Job Expounded, Title page – Dedication
IOB EXPOVNDED BY THEODORE BEZA, partly in manner of a Commentary, partly in manner of a Paraphrase.
Faithfully translated out of Latine into English.
PRINTED BY IOHN LEGATT, Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge.
And are to be sold at the signe of the Sunne in Paules Churchyard in London.
TO THE MOST MIGHTIE AND GRAtious Princesse Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England, Fraunce, Ireland, and the Ilands neere adioyning, nourcing mother to the French, Duch, and Italians, exiles for the profession of Christ, and the victorious defendresse of the whole true Christian religion, THEODORE BEZA wisheth all happines and peace from the Lord.
ALmightie God, moste excellent Princesse, who hath aduaunced you to the gouernment of manie Kingdomes, beeing deliuered out of the lyons iavves in your tender yeares: who would that you should not only gouerne so manie and diuers people with your royall scepter, but should also go before them all in the example of vnfeigned zeale and syncere affection: vvho defending yovv so often from the secret treacheries of disloyall subiects at home, and from the inuincible Armada of a mightie and cruell enimie abroad, the vvinde and seas fighting for you, hath preserued & most miraculouslie deliuered your royall person and kingdome together with so manie godlie soules, being shrouded vnderunder the shadovv of your most gratious protection: almightie God, I saie, thus dealing vvith yovv, maie most iustlie accuse vsus as most vnthankefull of all men, vnlesse vve shall extoll vvith a solemne thankesgiuing this so great and heauenlie a blessing; and also make knovvne vntounto the vvorld both in vvord and vvriting those benefits, which he by your meanes hath bestovved vponupon vsus. Neither trulie is there anie suspition of flatterie to be feared, where a man must needes either speake as the truth is, or else incurre the monstrous vice of ingratitude. And that vvee also, albeit dwelling so farre of in the borders of Daulphiny, should account our selves in the number of those, vvho are vnderunder your protection, that your princelie bountie hath caused, vvhereby (renevving that example of the primitiue Church so greatlie commended by the Apostle) yovv did most liberallie releeue and succour our citie of Geneua in those most miserable times of pestilence, famine and vvarre, insomuch that vve vvorthely ascribe no small part of our deliuerance to your, and your English subiects true christian liberalitie. As J vvas thinking of these things, moste noble Queene, according to the charge which in this Church is committed vntounto me, partlie the renevved miserie and calamitie of a farre more daungerous vvarre, vvherevvith vve novv at this present are distressed, called a fresh into my remembrance againe that your exceeding benefit, partlie an other occasion opened a most readie vvaie hovv to performe this dutie. For so it fell out, vvhat time that moste sauadge enimie assailed yovv, and the miseries of the French Churches greatlie disquieted vsus, and the enimie hard at our gates scarcelie suffered vsus to breath, that euen at the verie same time I expounded the historie of Iob in this schoole, as an argument most fitt for these vvretched times. For be it that Abraham, Moses, & David are for their sound and immoueable faith most vvorthelie commended; yet notwithstanding the praise of patience doth as it were by a speciall prerogatiue belong vntounto Iob, as the onelie man vve read of, whom Satā & his ministers with greatest rage assailed, & who more couragiously euen to the end withstood both their assaults & his own infirmities, although not altogither without some token of humane frailtie. For all other christian vertues fight against seuerall vices; but patience, vvhichwhich the Greekes by a more significant vvorde call foreign, both vpholdeth and supporteth them in their conflicts, othervvise not like to holde out, and alone in the end obteineth the crowne: vvhichwhich is the cause that that common enimie of mankinde doth vvith greater furie and outrage bend all his force against this vertue, then against all other vertues beside. Novv such things as came into my mind in expounding this part of Scripture, vvhen I had first gathered them into brefe notes and after more diligentlie perusing them, at the request of some of my hearers was intended to publish them, J did thinke for manie and most iust causes that they vvere fit to be dedicated to none rather then to your excellent maiestie. For although God hauing compassion on the people vnderunder your gouernement, hath not permitted Sathan to doe that against yo… vvhichwhich he suffered him to doe vntounto Iob: yet it cannot be doubted bu… that, that worker of mischiefe hath for these manie yeares space thorough the vvicked practises of your domestical and forreine enimies, vexed and pearced your most godlie soule with infinite and almost incredible cares: yea and it is cleare, that you, beholding all those thinges which befell Iob, in manie of those oppressed exiles flying vntounto you for refuge, hauehave in a manner so sensibly felt (such hath your compassion alvvaies bene tovvardes them) all their afflictions, as if they had verie neerelie touched your ovvne person: all vvhichwhich greeuances you, treading in the steppes of this our Iob, hauehave borne out vvith merueilous constancie and patience, neither being dismaied at the monstrous conspiracies of perfidious traiters, nor terrified vvith the threatnings & forcible inuasions of forreine enimies, relying vvhollie vponupon Gods prouidence and the testimonie of a good conscience. Hereunto is added, that that notable question of Gods prouidence in ruling of the vvhole vvorld, in which is discussed how that parcialitie, vvhichwhich is commonlie seene in the aduersitie of the godlie and prosperitie of the vvicked, maie be reconciled vvith gods iustice, necessarie to be knovvne of all christians, and especiallie of those, who are aboue others in authoritie, that they maie continue couragious and constant, that question, I saie, vvhereat the Epicures, as it vvere, caried vponupon the rockes, hauehave