Sermons upon the Book of Job

For God teacheth us, that after death there is a better life than this, and an everlasting heritage, which he hath prepared for those that are his, and for those whom he hath chosen: and as for the reprobates, seeing that they have despised him during their life, they shall know him to be their judge. If Job had been posed §10thus, he would have confessed such things, yea even unfeignedly: and yet for all that, he ceaseth not to overshoot himself in the same things. Also we see that all the matter consisteth not in knowing: but we must persevere in the same knowledge, to withstand temptations with it when they assail us. For if we have read the holy Scripture, if we have haunted sermons, if we have been taught that which is requisite for a mans salvation: and yet for all that, be negligent, and bend not our mind to bethink us of the things that we §20have heard afore: it is all one as if a man being well furnished with Corselet, Murrion, sword, and Target, should hang them all up upon a spirget, and suffer his armour to rust, and his sword to stick fast to the scabbard, when he should come to have need of them. He may well say, I have armour and weapon ready: but what shall it boot him to look upon them? ye see his furniture is unprofitable, because he hath suffered it to rust: and moreover he shall not know how to handle either sword or target at his need. Even so standeth §30the case with us. We may well have known the thing that is good and convenient for our salvation, and yet for all that, when as we think our selves too be handsome and well appointed men, we shall not have the skill how to apply all things to our behoof: but this knowledge of ours shall be as it were rusty, so as it shall not come to our remembrance when we have need of it, and when it might stand us in best stead. Then see we here a good lesson for us: which is, that it is not enough for us to have known the thing that §40God showeth us for our profit: but we must also exercise it without ceasing, and our remembrance must be refreshed, to the intent we may know which is the true use of the holy Scripture. For if that which is spoken of here befell unto Job, who notwithstanding had earnestly minded the word of God (I mean not the word written, but the word that God hath given him by aspiration:)

For God teacheth vs, that after death there is a better lyfe than this, and an euerlasting heritage, which hee hath prepared for those that are his, and for those whome hee hath chozen: and as for the reprobates, seeyng that they haue despyzed him during theyr lyfe, they shall knowe him to bee their iudge. If Iob had bene posed