Sermons upon the Book of Job

he tarrieth not till he be moved to it by Satan, but preventeth him. In this present text when question is had of punishing Job, that is to say, that God dealeth roughly with one of his own children, needs must the same come to pass by the pursuit of the enemy. Lo here the diversity which showeth us the reason §10why Satan's request is granted him in this text. So then let us mark well, that the Scripture meaneth by all means to teach us to glorify God continually, that we knowing his goodness towards us, might take occasion to magnify him, and therewithal that we should understand how his vengeance is just against all wicked persons, and that if he punish them, he doeth but his office, to the end he may be feared, reverenced, and honoured of all the world, and thus ye see what we have to bear in mind. But by the way a man may think it §20strange how God is served so by Satan. But I have told already, that we shall by and by wane away like water, if we be not fully persuaded of this point, that the Devils are in such wise under Gods guidance, as they can do nothing without his leave. Yet is there a further matter, that is to wit, that the Devils are as it were Gods hangmen to execute his judgements and the punishments which he will have done upon the wicked. Also they are as his rods whereby he chastiseth his children. To be short, it behoveth the Devil to be the instrument of §30Gods wrath, and to execute his will: not that he doeth it of his own voluntary good will as I have said, but because God hath the sovereign dominion over all his creatures, so as they must needs yield unto him, and turn themselves whither soever he thinketh good. But here is one great diversity which we must mark. For when God hath given Satan leave to punish Job, he sayeth to him: Behold, thou mayst work thy spite upon all his substance, but touch not his person. And again, after he hath destroyed all his goods, he sayeth: thou mayst §40touch his person, but thou shalt not come near his soul. Herein again we see how God reserveth always the soul of Job, so as Satan can no more but torment him in goods, and in his mortal life, and in his honour: for he had not the power to enter into his soul to seduce him, and to make him to burst out into impatience. This will be the better understood by a contrary similitude.