My bones are pierced in me in the night-season and my finewes take no rest 18. By the great force of my disease is my garment changed it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat 19. He hath cast me into the mire and I am become like dust ashes 20. I cry unto thee and thou dost not heare me I stand up and thou regardest me not 21. Thou art become cruell to mee with thy strong hand thou opposest thy selfe against me 22. Thou liftest mee up to the wind thou causest mee to ride upon it and dissolvest my substance 23. For I know that thou wilt bring mee to death and to the house appointed for all living 24. How be it he will not stretch out his hand to the grave though they cry in his destruction 25. Did not I weepe for him that was in trouble was not my soule grieved for the poore 26. When I looked for good then evill came unto mee and when I waited for light there came darknesse 27. My bowels boiled and rested not the daies of affliction prevented mee 28. I went mourning without the Sun I stood up and I cried in the congregation 29. I am a brother to Dragons and a companion to Owles 30. My skin is blacke upon me and my bones are burnt with heat 31. My harpe also is turned to mourning and my organ into the voice of them that weepe 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I thinke upon a maid 2. For what portion of God is there from above and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high 3 Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity 4. Doth not he see my waies and count all my steps 5. If I have walked with vanity or if my foot hath hasted to deceit 6. Let me be weighed in an even ballance that God may know mine integrity 7. If my step hath turned out of the way and mine heart walked after mine eyes and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands 8. Then let mee sow and let another eat yea let my off-spring be rooted out 9. If mine heart hath beene deceived by a woman or if I have laid wait at my neighbours doore 10. Then let my wife grinde unto another and let others bow downe upon her 11. For this is an hainous crime yea it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges 12. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction and would root out all mine increase 13. If I did despise the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me 14. What then shall I do when God riseth up and when hee visiteth what shall I answer him 15. Did not hee that made mee in the wombe make him and did not one fashion us in the wombe 16. If I have withheld the poore from their desire or have caused the eyes of the widdow to faile 17. Or have eaten my morsell my selfe alone and the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof 18. For from my youth hee was brought up with mee as with a father and I have guided her from my mothers wombe 19. If I have seen any perish for want of clothing or any poore without covering 20. If his loynes have not blessed me and if hee were not warmed with the fleece of my sheepe 21 If I have lift up my hand against the fatherlesse when I saw my helpe in the gate 22. Then let mine arme fall from my shoulder-blade and mine arme be broken from the bone 23. For destruction from God was a terrour to me and by reason of his highnesse I could not endure 24. If I have made gold my hope or have said to the fine gold Thou art my confidence 25. If I rejoyced because my wealth was great and because mine hand had gotten much 26. If I beheld the Sunne when it shined or the Moone walking in brightnesse 27. And my heart hath beene secretly enticed or my mouth hath kissed my hand 28. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge for I should have denied the God that is above 29. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me or lift up my selfe when evil found him 30. Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soule 31. If the men of my tabernacle said not Oh that we had of his flesh I we cannot be satisfied 32. The stranger did not lodge in the street but I opened my doores to the traveller 33. If I covered my transgression as Adam by hiding mine iniquity in my bosome 34. Did I feare a great multitude or did the contempt of families terrifie mee that I kept silence and went not out of the doore 35. O that one would heare mee behold my desi e is that the Almighty would answer me and that mine adversary had written a book 36. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crowne to me 37. I would declare unto him the number of my steps as a Prince would I goe neere unto him 38. If my land cry against me or that the furrowes likewise thereof complaine 39. If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life 40. Let thistles grow in stead of Wheat and cockle in stead of Barley The words of Job are ended 1. So these three men ceased to answer Iob because he was righteous in his owne eyes 2. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the sonne of Barachel the Buzite of the kindred of of Ram against Iob was his wrath kindled because hee justified himselfe rather than God 3. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled because they had found no answer and yet had condemned Iob. 4. How Elihu had waited till Iob had spoken because they were elder than hee 5. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these threemen then his wrath was kindled 6. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said I am young and yee are very old wherefore I was afraid and durst not shew you mine opinion 7. I said daies should speake and multitude of yeeres should teach wisedome 8. But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding 9. Great men are not alwaies wise neither doe the aged understand judgement 10. Therefore I said hearken to me I also will shew mine opinion 11. Behold I waited for your words I gave eare to your reasons whilest you searched out what to say 12. Yea I attended unto you and behold there was none of you that convinced Iob or that answered his words 13. Lest yee should say Wee have found out Wisedome God thrusteth him downe not man 14. Now hee hath not directed his words against me neither will I answer him with your speeches 15. They were amazed they answered no more they left off speaking 16. When I had
and said 2 Shall he that contendeth with the Al mighty instruct him he that reproveth God let him answer it 3. Then Iob answered the Lord and said 4. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay mine hand upon my mouth 5. Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further 6. Then answered the Lord unto Iob out of the whirlewind and said 7. Gird up thy loynes now like a man I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me 8. Wilt thou also disanull my judgement wilt thou condemne me that thou maiest be righteous 9. Hast thou an arme like God or canst thou thunder with a voice like him 10. Decke thy selfe now with majestly and excellency and aray thy selfe with glory and beauty 11. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath and behold every one that is proud and abase him 12. Looke on every one that is proud and bring him low and tread downe the wicked in their place 13. Hide them in the dust together and binde their faces in secret 14. Then will I also confesse unto thee that thine owne right hand can save thee 15. Behold now Behemoth which I made with thee hee eateth grasse as an Oxe 16. Lo now his strength is in his loynes and his force is in the navell of his belly 17. He moveth his taile like a Cedar the sinewes of his stones are wrapt together 18. His bones are as strong pieces of brasse his bones are like barres of iron 19. He is the chiefe of the wayes of God he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him 20. Surely the mountaines bring him forth food where all the beasts of the field play 21. He lieth under the shady trees in the couert of the reed and fennes 22. The shady Trees cover him with their shadow the willowes of the brooke compasse him about 23. Behold he drinketh up a River and hasteth not he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth 24. He taketh it with his eyes or as in the margin will any take him in his sight his nose pierceth through snares 1. Canst thou draw out Leviathan with an hook or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down 2. Canst thou put an hooke into his nose or bore his jaw through with a thorn 3. Will he make many supplications unto thee will hee speake soft words unto thee 4. Will he make a covenant with thee wilt thou take him for a servant for ever 5. Wilt thou play with him as with a bird wilt thou bind him for thy maidens 6. Shall the companions make a banquet of him shall they part him among the merchants 7. Canst thou fill his skinne with barbed irons or his head with fish spears 8. Lay thine hand upon him remember the battell do no more 9. Behold the hope of him is in vaine shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him 10. None is so fierce that dare stirre him up who then is able to stand before me 11. Who hath prevented me that I should repay him whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine 12. I will not conceale his parts nor his power nor his comely proportion 13. Who can discover the face of his garment or who can come to him with his double bridle 14. Who can open the doores of his face his teeth are terrible round about 15. His scales are his pride shut up together as with a close seale 16. One is so neere to another that no aire can come betweene them 17. They are joyned one to another they stick together that they cannot be sundred 18. By his neesings a light doth shine and his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning 19. Out of his mouth goe burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out 20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke as out of a seething pot or caldron 21. His breath kindleth coales and a flame goeth out of his mouth 22. In his necke remaineth strength and sorrow is turned into joy before him 23. The flakes of his flesh are joined together they are firme in themselves they cannot be moved 24. His heart is as firme as a stone yea as hard as a piece of the nether milstone 25. When he raiseth up himselfe the mighty are afraid by reason of breakings they purifie themselves 26. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold the speare the dart nor the habergeon 27. He esteemeth iron as straw and brasse as rotten wood 28. The arrow cannot make him flie sling-stones are turned with him into stubble 29. Darts are counted as stubble he laugheth at the shaking of the speare 30. Sharpe stones are under him he spreadeth sharpe-pointed things upon the mire 31. Hee maketh the deepe to boile like a pot hee maketh the sea like a pot of ointment 32. He maketh a path to shine after him one would thinke the deepe to be hoary 33. Upon earth there is not his like who is made without feare 34. He beholdeth all high things hee is a king over all the children of pride 1. Then Iob answered the Lord and said 2. I know that thou canst doe every thing and that no thought can bee withholden from thee 3. Who is he that hideth counsell without knowledge therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderfull for mee which I knew not 4. Heare I beseech thee and I will speake I will demand of thee declare thou unto me 5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee 6. Wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes 7. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words into Iob the Lord said to Elipha◠the Temanit◠My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends for yee have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath 8. Therefore take unto you now seven Bullocks and seven Rammes and goe to my servant Iob and offer up for your selves a hurnt offering and my servant Iob shall pray for you for him will I accept lest I deale with you after your folly in that yee have not spoken of me the thing which is right like my servant Iob. 9. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naaneathite went and did according as the Lord commanded thē the Lord also accepted Iob. 10. And the Lord turned the captivity of Iob when he prayed for his friends also the Lord gave Iob twice as much as he had before 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 eate bread with him in his house and they bemoned him and comforted him over all the evill that the Lord had brought upon him every man also gave him a piece of money and every one an eare-ring of gold 12. So the Lord blessed the later end of Iob more than his beginning for hee had fourteen thousand sheep and sixe thousand Camells and a thousand yoke of Oxen and a thousand she-Asses 13. He had also seven sonnes and three daughters 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 15. And in all the land were no women found so faire as the daughters of Iob and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren 16. After this lived Job an hundred and forty yeeres and saw his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes even foure generations 17. So Iob died being old and full of daies
THE WHOLE BOOKE OF IOB PARAPHRASED OR Made easie for any to understand By GEORGE ABBOTT JAMES 5. 11. You have heard of the patience of Job and have seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercy LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Overton and are to be sold at his shop at the entrance into Popes-head-Alley out of Lumbard-street 1640. TO HIS MVCH HONOVRED Father in Law William Purefey of Calldecoate in Warwkickshire ESQUIRE SIR THat I am yours both you deserve it and I publish it and therefore for what is mine whilest I have you for my Father my thoughts shall not rove to seeke any other Patron next under God who if hee have made mee an Instrument of any good upon so good a subject I wish he may have the glory and I the prayers of all that taste it Sir I have heard you with serious desires sometimes wish that some would undertake the rendring of the Bible throughout in an easie Paraphrase after this manner And might your wishes have effect doubtlesse it would prove a usefull worke and serviceable to God and to his Church yea if my judgement faile me not in the next place to the translation of the Scripture into our mother tongue whereunto the Lord stirre up the hearts of those whom hee hath designed for so happy an imployment as is the holding forth of so great light and facilitating of Scripture studies to the filling of the earth with knowledge as waters cover the Sea Your ever obliged Sonne in Law GEORGE ABBOTT TO THE READER THis Booke of Job in respect of the dialect of those times being of quaint expressions must needs be explained by other and more familiar language and being also difficult in the coherence which is very materiall many texts or verses besides their proper senses must therefore in their explications carrie their dependant and coherent meanings in them else they cannot bee fully rendred nor the discourse by its right joints and ligaments continued and knit together but must needs be imperfect blind and lame which I have laboured the cure of by perspicuity of phrase and dependance A Paraphrase and not a commentarie is the thing that I endeavour which is a bare rendering of the sense plaine and easy the better to enable the Reader to be a commentator to himselfe And if any place seeme to beare another meaning then I have given it know that there goes more to the true stating of a text then an overly view or a present consideration of the sense it seemes to hold forth in the letter of it some places require much peasing and many candles to bee lighted at once in the minde of the expositour to give their true intended meaning else hee may erre in benè divisis ad malè conjuncta and cause a falling out of the text either with its coherence and scope or else of one text with another The story is well known to be as principall a pillar to support a Christian in strong trials by paterne and precept of faith and patience as any the whole Bible affoords and so I trust it may prove being well understood and applied to all such as read it with an heart to use it Besides which there is excellent matter for other graces to worke upon God being upon the occasion of their dispute admirably set forth with powerfull and spirituall elegancy and man abased in like manner which to a considerate humble-hearted Reader will administer sweet occasions of reducing his graces sutable to such subjects by the assistance of the spirit into fresh acts and lively motions the way to evidence his truth and to further their growth And which I also desire the Reader to take prime notice of he shal further see for his learning the strong consolation and undaunted courage that singlenesse and sincerity of heart which in a word is The animating and giving life to our dead works by doing them in conscience to God through faith and love brings with it even to the facing of God in an holy boldnesse though through temptation Iob exceeded by the faith of his Gospel when he pleads against us his greatest severity highest Majesty and to the outfacing of all besides God men or devils Other flowers there are which a spirituall quick sensed Reader will not lose the savour of as he spends his time in this garden of God whereto his spirit will guide him better then I can point him and to which end I shall pray with the spouse for the spouse Awake ô North-wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow forth Thine to his Talent in the service of Christ GEORGE ABBOTT THE ARGUMENT GOD for whose pleasure all things are and were created having made Job fit for use resolveth to imploy him and having first tried him in a calme sea of prosperity and not finding him to leake at last launcheth him into the deep and ingageth him in a long and dangerous voiage of adversity where hee must undergoe many a fight and storme to prove God a Master-builder Hereupon because Satan knew not Gods designe God himselfe hints it to him by commending Job which his malice not abiding to heare and desiring to contradict presently becomes a sutor to God to have the winnowing of him which God for many reasons granteth to him Partly in respect to shew him that hee is the onely discerner of the heart Partly in respect of the errour of those times wherein it was generally received that God afflicted not in soveraignty but onely for and according to the proportion of sinne Partly in respect of Job for his after-honour and preferment And lastly in respect of after-times to leave upon record a paterne of patience and a seale of Gods power and faithfulnesse in upholding the righteous and in delivering them out of all their troubles Satan having received his commission to worke he goeth and dischargeth all his Ordinance at once upon Job thinking through force and policy to wring some discontented blasphemy from him and so to disprove God but Job abid the shocke and uttered not a misbeseeming word till at last his sores began to smart and therewith also the light of Gods countenance through the thicke cloud of those many afflictions began to shine dim upon his spirit and then hee opened his mouth not as Satan hoped to blaspheme but to ease his forrwfull soule with breathing forth a dolefull wish or two as that either he had never seene life or might now see death Which impatiency of Jobs his friends standing by tooke fire at and thereupon they being ignorantly prejudiced of God that hee afflicted not but in proportionable punishment to sin committed and consequently were opinionated of Job that for all his faire shew he must needs be but a hollowhearted hypocrite they with vehement importunity pressed these sore upon him as infallible maximes thereby to
have disarmed him both of his sword of faith and shield of sincerity but Job though conscious to his owne infirmities which he ingenuously confesseth yet was also privie to his owne uprightnesse which he as manfully maintaineth against all his opposites and the more they laboured to loose his hold on God the faster he clung unto him yea though God himselfe seemed to take their part by suffering Satan afresh to face him with his forepast sinnes accompanied with present terrours and himselfe too utterly benighted his soule with an absolute sun-set of all present sight and sense of immediate favour yet in this great desertion God gave him underhand for his secret support a little chinke of light whereby he was able to see and sustainingly to remind himselfe of Gods former favours though hee felt none present which made him able to leane upon his God yea and which enlightned him clearely to see also his owne sincerity though it were sore shot at by his friends which did drive him to appeale from man to God the onely Judge of secret things with whom he desired to plead his cause with some exceedings in that behalfe provided he would substitute one that was his equall in his stead Which Elihu hearing when his time came to speak accordingly addressed himselfe unto him in Gods behalfe wisely both justifying Job against his friends and condâ—mning their ungrounded opinion in judgeing him an hypocrite because of his great afflictions and also justifying God against Job who through his friends unadvised spurring him on had overreached Wherefore Elihu sheweth Iob his fault which God strucke at by his affliction to wit pride whereof hee convinceth him by his saufie capitulating with God who both in right of prerogative over his creature yea and in justice for his sinne though not for his hypocrisie might justifie all he did against him and was by no means to be disputed withall touching any thing he did because of his excelling power unsearehable wisdome and undeniable justice Which Elihu having spoken God himselfe secondeth him with a large expression of his owne transcendent greatnesse in wisedome and power beyond Jobs capacity consequently shewing him his presumption and solly and his owne unquestionablenesse in all his workes however they appeare to humane reason Which when Job understood from God himselfe his mouth was stopped saving in abasing himselfe and confessing of his fault which was no sooner done but God shaketh hands with Job Brings forth his righteousnesse as the light and his judgement as the noone-day in the sight of all his accusers preferreth him to be Mediatour for his friends and finally maketh him a large amends even double to all hee lost Errata Chapter 1. Verse 2. godly reade goodly Chapter 5 verse 21. reproach read approach Chap. 8. verse 7 in the Text shall reade should Verse 20. rejected read reject Chap. 9. verse 19. my