Sermons upon the Book of Job

Let us keep our selves from such encumbrance, & persuade our selves that we shall always be sure to fare well, if we call upon God, who will be always merciful to us, even in the middest of our afflictions. When we have these two points well settled in our remembrance, we shall no more say: Wherefore is it that God holdeth those here which are in sorrow of mind? For we see wherefore he doeth it. There is great reason why God should chastise men. For how great are our sins? the number of them is infinite. Again, if we look upon our lusts, there is also a very bottomless gulf, which hath need to be mended. God therefore must mortify us. Furthermore, if we consider how much we be given too the world: we shall find that our afflictions had need too be plucked from it by Gods chastisements. Moreover how great is our pride and presumptuousness? And therefore must God needs humble us. Besides all this, how cold are we to crave his help? and therefore he must be fain too enforce us too it. Finally ought not our faith to be tried and made known? Then see we not reasons enow why God holdeth us here, and will have us to be miserable, so as there is nothing but pain, trouble, torment, and anguish in all our whole life? Is there not sufficient reason why God should do this? Mark here a special point. And sith that he continually calleth us unto him, and maketh us free passage unto him, and that we have such a remedy in our miseries: may we not hold our selves well apayed? We see how we ought too be armed and fenced against the said temptations, which reigned overmuch in Job, howbeit that he was not utterly overcome ⟨p. 64⟩of it. For when Job speaketh here of such as desire the grave, and which willingly dig for it as for some hidden treasure, longing to dye and cannot: he putteth him self in the same rank, as we shall see by the sequel: wherein he confirmeth his own infirmity and vice. For it is not lawful for the faithful to mislike their own life, and to wish so for death. True it is that we may wish for death in one respect: which is, in consideration that we be held here in such bondage of sin, as we can not serve God so freely as were to be wished, because §10we are overfraught with vices.

Let vs keepe our selues from suche incombrance, & perswade our selues that wee shall alwayes be sure to fare well, if wee call vpon God, who will bee alwayes mercifull to vs, euen in the middest of our afflictions. VVhen wee haue these two poynts well settled in our remembrāce, we shall no more say: VVherefore is it that God holdeth those heere whiche are in sorrowe of minde? For wee see wherefore hee doeth it. There is greate reason why God shoulde chastyze men. For how greate are our sinnes? the number of them is infinite. Agayne, if wee looke vpon our lustes, there is also a very bottomlesse gulfe, whiche hath neede to bee mended. God therefore muste mortifie vs. Furthermore, if wee consider howe muche wee bee gyuen too the worlde: wee shall finde that our afflictions had neede too bee plucked from it by Gods chastyzementes. Moreouer howe greate is our pryde and presumptuousnesse? And therefore muste God needes humble vs. Besides all this, howe colde are wee to craue his helpe? and therefore hee muste bee fayne too inforce vs too it. Finally ought not our fayth to bee tryed and made knowen? Then see wee not reasons inowe why God holdeth vs heere, and will haue vs to bee miserable, so as there is nothing but payne, trouble, torment, and anguishe in all our whole lyfe? Is there not sufficient reason why God shoulde do this? Marke heere a speciall poynte. And sithe that hee continually calleth vs vnto him, and maketh vs free passage vnto him, and that wee haue suche a remedie in our miseries: may wee not holde our selues well apayed? VVee see howe wee oughte too bee armed and fenced agaynste the sayde temptations, whiche reygned ouermuche in Iob, howebeit that hee was not vtterly ouercome