Sermons upon the Book of Job

Then let us understand, that if we will be maintained in this world, God must needs put to his hand. For what is our life? And to how many necessities is it subject? Therefore we could not stand one minute of an hour, if we were not preserved by the grace of God. •• like wise is it with all things that we possess. God must be fain to fence us. And who I pray you is he that speaketh here? It is even Satan, whose coming is of purpose to overwhelm us, both in our goods and in our persons, if we be not (as you would say) well walled, so as God serve us for a bulwark, according also as we shall see him to be in the process of the text. For as soon as Satan hath his leave, we see how he taketh away all Jobs goods from him, and with what violence he goes about it. Therefore it was requisite that Job should be fenced all the while aforehand by the grace of God, and that it should serve to rampire him round about. And this lesson is greatly for our profit. For hereby we be warned to pray unto God, that it may please him to defend us, forasmuch as while we be in this world, we are as it were in a wild wood full of robbers. And here we see also why the Scriptures attribute these titles unto him: namely that he is our buckler and shield, our wall and trench, our rampart and bulwark, our tower and fortress. Wherefore doth the Scripture use so many words to betoken that Gods protection is of force? It is to teach us, that without him we should perish a hundred thousand times a day, and therefore that he must be fain to watch continually for our safety. We see then (as I have said) how it is requisite that men should acknowledge their life to be nothing, considering how it is so frail as nothing can be more, & how it is subject to an infinite number of deaths, in so much that they be thereby stirred up to pray God to take them into his tuition: and when they shall have lived one day, they must acknowledge that they were maintained by God, and unto him must they yield the praise of all. Lo what we have to mark in this strain. For if Satan who is the enemy of all truth, do ⟨p. 23⟩confess how it is God that is mans defence, & is compelled to say so, as if he were upon a rack: seeing God hath made us to taste of his working, and made us to feel it:

Then let vs vnderstand, that if wee will bee maynteyned in this worlde, God muste needes put to his hand. For what is our lyfe? And to how many necessities is it subiect? Therefore we could not stand one minute of an houre, if wee were not preserued by the grace of God. like wise is it with all things that we possesse. God must be fayne to fence vs. And who I pray you is hee that speaketh heere? It is euen Satan, whose comming is of purpose to ouerwhelme vs, both in our goods and in our persones, if we be not (as you would say) well walled, so as God serue vs for a bulwarke, according also as we shall see him to be in the processe of the texte. For as soone as Satan hath his leaue, wee see howe hee taketh away all Iobs goods from him, and with what violence he goes about it. Therfore it was requisite that Iob shoulde be fenced all the whyle aforehand by the grace of God, and that it shoulde serue to rāpire him round about. And this lesson is greatly for our profite. For heereby wee bee warned to pray vnto God, that it may please him to defende vs, for asmuche as while wee be in this worlde, wee are as it were in a wilde woode full of robbers. And here wee see also why the Scriptures attribute these titles vnto him: namely that he is our buckler and shielde, our wall and trenche, our rampyre and bulwarke, our tower and fortresse. VVherefore dothe the Scripture vse so many woordes to betoken that Gods protection is of force? It is to teache vs, that without him we shoulde perishe a hundred thousande times a day, and therefore that he must be fayne to watch continually for our safetie. VVe see then (as I haue sayde) how it is requisite that men should acknowledge their lyfe to bee nothing, considering how it is so frayle as nothing can be more, & how it is subiect to an infinite number of deaths, in so much that they be thereby stirred vp to pray God to take them into his tuicion: and when they shall haue lyued one day, they muste acknowledge that they were mainteyned by God, and vnto him must they yeeld the prayse of all. Lo what wee haue to marke in this streyne. For if Satan who is the enemie of all truthe, do