body reade any body Verse 24 it is not apparant reade is it not apparant Chap. 10. verse 1. affection reade affections Chap. 11. verse 15. in safe condition read in a safe condition Chap. 12. verse 14. as rhat reade so as thar Chap. 14. verse 7 8 9. his vegetative life reade its vegetative life Verse 11. evaporate reade evaporates Verse 12. in the Text moret hey reade more they Verse 15. one whom reade on whom Chap. 15. verse 18. in the Text there is me too much Chap. 18. verse 4. in the Text he remoued reade be removed Chap. 19. verse 28. injurious occasions read injurious accusations Chap. â—0 v. 23. whom he least lookes for it reade when he least lookes for it Chap 24. verse 16. vexatious reade vexatious Chap. 29. verse 17. could I reade would I. THE BOOKE OF JOB PARAPHRASED CHAP. I. 1 THere was a man whose Story the Lord would have recorded for example and believed for a truth and therefore for further confirmation know that for the Country where he lived it was the land of Uz lying upon the borders of the Caldeans Sabeans and Cananites and for his name it was Job who was of the Posterity of Abraham by Keturah This man was faithfull believing in the promised Messiah and sincere in heart devoting himselfe to serve please the Lord alwaies in all things and hee walked accordingly in his life and conversation for fearing to offend him he was therefore diligent with care and circumspection to avoid all sin and the occasions thereof in the time place when and where he lived 2. Upon which holy Man God bestowed a liberall portion of temporall blessings and the better to illustrate the exemplarinesse of his vertue and patience when by the hand of God hee was quite strip'd naked of them all know more particularly what they were And first he was the father of many godly children in number seven sonnes and three daughters 3. Secondly he abounded in wealth having no lesse than seven thousand Sheepe three thousand Camells five hundred yoke of Oxen five hundred she-Asses and answerably enriched with servants and all other accommodations So that indeed there was none in all those Easterne parts where hee lived that went beyond him or that was equall to him in temporall felicity 4. And further to adde to his happinesse and to sweeten these blessings to him the more hee saw the happy fruit of his vertuous care in educating his children by their mutuall love so unanimously expressed in their orderly intercourse of friendly feasting and welcomming each one all the rest of his brethren at his owne house being also ever mindfull to invite their three sisters that so their number and amity might be complete 5. And though this thing pleased Job yet such was his religious care that when their turnes of feasting were expired he summoned them all joyntly and made them solemnely to examine and prepare themselves and then rising up early in the morning hee being Father and chiefe of the family offered for every one of his children a burnt offering for fearing God and knowing the corruption of nature and the temptation of such occasions hee thought with himselfe It may be that my children in these their feastings have fallen into some sinnes incident to such actions and through overmuch sensuall liberty may perhaps have forgotten their duty and overseene themselves towards God not bearing him that awfulnesse nor rendring him the thankfulnesse due unto him And this was Jobs constant custome which hee never failed to perform so oft as their course of feasting gave him occasion 6. Now to come to the Story it selfe I must lead you into it by a borrowed allusion from the Kings and Princes of this world for the helpe of our humane understandings There was a time when God summoned his ministring Spirits the holy Angells to appeare before him who with a filiall readinesse presenting themselves to give their account and to receive his coÌ„mands for the service of his Church Satan by the will of God came
forget himselfe toward God as to utter a misbelieving word against him CHAP. II. 1. Againe in like manner as aforesaid there was another time wen as God summoned his ministring Spirits the Angells before him who as at the first time presented themselves to the Lord and so did Satan also 2. Of whom the Lord asked the same question Whence he came c. thereby to give a further occasion more fully to convince Satan of Iobs integrity and to perfect his owne purpose concerning him To whom Satan returned the same answer That hee came from going to and fro upon the earth to find advantages to tempt men 3. Why then saies the Lord thou canst not but have taken speciall notice of my servant Iob what manner of man he is who besides all that I told thee of him touching his faith and honesty which in despite of thee hee hath made good to the utmost thou seest still to continue in his upright-heartednesse and humble obedience towards me although thou prevailed with me thus seemingly to declare my selfe against him and that in such a manner as none but such an one as I have told thee hee is could possibly have borne it as he hath done by laying such heavie afflictions upon him and that without any provocation or cause on his part procuring it 4. 'T is true saies Satan I cannot deny it but he hath held out well and I have got no ground of him hitherto but yet for all that the reason is not as thou saiest from his uprightnesse but from the nature of his sufferings and his owne selfe-respect for hitherto thou hast only tried him with forraine afflictions and hast made him to suffer only in the suffrings of others but hast not touched him at all in his owne person and thou knowest it is naturall to every man nothing so much to lay to heart or be moved with relative as with personall afflictions as is seene by common experience for who will not if he may be his owne chooser rather suffer in any other though never so neere unto him than in himselfe and thinke it a good bargaine to lose all he has to save his life 5 And that thou maist see that this is true let mee prevaile with thee once more to try him a little further with this kind of triall which I have spoken of lay but thine afflicting hand upon his owne person by some bodily pressure and then tell me whether hee retaine his uprightnesse nay then see if my words prove not true that hee will cast off all respect of thee and blaspheme thee to thy face 6. Well saies God seeing thou art not yet convinced goe on I grant thee thy desire doe thy worst to his person also but as before I restrained thee from harming his body so doe I now forbid thee to take away his life 7. Satan glad hee had sped so well quickly left cōmuning with God and went streightway while the anguish of Iobs other afflictions were fresh upon him to put his commission in execution for the trying of him by bodily pressures which hee fulfilled to the uttermost by over-running him in every part from head to foot with a painfull disease strangely breaking out all over his body in grievous and noysome boyles 8. In so much that every one lothed him nor would any endure to lend him their helping hand wherefore being destitute of all other meanes hee himselfe was forced being driven to that poverty and enduring that misery to take for want of better a piece of a broken pot from off the dunghill and there as unfit for any other place to sit downe and scrape the abundant filth from off his body 9. Satan seeing all these temptations would not make Job blaspheme puts him at last directly upon the very point it selfe by the desperat counsell and provoking suggestion of his bosom-bosome-friend his wife who in stead of administring conjugall helpe to him by the Divells instigation she takes the opportunity of this his deep dejection to spur him on to a further evill under the plausible pretence of remedy by tempting him no longer to feare and adhere to such a God in dependance and reverence nor any longer to beare his afflicting hand with patience that had thus unmercifully and without cause tormented him but being that he sped no better by his integrity rather to spite God as God had spited him by easting off his fruitlesse faith and patience and turning it into blasphemy for so should he get more from God by provoking him therewith to destroy him out and out than hee had done by blessing him which all this while had gained him no good but procured God to sustaine him alive under insupportable miseries and so was like to doe still 10. But herein also Satan came short of his hopes as we see by Jobs smart reproofe together with his faithfull and humble answer For saies hee to his wife How darest thou utter these words that hast beene brought up in the knowledge of God it were a speech fitter to have come out of the mouth of one of those ignorant heathenish women that have no knowledge of the true God than from thee who hast beene otherwaies instructed and oughtest to know that all the good that wee or any injoy is of his free gift without our procuring or deserving and how comes it to passe then that thou art so farre devoid of godlinesse and reason as not to know it is but equity in God when his good pleasure is to take that from us which of his onely good pleasure hee freely gave unto us In all which triall of Job though in spirit he was sore troubled yet could not Satan get one misbeseeming word from him against God 11 Now when Eliphas the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite which were all godly men and the three speciall friends of Job had heard of all Iobs miseries they came all of them together by joynt appointment from the places where they lived with intent to testifie themselves his true and faithfull friends in a voluntary sympathising his afflictions and so to mitigate his sorrowes by their friendly condolings and to support his spirit by their godly advise 12. But as they drew towards the end of their journey they cast their eyes toward Iobs house and of a sudden seeing him in his owne person in that manner and estate to sit upon the dunghill and his distresse to goe so far beyond report and their owne imaginations of him they through amazement could not believe their own eyes for a while that it was hee whom before they had never seene but in a splendidous fashion but by beholding him being at length assured that pitifull spectacle wa their very friend Iob they could not but through amazement and affectionate sympathy break out into a transported manifestation of their abundant sorrow both in words and
that I cannot enjoy one moment of ease in so much as that my spirits are so exhausted with continuall griefe that I can relish no meat nor have any strength to digest it And as is my griefe such are my complaints vehement and incessant which things must needs end me 25. And blame mee not for thus complaining For though I have ever greatly feared to provoke the Lords displeasure and have therefore carefully eschewed all manner of evill that might procure it yet for all that you see in hath befallen me 26. Yea though all my life long when I was at my best I reposed no great confidence nor put no extraordinary content in my prosperity so as to cause me any whit to abate my feare of God yet I speed never the better for this my moderation of mind and care to please him but see notwithstanding what misery comes upon mee CHAP. IV. 1. IObs three friends that came to comfort him having all this while diligently attended to his passionate discourse Eliphaz the Temanite having his spirit stirred therewith at length attempts to addresse himselfe to Job seeing that hee himselfe had broken the silence and had administred such an unexpected occasion of reproofe And said 2. We have purposely forborne all this while therefore now at last let it not grieve thee to heare us speake But how ever thou takest it at our hands there are none of us that heares thee that either can or may with a good conscience forbeare to reply to this thy sinful unbeseeming discourse 3. Therefore consider with thy selfe how unworthy of thee is this thy passionate exclamation now that it pleaseth God to lay his afflicting hand upon thee and how devoid of all religious integrity For that alwaies heretofore thou hast beene a forward instructer of others how to beare afflictions and by thy counsell thou hast strengthened them to a patient enduring their distresses 4. In so much that by thy comfortable speeches very many feeble ones have beene incouraged and upheld from fainting and with faith and patience have beene inabled to goe through-stitch with their calamities 5. But now that the same lot is falne to thee and that thou shouldst make good thy words with thy actions thou now contrary to all mens expectations and to the scandall of thy profession in stead of honouring religion by manifesting thy faith and patience under the hand of God most shamefully degenerates into a faithlesse pusillanimity and unbeseeming impatiency contradicting by thine owne practice in expressing such extreme trouble at the first touch of these calamities all that ever thou hast heretofore advised to others 6. But see now I pray thee by this that which it appeares hath hitherto beene hid from thine eyes I meane the deceit of thine owne heart touching those graces which till now thou thoughtest to have beene sincerely in thee and eftsoones made thy brags of Thou maist now plainly see by this alteration which affliction hath wrought in thee what was thy feare thy faith thy uprightnesse and thy hope heretofore in the time of thy prosperity for had thy graces beene any other than counterfeit pretences and thy waies beene any other than sinister practices not aiming 〈◊〉 and directly at God but indirectly at thy selfe and thine owne advantage they would never have suffered thee thus to have forgot thy selfe and broken out into their contrary vices against God neither certainely 〈◊〉 God have laid this great punishment upon thee 7. For where ever canst thou call to minde so much as any one that being truly such as thou salsely mistakest thy selfe to be was ever plagued with the destroying hand of God as thou art or in the whole world where canst thou reckon one that ever thou knewst sincerely righteous that ever God shewed such formidable wrath upon 8. But on the contrary I have continually observed in sundry examples how that it hath ever beene Gods way of proceeding only to bring evill sufferings upon such as either do or purpose evill which wee have reason the rather to believe to be true because this is so agreeable to justice for men to reape as they sow that is for God to bring the evill they purposed to others upon their owne heads which otherwaies it were not 9. And such men indeed I have commonly seen with the manifestation of a most evident wrath from God to be like thee all of a sudden strangely ruined and quite brought to nought in a moment 10. For be men never so potent and able to doe mischiefe or be they never so well furnished with will and power thereunto yet God who sees mens hearts a far off can and does ordinarily in the midst of their carreere disable and intercept them which no doubt but God fore-saw in thee and thy children though thou seest it not in thy selfe 11. And therefore to shew his exceeding great power in preventing the great evill which he fore-saw was towards by the power which thou hadst got into thine hand to worke it and withall to intimate a reason of his action hath he thus wonderfully disappointed thee by an utter disablement both in thy selfe and thy posterity bringing upon thee the same evill which doubtlesse else thou wouldst have brought upon another 12. And that thou maist be the better perswaded of the truth of that which I have said concerning thee Know that for certaine after the manner of revealing heavenly messages to our humane capacities which understand them but in part I lately had a revelation thence to this very purpose which I have spoken of to thee and that upon this very occasion of thy affliction 13. For when that I had heard what had befalne thee and the manner of it One night seriously thinking of thee and pondering thy case as I lay awake in the dead time of the night when other men were asleepe and disputing within my selfe how the innocency of thy life and these punishments could in justice stand together 14. Of a sudden an extreme feare seized upon mee in so much that it made me exceedingly to tremble and my very bones to lose their strength and to shake as if they had beene all over me out of joynt and while I marvelled what should be the reason of it I streight way perceived it was to prepare my minde with reverence and better discerning to entertaine the vision that immediately ensued 15. For presently there appeared a spirit before mee the sight whereof made my very haire to stand an end 16. And though it stood still before my face yet could I not distinctly comprehend in my mind the forme thereof only this I can say for certaine that I saw an image before mine eyes And whilest I was in this amazement silently waiting the issue at last it spake to me and said these very words concerning thee of whom I was even then thinking 17. Why dost
fro quite throughout 5. And you your selves cannot but see in what miserable estate I am beyond all compare for it is apparant how that my body even now whilest I am alive is overrunne with wormes and as with a garment am I covered over with scabbie clods of dirt and dust congealed in ulcerous matter which issueth from my sores which together with my skin is chopped and broken as the earth in drought in most lothsome and formidable manner 6. Why then should not I desire an end seeing my miseries crave it and every thing tendeth toward it for you see evidently how all my former daies of prosperity are in a moment quite dispatched and those that remaine you see them also waste without all hope of ever being better 7. Consider therefore these two things to wit The extraordinary end that my former daies have received how like a puffe of wind they are suddenly blowne over and that withall I am never like to see more good in this life 8. Hee that hath seene mee in my prosperity shall never see mee so againe thou thy selfe seest how irreparable my state is so that I have reason to expect and looke for no other than an absolute conclusion 9. For as the cloud is consumed by degrees till it vanish quite away so he that is going by degrees toward his grave as I am must needs looke for no recovery but necessarily expect a finall determination 10. Which shall certainly conclude him never to enjoy any part of his former condition againe 11. Seeing therefore that death by Gods appointment must certainly be the end of these I will not spare to presse him to hasten it but will lay my misery open to the uttermost and by all the arguments I can use will seeke to obtaine it speedily 12. Am I of so robustuous and untamable a disposition that thou must needs hold me in with such sharpe and mighty afflictions 13. In so much that when I dispose my selfe to sleepe in hope to find some ease and to gaine some small intermission of my torment 14. Even then thou disappointst my hope interrupting my sleepe with frightfull dreames and visions letting me take no rest 15. So that if I might be mine own carver I would choose the very worst of deaths so that I might but be sure to die rather than to live any longer in these intollerable pressures 16. Which makes life how pleasing soever to others to be most irkesome to mee in so much as though other men could be content to live alwaies yet am I of a quite differing mind wishing rather not to live at all and therefore I pray thee O Lord prolong not my life but give way to my miseries to make an end of mee seeing that all the remainder of my life must needes be empty of content and full of vexation 17. Lord what is man is he any better than a thing of naught which thou thus seemest to esteeme and make such account of 18. Exercising a continuall providence over him for his daily preservation not suffering him rather to turne to dust as else hee would and exercising him under long and lingring afflictions not dispatching him at once as if thou wouldst thou couldst 19. How long wilt thou hold on this extremity affording me no release not so much as a breathing while or whilest I might swallow my spittle 20. Wouldst thou by these tortures racke the confession of my sinnes out of me I confesse Lord I am a sinner but alas what recompence can I make thy justice by my suffering it is not in me to expiate my owne sinne it is thy mercy onely must save and acquit me for thou art the one Saviour why then doest thou as it were try thy skill and power upon mee in my exquisite torments so that I am become a very burthen to my selfe 21. And dost not rather according to thy gracious nature give some comfortable and refreshing testimonies of the pardon of my transgressions and the doing away of mine iniquities that so I may praise thee before the Sunne of my life be quite set and I lie downe in the grave for now I shall die and then when thou lookest to receive thy morning sacrifice of praise as aforetime I shall not be found to give it thee CHAP. VIII 1. BIldad the Shuhite another of Jobs friends having all this while given eare to the reply which he made to Eliphaz at last interposed himselfe and said 2. How long wilt thou persevere to take such liberty of language toward God and by thy violent passions and storming speeches bring upon thy selfe fierce destruction 3. Wilt thou make God to be unrighteous in judgement and the Almighty to goe against the rules of justice by conceiving him to inflict punishment and not for sinne 4. Take heed what thou doest and be not stubborne but confesse the Lord to be just although thy children having sinned against him hee hath suddenly and in his fierce displeasure even utterly thus cut them off for their transgression 5. And make timely use of it for thy selfe let it move thee before it be too late whilest God in mercy gives thee time to lay aside thy stubbornnesse and to repaire unto him in humble confession and with supplication of his pardon for thy owne sinne 6. And doubt not but if thou dost now turne unto the Lord in sincerity by repentance not justifying thy selfe but confessing thy sinnes unfeignedly without hypocrisie which hath brought this punishment upon thee from the Lord hee would not any longer thus forget thee but would certainly remember thee in mercy and make thee and all that belongs unto thee prosperous and blessed 7. And though thou art now but poore and miserable yet then shouldst thou see the power of the Lord bringing to passe a wonderfull alteration in thy behalfe by making thee both rich and happy 8. And that thou maist be the better perswaded to believe mee and to take this course consider and call to minde all the former ages of our long-lived forefathers from the beginning of the world 9. For wee desire not to oversway thy faith by our owne testimony who in comparison of our fathers are of no experience nor knowledge by reason of the shortnesse of our lives now to what theirs was then 10. And therfore I gladly put thee over to the testimonies of former times wherat thou canst not except for partiality and they will all teach and tell thee and bona fide confirme unto thee the very same which I have said How that God never punished any but for their sin nor rejected a penitent person 11. And look how ordinary a thing it is for a mis-rooted rush that quickly springs up out of a little moisture but not much mire or the flag that growes without the river in
for he is everlasting 7. It is not because thou knowst me not and therfore wouldst find me out that thou thus handlest me for I know thou knowest mee well enough that I am upright Neither is it for want of power to make me forth-coming but of thine owne just prerogative for were I not approved in thy sight yet thou hast no need to hold me thus fast in fetters for thou knowest it is impossible for mee by any meanes to escape thy hands either by flight or rescue 8. For I am no stranger to thee but thine own very workmanship even every part and portion of me from top to toe is both created and framed by thee and none but thee And yet strange to consider for all these reasons to the contrary thou thus destroyest mee 9. But I beseech thee remember that as I am the worke of thine hands so againe of what matter thou hast made mee how that originally I am but clay and what honour and event canst thou expect to follow upon thy fighting against such a worme with these thy omnipotent weapons but to turne dust into dust 10. And as in Adam I am but clay so alas thou knowest how in my selfe I am framed by thee of a weake and imperfect substance to wit the liquid seed of mine immediate parents 11. From whence indeed by thy wisdome and power thou hast made to proceed skin and flesh as clothing to every part of my body and an orderly juncture of bones and sinewes 12. In which fabricke of my body thus composed in the wombe thou hast further magnified thy selfe by adding a reasonable soule thereunto with all requisit favourable accommodations for my life and well-being which very life and soule as thou only gavest it so also hast thou alone hitherto preserved it by thy providence and good grace for it long ere this had been inanimated hadst not thou kept it alive by thy carefull preservation sweet influences and often visitations of my spirit which thou hast made me sensible of 13. And therfore I know that however thou seemest outwardly to deale with me yet thou art secretly mindfull of this fabricke which thou hast thus built and that this my spirit is especially pretious with thee 14. Or in the fourth place is it as they affirme am I hypocritically sinfull and therefore doest thou punish me Indeed if I be such an one then I know it is true thou wilt be sure to marke mee and not to let mee escape unpunished 15. If thou shouldest know this wickednesse by me then wo unto me and though in this sense I know my selfe to be righteous yet will I not justifie my selfe before thee because I know my sinnes otherwaies to have deserved thine indignation And now that I have thus vented my selfe by expostulating with thee I am but the further plunged into confusion not being able to satisfie my selfe or to give my minde any ease so that I see this is not the way neither but when all is done I must petition thy supremacy and intreat thee with pity to behold my misery 16. For it growes insupportable thy pursute of mee being so Lion-like extremely fierce and violent and as if no one torment could be sufficient for thee to plague mee with thou assaultst me againe and againe in a marvellous manner to expresse thy wrath upon mee 17. Thou shewest wonderous enmity against me by charging so thicke upon mee with such succession of afflictions and store of troubles by thine appointment execute thy severe indignation upon mee yea even all variety of evills both severally in their turnes and joyntly in one set-battle doe make warre against me 18. If thou hast conceived such displeasure against mee why didst thou not rather in thy fore-knowledge decree it that I should never have beene borne to cause thine anger or else have died so soone as I had bin born O that I had beene so happy never to have knowne or beene knowne of any 19. The very imagination whereof delights me in this mine extremity to thinke what happinesse it would have beene to me either not to have beene at all or to have beene in such a way as that my being had been equivalent to no being considering that as the wombe delivered me so the grave should have received me 20. But seeing thou hast ordered it otherwaies and that thou hast ordained mee to live yet consider that my life is but short in which time slacke thy hand and allow mee some little ease and comfort 21. 22. And cause mee not to die whilest I live nor to be in darkenesse whilest I enjoy light seeing ere long I shall sustaine thine indignation in the grave by the concluding punishment of death certainly never to returne againe to life nor to enjoy this light where I expect no better than confusion and an absolute deprivation of the comforts both of life and light for there I am sure is no vicissitude or order of time betweene night and day but all the comfortable daies of life and prosperitie shall certainly be turned into uncomfortable lasting darknesse then which it can afford no other CHAP. XI 1. THen Zophar the Naamathite another of Jobs friends having been attentive to all that hee had said in reply to his two former companions rejoines upon him with another like vexing discourse thus 2. Should we suffer him thus to proceed and not answer him but let him thinke to carry the cause of his owne justification by his much speaking and in the meane time wee through silence become guilty of his sinne by a tacit consent 3. Should we swallow such an unsufferable untruth and not reply and wouldst thou thus carry it against God and man and not be made to see thine errour 4. In maintaining such a blasphemous opinion for true doctrine That God destroyeth the righteous and that thou whom God hath so branded for a wicked person yet dares to affirme thy selfe not to be wicked 5. But I could wish that God would vouchsafe to answer thee in stead of us by his way of conviction that so thou mightest be made to believe by sense what now thou wilt not by reason 6. And that hee would but make thee to know what he in his wisdome knowes by thee then shouldest thou soone be confuted and put to shame and the vaine imaginations of thine own righteousnes would quite vanish because then thy conscience would shew thee how that thy sins are infinit more then thou imaginest so that though now thou complainest of hard dealing thou wouldest then see that God in justice might deservedly for thy sinnes inflict double upon thee to that thou now sufferest 7. Thou hast beene foole-hardy to speake thy minde over-freely concerning Gods dealing with thee and by presumptuous reasonings thou hast thought to plum his depth and either thou wilt see
God and confidence in himselfe thus briefely makes answer to what he had spoken in the 23. Chapter 2. God rules with Majesty in heaven and gives lawes to his Angells there which they must obey in which very place that there is peace it is of his goodnesse and gracious decree rather than of their merit 3. Hath hee not whole armies of Angells and other creatures in an infinite number which are ready to execute his wrath upon whomsoever dare to contest against him and doth not the Sun behold all men in all corners of the earth so that God must needs much more see them what they are 4. God then being of such perfect holinesse so terrible also and so all-seeing how dares any man living or how is it possible for him to stand it out with God as thou boastest in his owne justification or for him that is naturally corrupt begotten and borne of sinfull parents to appeare pure in the eyes of such a God 5. Consider that by reason of the fall of man the very creatures that in themselves are sinlesse yea the very Moone and Stars that are so far from earth and so neer to heaven have contracted defilement and are blemished so that with God for mans sake and by mans sin even they are not accounted free from pollution in his sight 6. How much lesse man himselfe whence they have taken infection and all that come of him who both father and sonne are all alike earthly creatures made subject to corruption by sinne CHAP. XXVI 1. JOB being angry at Bildads impertinencies thus answers him 2. What am I the better for this thou hast said how hast thou herein discharged thine office to me either as a friend or comforter what helpe hereby hast thou administred to my helplesse state or how hast thou herewith yeelded me any aid or support in this my weake condition 3. What friendly advice or usefull counsell hast thou ministred to me by it which yet thou takest mee to stand in need of and what adoe hast thou kept to tell me what I know 4. Who dost thou utter these overplus needlesse speeches to that is ever the better for them For my part I am not and whose spirit is any whit refreshed or ever the better for what thou hast said not mine one jot 5. Thinkest thou I know not all this yea I can tell thee as much and more than thou hast said to set forth God withall whereby thou mayest see that I am not to learne of thee touching him I can tell thee that hee is not onely admirable above in the heavens but beneath also in so much as nothing is bred or brought forth whether animate or inanimate fish or other things in all the vast and deepe Ocean but it is by his decree and power 6. The hiddenest and lowest parts of all the earth the Grave and Hell are open before his all-seeing eyes so that hee sees what becomes of man and every part of himafter that death hath dissolved him and the grave consumed him 7. His eyes of providence and arme of power extends to the most remote and uninhabited places of all the earth hee over-spreads those as these with the heavens and disposeth things there as here and hee wonderfully upholds this heavie fabricke and huge ball of the earth pendant in the middest of the heavens without any other support than his mighty power 8. He bottells up the abundance of raine which falls upon the ground in clouds made for that purpose great and thick which notwithstanding the weight of those waters he hath made able to keepe and containe them so that they let fall none but when hee pleaseth 9. Hee when hee pleaseth withholdeth the Sunne from us that glorious light and beauty of the face of heaven and causeth it at pleasure to suspend its power and vertue of light and heat by overclouding the heavens and masking it as with a vaile 10. Hee hath confined the raging and unruly seas with bounds and limits which doe they what they can they shall never passe till the end of the world when all things shall be let loose to devastation 11. His terrour is formidable even to the mighty and high mountaines whereon the heavens seeme to rest as on so many pillars which tremble