The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

Now Job knew that he had often after this sort set all reckonings right betwixt God and himself, and that no fault hung upon the score unrepented and unforgiven. Therefore all their persuasions could not withdraw him from his faith, and from clearing himself of hypocrisy, for what ever they said, his own works which he had in remembrance, God & his own conscience with which he was well acquainted said, that he was true sincere upright, and guiltless of that crime which they so sharply charged upon him. Wherefore he set them all at defiance that would offer to make challenge to his innocency. Though his wealth was gone, his children dead, his cattle stolen and killed, his servants slain, and his friends all gone back from him, yet his innocency stuck to him, and his assurance that he served God in the truth of his heart, and the uprightness of his soul abode by him and this neither his friends nor foes, nor all the devils in hell could wrest from him, but he held it fast in spite of them all, and that was the cause he bore his affliction so patiently, and with so great comfort. But now if he had embraced this false testimony and accusation even of good men, and said alas, indeed this is true that you say, I never had an upright heart to God, I did all in hypocrisy & all in dissembling, nothing in sincerity, nothing in truth, it is even so, I am, I am an hypocrite, he might and could not chose, but have held down his head with shame, and he had been wholly oppressed with grief and vexation, all his good actions, would have afforded him no jot of comfort, no consolation or peace, for if they had been done in hypocrisy, they had been all sins, and he would have had no heart, nor could not have endured to come to God, nor lift up any prayer to him, for so he saith, can the hypocrite pray to God at all times? and thus having deprived himself, of these stays and supports, he must needs have sunk down in despair and anguish.

Now Iob knew that he had often after this sort set all reckonings right betwixt God and himselfe, and that no fault hung vpon the score vnrepented and vnforgiuen. Therefore all their perswasions could not withdraw him from his faith, and from clearing himselfe of hypocrisie, for what euer they said, his own works which he had in remēbrance, God & his own conscience with which he was well acquainted said, that he was true sincere vpright, and guiltlesse of that crime which they so sharply charged vpon him. Wherefore he set them all at defiance that would offer to make challenge to his innocencie. Though his wealth was gone, his children dead, his cattell stolne and kild, his seruants slaine, and his friends all gone backe from him, yet his innocencie stucke to him, and his assurance that he serued God in the truth of his heart, and the vprightnesse of his soule abode by him and this neither his friends nor foes, nor all the diuels in hell could wrest from him, but he held it fast in spite of them all, and that was the cause he bore his affliction so patiently, and with so great comfort. But now if he had embraced this false testimonie and accusation euen of good men, and said alasse, indeed this is true that you say, I neuer had an vpright heart to God, I did all in hypocrisy & al in dissembling, nothing in synceritie, nothing in truth, it is euen so, I am, I am an hypocrite, he might and could not chose, but haue held downe his head with shame, and he had beene wholy opprest with griefe and vexation, all his good actions, would haue afforded him no iot of comfort, no consolation or peace, for if they had been done in hypocrisie, they had beene all sinnes, and he would haue had no heart, nor could not haue endured to come to God, nor lift vp any prayer to him, for so he saith, can the hypocrite pray to God at all times? and thus hauing depriued himselfe, of these stayes and supportes, he must needs haue sunke downe in despaire and anguish.