Sermons upon the Book of Job

But all our passions are wicked, because they be wrapped in some sturdiness against God, or in some distrust, or in some other outrage of the flesh. If God send us any good, it is not evil don of us to be glad of it: and specially we cannot yield him thanks, but we must have our harts at liberty, too feel the good luck that he hath sent us. But what? Men are always so full of vanity, as they can never make themselves merry without offending of God. As for example, if God send them riches, there goeth I wot not what a vainglory, meddled with them I cannot tell how. Or at leastwise they call not upon God with such ferventness as they were wont to do, but become very lazy, and give them selves over too that which they have in hand. Too be short, as fast as men purpose too make themselves merry or too be sad, there will evermore be some excess: and hardly can they hold themselves from offending God, because they have not such stay of themselves as were requisite, but let themselves run at random. And specially, if the adversity be great, men shall very hardly scape too forget themselves, and too be carried away according as it befalleth here unto Job, when he sayeth ⟨p. 56⟩he would fain, that his birthday were quite wiped out of the year. But did he himself dispose the days of the year, that he should desire too change Gods ordinance? when our Lord showeth us the modesty which we ought too keep in making of oaths, he saith: ye are not able too make one of the hairs of your head white when it is black; or black when it is white: and how swear you then by your head? But here Job passeth somewhat further. For he would pluck the stars out of the sky, he would set the whole world on §10fire to burn up the earth, and he would have the clouds, and the winds, and all things else to mingle themselves together at his desire. Hereby we see, that when men are much pinched with adversity, they overshoot themselves in such wise, as there remaineth no more modesty, or any thing else in them but outrage. Sith we see this in Job:

But all our passions are wicked, bycause they bee wrapped in some sturdinesse agaynst God, or in some dystrust, or in some other outrage of the flesh. If God send vs any good, it is not euill don of vs to be glad of it: and specially wee cannot yeeld him thankes, but we must haue our harts at libertie, too feele the good lucke that hee hathe sente vs. But what? Menne are alwayes so full of vanitie, as they can neuer make themselues merry without offending of God. As for example, if God sende them ryches, there goeth I wote not what a vaynglorye, medled with them I cannot tell howe. Or at leastwyse they call not vppon God with suche feruentnesse as they were woont to doo, but become verye lazie, and giue them selues ouer too that whiche they haue in hande. Too bee short, as fast as men purpose too make themselues merrie or too bee sad, there will euermore bee some excesse: and hardlye can they holde themselues from offending God, bicause they haue not suche staye of themselues as were requisite, but let themselues runne at randon. And specially, if the aduersitie bee great, menne shall verie hardly scape too forgette themselues, and too bee caried awaye according as it befalleth heere vntoo Iob, when hee sayeth