Sermons upon the Book of Job

And here ye see wherein the wicked comfort themselves: For behold, it will seem too them that they are well eased of their burden, when they have spewed out some blasphemies and uttered their impatience: and yet for all that, it booteth them nothing at all, they make their case much worse than it was. If we have any thing that overloadeth us, well, if we can caste it too the ground, we be unburdened: it is true: but If I have a great burden upon my shoulders or betwixt mine arms, and I would caste it upon mine head, and make a great striving to do it: that were the next way too break my neck. And what have I gained by that? Even so is it with us, when we will plead with God: it is all one as if we would hoist up a burden upon our head, and it must needs fall upon it for any thing that we can do, for which way soever we flee it shall light upon us. We see then that men do nought but destroy themselves when they vomit and spew up their murmurings and blasphemies after that fashion against God. And thus ye perceive why I said ⟨p. 193⟩that this lesson is greatly for our profit. True it is that God would have us use this homeliness of unburdening our selves into his lap. But the manner of proceeding therein is very diverse, as it is said in the Psalms, and in many other places of the holy scripture: the manner is, that we should consider that God will provide for all, and that forasmuch as it is his office too govern the world, he can well remedy all our needs, and will give us relief when we be overfore oppressed. Lo how we may lay all our cares and griefs in Gods §10lap, and he will take charge of them, whereby we shall be eased of them, yea, if we come to him with prayer and supplication. If we have any heaviness or grief that nippeth us, [let us say,] well Lord, it is in thee to succour thy faithful servants when they pine in pain. I come hither not knowing what shall become of me, if thou pity me not. Now therefore when we shall have requested God after that sort, and he shall have yielded us record that he hath not been deaf to our desires, but that we are sure he hath heard them: that is a good discharge: for God §20cometh still before us, and receiveth our burden which we deliver unto him.

And heere yee see wherein the wicked comforte themselues: For beholde, it wyll seeme too them that they are well eased of theyr burthen, when they haue spewed out some blasphemies and vttered theyr impatience: and yet for all that, it booteth them nothing at all, they make theyr cace muche woorse than it was. If wee haue any thing that ouerlodeth vs, well, if wee can caste it too the grounde, wee bee vnburthened: it is true: but If I haue a greate burthen vpon my shoulders or betwixt myne armes, and I woulde caste it vpon myne heade, and make a greate striuing to doo it: that were the nexte waye too breake my necke. And what haue I gayned by that? Euen so is it with vs, when wee will pleade with God: it is all one as if wee woulde hoyse vp a burthen vpon our heade, and it muste needes fall vpon it for any thing that wee can doo, for whiche waye soeuer wee flee it shall lyghte vppon vs. VVee see then that men doo nought but destroye themselues when they vomite and spewe vp theyr murmurings and blasphemies after that fashion agaynst God. And thus yee perceyue why I sayde