And indeed when God being provoked to disputation, had disputed with Job a while, & had urged him very sore, Job could1 answer him nothing, but this, Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will answer no more. Alas then, what is man, either in wisdom or in worth? In wisdom (though as Zophar▪ said, Man would be wise, though he be but a young Asses colt) what is he to GOD? In strength, nothing: for though the Lord had need, as he hath not, what could man help him? Man is not great in view, nor a rock in his flesh, a little pain doth trouble him, a small disease doth cast him down▪ ⟨p. 715⟩a little affection carrieth him hither and thither, and though he overcome all these, yet he is weak to resist death: and if we could do the Lord good, I think he would not use us, because we are by nature ready to take part and to join hands with the enemy against God himself. Again, mans time cannot be great, being but a span long, and yet a little Emmet will be long in creeping the space of a span, this time is the time of a post, bird, arrow, or thought; a post hath but a small time, a bird in her flight hath lesser, and an arrow less than that, but a thought hath almost no time at all. And in my judgement, besides all this, there is great reason why God should not make any account of man, if it please him to use lege talionis, because that man doth not make any account of God: and seeing we esteem not God, I see no reason why he should esteem us; and that we do not esteem him, this shows that we prefer before him our profit, our pleasure, and all. Our parents left him for an apple: Ahab had rather have Naboths vineyard than have him: we all like our pleasures better than him generally: we will not stick to sell bodies and souls for a little thing, and indeed for less than Esau sold his birthright. But of all places to show the mercy of God in choosing us, and our vileness being chosen, the Apostle (•. Cor. 1. 27.)2 bringeth in five notable tokens of them whom God hath chosen, whereof four are very base, and the fifth is less than nothing: 1. The foolish things of the world▪ 2. the weak things of the world, 3. the vile things of the world, 4. things that are despised, 5▪ things that are no•.
And indeede when God being prouoked to disputation, had disputed with Iob a while, & had vrged him very sore, Iob could1 answere him nothing, but this, Behold, I am vile, what shall I answere thee? I will lay my hand vpon my mouth. Once haue I spoken, but I will answere no more. Alas then, what is man, either in wisedome or in worth? In wisedome (though as Zophar▪ said, Man would be wise, though he be but a young Asses colte) what is hee to GOD? In strength, nothing: for though the Lord had neede, as hee hath not, what could man helpe him? Man is not great in viewe, nor a rocke in his flesh, a little paine doth trouble him, a small disease doth cast him down▪ ⟨p. 715⟩a little affection carrieth him hither and thither, and though he ouercome all these, yet he is weake to resist death: and if we could doe the Lord good, I thinke he would not vse vs, because we are by natare readie to take part and to ioyne hands with the enemie against God himselfe. Againe, mans time cannot be great, being but a spanne long, and yet a little Emot will be long in creeping the space of a spanne, this time is the time of a post, bird, arrow, or thought; a post hath but a small time, a bird in her flight hath lesser, and an arrow lesse than that, but a thought hath almost no time at all. And in my iudgement, besides all this, there is great reason why God should not make any account of man, if it please him to vse lege talionis, because that man doth not make any account of God: and seeing we esteeme not God, I see no reason why he should esteeme vs; and that we doe not esteeme him, this shewes that we preferre before him our profit, our pleasure, and all. Our parents left him for an apple: Ahab had rather haue Naboths vineyard than haue him: we all like our pleasures better than him generally: we will not sticke to sell bodies and soules for a little thing, and indeed for lesse than Esau sold his birthright. But of all places to shew the mercy of God in chusing vs, and our vilenesse being chosen, the Apostle (•. Cor. 1. 27.)2 bringeth in fiue notable tokens of them whom God hath chosen, whereof foure are very base, and the fift is lesse than nothing: 1. The foolish things of the world▪ 2. the weake things of the world, 3. the vile things of the world, 4. things that are despised, 5▪ things that are no•.
- 1Job. 39. 37. 38.Iob. 39. 37. 38.
- 21. ta mora tò• •osmou. 2. tà as there è 3. tà ag• •. 4▪ tà exouth•••m••a. 5. tà mè ••ta1. ta mora tò• •osmou. 2. tà as ther è 3. tà ag• •. 4▪ tà exouth•••m••a. 5. tà mè ••ta
