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
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
My Browes did sweat my moystned Haire did rise The Face I knew not but a while it stayd And in the depth of silence thus it said Is man more Iust more pure then his Creator Amongst his Angels more vpright by nature Then Man he hath found Weaknes how much more Shall he expect in him that 's walled ore With mortall Flesh and Blood founded and floor'd With Dust and with the Wormes to be deuour'd They rise securely with the Morning Sunne And vnregarded dye ere Day be done Their Glory passes with them as a Breath They dye like Fooles before they thinke of death Rage then and see who will approue thy rage What Saint will giue thy railing Patronage Anger destroyes the Foole and he that hath A wrathfull heart is slaine with his owne wrath Yet haue I seene that Fooles haue oft been able To boast with Babel but haue falne with Babel Their sons despairing roare without reliefe In open Ruine on the Rocks of Griefe Their haruest though but small the hungry eate And robbers seaze their wealth though ne'r so great But wretched man were thy Condition mine I 'de not despaire as thou dost nor repine But offer vp the broken Sacrifice Of a sad soule before his angry eyes Whose Workes are Miracles of admiration He mounts the Meeke amidst their Desolation Confounds the worldly wise that blind-fold they Grope all in Darknesse at the noone of Day But guards the Humble from reproach of wrong And stops the current of the crafty Tongue Thrice happy is the man his Hands correct Beware lest Fury force thee to reiect Th' Almighties Tryall He that made thy Wound In Iustice can in Mercy make it sound Feare not though multiply'd Afflictions shall Besiege thee He at length will rid them all In Famine he shall feed in Warre defend thee Shield thee from Slander and in Griefes attend thee The Beasts shall strike with thee eternall Peace The Stones shall not disturbe thy fields Encrease Thy House shall thriue replenisht with Content Which thou shalt rule in prosprous Gouernment The number of thy Of-spring shall abound Like Summers Grasse vpon a fruitfull ground Like timely Corne well rip'ned in her Eares Thou shalt depart thy life struck full of yeeres All this Experience tels Then Iob aduise Thou hast taught many now thy selfe be wise Meditatio septima THe perfect Modell of true Friendship 's this A rare Affection of the soule which is Begun with rip'ned Iudgement doth perseuer With simple Wisdome and concludes with Neuer 'T is pure in substance as refined Gold That buyeth all things but is neuer sold It is a Coyne and most men walke without it True Loue 's the Stampe Iehouah 's writ about it It rusts vnvs'd but vsing makes it brighter 'Gainst Heauen high Treason 't is to make it lighter 'T is a Gold Chaine linkes soule and soule together In perfect Vnitie ties God to either Affliction is the Touch whereby we prooue Whether 't be Gold or guilt with fained Loue. The wisest Moralist that euer diu'd Into the depth of Natures bowels striu'd With th' Augar of Experience to bore Mens hearts so farre till he had found the Ore Of Friendship but despaying of his end My Friends said he there is no perfect Friend Friendship 's like Musick two Strings tun'd alike Will both stirre though but onely one you strike It is the Quintessence of all Perfection Extracted into one A sweet connexion Of all the Vertues Morall and Diuine Abstracted into One It is a Mine Whose nature is not rich vnlesse in making The state of others wealthy by partaking It bloomes and blossoms both in Sunne and shade Doth like the Bay in winter neuer fade It loueth all and yet suspecteth none Is prouident yet seeking not her owne 'T is rare it selfe yet maketh all things common And is iudicious yet it iudgeth no man The noble Theban being asked which Of three propounded he suppos'd most rich In vertues sacred Treasure thus reply'd Till they be dead that doubt cannot be try'd It is no wise mans part to waigh a Frend Without the glosse and goodnesse of his End For Life without the Death considered can Affoord but halfe a story of the Man 'T is not my friends Affliction that shall make Me either Wonder Censure or Forsake Iudgement belongs to Fooles enough that I Find hee 's afflicted not enquier Why It is the hand of Heauen That selfesame Sorrow Grieues him to Day may make me grone to Morrow Heauen be my comfort In my highest griefe I will not trust to mans but Thy reliefe THE ARGVMENT Iob counts his sorrowes and from thence Excuses his Impatience Describes the shortnesse of mans Time And makes confession of his Crime Sect. 8. BVt wretched Iob sigh 't forth these words said Ah me that my Impatience were waigh'd With all my Sorrowes by an equall hand They would be found more pondrous then the sand That lyes vpon the new-forsaken shore My Griefes want vtt'rance haue stopt their Dore And wonder not Heau'ns shafts haue struck me dead And God hath heapt all Mischiefes on