give me strength to bear My Losses so as all men may confess Who see me in this miserable case That thou hast not depriv'd yet of Grace Lord theâ— what shall I say thou giv'st thou tak'st Thou raises thou throws down again thou mak'st And thou unmak'st O let thy glorious Name Sound in the Trumpet of eternal Fame For all thy Actings are both just and fair And well thou know'st what Criminals men are And what they do deserve O make me then Highest of late but lowest now of men O make 〈◊〉 wiâ—â— a 〈◊〉 patience Endure what thou art pleased to dispense Thus though we see Jobs Grief was answerable To his Condition which was lamentable Yet in his greatest paroxism of woe He did not sin nor treat his Maker so As if he would accuse him foolishly For th' only author of his Misery Then happy he who can his loss sustain With patience and not of God complain For when Afflictions Storms from Heavens do fall We ought to suffer and not cry at all Because we know that God affliction sends Upon a many whom he least intends â— extirpate in his anger for we shall See this good mans afflictions after all Converted to a fair and pleasant Scaene Of Wealth and Honours and a most serene Aspect of Favour when our God doth show To Job his Face ex Postliminio Cap. II. HEre 's a Grand-Tryal then awake all you Who ever in your lives Affliction knew Sum up your Sorrows reckon all your Woes And all your wreaking Miseries unclose Your Crosses and your Losses all declare See who with Jobs afflictions can compare Or with his Patience For now his Issue Wealth and Honours gone His Body must be sadly rack'd anon And put to horrid torture as if what He yet had lost were not proportionate To th' merits of so great a Criminal He must endure the question after all See here then God again in Judgment set Environed with Majesty and State Before whom numerous Angels do appear As if for jury they impannelled were He who by Virtue of his late permission Had to a most deplorable condition Reduc'd this pious man appears there too To see if there was more mischief to do Satan from whence says God from compassing The Earth and there securely travelling In every corner doing all I can Says he to dissappoint the Hopes of Man I 've done what thou allowd says he and â—ow I ask if thou hast any more to do For me on earth is there another there Whom thou thinkst just and upright let me hear Is there a man for whom thou hast esteem Under the Heavens pray let me know his name And by thy good permission I shall try The utmost Force of his Integrity I 'le soon reduce him to the same estate As I have done thy other man of late And then thou 'lt see that all those upright men Are but thy Servants for their privat gain Not so says Heavens King for yet I see My faithful Servant Job doth honour me The Man whom thou so falsly didst accuse As though he like a Hireling would refuse To serve me were his wages taken from him See now thy malice cannot overcome him Th' hast cut off all his Family and tane His means from him yet he doth not complain He thou didst move me without cause t' oppress See he continues firm in uprightness True says the Enemy of Man 't is true To give thy faithful Servant Job his due He bears his Losses yet with that Submission As I expected none in his condition Could well ha' done for by this time I thought The Bitter Potion would a shreudly wrought But yet when I consider these mean Creatures Whom thou call'st men I do observe their Natures To be above all things most prone to live For Skin for Skin all they possess they 'll give For one hours breath so yet thy Servant Job Because as of his goods I cannot robb Him of his life truly he doth dispense With loss of these since the convenience Of breathing is allow'd him still I know The man is in great misery and wo. His Losses do oppress his Spirits sore Yet as a Ship-wrack'd-man when got a-shore Glad to have ' scap'd with life doth soon forget His losses and though wearyed faint and wet To the next Village hee 'll a begging go For men will rather beg than dye we know So Job though stripp'd of all yet still in health Already has forgot his former wealth So glad hee 's yet alive he has forgot The loss of Children Honours Fame what not He with Contentment begs and eats his bread And only sighs for those are lately dead Nay now he with some ease doth spend his years Because hee 's free of all his former cares But pâ—â—â—â—â—â— now great God stretch out thy Hand And touch his Body let me but demand This favour of the once for all and then I 'le make this Job of all the Race of Men The most impatient then thou 'st quickly see What is his true Opinion of thee For with his paines I 'le alter soon the case And make him curse thee to thy very face Then says the Lord his Person 's in thy hand But save his Life I strictly do command And thou shalt surely see all thy designs Soon disappointed by his countermines Of Piety and Patience Out flies the Devil and instantly doth fall On Job by Execution Personal He baits his Body with a thousand sores And makes an humour issue from its pores So pestilentious hot and purulent So foul so loathsome and so virulent As soon his Body doth appear all o're To be but one continued scabby sore Merciful Heavens What a sad sight is here Pouldred with Ulcers Job doth now appear All Comforts and Subsistence from him taken His Body with a scorching Feaver shaken Of loathsome sores what shall this poor man doe Thus cruciat in Mind and Body too Why patiently he sits on Dung and Asâ—â—s Not bursting out in angry fits and flashes As in like case a many sure would doe But with a peice of broken pitcher now He scrapes the putrid matter from his sores And silently his sad Estate deplores But all th' efforts of cruel Poverty With Heavenly thoughts and smiles of Piety One of undaunted spirit will make sweet Though he can neither have to drink nor eat Diseases of the Body often too Afford such thoughts as Health will scarce allow Our Entertainment for when free of pains And in the ouzy channels of our Veins Our Blood flows smoothly then we think on pleasures On Honours and in hoording foolish Treasures And on these things we rest like silly â—ops Feeding our Minds with vain fantastick hopes But when Diseases on our Bodies seize And in our Veins our Blood begins to freeze When th' motion of our Pulse seems at a stand Scarce to be felt â—y the Physicians hand When with excessive pains our
shall be the first shall run away When action comes their Troops shall be defeat And stand in fear of every one they meet Their broken Squadrons squandring in their way Through all the Countrey shall become a prey To Boyes and Peasants Hills and Dales to boot Shall not secure them from the hot pursuit Three of 'm in a body shan't remain Most of 'm being captivat or slain Without all hopes of Rallying again But as men in the dark do feel and grope So shall those scattered Forces without hope Benumm'd with fear in lamentable case Whilst the feirce Conquerors closs pursue the Chase Through Ditches Pools and Quag-mires here and there Woods Mountains Corn-fields Pastures every where Run to preserve their Lifes but all in vain Staggering like so many Drunken Men. Cap. XIII ALL this mine ears have heard mine eyes have seen And to my knowledge some such things have been In my own time I have observ'd with care What Changes Turns and Revolutions are In all Conditions of this Life I know There 's nothing fix'd and solid here below All this I know my friends to show you how I 'm not inferiour to the best of you And were 't not for the present wo and pain I do endure I think I could explain My self in manner as methodical And as good Words as any of you all But I intend my Language to direct Onlie to God only to God I 'le speak With the Almighty I 'le expostulate I do desire to enter in debate With him alone for though I understand What has befall'n me is by Gods command And his pure Justice because while such time As God has found and try'd and prov'd the crime Of him he means to punish he will never Send out