forbear Thus to torment me lest in plaguing me These men conclude that all who honour thee Will be thus us'd O do not gratify Those bold professours of impiety In my so sad and grievous punishment But please good Lord to let thy wrath relent And from those cruel torments set me free That such as do contemn thy Laws may see How merciful a God thou art how just How kind to such as in thee place their trust But why should I presume thus to express What thou well know st and I at best but guess Thou who didst all things frame dost all things know Those hateful sinners will blaspheme thee so If thou continue thus to torture me Thus I suspect but thou dost plainly see Thy eyes O Lord are not of humane fashion Obnoxious in the least to fascination No no my God I know thy piercing eye Doth at one glance the whole Creation spy Its Horizon being sole ubiquity Nor are thy days O Lord like those of man So that we might thy time by numbers scane No Lord thy days surpass our admiration And scorn th' endeavours of our Computation For who will undertake to calculat That time which by no time is limitat That immense time whose vast extent doth lye Twixt the two Tropicks of Eternity Whose hours and minutes are innumerable As is its durance unimaginable I know good Lord no time can comprehend What no Beginning had and had no End Now since 't is so then let me understand What is the reason if I dare demand Why thou a God so high and excellent Dost take such pleasure in my punishment Why thou shouldst give such out let to thy wrath As to pursue thy servant to the death Why thou shouldst make such formal inquisition After my sins and call for exhibition Of all my hidden thoughts as if thou meant By such harsh dealing to make evident Thy hatred to thy Creature and proclaim To all the World what I conceal for shame Thy torturing me thus doth plainly speak The language of a hot inveterat picque From thee such usage is not ordinar For thou' rt not subject as we poor Mortals are To passion and revenge then let me know what have I done that thou shouldst bait me so What have I to thy anger contribute That with such hatred thou shouldst prosecute The reliques of a man the vanity Of Life the ruins of Mortalitie Ah Lord however I have sinn'd before Yet now thou seest I can do so no more For thou dost keep me in an Iron Cage In which I wast the gleanings of my age In sad reflections on my by past times Calling to mind a thousand horrid Crimes I have committed for which constantly I beg for mercy from thy Majesty But now although I would I cann't do ill My Soul thou so with bitterness dost fill No power of sinning doth with me remain Unless thou judge it sinful to complain And if complaints be sinful then alace No humane language can my sins expresse I am indeed most guilty of that sin For in this moment I do but begin My sore complaint Nay though I cry in vain And though I to no purpose do complain Yet can I not forbear to give some vent To that huge grief which doth my Soul torment Ah Lord didst thou not frame me didst not thou To me at Birth a humane shape allow Didst thou not mould and fashion me around Of many simples didst not me compound And wilt thou now this goodly frame destroy In whose Composing thou didst Art employ Wilt thou this thing by second operation Reduce to th' state of primitive Creation And end thy Labours in annihilation Remember Lord how thou of clay didst frame This Figure to which thou didst give the Name Of Body breath'd upon 't and made it live Then to 't a certain lease of Life didst give Thou taught it how to think to speak and act And entered with this Creature in Contract By which thou didst engage it to maintain And wilt thou now unravel all again Didst thou not pour me out like Milk and lay My first foundation in a drop of Whay Which in warm Vessels kindly entertain'd For some small time a liquid thing remain'd Then from the serous matter separate In a most ball it did coagulate of such a form as on the Cruds would squeeze Into the globous figure of a Cheese Then didst thou by an Art inimitable Translate me from a simple vegetable Into a well compacted sensitive And from that hour appointedst me to live With Bones and Sinews then thou didst me knit And wrapp'd me in a Damask Coverlet Of Nerves and Muscles and though yet a Brute Thou cloathedst me in a most goodly Sute Of Ivory Skin a Suite accommodate For every Season every Rank and State When thou had thus apparell'd me and I Now entered junior of Mortality Then I begun to rouze and stir apace And with my Sense my Hunger did increase I call'd for Food which thou didst soon prepare And furnish'd me though a close prisoner In the dark Womb yet didst thou every day By secret Canals to my mouth convey Fresh Victâ—als in good case then after all Was 't please t'infuse the spirits animal And I became a creature rational Thus having past my course of Generation Each hour I waited for a fair occasion To launch out in the Worlds great Ocean And enter my Apprentisage to Man After nine Months imprisonment at length Having obtain'd some tolerable strength At a Spring-tide of humours I set out Of th' Harbour of the Womb with such a shout With such a dreadful Peal of Groans with such Hard tugging sweating wrestling and so much Sad labour toile and crying out for all Who see