Sermons upon the Book of Job

For although God bliss his servants, and give them some prosperity in this world: it is not to be said that their last state is not better for them, for his planting of us in his Church, is too the intent we should live in his kingdom everlastingly without end. Now then, what is our true resurrection and renewment? Even that God should reserve us and set us in his kingdom: that when §10he hath made us to wayfare through this world, and to pass through fire and water and all other afflictions: we may in the end be exempted from all the miseries of this world, and be made partakers of his life and glory. And so let us bear in mind how Saint Paul saith unto us, that our life is hidden in Jesus Christ, and that we shall not see the true and perfect manifestation of it, until our Lord Jesus come from heaven. To be short, let us mark one other similitude which we ought to be well acquainted with. Truly in winter time the trees seem to be dead,§20 we see how the rain doth as it were rot them, they are so swollen that they be ready to burst, and thus ye see well one kind of rottenness: Afterward cometh the frost, as it were to sear them, and to dry them up. We see all these things, and we see not so much as one flour: and this is a cutting us off. Behold here a kind of death, which lasteth not for a day or twain, but for four or fine months. Nevertheless although the life of the trees be unseen: yet is their sap in their root, and in the hart of the wood. Even so is it with us, that our life also is hidden,§30 how be it not in our selves. For that were a poor kind of hiding. There should need no great frost to starve it up, nor great wet to mar it. For we carry fire and frost enough in our selves to consume it. But our life is hidden in God, he is the keeper of it and we know that Jesus Christ is the party from out of whom we draw all our life. So then let us content our selves with the said headiness. True it is that if a man take up a tree and purpose to set it again, he had need to make hast. For if a tree tarry any long time above the ground, it will never §40take root any more, though it be planted new again. But God hath an other manner of power, than the labourers of the earth have. Nevertheless we see sometimes that men are cunning, and can well keep a tree alive for a time.