you see My body thus piece-meal'd but you must be While you pretend my losses to condole The cruel Executioners of my soul. Is 't not enough you see my body pin'd But you must likewise thus distract my mind Ah will your tedious arguing never cease Would as for seven daies you did hold your peace When first you hither came so to this hour You ne'r had spoke alace how lean and poor All your Discourse is on my present state Expressing not so much your wit as hate Still varieing still mistaking of my case Still anvilling on one poor common place As if 't were meritorious to assert Though pious in my words yet in my heart I am a rotten Hypocrite indeed If you intend in railing to proceed In my opinion truly it were fit You should at least those threed-bare tropicks quite You should your former Batteries neglect And on new grounds new arguments erect And truth I think by what I 've spoke of late I 've furnish d you with matter adequat To more then any of you hath spoke as yet Proceed my friends then do your worst let all Your wits joint forces brisquely on me fall All your insults I shall with patience Endure and with my miseries dispence When I reflect on my own innocence My innocence I ever will assert For not your logick not your wit and art Shall wheadle me into acknowledgement Of your so oft repeated argument No no I never will confesse what you To have conceded keep so much adoe No I 'm so far from being asham'd of what I 've spoke since we did mannage this debate That I could wish my words were registrat I care not who hereafter do revise The memoires of my woes and miseries I am indifferent who hereafter read My Plea and see how I have answered Your pointed arguments I care not who In after ages do peruse what now I speak although the words that from my mouth Do issue are not so polite so smooth So fine so quaint so fraught with Eloquence As yours are yet I do presume the sense Imports as much as if you had abus'd Your Parts and most injuriously accus'd A man who ' spite of all your argument And pungent talk will still plead innocent O that my words were keep 't upon record O that my God such favour would afford That what I speak in this my agony Might be transmitted to Posterity In such a fair and lasting character As all our Edicts Laws and Statutes are Would they were graven with an Iron pen In Lead or Brass that all the race of men Might still remember on this conference And see how firm I 've stood to the defence Of my as yet unspotted innocence Nor would I have you think my friends that I Value my self on my integrity Or boldly plead my innocence because I fall not under reach of humane Laws Or that I did on Earth no tryal fear Because my Padlock't-sins did not appear By evidence expos'd to publick view But cunningly were all conceal'd from you No God forbid that e'r I should assert My innocence i'th'least if in my heart By strictest search I found on record that Which my assertion might invalidat No no such practises I do detest I keep a constant Jury in my breast By which I 'm hourly try'd no allegation No fain'd excuse no specious information No falshood no corrupted evidence In that impartial Court of Conscience Will ever be receiv'd at any rate From this same Court I have certificat Of my pure innocence For I 'm perswaded my Redeemer lives I firmly do believe 't is he that gives Assurance to all those whom he doth love That he will interceed for them above I know in him I have some interest And upon that security I rest I know he will at last on Earth appear And make the sinful World quake for fear Of his approach when like a mighty king He shall i' th' Clouds appear and in a ring Oh Heav'ns great Host stand circled all around Issue his Edicts and by Trumpet sound Command both dead and living to appear In Judgement where each mortal thing may hear His just Procedure there he will indite Him whom you call the cunning Hypocrite As well as th' open sinner him he will Find guilty and condemn for all his skill If I be such then as you 'd have me be In that great day my friends you 'll clearly see What shall become of me For after this my Body Worms have eat And with their substance 't is incorporat After my Bones are squandred in the Ground And of my Flesh no vestige can be found My Scull my Arms and Thigh-bones thrown aloft By th' Shovel of the Grave-maker as oft As for new Guests new Rooms he doth provide And in the Earth my Corps are putrifi'd After my Dust about the Grave is roll'd Yet in the Flesh I shall my God behold Yes with these eyes these individual eyes With which I now behold these glorious Skies I then shall see that glorious Architect Who for his glory did the Heavens Erect For though some think our Bodies made of Clay Which crumble in the Grave on rising day Shall not stand up but some of thinnest Air Compos'd shall in their place that day appear Yet I 'm convinc'd that this numerical This Earthly Body this organical Composure which we here a Body name Shall on that day appear the very same Only as Earth when vitrify'd is still But Earth though richly polish'd by the skill Of knowing Artists so this peice of Clay Shall be refin'd and at appearance day Shall with such beauty grace and glory shine As God thinks proper for the grand design Of its perpetual true Felicity Which join'd with Soul in heavenly harmony It shall enjoy impassible of all Those thwarting ills which here we troubles call Then in this Body with those very eyes I shall perceive him with none else but these I shall behold my Saviour I believe Firmly that in the Flesh I shall perceive My bless'd Redeemer though my very Reins Are shrunk within my Back and all my Veins Choak'd up with stagnant and corrupted Blood Are now like Ditches full of Dirt and Mud. Although my moisture is all spent and gone And I am nothing now but skin and bone Though I all humane shape and form have lost And in the eyes of all more like a Ghost Then like a living man I do appear And no man will come nigh me now for fear Of my contagious breath yet after all This bodie this same individual And putrid bodie shall again revive And I again as formerly shall live And my Redeemer with those verie eyes I clearlie shall behold when from the skies He shall descend to judge the Quick and Dead And with those verie eyes I then shall read The Journals of his Actings then I shall Before my Heavenlie Judge convince you all I am no Hipocrite as you assert But
not befallen him and not foolishlie Cry out as Job has done O Lord thou seest I 'me righteous pure and just and yet opprest By sad afflictions I am innocent My uprightneâ—s is clear and evident My life has still been spotless and unblam'd Yet without hearing I am now condemn'd O sayes he why should I my my self belie Why should I pass from my integritie For what has yet befall'n me no indeed Though I 'me condemn'd though I am punished Yet will I not for all that guilty plead Here lyes the matter then my friends see here See here how much the best of men may err Under sad Tryals how much those may fail Over whose patience Sorrows do prevail For pray now let me hear from such as you Who this wise man in dayes of plentie knew Who were intirelie with him then acquaint Before th' arrival of his punishment Tell me my friends did ever you expect So like a fool to hear this wise man speak Did ever man talk so ridiculouslie As he doth now of his integritie Did ever man of Knowledge Wit and Sense Insist so much upon his Innocence His Dove-like Innocence his Uprightness His pious Candour and his Righteousness When God in Justice has thought fit to send Afflictions on him as if he 'd defend Himself by such weak Arguments as these Against the righteous God of Righteousness And flatly say that such a man as he An upright man a man from errors free A man in all his Life and Conversation So blameless as he ne'r would give Occasion By any crime to so much Provocation Of Divine Wrath that such a man as he Should feel the Wrath of God to that degree As if he were the most flagitious Most openly profane and vitious Of all the race of Sinners and repute Of all that live on Earth most dissolute That such as he should thus be punished Is a most strange Procedure and indeed In his opinion doth import no less Then if our God did favour Wickedness And most unjustly punish'd Righteousness Yes thus or to this purpose he has spoke Oftner then once as if he seem'd to mock Th' Almighty in his works of Providence And by his Logick would infer from thence That he who lives by rules of Piety Observes Gods Laws and studies zealously T' obtain his favour and the sinful Wretch Who vainly thinks himself without his reach And therefore scorns to call upon his Name But takes his pleasure without fear or shame Are all one on the matter and as well The one as th' other may his anger feel And suffer what he pleases to dispense This for his sin that for his innocence By an unguarded cast of Providence Yes to my knowledge thus I heard him speak Most frequently although I would not check His leud Discourse 'cause you had undertane By solid Reason to convince the man Of his Impiety but when I see You on the matter err'd as well as he Then would I fain ha' spoke but still did shun To tell my thoughts on 't until you had done But how can I from speaking now forbear When I do such unruly Language hear When I do hear a man so sinfully Assert forsooth his own Integrity By blaming of his Maker as if he To whom both this injurious man and we And all the mortal Stock of Mankind owe Our Life and Beeing did not fully know Each individual of his own Creation And did observe the Life and Conversation Of every man alive and so from thence Could freely judge with great convenience Both of mens Guilt and of their Innocence Could be unjust What man is he who this great God doth fear That can without some indignation hear Such scandalous Expressions at this rate Th' unwary man seems to homologate The Principles of the most leud profane Sensual livers and the worst of men For when he talk'd so oft how God did bless Those who contemn'd his Laws and did oppress His faithful Servants and did so complain Of his own sad Estate once and again And how that notwithstanding of his zeal And fear of God he was not used well Who would ha' thought but that he mean't from thence That seeing Piety could be no defence Against Gods Wrath it was not worth th' expence Of so much time and labour as some men Bestow upon it but was all in vain Strange language truly I beseech you then Who hear me now as wise and prudent men Did y'ever hear a godly man expresse His mind in such unlawful words as these Did y'ever hear a man for wit repute Above his neighbours so with God dispute O how I pity and would fain reclaim This good man from his errors though I blame Him not as you have done for horrid crimes Committed by him in his prosperous times For truth I think the man was always such As he doth now assert but that so much He now insists on his integrity As if that God had done him injury In thus afflicting of him is indeed Such an offence as cann't be suffered For God forbid that any of us here Or through the world who our great God do fear Should even but by a random supposition Imagine him to be in that condition As that he 's of injustice capable At any rate no this were palpable And down-right blasphemy pray God forbid That any man then should be so misled But even to rally in such words as these Were 't but to show his wit for I confesse Though I relate them on this sad occasion Meerly upon design of refutation Of his grosse errors yet when I do speak In such prohibit words my bones do shake For God's so far from doing injury To any man that he will gratefully Reward each mortal for his piety In his own time for when the day shall come In which all sinners shall receive their Doom Then will his kindnesse unto those appear Who live by rules of piety though here Such is their weakness and impatience Consulting only with despâ—nding sense They see not the design of Providence Nay I do lay this for a principle And firmly hold that 't is not possible For the great God of justice him from whom Both in times past and in all times to come All justice flowes let 's fancy what we can To be injust i' th' least to any man Besides how can we think that he whose power Did all things frame and governs to this hour All he has made so uncontrolably By rules of justice and pure equity Can be unjust then who is he so sick In his own judgement as dares contradict What he who is accountable to none In his eternal purpose will have done For mark me now if he who breath did give To any man by which he made him live Be pleas'd to reassume that breath again Which is his own why should a man complain Why should a man complain a living man Who
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
all those Creatures which we Kindred call My Brothers Sisters Nephews Cousins all From whom I might expect relief have now Forsaken me none of 'em will allow Me one kind visit but are pleas'd to hear How I am tortur'd and can scarce forbear From smiling when they see me in this state All my acquaintance too with whom of late I kindly did converse are now asham'd To hear their old but poor acquaintance nam'd My kinsmen ah those men whom every hour I would oblige by what lay in my power Those men to whom I have great favours show'n And studied more their interest then my own These horrid monsters of ingratitude Neither with virtue nor Gods fear endu'd Those Vipers whom I in my House have bred And many years have at my Table fed Else they had starv'd these have abandon'd me These have insulted o'r me now I see What 't is to become poor Nay my Domestick servants who did sleep Under my Roof who did my Substance keep And all those Creatures who did eat my bread Those men do look upon me now as dead Those whom I with my money purchased Who in my Fields and Vineyards laboured And all those numerous maids who formerly Did earn their bread within my Family When they perceive me in so sad a case Are now afraid to look upon my face They do not know me I cannot perswade them That I 'm the person formerly who fed them No they will not believe that I am he Whom but of late in plenty they did see Whom they did honour whom they did esteem Whom they respected at whose very name Those slaves would tremble but in their conceit They look upon me as some counterfeit Of late I to a Servant call'd for aid Not by command but as one would perswade A stranger but the man no answer made I call'd another but he would not hear A third a fourth but no man would appear To do me service all a distance kep't And through the Hedges at their Master peep 't As those who were afraid of Pestilence To be infected all my Eloquence My pray'rs my sighs my tears in any sort Could not from these one single word extort But O sad judgement which is worst of all I from my very Wife for help did call From her whom many years I entertain'd Not as my slave but as my bosom friend In whose embraces lay depositat The greatest treasure of my prosprous state From her from my own Wife from this same Creature I call'd for help by all the tyes of Nature By all the dearest pledges of our love I did conjure her but nothing would move This unkind Woman who has now forgot She is my Consort and remembers not Our former love but in my present state Unhappily is become so ungrate She 'l not come nigh me as she did before And ne'r desires to see me any more She hates me she abhorrs me she denies My converss I am loathsome in her eyes She tells me now my breath is become strange But what alace makes her affection change So suddenlie 't is not my ulcerous case Nor all the furrows in my withered face Nor yet the Scent of my infectious Breath As she pretends by which approaching Death Is clearlie presag'd for she tells anon She cannot converse with a Carion No no these reasons have no weight at all Fig-leav'd excuses meer pretences all 'T is none of these 't is only poverty Occasions this Desertion for why As any man in wealth decays or grows So a bad wifes affection â—bbs or flowes Yea little boyes who seeing me before Would veil their Caps respect me now no more Than one who begs his bread from door to door They point at me they laugh do what they list And though I check them yet they still persist Insulting o're me in my miserie They tell each other there poor Job doth lie No wonder when the parents me despise I should be hateful in the childrens eyes My dearest friends too men whom for my heart I did entirelie love have now ta'n part With all my other enemies even those In whom I trusted are become my foes My greatest foes yet each of them contends How e're I take it they are all my friends And now that I this Historie may close And in one passage sum up all my woes See where with sores all covered I sit Plaistered with Scabs and Boiles for nothing fit But at some tree Root to be buried As Carrions are and there like dung to feed The sucking Vegetable O did I Enjoy my health and strength as formerlie How would I undervalue all my losses Of Means and Children with my other crosses How bravely would I bear it out how fair Would the Effigies of my life appear For all that 's past did I enjoy my health That would be to me Children Honour Wealth Furnish'd with Health I 'd make the Devil give o're And be asham'd to vex me any more But O my sorrows O the grievous pain Which I endure no part doth now remain Of all my body from these Ulcers free No part untouch'd as everie one may see Onlie my mouth not yet by these invaded Nor by these numerous Boils yet barricaded Servs for a passage to my loadened heart By which it may its grief to th' world impart But not blasphem as some men would a' done In my condition No no let God do with me what he will My heart and mouth shall be abstemious still From all such inclination to evil And such bad instigations of the Devil For come what will on 't I had rather lie In this sad case of life perpetuallie Before I should once curse my God and die Have pity then for Heav'ns sake all my friends Have pity on me let your angry minds Be now appeas'd let all your Choller cease When you perceive me in this woful case You see how God has punish'd me you see How all the plagues of Hell have seiz'd on me How God has set me as a mark for all The sorrows of this world both great and small To level at O may not this appease Your wrath against me when such ills as these Do triumph o're me when I 'm led in chains Attended by a thousand woes and paines O may not this suffice have pity then Have pity on me friends as you are men Let all your hearts be moved with compassion When you behold me tortur'd in this fashion Have pity then have pity now upon me O ye my friends forth ' hand of God is on me The hand of God doth heavy on me ly I am involv'd in such perplexity In such sad Circumstances such distress No humane art or language can express Yet still your persecution doth proceed 'Gainst me the Oyl of malice still doth feed Your burning wrath you never do give o're But still oppress my Spirit more and more With bitter words is 't not enough
polish'd reason and solidity So wisely and discreetly answered As they had not yet any progress made In what they undertook nor could they prove That he was one found guilty from above Yet had all three concluded he was such As those great men of whom they talk'd too much Now this same Elihu this knowing Youth Sate silently not opening of his mouth During the whole Debate and with attention Had heard them speak what in his apprehension Might ha' been spar'd yet would not undertake To interrupt them whilst they yet did speak In reverence to their Age and that true sense Of things afforded by experience With which he thought those men were richly stor'd And therefore whilst they argu'd not one word Upon the Subject from his mouth did fall Though in his mind he kept record of all But now that Job his last Discourse had ended And he with patience had some time attended To see if any of 'em would answer make That not succeeding as he did expect In indignation he began to speak I 'me young says he 't is true and you are old On which account I durst not be so bold Whilst you persisted in your reasoning To give you my opinion of the thing But now that I perceive you at a Bay And it appears you have no more to say Not knowing further as the Case doth stand How to pursue the Argument in hand And that Jobs Reason's strong yours low and weak I think it is high time for me to speak For truth I with the Vulgar had esteem For every Formal Fop that bore the name Of solid Judgment hudled up in years And had a great respect for Silver hairs But now I see now I perceive at last Reflecting seriously on what is past The fallacy of this Vulgar Error now I clearly see what 't is to have to do With men of reason who as well appears Are not to be out-brav'd by boasting years Now I perceive what we Experience call And aged Judgment is meer cous'nage all For when 't is brought to th' Test and we expect Our gray-hair'd Sires like Oracles should speak And utter nothing but grave Sentences In you my friends I 've seen I do profess Nothing but a tenacious wilfulness For I 've observ'd with how much heat and passion You spoke and us'd but little moderation In your Discourse which if I may divine The Judgment by the Tongue is no good sign Of reall wisdom and I now conceive That we of younger years are made believe Old men to be the only men of sense Because enrich'd with long experience And that no man while old can become wise Meerly by th'unperceived artifice Of bare Tradition as the idle tales Of Fairies and Hobgoblins or what else Good women to affright their babes devise Do passe for truths though little more then lies No trust me wisdom is not purchased By length of days nor can a man be said To be an owner of that quality Which we call wisdom or solidity Only because of his antiquity Alace you are deceiv'd if you think so For by what I have learn'd I tell you no. I tell you no for I am confident There is a Spirit which from Heaven is sent Into our Breasts by which we learn to know What all our toile and labour here below Cannot attain for to be plain with you I alwayes thought but am confirmed now That wisdom is a spark of Divine flame A piercing glance of him whose hand did frame The Universe a most conspicuous sign Of what we know but cannot well define I think it one of those Coelestial Rayes Which neither doth consist in years nor days A thing that is not in a Sanguine air Or a brisque Mine though one would think that there Great Spirits lodg'd nor in a serious eye Or sad deportment doth this wisdom lye Nor in a dull and slow phlegmatick sense Which doth not yeeld the world much eloquence But by a forc'd frugality of speech Would make us think what is above its reach Were jealously shut up within its breast Whilst this wise thing knows of all others least Nor in a sullen melancholy look Which seems to order all things by the Book And in all subtile Arts and Sciences Knows more then it has language to expresse No I think wit consists in none of these 'T is neither in Earth Water Air nor Fire But God alone true wisdom doth inspire 'T is true I know there is a rational And well prepared soul infus'd in all The Race of Adam by which they indeed From other Creatures are distinguished And that this soul which being the same in all The Sons of men we do a Spirit call May be by Art and curious Industry So much improv'd and elevat so hye 'T will stoop to nothing but Divinity Yet in that Spirit Wisdom doth not dwell For there 's a Spirit that doth yet excell That Spirit which we may call Divine Grace There there true Wisdome hath its dwelling place There it resides and in that Spirit God For mans instruction keeps his firm abode Hence those that are not furnish'd with this Spirit Let them all Learning Parts and Wit inherit Let them with stretches of a large dimension Exceed the reach of humane apprehension In their high subtile notions let them raise Themselves beyond the faculty of praise Yea let all men them wise and prudent call Without this Spirit they 're but dunces all For don't we see how those whom all esteem Prudent learn'd wise and Politicians name The great eyes of the world the knowing things Whom we call States-men by whose wisdome Kings Are rul'd who rule us all When by their carnal wit and policy Void of all grace they labour foolishly To do great things that thence they may attain The reputation of contriving men When by their wit they make alliances And break them too to serve their purposes More then their Princes int'rest for their zeal Neither regards the Crown nor Common-weal But their own ends until the Princes eye Begins to make some sharp discovery Of their ill actings then their wit appears Their great experience and their length of years To be meer folly and they now too late Do find that something not precogitate Doth lack which would ha' made their wits compleat For now estranged from their Princes face They find their wisdome was not that of grace And now the poor discarded man of wit In solitude most pensively doth sit Whilst with his former greatness he begins At once to call to mind his former sins And so concludes for all his wit and art He was deceiv'd by a deceitful heart Which made him still believe that without grace His parts would fully do his business But now he sees he 's but a very fool A child and yet but entring to the School Of real wisdome and endeavours now In the short time he has with much adoe To know but even the
survive his Loss But sudden Dissolution did desire Hoping he might in some kind sigh expire Speechless he sate and seem'd not to complain But having paus'd a while at length with pain He rose and to his grief was forc'd t' allow The same Compliance other Mortals do For though he knew his miseries alone Did come from God yet being more than Stone Hearing these sad News he could not forbear At least upon the last to drop a Tear And write in mournful ink from grief swoln Eyes Upon his Face his Childrens Elegies The unexpected loss of his Estate He doth not value though indeed 't was great But O his loving Issue O the loss Of his dear Children doth him sadly cross This in some passion makes him tear his hair Unrip his breast and to the open air In some disorder lay his bosome bare At length o're come with this sad Exigent He formally all his apparrel Rent With careless Razor shav'd his Head around Fell down and groveling prostrate on the ground Lord says he naked from the Womb I came And to Earths Womb I must return the same What I acquir'd was but thy pure Donation And all the Right that I had was Possession Then why should I Complaint of Losses make Since God who freely gives may freely take This Morning I was rich in Wealth and Fame Now in the Evening I a Beggar am Plundred of all Estate and issue too Why sure I shall be no more envy'd now Now I 'm undone now absolutely poor As those who beg their Bread from Door to Door Then what do Wealth and Honours signify When as it were by turning of a dye All I possest is now entirely lost Then what is he who doth of Riches boast Riches the very Dregs of the Creation A naughty thing that never came in fashion Until true Virtue become Poor and Old What She before did give was basely sold As yet it is for Money Riches O The Bane of Mankind from whose Spring do flow Torrents of Falshoods Jealousies and Feares Riches a lean dry Nurse of Anxious Cares A Food on which we feed with great delyte Yet ne'r allays our ravenous appetite Mans Life-race running in a crooked Line A dash which spoil'd the' original design Of his Integrity a thing which all Who hugg it here themselves do even call Th' abstract of Madness when Eternity Appears at hand and they begin to dye For O what help can Riches then afford To their deluded Owners in a word No Man of Judgment should of Riches boast For when as mine they are entirely lost Then they appear to have been very Dreams Which none but he who softly sleeps esteems And then there 's Honour too that taudry thing Of which poor Mortals make such reckoning Why I had that as much as I desir'd And to no higher Honours I aspir'd But now all 's lost Riches and Honours too Have all abandon'd their old Master now Then what is this same Idol of which most Of its proud Owners insolently boast What is it pray a meer Device of Men T' abuse the World and shiftingly maintain The Reputation of a Bankrupt Race Which long ago was forfeit in the Case Of the first cadet when Fraternal Tyes Could not obstruct Friends being Enemies For a small triffle though the World was then But Tripartite and those unhappy Men Had Elbow-room enough yet was it State First troubled under that Triumvirate And then our Native Honour Truth and Faith Expired with the first expiring Breath Since then true Honours lost why should we cheat Our Reason with its silly counterfeit And fancy Titles Names and Dignities Can make the fallen Race of Mankind rise In Virtues Orb Why should we proudly boast We have a thing our Predecessours lost For to this day let us say what we can There 's neither Honour Faith nor Truth in Man Why since the substance then is gone alace Why should vain man its empty shadow chace It s empty shadow yes its meer reflex Which only when it shines a figure makes Though as an Evening shadow to the Eye Extends it self beyond the Symmetry Of what it follows so this flattering thing By poor deluded Mortals Reckoning Appears t' exceed the true Original Whilest really it is nothing at all And disappears with that same swiftness too As when the Sun sets all your shadows do Or if it something be at best I take it To be but what each Fools conceit doth make it For as we see how Hobby-horses please Some Children rattles others even so these Who court this honour are some pleas'd with that Which only is acquir'd by toile and sweat And venture boldly without fear or shame Only t' attain a military fame On Fire and Sword others themselves do please With what they can attain to with more ease And less expence so cunningly practise Mean snaking shifts and horrid villanies By which at length they climb to Dignities But as we see how those same very Boyes When come to years call those things childish toyes Which then they hugg'd so when a man attains To Grace and Knowledge Lord how he disdains Those painted Baubles which he formerly Esteem'd and thinks them now all vanity And yet both Riches and great Honours too To some as blessings God doth still allow When seasoned with Grace But nor my Honours nor my Riches pleas'd My mind so much nor was I so much eas'd In any thing as that my Family Seem'd to perpetuat my poor Memory And that I lost i' th twinkling of an Eye Lord what a folly then it is for men To Trust in things so perishing and vain As Children are a peice of Sophistry By which we 'd fain out-wit Mortality But to no purpose for do what we will Death is before hand with our projects still Things which to wish we pronely are inclin'd Though in them we but seldom comfort find Nay but that God after the first Creation Enjoyn'd the useful toile of Generation No wise man would such methods prosecute To bring himself in trouble and dispute With those of his own Loines and be in fears Of his own Children as they come to years Issue an Art by which we would create Our selves anew and so perpetuat Our Names on Earth nay at a huge expence We purchase too this inconvenience Whilst truth our Names and Memories are known Better by Characters in Brass or Stone When both our Race and our Estates are gone Riches and Honours then I did possess As Blessings and enjoyed domestick peace But above all my God was pleas'd t' allow Something of true Grace to my Spirit too That I might use them right so that of late In Birth in Parts in Honour and Estate If breathing man can have Felicity On this side Time why such a man was I. But now that thou art pleas'd Lord to divest Me of what but this morning I possest Assist me now now let that Grace appear Which thou allow'd'st me
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
his Sea-card and his Compass fails Instructs him how to tack and ply his Sails These troops of pointed Lights Heavens numerous Eyes In Packs and Bundles the Almighty tyes Then with his Signet doth those Bundles seal As one doth Wares and merchandize for sale So that their twinkling light appears no more And darkness reigns where Lamps did shine before The Canopy of Heavens he stretches out And makes those Orbs like Whirle-winds roul about This fixed Mass of Earth 't is he alone Directs their Motions and makes every one Of those great Engins in their circles move Some quick some in a course more slow above What human art can imitate 't is he Who walketh on the surface of the Sea Where stoutest Ships like drunken men do reel And forc'd by strength of waves turn up their Keel On those proud billows doth our Mighty God Walk unconcern'd as on a beaten road The Stars in several bodies he doth frame To each of which he gives a proper name Such as Arcturus Orion Pleiades And quarters them through all the Provinces Of his vast Empire where those bodies ly Each settled in its own Locality The standing Forces of Heavens Monarchy Great things he acts O things most admirable Beyond our reach things most innumerable Things which no human Language can express Though every Language doth the same confess Why even those works which daily to our eyes In course are obvious our Capacities By many thousand Stages do transcend Nor can our groping reason comprehend The meanest of his actings or espy This Mighty Monarch when he passeth by And makes his splendid Progress through the Sky Nor can our eyes perceive his Royal Seat Though every day he shows himself in State When this great King would Justice execute What man dares his Authority dispute Who 's he that dares Declinator alledge Against his Court or offer to repledge The highest Prince whom he intends to try Or save his Life whom he commands to dye When he our Goods and Substance doth distrain Who can compel him to restore again What he hath taken who 's that Mortal pray Dares offer to resist his Power or say He does unjustly or in Court dares bring A quo warranto 'gainst this mighty King No all 's in vain no force of Eloquence No Laws no proofs can clear the Innocence Of him whom God condemns no surely he Unhappy Creature who so e're he be After his reasoning praying after all A victim to the Divine wrath must fall Nay you my friends for all your wit and parts Which doth afford you talk though in your hearts You think not what you speak even you must dye When God pronounces Sentence from on high Against you nor will all your Art can say In Rhet ' ricks sweetest flowers procure delay For one small moment no his Sentence must Be execute and you return to Dust. Since you then even with all your Eloquence 'Gainst his Procedure can make no defence Ah how can I a wretch so despicable Void of all Reason Wit and Parts be able To make him answer where shall such as I Find sugred words t' obtain indemnity Nay though perswaded of my innocence Yet 'gainst his Justice I 'de make no defence All he layes to my Charge I would confess And then to his sole Mercy make address I would not plead but say I firmly knew All my Inditement to be simply true And then exibit with great veneration Before my Judge my humble supplication Wherein I 'de ask that he by me would do As he thought fit but if he pleas'd t' allow Some breathing time that I might yet implore Before I trindle hence and be no more His pardon for my sins I 'de only say This favour would oblige me still to pray For should I in this manner supplicat I 'de hope that God would me commiserat 'T is but what he can grant me out of hand Though more than I deserve or dare demand Fools with their Maker do expostulat And think by words themselves to liberat But pious men who better things do know Upon Gods Mercy still themselves do throw For when th' Almighty doth in Judgement sit All that are knowing will to him submit He who to search the Records is inclin'd Of that high Court of Justice soon will find No formal pleadings there no exculpations But only prayers and humble supplications These are the most prevailing arguments With the great Judge o'th'World the glorious Saints When them for Crimes th' Almighty would accuse In all their tryals ne're did other use Now though I know that God doth hear the cry Of those who from the pit of misery Do make address to him and that our Lord In his good time to such will help afford Yet in my present pain and agony I do believe with some difficulty That God will hear my prayer or if he do That he to me such favour will allow As he to others grants since only I Condemned to perpetual misery Can hope for no relief then pray excuse These hot expressions which you hear me use For I 'me undone with grief my case is sad And still oppression makes a wise man mad Like a strong tempest God his wrath lets out Which will at length destroy me without doubt The torrent of his anger swells so high And rushes on my Soul so furiously As all the art of humane patience Cannot resist its force and violence I 'm wounded by the order of his Laws Most justly though as yet I know no cause My plagues and torments sensibly I feel And know the measure of my woes full well But such my dulness is I cannot yet Perceive those ugly sins which did beget Those monstruous Evils of which I complain And call for reparation but in vain For I 'm so 〈◊〉 by that Heavenly wrath As I can find no time to take my breath Continued sorrows do my Soul oppress My Heart is brim-full of sad bitterness But what doth yet encreass my misery To th' utmost is the vast disparity 'Twixt him who doth these ills inflict and me He 's great and I as mean as mean can be And if we speak of strength why th' Lord of Hosts Is strength it self in abstract he who boasts Of any strength valour or gallantry Compar'd with God is but a butter-fly Compar'd with Eagle or a silly Ant In scales with a huge big-bon'd Elephant Talk we of Judgement who shall make address For me and bring me in to plead my case When I appear before his Majesty What shall I say how shall I justifie My actings in this Earth how shall I frame Excuse for what to mention is my shame For if with God I 'd enter in debate And justifie my self at any rate If I desert or innocence would plead Then words which from my own mouth do proceed would prove me guilty and if I but name My uprightness his
Justice will proclaim My misdemeanors and make evident How I in courting sin my time have spent Nay though I were upright yet would I not Desire to live my Soul hath quite forgot Its former kindness to that piece of clay It lov'd so much before and every day Longs to be from its consort separate Whom it doth now with so much reason hate Yet here 's my comfort that I understand My God will punish with impartial hand Both just and unjust and will evidence That 'twixt them both he makes no difference Has no respect for persons no regard For one or other but gives out award In every point as he finds just and layes Every mans Cause in equal ballances In unjust Causes he will none maintain So of Gods Justice no man should complain If in his wrath God should the wicked slay And root them out what could those wretches say Against Gods Justice when their Conscience Assures them he has done them no offence Because Gods Judgements do their sins pursue And punishment t' offenders is as due As Wages to the Labourer for each sin First acts its part then Judgement does begin Where it leaves of and so pursues the Chace Until the breathless sinner end his Race This is his Justice but his Mercie sure Eternal to all ages doth endure Must not our God be full of Clemency When on the wicked even unwillingly He executes his Justice punishment Is long delay'd and vengeance seldom sent 'Gainst any but the stiff impenitent Who at his Judgement doth repine and cry Out upon Gods too great severity Sure that unhappy Creature doth mistake Gods Bounty and his own Condition make Worse than it was intended for we know In Mercy God is quick in anger slow A God of Mercy he himself doth write And so in sinners death takes no delite Far lesse than should the just and innocent Think God takes pleasure in their punishment Nor ought we to repine when we reflect How God the wicked Lords o' th' earth doth make How he puts Pastures Vineyards Houses Lands Power Jurisdiction Honours in their hands By which puff'd up a wanton life they lead Whilst godly men do toil for daily bread Nor how the Judges of the earth abuse Their Sacred Function and their Power do use T' oppress the Just whose eyes with avarice Are sealed up who boldly set a price On Justice and employ their utmost Art To sell the same as in a publick Mart. Who by their Friends use to negotiat For Quotes of Pleas and closely stipulat For so much at the Issue of the cause T' attain which point they cruciat the Laws And make them serve their ends so forcibly As all the world may see their Bribery If we consider how God doth permit Those men to live on earth as they think fit Because they 're none of his and have no share I' th'land of Promise whilst the upright are In sad afflictions toss'd and seem to be O're whelmed by a most impetuous Sea Of miseries wee 'l find these walk i' th'Road Of black Damnation of such Creatures God Doth take no care but le ts them all run wild Like Herds of Asses in the open field But his own Children he doth exercise In a continual tract of miseries That being keep'd in such strict Discipline In a full body they may mount the Line I' th' daily Seige of Heaven and in the end Possess the same only to be attain'd By Sighs and Tears whilst wicked men do run Without all order and so are undone Amidst their pleasures for they do compell Their Souls instead of Heaven to march to Hell Now were it lawful to repine did God Allow to any that do feel the Rod To say that his condition were sad Sure never any Mortal Creature had More cause than I poor wretch have to complain Who 've lost my years and spent my days in vain Swifter than Post my days their course have run That I might be more speedily undone My days are gone my time is vanished My hours are fled my life is finished My wretched life a Scene of woes has been Under the Sun I have small pleasure seen Whilst others of obscure and mean estate To Wealth and Honours have been elevate Their modest parts buoyd up by Friends and Fame Purchassing quickly to those Fools a Name Which impudently they would attribute To their abilities I destitute Of every thing that 's good do silently Spin out my days in grief and penury And as the south wind with a gentle breese Breaths on the verdant Plain and skims the Seas With little noise so I my days have spent My view o' th' world was meerly transient Have you not seen a Vessel under sail Swoln with a stiff but favourable gale Post through the stubborn Seas and make a Line Upon its surface in a foaming brine Or with what wonderful celerity The ravenous Eagle to her prey doth flye So have my days run out so have my years Plough'd through a sea of foaming brinish tears Now should I say I will complain no more But here my exclamations give o're Here to my querullous Notes I 'le put a stop And from this minute I 'le begin to hope Then all my sorrows all my woes and fears Would suddainly appear about my ears With ghastly looks they 'd stare me in the face And in their silence publish my disgrace Because however I my self do vent I know God will not hold me innocent If horrid sins then do my Soul distain Why do I thus excuse my self in vain If to my Maker I have given offence Why should I all this while plead Innocence No sure if things be so all I can say Is to no purpose only I betray My weakness in endeavouring to maintain My just demeanour where my guilt is plain For certainly however I pretend To Piety and Grace yet in the end The great Heart-searcher will make evident That to this minute I my days have spent In wickedness and sin in villany Not to be nam'd in stead of purity And thou O Lord in just conceived rage will Sentence such a Scandal of his age To utmost torment that the world may see How much thou hatest such a one as me Whilst all the Fig-leav'd arguments I use To palliate my sins and make excuse For my false dealings and unrighteousness ' Stead of concealing shall my guilt express For God Almighty's not a man as I'm That I should set my face to 't and defye him When he to Justice doth himself betake That I before my God should answer make An what am I a moulded piece of Dust Consigned to a few years breath in trust Awalking ghost a meer night wanderer Like th' empty figment of some Conjurer That such as I forsooth should undertake Harangues befor the King of Heavens to make And argue for my self whilst tacitely My Conscience tells me I deserve
