Sermons in One Volume, Sermon 28
THE BANQVET of Jobs Children.
IOB. 1. 4. 5. verſes.
4 And his ſons went and banquetted in their houſes eueryevery one his daye: and ſent and called their three ſisters to eate and drinke with them.
5 And when the daies of their banquetting were gone about, Iob ſent and ſanctified them, and roſe vp early in the morning and offered burnt offerings, according to the number of them all. For Iob thought, it may bee that my ſonnes hauehave ſinned and blasphemed God in their hearts. Thus did Iob eueryevery day.
THis booke is a ſtory of patient Iob, to ſhew how God can deale with all, and how they ſhoulde receiue all thinges at his hand, ſeeing the moſt innocent man in the world, when God ſhould try him, was brought ſo low, that the Diuel had power to lay vponupon him what torment he would, death onelyonly excepted, and yet he ſtoode to it with ſuch conſtancy, that he ſaith, though the Lord kill mee, yet will I trust in him, the thirteenth Chapter of Iob, and fifteenth verſe. Such power was giuen vntounto his faith, and louelove, and patience, that they ouercame the Diuell, which ſaide that if hee might hauehave leaue to plague him, hee would make him blaspheme God to his face, verſe, 11. Therefore God would hauehave this victory to bee recorded for all ſuch as are ſicke, or ſore, or needy, or oppreſſed, that whatſoeuer paine we ſuffer, wee may remember that Iobs paine was ſharper than this, and yet it coulde not make him ſo impatient: but when like a man hee was offended with his torments; like an holy man he was more offended with himſelfe, and angrie with his anger. Therefore at laſt God returned to him, and remoued his troubles and made his end more honourable than his beginning, as if he ſhuld ſay, Thus it ſhal be done to the man which is not offended with my chaſtiſementes. Now to our purpoſe, in the firſt verſe of this Chapter, the holy Ghoſt ſheweth what a good man Iob was, ſaying; that hee was an vpright and iust man, one that feared God and eſchewed euill. In the ſecond verſe, he ſheweth what ſtore of children Iob had: ſaying, hee had ſeauen ſonnes and three daughters. In the third verſe hee ſheweth what ſtore of riches Iob had: ſaying, his ſubſtance was ſeuen thouſand ſheepe, and three thouſand Camels, and fiue hundred yoke of Oxen, and fiue hundred Aſſes, &c. In the fourth verſe hee returneth againe to his children, ſhewing how they were occupied, before the winde came and blewe the houſe vponupon their heads, ſaying, his ſonnes went and banquetted, in their houſes eueryevery one his daye, and called their three ſisters to eate and drinke with them. In the fift verſe hee commeth againe to Iob, and ſhewes a proofe of his vertues, which he commended him for before, ſaying, that when his ſonnes had banquetted, hee ſent for them, and ſanctified them, and roſe vp earely, &c.
So if ye aske what his ſonnes did, the holy Ghoſt ſaith, that they banquetted. If yee aske where, he ſaith, in their owne houſes. If ye aske when, he ſaith, eueryevery one kept his daye. If yee aske who were the gueſts, hee ſaith that one inuited another, and the other inuited him againe, and they called their ſisters to them. and ſo they made merrie together. If yee aske what father Iob did, the ſtory ſaith, that after eueryevery feast, first he ſent for his ſonnes, and then he ſanctified them, and then hee ſacrificed for them: the reaſon is added, becauſe Iob thought, It may be that may ſonnes hauehave ſinned and blaſphemed God in their hearts, his zeale in this action is declared by three circumſtances.
Firſt, that he roſe vp early in the morning. Secondly, that he offered ſo many ſacrifices as he had ſonnes. Thirdly, that he perfourmed this offering eueryevery day while their feaſt laſted. Of eueryevery circumſtance a little, becauſe ſome had rather heare many thinges then learne one. Firſt heere is to bee noted that amongſt the bleſſings of Iob, his children are reckoned firſt, ſo ſoone as the holy Ghoſt was paſt his ſpirituall bleſſings which he mentioneth in the firſt verſe of all, before all his other bleſſings, landes and houſes, and goods, and cattell, and friends, and ſeruants, hee ſpeakes of his children, as the chiefeſt treaſure which Iob had next vntounto his vertues; although hee was counted the greateſt man for riches and cattels, and all things elſe in all the eaſt parts, 3. verſe. Therefore the Diuell when hee had taken away all his other riches, tooke away his children laſt of al, trying him as it were by degrees, as if he ſhould ſay, I hauehave a greater plague for him yet, if the looſing of his goods and ſtealing of his cattell, and burning of his houſes, and ſlaying of his ſeruauntes will not moue him, yet I know what will rowſe him: when his children are all feaſting together I will raiſe a mighty wind, and blow downe the houſe vppon their heads, and kill eueryevery ſonne & daughter which he hath at a clap. Indeed this newes frighted him foreſt, as appeareth in the 20. verſe, his patience was ſo great, that when they brought him word of his oxen, & camels, and aſſes, and ſheepe, he neuer ſhrinked, we doe not reade that he made any anſwer; as though he cared not for thē, but whē he heard that his deare children, ſeuen ſonnes, and three daughters, after he had brought thē vp to ripe yeares, were ſlaine all at once, then the ſtory ſaith, that he roſe vp from his ſeat, and rent his garments, and ſhaued his head, and fell downe to the ground and cryed; Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne againe. So euen the diuell knoweth what a man loueth, and what a bleſſing it is to hauehave children, therefore when God commaunded the man and the woman to increaſe and multiply, it is ſaide before, that God bleſſed them. Gen. 1. 28. which was the firſt bleſſing that was giuen to man, which is called a bleſſing, The bleſſing of children. Againe, when God ſpake the ſame words to Noah & his ſonnes, it is ſaid before, that God bleſſed Noah & his ſons Gen. 9. 4. ſo children came ſtill vnderunder the name of bleſſing. Thus God himſelf ſheweth that children are his gifts to make you thankfull for them, and carefull of them as Iob was. And therefore ſome men hauehave more riches, and ſome leſſe, & ſome none, becauſe it is the bleſſing of God (as Salomon ſaith) which maketh rich. Pro. 10. 22. ſo ſome men hauehave many children, & ſome few, & ſome none, becauſe it is the bleſſing of God, as Dauid ſaith, which ſendeth children. Pſal. 128. But this is the difference betweene temporall bleſſings and ſpirituall bleſſings: that ſpirituall bleſſings are ſimplie good, and therefore doe all men good that enioy them: as faith, and louelove, and patiēce can neuer hurt a man, but better him: and temporall bleſsings are as he which hath them, to good man riches are good, honors are good, health is good, libertie is good, becauſe he doth good with them: but to an euil man they are euill, becauſe they make him worſe, and he doth euill with them: as Ieroboam had not done ſo much hurt, if he had not been in ſuch honour. Therefore we pray for health, and wealth, and honour, and reſt, and libertie, and life, with a caution, If it bee Gods will: As Chriſt praied for the remouing of his croſſe; becauſe we knowe not whether they be good or euill, whether they will make vsus better or worſe, or whether wee ſhall doe good with them, or hurt. Thus when Iob had his cattell, and his houſes, and his friends, and his ſeruants, and his children about him, hee was like the man of whom Dauid ſpeakes, The righteous man ſhall flouriſh like a palme tree, Pſalm. 91. 13. Therefore the diuell ſayd, that God had made an hedge about Iob. verſ. 10. As an hedge goeth round about a garden: ſo Gods bleſsings went round about Iob, according to that Pſal. 33. 10. Him which trusteth in the Lord, merciemercy ſhall embrace on eueryevery ſide.
