he shall be disappointed if he flye the Bow the Sword fire and destruction are prepared for him If there be none to witnesse against him the Heauens k Verse 27.28 and earth themselues will lay him open the Stones and Walles crye out against him the Rocks Woods Mountaines where he wandereth wil giue forth an Eccho for the bringing of his wickednesse to light There is no l Verse 29. shelter therefore for the euil dooer no place of harbour for him that vseth oppression deceit or any way inuenteth euil or closely coÌ„mitteth euill though it be but in the Chambers of his hart onely for the hurt of his neighbour Iob YOu came hither to comfort me Chap. 21. The scope of this chapter is only generally touched I desire no other comfort a Verse 2 3. at your hands then that you would let me speak my mind to the full or at least so farre forth vntill I shal briefly confute your reasons which being granted me spare not Zophar if thou canst take any iust exception against my wordes to deride me That which thou affirmest of the wicked is not alwaies true because for the most part they themselues al their life time their Children and Childrens Children greatly flourish in the world And though it be so that he punisheth the wicked oftentimes yet he will not bee prescribed by Men when or how or vpon what cause to do it being done he hideth froÌ„ them oftentimes the grounds therof reserueth it to the last iudgmeÌ„t which is done to restrain vs froÌ„ rash iudging What do we know how they might be disposed inwardly whoÌ„ the Lord striketh with sodaine Death When his feareful iudgmentes fall vppon Men who is there that can absolutely set downe and say expresly it was for such a sinne coÌ„mitted That which thou applyest to mee b Verse 6 7 8 9 c. that the * c Chap. 20 Verse 29. Euill euer come to an euill end is vntrue for the Godly being taken they for the most part yea many times such as break forth into blasphemy against God escape vndergo no affliction are no way brought vnder What if a maÌ„die before he is old doth it follow that he is by by a wicked man That is no good consequence For it is enough that for the time he liued he liued in good sort and it is happy for him by the shortnesse of his life to preuent much misery that might ensue Thirdly the graue is a stay vnto his mind d verse 3. because there he shal not neede to feare any change as before Lastly the time is not so much to bee respected as the thing which is common c verse 26 to all Prince f Verse 28 and people good and badde if any g verse 33. were exempted then indeede you sayde something to the point And your reproch h verse 28 which you cast vpon me because of my calamity mâ—ght haue a kinde of pretence if not that which followeth after this life but that which happeneth here being other wise then wel were to be accounted a destruction Syrraxis 15. Persons Eliphaz Iob. Eliphaz VVHat meanest thou to striue with the Almighty Chap. 22 what a verse 2 3. gaine is it to him that thou iustifiest thy selfe or what dost thou thy selfe get by it But striue while thou wilt thou shalt neuer cleare thy selfe from suspition of b ver 5 6 7 8 all kind of wickednes How answerest thou to the Lordes iudgements vpon the old world was it not for their great wickednesse c ver 15 16 17 that hee swept them cleane away from the face of the earth The Godly hee spared the rest he ouerwhelmed In this it is euident against whom the Lord vseth these temporary scourges confesse therefore thy iniustice toward Men acknowledge thy impiety against the Lord whose d ver 12 13 14 prouidence thou denyest and returne vnto him in sorrow for the same and in assurance of mercy he wil receiue thee to fauor to blesse f Verse 24 25 26 28. thee again that thou shalt haue cause not onely to praise g verse 27. him for thy freedome from this thy misery but for thy restoring againe h Verse 30. to thy former estate Yea thou shalt be so gratious with him that he wil heare thee when thou shalt be a suiter for others i Verse 30 they shall fare the better for thy sake Iob. In that I complaine a Chap. 23 Verse 2 because of my griefe I am thought to rebell against God O b Verse 3 4 5 that I might once be admitted to the presence of the Lord to plead my cause I know c ver 6 10 11 12. assuredly that for the gouernment of the common-wealth he would not discoÌ„mend me and so for the rest of my actions For such speed well that come before him which haue endeuored d Verse 7 to frame their liues answerable to his will You take vpon you to determine of the cause of my punishment not considering that the Lorde doth not ordinarily e Verse 8 9 reueale the cause of his punishments to the dearest of his seruantes Notwithstanding you are such as will prescribe him a rule how and for what hee must punish and a time likewise when he shall do it setting downe expresly hypocrisie †f Chap. 22 Verse 6 7 8 cruelty oppression * g Cha. 22.13 impiety against God as the sinnes for which he now punisheth me If you obserue well the Lordes dealing against the wicked you shall find it to bee in another sort then hee hath dealt with me for he suffereth theÌ„ very long to continue in their wicked course and to offend against him with an high hand committing sin vpon sin vntill their iniquities make strong cryes in his eares as did the olde world before he commeth against them in iudgement and he forewarneth them likewise of their destruction before it commeth Whereas on the other side hee taketh his Children napping when they make their first entrance into transgression All which pleadeth for me that I haue not beene a notorious offender for I haue not beene admonished by the Lord at any time of my transgression but comforted and encouraged by him in my course no Man hath cryed vnto the Lord against me The Lords displeasure hath appeared vnto me by no former affliction neither if I had bin afflicted by him should it necessarily follow that he was therefore angry with me For he neuer chastiseth his children in his anger but in his loue alwaies in his mercy how seuerely soeuer he seemeth to correct them not at all in his fury and wrath for then he shoulde vtterly consume them which he neuer doth True it is that the Lord fauoreth a whole kingdome for a righteous mans sake and that at his suite and petition it is redeemed from destruction but this is no
an end of his worke The trauels of no condition or degree of men haue an end but while they liue they are tyed vnto them as an hireling to his wages yet these are not contional but haue some intermission neither are they without fruite but b Verse 3 4 in this my visitation I haue no reliefe no ease at al neither is there anie commodity at al comming vnto mee thereby come not against me therefore I pray thee any more which already haue no rest night nor day I am courted with Wormes c Verse 5 bises break out of my flesh my skinne cleaueth asunder as the earth partched with the Sunne neither do thou hasten my life that flieth as fast away as a Weauers shuttle and cannot be recalled backe when it is once gone it vanisheth away in a trice like vnto a puffe of wind or a bubble of Water before I am aware or can see cause why I shall neuer be partaker any more of any thy blessings here vpon earth I shal bee depriued of thy eies d Verse 8 of prouidence to attend vppon me I shal be consumed as a e Verse 9 cloud before the Sunne from the society of Men neuer returne againe to liue a naturall life to conuerse and haue my habitation among them as now I haue In that I do complaine so much and shew my selfe impatient in this my distresse it proceedeth from the vnablenesse or as it is indeede from the impossibility of flesh and bloud to beare it O let me know what is thy purpose Heerein am I as the Sea f Verse xii or the Whale-fish that thou shouldest keepe me in ward A small matter would tame mee I was neuer as these wilde Creatures but most willing to obay thee What extremity is this that my g Verse xiii bed should yealde me no comfort no sleepe come into mine eyes fearefull h Verse xiiii visions alwaies affright me in the night this causeth me so much to complaine and to wish to die yea rather to be strangled i verse xv the most cursed death of all other then to carry about me longer these rotten bones To what purpose is al this Lesse k verse xvi 17 xviii adoe would bring me to the graue Will it not serue the turne but that I must be proued night and day morning and euening euery moment and that I must bee so followed and plyed that not so much respit must be yealded as to swallow my l verse xix spittle but that it is euer ready to choake me vp which being so how can it otherwise bee but that thou hast determined that I shall now sleepe in the dust and not recouer Take away therefore my sinne and my transgression remoue the guiltinesse of my crimes that otherwise may be as a Clog and terrour to my conscience and free the same of feare through the comfort of thy spirit and of all doubt of forgiuenesse and saluation through the assurance of thy mercy Syrraxis 10. Persons Bildad Iob. Bildad I See I must bee compelled to interrupt thee Chap 8 how long wilt thou vsesuch speeches as these being like a a Verse 2 tempest to ouerthrow the Lordes iudgementes Thy gesture is as harsh as thy wordes thy loude voice earnest speech angry countenance mouing of thy body beating with thy hand doe declare thy ouermuch heat and distemper and that thy passions ouerbeare thee And as for thy wordes I maruell how thou darest vtter them for that they tend altogether vnto thine owne defence b Verse 3 and derogate from the Lords iustice Be these good speeches I am innocent *c Chap. 6 2. I haue not offended my affliction * d Ch. 6 2 3 4 is not deserued on my part the Lord therefore in punishing me peruerteth the rule of iustice the Almighty doth not that which is right So thou makest the Author of all equity vnrighteous and no God For seeing righteousnesse is annexed to his essence if he be not righteous he is not But remember what he hath done to thy Children and why And repent thee betimes least hee strike thee with Death as he did them for their transgression which if thou do it shall go well e Vers 5 6 7 with thee and it had gone well with thee alwaies but that thou diddest dissemble with him and thy latter end had beene more blessed then thy beginning And so it shall bee still if yet thou doe bewaile thy former life But for f Vers 8 9 10 proofe of the former concerning the Lordes handling of the wicked I referre me to former times for what should we speak of our owne knowledge or experience that were born as it were but yesterday our daies are but a shadow in comparison of theirs The liues of the ancient fathers that liued before the floud though nine hundred years were but a shadow to as wel as ours in respect of eternity and the L. God with whom a thousād years are but as one day Howbeit in regard of our daies they were long and many and therefore whereas by meanes of the shortnesse of our life wee fee not the rysing and fall of the wicked and their posterity they liuing long saw it Beside the Lord who talked familiarly with them reuealed his will vnto them in more speciall manner then vnto vs and further being so graue and of that excellent wisedome through long practise they would not be rash nor ouerseene in their censure Now Eliphaz * f Chap. 5.3 to be reuerenced for his years hath taught thee what their iudgment hath bin concerning the Lordes punishmentes namely how he afflicteth no man but for sin and euery man for sin in that measure as his sinnes deserue and this order to bee alwaies kept and neuer any swaruing from it And I tel thee that it standeth no more with the iustice of God that an Hypocrite should continue then with nature that a g Chap 8 xi 12 13 xiiii rush should grow in drye ground or Sea-grasse without water or a Spiders web remaine in a place frequented Hee may flourish for a time and spread abroade but wanting the fountaine of liuing Waters and a sure foundation the heate of the Sunne of the Lordes indignation will partch him or the beasome of his vengance will sweep him away neither h Verse xv shall the prop of their riches though they haue it to leane vpon in aboundance saue them from his wrath NOw for thy comfort Chap. 8 xvi if thou take holde of the latter he that followeth after righteousnesse though the Sunne shine vppon him yet is hee not scorched with the heate thereof but flourisheth the more because the place where hee groweth is a pleasant and fruitfull soile well manured watered with the liuing spring of the Lords blessing and he is deepely rooted in the bankes thereof consisting of a a Verse xvii craggy Rocke into which his roote
not but I shal make you yeeld much more vnto me Especially if I may haue the mannaging of my cause the ordering and disposing of my reasons my self and the information which I giue in shal bee taken and accepted Before the Lord I would answere for my selfe because none dare gainsay his Verdict being iudge of althe world because no controuersie can haue a final end vntil he discide it either by himselfe his worde or his Oracles and beecause when he hath had the handlig of it no mā wil presume meddle withall but wil rather subscribe vnto his determination So that the Lord giuing sentence on my side who h Verse 19. will be so bold to attempt or if any man may be found that will attempt it shal be able to lay any thing to my charge Vntil my cause be tryed before him it standeth me vpon to defend my innocency in those things you obiect against mee while I liue For if I should not so do but hold my peace and say nothing for my selfe greef would break my hart whereof while I thus largely speak for my selfe I feel great ease to my soule And further by my silence I might weaken my cause and offer iniurie vnto the truth Heereupon I force my selfe to this paineful trauaile for can it be chosen but that my word being a man in this estate must needs passe from me with great paine to vse long Apologies for the patronaging of mine innocencie from your imputations BVt that I may returne againe to my desire chap. 13 and that my soul most lōgeth after a Verse 20 might it please God to let my caus come before him I would intreat of him two things One b Verse 21 that he would withdraw his hand of punishment from me during the time of my answere another that he would lay aside the excellency and brightnes of his glory and woulde conforme himselfe to my condition that so those impediments which now compasse me round might be remoued and I might apeare before him without feare and conferre with him as with a mortall man either by way of opposion c Verse 22 or replication Let me vnderstand from thee I beseech thee O my God wherein I haue offended my neighbour wherein I haue ignorauntly or wilfully erred or if there hath bin any rebellion in me against thee or reuolting from thee shew it me and withal why thou art like vnto one that is angry that turneth d Verse 24 away his face and will not looke vpon him against whō he hath conceiud a displeasure which also thou declarest by pursuing me with such kind of plages as if thou haddest no greater enimy vppon the face of the earth then my selfe To what end dost thou it Will it bring any honor vnto thy name Or is it a thinge beseeming thy maiesty to contend with me that am as a leafe e Verse 25 withered and ready to fall off my selfe without any shaking Or as the dry stuble which if a sparke of fire be put vnto it is by and by consumed Howbeit thou commest against me in iudgement and decreest against me a most seuere f Verse 26 and bitter sentence and that in the most rigorous manner as omitting the good that I haue done and noting the bad in the hardest construction without pretermitting the least particle that might make against me The sinnes of my youth g Verse 26. which I thought had beene vtterly remitted long since and blotted out of thy remembrance thou seemest to haue as fresh in thy memory and in such sort to come vpon me for them as if they had bin committed but yesterday or as if they were such as did stil cleaue vnto me I accounted my self as a man acquitted free yet thou condemnest me as a guilty person thro west me into prison layest cold chaines vppon mee and as if I should neuer be fast enough hamperest my feete in the h Verse 27. ftockes and being there thou art also suspicious of mee and whensoeuer I wagge my foote thou makest me faster for feare of escape But if thou graunt me at any time a little more liberty thou art euer at my heeles that I cannot stirre a foote euer at my backe that I can doe nought but thou ouerlookest it yet all this thou dost against a rotten carcase as it were against an old and ouer worne garment for to such may my coate of flesh be fitly resembled or as one gnawen ouer and eaten with Mothes HEre is occasion offered me to bewayle the state of all mankinde Chap. 14. being of a polluted and vncleane birth proceeding from a weake a Verse 1. Vessell full of griefe in her conception Child-bearing and trauell and such as is the condition of the Mother such is the condition both of the