Paraphrase on the Book of Job, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
1. WHerefore, Iob, I pray thee,1. Wherefore Iob, I pray thee, heare my speeches, and hearken to my words. give good heed to what I shall say, and let it not be tedious to thee, but conceive of it as comming from one that wishes thee well, and have the patience to heare mee out.
2. Thou seest I have not beene forward2. Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. to speake, but have waited till now that all have done, which I take to be a fit time for me to begin, having heard all that hath beene said on both sides, and seriously weighed them, which makes mee both the abler and bolder now to speake my mind.
3. And beforehand, I assure thee3. My words shall be of the uprightnesse of my heart; and my lips shall utter knowledge cleerly. this, which also I would have thee credit, that I will speake nothing out of passion or partiality, as thou conceivest others to have done, but what I say shall come from an honest heart, nor will I obtrude mine owne conjectures and surmises for doctrinall truths upon thee, as my fore-runners have, but I will utter demonstrative things.
4. Thou hast wished for one like4. The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. thy selfe in Gods stead, to dispute the matter with thee, why, know, that I am he. I am a creature as thou art, neither better nor worse, but in all points the same with thy selfe, made by the finger of God as thou art, and have my life from him as thou hast.
5. Therefore now make good thy5. If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before mee, stand up. challenge, and if thou canst, spare not to answer to that which I shall say; for thou maist boldly speake thy minde, there is no cause of feare.
6. For, as I say, I am in Gods stead6. Behold, I am according to thy wish in Gods stead; I also am formed out of the clay. according to thy desire to dispute the matter with thee, who am just such an one as thou art, neither higher nor lower, but a pot by the hand of the Potter, molded out of the same clay.
7. So that (as thou conditionedst)7. Behold, my terrour shall not make thee afraid, neither shall mine hand be heavie upon thee. thou seest there is no cause of feare to deale with me, nor can I doe thee any hurt or oppresse thee, so as to hinder thee from speaking thy mind fully and freely.
8. I will lay nothing to thy charge,8. Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying: nor object any thing against thee, but what I have heard come from thee, yea, out of thine owne mouth will I condemne thee, for thus thou hast presumptuously spoken.
9. (Justifying thine owne righteousnesse,9. I am cleane without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. and questioning Gods) I have not sinned against God, but am innocent from giving him any offence, neither can hee lay any iniquity to my charge, or shew cause why hee thus afflicts mee.
10. So that he is over rigorous, purposely10. Behold, he findeth occasions against mee, he counteth me for his enemy. picking quarrells against mee, and of his meere pleasure maketh cruell warre upon me without just cause.
11. Using all manner of hardship11. Hee putteth my feet in the stockes, hee marketh all my paths. toward me, keeping mee continually fast locked in afflictions, watching me, lest I should make an escape, and find some ease, which he will by no means permit mee to have.
12. Thus, or to this purpose, hast12. Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. thou charged God, thou canst not deny it, and however thou art otherwaies upright or righteous, I will not take upon me to judge, onelyonly in this I am sure, and dare say thou art not justifiable, but worthy to be condemned of sinfull and presumptuous arrogance and pride of heart (for which God may and does justly afflict thee) and thus I prove it, from the wonderfull disparity betweene God and man, betwixt whom there is no comparison, God infinitely transcending him, and his capacity to judge.
13. And consequently, how insolent13. Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters. a thing is it for thee to cample and reason it thus unreverently with God as thou hast done, whose will in all things is a law most righteous, nor is he bound to give any other reason but his will for any of his actions.
14. In all which, yet there is reason14. For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. and a gracious meaning too, if thou knewest it; for God many times, and divers waies solicits and admonisheth man (as now hee doth thee) if man would, and could understand him, which partly through the pride and security, and partly through the dulnesse of his heart he does not.
15. Out of which spirituall slumber,15. In a dreame, in a vision of the night, when deepe sleepe falleth upon men, in slumbrings upon the bed. God trieth all waies to awaken men; for he teacheth them by nightly molestations, in dreams and visions, to the disturbance of their sleep and rest, as thou complainest.
16. And this way he taketh to instruct16. Then he openeth the eares of men, and sealeth their instruction. men, and remarkeably to set his home doctrine upon them.
