why For in the ende they cannot withstande God nor let him too perfourine the thing that hee hath spoken Thus ye see in what wise we ought to put this doctrine in vre concerning the stedfastnesse that is in god Also let vs beare in minde what hath bin sayd concerning his threatnings so that if he rebuke our vices and bee so good too vs as to warne vs of them let vs not stand vnamendable in our misdoings but let euerie of vs humble himselfe and looke well aboute him and with all carefulnesse indeuer too preuente the curse which God hath tolde vs of For to that
prolongeth them so as in the meane while we perceyue not hys dayes For now adayes it may seeme that God hath no care of vs and that hee hath separated and withdrawne himselfe from vs bycause hys prouidence is not knowne to vs True it is that God seeth and marketh all things dayly and hath not his eyes blindfolded But yet it seemeth so to oure vnderstanding according as the Scripture is woont too applye it selfe too the rudenesse and infirmitie of men God therefore hathe hys tyme and then wyll he shewe that he seeth things Not that hee perceyueth not all presently but bycause that wee on our side are not able to discerne that hee hathe care of men as nowe and that hee hath his eyes open to note and marke the euill that is committed too redresse the same VVe see not this as in respect of our perceyuerance There is some certaine time hidden from men howbeit well knowne vntoo God that is too say God delayeth his iudgements and executeth them not at the first dashe Thus much concerning the sense of the letter Nowe let vs aduise our selues to gather suche instruction as is gyuen vs by thys sentence I haue sayd already that it is a very sore temptation too the faythfull when things are confuzed in the world so as it may seeme that God medleth no more with them but that fortune ruleth and gouerneth all things And this hath beene the cause of all these diuelishe Prouerbes That all things are tossed by casuall fortune That things are blindly guided That God playeth with men as with a tennisball That ther is neither reason nor measur in his doings but rather that all things are gouerned by a certaine secret necessitie and that God vouchsafeth not to thinke vpon vs Behold the blasphemies that haue raigned at all times And why For as I haue sayd already mans wit is dazeled when he goeth about to iudge of things that are out of order and which passe our iudgement and reason VVhat is too bee done then Let vs be armed against such stumblingblocks and when God sheweth not himselfe as a iudge but seemeth rather too bee shutte vp in heauen and to take hys pastime there and too bee vnwilling too deale with our affayres heere yet let vs holde thys for a certayntie that hee ceasseth not to doo his office howbeeit after a secret fashion vnknowen vnto vs And further althoughe hys iudgements bee wonderfull yet let vs not ceasse too honour them with all humilitie acknowledging him to bee rightuous and wayting hys leysure paciently till hee shewe vs the cause why hee maketh suche delay And if the same seeme straunge too vs lette vs bethinke vs of that whyche hathe beene handled heeretofore that is that oure mindes are so frowarde and wilfull that wee turne Gods workes quite vpside downe and can neuer take any profite by them If God hilde suche an order that assoone as a man hath offended hee should bee punished according to his offence and that the good should liue heere in peace and rest what hope should there be of the euerlasting life For it would neuer be brought too passe that we should bee plucked from bylow Then if God gaue vs a peasable and perfect state wherein there were nothing to be misliked there would bee no fayth at all wee woulde no more hope for the endlesse life wee would imagine that there were no resurrection Thus ye see that if men might perceyue Gods iudgements according to their owne desire they would fall asleepe heere by low and be fast tied to this world But it is much better that things should be out of order to the end to wake vs For if we might liue at ease wee woulde fall asleepe and wee shoulde haue neyther vnderstanding nor any thyng else But when things go amisse we bee compelled to thynke vppon God and too lift vp oure wittes a highe and to consider that there is a iudgement prepared which is not shewed as yet and that is a meane whereby oure Lorde leadeth vs too a longing for the latter day and for the resurrection that hee hathe promised vs Yet notwithstanding men ceasse not too intangle themselues with many false and wicked imaginations For as I haue sayd already bycause things fall not out as wee woulde haue them we be tempted to surmyze that God thinketh not vpon vs ne regardeth vs any more that it is but tyme lost too serue hym that it is all one too lyue well or yll and that good men gayne nothing by walking in feare vnder hym Lo howe men rushe out intoo all vngodlinesse bycause our Lorde ruleth not his iudgementes as their appetite might brooke them and according to their reason and fansie VVherefore let vs learne not onely too distrust all our owne fleshly wisdome but also too knowe that the same is an enemie too Gods wisedome and that wee must not gyue libertie too that whiche we deuise of our selues but must minde well the doctrine that is conteyned heere which is that Gods iudgements are hidden from men and surmount all that wee can conceyue and that our owne brayne is too small a measure to conteyne an infinite thing For that also is the cause why the holy Scripture termeth Gods iudgementes an vnsearchable deepe that cannot bee sounded Therefore it behoueth vs too call thys too minde that it may holde vs in awe so as wee may bee discreete and sober too the ende that we aduaunce not our selues too muche but waite Gods leysure till he vtter vntoo vs the thing that is yet hidden Beholde the marke whereat we must shoote if wee mind to gather good and profitable instructiō of this sentence But now let vs mark also that if iniquitie raigne and ther be no redresse of it the same must not seeme straunge too vs for it hath beene so in all times It is certayne that if wee compare the state of Iobs time with the state of ours there was then much more soundnesse than there is now For wee know that the world growes worse and worse and men harden in all euill and corruption increaseth more and more But yet for all this the same complaynts were made in Iobs time that are made heere namely that rich men were as Seagulfs to swallow vp all things they ate vp the fatherlesse they robbed the widdowes there was nothing but crueltie in them againe when the poore had taken paynes yea and pressed out theyr Oyle in their houses yet did not men ceasse too spoyle them of theyr goodes and when they had gathered their Grapes yet were they fayne too go awaye athirst for the wine was drawne awaye from their hands yea and the crueltie extended so farre that the poore folke were stripped out of their clothes and were faine to go away starke naked and in steade of beddes and pyllowes were fayne to lye vpon harde stones and to sleepe in the rayne and in the deaw of the night in winde and colde Now if
not onely in eating and drinking but also in al our desires and lustes and let vs so bridle them as we may cut off al the superfluous concupiscences that drawe vs vnto euill Thus ye see in effect what we haue to marke in this sentence Now herevnto Iob addeth for an ende that the wicked are lightfooted vpon the water and glyde away and yet for all that that they go to the graue Like as the earth drieth in saith hee and the heate of the Sunne sucketh vp the snowe and all the moysture that is in it So doth the graue swallowe vp the wicked It seemeth that Iob sheweth here that God punisheth all the euill deeds that are done in the worlde and that there in he agreed with Eliphas But his meening is farre otherwise For his intent is too shewe in effecte that the wicked perishe in such wise as a man can not perceiue Gods hand apparantly vpon them to say behold God punisheth such a man by cause he hath liued amisse But contrariwise that the wicked soke away like water and leaue no remembrance of themselues behinde them They goe to the graue yea and so doe good men too So then we see howe Iob concludeth here that God doth not so execute his iustice in punishing the sins of men as it may alwayes be seene And heerewithall let vs call to mynde howe it hath bene sayde afore that Iob blasphemeth not God to make himself beleue that there is no prouidence that all things an ruled by fortune and that God in the meane while setteth asleepe in heauen No but his intent is to shewe that Gods iudgementes are not alwayes visible It behooueth vs to beare well in mynde this saying and to set it alwayes before our eyes for it is a verie profitable doctrine as I haue shewed heretofore but yet hath it need to be repeated newe againe It is that the good are greatly troden vnder foote For after long pining they die before their time and yet in their owne opinion they haue liued too long And why For their life was nothing else but cōtinull consumptiō VVe see this with our eyes But in the meane while what becommeth of the wicked that haue despized God and bin full of outrage crueltie and naughtinesse Assoone as their good dayes are past they die yea euen as water that soketh away For a man shall not perceiue that God vttereth any certaine marke of his vengeance vpon them but their death is gentle and easie VVhen a man sees this what can he say It is a great stumbling blocke for suche as iudge after their naturall reason to see that our Lorde doth not alwayes punish the wicked but letteth them goe in their common traine and afterwarde when they die there is no more seene in them than is common and generall in all men Yet must we not therefore surmize that they be scaped or that they shall abyde vnpunished but we must haue an eye to the iudgement which wee looke for according to the promises of the holie Scripture assuring our selues that our Lorde calleth vs thither when he executeth not his iustice to the full but onely in part to giue vs some inckling of it which may serue to shewe vs that things are not yet brought to their right order to to the end we should hope for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and so much the more heartely long for him as our Redeemer Thus then ye see what is to be doone VVhen we see Tyrants beare sway innocent bloud shed whoredome and other loocenesse reigne wrongs outrages and violences committed poore folke troden down and mens feete set vpon their throats and all things shuffled togither in such a hotchpotche as wee wote not what to say let vs confesse saying VVell Lorde if all things were ordered as we would wish we should no more hope for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ nor for the resurrection that is promised vs nor for his heauenly kingdome we should bee alreadie as in a Paradise But nowe that we be tossed as in a raging sea and are in the midst of stormes and whirlewindes it serueth well to teach vs to long for the rest that is prepared for vs in heauen and which thou hast promised vs to the end we may haue our sight alwayes fastned vpon the comming of our Lord lesus Christ thy Sonne who shall gather vs all to himselfe according as thou hast committed vs to his charge protection and guyding Furthermore when we see the wicked nowadayes hide them selues in doing euill let vs assure our selues that yet for all that wee can not hide our selues from the presence of oure God and that although they shunne the Sunnelight yet can not wee shunne the sight of him that searcheth all hearts VVhat is to be done then Forasmuch as we gain nothing by seking of lurking holes to shun the presence of our God so as as we would not by our good will come in his sight and whereas the wicked eschue him and mocke at all the threatnings that are made to them of his iustice let vs seke nothing more than to come before our god And seeing he is so gracious to vs as to make vs our owne indges let vs not tarie to be condemned at his hand but to the ende we may be quit let vs yeelde our selues giltie of our owne accorde Ye see then that the may to put this sentence in vre is to learne to condemne ourselues when wee come to shewe ourselues before God and to come to him vpon trust of his promise which is to receyue all suche to mercie as are sorie for their sinnes and seeke nothing else but the grace that is offered vs dayly in the persone of our Lorde lesus Christ Now let vs fall down before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sins praying him to touch vs to the quicke with such repentance as we may perceiue the euill that is in vs to seeke the remedie therof by sticking to his rightuousnesse and to conuert vs in such wise to himself that in stead of feeding ourselues in our own vices and lewde lustes we may seeke to frame our selues wholly to his holie lawe and commaundements that we knowing what neede we haue to be healed of our spirituall diseases may seeke the medicine wher it is to be foūd that is to wit in our Lord Iesus Christ that being renued by his holie spirit we may hold on our way right foorth to the place that he calleth vs vnto euen till he haue fully clothed vs with his owne rightuousnesse after wee haue continued in the waye of saluation which he sheweth vs nowe by his worde That it may please him c. The .xciij. Sermon which is the third vpon the .xxiiij. Chapter 19 As the earth drieth vp and as the heate drinketh vp the snovve vvaters so the sinners to the graue 20 The louing man shall forget him the vvormes shall take svveetenesse