has sent Upon me now this heavy punishment Only to try my faith that men might know Whether I be a hypocrite or no For were I such in this my horrid case I 'd be so far from trusting in his Grace As I 'd abjure him to his very face But O I know I know my God will never Exclude me from his mercies act however He 's pleas'd to vex me now I know indeed He will not to an outlawry proceed Against a man who 's willing to appear And answer all no no I do not fear I fear not that he has rejected me As you pretend for by what I can see Should I just now before my God be try'd I doubt not but I would be justify'd Then who 's the man pray that with me will plead And prove that for my sins I 'm punished Pray' let me know the man that so I may Debate the case a little with him pray Let him appear this favour friends allow That I may know with whom I have to do Pray let me know and I will instantly Argue my case with all sobriety For if I once should hold my peace I dye Will no man plead will no man undertake The argument then my address I 'le make To God alone two things I will implore Of his large bounty and demand no more Two things preliminary Lord I must Request of thee which as thou' rt good and just I know thou wilt allow that so I may With freedom speak all that I have to say In my defence First then some small time Lord forbear thy wrath That I may have some leasure but to breath That I may have but a few hours soulage And not be quite consumed in thy rage Next O my gracious God let not thy hot And wasting anger fright my soul let not Thy lifted hand so terrible appear Nor damp my Spirit with a killing fear Then what thou pleasest of me to demand I 'l answer so far as I understand Or if thou think it fit that I should speak I shall Lord and in favour I 'l expect Thou 'lt answer me For if I be allow'd this liberty With boldness then good Lord I will reply To all the questions thou to me shalt state And with my God take pleasure to debate If I must speak then I demand good Lord How many are my sins pray in a word How many are they tell me am I able To calculat them are they numberable What are my sins Lord of what quality How black how uglie of how deep a dye Why Lord it seems that since the world began Of all the sins practis'd by mortal man Sure mine must be the foulest mine must be Most venomous sins of the first degree For Whilst others sins with modesty have call'd For Judgements it appears that mine have baul'd And with great clamour furious zeal and heat Have ask'd as due rather than supplicat For Divine vengeance and with open voice At Heavens Gates made a tumultuous noise As idle Beggars for their Alms do crie And so by clamorous importunitie Extorted from a mild and gentle God Th' unwilling usage of an angry Rod. My sins have in a Cluster cri'd aloud For punishment no mercie has withstood The rude attaques of their impetuous sute But suffered them to gain without dispute Th' Almighties Ear who has accordinglie Sent Judgements out in such varietie And has me so severelie punished As all my Neighbours never suffered So many ills at once as I do now Besides what I may lay account for too Ere all be done for I perceive the wrath Of God encreases everie hour Whilst death Keeps at a distance and appears to smile Unkindly at my torments all this while Nay which is worst of all men on pretence Of comforting me with great violence Oppress my little spirits that remain And with their bitter words augment my pain What are my sins then Lord ah let me know What have I done Lord to be punish'd so What have I done what sins have I practis'd What horrid Treason have I e're devis'd Against Heavens King what are my faults good Lord Again I beg thee tell me in a word That so I may perceive the reason why I 'm punish'd with so much severity Now pardon Lord my great presumption In those demands let my condition Plead some excuse let me some pity find Some pity Lord to ease my troubled mind Have pity then have pity on my case And for thy Names sake do not hide thy face Because in that I all my comfort place Why then good Lord do'st thou to me deny Thy countenance I am no enemy To thee my God but one I dare avow As far as humane frailty will allow Loves thee with all his Soul and still shall do Why then am I thus punish'd why oppress 't With grief Why doth my Soul enjoy no rest Why is a Creature a poor dying Creature Debarr'd from dying by the course of Nature Why to suck in again a parting Breath Is it compell'd only t' endure thy Wrath To break a Leaf that 's driven to and fro I humbly think it is a thing below The Majesty of God! why such am I Or like the Stuble withered and dry When lightly it before the Wind doth fly Then why in such sad torment Why so vex't In Soul and Body Why so sore perplex't In Spirit Why so bitter Judgements sent Each moment to recruit my punishment Such Judgements make me now Lord call to mind Those sins which wasting time had cast behind Its Shoulder sins which I thought thou had'st not Recorded sins which I had quite forgot But now the Errors of my wanton years Appear afresh hence all these sighs and tears Hence these sad words which issue from my mouth Since for the sins of my disorderd youth I 'm punished thus why Lord I must confess Those whiffling errors do deserve no less Than I now suffer yet I still must cry For mercy from my God or clse I dye For mercy Lord I must thee still implore I 'l call to Heavens for I can do no more For mercy still this liberty at least I hope thou 'lt not deny this small request To a poor dying man allow me pray Allow me Lord that what I have to say In a few dying words I may expresse And then do what thy Majesty shall please With me thy prisoner thy wretched slave One save to be the stopple of a Grave That serves for nothing do then what thou wilt Dispatch me Lord or if my horrid guilt Require that I should live some longer time Why let it be so let my horrid Crime If possible it e're can be content Be glutted with my horrid punishment For I am thy close prisoner good Lord No power on Earth can me relief afford Escape I cannot no my feet are bound My hands ty'd up all naked on the ground More than half-dead o'r grown with sores I
the time appointed shall arrive When he must die the day wherein he must Quite this vain world and return to Dust. For as a Hireling labourer doth attend The hour which to his Work may put an end That he may have his Wages and some rest From his hard labour so with cares oppress 't Poor Man for his appointed time doth wait Wherein his foolish labours soon or late May have an end that so the wearied slave May quietly lyedown and sleep in Grave That he may sleep in Grave and be no more A slave to sorrow as he was before Though he should there without all hopes remain Of ever seeing his dear World again His darling World which he so much esteem'd Of which scarce more than Embryo he dream'd But when in Grave he thinks no more upon His World for all these notions then are gone Those thoughts do with the Carrion buried lye And for his Soul ' t is all Eternity Thus then alace ah thus we plainly see Man's in a worse condition than a Tree For of a Tree cut down there 's still some hope It yet may sprout and spread its lofty top Although its scattered roots now old and dry Sapless and barren under Ground may dye And what of Trunk remains may every day In Dust and Pouder moulder and decay Yet sucking moisture from some Rivolet Whose frugal Streams doth scarce its Channel wet It quickly will revive and bud again And in short time spread out its Boughs amain As formerly and so arrive at length Unto its wonted comliness and strength But ah poor man upon his Sick-bed lyes Sighs out his Breath and like a Candle dyes Drown'd in its Socket without hopes alace Of ever living in his former case Without all hopes not sprouting like a Tree Only falls sick and dyes and where is he Ah where is he he who did once appear And thought of nothing less than death while here Where is he now where is this rambler gone What 's become of him pray' what has he done What has Earths darling done that he should dye And slip out of the World so shamefully Why Man is gone he 's now no more he 's dead He 's now in deep oblivion burried There 's no more of him For as Floods and Seas Are dryed up when Waters from them pass To other Channels so man vanisheth And is an empty nothing after death A nothing nay hold here I must correct My error and in this my passion check For though to outward view and reasoning Man in his Grave appears to be a thing Useless trod under foot esteem'd by none But hurryed in supine oblivion Yet this same Trunk which under ground doth lie Wants not its hope of Immortality For after many years it may revive Shake off its Circumambient Dust and live More firm and solid than it did before In a continued peace and die no more Yes as the waters from the Ocean flow Through Subterraneous Passages that so They in Earths Bowels may be purifi'd And free ' of former saltness gently slide Through clifts of rocks and unknown passages Into some thirsty Channel and encrease Its dwindling Streams then by degrees amain Return to their own Oceâ—n again So from the Sea of Life man sofâ—lie flowes Into the Grave where he doth onlie loss His former saltnesse and aciditie And there in closs Repositure doth lie While he be fitted for Eternity 'T is true he sleeps and shall not rise before Th' appointed time that Heavens shall be no more But when that time shall come that blessed time No new-blowen Rose no Lilly in its prime Shall smell so fragrant and appear so fair So livelie so in beautie singular So fresh so gay so bright so purifi'd As this same man who we suppos'd had die'd Shrunk into dust and in cold earth engross't This man whom we had given o're for lost When that bless'd time arrives shall re-appear More pure and act in a most glorious Sphere Than ere the Scenick Creature could do here Thrice happy those then who in grave do rest Whom no sad crosses of this life infest How much I envy their Felicity How fain would I enjoy their company Lord then that thou wouldst hide me in this grave Good Lord that such a wretch as I might have The benefit of that closs Sanctuary In which I might but for a season tarry Until thy wrath were past thy anger gone And those had storms of Judgments overblown Then of thy goodnesse please to let me know How long I must those Torments undergo How long my sufferings must endure and then Remember me in mercy once again O let me find thy kindnesse once before I drop out of this World and be no more But O I see my torments do encreasse And whilst I live shall enjoy no peace I therefore wish to dye as thâ—se oppress 't With toile and labour wish to be at rest Now if a man once in this Gulf of Death Be drown'd pray shall he re-assume his Breath Shall he revive yes yes he shall indeed And never more again be buried I 'l therefore wait I 'l therefore patiently Attend th' arrival of Eternity At least I 'l wait until the hour shall come That must restore me which although to some It be a question it to me is none For with assurance I relye upon My Makers goodnesse and believe that God Will to my sufferings set a period Then shall my God me once again embrace And to me every hour extend his Grace Then shall I Make addresse to him in prayer And shall no sooner speak then he shall hear ' Shall answer every thing I can demand And make me with great pleasure understand The language of the Saints But now alace Lord thou dost calculat My very thoughts thou dost enumerat My errors one by one and by and by In order they appear before thy eye There 's no concealing of the smallest sin Though in the breast yet when thou dost begin To reckon with us neither hope nor fear Can shelter them from eyes so sharp and clear But streightways all above board must appear When thou dost call Then all must be reveal'd And on the square be summ'd ty'd up and seal'd Like Money in a Bag that thou mayst know What each mans judgements ' to his sins do owe. Nay with so strict a survey not content Thy anger doth my wickednesse augment For even my moral sins are mustered Before thee strictly view'd and numbered And I alace am shrewdly punished For sins which in some others virtues are And in the Worlds eyes lawful do appear Then must I thus be punished good Lord Thus without pity wilt thou not afford But some small respite to my wearied Soul That I may have some leasure to condole My sad disasters Lord have pity then On me the most disconsolat of men Some respite I beseech some interval Some breathing
