For it was enough for them, that God gave them knowledge of his will, without using the mean of Prophets as he did afterwards. We see here then that Jobs Sacrifices were not made at all adventure, but upon an assured and grounded faith. When it is said that Noah after the flood took of the clean beasts to sacrifice: thereby we see he had instruction from heaven, for it lay not in him to discern between beast and beast, so as he should say, Among these I see some that be pure & clean, and the residue be unclean. Needs must God have taught him that. Even so also is it with Job: who made not sacrifice, for that he was the only deviser of it▪ but he yielded himself to Gods will, whereby he was guided & governed, & that is the property of faith, according as I have said already. And hereupon we have to consider, first that from the beginning of the world, God hath in such wise suffered men to go on in darkness, that yet notwithstanding he hath left them certain records, whereby they might be convicted of their cursedness: in so much that if there were nothing else but the outward Ceremonies, it were fully enough to condemn the unbelievers. Furthermore we see also how men be wholly given to evil, in so much as they pervert the things that are good and holy, and when God hath declared his will unto them, they turn it altogether backward and to the flat contrary. Forasmuch then as we see men so fleeting and unconstant: we may perceive that we have need to pray unto God to keep us in awe, and not to suffer us to step aside from the pureness of his service, ⟨p. 13⟩as it will befall us if he hold us not back. And herewithall we be also warned, that the serving of God in outward show, and the setting of a fair face upon it, is not all that is to be done: but that the chiefest point, is to serve him in deed, by knowing what a one he is, and what his will is, to the end to hold our selves thereunto. For there hath been great pomp in the sacrifices of the Paynims, yea and even of them that have served God aright: and yet notwithstanding the one sort have been rejected, and God hath abhorred them, & the other sort have been acceptable §10unto him. The Heathen men made their sacrifices with great pomp, they had incense & perfumes & such other like things. And the Jews (specially in the Law,) did as much. But how?
For it was ynough for thē, that God gaue them knowledge of his will, without vsing the meane of Prophets as he did afterwards. VVe see here then that Iobs Sacrifizes were not made at all aduenture, but vpon an assured and grounded faith. VVhen it is sayde that Noe after the flud tooke of the cleane beasts to sacrifize: therby we see he had instructiō frō heauen, for it lay not in him to discerne betwene beaste and beaste, so as he should say, Amōg these I see some that be pure & cleane, and the residew bee vncleane. Needes muste God haue taught him that. Euen so also is it with Iob: who made not sacrifize, for that he was the only deuiser of it▪ but he yeelded himselfe to Gods will, wherby he was guyded & gouerned, & that is the property of faith, according as I haue sayd alreadie. And herevpon we haue to consider, first that frō the beginning of the world, God hath in such wise suffered mē to go on in darknesse, that yet notwithstāding he hath left them certayne recordes, whereby they might be cōuicted of their cursednesse: in so much that if there were nothing else but the outwarde Ceremonies, it were fully ynough to condēne the vnbeleeuers. Furthermore we see also how men be wholly giuen to euill, in so much as they peruert the things that are good and holie, and when God hath declared his will vnto them, they turne it altogither backward and to the flat contrarie. For asmuch then as we see men so fleeting and vnconstant: we may perceyue that we haue neede to pray vnto God to keepe vs in awe, and not to suffer vs to step aside from the purenesse of his seruice, ⟨p. 13⟩as it will befall vs if he holde vs not backe. And herewithall we be also warned, that the seruing of God in outward shew, and the setting of a fayre face vpō it, is not all that is to bee done: but that the chiefest poynt, is to serue him in deede, by knowing what a one he is, and what his will is, to the ende to hold our selues thereunto. For there hath bene greate pompe in the sacrifices of the Paynims, yea and euen of thē that haue serued God aright: and yet notwithstāding the one sort haue bene reiected, and God hath abhorred them, & the other sort haue bene acceptable §10vnto him. The Heathē men made their sacrifizes with great pompe, they had incense & perfumes & suche other like things. And the Iewes (specially in the Law,) did asmuch. But how?
