the more my griefes oppresse me He hath dispoyld my ioyes and goes about My Branches being lopt to stroy the Root His Plagues like souldiers trench within my bones My friends my kindred fly me all at once My neighbours my familiars haue forgon me My houshold stares with strangers eyes vpon me I call my seruant but his lips are dumbe I humbly beg his helpe but hee 'l not come My owne wife loathes my breath though I did make My solemne suit for our dead childrens sake The poore whose wants I haue supply'd despise me And he that liu'd within my brest denyes me My bones are hide-bound there cannot be found One piece of skin vnlesse my gummes that 's sound Alas complaints are barren shaddowes to Expresse or cure the substance of my woe Haue pitty oh my friends haue pitty on me 'T is your Gods hand and mine that lyes vpon me Vexe me no more O let your anger be If I haue wrong'd you calm'd with what ye see O! that my speeches were ingrauen then In Marble Tablets with an yron Pen For sure I am that my Redeemer liues And though pale death consume my flesh and giues My Carkas to the wormes yet am I sure Clad with this selfe-same flesh but made more pure I shall behold His glory These sad eyes Shall see his Face how-e're my body lies Mouldred in dust These fleshly eyes that doe Behold these Sores shall see my Maker too Vnequall hearers of vnequall griefe Y' are all ingag'd to the selfe-same beliefe Know ther 's a Iudge whose Voyce will be as free To iudge your words as you haue iudged me Said Zophar then I purpos'd to refraine From speaking but thou mou'st me back againe For hauing heard thy haughty Spirit breake Such hasty termes my Spirit bids me speake Hath not the change of Ages and of Climes Taught vs as we shall our succeeding times How vain 's the tryumph and how short the blaze Wherein the wicked sweeten out their dayes Though for a while his Palmes of glorie flourish Yet in conclusion they grow seire and perish His life is like a Dreame that passes o're The eye that saw him ne're shall see him more The Sonne shall slatter whom the Syre opprest And poore he shall returne what he did wrest He shall be bayted with the Sinnes that haue So smil'd vpon his childhood to his Graue His Plenty purchac't by oppression shall Be Hony tasted but digested Gall It shall not blesse him with prolonged stay But euilly come it soone shall passe away The man whose griping hath the poore opprest Shall neither thriue in state nor yet find rest In soule nought of his fulnesse shall remaine His greedy Heyre shall long expect in vaine Soak't with extorted Plenty others shall Squeeze him and leaue him dispossest of all And when his Ioyes doe in their height abound Vengeance shall strike him groaning to the ground If Sword forbeare to wound him Arrowes shall Returning forth anoynted with his Gall No shade shall hide him and an vnblowne Fyer Shall burne both him and his Heauen like a Cryer Shall blaze his shame and Earth shall stand his Foe His wandring Children shall no dwelling know Behold the mans Estate whom God denies Behold thine owne pourtracted to thine Eyes Meditatio duodecima CAn mercy come from bloody Cain Or hath His angry Brow a smile Or can his Wrath Be quencht with ought but righteous Abels Blood Can guiltie Pris'ners hope for any Good From the seuerer Iudge whose dismall Breath Doomes them to die breathes nothing else but Death Ah righteous Iudge wherein hath Man to trust Man hath offended and thy Lawes are Iust Thou frownest like a Iudge but I had rather That thou would'st smile vpon me like a Father What if thy Esau be austere and rough Thou hast a Iacob that is smooth enough Thy Iacobs tender Kid brings forth a blessing While Esau's tedious Ven'zon is a dressing Thy face hath smiles as well as frownes by turnes Thy fier giueth light as well as burnes What if the Serpent stung old Adam dead Young Adam liues to breake that Serpents Head Iustice hath struck me with a bleeding wound But Mercy Powr's in Oyle to make it sound The milke-white Lambe confounds the roaring Lion Blasted by Sinah I am heal'd by Sion The Law finds guiltie and Death Iudgement giues But sure I am that my Redeemer liues How wretched was mans case in those darke dayes When Law was onely read which Law dismaies And taking vantage through the breach of it The Letter kils and can no way admit Release by Pardon for by Law we dye Why then hop'd man without a reason Why Although there was no Sunne their Morning eies Saw by the Twilight that the Sunne would rise The Law was like a mistie Looking-Glasse Wherein the shaddow of a Sauiour was Treates in a darker straine by Types and Signes And what should passe in after-dayes diuines The Gospell sayes That He is come and dead And thus the Riddle of the Law is read Gospell is Law the Myst'ry being seal'd And Law is Gospell being once reueal'd Experience tells vs when as Birth denies To man through Natures ouer-sight his eyes Nature whose curious workes are neuer vaine Supplies them in the power of his Braine So they whose eyes were barr'd that glorious sight Of the Messiah's day receiu'd more Light Inspyred by the Breath of Heauen then they That heard the tidings of that happy Day The man that with a sharpe contracted eye Looks in a cleare Perspectiue-Glasse doth spie Obiects remote which to the sense appeare Through helpe of the Perspectiue seeming neere So they that liu'd within the Lawes Dominion Did heare farre off a Bruit and buzz'd Opinion A Sauiour one day should be borne but hee That had a Perspectiue of Faith might see That long-expected Day of Ioy as cleere As if the Triumph had been then kept there Lord so direct me in thy perfect VVay That I may looke and smile vpon that Day O! bathe me in his Blood spunge euery Staine That I may boldly sue my Counter-paine O! make me Glorious in the Doome he giues For sure I am that my Redeemer liues THE ARGVMENT Earths happinesse is not Heauens brand Arash recounting of Iob's crimes Iob trusts him to th' Almighties hand God tyes his Iudgements not to Times Sect. 13. THen Iob replyde O let your patience proue You came not to afflict me but in Loue. O! beare with me heare me speak at leisure My speech once ended mock scoffe your pleasure Myst'ries I treat not Toyes If then I range A thought beyond my selfe it is not strange Behold my case and stand amaz'd forbeare me Be still and in your deeper silence heare me Search you the hearts of man my Friends or can You iudge the Inward by the Outward man How haps the Wicked then so sound in Health So ripe in Yeeres so prosperous in Wealth They multiplie their House is