Thus Iob was endowed with children, but how his children were affected we cannot define ſo well as of their father, becauſe the holie Ghoſt ſaith nothing of them, but that they banquetted, which doth ſound as though he noted a diſparagement betweene Iob and his ſonnes, as there was betweene Ely and his ſonnes: for oftentimes a godly father hath vntoward children, which make him watch, and faſt, and pray, & weepe when they little think, while they themſelues ruffle, and ſweare, and banquet, and game, till pouertie fall on their purſes, as the houſe fell vponupon their heads: ſo it ſeemes that Iobs ſonnes were ſecure vponupon their fathers holines, as many are vponupon their fathers husbandrie, which thinke the olde man hath enough for vsus, we need not care to get or ſaue: ſo they might thinke, Our father ſacrificeth for vsus, wee may feaſt and be merrie, his deuotion will ſerue for vsus: he is an olde man, let him pray and GOD will heare him. One Lot is enough in an houſe: but if Iob had bred vp his ſonnes ſo, God would not hauehave commended him, but rebuked him, as he did Ely. Therfore this is not ſpoken againſt Iobs ſons, that they banquetted, as it is ſpoken againſt the Iſraelites, that they ſate them downe to eate, and roſe vp to play. For firſt it is not like that hee which was ſo cōmēded of God, that he ſaid, No man was like him vponupon the earth, verſ. 8. would not teach his children in their youth, as he prayed for them after. Agayne, if they had been Epicures, and Libertines, and beazlers, GOD would not hauehave heard his prayer for them, no more then he would heare Samuels prayer for Saul. Agayne, if they had deſpiſed that GOD which their father worſhipped, hee would neuer hauehave ſayd as hee ſaith, It may bee that my ſonnes hauehave blaſphemed God, as though ſome fault might ſcape them by ignorance, or raſhnes: but he would hauehave ſayd, My ſonnes are blaſphemers, and therefore I muſt puniſh them. For that which the lawe ſayd againſt blaſphemers after, that Iob vnderſtoode by the lawe of conſcience written in his heart, as Paul ſayth, Rom. 2. 15. Agayne, if they had vſed theyr feaſts for theyr luſts, like them which ſay, Let vsus eate and drinke, for to morrowe wee ſhall dye, it had beene vayne for Iob to ſpeake to them of ſanctification, for they would not hauehave ſanctified themſelues at his bidding. But it is ſayde, that before Iob offered ſacrifice for them, they were ſanctified, that is, they conſidered the faults which they had committed, and repented for them, and reconciled themſelues, & then Iob ſacrificed for them. Again, if their feaſts had been ſurfetings, and diſorders, like our Wakes and Reuels, Iob ſhould hauehave forbidden their feaſts, & not praied God to pardon their ſinnes which they committed in feaſting, & ſuffer them to ſinne ſtill, for that were to mock God, as though he deſired not pardon for their ſinnes paſt, but rather leaue for them to ſinne ſtill. Laſtly, we doe not ſee by any circumſtance of the ſtorie, that they abuſed their feaſts either in ſuſpected houſes, or prophane cōpany, or corrupt ſpeeches, or impure geſtures, or wanton dauncings, or vnlawfull daliances, or vaine ſuperfluities, but that our feaſts might be allowed, if they were like vntounto theirs. For firſt they did feaſt in their owne houſes, they did not run to Ordinaries, or Ale-houſes, or Tauernes, as they which ſeeke for the ſtrongeſt wine, or hunt after newes, or worſe purpoſes, but like good neighbours they inuited one another home, and kept their hoſpitalitie in their owne houſes, as our Gentlemen ſhould doe that lye about London, which are a kind of Non-reſidents, from their poore neighbours. Secondly, they did not feaſt eueryevery day, like the rich Glutton in Luk. 16. eueryevery one kept his day in the yere whē their feaſtings came: ſo it is not ment, that the ſonnes did nothing but feaſt, and the father nothing but pray: but as the feaſts of the Iewes came at certaine times of the yeare, to celebrate ſome bleſſings of God, ſo they obſerued their feaſting times, to celebrate their good wils one to another. Laſtly, they did not ioyne themſelues with ruffins, & ſwearers, and tiplers, as all are wont to meete together at a feaſt: neither did they inuite the rich to their tables, as Iames ſaith, which are feaſts of flatterie: but they were all of one kinne, and one heart, brethren and ſiſters, like the Diſciples which ſate downe together.
