Sermons upon the Book of Job

There are that will be sorry enough when they see their neighbours in adversity: but yet therewithal they fare as blocks, so as a man can get no succour of them, they be §50so dismayed. But we must follow the fashion that is set down here: namely to be pitiful and tender hearted after such a sort when we see any man endure adversity, as we always have our hands at liberty too succour him after the ability that God hath given us. Then must we not have our minds so overset with sorrow, as our hearts should be dismayed, and our wits utterly amazed: but rather this pitifulness of ours must extend yet further, and quicken us up to seek how we may salve the sores that we see in our neighbours. And this is it that is meant §60here by the second place, where it is said that Jobs friends being come to mourn with him, purposed to have comforted him with all speed, so as their coming was not only too weep and to say, we feel some part of thy misery, but also to comfort him if it had bin possible. Thus then we see of what mind they came. But what for that? They failed in the midst of their journey. When they went first in hand with their errand, they were in a good mind. But they held not the mean that was requisite and needful, which is, that when they were once come, they should have had the same compassion towards Job still, and they should have sought such means to comfort him, as had been most agreeable to him, and they should have shot always at that mark. But they did not so▪ yea contrariwise they became as men amazed. And how is that? doubtless they found not any thing to be offended at in the person of Job: howbeit forasmuch as they saw such extremeness of affliction, it seemed too them that God would not have handled him so sharply, except he had been a castaway. And so they took such a conceit by reason of the excessive miseries that they saw in Job▪ as they lost their courage to comfort him. And here we see why it is said in the Psalm, Happy is the man that hath consideration of them that are in trouble. David had passed that way as well as Job. For he had endured great adversities in such sort as he was like as if he had bin forsaken of God, according as I have said heretofore.

There are that will bee sorie ynough when they see their neighbours in aduersitie: but yet therewithall they fare as blockes, so as a man can get no succour of them, they bee