constreyned vs not so muche as it doth But what VVhen a man hath preached the woorde of God let him go abroade in the streates and marke what he seeth ech man do openly and it will be sene that euery man hath conspired against God and that fyre and water are not more contrarie than the common lyfe that we leade and the doctrine that is preached I will not say how reachlesse men are to heare But although they set a face vpon the matter and very ceremoniously pretende that God shall be honored and his word receyued yet it appeereth that it is but a playing of little children men do throughly mocke God in their common lyfe and doo nothing else but despyze his word VVe neede not to decyfer things by peecemeale what they be men see well ynough what they are and wee were too dulheaded if it grieued vs not too see God so ill obeyed among vs and so smally reuerenced at all mens handes specially seeing things are come too the shamefulnesse that Sophar speaketh of namely that not onely God is dishonored by whoredome by loocenesse of lyfe by blasphemie by robberies and by other such things which reigne and are not punished as they ought to bee but also euen when punishment is extended men can finde in theyr harts too mocke God and his Iustice I speake of that whyche I sawe yesterday with myne eyes If a strumpet bee put in prison shee must haue tartes caried hir too feast hir withall she must be locked vp for a countenauce and in the meane whyle shee must be presented with great Tartes â–ª And I pray you what a dealing is that If it had but onely bene tolde me or if it had but only bene â—oulted out yet could I not haue hild my peace at it But I saw it my selfe with myne owne eyes in somuch that it may seeme that God brought me to it and that the Diuell ment to make his triuÌ„phes on the other side So then no maruell though such as haue charge of the Lordes flocke to preache hys woorde do speake so roughly sith they see things so farre out of square that there is nother modestie nor honestie at all nor any ho and yet are we blameable before God for that we speake not the hundreth part which we ought to do considering that the disorder is so outrageous as we see VVherefore let vs marke well this sentence of Sophars where it is sayde that he could not holde his peâ—â—â— but was inforced to speake bicause hee was chafed wyth his reproch â–ª And why For wee must not suffer euill too haue such scope without setting our selues against it and without shewing of our selues to haue some zele of God for the maynteyning of his glory and truth But now let vs come to the generall matter that is layd foorth heere â–ª Hast not thou knowne the time of old sayeth Sophar eueÌ„ since God did set man vppon the earth how that the highnesse of the wicked is but of shorte time and that the ioy of hypocrites or transgressors shall not indure Hee taketh heere a principle that is good and true whiche is that if wee take the life of the despyzers of God to be happie wee be deceyued And why For their happinesse is but a dreame as he will adde in the similitude an on after True it is that most men wyll say that the wicked are vnhappie But what for that wee ouershoote ourselues for if wee see a man liue easily or in honour although his life bee not ruled according too Gods word yet notwithstanding we be rauished at it we thinke his state to be as good as can be wished and euery man will spite him Yea but in the meane whyle we knowe not that such as are so aduaunced are but Snayles as it is sayd in the Psalme And it is a comparison well worthy to be noted For Dauid sayeth that such as bee aduaunced in this world and haue no liuely roote settled in God are as Snayles They come creeping vp in one night and vanishe away out of hand Behold heere Snayles for all porredge But we haue no consideration of that wee leaue the principall poynt which is to looke vnto the end we haue not the pacience to say well God aduaunceth whome he wil but that is to breake the neckes of them with a greater and â—owler fall VVe can good skill of the wheele of fortune but wee cannot referre all thyngs to Gods prouidence to beholde hys workes and yeelde hym all praise So muche the more therefore haue wee neede to marke well this sentence that euer since God did set man vpon the earth it hath bin found by continuall experience that the highnesse of hypocrites is of late tyme and that their ioy shall indure for euer VVhen Sophar sayeth that this thing is too bee knowne by long experience and that it hath bene so euer since God created the worlde it is a saying of great weyght For if wee see but two or three examples of Gods Iustice ought wee not too bee touched ynough But heere is much more it is not in three or foure persones onely that God sheweth that hee will not leaue the wicked vnpunished hee sheweth it euery day he hath shewed it before we were borne and if wee pursue from age too age since the creation of the world wee shall see that God hath alwayes kepte the same rate Seeyng then that wee haue suche examples and so greate and of so long continuance that God hathe alwayes shewed himselfe a iudger of the wicked mennes prosperitie and made all things to turne too their confuzion and decay is it reason that wee shoulde yet still doubt of it VVherefore lette vs marke well this saying howe it importeth much truthe that is to say that at all times since men dwelt vppon the earth it hath bin Gods wyll that ther should alwayes be some recordes of his iudgements and therefore that wee must not bee so dull and blockish as not to consider the things that God hath done for our instruction Heerevppon wee ought too gather further that it is not ynough for vs too haue our eyes open too marke and vewe well the things that God dothe in oure owne life tyme but we must also profite in auncient hystories And verely heere we see why our Lordes will was that wee should haue some notable iudgementes lefte vs in wryting namely to the ende that the remembrance of them should remayne for euer Yea and wee muste not onely profite ourselues by the things that are conteyned in the holy Scripture but also when we heare the stories rehearced that were written by the Heathen men wee must haue the skill too apply Gods doings to our selues For there wee see how he hath executed his vengeance vpon all such as were gyuen to crueltie robberie and other extorcions and therewithall how he hath punished whoredome and other filthinesse wheÌ„ they reigned ouersore and finally wee see how
submit my selfe wholy to his good wyll Ye see then that the meane whereby God may be glorifyed through vs and we yeelde vntoo hym the rightuousnesse that is his is by keeping our mouthes shutte according as Sainct Paule treateth thereof in the third too the Romaynes saying too the ende that all mouthes myght be stopped and all the worlde acknowledge it selfe too bee indetted vntoo God and that hee onely shoulde be iustified After what sort is it that God shall bee iustified by vs according too Sainct Paule To witte when all of vs condemne oure selues and haue not the boldenesse too styrre againste God but do willingly confesse that all of vs are indaungered vnto hym If wee bee once come too that point then is God iustifyed that is too saye hys rightuousnesse is commended by vs wyth suche prayse as hee deserueth But contrarywise if men exalt themselues and knowledge not that they bee indaungered vntoo God so as hee may condemne them nor confesse the bonde of dette whyche they haue forfeyted vntoo hym althoughe they protest that they minde to iustifie him that is to say to confesse hym too bee rightuous yet neuerthelesse they condemne him Furthermore whereas it is sayde that Eliu was so angrie let vs marke that there is a great differen 〈…〉 betweene the anger that proceedeth of godly zeale a 〈…〉 the anger that any of vs is moued withall either for h 〈…〉 goodes or for his honour or for any respect of his ow 〈…〉 For hee that is angrie and displeased through a priuat passion is in no wise to be excused and although hee al 〈…〉 ledge that it is for a good cause yet notwithstanding h 〈…〉 offendeth God in beeing angrie For wee bee too blin 〈…〉 in oure owne passions Therefore marke this for on 〈…〉 poynte that it behoueth vs too bridle our anger specially when wee be prouoked to bee angrie with our neyghbours in any respect of our selues Howbeeit there is one anger whiche is good namely that whiche proceedeth of the greefe that wee conceyue when God is offended Then if we be inflamed with a good zeale and mainteyne Gods quarell if we bee angrie we are not to blame for it But let vs marke that such anger muste bee without respecting of persones For if a man bee angrie through a passion of the fleshe suche one hath a respect too hymselfe and intendeth to maynteyne himselfe And agayne if hee intende too shewe that hee beareth a fauour too hys freendes and doth more for them than for other men then is there an accepting of persons bycause we haue regarde too ourselues VVee should rather bee angrie with our selues if wee woulde that God shoulde allowe of oure anger and wrath And thys is the thing whyche Sainct Paule speaketh For hee alledgeth purposely that whiche is sayde in the Psalme concerning oure beeing angrie howbeeit withoute offending And howe is that done It is when a man entereth intoo his owne conscience and searcheth himselfe earnestly and hath not an eye vnto others so muche as to himselfe to condemne hymselfe and too fighte againste his owne passions Yee see then after what sort wee may bee angrie and at what point we must beginne oure anger if we will haue it allowed of God that is to witte euery man must beginne at himselfe and bee angrie at hys owne sinnes and vices and cast vp our choler at them in that we see wee haue prouoked Gods wrath againste vs and are full of so muche wretchednesse Let vs bee angri◠and greeued at that let that be the poynte for vs too beginne at and afterwarde lette vs condemne the euill wheresoeuer it bee founde as well in oureselues as in our freendes and let vs not bee ledde with any priuate hatred to cast out our rage vppon any man bycause wee bee fore possessed with some euill affection After thys manner shall our anger be allowable and shall shewe that the same proceedeth of a true zeale to Godwarde True it is that wee shall not alwayes bee able too keepe measure for although a godly zeale reigne in vs yet shoulde we still doo amisse in exceeding measure if God restreyned vs not Therefore in this zealousnesse it behoueth vs too haue both discretion and stay of our selues But yet neuerthelesse as I haue sayde alreadye this anger shall bee allowable if it spring out of the sayd fountaine that is too say if we hate the euill wheresoeuer we fynde it euen thoughe it bee in oure owne persons Nowe then what is the thyng that wee haue too marke in thys streyne First and formost that wee muste not condemne all anger and that when we see a man chafed or in a choler we must not always take it for a vice as we see these scorners of God do which say Oh will you storme so Is it meete you should be angrie Might you not vse a quieter fashion They blaspheme and despise God wickedly according as there are many to bee seene whiche could find in their harts to ouerthrow al doctrine seeking nothing else but too spread suche corruptions abroade as men might not any more knowe God and that his truthe might be buried And whē they haue so done they would haue men to winke at them or rather to allowe all theyr doings and to tell nothing but fables in the Pulpit so as there should be no rebuking of them at all It is very well to the matter say they can they not preach withoute beeing angrie How then Is it possible that we shoulde see a mortall and transitorie creature lift vp himselfe after that fashion against God to trample all good doctrine vnder his feete and yet notwithstanding beare it paciently VVee should shewe thereby that there is no zeale of God in vs For it is sayde in the Psalme that the zeale of Gods house ought to eate vs vp For if wee had a worme gnawing vpon our hart it ought not to greeue vs so much as when there is any reproche done vntoo God and when wee see his truth turned into a lye So then let vs learne not to winke at vices but let vs discerne betweene godly zeale and the fleshly anger wherewith men are moued and inflamed in theyr owne quarells according as it is say de heere that Eliu was kindled with displeasure and in a whote anger and yet notwithstanding it is reckened too hym for a vertue For it is the holy Ghoste whyche speaketh it I say let vs consider heereby that we must not at the first dash reiect all anger but haue an eye too the cause why a man is displeased For when it greeueth him that God is offended and his truth peruerted let vs consider that that anger of his springeth out of a good fountayne Furthermore according to that whiche I haue sayd let vs learne to vtter our choler when we see Gods honour wounded and when men go about to darken or deface his truth let vs bee moued and inflamed at it that we may
shew our selues the children of god For we cannot giue a better proofe of it Neuerthelesse let vs heerewithall keepe such measure as wee mingle not oure owne excessiue passions with the zeale of God but bee discreete in putting a differēce betweene them againe although we hate and abhorre the vices yet notwithstanding let vs labour to bring the persons to saluation Truely the practising heere of is hard Howbeit God will guide vs so we suffer our selues to be ledde by his holy spirite and gyue him the whole gouernment of vs In the meane while it behoueth vs to marke well this doctrine bycause that in these dayes wee see infinite occasions too be angrie at if wee bee the children of god On the one syde there are the Papistes whiche seeke nothing but to abolishe all religion True it is that they will pretende to mainteine Christianitie but whatsoeuer they say they intend nothing else but to suppresse the Maiestie of god VVee see howe Gods truth is torne in peeces and what cursed blasphemies are spued outby them I pray you if these things shoulde not touche vs to the quicke to be wounded with them as if a man shoulde strike vs with a Dagger Should wee not thereby shewe that wee knowe not what God is and that we are not woorthy to be taken for his children VVe bee so chare when our owne honestie is wounded as we can by no meanes indure it and in the meane while Gods honour shall be put to all shame and reproche and wee will make no countenance at all of it And must not God then needes shake vs off and shewe that we haue had no affection to mainteyne his honour Marke that for one poynt Howbeeit we neede not go so farre as the Papists for euen among our selues when wee see these Dogs and Swine which seeke nothing but to defyle all things which thrust their groynes at Gods word and labour to ouerturne all when wee see these mockers of God and these heathenish villaynes whiche turne all things into a scorne and mockerie when wee see wicked men turken corrupt and marre all things with their false slaunders and when we see heretikes sowe theyr poyson abroade too destroy all things I pray you when we see all these things ought wee not to be moued It is sayd that when men bend themselues against God after that manner it is all one as if they would wound him too deathe They shall see him sayth the Scripture whome they haue perced God telleth vs that men in so doing come too strike him with their Daggers and shall we in the meane while not passe for it God telleth vs that his spirite is greeued and after a sort in payne and shall wee but laugh at it Againe we heare such horrible blasphemies that the name of our Lord Iesus Christ is as it were torne in peeces There is no talke now adayes but of scorning and reproching Gods name in such wise as a man might bee ashamed to heare of among the Turkes VVe see naughtipackes that committe on the one syde whoredome and all disorders and on the other syde outrage and all violence Too bee shorte wee see all things vtterly out of square and doo wee shewe oureselues too bee Gods children and Christians if wee make no accounte of it VVhat proofe doo wee giue of oure Christendome So muche the more then behoueth it vs too haue another maner of zeale than we haue had heeretofore And when any of vs is angrie let it bee for our sinnes and specially if wee see God greeuously offended So shall wee haue an anger that is allowed of God lyke as he had that is spoken of heere and whom the holy Ghost here prayseth And yet notwithstanding forasmuche as it is easye for vs to swarue aside let vs therwithall beware that we giue not the bridle to our passions but let vs pray God so to gouerne vs by his holy spirit as our zeale may be altogither pure to the end it may be allowed of him Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may sigh and sobbe for them and that whereas we haue bene ouermuche hardned heretofore by soothing our selues in our vices so as we coulde not be greued to see the worlde so farre out of order we may learne hereafter to be sorie for oure euill doings and to desire him of forgiuenesse to the intent he may so guyde vs all the rest of our life by his holy spirite as we may seeke altogither to serue and honour him in al poynts according to our calling And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The Cxx. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xxxij. Chapter 4 Eliu vvayted till Iob had made an end of his vvords by cause they vvere all elder than he 5 And vvhen Eliu savv those three men to haue no reason he vvas moued to anger 6 Therefore Eliu the sonne of Barachell the Buzite aunsvvered and sayde I am yonger in yeares than you and you are auncient and therefore I doubted and vvas afrayde to put forth myne opinion 7 For I thought vvith my selfe the yeares shall speake and the length of time shall bring foorth vvisedome 8 But it is the spirit of God vvhich is in men and the inspiration of the Almightie gyueth vnderstanding 9 The great men shall not be vvise therefore neyther shall the aged haue iudgement 10 Therefore I say heare me and I also vvill shevv my doctrine YEsterday I treated of the zeale of Eliu whiche is praysed too vs heere by the holye Ghoste and I shewed wherevntoo that example ought too serue vs namelye that when we see Gods truthe defaced and hys name blasphemed the same oughte to wound our hearts Also I shewed that if wee haue any affectiō to God and his honour then must we mainteine his truth to the vttermost of our power True it is that euery man shall not haue learning to do it But yet neuerthelesse according too our abilitie and measure it behoueth vs to shew that our mind is to resist the euil and not to consent vnto it And there withall it was declared that this zeale ought to be guided with reason so as wee muste not be moued with ouergreat headinesse but must haue some good respect matched with it And that is the thyng which we red euen now namely that Eliu was not ouerhastie but had giuen eare to all the sayings that had beene alledged afore and therein he shewed his modestie Then let vs marke well that if a man thrust himselfe foorth rashly without considering whether it be needefull for hym to speake or no it shall not bee reckened vnto him for zealousnesse As for example we see many that thinke it long till they may haue libertie too speake and yet notwithstanding it is possible that some other shall be much better able o lay
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
boundes nor simply followe that whiche God hath enioyned vs without adding of som trick of our own Seing then that we be so easily caried away we ought the rather to pray vnto God that when wee haue a good case he himselfe will voutsafe to guide vs in all singlenesse by his holie spirit so as we may not passe the boundes which he hath set vs by his word Herewithall also we be put in mynde not to apply Gods truth to any euill vse For in so doing we dishonour it like as these men doe heere who although they speake holily as we haue shewed already and as we shall see more fully hereafter are notwithstanding but traytours to god For they corrupt Gods truth and abuse it falsly applying that thing to an euil end which of it selfe is good and rightfull So then whensoeuer God giueth vs the knowledge of his woord let vs learne to receiue it with such reuerence as our receiuing of it may not be to deface good things nor to sette a colour vpon euyll things as oftentimes those that bee most sharpwitted and cunning do ouershoote themselues and abuse the knowledge that God hath giuen them vnto deceyt and naughtinesse turning all things topsituruie in suche wise as they doe nothing but snarle themselues Considering therefore how all men are giuen to such infirmitie it standeth vs so much the more on hand to pray God to giue vs the grace to apply his word to such vse as he hath ordeyned it that is to wit to purenesse and simplicitie And thus ye see what we ought to consider in effecte But now that we vnderstande what is in this booke wee muste lay foorthe these matters more at length in such sorte as the things that we haue but lightly touched may be layd forth at large according to the processe of the historie It is sayde that There was a man in the lande of Hus named Iob a sounde and vpright man and fearing God and withdrawing him selfe from euill VVe knowe not neyther can we guesse in what tyme Iob liued sauing that a man may perceiue he was of great antiquitie howbeit that some of the Iewes haue bin of opinion that Moyses was the author of this boke and that he did set it as a loking glasse before the people to the intent that the childrē of Abrahā of whose race he himself came might knowe that God had shewed fauour to others that were not of the same line and thervpon be ashamed if they thēselues walked not purely in the fear of God seing that this man which had not the mark of Gods couenant nor was circumcised but was a Panim had behaued himself so well But forasmuch as this is not certeine we must leaue it in suspence Neuerthelesse let vs take that which is out of all doubt that is to wit that the holie ghost hath endited this booke to the ende that the Iewes should knowe how God hath had people too serue him albeit that they haue not beene separated out from the rest of the worlde and that although they had not the signe of circumcision yet notwithstanding they walked in all purenesse of conuersation By the knowledge whereof the Iewes haue had occasion to be so much the more diligent to kepe the lawe of God and sith hee had voutsafed them such fauour and prerogatiue as to gather them out from among all other strange nations they ought to dedicate themselues wholly vnto him Also a man may perceiue by the booke of Ezechiel that the name of Iob was renoumed amōg the people of Israell for in his .xiiij. chap. we see it is sayd that if Noe Iob Daniel wer amōg the people that shuld perish they should saue no mo mens liues but their own all the rest of the people should be destroyed See howe the Prophete speaketh of these three men as of suche as were knowne and renoumed among the Iewes as I haue touched alredie And thereby we see what the intent of the holy ghost is namely that the Iewes should haue a mirror and pattern whereby to knowe how they ought to keepe the doctrine of saluation that was giuen vnto them seing that this man whiche was of a straunge nation had so kepte himselfe in such puritie And that is the chiefe thing that we haue to remember concerning the name that is set downe heere when he sayth that he was of the land of Hus. True it is that some men do place this land far eastward Neuerthelesse in the fourth chapter of the Lamētations of Ieremie the same word Hus is put for a part of Edom. VVe knowe that the Edomites are descended of Esau and true it is that they also had circūcision Howbeit forasmuch as they were strayed away from Gods church they had it no more as the signe of his couenāt Therfore if we take Iob to haue bin of this land of Hus then was he an Edomite that is to saye of the line of Esau And we knowe howe the Prophet sayth that although Esau and Iacob were natural brethren borne bothe at one burthen yet God of his mere goodnesse choze Iacob reiecting Esau and cursing him with all his whole linage Lo how the Prophet in speaking to magnifie Gods mercy towards the Iewes telleth them that he choze them not for any worthynesse that was in their persons cōsidering that he had reiected Iacobs eldest brother to whom the birthrith belonged and had chozen him that was the yonger inferior So then although that this man was borne of Esaus line yet notwithstanding we see how soūdly he liued how he serued god not only by vpright cōuersatiō equitie amōg men but also in pure religion which he defiled not with the idolatries and superstitiōs of the infidels As touching the name of Iob some interprete it to signify weeping or wayling And other some take it for an vtter enimie not such a one as he hateth but such a one as is as it wer a white for men to shoot at Ther is no cause why we should dout whether this mā whose coūtrey is so marked out whose name is expressed wer or no or liued or no or whether the things that are written here did come to passe or no so as we should thinke it to be but a tale contriued as if a mā shuld vnder a counterfaite name set out some thing vntoo vs that was neuer done For I haue already alledged the record of Ezechiell and also of Sainct Iames who shewed right well that there was a Iob in deede And further seeing that the story it selfe declareth it we can not in any wise deface the thing whiche the holy Ghost meant to vtter so precysely As for the resydue wee haue too marke that in that time although the world were falne away from the true seruing of God and from pure Religion yet notwithstanding there was still farre more soundnesse by a great deale than there is at this day specially in the papacie
make them knowne for to those twoo purposes do afflictions serue that is to witte God killeth the vyces that are in vs For when hee punisheth vs then are wee tamed and hee commaundeth vs to withdrawe ourselues from the worlde and not to bee gyuen to our pleasures and fleshlie delyghtes But there is yet a further thing that is to wit that lyke as in a furnace golde is tryed to knowe whither it haue any drosse in it so also God sheweth what wee bee by afflicting vs For men knowe not themselues before they haue bene so proued Before wee haue passed through the â—iue wee seeme to our selues to feare God and that there is nothing to be mislyked in vs and yet all the while there be manie vices in vs that wee knowe not of It is God that sheweth them vnto vs it is he that maketh vs to perceyue them when hee sendeth vs any trouble or any aduersitie then finde wee what our infirmitie is Nowe if God make the afflictions of his faythfull ones to serue them as a mirror wherein to beholde themselues it is muche more likely that they will shewe what is in other men whither they haue fayth and obedientnesse in their hartes or no and whither they bee hypocrites or whither they serue him in truthe Here yee see what wee haue to marke in this streyne and experience sheweth vs that it is so For wee see a greate number who when God sendeth them all things at theyr pleasure doo speake as sweete as sugre as they say and yee woulde maruell to heare howe that good God shall bee praysed speciallie when they finde theyr dishes full furnished so as nothing is wanting ô how well it lyketh them to confesse that God is good But if hee beginne to handle them any thing roughly that things fall not out to their contentation they take it sore to harte If God proceede and plucke theyr fethers from them then fall they yet to further outrage of murmuring yea and they belke out blasphemyes agaynste him and albeit that they vtter them â–ª not with their mouthe yet is theyr harte full of poyson within so as they chafe vpon the bytte and repine at God for handling them otherwise than they lyke of Ye see then that in tyme of prosperitie there are ynow that will blisse God but that is but hypocrisie I speake of such only as meane not to do it in deede For they bee the worste which sooth themselues in suche wyse as they perceyue not their owne vices Sithe the cace standeth so let vs marke that Satan hath in this poynte had an eye to the diseases wherwith men are atteynted And so we see with what an enemie we haue to do he lieth in wayte for vs prieth about vs on all sides to spie where hee may haue any entrance to wounde vs Therefore let vs beare well in minde that when wee shall haue praysed God and serued him in tyme of prosperitie that is not all that we haue to do but we must put our selues in a readinesse that when soeuer it shal please God to scourge vs to exercise vs with manifolde miseries and inconueniences we not withstanding must bridle our selues haue the lowlinesse to submit our selues vnto him and to receyue all his chastyzements pacieÌ„tly quietly If we be not come to this trial that is to say if wee be not pacient wheÌ„ God scourgeth vs al the seruice that we do vnto him wil be no great matter True it is that God will well accept those that be his eueÌ„ in the tyme of their prosperitie howbeit for asmuch as it behoueth vs to consider why hee maketh vs to passe thorowe the sayde boultell of affliction therefore must wee the better beareaway this lesson heere And furthermore wheras it is sayd here that men will curse God to his face when they bee combered with afflictions true it is that this commeth not to passe at the firste pushe For as yet a while there will remayne some reuerence of God who is imprinted in vs so as if we be put to some harde pinche no doubte but wee will groyne at it and repine agaynste it secretely but to open our mouth to blaspheme God it will as yet go agaynst our nature But when wee haue thus fretted and chafed at it if the miserie increace styll or continew very long then doeth our impaciencie kindle as a fyre and wee beginne to flushe out that which had erst bene locked vp in our hartes Thus wee see howe at length they that are afflicted doo curse God to his face that is to say howe they ouershoote themselues out of measure so as they regarde not any more the Maiestie of God â–ª to humble themselues vnto it ne consider that if they are become rebelles agaynst him they shall not any more attayne to take holde of his iudgement whiche restreyned them from rushing into such outrage And therefore good cause haue wee to pray vnto God to bridle our tunges as well as our hartes and not to suffer vs at any time to fall into such excesse as to curse him openly but rather that the issue of the chastyzementes whiche he sendeth may be so lucky to vs as they may turne to our profite and welfare according as his intent is that they should do when hee scourgeth vs Lo what wee haue to gather of this streyne And by the way let vs marke that although Satan be the father of lying yet he speaketh truthe here when hee sayeth that God bad bene as a â—ulwaâ—ke to Iob and had fenced his bouse on all sides and that he had made â—im to prosper Beholde howe hee turneth himselfe into an Angell of light For asmuche as hee was before God it stoode him in hande to set a fayre colour on his matters for there was no place for him to vse suche trumperie as hee vseth towardes men to deceyue them Thus Satan groundeth himselfe vpen true principles but that was to apply them vnto euill for his desire was nothing els but to destroy Iob. And hee sayeth that God had bene a bulwarke to him Then let vs vnderstand that if wee will bee maynteyned in this worlde God muste needes put to his hand For what is our lyfe And to how many necessities is it subiect Therefore we could not stand one minute of an houre if wee were not preserued by the grace of god â—â— like wise is it with all things that we possesse God must be fayne to fence vs And who I pray you is hee that speaketh heere It is euen Satan whose comming is of purpose to ouerwhelme vs both in our goods and in our persones if we be not as you would say well walled so as God serue vs for a bulwarke according also as we shall see him to be in the processe of the texte For as soone as Satan hath his leaue wee see howe hee taketh away all Iobs goods from him and with what violence he goes about it
preserued haue wherewith to beate back his temptations For God hath armed thē with his owne power so as Satan can do no more than he hath leaue to do and God putteth a barre in his way in suche sort as he is hild short in euery mischiefe that he steppeth forthe vnto and can do nothing further than Gods good pleasure licēceth him Thus ye see what we haue to mark And herewithall wee haue to obserue further that Gods iudgments are of suche a sort as he executeth them bothe vpon good and bad True it is that if we will folowe our owne opinion we myght wonder how it should come to passe that God gyueth suche authoritie and preeminence vnto Satan as to be able to leade vs amisse This will be a very straunge thing to our owne imagination But what then Seing that the Scripture telleth vs so it behoueth vs to humble our selues and to wayte till the day come that we may better conceyue Gods secretes which are incomprehēsible to vs at this day therfore we must learne to magnifie them and to honour Gods iudgements hauing them in reuerence and admiratiō vntill they may be better knowen vnto vs For wee haue too small a capacitie to know them throughly as now Therefore we must walke in humilitie cōtenting our selues to know but in part vntill full knowledge be disclosed vnto vs at the latter daye But how soeuer the cace stand we must not be ignorāt in that which the Scripture sheweth vs that is to wit that god serueth his own turne by Satan in such wise as Satan is alwayes readie to seduce men when they haue deserued it and specially when they refuze to obey the truth then must they needes be caried away vnto lyes As cōcerning the faithfull God doth now then leaue them also vnto Satan so as they be seduced by him like as Iob was not exempted from that inconuenience in the ende And also we see what is said of Dauid in the holy stories For wherof came it that he numbered the people The text reporteth how it was the Diuell that stirred vp all the mischief when Dauid numbered so the people of god Dauid thē being one of Gods children was notwithstanding sometimes deliuered into the power of Satan to bee beguiled by him Now when we see thys we haue good cause too pray vnto God and to come shrowd our selues vnder the shadow of his wings and there to hide vs For if suche things befell vnto Dauid what shall become of vs Herewithall let vs also marke that whē God giueth Satan such sway ouer the faithfull it is but for a little while And here ye may see why it is said that Satans dominion is ouer the vnbeleeuers and vpon all the stubborneharted It is not without cause that Sainct Paule maketh thys distinction He worketh euen now sayeth he in all the vnbeleeuers Thus placeth he the reigne of Satan in them that are separated from GOD and cut off from hys Church And wherefore For there we se he is in his owne boundes But when he hath power to wound the children of God our Lorde permitteth that to humble them too the end that when they be so grieuously tormented and yet do all the whyle resist the assaultes that are made vpon them they shoulde vnderstand that that commeth not of themselues but that they be vphild otherwise that is too witte by the grace of God and by the power of his holy spirit So then when God giueth Satan leaue to tempte faithfull ones ordinarily it is to make them to be serued therewith as with a medicine And herein we see Goddes maruelous goodnesse how he turneth the euil into good For what can Satan bring but ranke poyson and venim Yea we know he hath nothing with him but death for he is called the Prince thereof So then whatsoeuer Satan cā bring it tendeth altogither to mens destruction and too the drowning of them in endlesse damnation And yet notwithstanding God findeth the meane that the euill which is in Satan is turned to our welfare And here wee see how Sainct Paule was physiked as he himselfe confesseth after he had spoken of the hygh reuelacions that had bene giuen vnto him God sayeth he hath prouided that I should not exalt my selfe too much Lo here a good prouision and very profitable for Sainct Paule For wee know that pride is ready to throw vs headlong intoo the bottomlesse pit and that there is nothing that prouoketh Gods displeasure more for needes must he alway shewe himselfe an enemie to the prowde and to such as presume vpon theyr owne strength in what wise so euer it be And Sainct Paule was in the same daunger if God had not remedied it In what sort did he it It was sayeth Paule by sending me the messenger of Satan to buffet me See how Satan worketh in Sainct Paule yea euen by Goddes permission And what was the issue of it Out of doubt Satan ment to haue ouerwhelmed Paule and his intente was to haue driuen him into wickednesse to the end hee shoulde haue giuen ouer the seruice of God and by little and little withdraw himselfe from Christianitie by reason of the wearisome troubles and miseries whiche hee endured without ceassing Lo here what Satan intended But what for that God purposed another ende namely to brydle his seruant that he should not forget himselfe and so exalt himselfe too much And for thys cause was he buffeted For he vseth the sayd similitude of buffetting for the nonce as who would say God vsed hym not as a man of armes that fighteth in the fielde to giue him a glorious victory but buffeted hym lyke a boy too hys shame and reproch Thus the holy Apostle whome God had endewed with so excellent giftes of the holy Ghoste was so farre made an vnderling to Satan that Satan spitted in his face and wrought him marry other villanies VVe see then how God turneth the euill intoo good when he maketh al Satans stings to serue vs as medicines whereby hee purgeth vs of the vyces that lye hid in vs And therefore we haue cause too prayse God in all respectes yea euen though that at the first sight his iudgementes bee ouer boystous to our imagination and that we be not able to conceiue them by our fleshly vnderstanding VVhen we haue well considered all wee shall euermore haue wherefore to magnifie god Thus muche as touching this streyne wherein it is saide that God gaue Satan leaue to punish Iob howbeit so as hee forwarned him that he should not touch his persone In effect wee haue to marke that when God giueth Satan libertie too assayle vs in such sorte as he maketh many sore assaultes vpon vs yet neuerthelesse hee goeth all by measure as one that knoweth what we be able to beare and what is expedient for vs Finally it is sayde That Satan wente out from the presence of the Lord. Not that Satan did what hee list as
their turne to prooue that meÌ„ ought to pray to the Sainctes that are departed that meÌ„ ought to flee to them for refuge Beholde say they it is saide that Iob should haue a respect to some one of the Sainctes that he should seeke to him if peradueÌ„ture he would answere him This is much to the purpose For is it sayd here that Iob went to seeke to the dead too make intercession for him vntoo God No but contrarily as I haue shewed heretofore the very truth of the matter is that he should not finde any of the Sainctes to bee of his company And why so For the Sainctes were alwayes of a meeke minde in their aduersities and God chastized them after such asort as he refrained his rigour so as the end was good happy And although they had for a time bene as it were shaken off at his hande in suche sort as it coulde not bee perceyued that he had any care of them yet notwithstaÌ„ding they referred theÌ„selues vnto him prayed alwaies vnto him assuring theÌ„selues they should neuer be vtterly forsaken of him nor disappointed of the saluation that he had promised them Lo here the intent of Eliphas So theÌ„ we see here that the Papistes are falsifyers haue manifestly corrupted the holye Scriptures Verelye they had nede to be borne withal in one behalfe I meene not in their beastlinesse but in that they had very greate neede to wreste and wring the holy Scripture too prooue theyr dreames They would make men beleeue that they ought to pray vnto Sainctes deceassed and yet the holy Scripture cyphereth not one word of it neither can a maÌ„ finde so muche as one sillable there for the good proofe of it But they will proue it and therefore they muste needes coÌ„founde all and white must be turned into blacke But in the meane while it behoueth vs to shunne all mennes inuentions whiche haue beene foolishly contriued without Gods warrant And wherefore For first of all men wander out of the right way of saluatioÌ„ wheÌ„ they folow their owne deuises and secondly it causeth the holy Scripture to be torne a peeces so as men corrupt it and turne it vpside downe Therefore let vs learne to mislyke whatsoeuer thing men haue forged of their owne braine and let vs holde vs to this simplicitie namely that we muste not couet to know ought sauing that which God hath declared to vs with his owne mouth And to conclude let vs marke well these two poyntes which we haue glaunced at alreadie that is to witte as often as we be scourged by Gods hande let vs marke well whither the faithful that haue gone before vs haue not beene in the like plight If we finde that God hath excercised them in many tribulations let vs coÌ„fort our selues when it commeth to our turne to follow them let vs be sure that God will not forsake vs at our neede no more than he forsooke them Furthermore when wee see that God doth scourge vs in these dayes as well generally as particularly and that we must be fayne to indure many torments troubles Let vs acknowledge our selues to bee well worthy of them considering the greate thankfulnesse that is to be seene in vs For whereas it hath pleased God too call vs vnto the knowledge of his Gospell and to haue vs yeelde a record that we be his children howe do we take any profite by this his grace Nay contrarywise it seemeth that there is in vs a delight to disanull it and to make it vnauayleable How is God serued honoured at our hands we ought too bee as yee woulde say little Angelles coÌ„sidering the light of the Gospell which God hath giuen vnto vs And yet wee see there is nothing but naughtinesse and hypocrisie in the moste parte of men VVee can good skill too make some protestation of oure fayth But lettea man examine our life and hee shall finde no conformitie to the Gospell but rather it seemeth that we haue coÌ„spired against God to withdraw our selues from him VVe see how they that haue some goodly outwarde shew become brutish and therefore let vs be sure that God visiteth vs with his whippes bycause of our sinnes Yet notwithstaÌ„ding let vs not ceasse to trust in him continually and to call vpon him praying him too burie our former faultes and to guide vs in such wise henceforth as it may serue to draw vs vnto himselfe And to the intent he may haue pitie vpon vs lette vs come vnto him with a lowly minde so as wee haue no peece of the enuie and hartburning in vs whereof mention is made heere assuring our selues that if wee haue it will but styrre vp and inflame Gods vengeance the more agaynste vs VVhen wee bee come too suche a sturdinesse it behooueth God also too rushe stoutely vpon vs as it is sayde in the eyghteenth Psalme VVith the frowarde thou wilt deale frowardely For if men will needes play the wilde beastes it is sayde that God will strike them both sidelings ouerthwart And therfore let vs beware of this fretting and chafing of such maner of repining and let vs rather acknowledge oure selues woorthy of an hundred thousande deathes were it not that God pityeth vs and succoureth vs of his infi 〈…〉 goodnesse And if wee doe thus let vs not doubt but God will performe that which hee hath promised vs that is too witte that after hee hath beaten vs howbeit with mens rods keeping such measure as we shall not be vtterly destroyed he will withdraw his hande againe and we shall feele him mercifull and fauourable in our Lorde Iesus Christ as in whome he hath set foorth the riches of his goodnesse and fatherly loue towardes vs. Then let vs humble our selues before the throne of his maiestie beseeching him to make vs perceyue our faults in suche sort as wee may become our owne iudge in preuenting his iugemeÌ„t to the intent that being so condeÌ„ned by our owne selues wee may desire nothing but to please him in all respects vntill he haue bereft vs of this mortall body deliuered vs froÌ„ the boÌ„dage of sin wherein we be as yet shut vp to take vs into his heauenly kingdom And so let â—s say Almighty God and heauenly father c. The eightenth Sermon which is the seconde vpon the fift Chapter 3 I haue seene the foole taking roote and immediately I haue cursed his house 4 His children shall bee farre from helpe they shall bee troden dovvne in the gate and no man shall deliuer them 5 The hungry shall eate vp his haruest and picke it out of the midst of the thornes and the thirstie shall drinke vp his riches 6 Miserie commeth not from out of the duste neyther dooth trouble grovve out of the earth 7 But man is borne to trauell and the sparkes flie vpvvarde WE haue seene heretofore what they win which repine against God and accuse him of cruelty passe their boundes into
their children the more do they marre them and the mothers do it yet much more for they be fond in flattering of them and in the meane whyle do bring them to naught Herein God sheweth vs as it were small beames of that thing which is much more in himselfe For if hee should handle vs mildely wee should be vtterly vndone and past recouerie Therefore he must be fayne to shewe himselfe a father towards vs and to be rough with vs seeing we are of so sturdie a nature that if he should deale gently with vs we should take no good by it Ye see how we may atteyne to the truth of this doctrine that the maÌ„ is happie whome God chastizeth that is to wit by considering what oure nature is namely how it is stubborne how it is hard to be framed to order and that if God shoulde neuer chastize vs it were not for our profit and therfore that it is nedefull that he should hold vs short and that he should gyue vs so many lasshes with the whippe as we should be constreyned to regard him whither we would or no. Then shall we at length come to conclude that the man is happie whome God chastizeth yea verely if he adde the second grace vnto it that is to wit if hee make his roddes and his corrections to auayle and cause the holy Ghoste to worke in such wise in the hart as a man may no more be hardned to aduaunce himselfe against God but maye haue the care too thinke vpon his owne sinnes and bee rightly tamed and humbled Thus ye see why I sayd that the greatest benefyte which we can haue is to be corrected at Gods hand in so much that when we haue cast our account too the full wee shall fynde that the corrections whiche hee sendeth vs are more for our profite than the bread that we eate For if we starue for hunger God wyll haue pitie vpon vs in taking of vs out of this worlde But if we liue still heere bylowe and ceasse not to prouoke the wrath of him that sheweth himselfe so good and liberall a father towardes vs see ye not too shamefull an vnthankfulnesse I pray you had it not bin better that we had bin borne dead than that we shoulde so prolong our life too our damnation But if God preuent vs and vse chastizements as preseruatiue medicines and tarrie not till the disease be too farre ouergrowen is it not a great benefite too vs and such a one as we ought to wish for So then as oft and so long as his corrections are hard and bitter too vs and that our flesh prouoketh vs to impacience and despaire let vs learne to call this lesson to remembraunce that the man is happie whome God chastizeth howbeit that our imagination will not say so for contrarily wee surmize that nothing is better than to be spared and borne withall But certeinly although we know by experience how it is not without cause that the holie Ghost hath vttered such a sentence yet notwithstanding it is not meant thereby that the corrections which we haue to indure are not euermore sowre and painefull in themselues according as the Apostle sayeth and God also will haue vs too feele the prickings that put vs to payne For if we feele no greefe when God correcteth vs where is our obedientnesse And furthermore how shall we learne to be angrie with our selues for our sinnes How shall we bee afrayde of Gods iudgements to be tamed aright Then behoueth it vs to be greeued with the aduersitie whiche God sendeth vs Aud although the aduersitie be turned to our benefyte and that God do thereby shew that he loueth vs yet is it requisite that there be some pricking and paynefulnesse in it to the intent wee may perceyue the wrath of God and be displeased with our selues for our sinnes But yet heere withall wee muste mount vp higher and when we haue found how our nature is inclined to all euill let vs confesse ourselues too haue neede that God should vse some sharpe punishment to purge vs withall as we see phisicions do who now and then put some kind of poyson in their medicines after as they see the maladies to be great deeperooted The Phisicion seeth well ynough how it is too the weakening of a poore man and too the vnstrengethening of his veynes and sinewes and specially when no gentler meanes wyll serue than letting of bloud it is euen as muche as too drawe the substance out of a mannes bodye and yet must â—e needes vse such violent meanes too remedie such a maladie Euen so is God fayne to worke with vs howbeit that the same bee an extraordinarie maner with him For when wee say wee bee happie to bee chastised at Gods hande it must leade vs vnto lowlinesse seeing that God cannot procure oure saluation but by shewing himselfe to bee against vs Is it not to be sayd iustly that there is a maruellous corruptnesse in men sith God cannot be their Sauioure and father but by handling them roughly For his nature is too shewe himselfe gracious and gentle to all his creatures And he followeth the order which he would keepe as in respect of himselfe he doth nothing else 〈◊〉 spred out his goodnesse vpon vs in such wise as we should be replenished with his grace to be wholly rauishe 〈…〉 thereat But now if he handle vs gently according to h 〈…〉 owne nature and inclination we are vndone And therefore he is faine as it were to alter his mind that is to say to shew himselfe otherwise towardes vs than hee would be And what is the cause thereof Our vnrecouerable naughtinesse And therefore wee haue good cause heere too bee confounded with shame when we see that hee is â—ayne as yee would say to disguise himselfe if hee intende that we shoulde not perishe Thus muche as touching thys sentence Howbeit forasmuchas we cannot well applye this doctrine to our vse without the adding of that which followeth let vs ioyne them both togither It is sayd Refuse not the correction of the Almightie for be that hath made the wound bindeth it vp and layeth conuenient playsters to it and when hee hathe sent the maladie hee healeth it Heere we are exhorted not to refuze Gods corrections And the cause thereof is added byandby that is to witte bycause God will giue it a good issue Lo wherein consisteth the sayde happinesse whereof Eliphas hathe made mention Let vs learne heere that when God purposeth to exhort vs to pacience he not only telleth vs that wee cannot eschew his hand that wee do but lose time in rebelling against him that wee must passe that way spyte of our teeth and that wee cannot withstand necessitie for that were but the pacience of a Lumbard as they say wheÌ„ wee shoulde grynde oure teeth after that manner and therewithall lift vp our selues against God as much as in vs lyeth so as wee shoulde not be pacient but perforce
as we can Yet notwithstanding if wee performe not our dutie to discharge our selues in gyuing of our goods too the releefe of others at leastwise lette vs shewe howe wee haue not the sayde pride that we would cut off those from vs whiche are in such necessitie whom God afflicteth but rather let vs know how it is the meane whereby God will try if we haue any kindly affection in vs And in very deede we must alwaies be more warer of disdeyning those that are in pouerty and trouble than of louing those that are in prosperitie at their ease or of soothing them vp in all respects bicause they beare a goodly port to the worldeward And why so For our charitie is not well grounded if we loue our neighbours but in respect to be helped by them and to serue our owne turnes with their credit or with their goods fauour Nay rather let vs haue regard to follow that which God cōmaundeth vs that is to wit to shewe our charitie vpon those whome we knowe too haue more neede And furthermore let vs extend this doctrine to ourselues that is to say Let vs not thinke it is ynough to blisse God when wee bee in prosperitie but if God sende vs any affliction yet for all that lette vs not cease to glorifie him in all respects and to put our truste in him And although wee bee tossed from poste to piller with the miseries greeuances of the world yet neuerthelesse lette vs assure our selues that God is strong ynough to deliuer vs and that he will also do it so we referre our selues wholly to his prouidence to glorifie his holie name in all that it shall please him too sende vs as well in prosperity as aduersity This ye see in effect what we haue to mark cōcerning this text As touching that Iob addeth Teache mee if I haue doone amisse it cānot bee declared as now therefore we will reserue it till to morow But lette vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceyue them better to the ende that being beaten downe in oure selues wee maye haue oure recourse to his souerayne goodnesse and not reste oure selues any more vpon any of the vayne trustes and false imaginations wherewith the worlde beguyleth it selfe wilfully And that whensoeuer hee shall suffer vs too bee afflicted in this worlde euen by the meane of men and of other creatures yet notwithstanding wee maye acknowledge it too bee his hande that beateth vs too the ende wee maye indeuer too returne vntoo him and seeke the remedye and cure of all oure maladies in his onely mercy and therefore that he will giue vs the grace that we may neuer bee withdrawne from this consideration namely that we may all of vs one and other labour to be brought thervnto to the ende that with one cōmon accord we may yeeld our selues wholly to his seruice to walke after his will in feare obedience before him vntill hee haue taken vs out of this mortall body to make vs parttakers of his endlesse glorie That it maye please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also too all people and nations of the earth c. The .xxvj. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the sixt Chapter 24 Teache ye mee and I vvill holde my peace shewe ye me vvherein I haue doone amisse 25 Hovv stedfast are the rightuouse vvoordes vvhat is it that the fault finder among you can finde faulte vvithall 26 Frame your reasons too ouerthrovve matters and let the vvoordes of the afflicted go into the vvinde 27 You vvinde about the fatherlesse ye dig a pit for your freende 28 Turne ye againe and consider and marke my reasons if I lye 29 Turne ye againe and there shall be none iniquitie Turne ye yet againe and my ryghtusnesse shall appeare in that behalfe 30 There is no vvickednesse in my toung and dooth not my mouth feele bitternesse IT is a greate vertue in a man too yeelde hymselfe teachable that is too say too submit himselfe to reason for withoute that men must needes ouershoote thēselues as it were in despite of God for proofe heereof the cheefe honoure that God requyseth at our hands is that whatsoeuer we know too proceede from him bee receyued without any gaynsaying that it be hild for good and rightfull and that men frame themselues therevnto And certeinly all truthe and reason proceede from god Therefore let vs conclude that God hath no soueraintie nor authoritie ouer vs except men yeeld themselues fully to that whiche they knowe too be true and reasonable So then we shall haue profited greatly in all our lyfe when wee shall haue learned to humble ourselues so farfoorth that assoone as the reason of a thing is knowne vnto vs wee make no more gaynesaying nor shewe our selues stubborne and hard to agree vnto it but rather doo such honoure to God as too say Lord wee see it were to make warre agaynst thee if we should stand any more in this case for thy truth is the true marke of thy diuine glory and therefore whosoeuer will woorship thee muste obey thy truthe for otherwyse all must needes be troden vnder foote And thys is the matter that Iob treateth of in thys streyne For he protesteth that if hee bee taught he will holde his tung his desyre is too haue it shewed hym wherein hee hath doone amisse No doubt but Iob dooth heere in hys owne persone giue a common rule too all the children of god VVhich rule is that when God shall haue shewed vs wherein wee haue doone amisse wee must no more open our mouthes to alledge tryfling excuses and to enter intoo defence of our dooings but wee must gyue eare too that which shall be told vs without incountering it and generally wee must receyue all good doctrine as soone as it is spoken without asking whither it be so or no and when wee know it to bee so we must go through with it without kicking against the pricke And as I haue sayd that it is a great vertue too bee so teachable so also let vs vnderstande that it is a very rare vertue and not lyghtly to bee found among men Nay rather wee see a foolish presumptuousnesse so as euery man weeneth too be wyse in hys owne conceyt and heerevppon groweth such a deuelish wilfulnesse that although wee shewe our selues too bee more than conuicted yet many of vs wyll neuer yeelde but are rather so shamelesse and brazenfaste as they will maynteyne that whiche is against reason for all is wellynough so they bee not foyled So muche the more ought wee to marke well what is sayde heere for although Iob treate heere of his owne vertuousnesse yet notwithstanding Goddes holy spirite setteth it heere before our eyes as a lookingglasse or an example for vs too followe So then let vs not be wedded to our owne fancies that we should not quietly herken too
haue kept on their way in this rightnesse soundnesse can neuer be cōfounded True it is that to the worldward men may oppresse them with false slaunders and men may diffame them in suche wise as it shall seeme that they be the worst folke in the whole world according as we see the frowardnesse that reigneth nowadayes so as there is nother right nor indifferencie remayning VVe be come to the time wherof the prophet Esay cōplayneth namely that right is openly oppressed and vprightnesse and truth are chaced out of the world And besides this sayeth he although the mischeef be increased and ouerfloweth his bounds more more yet hath there not bene any man that hath vttered one word to cleere these things that are so confuzed but rather it hath seemed that euery man hath had a desyre too augment the mischeef Behold at what poynt we be But as I haue sayd heeretofore yee see it is an inestimable priuiledge that wee can hold that thing for good whyche the world hateth and that when men poynt at vs wyth their finger when they spit in our faces and when they trample all reason vnder foote Although we see all this yet notwithstanding we be not abashed so as wee shoulde inclyne too any wickednesse but doo alwayes continue fast rooted and grounded in the sayde truthe whych is myghtie ynough to maynteyne vs And so folowing that which is shewed heere let vs learne to hold vs always to the word of rightuousnesse assuring our selues that God will euermore bee on our side and that his truth will bee so myghtie that in the end it will get the vpper had True it is that forsomuchas men are fugitiue and runne on so headily the truth hath not alwayes his full scope and it will seeme erewhyles to be vtterly ouerthrowne but let vs haue pacience vntill the day of the Lord do appeare as sayeth S. Paule For that is it wherevnto he calleth them mocking at the ouerweening of suche as iudge so awkly ouerthwartly and confuzedly in charging him with those reproches But sayeth he I will wayt for the day of the Lord til God at length discouer the false slaunders wherwith I haue bin charged For whē that day sayeth he beginneth to appeare thē must ryghtfulnesse come abrode then must slaunderers bee conuicted and then must all things turne to their confusion Now if God euen in our whole lyfe graunt vs the grace too get the vpper hand of all maliciouse persones that go about to trample vs vnder foote when we shall haue walked vnfeynedly in truthe much more shall wee haue that preheminence when the cace concerneth fayth and the seruice of God the doctrine of saluation that is to wit God will giue vs such so stedfast a constancie that when the diuell shall haue bent all his force against vs he shall gayne nothing at our hāds according also as we haue a promis therof VVherof is it long then that we bee no stedfaster now adayes seeyng the troubles that are in the world whereof commeth it that wee see so many men giue themselues too naughtinesse Euen bicause they haue not this said rightnesse and bycause they bee not fensed against the manifold assaults whiche Satan bendeth agaynst them Verely there are some of a good minde if a man warne them they receyue chastizement quietly if no man trouble them it is well they will hurt no man neyther will they gyue any cause of offence But if they once see that iniquitie hath full scope and that if a man meene too liue simplely and vprightly hee shall bee pricked on the one syde and punched on the other then he starteth asyde and boweth wyth al wyndes And whereof commeth such inconstancie It is bycause they haue not the rightnesse that is spoken of heere well rooted in their harts Behold I say what is the cause why wee see so many wauering men who are not sure of the truthe of the Gospell insomuch that they be but as wethercockes that turne wyth euery wynd or as reedes that bow euery way And why is that Euen bycause they neuer knew the power of Gods woord and his truthe For it is certayne that the truth is so strong as the diuell may well assayle vs and woorke vs all the trouble that he can deuise but yet howsoeuer the world go wee shall holde our owne and wee shall abide stedfast in our state VVhat is too bee done then Let vs pray God to make vs feele the power of his word whereof mention is made here that is to wit how it is an inuincible fortresse that we may knowe the same by experience and in very deede wee be too blame if wee doo it not And let vs not say as many ignorant persons saye I knowe not on what syde to turne me for I see contrarieties in mennes opinions one sayes this and another sayes that True it is that there are dyuers opinions but so must our fayth be tried and God suffereth it according also as Sainct Paule sayeth that there must be heresies to the intent that such as are of God may be knowne by hauing this the constancie of cleauing continually vnto Gods truth neuer to be turned from the same Then if it be alledged that there are many incounters and disputations it is true but is that as muche to say as oure faith must therefore bee shaken for wherein shall the stedfastnesse of this ryghtnesse shewe it selfe that is too say how shall a man knowe that the truthe is so strong or where shall the power thereof shewe it selfe but in vs Like as in verye deede when it is sayde that Goddes woord indureth for euer it is not ment that it is alwayes but in heauen only but that it is also in the harts of the faythfull according as sainct Peter sheweth vs that although wee bee tossed with many stormes and tempests in this world yet shall our fayth neuer be shaken downe So then it is certayne that Gods truthe is myghtye ynough too withstand all assaultes according as it is sayde the victory that ouercommeth the world is this namely euen your faythe as Sainct Iohn sayes in his canonicall epistle And so are wee desyrous too profite well in the Gospell and in the schoole of God Then let vs learne not only too take and too followe that whiche is good but also too answer therevnto in such wise as wee maye protest I will doo such a thing not only bycause I hope too bring it too passe but also bycause God wyll gyue mee strength too withstande the temptations whych the diuell shall prepare against mee so as I shall neuer fayle whatsoeuer betyde And where as it is sayd whiche is the faultfinder among you that can find fault with any thing it is too shewe that the enemies of God may well practyze and well vse craftie conueyances and naughtinesse but they shall neuer obteyne too suppresse the truthe Not that they shall not streyne themselues
to do it or that they shall not deuise any thing that may serue to strengthen them withall but yet notwithstanding all thys God will maynteyne the case of his seruantes and at length shewe that the truthe is certayne I say the wicked shall do their indeuer yea and sometimes they shal seeme to haue the vpper hand but by that meanes God punisheth the vnthankfulnesse of the world And this is it that sainct Paule meeneth by saying that the wicked and such as anoy the Church shal go on and preuayle and increase And how is that Is it not for that God giueth Satan the brydle and suffereth the diuels champions to aduaunce themselues in such wise as it seemeth that they ought to be Lords of all But God suffreth it not without cause for we see the vnthankfulnesse of the world There are many that would willingly be deceyued and which are greued when men teache them in all purenesse who coulde fynde in their hart that Gods word were so confused yea euen in such sort as a man myght not knowe nor discerne aught but that it had twoo faces in one hoode as they say Othersome although they can abide to heare one say the truthe yet they haue no greate care too be throughly rooted in it all is one too them Now forasmuch as God seeth in the one sort suche a maliciousnesse and in the other sort such a carelesnesse that it turneth euen to an open rebelliousnesse and many men quenche the lyghte that God setteth before them do wee maruell if he slacke the brydle too the wicked and too those that turne the truthe intoo lying and vtterly deface it But yet in the meane whyle it is certayne that God strengtheneth and mainteyneth those to the end whome he hath taught his truth And so yee see wherefore it is said that the faultfinders maye well streyne themselues howbeit in the ende they shal be vanquished and God will shew himselfe too be on that side where good right is And this is spoken not only of the doctrine of the Gospel but also of al that euer concerneth the life of the faithfull True it is that the doctrine of saluation is one of the preciousest things that god hath And therfore ye see also that he wil shew the power thereof in such wise as he will destroy the wicked by the breath of his mouth and they shall feele that the sayd word which they haue despised is a sworde too slea them with and to driue them into damnation Then behoueth it God to vtter his power in this behalfe aboue al. But yet in other doings whensoeuer we be wrongfully oppressed by men and that whereas we ought to be susteyned it shal seeme that all goeth cleane Backward yet let vs not cease to trust still in god And why For wee may perhaps bee little set by for a time and we may be abhorred as if there were nothing but euill in vs But let vs be contented too haue God and his Angells too bee good witnesses of our soundnesse Let vs tary till God chace away all droopie darknesse and make our innocencie to shine out that it may be seene as the breake of the day Thus ye see what we haue to marke in this streine And by and by Iob addeth that his friends which came to him vnder pretence to cōfort him haue framed talke to confound his holy purpose that is to say to confound his right sayings and haue let the words of the afflicted passe into the wind Heere Iob accuseth those of extreme spitefulnes which proceede so egerly against him And it behoueth vs to mark wel this point For no doubt but the holy Ghost sheweth vs heere what wee haue to beware of if we be loth to displease God wold not make as it were open war against him Behold I say a vice that is hateful before God which is whē we will be cūning to ouerthrow a good matter specially whē it happeneth that we aduaunce our selues against them that are afflicted to the worldward and when there is suche presumptuousnesse in vs as we will prouoke them to cast themselues into despaire and yet there is no vice so ouer rife as this And why so Bycause no man thinketh of that which is told heere namely that when men forge such inuentions that is to say when they deuise things to ouerthrow all equitie as much as they can and to make such krinks as the truthe might not bee knowne any more nor take place any more it is all one as if they came too iustle against God and tooke hym to be their aduersarie partie Now then if men would thynke themselues to say thus howe no we we bid battell vnto God it is certayne they wold be so afraid as their heare would stand vp vpon their head so as it would be a bridle to them to hold them in that they should not fling themselues out so at randon But sith that we thinke so little of it at leastwise let vs receiue that which God sheweth vs seeing that he gyueth vs warning in this streyne Ye see then in effect what wee haue to beare in mind that is to wit that when any man speaketh to vs we should delay our answere vntill wee know what the matter is VVe see there is some communication ministred what is to bee done Let vs herken and marke whither it be godly and true or no and let vs pray God to giue vs the spirite of discretion that we may vnderstād what the truth is And whē we haue founde it let vs not replie against it For as I haue sayd heretofore most men ouershoote themselues vnaduisedly bycause they knowe not that it is God againste whome they set themselues By meanes whereof they cease not too proceede in it with an euill conscience For although they be not directly minded to say I wil go iustle against God yet they see well ynough that God gyueth thē not leaue to auaunce themselues after that sorte against goodnesse to suppresse a good cace they see that well ynough And therefore it is certaine that all they which yeeld not simply to that which is good cannot excuse themselues but that they haue through a certaine maliciousnesse fought against god But nowe let triall be made and it will bee found that all mē both great and small ceasse not to wage deadly warre continually against God and to worke him spite And for proofe hereof shall euer any cace be ouerruled by iustice wherein there shall not bee vsed a number of slights to turne the good into euill And yet notwithstanding looke vpon the holiest and best priuiledged place that is and the same is as shamefully defiled as none is more there is such stinking bestlinesse as euē the bawds of brothelhouses wold be ashamed of it For men disguise things yea and corrupt them in such sort as it may seeme that they haue conspired to shet all equitie and vprightnesse out of dores
And yet notwithstanding in the mean while men make countenance as though they sawe no such thing and would fayne couer the leawdnesse which is too too apparant and notoriouse It is euen like as if a man had cast vp a handfull of ashes to darken the sunne should say that the day were at an end The things are knowne as well as may be and yet do men stil aske what is it And which worse is as I said the same is seene euen in the seate of iustice On the other side it is to be seene how the diuell possesseth al. The Temples of God which ought to be dedicated to the seruing and worshipping of God purely as he commandeth are stuffed with ydolles so as there is nothing but corruption and caneldirt wherwith to send silly soules to destruction In effect wee see that in all the life of man there is nothing but disguising of things so as there is no more tidings to be hearde of the sayd soundnesse and vprightnesse whereof wee haue spoken And heerewithall we haue to marke thys saying That the words of an afflicted person or of a despised person passe away into the winde For ye see howe the cause why men auaunce them selues against God is for that they set too much by themselues and thinke there is no wisedome but in their owne brayne Truly in all the affaires that men haue euery man seekes his own auayles And therefore when a naughtipacke woulde eschue the punishment that he hath deserued he wil by and by haue his faire flatteries and gloses at hand to the intent it shuld not be knowne howe the cace standeth whither it bee a money matter or any other thing Behold how men corrupt the truth and turne it into a lie for their owne aduauntage sake But if the case concerne the doctrine of faith and the Gospell what else is the cause of so manye countersayings and that we see so many Sophisters come now adayes to mocke God flatly with their sophisticall suttleties but the pride that is in those which thinke thēselues to haue witte ynough to winne their spurres and to reason Pro con as they terme it that is to reason of and on or too fro on both sides No doubt but Gods spirite ment too taunt here this pride and presumtuousnesse too the ende that if we purpose to keepe our selues from being enimies to God in fighting against his truth we shoulde shake off this ouerweening and not despise oure neighbours to tread them vnder feete but rather be contented to be taught euen by a little childe if God shall haue opened more vnto him than vntoo vs according as Sainct Paule sheweth that such as haue the spirit of prophecie although god haue giuen them the grace to teach others must notwithstanding not disdayne to giue place too any other vntoo whome God shall haue giuen more knowledge than to them Yee see then what we haue too marke in this streyne And finally Iob concludeth that those which pretended to be his friendes do nothing else but dig a pit for such a man to stumble into as ought too bee hilde vp and that they seeke nothing but too winde the fatherlesse Hee vseth this manner of similitude bycause a fatherlesse childe hath no meane to defend himself but is left as it wer to the spoile So Iob as one whom God scourgeth to the vttermost sheweth vs that we shal not scape Gods hand and vengeance except we laboure to succoure such as are miserable that is to say suche as are worthy of pitie and compassion as was sayde yesterday Lo what we haue to marke in the first place But in conclusion hee exhorteth them too turne againe and then saith hee there shal be none iniquitie Turn yee agayne saith he once ageyne And my righteousnesse shall appeare in this behalfe Iob in exhorting thē sheweth well with what mind we must find fault with the euill and condemne it that is to witte to bring men backe againe if it be possible to atteyne to it Therfore let vs thinke vpon it to the intent that such as will take warning may not perishe in their sinnes but rather that being sorie for thē and ashamed that they haue offended God they maye retourne vnto him with a greater affection True it is that when we find that such as haue offended God are not touched with the feeling of his iustice of his vengeance insomuch that if a man manace them he shall win nothing at their hands it behoueth them too bee touched too the quicke to make them abashed if hee purpose to bring thē to repentance But howsoeuer the cace stand we must alwayes shoote at this marke which is shewed vs heere that is to witte to drawe them backe according to the manner that Iob vseth in this proceeding here And as touching that he sayth Turne ye againe and there shall be none iniquitie true it is that a man may expound this streyn as if he sayd There shall be no more iniquitie in you But there is more reason too saye Retourne ye and there shall bee no more iniquitie Turne ye agayne and my righteousnesse shall be knowen heere as if Iob shoulde saye what hath bin the cause that you haue hitherto condemned me as a man whome God had cast away so as to your seeming I shuld be the worst man in the worlde what is the cause why I haue cryed out in my selfe and haue not bin herd at your hands It is for that you haue turned your backs to al reason and therefore turne yee agayne and my righteousnesse will be apparant This wil be the better vnderstood when I shall haue applied it to our instruction First and formost we be put in mind heere that whensoeuer wee condemne the good and allow the euill that commeth of our owne meere default so as we cannot say behold I haue bin deceyued and I wist not what the matter ment Let vs not alledge this nor that For it is certaine that we shall alwayes be found blameworthy if wee condemne that which is good and allowe the euill and God conuicteth vs inasmuch as he declareth that we haue not voutsaued to open our eyes and to see what hee sheweth vs Do men then followe lies in sted of truth Are they so blind that they know not what is good It is bycause they haue turned their backs vpon God and for that there is in them some maliciousnesse some hypocrisie or some carelesnesse Then if God suffer vs to haue our eyes so seeled vp as we cannot discerne betwene good and euill it is bycause we haue not had so good regard vnto God as becommeth vs when he was redy to teach vs familiarly ynough Marke this for a speciall poynt But whensoeuer we bee so caried away as wee haue not the spirite of wise dome but do euen allow of the euill yea and cherish it the remedy is for vs to returne and that we be not wilfully
punisheth whoredomes it is too the ende that wee shoulde walke in all cleanlinesse bothe of bodie and soule Thus yee see then howe it is Gods will that menne should behold and consider his iudgements specially when they bee manyfest A man may well saye sometimes that God is righteous And why for hee hath punished suche a one yea euen bycause hee was a man of a wicked and dissolute life Hee hath executed his vengeance vpon such a countrie And why for it was full of all filthynesse and vncleannesse VVee may well speake after this maner and so ought wee to doe howe bee it not alwayes For as I haue sayde alreadie hee holdeth not on all by one rule VVhat is to bee done then VVee must come vp higher and saye that God is alwayes righteous howe so euer hee handle men And this is a poynte well worthie to bee noted for in these dayes wee shall see some beastes who notwithstanding will weene themselues to bee clearkly fellowes when they shall haue maynteined Gods iustice by their owne reason and phantasticall wit. They would that God should bee esteemed righteous And why for handling euerie man according to their desertes as I touched afore And too bring this too passe they are fayne to graunt me a free will and Gods election must be ouerthrowne and brought too naught For to saye that God choseth whome hee listeth and calleth them to saluation through his owne free goodnesse and that hee forsaketh the residue they thinke it verie straunge to bee spoken bycause they can not comprehende the reason of it And heere yee see why these rogues that counterfaite to bee great clearkes ouerturne the foundacions of our fayth to proue Gods rightuousnesse euen after their owne fansie And why is that By cause they can not mount so hygh as too knowe that God is rightuous in comparison of men whatsoeuer they be True it is that it stādeth vs in hād to beware of another extremitie which is faultie For we shal see some of as slaunderous conuersation as may be who if they perceiue their leudnesse to be discouered fall by and by to saying As for me I am an honest man yea to the worldward I confesse euery man is a sinner to God-ward and so will he shroude himselfe vnder the common cloake Looke vpon a whorehunter that hathe haunted the stewes halfe a score yeares Looke vpon a blasphemer that ceasseth not to rayle at God and to spyte hym Looke vpon a villaine that despiseth God and all religion Looke vpon an vnthrifte or an vnconscionable person that seeketh nought else but to be catching withoute faithfulnesse or honest dealing and such dogges will say it is true that they be sinners before God for no manne is righteous They goe no further with their faultes but so which are so hideous as maye bee but shrowde themselues vnder the cloake of naturall infirmitie saying that there is no manne that can bee equall with god They thinke they haue doone verie muche in yeelding suche a confession But I haue shewed alreadie that it behooueth vs to haue both these two points The one is that we must acknowledge god to be rightuous in respect of the whole worlde and that men muste not pleade nor dispute wyth him whosoeuer they be or what so euer they be able to alledge but must bee abashed both great and small Lo here one speciall poynt The other is that ech man should haue an eye particularly to himselfe and that euery man should be sorie for his faults and abhorre them and condemne them and that heerevpon we should also consider the vengeance and punishmentes whiche God sendeth vpon sinnes to the ende we should learne to fare the better thereby If we be beaten with his roddes let euerie of vs saye it is good right I haue well deserued it If God teach vs at other mens coste so as hee chastizeth other men before our eyes let the same touch vs and let vs applie such examples to our owne instruction to the intent to preuent the matter that God bee not compelled to fall vpon vs bycause wee haue not profyted by the chastizementes which hee hath shewed vs in the person of others Thus yee see the two poyntes which wee haue to marke and to put in vre Now let vs come to the laying forth of that which is sayd here by Iob. I know for a truth saith he that man shall not be iustifyed with God. So it is set downe but this word with importeth as much as to Godward And it is a doctrin of great weight if a man know it wel VVhat is the cause that men iustifye themselues so boldly that is to say that they presume so muche of themselues that they set so much store by themselues and that they bee so full of pryde VVhat else is the cause of it but only their staying here belowe that euery man compareth himselfe with his neyghbour Yee see then wherevnto we runne And yee see also why Saint Paule sendeth vs to the great iudge saying that euerie man shall beare his owne burthen As if he had sayde my friendes men beguile themselues when they make suche comparisons as these VVhat I see other men liue no better than my selfe and if I haue faultes in me so haue other men in them too Ye see then what is the cause that men condemne not themselues as they ought to doe but rather sooth themselues in iustifying their owne cace But heere it is expressely sayde that man shall not be iustifyed with god VVhat must wee then doe as ofte as any man speaketh to vs of our sinnes and laieth them afore vs let vs learne to know that we must not hold oure eyes here belowe but looke vp to the iudgement seat of our Lord Iesus Christ where we haue our accounte to make we muste knowe the incomprehensible maiestie of god Therefore lette euerie man thinke thereof and then shall all of vs bee wakened to withdrawe oure selues out of our follies and wee shall haue no moe of these vaine imaginacions and dotages that haue bin wont to rocke sinners asleepe Had this bin obserued there shoulde bee none of the debates that are nowe adayes in christendome aboute the rightuousnesse of fayth The Papistes can not be persuaded of this that we say namely that wee become rightuous throughe the meere fauoure of God in oure Lorde Iesus Christe And why what shall become of the merites say they and of the good workes wherein the saluation of menne consisteth And why do the Papistes stande so vpon their merites and why are they so besotted with them but bycause they looke not vp to God They dispute in theyr schooles whether good workes deserue recompence and wages as well as euill workes deserue punishment for they be things flat contrarie If mens sinnes deserue to be punished then must there also be some rewarde for vertues for otherwise Gods iustice shoulde not bee indifferent yea to our seeming and so
the good will of some person or else to auēge him self But none of these things can fasten vpon god VVe see then that his righteousnesse is proued on the one parte For when God scourgeth men doth hee bend him selfe against his enemies No ▪ hee addresseth him selfe to his creatures for we are the worke of his hands he hath created and fashioned vs VVil he then destroy that which he hath made No And therefore it behoueth vs to conclude that God cannot vse eyther wrong or crueltie towardes vs He cannot vse any wrong verely bycause he requireth not any thing at mens hands but that which is due to him And they are conuicted thereof For although they be malicious and stubborne Yet haue they alwayes some respect vnto him True it is that some are so ouerbold in naughtinesse and giue themselues so wholly vnto it as they thinke not at all vpon god Notwithstanding as I haue said euen nature imprinteth alwayes this vnderstanding in men that if they know it not to be for their commoditie and profite to do extorcion and wrong to their neighbours they will not do it Then if men being euill of themselues do no euill but to their owne profite can God who is the fountayne of all goodnesse and the rule of all righte bee moued too do vs harme and to punishe vs wrongfullye without hauing any profite by it So then wee see heere one proofe of Gods righteousnesse Agayne it is manifest that he can vse no crueltie against vs we are his workemanship inasmuch as he hath fashioned vs It is certayne therefore that forsomuch as we be his workmanship he will not destroy vs without cause VVe see that when a workman hath made a peece of worke he wold haue the fame to be preserued still But God hath put vs into thys world and we be as it were the record of his power righteousnesse goodnesse and wisdome VVill hee then destroy vs without cause It is doctrine greatly for our behoofe if so be that we be able to applye it well to our instruction Yea for Satan will tempt vs at all assayes to be offended with God as who should say he vsed ouergreat rigoure towardes vs as if hee were vnrighteous But we must haue the stay too say how now wretched creature against whome bendest thou thy selfe imaginest thou that thy God doth thee wrong is it possible for hym to do any thou art full of sinne thou art full of malice craftinesse and deceit and yet notwithstanding thou hast an eye to thine owne profite whē thou dost any man harme If thou anoy or impeach any man it is too further thy selfe by another mans losse and hindrance And can thy God gayne any thing by thee VVilt thou make him copartner of thine vnrighteousnesse and sinne Then if we can consider thus farre it is certayne that we shall be horribly afrayde to treate after that sort of Gods righteousnesse or by any meanes to bring it in question Furthermore if we consider our selues and say how now God hath set thee in this world and he hath spred out his graciouse gifts and the great treasures of his goodnesse vppon thee whiche if thou marke in thy body thou shalte haue matter ynough to rauish thee into wondering Must thou not needes bee very vnsensible yea and possessed with the diuell when thou shalt charge thy God with any crueltie who hath shewed him selfe so gentle and louing towards thee Yee see then howe wee must practize this lesson that we may haue skill to profite ourselues by it But the saying that is added is yet more to be practized For there is nothing more rife with vs than to be out of pacience when wee see the wicked and the despizers of God to be in their ruffe as though they had the world at will and to make their triumphes in skorning of God and of the Gospell and of vs that professe it As how God afflicteth his Church and by and by ye see the wicked are in such triumph as they thinke they haue wonne the goale and it seemeth that God fauoreth them Afterward ther commeth some trouble things go cleane backward and whereas we ought to be confirmed more and more that the number of the faithfull shall increase and whereas we ought to be strēgthned in faith in al goodnesse we see that many whiche made pretence to beleeue the Gospel slip their heads out of the coller and become muche more wicked and outrageous than the open enemies VVe see other things also whereof there is no hope at all that they shall amēd to the better and this is it that greeueth vs And how is it say we that God suffereth this geere It seemeth that he is minded to aduaunce the wicked heere and that hee is willing too open theyr mouthes that they may spew out their blasphemies against hym It seemeth that he is altogither agaynste vs and that it is a pleasure to him too haue vs vexed and made a laughingstocke to all men And wil God so cleere the deuises of the wicked VVill hee take their part will he bee a partner of their corruption and filthinesse Lo what geere may runne in oure heads So much the more therefore behoueth it vs to be fenced against such temptations according as Iob setteth downe both twayne of them in thys sentence For on the one side hee confesseth that it came thus to hys imagination How now it seemeth that God taketh the wicked mennes part and that he hath made a compact with them too giue them so much the more boldnesse Iob then confesseth that thys temptation came in his head howbeit that he withstoode it I or he confesseth it to be impossible that God shoulde not be vtterly against euill bycause he naturally hateth it otherwise he should be fayne to denye himselfe So then forsomuch as God is the iudge of the worlde hee muste needes hate all vnrightuousnesse VVherefore let vs assure our selues that he will neuer cleere the intent of the wicked that is to say he will neuer shewe himselfe to allow it VVhat will he do then He will exercise our pacience in the meane while Therefore let vs be armed against all stumblingblocks VVhen wee see the wicked the enemies of the truth take occasion to skoffe at God and at vs by reason that things are so confounded in the world Let vs say well yet is not God on their side for all this for in the end they must be confoūded in their pride But it behoueth vs to looke further Behold now is the tyme of darknesse as our Lorde Iesus Christ termeth it when the ciuell hath such a libertie to do mischeefe that the wicked haue the reynes of the bridle looce in theyr necke He sayeth it is the kingdome or reigne of darknesse when things are confounded as it were in the dark But God wil chace away the darknesse and gyue vs light at length according as we haue most certayne promis of
shall be full of Ceremonies and apparant pretences whereas notwithstanding there shal be no truth nor right meening inwardly in the hart Ye see how we haue so much the more neede to marke what is sayd here namely that such as go about to seeke God do not any thing that is aughtworth but insteade of going forwarde draw backwarde except their hart be disposed that way that is to say except they haue a pure and single affection and not a double heart â–ª But for our better confirmation in this lesson wee must bethinke vs of other textes of the Scripture where God auoucheth that he is not like too mortall creatures who rest vpon the outward shewes of things Bycause wee bee fleshly wee make much of that which seemeth gay but God is not such a one Therefore wee must not measure him by our metyard But forasmuch as it is his peculiar office too searche the bottome of mennes pr 〈…〉 thoughtes and all must needes be layd open before him Therefore his eyes looke vnto faithfulnesse and truth as it is sayde in Ieremie To bee short the seruice of God ought to bee grounded vpon the singlehartednesse wherof the Scripture speaketh so oft in saying Thou shalt bee sounde before mee And not without cause did God giue that rule to Abraham but he gaue it to the ende it should bee generall to all the faythfull and the often repeating of it is to shew that when God mindeth to shoale out his owne children by some certaine marke from the hypocrites alwayes he setteth downe the sayde soundhartednesse Therefore let vs marke well that forasmuche as God is the truth hee will bee serued in spirite and truth Now seeing that Gods seruice is spirituall all â—eyning and vntruth must bee farre from vs otherwise althoughe our workes please men and be neuer so much commended of the worlde they bee no better than dung and vanitie and God will reiect all that wee haue if wee haue not first indeuered to put our harte in order True it is that the Papistes take holde of this text too proue their Freewill and it seemeth too them that they haue a fayre colour to say sith men are exhorted to order their hartes aright therefore it is in their abilitie and power so too do But it is to fonde and tryfling a reason to measure mens power and abilitie by the things that are commaunded them For when God sheweth vs what wee haue to doo he respecteth not what wee are able too do or what is in vs but he respecteth what we bee bound vnto and what is our dutie VVhen he willeth vs too loue him with all our hart with all our strength and with all our power is it bicause he findeth any man liuing that is able to yeelde his whole hart to the sayde loue VVe see the flat contrarie For our nature is fully bent agaynst god So then if God ment too require nothing at our handes but that which we were able to performe hee shoulde let vs go streight too destruction But let vs not thinke that God lozeth his right bicause wee haue not wherewith too pay him For put the cace a man were in dette were it reason that his creditours shoulde loze their right bicause he is falne in pouertie by wasting of his goodes in riot and excesse True it is that they shall not be able to recouer it at his hande yet doth the dette remayne alwayes vpon his head Seeing the cace is such doo wee thinke that God will be disfeated of his duetie bicause men bee altogither lewde and frowarde or bicause the Diuell holdeth them in bondage and they be giuen ouer to all mischeef and wickednesse Then must we not conclude that men are able to dispose of their owne harts and of themselues at their pleasure through their owne motioÌ„ bycause God commaundeth them so to do Hee doth but onely shewe that we be bounde too do so and that all that euer we be able too attempt shall not be esteemed nor receyued at Gods hande vntill such tyme as wee haue the sayd purenesse of hart whereof mention is made in thys place But nowe let euery man examine hymselfe and we shall fynd our selues to haue harts of stone so as there is nothyng in them but hardnesse nother reigneth there any thyng in them but naughtinesse and suche a continuall stubbornesse as can by no meanes be bowed to obey god Sith the cace standeth so God muste be fayne to put too hys hande as he hath also promised to doo For he sayeth hee will giue vs fleshly hartes that shall be soft and plyable so as wee may serue him He sayeth he will ingraue his law after such a sorte in our hartes and in our bowels as wee shall giue our selues to that which he alloweth so as there shall be one conformitie and agreement beweene all our desires and affections and betweene the rightuousnesse that is conteyned in the lawe That say I is the peculiar worke of God therfore it behoueth him to dispose vs to the seruing of him bycause we are vnfit for it one oure behalfe drawing altogither backe from it and hauing not aught in our lustes but contrarietie to all goodnesse Lo how it belongeth to God to apply vs vnto himselfe and to make vs fitte and able to serue him seeing we haue not any abilitie nor meane in our selues to do it Now after he hath thus spoken of the purenesse and rightfull meening of the hart hee sayeth that wee muste stretch out our handes vntoo God. Thys importeth very muche For vnder one particular Zophar ment to comprehende in effecte the cheefe poynt of Gods seruice and of the first table of the Lawe For what els is prayer than a recorde of the faith that wee haue to Godward For by calling vppon God without hypocrisie we witnesse openly that all our welfare lyeth in hym and that he is the onely partie too whome we ought to flee for succoure and to be shorte by calling vpon God wee yeelde hym the glory that belongeth vnto hym and whych he reserueth to hymselfe And so let vs marke that vnder thys one particular point of calling vpon God Zophar ment to comprehende the whole contents of the fyrste table whych are that God telleth vs that he only must be worshipped of vs and caÌ„not abide to haue any copartener and that we must not abuse his name nor vnhalowe it but that wee must render hym the honour which he is worthy of and followe the order which he hath appointed in hys Church Then if all thyngs bee throughly considered it is certayn that by calling vpon God we protest that we haue none other Gods but him alone and that we renounce all Idolatrie and superstition shewing that our trust is settled vppon hym alone and declaring that all ryghtuousnesse power and life are all wholly in our God that he is the fountain where out of it behoueth vs to drawe and that wee bee so