for sleepe are fill'd with griefe I looke in vaine for the next dayes reliefe With Dust and Wormes my flesh is hid my sorrow 's Haue plough'd my skin and filth lyes in her furrowes My dayes of ioy are in a moment gone And hopelesse of returning spent and done Remember Lord my life is but a puffe I but a man that 's Misery enough And when pale Death hath once seald vp my sight I ne're shall see the pleasures of the light The eye of man shall not discouer me No nor thine Lord for I shall cease to be When mortals dye they passe like clouds before The Sunne and back returne they neuer more T' his earthly house he ne're shall come agin And then shall be as if he ne're had bin Therfore my tongue shall speak while it hath breath Prompted with griefe and with the pangs of death Am I not weake and saint What need'st thou stretch Thy direfull hand vpon so poore a Wretch When as I thinke that night shall stop the streames Of my distresse thou fright'st me then with dreames So that my soule doth rather chuse to dye Then be inuolued in such miserie My life 's a burthen and will end O grieue No longer him that would no longer liue Ah! what is Man that thou should'st raise him so High at first then sinke him downe so low What 's Mā Thy glory 's great enough without him Why dost thou thus disturbe thy mind about him Lord I haue sin'd Great Helper of mankind I am but Dust and Ashes I haue sin'd Against thee as a marke why hast thou fixt me How haue I trespas't that thou thus afflict'st me Why rather didst thou not remoue my sin And salue the sorrowes that I raued in For thou hast heapt such vengeance on my head That when thou seek'st me thou wilt find me dead Meditatio octaua TH' Egyptians amidst their solemne Feasts Vsed to welcome and present their Ghests With the sad sight of Mans Anatomie Seru'd in with this loud Motto All must dye Fooles often goe about when as they may Take better vantage of a neerer way Looke well into your bosomes doe not slatter Your knowne infirmities Behold what matter Your flesh was made of Man cast back thine eye Vpon the weaknesse of thine Infancie See how thy lips hang on thy mothers Brest Bawling for helpe more helplesse then a Beast Liu'st thou to Childhood Then behold what toyes Doe mocke the sense how shallow are thy ioyes Com'st thou to Downy yeeres see how deceits Gull thee with golden fruit and with false baits Slily beguile the prime of thine affection Art thou attaind at length to full perfection Of ripened yeeres Ambition now hath sent Thee on her frothy errand Discontent Payes thee thy Wages Doe thy grizly haires Begin to cast account of many cares Vpon thy head The sacred lust of gold Now fires thy spirit for fleshly lust too cold Makes thee a slaue to thine owne base desire Which melts and hardens at the selfe same Fire Art thou Decrepit Then thy very breath Is grieuous to thee and each griefe 's a Death Looke where thou list thy life is but a span Thou art but Dust and to conclude A Man Thy life 's a Warfare Thou a Souldier art Satan's thy Foe-man and a faithfull Heart Thy two edg'd Weapon Patience thy Shield Heauen is thy Chiefetaine and the world thy Field To be afraid to dye or wish for death Are words and passions of despairing breath Who doth the first the Day doth faintly yeeld And who the second basely flies the Field Man 's not a lawfull Steares-man of his dayes His bootlesse wish nor hastens nor delayes We are Gods hired Workmen He discharges Some late at Night and when he list inlarges Others at Noone and in the Morning some None may relieue himselfe till He bid Come If we receiue for one halfe day as much As they that toyle till Euening shall we grutch Our life 's a Road in death our Iourney ends We goe on Gods Embassage some he sends Call'd with the trotting of hard Misery And others pacing on Prosperity Some lagge whilest others gallop on before All goe an end some faster and some slower Lead me that pace great God that thou think'st best And I will follow with a dauntlesse brest VVhich ne'rthelesse if I refuse to doe I shall be wicked and yet follow too Assist me in my Combate with the flesh Relieue my fainting powers and refresh My feeble spirit I will not wish to be Cast from the world Lord cast the world from me THE ARGVMENT Bildad man 's either state expresses Gods Mercy ' and Iustice Iob confesses He pleads his cause and begs reliefe Foyl'd with the burthen of his griefe Sect. 9. SO Bildads silence great with tongue did breake And like a heartlesse Comforter did speake How long wilt thou persist to breath thy mind In words that vanish as a storme of wind Will God forsake the Innocent or will His Iustice smite thee vndeseruing ill Though righteous death thy sinfull sons hath rent From thy sad bosome yet if thou repent And wash thy waies with vndissembled teares Tuning thy Troubles to th' Almighties eares The mercy of his eyes shall shine vpon thee And showre the sweetnesse of his Blessings on thee And though a while thou plunge in misery At length hee 'l crowne thee with prosperity Run back and learne of sage Antiquity What our late births to present times deny See how and what in the worlds downy age Befell our fathers in their Pilgrimage If Rushes haue no myre and Grasse no raine They cease to flourish droope their heads wayne So fades the man whose heart is not vpright So perisheth the double Hypocrite His hopes are like the Spiders web to day That 's flourishing to morrow swept away But he that 's iust is like a flowring tree Rooted by Christall springs that cannot be Scorcht by the noone of day nor stir'd from thence Where firmely fixt it hath a residence Heauen neuer failes the soule that is vpright Nor offers arme to the base Hypocrite The one he blesses with eternall ioyes The other his auenging hand destroyes I yeeld it for a truth sad Iob reply'd Compar'd with God can man be iustifi'd If man should giue account what he hath done Not of a thousand could he answere one His hand 's all-Power and his heart all pure Against this God what flesh can stand secure He shakes the Mountaines and the Sun he barres From circling his due course shuts vp the Starres He spreads the Heauens and rideth on the Flood His Workes may be admir'd not vnderstood No eye can see no heart can apprehend him Lists he to spoyle What 's he can reprehend him His Will 's his Law The smoothest pleader hath No power in his lips to slake his Wrath Much lesse can I pleade faire Immunitie Which could my guiltlesse Tongue attaine yet I Would kisse the Footstep of
his Iudgement-seate Should he receiue my crie my griefe 's so great It would perswade me that he heard me not For he hath torne me with the fiue-fold knot Of his sharpe Scourge his plagues successiue are That I can find no ground but of Despaire If my bold lips should dare to iustifie My selfe my lips would giue my lips the lye God owes his mercy nor to Good nor Bad The wicked oft he spares and oft does adde Griefe to the Iust mans griefe woes after woes We must not iudge man as his Market goes But might my prayers obtaine this boone that God Would cease these sorrowes and remoue that Rod Which moues my patience I would take vpon me T'impleade before him your rash Iudgement on me Because my tender Conscience doth perswade me I 'm not so bad as your bad Words haue made me My life is tedious my distresse shall breake Into her proper Voyce my griefes shall speake Iust Iudge of Earth condemne me not before Thou please to make me vnderstand wherefore Agrees it with thy Iustice thus to be Kind to the Wicked and so harsh to Me Seest thou with fleshly Eyes Or doe they glance By fauour Are they clos'd with Ignorance Liu'st thou the life of Man Doest thou desire A space of time to search or to enquire My sinne No in the twinkling of an eye Thou seest my heart seest mine Immunitie Frō those foule crimes wherwith my friends at pleasure Taxe me yet thou afflict'st me in this Measure Thy hands haue form'd and fram'd me what I am When thou hast made wilt thou destroy the same Remember I am built of Clay and must Returne againe without thy helpe to Dust Thou didst create preserue me hast endu'd My life with gracious blessings oft renew'd Thy precious Fauours on me How wert thou Once so benigne and so cruell now Thou hunt'st me like a Prey my plagues encrease Succeed each other and they neuer cease Why was I borne Or why did not my Tombe Receiue me weeping from my Mothers Wombe I haue not long to liue Lord grant that I May see some comfort that am soone to dye Meditatio nona HE that 's the truest Master of his owne Is neuer lesse alone then when alone His watchfull Eyes are plac't within his Heart His Skill is how to know himselfe his Art How to command the pride of his Affections With sacred Reason How to giue Directions Vnto his wandring Will His Conscience checks his More looser thoughts His lowder sinnes she vexes With srights and feares Within her owne precincts She rambles with her Whips of wire ne'r winks At smallest faults Like as a tender Mother Howe're she loues her darling will not smother His childish fault but she her selfe will rather Correct then trust him to his angry Father Euen so the tender Conscience of the wise Checks her beloued soule and doth chastise And iudge the Crime her selfe lest it should stand As liable to a seuerer Hand Fond soule beware who e're thou art that spies Anothers Fault that thou thine owne chastize Lest like a foolish man thou iudge another In those selfe-crimes which in your brest you smother Who vndertakes to dreine his brothers eye Of noysome Humors first must clarifie His owne lest when his brothers blemish is Remoou'd he spie a souler Blame in his It is beyond th' extent of Mans Commission To iudge of Man The secret disposition Of sacred Prouidence is lockt and seal'd From mans Conceit and not to be reueal'd Vntill that Lambe breake ope the Seale and come VVith Life and Death to giue the VVorld her Doome The Ground-worke of our Faith must not relie On bare Euents Peace and Prosperitie Are goodly Fauours but no proper Marke VVherewith God brands his Sheepe No outward barke Secures the body to be sound within The Rich man liu'd in Scarlet dyed in Sinne. Behold th' afflicted man Affliction mooues Compassion but no Confusion prooues A gloomie Day brings oft a glorious Euen The Poore man dyed with sores and liues in Heauen To Good and Bad both Fortunes Heauen doth share That both an after-change may hope and feare I 'le hope the best Lord leaue the rest to thee Lest while I iudge another thou iudge me It 's one mans VVorke to haue a serious sight Of his owne sinnes and iudge himselfe aright THE ARGVMENT Zophar blames Iob Iob equall makes His wisdome vnto theirs He takes In hand to pleade with