my head Will Asses bray when they haue grasse to eate Or lowes the Oxe when as he wants no meate Can Pallates find a rellish in distast Or can the whites of Egges well please the tast My vexed soule is daily fed with such Corruptions as my hands disdaine to touch Alas that Heauen would heare my hearts Requste And strike me dead that I may find some Rest What hopes haue I to see my end of griefe And to what end should I prolong my life Why should not I wish Death My strength alas Is it like Marble or my flesh like Brasse What Power haue I to mitigate my Paine If e're I had that Power now is vaine My friends are like the Riuers that are dry In heat of Summer when necessity Requireth water They amazed stand To see my Griefe but lend no helping hand Friends begge I succour from you Craued I Your Goods to ransome my Captiuity Shew me my faults and wherein I did wrong My Patience and I will hold my tongue The force of reasonable words may mooue But what can Rage or Lunacy reprooue Rebuke you then my words to haue it thought My speech is frantick with my griefe distraught You take a pleasure in your friends distresse That is more wretched then the Fatherlesse Behold these Sores Be iudg'd by your owne eyes If these be counterfeited miseries Ballance my words and you shall find me free From these foule crimes wherewith ye branded me And that my speech was not distaind with sin Only the language sorrow treated in Is not mans Day prefixt which when expyr'd Sleepes he not quiet as a seruant hir'd A seruants labour doth at length surcease His Day of trauell findes a Night of peace But wretched I with woes am still opprest My mid-day torments see no euen of Rest My nights ordaind
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
passe What haue I then to boast What Title can I challenge more then this A sinfull man Yet doe I sometimes feele a warme Desier Raise my low Thoughts and dull affections higher Where like a soule entrans't my spirit flies Makes leagues with Angels and brings Deities Halfe way to heauen shakes hands with Seraphims And boldly mingles wings with Cherubims From whence I looke askaunce adowne the Earth Pitty my selfe and loath my place of birth But while I thus my lower state deplore I wake and prooue the Wretch I was before Euen as the Needle that directs the Howre Toucht with the Loadstone by the secret power Of hidden Nature points vpon the Pole Euen so the wauering powers of my Soule Toucht by the vertue of thy Spirit flee From what is Earth and point alone to Thee When I haue saith to hold thee by the Hand I walke securely and me thinkes I stand More sirme then Atlas but when I forsake The safe protection of thine Arme I quake Like wind-shaki Reeds and haue no strength at all But as a Vine the Prop cut downe I fall Yet wretched I when as thy Iustice lends Thy glorious Presence from me straight am friends With Flesh and Blood forget thy Grace flye from it And like a Dog returne vnto my Vomit The sawning world to Pleasure then inuites My wandring Eyes The flesh presents Delights Vnto my yeelding heart which thinks those pleasures Her onely bus'nes now and rarest treasures Content can glorie in whil'st I secure Stoope to the painted plumes of Satans Lure Thus I captiu'd and drunke with pleasures Wine Like to a mad man thinke no state like mine What haue I then to boast What Title can I challenge more then this A sinfull man I feele my Griefe 's enough nor can I be Redrest by any but Great God by thee Too great thou art to come within my Roofe Say but the word Be whole and 't is enough Till then my tongue shall neuer cease mine Eyes Ne'r cloze my lowly bended Knees ne'r rise Till then my Soule shall ne'r want early sobs My cheekes no Teares my pensiue Brest no Throbs My Heart shall lacke no Zeale nor tongue expressing I 'le striue like Iacob till I get my Blessing Say then Be cleane I 'le neuer stop till then Heauen ne'r shall rest till Heauen shall say Amen THE ARGVMENT Iob smote with Vlcers groueling lyes Plung'd in a Gulfe of Miseries His Wife to blasphemy doth tempt him His three Friends visit and lament him Sect. 5. LIke as a Truant-Scholler whose delay Is worse then whipping hauing leaue to play Makes haste to be inlarged from the Iayle Of his neglected Schoole turnes speedy tayle Vpon his tedious booke so ill befriended Before his Masters Ite be full ended So thanklesse Satan full of winged Haste Thinking all time not spent in Mischiefe waste Departs with speed lesse patient to forbeare The patient Iob then patient Iob to beare Forth from the furnace of his Nostrell flyes A sulpherous Vapour which by the enuious eyes Of this foule Fiend inflam'd possest the faire And sweet complection of th' abused Aire With Pestilence and hauing power so farre Tooke the aduantage of his worser Starre Smote him with Vlcers such as once befell Th' Egyptian Wizzards Vlcers hot and fell Which like a searching Tetter vncorrected Left no part of his body vnaffected From head to foote no empty place was found That could b'afflicted with another wound So noy some was the nature of his Griefe That left by Friends and Wife that should be chiefe Assister he poore he alone remain'd Groueling in Ashes being himselfe constrain'd With Pot-sheards to scrape off those rip'ned Cores Which Dogs disdayn'd to licke from out his sores Which when his Wife beheld adust and keene Her passion waxt made strong with scorne spleene Like as the Winds imprison'd in the earth And barr'd the passage to their naturall birth Grow fierce and nilling to be longer pent Breake in an Earth quake shake the World and vent So brake she forth so forth her Fury brake Till now pent in with shame and thus she spake Fond Saint thine Innocence finds timely speed A foolish Saint receiues a Saintly meed Is this the Iust mans Recompence Or hath Heauen no requitall for thy painefull Faith Other then this What haue thy zealous Qualmes Abstemious Fastings and thy hopefull Almes Thy priuate Groanes and often bended knees No other End no other Thankes but these Fond man submit thee to a kinder Fate Cease to be righteous at so deare a rate 'T is Heauen not Fortune that thy Weale debarres Curse Heauen then and not thy way ward Starres 'T is God that plagues thee God not knowing why Curse then that God reuenge thy Wrongs and Dye Iob then reply'd God loues where he chastiz'd Thou speakest like a Foole and ill aduis'd Laugh we to licke the sweete and shall we lowre If he be pleas'd to send a little sowre Am I so weake one Blast or two should chill me I 'le trust my Maker though my Maker kill me When these sad tidings fill'd those itching eares Of Earths black babbling Daughter she that heares And vents alike both Truth and Forgeries And vtters often cheaper then she buyes She spred the pinnions of her nimble Wings Aduanc't her Trumpet and away she springs And sils the whispring Ayre which soone possest The spacious borders of th' enquiring East Vpon the summon of such solemne Newes Whose Truth malignant Fame could not abuse His wofull Friends came to him to the end To comfort and bewaile their wretched Friend But when they came farre off they did not know Whether it were the selfesame Friend or no Brim-fill'd with brinie Woe they wept and tore T' expresse their griefe the garments that they wore Seuen dayes and nights they sate vpon the ground But spake not for his sorrowes did abound Meditatio Quinta SAy is not Satan iustly stiled than A Tempter and an Enemy to Man What could he more His Wish would not extend To Death lest his assaults with death should end Then what he did what could he further doe His Hand hath setz'd both Goods and Body too The hopefull Issue of a holy Straine In such a dearth of holinesse is slaine What hath the Lazar left him but his Griefe And what might best been spar'd his foolish Wife Could Mischiefe been more hard though more in kind To nip the Flowers and leaue the Weeds behind Woman was made a Helper by Creation A Helper not alone for Propagation Or fond Delight but sweet Societie Which Man alone should want and to supply Comforts to him for whom her Sexe was made That each may ioy in eithers needfull aide But fairest Angels had the foulest fall And best things once abus'd prooue worst of all Else had not Satan been so foule a Fiend Else had not Woman proou'd so false a Friend Euen as the treacherous Fowler to
entice His silly winged Prey doth first deuise To make a Bird his stale at whose false Call Others may chance into the selfe-same Thrall Euen so that craftie Snarer of Mankind Finding mans righteous Pallate not enclind To taste the sweetnesse of his guilded Baites Makes a collater all Sute and slily waites Vpon the weakenesse of some bosome Friend From whose enticement he expects his end Ah righteous Iob what Crosse was left vnknowne What Griefe may be describ'd but was thine owne Is this a lust mans case What doth befall To one man may as well betide to all The worst I 'le looke for that I can proiect If better come 't is more then I expect If otherwise I 'm arm'd with Preparation No sorrow's sudden to an Expectation Lord to thy VVisdome I submit my VVill I will be thankfull send me Good or Ill If Good my present State will passe the sweeter If Ill my Crowne of Glorie shall be greater THE ARGVMENT Orewhelm'd with griefe Iob breaketh forth Into impatience Bans his Birth Professes that his heart did doubt And feare what since hath fallen out Sect. 6. WOrne-bare with griefe the patient Iob betray'd His seuen-dayes silence curst his day said Oh that my Day of birth had neuer been Nor yet the Night which I was brought forth in Be it not numbred for a Day let Light Not make a difference twixt it and Night Let gloomy Shades then Death more sable passe Vpon it to declare how fatall 't was Let Clouds ore-cast it and as hatefull make it As life's to him whom Tortures bid forsake it From her next day let that blacke Night be cut Nor in the reckning of the Months be put Let Desolation fill it all night long In it be neuer heard a Bridall song Let all sad Mourners that doe curse the Light When light 's drawne in begin to curse this Night Her euening Twylight let foule Darkenesse staine And may her Mid-night expect Light in vaine Nor let her infant Day but newly borne Suffer't to see the Eye-lids of the morne Because my Mothers Wombe it would not cloze Which gaue me passage to endure these Woes Why died I not in my Conception rather Or why was not my Birth and Death together Why did the Midwife take me on her knees Why did I sucke to feele such Griefes as these Then had this Body neuer been opprest I had inioy'd th' eternall sleepe of rest With Kings and mighty Monarchs that lie crown'd With stately Monuments poore I had found A place of Rest had borne as great a sway Had been as Happy and as Rich as they Why was I not as an abortiue Birth That ne're had knowne the horrors of the earth The silent Graue is quiet from the feare Of Tyrants Tyrants are appeazed there The grinded Prisner heares not there the noyse Nor harder threatnings of th' Oppressors voyce Both Rich and Poore are equal'd in the Graue Seruants no Lords and Lords no Seruants haue What needs there Light to him that 's comfortlesse Or Life to such as languish in distresse And long for death which if it come by leisure They ransack for it as a hidden Treasure VVhat needs there Life to him that cannot haue A Boone more gracious then a quiet Graue Or else to him whom God hath wal'd about That would but cannot finde a Passage out VVhen I but taste my Sighes returne my Food The flowing of my Teares haue rais'd a flood When my Estate was prosperous I did feare Lest by some heedlesse or want of care I might be brought to Misery and alas What I did then so feare is come to passe But though secure my soule did neuer slumber Yet doe my Woes exceed both Waight and Number Meditatio sexta SO poore a thing is Man No Flesh and Blood Deserues the stile of Absolutely Good The righteous man sins oft whose power 's such To sin the least sins at the least too much The Man whose Faith disdain'd his Isacks life Dissembled once a Sister for a Wife The righteous Lot being drunk did make at once His Daughters both halfe sisters to their Sonnes The royall Fauorite of heauen stood Not guililesse of Adultery and Blood And he whose hands did build the Temple doth Bow downe his lustfull knees to Ashtaroth The sinfull Woman was accus'd but none Was found that could begin to sting a stone From muddled Springs can Christall Waters come In some things all men sin in all things some Euen at the soyle which Aprils gentle showers Haue fild with sweetnesse and inricht with flowers Reares vp her suckling plants still shooting forth The tender blossomes of her timely Birth But if deny'd the beames of cheerly May They hang their withred heads and fade away So man assisted by th' Almighties Hand His Faith doth flourish and securely stand But left awhile forsooke as in a shade It languishes and nipt with sin doth fade No Gold is pure from Drosse though oft refin'd The strongest Cedar's shaken with the wind The fairest Rose hath no prerogatiue Against the fretting Canker-worme The Hiue No hony yeelds vnblended with the Wax The finest Linnen hath both soyle and bracks The best of men haue sins None liues secure In Nature nothing's Perfect nothing Pure Lord since I needs must sin yet grant that I Forge no aduantage by infirmity Since that my Vesture cannot want a Staine Assist me lest the tincture be in Graine To thee my great Redeemer doe I flye It is thy Death alone can change my Dye Teares mingled with thy Blood can scower so That Scarlet sinnes shall turne as white as Snow THE ARGVMENT Rash Eliphaz reproues and rates And falsly censures Iob Relates His Vision shewes him the euent Of wicked men Bids him repent Sect. 7. THen Eliphas his pounded tongue replieu'd And said Shuld I cōtēd thou would'st be grieu'd Yet what man can refraine but he must breake His angry silence hauing heard thee speake O sudden change Many hast thou directed And strengthned those whose minds haue been deiected Thy sacred Thewes and sweet Instructions did Helpe those were falling rays'd vp such as slid But now it is thy case thy soule is vext And canst not helpe thy selfe thy selfe perplext Thou lou'dst thy God but basely for thy profit Fear'st him in further expectation of it Iudge then Did Record euer round thine eare That God for sooke the heart that was sincere But often haue we seene that such as plow Lowdnesse and Mischiefe reape the same they sowe So haue proud Tyrants from their throanes bin cast With all their of spring by th' Almighties Blast And they whose hands haue bin imbrew'd in blood Haue with their Issue dyed for want of Food A Vision lately ' appeard before my sight In depth of darknesse and the dead of night Vnwonted feare vsurpt me round about My trembling bones were sore from head to foot Forthwith a Spirit glanc'd before mine eyes
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