his Vengeance for what suit soever Our Enemies make to him in a word In Justice only he doth draw the Sword Against poor sinners yet I fain would know For what black crimes I am tormented so I know from God I may such answer have As may hereafter all your labour save I know he will me fully satisfy And tell me plainly where the cause doth lye Of my disease and so proceed to cure By Principles and Medicines more sure Then what you can afford I may expect From him true comfort but what you direct Is but like Oyl pour'd on the Flames alace You talk but do not understand my case Only you boldly vent some foolish lies Which to condemn your friend you do devise But you 're Physitians of no worth or price Indeed my friends I am asham'd to hear Such idle talking and I cann't forbear At length to tell you in plain terms that you Might truly to your selves great kindness doe If you would hold your peace and speak no more Of my concerns and what you 've spoke before I shall excuse then once my friends again I must beseech you free me of the pain Of your discourse and to your selves allow By holding of your peace some favour too For foolish talkers all men do despise But such when silent are esteemed wise This granted I desire the liberty To argue with you for some time that I May show you in your reas'ning where you err And so convince you that what you aver Is not agreeable with Piety And tell you where the fallacy doth ly For here 's your error now upon pretence That you forsooth appear in Gods defence You talk at random your disord'red zeal Over your wit and reason doth prevail I thought in you some comfort to have found But ' stead of that your bitter speeches wound My poor afflicted Soul for you still beat Upon one string and frequently repeat That God doth send afflictions on none But those whose sins do merit them alone From whence subsuming I have merited You do conclude I 'm justly punished This is your constant doctrine this is all The argument on which by turns you fall Though truth it is but what Logicians call A begging of the question for I Your major proposition still deny And for your minor that I 'm such a man As you assert endeavour what you can To make it out I still deny that too So that I only make this answer now Of what you charge me I am innocent And therefore merit no such punishment As I endure Whence all this noise my friends then to what end This tumult of Discourse if you intend Still to oppose why I must still Defend Or if you do intend to personate Your glorious Maker and for him debate Then will I make no answer I 'l not speak Nor Harangues in Gods vindication make As you have done for why my friends would you Have me to bluster out my folly too And treat th' Almighty with such liberty Only forsooth to bear you company Indeed your carriage is unwarrantable Your proud demeanour is intolerable I know my God will no such thing allow That such presumptous Orators as you Should undertake his Interest to plead Gainst any here on Earth he has no need Of your assistance nor will he demand Advice of you pray' therefore understand Your pregnant folly and in common sense Reflect upon your impious insolence You undertake to plead for God will you As for their Clients some crack'd Lawyers do Give to your passions foolish liberty And with great art set out a speciously To gain your point This method some indeed Do use for men but if for God you plead You must be solid sure and circumspect In everything you counsel act or speak Observe then pray our God will not permit Such pleadings for him for when he thinks fit To show the Justice of his actings when He would convince the stolid race of men Of their gross sins and openly detect Their hidden faults then he himself will speak Yes he will speak and strongly plead his cause By quoting his own equitable Laws He 'l speak he 'l speak and show what difference Is betwixt his and humane Eloquence The King of Heavens will speak and show you how His cause is mangled by such things as you Our God himself will make it evident You cannot mannage such an argument And when he speaks why at his very Breath His Orators will look as pale as Death In great disorder betwixt shame and fear When they see God in his own cause appear That mighty God for whom in pur-blind Zeal They thought they had both plead and preached well Whilst mean time all their Eloquence at best Did only serve some Paltry interest Which they 'd glaze over with the Name of God As if his Glory were their period Though in their hearts those men who preach too much Upon that Subject are not alwayes such As they pretend howe're they would deceive The credulous vulgar and make all believe That what they spoke were upright and sincere Whilst really their Eloquence I fear Is but like that at Bar even so
judgements sends To keep the great-men of the Earth his friends So thou didst think when thou didst live in state God thought it fit thou shouldst be alwayes great As being one so justly qualifi d For Government as there were none beside In all the Countrey to supply thy place Wer 't thou undone and therefore if in peace His Majesty would govern all above He thought it not his interest to remove From Government so great a Minister As thou wer 't hence thou vainly didst infer That having left all to thy management Reward thou might but never punishment Expect from God O principles most Atheistical Opinions to be abhorr'd by all Dost think that God who all things did create Who plac'd us all in every rank and state That he whose eye views all things should not know What all of us think speak or act below His Heavenly Throne dost think the thickest cloud From him who holds them in his hands can shroud Our actings here on Earth dost think but he Whose eyes see clearly through the thickest Sea And through the body of the Earth can tell What all those things do act who live in Hell Dost think but he with far more ease doth see Through all those rouling orbs and clouds what we Act here on Earth dost think that he 'll permit The sons of men to live as they think fit Whilst as a meer spectator he looks on Indifferent and concerns himself with none No sure thou thinkst not as thou speakst for so Thou mightst as well pretend thou didst not know Whether there were a God in Heavens or no. For to conclude with thee that Providence Doth rule the World with such indifference As sometimes here it strikes and sometimes there Sending out plagues or blessings everie where As th' fatal Dye doth turn upon the square As points out each mans Destiny were even To fancie a grand Lottery in Heaven Or think that God who all men fullie knows Should by mistake at anie time send blows Where blessings should be sent allow me then To tell thee that none but the worst of men Should vent such errors in which thou appears To be involved over head and ears For thou thinkst not enough thus to denie That providence doth rule with equitie But dost thy error proudlie justifie Thou argu'st too by reason as do all Those whom the knowing world do Athiests call But were there no more arguments to confute Thee and those prating Fellows who dispute The actions of their Maker this alone May teach you all God will be fool'd by none That though those wretches firmlie do believe There is no God yet still they do conceive There 's some such thing for in their mind they doubt Although they are asham'd to speak it out Whether what they believe be reallie true Or not for to give providence its due They find all 's ordered by some supream hand Though whose it is they will not understand So though in their opinions positive Yet by their doubtings we may well perceive That they with contrare thoughts are still opprest And maugre all their braving cannot rest On such opinions but still apprehend God out of Heav'ns will view them in the end And on their old-age heavy judgements send Take heed I do beseech thee then from hence My friend how thou dost talk of Providence And ask no questions pray why wicked men To great enjoyments in this life attain