God and then Describes the fraile estate of men Sect. 10. THen Zophar from deepe silence did awake His words with lowder language be spake Shall Prattlers be vnanswer'd or shall such Be counted iust that speake for babbling much Shal thy words stop our mouths He that hath blam'd And scoft at others shall he dye vnsham'd Our eares haue heard thee when thou hast excus'd Thy selfe of Euill and thy God accus'd But if thy God should pleade with thee at large thou d'st reape the sorrowes of a double Charge Canst thou by deepe enquirie vnderstand The hidden Iustice of th' Almighties hand Heauens large Dimensions cannot comprehend him What e're he doe what 's He can reprehend him What Refuge hast thou then but to present A heart inricht with the sad compliment Of a true Conuert on thy bended knee Before thy God t' attone thy God and thee Then doubt not but he 'l reare thee from thy sorrow Disperse thy Clouds and like a shining Morrow Make cleare thy Sun-beames of Prosperitie And rest thy Soule in sweet Securitie But he whose heart obdur'd in sinne persists His Hopes shall vanish as the morning Mists But Iob euen as a Ball against the ground Banded with violence did thus rebound You are the onely Wisemen in your brests The hidden Magazen of true Wisdome rests Yet though astunn'd with sorrowes doe I know A little and perchance as much as you I 'm scorned of my Friends whose prosprous state Surmises me that haue expyr'd the Date Of Earths faire Fortunes to be cast away From Heauens regard thinke none belou'd but they I am despised like a Torch that 's spent Whil'st that the wicked blazes in his Tent What haue your wisdoms taught me more then that Which Birds and Beasts could they but speak would chat Digests the Stomake ' ere the Pallat tastes O weigh my Words before you iudge my Case But you referre me to our Fathers dayes To be instructed in their wiser Layes True length of dayes brings Wisdome but I say I haue a Wiser teacheth me then they For I am taught and tutor'd by that Hand Whose vnresisted power doth command The limits of the Earth whose Wisdome schooles And traines the Simple makes the learned Fooles His hand doth rayse the poore deposes Kings On him both Order and the Change of things Depend he searches and brings forth the light From out the shaddowes and the depth of night All this mine owne Experience hath found true And in all this
thriue and goods encrease They shall not prosper nor he liue in peace Eternall horrour shall begirt him round And vengeance shall both him and his confound Amidst his ioyes despaire shall stop his breath His sons shall perish with vntimely death The double soule shall dye and in the hollow Of all false harts false harts themselues shall swallow Then answered Iob All this before I knew They want no griefe that find such friends as you Ah cease your words the fruits of ill-spent houres If heauen should please to make my fortunes yours I would not scoffe you nor with taunts torment ye My lips should comfort and these eyes lament ye What shall I doe Speake not my griefes oppresse My soule or speake alas they 'r ne'r the lesse Lord I am wasted and my pangs haue spent me My skin is wrinkled for thy Hand hath rent me Mine enemies haue smit me in disdaine Laught at my torments iested at my paine I swel'd in wealth but now alas am poore And feld with woe lye grou'ling on the floore In dust and sackcloth I lament my sorrowes Thy Hand hath trencht my cheekes with water-furrowes Nor can I comprehend the cause that this My smart should be so grieuous as it is Oh Earth If then an Hypocrite I be Couer my cryes as I doe couer thee And witnesse Heauen that these my Vowes be true Ah friends I spend my teares to Heau'n not you My time 's but short alas would then that I Might try my cause with God before I dye Since then I languish and not farre from dead Let me a while with my Accusers plead Before the Iudge of heauen and earth my right Haue they not wrong'd and vext me day and night Who first layes downe his Gage to meet me Say I doubt not Heauen being Iudge to win the day You 'l say perchance Wee 'l recompell our word E're simple Truth should vnawares afford Your discontent No no forbeare for I Hate lesse your Censures then your Flattery I am become a By-word and a Taber To set the tongues and eares of men in labour Mine eyes are dimme my body 's but a shade Good men that see my case will be afraid But not confounded They will hold their way And in a bad they 'l hope a better day Recant your errours for I cannot see One man that 's truly wise among you Three My dayes are gone my thoughts are mis-possest The silent night that heauen ordain'd for rest My day of trauell is but I shall haue Er'e long long peace within my welcome graue My neerest kindred are the wormes the earth My mother for she gaue me first my birth Where are my hopes then where that future ioy Which you false-prophecy'd I should enioy Both hopes and I alike shall trauell thither Where clos'd in dust we shall remaine together Meditatio vndecima THe Morall Poets nor vnaptly faine That by lame Vulcans help the pregnant braine Of soueraign Ioue brought forth at that birth Was borne Minerua Lady of the earth O strange Diuinity but sung by rote Sweet is the tune but in a wilder note The Morall sayes All Wisedome that is giuen To hood-wink't mortals first proceeds from heauen Truth 's errour Wisedom's but wise insolence And light 's but darknesse not deriu'd from thence Wisdom's a straine transcends Morality No Vertu 's absent Wisedome being by Vertue by constant practice is acquir'd This this by sweat vnpurchas't is inspir'd The master-piece of knowledge is to know But what is Good from what is good in show And there it rests Wisdome proceeds and chuses The seeming Euill