n verse 21 be not so cruel as to harden your hearts bee not so sauage as to sharpen your tongues against him that is so miserable but let it suffice that the Lord o verse 22 pursueth me in such bitter and feareful maner as hath beene described THe onely thing why you are against me is as you pretend because I am a Wicked man Chap 19 25 5 26 27. for confutation whereof that so I may the rather drawe you to pitty my estate consider with me what a wicked man is A wicked Man is hee that is without faith and hee is a godly man that is indued therewith for the want of faith is it that only condemneth and the inioying thereof that only iustifieth a man Because al the sins in the world cannot condemne a man where faith is nor al the good works in the world can saue a man where faith is not because no prayer no preaching is pleasing to the Lord without sacrifice in these daies which leadeth vs to faith in the redeemer to come No transgression or offence so great but is purged thereby because faith can no more be without good fruits then fire without heat or water without moysture nor good works where faith is wanting any more then light appeare in the world the Sunne being taken out of the firmament or life remaine in the body the soule beeing seperated from it Before oblations be offered to the Lord there is necessarily mioyned †m Exod 19 10 Iob 1 5 washing this washing doeth fignifie faith where by our hearts and hands the inward and outward man are * n Acts 15.9 purged from sinne where as otherwise wee a Cage of all vncleannesse deliuered ouer to a * o Rom 1 28 29 reprobate minde and full of all vnrighteousnesse As therefore when the sacrifices are layed vppon the Altar the fire commeth downe from heauen and consumeth them it is an euident and infallible signe of the Lordes presence so where faith inflameth the heart with astedfast expectation of the Lords deliuerance from death and destruction there doubtlesse is a sure and certaine testimony of his feare and freedome from the bondage of sinne and Wickednesse so that it raigneth not in his mortall body whosoeuer he be For this faith it is neuerydle neuer so litarie but alwaies in building and repairing of the Temple where it abideth that so it may befit for the receiuing of her honourable redeemer when hee commeth alwaies attended with such royal vertues as may grace it in the eyes of him that cannot indure iniquity Now let this be a testimony of my faith grounded vpon a true knowledge of the Lord which you * c Chap 8.21 deny to be in me and let it be as a confutation of your reasons to the contrary which also I desire may remaine in recorde * f ch 19 23 to all posterities and be ingrauen with anyron pen in marble neuer to bee razed out that I rest vppon the promise of the Lord for the resurrection of my body from death vnto life the restoring of it againe after it shall bee eaten vppe with Wormes and consumed to dust and the beholding of the glory of my Sauiour and redeemer with the very same eyes which now I inioy that I rest vpon the comming of that blessed seede which shall break the Serpents head and recouer mee together with the whole housholde of faith to the state of immortality lost in Adam because he is immortal co-eternall with his Father liueth for euer and wil make vs like vnto himselfe I confesse indeed that he hath not as yet taken vpon him our humane nature neither wil do it vntill the last daies Yet I know for a certainty that he himselfe through the power of his God-head shall be the first that shall arise out of the graue by vertue of whose resurrection Iâ—ogither with all that beleene shall be reuiued and quickned againe For this is the office of the Messiah to make that good againe which was deâ—aced in Adam and therefore I terme him my redeemer as standing assured of the restauration of this my weake and fraile slesh to that happy estate which was in Paradise a life like vnto that of the Angels in heauen which neuer shall haue an end and so replenished with ioyes as is vnspeakeable This my disease teacheth mee as much wherein though my skinne and flesh be rotten my bones broken and so consumed that dust g verse 26 may as it were be shaken out of them yet notwithstanding by the power and goodnes of God I am preserued aliue Howbeit though I bee thus afflicted and my faith rooted in the Zord yet you cease not still to persecute mee with your h verse 28 bloody words denouncing more peremptorily then at the first Gods heauy iudgementes against me But take heed that you pul i verse 29 them not vpon your selues by your iniquity and cruelty toward me For certainely the Lord will not suffer such harde measure as you haue offered me which hath pierced my soul like vnto a sword to escape the sword of his indignation Syrraxis 14. Persons Zophar Iob Zoph THough thou reprouest a verse 3 me I wil passe it ouer Chap 29 and prosecute that which hath bin interupted namely that it cannot go well with the b verse 5 wicked And here I appeale to thy own knowledge c verse 4 and conscience whether since the beginning of the world the prosperity of the Hippocrite and wicked man hath beene of any d verse 5 durance The glory of such thou knowest touching the clouds e verse 6 hath bin broght down to the dunghil hath vanished away sodeÌ„ly as a dreame f verse 8 neither doe their Children g verse 10 which they enioy according to their desire * h cha 21 1 possesse * i Chap 21 ver 16 17 18 any part of theyr wealth flowing in vnto them most happily * k chap 21 10 how great soeuer it hath beene Be it that their sinnes haue remained with them a longe time and that they bee so sweete that they cannot leaue l chap 20 11 12 13 them they become not withstanding at length as deadly as the poison of Aspes or the sting of the tongue of the Viper vnto them The Hippocrite and wicked must not looke alwaies to flow in wealth neither when he is once downe by all his labor to recouer his former estate for how should he stil prosper that hath inriched himselfe by oppression m verse 15 16 17 18 19 et sequent of the weake The Lord in his Iustice must needes repay vnto him the like measure as he hath offered to others And therefore as hee hath depriued poore of their foode so shall hee perish for want of nourishment and though he haue aboundance yet notwithstanding he shall not be satisfied When he hath prouided for his belly the wrath of the Lord shall scatter it and
