is needefull for vs Let vs note then that by the mouthe of a rude man which had not such wisedome as he ought to haue had for the apt applying of the truth to his vse the holy Ghost doth shew vs what we haue to do when wee come to recken with God namely to know that we are in euery point guiltie and by all meanes bounde vnto hym and that he is nothing at all bound vnto vs and furthermore also that we can do him no harme And that when he bringeth vs to the law and condemneth vs it is not for his owne profite but for our saluatīon and wealth Yea let vs assure our selues that euen when we be condemned it is to the end that we might be afterward acquit by hym least we should fall into that condemnation whereintoo the wicked shall be constreyned to come in the end On the other side let vs knowe that when God bringeth vs thus to iudgement it is too examine oure sinnes and too search out our whole life to the end we should be displeased with our sinnes But in the meane season when we shal haue ripped vp all that is in vs and thinke that we knowe what is there let vs vnderstand that we haue not yet perceyued the hundred part of it I speake euen of them that haue a cleare sight and flatter not themselues nor foster any euill For howsoeuer it be for as much as men be dul and haue a short and dimme sight it is certayne that they shall not perceyue the hundreth part of their sinnes But God who hath a farre more cleare sight than wee haue knoweth them If we fall into a sinne to day and be manifestly conuicted thereof we will committe another by to morrow in the morning yea and the day shall not passe without a great number of offences and transgressions And we are euer new to begin agayne For wee shall not be conuinced of one fault only or of two or of three but of an hundred And so what shal become of vs then VVhē a man hath well examined his cōscience and findeth himselfe so many wayes guiltie and then cōcludeth that God knoweth yet a hundred times more wher can he become therevpon Must we not needs be astonied at it must not our heares stand vpright vpon our heads and we be plūged in the bottome of death Thus much we haue to note vpon this place that is to wit that as oft as in hearing the word of God preached the vyces wherewith we be spotted are condemned euery man must enter into himselfe and make his owne processe and tarie not till God prosecute the law against him but say within himselfe Alas I haue offended on this wise and not only once nor twice but so many times and more And if I haue offended on this wise ther are diuers other ways so that if God would turne vp my filthinesse what a thing would it be I should be vtterly vndone This I say would bring vs to humilitie and repentance so as wee should not bee so slacke as wee haue bin too approch vnto our God or at the least wee should be no more so stubborne to striue against hys corrections Yea and let vs be so much the more carefull too do thus bycause we see the most part of men delight and glory in their sinnes and where they should sigh grone ▪ and be vtterly ashamed they will be counted good Christians yea of the perfectest that may be found In deede they will say generally I am a man and all men must confesse themselues sinners but yet there is none that dothe better than I I know none that hath a better will to lyue well than I. And who are they that say thus Filthy naughtypackes yea and so filthy that the ayre stinketh of theyr wickednesse and yet will they in this cace make a playne mocke at god Now as I haue sayd if wee examine oureselues well there shall remayne vnto vs nothing but vtter confusion insomuche that wee must needes acknowledge our selues guiltie not for one sinne nor for two ▪ but throughly and wholy knowing that wee are accursed of God and most miserable were it not that he hath pitie and compassion on vs To be breefe we are heere taught that men muste not confesse themselues sinners before God lightly and as it were for fashion sake as they doo which thinke it ynough to say oh I do not denie but that there be some faultes in me No we must not do so but we must make the burthen so heauie as we can beare it no more For indeede so shall God be truly glorified whych is not when men say that they haue some small infirmities and imperfections in them but whē with Dauid they speake of the greatnesse of their sinnes and of the multitude of their iniquities And as Daniell speaketh of it in his confession who was an Angel in comparison of other men and yet he sayeth I haue confessed my sinnes the sinnes of my people Hee speaketh not as of some small fault but he sayeth our sinnes O Lord are great and outrageous And so let vs learne to acknowledge what wee are yea and that in such sort as God may be truly glorified throughly and for the whole Thus muche for one point And what hope may we haue that God will receiue vs and be fauourable and mercifull vnto vs if we be not as it were ouerwhelmed with oure sinnes that wee haue committed Our Lord Iesus sayth not Come vnto me all ye that say I am a sinner there are infirmities in me no he sayeth not so But all ye that are loden and wearie whose shoulders do bend vnder the weight of your sinnes These are they that be called of Iesus Christe too the ende they may find mercie in him and in his grace and not they that so mocke with God making a light confession and beyng not once touched in their harts This is it that we haue to note vppon this worde Furthermore to come to suche a knowledge we must particularly examine the sinnes wee haue committed for a man shall neuer truly say I am as it were throwne into the bottome of hell vnlesse hee bee well searched out and haue considered his sinnes and marked them well one after another Vnlesse then wee do thus particularly examine our selues we shall neuer perceyue our iniquities to be infinite and innumerable For this cause is the matter heere couched in this order For Eliphas after he hath pronounced in generall termes that the sinne of Iob was great and his iniquities infinite sayeth Hast thou not spoyled him that was naked hast thou not taken a pledge without a cause Hast thou not withdrawne the bread from him that was a hungred Hast thou not denyed hym water to drinke that was a thirst And in the meane season wast not thou confederate with men full of violence This is the cause why God dothe nowe persecute thee It is true
should followe the measure that I haue spoken of alreadie Nowe wee see the profite that redoundeth too vs by this doctrine if wee can applye it well too oure vse that is too witte that when wee desire too bee heard at Gods hande the same must not bee too bring excuses as thoughe wee were not faultie and that wee could lessen our offences or rather make them none at all but it must bee too enter intoo the knowledge of them yea and to enter in such wise as wee may bee vtterly throwne downe and there may bee none other shift for vs but to flee vnto Gods goodnesse and that when wee shall haue condemned our whole life we may notwithstanding not ceasse to truste in the mercie which hee hath promised to wretched sinners when they mislike of their sinnes and condemne them desyring nothing but that God should receyue them to mercie Yee see then in what wise wee ought to practize this sayde request But it is harde for vs to attayne to such reason and therefore we must streyne our selues to it For this hardnesse muste not put vs out of hearte but rather prouoke vs too runne vntoo God praying him of hys grace too touch vs in suche wyse with his doctrine as by the meanes of hys worde wee maye offer vp suche requestes vnto him as wee may feele in the fruite of them Our faultes are tolde vs dayly and yet there are few that thinke vpon them God therefore perceyuing vs to be so slow yea euen in such sort as he is not able to moue vs by his worde lifteth vp his hand and sendeth vs some chastizements And bicause that if the affliction be but small it is nothing to vs wee do but shake oure eare at it as the prouerbe sayth God doubleth his stripes and scourgeth vs more and more holding our nozes to the gryndstone as they say and withdrawing himselfe from vs so as hys spirite is as it were quenched in vs and we feele not that he gouerneth vs any more in so muche that we become poore desperate soules and crie out alas what is this Afterwarde we become so inraged that wee would fayne haue God to giue vs some release and if hee giue vs it not yee shall see vs vtterly past our selues so as there is no remedie in our state Then may we well desire God to withdrawe his hande and to giue vs leaue to say Alas Lorde thou seest I am a sillie creature I feele heere thy chastizementes which are ouergreat considering myne infirmitie True it is this chastyzement is due to mee yea and I ought to feele yet muche more but my strength is so feeble and weake as to my seeming I am already shet vp in the dungeon of hell Alas my God voutsafe thou therefore to alay thy rygour a little that I may haue leysure to take my breath and too bethinke my selfe better than I haue done VVhen I haue such a releef I will come to thee and my woundes shall be assuaged For I see that the very meane to take good by thy scourging is that I abide not vnreformable vnder thy hand Behold the goodnesse that God dothe vnto vs when he suffereth vs to come vnto him Neuerthelesse when we make such request vnto him it must bee done with such condition as this VVell Lord it is true that the petition which I make is for my necessity thou seest I am able to beare no more and if thou preuent not the mischeefe I must needes fall into such a gulfe of confuzion as I shall neuer get out of it againe Neuerthelesse Lord I referre my self wholly vnto thee thou knowest what is meet and conuenient for me and thou arte able to remedie the extremities wherein I am according as thou haste infinite meanes to plucke thy seruant euen out of death Now then if we adde this condition God dothe well suffer vs to make suche request yea and he will like well of it Lo what wee haue to marke in this sentence But by the waye wee muste not thinke that Iob was so farre ouerseene as too beare himselfe in hand that hee was faultlesse and that hee was ready to enter into lawe with God and to pleade agaynst him weening that he shuld get the better haÌ„d Let vs not think that Iob was sotted with such a follye VVhat then VVee must hinke that he spake without aduisement as we bee wont to doe when our affections ouermaster vs For we haue our eyes so bleared as we discerne nothing at all As for example If a man bee besides himselfe for greese and anguish as he knoweth not himself any more some light wordes will escape from him and if hee bee told of it he will answere it was not so Yet is it true that he shall haue spoken them Yea but it shall not seeme so too his owne vnderstanding bycause his wit is troubled and confounded For as I haue sayde our passions carie vs away in such wyse as we bee in a maner beside our selues in that cace and yet in the meane whyle God ceasseth not to maynteyne alwayes a knowledge in vs the which shall notwithstanding bee as good as choked VVhen a man couereth a fire wyth asshes and earth if there be a great Cole in it it will lye hyd vnderneath and a man shall not see any thing nor perceyue any heate Euen so doth God sometymes suffer all discretion too be as it were choked in vs and in that cace wee see nothing but the asshes that is to saye the passions that are vppermoste and wee see some steame but the fire sheweth not it selfe at all Euen so then standeth the cace wyth vs And when Iob made this protestation hee felte himself in such extremitie that hee sought meanes too come before God saying that hee would be the first that should speake Let vs bee sure that hee spake this as a man vtterly rauing in his fittes Seeing the cace is suche let vs learne to walke alwayes in humilitie and let vs be well ware that our affections doe not carye vs awaye after such a sorte as wee knowe not what wee doe or say Lo heere a sentence that is verye profitable and full of good learning For first of all wee see that our affections are like wylde beastes which dashe vs against god But let vs come to rushe at him and what shall we winne by it Are wee hardâ—r than hee Are wee able too make him to bowe or else too breake him Alas wee muste needes bee crusshed and broken in peeces when we rushe against him so furiously And not onely so but also hee will ouerthrow vs with his blast he nedeth but his breth as the Scripture sayeth to destroye vs vndoo vs and bring vs to nought Therefore let vs vnderstand that our passions must bee repressed and wee must hold them in awe yea and we must as it were fetter them that is to say we must do the vttermost that we can to abate the
perfect rightuousnesse in God as that all that euer the creatures can bring must of necessitie bee nought worth insomuch that if the brightnesse of the Sunne do dimme the Starres much rather muste Gods rightuousnesse swallowe vp all the rightuousnesse that we suppose our selues to haue Iob therefore spake after that maner But if he had well remembred the said consideration of Gods rightuousnesse he would not haue so ouershot himselfe as to say I would it were lawfull for mee to goe to lawe with god But as I haue touched already albeit that he knew this doctrine yet was his passion so vehement as he forgate himself And hereby we be warned so to beare away the things whiche we reade in the holie Scripture as wee may learne too bridle our passions when wee bee tempted to impaciencie or anye other vice and as the thing that wee haue learned by Gods worde may bee sufficient to drawe vs from the trouble that riseth vp against vs Saint Paule sayeth that the Gospell is of power to subdue all things that lifte vp themselues againste god Beholde oure wittes beholde oure fleshly affections and see howe they lifte vp themselues agaynst God and bid him battell VVhat is to be doone They must be hilde in captiuitie that is too saye what soeuer it be that we finde in vs and in oure nature too bee agaynst God and his doctrine wee must subdue it by force Thus yee see a perfect constancie wherein it behoueth vs to continue Therefore when we fall to disputing of this and that and specially when we come too encountering let vs shrinke downe meekely lyke sillie sheepe and let vs alwayes conclude God is my iudge and there is nothing too bee found fault withall in hym though I had libertie too pleade yet should my cace quayle for I coulde not alledge one poynt for myselfe but hee woulde alledge a thousande againste mee Yee see then that wee muste glorifye God without standing in contention with hym yea euen althoughe it were lawfull for vs to pleade for our selues And heere ye see also why our Lord of purpose to conuince mē the more doth now and then say Go to let vs go to law togither as he doth cheefly by his Prophet Esay I am content sayth he to go to law with you let vs haue a iudge or an vmper and let it bee tryed who hath wrong or who hath right VVhereof can ye accuse me VVhat harme haue I done you But contrariwise I can accuse you of suche poynts and suche It is out of all doubt that there is no iudge betweene God and vs VVhy then vseth he suche maner of speach He letteth himselfe downe from his Maiestie and highnesse and sheweth that if hee were a creature and that there were an vmper or dayesman appointed so as hee should bee fayne too abyde another bodyes iudgement yet could not men cleare themselues of that which hee had to alledge agaynst them VVe see then that Gods vsing of thys manner of speech as thoughe he were a mortall man or were clad with our person is to shew vs that he plagueth vs not lyke a Tyrant ne dealeth with vs by absolute authoritie as the popish diuines haue surmized which is a diuelish doctrine God vseth no suche absolute power that is to say no lawlesse power as they terme it whiche should bee separated from his rightfulnesse But hee vseth all vprightnesse insomuche that all mouthes must be stopped before him Hath he condemned vs He will bee founde righteous in iudging as it is sayd in the one and fiftie Psalme True it is that wee will haue false and wrongfull verdites and make many allegations against it but in the ende God shall bee founde rightuous yea euen to our confuzion VVhat remayneth then VVe must humble and meeken our selues too acknowledge that all Gods iudgements are rightfull notwithstanding that vnto vs they seeme contrarie Furthermore let vs not go about to diminish his Maiestie neither let vs say I would that God were a mortall man as I am and that I had to deale with my match But let Gods Maiestie bee continued still in full state for lyeth it in vs to imbace it And it is not a cursed blasphemie to attempt it Surely Iobs intent was not to blaspheme for had hee bin of that mind Satan had caried him quite and cleane away But as I sayde hee bewrayeth his owne passions wherevnto he consented not Then had he the first moouing to it and by and by he did cut it off And so when it cōmeth in our mynde to lift vp ourselues against God bycause his hand seemeth to lye too heauie vpon vs let vs by and by turne backe and restreyne the vnruly affections assuring our selues that God hath iust cause to punishe vs a hundred tymes more roughly than hee dooth if he listed Yee see then in what wise it behoueth men to humble themselues and to acknowledge God to bee their soueraine iudge and therewithall not to fayle too take holde of his mercie assuring themselues that inasmuch as he is the welspring of all goodnesse hys Maiestie will not be too terrible to vs but that he will looke vpon vs with pitie and knowing oure infirmities will beare with them And in very deede we know he hath gyuen vs a good pawne and a good assurance of it in our Lord Iesus Christ whome he hath made our iudge to the intent we might find mercie in him as in the partie that sheweth himselfe our redeemer and aduocate Now let vs cast our selues downe in the presence of our good God wyth acknowledgement of oure sinnes praying hym to make vs feele them in such wise that being ashamed of them we may flee no whither else for succor but to his mercie and that we may know how needeful the same is for vs and therevpon imbrace it And therwithall also let vs learne to bee displeased with our selues for our sinnes so as we flatter not our selues in them as we haue bin wont to do but that wee may bee more and more clenzed from all oure owne filthinesse and be clothed ouer wyth hys rightuousnesse whiche is as yet but a little begonne in vs That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. The .lxv. Sermon which is the first vpon the .xvij. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the last verse of the xvj Chapter and then vpon the text that followeth MY breath is vnsauerie my dayes are at an ende and the graues are vpon me 2 There are dallyers vvith me and myne eye abideth in their bitternesse 3 I pray thee lay dovvne a guage giue a pledge for thee vvho is he that vvill touch in my hande 4 Bycause thou hast couered theyr hart that they can haue no vnderstanding thou vvilt not exalt them 5 Verely as for those that speake flatteries to their freends the eyes of their children shall fayle