verse importeth where it is sayde that God byndeth vp the waters in the Cloudes yea euen without sâ—nking of the Cloudes Thys is to shewe vs that as oft as the Cloudâ—â— gather in the ayre and we see the waters iÌ„nclozed in them and yet the earth is not drowned by them that commeth too passe bycause God stretcheth out hys hand And thereby let vs knowe that hee sâ—eweth hymselfe to vs and would make vs too perceyue what power he hath namely an infinite power and meeneth to wake vs bycause that when the wether is fayre and cleere wee regarde it not nother perceyue his glory that sheweth it selfe after that maner And therfore he myndeth to teach vs after another new fashion by shetting vp the waters in that wyse and by lodging them in the ayre so as they hang there and are hild as it were in a bottle tub or barrell By the sight heereof God vpbraydeth vs with oure vnthankfulnesse and calleth vs home to him shewing vs that in all caces he hath a wonderfull power But we see and see not If any man aske how the thing that Iob speaketh of is possible VVee bee conuinced by very reason and it is a thing that appeereth euidently that God is aboue the order of nature and yet for al that there is none of vs all that is touched at it nother do we acknowledge him but by compulsion Herein therfore it is to be seene that men as much as in them is do darken Gods glory and thrust it vnder foote And so much the more oughte we to be warned to marke the thing that is tolde vs here when we see the alterations that are in heauen earthe God could well make the ayre alwayes close or alwayes fayre that there should neuer be Clowde But it is hys wyll to haue chaunges For if thinges continued at one stay we would fall asleepe and wee woulde imagine that fortune gouerned But now in such varietie we bee constreyned whither we will or no to thinke that Gods haÌ„d worketh and that he is not ydle in heauen that he hath not only created the world once afterward let it alone there but also that he disposeth al things and guideth his creatures after such a sort as he wil haue vs to know that he is neere at hand to vs Lo then whervpon we ought to muse when we see the skye troubled and Clouds thickned in the ayre and rayne and alterations of seasons namely that by that meane our Lord sheweth himself to vs and draweth vs vnto him bycause wee consider it not ynough of our selues Thus ye see what we haue to mark in this streyne And it is sayd that hee withholdeth the face or sight of his throne and putteth a clowd before it when it pleaseth him The Hebrew worde that Iob vseth signifieth sometimes to shet vp and sometimes also to ioyne or câ—ose together â–ª as wheÌ„ a man maketh Barres of yron for a building to ioyne the timber woork and the stones togither shetting them one within another that they may holde fast with the morter It is sayde then that God maketh such a barre at the foresyde of his Throne for heauen is termed his seate Not that hee is inclosed in it for wee knowe that hee filleth all things and that his beeing is so infinite that it is spredde through the earthe as well as through heauen but to teache vs to looke vpward wheÌ„ we intend to thinke vpon god For such is our infirmitie and rudenesse that insteade of exalting God wee dayly abace him So theÌ„ as oft as there is any speaking of him it behoueth vs to lift vp our mynds to worship him with all reuerence we must not thinke vpon earthly things to surmise aught of him after our owne deuyce and fansie Loe why Gods throne is in heauen according as the scripture sayeth It is not saye I for that hee is shet vp there but to shew vs the highnesse of his maiestie to the ende wee should not surmyze of him after our owne fashion and after our owne rude grosse and beetleheaded wit as men terme it To be short it behoueth vs to mouÌ„t aboue all creatures if wee intende to thinke vppon God rightly â–ª But now let vs come to the sentence where it is sayde that God hathe made a barre in his Throne And truly if wee marke well the order that is in heauen it is a thing that ought to rauish our wittes All the Philosophers haue bene very inquisitiue curiouse in searching what the heauen should be and of what nature it is But all is but coniectures so as the beste conclusion that wee can make is to acknowledge that God hathe made there such a principall peece of woorke as it behoueth vs all to wonder at it confessing our selues vnable to compreheÌ„d so hygh so profounde and so secrete a thing And so it is not without case that Iob intending to magnifie the maiestie of God speaketh heere of the sayde Barre whiche he hath made in the foreside of his Throne Afterwarde he addeth now agayne that God spreadeth out a cloude vppon it when be listeth VVhen wee see the sayd alteration it is not to the end we should knowe that God hath stablished an order in things and that when hee had once created the world he ment to be ydle euer after but that he dayly guydeth and gouerneth all things that he hathe once created holding his hand continually bothe vppon heauen and earth and vppon all things else and shewing himselfe to be our father making vs to feele it So theÌ„ let vs not be so blinde in loking vpon the skyes as not to perceyue the liuely image of Gods maiestie and of the wonderfull power that he sheweth there â–ª For it were better for vs that our eyes were picked out than to haue the fruition and sight of these goodly works of God except we proceede to turne them to our behoofe by mounting vp too the authour of them The brute beastes shall beare no blame for their hauing of the lyght that is bycause they haue no reason to know the workemayster But on our parte it is certayne that there shall neede none other thing to condemne vs before God and to take all excuse from vs but that besides our eyes hee hath also giuen vs some reason and vnderstanding too comprehende the woonderfull things that he sheweth vs bothe aboue and beneathe Ye see then whereof we haue neede to be warned And for the same purpose is it that the ho 〈…〉 Ghost setteth before vs this varietie which is in heauen wherof we wil speake yet more hereafter To be short the chiefe poynt of our life is that beyng partakers of all the things which God hath created to our vse we shoulde learne to magnifie him that hath giuen vs such grace and not possesse his creatures without dooing him homage for theÌ„ Lo in effecte what is shewed vs heere Iob addeth immediatly that
in the law as that God will punish men both in their persones and in their goodes and in their householde and in their cattell are not continuall that is to say although God punishe with diseases with warres with dearth with famin with drought and with other such like things and although hee punish the offenders and despyzers of hys worde yet doeth it not happen so alwayes after oneâ—ate VVhy For oftentymes afflictions are common both to good and bad And why then doth God threaten after that sort It is to shewe that he hath a iudgement to come As nowe he giueth but some signes and tokens of it for if he shoulde performe all his iudgements perfectly heere beneath what would become of it There would be no more hope To what purpose should the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ serue Or what would become of the confession of our fayth where we say I beleeue the Resurrection of the flesh and the life euerlasting Nowe we knowe that our present life is transitorie and corruptible and not only that but also that it is subiect to many miseryes Then haue wee not the felicitie that God promiseth vs but that is hidden from vs And therfore it behoueth that the wicked also be punished but in part as nowe and that God giue them respite and reserue the damnation which they haue deserued vnto the last day wherin Iesus Christ shall iudge the worlde fully And then shall this saying of Esay bee fulfilled that all knees shall bowe before the maiestie of god The same thing is doone nowe howbeeit but partly Then is it sufficient that as nowe he gyueth vs but some inckling that hee is iudge of the worlde But let vs returne to Iobs woordes Howe doeth God bereeue men of their right It is by punishing them in such wise as they may seeme to bee vtterly reiected and by bending himselfe agaynst them as his mortall enimies For then too outwarde appearance it cannot bee sayde but that men are wicked and accursed And why For wee must holde this for a maximee and generall rule that God is good And so it must needes bee sayde that such as are his enimies are euill Nowe then if wee see a manne afflicted with suche extremitie as it may seeme that God is vtterly inflamed agaynst him and his wrath is precysely bent agaynst him according too our naturall reason wee can conceyue none other but that suche a one is the enimie of god Iob therefore meeneth that his right was bereft him bycause God hath set his soule in anguishe as he himselfe addeth The almightie sayeth he hath set my soule in anguish For so long as wee perceyue not the cause why God hath punished him so so long his right is as it were buryed insomuche that hee may seeme to the worlde to bee a wicked and detestable persone But let vs marke well that hee speaketh heere after the common opinion and meeneth not that God hath not ryghtfull reason so too doo specially in hys owne secrete purpose but that it behoueth vs to mounte vp higher and too stye aboue all the thicke and darke cloudes that darken the lighte or else wee shall neuer knowe Iobs rightuousnesse So we see there is a double rightuousnesse in God the one which is manifest vntoo vs bycause it is conteyned in the lawe and also hathe some agreement with the reason that God hath giuen vs and the other whiche passeth all oure vnderstanding Therefore we comprehende not this but by fayth and we must rather honour it as a thing hidden from vs wayting for the comming of the latter day wherein we shall see the things face to face which are nowe darke and hidden from vs The ordinarie rightuousnesse of God which is conteyned in his lawe is his vouchsafing to succour vs at our neede and his shewing that hee hath a care of our welfare when wee feare him and serue him For if wee walke in his obedience accounting him for our father then doeth he also shewe that hee auoweth vs to bee his All the benefites that the faythfull receyue at Gods hand in this worlde for walking in his feare are as it were ratifyings of the sayde ordinarie rightuousnesse that is conteyned in the lawe True it is that we can neuer deserue that God shoulde pitie vs For whatsoeuer wee do yea euen when wee bee gouerned by his holy spirite it is certaine that our woorkes are still soyled and that God may of good right reiect them As for of our selues we are not able to thinke one good thought But although God gouerne vs and although hee woorke in vs yet is there alwayes some faultinesse in vs and wee mingle our owne infirmities in such sort with the grace of his holy spirite as all that euer proceedeth from vs is defyled Then can we not deserue aught at Gods hande How bee it forasmuche as hauing once called vs hee spareth vs and forgiueth vs the vyces that are mingled with the good desire that wee haue too serue him hee doeth still rewarde the faythfull that haue indeuered to followe him and his will I say hee rewardeth them in this worlde and sheweth that hee did not shet his eyes at the good zeale that they had too submit themselues to him but alloweth it and lifteth well of it Ye see then how God manifesteth his ordinarie rightuousnesse by fauouring those that are his and haue fully submitted themselues vnto him at leastwise so farforth as the weaknesse of their flesh wil beare For when I say fully I meene not perfectly in all poynts but vnfeynedly according also as the holy scripture speaketh But contrariwise when God punisheth whoremongers theeues and drunkards euen that also is his ordinarie rightuousnesse If we see a wicked man that shal haue fleeced his neighbors and played the cruell beast in eating vp and deuouring other mennes goodes and God bloweth vpon hys substance so as nothing remayneth to him the same is a true shew of Gods Iustice and an assured warrant that euyll gotteÌ„ goods wast away and it maketh vs to acknowledge that God is a iudge Againe when murtherers be punished likewise we consider how it is written that the cruel man shall not liue out halfe his dayes and so is it also wyth other misdooers VVe see howe scorners scoffe at God and repine at him and aduaunce themselues against him with excessiue rage and God ouerthroweth them Sith then that wee see the wicked so punished alreadie in thys worlde ought we not to thinke that it is God which sheweth himselfe to be the iudge in so doing Ought not the heare to stande vp vpon our head when we perceyue him to stretch out his arme so mightely to execute his iustice Thus ye see Gods ordinarie iustice that is to wit the Iustice which we perceyue to be executed according as it is conteyned in his law But herewithall we see also that good men are afflicted but God impouerisheth suche as haue indeuered to
be at hand with vs and that we should resort vnto him that he should heare vs and that we shoulde obteyne our requestes and be ayded at his hand according to our neede and as he knoweth to be conuenient for our welfare And this is not done here onely but if wee looke vppon the whole doctrine of the holy Scripture wee shall see that men are alwayes vnhappie if God looke not vpon them and bee readie to heare them True it is that we conceyue not so much by reason of our greate dulnesse but surely if we had but one spark◠of good vnderstanding there is none of vs but he should perceyue that this doctrine is totoo true So then let vs open oure eyes and learne too inioy this happinesse and know wherevpon the same is chiefly grounded so as wee may vnderstande that if we haue not God so fauourable vnto vs as we may resort vnto him with assured trust and certaintie that he will be ready to help vs at our neede we be totoo wretched And furthermore if we bee in so good cace as that we can haue recourse vnto God there is nother affliction nor miserie that can hinder vs from beeing happie For beholde the remedie that ought to suffize for all oure miseries is that God promiseth to strengthen vs vp when we be as good as beaten downe to deliuer vs in time conuenient yea and to turne all our miseries to our welfare saluation so as they shall become as many furtherances to helpe vs forward to the euerlasting life he wil make vs perceiue that he sent vs not any thing which was not conuenient and behouefull for vs Such promises serue to asswage our sorowes and morouer euery one of vs may glorie in them according also as S. Paule speaketh in the fifth to the Romanes For vnder the peace that hee maketh mention of there is cōprehended that which Iob speaketh here VVe can haue no peace with God except we be sure of his loue so as the gate be opē for vs to haue accesse vnto him VVhen wee haue that once sayeth S. Paule we be sure fully perswaded that we be the childrē of god so as we may glory of the euerlasting heritage which he hath promised vs This in effecte is all that Iob ment here by saying will God heare the prayers of a wicked man yea though hee call vppon him in his trouble But heere it may be demaunded howe it happeneth that God refuseth a man that calleth vpon him seeing he hath promised that he will alwayes bee inclined to succour vs yea and that he will not tarry till he be intreated but will preuent our sute or at leastwise we be sure that as soone as we open our mouth God will be ready to succour vs as he sayeth by his Prophet Esay Howbeeit in the other sentence that I touched afore it is saide I will heare them before they crie But here we see a threate which is cleane contrarie whiche is that although the wicked haue theyr recourse vnto God desire him to haue pitie vpon thē yet will hee not heare them The solution is verie easie if we wey well what is sayd in the Psalme namely that god is neere vnto all such as call vpon him in truth There the Prophete sheweth that many seeke God howbeeit faynedly By reason whereof we bee conuinced that there is none other meane to rid vs of our miseries but only that God should take vs to his mercy and be pitiful to vs The very vnbeleeuers do calvpō God without regard of him notwithstanding that they haue mocked at the religion and at all things that are spoken to vs in the Scripture cōcerning Gods prouidence the mercie and grace which we must looke for at his hand Therefore if they bee pinched with aduersitie they cry out alas my god And what is it that driueth them therevnto Euen their mother wit. So the hypocrites and despizers of God maye well haue some forme of praying Not only to pray from the teethe outwarde while theyr minde is otherwise occupied but oftentimes as men may perceyue euen with some harty affection for they bee forced to it but yet is it not in truthe For they haue not the knowledge to say my God calleth me and allureth me to him and I shal not be disappoynted in cōming to him Seing it is his pleasure to recken me in the nūber of his children I will go to him not vpon a foolish rashnesse and presumption but with obedience to the voyce of my God trusting to his promisse The hypocrites cannot speake that language and therefore they haue no truth in them For it standeth them in hand to haue fayth faith depēdeth vpon Gods promises which the vngodly neuer tasted of Againe we ought to haue a feeling of our miseries so that whē a mā approcheth vnto God he must be abashed in himselfe he must be sorie for his sinnes he must hate himselfe he muste acknowledge himself to be exceeding wretched But the wicked hypocrites haue none of all this Although thē that they haue their mouths open to call vpon God yet do they but vnhalowe his holy name bicause there is no right meening in thē And therfore they fulfill that which the Prophet Esay sayth in his nine and twentith chapter whiche is that they preace vnto God with theyr mouth their tung but their hart is alwaies a great way off So then let vs marke well that when our Lord sayeth and auoucheth that he will heare all such as call vpon him he meeneth that their prayer must proceede of faith men muste haue bethought them well of his promises aforehād therby to take boldnesse to come vnto him and yet that therewithall they must acknowledge themselues to be as they be that is to wit forlorne damned destitute of all goodnesse and this must we be throughly perswaded of to the ende that we may resort to the fountaine of his goodnesse grace Now can we not thinke it strange though god put backe the hypocrites wicked men whē they come vntoo him For they come not with a willing mind nor with a pure affectiō but they would fayne shun God if it were possible How beit forasmuch as they cannot shift thēselues from him they come to him by compulsion But what a comming is that Therfore when we pray vnto God let vs learne to offer him fre eharted sacrifizes and let vs come to him with a willing minde assuring ourselues that without him wee be destitute of all that wee haue neede of and of all that perteyneth to our welfare Furthermore lette vs not doubte of his fauoure and mercie towards vs seeing he hath promised vs them but let vs alwaies beleeue that he is euer ready to receiue vs and will not be deafe to our desires when we come to craue thē at his hand Lo how we shall be hearde at Gods hande And Iob setteth downe
