seem to represent In all his actings something of a Saint Yet then he cryes then he repines a main Then he complaines of poverty and pain O then he railes upon that providence Which was in former times his sole defence For now all sorrow wrath and desperation He thinks on nothing less then restauration Whereas before he thought he was so sure His wealth to generations would endure Well I have seen some Gallant in his pride Inâ—ulsly laugh at all the world beside Fix'd and firme-rooted as he did suppose And proof against the batterie of his foes When on a suddain providence would frowne And this same fool would tumble headlong down With all his sins about him in a tryce Kill'd by the fall from glories precipice Then would I say this man deservedly Doth fall and with him all his family Is levelled with dust because he did In such vain transitory things conside For by fair justice he shall be destroy'd And all his unjust purchases made voide Then after he has justly forfeit all He without pity shall most justly fall Those who are hungry shall eat up his grain And reap the profit of his nine Months pain Nay they shall sweep his grounds and fields so clean As his poor children shall find nought to glean The thirsty travellers who for rain doth gape Shall drink up all the substance of his grape For thou must know afflictions do not come By accident as is suppos'd by some On any man nor do Heavens noble laws Allow that any one without a cause Should suffer punishment no not at all There 's no such thing as that you fortune call 'T is a meer notion a device of men To palliate their sins and entertain A proud opinion of their innocence And lay the blame of all on Providence Which they call fortune and conclude from thence When any are afflicted at the rate As thou art now that they 're unfortunate Unlucky and I know not what alace Why should we with such sopperies as these Abuse our selves when certainly we know Who know there is a God things are not so But that our God doth formally arraigne For every sin convict and punish men Then know That no affliction comes by accident But that all Judgements to our doors are sent By rule of Heavens Court where information Is made and prov'd preceeding condemnation Besides as sparks by nature upwards fly So man to sorrows born doth live and dye In a continued sweat of toyle and care With dregs of anger for his daily fare Tortures of mind and body all at once Do suck the marrow from his very bones Nor can he pleasure to himself project Or joy and comfort in this earth expect Were I then in thy lamentable case I 'd not repine but humblie make address To my good God from him I would demand A patient mind and learn to understand From whence such floods of evils do proceed And in my sorrows I my sins would read To him alone my self I would apply To whom the world belongs who sits on High To whom all Creatures in subjection are Whose Jurisdiction doth exceed by far All Powers on Earth who things unsearchable Performes of which we are not capable To give a Judgement things beyond our reach Things which to act no humane Art can Teach 'T is he who makes the Rain from Clouds to fall By which the Earth made pregnant yeelds us all Our Hearts can wish affords us dayly Bread Drink Cloaths and Med'cine and what else we need For Maintnance of that Fabrick which he fram'd To Lodge the Soul and it the Body nam'd The Body O a thing most excellent For whose Subsistence we should even torment Our Souls a very precious thing indeed That on the Labours of the Soul should feed The Body a meer piece of useful Dust Demis'd for some time to the Soul in Trust. Though for its use the too kind Soul at best Payes a severe and dreadful Interest Whilst to afford it pleasure legally It forfaults its own true Felicity What is 't we hugg then what do we esteem A dying thing which scarce deserves a name A thing so long as Soul doth it inspire Moves for a time like Puppet on a Wyre That gone it moves it prats it squeeks no more But a dull piece of Clay as 't was before Breathless and Sapless on the Ground it lies Yet in its Fall its Maker glorifies As well as in its Frame because from thence We learn what Honour and Obedience We owe to him who this fair Fabrick raises And by a Breath destroyes it when he pleases Besides who 'd not in Duty be exact When still before his Eyes he sees the Rack The Axe the Gibbet and in Mind doth feel Sad apprehensions of the dreadful Wheel Is not our case the same do we not see How many thousand Shapes of Death there be Dayly presented to our view to show That after all all to the Grave must go From this fair Topick let us argue then He is our God and we poor sinful men Therefore since to him we owe Life and Breath We should live well that when invading Death Approaches he may find us on our Guard Not by his gastly looks to be out-dar'd For though he seize the Body yet on high The Soul shall live to perpetuity 'T is he the mighty God 't is he alone Who in the Heavens has set up his Throne From whence he orders all things and doth raise This man to honours and that man debase That to th' afflicted he may comfort give And make those whom the world abhorreth live The subtile plottings of our knowing men He disappoints and makes their projects vain He laughs at all their consults and despises Both them and all their silly state devises So that what e're those Crocodiles project Their Machinations never take effect He spoiles their counsels and makes all their wit Like salt whose savour's lost down-right unfit For any thing save at a round of Ale To be the subject of some Country tale For the Worlds wisdom in Gods eyes is folly Their Art but th' product of dull Melancholly Their reasoning is notional and vain Erring in things even evident and plain Things manifest things clear as noon-tide-light To them are dark as to one in the night Who nothing sees gropes but no rode can find And stands confounded betwixt raine and wind Whil'st at each justling shrub his joints do tremble Thinking the Night-thieves round him do assemble Lord what is all we brag of then for what Keep we such toyl on earth is 't only that We may be thought more wise than others are And be esteemed wits 't is very fair A rare designe indeed well worth our pain When after all we learn or can retain All our fine wisdom in Gods eyes is vain For when our Politicians counsel take How they the just and pious man
Why shouldst then be at so much pains good Lord To kill a thing which of its own accord Will quickly dye a thing that by thy Wrath As yet deny'd the liberty of Death Doth only some small sparks of Life retain And like a Dying Creature breaths with pain One entire Ulcer a meer lump of Boyls A heap of Sores one loaden with the Spoiles Of all Diseases one so fully spent In Body and in Mind so discontent No pleasure which the World affords can hire My Soul to Live pray let me now expire Or else I fear that through impatience Of my afflictions I may give offence For when I say my Couch shall me relieve And in my Bed I shall some comfort have When I imagine I may find some ease In-sleep to cull the edge of my Disease When I suppose I may find Consolation I' th' pleasure of a few hours Meditation And whilst on Pillow I my Head do lay To sleep away the sorrows of the day Then dost thou put my Soul all in a fright With fearful Dreams and Visions of the night In a cold sweat I lye my Flesh and Bones My Joints and Sinews tremble all at once Strugling with pain upon my Bed I rowl Whilst horrid Objects do night-mare my Soul And to my troubled fancie represent What neither Tongue can speak or hard can paint Hells Terrors plainlie are to me reveal'd Whilst with amusing sleep my Eyes are sealâ—d On which reflecting when I do awake Fear damps my Soul and makes my Body shake Hence Drowning Smothering Strangling of the Breath Or any of the numerous kinds of Death My Soul to Life prefers my generous Soul Abhorrs to live in such a lurking hole As is this body such a vile Hog-sty A Brutish Soul would even disdain to ly Within its Walls a Cottage so unclean So Cob web-furnish'd so obscure and mean As none but one of Life that 's wearyed In such a villanous Cave would lay his bed What Soul so poor and mean exceeding but The small Dimensions of a Hazel nut Would stoop so low as condescend to dwell In such an ugly smelling nasty Cell As is this body which I do call mine So thin the Sun doth clearly through it shine Is this a Lodging for a Thing Divine A tottering Fabrick which the rotten Bones Not able to support down all at once Will quickly fall is this a dwelling place For any thing come of a Heavenly Race No no fly hence my Soul fly hence make haste Why dost not fly for such a Noble Guest There 's here no room no fit Accomodation This body can afford no Habitation For such as thee Dear Soul O let me dy then let me dy good Lord O let me dy Death surely will afford Such comfort as I here expect in vain Why should I live then in such grievous pain And as a mark to all sad torments stand When pitying Death doth offer help at hand In this condition I do do life abhorr I baâ—e it and shall never love it more What should I for a few hours breathing give For 't is impossible I can longer live O spare me then for some small time at least That these o re wearyed bones may have some rest And in this life I may find ease before I take my Journey hence and be no more E're I be wrapp'd up in Eternity For all my days are but meer vanity Then what is Man that thou shouldst look upon him This wretched thing that thou shouldst so much own him Thou dost thy heart too much upon him set Which makes the silly Toad it self forget Valuing it self so much on thy esteem As it hath purchas'd to its self a name Beyond the other Creatures of thy hand Whereas if it it self did understand 'T is but as dust that 'fore the Wind doth fly A passing thought th' abstract of vanity Since thou canst then Lord by one word destroy This Creature why shouldst so much time employ In Torturing of it thus once and again And not by one blow put me out of pain One blow of favour Lord I do implore Kill me and then I shall complain no more But still I cannot fancy why shouldst thou Before whom all in Heavens and Earth do bow Have this same Creature Man in such esteem This flying Shade this passage of a Dream A thing so mean not worth thy Observation Why should'st allow it so much Reputation That thou the great Creator every day Shouldst of this pismire make so strict survey How long Lord shall I in these Torments lye â— Ah is there no end of my Misery Some respite Lord I beg I do request Some breathing time even so long time at least Free from these pains as I may swallow down My Spittle Oh good God let me alone But for a Moment that I may but try Thy goodness once again before I Dye Lord I have sinn'd 't is true I do confess My Error and my black unrighteousness What shall I do how shall I answer find To thee the great preserver of Mankind As worst of sinners Lord thou dost me treat For as my Sins so are my Judgements great Th' hast set me gainst thee as a Mark or Butt At which thy pointed Arrows thou dost shoot With Torments hast me so o'reloadened That long ago of Life I 'm wearied Why should thy wrath continually burn 'Gainst a poor sinner O let Grace return Pardon my sins wash from iniquity The Soul thou gavst me Lord before I dye Let me of Mercy hear the joyful sound For in an instant I shall not be found I dye I dye my Passing Bell doth Toul Have Mercy Lord have Mercy on my Soul Cap. VIII THus have we seen how Job with grief opprest By night and day has in his Mind no rest In this sad case with great impatience Appears to quarrel even Providence For those his Friends of whom he did expect Some Comfort rather sharplie did him check For th' Errors of his Life and openly Reprov'd him for his gross Hypocrisie We 've seen with how much Art and Eloquence One of his friends has given evidence Against him now another undertakes Th' argument and thus he answer makes How long sayes he friend wilt thou thus exclaim Against that justice which the Heavens did frame To what do all thy imprecations tend What means this clamour shall there be no end Of this thy idle talking shall we be Oblig'd to hear what none but such as thee Would stammer out what one in sober case Would be asham'd to speak such words as these Which thou in foolish passion hast us'd Against our God would hardly be excus'd Out of a mad-mans mouth but when they flow From such as thee friend whom we all do know To be of more than ordinary Sense We must condemn thy gross impatience Dost ' think that God whose great and mighty Name All things Created dayly do
to dye Nor should I offer to expostulate ' And with my Maker enter in debate Is there an Umpire to oblige us both And tye us by Subscription and Oath To stand to his award for who is he Dares arbitrate betwixt my God and me But let him hold a little and at least For some small time forbear at my request To torture me let him withdraw his Rod And let th' hot Pincers of an angry God Piece-meal my Soul no more O let his wrath Be satisfied with a single death Then would I boldly speak and without fear Before him in my own defence appear Then would I argue with such Eloquence As in short time would clear my Innocence But 'cause at present I am not in case For speaking I think fit to hold my peace Cap. X. MY Soul 's cut off and though I seem to breath Yet am I coop'd up in the jaws of death My Soul is fled my days of life are gone And this poor widow'd Body left alone To be the subject of some country fable As in its ruines only memorable This fashion'd piece of Earth which formerly One would ha' thought would shift Mortality For many years a Body which of late In health and vigour fully animate With a most cheerful Soul seem'd to imply As if at least some small felicity Were to be found below the Heavens this point Of the Creation framed joint by joint Into a reasonable shape at last By griefs consuming fury quite defac't Has now no figure but doth every day Like Wax before the Candle melt away For as a stranded Vessel by no hands To be got off and sticking on the Sands Obnoxious to the rage of every Tide Whilst each rude Wave beats ribs out of its side In its dimensions every day decreases Until at length 't is shattered all to pieces And then what was a statelie Ship before In Planks and Boards is cast upon the Shore So this frail Body which in health and strength Look'd like a tall Ship in its Course at length Stranding upon the Shelves of foul diseases In its proportion every hour decreases And that it may be ruin'd with dispatch Each ulcerous Billow doth large Gobbets snatch Out of that vigorous Body which alace Is now in a most despicable case Hence what remains is that this shattered frame Void of all honour beautie shape and name Should like infected Goods by no man own'd In Skin and Bones be hurried under ground Then what is Life O let me but admire What idle expectation can hire Insipid man upon this Earth to dwell And love that thing which we call Life so well Life like the Mornings-dew upon the Grass Exhal'd e're Noon-tide Life a simple lease At will and pleasure of a homelie Farm For us to toile in where we 're hardly warm In the possession of it when anon Our Lease runs out and we must all be gone Life but the parcels of a few years breath Summ'd up at last i' th capital of death Times wast-book health and strengths extinguisher Heavens great derider Hells remembrancer The old mans profit and the young mans loss The rich mans Idol and the poor mans cross Sins active Pander for some little space Then to Repentancea sad looking glass Pleasures mean vassal times obedient â—alve And a most faithful servant to the Grave Death charges Time Time charges Life by Roll To make account of every living Soul The grand Collector by just calculation Himself discharges of each Generation In deaths exchequer then begins afresh T' exact the impost of all living flesh This is that we call Life this is the thing Of which poor Mortals make such reckoning As if the sum of all their happiness Lay in their breathing for some little space Alace that men of reason thus should lye Sick of an universal phrenesie And not rouz'd up at length perceive for shame What is this Life which they so much esteem This Life a thing so burdensome to me As how I hate it you do clearly see May I not then oppress 't with Life repine Since there 's no Life comparable to mine The dregs of Life that do with me remain Are but the meer fomenters of my pain For who extended night and day on rack Would not with all his heart Death welcome make O let me then to God make my address O let me to himself my woes express He is a God of mercy and will hear Th'oppress't and have regard to every tear That drops from pious eyes A sore complaint then on my self I 'l make And in the anguish of my Soul I 'l speak I 'l say to God condemn me not and why Wilt thou contend with such a thing as I An Eagle take the pains to kill a flee Contend with me a thing not to be nam'd A thing of which even Nature is asham'd A piece of Earth that serving for no use Is thrown out on the Dung-hill as refuse The dross of human frailâ—â—y the abstract Of all that 's mouldy low decay'd and crack't A thing now grating at the gates of death Retarded only by a gasping breath A thing so mean as is not worth thy wrath Then why good Lord dost thou take so much pleasure T' oppress so mean a thing beyond all measure What doth this to thy Glory contribute How doth such usage with thy Justice sute Alace I know not how the matter stands But thus t' undo the labour of thy hands Thus to destroy a Creaure thou didst frame And once didst think it worthy of a name Nay as thy Creature thou was 't pleas'd to own Thus to reject it with a sullen frown Me thinks is strange What may the Atheists say When thy own servants are oppress 't this way Why they will surely in their scoffing mode Blaspheme the ever glorious Name of God See here they 'l say a man who seriously Apply'd his mind to th' art of piety Who his great God above all things ador'd A most devoted Servant to his Lord. One who not pleas'd with what his neighbours us'd Despised their Religion and refus'd T' acknowledge any of their Deities But in a zealous phrensy did devise A Deitie to himself peculiar Out of an humour to be singular See now they 'l say see how his God doth treat him See how his Lord he so much lov'd doth hate him How he doth whip him how he takes delite To vex a man who us'd himself to write A most obedient Servant to his God See how he beats him with a heavie Rod. Let him complain weep pray do what he can Let him cry out yet still this pious man Finds none to comfort pity or deplore him And for his God ' has no compassion for him But on the contrair doth appear t' abhor him Sure this will be their language thus alace Those impious wretches will themselves express Yes this will be their Table-talk I fear O then forbear for thy own sake
lye Am I not punish'd yet sufficiently Not yet not yet O may it not suffice That I am wrap'd in such calamities As hardly any one has suffered But I must yet be further punished Shall there be no end of my Miserie May not I now have libertie to die For thou hast fill'd my bodie with such pain As in me there doth no more life remain Than what doth serve to make me sensible Of what I fuffer O most terrible Consuming Wrath now let me die good Lord I can endure no more pray now afford This favour to a man in dying case That like Moth-eaten Garment rots apace Then since I cannot live O let me die Since Life it self is but Mortality For mortal man at best I do conceive To be a thing that like a Floating-wave Swells in the Cradle breaks upon the Grave Cap. XIV MAN of a Woman born in cares and teares Enjoyes a few but miserable Years He sucks in sorrow with his infant Breath And. in his husk he bears the seeds of death In his short life he nothing doth perceive But Seas of troubls Wave succeeding Wave He knows no pleasure nor contentment he Nor is he ever from some passion free Yet must this wretch be born Though it were better for him certainly He were not born than thus be born to dye 'T were better for him he lay buried With all his hopes about him covered With the thin notion of an entity Under the arch of possibility Then that he should exist But O he must be born he must appear On Earths wide and capacious Theater To act with mighty pomp and vanity His part o' th' fable of mortality Though 't were but fool o' th' play For whilst i' th' womb he safely lyes immur'd Free of all woe of aliment secur'd By others labour yet he thinks he 's there At best but a well treated prisoner Hence in the belly languishing he lyes And fain would make escape to feed his eyes On things abroad and fully satiate His Virgin-longing with he knows not what At length impatient of this kind restraint He 'l be no longer in this Cloyster pent But with his fellow-mortals he 'l b'acquaint At any rate what e're the event be And in this humour justles out to see This foolish world This world of which he fancies some such things As Beggars when they dream they 're mightie kings And yet no sooner into it he peeps Then instantly the changeling cryes and weeps Appearing in some inward perturbation As disappointed of his expectation In it he wastes his time in fear and pain And oft of being born he doth complain Yet when he goes out of it weeps again As if unwilling after all to part Sad as it is from what his soul and heart Doth truly love which that he might possess He could dispense with all its painfulness Inconstant Creature whom no state can please To whom nor life nor death can purchase ease Whose humorous fancy nought can satisfy Who knows not whether he should live or dye Yet is this man of so much worth and fame Whom all the Creatures have in great esteem This this is he who is so vainly proud Of the three souls which God has him allow'd Whilst those who do his actions strictly view Hardly believe that he has more than two For of the third he takes so little care As one would say his reason lay not there So that of all endu'd with growth and sense He least deserves that heavenlie influence This this is man who doth no sooner come A native naked Beggar from the womb Then assoon Food and Rayment God provides For him with every other thing besides Of which he stands in need ordering all The other Creatures to attend his call Yet after all when he 's accommodat By Providence at such a princelie rate The wretch becomes to him the most ungrate Of any thing that lives For as we know Beggars can bear no wealth So now endu'd with riches health and strength In these external things he puts his trust And quite forgets who rais'd him from the dust This is that formal piece of dâ—llest clay That moulded and unmoulded every day A thing from Heavens only with breath inspir'd That he who gave this breath might be admir'd And not the thing that breaths yet on this breath The Grashoper himself â—o valueth As he with lofty pride and arrogance Above his fellow creatures doth advance And thinks the world his sole inheritance Whilst many Brutes as we may daily see Both longer time and with more peace than he Possesse the same for he poor soul alace Can scarce enjoy but for one half hours space The full possession of what Life and breath Affords him when an enemy call'd Death Doth turn him out of all and then annon Ere he can view it well he must be gone This is the Source from which by progresse springs The Stream of all our Emperours and Kings Those men who with an armed foppery Blow up the pipes of vain Chronology Those men who when in their carreer withstood Will make the world swim around in blood Only to purchase to themselves a name And never think to have their fill of fame Whilst mean time ah poor souls how Iregrate There as ridiculous as illustrious state With all their glorious power they but appear To us like squibs that squandring here and there Put the admiring rabble in a fear Who know not what they are but men of sense Are not afraid of of their imperâ—nence For in an instant as with crackling noise Affording only sport to wanton Boyes These fly in smoak so these men in a tryce After they 've damp'd us with their cruelties Afford us sport in their own Tragedies This then is Man who rambles every where To catch a name who doth no labour spare T' attain his point running he cares not whether Killing and spoiling mixing all together In his hot fury sparing no expence To show the world his great magnificence Whilst really he 's but like one of those Who at our Fairs do set up publick Shows And with his Drums and Trumpets makes a noise In Streets and Lanes assembling all the Boyes And Girles about the Town but by and by His Licence now run out he silently Packs up his Trinkets and by break of day Out of the Town he meanly sneaks away So man on Earth for a small term of years Makes no small noise and then he disappears Have you not seen a silly Butter-flee Attacque the flaming light and wantonly Hover about it for some little space Until its wings begin to burn apace And then the helpless Creature in a tryce Sticks to the Candle spurns a while and dyes So on this dangerous Earth Stuck full of all the species of death Th' adventuring mortal arm'd with single breath Boldlie appears what next why in he flies Buzzes a while about the world and dies Is this the thing then
visitations For certainly if thou wilt call to mind Thy by past life I doubt not but thou'lt find Th' hast had some warnings were 't but in a dream Of thy afflictions long before they came Yes in a dream for often-times I know God is accustom'd seriously to show To men what often they conceal for shame Their future state i' th' mirrour of a dream For when the active soul outwearied With toile o' th' day at night is brought to bed Of a sound sleep then it begins to fly Then liberat from the bodies drudgery It soares aloft and in another sphere Begins to act nay then it doth appear To be what we cannot imagine here For being then as fit for contemplation Almost as 't will be after separation By vision intuitive it sees The state of things to come and by degrees Becomes so subtile and doth at that rate In contemplation then expatiate With such delight as if it did not mean By natural Organs e're to act again But when some hours it has thus wandered And in that time God has discovered What for its profit he intends at large Then he commands it to its former charge Have you not sometimes seen a General His Officers to his Pavilion call Whilst all the Army do securely sleep Save a few Companies who Guard do keep And there inform them what he would ha' done Give every one his Orders and anon Command each to his Post so let 's suppose When in profoundest sleep the eyes are close The Body one would think o're-come by death Were 't not that only it did softly breath Th' Almighty then is pleas'd as 't were to call The soul unto him and inform it all What he intends to do with it and then Commands it to the sleeping Corps again Whether when come the sad Noctambulant In a cold sweat with fear and rambling faint Rouzes the Body from its sleep and then Shows its instructions and begins t' explain What it has seen and heard and plainly shows What Miseries Calamities and Woes They may expect God will to them dispense If not prevented by true penitence Then as if God himself to them did speak When on these admonitions they reflect With fear and horrour they begin to quake For they consider that his sole intent By these night-warnings is but to prevent Their total fall and by such signs as these Divert them from those foolish purposes Which in their hearts they proudly do intend To prosecute did he not kindly send Such seasonable messages to show What will be th' event if they forward go In such mad projects and by consequence Make them to understand the difference 'Twixt humane power and his Omnipotence By Dreams and Visions then he doth allarme Th' unwary race of man and from all harm Preserve both soul and body which alace Would fall into the dreadful ambushes Of th' enemy o' th' world wer 't not that he Who fram'd both soul and body thus did free Them both from danger and did constantly Mind their concerns with a Paternal eye For else the murdered body soon would drop Into the grave the soul without all hope Of pardon in that deep abyss would fall Which God in justice has design'd for all Whom he doth hate and dolefully in Chains Compare short pleasures with eternal pains Thus then we see how much we should esteem The ordinar Phaenomenon of a dream And not contemn it because usual As if a common accident to all Occurring in their sleep ane aâ—ry thing Of which the wiser make no reckoning For sure those dreams and visions contain The mind of God and are not shown in vain Next as by dreams so by diseases too The Spirit of God is pleased to allow Kind warnings to us for if understood All sicknesses of body for our good Are sent upon us so that did we know What kindness by diseases God doth show To our poor souls we never would complain But think our selves most happy in our pain For let 's observe now don't we daily see How man in health from all diseases free Consumes his precious years so wantonly As if he never did expect to die He so imploys his time in sinful pleasure As for devotion he can find no leasure But when diseases on his body seize And conquering death approaches by degrees When th' lungs all overflow'n with constant rain Of Pituite that falls down from the Brain Afford scarce room for breathing when the Blood Is in its Circulation withstood By stagnant humours when the Bones do ake And all the Pillars of the Body shake When for his food he has no appetite And in his Table he takes no delite But every dainty Dish doth nauseate On which with pleasure he did feed of late VVhen all his flesh in health so plump and fair Now rotten and consum'd doth not appear As formerly but shrunk quite to the bone The bones which were not seen before anon Stick out i'th'figure of a Skeleton When in this sad condition on his bed Helyes and sees that all his hopes are fled And he must die when all he can perceive Is nothing but the avenue o'th'grave And with himself he now considereth There 's no avoiding of a certain death Then he begins with horrour to reflect Upon his by past actions and take Account of all his wandrings then he falls On thoughts of Heaven and for Preachers calls For pious men who in this sad occasion May by their words afford him consolation And teach him how he may attain salvation Then all his former wayes he doth abhorre Complains on sin and can endure no more To hear the voice of pleasure in his ears But buried now in sorrows pains and fears His only thought his sole consideration Is what shall become after separation Of his poor soul how that in death shall fare For which in life he took so little care And if perhaps which is rare to be found A man of God appear who can expound The matter to him and before his eyes Draw out the Map of his iniquities Speak to his soul and to his anxious heart The gracious language of the Heavens impart Then will this good man to his God address And say have pity on this sinners case Father of mercy for I 'me confident He of his sins doth seriously repent Restore him to his health and let him see How much O Lord he is oblig'd to thee Who when thou couldst have ruin'd him with ease And made him perish in this sad disease Art pleas'd to let him live that he may yet Express thy glory in his mortal state To this petition God shall lovingly Make answer well this sinner sholl not dye For I have found him in this exigent Vext at his sins and truly penitent Then let him live for I his heart have try'd And for his errors he hath satisfy'd I 'me reconcil'd and freely to him give Full liberty
me since without dispute Had I then dy'd my happiness had been As great this very day as is my pain For I had now secure from trouble sleep't And in the silent grave my quarter keep 't I in the grave the grave to be envy'd And wish'd beyond all Palaces beside 'T is there 't is there 't is there where only all The groaning world themselves can happy call There both those who opprest and were opprest On earth enjoy uninterrupted rest There all are Friends there all our Picques and Jarrs Our Plots our Forraign and our Civil Wars Ly buryed with us I we all appear To be so many dormant Brethren there The boistrous Tyrant who in life did rage To whom no sleep could give an hours Soulage Who betwixt King and Prisoner spent his years Amidst a thousand jealousies and fears In deaths cold arms when he encircled lyes Hee 's free from all his Royal Miseries The valâ—ant Warriour who in life enjoy'd But little rest and was most part employ'd In action ready still to march or fight And knew no difference betwixt day and night Free from Allarm of Trumpets under ground He sweetly sleeps until last Trumpet sound Poor Prisoners who were in life distrest And by their cruel Creditors opprest In grave together comfortably rest No Usurer against them doth declare In Court no Action lies against them there Free from the gingling noise of Chaines and Keyes And weekly threatnings for their weekly Fees In Deaths low Rooms the Wretches sleep with ease There there both poor and rich both low and high Princes and Peasants undistinguish'd lye Those who in life imagin'd they excell'd All others and with vain Opinion swell'd Of their own parts do in the grave appear But even as those whom they call Dunces here The Servant there is from his Master free No former quarrels make them disagree The slave who all his life-time made no gain But what he earn'd betwixt the whip and chain Who oft his freedom would with tears demand And long'd to be turn'd by his Masters hand But still deny'd in grave that blessing hath And only owes his liberty to death O Death who can thy Excellence declare What state of life can we with thine compare In life we waste a few unhappy years In a continued Labarinth of tears 'Twixt envy and compassion here we breath Preferring worst estate of life to death For O this notion of life this bare And mean conception of a breathing here Doth in our wanton ears so sweetly sound That we abhorre the thoughts of under-ground Fools who 'd be rather toss'd 'twixt wind and wave Than sleep on Bed of Roses in the grave Whilst all bedaub'd with sweat in noon-tide-light Does not the wearied Labourer long for night That free from toyl he may enjoy at best But the poor Favour of a few hours rest Though quickly rouz'd before the Sun appear With morning-blush upon our Hemisphere Hee 's forc'd again to toil Then O how much then o how much should those Who in this sleep of life find no repose Wish sor the sleep of death in which they may Beyond the fear of interrupting day Though thunder round this lower world should roar Sleep undisturb'd while Heavens shall be no more Then why should one be thus compell'd to live That fain would dye Why should th' Almighty give A Lease of Life to one who seriously Hates it so much that he doth long to dy For what is life to one that 's destitute Of all the favours it can contribute What man is he on earth that can be able When of what even doth make it tolerable This life is spoil'd ah who is he who then For love of life would suffer so much pain As I endure Then why should one desire to live who lyes Environ'd with a thousand miseries A wretched man a man who hardly knows What life is now only he doth suppose By th' figure of his present suffering This life must be some very naughty thing Some naughty thing yes sure it must be such As wise men never can despise too much A thing it is esteem'd by none but Fools A thing which Boyes are even taught at Schools To undervalue nay each man doth boast Himself the bravest who contemns it most The Cob web-product of a toiling breath Never compleat while finished by Death A silly toy which as we come to years Still to us more ridiculous appears 'T is true this lise bestowes all empty pleasures On men on earth it gives them Honours Treasures Revenge and Success yes these Life doth give For which these Aery Fools desire to live As those who dream to sleep but after all When they on serious Contemplation fall When their own minds do tell them all is vain Which they thought here was Permanent O then O then how they abhor this Life and fain Would be out of its Intrigue yes at length When they perceive how all their wit and strength Is baffled by some pitiful disease Which on their bodies then begins to seise Lord how they 're vext and penitently think Of Life as men next morning after drink When the sad pleasures of their Cups now make Their Stomachs sick their Heads with horrour ake I then as these their Cups so these abhor Their Lives and swear they 'll never love them more But wearied of the Inconvenience Which Life affords with great Impatience O how they long to be a trudging hence With groans they hast the Journey of their breath And never rest till they arrive at Death Should any then extravagantly sad As I am now be yet alace so mad As wish to live no sure or if he do That man deserves no pity For a poor living man with grief oppressâ—t I horrid grief should have in mind no rest Whilst clogg'd with Fetters of a lingring Breath But in his Torments force resisting Death Yes and in Joyes mad excesse fondly rave When he 's so happy as to find his Grave Then why is Life upon a man bestow'd That would of Death be insolently proud Of Death I and esteem that favour more Then all the Blessings he enjoy'd before O then kind Death now let me see thy Face O wilt thou me in thy cold Arms embrace Make haste make haste for I 'me with Life opprest If thou hast any love for me make haste Haste haste for Heaven sake haste For why is Life upon a man bestow'd To whom his God no Comfort hath allow'd Why should I be condemn'd to Live when all What in this World I could Pleasure call Is gone when Felons are allow'd to Dye After the Fisque has stripp't them why should I Not yet not yet convict of any Crime Bear the sad threatnings of insulting Time Insulting Time that doth my Case proclaim Whilst gentle Death would cover all my shame Then let me dye yes dye and never more The benefit of a poor Life implore Of a poor
prosper as you stifflie plead That such by him are onlie punished No my good friends I am not to maintain A point whereof the contrair is so plain I 'm not so much in love with vain debate Nor am so wedded to my own conceit As you appear to be that I should call What I have said so purelie general As it of no exception can admit No I do not pretend to so much wit As to maintain with Reasons full extent The truth of such a foolish Argument For I do onlie say that some not all Of those same men whom you do wicked call Are bless'd on earth because I understand As well as you that on the other hand Many of them do in this life sustain The Wrath of God and undergo much Pain Much Hatred much Contempt and Povertie Whilst here on earth and suffer Miserie In its extream Degree I know that some Unhappie men are whollie overcome With Plagues and Sorrows and before they die Reap the reward of their impietie Though such as in this earth are punished And by afflictions terrors visited Are not so numerous if we do compare Their list with those on Earth who blessed are How oft pray do we see such sinful men Expos'd to Gods displeasure one of ten Perhaps are so 't is true when God doth fall Upon those villanous men root branch and all He doth destroy their glory quickly dyes As doth the spark from flame that upward flyes Or as the light of Candle when its head Is turned down is soon extinguished It s splendid lustre instantly is spent Evaporating in a noisome scent As Chaff or Stuble driven 'fore the Wind Scattered along the Fields we daily find Such when God is incens'd shall be the state Of those poor men they shall be dissipat Upon the face of Earth their Families Shall go to ruine and their Memories Shall with themselves expire their former glory Shall not be entred in the Page of Story Nay that they may be further punished Their misery shall not be limited To their own persons for before their eyes They shall perceive horrid calamities Invading of their so late happy Race Destroy their pleasures and disturb their peace Shall see their dearest Children beg their Bread And with sad roots their hungry Stomachs feed Shall see them scattered every where abroad Sitting half-naked in each common Road With lift up hands most lamentably cry For Alms from every one that passeth by All this they shall perceive and quickly know When God for any man designs a blow Though he 's long-suffering and slow to wrath And takes no pleasure in a sinners death Yet when his Choller once begins to rise Judgements like Lightnings issue from hit Eyes Upon these wretches which with sudden flash Them and their issue all to pieces dash For when Heavens Monarch doth in wrath appear His Judgements are so heavy and severe No Mortal Shoulders can his loadnings bear And where they 'd cheer their spirits formerly With expectation that their memory Might be preserved and men may clearly read Their glorious names ingrav'd when they were dead I' th' several Fore-heads of their fruitful Race Which might proclaim their worth from place to place Alace what pleasure now can these men have When all their Race is swallowed by the Grave In their own time when all their pleasure dyes And all their memories are before their eyes By th' very hand of God obliterat So that no vestige of their former state Doth now remain and they are in their prime E're they 're well entred in the books of Time Shiffled out of the World and quickly sent To their so oft derided punishment Since then my friends our God is pleas'd to blesse Some sinful wretches letting them possesse All pleasures here on Earth and makes them dye As they had liv'd in soft tranquillity Whilst others of 'em are so sore oppress 't By plagues on Earth as they can have no rest But wearied of their lives incessantly Cry our for help from death until they dâ— Who 's he dares say that none are punished But sinful men that God has limited His Judgements only to such men as these Whilst all the truly godly live in peace What man is he will undertake to teach God what he ought to do or vainly preach Upon a text so far above his reach So then my friends I hope you will allow Th' Almighty God knowes better things then you And is not to be taught at any rate How he his Judgements should proportionat With this or t'other subject as you dream And in your crazy judgements do esteem No no my friends as God doth fully know So he doth fully judge both high and low Even as he pleaseth nor can humane wit Prescribe to God methods so just and fit As he doth use in all his dispensations Upon the sons of men Yet must we not imagine or suppose That he who all men most exactly knows Who all things fram'd who all things did create Who judges men of every rank and state With a true knowledge and deliberatly That he should let his plagues at random fly On this or t'other as it were by chance No none are punish'd but by ordinance And firm decree of Heaven in which doth shine The glory of his Majesty Divine For though indeed we cannot understand The Almighties ways when we perceive his hand Sometimes on this sometimes on t'other fall As if he did observe no rule at all In governing o' th' World yet if we do In sad sobriety observe but how He lets some live in wealth and happinesse Whilst others in great sorrow and distresse Consume their days how some in peace do dye Larded with riches to whom penury Was never known whose calm and quiet years Void of all cares anxieties and fears In a course so serene so smooth and slow As streams do gentlie through the Meadows flow Slide softlie to the grave as one should think Those men knew nothing but to eat and drink How with such plentie those same men are blest As scarce by Humane Art can be exprest Their bodies healthful strong and vigorous As tempered Steel nothing obnoxious To th' force of anie violent disease But as they liv'd so go to death with ease Their breasts with milk their bones with marrow fall In earthlie pleasures become soft and dull Whilst others of those men our God permits To live and die in such tormenting fits Of Poverty Fear and Anxiety With all the species of Adversity As all their lives they have no other fare But tears and do not know what pleasures are In tears they sleep in tears they do awake Their hearts with sorrow alwaies seem to break Oppress 't with tears and sighs they eat and drink Nor can their minds on anie pleasure think But in the bitter anguish of their Soul Conjure all living Creatures to condole Their sad disasters fretting constantlie At others
protest No trouble no affliction no oppression No pain no woe no torment no occasion Shall move me in my sorrow to express What may be even supposed wickedness For whilst I breath I never do intend To speak those words which may my God offend And though since so much woe and miserie Has seiz'd upon me I might possiblie Vent some hot words and have perhaps express't My self but as a simple man at best Yet God forbid that I should ratifie What you have said or my integritie Prejudge i' th' least no never while I die What you have spoke my friends is all in vain For I will still my innocence maintain To my uprightness I do still adhere Whatever to the contrair you aver I 'le not bely my Conscience for all That you have said or can say should you baul Never so much and bitterly exclaim Against your poor afflicted friend and blame My fervent zeal to own my righteousness As a meer humour as a stubbornness And positive opinion in the case For while I breath my heart shall ne're upbraid My tongue with lying as it had betray'd That heart that upright and ingenuous heart That heart o' th' first mould void of Craft and Art With any ne're so small acknowledgment Of what its altogether innocent Most innocent for I again protest I do not know that thought within my breast That for injustice can be quarrelled For did I think that one were harboured Of that kind here I 'de quickly tear it out And for that thought abhor my self to boot No no my friends I utterly detest The very thoughts of sin nor in the least Will I allow my heart to entertain Such guests as those of which you do compâ—â—in For of all men I truly do esteem Those Godless livers you so often name However in this world they daily thâ—â—â—e To be the most unhappy men alive No greater judgments would I imprecate On any whom my very soul doth hate Then that they live and die in â—â—ose mens state I therefore do beseech you now my friends In charity to alter here your minds And not believe that I am on of those Whom you call Hypocrites th' Almighty knows I am not such nor would you ere conclude That I were such if you but understood The difference betwixt a Hypocrite And one that 's pious and in heart upright For but observe now here 's the difference The Hypocrite whilst in great affluence Of worldly blessings he consumes his time And his felicity is in its prime Then he rejoyces is above all hope 'Cause all his wishes have attain'd their scope Then in Gods goodness he is confident Speaks piously and passes for a Saint Yet he will tell you He 'll tell you when his Gold in heaps doth ly That all these Riches are but vanity Things of no moment only stamped Dust And therefore no wise man should put his trust Or place his confidence at any rate In such a mean return of humane sweat That product of the toyl of many years That ballance of so numerous cares and fears As all the profit after just account Those Riches do afford do scarce amount To so much as may countervail the loss Which we sustain in purchasing such Dross Whilst he himself doth place such confidence In this same Dross that he concludes from thence His happiness as Riches do encrease And how much Land and Cash he doth possess ' Has as much Faith exactly and no more And all his Hope he measures by his Store For he himself in this so valueth As he doth laugh at all the Powers of Death Nor can the weeklie Sermons he doth hear To which he most attentive doth appear Delivered with much zeal and force of art Find any passage into this mans heart For notwithstanding all that men can say And all the Burials which he everie day Under his Windows sees that plainlie teach More Death than all the art of man can preach Yet this rich Worldling never can believe That oft repeated Fable of the Grave But in his mind rejects and privatlie Derides the Storie of Mortalitie For while in health he minds his business And has no leisure for such thoughts as these But change the Scene a little homewards bear The Plot and let approaching Death appear Let this bold Sinner be imprisoned Within the narrow compass of a Bed Lay the poor Carrion on his back and then He is the most disconsolate of men His troubled Conscience nothing can appease When now before his eyes that thing he sees Of which he oft had heard that gastly thing Of which before he made small reckoning Appear at his Bed-side with confidence And peremptorily charge him to go hence Then all Confusion Horrour and Despair He quites all hope and onlie now doth fear He fears he fears he trembles all apace When he confiders on his future case Thinks all the Wealth that he has purchased Is very Dross and nothing now indeed Bus stamped Dust whilst when his Chests are full Death his reluctant Soul begins to pull Out of his Body But on the contrair one upright and just Is full of hope and in his God doth trust When that sad hour arrives in confidence Of future bliss he for his journy hence Prepares himself with great alacrity Welcomes his stroak and smilinglie doth dy Or if perhaps in miserie he fall And by Heavens Wrath he is bereft of all As I am now his Spirits never drop But firmly rooted in a solid hope On God as on his anchor he relies And all the roaring Waves of Hell defies Next do you think that when this wretched man In trouble lyes let him say what he can That God will hear him let him sigh and groan Let him his by-past actions bemoan Let him his sins so cunninglie lament As one would think him truly penitent No after all such crying is in vain For he from God no audience can obtain For well God knows he understands full well Not love to him but trouble doth compel This man to pray and were he out of pain He 'd soon return to his old wayes again And therefore our Creator stops his ear To such a subtile and time-serving prayer But he that trusts in God no sooner prays Then God doth hear him and his soul doth raise Out of the Quag mire of adversity As soon as he to Heavens for help doth cry Again when this man into sickness falls Then not while then upon Gods name he calls Then sighs and prayes because he feels some pain And of his sins doth bitterly complain But 'cause with pain not with delight he prays His new patch'd up Devotion soon decayes When Heavens afford no answer but delayes For how d' ye think a man not formerly Accustom'd to the works of piety Who ne'r before upon Gods name did call 'Till now he 's forc'd to do 't for good and all Can when in trouble bring his
Bones do ake And all the Pillars of our Bodies shake With pious thoughts then we our selves soulage And by such lenitives abate the rage Of our Distemper whilst we â—eem to be In love with sickness and would not be free From paâ—n that we may still have fair occasions To raise the value of our meditations Yes sore Diseases loss of all that 's dear An upright man will patiently bear No outward sorrow can his Mind depress Providing he enjoy domestick peace But O when one with sore Afflictions vex't In Mind and Body grievously perplex't Endures debates at home additional To all these Plagues sure this is worst of all For O how wretched must be that Mans Life That 's poor and sick and has a scolding Wife This was the posture this the present state Of this good Man who did enjoy of late All happiness on Earth and here alace To consummat the strangeness of his case He losses after all domestick peace For now his Wife who should in that sad state With all the suggred words appropriate To that kind Sex have mitigate his grief And from her very Eyes have smil'd relief To her afflicted Husband in this case The true design of Wedlock she alace Enrag'd with grief extravagantly sad And for her losses furiously mad Stead of allaying of her Husbands woe Seems to augment it Her losse she so impatiently bears So like a Woman such a flood of Tears Falls from the well-stor'd Sources of her Eyes Which with her passion constantly do rise Her Breasts she so doth beat so tears her Hair And by her gestures now doth so declare Her discontent whilst all this while she sits By him on Dung-hill That at length her Wits Appear to be disordred for she now Upbraids her Husband and demands him how He so could bear his losses Well she says And must we now in our declining days We who have liv'd in plenty formerly Become content with want and penury Must we yet live O must we thus survive The loss of all that 's dear to those alive Yet live live only that we may endure Such miseries as never Mortals sure Before this time did feell yet live to see The Vulgar gazing both on thee and me As horrid spectacles of Heavenly wrath Yet live that we may only wish for Death Yet live to swim in oceans of Tears And whine away a few unhappy years Why this is madness madness yes to me It appears madness in th' extream degree Why Husband then she says since all 's now lost How mean 〈◊〉 look in thâ—â— dear friend to boast Of a fantastick sullen patience A Virtue which no man of common sense Of Wit or Honour ever yet esteem'd A passive dulness hardly to be nam'd But with some indignation patience Why here 's a thing indeed must thou dispense With loss of all only t' obtain the name Of patient i' th Records of future Fame And this forsooth thou must call uprightness Why here 's a stubborn humour I confess A thing unworthy of a man of Wit A poor contented humour only fit For luteous Spirits still to bear respect To Heavens great Prince who doth thy crys neglect Who laughs at all thy pitiful addresses In these sad times and openly professes Himself thy enemy nor will he hear Thy most refined importuning Prayer Yet still thou'lt trouble Heavens and spend thy time In this unpleasant and ill-sounding Chyme I' th' ears of our great God from such as thee Whom he who is not blind may plainly see He doth abhor yet thou wilt still proceed And call to Heaven still as if indeed Thy bare Devotion could afford us Bread Then to conclude says she let me advise Him whom I dearly love to be more wise Then thus persisting in his uprightness To loss himself by his own wilfulness Dye rather then she says if thou'd be free From the sad pressures which now torture thee Do yes do something that deserveth death By Law and unto Justice yeeld thy Breath For rather than thou should on Dung-hill ly A Spectacle to every one goes by I 'de have thee fairly curse thy God and dye O the sad pangs of an afflicted life That one should hear such language from his wife Such language as would make this man despair But that he has a better Comforter Who bids him hope to this shreud Harangue then He thus makes answer Thou talkst like foolish Girle says he why Woman God in his mercy is oblig'd to no Man For all the kindness he did ere extend To man or will do to the worlds end Is not th' effect of merits but indeed From his own goodness solely doth proceed 'T is true dear Wife he favoured us of late With a fair Issue and a great Estate But pray' dost think because he did allow Such Favours to us then that he should now Indulge us with his former bounty too Shall we our selves no better understand Than to be taking good things from his hand Like Children with a canine Appetite And hang upon his table with delite And Complaisance while he affords us food As if he were oblig'd to do us good Perpetually and not also take Ill from him kindly for his Justice sake Then trust me Woman what our God has done In our concerns is very just and none But fools will of his Actions complain Since he who gives may freely take again For shame let us then who Prosperity Have seen now God has sent Adversity Bear all our Griefs and Losses patiently By this officious Fame had published The news of Jobs Afflictions and spread Strange stories of his losses every where Which when three worthy Gentlemen did hear His Blood-relations but what yet was more His Friends they did most heartily deplore His sad condition from their very soul And so would make a Journey to condole With him in his affliction for this end They Messengers did to each others send Appointed where their meeting place should be From whence they in a body might go see Their now distressed Friend whom formerly They had beheld in great Prosperity Their Names were Eliphaz the Temanite Bildad the Shuhite Zophar the Naamathite Men of great wit and parts and certainly In their own Countries of great quality Now we must think that Job was all alone For by this time his Wife was surely gone To shift i' th' Country for convenience Not able to subsist on patience But had good Lady now determined Not to return to what she once did wed For good and evil for her Jointure now Was gone and all the Expectation too Of her afflicted Husbands Restauration Which made her soon abandon him in passion When then his friends did to the place draw nigh Where the afflicted man did pensive ly When first they see his face they were afraid And thought their guide had possibly betray'd Them by some trick and stead of their old friend Had brought them there to see some Ghost or Fiend
But when anon they did perceive 't was he 'T was he indeed whom they did mean to see How sadly then they mourn'd how sore they weep't Rent all their Cloaths and on their heads they heap't Great quantity of dust as is the fashion In those parts to express their Lamentation Then down beside him on the ground they sat Where seeing how his grief was dumbly great In Complaisance they also silence keep 't Seven Days and Nights and only sigh'd and weep't But when they spoke the comfort they did bring Was little better than his female thing Afforded lately for we soon shall see Those wise men with their Patient disagree And fly in passion whil'st they constantly Maintain a point which Job doth still deny That man lives not on earth who never errs Good men may sometimes be bad Comforters Cap. III. BUt when much time they had in silence spent At length Jobs Tunn'd up Sorrow must have vent Else he will burst His Heart with strong fermenting Grief opprest Can now maintain its Post within his Breast No longer over-power'd with numerous woes Who now began it's passages to close With th' Rubbish of his Body which was now Prop't up and kep't in joynts with much adoe For all th' assistance Sighs and Groans could make In pumping up his Sorrows seem'd to weak Against such swelling Griefs though he appears T' have voyded much in cataracts of Tears Which all this while had issued from his Eyes Yet if not rescu'd quickly by supplies Of cleansing words and passionate expressions Which most alleviate Grief at such occasions Hee 's gone When then he saw that he was forc'd to speak Before his Heart should all in peices break He thus began Curs'd be the day says he That to the World brought such a Wretch as me O thrice accurs'd be that unlucky day On which the Sun in complementing Ray Made its first visit and with smile did see In Infant posture such a thing as me Pregnant with grief then he begun to cry I'th'extream labour of his Agony Let the day perish wherein I was born And ne're be nam'd hereafter but with scorn Let the night says he in which it was said A Man child is Conceiv'd by overspread With a perpetual Cloud of darkness spite Of Fire and Tapers Lamps and Candle-light In darkness let my Birth-day have its shrine Let Heavens great Light no more upon it shine Let Providence of that day take no care Let it be dash'd out of the Calendar Let it be wrapp'd up in a horrid Wreath Of its own colours let the shade of Death Mantle that fatal day let sable cloud Iâ—s Noon-tide glory in sad darkness shroud Let Astrologues when they the Year survey Mark that with Rubrick as a dismal day Let everlasting darkness damn that night Which was by too officious Candle light Assisted when any Mother did cry out And for my sake did in great labour shout O that same dismal night that night that night O that unhappy night which with despite I 'le ever name O that accursed night let it be known To prying Devils and wandring Ghosts alone Nay let it never so much honour bear As t'usher in the meanest day o' th' year Let other nights with it no Commerce keep In it let never mortal Creature sleep Let all the other months o' th' year abhor This cursed night and ne're allow it more The former freedom of their Corporations Nor ever name iâ— in their Computations O that abominable night that dire And cruel poynt of time let never Fire Shine in that night O let it never be From falling Stars and stinking Vapours free Let such as do intend in Jollity To spend some hours in cheerful Company Abhor that fatal Season and delay Their merry meetings to the break of day Let all who in extream necessity Abhor the hour of their Nativity Here bring their Curses and with great despite Throw thousand Maledictions on that night O that thrice damned night let all conclude That night that only must be understood T' have truly been the night in all the year In which their dreadful woes did first appear That fatal night that night that woful night O let it never be adorn'd with Light The Stars which in its twilight do appear Let them a sullen Russet Livery wear Whilst thoseof all the other nights shine clear O let the hopes of that unpitied night Be disappointed whilst Heavens Glorious Light Disdains its fulsome Vapours to dispel But leaves it as he found it black as Heâ—â— Because it Seal'd â—ot up my Mothers Womb That in that Cell I might ha' found my Tomb That so I ne're a living Soul had been And those poor Eyes had ne're such sorrow seen Ah why was I not stiffled in the Birth Why did my unkind Mother bring me Forth Why was I not in Gobbets cut for shame That such a Monster from the Belly came But O since my poor Mother was constrain'd To cast me out what further then remain'd But that those Women who were present there Had laid my Body in the open Air. Would when she was of me Delivered The Mid-wife then had knock'd me in the Head Would she had on the Pavement let me fall Or with main force had dash't me ' gainst the wall O would she would she had done any thing Might ha' preveen'd my present suffering Nay since we think that some of those can guess From th' Infants forehead of its future case Could she not have discovered in my face My present state could she not plainly see What a sad creature I in time should be Yes sure she did O then why did she not In kindness to me cut my tender Throat Alas how the good woman was to blame That did not kill me to prevent my shame O why did women on their unkind knees Lay me as soon as born O why did these Linnens and Swadling cloaths for me provide Whilst had they left me naked I had dy'd Why did the Breasts in feeding Liquor flow And offer suck to such an Embryo For but for these unhappy Courtesies Those most unseasonable Civilities Now in earths bosome I had lay'n at rest And not been with those akeing woes opprest I might ha'sleep't with Kings and Counsellors Who in their lives erected costly Tow'rs And Pyramids in Desarts to proclame By such wild Trophies how they courted fame With Princes that had Silver heap'd in store And keep'd their Chests brimful with precious Ore The grand Horse-leeches of the Universe Th' earths high and most Illustrious Scavengers Who with what Nature gave them not content Do rack her Bowels for her Excrement Why as untimely Birth was I not hid And with some kindly toillet covered Or as a still born Child who sees no light Wrapt in the dusky Blankets of the night But O that all things should ha' contribute Thus to destroy
Life a Life so poor and mean A Life so larded with sad grief and pain As if his mortal foe a man would curse All his invention could not wish him worse Then I am now then I am I sad I Who that I may be sadder must not dye Lord how my Sighs with force ingeminate Pump up whole floods of Tears which when I eat Are now the only Sawces to my Meat For from my Eyes these as from Water-spout Like Rain swoln Torrents issue always out Then let me dye O let me quickly dye As others do and not so cruelly Be forc'd thus to survive my Losse and see Under the Heavens no sinful man like me No sinful man no none of all that Race So much opprest as I am none alace Of Heavens foes suffering so much as I Who liv'd by th' Laws and Rules of Piety As I who always studied to shun Those Courses which a many Mortals run As I who always shunn'd to give occasion To my indeed kind God of provocation But now I plainly see my former Zeal And Piety could not with him prevail T' avert this blow no no my clouds of Prayers Are now dissolv'd in deluges of Tears And I must suffer now what never man Endur'd before me since the world began Indeed in th' affluence of my former bless I still would fear this sad Catastasis And these same thoughts did so my Spirit seize As in the night time my o're wearied eyes Had little sleep for I could ne're endure In all my prosp'rous time to live secure As some who on their earthly Blessings rest Which makes me so uneasily dâ—gest My present troubles O then let me dye For since alace my â—eal and Piety My Prayers my Tears my daily Offerings Could not prevent my present Sufferings How should I think they can me extricate Out of this sad and miscrable state Then let me dye O let me dye again I beg it Lord let me be out of pain At any rate let not thy dreadful wrath Deprive me of the benefit of death As it has done of all things here below Nâ— my good God permit it not for so I shall in horrour live and possibly After long sufferings in despair shall dye O let me dye then for thy mercies sake Lord let me dye and force me not to take Those resolutions which some other men Would take if in such misery and pain Burst then poor heart O split burst speedily That I may have the happiness to dye To dye and then I know my Makers wrath For all this will be by my single death Quickly appeas'd and in the grave I shall Rest sweetly free of troubles after all O death what mortal can thy worth esteem Who 's he can thy intrinsick value name All states of life are daily to be sold But thou death art not to be had for gold Though th' world of life but one great mercat be Yet all 's bought up and there 's none left for me But that which even mad men would abhor Then why should I this life keep any more This life this hellish life O now kind death Ease me of this and take my parting Breath Then burst sad heart what cannot all my Art Be able yet to burst one broken heart Yes sure burst quickly let me quickly dye And in this ugly â—â—unghill where I lye Let me be buryed but my Friends take heed My Body with much earth be covered Under a heap of stones lest Labouring Men Digging this Dung hill in the Season when They dung their grounds should find my Carcass here For if uncovered will infect the Air. PART II. Cap. IV. JOB having thus attempted to express That inward grief which did his Soul oppress One of his three Friends Eliphaz by name Did him thus tartly for his passion blame Should we says he with thee expostulate And on the matter enter in debate We see the heat of thy impatience Is such as our discourse may give offâ—nce Yet though thou should st be vext and curse us all As thou hast done thy birth-day nothing shall Make us forget our duty for reprove The errors of a man we so much love We must indeed then pray who can forbear To answer thee when such discourse we hear Of thy great zeal and piety of late Thy grace thy virtue and I know not what By which thou'd make us think forsooth that he Who cannot act unjusâ—ly punish'd thee Without a fault preceeding very fair Pray who with patience can such language hear Should in our hearing one of God complain Unjustly and from answerâ—ng we abstain No no my friend we came not here indeed To hear thee in thy Passions exceed The rage of mad-men or allow thee so To cry and overact a man of woe For shame how mean a thing it is to see Thy mind thus discompos'd that such as thee Whose eminent prudence virtue piety And long experience o' th' worlds vanity We thought had taught thee to know better things That such as thee in foolish murmurings Should bluster thus Thou who didst others in affliction teach How to behave would to them patience preach And how with crosses they should be content Thy self to become thus impatient Thou who in troubles others hast restor'd Canst thou no comfort to thy self afford Others thou'd check when in Adversity As thou dost now they 'd passionately cry And curse their Birth-day as thou now hast done Afflictions at length are come upon Thy self and thou art griev'd it toucheth thee I' th' quick and thou art all in flames we see Where 's now thy fear of God thy confidence In him thy Uprightness thy Patience Where are those Virtues now what are they fled At such time as thou most of them hast need Why should'st my friend like mad-man then cry out In view of all thy Neighbours round about And set out thy condition with such Art As if without cause thou afflicted wer 't Have not thy sins call'd for thy punishment Prethee forbear then this thy vain Complaint Who ever perish'd being Innocent Pray call to mind how thou hast liv'd before As other sinners and complain no more Revise the Annals of thy former time And thou wilt surely find the hidden Crime For which we all of us perceive indeed Thou now art most severely punished Consider this pray and without debate Thou 'lt not so with thy God expostulate He acts according to most upright Laws And punishes no man without a Cause But I 've observ'd that Antecedent sin How slow soever still doth usher in Punishment to it self proportionate Which still attends the sinner soon or late So in his Judgement on his sins may read And see the Cause from whence his woes proceed For I have often seen that such as Plow Your heathy Ground and corrupt Seed do Sow For all their Labours when their Harvest came They'd Reap no other but the very same Vain men who
forbear Thus to torment me lest in plaguing me These men conclude that all who honour thee Will be thus us'd O do not gratify Those bold professours of impiety In my so sad and grievous punishment But please good Lord to let thy wrath relent And from those cruel torments set me free That such as do contemn thy Laws may see How merciful a God thou art how just How kind to such as in thee place their trust But why should I presume thus to express What thou well know st and I at best but guess Thou who didst all things frame dost all things know Those hateful sinners will blaspheme thee so If thou continue thus to torture me Thus I suspect but thou dost plainly see Thy eyes O Lord are not of humane fashion Obnoxious in the least to fascination No no my God I know thy piercing eye Doth at one glance the whole Creation spy Its Horizon being sole ubiquity Nor are thy days O Lord like those of man So that we might thy time by numbers scane No Lord thy days surpass our admiration And scorn th' endeavours of our Computation For who will undertake to calculat That time which by no time is limitat That immense time whose vast extent doth lye Twixt the two Tropicks of Eternity Whose hours and minutes are innumerable As is its durance unimaginable I know good Lord no time can comprehend What no Beginning had and had no End Now since 't is so then let me understand What is the reason if I dare demand Why thou a God so high and excellent Dost take such pleasure in my punishment Why thou shouldst give such out let to thy wrath As to pursue thy servant to the death Why thou shouldst make such formal inquisition After my sins and call for exhibition Of all my hidden thoughts as if thou meant By such harsh dealing to make evident Thy hatred to thy Creature and proclaim To all the World what I conceal for shame Thy torturing me thus doth plainly speak The language of a hot inveterat picque From thee such usage is not ordinar For thou' rt not subject as we poor Mortals are To passion and revenge then let me know what have I done that thou shouldst bait me so What have I to thy anger contribute That with such hatred thou shouldst prosecute The reliques of a man the vanity Of Life the ruins of Mortalitie Ah Lord however I have sinn'd before Yet now thou seest I can do so no more For thou dost keep me in an Iron Cage In which I wast the gleanings of my age In sad reflections on my by past times Calling to mind a thousand horrid Crimes I have committed for which constantly I beg for mercy from thy Majesty But now although I would I cann't do ill My Soul thou so with bitterness dost fill No power of sinning doth with me remain Unless thou judge it sinful to complain And if complaints be sinful then alace No humane language can my sins expresse I am indeed most guilty of that sin For in this moment I do but begin My sore complaint Nay though I cry in vain And though I to no purpose do complain Yet can I not forbear to give some vent To that huge grief which doth my Soul torment Ah Lord didst thou not frame me didst not thou To me at Birth a humane shape allow Didst thou not mould and fashion me around Of many simples didst not me compound And wilt thou now this goodly frame destroy In whose Composing thou didst Art employ Wilt thou this thing by second operation Reduce to th' state of primitive Creation And end thy Labours in annihilation Remember Lord how thou of clay didst frame This Figure to which thou didst give the Name Of Body breath'd upon 't and made it live Then to 't a certain lease of Life didst give Thou taught it how to think to speak and act And entered with this Creature in Contract By which thou didst engage it to maintain And wilt thou now unravel all again Didst thou not pour me out like Milk and lay My first foundation in a drop of Whay Which in warm Vessels kindly entertain'd For some small time a liquid thing remain'd Then from the serous matter separate In a most ball it did coagulate of such a form as on the Cruds would squeeze Into the globous figure of a Cheese Then didst thou by an Art inimitable Translate me from a simple vegetable Into a well compacted sensitive And from that hour appointedst me to live With Bones and Sinews then thou didst me knit And wrapp'd me in a Damask Coverlet Of Nerves and Muscles and though yet a Brute Thou cloathedst me in a most goodly Sute Of Ivory Skin a Suite accommodate For every Season every Rank and State When thou had thus apparell'd me and I Now entered junior of Mortality Then I begun to rouze and stir apace And with my Sense my Hunger did increase I call'd for Food which thou didst soon prepare And furnish'd me though a close prisoner In the dark Womb yet didst thou every day By secret Canals to my mouth convey Fresh Victâ—als in good case then after all Was 't please t'infuse the spirits animal And I became a creature rational Thus having past my course of Generation Each hour I waited for a fair occasion To launch out in the Worlds great Ocean And enter my Apprentisage to Man After nine Months imprisonment at length Having obtain'd some tolerable strength At a Spring-tide of humours I set out Of th' Harbour of the Womb with such a shout With such a dreadful Peal of Groans with such Hard tugging sweating wrestling and so much Sad labour toile and crying out for all Who see me launching still more hands did call As I begun of passage to despair And hadst not thou my God of me tane care For all my strength I ne're had pass'd the Bar. But after all this labour toile and sweat By which I was almost exanimate After with main force I had wrestled out And now amaz'd begun to stare about And view this New found-world which to that hour I ne're had heard of nor e're seen before Then thou by instinct mad'st me weep amain 'Cause all I view'd was transient and vain And wish that I were in the Womb again Yet since thou hadst ordain'd that I should live Thou in thy wisdom didst think fit to give Reason and Knowledge to me whereby I Might learn to live by learning first to dye Thou didst preserve me by thy Providence Thy Grace was to my Soul a strong defence 'Gainst all temptations thy Paternal care Did for my Body daily Food prepare To thee alone Lord th' hast oblig'd me so My Birth my Being all that 's good I owe But what needs further Lord I do confess I owe more to thee then I can express For reckoning all my Life-time o're and o're I find I 'm in