mee But beholde God commeth to buffet mee after an other sort hee suffereth mee not to haue some good freend to counsell mee or some man of good countenaunce too warne mee for the safegarde of mine honestie but he sendeth mee an outcast Seeing then that it is thus with mee I must needes acknowledge that God doeth it not without cause Lo how wee are by all meanes brought to this reasonablenesse of fearing the meanest and most despysed sort Moreouer when Iob sayeth that he went not out of doores he meeneth not that he vsed any back shrinkings but that he refrayned himselfe willingly suffring himself to bee condemned without gainsaying and hyding himself as a man conuicted This in effect is the thing that we haue to note True it is that a man may sometymes hyde himselfe and yet not cease to chawe vpon the bit and to seeke reuengement agaynst suche as haue defamed him But whereas it is sayd that Iob went not out of his doores It is not ment that hee did it to the ende hee woulde not heare his reproch and in the meane while practise to bee reuenged of his enimies and of suche as had slaundered him No but he hilde himselfe within his house to rid the place of such as had gone about to rebuke his faultes he gaue them their full scope as if he should say I will not set my self against them I will not send my men to mainteyn my quarell let them condemne mee before the whole worlde here will I keepe mee as locked vp in prison VVe know that if a man be in prison other men haue libertie inough to commence actions against him Iob then of his own wil kept himself as prisoner to the end to suffer men to condemne him And this is wel worthy to be noted for we see nowadays that if a man be the giltiest in the world and he vnderstand that other men speake of him heare some windie words what will he do to remedie it he will come into the open street and iustle with his shoulders some like a boare he will keepe a coyle to mainteyn his euill and he will bring a route after him saying I will get the vpper hād whatsoeuer come of it There are that haue spoken euill of me but I will find the meanes to stoppe all their mouthes that speake euill of me VVould God the examples hereof were not so manifest as they bee But what A man cannot open his eies but he shall see it It is an ouerordinarie vice that such as spite God the world and sowe abroade their corruptions euery where are vtterly shamelesse and shew thēselues possessed of the diuel For they come forth facing and bracing with the forehead of a harlot and when they haue wiped their snoute all is well againe whatsoeuer the matter was Their offences shall be so shamefull as the aire shall stink of them and yet shall not men dare speake one worde but must be fayne to giue place to those roysters Seeing then that this vice reigneth euery where wee haue so muche the more neede to marke the lesson that is shewed here that is to wit that when we haue offended we must willingly kepe our selues as prisoners and seeke by all meanes to bridle our selues and suffer men to condemne vs that God may acquite vs True it is that our holding of our selues in must not be to cloke our sinnes by keeping silence howbeit let vs in the meane while bee quiet and not come abrode like brazenfaced fellowes to mainteyne our vyces nother let vs striue agaynst God but rather consider that wee be blame worthie in all respectes before his maiestie and therefore that there is no other remedie for vs but to flee too his infinite grace and mercie which he vseth towards all poore sinners that returne vnto him Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of his sinnes praying him to make vs so to feele them as being conuicted of them wee may not followe our father Adam in vsing outleapes too thinke that we shal be quiet by shrinking aside from them but rather that we may consider howe wee bee more than damnable and thervpon flee only to his mercie and also lerne to be sory to feele our own shame before men to the intent that when wee haue discouered them before God and his Angelles wee may bowe vnder his maiestie which shall not be dreadfull vnto vs bycause we be reconcyled vnto him by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ And that forasmuch as we cannot liue in this world without feeling our vices and imperfections ouermuch it may please him to guide vs continually by his holy spirit vntil hee haue clothed vs throughly with his owne rightuousnesse That it may please him to graunt this grace c. The Cxviij Sermon which is the eight vpon the .xxxj. Chapter 35 Oh that I had somebodie to heare me my marke is that the almightie should ansvvere me Let mine aduersarie vvright a booke 36 If I beare it not vpon my shoulders I vvill take itto me as a crovvne 37 I vvill recken all my steppes I vvill present my selfe to him as a prince 38 If my lande crie out agaynst me or if the furrovves thereof do vveepe togither 39 If I haue eaten the foy son of it vvithout siluer or if I haue oppressed the ovvners of it vvith sorrovv 40 Let it bring me forth thistles in steade of vvheate and darnell in steade of barley This is the ende of Iobs vvordes WE haue seene heretofore how Iob cōplyned that God harkened not too him that he might obteyne reason at his hande Truly in saying so his intent was not to blaspheme as though God had bin cruell vniust to him but his meening was that hee knewe not why he vvas so afflicted that it was not lawfull for him to go too lawe with God though hee knewe not the reason of it Proceeding herewithall he addeth now that all his desire was that God should answere him VVherein hee doeth vs to wit that if God would bee so gracious to him as to shewe him why hee was so tormented that knowledge shoulde suffize him Howbeit that there was no apparant reason why he should be handled so roughly seing his life had bin without blame and that he had indeuered to walk in holynesse True it is that this word answer may be expounded two wayes that is to wit that God should come before him as his aduersarie partie and lay forth his reasons and articles or else that he should answere that is to say that he should declare himselfe to bee on Iobs side Howbeeit forasmuch as heeretofore he hath oftentimes sayde that if God woulde condiscend to shewe the cause of that his iustice it shoulde suffice him I take this text as if it were sayde I desire no more but that God shoulde shewe me the reason why he scourgeth me For as for in common
sacrifice which hee hath offered wee bee taken and reputed for rightuous bycause the sayde sacrifice had the power to put away all faults and offences Lo what it behoueth vs too marke in this place Therefore when so euer we reade the holie scripture or come too a sermon when any promis of Gods goodnesse is set afore vs let vs assure our selues that then God warranteth his loue towards vs to the end we should be deliuered from death wherein we were plunged And although wee heare but a mortal man and that his voice be but a sound which disperseth and vanisheth in the ayre yet must we beleue that God will worke in such wise by his power that the sayde doctrine shall bee sufficient too deliuer vs from the damnation wherin we are and from the bondage of sinne so as we shall passe out of the bonds of Satan and bee set cleere before God and this saying namely what so euer you lose in earth shal be losed also in heauen cannot faile vs And so wee see of what importaunce this worde is where it is sayde deliuer the sinner or set the sinner free For when God giueth expresse charge to such as speake vnto vs to drawe vs out of the gulfe of death that wee myght enter intoo Paradise it is all one as if his voyce sounded from heauen And in verie deed Saint Iames speaking of priuate persons sayth that he which warneth his brother shal saue a soule that was lost If this take place in al those that bring men into the good waye when they were out of it what shall it doe seeing wee haue the speciall zeale which oure Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen to his word at suche time as the same is preached to vs by the sheepeherds of his Church that is to wit that their office is to release and forgiue sinnes as I haue alledged already out of Saincte Iohn and to bynde and vnbynde as I haue alledged out of Sainct Mathew To be short we see what the power of the Gospel is when we receyue the promises of it by faith namely that it is as much as if god shuld reache vs his hande from heauen too pull vs out of the dungeons of death And herewithall let vs marke for the third point that this is not done but by Gods ordinance and it serueth for a difference betweene the Gospell and the blasphemies of the Pope For the Pope vpholdeth that he and his Chaplens haue the keyes of the kingdom of heauen and the office of forgiuing But what commission can they shewe for it For they tye the forgiuenesse of sinnes to shrifte And where did God euer tell men that it behoueth men to shriue them of all their secretes in the eare of a mortall man too obteyne mercie God declareth that if the sinner sighe for his sinnes hee will be mercifull to him But beholde a mortall creature presumeth to make a lawe and to shet men out of Paradyse if they obserue it not Is not that a notoriouse vsurping of Gods power Besides this the Pope hathe his Bulle◠indulgences pardons and suche other things too ground the forgiuenesse of sinnes vpon and therewithall he mingleth the bloude of martyrs as hee that meeneth expressely too deface the vertue of the deathe and Passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And yet notwithstanding in the meane whyle hee hath no promis of the Gospell hee hath nothing but toyes ceremonies sorceries great crosses vpon the backe and suche other trashe whiche in conclusion are nothing but Satans gewgawes But contrariwise it is sayde that there can be no forgiuenesse of sinnes withoute Gods message that is too saye without preaching and doctrine VVhen the Pope forgiueth sinnes he is dumme hee bringeth not one iote of Gods worde nother hath hee any thing but charmes and sorceries as is sayde afore Moreouer hee layeth tyrannous lawes vpon mens neckes to ouerthrowe the meane which our Lord hath ordeined againe he abridgeth God himselfe of his libertie and there is no let in him to disappoint God that he should not receyue sinners to mercie Ye see then that the Popishe Churche is the Diuels synagoge destitute of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and consequently damned so long as it holdeth it selfe too the tradicions of Antechrist For it is impossible that it shoulde be reconciled vnto god But on the contrarie parte wee saye that mennes sinnes are forgiuen them by receyuing the message of the Gospell and that the same hath not to do with the ceremonies that men haue deuised nor with the lawes whiche they haue inuented at their owne pleasure but onely that wee must followe the order and rule which oure Lorde Iesus hath stablished who hath the remission of sinnes in his hande He hath giuen vs a meane whereby he will haue it done which is the preaching of his Gospell and the receyuing of it with assured fayth Therfore if we sticke to that simplicitie we may be sure that the commission commeth from aboue and that men take not ne vsurpe not any thing vppon them of their owne brayne Thus ye see what we haue to marke vpon the word where it is sayd that God will pitie him and deliuer him Then must euery whit of it come from aboue and none but God only must woorke in this behalfe by his free goodnesse according also as he himself protesteth by his Prophet Esay saying I am hee I my selfe am hee whiche wipeth out thine iniquities O Israell Then must such a benefite needes procede from him For it is not in any creature too giue it vnto vs Now wee see what substāce there is in this text so it be wel vnderstood And immediatly after it is sayd too the ende that his soule should not enter into the pit VVee haue seene already heretofore that the wretched sinners are neere to the graue and that they are as good as deade and consumed so long as God pursueth them with rigor But now Eliu addeth that God preuenteth that mischeef by sending the said message of the release of our sinnes so as wee fall not into the graue that is to saye wee perishe not For the cace here standeth not only vppon temporall death but vpon damnation wherin wee should be vtterly ouerwhelmed if God did not preuent it and preserue vs of his infinite goodnesse Thē let vs marke that whyle wee be afflicted wee bee couered with the darknesse of death and it seemeth to vs that there is no getting out of it but yet notwithstanding euen in that time God susteyneth vs as it were in couert and although wee perceyue not that we rest vppon him yet notwithstanding hee sheweth vs that fauour For without our knowledge it behoueth God to worke in that behalfe although wee cannot conceyue it And vndoubtedly when wee begin too take hold of his goodnesse by fayth we must not lay the first point of our saluation there but wee must mount vp hygher namely that he choze vs before wee were borne
to drown thē in the deepe of hell bicause they could not make their profit of it Neuerthelesse the holy ghost prouoketh vs to receue the exhortacion that is made vnto vs here VVherfore let vs fight against the pride and hypocrisie that are in vs For they be the two things which keepe vs from humbling of ourselues before God and from confessing of our faults before men Hypocrisie maketh vs to labour cōtinually to cloke our sinnes to pretēd to giue ourselues vnto goodnesse when in the meane whyle our hart is farre from it and we go the cleane contrary way And againe pride maketh vs to desire always to be in good reputacion Alas we seke to be esteemed among men or at leastwise to kepe ourselues from reproche and although we know our owne sinnes yet are we loth to be told of thē and in the meane whyle behold our condemnacion increaseth and doubleth before God and his Angels And therfore let vs learne too tame this pride vntill it be fully subdewed so as wee may come to our God with all humilitie and not only cōfesse our wretchednesse before him but also indeuer too edifie our neighbours If a mā demand for what cause we shuld speake so before men there are two reasons The one is that God might bee knowne too bee only righteouse as I haue sayd and that his grace might appeare and shyne forth Although God could forbeare our confession yet notwithstanding hee will haue it openly and manyfestly knowne that we are in his det And we see it is impossible to knowe his goodnesse towards vs if wee be not vtterly cast downe and euen at the point of dispaire Thus ye see the first reason why wee ought too confesse before our neighbours the goodnesse that we haue felt at Gods hād in that hee hath deliuered vs frō death and frō the destruction wherin we were plunged Also there is a second reson which is that other men should be edified by our example I haue bin exercised in affliction and God hath bin so gratiouse to deliuer mee out of it It is good that other should knowe of it that when God shal afflict them they may think with themselues behold Gods hand is vpon me and he summoneth me And why For I was as it were drunckē in my sinnes I was as a stray beast and now I see that he intendeth to drawe me home and to set mee into the waye of saluation again Therfore it is good that men should be warned of Gods working which wee haue felt in our selues according as we see in very deede that the confessions whiche the faithfull haue made in tymes past do serue at this daye for our learning If wee had not the example of Dauid in the greate numbers of afflictiōs which hee felt and ouercame As soone as wee felt any small aduersitie wee should forthwith bee at the point of dispayre But when wee see that the issewe was good and profitable vnto Dauid and that he confesseth it too haue bin a necessarie thing for him too bee so afflicted and chastized at Gods hand wee also doo trust in God and flee vnto him assuring our selues that it is his office too raise men out of the graue when hee hath cast them into it So then when wee confesse our sinnes and report how God hath visited vs with rigor for a time and afterward quickned vs againe it serueth to instruct our neighbours that they may not bee nouices nor thinke it straunge when God shall visit them in their turne and that as I haue sayd they may know themselues to be wretched sinners and seeke the remedie of it by putting their trust in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and be more and more stirred vp too serue and honor him when they shal haue felt his goodnes and grace by experiēce in that he hath receyued them so to mercy Thus ye see that the thing which is shewed here is not vnprofitable For a hūdred are edified and instructed by the example of one mā And therfore let vs learne to put away retchlesnesse whē our Lord shall haue shewed vs any fauour so as wee may magnifie his goodnesse before men and the same may bee preached with one common accord And afterward it is said for a conclusion he hath deliuered my soule from the pit and my life from entring into the graue Truely this cannot bee throughly dispatched as now but it must suffize vs to haue a short abridgement of it as neede requireth for the ioyning of this parte too that with I haue declared already Discourse hath bin made of the cōfessing of sinnes how mē ought not to be ashamed to cōdemne thēselues that afterward it behoueth thē immediatly to adde the praise of God in that they haue knowne his goodnesse And therfore it is said I haue sinned I haue turned away frō goodnesse yea and It hath not booted me at all But my God hath drawne me out of the pit Thē assone as the holy ghost hath taught vs to acknowledge our wretchednes to be ashamed of it he will haue vs immediatly to preache gods mercy according as we haue felt it how he suffred vs not to perish as we must needs haue don if he had not helped vs And let vs marke wel how it is sayd here vnto sinners that it shal not boote thē to resist their maker Then what shal we gaine when we hyde our sinnes and thinke not vpō thē but rather nourish them by fond selfelyking Alas alas it is alwayes too our greater destruction But when God discouereth our iniquities and maketh vs too feele them thē doth he procure our profit For therein he prouoketh vs too resort vnto him Thus ye see the first point that we haue to marke in this streyne and further lette vs marke also that when God shaketh vs off and layeth our wickednesse too our charge there is no remedy but wee must be forlorne vntill our God be pitifull to vs and receyue vs too mercie And therfore whensoeuer God forgiueth our sinnes it is all one as if he raysed vs frō death so as wee must conclude that when wee be so reconciled vntoo God then hath hee wrought a resurrection in vs. VVe were dead and there was no hope of lyfe in respect of our selues and he reacheth out his hand to make vs alyue agayne and too drawe vs vnto him So then lette vs learne to magnify the grace of the forgiuenesse of sinnes acknowledging that God doth rayse vs to life as often as it pleaseth him to receyue vs to mercy And forasmuch as we see that Satan ceasseth not to thrust vs from so great a benefite let vs be so much the more inflamed and prouoked to exalt it highly as it deserueth Now lette vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgemente of our sinnes praying him so to exercise vs in his iudgementes in the knowledge of our
gluttonie according as there be some countries that are specially giuen thervnto some their ambitiouse pompe some their vaine vvorldlinesse some their snatching and extortion as vvel pryuate as publike othersome their crueltie and insatiable desire too shed mannes blud in spight of all lavves and to the confusion of all ciuill order among men They shall say I haue this little vvord of Sainct Peters to vvey vvhich ought to astonish thē more than all the thunderclappes that euer rattled in the aire that is to vvit that if chastizemēt begin at the house of God at those vvhich are the true Christians vvhat shall the end of these be vvhich rebell against Gods Gospell if the rightuouse do hardly scape vvhere shal the vvicked and sinfull appeare Behold the thing that all the good seruants of God and all faithfull preachers of the Gospel do brotherly pray for at this day as men haue done hertofore Behold the thing that al the little flocks of the reformed churches dispersed heere there do pray for behold the thing that euen Iesus Christ as yee vvould saye in his ovvn person prayeth for is that they may by him be reconcyled to God receiue his grace in such vvise as it may not be in vaine And it is to be hoped that God of his great mercie vvil yet notvvithstanding bring many of that sort too such chaunge as he vvill make them true and earnest follovvers of the Gospell as he hath done oft heretofore Notvvithstanding if any or many of thē being so intreated for Iesus Christs sake do harden themselues let suche vnderst and that they shall not scape Gods hand at the last day and it may be that they shall feele it yet sooner too their greate confusion For it is he vvhose preheminence none others is in controuersie at this day and vvhich shall of a truthe get the vpper hand of all his enimies early or late vvhatsoeuer betyde He is vvilling to haue pitie vpon his creatures and by vvord he giueth comfort and patience to all such as are pinched but specially he comforteth those that are already vnder his banner graunting them to haue peace in him although they haue none in the vvorld Amen At Geneua the first day of Iune 1563. ¶ A TABLE AND GATHERING TOGE ther of such places of the Scripture as are expounded and aptly applyed by the Author in these his Sermons The first number signifieth the Chapter of the booke of the Byble the second the verse of the sayd Chapter or being but one number it signifieth the verse of the Chapter nexte before the thirde by A or B the first or second Columne of the leafe the fourth the lyne of the Columne Genesis 1. 2. THE earth was without forme and voyde and darkenesse was vpon the deep 740. b. 19. 3. 4. GOD sayde let there bee light and there was light and God seperated the light from the darknes 212. 6. 37. 710. b. 28. 14. God sayd let there be lightes in the firmament of heauē◠to seperate the day from the night and let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes years 775. b. 2. 16. GOD then made two great lightes the greater light to rule the day and the lesse light to rule the night 172. a. 6. Subdue the earth and haue dominion ouer the fishes of the sea ouer the soules of he auen and ouer euery beast that moueth 110. b. 18. 28. Haue rule ouer the fishe of the sea and ouer the foule of the heauen and ouer euery beast that mooueth vpon the earth 781. a. 15. 31. Al things that God had made were good 300. b. 14. 2. 1. The heauens and the earth were finished and all the hoste of them 172. a. 56. 17. As touching the tree of know leadge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it 571. a. 25. 20. God foūd not amōg the beasts of the fielde an helper meete for Adam 55 b. 6. 24. The man and the vvoman shal be one fleesh 363. b. 35. 3. 5. Ye shal be as Gods knowing good and euill 526. a. 16. 6. Eue seeing that the tree was pleasaunt and good for meat she did eat 571. a. 22. 577. a 46. 7. Adam and Eue after they had transgressed couered themselues with leaues 572. b 23. 601 a 36. 12. The woman vvhich thou gauest to bee vvith mee hath deceiued me 422. a 60. 601. b 26. 4. 4. The lord had respect to Abell and to his offering 12. a 33. 7. If thou dost not well sinne lyeth at the dore 650. b 15. 8 Cayne slew Abell 351. b 20. 13. My punnishment is greatter then I can beare 113. b 58. 601. a 61. 689. b 10. 5. 22. Henoch walked vvith God 410. a 16. 6. 3. My spiritte shall not alway striue with man. 398. a 54. 5. God saw that the wickednesse of man vvas great in the earth 336. a 43. 6. God repented that hee hadde made man in the earth and was sorie in his hart 198. a 23. 7. God sayde I will destroy from the earth the man that I haue made for it repenteth me that I haue made them 336. a 43. 9. Noath vvas a iust and vpright man in his time 205. a 38. 7. 11. In the time of the flood all the fountains of the great deep were broken vp and the windovvs of heauen vvere open 761. b 42. 23. All the substance that was vppon the earth was destroyed 442. b 35. 8. 20. Noath built an alter c. and offered burnt offering 12. b 40. 13. The earth could not containe Abraham and Lot that they might dvvell together for their substaunce was great 7. b 28. 820. a 60. 16. God sayd to Abraham that he vvould make his seede as the dust of the earth 351 b 22. 14. 18. Melchizedech vvas a priest of the most high God. 3. a 23. 15. 1. God is the revvard of Abraham 413. a 45. 5. The seed of Abraham shall be multiplied like the Starres of heauen 351. b 23. 12. VVhen the sunne went down there fell an heauy sleep vpon Abraham and loe a very fearefull darkenesse fell vpon him 77. b 59. 15. Thou shalt be buried in a good old age 407. b 28. 17. 1 VValke before me and be thou vpright 224. b 18. 18. 19. Abraham will commaūde his sonnes and housholde after him that they keep the way of the Lord 302. a 45. 20. The cry of Sodom and Gomorha is great and is come vp vnto me 686. b 18. 23. 25. VVilt thou destroy the righteous vvith the wicked 180. b 31. 450. a 60. 671. a 16. 35. 19. 24. God caused to rayne vppon Sodom and Gomorha brimston and fire 442. b 32. 23. 1. Sara liued an hundred and seauen and twenty years 820. a 61. 24. 35. The Lorde hath blessed Abraham wonderfully vvith sheep and Bieues and siluer and gold and men seruauntes and maydseruants and Camels and Asses 7. b 28. and
God through Iesus Christ our Lorde 53. b 38. 64. a 19 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ 290. a 31. 8. 7. The wisdome of the fleshe is enmitie against God. 40. b 60. 43. a 36. 204. b 3. 253. b 33. 293. a 30. 685 a 17. 10. If Christ be in you the body is dead bicause of sinne but the spirit is life for rightuousnesse sake 19. b 38 84. b 34. 10. 11. And if Christ be in you the body is dead bicause of sin but the spirite is life for rightuousnesse sake which shall quicken our mortal bodies 360. b 50. 15. Ye haue receyued the spirite of Adoption 17. a 25. 351. a 50. 17. If vve suffer with him we shall be glorified with him 185. b 17. 584. b. 10. 18. The heauenly glorie shall bee shevved vnto vs. 185. b 17. 24. 25. VVe are saued by hope but hope that is seene is no hope for hovv can a man hope for that which he seeth But we hope for that we see not wee do with pacience abide 60 b 23. 368. b 57. 26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for vve know not to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with sighes which can not be expressed 116. b 30. 177. b 23. 651. a 56. 28. All things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen too them that are called of his purpose 108. a 21. 29. Those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his soÌ„ne 43. b 47. 819 b 11. 31. If God be on our side who can be against vs. 456. b 1. 33. It is God that iustifieth 333. b 35 35. VVho shal separate vs from the loue of Christe shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famin or nakednes or peril or svvord 111. b 38 36. In all things we are more than conquerors through him that loued vs. 29. a 6. 38. 39. I am assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges too come nor heigth nor depthe nor any other creature shall be able to separate froÌ„ the loue of God which is Iesus Christ our Lord. 111. b 38. 211. b 30. 9 3. I would wish my selfe to bee separated from Christe for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the flesh 59. a 58. 15. I will haue mercie on him to whom I will shewe mercie 689. b 34 20. VVho art thou vvhich pleadest against God 343. a 54. 755. b 25. 22. 23. God will she we his wratâ— in vesselles of wrath ordeined to destruction and shevv his glorie in vessels of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorie 706. b 53. 10. 10. VVith the hart man beleeueth vnto rightuousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation 460. b 50. 655. a 56. 12. God is rich vnto all that cal on him 596 b 56. 13. VVho so euer shall call on the name Lorde shal be saued 225. b 44. 356. b 47. 17. Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 661. b 22. 810. a 3 11 8. God giueth eyes not to see and eares not to heare those which feare not him 810. b 16. 33. O the depnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God hovv vnsearchable are his iudgements 206. b 34. 151. a 38. 637. b 23. 34. VVho hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who vvas his counseller 525. a 3. 35. VVho hath giuen vntoo God first and hee shall be recompensed 803. a 38. 12. 3. That no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand 403. b 31. 8. He that sheweth mercie let him do it with cheerefulnesse 585. b 34. 15. Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe 124. a 60. 442. b 53. 568. a 16. 16. Make your selues equall too them of the lower sorte bee not wise in your selues 377. a 55. 557. a 40 677. a 13. 17. Procure thinges honest in the sight of all men 603. b 42. 20. If thine enemie hunger feede him If hee thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heap coles of fire on his head 600. a 42. 13. All powers are ordeined of God. 675. a 20. 9. Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe 319. b 42. 14. 8. VVhether we liue or die wee are the Lordes 290. b 37. 10. VVe shall all appeere before the iudgement seate of Christ 731. a 17. 365. b 11. 400. b 57. 569. a 30. 680. a 55. 679. a 6. 11. I liue saith the Lord and euerie knee shall bow to me and all tongs shall giue praise vnto God. 731. a 14. 17. The kingdome of heauen is spirituall peace 303. a 29. 19. Let vs followe those thinges which concern to edificatioÌ„ 293. a 4 15. 2. Let euery man please his neighbor in that is good to edification 293. a 4. 4. VVhat soeuer things are vvritteÌ„ afore time are written for our learning that we through pacience and comforte of the scriptures might haue hope 28. b 22. 106. a 22. 16. That I should be the minister of Iesus Christ towards the gentiles ministring the Gospell of God that the offering vp of the gentiles might be acceptable 741. a 30. 16. 21. Timotheus my companion and Lucius and â—ason and Sosipater my kinsmen salute you 618. b 39. 1. Corinthians 18. THE preaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse 619. b 29. 19. I will destroy the wisdome of the wise â–ª and will cast avvay the vnderstanding of the prudent 620. b 29. 755. b. 7. 21. For seing the world by wisdome knewe not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleue 335. b 8. 2. 4. 5. The word of God is not in entencing speach of mans wisdome but in plaine euidence of the spirit that our faith should not bee in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 531. a 46. 9. The things which eye hath not seen neither eare hath hard neither came into mans hart are which god hath prepared for them that loue him 742. b 17. 808. b 10. 10. 11. 12. God hath reueled his secrets vnto vs by his spirit for the spirit searcheth al things yea the deepe things of God and hee is giuen vnto vs to knowe those things which are giuen vs of God. 296. a 55. 742. b 48. 810. a 6. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vntoo him 808. b 8. 619. b 29. 3. 6. I haue plaÌ„ted Apollo watred but God gaue the increase 810. a 10. 10. As a skilfull maister builder I haue laid the foundation 2. a 16. 18. 19. If any man seeme to be wise let him be a foole 223. a 17. 487. b 3. 522. a 5. 522 a 48. 619. b 37. 695. b. 25. 4. 4 5. I know nothing by my self yet I am not therby iustined but he that iudgeth
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 cōpelleth thē 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 thē And herby we see why the Angels are in this place expresly termed childrē of God and the Diuel by his propre title of Aduersarie for so doth the word Satan signifie in Hebrew True it is that mē are oftētimes 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 adoptiō which is a warrāt vnto thē that God beareth a fatherly loue towards them Rightly therfore may we be called the childrē of god So may also Princes and Magistrates For they haue the same honourable title which is giuē vnto thē bycause God hath aduaūced them set them in that hie estate to the intent to be knowen in the person of them VVe see thē how the name of Gods Children may well be applyed to mē 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 thē frō 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 thē that this honour of being taken reputed for the children of God belōgeth 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 seruāts 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 frō 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 Sōne to redeeme vs hath not taken vpō 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 Sōne 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 vocatiō 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 seruāts of god In what wise Euen as his children VVhē 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 cōstreined 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 frō 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 thēselues that when they became to be Apostataes to separate themselues from the fountaine of rightuousnesse they forsooke God and turned themselues away frō him Lo how they were peruerted and became altogither euill Likewise wheras sinne is in mās nature it is not of Gods putting in by creation but by reason that Satā did spreade his naughtinesse further abrode at such time as mā was beguiled by his wylinesse to disappoint the benefit of god Thus ye see how the Diuels became accursed of thēselues and that their being cruell full of rebellion full of lying full of wickednesse came altogither of their turning away frō their Creator as the Scripture teacheth vs Yet for all that they cease not to be alwayes vnder the hād of god And therfore
vntill they be gathered into the euerlasting rest which is prepared for thē in heauen according as it hath bin purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ And so let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgemēt of our faults praying him to make vs better to perceyue thē than we haue done in such wise as we beeing conuinced of our wants may haue oure whole recourse to his mercie beseeching him to be our father in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that although wee be not worthy to bee reckened among his creatures yet he will accept vs for his children so as we may learne to taste of his loue and goodnesse and therwithall that he will strengthē vs in such wise in al the afflictions which he shall make vs to feele as we may be able to withstand thē all euen till he haue drawen vs away to himself to make vs inioy the victory that is purchased by our Lord Iesus Christ the triumph that tarieth for vs in heauen That it may please him to graūt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and nations c. The .xxv. Sermon which is the thirde vpon the sixt Chapter This Sermon conteyneth the rest of the exposition on of the xiij and xiiij verses and then as followeth 15 My brothers haue beguyled mee as a dryebrooke and as the vvaters that passe throughe the valleyes 26 They be troubled vvith yce and are full of snovve 17 And aftervvarde fayle through drought and are taken out of their places by heate 18 They turne aside by diuerse vvayes and vanish and perish 19 They that haue seene them vvayting in the quarters of Thema come in Seba. 20 But beeing there they vvere confounded and hauing hoped vvhen they vvere come too the place they vvere ashamed 21 Behold hovv you be to me as driebrookes for ye haue bene amazed at the sight of mee 22 Haue I saide to you bring hither giue me of your goodes 23 Deliuer me from the enemie rescue me from the hand of Tyrans THe first sentence that we haue hearde tendeth to this end That the mā which is pressed so as he cā no more deserues well to be excused if he be excessiue in his passions And that is it that Iob alleadgeth for his excuse Although I speake out of measure sayth he men must not think me much to blame for the misery inforceth me to do it True it is that this colour may be admitted among men but as to Godward it cannot be iustified if wee alledge that the miserie is so excessiue that we wote not what to do For God is able to asswage it if wee desire it at his hand And furtheremore we cannot excuse our selues after this present maner but God shall by and by bee accused as if he had no regard of our welfare or as if he had hādled vs without anye aduisement Verely men thinke not of this and yet when wee speake of God we ought not to open oure mouth but with all reuerence and sobrenesse Now let vs consider whether God chastyze vs with discretion or no VVhen it is once agreed vpon that God knoweth why hee afflicteth vs and that hee neuer passeth measure the same muste not go for payment when we come to excuse our selues but rather we must yeeld our selues giltie So then seeing that Iob hath fayled in this behalfe lette vs go the rather too the remedie whiche is that if wee bee combered with greate aduersities wee shoulde haue oure recourse vntoo God praying him too voutsafe too succoure vs In so dooing wee shall finde that hee will ease vs so muche as shall bee needefull and also that hee will not suffer vs too quayle Althoughe it shall seeme that oure calamities are as gulfes too swallowe vs vp yet will God vpholde vs with his hande and preserue vs in suche wyse as wee shall not come too the poynte too bee vtterlie ouerthrowen True it is that in respect of oure selues Gods intent is that oure weakenesse shoulde bee knowne and that it shoulde shewe it selfe too the intent wee myght not haue whereof too boaste oure selues but rather that the foolishe haultinesse that is in vs myghte bee beaten downe but yet for all that wee shall bee succoured by him in due tyme Yee see then what is to bee sayde concerning this sentence And it is sayde That a freende ought too doo him good whiche is afflicted But Iob complayneth that men haue not the feare of god This sentence oughte too bee common among vs For wee muste not go to schoole to say Let vs haue compassion vpon such as are in distresse that is ingrauen in all men There is no man but hee can skill to say that specially when wee bee in aduersitie euery of vs will desyre men to haue pitie of him and to thinke vpon him too his releefe Yee see heere a lesson that ought to bee more than knowen to vs and yet in the meane whyle no man practyzeth it and therefore so muche the lesse are wee too bee excused as oure common prouerbes serue vs to our condemnation The veryest idiots and the ignorantest persones in the worlde cannot say but they haue hearde that whiche is common and ordinarie among all men And if a man consyder the prouerbes that runne abrode hee shall finde record ynough to reproue such as woulde take couert before God which say I knewe not what it was I was not learned it I was not warned of it For wee haue skill ynough to say that a man ought not too greeue the afflicted but that hee ought too pitie him and yet for all that wee consider not of it a whit Ye see then that at the latter day God shall haue nothing to do to put in long inditements against vs for the crueltie whiche wee vse towards our neyghbours And why For euery man can bee his owne iudge in this cace But let vs marke that when mention is made of compassion or gentlenesse the same extendeth very farre For the cace standeth not onely vpon geuing meate and drink to a man when hee is a hungred or a thirst or vpon giuing some bodily releefe but also vpon comforting of a man when hee is troubled with sorowe and anguish of mind If a man be hemmed in with aduersitie it is no comming to him to vex him more and more and to put him out of harte altogither but rather meanes muste bee sought to comfort him And so the curtesye wherevnto wee bee bounde by nature lyeth not onely in dooing some pleasure but also in not beeing hardharted to shake them off that are in any aduersitie without regarde of them It is not to cōdemne them double to the end that their miserie shoulde be the greater but rather to bee meeke and gentle to them so as we can find in our harts to mourne with them that mourne as the Scripture exhorteth vs and to bee glad of our neyghboures prosperitie Yee
see then what wee haue to marke But it is sayde that a man for saketh the feare of God when hee hath not compassion of the afflicted And trulye if a man remember well the rule whiche is giuen by our Lorde Iesus Christ hee shall well see howe there is no feare of God in vs when wee bee so shrunke away And why so For yee see howe our Lorde Iesus Christ telleth vs that wee ought to followe oure heauenly father if wee will bee taken for his children The very heathen themselues coulde well skill to say that there is nothing wherein a man dooth more resemble God too fashion himselfe like vntoo him than in doing good inasmuche as it is a kindely thing for a man to succour those that are in necessitie And now yee see howe God causeth his daysunne to shyne both vpon good and bad If I see my brother if I see him that is as it were a mirrour of myne owne flesh and myne own nature pinched with aduersitie and haue no care of him is it not a token and proofe that I thinke not of God and that I am ouerbeastly And so it is not without cause sayd in this streyne That suche as haue no pitie vppon the poore wretched creatures which are in aduersity haue giuen ouer the feare of god Yee see also why our Lorde Iesus Christ sayeth that the cheefe poyntes of the lawe are iudgement rightuousnesse mercie and truthe VVhen wee will shewe that wee feare God and desyre to serue him wee muste come to this present poynt that wee walke in soundnesse among men so as wee bee not gyuen too guy lefulnesse and malice and furthermore that wee render euerye man his ryght that wee maynteyne good and ryghtfull caces as neere as wee can and that wee pitie suche as haue neede of our helpe in succoring them to the vttermost of our power Yee see I say wherein wee shall fulfill Gods lawe But if wee bee full of crueltie so as euery of vs thinke onely vpon himselfe and make no account howe other men fare herein wee shewe our selues to haue no regarde of god And why For if wee had God before our eyes we would consider that hee hath set vs here to liue togither and to communicate one with another wee would consider that hee is the father of vs all wee woulde consider howe hee hath made vs all of one kinde to the ende wee shoulde one of vs haue care of another and none of vs drawe awaye by himselfe alone considering that wee haue neede one of another Therefore it is too bee sayde that suche as are turned away from this kindhartednesse haue also turned their backe vpon God yea and that they knowe not what thing manhood is Then let vs beare well in minde this sentence That to proue our selues to haue the feare of God it behoueth vs to labour to do good to the afflicted True it is that for the obseruing of this general rule wee bee bounde to do good to all men Howbeit forasmuchas wee haue greate hardnesse of hart wee must bee softened by the syght of euerye one that is in distresse And in the same is a good meane to breake and abate all the enmities and euill will that haue bene afore As how If a man bee in prosperitie and aflote and bee hated and afterwarde fall and haue some greate storme lyght vpon his head the sayd hatred which had bene afore ceasseth insomuche that they whiche had borne rancour agaynste him and woulde fayne haue eaten his hart and his guttes as they say are somewhat appeased when they see what a chaunge is happened vnto him And seeing that affliction is ynough to kill hatred to make enmitie too ceasse I pray you what shall it do when wee see our neighboures in aduersitie Ought we not to be double moued to succoure them As for those that torment and sting poore folke that are in miserie and heauinesse they are not onely vnkind bicause they haue no compassion but also they exceede further forsomuch as they come to increase the mischeefe If I see a man that mourneth and desireth succour of me and I turne my backe vpon him I am cruell and I shewe my selfe too knowe nother God nor nature But if another come and laugh and mock at him that desyreth to bee somewhat releeued so as his comming doubleth his greef suche a one is also double cruell True it is that I haue dealte churlishly on my behalfe but as for him that commeth to set his foote vpon the poore mans throte dooth not hee shew himselfe to bee a wild beaste yea and more than beastly But such are Iobs freendes of whome he complaineth Therefore if we will proue oure selues to be Gods children let vs learne not to shake off them that are in miserie assuring ourselues how it is the thing whervnto God calleth vs whereby he will haue a record whither wee take him for our father or no that is to say if we vse brotherlinesse towards men But in any wise let vs beware wee lift not vp our selues against such as indure any aduersitie and that wee oppresse them not moreouer For wee see how that is a greater despising of God than if wee made no reckening of them Thus yee see what we haue to marke And herevpon Iob vseth a similitude comparing his freendes to a dry brooke Looke vpon a brooke sayeth he which runneth not at all times but is sometimes dry If there come any great shot of water and that it freze a man shall see a greate houge heape while the frost lasteth And afterward if there fall a snow behold the waters come gushing downe and the brooke is so swolne as hee can scarce keepe himselfe within his banks but ouerfloweth a mā would thinke that it should continue so alwayes But the brooke passeth Hee goeth here and there sayth he and in the end dryeth vp so as if a man go to the way of Thema or to the way of Seba in hope to find water there he shall be deceyued Now these countries were wilde in respect of the lande of Iewrye and there were desertes betwixt them it had a dry waye and in maner vntrauellable and therefore it was a place that had the more neede of water to refresh men Behold the trauellers sayeth he when they shall haue seene such a brooke they bee glad and surmise with themselues wee haue a riuer that will giue vs some refreshing if wee bee athirst wee may drinke water for wee shall haue it continuallye at hande But when they come too the drye places and think to refresh themselues and to haue water there when the heate is greate they see themselues deceyued and therefore they are abashed and greeued and angrie at the matter Lo sayeth hee euen such are you And it is not without cause that Iob alledgeth this similitude here For we haue seene heretofore that his freends whiche are come too comfort him are men of
sinnes and so wounded with the inwarde conceyte of his iudgements as we may desire nothing but that he should take vs to mercie and receyue vs vnto him not onely to forgiue vs our sinnes past but also to amend in such wise for the time to come as we may walke in his obedience howbeeit that the same walking must not be to the ende to pay him with our merites and workes and to make vs returne into his fauour and too beseech him to gouerne vs in such wise by his holy spirit as we may continually call vpon him and sue too him as to our Father And nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the presence of our good God and father with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him that his making of vs to feele them may be to amende vs in such wise as we may not desire any thing so much as to come nearer and nearer vnto him vntil we be come thither in full perfection And so let vs all say Almightie God and our heauenly father we knowledge c. The .xliij. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the .xj. Chapter 7 Shalt thou finde God in seeking him Shalt thou finde the full perfection of the almightie 8 It surmounteth the heigth of the heauens vvhat vvilt thou doo It is deeper than the bottomlesse depthes hovve vvilt thou comprehend it 9 The vvydenesse of it is broder than the Earth and the largenesse of it is greater than the Sea. 10 VVhen he moueth himselfe to shet vp or to leaue out vvho shall let him 11 And seeing hee knovveth that men are vaine and seeth that they be of no force shall hee not perceyue 12 That an emptie man is indued vvith hart and a man is borne like a vvilde Asse FOr asmuch as it is no easie matter for vs to conceyue howe too humble our selues therefore ye see how God standeth the more vpon this doctrine too the ende we may haue so much the more occasion to put the same in vre Yesterday wee sawe that if God punish vs we must not replie agaynst him for in the ende we shal find that he hath borne with vs alreadie â–ª and that he might of right vse greater rigour towards vs And if he heare vs not it is bicause our sinnes haue separated him from vs and we are vnworthie to bee heard but are forgotten at his hande by reason of our sinnes according as it is sayd that the wicked shal gain nothing when they thinke too haue their recourse vntoo him as in verie deede they go not too him vnseynedly And as for the good if God heare them it is not oute of hande or at leastwise hee suffereth them not to perceyue it bycause it is good that they should be meekned After the setting foorth of this article that it is not lawfull for men to iustifie themselues before God now in generall it is sayde that we labour in vaine if we go about to seeke out his wisdome VVhy so For it ouerreacheth the Heauens it is deeper tâ—an the bottomlesse pittes and the wydenesse of it stretcheth through all Let vs haue an eye to our owne measure Beholde howe man who would ouerreach the whole earth needeth no more than sixe foote too couer him Man is desirous to inclose the whole sea in his imagination and in the meane while hee himselfe is nothing He would fayne surmount the heauens and howe shall hee come thither Hee woulde gage the bottome of the depthes and what meanes hath he to do it withall Neuerthelesse let vs put the cace that mans minde is able to stye aboue the heauen â–ª and that nothing could be hidden from it yet should we come short of Gods wisdome bicause it is infinite â–ª It cannot bee compared eyther with the deepes or with the heauens for it farre ouerpasseth them all And therefore let vs assure our selues that oure presumption is foolish when wee go about to knowe the reason of Gods doings Thus ye see in effect what is shewed to vs heere VVherefore let vs marke that this word Wisedome is taken heere for Gods purpose determination or intent which we be not able to comprehend True it is that wee may well tast some little portion of Gods wisedome like as when we beholde his creatures there he sheweth himselfe vnto vs howbeit but partly Let vs no more but take a braunch of some herbe and wee shall see after what sorte and with what cunning God hathe wrought there The same is a very lookingglasse of hys wisedome Then is it much more reason that when wee come to his greater and choycer works we should there perceyue that Gods wisedome is a woonderfull thing if we haue any tast at all of it But by the way the perfectnesse thereof is spoken of heere that is to witte that if wee will needes knowe why God doth all things or if a man be desyrous to see what end God setteth afore hymselfe and what cause moueth him therevnto wee muste needes be vtterly confounded But heere first of all wee be admonished of the rawnesse of our wit and vnderstaÌ„ding to the intent wee passe not our boundes nor play not the horses that are broken looce as wee see that the ouerweening and pride of oure nature driueth vs therevnto But hereby wee haue also to consider the goodnesse of our God who applyeth himselfe vnto vs and too oure feeblenesse that we at leastwise tast of that whiche is incomprehensible vnto vs and although we conceiue it not throughly ne tast it fully yet he sheweth it to vs and maketh vs to feele it so far foorth as is for our profite Thus see you two articles which are well woorthy to be marked As touching the first I haue tolde you how it behoueth men to coÌ„sider how rawe and how weake of vnderstanding they bee that they presume not to thrust themselues too farre forwarde too make inquisition of Gods woorkes more than hee willeth them and giueth them leaue to do I say more than hee willeth them and gyueth them leaue to do â–ª For as I haue touched already God of his goodnesse doth not vtterly barre vs from hauing any perceyuerance at all of his wisedome but it behoueth vs to keepe measure Then let vs be well aduised that euery of vs haue an eye to hys owne habilitie and too marke howe suttle and sharpe witted wee bee and howe greatly gyuen too this ouerboldenesse wherevnto oure owne nature eggeth vs continually How is that VVe woulde alwayes bring God to account of all his doings VVhen we meete with any straunge thing and men say vntoo vs such is Gods good pleasure bycause he hath ordeyned so and therefore we must not pleade against hym yea say wee But why dooth hee not otherwise For suche an inconuenience will insue heerevpon and the matters may drawe quite and cleane awke from that which might bee for our profite Thus we see howe that at euery push we woulde fayne haue God to yeeld vs a reason why
