and furrowes and treats it like an old Man from whom Age hath taken away his vigour Although the Earth brings forth many Monsters whom their enormous greatnesse makes feared 33 Upon earth there is not his like who is made without fear there is none of them to compare with this which seemes not to have come into the World but to fear nothing and to despise all things Lastly 34 He beholdeth all high things he is a king over all the children of pride he is so great that when he lifts his head above the Waves he sees under him the proudest Mountaines and his strength added to his Pride makes all the Monsters of the Sea reverence him as their Tyrant CHAP. XLII The Argument THe Patience of Job triumphs over the Justice of God who pardons his Friends for his sake reestablisheth him in all his Estate with advantage bestowes as many Children upon him as Death had taken from him and after a long Life gives him a happy Death THe greatnesse of God had imposed silence upon Job 1 Then Job answered the Lord and said his goodnesse made him speak and the regret which he had for having complained put these Excuses in his Mouth I know my God 2 I know that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be with-holden from thee that as nothing is impossible to your Power nothing is hidden from your knowledge you can do all that you will weaknesse hinders not the Execution of your Designes and Darknesse covers not the Sentiments of our hearts A Man must be very indiscreet 3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderfull for me which I knew not or very ignorant if he thinke to conceale his thoughts from you for my part I discover you mine and confesse to you that I spake rashly when I complained of your Justice and that by Discourses which surpassed the reach of my understanding I censured your Providence Now that my Reproaches are turned into Satisfactions 4 Hear I beseech thee and I will speak I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me and my Complaints changed into Prayers give me leave to speak to you and do me the favour to hear me The admirable Discourses which you have made me 5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee have defaced all Doubts out of my Soul those divine Lights wherewith you have illuminated me have dissipated all the Darknesse of my Heart I reade your Providence I see your Designes and I adore them I understand the cause of my Misfortunes and I reverence it I know for what reason the innocent are afflicted and I am comforted at it So that I blame all my past opinions 6 Wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes I oblige my Heart to be sorry for them I command mine Eyes to weep for them I ordain my hands to punish them and condemne my whole Body to do penance for them with Ashes and Sack cloth 7 And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temaniâ—e My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my Servant Job hath After God had testified that the satisfactions of Job were not unacceptable to him he discoursed thus with Eliphas Your Crimes have irritated my Justice and she would take a memorable revenge upon you if my Mercy did not detain her for in all your Invectives my honour hath served you but for a pretence to accuse Innocence you have confounded the Crime with the Punishment and the inclination which you have to interpret sinisterly the Actions of your Neighbour hath made you judge that my Servant was guilty because he was miserable but his Complaints are more acceptable to me than your Prayses and I can more easily pardon the Regrets which sorrow hath drawn from his Mouth than I do the Reproaches which Malice hath drawn from yours 8 Therefore take unto you now seven Bullocks seven Rammes go to my servant Job and offer vp for your selves a burnt-offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept least I deale with you after your folly in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right like my Servant Job Wherefore I command you to choose seven Bulls and as many Rammes out of your Flockes to make a Holocaust of them which may expiate your Crimes and repair my honour but because the sacrifices of the wicked are not acceptable to me I will have you engage my Servant to joyn his Prayers with yours and to demand of my bounty the pardon of your offences he is charitable enough to do you that good office and I am mercifull enough to pardon you for his sake These three Princes touched with sorrow 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did according as the Lord commanded them the Lord also accepted Job and seised with fear exactly followed the Orders of God who let himselfe be overcome by the humble Prayers of Job accorded him the favour which he begged for his Friends and reestablished him in his greatnesse with so much advantage that all things were restored him double that it seemed God had not made him poor but to enrich him nor taken away his goods but to given them him again with interest As the adversity of Job had scattered his Friends 10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before his prosperity brought them again together for at the noise of the Wonders which Heaven had wrought in his favour they who were united to him by the Bonds of Nature or of Amity came to visit him and after they had mingled their Teares with his at the memory of his past Miseries 11 Then came there unto him all his brethren and all his sisters and all they that had been of his acquaintance before and did eat bread with him in his house and they bemoaned him and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him every man also gave him a piece of money every one an ear-ring of gold they treated him magnificently to testifie to him the joy which the establishment of his Fortune brought them and when they returned every one of them left him a Sheep as a Gage of his Affection and an Ear Pendant of Gold in assurance of his fidelity His losse was as profitable to him as it was glorious for Heaven took care of his Flockes and multiplied them in that manner that for seven thousand Sheep which passed about his Plaines he counted fourteen thousand for three thousand Camels which carried Burdens he saw six thousand in his Stables 12 So the Lord blessed the later end oâ— Job more than his beginning for he had fourteen thousand sheep and six thousand Camels and a thousand yoak of Oxen and a thousand shâ—-Asses for five hundred yoak of Oxen which tilled the Ground he had a thousand which bore the yoak and for five hundred she Asses which served for divers uses he saw as many more in his fields His Wife becomming fruitfull at an Age well advanced brought him seven Sonnes whose perfections sweetned the sorrow which the losse of the other had caused him 13 He had also seven sons three daughters and that in so great a happinesse he might have nothing to lament he had three Daughters which equalled or surpassed in vertue those whom Death had taken from him The first whose beauty glistered like the Sun 14 And he called the name of the first Jemima and the name of the second Kezia and the name of the third Keren-happuch derived her name from light the second whose breath was sweeter than Roses borrowed hers from a most excellent Perfume and the third whose cheekes Nature had painted with a most pleasing Vermillion took her name from the colour of her tincture Amongst so many Perfections which made them remarkable amongst the Women of that Age 15 And in all the land were no Women found so fair as thaâ— daughters of Job and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren they had this further advantage that they surpassed them all in beauty though they were married they were not put to the trouble of leaving their Brothers with whom they lived alwayes and peaceably enjoyed the Inheritance which their father had left them The felicity of Job was so long that an Age could not bound it 16 After this lived Iob an hundred and fourty yeares and saw his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes even four generations for after he had happily accomplished that he lived yet fourty yeares during so long a terme he had the pleasure of seeing his childrens children even to the fourth Generation But as there is no life so long which hath not its end his was terminated by so gentle a Death 17 So Iob dyed being old and full of dayes that those who saw it wished one like it and desired that they might be happy to live and die like him FINIS
need of raine for then he covers the Heaven with Clouds great with Lightning and Thunder which make the earth hope that she shall soone be watered These vapours which carry fertility in their bosomes 12 And it is turned round about by his counsells that they may doe whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth have no other motion than that which God gives them he is the Governour who conducts them and these inanimate subjects are alwaies ready to doe his commands They are not tyed to any one part of the World 13 He causeth it to come whether for correction or for his land or for mercy they water as well strange Lands as those which brought them forth and the Will of God being all their inclinations they stay upon the Fields which he will oblige and fly from those which he will punish Consider these wonders a little unhappy Prince 14 Hearken unto this O Job stand stil and consider the wondrous works of God and since my reasons have no power over your minde learn from the respect which insensible Creatures beare to God the obedience which you owe him and meddle no more in judging his designes since his most common workes are unknowne to you For to confound your pride once more without digressing from my subject 15 Doest thou know when God disposed them and caused the light of his cloud to shine do you know the time when God commands the Clouds to mixe their darknesse with the brightnesse of the Sunne and to make by that pretty confusion that incomparable Meteor which is compounded but of water and light and which shewes us colours as beautifull as they are false which naturally presageth nothing but raine and yet assures us that the earth shall never be drowned by a universall deluge and which lastly represents the forme of a Bow and yet never shootes any man unlesse it be with astonishment and love But without standing any longer to describe so publicke a wonder 16 Doest thou know the balancings of the clouds the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge doe you know the motion of the Clouds the way which they observe in the Heavens when they fly over our heads the battailes which they give when carried by contrary winds they shock one another in the midst of the Ayre Lastly doe you know all the secrets which they hide from us and which require profound study and perfect science to be plainely understood Have you never observed 17 How thy garments are warm when he quieteth the earth by the south winde that the seasons change with the winds and that when those of the South blow upon the earth your cloathes grow hot and your strength growes feeble But when you shall know the causes of these extraordinary effects 18 Hast thou with him spread out the skie which is strong and as a molten looking glasse and by a long experience you shall have carefully observed all these changes will you dare to boast that you know how he hath built these proud frames which roale continually over our heads and which though they are more solid than Brasse are more transparent than Chrystall If you know all these woners 19 Teach us what we shall say unto him for we cannot order our speech by reason of darknesse as you would perswade us you doe teach us some words to answer God with for I confesse that my light compared with his is darkenesse and the more I thinke of the greatnesse of his works the lesse I can finde words to describe them Though the tearmes which I use now be very modest 20 Shall it be told him that I speak if a man speake surely he shall be swallowed up yet I would finde some one who could relate them to him for I am perswaded that one cannot speake to him without danger that the lustre of his Majesty dazleth men and that they cannot purchase the honour of doing it but with the losse of their lives His presence may well work this Miracle 21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds but the winde passeth and cleanseth them since his Power produceth every day the like for it takes from us the light when it pleaseth it darkens the Ayre with Clouds and makes a night in the midst of day then commanding the winds to scatter them it restores us the brightnesse which it had taken from us Then as if the Ayre were cleansed by the North winds 22 Faire weather cometh out of he north with God is terrible majesty the Heaven appeares as pure as gold and this calme which succeeds the Tempest and teaches us that all things obey God obliges us to adore him with respect and to mixe sentiments of fear amongst all the prayses which we give him So that we must confesse 23 Touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out he is excellent in power and in judgement in plenty of justice he will not afflict that whatsoever endeavour we can use we cannot attaine to the least of his perfections for he is great in his Workes as in his Judgements and that man doth not know him yet who thinkes to finde words to relate his wonders Wherefore the most advised men are content to adore him with humility 24 Men do therefore fear him he respecteth not any that are wise in heart without desiring to know him with pride and the most judicious honour him in his works without examining his defignes for feare least so guilty a curiosity should be followed with confusion and repentance CHAP. XXXVIII THE ARGUMENT GOd speakes out of the midst of a cloud and joynes in appearance with the friends of Job to let him see that since the wonders of Nature are unknowne to him the secrets of his providence cannot be evident WHen this long discourse 1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwinde said which wanted neither truth nor cunning was ended God who would himselfe try the patience of Job and exercise him once againe before he crowned him appeared in a Cloud worthy of his Majesty and spake to him in this manner Who is that rash man 2 Who is this that darkneth counsell by words without knowledge who after having expressed his thoughts in a confusion of words comes impudently to crosse my designes and reduce the lawes of my Providence to the feeble reach of his owne minde If he have as much courage as insolence 3 Gird up now thy loins like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me let him prepare himselfe for the Combat let him take Armes to defend himselfe and since he hath desired to try his force against mine and to enter into the list with me let him answer to my demands and learne by this dispute that the wisdome of men is but folly before me Where
up the sheep the servants and consumed them I only am escaped alone to tell thee when there came in another who advertised him that lightning was fallen from heaven that ravaging the plain it had devoured all his sheep with the shepherds which kept them and that it seemed that God had not preserved him from this disaster but that he might give him notice of it Scarce had he shut his mouth 17 While he was yet speaking there came also another said The Caldeans made out 3 bands fell upon the Camels and have carried them away yea and slaine the servants with the edge of the sword and I only an escaped alone to elâ— thee but in came a third with astonishment in his Countenance and sadnesse in his heart who told him that the Caldeans divided into three bands had lead away all his camells that in cold blood they had killed the men that kept them and that he having placed his safety in his flight