beside As a token therfore of our sorrow a Verse 12 They lift vp their eies wept c. which we conceiue that we are humbled in spirit rent wee our cloaths lifting vp our voyce vnto Heauen with a lamentable cry cast we dust vpon our heads and shed we forth Ryuers of teares for the desolation of our friend Harken how lamentably he groaneth groane we and grieue we in spirit with him sit we here or rather take we vp here an abiding for a certaine b Verse xiii Nothing is more ordina rythen the in sulting of the wicked ouer the Godly which they haue from Sa than 1 Kings 22.24 time by him obseruing his gesture that so we may apply our speeches accordingly Sathan See how these men wonder at my power they may wel wonder at it for I haue painted Iob with as many colours as the rainbow The Leopard is not fuller of spots then he with sores the Gyants are not more huge admirable for their stature then he for the greatnes of his swoln mishapen body My workmanship is absolute of corupt matter festering swelling burning aking of blisters botches biles stripes wounds great plenty these are in the view of the world to make him and his religion odious Besides I haue stirred vp his Friends who are able because of their auncient loue grauity and knowledge to preuaile very much with him by setting before him the greatnesse of his sins and the exceeding anger of the lord against him to bring him and that vnder the colour of kindnesse and goodwill to despaire of the Lords fauor toward him This my plot doth maruelously please me aboue all the rest and hitherto I haue had my desire in it for I perceiue they begin already to suspect him not to be the mā they took him for in times past and that because of my strange wonders that I haue wrought vpon him This was done in the depth of my pollicy and it proceedeth happily Adams smart hath made some men suspicions of their wiues so that they will not be led by them But what man is there but that he will harken to the counsel of an olde wise and faithfull friend whom he presumeth doth intend his good I haue prouided me of three of them for failing that in the mouths of three witnesses my perswasions may be ratified Three to one and they al haile persons against a diseased wretch bereft of his wits is oddes enough Syrraxis 9. Persons Iob Eliphaz The substance of Iobes complaint in the 3. chap. is set downe in that which succeedeth though I haue not precisely tyed my selfe to the order of verses and to speak the truth the speech proceeding from a troubled spirite confounded with the violence of his passions what method could he obserue in it and therfore to haue kept my selfe to an order had bin nothing else but to transvert the nature thereof Iob. OVnhappy day wherein I was borne O cursed houre a chap 3 3. of my natiuity O that the womb had shut me vp and that I had neuer seene the sun Let it bee from henceforth noted for a day of misery couered with b Verse 4 darkenes from aboue a day of feare c Verse 5 and horror to the sonnes of men and vtterly without al ioy or comfort why was I brought forth into the world Why was I nurced d Verse xi xii by my mother nourished and trained vp Why liued I in pleasure prosperity wealth and honor How much better had it beene for me to haue lien in the graue e Verse 13 that so I might haue felt no torment Lamentable f Verse 20 is the greef that I now suffer I haue no ease no part free boyles and vlcers that ouerrun my whole body O most welcom now wold death g Verse 21 22 be vnto me the most greevous death that the head of the cruellest Tyrant could inuent If any kind of death might betide me I should thinke my selfe as happy as the Kings h Verse xiiii that while they liued here vpon earth were cōmanders of the world or as the Princes i Verse vx that had their houses filled with gold or siluer all maner of treasure and welth now sleeping in the dust where high k Verse xix and low are alone without difference For they without al feare void of all labor l Verse xiii and sorrow free from anger threatning oppression they complaine not they sigh not they are not heard to grone or roare out through paine My golden daies which before I enioyed were ful of terror m Verse 25 26 for euen then I stood in awe of this wretchednes that now is fallen vpon me And though I did what I coulde to prevent it by publicke and priuate prayer by obeying the Lord in al things yet would it not do it Blessed death therfore how much do I desire thee How doeth the remembrance of thee refresh mee in my irkesome and wearisome life As often as I consider that thou wilt bring me n Vers xvii 18 case that thou wilt put an end to al my griefe and lay me in the graue where I shall feele no pain so often do I cal and cry for thee so often do I wish for thee as the hireling o verse xvii Laborer for the night or as hè that grindeth p Prisoner at the mil for an end of his thraldome I would part with al my wealth were it againe in my possession for a litle ease for a litle freedom so that I might be washed or bathed or any way find some mittigatiō Was ther euer seen such a huge vglie bodie Nothing but sores and those so greeuous g Verse xxiiii the matter from hence to the end of this speech dependeth hereupon as if I were pricked with needles in euery part I am al of goare blood mingled with scabs scum and scurffe together with such abundance of corrupt matter as if there were an vndrainable fountain therof in euerie vaine and ioynt of my bodie which maketh me to do nothing els but sigh and sob continually If the dogs might licke my sores I were thrice happie their tongues are phisicke they would remoue this stinch which is so strong that it infecteth the aire and would be kinder vnto me then my friends that vvonder at my sight and are astonyed at my trouble The burning of my vlcers the greeuous burning is as the fire to torment me yea better were it by far that I were in the burning flame for that wold dispatch me quickly Now these my sores are deuised doubtles in the forge of Sathans deepest malice into whose hands the lord hath now deliuerd me and how subtle Sathan is to inuent new torments and how cruel to inflict them specialy vpon the dearest children of God whome he most hateth if the Lord giue him leaue who knoweth not Eliphaz These 7. †a
chap 2 xiii daies space haue we mournd with thee in silence only not vsing so much as a word at any time vnto thee which we haue done partly because thy pain * b Because they saw the greefe was great v xiii was so great that it wold haue hindred al exhortation partly because we were so amazed and terified at the wonderful hand of God vpon thee that we could not tel what to iudge of thee whether thou wert the man we tooke thee for in thy prosperity or one that made shew onely of religion and of external honesty hauing a corrupt hart and being closely of a wicked life and partly because we expected something from thee whereby we might from thine owne mouth receiue directions for our speeches For being in a great doubt because of thy suddaine and feareful punishment thogh we knew thee wel before and had a good opinion yea wer marueil ously in loue with thee for those excellent vertues and soundnes in religion seemed to be in thee yet durst we not determin the matter vntil we might heare thee speak But now that thou hast vttered thy minde and that at large and therein hast discouered most fowly shamefully the wickednes of thy hart and thine hipocrisie in times past we canÌ„ no loÌ„ger forbear but must needs now soeuer thou take it impart what after long consideration we conceiue of thy calamity and withal make a confutation of thy words wherein thou pleading thine owne †c chap 3 xvii innocency and the iniury * d chap 3 23 24.25 26 that is offred thee in this thy heauy affliction thou iustifiest thy selfe and condemnest the L. as vnrighteous and vniust Howbeit we may safely protest that howsoeuer we are exasperated by this thy speech because it derogateth very much from the Lordes iustice yet wee came vnto thee with a purpose and desire to administer words of comfort vnto thee according as our weeping renting of our cloths casting dust vpon our heads lamenting for thee with a loud cry sitting by thee so long coÌ„ming so far to see thee doth witnes And thus hauing yeilded reasons both of our so long silence as also of that shall ensue I wil if thou wilt giue me leaue a chap 4 2 yea without thy leaue the matter being of such importance according as my yeares require begin first to reply vpon thee HOW comes a chap 4 3.4 it to passe that thou which hast bin in times of prosperity a strengthner of others in the faith b Verse v dost now in thine aduersity shrinke vnder the burden and despair of saluation Surely thou hast bin no goodmaÌ„ thou hast but deceiued the world with this name neither did thy fear to offend god c Verse vi proceed of an vnfaind loue reuerence of his maiesty but that thou mightst stil inioy thy health peace and abundance thou didst frame thy self therunto as the maner of worldlings is that do al for the coÌ„modities of this life and their credite here without any further respect These men making the getting togither of riches the liuing in honor and pleasure their happines wil be drawne to any religion and be as forward as careful as earnest in it as the soundest professors themselues in the sight of men as long as they preuaile in that their drift but if they faile in that then they straight waye fall away and speake euill of of the way they professed and reuile the Author of their religion Euen so dost thou which declareth that thou haddest no d Verse 6. confidence in him whom thou didest worship For as is the man so is his hope a good life is euer in expectation of a good end Seeing therefore thou despairest thy profession doublesse hath not bin sound nor thy life Godly nor thy conscience innocent but guilty of much wickednesse For were it not so why art thou thus destroyed e Verse 7 Neither do I iudge thee in this but they are thine owne wordes for thou criest out that thou art perished * f Chap 3.23 Whose way is hid and come to destruction whereunto none that are truely righteous and godly do euer come This is a sure and vnfallible position Consider the histories of al times thou shalt find it so do but look into the ordinary course of the world there thou shalt be taught the g v 7 where were the vp right destroyed Verse 8.9 same It is true in them that are contrary minded who as a fruit of their trauell in the plowing vp the fields and preparing the hart vnto euill in sowing the seed and doing the deeds of vngodlines are wont to reape the reward of iniquity and to vanish away with the wind of the Lords