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
noise thus cry and howl And in his anger tear his very Soul As thou dost now thy self in wrath expresse As though thou were 't first Martyr in the case How from my Soul do I commiserat A man in such a sad distracted state Why dost thou think but other men as well As thou my friend the same afflictions feel Thy case indeed is no ways singular Nor are thy sufferings extraordinar Then why my friend art thou become so vain To think thou shouldst not feel what other men As good as thee do dayly undergo And make not half this noise of it if so I do with sorrow look upon thy state And think indeed it is more desperate Then that of those shut up in Hospitals For most of these have lucid intervals But thou hast none their fury may be tam'd By strength of Medicine and they reclaim'd By time to their own wits thine doth encrease And seems to be a madness in excess Thy fury seizes on thee more and more Beyond the approved cure of Hallâ—bore For thou dost think that God to favour thee Should alter his established decree And even be pleas'd on thy account to change The so well ordred course of Nature strange That any mortal man endu'd with reason Should dar to hatch within his breast such treason Against Heavens King dost think that God will make The lofty Rocks within their Sockets shake Or mash the Frame of Nature for thy sake Dost think he 'll make the Earth turn desolate To complement thee in thy sad estate Or make Men Beasts Birds Fishes in the Sea Endure the same afflictions with thee That the whole Universe from Pole to Pole Might with one voice thy miseries condole Alace my friend thou rav'st thou rav'st indeed If thou foment such fancies pray take heed What thou dost think at least what thou dost speak For thy expressions show thy judgement weak And which is yet a sign more evident Of thy distemper and an argument Of thy disordred mind with confidence Because we seem to doubt thy innocence Thou calls't us fools and dunces which implyes As much as thou think'st thou art hugely wise Whilst all wise men conclude without debate That every man wise in his own conceit Iâ— but a fool of which alace I see A too true demonstration in thee And therefore with more reason I 'd request Then thou hast us thou would not speak at least For in this troubled state I 'd thee advise To hold thy peace and we shall think thee wise At least as we have heard with patience All thy discourse and taken no offence At thy injurious words so thou wouldst hear What I intend to speak which though I fear Will quadrat too much with thy case yet I With all discretion shall forbear t' apply But only shall endeavour to expresse In a few words wy judgement on the case I see my friend then though thou still dost plead Not guilty yet a man may plainly read In thy afflictions what 's the cause of all Thy miseries which I do freely call Thy crying sins thy unjust dealings hence Those woes from these thy sufferings commence Thy judgements clearly do thy sins expresse To all of us though thou wilt not confesse But cunningly wouldst still plead innocent And truly there 's no greater argument Of guilt then still denying when impeach'd But for all thy defences God has reach'd Thee in his justice and has punish'd thee For thy foul sins in manner as we see Now as in wrath our God is formidable So all his orders are inviolable He lets the wicked man in villany Proceed and flourish undisturbedly For a long time until he doth attain To the full Zenith of his joyes and then He draws the Reins and doth his pride compesce In the bright noon-tide of his happinesse So from his earthly glory in a tryce He tumbles down as from a precipice His radiant lustre shall be no more seen But his great name as though he ne'er had been Shall be raz'd out of the Records of Fame And none shall know he was or whence he came Nay those who knew him in prosperity Shall now abhor his very memory His wealth and power in which he did confide Shall fail him all his arts and tricks beside By which he us'd to couzen other men Shall be most quaintly disappointed then His council shall be overturned all And by his own devices he shall fall The course of life he in this Earth doth steer Shall be like Ships 'mongst shelves in constant fear With dreadful thoughts he shall be overlaid Of his own shadow he shall be afraid Sad apprehensions shall upon him seize And in his spirits he shall find no ease For when he means by pleasures to divert His sorrows and alleviate his heart By serene thoughts his conscience by and by Shall lay before him his impiety Which shall him also in his sleep affright And steal upon him like a Thief by night Shall apprehend that plots are every where Laid for his life and that men do prepare Actions Indytements Jurors evidence Against him and his frighted conscience Makes him believe that men do ly in wait To catch him and that every man doth hate Both him and all his execrable race And that he 's the discourse of every place When on his pillow he shall lay his head Thinking by sleep from terrors to be freed Then shall fresh terrors like a rapid stream Break in upon his fancy in a dream Then shall he start out of his sleep and call For Sword for Helmet Corslet Shield for all Then sleep again but in a tryce awake And nimbly to his feet himself betake So sleep and wake and wake and sleep by fits All the long night like one out of his wits His Creditors on all his Means shall seize Turn out his Family bring him by degrees To such a sad penurious exigent As he and his shall have no aliment Then wasting sorrow want of sleep and food With all things that to nature are allow'd Shall in his Loines his Body and his Head A complication of diseases breed By which the hateful wretch shall every day In some dark corner rot and pine away Then all his hopes by which he formerly In th' hottest fits of his adversity Would cheer his drooping spirits and recall His almost parting soul then shall they all Abandon him and he shall then appear Upon all hands environed with fear Like a poor Malefactor who has tane His leave of all his friends and with some pain Mounted the Ladder when he looks about Of deaths approach he makes no longer doubt Concluding 'cause attended now by none But th' horrid Executioner alone Sure he must dy for all his hopes are gone Fear while he lives shall dwell within those walls Which his indeed he most unjustly calls Because by fraud and rapine purchased In his own Chamber fear
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
judgements sends To keep the great-men of the Earth his friends So thou didst think when thou didst live in state God thought it fit thou shouldst be alwayes great As being one so justly qualifi d For Government as there were none beside In all the Countrey to supply thy place Wer 't thou undone and therefore if in peace His Majesty would govern all above He thought it not his interest to remove From Government so great a Minister As thou wer 't hence thou vainly didst infer That having left all to thy management Reward thou might but never punishment Expect from God O principles most Atheistical Opinions to be abhorr'd by all Dost think that God who all things did create Who plac'd us all in every rank and state That he whose eye views all things should not know What all of us think speak or act below His Heavenly Throne dost think the thickest cloud From him who holds them in his hands can shroud Our actings here on Earth dost think but he Whose eyes see clearly through the thickest Sea And through the body of the Earth can tell What all those things do act who live in Hell Dost think but he with far more ease doth see Through all those rouling orbs and clouds what we Act here on Earth dost think that he 'll permit The sons of men to live as they think fit Whilst as a meer spectator he looks on Indifferent and concerns himself with none No sure thou thinkst not as thou speakst for so Thou mightst as well pretend thou didst not know Whether there were a God in Heavens or no. For to conclude with thee that Providence Doth rule the World with such indifference As sometimes here it strikes and sometimes there Sending out plagues or blessings everie where As th' fatal Dye doth turn upon the square As points out each mans Destiny were even To fancie a grand Lottery in Heaven Or think that God who all men fullie knows Should by mistake at anie time send blows Where blessings should be sent allow me then To tell thee that none but the worst of men Should vent such errors in which thou appears To be involved over head and ears For thou thinkst not enough thus to denie That providence doth rule with equitie But dost thy error proudlie justifie Thou argu'st too by reason as do all Those whom the knowing world do Athiests call But were there no more arguments to confute Thee and those prating Fellows who dispute The actions of their Maker this alone May teach you all God will be fool'd by none That though those wretches firmlie do believe There is no God yet still they do conceive There 's some such thing for in their mind they doubt Although they are asham'd to speak it out Whether what they believe be reallie true Or not for to give providence its due They find all 's ordered by some supream hand Though whose it is they will not understand So though in their opinions positive Yet by their doubtings we may well perceive That they with contrare thoughts are still opprest And maugre all their braving cannot rest On such opinions but still apprehend God out of Heav'ns will view them in the end And on their old-age heavy judgements send Take heed I do beseech thee then from hence My friend how thou dost talk of Providence And ask no questions pray why wicked men To great enjoyments in this life attain Whilst pious men are strictly punished As if here Providence did erre take heed And do not think such things for if thou dost Assure thy self thou art for ever lost Then use no more that trivial defence So oft repeated of thy innocence For we are all perswaded that our God Without just cause doth never use the Rod. Remark but th' History of former times Thou 'lt see how men have suffered for crimes Hast thou not heard how men before the Flood Behav'd themselves as if they had withstood The power of Providence and would not bow To the great Prince of princes or allow That homage to him which the Creature owes To its Creator he did so dispose Those Clouds in which thou think'st he 's wrapp'd a round As in a few dayes all those men were drown'd He who by power of his Almighty Hand Clear'd all the Marches betwixt Sea and Land And by the same power doth restrain the Floods Above us in Borrachios of Clouds Was pleas'd then in his wrath t' unty them all Which caus'd a Deluge Epidemical That race of Creatures which not long before He had created he did then abhore Because they had his Government disclaim'd And all his reverend Orators contemn'd Whom he had sent with open mouths to tell 'em Of those sad things which afterwards befel 'em But they with open mouthes those men did mock And told them that they knew not what they spoke Nay when the Good-man whom the Lord design'd To be the great Restorer of Man-kind By special Direction did begin In view of all to build an Ark wherein The Seeds o' the World might be preserv'd entire Whilst all the rest did in the Flouds expire Those silly Fools did laugh at his intent And oft would ask what the old Fellow mean't So in their errors these men did proceed Still living as they were accustomed In wanton pleasures regulating still Their Lives by order of their foolish will Hence when the Cataracts of Heaven did swell And Floods out of the Skies upon them fell They were catch'd napping in their Festivals And minding nothing but their Bacchanals Were in that universal Deluge drown'd With all their sins about ' em But O the man who as they thought had rav'd Was in that Ark which they derided sav'd With all his Family he safety found Amidst those rowling Waves in which they drown'd And the Good-Master of Heavens only Barque With all his Passengers did in his Ark O'r'e-top the Flouds Then on might see when that Spring-tide was full The Stock of Mankind floating in a Hull The hopes o' th' world the Origination Of every future Kingdom State and Nation Shut up below Decks under Boards and Dails Without the help of Masts Ropes Oars or Sails Rudder or Compass Steer they knew not whither Upon the Waters many days together And yet at length as well as any now Who with great Art and Skill the Ocean plow Arrive at their wish'd Port of Ararat From whence they quickly did Disseminat In fruitful Colonies giving Birth to all Who now do scramble 'bout this Earthen-ball Such wicked men then did not dy in peace Nor did they step into their Graves with ease Who said to God depart from us good Lord What more than we enjoy can'st thou afford And generally were so insolent In sin as they disdained to repent As thou affirm'st no they were visibly While living punish'd for Impiety Yet after all with thee I must confess 'T is strange to think how our good God did bless
