Sermons upon the Book of Job

For so long as God letteth us alone at our ease, every man believeth what he listeth himself, and we take our selves to be petty gods. But as soon as God turneth his hand, and beateth us with his §20rods: ye shall see us so amazed, as we wot not where to become: we think it not possible for us ever to scape out of our miseries, we look on the one side and on the other, and we see no end at all of them: we be as it were so shut up in them, that we cannot take hold of the goodness and mighty power of God to succour us. And this is the very affection that Job showeth us here, which is an overcommon disease, as we find well enough by experience. For there is not any thing that troubleth and tormenteth us so much, as when we see our selves shut §30up, and know not what will be the end of our miseries, nor what shall become of us, in so much as being assailed on all sides, we conclude with our selves, that we can never get away without utter oppression and overthrow. Have we this said disease? Then let us resort to the remedy. For if the disease be not cured, we must needs fall into the said excessive passion, whereof mention is made here: namely that we shall wish for death, as men in despair, and shall have no assuagement of our miseries, but only to desire God to overwhelm us out of hand. But §40the convenient remedy of this disease is, to refer our selves to Gods providence, that he may see brightly for us, and that sith we be blind, and in darkness, our God may guide us as he knoweth is good for us, and lead us forth in all our enterprises. Behold also whereunto the holy scripture bringeth us back. Jeremiah saith, O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in his own power, neither is it in man to walk and direct his own steppes. This is as much to say, as a man taketh too much upon him, when he purposeth to dispose of his own life. Let §50us understand then, that it is Gods will to humble us, in as much as he shutteth our eyes, so as we see not what must become of us, and we know not too day what we have to do tomorrow, but God entertaineth us by the day like journeymen (as men term them) after the manner of a hireling, who being waged for a day, wotteth not who shall set him a work the next morrow. Behold how God will have us to live, to the end we should learn to depend wholly upon him, saying.