Sermons upon the Book of Job

But clean contrariwise, when God scourgeth us, it is not to give us blows on the head with a beetle, to the end we should be astonished and cast in a swoon: but his mind is to induce us to think upon our miseries, as how? For besides that we ought to call our sins to remembrance and too crave pardon for them, and to be so much the ware afterward to walk as it becometh us: we are instructed also what our life is, to the end we should not have an overliking of it, nor be puffed up with vanity or presumption as we be: but rather acknowledge the bond which we stand bound in to our God for using us so gently as to carry us as it were in his lap: and finally, that forasmuch as we see he hath a care of our life, we should look a great way afore us, that is to say, keep on our way still too the everlasting kingdom where as is our true joy and rest. We see then that God ceaseth not too be merciful unto us when he sendeth any affliction unto us. For he doth it to the end that by trying what is in us, we also might know what our estate is. Moreover it is good and profitable, that the faithful, when God afflicteth them, should enforce themselves to think, who am I? what am I? and wherefore am I thus afflicted? I say it is meet for them to think upon all these things. For we see how Job could rend his garments and shear his head without offending of God. Not that he intended thereby to cast himself into overgreat heaviness: but all his doings tended to humility, like as also the same was a sign of repentance among the men of old time. For if God sent any plague or war among them: they clothed themselves with sackcloth, and cast dust upon their heads. Why did they so? It was not to feed the evil sorrow, whereof saint Paul speaketh and saith that it is after the manner of the world (for we must eschew that fault:) but for another sorrow which he affirmeth to be godly: which is, when men acknowledging themselves to be wretched sinners, do come before their judge and there condemn themselves, and show that they be worthy to be confounded.

But cleane contrarywise, when God scourgeth vs, it is not to giue vs blowes on the head with a beetle, to the ende wee shoulde be astonished and cast in a swound: but his mind is to induce vs to thinke vpon our miseries, as how? For besides that we ought to call our sinnes to remembrance and too craue pardon for them, and to bee so much the warer afterwarde to walke as it becommeth vs: we are instructed also what our life is, to the ende we should not haue an ouerliking of it, nor be puffed vp with vanitie or presumption as we be: but rather acknowledge the bond which we stand bound in to our God for vsing vs so gently as to cary vs as it were in his lappe: and finally, that forasmuch as we see he hath a care of our life, wee shoulde looke a great way afore vs, that is to say, keepe on our way still too the euerlasting kingdom wher as is our true ioy and rest. VVe see then that God ceasseth not too bee mercifull vnto vs when he sendeth any affliction vnto vs. For he doth it to the ende that by trying what is in vs, we also might knowe what our estate is. Moreouer it is good and profitable, that the faythfull, when God afflicteth them, shoulde enforce themselues to thinke, who am I? what am I? and wherefore am I thus afflicted? I say it is meete for them to think vpon all these things. For we see how Iob could rend hys garments and sheare his head without offending of God. Not that he intended thereby to cast himselfe into ouergreat heauinesse: but all his doings tended to humilitie, like as also the same was a signe of repentance among the men of olde tyme. For if God sent any plague or warre among them: they clothed themselues with sackcloth, and cast dust vpon their heades. VVhy did they so? It was not to feede the euill sorrowe, whereof saint Paule speaketh and saith that it is after the manner of the worlde (for we must eschue that fault:) but for another sorrowe whiche he affirmeth to be godly: which is, when men acknowledging themselues to be wretched sinners, doe come before their iudge and there condemne themselues, and shewe that they be worthy to be cōfounded.