laid I' th twinkling of an eye and men are toss't On Land as if at Sea and many lost In most impetuous storms of blowing-sand Which Eastern-winds do raise within this land So suddain shall this rich-mans down-fall be Thunder-struck from above e're he can see The hand that gives the blow he 's hurryed With fury hence and quickly buried In his own ruins whilst no man can tell How or by what means this tall Cedar fell For O the blow the blow from God alone From his high hand resistible by none Truly proceeds from his Almighty hand Which holds the Trâ—ncheon of supream command O're all created things from that alone Judgements as stones out of a sling are thrown Upon this sinning man sorrows in heaps Are cast upon him whilst th' Almighty keeps Himself at distance from him and denys To hear his Prayer when he sadly crys No God in Wrath shall so pursue this man As let him run let him do what he can T' escape his blow yet all shall be in vain For he by judgements shall be overtane Where e're he goes let him run any where And in great horrour ramble here and there On Sea on Land and often change his Clyme Yet still his judgement doth attend his Crime Gods heavy wrath pursues him constantly And finds him out where ever he doth fly For still the more he thinks to fly the more His wrath pursues him and doth ne're give o're Untill it lay this Rebel in the Dust And beat him all to pieces For none but such as he who does not know The good and just inflicter of his blow Who with Heavens King is wholly unacquaint Will strive to fly at such an exigent From his all-reaching-hand but rather ly Flat on their face when him in wrath they spy And by degrees endeavour still to creep Nigh to his Foot-stool for he doth not keep His wrath 'gainst such as in adversity Do thither run as to a Sanctuary But plagues those only who from him doth fly Hence all good men when they perceive the Rod Endeavour quickly to draw nigh to God Knowing 't is only as a warning sent That they his further anger may prevent By application to the Throne of Grace To which the humble freely may address At all times and occasions and so By fervent prayer they escape the blow And when the day shall come that God thinks fit 'Gainst this great man to issue out his writ When he intends this Gyant to destroy His neighbours all around shall shout for joy And at his down-fall openly proclaime How much they did abhor his hateful name Whose sins did so far antedate his shame Cap. XXVIII THus then you see how friendly I allow What you assert but I must tell you now That after all 't is my opinion still Reason to th' contrair as much as you will That though th' Almighty on the wicked sends Those ills I have related yet my friends We must not thence conclude at any rate That in his actings God is limitat To punish only such as plagues do merit For I do hold that as he is a Spirit Infinit and incomprehensible So all his actings are unsearchable And therefore of a truth I see not well How we can longer on this subject dwell And dive into the knowledge of such things As far exceed all humane reasonings Or strive to comprehend without offence The various windings of his Providence 'T is true the wit of man may safely pry In things on Earth and with security Unriddle all the mystick passages Which in the Book of Nature do expresse His Power and Glory and which he thought fit T' abscond that he might try his Creatures wit In finding of them out 't is true indeed A man with satisfaction may read The works of God as by his mighty hand Has writ them in the Caverns of the Land And bottom of the Seas yea we suppose One may all Natures Cabinet unclose By force of art and happily find out Each privat shuttle whilst he looks about For things conceal'd nay there he safely may By his own art discover every day The greatnesse of his God especially When in Earths bowels with an Artists eye In search of Mines and Minerals he doth pry Yes in all these 't is lawful for a man To try his wit and labour what he can To trace those By-roads of obscurity Which lead to th' Caverns where Earths Treasures ly For our great God not only doth allow Such curious searchings but assists him too In his endeavours so as he doth find Besides great wealth a mean t' enrich his mind By knowledge of those Mines which certainly Fully compenses all his industry Whils't he admires to see in every Mine How much the glory of his God doth shine And as he works discovers more and more His worth and sees his power in every Ore For who 'd not take delite to understand How in Earths womb that high and mighty hand Which all things fram'd has fram'd those Mettals too About which Artists keep so much ado Whilst some do think that in the first Creation All Stones and Mettals in the very fashion As now we see them did exist compleat 'Gainst which opinion others do debate That they 're not of Original Creation But are produc'd by daily Generation 'Twixt sulphur as they think and Mercury Which in Earths hidden Veins do scattered ly Of which that Male and this they Female call From whose congression every Mineral They say doth spring and to conceal the same That soeâ—id spirit this dry-water name Yet though from this Congression they hold All other Mettals flow they say that Gold As a most perfect pure and solid Creature VVithout all mixtion is produc'd by Nature Others again who make it their profession To know such things say from the same congression Gold doth proceed for if the mixture be In just proportions and they both agree In quantity then by a temperat And soft Decoction with a moderat heat I' th' bowels of clean earth and there condens'd VVith Moisture Radical earth wash'd and cleans'd From all corruption they at length become A fusile thing and this is held by some To be pure Gold next when that mixture fails And Sulphure over Mercury prevails Then Silver is produc'd which they esteem As baser and Gold's younger Brother name Then when the substance of these is impure And they 're not mix'd with aequilibrature Nor in earths bowels duely tempered They do become Tinn Iron Copper Lead Against this too there 's others do debate And say all Minerals are procreat From th'mixture of thin Earth with whitest Water Which they affirm to be the only matter Whence Mettals do proceed and that 't is so They prove 'cause Mettals do like Water flow By strength of Fire from whence they do assert As all things are reduc'd by Rules of Art To their first Principles so when we see Those Mettals flow their Matter sure
prayer may be purchased Whilst that to Mortals is prohibited Cap. XXIX AFter by all the strength of argument Job had endeavoured to make evident How much his friends did err whilst they maintain'd That God on no man did afflictions send But such whose sins for punishment did call Which as a proposition general They did assert whilst on the other hand This good man by his reason did withstand What they did often press with so much heat From whence resulted their so long debate Upon the Subject and endeavoured too To show that their Great Judge did not allow Such curious questions to be canvassed As by what Laws and Rules he governed His Native Subjects or what unknown fashion He us'd in ordering of his own Creation Now he subsumes That his own case was a strong evidence O' th' truth of what he spoke and that from thence All knowing and impartial men might see How much his sad condition did agree With that of many whom their God did love Whilst here on Earth and now enjoy'd above Eternal rest so he for all they spoke Did not believe this sad and fearful stroak Under which now he lay was merited By his preceeding sins but only laid Upon him for a tryal by his God Who in his Divine Wisdom us'd his Rod As oft on those of his own Family To keep them strictly in conformity With what is good and just as upon those For punishment who are his open foes And therefore thus proceeds as formerly Maintaining still his own integrity And from that head doth modestly regrate The doleful figure of his present state O that I were says he as I have been O those fair Halâ—yon-days that I have seen O those sweet times O those delightful hours Which I have seen which like the fragrant flowers That shine upon Earths surface in their prime With fairest showes did beautifie my time O that I were as all my Neighbours know I was indeed not many years agoe When my good God did think me worth his care When he would hear and grant my daily Prayer When he 'd preserve me by his Providence And guard me from each inconvenience Had else befall'n me when he 'd lovingly With all my wishes every hour comply When in my Person he did take delight And with him I was no small Favourite When Gods great Mercies were so eminent As all who knew me see how evident His love was to me when they cast such light About me round as Candles in the Night Afford so that if Troubles on me fell At any time they did not with me dwell As now they do but meerly transient They scarce did hurt me when their force was spent O that I were again as I have been O those bless'd golden hours that I have seen O that I were as I was formerly In the smooth current of Prosperity As I was in the days of verdant Youth When like the gentle breezes from the South Which with such kindness breath upon the Fields As to their court-ship Nature quickly yields And all things in their seasons doth produce That any way doth sute with humane use So God did breath upon me in his love And rain such showers of blessings from above On me and my poor house that I from thence Might well perceive the large munificence Of my great Patron who did every day Hear my request oftner then I could pray When the Almighty yet was pleas'd t' expresse For my concerns great love and tendernesse When my dear Children liv'd who now are dead When they on whom base Vermine now do feed Like Olive-plants about me flourished When they for beauty health wit vigour stood Against the greatest of our neighbour-hood When fraught with hopes of what each day did grow My total satisfaction here below Lay in those Childrens souls depositat And by their health I reckon'd my Estate When in their converse I did take such pleasure As oftentimes I d steal some hours of leasure To enter with them in some conference That I their Wit and Parts might know from thence When under my poor Roof some hundreds fed To whom I did afford their daily Bread Who by my orders twice at least a day Assembled in my Chappel-room to pray Whilst with uplifted hands all on our knees We'd offer a sweet smelling sacrifice Of prayer and in our privat exercise Addresse our selves to him who hears alone All prayers but now these happy days are gone Those happy days are gone those hours are spent And darknesse now succeeds I faint I faint Alace I faint when I do call to mind And sadly think in former times how kind My great Creator at all times appear'd And all my prayers with attention heard But now I such devotion may spare For when I cry aloud he will not hear He will not hear me nor will he allow That I should bow the knee before him now O then that I could have once more again But even a Prospect of what I have seen In former times O that I could once more But live a little as I 've done before When I had all things so accommodate And had so well improven my Estate As all the Hills around did Tribute pay In Honey Milk and Oyl nay every day They did me so much of their Growth afford As three parts of my Rent I might ha' stor'd And with the fourth supply'd my Famlly Through all the year well and conveniently When all my Corn-fields yearly did produce Three times as much as serv'd my private use When all my Cattel pleasantly did feed In their own Pastures and did yearly breed With so great increase as my Stock intire I had all profit that I would desire When with a great attendance I would go To th' Court of Justice and my self would show Upon the Bench where all would make address To me who in that Court had business And when some times with clamour I would meet Of shrewd oppression in the open Street I 'de stop and hear both parties in their sute For a small time then without more dispute When I had heard them both and fully try'd The truth of all as I found just decide At my approach young men would by and by Slip out o' th' way scar'd by my gravity Old men as I did pass would in a row Salute me and their bodies humbly bow Nor would they one Punctilio neglect Of courtesie in paying their respect The Lords o' th' Country who at home in State Did govern all when I in Judgement sate Would with submission in the Court appear And from debates amongst themselves forbear Whilst all their Counsel I would calmly hear And when I did give Judgement in the case They 'd stop their mouths and freely acquiesce To what I did determine none repin'd At my procedure none of them declin'd My Jurisdiction none of them complain'd But all obey'd what I had once ordain'd What
I had once ordain'd did fully stand For Law my Sentence was a firm command The greatest of them all would silently Forthwith with my Decisions comply Such was my Justice so by Rules of Law I gave decisions that all stood in aw To ask a further hearing 'cause they knew What I did order needed no review In all the time of my authority God knows I speak this without vanity By his assistance I did judge so well I ne're so much as heard of an appeal For in my judging I had no respect To persons nor did information take From private mouths to this mans prejudice Or t' other nor did I the qualities Of Plaintiff or Defendant e're regard But freely my opinion still declar'd As by the Laws and Statutes of the place I found should be adjudg'd upon the case I never would encourage my relations And friends to ply me with sollicitations On any mans behalf whose sute did ly In Court before me but would still deny Access to all that for their friend would speak Except in open Court I ne're would take A Bribe from any neither would I hear Or look on such as whisper in the ear And offer private compacts nor allow My servants to exact as others do From Parties who in Court had business That they to me might make these mens address Nor would I e're allow at any rate That any of my Children should debate In Court for any man lest men might think I might their Party favour or might wink At their contrivance and adjudge the case T' advance their foul and unjust purchases Nor would I ever suffer in the least Defendants in their Pleas should be opprest By powerful men to whom it was thought fit The Plaintiffs oft times should their Suits transmit No for by rules of Court I openly Forbid such unjust dealings and would try Each Parties Title e're I suffered Either of them upon the fact to plead For as I all oppression did detest So on concussion as none of the least O' th' many species of that loud-tongu'd Crime I alwayes look'd thence if at any time Such cases did occur I 'de carefully Restrain such active cunning tyranny For this cause all men bless'd me for this cause Of all who knew me I had great applause Because the poor whose daily cryes did grieve My very soul I quickly did relieve From sad oppressions under which they groan'd And only by the rabble were bemoan'd The Orphan too and him that destitute Of counsel in the Court did move his suit I freely heard and without much debate In their possessions I would re-instate Those who in Law-suits all their means had spent And at the Court-gates daily did present Petitions on their knees for Aliment I 'de frequently relieve and in return Procure their blessings Widows who did mourn And