All this doth ſhew that their meetings tended to nouriſh amitie, & that they had reſpect to the continuance of their peace, & encreaſe of their louelove one towards another, which was the firſt cauſe that feaſts were inſtituted in the Primitiue Church, & therfore called the feaſt of charitie, only that friends and kinſmen and neighbours might meet one with another to receiue the bleſsings of God, & reioyce together like Ioſeph & his brethren, leſt Chriſtian familiaritie ſhould weare out of vſe, & be forgotten. For ye may ſee in Eccleſ. 2. 24. and 3. 12. and 5. 17. where Salomon ſpeaketh of the ioy, and pleaſure, and delight which we maie take in Gods creatures. And againe, in Pſal. 104. 15. where Dauid ſayth, that as bread was made to ſtrengthen, ſo wine was made to cō fort the heart, that God would not only hauehave vsus fed, but of his exceeding goodnes he wold hauehave vsus cheered and comforted beſide, as he ſheweth by this aboundance of his creatures, in that he hath ordained ſo many things moe thē we need. Why did God create mo things then we need? but to ſhew that he alloweth vsus needful & comfortable things, for al good things which were not created for need, were created for delight. Therfore euen the Scriptures hauehave commended ſolemne feaſts in Le. 10. Num. 29. Exo. 23. where ye may reade of ſundrie feaſts cōmanded by God himſelfe, as the feaſts of gathering fruits, the feaſts of trū pets, the feaſts of Tabrnacles, the feaſts of new Moones, the feaſts of reconciliation, the feaſts of dedication of the temples, &c. Beſide it is ſaid, that Abraham made a great feaſt the ſame day that Iſaac was weaned, Gen. 21. 8. So it is ſayd of Sampſon, that he made a feaſt whē he was married. Iud. 14. 10. and at a feaſt in Canaan, Chriſt ſhewed the firſt miracle that euer he wrought, turning water into wine. Ioh. 2. If feaſts had been vnlawfull, Chriſt would not hauehave been there: therefore the wiſeman ſaith, there is a time to laugh, as well as he ſaith, there is a time to weepe, Eccl. 3. 4. whē he ſaith, there is both a time to laugh & weepe, he implieth, that the time to laugh is not eueryevery day: as it is ſaid of Diues, that he fared deliciouſly euerie day, Luke. 16. for then there were a time to laugh, but no time to weep. Therfore if ye wil know the time whē to laugh, & whē to weep, God hath ſet Vriah for an example, when the Church was quiet, & his countrie ſafe, Vriah could reioyce aſwell as other: but when the Church was troubled, & his countrie in daunger, though the king bad him go home, & eate and drink, & ſolace with his wife: he would not doe ſo, but ſaid, the Arke of Iſrael and Iudah, dwelleth in tents, and my Lord Ioab and the ſeruants of my king abide in the open field, and ſhall I go to my houſe, and eate and drink and be merrie with my wife? by thy life, & by the life of my ſoule, I will not doe this thing. See what a ſin he coūted it to feaſt then, which at another time he counted no ſin. Therfore if ye aske whē it is time to feaſt, & when to faſt, learne of Vriah: he forbad not to feaſt, but if he ſhuld ſee your feaſting now, he would ſay, as Eliſha ſayd to Gehezi, Is this a time to take a reward? Is this a time to make feaſts? nay the father and the ſons both had need to riſe earely now and ſacrifice together: for if euer the houſe were falling vponupon our heads, as it did vponupon theirs, now the Diuell hath ſent foorth his windes, now the Pope hath layd his Ordinance, nay our owne hands which ſhould proppe it, are digging as buſily as the enemies, with reproaches, and ſlaunders, and ſuggeſtions, to vndermine the Church, which is falling alreadie, that wee might die like the Philiſtines, with the temple vponupon our heads. Is this a time to feaſt Vria? when the houſe of God is beſet like the houſe of Lot: when the armies of Antichriſt are preparing againſt Gods people? As the voyce asked Zacharie, and Amos, and Ieremie what they did ſee: So if ye aske your Prophets what they doe ſee, they may ſay they doe ſee the woolfe deuouring the lambes. We ſee a darke ignorance running ouer the lande, like the blackneſſe of Aegypt: wee ſee the Romanes comming in againe as they came to Ieruſalem and ſacking the temple: we ſee the Papiſts caruing of Images, & the people kneeling before them: we ſee the profeſſors of the Goſpell ſhrink away, as the Diſciples fled frō their Maſter when he was taken. Is this a time to feaſt Vria? Is this a time to flatter? Is this a time to diſſemble? Is this a time to loyter? Is this a time to keep ſilence? Is this a time to gather riches? Is this a time to reuenge wrōgs? Is this a time to ſet forth pageants? No ſaith Ezekiah. 2. King 19. 3. This is a time of tribulation, in which the Prince, & Nobles, & people ſhould humble themſelues, as the Citizēs of Niniuie, left the Arke be taken from England, as the Arke was takē from Iſrael, which God grant that our eyes neuer ſee.
