Sermons upon the Book of Job

And the said two words Iniquity and Trouble, or (which §60is all one) unrighteousness and encumbrance, are joined together in the Scripture, to signify the extortions & outrages which the wicked commit, to vex & disquiet their neighbours: and also the word Encumbrance or trouble, is spoken of such as do nothing but toss and turmoil other men. And first it is said, that they Plough, because that they which are so desirous to annoy their neighbours, and to do them some harm, do make preparatives, like as when the labourer intendeth to sow his ground, he must first plough it, and the earth must first be tilled. Even so the wicked consult aforehand upon their ungraciousness, treacheries, and unlawful doings, devising guiles and deceits: and afterward when they have laid the whole platform, they seek all means possible to put their lewd enterprises in execution: and that is the very labouring [or tillage] that Eliphas speaketh of here. For he saith, that hereupon they sow encumbrance: that is to say, when they have made their preparations, they run upon poor men to fleece them and to eat them up. But these men sayeth he) do reap that which they have sowed: that is to say, God maketh all the mischief which they have conceived and invented against others, to light upon their own heads. We see here a sentence that is true, and we must take it as spoken by the holy Ghost, even to gather a general lesson thereof. And to put it to the true use, we must pray God to grant us the spirit of wisdom in that behalf, that we may not wrest the Scripture this way or that way to draw it to a contrary sense, as we see that Eliphas hath done. But whereas the holy Scripture sayeth, that such as plough iniquity and sow encumbrance shall reap the same: it is a threatening which God uttereth against the wicked, who think to advance themselves highly when they play the ravenous beasts, fleecing one man and eating up another: specially when they devour all, seeming to themselves to be jolly conquerors, and standing in their own conceits for doing so. But our Lord telleth them, that they beguile themselves very much: for he maketh all their enterprises to turn to their own confusion.

And the sayde two wordes Iniquitie and Trouble, or (which §60is all one) vnrightuousnesse and incomberaunce, are ioyned togither in the Scripture, to signifie the extortions & outrages which the wicked commit, to vexe & disquiet their neighbours: and also the worde Incomberance or trouble, is spoken of suche as doe nothing but tosse and turmoyle other men. And first it is sayde, that they Plough, bycause that they which are so desirous to anoy their neyghbours, and to doe them some harme, doe make preparatiues, like as when the laborour intendeth to sowe his grounde, hee must first plough it, and the earth must first be tilled. Euen so the wicked consulte aforehande vpon their vngraciousnesse, trecheries, and vnlawfull dooings, deuysing guyles and deceytes: and afterwarde when they haue layde the whole platforme, they seeke all meanes possible to put their lewde enterprises in execution: and that is the verie laboring [or tillage] that Eliphas speaketh of here. For he sayth, that heerevpon they sowe incomberance: that is to saye, when they haue made their preparations, they runne vpon poore men to fleece them and to eate them vp. But these men sayeth hee) doe reape that which they haue sowed: that is to saye, God maketh all the mischiefe whiche they haue conceyued and inuented against others, to lyght vpon their owne heades. VVee see heere a sentence that is true, and wee muste take it as spoken by the holy Ghost, euen to gather a generall lesson thereof. And to put it to the true vse, we must pray God to graunt vs the spirit of wisdome in that behalf, that we may not wrest the Scripture this way or that way to draw it to a contrarie sense, as wesee that Eliphas hath done. But wheras the holy Scripture sayeth, that suche as plough iniquitie and sowe incomberance shall reape the same: it is a threatning which God vttereth against the wicked, who thinke to aduaunce themselues highly when they playe the rauenous beastes, fleecing one man and eating vp another: specially when they deuour all, seeming to themselues to bee iolly conquerours, and standing in their owne conceytes for doing so. But our Lorde telleth them, that they beguile themselues verie muche: for hee maketh all their enterprises to turne to their owne confusion.