alreadie made shipvvracke, the other Philosophers hauehave violentlie rushed, and manie also at this daie are grounded; is no vvhere in all my bookes of diuinitie more largely and fullie disputed of, no vvhere handled in a more manifest and certeine application to a particular example, no vvhere determined more plainelie by the vvorde of God: vvhereby I hope it vvill come to passe, that you hauing had experience of these things both in your selfe and others, shall hence take no small delight. Moreouer, vvhereas you, most vertuous Queene, being excellentlie vvell seene in all the liberall sciences (an example most rare in all ages) are accustomed, as I heare, to peruse the bookes of old vvriters both Greeke and Latine, here trulie yovv shal find, or hauehave already found that which may satisfie your desire. For besides that this vvriter doth most diuinelie, by the direction of Gods spirite, determine of matters, he doth also learnedly grauelie and eloquentlie discourse of naturall things, and those visible workes of God full of admiration, in which his inuisible power and Godhead are seene, that not any one of those sacred bookes, which are extant, may be iustlie compared to this in the handling of this argument: much lesse doth any prophane Philosopher, vvhen he speaketh most trulie, attaine to the grauitie and heauenlie maiestie of this vvriter. But this booke, then the which there is none in all the Bible, if I be not deceiued, no not Moses himselfe, of greater antiquitie, is in manie places made verie obscure to vsus and hard to be vnderstood, partly by reason of the profoundnes of the things them selues here debated among most wise men, and not to be conceaued of eueryevery one, partlie by diuers straunge vvords & also phrases differing from the pure Hebrue (for euen then the puritie not onelie of religion, but also of the Hebrue tongue, as the state of humane things is alvvaies mutable, began to decaie among this people comming some of the stocke of Esau, and some of Cethura, & being by little and little scattered here and there throughout the countries neere adioyning) partlie also by certaine vvordes that are not anie vvhere else found, about vvhichwhich the Hebrevve interpreters, though othervvise verie skilfull in the tongue, doe greatlie trouble themselues. Wherefore the learned diuines of former ages, both Greeke and Latine, in the time of barbarisme deserued great commendation, who studied to inlighten this confused darkenes. And yet trulie vvhosoeuer vvill examine those their expositions, although godlie and learned by the rule of the true Hebrevve context, as in deed he ought, shall find them oftentimes (vvith their good leaue be it spoken) cleane beside the scope of the vvriter. Whereby vve maie see hovv much better it is, from the time of the Apostles and those famous Euangelists, since the gift of tongues and interpretation ceased in the Greeke and Latine Churches, for the Church to draw the truth, vvonderfullie deliuered vntounto vsus from the beginning of the vvorld in the bookes of holie Scripture, and afterward deriued into the riuers as it vvere of the Greeke tongue, by the Apostles how much better, I say, it is, to fetch the truth out of the verie fountaine and thence to conueigh it vntounto others, then out of the pooles, that is, out of the Greeke, such as it is at this daie, and that common Latine translation, both trulie as in the beginning not pure enough, so aftervvard maruelouslie corrupted. And although that learned Father Ierom tooke vponupon him a labour verie profitable for the Church, in cleansing those corruptions of the Latine translations, as farre as his abilitie serued him; neuerthelesse much drosse as yet remaineth behind. I omit that custome which hath continued euer since Origenes time, I say not of inuerting the naturall sence of the sacred text to the framing of certaine straunge allegories, but euen of marring and peruerting it; (for why should not J speake that vvhichwhich the matter it selfe witnesseth?) In which thing manie excellent men, I knovv not by what fatall iudgement of God, hauehave passed measure, if there can be anie measure in doing amisse. Let them therefore consider how well they looke to themselues and prouide for the Church of God, who, albeit the knowledge of tongues and artes be through the great benefite of God restored in this our age, alledging for their excuse the corrupting of the Hebrue volumes by the Ievves, and the diuersitie of the Greeke copies of the nevv testament, doe streightlie charge & commaund vsus against the auncient decrees of their ovvne Popes, to rest in the vulgare Latine translation amongst them, and that without all manner of exception: which is all one as if in great plentie of corne they shall bid vsus to feede vponupon a cornes. Farre be it therefore from all Christians that be in their right vvits, to obey this so absurd, so vnreasonable and so damnable a decree of the Councel, or rather conuenticle of Trent. Let them rather enioy so great a benefit, which God hath bestowed vponupon them, being most necessarie for the restoring of Christian religion. As for the olde translations, vvhereof Augustine hath left in writing long agoe, that the Greeke interpreters of holie scripture may be numbred, but the Latine are without number, I vvish no man should despise them; but I vvould hauehave all read with iudgement; in such sort that those vvhichwhich are able, should hauehave recourse to the originall, & those which can not, should betake them to commentaries, and diligentlie in the feare of God weigh the arguments and reasons of the different interpretation both of the old and new writers. For this can not, neither ought it to be dissembled, that those translations, for the most parte, of the holie Scriptures, are partly through the vnskilfulnes of those mother tongues, and partlie thorough negligence of those that copied them out, so corrupted and so manie waies depraued, that as yet none of those diuines, vvhome in this more happie age in this respect, God hath stirred vp to clense his temple, neither profound knowledge, nor intollerable labour and paines, could restore and make perfit.