Whilst pious men are strictly punished As if here Providence did erre take heed And do not think such things for if thou dost Assure thy self thou art for ever lost Then use no more that trivial defence So oft repeated of thy innocence For we are all perswaded that our God Without just cause doth never use the Rod. Remark but th' History of former times Thou 'lt see how men have suffered for crimes Hast thou not heard how men before the Flood Behav'd themselves as if they had withstood The power of Providence and would not bow To the great Prince of princes or allow That homage to him which the Creature owes To its Creator he did so dispose Those Clouds in which thou think'st he 's wrapp'd a round As in a few dayes all those men were drown'd He who by power of his Almighty Hand Clear'd all the Marches betwixt Sea and Land And by the same power doth restrain the Floods Above us in Borrachios of Clouds Was pleas'd then in his wrath t' unty them all Which caus'd a Deluge Epidemical That race of Creatures which not long before He had created he did then abhore Because they had his Government disclaim'd And all his reverend Orators contemn'd Whom he had sent with open mouths to tell 'em Of those sad things which afterwards befel 'em But they with open mouthes those men did mock And told them that they knew not what they spoke Nay when the Good-man whom the Lord design'd To be the great Restorer of Man-kind By special Direction did begin In view of all to build an Ark wherein The Seeds o' the World might be preserv'd entire Whilst all the rest did in the Flouds expire Those silly Fools did laugh at his intent And oft would ask what the old Fellow mean't So in their errors these men did proceed Still living as they were accustomed In wanton pleasures regulating still Their Lives by order of their foolish will Hence when the Cataracts of Heaven did swell And Floods out of the Skies upon them fell They were catch'd napping in their Festivals And minding nothing but their Bacchanals Were in that universal Deluge drown'd With all their sins about ' em But O the man who as they thought had rav'd Was in that Ark which they derided sav'd With all his Family he safety found Amidst those rowling Waves in which they drown'd And the Good-Master of Heavens only Barque With all his Passengers did in his Ark O'r'e-top the Flouds Then on might see when that Spring-tide was full The Stock of Mankind floating in a Hull The hopes o' th' world the Origination Of every future Kingdom State and Nation Shut up below Decks under Boards and Dails Without the help of Masts Ropes Oars or Sails Rudder or Compass Steer they knew not whither Upon the Waters many days together And yet at length as well as any now Who with great Art and Skill the Ocean plow Arrive at their wish'd Port of Ararat From whence they quickly did Disseminat In fruitful Colonies giving Birth to all Who now do scramble 'bout this Earthen-ball Such wicked men then did not dy in peace Nor did they step into their Graves with ease Who said to God depart from us good Lord What more than we enjoy can'st thou afford And generally were so insolent In sin as they disdained to repent As thou affirm'st no they were visibly While living punish'd for Impiety Yet after all with thee I must confess 'T is strange to think how our good God did bless
Life a Life so poor and mean A Life so larded with sad grief and pain As if his mortal foe a man would curse All his invention could not wish him worse Then I am now then I am I sad I Who that I may be sadder must not dye Lord how my Sighs with force ingeminate Pump up whole floods of Tears which when I eat Are now the only Sawces to my Meat For from my Eyes these as from Water-spout Like Rain swoln Torrents issue always out Then let me dye O let me quickly dye As others do and not so cruelly Be forc'd thus to survive my Losse and see Under the Heavens no sinful man like me No sinful man no none of all that Race So much opprest as I am none alace Of Heavens foes suffering so much as I Who liv'd by th' Laws and Rules of Piety As I who always studied to shun Those Courses which a many Mortals run As I who always shunn'd to give occasion To my indeed kind God of provocation But now I plainly see my former Zeal And Piety could not with him prevail T' avert this blow no no my clouds of Prayers Are now dissolv'd in deluges of Tears And I must suffer now what never man Endur'd before me since the world began Indeed in th' affluence of my former bless I still would fear this sad Catastasis And these same thoughts did so my Spirit seize As in the night time my o're wearied eyes Had little sleep for I could ne're endure In all my prosp'rous time to live secure As some who on their earthly Blessings rest Which makes me so uneasily dâ—gest My present troubles O then let me dye For since alace my â—eal and Piety My Prayers my Tears my daily Offerings Could not prevent my present Sufferings How should I think they can me extricate Out of this sad and miscrable state Then let me dye O let me dye again I beg it Lord let me be out of pain At any rate let not thy dreadful wrath Deprive me of the benefit of death As it has done of all things here below Nâ— my good God permit it not for so I shall in horrour live and possibly After long sufferings in despair shall dye O let me dye then for thy mercies sake Lord let me dye and force me not to take Those resolutions which some other men Would take if in such misery and pain Burst then poor heart O split burst speedily That I may have the happiness to dye To dye and then I know my Makers wrath For all this will be by my single death Quickly appeas'd and in the grave I shall Rest sweetly free of troubles after all O death what mortal can thy worth esteem Who 's he can thy intrinsick value name All states of life are daily to be sold But thou death art not to be had for gold Though th' world of life but one great mercat be Yet all 's bought up and there 's none left for me But that which even mad men would abhor Then why should I this life keep any more This life this hellish life O now kind death Ease me of this and take my parting Breath Then burst sad heart what cannot all my Art Be able yet to burst one broken heart Yes sure burst quickly let me quickly dye And in this ugly â—â—unghill where I lye Let me be buryed but my Friends take heed My Body with much earth be covered Under a heap of stones lest Labouring Men Digging this Dung hill in the Season when They dung their grounds should find my Carcass here For if uncovered will infect the Air. PART II. Cap. IV. JOB having thus attempted to express That inward grief which did his Soul oppress One of his three Friends Eliphaz by name Did him thus tartly for his passion blame Should we says he with thee expostulate And on the matter enter in debate We see the heat of thy impatience Is such as our discourse may give offâ—nce Yet though thou should st be vext and curse us all As thou hast done thy birth-day nothing shall Make us forget our duty for reprove The errors of a man we so much love We must indeed then pray who can forbear To answer thee when such discourse we hear Of thy great zeal and piety of late Thy grace thy virtue and I know not what By which thou'd make us think forsooth that he Who cannot act unjusâ—ly punish'd thee Without a fault preceeding very fair Pray who with patience can such language hear Should in our hearing one of God complain Unjustly and from answerâ—ng we abstain No no my friend we came not here indeed To hear thee in thy Passions exceed The rage of mad-men or allow thee so To cry and overact a man of woe For shame how mean a thing it is to see Thy mind thus discompos'd that such as thee Whose eminent prudence virtue piety And long experience o' th' worlds vanity We thought had taught thee to know better things That such as thee in foolish murmurings Should bluster thus Thou who didst others in affliction teach How to behave would to them patience preach And how with crosses they should be content Thy self to become