There be yet other places in the history of Job which they do wrest to their purpose, which I will briefly touch as they shall come to my memory, the first is. Wherefore ⟨image 82⟩did I not die in the matrice, or why did I not perish coning out of my mothers womb? For then should I now sleep in silence, & should rest in my sleep, where I should be as a child borne before the time, & as those which being conceived, do not come to perfection of life. I should be in the place where both great & small do rest. But if I should allege against them the xiiii. chapter of Isaiah, where he describeth the dead, coming before the King of Babylon to mock him, what would they answer unto me? But I will pass that over, & content my self with the simple exposition of Job, which is this. He being pressed down to the uttermost, and almost overcome with his burden: had no respect, but only to his present misery: and therefore he maketh it greater then all other things. Therefore he had not death in horror, but rather desired it, as that which is the end of all misery, having no respect to that which doth follow after death. And this is the manner of all such, as be compassed with great anguish and dolour. For if in the great heats of the summer we desired a great frost, and again in winter, having forgotten how much the beat did grieve us, would desire that it might be very hot, it were no great marvel though a vehement passion did drive us to such a desire. Let us now therefore see, what a man, persecuted by the hand of God, may do: that is, whether he may not in such wise be transported that he forget altogether by reason of his dolour. ⟨image 82⟩There is alike reason in many other sentences which he afterward speaketh, as be these which do follow. Remember, Lord, that my life is but wind, and that mine eye shall not return to see his good. Again, there remaineth nothing for me but the grave. Again, all that belongeth unto me, shall descend in to the depth of the pit, and such like places. For we see here, that Job being compassed with the distress which he felt, because that God did persecute him in his wrath, had nothing before his eyes but confusion, and toke death but as an abolishment of his hole life, having no respect to that which doeth follow after, ss we have said.
There be yet other places in the historie of Iob whiche they do wreste to theyr purpose, whyche I wyll brieflye touche as they shall come to my memorie, the fyrst is. Wherfore ⟨image 82⟩dyd I not die in the matrice, or why did I not perysh cōing out of my mothers wōbe? For then shoulde I nowe sleepe in silence, & shoulde reste in my sleepe, where I should be as a chylde borne before the tyme, & as those whyche being conceyued, do not come to perfection of lyfe. I should be in the place wher both grete & smale do reste. But if I shoulde alledge agaynst them the xiiii. chapter of Esaias, where he describeth the dead, cōmyng before the Kynge of Babilon to mocke hym, what would they aūswere vnto me? But I wyl passe that ouer, & content my selfe wt the symple exposition of Iob, whych is this. He beynge pressed downe to the vttermoste, and almost ouercome wyth his burthē: had no respecte, but onlye to his presente myserie: and therfore he maketh it greater then all other thynges. Therfo•e he had not death in horror, but rather desired it, as that which is the end of all myserie, hauyng no respect to that whych doth folowe after death. And this is the maner of all suche, as be compassed with greate anguyshe and doloure. For if in the great heates of the somer we desyred a great froste, and agayne in wynter, hauyng forgotten how muche the beat did greue vs, would desyre that it myght be very hotte, it were no greate meruayle though a vehement passion dyd dryue vs to suche a desyre. Let vs nowe therefore se, what a man, persecuted by the hande of God, maye do: that is, whether he maye not in suche wyse be transported that he forget altogather bi reasō of his doloure. ⟨image 82⟩There is alike reason in many other sentences whiche he afterward speketh, as be these whych do folowe. Remembre, Lord, that my lyfe is but wynde, and that myne eye shal not returne to see hys good. Agayne, there remayneth nothyng for me but the graue. Agayne, all that belongeth vnto me, shall descende in to the depth of the pytte, and suche lyke places. For we see here, that Iob beynge compassed wyth the dystresse which he felte, bycause that God dyd persecute hym in hys wrath, had nothyng before his eyes but confusion, and toke death but as an abolishmēt of hys hoale lyfe, hauyng no respecte to that which doeth folowe after, ss we haue sayd.