concludeth that all suche as serue God muste be rewarded out of hand and that this prensent lyfe must be as a Paradise to thē and that God must bee fauourable to them that all the world may see it and that he shewe it in verie deede He doth not so saith Iob. VVhy so For ye see that the wicked are in prosperitie and prouoke God so much the more boldly Sith the cace standeth so experience sheweth vs that God will not execute his iudgementes out of hande but holdeth them in couert and in suspence vntill the houre that hee thinketh good In the meane whyle the good and the chyldren of God euen they that haue walked before him with a single meaning heart may be scourged extremely Yet must not that bee imputed to their sinnes as though they were the furthest out of square of all men so as it should be sayde Suche a man is punished rigorously and therefore it must be concluded that hee is a heynous offender and that God as it were abhorreth him It is not so but God knowes wherfore he scourgeth the good hee hath diuerse reasons too do it and it is not for vs to giue sentence of it It is not for vs to saye That man hathe sinned more greeuously than others seeing that God vseth suche roughnesse towards him Thus yee see howe we must restrayne the promises and threatnings of the lawe to Gods prouidence and to the cursse thereof suche as wee see it to bee daily The threatnings of God are true when hee sayth that he will cursse the transgressers Yea but hee executeth it not at the first day God must do his workes as it pleaseth him selfe in such proportion and measure as hee knowes too be conuenient God promiseth to blisse those that serue him and walke according to his will yea but yet for all that hee will haue authoritie to afflicte them And why Euen for their welfare and for their saluation Hee ceasseth not to bee alwayes neere at hande with them and to heare them at their neede and to make them perceyue how profitable their afflictions are to them and yet for a time they be as it were plunged ouer head and eares and they bee tossed too and fro so as they wote not where to become And why It is good for them to bee meekened to their welfare Lo howe God is soothfast in his promises and in his threatnings and yet gouerneth the worlde in suche wise by his prouidence as it seemeth that the godly haue lost their laboure in seruing him and that the wicked haue the bridle layd loose in their necke to skoffe at God as if they were scaped out of his hande So will it seeme to vs if we iudge by that which wee see presently and according as wee measure thinges by oure owne witte Then let vs humble our selues and say VVell God is iudge of the world howbeit that appeereth not at the first blow therefore howe close soeuer he keepe himself yet neuerthelesse wee muste haue the fayth and hope in vs to conclude that the thing whiche is vnknowne to vs as now shal be shewed vs in the end But now let vs come to Iobs words as they be set downe heere You bee a people and wisedome shall dye with you Heereby hee meant to represse the foolish haughtinesse and presumption of them that haue spoken For otherwise there is no dealing with such as are so puffed vp with vayne truste of theyr owne skill men must needes shew them their follie True it is that oftentimes men shall nothing auayle by so dooing For hee that is throughly sotted in his owne fonde ouerweening what so euer a man tell him will neuerthelesse bee wedded too his owne opinion and take himselfe too be that which he is not Yet notwithstanding when wee are too incounter against suche as miswrest God truth wee must not sticke to shewe them their follie and ignorance Verely it may not bee done as though men would shewe whither of them are sharpwitted or of better skill For beholde so doe they that haue nothing but ambition and vaineglorie in them Euery of them would faine make a great shew Hee that beginneth would faine amaze men with his talke and he that answereth would also aduaunce himselfe very well yee see a battell of fooles But wee must not deale after that sort Therefore if wee incounter them that corrupte Gods truth and wrest it vnto vntruth and that we come to shewe them their ignoraunce VVee must not doe it to seeme better learned or skilfuller nor to purchaze our selues the more estimation but wee muste content ourselues to haue made waye for the truth that it may be receyued and that men be no longer wedded to suche as bee in reputation to the ouerthrowe of that which was well builded As how At this day a man shall see many poore sillie folke hilde still in their superstitions bycause they say what So many great learned men haue hild the doctrine that is followed nowe adays and stand still in the same to this houre and will they be beguiled Beholde at what poynt many poore weakiings are bycause they before possessed with this imagination that it is not possible for the Prelates of the Church the learned men and the great personages to be ouerseene Nowe if we will teach such folke to make them come to the knowledge of God it is requisite that they learne to knowe the beastlinesse and ignorance of those whome they haue esteemed so highly before and that they which lift vp them selues againste God as these superstitious hipocrites doe whiche mainteyne the abhominations of the papacie at this day should be conuicted of their beastlinesse For how malapart so euer they be yet are they so doltish that euen the little babes may perceiue their gewgawes when they be told of them and they are in a rage when men do so True it is that they haue skill ynough but they are loth that Gods truth should by any meanes come neere the simple sort and such as are alreadie snarled in the saide false opinion that I spake of Yee see then in what wise Iob rebuketh heere the euill expounders of Gods lawe and such as had wrested it to a straunge meening For he telleth them that as great clearkes as they would faine seeme to be they had not alledged any thing at all to the purpose nor any thing that ought not to bee knowne of all men Finally hee mocketh them saying You bee a whole people wisedome shall dye wyth you VVhen as Iob sayth I am not inferioure to you I haue hearte or witte as well as you he meeneth not to magnifie hymselfe thereby after the maner that I haue tolde you that it were a fonde vaingloriousnesse if euery man shoulde on his owne side bee desirous to shewe him selfe more cunning and sharpwitted than others as if hee should saye VVhat I pray you who is he verely there will be much bickering among men but
yet Gods truth shall continue still Iob meeneth no more heere but to shewe that God hath giuen him the grace to know and discerne the truthe better than they that are so full of ouerweening And so yee see in what wise it may bee lawefull for vs to boaste ourselues Not to the ende that men should clap their handes at vs as at great learned men and at men of great witte and knowledge Awaye with all these fonde toyes for it is vnpossible for vs to settle our minds to the seruing of God excepte wee forget all that euer concerneth our selues So long as we haue an eye to our selues and couet to be had in estimation it is certaine that oure Lorde will suffer vs to fall into many ouersightes and to become a laughingstocke to oure vtter shame For heere ye see also the hire of all suche as couet to bee had in estimation And it is good reason that it should bee so seeing that Gods truth is thereby as it were layde flat vpon the ground and in the meane whyle men haue no regard but to their owne honoure VVhat is to be done then VVe must forget our own selues but yet so as therewithall we aduaunce Gods gracious giftes namely to the ende that when we haue a good cace the same may be mainteined and that the things which we shall alledge may be receyued with authoritie If a man bee taken for an idiot and haue nother skill not witte what will become of it Nothing that he speaketh will be receiued we will disdayne him Then if a man intende to fare the better by aughte that is spoken he must thinke thus with himselfe well God hathe giuen some grace to this man and the same grace is not to be despised for we should do wrong vnto God bycause it proceedeth of the holie Ghost Sith it is so let vs beware that wee lifte not vp our selues againste god Thus ye see howe that the cause why we do humbly receiue good doctrine is to know that the man which teacheth vs hath bene taught of God before Lo to what intent Iob declareth that hee had witte and was no whit inferioure to those that did set so great price and estimation on them selues To bee shorte let vs learne to aduaunce the gracious giftes that God hathe put into vs Yea verelie not to exalt ourselues by them but to the intent that the thing that we haue receiued may profite and bring forth fruite Thus much concerning the person of Iob. And heerewithall also the faithfull are warned that when they see a man hath receyued excellent gifts of the holie Ghost so as he is able to aduaunce Gods honoure and to edifye his Church they must giue eare to him and he must bee receyued with all reuerence in that which hee shall saye VVhyso For otherwise it were a dispising of god Now let vs come to that which Iob saith I am saith he as it were a despiser of my frundes True it is that as the words lie he saith he is as it were despized of his frinds forsaken of him but in very deed he speaketh of himself in the third person Afterward he likeneth himselfe to a torch or a linke that wasteth and is shunned VVhat can a man looke for in a torch when it commeth to the ende For the waxe droppeth down and men drawe backe from it that it ray them not and if any of it light vpon them it is ynough to marre their garment Therefore when a linke or a torch hath lighted men for a time and serued men as long as it can they cast it away euery man shunnes it and there is nothing more in it but stinch This is it that Iob meaneth in saying that the cace stoode euen so with himselfe Yee see that I am readie to fall sayth hee and therfore yee despize me Hee sheweth the reason of this similitude saying bycause yee see I am as it were at the brim of my graue That is the cause why I am forsaken of you And hee sayth also that the rich men doe mocke him that is afflicted And why They call vpon God saith he and hee heareth them Iob meaneth not heereby that the wicked wayte for their welfare at Gods hand or that they seeke it in him but he meaneth that they haue the world at will so as it seemeth that they haue God in their hands and that they carie him in their sleeue as men say according as wee shall see that hee addeth afterwarde True it is that some expounde this sentence to bee meant of the Idolaters which make God to come to their handes but that is a foolish and vnreasonable exposition For Iob loked no further than to the prosperitie which the wicked haue For al welfare coÌ„meth of God and the wicked haue more abundance of it than other meÌ„ and doth it not seem then that God is as it were in league with theÌ„ and that he sotheth theÌ„ yeldeth himself to their lust A man might properly say that God flattereth them when they liue so in reste and prosper in suche wise as they haue shortely whatsoeuer they desire Iob then sayth that those meÌ„ prouoke God so much the more boldly and yet in the mean while their houses are happie VVhereby hee ment to betoken that which I haue told you afore that is to witte that Zophar did him wrong in saying that he was a great sinner VVherefore For sayth hee the contrary is to bee seene Now let vs come to that which he sayth concerning their contempt I am despised sayth he as a linke or a teach that is wasted Heere in the person of Iob wee be taughte that our Lord giueth the world leaue to skorne vs and suffereth our state to be so miserable as it seemeth that we be vtterly forlorne and therefore behoueth it vs to be pacient VVhy so VVe see what befell vnto Iob and would we be more deere than he Seeing then that so excellent a seruant of God was so giuen vp that men mocked him and tooke him to be a castaway let vs not be astonished nor murmure against God if hee suffer vs too come to the same poynt nother let vs thinke him ouer-cruell for handling vs so but let vs consider howe it is good for vs to be meekened after that sort let it waken vs let vs learne that our hope must not be rooted here beneath but fastned with sure ankerhold in heaueÌ„ as the Apostle saith Is it not a great lesson wheÌ„ the mockages of the world are ordeyned to our saluation True it is that such laughters shall in the end be â—long in the faces of the wicked that as now dofling them at vs but in the meane season they be profitable for vs in that as I sayde they make vs to regard God and to know that our hope lieth and consisteth wholly in him Thus ye see what we haue to remember when it is sayde I am laughed to
if one make a great noyse then ye shall see him wake and a man cannot speake so softly but he will heare what is sayd So standeth the cace with vs For God sheweth vs many things that ought too serue for our instruction but we haue our eyesshet hee speaketh to vs but we heare nothing And why Bicause we bee asleepe And therefore he must be faine to make a great noise to waken vs to the end we may think so much the better vpon his prouidence and acknowledge that it is God that wakeneth vs therefore it is not now for vs to be sluggishe so as we shoulde not haue regarde of him to profit our selues by the iudgementes that hee sheweth vs VVherfore let vs aduisedly shroud vs vnder his protectioÌ„ doubting not but that inasmuch as he hath all creatures in his hand yea euen vnto the little sparrowes which are of small value and estimation he will neuer forget vs not only for somuch as we be his creatures sashioned after his owne image but also bicause we be his children according as he hath adopted vs by our Lord Iesus Christ But let vs fall downe before the presence of our good God with acknowledgemâ—t of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better that we may abhorre them condemne this flouthfulnesse which is in vs in all our senses to inlighten vs by his holy spirite bicause we be blinde euen in the lighsommest and manifestest things Therfore let vs pray him to open our eyes in such sort as we may behold the great secretes of his heaueÌ„ly kingdome yea and that we may beholde his maiesty so farre forth as is expedient for out welfare according also as he she weth himselfe to vs by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ vntill we may come to the full perfect sight of it which shal be at the last day when wee shall see him face to face in such wise as it shall be fully fashioned like vnto his glory That it may please him to grauÌ„t this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations c. The .xlix. Sermon which is the first vpon the thirtenth Chapter 1 BEhold mine eye hath seene all these things mine eare hath heard and vnderstoode them 2 I knovve as much as you I am not inferiour to you 3 But I vvill speake vnto God and reason vvith him 4 Yee bee forgers of lyes and Phisitions of no value 5 O that you vvould hold your tungs and that should be counted to you for vvisedome 6 Heare my discourse and vnderstand vvhat I debate 7 Neede you to alledge iniquitie in Gods defence and to speake vntruth for his sake 8 VVill yee pleasure him vvill yee pleade his cace 9 Is it good that he should allovve you and that you should vsurpe vpon him as vpon a man 10 He vvill reproue you if you fauour him in secrete IT is a very euell thing when euerye of vs will set out himselfe and will not bee inferiour to his companion For when we haue this sonde desire to seeme and to be couÌ„ted wise it is possible that the same shall ingender much strife among vs as S. Paule also speaketh of it This vayngloriousnesle is the Sea and welspring of all debate For men shal neuer agree quietly among theÌ„selues except euery man yeelde meekely to that whiche is good and reasonable and bee voyde of desire to aduance himselfe aboue others But if euery of vs be so fond as to steppe before other to be the more esteemed the fire muste needes be kindled out of hande Furthermore wee see howe the Scripture telleth vs that wee must esteeme the gyfts of God in those that haue receyued them VVherefore let euery man thinke vpon his owne infirmities and sinnes and that will make vs to stoupe and to esteeme those whome we haue presumptuously shaken off let vs be afraid to do God any wroÌ„g by despising such as are not vtterly destitute of his gracious gyftes But it seemeth heere that Iob mente to preferre hymselfe before them that had spoken I vnderstand as much as you sayeth he I am not inferior mine eare hath hearde these things mine eyes hath seene them It seemeth here that Iob would haue more reputation of wisedome skilfulnesse than those three to whome he spake But he was not ledde with desire of prayse his doing so is bycause these men woulde beare him downe with theyr presumptuousnesse yea and peruerte Gods truthe after theyr owne fancye Iob therefore was constreyned to say that he vnderstoode those things better than they and he doth it to the end that if these men be able to profit theÌ„selues by it they should do it by humbling them For vntill such tyme as men bee made to stoupe so lowe as they may bee no more puffed vp with the sayde presumptuousnesse it is impossible too wynne any thing at theyr hande for all that euer a man can shewe them for they sette to muche by themselves Then if a man mynde too make himselfe fit to heare Gods truthe and too receyue it he muste be humbled afore That is the thing whereat Iob ameth But for as muche as they with whome hee talked had bene hardened and were settled in the blinde ouerweening of theyr owne wisedome Iob wyll haue the truthe hearde and not to ceasse to haue authoritye styll notwithstanding that these men reiect it Thus ye see Iobs meening in effecte According heerevntoo wee see how Sainct Paule is forced sometimes to make comparison betweene himselfe and those that were of estimation among men It is certayne that Sainct Paule was not prouoked thereto by vaynegloriousnesse nother was hee ledde with such a minde as to desire couet to be esteemed among men VVhy then coÌ„pareth hee himselfe with suche as had bone wont to magnifie themselues If they be Hebrewes sayth he so am I if they be of auncient linage I also may well account my pedegree If they bee earnest followers of the Lawe I am so to as well or more than they I haue liued without blame if they boast theÌ„selues too haue any knowledge I also haue beene well taught froÌ„ my childhood and I haue had a good mayster It seemeth there that S. Paule gathereth togyther all the things that are wont to be esteemed to the end that men should clap their hands at him and take him for a greate man and set muche store by him But hee ment no suche thing For hee himselfe auoucheth it to bee starke folly VVell sayeth he you compell mee to play the foole and to do as they do which spred out their wings bee medling with euery thing to be magnified among men I am fayne sayeth he to deale so but not of mine owne will. And why For he saw that the Corinthians such other like were sorepossessed with a fonde reputation of men that were nothing worth loued none but such manner of teachers bycause they had ytching eares
by meanes wherof Gods Gospell was despised and those troublers had theyr full scope And they that had nother wisedome nor discretion to consider what was for their profit suffered themselues to be led by such as had nothing but fayre glozings without any holinesse S. Paule then perceyuing this telleth them No no If these maner of men purchace themselues estimation by those meanes I may so do as wel as they but I wil not for that is not the thing wherin we must be esteemed according as he concludeth in the end that if any mā will be coūted to be of Gods church he must become a new creature Ye see then sayeth hee that the estimation is to be had at Gods hand and not by these braueries wherwith mens heads are buzied Neuerthelesse S. Paul as we see ment to shew that he was not inferiour to those that pretended greate styles too bee in some preheminence and dignitie to the worldward after the same maner that Iob doth here Hee sawe that those men mēt to treade Gods truth vnder foote bicause they were in reputation But Iob for his part telleth them hee vnderstoode the things as well as they and therevpon he purposed to warne them to be more lowly to yeeld themselues teachable And although they had beene vtterly vnamendable stubborne in their folly yet neuerthelesse Iobs mind was that Gods truth which had bene in maner preuerted by them should haue full authoritie as it deserueth Thus much cōcerning the first poynt And by the way we must be warned not to seeke prayse or reputation afore men For if we intende that it is certayne that in stead of mainteyning the truth we shall marre all and God also will suffer vs to be sotted in our own folly and to bee made a very laughing stocke Then let vs bee well ware that we seeke not our owne prayse But when our Lord giueth vs the grace to teach others let the same tende to this marke namely to honour him and to cause the thing to be well accepted which cōmeth of him so as men may submit themselues vnto it and wee our selues shewe example to others to do so according also as oure Lorde Iesus Christe setteth the same thing downe for a marke too discerne the good and true doctrine by For when a man seeketh the glory of God men know thereby that he is a minister of the truth But if he desire to be exalted and esteemed he must needes disguise marre all the pure doctrine must needes be defaced through his vayngloriousnesse Marke this for a speciall poynt But nowe let vs come to that whiche Iob sayeth Yee are sayeth hee forgers of lyes aud pelting Phisitions and I woulde fayne that ye shoul◠all of you hold your tungs for that were moste wisedome for you VVhen Iob calleth them forgers of lyes which had spoken afore wee see strayte wayes too what purpose he sayeth it Nowe lette vs take the saying that is added namely that thei be pelting Phisitiōs VVhy so Bicause they misapplye their medicines as wee haue seene It hath beene tolde you already that the doctrine whiche hath bene set downe by these men was good and holy howbeit that it was ill applied to the person of Iob. It is as if a Phisition shoulde choze good drugs but yet without knowing the parties disease complexion or nature should say to him Lo here is a good medicine and a well tryed and therefore it shall doo this man good But if hee deale so whereas he saueth one hee shall kyll another Therefore it behooueth a Phisition to bee wise that hee knowe his pacients complexion and disease But these men heere had no suche regarde And thus yee see why Iob called them pelting Phisitions of no value And beholde heere a text well woorthie to bee marked VVe knowe that Gods woorde is the ordinarie foode of oure Soules but yet must the same serue vs also for Phisicke when wee be diseased Breade hath alwayes his accustomed vse but Gods woorde muste not onely feede vs it muste furthermore heale our diseases and clenze vs And therfore there must be discretion vsed in the applying of it For without that we shall confounde all As howe If a poore man bee desolate and haue a troubled conscience we see him at the poynt of despayre if one should set Gods threatnings and vengeance afore him what were it els but to send him headlong forward I see a wall that shaketh alreadie and I beate at it with greate strokes of a 〈…〉 attocke is it not the next way to throw it downe Then must wee marke how they bee disposed with whome wee haue to doo For if a poore man bee already dismayed at Gods wrath know not where to become he had need to bee comforted and cheered vp with the promises that God giueth to wretched sinners in calling them too him so sweetely This medicine then must be applyed peculiarly too suche as haue neede of it But there are others which are shamelesse despise God and scoffe at all that euer is sayd to them now if a man come to cocker them in it by offering them the mercy of God and by setting afore them the pitie that God hathe of vs were it not a foolishe proceeding For suche folke haue neede to bee touched to the quicke and to bee threatned yea to be wounded euen to the bottome of the hart if it bee possible that they may knowe what it is too stomake in that wise agaynst god Now then wee see that the holy Scripture beyng the spirituall Phisicke of our soules must be applyed according to euery mans dispositiō And now let vs marke in what state Iob was Hee was extremely pressed with the affliction that God had sente him and wee haue seene the reason why namely for that it behoued his pacience to bee exercised God gyueth him pacience howbeit not but that hee shoulde haue muche infirmitie therewith for like a wretched man hee starteth out of square casteth forth bubbles and froth agaynste god Not that he leapeth quite out of his boundes but he holdeth not suche an euennesse measure as hee oughte to haue done Thē how soeuer the case stoode there was infirmity in Iob. He knew wel ynough how it was God that afflicted him howbeit forasmuch as he sawe not the cause why he thought that God pressed him too sore and that hee oughte to haue spared him more And what doe they that come to comforte him They tell him that God is rightuous that is true Herevpō they cōclude that God punisheth not men without good causes that his handling of thē so roughly is by reason of their sinnes all this is true But they misapply it particularly in cōcluding that God handleth euery man according to his desert for we see the flat cōtrary Out of a general principle that is good true they draw an euill cōsequence For although God be iust
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
But to the ende we may take the more profit by that which is conteyned here let vs followe the processe of Eliphassis wordes Heere mee saith he and I will rell thee what I haue seene Hee speaketh of his owne experience and afterward hee addeth that the same doctrine was receiued and hilde after the same manner among the wise men too whome God hath giuen the grace not only to be able to rule well thēselues but also to haue the gouernment of Realmes and countries and he addeth that they hild them peaceably with out any passing of stranger through them that is to say without any mans vsurping of that whiche God had put into their handes Verely whensoeuer God indueth men with excellent gifts we must not dispise the same but consider that the sprite of God dwelleth in them and that if we be so skornefull as to refuse that which they tell vs the iniurie thereof redoundeth not to a mortall wight but too the liuing god For thereafter as God vttereth his gracious giftes so will he haue vs also to receiue them to oure common profite Eliphas therefore hath some good colour and pretence to alledge the authoritie of such as had ruled Realmes and countries but yet is not that inough except we knowe that it is God which speaketh And for performance thereof ought we to trust to the authoritie of men True it is that God commaundeth vs too bee teachable and not to bee stubborneharted and harde to yeeld obedience when we knowe that the thing which is told vs is true And so ye see howe the authoritie of men ought to bee receiued But if they fall to turning of the truth vpside downe and to conuerting of it into falshood there is no reason why men should bee wended vnto thē Therefore we must beare this point wel in remembrance For wee see there are two vngracious extremities The one is when men reiect all knowledge and wisdome For if there be any men among vs whome God hath aduanced aboue others and vnto whome he hath dealt greater abundance of his holie spirite it is certaine as I sayde afore that in despising them wrong is offered vnto God Neuerthlesse wee see many stubborne folke which will not by any meanes submit themselues to the counsell or aduise of any man There is also another extremitie which is that being possessed with a forecōceiued opinion that a man is skilful of great wit and wel experienced we be so sotted therewith as wee looke no whit further But wee must not suffer our selues to be led so for God doth alwayes reserue his owne right to himselfe And what is that Verely that we should be subiect to him alone specially in cacos of saluation ▪ True it is that there are ordinances and ciuill pollicies of men whereto wee must be obedient but yet is all that referred vnto him and dependeth vpon him In the meane season ye see here a resolute poynt which is that God will haue vs to be taught at his hande For when we yeld such authoritie vnto mē what do we else but rob God of his authoritie and preheminence This extremitie therefore is to be condemned as well as the other The meane betwixt these two vices is that when wee see that God hath bestowed of his gracious giftes vpon any man we must haue him in estimation take counsell willingly at his hand and vnderstand that in despising him we doe wrong vnto God bycause it is his will that we should honor such Is it so Yet notwithstanding let vs not ceasse to discerne least we be beguiled vnder the shadowe of some opinion that we shall haue conceiued of some mortall man and therby be turned out of the right waye and God also disfeated of his preheminence by the same Thus muche concerning this poynt Now Eliphas addeth that these men haue not concealed the thinges that they had learned of their forefathers VVherein he sheweth that they had behaued themselues faithfully For whensoeuer God giueth vs the grace to be well taught he doth it not for ourselues only but to the intent that others also should be drawn to the same knowledge and that we should all of vs bee partakers togither of the thing that hath bin giuen vs And heere ye see that Gods instructing of vs first is to the end that when we see our neighbors ignorant we should indeuer to leade them with vs into the same way wherevnto wee our selues are entred already Hee that knoweth Gods truth must not keepe it close to himselfe as though it were but for him alone VVhat then He is bound to his neighbours And therefore if he see them go astray let him reach them his hande let him call them to hym and let him shewe them what hee knoweth For wee neede not bee afrayde that it shall bee any preiudice or hinderance to vs thoughe all men bee made patakers of that which God hath gyuen first of all vnto vs If a man haue but smal store of worldly goodes surely if he deale them forth vnto others he shall soone see the ende of them But when God hath inlightned vs with his worde and also giuen vs his spirite the more wee laboure too giue vnto others the more shall wee bee inriched our selues Thus yee see a sentence which wee ought to marke well when Eliphas sayth that those to whome God had giuen singular giftes aboue others had not concealed the thing that they had learned of their aunceters And heere also yee see the marke that God gaue vnto his seruaunt Abraham to shewe that hee would vse well and faithfully the couenant which he had receyued Abraham sayth hee will indeuer to teache his housholde and those that are to come after him hee will shewe them the ordinaunces and Statutes of the Lorde Then lette vs marke well that when God openeth oure eyes and is so gracious to vs as to teach vs his truth it is not too the end that euery man shoulde keepe it to himselfe and other men haue no parte nor portion of it but we must as much as in vs lyeth draw all the world to it Nowe then seeing we be bound to all men in general yea euen vnto those of whome God hathe not giuen vs the charge what ought a housholder to do towards his seruauntes and children VVhat ought a minister of Gods worde to doe who is specially appoynted to that office VVhat ought a magistrate to do seing the sword is giuen vnto him and he sitteth in Gods seat Then let vs marke well that although we haue nothet wife children nor seruantes yet notwithstanding if God haue bestowed any gifte v̄pon vs we be bound to distribute it abroade and to make it common to all men to their edification Marke this for one poynt Much more reason is it that if a man haue a housholde he ought to be so much the watchfuller and carefuller to instructe and teache those whome God hath committed to him and of
whome he shall render an account Such as are ordeyned to be Shepherds to feede Gods people muste imploye all their strength and power therevpon nother muste they openly or particularly conceale that which they haue receyued according wherevnto Sainte Paule sheweth that hee is cleare from blud that is to say he is not faultie before God for hee had taught them Gods truthe faythfullye without ceassing as well at home in theyr houses as openly abroade Also let the Magistrate for his parte looke too himselfe and let him not through negligence quenche the lyghte that God hath put into him But to the vttermoste of his power let him indeuer that iustice maye reigne and haue hir full course that God maye be honoured and his truth receyued and that leasings and all thinges that are contrarie to true Religion may be done away Lo what wee haue to remember in this streyne Nowe whereas Eliphas sayth that God had giuen them the land and no stranger had passed through it it is to expresse that they had receyued an excellent prerogatiue from aboue For it is certaine that if a man be able to mainteine the gouernement that is put into his hande it is a token that God fauoreth him and it becommeth him to acknowledge that benefite For there is no pollicie of manable to do that throughly Also wheras Eliphas sayth that those of whom he speaketh had reigned peasably and that God had blissed them in such wise as they were not troubled but had so guided their subiectes as their dominion conteined in quietnesse thereby we be done to vnderstand that when God maynteineth states and a countrie is in peace wee must not father it vpon mortall men but acknowledge it to be the speciall benefite of god And our acknowledging of it must not be honoring the men by whome God serued his turne in doing it but also in yeelding God his due prayse Nowe let vs come to the chiefe article that we haue touched Eliphas saith that the wicked man is alway as it were trauelling with childe that he neuer hath any rest that hee is in continuall tormente that hee looketh euer at the sworde and that he knoweth not the number of his dayes And our Lorde vseth the same threat against the transgressers of his lawe namely that he will sende them such a fearefulnesse that their life shall hang afore them by a thread that their eyes shall bee sunken in their heade and that they shall bee in such anguishe of mynde that in the morning they shall say who will warrant mee my life vntill night and when night is come howe maye I indure till tomorrowe Lo howe God punisheth such as walke not purely according to his law And in good faith what purenesse is there in our life If we desire to be at rest and not to be tossed with any cares it behoueth vs to knowe that we be in Gods protection and we must be fully resolued of it and then it is certayne that wee may passe through fire and water that is to say hap what hap will wee shall bee sure of a good and stedfast leaningstocke But if wee knowe not that God watcheth ouer vs or at leastwise if wee thinke hee is against vs wee must needes be afrayde and not knowe where to become Therefore it is not without cause that God vseth the said manace againste the transgressers of his law And so is Eliphassis saying very true that the wicked is alwayes fearefull according also as the Prophet Esay likeneth the thoughts of wicked folkes too waues that beate one againste another VVhen any tempest is yee see the water stirreth and the waues come rushing one againste another and breake asunder Euen so is it with a man that is not ayded by god It is not any one passion that shall carrie him away and torment him but there shall bee many contraries and hee shall bee in such a pecke of troubles with it that hee shall bee vtterly at his wittes ende And so when it is tolde vs that the wicked man is in such vnquietnesse Let vs assure oure selues that it is Gods rightfull vengeance vpon all those that haue not sought to bee at peace with him And howe maye wee haue peace with God By walking in a good and pure conscience and specially by knowing that wee haue none other foundation too stande vppon saue onely his mercy in that wee bee in his fauoure for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake and that there with wee call vpon him assuring oure selues to bee happie both in life and death bycause it pleaseth him to be present with vs and to receyue vs and gather vs vp to himselfe Marke I say howe the way for men too haue peace with God is to assure them selues that their sinnes are forgiuen and to praye vnto him and therewithall to walke in his obedience so as they indeuer to haue a good and pure conscience towards their neighbours And this peace is ioyned with a ioye which Sainte Paule termeth the ioy of the holy Ghost which is when we bee strengthened by fayth Saint Paule sayth that this ioy is ghostly and he vseth that terme purposely bycause the wicked do sometimes reioyce that is to say they friske and laugh and are merrie when all things goe well with them and they forget themselues after such a sort as they feele not their owne miserie but become dull Yea but this peace where with God filleth them shall bee nothing at all to their profite And what manner of peace is it It is not for that they drawe neere vnto God but rather they turne their tayle vpon him But the true peace which is happie and blissed of God is when wee haue an eye vntoo him and come to him and thervpon are in quiet assuring our selues that hee receyueth reckeneth and auoweth vs to bee his so as he will not giue vs vp but guide vs always both in life and death Thus ye see what wee haue to remember in this sentence Howbeit it is true that eueramong the faythfull are in suche troubles as a man can hardly discerne betweene them and the dispisers of God but yet in the end God setteth them at rest For by handling them after that manner hee maketh them too knowe their owne weakenesse that they maye humble themselues and learne too call vpon him and put themselues wholly into his hande and trust altogither to hys goodnesse Moreouer somtimes he pricketh and spurreth vs too come too him the more earnestly and too beseech him to reach vs his hande and to shew that he hath a care of vs and that whensoeuer we bee tossed after that sorte we neede no more but to vnlode our cares into his lappe and to rest our selues there in all caces and there to take all our contentation and comforte Yee see then that the faythfull may well be stricken with feare and troubling but yet will God make them to feele what that peace is which hee
shewe vs which waye is good for vs too go yet wee go quite contrarie Beholde a horrible vengeance And yet wee see dayly that such as are wilfull and haue often tempted God by reiecting his grace are in the ende forced to fall into such a blindnesse as they do no more discerne ne can any more beleeue the doctrine of fayth Also heere ye see that it is not a common gift vnto all men to beleeue the Gospell VVe see the woorde of God is preached and shoulde there be any gainsaying if men were not wilfull and frowarde VVhereas God declared himselfe to be a father and a Sauiour and aboue all thing whereas he seeing vs full of sinnes giueth vs a warrant of oure saluation in the person of his sonne assuring vs that although we bee full of all iniquitie yet notwithstanding our Lord Iesus Christ hath satisfied for vs so that by the meanes of his death and passion we be set cleere and may appeare before gods iudgementseate and bee hilde there for rightuous and giltlesse I pray you if we were not vtterly brutish which of vs woulde not giue eare to it with earnest desire But we see that the Gospell is despized yea that many conceyue such rancour agaynst it as they would rather pluck God oute of his seate than submit themselues too hys doctrine And whereof commeth this but that it is not in mans power too beleeue the benefite vntill it bee giuen him of God and that when men are left to themselues and giuen vp too lewde minde they must needes reiect all goodnesse and chooze all euill and altogither too their owne destruction Forasmuch as wee see this let vs humble our selues For he that will aduaunce himselfe in his owne conceyte must in the ende be bereft of all vnderstanding For it behoueth vs to keepe our allegeance vnto God when he hath giuen vs a right minde cleere vnderstanding and good reason and at the leastwise wee must confesse that the same commeth of him and pray him too continue it in vs and not suffer vs too abuse so singular a gift but rather cause vs to applie it to the right vse namely by yeelding our selues to his obeysance and by sticking throughly to his doctrine Ye see thē what we haue to do when we see so many poore blinde soules wandring ouer the fieldes and not able to discerne any thing who euen though a man would guide them shew them the right way woulde neuerthelesse draw still the contrary way I say we must acknowledge that we our selues shoulde doo the like if God did not by strong hand hold vs and drawe vs to himselfe For it is not ynough for him to call vs and to shew vs which way we should go but he must bee faine to draw vs also as the holy scripture sayeth that is to say he must giue such an operation too the knowledge which hee offereth vs as we may be touched with it and oure harte as it were tyed to it Therefore after that God hath taught vs what to doo hee muste also immedatly therewithall giue vs a minde to followe the good And so as I sayde wee may gather a good and profitable lesson of this saying That the wicked wyll not beleeue And why Bicause hee is deceyued with vanitie And the reason is added expressely bycause that when a man is forepossessed by naughtie affections and snarled in many errours and corruptions yee see he is like a desperate person there is no comming to him to shewe him his errour Howbeit wee bee deceyued with vanitie before hande by nature what bring wee out of oure moothers wombe when it is sayde that there is nothing but foolishnesse and vntruthe in our vnderstanding Beholde a generall sentence too shewe that as soone as wee bee borne into the worlde we bee quyte and cleane voyde of truthe afore hande vntill suche tyme as God haue reformed vs And why wee go on forewarde altogither vntoo euill And therefore wee shoulde bee shet vp in this condemnation all the sorte of vs were it not that God did drawe vs oute of it by hys mercie For wee are all of vs deceyued by vanitie and none of is fit to receiue that which is good true and profitable for our welfare But if wee bee intyced to manye deceites Satan will beguyle vs out of hande As howe Marke mee a yoong man that hath liued in simplicitie all his lyfe or that hath not liued any long tyme As for example admitte there bee a yoong man of twenty yeares age that hath bene well brought vp from the beginning and hath not tasted of false doctrine nor of other wicked things Although that suche a one seeme to bee sufficiently well disposed to receyue goodnesse and too yeelde himselfe teachable Yet muste God bee fayne to woorke in him or else he can neuer come to good And why For oure nature is forwarde vnto euill and altogither gyuen vntoo it as I sayde afore But if there bee any one that is wylye and full of naughtinesse and hath bene nuzled in wicked doctrine and superstition as wee see the Papistes are that is muche more These Clawebackes and Hypocrites that are armed a long time afore hand against God and carryed headlong away in theyr errours haue in such wyse applyed theyr whole indeuor too intangle themselues in the snares of Satan as it is not possible to get them out agayne Then is it certaine that these sorte of men do muche lesse beleeue as wee see by experience For God dooth still shewe fauour to those that haue had any simplicitie but as for those that are so sotted in erroure and wholly giuen too it the iustice of God must needes bee shewed vpon them except it bee his pleasure too woorke after a woonderfull fashion according as hee can well drawe whome hee listeth out of the bottome of hell But when hee doeth so it is a miracle well worthie too bee knowne and magnified Neuerthelesse wee perceyue that whiche is sayde namelye that the wicked man shall not beleeue after hee is once sotted in vanitie I say wee perceyue that God executeth his vengeance vpon suche as are hardened in euill by long continuance in it Nowe when we heare this wee haue cause too thanke God for drawing of vs too the knowledge of his Gospell and for giuing vs a minde to cleaue vntoo it For that commeth not of our selues it is a speciall gifte of the holy Ghost Moreouer also wee bee warned to keepe our eyes open that Satan dazell vs not by setting his erroures and deceyts in our sight And why For if wee suffer our selues to bee misseled and deceyued willinglye the mischeefe must needes be increased euen till it come to the proofe wherof Eliphas speaketh here that is to wit till wee bee disfurnished of all reason and bee no more able too beleeue that whiche is for our welfare but sette our selues quite cleane against it If we will not
as we shake them off yea and which worse is we also torment them needes must we feele this vengeance that God shall make vs to crie yea and bring vs to such an after deale as we wote not where to become and yet for all that shall not hearken to vs Therefore as I haue sayd alreadie if wee will haue God mercifull to vs let vs beware that we haue compassion of such as are in aduersitie and that we succor them and let vs kepe our selues from all crueltie and outrage least the thing that is written be performed vpō vs which is that the same measure shall be moten to vs which wee mote to our neighbours Thus ye see in effect what we haue to marke in this sentence Now there followeth immediately after Also now I see my witnesses in heauen and hee that warranteth mee is in the highest places My friends play the orators against me and mine eyes gush out teares vnto God. Heere Iob appealeth vnto God as the onely competent iudge bicause hee had bene wrongfully condemned by men And he doubteth not to appeale vnto God for as much as hee knowes his cace is good True it is as I haue said already that he missehandleth his cace howe be it in so doing hee had iust cause to mainteine his own soundnesse Ye see then that the cause why he is not afrayde to appeale vnto God is for that he seeth that men do persecute him wrongfully But let vs consider what a one Iob was to the intent we vse not such rash boldnesse as most men do VVhen the matter commeth to calling of God to witnesse I pray you who is he that maketh any cursie or conscience at it The world now adays is full of forswearing and ther is no faithfulnesse in it VVhereof cōmes this It is bicause we haue no feeling of Gods iustice but we come rushing against his seate like wilde beastes For what is periurie or forswearing It is a spiting of God as though hee had neither might nor authoritie to punishe vs VVe can not denie but it is so when wee call God to bee oure witnesse and iudge Hee therefore that sweareth falsely doth mocke Gods maiestie to his face and yet for all that we see that men make not much account of it Then is it apparant hereby that wee beare small reuerence too the Maiestie of god VVherefore so muche the more oughte wee to marke that whiche I sayde namely that wee muste not bee so bolde in protesting before God and in calling him too recorde but wee muste goe too it as if wee were at the poynt to yeelde an accounte before him After the same maner was Iob summoned as we haue seene heretofore and shall see yet more fully hereafter Nowadays if a man bee accused of any crime althoughe he be taken tardie yea and vtterly conuinced yet will hee make no conscience too saye God is my witnesse that I am wronged and falsely accused And howe happeneth it that Gods name is so ryfe in mennes mouthes Also when the hypocrites will magnifye them selues they will alwayes saye God is priuie too my hearte he knoweth what I am I referre my cace too hym And how happeneth this Doe wee thinke that bycause God wynketh at menne when they call him so to recorde as it were to false standarde larum and punisheth not those at the firste dashe whiche doe so dallie with him therefore hee will not at lengthe shewe that whiche hee hath vttered in his lawe that is too witte that hee will not suffer his name too be taken so in vaine but will reuendge the wrong that is doone him in offering him so great reproch as too scorne his Maiestie after that sorte Then lette vs marke well that as ofte as we muste come before God it behoueth vs too haue examined oure lyfe after the example of Iob and that wee bee not so rashe as to steppe foorth to saye God is my witnesse but that wee haue thoroughly serched oure consciences and that God answere within vs that hee alloweth them Marke that for one poynte And heerewithall wee haue further too marke that if all the worlde beare vs recorde it is nothyng till God haue allowed it And hereby wee bee warned not too dispose our lyfe to any fayre outewarde shewe as wee see howe there is nothing but vayngloriousnesse alwayes in the worlde If men clappe their handes at vs and wee bee in good estimation among them it is ynough for vs and wee woulde fayne that God should content himselfe with it too Yea but hee is not lyke mortall men as the holye Scripture sheweth And why VVee see the outwarde appearance but God searcheth that which is hidden within and hath an eye too truth and vprightnesse as he speaketh by his Prophete Hieremie accordingly too the other texte in Samuell Seeing it is so let vs learne to knowe that it behoueth vs not only to haue oure handes oure eyes and feete cleane neyther must wee thinke our selues too haue doone muche when oure sinnes are not manifeste And why For the chief poynt is to haue our recorde in heauen that is too saye that God allowe of our doings as I haue declared alreadie VVhat manner of allowaunce must wee haue before God Verely that wee haue walked in purenesse of heart that there hath not bin any hypocrisie in vs and that wee haue not onely had some outwarde shewe so as wee might saye the worlde can not charge me with this or that but that wee haue had a right meening mynde that wee haue continued in good dooing and that wee haue indeuered so too behaue oure selues as if God marked not onely all our woorkes but also our thoughtes too Marke yet further what we haue to beare awaye in this sentence Beholde sayth Iob euen nowe is my recorde in heauen Vnder this woorde Euen or Also hee comprehendeth that he may wel take men to witnesse with him but hee passeth yet further and commeth euen vntoo god And that ought to bee weyed For whereas hypocrites call God too witnesse they dare not put themselues to the triall of menne If there bee a wicked persone that is notoriously knowne too bee suche a one so he be not caste in prison or so hee bee not a drawing to the gallowes hee will brag of his honestie to the vttermoste and yet in the meane whyle euerie man wil condemne him yea and in steade of three or foure Iudges he shall haue a hundred or a thousande For euerie man will saye Marke mee yonder naughtypacke marke mee yonder Theefe marke me yonder murtherer marke me yonder extortioner yonder swearer yonder extortioner yonder swearer yonder despizer of god And yet for all this suche manner of menne are so shamelesse that they make no bones to take God to recorde of their honestie and too proteste that he knoweth them and that they bee readie to answere before him where as if the matter come but too the tryall of menne they
hath the issues or outegoings of death in his hande that is too saye hee hathe the meanes whereby too deliuer vs yea euen althoughe the same bee incomprehensible too vs Neuerthelesse lette vs heereby take warning to bee alwayes readie too departe out of the worlde and not be too much wedded to our beeing heere by low For what shoulde wee gayne by it So then lette vs alwayes haue the one foote lyfted vp as if wee shoulde enter intoo our graue and lette vs goe lustily too it making this conclusion with our selues that wee goe not thither to tarie there for euer but that oure Lorde hath shewed vs in the persone of our Lord Iesus Christe that hee will not haue vs too perishe in death nor too abyde in rottennesse for euer But let vs proceede further It is sayde Of a truthe there be Dallyers with mee and myne eye continueth in their bitternesse Heere Iob findeth faulte with those that came too comforte him and did nothing else but put him too more trouble Hee termeth them Dallyers that scoffe at folke in aduersitie bicause they came not too iudge of his affliction with compassion and humanitie as they ought to haue doone and so hee addeth that they could bring nothing but vexation too greeue him the more and that he was fayne to beholde still the miserie and bitternesse that they had procured him And hereby we bee aduertised that if wee will comforte the sorrowfull and afflicted aright we muste not come with an vnkyndely heart as it were of steele or of yron but wee must bee pitiful Then must not a man thinke himselfe meete to comforte suche as are in trouble and incomberance except he cloth him selfe with their passions that is to say except hee do as it were put himselfe into their cace It is true For such as to their owne seeming are stoutest to comfort poore folke in distresse shall doo them small good if they come but with tongue and with breuerie of gay words They may well discourse of matters but it shal be to no purpose For it is impossible for vs to vse the doctrine that shall be fitte to asswage the greefes of our neighbours vnlesse we feele them and be touched with them ourselues Therefore let vs marke well by the word Dallyers that all suche as are churlishe or vnkynde can by no meane comforte those that are incombered with tribulation Marke that for one poynt Agayne seeing we know that it behoueth vs to bee pitifull toward such as suffer any miserie let vs bethynke vs how it is sayd in the Psalme Blissed is the man that hath consideration of the poore God will delyuer hym in the day of his aduersitie For it is to do vs to wit that it behoueth vs to haue a singular discretion to iudge aright of the aduersities of our neighbours and that wee muste follow the same discrete dealing which God sheweth vs and giueth vnto vs For without that wee shall go cleane contrary to worke and if a man be plagued we shall hold talke with him ouerthwartly without any discretion Thē must God giue vs vnderstanding too deeme aright of other folkes afflictions And heerevpon when we come to comfort such as indure any aduersitie specially if it be to shew them their faultes let vs not go too it sharpely as it were to set oure foote vppon their throte when they bee downe but rather let vs haue a mind and desire to releeue them and help them vp But aboue all things we must beseech God to giue vs the spirit of vnderstanding as I sayd Moreouer this thing must also be practized that is to wit when any of vs is in trouble he must haue a care to apply the holy scripture to such vse as he may be comforted by it VVhy so For we bee offended if a man commeth too sting vs and to heape vp yet more trouble vpon vs when we be in aduersitie already and wee will soone say it is a greate crueltie and that there is no honestie and good dealing in men when they handle vs after that sort and yet for all that euery one of vs will do the lyke to hymselfe As how If I be in any he auinesse and take the holy scripture to comfort mee with I bethinke me not to take the texts that should do it but rather if I meete with any threatening in steade that the scripture should make mee feele some taste of Gods goodnesse to my comforte in hym and assuage all my sorrowes I set my selfe on fire and increace my greefe more and more See then how we ouershoote ouerselues bycause we haue not the skill to cōfort our selues as we ought to do and as God would wee should do And therefore not only let vs haue pitie and compassiō of our neyghbours when they be in aduersitie but also let euery of vs looke to hymselfe to comfort and assuage hys owne sorrowes aright when he lighteth into such extremitie Now it followeth that Iob desireth God to lay downe a gage and to giue a pledge or too put in a suretie VVho is he sayeth Iob that will touch me in my hand He returneth too the matter that was declared yesterday which is that hee woulde fayne go to law with God yea and do it as with his fellowe or hys equall For why demaundeth hee a gage why demaundeth hee a suretie or warrantize It is bycause he would haue God too abace himselfe from his maiestie as if he should say Surely so long as thou continuest in thy greatnesse I dare not come to dispute against thee for thou art ouermightie to confound mee But giue mee leaue to talke with thee lay me downe a gage bynd thy selfe to abyde tryall and submit thy selfe too the authoritie of a iudge in cace as if a man that is no dweller in a place shoulde hyre a house and put in suretyes for it VVhat Iob meeneth by saying VVho is hee that will touch mee in the hand It is as muche to say as who is he that will vndertake too bee suretie for mee For men vsed that ceremonie and like as now adayes men signe a paper in the hand of a iudge or of a notarie so in those dayes the parties touched one another in the hand too gyue theyr fayth and to bind them selues Yee see then what Iobs meening was But yee would knowe whither this demaund of his were to bee excused in that he desired God that hee myght pleade against him It is very certayne that it was not to bee excused For as I touched glauncingly yesterday we ought too desire nothing more than to come before God and to haue hym to be our iudge yea and that he should handle vs as hee listeth himselfe True it is that if he should vtter his rigour against vs there were no shift but we should be confounded VVo bee to those wretched creatures that come to be iudged rigorously and without mercie But forasmuch as God loueth vs too
gifte of God he hath not receiued it for himselfe â–ª but he must apply it wholly to the common vse Behold also howe God will haue our charitie exercysed It is not that euery man should like well of himselfe and despyze his neyghbours for at what poynt should wee bee then Should there be any more bodie of the Churche Is it not meete that the members should bee knit togither Is it not meete that all should bee referred to the head Then lette vs marke well that whereas Sophar sayeth that the spirite of his vnderstanding inforced him to answere if it were so that God gouerned it and that thys saying were rightly placed then had hee reason to say so For as I sayd when God shall haue disclosed any good thing vntoo vs the same must not bee drowned by vs but rather wee must bring it to light And heere yee see why it is sayde that when wee haue beleeued then must we speake So then fayth muste not bee a dead thing but she must vtter hir selfe And S. Paule dothe well verefie the sayd sentence of the Psalme For hee sheweth that it is not lawfull for him to doo it bycause God had giuen him vnderstanding whiche ought to serue the whole world and therefore that he vttereth the treasure which was committed to him knowing well that it was not a particular thing for any one man but for the profite and instruction of the whole Church And verely euery one of vs must applye this lesson to himselfe For we shall see many that will say it is ynough if euerye man beleeue in his owne hart as who would say that the thing which God hath ioyned togither might be separated by men But wee haue seene alreadie the recorde of Dauid which is that such as beleeue ought to speake by and by For except they doo so they shew that they by their malice doo burie that thyng whiche God woulde haue published abroade according aâ— it is sayde that men light not a candle too put it vnder a busshell or to hide it but to set it vpon a candelsticke that it may shine al about Furthermore nowe and then â–ª when a man hath receyued any gift he thinketh â—â— is to win himselfe credite and estimation aboue other man But contrariwise in so doing we disgrace Gods gifts by making them to serue to any vain-glory It is not for that purpose that God dealeth his gifts more to one than to another but to the end wee shoulde do men good with them Therefore let euery of vs haue a care to aduaunce and to spread abrode that whiche God hath committed vnto him and as for them that haue not receyued so much let them neuerthelesse be brought by that meanes to saluation wherevnto God calleth vs too the ende hee might bee glorified among vs Marke that for one poynt But yet muste the other poynt presse vs more when Sophar sayeth that hee had heard the correction of his reproch He speaketh not this in respect of his owne persone onely but according to the matter that hee had dealt with before hee is angrie to see Gods truth troden by that meanes vnder foote Iob had no such intent as I haue declared alreadye and therefore Sophar dyd hym great wrong Neuerthelesse thys doctrine continueth in it selfe alwayes good and true and wee must holde it so for the holy Ghost also ment to teach vs by a man that was blinded in his owne imagination who notwithstanding ceassed not too haue good groundes So then thys doctrine being taken as it is may stand vs in steade notwithstanding that we see it reproue the good and fight agaynst Gods truth resisting it by cauils and things misapplyed And therefore when the like befalleth vs we must withstand it as much as we can I say whensoeuer we see a man striue against Gods truth wee must set ourselues against him as aduersarie parties VVhy so For if God giue vs wherewith to make ourselues as his proctors and witnesses he will haue his cace maynteyned by vs And the honours is great that is done vs in that behalfe God seeth that wee bee full of vanitie and that there is nothing but vntruth in vs and yet neuerthelesse he calleth vs to be his proctors And ought he to do so Is he bouÌ„d to do it No â–ª but his mind is to honour vs so far foorth VVhat remayneth then That euery of vs streyne himselfe to the vttermost to do his dutie VVhen wee see men so malicious and wicked as to lift vp themselues against God and too seeke all meanes possible to peruert corrupt the truth is it meete for vs to bee slouthfull then No. VVe see at this day how the Pope hath many seducers whiche seeke nothing but to slaunder all good doctrine and too falsifie all that euer we alledge in the name of god Yea and wee neede not to go so farre for we see malicious heads euery where and vnderlings of Satan whiche turkin things and desire nothing but to turne all vpside downe Now when we see the Diuell working after that sort to ouerthrowe the things that are good to edifie the Church and that meÌ„ are so impoysoned against them ought we to holde oure peace Should we not resist them stoutly as much as in vs lyeth Yes certenly Else should we be cowardes yea and it should be imputed to vs for high treason if we shoulde suffer Gods truth too bee so defaced and wee not maynteyne it Some there are of opinion that it were better for them to hold their peace and not to speake at all agaynste the Papists and their superstitions Yea but in the meane while we see howe the Diuell would abuse our silence to vtter foorth his lyes and tirannies continually If poore soules perish and we in the meane while hold our tungs what shall become of it â–ª If a shepeheard do his duetie wil he suffer woolues and theeues to enter into his flocke and to scare them byte them and deuoure them and yet say neuer a word to them But God hath appoynted vs to be as sheepeheards of his Church â–ª Now like as wee muste haue a sweete and amiable voyce to guide oure flocke withall and too leade such too saluation as are teachable and obedient so also on the contrary part when wee see Theeues and VVoolues we must crie out aloude to scare them away Ye see then that such as perceyue men to peruert Gods truth ought not to dissemble but rather to be earnest and zelous in resisting them to the vttermost of their power Agayne if we ought to haue such courage constancie in maynteyning good caces against the trumperies and suttleties of the wicked I pray you ought wee not to speake still in the like behalfe when wee see Gods name blasphemed in deede and all good doctrine scorned and rayled vpon by the â—ewde lyfe by the malapertnesse by all that euer the wicked folke take in hand VVould God that necessitie