thy debt still more and more So that at length I 'm broke upon the score For who so guilty of ingratitude What man so void of reason who so rude Whoso unthinking as when he begins To reckon up thy mercies and his sins But will acknowledge he 's oblig'd to thee Though punish'd tortur'd and oppress'd like me When he considers how thou formerly Hast guarded him since his Nativity From what had else besaln him hadst not thou Both own'd him kindly and supply'd him too With all things for his life convenient Since the first hour he to the world was sent And then if any man perhaps intend Some small proportion of his time to spend â—th ' serious and useful contemplation Of the so much to be admir'd Creation And view the order of thy Providence How to each living Soul thou dost dispense Thy Justice and thy mercy instantly He 'd find his Reason in an extaâ—â—e Whilst linking second causes in a chain By thumbing of 'em he 'd attempt in vain To fathom what no Art can comprehend And then at length he 'd find there is no end In searching of such things and so give o're His inquisition and will dive no more In that abyss but end his contemplation In a profound and humble admiration Acknowledging that save to thee alone Those Mysteries can not at all be known Thou Lord hast all things made dost all things spy Nothing can be concealed from thy Eye For what man labours by his foolish art To lock up in the Cabin of his Heart And thinks a secret to thee Lord is known As well as what to publicque view is shown If I have sinn'd then thou wilt instantly Look with a most sever enquiring Eye Upon my Errors and wilt not acquit Me from the Censure that is just and fit To be on man inflicted in such cases But wilt most justly as my sin encreases Add to my punishment and possibly Entail wy woes on my Posterity Why then if I have sinn'd I am undone And merit to be pitied by none Because I knew thy Justice would not spare For all excuses such as guilty are Hence if I 've sinn'd my Doom I plainly read If not I will not yet lift up my head Or sayâ— ' th' least that I am innocent Because I fear a furder punishment But still imagine that I guilty am And in thy presence hide my face for shame I 'l live in great humility and fear For no man in thy fight can just appear But how soe're the matter be good Lord Proceed thou to destroy me in a word Let loose the Reins of thy consuming Wrath And never leave me whilst the Gates of Death â—ly open to receive me Let thy Rage By close pursute abridge my lingring age Never give o're but rouze me every day With the same view as Lyons hunt their Prey Break me to pieces do and so express Thy self admir'd in my unworthiness For rather than in such sad torments lye 'T were better far I instantly should dye Let me then quickly be undone let all Thy heavie plagues at once upon me fall And not by Piece-meal every day augment The several species of my punishment And thus each hour thy dreadful Chace renue As if thou didst take pleasure to pursue My wearied Soul Armies of sorrows up against me draw With all the numerous rude Militia Of foul diseases which my Body seize Whilst I am to such Cannibals as these A daily prey my sores do still encrease And in my Spirit I can have no peace Then O why didst thou bring me from the Womb Why did I from my Native Cottage come Where I no sorrow knew no trouble felt But most secure in peace and plenty dwelt Was it for this that to the World I came For this that ever I was born for shame For this that e're my Mother should ha known The pangs of Child-birth nay one single groan In bringing forh a Creature destinate For grief and sorrow one whom God doth hate 'Gainst whom he doth his angry Sword unsheath And every day doth wound him in his Wrath. But ne're will bless him with the blow of Death Would I had perish'd in the Womb at least Would â— a still-born Embryo at best Had dropp'd into the World and instantly Had been Box'd up and Buried so no eye Had seen me this side of Mortalitie Would I had been as though I ne're had been Without existence never heard or seen Would Providence for me had never car'd Would my fond Parents had their labour spar'd And I a thing without all form and shape Had been conceal'd in Natures modest Lap When from the Womb soft hands did me receive Would I had fairly slipt into the Grave But since I am condemn'd O since I must In a few days incorporat with Dust Since thou O Lord wilt call for what is thine And I to Worms this Body must resign Some little respite for thy Mercy sake Allow me that I may some comfort take Before I to the Land of darkness go A dismal Land which never Light did know Whence I shall not return a dreadful Land Where pale-fac'd horrour doth in chief command Where Worms with Death in council sit and call For an account of every Funeral Where empty Sculls in heaps are gathered And with dry Bones the Land is overspread A Land so very dark no art can trace It s true dimensions or by Map express Its Scituation a most barbarous Land Whose Laws and Language none can understand A Land of mourning where no joy is known But Mirth and Sorrow there are both as one Cap. XI THus Job had spoke thus had himself express't Whilst his poor troubled Soul could find no rest For ' stead of sleeping he did still complain Keep 't waking by the torture of his pain But which is worse when he had made an end Of speaking and it may be did intend To take a Nap then some of those who keep 't Him company and as we fancy sleep't By turns would fall a speaking and with heat Engage him in a most unkind debate Thus when he now had spoke thus instantly Zophar his friend made him this tart reply Who can with patience thy vain humour bear Or says he so much idle talking hear From whence this torrent of discourse from whence This foolish bragging of thy innocence From whence this clamour whence this sad complaining Whence all this crying out what is the meaning Of all these blustring words whence all this noise Dos't think my friend thou hast to do with Boy 's Dos't think us fools dost think us Novices Dos't think we do not understand thy case Pray'to what purpose shouldst complain so sore Dos't think we never see such things before Then what dost mean by such a multitude Of puling words dost think we will conclude From all these fine expressions thou art just And so believe thou' rt
infus'd As by their Clients they are kindly as'd But when God speaks a suddain fear shall fall Upon those Preachers and confound them all For when he speaks he 'l tell you in your face You have provock'd him and abus'd his Grace He gave you Parts 't is true and Eloquence But never mean't that you in his defence Should use those Gifts or offer to debate For him unless you were commissionat By special warrant from himself for those Who in Enthusiastick fits suppose Men of all stations and degrees may preach And silly women if they please may teach Those who like you all others do despise And thinks there 's no man holy in their eyes But such as are of their opinion say They 're only perfect walk in Gods own way Sure these men grossly err for God doth own No such presumption and it is well known God in all ages doth such men select As he thinks fit should by commission speak For him to th' people and will sure destroy Those preaching fools whom he doth not employ Then you my friends must know that having spoke For him without commission you have broke His divine Statutes and in Heavens Court Incurr'd a premunire to be short For this your great presumption your name Shall be extinguish'd and your race for shame Shall shun mens converse this at length shall be The profit of such actings this the fee Of those officiously who undertake Without commission for their God to speak Then pray now from your foolish arguing cease And while I speak be pleas'd to hold your peace Forbear your talk for some time and be still For I intend to speak come out what will Come out what will I 'l speak I 'l boldly speak And to my Maker my discourse direct I 'l say Lord why am I thus punished Thus cudgell'd stead of being comforted Thus sharply tax'd by three comforting men As if without a cause I did complain Good Lord that I should be reprov'd by those Who if they felt the tenth part of my woes Would instantlie cry out and make a noise Using such faint expressions as Boys When whipp'd at Schools such as if they did feel What I endure would stagger foam and reel Like mad men such as if they knew the careâ— And grief I know would instantlie despair Yet such forsooth must censure me good Lord That those my friends who comfort should afford To me in this condition when they see What are my plagues and what my torments be By signs so manifest so plain and clear As when for pain my very flesh I tear When all o'r grown with Ulcers all o'r run With putria sores contemptible undone I here on Danghill sit and fain would crie To thee my God if I had libertie And were not interrupted by those men Who by me sit thou know'st O Lord how fain In private I 'd pour out my very Soul If those men who 've come hither to condole My sad condition as they do pretend Did not obstruct me how I fain would spend The small remainder of my troubled days In pious sighs and setting out thy praise By what I have observ'd and heard by fame From others since first to this world I came How fain I 'd pray how fain my sins bemoan If those tormenters would let me alone It seems indeed Lord thou design'st to make My case extreamlie sad for this I take As not the least part of my punishment That thou to me such comforters hath sent Yet Lord I 'l still apply to thee I know There is no other comfort here below Compassion pitie mercie there is none But what proceeds from thee good God alone I 'l therefore trust in thee in thee good Lord I 'l onlie trust I 'l hope and in a word Do with me what thou wilt let even thy wrath Be satisfi'd with no less than my death Yes kill me Lord cut me to pieces do As thou thinks't fit yet here I firmlie vow This heart this poor oppressed heart shall never Deviat from it's love to thee what ever Come of my person nay even when I die In my last gasping breath I 'l formallie Express my love to thee in thee I 'l trust My gracious Maker for as thou art just So thou art merciful besides good Lord I know thou only comfort can'st afford To men afflicted let me then be freed Of my officious friends who boldlie plead Against me ' stead of comforting for I Esteem my greatest woe their company I do indeed for I had rather choose Be plagu'd by thee then comforted by those Now Lord to them though I will not confess My sinful errors yet my wickedness Before thee I acknowledge as the cause Of all my woes Lord I have broke thy Laws And merit no less censure in thy sight Than instantly to be destroy'd down-right But after all I know O Lord that thou Wilt use me better than these talkers do Thou 'lt be more kind and whilst I am in pain For some small time allow me to complain And then restore me to my strength again For after all this trial thou shalt clear My innocence and make at length appear That I in sin have taken no delite And show these men I am no hypocrite Now then my friends observe be pleas'd to hear What I discourse For seriouslie I fear In all your talk of late you have abus'd Your selves more than the man you have accus'd For you have said because of my offence That I 'm by God rejected and from thence You did affirm I might expect no more To see his face as I had done before Ay me a sentence cruel and severe A doom in which great malice doth appear Now pray my friends by what authoritie Act you these things who gave you libertie To give out Judgment thus for to this hour I never heard that any of you had power From our Great God to excommunicat The poorest Wretch on Earth I therefore hope I quicklie shall be able To make appear how most unwarrantable Your sentence is for this I surelie know As God excels in acts of justice so In acts of mercy he doth so abound As no man needs despair he 's always found Of such as seek him and I know he 'l be As merciful as formerlie to me But were it so my friends as you have said That I 'm of God rejected then indeed Indeed in that case I should soon despair And be o' th' same opinion as you are Nor should you from my mouth hereafter hear Words of assurance words of confidence By which I do alleviat my sense Of present sufferings for I firmly know I know my God hath not determin'd so As you alledge I know he is more just Than to reject a man that puts his trust In him alone a man who never yet In all his sad and suffering estate From his first Principles has deviat For I do still believe that God
they did before Because the hand of God hath made me poor Since thou hast made me odious to all And none do pity or lament my fall But even my friends men who I thought had known My temper and at such time would ha' shown Their kindness to me in my sad distresse By their proud words afford me nothing lesse Nay those whom blood to me had rendred dear Insult upon my woes and now appear More fierce more cruel more in Rancour di'd Than all my prating Enimies beside Then let me die at length Lord let me die That I may here shut up the History Of a most miserable Life and close In my last Groan the Fable of my woes For why Lord should I any longer see The light of Heaven who am condemn'd by thee No with my Mantle wrapp'd about my head Let me be to the place of dying led Where I may quicklie find what I desire And in the twinkling of an eye expire Expire O happie word to ease my pain Let me but once repeat that word again Expire alace I fear that favour yet Will not be granted I must longer wait For that last blow and in this panting breath Still live yet feel the horrid pains of Death A thing that should not live yet cannot die Lord what a goodly spectacle am I Poor Lean Diseas'd Sun-dry'd and Withered My Face with Wrinkles deeply furrowed All these do shew it is not fit that I Should live and yet I 'm not allow'd to die Was ever man in such a dismal case Was ever mortal tortured thus alace I 'm torn to pieces by the Divine Wrath And yet deny'd the Liberty of Death I 'm become odious in Gods sight he hates The verie thoughts of me he meanlie rates All my Pretensions nay he frowns upon me Denies his presence will hear no more on me As a notorious Traitor I am us'd The priviledge of council is refus'd To me and which is worse oblig'd down right To answer my Inditement without sight And 'cause th' Almighty doth me thus despise My Enemies in wrath against me rise They rise against me with great Violence And with sharp words assault my innocence With grinding teeth and eyes all in a flame They stare about them when they hear my name With such disdain they do upon me smile As if forsooth it were not worth their while To notice such as I appear to be Or eye such a poor wretched soul as me With mouths wide open they upon me gape As if they 'd me devour and seem to ape The Hectors of the Ocean when they chase With open mouths before them through the seas Shoals of small Fishes and most bitterly With Tongues like Scorpions they continually Do whip my Soul they whisper to each other They go aside and there consult together How they may vex me further they devise With all their force and art that in them lies How to undo me and bring evidence T' invalidat my Plea of Innocence Now it appears alace that God indeed Has me rejected and delivered Me as a slave into the hands of those Who are both his and my declared foes I was in Wealth and Honour and Esteem In great respect of all who heard my name I knew what plentie was I liv'd at ease And no cross-dealings did disturb my peace Now I am poor now I am desolate And forfeit both of Honour and Estate Now I am pinch'd and in great Penury Now I am poor and on the Dung-hill lie Like an old useless Jade expos'd to die The Wrath of God has shattered me to pieces And yet that wrath against me still encreaies As Grim-fac'd Archers Executioners Of earthlie justice do themselves disperse In quest of Malefactors beat the Woods Willowes and Reeds that grow among the Floods Survey the Mountains and the Champaign Ground And give not over while their prey be found So have Gods Archers compass'd me around I 'm now their Captive by those I am led Whether they list pinion'd and fettered They spare me not their fury knows no bounds They 've made me all a Masse of Blood and Wounds With heavy stroaks and blows ingeminat I 'm broke to pieces I 'm excoriat By Furrowing Stripes such cruel usage sure Never yet breathing Mortal did endure As a fierce Giant with his monstrous Spear Banded and pointed beyond ordinar With violence upon his foe doth run So by the strength of God I am undone For this cause I upon my Skin have sow'd A doleful Sack-cloath and my head have bow'd Low to the ground for this cause I lament For this cause I my cloaths have torn and rent My head have shav'd and in this sad Estate Each minut I my Threnody repeat My face with weeping is all withered Death o're my eyes its coverlet hath spread The pretty guardians which did formerly Protect my wearied eyes from injury Now weak and sore with watching overspent And by uninterrupted weeping faint Have quite their stations and take no more care Of their poor charge but now quite uselesse are O let me once again then but demand Of my great God that I may understand From him what is the cause of all my woe Just King of Heavens why am I punish'd so I am not conscious of such horrid guilt As may deserve this do then what thou wilt Cut me to pieces let my flesh be thrown To Dogs for food my bones dispers'd and sow'n Upon the highwayes that each Passenger Who travels on the Road may without care Trample upon them yet I still must cry O my good God with thy good liberty I bear a heart that doth entirely love Its great Creator and each hour doth prove By fervent prayer with what alacrity It doth perform all works of piety And is not guilty of hypocrisie O Earth to Mortals common Source and Grave Who kindly dost all breathless dust receive If I be such as men would have me be Let my foul blood no shelter find from thee But let my Corps expos'd upon the place Be to Spectators shown with open face That if I dy fo great a Criminal As men would have me I may by all Voted unworthy of a burial Why be it so then let me be condemn'd By man on Earth let me be thus esteem'd A lying Rogue a Hypocrite a Cheat Of Principles false and adulterat Yet the great Judge o' th' World doth know my cause And well I hope by tryal of his Laws To be acquit my witnesse is on high My Records in the Heavens securely ly By those one day I hope to make appear How from those Crimes I 'm innocent and clear Then to my unkind friends who on pretence Of consolation vent their eloquence Against the most unpitied of men Accusing me poor wretch once and again Present I shall no other answer make Then that my God I hope at length will speak And from his mouth resolve
And with themselves think what they may expect When such as I who hopes all don't maintain That in Gods sight I am the worst of men Am so unkindlie us'd but when they check Their errors and begin to recollect Their minds and fall to solid Contemplations Of the true Order of Gods Dispensations Then do they understand that God doth try His own by so exact a scrutiny And with such Judgments doth their lives infest As puts their patience to the utmost test Yet still he loves them and will not permit The Floods to rise higher than he thinks fit Because good men men just and innocent Do at his hands deserve no punishment But for the couzâ—ning Hypocrite sad wrath Shall rain upon him he shall wish for Death But shall not find it and his miseries Shall be augmented by his unheard cries Because God knows those men the World do cheat With a fair show of zeal and shreudly treat The just and upright whilst they would maintain They were themselves the only pious men Then good men their afflictions shall forget When they see men whom God doth truly hate So justly punish'd men who have provok't By Villany Fraud and Oppression cloak't With piety one that will not be mock't Then shall the righteous men new Spirits take When they consider how God doth correct The good but utterly destroys the bad And makes their case irreparably sad Then though in dreadful misery and pain Yet shall they no more of their God complain Then will a Patient who doth understand His good Phisician will not set his hand To any Order or for any bribe Be hired by his En'mies to prescribe Such Medicines to him but what he knows At least he doth by rules of art suppose Are for his Health to those Religious Men In the most boiling Calenture of pain Shall not repine but with great constancy Endure all the assaults of misery And still hold bravely out untill at length God shall relieve them and renew their strength And now my friends though I design'd no more To argue with you as I did before Yet on this subject I cannot forbear But once again must in all calmness here Complain of you who so mistake my case And 'cause afflicted tell me in my face I 'm a curs'd Person a vile Reprobat One whom his Maker doth abhor and hate When you your selves for shame will not deny But that th' Almighty when he means to try The faith of those he loves will exercise Such with unheard of woes and miseries That when such fiery tryal they endure With patience they may become more pure Then formerly and as your selves aver After such sufferings in Gods sight appear More just and righteous then they were before Like Gold refin'd in Furnace o're and o're But since you 've taken up an argument To prove that no man can be innocent Who is afflicted but that only those Whose sins do cry for judgements suffer woes You do resolve although your reasons were Ill founded and of no more weight then air Yet still your reputation to maintain By a continued reasoning and vain Expressing of your Parts albeit you know You are i'th'wrong yet you will have it so Because you are wisemen and cannot err Whereas my friends by what doth yet appear I know not what you wit and prudence call But truth I find none wise amongst you all But O I will no more expostulat With men who love to entertain debate On every triffle and in foolish pride Think they know more than all mankind beside No such men are too wise for me and I Now am not for debates I dy I dy My days are spent all my designs are quash'd My poor endeavours are to pieces dash'd My thoughts are now so with afflictions clouded My judgement with the vail of woes so shrowded As now my sad confusion I see When things most clear are dubious to me Then why should I my time in arguing wast My small time that remains my days are past Then why should I desire to live when those From whom in this sad state I did suppose I might find comfort by their tart discourse Have rendred my condition ten times worse Then when they found me O had not these men Come hither sure I had been out of pain Before this time for in my solitude I had been stiffled by the multitude Of wasting sighs and groans sure I had dy'd And been so happy too as none had spy'd My face when dying none had interpos'd Themselves 'twixt me and death no hand had clos'd My glaring eyes none had officiousl Impeded me when I design'd to dy But in some silent hour unseen unknown Unheard uninterrupted all alone As one that falls asleep I had expir'd And gently from the Worlds view retir'd How sweetly had I dy'd how quietly Had I been shiffled in eternity Betwixt the utmost gasp of parting breath And the chill blowing of approaching death My wearied soul ere now from whence it came In the vehicle of a pleasant dream Had been transported and my Body laid In the cold Ground had its last tribute pay'd For though I with some reason hope that I May see my sun return before I dy And though I fancy to my self that yet The time may come in which I may forget All these afflictions which I now sustain And no more of consuming want complain The time may come in which my Body may In its own sphere its former strength display And this poor soul which now with heavy groans And floods of tears its miseries bemoans May from the Dung-hill yet be elevate And so restored to its former state Yet to what purpose all these hopes alace To what end serve those faÌ„ir appearances Those aery expectations which uphold The drooping spirits of both young and old Those pleasing notions by which we deceive Our lingring hours and make our selves believe We may when vapours of the night are gone Yet view our sun in its full horizon That smiling prospect of our future blisse Which for some time allays our grievances That painted idol in whose downy lap Our wearied sorrows sometime take a nap For what do all those serve when after all Death at our doors doth peremptorly call To Grave to Grave make haste my hour draws on Dispatch dispatch up I most wait on none Bestir your selves 't is high time to be gone Then where are all our hopes where all our joys And pleasures which did here make so much noise When that sad Summons in our ears doth sound Ah where is then our Life-guard to be found Those Champions of the World I doubt they are By that time bravely vanish'd into Air. Away all foolish hopes then for I know I know this Body to the Grave must go And after all those mournful passages I know the Grave must be my dwelling place Where in close darknesse and long night I must Attend until my Soul
return in Dust. And when I there have fix'd my habitation I shall take pleasure in the contemplation Of that dark subterraneous Soil and strive To learn more there than when I was alive On earth there I shall quicklie know what all Which here we honour Riches Beauty call Strength Learning Judgment Worldlie Policy With all the Product of Mortality Do in those dismal Regions signify There there I fear I soon shall learn to know There is no difference betwixt High and Low Betwixt the Rich and Poor the Strong and Weak But there all of 'em the same figure make I shall perceive that all those qualities Which we esteem in life afford no price Amongst the inhabitants of these Provinces Who barter nothing but for Species Of simple bodies void of cost or art Do only trade and in return impart Dire Putrifaction pestilentious Vapours Thick rotten air that would extinguish Tapers Black Sculls dry Bones with Matter purulent O goodly Trade O Wares most excellent Yet these are th' only Product of the Grave These these are all which in return we have For bodies of the goodliest Form and Shape For stately Bodies which no art can ape How many healthful bodies in their prime Are hurried hourly hence by pruning time To Deaths Plantations where that of a King And that of a poor Clown is all one thing That in its youth and that with age consum'd That wrapp'd up in its rags and that perfum'd With Aromatick Odours Nay although To coasts of grave those latter will not go But elsewhere trade and brag much of their gain How free from Putrifaction they remain By trading to deep Caverns under ground Where putrifying moisture is not found Where by the help of Powders Spices Oyles With other rich Ingredients the Spoiles Of some fair Provinces they do endeavour To keep their figure under ground for ever Yet at long run their trading doth amount To the same Profit to the same account As do all others for in sober sense I can indeed perceive no difference Betwixt a Body that enbalm'd doth ly In a Lead Coffin wrapp'd up decently In costly Wax-cloathes Bowell'd and perfum'd And that which with a tabid ill consum'd Putrid and withered under ground doth rest In a poor Wooden Coffin for at best Both are but food for Vermine only this As those who live in open Villages Are by th' Invaders sooner over-run Brought in Subjection plundred and undone Than those in Garisons doth sooner feed Those hungry insects than that wrapp'd in Lead But even that too to wasting time at length Is forc'd to yeeld for all its formal Strength And the poor Carion which it self did trust To those firm Walls becomes at length all Dust. As well as that which in the open Grave Was sooner eat up seing all things have Their own duration and their period Set by th' appointment of th' Almighty God Now even those under ground preserv'd and dry'd Do become black and almost petrifi'd As we may daily see without all shapes Flat and deform'd not so like Men as Apes Nay in a short time even to powder too Their flesh doth crumble Whilst their rich Coffines studded every where With Characters of Gold do still appear Sound and untouch'd which we should not admire If we consider that in Shell entire A rotten Kirnel oftentimes is found So these by long retention under ground Not with such dwellings in their lifetimes us d Though well prepar'd yet are at length reduc'd By a contagious subterraneous air To that Condition in which they appear Then O for all this wit for all this art How do those bodies to the world impart As perfect Emblems of lifes vanity As any records of Mortality Afford For don't see these withered things Those musty reliques of our glorious Kings Who in their lives with art and vast expence T' express their Grandeur and magnificence Caus'd dig deep Caverns out of solid Rocks In which their bodies as in Marble box Might from the rage of insects sleep secure And firm to all Eternity endure Pray don 't we see how those same Corps are made Through much o' th' world the subject of a trade O this vain World how ridiculous To see a Princes Body serve the use Of each Plebeian To see those things for all their foolish hopes Exposed in Apothecaries Shops As well as other Drugs to publick Sale And in small parcels vented by retail Alace how mean and how much differing From the first project of a Mighty King But the great King of Heavens will have it so That to proud Mankind he their pride may show For as from dust they sprung again they must By course of nature all return to dust 'T is Dust alone for which those Countreys deal The only traffique of that Common-weall All things imported these to Dust convert And soon or late by a laborious Art Expose that Dust to publick view again To show corruption only their doth reign That Governs all whilst no eye can perceive The cunning Manufacture of the Grave Let bodies swim in oyl and carefully Preserv'd in Glasses boast Eternity Let them be swallowed down let them be kep't In Fishes bellies or confus'dly heap't One bove another in some nasty hole Or in small atomes reach from pole to pole Or squandred in the bottom of the Seas Yet certainly at length all by degrees Must become Dust which when I shall perceive With men on Earth I 'll no more commerce have But keep firm correspondence with the grave Corruption I will my Father call The Worms my Mother Brethren Sisters all Then where are all my hopes what look I for On this side time why should I labour more T' uphold my spirit in vain expectation Of future blisse and worldy restauration When after all I clearly may perceive There is no hope for me but in the Grave In that dark dwelling I must only rest And in Deaths silent shades must only taste That which on Earth I never can attain That ease which I from Life expect in vain Then farewell all my hopes I 'll hope no more But here all expectations give o're Let others hope to see their misery Turn to a Sun-shine of prosperity Let others hope to see their sorrows crown'd With a fair issue and themselves abound In wealth and peace my hope is under ground Thither O thither only will I go And in those Regions finish all my woe Let others then hope still when I am gone Let others live I am for death alone All Earthly hopes are vain and perishing The course of life is a meer changeling There 's nothing here that we can lasting call The joyes of Mankind are meer cous'nage all Wit Honours Riches Courage Titles Fame Are but the hiccups of the Worlds esteem In which vain man buoy'd up doth proudly swim But when the black clouds of adversity Begin to gather and the angry Sky Threatens a storm then one may plainly see What
all the world may see What mean esteem he has of mortal race View me I pray look but upon my face And there behold a sad Epitome Of Heavens displeasure O were there no more worth your noticing Then this alone 't is such a dismal thing As if you take it in consideration Affords a subject of sad contemplation Such as might make you all asham'd to speak As you have done and I 'm convinc'd would check The heat of your discourse give ear then pray As you would be inform'd to what I say For when I think upon my former state How in the World I flourished of late How all my wishes did attain their aim And I no sooner could a blessing name But assoon God would send it to my door And blesse me so till I could ask no more And now how wretch'd how poor and miserable In yours and all mens eyes how despicable And quite undone I here on Dung-hill ly Th' hyperbole of pain and misery When I amidst my groans and lamentations Reflect upon the various Dispensations Of our great God and weigh them seriouslie I quake I sweat I tremble by and by I shake all over I am dampt with fear Like one out of his wits I do appear Infernal horror on my Soul doth seize And I become all stupid by degrees When I consider on this sad occasion What unexpected fearful alteration I 've seen of late Oh I am all confounded My Soul with fear and terror is surrounded When I consider how th' Almighty raises This or that man and throws down whom he pleases Without regard to all these mean Defences Which mortals use these pitiful Pretences Of Piety and Virtues by which some Would plead forsooth Exemption from his Doom Whilst he with great indifference on all Sends out his plagues then I a-trembling fall Then I perceive that what you all assert And labour to evince with so much art Concluding firmly God doth punish none Nor sends afflictions but on those alone Whose Sins do call for Judgments and from thence By an unquestionable consequence Infer that I am such then then I see What ever errors you would fix on me That your Position is both false and vain Below such men as you are to maintain Since then my friends by sad experience I know what you who never yet had sense Of such afflictions cannot understand Me thinks I may with reason now demand Your firm atention to what I shall speak Upon the subject which you may expect Shall be sincere for who can so express The Justice of th Almighty in the case As he who feels it as the man God knows Who 's tasted both Prosperitie and Woes If it be true then what you all assert That sin is only punish'd for my part I 'de gladlie know why Heavens King doth give Blessings to those who merit not to live Why doth the race of sin the earth possess Why thus in Issue Honor Wealth encrease Do we not dailie see how sinful men Do in their several stations attain To all that in this life can be desir'd Wish'd or projected Nor doth the Tide of prosprous daies encrease To its full height but for a season last No as their sins so do their blessings grow The current of Gods mercies still doth flow In those mens lives whatever they demand To feed the sense is granted out of hand In a most smooth uninterrupted stream Of earthly blessings like a pleasant dream They 're gently wafted without Wind or Wave Into the spacious Ocean of the Grave Thus live and dy they but this is not all For were these blessings meerly personal And perish'd with themselves we might suppose That their poor issue who their eyes did close Shut up with these all their felicity And became heirs to utmost misery No no these outward blessings are so far From dying with themselves as they appear Entail'd upon their Family and Race And settled so on their appanages As if inherent in the several fees Nay which is more those men whom you do call The worst of sinners do perceive this all In their own time they see their Families Flourish like verdant plants before their eyes They see the hopes of numerous Generations And view the rise of many famous Nations In their fair Off-spring they perceive their seed In peace and plenty fully established Their Childrens Children grow up in their sight As Heirs apparent to their Fathers Right In fine those wretches see their memory Run on the lines of perpetuity These sinful men within doors live at ease Free from all jars bless'd with domestick peace They know no discords no nor quarrels they No picques or humours ly a-crosse their way But all the day they plentifully feed With pleasant converse and at night to bed They drill encircled in each others arms Free from all passions clamours fears allarums And as in plenty within doors they dwell So with these men all without doors goes well Their Cattle thrive their Grounds are well manur'd Their beasts are from ill accidents secur'd Their Revenues are punctually pay'd Their Acts of Court-leet faithfully obey'd Their Tennents too do live in wealth and peace Enjoying each an undisturbed lease For many years and richly cultivat Each one his parcel of his Lords Estate In short these men are fully bless'd in all They can desire their Vassals at a call Attend their motions every one contends Who most shall serve them and be most their friends Around the neighbouring fields their wings they spread And all the Campaign soil is overlaid With numerous Branches of their Families Which soon dilate themselves in Colonies And People Countreys far remote from these Which first their Predecessors did possesse Amongst themselves they make firm allyance And when they meet they revel sport and dance They Correspond in mutual harmony And spend their time in mirth and jollity For when they meet at their grand Festivals They eat and drink and then with Masques and Balls They entertain themselves the Harp and Lute The Viol Organ Timbrel contribute T' encrease their jovialty and all their care Is only for their sports and daily fare In peace and plenty with great affluence Of worldly blessings and convenience Of every thing that humane life requires They waste their days and when their lease expires And sullen death commands them to remove And quite those fields which with their souls they love Then do not these men dy as others do In pain and torment But as soft slumber on the eyes doth creep And gently moves when men would fall asleep Or as a Candle burning nigh the end Its light in twinkling by degrees doth spend So in the Grave those men do gently roul Not troubled with the progress of the soul Not anxious whither it should take its course After this life for better or for worse They care not whether all is one to them For they think Soul and Body
are the same And as they liv'd together so they dy Returning both to dust by sympathy They think re-union not imaginable And hold the Resurrection but a fable Thence void of apprehensions after death With great indifference they shut up their breath Nor are these men to whom God is so kind O' th' better sort more polish'd and refin'd Then common sinners are no they are such As hugg their sins and honour vice so much In foulest shape with so high veneration They 're not asham'd to make it their profession Such as our God so little do esteem They think his glory but a sounding name Such as affirm the works of Providence The checks and dictats of a Conscience To be but stale devices forg'd by those Envious men whom Fortune doth oppose Men who enrag'd because they can't possesse That which themselves acknowledge happinesse Pick'd to see others in a better state Then they themselves invent they know not what To crosse their joyes and fain by art would move The World to credit what they cannot prove For when outwitted by Philosophy They run to th're fuge of a mystery Yet God is even kind to such as these Who think so of him and speak what they please Who boldly laugh at Death Heavens Hell and all In principles so Atheistical As they to God dar impiously say Prethee begone disturb us not we pray Let us alone torment us pray no more With admonitions which our souls abhor Forbear thy curses and dire menaces Vex us no more but let us live in peace And when we dy thou mayest dispose of us Even as thou wilt but whilst we live we 'll thus Employ our time in mirth and jollity And take our hazard of Eternity For who say they shall ever us perswade Or make believe that thou a soul hast made A something which doth after death exist A thing which preachers call even what they list That such a thing of thy own essence part Infus'd into us by thy special art Should after separation be condemn'd To endlesse torments and by thee esteem'd As useless dross because the thing did take Pleasure in that which thou thy self did make Why this we are perswaded were to hate Thy self and so thy self excruciat For others errors this is somewhat strange And in our thoughts a very poor revenge Give orders pray then to thy preaching men Who in this World spend much talk in vain To spare their lungs for they shall ne'r perswade Any of us that thou a soul hast made A subtile Idea a thing Divine Limbeck'd to th' hight sublimat sopra fine To be destroyed eternally No let us live say they even as we please On Earth let us enjoy our mirth and ease Not all thy art our pleasures shall controle Nor shall the silly notion of a soul Ever be able in the least to check What we resolve by what we may expect Pray who 's this God say they let 's understand Who 's this Almighty Lord at whose command We all must live and dy pray let us know Who is this Prince to whom all here below Must pay such homage who 's this Heavenly King To whom all Mortals on their knees must bring Their praying tribute twice a day at least And once a week give audience to some Priest Who calls himself this Kings Ambassador Whilst he repeats his Message o'r and o'r In such a saucy and incensing strain As those who hear him hardlie can abstain From choller when he is so bold to say All men shall be chastis'd who do not pray To this Great God For what end should we pray who stand in need Of nothing from him those whose dailie bread Comes from his Table those who do possess No part of earthlie Joy and happiness As we do all those whom unluckie fate Has plung'd into a miserable state Those men may lie a begging at Heavens Gate But as for us who live in afluence Who spend our time in great convenience Why should we pray what can he give us more Than we enjoy nay whom should we adore Shall we adore an unknown Prince who shrouds Himself behind the Curtains of the Clouds And treats the Sons of Men with such Disgrace As he disdains to let us see his face The Sun and Moon we know and dailie see But for this God of Heaven pray who is he Or if such adoration we allow him What profit shall we make by praying to him Have any fortunes by this praying made Are anie wealthie by this idle trade Do not we see how those who dailie call On this same God are miserable all Poor and Deform'd Contemptible and Mean By want of food most scandalouslie lean Praying and sleeping by a formal Rule Treated by all the world in Ridicule Why then should we to him our selves applie Who live in Wealth since onlie Povertie Is the return of Prayer shall we request That we may become such no let us wast Our Years in mirth and not our selves betray To miserie but chase all cares away By frolick sports whilst Fools and Beggars pray Yet such even such the God of Heavens doth bless Such cursed things in Honour Wealth and Peace Do flourish here on earth those wretched men Have in their lives no reason to complain They know no judgments nor afflictions they Whilst ' those who from their tender Years do pray And in Devotion earlie exercise Their spirits are involv'd in miseries For shame forbear my friends then to assert That punishments are meerlie by desert Inflicted when the contrair doth appear By what I 've said so evident and clear Nor would I my dear friends you should mistake My meaning or suppose by what I speak Whilst I express how happy those men are That I envie them or i' th' least appear To harbour any thoughts of discontent Whilst those means plentie with my punishment And wretched state of life I do compare Or that I would be happy as they are No God forbid that I should entertain Such impious thoughts or any way complain Of Gods good Dispensations No I 'm so far from that as seriouslie I think what those men call Prosperitie Doth not deserve the name of happiness But is at best but like a gentle breeze Which blowes before a Storm I do believe What those poor Souls do fillilie conceive To be the true supream Felicity Is on the matter down-right Misery O let those mens prosperity to me Be never known let these eyes never see Plenty on earth as I have seen before Let my kind Maker never me restore To anie thing which men call happiness Rather than I should be as one of those And now my friends as I have thus express'd How much the wicked in this life are bless'd So I would have yow know that what I say I do not as a firm position lay Nor do I think it proper on my part That I should so tenaciouslie assert That all such
