Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	heaven_n	john_n	see_v	1,776	5	3.6685	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69056	Sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, vpon the booke of Iob. Translated out of French by Arthur Golding; Sermons de M. Jean Calvin sur le livre de Job. English	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606.	1574 (1574)	STC 4445; ESTC S107160	2,180,861	896

that wee must not at all aduenture receyue all doctrines that are set afore vs vntill wee be sure that they are of god But when we knowe that it is God that speaketh that is too say when wee are sure that we be taught in hys name and as it were by his mouth then is there no replying but wee must doo him the honoure to settle ourselues fully vpon his word so as we may yeld ourselues obedieÌ„t vnto it it may haue full course and authoritie among vs True it is that many can find in their harts to suffer God too speake without kicking against him so as they know the things to bee good which are preached vnto them but yet doo they striue against him in their life And that is the thing wherein our Lord intendeth to trie whether we be his or no. Haue wee heard Gods word VVe must not reply against it but we must glorify God assuring our selues that there is nothing better for vs than to obey him Haue we once acknowledged that Let euery of vs when we be retourned intoo oure houses shewe by oure deedes that wee haue borne away the doctrine and do alow it as good For he that doth contrary to that whyche he confesseth is double condemnable And surely as there bee folke that doo muche woorse in secrete than if their wickednesse were opened too the worlde So also theyr replying againste God extendeth not onely to the mouth but also to the lyfe Therefore when folke lyue not as they are taught by the Gospell their works replye sufficiently agaynste god VVhen any man troubleth his neighboure so as he riseth vp openly against him and doth him any violence it is certayne that suche outrage shall not bee borne withall but shall be punished at Gods hande howe long so euer hee tarrie And although oure going about to anoy our neighbours be by suttle tie and as it were by vndermining so as our slights bee cheefly conueyed and couered and we cannot be reproued of men nother can any man to our seeming finde fault with vs yet notwithstanding the crye mounteth vp to Heauen and craueth vengeance at Gods hand for the extortion that we haue so committed in secret VVherefore let vs marke well that although we haue yeelded such reuerence vnto Gods word as to heare it as good and holy doctrine and to receiue it as the very foode of our soules and as the meane too bring vs to the euer lasting life and the saluation which we pretend to desire yet it behoueth euery one of vs too take good heede to hymselfe that hee replye not agaynst it by hys life And nowe let vs consider a little if a man may euer find this vertue in the world Behold Iob speaketh in such a time as Gods doctrine was yet very darke for it is not well knowne whither he liued after the law of Moyses or before howbeit it is certayne that hee was auncienter than the Prophets For when he is spoken of in the Prophets hee is spoken of as a man that had bin of auncient time Now seeyng it is so I pray you ought not the world at this day to be more giuen to receiue Gods doctrine than at that tyme For as I haue sayde the doctrine of God was very darke in those dayes and God sent it but as it were drop by drop euen as when ther falleth a small deaw in the night Too bee shorte men are taught it but slightly in comparison of the abundance of grace which God sendeth into the worlde in these dayes For in the Gospell we haue infinite treasures of wisdome and knowledge God sheweth hymselfe familiarly vntoo vs he will haue vs to be filled and throughly filled wyth all perfection of his doctrine and he giueth so cleere and certayne vnderstanding as can be possible And yet for all this where is the reuerence that Iob speaketh of where is the desire where is the amiable obedience â–ª Nay contrariwise we see skornefulnesse as I haue touched already Againe when the doctrine is preached how many are there that giue attentiue eare vnto it Nay the most parte are busied about theyr owne fancies and earthly cares where they haue I wote not what matters within them that shut God out of dores so that they play the resty iades in kicking against the doctrine Theyr comming to Sermons is but for fashion sake and they returne home from them as wise as they went thither So then there are very fewe folke in whome the reuerence is to be founde that is spoken of heere And as for conforming themselues fully vnto it that is a very rare vertue For euery man will be wise and cunning and after that sort In not obeying God and in not comming to the knowledge of the holy scripture nay mary say they I thynke thus and thus it seemeth to me And men are not ashamed to alledge theyr weenings before God and it is the cheefe articles of the fayth of the Papists at this day that in their opinion God ought too set greate store by them for thys theyr ouerdiuelish pride in that they would haue all men to holde themselues too all their deuises And they that blaspheme not so openly with theyr mouthes are neuerthelesse seene by theyr deedes that they rebell agaynste god For wee see howe God doth nowadayes set out the whole perfection of wisedome in the Gospell and commeth so familiarly vnto vs desiring to fill vs to the full And yet notwithstanding wee finde no tast in hys worde but vtterly despise it and when it is declared vnto vs wee go about to resist it or at leastwise too deface it by our doings Seeyng then that we are so maliciouse shall not they that heare Iob beare witnesse against vs Shall they not vpbrayde vs wyth the obedience whiche they yeelded vnto Iob who in deede was a Prophete of God but yet had no suche recorde of his calling as oure Lorde Iesus Christ hathe giuen to those that preache his Gospell in these dayes And therefore let vs marke well thys texte For like as it is sayd that the least in the kingdome of heauen that is to saye of them that preache the Gospell in these dayes is more excellent in his ministerie than Iohn Baptist and all the Prophets so on the contrary parte when we despise the doctrine that God sendeth seeing that he commaundeth it to be so honoured it is certayne that we shall be double giltie Thus ye see what we haue to marke in thys text And it is sayd immediatly that if Iob iested with them they beleeued it not VVhereby he meeneth that hee had suche a grauitie in him as men durst not beleeue that hee woulde iest bycause that in all his conuersation he shewed himselfe as a Prophete of God and had gotten so greate credite as the very reuerence whiche men beare vnto him was a cause that men thought not that hee would abace himselfe to become fellow like and companion

Diuels of hell which are enimies and rebels to him to the vttermost of their power which laboure to subuert his Maiestie and practize to confound all things so as they be forced spite of their teeth to bee subiect vnto God and to yeelde him account of all their doings and can not doe any thing without his permission and leaue Thus ye see in what wise Satan appeared among the Angels But yet by the way the maner of their dealing is diuers For when the Angels guyde vs and do the thing that God hath commaunded they haue the nature to apply themselues vnto him and haue none other inclination but to obey him he on the otherside dwelleth and reigneth in them by his holy spirit Lo here the cause why we say Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heauen Bycause wee see so muche counterfayting and so many horrible rebellions against God here belowe wee desire him to settle his kingdome peaceably heere as it is aloft where his Angels be wholly obedient vnto him But the Diuelles obey him as inforced that is to say not of their own goodwill but bicause God coÌ„pelleth theÌ„ They would with all their hart resist his power and oppresse him if they could but they be fayne to followe him in all pointes whether so euer he listeth to leade theÌ„ And herby we see why the Angels are in this place expresly termed childreÌ„ of God and the Diuel by his propre title of Aduersarie for so doth the word Satan signifie in Hebrew True it is that meÌ„ are ofteÌ„times called the Children of God bicause hee hath printed his image in them specially in the faithfull for asmuch as they be reformed to the likenesse of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the liuely image of God his father also for that they haue receyued the spirit of adoptioÌ„ which is a warraÌ„t vnto theÌ„ that God beareth a fatherly loue towards them Rightly therfore may we be called the childreÌ„ of god So may also Princes and Magistrates For they haue the same honourable title which is giueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ bycause God hath aduauÌ„ced them set them in that hie estate to the intent to be knowen in the person of them VVe see theÌ„ how the name of Gods Children may well be applyed to meÌ„ But the Angels are so called in the Scripture bycause they drawe vnto God are as it were bearnes of his brightnesse And therefore in asmuche as God calleth them Principalities Vertues and Highnesses it is good reason that wee also shoulde acknowledge them to be as it were the sonnes of God for asmuch as we may not separate the vertue that is in theÌ„ froÌ„ the vertue of God bicause they be as streames that gushe out of that fountaine spring and we must alwaies repaire thither Let vs know theÌ„ that this honour of being taken reputed for the children of God beloÌ„geth to the Angels bycause his glorie vttereth and sheweth it selfe in them And therefore so much the more are we beholden to the infinite goodnesse of our God who hath appoynted them to be our seruaÌ„ts by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ For in asmuche as our Lorde Iesus Christe who is the onely Sonne of God his father yea euen his naturall sonne for the belonging of his honour vnto him is not befalne vnto him through grace but he is his naturall sonne for the same cause his onely sonne also In asmuche then I say as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not bene spared for our redemption and saluation the Angels also who are the children of God are by his meane appoynted to serue vs as the Apostle sheweth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes and also as it is shewed by Iacobs ladder where it is sayd that the Angels came downe froÌ„ heauen to the earth and Iesus Christ affirmeth the same thing to be accomplished in his kingdome you shall see the Angels sayeth he come downe from heauen vnto men So then seeing we perceyue that God hath ordeyned his Angels to serue for our welfare so much the more are wee bound to his mercie Moreouer he hath done vs so greate honour that his SoÌ„ne to redeeme vs hath not taken vpoÌ„ him the nature of the Angels but as the Apostle sayeth hath clothed himselfe with our nature and our substance VVhen we see that the SoÌ„ne of God is come so neere vnto vs as to vouchsaue to be parttaker of mans nature wee may perceyue that his so doing is the verie welsping from whence proceedeth the other grace that the Angels trauell watch in our behalfe also that it is their peculiar charge vocatioÌ„ to procure our welfare According herevnto the holy Ghost sholeth them out from them that be with Satan and sheweth that they be willingly the seruaÌ„ts of god In what wise Euen as his children VVheÌ„ a childe obeyeth his father he doeth it not against his will but he doeth it bicause he is inclined the revnto bicause his owne nature teacheth him so to do bicause he hath a certaine louingnesse which induceth him to discharge himselfe of his duetie and euen so do the Angels On the otherside Satan is an aduersarie For albeit that he appeareth before God was fayne to render his account yet was it not for that he yeelded of his owne accorde nor for that hee was willing to be subiect vnto God but rather he rowzed himselfe against him and was inflamed with so excessiue rage that he woulde haue ouerthrowen Gods power if it had bene possible for him So then he hild still his natural corruption that is to wit of being alwaies an enemie yet was he coÌ„streined to come do homage to him that hath the soueraine dominion ouer all creatures For Satan also is subiect vnto God and therfore it may not be surmyzed that Satan hath any authoritie other than is giuen him by god And good reason it is that all shoulde be subiect to him sith that al things proceede froÌ„ him The Diuels were created by God as well as the Angels howbeit not suche as they now be VVe must alwayes hold this for a certaintie that the naughtinesse which is in the Diuels proceedeth of theÌ„selues that when they became to be Apostataes to separate themselues from the fountaine of rightuousnesse they forsooke God and turned themselues away froÌ„ him Lo how they were peruerted and became altogither euill Likewise wheras sinne is in maÌ„s nature it is not of Gods putting in by creation but by reason that SataÌ„ did spreade his naughtinesse further abrode at such time as maÌ„ was beguiled by his wylinesse to disappoint the benefit of god Thus ye see how the Diuels became accursed of theÌ„selues and that their being cruell full of rebellion full of lying full of wickednesse came altogither of their turning away froÌ„ their Creator as the Scripture teacheth vs Yet for all that they cease not to be alwayes vnder the haÌ„d of god And therfore

it Seing that our flesh our nature is so inclined to storme repyne let vs assure our selues how it is not without cause that God forsetteth the determinate time whereof mention is made heere And heerewithall let vs marke that whereas it is sayd is there not a time appoynted for meÌ„ â–ª it belongeth only to God to forset vs the time And thys may do vs much seruice VVherefore For if God knewe not what we bee and what is good and conuenient for vs â–ª wee might well bee sorie to heare that the tyme of our miserie is in his hand and at his appointment But for somuch as he knoweth what we be able to beare and perceyueth that if we should be charged ouersore we should sinke vnder the burthen yea and be vtterly crushed and broken for somuch I saye as God knoweth this and therevpon declareth vnto vs that hee holdeth vs vp according as he seeth our feeblenesse doth require and that if he vphild vs not continually with his hand we shoulde bee in daunger to be broken all to peeces but hee knoweth well how to moderate the weight of the afflictions that hee sendeth vs now seeing wee haue such promises haue we not good cause to be glad of this foresetting of the time And further let vs marke well that inasmuche as we haue our time determinate heere bylowe we must thereafter make the comparison with Sainct Paule betweene the miseries that last but the twincling of an eye and the endlesse glory of heauen For the shortnesse of the afflictions of this world saith he must make vs too thinke them light For when we haue an eye to the euerlasting and endlesse kingdome of heauen it ought to out-way in the balance all the worldly miserie that is possible to be deuised Seing then that the case standeth so as ofte as we be tempted to ouersorowing impacieÌ„cie or despair let vs haue recourse to that which is sayd heere which is that the time thereof is foreappointed and let vs vnderstand that God hath foreseene what is good for vs too indure and that oure afflictions befall vs not without his good pleasure Furthermore also let vs vnderstande that hee handleth vs not onely with vprightnesse and reason but also with a fartherly louing kindnesse Lo what we haue to marke And this doctrine exteÌ„deth very farre howbeit it consisteth more in experience than in talking vpon it For we may reason of it long ynough to no purpose but the chiefe poynt is that euery of vs regard to profite himselfe by it at his neede as how Surely our life would seeme very short vnto vs if it were not subiect to so many wantes so long as we haue our owne wish and are at rest euery of vs can confesse that our life is nothing and that it is as short as any thing can be But wheÌ„ we thinke vppon the infinite miseries wherewith it is full fraughte and that assoone as wee be passed out of one miserie wee muste enter streightways intoo another and begin continually new agayne this long lingering makes vs starke weery And therefore let vs haue recourse to that whych is sayde here namely that God hath appointed the tyme and that it is in him to dispose of vs as he listeth Then must we contente our selues with the measure that hee hath giueÌ„ vs knowing well that he woteth what is meete and expedient for our feeblenesse And yet notwithstanding it is not for euer that wee shall be fayne to languishe here there will be an end at what time God shall take vs out of this earthly pilgrimage yea euen to call vs to hys euerlasting rest and there shall be none end there shall be no time set Furthermore when God visiteth vs and euery of vs in himselfe indureth some necessitie or some chastizements let vs acknowledge thus VVell it is true that if this geere should last euer we should needs quaile But God knoweth the ende whiche he mindeth to gyue vs hee hath promised that wee shall not continue ouerwhelmed vnder the burthen let vs tarie till he reach vs his hande in our aduersities and let vs assure oure selues that hee will prouide for vs in due time Lo howe wee ought too applie this lesson to our owne vse But in the meane while wee see that Iob hath ill profited by it and therefore must wee bee so much the water that wee abuse not a sentence when God putteth it into our mynde too instruct vs by applying of it to the cleane contrarie And yet it is an ordinarie matter with vs so to doe VVhen we reade the holie Scripture if any comfort be giuen vs ther or if it serue to assuage our griefe what do we O ye see heere is a comfort that God giueth to his children but I am vtterly bereft of it it seemeth that God would chere vp his faithfull ones to the ende to cast me into dispaire seeing the case standeth so what can I thinke but that I am vtterly barred from all hope of his grace Thus ye see howe wee deale commonly in that behalfe VVheras God allureth vs as gently as can bee and whereas hee sweeteneth all our miseries and sorrowes wee thrust it all from vs and seeke nothing else but to nourishe the maladie within vs and too barre oure selues quyte from Gods fauour and to cast it a great waye off VVe see that this befell to Iob and therefore let vs not thinke it straunge if we be subiect to such like temptations But what we must remedie it and praye God to giue vs the spirite of wysedome that we may know howe to applie to our own vse and welfare all the warnings that he giueth vs And now let vs come to treate of that which is said here Iob alledgeth Howe nowe is there not a time appointed for man that is vpon earth True it is that here beneath men are poore and wretched creatures but yet may they after some sort be glad seeing that God hath not set them heere to continue so for euer Lo heere a thing whiche for the moste part is able to assuage all the greefes that we indure vpon earth But now sayth he God maketh none ende of my torments Behold howe Iob complayneth that his state is worse than all other mens as if he should say God scourgeth mee out of measure for hee sheweth not that hee is mynded to ridde mee out of the miseries that presse mee And this is it that I haue touched heeretofore namely that generally wee can confesse well ynoughe howe it is good reason that wee shoulde indure manye aduersities whyle wee be in this world And euerie man can say yea wee bee borne vnder the same condition and to the same ende and wee muste not thinke otherwise but that man euen from his birth bringeth with him so many miseries and so many wants as it is a pittie to see I say we can well acknowledge this in generall termes but so soone as God smiteth

reiected except he shew them vnto vs as he did them of Sodome and Gomorrha and those that were destroyed by the floud Here wee haue a certaine testimonie of the extreme vengeance of God for there was no place of repentance left for those wretched persons bycause they made themselues vnworthie of mercie Of these theÌ„ other such like we may reioyce But when God shal chastise our neighbours and wee knowe not yet whether he wil haue pitie on them we must haue coÌ„passion on their miseries and be so moued with the iudgements of God as we may conceyue hope that he will send some release to them that are so afflicted Too bee shorte thus muste wee put this texte in practise True it is that this doctrine thus briefly touched might bee darke but if euery man note well that whiche I haue touched he may afterwarde more at large thinke on it and so the things that are thus briefly touched may neuerthelesse content vs First of all I haue sayd that wee must vse such gentlenesse towards all our neighbours as to wish their health and to be sorie for their euils as S. Paule teacheth vs that the rule of charity requireth LameÌ„t sayth he with them that suffer And we see that the children of God haue alwayes had this affectioÌ„ and zeale Yet if we see that God punisheth sinnes we may also reioyce at it yea and for as much as God therein declareth sheweth himselfe vnto vs our sayth must bee the more and more ratified and confirmed in him when we see that he hath a care ouer mankind and that all things are guyded by him Now it followeth that our substance is not consumed True it is that worde for worde it is if our substance bee not consumed or bidden For the Hebrue worde signifieth two things properly it signifieth too hide but bycause when a thing is hid it is no more seene it semeth that it is quite gone by the likenesse that is betweene them it signifieth somtimes to cut off and to bring to nothing Furthermore it seemeth that he ought to haue sayde was not their substance destroyed referring the same to the wicked And in deede the place was so translated by the Greekes But if wee beholde it narrowly it seemeth that the natiue sense is this yet our substance was not bidden And let vs note that it is a maner of speach muche vsed among the Hebrues whiche importeth a greater affirmation as if it were sayd yea it is certaine that our substance is hid Also the worde Substance importeth our state our being that which wee haue in hande and the way to preserue vs or restore vs I ouerpasse the expositions that they giue vpon this place whiche doo not agree with it let vs simply hold that which Eliphas meneth to say He maketh here comparison of the rightuous with the wicked and of the faythfull with the despisers of god As concerning the faythfull sayeth he of a truth our substance is hidden Now when hee vseth this worde by de hee meaneth not that their substance is perished or lost but contrariwise that it is layd vp in safetie as a treasure How commeth it to passe that in the midst of so many dangers as wee are in yet we remayne vpright and are vpholden if wee were not as it were vnder the wings of God To be short if we were not as it were in secrete layd vp as a treasure it is certain that our life euery minute of an houre should be takeÌ„ froÌ„ vs one way or other So theÌ„ we haue here a very good doctrine wheÌ„ it shal be thus vnderstaÌ„ded according to the sense of the texte For thus shall the righteous say Our substaÌ„ce and state that is to say the power to mayntaine vs preserue vs is all of it hidden But as for that which is left vnto the wicked it is deuoured by the fyre That is to say God leaueth them nothing at al in somuch that they must needes be destroyed with all their wealth It is true that during this mortal life it may seeme that we are fwallowed vp quite ouerwhelmed that we are in great distresse and to be short that we haue nother streÌ„gth nor substaÌ„ce But so much the more must we practise this doctrine apply it to his right vse by following that which S. Paule teacheth vs namely that we are dead our life is hidden S. Paule shewing what is the state and coÌ„dition of the faithfull whyles they are in this world sayeth that their life is hiddeÌ„ as if it were not at all But it is hiddeÌ„ in a good storehouse for sayeth he it is hiddeÌ„ in God with our Sauiour Iesus Christ The life of Iesus Christ being in heaueÌ„ in that glorious bodie in the which he was raysed vp is not made manifest vnto vs for if we loke wher Iesus Christ or his kingdome is we shall not perceiue by our naturall wit what is become of him Neuerthelesse seing our life is hiddeÌ„ in heaueÌ„ with Iesus Christ we may bee well assured of it So then wee note in the first place that God minding to proue our faith hope will suffer vs to bee coÌ„passed about with many dangers and our life to hang as it were vpoÌ„ a threede and the windes to carie away our substance euery way To be shorte in steade of hauing one drop of life hee wil suffer vs to haue a thousand deaths before our eyes so as we shall thinke that we should perish a thousand wayes But let vs not feare for all that seing that God kepeth vs vnder his shadow For so long as we haue that place to retire vnto we shal be in good safetie Thus then must wee practise this doctrine And afterward when we cast our eyes vpoÌ„ the wicked behold their destruction let vs be so muche the more assured of Gods goodnesse take an occasioÌ„ so much the more to magnifie him saying O Lorde what a priuilege is this that thou hast giuen vs seing that our life is in thy hand and that thou art become the keeper therof yet wherein do we differ from them whom we see to be coÌ„sumed we see them come to destructioÌ„ we see that that which is left vnto them is cleane wasted Lord wherin do we differ from them In nothing truly sauing that of thy meere mercie it hath pleased thee to choose vs vnto thy self as thine inheritance that thou mainteynest vs and giuest vs grace too walke in thy obedience and that thou doest continue such benefits in vs as thou hast begoÌ„ne and guydest vs in the way of saluation FroÌ„ whence Lorde coÌ„meth all our wealth And yet we see what a priuiledge thou giuest vs as though wee were exempted froÌ„ all the miseries of this frayle life asthough wee were no more to be counted amongst men Now Lord seing that thou doest this honour and bestowest this benefite vpon vs must we not needes magnifie such