th' apparant Good refuses Knowledge deseru's alone Wisedome applyes That makes some fooles this maketh none but wise The curious hand of knowledge doth but pick Bare simples Wisedome pounds them for the sicke In my affliction knowledge apprehends Who is the Authour what the Cause and Ends It findes that Patience is my sad reliefe And that the Hand that caus'd can cure my griefe To rest contented here is but to bring Clouds without raine and heat without a Spring What hope arises hence The Diuels doe The very same They know and tremble too But sacred Wisedome doth apply that Good Which simple Knowledge barely vnderstood Wisedome concludes and in conclusion proues That wheresoeuer God corrects he loues Wisedome digests what knowledge did but tast That deales in futures this in things are past Wisedom's the Card of Knowledge which without That Guide at random's wreckt on euery doubt Knowledge when Wisedome is too weak to guide her Is like a head-strong Horse that throwes the Rider VVhich made that great Philosopher auow He knew so much that he did nothing know Lord giue me VVisdome to direct my wayes I beg nor riches nor yet length of dayes O grant thy seruant VVisedome and with it I shall receiue such knowledge as will fit To serue my turne I wish not Phoebus waine Without his skill to driue it lest I gaine Too deare an Honour Lord I will not stay To pick more Manna then will serue to day THE ARGVMENT Bildad the whil'st he makes a show To strike the wicked giues the blow To Iob Iobs Misery and Faith Zophar makes good what Bildad saith Sect. 12. SAid Bildad then When will ye bring to end The speeches whereabout ye so contend Waigh eithers words lest ignorant confusion Debarre them of their purposed conclusion We came to comfort fits it then that we Be thought as beasts or fooles accounted be But thou Iob like a mad man would'st thou force God to desist his order and set course Of Iustice Shall the wicked for thy sake That would'st not taste of Euill in Good partake No no his Lampe shall blaze and dye his strength Shall faile or shall confound it selfe at length He shall be hampred with close hidden snares And dog'd where e're he starts with troups of feares Hunger shall bite destruction shall attend him His skin shall rot the worst of deaths shall end him His feare shall be a thousand link't together His branch aboue his root beneath shall wither His Name shall sleepe in dust with dust decay Odious to all by all men chas't away No Son shall keepe aliue his House his Name And none shall thriue that can alliance clame The after-age shall stand amaz'd to heare His Fall and they that see 't shall shake for feare Thus stands the state of him that doth amisse And Iob what other is thy case then this But Iob reply'd How long as with sharpe swords Will ye torment me with your poynted words How often haue your biting tongues defam'd My simple Innocence and yet vnsham'd Had I deseru'd these plagues yet let my griefe Expresse it selfe though it find no reliefe But if you needs must weare your tongues vpon me Know 'T is the hand of God hath ouerthrowne me I roare vnheard His Hand will not release me The more I grieue
THE ARGVMENT Iob wisheth his past happinesse Shewes his state present Doth confesse That God's the Authour of his griefe Relates the purenesse of his life Sect. 15. OH that I were as happy as I was When heauens bright fauours shone vpon my face And prospred my affaires inrich't my ioyes When all my sonnes could answere to my voyce Then did my store and thriuing flockes encrease Offended Iustice sought my hands for peace Old men did honour and the young did feare me Princes kept silence when I spake to heare me I heard the poore relieu'd the widdowes cry Orphans I succour'd was the blind mans eye The Cripples foot my helplesse brothers drudge The poore mans Father and th'oppressours Iudge I then supposed that my dayes long Lease Would passe in Plenty and expire in Peace My Roots were fixed and my Branches sprung My Glory blaz'd my Pow'r grew daily strong I speaking men stood mute my speeches moou'd All hearts to Ioy by all men were approou'd My kindly words were welcome as a latter Rayne and were Oracles in a doubtfull matter O sudden change I 'm turn'd a laughing-stock To boyes those that su'd to tend my Flock And such whose hungry wants haue taught their hands To scrape the earth and dig the barren lands For hidden roots wherewith they might appease Their Tyran'-stomakes these euen very these Flout at my sorrowes and disdaining me Poynt with their fingers and cry This is He My honour 's foyld my troubled spirit lyes Wide open to the worst of iniuries Where-e're I turne my sorrow new appeares I 'm vex't abroad with slouts at home with feares My soule is faint and nights that should giue ease To tyred spirits make my griefes encrease I loathe my Carkas for my rip'ned sores Haue chang'd my garments colour with their cores But what is worst of worsts Lord often I Haue cry'd to Thee a stranger to my cry Though perfect Clemency thy nature be Though kind to all thou art vnkind to me I ne'r waxt pale to see another thriue Nor e're did let my ' afflicted brother striue With teares alone but I poore I tormented Expect for succour and am vnlamented I mourne in silence languish all alone As in a Desart am relieu'd by none My sores haue dyed my skin with filth still turning My Ioyes to Griefe and all my Mirth to Mourning My Heart hath past Indentures with mine Eye Not to behold a Maide for what should I Expect from Heauen but a deseru'd reward Earnd by so foule a sinne for death 's prepar'd And flames of wrath are blowne for such Doth He Not know my Actions that so well knowes me If I haue lent my hand to slie deceit Or if my steps haue not been purely strait What