Thus much of Iobs childrē, how eueryevery one had his ſeuerall houſe, which ſheweth how God bleſſed thē with riches, as he did their father, & what care Iob had, like a father to prouide for them: then how they feaſted together, which ſheweth how ſweet and pleaſant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie.
Nowe you ſhall ſee what the olde man doth which was ſo commended in the 1. verſ. the ſtorie ſaith, that hee ſent for his ſonnes and ſanctified them, & ſacrificed for thē. In which wordes the holy Ghoſt ſheweth the patterne of an holy man, and good father, which kept the rule that God gaue vntounto Abrahā, to bring vp his children in the feare of the Lord. Iob doth not as ſome, which when they hauehave paſſed their bounds, ſet all at randome, and ſay with Cain, in Gen. 4. My ſinne is greater then can be forgiuen: but he goeth to the remedie, as the Iewes when they were ſtinged, went to the braſen ſerpent: Albeit my children hauehave not done their dueties in al poynts, but offended in their feaſtings, yet I am ſure that God will hauehave merciemercy vponupon them, and vponupon me, if ye aske him forgiuenes. Therefore he ſent for his ſonnes like a father, and then hee taught them like a preacher to ſanctifie them ſelues, and then he offered ſacrifice for them. Firſt, we wil ſpeake of the cauſe which moued Iob to ſacrifice for his ſonnes, ſet downe in theſe words: Iob thought, It may be that my ſonnes hauehave blaſphemed God in their hearts. He was glad good mā to ſee his children agree ſo wel together, but he would hauehave them merry and ſin not, and therfore he puts them in mind eueryevery day while they feaſted, to ſanctifie themſelues; he condemneth not honeſt mirth and ſober feaſts, to maintain amity and peace, but being throughly acquainted with mans infirmitie: this ſheweth, that he had obſerued neuer any feaſts ſo duely celebrated, but ſome diſorder or other hath crept in, whereby God hath been diſhonoured at his owne table, either for ſuperfluitie of meat, or exceſſe of drinke, or vnchaſt ſongs, or corrupt ſpeeches, or wanton dancings, or vnſeemely daliances; the diuel hath been ſtil at one end, & is lightly the maſter of the feaſt. Therefore Iob thought with himſelfe; It may be that my ſonnes hauehave committed ſome ſcape like other men: I cannot tell, they are but men: it is eaſie to ſlip when occaſion is readie, though they thinke not to offend; he had no apparant cauſe to ſuſpect them, and therefore he ſpeakes in the doubting phraſe, It may bee that they hauehave ſinned. It is better to be feareful, than too ſecure: that which happeneth often in the like caſe, he might well doubt of it, though he had warned them before: therefore his heart was not quiet, but ſtill this ranne in his minde, all the while they feaſted: It may bee that my ſonnes ſinne. How wary was Iob ouer himſelf which was ſo ielous ouer his ſonnes, leaſt one ſinne ſhould ſlippe from them: nay if ye marke, he ſpeaketh not of any open or groſſe ſinnes which he feared, but he ſpeaketh of a ſinne in the thought, It may bee that my ſonnes hauehave blaſphemed God in their hearts.
