Job Expounded, Commentary on Job · Chapter 1 (3 of 3)
VERSE 20. Then Iob arose, and rent his garment, and shaued his head, & fell down vponupon the ground, & bowed him selfe.] We hauehave heard hetherto, both what power God gaue Satan ouer Iob, and what Satan by the helpe of his ministers hath done against Job. Now likewise let vsus heare how Job behaued him selfe, and what a kinde of man he shewed him selfe, hauing receiued so many and so grieuous woundes. Go to then, let vsus first seuerallie consider and weigh these things: and afterward see from what affection they did proceed. And first of al it is said that Iob arose, which word of the Hebrewes is vsed, for the taking in hand & the addressing our selues to begin any new worke: but here it is opposed to that quietnes & tranquilitie wherein Iob before was, whether he receiued those most sorowful tidings standing, or sitting at home in his house. As for the tearing of the garments, the shauing of the head & falling on the ground, all these were vsuall signes of mourning in that countrie, which God did afterward moderate in his people, Lev. 19.27. & Deut. 14.1. Hereof also many things are spoken in the 22. chap. of Eccles. Now that which is added in the last place, to wit, that he bowed him selfe, doeth shew, that this his falling to the ground, did not proceede from any impatiencie, but contrariwise from a mind, which although it were full of sorrowes, reuerently and religiously submitted it selfe vntounto the will of God, as Iobs owne wordes, which afterwarde he vseth, doe sufficiently prooue. For by that worde of falling vntounto the grounde, which the Latins call Procidere, is meant not euerie inclination or bending of the bodie, but such as properlie belongeth eyther to ciuill or religious worship. And thus much for the thinges them selues. Nowe let vsus shewe that these gestures in Iob were not tokens of any impaciencie of minde, as some man may easilie gather, but of moderate greefe ioyned with a reuerent and religious feare of GOD: and further let vsus shewe that these dartes which Satan with all his power threwe against Job, were of this valiant champion not onelyonly receiued with an invincible courage, vponupon the impenetrable shield of faith, but also turned backe vponupon Satan to his no small dammage. First therefore let vsus call to minde, that Job did not arise at the first second or thirde message, but hauing heard the three first messengers with a quiet & contented minde, at the fourth message he riseth vp, not as on altogether discouraged and amased, but as one raised by the hande of God, and warned, as it were by some inwarde and heauenlie motion, to shewe foorth and make knowen his godlinesse and patience: neither did he arise to this ende, that with a stout and stubburne gesture of the bodie, he might withstand God, as is the manner of them, who obstinately striue with God, and struggle to ridde them selues out of his handes; but contrariwise, that thereby he might with greater lowlinesse and humilitie, dispose and frame him selfe to the worshippe of God. Nowe, to gather into a briefe summe, and at once as it were to consider all those thinges which happened to Job, (as Cyprian doeth it verie notablie) who can but maruaile, that he which was spoyled of his goods, bereft of all his children, which were so many in number, and so deare vntounto him, beeing rich in substaunce, but much more riche in children, so suddenlie loosing both the name of a Master, and the name of a Father, that he, I saye, in so iust a cause of sorrowe and lamentation, did not in any of these respectes, eyther offende against God, or against man, or against him selfe? Concerning which matter wee vvill speake more at large in the next verse. Great is the sorrowe which Job maketh; notwithstanding he is so farre from sinning in this, that if he had bene nothing mooued at all, he had deserued most iust reprehension. For who knovveth not that most iust complaint, which the Prophet Jeremie maketh Chap. 5. verse 3. Thou strikest them, but they hauehave not sorrovved: thou hast consumed them, but they hauehave refused to receiue correction: they hauehave made their faces harder then a stone, & hauehave refused to returne. VVhether therfore we be chastised for our sinne, or whether God doth lay his hand vponupon vsus for the triall of our faith, yea, if we be afflicted when we doe well, 1. Pet. 2.20. let vsus obey that saying of Saint Peter in his 1. Epistle and fifth Chapter, vers. 6. Humble your selues vnderunder the mightie hande of God, that he may exalt you in due time. The same counsell Iames also giueth vsus chap. 5. vers. 11. setting before vsus this verie example of Iob. Therefore the Stoickes, condemning all affections in that their wise man, who, as Cicero in one place verie well saith, as yet was neuer founde: hauehave done great iniurie not onelyonly to nature, but also to God the authour thereof. And Gregorie writing vponupon this place very truely affirmeth, that Iob in mournining and taking these thinges heauilie, was so farre from doing amisse, that he did all this according to the prescript of Gods Lawe, both in respect of the first and of the second Table, declaring both his louelove towardes God, in that he rested vponupon his will, and his fatherly affection towardes his children, togither with a godly and louing care, which as a master he had ouer his seruants. Therefore the doctrine of the P…ripatetickes is much more true, who teach, that affections are ingraffed in vsus by nature, without which men shoulde become stockes and stones; so that they will not hauehave affections quite taken away, but onelyonly brought vntounto a mediocritie. And these men also hauehave left vsus manie excellent preceptes, howe to rule and gouerne our affections, and yet so, as that all humane wisedome is herein also diuers wayes vnperfite. For neyther hauehave they sufficientlie knowen the chiefe naturall affections, neither yet rightlie made a difference betweene those which are naturallie settled in vsus, and those, which the corruption of nature hath brought in, being altogether ignorant of the fountaine and originall of this euill, and much lesse knowing what remedie to vse against these vices, and by what meanes nature may bee restored to its former perfection and integritie. For onelyonly the worde of God teacheth, and the Spirite of GOD worketh these thinges in their heartes, who are no more vnderunder Sinne, but vnderunder grace, Rom. Chap. 6. vers. 14. Galat. cap. 5.18. Nowe the examples of holie men, which are left vntounto vsus, that we may followe them, in Iacob, Joseph, Dauid, Ieremie, and manie others, doe shew, that natural affections, especiallie those affections of louelove, merciemercy, and such like, are not simplie euill, but onelyonly so farre as they sauour of the contagion of the flesh. Hither we must referre that saying of Paul, 2. Cor. 11.29. Which of you is offended, and I burne not? And surely we must needes make Christ him selfe a sinner, (which God forbid any man should thinke) if, to be touched with an inward feeling of compassion, and to weepe ouer the dead, are to be accounted vices and diseases of the minde; a doctrine more fit for Stoickes then for Christians. What the custome and manner was of the auncient Church, when as yet it was more pure, in solemnizing the funerals of the Saintes and in mourning for the dead, it may appeare out of their owne writings. Concerning which thing, Chrysostome hath written at large, and that very notably, though in some pointes not purely ynough, in his Homilies vponupon John 84. vponupon the Epistle to the Thessalonians 6. Also in his 42. Homilie vponupon the first Epistle to the Corinthians, Iob (saith he) wept in deede, but no more then a father louing his children, and hauing a care of thē being dead, should do. But we must not followe this auncient father in making prayers for the dead, which thing is not onelyonly not confirmed by the worde of God, or by the pure Primitiue Church, but is also sufficiently confuted by the authoritie of the fathers them selues, deliuering those things, to which no credence is to be giuen, and which fall to the grounde of their owne accorde. But hereof we shall hauehave occasion to speake more, when we come to the third Chapter of this booke.
