Sermons upon the Book of Job

So also God perceiving that we pass not of coming unto him, or rather that we §20come not to him with so willing and earnest affection as were requisite, provoketh us and summoneth us. Job therefore knowing what is the end and true use of afflictions, did cast himself to the ground, of purpose to do reverence unto God, and to say: Lord, it is true that I have served & honoured thee heretofore, and of all the time that I have flourished and been in my chiefest triumph, I have had a pleasure to do thee service. But what for that? I have not known myself enough, and now I see what my frailty is, and how that all of us are wretched creatures. And therefore §30my Lord, I come now to do mine homage new again to thee, seeing it pleaseth thee to afflict me in this world. My Lord, I willingly yield my self unto thee, and I desire nothing but to put my self as a subject into thy hand howsoever the world go. Thus much concerning this saying, that Job did cast himself too the ground, of purpose to worship God. And now let us come to that which is said, that is to wit, how Job acknowledged what men are, Naked I came out of my mothers womb, and naked (saith he) I shall return again. Whereas he nameth his mothers §40womb, he meaneth another thing: that is too wit, the womb of the earth, who is the mother of all things. Or else as a man pinched at the heart, he uttereth not his words to the full, but as it were cutteth them half off, according as we see that such as are in extremity of sorrow, express not their words to the full. Nevertheless, this protestation is clear enough: that is to wit, that Job meant to say thus: Very well, then must I be fain to return into the earth, even in the same plight that I came out of my mothers womb. True it is that a man may take this §50saying two ways: First as a general sentence: Behold how men come naked into the world: and when they pass out of it they come too the same point again: they brought not their riches, nor their honour, nor their pomp, nor their pleasures with them, and they must be fain to go away into rottenness, and the earth must receive them. But the other exposition is more agreeable: namely, that Job applied the said sentence too his own person, as if he should say:

So also God perceiuing that we passe not of comming vnto him, or rather that we