Son and Daughter though not in the same kind wretched in his beginning proceeding and end and neuer otherwise during his continuance in this life His b Verse 2 life how long soeuer it be is nothing in regard of that eternity which is in the Lord nothing because of the infinite daungers whereunto it is daily subiect Nothing because of the sundry and almost innumerable diseases whereunto it is incident For hereby he is not only exposed to death but in expectation thereof euery houre where these are neither felt nor feared there is the hand of God euer prepared for sodaine destruction What continuance is there in a floure What hold to be taken of a shadow Such is the life of man soone withered alwaies flying away no means can be vsed but it will decay and that quickly as the flower no cunning can be deuised for staying of it or laying hold vppon it no more then vppon the shadow Alas how short is the time betweene the blowing and fading of the flower It must be taken in the very nick otherwise it is gone A shadow hath no substance in it it cannot be touched by the hand it will not beare to be imbraced of the body neither it wil not come into any mans possession There is no building therefore vpon our life for it wil fal away in the turning of a hand it maketh the shew of something when indeede it is nothing it possesseth vs as a traueller doth his Inne for a night or more but we possesse not it at all It is in vs indeede but as a Lord to commaund vs not we it For who hath the commaund of his Lord yea who hath any interest in him any further then at his pleasure This being the miserable-estate of man For what will not a man do for his life And it is of vs and wee of it neither can there be a separation between vs but by death yet can we not say it is our own but lent vs not for a yeare nor for a day nor for an houre but to be returned back vnto the owner and Author therof at the same instant whensoeuer
the bowels of the earth and reaching euen vnto the center of the same whether the influences of the heauens are thought to distil next to take a viewe of his workes being many and marueilous vppon the face of the earth and goe to the Waters of the sea and thence to the Clowdes and meteors aboue and afterward to ascend vppe to the firmament were a matter of infinite discourse I will therefore limit my speech and insist in some particulars The graues and secret places howe deepe how darke how far distant soeuer from the heat and light of the sunne yet doth he clearely see f verse 6. into them Hell and destruction are disposed of in his prouidence he hath made the heauens as a Canopy to adorne and couer the earth stretching g verse 7 them forth all ouer in most goodly manner as farre as the land or sea doth extend it selfe He hath contrary to nature placed the waightier Masse of the earth aboue the lighter Element of the waters the scenter of the world which is the earth he causeth to stande vnmoneable hauing no foundation but his mighty hand to support it He bindeth h verse 8 vp the Waters hanging in the clouds and ready to fall downe vpon the earth all at once and to ouerwhelm it as it were in Bottles or Bagges in very myraculous maner for the ayre containing the Water is lighter then it causing them to drop downe at his pleasure there whether the winds at his command shall carry them when he will and in as scant or large manner as he seeth good He hideth from vs his throne * i verse 9 which hee hath in the vpper region of the ayre whence he sendeth foorth the Thunder Lightning and Raine by interposition of thicke cloudes very closely and soundly compacted together betweene it and our sight that otherwise might manifestly be seene He hath compassed the earth with Waters to which notwithstanding hee hath prescribed such boundes k verse 10 as they shall not againe ouerflow the same as long as the sunne and Moone endure Hee framed the glorious Curtaines of the Heauens which hange ouer our heads he shaketh the mountaines whereupon they seeme to leane l verse 11 as vpon pillars and terrifieth the world with his thunder He created the mighty Whale m Serpent verse 13. which by means of his strength length and greatnes is as a bar to stay the course of the raging sea whose roring likewise violence is most terible and exceeding measure heaswageth n verse 12. in a moment These are great things yet are they but a small o verse 14 parcell of his omnipotency a superficiall collection onely to that which is hidden from vs. For wee are not able to vnderstand the hundreth part thereof much lesse are we able to speake of it to the full Syrraxis 17. Persons Iob. Elihu Iob. SEeing that now you giue me a breathing time answerd me nothing specially Zophar whose turne it is ouercome with my speech of the Lords power Chap. 27. I will heere set downe the whole state of the controuersie betweene vs. Where first I must vse a protestation that as the Lord liueth who now afflicteth mee and hath hidden the cause thereof from me I will deale plainely a Verse 3 4 and vse a good conscience in all thinges I haue hetherunto defended my innocency which also I must still maintaine as long as I am able to speake b Verse 5 6 for my selfe I haue reproued you heretofore for calling my life and sinceritye in religion into question vâ—â—◠〈…〉 and now I persist therein in this my last speech vnto you to the end it may be the better obserued of the standers by and remembred of you hereafter when you shall finde the truth of it For I assure you you shall reape little credit by it in the end It hath euer beene accounted an egregious offence to condemne the righteous c Verse 7. the same shall bee cast in your teeth at the last in regard of me and you