VERSE 21. And he said, Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither, the Lord gaue, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Now in these wordes we may see, whence proceeded, and to what ende tended that tearing of his garments, shauing of his head, and casting downe of him selfe vponupon the ground, surely not of impatiencie, and much lesse of despaire (as Homer describeth Achilles at the death of his friend Patroclus vexing himselfe without al measure) but of a most grievous feeling of the hand of God vponupon him; yet with such moderation and patiencie, that, notwithstanding the bewailing his so great and so sudden losses, he doeth not onelyonly comfort him selfe with the hope of a better life, as afterward he plainlie sheweth euen in the verie height and extremitie of his miseries, but also he breaketh foorth into thankesgiuing: so farre was he from accusing God of crueltie and vniust dealing, as Satan his aduersarie hoped would come to passe. All which heauenly and wonderfull vertues are particularlie, and by them selues to be weighed and considered of. For this speach of his standeth in fewe wordes, but those verie pithie and significant; albeit it is likely that Iobs speach was by him, who wrote this history, rather thus comprised in a short summe, then set downe worde for worde, as by Job it was vttered.
And he said] He was not therefore so dismayed, (although he had receiued so many grieuous woundes, and sustained foure hard and bloodie assaultes) that he became as dumbe as a stone, like to that Nabal mentioned 1. Sam. 25.37. or as the Poets hauehave feigned of Niobe: neither yet was he turned into a mad dogge, as the said Poets hauehave fabulouslie written of Hecuba; but casting his bodie vponupon the ground, and setting his minde vponupon God, forgetting as it were his present miseries, and that sudden change and alteration which had happened, being ful of the faith and hope of another life, he beganne to vtter most godly and heauenly speaches. To conclude, euen then he became a Preacher, and a Bishoppe in his owne house, setting foorth vntounto all his housholde, Gods power vnseparably vnited with his iustice, although he was not able to see the reason thereof. This is the thing of all other, that Satan least looked for.
Naked came J out of my mothers wombe.] In this place first of all we must speake of nakednesse, of which we finde two sortes in the Scripture: one, outwarde or externall, which concerneth partly our bodie, and partly all other commodities of this life. The other, inwarde, which betokeneth an absence or want of the true goods and graces of the minde. That Iob meaneth not here this latter, it is apparant by the whole course of this his speach, whereby we may gather, that he neuer was richer in the good giftes of the minde, namely, in faith, in the hope of eternall life, in a true zeale of Gods glorie, then when he was brought to extreeme pouertie and want of all other externall thinges. Therefore let vsus nowe consider of the former kinde of nakednesse, whereof Moses speaketh thus, Gen. 2.25. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. And no marvel, forasmuch as, till such time as sinne entred into the worlde, there was nothing in any part of the workemanshippe of the worlde whereof we might be ashamed, especially in man, whose most excellent beautie and comelinesse, euen thorough all his bodie and eueryevery part thereof, from the toppe of his head vntounto the sole of his foote, did commende the wisedome of his maker: neither was there as yet any such vntemperatenes of the elements, that they stood in neede of apparell to couer them selues withall. Therefore those men are in a great errour, who thinke that our first parents Adam and Eve did not blush, not because there was nothing in their whole bodie, whereof they might be ashamed; but because they being nowe like vntounto young borne babes, were, as they them selues speake, innocents, that is to say, did not much differ from beastes, not knowing or vnderstanding as yet, the difference betweene that which is comely and honest, and that which is filthie and dishonest: which opinion is directly contrarie to that sacred historie. Nowe although if Adam had not sinned, without doubt men shoulde hauehave bene borne naked as they be: yet Iob doeth not speake in this place of that nakednesse, but of the other which hath followed sinne, and which hath bene ioyned with those inconveniences, for the remedie whereof, vnles God, mans most mercifull Creator, had not many and sundrie wayes prouided, (who couered those our first parents with leather garmēts) mankind had long before this time vtterly perished. And truly prophane writers, not without iust cause, doe account this estate of nakednesse to be a great miserie; but yet with great blasphemie and horrible impietie. For they doe not distinguish this nakednesse (whereof some of them falsely thinke that nature, others that God is the authour) from that former nakednesse, which they knewe not, and which was no miserie, but rather a great ornament of man. Neither doe these vnthankefull wretches marke howe many wayes God, being mercifull euen in his iudgements, hath prouided for this miserie. Of which thing let vsus heare Plinie speaking in the Preface of his seauenth booke of his naturall historie. Before all thinges (saith he) Nature, a stepmother to man, doeth couer him vvith the giftes and supplie of all other creatures; whereas to beastes, fishes, foules, trees, and such like, she hath giuen diuers couerings, and as it vvere clothinges of their owne: as namely, shelles, hydes, bristles, haire, feathers, scales, fleeces; and hath also defended trees from colde and heate vvith a barke, yea, and sometimes with a double barke: but man onelyonly she sendeth into the worlde naked, and assoone as he is borne, casteth him vponupon the bare grounde. Thus much saith Plinie, who peraduenture might be pardoned, though he did not knowe the beginning of this euill and the cause thereof; if that the verie ignorance of this thing were not a punishment iustly layde vponupon mankinde: but herein he may not be pardoned, that, although he doeth set nature in the place of God, yet whereas she, whome he will hauehave to be the maker of all thinges, coulde not either hate or envie that worke, which was not yet begunne, or be founde vnable in making any worke or creature; truely he ought to hauehave suspected and gathered, that neither man, nor those things which were made for mans sake, did continue in that state, which they had in the beginning receiued of their maker. And moreouer, whereas it is much better to hauehave our choise of so many remedies, which God hath of his free will giuen vntounto vsus for the helping of our nakednesse, from among so many of his creatures, to whome hee hath giuen couerings for the vse and benefitte of man, then to bee constrayned whether we will or no, to be content with one couering; surely this nakednesse of ours, although sinne were the cause thereof, doeth not make man more miserable then other creatures. Which thing the verie creatures them selues, if they were able to speake, woulde most manifestly declare, and woulde convince these prophane and wicked men of great impietie. But that wee may returne to speeake of Job, this is the same kinde of nakednesse which is meant in this place: but notwithstanding, it must be taken in a more large signification. For Job, when as he saith, Naked came I &c. doeth not onelyonly meane, vnapparelled and without garment came I out of my mothers wombe, but we must vnderstande by this worde (Naked) the losse and want of all those goods, which Iob possessing together with a good name and great reputation, was the chiefe man, and best esteemed in all that countrie. But let vsus consider what all men (except a verie fewe) are wont to doe, when as they sustaine any small dammage, and so shall we the better perceiue, howe great this courage of Job and valour was. Naked (saith he) came I out of my mothers wombe: as though he shoulde say, I see that I am not suddenly of a very rich man, become altogether a begger, but indeede I see, that I am brought to some pouertie and want: yea, these things which hauehave so suddenly happened vntounto me from heauen, and not by the hande of man, doe threaten the taking away euen of those fewe thinges, which I hauehave left. But put case it should so come to passe: trulie this is no strange thing vntounto me, but then rather the Lorde my maker did worke a straunge thing vponupon me, when as he did couer me being borne naked into this worlde, and did afterwarde heape vponupon me so many and so great blessings of this life. Nowe therefore since he, withdrawing these thinges from me, doeth call me to my first and olde estate wherein I was borne, why should I be grieued hereat, whatsoeuer cause hath mooued and prouoked him to doe it? Surely this is the condition of vsus all, wherein we are borne: therefore it is good for me to be put in minde thereof, least that so great plentie & abundance of all things, might make me to forget my mortalitie & the life to come, which is much better then this. Thus speaketh Job, not expostulating the matter with God, nor desiring to be restored to his former felicitie, nor regarding the remnant of his life which was behinde; but taking those things which were past in good part, and making vse and profite of this sudden alteration and chaunge, yea, & as it were drawing light out of darkenesse it selfe. Therefore very well saith one, that Iob forgoing his wealth and substance without griefe, did sufficiently shevve that he did not possesse them with that louelove, from the which the spirite of God eueryevery where doeth dehorte vsus in the holie Scripture.