all families they spoil And what the poor ones do with daily toil Amongst the reapers glean they take away Making the sheaves of th' hunger-starv'd their prey Nay though our Peasants for security From these shrewd thieves within doors silently Tread out their Wines and with great care and toyl Do in some hidden corner make their Oyl Yet maugre all the shifts they can devise Those cruel men before their very eyes Take all away and cunningly do cheat Those anxious souls of both their Drink and Meat So that for want of sustenance they dye And in the fields their bodies scattered lye As food for Crows unburied here and there And with contagious scent infect the aire VVhich quickly doth engender Pestilence That in its rage making no difference Betwixt the rich and poor doth sweep away Some thousands at a Muster every day Where both the guilty and the innocent In the same Coffin to the Grave are sent On shoulders of poor Slaves and Pioneers Whilst not a man of all their friends appears At the Graves-mouth in mourning to condole The Dead or say a requiem to their Soul So that a man may well infer from thence Oppression is some cause of Pestilence And yet though Heavens are hourly battered With cryes of many thousands ruined By such Oppressours though the Towns exclaim And all the Countys bitterly do blame The Magistrate who should by force restrain The frequent in rodes of those barbarous men Though Ghosts of all the Murthered round about With a loud voice for vengeance do cry out Yet God appears to slight this joint address And still permits those Varlets to oppress And now that I have spoke sufficiently Of those whose trade is sin who openly Practise it and esteem it no disgrace To be descended of a thieving race Now I shall show you how on th' other part Some men do sin as much but with great art Endeavour closely to conceal the same Not for its guilt but to avoid its shame There be indeed some who commit offence Against the light of their own Conscience And therefore as asham'd of what they do Because they dare not openly avow Their sinful actings they abhore the light And wrapp'd up in the mantle of the night Practise the works of darkness with delight Yet those most part escape the censure too Which you affirm to wicked men is due And flourish in this life Of these I shall give you some instances For if I should endeavour to express The several kinds of such who do offend I fear that my discourse should have no end I 'le not then reckon all but satisfie My self with Murder and Adultery Two loud-tongu'd sins as to the world are known And which are able of themselves alone To bring down Judgements which might overthrow Whole Kingdomes States and Nations at a blow Two sins that in a constant Threnody Do call for vengeance whilst most bitterly They do accuse their actors and in crouds Make for themselves a way through thickest Clouds Each day from hence not resting while they be Familiar in the Court of Heavens and see The very face of God yet after all Although for justice every hour they call God will not hear them for great reasons known To his Eternal Majesty alone For let 's observe but how the Murderers Before the Sun with morning blush appears On th' utmost confines of our Horizon Are ready arm'd and to their work are gone Enter some Countrey-dwellings silently And cut the throats of all the Family Then riffle every Room take all away And get them home before it is yet day Th' Adulterer too knowing the proper time In which he may with safety act his Crime Longs for the twilight when he poorly may To his poor pleasures his poor Soul betray For whilst he sick with last nights surfeit sleeps Till noon-tide then attires himself and keeps Within Doors at his Book and violin To put himself in humour for his sin The closs dissembling night draws on apace Then doth he with great art disguise his Face As all who go a rambling Wrappp'd in long-cloak he sneaks along the streets Unknown as he conceives to all he meets To th' evening-walks he doth direct his march Where he with great anxiety doth search In every Grove and arbour o're and o're Until he find out his beloved Whore Whom when he finds in a most lustful passion He hurries to the place of assignation Sometimes in publick on design he walks And seemingly unconcern'd converses talks With one or other whilst still privatly Upon some Window he doth cast an Eye Where some bewitching face he doth espy Then on the door he sets a private mark That he may find the place out in the dark Thence to his Pandress quicklie drives and there What he has now discovered doth declare A beauty O most excellent and rare Th' old sinner views her Books with care to see Who this same so much cry'd up Whore can be At length by his account she seems to guess And tells him she will do his business And cunningly appoints both time and place Where these do meet and at their ease and leasure Until the morning glut themselves with pleasure But O the morning O the rising Sun When that appears this man is quite undone Upon his nights atchievments he reflects And finds himself assaulted by the checks Of an enraged Conscience and appears As one distracted betwixt lusts and fears Leaps from his Bed attires himself anon Calls for a Bill and fain he would begone Whilst th' Whore yet sleeps because he apprehends If he should tarry longer by some friends Who early stir about their businesse He may be seen from that unlawful place Come out and so these men may soon proclaim Through all the City both his sin and shame On th' other hand he judges he may stay Within doors with more safety while the day Be spent and in the evening steal away In these reflections and sad apprehensions Each moment he doth alter his intentions His resolutions waver to and fro He knows not whether he should stay or go Cold fear invades his Nerves his Blood doth frieze His Joints do tremble and Deaths terrors sieze Upon his Soul for in this pannick fear He thinks he sees the Husband every where Whom he has injur'd with Sâ—iletto arm'd Ready t' assault his Person He thinks he hears him swear in every place He shall be soon reveng'd of his disgrace At length 'twixt hope and fear he issues out Down next blind-lane he slips and veers about By many durty windings here and there Until to the next fields he doth repair Where he doth walk as if he took the Air But by and by he to the Woods doth fly For now he doth suspect the Hue and Cry Is out against him thus he doth declare How for his sin he punishment doth fear Resolving from such actions to forbear In all time coming
time are often overtane With punishment nor do I yet denie But God doth his Displeasure signifie By previous signs to such ere he doth fall Upon them in his Wrath for good and all But that he sends afflictions on none But those whose sins do merit Hell alone I still denie and in that Confidence To all your bold and cruel Eloquence I still oppose my Faith and Innocence On these and on Gods mercie I relie And if you think I argue foolishlie Convince me pray by other arguments Then I have heard as yet But thus to treat me thus to aggravate My woes to comfort me at such a rate By adding to my sorrows is indeed A comforting of which I have not read 'T is such a method as I think that none Did ever yet practise but you alone I do confess indeed my grief is such As may have prompted me to speak too much Upon the Subject and I don't denie But in my sore and bitter agonie Some words might fall I cannot justifie But when you see me in this dire estate With griefs and sorrows so exasperate And plagu'd with such sad exercise of mind I did expect you would a'been so kind As to afford me counsel and advice That such a fool as I by men so wise As you are might b'instructed in the case But stead of that you tell me in my face I 'm lost undone and may in justice fear Moe pains and torments then I yet do bear Such comforting did ever Mortal hear What spirit moves thee thus my friend to speak Dost thou imagine I am yet so weak But that I understand as well as thou What is Gods greatness and his justice too What spirit then doth move thee thus to speak Dost thou intend to comfort or correct Thy poor afflicted friend do let me know Whether thou means't to comfort me or no For what thou speaks't doth nothing contribute T' uphold my swouning spirits or recruit My so much wasted strength I cannot see What comfort all thy speeches yield to me For with such zeal and fervour thus to press Once and again what all men do confess Gods power and greatness thus still to repeat Were to suppose that we did now debate The truth of these things and that I deny'd What you so eagerly affirm beside If any man should chance to hear us now Upon this Subject and observ'd but how Thou and my other friends with all the Art That Learning can afford do still assert What I deny hee 'd presently conclude That you are pious men and I a leud Ungodly person whereas you all know And are convinc'd your selves things are not so Pray then forbear this way of comforting By such reiterated arguing And telling of me things I don't deny For what doth all this talking signifie T' a poor afflicted man and if you please Pray use such words as may afford some ease To one in a deplorable estate And let me hear no more of your debate For what you speak if I do understand Doth not concern the question in hand But here my friends that you may no more Preach Upon this Theme as if you meant to teach One that is dull and ignorant I 'le show How I Gods Greatness and his Justice know As well as any of you all and how I can descant upon his wonders too Allow me then his Greatness to express As you have done by as few instances First then that my discourse may method keep Let us observe his wonders in the deep Let 's there begin and see how providence So vast so pow'rful so profound immense Active and quick at all occurrences Doth reach ev'n to the bottom of the Seas There he doth rule as well as on the Land There all the Creatures which his mighty hand Hath fram'd submit themselves to his command Those Monsters of the Ocean who afright Th' admiring Sea-man with their very sight Those dreadful Creatures of such various frames As we do hardly yet know all their names Those numerous Giants of the deep who scoure The Ocean with an Arbitrary power Swallowing their fellow-creatures with such ease As if they claim'd dominion of the Seas Who when they mean to sport themselves will make Th' unbroken Waves with their strong motion shake Like troubled Waters and anon to show Their force whole Tuns of Water up they throw From their prodigious Snouts as if they 'd dare By force of Water to subdue the Air. Those huge portentuous Creatures though they seem In their own Sphere to be of some esteem To have some pow'r dominion and command Yet are they govern'd by his mighty hand And do submit their necks with deference To his great Lord-Lieutenent Providence Who when he sees those Creatures wantonly Sporting along the Ocean by and by With single nod commands them to be gone Then like so many Slaves they trembling run To the Seas bottom where they groveling ly Until from him they have the liberty To swim aloft and there they roam about At every prey till their Verloof run out Dead things he also orders in the Seas Such as Pearls Amber Coral Ambergrease And Sperma cete which for humane use He makes them as a yearly Rent produce Now as he rules i'th'bottom of the Seas So in the earth he orders all with ease He views its darkest Caverns and descryes What is impervious to all humane eyes The Grave before him opens up her Womb His eyes doth pierce the clossest Marble Tomb. No place affords a shelter from his wrath Not all the winding Labyrinths of death Not Hell it self in whose closs Vaults do ly The burning Tares of poor Mortality Where damned Souls eternally bemoan Their idle progress here on earth whilest none Can make them help and to no purpose groan Where grining Fiends by his permission rule And treat our glorious World in ridicule Making the highest 'mongst the lowest ly Where all are Cudgell'd to conformity Yet of this Dungeon he doth keep the Keys And every moment doth survey with ease The actions postures tears of all in Hell And the sad living knows exactly well Of all those Souls who nigh Earths Center dwell With curious Art he doth expose to th' eye That large and glorious Azure Canopy Which round this Earthen Glob he doth expand Whilst in its Center with a mighty hand He makes this Glob so spacious and fair Unfix'd unprop'd unfounded any where Hang like a Water-bubble in the Air. Here then let admiration fix its eyes And high-flown Art its Artless self despise When it considers how beyond all Art And contrair to what reason doth impart A solid Body which should downwards tend By Nature and is apt still to descend Should in this posture Pendulous remain And by its own weight it s own weight sustain To see gross Earth and heavy Water mix't Stand so unmoving so secure so fix't Amidst the Light thin Element of Air That unresisting Element that rare And
earthly mind That never to Devotion was inclin'd In love with prayer a thing it never knew Before that time whose name to it is new Especially when no return is made As he expects but that he 's still delay'd Whilst God his Supplication will not hear Though every hour he 's at expence of prayer Why truly after he some time has spent In proving of this new Experiment Which men call prayer and perceiving still His pains encrease let him pray what he will He gives it over and will pray no more But even continues as he did before In worldly thoughts and when approaching Death Begins to stop the passage of his Breath Then he doth pass a vote of None-address 'Gainst Heavens and falls to earthly business Calls for his Books his Bonds and Evidents His Leases and judicial Instruments Makes Notes of 'em and quickly sums up all Both Land and Money to a capital Is anxious to settle his Affairs That he may leave no trouble to his Heirs Pays what he owes will die in debt to noue And clears accounts with all but God alone Which when h' has done he thinks to find some rest Or after all to die in peace at least But O! he 's disappointed for now all His friends and kindred do about him craul As Crows about a dying Beast and claim Some portion of his substance each of 'em They buzz about him with such outward show Of kindness and torment his spirit so With their expecting looks as he can find No way to ease his now distracted mind Until he satisfie them all and then He thinks his spirit may be eas'd of pain So makes his Will and names some Legacie For each of 'em then thinking he may die In peace and ease he bids them all begone Since they have got their asking but anon Physicians Lawyers Scriveners appear And each of them too do pretend a share In that rich Booty These for their labour during his Disease Expecting more then ordinary Fees These others for the pains which they have ta'ne In his Affairs pretend to no small gain Hence wearied of his Life and seeing now With Riches he can have no more to do He signs and seals whatever these advise And piece meals in a thousand Legacies His once beloved Dross then after all Is gone he faintly doth for Preachers call ' Tells them that he has given all away And therefore thinks it now high time to pray But scarce these good men do begin to speak When the poor Worm becomes so faint and weak As he is ready to expire and then He has no time to hear those pious men Only when thoy desire out of his store He may appoint some small thing for the Poor He tells them all 's now gone ' has nothing left No Means no Cash he 's now of all bereft Then in the view of all with staring eyes Sad grinnings bitter words and horrid crys He sees his soul depart and cursing dies Thus lives and dies the wretched Hypocrite Who never in devotion took delite But O the man on whom our gracious God Has Grace bestow'd walks in another road For he acquainted in Prosperity With daily Prayer at least when Misery Doth seize upon him never doth give or'e But still the more it doth increase the more He prays and take delight at all occasions To rouze his Soul with pious contemplations 'T is true indeed in excess of his pain A piousman may possibly complain Th' Almighty doth not hear him when he prays And slights his cryes but O! what then he sayes Is but the Language of his fearful sense For in his heart he still with confidence Believes that God doth hear him when he cries And in the midst of all his miseries Perswades himself that God will after all Those flying Parties of his wrath recall And yet restore him to his former state And free him from his troubles soon or late Hence then my friends I 'd have you understand That I may now apply to th' case in hand What I have spoke I am no Hypocrite But one indeed who truly takes delite In Prayer and what e're my sorrows be Yet still have hopes as you may plainly see In all my carriage since you hither came However you 're unkindly pleas'd to blame My reasonable though I must confess Too oft complainings in my sad distress But now since you allow me time to speak I 'le teach you as my God shall me direct What is the truth and wherein you have err'd Whilst in your arguing you have still preferr'd Your own opinions to what all of you Cannot but know is evidently true I 'le tell you nothing but what you have seen With your own eyes although you do maintain Opinions flatly opposite I 'le show No more but what observing men do know I 'le tell you of the various dispensations Of the Almighty upon all occasions Which of his power are no smal demonstrations For sure Gods actings are must wonderful In all our eyes and there is none so dull But may perceive his providence is such As all of us cannot admire too much His government o' th' world is so sublime As those poor souls who know no more of him Then by effects and do not understand As we do how his high and mighty hand All things below doth solely regulate Yet do admire him by the name of Fate Since then my friends as I do understand That all along the Question in hand Has been amongst us whether God doth prove Infallibly his anger and his love By blows and blessings which though formerly We 've agitate to the extremity Of reasoning yet that you all may see How in the Question we may soon agree If passion and private interest For your own wit did not possess your breast I 'le show you to give your discourse its due What you have spoke is in some cases true For all this while I never did deny But that our God his wrath doth testify Against bad men by judgements visible And that sometimes they are infallible And open signs of his displeasure when He has a mind to plague the worst of men With sad afflictions Yet I acknowledge in his providence Oft-times indeed he makes a difference Betwixt the just and unjust man and shows By the ones blessings and he others woes Whom he doth love and whom he truly hates By demonstrations in their different states The portion of the wicked I confess Is in my apprehension nothing less Then what their foul and loud-tongu'd sins do merit And all bad livers justly should inherit For let 's observe now though God for a while Upon the wicked man doth seem to smile And all the blessings which his very heart Can wish he freely to him doth impart Though he permits his Race to multiply In figure of a numerous Family Yet they by Sword and Famine all shall dye Nay such of 'em as shall escape both
o' th' ground By th' art of man a rugged heavy stone Appearing of no value but anon Brought to the Mill and Furnace smelted cast In Barres to th' fire and Anvil brought at last Becomes so firm a Mettal so entire And solid as a man cannot desire A thing more useful for if he intend In sweet Agriculture his life to spend Without this Mettal he can nothing do He cannot cut down Woods he cannot plough He cannot make the Earth that Grain afford Which feeds the stock of Mankind in a word He who intends this honest life to lead Must by his Iron win his daily bread Or if in War he rather takes delight And hating Peace he doth incline to fight Why without this bold Mettal in his hand Had as good stay at home and plough the Land As go th' Camp but with that furnished He soon gains reputation by the Blade Or if on th' other hand his inclination Makes him in love with Trade and Navigation Without this Mettal he 's a fool that dares To the uncertain Ocean trust his Wares By this the Boards are fix'd which do compose Th' adventuring thing in which to Sea he goes By this when Wind-swoln waves do proudly roar On every side and threaten to devour The trembling Oak in which this man doth steer Even ready to expire for very fear When in good earnest he doth now perceive Th' insulting Billows offer him a Grave And views the Scaly Champions of the Seas Who wait on such occasions as these As Birds of prey for Carrions at Land Assemble in great Troops on every hand To feed upon his flesh by this I say He doth procure a merciful delay From gracious Providence On this to Hauser ty'd and then let drop To the Seas bottom under God his hope Alone depends on this nail'd to the Ground He safely rides while Death doth him surround And Clouds of terror on all hands environ He owes his life to this small piece of Iron Which holds all sure and when the Storm is gone With joy he weighs this useful thing anone Tyes it to his Ships-bow then on his knees When he perceives a calmness in the Seas Thanks God for his delivery and then Hoises his Sails and so to Sea again Upon his lawful Trade Then if for Handy-crafis he do incline Without this Mettal he who doth design A Manufacture labours but in vain For without Iron he never can obtain What he intends but by it easily Can all the World with useful things supply Nay further if perhaps a man inclines To become rich by Minerals and Mines And th' other Ores in Earths dark Kennesl trace 'T is only Iron must do his business The Pick-ax and the Shovel without doubt Are th' only tools can find that treasure out In fine this Mettal this same rugged stone Doth for so many uses serve that none O' th' other Mettals can with it compare And were this vulgar Mineral as rare As Gold and Silver since so many call For it to humane use it would them all Exceed in value and be quickly able T' attain the title of inestimable The wit of man doth find out Copper too By Art and Labour and with much ado Brings it to ' th' Furnace where it smelts it down By a strong well fomented fire and soon Casts it in Plates by Artists hand annon This Ore mix'd with th' Calaminary Stone And smelted down together in a Mass Becomes that compound Mettal we call Brass An useful Mettal durable and fair And save with Gold and Silver may compare VVith all the other Ores which in its Veins Scaturient here and there the earth contains Now in all these a man may lawfully Improve his art and by his Industry Unrip Earths VVomb and openly reveal VVhat Nature in the dark would fain conceal Yes by this art and labour every day To his dear Ore he may cut out his way Through horrid darkness which by Candle light He clears and lays all open to the sight VVhat prudent nature from earths serous part Had separate and without help of Art Attracted to its Meseraick Veins And scattered here and there in lobs and grains But yet so cunningly that after all VVhat man on earth can pain and labour call 'T is so conceal'd for all his art no doubt He has enough adoe to find it out Their humane art and wicked lahour too Finds out those Stones to which we do allow No small esteem nay in that value hold As some are hardly to be bought for Gold In search of these then and his darling Ores He ventures forward and the earth so bores On every side where he perceives the Vein But half-inch-thick as with much toil and pain He digs a-round it as much scantling waste As may afford him lodging on his breast Upon which creeping with his Tools and Sticks The Ore out of its Veins in Grains he picks Which put in little Bags th' one to his Breast A-crosse the other to his Back ty'd fast At least now fourty fathoms under ground Whilst horrid damps his Senses so confound As he is almost stifled yet at last He climbs above ground thinks all danger past When he perceives the Sun so brightly shine To which he was a stranger in the Mine Yet many who below ground dig for Ore Choak'd with bad vapours see that light no more Nor meet they only with Malignant Air Who to these Mineral-regions repair But also whilst they labour under ground By Waters which from hidden Springs arround Rush in upon the Mines they 're almost drown'd Yet doth the wit of man with much adoe At length o'recome this great obstruction too By carrying on of Levells in which all The Neighbouring Springs as in a Cistern fall And in that Trough are secretly convey'd And emptied at some petty Rivers side Whose twinkling Streams do trindle in a Line Parallell with the Basis of the Mine Or if this Mine they work in deeper lies Than any part o' th' Neighbouring Superfice Then in this Canal safely carried To the Shafts bottom they 're delivered In numerous Buckets which do there attend And are let down in hundreds for that end And by these brought aloft are emptied In the next Ditch and thence securely spread Amongst the Neighbouring Fields Or if they do not by these Levels drain And fit for work this profitable Vein Then by the strength of Pumps they suck up all Those Waters which infest the Mineral And render it so easie by degrees As they dig out their precious Ore with ease Nor are they only with infecting Air And Waters sorely vex't who labour there But with Fire too for though earth's Superfice Affords us Bread at a convenient price Of wholesome labour and contentedly Returns the product of our industry As willing to be Plow'd and Furrowed Yet if in labour further we proceed And with presuming tools dare undertake T' unrip her Belly and with pleasure rake Her very Bowels