otherwise are nothing worth Ye see then that wee must be subiect too such as haue publicke power and authoritie bycause we knowe it is Gods will to humble vs after that manner Yea and we see that the children of God haue bin faine too submit themselues in bondage too the vnbeleeuers when God did bring them to it And truely we see also the example that Daniell sheweth vs for hee acknowledgeth that the raigning of the wicked is by reason of our sinnes and therefore we must take it as a scourge of God and if we cannot abide such a disorder wee striue not against mortall men but against the heauenly Iudge So wee see in effect that wee be bounde too honour such as are in anie publike authoritie And why Bycause they bee not aduaunced by haphazarde but it is God that hathe ordeyned them according as it is written that there is no power but it proceedeth from him And if wee see anie disorder in it wee must wyte it vppon our sinnes and therewithall forsomuch as God hath stablished the sayde order namely that Princes and Superiours shoulde bee obeyed and that we should be subiect vnto them it must be obserued and kept among vs Notwithstanding whereas it is sayde in the lawe Thou shalt not speake euill of the Prince of thy people it is not ment that men should allowe the euill wheresoeuer it bee for ought the dignitie of a man that is but a woorme of the earth too ouerthrowe the righteousnesse of God Ought not this sentence rather too haue his course namely that cursed are they that call euill good But whereas God hath forbidden priuate persons too rayle vppon their rulers it is too make vs too liue in peace and without trouble and too yeelde some reuerence too the seate of Iustice For if that were not there shoulde no more bee anie common weale among vs but wee shoulde become worse than wilde beastes Yee see then whervntoo God had an eye Besides this wee knowe that when God sent his Prophetes it was not to giue Kings and Princes power too doo euill and no man shoulde shewe them their sinnes but rather it is sayde Thou shalte rebuke the Mountaynes that is too say the highest states And I haue purposely set thee ouer Realmes and Kingdomes sayeth God to his Prophetes to the ende that all glorie should bee cast downe too shewe that the woorde cannot bee preached as it ought too bee except the preachers rebuke the faultes of such as defyle and vnhallowe the holie seate of God by abusing the swoorde that is put intoo their hande Then if there bee euill and wicked gouernours they must bee sharpely rebuked according to their deseruings And this was not sayde for the Prophetes onely but Saint Paule declareth that wee also ought to obserue the like in preaching of the Gospell that is too witte wee must pull downe all loftinesse that lifteth vp it selfe against our Lord Iesus Christ Those then that will needes bee spared and haue their vyces vntouched bycause they bee in some authoritie muste goe coyne a newe Gospell of whiche number are the kings in oure dayes which will needes bee called annoynted and holy and yet cannot abyde to haue their sores touched by any meanes but woulde haue libertie too peruert all things and no man too bee so bolde as to open his lippes against them But wee neede not too go so farre as too kings and princes euen those that after a manner are nothing at all if they come too anie small degree thinke themselues to bee as petigods and will needes bee honoured though they bee laughed too scorne of the worlde for their labour Albeeit that men see there is nothing in them as in these newe promoted rascalles yet notwithstanding they treade all good warnings vnder foote vnder colour that they bee a little aduaunced Therefore they muste bee faine too marke this lesson that is giuen them on the contrarie part whiche is that forasmuche as that softinesse of theyrs aduaunceth it selfe agaynste God bycause it stoupeth not too the great king our Lorde Iesus Christ it is for vs in that cace too vse the freedome that God hath giuen vs Thus yee see that the meane too obserue this doctrine of not rayling or speaking euill of kings and princes is that wee muste as muche as in vs is reuerence the seate of iustice bycause it serueth too procure the peace and welfare of men and too auoyde troubles and seditions and yet notwithstanding that suche as doo amisse must bee rebuked for all their highe state and dignitie For Gods aduauncing of them is not to the intent they shoulde doo euill and confounde all honestie but rather too holde the brydle and too restreyne all things from confusion Nowe then if wee muste for Gods sake and in respect of him yeeld suche reuerence too those that are of equall state with vs sauing that God hath set them in the seate of preferment as too bee subiect too them what shall wee doo when wee come too his soueraine Maiestie For men of what degree of authoritie soeuer they bee whether they bee kings princes or gouernours fayle not too bee wicked except God holde them backe by his holy spirite But the cace standeth otherwyse with god For hee hath euermore had soueraine dominion ouer all the worlde hee was not ordeyned by wicked practyses hee was not set in heauen by Alehouse knightes nor by I wote not what Outlawes nor yet by fauour and brybing of folke neyther was he chosen by wicked mens voyces that they might say hee will beare vs oute wee shall haue libertie too doo what wee list No no God came not too his kingdome by suche meanes neyther is hee come too it by heritage and succession after the manner of men nor by chaunce But inasmuche as hee is the euerlasting God therefore is hee also bothe King and Iudge of the worlde Seeing hee is so who dareth nowe open his mouthe too checke agaynst him VVee feare a king it is well done hee is too bee feared Also wee stande in awe of oure gouernours and good reason it is that wee shoulde doo so seeing that God hath honoured them But what is the whole worlde in comparison of him that holdeth all things in hys hande And hee needeth not too lay open his hande too holde the worlde but althoughe hee shette it yet as it is sayde in the Prophete Esay hee will holde both kings and gouernours and all the whole multitude of men as one little graine of dust And seeing it is so dare wee lift vppe oure selues agaynste him VVhat a boldenesse is that Therefore there needeth none other euidence too condemne suche as chafe and sette themselues agaynst God than the reuerence whiche they beare too men Suche as spewe oute their iniuries after that sort when God handleth them not after their owne lyking and murmure saying I cannot tell what God meeneth by it is it meete that hee shoulde plague

citye where my name is called vpon 812. a 52. 29. 17. God will sende vppon them that feare him not the sword the famine and the pestilence and will make them lyke vile figges that cannot be eaten 812. b 37. 31. 33. I will write my law in the hart of Israell 225. a 14. 32. 18. God sheweth mercy vnto thousandes and recompenseth the iniquitie of the fathers into the bosome of their children 381. a 50. 513. a 25. 33. The wicked hath tourned vnto me the backe and not the face 410. a 18. 48. 11. Moab hath ben at rest from his youth and hee hath settled on his lees and hath not bene powred from vessell to vessell for his taste remained in him his scent is not chaunged 720. b 28. 51. 40. I will leade them like lambes to the slaughter and lyke rammes and goates 690. a 14. Lam entations 2. 19. A Rise crie in the night in the beginning of the watches 119. b 24. 3. 29. I will put my mouth in the dust 252. b 23. 4. 21. Reioyce and be gladde O daughter Edom that dwellest in the land of Hus 2. b 43. Ezekiell 1. 2 THe Angels couered themselues with their winges 420. b 53. 3. 8. 9. I haue made thy forhead harde against their foreheades and haue made thy face as the Adamant which is harder than the flint 627. a 41. 14. 14. If Noe Daniell and Iob were found among the people that ought too perishe they should saue but their owne soules and that the rest of the people should bee ouerthrowne 572. b 43. 450. a 52. 2. b 28. 19. I will send the pestilence vpon this lande and poure out my wrath vpon it in bloude to destroy out of it man and beaste 572. b 40. 20. Though Noe Daniell and Iob were in the middest of this citie they shoulde delyuer neyther sonne nor daughter but they only should be deliuered 450. a 52. 16. 4. In thy Natiuitie on the day when thou wast borne thy nauell was not cut thou wast nor washed in water too purge thee thou wast not salted with salt nor swadled in cloutes 97. b 58. 8. I passed by thee and looked vpon thee and beholde thy time was as the time of loue and I spread the skirtes of my garmente ouer thee and couered thy filthynesse and I entered intoo couenaunt with thee and thou becamest myne 596. b 58. 25. Thou haste opened thy feete too euerie one that passed by and multiplyed thy whoredome 473. a 10. 49. The iniquitie of Sodome was fulnesse of breade and aboundance of idlenesse 567. b 11. 18. 20. The same soule that sinneth shall dye the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father 381 a 54. 417. b 37. 21. 22. If the wicked repent he shall liue and not dye 649. a 4. 20. 11. Man obseruing the iudgementes of God shall liue in them 575. b 19. 23. 34. Thou shalte euen drinke it and wring it out to the dregges and thou shalte breake the sherdes therof and teare thyne owne brests 691. a 22. 34. 4. The weake haue yee not strengthened the sicke haue yee not healed neyther haue yee bound vppe the broken nor brought agayne that which was driuen awaye neyther haue yee sought that which was lost but with crueltie and with rigor haue ye ruled them 553. a 13. 631. a 3. 18. Seemeth it a small thing vntoo you too haue eaten vppe the good pasture but yee must treade downe with your feete the residue of your pasture and to haue drunk of the deepe waters but yee muste trouble the residue with your feeâ—e 631. a 1. 36. 26. A newe heart will I giue too Israell and I will take awaye the stonie heart out of their bodie and I will giue them a hart of flesh 225. a 14. 25. I will poure cleane water vpon you 275. a 13. 37. 12. Behold my people I will open your graues and cause you to come vp out of your sepulchers 69. a 3. 321. b 57. 699. a 33. 13. I will bring you vppe out of you sepulchers 321. b 57. 9. The winde blewe in the bones and they returned too life 562. a 21. Daniell 2. 37. O King thou arte King of Kinges for the God of heauen hathe giuen thee a kingdome power and strength and glorie 246. a 20. 38. And in all places where the children of men dwell the beasts of the fielde and the foules of the heauen hath he gyuen into thine hand and hath made thee ruler ouer them all 246. a 20. 4. 19. It is thou O King that arte greate and mightie for thy greatnesse is growne and reacheth vntoo heauen and thy dominion too the endes of the earthe 246. a 20. 7. 10. A thousande thousandes ministred vntoo him and ten thousande thousandes stoode before him 149. a 59. 176. a 49. 473. b 4. 9. 5. VVee haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue doone wickedly yea wee haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes 655 b 20. 11. 7. O Lorde tightuousnesse belongeth vntoo thee and vntoo vs open shame as appeereth this daye vntoo euerie manne of Iudah and too the Inhabitaunts of Ierusalem yea vntoo all Israell both neere and farre of bycause of their offences that they haue comitted against thee 675. a 10. Oseaâ— 2. 18. AND in that daye will I make a couenaunte for them with the wilde beastes and with the foules of heauen and with that that creepeth vppon the earthe and I will breake the bowe and the sword and the battle out of the earth and will make them to sleepe safely 111. a 5. 23. I will saye too them that were not my people Thou art my people And they shall say thou arte my God. 651. b 35. 6. 2. The Lorde shall rayse you vp the third day 465. b 14. 8. 9. Israell is as a wylde Asse which is alone by him selfe 781. a 60. 10. 8. The wicked shall say too the mountaines couer vs. 411. a 17. 519. a 53. 644. b 37. 11. 3. I ledde Ephraim as if one should beare them in his armes 444 b 4. 12. 1. Ephraim is ledde with the wind 159. a 18. 3. Iacob tooke his brother by the heele in the wombe and by his strength he had power with GOD. 52. b 52. 13. 15. The wynde of the Lorde shall come vppe from the wildernesse and shall drye vppe his veyne and shall spoyle the treasure of all pleasant vessels 386. a 42. Ioell 2. 12. TVrne you vntoo mee with all your hearte in fasting weeping and mourning 323. b 60. 13. Rente your heartes and not your clothes and turne to the Lord your God. 50. b 31. 325. a 8. 15. Sanctifie a fast 325. a 25. 16. Gather the people sanctifie the Congregations gather the elders assemble the children and those that sucke the breastes 325. a 23. 28. The dayes shall come that I will poure out my spirite vpon all flesh 295. a 24. 32. VVho so euer shall call on the name of the Lorde shall bee

vs our debts as we forgiue our debters 598. b 29. 33. Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his rightuousnesse and all these thinges shall be ministred vnto you 72. b 57. 7. 2. VVith what measure yee meete it shall be measured to you againe 328. b 34. 7. Seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you 684. b 20. 703. b 47. 11. If yee then which are euill can giue too your children good gyftes howe much more shall your father whiche is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him 177. b 3. 12. VVhat so euer yee woulde that men should doe too you euen so do ye to them 20. a 31. 19. Euerie tree that bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire 161. b 35. 10. 16. I sende you as sheepe in the middest of wolues be ye therefore wise as Serpentes and Innocent as Doues 98. a 35. 29. A Sparrowe falleth not on the grounde without the will of GOD. 438. a 47. 402. b 30. 30. The haires of our heade are all numbred 402. b 30. 11. 11. Hee that is leaste in the kingdome of heauen is greater than Iohn Baptist 552 b 5. 25. God hideth his secretes from the wise and menne of vnderstanding and reueleth them vnto babes 662. a 29. 753. b 22. 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and loden and I will ease you 139. b 28. 428 b 42. 553. b 8 717. a 35. 12. 31. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 319. b 5. 13. 14. By hearing ye shall heare and shall not vnderstand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceyuer 810. b 15. 22 Riches are called by Iesus Christ thornes 6. b 35. 24. The kingdome of heauen is likened too a man that sowed good seede in his fielde 426. a 2. 52. The kingdome of heauen is like too a husbande manne which bringeth foorth out of his treasure thinges both newe and olde 460. b 58. 15. 13. Euerie plante which my heauenly father hathe not planted shall be rooted vp 161. b 40. 16. 3. O hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie and can ye not discerne the signes of the times 551 a 29. 19. VVhat so euer thou shalte bynde vpon earth shall bee bounde in heauen and what so euer thou shalt lose on earth shall bee losed in heauen 645. b 36. 647. a 57. 648. a 55. 18. 7. VVo bee too that man by whome the offence commeth 58. a 16. 10. In heauen the Angelles of little ones beholde alwayes the face of my father which is in heauen 16. a 61. 18. VVhat so euer yee â—inde on earth shall bee bounde in heauen 648. a 55. 19. There shall bee two in one flesh 363. b 34. 23. A riche manne shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen 7. a 38. 21. 33. A householder planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen and after sent too gather the fruites 426. a 2. 44. VVho so euer shall fall on this stone he shall bee broken 421. a 22. 22. 33. 39. Thou shalte loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe 319. b 5. 23. 8 There is one onely which is our maister too wit Christe 130. b 60. 12. VVhosoeuer will exalte him selfe shall be brought lowe 421. a 36 481 a 34. 796. b 53. 23. The principall Articles of the lawe are iudgement mercie and fidelitie 124. b 24. 24. 24. There shall arise false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe greate signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceyue the verie electe 244. a 2. 28. VVhere so euer a deade carkasis thether will the Eagles resort 787. b 56. 25. 32. Christe shall separate the one from the other as the sheepeheard separateth the shepe from the goates 423. b 53. 40. That which yee haue done too the leaste of my brethren yee haue doone it too mee 42â— a 10. 26. 24. VVo bee too Iudas by whome the sonne of man is betrayed it had beene good for that man if hee had neuer beene borne 58. a 16. 27. Drinke ye all 693. a 5. 37. Iesus beganne too waxe sorrowfull and greeuously troubled 55. b 32. 27. 5. Iudas after hauing cast the Siluer peeces into the Temple went and hanged him selfe â—01 a 60 689. b 10. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee 57. b 49. 177. a 58. 357 b 10. 51. The vayle of the Temple was rent in twaine 227. b 25. 28. 18. All power is gyuen me in heauen and in earth 279. a 37. 333. b 53. Marc. 1. 12. 13. IMmediately the spirite driueth Iesus intoo the wildernesse and hee was there fortie dayes and was tempted of the Diuell 31. a 13. 577. b 42. 4. 12. The enemies of the truth see in seeing and discerne nor and in hearing they heare â—â— care and vnderstand not 810. b 15. 21. Is the candle light to bee put vnder a bushell or vnder the table 373 b â—3 630. a 18. 24. VVe shall be measured with the like measure as wee meete to others 328. b 34. 12. A certain man planted a vine yard and compassed it with a hedge and digged a pit for the vvine presse 426. a 2. 41. A poore widowe cast into the treasurie two mites 588. a 3. 13. 20. Excepte the Lorde had shortned those dayes no flesh shuld be saued but for the electes sake hee hath shortned them 638. b 5. 14. 23. The Lord gaue them the cup and they dranke al of it 693. a 5 15. 34. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 357. b 10. 15. 16. Go ye into all the vvorlde and preach yee the Gospell to euerie creature 220. b 35. Luke 1. 6. ZAcharie and his wife Elizabeth were both iust before God walking in all the coÌ„maundementes and ordinaunces of the Lord without reproofe 205. a 35 9. Seeke and ye shall finde 703. b 43. 53. The almightie hath filled the hungrie with good thinges and the riche he hath sent emptie away 79. a 5. 10. 11. Feare not for beholde I bring you tidings of great ioy that is that vnto you is borne this day in the citie of Dauid a sauiour Iesus Christ 650. b 3. 4. 23. Iesus was led by the spirite into the wildernesse and was there tempted of the Deuill fortie dayes 31. a 13. 577. b 43. 4. Man shall not liue by breade onely but by euery worde of God. 347. a 55. 18. The spirite of the Lorde is vpon me bicause hee hath annoynted me that I should preach the Gospel to the poore 645. b 58. 58. Go from me Lord for I am a sinfull man. 281. b 14. 6. 25. VVo be to you that nowe laugh for ye shall vvayle and weepe 165. a 15. 376. b 8. 509. b 58. 567. b 49. 27. Loue your enemies 597. a 20 598. a 14. 28. Pray for them that hurt you 598. a 14. 31. As ye would that men should do vnto you so doe ye to them likevvise 319 b 4. 35. God

respect For the robbers had caryed away his goodes and cattell lightning from heauen had burnt vp a greate part of them and a greate tempest of wynde had ouerthrowen the house where hys children were and they were slayne vnder it Although his enemies had come and caryed away his cattel and that in the end they had broken into his house vpon his children all this had not bin so hard and strange a matter as when it is sayd that the lightning fel from heauen that a mightie boystous wind had killed his childreÌ„ For in that cace Iob was prouoked too say what a thing is this Men are agaynst mee and God hath made himselfe mine enemie For from whence commeth this lightning of the ayre From whence come these hideous windes It is sayd that the windes are Gods messengers to execute his commaundements as though they were Heraulds It is sayd that the fire of heauen is as it were a signe of his presence Iob therfore might haue concluded thus I see how God warreth against me on the one side and men on the other and there is neyther heauen nor earth with me but all is agaynst mee Alas whither may I goe Herevpon hee might haue bin altogither plunged in dispayre VVee see then that when the temptations are so diuers we be much more troubled And experience also sheweth so as euery man may feele it in him selfe For if we be tormented but after one sort yea though the same bee euen too the vttermoste yet doo wee still conceyue some hope But when one man persecuteth vs on the one syde and an other ryseth vp agaynst vs on another syde and the nuÌ„ber of our enemies encreaseth so as we be layd at on all sides it seemeth that god is against vs too then can we no loÌ„ger holde out and we quite quayle as they say like poore soules that be past all hope Nowe when we see that this befell vnto Iob let vs marke it well that we may take profit by it assuring our selues that God wyll also throughly trye our say the and constancie by diuers temptations VVhen men trouble vs or doo vs any harme it seemeth to vs that God doth vs wrong if hee auenge vs not incontinently so as we woulde haue euen heauen to bend it selfe agaynst our enimies to reuenge the iniurie that they haue done vs and we consider not a whit howe it is God that tryeth vs in that wise and that hee knoweth what is profitable and expedient for vs better than we our selues By the waye a manne might demaunde heere howe it happened that fyre came downe from heauen too burne vp Iobs cattell For the diuell hath not the lightning and tempests in his power wee graunt him no such soueraintie as to haue dominion in the ayre to rayse whirlewynds and tempests at his pleasure The answere herevnto is easie howbeit that this matter shall be handled more fully in the next sermon Neuerthelater let vs mark that although the windes be Gods heraulds to execute his will and that the lightning haue like nature yet the Diuell woorketh by them when God vseth his seruice as hath bin declared heretofore Then let vs think it not strange that God should giue the diuell such a libertie as to be able to rayse vp lightnings whirlewindes and tempestes For hee is not able to doo it as often and as much as hee himselfe listeth but God serueth his owne turne by him as it pleaseth himselfe Thus yee see the question assoyled so as yee neede not to maruell that the diuell hath raysed vp suche a tempest and rage of foule weather as too beate downe a house or that hee hath styrred vp the lightning of heauen that is too witte so farre foorth as God permitted him specially seeing God directed him too exercise the fayth and pacience of his seruaunt And heerewithall on the other syde wee haue also too marke that Iobs pacience was so muche the more vertuous and commendable in that hee fell from suche heighte and in that hee seemed too bee so well fensed and yet notwithstanding ceassed not too blisse God euen when hee was vtterly forlorne This I saye is woorthie of singular commendation for wee knowe that suche as are in prosperitie forgette themselues I saye not onely that the worldlings and suche as thinke not at all vpon God but also that the faythfull whiche haue walked in the feare of God all theyr life long yea and euen they that keepe still in the same mynde are ouerseene when they haue all things at will so as they forget themselues and knowe not themselues any more Lette vs marke what happened to Ezechias Although hee were wholly gyuen to serue God and too doo his owne duetie yet notwithstanding when hee sawe himselfe aduaunced aboue ordinarie hee sent no more for the Prophete Esaye nor medled any more with seeking councell at Gods hande but did all things after his owne fansie and magnifyed himselfe soo muche that hee prouoked Gods displeasure in the turning of a hande for shewing his ryches vaingloriously in so muche that the hande of God was fayne to fall verye roughlye vpon him bycause of his follye and ouerweening wherewith hee was caryed awaye And this is hee that Dauid meeneth when he sayeth I sayde in my abundance or prosperitie I shall neuer bee remoued Dauid knewe well howe hee had bin aduaunced by God and hee neuer darkened his grace but rather his minde was that it mighte bee had in remembraunce too the worldes ende that God had drawne him vp from the dung of the cattell and settled him in the state of the kingdome Hee magnifyed this his will was that this shuld be spoken of after his death he vaunted not himself of his nobilitie he chalenged nothing to himselfe And yet for all that when God had stablished him in his kingdom so as he saw himselfe in rest hee began to aduaunce himselfe and sayde hee had brought all things to such a point as hee shoulde neuer bee more remoued But Dauid sheweth what we bee when we bee at our ease namely that we bee sotted in the sayde folly as it seemeth vnto vs that God will neuer change our estate when we be in our pleasures and iolities Lo what we haue to marke here namely that there was a wonderfull streÌ„gth of mind in Iob considering how he resisteth the said temptation so sodein and so great and not only one temptatioÌ„ but as many as came vpon him altogither at one blow and yet we see how hee outstoode them A little afore he had bin in such prosperitie as it might seeme that all men had fauoured hym there was not that man that dydde not magnifye hym Too bee short Satan himselfe sayeth it shoulde seeme that God hilde him in his lappe Hee is in thy hande sayeth Satan and thou preseruest him in suche wise as it should seeme thou makest a cockney of him Herewithall wee seehowe hee is handled in the turning