Blaſphemie is properly in the mouth, when a man ſpeaks againſt God, as Rabſhakeh did; but Iob had a further reſpect to a blaſphemie of the heart, counting eueryevery ſiniſter affection of the heart, as it were a kind of blaſphemie, or petie treaſon. Thus the penitent man doth aggrauate his ſinnes, and retch them as it were vponupon the racke, to make his ſmall ſinnes ſeeme great ſinnes, that he might beware as well of ſmal as great. contrariwiſe, the prophane and carnal minded man doth min…e, and flatter, and extenuate his ſinnes, as though they were no ſins, becauſe they ſhuld not trouble him: for this ſinne which Iob calleth Blaſphemie, which is the higheſt name of ſinne, the Papiſts call but A veniall ſinne; that is, but a ſleight ſinne, becauſe it is in the thought: So Iob & they differ in iudgement.
Now out of this ſpeech of Iob; It may bee that my ſonnes hauehave ſinned, or it may bee that my ſelfe hauehave ſinned, which I may properly and rightly terme the ielouſie of a holy man; wherein Iob ſheweth in what feare he ſtoode of his ſonnes ſo long as their feaſts laſted, euen as a merchaunt doth till his ſhippe come home. Firſt, wee may ſee this, that the beſt thinges may ſoone be corrupted, by the wickedneſſe of men, ſuch is our nature euer ſince Adam choſe euil before good, good hath bin turned into euill, Gen. 3. Notwithſtanding, that our intent and meaning be good. As for example, when an husband loueth his wife, or a father loueth his children, theſe are good & holy, and commendable things, yet there is no man can be found that doth louelove his wife, or his children with that euenneſſe (as I may call it) or iuſt proportion, but that there is ſome oddes in the ballance when his affectiō is weighed, which may craue pardon like the feaſts of Iobs children. If this oddes be in all our meaſures, then it is no ſtrange caſe, that Iob thought with himſelfe, that his children might offend God in the thing that of it ſelfe of fendeth not. Therefore it is good for a man ſo long as he liueth in this world, to remember ſtil that he is among temptations, and ſits at a feaſt like Iobs children, where he may ſoon take too much. If the fiſh did know the hook, & the bird had ſeen the net, though they hauehave but the vnderſtanding of fiſhes and birds, yet they would let the hooke alone, and flie ouer the net, and let the fouler whiſtle to himſelfe: ſo we muſt looke vponupon our riches, as we look vponupon ſnares, and behold our meats, as we behold baites, & handle our pleaſure as we handle Bees, that is, pick out the ſting, before we take the honie, for in Gods giftes Sathan hath hid his ſnares, and made Gods benefites his baits, that as Adam ſaid, The womā which thou hast giuen me, tempted me to ſin, ſo they may ſay, the riches or the honours, or the liberty, or the wife, or the ſeruants, or the children, or the meates, or the wit, or the beauty which thou haſt giuen me, tempted me to ſinne, ſo many ſinnes lie in wait for vsus, about our meats and drinks, & beds, & waies, that vnles we watch, pray, and looke about vsus at eueryevery time, it may be, as Iob ſayth, that we may ſinne in our doings, or in our ſayings, or at leaſt in our hearts, as he thought of his ſons. Therefore no doubt but as Iob thought that his ſonnes might offend in their feaſtings, ſo hee taught them, euen when they were feaſting, and when they ſate at the table, and when they dranke one to another, to thinke oftentimes we may ſin as our father tolde vsus, which brideled their mirth, & ſtopt many wordes at the doore, euen when ſin was at the tongues end: you are not Iobs ſonnes, but you are come to be Iobs ſchollers, therefore learne, that which his children learned. If a man did but carrie this watch-word with him, whenſoeuer he eateth or ſpeaketh, or bargaineth, it would cut off a thouſand idle words, and wicked acts in one yeare for which he ſhall giuegive account. The ſecond leſſon which Iob ſeemes to point vsus vntounto, is to prepare our ſelues before we eat the communion, that is, to ſanctifie our ſelues, & our meats, as Chriſt did when they had nothing but a few fiſhes and bare bread, yet there was prayer before they did eate. For as Paul ſaith, All the creatures of God are ſanctified vntounto vsus by prayer and thanksgiuing. He which