Sermons upon the Book of Job

yet will I not condemn him, specially I will not grudge against him, but I will rather bliss his name, and confess him too be righteous: nevertheless sith I am tormented so long, and can have no ease: I lose my pacientnesse thereby. Lo how men proceed according as it hath been declared. And Job addeth, that he can no more, and that his strength faileth him, and that he which is afflicted ought too have a good turn at his friends hands. I have showed already, that Job ought too have returned unto God, and too have held him self there. But what? He buckleth himself against those that have found fault with him: and it is a temptation whereof we ought too take good heed, according as the cause why the holy Ghost bringeth this story too our remembrance, is too the intent we may understand, that when men come to heave at us, so as they scoff at us, and drive us to despair, or at leastwise do the best they can too drive us to it: we must take good heed of our going, that we be not entrapped by them. Why so? Behold a man cometh to me and says, thinkest thou that God hath a care of thee? Thou callest upon him: but thou beguilest thy self in so doing: and surely if God did not as it were abhor thee, thinkest thou that he would have exercised thee with such extremity? Thou seest thy self here to be a poor damned creature, and perceivest thou not how God is against thee? If a man come to me to whet me after this sort, see what a deadly plague it is. But we must ward it off, specially because we have our ears beaten with such temptations, as we may see them and say, behold the devil is come to set me on fire, to the intent I should fret and chafe against God. But I must beat back all his wiles, and gather my wits about me too consider that I have not too deal with men, but with God. And therefore we must put up our complaints unto him, and say, Lord thou seest how this man seeketh nothing but too drive me into despair: he is come hither to make me fall quite and clean away: vouchsafe therefore too receive me to mercy, and let me understand, that all that ever I must endure, cometh not of man, but of thee alone. For although men be workers in it through unadvisedness, or rather through maliciousness, and by craft and outrage: yet doth not any thing happen without thy will:

yet will I not condemne him, specially I will not grudge agaynst him, but I will rather blisse his name, and confesse him too be righteous: neuerthelesse sithe I am tormented so long, and can haue no ease: I lose my pacientnesse thereby. Lo howe men proceede according as it hath beene declared. And Iob addeth, that hee can no more, and that his strength fayleth him, and that hee whiche is afflicted ought too haue a good turne at his frendes handes. I haue shewed alreadie, that Iob ought too haue returned vntoo God, and too haue hilde him selfe there. But what? He buckleth himselfe agaynst those that haue founde faulte with him: and it is a temptation whereof wee ought too take good heede, according as the cause why the holye Ghoste bringeth this storie too oure remembrance, is too the intent wee maye vnderstande, that when men come to heaue at vs, so as they scoffe at vs, and driue vs to dispayre, or at leastwise do the best they can too driue vs to it: wee muste take good heede of our going, that wee bee not intrapped by them. VVhy so? Beholde a man commeth to mee and sayes, thinkest thou that God hath a care of thee? Thou callest vpō him: but thou beguylest thy selfe in so dooing: and surely if God did not as it were abhorre thee, thinkest thou that he would haue exercised thee with such extremitie? Thou seest thy selfe heere to bee a poore damned creature, and perceyuest thou not howe God is agaynst thee? If a man come to me to whet me after this sorte, see what a deadly plague it is. But we must warde it off, specially bycause we haue our eares beaten with suche temptations, as we may see them and say, beholde the diuell is come to set me on fire, to the intent I shoulde frette and chafe agaynst God. But I must beate backe all his wiles, and gather my wittes aboute mee too consider that I haue not too deale with men, but with God. And therefore wee muste put vp oure complaintes vntoo him, and saye, Lorde thou seest howe this man seeketh nothing but too driue mee into despayre: hee is come hither to make mee fall quite and cleane away: vouchsafe therefore too receyue mee to mercye, and let mee vnderstande, that all that euer I muste indure, commeth not of man, but of thee alone. For although men bee woorkers in it through vnaduisednesse, or rather through maliciousnesse, and by craft and outrage: yet doth not any thing happen without thy will: