Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 16

Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture · Scripture 16

p. 134IOB.

CAP. I.

1 There was a man in the land of Vz, whose name was Iob; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evill.IN the Land of Vz, (which lieth upon the borders of the Chaldeans, Sabeans and Canaanites,) there was a man of the posterity of Abraham, by Keturah, called Iob; and he was sincere and true-hearted, and one that feared God, and conscionably avoided all knowne, and wilfull wickednesse.

3 This man was the greatest of all the men of the East.He was the greatest and wealthiest of all that posterity of Abraham, which were dispersed into the Easterne countries.

6 Now there was a day when the sonnes of God came to present themselves before the Lord, & Satan came also among them.And (to speake after the manner of men, and to expresse the counsells and proceedings of God by humane allusions) on a time God held his sessions, and therein the Angells comming to present their service unto God p. 135for the behoofe of his children, Satan also thrust him in amongst them into the presence of God.

And, (as if there had beene a reall,7 And the Lord said to Satan; whence commest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, &c. and vocall conference betwixt God and Satan, concerning the proceedings with Iob; wherein God should inquire of Satan whence he came; and upon his answer, should in an holy kinde of confident insultation, commend Iobs perfection to this enemie of mankinde;8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my seruant Iob, &c. which Satan spightfully detracts from, and desires to have tried by severall afflictions) so God most holily decreed to give power to Satan for the proofe of Iobs fidelity, and patience;9 Then Satan answered the Lord, Doth Iob feare God for naught? and yeelded to the severall trialls, & calamities, which were brought upon Iob.

CAP. II.

SAtan,1 Againe there was a day when the sonnes of God came, &c. as not satisfied with that triall which he had taken of Iob, in the losse of his oxen, sheepe, camels,2 And the Lord said unto Satan, whence commest thou? &c. children, receives (as if it had been upon his importunate, and personall suit unto God) commission from God, to take a further triall of him in his person; in his flesh,4 And Satan answered the Lord and said, Skinne for skinne, &c. and bones, with the reservation of his life onelyonly.

Doest thou still stand upon the termes of retaining thine integrity with God,5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh. since it speeds no better with thee? Ywis, thou hast fared much the better for thy so humble and patient resigning of thy selfe into the hands of God; it were as good for thee,9 Then said his wife unto him; Dost thou still retaine thine integritie? Curse God, and die. to dispatch at once, and be rid out of this misery; curse God; and hee will by his judgement make speedy way for thee out of this lingring torment.

They testified their exceeding sorrow for his great affliction, by rending their clothes,12 They rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven. and strewing dust upon their heads.

And they were so affected, and astonished, with his grievous sufferings, that they sate downe silently by him,13 So they sate downe with him upō the ground seven dayes and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him. for the most part of seven daies, and seven nights, abridging themselves of their wonted rest and sustenance.

CAP. III.

AT the last, Iob himselfe began to breake this silence,1 After this Iob opened his mouth, and cursed his day. and in a pitifull complaint of his misery, weakely cursed the day wherein he was borne.

p. 1363 Let the day perish wherein I was borne; and the night wherein, &c.Would to God that day had never comne, wherein so wretched a man, as I, was borne; and now that it is unhappily comne, let it be ever noted for direfull and ominous.

5 Let darknesse and the shadow of death staine it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blacknesse of the day terrifie it.Let the deepest and horriblest darknesse make it uncomfortable; let a thicke cloud couer it; and let a continued darknesse make it terrible to all beholders.

12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the brests that I should sucke?Why were the knees of the mid-wife ready to hold me, or why were the brests ready to give me sucke?

With Kings and great potentates of the earth, who (to raise glory unto themselves) build sumptuous houses in those places,14 With Kings and counsellers of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves. which through their desolatenesse and barrennesse seemed uncapable of any cost, or magnificence.

23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?Why is light cast away upon a man, whom God hath made so miserable, that there is no way to be hoped for, of his evasion from this calamitie; whom God hath shut up in this distresse, without all possibility of escape?

26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet, yet trouble came.Indeed when I was at the best, I never made any account of my life, and welfare, and yet this feare, and moderation of minde doth not now excuse mee from misery.

CAP. IIII.

6 Is not this thy feare thy confidence?IS not this thy storming, & fretting at the hand of God, a plaine argument that all thy religion, or pretended feare of God, was onelyonly upon a confidence that he would still blesse and prosper thee?

8 Even as I have seene they that plow iniquity, and sow wickednesse, reape the same.I have well seene, and observed, that men speed according to their actions, and reap the fruit of their evill doings, in evill sufferings.

11 The old Lyon perisheth for lacke of prey, & the stout Lyons whelps are scattered abroad.The Tyrans, and oppressors of the earth, which are as strong and roaring Lyons, however they may prevaile with men, yet they are by the just, and powerfull God disappointed of their purposed prey, and distressed with just want.

12 Now a thing was secretly brought unto me, and mine eare received a little thereof.If thou thinke not fit to beleeve me, yet beleeve the revelation, which I lately had concerning thee; for I had a secret intimation from God, wherein it pleased him to make knowne to me, what he judgeth of thine estate.

13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deepe sleep falleth upon men,When I was most seriously thinking of thee, in the very deep of the night, at such time other men are overtaken and possessed with their dead sleepe:

14 Feare came upon me, &c.There came a great feare, & trembling on a sudden, upon me, as an harbinger of that vision which soone followed after it.

p. 137Then a spirit appeared before me,15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the haire of my flesh stood up. the presence whereof made my haire to stand upright.

It stood still by me, but I could not discerne what manner of visage it had.16 But I could not discerne the forme thereof.

If the best and most glorious creatures be compared with him, alas, what are they? Behold;18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants, and his Angells he charged with folly. he findes not any such stabilitie, or absolutenesse in his very Angels, as that setting aside his owne gratious indowments of them, and his firme decree concerning them, they can stand out in the challenge of any perfection in themselves.

How much lesse can miserable man stand upon such points with his Maker?19 How much lesse on them that dwell in houses of clay, &c.

CAP. V.

SInce thou standest upon thine owne justification so much,1 Call now if there be any that will answer thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne? I appeale to any of the Saints of God upon earth; let any of them judge of this thy condition; and say, whether there be not reason to charge thee with hypocrisie.

They will tell thee, in all experience;2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy (or indignation) slaieth the silly one. that God in his most just judgement, meets with the man (not that is just) but that is wickedly foolish; and that his indignation falls heavie (even unto death) upon him that is grosly ignorant of God, and the things of his peace.

I have seene the wicked man seemingly grounded,3 I have seene the foolish taking root; but suddenly I cursed his habitation. and flourishing in the world, but suddenly I gave him for gone; and in my thoughts made full account of his utter extirpation.

Yet this misery, and affliction, that alights upon men,6 Although affliction commeth not out of the dust, neither doth spring out of the ground; comes not either by chance, or of it selfe, or meerly from the second causes, whether of men, or other creatures, but it comes from above, and is inflicted by the divine hand of supreme, and infinite justice.

And yet even in the course of nature,7 Yet man is borne unto trouble, as the sparkes flie upward. man is borne to trouble, and vexation; and it is no lesse naturall to him to be tried with manifold crosses here, thē for the sparks of fire to flie upwards.

They meet with inexpected crosses in their designes,14 They meet with darknesse in the day time, and grope in the noone day as in the darke. and finde contrary events to what they promised to themselves; when they made account of most joy, they meet with heavinesse.

He shall save thee from sinking under many troubles,19 Hee shall deliver thee from sixe troubles, yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee. and from the last, and worst, he shall so rescue thee that the evill of it shall not have so much as power to touch thee.

p. 13823 Thou shalt bee in league with the stones of of the field.All the creatures, who are ingaged in the quarrells of their maker, shall now stand in good termes with thee, and joyne together to thy use, and service.

24 Thou shalt visit thine habitation, and shalt not sinne (or erre.)Thou shalt oversee thine affaires with good successe, and not erre, or faile in the administration of them.

CAP. VI.

3 Therefore my words are swallowed up.SUch is the greatnesse of my affliction that it bereaves me of all words, whereby I should endevour to expresse it.

4 For the arrowes of the Almighty are within me, the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirits.The grievous paines that I feele are as so many poysoned arrowes, shot into my flesh by the almighty hand of God; which have diffused their venome into all the parts of my body and soule, and have even spent and wasted my spirits, with the wofull sense of them.

5 Doth the wild Asse bray when he hath grasse, &c?Can yee imagine that I would cry out so bitterly, if I did not feele a just cause of my complaint; yee see the very dumb creatures do not make their mone, but when they finde a sense of their want.

6 Can that which is unsavorie be eaten without salt, or is there any tast in the white of an egge?Yet this is no small addition to my sorrow, that yee speake unto me words that have no savour of any comfort, but rather tend towards my further dejection; surely, there is no more relish in your speeches, then in the white of an Egge without salt.

7 The things that my soule refused to touch are as my sorrowfull meat.And yet these are they, that I am forced to feed upon, for the present, though they be such, as my soule hath too much cause to abhorre.

10 Let him not spare, for I have not concealed the words of the holy One.Let him doe me this favour to take away my life; let him not spare me to my further vexation; for I have beene faithfull to him, and have not concealed the words of his mouth; but have freely declared them to the world.

18 Is not my helpe in me? and is wisedome driven away from me?How ever ye labour to dishearten me, yet have not I the testimony of a good conscience to beare mee up? is there not true spirituall wisedome yet remaining in me, to know both my God, and my selfe?

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully with me, as a brooke, &c.My kinsmen that came to comfort me, are like a deceitfull current of land-waters in winter.

16 Which are blackish by reason of the yce, &c.Which in the cold season seem to be strongly covered with a firme yce:

17 What time they waxe warme they vanish.But when the heat of the sunne hath risen upon them, and warmer seasons come in, they vanish away, as if they had never beene.

19 The troupes of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.The troupes of the Ismaelitish merchants, that trade unto Tema, made account to refresh themselves with p. 139those streames in that dry wildernesse; and so did the merchants that traffique to Sheba.

And now finde thēselves miserably disappointed, &c.20 They were confounded, &c.

Right such are ye unto me; for now,21 For now ye are nothing, &c. howsoever yee formerly seemed, ye are as nothing; having utterly deceived my hopes of kindnesse and mercy from you.

Was I ever beholden to any of you for a favour?22 Did I say, bring unto me; or give, &c? did I ever crave of any of you either gift, or rescue?

Doe you imagine that I speake nothing but light and idle words, and reprove me thereafter?26 Doe ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as winde? or doe yee account the passionate complaints of a man, thus desperately miserable, to be no other then winde?

Bethinke your selves well of the cruell wrong ye have offered me;29 Returne I pray you, let it not be iniquitie; yea, returne againe: my righteousnesse is in it. and goe not on to charge me thus unjustly; my righteousnesse and integrity is, and shall be apparent in this whole carriage of the matter.

CAP. VII.

AS a servant longeth after the approch of the night;2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow. when all things are shaded in a common darknesse.

My flesh,5 My flesh is clothed with wormes and with clods of dust. beyond all the ordinary condition of other men, is even in my life time annoied with wormes, that grow in my ulcerous sores; and with cloddy scabbes that fall off from me.

Am I as some boistrous, or raging sea,12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?Amos 1 or some huge unruly whale, that thou shouldst need to set such bounds of restraint upon me, and hold me in from passing out of this my limited misery?

So that my soule would rather (if I might have my free choice) wish to have my sorrow ended with a present dispatch, by strangling,15 So that my soule chooseth strangling. then thus to linger in continuall torment.

How long shall it be,19 How long wilt thou not depart from me? nor let me alone till I swallow downe my spittle. ere thou wilt release thy heavy hand, that is upon me; and give me but so much respite, as whiles a man may swallow downe his spittle?

For now I am dying; and, when that brunt is past,21 For now I sleepe in the dust, and thou shalt seeke me in the morning, but I shall not be. if thou wouldst make further use of me for the manifesting of thy power and my patience, I shall not be at all.

CAP. VIII.

LOoke how ordinary a thing it is for the rush that grows up without mire;11 Can a rush grow up without mire; can the flagge grow without water? or the flagge that sprouts up without water,12 Whiles it is yet in his greennesse and not cut downe, it withereth, &c. to wither and die without any hand cuting it off, so usuall a thing it is with God, to cause the p. 140ungrounded hypocrite to perish,14 And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish. after all the vaine hopes that his profession have raised.

17 His rootes are wrapped about the heape, and seeth the place of stones.His rootes are so vigorous, that by the force of their owne inward moisture they can grow, and spread, notwithstanding any opposition of rubbish, or stones in their way.

18 If hee destroy him from his place, then it shall denie him; saying, I have not seene thee.And, if his master have a minde to destroy him, and root him up, the very place where he grew shall not be acknowne of him; neither shall there be any mention left that such a one grew there.

21 Till hee fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lipps with rejoycing.Neither therefore will God leave thee in this extremity (if thou be, as thou pretendest, upright with him) nor will desist from mitigating thy affliction, so, as that thou shalt receive full and perfect consolation.

CAP. IX.

7 Which commandeth the sunne, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the starres.WHo, when he pleaseth, can command the Sunne not to rise in the morning, that it may make day; and can forbid the starres to appeare in the evening; and restraine the succession of the night.

Who ordereth all the set seasons of the yeare, and both maketh,9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South. and disposeth of those remarkable constellations, by which the foure seasons of the yeare are sensibly distinguished & governed; Arcturus which ariseth in autumne, Orion in winter, Pleiades or the seven starrs in the spring; and those other starres which lie hidden in the Southern coasts of heaven, which rise to us in the heate of Summer.

21 Though I were perfect, yet wold I not know my soule, I would despise my life.Though I were perfect, yet would I not stand out in the justification of my selfe before his presence; but if he have determined my death, would willingly surrender my life into his hands.

22 This is one thing, therefore I said it; he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.This is one especiall thing that I have noted, and justly stood upon, that the outward proceedings of God are indifferent towards all; he taketh away both the upright, and the wicked man.

24 He coverth the faces of the Iudges thereof: If not, where and who is he?He bringeth contēpt upon the great rulers of the earth; And if it be not he that doth it, where and who is he besides, that hath this power, and executes these judgements?

Let me seeme never so pure in mine owne eyes, yet, O Lord,31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me. the rigour of thy justice shall shew me as foule, as the man that is plunged in some filthy ditch; who is so defiled, that his very clothes make him more loathsome.

p. 141CAP. X.

O God, is it any profit, or advantage to thy glory,3 Is it good to thee that thou shouldest oppresse? that thou dealest so rigorously with me?

Hast thou not made me in a wonderfull fashion;10 Hast thou not poured me out as milke, and crudled me like cheefe? whiles of the liquid matter of my marvelous conception thou hast formed this solid substance of my body, by severall degrees of thy powerfull worke.

And though thou bestowedst so much cost upon me,13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart, I know that this is with thee. in my formation, yet thou didst from eternitie retaine in thy selfe this purpose of afflicting me; I know that this was from eternity determined by thee.

Thou renewest the convictions of my sinnes,17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me. which are thy heavy afflictions upon me.

Varieties of troubles by thine appointment fight against me.17 Changes and warre are against me.

CAP. XI.

IF he would manifest unto thee the hidden secrets of his wisedome;6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisedome, that they are double to that which is. thou shouldst finde that in strict rigor he might justly inflict double upon thee, to that thou now sufferest.

If he have purposed to alter the course of all things,10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, who shall hinder him? to destroy, or to draw into a narrow compasse those things which are now at a large, & diffused liberty, who can hinder his will, or proceedings?

For vaine man will be taking upon him to be wise,12 For vaine man would bee wise; though man be borne like a wild Asses colt. although in deed he is in himselfe no better then brutish.

If thou doe but digge a place where to pitch thy Tent,18 Yea thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. thou shalt dwell there as safely as in a walled city.

CAP. XII.

I Am as one mocked, and scorned of you my neighbours,4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him. and yet, how meanly so ever ye please to thinke of me, I am in my faithfull invocations upon God, heard, and gratiously answered by him.

He that is neare to his ruine (as I now am) is (unto those that prosper,5 He that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lampe despised in the thought of him that is at ease. and are at ease) like unto a lampe that is neare burning out to the very snuffe; and therefore despised by them for the present; how ever it have formerly shined.

You have told me of your age and wise experience,12 With the ancient is wisedome. p. 142wherein I detract nothing from you;13 With him is wisedome. but what is your wisedome to Gods? He is onelyonly, and all-wise, &c.

CAP. XIII.

8 Will ye accept of his person?DOe ye thinke he hath need of an unjust gratification from you; so as that he would have you give him an undue favour in his cause, out of by-respects?

12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes.Whatsoever thing of yours seemes memorable; or what monument so ever ye shall set up to your selves, it shall vanish away, and be scattered like ashes.

14 Wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth; and put my life in mine hand.Wherefore doe I give way to these desperate extremities, as if I would teare my flesh in pieces with my owne teeth? and why doe I cast away all the care of my life, as now past all possibilitie of recovery?

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him; but I will maintaine mine owne wayes before him.Though God should have determined thus to make an end of me, yet I will not cease to cast my selfe upon his hands, and confidently to relie upon his mercy; neither will I ever be driven from the defence of my honest sincerity, before him.

19 For now if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.I am so full of this griefe, that I cannot hold it in; and if I should not thus give it vent, it would presently kill me.

20 OnelyOnly doe not two things unto me; then will I not hide my selfe from thee.And if it shall please God to vouchsafe to argue this case with me, I shall desire but these two conditions of him; and then I will not withdraw my selfe for feare, from appearing before him.

21 Withdraw thine hand farre from mee, and let not thy dread make me afraid.One is, that hee would take off from mee this heavie hand of his present affliction, which overwhelmes me with the violence of it; the other, that he wold give me courage to beare out this my humble contestation, so as I may not be cōfounded with the terrors of his glorious majesty.

23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make thou mee to know my transgressions, and my sinne.O God, I cannot accuse my selfe of wilfull wickednesses against thee; but if there be any secret iniquity that I am not privie unto, doe thou make it knowne to mee, and convince me of it.

25 Wilt thou breake a leafe driven to and fro?Alas, Lord, am I a fit subject for thee to contend with? Oh consider my weaknesse, and my unworthinesse; and enter not into judgement with my vilenesse.

26 Thou makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth.Thou callest me to a backe-reckoning for the very sinnes of my youth; and doest now cause me to feele the smart of them.

27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, & lookest narrowly upon all my pathes, thou set'st a print upon the heeles of my feet.Thou shuttest me, in, sure and close with these strong afflictions, so as I cannot stir out of thy hand; thou dost strictly observe all my carriage; and, as if thou hadst set p. 143some soft morter, or clay under my feet, to take the impression of my steps, so hast thou curiously noted all my wayes.

Alas, Lord,28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth. if I looke to the condition of man in generall, what a poore vaine thing he is; for, behold, he consumeth away as a thing that is already rotten.

CAP. XIIII.

AS waters that after some exundation of the sea,11 As the waters faile from the sea; and the flood decaieth, and drieth up. or some great river, are left (upon the refluxe thereof) behind the rest, upon the plaine, which cannot returne, or continue, but drie up and evaporate; such is man.

All the daies of my appointed time upon earth,14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. will I patiently wait for that day, wherein my God shall change this my mortall condition for immortalitie; that so I may be ready for the happy day of my dissolution.

Thou dost not let go any of my transgressions,17 My transgressions are sealed up in a bag. but hast made sure worke with them, and hast packed, and sealed them up, that they may be forth-comming for my present punishment.

Certainely,18 And surely the mountaine falling commeth to nought, and the rocke is removed out of his place. if the hugest and strongest mountaines doe moulder away, and come to nothing; if the very hardest rocks be through the powerfull hand of God removed out of their places.

If the very stones be worne with water falling upon them;19 The waters weare the stones, thou washest away the things that grow out of the dust of the earth, & thou destroyest the hope of man. and deluges beare downe any thing that is fastned in the earth, &c. how much lesse shall weake and fraile man make account to continue upon the face of the earth.

When he is now in the agonie of death,21 His sonnes come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought lower, but he perceiveth it not. striving with those his last pangs, he litle regards what honour his son is newly comne vntounto, or what shame he hath incurred.

But his flesh upon him is in extremity of paine, which takes all up his thoughts, and senses;22 But his flesh upon him shall have paine, and his soule within him shall mourne. and his soule within him mournes for the present violence of his torment, and for the expectation or feare of the future.

CAP. XV.

IS it for a wise man (under a pretence of knowledge) to speake vaine words?2 Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge, and fill his belly with the East wind? and to have his heart filled with unprofitable, and harmfull imaginations.

I doe now see that thou hast cast off the feare of God;4 Yea, thou castest off feare, & restrainest prayer before God and art not carefull, and devout to call upon God, in thy p. 144tribulation; yea, in all kinde of inferred deniall of the providence of God, thou seemest to discourage others from calling upon him.

15 Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints.See chapter 4. verse 18.

20 The wicked man travaileth with paine all his dayes, and the number of his yeares, are hidden to the oppressour.The great Tyrans of the world, how ever they may seeme to flourish, yet have many secret girds and gripes of conscience; and are continually tormented within themselves; and yet, besides, they little know how long they shall be allowed to live upon earth; God keeps the stint of their life secret from them.

26 He runneth upon him even on his necke upon the thicke bosses of his buckler.He maketh violent and presumptuous opposition to God, as if he could graple with, and overcome the Almighty; and fearlesly runnes upon the most eminent judgements of God.

Because he lives at ease, and prospers in all his designes, so as through too much pampering his cheekes are covered with fatnesse.27 Because he covereth his face with fatnesse.

28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, &c.And he is able, through his power, to raise sumptuous buildings in those places, which others have forsaken as barren and inhabitable.

29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue; neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.Yet (for all this) though he can for a glory doe these great matters, this wealth of his shall not continue long; neither shall this his flourishing estate hold any long while upon the earth.

30 He shall not depart out of darknesse; the flame shall drie up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he goe away.He shall irrecoverably lie under those sad, and remedilesse calamities, which are cast upon him; and if any hopes of comfort doe beginne to looke forth, God shall presently scorch and defeat them by the flames of his displeasure; and shall utterly confound him by his just judgments.

31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity.Let not the man therefore that hath beene heretofore carried away with the vaine confidence in these earthly things, suffer himselfe to be so deceived any more.

32 It shall be accomplished before his time; and his branch shall not be greene.That recompence of his shall be so accomplished, that he shall be cut off before his naturall period; and his indevours shall be blasted at their first puting forth, neither shall ever come to any perfection.

33 He shall shake off his unripe grapes as the vine, and shall cost off his flowre as the Olive.He shall be as a Vine whose grape is perished in the very budde; and as an Olive whose flowre is cast off at the first putting forth; so as his hopes shall never attaine to any maturity.

35 Their belly prepareth deceit.Their secret thoughts doe but, in the event, deceive themselves.

p. 145CAP. XVI.

WHen wilt thou have made an end of these vaine speeches?2 Shall vaine words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou thus answerest? Or what hath moved thee to make so uncharitable a replie to my words?

But now, God hath loded me with sorrow,7 But now hee hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. till I am even weary of bearing it; yea thou, O Lord, hast put a distraction betwixt my family, my friends, and my selfe; and hast made us all miserable.

The wrinkles that are suddenly growne in my face are a sufficient witnesse of my extreme suffering.8 Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witnesse against me.

Mine enemie who beareth deadly hatred against me,9 He teareth me with his teeth who hateth me, &c. hath now his full scope of malice upon me; and in his cruelty insulteth ouer me at pleasure.

His wrath reacheth to my inmost parts;13 Hee cleaveth my reines asunder, he poureth out my gall upon the ground. even to my reines and gall; and leaveth no part of me free from his tormenting hand.

I have laid downe all mine honor in the dust;15 And defiled my horne in the dust. and have justly humbled my selfe (in the very height of my glory) by casting dust and ashes upon my forelorne head.

CAP. XVII.

IS not their unjust provocation continually in mine eye;2 Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? So as I cannot but be a wofull witnesse of their injurie?

I doe much desire to have my case throughly tried;3 Lay downe now, put me in surety with me? who is he that will strike hands with me? let me see then, who will give security to maintaine the suit with me, who will agree to joine issue with me upon this point.

He that flatters his friend shall finde God plaguing him both in himselfe, and in his seed after him.5 He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall faile.

But for me, this is not my case; I am scorned rather; it hath pleased God to give me over to so great misery,6 He hath made me also a byword of the people, & before them I was a tabret. that I am becomne a by-word to the world; and am the matter of minstralsie, and sport to mine enemies.

My great afflictions change my night into day; causing me to passe over that time of darknesse without any rest,12 They change the night into the day; the light is short because of darknesse. so as my thoughts are no lesse busie, then in the day time; and so great is the darknesse of my misery, that it eclipseth my day, and makes it either short, or none.

Tell not me of any restauration of my selfe,13 If I wait, the grave is my house, &c. or of my estate; all that I can wait for, is the grave; that shall (I hope) receive and shelter me.

I am even already entring into my grave;14 I have said unto corruption, Thou art my father: and to the wormes; Thou art my sister and my mother. the corruption p. 146whereof hath already seized upon me; and I have yeelded my selfe up unto it, and am as it were incorporated in it.

16 They shall goe downe to the barres of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.Those hopes that you speake of, shall goe downe with me to the bottome of the grave, and shall rest with me together in the dust.

CAP. XVIII.

4 He teareth himselfe in his anger; shall the earth be forsaken for thee; and shall the rocke be removed out of his place?HEare now, thou that talkest of tearing thy flesh with thy teeth for indignation, and sorrow; what, doest thou thinke that thy clamour and complaint can prevaile to alter Gods just administration; so as the earth should be forsaken because thou speedest ill; and the rockes removed, because thy miserie continues?

8 He is cast into a net by his owne feet.He shall by his owne plots, and devices, run himselfe into inextricable perplexities and miseries.

13 The first borne of death shall devoure all his strength.The most cruell and painfull death shall make an end of all his power and glory.

14 And it shall bring him to the King of terrors.His confidence shall at the last lead him into the extremest of all terrors, that can be conceived.

Yea, this terror shall dwell, and continue in his tabernacle,15 It shall dwell in his Tabernacle, because it is none of his; brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. which howsoever he possesseth, yet his conscience tells him is not his owne, since he hath got it by extortion, and violence; and God shall raine downe brimstone upon it, as he did upon Sodom.

He shall be like unto a withered tree, whose rootes; when they are once dried up below,16 His rootes shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branches be cut off. the branches are presently cut downe for fire-wood.

Posteritie shall be astonished to heare of the severe judgment of God executed upon him;20 They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as those that went before were affrighted. & those that lived in the same age with him, were affrighted at the sight of that vengeance which was inflicted upon him.

CAP. XIX.

3 These ten times have ye reproched me.WEe have had ten severall interlocutions, wherein you have most uncharitably and cruelly reproched me, ye have cast many and frequent aspersions of hypocrisie and wickednesse upon mine innocence.

6 Know now that God hath overthrowne me.If I be (as I am) most miserable: alas you should have considered that it is Gods hand that hath cast me down, which is both holy, and irresistible.

15 My maides count me for a stranger.My very maid-servants looke strangely, and overlie upon me, as if I were not their master; the very meanest p. 147of my familie slight and neglect me.

My wife,17 My breath is strange to my wife; though I entreated her for the childrens sake of my owne body. as she was ready to adde unto my triall by her ill counsell, so now, she keeps aloofe from me, and denies me the comfort and aid of her tendance in this extremitie, though I intreated, and importuned her, even by the remembrance of those children which she had borne from my loynes, which were the deare pledges of our conjugall love.

I have nothing that I can call skinne, about me,20 And I am escaped with the skinne of my teeth. but onelyonly that, which is of my gummes; for the rest, the flesh hath shrunke from the skinne; and the skin is gone into corruption.

If it hath pleased God to afflict me,22 Why doe ye persecute me as God? will yee afflict me too? He knoweth upon what holy and just reasons he proceedeth with his creatures, it is not for you to arrogate this to your selves; let it be enough therefore that Gods hand is upon me, though yours be not.

I am now to speake a sentence so memorable,23 Oh that my words were now written; Oh that they were printed in a booke, &c. that I could desire it should bee recorded to all posterity for ever.

How ever I am judged by you; yet this is my comfort, that I know I have a judge,25 For I know that my Redeemer liveth; and that he shall stand at the latter day, upon the earth. and gracious Redeemer to come; who lives eternally, when ye shall be gone to dust, and shall, one day, come downe to judge the quicke and the dead; & shall in that last day of our generall account, present himselfe here upon earth to the eyes of all flesh.

And though this skinne, and this body of mine,26 And though after my skinne wormes destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. shall now soone goe to corruption, and dust; yet in this very flesh of mine, raised up glorious by his divine power, I shall see my God and Saviour.

I shall see him with these mine owne eyes,27 Whom I shall see my selfe, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. and not with any others for me; I shall see & receive him as my just and gracious deliverer; both from those powers of death, and all these false calumniations which yee now cast upon me.

But yee should rather say; Alas,28 But ye should say; Why persecute wee him; seeing the root of the matter is found in me? why doe we persecute this distressed man any more? Seeing we find (if we looke to the very roote and bottome of this our quarrell) that he is upright, and innocent of those things whereof we have accused him.

CAP. XX.

HIs children shall be glad to make restitution to the poore;10 His children shall seeke to please the poore, and his hands shall restore their goods. and to stop their clamorous mouthes with a late satisfaction; yea perhaps himselfe with his owne p. 148hands shall give backe his extorted goods.

11 His bones are full of the sinnes of his youth.He shall, in his old decrepit age, feele the smart of the sinnes of his lawlesse youth; they shall sticke by him when he hath forgotten them, &c.

14 Yet his meat in his bowells is turned; it is the gall of aspes within him.Howsoever he have taken great pleasure in his sinnes, and, in the very act of them they have gone down sweet, yet in the end he shall finde them painfull, yea as deadly, as the venom of aspes.