and shake with his thunder-claps and earth-quakes 12. The sea as outragious as it is subjects it selfe to his command and against nature divides it selfe so that dry land appeares in the midst of it and hee knowes how to tame it when the waves thereof are at proudest and rise highest 13. In a word by his powerfull spirit wherewith he worketh he hath both beautified and set forth the heavens in such a glorious manner as wee see yea the same powerfull hand it is which indeed onely maketh all things that hath also formed the most deformed and dreadfull creature in the earth 14. Hereby you may imagine what I know thinke and believe of God by these descriptions I have made of him which yet I know are but parts of his admirable excellencies and farre short of him for when you and I have said all wee can to set him forth how little notwithstanding will it be in comparison of him and his greatnesse as may appeare by one instance more which sets him forth most of all and that is the power and Majesty that hee utters in his thunder which who can sufficiently admire CHAP. XXVII 1. JOB having thus taken up Bildad his three friends seeing they could doe no good on him held their peace whereupon he takes occasion to speake his mind fully and thus goes on 2. As the Lord liveth who hath not cleared mee to be what I am but hath laid it upon mee to be thus misjudged and unjustly censured and condemned for a wicked man because of mine afflictions yea I protest by the Almighty who I know hath caused all these grievous vexations to befall mee 3. That whilest I breath and God lends me life 4. No respect in the world shall make me eate my words or goe against my knowledge for no mans pleasure or importunity will I do wickedly and betray the truth by saying otherwaies of my selfe than I have said although never so many should judge against mee 5. No God forbid that I should bolster you up in that sinfull â—â—isprision and uncharitablenesse of yours by yeelding it for a truth which you say that God does punish me for mine hypocrisie and wickednesse no I will never doe it whilest I live I will not belie my selfe nor relinquish mine integrity thinke how you will and say of me what you will for it 6. I am resolved to maintaine mine uprightnesse and not to part with it upon your perswasions or suspitions my heart shall never be brought by any thing you can doe to accuse mee falsely of
nature yeelds will hee let be lost for finding out but brings all to light through labour and skill be it never so low hid in the bowells of the earth 11. He deviseth waies to keepe out the floods which are caused by excesse of raine and naturally seekes out the lowest descent to run into from falling into his pit or interrupting his worke and whatsoever nature hath hid from him in her lowest depths and concaves he knowes how to compasse and get it notwithstanding all manner of difficulties 12. Thus man is able to invent and find out waies by nature art and industry to discover and compasse all things though never so strange and difficult if they be within the bounds of nature But now for supernaturall and divine wisedome which is the knowledge of God and his waies that are unsearchable and past finding out who is he that can by his art and skill shew how to compasse that and finde out the way and meanes to get this understanding 13. Herein man is a foole though otherwaies never so wise hee neither hath what to bid for it nor knowes how to come by it for it is of higher value and harder to be compassed than the preciousest things of the world being no where within the bounds of nature nor within the work of creation to be had for it is no earthly but a heavenly thing hid in God 14. If you dig to the very center of the earth to finde it out you shall lose your labour or if you dive to the bottome of the sea you are never the neere for neither sea nor land containe it 15. Neither can it be bought at any rate God will not merchandize it to man for gold nor silver 16. Nothing that can be named comes neere the worth of it the finest gold nor richest stones 17. There is no degree of comparison betweene it and whatsoever you can imagine besides Gold nor Chrystall nor ought else can equall it and therefore God from whom onely we must have it will not give it for any thing wee can give for it not for the finest gold were there never so much offered him 18. It 's in vaine to tender the rarest or richest things in all the world for it Corall or Pearle for it is infinitely beyond Rubies or the rarest and most unvaluable things of all the earth 19. Be they never so farre fetched or never so much worth as the Ethiopian Topaz and the gold of Ophir 20. So that I say then How or where is it possible for man to compasse this transcendent wisedome and understanding which yet you would seeme to have 21. Seeing it is not as other things are within the compasse of naturall reason nor by any naturall meanes of art and industry to be attained Nature is an utter stranger to it it is hid from the knowledge of all creatures high or low one or other 22. The most hidden and secret things the grave and hell though this wisedome be in them and they be ordered by it yet as deepe as they are it is deeper than they so that they give not bounds unto it nor can teach us the way to know it 23. God onely knowes the way of his owne supernaturall wisdome hee hath reserved it to himselfe and with him onely it remaines 24. For it is hee who alone by his own wisdome ordereth and disposeth all things at his pleasure every where throughout the whole Universe 25. Weighing forth that proportion of winds according to his purpose to blow where and when he pleaseth and likewise sending forth what quantity of raine him liketh here and there 26. Before any thing had being this wisdome was with him for out of it hee decreed the manner and way of the raine so also of the thunder and lightening 27. Even then was hee acquainted with it in himselfe not in the creature as wee are which hee declared by the creature not learned from the creature as we doe hee decreed all things by it and brought them forth in their order and manner as they now appeare through it 28. Hee hath reserved to himselfe the wisdome of government and hath taught man another lesson than to lesson and prescribe him to wit to be obedient to him to feare his Name and keepe his holy Commandements that is his duty and therein is his wisedome and understanding CHAP. XXIX 1. JOB after that hee had reproved Bildad justified himselfe and convinced his friends of the unsearchable waies of Gods wisdome in the three foregoing Chapters finding them all mute and no reply made upon him thus further proceeds to speak in his owne behalfe by wishes bewailings and selfe-justifyings in these three Chapters following 2. Oh saies hee that it were with mee now as it was heretofore when God smiled upon me and upheld me in prosperity and happinesse 3. When I was apparantly blessed of him so that every one saw and could say that hee exceedingly favoured me when no cloud overshadowed me but by the mercy of the Lord being free from sorrow and affliction whereto this life is so subject I for my part had all happinesse and good successe attending me in stead thereof 4. In my former daies thus it was The speciall and peculiar love of God to mee was then acknowledged by all and seene in evident tokens of good will by his blessing and prospering me and all that belonged unto me O that it were so now as it was then 5. Before this evill befell me when as God Almighty was extraordinarily with me in the ample manifestation of his love unto me and unremoved from mee as now hee is when my children were all alive and were great comforts unto mee 6. When I had all manner of plenty abounding in every good thing and when as there was nothing but by the will of God it was blessed and made serviceable to me and conduced to enrich mee 7. When I went honourably attended to the place of judicature having many spectatours and had the seat of justice set up and made ready for mee in the place of concourse 8. When men of all ages and degrees reverenced mee for the young men knowing my wisedome and seeing my grave deportment would in a respectfull distance absent themselves from my presence as awed with it and fearing the censure of my wisedome and gravity the aged also had mee in such esteeme that they would performe that respect to me which was due to them 9. My wisdome and my person was had in such account as that the very chiefe and prime of all the Princes of the people would refraine to speake before me in reverence of me 10. The Noble men were so awed with my wisedome that they were afraid to speake in my presence 11. When ever I spake it was known to be with
to doe by excuse or extenuation and have not humbly with selfe-judging confessed it to him but kept it unuttered in my bosome as loth to leave it or to be humbled for it 34. No I did none of these nor did I ever either for the feare of a violent and combined multitude or of the losse of friends and acquaintance and their falling off from mee though they were of never so considerable quality and number at any time keep within doores and hide my head or hold my peace but openly reproved sinne and shewed my selfe alwaies in the behalfe of the innocent with impartiality and justice 35. O that any one heard mee that could object any thing against me nay if I lie I desire the Almighty would tel me so and that any whomsoever he is for I except none that can object any thing against what I have said would make his allegations against mee and set downe his accusations in writing that I might reade and know them and so might compleatly cleare my selfe by my reply 36. Surely I would not take it ill at any mans hands whomsoever but would thinke he did mee a very great favour in it and would set choicely by it nor should it daunt mee but incourage me for I should not doubt but upon my reply it would turne to my exceeding honour for mine innocency assureth me the triumph and victory over any adversary or accusations in the world 37. I would deale truly with him for I would tell him all that ever I know by my selfe and would relate unto him the whole course of my life nor would I shrink back or flinch him one jot but would boldly encounter him and make good my matter against him whoever hee were 38. If my land blame mee for unjust and cruell dealings toward them that plowed and husbanded it 39. If I have reaped the benefit of it through other mens labours without wages justly paid them or have racked my rents to the occupiers undoing 40. Then let all my labour and seed be evermore lost Let thistles grow in stead of Wheat and cockle in stead of Barley let me have weeds for corne The words of Job in expostulation with his three friends are here ended CHAP. XXXII 1. FOr these three foresaid men seeing they could not prevaile with Job to be otherwaies opinionated of himselfe then as an upright innocent man gave over now at last to presse any more upon him 2. Elihu the sonne of Barachel who came of Buz the sonne of Nahor who was the brother of Abraham having heard all that had past betweene Job and his three friends was moved with indignation against both him and them Now the reason why hee was angry with Job was not because hee maintained his owne integrity against his friends but because