Sermons upon the Book of Job

For when we have pleaded our best, we shall gain nothing by it, there needeth but one word too put us too confusion. Thus much concerning this strain. And he addeth, ⟨p. 144⟩If i say, my bed shall comfort me, behold my couch burneth me as I talk to my self. Thou frayest me with visions of the night, and thou affrightest me with dreams. True it is that this present saying is expounded diversly, where it is said, that when Job purposed to have refreshment in his bed, he found a burning heat in his Couch. The Hebrew word that is put here, betokeneth sometimes to burn, according as we shall see it again in an other sentence: But moreover it signifieth to withdraw, or drawback, and by a similitude it signifieth to leave or forsake. Nevertheless the signification §10of burning agreeth very well here: and how so ever a man expound the word, the sentence and the doctrine remain all one still: that is to wit, that Job complaineth of being disappointed of his hope, in that he looked to have had some refreshment by his bed, and yet found more heat there, in so much that it was as burning fire to him when he talked to himself. Here we see that which hath been showed already heretofore: namely, that Job was in horrible torments, and that he was not pressed only with bodily pain: but also that he was in battles of §20the mind, feeling God against him as his judge, and being pained in such sort as if he had been in a burning lake as it were in the pains of hell. And we must always call the same to mind: for (as I said) it is good for us also too think oftentimes, True it is that we ought too put our selves in good readiness to battle, sith that God afflicteth us, and that we shall not feel any thing save that we endure to the world ward: but the chief is sith we know we must come to a reckoning before God. For if he make us feel our sins, by showing himself a rigorous §30judge: behold, that is as it were the depth of hell, and the gulfs that are open to swallow us up. We must have bethought us of these things before hand, that we may know how to humble our selves, & that this conceit also do not utterly confound us. And here ye see why Job (who was a man of such virtue and excellency) was notwithstanding so pressed. And wherefore?