‘In afflicting men, God does not always have an eye on punishing their sins, but intends to try their patience, as happened to Job when God gave Satan the bridle. For it was not because Job was a wicked man who had provoked God’s wrath by great offences. No, even though Satan found no fault in him, he was permitted to torment him. God afflicted Job in this way not because he was angry with him, but because he intended to try his obedience, so that he might be a mirror to us. Therefore Job fought very well in saying that he was not punished for his offences, but for some other reason, and that he did not deserve to be condemned. But his fault was that, being troubled with the vehemence of his feelings, he thought first of all that God acted without measure, and was too severe with him, and that a poor creature ought not to be punished in that way … He thought about nothing but his anguish, so that his faith was at times choked, and he no longer looked at the heavenly life nor at the reward that is promised to all the faithful after their manly fight ... Job confessed rightly in general that God has prepared an everlasting heritage that cannot fail for those that are his … but he could not apply it to himself … He gazed here and there and could not see three foot in front of him without dazzling his eyes. That was the reason why he could not comfort himself with the hope of the rest that was promised him … Just as experience shows that when a man is troubled by his conscience, he sees neither sun nor moon, but all is dark to him … The man therefore who is so pressed with anguish when God afflicts him and makes him to feel his sins, is dismayed, and cannot go so far as to say, God has declared that he will draw his servants out of the grave, and therefore although I seem to be utterly overwhelmed, yet is his mighty power towards me not diminished’ (Calvin – in modern English).