me launching still more hands did call As I begun of passage to despair And hadst not thou my God of me tane care For all my strength I ne're had pass'd the Bar. But after all this labour toile and sweat By which I was almost exanimate After with main force I had wrestled out And now amaz'd begun to stare about And view this New found-world which to that hour I ne're had heard of nor e're seen before Then thou by instinct mad'st me weep amain 'Cause all I view'd was transient and vain And wish that I were in the Womb again Yet since thou hadst ordain'd that I should live Thou in thy wisdom didst think fit to give Reason and Knowledge to me whereby I Might learn to live by learning first to dye Thou didst preserve me by thy Providence Thy Grace was to my Soul a strong defence 'Gainst all temptations thy Paternal care Did for my Body daily Food prepare To thee alone Lord th' hast oblig'd me so My Birth my Being all that 's good I owe But what needs further Lord I do confess I owe more to thee then I can express For reckoning all my Life-time o're and o're I find I 'm in
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
thy debt still more and more So that at length I 'm broke upon the score For who so guilty of ingratitude What man so void of reason who so rude Whoso unthinking as when he begins To reckon up thy mercies and his sins But will acknowledge he 's oblig'd to thee Though punish'd tortur'd and oppress'd like me When he considers how thou formerly Hast guarded him since his Nativity From what had else besaln him hadst not thou Both own'd him kindly and supply'd him too With all things for his life convenient Since the first hour he to the world was sent And then if any man perhaps intend Some small proportion of his time to spend â—th ' serious and useful contemplation Of the so much to be admir'd Creation And view the order of thy Providence How to each living Soul thou dost dispense Thy Justice and thy mercy instantly He 'd find his Reason in an extaâ—â—e Whilst linking second causes in a chain By thumbing of 'em he 'd attempt in vain To fathom what no Art can comprehend And then at length he 'd find there is no end In searching of such things and so give o're His inquisition and will dive no more In that abyss but end his contemplation In a profound and humble admiration Acknowledging that save to thee alone Those Mysteries can not at all be known Thou Lord hast all things made dost all things spy Nothing can be concealed from thy Eye For what man labours by his foolish art To lock up in the Cabin of his Heart And thinks a secret to thee Lord is known As well as what to publicque view is shown If I have sinn'd then thou wilt instantly Look with a most sever enquiring Eye Upon my Errors and wilt not acquit Me from the Censure that is just and fit To be on man inflicted in such cases But wilt most justly as my sin encreases Add to my punishment and possibly Entail wy woes on my Posterity Why then if I have sinn'd I am undone And merit to be pitied by none Because I knew thy Justice would not spare For all excuses such as guilty are Hence if I 've sinn'd my Doom I plainly read If not I will not yet lift up my head Or sayâ— ' th' least that I am innocent Because I fear a furder punishment But still imagine that I guilty am And in thy presence hide my face for shame I 'l live in great humility and fear For no man in thy fight can just appear But how soe're the matter be good Lord Proceed thou to destroy me in a word Let loose the Reins of thy consuming Wrath And never leave me whilst the Gates of Death â—ly open to receive me Let thy Rage By close pursute abridge my lingring age Never give o're but rouze me every day With the same view as Lyons hunt their Prey Break me to pieces do and so express Thy self admir'd in my unworthiness For rather than in such sad torments lye 'T were better far I instantly should dye Let me then quickly be undone let all Thy heavie plagues at once upon me fall And not by Piece-meal every day augment The several species of my punishment And thus each hour thy dreadful Chace renue As if thou didst take pleasure to pursue My wearied Soul Armies of sorrows up against me draw With all the numerous rude Militia Of foul diseases which my Body seize Whilst I am to such Cannibals as these A daily prey my sores do still encrease And in my Spirit I can have no peace Then O why didst thou bring me from the Womb Why did I from my Native Cottage come Where I no sorrow knew no trouble felt But most secure in peace and plenty dwelt Was it for this that to the World I came For this that ever I was born for shame For this that e're my Mother should ha known The pangs of Child-birth nay one single groan In bringing forh a Creature destinate For grief and sorrow one whom God doth hate 'Gainst whom he doth his angry Sword unsheath And every day doth wound him in his Wrath. But ne're will bless him with the blow of Death Would I had perish'd in the Womb at least Would â— a still-born Embryo at best Had dropp'd into the World and instantly Had been Box'd up and Buried so no eye Had seen me this side of Mortalitie Would I had been as though I ne're had been Without existence never heard or seen Would Providence for me had never car'd Would my fond Parents had their labour spar'd And I a thing