admit nothing els but only Gods wil to rule and gouerne our whole life Howbeit that is not all that we haue to do For it is to no purpose for men to beate our eares with preaching and to say behold thus muste yee do behold thus doth God commaund you vntill such time as we haue learned that it is he only that printeth his lawe in our harts and ingraueth it in our bowels that it is he which giueth vs power to sticke to hys commaundements that it is he which by his holy spirite giueth force effectualnesse to the doctrine that it is he which of his goodnesse accepteth vs forgiueth vs our sinnes I say it is all to no purpose till we haue learned those things and bene taught to resort vnto him to demaund at his hande whatsoeuer wee haue neede of It is not ynough for vs to haue it told vs thus and thus must ye do but as I sayd God must be fayne to giue vs strength to performe that which we shall craue at his hand Furthermore by this wee bee admonished that our faith is not edified by aduersitie but that it always ingendreth in vs a desire to prayse God and to resort vnto him VVhen it is tolde vs that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath reconciled vs to God his father and shed his bloud to wash vs with that wee might be pure and cleane and that he hath payde the price of our raunsome that wee might be quit by his rightuousnesse and so become acceptable to God and he vse his mercie towardes vs the knowing of all these things say I is to the end we should throughly cleaue vnto him and say well then how may we bee saued but only by the meere grace of God in asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ hath made satisfaction for vs and to the end that our faith shoulde rest therevpon But must we therfore lie still asleepe No no but we must awake that we may repaire vnto God and say where is our welfare In the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe therefore we must seeke it there for we shall not finde it among men And how must wee seeke it but by prayers and supplications Then let vs come vnto God and say Lord sith thou seest vs voyde of all goodnesse fill thou vs with thy grace True it is that we be wretched sinners howbeit for asmuch as wee bee the members of thy Sonnes body wee shall bee made rightuous by hym True it is that we be full of spottes but hee hath wherewith too clenze vs hee hath a good washing for vs True it is that wee bee giltie of euerlasting death and bound therevntoo but our Lorde Iesus Christ hath set vs free from it VVherefore Lorde bee so good too vs as to make vs partakers of the thing which is purchaced for vs by thine infinite goodnesse Beholde in what manner we ought to haue recourse vnto God lette vs say yea Lorde fill thou vs with thy holy spirite that hee may leade vs by his strength and suffer vs not to faynt for any temptation that can befall vs Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to marke out of thys streyne But Eliphas doth afterwarde vpbrayd Iob that he hath chozen the tung of craftinesse This present saying importeth that hee doth but mocke with God as they do whiche are bereft of all feare and reuerence and haue not any more reason in them For sometimes men shall sinne through simplicitie and yet stande in some feare of God howbeit they shall be dulled for the time according as wee shall see many that are not touched after a liuely sorte but are little better than brute beastes and yet notwithstanding there shall some feare of God lie hidden in them whych is as good as choked wel then such manner of folke haue more simplicitie than craftinesse and malice in them But othersome thinke themselues to be very sharpwitted if they can scoffe at all religion and dally with God and with his maiestie and take vnmeasurable libertie to follow all euill of set purpose Ye see then that the craftie or suttle folke of whome Eliphas maketh mention in thys streyne are not such as do amisse through ignorance and ouersight but suche as wilfully and of set purpose make none account of God nor of the handling of hys woord contemptuously to make a sport or a stage play of it for behold that is the toppe of all iniquitie So then lette vs marke well that if God let men runne so farre vpon the brydle as to shew themselues suttlewitted against hym then hath Satan taken suche possession of them as it is right harde to bring them backe againe to the right way yea and in a manner impossible And wee see also in what wise the Prophet Esay thundereth against suche kinde of folke saying Cursed be you that make you lurkingholes for he vseth that similitude inspeaking of these suttleheaded folke which beare themselues in hand that they can beguile god VVhen they haue sharpened their wittes and inuented fine slightes beholde all their strayning of themselues is to abolish the feare of god For mark wherat they begin If we be so bridled say they that if there be but one word of scripture for a thing we must yeeld vnto it without gaynesaying what a thing were that for there are many things that are not vnderstoode and againe a man may doubt of this or that And what a thing is it for vs to be compelled to yeeld suche authoritie too Gods word as it may not be lawfull for vs to aske how the cace standeth These politike heads therefore which are so desirous to worke wyles with God begin at this poynte namely of taking leaue to keepe men from seeing what the thing is that men call Gods word to the end that all mouthes should be tungtied that mē might raze it out quite and cleane And whē they be once entred into that doubt afterwarde they harden themselues in it And good reason it is that God shoulde leaue them there and that Satan should cary them headlong And when they bee come to that poynt they do nothing else but bleare out their tung against al doctrine there is no more greefe nor remorse of conscience in them but to be short they bee bereft of all humanitie and become brutish Thus yee see why I sayde that it is impossible that those whome God hath left at that poynt should euer returne to the way of saluation And therefore let vs beware that we hold oure selues streytly in subiection vnto God to beare suche reuerence to his worde as wee may shunne and vtterly abhorre and detest the slightes and suttleties wherein the wicked sort delight and welter themselues For they think not themselues to be sharpwitted ynough till they haue despized god Also there are of these fantastical and fleeing heades to be seene who thinke themselues to be very dullards and of no estimation till they
our sinnes And if hee spare vs let vs vnderstand that hys meening is to draw vs to him by gētlenesse And so whatsoeuer betide vs Let nothing hinder vs to lift vp our heds cōtinually to seke our life cōtentatiō in heauē in the happie rest that tarieth for vs And let it not greeue vs to be aflicted here seing our god calleth vs to the triūph that is purchaced for vs by the death of our Lord Iesus Christ But let vs cast ourselues flat before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying hym to make vs feele what his wrath is in suche wise by oure aduersities as wee may not ceasse too tast alwayes his fatherly mercie and to haue recourse to the same so grounding and setling ourselues therevpon as wee may neuer swarue from it not doubting but he will deliuer vs from all our afflictions in conuenient time and ease vs of al our miseries and that although we bee pinched to the vttermost as nowe yet wee shall bee fully dispatched of them when he hath bereft vs of this flesh too make vs parttakers of all the benefites whych hee hathe prepared for vs aloft in hys heauenly glorye where wee shall triumphe with oure Lorde Iesus Christ according as hee hath gone afore vs in the glorye of his resurrection That it maye please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .lxvj. Sermon which is the second vpon the .xvij. Chapter 6 He hath made me a common byvvord and set me to be an open gazingstocke 7 Myne eyes is dimmed vvith sorovve and all my limbes are as a shadovve 8 The rightuouse vvill bee astonished at this and the innocent shall lift vp himselfe against the hypocrite 9 The rightuouse vvill hold his vvay and he that hath cleane hands shall be strengthened 10 All of you returne turne ye agayne for there is not one vvise man among you 11 My dayes are glyded avvay mine enterprizes are past and the thoughts of my hart 12 Haue turned day into night they haue offered mee darknesse for light that approched 13 If I tarrie the graue is my house I shall make my bed in the dark 14 I vvill say too the dust thou art my father and to corruption thou art my mother and my sister 15 VVhere is then myne expectation and vvhat is it that my hope must looke for 16 They shall go dovvne into the bottom of the graue there vvee shall bee layed in the earth or our bed shall be in the dust IOb following the matter that he entered into afore intēdeth to shew briefly that as in respect of his present state he is vtterly forlorne and there is no remedie for his miseries Seing the cace is such he must be faine to conclude that if the talk of those that spake afore him be true that is to wit that mē are delt within this world according to their deserts and that we must esteme Gods grace or his loue or hatred according to the state of this present lyfe it shall not boote him at all to flee vnto god Ye see then in effect what we haue to marke And first of al it is sayd that God hath made him as it were a mockingstocke that he was set to be a Gazingstock and for men to make tales of For the second woord which he vseth which I haue translated Gazingstocke signifieth a Timbrell And marke here how some men haue thought that Iob ment to compare heere his prosperitie with his aduersitie so great and extreme as it was at that time as if he had sayd Heretofore I haue bene in great triumph and nowe God hath handled me in such wise as I see my self to be a by-word and a gazingstocke True it is that in steade of Gazingstocke some trāslate it Hel and whereas I haue translated Open it is before them or in their sight And so their opinion is that Iob ment too say that men had damned him as a wretched creature before the tyme But when all is well considered the playne meening is that which I haue touched For it is but a repeting of one matter twyce for the greater confirmation of it according to the common custome of the holie Scripture And therefore the thing that he intēdeth to set downe is that in asmuch as God hath made him as a mirrour of aduersitie if wee should esteeme men in Gods fauour or displeasure by the state of this present life wee should hold him for a forlorne persone But yet for all that he takes himselfe for none such howbeit that he were not vtterly without feeling but what infirmities soeuer he had in him yet did he fight agaynst them and was sure and fully resolued that God would at length pitie him and therefore hild his mouth as it were shet vntill he sawe some end of his miseries And in this respect he addeth That the rightuouse shall be astonished at it but yet neuerthelesse the innocent shall lift vp himselfe against the hypocrite the rightuouse shall hold on their wayes and such as haue cleane handes shall gather new strength to be the more stedfast In saying that the ryghtuouse shall bee astonished Iob meeneth that when wee see the aduersities that God sendeth too such as haue serued him and walked in his feare with a pure conscience we thinke it straunge and are abashed at it And in good sooth we see it runnes in our minde that if God do gouerne the world it is good reason that he should spare good men and such as haue indeuered to walk purely before him and that he should handle them as a father doeth his children And if we see thē afflicted extremely at Gods hand we imagin eyther that he hath turned his backe wil not think vpō earthly things or else that he passeth not how mē liue nor how they behaue thēselues This then is the cause why we be oftētymes astonished at the aduersitie of rightuouse mē when God seemeth to shewe himself their enemie and they see nothing but signes of crueltie And that is the cause why Iob speaketh of astonishment Howbeit he sayeth that yet neuerthelesse the innocentes shall auaunce themselues aboue the hypocrites that is to say they shal not be so sore astonished but they shal make a good winding vp And there is not a sentence which we ought to marke better thā this VVhy so For we know by experiēce how hard it is for men to iudge aright of Gods dooings as in respect of that which we see presently For as hath bene declared more fully already god executes not his iudgemēts after such sort in this world as that all things should be well ruled and nothing out of square But contrariwyse things are confounded and if we see a wicked man punished a rightuouse man is punished much more and if wee see a good man prosper a wicked man shall prosper
Lord Iesus Christs sake and also hath adopted vs wil loue vs as his children to procure our saluatiō vnto the end Iob I say excludeth not fayth in this place when he speaketh of the feare of God but hee sheweth briefly that the true wisdome is not speculatiue as we see many men trouble and disquiet themselues very much to know this or that they wote not why there is no certaintie If a man aske them saying when will you haue cōprehended the things whiche are hidden from you To what purpose are they what shall they profite you It is certayne they shall not profit thē at all nother shall they bee a whit the better for them It is not ynough to feede themselues with winde with foolishe fancie nor to be puffed vp as S. Paule speaketh of them saying that knowledge puffeth men vp See what mens fondnesse is But cōtrariwife Iob saieth that if we be wise after the maner that our Lord hath ordeyned we shal be well edified to walke in the feare of god Here ye see also why it is sayd in the first and .9 chapters of the Prouerbs that the feare of God is the entrance or beginning of wisdome True it is that some mē take this beginning to be as an apcee VVhy is the feare of God the beginning of wisdome Bicause it is the thing that we muste begin at like as men will not at the firste dash set a yong childe to the hie and profounde sciences but muste firste teach him his entrāces or principles But they which take Salomons words in that sense do ground thēselues vpon that whiche is sayde in the Canonicall Epistle of S. Iohn where it is sayd that true perfect loue doth driue away feare But in that place S. Iohn speaketh of the feare that the Infidelles haue when they shunne God trembling at his Maiestie bicause they know not in what cace they be For whosoeuer haue not caughte holde of Gods goodnesse to come vnto him and to truste in him of whiche nūber all they be which know not that God intendeth to be at one with vs in our Lord Iesus Christ and therwithal that forasmuch as he hath adopted vs we must not doubt but that he will alwayes shew himselfe louing toward vs receyue vs to mercy all they I say that haue not tasted of this are afrayde and astonied when men speake to them of God are like a wretched offender that could finde in his hearte that all Iustice were abolished Yee see then what the state of all vnbeleeuers is how they be half besides themselues and esche we God asmuch as is possible But when we be once perswaded of Gods mercy we bee drawne to him by his gracious goodnesse too ioyne with him and wee come vnto him as it were with oure heads vpright Not that we do at any time omit our reuerence and humilitie but bycause we are fullye resolued that God lyketh well of vs And so wee are no longer in the doubt and vnquietnesse wherewith the wretched vnbeleeuers are tormented S. Iohn speaketh of the sayde feare but when it is sayde in Salomon that the feare of God is the chiefe or beginning of wisedome it is to shew that it is the chiefe poynt And to be short the very meening of all the things that are taught vs here by Iob is that if men will be wise they must learne to walke in the feare of God and bee edified to rule their life accordingly and not giue themselues to speculations which holde them in a mamering without any certaintie And surely heere you see also why Salomon in another text sayeth that the self same feare of God is the fountaine of life He woulde not call it the fountayne of life whiche draweth men out of destruction as he addeth there except it behoued vs to hold vs wholly to it and that it were our perfect felici 〈…〉 So then wee see nowe what is the meening of this texte Namely that suche as are edified to feare and obey God are men of right vnderstanding and that the same is the thing wherevpon we muste set our mindes and not vpon wandring speculatiōs this will be the easier to vnderstād if we adde one other goodly text of the Prophet Esay in the .33 chapter There he speaketh of the true reformatiō of the Church that was before the scattering and destruction thereof Therefore he sayeth that the things which were seene to bee turned vpside downe as then shoulde come to their state againe in the time of Ezechias verely inasmuch as he was a figure of our Lord Iesus Christ for no doubt but the Prophet Esay treateth there of the perfection which should be at the comming of Iesus Christe For hee sayeth that stedfastnesse strength and saluation shall be the wisedome and vnderstanding of the tyme of Ezechias and that the feare of God shall be his treasure Here we see how the Prophet declareth that where God is not knowen there all things muste go to hauocke and vtter desolation like as it is also said in another text wher the Prophet cōplaineth that al was turned vpside downe bicause there was no knowledge of God in the lande and men were giuen ouer to all euill And is it any woonder when men abuse thēselues wilfully after that sort if God giue them ouer to a lewde minde so as they be no more ashamed to caste themselues into so outrageous and haynous things as are euen lothsome to the worlde Yee see then why the same Prophete Esay sayeth that the people were caried into destruction bicause they had no knowledge So on the contrary part in the text which we haue alleadged he sheweth that when the Churche is set in hir perfect state againe and things brought into good order then shall wisedome and vnderstanding bee the stablishment welfare and strength of them As if he shoulde say that the Churche cannot otherwise stande in good case than if men be taught purely to knowe what is for theyr profite And heere it is too bee seene what the popishe Churche is For they haue pompe ynough and we see also that they dare as it were face God with a Diuelish pryde and straine no curtesie at all in attributing these braue titles to themselues that they haue the holy gouernement of Heauen amongste them and the assurednesse of Gods truth and doctrine and that they carrie the holy Ghoste in their sleeue and holde God locked vp betweene their walles But yet for all that what manner of knowledge is it that they haue Cleane contrariwise we see that they seeke nothing but to make the wretched worlde brutish And so wee may well conclude that all the buylding of Gods Churche is ouerthrowen by them and put to horrible confusion And why For they want the wisedome whiche the Prophete Esay auouched to bee the welfare strength and stablishment of the Churche Thus muche concerning the firste poynt But to fit the