pleasure Lo here wherin pacience sheweth it selfe But there is nothing better nor more behouefull than too looke vpon the glasse that is sette before vs here VVee haue seene that Iob might haue bin ouerwhelmed with the report of so manye euill tydings But it is sayd that he rose vp and rent his clothes and polled his heade and caste himselfe vpon the grounde to humble himselfe afore god Here wee see first of all that such as are pacient are sure of some griefe so as they feele great sorrowe and anguish of hart for were we as a block of wood or as a stone it were no vertue at all in vs Is that man worthy too be praysed which hath no feeling at all of his aduersitie VVee see sometimes a poore mad-man laugh and scorne the whole worlde yea euen when he is at deathes doore but that is bicause he hath no feeling of his miserie This therefore deserueth not to be taken and esteemed for a vertue for it is rather a blockishnesse The brute beasts haue sometime no feeling yet are they not pacient for all that So then let vs marke that this worde Pacient or Pacientnesse betokeneth not that meÌ„ shoulde become blockishe so as they should haue no heauinesse at all nor be combered with any griefe when they feele aduersities but the vertue is when they can moderate themselues and holde suche a measure as they cease not to glorifie God in the middest of all theyr miseryes nor bee so ouercombred and swallowed vp with sorrowe and anguishe as to quaile altogither but fight against their owne passions vntill they maye bee able too frame themselues too the good will of God and too conclude as Iob doth here and finally to say that he is righteous in all respects And now let vs see what wee haue to marke here where it is saide that Iob rent his garmente and shore hys head for such fashions were customable in the East countries according as we knowe that there were mo ceremonies in those countryes than are in these colde countries where we dwell For when there happened any thing that might moue men to great trouble they rent theyr garments in token of sorrowe Marke this for a speciall poynt And lykewise in that countrey where men were wont to weare long heads they polled themselues when they mourned like as on the contrary part where men vse to poll their heades they let their heare growe when they make any sorrowe Therefore Iobs rending of hys garment and his polling of his heade are tokens of the heauinesse that he conceyueth here For it is certaine that he did it not vpon any hypocrisie as oftentimes they that meane to counterfeit do disguise themselues too the ende that men should thinke them too bee in great heauinesse when they ceasse not to laugh in their hearts Iob vsed no such hypocrisie Let vs assure our selues then that when he tare his garment and shore his heade he was full of extreme anguish and sorrowe and that when hee cast himselfe to the grounde the same was another lyke recorde thereof But it seemeth that Iob gaue brydle too his heauinesse which were a fault to be condemned For we know that men are wont to be but too excessiue and inordinate in their passions For though they restreine and represse theÌ„selues as much as they can yet ceasse they not to passe measure and there is nothing more hard than to moderate a mans selfe in such wise as wee may keepe rule and compasse we see that men cannot make mery excepte they be ouer mery Sorrowe and heauinesse is a passion yet farre more headdie carying men awaye wyth farre greater force than gladnesse doth And therefore we haue cause to stande vpon our guard as oftentimes and as long as God shall sende vs any aduersitie For it is the thing wherein we are wont to ouershoote our selues most And here it is sayde that Iob rent his garment It seemeth hee ment to pricke himselfe forwarde to bee more sorrowfull than he was for the man that beholdeth himselfe so defaced is astonished at himselfe And afterward wheÌ„ he came to his eare a man might saye hee had as it were soughte helpes to sharpen and increace his griefe and that it was as much as to strike the spurres into his owne sides And this as I haue sayde may seeme woorthie to be condemned But first we must vnderstand that the scripture purposeth here to expresse that the sorrowe of this holy man was so great and so vehement as he was not able to staye himselfe from vsing the ordinarie fashions yea euen to the tearing of hys garments to shew that he felt such anguishe as had wounded him euen too the bottome of hys hart This is it that the scripture ment to expresse But by the way although men ought to stande vpon their guarde that they be not swallowed vp of sorrowe when they bee afflicted yet notwithstanding when God sendeth vs aduersitie it is meete that we shoulde thinke vpon it For the common fashion of putting awaye all griefe is starke naught and yet for all that wee see howe men haue falne into it insomuch that when they haue ment to haue pacience they haue quenched the consideration of theyr missehaps thrust them farre off and chased them quite away and to be short haue labored to be so brutish as they might not know nor discerne any thing at all But cleane contrarywise when God scourgeth vs it is not to giue vs blowes on the head with a beetle to the ende wee shoulde be astonished and cast in a swound but his mind is to induce vs to thinke vpon our miseries as how For besides that we ought to call our sinnes to remembrance and too craue pardon for them and to bee so much the warer afterwarde to walke as it becommeth vs we are instructed also what our life is to the ende we should not haue an ouerliking of it nor be puffed vp with vanitie or presumption as we be but rather acknowledge the bond which we stand bound in to our God for vsing vs so gently as to cary vs as it were in his lappe and finally that forasmuch as we see he hath a care of our life wee shoulde looke a great way afore vs that is to say keepe on our way still too the euerlasting kingdom wher as is our true ioy and rest VVe see then that God ceasseth not too bee mercifull vnto vs when he sendeth any affliction vnto vs For he doth it to the ende that by trying what is in vs we also might knowe what our estate is Moreouer it is good and profitable that the faythfull when God afflicteth them shoulde enforce themselues to thinke who am I what am I and wherefore am I thus afflicted I say it is meete for them to think vpon all these things For we see how Iob could rend hys garments and sheare his head without offending of god Not that he intended thereby to cast

could they inioy it for euer if God should not coÌ„tinue the sayd grace which he hath put into them And like as wee speake of lyfe so must wee speake of righteousnesse also The Aungels are not stedfast further foorth than God holdeth them vp by his haÌ„d Rightly are they called Principalities powers but that is bicause God executeth his power by them and guideth them To bee shorte the Angels haue nothing in theÌ„selues whereof to make their boast For all the power and stedfastnesse which they haue they holde it of God and are so much the more indetted to him for it As touching that which followeth namely that God findeth or putteth for the Hebrew worde importeth that God putteth follie or vanitie it implyeth not that the vanity which is in the Angelles commeth of God but the meening of it is that hee putteth it to them or chargeth them with it by his iudgement that is to say that as a iudge he giueth sentence that there is folly vanitie that is to say that there is faultinesse in the Angelles yea that they could not stande before him if he would deale rigorously with them Verily this seemeth straunge to suche as are not exercised in the holy scripture But if wee wiste what the righteousnesse of God is wee should not marueyle that the Angels themselues are found to be faultie if he should coÌ„pare them with himselfe For we must alwayes come back to this poynt that the good things that are in all creatures are small in estimation of that whiche is in God which is vtterly infinite Therefore we must alwaies put a difference betweene the one the other VVe see the Angels haue wonderfull power vertues specially in respect of vs for notwithstanding that the Angels abide in the degree of creatures yet may wee well glorifie theÌ„ But when we come to God the greatnesse of him muste swallowe vp all the reste in likewise as wee see howe the SuÌ„ne darkneth all the Starres of the Skie And what is the Sunne He is a planet as well as the rest and yet neuerthelesse bicause God hath graunted that creature to haue more brightnesse than the other Starres all of them must needes he ouershadowed so as no Starre caÌ„ be pereeyued when the Sunne hath his full power And what will bee done theÌ„ wheÌ„ God himselfe coÌ„meth foorth As the Prophet Esay sayth there shall be neither Sunne nor Moone any more but the brightnesse of God shall be suche as it shall be seene knowne ouer all VVhen Esay speaketh of Gods kingdome he sheweth that all things muste bee done away nothing be glorified but onely god Seeing it is so let vs referre it also to that which is spoken here that is to wit that God findeth lacke in his Angelles although they bee his seruantes And yet this is no let but that the seruice which the Angels do vnto God is perfect according to the perfection that can be in creatures likewise as in that respect when in praying wee desire God that his will may be done on earth as it is in heauen wee witnesse that there is no vntowardnesse in the obedience which the Angels yeeld vnto him but that he reigneth in theÌ„ after such a peaceable maner as they be wholly conformable to his will. But we must alwaies beare in minde that which I haue touched that as long as we go no further but to the degree state of creatures there shall be a perfection in the Angels verily such perfectioÌ„ as may be in creatures But come we once vnto God the sayd perfection is as it were swallowed vp like as the Starres appeere not any any more when the Sunne giues his light Furthermore it behoueth vs to marke well how S. Paule sayeth that Iesus Christ is come to gather togither the things that are in heauen and earth And therby he sheweth that the Angelles haue their stedfastnesse in the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ forsomuch as hee is the mediator betwene God and his creatures True it is that Iesus Christ redemed not the Angels for they needed not to be raunsomed froÌ„ death whervnto they were not yet falne but yet was he their mediator And how so to the intent to ioyne theÌ„ vnto God in al perfectioÌ„ afterward to mainteyne theÌ„ by his grace that they may bee preserued from falling Nowe seeing that God findeth faultinesse in his Angels that is to say that they haue no stedfastnesse in them further thaÌ„ they be mainteyned froÌ„ aboue what is to be thought of vs VVe must bee faine to come to that which Eliphas addeth Are meÌ„ of such glory yea or of such power as the Angels of heauen Let their cace be coÌ„sidered For how were we created we dwell in corruptible transitorie lodgings Brag wee as much as wee list yet is there nothing but vanitie in vs that is to say our bodies are but dust poulder and all muste go into corruption TheÌ„ seeing that wee dwell in houses of Clay will we be excellenter than those that dwell in the glorie of God and beholde his face alreadie The Angelles beeing not subiect to any of the chaunges turnings of this world dwell alreadie in the heauenly immortality And we find by experience that our lyfe is no better than a blast and we looke to be dispatched out of this worlde euery minute of an houre Sith the cace standeth so how commes it to passe that we presume so of our selues To be short there is no stedfastnesse in men which doth not slip and vanishe away by by TheÌ„ if the case staÌ„de betwene God and vs let vs learne to haue good regard to the one side that is to wit vnto god True it is that we vnderstaÌ„d not his mighty power as apperteineth but the Angels which are now much neerer to him thaÌ„ we be which behold his face haue no such perfection but that some fault may be found in them if hee list to examine them with rigor VVhat shall become of vs then if we consider our owne weaknesse what shal become of our vertues if we would coÌ„pare theÌ„ with the Angels which are so noble excelleÌ„t creatures Thus we see what we haue to remeÌ„ber in this senteÌ„ce For the residue caÌ„not be declared at this present Now let vs fall down before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him so to dispose vs to the receyuing of his worde as wee may not come to it heedlesly as the things that we heare may run in at the one care and out at the other but that wee may beare them away and imprint theÌ„ throughly in our harts to make vs chaunge our wicked affectioÌ„s to renounce our selues that being quite ridde of all vaine trust in our selues wee may desire nothing but to worship the greate God to yeeld him the prayse that he deserueth specially for the inestimable grace that he giueth vs in

their turne to prooue that meÌ„ ought to pray to the Sainctes that are departed that meÌ„ ought to flee to them for refuge Beholde say they it is saide that Iob should haue a respect to some one of the Sainctes that he should seeke to him if peradueÌ„ture he would answere him This is much to the purpose For is it sayd here that Iob went to seeke to the dead too make intercession for him vntoo God No but contrarily as I haue shewed heretofore the very truth of the matter is that he should not finde any of the Sainctes to bee of his company And why so For the Sainctes were alwayes of a meeke minde in their aduersities and God chastized them after such asort as he refrained his rigour so as the end was good happy And although they had for a time bene as it were shaken off at his hande in suche sort as it coulde not bee perceyued that he had any care of them yet notwithstaÌ„ding they referred theÌ„selues vnto him prayed alwaies vnto him assuring theÌ„selues they should neuer be vtterly forsaken of him nor disappointed of the saluation that he had promised them Lo here the intent of Eliphas So theÌ„ we see here that the Papistes are falsifyers haue manifestly corrupted the holye Scriptures Verelye they had nede to be borne withal in one behalfe I meene not in their beastlinesse but in that they had very greate neede to wreste and wring the holy Scripture too prooue theyr dreames They would make men beleeue that they ought to pray vnto Sainctes deceassed and yet the holy Scripture cyphereth not one word of it neither can a maÌ„ finde so muche as one sillable there for the good proofe of it But they will proue it and therefore they muste needes coÌ„founde all and white must be turned into blacke But in the meane while it behoueth vs to shunne all mennes inuentions whiche haue beene foolishly contriued without Gods warrant And wherefore For first of all men wander out of the right way of saluatioÌ„ wheÌ„ they folow their owne deuises and secondly it causeth the holy Scripture to be torne a peeces so as men corrupt it and turne it vpside downe Therefore let vs learne to mislyke whatsoeuer thing men haue forged of their owne braine and let vs holde vs to this simplicitie namely that we muste not couet to know ought sauing that which God hath declared to vs with his owne mouth And to conclude let vs marke well these two poyntes which we haue glaunced at alreadie that is to witte as often as we be scourged by Gods hande let vs marke well whither the faithful that haue gone before vs haue not beene in the like plight If we finde that God hath excercised them in many tribulations let vs coÌ„fort our selues when it commeth to our turne to follow them let vs be sure that God will not forsake vs at our neede no more than he forsooke them Furthermore when wee see that God doth scourge vs in these dayes as well generally as particularly and that we must be fayne to indure many torments troubles Let vs acknowledge our selues to bee well worthy of them considering the greate thankfulnesse that is to be seene in vs For whereas it hath pleased God too call vs vnto the knowledge of his Gospell and to haue vs yeelde a record that we be his children howe do we take any profite by this his grace Nay contrarywise it seemeth that there is in vs a delight to disanull it and to make it vnauayleable How is God serued honoured at our hands we ought too bee as yee woulde say little Angelles coÌ„sidering the light of the Gospell which God hath giuen vnto vs And yet wee see there is nothing but naughtinesse and hypocrisie in the moste parte of men VVee can good skill too make some protestation of oure fayth But lettea man examine our life and hee shall finde no conformitie to the Gospell but rather it seemeth that we haue coÌ„spired against God to withdraw our selues from him VVe see how they that haue some goodly outwarde shew become brutish and therefore let vs be sure that God visiteth vs with his whippes bycause of our sinnes Yet notwithstaÌ„ding let vs not ceasse to trust in him continually and to call vpon him praying him too burie our former faultes and to guide vs in such wise henceforth as it may serue to draw vs vnto himselfe And to the intent he may haue pitie vpon vs lette vs come vnto him with a lowly minde so as wee haue no peece of the enuie and hartburning in vs whereof mention is made heere assuring our selues that if wee haue it will but styrre vp and inflame Gods vengeance the more agaynste vs VVhen wee bee come too suche a sturdinesse it behooueth God also too rushe stoutely vpon vs as it is sayde in the eyghteenth Psalme VVith the frowarde thou wilt deale frowardely For if men will needes play the wilde beastes it is sayde that God will strike them both sidelings ouerthwart And therfore let vs beware of this fretting and chafing of such maner of repining and let vs rather acknowledge oure selues woorthy of an hundred thousande deathes were it not that God pityeth vs and succoureth vs of his infi ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ goodnesse And if wee doe thus let vs not doubt but God will performe that which hee hath promised vs that is too witte that after hee hath beaten vs howbeit with mens rods keeping such measure as we shall not be vtterly destroyed he will withdraw his hande againe and we shall feele him mercifull and fauourable in our Lorde Iesus Christ as in whome he hath set foorth the riches of his goodnesse and fatherly loue towardes vs. Then let vs humble our selues before the throne of his maiestie beseeching him to make vs perceyue our faults in suche sort as wee may become our owne iudge in preuenting his iugemeÌ„t to the intent that being so condeÌ„ned by our owne selues wee may desire nothing but to please him in all respects vntill he haue bereft vs of this mortall body deliuered vs froÌ„ the boÌ„dage of sin wherein we be as yet shut vp to take vs into his heauenly kingdom And so let â—s say Almighty God and heauenly father c. The eightenth Sermon which is the seconde vpon the fift Chapter 3 I haue seene the foole taking roote and immediately I haue cursed his house 4 His children shall bee farre from helpe they shall bee troden dovvne in the gate and no man shall deliuer them 5 The hungry shall eate vp his haruest and picke it out of the midst of the thornes and the thirstie shall drinke vp his riches 6 Miserie commeth not from out of the duste neyther dooth trouble grovve out of the earth 7 But man is borne to trauell and the sparkes flie vpvvarde WE haue seene heretofore what they win which repine against God and accuse him of cruelty passe their boundes into

maye bee prepared for vs they make a mocke at it saying O see how these fellowes turmoyle themselues in vayne but yet let vs not cease to make lustie cheere if we must needes come before God well then the tyme is woorth the monie Beholde the diuelish blasphemies whiche a man shall heare and although they passe not out of theyr mouthes yet are their harts full fraught with them To be short we see vngodlinesse too be so vnreasonable and outrageous in these dayes as it may well be sayde that men do make their reckening to prouoke God to anger Let vs lerne therfore on our side to walke in such singlehartednesse as God may not be compelled to lift vp hys hand to execute his dreadfull power wherof mention is made heere that is to wit that we perish not ne be ouertaken in our owne wylinesse Thus we see what we haue to mark in this sentence And consequently it is sayd that God delyuereth from the sworde and from the hande of them that are too myghtie and that hee whiche is afflicted shall haue hope hereafter and that the mouth of wickednesse shall bee stopped This is added further for the comfort of Gods children For what else is our state in this worlde than a tormenting with many greefs and a troubling with manye anguisshes and anoyances VVe are then in a continuall battell True it is that God spareth vs now and then as I haue sayd heretofore bycause he seeth how we are weake and that if he should gyue the bridle looce to Satan and his mates we should be deuoured at the first chop VVell then our Lord keepeth vs as it were brooded vnder hys wings and yet doth he suffer vs to be vexed and troubled and to haue many hartsores giuen vs And wherefore To the intent we should be prouoked to desire his help and also to the intent we should learne to take heede to ourselues that we be not surprised by Satan for there is no other cause of our decay but this negligence whiche is that we flee not vnto God in such wise as we bee prouoked to call vpon him Lo after what maner all of vs must be in this world that is to wit we must be afflicted And in very deede the word that signifieth Poore or oppressed in thys place signifyeth also well humbled or brought low And why so Bycause that pouertie is the true scholemistresse to bring men to meeldnesse that they may not be to highmynded in themselues nor haue the sayd ouer-hardinesse and spirituall drunkennesse too aduenture too farre But that they may walke according to their measure assuring themselues that if God did not succour them euerie minute of an houre they shoulde bee vtterly vndone Thus yee see I say how Gods children must bee fayne to bee beset rounde about with many afflictions in this world if they purpose to be partakers of Gods kingdome hereafter But we see little in this cace For rich meÌ„ are commonly puffed vp with statelinesse and so dazeled in their pompes and pleasures as it is a verye harde matter to make them humble True it is that whensoeuer it pleaseth God hee can saue the ryche and great ones as well as the poorest and moste despyzed But that is by brydling them and by laying such afflictions vpon them as they may bee poore I meane euen in the midst of their ryches and that they may know howe their state is miserable and thereby be constreined to seeke God and too hang wholly vpon him Thus yee see in what plight God setteth vs at the first But afterwarde it is sayde that hee plucketh vs backe from the sword and that he deliuereth vs from the throte and from the hand of him that is ouermightie At a woord it is not Gods will that his faithfull ones should be mainteined by ordinarie meanes nor that they should alwayes haue armies in a redinesse to reuenge themselues when they bee assayled by their enimies nor that they shoulde haue great fortifications nor that they should bee strongly alyed and such other things no they shal be vnprouided of all such geere as to the worldward or else if they haue them it shall not be to barre their enimies from beeing to strong and to mightie for them so as they should not bee able to stande againste them by that meanes VVee see then that wee must not bee mainteined by worldly meanes But whensoeuer we bee hemmed in by such as are myghtier than wee which seeke nothyng else but to ouerwhelme vs if we be rescowed from them it is to the end we should know how it is God that defeÌ„deth vs and which preserueth vs vnder his protection that wee bee as it were brooded vnder his wings in such sort as he suffereth not the wicked to worke their malice vpon vs as they fayne would and as they be readie to do were it not that they be letted from aboue Thus yee see what we haue to marke And in deede wee see a sufficient cleere mirrour of it in these dayes For howe goeth the worlde with vs It seemeth that Gods enimies who are starke mad at his Churche shoulde eate vs vp wyth one grayne of Salte as the prouerb sayth If a man make comparison of power alas what power is there on our syde VVee are as one little flocke of sheepe and they are not only one heard of woolues but as an infinite number of woolues The whole world is full of such as could fynd in their hearts to eate the verie bowels of vs And they are not satisfyed with putting of vs to single death but there is suche crueltie among them as a man may well perceiue it to be altogither hellish Seing then that the power is so great I meane of them whiche seeke nothing but to destroye vs and to make cleane riddance of vs and yet neuerthelesse that wee continue styll for all that they can do if it be our chaunce to liue but one day yet is it wel seene thereby that God executeth his office whiche is spoken of here that is to wit that he deliuereth him that is oppressed out of the hand of him that is ouermightie VVe see then howe we ought to be the better confirmed to trust in God that as he hath begonne so hee will continue to the ende and that if his poore Church be threatened or conspyred against so as shee seemeth to be alredy as good as half oppressed yet notwithstanding he both can and will remedie all things And why so for he hath sayde it and he hath not forgotten his cunning he knoweth the meanes howebeit that they be vnknown vnto vs Therefore let vs tarie his leysure paciently And in conclusion he sayth That there shal be hope for the afflicted for heereafter and the mouth of wickednesse shall bee stopped Here is declared vnto vs for what purpose al that we haue herd hitherto hath bin spoken that is to wit to the intent we should learn to

greatly bounde and indetted vnto him as it is impossible for vs to discharge our selues towardes hym Beholde after what sort hys name shall be honored Agayne the yeelding of our selues ouer to him and to his prouidence in our prayers is the very meane to obserue the spirituall Sabboth or rest Besides thys prayer importeth a confession of our fayth Also we not only desire God to vouchsafe to succour vs but also we yeeld him thankes for the benefites that we haue receyued at hys hand And so wee see that vnder our calling vpoÌ„ our God is coÌ„prehended whatsoeuer perteyneth to his honour But heereby we see that in Poperie the seruice of God hath not onely bene peruerted and marred but also as good as vtterly abolished True it is that men will easily say that they ought to pray vnto God but after what maner Before we come thyther say the Papistes we must runne and trotte from Sainct to Sainct the virgin Marie must be the mother of mercie and the treasurie of saluation euery Sainct muste haue his office thither must men haue their recourse there must they repose their trust God muste haue but a little sprinkling in somuch as he shall hardly be knowne in so great a number And wee must not in any wise begin at him for they beare themselues in hand that if they go not first to the Heesaincts and Sheesaincts God shaketh theÌ„ off Of Iesus Christ there is no speaking nor of seeking vnto him as too the mediator that hee shoulde make our way too God his father of all thys geere they haue no skill what it meeneth Seeing then that the principall poynt which perteineth to Gods honor is not obserued there let vs assure our selues that it is eueÌ„ so with all the rest that are inferiour And therefore let vs thanke our good God for drawing vs out of these horrible dungeons and for shewing vs that it is he to whome we must hold our selues whom we must call vpoÌ„ as our father that we take heede to keepe the way wherby he sheweth vs to come vnto him namely by assuring our selues that hys seate is not terrible vnto vs to make vs shunne it but rather amiable for vs to come vnto in asmuch as our lord Iesus Christ reacheth vs his hand and that his office is to make intercession for vs and that God also hath opened vs the gate desiring nothing of vs from day to day but that we should come vnto him Lette vs I say acknowledge that the same is an inestimable benefite vnto vs therwithall let vs haue pitie vpon these blynde wretches whyche go astray after that manner in somuch that if it come to the poynt of calling vpon God they wote not at which end to begin And verely hereby it appereth that their state is most miserable For wherein lieth al the welfare of men wherein is al their happinesse but in that as I haue sayde they haue theyr recourse vnto God according as it is sayd that whosoeuer calleth vpoÌ„ the name of the Lord shal be safe But the cace standeth so with the wretched Papistes as they wote not what the calling vpoÌ„ God is Therefore it must be concluded that they muste needes be bereft of al hope of saluation and banished out of Gods kingdome seing they know not what it is to call vpon god And it appeereth for they come not to it but with doubting trembling and therewithall they haue a thousand windlasses before they come at God bycause they haue not Iesus Christ to their guide and foreleader So then let vs marke wel this streyne wherein mention is made of stretching out our handes vnto god VVhy so For in asmuch as we cannot stye vp into heaueÌ„ by reason of our infirmities it behoueth vs to haue some signe that may serue to make outward protestatioÌ„ of the inwarde secrete doing Ye see our hartes cannot be seene â–ª of me But if we pray vnfainedly our hart lifteth it selfe vp aloft that is as much as if we came before God to lay foorth all that euer we haue within vs This doing I say is inuisible Neuerthelesse by holding vp our hands vnto God we declare that it is he to whom we haue all our refuge Thus we see why Prayer is betokened by the signe of it in the holy scripture not that the same signe is the whole or the principall poynt of prayer For the Hypocrites can skil wel ynough to stretch out both their hands their armes too and it seemeth that all that euer is in theÌ„ were burning fire yet for al that there is nothing but falshod in them and they do but mocke with god Therefore it behoueth that this signe be true the scripture also presupposeth it to be so And here ye see also why it is sayde that our Heart must be disposed If Zophar had sayde no more but stretch out thy handes vnto God men myght haue alledged that God is contented when they come to him but with Ceremonies But when as he sayth that afore all things our heart must be sound so as there be no wrything nor crokeduesse in it it is as much to say as the same must be layd as a fouÌ„dacion whervpon to build And hereby we see that the lifting vp of our hands vnto heaueÌ„ is nothing vnles our hart go before it so as the haÌ„ds may be a true recorde of that which is in the man and of that which God himselfe knoweth to be there For as concerning the residue of our life peraduenture men will regard vs and we may haue some regard of theÌ„ But verely that must not be for desire of any prayse for if we desire to be allowed of creatures we receiue our wages as sayth our Lord Iesus Christ Yet notwithstanding let men see vs in all the rest of our life but when we pray vnto God euery man must retire shrinke into himselfe that he may acknowledge behold I am before God behold I am at the throne of his maiestie and so of all the doings of our life prayer must he remoued furthest off from hypocrisie vntruth But in the mean while this is very ill put in vre For let a man marke howe the hypocrites in the Papacie play mockeholiday with God there shal be store of liplabour and that is the thing wherein they bewraye themselues most Though there be hypocrisie in all their other things yet is there most of al in the praiers of the Papists And on our side would God there were the like consideratioÌ„ as I haue spokeÌ„ of that is to say that euery of vs retired into himself when he coÌ„meth to praying vnto God that we were as it were locked vp in that behalf so as we had no respect at all of the world TheÌ„ should there be another maner of perfectnesse in our prayers than there is those that haue no feare of god durst not be so bold as to call vpon