17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brookes of hony and butter.Howsoever he hath promised himselfe great contentment, and felicity in his lawlesse courses, yet, hee shall finde himselfe utterly disappointed, his hopes shall faile him, and leave him quite destitute of all comforts.

21 There shall none of his meat be left, therefore shall no man looke for his goods.He shall not have so much as meat left to his mouth, much lesse shall there be ought for other men to hope for, after him.

22 Every hand of the wicked (or, troublesome) shall come upon him.Every hand of those whom he hath cruelly spoyled, shall be upon him; each of them shall vexe him, whether with suites, or violence, to recover his owne.

24 He shall flee from the yron weapon, and the bow of steele shall strike him thoroughWhen he desires and hopes to avoid a lesser danger, he shall fall into a greater.

A fire, not kindled by man, but sent downe from heaven in the just judgement of God,26 A fire unblowne shall consume him. shall consume him, as thou, O Iob, hast not long since had lamentable proofe.

CAP. XXI.

4 Is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?IF I had onelyonly to doe with man, in this my misery, and had no other to make my complaint unto, I had just reason to be utterly dejected; but now, I have a God to make my moane unto.

6 Even when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold of my flesh.When I bethinke my selfe of my owne grievous calamity, and (on the contrary side) of the great, and apparent prosperity of wicked men, I am so vexed, and disquieted with the consideration hereof, that my very flesh trembleth.

16 Lo, their good is not in their hand; the counsell of the wicked is farre from me.Yet, for all that, the prosperity of the wicked is not in their owne hands, to continue at pleasure; no they are in the power of that just God, who can crush them when he thinkes good; and therefore, farre be it from me, notwithstanding all their outward peace and glory, to yeeld unto the wayes of wickednesse.

19 God layeth up his iniquitie for his children.God reserveth the outward punishment of his iniquitie, to be (besides his owne person) inflicted upon his children after him.

24 His brests (or, pailes) are full of milke; and his bones are moistened with marrow.The udders of his cattle, and his pailes, are full of milke; and his bones are strong, and his flesh firme and p. 149succulent; so as, both his outward estate and his body doe exceedingly prosper and flourish.

Ye say in a secret scorne;28 For ye say, Where is the house of the Prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked? Where is now the house of this great man that hath borne himselfe as a Prince amongst his neighbours; or what is becomne of this wicked mans habitation? He pretended godlinesse, but this very disolation shewes what he was.

He is so great and imperious,31 Who shall declare his way to his face, or who shall repay him what he hath done? that no man dares reprove him for his faults; or offer to punish him for his injuries done.

He shall be glad to rest in the grave:33 The clods of the vallie shall be sweet unto him; and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him. And by the law of nature every man shall follow after him, in his owne time, to that common receptacle of all flesh; as there are also innumerable gone thither before him.

CAP. XXII.

THou, through thy covetousnesse and pride,8 The mighty man hee had the earth. didst engrosse the earth to thy selfe.

Affliction like a violent streame beares thee over,11 Abundance of water covers thee. and covers thee, as drowning in the bottome of it.

Hast thou not observed the course that God hath of old wont to take with the wicked?15 Hast thou not marked the old way which wicked men have troden?

This is the lot of wicked men, whereas wee that are righteous and godly speede otherwise;20 Whereas our substance it not cut downe; but the remnant of them the fire consumeth. our substance is both continued, and multiplied; but as for them, that which remaines of their riches, together with their persons, shall be consumed with the fire of Gods displeasure.

When thou seest good men cast downe,29 When men are cast downe, then shalt thou say, There is a lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. then shalt thou, by the strength of thy faith, say; there shall be an xealtation for these men; and God will finde a time to deliver, and honor the humble person.

He shall deliver a whole Iland for the sake of one innocent and righteous man, and if thou wert he,30 He shall deliver the Iland of the innocent; and it is delivered by the purenesse of thine hands. the purenesse of thy hands should obtaine this favour from him, that for his respect to thee he would spare many.

CAP. XXIII.

EVen still I have every day more cause then other,2 Even to day is my cōplaint bitter; my stroke is heauier then my groaning. to complaine of my great affliction; and the stroke that I feele from God, is more heavie then my groanings can expresse.

Oh that I knew where,3 Oh that I know where I might finde him? That I might come even to his seat. and how I might meet with p. 150God, that I might lay open my estate before him, and in an humble manner argue the case of my suffering, with him.

6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No, but he would put strength in me.I know he is gratious, he would not stand either upon his rigour, or his power with me; but would mercifully sustaine me, and give me courage, and abilitie to stand out in the maintenance of my sincerity before him.

7 There the righte…us might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my Iudge.Upon these termes, a man of upright heart might hold a lowly contestation with him; which once done, being absolved by his most just sentence, I should be delivered for ever, from the slanders and condemnations of my unjust censurers.

8 Behold I goe forward, but he is not there; & backward, but I cannot perceive him.But, alas, I know not how to come to have speech with the Almightie; though he bee every where, yet he doth not in any one place or way manifest himselfe so, as to admit any plea of mine; in vaine therefore shall I hope to argue my cause with him.9 On the left hand, &c.

13 But he is in one minde, and who can turne him?But, Oh vaine man that I am, how should I hope to alter the determinations of that wise and powerfull God; what he hath decreed, must be; and who can change his purposes?

14 And many such things are with him.Many such things (as these his proceedings with me) doth he in his great and unlimited power and unsearchable wisedome bring to passe; whereof we can give no reason or judgement.

17 Because I was not cut off before the darknes, neither hath he covered the darknesse from my face.I am astonished at the hand of the Almighty, for that I am still upheld by his power in these extremities, and not cut off by death before this darknesse of sorrow and misery over-whelmed me; neither yet hath he restrained these intolerable evills from seizing upon mee; but hath caused me to feele them, and not to be swallowed up by them.

CAP. XXIIII.

1 Why (seeing the times are not hidden from the Almighty) doe they that know him not, see his dayes.IT is good reason we should attribute so much to the most wise providence of the Almighty, that he knowes and hath determined of the fittest times for his owne actiōs; but why will men be so presumptuous, as (though they know him not, yet) to foresee, and foreset the daies and times for his judgements,

2 Some remove the land markes, they violently take away flockes, &c.There are wicked men that give themselves to all violent and licentious outrages, of removing of land-markes, driving away the flockes and heards of their neighbours.

5 Behold as wild Asses in the desert, goe they forth to their worke.They runne as eagerly after their spoile and rapine, as p. 151the wilde Asse in the desert, runnes after his prey.

They reape every one his share of corne in another mans field;6 They reape every one his corne in the field; and they gather the vintage of the wicked. and gather that vintage which their cruell oppression hath forced to be theirs.

So as their naked bodies are exposed to the showers that fall from the mountaines;8 They are wet with the showers of the mountaines, and embrace the rocke for want of a shelter. & are faine to seek shelter of the rocke, to keepe them from the violence of the weather.

The poore and painfull man toiles hard for these oppressors, to scruze out their Oyle and wine within their owne walls, and is forced to thirst the while;11 Which make oyle within their walls, and tread their winepresses, yet suffer thirst. being by their cruelty abridged of his wages, and livelode; and not suffered so much as to tast of his owne labours.

They are of those that hate the light,13 They are of those that rebell against the light. which reproves their wicked deeds, and layes them open to the view of the world.

Thus doth the evill man;18 He is swift as the waters, their portion is cursed upon earth; he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards. but shall he prosper in his mischeife? No, God shall soone be avenged of him; hee shal passe away swiftly, even as an headdy current of waters; and, whiles he continues here, he injoyes that which he hath, with a curse; his lo… shall be barrennesse, so as he shall not so much as looke towards the way of the vineyards; he shall have no hope of receiving the benefit of his seasonable culture of the earth.

As the moisture of the snow (which is more light and aery) is dried up by the heate of the Sun-beames,19 Drought and heate consume the snow waters; so doth the grave those which have sinned. so are the sinners suddenly consumed by that death, and destruction which God sends upon them.

Though this wicked man seeme to passe his time in much securitie, and confidence;23 Though it be given him to be in safety, wheron he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their waies. yet the eyes of God are so upon his waies; as that he observes him to take his advantages against him; and to fit him with judgements.

CAP. XXV.

HE is an awfull God that hath the absolute dominion over all the world; he ordereth the very heavens, so,2 Dominion and feare are with him, he maketh peace in his high places. that there is a perfect harmony in all the (seemingly contrary) motions thereof; and contriveth all things so, that they agree to glorifie him.

How innumerable troupes of glorious Angells hath he there above,3 Is there any number of their armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise. & how infinite armies of his creatures to execute his will upon all occasions? and how gratious is he in sending forth his light into all the corners of the earth; and how wise in searching all the secrets of humane actions and counsells?

p. 152CAP. XXVI.

2 How hast thou helped him that is without power? &c.OH what goodly help hast thou given to the Almighty! Ywis be had not had power enough to right himselfe without thee; foolish man, that pleadest for God, as if he had need of thy patronage.

5 Dead things are formed from under the waters and the inhabitants thereof.What doest thou tell me of a providence ordering those heavenly bodies, and motions? I know all this and more; and tell thee againe, that the same providence reacheth to all those obscure creatures, which are formed under the waters, and under the earth; so as they have not their being and continuance, but from him.

6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.Yea, the very lowest part of the earth lies naked and open to his all-seeing eyes; hee knowes the places and wayes, and meanes of the dissolution of all the creatures which he hath made.

7 He stretcheth out the North over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.He hath spread out this glorious hemisphere of the heavens upon the void and empty space of the light, and thinne ayre; and hangeth the great ball of the earth in the midst of heaven, without any prop or foundation.

9 He holdeth backe the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.He hideth the face of heaven (which is his throne) from our sight; by spreading his thicke clouds betwixt it, and us.

The high mountaines (upon whom the heaven seemes to rest,11 The pillers of the heaven tremble, and are astonished at his reproofe as so many pillars) tremble and shake with his earthquakes.

His hand hath made the huge and mighty Whale in the waters,13 His hand hath formed the crooked serpent. and the monstrous and dreadfull serpent on the land.

CAP. XXVII.

AS God liveth who hath not yet given any outward and sensible signification that he hath taken notice of my cause,2 As God liveth who hath taken away my judgment; who hath vexed my soule. to cleare and avenge me; but contrarily hath laid many sore afflictions upon me.

CAP. XXVIII.

HOw ever you have pleased to passe your censure concerning the proceedings of God,1 Surely there is a veine for silver, & a place for gold, where they fine it. certainly his wayes, and his wisedome are unsearchable; there is a certaine and determinate place for these earthly treasures, where they may be found out, there is a veyne for silver, and a place for gold.

p. 153And so it is with the courser mettalls:2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brasse is molten out of the stone. Iron is found in the earth; and brasse is molten out of the oare, which is the rude matter of it.

He setteth a stint,3 He setteth an end to darknesse, and searcheth out all perfection; the stones of darknesse, and shadow of death. or limit to the most obscure places of the earth; and by the industry of man findes them out; and workes out of them the purity and perfection of the best metals and Mines; and fetcheth thence those precious or usefull stones, which lay hid in darknesse, and utter obscurity.

He disposeth of the waters also at his pleasure;4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot; they are dried up; they are gone away from men. so as one while the flood breaketh out by a sudden inundation; and, soone after, is so dried up, that the passengers foot takes not notice that ever any water was there.

As for the earth it yeelds bread corne in the surface of it,5 As for the earth, out of it commeth bread, and under it, is turned up fire. and the bowells of it yeeld combustible matter for the use of man.

Among the quarries of the earth are Sapphires and other precious stones found, and digged up,6 The stones of it are the places of Sapphires, & it hath dust of gold. and the oare of gold is also had amongst the dust, and mold thereof.

There are indeed secret places of the earth,7 There is a path which no fowle knoweth, &c. which never any creature came to the sight of, &c.

But in all these regions of the clouds, of the earth,12 But where shall wisedome be found, &c? of the waters, where shall wisdome be found?

Neither is it to be found amongst living men;13 Neither is it found in the land of the living. since it is not an earthly, but an heavenly thing.

However the wind is the most light of all creatures,25 To make weights for the windes. and uncapable of any ponderation, yet he who made it can make weights wherein to poyse it.

CAP. XXIX.

VVHen the light of his countenance shone graciously upon me;3 When his candle shined upon my head, &c. and gave me comfort and successe in all my actions.

When I had such abundance of all these outward things,6 When I washed my steps with butter. that in the plenty of my milke I might have washed and suppled my feet with butter, &c.

Then did I please my selfe in the confidence of my continuing happinesse; and durst boldly resolve,18 Then I said; I shall die in my nest. I shall die in peace, and fulnesse of dayes in my owne house.

If by my smiles I gave intimation that I gave not assent to any report,24 If I laughed on thē they beleeved it not, and the light of my countenance they did not cast downe. it was presently distrusted by the hearers, or, if I sported with them, they had such an awfull opinion of my gravitie, that they did not thinke me to p. 154be in jest; neither did they forbeare to give me all due reverence, and to hold their great respects to me.

CAP. XXX.

1 Whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogges of my flocke.WHose fathers I would have disdained to have made the keepers of those dogges, which tended upon my flockes.

2 Whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?For what use could I have made of them, which had wholly lost their time, and lived idly and unprofitably?

Because God hath bereaved me of that power and honor,11 Because hee hath loosed my cord and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me. which I formerly injoyed, therefore they let loose the reines of their obedience and respects to me.

By the running of my sores my garment is all stained with purulent matter, and requires a frequent change: yea,18 By the great force of my disease, is my garment changed; it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. it cleaveth so close unto my bodie, by the meanes of this loathsome moisture, as the collar of my coat is straitened to my necke.

Thou tossest me up with thy judgements, as dust or chaffe is blowne up with the wind.22 Thou liftest me up to the winde, &c.

My paine forceth me to so lamentable cryes, and ejulations,29 I am a brother of Dragons, and a companion to Owles. that I might seeme fit to be consorted with Dragons, and Owles, in some horrible desert, whose howlings and shriekings are wont to bee held most mournfull and ominous.

CAP. XXXI.

1 I made a covenant, &c.2 For what portion of God is there from above? &c.FOr if I had suffered my eyes and my heart to rove after these unlawfull lusts,10 Then let my wife grinde unto another, &c. what could I have looked for at the hand of God, but due vengeance?

11 Yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the Iudges.Then let my wife become false to my bed, and repay my sinne with the like adultery; let me be plagued (as I deserve) in my owne kinde.

21 If I have lift up my hand against the fatherlesse when I saw my help in the gate.This had beene a capitall offence, worthy to be punished by the sword of authority.

If I have used my power injuriously against the fatherlesse,26 If I beheld the Sun when it shined, or, the moone walking in brightnesse. when I saw that my sentence would have beene seconded, and would have carried it, upon the bench.

If when I have beheld thy glorious creatures, the Sun and the Moone;27 And my heart hath beene secretly intised, or my mouth hath kissed my hand. I have given way to any Idolatrous conceits; and have ascribed divine honour unto them, as my Heathen neighbours do; this were indeed an heinous and capitall wickednesse.28 This also were an iniquitie, &c.

p. 155If the people of my house were not so taken up with the offices, & imployments of my hospitality to others,31 If the men of my Tabernacle said not, Oh that wee had of his flesh; we cannot be satisfied. that they had no leasure to feed themselves, and therefore complained for want of that flesh, which they dressed for others.

If I have made shifts and excuses to hide or diminish my offence, as the manner of men is,33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam. who doe herein imitate our first father Adam, and from him have derived this corruption.

Did I forbeare to reprove, or oppose any sinne,34 Did I feare a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrifie me? because it was backed by a multitude of offenders; or if I suffered my selfe to be dishartened by the feare of that contempt, which might fall upon me from large combinations and families.

Oh,35 Oh that one would heare me! Behold my desire is that the Almighty would answere me, and that mine adversary had written a booke. that I had a faire and equall hearing in this cause of mine; yea, I could presume so farre as to wish that the Almighty himselfe would be pleased to undertake this businesse; and that my triall might be the more certaine, Oh that my adversaries would put in their bill of complaint in writing against me.

Surely I would much rejoyce,36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and binde it, as a crowne, to mee. and triumph in that inditement; and would account it the greatest honour that could be done me.

I would helpe such a one with such informations against my selfe, as he should never be able to finde out;37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a Prince would I goe neare unto him. and when I have done, I would encounter him boldly, and courageously, as some warlike Prince would come into the field against a weake enemie.

CAP. XXXII.

I Said, as in good manners I ought;7 I said, dayes should speake: and multitude of yeares should teach wisedome. Those that are ancient & full of dayes should speake; and those that had many yeares experience should be most able to teach wisedome to their yonger.

But I see, all is not in age; there is a spirit of God which,8 But there is a spirit in man. breathing where it listeth, maketh a difference in men.

Doe not thinke,13 Lest ye should say, we have found out wisedome. God thrusteth him downe, not man. or say that you have by your great wisedome convinced Iob, upon this ground, that God hath afflicted him, not man; and God being just punishes none but a sinner; therefore Iob is an hypocrite; I shall goe another way to worke with him.

I dare not sooth up and flatter any man in a false conceit; if I should so doe,22 For I know not to give flattering titles, in so doing my Maker would soone take me away. I know God would be sure to be speedily avenged of me.

p. 156CAP. XXXIII.

14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, but man perceiveth it not.MAny times, and divers wayes doth God solicit, and admonish men, yet such is the dulnesse, and security of their hearts; that they either doe not, or will not heare and understand him.

16 Then hee openeth the eares of men, and sealeth their instructions.Then and by these meanes he causeth men to heare, and imprinteth in their heart his instructions.

That he may prevaile with man to withdraw him from those evill courses,17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. and resolutions which he hath undertaken, and that he may convince him of his proud and insolent conceits, which he hath harboured in himselfe.

23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightnes.When a man is thus soundly humbled, if a faithfull messenger, and minister of God (which is not easie and common to be found) shall shew that man his true estate, both in the truth of his repentance, and in the safety of his faithfull dependence upon his All-sufficient Redeemer.

24 Then he is gratious unto him, and saith, Deliver him frō going downe to the pit, I have found a ransome.Then will God be gratious to that man, and will administer seasonable comforts to his soule; and say; This man shall be delivered from hell; I have found perfect and absolute atonement and ransome for him, in the blood of that Saviour in whom he hath beleeved.

CAP. XXXIIII.

6 Should I lie against my right; my wound is incurable without my transgression.SHould I belie my selfe in my owne cause, so as to say, I have received hard measure from God, without any desert of mine; I am plagued, and have not offended.

7 What man is like Iob, who drinketh up scorne like water?There is no man that pretends to be so wise and holy as Iob, that would thus expose himselfe to the scorne of the world in his insolent chalenges; or would thus turne off the grave admonitions of his friends with scorne, and contempt.

14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himselfe his spirit, and his breath.If God would resolve to deale with man according to his absolute power; if he should call backe that life and soule which he hath given him.

15 All flesh shall perish.There were no abiding; all flesh should perish at once.

17 Shall he that hateth right, govern? &c.Is it fit for thee who fondly censurest the just proceedings of God, to over-rule thy maker?

20 In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight.He shall fetch away the great commanders of the earth, in a time when it is least expected; even in the deepest of security shall he cause astonishment and tumult p. 157in the death of the mighty ones.

That man should hereupon have any just cause of contestation with God; or any ground of cavill against him.23 That he should enter into judgement with God.

Yea, not onelyonly doth God execute his judgements upon the vulgar people onelyonly,30 That the hypocrite reigne not, lest the people be insnared. but on the great Potentates of the earth; so as he strikes wicked tyrans with his plagues, lest the people should be too much oppressed with their injustice.

Doest thou thinke it meet that God should proceed in his judgements according to thy conceits;33 Should it be according to thy minde? he will recompence it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou chuse, and not I. if thou and I should determine what were fit for him to doe; he will take what course he thinkes best; whether thou or I like it, or dislike it.

CAP. XXXV.

IF thou sinnest, what dost thou hurt him? Is his holines,6 If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him; or if thy transgressions bee multiplied what dost thou unto him? justice, power ever the lesse, because thou hast transgressed; is ought diminished from his essence by thine offence?

Many make formall flourishes, but none doth heartily acknowledge the powerfull and just hand of that God, who gives due & seasonable comfort to the soule,10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night? in the deepest and darkest night of our sorrowes.

Therefore they crie out,12 Therefore they cry (but none heareth them) because of the pride of evill men. and complaine of the pride and oppressions of wicked men, but God giveth them not answer, by reason of their impenitence and unbeleefe.

Although thou saiest that God gives thee no assurance of his presence by any sensible demonstration,14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgement is before him, therefore trust thou in him. yet certainly he will be sure to execute true (though secret) judgement in all the cases of men; & therefore doe thou acknowledge him, and trust in him.

But now,15 But now because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger: yet he knoweth it not in great extremitie. because thou dost not approve thy selfe to him as thou oughtest, therefore he hath afflicted thee in his anger: Yet Iob doth not consider that his suffering is not in such extremity as his sinne hath deserved.

CAP. XXXVI.

WHen hee afflicteth them,13 They crie not when he bindeth them. they doe not humble themselves under the hand of God, and repent them of their sinnes.

Doe not thou wish for night,20 Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place. as thinking that that silent and quiet time might give thee ease from thy p. 158thoughts; whiles thou hast to doe with a God that can in an instant cut off whole nations, much more thee, who art one weake, and fraile man.

21 For this hast thou rather chosen then affliction.Thou hast rather chosen to taxe the proceedings of God in thy weake impatience, then meekely to suffer his affliction.

Behold, when the heaven is overcast with cloudes, he sendeth forth his bright beames,30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottome of the sea. and inlightneth, and cheareth the face thereof; and againe sendeth such gloomy and darke clouds, as that the blacknesse and obscurity thereof shadeth even to the bottome of the sea.

33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattel also concerning the vapour.The noise of thunder which is in the cloud, sheweth and presageth the raine, which will poure downe from it: and the very cattle have a kinde of notice, and give a certaine intimation (by signes and tokens) of the falling of that moist vapour.

CAP. XXXVII.

2 Heare attentively the noise of his voice.WHiles we are now speaking, heare how dreadfully the noise of his thunder sounds in the clouds, &c.

2 Out of the South commeth the whirlwind; and cold out of the North.Out of those hidden chambers of his, which are the southerne coasts, the strong winds arise; and the cold windes come from the North.

11 By watering hee wearieth the thick cloud.He spends out all the moisture of the thicke cloud in watering the earth.

13 He causeth them to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.He sendeth abundance of raine, whether for the punishment of men, or for the fruitening of the earth, or for the refreshing of men.