was alone remaining to come and make him a relation of it This news was scarce spread over the Palace 18 While he was yet speaking there came also another said Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brothers house but a fourth messenger more tragicall then the rest came and told him that as his children were at dinner in their eldest brothers house where they were drowning their cares in wine and thought of nothing but to divert themselves 19 And behold there came a great wind from the wildernesse smote the four corners of the house and it fell upon the young men they are dead and I only am escaped alone to tell thee there arose from the coast of Arabia a furious winde whose redoubled blasts had shaken the four corners of the house which at last yeelding to the violence of the assaults fell to the ground and unhappily buried his children in its ruines and that his bad fortune had reserved him to be the messenger of so fatall news At the relation of so many disasters 20 Then Job arose and rent his mantle and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped Job seized with a mortall sorrow tore his garments condemned his head to weare mourning shaved his haire then prostrate upon the earth for to adore the hand which struck him 21 And said Naked came I out of my mothers womb naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. said with sentiments of respect I came naked out of the wombe of my mother and shall enter naked into the bosome of the earth the bounty of God gave me riches and his justice takes them from me the losse though it be sensible is welcome to me since it is he that ordaines it by whatsoever misfortune he tryes my patience his name shall always receive prayses from my mouth In all these crosse Accidents capable to shake the constancy of the most vertuous man in the world 22 In all this Job sinn'd not nor charged God foolishly Job uttered not an insolent word and his complaints were accompanied with so much moderation that he obliged heaven to blesse him and the earth to admire him CHAP. II. CHAP. II. The Argument GOd commends the patience of Job and permitts the Divel to afflict him with sicknesse and to render him the scorne of all the world which he executes with so much rigour that his wife adviseth him to kill himself and his friends astonished at his misfortune dare not undertake to comfort him THese disasters were not yet published 1 Again there was a day whe the sonnes of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them to present himselfe before the Lord when the Angels assembled themselves before God to give him account of their commissions or to receive new ones The Divell puffed up with so great successe and proud of so many crimes fayled not to be there 2 And the Lord said unto Satan From whence comest thou And Satan answered the Lord said from going to and fro in the earth from walking up and down in it whether it were his pride that brought him thither or the order of his sovereign had obliged him to be present when every one had taken his place the rankes were distributed according to merit God willing to extort truth from the mouth of Satan asked him from whence he came what sinnes he had committed and by what artifices he had seduced men the Devill who in his misery reteins his vanity answered that being lord of the world he came from visiting his estate 3 And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil and still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without a cause and that nothing rendred him more glorious than the great number of subjects which depended upon his will God who pleaseth himself in humbling the pride of Devills and to make them feel their weaknesses in their enterprises enquired of him if he had not seen his faithfull servant Job if his constancy had not astonished him if he had not proved that all his attempts were unprofitable and that in vain he had obtained power to persecute him since after he had lost his children with his goods he had yet conserved his innocence The Devill to whom these prayses were as so many reproaches and punishments 4 And Satan answered the Lord and said skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life replyed did the patience of Job seem so admirable to him that there needed but a common vertue to support the losse of children that that man was rich enough who was well and that there was none who to preserve his body would not willingly abandon his goods But if he would receive his counsell and know 5 But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh he will curse thee to thy face what that servant whose fidelity he praysed so much carryed in his soul he must smite his body with some violent disease take away his health which he preferred before all his goods that he assured himself that then loosing all respect and adding insolence to his impiety he would blaspheme his name before all the world God who knew well that Misery served but to elevate the vertue of Job 6 And the Lord said unto Satan Behold hee is in thine hand but save his life and confound the malice of the Devill abandoned his body to him and death excepted gave him permission to try him by all miserable diseases which may exercise the patience of men This cruell executioner of