crie oute I am builded vpon bloud and another I of murther Therefore let the faythfull aduise them selues well when they builde that it bee not vppon goodes wrongfully gotten if they mynde too haue ioy of their dwelling And therewithall how so euer the worlde goe let them not rest there to make their nest of it but let them be readie to remoue when so euer it shall please god Nowe furthermore it is sayde That the wicked man shall die and not bee buried honourably and that hee shall open his eyes and see nothing This serueth too conclude the matter that hath bene treated of for Iob meeneth that it maye well come to passe and so it doeth indeede that the wicked shall stumble yea euen after hee hath bene aduaunced For the thing whereat he looketh is that our Lorde exalteth the wicked and afterwarde letteth them fall yea euen a deadly fall For as touching their death they are not buried honorably and agayne when they looke about them they finde no succoure but are disappoynted of their longing Heere we haue a faire looking glasse of Gods iudgementes howebeit that we play not those which held argument against Iob that is too wit that wee goe not about too inforce God too set things in their perfecte state For that shall not bee done till the last day Yet in the meane season it behoueth vs to bee warned to looke vpon Gods hande as ofte as our Lord ouerthroweth the wicked and beateth them down VVee must not in this poynte seeke any chaunce as the children of this world do whiche imagin a wheele of Fortune where as menne are hoysed vp alofte and afterwarde let fall agayne For the chaunges and returnings which we see in the world are not things that happen by aduenture but it behoueth vp too father them vppon the hand of god As howe Sometimes hee punisheth them that haue abused his grace and sometimes hee beareth with them so as it is not perceyued that hee myndeth too punishe them but yet they shall haue so much the more terrible account to make as I haue touched alreadie Notwithstanding if wee see the wicked fall it behoueth vs to knowe that God did not aduaunce them without cause but that the same was to the ende that their fall shoulde be the greeuouser euen to breake their necke Then after they had beene hoysed vp aloft God must make them to fall after that fashion Furthermore it is not for nought that their buriall is spoken of heere For although it bee neyther heere nor there in respecte of our saluation yet are there two things to be considered The one is that the wicked doe at their death defye God and nature and thinke too prolong their greatenesse and pompousnesse still in spyte of nature when oure Lorde conueyeth them into rottennesse Yea euen then do I say the wordly and fleshely men make muche more brauerie than in all their life afore For their sumptuouse buriall is too saue their memoriall from perishing that men might speake of it for euer So then we see that the foolish curiositie which the worldlings and vnbeleeuers vse in beeing buried with great pompe is to continue their pride in despite of god But God laugheth such presumption to scorne For hee disappoynteth their expectation in so much that whereas they purposed to be buried honorably diuers times he hath giuen them a cleane contrarie buriall Marke that for one point But yet it is also to be considered that buriall was brought in by god It is no inuention of man without good grounde but it is Gods ordinance to the end it should be a witnesse vnto vs of the resurrection euerlasting life VVhen men be buried they are layde vp in the earth as in a store house vntill they maye bee raysed vp agayne at the last day and so our buriall is vnto vs as a looking glasse of the resurrection Therefore when the wicked are disappoynted of buriall it is as much as if oure Lorde vttered his cursse vpon them after a visible manner yea euen as well in deathe as in life according as it is sayde heere And yet notwithstanding lette vs marke that if the wicked bee buried honourably wee muste not bee troubled at it nor thinke that God hathe forgotten hym selfe or that hee executeth not his iudgementes in conuenient time for wee see what the Scripture sayeth of the riche man namely that he was buried And what sayeth it of Lazarus There is no mention made of his buriall in so much that it is not known whether he were eaten with dogges or whether he were cast abroade into the feeldes The Scripture speaketh not of it it speaketh but of the buriall of the riche man Contrariwise if Gods children happen sometimes to lye vnburied is it to be concluded therfore that they are accursed No like as when the wicked are buryed it is not too bee sayd that they are blessed in their death But it is to shewe vs that God executeth not his temporall punishmentes after one egall rate in this worlde but reserueth the chiefe to himselfe till the latter day As much is to be sayd when wee see good men burned and put to open shame and Gods children perishe with the wicked yea as touching the bodie so as they bee caried to the gallowes For although they bee the martyrs of Iesus christ and that that slaunder bee more honour to them before God than all the preserments in the world yet not withstanding God gyueth them not burīall And howe commeth that too passe Howe falleth out the threatnings against the wicked that is spoken of here It behoueth vs to come backe to that which I haue sayde namely that they be suche iudgementes as are hidden and incomprehensible as yet and that it behoueth vs to tarie till our Lorde bring vs to that daye wherein all things shall bee discouered In the meane season let vs knowe that the heauen shall serue for a tumbe too suche as are so martyred I meane too the innocents that are put to reproche by the wicked and the persecuters And that if they had the honorablest buriall in the worlde it were nothing in comparison of the benefite and priuiledge that God giueth them For can a man finde a more honourable tumbe than the heauen But oure Lorde maketh that to serue for a tumbe for his children when he bereaueth them of common and ordinarie buriall And so if it please God to haue vs buried let vs know that the same is as a record of his goodnesse And if hee bereeue the wicked of their buriall let vs also behold his vengeance both in their life and in their death Yet notwithstanding let vs learne to refraine our selues and to haue our eyes as it were closed vp in respect of his secrete iudgemenres vntill we become vnto the last day where hee will shewe vs the things perfectly which are now out of order Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure
and moreouer also discerne betweene good and euill VVhere shall wee finde so beastly men that wil not condemne robberie murther whoredome For very nature teacheth vs so to do Againe all men haue some lawes and forme of common weale and they see well that they cannot breake order and guyde well the matters that perteyne to this present life of mā Furthermore they haue also trades and handicraftes as one is a Baker another a Plowman another a Shoomaker and another a Clothyer and all these trades are the gift of God and they be common as well to the vnbeleeuers as to the faithfull whome God hathe inlightned by his holy spirit Howbeit such giftes serue but for men bycause mankynde coulde not bee maynteyned in his state without suche helpes and meanes Yee see then in effect that the thyng whiche wee haue too remember is that although there be a great number of secrets in nature and that the things be high which belong to this present life yet hath God giuen men abilitie to attaine vntoo them As for example to speake of some handycraft before a man come to be cunning in the occupation he shall finde straunge things yea there are some woorkes that require such cunning as yee woulde woonder How is this possible to be done will men say Howe coulde men know where Gold lyeth in the earth Beholde men make Salt of water Howe commeth that to passe Surely euen bycause God hath giuen men the skill Agayne what is the Golde and the Siluer that are spoken of heere Beholde the mettall is mingled with earthe it hath not so much as colour yea and it seemeth to be vtterly vnprofitable And howe can a man discerne it Howe can he fine it so as it should serue his turne and become a precious metall and a meane of traffike betweene man and man according as wee see both gold and siluer applyed too that vse How might that be done Agayne as touching other artes there is no handicraft so bace and common but that at the first men are to seeke how to worke in it Specially when we see how men sowe corne how can it growe will some say How do men make wine and such other things VVhen we once know these things wee thinke them not straunge at all but yet is it God that hathe giuen vs the skill of them for otherwise we should be to seeke The thing then that I meane is that there is some capacitie in men to comprehend natural things notwithstanding that they be darke at the first enterance And although men be harde and grosse of vnderstanding yet do they attaine to the cast of this earthly life bicause God giueth them the aydes and meanes wherewith to passe through the world But when it commeth to mounting aboue this transitorie life then we finde that all of vs come too short Heere ye see wherein all proude folkes misbehaue themselues For they beare themselues in hande that bycause they bee sharpe witted and suttle in these lower things they are able also to iudge of all Gods secretes of the whole doctrine of the law of the Prophetes and of the Gospell But God maketh thē double blind when they be so presumptuous For fayth is a spirituall light The insight of Gods iudgements groweth not in vs neither haue wee it in respect of kind but we haue it giuen vs from aboue by gods good pleasure ouer and besides the order of nature Yea and we see how God punisheth the pride of suche as trust in their owne wisedome in these base and inferioure thyngs Beholde these lustie worldlings if they come once to a finenesse in their suttelties they can find in their harts to mocke both God and the world yea and they be so polytike as too theyr owne seeming nothing shall escape them and therevppon they deuise wonders they vndertake enterprises aboue their abilitie and God suffereth them to runne a head after that fashion and in the meane whyle so blyndeth them at their neede that little children can laugh them to scorne For oftentimes it commeth to passe that the craftiest such as take themselues to be peerlesse in policie are destitute of all reason put to the soyle according as the Scripture sayeth that God catcheth the wise in their owne wilinesse as in a pitfall VVe see this And how is it possible that a man which was so well aduised should as now be so ouertaken and dazeled in so small a matter Hath he not wit in him Verely as though God were not in heauen to blind such as thynke themselues too see cleerely and trust in their owne skyll and wisedome It standeth him in hande too punishe suche pride For inasmuch as they presume vppon themselues they rob God of his honour and he must be fayne too reuenge himselfe of such trayterousnesse Agayn forsomuch as men apply their wittes to naughtinesse rather than to goodnesse it behoueth our Lorde also to punish them for misusing the giftes that he hath bestowed vpon them For it is a singular gift when God giueth vs a good and sharpe vnderstāding and if we turne the same to craft naughtinesse is it not reason that God should punish vs for it For we defile the thing that he had appoynted not onely to our owne welfare but also too the common benefit of our neighbours Now if God punish such pride when men trust too much to their owne wit in these bace and transitorie things I pray you muste hee not needes cut theyr combes and plunge them intoo the bottome of hell too reuenge himselfe of theyr pride and statelynesse when they be so lostie as they would faine mount vp into heauen and be priuie to all the heauenly secretes and knowe the things that God hath reserued to himself ought to belong to him alone So then let vs learne that although our wit serue vs well ynough too discerne the things that concerne and belong heere to this earthly life yet is it not to be sayd that we be able to mount vp into heauen and to enter into Gods secret determinations and to conuey that thing into our wit and braine which our Lord hideth in himselfe Too bee short let vs assure our selues that all things which concerne the euerlasting life are farre aboue our reach and that our Lord must be faine to worke in vs yea euen supernaturally and not onely too inlighten vs after the manner of men but also too giue vs the newe light whiche is hidden from vs bycause it proceedeth of the sayd spirit of adoption where of I haue spoken Furthermore ▪ sith it is so let vs consider what mans free will is and how mad they bee that will mainteine themselues by it For if wee haue free will too guide our selues too Godward and to attaine to euerlasting life it would follow of necessitie that first of all wee shoulde haue faythe rightuousnesse and holinesse But wee see that the Scripture condemneth vs as blind