Naked shall J returne thither.] What shall he returne into his mothers wombe? No surelie: vnlesse peraduenture we say that Iob by the name of mother vnderstandeth the Earth, which is called of prophane writers, Magna mater, that is, Our great mother, in respect of our first creation, which was out of the earth. But it is better to vse this worde (thither) not as hauing respect to any worde before expressed, but to some other already sufficiently knowen: as Mercer well noteth the like manner of speach in that place of Ecclesiastes, cap. 3. vers. 17. There the Lorde shall iudge all things. There, that is, in the last iudgement, or in the last age; neither of which was expressed in the wordes going before. So that here this worde (thither) signifieth as much as to the graue: according to that which the Lord speaketh, Gen. 3. vers. 19. Dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou returne. Hereupon saith the Preacher, Ecclesiastes 5.14. As he came forth of his mothers bellie, he shall returne naked, to goe as he came. And S. Paul saith, 1. Timoth. 6. We brought nothing into the worlde, neither shall we carie any thing with vsus out of the worlde. Whereupon Chrisostome doeth no lesse grauely then pleasantly deride and scoffe at that needelesse cost, which some men bestowe vponupon the couerings of their dead bodies. Nowe although we say that Iob, speaking in this wise, had cast off all hope of being restored to his former state and condition of life; yet there is no cause, why we should thinke, that this speach proceeded from a minde drowned in desperation. For euen common sense enforceth the godly also to thinke, whensoeuer any present calamitie befalleth them, that they can neuer possibly recouer themselues; and yet not absolutely and without all exception, but so farre as mans reason is able to discerne, and also so, as it nothing at all hinder the course, and hope of eternall saluation: yea, howe often doe the very Saintes of God in their grieuous temptations, as it were knocke at the doores of desperation? yet when they are in that state they are neuer forsaken, yea they want nothing as the Psalmes in very many places do witnesse, and especially that dolefull lamentation of Ezechias. But I rather thinke, that Iob doeth heere shewe, not so much what he thought God had decreed of him, as that he him selfe was readie to beare patiently extreame pouertie, euen to the death, if it so pleased the Lord: so farre was he from expostulating the matter with God, and asking the cause why he shoulde be thus bereft of all his goods.
The Lorde hath giuen, and the Lorde hath taken away.] Because this speach may hauehave a shewe of meere blasphemie, in that Job seemed not onelyonly to attribute vntounto God a certaine mutation and changeablenesse; but also to make him the authour of all those mischiefes, which were committed both of Satan, and also of those theeuish nations, the Shabaeans & Chaldaeans, therefore first we must prooue that this saying of Job, was not onelyonly not wicked and blasphemous, but contrariwise, that it was both thought and vttered most godlily and religiously. Afterward I wil shew, what and how great vse we are to make of this excellent speach and sentēce pronounced by Iob. Now therfore the state of this question is not, whether God be the author of sinne, which thing I confesse can not be once thought, (euen as Plato an heathē philosopher doeth learnedly discourse) without most vile & horrible blasphemie, but the question is, whether it may be truely said, & whether we ought so to speake, that God both in respect of his will & of his actions which are alwayes iust, doth beare any part, yea, and which is more, that he beareth the chiefe and principall part in willing and working al those things & eueryevery of them, which are committed most vniustly and wickedly in the world: which thing I doe not doubt, but that it is very agreeable to true religion, and that it greatly standeth with the glorie of God: other contrariwise do abhorre it as a thing blasphemous and full of impietie. First therefore I will set downe certaine groundes, whereof no man can doubt, but he must needes be convicted not only by infinite testimonies of the word of God, but also by the true and common notions and principles, which are naturally settled in all mens mindes, concerning the knowledge of God, yea, and by the testimonie of his owne conscience. The groundes are these.
1. That God, as he is the maker of all things which are, both in generall and in particular, without any exception, so he is the gouernour and ruler thereof.
2. Therefore, that nothing can be done, and that nothing can happen, either God being vnwilling and striuing against it (for then he shoulde not be almightie) or else not knowing of it, or not caring whether it bee done or no (for then he should not be a right and iust ruler of the worlde.)
3. Therefore, that not onelyonly the euent of thinges, but euen all the second causes, are mooued, ruled and directed to their endes by God, not being ignorant or idle, much lesse constrained and against his will, but by God decreeing and willing to hauehave it so.
4. Therefore, things all and euerie one, are done by the decree, will and working of God.
5. That the vvill of the most iust and most vvise God, is not to be esteemed, either by the state and condition in vvhichwhich his creatures are (for novve some of them are good, and some euill) neither by the qualitie of the causes vvhichwhich he doeth vse, (for some of them do vvorke rightly and vvell; some yll and naughtilie; some neither vvell nor ill; some doe not vvorke, nor mooue them selues at all) but contrarivvise, thus vve must thinke of the vvill of God, that vvhatsoeuer he vvilleth, mooueth or vvorketh, he vvilleth, mooueth and vvorketh it alvvayes iustly: that is, all things both in vvhole and in parte, both vniuersallie and particularlie considered. He that denyeth these thinges, denyeth God. But you vvill say, by this meanes is taken away all difference betvveene good and euill in our thoughtes, sayings and actions; and so God him selfe (vvhichwhich is great blasphemie) is made the authour of all euill and vvickednesse. GOD forbid. But againe vve vvill refute the falsenesse of this consequence, by these most certaine axiomes and groundes.