indignation The h Vers 10 fiercenesse and cruelty of the Lyon and Lyonesse making affraid the other beastes with their roaring raging against them and preying vpon them continually is the cause why they are i Verse xi destroâ—ed with their Whelpes And so of the Lionlike Tirants whom the lord depriuing of their goods gotten by oppression violence none otherwise then those rauening beastes of their prey causeth to perish with hunger and the teeth of their posterity thereby to be broken and left destitute notwithstanding the loude crying and wofull adoe of their fathers for them of al meanes to helpe them and so compelled to wander like vagabouds and runnagates vpon the face of the earth THou boastest of thy absolue a Chap 3 26 Vide Iunium care and diligence in the carriage of thy selfe euery way could it possibly bee such thinkest thou as wherein there was no defect I haue receiued it in 〈◊〉 Heauenly visoÌ„ b chap. 4 1â— at the deadest c verse 13 â—ime of the night when men are in their deepest sleepe and again the imaginations of them that are waking most prosoud a d Verse 15 mighty tempest going before as a he rauld to proclaime the Lordes comming vnto me at whose presence when it passed by me and I had but a little glimpse of it because of the exeeding brightnesse and surpassing beauty thereof euery ioynt of my body did c Verse xiiii tremble and the f Verse xv haire of my head did stand an end all which circumstances do notably cleare it from the least suspicion of false-hood I receiued it I say from Heauen and in an Oracle from g verse xviii God that the righteousnesse of the holy Angels h verse xviii themselues being compared with the incomparable righteousnes of the Almighty is imperfect Shall we then poore Creatures that haue our dwelling in earthly houses which are base of no durance that so dainly vanish away as being to day liuing bodies to morrow dead carcases and Wormes meat that with all our excellency wealth and wisedome canot preuent the stroak of Death wheÌ„ he once layeth his are to the root of our tree or draw him to a
truce of one day or houre stād vpō it that we are iust and that we are so absolutely i verse xvii xviii xix good that there is no want in vs no not if the Lord himselfe should examin vs according to that integrity that is annexed to his owne essence This were to make our felues better then the Angels yea equall with God himselfe who alone in the iudgement of the very Insidels is simply and perfectly good Alas silly Wormes we may more truely confesse of our selues because of the corruption of our nature so polluted throughout that nothing pure can possibly be remaining in vs that notwithstanding all our care and diligence to do well wee are neuer thelesse far from perfection as by the effects of all our actions doth appeare for without all exception made from the generall rule wee offend in euerie action euen in praier it selfe the best of all other And in that we walke more vprightly then many others we must knowledge it to bee the hand of the Lord vpholding vs which were it not we should fal most grossely euery moment and finally to destruction without recouery which being so the case is most plain and euident that God when he punisheth the best of vs he doth vs no wrong or iniury neither doth he shew himselfe vniust toward vs as thou exclaimest against him because of thine own particular calamity but executeth most righteous iudgment howsoeuer he dealeth with vs. For as hath bin said the most righteous man offen deth in the most holy action that he vndertaketh and so to that for his default therein he k Verse 20 21. deserueth to haue his name rased out here on earth l Chap 5 1 to be depriued of the fauor of God for euermore It is manifest then that thou art in an error thus to stād vpon thy perfection as who should say thou wert so good as that the lord had nothing against thee What aduo cate hast thou that wil plead for thee in de fence of that thou maintainest Or who is there that thou calling vpon him neuer so importunatly or crying aloud neuer so outragiously and shamefully for helpe will take thy part If thou fly to the Godly they will not for they are euer the forwardest of all other to acknowledge their wāts to confesse that their sins haue pulled the iudgmēts of the Lord vpon them they know that to reason as thou dost and to say they vndergo the Lords indignation vndeseruedly were to make themselus more righteous then god which were a detestable kind of disputing as diminishing the Lords and establishing their own righteousnes pulling God out of his throne of iustice and placing man in his roome aduancing the creature aboue the creator which is blessed for euer If to the vngodly they cannot for we see the wrath of the Lord breaking forth against them daily for their transgressions rooting them out and that in a moment when they in their owne imagination haue wel nestled themselues and are strongly perswaded that they are seated for euer and shal neuer suffer any change or alteration in their estate When a destruction m Chap 5.1 commeth vppon a land these euer goe to the pot and first pay for it if the theese commeth he taketh of theirs if the needy n Verse 5 he eateth vp theirs if a raine or floud it marreth and drowneth euermore that which belongeth vnto these if the sworde or pestilence it deuoureth these together with their o Verse 4 progeny which argueth them capitall male-factors and that they are with out all pretence or excuse Other p Verse 6 iudges punishing them they might alledge peraduenture indiscretion malice ouersight cruelty or the like for themselues but the iudge of all the World executing his wrath vpon them they can take no exception but must acknowledge that the Lord hath by his displeasure toward them which appeareth in their punishment laied them open as great offenders to the view of all men DOth he not deale so with thee now Chapter 5. what cloak therefore hast thou to couer thy sins Wilt thou say there is nothing in thee that is the cause of this thy misery but that it commeth out of the earth or it is a casual thing incident to Man or else the course of nature in the which there is sometime a flourish sometime a decay To this I answer that the cause of mans affliction is in himselfe and commeth no other way For as we see in the sparkles a chap. 5 v 7 of the coales a naturall lightnesse to fly vpward so in vs there is a natural corruption which as fire couered breaketh forth and kindleth the coales of * actual sin This is spokē not that originall sin deserueth not death but to snew how sin commeth in sin when it is conceiued the coales of Gods anger against vs which neuer returneth empty without some blowes vpon our backs that moued him to displeasure So then the cause of our calamity is not externall but internal proceeding from our sins within vs whereunto wee are as inclinable through the deprauation that cleaueth vnto vs as the flame or smoake to ascend vpward To acknowledge b Verse 8 therfore vnfeignedly thy fault and to seeke vnto him by camest praier euen vpon thy knees that is as able to helpe thee as he was to hurt thee thou wilt find whē thou hast al done to be thy best course This e vers viii I vvold inquire at God way would I take if I were in thy steed And so hauing prooued that the Lord doth now visit thee for thy sins and so deale with thee as his custome hath beene to deale with the most wicked among men whom for a time hee suffreth to flourish that their fall might be greater I will now d verse 9 confirm vnto thee that God is able though thou despairest thereof as thy speech more then bewraieth and will because hee is mercifull cure such as sue vnto him in sorrow assurance And further that which he hath done vnto thee hath bene in the high Court of his eternal wisedome and Counsel first concluded vpon and then afterward in most perfect equity and Iustice administred and executed likewise vpon thee al which shew thy folly to contend with him Wee cannot handle these his properties so distinctly by themselues because they are vnseperable companions and so go to gither that they can hardly bee found seuered the one from the other in anie of his workes for sometime his power sometime his wisedome sometime his mercie is the most predominate artribute and sometimes they are al so eminent that it can hardly bee discerned whether of them doth beare the greatest sway in action wherefore we shal be compelled to let them go together His power f verse x and so his wisedome is vnspeakeable in prouiding an habitation and raiment for man beast and plants in
he shall be disappointed if he flye the Bow the Sword fire and destruction are prepared for him If there be none to witnesse against him the Heauens k Verse 27.28 and earth themselues will lay him open the Stones and Walles crye out against him the Rocks Woods Mountaines where he wandereth wil giue forth an Eccho for the bringing of his wickednesse to light There is no l Verse 29. shelter therefore for the euil dooer no place of harbour for him that vseth oppression deceit or any way inuenteth euil or closely coÌ„mitteth euill though it be but in the Chambers of his hart onely for the hurt of his neighbour Iob YOu came hither to comfort me Chap. 21. The scope of this chapter is only generally touched I desire no other comfort a Verse 2 3. at your hands then that you would let me speak my mind to the full or at least so farre forth vntill I shal briefly confute your reasons which being granted me spare not Zophar if thou canst take any iust exception against my wordes to deride me That which thou affirmest of the wicked is not alwaies true because for the most part they themselues al their life time their Children and Childrens Children greatly flourish in the world And though it be so that he punisheth the wicked oftentimes yet he will not bee prescribed by Men when or how or vpon what cause to do it being done he hideth froÌ„ them oftentimes the grounds therof reserueth it to the last iudgmeÌ„t which is done to restrain vs froÌ„ rash iudging What do we know how they might be disposed inwardly whoÌ„ the Lord striketh with sodaine Death When his feareful iudgmentes fall vppon Men who is there that can absolutely set downe and say expresly it was for such a sinne coÌ„mitted That which thou applyest to mee b Verse 6 7 8 9 c. that the * c Chap. 20 Verse 29. Euill euer come to an euill end is vntrue for the Godly being taken they for the most part yea many times such as break forth into blasphemy against God escape vndergo no affliction are no way brought vnder What if a maÌ„die before he is old doth it follow that he is by by a wicked man That is no good consequence For it is enough that for the time he liued he liued in good sort and it is happy for him by the shortnesse of his life to preuent much misery that might ensue Thirdly the graue is a stay vnto his mind d verse 3. because there he shal not neede to feare any change as before Lastly the time is not so much to bee respected as the thing which is common c verse 26 to all Prince f Verse 28 and people good and badde if any g verse 33. were exempted then indeede you sayde something to the point And your reproch h verse 28 which you cast vpon me because of my calamity mâ—ght haue a kinde of pretence if not that which followeth after this life but that which happeneth here being other wise then wel were to be accounted a destruction Syrraxis 15. Persons Eliphaz Iob. Eliphaz VVHat meanest thou to striue with the Almighty Chap. 22 what a verse 2 3. gaine is it to him that thou iustifiest thy selfe or what dost thou thy selfe get by it But striue while thou wilt thou shalt neuer cleare thy selfe from suspition of b ver 5 6 7 8 all kind of wickednes How answerest thou to the Lordes iudgements vpon the old world was it not for their great wickednesse c ver 15 16 17 that hee swept them cleane away from the face of the earth The Godly hee spared the rest he ouerwhelmed In this it is euident against whom the Lord vseth these temporary scourges confesse therefore thy iniustice toward Men acknowledge thy impiety against the Lord whose d ver 12 13 14 prouidence thou denyest and returne vnto him in sorrow for the same and in assurance of mercy he wil receiue thee to fauor to blesse f Verse 24 25 26 28. thee again that thou shalt haue cause not onely to praise g verse 27. him for thy freedome from this thy misery but for thy restoring againe h Verse 30. to thy former estate Yea thou shalt be so gratious with him that he wil heare thee when thou shalt be a suiter for others i Verse 30 they shall fare the better for thy sake Iob. In that I complaine a Chap. 23 Verse 2 because of my griefe I am thought to rebell against God O b Verse 3 4 5 that I might once be admitted to the presence of the Lord to plead my cause I know c ver 6 10 11 12. assuredly that for the gouernment of the common-wealth he would not discoÌ„mend me and so for the rest of my actions For such speed well that come before him which haue endeuored d Verse 7 to frame their liues answerable to his will You take vpon you to determine of the cause of my punishment not considering that the Lorde doth not ordinarily e Verse 8 9 reueale the cause of his punishments to the dearest of his seruantes Notwithstanding you are such as will prescribe him a rule how and for what hee must punish and a time likewise when he shall do it setting downe expresly hypocrisie †f Chap. 22 Verse 6 7 8 cruelty oppression * g Cha. 22.13 impiety against God as the sinnes for which he now punisheth me If you obserue well the Lordes dealing against the wicked you shall find it to bee in another sort then hee hath dealt with me for he suffereth theÌ„ very long to continue in their wicked course and to offend against him with an high hand committing sin vpon sin vntill their iniquities make strong cryes in his eares as did the olde world before he commeth against them in iudgement and he forewarneth them likewise of their destruction before it commeth Whereas on the other side hee taketh his Children napping when they make their first entrance into transgression All which pleadeth for me that I haue not beene a notorious offender for I haue not beene admonished by the Lord at any time of my transgression but comforted and encouraged by him in my course no Man hath cryed vnto the Lord against me The Lords displeasure hath appeared vnto me by no former affliction neither if I had bin afflicted by him should it necessarily follow that he was therefore angry with me For he neuer chastiseth his children in his anger but in his loue alwaies in his mercy how seuerely soeuer he seemeth to correct them not at all in his fury and wrath for then he shoulde vtterly consume them which he neuer doth True it is that the Lord fauoreth a whole kingdome for a righteous mans sake and that at his suite and petition it is redeemed from destruction but this is no
reason O Lord that we which haue bin so vnreasonable should be consecrated Priests vnto thee that art most righteous wilt haue none vncleaue person to come neare thine alter but rather great cause that we should magnifie thy maruelous â—â—â—dnes toward vs in vouchsafing vs that fauor at the mediation of an other to receiue our sacrifices as a pacification for our iniquities done both against the honour of thy maiesty and the saluation of our brother Most iust is it that thou shouldest deny vs reconcilement with thee vnlesse we be first reconciled vnto him to whom wee haue offered such infinite wrong Most righteous is it that thou shouldest make vs know him to be most deare vnto thee and in highest estimation with thee by refusing our owne yea al other intercession for vs saue his alone And therefore wee must willingly subscribe to the order thou hast prescribed for our purgations nothing doubting of Iobes tendernesse and forwardnes that is so tender harted so ready to for giue specially vs now hauing shewed our selues neuer so great enimies vnto him seeing we are commended vnto him from thee whom he loueth so intirely both to renew againe a couenant of friendship with vs as also to gratifie vs in this our supplication wherein thou commaundest vs to become suiters Syrraxis 21. Persons The Lord. Iob his Wife Acquaintance Contemners Iob. Kinsefolks Seruants Lord. THat all the World may know Cha. 24 v. 10 that I am a most bountiful rewarder of such as wheÌ„ the greatest afflictions and tentations are vppon them beare them notwithstanding patiently holde out without fainting in the combate trust in me and as well in the storme as when it is ouer pray for their enimies as thou Iob hast done I wil free thee from the captiuity of Sathan to whose tyranny I deliuerâ—â—â—â—â—ee ouer for a time enuiron thee round with the sence of my Angels as in times past remoue away thy disease and restore thee to health of body make thy Wife and seruants to humble themselues vnto thee thy Kinsfolk and acquaintance to repaire vnto thee with great giftes in their hands those that coÌ„temned thee to sue vnto thee for forgiuenes I wil also blesse thee a Verse 12 more abouÌ„ dantly then in thy former prosperity with al maner of riches the number of thy sheep Camels Oxen Asses shal be doubled vnto thee Sons and Daughters more vertâ—ous and b Verse 15 comely then the former longer c Verse 16. and more happy daies shall bee be stowed vpon thee and at length which is a thing far more blessed and desired of mine elect because of that which followeth then all aboue mentioned a timely peaceable and honorable funerall Heereby to let thee with the rest of my Children see and vnderstand how beneficiall I am in my temporall fauours when is shall be good for them but specially how infinite are the heauenly treasures which I haue reserued in my euerlasting kingdome of glory for such as in the time of tentation tryall and aduerfity beare contentedly my visitation and constantly cleaue vnto me Iob. It cannot bee chosen but that he which was indued with so many notable vertues blessed god in his lostes must needs breake forth into prayses vnto the Lorde for his enlargement and ouerflowing liberality vnto him and therefore is added this thanksgiuing Wonderfull is thy goodnes toward me O my God great is thy power and thy wisedome infinite I forgat to extoll thy righteousnes notwithstanding thou now honorest me I murmured against thee yet art thou liberal vnto me I cursed the day of my birth howbeit thou makest my life most happy vnto me Thou did dest because it was thy pleasure for my profit wound me now thou healest me when I was rich through thy beneficence thou madest me poore to humble me and now thou hast againe inriched me to declare thy power what it is thy loue and bounty to them that fear thee When I looked for nothing but death euen then thou gauest me life my griefe that was so vnsupportable thou hast turned into such gladnesse as cannot be expressed my misery wherein I was thought to bee the most wretched man vppon the face of the earth thou hast made most comfortable and commendable vnto me For what greater inward comfort what greater outward commendation can there bee vnto a man then being tryed so many waies in such admirable manner and to the astonishment of al men as I haue been yet notwithstanding for al that to be found faithful vnto thee Hence therefore doth grow forth matter to praise thee in that thou hast supported me in that sort with thy mighty Arme that no assault nor battery of that puisant enimy the God of this World with his spirituall forces hath surprized the bulwarcke of mine assurance in thy mercy Hence is my hart filled with loue vnto thy maiesty that hast thus magnified thy Name in my great deliuerance and my hope strengthened for the victory ouer all future calamities and tentations whatsoeuerÌ„ because of this my present conquest that hath bin so miraculous as maketh all the World amazed to thinke of it Who can deny thee to be most wonderfull in this the contemplation of thy blessinges to haue vtterly ouerwhelmed the remembrance of thy punishmentes thy fearefull plagues to be vanished away through the beholding of thy inestimable fauours This thy mixture of mercy and iudgement prosperity and aduersity together whom would it not incite to extoll thy greatnesse And the former to beare the preheminance aboue the latter whom would it not prouoke vnto thy loue and the commendation of thy goodnesse O that Men therefore could see thy singular wisedome in the chastizing of thy Children consider aright of thy power in the vpholding them that amiddest the greatest calamity they dye not in the withholding them among the most strong tentations heauiest conflictes and extremest tortures that can be deuised that they fall not away from thee and so aduance thy mercy therein as the fountains which causeth thy strength to lift vppe it selfe in their deliuerance O that such as are afflicted could be perswaded to learne to indure patiently their corrections vndergoe willingly and thankefully their visxations inregard of the blessed end thou makest with them that thus suffer in regard of the neuer perishing ioy they shall reape at the last that are thus pressed downe for a season Iob his Wife Albeit her reconcilement with her husband bee not exprossed Chap. 42 v 11 Yet is it very likely because there is no mention of her death and her husbandes chastity so coÌ„mended by the spirit of God that it is not to be thought hee would take another Woman because also her sin by the iudgment of Boza was no other then that of the three friends which the lord forgaue and lastly because this booke as it began with iudgment forrow and vexation on all sides so it concludeth with mercy ioy
is it not wholy compounded of desperate banefull blasphemous matter the like whereof hath not beene vttered of any how wicked so euer since the World stoode Which kinde of stile is it not continued likewise throughout his conflict Canst thou shewe mee the place where it is not to bee found Canst thou turne me to the page where there is not layde open some notable peece of discontentment impatiencie inordinatenesse of his affections violentie of his passions presumptuousnes of his knowledge oner-headinesse of his iudgement ouer-much pride and saucinesse in looking into thy secretes determining of thy hidden counsels euen to the setting them downe in particular what they are vnreuerentnesse in his behauiour euer-more toward thee such familiaritie with thee euen as if thou wert mortall and wretched and euery way as base and vile as himselfe yea such an abiect that hee might iustly preferre himselfe his wisedome to gouerne his righteous dealing for thee for thy people before thine vnto him Hath not Elihu hast not thou thy selfe reproâ—ed him for these things Was he