Sermons upon the Book of Job

After that God hath chosen us, he sheddeth out his holy spirit upon us, and giveth us of his grace, where through it is his will to be glorified in our persons, and so maketh he his triumphs against his enemies. And hereby we be admonished, not to think it a strange matter, if it please God to exercise us with store of encounters & temptations. But rather when we perceive that God keepeth us occupied: the fruit that cometh of our encounters ought to content us throughly: that is to wit, that God is glorified, & that his power is known, in such wise as Satan is confounded in all his assaults. Seeing then that the issue of our conflicts is such & so happy: I pray you, ought we not to bear them patiently? Moreover, like as God spiteth Satan in the person of Job: so also have we wherewith to spite all our enemies, when this protection of Gods is well printed in our hearts, so as we know how it is he that dwelleth & reigneth in our hearts by his holy spirit, and that it is he which fenceth us, & which is a bulwark & fortress to us. Mark also what Saint Paul sayeth in the viij. of the Romans. For after he hath showed that the faithful are invincible when the spirit of God beareth them record of their life: he sayeth that although they have not received him fully and perfectly: yet notwithstanding (yea though they had received but some one small drop) the same is the seed of life, to assure them that God will accomplish that which he hath begun. Seeing then that the faithful have such an assurance, that God hath given them of his holy spirit, to show unto them that he will be their father to the end: thereupon they may lift up their voices & minds, and vaunt themselves against Satan, against death, & against all things. And wherefore? Because nothing is able to put them from the said love which God beareth them, & which he hath once showed to them in our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus we see how we must do, and what we have to hold us to, as shall be laid forth more at large hereafter, specially when we come to declare what the mischiefs were that Satan wrought against Job, and how we ought to take them. But at this present I do but only touch that which is necessary for this present purpose. Let us come to that which is in the text, where mention is made of Jobs uprightness.

After that God hath chozen vs, he sheadeth out his holie spirite vpon vs, and giueth vs of his grace, where through it is his will to bee glorified in our persones, and so maketh he his tryumphes agaynste his enemies. And heerby wee be admonished, not to thinke it a straunge matter, if it please God to exercise vs with store of incoūters & tēptations. But rather when we perceyue that God keepeth vs occupied: the frute that cōmeth of our incoūters ought to content vs throughly: that is to wit, that God is glorirified, & that his power is knowen, in such wise as Satan is cōfounded in all his assaultes. Seeing then that the issue of our cōflictes is such & so happy: I pray you, ought we not to beare them paciently? Moreouer, like as God spyteth Satan in the person of Iob: so also haue wee wherewith to spite all our enemies, whē this protection of Gods is well printed in our hartes, so as wee knowe howe it is hee that dwelleth & reygneth in our hartes by his holy spirit, and that it is he which fenceth vs, & which is a bulwark & fortresse to vs. Marke also what Sainct Paule sayeth in the viij. of the Romanes. For after hee hath shewed that the faithfull are inuincible when the spirit of God beareth thē record of their lyfe: he saieth that although they haue not receyued him fully and perfectly: yet notwithstanding (yea though they had receyued but some one small drop) the same is the seede of lyfe, to assure them that God will accomplish that which he hath begonne. Seeing then that the faithfull haue such an assurance, that God hath gyuen them of his holy spirit, to shew vnto them that he will bee their father to the ende: thervpon they maye lift vp their voyces & mindes, and vaunt themselues against Satan, against death, & against all things. And wherefore? Bicause nothing is able to put them frō the sayd loue which God beareth thē, & which he hath once shewed to them in our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus we see how we must do, and what we haue to hold vs to, as shall be laide forth more at large hereafter, specially whē we come to declare what the mischiefes were that Satā wrought againste Iob, and howe we ought to take thē. But at this present I do but only touche that whiche is necessarye for this present purpose. Let vs come to that which is in the text, where mencion is made of Iobs vprightnesse.