shall bee numbred with the wicked and among the enimies of the Lord and his seruantes Wherefore that it may more euidently appeare how iustly I haue reproued you I will shewe you againe wherein you haue erred in your arguments which you haue produced against mine innocency and withall confute the grounds whereupon you relye and afterward I will strengthen and confirme mine owne reasons which I haue vsed in the defence thereof For here hath beene the cause of this long contention between vs you haue labored to proue me a wicked person and therefore thus afflicted I haue indeuoured to pâ—rge my selfe from that accusation and to make it manifest that the Lord hath some other drift therein then to enter into iudgement with me for my sinnes THat I may begin therefore Chap 27 with a confutation of your assertions whereas you condemne mee for an Hippocrite and vile person because of the greatnes of my calamity to that I answere that affliction is common both to the good and bad and that the righteous cannot bee discerned thereby from the vnrighteous neither by a prosperous and happy estate neither is the Lordes loue or hatted to be valued according in the degrees of these But if wee will heere distinguish aright we must looke to the demeanor and to the disposing of the mind in the one and in the other and what vse they make of the lotte and portion whatsoeuer it is that the Lord measureth out vnto them And if it be in extremity of paine and greefe with what patience they are able to beare it and what hope and confidence they haue in the Lords mercies being in the midst thereof and euen at the point of death The Hippocrite a verse 8 and vngodly person in such a case or if he sustaine losse in his outward estate in regarde whereof he made some shew of shrowding himselfe vnder the Lords wing while his fauor therein shined vpon him he is by and by at despaire with himselfe and his hope is vtterly at an end And therefore he can no more pray vnto God he can no more delight in his word he can no longer depend vpon him no longer expect any good at his hands Hee may b verse 9 cry vnto the Lord because of the greatnes of his sorrow I will not deny but all in vaine for that he neuer walked before him with an vpright hart and neuer had any true seeling of his mercies but sought onely vnder the coulour of godlines to gaine vnto himselfe these temporall riches without any respect at all eyther to the Lords honour the good of his brethren or the well-fare of his owne soule Howbeit this crying cannot properly be tearmed a praier because he that properly and truely prayeth * b Hebr. 11 6 beleeueth that the Lord is both able and willing to yeald him his help to reward him that
able to attaine vnto Couldest thou haue framed the world disposed and ordered the same in better sort Couldest thou haue made it more rich more comlie couldest thou haue prouided for euery creature therein more conueniently for any more bountifully costly then I haue done Canst thou charge mee with iniustice in any one thing in this large recitall that I haue made VVhere doost thou finde in all this Catalogue which I haue vsed crueltie oppression and tyrannie such as thou throwest vppon me in regard of thy selfe Nay I will yet goe further with thee art thou able to giue me one action that euer I did fince I first framed the world where I haue not shewed my selfe exceeding * Exod. 34 6 7. pittifull tender-harted full of compassion when an offence hath been committed against mee slowe to displeasure of power to forbeare anger easie and readie to forgiue whatsoeuer hath beene amisse Behold therefore more cleerely then in a Cristall glasse my wisedome both in the creating and also in the disposing sing and ordering as well of the dumbe and insensible creatures as of those sensible creatures now mentioned is more then thou art able to comprehend And therein consider that the misteries of my high counsels which I haue decreed vpon the sonnes of men for their gouernment be too farre aboue thy reach my prouidence likewise for my children my iust dealing toward my seruants my compassion toward my beloued the stampe of mine owne Image beeing such so great as thou hast heard toward the vnreasonable creatures must needes be very large and aboundant BVt what meanest thou Iob Chap. 39. verse 35 art thou blanked alreadie that of late wast so bold Hast thou now neuer a word to say that weariedst mee heeretofore with thy sures to dispute with thee Must I now after so long discourse waight and stay for thine aunswere call vpon thee againe for it that wast so full of arguments vnto thy friendes in thy defence before I can haue it The multitude of my Obiections peraduenture confoūdeth thee or perhaps they are too deepe for thee or so waightie and such manifest truthes as no reply can be made to them or else thou art rauished with the admiration of them Waigh then with thy selfe how vnequall GOD and man are matched together in disputation waigh with thy selfe how short thy wit is howe shallow thy iudgement in respect of the Lords And then looke backe vpon thy follie in beeing desirous to contend with mee thy vnaduisednes also to take vpon thee to instruct me in my office of gouernment and thy want of vnderstanding to thinke thy selfe able to diue into the depth of my bottomlesse counsels thereby to fore-see my drift in thy visitation But if the multitude of my Obiections ouer-whelme thee take any one of them the weakest and meanest as thou supposest of all the residue disprooue that convince me of defect cyther of power or wisedome prouidence iustice mercie therein or else find out all the hidden vertues that are in it Take thy choice of these two doe one of them if thei◠canst which if thou canst not yeelde thy selfe in a fault for that thou hast so often called my righteousnes into question stoode so much in the defence of thine owne righteousnes complained so much of thy affliction and searched so farre into my secretes beeing most difficult altogether impossible to be waded into of any mortall man Iob. I acknowledge my vilenes and basenes Chap. 39. This Iobs repētance is but in part for here is an acknowledgement only of his wāts no cleere confession that he hath offended not that humiliation of hart nor cōtrition which the lord requireth of his obedient seruants he afterwarde sheweth foorth chap. 42. a verse 37 38. 