thus impatient Thou who in troubles others hast restor'd Canst thou no comfort to thy self afford Others thou'd check when in Adversity As thou dost now they 'd passionately cry And curse their Birth-day as thou now hast done Afflictions at length are come upon Thy self and thou art griev'd it toucheth thee I' th' quick and thou art all in flames we see Where 's now thy fear of God thy confidence In him thy Uprightness thy Patience Where are those Virtues now what are they fled At such time as thou most of them hast need Why should'st my friend like mad-man then cry out In view of all thy Neighbours round about And set out thy condition with such Art As if without cause thou afflicted wer 't Have not thy sins call'd for thy punishment Prethee forbear then this thy vain Complaint Who ever perish'd being Innocent Pray call to mind how thou hast liv'd before As other sinners and complain no more Revise the Annals of thy former time And thou wilt surely find the hidden Crime For which we all of us perceive indeed Thou now art most severely punished Consider this pray and without debate Thou 'lt not so with thy God expostulate He acts according to most upright Laws And punishes no man without a Cause But I 've observ'd that Antecedent sin How slow soever still doth usher in Punishment to it self proportionate Which still attends the sinner soon or late So in his Judgement on his sins may read And see the Cause from whence his woes proceed For I have often seen that such as Plow Your heathy Ground and corrupt Seed do Sow For all their Labours when their Harvest came They'd Reap no other but the very same Vain men who
Nor will he th' injust in his wayes protect He will not thee friend in this state desert But after all will truly take thy part Nor will he leave thee till he has restor'd All he has taken from thee in a word He 'll fill thy Lips with joy and make thee glad At length indeed more than thou now art sad Then such as thee contemn'd in poverty When they perceive thee in prosperity Shall be asham'd of what they did before And shall thy friendship by all means implore But if thou in thy stubborn ways persist And think it lawful to do what thou list Then shall thy sorrows â—stead of growing less Be more and thy afflictions shall encrease Cap. IX DUring these learn'd digressions of Wit Job all the while most pensively did sit For as to one condemn'd before he dye The Judge from Bench doth use himself t' apply In exhortations laying out his Crime Resumes his Case and whilst it is yet time Conjures him to Repentance so while these Did open thus Jobs Case he held his peace At length perceiving he had no defence 'Gainst their Insults but his own Innocence Thus mildly answers Why my dear friends you tell me God is just And in him only I should put my Trust. To me this is no new thing for I know And always was convinc'd that it was so Gods justice I confess is admirable Impartial Pure beyond what I am able By all the parts allow'd me to express Gods Justice is most powerful I confess Compar'd with which all that we can acclaim Of Righteousness doth not deserve the name Of moral vertue for should we be try'd By Law of God who can be justify'd In Courts of Men we use to lay Defence Against the Bill the Jury th' Evidence Refuse the Words o' th' Law and plead the Sense But in Gods Court no such Procedure is His Laws are clear need no Paraphrasis The Bill is so well founded it is found Without Removal from the Court 't is own'd By all as true it needs must be confess 't Who can deny 't when from our very Breast Both Evidence are brought and Jury too What Court such fair Procedure can allow When God Arraigns us Mortals who 's the man Dare plead not guilty who is he that can Make answer to his Charge hold up his Face And with his Maker dares dispute the Case T' one of a thousand Questions he 'l demand When at the Barr of our Great Judge we stand Who 's he can frame an answer or deny His Errors or himself can justify I' th' smallest point who can his Charge refuse His Vices palliat or his sins excuse Who can express the glorious qualities Of our Great God he 's admirably wise In boundless force and power most formidable And in all things that 's good incomparable Who ever yet did with his God contend And boasted of his success in the end The highest Mountains which to humane eyes Appear to be contiguous with the Skyes Whose proud Imperial tops themselves do shroud I' th' tiara of a continual Cloud He pulls up by the roots with little care And like so many Peebles here and there He throws them from his hand with wondrousease Some in the Pools and Lakes some in the Seas Some in the Isles the Main-land and the Shore And Hills are now where Valleys were before Nor do those stubborn Mountains feel his Blows When in his anger he them overthrows This Center of the Universe which all Admire so much and with good reason call Earths glorious Fabrick which for certain Term Our God to Mankind has Let out in Farm This Earth adorn'd with so much bravery And with such fair and rich variety Enammeled as no Art can imitate For atomes whereof we so much debate Buzzing about this Globe like Bees in Hive Where who each other shall out-toile we strive Whilst mean time one poor lease for life is all We here on Earth our Property can call Nay happy could it so long time endure That each man could his Turff for Life ensure But ah where on those precious Clods retains To death and leaves the fruit of all his pains To those he loves ten thousand ere they dy Are strip'd of all and in sad Poverty Consume their hopeless years and so do I. This Glob of Earth he tosses too and fro As one doth Ball with Racket high or low As he thinks good he makes its surface quake Its body twirle and all its Pillars shake The Sun who like a Conqueror every day His Glory doth triumphantly display Whose splendid Beams afford such radiant light As scattereth all the vapours of the night With such bright Lustre doth this Glob surround As its fair influence every where is found Who in his Motion doth observe such Grace No force or Art will make him change his pace But ' round th' Horizon makes such pretty tours In his Diurnal and his Annual Course Check'd by no snare obstructed by no fear With great exactness measuring out the year As one would soon conclude without dispute This Creature were a Monarch absolute Our God prohibits this same Sun to rise And couching like a Spanniel closs â—e lies Below the foot of our Almighty God Nor for the World dares he peep abroad Until licens'd by the same Divine Power Which him confin'd and which from hour to hour He doth expect whilst we poor Mortals ly Plung'd in a horrid deep Obscurity Where in our nasty holes like Toads we craul And grope like Blind-men 'bout this earthen Ball Until by warrand in our Hemisphere This most Illustrious Prince doth re-appear Poor toiling Spiders inconsiderat things Who call themselves here Emperours and Kings Whose great ambition is to imitate This Splendid Creature in his Pomp and State Dreaming themselves in a most happy case When by the World esteemed of his race Who cause themselves be pictur'd with their heads Environ'd with his Rayes that he who reads Their aery Motto's may perceive how much These Fools affect to be imagin'd such As is that Creature in his Noon tide glory And in that pride transmit themselves to story Ah how I pity those poor crowned toyes Who fool themselves to pleasure Girles and Boyes The Spring-tide of whose Souls no higher rises Than to abuse us with such State Devices When this same glorious bright Original The mean Apprentice-copies whereof all Those Buzzards do at most aspire to be Esteem'd who is not blind may plainly see Is but a Vassal to th' Almighty Lord Answers his call and watches by his Word Those lights which in their Rowes so eminent Make such a Figure in the Firmament And with such beauty in their Orbs appear As one would think the Heavens pellucid were Those pleasant Stars who with their sparkling light Allay the Horrour of a Winters Night Who teach th' almost despairing Mariner In blustring Storms how he his Course may steer And when