true repentance and come to seeke him in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ and that when hee shall haue receyued vs too mercie it may please him so to guide vs with his holy spirite as his glory may shine in vs and we in the meane while may not couet to bee honoured of men but holde our selues contented that his glorie shineth so in vs as his name bee exalted and that it may please him to make vs to walke in suche soundnesse vnder his obedience that such as wander and go astray may bee brought into the way of saluation by meanes of oure example so as all of vs togither may serue him with one common accord all the tyme of our lyfe And for the performance heereof it may please him too styrre vppe true and faythfull Ministers of hys worde c. The Cvj. Sermon which is the third vpon the .xxix. Chapter 13 The blissing of him that vvas readie to perish vvas vpon mee and I comforted the vvydovves heart 14 I vvas clothed vvith rightuousnesse I apparayled my selfe vvith iudgement as vvith a Robe or a Crovvne 15 I vvas the eye of the blinde and the foote of the Cripple 16 I vvas the father of the poore and I sought out diligently the cace that I knevve not 17 I brake the chavves of the vvicked and plucked the pray out of his teeth WEe began yesterday too shewe howe Iob giueth here a triall of the vertues of a mā that feareth god which is that he doth good without regard of the worlde or without seking his recompence there and is not led either with ambition or self profit but walketh as in the sight of god For as for those which make a shew of vertue yet notwithstanding walke not vprightly they in doing good haue alwayes an eye whether men be able to recompence them And where they may be praysed cōmēded purchase credite by the menes of it But if a man giue himself to do good freely that is to say without hope of recompence in this worlde the same sheweth that he is minded to serue god And therefore Iob declareth that hee regarded not whether those to whom he did good were able to recompence him or no For he did rather imploy himself vpō the pore the fatherlesse the widowes the lame and the blind Herein then he sheweth that his whole intent was to serue god Besides this he sheweth that he was not led by ambition ne sought that mē should cōmend him How so for he holdeth himself cōtēted that the blissing of him which should haue perished was vpō him And this importeth as much as if he shoulde say that he hath a desire to succour those that were alredy as good as halfe dead It semed that if he shewed them any fauor or did thē any good the same should be lost it should neuer be spoken of But this respect hindreth not Iob from doing well bicause hee was sure that although men die God kepeth a reckning of our doings and they continue in his registers To be short we see always that Iob was none of those that are drawne hither and thither by fleshly affection but had alwayes his eyes vpon this mark of regarding and following the thing that God aloweth And here ye see how we ought to rule our life for Iob here preacheth not his owne prayses but sheweth vs how we ought to behaue our selues And forasmuch as there is nothing easier than to aduaunce our selues when the world laugheth vpon vs and men prayse vs and we be in reputation and credit here Iob bringeth vs vnto God and telleth vs that as he onely is our iudge to whom perteyneth the authority to gouern vs to be our lawmaker so also we must seeke to please him only to obey him in al that we do say Mark this for one point Heerewithall let vs marke also that God to trie the loue which we beare him offereth vs such persons as haue no meanes to recompence vs For behold the true proof that we serue God is that wee serue our neighbors when they haue neither pleasured nor helped vs afore or when it shal seme that we haue lost both our labor and our cost yet notwithstanding ceasse not too imploy our selues styll VVhy so For it is inough for vs that God alloweth our doings That is the thing which will make vs not to play the hirelings Now seing it is so let vs be well aduised that whensoeuer we see any poore men in aduersitie or misintreated as whē some are in necessitie for want of worldly goods some are wrested and wronged by other men some stand in need of counsell and othersome lack helpe then doth God meane to trie our charitie then putteth hee vs to the touchstone and if we shrink aside when the poore cryeth and giue no eare to him thereby we shew that we are neyther zealous nor willing too serue god And let vs assure our selues that this threate the poore cried and thou wouldst not heare him and therefore thou shalt crie and not be heard neyther shall any man pitie thee shall be executed vpon our heades for we shall find no mercy neither before God nor before man when wee haue bin pitilesse to such as God hath sent too vs to bee succoured And thereafter as our hart shall haue beene hard and vnkinde so will God shet the eyes of such as see vs in pouertie so as they shall haue no remorse of vs wee may well complaine and smart but no man shall regard it And why For it is the payment that wee deserued when we had not compassion of those that were in distresse specially seeing God sendeth vs such a tryall of purpose too know whether we be willing to serue him or no. To bee short wee see heere that mercie is one of the principall parts of our life if it be ruled by Gods order And what importeth this saying Euen that when we see any man in aduersitie and that he hath neede of our helpe we should be sorie in our hart and suffer with him in our owne person and thereby be led to do for him according to the abilitie that God giueth vs For it is not ynough for vs to helpe such as haue neede of our ayde but we must also do it with a hartie loue The worde almes importeth as much as mercie But men think they haue done an almes deed when they neyther regarde nor esteeme the person more than a dog nor suffer any part of his grief nor to be short haue any compassion on him prouided onely that they giue him somwhat but what to speak properly that is no almes at all Truly it is a witnesse of almes that is to say of mercie but yet is it but a false witnesse when a man hath not the sayde compassion and hartie affection that I spake of So then let vs marke well that God will then alow of our life when we bee hard
sleepe troubleth them and also that he speaketh by chasticements It seemeth vnto them that here be the two manners of speaking vnto vs which God vseth so as sometime he reueleth himself by inspirations and sometimes also toucheth vs with his hande But this is nothing to the purpose it is a cōstrayned sense Furthermore we neede not to beate our braynes much in seking diuersities of expositiōs seing that the naturall sense is manyfest vnto vs Therefore let vs follow that which I haue declared alredy which is that God shal speake once or twice yea and yet not be vnderstoode Thus we know what Eliu ment to say and nowe remayneth to apply the same to our instruction And howe firste of all by knowing our owne slendernesse for what is the cause that mē take so highly vpon them to seeke and search after such a sort as nothing may escape them but bicause they thinke themselues able ynough too finde out all things but if a man be thorowly well tamed in such sorte as he chalenge nothing to himselfe hee will be no more so prowde and loftie to search Gods secretes to farre out of measure So then to the intent we may take profit of this text specially first let vs humble our selues yea euen by acknowledging that our vnderstanding is to small and grosse Marke that for one poynte And on the other side let vs consider also that Gods secrete iudgementes are a dreadfull dungeon that his wayes are incomprehensible and that it is not lawfull for men to wade to far in them but must content themselues with that which he declareth Ye see then that the secōd poynt which we haue to marke is that whē we thinke vpon the highnesse of God we ought to be rauished to the honoring of it cōclude that we must not take vpon vs to be able to know cōprehend al that is in him For whither were that to go wee crepe heere vpon the earth we know that he far surmoūteth the heauēs Then seing it is so let vs honor his secret iudgements assuring our selues that hee will alwayes haue authoritie to speake vtter what he listeth mauger al them that speke against him yea that when he speaketh once or twice that is to say when he sheweth his pleasure and will men shall know nothing of it bicause they are to rude to conceyue the things in one worde which God hath determined in his purpose but shal dayly see one thing yet not withstāding be new to seeke of it yea still dazeled at it euen at the end of a yeere or ten although they haue seene one thing oftē yet the reason of it shall be hiddē frō thē VVere it not for the pride that is in vs it is sufficiētly confirmed vnto vs by experience that wee neuer come to any reason but by cōpulsion that we wil alwayes nedes be selfwise euē though our ignorāce shew it selfe ynough to much Neuerthelesse it is not without cause that we bee warned in this text that God wil haue his determinatiōs as it were buried hid VVe see the effect of it dayly we know not what to say sauing that it is a wonderfull thing that it behooueth vs to bridle our selues in wayting till our Lord reuele it in greater perfectiō which shal not be till we be bereft of this mortall flesh Thus ye see what we haue to marke here And according to the article which I haue touched already let vs note also that here is no speaking but of the iudgements which God will haue hiddē bicause it is not for our behoofe to haue full knowledge of thē as yet It is sayd in the. 62. Psalm that god speketh once Dauid protesteth that he will beare it twice namely that there is might mercie in god There is no treating of Gods wōderful iudgemēts as there is here Of what then of the things that we learn by his word which are brought to our remembrance set before vs cōtinually For on the one side God maketh vs to feele his myghtie power to the end we should feare him walk according to his will on the other side hee giueth vs his mercie to the ende we should take cōfort ioy at it VVhat learne we daily by gods word but that he is the master to whom it behoueth vs to be subiect that we muste not liue after our own lust but that God must reigne ouer vs his lawe be a bridle that we may be taught vnder it Thus the first poynt is to serue God to know what he requireth alloweth The second is that wee knowe him to be our father sauiour to the end to put our whole trust in him And howe shall we knowe him By grounding our selues vpon his mere mercie knowing that there is nothing but death and damnation in vs and acknowledging that hee hath drawen vs oute of deathe through his owne meere goodnesse for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Thus as concerning this second poynt the two things wherein it behoueth vs to be cōfirmed are that we must resort to him for resuge and also that forsomuche as his mercie is set before vs dayly we shoulde not doubt but that he wil receyue vs So then this texte of Dauids speaketh not of the things that are kept hidden from our knowledge but of the things that God intendeth to declare vnto vs and teache vs Therefore he sayeth God hath spoken that is to say God hath so manifested his will in his speaking as men ought not to doubt any more nor to reply agaynste that whiche he sayeth I haue hearde it twyce sayeth hee Herein he betokeneth that it is not inough to haue heard God at a glaunce but that it behooueth vs to minde the things without ceasing which hee speaketh And although he spake but once yet muste we not let his doctrine slip but settle it throughly in oure remembrance and learne to print it in our hearts and thinke vpon it early and late bycause our memory is shorte So then we see nowe that it is the dutie of the faithfull to apply thēselues throughly to the hearing of the things that God sheweth them by his worde and to set their whole minde vpon it assuring themselues that God wyll gyue them the knowlege of the things which he telleth and promiseth them for their welfare Marke that for one poynt Howbeeit heerewithall let vs keepe our selues from seeking any further and let vs not couet to be wiser than God will haue vs to bee And howe may that bee By learning in his schoole and if he reserue any secrete iudgements to himselfe let vs be ignorant in the things that he wil not haue knowne vnto vs vntill he haue taken vs out of the world As for example It is sayde vnto vs that God gouerneth all things by his prouidence and Eliu speaketh too the same purpose here Yee see then that God
and that from thence forth hee continueth his goodnesse alwayes towards vs So then let vs marke that God of his owne goodnesse choze vs after a secret maner incomprehensible too our naturall vnderstanding Agayne when it pleaseth him to manifest his goodnesse vnto vs which thing hee doeth when his gospell is preached vnto vs hee sheweth vs that hee is willing to haue vs deliuered from the graue Therfore wee perceiue our deliuerance and saluation when we tast of the promises of his gospell not that it is done throughly at the first but God giueth vs some small taste of it confirming the same more and more in vs vntill wee see the gate of Paradise wyde open and that we be deliuered froÌ„ the graue Lo what we haue to marke vppon this saying Furthermore when Eliu sayeth that God hath found reconciliation let vs marke that hee intendeth here to expresse yet better the thing that he touched euen now VVhich is that we must father the attonement which God maketh with vs vpon Gods owne free goodnesse and that it is hee whiche worketh yea euen before wee could haue any thought or mynd to come vnto him For he must be fayne to seeke vs when we be gone astray and haue forgotten him according too the saying of the Prophet Esay True it is that we are often commaunded to seke God and to turne vnto him when he haue offended But what for that It cannot be done except he teach vs inwardly and touche vs so to the quicke as we may be inforced to mislyke of our sinnes Againe who is hee that giueth vs any hope or that causeth vs to runne vnto God for refuge Is it not he himselfe by inlyghtening vs with fayth So then it is not without cause that Eliu addeth that God found reconciliation And why For when hee afflicteth vs hee prepareth vs aforehand too receyue the grace that hee intendeth to giue vs For so long as we bee puffed vp with pryde Gods goodnesse hath no entrance into vs So long as we be hardned in our sinnes we beate back the sayd grace a greate way from vs And so long as we be saped in our filthinesse surely we cannot tast of the reconciliation whiche is made by our Lord Iesus Christ Therfore God must be fayne to worke here the work must bee altogither his And how worketh hee First by bringing vs to the knowledge of our sinnes by the hartbyting which hee giueth vs according as it hath bin sayd hertofore that he sendeth vs inward feare as if he souÌ„ded a trumpet to summon vs to his iudgement Ye see theÌ„ that God calleth vs home to him by secret inspirations when he seeth vs gone astray and distraught And besides this he appointeth men to warne vs and to reproue vs And surely that is another greate benefite when we haue good and faythfull teachers that shewe vs our sinnes to the quicke and threten vs with euerlasting damnation Furthermore if this suffize not as wee see that wee are dull vppon the spur and God had neede to kick prick vs more roughly hee addeth the correctious of his hand and afflicteth vs And here ye see how wee must profit ourselues by corrections to the end we be not like stithies to beat back the strokes Neuerthelesse it is only Gods working who to bring that to passe giueth vs harts of flesh and softneth the hardnesse that is in our cursed â—ature VVell then hath God made his corrections to take place Then is it hyghe tyme for him too manifest his mercye vntoo vs and to make vs to tast it So then we see well th 〈…〉 is he which findeth reconciliation and that we on 〈…〉 can do nothing aforehand but rather wee still drawe backe from him VVhen God teacheth vs in what plyght â—â—â— wee And if he let vs alone are wee not as it were drunken in our lustes without thinking vpon him at all And although he send vs good warnings and that we be conuicted of our euill yet notwithstanding wee labour still too burie it too the intent it shoulde not bee seene at all Other some grind their teethe and chafe when God sheweth them their sinnes and they can so little abyde it as they doo nothing else but byte and kick Othersome become as it were vtterly senselesse and there is such a dulnesse in them as there followeth no amendment for all that euer a man can say and therfore it behoueth God to worke in that behalf And againe when hee shall haue afflicted vs to the vttermoste yet shall there not be a ryght odedientnesse in vs yea and when wee bee euen confounded wee shall be still like wretched mad men according as wee see it happened too Cayn and Iudas Lo in what plyght wee shoulde bee if God wrought not in vs And therfore if wee haue not this message of saluation what shall become of vs Although wee were throughly tamed and did nothing else but sighe and grone yet notwithstanding all would turne but to despaire in vs So theÌ„ it behoueth vs that the acceptable tyme come vnto vs according as it is said in another place of Esay behold the acceptable tyme behold the dayes of saluation And why doeth he terme the tyme of saluation an acceptable time Bycause God hath chozeÌ„ it of his owne mere goodnesse And that is the cause also why it is sayd in another place of Esay Comfort yee Comfort yee my people shall the Lord say Thus is it his doing too comfort vs in our afflictions or else wee should bee swallowed vp with sorowe And therfore hee addeth that hee repenteth him at the hart that hee had scourged his people and telleth them that the tyme of comfort is come Herein wee see a more certayne declaration of the thing which is touched breefly here which is that it is Gods peculiar office to find recoÌ„ciliation Neuerthelesse Gods will is to do it by his ministers And so as oft as the promises of the gospell are offered vnto vs wherin God calleth vs to him and sheweth himselfe fauorable for our Lord Iesus Christs sake giuing vs the grace to tast of that goodnesse and assuring vs that he is ready to receyue vs to mercye let vs assure ourselues that then is the conuenient tyme whiche hee hath appointed for our saluation Then let vs humble ourselues and bee sure that wee haue not preuented him but that he hath sought vs And therewithall let not vs be behind hand vppon suche occasion According as sainct Paule in all edging the said text of Esay which I haue touched sheweth vs that wee must bee ready to come when our Lord calleth vs and that we must not driue off from day to day when reconciliation is found out and offered vnto vs And herevpon Eliu concludeth that a man being so comforted by the message that God sendeth him becommeth yong agayne and is restored and his fleshe becommeth as fresh as a yong chyldes VVherin hee sheweth the
