Sermons upon the Book of Job

True it is Lord, that my life is frail, but yet thou knowest what shall betide me,§60 thou hast foreseen it Lord, and therefore I put my self into thine hand. I have many cares too torment and trouble me, but I discharge me of them into thy lap: forasmuch as I am sure too be safe under thy protection and custody, I hold my self contented. Thus we see how it behoveth us to deal: And when we have this said Providence of God thoroughly imprinted in our hearts, so as we can depend wholly upon it: although we be turmoiled with many troubles in this world, yet we see a good foundation that will make us to stand steady and constant in our calling, to serve God according to his will all the days of our life. Then let us learn to settle our selves upon the said providence of God: and when we see things so shuffled together in the world, as we know not on which side to turn us, we may not therefore cease to be a peaceable and quiet, assuring our selves that God ordereth and guideth all things in such wise, as there is nothing that can hinder the welfare of the faithful, seeing that he hath once taken them into his protection. Thus we see what we have to mark in this strain: Now in the end Job addeth, that he hath no rest, and that •e is in beavinesse before he take his repast: and yet notwithstanding (sayeth he) I have not behaved my self heretofore as most men do: I have not settled my self in my prosperity, but I have continually feared the misery that is come upon me. Let us mark then this complaint of Jobs. For on the one side it showeth, that his misery was extreme: and therewithal (sayeth he) what is the cause why GOD handleth me so? For when God threateneth men, he sayeth: Forasmuch as thou hast made thy self drunken in thine own pleasures: forasmuch as thou hast been as it were blinded by them: forasmuch as thou wart so altered when I did thee good, that thou hast not known me: thou mayest see wherefore I intend to punish thee. And God showeth precisely that he cannot away with this fleshly self-love which is in men. For when they ween that they shall always have ease at will, and when they shall say peace, and all is safe: behold a sudden storm shall overthrow them, which they foresaw not afore hand.

True it is Lord, that my life is frayle, but yet thou knowest what shall betide me,§60 thou hast forseene it Lorde, and therefore I put my selfe into thyne hande. I haue many cares too tormente and trouble me, but I discharge mee of them intoo thy lappe: forasmuch as I am sure too bee safe vnder thy protection and custodie, I holde my selfe contented. Thus we see how it behoueth vs to deale: And when we haue this sayd Prouidence of God thoroughly imprinted in our hartes, so as we can depend wholly vpon it: although we bee turmoyled with many troubles in this world, yet we see a good foundation that will make vs to stand steadie and constant in our calling, to serue God according to hys will all the dayes of our life. Then let vs learne to settle our selues vpon the sayde prouidence of God: and when we see things so shuffled togither in the worlde, as wee know not on whych syde to turne vs, we may not therefore ceasse to be apeaceable and quiet, assuring our selues that God ordereth and guydeth all things in suche wise, as there is nothing that can hinder the welfare of the faithfull, seeing that he hath once takē them into his protectiō. Thus we see what we haue to marke in this straine: Now in the ende Iob addeth, that hee hath no rest, and that e is in beauinesse before he take his repast: and yet notwithstanding (sayeth he) I haue not behaued my selfe heeretofore as most men do: I haue not settled my selfe in my prosperitie, but I haue continually feared the miserie that is come vppn me. Let vs marke then this complaynt of Iobs. For on the one syde it sheweth, that his miserie was extreme: and therewithall (sayeth hee) what is the cause why GOD handleth me so? For when God threateneth menne, hee sayeth: Forasmuche as thou hast made thy selfe drunken in thyne owne pleasures: forasmuch as thou hast bene as it were blinded by them: forasmuch as thou wart so altered when I didde thee good, that thou hast not knowen mee: thou maist see wherefore I intend to punish thee. And God sheweth precisely that he cānot away with this fleshly selfeloue which is in men. For whē they weene that they shall alwayes haue ease at will, and when they shall say peace, and all is safe: behold a sodayn storme shall ouerthrow them, which they forsaw not afore hād.