Justice will proclaim My misdemeanors and make evident How I in courting sin my time have spent Nay though I were upright yet would I not Desire to live my Soul hath quite forgot Its former kindness to that piece of clay It lov'd so much before and every day Longs to be from its consort separate Whom it doth now with so much reason hate Yet here 's my comfort that I understand My God will punish with impartial hand Both just and unjust and will evidence That 'twixt them both he makes no difference Has no respect for persons no regard For one or other but gives out award In every point as he finds just and layes Every mans Cause in equal ballances In unjust Causes he will none maintain So of Gods Justice no man should complain If in his wrath God should the wicked slay And root them out what could those wretches say Against Gods Justice when their Conscience Assures them he has done them no offence Because Gods Judgements do their sins pursue And punishment t' offenders is as due As Wages to the Labourer for each sin First acts its part then Judgement does begin Where it leaves of and so pursues the Chace Until the breathless sinner end his Race This is his Justice but his Mercie sure Eternal to all ages doth endure Must not our God be full of Clemency When on the wicked even unwillingly He executes his Justice punishment Is long delay'd and vengeance seldom sent 'Gainst any but the stiff impenitent Who at his Judgement doth repine and cry Out upon Gods too great severity Sure that unhappy Creature doth mistake Gods Bounty and his own Condition make Worse than it was intended for we know In Mercy God is quick in anger slow A God of Mercy he himself doth write And so in sinners death takes no delite Far lesse than should the just and innocent Think God takes pleasure in their punishment Nor ought we to repine when we reflect How God the wicked Lords o' th' earth doth make How he puts Pastures Vineyards Houses Lands Power Jurisdiction Honours in their hands By which puff'd up a wanton life they lead Whilst godly men do toil for daily bread Nor how the Judges of the earth abuse Their Sacred Function and their Power do use T' oppress the Just whose eyes with avarice Are sealed up who boldly set a price On Justice and employ their utmost Art To sell the same as in a publick Mart. Who by their Friends use to negotiat For Quotes of Pleas and closely stipulat For so much at the Issue of the cause T' attain which point they cruciat the Laws And make them serve their ends so forcibly As all the world may see their Bribery If we consider how God doth permit Those men to live on earth as they think fit Because they 're none of his and have no share I' th'land of Promise whilst the upright are In sad afflictions toss'd and seem to be O're whelmed by a most impetuous Sea Of miseries wee 'l find these walk i' th'Road Of black Damnation of such Creatures God Doth take no care but le ts them all run wild Like Herds of Asses in the open field But his own Children he doth exercise In a continual tract of miseries That being keep'd in such strict Discipline In a full body they may mount the Line I' th' daily Seige of Heaven and in the end Possess the same only to be attain'd By Sighs and Tears whilst wicked men do run Without all order and so are undone Amidst their pleasures for they do compell Their Souls instead of Heaven to march to Hell Now were it lawful to repine did God Allow to any that do feel the Rod To say that his condition were sad Sure never any Mortal Creature had More cause than I poor wretch have to complain Who 've lost my years and spent my days in vain Swifter than Post my days their course have run That I might be more speedily undone My days are gone my time is vanished My hours are fled my life is finished My wretched life a Scene of woes has been Under the Sun I have small pleasure seen Whilst others of obscure and mean estate To Wealth and Honours have been elevate Their modest parts buoyd up by Friends and Fame Purchassing quickly to those Fools a Name Which impudently they would attribute To their abilities I destitute Of every thing that 's good do silently Spin out my days in grief and penury And as the south wind with a gentle breese Breaths on the verdant Plain and skims the Seas With little noise so I my days have spent My view o' th' world was meerly transient Have you not seen a Vessel under sail Swoln with a stiff but favourable gale Post through the stubborn Seas and make a Line Upon its surface in a foaming brine Or with what wonderful celerity The ravenous Eagle to her prey doth flye So have my days run out so have my years Plough'd through a sea of foaming brinish tears Now should I say I will complain no more But here my exclamations give o're Here to my querullous Notes I 'le put a stop And from this minute I 'le begin to hope Then all my sorrows all my woes and fears Would suddainly appear about my ears With ghastly looks they 'd stare me in the face And in their silence publish my disgrace Because however I my self do vent I know God will not hold me innocent If horrid sins then do my Soul distain Why do I thus excuse my self in vain If to my Maker I have given offence Why should I all this while plead Innocence No sure if things be so all I can say Is to no purpose only I betray My weakness in endeavouring to maintain My just demeanour where my guilt is plain For certainly however I pretend To Piety and Grace yet in the end The great Heart-searcher will make evident That to this minute I my days have spent In wickedness and sin in villany Not to be nam'd in stead of purity And thou O Lord in just conceived rage will Sentence such a Scandal of his age To utmost torment that the world may see How much thou hatest such a one as me Whilst all the Fig-leav'd arguments I use To palliate my sins and make excuse For my false dealings and unrighteousness ' Stead of concealing shall my guilt express For God Almighty's not a man as I'm That I should set my face to 't and defye him When he to Justice doth himself betake That I before my God should answer make An what am I a moulded piece of Dust Consigned to a few years breath in trust Awalking ghost a meer night wanderer Like th' empty figment of some Conjurer That such as I forsooth should undertake Harangues befor the King of Heavens to make And argue for my self whilst tacitely My Conscience tells me I deserve
Garments are so stiff with bile and gore That though as formerly I now could say I might change my Apparrel every day Yet would I by that shifting find no ease Nor would the torrent of my Ulcers cease But in their course run most impetuously Upon my Cloaths and never let them dry But make them so fast to my Body stick Th' express on makes me both asham'd and sick And now like Sow in puddle I appear Wallowing in my own sores and mired here As one in marish stranded all o're run With loathsome Ulcers totally undone With putrid scabs which from my Skin do fall When dry and make me look as I were all A heap of Dust and Ashes Boils and Sores With all that 's ugly Nay I am now so low so mean and base No language my condition can expresse But O what 's worst of all and doth exceed All torments I as yet have suffered My great Creator to whom I do pray And cry aloud a hundred times a day Seems unconcern'd no notice of me takes But 'fore my eyes his flaming Sword he shakes In token of his Wrath and now appears To second all my jealousies and fears By this bâ—d usage Lord how frequently As a poor Beggar at thy gates do I Implore for thy own sake some Charity How oft have I good Lord to thee complain'd But have as yet no grace from thee obtain'd Wilt thou not help me Lord wilt thou not hear Me when I pray ah wilt thou not give ear To my sad crys good Lord what shall I say Shall I at all times to no purpose pray Wilt not concern thy self O mighty Lord With my afflictions wilt thou not afford One gracious answer wilt thou still stand by