1 Hee promiseth fayre for the time to come but that is not enough without a bewayting of his finne◠past in comparison of thee my Creator which art farre more excellent perfect and holy then any of thy creatures of more iudgement also and wisedome in thine aunswers of more authoritie and equitie in thy gouernment as making all things in Heauen and Earth to stoope at thy becke and to be silent before thee as ruling so that no man may iustly conceiue the least dislike no not in any one particular action of thine And therefore I heere promise before thy great and fearefull Maiestie that may it please thee to affist mee with thy grace that I will abstaine heereafter euen from a good words and I true aunswers which may seeme to carrie any shew vnto men to derogate neuer so little from thine either iustice or wisedome or power or merey or else prayse and exaltation Syrraxis 19. Persons The Lord. Iob. The Lord. BVt that thou maist be as yet more humbled through the sight of thine owne weakenes Chap. 40. make a more euident plaine particular confession of thy misdemenure toward mee be so far from commending any thing in thy selfe verse 1 2 3. that thou renounce viterly thine ovvne goodnes and stand wholy vpon the commendation of my vertues I haue raised vp againe this vvhirle-wind and will proceedea little further in the declaration of my greatnesse But first I would haue thee openly to cōfesse that thou hast done mee iniurie in charging mee with vniust dealing toward thee For haddest thou no way to cleere thy selfe from a notorious Offendor but by condemning me of seueritie and vnrighteous iudgement in that I afflicted thee For albeit it be granted that I had another drift in it then to punish thee for thy wicked life canst thou therefore say that thou diddest not deserue it when the least sinne that is committed yea when there is no actuall transgression at all as in Infants there notwithstanding eternall torments are due Thou wilt abstaine thou sayest from such answers as before That is not enough vnlesse withall thou reuoke thine error and make a large recantation of thy seuerall faultes committed against me heere in the face of the Congregation in calling my righteousnesse into question Yea thou must breake forth into an ample discourse of my iust and vpright course in all my waies otherwise thou canst not satisfie for the wrong offered nor then neither indeede but when thou canst call backe that which thou hast spoken which is 1 Volat irrevocabile verbum impossible simply to doe For a word vttered an opinion set downe may be recalled called in or reuersed but not bee anihilated or loose the nature therof The onely way therefore for thee is to be an humble suter to mee for pardon of thy faultes which thou hast alreadie done against me in this disputation that so thou mayest pacifie my wrath worke a reconciliation If this course please thee not b verse 4 5 6 7 8 9. exercise thy power in the suppressing of sin in the putting downe the wicked shewe thy selfe honourable in the aduancing of vertue and defending the godly execute
without a due regard of thy righteousnes my ignorant rash inconsiderate impatient froward speeches words of discontentment dishonourable to thy name in the construction of the Auditory my presumption of hart in taking vpon me to know thy secrets which are lifted vp far aboue my reach c verse 4. instruct thou me aright in thy wayes For what knowledge soeuer I professed before yet through the light of thy word beeing brought to a sight of my errour I perceiue now that it was nothing that vnlesse thy holy spirit guide me vnto the truth I must needs goe astray therfore doe wholy submit my selfe to be taught of thee Infinite are the praises due vnto thy Maiesty from me in that thou hast now shewed mee the d verse 5. properties of thy nature giuen mee to see fully and perfectly with the eye of my mind the effects of thy greatnes which before I had onely sounding in mine eare wrought in me inwardly such a feeling of thy excellencie by vertue of thy presence as all other presidents could not drawe mee vnto and withall such a c verse 6. loathing and detestation of my selfe by meanes of the aboundance of my vnsauoury speeche◠which haue broken from me in this my aduersitie that abhorring my selfe I lye prostrate vpon the earth humbled in dust and ashes Syrraxis 19. Persons The Lord. Eliphaz The Lord. NOwe as for thee Eliphaz and thy tvvo friends Chap. 42 verse 7. though I haue first reprooued Iob as beginning my iudgements euer at mine owne house yet must thou not thinke but that I am much more angry with thee and them then with him For his faulte hath beene the transgression of his lippes wherevnto also hee hath beene inforced through the greatnes of his calamitie your vniust imputations Your fault the bitternes of your hart against him his ignorance of the vnsearchablenes of my counsels your errour in the matter of my prouidence his such as hee hath repented of yours such for which yee haue shewed no contrition hee hath layd his case very