Paraphrase on the Book of Job, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
1. THen Job answered Bildad also,1. Then Job answered and said; and said;
2. You have misunderstood2. I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? mee, if you have thought me proudly to contend with God, or that I had meant to justifie my selfe before him, by what I have said, as if I tooke my selfe to be without sinne in his sight, whereby to have deserved these plagues; for I both know and yeeld it to be true which you say, that Gods afflictions imports us to be sinners, but would you not have a man know himselfe to be righteous, except hee know himselfe to be without sin? this were utterly to overthrow the consolation of the godly; for how is it possible for any man in such a way to appeare just before God?
3. Who, if any should be so foolish3. If hee will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. as to thinke so of himselfe, is able quickly to stop his mouth, by objecting infinite sinnes and failings against him, one whereof hee is not able to answer.
4. And as he is thus transcendently4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardned himselfe against him, and hath prospered? holy and righteous, so hee is able to judge otherwaies of us, and of our actions than we can: and besides all this, his greatnesse and might also, as well as his wisdome and holinesse is infinitly beyond us; All this I know, and therefore I am not ignorant, how that no man can put himselfe into the lists to justifie himselfe, and contest against God, but hee shall come off with sinne and shame.
5. Seeing how farre the Lord in5. Which removeth the mountaines, and they know not; which overturneth them in his anger. his hidden wisdome, and secret waies of proceeding transcends us, oft-times manifesting his anger, even upon unsensible things; as in over-throwing the mountaines without rendering a reason.
6. And by mighty earth-quakes, dislocating6. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. the globe of the whole earth, staggering the very centre it selfe, whereon it is established.
7. Commanding also the Sun contrary7. Which commandeth the Sunne, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. to his course to stand still, and it obeys, and dares not doe its office to the day, neither the stars to the night when he forbids.
8. Nor am I ignorant of the manifestation8. Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the Sea. of his mighty power in his glorious workes, in that hee alone spreads forth the spacious Canopie of the heavens, and commands the furious Seas.
9. And framed the glorious constellations9. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South. in the heavens to their ends and purposes, appointing the more remarkeable ones, to order and distinguish the foure grand seasons of the yeere by their appearance; as Arcturus the Autumne, Orion the Winter, Pleiades (or the seven stars) the Spring, and those more remote Southern stars, Midsommer; for so they take their turnes.
10. And is infinite in works, and10. Which doth great things past finding out, yea, and wonders without number. wonders beyond any mans capacity.
11. And therefore I know my selfe11. Lo, he goeth by me and I see him not: hee passeth on also, but I perceive him not. and my reason and understanding to be as unable to judge of his works and waies, though they be both reasonable and just, as my bodily eyes are to see him which is invisible, though neer unto me, and conversant about me.
12. And also I know that there can12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, what dost thou? be no man, either so powerfull to with-hold what he is minded to take from him, nor yet so righteous to question him for it, seeme it never so strange.
13. And I know too, that hee purposely13. If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers doe stoupe under him. continueth his anger upon proud contenders and disputers, till hee have convinced them, of their insufficiency, and compelled them to stoope to him.
14. And seeing I both know, and acknowledge14. How much lesse shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? all this, to wit, Gods righteousnesse, wisdome and power to be thus transcendent to mans, I would have you know, that I am farre from contending against God, or justifying my selfe before him.
15. Whom, I know so well, that15. Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my Judge. there is not that thing, be it never so righteous in my conceit, wherein I would dare to justifie my selfe before him: but in stead thereof, I would humble my selfe, and supplicate his grace, knowing God to be my Judge, whose eyes are so farre brighter and purer than mine.
16. And though I should have bin16. If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voyce. so foole-hardy, to have challenged God to discusse my righteousnesse, and hee had done it; yet have I small cause to believe hee found me righteous.
17. For his hand is as heavie upon17. For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. me now, as ever, continuing the same tempestuous stormes against mee still, without any mitigation, or so much as she wing me a reason why he thus multiplies miseries upon my head, and is so extreme against mee.
18. Not giving mee so much as any18. Hee will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth mee with bitternesse. the least respite or intermission, but incessantly pursuing me with calamities.
19. So that I have little reason to contest against his power, that know19. If I speake of strength, lo, he is strong; and if of judgement, who shall set mee a time to plead? it better than my body, or to answer the sute against him whom I know so well to exceede in justice and judgement; for the making good whereof, I am sure there is none will be my surety.
