Sermons upon the Book of Job

The first Sermon upon the first Chapter.

The first Sermon vpon the first Chapter.

There was in the land of Hus a man named Job, sound and upright, fearing God, and withdrawing himself from evil.

THere vvas in the lande of Hus a man named Iob, sounde and vpright, fearing God, and vvithdravving himselfe from euill.

THE BETTER TO PROFIT ourselves by that which is contained in this present book, first and foremost it behoveth us to understand the sum of it. For the story here written, showeth us how we be in Gods hand, and that it lieth in him to determine of our life, and to dispose of the same according to his good pleasure, and that it is our duty to submit ourselves unto him with all humbleness and obedience:§20 and that it is good reason, that we should be wholly his, both too live and dye: and specially that when it pleaseth him to lay his hand upon us, although we perceive not for what cause he doth it, yet we should glorify him continually, acknowledging him to be just and upright, and not too grudge against him, nor to fall striving with him, assuring ourselves that we shall always be vanquished in pleading against him. So then, the thing that we have briefly to bear in mind in this story, is, that God hath such a sovereignty over his creatures, as he may dispose of them at his §30pleasure: and that when he showeth any rigour which we think strange at the first blush, yet notwithstanding we must hold our peace, and not grudge, but rather confess that he is righteous, and wait till he show us wherefore he chastiseth us. And here withal we have to behold the patientnesse of the man that is set here before our eyes, according as S. James exhorteth us. For when God showeth us that we ought to bear all the miseries that he shall send upon us: we can well afford to confess that it is our duty so to do: but yet there withal we allege our own