17 How thy garments are warme, when he quieteth the earth by the South winde.How it comes about that the ayre is so hote as that thou canst not abide thy clothes on; when in a calme season the South Sunne shines upon thee; and the warme Southerne windes blow in thy face.

18 Which is strong, and as a molten looking-glasse.Which seemes unto us so firme and solid, as if it were a looking glasse of some strong polished metall.

19 We cannot order our speach by reason of darknesse.We know not how to order, or dispose our speeches to him, by reason of that grosse darkenesse of ignorance wherewith we are inwrapped.

20 If a man speake, surely hee shall be swallowed up.If a man will bee opposing him in his speech; and questioning his justice, surely he shall be confounded.

If men be not able with their weake eyes to behold the brightnesse of the Sunne,21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the cloudes, but the winde passeth and cleanseth them. which shineth in the lightsome clouds, when the winde passeth thorough, and disperseth them.

And when the ayre is cleared by the North winds, how shall they be able to looke God in the face,22 Faire weather commeth out of the North; with God is terrible Majesty. and to p. 159hold contestation with him; whose majesty is terrible, beyond the powers of our apprehension?

The best wisedom of men is but foolishnesse to him; he makes no reckoning therfore of that vaine wisedome,24 He respecteth not any that are wise in heart. with the conceit whereof men are wont to please themselves.

CAP. XXXVIII.

VVHo is this,2 Who is this that darkeneth counsell by words without knowledge? that ignorantly casts unjust aspersions upon the most wise and holy decrees, and proceedings of the Almighty?

When the glorious starres in their first creation did in their kind celebrate the praises of their maker,7 When the morning starres sung together; and all the sonnes of God shouted for joy. and the Angells of God, created by that omnipotent word of his, testified their joy and thankfulnesse to the God, that made them such.

Whose power,9 When I made the cloud the garment therof; and the thicke darknesse as the swadling band for it. when he had brought forth the sea as a new borne infant, wrapped it about with clouds, as with clouts and swadling-bands.

And set upon it my everlasting decree for the bounds,10 And brake up (or se…) my decreed place. and motion thereof.

That evill doers (who hate the light of the day) might be affrighted by the rising of it,13 That the wicked might be shaken out of it. from their wicked projects.

The earth is by the comming of the light changed into divers formes;14 It is turned as clay to the seale; and they stand as a garment. and differs upon the impression thereof, as waxe, or clay doth at the stamping of a new seale; so as it seemes quite other then it was; and men (especially guilty malefactors) are shifted by the breaking forth of the light, like to so many severall garments.

Didst thou ever enter into that my store-house of meteors,22 Treasure of snow, &c. which I have decreed to bring forth upon all occasions of my judgements upon men?

Dost thou know how the lightning comes to breake forth of the cloud;23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble. and how that vapor there included doth with great violence scatter a blustring winde upon the earth.

See chapter 9. verse 9.24 By what way is the light parted? which scattereth the East winde upon the earth.

Canst thou alter the seasons of the yeare;31 Canst thou binde the sweet influences of Pleiades, &c. Orion, &c? or cause a restraint of the Spring, Summer, Autumne, &c?

Canst thou bring forth those hidden starres of the South;32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sonnes? or direct the Northern Constellations in their courses?

Knowest thou what lawes God hath made for the33 Knowest thou the ordinance of heavens and canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? p. 160motions, and influences of the heaven; and what power he hath given to their operations on the earth?

CAP. XXXIX.

1 Knowest thou the time when the wilde goates of the rocke bring forth?CAnst thou understand, or dispose of the conceptions, and birthes of the wildest creatures?

19 Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?Hast thou inabled him to neigh so loud, and strongly, as if it were the ratling of thunder.

24 Neither beleeveth he that it is the sound of the Trumpet.Neither doth conceive any terror at all in the alarum to the battel?

26 And stretch her wings towards the South.Is it by thine appointment, and instinct, that the hauke wasteth her nimble and swift wings, to flie into the warmer climates of the South?

30 Her yong ones also suck up blood; and where the slaine are, there is she.Whereas other foules drinke water, the yong Eagle is wont (and who taught it him?) to suck in the blood of his prey; and where carcasses are, thither, by a strange sagacity of nature, is drawne to resort.

CAP. XL.

15 Behold now, Behemoth which I made with thee, he eateth grasse as an oxe.LOoke but upon two of my creatures; the one on the land, the other in the water; both hugh, and mighty; behold the Elephant first, which I have formed and placed in thy view, and made apt to thy use; which, though he be so vast that his very stature is enough to terrifie the beholder, yet I have caused him to eate grasse like the oxe, and to feed on no prey but these sleight vegetables.

17 Hee moveth his taile like a Cedar; and the sinewes of his stones are wrapt together.In his lust he moueth his generative part, like to some Cedar, and the sinewes of his stones are wrapt together, like to the rootes of those tall and strong trees.

Will any man be able by open force to take him, whiles he sees,24 He taketh it with his eyes, (or as the margin rather) will any take him in his sight, or bore his nose with a ginne? and is forewarned of the enterprise, or can he be taken by the nose, as a fish with an hooke; is he not able to breake through all the dangers of a violent taking.

CAP. XLI.

1 Canst thou draw up Leviathan with an hooke?IN like manner, cast thine eye into the deep waters, and see there the great whale that I have framed; canst thou thinke to angle for him,7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed yron? as for small fish, &c.

Canst thou pierce his skin with barbed hookes?

p. 161If thou lay thy hand upon him to strike him,8 …ay thine hand upon him, remember the battell, doe no more. thou shalt have so much reason to feele the smart of this conflict, that thou shalt not medle with him any more.

Who hath done me any favour in helping me to make,11 Who hath prevented me that I should repay him? or governe the world, or in furthering my actions, that I may repay it unto him.

Who is able to turne over that skinne wherewith hee is covered as with a garment?13 Who can discover the face of his garment?

Whē he neeseth, he maketh, as it were,18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning. a fire to breake forth at his nostrills and eyes; and when thou beholdest his eyes, thou wouldest thinke thou sawest the Sunne rising in the morning.

And if from any other creature,22 And sorrow is turned into joy before him. there be occasion of trouble and vexation offered to him, he takes pleasure therein, as that which he will turne to his advantage and triumph.

Out of the feare of his vehement and terrible motions, they are glad to make their peace with God,25 By reason of breakings they purifie themselves. that they may be ready for that dissolution, which is threatned unto them thereby.

Where he moves in the sea,32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would thinke the deepe to be hoary. he causeth a mention of his way in the waters, leaving behind him a white kinde of fome, on the face of the sea, discernable from the rest of the waves.

He doth in the confidence of his great strength over looke all other living creatures,34 He beholdeth all high things; he is a King over all the children of pride. and exalt himselfe over the proudest of them; as thinking himselfe more strong and mighty then they.

CAP. XLII.

THe Lord also heard the prayer of Iob,9 The Lord also accepted of Iob. that he made for his friends, and so accepted of his person, and his devotion, that he forgave their offence upon his intercession.

And the Lord released that miserable affliction,10 And the Lord turned the captivitie of Iob; when he prayed for his friends. under which Iob was held bound; when, out of his meeknesse, and charitie, he was content to pray for those his persecuting friends.

They came to him,11 Every man also brought him a piece of money, and every one an eare-ring of gold. & by way of gratulation brought him, each of them, a gift, a piece of coine usuall in those times (stamped with a sheepe or lambe) and an earering of gold.

Their father,15 And their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. as the reward and incouragement of their vertues, gave them a possession of land, that they p. 162should be coheires of his estate, and territories, as their brethren were, and should share proportionally with them.