A meer spectator of my misery And make no help to me but in this case Suffer me to expire in great disgrace Alace good Lord I find thy wrath so hot That I had rather die upon the spot Then live in thy displeasure for I now Perceive there 's nothing I can ever doe Can purchase so much as a short Cessation From Persecution for thy indignation Against me doth with cruelty increase And there 's no means left to procure my peace For in Afflictions Ocean I 'me so toss't 'Twixt Wind and Wave beyond all sight of Coast Beyond all hopes of Calm now rais'd aloft Each Minut by the Surge and then as oft Amongst the gaping Waves precipitate As I 'me no better then ingurgitate In this Abyss of Troubles Now all this Tempest by thy mighty hand Is rais'd against me Lord at thy command All thâ—se Infernal Woes assembled are By which I see O Lord thou dost appear My open Enemy and in thy wrath Resolv'st even to pursue me to the death I know thou dost nay I am very sure My Wounds are mortal past all hopes of cure And I must quickly die good Lord I know There is no remedy but I must go To th' House appointed for all here below To the cold Grave where huddled up do ly The mouldy Records of Mortality Where all the pride of Earth its pomp and glory Are to be found in a large Repertory Of Dust and Ashes thither Lord I know Thither annon O thither I must go Where enter'd in Deaths Book my life I fear Shall a more famous Precedent appear Of Humane Frailty and the vanity Of this poor World then a whole Century Before my time can show whilst all in me May a most evident example see Both of thy Goodness and thy sad displeasure Dispens'd in an extr'ordinary measure Yet here 's my comfort that when I descend To Earth my Troubles shall be at an end The War of my Afflictions shall cease And in the Grave at least I shall have peace For sure my God will not pursue me there Or make me in worse state then others are Who in that melancholly Cloyster dwell But will permit me there to rest as well As all my Predecessors in that place And when I come that length give o're the chase For whilst I live I never do expect T' have any rest what ere I may suspect Shall be my state of life when life is gone For on the matress of the Grave alone I may have ease but here I shall have none Strange that with grief I should be thus oppress 't Why had I ever lodg'd within my breast A heart of Flint that never could comply With others woes by rules of Sympathy Or had I been so cruelly severe As in my life I never would give ear To th' crys of those who did sad troubles feel And 'mongst the billows of Afflictions reel But unconcern'd at all their misery Had suffered them unpityed to die Then had I merit all those griefs and woes I now endure but on the contrare those Who were in trouble I did pity so As oftentimes tears from my eyes would flow When any I beheld in sad estate Though far from being tortur'd at this rate As I am yet my kind and tender soul Would these mens troubles heartily condole Nay when I 'de hear th' afflicted wretches groan I 'de look on their condition as my own Yet ah when I expected better things For this complyance with sad Sufferings I only meet all the reward alace Of all my sighs and pious tenderness Is nothing but the utmost of distress Barbarous usage Cruelty Oppression Blows Unkind dealings Pains beyond expression Ingratitude Horrour and Poverty Are all the product of my Charity For even now whilst I speak I find such pain As I 'me not able longer to sustain The weight of my Afflictions Oh I faint I faint indeed now all my strength is spent Nay in my bowels only I do find Such pain as would distract a constant mind For this cause I go mourning all the day And in dark Holes and Corners take my way To Caverns where the Sun beams are unknown And find some comfort to be there alone Where I my woes with freedom may bemoan For when at any time I do appear In publick O how I 'me asham'd to hear My own sad exclamations alace Now every day I see my own disgrace And O my friends d' ye think but such as I Who but of late liv'd in Authority Amongst those people do now think it sad To be thus gaz'd on as if I were mad To be thus gaz'd on thus constrain'd by pain To cry aloud before these very men Who but of late did see me in this place In great respect but now in sad disgrace They see me here for this cause do I fly To Woods and Desarts where no Humane eye May in the least perceive me there I howl And screigh like Dragon there the dismal Owl I in my nightly crying imitate And these and I are now associat For we are all wild sad and desolate These are my brethren these and I are now Well known t' each other for with
Rudiments of that Which far transcends all guilded Rules of State Since wisdome then in years doth not consist Nor in high knowledge think you what you list For my part I think one that has not yet Attain'd to either freely may debate Upon a subject where both young and old Are equally concern'd I must be bold To tell you then of what you three have said And what our friend has spoke that I have made My own weak observations and am now Ready to show you what I do allow What not in all you 've spoke Then after all your learned reasoning Be pleas'd to hear my judgement of the thing Why then my friends during your long debate I have observ'd your words whilst you did state The Question in hand and eagerly With all your art maintain'd the verity Of your assertions yet me thought indeed That all the while you never answered The Arguments which Job in his defence Often adduc'd to prove his innocence So well and fully as you might ha' done But that ' Stead of refuting of what he maintain'd You rather fortin'd him and have gain'd Nothing as I perceive by this debate But rather seem by him to be defeat For when I had considered all you spoke I found your reasons were but empty smoake And all your Arguments to me appear'd But aâ—ryknacks for yet I have not heard Any of you for all your pungent wit In your discourse judiciously hit Upon the point as truth you should a'done And you shall hear how I shall do anon Then do not think that you have overcome Job with your reasons and have made him dumb By force of argument for what you said That God was just and only punished Such as deserv'd which you did all maintain To be a maxime and once and again VVould urge it strongly truth I take to be A point debatable because I see No inconsistence 'twixt the equity Of God th'afflicter and th'integrity Of him who is afflicted for I know God keeps a many worthy persons low For their own good whom we must not conceive To be offenders or with you believe That none but such do suffer at this rate You 've argu'd all this while but I shall state The matter otherwise and plainly show That though this man were innocent yet so To bluster in his triall and complain Of his hard usage as if he 'd arraign The God of justice for iniquity Is such a fault as none can justify Now then my friends as I am not engag'd In quarrel with this man nor have I stag'd My self his opposit and with such heat As you have done mannag'd a long debate With one in his sad circumstances so I will not use your reasons for I know My friends distemper and I will endeavour By other means then yours to cure his feaver Especially because I now perceive You 're silent I have reason to believe The heat of your sharp arguing now is spent And you 'll no more pursue your argument For I expected that in such a case Your language with your reason would encrease But now I see you 're mute and hold your peace I therefore think 't is now high time for me To speake my thoughts and let you plainly see Your error in the subject and defend At least in some points our distressed friend For when my Makers honour lies at stake If ever I am now oblig'd to speake I 'm now oblig'd to speake because I find The spirit within me bids me speake my mind For as new wine in Bottles doth ferment And quickly bursts if it doth find no vent So if I speake not what the spirit now In a well ord'red zeal doth promp me