As much is to be sayde of greate estate and dignitie A man of meane and smal degree wil know himselfe and gather his wittes to him when our Lord gyueth him discretion and contrariwise he that is highly aduanced forgetteth himselfe and is blinded For lyke as hee spreadeth out his VVings in imagining himselfe too bee more than he is so our Lord suffereth all his reason to vanish away and him to become as an Idoll VVee see thys with our eyes but wee consider it not wherefore lette vs weigh well that which is sayd heere that is to witte that wisedome is not purchased with gold or Siluer least men should trust too much to the things whiche they may attayne too heere beneath and let vs assure our selues that to vnderstand Gods secretes is a speciall gift of his and a treasure that is shette vp from vs till God of his owne meere goodnesse come to inlighten vs and giue vs therof what seemeth good to him And heerewithall let vs marke well how in conclusion Iob sayeth heere That God hath seene had and disposed wisedome from the creation of the world and afterward hath sayde to man Beholde how you shall become wise that is to say by fearing me Heere Iob compareth God with vs bicause it is vnpossible to abate or tame our pride otherwise than by force And the only meane of that is by bringing vs to God for men may well ynoughe shew vs the infirmitie and rudenesse of oure wit but yet will we euer draw backe nor neuer come to that poynte nor ceasse to keepe still some pride in secrete Althoughe then we be conuinced that our wit is so weake as is pitie to see it yet notwithstanding we will not giue ouer thys foolish opinion that we haue of being wise But when we be brought vnto God then are wee driuen to knowe that we are nothing and that wee must not deceiue our selues by our owne selfeweening See how Iob setteth God before vs heere and to the end wee should know the wysedome that is in him alone hee setteth the creation of the world before our eyes VVell sayeth he are men so sharpe witted as to comprehend all Gods secrets as how he disposeth the order of nature and how he hath as it were weyed the windes and waters and other things True it is as I haue sayd that the Philosophers haue well conceyued the reason of the things that are seene in this world But if men come to the Creation it is so woonderfull a thing as they must needes be abashed and reuerence the infinite wisedome of God and confesse themselues vnable to comprehend it Thus ye see Iobs meening in this sentence And thervpon he sheweth vs that we must throughly beleeue that oure wisedome consisteth not in searching examining and seeking out of all things But in knowing that which is profitable for vs according too Gods ordinance Behold heere an excellent sentence For it is all one as if it were sayd that Gods secretes are knowne to none but himselfe and that no body is of counsell with him as it is sayd in other texts of the Scripture and therefore that we must not presume to enter into his secret determination nor to know more of him than is lawfull for vs but must learne onely what pleaseth him too shewe vs in hys schoole and assure our selues that all our wisedome is there And this is the cause why I sayde that this is an excellent sentence And why For there are two vices in mē which are hard to correct The one is ouerboldnesse and the other foolish vanitie As touching the ouerboldnesse it is in that men are desirous too knowe more than God hath appoynted and to be short they would be wise whether God would or no whereas God onely is the fountaine of wisedome Thus then yee see an outrageous vice and yet notwithstanding it is very hard to correct it For we see that men proceede with a furious outrage to say I will know this or that whatsoeuer come of it Yea but God permitteth it not he setteth a barre in the waye the gate is shut against thee and which way then wilt thou enter But go too yet will mēbe inquisitiue of that which is not lawfull for them whatsoeuer come of it Furthermore they thinke too attayne therevntoo by their owne power Yea for they bragge alwayes of their owne reason and wit. So then it standeth vs in hand to fight against this boldnesse and pride which are in our nature and to learne that we are able to do nothing and that it becommeth vs not to know more than our Lorde will haue vs Marke that for one poynt The second vice is the sayd fond vanitie whiche is that men doo leaue the thing that is for their profite and whervpon they ought to rest and whervnto they ought to apply their whole study making none account at all of it and in the meane while fall too tormenting themselues with vayne things that are nothing to their profite That is all their traueling and discoursing I would know this say they And why wouldest thou know it For it liketh me Beholde how wee bee led wyth fond desire to know the things that are nother for oure profite nor can edifie vs eyther in fayth or in the feare of god And the cause why our Lorde concealeth many things from vs is first for that he intendeth to humble vs For he knoweth our pride and that we would be intollerable if wee knewe all things seeing that notwithstanding our ignorance yet men see there is no hold of vs but that we would seeme to be otherwise Lo how God abaceth vs and when we desire to bee wisest we become so fonde that euen little children may mocke at vs But althoughe our Lord hold vs so in awe yet cease not wee too bragge still and to beare our selues in hand yea and too perswade other men also that there is no wisedome but in vs And why doth God keepe vs ignorant of the thing whiche is hidden from vs bycause he enuieth vs No but hee meeneth too learne vs humblenesse thereby And the principall poynt of our wisedome is to be modest and sober yea and to feele our owne infirmitie that wee exalte not our selues Yee see then that God hideth many things from vs too the ende wee shoulde learne too bee lowly whych thyng wee would not be if nothyng were vnknowen to vs Agayne he discerneth what is good for vs and that is the thing wherein he intendeth to occupie vs and to hold vs wholy For wee finde not in the Scripture that our Lord is mynded to feede our curiositie and to let vs know what we would desire Our eares are alwayes itching and tickling in our desires and would fayne knowe what is this and what is that But all these are fond things that can doo no good and God to redresse this vanitie and foolish longing that is in vs sheweth vs onely those things
that our naturall wit doth rest vpon and looke at The things that we feele see and touche Therefore when God leaueth vs in such extremitie as we knowe not what shall become of vs there seemeth to be a thicke cloude betwene him and vs and that we be no more vnder his hād guiding But yet notwithstāding see how God promiseth to be neere at hand to vs VVhē we thinke he is furthest off frō vs And when it shall seeme that his eyes are shut he will haue vs to thinke thus hath God spoken it Let vs hardly hold vs to his promis Now then we see that there is a double cōceiuing in the faithfull and it standeth vs in hand to practise this well It is not ynough too say it but euery man must put it in vre in himselfe VVhē any aduersitie befalleth vs we cānot but think that God hath turned his back vpon vs See wherevnto our nature driueth vs But afterwarde it behoueth vs to run immediatly to the promises of God who biddeth vs call vpon him in the day of our trouble In that he willeth vs to call vpon him it is a token that we are in his keeping protectiō So thē we see that fayth must ouerrule our naturall reason to the ende wee may be quiet in the mids of all our miseries wayting for Gods succour walking as hee commandeth vs According herevnto Iob sayeth here VVhere are the tymes become wherein God preserued mee For he meeneth that God hath shewed by effect and by very eysight that he had preserued him as if some mā shold say seeing that Iob is so persecuted is it to be sayd that God keepeth him Is it to be sayd that God mainteineth him No but rather that God hath forsakē him as a wretched creature Iob thē speaketh not heere of the thing as it was in very deede as thoughe God had at that time forgottē him but he speketh of that which might seeme to mē of that which he perceyueth by his naturall wit howbeit that he resisted it by the force of faith resting himselfe vpon Gods promises fighting against the tētation that was put vnto him Yee see then in what wise it behoueth vs to take this text therewithall to apply it to ourselues and so let vs vnderstande that if we be in prosperitie we muste not terme it good fortune according to the maner of mē which alwaies are so malicious that they rob and bereue God of his honour that belōgeth vnto him but we must vse such language as this namely that God preserueth vs VVhat is the cause then that God prospereth vs what is the cause that we liue are still mainteyned whē we be beseeged with a thousand deathes It is bicause God pitieth vs is our Protectour Lo how it behoueth vs alwaies to resort to Gods prouidēce that we may yeeld him the prayse of al the benefites which he bestoweth vpō vs yea euē in respect of this trāsitory life And furthermore whē our Lord chaungeth to outward apperance and suffereth vs to be assaulted on all sides so as one mā pilleth vs and another defameth vs many aduersities light vpō vs might it not be sayd to mās seeming that God hath forsakē vs will no more come at vs Yet notwithstanding let vs not cease to receyue the promis which God giueth vs yea to hope euen against hope as which is the lesson that is taught vs in the person of our father Abrahā as S. Paule speaketh of him But Iob addeth that in that time God had lightned his lampe vpō him and that he had walked in his lyght in the middes of darkenesse Let vs marke how it is diuers times said that God inlighteneth vs when he teacheth vs by his worde and for that cause is it termed a lampe But in this text it hath another sense For Iob meeneth not simply that God taughte him by his lawe or by any reuelation of the holy Ghoste But that God had giuen him comfort in all his aduersities therwithall also a good desirable issue of them VVhat then is the lampe of God It was Iobs prosperitie in that God stoode by him according also as we see that the scripture likneth the afflictiōs of this present life vnto darknesse As for exāple if we be in warre or be troubled with famine or pestilence we are as it were in the night Gods countenāce is hidden from vs we know not on which side to turne vs So on the contrarie part when our Lord hādleth vs louingly it is asmuche as if the sunne did shine vpō vs we see that the daylight maketh men glad cōtrariwise that the light maketh men sadde and heauy Also when it is clowdie and raynie weather we are after a sort beaten downe and euery one of vs shrinketh So then let vs marke that Iob doth here cōtinue his matter by saying that the lampe of God shined vpon him when hee was in happie state euery man laughed vpon him VVherein is cōfirmed yet better the doctrine which I haue touched namely that neede must not father the prosperitie of this world vpon fortune as we see these worldlings do which looke not vnto Gods hād nother in weale nor wo. Therfore we muste not do so but rather whensoeuer we haue any prosperitie let vs consider that God shineth vpon vs and sheweth vs a louing countenance and would haue vs to know him to be our father that we might glorifie him Behold then how our Lord sheweth vs his countenance in all prosperitie to the end that by seeing him we might haue occasion to prayse his goodnesse also be drawen vnto him by his gentle allurement and that both of them might giue vs courage too loue him and to yeelde oureselues to his seruice Nowe wee see that these manner of speeches are not superfluons when in stead of saying after the manner of the vnbeleeuers I haue had good fortune I haue liued at mine ease Iob sayeth that God had shone vpon him with his lampe and addeth that God had giuen him lyght in the middest of darkenesse And hee sayeth this bicause it is not possible but that we must be in many inconueniences and daungers in this worlde I meane euen those which seeme to haue all things as they would wish Although we perceyue some man to be as it were exempted from all trouble Yet notwithstanding so long as he is vpon earth he must nedes walke among thornes VVe shall alwayes be threatned with many deaths and though a man haue his Garners Cellers full yet is it not to be sayde but that he may be made poore in the turning of a hand So then let vs marke well that in the middes of this worlde wee be alwaies as it were in darkenesse that is to say we be besette with many troubles and daungers insomuch that if our Lord prouided not for vs we could not step one pace forward no nor
scorne too cast my cloake about mee Beholde God declareth vnto vs that to the intent wee shoulde bee well clad hee himselfe hath cloathed vs with his owne rightuousnesse And wee cast away that rightuousnesse as a thing of no value we make no account of the sayd vpright dealing and equitie which hee commendeth so greatly vnto vs But wee cast it away as it were into the wynd Seeing then that wee vnclothe our selues after that sort I pray you deserue we not that oure Lorde should gyue vs vp to all shame to be mocked and skorned and therewithall to bee left vtterly destitute of all things and finally too haue no ayde nor succour neyther of God nor man Lo what wee haue to marke in this text But truly wee can neuer discharge our selues throughly of that duetie I meane not onely the Magistrates which haue so highe and harde a charge but also them which haue no more to gouern but themselues and theyr housholdes It is vnpossible that they shoulde haue suche perfection as to bee garnished wyth rightuousnesse and vpright dealing in all poyntes VVhat haue wee then to doo VVee muste then resort to oure Lorde Iesus Christ for twoo causes For first wee finde not in our selues the things that are conteyned heere we bee slowe vntoo goodnesse and swift vntoo euill there is neyther wisedome nor discretion in vs and therefore it behoueth vs too drawe it out of Iesus Christ to whom the spirite of wisedome and strength is gyuen as it is sayde in the eleuenth Chapter of the Prophete Esay Then if wee bee clothed with the rightuousnesse of oure Lorde Iesus Chryst and with the vprightnesse and wisedome which he will giue vs by his holy spirite then shall wee bee garnished and decked conueniently too appeare before god But forasmuch as in this present life there will alwayes bee some imperfection in vs and so me what will alwayes bee amsse our Lorde Iesus Christ muste of his meere grace couer all our faultes so as they may be pardoned for hys sake and hee supplie our wantes and therewithall continually increase the giftes of his holy spirite in vs more and more and guide vs by the power of the same vntill hee haue cleare ridde vs from all the infirmities and corruptions of our flesh and that we bee come to the marke wherevnto we be going Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs so to feele them that being vtterly dismayd in our selues wee may make our recourse vnto hym trusting that the same shall not bee in vayne bycause hee is willing and ready to help all them that seeke him And so let vs all say Almighty God our heauenly father c. The Cvij Sermon which is the fourth vpon the .xxix. Chapter 18 I sayd I shall dye in my nest and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sande 19 My roote is spread out to the vvater and the deavve shall lye vppon my haruest and it shall bee verie great 20 My glorie shall be renued and my bovve shall