without all form and shape Had been conceal'd in Natures modest Lap When from the Womb soft hands did me receive Would I had fairly slipt into the Grave But since I am condemn'd O since I must In a few days incorporat with Dust Since thou O Lord wilt call for what is thine And I to Worms this Body must resign Some little respite for thy Mercy sake Allow me that I may some comfort take Before I to the Land of darkness go A dismal Land which never Light did know Whence I shall not return a dreadful Land Where pale-fac'd horrour doth in chief command Where Worms with Death in council sit and call For an account of every Funeral Where empty Sculls in heaps are gathered And with dry Bones the Land is overspread A Land so very dark no art can trace It s true dimensions or by Map express Its Scituation a most barbarous Land Whose Laws and Language none can understand A Land of mourning where no joy is known But Mirth and Sorrow there are both as one Cap. XI THus Job had spoke thus had himself express't Whilst his poor troubled Soul could find no rest For ' stead of sleeping he did still complain Keep 't waking by the torture of his pain But which is worse when he had made an end Of speaking and it may be did intend To take a Nap then some of those who keep 't Him company and as we fancy sleep't By turns would fall a speaking and with heat Engage him in a most unkind debate Thus when he now had spoke thus instantly Zophar his friend made him this tart reply Who can with patience thy vain humour bear Or says he so much idle talking hear From whence this torrent of discourse from whence This foolish bragging of thy innocence From whence this clamour whence this sad complaining Whence all this crying out what is the meaning Of all these blustring words whence all this noise Dos't think my friend thou hast to do with Boy 's Dos't think us fools dost think us Novices Dos't think we do not understand thy case Pray'to what purpose shouldst complain so sore Dos't think we never see such things before Then what dost mean by such a multitude Of puling words dost think we will conclude From all these fine expressions thou art just And so believe thou' rt
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
cann't deny He is I 've view'd his constant Piety And great Devotion and I thank him too That does what he is so well hyr'd to do Can any man do less to whom th' hast given Possession of all Blessings under Heaven So well mentain'd he doth but what he ought To do then pray doth Job serve thee for nought Pray now 〈◊〉 Lâ—â—d who would not at this rate Become thy Servant yea who would not state Himself thy faithful Slave thus to be us'd Thus kindly to have nothing thus refus'd May contribute for his Convenience here As in the case of this Man doth appear Why would'st such Favour but to me allow As this too happy Man enjoveth now I would become thy Faithful Servant too But I and my poor Friends for ever barr'd From thy Coelestial Favour and declar'd Incapable of ever being restor'd To former Favour cannot Mighty Lord Expect upon these terms to become such As those whose Predecessors err'd as much As ever we did for I know thou hast A kindness for the Race of Man shall last To th'worlds end and yet those Creatures shall But prove ungrate to thee Lord after all For this same Race of Man this Progeny Of my old Fellow-Sinner certainly After thou hast them with all Kindness blest Will be but Shrubs of the old Root at best And as their Fathers did not long ago Provoke thee to a drowning of 'em so The Children still their Fathers Steps will trace And be to thee the same still in the case Now then this Job on whom thou hast bestow'd What to few Men on Earth thou hast allow'd Whom as with hedge thou hast environed And guarded all he hath on every side Whom thou hast rais'd in Wealth and Dignity And made him Head of a Great Family Pray what can he do less than Fast and Pray Kneel down and make an Offring every day To thee his Patron and endeavour too To shun all evil as a many do For fear of me and not for love of thee Because before their Eyes they daily see How inexorable I am to all Those Men of Earth whom thou dost Sinners call If in my hands thou once deliver them Whereas if they but call upon thy Name With a few Sighs and Tears thou instantly Remit'st them all their Sins and by and by Th' effect of all thy Heavenly Clemency Upon the matter proves indeed no more Then crossing th' old upon another score To sin afresh for all those breathing things Abuse thy Mercy Nay they will make a fashion too when ble'st As this Man is and that their Souls have rest From dunning Pinches Miseries and Pains Which are some other Mens Quotidians To use Devotion and perhaps express In a set Prayer some small Thankfulness For these thy Favours but they alwayes run Upon that Strain that as thou hast begun So thou'd continue alwayes to extend That Peace and Plenty to them to the end For if once interrupted then we see What Frettings and bold Abjurations be Amongst those formerly fine Supplicants Now crying out of Miseries and Wants Stretch therefore out thine Hand and seize upon All that Job has and thou shalt see anon This unkind dealing will reverse the case And hee l Plaspheme thee to thy very Face Yes heel Blaspheme thee and forget that thou Didst good things