mouth For God hath set hys sustenance in the labour of his hands If I do him wrong it is as much as if I sucked the bloud out of him whome God hath coÌ„mended vnto me and whome I am bound to releeue Yee see then how euery man ought to haue an eye to his estate and I haue alleaged examples to the end that euery one of vs should lay it forth by peecemeale that according as any of vs haue too deale with our neybours we should behaue our selues in such wise as wee might giue no man occasion to complayne of vs and furthermore also that euery man should haue an eye to hys owne household For before God it is not ynough for a faithful man to forbeare euildoing directly himselfe but also he will haue al croked wayes to be farre from vs and specially that we haue a care to gouerne our houses that God may be honored both of the childreÌ„ and of the husband and of the wife and of the master of the meÌ„seruants and of the mayd seruants And would God that this were thought vpon better than it is For where the heads of a house go astray and haue no feare of God nor religioÌ„ in them there it is to be seene that al goeth to wrecke and that the children also do no honour to their father mother for they become not better but before they can haue any discretion ye shall see them rooted in naughtinesse and the men and maydens shal be full of corruptioÌ„ True it is that maysters and mistresses can tel wel ynough how to finde fault when their seruants commit any lewd prankes or filche any thing from them or serue them not as they would haue them but in the meane while if God be offended a thousand wayes it makes no matter that shal be let slip So much the more therfore behoueth it vs to marke well that which I haue saide namely that we must not thinke to content God by being carefull to serue him all onely in our owne persones but wee must also haue an eye to those whome we haue charge of that we keepe away euill in any wise assuring our selues that if we consent vntoo it wee must bee wrapped in the same damnation that the wicked are But if we be so diligent as to take heede to it let vs not doubt but our God will regard vs with mercie and be neere at hande to vs wyth all blissing and grace according as is promised heere Verily we haue yet one poynt more to marke which is that Gods fauour will not shewe it selfe alwayes at the firste brunt The promises that are conteyned heere are taken out of the Lawe or at leastwise are of the same effect For as I haue tolde you wee knowe not in what tyme this booke was written But howsoeuer the cace stande we see that the spirite of God spake to them For ye see heere a doctrine which is conformable to that whiche is conteyned in the lawe of Moyses where our Lorde promiseth to blisse those that serue him and to dwell among them and to make them perceyue howe auayleable hys presence is that is to witte that their life shall be happie by it But lette vs beare in minde that which I haue touched that is to wit that God maketh vs not to feele hys fauour at the first push Therefore whereas it is sayd that such as walke in the feare of God shal be blissed and hee will make them to prosper it is not ment that God visiteth not his seruants in such wise as he seemeth to bee alienated quite from them and that although they call vpoÌ„ him they must be faine to linger in paine so as they wote not where they be but that to their seeming God hath vtterly forsaken them Then must we bee fayne to walke in this world through many afflictions notwithstanding that wee serue god But heerewithall we haue a double comfort which is that on the one side it is certayne that although our hart tende vnto God yet notwithstanding forasmuch as it is not with such zele as it ought nother do we serue him with such affection as we be bound too do therefore we must bee faine to suffer punishment and correction of our sinnes but yet by that meanes God maketh vs to consider our owne wants that wee mighte humble our selues fall to amendment and returne vnto him when we haue bin exercised after that sort with the troubles that hee sendeth Lo heere one great comforte The other is that we bee made like vnto our Lord Iesus Christe that like as hee is entred into the kingdome of heauen by tribulation and death euen so we that are hys members do now beare his markes in being troubled in this worlde to the end that he may cause vs to come too the glory of his resurrection VVe see then that all oure aduersities are turned to our welfare And heerewithall we ought also to comfore our selues in this that oure God will not put vs to further triall than he knoweth is meete and behofefull for vs and that although wee must be faine to endure many wants and miseries and that our state seeme to bee the wretcheddest in the worlde yet will not God ceasse to make vs feele continuallye that hee is neere vs and hathe not forsaken vs but watcheth alwayes ouer vs and will defende vs too the ende if wee seeke it is at hande and indeuoure to serue and honoure hym so it be with a pure and right meening mynde vtterly voyde of all hypocrisie as I haue declared alreadie But let vs cast our selues downe before our good God and father with acknowledgement of oure faultes and sinnes praying him to bring vs backe vnto himselfe and that for as much as he seeth such an vntowardnesse in our nature that all oure thoughtes and all our affections are bent to euill so as there is nothing in all oure intentes but vanitie and leasing it may please him to reforme vs in such wise as wee may become newe ceatures and that wee knowing our selues to bee destitute of all goodnesse maye seeke in his fauoure for all that belongeth to oure saluation yea and to our bodyly life I say that wee maye seeke it in him according as it is his office to giue bountifully vnto vs specially in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and that being gouerned by his spirite wee maye call vppon him as oure father and therewithall bee ioyned and knitte togither in one true brotherly affection so as wee maye declare thereby that wee bee his children and that wee growe more and more in true vnion and charitie vntill that beeing receyued into the heauenly heritage wee maye enioy the true vnion whiche is begonne alreadie in vs That it maye please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The .xlv. Sermon which is the first vpon the twelfth Chapter IOb ansvvered

in it Besides this if men haue had theÌ„ in estimation God maketh theÌ„ despised insomuch as it is sayde that be poureth out reproch vppon them Heere are three things â–ª wherof two are visible in mainteyning of princes the third is secret The two visible things are Force and wisdom ye see a king reigneth wheÌ„ce hath he that authoritie If he be wise or if he haue skilfull counsellers so as things be well guided and that they aduise him in hys affayres and lay for them aforehand beholde that is one meane The other is when a king hath men and greate furniture of warre is well alyed and hath strong holds in his countrie Thus ye see the two things that we perceiue to be the standards of the kingdomes Principalities and states of this world that is to wit Force and wisdome But God ouerthroweth their force so becommeth it nothing worth And he will take away the wisdome of those that be of great forecast ye shal see them all so daunted as they haue lesse wit than little children There is a third thing which is secret to the world which is that God imprinteth a certain maiestie in Princes so as they be honored and it is not knowne why according as it is sayde in Daniel that when God minded to stablish the great Empire of Chaldie he put a feare and terror of it into al creatures Looke vpon Balsasar and looke vpon Nabuchadnesar who were kings God magnified them in such wise as the birds of the ayre stoode in feare and awe of them And wherof came such a conceyt euen of that that God had printed his image in them Considering the pride that is in all men let not vs think that kingdomes could stand stedfast except God mainteyned them by the meanes aforesayd Euery man would be a Lord and no maÌ„ would beare the yoke There is such statelinesse in the nature of all men as euery man esteemes himselfe worthie to be a king How commeth it to passe theÌ„ that men suffer a smal number or some one alone to reigne ouer them but bycause it is Gods wil that that order should be among meÌ„ And now it is sayde that God will poure out contempt and reproch vpon those that haue bin noble and whom men haue reuerenced so as God will make them a laughing stocke insomuch that men shall flout them and make none account of them VVhy so Bicause it belongeth to him to set vp and to pull downe Therfore let vs marke well the three things that are spoken of here Do the Princes of this world trust in their munitions and fortresses in their people and reuenewes and in all that can be had to mainteyne them O it is sayd that God will cut their bandes asunder abate their forces and vnbuckle their girdle So then it is in vaine for princes to think that they shall continue euer bicause they bee well stored fenced and furnished with all things at their hartes desire For as soone as God shall but blowe vpon them nothing shall auaile theÌ„ If Princes trust in their wisedome it shall happen to them likewise And we see also how the Prophets mocke at the vaine ouerweening that was in the vnbeleeuers and enemies of god VVhere are the sage counsellers of Pharao Hath not Egypt had the renoume vntill now in such sort that if there were any greate policie in the worlde it was there And behold they be dulled bereft of discretion and howe are they vanished away in that wise who would haue thought it It is God that hath done it sayeth the prophet Esay So then let those that be the great ones of the worlde learne to humble theÌ„selues let them not bee caried away with this fonde ouer weening as though they were able to mainteyne theÌ„selues by their own wisdome and strength for wee see that all that geere is but smoke before god But if the great men of the world caÌ„not yeelde themselues therevnto nor herken to this doctrine at leastwise let their example serue for our instruction let vs thinke vpon it and be it knowne vnto vs that God hath shewed vs no small fauour in that hee setteth Kings and Princes vpoÌ„ the scaffold to teach vs to the end that euery of vs should humble himselfe and walke aduisedly knowing that God gouerneth all things and that he disposeth of his creatures at his owne pleasure Then shall Princes be blinded but in their persones God giueth vs a profitable instructioÌ„ if the fault be not in our selues The little ones therfore must vnderstaÌ„d that it is a singular fauour that God sheweth them when he teacheth theÌ„ so in his schoole and in the meane while leaueth those a far off that are highliest aduaunced in the world Herewithal also let vs marke well that if God do so chaunge the states of Princes and abate the force of those that seeme to be so puissant and strong as al things quake vnder theÌ„ what shal become of such as are nothing in coÌ„parison of them Let vs go boast of our owne greatnesse and strength Looke vpon these great Kings and Monarkes that haue Lorded ouer al men how God hath coÌ„fouÌ„ded them in the twinkling of an eye and I pray you what shall become of these glorious fellowes that haue nothing in comparison when vnder colour of I wote not what they thinke themselues to be maruelous men beare theÌ„selues in hand that they ought to flie aboue the clowds bicause they haue but one peece of a finger vpon other men and yet are but as Idols theÌ„selues God needeth not in that cace to vtter any great iudgemeÌ„t worthie of remeÌ„brance for their foolishnes is a laughingstocke euen to little children And thinke we then that God leaueth such ouerweening pryde vnpunished seeing it stinketh so in the sight of the world that it cannot bee abidden moreouer hath no ground nor colour And as for vs that are priuate persones let vs be well ware that we set not vp our bristles For it is Gods peculiar office to daunt the proude and to resist them And the more they labour and striue to aduaunce themselues so much the rougher must Gods hande be to coÌ„found them Therefore let vs bee afrayde to lift vp our selues agaynst God for his hande is ouerheauie if wee come against it Furthermore as I haue touched alreadie wee muste vnderstand that men must not glorie in their owne skil and wisdome For we see what is sayd here of Iudges CouÌ„sellers Kings God to mainteyne common weales which is a holy thing in this world bestoweth of his spirit vpon those that are not worthie of it Kings or their CouÌ„sellers or such as haue charge too gouerne the people may haue some wisedome howbeeit not of themselues but for so much as God setteth them in that state it is requisite for them to haue some peculiar thing whiche is not of their owne nature And God doth this

fall too chawing vpon the bitte in hatching so lewde opinions which are cleane contrarie to fayth it is all one as if men should fall to deuifing of their state wyth their enemies that come too besiege theyr Citie For if they giue eare to them and allowe their counsell it is the destruction of the whole towne They will not set opeÌ„ their gates to them but it is all one as if they did Euen so is it with those that snarle themselues in their owne lewde opinions which Satan putteth in theyr heades for if they abyde by them the ende will be the leading of them too destruction VVhat is to bee done then Let vs followe the experience that is shewed vs heere by Iob. Verely hee was assaulted daungerously when he doubted whether he should euer rize again or no seing that God had brought him so low And if hee had continued in that minde too the ende what a thing had it beene But after hee had beene so assayled he cutteth off the matter out of hande No sayth he I will tarie the day of my chaunge howe so euer I speede Lo what we haue to do namely too conclude according to Gods truth Also when we conceyue any lewd imaginations that may turne vs from the fayth and from the way of saluation wee must by and by come backe and take holde of some sentence of the scripture and when we see our selues fenced with Gods truth the conclusion must be that wee will not dispute about it seeing that God hath spoken it Thus ye see the souerein remedie that wee haue to beate backe Satan in this behalfe that is to wit when he goeth about to turne vs aside from the fayth and from obeying of Gods worde Furthermore when Iob fayth that be will tarie for his chaunge that worde deserueth to be weyed throughly Verely he speaketh of the resurrection and therefore meeneth that we must be wholly renued so as the corruption whiche is in vs by reason of Adams sin be vtterly done away and God receyue vs into the immortalitie of his kingdom Lo here the chaunge whereof Iob speaketh And the same is also the thing that we must haue an eie vnto For without the resurrection wee cannot comfort our selues neyther wil al that euer man can alledge be sufficient to cheere vs VVee see also that the holy scripture directeth the faythfull thither when it purposeth too content them and too giue them assured and settled rest Be ye sure say the seruants of God that wee bee called to bee partakers of the heauenly glorie which God hath promised too those that are his and therefore be ye glad of it Howbeeit for the better assurance of this last chaunge wee must consider the chaunges that God maketh at this day â–ª euen during the course of this life howe God maketh many alterations in vs whereby he giueth vs alreadie some taste of the last chaunge As for example VVe be in some trouble well we be as it were shet vp there VVhen wee looke for the ende of it wee see none there is no remedie it is past recouerie and we be forlorne and sodenly God hath such pitie vpon vs as we be deliuered out of hand See ye not a chaunge that ought too lead vs further forth which is too vnderstande that there is a muche perfecter deliuerance than all these are which wee perceyue at this day particularly Then let vs learne to acquaint our selues well with the chaunges that God maketh dayly that wee may bee lifted vp a high and by that meanes be quiet till the time that we be renued in the kingdome of heauen Also heere yee see after what maner Dauid hath spoken For when he speaketh of the chaunges of Gods hand whether it be in rescuing men out of trouble or in casting them into it that saying is of great weight though it seeme not so For men haue alwayes this fonde opinion concerning fortune too say See what ill fortune is befalne mee or see what good fortune is happened mee No they bee the chaunges of Gods hande and to that poynt must wee alwayes bee brought Howbeeit among all the chaunges that are made in the worlde the liuelyest Image of the last renewment is Gods quickning of vs by his holye spirite and his inlightning of vs by fayth and his making of vs newe creatures in oure Lorde Iesus Christ as the scripture speaketh Let vs consider what the birth of men is True it is that when wee come intoo this worlde wee bring some remnant of Gods Image wherein Adam was created howbeeit the same Image is so disfygured as we bee full of vnrightuousnesse and there is nothing but blindnesse and ignorance in our minde Yee see then what the state of men is at their byrth But God inlightneth vs by his holy spirite yea euen in suche wise as wee be able to beholde him so farrefoorth as is expedient for the transforming of vs intoo his glorie and for the reforming of vs by his holy spirite Therefore when God shall haue so chaunged vs as wee feele him dwelling in vs and by meanes thereof wee fight agaynst our wicked lustes and whereas other men doo ordinarily delight in their vices and as it were bathe themselues in them we seeke the cleane contrarie so as what euill soeuer is in vs the same mislikes vs and we mourne for it and therewithall follow the good and be altogither desirous to giue our selues ouer to the seruing of God Is not that a woonderfull chaunge For such maner of dooings will neuer spring out of our selues VVhen wee taste of Gods goodnesse so as we be sure of his fatherly loue towardes vs and specially haue the certentie of our saluation to call vpon him as our father See yee not a chaunge that is able to shewe howe mightifull Gods hand is For men of their owne nature can neuer open their mouthes to call vppon God in truth True it is that they may well haue some ceremonies as the Heathen folke pray vntoo God and the Papistes also doo babble and make prayers that are long ynough but all this is nothing bicause they bee not assured in theyr prayers nor fully perswaded that God should bee their father Do wee then see that God is willing too heare vs Are wee desirous too serue him and to honour him It is euen as much as if he had chaunged vs and caste vs newe agayne in a mowlde and as though he had put vs newe againe to making For doubtlesse it is not for naught that the Scripture calleth vs new creatures in oure Lorde Iesus Christ And in other places where wee be sayde to be his workemanship bicause hee hath created vs to good woorkes Saint Paule meeneth not that God hath created vs onely to bee mortall men but also to the entent wee should do good workes Therfore when God dooth so chaunge his faythfull ones yee see a speciall woorke of his wherein he vttereth his power

that the VVoormes for although the woorde woormes bee not set downe in the Hebrewe text yet it is well seene that hee meeneth all vermine and corruption hauing eaten his skinne will also gnawe and fret away the rest of him and yet for all that he sayeth that hee trusteth too see God yea and too see him in his fleshe that is to say by beeing restored againe Yea sayth he I shall see him and none other notwithstanding that my kidneyes bee consumed in me that is to say that all my strength bee weakened and taken away It is a protestation woorthie to bee noted when Iob sayeth that hee will haue his looke fastened vpon God and none other yea euen though he be vtterly consumed â–ª As if he shoulde say he would not measure the hope that he had in God by that which he might see but euen when nothing appeereth yet will he not therefore ceasse too looke vntoo god As howe If a man finde himselfe forsaken of God so as he perceyue nothing but matter of despayre and death manace him on all sydes yea and is readie to swallow him vp and yet neuerthelesse he holdes his own still and is stedfast in fayth to say yet will I call vpon my God and I shall yet feele his helpe his mightinesse is ynough of it selfe too giue vs courage yea and that shall bee euen when I shall seeme to bee forlorne That is the man that ouerpasseth all worldly things The shewing of his fayth and hope whiche hee hath in God is not in the things that may bee seene and comprehended by naturall reason but it passeth out of the worlde according as it is sayde that wee must hope beyonde hope and that hope is of things that are hidden Nowe wee see Iobs meening True it is that hee speaketh not here expressely of the Resurrection But yet these woordes cannot bee expounded but it must bee peceyued that Iob ment to attribute such a power vnto God as is not to be seene as now in the common order of nature Therefore it is all one as if he had sayd that God wil haue vs to know him not onely while he doth vs good and while he preserueth and nurrisheth vs but also although he faile vs to our seeming and we see nothing but death before vs yet muste we be fully resolued that our Lorde will not leaue to bee our keeper and that if we be his we shall bee maynteyned by his protection Howbeit the better to profite ourselues by this sentence lette vs wey throughly what Iob sayeth Although that the remnant of me sayeth he bee eaten away vnder my skin yet shall I see my god This is more than to beleeue in God bycause he maketh the earth too bring foorth corne and wine as we see a number of brutish folke which haue none other tast or feeling that there is a God in heauen but for that hee feedeth them and filleth their bellies and if a man aske them whiche is that God they answere it is he that nurrisheth vs True it is that we ought to conceyue the goodnesse and power of our God in all the benefites that hee bestoweth vpon vs but yet must we not stay there for as I sayde wee muste mount by fayth aboue all things that can bee seene in the world And therfore lette vs not say I beleeue in God bycause he maynteyneth me bicause he gyueth me health and bicause he nurrisheth me but I beleue in God bicause he hath giuen me heeretofore some tast of his goodnesse and power in hauing a care of this body whiche is but rottennesse so as I see hee sheweth himselfe a father in that I haue a being through the power of his spirite I beleeue in him alone bicause he calleth me to heauen and hath not created me as an Oxe or an Asse to liue heere a little whyle but hath formed me after his owne image to the intent I shoulde hope for the inheritance of his kingdome and bee parttaker of the glory of his Sonne I beleeue that hee allureth me dayly thither to the intente I should not doubt but that when my body is layde in the graue and there consumed as it were to nothing yet notwithstanding it shal be restored agayne at the lastday and in the meane while my soule shall be in safe and sure keeping bycause that when I am dead God will haue it in his protection and then shall I behold much better than I do now the life that our Lorde Iesus Christe â–ª hath purchaced for vs by his bloud Thus ye see what our beleefe must be if it be well ruled And if we be once so well disposed wee may say with Iob well verely I see my body must go too decay looke what freshnesse soeuer was in it it diminisheth day by day and I neede not too go farre too seeke death For I see not so small an infirmitie in my fleshe but the same is to me a messenger of death but yet for al that I shall see my god If wee could speake so when wee see that our strength droupeth and vanisheth away by little and little that although it pleased God to smite vs in such wise as wee should in maner rotte aboue the grounde as Iob did for he sayeth that his skinne was wormeaten consumed and he was as good as dead and yet he protesteth that hee wyll not ceasse looking vntoo his God yet should wee not ceasse too trust in God still after the example of Iob. Thus ye see that the greatnesse of the afflictions that God sendeth vs shall not astonish vs so wee haue learned to know him to bee such a one towardes vs as he is indeede â–ª that is too say if we consider well to what end hee hathe created vs and still maynteyneth vs in the world Furthermore when Iob sayeth that hee shall see his redeemer in his flesh his meening is as I sayd afore that hee shall be restored to a new state though his skinne were so eaten as it was For he sayeth expresly that his bones shall bee consumed and nothing of him shall remayne whole and afterwarde hee addeth I shall set God in my flesh And how shall he see him in his flesh â–ª That is to say I shall bee set in my former state and see my God yet agayne And so he confesseth that God is able ynough too set him vp agayne although hee were vtterly consumed and plunged into a bottomlesse pit Thus yee see that the condicion wherevpon wee must trust in God is that when hee shall haue layde vs in our graues wee should assure our selues that he will reach vs his hand to lift vs out agayne Therfore let vs say I trust in God bycause I see he assisteth me and fayleth me not in any thing But when God fayleth vs and is as it were estraunged from vs let vs euen then say with Iob I shall see him in my fleshe as now I am nothing I