be strengthned in my hande 21 Men heard me vvith longing and hilde their toung at my counsell 22 They replyed not to my vvordes and my talke dropped as rayne vpon the hearers 23 They vvayted for it as for the deavv and they opened their mouth as after a desired rayne 24 If I laughed vvith them they beleeued me not neyther suffered they the lyght of my countenaunce to fall 25 VVhen I came in vvay I had the chief roome I vvas among them as a king vvith his armie and as a comforter of them that mourned IOb hauing spoken of the authoritie that he had purchased by hys vertues and by the gifts of grace that God had putte in him doth nowe adde that it seemed that his state shoulde neuer haue chaunged And therein he sheweth that he was not like those which reigne ouer mē whether they wil or no and are alwayes in doubt and vncertaintie according as we see that such as attain to honour and authoritie wrōgfully may well beare great sway and make all the world to quake vnder them but assoone as the winde turneth the least chaunge in the world ouerthroweth them VVhy so For as they bee feared so are they hated and suche as crouch and creepe to them wish with all their harts to see them ouerthrowne and to be short they haue no foundation at all But Iob sheweth that hee had not a fleeting credit that should continue but for two or three days but that it was so well grounded as a man might haue sayde that his state should neuer haue beene chaunged it was so well vnderpropped on all sides Lo what his meenig was Yet notwithstanding God smote him in such wise as hee became the miserablest creature in the world Therefore it is no maruell though hee were in suche anguish as hee coulde no more for hee fell intoo an aduersitie that hee neuer looked for And that is the cause why hee ouershootes himselfe oftentimes in hys talke and althoughe he haue alwayes an eye vntoo God yet is hee excessiue and that tootoo muche This therefore muste not bee thought straunge considering that the myserie whyche hee indured was incomprehensible and suche a one as men had neuer thought on afore But this must serue for oure learning that wee may alwayes stande vpon our gard If God sende vs any prosperitie let vs not bee too sleepie but lette vs consider that thys mortall life is subiect to all the chaunges that we can deuise yea truly notwithstanding all the proppes that wee can haue And although the whole worlde seeme to fauour vs and that wee haue a hundred thousande shoulders to beare vs vp yet must we neuerthelesse thinke that there is no settlednesse heere bylow but that all things are transitorie so as all thinges are chaunged in the turning of a hande and those that were lifted highest vp are cast lowest downe Beholde I say the lesson that we haue to gather of thys texte And it is a very needefull doctrine for vs For there is nothing easier with a man than to make himselfe beleeue that hee shall alwayes continue in happie state when he is once in it VVee see what Dauid hymselfe confesseth VVhen I was in my prosperitie sayeth he I sayd I shall neuer be remoued True it is that in the tenth Psalme he putteth it ouer to the despizers of god For in speaking of theyr prosperitie he sayeth that they beare themselues in hande that although the whole world shoulde bee turned vpside downe yet are they so exceedingly well fenced that they shall continue safe still Yee see then that the worldlings and vnbeleeuers presume vpon their owne power and take themselues to be so wel armed on all sides as nothing may hurt them according also as all the holy Scripture speaketh of that pride of theirs But Dauid in his owne person in the forealledged text of the thirtith
to be reserued vndiminished vntoo God. Furthermore lette men esteeme as muche of themselues as they liste and yet for all that they shall feele God agaynste them as their mortall enemie too their vtter confusion For hee that exalteth himselfe rusheth agaynste God but hee that humbleth himselfe leaneth vnder his hande If wee knowe oure owne wretchednesse it wyll as it were beate vs downe and then will God reache vs his hande too lifte vs vp and too sette vs in his lappe But will wee needes go aboute too truste too oure owne strength It will bee too harde an incounter for vs whiche shall serue too breake oure heades bee wee neuer so proude For God muste shewe himselfe oure aduersary when there is suche presumptuousnesse in vs Yee see then what we haue too remember in this streyne But lette vs marke that this looking vp too the Sunne and the Moone that is too saye mennes loftinesse in presuming vpon themselues may be of twoo sortes the one is when vnder coloure of theyr riches or of some honour wherein they bee placed they forget themselues and thinke not any more that they bee mortall creatures VVhen they are come to that point God may wel punish suche blinde pryde according as it is a fonde thing and woorthie to bee scorned of the whole worlde For what is our lyfe or what are all the appurtenaunces of it But there is an other manner of pryde whiche is that men so flatter themselues as they thinke they haue bothe wisedome and power too gouerne themselues and that they can deserue much to godward Now when men presume so farre of themselues as too chalenge the prayse of theyr owne saluation they muste needes stumble with a deadly fall bycause the principal poynt which God reserueth to himselfe is that we should know our selues to be in state of damnation and vtterly forlorne and past recouerie that we should recouer no hope but only in his free goodnesse VVhen this doctrine is defaced it is asmuch as to exalt men to the ende that God shoulde bee brought too nought and it is all one as if men would put Gods honor to the spoyle VVherfore lette vs learne too caste downe oure heades assuring our selues that if we coulde glory in God alone being beaten downe in our selues and hauing corrected the foolish self weening wherewith wee be puffed vp God woulde releeue vs and make vs partakers of his glory and we might beleeue that all the goodes which he hath doo belong vnto vs Haue wee nothing on our side God is rich ynough to supply our waÌ„ts we may assure our selues that hee will not fayle vs in any thing according as the Scripture sayeth that although men be poore and wretched so as there is nothing in them wherof they may boaste yet notwithstanding God is their glorye and wil couer al their vnclennesse so as they shal not be ashamed to go cheeke by cheeke with the Angels of heaueÌ„ as Gods children and members of our Lorde Iesus Christe Thus much concerning the humilitie or lowlinesse that I spake of And when Iob hath spoken so hee addeth an other protestation whiche is that hee reioyced not when any inconuenience happened to his enimies nor was gladde when hee saw theÌ„ fall nor had giuen his mouth leaue to cast foorâ—h curses vpon them yea and that he had so persisted in that minde that hee had not giuen eare too his housholde seruauntes to prouoke him to reuenge but did neuerthelesse restreyne himselfe notwithstaÌ„ding that there came firebrands to moue him therevntoo Yee see then what this protestation of Iobs contayneth that is to witte that although men did beare him ill will indeuered to hurt him to put him to losse yet notwithstanding he rendred not like for like nor whiche more is nourished any secrete hatred in his hearte And this protestation is well woorthie to be noted bycause it is one of the hardest things that God commaundeth vs And that is the cause why the hypocrites in the papacie haue not bene ashamed to falsifie the holye Scripture in saying that our Lorde Iesus Christes willing of vs to loue our enimies is but a counsell not a commaundemeÌ„t VVhat moued them to vse such blasphemy It was bycause they measured Gods coÌ„maundements by our strength they had an eye to mans abilitie and when they saw any thing surmount our power they concluded that God did not then coÌ„maund it for to their seeming God requireth nothing of vs whiche wee are not able to performe Verely they ouershot themselues to far in that poynt and theyr hypocrisie was too too grosse For let vs examine all the rest of Gods commaundements and see whether we can fulfill any of them and we shall find that we cannot haue so much as one good thought to beginne withall and much lesse bee able to stirre one finger And how theÌ„ can we apply al our strength to it But these hypocrites abuse themselues with a false imagination that a man is able to performe the lawe of god And when the Diuell so besotteth them thervpon they surmize that it is impossible for men to loue their enimies And therefore they shake off Gods yoke and say it is no expresse commaundement that ought to be obserued of necessitie but only a counsell that Iesus Christ giueth and furthermore that the sayd counsell coÌ„cerneth the perfectioÌ„ of the Gospell but was not so vnder the lawe and that is an other blasphemie But here ye see that Iob protesteth it and we know not whither he liued before the law of Moyses was published Howbeeit as I haue shewed heeretofore hee was afore the time of the Prophets for they make mention of him as of a man offormer time yet neuerthelesse he declareth that he loued his enimies And whence came this vnto him Came it not of the law whiche hath euer bene written in the hearts of the faythful hath God set downe any thing in the two tables which he hath not alwayes written by his holy spirit in the harts of his childreÌ„ And what els doth he at this day through the whole holy scripture but set those things before our eyes which he graueth in vs by his holy spirit insomuche that there is a coÌ„formitie betweene the doctrine that is preached the inwarde grace that God giueth vs by his holy spirite and they agree in all poynts and all respects Then we see here that before our Lord Iesus Christ came downe into the world Iob protested that he loued his enimies in such wise as he reioyced not at their fal I told you that it behoued vs to marke well this poynt For what a shame shal it be to vs if being admonished by our Lord Iesus Christes exhortation we go about to seeke startingholes and will not follow at leastwise those that liued in such time as the doctrine was yet very darke â–ª shall we not be double faultie Yes surely shall wee so then let vs
blasphemies to perswade the world to despise God his worde if an euill cace be mainteyned or if men go about to ouerthrow right let vs not bee dumbe nor carelesse but let vs haue the same vehemencie in vs which is shewed vs heere For if we haue not this godly zeale towardes Gods truth we shewe our selues to bee none of his children And therefore let vs marke well the example which is set foorth heere in the persone of Eliu yea and let vs make comparison betwene our selues and him For if a man that was not brought vp in Gods schole but was intangled among the infidelles was moued with such zeale when God touched him that hee irned as if hee shoulde haue burst tyll hee had discharged his conscience I pray you what shoulde wee doo when God teacheth vs so familiarly in his woorde Can wee bee excused when wee yeelde not recorde vntoo him before men at such tyme as wee see goodnesse defaced yea and vtterly razed out and yet set not our selues agaynst them that do it Then seeing that oure Lorde calleth vs therevnto and layeth such a charge vpon vs if we bee dumbe and make no account of mainteyning the good but rather doo helpe the wicked by our silence are we not traytors to God and his truth Yes doubtlesse are we So then it behoueth vs to be moued the more sith we see that a man which had not bin instructed in the lawe of God nor was of the bodie of his Church had notwithstanding such an earnest will to mainteyne the truth and was in a maner inforced to it True it is that this inforcement is willing For when God intendeth too bee serued by men hee caryeth them not away to make them go too it by constreynt I meane his Prophetes and true seruantes for hee will serue his owne turne by the wicked whether they will or no â–ª but I speake heere of those to whome hee giueth his spirit of Prophecie whome hee maketh not to serue him without giuing them a good will to do it He coulde well speake by the mouth of Balaam and yet notwithstanding wee see that Balaam was still a deceyuer and the holy Ghost setteth him forth too his reproche and slaunder But as for Eliu God stirred him vp as his Prophete so as hee serued him with a good will that is to say he ouercame all lettes that might turne him away from mayntayning of the truth So then nowe adayes also when we see the truth oppressed so as some men mocke at vs and othersome go aboute to byte vs yea and too eate vs vp bycause wee maintein the truth let vs fight against such temptations for that is the inforcement which ought to sette vs forwarde Sometimes wee will bee ashamed to maynteyne a good quarell bycause wee see that men do but make a mocke at it and that the scoffers which scorne God will also be so malapert as to bleare out theyr tongues at vs and to laugh all our allegations to scorne But gods truth muste not bee despisable vnto vs though the worlde reiect it Then let not these temptations withholde vs from fighting valiantly agaynst them but if wee see our selues readie to be hated and that men practise mischeefs against vs for mainteyning good quarelles let vs not giue them ouer for all that True it is that that were ynough to draw vs backe and to stoppe our mouth neuerthelesse it behoueth vs to fight agaynst such temptations after the example of Eliu Ye see then how Gods seruants ought too bee fully resolued not too swarue from confessing the truth when neede requireth And finally Eliu sayth that there shall be no accepting of persons with him and that he will not vse any flatterie bycause that if he should sooth men he cannot tell whether his maker would destroy him Eliu meeneth to say in effect that he will not be brideled by the authoritie of man that hee shoulde not speake freely when it commeth to the mainteyning of Gods truth But this can not bee layde forth at length as nowe and therefore it is ynough for vs to haue Elius meening Surely it is not an euill thing nor vtterly to be condemned to call a man by an honourable tytle Howbeeit forasmuch as the same doth oftentymes hinder vs and abashe vs before hande so as wee haue not such libertie as were requisite to do our dutie in speaking plainly and flatly when we ought to doo it therefore dooth Eliu say that he will not giue tytles to men that is to say that he will not exaltmen so high but that the truth shall bee aboue them So then let vs beare in minde that although it be lawfull for vs to yeelde honour vnto men yea and that we ought to do it insomuch that we must honour not onely our superiours or equals but also our inferiours according as the scripture commaundeth vs yet notwithstanding whether it be toward our equalles or towarde our inferiours or towarde such as surmount vs in degree alwayes the truth must be preferred before men And although wee yeelde euerie man the honour that belongeth to him and which hee deserueth yet let vs not ceasse to speake alwayes freely without accepting of persones according as wee knowe that when we speake in Gods name hee will haue vs to do it without feigning â–ª Then if we intende to honour God as is meete and as he deserueth it behoueth vs to vtter our wordes freely when we speake to men and as I sayde that will bee no impeachment of yeelding euerie man his due honour For yet for all that wee must not haue our mouthes shet but euerie of vs must follow his owne calling and when it commeth to our turne to speake we must speake truth Ye see then what we haue to beare away in this last saying of Elius to the ende that such as beare office in the common weale shoulde speake freely as they ought too do and that euerie of vs although all haue not the office of teaching and pronouncing sentence publikely shoulde neuerthelesse confesse the truth freely when it is requyred at our handes assuring our selues that God accepteth it as a sacrifice of honour done vnto him And that wee do so it is not onely a keeping of the rule that is giuen vs but also an honouring and exalting him aboue all creatures Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them better than wee haue done and that for the bringing thereof to passe wee may not presume aught of our selues knowing well that we cannot open our mouth except hee guide and gouerne vs by his holy spirite and therefore that it may please him too instruct vs in such wise as wee may haue our mouth open too speake when neede requireth and that wee may not followe our owne affections and lustes in speaking but that all our life may be agreeable therevnto and bee bestowed
