Sermons on Job, Sermons · Chapter 4 · Sermon 17
The ſeuententh Sermon, which is the fourth vponupon the fourth Chapter, and the firſte vponupon the fift Chapter.
This Sermon conteyneth ſtill the expoſition of the xviij. and xix, verſes of the fourth Chapter, and then as followeth.
20 From morning to Euening they bee deſtroyed, and bicauſe no man ſetteth his minde vponupon it, they periſh for euer.
21 Doth not their excellencie go avvay vvith them? they shall periſhe, [but] not in vviſedome.
Nowe followeth the fifte Chapter.
1 CAll novv if there be any to aunſvvere thee, and conſider any one of the Sainctes.
2 Doubtleſſe, Anger ſleaeth the foole, and enuie killeth the vvitleſſe perſon.
WE hauehave ſeene already wherevnto this talketendeth: that is to witte, to humble men, bycauſe they be farre from the perfection of the Angels. And ſith the caſe ſtādeth ſo, that if God liſteth to iudge his Angelles with rigor, hee ſhoulde finde ſault ynough in thē: what thē ſhould become of thē which are ſo vnable to ſay any thing for themſelues, as they hauehave nothing in thē but vanity? Neuertheles it might ſeeme, that that which is reherſed here, was not ſufficiēt to proue the intent of Eliphas. For albeit that mē be feeble, and albeit that their life be nothing: yet doth it not therfore follow, that they bee either ſinners or faultie before God. For they be ſeueral things to ſay, our life is trāſitory, & vaniſheth away eueryevery minute of an houre, & to ſay that God may cōdemne vsus. But if all things be well cōſidered: the reaſons that are here alleaged, are fitte for the purpoſe. For the caſe ſtādeth not ſimply vpō mens frailtie as in reſpect of their bodies: but vpō theyr dwelling here in this corruptible fleſh, & that they be ſo earthly as they thinke not on themſelues, although they hauehave death cōtinually before their eies. Alſo wee muſt marke the compariſon in ſuch maner & forme as it is ſet down here, betweene the Angels & mortall men. VVe ſee the Angels are nere vntounto God, and beholde his glory, & are wholy giuen to his ſeruice: & yet for all that, there is no ſtedfaſtneſſe in thē, further than they be vphilde by the grace of God: They might fade and vaniſh away of thēſelues, were it not that God of his meere goodneſſe mainteyned them. But now let vsus come to men. VVhere dwell they? They bee farre inough off frō the ſaid heauēly glory, they are here in the ſayd tranſitory lodging: for what elſe are our bodies? Thē are we (to ſpeake properly) in our graues. For our bodies are priſons, as darke to hinder vsus from the beholding of God, as if wee were alreadie vnderunder the earth. VVhat is our foundation? duſte: and yet wee conſider our ſelues neuer the more, how that wee continually go into decay, and that death threatneth vsus inceſſantly: we conſider not this a whitte. Therefore wee neede not too woonder though there be nothing elſe but infirmitie in men, ſeeing that the Angels whiche are ſo neere vntounto God, hauehave not ſo exquiſite a perfection, but that God maye condemne them if he liſt to enter into iudgement with them. Now we ſee that the argumēt whiche Eliphas vſeth here, is very fit and agreing to his purpoſe. But nowe remayneth to wey the words that are touched here, that we may aduatage our ſelues by them. Truely when any man ſpeaketh to vsus of the ſhortneſſe of our life, we thinke it to be but a nedeleſſe talk: for who is he that knowes it not? But it is not for nought that God ſpeaketh ſo oft of it, and putteth vsus in remembrance of it. For had we throughly conceyued what our life is: it is certayne, that firſte wee woulde not bee ſo worldly as wee bee, neyther woulde oure thoughts bee ſo blockiſhe as they bee: And ſecondly we would hauehave regarde of the heauenly kingdome, and reſt our ſelues wholly thervpon. But we deſpiſe the heauenly life and are ſo intangled heere, as wee cannot be drawne hence. It foloweth then that none of vsus knowe what the thing is which eueryevery of vsus confeſſeth: that is to ſay, that our life is but as a ſhadow that paſſeth away, & that a mā is but like a floure, or a greene herbe, which incontinently is cut downe and withereth. To be ſhort, although the prouerbs that import the ouerſhortneſſe of this worldly life hauehave alwayes bene rife ynough, & yet ſtill are: yet do they not peerce to the harts of vsus. And here wee ſee why we be warned to thinke vponupon it the better. Surely if wee could recken our yeares as Moyſes ſpeaketh of thē in the xc. Pſalme certeſſe we ſhould be taught as well to thinke vponupon death, as alſo to tend to the marke that God calles vsus to. But what? we wote not how to count thē vponupon our fingers. For behold our childhod is ſuch, that they which are in it, differ little or nothing from brute beaſtes, ſauing that there is more incōbrance & trouble with them: but as for vnderſtanding or reaſon, there is ſmall or none in little ones. And certeſſe, draw we once neere mās eſtate, our luſtes are ſo ouerboyling, as we cānot be bridled. Are we come to mans eſtate? It paſſeth away out of hand: & anon old age attacheth vsus, ſo as there remaineth nothing to vsus, but to be weery of our life, & to put other folkes to trouble & payne. Now then if we wiſt how to recken the race of our life vponupon our fingers: certeynly wee ſhoulde not be ſuch dullards as wee bee. And therefore let vsus not thinke wee loſe our time, when we ſet our mindes vponupon this leſſon: that is to witte, to knowe that our life is nothing, and that a hundred thouſand deathes manace vsus in the cheefe luſtineſſe that we hauehave here below. VVhē any of our kinsfolke or friends depart, or if we ſee any Corſe go to buriall: we hauehave the wit to ſay, And what is mans life? If there be any greate death in a Towne or in a Coū trey, wee bee yet more mooued. But all this is forgotten with vsus by and by. Therefore hauehave wee neede to exerciſe our ſelues in this doctrine all the tyme of oure life. And thus wee ſee why the Scripture ſpeaketh ſo vntounto vsus. As concerning the preſent text, it is ſayd firſt of all, That men dwell in houſes of Clay, and that their foundation is but duste. That is to ſay, if wee conſider this preſent life by it ſelfe, wherein cōſiſteth it? In beeing incloſed within lodgings that tende but to corruption. And what elſe are thoſe but our bodies? Behold then what our ſtedfaſtneſſe is: that is to witte, that eueryevery whit of it goeth incontinently vntounto duſt, & we be conſumed either by woormes or by winde: that is too ſay, wee bee diſpatched as ſoone as a worme whiche is but a thing of nought, and which wee ſcarce eſteeme as a liuing creature: & yet are we conſumed ſooner than it. Thus we ſee what is ſayd vntounto vsus in the firſte place. Afterward Eliphas addeth: That men periſhe and are c…nſumed from morning vntounto euening. Some expounde this, as though it were ment that men periſhe in ſmall time: & that is verie true. But herewithall there is yet more: that is to wit, that wee paſſe not a minute of our lyfe, but it is as it were an approching vntounto death. If we cōſider it well, when a man riſeth in the Morning, he is ſure he ſhall not ſteppe foorth one pace, he is ſure he ſhall not take his repaſte, hee is ſure hee ſhall not turne about his hande, but he ſhall ſtill wex elder and elder, and his life euer ſhortneth. Then muſt we conſider euen by eye ſight, that our life fleeteth & ſlideth away from vsus. Thus we ſee what is ment by beeing cōſumed from Morning to Euening. And it is ſayde afterward, that men periſh for euer, bycauſe no man thinkes vpō it. VVe muſt treate of theſe two poynts, that wee may profit our ſelues by this doctrine. The one poyntis, that whatſoeuer we do, we ſhould alwayes hauehave death before our eye, and be prouoked to thinke vponupon it. This (as I hauehave ſayde) is well knowne among men: the verie Heathen had skill to ſay ſo. But what for that? EueryEvery man can playe the Doctor in teaching other men that, which is conteyned here, & yet in the meane while there is neuer a good ſcholler of vsus all in this behalfe. For there is not any man whiche ſheweth by his dooings, that euer he knew what it is to be conſumed from Morning to Euening: that is to wit, that all his luſtineſſe is but ſeebleneſſe, and that there is no ſtedfaſtneſſe in vsus, to holde our ſelues in one cōtinuall ſtate: but that we alwaies haſt toward death, & death towards vsus, ſo as we muſt needes come thither at legnth. Verily if we had no more but this ſingle doctrine alone: It would ſtand vsus in no ſteade, but to make vsus ſtorme & torment our ſelues: like as whē the Paynims knew that our life was ſo flightfull, they cōcluded thervpon, that it was beſt neuer to be borne, and that the ſooner wee dyed the better it was for vsus. Lo how the Paynims reiected the grace of God, bicauſe they knewe not the honour that he doth vsus, when he ſendeth vsus into this worlde, euen to ſhewe himſelfe a father towards vsus. For in aſmuch as wee be reaſonable creatures, & hauehave the image of God printed in oure natur…, wee hauehave a record that he holdeth vsus here as his childrē. And to deſpiſe ſuch a grace, and to ſay, it had bene better for vsus neuer to hauehave bene created: is it not apparant blaſphemie? So then it is not ynough for vsus to know, that ſo long as we bee in this world, wee bee conſumed eueryevery minute of an houre. But wee muſt come to the ſeconde poynt: that is to wit, that when we hauehave well behild how brittle our life is: we muſte alſo marke how wee bee repayred agayne by Gods grace: & ſpecially how we be ſuſteyned & vphilde by the ſame: according alſo as theſe two poynts are matched togither in the hundreth and fourth Pſalme. For it is ſayde there, that as ſoone as God withdraweth his ſpirite and woorking, all goeth to decay. Yea: but the Prophete addeth alſo, that if God ſpredde foorth his power, all is renewed in this worlde, and all things take their liuelineſſe of him. VVee ſee then what we hauehave to marke: that is to wit, that when wee know our ſelues to bee leſſe than nothing, and that we be ſo ſubiect vntounto death, as wee muſte runne thither (as ye would ſay) ſpite of our teeth: we muſt vnderſtād alſo: that in this ſo greate weakneſſe, God holdeth vsus by the hand, ſo as we be vphild by his power, and ſtrengthned by his grate. Behold wherein we hauehave to reioyce. But the chiefe poynt is, that we ſhould hauehave an eye to the benefit & good grace which God hath giuen vsus aboue the order of nature in reſtoring vsus by his worde, as the Prophet Eſay ſayth: All fleſhe is but as graſſe. Verily man is greene & floriſheth for a while: but he withereth by & by. VVheras the word of the Lorde indureth for euer: yea, not only to cōtinue in heauē, but alſo to the end that by it we may hauehave euerlaſting life, and be redeemed out of the vniuerſall corruption of this earthly life, that God may dwell in vsus & make vsus parttakers of his euerlaſtingneſſe. VVe ſee thē wherto we muſte come to profit our ſelues by this leſſon, as we ſhall ſee yet once againe anon. Furthermore foraſmuch as we ſee our ſelues wanze away ſo faſt, that frō Morning to Euening we go cōtinually to our decay: therfore muſt we bee the buſier to beſtow the time wel that god giueth vsus, bicauſe it is ſo ſhort. God hath put vsus into this world to keepe vsus occupied in his ſeruice: if we hauehave long time, yet cā we not be to diligent nor earneſt in dooing our dutie, too diſcharge our ſelu…s whē it ſhall come to the poynt to do God ſeruice, both with our bodies & our ſoules. But foraſmuchas we ſee that he needeth but to turne his hand, and behold we be at the laſt caſt: ought we not to be much more earneſter to runne? according alſo as the Scripture exhorteth vsus, ſhewing vsus that this life heere is but a race, and therefore we may not go loyteringly, but eueryevery mā muſt chere vp himſelfe, & pricke and ſpurre forward himſelfe. Thus wee ſee what wee had as yet to note vponupon this ſentence, where it is ſayde that men are cōſumed away frō morning to night. But now let vsus come to that which Eliphas addeth. He ſayth, That they periſh for euer, bicauſe no man thinketh vponupon it. A man might demaunde heere, whether wee ſhun death when wee thinke not vponupon it. For in the nine and forty Pſalme, it is ſayd that the wiſe men and fooles are gathered all into one herde So then it behoueth vsus to vnderſtand, that all mankind is ſhet vp vnderunder this neceſſitie of dying. And wherfore then is it ſayde here, that all periſh for euer, bicauſe none thinke of it? Firſte of all Eliphas ment to tea…he vsus here, that men do as it were wex beaſtly when they looke not to thēſelues. For loke what he ſpeaketh here, wee muſt alwayes referre it to the preſent caſe. Hee maketh it not his generall caſe to treate of, that mans life is trāſitorie, without going any further: but he intendeth to ſhew vsus, that for ſomuch as we bee poore ſilie creatures creeping here vponupon the earth: wee cannot attayne to the perfection of Angels, nor yet come nere it. So then whereas he ſayeth that all periſh for euer bicauſe none thinke of it: hee meeneth that men go on as brute beaſtes, without iudgement, without diſcretion, without thinking vponupon death any long time aforehand, & therefore are taken tardy. On the other ſide hee purpoſeth to declare, what men are of their owne nature, were it not that God hath gathered them to himſelfe, and gouerned them by his holy ſpirite, to the end they ſhould take hede to this doctrine. Behold the two poynts which wee hauehave to marke here. And as touching the firſt, It draweth nere to the text which we alleaged euen now out of the Prophet. For there the Prophet mocketh the careleſneſſe of men, that make their account to dwell here below for euer, notwithſtanding that they ought well to perceyue what their life is: that is to wit, that in the turning of a hand ye ſhall ſee it broken off. But no man thinks of that: It ſhould ſeeme that men take pleaſure in beguiling and forgetting themſelues: they conſider not their endes, but they beare themſelues in hande, that they be as it were Idols. Is not this a wilfull ſotting of themſelues in brutiſhneſſe? But the Prophet ſaith this folly is reproued, & that it is well knowen by experience, that men deceyue thē ſelues, and throw themſelues hedlong into deſtruction, when they frame themſelues ſuch an immortalitie, as to imagine that they ſhall dwell here for euer. Thus we ſee a follie here, whiche is conuinced euen by eyeſight. But yet (ſayth he) ſo farre off are their poſteritie frō wexing any whit the wizer by it: that they be gathered thither in one flocke like ſheepe, & the graue ſwalloweth them vp both greate and ſmall: and yet of all the while, none of them thinkes vponupon it. See howe this geere relieth to the purpoſe of Eliphas. So then let vsus marke that the holye Ghoſt intendeth to do vsus to vnderſtand, that foraſmuche as wee bee ſo flyghtfull, we ought to hauehave death alwayes before our eyes, to the ende wee ſhoulde make haſt thitherward, and not be attached with fearefulneſſe when it ſhall pleaſe God to take vsus out of this worlde: nor yet be amazed as wee ſee the moſte part to bee, who are ſtriken with ſuch an aſtoniſhmēt, that they know not where they be. Therfore if we bethinke vsus a great while afore hande what our end ſhall be, and vponupon what condition we were created: then ſhall we not periſh like fooles without thinking vponupon it. But there is yet more: that is to witte, that we muſt hauehave a further foreſight thā to this matter onelyonly if we will not periſh for euer. VVhy ſo? For here is mention made but of men in their owne kinde. Now it is certaine, that if we hauehave not an eie to the renewment which God maketh by the power of his ſpirite: wee muſt all of vsus be conſumed. And for the better conceyuing heereof, let vsus take the helpe of that which is ſayd in the hundred and ſecond Pſalme. There, to the intent that men ſhould not ouerlike of themſelues in their owne ſtate, nor brag of any luſtineſſe of their owne: the Prophet giueth vsus euen the very skies for an example. Although wee ſee ſo hygh a maieſty in them, as wee bee driuen into a maze with it: yet notwithſtanding, euen thoſe ſelfe ſame skies muſt grow olde, and be chaunged, and go into corruption as a garment doth. And what then ſhall become of men? Muſt not they needes bee much more frayle? But in the meane ſeaſon (ſaith he) the ſonnes of Gods children ſhall continue. If wee bee giuen to the feare of God, wee ſhall hauehave a firme and well ſettled ſtate. Behold how the Prophet ſeparateth Gods children from the common order of nature, when they hauehave once the ſeede of life in them, whereof Sainct Paule alſo ſpeaketh in the eyght to the Romanes. For ſee how hee comforteth vsus: foraſmuche as we be loden with the burthen & with the corruptible weight of the body, wee hauehave (ſayeth hee) the ſpirite of God, which is the ſeede of our true life, and by his power we ſhall one day bee fully reſtored. And therefore let vsus marke well, that ſuch as thinke vponupon their frailtie as they ought to do: after they hauehave knowen thēſelues to be nothing, and that there is nought elſe but vanity and leaſing in them: ſhall not periſh for altogither. And why ſo? For they ſeeke the remedy whiche God hath offered them: which is, that they ſhall bee gathered out of this bondage of death, and be renued by God, who hath choſen them to himſelfe, and make his power to flowe downe vponupon them, that they may drawe water out of that fountayne of lyfe. VVee ſee then how ſuche as bethinke themſelues both of this preſent life, and of the ende thereof, cannot be conſumed for euer, bycauſe God remedieth the wretched ſtate wherein wee bee borne by nature, and calleth them to himſelfe. This is it that we hauehave to gather of this ſentence: and this is it that I touched not long ſince: that is to wit, that whē we hauehave ſingly perceyued that our life is nothing, our ſo doing will not greatly boote vsus. VVhy ſo? For it will but make vsus diſmayde. But if we will take courage: we muſt hauehave an eye to both the poynts: that is to wit, that when we ſee the neceſsitie that is in vsus vntill we drawe nere vntounto our God, wee muſt mourne, and not do as the worldlings doo, who beeing drunken in theyr pompes, pleaſures, or riches, doo wittingly and willingly mocke and beguile themſelues. But (as I hauehave ſayde) wee muſt caſt away all theſe kinde of blindfoldings, and open our eies: and whē we be come vntounto our God, & hauehave acknowledged the miſerable plight wherin we be, we muſt aſſure our ſelues, that God will reach out his hand vntounto vsus, bicauſe he ſeeketh nothing elſe but to ſuccour vsus, and to draw vsus out of the darkeneſſe wherin we be by nature. Thus we ſee what wee hauehave to marke in effect. And immediatly after, it is ſayde, That the exceliencie of men ſhall be taken away in them, and that they ſhall periſhe [and] not in wiſedome. True it is, that it behoueth vsus to be humbled by death: that is to witte, that God ſhould bereue vsus of all glory, and that wee ſhoulde be brought as it were to nothing, to the end we might know that al our ſtedfaſtneſſe & power proceedeth not frō elſe where, than frō the free goodueſſe of our God: and to be ſhort, that we liue, not in our ſelues, but bicauſe it pleaſeth God to hauehave vsus too come neere vntounto him, & that we ſhould draw out of the fulneſſe that is in him, according as he hath giuen it vsus in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. For he is the foūtaine that is opened vntounto vsus, & which God ſheweth vsus, and whervnto he leadeth vsus, to the intent we may be filled therwith. Then behoueth it vsus to be brought to nothing in our owne nature: & yet therwithall to know, that after that God hath once ſtripped vsus out of it, he will cloth vsus with it agayne. And here we ſe wherfore S. Paule (whē he hath ſayd that we muſt grone ſo lōgas we liue in this world) addeth, not for that we deſire to be vnclothed, (for wee deſire to bee here ſtill: beholde wherevnto our nature driueth vsus) but bicauſe we knowe there is another better dwelling place prepared for vsus, whē this lodging of ours is once deſtroyed, & that God will cloth vsus with his own immortalitie, & bring vsus again into our true ſtate. And this is the thing wherein we differ from the vnbeleuers, and frō thoſe that hauehave not taſted a whit of Gods grace. Thus we ſee why it is ſayd in this ſentence, Shall not all their excellency bee taken away with them? For if ye do but behold what the preſent ſtate of men is, & cōſider what they be in themſelues: ye muſt needes conclude that they be brought to nothing by death. But we hauehave the grace of God, which is a ſupernaturall ſuccor to vsus, in ſomuche that in periſhing we periſh not, & whē we be vnclothed we be immediatly clothed againe, as I hauehave ſayde already. And thus we ſee why Eliphas addeth, Not in wiſedome. For hee intendeth alwayes to condemne men bycauſe they be ſo blockiſhe, as they neuer thinke vponupon themſelues. Thē let vsus marke, that it is great wiſdome to prepare our ſelues vntounto …ath, & to paſſe through it cheerfully whē we come at it. I ſay we ſhall hauehave profited greatly, and be reputed for wiſe in Gods ſight, whē we ſhall hauehave learned this preſent leſſon throughly, & be able to put it in vre to receiue fruit by it: and yet notwithſtāding we ſee how eueryevery man ſhunneth it. For it is a melancolike matter, in ſomuch that if a man ſpeake of death, eueryevery mā is greued at it, & falles into his dumps. Neuertheleſſe the cace ſo ſtādeth, that if men ſet not their mindes vponupon it: they muſte needes ouerſhoote thēſelues in all their deuiſes, & in all their cōſultations: and all the greateſt wiſedome that they weene to hauehave, muſt needes be turned into fooliſhneſſe. And wherfore? For is there any greater folly, thā for a man not to know himſelfe? to what purpoſe ſerue all our wiſedome & diſcretion, but to loke to our ſelues? And ſo they that thinke not vponupon death, ne put thēſeluesin mind of it, ouerſhoote thēſelues as much as is poſsible for them. Yea they coulde finde in their hartes, to play the wilde Colts in forgetting themſelues. VVe ſee then how it is al one, as if men ment to bury all the wit and reaſon that God hath giuen them. Therfore it is not without cauſe that Eliphas cōdemneth men here, for dying without wiſedome. For it is as much to ſay, as although God hauehave told them wherevnto they muſt come, & hauehave ſet the Butte before their eies, as if he ſhould ſay, Go me thither: yet they run aſtray all their life long, & know not whither they go. And when it cōmeth to the poynt that they muſt depart hence, they grunt and grudge at it, ſtriuing & fighting againſt God: & although it boote thē not to do ſo: yet ſhew they a furious ſturdineſſe. Thus thē do we now ſee in effect, what wee hauehave to marke in this text. It remayneth to ſee the cōcluſion that Eliphas maketh here: which is, that he ſayeth to Iob, that when he hath turned him on al ſides, He ſhall not finde any faythfull man of his ſort, nor of his cōpany, but that he is as a man vtterly forſaken of God. Hereby we ſee, that when he ſpake of men heretofore, hee toke them as they are in their owne proper nature: that is to wit, without hauing any reſpect too the ſpeciall grace whiche God giueth too thoſe that are his in opening his kingdome vntounto him, in giuing thē the hope of ſaluatiō, in gouerning them by his holy ſpirite, & in making thē to go to a better and an euerlaſting life. Eliphas then ment here, to ſet mē downe in their owne proper ſtate and plight, ſuche as they bee of their owne ſelues, during the time that they be ſeparated frō God. And this appeareth in that he ſayth to Iob, Thou canſt not find ſo much as one faythfull mā of thy ſort, or whome thou mayeſt call thy companion. VVhy ſo? For (ſayth he) Anger ſleaeth the fooles, and Enuie, (or ſpite, or fretting, or choler, or moodineſſe, whiche gnaweth a man like a wilde beaſte) is the thing (ſayth he) which killeth the witleſſe. But certeſſe, according as I hauehave declared already, Eliphas doth amiſſe in applying this to the perſon of Iob: yea and he doth him great wrong in it. Yet notwithſtanding, this doctrine ceaſſeth not to bee both true and very profitable. As how? That is to wit, that as oft as wee bee chaſtized at Gods hand, wee muſte hauehave an eye to thoſe that hauehave gone afore vsus, to ſee whether they hauehave ſuffred the like torments and anguiſh or no. For if wee ſee Gods children to hauehave traced the path before vsus: it muſte not greeue vsus to be ioyned with thē. As howe? VVe ſee that the holy fathers which were farre excellēter thā all other men, hauehave indured aduerſitie, no men more. Now if God hauehave not ſpared thē: why ſhould we chalenge more priuilege thā they had? So thē, as oft as we ſee that Gods children hauehave bene beaten with diuers rods, and vexed with many miſeries & greeſes: we hauehave wherwith to comfort ourſelues, and to chere vp our harts. For we muſt alway hauehave an eye to the end, howe God neuer forſooke them, but pityed them when they were come to ſuch extremityes. So muſt we alſo hope that he will doas much for vsus. Marke this for a ſpeciall poynte. Furthermore if wee will hauehave God to bee pitifull and mercifull vntounto vsus in our aduerſities: let vsus beware that wee frette not agaynſt him, and that we kicke not againſte the ſpurre. For if wee doo, then ſhall this ſentence bee verified vponupon vsus, That anger ſleaeth the fooles: as if it were ſayde, that ſuche as chafe and grinde their teeth againſt their afflictions, ſhew thē ſelue to hauehave profited euill in Gods ſchole. And what ſhall they gaine by it in the ende? It ſhall be a doubling of their miſerie. VVhē they ſhall hauehave fomed out their rage againſt God, or whē they ſhall hauehave ſpewed out their blaſphemies: do they thinke they hauehave wonne their prize by it? Alas, it may not bee ſo: they deceyue themſelues too much. For (as I hauehave ſayde already) it ſhall be but a doubling of their miſerie. Lo howe Anger ſleaeth the foole. Moreouer whē they hauehave a ſpite at others, & ſtand pleading agaynſt God for dealing roughlyer with them, than with ſuch & ſuch: what elſe doth ſuch maner of fretting, but make them to pyne thēſelues away, ſo as in the ende they periſh & come vtterly to nought? Behold what we hauehave to gather vponupon this text. But the Papiſtes were too too farre ouerſotted, when they made this ſaying of Eliphas to ſerue their turne, to prooue that mē ought to pray to the Sainctes that are departed, & that mē ought to flee to them for refuge. Beholde (ſay they) it is ſaide that Iob ſhould hauehave a reſpect to ſome one of the Sainctes, & that he ſhould ſeeke to him, if peraduēture he would anſwere him. This is much to the purpoſe. For is it ſayd here, that Iob went to ſeeke to the dead too make interceſsion for him vntoo God? No: but contrarily (as I hauehave ſhewed heretofore) the very truth of the matter is, that he ſhould not finde any of the Sainctes to bee of his company. And why ſo? For the Sainctes were alwayes of a meeke minde in their aduerſities: and God chaſtized them after ſuch aſort, as he refrained his rigour, ſo as the end was good & happy. And although they had for a time bene as it were ſhaken off at his hande, in ſuche ſort as it coulde not bee perceyued that he had any care of them: yet notwithſtā ding they referred thēſelues vntounto him, & prayed alwaies vntounto him, aſſuring thēſelues they ſhould neuer be vtterly forſaken of him, nor diſappointed of the ſaluation that he had promiſed them. Lo here the intent of Eliphas. So thē we ſee here that the Papiſtes are falſifyers, & hauehave manifeſtly corrupted the holye Scriptures. Verelye they had nede to be borne withal in one behalfe: I meene not in their beaſtlineſſe: but in that they had very greate neede to wreſte and wring the holy Scripture too prooue theyr dreames. They would make men beleeue, that they ought to pray vntounto Sainctes deceaſſed: and yet the holy Scripture cyphereth not one word of it, neither can a mā finde ſo muche as one ſillable there for the good proofe of it. But they will proue it: and therefore they muſte needes cōfounde all, and white muſt be turned into blacke. But in the meane while it behoueth vsus to ſhunne all mennes inuentions, whiche hauehave beene fooliſhly contriued without Gods warrant. And wherefore? For firſt of all men wander out of the right way of ſaluatiō, whē they folow their owne deuiſes: and ſecondly it cauſeth the holy Scripture to be torne a peeces, ſo as men corrupt it and turne it vpſide