he hath punished periuries and outrages when mens pryde hath exceeded so farre as it coulde no longer be borne Now when we looke vpoÌ„ such things ought they not to serue our turne at this day also Then let vs remember well the lesson that is giuen vs heere namely that for somuch as God hath euer since the creation of the worlde from tyme to tyme giuen vs some warnings too shewe vs that hee is the iudge of the world we must learne too stande in awe of hym and to walke warely that the punishments which hee hath executed vpon the wicked may be lookingglasses for vs and brydles too restrayne vs But nowe lette vs returne too that hee sayeth that the highnesse of the wicked is but of short tyme. And why For although they were lifted vp to heauen or reached vp to the clowdes with their heads yet shuld they not continue but God would throw them downe out of hand Heere Iob continueth the matter that we sawe before that is to wit that God wil now and then suffer the wicked to be aduaunced and too florish but it shall not indure long Now had Sophar considered thys well he would no more haue stoode in contention wyth Iob but forasmuch as he taketh a generall sentence and applyeth it amisse he goeth ouerthwartly to worke Yet notwithstanding as I haue sayd this doctrine deserueth to bee receyued as comming from the holy Ghost and there is no more for vs to doo but too looke aduisedly vpon it and to apply it conueniently Therefore let vs go foreward with the matter It is a very troublous temptation to vs to see the wicked in prosperitie For we would fayne that God should shew himselfe as he is that is too wit that he cannot away with the wicked but throweth them downe bycause he hateth and abhorreth them If we our selues do amisse we would haue God to spare vs there is none of vs but he thinketh God to be ouerhastie in punishing vs VVhen we haue committed one sin two or three if God chastize vs we thinke it too soone wee cannot away with it But if another man haue done neuer so little a faulte we would haue God to thunder vpoÌ„ him out of hande Lo wherevnto hypocrisie leadeth vs But what is to be done on the contrary part VVe must bee contented too see the wicked triumph for a tyme in the worlde and too haue their full scope and too liue in ease and pleasure and not bee greeued at it no not although wee our selues bee in the meane whyle in aduersitie and trouble And why For by that meane God intendeth too trie our fayth If wee sawe things to bee suche as they shall bee in the ende as God sheweth vs theÌ„ by his word would we put any trust in him No. VVe would beleeue nothing til we saw it But when as we perceyue not the thing that God speaketh so soone as wee would and yet neuerthelesse continue still stedfast in hys word resting vpon that which hath proceeded out of hys mouth â–ª that is the thing wherein wee shew our selues too beleeue him And so let vs marke well that when God doth so lay the brydle vpon wicked and vngodly folkes neckes it is to trie whither we haue serued him purely and whither we haue paciently giuen him leaue too doo what he will without lifting vp of our selues against him Also there is yet more that God will haue vs too learne that our Paradise is not in this world But we would faine liue in pleasure and that God should dandle vs lyke little cockneyes That were not for our behoofe but cleane coÌ„trary For vnlesse God drew vs to him by afflictions wee would neuer by our good willes fleete out of this world we be as much intangled here as may be Therefore wee haue neede to bee drawen to the heauenly kingdome by many tribulations and that God shoulde inforce vs too come to him and yet therewithall also shewe vs that hee will roote out the wicked though they runne ryot neuer so much VVhen we see this wee shall haue no cause too beare them any grudge So then as I haue sayd already let vs learne to ouercome the sayd temptation when it is trumped in our way and if the wicked happen to bee aduaunced yea euen to reaching of the clowdes wyth theyr heads let vs vnderstand that we must not bee grieued at it as though God were asleepe or as though he regarded not the world ne had any care of it But contrariwise let vs assure our selues that Gods lifting of them vp is too strike them quite downe at one blow yea euen with a deadly fall For if their falling were but as they stand vppon their feete then might they well scape with the breaking of some bone But when God suffereth them too be hoysed vp so high he sendeth them downe to their vtter destruction Thus ye see to what intent Sophar sayeth that the loftinesse of the wicked is but for a short tyme. And nowe hee addeth that their ioy shall bee of â–ª no long continuance VVhereby he meeneth that the despyzers of God and al such as are tyed to the world do ouer ioy themselues in the present prosperitie and are vtterly drunken wyth it True it is that the children of God may well bee merie when they haue prosperitie like as wheÌ„ God sendeth vs wherewith to be fed and maynteyned when hee dealeth so with vs as we want nothing when he giueth vs health quietnesse and all other like things we may well be mery yea and we ought to bee so according as it is sayde in the law Thou shalt eate and drinke before thy God and bee mery But yet must not the faythfull settle their ioy vpon the present benefites nor hold themselues tyed only vnto them Yea rather if they want meate and drinke or bee troubled with sicknesse they must not therefore ceasse to trust in God but must learne S. Paules lesson whiche is to haue skill both to be poore and rich to indure hunger and scarcitie and also to haue abundance Thus ye see that the mirth of Gods children differeth greatly from the mirth of the vnbeleeuers and worldlings For these reioyce in the things that they hold in hande without looking any further and as for God or heauenly life they haue no care of them but besotte themselues in such sort that if they find ease they run ryot into extreeme loocenesse of lyfe Contrary wise when the faythfull are in prosperitie they are always led further that is to wit too the acknowledging of Gods goodnesse in that hee hath made them feele him more than a father towards theÌ„ And they know also that when he may seeme to haue forsaken theÌ„ then is he neerest them to succour them So then in thys sentence Sophar ment to shew that when the despizers of God and those that are giuen to do euill are aduaunced and fortune as they terme hir laugheth vpon

good whereas otherwise we shoulde take a beastly libertie which woulde draw vs to euill And againe God which giueth vs wisedome and discretion knoweth verye well what is good for vs and what is necessarie to staye vs to the ende that none of vs shoulde wander in his owne foolish fantasies but follow Gods plaine will whiche is the rule of all rightuousnesse and equitie So then will wee walke as it becommethâ—vâ— Let vs beginne at this end that is to say let vs draw neere vnto our god How shall we draw neere vnto him First let vs knowe that there is nothing hid from him that all things muste come to accompt before him and that hee muste be the iudge euen of our thoughtes also and thus much concerning the first Furthermore let vs know that God will iudge vs by his worde and that is not without a cause named a sharpe swoorde with two edges and that it muste examine the moste secrete thoughtes and that there is no maree within the bones nor any thing so secrete that shall not be examined by his worde Therfore when wee knowe this it will bee a meanes too make vs draw nere vnto God that we may alwayes haue him before our eyes and attempte nothing but vnder his obedience So then following that whiche is heere conteyned whereas they whiche like to bee ignorant in the wayes of God and shut their eyes at the light do thrust God from them as much as they can possibly let vs seeke to knowe theÌ„ And hereby we be taught howe we ought to esteeme the worde of god For our cheefest felicitie is that God draw neere vnto vs and we vnto him And how shall this be done and by what meanes It is done when hee on his parte commeth downe to vs deliuereth his worde vnto vs â–ª and doeth testifie vnto vs that hee will dwell amongst vs and when we receiue this worde it is as much as if we receiued God and did him homage to the ende that hee might raigne ouer vs Forasmuch then as God is present with vs by the meanes of his worde we see that there can no greater misfortune happeÌ„ vnto vs thaÌ„ when God suffreth vs to waÌ„der in our own faÌ„tasies without his guiding wheÌ„ we haue not the doctrine of saluatioÌ„ by the which he draweth vs vnto him And contrariwise the greatest most inestimable treasure that we haue is that god gouer neth vs that we be taught his wil that we haue a certaine testimony that he will receiue vs vnto himself as his people But this the world knoweth not therfore so much the more is this place wel to be noted of vs Furthermore let vs knowe that all they which are stubborne cannot bow their necks vnder Gods yoake do as much as thrust him farre from them Truth it is that they thinke themselues greatly iniured when men call theÌ„ mortall enimies to God say that they seeke nothing else but to thrust him out of all authoritie that they myghte more easilye treade him vnder foote Oh say they we meane no such thing yea but will they make the holy Ghostea lyar who hath playnely taught that all they whiche will not submit themselues to the doctrine of saluation fight against God to the vttermost of their power would banish him out of the world and cannot abide that he should raigne and enioy his authoritie you see what the holy Ghost sayeth of them Forasmuch then as the cace standeth so if we will not be guiltie of suche a sacrilege let vs learne to humble our selues and whensoeuer God sendeth his woorde amongst vs let vs tremble at it thereby declare that we seeke nothing else but to be preseÌ„t with our god alwayes to beholde him and to walke as they that know very wel that we must make an accompt of our whole life before him and that we can not escape his hands And moreouer let vs long for the presence of god For it is not ynoughe that we haue our eyes vpon God but we must desire to be alwaies in his sight vnder his guiding for sometime the most wicked will haue an eye vnto God but it shal be as the galey slaues doo who fall to rowing when they see themselues faste chayned and surelye beaten then they must needes do it but it is of force and constraint So the wicked when God speaketh do knowe that he is present there but if it lay in them they would destroy his Godheade which is against them they would also thrust God out of his kingdome or els they would flee from him as the holie Scripture reporteth of them that they shall say vnto the mountaines Couer vs You see how the wicked doo alwayes flee from the presence of God bycause it is terrible vnto them Nowe on our behalf as I haue sayde we must not onely knowe that he is neere vnto vs but we muste desire alwayes to be in his presence knowing that our state and condition is miserable when God doth not behold vs VVhether can we go but into destruction wheÌ„ God is not our safegarde For if wee thinke to saue oure selues where is our assuraÌ„ce what guides are we So then let vs learne to pray vnto our God that he neuer depart from vs whatsoeuer happen And that we may so do let vs pray him to make vs feele and taste the infinite goodnesse which is in him that through his inlightening of vs by his worde wee may knowe that hee is the iudge of the whole world and that wee muste render an accompt before him not only of all our doings as we haue saide but also of all our thoughtes Truth it is that by this only we cannot be drawen vnto him with our good willes VVhat must we do then we muste acknowledge him to bee our father as in dede he sheweth himselse so VVheÌ„ we know him so good and pitifull it is certaine that we will seeke boldely to come neere vnto him and when we become thither he wil desire nothing els but to coÌ„tinue there eueÌ„ to the end by no meanes in the world to swarue from him Thus much we haue to note out of this place namely that not only we should haue God before our eyes but that also we shoulde desire him to looke vpon vs and to guide vs Now after that Iob hath here shewed forth such blasphemie of the wicked and despizers of God hee addeth moreouer that they say what is the almightie that we should serue him and what profit shall wee get by praying vnto him Here Iob setteth out the pride that is in all the faithlesse wicked men And it is a place worthy to be noted for the holy scripture sheweth that the principal vice that is in all the wicked is this pride as contrariwise humilitie is the chiefest vertue that is in the faithful And why For if we haue this humilitie besides that thereby wee learne to be displeased with

then holde your beeing of mee and if you do me homage and know mee for your creator you will tremble vnder mee Nowe when he hath thus spoken hee sayeth farther I am thy God to shew that he is a father of his people and of all those whom he will instruct by his worde And this fatherhoode ought as I haue sayde to bring vs to a louing reuerence And then thirdly hee rehearseth the benefites by the which he had made his people bounden vnto him VVell nowe there are greater and more excellent benefites bestowed vpon vs for he hath not drawen vs from an earthly bondage but from the depth of hell and that not by Moyses but by our Lorde Iesus Christ Seeing it is so we see how wee be by all meanes bounden vnto him And therefore it is not meete that henceforth we shoulde be any more addicted to our selues but euery maÌ„ should bee readie wholly to dedicate himselfe too the seruice of god And concerning this that Iob addeth moreouer it is certaine if wee knowe what is taught vs in the holye Scripture we will not say any more what profite is there in praying vnto him Our Lorde might well say vnto vs serue mee do that which I commaunde you without setting forth vnto vs any hyre or reward for we are bounden vnto him as we are taught when you haue done all that shall bee commaunded you yet are you vnprofitable seruants that is to say God shall neuer bee in our dette but we are bounden to giue our selues wholly vnto him God mighte then simplie coÌ„maunde without adding any promisse and yet he doth apply himselfe vnto vs and seing wee coulde not bee brought to serue him vnlesse hee made vs some promisse when he sayeth serue me he addeth and I will bee your father I will bee the defender of your life I will ayde you in all your necessities And beside this he is not content with all these promises for in deede they should not auayle vs vnlesse he went farther which thing hee doth when hee sayeth I will forgiue you your sinnes I will receyue you to me in mercie I wil blot out all your iniquities and afterward I will vphold you and although you be frayle and serue mee not altogither as you ought too doo yet wyll I take well in woorth this halfe seruice that you doo mee for I am youre father I will not straightly examine your doings Thus many promises then doth God make vs to bind vs vnto him hereby it is seene that wee haue none excuse to say what profite is it to serue God for though wee flee from him yet can wee not bee without a mayster They that will walke at randon and as they say with the bridle let loose spite of their teethe they shall serue but it shall bee their owne lustes and the Diuell The heathen men coulde say that the moste miserable seruice and straightest bondage that is amongst men is to bee subiecte to their owne vices lothus haue the Heathen men themselues spoken of these diuelishe mistresses the lustes Is it not then more than shame for vs beeing taught by the woorde of God that we will be halfe Kings haue suche an vnbrideled libertie as there can be nothing more vnruly than euen to do what we list Now it is certaine as I haue sayde that wee coulde be in no more miserable and cursed bondage And beside that the Diuel hath the whole rule ouer vs so that wee can not escape his subiection when wee will bee exempted from rightuousnesse And this is it that S. Paule meaneth when hee sayeth in the. 6. to the Romanes you were freed onely from rightuousnesse Hee vseth this similitude of bondmen who in times paste were franchysed that they might bee no more subiect to their maisters but bee of a franke and free state and condition And so sayeth he when men had not Iesus Christ they were freed so as they had libertie too doo euill and were not subiecte too the rightuousnesse of God but what then were you therefore in true libertie Nay cleane contrary sayth he you serued sinne whiles you tooke no hold vppon the rightuousnesse of god And now in what cace are you he directeth his talke to the faithfull sayeth you are ashamed when you thinke vpon your life that is passed now you know that the Diuell had rule ouer you and that it was too youre ruine and destruction You are ashamed in your selues when you call too remembrance that you were so forsaken of God and wandred lyke brute beastes Such is the state and condition of all those that exempt themselues from the seruice of god On the contrarie part when we serue our God it is certaine that that seruice is more honorable thaÌ„ to enioy a kingdome as heere before hath bene declared God doth not call vs to the ende that we should bee in the state and condition of seruants but to take vs for his owne children Seeing then it is so wee see very well that it is no loste labour to gyue our selues to the seruice of God neyther must wee any more alledge and say what profit shall we get thereby seeing that our Lorde and maister doth tell vs that al oure blissednesse is too walke in his feare And contrariwise there can no greater misfortune happeÌ„ vnto vs than to exempt oure selues from his seruice Thus much then we haue to note Furthermore lette vs extende this same farther as Iob also doth for he meaneth that the wicked when they are in prosperitie gyue themselues too sporte and play and thinke that it is all one too liue well or ill and making a mocke at God thinke that he fauoreth theÌ„ if at the firste stroke hee do not throwe them downe And howe VVhen God spareth the wicked that passe theyr bounds in their wicked doings therevpon they become harde harted And why they thinke that all goeth well with them when they doo not perceyue Gods plagues they beginne to despise to rebell sayth Salomon you see then how the wicked thinke that there is no profit in seruing of God that it is much better for them to gyue themselues to euill when God at the first doth not execute his iudgements Now on the contrary part we must thus conclude in our selues as the prophet Esay speaketh of it say yee surely it shall go well with the rightuous Therefore when wee see a confusion of all things in this worlde and it seemeth vnto vs but a mockerie too serue God yet muste we still continue in this sure perswasion that our Lorde and mayster will disappoynte them that wayte vppon him and that they haue not bene led with a vayne hope in looking for a reward at his hand but that they may say with Dauid the Lorde is my reward as also he sayeth vnto Abraham Abraham walke before mee for I am thine exceeding greate rewarde Thus must we fight against this temptation which is very coÌ„mon namely that

execute that which hee hath determined in himselfe In the meane season also let vs put this doctrine in vre that is taught vs here coÌ„cerning the reseruation of benefites which God hath prepared for his faythfull For it is sayd that they are hidden Then if we will repose our trust in God and coÌ„fort our selues in that which he hath promised vs wee must ascende aboue the worlde and behold the things inuisible for whosoeuer shal stay himself vpon that which is manifest vnto him renounceth fayth and hope and to be short shetteth vp the gate of saluaton to himselfe Furthermore as I haue alreadie touched Iob shewed that the wicked shall well perceyue that all their case is nothing but vanitie and follie but he meaneth not that they feele it in deede nother that they bee touched with it for if ambicion did not blinde men and that they were not altogither dulheads it is certaine that assone as they perceyued theÌ„selues to be miserable in exalting theÌ„selues they would yeeld themselues obedient vnto God and not haue such confidence in this world How hapneth it then that the vnfaythfull exalt themselues and are at this day so mad in their arrogancie and presumption that they will not submit themselues to any equitie or reason but doe thinges in despite of God despising both him and his grace whence commeth such rage it is bicause they know not what is prepared for them in seeing they see nothing at al of it that is to say although God shew them many tokens of his wrath yet will they knowe nothing True it is in deede that they be punished and haue within them some prickings that torment them very much But how so euer it be yet are they not touched to the quicke that they might knowe their destruction that is at hande but are touched with the harme that might happen vnto theÌ„ according to the iudgemeÌ„t of the world For they are in deede in great perplexitie and say I muste prouide against such a danger whereinto I might fall You see then howe the case standeth with the wicked And it is a thing which we ought to note well for it is not ynough for vs to bee touched lightly with a puffe to make vs feele our frayltie that were but a small matter God doth in deede constrayne the wicked so farre and yet they are neuer the better for it for wee see them still obstinate what so euer befall them VVhat must wee doe then when we heare any mention made of the vanitie of this world and of the things of this presente life let vs knowe that although men take great paynes to aduance themselues yea and bring their enterprises to passe yet al this is nothing bycause that not onely they shall not enioy the riches which they haue heaped togither as they thought too haue doone but their successours also shall bee cursed in them and shall haue no ioy of them VVee maye not then fret at the prosperitie of the wicked for it is but frail and changeable and it cannot but turn to their curse and destruction Thus theÌ„ must this doctrin be put in vre And againe when God shall send vs prosperitie and plentie let vs knowe also that the same shall not continue for euer for wee must still come to this poynte namely that God will draw vs beyond this world Therefore let vs so consider the vanities that are heere beneath as it may not greeue vs when we see ourselues certaine and sure of nothing heere And why For if we desire to be rooted here beneath wee shall renouÌ„ce the kingdome of heauen But whosoeuer knoweth that our life is with God and that it shal be reueled vnto vs at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ it shall not greeue him to be tossed in this world and to see that there is nothing but chopping and chaunging nor any thing certain and sure and that therfore we must long for the heauenly life to the which God calleth and biddeth vs dayly by his worde yet in the meane season in the midst of all these worldly troubles things so disordered as we se let vs not be ignorant that God so guydeth and gouerneth the world by his prouidence as nothing is doone here beneath without his will. And although the reason thereof be not manifest vnto vs at the first yet for al that so it is Our dutie is then to be quiet and to tarie paciently vntill God shewe vs by experience that the end of the wicked shall be cursed and that the afflictions of the good men shal be turned to their saluatioÌ„ Howbeit whilest we waite till God shewe vs this same in effect let vs walk still vnder him quietly let vs not behaue our selues frowardly for any thing that happeneth vnto vs but let vs be redy to suffer affliction when it shal please him to lay it vpon vs and if he send vs prosperitie let it be a meanes to make vs to tast of his fatherly goodnesse to draw vs vnto him more and more Now let vs fal down before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes desiring him so to in lighten vs in this world not only by giuing vs that which he knoweth to bee good for vs but also by his worde that in the midst of the darknesse of al the afflictions which we haue to suffer we may not ceasse still to feele his goodnesse fauor and so to follow the way that he sheweth vs as we may neuer be turned therefrom for any thing that happeneth vnto vs And in the meane season also that our eyes be not blinded neyther with prosperitie nor with aduersitie nor with any thing what soeuer it bee but that wee may behold this glasse which he hath giuen vs that is to say his holie worde and that by the same wee may bee always guided vnto him to be transformed into his image vntill such time as he haue clensed vs from all our sinnes and haue vtterly abolished in vs all that commeth of our corrupt and sinfull fleshe to gather vs fully to himselfe that we may be partakers of his glorie which he hath prepared for vs in heauen That it may please him c. The .lxxxij. Sermon which is the fift vpon the .xxj. Chapter 22 VVho is he that vvil take vpoÌ„ him to teach God knovvledge vvho iudgeth the highest things â–ª 23 This man dieth in his full strength at his ease and quietly 24 His breasts or teates are full of milke and his bones flovv vvith Maree 25 And another dieth vvith great paine and neuer eateth vvith pleasure 26 They are laide both in the dust and the vvormes shall couer them 27 I am not ignorant of these things and hovv you go about to do me vvrong 28 For you say vvhere is the house of the Prince and vvhere is also the Tent of the vvicked 29 Aske them that go by the vvay for ye can not denie their

the things whereby he taketh no profite He requireth it as though hee were the better by it and declareth that we shall not leese oure labour thereby neither that it shal be a thing vnprofitable for vs This I say is the intent of our God when he incourageth vs to leade a good life Furthermore let vs knowe to what end this is spoken vntoo vs in this place for wee must keepe in remembrance this circumstance that I haue spoken of that is to wit that when we come to make our account before God we must forget al these foolish imaginations which we conceiue that we can bring him suche gayne as we should deserue ought at his hand Let al thys I say be throwne downe And why Hee is not as a creature that needeth the ayde and help of an other hee standeth in neede of nothing but is content with hymselfe Forasmuch then as our God is by no manner of meanes bounden vnto vs let vs learne too humble our selues before him and let vs be sorie for our sinnes yea euen so as we may bee vtterly ashamed of them and desire God too forgiue vs them But why should he forgiue vs them It is not for that I can saye hee knoweth that I haue indeuered my selfe too leade a good life and I haue done this thing and that For what is there that we can so alledge Surely nothing at all And therefore let vs forget all these delayes and acknowledge our selues guiltie for when wee haue vsed all these replyes yet can they not reache vntoo god VVhen wee haue to doo with mortall men and vse such flourishes to couer our faults withal yet are we maruelously ashamed if it happen that oure lie doo appeare VVhat shall then become of vs when wee come before our God And heerein we see how the Papists are deceyued For although they can not denye but that they be in daunger of Gods curse if he would vse any extremitie towards them yet will they alledge their satisfactions and therein play the marchants with God so that if they haue made default in one poynt they can make amends for it another away yea they haue their workes which they call works of sepererogation which God neuer commanded these serue too fill vp the holes when they haue committed any euill wherewith God doth vrge them VVell say they if we haue sinned heere is it that shall make amends for all yea if the matter were tried by the ballance yet would there be some ouerplus To this poynt are the Papists come that they thinke it a great absurditie that forgiuenesse of sinnes shuld be franke and free and that God should pardon vs of his meere goodnesse They will easily graunt it to be true concerning the trespas but concerning the punishmeÌ„t it perteyneth vnto vs to redeeme it VVheÌ„ men be caried away with such pride must we not say that they haue quite transformed God and that they know no more what maner a one he is So much the more must we note wel that which is conteined heere that is to wit that we shall easily persuade our selues that God is something profited by vs which is but meere folly and a vayne fancie And so when we shall haue conceyued how high he is let vs learne to acknowledge our faults with al humilitie and make no replye for we can lay nothing to his charge neither can we alledge vnto him that he hath receyued any thing at our hands nother that he is any thing boundeÌ„ vnto vs Thus much for one poynt Now it is sayd moreuer that God careth not whither we do well or ill or whither we walke vprightly or no. VVhen Eliphas speaketh thus he meneth not that God shetteth his eyes and that there is no difference of good and ill with him but hee meeneth that for himselfe he forceth not of it It is true that God as he is the fountayne of al iustice and right loueth equitie and if we lead an vpright life then become wee the Image of god For it is certeyne that we haue no goodnes in our selues But it is as we see the sun shineth heere beneath when he casteth foorth his beames The brightnesse that we see heere beneath commeth not from the earthe we see the brightnesse vpoÌ„ the houses and vpon the earth and yet it proceedeth not from thence but it is a brightnesse reflected as they call it which returneth agayne as the earth receyueth it it resteth then vpon the earth For when we behold our selues in a glasse the glasse hathe no face but the face of a man presenteth itselfe there and the glasse representeth it backe agayne So then when wee do well it is not of ourselues for there can nothing be drawen from vs but al filthinesse and beggerie as we are corrupted of nature but our Lord poureth his goodnesse rightuousnesse vpon vs Then if hee shew vs the fauor in regenerating vs by his holy spirit that we liue holily wee are as glasses in the whiche his image is as it were represented and this is a brightnesse whiche commeth from aboue but sheweth itself heere beneth Now for as much as god acknowledgeth al that is good to come of him this is the cause why he loueth that which is good as it is impossible that he should do otherwise seing that he is the welspring and fountaine thereof Otherwise he forceth not in respect of himselfe that is to say for his own profit or aduantage that he receyueth therby he careth not how meÌ„ do liue VVhen men do the worst they can shal they therby take away the rightuousnesse that is in God Can they diminish his maiesty can they abolish his glory honor can they shorten the bounds of his kingdom No they can not In this sense then is it sayd that God careth not what men do but concerning vs let vs coÌ„sider if it be not our felicitie to submit ourselues vnto him to yeeld our selues his obedient subiects And seing that he hauing no need of vs neither of our life nor works is yet so carefull that we should lead a godly life let vs hereby know the loue that he beareth vs as it hath alredy bin said that he doth voutsafe to ioyne vs vnto him and so to vnite vs that if we liue wel he sayth his kingdom is established if we liue yll he sayth he raigneth no more And how is that Can wee so hinder god that his soueraine dominioÌ„ shuld not remaine vnto him for euer No. And why theÌ„ doth he vse such maner of speach It is as I haue already sayd to declare vnto vs how he loueth vs as it is said in the eightenth Chapter of the Prouerbes where the wisedome of God is brought in saying that his pleasure and delight is to dwell among meÌ„ God speaketh thus to declare vnto vs that he wil not keepe his goodnesse shet vp and concealed in himself but wil poure it out amoÌ„gst vs that we may