a Ye haue not spoken of mee the thing that is right like my seruaunt Iob. verse 7. right as contending iustly in the defence of his innocencie and hath aymed also at a good end as to beare patiently my visitation wherein also hee hath preuailed thus farre that he hath kept his hart that it hath not been ouercome with impatience Your case it hath beene wrong layd builded vppon false groundes and you haue aymed at this end to ouerthrow the truth and to bring my seruant to dispaire Hee though hee hath not alwaies hit the white yet hath he euermore shot faire at the marke euery shaft out of your quiuer hath been sent a cleane contrary way to that it ought Hee hath shewed forth much loue and mildnes toward you though he saw you exceedingly out of the way and vsed all means to reduce you from your opinions you haue cast off all humilitie all mercy and compassion toward him respecting nothing his weake estate nothing regarding his grieuous torment of body You haue vtterly forgotten that to adde affliction to affliction to carpe cauill and scoffe at him that is diseased to take him at the worst that is distressed in mind yea to wrong him in his meaning to tell him of the Lords anger that is wounded at the hart with the terrour of his iudgements is not the way to winne his soule but to cast it cleane away You haue throwne behind the backe to charge the righteous man vpon mere presumption of foule and notorious crimes what a heinous sinne it is with how high an hand committed b verse 8. seeke therefore to pacifie my wrath euery one of you by a c Take vnto you 7 Calues 7 Rammes full and perfect Sacrifice offered vp for each of you in particular by the hands of my seruaunt Iob. But first of all crauing pardon for your vnkind vsage your folly vndiscreetnesse ouer-much bitternesse your rash censures toward him your denuntiations against him of my beamy iudgments debarring him of all hope of happynesse hereafter because of his vnhappy estate here labour to be reconciled vnto him and then desire him whom I haue ordained in the office of priest-hood to be a Mediator betweene mee and you and to sley seuen Calues and seuen Rams for a whole burnt offering for euery one of you seuerally For I will not admit you into the function of priesthood and therefore not accept it at your handes for such as I annoint for Priests vnto me and none but they doe I accept in this holy duty but at the hands of my seruant Iob whom I haue appointed euen as in former times Melchisedech Abraham and before them Noah Sheth Abell with the rest of the godly Patriarches in their ages and families as a type of the true Priest-hoode of the Messias to come whose bodily sacrifice shal be all in all and put a finall end to these resemblāces And let him be an Intercessor for you to me that shall be notwithstanding your great offence committed in this action an expiation and attonement for you and such as shall remoue far from you those iudgments which by your sins in this controuersie you haue deserued You accounted him the greatest sinner of a thousand you indeed are so and therefore are worthy to feele that and more to which I haue inflicted vpon him for a tryall only of his vertues But vpon his intercession your amendment I am contented to spare you yea in regarde of the loue of his person whose sufferinges these your oblations present to cleare you altogether from the guilt of it and to bury this your fault in forgetfulnesse for euermore Eliphaz I with my companions O Lord God most mighty doe with exceeding gladnesse of hart embrace this thy superaboundant mercy vnto vs Chap. 42 v 9 and are most desirous to submit our selues to Iob and to craue at his hands forgiuenesse for the iniury which many waies wee haue done vnto him We haue erred in the doctrine of thy prouidence we haue labored to depriue such as indure affliction in this life of al hope of saluation we haue peruerted Iobs words and wrested thē to a wrong sence grieued his soule with our iniust accusatiōs sought to make him a reprobate to bring him to desperation this haue we done being beguiled by Sathan whose instruments we haue bin for the subuerting of the constancy of thy seruant Hee blinded our eyes that we could not see the truth hee inflamed the corruption of our hart and kindled the heate thereof against our friend hardned the same that it could not be induced to forsake the error therof neither to relent notwithstanding his excellent perswasions to the contrary on the one side and his great calamity misery on the other side might haue bin sufficient to haue ouercome the most barbarous vnmercifull men in the world There is no
reason O Lord that we which haue bin so vnreasonable should be consecrated Priests vnto thee that art most righteous wilt haue none vncleaue person to come neare thine alter but rather great cause that we should magnifie thy maruelous â—â—â—dnes toward vs in vouchsafing vs that fauor at the mediation of an other to receiue our sacrifices as a pacification for our iniquities done both against the honour of thy maiesty and the saluation of our brother Most iust is it that thou shouldest deny vs reconcilement with thee vnlesse we be first reconciled vnto him to whom wee haue offered such infinite wrong Most righteous is it that thou shouldest make vs know him to be most deare vnto thee and in highest estimation with thee by refusing our owne yea al other intercession for vs saue his alone And therefore wee must willingly subscribe to the order thou hast prescribed for our purgations nothing doubting of Iobes tendernesse and forwardnes that is so tender harted so ready to for giue specially vs now hauing shewed our selues neuer so great enimies vnto him