Sermons upon the Book of Job

20 Then Job rose up, and rent his clothes, and shore his head, and cast himself to the ground, and worshipped. 21 And said, Naked I came out of my mothers womb, and naked I shall return again: the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away: Blessed be the name of the Lord. 22 In all this Job sinned not, ne charged God with any unreasonableness.

20 Then Iob rose vp, and rent his clothes, and shore his head, and cast himselfe to the grounde, and vvorshipped. 21 And sayd, Naked I came out of my mothers vvombe, and naked I shall returne againe: the Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken avvay: Blissed be the name of the Lorde. 22 In all this Iob sinned not, ne charged God vvith any vnreasonablenesse.

We can well say that Patience is a great virtue, as it is in deed: and yet there be very few that know what this word Patience meaneth: whereby a man may judge, that we be not very hasty too be patient, and to have the virtue that we esteem so much. But God perceiving such carelessness in men, mindeth to set before our eyes the thing that is so need full for us: for if we be not patient, our faith must needs §40vanish away: for she is not able too maintain her self without it. And forasmuch as it is so, Gods will is that in the midst of the miseries of this world, we should always have a quiet heart, and be so well assured of his goodness, as the same may make us merry and contented, and we may boast our selves against Satan and all our enemies. And how were that possible, if we looked no higher than the world, ne considered not that although our estate be miserable in the opinion of the flesh: yet ought we to be contented with it, seeing that our God loveth us?§50 And this present Text is as excellent as any in all the holy Scripture too show us what this word Patience importeth. And it behoveth us to be taught it, if we will have God too acknowledge us for patient in our afflictions. We commonly say, a man is patient, although he have no point of true patience in him. For whosoever suffereth adversity, him do men call patient. But by the way let us hold this for a rule, that to be patient, it behoveth us to moderate our sorrow. If there be any adversity it must be assuaged by considering that God ceaseth not