17. Which is, to withdraw man17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. from cherishing and maintaining himselfe in his owne selfe-valuing conceits, derogatory to God, and to bring him to stoope to an humble and selfedenying subjection to him, expunging pride, (which God corrects in thee.)
18. That so he may in mercy keep18. He keepeth backe his soule from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. him from perishing for it, both in soule and body, temporally and eternally.
19. And further also, to worke this19. Hee is chastened also with paine upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong paine. cure, and purge this pride, hee brings high-minded man into a wofull condition, easelessely punishing him with tormenting paines, as hee does thee, yea, making every bone in his body (as many as they are) to ake with vehement torture.
20. So that hee may be forced20. So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soule dainty meat. through extremity of anguish, neither to care to eate necessary nor pleasant meat, but neglect all manner of sustenance.
21. Yea, he may be brought to that21. His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seene, and his bones that were not seen, sticke out. passe and such a change wrought in him, as that his flesh which was wont to be plump and smooth, may be utterly wasted to nothing (as thou complainest thine is) and his bones, which before were comelily covered, may most deformedly and gastly stick out.
22. Yea, hee may be at the very22. His soule draweth neere unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. point of death, ready to breath out his soule, and his life in continuall jeopardy by his deadly plagues.
23. Now, when God hath brought23. If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightnesse. him to this passe, and he still continues blind, and none of all this will make him perceive his errour and Gods intention, if then besides this, God so order the matter, as that in his gracious providence he further provide for his instruction, and send as a speciall messenger (as hee does mee to thee) a man faithfull and able (which is a singular gift of God and very rare) to bring him to a sight of his sinne, and to set him upright in the sight of God by repentance.
24. This soone altereth the case;24. Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going downe to the pit, I have found a ransome. for hereupon God is presently appeased toward him, and graciously accepts him, comfortably cheering his heart with an assured freedome from death and hell, his sinne upon his repentance being done away in the sight of God by the blood of his Son which he sees accepted in his behalfe.
25. And then, as before, through25. His flesh shall be fresher than a childes: he shall returne to the daies of his youth. anguish of his spirit his body was consumed; so now, through the abundant consolation thereof he grows revived, and becomes as fat and faire-liking as ever he was in his life.
26. And whereas before all his26. He shall pray unto God, and hee will be favourable unto him, and he shall see his face with joy: for hee will render unto man his righteousnesse. complainings and out-cries stood him in no stead, now he shall humbly put up his suit to God for favour, and shall finde it: and whereas, if hee did but thinke of God, he was troubled; now being justified from his sinne, he shall have abundance of joy and peace in his soule toward God.
27. For God longs to be gracious27. He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not: to mee, and waites that hee may be so, looking when a man will see his sinne and confesse it, how that he hath gone out of the way, and justly suffers by it.
28. Such a man shall soone have his28. He will deliver his soule from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. pardon sealed, his feare banished, and his soule comforted; so that for afterwards he shall lead a happy life.
29. Lo, I have told thee what varieties29. Lo, all these things worketh God; oftentimes with man. of waies, and diversity of meanes God is oftentimes faine to use toward such a man as he meanes well to.
30. Aiming onelyonly at his good, that30. To bring backe his soule from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. his sin unrepented of be not his death and destruction, but that in the sight and feeling of Gods grace and favour towards him, hee may lead a comfortable and happy life.
31. Iob, I pray thee consider well31. Marke well, O Iob, hearken unto mee, hold thy peace, and I will speake. what I say, as that which neerely concernes thy good, let mee yet further have thine attention without interruption, for I have more to speake.
32. Not that I desire to stop thy32. If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speake, for I desire to justifie thee. mouth, if thou questionest any thing that I have said, and hast any just exception against it in thine owne defence, if thou hast, speake freely, for I desire not to condemne thee in any thing wherein thou art justifiable; only thy pride I tax, which is apparant.
33. But if so be thou canst take no33. If not, hearken unto me; hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisedome. just exception, then doe not needlessely interrupt me, but let me goe on, and I make no question but before I have done, I shall make thee understand thine errour, and Gods just dealing, and shall shew thee the way to finde mercy.