not too runne seeking heere and there and too make large circuites and yet notwithstanding they come always to one point which is to thinke vpon nothing else but gathering and all that is but a dreame VVhat other vices so euer men be infected with I pray you haue they any certeine mark or any resting place so long as they bee intangled in this world Haue they a cleere mind to vnderstand that God calleth them No. Haue they their thoughts well settled Haue they their affections well ordered No not at all They do but dreame To be short if all things were well serched by peecemeale which men purpose and deuise which they take in hande and which they doe it would bee founde that their whole state is but like a dreame or fancie that a man conceyueth And as I haue sayde such may mannes life be generally sayd to be But specially it may be verefied of those that hold aloofe from God and turne their backs vpon him For in as much as they leaue the light and wilfully seeke after darkenesse ▪ it is meete for them to haue such wages as they deserue that is too wit to haue their wits confounded so as they may not be able to iudge any thing nor to discerne betweene white and blacke but rather be ouerspred with a continuall night to doe nothing else but dreame And in deede wee see also howe they transforme thinges and turne them cleane contrarie Marke me a despizer of God hee will beare himselfe in hand that he is able to worke wonders and yet in the meane while he knoweth not that if God be his enimie he must needs perish and that he may wel fortifie himself but he shal not be able to scape Gods hand that it fall not vpon him as a hideous storme But as I said forsomuch as the wicked do shun the light asmuch as they can they deserue that God shuld cast them as it were into an vnlightsome place as it were into a continual night there to be wrapped round about with darkenesse Haue they once their minds so dazeled they conceiue dreames and fancies and make themselues beleue this and that So then it is not without cause that the holy ghost doth here by the mouth of Sophar liken the wicked vnto a dreame And not onely they disguise themselues after that sorte but we see that other men also haue a false opinion of thē ▪ For if a wicked man be aduanced euery man reuerenceth him yea and they enuie his state and would 〈…〉 ne be lyke him And such as can not come at it doe oftentimes make an Idole of him Thus yee see in what cace menne are when they see the wycked prosper But wee consider not that within them they haue a woorme that gnaweth them without ende or ceassing bycause Gods Iustice followeth them at the harde heeles and they are alwayes troubled in their consciences Then knowe wee not in what perplexitie and vnquietnesse the wicked are bycause God hath cursed them But wee bee bleared with a certeine vayno shewe and as the prouerbe sayth all that glistereth is eyther golde or siluer in our eyes So then let vs learne to remember that which is shewed vs heere that is too wit that wee must no more dreame nor bee so led by our owne misweening fancie For God will skorne such vanitie and shewe that in the end after we haue bene in darknesse a day will come wherein wee shall bee brought too light and when that daye commeth men shall see howe we haue bene beguiled in our dreames But nowe are we not in the night for God inlighteneth vs at leastwise if the let be not in our selues VVhat is it then that maketh vs to dreame what is the cause that we be so deceyued by our owne fonde imaginations and that euery one of vs forgeth some fancie or other to him self but that we be loth to stay our selues to consider what God doth dally before our eyes and specially what hee warneth vs of his worde Beholde howe God sheweth vs which is the true happinesse and what is our true welfare Blissed is the man sayth hee that feareth the Lorde Blissed is the man that applieth himself to the minding of Gods truth Blissed is the man that putteth his whole truste in god For he shall bee like a tree planted by the ryuers side alwayes full of good sappe so as nother heate nor drought maye cause him too forgoe his freshnesse and lustinesse Thus doth our Lorde shewe vs the true happinesse that we may knowe it if we our selues be not to blame But what we be fugitiue and cannot rest vpon firme ground but will needes haue a happinesse that is slipperie and flyghtfull Therefore we be well worthy to perishe and to tumble into the bottomlesse pit sith we goe so wilfully to seeke after the darkenesse of the night Thus ye see why I sayde that for so muche as God is so gracious as to inlighten vs with his worde it behoueth vs to come away out of our dreames and fancies to the end we be no more tossed so And afterwarde it is sayde that his bones are full of his youth The Hebrewe word that Sophar vseth heere doth sometimes signifie hid and secrete sinnes and surelye the Hebrewe worde that signifieth youth is deriued thence also And so the sense may be that a wicked mans bones are full of the sinnes that he hath committed and specially that hee began to commit them in his youth or else that in his youth his bones were full and he was filled and glutted with pleasures so as he had his hearts desire and all that euer he had a mynde vnto came to his hande This is it that wee haue to note So then if wee take the worde youth in his owne signification the meening will be first that Sophar warranteth the wicked that if they be once giuen vnto euill they neuer returne backe agayne according as it is sayde in Salomons prouerbs that when a yong man hath once taken a wrong way he shall go on still and when he commeth to olde age he shal continue al one VVe see that when men haue once takē their way awry to giue themselues to naughtinesse it is verie hard to plucke them backe againe Lo here a good and profitable lesson And although it be common ynough in talke and that the verie heathen men haue made prouerbes of it yet haue wee neede too bee warned of it considering howe we be so much giuen to continue in euill as it is rufull and thinke it to be nothing at all But we perceiue not howe Satan taketh possession of vs when we continue in our filthynesse VVhen a man beginneth first to do euill he thinketh that if he followe it still a day a moneth or a yeare he shall returne well ynough againe in the end verely as though we had repentance in our sleeue But as I sayde beholde Satan creepeth into vs and taketh
must we not thinke that he is a sleepe nor that hee hath giuen ouer his office And why bicause he deferreth to giue iudgement vntill this present life be paste Yee see then how we muste lifte vp our mindes aboue this frayle life knowing that when a man hath in this worlde gotten all that he would desire yet ceasseth he not to be miserable nother must we therfore attribute any felicitic vnto him And why bycause he muste come before his iudge And therefore let vs not be tempted to become like vnto those that despise God and giue themselues to sport and play so as they become drūken in their pleasures But let vs rather desire to be miserable and to taste of Gods goodnesse and bee contented therewith knowing that our cheefest felicitie is that hee loue vs be merciful vnto vs that we learne to looke vnto his heauenly heritage This is it whereof the faithfull are admonished in this place Noweheerevppon Iob sheweth that the wicked do vtterly reiect god They say vnto him departe from vs for wee desire not too knowe thy wayes Truth it is that the wicked will not spew out suche blasphemie as to renounce God but in effect they doo well declare howe they passe little of him and desire nothing else but to be rid from his subiection and although they cannot bring that to passe yet they labour too go as farre from him as they can this we see And for proofe thereof when men liue without remorse of conscience and willingly and wittingly become brute beastes so as they make no difference betweene good and euyll but thinke that all things are lawfull is it not as muche as to say vnto God depart from vs For if God bee neere vs we muste haue him before our eyes as our iudge nother muste wee thinke or say any thing but as if it were in his presence nother must we accept any thing but as though we would be iudged of him Then as for all such as would haue libertie too liue as they liste It is all one as if they woulde driue God farre off from them and haue none acquaintance with him And verely the nexte woordes namely wee will none of thy wayes declare the thing which we haue here to vnderstand For to be neere vnto God or to go farre from him is not referred too the maiestie of God For his diuine beeyng sheweth not it selfe it is not visible vnto creatures True it is that we may wel haue some vnderstanding of it and wee may knowe that his beeing is infinite and spreadeth out euery where but yet notwithstanding the cheefe knowledge that wee haue of God is by his vertues where through he communicateth himselfe vnto vs cheefely in that he telleth vs his will and teacheth vs what maner of one he is sheweth vs how we ought to walke howe our life ought to bee ruled Behold we be then neere vnto him whē we suffer our selues to be taught by his word acknowledging that it is hee whiche speaketh and sheweth himselfe familiarly vnto vs to the ende we should come vnto him and there reste our selues Furthermore when men will not yeelde themselues teachable but refuze all instruction and desire to be stark doltes so as if a man bring them any good doctrine they make no accounte of it then in steade of drawing neere vntoo God men withdrawe themselues from him And therefore I sayde that Iob declareth heere the thing whiche he had intended afore that is to witte that in as muche as the wicked and the despyzers of God are loth to submit themselues to Gods wayes they withdrawe themselues from him as much as they can Therefore wee will none of his wayes say they that is to say get thee away from vs And this is a text wherof we may gather a good and profitable lesson For firste of all it is shewed vs here what is the roote foundation of good life namely to haue God before our eyes True it is that wee cannot eschewe him no but it behooueth vs on our parte to come neere vnto him And this is the cause why that when the holye scripture intendeth to signifie that a man hath led a holy life it sayeth that he hath God before his eyes and contrariwise when it sayeth that a man hath turned his backe to God it sheweth that he regarded not God or that he had no mind of him and it is all one as if it were sayde that a man is runne astray and gyuen ouer to all euill and finally paste recouerye This manner of speaking therefore is a notable thing VVhy so wee bee inclined alreadie by nature vnto all vncleannesse And howe can wee get out of it It is a hard thing for men to alter themselues and to offer force and violence too all theyr pleasures and delightes so as a man might knowe them to bee renewed and say that they be no more the men that they were This I say is a harde thing For a man wyll alwayes runne farre astray into euill if there bee not a woonderfull power and force too make him turne heade and too gyue ouer his owne will witte and reson And as I haue sayde afore men wyll continually go forewarde vntoo euill vntill they bee reformed And who is hee that shall reforme them They cannot doo it of themselues nother is there any creature that can bring it to passe Therefore God muste be fayne to woorke There is no way too helpe it but Gods presence so as a man may bee broughte too say in himselfe go too it behooueth mee to walke before my God who is my iudge and I can by no meanes escape his hande If a man haue that consideration then may hee fighte agaynste all his wicked lustes so that whereas he had bene gyuen too all euyll hee shall bee ready too followe all good Agayne besides that our wicked affections do cary vs away wee bee so blinded that euerye of vs maketh himselfe beleeue that euill is good and wee discerne not vntill God inlighten vs For so long as we walke one after another we be like mice in the chasse as the prouerbe sayeth that is to say there is no order amongs vs but euery man will abuse his neighbour we are like wretched beasts he that goeth before guideth the way very ill like a pore blinde man and is like too deceiue them that go as they were wont to go for we make custome a law Thē is there no other meanes to shew vs which is the right way but to looke vnto God to haue him neere vnto vs You see two reasōs that do wei declare vnto vs that this thing is more than necessary for vs Let euery man then present himselfe before God lette vs drawe neere vnto him and let vs take heede that wee estraunge not our selues from him for this is the onely bridle that can tame vs that can subdue vs to that which is
whē we haue walked about here there beneath as when we looke vp to heauen bycause there is a marke and print of the maiestie glory of God let vs not think it strange that the holy scripture whē it intēdeth to moue vs to honor God saith vnto vs that he is there aboue in heauen And in deede if it should be said vnto vs God is in this world for asmuchas we be carnall our wits alway way bending downwards we would fastē him to a piller to a house or to a moūtain or else we would set him ouer head and eares in some riuer such are the fansies of mé Now to the end that when wee thinke vpon God wee might learn to imagine no earthly thing but passe beyōd this world and not stay on our owne senses and fantasies it is said that God dwelleth in the heauens to the end we should know that it lieth not in our power to inclose him in this world and to conceiue what he is for wee can neuer cōprehend him our senses haue to small a measure but rather that we should learne to reuerence him with al humilitie For this cause it is saide that God is aboue in heauen And if this same were well knowne vnto vs it is certain that al superstition would easily be redressed as in deed it is sprong of this that men would cōprehend God according to their own capacitie whereas they are not able to hold him For alwaies their senses would faine be occupied in searching out curiously what god is thervpon they forge him conceiue him to be such a one as seemeth best to thē as though God were carnal And this is the cause why he draweth vs so carefully from thence and sheweth vs that we must imagine nothing of him as we think good for it is blasphemy sacrilege so to transforme him for that we turne his truth into a lie as S. Paul speaketh of it Al they that forge idols transform God according to their own brain are falsaries not for falsifying any publike writing or matter of record but for abolishing the maiestie of God and this is suche a heinous treason against God as it passeth all other Therefore all they which build such folish fantasies according to their own appetite are giltie of such treson So much the more then ought we to remēber wel this lesson which is taught vs here that is to wit that god is aboue to the end that as oft as we speake of him we may know that our seses shal faile vs vanish away an hundred times before we can come to that highnes and that we must worship him hūbly conceiuing nothing els of him but as he hath taught vs by his word For that is al our wisdome and as I haue saide if this doctrine were well printed in our harts the world shuld be purged of al superstitiōs that haue alwaies reigned in it How hapneth it that men haue so forged idols thought that God was not nigh them except they had some remēbrāce as they say or figure of him It was for that men toke leaue to cōprehend God and to thinke of him that which was nothing so This was then the foūtain of al superstitiō and when men did thus make them visible shapes it was bicause they knew not the highnesse of God nor his incōprehēsible maiestie And this is it that we are taught whē the people of Israel requiring to haue some visible signe to represent God saith wee will haue him go before vs that is to say we will haue him there as a subiect vnto vs Howbeit wee muste not so preace vnto God but as I haue saide wee must reuerence him with all humilitie And furthermore when men thought too serue God after their owne fashion and framed lawes for themselues saying this will be good and such a thing will be acceptable vnto God it was bicause they would make him like vnto thēselues as though he delited in all the smal toys which they had inuēted that is to wit outward things so doing they trāsformed God as though they would pull him out of his heauēly seat to draw him down hither or as though he were a creature a fleshly thing So then wee see that all these fonde deuotions vsed in the papacie and termed there the diuine seruice sprāg of this namely that they knew not the highnesse of god For then wold they haue cōcluded thus God is not delited in the things that seeme good in our own eies for he is of another nature than we be he is a spirit therfore must we serue him after a clean contrary fashiō vnto that which pleaseth our nature nother must wee in this cace presume to attempt any thing of our own heads but we haue his law in which he hath declared his will vnto vs he hath prescribed vs our rule let vs hold vs vnto that This is the sobrietie which God ▪ requireth by his worde whervnto he would haue vs to submit ourselues without swaruing any thing at al therefrō Herevpon Eliphas saith Behold the height of the starres how high they be This is according to that which I haue already sayd that is too wit that forasmuch as the creatures here beneath doo not moue vs sufficiently to the feare and reuerence of God we should behold the skie for thē are we the more liuely touched True it is that it is too villanouse an vnthankfulnes yea a wāt of senses when we are not moued to honour God though we opened our eyes but only to cōsider the things that lie at our feete For doth the earth bring forth so many fruits by his own strength the foode that we receiue thēce cōmeth it of his own nature disposition And therfore although a mā should loke no farther but at his feet it is certain that if he open his eyes he shal be conuinced that there is a God whom he ought to worship but for asmuch as we be dull and grosse headed that doth not greatly moue vs VVhat must we do then To helpe such rudenesse and infirmitie let vs looke vpon high then must we needs be very brute beasts if we be not moued at the sighte of the skie and of all the order which is to be seene in the starres so goodly exquisite a disposition which doth sufficiently testifie vnto vs that there is a wōderful maiestie of god Men then must needes be astonied when they behold the skie Furthermore sith wee know that the sunne and the starres are so noble excellēt creatures thervpon let vs ad that which is taught vs heere that is to wit that God is aboue that we cānot reach vnto him VVhē we know this must we not needes be rauished with much greater admiratiō we see that the Heathen men whiche were not taught were moued to idolatry by beholding the Sun the Moone and the Starres And why for
a thing is it when wee conuey it ouer vntoo creatures and God hath but the refuse of other mennes leauings This is the cōmon dealing in the Popedome and not onely the ideots as I haue sayde but the greatest clerkes are the followers of the diuelish doctrine that is mainteyned there And so we see that all christian beleefe hath bin destroyed and abolished there And therefore so muche the more ought we to magnifie the goodnesse of God for plucking vs out of so bottomlesse pittes so much the better ought wee sticke to the doctrine that is declared heere which is to beleeue stedfastlye that wee shall not seeke oure God in vaine if wee call vpon him in truth bycause forasmuchas hee telleth vs that hee will heare vs yea and that hee will not tary vntill we open our mouth but holdeth his hand already stretched out to helpe vs at our neede as he speaketh by his Prophet Esay And this is the cause why the promises are so oftentymes repeated in the holye Scriptures and not withoute reason For what soeuer God promised men they cannot bee perswaded that hee wyll heare them To bee shorte wee cannot gyue credit vnto God but as for oure owne lyes wee beleeue them too muche For this cause God ratifieth the promises which he hath made that hee will heare vs But wee muste note to what ende God is so gracious vnto vs and so readye to helpe vs in all our necessities It is too the ende that wee shoulde paye him our vowes that is to say that wee shoulde by oure thankesgiuing proteste that in all things and for all things wee are bounde vntoo him For this woorde vowe importeth a solemne recorde that men yeelde by declaring that they haue not any thing but of Gods gifte from aboue and that they cannot require God agayne nor presente him with any thing saue onely with prayse and thanks as it is sayd in the Psalme VVhat shall I giue vnto the Lorde for all the benefites that I haue receyued of him I will receyue the cuppe of saluation and call vppon his name VVee see then that our God requireth nothing of vs but that wee shoulde doo him homage for all his benefites and acknowledge his liberalitie and so muche the more extoll his mercye whiche hee hath vsed towards vs Thus then the way for vs to reioyce in oure God is that we knowing how muche wee are beholding vnto him should giue him thankes for all his benefites thereby be stirred vp to acknowledge him heereafter for our father and to do him that honour and homage which is due vnto him assuring oure selues that hee will neuer faile vs and that seeing we haue felt him so good mercifull he will continue the same still And not onely hee will make vs to knowe in this worlde that wee haue not put our truste in him in vayne but trulie and perfitly to inioye his goodnesse when he shall haue gathered vs into the heauenly kingdome which he hath purchased vnto vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him so to touche vs with his holy spirite as our offences paste may bee abolished by his meere goodnesse and also too beare with vs all the dayes of oure lyfe vntill suche time as hauing whollye clothed vs with his rightuousnesse and transformed vs intoo his image hee make his glory so too shine in vs as wee may feele the frute of the inheritance which is nowe promised vs And so lette vs all say Almightie God heauenly father thou haste promised too heare oure requestes whiche wee make vnto thee in the name of thy sonne c. The .lxxxviij. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxiij. Chapter This Sermon conteyneth yet some thing of that which concerneth the three last verses and afterward the text which followeth 1 IOb ansvvering sayde 2 Although my talke be this day in bitternesse and my plague passeth my groning 3 If I knevve to finde him or hovveto come vnto his seate 4 I vvould pleade my cace before him and fill my mouth vvith arguments 5 I should knovve vvhat he vvould ansvvere me vnderstand vvhat he vvould say vnto mee 6 VVould he debate the matter vvith me by force no but he vvould put strength into mee 7 There the rightuous shall debate vvith him and I should be acquitted for euer WE haue here to conferre the last saying of Eliphas with the answere of Iob whiche wee haue now hearde Eliphas on his behalf maintaineth that God will alwayes knowe them that are rightuous and not onely shewe them fauor but the whole cuntry for their sake Iob answereth to this that although he be extremely delt with at Gods hād it is not bicause hee hath deserued it And for proofe therof he sayth that if he had leaue and libertie to pleade his cace he would well declare that it is not for his sinnes that God doth so punish him These are the two contrary sayings that are treated of here Nowe touching the firste which is the saying of Eliphas it is true that our god hath promised to shew himselfe mercifull towarde them that serue him with a pure hart And that the same shal extend not only to their owne persons but also to their families yea to whole cuntries Yet notwithstāding it followeth not that God will bind himselfe to one certaine rule For we see how he trieth the pacience of his seruantes and of those that indeuer to obey him in euery point Then dealeth hee not all after one rate as we haue declared heere before ▪ And in deed although it be sayd here That a cuntry shall be deliuered by the cleannesse of one mans bands we heare the Prophet Ezechiell say contrariwise If Iob Daniel Noe were in this Towne they shall deliuer theyr owne soules but yet should their children perish It seemeth in deede that the Prophet there hath respect vnto this place heere to shewe that God is not bounde to saue a cuntrie for one mans sake only If he do it as it may happen that he wil◠it is at his owne libertie but to appoint him a law were a thing to vnreasonable Truth it is that it was sayd to Abraham that if there could haue bene founde but fiue rightuouse men in Sodome God would haue spared the whole citie for their sake and although it was filled with horrible sinnes yet God woulde not haue vsed the vengeance whiche is written in Moyses Therevpon Eliphas intendeth to conclude that alwaies as oftē as there is but one righteous mā in a cuntrie for his sake the cuntry shal be saued but this ought not to be racked out so far as we haue declared But to bee shorte let vs learne that all the tēporall promises that are cōteined in the holie scripture that is to say those whiche concerne the state of the lyfe present are not so general that we shold
which befell him me not by reason of his sinnes but for some extraordinarie purpose of God which was hidden from men hee protesteth that hee will stande stedfastly in the same minde And it behoueth vs to marke well this dealing which is not to settle our selues determinately vpon any thing whereof we be not well assured aforehand For that is the poynt wherein the wilfull sort doo differ from the good and allowable constant sort If an vndiscrete person and such a one as weyeth not things by good reason and aduisement conceyue a toy in his head he can neuer bee remoued from it But yet shall not such a one bee named constant therfore neither deserueth he to be commended For there is not a worse poynt than to mainteyne things without knowing what they be It is commonly sayd that a fooles bolt is soone shot But as for him that not only is hastie in iudging but also wilfull in mainteyning he must needes be an vnrecouerable foole Therefore let vs mark well Iobs proceeding here For first of all he declared his intent and shewed himselfe not to be imbrewed with any false opinion nor to haue any errour in all that he sayde but that he had spoken the pure truth After the declaring of that now hee addeth this protestation that he will neuer be remoued from his purpose which he knoweth too be rightfull and iust So then whensoeuer wee come too the iudging of any thing let vs looke neerely to it and sift it throughly And if we haue not skill ynough to do it as it behoueth vs always to acknowledge our own rawnesse and infirmitie let vs pray God too giue vs the spirite of skilfulnesse discretion But when a thing is wel knowne to vs so as we be fully resolued of it let vs not wauer any more For it is a great shame that wilfull persons shoulde stick so fast to their fond imaginations as they cannot bee drawne from them and that we should be so soone remoued from the truth when we know it There neede none other witnesses nor iudges to condemne our rashnesse vnconstancie than the very wilfull sort that haue bin so wedded to their owne wit. And why For if they after they haue once allowed a thing do sticke stoutely to it and cannot by any meanes be wonne from it I pray you what is to be done by those to whom God hath giuen the knowledge of his truth Ought they not at leastwise to imbrace it and to sticke stedfastly to it yea and to stande fully resolued vpon it how much soeuer men labour too draw them from it Lo here the two poynts that we haue to marke in this streyne The one is that we should not be hastie to mainteyne the thing that we haue no skil of and whereof we be not well assured but that we shoulde first looke through it and be discrete to iudge wel and rightly Is it so that is to say do we know the matter perfectly Are wee sure of the truth Then let vs take courage too sticke to it whatsoeuer come of it and let vs not be shaken from it And this declareth to vs the true nature of fayth For we beleeue not vpon a fickle opinion at leastwise if we be well grounded in Gods truth As for such as say I beleeue and in the meanewhile haue no certaintie of Gods truth but onelye some imagination it is certaine that they bee as it were bewitched by Satan at leastwise if they be wedded to it as men say Behold the Turkes they be sufficiently hardened in their errours but ought that fastnesse or rather that steelinesse of theirs to be counted a sayth No. And why For there is no certaintie in it Then behoueth it vs to vnderstand of whom we hold our doctrine that is to wit that we holde it of God and we must be fully perswaded that it is he which hath called vs to his schole VVell then haue we the sayde certaintie VVee must immediatly match it with a purpose to perseuer in it that we be not as many are which howe with euery blast and forget what they haue learned afore assoone as they heare any newe thing I wote not what whereby they shewe that they neuer did so much as once tast of Gods truth VVhat is to bee done then As I haue sayde the thing that we knowe to be good must neuer escape vs nother must wee by any meanes bee turned from it but wee must so print it in our heartes as we may stande in it too the ende Thus ye see alreadie what we haue to remember in this text And furthermore whereas Iob sayeth here God forbid that euer I shoulde instifie you let vs marke also that it is no small fault before God to make countenaunce of consenting too suche as mainteyne an euill cace and go agaynst the truth For although a man doo it not with his heart but bee otherwyse mynded in himselfe yet God is blasphemed therein for we knowe how great store hee setteth by his truth So then if there be any that maynteyne an euill cace or set themselues agaynst the truth too deface it or go about any wicked practize if wee doo but onely make countenance too cleaue vnto them or too their partakers it is certayne that wee bee guiltie of the same wickednesse before god And so much the better ought wee to minde this lesson forasmuch as nowe adayes wee see that most men make no bones too agree with the wicked or at leastwyse too beare them good countenaunce although they mislike of their euill doings And although they woulde faine that they were amended yet notwithstanding for auoyding of displeasure and too shift off such battelles as are seene they make a countenance to bow and yeelde vntoo them As oft as they see the wicked aflote and haue their full scope they be fayne to vale their bonnets too them And although they vphold not their euill with ful mouth yet are they so farre off from speaking agaynst it as a man woulde thinke they were adherents and consenters to it VVee see this so ordinarie in the worlde nowe adayes as it is verie rufull There is no man that steppes vp too maynteyne good quarelles but rather it is a common excuse too say I will not meddle ouerhastily I see I shall but bring my selfe in the Briers euery manne will bee in my toppe I will not make it mine owne cace No And are wee not woorthie to bee shaken off at Gods hande if wee bee loth to mainteyne his truth But is it not a wilfull renouncing of God and a separating of oure selues from him of sette purpose when wee giue any token that wee iustifie the wicked and like of their euill cace And what thinke wee too doo or where to become So then it is not without cause that Iob speaketh heere with suche vehemencie as to say God forbidde and that he abhorreth the iustifying of vnrightuousnesse as a thing that
is exceeding heynous And why For it is as muche as to ouerturne the whole order that God hath sette And heere yee see also why the Prophete Esay pronounceth so terrible a curse agaynst such as cal good euill and euill good for hee sayth it is a turning of the light intoo darknesse That then is another poynt which wee haue to marke in this streyne God forbid sayeth Iob that euer I should iustifie you And he confirmeth his matter yet better by adding anon after that cursed mought his aduersarie be True it is that betweene those twoo verses there is a thirde neuerthelesse it will bee good too matche these two sentences togither Cursed sayeth hee mought mine aduersarie bee and wicked bee hee that ryzeth vp agaynst mee First hee sheweth himselfe to bee full sure of his hold for hee spiteth all such as shall intende to striue against him and defieth them as if he were at warre with them True it is that a harebraynde person will peraduenture vse the lyke stoutnesse and aduaunce himself agaynst the whole world without shrinking awhitte But I haue tolde you afore that Iob buylded not without laying of a sure and steadie foundation but was fully resolued in Gods truth So then whereas he nowe defyeth all such as would fight agaynst him he sheweth that in such caces there is no playing on both handes nor no beeing of neuters to rowe betwene two streames but wee must bee either on the one side or on the other without fleeting to fro and march on in true soundnesse saying is this Gods cace Then must all of vs be aduocates in it and mainteyne it Haue we conceyued any wicked quarell Is there any token that the matter is against the truth Let vs labour to thrust it downe and let it not be suffered For if we dissemble wee cannot denie but we be traytours to god So then we see the zeale that ought to bee in vs not onely to confesse the truth when we knowe it and to shewe that we hold it for good but also to withstande all errours and all false and wicked opinions For it becōmeth vs to be inflamed with such a stoutnesse as is shewed vs here in the persone of Iob. Then let vs marke well that when the doctrine of saluation and the things that belong to Gods seruice and religion do come in question we must not onely admitte that which we know to be good and true yea euen with a teachable and obedient minde but also wee must shunne all false opinions that are contrarie too the truth and not lyable vnto it I say wee must resist them fiercely and declare that all such as gainsay vs and agree not with vs are wicked and cursed that is to say to bee hilde at our hand as enimies of rightuousnesse and truth bycause they refuze too ioyne with vs in the obeying of our God and are become rebelles and reiect the truth Seeing then that they separate themselues in that wise from God and so breake the true bande of all vnitie it behoueth vs to haue open warre with them and in no wise to agree with them For as for them that are desirous to pleasure the wicked and would faine holde in with them and therefore as the Prouerbe sayeth do holde with the hare and hunte with the hounde they shewe themselues to beare two faces in one hood and to play two partes in the Enterlude without chaunging of their apparell But God can abyde no such counterfeyting And therefore let vs remember well what is sayde heere namely that the matter standeth not onely in saying I am contented that suche a thing shall passe and I will not striue agaynst the truth but if we will shewe our selues too like well of Gods truth wee must maynteyne it out of hande and all such as set themselues against vs must be our enimies and we must detest them assuring our selues that there is no more agreement betweene truth and vntruth than betweene fire and water Marke then what wee haue yet to note Iob addeth further That his hart shall not vpbrayde him with his dayes or that he will not step aside or that hee will not go backe As touching the Hebrewe worde it may be taken to offer reproch and it may also bee taken too wexe yong againe and therevpon it commeth to bee taken to recoyle or to returne backe And this signification agreeth verie well when hee sayeth My heart shall not retyre backe as though it wexed yong againe And howe Of my dayes that is too say of all the time of my lyfe that I haue passed To bee short Iob ment to betoken that he would neuer swarue but like as he had continued vnto that day to serue God yea euen in all soundnesse so he would not thenceforth steppe aside nor runne backe and become another man but would be alwayes founde the same that he had beene knowne to be And that is according to that which I haue declared alreadie namely that forasmuch as God hath beene so gracious to vs as to inlighten vs in such wise as we discerne betwene good and euill and knowe what we ought to followe it behoueth vs to take heede that wee bee not fleeting nor lyke wauering Reedes but that wee hold our owne stedfastly So then let vs looke well to our selues and whensoeuer God shall haue set vs in a good way let vs not turne sayle backe againe but let vs go forward still Yea and looke howe much the more that any man hath gone forewarde let him knowe that God hath bounde him to be so much the more stedfast and that it is the more to his shame and the heynouser vnthankefulnesse in him if hee turne his backe and forsake his good way Verely as soone as God sheweth vs his will it behoueth vs to bee taken in loue with it and to indeuer too profite more and more and neuer to step aside Therfore euen at the first day wee ought to bee inflamed to follow Gods truth as soone as it is shewed vs But when God hath bene so gracious to a man as to leade him forth not for a moneth onely but for a yeare three or ten so as hee hath liued a long while in the knowledge of God and of his owne saluation if he afterwarde become a rebell and a renegate and holde not out to the last steppe is it not a farre greater fault than if a man that hath not yet taken a good and sufficient deepe roote shoulde turne away and ouershoote himselfe throughe some lightnesse For if a man haue tasted what is good and anon after do turne away from it verely he shall not be excused before God but yet will men haue pitie vpon him for that he is so turned away before hee haue receyued full instruction But when a man hath followed the right way a long time and hath seemed to bee of the constanter sort and yet is withdrawne from it what excuse can there
as in a little shedde vnder leaues that are soone rotten but in an euerlasting house that is full of glorie Seeing then that we knowe that God calleth vs to so happie a lyfe and gyueth vs assurance of it in oure Lorde Iesus Christe wee neede not to shunne death sith that therby we enter into the full possession of our saluation To be shorte wee come not to death as the vnbeleuers do The vnbeleeuers say I know not whither I go If they haue any opinion of the immortalitie of their soules eyther they muste needes bee dismayed at it when they know that God shall be theyr iudge or else they shall be sotted in such wise as they shall thinke there is no better lyfe than this But for our parte it behoueth vs to know that God hath created vs after his owne image and likenesse to the intente to gather vs vp to himselfe and that wee shoulde bee sure that he will do it if wee referre our selues wholly vnto him following the example that oure Lorde Iesus Christe sheweth vs Father sayeth â—ee vnto thee do I commende my spirite Then lette vs learne too saye freely vnto God Lorde I yeelde my soule into thy handes Thus yee see howe wee shall bee safe when wee knowe that God is the keeper of our soules Thus ye see how we shall go gladly and with a good will vnto death bycause our soules are in Gods keeping till he knit them to theyr bodies agayne in his comming at the laste daye VVhen wee bee at this poynt then to confirme the sayde prayer withall thou mayst adde Thou hast redeemed me ô Lorde God of truth Lo howe Dauid speaketh and Iesus Christ hath vsed the same to shew that it is a requeste whiche oughte too bee common to all members of the Church So then to the ende that we doubt not of Gods receyuing of our soules into his keeping when we betake them to him vnfaynedly let vs know that he is the God of truth in so muche that hee will not suffer vs to perishe whatsoeuer befall vs so wee haue the heart and minde to put ourselues into his handes Nowe lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgemente of our sinnes praying him to haue pitie vppon vs wretched creatures and bycause wee be so loth to followe that which he sheweth vs that it may please him to stablish vs in such a zeale by his holy Spirite as wee may neuer swarue nor be turned from the right way wherein he shall haue once set vs And for asmuch as so long as we liue in this worlde we be inclined yea and giuen vp to many vices and imperfections lette vs pray him to graunt vs the grace to resiste them in such wise as hee may bee glorified by oure confessing of his name whyther it bee in lyfe or deathe and that in the meane whyle wee may bee knitte too him by fayth and hope so as wee may persiste therein too the ende and vntill hee haue gathered vs into the euerlasting heritage whiche is purchased for vs by oure Lorde Iesus Christe That it may please him too graunte this grace not onely to vs but also too all people and Nations of the Earth bringing backe all poore ignorante soules from the miserable bondage of errour and darkenesse to the right way of saluation for the doing whereof it may please him to rayse c. The .xcix. Sermon which is the third vpon the .xxvij. Chapter 8 VVhat is the hope of the hypocrite vvhen he shall haue heaped vp and God shall haue plucked avvay his Soule 9 VVill God heare his crye vvhen trouble commeth vpon him 10 VVill he set his delyght on the Almightie vvill hee call vpon God at all times 11 I vvill teach you vvhat is in the hande of God and I vvill not conceale from you vvhat is vvith the Almightie 12 Beholde yee haue seene all these things and vvhy do yee vanishe avvay in vanitie WE sawe yesterday that if we will iudge of the state of men wee must not rest vpon this present life but we must go further for if we loke no further thaÌ„ to the life of man we shall see that it is but as a shadow although it were grauÌ„ted that he had all his own harts desire so as god wold giue him whatsoeuer he wold wish what were al that but a smoke that passeth away out of hand Therfore it behoueth vs to come too the hope that Iob speaketh of heere that we may haue skill to discerne whither a mans life be happie or vnhappie And hee bringeth vs purposely vnto death declaring that sith the vnbeleeuers or despisers of God are plucked out of this world by violence it behoueth vs to coÌ„clude that they be all vnhappy and that the pleasures riches honour such other like things which they haue are but deceitfull vanitie and we must not busie our heads about them Therfore when a maÌ„ liueth after such a sort in this world as he knoweth himselfe to be in Gods hand so as he resteth disposeth himselfe vpon his goodnesse and therewithall is readie to remoue hence as oft whensoeuer God shall call him assuring himself that his euerlasting abiding place is not here but in heaueÌ„ then is he in the cace that he may be deemed a happy maÌ„ But as for him that regardeth not God ne trusteth in his goodnesse ne knoweth himselfe to be in his keeping but woulde fayne dwell euer in this worlde and cannot bee gotten hence but by force and constraynt although such a man haue all that he can wish for a time yet is he but a wretched creature And for the better confirmation of this matter Iob addeth as now That God wyll not beare the wicked when they pray no not euen in the middes of their distresses This deserueth too bee well marked Iob sheweth wherein the cheefe weale that wee can haue or wishe to haue consisteth namely in hauing recourse vnto God that he be mercifull to vs to succour vs at our neede Let vs put the cace that a man had all things else that coulde be imagined and yet wanted this surely all the rest were nothing woorthe but shoulde bee turned into his bane VVhat if a man laugh what if he liue in ioy and pleasure what if hee haue goods ynough and to muche what if all men honour him and to be shorte what if hee seeme to be a Petigod here by lowe as in a Paradise yet if he haue not this priuiledge of resorting vntoo God with full beleefe that his resorting to him shall not bee in vayne but that his requestes shall bee graunted all that euer he can haue besides shall bee but a curse to him and an increace of his decay Then lette vs marke well that it is not for nought that Iob bringeth vs heere to the principall poynt of our whole life as in respecte of the weale that wee can wishe which is that God shoulde
sacred seate whiche hee had dedicated too his owne name No no. So then wee see that suche as are set in the seate of iustice shall haue a terrible account too make and that there is a dreadfull curse prepared for them vnlesse they bee vigilaÌ„t in searching out of things so as they iudge not at adueÌ„ture ne verefie the Prouerb which sayeth a foolish Iudge gyueth a hastie sentence but doo their indeuer too learne how things go so as they may always protest before God and also shew by their deedes afore men that there was no lette in themselues that they wer not fully enformed and that the truth of matters was not knowne vnto them Now if this negligence bee punished so roughly and that such as haue drawne the curteines before them can not scape the hande of God what shal become of those which through an euill conscience corrupted with bribes and forepossessed with parcialitie or hatred fall to flinging after that sort like wilde beasts and ourthrowe all as muche as in them lyeth insomuch as men know not where they are and when they flee to iustice for refuge they are there in as good plight as among a sort of the eues And I pray you when they be come to that point how shall they appeare before God although he winke at them for a time Now then we see that there is not a harder thing than to minister iustice seeing that god requireth such watchfulnesse in it And therwithall let vs mark also that euery maÌ„ particularly so much as in him lieth ought too make inquiry of good euil to the end we grieue not our neighbors For although we be no iudges to pronounce publike sentence yet notwithstaÌ„ding we ofteÌ„times do our neighbors wrong by iudging amisse of theÌ„ we may do them harme many wayes for want of true information Therefore let vs set our minds throughly to try serch out the truth that we be not deceyued with lying and thereby do wrong to any man Furthermore when Iob hath treated of the wisdom carelesnes which ought to be in men of authoritie he addeth an other vertue whiche is as requisite in theÌ„ that is to say vncorruptnesse of coÌ„science so as they set theÌ„se Iues against all wrongs violence suffer not any outrage to be done to any maÌ„ without redressing it as much as in them lieth And that is the cause why Iob protesteth that be brake the chawes of the wicked and plucked the pray froÌ„ betwene his teeth But this cannot bee done vnlesse the Iudges and Magistrates haue such a stoutnesse in theÌ„ as they cannot abide any euill without resisting it And this vertue is also a speciall gift of god For although a maÌ„ be of stout courage yet notwithstaÌ„ding wheÌ„ he seeth men fal into many incoÌ„ueniences by purchasing folks displeasure it plucketh him backe cooleth him True it is that there are many examples to be found yea eueÌ„ among the Paynims and those whiche neuer knewe God that they bowed not for any cause but mainteyned the right and gaue their hand and succour to suche as were wrongfully oppressed A man may wel see many examples of this But God worketh after that maner in that behalfe to the end to take away all excuse froÌ„ theÌ„ which pretend his name when they haue swarued or dissembled and suffred good men to be oppressed and wronged and the wolues to deuour the sheepe Yet notwithstanding as I sayd afore thys vertue of inuincible stoutnesse or coÌ„stancie is the speciall gift of God And so they which are set in the seate of iustice after they haue desired God to giue them wisdome to iudge rightly and indeuered themselues to the vttermost to discharge their duetie and to reach their hand to such as are troden vnder foot ought to set themselues as sheeldes agaynst suche as woulde take away other mens goods by force and set their feet vpoÌ„ pore mens throtes Iudges ought to applie themselues to this True it is that when men see wicked folke haue the bridle lye looce in their neck and no body resisteth them they will say what can I do to it I cannot redresse it but such excuses are to no purpose before god I see will some men say that no man â— eareth me company all drag behind in that behalfe if I would do my dutie they that should ioyne with me will leaue me there if a lewd fellow or twain do but gren at me I quake for feare and I wote not what to do and so it is not my fault I woulde faine it were remedied but I cannot do it alone These reasons may wel cary some colour before men but needs must they fal to the grouÌ„d before god For as I haue declared here the holy ghost giueth a common lesson too all such as haue that charge committed vntoo them which lesson is that they muste shew themselues flat enemies to the wicked and when they see them so lyke madde beastes and that their teeth be sharpned too eate vp one and too byte another they must barre them of their doings and step before them employing against them the credite and authoritie which God hath giuen them For it is no small saying when it is sayd here I haue broken the Chawes of the wicked and plucked the pray out of their teeth But now let vs mark that when God ordeineth magistrates that is to say when he calleth meÌ„ to the office of iustice and armeth theÌ„ with his sword in so doing he bindeth them to maintein the good the innocent and to take vpon them the defence of right also to set themselues against al wrongs misdealings and violences Now if a Iudge say I know not who had right or wrong who was to blame for it For first of all God will neuer faile to giue wisdome to such as aske it and again he will also blisse their labor which trauell faithfully to seeke out the right But what Iudges are so farre of froÌ„ making inquisition for such as are oppressed that if men do so complayne vnto them that the ayre shall ring of it yet notwithstanding in the meane while the eares of such as ought to set to their hands to remedie it are deafe If a maÌ„ haue paciently put vp a wrong the Iudge be made priuie to the cace he is not to be excused he cannot say he came not to complayne to me no but the fault was committed before thine eyes and it was thyne office too redresse it but thou hast made no account of it and thinkest thou to escape cleere before God But yee shall see poore folke complaine and come shew their right yet can haue no redresse And coÌ„trariwise where no euil hath bin done there the sword must be drawne and the matter must be haÌ„dled with vehemencie as if he were mad Some â—â—n will say it is but the zeale of iustice It is much to the purpose no it is too
Therfore we must not inclose Gods mightie power within our imagination vnderstanding Like as Gods goodnesse is endlesse and a bottomlesse pit so also are his wisdome and rightuousnesse and the same is to be said of his power Now if we would comprehende this mightinesse and power I pray you are wee able too inclose it in our brayne It is impossible So then let vs marke well that when God intendeth to saue vs he doeth it not after the common fashion but worketh by miracle towards vs insomuch that he will rayse vs euen from death And that is the cause why he chalengeth the office of sending men to the graue and of talling them backe againe Also it is sayd in the Psalme that the issues or outgoings of death are in the hand of our god VVhen it is sayde of our God it is to the ende that the faythfull shoulde taste the neerenesse of God and that hee shoulde make them feele the thing by experience which is conteyned heere namely that he hath the issues of death in his hande And what are those issues It is that when death shall haue reigned ouer vs and we seeme to be vtterly ouerwhelmed so as there is no more hope of life our Lord can well quicken vs yea euen after a wonderfull fashion vnknowne vntoo vs and which men cannot perceiue vntill it be shewed by effect And this is the cause also why Ezechiell had this vision giuen him that when God vttered his worde the bones that were drye before and wherein there was no substaunce came togither and the sinewes did knitte againe and breath and liuelinesse came into them and so they became liuing men Thus ye see howe we ought to bee grounded vpon the inestimable power of our God that is to wit that when it commeth too the trusting in him we must not fall to reasoning â–ª Hath God any meanes to do it Are the things likely or haue wee any thing in vs to further him No no but God knoweth howe too deale and therefore let vs wayte at his hande But now as I sayde it behoueth our sayth too bee inlarged vpon the mightie power of God and seeing that Gods mightie power is not to be measured nor to be inclosed and made subiect to worldly and naturall meanes our beleefe also must stretch out both hie and lowe and become infinite Verely it will neuer be so perfect as it ought to be we shal but only haue some little pece of it But yet must we labor forward and although our beleefe be weake and that we haue receyued it by measure yet must we alwayes tend to that marke VVhat marke Euen too rest our selues on God and to wayte for helpe at his hande And how shall we wayte for it must we rest vpon these earthly things No no but euery one of vs must stirre vp himselfe and consider well Lord thou art Almightte Therefore thou wilt saue vs by thy mightie power which is vnknowne to vs as yet Lo what is shewed vs in this streyne So then seeing that God hath giuen vs such a proofe of his mightie power in the person of Iob let the same confirme vs so much the more In the ende after that Iob hath spoken of the wrongs and reproches that were done vntoo him and complained of the feare wherewith he was seazed he directeth himselfe vnto God and sayeth that althoughe be turned himselfe vnto God to call vpon him be was not heard yea and that when he â—â—ld on and wayted Gods leysure God pitied him not ne made any countenance to regard him but which worse is turned toward him as a cruell person Surely this is the greeuousest temptation that myghte bee For if any aduersitie happen vntoo vs wee knowe that Gods setting of vs in this worlde is with condition that wee should be tempted diuers wayes and martyred with many miseries too the intent to shewe vs that this transitorie lyfe is nothing woorth and againe if wee haue some sorrowe our frayltie beareth it and if wee bee not stoute ynough to comfort our selues we impute it still to the feblenesse of our nature But when we flee vnto God and yet feele no ease at his hand but rather that he dissembleth so as the tyme seemeth to bee lost in praying vnto him then are we at an vtter extremitie VVhy so For it is a soueraine remedie whiche God giueth vs when hee sayeth come vnto mee when you are at an afterdeale yea and as good as deade and you shall perceyue that I haue power to quicken you I recouer those that are quayled I rayse vp them that are dead and I fetch them out of their graues which were suncken in it yea euen so deepe as it might seeme that they should neuer come out again God therfore is liberall ynough to promise vs that he wil neuer refuze our prayers but come we to seke him he shrinketh away and seemeth to be deaf This is a temptation that is able to ouerwhelme vs vtterly Therfore let vs mark well this text how Iob ment to declare that he was come euen vnto hel and that he was not chastized after the common fashion but that God to outward appearance had so forsaken him as he might coÌ„clude I haue hitherto bin deceyued in seruing God and I haue beguiled my self in hoping that he would helpe me and be my sauiour and why For in deed he sayth that his seruants shall be afflicted howbeit he calleth them to him saying cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee thou shalt glorifie me for the same Then ought we to hope for life eueÌ„ in death through his power For behold God openeth vs the gate when he sayth that he is nere all those that call vpon him in truth But now saith Iob if I seeke thee I sâ—nd thee not â–ª if I call vpon thee thou answerest me not I knock and the gate is still kept shut VVhy sayth he so For a man might first demaund whether God hath not performed the sayd promise wich he made to al the faithfull of being nere to all those which call vpon him For although those textes were not yet written yet did not God cease to haue pitie vpon his continually Howbeit in causing them to be written afterward he had declared what a one he is and what a one he hath always shewed himself to be Then if Iob had lost his labor in praying vnto God these promises should haue bin false that God wil be nere vnto all those that call vpon him in truth and that he will heare all those that cal vpoÌ„ him and graunt whatsoeuer is asked him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ yea and that he will be readie to succor vs before we open our mouth But let vs mark wel that although Iob did not as theÌ„ perceyue that god would succor him yet notwithstanding he knew it in the end God also made him to feele it
menne True it is that it is his ordinarie iustice too punishe sinnes Neuerthelesse sometimes it is his will too trie the obedience of good men and of suche as haue serued him and applyed their whole indeuer too followe his commaundementes yea and those shall be handled with greater rigoure than the wicked And why For God intendeth to teache them what it is too bee humble and obedient Seeing the cace standeth so it behoueth vs to refraine from hastie iudgement when any man is afflicted For God will also preserue his seruantes from the temptation that hee sendeth them True it is that if they haue by any meanes prouoked him too displeasure hee remedieth that euill by afflicting them Nowe shall wee therevpon iudge that suche as are handled roughliest are the wickedest VVhat a thing were that See yee not that wee should proceede cleane backwarde from God and quite contrarie too his intente and purpose Furthermore let vs applye this as well to oure neighbours as to oureselues If wee see men that are afflicted with many miseries let vs firste looke vnto their life and not bee hastie too giue sentence vpon them but consider howe they haue liued If a despizer of God an vnruly person a man giuen to outrageous vices bee greeuously punished let vs acknowledge that therein God sheweth vs as it were in a picture what hys vengeance is And there we haue a iust occasion to iudge why so For the thing it selfe speaketh VVhen a man hathe despized God and spente his whole life disorderly and we see that God scourgeth him In that behalf there is no doubting the matter it selfe is not darke nor difficulte So then oure iudgement shall not bee ouerhastie if wee proceede after that sorte But contrariwise if wee haue sought for the reason why God afflicteth men and see none as if some man had walked vprightly in that cace we must brydle our selues And why For we know not Gods purpose vntill hee shewe it vnto vs Lo howe we ought to iudge in respecte of others And herewithall when we see the wicked punished as they haue deserued let vs not onely condemne them but also applye the same to oure owne vse according as Saincte Paule sheweth it whiche is that wee shoulde walke in the feare of God and take warning by other mennes harmes Beholde God punisheth VVhoremongers Theeues and Rebelles and that is to the ende that wee should learne too walke in his obedience and not prouoke his wrathe as those did whome wee see so roughly handeled This then is the thing whiche wee haue too doe when God maketh vs to beholde his vengeance in such as haue bene vtterly rebellious againste him But if wee see the good men visited it behoueth vs to thinke Alas if the greene tree bee cast into the fire what shall become of the drie VVhen wee compare oure selues with suche as are in a manner halfe oute of this worlde alreadie wee shall see verie greate vertues in them and yet notwithstanding they are handeled muche more greeuouslye than wee Therefore wee muste needes saye that God beareth with vs For if hee pytied vs not what shoulde become of vs And when wee bee wakened by that meanes let vs assure our selues it is not too the ende wee shoulde take the more libertie to doe euill but to restreyne vs and as it were to tye vs vp too the intente wee shoulde submit oure selues wholly vnto oure god VVhen wee haue so considered the scourges and afflictions that God sendeth vpon oure neyghbours let vs on oure side when oure turne commeth about too bee punished at Gods hande yea euen for oure sinnes acknowledge that there needeth no other witnesse than oure owne conscience which also is a sufficient Iudge too condemne vs But if afterward God be at any time rough to vs and we see no reason why yet let not our heartes fayle vs neyther let vs vexe our selues in disputing with God though hee doe not as wee woulde haue him but rather let vs learne too comfort our selues And although God seeme to bee our mortall enemie and to thunder against vs yet notwithstanding let vs trust in him as wee haue seene Iob speake heeretofore Thus yee see howe we ought to be discrete in iudging of the chastizementes that God sendeth vs and also that we ought to be verie mylde towardes oure neighbours This is the thing that we haue to beare away in this sentence of Eliu when hee sayeth that it is a follie for men to gaze so much at the present afflictions as too say that bycause Gods hande is rough harde and sharpe vpon a creature therefore hee vtterly ouerthroweth him I say we must not followe that for a generall rule And why For wee should be beguyled at all assayes as I haue shewed alreadie Nowe herevpon Eliu vpbraydeth Iobs freendes that they were confounded I wayted sayth he and they spake no more but gaue ouer their talke Heereby he betokeneth that they were confounded bycause they were euill grounded For wee knowe that the truth is alwayes inuincible True it is that he which hath a good cace shall not alwayes be heard For wee see that a good cace may bee oppressed by brainelesse and frantike folke when they haue their full scope For they stoppe the mouthes of suche as haue iust cause to speake But when thinges goe orderly if a man haue a good cace God gyueth him wherewith to mainteine it For truth as I sayd shall haue the vpper hande So then it is not for naught that Eliu taunteth Iobs freendes who were confounded in the middest of their way VVherfore let vs assure oure selues that when we knowe throughly that a thing is true God will also giue vs argumentes and reasons too mainteine it to the ende we be not vanquished by suche as laboure to beate downe the truth and to turne it into a lye God I say will so strengthen vs as wee shall neuer bee destitute of reason And this is a doctrine well worthy to bee marked For what is the cause that oftentimes wee dare not vndertake a good quarell but for that wee haue not the stoutnesse and skill too resist so stedfastly as were requisite Nowe to the ende that suche fearefulnesse should not hinder vs from beeing zealous in mainteyning the truth as wee ought to do let vs marke that God forsaketh not those that haue courage too maynteine good caces but giueth them victorie in the ende Yea and although they bee oppressed by subtiltie and wilynesse as it may so come to passe as I haue sayde yet notwithstanding they shall neuer bee cōnfounded howe so euer the worlde goe Then let vs trust to this promise and referre oure selues vnto God and wee shall finde that this is not sayd in vaine True it is that aboue al things it behoueth vs to discern whether the cace that we maintein bee good or no. For God punisheth the lightnesse of such take matters in hande before they knowe why or howe He