good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them more and more that wee may bee sorie for them in such wise as we may desire nothing but to bee gouerned by his holie spirite and therewithall let vs beseech him humblie too vouchsafe to vse his infinite mercie towards vs in releasing the offences whereby we be bound before his iudgement and that we may so passe through the world as we may not be wedded to worldly things but stablished in fayth and hope vntill our Lorde haue called vs into his Kingdome where we shall fully see the things of which we know but a small portion as now and that in the meane while wee may bee strengthened against all the stumbling blockes of the worlde and neuer ceasse to giue glorie to oure God notwithstanding that ourfleshly reason comprehend not the huge depthes that are in his workes That it maye please him to graunt this grace not only to vs c. The Cj. Sermon which is the fift vpon the .xxvij. Chapter and the first vpon the .xxviij. Chapter 19 VVhen the rich man sleepeth hee shall not gather ought hee shall open his eyes and nothing shall be seene 20 Troubles shall come vpon him as vvater and a tempest shall carie him avvay by night 21 The East vvinde shall beare him avvay and hee shall be gone and it shall hurle out his place like avvhirle vvind 22 He shall rush in vpon him and not spare him he shall flee from his hande 23 Men shall clappe their handes togither against him and hisse at him out of their place The .xxviij. Chapter SIluer hath his spring and golde hath a place to grovve in 2 Iron is taken out of the earth and Brasse is molten out of the stone 3 God hath set an ende vnto darknesse and vnto all things that tende vnto end the bounds of darknesse and the shadovve of death 4 He ouerflovveth the riuer against the inhabiter the vvaters are forgotten of the foote and vvhen they haue risen aboue a man they sinke againe 5 Out of one selfe same earth commeth breade and vnder it there is a chaunge as it vvere fire 6 There is a place vvhere of the stones are Saphyres and the moulde is golde 7 No birde hath knovvne the vvay of it neither hath the eye of the kyte seene it 8 The Lions vvhelpes haue not vvalked there neyther hath the Lion passed by it 9 He layeth his hand vpon the rocke and turneth vp the mountaynes by the rootes ACcording to yesterdayes talke it is said heere that the riche man shall open his eyes and finde nothing VVhereby it is ment that the rich men shall be safe for a time and thinke that they shall neuer want any thing But in the end all shall bee hidden from them and there shall bee no more hope for them they shall awake and seeke succoure but not fynde it The summe is that although riche men sleepe in their wealth for a time bycause they thinke they shall neuer wante and haue their eyes blynded with ouerweening yet notwithstanding God doth afterwarde inforce them to seeke helpe without fynding it and then they perceyue that their trusting their riches was in vayne and so they are confounded This iudgement of God is dayly seene and therefore wee bee warned that althoughe God giue vs all that wee can wishe so as wee thinke wee shall neuer want wee must not fall asleepe in it knowing that our life is subiect to so many chaunges as you woulde wonder to see it Therefore let vs watch in calling vpon God let vs watch that wee rest not vpon the things that we haue in our owne handes let vs watch to knowe that we haue neede to be succored many ways and by that meane let vs learne to returne vnto God and to settle and ground our selues vpon his only prouidence and goodnesse This is the warning which wee ought to gather of this sentence But this is not seene alwayes Therefore as I sayde let vs learne not to make a general rule of it and although the rich men ouerflow in welth and haue a great trayne about them and euery man laboreth to doe them seruice And finally that they want nothing let vs not thinke that God hath giuen ouer his office but that hee reserueth too him selfe the iudgemente which he executeth vpon some to the ende wee shoulde not thinke but that hee is able too accomplishe it in this worlde if it pleased him Other men take this sentence somewhat otherwise that is to wit they referre this saying bee shall open his eyes or looke about not to the rich men but to all men And so the meening should be that men shall looke about them where those folke are become that liued in wealth and bare so great port in the worlde and not see them any more according as it is sayde in the seuen and thirtie Psalme I sawe him perking vp as a hie Ceder in Mount Lybanus and hee touched the clowdes with his heade But anon after I came backe by him and founde his place no more Yee see then howe God maketh the wicked to vanishe away in such wise that the remembrance of them is wyped out of the world and this sense will agree well to this text Furthermore there are othersome which vnderstande not this sentence neither of death nor of buriall as was expounded yesterday but as though it were sayde that when the wicked man layeth him downe to rest he shall finde none Yet notwithstanding the easiest interpretation is to saye that the wicked shall not scape but that God will shewe his iustice vpon them and as I haue sayde this commeth to passe howebeit not alwayes So then we must not euer seeke the execution of Gods iustice in this worlde for that were an euill principle and it would trouble vs as I haue declared afore if we saw not these things with our eyes which wee haue imagined vpon Then let vs vnderstande that our Lorde delayeth his iudgementes when hee thinketh good and maketh them not manifest to the world Nowe it is consequently sayde that fearefulnesse shall ouertake the wicked man as a rage of water He speaketh here of waters but hee meeneth that it is as a sodaine storme when a teÌ„pest or a whirle winde commeth by night As this iudgement of God is coÌ„mon so it is also notable that is to wit that God sendeth suche fearefulnesse vpon the wicked as they know not where to become and that the same coÌ„meth as a storme and as a tempest in the night whiche a man foresawe not ne yet tooke heede of This is spoken purposely bycause the wicked doe beare them selues in hande that God ought to let them alone in rest and yet notwithstanding though they be not troubled they can not be throughly in quiet bicause they haue an euill conscience but yet they behight them selues wonders And as it is sayde in the Prophets specially in Esay they make a

wretches and telleth vs that wee must not aduaunce our selues so high as too thynke to attaine to Gods secretes but that we must confesse our selues to be destitute of wit and reason Thus then ye see that the first lesson which we must learne when we come to Gods schoole is to become fooles as Sainct Paule sayeth Truly this seemeth straunge too vs but yet muste we passe that way so that if we intend to be taught at gods hand and that he should play the schoolemayster towards vs we must become fooles that is to saye wee must acknowledge that there is not so much as one drop of reason or vnderstanding in vs but that we be more destitute of it than the brute beastes are and haue lesse skill and discretion in vs than they haue And therfore let vs learne to humble ourselues to the end that God may reach vs his hande Sith the cace standeth so what must wee doo nowe Firste let vs vnderstande that too comprehende Gods secretes hee muste bee faine too giue vs his holy spirite and to inlighten oure darkenesse and forsomuch as wee bee so farre too seeke hee must shewe vs what is for vs to knowe and we must not presume to haue any knowledge other than he giueth vs Marke that for one poynt But wee must also consider further that when we haue receyued this heauenly light and gift of vnderstanding that commeth of the holy Ghoste we must also come to the holy scripture and not take vpon vs too search further of Gods woorkes and iudgements than is conteyned there Then let vs content our selues wyth the knowledge that God sheweth and teacheth vs and let vs haue the mildnesse to say well Lorde whensoeuer thou tellest vs what thou wilt haue vs too knowe let vs receyue it quietly And when thou goest no further let our minds stay also The two things therefore which we haue to marke for our owne behoofe in this doctrine are first not to thrust foorth our selues with fond presumption to know more than is permitted vs but too pray God to gouerne vs in that behalfe and to inlighten vs with his holy spirit and secondly to hold our selues to his word to suffer our selues to be taught by the same coueting too know nothing but that whiche is conteyned there according also as oure Lorde sheweth vs there whatsoeuer is meete and necessary for our welfare And nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying hym too make vs feele them better than wee haue done that in beholding his iudgements we may always be prouoked to walke the more in his feare and that when wee haue profited in sounde vnderstanding it may please hym to make vs go forwarde more and more so as wee maye not hereafter be wrapped in the vtter destruction whyche is prepared for the wicked that are hardened and stubborne against him but that by correcting our vices wee may preuent his iudgement and obteyne grace and mercy and that after he hath afflicted vs in this world he may giue vs the rest that hee hath promised too those whyche are his that is to witte that being deliuered from all the miseries whyche wee haue to indure in this worlde wee may bee gathered vp into his heauenly glory to be made partakers of all hys goodes and to be reformed to hys Image in true perfection That it may please hym too graunt this grace not only to vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The Cij Sermon which is the second vpon the .xxviij. Chapter 10 He cutteth the riuers in the Rockes and his eye seeth euery precious thing 11 He bindeth the Riuers that they ouerflovv not and bringeth to light the things that are hidden 12 But vvhere is vvisedome found and vvhere is the place of vnderstanding 13 Man knovveth not the value of it neither is it found in the land of the liuing 14 The depth sayeth it is not in me and the sea sayth it is not vvith me 15 The fine Gold shall not be giuen for it neyther shall Siluer bee vveyed for the exchaunge of it 16 It shall not bee valued vvith the vvedge of Golde nor vvith the precious Onix nor vvith the Saphyre 17 Gold and Christall shall not match it neyther shall it be exchaunged for plate of fine Gold. 18 There shall no mention bee made of Corall nor of Gabish VVisdome is more vvorth than Pearles 19 The Topas of Aethyop shall not be made equall vvith hir neyther shall she bee pryzed vvith the vvedge of cleane Gold. 20 VVhence then commeth vvisedome Or vvhere is the place of vnderstanding 21 It is hid from the eyes of all that liue yea and it is hid from the foules of the ayre 22 Destruction and death say vve haue heard the renoume of hir vvith our ears 23 God knovveth the vvay of vvisedome he can tell vvhere hir place is 24 He beholdeth the endes of the vvorlde and seeth all that is vnder heauen 25 It is he that hath vveyed the vvindes and measured the vvaters 26 VVhich hath set a lavv vpon the rayne and appoynted the vvay of the roring tempestes 27 Then did he see it and knovve it he dispozed and ordeyned it 28 And hath sayd vnto man the feare of the Lord is vvisdome and to eschue euil is vnderstanding IHaue declared alreadye what Iobs intent is here and what he meeneth by the worde VVisdome His intent is to shew that men are too farre ouerseene when they will comprehende all Gods secrets and be ignorant in nothing And that wee may knowe what the word VVisedome meeneth hee taketh it for the knowledge of all things and specially of those which God concealeth from vs till hee giue vs the full discouerie of the things which he dealeth to vs now by measure according as he knoweth to be for our profite And now as I haue sayd Iob sheweth heere that there are many secrete and darke things in nature and yet men attaine to theÌ„ yea and wee see some reason of them so farre foorth as oure Lord granteth vs For to that poynt must we always come backe Furthermore let vs marke well that the same is by measure and therewithal let vs vnderstand that oure reason vnderstanding extend no further than to the things heere bylowe and whiche concerne the present life But if we would mount vp to the kingdome of heauen seeke the things that perteyne to the euerlasting life there wee fayle and are vtterly blind And so ye see why it is demanded heere where wisedome shall be found It is not to bee found sayth he among men aliue or dead True it is that many may take vpon them too bee wise and also bragge that they carie wisedome in their selues but yet for all that God holdeth it in couert and euen they which are departed althoughe they bee no more wrapped in this mortall fleshe nor sotted in this worlde doo

Psalme sayeth that he fell asleepe since the time that God had settled him in the kingdome and made him to prosper and giuen him the vpper hand of all his enemies and that therevpon he made his reckening neuer to remoue from that state But sayeth hee Lorde thou hast well taught me by experience that the only fauor of thy good will aduaunced me after that maner For as soone as I felt thy hand behold I was in such plight that I was vtterly at my wits end Dauid then sheweth that euen the children of God althoughe they bee not puffed vp with pride that is in the vnbeleuers do soâ— themselues in their good fortune as they terme it and are notwithstanding not able to stay froÌ„ promising theÌ„selues more than is needefull For they imagine that their good dayes shall last for euer and that their prosperitie shall neuer fayle Sith we are inclined to suche vice insomuche that euen Dauid was not altogither clere of it what haue we else to do but to take heede to ourselues And in what sort Dauid in marking this vice doth also shew the remedie of it wheÌ„ he sayth Lord the surenesse and safetie both of me and of my kingdome are grounded vpon thine only goodnesse If we acknowledge that all our welfare dependeth vppon Gods good pleasure wee shall conclude that there is no certaintie nor settlednesse in our selues So then let vs call vpon God and wayte at his hande for whatsoeuer it shall please him to send vs And although wee hope that hee will continue his goodnesse towardes vs yet notwithstanding let vs not ceasse too prepare oure selues whensoeuer it shall please him to meeken vs and to exercise our pacience by aduersitie but let vs alwayes bee in a readinesse for it and not thinke it straunge when it commeth Furthermore letvs marke well howe Dauid sayth that he was troubled And why For it is all one as if he should come vpon a man that is fast asleepe VVill not we then be in like trouble when the hand of God striketh vs Let vs dispose our selues to it aforehand and lette vs preuent all the changes that are to be seene with the eye and which God sheweth vs too the ende that euery of vs should keepe good watch Thus ye see why I say that the doctrine whiche is conteyned heere is very necessary for vs which is that we must not thinke to dye in our nest after the manner of the similitude which Iob vseth heere but must be as birds vppon a bough too remoue at Gods pleasure that when we are inriched wee may be impouerished if he list that when we haue bin in great honour estimation we may come to such reproch and shame as in maneral the whole world may mocke vs if it be his pleasure â–ª and that wee may take all in good woorth and as I sayd be in a readinesse before hand to the end we bee not troubled when our Lord shall visite vs in that maner And we haue speciall neede to be warned heereof bycause the state of Christians is to be chaungeable For S. Paule sayth that both himselfe and his fellowes were without rest He vseth that word not that we ought not to be constant For it behoueth vs to determine with ourselues neuer too swarue But as touching the outward and visible state too the worldward we must be faine to be fleeting and without any rest So then seeing that God hath called vs thervnto Let euery one of vs take heed that he make not hys reckening without his host ne beare himself in hand that he shall continue alwayes in one state And why For hee warranteth himselfe that which he cannot performe Behold heere two things which we haue to marke The one is that what prosperitie soeuer we haue the same is no certayne and abiding state And why For so is the good pleasure of God lyke as if a Prince should gyue a man the possession of some Lordship not in feesimple but to holde of him as Tenant at will. He hath it but from day too day and the Prince may reuoke hys graunt when it pleaseth hym In like cace is it with all the thinges that God giueth vs in thys worlde For the condition of them is not that we should inioy them both in life and deathe but onely when it pleaseth hym according also as hee knoweth what is expedient for vs Lo here the first point The seconde poynt is that we must consider it to be the good will of our God to remoue vs from time to tyme so long as we be in this world And why For if he should suffer vs to settle long surely we would as it were gather rust and drawe muche superfluous baggage to vs God therefore remoueth vs that is too saye hee chaungeth our state â–ª hee afflicteth vs hee maketh vs poore and after he hath lifted vs vp hee casteth vs downe and all is too the ende we shoulde not bee snarled in the goods of thys world nor become so foolish as not to keepe on our way continually to the heauenly life Thus ye see what we haue to beare away in this texte Furthermore let euery of vs inure himselfe too consider the turnings that wee see in this world For our Lorde sheweth vs them to the intent wee shoulde fare the better by them And specially if wee see any thyng that was neuer mistrusted nor looked for afore as if some man were aduaunced to great credit and nothing went against him but he had both wind and weather at will as they say so as hee shall haue gathered great riches and gotten great freends haue alied hymselfe well and gotten infinit stayes if wee see such a one fall bycause God layeth his hand vpon him to beate hym downe â–ª let vs be think ourselues that it behoueth vs then to wake and that God declareth vnto vs that ther is nothing certaine in this world to the ende we should come hide our selues vnder his wings and also dispose our selues to aduersitie whensoeuer it shal please him to send it And if we happen to fall let vs not be too much astonied and dismayde bycause we haue minded it a long time before hande â–ª Verely sometimes God maketh alterations not onely vpon men â–ª but also vpon Cities Countries â–ª and kingdoms VVhen any of these great Courtiers that were had in such reputation as meÌ„ thought them to be aduanced aboue the Clowdes are seene to come to decay that is a chaunge ryght great and woonderfull But if you see a Citie a Shire yea or a Reahn ouerthrown as I sayd afore where a man would haue thought there had bin so muche help as it had beene vnpossible too haue come vnto it I say if we see all this ouerthrowne let vs vnderstand that our Lord setteth that looking glasse before our eyes to the end that euery of vs shoulde thinke the better vppon his owne frailtie and not fall asleepe

Christe and that wee bee saued by fayth onely and contrariwise the Pope will haue euery man to be his owne sauiour But yet here is one that was Pope of Rome which neuerthelesse caÌ„ skill to say that it is a renouncing of God an outragious wickednesse for meÌ„ to kisse their hands that is to say to trust to their own works to make them meritorious vertues This doctrine then is good and profitable but yet notwithstanding this text muste be taken more simplie than to concerne Iobs vertues True it is that they are comprehended in it howbeeit as we haue seene afore hee speaketh generally of all the occasions that men take to trust in creatures themselues Therfore he sayth if my mouth haue kisseâ— my â—and that is to say If I haue leaned to mine owne credite or to any thing else or if I haue bene so beastly as too make Idolles of my goods and to honour them for this worde kisse betokeneth to do homage or honour Then if my mouth haue kissed my hande that is too say if I had that vayne selfe truste that I did any homage or honour to my selfe If I haue done so sayeth he let God curse mee For out of doubt that were a renouncing of the liuing God or the Souereyne God. Heere wee haue too marke that the sayde highmindednesse is an intollerable thing before god And this manner of speache of looking vp to the Sunne which Iob vseth is to bee marked well True it is that naturally our countenance looketh vpward and that God would there should be a difference betweene vs and the brute beastes in this behalfe For hee hath giuen the beastes as it were hanging lookes bycause they looke but downewarde too the grounde but man hath his countenance lift vpward bycause hee looketh for a better and excellenter state in heauen And in very deede it is to the intent we shoulde alwayes looke vp alofte too seeke God his heauenlye kingdome but in the meane while this is no let that we shoulde not humble our selues And this also is the cause why Dauid protesteth that hee meddled not with greate matters nor with woonderfull things that were to highe for him This manner of speaking is partly like vnto the similitude that Iob vseth Dauid sayeth Lord thou knowest I haue not walked in greate things How so Is it not lawfull for men too deale with greate matters The state of iustice is honorable and the carrying aboute of Gods woorde is a greate thing also and to bee shorte there is not that man which findeth not some let in his vocation If a man instructe others or if hee take vppon him but to teache children in a schoole eyther of them bothe are creatures fashioned after the image of God and he ought too refourme them And is not that a greate matter If a man haue a whole Countrey to guyde is it not an excellent matter Yes but Dauid speaketh of the puffing vp of the hearte when we woulde aduaunce our selues For we know that he had to deale with matters of great weyght â–ª and therefore hee addeth nor in woonderfull things that are aboue me that is to say I had no desire to deale with the things that passed my capacitie And Iob sayeth here I looked not vp to the Sunne that is to say I did not cast vp my noze nor playe the royster to aduaunce my selfe agaynste God of all the tyme that I was in reputation of the worlde Heereby then wee see as I touched afore that this foolishe luste of men to make themselues esteemed is an intollerable thing before god VVhat is too bee done then It behooueth vs to come to the remedie whiche is lowlinesse Seeyng that God forbiddeth vs to lift vp our countenances on high let vs cast them downe with our owne good will For wee haue sufficient cause so to do If wee looked well vpon our selues we woulde continually practize this prouerbe namely that hee that knoweth himselfe beste will set leaste store by himselfe But forasmuche as we are lothe to knowe ourselues and what our state is It is no wonder though we be so caried away with this foolishe pryde as we coulde finde in our heartes to stie aboue the Clowdes VVherefore lette vs marke that it standeth vs in hande too examine well our owne wantes to the ende wee may bee restreyned to all modestie and be able to protest that wee haue not cast vp our heades but that we haue alwayes looked downward in acknowledging that we haue not whereof to make any boaste Marke that for one poynte Secondly when it is sayde that Iobs hearte was not led away in couert Lette vs beare in minde that humilitie or lowlinesse consisteth not only in the outward apparaÌ„ce towards meÌ„ for we shal see many whiche are meeke and gentle to all outwarde likelihoode and yet in the meane whyle ceasse not too foster a foolishe selfeweening in their heartes and to haue an estimation of themselues VVee see howe all these hypocrites are outwardly framed vnto lowlinesse when notwithstanding they are inwardely so proude as they are ready too bruste with poyson agaynste god And what a thing is that They be humble outwardly amongst men and seeme as simple as sheepe and in the meane whyle they play the Buls iniustling againste god As for example all such as glorie in theyr owne vertues thinke to earne Paradise as all the religious rabble do in the Popedome doo certaynely lifte vp themselues agaynst God insomuche as they make account of theyr owne merites and that is muche woorse than to pretende a statelynesse towardes men If there bee a man that is puffed vp with vayne pryde that setteth oute himselfe in a brauerie and that thinketh the grounde beareth him not Euerye man will mocke at him It is a stinking folly caÌ„not be borne withall Nowe if suche a presumption sette it selfe against God althoughe it bee hidden inwardely I pray you is it not muche more villeynous Then lette vs marke well that it is not ynough for vs to beare a sweete and amiable countenaunce and too pretende a milde behauiour towardes men but wee muste looke that our heart be not led away in secrete and that wee haue no pryde hydden within For althoughe it appeare not too men yet shall it not fayle to bee condemned of god And therewithall lette vs marke that if couert pryde be to be condemned then shall they not scape whiche spreade out their wings and vaunte themselues openly And lette vs vnderstande that our Lorde setteth them here as it were vpon a Scaffolde to the ende wee shoulde knowe the vice wherevntoo wee are all inclined and whiche reygneth in vs tyll God correct it Furthermore as touching the kissing of his handes I haue tolde you alreadie that that manner of speeche importeth a dooing of homage or honor and it is not without cause that the holy Ghost hath vsed such speeche for there is not any thing wherein men do

