Sermons upon the Book of Job

Therefore it becometh us to take good heed, that we enter not into disputation and pleading against God, but rather that we learn to bridle, yea and to rebuke our selves Justly. Thus we §10see we must be sharp to condemn such vice as is in us. And herein we see the beastliness that hath reigned and reigneth yet still at this day among the Papists. For they say in their synagogues, that if a man fall in doubt whether there be a God or no, or whether God be righteous or no, or if he conceive horrible and outrageous blasphemies in his head, it is no sin at all, so he consent not to it utterly. If a man be tempted to strip his neighbour out of his clothes, or to murder him, or too blaspheme, or to give him self to whore-hunting, so as he §20feel that his affections within him do carry him away: they say that all this is no sin. Must not such folk needs be worse than brute beasts? But I see one resolution which is common over all among the Papists (and well worthy are they of such resolutions, forasmuch as there is nothing but hypocrisy in them, by means whereof they make so light of sin, as if it were nothing at all, making it to be but a venial sin, when a man hath offended God deadly:) which is, that if a man have committed the horriblest sin in the world, he needeth but one §30sprinkling with holy water, and by and by he is discharged towards God, But for our part (as I have said before) let us think that if we be provoked by any wicked doubtingnesse, we be condemned already before God. Then let us prevent his judgement, and be our own judges, and yield our selves guilty: and yet in the mean while let us not doubt, but God hath mercy on us, and will hold us up in our infirmities: conditionally that by the grace of his holy spirit we shake off all such things, and agree not to put the wicked imaginations in practise,§40 which we shall have conceived in our minds. Thus you see how we ought to deal in this behalf. It is consequently said. That three of Jobs friends having heard of all the miseries that were happened unto him, took advice to visit him. And to what end? To have compassion of him, and to comfort him.

Therefore it becommeth vs to take good heede, that we enter not into disputation and pleading against God, but rather that we learne to bridle, yea and to rebuke our selues Iustely. Thus we