seeing we are commended vnto him from thee whom he loueth so intirely both to renew againe a couenant of friendship with vs as also to gratifie vs in this our supplication wherein thou commaundest vs to become suiters Syrraxis 21. Persons The Lord. Iob his Wife Acquaintance Contemners Iob. Kinsefolks Seruants Lord. THat all the World may know Cha. 24 v. 10 that I am a most bountiful rewarder of such as wheÌ„ the greatest afflictions and tentations are vppon them beare them notwithstanding patiently holde out without fainting in the combate trust in me and as well in the storme as when it is ouer pray for their enimies as thou Iob hast done I wil free thee from the captiuity of Sathan to whose tyranny I deliuerâ—â—â—â—â—ee ouer for a time enuiron thee round with the sence of my Angels as in times past remoue away thy disease and restore thee to health of body make thy Wife and seruants to humble themselues vnto thee thy Kinsfolk and acquaintance to repaire vnto thee with great giftes in their hands those that coÌ„temned thee to sue vnto thee for forgiuenes I wil also blesse thee a Verse 12 more abouÌ„ dantly then in thy former prosperity with al maner of riches the number of thy sheep Camels Oxen Asses shal be doubled vnto thee Sons and Daughters more vertâ—ous and b Verse 15 comely then the former longer c Verse 16. and more happy daies shall bee be stowed vpon thee and at length which is a thing far more blessed and desired of mine elect because of that which followeth then all aboue mentioned a timely peaceable and honorable funerall Heereby to let thee with the rest of my Children see and vnderstand how beneficiall I am in my temporall fauours when is shall be good for them but specially how infinite are the heauenly treasures which I haue reserued in my euerlasting kingdome of glory for such as in the time of tentation tryall and aduerfity beare contentedly my visitation and constantly cleaue vnto me Iob. It cannot bee chosen but that he which was indued with so many notable vertues blessed god in his lostes must needs breake forth into prayses vnto the Lorde for his enlargement and ouerflowing liberality vnto him and therefore is added this thanksgiuing Wonderfull is thy goodnes toward me O my God great is thy power and thy wisedome infinite I forgat to extoll thy righteousnes notwithstanding thou now honorest me I murmured against thee yet art thou liberal vnto me I cursed the day of my birth howbeit thou makest my life most happy vnto me Thou did dest because it was thy pleasure for my profit wound me now thou healest me when I was rich through thy beneficence thou madest me poore to humble me and now thou hast againe inriched me to declare thy power what it is thy loue and bounty to them that fear thee When I looked for nothing but death euen then thou gauest me life my griefe that was so vnsupportable thou hast turned into such gladnesse as cannot be expressed my misery wherein I was thought to bee the most wretched man vppon the face of the earth thou hast made most comfortable and commendable vnto me For what greater inward comfort what greater outward commendation can there bee vnto a man then being tryed so many waies in such admirable manner and to the astonishment of al men as I haue been yet notwithstanding for al that to be found faithful vnto thee Hence therefore doth grow forth matter to praise thee in that thou hast supported me in that sort with thy mighty Arme that no assault nor battery of that puisant enimy the God of this World with his spirituall forces hath surprized the bulwarcke of mine assurance in thy mercy Hence is my hart filled with loue vnto thy maiesty that hast thus magnified thy Name in my great deliuerance and my hope strengthened for the victory ouer all future calamities and tentations whatsoeuerÌ„ because of this my present conquest that hath bin so miraculous as maketh all the World amazed to thinke of it Who can deny thee to be most wonderfull in this the contemplation of thy blessinges to haue vtterly ouerwhelmed the remembrance of thy punishmentes thy fearefull plagues to be vanished away through the beholding of thy inestimable fauours This thy mixture of mercy and iudgement prosperity and aduersity together whom would it not incite to extoll thy greatnesse And the former to beare the preheminance aboue the latter whom would it not prouoke vnto thy loue and the commendation of thy goodnesse O that Men therefore could see thy singular wisedome in the chastizing of thy Children consider aright of thy power in the vpholding them that amiddest the greatest calamity they dye not in the withholding them among the most strong tentations heauiest conflictes and extremest tortures that can be deuised that they fall not away from thee and so aduance thy mercy therein as the fountains which causeth thy strength to lift vppe it selfe in their deliuerance O that such as are afflicted could be perswaded to learne to indure patiently their corrections vndergoe willingly and thankefully their visxations inregard of the blessed end thou makest with them that thus suffer in regard of the neuer perishing ioy they shall reape at the last that are thus pressed downe for a season Iob his Wife Albeit her reconcilement with her husband bee not exprossed Chap. 42 v 11 Yet is it very likely because there is no mention of her death and her husbandes chastity so coÌ„mended by the spirit of God that it is not to be thought hee would take another Woman because also her sin by the iudgment of Boza was no other then that of the three friends which the lord forgaue and lastly because this booke as it began with iudgment forrow and vexation on all sides so it concludeth with mercy ioy