Sermons upon the Book of Job

For God hath told us it is so. Then will he not have our eyes to be bleared with present things: but he will have us assure our selves by faith, that all this shall turn to the mischief & utter undoing of such as submit not themselves unto him. And as concerning this word Curse, let us mark that it giveth not us scope to wish the mischief or confusion of the party, (I mean through desire of vengeance, as oftentimes we be so carried away by our passions, as there raineth nothing in us but heartburning and bitterness, or at leastwise a foolish and undiscrete zeal:) But whereas it is said that Eliphas cursed the wicked mans house: it importeth nothing else, but that he held him to that which the Scripture teacheth and showeth us. And therefore it is not for us to be judges: for it were too great a rashness, if we should take so much preeminence upon us as to say, O, that man shall make an evil end, o• such a man shall come to shame. A man must not presume so far: but it belongeth to God only to curse or to bliss. On our part we have no more to do, but to agree to that which he sayeth, answering, So be it Lord, thou only art the competent judge of all the world. Then doth it behove us to hearken what he telleth us, and to obey his saying without any replying to the contrary, or without any demanding how it should be possible to be done, or how it may be gone in hand with. For if God have once spoken the word, every one of us must hold himself contented with it. Now we see what this word Curse importeth. It remaineth that we gather the whole sum of that which is contained here. For these two temptations which are cast in our way are so common, that every of us feeleth himself to have need to be armed against it: for we shall ever be in danger of miscarrying, unless we take hold of the conclusion that is set down here. Therefore whensoever we be outrageously mistreated by the wicked, and that they have us at any advantage, so as it should seem they would devour us, and that we have no means to put them from us: let us make much of this sentence, and call it to remembrance, that in the end God will not suffer the wicked to ruffle it out continually (for he is well able to redress things amiss) which thing we may be sure of, seeing that he showeth it us in very effect & by experience.

For God hath tolde vs it is so. Then will hee not haue oure eyes to be bleared with present things: but hee will haue vs assure our selues by faith, that all this shall turne to the mischiefe & vtter vndooing of such as submit not themselues vnto him. And as concerning this word Curse, let vs marke that it gyueth not vs scope to wishe the mischiefe or confusion of the partie, (I meane through desire of vē geance, as oftentimes wee bee so caried away by our passions, as there rayneth nothing in vs but hartburning and bitternesse, or at leastwise a foolish and vndiscrete zeale:) But whereas it is sayde that Eliphas cursed the wicked mans house: it importeth nothing else, but that he hilde him to that whiche the Scripture teacheth and sheweth vs. And therefore it is not for vs to be iudges: for it were too greate a rashnesse, if wee should take so much preheminence vpon vs as to say, O, that man shall make an euill end, o such a man shall come to shame. A man muste not presume so farre: but it belongeth to God onely to curse or to blisse. On our part wee haue no more to do, but to agree to that which hee sayeth, answering, So be it Lord, thou only art the cōpetent iudge of all the worlde. Then doth it behoue vs to herken what he telleth vs, and to obey his saying without any replying to the contrary, or without any demaunding how it should be possible to be done, or how it may be gone in hand with. For if God haue once spoken the word, euery one of vs muste holde himselfe contented with it. Now we see what this worde Curse importeth. It remayneth that we gather the whole summe of that whiche is conteyned heere. For these two temptations which are cast in our way are so cōmon, that euery of vs feeleth himselfe to haue neede to bee armed against it: for we shal euer be in daūger of miscarying, vnlesse we take hold of the cōclusion that is set down here. Therfore whensoeuer wee be outrageously misintreated by the wicked, and that they haue vs at any aduantage, so as it should seeme they woulde deuoure vs, and that wee haue no meanes to put them from vs: let vs make muche of this sentence, and call it to remembrance, that in the ende God will not suffer the wicked to ruffle it out continually (for hee is well able to redresse things amisse) which thing we may bee sure of, seeing that he sheweth it vs in very effect & by experience.