The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
ARGUMENT.
It was poſſible his Friends might make quite another uſe then Job intended of the relation he had made of his miſerable Condition, in the Chapter foregoing: and therefore, leſt it ſhould harden them in their old Errour, and they ſhould take what he had ſaid to be an argument of his Guilt; He gives in this Chapter a large and particular account of his Integrity, which in general he had ſo often aſſerted; laying his very ſoul, and the moſt ſecret Inclinations of it open before them; together with the Actions of his whole life, in his private capacity, (for of his publick he had ſpoken before Chap. XXIX.) both in reſpect of his Neighbours, of all ſorts, and in reſpect of God. To whom he again moſt ſolemnly appeals, in the concluſion of his Diſcourſe, that he did not boaſt of more Vertues then he had; but would moſt gladly be tried before Him, by ſome impartial Judge. I need not here enumerate his Vertues, becauſe they are plainly and diſtinctly expreſſed in the Paraphraſe; and I do not pretend to give the intire contents, but the deſign onelyonly, of each Chapter.
1. I Made a covenant with mine eyes; why then ſhould I think upon a maid?1. BUT do not, I beſeech you, any longer look upon theſe Sufferings as an argument that I am not innocent; for I proteſt to you, I have been very reſolute and carefull to avoid even the occaſions of Laſciviouſneſs: And therefore how ſhould I ever ſo much as deliberate to corrupt a Virgin?
2. For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?2. For I know there is a God in Heaven, an Almighty Being, who rules over all: and what could I expect from Him, as the reward of ſuch Impurity?
3. Is not deſtruction to the wicked? and a ſtrange puniſhment to the workers of iniquity?3. Doth it not lead to deſtruction? nay, do not ſtrange and horrible Puniſhments fall upon the workers of that Iniquity?
4. Doth not he ſee my ways, and count all my ſteps?4. Is it poſſible to commit it ſo ſecretly, that it ſhall not be known by Him, who obſerves every motion, and tells every ſtep I take?
5. If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath haſted to deceit;5. If I have broke my Promiſes, or have been forward to deceive and cheat my Neighbour;
6. Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity?6. I refuſe not to be tried: but rather deſire my actions may be ſcrupulouſly weighed and examined; for God, I am ſure, will approve of my upright dealing.
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:7. If I have turned aſide from the rules of Juſtice for fear or favour; if I have coveted the Goods of other men, or my hands have taken any Bribes,
8. Then let me ſow, and let another eat; yea, let my off-ſpring be rooted out.8. Let me be ſerved in my kind, and let other men eat the Corn which I have ſowed, and pluck up the Trees (roots and all) which I have planted.
9. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door:9. If my heart hath been ſeduced to filthy deſires after another man's Wife; if I have watched for his abſence, or ſome fair opportunity, to enter into his houſe, and defile his bed;
10. Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.10. Then let others take away my Wife from me, and make her the vileſt Slave, whom they may uſe at their pleaſure.
11. For this is an heinous crime, yea, it is an iniquity to be puniſhed by the judges.11. I ever thought this a Crime of the higheſt nature, an Iniquity to be corrected by the ſeverity of the publick Juſtice.
12. For it is a fire that conſumeth to deſtruction, and would root out all mine increaſe.12. For it is a Fire, which, if it be not extinguiſhed, conſumes men and their eſtates, yea deſtroys whole Families and Kingdoms: and ſo incenſes the Divine Diſpleaſure, that, ſhould it eſcape the Magiſtrates puniſhment, I could never hope that any thing of mine (were I guilty of it) ſhould thrive, but all come to utter ruine.
13. If I did deſpiſe the cauſe of my man-ſervant, or of my maid-ſervant, when they contended with me:13. So far was I from doing ſuch foul Injuries to my Neighbours, that I never extended my Power to the oppreſſion of my Slaves: but was content to wave the priviledge the Law gave me, of uſing them as I pleaſed; and to allow them a fair hearing, when they had any difference with me.
14. What then ſhall I do when God riſeth up? and when he viſiteth, what ſhall I anſwer him?14. For I thought with my ſelf, that though men could not puniſh me for my rigour towards them, yet I ſhould never be able to excuſe it to God, when He came to judge me; nor tell what to anſwer, when He called me to an account for my ill uſage of them.
15. Did not he that made me in the womb, make him? and did not one faſhion us in the womb?15. I often alſo called to mind, that there was not ſuch a difference in our Eſtates, as there was an equality in our Births: and that we having one common Creatour, my Slave was as nearly related to God as my ſelf.