vs not thinke herevppon that God pardoneth our sinnes too let vs fall asleepe in them but to the ende wee should seeke to him and make the priuiledge which is giuen vs auaylable that is to wit bee bold too call vpon him as our father and assure our selues that he will heare vs Eliu hauing spoken so addeth he wil loke towards men and say I haue sinned I haue turned awaye from goodnesse and it hath not booted me hee hath deliuered my soule from the pit This text is expounded by some men as though Eliu spake of God saying that it is hee that looketh so towards men and that if any man say I haue done amisse then wheras hee had beene in the darknesse of death God deliuereth his soule from the pit and restoreth to him the light of life Howbeeit forasmuch as word for word it is set downe thus he will looke towards men and say I haue done amisse I haue turned away from goodnesse and it hath not stoode me in any stead or was not meete and conuenient for mee a man maye see and easly gather that Eliu goeth on still with his matter shewing that they which are brought so lowe as to feele their sinnes and to bee euen at deathes dore if God shew them the fauour to call them back againe and giue them hope of life and specially cheere their harts so as they are able to cal vpō him in true assurednesse of faithe doo afterward turne themselues to men and declare their miseries to the intent to magnifie the infinite goodnesse of God which they haue felt And so the second frute of the forgiuenesse of sinnes is that when the wretched sinner knoweth that God hath not shaken him off but as yet openeth him the way and giueth him accesse too come vntoo him like as hee rested thervpon too call vpon God and afterward made the frute of faith auaylable so also it behoueth him too confesse the sayd goodnesse of God before men and not to be ashamed to shewe the misery wherin hee was vntill God had deliuered him by his mercy To be short like as when God hath sent vs the promises of his gospell wee ought to acknowledge thē and to seeke vnto him so also it behoueth vs to mourne before mē For it is not ynough that euery of vs should pray to God priuily by himselfe but it behoueth vs also to set forth his glory and to indeuer to prouoke our neighbours too the same so as one of vs may be edified by another and hee that hath felt how good and mercyfull God is must shewe it vntoo others that they may take example at it And when there is such an agrement amongs vs we must also preache Gods praises togither according as euery one of vs is bound vntoo him and there is not any man which may not iustly confesse that God hath a hundred times plucked him out of his graue and quickned him Ye see thē in effect what the meening of Eliu is Howbeit that we may the better profit by this sentence let vs marke that it behoueth vs first to enter into ourselues and thē to go vnto God afterward to go vnto our neighbours Thus ye see three things which wee haue too marke and it is an order which wee ought to kepe well The first is that men should examin their owne consciēces haue an eye to their whole lyfe And why To be ashamed of their sinnes For vntill wee haue well perceyued that wee bee worse than wretched how will we haue recourse vnto God VVee will not be moued to seke him nor to desire forgiuenesse So then it is requisite for vs too begin at the sayd point namely too feele our sinnes how greuouse they bee and also too feele and conceyue the wrathe of God too the intent wee may bee as it were forlorne and behold hell as it were gaping vpon vs to swallowe vs vp and be so vtterly astonished as we may be driuen to say Alas what is to be done So that we may haue no rest in ourselues but languishe so in our miseries as wee may come with an earnest zeale too seke the lord Thus ye see the first steppe that wee must begin at The second is that wee must come vnto God and seeing hee taryeth not till wee seeke him but of his infinite goodnesse preuenteth vs in somuch that hee inspireth vs to the end we should seeke him and flee for refuge vnto his mercie there rest whē we haue any promises of his goodnesse set afore vs seing that hee seketh sinners to bring them from death to life wee must take those promises and apply them too our vse saying euen so my God thou shewest that thou art willing to receiue sinners too mercy behold I am one yea and I am so forlorne as I wote not any more what too doo Therfore I doubt not Lord but thou wilt make mee feele they grace and goodnesse So Lord there will I rest and although I bee hemmed in with many troubles and sorowes which were able to turne me from thee Yet will I rest vpon thy promises and therwith call vpon thee assuring myselfe that thou wilt strengthen mee against all Satans temptations Thus ye see how it behoueth vs to deale The third point is the conclusion that Eliu maketh here which is that we must declare Gods goodnesse to our neighbours so farforth as is needfull to their edifying that he may be praised with one accord and that all men may confesse that there is no welfare but in his mercy and that we are all damned if the only goodnesse of our God remedy it not These say I are the three degrees which it behoueth vs to keepe But I told you that we must begin at ourselues And why VVee shall see many which will blase abroade Gods praises with full mouth but they haue not well foremynded thē in their hart There are which think themselues discharged when they haue sayd O my God haue pitie vpon mee I haue bene such a one I haue done such an euill deede True it is that such men haue some feeling in themselues and speake not altogither through hypocrisie But yet notwithstanding there is much wind in them and their mouth is larger than their heart For scarcely haue they tasted of Gods mercy and yet they would haue men to thinke that they haue felt it throughly and that they be full fraught with it But there is vanitie and ambition in such men when they wyden their mouth after that sort too speake well and in the meane whyle haue not mynded Gods grace too feele it accordingly that it myght be well imprinted in their consciences and they themselues bee ryghtly nurrished with it That is the cause why I sayd that before wee speake it behoueth vs to haue considered well what we haue seene afore that is too say too haue examined well our selues too haue bene diligent in serching how wretched wee be and too
deare for the time when they shall so abuse his pacience which woulde allure them vnto goodnesse by giuing them respite to amende Seing then that the wicked do so mocke at God horrible vengeance must needes fall vpon their heade in the ende and that shall be at the great day Furthermore if God spare vs let vs not ceasse too bee watchfull and if hee chastice vs and beate vs with his roddes let vs alwayes consider howe terrible his wrath is and therevpon conclude that hee doth but summon vs And why Too the ende wee should preuent his last iudgement Therefore let vs alwayes thinke vpon the great daye and not tarie till wee bee taken tardie with the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christe but let euerie of vs condemne himselfe when God stirreth vs therevnto Furthermore let vs alwayes beare in remembraunce that God is oftentimes myndefull of mercie in the middes of his displeasure and that the same is the cause why hee examineth not the great multitude of oure sinnes For how great is the multitude of oure sinnes I praye you if euerie man would examine himselfe as he ought to do should he not finde an infinite number of sinnes in him yea and of so heynous offences as would vtterly dismay him But the cause why we consider not the greatnesse of our sinnes is our hypocrisie which hindereth vs and keepeth our eyes blindfolded But if a man would examine himselfe throughly hee shoulde finde him selfe a hundred thousande times confounded before hee came halfe too his wayes ende For God seeth muche more cleerely than wee doe VVhen we haue spyed one fault God wil spie out a hundred thousande yea euen of millions what shall the heauenly Iudge doe So then let vs marke that God forbeareth vs of his owne mercie to the ende he would not trie vs in the multitude of oure sinnes that is too say not search vs to the vttermost And Eliu sayth expresly here in multitude greatly or in great number to signifie that it were impossible that any creature shoulde stande out if God of his goodnesse did not spare them and continually abate the rigoure of the punishmentes which wee haue deserued by our sinnes And heerevpon as I haue sayde alreadie wee must needes thinke that there is a farre other iudgement than can bee perceyued in this worlde howbeeit wee knowe it not as yet and God beareth with vs And when wee bee come to the lowlynesse too condemne ourselues and to craue forgiuenesse at his hande let vs not doubte but that when wee shall appeare before his iudgement seate at the latter day all our sinnes shal be wyped out there and let vs vnderstande that the examining of vs which hee doth nowe put vs to in part to the end he may not examine any thing at al at the latter day and that the remembrance of our offences may bee so abolished as they may not come to account before him but that we may bee receyued there as rightuous as thoughe there had bin nothing in vs but al innocencie and soundnesse Ye see then that it behoueth vs so to apply this doctrine to our vse as we may learne so to walke in hope as wee may alwayes goe forwarde to the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and also profite our selues when wee see that oure Lorde sheweth vs tokens of his wrath and vengeance as at this present Alas what calamities are to be seene through the whole worlde And wee might say that God is vtterly alienated from vs if wee had not his doctrine to fense vs withall Surely when wee doe throughly consider the outrageous iniquities that reigne euerie where it appeareth playnly that God beareth with the worlde and proceedeth not with suche rigour as men haue deserued Therefore let vs learne hereby to returne vnto him with the better heart not doubting but hee will receyue vs And besides that let vs holde our thoughtes and affections fettered and brideled And for as much as Eliu hath here condemned al wicked thoughts wandring wordes and false ymaginations let vs beseech God first to clenze our heartes from all the wicked fancies wherein we bee too much intangled and therewithall to bridle our tongs that we may not vtter any thing but to his honour according to the request which Dauid maketh saying Lorde open thou our lippes that my mouth may set forth thy prayse So then wee haue good cause too praye God so to gouerne both our myndes and our tungs that all our thoughts and wordes may be to his honour For if Dauid who was so holie a Prophete needed to craue this at his hande what had we neede to do which are so euill taught Seeing it is so let vs bee well aduised that whensoeuer wee thinke of God wee esteeme him good wise and rightuous in all respectes and that when so euer wee speake of him it maye bee too call vpon him and to yelde him thankes for his goodnesse which he maketh vs to feele in these dayes wayting till wee bee filled with it to the full Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to touche vs so to the quicke as we may learne to returne better vnto him with true repentaunce so bethinking vs of oure life paste as wee maye amende it heereafter and henceforth learne to giue our selues wholly too his seruice in following his holie commaundementes as they are shewed in his lawe whereby wee ought to rule oure whole life And so let vs say Almightie God oure heauenly father wee acknowledge and confesse c. The Cxxxix Sermon which is the first vpon the .xxxvj. Chapter ELiu spake againe and sayde 2 Heare me and I vvill argue vvith thee for yet haue I vvordes to speake of God. 3 I vvill extend my knovvledge a farre off and proue him to be rightuous vvhich made me 4 My vvordes shall be voyde of vntruth and the perfect of knovvledge shall be vvith thee 5 God being mightie yea being mightie in strength of mynde enuieth not or reiecteth not 6 He quickneth not the vvicked but giueth iudgement to the afflicted 7 He vvill not turne avvay his eyes from the rightuous THey that had heeeretofore vphild that God leaueth no sinne vnpunished in this world are beguiled as hath bin declared more fully alreadie And sure we see that God reserueth the punishment of many faultes to the ende to make vs looke the further For if he should as now execute a full iudging wherin nothing were missing we should haue no occasion to hope for the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ he shuld haue no more to do in iudging of the world for all would be done afore hande So then Gods punishing of sinnes in this world is not at all times nor all after one rate It is ynoughe that hee gyueth vs some tokens and markes that he is Iudge of the world The like also is perceyued in mainteyning the godly It is said that
and passion if we thinke to be quit before God by any other meane than by the clensing which Christ hath made or for any other cause than for that hee hath made satisfaction for vs to discharge vs of the condemnation of death wherein we were Then if we seeke to obteyne mercie as we haue need to do and as which is the onely meanes wherby for vs to come vnto God wee must alwayes beare in minde the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the sacrifize of out redemption and attonement VVhen we go this way too woorke let vs not doubt but that inasmuch as our Lorde hath shewed himselfe pitiful towarde such as offended in the time of the figures of the lawe yea and extended his mercie to those that were not the bodie of his peculiar people hee will also receyue vs at this day seeing that the Gospell is published thorow the whole worlde and that he hath made a common league as well with the Gentiles as with the Iewes so as there is no more any wal to put difference betwixt them Let vs not doubt I say but that if we haue recourse vnto God by meanes of the sayd Sacrifice he will preuent vs to the intent that hauing obteyned fauor at his hande we may be assured of our saluation Now let vs fall downe before the face of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too clenze vs more and more from them and that whensoeuer we bee rebuked by him he will therwithall make vs too feele his fatherly goodnesse soo as wee may haue whereof to take comfort in our aduersityes and not bee greeued though hee beginne too chastize vs and in the meane while spare the wretched vnbeleeuers knowing that by that meanes hee declareth too vs that seeing he hath chosen vs to himselfe hee will not haue vs too â—â—rishe And therefore let vs pray him that hee suffer not his roddes to be vnprofitable to vs so as we shoulde abyde still hardened in oure sinnes but that hee wyll drawe vs to him throughly that wee may with all lowlinesse acknowledge our sinnes and bee sorie for them in our heartes yea and also protest before men how much we be bound vnto his mercie to the ende that our neighbors may be edified by vs and one of vs draw another to the glorifying of him in all our whole life and for the doing hereof it may please him to stirre vp true c. The Clix Sermon which is the thirde vpon the .xlij. Chapter This Sermon is yet still vpon the eight verse and then vpon the Text insuing 9 Then Eliphas the Themanite and Baldad the Suhite and Sophar the Naamathite vvent and did as God had commaunded and the Lorde receyued the face of Iob. 10 And the Lorde turned the captiuitie of Iob vvhen he prayed for his freends and he blissed the latter state of Iob more than the first 11 And all his brethren and all his sisters came vnto him and all they that had bin of his acquaintance before and they are vvith him in his house and had compassion of him and comforted him of all the aduersitie which the Lord had caused to come vpon him and he receiued of eche of them a peece of siluer and of ech of them an ornament of golde 12 And the Lorde blissed the latter state of Iob more than the first insomuch that hee had .xiiij. thousand sheepe six thousand Camels a thousand yoke of oxen a thousand Sheeasses 13 Also he had seuen sonnes and three daughters 14 And he called the name of one Iemima and the name of another Kezia and the name of the thirde Kerenhapuk 15 And there vvere not founde more fairer vvomen in all the Countrey than Iobs daughters and their father gaue them in heritance among their brethren 16 And after these things Iob liued a hundred and forrie yeares and he savv his sonnes and his sonnes vnto the fourth generation 17 And he died aged and full satisfied vvith dayes WEe haue seene howe God in rebuking Iobs freends would not leaue them hopelesse but called them to repentance by telling them that hee woulde heare them and haue pitie vpon them And so ye see that corrections are profitable too vs when God shetteth not the gate agaynst vs but sheweth vs that he is readie to receyue vs to mercie For otherwise what should it boot vs to be coÌ„uicted of our sinnes VVe should be drowned in dispaire if we toke not hold of Gods mercie and so shoulde wee neuer bee touched with true earnestnesse to repent vs of our euill doings but rather wexe hardhearted so as we should chafe vpon the brydle and there should be none amendment in vs Therfore let vs marke well that God worketh men a singular benefite when after his causing of theÌ„ to feele theyr owne naughtinesse he sheweth them that yet notwithstanding they shal obteyne fauour if they seeke it But heerewithal we haue seene also that God commaunded those men to bring their sacrifices to Iob to the end that he should pray for them and that was too humble them For although God shewe himselfe gentle welminded towardes vs yet haue we neede that he should partly shew himselfe hard to be intreated of vs Yea that is to make vs haue a disliking of our sinnes for oftentimes it seemeth sufficient to vs to haue giueÌ„ one good sigh and away as we commonly say in our tongue and so we do as it were but dally with god Repentance ought to make vs vtterly dismayd and it ought to sttike vs with feare wheÌ„ we consider Gods wrath which is able to ouerwhelme vs vtterly VVe thinke not vpon that but wee passe ouer it as wee would passe ouer whote burning coles as they say In this respect it is good profitable for vs that our Lorde should as it were reine vs short shew vs that there is yet still some naughtinesse lurking in vs the which it standeth vs in hande too perceyue better Then Gods afoording of so large penywoorthes of his mercie vnto men is to the intent they should alwayes bee the more humbled and cal to mind the faults which they haue committed That therfore is the reason why it is said in this text that Iob should pray for those that had offended But yet notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but that as well by the sacrifices as by Iobs person God ment too shewe that men haue neede of some meane or Mediator to make them way to him and to cause them to finde fauour according as we see that in the law God had ordeyned the high Priest to enter alone into the Sanctuarie in the name of all the people and that all men else should stande aloofe acknowledging themselues vnworthie to preace neere the presence of god For that was to betoken that without a Mediator to go in vnto God on oure behalfe it shoulde neuer bee lawfull for vs to pray vntoo him