1. Although God doeth no more stande in neede of any middle and seconde causes, to rule all those thinges vvhichwhich hee hath made, and to direct them vntounto their proper endes, then hee did vvant either matter or instrumentes, vvhen hee created all thinges of nothing, by the great and mightie povver of his vvorde: yet notwithstanding he hath made and ordeined causes, such and so many as he thought good; whose meanes he doeth vse, not of anie necessitie (as the Stoickes hauehave fondly dreamed) but most freely, to effect whatsoeuer he will, euen whensoeuer, and howsoeuer it pleaseth him selfe.
2. The instruments and meanes which God doeth vse, be threefolde. For some of them be altogether passiue, that is, of them selues they can not mooue them selues, nor doe any thing, vnlesse they be mooued either immediately of God, or else of some other secondarie causes; and of this kinde, be all creatures which are without life. There are other things which are mooued outwardly, but so, that they them selues doe mooue also, by a certaine naturall appetite, being guided and directed by no vnderstanding or reason; and therefore they can not properly be said either to doe well or yll. Of this sorte are all bruite beastes, in which there are diuers degrees of motions, not needefull novve to bee spoken of. Other yet are so outwardly mooued, that they being endued with vnderstanding and reason, hauehave some parts of their owne in working, whereby they doe effect some worke, which may truely and properly be called their owne.
3. All these last kinde of instruments, to witte, Angells and men, hauehave bene good, and euerie one of them were so made from the beginning. Neuerthelesse, this goodnesse in them was subiect to chaunge and alteration; forasmuch as God onelyonly is absolutely and alwayes good, without any mutation or chaunge.
4. Hereupon it came to passe, (and that not without the decree of God, alwayes doing iustly, vvho then did open the vvay to declare and sheevve foorth, both his iust seuerity, vvhichwhich should ensue, and also his most bountifull merciemercy in Christ) hereupon, I say, it came to passe, that part of the Angels, and all mankinde in Adam did fall, and that through their ovvne free vvill and inward motion.
5. That fall did neither quite destroy the nature of the Angels, nor yet of mankinde, but did onelyonly depraue and corrupt it: yet so, that their whole will and inward motion continuing in that state wherein it is nowe, can not moove and applie it selfe to doe any thing but sinfully: and therefore it it can doe nothing, which may iustly be accounted good; but all whatsoeuer it doeth, is alway sinfull and wicked.
6. This euill in those wicked Angels, God hath not as yet taken away, nor yet euer will, as the holie scripture teacheth vsus. But he hath, and doeth, and will more and more correct and amende it in those, whome, through his infinite merciemercy, he hath chosen out of all mankinde, and whome he hath predestinate to saluation in Christ and through Christ; who hauing their mindes enlightened, and their will effectuallie sanctified by the holy Ghost, as God worketh by them rightly, so doe they also well and rightly mooue them selues; in so much that both the worke of God moouing them, and the worke of them moouing them selues, not according to the flesh but according to the spirite, is good and iust.
7. But that we may make a difference betweene the iust worke of God, wrought by those instruments which also mooue them selues, and that other worke or action, whether good or euill of the instruments them selues, in like manner moouing them selues: the auncient fathers hauehave taught vsus to distinguish Gods Astion from his Permission: which distinction is as true and necessarie if it be rightly vnderstood and according to their meaning, as it is false and litle lesse then blasphemous, as it is abused of the Sophisters.
8. For they, who fearing least God should be made the authour of sinne, doe separate his permission from his will, by which all things, without exception, are that which they are: and who holde vsus in hand, that those things which are wickedly done by euill and sinnefull instruments, are onelyonly foreseene, and not decreed, they I say, do first of all very vnwisely confound the workes of God, which are alwayes iust, what instruments soeuer he vse, with the worke of the instruments, which doe not well and rightly mooue them selues. Againe they exempt the farre greatest part of the thinges which are done in this worlde, from the decree and ordinance of God, seeing they are infinitely more, which are done ill, then which are done well: and so they shut vp into a very narrowe roome that power of God, by which he worketh and gouerneth all thinges, and vponupon which not onelyonly the euent and issue of eueryevery thing, but euen the things them selues, togither with all their actions doe depend. Moreouer they depriue the godly, being afflicted by Satan and his instruments, of a most singular comfort, whereby we are persuaded out of the Scriptures, that Satan and his ministers are not able to take in hande, much lesse to do any thing against vsus, vnlesse the Lorde both be willing and hauehave decreed the same. Lastly, I say it is manifest impietie, to thinke that any thing, though neuer so small and contemptible, hath euer bene, or hereafter shall come to passe, which God (being alwayes most perfitly good and iust, who also is ignorant of nothing, who worketh all in all, and against whose will nothing can be done) hath not freely and of his owne will decreed from all eternitie.
9. Therefore as touching God him selfe and his proper or peculiar worke, he alwayes iustly willeth, decreeth, worketh whatsoeuer he doeth in this worlde, by whomsoeuer, whensoeuer, and howsoeuer he doe it: that is, whatsoeuer is done, or whatsoeuer commeth to passe in this worlde both in generall and in particular. Now in respect of the middle instruments which are also mooued of them selues, albeit alwayes he well and rightly mooue and vse them, yet properly is he said to worke in good instruments, that is to say, which rightly mooue them selues, as namely in the good spirites, and in his regenerate: creating in them good motions, which he afterwarde cherisheth and bringeth to good effect; so that the whole glorie of that good worke which is wrought by these liuely and moouing instruments, is to bee giuen to God as the principall cause and authour thereof. But as touching euill instruments, and such as doe not well and rightly mooue them selues, namely the deuils and all those who are not regenerate, yea, the very regenerate them selues so farre as the flesh sinneth in them; God is not said to worke in them, as who putteth not into them any inclination and will to doe wickedly; but onelyonly not restraining that corruption which naturally he findeth in them, he suffereth and giueth them leaue to mooue them selues and to doe according to their euill and noughtie disposition. And yet God alwayes vseth well and to good and iust purposes these euill and sinnefull instruments, either as a most iust Iudge setting the wicked together by the eares, to worke one anothers destruction: or as a louing Father chastening his children euen by the hand of those wicked ones, and sometimes exercising them as he thinketh best, for his owne glorie and their profite.