16. If I have withheld the poor from their deſire, or have cauſed the eyes of the widow to fail:16. Nor have the Poor any reaſon to complain of me: for if I ever denied to ſatisfy their deſire, or let the Widow in vain expect my relief;
17. Or have eaten my morſel my ſelf alone, and the fatherleſs hath not eaten thereof:17. Or have ſitten down at my Table alone, without the company of Fatherleſs children;
18. (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb)18. (For whom I have always had a natural compaſſion from my very youth; I brought it into the world with me, and it hath been my companion ever ſince;)
19. If I have ſeen any periſh for want of cloathing, or any poor without covering:19. If I have ſuffered any to periſh for want of Cloathing, or let the Poor go naked without a covering;
20. If his loins have not bleſſed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my ſleep;20. If his loins did not admoniſh him to bleſs me, as oft as he girded on his garment, and he were not kept warm with the cloth made of my wool;
21. If I have lift up my hand againſt the fatherleſs, when I ſaw my help in the gate:21. If I ever have beaten the Fatherleſs, becauſe I knew I ſhould be too ſtrong for him in the Court, in caſe he complained there of the Injuſtice;
22. Then let mine arm fall from my ſhoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.22. Then let that guilty Arm fall off from my ſhoulder, or be broken in two in the midſt.
23. For deſtruction from God was a terrour to me, and by reaſon of his highneſs I could not endure.23. For I never thought I could eſcape the Divine Vengeance; the dread of which affrighted me, when men could not, from all ſuch inſolence: for I knew I could not ſupport my ſelf againſt his Majeſty.
24. If I have made gold my hope, or have ſaid to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence:24. Whoſe Favour I do not deſire, if I have put my truſt in Riches, and thought my ſelf ſafe and ſecure becauſe I was furniſhed with the nobleſt Treaſures:
25. If I rejoyced becauſe my wealth was great, and becauſe mine hand had gotten much:25. Or if I was vainly elated and puffed up with the large Poſſeſſions left me by my Anceſtours, or with the great increaſe I had made to them by my own induſtry.
26. If I beheld the ſun when it ſhined, or the moon walking in brightneſs:26. If when I beheld the Sun ariſe, or the Moon appear in her full luſtre,
27. And my heart hath been ſecretly enticed, or my mouth hath kiſſed my hand:27. I ever entertained an opinion in my mind that they were Gods, or kiſſed my hand in token of worſhip and reverence to them;
28. This alſo were an iniquity to be puniſhed by the judge: for I ſhould have denied the God that is above.28. This alſo were a fearfull Crime, which God's Vice-gerents ſhould puniſh: becauſe it were to put thoſe Stars in the place of Him who is above all Heavens.
29. If I rejoyced at the deſtruction of him that hated me, or lift up my ſelf when evil found him:29. Whom I do not wiſh to be my Friend, if I ever was glad at the ruine of mine Enemy; or inſulted over him, when any miſchief befell him:
30. (Neither have I ſuffered my mouth to ſin, by wiſhing a curſe to his ſoul)30. (No, I was not ſo much as guilty of making any Imprecations againſt him, nor was provoked by his malice to wiſh him dead:)
31. If the men of my tabernacle ſaid not, Oh that we had of his fleſh! we cannot be ſatisfied.31. Though the people of my Family were ſo inraged at him, that, if I would have yielded to their paſſion, they were ready to eat him up with an inſatiable Anger.
32. The ſtranger did not lodge in the ſtreet: but I opened my doors to the traveller.32. Much leſs was I guilty of Unkindneſs to Strangers, whom I never ſuffered to lodge in the ſtreets: for the door of my houſe ſtood open, that any Traveller might turn in there, if he pleaſed.
33. If I covered my tranſgreſſions, as Adam: by hiding mine iniquity in my boſom.33. If I have ſtudied to ſeem better then I am, and have not now made a free Confeſſion; but, like our Firſt Parent, have concealed or excuſed my Faults, and out of ſelf-love have hidden mine Iniquity;
34. Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrifie me: that I kept ſilence, and went not out of the door?34. Becauſe I dread what the people will ſay of me, or am terrified by the Contempt, into which the knowledge of my Guilt may bring me with the neighbouring families: then I am content my mouth ſhould be ſtopt, and that I never ſtir out of my door any more.
35. Oh that one would hear me! behold, my deſire is, that the Almighty would anſwer me, and that mine adverſary had written a book.35. Oh that the truth of all this might be examined by ſome equal Judge! Behold, I continue ſtill to deſire of God this favour: And let him that can accuſe me, bring in his Libell in writing againſt me.
36. Surely I would take it upon my ſhoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.36. Surely I would not endeavour to obſcure it, but openly expoſe it to be read by all; nay, wear it as a ſingular Ornament, which would turn to my honour, when the world ſaw it diſproved.
37. I would declare unto him the number of my ſteps, as a prince would I go near unto him.37. I my ſelf would aſſiſt him to draw up his Charge, by declaring to him freely every Action of my life: I would approach him as undauntedly as a Prince, who is aſſured of the goodneſs of his cauſe.
38. If my land cry againſt me, or that the furrows likewiſe thereof complain:38. For if ſo much as a bit of my Land was unjuſtly gotten, or I have defrauded thoſe who ploughed it of their wages;
39. If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have cauſed the owners thereof to loſe their life:39. If I have taken the fruits of it from my Tenants, and paid nothing for them; or let them ſuch hard bargains, that it broke their heart:
40. Let thiſtles grow in ſtead of wheat, and cockle in ſtead of barley. The words of Job are ended.40. Then let Corn never grow there any more; but let it be overrun with Thiſtles, and the moſt ſtinking Weeds.
Here Job ended his Defence.