tabernacle 12. Whole Armies of Evils by his order have at the same time invaded me and laid such a streight siege to me that not the smallest Comfort I had could escape their fury 13. He hath put my brethren far from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me 13. I look'd for some relief from my Brethren but they were so astonisht at the number and dreadfulness of my Calamities that they durst not approach me and as for my Neighbours who formerly so much courted my acquaintance they truly kept aloof off as if they had never known me 14. My kinsfolk have failed and my familiar friends have forgotten me 14. They whom Nature inclined to it have failed to perform the duties of Humanity towards me and they to whom I was tied by a stronger bond then Nature have forgotten the Friendship there was between us 15. They that dwell in mine house and my maids count me for a stranger I am an aliant in their sight 15. They that have been kindly entertain'd at my house nay the people of my Family have forgot the respect they were wont to give me and look upon me as if they had no relation to me 16. I called my servant and he gave me no answer I entreated him with my mouth 16. I called to my Slave and he regarded not what I said no not when I beseeched him as if he had been my Master 17. My breath is strange to my wife though I intreated for the childrens sake of mine own body 17. Which is the less wonder since I am become so loathsome that my Wife will not come near me though I have conjured her to it by the dear memory of our Children those common pledges of our mutual love 18. Yea young children despised me I arose and they spake against me 18. After these examples young Children and Fools despise me and when I rise up to invite them to me abusive language is all the return they make to my Courtesy 19. All my inward friends abhorred me and they whom I loved are turned against me 19. And which is worst of all the men whom I intrusted with my greatest Secrets cannot endure me and they who have received so many tokens of my Love are become mine Enemies 20. My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth 20. All these Afflictions have so wasted me that I am little more then skin and bone a Mouth to complain withall is all the flesh that is left me 21. Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me 21. O ye my Friends if you still deserve that name who are the onely persons that undertake to comfort me have pity have pity I beseech you upon a miserable wretch and consider what Wounds the hand of God hath given me 22. Why do ye persecute me as God and are not satisfied with my flesh 22. Will you assume the same prerogative and think you have the same right to afflict me And doth it not suffice you to see my Body all consumed but you will vex my very Soul also with your perverse reasonings 23. Oh that my words were now written oh that they were printed in a book 23. Oh that the Protestations and Appeals I have so often made might remain upon record and be registred in the publick Acts and Monuments 24. That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever 24. May they be graven upon a plate of lead with an iron pen nay cut into a rock or marble pillar to continue to all Posterity 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth 25. For my Hope which was as dead as my self XVII 13 15. XIX 10. begins to revive because though I seem for the present to be forsaken of God yet I know that He can hereafter deliver me out of this miserable condition since He lives for ever and will I doubt not at last appear victorious over all the Enemies which now oppress me 26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God 26. And though the Worms which have eaten my Skin should proceed to consume the rest of this wretched Body yet I feel my Soul inspired with a comfortable belief that before I die I shall see my self restored by the mercy of God to a happy estate 27. Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me 27. He will not let me always lie under these Reproaches but I begin to assure my self that with these very eyes I shall see Him vindicate my Innocence not onely others but I my self shall live to see it and I even faint away with vehement desire to behold that happy day 28. But ye should say Why persecute we him seeing the root of the matter is found in me 28. Which will make you repent that you have thus persecuted me who have not without ground thus long disputed this matter with you but am sure the right lies on my side and not on yours 29. Be ye afraid of the sword for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword that ye may know there is a judgment 29. Take my advice therefore in good time and dread the just displeasure of God against you for your perverse Reasonings for his wrath punishes mens iniquity with the sword or some such sore Vengeance whereby you will know to your cost that there is a more righteous Judgment then yours CHAP. XX. ARGUMENT The abrupt beginning of this Speech of Zophar shews that he was in a passion which though he pretends to bridle it would not let him calmly consider the Protestation which Job had made of his Innocence But he goes on in the old Common place of the certain Downfall of the Wicked be he never so powerfull and well supported Which he illustrates indeed after an excellent fashion with great variety of Figures and remarks upon Histories as old as the World In some of which he had observed that the Wicked after their Fall had made not able attempts to get up again but by the hand of God were so crushed that they could never rise more All the slaw in his Discourse is this which was common to him with the rest that he imagined God never varied from this method and therefore Job without doubt was a very bad man though it did not appear he was any other way but by his Infelicity 1. THEN answered Zophar the Naamathite and said 1. HERE Zophar though he had no new thing to produce hastily interrupted Job and said 2. Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer and for this I make haste 2. These words of thine make my former
thoughts return again and do so provoke me that I am not able to forbear speaking any longer 3. I have heard the check of my reproach and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer 3. While thou pretendest to correct my Errours I have heard my self rather shamefully reproached yet I will not suffer my Passion to reply but the clear light of my Understanding shall answer for me 4. Knowest thou not this of old since man was placed upon earth 4. It seems thou dost not yet understand though it be a Truth as old as the World 5. That the triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment 5. That the Happiness which the Wicked and he that counterfeits Piety so much boast of is of no long standing and will continue but for a few moments 6. Though his excellency mount up to the heavens and his head reach unto the clouds 6. Though he should be advanced to the highest pitch of humane Greatness and overtop all mankind as much as the highest trees do the lowest shrubs 7. Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung they which have seen him shall say Where is he 7. Yet he shall fall as low as his dunghill and like it be cast out for ever with contempt They who saw him so flourishing shall be astonish'd at his Ruin and ask with amazement What is become of him 8. He shall flie away as a dream and shall not be found yea he shall be chased away as a vision of the night 8. For his Happiness hath no firmer foundation then a Dream of which we have no remembrance in the morning or if we have all the rich furniture and feasts which appear to us in our sleep vanish in an instant as soon as we awake 9. The eye also which saw him shall see him no more neither shall his place any more behold him 9. Just so shall he pass away and all his Glory with him Those eyes that were wont to gaze upon it with envy shall lose the sight of it and never behold it more 10. His children shall seek to please the poor and his hands shall restore their goods 10. His Children shall have enough to doe to pacify the rage of the Poor whom he hath oppressed and he shall be forced with shame to restore with his own hands the goods he hath extorted from them 11. His bones are full of the sin of his youth which shall lie down with him in the dust 11. His very Bones are full of pain and anguish All which Punishments of his secret Sins shall stick to him till they bring him to his Grave 12. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue 12. Though Wickedness like some dangerous meats be pleasant in the acting as they are in the chewing so that a man is as desirous to continue it as a Glutton is to keep a long relish of those sweet morsels upon his palate 13. Though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still within his mouth 13. Though he will by no means part with it when he is told the danger but still retains it as the other doth that meat in his mouth which he is told is no better then poison 14. Yet his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of asps within him 14. Yet after it is committed it wrings and gripes the Conscience as those dainty bits when they are swallowed do the bowells the pleasure is turned into pain the sweetness into such bitterness as brings the most sudden destruction 15. He hath swallowed down riches and he shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his belly 15. His ill-gotten Goods for instance which he devoured with so much greediness and unsatiable desire shall never thrive with him but he shall be forced to refund them with a torment far exceeding the pleasure wherewith he got them God himself shall violently force them from him and all his other Riches together with them 16. He shall suck the poison of asps the viper's tongue shall slay him 16. Which shall prove as great and as deadly a Torture to him as if when he squeezed the poor he had suck'd the poison of Asps or been bitten with a Viper 17. He shall not see the rivers the flouds the brooks of honey and butter 17. This shall be his portion in stead of the pleasures of Nature and Art which he flattered himself would flow in several streams to him perpetually 18. That which he laboured for shall he restore and shall not swallow it down according to his substance shall the restitution be and he shall not rejoyce therein 18. He may endeavour again with new labour to repair his broken fortune but it shall be in vain though he should get as much Riches as he had before his change he shall have no joy in them 19. Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not 19. When he hath with new Oppressions grinded the poor and left them destitute when he hath violently seized on a House he shall not be able to build it 20. Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly he shall not save of that which he desired 20. When he hath turned as we say every stone and been as restless as a woman in travail all his pains shall bring forth nothing of that which he desired 21. There shall none of his meat be left therefore shall no man look for his goods 21. He shall have no more left him to eat then he was wont to leave for others which shall put him out of all hope of mending his condition 22. In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in streights every hand of the wicked shall come upon him 22. The greater fulness you can suppose him to regain of worldly Goods the more he shall be distressed for the hand of every man whom he hath afflicted shall lay hold on him to demand satisfaction 23. When he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is eating 23. God himself also shall disturb him in his Enjoyments with the sorest effects of his Divine Vengeance which shall come pouring down from Heaven when he thinks himself most secure 24. He shall flee from the iron weapon and the bow of steel shall strike him through 24. He shall run from a lesser Danger to fall into a greater as if one avoiding the weapon in a man's hand should be shot through with a bow of steel 25. It is drawn and cometh out of the body yea the glistring sword cometh out of his gall terrours are upon him 25. And though he should draw the shaft