to him formerly allow He 'l tell thee plainly th' hast disordered All his concerns and fully ruined His expectations so that after this He 'l tell thee boldly thus and thus it is To serve a God who takes no care at all For such as on his Name do dayly call Then said the Lord well Satan thou shalt find My Servant Job is of another kind Then falling Adams ordinary Race As thou shall 't soon perceive upon the Case And to demonstrate this thou mayest go try him Seize upon all his Substance then do by him As thou thinks't fit only I do Command Upon his Person stretch not out thy Hand But all hls Goods are thine No sooner sai'd Then the false Slave of this Commission glad Runs out on Execution and Commands His Men to Mischief soon and cries all hands Now here Jobs Woes and Miseries Commence His future Troubles take their Rise from hence For soon the Devil had drawn his Troops together And they all ready to march quickly whether He should command them he did only now Wait for an opportunity to doe What he intended So when the Children were a Banqueting I' th' Eldests House suspecting no such thing The Devil perceiving their security Resolves to catch this opportunity Of plundering all with his wilde Arabs hastes And in the first place drives off all his Beasts Job on a sudden has the dismal News How whilst his Oxen Laboured in the Plowes The Cattel calmly footing in the Traces And all the Asses feeding in their places The Theeving Rogues did violently fall Upon the Beasts in Ploughs and plundered all In all his Servants Bowels sheath'd the Sword Burn't all the Barns and Houses in a word Sayes Currior who these fatal News did bring I 've only 'scapt thus to relate the thing Scarce had he told the Tale when comes another To give account of News as bad as 'tother The Fire of God sayes he from Heaven did fall And in an instant quite consumed all thy numerous Flocks of fine Wool-bearing Sheep With all the Servants who these Flocks did keep Thus are thy Store-rooms fully desolate Only I ' scap'd the Tidings to relate Whilst he yet spoke another comes to tell How the Chaldeans in three parties fell Upon the Camels made them all their prey Kill'd all the Herdsmen carried all away Of whom saies he I only did escape To be the Relator of so great Mis-hap I' th'neck of this another comes who showes In one great Blow to sum up all his Woes How whilst his Children freely did carrouse And drunk Wine in their eldest Brothers House Eate merrily convers'd and made good chear Enjoying one another without fear There came says he so far as I could guesse Out from the fields beyond the Wilderness A violent and sudden Hurrycane The like of which I think yet never Man Has seen and with such fury patly fell On th' house where Sir your eldest Son did dwell And where at that time all your others were With your three Daughters met to make good chear That in an instant one might see the walls Clap closs together down the Roof-tree falls Stones Rafters Boards Dust in a trice fall down And with the ground the House was levelled soon Where all your Children smothered in a heap I left and by great mercy did escape To tell thee what I with my eyes did see And what with Teares I now relate to thee Plung'd in deep grief with sorrows overcome Job hearing these sad news did sit as dumb With Eyes dejected low and Arms a Cross As if he mean't not to
to dye Nor should I offer to expostulate ' And with my Maker enter in debate Is there an Umpire to oblige us both And tye us by Subscription and Oath To stand to his award for who is he Dares arbitrate betwixt my God and me But let him hold a little and at least For some small time forbear at my request To torture me let him withdraw his Rod And let th' hot Pincers of an angry God Piece-meal my Soul no more O let his wrath Be satisfied with a single death Then would I boldly speak and without fear Before him in my own defence appear Then would I argue with such Eloquence As in short time would clear my Innocence But 'cause at present I am not in case For speaking I think fit to hold my peace Cap. X. MY Soul 's cut off and though I seem to breath Yet am I coop'd up in the jaws of death My Soul is fled my days of life are gone And this poor widow'd Body left alone To be the subject of some country fable As in its ruines only memorable This fashion'd piece of Earth which formerly One would ha' thought would shift Mortality For many years a Body which of late In health and vigour fully animate With a most cheerful Soul seem'd to imply As if at least some small felicity Were to be found below the Heavens this point Of the Creation framed joint by joint Into a reasonable shape at last By griefs consuming fury quite defac't Has now no figure but doth every day Like Wax before the Candle melt away For as a stranded Vessel by no hands To be got off and sticking on the Sands Obnoxious to the rage of every Tide Whilst each rude Wave beats ribs out of its side In its dimensions every day decreases Until at length 't is shattered all to pieces And then what was a statelie Ship before In Planks and Boards is cast upon the Shore So this frail Body which in health and strength Look'd like a tall Ship in its Course at length Stranding upon the Shelves of foul diseases In its proportion every hour decreases And that it may be ruin'd