Sermons upon the Book of Job

The understanding of this will be as a key to open unto us all this whole book. Howe is it that Job maintaineth the good case? It is in that he knoweth, that God doth not ever punish men according too the measure of their sins, but hath his secrete judgements, whereof he maketh us not privy, and therefore that it behoveth us to wait till he reveal unto us for what cause he doth this or that. Thus is he in this whole discourse persuaded, that God doth not always punish men according to the measure of their sins▪ and thereupon assureth himself, that he is not a man rejected of God, as they would make him to believe. Behold here a good and true case, notwithstanding that it be ill handled. For Job rangeth here out of his bounds, and useth such excessive and outrageous talk, that in many points he seemeth a desperate person. And specially he so chafeth, as it seemeth that he would even resist God. Thus may vee see a good case mishandled. But on the contrary part, they▪ ⟨p. 2⟩that undertake the evil case (that is to wit, that God doth always punish men according to the measure of their sins) have goodly and holy sentences, and there is nothing in their whole talk which would not entice us to receive it as if the holy Ghost himself had uttered it. For it is plain truth: they be the grounds of religion: they treat of Gods providence: they treat of his justice: they treat of mens sins. Thus see we a doctrine which we must receive without gainsaying: and yet the drift of it is evil, namely for that these men labour thereby to §10cast Job into despair, and to drown him altogether. But hereby we see, that when we have a sure ground, it behooveth us to look that we build upon it in such wise, as all things be answerable thereunto, according as Saint Paul saith of himself, that he builded well, for as much as he founded the Church upon the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ, and therefore that it hath such a conformity in it, as those that come after him, shall not make any other foundation, either of chaff, or of stubble, or of any other brittle stuff: but have a good foundation, steadfast, and substantial, ready laid to their hand. Likewise in our whole §20life we have to look unto this point: