Paraphrase on the Book of Job, Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
1. BUt however it hath pleased1. I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I thinke upon a maid? God to deale with me, or what ever the world thinkes of me, I am sure that I have walked strictly with God, and have given mine heart to him in all points, with full purpose to order all my waies with selfe-deniall according to his will; as to instance first in the most flesh-pleasing lust of carnall concupiscence. I made a covenant with mine eyes touching it, never to looke upon a maid unlawfully to lust after her, and set a strict watch over them accordingly, to prevent their sudden surprisall and inconsiderate glances; and like as I watched mine eyes without; so upon the same reason, because I would not offend God, did I also watch my thoughts within, that they entertained no Iustfull speculations, thus taking care, and using all diligence to approve my selfe every way upright to God, both within and without.
2. For I knew, and well considered2. For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? the reward of a sinfull man and an hypocrite that either lived loosely, or caried it cunningly, how that to such a man, God, who from above seeth all things here below would afford no grace nor favour;
3. But contrarily hath in his just3, Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? decree appointed destruction for such, and his fearefull indignation severely to light upon them.
4. I evermore set the Lord before4. Doth not he see my waies, and count all my steps? mine eyes as seeing all my waies, and observing my paths, who I know, knowes them well enough.
5. And therefore I appeale to him,5. If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; whether I have walked in any vaine way or sinfull course, or if I have delighted or desired to doe wrong to any.
6. I desire with all my heart that6. Let me be weighed in an even ballance, that God may know mine integrity. God would take my judgement into his owne hands, where I am sure I should have right done mee; for I know his eyes cannot be so blinded with mine afflictions (though mens are) but that for all them hee will be able impartially to see and know mee to be upright.
7. For my part I desire no favour,7. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands: if he find mee not so, if hee find that I have (as is said of mee) stept aside to duplicate page duplicate page doe wickedly, or that I have willingly with consent of heart, suffered mine eyes to breake their bounds in lust or courting, or that my hands have beene guilty of receiving any bribe to the dishonour of my function, and blemish of mine integrity:
8. Then let God lay what punishment8. Then let mee sow, and let another eat; yea, let my off-spring be rooted out. he will upon mee, let nothing be blessed that I put my hands unto, but let mee plow and sow and take much paines for increase to no purpose, let others reape the profit from me; yea, let him root mee from off the earth, so that no one of all mine off-spring remaine thereon to uphold my name.
9. If I have suffered mine heart to9. If mine heart hath beene deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbours doore: be seduced from mine owne wife by any other woman, or if I have ever wronged any one in that kinde:
10. Then let me be so dealt withall,10. Then let my wife grinde unto another, and let others bow downe upon her. as is but just and equall; let my wife breake her bond of duty to mee, and subject her selfe to another, and let her be adulterously prostituted to other men in like manner.
11. For this is a sinne most notoriously11. For this is an hainous crime, yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. vile, and extremely odious to God, which shall not escape unpunished of him, who hath appointed it to be punished even by the civill Magistrate.
12. If I be guilty of this, I know12. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. very well what will come of it, That it shall certainly kindle the wrath of God against me, to mine utter ruine and destruction.
13. Or if ever through pride or13. If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me: passion I was wont by strong hand to beare downe, or sleight the righteous cause and just pleadings of those that were my servants, man or maid, when in any businesse they desired mee to heare them cleare themselves.
14. For I had this humbling consideration14. What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when hee visiteth, what shall I answer him? ever in my thoughts, which made mee carry my selfe fittingly toward them: If I reject and scorne mine inferiours, and stop mine eares against their humble intreaties, and just defences, how thinke I, shall I answer it to God, when he questions me upon it? or how shall I speed with him, who is so infinitely beyond me, when he takes up a controversie against me? how then shall I have my prayers heard, or my answers and humble pleadings in mine owne behalfe finde acceptance, and take place with him?
15. And thus I further considered,15. Did not hee that made mee in the wombe, make him? and did not one fashion us in the wombe? Did not the same God make him that made mee, and caused us to be borne alike, and so to be equall in nature, though in civill respects he hath preferred me before him.
16. If I have detained the poore16. If I have withheld the poore from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widdow to faile: mans pledge against his will, or have any way wronged him, eyther by delaying to doe him right, or by keeping him from his right, or have given cause to the widow to weepe and complaine of mee, either for doing her wrong my selfe, or not righting her on others that wronged her.
17. Or if I have either basely or covetously,17. Or have eaten my morsell my selfe alone, and the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof. unhospitably, or uncharitably been wont to devour my substance my selfe alone, without imparting it with a free and bountifull mind to the fatherlesse, and such as had need.
18. (For I have been ever a harbourer18. (For from my youth hee was brought up with mee, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mothers wombe.) and succourer of the distressed, and have alwaies had a fatherly care to provide for all such as I saw were helplesse and in need, fatherlesse, or widdow.)
19. If I have seene any poore soule19. If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without covering: suffer through nakednesse and want of clothing, or any poore man destitute of necessaries to keepe him warme:
20. And have not in pity and charity20. If his loynes have not blessed me, and if hee were not warmed with the fleece of my sheepe: supplied him, and accommodated him with clothing and all needfull conveniences out of the store that God hath given me:
21. If I have taken advantage by21 If I have lift up my hand against the fatherlesse, when I saw my helpe in the gate: my power and authority to wrong or oppresse any fatherlesse or helplesse one in judgement, though if I would I could have beene sure to have had it gone on my side against them:
22. If these or any of these can justly22. Then let mine arme fall from my shoulderblade, and mine arme be broken from the bone. be laid to my charge, then let the Lord marke mee for such an one by some notorious judgement, beyond any that hee hath laid upon mee yet; Let mine arme rot off, or to make it more remarkable, let it fall suddenly from my shoulder, and be broken from the bone that doth uphold it, to my utter disabling, as a punishment of my sin, and token of my hypocrifie.
23. I am sure none of these can be23. For destruction from God was a terrour to me, and by reason of his highnesse I could not endure. justly fathered upon me; for I alwaies had the feare of God before mine eyes; I knew how he hated and would punish such things, and therefore durst never be guilty of any of them; his greatnesse and majesty awed me that I durst do no such matters.
24. If I have beene guilty of spirituall24. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence: Idolatry, making gold my God, by reposing any hope in it to be happy by it, or have built my faith and confidence of future subsistency and welfare in my abundance of the choisest and chiefest riches:
25. If in a carnall security I have25. If I rejoyced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much: immoderately rejoyced in mine abundance of wealth, or as if because by mine owne wit and industry I had heaped up much:
26. If ever I beheld the Sunne in26. If I beheld the Sunne when it shined, or the Moone walking in brightnesse: his glory, or the Moone in her beauty, as doe the Idolatrous heathen about me:
27. And have either secretly in my27. And my heart hath beene secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: heart and affections beene enticed to worship those excellent creatures in stead of the Creator, and ascribe to them the honour and thankes of his providence, as they doe; or openly by such outward expressions as they use.
28. This also, could it be laid to my28. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. charge, were worthy punishment from God; for it were no lesse than blasphemy and Atheisme, and so of due to be punished even by the Magistrate.
29. If I revengefully rejoyced at29. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lift up my selfe when evil found him. the destruction of mine enemy and him that hated me, or proudly trampled upon him in his misery, which I have not.
30. (Neither have I given way to30. (Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soule.) my passion so much as to let my mouth breake out sinfully to curse him, or to wish him evill)
31. Yea, though I have been strongly31. If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh I we cannot be satisfied. pressed by others to revenge my selfe, who were neere unto me, and had power with mee in other things, and who themselves, out of love and respect to mee, being impatient of mine injury, would faine have wrought my revenge, and offered it, if I would have suffered them.
32. It's well knowne, the stranger32. The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doores to the traveller. did not lodge harbourlesse if I knew of it, but that I bid the way-faring weary traveller welcome to my house.
33. If I at any time have concealed33. If I covered my transgression, as Adam: by hiding mine iniquity in my bosome. my sin from God, as did Adam, and as all men naturally are apt to doe, by excuse or extenuation, and have not humbly with selfe-judging confessed it to him, but kept it unuttered in my bosome, as loth to leave it, or to be humbled for it.
34. No, I did none of these, nor did34. Did I feare a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrifie mee: that I kept silence, and went not out of the doore? I ever, either for the feare of a violent and combined multitude, or of the losse of friends and acquaintance, and their falling off from mee, (though they were of never so considerable quality and number) at any time keep within doores, and hide my head, or hold my peace, but openly reproved sinne, and shewed my selfe alwaies in the behalfe of the innocent with impartiality and justice.
35. O that any one heard mee that35. O that one would heare mee! behold, my desi e is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. could object any thing against me, nay, if I lie, I desire the Almighty would tel me so, and that any, whomsoever he is, (for I except none) that can object any thing against what I have said, would make his allegations against mee, and set downe his accusations in writing; that I might reade and know them, and so might compleatly cleare my selfe by my reply.
36. Surely I would not take it ill36. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crowne to me. at any mans hands whomsoever, but would thinke he did mee a very great favour in it, and would set choicely by it, nor should it daunt mee, but incourage me, for I should not doubt, but upon my reply, it would turne to my exceeding honour; for mine innocency assureth me the triumph and victory over any adversary, or accusations in the world.
37. I would deale truly with him;37. I would declare unto him the number of my steps, as a Prince would I goe neere unto him. for I would tell him all that ever I know by my selfe, and would relate unto him the whole course of my life, nor would I shrink back, or flinch him one jot, but would boldly encounter him, and make good my matter against him whoever hee were.
38. If my land blame mee for unjust38. If my land cry against me, or that the furrowes likewise thereof complaine. and cruell dealings toward them that plowed and husbanded it.
39. If I have reaped the benefit of39. If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life, it through other mens labours without wages justly paid them, or have racked my rents to the occupiers undoing.
40. Then let all my labour and seed40. Let thistles grow in stead of Wheat, and cockle in stead of Barley. The words of Job are ended. be evermore lost; Let thistles grow in stead of Wheat, and cockle in stead of Barley; let me have weeds for corne. The words of Job in expostulation with his three friends are here ended.