All which things to denie, were shamelesse and incorrigible impudencie, such as is reprooued by the verie naturall knowledge of God, and conuinced almost by eueryevery line in the bible, and diligently confuted by Augustine, and that of set purpose in diuers of his writings, but especially in his 3. booke against Julian, cap. 5. Now then, all this which hath bene spoken being vndoubtedly true, vve can not be ignorant vvhat vve are to iudge & thinke concerning this matter. Notwithstanding least any man finde fault, that all these groundes are taken from humane reason, and not from the vvorde of God, let him ansvvere me, vvhether God himselfe may not properly and vvithout blasphemie be said, to hauehave sent Joseph into Aegipt, Gen. 45. to hauehave raised vp Pharao, vponupon vvhome hardening his ovvne heart, he might shevve his povver, Exod. 4.21. to hauehave giuen Dauids vviues to his sonne Absolom, 2. Sam. 12, 11. to hauehave mooued Dauids heart to number the people, 2. Sam. 24.1. to hauehave bidden Shimei to curse Dauid, 2. Sam. 16.10. So the Lord calleth the Medes and Persians his sanctified, & the instruments of his vvrath, Esay 10.5, and 13.6. And the King of Babylon is compared to an axe, and to a sawe, Esay 10.15. In like manner the rebelling and falling avvay of the ten tribes from Rehoboam, the Lord calleth his ovvne vvorke, 2. Chron. 11.4. So likevvise the godly are afflicted by the vvill and foreappointment of God. And that vve may not forget the most excellent vvorke of all others, namely, mans redemption, that most auncient, true, and Apostolicke Church, not vttering any blasphemie, but speaking as it vvas mooued by the holie Ghost, vvith one accorde cryeth out, that Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles & people of Israel gathered them selues together, to do vvhatsoeuer the hand & counsell of God had determined before to be done. By which testimonies, with infinit others, both that oppositiō & cōtrariety betwene gods permission & his wil, betweene his decree and his Action, is confuted: and also the workes of God which are alwayes most righteous and iust, are truely discerned from the euill workes of naughtie and sinnefull instruments. Nowe, that God punisheth sinne with sinne, and that as a most iust Iudge by his most effectuall will and power (in which sense Augustine very well saith, that although euill is alwayes euill, yet it is good there should be euill, which God may afterward iustly punish and reuenge) that God, I say, punisheth one sinne with another, it is manifest, Nehem. 9.37. where God is said to giuegive wicked Kings for the sinnes of the people: and in the 34. Chap. of this booke vers. 30. to let the hipocrite raigne: to mingle the spirite of errour, Esay 19.14. to harden the heart, and to make it obstinate, to blinde the eyes, to make drunken with the wine of giddinesse, Exod. 4.6.10.11.14. Deut. 2.29. Josu. 11.20. and 1. Sam. 2.25. & 2. Chron. 22.7. & Psal. 105.15. In like manner God punisheth the contempt of his maiestie giuing men ouer into a reprobate sense, Rom. 1.28. sending strong delusions that they should beleeue lyes, 2. Thess. 2.11. Ezech. 14.19. and also sending euill spirites with a charge to hurt, and an effectuall power to deceiue, 1. King. 22.22. & 2. Chron. 18.21. Finally, that we may at the length returne to Job, did God either as being vnwilling, or as one sitting still and doing nothing, thus answere Satan going about and intending to doe wickednesse and mischiefe, Loe, all that he hath is in in thine hand? Doeth Job blaspheme, in that he ascribeth those thinges to God, which were wickedly done against him by Satan, by the Sabaeans and Caldaeans? or doeth he rather, raising him selfe higher from these instruments vntounto God him selfe, acknowledge that there was no power in them as of them selues to doe him any harme, and hereby also make a great difference betweene the worke of God, in which he altogether resteth contented, albeit he coulde not see any cause or reason thereof, and the action of Satan and his instruments? But of this matter there needeth no more to be spoken.
Before we proceede to that which followeth, in this place we must dissolue one doubt, which is of no smal importance. The Lord (saith Iob) hath giuen and the Lord hath taken avvay. What therefore is God mutable, his minde beeing chaunged, as it commonlie falleth out with men, whether for greater or lighter causes towardes their most especial friendes? verily there is no change or alteration in Gods will, and therefore these and like speeches in the Scripture, are vnproper and spoken onelyonly in resemblance of those affections which are in man. And although men both see and feele fearefull alterations, as well publique as priuate, which happen through their owne fault, and because they abuse Gods patience and long suffering: yet we must not in any wise thinke that there is any chaunge and mutabilitie, though it be neuer so small, in the will or in the decrees of God▪ but rather that what things soeuer are changed (and surely there is nothing vnderunder the heauen constant & durable, as the wise man teacheth) are therefore changed, because God hath immoueably and from all eternitie decreed that they should be chaunged, when and how it pleaseth him. Therefore so farre is it, that God by changing other thinges is him selfe chaunged, that quite contrary he might iustly be esteemed vnconstant & mutable, vnlesse those things were indeede changed, whereof the eternal & immutable decree of Goe is, that they should not alwayes continue in one & the same state. Nowe therefore God only in him selfe & of him selfe is simply and altogether vnchangeable: as for those blessed Angels which kept their first estate and left not their owne habitation, albeit they are immutable, yet they hauehave not this by nature, but by the gift & blessing of God, being by his power and vertue continuallie preserued and vpholden, that they may not fall. In like manner that immutabilitie of the elect in the life to come, we must acknowledge that it is wholly from God, whome it pleaseth, to giuegive them the fruition of eternall happinesse, which through hope vvas onelyonly begunne in them in this life. But this worlde vvith all thinges therein conteined is turned vp and dovvne, and chaunged almost eueryevery minute, as in Ecclesiastes it is discoursed at large. But of those thinges vvhichwhich are in this sorte subiect to alteration and chaunge, there is a manifolde difference. For some of them are so chaunged, that neuerthelesse they still rémaine whole and sounde: as namely, the heauens and the elements, which at the day of iudgement shall onelyonly be renewed: concerning which matter we must notwithstanding iudge soberlie, and take heede that we rove not boyonde the boundes and precinctes of Gods worde. Other there are which vtterlie perish, and shall neuer be restored; such are all singular thinges of all kindes, which doe here as it were by course one after another rise and fall, growe vp and decay, as it pleaseth God to dispose of them, and shall at that day which God hath appointed, vtterly be abolished: I except man, whose soule as touching its substance, can not by death be dissolued: yet the good qualitie or disposition thereof is by originall sinne chaunged, corrupted and defaced: the bodie for a time death dissolueth, which shall afterward either put on blessed immortalitie, or else remaine in hell torments for euer & euer. That which I said of the world and all worldly things, is also to be vnderstood of all worldly gouernment, and of al other things, which belong only to this life. For howe and to what ende should these continue, the whole course and periods of the worlde, together with this earthly life, being fully complete and ended.