too I doubt my mind with matter so replete Will force a passage and expatiate It self in some disorder or at least My words will issue through my very breast That therefore to my numerous thoughts I may What e're be th' event make some speedy way And so refresh my spirits I must speake Though possibly in such a dialect As will not please both parties yet I must Expresse my mind and truth I shall be just To all of you and so far as I can Avoide to give offence to any man But I must tell you that you may expect My mind I will impartially speak I 'll flatter none of you but will expresse With freedom what I think upon the case Without regard to this poor man who lies On Dung-hill now and whom all men despise Or you who think your selves extreamly wise For I could never to this hour perswade My self on any terms to learn the trade Of flattering especially where The Cause of God's in hand for there O there Without regard to men I must be free As all of my Profession should be Else if I should at any time forbear To speak what God commands me out of fear Of any Earthly Power or meanly shrink At threats of any I might justly think I were unworthy of that Character Which all that speak by inspiration bear Cap. XXXIII WHerefore I pray thee Job but hear me now And to what I design to speak allow But some attention and I shall commend Thy Patience if thou hear me to an end For now dear friend that I intend to speak Upon thy Case I will indeed expect Attentive silence whilst impartially I both demonstrate where thy Errors ly And where thou hast spoke right for now I see The whole weight of the Matter lyes on me I therefore plainly do intend to show What I by certain information know Not what old Women feign or old men dream Or what is scattered by injurious Fame Through all the Neighbourhood on this occasion But openly without dissimulation I 'le show thee what my thoughts are of the thing On which I have heard so much reasoning Now though I am not far advanc'd in years And neither Head nor Face as yet appears In the grave dye of a few withered Hairs Yet I 'me a Man a Creature rational And know as much as any of you all For that good Spirit which did me create Has taught me both to speak and to debate On such occasions and I do not know Why that Almighty God who first did blow On this poor lump of Clay might not have then Inform'd me full as well as other men With that high Knowledge and made me advance Beyond my years in what with Arrogance Our aged Men would to themselves enhaunce Again my friend I 'de have thee to give ear To what I speak because I am not here To take advantage of thy misery And tell thee in thy face so bitterly As these thy friends have done that thou art lost Undone adjudg'd to Wrath thy Doom engross't And that bless'd Countenance that Light divine Which on all those whom God esteems doth shine Is as to thee eclips'd and will no more Refresh
never understand obscurity A thing that 's not perceptible by th' eye Didst ever into the Seas bottom dive Or canst thou yet with all thy art contrive A way to trace and measure the extent Of that dark Land or know what Government Is us'd by th Planters of these Provinces Situate in the bottom of the Seas Dost know the Springs and Conduits that supply With fresh recruits of Water constantly The restless Ocean pray now let me hear Dost know what things the weeping sources are Dost understand these things or dost thou know How from the Seas all Springs and Rivers flow In all thy life-time hast thou ever seen Deaths gates cast open has thou never been Conversant under ground didst e're descry That dreadful prospect of mortality Of those who scattered in earths bowels ly Did e're thy curiosity lead thee there No. at the gates sure thou hadst dy'd for fear Dost know earth's true Diameter canst tell How far in breadth its Globous bulk doth swell Canst see both Poles at once by art or can Thy eye discover each Meridian Go to then canst thou point the place from whence Light doth proceed dost know its residence Dost know the Cave where darkness doth reside And closly all the day it self doth hide That thou shouldst trace the way to its abode And through the windings of that dreadful road Find a safe passage to its dwelling place And take the picture of its duskly face I think thou dost not know nor canst declare What things O man the light and darkness are Because when I created night and day Thou in the belly of first matter lay Th hadst not a beeing then thou wast not made When light and darkness I distinguished Nor canst thou know more by experience Then that both this and that affect thy sense But what they are from what hid cause they flow No art no length of dayes can make thee know Hast thou observ'd with a computing eye At any time and viewed seriously Th' innumerable stores of Snow and Hail Which I do keep in Heav'ns great Arsenal Hast view'd those inexhaustible provisions How they are stor'd in several divisions So that when I intend a war with those Who on this earth do my decrees oppose Sometimes I use the one sometimes the other As I think fit and sometimes both together By force of both or either in a trice I break the force of my proud enemies Dost understand how Lightnings separate The Clouds of Wind and quickly dissipate The strongest Bodies of these vaporous foes Which do the fury of their course oppose Dost understand this thing or dost thou know Why wind doth sometimes from one quarter blow Sometimes out of another East or West South North Nore-west South-west or South-South-east Who doth restrain the torrents of those flouds Which after Thunder break from broken Clouds In such abundant streams without cessation As men do fear a total inundation Who makes deep Canals into which convey'd Those Waters as in Levels gently slide Both above ground and under ground with ease Into the bottome of the spacious Seas Who makes the Clouds above thy head retain Great quantities of Waters and in rain As from a Sponge thus shake them out again And that not only upon fertile ground But on the Deserts where no man is found That in due season they may pasture yield To all the beasts that feed upon the field And feed those creatures too whose idleness Makes them frequent the barren wilderness As also make the Vegetables sprout And in their Leaves and Flowers shoot fairly out From the earths belly where they buried were Until the Mid-wife-Season of the year By help of rain doth bring them forth and spreads Through all the fields the product of those Seeds Now if thou think'st this rain is procreat As other creatures are who did beget This useful thing or who supposest thou Did procreat the Christal drops of dew By which the Labourer rising from his bed Perceives his grounds all kindly watered And then as if the Sun had only sent Those little cordial drops to complement The widdowed earth that doth his absence mourn And in sad veil did long for his return With warming beams he suddenly doth drain The earth and sucks up all those drops again Dost know what Ice is whence the same proceeds Who did beget it in what womb it breeds 'T is worth thy knowledge though thou knew no more To understand this costive Meteor Dost see the Rivers how they sweetly pass In gentle streams through pleasant fields of grass Whilst Trees and Shrubs which in their Banks do grow By their reflex do make a goodly show Upon the Waters so transparent clear As through the Streams the very Skyes appear These same pellucid Rivers in a trice You may see covered with a crust of Ice And what was lately soft appear annon As hard and solid as if pav'd with stone Nay even the Seas who not long time before Did break their curled Waves upon the Shore And round the Earth triumph'd with so much pride Spreading their boistrous Billows far and wide As if the power of the restraining Ice Which fetters in-land floods they did despise These very Seas at length are forc'd to bow To conquering Ice and they are frozen too So that where tallest Shâ—ps did lately steer Now Sledges Carts and Waggons do