This book is a story of patient Job, to show how God can deal with all, and how they should receive all things at his hand, seeing the most innocent man in the world, when God should try him, was brought so low, that the Devil had power to lay upon him what torment he would, death only excepted, and yet he stood to it with ⟨p. 1035⟩such constancy, that he saith, though the Lord kill me, yet will I trust in him, the thirteenth Chapter of Job, and fifteenth verse. Such power was given unto his faith, and love, and patience, that they overcame the Devil, which said that if he might have leave to plague him, he would make him blaspheme God to his face, verse, 11. Therefore God would have this victory to be recorded for all such as are sick, or sore, or needy, or oppressed, that whatsoever pain we suffer, we may remember that Jobs pain was sharper than this, and yet it could not make him so impatient: but when like a man he was offended with his torments; like an holy man he was more offended with himself, and angry with his anger. Therefore at last God returned to him, and removed his troubles and made his end more honourable than his beginning, as if he should say, Thus it shall be done to the man which is not offended with my chastisements. Now to our purpose, in the first verse of this Chapter, the holy Ghost showeth what a good man Job was, saying; that he was an upright and just man, one that feared God and eschewed evil. In the second verse, he showeth what store of children Job had: saying, he had seven sons and three daughters. In the third verse he showeth what store of riches Job had: saying, his substance ⟨p. 1036⟩was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand Camels, and five hundred yoke of Oxen, and five hundred Asses, &c. In the fourth verse he returneth again to his children, showing how they were occupied, before the wind came and blew the house upon their heads, saying, his sons went and banqueted, in their houses every one his day, and called their three sisters to eat and drink with them. In the fifth verse he cometh again to Job, and shows a proof of his virtues, which he commended him for before, saying, that when his sons had banqueted, he sent for them, and sanctified them, and rose up early, &c.
THis booke is a story of patient Iob, to shew how God can deale with all, and how they shoulde receiue all thinges at his hand, seeing the most innocent man in the world, when God should try him, was brought so low, that the Diuel had power to lay vpon him what torment he would, death onely excepted, and yet he stoode to it with ⟨p. 1035⟩such constancy, that he saith, though the Lord kill mee, yet will I trust in him, the thirteenth Chapter of Iob, and fifteenth verse. Such power was giuen vnto his faith, and loue, and patience, that they ouercame the Diuell, which saide that if hee might haue leaue to plague him, hee would make him blaspheme God to his face, verse, 11. Therefore God would haue this victory to bee recorded for all such as are sicke, or sore, or needy, or oppressed, that whatsoeuer paine we suffer, wee may remember that Iobs paine was sharper than this, and yet it coulde not make him so impatient: but when like a man hee was offended with his torments; like an holy man he was more offended with himselfe, and angrie with his anger. Therefore at last God returned to him, and remoued his troubles and made his end more honourable than his beginning, as if he shuld say, Thus it shal be done to the man which is not offended with my chastisementes. Now to our purpose, in the first verse of this Chapter, the holy Ghost sheweth what a good man Iob was, saying; that hee was an vpright and iust man, one that feared God and eschewed euill. In the second verse, he sheweth what store of children Iob had: saying, hee had seauen sonnes and three daughters. In the third verse hee sheweth what store of riches Iob had: saying, his substance ⟨p. 1036⟩was seuen thousand sheepe, and three thousand Camels, and fiue hundred yoke of Oxen, and fiue hundred Asses, &c. In the fourth verse hee returneth againe to his children, shewing how they were occupied, before the winde came and blewe the house vpon their heads, saying, his sonnes went and banquetted, in their houses euery one his daye, and called their three sisters to eate and drinke with them. In the fift verse hee commeth againe to Iob, and shewes a proofe of his vertues, which he commended him for before, saying, that when his sonnes had banquetted, hee sent for them, and sanctified them, and rose vp earely, &c.