by a Whore Or have set Spyes before my Neighbours Door T' observe the glances of his amorous Wife Or robb'd him of the pleasures of his life By close appointments and dark assignations Where I have had my will at all occasions Then were it just my Wife should be so us'd As I my self had others Wives abus'd 'T were just that she her self should prostitute For hire without he trouble of a sute To every Porter Foot-man Slave or Groom And for all Comers keep an open open Room That all l 've injured in that humble state May their affronts on her retalliate Besides I know this was a sin so foul And so provocking as my very soul Did still abhor it I did still detest This treacherous Crime nor would I in the least By any means into â—s Clutches fall Nor would I hearken to th' Adulteress call Though by the Laws it were not capital A sin I alwayes thought in Heavens sight So black and ugly that it hates the light No more than God hates â—t a dreadful sin From whence his wrath doth usually begin Against its Actors and pursues the Chace To th' utmost extirpation of their Race This was my life this was my conversation Thus without blemish in my reputation I alwayes liv'd and never deviate From Virtues narrow road and as with hate I still rejected all incontinence So in the peace of a good Conscience I liv'd secure whilst I administrate Both in my publick and my private state Justice to all men for to th' meanest slave Within my Walls I 'de the same way behave In point of right when they 'd to me complain Of any wrong as to the greatest men I' th' Countrey in their sutes and after all I thought it but my duty For in my mind I oft considered That those poor slaves though they by Law were made My servile Subjects yet both they and I Were subject to that King who sits on high That Supream Judge who deals impartially With all men So that if I during my eminence To any of these men had done offence Had I refus'd to hear their exclamations Or of their wrongs refus'd them reparations Had I abused that authority Which I had o're those wretches what could I Pray what could I with reason have expected Might be my doom for if I had neglected My duty to the meanest here below Or e're deny'd them justice even so When God in justice 'gainst me should proceed I might my sin then in my judgement read For with my self my friends I alwayes thought That though those men I had with Money bought And so by Law had pow'r of life and death Over them all and might have in my wrath Kill'd them like beasts yet these poor souls were men As well as I and that a time was when Those now distinguished by Law and I Did undistinguish'd in the belly ly For in the womb what the Almighty frames This only Man and that he Woman names No more distinction there no in that Cell Without Precedence all as Brethren dwell There is no Master there 's no Servant there For in the sight of God all do appear But as one Plastick matter out of which His mighty hand doth form both poor and rich He whom the world doth honourable name And he whom mean and base is there the same There 's no such thing there as we birth do call For there 's but one birth in t' th' Original One common source from whence we trindle all Though as we daily see how from one spring Several petty Rivers issuing Swoln up by other Rivers in the stream Do purchase to themselves a lofty name So the poor aery notion of blood Though in the fountain barely understood To be one species what so e're esteem Th' applause of men put on it in the stream As it in several Veins scaturiats Is valued by the Worlds Book of Rates Which slights the Fountain but respects the Streams And this Blood base and that Blood Noble names But in the Mass there is no difference No formal quality no excellence Nor even in the stream can sharpest eye Perceive a Physical disparity 'Twixt this and t' other Blood for all appear Of the same colour all are equal there Yes let a Princes and a Peasants Veins Be Launc'd together there 's no difference Betwixt the two for both of them to th' eye Appear to be of a bright Scarlet dye Only as Iron Copper Lead or Brasse Esteemed but base Mettals in the Masse Are soon by Princes orders rais'd as high As Gold in value and do signify As much in Commerce and in Bargains go At no lesse rate if they will have it so Even so a Princes favour when it shines On this or 'tother Blood in direct Lines It raises soon the value of the thing And this or 'tother Blood to hight doth bring Which were as mean as others in the spring Yet let me tell you in a sober sense I truly think there is great difference Betwixt that Blood stamp'd by a Prince and that On which unspoted Virtue sets a rate The first like vapours by the Sun exhal'd From Lakes and Ditches justly may be call'd Which do not firmly in the Clouds remain But quickly either in Hail Snow or Rain Do from their stations tumble down again For as by Princes smiles that Blood was rais'd So by their frowns it is as soon debas'd Their anger taints that current in a tryce On which their favour lately set a price Which now diverted from its former course Appears as low and cheap as in the source But that by virtue rais'd we may compare To Elemental waters which do there Dwell with a firm design of remanence And are not easily to be pumped thence For that by virtue rais'd cannot be stain'd So long as that its motion doth attend Which gave its Being and through Princes wrath The owner of that Blood may bring to death Yet still it lives in his Posterity And runs i' th' Channel of a Memory For Virtue 's only true Nobility Then where 's the man that boasts of Noble Race Can he his Blood from other Fountain trace Then that o' th' Womb in which the poorest slave Who has no foot of Earth besides his Grave Has as much interest as he and can Derive his Line from th' ancient House of Man As well as those who with great vanity Can point the series of their Family O then what fools must these be understood Who void of Virtue only boast of Blood Who think their Birth affords them liberty Beyond the vulgar in all villany And sin according to their quality Sure these must be the worst of men sure these Of humane blood must be the very lees Yet such there are and such will always be Who by the fable of their Pedigree Make way through every sin as if what shame Forbids the Vulgar were allow'd to them And when they 've made
how I am pure and innocent And so deserve not this great punishment But O where is he to be found ah where Doth he reside shall I search here or there North South East West why all is but in vain For after all I never can obtain A sight of him from whence I plainly see There 's nothing left but black despair for me So that my soul of life is wearied And would choose even strangling to be freed From its sad pains O how I life abhorre I hate it and desire to live no more O let me die then for I know his wrath Will never cease so long as I do breath For 't is in vain to think that ever I Can be on this side of mortality Restored to my late prosperity Why truly friend 't is no small provocation For one to use such terms of desperation Under sad woes 't is true men without hope Will think upon a Dagger or a Rope Not knowing God but for those men who fear This God in saddest trials to despair Is a great sin a fault intollerable A foul offence a crime unpardonable What to despair to give all o're for lost When in the Ocean of afflictions toss't To let our spirits fail and weakly faint Like Female souls in such an exigent When we have most need to be confident To show some courage in prosperity And in the Battel of adversity When we have most use for it to have none Is truly what I cannot think upon Without disdain to sink when we should swim To lye flat on the ground when we should climb To th'mountain tops so cowardly to shrink VVhen we should stand to 't bravely is I think A quality which he who valueth Hath neither courage prudence grace nor faith Thus to despair alace how meanly base And unbecoming one of Abrams race Of Abraham that supereminent Undaunted constant and believing Saint VVho in his God such confidence did place As he could not despair in any case And for that reason was of all esteem'd The father of the faithful Shouldst thou despair then one who art descended O' th' house of faith one who hath still depended Upon the promise to thy Fathers made And as I see dost yet thy self perswade That thy Redeemer lives whom no man hath Seen ever yet but with the eyes of faith What one of so much faith thus to despair 'T is truly friend a thing not ordinar Yes one of his integrity so fond Which should support his faith thus to despond Like those who conscious of some horrid crimes Spin out their days in melancholly Chines What to despair let 's hear no more for shame Of this despair I hate its very name Despair I know indeed some impious men Who thinking death will ease them of their pain Which here they suffer for their sins and that By it their crimes will be obliterat Like mad-men at such time for death do baul Supposing the kind grave will cover all Their lewd offences but I hope my friend Thou' rt none of those who think death puts an end To all our pains nay surely thou dost know And firmly dost believe things are not so For then the fiery trial but begins And after death we 're punish'd for our sins More then in life now we are but arraign'd And may plead mercy then we are constrain'd T' endure those torments which God has ordain d For unrepenting sinners and must ly Under his wrath to all eternity Rouz up thy self then and despair no more But trust in God for he will yet restore Thee to thy former state and let thee see He doth retain more kindness yet for thee Then thou dost either merit or expect Trust in him then let faith thy heart direct In this sad tryal do no more despair For he 's a loving God and will take care Of thee and thy concerns and after all When he has try'd thee fully he 'll let fall His wrath against thee and in pure compassion Deliver thee out of this sad temptation He will restore thee to thy former state For all that thou hast seen or suffered yet And now my friends I must again to you Address my self once more you see then how This good man is not so much punished For former sins as he is visited In wrath for his despondency and passion Though yet our God has us'd such moderation In trying of him as he has no cause T' exclaim against the rigor of his Laws For yet he lives and may yet live to see Himself from all his present sorrows free Judge then if he has reason constantly Thus to complain and foolishly to cry When he has suffered no extremity I therefore do conclude that Job has spoke Such language in his pains as might provoke The wrath of God and make him yet to pour Worse judgements on him then he to this hour Has ever felt and it were equity That he with whom he has so tenderly Dealt all this while for his despondency Should yet be further punish'd but I hope He 'll have compassion on him now and stop The current of his Wrath which for my part I wish he may do quickly from my heart Lest if his torments be continued He may in his extravagance proceed And so his Heavenly Father irritate As he for ever may exheridate This ungrate wretch and never owne him more To be his Child as he has done before This winnowing tryal and may do again Could he from his unjust complaints abstain Cap. XXXVI BReathing a while till he might recollect His spirits he begun again to speak As formerly and with a judgment stayd The zealous young man thus continued Suffer me yet a little while said he To speak my friend and I 'll impart to thee What further I have yet to plead and say On Gods behalf suffer me now I pray To speak but yet a little in defence Of my great Master that I may from thence Inform thee of his Power and Majesty And thy own dulnesse and stupidity Who all this while hast boldly argued 'Gainst his procedure in thy case and said 'T was hard to send so great a punishment Upon a man so just and innocent As thou art I shall therefore freely show How much thou to this mighty God dost owe Who hath been pleas'd with so much patience To hear thee talk so on thy innocence And even attempt t'arraign his Providence Without inflicting yet some harder things Upon thee for thy sinfull murmurings Allow me then to speak for I intend 'Gainst all opponents stoutly to defend The honour of my Maker and maintain Against all mortals who of him complain That he 's all justice mercy and compassion And uses in his wrath great moderation That he 's all virtue truth and righteousness And more then I am able to express Allow me then to speak allow me pray And seriously advert to what I say Upon the subject for though my intent
who yet would be esteem'd Great saints and are such by the vulgar nam'd Whilst in their hearts they think on nothing less But entertain all sort of wickedness Which they imagine may promove i' th least The smallest part of their own interest Then shall they fall like such then shall they dy Like all the followers of hypocrisy Hypocrisy and here 's a sin indeed Which in Gods sight doth many sins exceed A complex sin made up of many parts A catalogue of all pernicious Arts A close concealer of all villany A great debaucher of integrity A guilded sin compos'd of all that 's bad A crying sin in pious masquerade A couz'ning sin a sin so intricat As all save God it easily doth cheat A sin so painted siz'd and varnished With pious Oyles and so well shaddowed As it can hardly be discovered To be a sin by any mortal eye A sin that seems t' abhor impiety And yet doth hug it such a sin indeed In my opinion doth all sins exceed And sure I know God who doth falshood hate Above all others doth abominate This cunning sin and thence we often read How this close sin God has discovered By his great art For as we dayly see How many counterfeited Coines there be By worst of villains stamp'd and fashioned Where Silver is so cunningly allay'd With courser Mettals as they will endure The Touch-stone and the File and seem so pure As one would think they of true fineness were Yet put them in a crucible and there By heat of Fire the cheat will soon appear So when the Hypocrite doth pleasantly Enjoy himself in great tranquility With such a specious but adulterat show Of piety he gulls the people so As in his Fig-leav'd Coat and zealous paint He passes current for an upright Saint But let him once be brought as others are To th' fiery tryal then he doth appear To be the person that he is indeed Then all his falshood is discovered His timerous spirit soon doth liquify His soul begins to shrink he cann't apply Himself to God but passes stupidly His time away without all meditation Or thoughts of Heaven as upon such occasion All good men do But hardned in his sins and knowing well How much his former actions merit Hell He thinks that now 't is hardly worth his pain T' apply to God for mercy or complain To him whom he has so much irritate But as contented with his present state Takes of his Masque and acts now openly What he before perform'd more cautiously Then he lets loose the reins of inclinations And runs like mad man into all temptations Then as in youthful veins his blood doth rage And he must find out pleasures to asswage The horrid torment of his melancholly And so expends some years in sin and folly For that so rude disordered fermentation O' th' mass of Blood doth quickly give occasion To sharp Diseases which do warmly fall Upon his body and e're he can call To God for mercy without more delay Do hurry him and all his sins away Thus then my friend we see Afflictions are Most necessary and we must prepare Our selves for Tryals and severe Temptations As thou dost now endure at all occasions Because by these our God is us'd to try The difference betwixt true Piety And base sophisticate Hypocrisy For as the best of Grain is pestered With the foul mixture of some specious Weed Which growing up in the same Field with it Doth the good Grain so slily counterfeit As while cut down thresh'd out and winnowed The false Grain cannot be discovered So in the Summer of Prosperity When true Religion and Hypocrisy Appear to grow up in one Field together 'T is hard for Mortals to distinguish either But in the Harvest of Adversity When cut down thresh'd and winnowed by and by We can distinguish what is bad what 's good And Hypocrites are quickly understood In time of Trouble then indeed as Wheat Is from the Chaff by winnowing separate So Hypocrites are all discovered And from just pious men distinguished But those my friend who are in heart sincere Though their ingrain'd Afflictions appear To be o' th' deepest dy and do endure For a long time yet God at length will sure Deliver them out of them all and show That neither to themselves nor friends they owe Such great deliverance but to him alone Who 's their Redeemer and forsaketh none In their Afflictions who upon him call But hears them and at length doth grant them all Their hearts can wish and doth instruct them too What for the future such good men should do T' evite such Troubles Even so my friend if thou hadst put thy trust In his great Name and not ha' been unjust In thy Complaints he had reliev'd thee too Out of thy sad Afflictions long ere now Before this time he had thee liberate From these sad pains and without all debate Restor'd thee fully to thy former state But thou in thy Afflictions hast rav'd And hast so very foolishly behav'd Th' hast so provok'd him as it would appear ' Had left thee in a Labyrinth of fear And of thy restitution took no care And now that I thy Case have opened And shown'n thee why thou art so punished In the next place I must give thee advice Not to esteem thy self too just and wise Nor think that God has done thee injury By plunging thee in so much misery When all th' hast suffered must be understood T' have been intended meerly for thy good But with great calmness humbly meditate On th' circumstances of thy present state Confess thy Errors seriously implore His pardon and resolve to do no more As thou hast done lest in his burning wrath He prosecute thee closely to thy death And then no offers of some thousand Prayers Largitions Fastings Pennances and Tears Can ransom thee for thou must quickly die Without Repentance and for ever ly In the dark Prison of Eternity Assure thy self my friend this is thy Case If thou repent not quickly this alace Will be thy final Sentence this thy Doom Which thou must suffer in all time to come And of this Sentence no Reprival can Be purchas'd by the Art or Wit of Man Nor Gold nor Friendship nor all Artifices Of Humane Labour nor the close devices Of cunning Interceeders can delay The Execution but for half a day Of this same Sentence for be confident With Gifts thou canst not bribe th' Omnipotent But O me thinks I hear thee say if Death Be all that I must suffer in his Wrath Why let him kill me I am well content And shall esteem Death a kind Punishment For I am wearied of my Life and know I never shall have rest until I go Down to the Grave Why here my friend again Is a gross error and I must complain Of thy so frequent wishing thou mightst die And in the Grave enjoy tranquillitie For though
which makes them reel Like mad men and in their reiterat fits Run almost out of all their little wits Thus when our God doth speak in fire and thunder He seems to rent the very Heavens assunder As if he now to mankind in his wrath Did nothing but a full destruction breath As if he mean't t'unhinge the doors of Nature And let in death on every living creature Nay so he speaks as if he did intend To bring this goodly Fabrick to an end Yet after all he 's still so kind to men As he shuts up this terrible Campaign At last in a Cessation of rain But what needs more 't were tedious to relate How many other things both high and great Our God performs things strange and marvellous Things neither known nor understood by us Things which our proud philosophy transcend Things which our reason cannot comprehend Of such great things then I shall speak no more But only here as I have said before By these great outward works we may perceive With how much reason we do all believe That he who made all these must surely be In greatnesse far beyond all that we see On lesse things now then my discourse shall run A word of snow and frost and I ha' done He who did all create doth all command Holds all the Keys of Nature in his hand Unlocks the doors of these great Magazines Of rouling Clouds where vapours of all kinds Are keep'd in store Whence as he judges it convenient Now this now that upon the Earth is sent And but a word he uses for annon As he doth speak the businesse is done He says to Snow go thou and quickly fall On Earth and as soon we are pouldred all Woods Mountains Valleys Houses all below Are wrapp'd up in a sheet of ivory snow Annon he calls for rain both great and small And bids now this now that upon us fall All do obey him all do quickly run Where ordered and what he commands is done For instantly down from the Clouds doth fall Such quantity of rain as makes us all Give o're our works i' th' field and lay aside Our labouring Tools and within doors abide Then go the Beasts too to their several dens And there themselves do shelter while it rains Not able to resist the storm and there The fiercest of them is a Prisoner Until the rain be over and the sky Again put on a bright serenity That rapid wind which wrapp'd up in a cloud Around us for some time doth roar aloud The whirle-wind which on all hands blusters so As if it out of every Point did blow Doth as I take it from the Southern Pole Upon us with a deal of fury roule As by the boistrous North-wind cold is thought To be into our Southern Countreys brought For with that wind the hoary frost appears With Ice-sickles dangling about his ears Upon our running Rivers he doth seize And spite of their swift current makes them freeze As also Lakes Pools Ditches Marishes And where before we sail'd now in a trice We run in Sledges all along the Ice He makes the Clouds with constant drudgery Like Slaves condemn'd to pump incessantly Fill all our Canals and the earth supply With water at all times as it doth need And in that service they 're so hurried Hither and thither posted here and there In this or th' other place nay every where As he thinks fit that as 't were out of breath They halt till with his hand he scattereth Them all along the Sky and makes them flow In gentle rain whether they will or no. For all those numerous vapour-chests which we Call clouds and counter-tumbling daily see Above our heads by him are ordered Assembled or in parties quartered Even as he will he makes them turn and reel I' th' Air like the swist motion of a Wheel When he thinks fit he makes them pour out rain In any place o' th' earth he doth ordain Those Clouds on several errands he doth send Some judgements others mercies do portend Each of 'em doth its own commission bear For good or ill and none of 'em appear Without a special warrand any where And now observe O Job take heed I pray Compose thy self advert to what I say Consider pray consider seriously The works of God and in sobriety Remark the methods of his providence His power his justice and his excellence Dost understand those things dost thou conceive The meaning of those wonders dost believe That all those Clouds do march retire disband Or war amongst themselves at his command Dost understand their motions here and there Or how by a just Ballance in the Air He makes them hang above us dost thou know On what they do depend or canst thou show By what art he doth raise those Clouds on high Beyond the reach of sight and by and by Doth let them down so low as one with pain Would think they could be hoised up agaèn Which certainly is a great demonstration Of his vast knowledge and with admiration On such things we should look Dost understand my friend from whence the heat Proceeds which is so violently great As sometimes it can scarce be tollerat When gentle Breezes from the South do blow But when out of the North it is not so Dost understand how he the Air has spread Like a fair Sheet of Lawn above thy head The thin and fluid Air oft broke to pieces By justling Clouds and violent impresses Of Lightnings and yet after all this Air Appears transparent and so calmly fair As it in pleasant brightness doth surpass The beauty of the finest Chrystal Glass If then thou understandest all those things And wouldst thy self plead with the King of kings In person pray be pleas'd to let us hear What thou wouldst say if God should now appear Upon his Throne if he should show his face And bid thee freely speak upon thy case What couldst thou say or if thou dar'st not speak To him thy self but dost perhaps expect That we should be thy Proctors tell us pray What we to God on thy behalf shall say For thou it seems great knowledge dost enhance Whilst we are buried in deep ignorance Then which of us thy friendswouldst have to speak To this great God in thy defence and make Apology for thee pray let us hear For if thou dost desire I should appear In thy behalf I must demand excuse For seriously my friend I do not use To plead with God for any man indeed I do not think it lawful so to plead But if thou wilt that I should pray for thee To that just God who doth both hear and see What passes now amongst us let me know And I shall quickly do it for if so I do but that good office which I owe To all men I in Prayer dare address At all times and for all men but to press My God
