supreme stuard of Gods Church, Christs Vicar in earth, for satisfaction of others which haue nede, and are in the communion of Sainctes, and performe the conditions appointed. And so this high stuard may in due maner by his authoritie, geue limited, or plenarie pardones to penitentes, of the paines which otherwise they should suffer in this life, or in purgaritie, for their sinnes first remitted. Other Bishops can also geue or dispence so much as the Supreme Bishop allotteth to their powre, al to edification and necessitie of Gods seruantes, as dispencers, not dissipators of so holie treasure.
Chap. VII.
Iob explicateth diuers calamities of mans life, and namely of his owne. 6. Suposing it not likelie that he shal returne to former prosperous state, 15. desireth to dye.
THe life of man vpon earth is a ∷[1] warfare, & his daies, as the daies of an hyred man. 2As a seruant desireth the shadow, & as the hired man taryeth for the end of his worke: 3So I also haue had vayne monethes, and haue numbred to my self laborious nights. 4If I sleepe, I shal say: When shal I arise? and agayne I shal expect the euening, and shal be replenished with sorowes euen vntil darkenens. 5My flesh is clothed with rottenesse and filth of dust, my skinne is withered, & drawen together. 6My daies haue passed more swiftly, then the webbe is cut of the weauer, and are consumed without anie hope. 7Remember that my life is a winde, and myne eie shal not returne to see good thinges. 8Neither shal the sight of man behold me: thine eies vpon me, and I shal not stand. 9As a clowde is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shal descend to hel shal not ascend. 10Neither shal he returne anie more into his house, neither shal his place know him anie more. 11Wherfore I also wil not spare my mouth, I wil speake in the tribulation of my spirit: I wil talke with the bitternesse of my soule. 12Why, am I a sea, or a whale, that thou hast compassed me with a prison. 13If I say: My litle bed shal confort me, and I shal be releeued speaking with myself in my couch: 14Thou wilt terrefie me by dreames, and by visions shake me with horrour. 15For the which thing my soule hath chosen hanging, and my bones death. 16I haue despayred. I shal now liue no longer: ∷[2] Spare me, for my daies are nothing. 17What is man that thou magnifiest him? or why settest thou thy hart toward him? 18Thou doest visite him early, and sodenly thou prouest him: 19How long doest thou not spare me, nor suffer me that I swallow my spitle? 20I haue sinned, what shal I doe to thee O keeper
- ↑ A souldiar must be alwayes readie to indure trauel, to be promptly obedient, content to be beaten by his superior with out al resistance, vpon paine of his life, he is alwayes subiect to cares, and to danger of death, and therfore must euer be readie to dye.
- ↑ Iust Iob supposing he was at the point of death, prayed God to spare or cease to punish him more, and to accept of that affliction which he had already suffered. So the Church in behalf of soules departed in state of grace prayeth God to spare and cease from farther punishing them, and to geue them eternal rest.