I haue sowne then let a Stranger eate And roote my Plants vntimely from their seate If I with Lust haue e're distain'd my life Or been defiled with anothers Wife In equall Iustice let my Wife be knowne Of all and let me reape as I haue sowne For Lust that burneth in a sinfull brest Till it hath burnt him too shall neuer rest If e're my haste did treate my Seruant ill Without desert making my Pow'r my Will Then how should I before Gods Iudgement stand Since we were both created by one Hand If e're my power wrong'd the Poore mans Cause Or to the Widdow length'ned out the Lawes If e're alone my lips did taste my bread Or shut my churlish doores the poore vnfed Or bent my hand to doe the Orphane wrong Or saw him naked vnapparell'd long In heapes of Gold if e're I tooke delight Or gaue Heauens worship to the heauenly Light Or e're was flattred by my secret Will Or ioyed in my Aduersaries Ill Let God accurse me from his glorious Seate And make my Plagues if possible more great Oh! That some equall hearer now were by To iudge my righteous Cause Full sure am I I shall be quitted by th' Almighties hand What therefore if censorious tongues withstand The Iudgement of my sober Conscience Compose they Ballads on me yet from thence My simple Innocence shall gaine renowne And on my head I 'le weare them as my Crowne To the Almighties Eare will I reueale My secret Wayes to Him alone appeale If to conclude the Earth could find a tongue T' impeach my guiltlesse hands of doing wrong If hidden Wages earn'd with sweat doe lye Rak't in her furrowes let her Wombe denie To blesse my Haruest let her better Seeds Be turn'd to Thistles and the rest to Weedes Meditatio quintadecima THe man whose soule is vndistain'd with Ill Pure from the check of a distemp'red Will Stands onely free from the distracts of Care And flies a pitch aboue the reach of Feare His bosome dares the threatning Bow-mans arme His Wisdome sees his Courage feares no harme His brest lyes open to the reeking Sword The Darts of swarthy Maurus can afford Lesse dread then danger to his well prepar'd And settled mind which standing on her Guard Bids Mischiefe doe the worst she can or will For he that doth no Ill deserues no Ill. Would any striue with Samson for renowne Whose brawny Arme can strike most pillers downe Or try a fall with Angels and preuaile Or with a Hymne vnhinge the strongest Iayle Would any from a Pris'ner prooue a Prince Or with slow speech best Orators conuince Preserue he then vnstained in his brest A milke-white Conscience let his soule be blest With simple Innocence This seuenfold shield No dart shall pierce no sword shall make it yeeld The sinowy Bow and deadly-headed Launce Shall breake in shiuers and the splinters glaunce Aside returning backe from whence they came And wound their hearts with an eternall shame The Iust and Constant mind that perseueres Vnblemisht with false pleasures neuer feares The bended threatnings of a Tyrants brow Death neither can disturbe nor change his Vow VVell guarded with Himselfe he walkes along VVhen most alone his stand's a thousand strong Liues he in VVeale and full Prosperitie His wisdome tells him that he liues to die Is he afflicted Sharpe Afflictions giue Him hopes of Change and that that he dyes to liue Is he reuil'd and scorn'd He sits and smiles Knowing him Happie whom the World reuiles If Rich he giues the poore and if he liue In poore estate he finds rich friends to giue He liues an Angell in a mortall forme And hauing past the brunt of many a Storme At last arriueth at the Hauen of Rest Where that Iust Iudge that rambles in his brest Ioyning with Angels with an Angels voyce Chaunts forth sweet Requiems of Eternall Ioyes THE ARGVMENT Elihu Iob reprooues reprooues His Friends alike he pleades the case With Iob in Gods behalfe and mooues Him to recant and call for Grace Sect. 16. THus Iob his ill-defended Cause adiournes And silence lends free libertie of turnes To his vniust Accusers whose bad cause
mark'd the Earth of what a bulke she is Know'st thou the place whence Light or Darknesse springs Can thy deepe age vnfold these secret things Know'st thou the cause of Snow or Haile which are My fierce Artill'ry in my time of warre Who is 't that rends the gloomy Clouds in sunder Whose sudden rapture strikes forth Fire Thunder Or who bedewes the Earth with gentle showres Filling her pregnant soyle with fruits and flowres What Father got the Raine from what chill wombe Did Frosts and hard-congealed Waters come Canst thou restraine faire Maia's course or stint her Or sad Orion vshering in the Winter Will scorching Cancer at thy summons come Or Sun-burnt Autumne with her fruitfull wombe Knowst thou Heauens course aboue or dost thou know Those gentle Influences here below Who was 't inspir'd thy Soule with Vnderstanding And gaue thy Spirit the spirit of Apprehending Dost thou command the Cesternes of the Skie To quench the thirsty soyle or is it I Nay let thy practice to the Earth descend Proue there how farre thy power doth extend From thy full hand will hungry Lions eate Feed'st thou the empty Rauens that cry for meate Sett'st thou the Season when the fearefull Hind Brings forth her painefull birth Hast thou assign'd The Mountaine Goate her Time Or is it I Canst thou subiect vnto thy soueraigntie The vntam'd Vnicorne Can thy hard hand Force him to labour on thy fruitfull land Did'st thou inrich the Peacock with his Plume Or did that Steele-digesting Bird assume His downie flags from thee Didst thou endow The noble Stallion with his Strength Canst thou Quaile his proud courage See his angry breath Puffes nothing forth but feares summ'd vp in death Marke with what pride his horny hoofes doe tabor The hard resounding Earth with how great labor How little ground