them But contrarywise Gods will is that we shoulde haue both skill and discretion that we be not abused and seduced by the false doctrines that men shall bring vs How shall that be done Truely we must not presume to iudge of Gods truth according to our owne wit and fancie But we must rather captiue all our reason and vnderstanding as the Scripture sheweth vs Neuerthelesse wee must therewithall pray God to giue vs discretion to discerne whether that the thing that is set before vs be good and right or no. And furthermore let vs with al lowlinesse desire to be gouerned by him and to be vnder his hande assuring our selues that by that meanes wee shall knowe whether there be any right in the matter that is told vs or no. Also it is the thing that our Lorde Iesus Christ alledgeth when he will haue vs to receyue his sayings I seeke not mine owne glorie sayth he but the glorie of him that sent mee Therefore it behoueth vs alwayes too searche to what ende the man tendeth that speaketh vnto vs For if wee see that the marke whiche hee shooteth at is that God shoulde be glorified and reigne ouer all men there must bee no more disputing agaynst him but wee must rest fully there But on the contrarie part if his doctrine tende to the defacing of Gods glorie too the turning of vs from his seruice or too the aduauncing of ambition and vanitie so as it builde vs not vp to bee the true Temples of God or if it grounde vs not vppon God too remitte our selues wholly vntoo him too call vppon him purely and to rest our selues vpon his grace and fatherly goodnesse Then doo wee see that there is no rightnesse in it True it is that we shoulde bee fore combred in that cace if God had not first of all shewed vs what maner of one this rightnesse is but if wee haue once the principles that hee hathe gyuen vs wee can neuer swarue vnlesse it bee long of our selues Beholde God telleth vs that hee will bee exalted and haue men too acknowledge that all goodnesse commeth of him Againe he will also haue all Lordeship and power ouer our life and therin holde vs so in awe as we may be gouerned by him and according to his good will he will haue men to be vtterly abaced and bereft of the trust of their owne rightuousnesse wisdome and strength he will haue vs to come and draw water in our Lord Iesus Christ as in the fountaine of all goodnesse hee will haue vs to call vpon him purely and he will haue the Sacraments which he hath ordeyned to be receiued as warrants of his grace and as meanes and helpes to further vs to serue him with so much the more free and earnest hart These are the things wherein there can be no glose nor any darknesse or difficultie So then let vs always haue this touchstone with vs when we come to the trying of any doctrine And then shall we perceyue whether it be right or wrong true or false pure or corrupted mingled or according to the true rightnesse which God hath shewed vs I say wee neede not to bee wrapped any more in doubts in this behalfe onely let vs open our eyes and therewithall pray God to guide vs by his holy spirit for without that we shall alwayes wander and not be able to discerne so much as little children according as S. Paul saith Gods spirit must be as a cresset to giue vs light or else we shall neuer comprehend Gods secrets They are spirituall and we of our nature are fleshly and earthly and we alwayes beare downwarde But if God inlighten vs by his holy spirit then do wee iudge of the doctrine and discerne in such wise as we cannot be deceyued by all Satans temptations And although he send vs deceiuers rayse vp many turmoilers that labour to turne all things vpside downe yet cannot that preuaile any thing against vs so long as Gods spirit is our light as I haue sayde alreadie Furthermore although God do sometimes speake by the mouthes of the wicked according as it is sayde that the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ shal be furthered now and then by occasion so as the hypocrits or folk that haue no feare of God but are led with vainglorie and other vanities shall serue for a time and God will make their doctrine auailable to the saluation of his chosen howbeit that it be to the greater cōdemnation of themselues although say I that this may now and then come to passe yet notwithstanding it is not the ordinarie meane For when it pleaseth God to haue vs edifyed in him immediately hee rayseth vp men that speake hartily and zealously yea and he giueth such a marke to the worde that commeth out of their mouth as men may knowe the working of the holy Ghost according as also Saint Paule sayeth And heere yee see that such as are in office to preache Gods worde ought so much the better too practise that whiche I haue sayde that is too witte too learne well themselues before they teach others so as their heart may speake before their mouth For the bringing hereof too passe let them pray God so to touch them too the quicke as they may haue the woorde well rooted in theyr mindes that they may be able both to serue their neighbours and too perceyue that they thrust not forth themselues at aduenture but that they are drawne by the holy Ghost Ye see then what wee haue to remember in this streyne Nowe in the seconde place Eliu protesteth that hee is a transitorie and frayle man so that hee cannot make Iob afrayed Neuerthelesse will he not winne any thing at his hand but by reason and truth Before wee come to the cheefe poynt by the way wee haue to marke the maner of speache that is vsed here which is that the spirit of God hath created him and that the breath of the Almightie hath giuen him life and further that hee is but myre and clay Truely this is well worthie to bee noted of all men For if we could beare well in minde that which is shewed heere vndoubtedly all pride would be buried in vs For what is the cause that men do glory so much in themselues and are so full of ouerweening but first for that they knowe not theyr owne originall beginning and secondly for that they haue not the skill to consider in good earnest that looke whatsoeuer they haue they hold it of God and that it is no heritage vnto them but that they haue their life all the appurtenances therof bicause it pleaseth God to preserue them Then if men could first consider from whence they come and secondly that whatsoeuer goodnesse is in them they hold it of gods mere grace it is certain that they should be rightly meekned Therfore it is sayd that we are fashioned of myre and clay Now let vs go boast our selues and make
howbeeit these are but fleing confessions houering in the ayre and we shall fare neuer the better by thē if we go no further VVhat is to be done then it behoueth vs to apply these miracles of God to our own vse that it may come to our remēbrance after what sort god shold be great namely to the end we may be wholly giuē to obey him that whatsoeuer he do we may thinke it to be good that how soeuer he dispose of vs we may agree vnto it acknowlege him to be rightuous that although he tosse vs to fro wee may alwaies stande stedfast in beleefe that he sendeth vs not any thing which is not rightful Ye see thē that the acknowledging of this greatnes of God is by graūting him to do with vs what he thinketh good not only with vs but generally with all creatures Now we know what it is to cōfesse that God is almighty at leastwise earnestly and vnfainedly But yet shal men neuer yeeld thēselues to the obeying of God nor neuer giue him the glory that he deserueth but by knowing what they thēselues are what God is VVhē we haue made this cōparison perceyued that we are nothing that God surmounteth all that we cā thinke that he hath an infinite glory in himself I say when we know this then shal we haue no more the vaine trust to exalt ourselues nother shal we any more play the wild coltes as we were wont to do but we shall learne to graūt God an infinite greatnesse to know that we ourselues are nothing And for the better expressing heereof Eliu addeth that God answerēth not all words This importeth a great substance For Eliu intendeth to shew vs that we cānot cōprehend al things as now bicause God listeth not to reuele thē vnto vs This is in effect the thing which he ment And it behoueth vs to marke that God manifesteth himself vnto vs in part to the end we should not be left vntaught in the things that are good expedient for vs Neuerthelesse he knoweth our capacitie according thervnto reueleth his wil vnto vs reseruing in the meane whyle vnto himselfe the things that we could not cōprehend bicause they passe our vnderstāding If we beare this lesson in minde wee shall haue profited well for one day Behold God hath taken vpō him the charge and office to teach vs and therefore we must not be negligent in hearing seing that he is so gracious to vs as to be our master let vs in any wise be his schollers and giue diligent heede to that which he sayeth Howbeit let vs marke therwithall that whē he executeth the office of a scholemaster towards vs it is not to open vnto vs all things that we wold doubt of or wherof we would be inquisitiue VVhat thē The things that hee knoweth to be for our edifying that is to say which he knoweth to be for our behoofe And so it behoueth vs to mark three things One is that we must haue our eares opē to receiue the doctrine that God teacheth vs and not be as brute beasts when he doth vs that honour but apply our indeuer to profite vnder him Thus ye see the first poynt VVe muste not do as the wretched Papists do which would know nothing O say they it is a daungerous matter to inquire of Gods secrets It is true that we must come to it with lowlinesse reuerence but ought wee therefore to haue our eares stopped or deafe whē God speaketh to vs So then let vs alwaies learne to be ready and willing to receyue whatsoeuer is sayde or set forth vnto vs in the name of god Thus muche cōcerning the first point Secōdly let vs mark that God wil not shew vs all things as now but we must content our selues with that which S. Paule sayeth in the first to the Corinthians that is to wit that as now we know in parte and see as it were in a glasse and darkely for as yet we be not come to the day of the full reuelatiō For although the Gospell be called the brightnesse of the noone day yet notwithstanding the same is referred to our measure God inlighteneth vs there sufficiētly we see his face in our Lord Iesus Christ we behold it to be transfigured into the same but howsoeuer the worlde go wee see not that whiche is prepared against the latter day It behoueth vs to increase cōtinually in fayth but faith presupposeth that the things are yet hiddē according as we haue the measure of fayth as the Scripture sayeth If we haue it in measure then is it not in perfection Thus yee see howe we haue to beare in minde that the faithfull during this present lyfe ought to content themselues with some taste of Gods will and to know some portion of it but not all of it For if wee haue fond desire to say I will know all things be ignorant of nothing that were a mad wisedome and it were muche better for vs to bee starke fooles Therefore let vs marke that the faithfull must cōtent themselues with that which is reueled vnto them and that is a far greater and better wisedome than to be inquisitiue of all things without exception Marke that for the second point And the third is that Gods holding of vs at that point is not for that he is niggardly to shewe vs his will any further but bicause he knoweth what is conuenient for vs And therefore let vs marke well that God teacheth vs for oure edification VVhat then is the measure of fayth what is the doctrine of the holy scripture It is the rule which god knoweth to be expedient for our saluatiō and men neede not to cōplaine if they may know the things that are conteyned in the holie Scripture and haue them declared vntoo them dayly in Sermons if men know that they neede not to cōplayne as though they had not vnderstanding ynough For looke whatsoeuer is good and conuenient for vs our Lorde hath declared it vnto vs So then sith wee see that God hath cōmaunded his worde to be brought vnto vs and would not hide any thing frō vs which might bee for our saluation we haue so much the more thankes to giue him for disclosing himselfe so familiarly vnto vs and we haue wherwith to cōtent our selues rather than to be curious as wee see many are which be desirous to bee searching out of measure And the Papistes also haue had the same so as on the one side they sayde O we must not bee inquisitiue of Gods secrets vnder that colour they reiected al the holy scripture on the other side they had a foolish curiositie in seeking things that apperteyned not vnto them and they were full of fond dotages too say what is such a thing And howe is suche a thing done To be short nothing contented them insomuch as the whole holy Scripture was no better vnto them thā
