Sermons upon the Book of Job

The seventh is his gentle clemency, in suffering his bond servants and underlings to reason their cases with him when they thought themselves wronged, and in yielding them right even against himself. The eight is his speedy dispatching of mens suits, so as he suffered them not too pine with long lingering. The ninth is his liberality in maintaining such as were destitute of living. The tenth is his abstinence in for bearing too do any man wrong, hurt or hinderance, notwithstanding that he might scape uncontrolled for it. The eleventh is his hating of covetousness, in that no wealth nor riches could infect his hart. The twelfth is his staidness, in that no abundance could make him proud to disdain others, or to set more store by himself, or to have the less care and regard of God. The thirteenth is the nobleness of his hart, in that he was so far from rejoicing at the fall of his enemies, that he rather pitied their miseries, and could not by any means be persuaded too be revenged of them, or to speak evil of them. The fourteenth is his hospitality, in giving entertainment too strangers and such as wanted relief. The fifteenth is his lowliness, in that he was contented to hear of his faults, and cloaked not his sin when he had done amiss, but suffered him self too be reproved even of his underlings. The sixteenth is his just and upright dealing with his Tenants, in paying them truly for whatsoever he took of them, and in not oppressing them with grievous rents, incomes, or services. And finally (which is the very wellspring of all virtue, the mother of all true nobility, and (as ye would say) the very lock and key of all good conversation among men) he protesteth that he had God always before his eyes, or (which is all one) that he was of a pure, sound, and uncorrupt Religion. For too fear God, is not too be afraid of him as the bondman is of his Lord, the Truant of his Schoolmaster, or the thief of the gallows: but too conceive such an inward reverence of him, by reason of his justice, mercy, wisdom, power, providence, and righteousness, as too think him worthy of all honour and obedience, and too yield the same willingly and heartily unto him, so as we would be loth and sorry too offend him, even though we might be sure too scape unpunished.

The seuenth is his gentle clemencie, in suffering his bond seruants and vnderlings to reason their caces with him when they thought themselues wronged, and in yeelding them ryght euen against himself. The eyght is his speedie dispatching of mennes sutes, so as hee suffered them not too pyne with long lingring. The nynth is his liberalitie in maynteyning such as were destitute of liuing. The tenth is his abstinence in for bearing too do anye man wrong, hurt or hinderance, notwithstanding that hee myght scape vncontrolled for it. The eleuenth is his hating of couetousnesse, in that no welth nor riches could infect his hart. The twelfth is his stayednesse, in that no abundance could make him proud to disdeyne others, or to set more store by himselfe, or to haue the lesse care and regard of God. The thirteenth is the noblenesse of his hart, in that he was so farre from reioycing at the fall of his enimies, that he rather pitied their miseries, and could not by anye meanes bee persuaded too be reuenged of them, or to speake euill of them. The foureteenth is his hospitalitie, in giuing interteynement too straungers and such as wanted releef. The fifteenth is his lowelinesse, in that he was contented to heare of his faultes, and cloked not his sinne when he had doone amisse, but suffered him selfe too bee reproued euen of his vnderlinges. The sixteenth is his iuste and vpryght dealing with his Tennants, in paying them truely for whatsoeuer he tooke of them, and in not oppressing them with greeuouse rentes, incommes, or seruices. And finally (which is the verie welspring of all vertue, the moother of all true nobilitie, and (as ye would say) the verie locke and key of all good conuersation among men) hee protesteth that he had God alwayes before his eyes, or (which is all one) that he was of a pure, sound, and vncorrupt Religion. For too feare God, is not too be afrayde of him as the bondman is of his Lord, the Trewand of his Schoolemayster, or the theef of the gallowes: but too conceyue such an inward reuerence of him, by reason of his iustice, mercie, wisedome, power, prouidence, and ryghtuousenesse, as too thinke him woorthie of all honour and obedience, and too yeeld the same willingly and hartely vnto him, so as wee would be lothe and sorie too offend him, euen though wee myght be sure too scape vnpunished.