But the spirituall and Ecclesiasticall gouernment of that sacred fellowshippe and societie of the true worshippers of God, is not to be accounted in the number of these worldly thinges which I spake of, and which I said were not only vnconstant, but altogether vaine and transitorie. Neuertheles this also is subiect to marueilous alterations, though not of its owne nature, but by the hand and will of God, hereby eyther proouing his children, as we are taught Psal. 44.18. or else by his iust iudgements chastising them. Hence therefore it commeth to passe, that those outward markes and tokens of this holy fellowship, although they be alwayes inherent in the nature of the true Church, are notwithstanding at some time chaunged, interrupted, and broken off, in so much that they can not be seene and perceiued of men, but are onelyonly seene and discerned of God, 1. King. 19.18. Iudg. 17.6. Our Sauiour Christ foretolde that these things should come to passe in the latter dayes, into which we are fallen, Luk. 18.8. Hereof also Paul forewarned vsus, 2. Thess. 2.3. & John, Reuel. 12.14. yet it is most certen that so long as this world lasteth, they can neuer vtterly be abolished. For both experience & reason do sufficiently prooue it. Although the Church hath bene in the waues continually tossed to & fro, so that oftentimes it seemed to be quite ouerwhelmed, yet it hath risen vp and shall rise euen out of the middest of the waues, be they neuer so outragious: being raised as it were out of the bottome of hell it selfe, by the hand of a most mighty and mercifull Sauiour. Moreouer faith being defaced and quite taken away, it would necessarily come to passe, that there should be no Church, that is, no kingdome of Christ here vponupon earth. Nowe faith commeth by hearing the worde preached, therefore so long as the worlde standeth, there shall be some preaching more or lesse of the sauing worde. But this preaching is sometimes publicke, and to be seene of all those which will but open their eyes: sometimes againe it is rare and priuate, either thorowe the negligence, or thorowe the wickednesse of the Pastours, whereby it commeth to passe that the spirite of errour preuaileth against the trueth. Such a Church Samuel founde, 1. Sam. 3.1. and Christ him selfe, Matth. 9.36. But after that the number of the elect is fulfilled, and Christ shall come in glorie and triumph, then doubtlesse all that spirituall gouernment, being ordained only for the gathering together of the Saints, shall cease: for the Sonne hauing brought all things vnderunder his subiection, shall deliuer vp the kingdome to the Father, as the Apostle most divinely teacheth, 1. Corinth. 15. Nowe as touching these spirituall and supernaturall graces, of which the Apostle speaketh, 1. Cor. 12. some of them are onelyonly to last for a time, and some are perpetuall. And of this latter sort againe, some onelyonly continued to the ende of this life, and others are to continue for euer in those who are partakers of them. Those which are onelyonly to last for a season, are such as are common to some reprobates with the elect, as it is manifest by the example of Balaam, and that saying, Matt. 22.14. Many are called, but fewe are chosen: yea and those truely are not alwayes effectually called, whose ministerie the Lord vseth for a time to call his elect to the knowledge of salvatiō. But all those graces which the Lord bestoweth vpō those for the benefit of others, shall finally be withdrawen from them, and they as reprobates and castavvayes shall eternally be condemned, Matth. 7.22. So the gift of prophesie vvas taken from Saul, so Judas the betrayer of Christ, like a vile vvretch lost verie many excellent graces; many also fall away from the faith, I meane not any true and liuely faith, but such a faith as lasteth onelyonly for a time; and into these men, the deuill vvhichwhich went out of them, entreth with seuen worse then him selfe, Matth. 12.45. So at this day the Church findeth no greater enemies, then those of whome the Apostle speaketh, Act. Chap. 20. vers. 29. Yea in the godly verie manie times, when as they greeue the holy Spirite, these giftes fayle, and for a time seeme as it were vtterly to be defaced and blotted out, as that most lamentable example of Dauid shevveth in three most greeuous sinnes, adulterie, murther, and betraying the armie of GOD. And therefore Christ doeth not without cause so often warne vsus, continually to be watchfull: and the Apostle counselleth his scholler Timothie not to suffer the gift of God which was in him to perish, but rather to stirre vp the same. Finally, we may not be ignorant of this that many of those giftes of the Spirite, as namely, the gift of tongues, the gift of healing, and the gift of foretelling thinges to come, beeing onelyonly for a time bestovved vponupon the Primitiue Church, for the confirmation of the Apostles doctrine by miracles, by litle and little ceased, Matth. Chap. 16. vers. 20. And nowe what neede hauehave we of these seales, seeing the trueth of Christian doctrine hath alreadie bene confirmed by so manie and sundrie miracles. But those spirituall giftes are perpetuall and neuer cease, which God hath appointed as subordinate meanes and causes, for the executing of his eternall decree of saluation, in electing and calling those in time, whome he hath predestinate from euerlasting; for which cause of Paul they are sayde, to be vvithout repentance, Rom. Chap. 11. vers. 29. and he reckeneth them vp shortlie, Rom. Chap. 8.30. Of this sorte therefore is effectuall vocation, which at that verie instant, when it seemeth best to the heauenly wisedome, begetteth in the elect faith, hope, and charitie, vponupon which followeth iustification by faith, and finally glorification. For these are alwayes vnseparably vnited: and vnlesse we be certainely perswaded of this, wee shall neuer enioye any true peace of conscience. For otherwise it must of necessitie followe, either that God is chaungeable, with whose will it maye stande to hauehave him condemned, whome before he woulde hauehave saued, or else the condition of faith annexed to the promise of the Gospell, shall depend not vponupon Gods immutable decree, but vponupon the will of man. The former can not be saide without blasphemie; and this iumpeth with the heresie of the Pelagians. And here I let passe infinite most plaine, and vndoubted testimonies in the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles, by which it may be prooued that the saluation of the Elect standeth sure and immutable. But two thinges are in this argument especially to be obserued. For this stedfastnesse and immutabilitie taketh place both in euerie one of the Elect, and in the Church, properlie so called, that is, in the whole companie of the elect and true beleeuers, and not in these or those particular Churches, nations, people, cities or families, not yet in the Church, being so generally or vniuersally taken, as in it are conteyned not onelyonly the elect and true beleeuers, but hypocrites also and castawayes. For thus we see, howe the people of the Iewes hauehave fallen away from the couenant of the Gospell and of saluation, it beeing nowe translated vntounto the Gentiles: and that Saint Paul not without cause threatened the same iudgement vntounto the Gentiles long agoe, at this day we may see sufficient proofe in that generall Apostacie or defection almost of the whole earth vntounto the detestable religion of Mahumet, and in that whoore of Rome, who hath made drunken so many Kinges, and so manie thousandes of people with the cuppe of her abominations: and yet not one of the Elect and true beleeuers, whether he be Jevve or Gentile, doeth, nor euer shall perishe. Secondly wee must knowe, that among those principall giftes of the Spirite, there are some, which in the faithfull, ende together with this life, and others, which are onelyonly begunne in this life, and shall be made perfite in vsus in the life to come. Of the first sorte are Faith and Hope, not as though their nature were flitting and vnconstant, but because (all those thinges being nowe finished and come to passe, which the Elect in this life partly as being already past, and partly as yet to come, beleeued and hoped for) there shall then no longer be any place for Faith and Hope. But the knowlege of God, whereby, while we liue in this worlde, we knowe him onelyonly in parte, shall be made perfite in the worlde to come, when as wee shall stande in Gods presence, and see him as it were face to face: and Charitie, by which we louelove God and our brethren in this life very coldely, by reason of that fight which is betweene the flesh and the Spirite, shall after a wonderfull manner, such as no tongue is able to expresse, vnite and ioyne vsus with God and his blessed Saintes, 1. Corinth. 