he spends But at the noyse And fierce Alar'm of the hoarse Trumpets voyce He breakes the rankes amidst a thousand Speares Pointed with death vndaunted at the feares Of doubtfull warre he rushes like a Ranger Through euery Troope scornes so braue a danger Doe loftie Haggards cleaue the flitting Ayre With Plumes of thy deuising Then how dare Thy rauenous lips thus thus at randome runne And counter-maund what I the Lord haue done Think'st thou to learne fond Mortall thus by diuing Into my secrets or to gaine by striuing Pleade then No doubt but thine will be the Day Speake peeuish Plaintiffe if th' ast ought to say Iob then reply'd Great God I am but Dust My heart is sinfull and thy hands are Iust I am a Sinner Lord my words are wind My thoughts are vaine Ah Father I haue sinn'd Shall Dust replie I spake too much before I 'le close these lips and neuer answere more Meditatio octauadecima O Glorious Light A light vnapprehended By mortall Eyes O Glorie neuer ended Nor e're created whence all Glorie springs In heauenly bodies and in earthly things O power Immense deriued from a Will Most Iust and able to doe all but ill O Essence pure and full of Maiestie Greatnesse it selfe and yet no Quantitie Goodnesse and without Qualitie producing All things from out of Nothing and reducing All things to nothing past all comprehending Both First and Last and yet without an Ending Or yet beginning filling euery Creature And not it selfe included aboue Nature Yet not excluded of it Selfe subsisting And with it Selfe all other things assisting Diuided yet without diuision A perfect Three yet Three entirely One Both One in Three and Three in One together Begetting and begotten and yet neither The Fountaine of all Arts Confounding Art Both All in All and All in euery part Still seeking Glorie and still wanting none Though Iust yet reaping where Thou ne'r hast sowne Great Maiestie since Thou art euery where O Why should I misdoubt thy Presence here I long haue sought Thee but my ranging heart Ne'r quests and cannot see thee where thou art There 's no Defect in thee thy light hath shin'd Nor can be hid Great God but I am blind O cleare mine eyes and with thy holy Fire Inflame my brest and edge my dull desire Wash me with Hysope clense my stained thoughts Renew my spirit blurre forth my secret faults Thou tak'st no pleasure in a Sinners death For thou art Life thy Mercy 's not beneath Thy sacred Iustice Giue thy seruant power To seek aright and hauing sought discouer Thy glorious Presence Let my blemisht Eye See my saluation yet before I dye O then my Dust that 's bowell'd in the ground Shall rise with Triumph at the welcome sound Of my Redeemers earth-awaking Trumpe Vnfrighted at the noyse no sullen Dumpe Of selfe-confounding Conscience shall affright me For Hee 's my Iudge whose dying Blood shall quite me THE ARGVMENT God speakes to Iob the second time Iob yeelds his sinne repents his crime God checks his Friends restores his health Giues him new issue double wealth Sect. 19. ONcemore the Mouth of heauē rapt forth a voice The troubled Firmament was fill'd with noise The Rafters of the darkned Skie did shake For the Eternall thundred thus and spake Collect thy scattred senses and aduise Rouze vp fond man and answere my replies Wilt thou make Comments on my Text and must I be vnrighteous to conclude thee Iust Shall my Decrees be licenced by thee What canst thou thunder with a Voyce like Me Put on thy Robes of Maiestie Be clad With as bright glorie Iob as can be had Make fierce thy frownes and with an angry face Confound the Proud and his high thoughts abase Pound him to Dust Doe this and I will yeeld Thou art a God and need'st no other shield Behold the Castle-bearing Elephant That wants no bulke nor doth his greatnesse want An equall strength Behold his massie bones Like barres of Yron like congealed stones His knottie sinewes are Him haue I made And giuen him naturall weapons for his aide High Mountaines beare his food the shady boughes His Couerts are Great Riuers are his Troughs Whose deepe Carouses would to standers-by Seeme at a watring to draw Iordan drie What skilfull huntsman can with strength out-dare him Or with what Engins can a man ensnare him Hast thou beheld the huge Leuiathan That swarthy Tyrant of the Ocean Can Thy bearded hooke impierce his Gils or make him Thy landed Pris'ner Can thy Angles take him Will he make suite for fauour from thy hands Or be enthralled to thy fierce Commands Will he be handled as a Bird Or may Thy fingers bind him for thy childrens play Let men be wise for in his lookes he hath Displayed Banners of vntimely death If Creatures be so dreadfull how is he More bold then wise that dares encounter Me What hand of man can hinder my designe Are not the Heauens and all beneath them mine Dissect the Greatnesse of so vast a Creature By view of seuerall parts Summe vp his feature Like Shields his Scales are plac't which neither Art Knowes
