Sermons upon the Book of Job

or will he not give his own child for his ransom, so he may scape him self? He that hath saved his own life, thinks still he hath gained much, and although he have lost all, yet hath he wherewith to comfort him self, and to assuage his sorrow. Behold the subtleness of Satan, which he groundeth upon the nature of man. Truly this point was not found in Job: but yet §20the case so standeth, as all of us are inclined to be of that mind: namely that our life is so precious unto us, as it is more easy for us to bear all the residue, than the mischances that light upon our own persons. But so the case standeth, that we see here an invincible constancy in the servant of God. For as he continued in his soundness when God punished him in his goods and children: So also did he the like when he was persecuted so roughly in his body, that he had not one whole place in it, but was full of matter, and in extreme grief and torments:§30 but how soever the world went, he ceased not to bless God. Then if God grant us to escape some one inconvenience, let us follow the counsel that I have given afore, and learn too dispose our selves too the suffering of three or four moe, which shall be greater and excessiver than the first. And it is good reason that GOD should increase the weight of our burden, according too the strength that he hath enabled us withal. For in so doing, he hath an eye to our welfare. Specially it behoveth us to mark well this circumstance,§40 that Job had not any long respite between the continual growing of his miseries upon him. God do the often-times give us some respite, that when he hath tried our patience by some adversity, we may have leisure to take breath again, and to assuage the grief and heaviness that we have endured, and then afterward God sendeth us some other heart-sore: but here he laid on stroke upon stroke. For as soon as Job had been visited after one sort in his goods, we see him afflicted immediately in another. When the robbers had made clean §50riddance of all his great cattle, the lightning came from heaven too consume the rest: His children dyed, as if the hand of God had been their enemy, and by and by after he was plagued in his own person. Here was enough too have overwhelmed Job, notwithstanding that he had a wonderful stoutness in him.

or will he not giue his owne childe for hys raunsome, so he may scape him selfe? He that hath saued his owne life, thinkes still he hath gayned muche, and although he haue lost all, yet hath he wherewith to comfort him selfe, and to assuage his sorrowe. Beholde the suttlenesse of Satan, which hee groundeth vppon the nature of man. Truely thys poynte was not founde in Iob: but yet