Sermons upon the Book of Job

but forasmuch as we perceive that Satan laboureth too bring us by that means to confusion: we must come straight unto God, we must mourn before him, and we must assure our selves that he will cause us to feel the availableness of his chastisements the better, & that we cannot be thrust out of the way, as when men were the mark that we aim at. But yet nevertheless, Jobs purpose in this strain, was too express the vehemency of his affection the better, by turning his talk unto God, as if he had said: Well, ye understand nothing at all, I see ye perceive not the spiritual battle whereunto God hath put me, and therefore I must talk to him that is my judge. To be short, it is all one as if Job had said, This that I speak is no counterfeit stuff: but it is as if God himself were here. And he sayeth (as he had touched afore) that his life was nothing but vanity, in so much that God ought to take himself away from him, until he bad swallowed in his spittle, according as we may say too take his breath. Hereby Job meaneth that God pursueth upon him over roughly: and it seemeth that he would plead against God as he hath done heretofore. But I have told you already that he doth but express the passions of the flesh. And truly whensoever God giveth men the grace too frame themselves unto him, and too bear their cross and afflictions patiently: it is not in such wise as they should be altogether without feeling, it is not that they should be unmoveable and unprofitable when men trouble them and torment them. But it is too the intent they should fully settle themselves to bear all this with patience, and that they should conclude: It is meet that my God should have the mastery, and that I should frame my self too his lure, and therefore yield my self over unto his good pleasure. But howsoever the world go, none is is able to do it without encountering. Job then expresseth here his own passions in such sort as he felt them, & in the mean while Gods grace is as it were ⟨p. 148⟩buried for the time: not that it was utterly quenched, for (as I have said) God upheld him.

but forasmuch as wee perceyue that Satan laboureth too bring vs by that meanes to confusion: wee muste come streyght vnto God, we must mourne before him, and we muste assure our selues that hee will cause vs to feele the auaylablenesse of his chastizements the better, & that we cannot bee thrust out of the way, as when men were the marke that wee ame at. But yet neuerthelesse, Iobs purpose in this streyne, was too expresse the vehemencie of his affection the better, by turning his talke vntoo God, as if hee had sayde: VVell, ye vnderstand nothing at all, I see yee perceyue not the spirituall battell wherevntoo God hath put me, and therefore I must talke to him that is my iudge. To bee short, it is all one as if Iob had sayde, This that I speake is no counterfeyte stuffe: but it is as if God himselfe were heere. And hee sayeth (as hee had touched afore) that his lyfe was nothing but vanitie, in so muche that God ought to take himselfe awaye from him, vntill hee bad swallowed in his spittle, according as wee may saye too take his breath. Heereby Iob meeneth that God pursueth vppon him ouer roughly: and it seemeth that hee woulde pleade agaynste God as hee hath done heeretofore. But I haue tolde you alreadie that hee dooth but expresse the passions of the fleshe. And truely whensoeuer God giueth men the grace too frame themselues vntoo him, and too beare their crosse and afflictions paciently: it is not in suche wise as they should bee altogither without feeling, it is not that they shoulde bee vnmooueable and vnprofitable when men trouble them and torment them. But it is too the intent they shoulde fully settle themselues to beare all this with pacience, and that they shoulde conclude: It is meete that my God should haue the maysterie, and that I should frame my selfe too his lure, and therefore yeelde my selfe ouer vnto his good pleasure. But howsoeuer the worlde go, none is is able to do it without incountering. Iob then expresseth heere his owne pasions in suche sorte as hee felt them, & in the meane while Gods grace is as it were