he over-eyed his owne righteousnesse to the lessening of Gods pleading it too farre not onely against his friends but even to God him selfe in the way of expostulation and therewith questioning his righteousnesse in so dealing with him in stead of acknowledging it and admiring his waies 3. And the reason why he was also angry with Iobs three friends was because they could not directly taxe Iob nor convincingly prove against him that which all this while upon a bare surmise they had accused him of namely of being an hypocrite and and wicked man 4. Now Elihu though with childe to speake yet had modestly bridled his desire till Iob had fully ended his last and long reply nor had hee ever offered to interrupt the discourse of Iobs three friends in all this time or put himselfe in amongst them for being all his Elders he gave them precedency of speech 5. But when he had heard out Iob and saw that those three men were gravelled and that for all that they had said against him they were now at last for want of cleare conviction faine to leave him as they found him to wit a righteous man and innocent of the hypocrisie and crimes they laid to his charge He hereupon was provoked to utter his minde 6. And thus at last Elihu the sonne of the a foresaid Barachel the Buzite put forth himselfe to speake as followeth I am conscious to my selfe of my youth together with the weaknesses accompanying it and of your precedencie of age and the advantages which usually attend it which did awe me from speaking all this while so that I durst not shew mine opinion in so weighty a businesse nor before such grave personages till that I had heard all that you could say 7. For though my youthfull desire prompted me to speake yet I checked it and refrained my selfe giving leave as was fitting for those who were my ancients to speake first who I thought in all probability knew therefore best how wisely to instruct the erring 8. But though age hath oddes of youth yet one man as well as another hath a spirit of understanding reason and judgement in him whereby through supply of speciall inspiration from God that can doe all things hee may be able to know that which want of yeeres denies him 9. Wisdome is the gift of God and therefore those men alwaies have it not that we thinke are the likeliest for we see great men who have advantage of meanes and education are not alwaies the wisest men neither the aged that have advantage of time and experience have alwaies proportionable understanding and judgement but may and doe both of them come short at least in some things of their inferiours 10. My spirit therefore being inspired of God and also stirred up by him to speake and having noted your errours notwithstanding your ages I am bold to take leave to challenge your attentions till I also give my judgement and take my turne in this cause 11. Know you all that I have not slept the while I have beene silent but diligently waited for and attended to all you said I seriously considered the reasons and arguments which fell from you which I perceived all this while to be the best you could invent to evince your adversary 12. Yea I purposely hearkened to you to have had some convincing reasons from you of that you accused Job but the truth is for so farre I must take his part there is not any one of you that hath convincingly proved that you alleged against him nor answered that which hee hath said for himselfe 13. God hath given him the victory that you might see the weaknesse of your argument and not continue confident in your erroneous maxime as if it were an unerring truth That Job must needs be a wicked hypocrite because God who is just and all-seeing and cannot doe wrong nor mistake as man may does afflict him 14. Now as hitherto I have given Job no cause by siding with you to say any thing against me so neither will I now doe it
very point of death ready to breath out his soule and his life in continuall jeopardy by his deadly plagues 23. Now when God hath brought him to this passe and he still continues blind and none of all this will make him perceive his errour and Gods intention if then besides this God so order the matter as that in his gracious providence he further provide for his instruction and send as a speciall messenger as hee does mee to thee a man faithfull and able which is a singular gift of God and very rare to bring him to a sight of his sinne and to set him upright in the sight of God by repentance 24. This soone altereth the case for hereupon God is presently appeased toward him and graciously accepts him comfortably cheering his heart with an assured freedome from death and hell his sinne upon his repentance being done away in the sight of God by the blood of his Son which he sees accepted in his behalfe 25. And then as before through anguish of his spirit his body was consumed so now through the abundant consolation thereof he grows revived and becomes as fat and faire-liking as ever he was in his life 26. And whereas before all his complainings and out-cries stood him in no stead now he shall humbly put up his suit to God for favour and shall finde it and whereas if hee did but thinke of God he was troubled now being justified from his sinne he shall have abundance of joy and peace in his soule toward God 27. For God longs to be gracious to mee and waites that hee may be so looking when a man will see his sinne and confesse it how that he hath gone out of the way and justly suffers by it 28. Such a man shall soone have his pardon sealed his feare banished and his soule comforted so that for afterwards he shall lead a happy life 29. Lo I have told thee what varieties of waies and diversity of meanes God is oftentimes faine to use toward such a man as he meanes well to 30. Aiming onely at his good that his sin unrepented of be not his death and destruction but that in the sight and feeling of Gods grace and favour towards him hee may lead a comfortable and happy life 31. Iob I pray thee consider well what I say as that which neerely concernes thy good let mee yet further have thine attention without interruption for I have more to speake 32. Not that I desire to stop thy mouth if thou questionest any thing that I have said and hast any just exception against it in thine owne defence if thou hast speake freely for I desire not to condemne thee in any thing wherein thou art justifiable only thy pride I tax which is apparant 33. But if so be thou canst take no just exception then doe not needlessely interrupt me but let me goe on and I make no question but before I have done I shall make thee understand thine errour and Gods just dealing and shall shew thee the way to finde mercy CHAP. XXXIV 1. WHereupon Elihu goes on further to question Iob of and to give answer to the words he spake against God and appealing to his friends touching them hee said 2. I pray you listen well to what I say and according to your wisdomes judge of it give eare to what I speake and let your understandings censure if it be not right 3. For a judicious and considerate eare can as aptly judge of things that are spoken as the palate of a man can naturally distinguish and relish meats that are eaten 4. Let us not plead against Iob by ungrounded conjectures but let us state the controversie against him so as it is that it may hold water let us goe knowingly to worke according to apparant truth which is the likely way to prevaile with him 5. For Jobs miscarriage of himselfe is evident and how presumptuously he hath justified himselfe and accused God is knowne to us all saying I am righteous and God doth not doe me right accordingly but dealeth too rigorously with mee 6. I should lie and wrong my selfe if I should not justifie my righteousnesse and maintaine it that this my so grievous affliction is without just cause 7. Did we ever heare the like or was there ever any man that durst in this manner as he hath done so mightily upbraid and reproach God as if hee thirsted to despite him in the way of revenge 8. Who hath so farre forgot himselfe as that his carriage under his afflictions is equall and makes him like to those that never had knowledge of God but have ever lived in sinne and prophanenesse yea hee walks just in their steps and doth as the wicked do when God afflicts them 9. Uttering impatient presumptuous speeches for upon the matter he hath said That a man is never the better for loving God and walking with him the whilest hee justifies his owne righteousnesse and taxeth God of cruelty 10. Therefore hearken to what I plead against him and in your wisedoms judge if he be not to be blamed for it for is it not a monstrous thing to fasten injustice upon God and to dare to lay iniquity to the charge of the Almighty which is so utterly contrary to his nature and can by no meanes belong to him but to us 11. For it is both his covenant and custome to render to men according to their works and to judge them according to their waies 12. Which he is well able to make appeare whatsoever we thinke to the contrary for there is nothing more certaine and sure than that God will not doe wickedly neither will the Almighty who is Judge of all the earth deale unjustly 13. Who hath put him in office or charged him with the supervisourship of the earth that he should be questioned by him and account to him or who but himselfe thinke we is fit to dispose of the world and all things in it in wisdome and justice 14. If God set his heart against man and resolve ether in his absolute soveraignty or for punishment of his sinne to unmake him againe by taking from him that which at first hee gave him to live and subsist by that is his soule and spirit 15. Then of necessity man-kinde must all at once perish and be annihilated or turned into the matter hee made him of that is to dust and this may he most justly doe 16. Now then Job if thou hast understanding as I know thou hast consider with thy selfe how justly he may doe thus by thee who art but one seeing that of his good pleasure onely it is that all subsist And now yet further hearken to what I shall say for thy confuting 17. Shall he whom thou wouldest make to delight in doing wrong be fit to governe and