kep't a howling with their Girles and Boyes Before I left the Court I 'de make rejoice Nor did I act thus to procure the name Of a just Judge or by a running fame Tâ— abuse the World but meerly I protest Out of a principle which in my breast I entertain'd that taught me to deny All fellowship with partiality For I in simple justice took delight And as no threatnings did my mind affright So was I not by Female-pity mov'd To do injustice nay I ever lov'd To hear both parties fully how so e're The ones pretensions often did appear More favourable then the others were For In my judgement I 'd not contribute To th' verifying of either parties suit But by the rules of Justice and in that My self indeed I valu'd for I sat Not as a friend to any but to all A Judge most upright and impartial As such indeed I did my self esteem More then if I had worn a Diadem For such as could not their own case relate In terms of Law I would the question state And even their Counsel where 't was evident In point of Law they were deficient By my own knowledge I would oft supply And help their Pleadings yet impartially Nay where I see a Cause like to miscarry Through th' influence of a potent adversary Though just and fair I would indeed from thence Appear for th' Party and in his defence Bestir my self as wholly opposite To all oppression nay I took delite To crush the projects of those powerful men And make their Congees and attendance vain I was indeed a father to the poor And always would protect them from that hour I see their Cause was just and would withstand On their behalf the greatest in the land For where by Lawyers wrangling and debate Their Causes had been rendred intricate I 'd call for th' Process and with careful eye In privat every Article survey Not trusting to my Clerks as others do But with my own eyes I 'd go fully through The several pieces and next day report My judgement on the case in open Court So that when the oppressour judg'd his prey Was now his own and without more delay He 'd seize on all the poor man did possesse Then on a suddain would I turn the chase And as a man out of a Lyons paws Would tear his spoile so the poors dying Cause I 'd rescue by the very strength of Laws Yea not so only but I would allow Such costs to the prevailing Parties too And whip the faillers with such dammages As they should not be able to oppresse As they had done but thence forth should forbear In such foull unjust actions to appear Thus firmly rooted thus established Thus flourishing thus branching I could read In all those figures and fair instances The History of my own happinesse Then said I Lord how hast thou bless'd me now In every thing what have I more to do Then thus to live in Honour Wealth and Peace And when the motion of my Lungs shall cease Crown'd with the Lawrels of Felicity To lay my self down and in triumph die For my enjoyments daily did increase My joys were greater then I could express And there was no bounds to my happiness I liv'd in plenty and in confidence Of Gods great favour and a permanence Of all his kindness never did I dream On what I now perceive but did esteem My self so fixt in my enjoyments here As not unlike a Tree I did appear That planted by a River with its roots Sockâ—t in the Waters always freshly sprouts And 'twixt the Water and the Dew which lyes Each Night upon its branches multiplyâ—s So in its growth as one might judge from thence This Tree might be of long continuance I thought my honour never should decay For I might well perceive how every day My reputation as a Judge increas'd And I all mens affections possess'd Yea as I us'd to judge impartially So arm'd with Power and Authority All my Decrees I would see execute And my Commands obey'd without dispute Without dispute for I remember well In
yet for some years to live At this his sicknesse shall decrease apace His spirits shall return and in his face The blossoms of new life shall then appear As when the Spring doth usher in the year His flesh shall be as soft and delicate As it appear'd once in his infant state But that 's not all for as to health restor'd So God to him most kindly shall afford That sweet communion with himself which all Esteem so much who on his Name do call And that bless'd comfort which afflictions cloud So long time from this poor mans soul did shrowd Shall then more bright appear and shine again As when the Sun triumphant after rain Unto the longing Earth himself displays And chears her up with warm refreshing rays Then he shall be above all calumny And shall rejoice in his integrity Shall pray to God with successe and no more Sadly suspect as he had done before That he who dwells in Heaven did disdain So much as t' hear him when he did complain And all his tears and prayers were in vain For our good God in mercy infinite Be sure my friend doth take no small delite To save a sinner that is penitent When he perceives him heartily repent For often upon men he casts his eye Where if he in a corner doth espy Some poor heart-bursting sinner on his knees Whose outrun eyes are now upon the lees Whose voice with crying to that note is shrunk As if he mutter'd through a hollow Trunk Who after many a sad and killing groan Whose heat would almost melt a heart of stone In a few words can only stammer out Lord I have sinn'd and now what doth it boot What doth it boot good Lord what after all My trade of sin can I my profit call Ay me good God to what by just account Doth th' provenue of all my sins amount What have I gain'd alace what have I gain'd To what have I by my dear sins attain'd How foolishly good Lord as now appears Have I consum'd my profitable years And spent the cream of all my youth and strength In prosecution of what now at length Affords no profit to my soul but brings The thoughts of sad and execrable things Into my mind which though I do deplore And by thy grace intend to act no more Yet the remembrance of my wanton years Present a prospect of perpetual fears Before my eyes and I still apprehend That I shall justly suffer in the end For all my sins unless that thou in Grace Wilt hear me and have pity on my Case This poor convinced sinner God will hear And to him soon most gracious appear He will not let him perish but will save His soul from Hell his body from the Grave Thus then by Dreams by Visions and Diseases And by his Preachers whensoere he pleases He warns us of our danger and commands His killing Angels oft to hold their hands For a few years at least that he may see What the effects will of these Warnings be For in mens ruine he no pleasure takes But even suspends his Justice for their sakes That they may have some leasure to repent And not be reeking in Offences sent Like Devils t' endure eternal punishment But of their foolish Errors undeceiv'd Spite of themselves they may at length be sav'd Then pray my friend remark what I have said And to what I have yet to say take heed Observe me pray and to my words give ear For it is fit thou with attention hear What God has by Commission ordered me To speak dear friend in reference to thee Yet if th' hast any thing to say my friend In thy defence I 'le not be so unkind As to command thee silence but allow Thee liberty to speak and argue too Against what I have said for my intent I' th' series of my present Argument Is if I can to prove thee Innocent If not pray hold thy peace be silent pray And with attentive mind mark what I say Mark what I say for by his Divine Grace Who ordered me to speak upon this Case I 'le teach thee Wisdom more then ever yet Thou understood'st although thou wert of late Renown'd for Wit and Literature at least In Reputation rank'd amongst the best Of those sharp Wits who live here in the East Cap. XXXIV AFter some pause as if he did expect An answer seeing Job no answer make To what he said he thus continued To speak and argue on the common Head And now says he you see how I am sent By warrand from my God to represent His judgment of the Question in hand And therefore I must let you understand As I 'me commanded with Authority Where you 've done right and where your Errors ly Shall then request you of my audience Whom I esteem men of great eminence For wit and parts to hear with patience What I am now to speak For I am not to speak before a Rabble O' th' Vulgar but before those who are able To judge of my Discourse before such men As on this Subject can themselves explain Better then I and handle with more wit The Question if their Passion would permit Let 's then impartially consider now Without all heat what 't is we have to do With moderation let 's the Question state And understand on what we 're to debate For I am not ambitious in the least Nor do I entertain within my breast Such a proud thought as that I may be said T' have had the better of you no indeed I 'me none of those that argue for applause Or love to preach for reputations cause Or in discoursing make it all my care To angle Ears and become Popular By flourishes of studied Eloquence Or gain the name of learn'd with great expence Of painted Language as too many now Of my Profession are in use to do No no my friends I hate such practices And only shall in a few passages Without all Art a short Relation make Of what my God has ord'red me to speak To come to th' point then as I 've formerly Show'n how th' Almighty by his Ministry By Dreams Diseases Visions and such means Is in his Mercy pleas'd to take much pains To show the sons of Men what he intends Before upon them he Afflictions sends That by the prospect of their Punishment He may perswade them timely to repent Especially when thus before their eyes He lays the scene of their Calamities By which you see he deals not by surprize With any man from whence I do maintain That he who of his Judgments doth complain As if such Woes without prediction were Pour'd out upon him doth extreamly err So in the next place I intend to show That when our God is pleas'd to inflict a blow On anie man I think in conscience Th' afflicted man should with great patience Endure it as a thing which suddainlie Has
unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways 15. Who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him 16. Lo their God is not in their hand the counsel of the wicked is far from me 17. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out and how oft cometh their destruction 18. They are as stuble before the wind and as chaff that the storm carrieth away 19. God layeth up his iniquity for his children he rewardeth him and he shall know it 20. His eyes shall see his destruction he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty 21. For what pleasure hath he in his house after him when the number of his months is cut off in the midst 22. Shall any reach God knowledge seing he judgeth those that are high 23. One dyeth in his full strength being wholly at case quiet 24. His breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistned with marrow 25. And another dyeth in the bitterness of his soul never eateth with pleasure 26. They shall ly down alike in the dust and the wormes shall cover them 27. Behold I know your thoughts and the devices which you wrongfully imagine against me 28. For ye say where is the house of the Prince and where are the dwellings of the wicked 19. Have you not asked them that go by the way and do you not know their token 30. That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath 31. Who shall declare his way to his face and who shall repay him what he hath done 32. Yet shall he be brought to the grave and remain in the tomb 33. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him and every man shalldraw after him 34 How then comfort you me in vain seing in your answers remaineth falshood 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said 2 Can a man be profitable unto God as he that is wise can be profitable to himself 3. Is it any plea-sure to the Almighty â—â—at thou art righte â—â—us or is it gain to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect 4. Will he reprove â—heâ— for fear of thee â—â—ll 〈◊〉 enter with 〈◊〉 into judgment 5. Is not thy wickedness great and thine iniquities infinite 6. For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother â—ornoght and stripped the naked of their cloathing 7. Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink and thou hast witholden bread from the hungry 8. But as for the mighty man he had the earth and the honourable man dwelt in it 9. Thou hast sent widows away empty and the arms of the farherless have been broken 10. Therefore snares are round about thee and suddain fear troubleth thee 11. Or darkness that thou canst not see and abundance of waters cover thee 12. Is not God in the height of heaven and behold the hight of the stars how high they are 13. And thou sayst how doth God know can he judge through the dark cloud 14. Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of heaven 15 Hast thou marked the old way which men have troden 16 Who were cut down out of time whose foundations was overflown with a flood 17 Which said unto God depart from us and what can th' Almighty do for them â—8 Yet he filled their houses with good things but the counsel of the wicked is far from me 19 The righteous see it and are glad and the innocent laugh them to scorn 20 Whereas our substance is not cut down but the râ—mnaâ—â— of them the fire consumes 21 Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shalâ— come unto thee 22 Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thine heart 23 If thou return to the Almighty thou shalt be built up thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles 24 Thou shalt lay up gold as duâ—â— and the gold of Ophire as the stones of the brooks 25 Yea the Almighty shall be thy defence and thou shalt have plenty of silver 26 For then thou shalt have thy delight in the Almighty and shalt â—â—ft up thy face unto God 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy vows 28. Thou shalt also declare a thing it shall be established unto thee and the light shall shine upon his wayes 29. When men are cast down then thou shalt say there is a lifting up and he shal save the humble person 30. He shal deliver the Island of the innocent and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hand 1. Then Iob answered and said Even to day is my â—â—â—â—laint bitter my 〈…〉 heavier than my groaning 3. O that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his feat 4. I would order my cause before him and fill my mouth with arguments 5. I would know the words which he would answer me understand what he would say unto me 6. Will he plead against me with his great power no but he would put strength in me 7. There the righteous might dispute with him so should I be delivered for ever from my judge 8. Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him 9. On the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cadnot see him 10. But he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tryed me I shall come forth as gold 11. My foot hath held his steps his ways I have keeped and not declined 12. Neither have I gone back from the commandments of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food 13. But he is of one mind and who can turn him and what his â—â—â—eth even that he doth 14. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me and many such things are with him 15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence when I consider I am afraid of him 16. For God maketh my heart soft and the Almighty troubleth me 17. Because I was not cut off before the darkness neither has the darkness covered my face 1. Why seing times are not hidden from the Almighty do they that knew him not see his days 2. Some remove the land-marks they violently take away flocks and feed thereof 3. They drive away the ass of the fatherless they take the widows ox for a pledge 4. They turn the needy out of the way the poor of the earth hide themselves together 5. Behold as wild asses in the desart go they forth to their work rising betimes for a prey the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children 6 They reap everyone his corn in the field and they gather the vintage of the wicked 7 They cause
vnited in his anger yet he knoweth 〈◊〉 not in great extremity 1â— Therefore doth Iob open his mouth in vain hâ—â— mulâ—â—y lyeth words without knowledge 1. Elihu also proceeded and said 2. Suffer me yet a little and I will show thee that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar and I will ascribe righteousness to my maker 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee 5. Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any he is mighty in strength and wisdom 6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked but giveth right to the poor 7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous but with kings are they on the throne yea he doth establish them forever and they are exalted 8 And if they be bound in fetters and be holden in cords of affliction 9 Then he shows them their works their transgressions that they have exceeded 10 He openeth also their ears to discipline and commandâ—â—h â—hat they return 〈◊〉 iniquity 11 If they obey and serve him they shall spend their days â—n prosperity and their years in pleasure 12. But if they obey not they shall perish by the sword and they shall dy without knowledge 13. But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath they cry not when he bindeth them 14. They die in youth and their life is among the unclean 15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth their ears in oppression 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place where there is no straitness and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked judgment and justice take hold on thee 18. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroak then a great ransom cannot deliver thee 19. Will he esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength 20. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place 21 Take heed regard not iniquity for thâ—s thou hast rather chosen then affliction 22 Behold God exalteth by his power who teacheth him 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity 24. Remember that thou magnify his works which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afar off 26. Behold God is great and we know him not neither can the number of his years be searched out 27. For he maketh finall the drops of water they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof 28. Which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly 29. Also can any understand he spreadings of the clouds or the noise of histabernacle 31 For by them he judgeth the people and giveth meat in abundance 32 With clouds he covereth the light and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwiâ—t 33 The voice thereof sheweth concerning it the cattel also concerning the vapour 1 At this also my heart trembleth and is moved out of its place 2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice and the sound that goeth out of his mouth 3 He directeth it under the whole heaven and his lightning unto the ends of the earth 4 After it a voice roareth he thundereth with the voice of his excellency and he will not stay them when his voice is heard 5. God thundereth marvellously with his voice great things doth he which we cannot comprehend 6. For he saith to the snow be theâ— on the earth likewise to the small â—â—in and to the great â—ain of his strength 7. He sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work 8 Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places 9 Out of the south cometh the whirlewind and cold out of the north 10 By the breath of God frost is given and the breadth of the waters is straitned 11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud he seat tereth his bright cloud 12 And it is turned round about by his counsels that they may do what soever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth 13 He causeth it to come whether for correction or for his land or for mercy 14 Hearken unto this o â—ob standfull consider the wondrous works of God 15 Dost thou know when God disposed them and caused the light of his cloud to shine 16 Dost thou know the bâ—llâ—ncing of the clouds the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge 17 How thy garments are warm when he quieteth the earth by the south-wind 18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky which is strong as a molten looking glass 19 Teach â—s what we shall say unto him for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness 20 Shall â— betold him that I speak it a man speak surely he shall be swallowed up 21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds but the wind passeth and clean set in them 22. Fair weather cometh out of the â—â—â—th with God is terrible majesty 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is excellent in power in judgement and in plenty of justice he will not afflict 24. Men do therefore fear him he respecteth not any that are wise of heart 1. Then the Lord answered Iob out of the whirlwind and said 2. Who is he that darkneth council by words without know ledge 3. Gird up now thy loyns like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me 4. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth declare if thou hast understanding 5. Who hath laid the measures thereof if thou knowest or who hath stretched the line upon it 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastned or who laid the corner-stone thereof 7. When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy 8. Or who shut up the sea with doors when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb 9. When I made the cloud the garment thereof and thick darkness a swadling band to it 10. And brake up for it my decreed place and set bars and doors 11. And said hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed 12. Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days caused the day spring to know his place 13. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth that the wicked might be shaken out of it 14. It is turned as clay to the seal and they stand as a garment 15. And from the wicked their 〈◊〉 is withholden and the high aim shall be broken 16. Hast thou entred into the spring of the sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth 17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death 18 Hast thou perceived the
I will answer thee that God is greater then man 13. Why dost thou strive against him for he giveth not account of any of his matters 14. For God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not 15. In a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in â—lumbrings on the bed 16. Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their Instruction 17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man 18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword 19 He is chastned also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pains 20 So that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meat 21 His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen and his bones that were were not seen stick out 22 His soul draweth nigh to the grave and his life to the destroyers 23 If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one amongst a thousand to shew man his uprightness 24 Then he is gracious to him saith deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransome 25. His flesh shall be fresher then a childs he shall return to the days of his youth 16. He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him and he shall see his face with joy for he will render unto man his righteousness 27. He looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not 28. He will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light 29. Lo all these things worketh God oftentimes with man 30. To bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the living 31. Mark well O Iob hearken unto me hold thy peace and I will speak 32. If thou hast any thing to say speak for I desire to justifie thee 33. If not hearken unto me hold thy peace and I shall teach thee wisdom 1. Furthermore Elihu answered and said 2. Hear my words O ye wise men and give ear unto me ye that have knowledge 3. For the ear trveth words as the mouth tasteth meat 4. Let us choose to us judgment let us know among our selves what is good 5. For Iob hath said I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgment 6. Should I lie against my rigâ—t my wound is incurable without transgression 7. What man is like Iob who drinketh up scorning like water 8 Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity and walketh with wicked men 9. For he hath said it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God 10. Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding far be it from God that he should do wickedness and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity 11. For the work of a man shall he render unto him and cause every man to find according to his ways 12. Yea surely God will not do wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgement 13. Who hath given him a charge over the earth or who has disposed the whole world 14 If he set his heart upon man if he gather unto him his spirits and his breath 15 All flesh shall perish together and man shall turn again unto dust 16 If thou hast understanding hear this hearken to the voice of my words 17 Shall even he who hateth righ govern and wilt thou condemn him who is most just 18 Is it fit to say to a king thou art wicked and to princes ye are ungodly 19. How much less to him that accepteth not the person of Princes or regardeth the rich more then the poor for they are all the work of his hands 20. In a moment shall they dâ— and the people shall be troubled at midnight paâ—s away and the mighty shall be taken away without hand 21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings 22 There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves 23 For he will not lay upon man more then right that he should enter into judgement with God 24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number and set others in their stead â—5 Therefore he knoweth their works and he overturneth them in the nighe so that they are destroyed 26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open â—ight of others 27 Because they turned back from him and would not consider any of his ways 28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him and he heareth the cry of the â—â—â—â—â—ted 29 When he giveth quietness who then can make trouble and when he hideth his face who then can behold him whether it be done against a nation or against a man only 30 That the hypocrite reign nor lest the people be ensnared 31. Surely it is meet to be said to God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more 32. That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more 33. Should it be according to thy mind he will recompence it whether thou refuse or whether thou chuse and â—ot I therefore speak what thou knowest 34. Let men of understanding tell me and let a wise man hearken unto me 35. Iob hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdom 36. My desire is that Iob may be tryed to the end because of his answers for wicked men 37. For he addeth rebellion to his sin he clapâ—eth his hands amongst us and mâ—ltiâ—lieth his words against God 1. Elihu spake moreover and said 2. Thinkest thou this to be right that thou saidst mâ— righteousness is more then Gods 3. For thou saidst what advantage will it be to thee and what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin 4. I will answer thee and thy companions with thee 5. Look unto the heavens and see and behold the clouds which are higher then thou 6. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy transgressions be multiplied what dost thou unto him 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou him what receiveth he of thine hand 8. Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousness may profit the son of man 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty 10. But none saith Where is God my maker who giveth songs in the night 11. Who teacheth 〈◊〉 more then the beaâ—â— of the earth and maketh us wiser then the fowls of heaven 12. There they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of evil men 13. Surely God will not hear vanity nor will the Almighty regard it 14. Although thou sayst thou shalt not see him yet judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him 15 But now because iâ— is not 〈◊〉 he hath