leaueth them assone as they haue opened their mouth and they become laughingstockes vnto all men Beholde the iust rewarde of such as are ouerhastie in putting forth themselues But when wee bee sure of the goodnesse of a cace let vs rest vpon that whiche is sayde vnto vs heere that is too witte that God will so strengthen vs as wee shall not bee ouercome And furthermore when wee see sometimes that suche as ought to mainteine a good cace play the goslings and stand as if they were deade and abashed let vs marke that God punisheth such fayntheartednesse and giueth them not such courage as they ought to haue bicause they called not on him nor hung vpon him for so muche as they thought not the holie Ghoste able ynoughe to giuethem strength So then this vnbeleefe sheweth it selfe now adays in that if there be a good cace it shall be thrust vnder foot Ye see that the wicked haue courage inough and to much to set forth their lies and to withstande the comming forth of the truth And why For the wicked fayle not too apply too strayne them selues too the vttermost too ouerthrowe all things and too bring matters to confusion in the mean while no man setteth himselfe against them at leastwise with such courage as were requisite And why For such as are willing to do well and haue some affections are notwithstanding faint of beleefe But surely if they trusted in God he wold not suffer all things to bee confounded as they bee Thus ye see what we haue to consider when Eliu taunteth Iobs friends for being confounded It is as much as if he should saye that thereby it was apparant that they had an euill cace and that they had made a wrong matche against Iob. And hee addeth that hee also will speake in his turne This worde Also ought to be well weyed For thereby Eliu betokeneth that hee putteth foorth his aduice in due time VVhy I haue tolde you alreadie that bycause hee was a yong man he ought to haue yelded reuerence to the aged For otherwise it had bin a peruerting of the order of nature Therefore it behoued this modestie to goe before and that Eliu should suffer his elders to speake and he to heare them That done for as much as God giueth him the grace to discerne the cace better than they had done he also speaketh in his turne VVee see then that hee runneth not a heade that is to say he thrusteth not himselfe into the matter at aduenture but holdeth his peace till conuenient time serueth and then speaketh And this is a poynt which we ought to mark verie well For we know that in Gods Church all things ought to bee handled orderly and comely as Saint Paule sayth Therefore there are two things requisite in the manner of teaching First that order bee obserued and secondly that the order be matched with honestie so as the things may bee comely and conuenient Seeing it is so let vs beare in mynde the example of Eliu and let vs holde vs to the doctrine that Saint Paule giueth vs in the sayde texte whiche is that there be no disorder amongest vs according also as Sainct Paule sayth in another streine of the text by me alledged that althoughe God haue raysed vp many Prophetes in his Church and that there be many which haue skill too speake yea and also wherwith to teach yet notwithstanding it is not for them all to vtter forth what is giuen thē For it behoueth that there be order and measure and also there is a certaine honest comelinesse to be kepte That therefore is the thing which is shewed vs heere in the example of Eliu when he sayth that he will speake yea but that is when he seeth that things are misordered and that Iobs freendes had disguised the truth and that they had mainteined an euill and false principle For although they vsed fayre and apparant reasons to colour the matter with all yet notwithstanding the foundation whervpon they builded was not good And Iob also on his side althoughe his cace were iust yet notwithstanding did handle it amisse and vsed many wandring wordes Therefore after that Eliu had hearkned quietly nowe when he seeth that God giueth him an entrance and accesse he vseth it And besides this hee is also constreyned to doe so according as he sheweth when hee addeth that his heart is greeued and that hee is like to a caske full of newe wine If a man put newe wine intoo a Caske and close it vp and giue it no vent the caske bursteth when the wine boyleth Euen so sayeth Eliu that his mynde is shet vp as if a caske were full of newe wine and coulde holde no longer but muste needes burst out Heereby hee meeneth that necessitie constreyneth him to put forth his opinion to the end that the cace which had beene euill debated might nowe bee ordered by reason And bycause Eliu speaketh heere with great vehemencie some perceyuing not the cause haue thought him too bee a man of a loftie mynde and full of bosting But first of al we see that God condemneth him not VVhereas he condemneth Iob and his freendes and sheweth that all of them had doone amisse one way or other yet notwithstanding Eliu is iustified Nowe seeing that God condemneth him not what mortall man shall take vpon him the authoritie to iudge aboue God Therfore that is great follie Moreouer this must not bee thought so strange a thing For we must not beare in mynde howe it hath beene declared heeretofore that Eliu was not as one of the Prophetes that were in Gods Church After that God had published his lawe by the hande of Moyses hee promiseth also that the people of Israell should neuer be destitute of Prophetes For it is written in Deutr. thou shalt not goe to Sorcerers nor Soothsayers thou shalt not seeke for such reuelations as the Heathen do Thou shalt not run after witchcrafts and other vaine sciences neither shalte thou aske counsell at the deade For thy God shall alwayes rayse thee vp a Prophete in the middes of thee as if hee should say the heathen men seeke and search many wayes to be taught And why For they knowe not where they be they haue no Prophete nor any certeyne doctrine to leade and guyde thē But it is not so with you sayde God to the children of Israell I will alwayes giue you some Prophete so as I will dwell familiarly among you and my truth shall bee knowne vnto you Thus then there were Prophetes in the Churche of God according to his promise and that was continually a common thing But Eliu dwelled amōg such folke as had not the lawe and promises of God neyther did our Lorde make any couenaunt with those people For either they were before the lawe or else they were among Idolaters according as I haue told you that Thare and Nachor who were the great grandfathers and aunceters of Eliu were Idolaters
Gods worde as we ought to do let vs begin at the knowing of our owne infirmities And when we bee well acquainted with them that will lead vs to a modestie and meeknesse so as wee shall be of a milde heart to viter the worde of god True it is that forasmuch as there are many which are full of pryde and stubbornesse the worde of God had need to be vnto them as a hammer to broose and breake their hardnesse but yet notwithstanding wee ought first and formost to teach those that yeeld thēselues teachable And how may we do that when we knowe not what neede we haue to beare with them But beare with them we cannot except we feele how fraile we our selues are For hee that knoweth not his owne wantes hath no compassion to partake other mens sorowes and to comfort them So then will we teach the ignorant faythfully wee must vnderstande that there is nothing but ignorance in our selues and that it had bin worse with vs than with all other men if God had not giuen vs the things whiche wee haue receyued of him Againe will we comfort the wretched and afflicted Let vs first vnderstande what it is to be afflicted let vs haue passed that way our selues and let vs be touched with greefe and heauinesse that we may comfort our selues with others that are in sorrow haue skill to beare with them Furthermore if we will rebuke such as haue done amisse let vs not do it with ouer great rigour but rather let vs pitie their destruction True it is that sometymes vehemencie must needes be ioyned with it for when wee see their wretched soules perish it is no time to cocker them if men bee wilfull in their stubbornesse we must not only strike them but also wound them to the quicke Yea but yet therewithall it behoueth vs to haue this poynt aforehand namely that we haue bin acquainted with our own infirmities and that it grieue vs to deale rigorously like as although a father beate his children and vse much more rougher words to them than he would do to strangers yet notwithstanding his hart bleedeth when hee is faine to transforme himselfe after that sort Then let vs marke that a man shal neuer be meete to be a teacher except he haue put on a fatherly affection first of all knowe his owne infirmitie to the ende he may frame himself to such a pitifulnesse as he may haue cōpassion of al such as he hath to deale withal This is the thing which is shewed vs here by Eliu Furthermore let all such as are placed in authoritie consider wel that they must not abuse their power vnto tyrānie to oppresse those that are vnder them For they shal haue a double account to make before God if vnder the colour of theyr authoritie they will haue men to feare them and stande in awe of them and not seeke cheefly the honour of God and the welfare of those that are committed vnto them And see here how Ezechiell speaketh of euill sheepherds which haue misintreated Gods people through tyrannie He saith that they reigned ouer them with all rigor and lordlinesse Yea but contrariwise it is shewed vs here that all such as wil quite themselues faithfully towards God and their neighbours when they be set in hie degree must not therfore aduaūce themselues but rather know that if they intend to carrie terror with them to put poore folke in a feare God must be faine to shew them that his minde was not to set wilde beasts here to scare his flock nor Goates to push at them with their hornes and to trouble their water as he speaketh in the sayd text of Ezechiel God then will shew that those to whom he hath giuen the swoorde and seat of iustice and those whom he hath put into the pulpit to teach his worde are not set there to be Goates to treade downe and oppresse the silly sheepe Lo what we haue to marke in this text And herewithall Eliu sheweth after what maner we ought to receyue doctrine that is to wit that if we know it to be true and right we must out of hande passe with it without gainsaying although we be not forced nor constrayned vnto it Ye see then what we haue to beare in mind concerning the circumstance of the place and the matter that is to wit that when a good doctrine is propounded vnto vs very well he is but a mortall man that speaketh it but do wee see that hee hath reason and truth Then let vs assure our selues that in replying against him we fight not onely against God but also against our owne conscience which is a sufficient iudge to cōdemne vs And herewithall we haue a verie profitable warning to gather which is that whensoeuer wee come to bee taught in the name of God if we see that the doctrine which is offered vs is right there must be no more replying for wee shall win nothing by it but if there be reason it behoueth vs to submit our selues to it Furthermore this ought not too hinder vs from setting Gods maiestie before our eies For we must not iudge of the doctrine that is set forth vntoo vs according to our owne wit and fancie Therefore two things had need to be matched here togither The one is that we fully determine to be ready to obey God concluding in our selues that our maker ought to haue all soueraintie ouer vs and that we ought to be subiect vnto him This is the preparatiue that must be made aforehand And afterward we must enter into iudgement that is to say we must examine the doctrine howbeeit not with pride nor with an opinion that wee bee wise ynough of our selues but with praying vntoo God to gouerne vs with his holy spirit that we may follow the doctrine which he shal haue shewed vs Thus ye see the two things that ought to bee matched togither And this matching or mingling bringeth no confusion For he that is prepared to obey God will not leaue for all that to open his eyes and to consider how he ought to discerne vntruth from truth Howbeeit herewithall let vs learne not to be so frowarde as to haue no regarde of the man that speaketh but let vs consider that God sheweth vs great fauour in that it pleaseth him to vse his creatures and too abace himselfe after that sort vnto vs to the ende we should haue the more leysure to consider his worde For if he should come vnto vs in his own Maiestie we should be vndone But when he offreth himselfe to vs by men he applyeth himselfe to our infirmitie too the intent wee might the more commodiously know his truth which he setteth before vs Ye see then in effect what we haue to remember in this streyne and the rest shall be reserued till another time Now let vs fall down before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too make vs so
strong Gods truthe is and that it is in vayne too fight against it and that although wee be fenced and haue many partakers yet muste God alwayes haue the vpper hande so as his rightuousnesse shall continue vnappayred VVhen we haue barked our fill agaynst it wee shall not bee able to byte it as shall bee sayde anone Marke I say what we haue to remember in this strayne And therfore firste of all let vs learne not to be lauish of our tongs when God afflicteth vs and when things go not after our minde Let vs not bee impacient therefore in our afflictions but let vs alwayes humble our selues vnder him acknowledging that he is rightuouse howsoeuer the world go For if wee bee so bolde as to barret with him it wyll be to our greate confuzion and shame Yee see then how all men ought to brydle as it were to imprison themselues too the ende they may neuer murmure agaynste God nor blaspheme him Furthermore though we haue many partakers yet shall it not boote vs For God wyll not suffer himselfe too bee ouercome by neuer so greate multitudes of men It shall bee in vayne for vs to assemble men of our owne retinue For wee shall all of vs bee put too the foyle together If all the worlde had made a confederacie to spyght God he woulde not passe of it he woulde but laugh them to scorne according as it is sayd in the seconde Psalme that when the kings of the earth haue consulted together and the people haue stormed as muche as they liste hee that is aboue will laugh them to scorne Thus ye see that the second point which we haue to marke is that we muste not thinke our cace to bee the better when we haue many adherents and partakers For God will condemne all the whole packe of vs And furthermore wee see also on the other parte that when wee haue Gods truth on our side we must not sticke to mainteyne it And why For he will giue vs mouth and wisedome and also power to beate backe al our enimies And wee haue greate neede in these dayes to bee armed with such assurance For we see with what furiousnesse the enemies of the Gospell set vp themselues Bycause wee be but a handfull of people and they a greate multitude and that in a manner the whole worlde agreeth with them to practyze oure deathe They beare themselues in hande that the goale goeth on theyr side and there is nothing but triumphing amongeste them before anye stroke bee stryken VVhat a thing were it then if wee knew not that which is shewed vs heere That is to wit that forasmuch as we haue the truth on our side one of vs may alwayes fight agaynst a hundred thousande and we neede not to bee afrayde when the Papistes come stoutly agaynste vs with theyr Ergoes although they bee a greate hoste and wee fewe or none in comparison No no let not that abashe vs And why For this saying I will answere thee and thy companions is not written alonely for the persone of Eliu but the holye Ghoste giueth vs that promis to the intent wee shoulde not sticke to enter into battell and to stande stoutly to it to the vttermost sith wee knowe our cace is good and that God fighteth for vs bycause wee mainteyne his quarrell Therefore when we haue suche a certeintie let vs fight boldly against our enimies for they muste needes bee confounded in the ende Thus yee see what we haue to beare in mind and how we may put this texte in vre to apply it to our instruction specially at this present tyme when wee see the whole worlde imbattayled agaynst God and the multitude of enimies so greate as it myght vtterlye discourage vs if oure Lorde did not comfort vs by telling vs that wee haue wherewith to answere for him though there bee neuer so many gaynsayers that are so confederate toogether Nowe let vs come to the answere that Eliu maketh Beholde the Skies sayeth he looke vp too the greatest heauens they are hygher than thou and thou cannest neuer reache too them This seemeth to bee a very rawe answere For had he none other reason whereby too shewe the ryghtuousnesse of God Yes But if this saying bee applyed as it oughte to be it is ynough to stoppe the mouthes of all such as blaspheme god For by beholding of the heauens hee leadeth vs to another consideration whiche is that our dooing well profiteth not oure God and that our dooing euill cannot hurte him For what shall hee bee the woorse for it Seeing it is so hee is not to bee measured according vnto men For hee is not reuengefull as who woulde say he is angrie when a man doeth him wrong or that he is ledde by affection lyke a man that lookes to bee pleased and thinks himselfe beholding to another man for doing him any seruice God is none suche So then wee muste not measure him by our owne meateyearde nor imagine any fleshlinesse in him For the very skies that are vnder his feete doo shewe well that hee is not lyke vs nor medled here with vs to haue any part at all of our nature Therefore wee see that this reason where it is sayde Behold the Skies and looke vp aboue thy head is sufficient too beate downe all those that dare lift vp themselues against god But nowe it is needefull to laye out that which followeth by peecemele too the ende it may bee the better vnderstoode VVhen Eliu sayeth if thou doo good what profite doth God receyue by it He sheweth therby that God is not bounde vnto vs Marke that for the firste poynt The second is that he is not affectioned as men are when any pleasure is doone them they are mooued with it bicause they be passible but God is not so we can nother shew him frendship nor fauour And so hee is not like vnto vs And as touching the first point namely that God is by no meanes bound vnto vs do what we can It is a very true thing Notwithstāding we see how men grow proude yea euen without cause or occasion woulde make God beleue that he is beholding to them although they cā bring him nothing And this draweth after it a mischeeuouse tayle of superstition VVhy do the Papists labor so much at this day for these ceremonies and gewgawes It is bycause they thinke that God receiueth some profit by thē when they make many gewgawes and haue babbled and trotted from place to place They thinke they haue made a fayre worke when their churchstuffe is well decked and when they haue well trimmed and washed their puppets as if a man had made a goodly banquette and decked vp a house bestrawed it with russhes and other things The Papistes I saye surmyze that God delyghteth in these nyce toyes and that hee taketh pleasure in them But we muste not imagine that wee can bring any thing vnto god And that is the cause why
as they do But yet for all that they looke not vntoo god If a man go into straunge Countreys hee shall heare many complaintes and hee shall not neede too go very farre for the matter for wheresoeuer bee taxes and impositions or wheresoeuer men of warre passe like floudes of water there is no man but hee shall crie for he shall be galled vnto the harde bones But doth the worlde amende for all this Doeth it come with true humilitie to seeke God and to say Alas Lord it is for our sinnes that thou handlest vs so roughly and it would behooue vs to thinke therevpon but there is nothing in vs but pryde disdaine and rebelliousnesse agaynst thee And therefore Lorde thou hast shewed thy selfe to be our souerayne now shew vs also the fauour that we may feele thee our father and succoure vs in the ende Dooth the worlde vse any such speeche Alas it is farre from it men doo rather chafe vppon the bitte and in the meane whyle thinke not at all vpon god Is it not rather a record that hee cannot beare such despisings of his grace For like as he prooueth his truth when hee helpeth those that seeke him and sue to him and as hee sheweth thereby that his promising to be mercifull to suche as seeke him is not to disappoynt them of theyr truste and hope and like as he ratifieth his truth and sheweth himselfe faithfull and trustie by helping such as call vpon him So also on the contrary parte he suffereth those too rotte whiche seeke not him letteth them wast and consume by length of time so as it is not perceyued that hee regardeth them or hath any care of their necessitie wherin he sheweth himself to be rightuous for hee punisheth the negligence or rather the pryde that is in them bicause they despized his grace which was offered them so freely True it is also that suÌ„dry times God doth not at the first help those that seeke him in truth but that commeth not to passe continually And when it happeneth yet is it iustlye wee muste not binde him too oure lyking So then althoughe God forslowe to succour his seruauntes euen when they call vppon him with all theyr hearte yet dooth hee neuer forsake them How bee it the thing that Eliu treateth of here is very common after the ordinary maner that the scripture speaketh For when it goeth aboute any doctrine it is to shewe the thing that may bee seene moste often Yee see then what wee may conclude VVhen wee haue considered what the worlde is wee shall finde that suche as a. e smitten and vexed can well ynoughe lamente theyr miseries but theyr crying is not vntoo god It is like a beastly howling they caste oute their shreekes intoo the ayre but they reache not out theyr heartes vntoo God they caste not theyr cares and sorrowes vpon him as hee commaundeth vs and that is the cause why hee sheweth not himselfe fauourable vnto vs VVee muste not blame him of crueltie or vnrightuousnesse nother muste wee imagine that hee doeth men wrong For wee see they are woorthy of that punishmente and too receyue the wages of their vnbeleefe bicause they rested not vpon the promises that are gyuen them nor were mooued in themselues to resorte vnto God as they ought to haue doone Now if it be sayd that men call vpon God as perâ—dueÌ„ture some prayers will bee made Eliu sheweth that all that is nothing And why For they say not where is God that made mee which giueth songs in the night which instructeth vs more than the beasts and teacheth vs more thaÌ„ the foules of the â—yrâ— â–ª This as I touched euen nowe serueth to answere that it might be alledged that wretched men do call vpon God when they are afflicted Yea sayeth Eliu but it is but faynedly and therefore it is in vayne For inasmuche as the prayers which the moste parte of the worlde maketh are but bypocrisie therfore God heareth them not Thus the reason that Eliu setteth downe is that they go not vntoo God as to their maker that hath fashioned them noâ— as to him that comforteth men nor as too him that gyueth theÌ„ so many benefites as they ought to magnifie his mercie what miserie soeuer they indure Then if we acknowledge not God to be suche a one as hee sheweth himselfe towards vs nor esteeme the gracious gifts which we haue receyued at his hande I say if wee come not to him thus minded there is nothing but seyning and falshood in vs and therfore we muste not maruell though he shette the gate agaynst vs and make no countenaunce to heare our requests Behold a text right woorthy to bee marked For ye shall see in these dayes that the Papists make processions when God layeth his hand vpon them If there bee any plague or famine or other aduersitie true it is that they turne vnto God and so doo the Paynims as well as they But what Doo they call vpon him with a true and rightmeening heart Alas they are far wyde of it all that they do is but ceremonies And for proofe heereof let vs marke well that men cannot seeke God rightlye excepte they know him to be such a one as they should feele him by experience First of al wheÌ„ we call vpon God we must remember that hee is oure maker and that wee are in his hand But now let vs examine those which make countenaunce of praying If a man serche their hearte shall hee finde that they haue skill to say seeing that my God hath fashioned mee I am in his hande and it belongeth too him too rule mee in my lyfe and too prouyde for all my necessities I holde all of him and therefore it behoueth mee to suffer my selfe to bee gouerned by his hande and according to his pleasure Shall a man finde one among a hundred that is thus minded and that speaketh with a true hearte to yeelde honour too God as too his maker They will confesse it well ynough with theyr mouth yeâ— say they wee were made by him and hee hath gyuen vs life But in the meane whyle for all theyr confessing â–ª yet are they not fully resolued of it it is cleane contrary with them So then there are no prayers that are woorthie to beare that name when men are so brutisheas they acknowledge not God for suche a one as hee sheweth himselfe towardes them Howbeeit the matter consisteth not onely in acknowledging God to bee our maker but wee muste also therewithall esteeme the gracious giftes whiche hee is ready to gyue vs according as it is sayd expressely in this text that be giueth songs in the nyght Some men expounde this saying after this sorte namely that the byrdes doo cheare vs with theyr singing and that the same oughte too bee imputed too Gods goodnesse and that men shewe theyr vnthankefulnesse in not acknowledging it â–ª Other some take it that God doeth comforte vs by making the starres to shine and
God gouerneth his seruants and is the preseruer of those that coÌ„mit themselues vnto him and that he deliuereth theÌ„ from all their aduersities yea howbeit that is not done in such wise but that he suffereth the godly to be nowe and then afflicted yea seemeth not to be minded to succor them though they call vppon him Therefore it behoueth vs so to acknowledge Gods prouidence as we consider that he reserueth many things till the last daye And this is the matter that Eliu should treat of here This Chapter then importeth none other thing but that if we open our eies wee maye easily see that God holdeth the brydle of all worldly things and sheweth himselfe to bee carefull ouer vs True it is that wee see not so perfect and good a state as were to be wished no it is farre wide of it Howbeeit the reason is apparant namely that God is mynded too exercise vs heere with mayne battayles and againe that hee intendeth too drawe vs further namely too make vs too knowe that a day will come wherein all things shall bee stablished againe so that whereas things go amisse as nowe it is too the ende that wee shoulde bee the more prouoked too desyre the appearing of the Sonne of God too sette all things in order againe according as it is his office and as hee hath promised so too doo But before Eliu treate of the foresayde matter namely that God gouerneth the worlde and disposed thinges in suche wyse as his iustice is sheweth by experience hee vseth heere a Preface Heare mee sayeth hee for I haue yet matter too speake concerning God. And what matter I will extende my knowledge a farre sayeth hee to proue that â—e which made me is righteous Eliu in saying that hee had yet to speake of God sheweth that a faithfull man must not giue ouer the maintenance of Gods quarell too the ende to stoppe their mouthes whiche murmure agaynst him or blaspheme him And truely if wee had but a little peece of the zeale that is commaunded vs in the holy scripture we woulde be much more earnest in mainteyning God honour than we bee It is sayde in the Psalme that the reproches which are offered vnto God ought to light vpon our heades and so touch vs as wee may feele them at the heart and bee more greeued and sorie for them than if men did vs all the outrage that were possible to bee thought For who are wee If wee were a hundred tymes misused ought our owne honour too bee so much set by at our handes as the honour of God No. But yet wee see the coÌ„trarie so as if any of vs be defamed by and by hee will reuenge himselfe or at leastwise seeke iustice and is neuer contented til his honor bee repayred and yet his honour is nothing For what are wee But as for the name of God that shall bee rent in peeces one shal villaynously skoffe at it another shal spewe out cursed blasphemies agaynste it and a thirde shall rayle at it And this geere passeth and slippeth away amongs vs no man is moued at it and if wee speake but one worde agaynst it wee thinke wee haue done more than ynough Therefore when wee suffer Gods doctrine to be slaundered his Maiestie blasphemed and his name runne in mennes mouthes with reproch therein wee shewe that there is not one droppe of good zeale in oure heartes and this cowardlynesse of oures deserueth that God shoulde disclayme vs for his children For if wee tooke him for oure father coulde wee abide that men shoulde aduaunce themselues after that sort agaynste him A childe that is of a good nature woulde couer the reproch of his carnall father although hee were of no value And what shall wee then do when the matter concerneth him that is the wellspring of all righteousnesse and the king of glorie and which deserueth all prayse as the scripture speaketh and as the effect it selfe sheweth Then if wee clayme him for our father and yet notwithstanding haue our mouthes shette when men go about too peruert his truth and his name is reuiled and too bee short hee is made an open scoffingstocke and wee bee not touched nor greeued at all with it are wee woorthie too bee acknowledged for his children So then wee ought too marke this Text better where it is sayde that there is yet more too hee spoken of God. This worde yet importeth that when a faythfull man hath sette himselfe agaynste the wicked whiche impeache Gods honour hee is not discharged for shewing onely that hee consented not vnto them but as much as in vs lyeth wee must too the vttermost withstande and resist those that offer wrong vnto God and go aboute to diminishe or deface his glorie by any maner of meanes VVee must I say bee their enimies to the vttermost and neuer giue ouer the battaile in so holye and iust a quarell But in the meane while we see the wicked are alwayes readie to mainteyne euill caces and in these dayes the wickeddest man shall finde most bearers and bolsterers insomuch that a man might conclude that if hee will bee fauoured and borne out hee must giue himselfe too all euill And againe euerie man will sell his conscience and his tongue for a little good cheere or some other suche corruption These things are manifest and yet in the meane while they whiche say they haue some zeale of God are dumbe and dare not open their lippes Seeing then that these villaynes are so outrageous I pray you shall there neede any other recorde too condemne those that haue had no courage and stoutenesse too mainteyne Gods honour than the wickednesse that is seene in the wicked in that they doo so linke togither in all euill Thus as for goodnesse yee shall not finde a man that will hazarde himselfe for it The wicked maye spight God in theyr mainteyning of wicked matters vnder the colour of some present that shall bee giuen them and in the meane while no man shall haue the minde the mainteine goodnesse Therefore let vs learne to be more zealous of Gods glorie than wee haue beene And first of all when wee see men go about to ouerthrow the good and pure doctrine let vs shewe what fayth there is in vs and make confession of it by withstanding Satans lies and such as seeke nothing but to bring troubles and stumblingblockes into the Church of god That is one poynt Againe do we see God scorned and dallyed withall and men talking of the holy Scripture to bring all religion in disdaine Let vs bee inflamed with a holy anger for it is a cause whiche ought too moue vs and greeue vs when wee see Gods honour wounded and his religion misused So then let vs shewe that wee haue yet too talke of god Thirdely when wee heare blasphemyes flying abroade in the streetes or in the markets or in vittayling houses let vs labour to resist them to the vttermost of our power