Sermons upon the Book of Job

For thereby men are put in mind to acknowledge the gracious goodness that God doth to them, and the favour that he showeth them in that he suffereth them not too be quite cut away at the first blow: but letteth them alone still in this life. True it is that such a languishing as Job was in, will be far harder and grievouser than death: and we see also that when Job looketh no further but too his own ⟨p. 154⟩state, he could find in his heart to be hanged (for ye see he hath so spoken:) but in the mean season if we cast our eye upon the end that God aimeth at, and upon the mark that he setteth before us also: then shall we find that all our sorrows are assuaged. And why? we shall feel that he hath yet still pity upon us. Put the case that a man feel here as it were his hell, and that in stead of being comforted, he have the horrible terror of feeling God to be against him and to be his mortal enemy, and that hereupon he have as it were a fire burning in his §10mind: well, when a poor man feeleth such anguish, and therewithal do in his person suffer on the one side slander, and on the other side so great pains and assaults as shall be intolerable: true it is that this said poor man may at the first brunt wish and desire death, in so much that he would require no better than too pass through fire, water, and sword: according as we see how our Lord Jesus Christ saith, that such as are overtaken with this dread of God, would have the mountains to fall upon them, and that the world should be turned upside §20down to overwhelm them. But what for that? If we enter into consideration too say, I perceive that my God doth here offer me his mercy, and that his meaning is that I should draw nigh unto him: that as oft as we be scourged at his hand, he calleth us to him with sweet and amiable voice, encouraging us to come too him, with assured promise that he will show himself gracious and pitiful towards us: that is a sufficient thing to assuage all our heaviness. Then seeing the case standeth so that in our griefs we have still some hope left us: ought we not §30in such wise to accept the good that God doth us, as we may feel some ease of the burden of our miseries, though it be never so excessive, and that it seem that our shoulders are no more able to bear it?