learned me more and to more purpose in a little time being an eye-witnesse of thy glory then all that ever I knew before 6. In so much that now I eate my words and abhorre my selfe for my presumptuous misbehaviour repenting it with as lowly a spirit as I sinned it with an high 7. When God had finished his busines with Iob matters were reconciled between them two having quickly brought him to see his folly and repent his pride Then God turnes himselfe to Iobs three friends to convince them also of their miscarriage and because Eliphaz was the ancientest and had first broached the errour whereof the other two were after guilty he addresses himselfe to him by name and tells him That he was justly angry with him and his two companions for because you have preached false doctrine touching me and have been too bold to limit my soveraignety by chalking me out wayes and prescribing me rules of justice in the execution of my will and dispensation of my providence as if I alwayes must and did afflict men for and according to the measure of their sins spare them for their righteousnes and innocency sake which is a grosse untruth and the contrary to which my servant Iob maintained to wit That I am free to doe my will and incomprehensible in my wayes which is right 8. Therefore to expiate your offence take with you such a sacrifice as I shall appoint that is seven Bullocks and seven Rammes and goe to my servant Iob reconcile your selves to him as touching the wrong you have done him as well as me and give them him that hee may doe the office of a Priest that is offer up sacrifice and prayers for you all joyntly who have all been guilty of the same sinne and the prayers of my servant Job who is an upright man and one whom I much respect how ever you misiudged him shall prevaile with me through the office and person of my sonne which herein he resembles to pardon you I say doe this thus and excuse not the matter by your ignorance or wel-meaning towards me nor dispute my command as loath to eate your words or to justifie Iob whom you have already condemned but dispatch and goe about this businesse least I give you your desert and make you feele the effects of your foolish presumption in that you have dared to measure me out by your meet wands and prescribe me wayes to walke in and so have falsified the truth which my servant Iob maintained against you 9. Whereupon these three aforesaid friends of Iob Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naaneathite went streightway having received so strickt a charge from God and did what the Lord commanded them for whom at their requests Job put up his petitions to God and was so accepted in his person sacrifice and prayer being a figure of Christ therein that at his intercession their offence was forgiven them 10. And as Iob in his meeknesse and charity forgave his friends their trespasses and prayed for them so God forgave him his and at that instant released him of his misery which hee had beene held in so long and turned his sorrow into joy by testifying his love to him in his acceptance of him and by vindicating his uprightnesse and innocency against his accusers moreover God recompensed the losse and sufferings which Iob sustained with double to what he had before 11. And brought him into favour againe with those parties that partly for his poverty and partly upon suspition of his hypocrisie had cast him off so that now there flocked to him from far and neere all his brethren and sisters and his old acquaintance which it seemes though they were neere to him and had beene intimate with him yet upon this occasion had beene of late estranged till now that they saw the face of things were changed and then they come themselves to visit him and to pity him for what hee had suffered and to comfort him with gratifying his deliverance and freedome from all the afflictions that God had laid upon him moreover besides their visiting him every man further congratulated his recovery God moving their hearts with a present of money and jewells in testimony of their love and respect 12. Thus the Lord humbled Job very low to be a patterne of faith and patience to his Saints in aftertimes by remembring his later end which God made farre to exceed his beginning in abundance of all good things yea double to what he had for whereas before hee had but seven thousand sheepe now he had foureteene thousand and so likewise his former three thousand Camels were now multiplied into sixe thousand and his five hundred yoke of Oxen were doubled into a thousand and his five hundred she-Asses into as many 13. And whereas all his children you heard were taken from him he had them restored him againe even their full number seven sonnes and three daughters 14. Whom hee thus named The eldest daughter hee called Iemima or long life The second he called Kezia or pleasant spice the youngest he called Keren-happuch or the horne of beauty prophesying in them the long life together with the comfortable and happy condition which by the bounteous goodnesse of God he should yet enjoy 15. Which three daughters for a further blessing unto Iob were the fairest women in all the land where hee lived and were had in greatest reputation for their beauty and as God gave them an extraordinary blessing to him so he made them an extraordinary president for out of his love to them and in reward of their vertues hee gave to every of them severally as to his sons a portion of his land in stead of money to inherit to them and to their heires for ever so that they shared proportionably with their brethren by their fathers Will and Testament and were coheires with them in his estate 16. And thus all these sorrows which Iob thought he should never have seene an end of he survived and after them lived in prosperity and plenty a hundred and forty yeeres so that he became a great Grandfather before he died 17. And so Iob ended his daies in a good old age and was carried to his grave like as a shock of corne commeth in in his season FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes Iunij 14. 1638. Hab. 2. 14. Cant. 3. 16. Rev. 4. 11. heb 4. 12. Psal. 37 6. 1. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Iob and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evill 2. And there was born unto him seven Sonnes and three Daughters 3. His substance also was seven thousand Sheepe and three thousand Camells and five hundred yoke of Oxen and five hundred she-Asses and a very great houshold so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East 4. And his Sons
went and feasted in their houses every one his day and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them 5. And it was so when the daies of their feasting were gone about that Iob sent and sanctified them and rose up earely in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all for Job said It may be that my sonnes have sinned and cursed God in their hearts Thus did Iob continually 6. Now there was a day when the sonnes of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them 7. And the Lord said unto Satan Whence comest thou Then Satan answered the Lord and said from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and downe in it 8. And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my servant Iob that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill 9. Then Satan answered the Lord and said Doth Iob feare God for nought 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side thou hast blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is increased in the land 11. But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath and he will curse thee to thy face 12. And the Lord said unto Satan Behold all that hee hath is in thy power onely upon himselfe put not forth thine hand So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. 13. And there was a day when his Sons and his Daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brothers house 14. And there came a messenger unto Iob and said The Oxen were plowing and the Asses feeding beside them 15. And the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away yea they have slaine the servants with the edge of the sword and I only am escaped alone to tell thee 16. While he was yet speaking there came also another and said The fire of God is falne from heaven and hath burnd up the sheepe and the servants and consumed them and I onely am escaped alone to tell thee 17. While he was yet speaking there came also another and said The Caldeans made out three bands and fell upon the Camells and have carried them away yea and slaine the servants with the edge of the sword and I onely am escaped alone to tell thee 18. While he was yet speaking there came also another and said Thy sonnes and thy daughters were eating drinking wine in their eldest brothers house 19. And behold there came a great wind from the wildernes and smote the foure corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead and I onely am escaped alone to tell thee 20. Then Iob arose and rent his mantle and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped 21. And said naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. 22. In all this Iob sinned not nor charged God foolishly 1. Againe there was a day when the sonnes of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them to present himselfe before the Lord. 2. And the Lord said unto Sathan From whence commest thou And Satan answered the Lord and said from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and downe in it 3. And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my servant Iob that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill and still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause 4. And Satan answered the Lord and said skin for skin yea all that a man hath will hee give for his life 5. But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face 6. And the Lord said unto Satan Behold hee is in thine hand but save his life 7. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Iob with sore boyles from the sole of his foote unto his crowne 8. And he tooke him a potsheard to scrape himselfe withall and he sate downe among the ashes 9. Then said his wife unto him Dost thou still retaine thine integrity Curse God and die 10 But hee said unto her Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh What shall wee receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill In all this did not Iob sinne with his lips 11. Now when Jobs three friends heard of all this evill that was come upon him they came every one from his owne place Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite for they had made an appointment together to come to mourne with him and to comfort him 12. And when they lift up their eyes a far of and knew him not they lifted up their voyce and wept and they rent every one his mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven 13. So they sate down with him upon the ground seven daies and seven nights and none spake a word unto him for they saw that his griefe was very great 1. After this opened Iob his mouth and cursed his day 2. And Iob spake said 3. Let the day perish wherein I was borne and the night in which it was said There is a man-child conceived 4. Let that day bee darknesse let not God regard it from above neither let the light shine upon it 5. Let darknesse and the shaddow of death staine it let a cloud dwell upon it let the blackenesse of the day terrifie it 6. As for that night let darkenesse seize upon it let it not be joyned unto the daies of the yeere let it not come into the number of the moneths 7. Lo let that night be solitary let no joyfull voice come therein 8. Let them curse it that curse the day who are ready to raise up their mourning 9. Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark let it looke for light but have none neither let it see the dawning of the day 10. Because it shut not up the doores of my mothers wombe nor hid sorrow from mine eyes 11. Why died I not from the wombe why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly 12. Why did the knees prevent me or why the the breasts that I should sucke 13. For now should I have lien still and beene quiet I should have slept then had I beene at rest 14. With Kings and Counsellers of the earth which built desolate places for themselves 15. Or with Princes that had gold who filled their houses with silver 16. Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not beene as infants which never saw