how to sunder nor yet Force can part His Belching rucks forth flames his mouing Eye Shines like the glory of the morning Skie His craggie Sinewes are like wreathes of brasse And from his mouth quicke flames of fier passe As from an Ouen the temper of his Heart Is like a Nether-milstone which no Dart Can pierce secured from the threatning Speare Affraid of none he strikes the World with feare The Bow-mans brawnie arme sends Shafts in vaine They fall like Stubble or bound backe againe Stones are his Pillow and the Mud his Downe In earth none greater is nor equall none Compar'd with him all things he doth deride And well may challenge to be King of Pride So said th' amazed Iob bent downe his eyes Vpon the ground and sadly thus replyes I know Great God there 's nothing hard to Thee Thy thoughts are pure and too too deepe for me I am a Foole and my distempered Wits Longer out-strayed my Tongue then well befits My knowledge slumbred while my Lips did chat And like a Foole I spake I knew not what Lord teach me Wisdome lest my proud Desire Cinge her bold Feathers in thy sacred Fire Mine Eare hath oft been rounded with thy storie But now these very Eyes haue seene thy Glorie My sinfull Words I not alone lament But in the horror of my Soule repent Repent with Teares in Sackcloth mourne in Dust I am a sinfull man and Thou art Iust Thou Eliphaz that mak'st my sacred Word An Engine of Despaire said then the Lord Behold full vyals of my Wrath attends On thee and on thy two too-partiall Friends For you haue iudg'd amisse and haue abus'd My Word to worke your Ends falsely accus'd My righteous Seruant Of you all there 's none Hath spoke vprightly as my Iob hath done Haste then before my kindling Fire begin To slame and each man offer for his Sin A Sacrifice by Iob my seruants hand And for his sake your Offrings shall withstand The Wages of your sinnes for what can I If Iob my Seruant make request denie So strait they went and after speedy pardon Desir'd and had the righteous Iob for guerdon Of his so tedious Griefe obtain'd the health Of a sound Body and encrease of Wealth So that the second Haruest of his store Was double that which he enioy'd before Ere this was blazed in the Worlds wide Eares The frozen brests of his Familiars And cold Allyes being now dissolu'd in Griefe His backward Friends came to him with Reliefe To feede his Wants and with sad showring eyes To moane his yet supposed Miseries Some brought him Sheepe to blesse his emptie Fold Some precious Earerings others Rings of Gold God blest his loines from whence there sprang again The number of his children that were slaine Nor was there any in the Land so rare In vertue as his Daughters or so faire Long after this he liu'd in peace to see His childrens children to the fourth Degree Till at the length cut short by Him that stayes For none he dyed in Peace and full of Dayes Meditatio vltima EVill's the defect of Good and as a shade That 's but the Ruines of the Light decay'd It hath no Beeing nor is vnderstood But by the Opposition of Good What then is man whose purest thoughts are prest For Satans warre which from the tender brest With Infant silence haue consented to Such sinfull Deeds as babes they could not doe What then is man but Nothing being Euill His Lunatick affections doe vnleuell What Heauen created by iust Waight and Measure In Pleasures sincke he takes a swinelike Pleasure His span of life and beautie's like a Flower Faire flourishing and fading in an hower He breakes into the World with Teares and then Departs with Griefe nor knowing How nor When. His life 's a Bubble full of seeming Blisse The more it lengthens the more short it is Begot in darknesse hee 's brought forth and cryes For succour passes ore the Stage and dyes Yet like a Moale the earth he vndermines Making the World the Forge of his designes He plots complots foresees preuents directs He hopes he feares he doubts pursues effects Each hath his Plot each one his course doth bend Each hath his Proiect and each one his end Thus restlesse man doth still his soule molest To finde out that which hath no Being Rest Thus trauels sinfull man in endlesse toyle Taking a pleasure in his owne turmoyle Fond man first seeke to purchase that diuine And sacred Prize and all the World is thine Great Salomon made suit for Wisedome and he found Not barely Wisedome but that Wisedome crown'd With Diademes of wealth and faire encrease Of princely Honours with long dayes of peace With safe respect and awfull reuerence To Mystryes Meditation doth commence An earnest doubt Was Iobs dispoyled Flock Restored double Was his former Stock Renew'd with double vantage Did heauen adde To all his fortunes double what he had Yet those sweet Emblemes of his dearest loue His sonnes whom Death vntimely did remoue From off the face of the vnthankfull earth Why likewise sprang not they in double birth Bruit beasts that perish once are lost for euer Their substance and their All consume together Once hauing giuen a farewell to the light They dye and with them is perpetuall night But man vnorgan'd by the hand of Death Dyes not is but transplanted from beneath Into a fairer soyle or as a stranger Brought home secure from the worlds pleasing Danger Iobs Flocks were lost and therefore double giuen His Issu's equall shar'd 'twixt Earth and Heauen One halfe in heauen are glorious in their doome Ingag'd as Pledges till the other come Great God! my Time 's but short and long my Way My Heart hath lost her Path and gone astray My spirit 's faint and fraile my soul 's imbost If thou helpe not I am for euer lost Though Dust and Ashes yet am I thy Creature How e're my sinnes are great thy Mercy 's greater Of Nothing did'st thou make me and my sinne Hath turn'd me back to Nothing once agin Create me a new heart great God inspire My cold Affections with thy sacred Fire Instruct my Will and rectifie my Wayes O teach me Lord to number out my Dayes The Digestion of the whole HISTORIE 1 In Prosperity THou whose lanke fortunes heauē hath sweld with Make not thy selfe by ouer-wishing poore store Husband that Good which else Abuse makes Bad Abstracting where thy base Desire would adde Lines flowing from a Sophoclean Quill Deserue no Plaudit ' being Acted ill 2 In Aduersity Hath heauē withdrawn the Talent he hath giuē thee Hath enuious Death of all thy Sons bereau'n thee Haue foule Diseases foyl'd thee on the floore He earnes no sweet that neuer tasted sowre Thou art a Scholler if thy Tutor doe Pose thee too hard Hee will instruct thee too 3 In Tentation Art thou oppos'd to thine vnequall Foe