marke first of all that it hath alwayes bin Gods wil that the louing of their enimies shoulde bee the marke of his children And for proofe heereof let vs harken what is sayde in the lawe of Moyses If thine enimies oxe or asse be falleÌ„ into a ditch thou shalt lift him out God coÌ„mauÌ„deth vs to do good to our enimies brute beasts shall we not then do the best we caÌ„ to succour their owne persons I am bound to procure mine enemies welfare and to shew it eueÌ„ in his cattell what shall I then do to his person which is muche more precious So then we haue to conclude agaynst the horrible blasphemie of the Papists that Gods wil hath at all times bin that the faithful should loue those that hate them and indeuer to doo those good whiche hurte them Marke that for one poynt And heerevpon wee haue also to marke that it is not a counsell that may freely bee left vndone but a streyght coÌ„maundement against the which wee cannot striue without offending God deadly Nowe seing it is so that God woulde binde the faithfull to loue their enimies euen in the time of the lawe muche more reason is it that we should haue the sayde rule nowe For we haue a more large declaratioÌ„ of it by the holy mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ The doctrine of the law is darke of it selfe yea and it was wrested awry by the Scribes and the Phariseys but nowe hath Iesus Christe brought it againe to his purenesse told vs that if we loue not those which hate vs and indeuer not to helpe those that would hurt vs we shall not be acknowledged for Gods childreÌ„ Surely it is a horrible threate that wee shall bee disherited of Gods kingdome and that he wil shake vs off and bannishe vs from the fellowship of his children Seeyng then that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath with suche threatening tolde vs that we must beare good will to our enimies let vs learne to frame our selues to that doctrine and therin acknowledge that the shamelesse boldenesse of the Papists hath bene to villeynous yea and to diuelishe in saying that Iesus Christes woordes are but a simple admonition seeing it is matched with such a sentence of damnation that God wyll renounce vs and banishe vs oute of his kingdome if wee ouermaster not our heartes so farre as too loue those that hate vs Moreouer wee haue also a mirror heereof in our Lorde Iesus Christ for he offered himselfe for suche as were his deadly enimies VVherefore indured hee so bytter death but too reconcyle vs Nowe if there behooued a reconciliation too bee made then was there a hatred and God and we were at oddes Behold then our Lorde Iesus Christe yeelded himselfe to death yea and too all curses to recouer vs vntoo God his father at suche tyme as wee were his enemies and ought not such a pledge to breake our hearts though they were harder than stone And this is it also wherevntoo Sainct Paule bringeth vs backe in the Epistle too the Ephesians when he goeth about to subdue all the hatred which wee haue coÌ„ceyued agaynst our enimies Thus then the order whiche we haue to note is that those whiche liued vnder the lawe offended God when they intended to reuenge themselues and therfore what shall become of vs which haue such a declaration as I haue told you already Howbeit it is not ynough for vs to beare our enimies no euill will but we must also haue a minde to seeke their benefite and welfare And this is well woorthie to bee noted For diuers haue thoÌ„ght they should be discharged before God so they ranne not with naked sworde agaynst those that haue offended them or done them any wrong As for mee say they I will seeke no reuenge but I pray God auenge mee of them it would do mee good at the heart if I might see a mischiefe light vpon them Yea nay here is another manner of practising of this doctrine when Iesus Christ declareth vnto vs that we muste pray for them that curse vs speake well of them that backbite vs and do good to them that seeke to hurt vs But contrariwise wee are so full of poyson that we desire nothing but that God shoulde ouerwhelme them And on what side soeuer any mishap befalleth them we are glad of it Can this be done without the ouerthrow of all that is conteyned in the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ There are others also to be found which haue not so malicious a heart as to suffer their wicked lustes to haue open libertie but they wyll say as for mee I am ready to forgiue him and I wishe him no more harme than too my selfe and yet in the meane season they cannot wish the welfare and profite of such as haue displeased them or with whome the bee offended But let vs marke that it is not ynough for vs to absteyne from all reuenging with our handes our tongues nother is it ynough for vs too put away euill will so as wee would not wish any harme or aduersitie to such as are our enimies but it behooueth vs too go one degree further And how is that It is that we muste loue them For if Iob had not loued his enimies surely he would haue reioyced at their misfortune So then lette vs learne not onely too keepe our hearts locked vp that they bee not prouoked agaynst such as offend vs but let vs learne to beare theÌ„ such an affection of freendship as we may be sorie when any euill happeneth vntoo them and also haue pitie and coÌ„passion of them and if this seeme to hard for vs to do was not Iob a man subiect to affections as wee bee and yet did God get the vpper hande of them Then behooueth it vs to fight That cannot be done without great inforcemente It is true but wee muste force oure selues howbeeit not vpon truste of our owne strength but with praying vnto God to giue vs the spirite of meekenesse to bring vs thither as wee see his woorde leadeth vs VVhat is to be done then If I looke vnto the thing that is commaunded it is certayne that my nature draweth quyte backwarde For I shall be angry when a man hurteth mee or hath practized any euill agaynste mee And although I loue vprightnesse and good dealing yet shall I not fayle to bee inflamed with harteburning and to haue some desire of reuenge against such as haue gone about to do me harme Yet notwithstanding I see heere that Iesus Christ condeÌ„neth mee and pronounceth this dreadful sentence that God will shake mee off and that I shall be razed out of the number of his children if I loue not mine enimies And therfore seeing I know not onely the infirmitie but also the frowardnesse of my nature it behoueth mee too pray God too correcte these vices in mee I knowe that I haue nothing but bitternesse in mee wel then God hath the spirite of

for salues medecines marke that for one poynt Therefore although they be bitter at the first sight yet let vs receyue them at Gods hande knowing that they be recordes of his loue and that hee hath a care of vs too woorke oure saluation Beholde I say the thing that ought too appease all our grudgings so as we shoulde not be impacient when God chastizeth vs And why so For it is for our profite that it shoulde be so Neuerthelesse it is not ynough to knowe that afflictions serue vs for medicines but it behooueth vs also to consider for what disease and then will we like the better of them If a man bee sicke but of some small light or coÌ„mon disease yet will he like well of the thing that shall remedie him But if hee be wholly giuen ouer and taken but for a dead man and yet recouer then will hee set the more store by the remedy that was giuen him EueÌ„ so is it with the thing that Eliu sheweth here For hee sayeth that God in afflicting of vs doth not only remedy our vices but also fetch vs from the graue quicken vs Hereby he sheweth that we be vndone and vtterly drowned in destruction except God plucke vs backe vnto him euen by violent meanes And sure it coulde none otherwise bee considering our hardhartednesse or rather that we be so snarled in our sinnes as we caÌ„not easily be wouÌ„d out of them Seing then that God rayseth vs agayne according as was treated more at large yesterday let vs assure our selues that wee cannot sufficiently esteeme the goodnesse that hee sheweth vs when it pleaseth him too chastize vs That therefore is the second poynt which we haue to marke The third is that we must nedes passe that way For in that he sayth to the intent to draw backe â–ª he betokeneth an inforcing necessitie True it is that god could well saue vs without this meane but here is no disputing of Gods mightie power and Eliu hath respect too oure state which also is the poynt that we must rest vpon And therfore let vs learne that if God shold deale gently with vs and let vs alone in quiet that we might sleepe in oure sinnes without waking it woulde be the cause of our destruction Then is it nedefull that we shoulde be handled with such rigor as we oftentimes are yea if he bare not with our frailtie and feeblenesse he should be faine to vse a farre greater roughnesse towards vs Therfore howsoeuer a man be afflicted he ought to beare it pacieÌ„tly assuring himselfe that God doth it not without cause no nor euen without a necessary cause Also therwithall we haue to marke the coÌ„parison which is set betwene the graue the lighte of life VVhat is it when God with draweth vs backe from death And why doth he bring vs to the light of life yee see on the one side an extreme miserie yee see also one the other side a souerayne benefite And therfore let vs learne that if God suffer vs to folow our own lusts we make hast alwaies towards the graue that is to say we do nothing but plundge ourselues into vtter destruction out of the which we caÌ„ neuer get out agayne Lo what maÌ„ would do if God should giue him the bridle And hereby we haue good cause to mislike of ourselues coÌ„sidering the frowardnes that is in vs True it is that euery one of vs wil say he is desirous to go vnto God to attayne to saluation but in the meane while what do we looke vpon our life looke vpon our thoughts looke vpon our whole doings it will seeme that we be mad in seeking our owne destruction For wee ceasse not to prouoke the wrath of God as who should say we coulde neuer come soone ynough to the depth of our misery Seeing then that we be so giuen too all euill by nature as though wee were desyrous to perishe wilfully let euery man learne to knowe himselfe and to mislike of himselfe and therevpon suffer God to gouerne him seeyng our owne guyding and gouernment is so wretched and vnhappy and let vs forget all the foolishe presumptions wherewith the worlde is so sotted that euery man thinkes himself wise ynough if he may haue his owne free will. Lo howe men deceyue themselues in making themselues beleue that they haue greate store both of wisedome and strength But contrariwise we see that God had neede to correct by force this cursed affection of desiring to knowe more than is meete for vs Therwithall on the other side let vs coÌ„sider whervnto God calleth vs when he draweth vs backe from the graue into the light of life He setteth vs not in some middle state to say ye shall not be starke dead ye shall but laÌ„guish but hee calleth vs to the light of lyfe that is to wit to that newenesse whereby we are regenerated to the incorruptible and heauenly lyfe The matter then concerneth not Gods deliuering of vs onely from death but also his bringing of vs to his euerlasting kingdome And although we walke in many corruptions here bylowe and are beset round about with them yea and that they dwell in vs and are euen in our bones and maree yet will God guyde and gouerne vs euen till wee come into his kingdome Thus ye see a coÌ„parison which coÌ„firmeth yet better the infinite gracious goodnesse of our god to the end we should be the more stirred to seeke him when he shall haue brought vs into the right way indeuer our selues to go forwarde from day to day and when hee shall haue drawne vs backe suffer him to teach vs and desire him to continue his teaching styll And here withall let vs marke also that we muste not be discouraged though we do oftentimes fall backe seeme to clyue asunder And when God hath set vs in a good trade and that we be as it were throughly tamed if the vices of our fleshe happen nowe and then to get the vpper hande of vs so as we be driuen from him and our infirmitie groweth into misbeleefe so as we be couered with darkenesse let vs not therfore be out of heart And why For it is sayde that God will worke many times in a man to the intent too bring him into the light of lyfe Therefore when we be come vnto God and haue had a sure hope of saluation if now and then we fall into trouble and anguish so as a suddayne storme seemeth to ouerwhelme vs let vs not therfore cease to trust in god And why For it is sayde that he will beginne his woorke new agayne in vs not that we should giue our selues the brydle lette vs beware of that but that in the meane while we shoulde put in vre the saying of the Prophet Esay whiche is to strengthen the quaking legges and too cheere vp the faynting hearts If a man bee strong in despysing God and in making no accounte of his grace he had

and throw themselues hedlong intoo destruction Therfore it behoueth them to looke neerly vnto themselues to know that they haue nothing but of the meere goodnesse of God and that forasmuch as they hold all of him it behoueth them to dedicate themselues wholy vnto him and not too take occasion to misintreat their inferiors but rather to stoupe by applying themselues to their brethrens slendernesse as S. Paule exhorteth vs to do As touching the mean ones true it is that they may well glorie in their greatnesse seeing that God hath adopted them too be his children but yet must they not therefore winke at their owne state And specially whereas they are nothing too the worldewarde but are vtterly despised let them acknowledge that they are lesse than nothing before God sauing that it pleaseth him to preserue them by his grace Ye see then how wee haue one common lesson taught here vntoo vs all And therefore let euerie of vs in his calling learne to referre himselfe vnto God and to holde of him both his life and all the appurtenances thereof Furthermore whereas it is sayde that God will wipe away the strongest without hande it is too the ende wee shoulde learne too put a difference betwixt God and men For when the greatest princes intende too bee auenged of their enimies they haue neede too arme men of warre and too seeke meanes too bring their enterprise aboute But if God woulde ouerthrowe and destroy the whole world hee shoulde finde no let hee shall not neede too craue ayde of others or too wage men or too busie himselfe about casting of ordinaunce or too furnishe himselfe with other artillerie hee needeth none of all these things But hee can without mans hande withoute worldely helpe and without strayning of himselfe I say hee can destroy all For hee needeth no more but too breathe vpon vs or too looke sternely vpon vs and beholde wee are ouerwhelmed And vndoubtedly seeing that hys looke maketh the Mountaynes and Rockes to melt shall hee neede too thunder vpon vs to destroy vs Shall wee be able to abide Gods looke when he casteth it vpon vs Shall we bee able to abide his breath when he bloweth agaynst vs Must wee not needes vtterly quaile Furthermore this is purposely expressed too ridde vs of all the vaine fancies and presumptions which we haue when wee bee well furnished to the worldwarde For although men dare not say that they are sufficiently armed too withstande God and too warde the strokes of his hande yet doo they thinke so And for proofe thereof if yee threaten a riche man with prouertie hee will looke in scorne at you and say tush I haue this I haue that Hee will not spight God with open mouth but howsoeuer the game go he trusteth still in his riches and ye shall not gaine so muche at his hande as to perswade him that his goodes shall not warrant him The man that is strong and in the lust and flower of his age thinketh not that euer he shal grow olde neither can they that are in honor skill what shame meeneth Lo howe men presume of themselues and it is seene cheefly in that the great men of the worlde do stand so stoutly against God and cannot be tamed TheÌ„ if men haue any fauor or credit they beare themselues in hand that they haue a bulwark against god and make a rampire of worldly helpes And not onely so but also if a man come too tell them their faultes Gods corrections can haue no place nor enterance vnto them no they wil not so much as heare them to be short men will neuer be made humble but by force And why Bycause of the vaine trustes wherein they sotte themselues when they thinke they are well garded and haue meanes ynough too defend them And therfore it is purposely sayde that God will destroy the strong without hand too the ende wee shoulde not thinke too scape thoughe wee haue furnished our selues and prouided long aforehande for all oure matters so as it seemeth vntoo vs that God cannot come neere vs Then let vs not ymagine these vaine fancies for God can tell well ynough how to intrap vs by some meane that wee cannot conceiue Our destruction shall come without hande or withoute inferiour meane Lo how wee ought too minde these sentences when it standeth vppon the fearing of God and his wrathe But therewithall on the contrarie side wee haue a comfort in that it is sayd that God will saue his people withoute bowe withoute speare withoute swoorde and withoute the hande of man Therefore like as wee bee taught there too humble our selues and too knowe that all the meanes in the worlde shall not auayle vs if God be our enimie and as euerie of vs is taught to ridde himselfe of the vaine pride wherewith wee bee puffed vppe by nature And finally as wee bee exhorted too modestie too the ende wee shoulde present our selues afore God and consider that if hee turned away from vs hee could euery minute of an houre chaunge vs and bring vs too nothing and pull downe the highest of vs all so on the contrarie part when we bee misintreated and oppressed heere beneath and we see great alterations so as the Tyrants become like woolues to deuoure the sheepe and flocke of God let vs resort too this warrant that God hauing promised to saue his Church without mans helpe will put the same in vre euen vnto the ende Then although wee bee destitute of all worldly helpes so that wee seeme as it were left vp too the spoyle and our enimies are furnished of all things that may serue them too destroy vs a hundred thousande times yet let vs trust in the mightiepower of God whiche is inuisible too the worlde VVee perceyue not howe God will maintaine vs and vndoubtedly it is a straunge thing howe he mainteyneth vs at this daye but that is too the ende wee should be alwayes confirmed more and more in his doctrine that wee shall bee saued without the hande of man that is to say that God will vtter suche a force as is yet hidden from vs and as wee conceyue not when it shall please him too plucke vs out of the VVoolues throate and too mainteyne vs Nowe if God must worke after such a fashion to preserue vs in this temporall life I pray you what shall hee do for our saluation which is a farre higher and preciouser thing VVill God ayde himselfe with mans hande when it commeth too the drawing of vs out of hell and too the deliuering of vs from the tyrannie of the diuell and of sinne too aduaunce vs too his heauenly kingdome and to defende vs agaynst so many temptations No but let vs assure our selues that hee doth it of his owne power and of his owne meere goodnesse Ye see then that on the one side it behoucth vs too learne feare and humilitie that we bee not pussed vp with vaine presumption to despise God but rather

pleaseth God to shewe himselfe vnto vs it behoueth vs too knowe him and to consider his workes as he sheweth vs them and to be attentiue to mark the reason why he doth so And when hee worketh after a straunge fashion that is vnknowne to vs let vs reuerence such secrets acknowledging neuerthelesse that he is alwayes rightuous howe so euer the world go and let vs dwell continually in that beleef hold vs quiet wayting paciently til he shew vs more fully the things that are hidden from vs as now assuring our selues that during this life our knowing muste be but onely in part Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too make vs so too feele them that all the time of oure life wee maye mourne before him desiring him of forgiuenesse and acknowledging our selues exceedingly giltie vntill that hee of his free goodnesse deliuer vs from the damnations wherein wee are and from the dangers wherewith we are besieged That so long as we be in this world we acknowledging our infirmitie and weakenesse may suffer him too gouerne vs and guide vs too the right way of saluation in such wise as we may neuer be shaken downe but that what so euer temptations befall vs wee may stande stedfast in the calling of our God till he haue taken vs out of this world to bring vs into his heauenly kingdome where wee shall inioy the euerlasting rest that he hath prepared for vs That it may please him c. The Cxxxiiij Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the .xxxiiij. Chapter 29 And vvhen hee hideth his face vvho is hee that shall see him hee is vpon nations and vpon men togither 30 In that an Ipocrite reigneth and there is a stumbling blocke to the people 31 It belongeth to God to say I haue forgiuen I vvill not destroy 32 But that vvhiche I haue not receyued teache thou mee if I haue doone vvickedly I vvill doe so no more IT was partly declared yesterday after what maner God hideth his face from vs that it be not seene that is to wit when meÌ„ are troubled in this worlde and see not the reason and ende of his dooings like as on the contrarie part if God graunt vs the grace to see that he gouerneth all things and to perceiue a fayre and well disposed order then is it as thoughe his countenaunce shone vpon vs as the Sunne Doe we then see the state of the worlde so troubled as wee wote not what to say to it It is all one as if God hild his face from vs And in that cace what is there for vs to do but to huÌ„ble our selues according as it is sayd in the Prophet that in the time of aduersitie the wise man will lay his mouth to the ground and hold his peace verely as one knowing that wee shall gayne nothing by striuing when God listeth to handle vs so with extremitie Ye see then that the end wherevnto this sentence tendeth is to exhorte vs to modestie and sobernesse bycause our wittes are too rude and to grosse to comprehend Gods secrets and moreouer bicause God intendeth purposely to humble vs when he withdraweth himself from vs And this is done saith Eliu as well vpon a whole nation as vpon one man. Both generally and particularly God caÌ„ so intangle things as we shal not know the reason of them and if we will speake of them we should not know at what end to beginne And for the better expressing of his mynde he addeth In so muche that the hypocrite reigneth True it is that this present sentence may be layde forth diuersly but the sequele of the texte sheweth wel ynough that the meening is that when a wicked man or when a naughtypacke reigneth and there is a stumbling blocke or a snare caste among â—he people for the wordes import eyther of both it is a trouble to vs when wee see the wicked reigne so as there is nothing but tyrannie or any equitie and vprightnesse remayning but we bee as it were vtterly folorne and God is not seene If enormities bee committed so as there is quareling and snatching on all sides or if snares bee layde so as poore folke knowe not howe to scape then is God as it were withdrawne from vs True it is that he is neuer the further from vs nor hath the lesse care of vs howebeit wee see it not On the other side when we be not able to consider what is done it seemeth to vs that God regardeth vs not we see nothing but darknesse the light that ought to guide vs shineth not vnto vs Nowe then what should we do but shrinke down our heads hold our mouthes shet wayt Gods leisure paciently til he remedie the inconueniences that trouble vs Also let vs always be at this point neuer to inquire further than is lawful for vs It behoueth vs to think well that God doth such things without cause why but we must enter into the consideration of our sins for if wee will enter curiously into the discussing of Gods secrets and incomprehensible determinations it is a pride that wil vtterly ouerthrow vs And therfore as I haue said afore let vs learne not to be otherwise knowing that god will somtimes lead vs like poore blind soules As touching this sentence where it is said that the wicked man reygneth let vs marke that although it bee a sore temptation to see such reygne as are naughtypackes despizers of God and giuen to all euill and to see that might ouercoÌ„meth right so as a man can not tell whither to go for refuge surely it is a great and hard crosse to ouercome neuerthelesse the holy Ghost intended to set it before vs to the intent that we shold be armed against it So theÌ„ hath vnrightuousnesse gotten full scope Are the wicked growne so Iustie as to confound all things and to handle matters with such corruptioÌ„ as there may be no more remedie The holy ghost aduertizeth vs that it is Gods will to hide his face after that maner to the intent to trie our obedience Therfore let vs rarie till he inlighten vs and then shall wee knowe how that he hath not sent these troubles among vs without cause Thus ye see in effect after what maner wee ought to put this sentence in vre Now Eliu addeth that it beloÌ„geth to god to say I haue forgiuen I wil no more destroy As if he should say that god holdeth the raines in his hand to guide men at his pleasure and if it please him to punish our sinnes wee haue nothing to replie why he should not condemne vs and if hee beare with vs yea or list to forgiue vs altogither who shall resist him who shall let him to shewe vs fauour True it is that this is straunge too mans vnderstanding at the first sight For seeing that God is no accepter of persons wee aske why he forgiueth one rather than another VVhy

sheweth and vttereth himselfe in suche sort as wee must needes bee worse than brutish and blockish if wee thinke not vpon him too submit our selues too all that is spoken too vs in his name and authoritie Thus ye see what wee haue too beare in minde And by the way let vs consider howe malicious the worlde is seeing that the woorde of God for all that it is so well preached and knowne is notwithstanding so ill receyued of most men and so little reuerenced insomuch that it shoulde seeme that men are purposed too spight God in reiecting all doctrine notwithstanding that they knowe and are fully assured that it is of him See ye not howe rebellious the Papistes are at this day But let vs not go so farre let vs come home among our selues Men professe themselues too bee minded too holde of the Gospell and yet notwithstanding let them bee spoken to in the name of God let things be laid open before them let matters bee made so plain vnto them that euen the veriest diuels of theÌ„ be conuicted that the things which are preached are taken out of the holy scripture and yet they coÌ„tinue still in their stubbornnesse without making any conscience too striue agaynst god Their maliciousnesse is matched with shamelesnesse insomuch that men are come too such point as we neede not too go out of Geneua too see most manifest rebellion in setting light by God or too see such diuelish pride as too say Tushe God shall not raigne ouer vs let them prattle and talke what they list yet will we not yeelde a whitte for them Verily there is such rebelliousnesse to be seene that men make as muche account of the things that are spoken in Sermons as of Fables This thing is too notorious the examples thereof are to open and would God they were not such to our great confusion But yet in the ende they that haue dallyed so with so great a mayster must be faine to knowe him whome they haue wounded and pricked as the Prophete Zacharie sayeth So then it behoueth vs to marke well this sentence and so to marke it as wee may bee more apt and willing too bee taught at Gods hande than these wilde beastes are which sharpen themselues agaynst him too reiect all that concerneth his doctrine and pure woorde For there is yet some shamefastnesse in the Papistes VVhen they fight agaynst the holy Scripture for the maintenance of their Idolatryes and abhominations they seeke false glozes and shiftes and too bee short although their couering of themselues bee but with a wette yet notwithstanding they confesse that their intent is not too resist god But when men steppe foorth with such vngodlinesse as they cannot finde in their heartes too receyue one worde of that which is knowne too bee Gods truth but frette and chafe agaynst it so as there is not so much honestie in them as too admitte the thing which they knowe to be good but doo the cleane contrarie is it not manifest therein that wee bee much worse than the wretched Papistes VVherefore as I sayde at leastwise let thys serue vs for a warning that we bee not doublefolde condemned And specially aboue all things sith hee commeth vnto vs and speaketh too vs and gathereth vs togither in his name too the ende to be hearde and to sitte in such wise among vs as all of vs both great and small may referre our selues to him let vs bethinke vs to glorifie him not only with our mouth by confessing slightly that wee be his but also with our deedes by giuing proof in effect that we be desirous to be his heritage â–ª And sith he vouchsafeth this incomprehensible benefit grace and honour vpon vs to giue himselfe to vs and to be our life let there also bee an interchaungeable gift on our side let vs put our selues wholy into his hande let him possesse vs and let him inioy vs Furthermore whereas it is sayde that God dooth great and mightie things in thundering and in sending forth lightnings and tempests and that wee comprehende it not let vs be sure that in speaking both by his lawe and by his Gospell hee intendeth to lift vs vp aboue all our vnderstanding as in verie deede wee shall neuer profite in the doctrine of God nor in his word that is set forth vnto vs if we haue not this principle that is to wit that God exerciseth vs in secrets that surmount all our capacitie according as it is sayde that God hath prepared suche things for those that loue him as neuer eye of man sawe nor eare of man hearde nor neuer entered intoo the heart of anie creature Then if wee haue not that grounde wee shall neuer taste the things that are preached too vs euerie day Nowe too the intent wee may taste them well what is to be done Let vs consider that our Lorde calleth vs to his heauenly kingdome and is minded to draw vs out of this worlde Intend we then to be good schollers and to profite in the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ Sith we see that we be plunged ouer heade and eares in this worlde and in these corruptible things let vs labour too wade out and let vs from day to day fight against our owne affections that we may draw neere vnto God and be made al one with our Lord Iesus Christ according as Saint Paule sheweth vs in the thirde to the Collossians that if wee minde to haue part in heauen and too cleaue vnto Iesus Christ who is gone vp aloft and to bee made one with him it behoueth vs too mortifie whatsoeuer is of the earth Furthermore let vs consider that oure wittes are too rude and feeble too conceyue what God is in full perfection insomuch that wee shall neuer haue any small taste of him except hee guide vs by his holye Spirite according also as Sainct Paule maketh the same conclusion in the foresayde text which I touched where hee cyteth the saying of the Prophete Esay Therefore after hee hath sayde that the sensuall man comprehendeth not the secretes of God he sayeth we bee renued by the holy Ghost too the ende wee may haue knowledge of them True it is that wee haue not beene of counsell with God according as hee declareth there againe afterwarde But yet dooth hee admit vs counsell so farre foorth as is expedient for vs Therefore when as wee knowe our owne infirmitie let vs pray him too inlighten vs by his holy Spirite that wee may know the things which otherwise would bee to high and profounde for vs. Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of ours faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as wee may be touched with them to condemne our selues for them and to mislike of our selues and that in the meane while he will so worke by his holy spirit as we may be renued too obey him and to walke in his feare and that we may