me in the womb make him and did not one fashion us in the womb 15. I often also called to mind that there was not such a difference in our Estates as there was an equality in our Births and that we having one common Creatour my Slave was as nearly related to God as my self 16. If I have withheld the poor from their desire or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail 16. Nor have the Poor any reason to complain of me for if I ever denied to satisfy their desire or let the Widow in vain expect my relief 17. Or have eaten my morsel my self alone and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof 17. Or have sitten down at my Table alone without the company of Fatherless children 18. For from my youth he was brought up with me as with a father and I have guided her from my mother's womb 18. For whom I have always had a natural compassion from my very youth I brought it into the world with me and it hath been my companion ever since 19. If I have seen any perish for want of cloathing or any poor without covering 19. If I have suffered any to perish for want of Cloathing or let the Poor go naked without a covering 20. If his loins have not blessed me and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sleep 20. If his loins did not admonish him to bless me as oft as he girded on his garment and he were not kept warm with the cloth made of my wool 21. If I have lift up my hand against the fatherless when I saw my help in the gate 21. If I ever have beaten the Fatherless because I knew I should be too strong for him in the Court in case he complained there of the Injustice 22. Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder-blade and mine arm be broken from the bone 22. Then let that guilty Arm fall off from my shoulder or be broken in two in the midst 23. For destruction from God was a terrour to me and by reason of his highness I could not endure 23. For I never thought I could escape the Divine Vengeance the dread of which affrighted me when men could not from all such insolence for I knew I could not support my self against his Majesty 24. If I have made gold my hope or have said to the fine gold Thou art my confidence 24. Whose Favour I do not desire if I have put my trust in Riches and thought my self safe and secure because I was furnished with the noblest Treasures 25. If I rejoyced because my wealth was great and because mine hand had gotten much 25. Or if I was vainly elated and puffed up with the large Possessions left me by my Ancestours or with the great increase I had made to them by my own industry 26. If I beheld the sun when it shined or the moon walking in brightness 26. If when I beheld the Sun arise or the Moon appear in her full lustre 27. And my heart hath been secretly enticed or my mouth hath kissed my hand 27. I ever entertained an opinion in my mind that they were Gods or kissed my hand in token of worship and reverence to them 28. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge for I should have denied the God that is above 28. This also were a fearfull Crime which God's Vice-gerents should punish because it were to put those Stars in the place of Him who is above all Heavens 29. If I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me or lift up my self when evil found him 29. Whom I do not wish to be my Friend if I ever was glad at the ruine of mine Enemy or insulted over him when any mischief befell him 30. Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul 30. No I was not so much as guilty of making any Imprecations against him nor was provoked by his malice to wish him dead 31. If the men of my tabernacle said not Oh that we had of his flesh we cannot be satisfied 31. Though the people of my Family were so inraged at him that if I would have yielded to their passion they were ready to eat him up with an insatiable Anger 32. The stranger did not lodge in the street but I opened my doors to the traveller 32. Much less was I guilty of Unkindness to Strangers whom I never suffered to lodge in the streets for the door of my house stood open that any Traveller might turn in there if he pleased 33. If I covered my transgressions as Adam by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom 33. If I have studied to seem better then I am and have not now made a free Confession but like our First Parent have concealed or excused my Faults and out of self-love have hidden mine Iniquity 34. Did I fear a great multitude or did the contempt of families terrifie me that I kept silence and went not out of the door 34. Because I dread what the people will say of me or am terrified by the Contempt into which the knowledge of my Guilt may bring me with the neighbouring families then I am content my mouth should be stopt and that I never stir out of my door any more 35. Oh that one would hear me behold my desire is that the Almighty would answer me and that mine adversary had written a book 35. Oh that the truth of all this might be examined by some equal Judge Behold I continue still to desire of God this favour And let him that can accuse me bring in his Libell in writing against me 36. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crown to me 36. Surely I would not endeavour to obscure it but openly expose it to be read by all nay wear it as a singular Ornament which would turn to my honour when the world saw it disproved 37. I would declare unto him the number of my steps as a prince would I go near unto him 37. I my self would assist him to draw up his Charge by declaring to him freely every Action of my life I would approach him as undauntedly as a Prince who is assured of the goodness of his cause 38. If my land cry against me or that the furrows likewise thereof complain 38. For if so much as a bit of my Land was unjustly gotten or I have defrauded those who ploughed it of their wages 39. If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life 39. If I have taken the fruits of it from my Tenants and paid nothing for them or let them such hard bargains that it broke their heart 40. Let thistles grow in stead of wheat and cockle in stead of barley The words of Job are ended 40.
