Sermons upon the Book of Job

But yet therewithal it behoveth us more over to have this lesson printed in our harts: namely that God loveth us so tenderly, that he desireth nothing but to bring us home again, in so much that he spareth us, and holdeth us as it were in his lap, for so we see that the Scripture speaketh. Now then, when we see Satan come to kindle the fire, & that he hath sewed unto God to have Job persecuted: let us mark how the Scripture showeth us, that God handleth us not so roughly without cause, and yet that it is not at the suit of our enemy, (for he would desire nothing so much as to keep us in rest and at our own ease, if it were expedient for us:) but because it is good for us to be so exercised by afflictions, yea even at Satan's hand: & well doth God permit him so to do, forasmuch as he knoweth it to be good & profitable for us. Mark (I say) what we have to note here. And to prove that it is so, let us take a contrary example. In the last Chapter of the first book of Kings, it is likewise said that God held an Assize: and there is such another description as is here, how the Prophet had seen God set in his chair of estate, and how he demanded there, Who is it that shall beguile me Ahab? Satan prevented not God in that case, neither came he aforehand to say, If thou wilt give me leave to beguile Ahab, I will do whatsoever thou wilt have me to do. But God beginneth, saying: where shall I find a lying spirit to go and deceive Ahab? for I see he will needs be drowned even into the bottom of hell. And wherefore is it that God speaketh so? Even because the case stood upon executing of just vengeance upon an hypocrite, a despiser full of cruelty, and a mortal enemy of all goodness. Ahab was a man that had perverted all Gods service utterly, & was wholly defiled with his own Idols: & therewithal also was full of sturdiness and malice against the Prophets, and would give no ear to any admonition. When he was thus hardened in his sins, in such sort as a man could gain nothing by seeking to bring him into the right way: after that God had assayed all ways, & saw he was a man forlorn: ⟨p. 24⟩then he held his assizes, and demanded who was he that would deceive Ahab? for it was Gods will to execute the office of a judge. We see then, that when God meaneth to punish wicked folk, and to execute his wrath upon them according to their deserts:

But yet therwithall it behoueth vs more ouer to haue this lesson printed in our harts: namely that God loueth vs so tenderly, that he desireth nothing but to bring vs home againe, in so muche that he spareth vs, and holdeth vs as it were in his lap, for so wee see that the Scripture speaketh. Now then, when we see Satan come to kindle the fyre, & that he hath sewed vnto God to haue Iob persecuted: let vs marke how the Scripture sheweth vs, that God hādleth vs not so roughly without cause, and yet that it is not at the sute of our enemie, (for he woulde desire nothing so much as to keepe vs in rest and at our own ease, if it were expedient for vs:) but bicause it is good for vs to be so exercised by afflictions, yea euē at Satans hand: & well doth God permit him so to do, forasmuche as he knoweth it to be good & profitable for vs. Mark (I say) what we haue to note here. And to proue that it is so, let vs take a contrary example. In the last Chapter of the first booke of Kings, it is likewise sayd that God hild an Assyse: and there is suche another description as is here, how the Prophet had seene God set in his chayre of estate, and how hee demaunded there, VVho is it that shall beguyle me Achab? Satan preuēted not God in that cace, nother came he aforehande to say, If thou wilt gyue me leaue to beguile Achab, I will do whatsoeuer thou wilt haue me to do. But God beginneth, saying: where shall I finde a lying spirit to go and deceyue Achab? for I see he will needes be drowned euen into the bottome of hell. And wherfore is it that God speaketh so? Euen bycause the cace stood vpon executing of iust vengeance vpon an hypocrite, a despyser ful of crueltie, and a mortall enemie of all goodnesse. Achab was a man that had peruerted al Gods seruice vtterly, & was wholly defiled with his owne Idolles: & therwithall also was full of sturdinesse and malice against the Prophetes, and woulde giue no eare to any admonition. VVhen he was thus hardened in his sinnes, in such sort as a man could gayne nothing by seking to bring him into the right way: after that God had assayed all wayes, & saw he was a man forlorne: