Sermons upon the Book of Job

but it is said in the said Text, that a man may well fill his arms full of them, but he shall find no foison, he shall find no fruit in them. And verily when a man sees the house top overgrown with weeds, he sayeth not, God blisseth these herbs: but contrariwise, it were a good turn that they were plucked up, and the Sun also burneth them up before they be ripe, so as they come not too any perfection. Ye see then that although the wicked be exalted, and be had in more estimation than ⟨p. 159⟩those that are blessed of God: yet nevertheless they dry away after such a sort, as they bring forth no fruit: how fair show soever they make, there is no substantialness in them. And thus ye see what is meant here by speaking of rushes and moorish weeds. To be short, let us note, that if we will profit well, we must draw our sap from God, and we must be near unto him, and he must not cease to water us, but must be as continual water too quicken us and to give us lustiness, without which it is impossible that we should endure one minute of an §10hour. Ye see in effect what is contained here. Now, were we throughly settled in belief of this doctrine: it is certain that we should seek God with another manner of affection than we do. But what? Every man holds himself too that which he hath, and yet we consider not from whence the good is given us. By means whereof every man feedeth himself with wind as it is spoken in the prophet O see: that is to say, men beguile themselves wittingly and willingly. It seemeth to them that they be rich and want nothing: and yet all §20is but wind, that is to say, nothing but foolish cuerweening. As to outward appearance we may well be fresh and flourish, and men may commend that which is in us: but when all comes to all, it is stark nothing. Nevertheless we be so dazzled [in our own conceit,] that every of us weeneth himself too be better than God, when there is any goodly show in us, so as we need none other folks to deceive us: so revery of us beguileth himself through his own fond follies. But by the way let us mark well, how God plucketh us back too §30himself, showing us how we be too too much blinded in trusting to our selves, or too that which is not.

but it is sayde in the sayde Text, that a man maye well fill his armes full of them, but hee shall finde no foyzon, hee shall finde no fruite in them. And verely when a man sees the house toppe ouergrowne with weedes, hee sayeth not, God blisseth these hearbes: but contrarywise, it were a good turne that they were plucked vppe, and the Sunne also burneth them vp before they bee rype, so as they come not too any perfection. Yee see then that although the wicked bee exalted, and bee had in more estimation than