doth not pray to God for his dayly bread, nor thanke him for it, dooth not receiue the creatures of God, but ſteale them from him, as a man which taketh a thing without asking or thanking. There is a kind of men which I ſpeak of, which hold it too ſad a matter, to ſay a ſhort grace before they fal to meate, leaſt it ſhould forſpeake their mirth, & keepe thē in a ſober mind til they riſe againe. I hauehave heard many ſay, that they cānot be merie, vnles they ſwear and whoop, & carouſe, & dally, & gibe: therefore if they can chooſe they will neuer bee a gueſt where any godly man is preſent, leſt his countenance or wordes ſhould daſh their ſport; & if any matter of God happē to come in while they are in the vaine, it is like a damp which puts out their lights, and turnes their mirth into heauineſſe, as the hideous hande which wrote vponupon the wall caſt Baltaſar into a dumpe. Theſe men had neede to leaue their feaſting, and go to praying, for they deſerue to die, like the Iewes with the quailes in their mouthes. It may be (thought Iob) that my ſonnes hauehave a ſpice of this vanitie. If it be ſo with the godly ſort, as Iobs childrē were, that they may forget themſelues at ſuch a time, & ſtep too farre, and ſlip a ſinne, what ſhall wee ſay of them that driue God out of their company when they banquet, and ſay that ſcripture dooth not become the table, as though we ſhould forget God while wee receiue his benefits, we need not ſay as Iob ſaide, It may be that they blaspheme GOD in their hearts, for they blaſpheme him with their mouthes; we need not ſay, it may be that they doe ſinne, for they doe nothing but ſinne? And their feaſte is a feaſt of ſinnes, as if the Diuelles ſhould banquet together. But they which feaſt as Iob would hauehave his children ſanctifie themſelues before, & eate as in the preſence of God, and are merie as it were with the Angels; when they take their bread, they thinke with themſelues what a goodnes this is, that God giueth ſuch vertue to bread, to ſuſtaine life, which hath no life in it ſelfe; & when they ſee ſo many things before them prepared for the fleſh, they conſider with themſelues what care God hath of my ſoule, which careth ſo much for my body, which ſhall go… to duſt. There is another leſſō which wil ſtand you in great ſtead if ye marke it, when Iob ſaith, It may be that my ſonnes hauehave ſinned. Hereby hee teacheth vsus to ſuſpect the worſt of the fleſh, and to liue in a kind of ielouſie of our ſelues, as he ſaith that his maner was, cap. 9. I feared al my workes; that is, he did miſtruſt himſelfe, and waſht his hands, and his feet, and his eies and his eares, and his tongue, leſt they ſhould ſin, as a mercer miſtruſts his prentice leſt hee ſhould filtch: ſo he thought not onelyonly, whether his ſonnes ſinned but he thought of his owne ſins too: when thou ſeeſt ſome ſelling in their ſhops, ſome tipling in the Tauernes, ſome playing in Theaters, then thinke of this with thy ſelfe: It is very like that theſe men ſwallow many ſinnes, for God is neuer ſo forgotten, as in feaſting, and ſporting, & bargaining, then turne to thy compaſſions, and pray for them that God would keepe them from ſin when temptation is at hand, and that hee would not impute their ſins to their charge; ſo we ſhould doe for our brethren as Iob did for his children. Again, ſo we ought to think when we our ſelues come from places of tēptation, which infect like a corrupt ayre; It may be that I hauehave ſinned: hauehave I ſeen and heard al this, and not ſlipped my foote with them? Come I home ſound & whole? hauehave I drawn none of the infected ayre? Doth none of the duſt ſticke vponupon my garments? Looke about my ſoule, and if thou remembreſt any ſinne which ſlipt from thee, then pray for thy ſelf as Iob did for his children. If thou wilt not pray for thy ſelfe, who ſhal pray for thee? If thou wilt not repent thy ſelfe, who ſhall repent for thee. Looke not for Iob to ſacrifice for thee. Iob cannot ſacrifice for thee, but thou mayſt ſacrifice thy ſelfe, and none but thee. This ſhould be the thought of eueryevery Chriſtian, not whether we hauehave pleaſed, nor whether wee hauehave reuenged, but whether wee hauehave ſinned: for if Iob was ſo zealous of his children, how zealous ſhould we be of our ſelues.
FINIS.