appear Nay as upon firm Land with all their force Whole armies in baitalia foot and horse Securely march along the frozen Seas Fighting retiring sâ—irmishing with ease Hast then observ'd this can'st assign a reason Why waters are bound up so in their season Or to what end I make the Rivers freeze And thus incrustate even the raging Seas Indeed vain mortals you do all pretend By philosophick rules to comprehend The nature of all Meteors and know By second causes whence they all do flow As when such constellations do appear You guesse the several seasons of the year As this the Spring that Summer Harvest that And this cold Winter doth insinuat 'Cause their appearance is habitual And custom teaches you but that is all You understand you know that such things are Because to you they frequently appear But who 's the man can tell who 's he doth know The reason why these Stars themselves do show At such set times art thou the man can'st thou With all thy curious art demonstrat how The Stars were made why some of them appear In modell'd bodies others here and there Are singly scattered in the Heavens dost know Why some are fix't some ramble to and fro In their own Orbs and why too some of these Consume as many years as others days In running out their course dost understand The reason of these things can'st thou command These Stars or make the meanest of 'em all Forbear their course or vanish at thy call Canst thou restrain the sweet influences And pleasant
aspects of the Pleiades Who when the Sun in Taurus doth appear Calmly and gently usher in the year Or when the sullen barbarous Orion Attended by an host of storms leads on The dreadful Winter which o're runs you all And makes you with ingeminat groans recall Your ever kind but then far distant Sun To your assistance else you 're all undone With killing cold When this same Orion doth then appear In wasting terrour to shut up the year And bury all in Snow can'st thou restrain His violence and force him back again Can'st thou repell the fury of his Winds His Rains his Hail and Tempests of all kinds And make that ne're yet conquered Constellation Draw off his Troops with fear and consternation Can'st in his season bring out Mazzaroth That torrid Constellation of the South And make him in his Summer garb appear To celebrate the Solstice of the year Say canst thou make this Constellation shine This Canis major which beyond the Line Lyes quartered and from its pleasant seat Draws out but as a Sammer guard to wait Upon the motion of the glorious Sun What time he his three greatest heats doth run Can'st thou by Art a certain survey make Of all the Chambers in the Zodiack That spacious Colledge that magnificent And stately Inns of Court that eminent And princely Fabrick of great excellence Where the Twelve Signs do keep their residence And though they hold their chief Demeurage there Yet in their several Circuits appear The twelve conspicuous Judges of the Year Each Month by turns attended by no less Then the bright Sun himself with all his rays Who for the time keeps House with each of them Then what can'st say to this would thou reclaim Against this order or in spite decry This method can'st thou by authority Inhibite their procedure and allow No such Appartments but to one or two Of all the twelve Or can'st thou make the Sun per saltum pass Into the Rams head from the Ballances And baulking the five Melancholly Signs In which he rather looks a squint then shines Make him continue his warm influence In every corner of the Earth and thence By that new heretofore unknowen device Evite the trouble of the Winters Ice Canst make the Northern Stars live orderly And rule Arcturus with his Family Who in the Harvest season doth appear Attended with his great and little Bear And th' other Troops of the Septentrions Drawen out of all his Northern Garisons T' invest as 't were the year whilst Orion With the main body follows quickly on Canst make celestial bodies influence Bodies sublunary dost ' know from whence That rich but hidden Virtue doth proceed Which 'mongst you mortals strange effects doth breed Whilst some Diseases others Health afford Some fair and some foul weather in a word Each constellation in its aspect bears A consequence of either hopes or feares But not a cause for that to me alone Belongs which I communicate to none Whom I 've created for in sober sense These Stars have in themselves no influence On any thing but as determined By second Causes which are furnished By my appointment and the Subject Matter With which they meet Yet I know some of you sad Creatures too Pretend by study to demonstrare how All things are ordered in my Cabinet Ere they be brought to action and relate By knowledge of these Stars strange passages Of my designs long e're they came to pass Fools whence have you so good intelligence Of my intents and purposes from whence Have you this knowledge is it from the Stars D' ye think such mean things are my Counsellers That such as these forsooth should be acquaint With the deep Intrigues of my Government Presumptuous Mortals that you thus should dare To think you know what my intentions are When you own Reason fully may convince You of your folly for if even a Prince Of my creation that on Earth doth dwell And must make use of Council can so well Conceal his Secrets as what he intends Is neither knowen to Enemies nor Friends How think you then That I who use no Council in the least But that which doth reside within my breast Should of my Secrets take so little care As any thing in Heavens Earth Sea or Air Nay even my Angels who my Court attend Should e're discover what I do intend But from my Mouth yet from a silly Star With which you correspond of Peace and War Intended Famine Fire or Pestilence You Mortals have all your intelligence Would not you of that States-man make a sport Who from the Lacqueys of a Princes Court Pretended he did draw intelligence Of all his Cabin-councils and from thence Would take his measures pray what else are those With whom you correspond do you suppose That I make any other use of these But as of Grooms to carry Messages Nor is it lawful for you to erect Your Figures on Nativities and make From thence Conclusions or by Art to frame From the conjunctions of the Stars a Scheme O' th' life and death of any private man That lives on Earth a thing no mortal can With safety undertake or if he do Know all of you that I do not allow Such Practices for hidden things are knowen To me who am your Soveraign alone But things reveal'd to you are only showen The Knowledge then in which I do permit The wisest of you all to try your Wit Is to distinguish as these Stars appear The several times and seasons of the Year To know them all both fix'd and wanderers And gaze upon them as Astronomers To know besides their influences so As when 't is time to plant and when to sow When to set sail when to return again When to endure when to cast off your pain How in the darkest night your course to steer At Sea or Land when to hope when to fear When to rejoyce when sadly to Lament Especially when flaming Stars are sent As Heralds of my Wrath when to repent All this I do allow and you may pore Upon this Knowledge so far but no more For none of all these Stars can in the least Have influence on either man or beast As Causes but they only do appear As signs to show my actions every where Can'st thou by keeping coyl and noise below Perswade the Clouds to let their Vapours go And water all thy Sun-burn'd Grounds with Rain When they at any time of Drought complain Can'st thou by single lifting of thy hand Make all the Troops of Lightning understand Thy pleasure and appear at thy command All ready arm'd in order instantly And hotly forward in thy service cry Lord we are here let 's have thy orders now Pray what wouldst have thy Souldiers to do Give us the Word and Sign let 's understand Upon what Service thou would'st us command For here we 're ready as one man to act Whatever thou would'st have us undertake But all these things and