Sermons upon the Book of Job

it must not grieve us to be joined with them. As how? We see that the holy fathers which were far excellenter than all other men, have endured adversity, no men more. Now if God have not spared them: why should we challenge more privilege than they had? So then, as oft as we see that Gods children have been beaten with divers rods, and vexed with many miseries & griefs: we have wherewith to comfort ourselves, and to cheer up our harts. For we must alway have an eye to the end, how God never forsook them, but pitied them when they were come to such extremities. So must we also hope that he will do as much for us. Mark this for a special point. Furthermore if we will have God to be pitiful and merciful unto us in our adversities: let us beware that we fret not against him, and that we kick not against the spur. For if we do, then shall this sentence be verified upon us, That anger slayeth the fools: as if it were said, that such as chafe and grind their teeth against their afflictions, show them self ⟨p. 86⟩to have profited evil in Gods school. And what shall they gain by it in the end? It shall be a doubling of their misery. When they shall have foamed out their rage against God, or when they shall have spewed out their blasphemies: do they think they have won their prize by it? Alas, it may not be so: they deceive themselves too much. For (as I have said already) it shall be but a doubling of their misery. Lo how Anger slayeth the fool. Moreover when they have a spite at others, & stand pleading against God for dealing roughlyer with them, than §10with such & such: what else doth such manner of fretting, but make them to pine themselves away, so as in the end they perish & come utterly to nought? Behold what we have to gather upon this text. But the Papists were too too far oversotted, when they made this saying of Eliphas to serve their turn, to prove that men ought to pray to the Saints that are departed, & that men ought to flee to them for refuge. Behold (say they) it is said that Job should have a respect to some one of the Saints, & that he should seek to him, if peradventure he would answer §20him. This is much to the purpose. For is it said here, that Job went to seek to the dead too make intercession for him unto God? No:

it muste not greeue vs to be ioyned with thē. As howe? VVe see that the holy fathers which were farre excellēter thā all other men, haue indured aduersitie, no men more. Now if God haue not spared thē: why should we chalenge more priuilege thā they had? So thē, as oft as we see that Gods children haue bene beaten with diuers rods, and vexed with many miseries & greeses: we haue wherwith to comfort ourselues, and to chere vp our harts. For we must alway haue an eye to the end, howe God neuer forsooke them, but pityed them when they were come to such extremityes. So must we also hope that he will doas much for vs. Marke this for a speciall poynte. Furthermore if wee will haue God to bee pitifull and mercifull vnto vs in our aduersities: let vs beware that wee frette not agaynst him, and that we kicke not againste the spurre. For if wee doo, then shall this sentence bee verified vpon vs, That anger sleaeth the fooles: as if it were sayde, that suche as chafe and grinde their teeth against their afflictions, shew thē selue