20. If I should undertake to justifie20. If I justifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne me: if I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. my selfe, God in interrogating me upon particulars would make mine owne mouth condemne and witnesse against mee, and for him; if I should stand upon my perfection with him, he would shew such cause to the contrary, that he would make me with mine owne lips, pronounce my selfe faulty, and a foole for mine undertaking.
21. Yea, if I were so blind as to see21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soule: I would despise my life. nothing blame-worthy by my selfe, yet knowing God as I doe, I would not believe mine owne heart, nor know mine owne soule upon termes of innocencie, but would attribute it to mine ignorance, and in the matter of justification would utterly disclaime the innocencie of my life and conversation.22. This is one thing, therefore I said it; he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
22. But notwithstanding, yet is the point true which I have maintained, to wit, That God in his outward proceedings & dispensations, maketh no difference many times, but scourgeth and takes away both the upright and the wicked alike: and therefore doe I still affirme, that because of mine afflictions, you have no just cause to judge and condemne me for an hypocrite, or wicked person.23. If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the triall of the innocent.
23. In regard that daily experience contradicts your rule (wherewith you ignorantly limit and measure Gods proceedings) palpably evidencing, That God exempts not the upright from afflictions, no, not from his suddenest and most remarkable judgements, but that in these outward things all comes alike to all: God scorning the allegation of innocency, or the justification and plea of the most upright man breathing, in the way of exemption or prevention of these his just and wise dispensations when he pleaseth to inflict them.
24. As also it is not apparant how24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the Judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? the honour and pleasure of the world is transferred upon the worser sort of men, that are wicked, and abuse it, when in the meane time, those that to us seeme deservedly to be respected and honoured for their wisdome and uprightnesse are despised and disgraced, and pray you, how, or by whom comes it to passe, but by Gods all-disposing hand? so that you must either grant what I say, or deny common experience and Gods providence.
25. 26. And may not I my selfe passe25. Now my daies are swifter than a post: they flie away, they see no good. as a lively paterne of Gods proceeding in this kind; For what availeth my uprightnesse in this day of my visitation?26. They are passed away as the swift ships: as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey. hath not God (who in all the former part of my life, made me honourable among men, notwithstanding it) now laid all mine honour in the dust, even in a moment, and given the wicked leave to trample on me?27. If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heavinesse, and comfort my selfe:
27. And hath hee not so bitterly afflicted mee, that if I goe but about to seeke a little ease or comfort.
28. The sense and weight of mine28. I am afraid of all my sorrowes, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. accumulated sorrowes, straight-way affright me, and tell mee it is in vaine, assuring me, that the Lord, according to his high and just prerogative, hath chosen mee out to be the example of this age to shew forth his transcendent righteousnesse upon, notwithstanding my uprightnesse.
29. And truely, Lord, if thou beest29. If I be wicked, why then labour I in vaine? pleased to goe this way to worke with mee, to set thy selfe in the rigour of thy Justice to finde out my sinnes, and so to judge me according to my wickednesse: In vaine then I confesse, Lord, doe I seeke to comfort my selfe; for in thy sight no flesh can be justified and acquit.
30. For though I could prove mine30. If I wash my selfe with snow-water, and make my hands never so cleane; innocency never so, and that I were in mine owne account and the worlds blamelesse;
31. Yet art thou able so to lay mee31. Yet shalt thou plunge me into the ditch, and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me. open, if in thy righteous severity thou wilt judge mee, as that I shall appeare monstrously filthy to my selfe and all the world, yea, mine owne very righteousnesse wherein I cloath my selfe, shall renounce and abhorre both it selfe and me.32. For hee is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, and wee should come together in judgement.
32. For alas, he being God, judgeth mee with another manner of judgement than I can judge my selfe, or then one man can judge another, he seeth further, and knoweth more by mee, than I am able to doe by my selfe being but man, and therefore it were a very vaine thing in me to offer to wage Law with God in mine owne justification.
33. Neither if I had such a minde,33. Neither is there any daies-man betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. could I be ever the better; for where is there any fit to be umpire betweene us, his way of judging and accusing farre transcending both Angells and men?
34. But if the Lord would deale so34. Let him take his rod away from mee, and let not his feare terrifie mee. graciously with me, as not to proceed against me in the rigour and perfection of his judgement and justice whereat I tremble, and against which I am able to plead nothing for my selfe; and dispute mine uprightnesse with me in your stead as man:
35. Then I durst plead for my selfe,35. Then would I speak, and not feare him; but it is not so with me. and could soone make it appeare, that I am innocent, and no hypocrite, as you would force upon me; but since the Lord is pleased not to go that way to worke, but that he is determined to set himselfe as God against mee, my mouth must needs be stopped.