disposeth of all his creatures he holdeth all things in his hand and nothing happeneth in this worlde by chaunce but all things according to his will. This doctrine is gyuen vs in the holy Scripture and it behooueth vs to receyue it without gaynsaying Nowe then if wee inquire howe and why and woulde that God whensoeuer hee worketh shoulde yeelde vs a reason of his doings and would enter into disputation to checke agaynst him we passe our boundes as we see these toades do which are full of poyson and spewe out their blasphemies agaynst the prouidence of God saying If God dispose all things then is he the author of sinne then is euil to bee fathered vpon him Lo heere a cursed thing For it behoueth vs to holde our selues within the cōpasse which the holy Scripture gyueth vs and bycause wee perceyue not the reason why God doth all things and therefore do thinke them straunge it behooueth vs to stay there like as also when the holie Scripture sayeth that God choze whome it pleased him before the making of the worlde ▪ and forsoke the rest it is good reason that we should receiue it with all reuerence and acknowledge that our saluatiō proceedeth of the free goodnes of our God forasmuch as he hath chozen vs out of that forlorne damned lumpe Furthermore if vpon this sayd poynt we fall to flittering into ouer high speculations we shall be confounded by it and that rightly VVhy so For therein we woulde know more than God hath graunted vs and that were asmuch as to fight agaynst him And thinke we that such an outrage shal scape vnpunished Thus ye see howe we ought to practize this sentence where it is sayde that God shall speake once or twyce without being heard that is to say without beeing vnderstoode bicause the wit of man is to weake But now let vs come to that which Eliu addeth He sayeth that when men bee layde downe to sleepe and are at rest and asleepe God speaketh and openeth their eares of purpose to withdraw them from their owne workes and to tame or hyde the pryde which is in men that is to say to caste it downe and to burie it or else too seeke his discipline or instruction in chastizing them If hee see them hardeharted and that they receyue not the playne doctrine or instruction whiche he giueth them then is hee fayne to stryke vpon them and to tame them with his roddes and to inforce them to be taught in his truth This is in effect the thing which is treated of here Truly Eliu speaketh of his owne time for I haue tolde you already that hee was not of that people whiche God had chozen to communicate his lawe vnto For if that hee and those whome wee haue hearde speake and Iob himselfe were after the tyme of Moyses which thing is vncertayne yet were they strangers from the Church of God the knowledge which they had was giuen them by an extraordinary manner in asmuch as it pleased God to inspyre them And this is the cause why hee sayeth that God inspyreth men euen by dreames and that when they are asleepe God doth as it were plucke them by the eare and gyue them warning to thinke vppon him True it is that God inspireth vs also and although we heare his worde to our instruction and haue his holy Scripture to reade yet doth hee not ceasse to warne vs still and to giue vs many heartbitings which are as manye summoning too call vs backe too himselfe when we are gone astray For we see howe men bury the sayde knowledge and secke by all meanes to forget God but God commeth to search within vs Therefore when we feele any prickings and thoughts that stirre vs vp let vs vnderstande that God putteth vs in remembraunce of himselfe bycause wee be inclined to forget him and to become as it were brutishe Specially in the nyghtetyme when we be alone and our wittes gathered to vs that we wander not heere and there then if there come deepe thoughts that wey with vs so farre as euen to make vs to sweate or tremble or els if we bee in such disquietnesse of mind as though we were vpō a racke it is God that worketh in that cace and he summoneth vs bicause he seeth that we are as it were fugitiues like a yong boy that leaueth his fathers house runneth abroade blowing a feather in the winde God then seing vs run so astray calleth vs home by visions in the night True it is that they shall not be suche as Eliu Iob Eliphas and the others had And why for we haue the help which they wanted that is to wit the word of God which is preached to vs and we do heare it Thus doth God reuele himselfe vnto vs bicause we haue his law his Prophets his Gospell in our hāds our eares are cōtinually beaten with the doctrine that he hath willed to be preached vnto vs and therefore we mustnot looke to be taught after the maner of those that had nother scripture nor preaching Yet neuerthelesse we see that God woorketh now and then after that sort with some men But to be shorte we haue to marke heere that although God sende vs not suche visions as the auncient fathers had we must not be discōtented nor grudge at it For that were to great an vnthākfulnesse bycause it hath pleased God to cōmunicate himselfe vnto vs by an other meane which is fitter for vs There are some curious folk which demaunde why God appeareth not from heauē as he did in times paste why the thing is not perfourmed which he spake by Moyses namely that he would speake to prophets in visiōs figures dreames It is bicause that at this day we haue his will fully reueled vnto vs VVere it not a superfluous thing that God should appeare vnto vs as he did in former times seeing he hath giuen vs another meane and that if we despyse not his woorde which we haue in our handes we be sufficiently fully and perfectly instructed there So then let vs learne to bee contented with this fashion which God hath ordeyned to instruct vs by And further let vs note that his appearing by visions vnto the aūcient fathers was bicause they had not as yet the lawe written or else his appearing vntoo the Prophetes was bicause it was needefull too haue a larger declaration of the things that were yet darke But nowe that Gods truthe is cleare and manifest ynough it behoueth vs to take the visions of the times paste for a confirmation of our fayth knowing that they sprang out of the same fountayne And therfore let vs walke in the simplicitie whiche God willeth vs to holde Marke that for one poynt And for the second let vs cōsider Gods goodnesse in that after he hath giuē vs his worde in writing raysed vp men to expound it he still toucheth vs stirreth vs vp inwardly by his holy spirite giuing vs
to kepe them from stumbling into a deadly fal but that God do hold them back by afflictions And so ye see that the cause why wâ—e fall not intoo the graue is that God afflicteth vs But therewithall Eliu sheweth vs howe harshe this medicine is in that hee sayeth that it consumeth oure fleshe so as wee haue no more the shape of man but are like vntoo deade men that are taken out of the earthe and oure bones doe clatter without and wee can not so much as take breathe but are in continuall tormente so as wee haue no release but God persecuteth vs with such extremitie as we can no more Thus he sheweth that God can not at the first blowe winne that thing at mennes hande which were to be desired that is to wit that they should knowe themselues wretched and full of infirmities and there vpon stoup vnto him but that they must be faine to be ouercom with strong hand and continual torments or else they will neuer yeelde and submit them selues vnto him Behold the two poyntes which wee haue to marke And as touching the firste let vs learne to beare our afflictions patiently sith wee see that they serue vs for medicines and salues Is it a small thing for vs to bee drawne out of the graue These wordes concerne not onely the bodily death whiche passeth awaye but also by a similitude the euerlasting damnation is termed heere a graue or a pit Then are we readie to fall not to breake our armes or our legges no nor only to breake our neckes but also to perishe for euer and to be wiped out of the booke of life and to be cut off from the kingdome of heauen Lo to what state our pride bringeth vs For so long as we flicker after that sorte in the ayre and thinke wee haue anye strength of our selues and build thervpon after our own fancie I say so long as we be possessed with suche foolishe presumtioÌ„ we are always ready to stumble and to perish But God hauing pitie on vs sendeth such remedie as he knoweth to be conuenient which is that he afflicteth vs and beateth vs with his roddes If we grudge and can not be pacient when God doth so chastise vs Is it not an extreme vnthankfulnesse not to suffer God to remedie our destruction to draw vs froÌ„ it So then let vs mark well that here the holy ghost ment to make gods chasticemeÌ„ts sweet and amiable to vs to the end we should beare them â–ª quietly when they be sent vs Marke that for one poynt Verely this will seeme straunge too fleshely reason For oure fleshely reason will saye coulde God prouide no better meane for oure welfare than by tormenting vs after that sort Behoued it him to sende vs to death that he might call vs vnto life Surely it is an incredible manner of proceeding if a man debate it according too his owne reason and he will thinke it but a foolishnesse that God shoulde kill vs in pardoning vs For what are afflictions Signes of his wrath and wee knowe that all diseases are the messengers of death and that all the sorrowes whiche we conceiue are drownings of vs But our Lord sendeth vs sorrows sicknesses and tormentes and holdeth vs in them as vpon the racke till we can no more and till wee faynte in suche wise as our life draweth to the graue For these words concerne not the small afflictions where with we are accustomed but they concern Gods sending of vs to so great extremitie as there remayneth no more hope in vs And how is that must God cast vs into the bottome of death to the end to drawe vs out againe But so worketh he and we must not pleade against him for we shall alwayes haue the worse end of the staf And out of doubt that is the cause why the holy scripture sayeth that it is his ordinarie maner to kil before he quicken and to bring to the graue before he raise to life Then let vs vnderstaÌ„d that God intendeth heere to exercise oure obedience by trying vs to the vttermost so as wee can indure no more no nor so much as drawe our breath but seeme to bee vtterly choked Therefore when our Lorde bringeth vs to that point it is to the end to know whether we be wholly his and whether wee can abyde to be gouerned by his hand or no. Howsoeuer the world go â–ª when we be tempted in our troubles and greefes let this sentence come to our mynde to comfort vs withall behold it is sayde that God in bringing men to their graue intendeth to drawe them out againe and that in consuming their fleshe hee mindeth to restore it again and that in tormenting them with extremitie hee purposeth to comfort them and too bring them to rest Seeing it is so let vs take hold of this comfort and let it suffize vs to assuage all our sorrowes let vs not be out of hart although it seeme that we be vtterly forlorne let vs alwayes passe further and further in the strength of this doctrine and let vs learne to raise vp our selues by it euen when wee bee cast downe into hell Thus ye see what we haue to beare in mynde And afterwarde when Eliu maketh so long a description of Gods chastizements it is to shew vs how dreadfull his wrath is And this also is a very profitable lesson for vs For which of vs thinketh of the greatnes of Gods wrath as it is spoken of the holy scripture It is sayd in the song of Moyses who knoweth the greatnesse of thy wrath And vndoubtedly although Gods wrath bee a fire that consumeth all things yet notwithstanding we thinke not vpon it but ouerpasse it It is tolde vs in Sermons and we reade goodly texts of it but we are not touched with it nother doth any maÌ„ rest vpon it For as much then as we make no accouÌ„t of Gods iustice and take it to be but as a sport we ought to marke wel the counsell that is giuen vs by the holy ghost like as in this text it is saide tha God breaketh mens bones that is to say vseth so great violence as there remaineth no strength at al in them vnconsumed Their flesh wasteth and consumeth away so as there remaineth but an image of death and a man is so continually tormented as he is like a deade man It is not without cause that all this is set afore vs but it is too the ende to waken vs and that when God vttereth his iudgementes against vs to make vs feele our sinnes we should the better be thinke vs that those tormentes are more terrible than can be expressed According also as wee see howe the holie scripture vseth many comparisons in that behalfe VVhy doth it likeÌ„ God to a Lion that breketh and brozeth things with his teeth and plucketh them in peeces with his pawes It is not to attribute such a crueltie vnto God as is not coÌ„uenient for him but
walking after the worlde wee become worse and worse and euerie man draweth his neighbors vnto euill and he himself foloweth them as fast too Is it not a peruerting of all order Then there remayneth nothing for vs but too gather vs vnto God and to frame our selues wholy vnto him It is sayd that Enock walked with god And why Bicause he was not peruerted and although the whole worlde was at that time as corrupt as might be yet notwithstanding Enock continued vncorrupted And wherof came that Bicause hee gathered his wits to him and gaue not himselfe the bridle to deale disorderly but although iniquitie was as a water floud vpon the earth yet he knew that it behoued him to walk as in the presence of god Furthermore this importeth also that wee must not regarde too haue some fayre shewes as many do which thinke it ynough to be praysed of men to absteyn from euill to the worldward and that if they haue cleare handes to outward sight it is ynough for them But it is nothing worth except wee haue our hart pure before god And therfore let vs marke well that when the holy Scripture speaketh of walking before God it meeneth that it is too no purpose too haue framed our outwarde lyfe in such sort as our vices may not appeare but that oure consciences also must agree therewithall so as we bee cleane rid from all wicked and frowarde affections Thirdly our walking before God must bee to frame oure selues wholy too his lawe For if our lyfe bee allowed of men and that wee flatter ourselues with our good intents what is it Nothing according as wee see in the Popedome that suche as imagine themselues to be most deuoute thinke that God is verie muche in their dette but yet for all that bycause they despise the holy Scripture and leane too theyr owne inuentions whiche they haue buylded at aduenture all is but trash and filthinesse And therefore let vs marke that if wee will liue well and haue a right and certaine rule it behoueth vs to walke with God that is to say too walke vprightly we must frame both our thoughts our deeds vnto his cōmandements not vnto mens deuices nor to our owne imaginations Thus much concerning this saying Now let vs come to the principall poynt Howe is it ment that Iob shoulde say that it shall stande a man in no stead to haue walked with God It is bicause he was as it were astraught in his torments and knewe not that God assisted him for that hee had serued him and conformed and ruled his life in all rightuousnesse True it is that Iob knew generally that God was rightuous that we must not esteeme or measure his rightuousnesse by the present state of the worlde and the things that are seene with our eies For ye see also that the controuersie which he had against his friends was that the good men are afflicted and troubled in this worlde and that the wicked doo prosper and so that God hath a higher iudgement whiche hee reserueth to himselfe and therefore that wee must not restraine our vnderstanding to the things that wee see presently nor thinke that God doth in this worlde render euery man that whiche is prepared for him for it were too much brutishnesse to haue any such thought Iob thē hath discussed this cace alreadie But what for that In the meane while hee ceassed not to be as it were dazeled whē he came to thinke vpon his afflictions Hee was so caried away that he asked where am I VVhat haue I woon by giuing my selfe so to the obeying of God Forasmuch thē as Iob was so dismayd started aside he is iustly vpbrayded with the vttering of this blasphemie that it shall not boot a man to haue walked before god And hereby wee be warned to bridle our selues whē we behold the things that are done in this world and not to fall into imagination to say why doth God dissemble thus VVhy doth he suffer his Church to be turmoyled so VVhy are there so great outrages done I say let vs bridle our selues short And why for if we do but imagine that any of these things are straunge it is asmuch as if we