With this determination about 40. yeares since, vvhen I had vvhollie giuen my selfe to the studie of diuinitie, howsoeuer being furnished with the knowledge of the Greeke tongue, I began to compare those so diuers translations of the nevv testament first with the Originall it selfe, and aftervvard vvith the copies of olde and new writers. By this meanes at the last came forth that nevv translation of the new testament, which vvith the notes added thereunto hath novv fiue times beene corrected and sent abroad vnderunder your maiesties name and protection: in polishing which worke notvvithstanding it doth not repent me to trauell as yet dailie more & more. Which thing to attempt likewise in the bookes of the old Testament, I vvas restrained by reason that I could not get anie store of Hebrevve copies to my minde. Neuerthelesse I endeauoured to effect somevvhat in tvvo most hard and intricate bookes, to vvit, Ecclesiastes and the Psalmes: the context of vvhichwhich bookes being here and there mended partlie by inserting some few vordes into it, partlie by examining euerie vvord diligentlie by it selfe and carefullie obseruing the order of the vvhole discourse; I laboured to expound by an accurate and plaine paraphrase. All which I did for no other intent, then that I might hereby prouoke and stirre vp the industrie of more learned men then my selfe to the performance of that vvhichwhich is better. And novv trulie, behold, I hauehave aduentured the verie same in this historie of Iob: yea, and somwhat more also. For J hauehave written a full commentarie vponupon the two first Chapters thereof, vvherein I hauehave soundlie and plainlie so farre as I could, vnfolded and laid open manie questions of no small importance, and speciallie that controuersie of the prouidence of God. I hauehave moreouer set dovvne before the beginnings of all the other Chapters follovving, both the summe of those things vvhichwhich are handled in them, as also the manner hovv euerie argument therein conteined, is disposed: the ignorance or rather contempt of such methode, I dare bee bold to saie, hath brought manie both false and also foolish expositions, not onelie into this booke of Iob, but also into the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. What I hauehave performed in these things, J leaue it to the iudgement of other men. I doubt not trulie but that this my indeauour will be of all godlie and indifferent readers allovved and liked of, and the rather if your highnes, according to your singular bountie, shall vouchsafe to accept of this my slender laboure, as I, vvith all reuerence due to such princelike maiestie, hauehave dedicated the same vntounto you, not onelyonly in my ovvne name, but in the behalfe also of the vvhole Church and congregation of Geneua, as not vnmindfull of so manie and great benefitts receiued at your Maiesties handes. And thus most renovvmed Queene, I beseech almightie God dailie more and more to blesse you vvith all happinesse and prosperitie, vsing againe those gratulatorie verses, vvhichwhich I suppose are alreadie come to your hands.
STraverat innumeris Hispanus classibus aequor,
Regnis iuncturus sceptra Britanna suis.
Tanti huius rogitas quae motus causa? superbos
Impulit Ambitio, vexit Avaritia:
Quàm bene te, Ambitio mersit vanissima ventus:
Et tumidae tumidos vos superastis aquae!
Quàm bene raptores orbis totius Iberos
Mersit inexhausti iusta vorago maris!
At tu, cui venti, cui totum militat aequor,
Regina, ô mundi totius vna decus
Sic regnare Deo perge, Ambitione remota,
Prodiga sic opibus perge iuvare pios,
Vt te Angli longùm, longùm Anglis ipsa fruaris,
Quàm dilecta bonis, tam metuenda malis.
The same in English.
WIth navie huge the Spaniard proud
The English seas had spredde.
And all to set the English Crovvne
VponUpon the Spanish head.
And vvould you gladlie vnderstand
The cause of all this rout
Ambition first did lay the plot,
And Lucre brought them out.
Hovv vvell this pride thus puffed vp
A puffe did ouerthrovve!
And svvelling vvaues such svvelling vvights
Hovv vvell did ouerflovve!
Hovv vvell that vvurrier of mankinde,
That Spanish cruell vvoolfe,
Was tost and tumbled vp and dovvne
Within the Ocean goolfe!
And you for vvhome both all the vvindes
And all the vvaters fight,
O noble Queene of all the vvorld
The onelyonly true delight,
Go forvvard still to rule for God,
Ambition laide aside,
Go forvvard still for Christ his flocke
In bountie to prouide.
That thou maiest England gouerne long,
Long England thee enioy,
As vvell a louelove vntounto the good
As to the bad anoy.
From Geneva, besieged by the Duke of Sauoy, 12. of August. 1589. Your Maiesties most humble Orator THEODORE BEZA.