Sermons upon the Book of Job

Ye see then the falls which God's children fall into, so that in stead of holding them up with strong hand, it seemeth that he letteth them tumble down like little babes which have no strength. But what? When we be so fallen, God doth always relieve us: and specially (as he sayeth in another text,) he will have his hand under us, and will not suffer us to fall over hard. Then let us learn by this strain, that we are warned first of all not to marvel though it behove us to come in many tribulations. And why? for God hath set us in the world to the same purpose and end: and therefore it is not for us too promise our selves this or that. And what shall we gain by bearing ourselves in hand that we shall have that thing which is not in our power to have? Also God will always suffer us to be disappointed of our expectation, when we be so foolish as to make our reckoning without him, and submit not our selves to his government. Therefore no man must warrant himself a continual rest, seeing that God will have us too fight, and that it is his pleasure to exercise us so. Furthermore, sith we see that we cease not to provoke God's ⟨p. 109⟩wrath, and that there is such store of faults in us: it is meet that we should thereupon desire to live at our ease, and in pleasures, never to part from them? were not that enough to make us rot in our own dung, if God should not scour us from them by afflictions? Let us learn then to prepare our selves to battle, assuring our selves that while we live in this world, we are not here as in a Paradise, but we be here to have many miseries and troubles, because Gods will is so. And so we know that adversities are profitable for us, yea and necessary §10for our salvation, and that God is fain to visit and quicken us up after this manner. Thus much concerning the first point, how the holy Ghost declareth here that the faithful shall be subject to many infirmities. For he speaketh not but of Gods children, even of those to whom he showeth mercy: and yet notwithstanding he sayeth even of them, that they shall be tormented, not of one affliction alone, but of six or seven. Now by the way after we be warned to be patient in all our adversities: let us also bear in mind the present comfort that is given us §20here: that is to wit, that God will never fail us at our need.