13. vers. 8, 9, &c. and then shall that prayer of Christ take full effect, which he made euen then, when hee prepared him selfe to vndertake the death for our sakes, and which is recorded, Ioh. Chap. 17. vers. 22.23. &c. And concerning this poynt let it suffice to hauehave spoken thus much, both▪ against the daungerous errours of those men, who not content, in steade of the Church beeing a pure virgine, to present vsus with a paynted harlot, and abusing that saying, that the Church can neuer perishe or bee abolished, woulde holde vsus in hande, that that counterfeyte vizarde of theirs, is, and alwayes shall be the true face of the Church, herein deceiving them selues and others: and also of them, who most falsely teach that the holie Spirite and also true faith may often times not onelyonly for a time bee hidden and lye as it were smothered, but euen bee quite lost, and vtterlie extinguished; thereby ouerthrowing that true and sure foundation of our Faith and Hope, by which wee are vpholden in most greeuous temptations. Novve therefore to returne to our Job, seeing as it appeareth by the wordes immediately following, he vttered these thinges beeing full of faith and hope, as whose minde was whollie bent to praise and glorifie God, we may hereby gather that he speaketh heere onelyonly of outwarde and externall goods, which the verie prophane philosophers hauehave distinguished from those which they call inwarde or internall: and Epictetus in that his golden Enchiridion, shewing that these are not in our power, draweth from thence many arguments, to perswade men to beare patientlie the losse of these goods: yet none of them attayned or came neere this true wisedome of Iob. For some of them call these the goods of Fortune, as if rashly and by chaunce they shoulde come to vsus and goe from vsus: others onelyonly consider in them a nature inconstant and nothing permanent: and Epictetus frameth mens mindes rather to a blockish and senselesse careelessenesse, then to true patience, grounded vponupon good and sure reasons. But this our Job furnished with the knowledge of GOD, both naturall as also spirituall and supernaturall, (whereof the former confuteth the vaine and foolish imaginations of the philosophers, which the Apostle Saint Paul noteth in his Epistle to the Romanes, the first Chapter, and 21. verse. and the other doeth enlighten and make perfite this, beeing thorough originall sinne greatlie darkened and obscured) and reliyng him selfe whollie vponupon Gods prouidence, hath left a most singular example of patience to be looked into, and followed of vsus, when soeuer we are tryed with the like calamities. For through impatiencie in these temptations, some are caryed into blasphemie, others to reuenge, others into diuers sortes of turbulent and troublesome affections: finally some are violently borne vponupon the rocke of desperation; for as much as they set their whole minde and cogitation vponupon the thinges themselues which they hauehave lost, and therefore they are greeued for the losse of them, and burne in hatred and desire of reuenge against those, whome they imagine to hauehave done them this iniurie, and to hauehave beene the cause of all their miserie. Contrariwise they that are rightly perswaded of the prouidence of GOD, and by the example of Iob doe acknowledge God to bee the most iust and wise gouernour of all thinges, not onelie in generall, but in particular, they of all others doe finde out that most quiet and safe hauen, wherein, hauing beene tossed with neuer so violent stormes of afflictions, they doe quietlie remaine. Notwithstanding this consideration of God, doth not in like manner comfort and pacifie all men, as it did Job, which we see in the like calamities doth come also into the minde of verie wicked men. Therefore it is requisite here wiselie to distinguish. For as it is not ynough for a man, who hath had any thing stolne from him, to finde the theefe, especiallie if he be such a one, of whome he can not recouer his losses, neither by force nor by law: so not whosoeuer beeing in miserie, thinketh that he hath to doe with God, doeth hence by and by take comfort; but he onelyonly, who with reuerence rightlie and religiouslie thinketh vponupon God. GiueGive me therefore a rich man, who is suddenly fallen into pouertie, or any other vponupon whome some far lighter affliction is laid, be it that he hauehave before his eyes & in his remembrance continually nothing else, but the power of God in punishing and reuenging sinne, what shall you heare come from him, but meere blasphemies against God himselfe, & horrible outcries of a man desperate & forlorne? Also giuegive me a man, who feeling the burden of sinnes, by which he acknowledgeth Gods hand to be worthilie laide vponupon him, be it that the same man ioyne with Gods power his iust iudgement and goe no further: I will marueile if he doe not follow the example of Saule, or the traytour Iudas, or else passe ouer his life in great wretchednesse. And for this cause the Scripture calleth a conscience wounded with sinne, a going downe into the graue. 1. Sam. 2.6. What then is to be done? Surelie, hee, who iudgeth him selfe to be punished for his sinnes (as for the most part we ought to perswade our selues) must ioyne with a true and inward feeling of Gods power & iustice, not onelyonly that knowledge of Gods goodnes and merciemercy, which reason it selfe teacheth vsus by infinit testimonies, which with our eies we may eueryevery where behold in his creatures both in heauen and in earth; but also that assured persuasion, which onelyonly the holie Ghost teacheth in the schoole of the Church, bearing witnesse with the spirite of eueryevery one of the elect, that God is there most mercifull Father, giuing them a hart broken with the sense and burden of their sinnes, but yet by little and little through the merciemercy of God taken hold of by faith, marueilouslie recomforted, and at the length throughlie pacified. But if he be led by good cōiectures to thinke, that this affliction doth not befall him for any sinne of his (although in the meane time he confesse him selfe a great sinner) but that God by this meanes eyther tryeth him, or teacheth him patience, or else vseth him to the setting forth & manifesting of his owne glorie, then, no doubt looking directlie vntounto God, and hauing his minde and cogitation whollie setled vponupon him, he forthwith findeth not onelyonly matter of great comfort, but of ioy, which cannot be vttered. For what is it that a iust man should rather desire, then to hauehave occasion giuen him, to make knowne the virtue and honestie of his minde? what can a painefull scholler rather wish, then of through continuall studie and exercise of a rude a. b. c. boye to become a learned man? what may a man vvhichwhich loueth his owne health rather seeke, then by Phisicke