blasphemed god True it is that our Lord imputeth not that blasphemie vnto vs howbeit that is of his own goodnesse neuertheles we are guiltie of it And here in the person of Iob the holy ghost reproueth vs to the ende we shoulde mislike of such blasphemie and abhorre it and that as soone as their cōmeth any euill imagination in our thought we should put it away knowing that the same woulde leade vs too a greater blasphemie if God withhilde vs not Furthermore let vs marke that it behoueth vs to be so much the warer in that behalfe bycause we see that Gods seruants haue beene so tossed with that tempest True it is that when Ieremie asketh why the wicked prosper why God fauoreth them as it seemeth he protesteth that god is rightuous that his iudgements are rightful and he vseth this preface for a bridle Lord sayth he I know that thou art rightuous but yet for all that he escapeth not vnshaken VVee see what Abacuk sayeth in the same respect Abacuk doth the like therin he sheweth that he was restrayned with the feare reuerence of God but yet was he troubled in his mind Dauid cōfesseth that there hapned much more vnto him For we see how he said then haue I washed my handes in vaine my giuing of my self to all rightuousnesse my indeuering to serue God hath beene but lost time Seeing that Dauid came to that poynt I pray you what shall wee looke for And so it is true that he reproueth himselfe and therewithall confesseth that his foote was vpon yee so as he was readie to fall And afterwarde he addeth Lorde I am a beast I am no more a man nor worthie to bee called a reasonable creature but am become vtterly brutishe like an Asse or an Horse and therefore Lorde thou must holde me with strong hande or else I am vndone Seeing that Dauid confesseth that hee was not exempted from suche temptations I pray you how shall we do as I saide afore And this is the cause also why Esay vttereth this saying say ye there is a rewarde for the rightuous not as a common saying but as a singular one He exhorteth the faithfull to cōclude and fully to resolue themselues that there is a reward for the rightuous that is to say that they shall not lose their labor in seruing god This seemeth to bee a common saying and yet notwithstanding the Prophete Esay maketh a singular one of it And the reason is bicause things are out of order in the worlde as they shal be at all tymes and therefore the faythfull are to their owne vnderstanding vtterly dismayed saying why dooth God afflict vs with such rigour VVe bee readie too murmur immediately yea and wee shoulde
It followeth when God giueth rest who shall make trouble and when he hideth his face who shall see it as well vpon a man as vpon a nation Here Eliu ment to represse in Iobs person all the quarels that wee make against god For wee would controll him in all his doings yea and wee woulde couenaunt with him that hee should gouerne vs after our owne liking Truely we will not say so but yet in the meane while it is seene that we haue that pryde in vs VVhat man is there which could not finde in his heart to abace the maiestie of God to the ende that things might fall out to his owne liking If wee be discontented when God doth otherwise than we wold wish it is as much as if we would put a barre before him to say I intend not that this thing shall go so Ye see then why it is nowe sayd if God giue rest who can make trouble And if he hide his countenaunce who can see it Nowe this rest that God giueth is of diuers sortes For the faithfull haue the rest whereof the Scripture speaketh which is that they leane vnto God and put their trust in his goodnesse and doubt not but that he gouerneth them Heerevpon they may sleepe at their ease according as the Prophet speaking thereof sayeth that euerie man shall sleepe vnder his figge tree and vnder his vine when hee is so in Gods custodie and that we shall knowe it And this peace is the verie frute of faith as the holie Scripture sayth Yee se then that the cheefe rest which men haue or can inioy is to commit themselues to Gods prouidence and that in respecte of his fatherly care ouer them they can say my God I commit my life vnto thee it is in thy hand order it thou at thy pleasure and I in the meane time will kepe on my course Marke this for one point But besides this also there is another rest For God doth spare the wicked outwardly although he beat them within so as their consciences do alwayes gnawe them according as it is said in the Prophet Esay For although it be sayd there that their thoughts be like waues beating one against another yea and as a sinke that is filthy within bicause that vnbeleefe must alwayes bring vnquietnesse yet notwithstanding God casteth them into a sleepe bycause hee doth not punishe them oute of hande So then it is sayde that if God giue rest who shal make trouble Hereby it is shewed vs that when God deferreth and prolongeth the punishment of the wicked wee must not be ouerhastie For wee shall gaine nothing if we pleade against God and say why doth he not punishe the offenders out of hande That were as much as to trouble those whome God will haue to be at rest And therefore let vs learne to submit our selues paciently to Gods will and to beware that wee runne not a heade after that sort For it is sayd that it becommeth not anye mortall creature too make trouble where God will haue quietnesse And therewithall let vs vnderstand that it is to no purpose to haue bodily prosperitie except wee haue Gods fauoure with it that the feeling thereof maye make vs quiet in our heartes Againe if we haue not that quietnesse let vs vnderstand that it belongeth to God to giue it vs For if peace and wâ—r be in his hand and that he can giue trouble and quietnesse when he listeth in the traÌ„sitorie state of this world much more hath he the spirituall rest which is far greater and excellenter Then let vs consider that it lyeth not in vs to quiet oure selues when wee bee in trouble but wee muste resorte vntoo God for it is a singular and inestimable treasure that commeth from him too holde vs so in quiet as wee may alwayes in the middest of the turmoyles of this worlde abyde still vpon our feete and that being tossed as it were with great stormes and tempestes yet neuerthelesse wee may haue our anker fastned in him to hold still our owne This say I is as a singular priuiledge that God giueth to his children So then are we combred are we full of anguishe trouble and perplexitie what is to bee done let vs take vs to this settlednesse knowing that it abideth within vs True it is that we must alwayes seke the means that God offereth vs to keepe vs to it and to indeuer to attaine it but howsoeuer the world go let vs fully resolue vs of this that it is onely Gods office to quiet vs and to deliuer vs from al vnquietnesse This is the thing which we haue to marke And further although the faithfull haue this sayde peace so as they bee quiet in the midst of their afflictions and of all the miseries of this world yea and that they betake them selues vnto God when they be tempted with distrust yet is this no let but that their life is subiecte to much vnquietnesse Therefore let vs not storme thoughe it please God to turmoyle vs For it is not sayde that hee will so handle vs in this worlde as that wee must not bee tossed too and fro but yet for all that wee must hold our selues fast as we bee not vtterly shaken downe with temptations Lo what wee haue to remember in this sentence On the contrarie part it is sayde If God hide his face who can see him Heerein wee are warned that it is not for vs too searche too farre aforehande what God doth but that wee must content our selues with the knowledge of that which hee sheweth vs VVhat is this face or countenaunce of God It is not a shape like vnto a mans visage whiche hath nose eyes and mouth but the face of God is the record which he giueth vs when we knowe his wil. God therefore sheweth vs his face when hee telleth vs why hee doth this thing or that and it is all one as if wee sawe him before oure eyes Contrariwise hee hideth his face from vs when he afflicteth vs when thinges seeme straunge too vs and when wee knowe no reason why hee worketh after that sorte Therefore when God holdeth vs so in ignorance it is a hiding of his face from vs And let vs marke well how it is sayd that we may well straine our selues to see him but wee shall neuer attayne too it Then is it a Diuelish presumption when men doe so enter into disputation of Gods workes storming and chasing if God do things otherwise than they thinke good desiring to frame him to their will euen as though they woulde looke vpon him whither hee will or no when hee hydeth himselfe or as thoughe they would pull him downe too them And may they bring that to passe No what is to bee done then that wee may take profite of this saying Truely this lesson deserueth to bee layde foorth more at large Howbeeit as at this time to the intent the matter be not broken of let vs marke that whensoeuer it
Do we not deface his glory and maiestie asmuch as we can Therefore this knowledge which wee weene to haue shall make vs the more guiltie bicause our vnthankfulnesse be wrayeth it self therein But howsoeuer the world go let vs alwaies beare in minde that euen in the basest things there is an incomprehensible wisdome of god VVe will perchaunce say that this is knowne both to great and small but if we come once to the souerayne cause it will bee found that euen the wizest of vs are to seeke in that behalfe and the more that they would shew the finenesse of their wit the more will God be auendged of their pryde according also as it is good reason that he shoulde make vs perceyue how wonderfull his woorkes are and that when we haue any knowledge of them the same is but in parte thereafter as it pleaseth him to deale it vnto vs and that as hath bene sayd he alwayes reserueth stil some part to himself in somuch that he keepeth the causes of things hidden and secrete in his owne minde whereinto it is not for vs to presume to enter as now And it is a goodly lesson to know how to put a difference after that maner betweene the things that God reueleth vnto vs and the things that he keepeth to himselfe according also as Moyses speaketh thereof Our God sayeth he keepeth his secrets to himselfe and the things that are reueled belong to vs and to our children according as it is coÌ„teyned in the law True it is that there Moyses speaketh of the lawe that was published as if he had sayde let vs bethinke our selues for God hath graunted vs a singular benefite in vouchsafing too shewe vs his will and in gyuing vs peculiar instruction howe to walke in his commaundements Therefore let vs receyue this record let vs suffer God to schole vs and let vs be good scholers to him and in the meane whyle let vs let him alone with his secretes that is to say lette vs hold vs contented with the doctrine that he hath set downe vnto vs let that bee our meeteyard and lette vs passe no further VVhy so For our Lordes secretes sayeth he belong to himself and the things that he reueleth belong vnto vs and no more By the way wee may apply this text to that which is sette downe here VVhy so â–ª For we see what God sheweth vs in the order of nature Howbeit but in small porcion for he intendeth to holde vs alwayes shorte â–ª and to shewe vs that wee bee too dull and simplewitted to mount so high as to know Gods secrets So then let vs learne to take this instructioÌ„ which God giueth vs and to profit our selues by it and let vs go no further This is a very necessarie admonition considering on the one side the rechlesnesse and on the otherside the fond presumptuousnesse that is in men For if God hyde his secretes from vs it should seeme that we would go about to know them whither he will or no. Is it not apparant howe desirous and eager menne are to knowe things that are not reueled vnto them O say they I would fayne know this and I woulde fayne knowe that â–ª and therewithall they streyne themselues to enter into discourse Of what things Of the things that are concealed from them in the holy Scripture Lo how menne haue alwayes ouer labored theÌ„selues to knowe the things that God ment not to teache them bycause he knoweth that it is not good for them VVee see then the madde presumptuousnesse that is in men to be desirous to conceyue in their brayne the things that are not graunted to them and to enter into Gods secretes whither he will or no. Againe on the otherside they be as retchlesse to take holde of the things that God teacheth vs God declareth vs his will so farforth as is for our behoof he chaweth our meate to vs to the inteÌ„t we might swallow it downe the easlier bicause he knoweth vs to be but weaklings he teacheth vs familiarly according to our owne nature Verely the holy scripture is as plain a discouerie of things as can be â–ª the good will of God appeereth there outright and if wee applied our mindes therevnto we should finde all things there whiche are requisite for our welfare For there God applieth himselfe to our rudenesse hee talketh familiarly with vs yea and he lispeth after a sorte as a nurce would do with hir little babes But yet are not wee carefull to profite our selues by folowing him And therefore seing wee be so rechlesse and negligent to profite by the holy scripture yet in the meane while be so curious inquisitiue or rather so foolish madbraynd as to couet to know more thaÌ„ is meete for vs let vs beare in mind how Moyses telleth vs that our Lords secrets beloÌ„g to himself therfore that we must not be inquisitiue of the things whiche God listed not to discloze vnto vs but be contented to be taught here by the meane that he hath ordeyned and in the meane whyle let God alone with his secrets without assaying to reach aboue him and glorifie him knowing that we be not yet come to the perfection of beholding him face to face but that it behoueth vs first to be traÌ„sformed into his image which thing shall not be fully done till he haue ridde vs cleane of all our fleshly imperfections So then let vs remember in effect that when we haue tasted of Gods wisdome iustice and goodnesse in all his creatures wee muste conclude that we come not to the highest degree but fayle thereof in the middes of our way thereby let vs take warning to honour him and to submit our selues wholly to him Nowe after that mention hath bene made of the earth of the deepes â–ª of the waters of the snow of the rayne which moysteneth and of suche other things by and by here is speaking of the skie and of the starres Here our Lorde setteth downe the thing we haue seene before whiche is that in the order of the skies a man shall perceyue many recordes of his goodnesse and loue towardes vs and also many signes of his wrath when it pleaseth him to visite vs for our sinnes and to make vs feele that he is our iudge And for that cause it is sayd purposely Come on waâ—t thou borne when I created the Planets and the other Starres â—nd all the signes of heauen waâ—t thou there Or arte thou able to bid them go that they may go or canst thou restreyne the pleasantnesse of the Pleyades or canst thou vntie or vnknitte or loozen the handes of Oâ—ion Here are certayne of the celestiall signes named wherin the Hebrues them selues do not agree but yet notwithstanding a man may perceyue that the first worde which is set downe here betokeneth certayne starres that appeere in the springtime and bring a sweete rayne too open the earth and too make it yeelde frute For that