Instructer 18. He keepeth back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword 18. Who by this means mercifully preserves him if he obey his Admonition from running on to his own destruction and rescues him from the violent death which the sword of Justice or of an Enemy would have inflicted on him 19. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain 19. Another way and more common then this by Dreams is the painfull Diseases wherewith he chastises man and lays him low on his bed though his constitution of body be never so firm and strong 20. So that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meat 20. In which languishing case he loaths his food yea nauseates that very meat which formerly was his greatest delight 21. His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen and his bones that were not seen stick out 21. Which makes so great a change in him that his Flesh which formerly appeared plump and fair cannot be seen and his Bones stick out which formerly did not appear 22. Yea his soul draweth near unto the grave and his life to the destroyers 22. There is but a step between him and his grave the pangs of death being ready to seize on him 23. If there be a messenger with him and interpreter one among â— thousand to shew unto man his uprightness 23. If then which is a third way whereby God teaches men there come a Divine Messenger unto him a rare person that can expound the mind of God and perswade the sick man to repent and amend his life 24. Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom 24. He shall beseech God to be gracious to him saying Spare him good Lord and rescue him from going down to the grave let it satisfie thee that thou hast corrected him and that I have found him a Penitent 25. His flesh shall be fresher then a childs he shall return to the days of his youth 25. Presently the sick man shall begin to recover and become a new man in his Body as well as in his Mind His Flesh shall look as fresh as when he was a child and he shall be restored to the Vigour and Strength of his youthfull age 26. He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him and he shall see his face with joy for he will render unto man his righteousness 26. His Prayer also shall be acceptable to God and prevail for the Blessings he asks He shall go into the House of God and with the most joyfull voice give thanks unto Him and praise his Goodness who will then acquit him and restore this poor man to his Favour 27. He looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not 27. And he as becomes a true Penitent casting his eyes upon his Neighbours shall openly confess and say I have offended God and He hath justly chastised me I have done wickedly and He hath punished me according to my desert 28. He will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light 28. But hath redeemed me from that Death into which I was going and not onely made me live but given me hope that I shall enjoy prosperous days 29. Lo all these things worketh God oftentimes with man 29. Behold in all this the wonderfull goodness of God who by so many means very often admonishes Man 30. To bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the living 30. To reduce him from those evil courses which had just brought him to his Grave and to raise him up again to live in all true Happiness and Pleasure 31. Mark well O Job hearken unto me hold thy peace and I will speak 31. Mark this well O Job for it may very much concern thee consider what I have said and if thou pleasest to hear me patiently I will still instruct thee more fully 32. If thou hast any thing to say answer me speak for I desire to justifie thee 32. Or if thou hast any thing to object to what I have said I am willing to hear it Speak before I go any farther for I heartily desire thou mayst clear thy self and appear a Righteous person 33. If not hearken unto me hold thy peace and I shall teach thee wisedom 33. If thou hast no exception against my Discourse then continue thy attentions and silently listen to me and I will teach thee more Wisedom CHAP. XXXIV ARGUMENT Here Job shews himself a far more humble and teachable person then his three Friends for though Elihu had invited him to make what exceptions he pleased to his Discourse in the former Chapter he would not open his mouth because he plainly saw that Elihu had hit upon the thing wherein he was defective And so this young man proceeds to carry the Charge a little higher and tells him with more sharpness then before that there were some words in his Discourses which sounded in his ears as if he accused God's Justice and Goodness For what else did he mean when he complained that God did not doe him right and that he destroyed alike both good and bad Which rash Assertions he overthrows from the consideration of the Sovereign Dominion Power Righteousness and Wisedom of God and represents to him what behaviour and discourse would have better become him then that which he had used 1. FVrthermore Elihu answered and said 1. TO this last motion Job consented and replying never a word Elihu proceeded in his Discourse and said 2. Hear my words O ye wise men and give ear unto me ye that have knowledge 2. I do not desire to be Judge alone in this Cause but I appeal to them that are wise and beseech all those among you that hear me who are intelligent to mark and consider what I now deliver 3. For the ear trieth words as the mouth tasteth meat 3. You can discern whether it be true or false for the Mind is as proper a Judg of Discourse as the Palate is of Meat 4. Let us choose to us judgment let us know among our selves what is good 4. Let us agree to examine the buisiness that we may be able to pronounce a righteous judgment let us debate among our selves and resolve whether Job have a good Cause or no. 5. For Job hath said I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgment 5. For he hath said I am innocent and God who knows I do not deserve to suffer in this manner XXVII 2 6. will not doe me right 6. Should I lie against my right my wound is incurable without transgression 6. I scorn to defend my self with lies but I