might be glorified so much the more at our hand Againe we sawe yesterday what was discoursed concerning the Elephant which is a terrible houge beast and ynough too scare vs out of our wittes Now then if we tremble at the sight of a beast should we play the bold fellowes against God to contende with him when he chastizeth vs and to stomacke the matter when hee intendeth to humble vs Should we be such fooles as to murmure at his iustice or to gainsay him in any thing or to desire to deface or diminish his soueraintie So then seeing that the beastes do make men to tremble let them consider their owne madnesse in matching themselues with god Howbeeit before I go any further whereas heere is so long a discourse vppon the sayde kynde of beastes of the lande whiche I sayde was an Elephant albeeit that it bee named heere by the generall terme of Behemoth and also vppon the Leuiathan wee haue too marke therevpon howe menne haue beene of opinion that by an allegorie the Diuell is spoken of heere rather than eyther the Elephant or the VVhale and that they haue gone aboute too proue that fantasticall deuice of theyrs by this that in the ende it is sayde that the sayd VVhale is the king of the children of pride But in speaking of the other kinde of beast that I touched yesterday it was sayde that God maketh them to eate hay and grasse like Oxen. VVee see then that his intent is too shewe vs Gods mightie power in the things that are too bee seene and not to describe the Diuell too vs As touching the woorde Leuiathan through the whole scripture it signifieth a VVhale and we see it too bee so in the hundred and fourth Psalme where the Hebrew woorde Leuiathan is translated a VVhale and it is well ynough knowne that there the Prophete speaketh of Gods wonders which men see in the sea yea much more than vpon the lande There is one peremptorie reason too shewe vs that we must take this text simplie as it standeth and not shiftingly For we haue seene heretofore how it was gods intent to teache men after a grosse and homely maner according to their owne small capacitie and that his dooing therof is to the end that his mightie power should be the better proued vnto them Moreouer he ment also to vpbrayd them with their follie in that they dare set themselues against him forsomuch as the verie beastes are able to reproue them VVherfore let vs marke well that heere God giueth men a lesson thereby too skorne their pryde in sending them to the brute beasts but this could take no place if it were spoken of the diuell And wheras his will was that the whale should he the king of all the children of pryde it is not for that the beast hath any such affection But rather it is sayd too compare men with the VVhale as if our Lord should say It is true that men will lift vp their sheelds verie hygh and fetch leapes aboue the cloudes but when they haue gathered all the force they can and presumed to the vttermost what is it in comparison of the VVhale VVhen a man hath vaunted himselfe to the vttermoste let him but come to incounter with a whale and the whale shall haue more cause to vaunt himself than he For if a man compare him with a house or a Tower if a man compare him with artillerie or if a man compare him with a mountayne hee shall finde all these qualities in him yea hee shall finde such terrible force in him as is able too turne vp shippes vpside downe And where is the man that can approche vntoo such strength VVee see then that God hath shewed expresly that wee shall always be ouercome by the VVhales and that therfore our pryde is to fond and specially that when we become so bold as to lift vp ourselues against him and too go about to plucke from him the things that belong too him and to robbe him of his ryghtuousenesse in so doing wee must needes bee put to shame yea euen without Gods comming downe from heauen and without any shewing of his maiestie for the verie beasts are ynough to maynteyne his honour Neuerthelesse truely by conueying the discourse from the one too the other a man myght well vse this similitude of the whales and the Elephants to make men perceyue how greatly the power of the diuell ought to fray vs seing he is termed the prince of the aire and of the world Not without cause doth God giue him that title for it is to the intent that seing we bee so weake of our selues and haue so myghtie and stroÌ„g an enimie we should walke in feare Therfore we may well from the one to the other take a good warning that if we will not be subiect to God we must be bondslaues to Satan and hee shall ouermayster vs well ynough so as wee shall haue no strength to withstand him As for example wheras the creation of the worlde is spoken of Moyses treateth not of the Angels for he ment to be a teacher to the little and vnlerned ones and therfore he setteth down but only those things which are seene with our eyes But yet for all that the present lyght which is perceyued must leade vs yet further that is to wit to the espying out of the lyght of the heauenly kingdome by fayth though it bee hidden from vs presently And forasmuchas wee see Gods maiestie shyneth foorth euery where lette vs vnderstand that there is a farre greater fulnesse and perfection of lyght in the Angels and in all things that concerne the heauenly lyfe Ye see then that it is a good conueyance when we go so by degrees from the least things to the greatest and from the lowest to the hyghest But yet howsoeuer we deale we must hold vs still to the simplicitie of the text for it is an euill thing too dally with the holie scripture by transforming of it intoo allegories nother ought allegories too bee drawen but out of a naturall meening as wee see that Sainct Paule doth in the Epistle too the Galathians and in other places Therfore let vs come backe againe too the matter wee began with God doth here make his triumphes bothe by sea and land too the ende that men shoulde knowe that they shall alwayes bee confounded in their pryde if they set themselues against him And after hee had spoken of manie other sorts of beastes heere he setteth the Elephants before vs which are so terrible as they must needes amaze vs for in the howge bignesse of their bodies wee behold miracles without number VVe see on the one side how they surmount vs and we see on the other side how God hath not giuen them the things which hee hath voutsafed too giue vs yea euen of his owne free goodnesse And therfore let vs learne that we shall gayne nothing by exalting ourselues for we shal be surmounted by the

saued 225. b 44 356. b 52. Amos. 3. 6. THere is no euill in the Citie which the Lorde hath not done 184. a 53. 4. 6. I haue giuen you cleannesse of teeth in all your cities and searcenesse of bread in all your places yet haue yee not returned vnto me saith the Lord. 721. a 27. 5. 19. If a man did flee from a lyon and a Beare mette him or went into the house and leaned his head on the wall and a Serpent bit him 392. b 52. 20. The day of the Lord shall it not be darknesse 466. b 6. 9. 2. Though they digge into the hell thence shall myne hande take them though they climbe vp to heauen thence wil I bring them down 185. b 46. Micheae 4. 4. EVerie man shall set vnder his vine and vnder his fig tree 887. a 27. 7. 19. God will subdue our iniquities he will cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea 333. b 33. Nahum 1. 10. THE wicked shall bee as thornes folden one in another 315. a 60. Habacue 1. 3. WHerefore hast thou shewed me iniquitie and caused me too beholde sorrowe wherefore are spoyling and violence before me 666. b 30. 2. 1. I will stand vpon my watch and set mee vpon the tower 394. b 49. 4. The iust shal liue by his faith 5. But the proude man is as hee that transgresseth by wine hee shall not indure hee enlargeth his desire as the hell and as death and cannot be satisfied 411. b 14. 797. b. 22. 11. The stone shal crie out of the wall and the beame out of the tymber shall answere it 516. a 27. 610. b 8 3. 2. O Lorde in wrath remember mercie 150. a 6. 150. a 6. 36. a 50. 711. b 5. Sophonias 11. 2. AT that time will I searche Ierusalem with lightes visit the men that are frozen in their dregges and say in their hartes The Lorde will neyther doe good nor euill 395. a. 1. 691. a 26. 920. b 25. Zacharias 1. 3. TVrne ye vnto me and I will turne vnto you sayeth the Lorde 224. a 32. 2. 8. The Lord hath sayd he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye 182 b 55. 3. 1. Sathan stoode at the right hand of the Lord to resist Iosua 21. a 7. 5. 4. I will bring it foorth fayth the Lord of Hostes and it shall enter into the house of the theefe and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name and it shall remayne in the middest of his house and shall consume it with the timber therof stones therof 90. b 24. 8. God cast a waight of lead vpon the mouth of wickednesse 287. a 57. 9. 9. Reioyce greatly O daughter Sion shout for ioy O daughter Ierusalem behold thy king commeth vnto thee he his iust and a sauiour poore and ryding vpon an Asse 650. b 3. 12. 10. I wil poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitantes of Ierusalem the spirite of grace and of compassion and they shall looke vpon me whome they haue pierced and they shal lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne 615. b 22 742. a 33. Malachias 1. 2. I Haue loued Iacob but Esau haue I hated 2. b 52. 6. If I be a father where is mine honor If I be a master where is my feare 412. a 12. 530. b 37. 584. b 1. 2. 10 Haue we not all one father why doe we transgresse euery one against his brother 584. b 5. 3. 14. 17. The keeping of the coÌ„maundements of God profit vs that he will forgiue vs our sins 412. b 24. 4. 2. Vntoo you that feare my name shall the Sonne of rightuousnesse arise and health shall be vnder his wings and ye shallgo forth and growe vp as fat calues 168. b 57. Booke of Wisdome 5. 17. THE lord couereth his with his right hand and defendeth them with his arme as with a buckler 482. a 54. 6. 3. Rule is giuen you of the lord and power by the most high 675. a 19. 7. God will spare no person neither shal he feare any greatnesse for hee hath made the small and the great 673. 19. 14. 3. VVee are gouerned by the prouidence of God. 307. b 8. 16. 13. God hath power of life death 562. a 7. Ecclesiasticus 2. 9. YE that feare the Lord trust in good thinges and in euerlasting ioy and mercie 532. a 2. 5. 6. Mercie and wrath come froÌ„ God. 306. b 42. 8. 9. Goe not from the doctrine of the elders for they haue learned it of their fathers 413. a 30. 11. 19. I haue gotten rest 441. b 50 39. 13. The memorie of a rightuous man shall neuer be put away 350. a 55. 44. 16. Enoch pleased the Lorde God therefore was he translated for an example of repentance to the gerations 666. a 8. Mathew 4. 1. IEsus was led by the spirit intoo the wildernesse too bee tempted of the deuill 31. a 13. 577. b 43. 3. The tempter approching too him sayde If thou bee the sonne of God commaunde that these stones be made bread 26. a. 1. 4. Man shall not liue by breade onely but by euerie worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 347. a 55. 5. 5. Blissed are the meeke for they shall inherite the earth 76. b 8. 7. Blissed are the mercifull for they shall obteine mercie 128. a 40. 11. Blissed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euil against you for my sake 554. a 32. 12. Your rewarde is great in heauen 72. b 57. 15. Neither doe men light a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light vnto all that are in the house 373. b 53. 630. a 18. 22. VVho soeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shall bee culpable of iudgement And who so euer sayeth vntoo his brother Raca shall bee worthy too bee punished by the counsell and who so euer shall say foole shall bie worthy too bee punished wth Hell fire 203. b 22. 598. b 45. 25. Agree with thyne Aduersarie quickly whylest thou arte in the way with him least thy aduersarie deliuer thee too the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee too the Sergeant and thou be cast into prison 598. b 30. 23. If thou bring thy gyfte too the Alter and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee 24. Leaue there thyne offering before the Alter and goe thy waye first bee reconciled too thy brother and then come and offer thy gyfte 602. a 30. 28. VVho so euer looketh on a woman too lust after her hathe committed adulterie alreadie in his heart with her 581. b 16 44. Loue your enemies that ye maye bee the children of your father which is in Heauen 597. a 20. 598. a 14. 45. God maketh his Sonne too arise on the euill and the good 124. b 9. 48. Yee shall be perfecte as your father which is in heauen is perfect 124 b 9. 6. 12. Forgiue

shall come farre short of that Then must we be fayne to cry out with woonderment Lorde how maruelous are thy works Lo what we haue to marke in effect vpon this streyne where it is sayde that the earth taketh a new shape or fashion and that the things which God hath set vpon it are as garments wherwith it is decked And whereas this is done day by day yet if common custome inured vs not vnto it surely we would say they were wonderful things VVherfore let vs learne not to measure the worthinesse of Gods workes by our dayly inioying of them but to be so much the more stirred vp to say that there is a worker whome we must not touche to carpe at any of his doings but rather submitte our selues to him with all humilitie Now God addeth immediatly that the wicked shall not inioy the light that the loftie arme shall be broken This serueth to preuent a question that might be obiected Howe now might some man say Seing that god hath ordeyned the Sunne to giue light to the world set things in so goodly order why suffereth hee the wicked too inioy that benefite For hee ought to haue sette it aside for his owne children whiche serue and honour him It shoulde seeme therefore that hee doth amisse in this cace that the light of the Sunne is common both to good and bad But truely heerein we ought to consider Gods goodnesse the better according also as our Lorde Iesus Christ telleth vs Follow your heauenly father sayth he who maketh his Sun to shine euen vpon the vnworthy therefore do good to your enimies to such as haue done you harme Iesus Christ would not haue spoken so if he had not iuste cause to glorifie god for inlightning the whole world after that maner notwithstanding that the moste parte bee nought woorth and wicked Howbeeit in this streyne there is yet somwhat more shewed that is to wit that God calleth vs after a sort to his iudgement as if he should say True it is that the Sunne doth for a tyme shine vpon the wicked as well as vpon the good the one of them liueth as well as the other But tarrie a whyle for the wicked are not heyres of the worlde and although that as now they receyue that which belongeth not too them and haue theyr eies open to receiue the light of the Sunne yet shal they be vtterly bereft of it in the end Therfore he sayeth theyr light shall be taken from them VVhen he sayeth their light hee sheweth that for the present tyme wee haue no more aduauntage to outward appearance than the despisers of God and the heathenish sort haue For they draw the aire as well as we they haue the light as well as wee and they eate and drinke as well as we Ye see then that it behoueth vs to beare paciently suche mingling as nowe Neuerthelesse it is not without cause that God dooth heere lende the lyght vntoo the wicked For it is too make them the more vnexcusable yea and in verie deede it is but suche a light as shal not continue with them for euer But wheras we on our part do homage vnto God as well for our life as for all the appurtenances therof it is for that we shall be heyres of the worlde as his children and not without cause doth S. Paule in the fourth to the Romanes coÌ„uey the same to Abraham to all the faithfull Therefore let vs learne that whensoeuer the Sunne shineth the same is a part of our inheritance forasmuche as God hath adopted vs to be his children the Sunne is a detter vnto vs and we may recken it as a parte of our goodes As muche is to bee thought of our eating and drinking and of oure inioying of all the things that the earth bringeth foorth It is not due to vs on Gods behalfe but it proceedeth of his meere liberalitie But forsomuch as he hath chozen vs too be his childreÌ„ we do with a pure hart claime him to be our father the earth oweth vs nourishment and al creatures are in our hand that is to say we may vse them freely And the same vse of them shal continue to vs for euer not that wee shall haue any neede too eate or too drinke when we be once gone out of this world but my terming of the vse of them to bee continuall or euerlasting is for that it is blessed and blissefull and oure presente vsing of Gods creatures is a helpe to further our saluation for by that meanes god maketh vs to feele his goodnes loue And when we be made partakers of the heauenly glorie the worlde shall then be more ours than euer it was notwithstanding that we shall not haue any neede of meate or of drinke or of rayment For yet shall we haue a better and perfecter possession of it than wee haue at this daye So then not without cause doth God adde heere that the light which the wicked haue which they claime to themselues shall be taken from them And that may serue vs for a declaration of that whiche was touched afore namely that the wicked shall be shaken out by the breaking of the day that is to say that they will disguise themselues but oure Lorde doth then restreyne them and that although there bee some disorder yet men see some order intermedled with it whereby the greate troubles are asswaged whiche without that were ynoughto destroy the whole worlde Therefore if nowadayes wee see that the wicked maye boast of their hauing of the light as well as wee yea and which woorse is that they haue their full scope and that the poore children of God are troden vnder foote troubled and put to open shame and scarcely haue wherewith to feede themselues slenderly it behooueth vs to beare it paciently And why For in the ende the light shall bee taken from the wicked It is sayde also that the loftie arme shall bee broken By the loftie arme God betokeneth the power and credit which the wicked haue in the worlde in asmuch as hee giueth them their full scope for the exercising of his children for it is for our behoof to be tamed If we had the world at will we should no more know what it is to beare Gods yoke therefore it behooueth vs too passe through the troubles disorders that are seene Also it is to trie our faith for had we a Paradise here in this worlde where were our hope VVe coulde not be moued to seeke the spirituall life Yea and although wee be as miserable as may be yet can we not perceyue that there is a better state to be desired and what would we then do if we had all things as we woulde wishe So then it is requisite that God should quicken vs vp to seeke his kingdome that is the cause why he giueth the wicked their full scope and suffreth them to lift vp their arme Truely it is

a very sore and trouble some temptation when we see the wicked to be after that sort as it were Lords and masters of the world And wherof commeth that but bicause God hath reached them his hand and is minded to magnifie them after that fashion VVe see then that the sillie weaklings shall be troubled but let vs content ourselues with that which is said here namely that the armes of the mighty shal be crushed broken in the end So theÌ„ as oft as we see the wicked beare sway in pride and crueltie and vauÌ„t theÌ„selues of their credit let vs resort to this doctrine for our coÌ„fort that is to wit that wheras they haue their armes vpoÌ„ vs as now it seemeth that they should break our heads God can welynough broose and breake them asunder And therefore let vs tary paciently till God performe that which he hath spoken then shall we not be disappointed so our mindes be quiet to giue place to his prouideÌ„ce For he knoweth the conuenient times of working and it is not for vs to appoynte him any thing Furthermore the wicked ought here to bethinke themselues wel True it is that this doctrine ought to serue chiefly to the comfort of the faythfull that they may be vphilde in the mids of their aduersities and oppressions when men trouble them and wrong them Let them at suche tymes call to remembrance that the armes of the wicked muste be aduanced for a time vntill God breake them Yet notwithstanding the holy Ghostement also too threaten the wicked bicause they bee so outrageous beare themselues in hande that they be able to woorke woonders and remoue mountaynes God sayth to vs in one worde Tarie yee till the armes that are nowe lifted vp bee broken and that muste needes come to passe VVill wee not then haue God to bee our enimie and aduersarie partie Lette vs not lift vp our armes that is to say let vs not stretch them out as the Scripture sayeth to committe outrages Let vs not go aboute to hurte or harme our neyghbours but let euery of vs modestly consider what is lawfull for him Lette vs so restreyne our armes as they may be ruled by Gods woorde and no man presume beyonde his owne calling If we proceede after this maner god wil alwayes giue vs new strength And although our armes be wearied yet will he streÌ„gthen them againe in the end according also as he sayeth that the doctrine of the Gospell must serue to strengthen vs when we be weake But who soeuer lyfteth vp his arme alofte that is too say whosoeuer taketh more vppon him than he ought to doo muste in the ende haue his armes broken by god For God is an enimie too all these greate takers vppon them whiche mounte vp so hyghe in pryde and haue no myldnesse in them Thus muche concerning that poynte Nowe it is sayde by and by after Diddest thou euer atteyne to the drops of the Sea The Hebrue woorde which God vseth heere betokeneth Teares for it commeth of a worde that signifieth to weepe or shedde teares And if a man translate it vnto the greate deepes of the Sea the woorde will also very well agree with it But by the waye it behooueth vs too marke the similitude whiche is that God meeneth that the springs whiche are in the greate deepes are as Teares VVhence commeth the infinit abundance of water in the Sea but of the droppes that are there whereof flowe the waters Nowe the sayde abundance is as it were Teares And surely the welsprings are termed as ye woulde say the eyes of the earthe For looke as the eyes doo shedde foorth teares in a man so doo the fountaynes ooze oute moysture in the earth God therefore in this streyne vseth that similitude and sayth Come on diddest thou euer go downe into the bottome of the Sea to searche out the drops that it yeeldeth forth That is to say didst thou euer enter into the depes to see the waters that sewe out there and to know whence the abundance coÌ„meth which thou seest and wherat thou art abashed And for the better confirmation heere of hee addeth Haste thou seene the gates of Death or hast thou behilde the gates of the shadowe of Death Here and in the things that he will adde afterward concerning the greate roomth or largenesse of the earth he intendeth to shew in effect that our wittes are to slender feeble to coÌ„prehende what is in the things that are most apparant and neere vnto vs and that we must needs spite of our teeth confesse that god sheweth vs such woÌ„ders as serue too rauishe vs aboue all our vnderstanding Then if we be inforced to confesse that there is such wisedome in God yea euen in respect of his works which are open to vs which he sheweth vs as it were with his finger what shall we doo in the things that are hidden and which he reserueth to himselfe till the last day As when he suffereth or appointeth many things to be done in the world which seeme straunge and secrete to vs wherin we perceyue no reason for they be perchaunce some of his spirituall Secretes VVhat will we say to them If wee cannot comprehende the things that are heere as it were before our feete and wherevpon wee treade I say if wee can not fasten vppon them what shall wee saye too the things that are aboue Heauen and whiche surmounte all creatures and outreache the common order of nature Lo in effecte what Gods meening is But nowe lette vs learne when our wittes are too eger in iudging of things that are not lawfull for vs let vs learne I say to thinke vpon the Sea and vppon the deepe places of the waters and say Go too wretched wight what intendest thou too doo It is sayde that Gods Secretes are so deepe a gulfe as a man can neuer come too the bottome of them and that those gulfes doo farre exceede the gulfes of the Sea. Canst thou but drayne a Ryuer to see from whence the waters spring No thou canst not so muche as conceyue what the spring of a little fountayne is whereoutof neuerthelesse there issueth a greate Brooke VVhen thou hast bethought thee throughly thou canst not tell howe too drayne out a Riuer or a Fountayne and howe canst thou then enter into the gulfes of the sea too spie out by inchmeale whence that abundance of water commeth which is gathered togither there Nowe if thou comprehendest not a materiall thing how darest thou pleade against God and be so rash ful of presumption as to reply against the iudge to go about to subdue him vnto thee Lo what we haue to marke vpon this streyne True it is that this doctrine seemeth to be common among vs and there is no man but he vnderstandeth it But what for that Do we fare euer the better by it No no we see that euery man taketh leaue libertie to iudge foolishly of Gods

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