not so obstinate that Elihu could doe no good at all with him and thy selfe wast faine to take him to taske againe and againe shew thy selfe terrible vnto him the second time before he would be humbled for them and reclaimed Thus farre preuailed I against him yet for all this because forsooth hee kept his hart vpright which who knoweth sane thy selfe for he must not be his owne Iudge his constancie must be preferred and I must be condemned his state and credite bettered mine damnified But hee were best looke well about him that hee continue soundlie setled in his constancie for let him be fully assured though hee hath scaped my fingers nowe that I will not thus giue him ouer In an hundred and fortie yeeres space 1 Canâ—uâ—◠〈◊〉 longiâ—qua vâ—let mutaâ—e â—â—tustas if there be no 1 change in him specially hauing the world still tumbling in vppon him for thou hast doubled it vnto him alreadie and no doubt but it shall be tripled vpon him tenno-folde at the last I much maruell And this I will protest for my own part if there be any meanes vnder heauen to drawe him to an alteration it shall not be vnattempted The Lord. This thy trade is not of me but of thine owne invention the practises prouing of maisteries thou pretendest as a tryall of my Seruantes thou intendest to my dishonor and their destruction Thou hast neuer so foyled any one that belonged to me but he hath risen again and put thee to flight Iobs profession it was not in shew but in substance such though thou hast heaued at neuer so often yet hast thou not at any time vtterly ouerthrowne Who hath imposed vppon thee the office of accusation I made thee to no such end thou holdest it therefore by vsurpation finding thee a fit Instrument to execute my Chastizementes vpon my Children for my vengeance I execute onely vpon thee and thine my manner hath been sometimes to vse thee that way yet so that thou hast first sought for this imployment very importunately suggesting withall some matter against them that might mooue me to condescend thereunto Though Iob and all Men be sinners and I might iustly punish them for their offences notwithstanding because some there are that cry vnto me for pardon in sorrow and confidence of my mercy to them I remit their crimes punnish them not for them For what needeth-that seeing they are penitent straight-way as soone as they haue doone any offence which of it selfe is a punnishment sufficient and inferior to * As being on the one side an horror and anguish of soule a feeling of the anger of God against sin Psal 5.1 17 3. On the other side a crucifieng of the fleshly corruptions Rom. 6 6. A compelling to spirituall subiection as we would force a slaue to grind at the Mill Doulago a battering of the body as those are wont that try masteries with plummets of Lead vntill the blewnes of the wound appeareth most grieuous Vpopiazâ—in 1 coâ— 9.27 And further a continuall deliuering ouer vnto death through outward dangers and afflictions 2 Coâ—inth 4.11 none But if I do correct them at any time it is for their tryall further instruction better experiment of my goodnesse in their deliuerance as now in the chastizement of Iob that I do it Vpon thine accusations brought against Iob and insulting ouer him as if hee woulde no longer cleaue to mee then I helde him vp by the chinne and made him to swimme in wealth I willed thee to do thy worst against him and he hath now in very deed good cause to thanke me for it because it hath redownded to his unspeakeable benefit Howbeit hereby art not thou exempted from blame for enuy drew thee to procure my commission to afflict him malice stirred thee vp vnto it which now is become as kindly vnto thee as if thou haddest it in nature and by creation To accuse my seruaunts thou sayst is thy office to tempt them thy trade to execute punishment vpon theÌ„ thy kind nature dutie calling when thou art nothing else but a mere Intruder into them all Which to goâ—no further is apparant euen by this in that thou challengest vnto thy selfe so many functions Iobs infirmities in the time of his visitation must needes be acknowledged to haue beene very many and verie great but what of that hee holding still the foundation and trusting in his Redeemer neuer forsaking me the fountaine but euermore earnestly calling vpon me for helpe he disappointed thee of thy purpose For thou vndertookest that he should be at vtter defiance with me forsake quite his confidence in mee fall finally from mine obedience become wholy and perpetually thine without recouery Thou makest light account of the knowledge of the hart vvhen that is all in all neither can there any right iudgement bee giuen of the actions of man without the true knowledge thereof And this may yeelde great comfort vnto man that howsoeuer thou accusest him before mee whatsoeuer grieuous matter thou layest to his charge yet thou doost all vppon bare coniecture not knowing indeede how it standeth with him as beeing altogether ignorant what is the affection of his hart and if that be faithfull not to regard thy obiections But what blasphemie is that thou vomitest foorth by way of Parenthesis who knoweth Iobs hart to be vpright beside my selfe How now Sathan wilt thou disanull my authoritie Shall not my Word which alone gaue beeing to all Creatures without any other witnesses be a sufficient confirmation of it selfe But were it not so wouldest thou make the world beleeue that I am alone Doth not the Father the holy Spirit giue testimony with me In the difficulty of subduing Iobs high conceite of himselfe in the humbling him vnto mee and making him fully to confesse his faultes thou maiest see what a doe I haue to reforme man that hath fallen from