him without admitting any excuce They spake lustily agaynst him as though he had bin but some sillie worme of the earth or some vyler thing than a worme But nowe they come to him yea euen with intreatance For god hath bereft them of the pryde that blinded them before Lo then what chaunge followeth when we be humbled before God and that he hath so spoken in our hearts as we knowe what wee bee For there is nothing that keepeth vs from walking in feare and froÌ„ vtter abacing of ourselues but that we bee sotted with a foolish ouerweening to thinke our selues too be that which we be not Therfore God must be faine to teach vs For all the men in the worlde cannot mend this foolishe pride wherewith we be puffed vp till God haue put to his hande But besides that Iobs freendes had forgotten the pride wherewith they had erewhyles beene caried away they did also shewe theyr repentance in obeying God and in verie deede the true frute that sheweth the roote to be good which otherwise should lie hidde in the heart is that we indeuer too obey Gods ordinaunce And that also is the cause why it is sayde in the Actes Men and brethren what shall wee doo VVhen Saint Peter had as it were thuÌ„dered agaynst those that had erewhyles despysed oure Lorde Iesus Christ it is sayde that they beeing wounded in theyr heartes and pricked inwardly with remorse said what shal we do They offered themselues vnto God to followe whatsoeuer he shoulde commaunde them Therfore wee see the like frute of Repentance in this Text For Iobs freends vpon knowledge and putting away of the fonde ouerweening wherwith they had bene hild before come and do all that God willed theÌ„ And so whensoeuer wee bee throughly humbled before God so as we be displeased with our selues we shal also haue a willingnesse and desire to submit our selues too Gods woorde For it is one peece of our ouerweening to do the things that we haue ymagined in our owne braine And when wee will needes bee ouerwise wee cannot obey God but when we be vtterly bereft of all pride then we know that God ought to haue authoritie to tel vs what is good for vs to doo and that there is nothing else for vs to doo but to submit our selues without any gainsaying Nowe it is added immediately that God receyued the face of Iob and turned his captiuitie or was turned at his repentance when he prayed for his freends Seeing it is so that God regarded the face of Iob and accepted his prayer forsomuch as he had appoynted him to bee a prâ—est I pray you haue not wee a much better certentie seeing our euerlasting Aduocate who is entered into the Sanctuarie of heauen that is to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ shall neuer be refuzed nor wee neyther if we come to God hys father by his meanes holding euermore the way and furtherance that hee hath giuen vs Beholde Iob was a poore man and euen entering into the high way to blaspheme God and although hee did holde himselfe in pacience in the winding vp yet had he such pangues as made him to fling ouer the feeldes in somuch that he oâ—fended God greeuously as I haue declared heeretofore and yet for all that when God inioyned him that office of praying he heard him not onely for himselfe but also for straungers yea and for suche as had bene his enemies and were as good well neere as separated froÌ„ god For they had vtterly peruerted his woorde and beaten downe and destroyed the hope of the endlesse lyfe that is to come as I haue sayde afore and yet notwithstanding Iob obteyneth grace for them Nowe if it be sayde that God made that thing auaylable which was but a little dimme shadowe what shall bee done nowe that hee hath appoynted his owne onely sonne to bee the Priest and commaunded him not too offer vp Goates and Calues or Sheepe but to offer vp both his bodie and soule in Sacrifice Seeing then that the Sonne of God hath in his owne person offered himselfe for our redemption and to do away all our sinnes and ceasseth not to make intercession for vs still shoulde wee doubt of obteyning forgiuenesse for his sake or of beeing alwaies receyued with all louingnesse and fauour at Gods hande But as I haue touched alreadie the naughtynesse of the worlde sheweth it selfe in this that men can not content themselues with one mediatour alone The Papists runne seeking to their Hee saincts and Sheesaincts to bee their Patrones and Aduocates And what is the cause thereof For that they yeeld not so muche woorship vnto Iesus Christ as to acknowledge that he hath bought them with his deathe and passion They can well ynough call him Sonne of God Redeemer but they acknowledge him not for their Aduocate neyther flee they too him for succour they know not what it is to pray to him they heare no tydings of it among them And on our side do we our dutie as becommeth vs I speake of those that are duely taught For as oft as wee shoulde pray vnto God the euerlasting Sacrifice wherby redemption hath bene purchased for vs ought to come too our remembrance and before our eyes But wee neuer thinke vppon it but at a glaunce and there are many so grosse and beastly that although they ought to haue their eares deafe with hearing that Iesus Christe is our Aduocate yet can they not discerrie betweene God our Lord Iesus Christ in somuch that when they shoulde call vpon the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe they wote not whither there bee any Aduocate that maketh intercession for vs or no. But it is no maruell though our Lorde do oftentimes so dazle mens eyes to the end to turne them away from the meane of furtherance whiche he hath giuen them by his worde For they be turned away by their own maliciousnesse and haue shet the gate against themselues that they might haue none accesse vnto God to call vpon him according also as we know that there is no opening except wee haue Iesus Christe for our spokesman whome they haue forsaken And that is bicause the Diuell hath at all times so laboured to put forth fonde imaginations to carie away men hither and thither But let vs keepe our selues from gadding out and rather sith we see that God hath heard men by meanes of their Sacrifices so that the Priestes of the law entered not in vaine into the SaÌ„ctuarie that was made with mans hands and was corruptible when as they brought no better thing with them than the bloud of a beast let vs be sure that nowe our Lord Iesus Christ will make vs too find God pitifull and fauourable towards vs so as we shal be receiued to mercie doubtlesse if our prayers be grounded vpon the Sacrifice which hee hath offered and that we acknowledge how it belongeth to him to carie worde for vs and to cause vs to be heard
himselfe of the sayde foolishe haultinesse wherethrough men take so much vpon them and wherewith they are so besotted Lo what Zophar ment by saying O that God would speake and open his lippes agaynst thee And he sayth expresly that God openeth his lips In deed it is an Hebrew maner of speaking and it reporteth a vehemencie of speach like as when a man treateth earnestly of a matter so as he not onely speaketh a woorde or twaine at a glaunce but layeth it forth at large so as hee maketh a full conclusion of it But I haue tolde you that this must be throughly well weyed bycause wee see howe men herken vnto God but by halues True it is that peraduenture we shall well heare euery worde but what for that That is no matter of great weight so long as wee hold not al that God sheweth vnto vs to settle our selues throughly in all that hee sayth to vs Therefore it is not ynough for vs to haue yeelded the one eare vntoo God and to haue heard euery worde that he shall speake vntoo vs but we must be heedfull to followe all that he sayth throughly in all poynts Then if he shall haue once opened his lippes to condemne vs wee will bee no more giuen to babling that is to say we will be no more so presumptuous and ouerhardie as too bragge of our owne rightuousnesse for wee shall bee vtterly ashamed of our selues It is sayde afterwarde That God will reacole the secretes of wisedome Verely in saying so he sheweth that Iob might well haue bene punished double that is to say that he might haue had twice as much iustice executed vpon him and God might haue forgotten him for his miquities sake or else might haue serched him for the Hebrew worde signifieth too Exect and sometimes also to require an account and such other like And therefore a man might expounde it that God was able too charge him with suche things as he should perceyue himselfe to be double in his daunger and all commeth to one ende But first of all whereas it is sayde that God will reueale a wisedome that Iob wist not of before it is to shewe vs that the knowledge which we haue of our sinnes of the inestimable goodnesse of our God passeth all our capacitie and is a wisedome that can neuer bee atteyned vnto by mans reason but must come too vs from aboue out of heauen I haue warned you alreadie that this geere is misapplyed vntoo Iob and in deed hee knewe well ynough that men must not measure Gods rightuousnesse by their owne wit. Iob hath well opened that poynt himselfe and as I haue shewed he had a good case howbeit that he hādled it amisse But the line that wee must go by is this namely to take this present doctrine generally that we may bee profited by it Behold thē a speciall poynt which is that the things whiche the Scripture telleth vs of the rightuousnesse by faith are a higher secret than men can attein vnto VVhat is too bee done then God must reueale it vnto vs And that is the cause why the Papists cannot assent herevnto For they holde themselues continually too theyr owne imaginations They knowe what is rightuousnesse after the maner of the heathen Philosophers For if a man aske an heathen Philosopher what rightuousnesse is It is a life well ruled in all vertuousnesse will he answere And euen so also do the Popish diuines reason of it VVee say that the same is true in it selfe but we must step yet further that is to wit to another rightuousnesse which is not in men and whereof there is not one droppe to be founde there Then must they bee faine to haue an other rightuousnesse which is that hauing condemned vs in our own persons he should take vs to mercie for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake that by his meane we may be acceptable holy too him forsomuch as the obedience whiche Iesus Christ yeelded vnto him is set ouer vnto vs But as I sayde this geere entreth not into mans brayne And here ye see why they that take themselues to bee most wittie put their trust in their owne strength bicause they purpose to comprehende it by mans reason But what Let vs not thinke it straunge seeing it is sayde that it belongeth onely vnto God to reueale his owne wisedome As if it were sayd True it is that so long as men tie themselues to the imaginations of their owne witte and will needes iudge after their owne liking they shall neuer vnderstand what it is to be rightuous before God they shall doo nothing but babble and when they haue set neuer so many Ayre colours vpon the matterial of it shall be but smoke And why so Bicause that to know after what sort we become rightuous before God is an inestimable wisedome and hidden from mans reason vntill such time as God haue spoke vnto vs and disclozeth to vs what is our confusion and vntill he haue made vs perceyue that wee bee not able to stand before him but are vtterly cast away as cursed creatures and that there is none other meane for vs to haue accesse vnto him but only by comming vnto him in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ his only sonne Then till such time as God haue shewed vs this we shall alwayes be giuen to babbling that is to say wee shall bee giuen too this fonde presumptuousnesse wherewith wee be moued and tempted And therefore God must bee fayne to reueale vnto vs the wisedome which we are not acquainted with to the end we passe not our bounds and the things that we ought to know Ye see in effect what is touched here Let vs learne then as oft as we be tempted with the sayde ouerweening that our owne vertues ought to beare some sway and that wee may well satisfie God by our owne deseruings let vs learne I say to returne to that which is spoken heere namely that it ▪ belongeth only vnto God to disclose his owne secretes vnto vs and to teach vs his wisdome And so farre are wee off from being able to atteine to such knowledge through our owne power that we flee it as much as is possible blindfold our own eyes to the intent we might put away all perceyuerance and feeling of Gods iudgement from vs So much the more therefore behoueth it vs to marke wel the rigoure that Zophar speaketh of here in the name of God as a messenger or Herault sent by him too summon vs too his iudgement seate that wee may knowe what maner of rigour the same is that is to witte that it is intollerable whensoeuer God lysteth too vse it towardes vs VVhat must wee do then we must learne to knowe what we bee and to humble our selues that wee may returne to our God with hartie repentance who desyreth nothing but that we shoulde come too him in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ Then let vs go too him mourning for our
place conuenient when neede requireth Therefore let vs consider that in condemning other men wee hyde not oure owne faults ne cause them to bee forgotten Hee then that would be a good correctour of his neighbours must first correct himselfe He that will teach other men must first bee his owne schoolemayster that is to say he must begin at himselfe and receyue good doctryne Also let vs not forget that which wee haue sayde namely that wee must be readie to receiue instruction at euery mans hand and yeeld our selues teachable without refusing so great a benefit when our Lorde goeth about to teach vs by any maner of person As touching that whiche Iob sayeth here the effect of it is that hee hath shewed himselfe to bee a man that feared god Such as are led with ambition woulde fayne shewe themselues to bee men of renoume and they neuer do any thing but they looke for some prayse and commendations for it afore men Contrariwise Iob declareth here that he bestowed his doings where was no hope of recompence nor of purchasing any great fame or renoume to the worldwarde and that hee indeuered to do good vnto men euen when they seemed to be dead Hereby he sheweth wel that he was not led by vaine glorie nor sought his hire here beneath in earth but that he walked as in the sight of god For if a man seeke his owne preferment it is certaine that when hee ought to do any man a good turne hee will looke twice vpon it and see whether the partie bee able too counteruaile it and to render like for like And thus ye see that none of the good turnes which are done in the worlde are done freely but rather for wages and therfore their doings can not be sayd to be a vertue For it is not charitie that leadeth them to do good one to another or to helpe such as haue neede but euery man hath an eye to his owne profit and to see whether the good that he doth vnto others may returne home againe to himselfe But contrariwise it is shewed vs heere that in seruing of God wee must not haue regarde of any worldly recompence nor couet to be commended and praysed according as wee see howe Iob sayeth here that the blissing of him that was readie too perish came vpon him Let vs marke well this saying for when a man is at deathes dore it seemeth to vs that whatsoeuer good we shall haue don vnto him it is as good as lost and also as to the worldwarde it is all quite gone And veryly Iob speaketh here of such as were vtterly forsaken and had no succour insomuch that no man vouchsafed too thinke vppon them There is then as it were a buryed man or as it were a wretched coarse and I succour him If in so doing my respect bee too purchace any prayse among men then is it certaine that I will seeke some man to blase abroade my goodnesse and to tell how much hee is beholding and bounde vnto mee But if I take a poore man that is as good as halfe dead and seemeth that hee must perish out of hande it is a token that I seeke not the prayse of men Agayne what is the hyre that I shall looke for The man is as it were condemned too death and there is no more hope of him So then if wee minde to proceede in such vprightnesse wee must thrust all ambition vnder foote and there muste no couetousnesse leade vs but we must looke right forth vntoo god That is the thing which Iob ment too betoken in effecte and the same also is the cause why hee setteth downe heere all the particulars that we haue touched namely of widowes of fatherlesse children and of suche as bee despysed of the whole worlde For vndoubtedly these also are the parties which are specially recommended vntoo vs of god As for them that haue the meanes too recompence the good turnes which they shall haue receyued they recommend themselues But when a poore man is destitute of all fauour and hath neyther kinsfolke nor freendes nor goodes nor authoritie on his side if wee succour him it is a signe that wee looke rightfoorth vntoo God And if wee do not it is a token that there is no charitie in vs And truely forasmuche as euerye one of vs is so wedded to his owne profit therfore doth our Lord expresly commend vnto vs both the widowes and the fatherlesse and those that are in such extremitie and are not able to helpe themselues God I say presenteth them vnto vs to trie our charitie in that behalfe Yee see then a poynt in Iob which it standeth vs in hande to marke yea and to marke it in suche wise as wee muste assure our selues that all these things are spoken for our learning For as I haue touched alreadie Iob vseth no brauerie here neither maketh he any brags to get himself estimation but rather in his person the holy ghost sheweth vs what is to be esteemed namely not that which appeareth outwardly hath the fayrest glosse afore men for that oftētimes shal be but abhomination before god VVhat then when a man walketh as hauing none other record but god so as all his doings are leuelled at that marke to say my God hath commaunded it me it is the thing wherein he will trie me it is the thing whervnto he tasketh me when a man walketh by that rule it is all one as if he should banish all worldly respects too gather himselfe vnto god And euen so also must we do Let vs seke none other alowance but of God and let that suffice and content vs let vs not be turned aside nor drawne away by ambition or vainglorie VVhen we intend to serue God let vs not looke for our recompence at mans hande but let vs serue God with such vnfeynednesse and soundnesse as wee maye not stay vpon the things that haue fayrest shewe but vpon the things that are commaunded vs and let vs fully conclude and be resolued that wee ought to desire no further but that God be obeyed Therfore in all these things let vs follow still the example of Iob and shew that we feare God yea and let our shewing of it bee not by I wote not what Ceremonies wherein there is no substance but by the things that oure Lorde commaundeth vs especially in hys lawe whiche are that wee shoulde execute iustice rightuousnesse and mercie that is to say that wee shoulde yeelde euery manne his right that wee shoulde absteyne from all euill from all iniurie craft and violence and indeuour to serue our neighbours cheefely in hauing pitie and compassion vpon those that are in aduersitie too the ende to succour them after the abilitie that God hath giuen vs. Nowe let vs fall downe before the face of oure good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too haue pitie vppon vs and too make vs so to feele oure sinnes as wee may bee humbled in