never understand obscurity A thing that 's not perceptible by th' eye Didst ever into the Seas bottom dive Or canst thou yet with all thy art contrive A way to trace and measure the extent Of that dark Land or know what Government Is us'd by th Planters of these Provinces Situate in the bottom of the Seas Dost know the Springs and Conduits that supply With fresh recruits of Water constantly The restless Ocean pray now let me hear Dost know what things the weeping sources are Dost understand these things or dost thou know How from the Seas all Springs and Rivers flow In all thy life-time hast thou ever seen Deaths gates cast open has thou never been Conversant under ground didst e're descry That dreadful prospect of mortality Of those who scattered in earths bowels ly Did e're thy curiosity lead thee there No. at the gates sure thou hadst dy'd for fear Dost know earth's true Diameter canst tell How far in breadth its Globous bulk doth swell Canst see both Poles at once by art or can Thy eye discover each Meridian Go to then canst thou point the place from whence Light doth proceed dost know its residence Dost know the Cave where darkness doth reside And closly all the day it self doth hide That thou shouldst trace the way to its abode And through the windings of that dreadful road Find a safe passage to its dwelling place And take the picture of its duskly face I think thou dost not know nor canst declare What things O man the light and darkness are Because when I created night and day Thou in the belly of first matter lay Th hadst not a beeing then thou wast not made When light and darkness I distinguished Nor canst thou know more by experience Then that both this and that affect thy sense But what they are from what hid cause they flow No art no length of dayes can make thee know Hast thou observ'd with a computing eye At any time and viewed seriously Th' innumerable stores of Snow and Hail Which I do keep in Heav'ns great Arsenal Hast view'd those inexhaustible provisions How they are stor'd in several divisions So that when I intend a war with those Who on this earth do my decrees oppose Sometimes I use the one sometimes the other As I think fit and sometimes both together By force of both or either in a trice I break the force of my proud enemies Dost understand how Lightnings separate The Clouds of Wind and quickly dissipate The strongest Bodies of these vaporous foes Which do the fury of their course oppose Dost understand this thing or dost thou know Why wind doth sometimes from one quarter blow Sometimes out of another East or West South North Nore-west South-west or South-South-east Who doth restrain the torrents of those flouds Which after Thunder break from broken Clouds In such abundant streams without cessation As men do fear a total inundation Who makes deep Canals into which convey'd Those Waters as in Levels gently slide Both above ground and under ground with ease Into the bottome of the spacious Seas Who makes the Clouds above thy head retain Great quantities of Waters and in rain As from a Sponge thus shake them out again And that not only upon fertile ground But on the Deserts where no man is found That in due season they may pasture yield To all the beasts that feed upon the field And feed those creatures too whose idleness Makes them frequent the barren wilderness As also make the Vegetables sprout And in their Leaves and Flowers shoot fairly out From the earths belly where they buried were Until the Mid-wife-Season of the year By help of rain doth bring them forth and spreads Through all the fields the product of those Seeds Now if thou think'st this rain is procreat As other creatures are who did beget This useful thing or who supposest thou Did procreat the Christal drops of dew By which the Labourer rising from his bed Perceives his grounds all kindly watered And then as if the Sun had only sent Those little cordial drops to complement The widdowed earth that doth his absence mourn And in sad veil did long for his return With warming beams he suddenly doth drain The earth and sucks up all those drops again Dost know what Ice is whence the same proceeds Who did beget it in what womb it breeds 'T is worth thy knowledge though thou knew no more To understand this costive Meteor Dost see the Rivers how they sweetly pass In gentle streams through pleasant fields of grass Whilst Trees and Shrubs which in their Banks do grow By their reflex do make a goodly show Upon the Waters so transparent clear As through the Streams the very Skyes appear These same pellucid Rivers in a trice You may see covered with a crust of Ice And what was lately soft appear annon As hard and solid as if pav'd with stone Nay even the Seas who not long time before Did break their curled Waves upon the Shore And round the Earth triumph'd with so much pride Spreading their boistrous Billows far and wide As if the power of the restraining Ice Which fetters in-land floods they did despise These very Seas at length are forc'd to bow To conquering Ice and they are frozen too So that where tallest Shâ—ps did lately steer Now Sledges Carts and Waggons do appear Nay as upon firm Land with all their force Whole armies in baitalia foot and horse Securely march along the frozen Seas Fighting retiring sâ—irmishing with ease Hast then observ'd this can'st assign a reason Why waters are bound up so in their season Or to what end I make the Rivers freeze And thus incrustate even the raging Seas Indeed vain mortals you do all pretend By philosophick rules to comprehend The nature of all Meteors and know By second causes whence they all do flow As when such constellations do appear You guesse the several seasons of the year As this the Spring that Summer Harvest that And this cold Winter doth insinuat 'Cause their appearance is habitual And custom teaches you but that is all You understand you know that such things are Because to you they frequently appear But who 's the man can tell who 's he doth know The reason why these Stars themselves do show At such set times art thou the man can'st thou With all thy curious art demonstrat how The Stars were made why some of them appear In modell'd bodies others here and there Are singly scattered in the Heavens dost know Why some are fix't some ramble to and fro In their own Orbs and why too some of these Consume as many years as others days In running out their course dost understand The reason of these things can'st thou command These Stars or make the meanest of 'em all Forbear their course or vanish at thy call Canst thou restrain the sweet influences And pleasant
just man one that feareth God and escheweth evil 9. Then Satan answered the Lord and said doth Iob serve God for nought 10. Hast thou not made anâ— hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side thou hast blessed the works of his hands and his substance is increased in the land 11. But stretch now out thine hand and touch all that he hath and see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face 12. Then said the Lord unto Satan loe all that he hath is in thine hand only upon himself shalt thou not stretch out thy hand so Satan departed from the presence of the Lord. 13. And on a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brothers house 14. Then came a messenger unto Iob and said the oxen were plowing and the asses feeding in their places 15. And the Sabeans came violently and took them yea they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword but I only am escaped alone to tell thee 16. And whilst he was yet speaking another came and said the fire of God is fallen from heaven and hath burn't up the sheep and the servants and devoured them and I only am escaped to tell thee 17. And whilst he was yet speaking another came and said the Chaldeans set out three bands and fell upon the camels and have taken them and have slain the servants with the edge of the sword but I only am escaped to tell thee 18. And whilst he was yet speaking came another and said thy sons and thy daughters were eating drinking wine in their eldest brothers house 19. Behold there came a great whirlewind from beyond the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house which fell upon the children and they are dead and I only am escaped to tell thee 20. Then Iob arose and rent his garment and shav'd his head fell down upon the ground and worshipped 21. And said naked came I out of my mothers womb naked shall I return thither the Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. â—2 In all this did not Iob sin nor charge God feolishly 1. And on a day the children of God came and stood before the Lord Satan came also among them stood before the Lord. 2. Then saidthe Lord unto Satan whence comest thou and Satan answered from compassing the earth to and fro and from walking in it 3. And the Lord said unto Satan hast not considered my servant Iob how none is like him in the earth an upright and just man one that feareth God and escheweth evil for he yet continueth in his uprightness although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause 4. And Satan answered the Lord and said skin for skin all that a man has he will give for his life 5. But stretch now out thine hand and touch his bones and his flesh to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face 6. Then the Lord said unto Satan he is in thy hand but save his life 7. So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord and smote Iob with fore boyls from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot 8. And Iob took a potsherd to scrape him and he sat down among the ashes 9. Then said his wise unto him dost thou continue yet in thy uprightness blaspheme God and die 10. But he said unto her thou speakest like a foolish woman what shall we receive good at the hands of God and not receive evil in all this Iob did not sin with his lips 11 Now when Iobs three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him they came every one from his own place Eliphaz the Temanite Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him 12 And when they lift up their eyes afar off and knew him not they lift up their voice and wept and they rent every one his mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven dayes and seven nights and none spoke a word to him for they saw that his grief was very great 1. After this Iob opened his mouth and cursed his day 2. And Iob spake and said 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night in which it was said there is a man child conceived 4. Let that day be darkness let not God regard it from above neither let the light shine upon it 5. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it let a cloud dwell upon it let the blackness of the day terrify it 6. As for that night let darkness seize upon it let it not be joyned to the dayes of the year let it not â—â—me into the numâ—â—â— of the months 7. Let that night be solitary let no joyful noise be heard therein 8. Let them curse it that curse their day being ready to renew their mourning 9. Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark let it look for light but have none neither let it see the dawning of the day 10. Because it shut noâ—â—p the doors of mâ— mothers womb 〈◊〉 hid sorrow from nâ—â—e eyes 11. Why did I not dye from the womb why did I not give up the ghost when I came from the belly 12. Why did the knees prevent me or why the breasts that I should suck 13. For now I should have layn still and been quiet should have slept then had I been at rest 14. With Kings and Counsellors of the earth who 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 been as infants who never see the light 17. There the wicked cease from troubling there the weary be at rest 18 There the Prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the oppressor 19. The small and great are there and the servant is free from his master 20. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life to the bitter in soul 21. Who long for death but it cometh not and dig for it more than for hid treasures 22. Who rejoyee exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave 23. Why is light given to a man who is hid and whom God hath hedged in 24. For my sighing cometh before I eat and my roarings are poured out like the waters 25. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me 1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said 2. If we essay to commune with thee wilt thou be grieved but who can withhold himself from speaking 3. Behold thou hast taught many and hast strengthenâ—d the wearied hands 4. Thy words have confirmed him who was falling and thou hast strengthened the weâ—k
thing 26. They are pass'd as the most swift ships and as the eagle that flyeth to the prey 27. If I say I will forget my complaint I will cease from my wrath and comfort me 28. Then I am affraid of all my sorrows knowing that God will not judge me innocent 29. If I be wicked why labour I thus in vain 30. If I wash my self with snow water and purge my hands most clean 31. Yet shalt thou plunge me in the pit and mine own cloaths shall make me filthy 32. For he is not a man as I am that I should answer him If we come to judgement 33. Neither is there any umpire that might lay his hand upon us both 34. Let him take away his rod from me and let not his fear astonish me 35. Then would I speake and fear him not but because I am not so I hold me still 1. My soul is cut off though I live I will leave my complaint on my self and I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2. I will say unto God condemn me not and why dost thou contend with me 3. Thinkest thou it good to oppress me and to cast of the labours of thy hands and favour the wicked 4. Hast thou carnal eyes or dost thou see as man seeth 5. Are thy days as mans days or thy years as the time of man 6. That thou enquirest of mine iniquity and searchest out my sin 7. Thou knowest that I cannot do wickedly for none can deliver me out of thy hand 8. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me round about and wilt thou destroy me 9. Remember I pray thee that thou hast made me as the clay and â—ilâ— thou bring me into dust again 10. Hast thoú not poured 〈◊〉 like milk and turned me to curds like cheese 11. Thou cloathed me with skin and flesh and joâ—â—ed me together with bones and sinews 12. Thou hast given me life and grace and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit 13. Though thou hast hid these things in thine heart yet I know that is so with thee 14. If I have sinned then thou wilt strictly look unto me and wilt not hold me guiltless of mine iniquity 15. If I have done wickedly â—o unto me if I have done righteously I will not lift up my head being full of confusion because I see my affliction 16. But let it encrease hunt thou me as a lyon return and show thy self marvellousupon me 17. Thou renewest thy plagues against me and thou encreasest thy wrath against me changes and armies of sorrows are against me 18. Wherefore then hast thou brought me out of the 〈◊〉 O that I had perished and that no eye had seen me 19. And that I were as I had not been but brought from the woâ—b to the grave 20. Are not my days few let him cease and leave off from me that I may take a little comfort 21. Before I go and shall not return even to the land of darkness and shadow of death 22. Into a land I say dark as darkness it self and into the shadow of death where is no order the light is there as darkness 1. Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and said 2. should not the multitude of words be answered or should a great talker be justified 3. Should men hold their peace at thy lyes and when thou mockest others should none make thee ashamed 4. For thou hast said my doctrine is pure and I am clean in thy eyes 5. But O that God would speak and open his lips against thee 6 That he might shew thee the secrets of wisdom how thou hast deserved double according to right know therefore that God hath forgot thee for thy iniquity 7. Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty to his perfection 8. The heavens are high what canst thou do deeper than hell how canst thou know it 9. The measure thereof is longer then the earth and it is broader then the sea 10. If he cut off and shut up or gather together who can turn him back 11. For he knoweth vain man and seeth iniquity and him that understandeth nothing 12. Yet vain man would be wise though man new born is like a wild asles colt 13. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands toward him 14. If iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let no wickedness dwell in thy tabernacie 15. Then shalt thou truly lift up thy face without spot and shalt be stable and shall not fear 16. But thou shalt forget thy misery and remember it as waters that are past 17. Thine age shall also appear more clear then the noon-day thou shalt shine and be as the morning 18. And thou shalt be bold because there is hope and thou shalt dig pits and shalt ly down safely 19. For when thou takest thy rest none shall make thee afraid yea many shall make sute unto thee 20. But the eyes of the wicked shall fail and their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of mind 1. Then Iob answered and said 2. Indeed because you are the people only wisdom must dy with you 3. But I have understanding as well as you and am not inferior to you yea who knoweth not such things 4. I am as one mocked of his neighbours who calleth upon God and he heareth him the just and the upright is laugh'd to scorn 5. He that is ready to fall is as a lamp despised in the opinion of the rich 6. The tabernatles of robbers do prosper and they are in safety that provoke God whom God hath enriched with his hand 7. Ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fouls of the heaven and they shall tell thee 8. Or speak to the earth and it shall show thee or the fishes of the sea and they shal declare unto thee 9. Who is ignorant of all these but that the hand of the Lord hath made these 10. In whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind 11. Doth not the ear discern the words and the mouth taste meat for itself 12. Amongst the ancient is wisdom and in the length of days is understanding 13. With him is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and understanding 14. Behold he will break down and it cannot be built he shutteth a man up and he cannot ' be loosed 15. Behold he withholdeth the waters and they dry up but when he sendeth them out they destroy the earth 16. With him is strength wisdom he that is deceived he that deceiveth are his 17. He causeth the Counsellors to go as spoiled and maketh the judges fools 18. He looseth the collar of kings and girdeth their loins with a girdle 19. He leadeth away the princes as a prey and overthroweth the mighry 20. He taketh away the speech from the faithful councellors and taketh away the judgement of the ancient 21. He poureth contempt on
thing 11. He bindeth the floods from overflowing and the thing that is hid he bringeth forth to light 12. But where shall wisdom be found where is the place of understanding 13. Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living 14. The depth says it is not in me and the Sea says it is not with me 15. It cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof 16. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx or the Sapphire 17. The Gold and the Chrystal cannot equal it and the exchange of it shal not be for Jewels of fine Gold 18. No mention shall be made of Coral or Pearls for the price of wisdom is above Rubies 19. The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure Gold 20. Whence then cometh wisdome where is the place of understanding 21. Seing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept closs from the fowls of the air 22. Destruction death say we have heard the same thereof with our ears 23. God understandeth the way thereof and he understandeth the place thereof 24. For he looketh to the ends of the earth seeth under the whole Heaven 25. To make the weight for the winds and he weigheth the water by measure 26. When he made a decree for the rain away for the lightning of the thunder 27. Then did he see it and declare it he prepared it yea he searched it out 28. And unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom 1. Moreover Iob continued his parable and said 2. O that I were as in months past as in the days when God preserved me 3. When his candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked through darkness 4. As I was in the days of my youth when the secret of God was on my tabernacle 5. When the Almighty was yet with me when my children were about me 6. When I washed my steps with butter and the rock poured me out rivers of oyl 7. When I went out to the gate through the city when I prepared my â—eat in the strcet 8. The young men saw me hid themselves and the aged arose and stood up 9. The princes refrained talking and laid their hands on their mouths 10. The nobles held their peace and their tongues cleaved to the roof of their mouths 11. When the ear heard me then it blessed me when the eye saw me it gave witness to me 12. Because I delivered the poor that cryed and the fathersess and him that hath none to help him 13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I caused the widows heart to sing for joy 14. I put on righteousness and it cloathed me my judgement was as a robe and a diadem 15. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame 16. I was a father to the poor and the cause which I knew not I searched out 17. And I broke the power of the wicked and plucked the spoil out of his teeth 18. Then I said I shall dy in my nest and I shall multiply my days as the sand 19. My root was spread out by the waters and the dew lay all night upon my branches 20. My glory was fresh in me and aâ—y bow was renewed in my hand 21. Vnto me men gave ear and waited and keeped silence at my counsel 22. After my words they spoke not again and my speach dropped upon them 23. And they waited for me as for the rain and they opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain 24. If I laughed on them they believed it not and the light of my countenance they cast not down 25. I chose out their way and sat chief dwelt as a king in the army as one that comforteth the mourners 1. But now those that are younger than I have me in derision whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of myflocks 2. Yea whereto might the strength of their hands profit me in whom old age was perished 3. For want and famine they were solitary flying into the wilderness formerly desolate and waste 4. Who cut up mallows by the bushes and juniper-roots for their meat 5. They were driven forth from among men they cryed after them as after a thief 6. They dwelt in the cliffs of the valleys in caves of the earth and in the rocks 7. Amongst the bushes they brayed under the nettles they were gathered together 8. They were children of fools yea children of base men they were viler then the earth 9. Yet now am I their song yea I am their by-word 10. They all abhor me they fly far from me and spare not to spit in my face 11. Because he hath loosed my cord and anâ—â—câ—â—â— mâ— they have also lâ—â— loose the bridle before me 12 Upon my right hand â—ife the youth they push away my feet and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction 13 They mark my paths they set forward my calamity they have no helper 14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me 15. Terrours are turned upon me they pursue my soul as the wind and my welfare passeth away as a cloud 16. And now my soul is poured out upon me the dayes of affliction have taken hold on me 17. My bones are pierced in me in the night season and my sinews take no rest 18. By the great force of my disease my garment is changed it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat 19. He hath cast me into the mire I am become like dust and ashes 20. I cry unto thee and thou dost not hear me I stand up and thou regardest me not 21. Thou art become cruel to me with thy strong hand thou opposest thy self against me 22. Thou liftest me up to the wind thou causest me to ride upon it and dissolvest my substance 23. For I know that thou wilt being me to death and to the house appointed for all living 24. Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave though they cry in his destruction 25. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble was not my soul grieved for the poor 26. When I looked for good then evil came unto me and when I waited for light there came darkness 27. My bowels boiled and rested not the days of affliction prevented me 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 owls 30. My skin is black upon me and my bones are burned with heat 31. My harp also is turned to mourning and my organ to the voice of them that weep 1. I made a covenant with my eyes why then should I think upon a maid 2. For what