Sermons upon the Book of Job

For when God sendeth us many great troubles: and by and by we conceive that which is spoken here of Job: we need no Eliphas to vex us & to bear us in hand that we be past recovery. There is none of us all, that hath not the seed of heartburning in him self, to trouble & to martyr himself in his afflictions, yea even to drive us into despair. Our own nature affordeth us that. So then, when God scourgeth us, we he troubled with such an imagination at this: Howe now? God hath promised to succour such as are his: and thou pinest away here, yea even with extremity. Thou callest upon God, & he answereth thee not. Where are his promises? Thou seest well enough he hath shaken thee off: and therefore there is no cause why thou shouldest any more think, that he accounteth thee for any of his. For if thou were, it is high time for him to look upon thee and to pity thee now, or never. But he shutteth his eyes, and makes as though he saw thee not: and therefore thou seest he hath utterly forsaken thee. Behold the temptations whereunto we be subject, and which steppe before us to drive us utterly into despair. So much the more then have we need to be fenced against such a conflict. And after what manner? It is (as I have said) that when any mans ⟨p. 74⟩mind casteth such temptations before him, he must answer and say: It is true that never righteous man yet perished: it is true that the right dealing men can not be rotted out: but what is this perishing? it is more than to be only afflicted. And wherefore? For the holy Scripture telleth us that God raiseth up the dead, that he giveth courage to such as are utterly dismayed, and that he recovereth such as are wounded to death. When the Scripture saith so: is it not to show that God uttereth his working towards all that are afflicted? Yes: for when it is §10said, you that are dead, you that are already rotten, lift up your selves, receive ye full liveliness, and flourish ye as fresh herbs: To whom is it that Isaiah speaketh? It is to the faithful. The faithful then must sometimes become like rotten carcasses, that God may give them liveliness again. For as we see the herbs to become green in the springtime, which were as good as dead in the winter: even so must God work in us. There be many other sentences, which tend unto the self same end.

For when God sendeth vs many great troubles: and by and by wee conceiue that which is spoken here of Iob: we neede no Eliphas to vexe vs & to beare vs in hand that we be past recouerie. Ther is none of vs al, that hath not the seed of harburning in him selfe, to trouble & to martyr himself in his afflictions, yea euen to driue vs into despaire. Our owne nature affordeth vs that. So then, when God scourgeth vs, we he troubled with such an imagination at this: Howe nowe? God hath promised to succour such as are his: and thou pinest away here, yea euen with extremitie. Thou callest vpon God, & hee answereth thee not. VVhere are his promises? Thou seest well inough hee hath shaken thee off: and therefore there is no cause why thou shouldest anye more thinke, that he accounteth thee for any of his. For if thou were, it is highe time for him to looke vpon thee and to pitie thee nowe, or neuer. But he shetteth his eyes, and makes as though hee sawe thee not: and therefore thou seest he hathe vtterly forsaken thee. Beholde the temptations wherevnto we be subiecte, and which steppe before vs to driue vs vtterly into dispaire. So muche the more then haue we neede to be fensed against such a conflict. And after what maner? It is (as I haue sayd) that when any mans