downe. Therefore let vsus learne to miſlyke whatſoeuer thing men hauehave forged of their owne braine, and let vsus holde vsus to this ſimplicitie, namely that we muſte not couet to know ought, ſauing that which God hath declared to vsus with his owne mouth. And to conclude, let vsus marke well theſe two poyntes, which we hauehave glaunced at alreadie: that is to witte, as often as we be ſcourged by Gods hande, let vsus marke well whither the faithful that hauehave gone before vsus, hauehave not beene in the like plight. If we finde that God hath excerciſed them in many tribulations: let vsus cōfort our ſelues when it commeth to our turne to follow them, & let vsus be ſure that God will not forſake vsus at our neede, no more than he forſooke them. Furthermore when wee ſee that God doth ſcourge vsus in theſe dayes as well generally as particularly, and that we muſt be fayne to indure many torments & troubles: Let vsus acknowledge our ſelues to bee well worthy of them, conſidering the greate thankfulneſſe that is to be ſeene in vsus. For whereas it hath pleaſed God too call vsus vntounto the knowledge of his Goſpell, and to hauehave vsus yeelde a record that we be his children: howe do we take any profite by this his grace? Nay, contrarywiſe it ſeemeth, that there is in vsus a delight to diſanull it and to make it vnauayleable. How is God ſerued & honoured at our hands? we ought too bee (as yee woulde ſay) little Angelles, cōſidering the light of the Goſpell which God hath giuen vntounto vsus. And yet wee ſee there is nothing but naughtineſſe and hypocriſie in the moſte parte of men: VVee can good skill too make ſome proteſtation of oure fayth: But lettea man examine our life, and hee ſhall finde no conformitie to the Goſpell, but rather it ſeemeth, that we hauehave cōſpired againſt God to withdraw our ſelues from him. VVe ſee how they that hauehave ſome goodly outwarde ſhew, become brutiſh: and therefore let vsus be ſure that God viſiteth vsus with his whippes bycauſe of our ſinnes. Yet notwithſtāding let vsus not ceaſſe to truſt in him continually, and to call vponupon him, praying him too burie our former faultes, and to guide vsus in ſuch wiſe henceforth, as it may ſerue to draw vsus vntounto himſelfe: And to the intent he may hauehave pitie vponupon vsus, lette vsus come vntounto him with a lowly minde, ſo as wee hauehave no peece of the enuie and hartburning in vsus whereof mention is made heere: aſſuring our ſelues, that if wee hauehave, it will but ſtyrre vp and inflame Gods vengeance the more agaynſte vsus. VVhen wee bee come too ſuche a ſturdineſſe, it behooueth God alſo too ruſhe ſtoutely vponupon vsus, as it is ſayde in the eyghteenth Pſalme. VVith the frowarde thou wilt deale frowardely. For if men will needes play the wilde beaſtes: it is ſayde that God will ſtrike them both ſidelings & ouerthwart. And therfore let vsus beware of this fretting and chafing, & of ſuch maner of repining: and let vsus rather acknowledge oure ſelues woorthy of an hundred thouſande deathes, were it not that God pityeth vsus and ſuccoureth vsus of his infi… goodneſſe. And if wee doe thus, let vsus not doubt but God will performe that which hee hath promiſed vsus: that is too witte, that after hee hath beaten vsus, (howbeit with mens rods, keeping ſuch meaſure as we ſhall not be vtterly deſtroyed) he will withdraw his hande againe, and we ſhall feele him mercifull and fauourable in our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, as in whome he hath ſet foorth the riches of his goodneſſe and fatherly louelove towardes vsus.
Then let vsus humble our ſelues before the throne of his maieſtie, beſeeching him to make vsus perceyue our faults, in ſuche ſort, as wee may become our owne iudge in preuenting his iugemēt, to the intent that being ſo condēned by our owne ſelues, wee may deſire nothing but to pleaſe him in all reſpects, vntill he hauehave bereft vsus of this mortall body, & deliuered vsus frō the bōdage of ſin (wherein we be as yet ſhut vp) to take vsus into his heauenly kingdom. And ſo let …s ſay, Almighty God and heauenly father. &c.