and other good meanes to preuent those diseases which otherwise he is likelie to fall into? finallie wherein doth a stout & valiant souldiour, desiring to maintaine and increase the honour of his Captaine, wherein, I say, doth he more reioyce, then euen to spende his blood in his captaines behalfe, to purchase him a glorious victorie and triumph? In which kinde of conflict, this speciall thing is not to be forgotten, that there can be no more glorious conquest then to dye in this fight: neither surelie is this so much to be counted a death, as an entrance into that most true, happie, and euerlasting life. But what if (as here wee see it falleth out with Job) in such afflictions we be not at all pricked or troubled in conscience, if also we cannot perswade our selues that God will laie so harde a triall vponupon vsus, what I say, if our minde be disquieted, knowing nothing at all, why God should deale with vsus in this māner? what are we to do in this case? Truly we must leaue of al reasoning, and praise god with thanksgiuing, because although for secret and hidden causes he hath thus decreed of vsus, notwithstanding he doeth nothing but most wisely and most iustly, as beeing wisdome and iustice it selfe: yea and howsoeuer it seeme otherwise to flesh and blood, doeth not decree, nor yet will hauehave any thing done, but for the great good and profit of his children, as beeing vntounto them a most mercifull Father and redeemer in his Sonne Christ. For all this Iob acknowledgeth in the verie extremitie of all his miseries, as afterward it shalbe shewed. But to the end we may the better perceiue, the greatnes of Jobs courage and constancie, let vsus a little more nerelie consider, how many and how terrible monsters he ouercame with this clubbe, that I may so call it, of Gods Prouidence. Doubtlesse the number of them hath alwaies beene very smal, who either wanting riches, hauehave not greedily sought after them, or else, who being borne or made rich, hauehave not put their trust and confidence in their riches. For which cause our Sauiour Christ telleth vsus, that it is a marueilous hard thing for rich men to enter into the kingdom of heauen, & Paul not in one place teacheth, that couetousnes is plaine idolatrie. But our Job doth in the 29. Chapter of this booke, manifestlie witnesse of him selfe, beeing constrayned so to doe through the bitter and importunate accusations of his vncourteous friends, that his hart was not set vponupon his riches, and that he possessed them not with louelove, as Gregorie speaketh; the losse of which he did so patientlie beare, beeing at once and that of a sudden depriued of all. Behold therefore how the desire of riches in getting them, and the louelove of riches in possessing them, two most cruell monsters are vanquished. Job enioyed great honours and dignities, from all which he was falne, as wee shall afterward vnderstand by his owne testimonie. Neuerthelesse he doeth not at all seeke after them. Behold therefore two other most fearefull and deformed monsters, namelie ambition and pride, mastered and laid along at Jobs feet. And no merueile, seeing he whollie casteth him selfe and resteth on the onelie will of God, who giueth and taketh away at his owne good pleasure. If he should hauehave asked counsell of flesh and blood in these euils, it would hauehave taught him to distrust GOD, and so consequentlie to fall into desperation, or driuen him to all manner of wicked shiftes and mischieuous practises. But this vvas alwaies farre from his thought, as vvho had setled all his hope in the prouidence of God. Behold therefore a glorious victorie and triumph both ouer a preposterous louelove of this life & ouer distrust the mother of all sinne: vanquished both at one time. The losse of his 10. children at once, by so sudden & rare a mishappe, how farre might it hauehave carried him beyond the bounds of al patience and moderation? and yet Job speaketh not one word of it; although he were not voide of affection toward them, as appeareth by his carefull bringing of them vp. Behold therefore a naturall affection, that is, a most tender fatherlie affection, gouerned & ordered aright according to the rule of true mediocritie, wherein we see very many (David him selfe shalbe in the number) do offend one way or other, and that vnderunder the shewe of vertue. To conclude, this patience of Job was greate, wonderfull, and vnspeakeable, vvhichwhich GOD graunt vntounto vsus that we may in some measure imitate and expresse in our selues,
Blessed be the name of the Lord.] See here I pray you, how good Iob doeth glorie ouer Satan, adding this as a princicipall triumph among the rest and aboue the rest of his so manie former victories. For he is not onelyonly contented to beare so great miseries, calamities and afflictions, with a quiet and patient minde, and not to hauehave once murmured against God, but also, as if so many miseries were so many blessings, he yeldeth most humble thanks to God, as if he had dealt most bountifullie with him. For the spirite of God did inwardlie teach him not following the direction of flesh and blood, that, that our heauenlie Father can not possiblie will the hurt of his children, amongst whome he had experience, that him selfe was one: and therfore that, whatsoeuer he doth allot to his beloued children, seeing in the end it turneth to their good, is not onelyonly not to be accounted euill, but further to be reckoned among the blessings of God. Now it is not vnknowne that in the bookes of holie Scripture by the name of God is vnderstood God him selfe, and that by an expresse and significant manner of speaking, putting vsus in mind that to true & perfit thanksgiuing is required not onelyonly the faith of the hart, but also the confession of the mouth.
VERSE. 22. Jn all this did not Iob sinne.] Seeing this testimonie of the holie Ghost is true of Iobs whole speach, set downe in the former verses, vainely and to no purpose doe some men flee vntounto that their false contrarietie, which they imagine betweene Will and Permission, to qualifie this speach at their pleasure, God hath taken away. Nowe in this place we hauehave the true definition of blasphemie, as it is restrained to the breach of the first Table. For blasphemie is that most grieuous sinne, which of set purpose in way of reproche and dishonour, either detracteth from God that which is proper and most agreeable to his nature, or else attributeth somewhat vntounto him, which is disagreeing or repugnant thereunto, which definition will afterward stande vsus in some steade to acquite Job of blasphemie in those farre greater conflictes which are behinde. He therefore is not to be accounted blasphemous, whosoeuer speaketh blasphemie, as it is one thing to be a lyar, saith Cicero, and another thing to tell a lye. For a man can not iustly be said to be blasphemous, vnlesse he bring with him a will and purpose to blaspheme: as Moses giueth vsus to vnderstande by adding, the name, Leuit. chap. 24.16. He that blasphemeth the name of the Lorde. And also by an hie hande, which signifieth presumption, Numb. 15, 30. And Christ him selfe witnesseth Matth. 12.31. that there are manie degrees of this sinne, concerning which thing I shall hauehave occasion to speake in another place. Nowe where as the Greeke interpreter, and the common Latine translation to the former part of this verse adde this clause, with his lippes, it probably seemeth to be taken out of the 10. verse of the Chapter following. And herein I verie well like Mercers iudgement, who referreth the former part of this verse to the minde, and the latter to the mouth, shewing that Iob neither thought in his heart, nor vttered with his mouth any thing vnmeete and vnworthy of God, in so much that both within and without, he caryed away the victorie and conquest ouer Satan.