Sermons upon the Book of Job

When God giveth Satan commission to execute his wrath upon the unbelievers, he not only permitteth him to punish them in their goods, and with sickness and diseases, or in §50some other manner: but also he goeth further, which is, that he giveth him power to lead them into error, and to deceive them as we have already alleged in the example of Ahab. Behold how God sayeth, Who shall beguile me Ahab? And Satan said, I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. We see there a far larger con mission than this is here. For the matter is not only that Ahab should be beguiled by some outward means. But we see that the Prophets must beguile him under the shadow of truth. And that is it that S. Paul meaneth by saying,§60 that when men have no mind to obey God and his truth, nor will to frame themselves thereunto: and above all when God hath been so gracious as to manifest himself unto them, and to show them the way of salvation: if they be so unhappy to reject so great grace of God and to refuse it: then behold, God sendeth them false prophets and deceivers, who not only shall pervert all good doctrine, but also shall be believed: for he will give them speediness in error. It behoveth us to weigh well this saying, according also as it importeth much. For what is meant by this speedefulnesse of error? It is when God withdraweth his brightness from us, whereby our wits are dazzled and we become so dull, that we discern no more than brute beasts: but although the pit lye wide open before us, yet we stumble into it without seeing of it a whit. And why so? Because there is no more advisedness or wisdom in us, forasmuch as God hath given Satan power to mock us and beguile us, yea and even to blind us and bewitch us in such wise, as we wot not which way to turn us, that we tumble not into some new snare or other. Behold (I say) how God worketh toward the unbelievers and reprobates: namely that he giveth Satan speediness of error, to entrap them, and they shall never perceive it. But he dealeth not so towards such as are his, when he afflicteth them. For although Satan assault them: yet notwithstanding they be always preserved, & have wherewith to beat back his temptations. For God hath armed them with his own power, so as Satan can do no more than he hath leave to do:

VVhen God giueth Satan commission to execute his wrath vpon the vnbeleeuers, he not onely permitteth him to punishe them in their goods, and with sicknesse and diseases, or in