Sermons upon the Book of Job

11. Wherefore died I not in my mothers womb? wherefore did I not yield up the Ghost as soon as I was come out of her womb? 12. Wherefore did the knees receive me? wherefore have I sucked the teats? 13. For now should I have lien still and taken my rest: I should be in quiet, and there were rest for me, 14. With the Kings and Counsellors of the earth, which build the desert places, 15. With the Princes that have gold, and which hoard up Silver in their house. 16. Or I should be but as an untie mely birth that is hidden, or as an infant that hath not seen the light. 17. There the wicked rest from their trouble, there they that have travelled lie at rest. 18. There the prisoners rest together, and no man heareth the voice of the extortioner. 19. There the great and the small are equal, and the servant is free from his master.

11. VVherefore died I not in my mothers wombe? wherefore did I not yeelde vp the Ghoste as soone as I was come out of hir wombe? 12. VVherefore did the knees receyue me? wherefore haue I sucked the teates? 13. For now shoulde I haue lyen still and taken my rest: I shoulde be in quyet, and there were rest for mee, 14. VVith the Kinges and Counsellers of the earth, which buylde the desert places, 15. VVith the Princes that haue golde, and which hoorde vp Siluer in their house. 16. Or I shoulde be but as an vnty mely byrth that is hidden, or as an infant that hath not seene the lyght. 17. There the wicked rest from their trouble, there they that haue traueled lie at rest. 18. There the prisoners rest togither, and no man heareth the voyce of the extortioner. 19. There the greate and the small are equall, and the seruant is free from his maister.

I Have declared heretofore, that when we be heavy and sorrowful, the only remembrance of Gods benefits must cheer us, or at leastwise assuage our miseries and griefs: so as if any adversity pinch me, and I bethink me of the great §40number of benefits that God hath done for me, the same must assuage my sorrow. And sith the case standeth so, no afflictions ought to make us forget the knowledge which we have of Gods benefits and graces: and yet notwithstanding it cometh so to pass. Whereof we see example in Job, who is the true mirror of patience. For what soever miseries he endured: yet ought he to have acknowledged it for a great good fortune, that he was sent as a reasonable creature into the world, that he had borne