Sermons upon the Book of Job

But in the end they must be condemned whensoever God listeth to reply against them, and too make them feel his power and might: not a tyrannous power, as they have imagined, but yet an infinite power which showeth not itself to our understanding, to say whither god be righteous or no, according to that which we perceive of him. No, no: But God is righteous even then when we would condemn him: accordingly as it is ⟨p. 175⟩the one and fiftieth Psalm, Thou shalt be found righteous, even when thou haste condemned men. Then may men well strive against God: but yet in the end all mouths shall be stopped, and God shall be found righteous. And why doeth the Prophet David use that manner of speech there, but because men are so presumptuous as to make God to stoop to their lure, and make no bones in condemning of him, to justify themselves? Ye see then after what manner this sentence of Jobs must be expounded. And now we see in effect how he §10hath confirmed the matter that we dealt with yesterday: that is too wit, concerning the power and strength of God. Are we desirous to know the power and strength of God? Then let us settle our wits to the consideration of the order of nature as we see it in heaven and earth, that the same may serve to bring us unto God, yea and that we may so conceive of him, as we may humble our selves before him to yield him all honour. Is not this enough for us yet? Then let us go on further. Surely it is overgreat brutishness in us, that heaven and earth and §20all the whole order of nature sufficeth us not to show us what God is. For ye see the book is written in letters big enough, and there withal there is so great store of divers instructions, that when we shall have profited in a thousand, there shall be a hundred thousand others whereat we ought to learn somewhat more: But if we be so dull, as that neither heaven nor earth can profit us: let us come to our selves. Let us bethink us, well then, doth God come so familiarly unto us, as well in his works, as in all things that we see in our selves? Though we cannot know him §30as he is, yet at leastwise let us perceive him when he worketh so familiarly in us. But it is certain that we fail in that behalf: and therefore we must conclude that we have no wit to know God.