with dispatch Each ulcerous Billow doth large Gobbets snatch Out of that vigorous Body which alace Is now in a most despicable case Hence what remains is that this shattered frame Void of all honour beautie shape and name Should like infected Goods by no man own'd In Skin and Bones be hurried under ground Then what is Life O let me but admire What idle expectation can hire Insipid man upon this Earth to dwell And love that thing which we call Life so well Life like the Mornings-dew upon the Grass Exhal'd e're Noon-tide Life a simple lease At will and pleasure of a homelie Farm For us to toile in where we 're hardly warm In the possession of it when anon Our Lease runs out and we must all be gone Life but the parcels of a few years breath Summ'd up at last i' th capital of death Times wast-book health and strengths extinguisher Heavens great derider Hells remembrancer The old mans profit and the young mans loss The rich mans Idol and the poor mans cross Sins active Pander for some little space Then to Repentancea sad looking glass Pleasures mean vassal times obedient â—alve And a most faithful servant to the Grave Death charges Time Time charges Life by Roll To make account of every living Soul The grand Collector by just calculation Himself discharges of each Generation In deaths exchequer then begins afresh T' exact the impost of all living flesh This is that we call Life this is the thing Of which poor Mortals make such reckoning As if the sum of all their happiness Lay in their breathing for some little space Alace that men of reason thus should lye Sick of an universal phrenesie And not rouz'd up at length perceive for shame What is this Life which they so much esteem This Life a thing so burdensome to me As how I hate it you do clearly see May I not then oppress 't with Life repine Since there 's no Life comparable to mine The dregs of Life that do with me remain Are but the meer fomenters of my pain For who extended night and day on rack Would not with all his heart Death welcome make O let me then to God make my address O let me to himself my woes express He is a God of mercy and will hear Th'oppress't and have regard to every tear That drops from pious eyes A sore complaint then on my self I 'l make And in the anguish of my Soul I 'l speak I 'l say to God condemn me not and why Wilt thou contend with such a thing as I An Eagle take the pains to kill a flee Contend with me a thing not to be nam'd A thing of which even Nature is asham'd A piece of Earth that serving for no use Is thrown out on the Dung-hill as refuse The dross of human frailâ—â—y the abstract Of all that 's mouldy low decay'd and crack't A thing now grating at the gates of death Retarded only by a gasping breath A thing so mean as is not worth thy wrath Then why good Lord dost thou take so much pleasure T' oppress so mean a thing beyond all measure What doth this to thy Glory contribute How doth such usage with thy Justice sute Alace I know not how the matter stands But thus t' undo the labour of thy hands Thus to destroy a Creaure thou didst frame And once didst think it worthy of a name Nay as thy Creature thou was 't pleas'd to own Thus to reject it with a sullen frown Me thinks is strange What may the Atheists say When thy own servants are oppress 't this way Why they will surely in their scoffing mode Blaspheme the ever glorious Name of God See here they 'l say a man who seriously Apply'd his mind to th' art of piety Who his great God above all things ador'd A most devoted Servant to his Lord. One who not pleas'd with what his neighbours us'd Despised their Religion and refus'd T' acknowledge any of their Deities But in a zealous phrensy did devise A Deitie to himself peculiar Out of an humour to be singular See now they 'l say see how his God doth treat him See how his Lord he so much lov'd doth hate him How he doth whip him how he takes delite To vex a man who us'd himself to write A most obedient Servant to his God See how he beats him with a heavie Rod. Let him complain weep pray do what he can Let him cry out yet still this pious man Finds none to comfort pity or deplore him And for his God ' has no compassion for him But on the contrair doth appear t' abhor him Sure this will be their language thus alace Those impious wretches will themselves express Yes this will be their Table-talk I fear O then forbear for thy own sake
the reach of Malice and envy Then without stain thou shalt hold up thy face In brisque defyance of the Worlds disgrace In resolutions fix'd thou shalt appear Above all the impressions of fear Shalt end thy days in calm prosperity Forgetting all thy former misery And shalt remember on thy woes at last As men remember dreams when they are past Or as when water streams passe quickly by They 'r no more notic'd by the Travellers eye So shall thy troubles be at length forgot Obliterat extinguish'd dash'd what not Then shal't th' appear more flourishing and gay Than doth the Sun at Noon-tide of the day Or as he from his Morning Couch doth rise And with his sweet Carnation-blushes dies The Mountain-tops so then thou shalt appear And like him shine most beautiful and clear Founded in hope thou shalt with confidence Boldly rely upon thy Innocence Enjoy the good things of'the Earth in store And shalt know want and penury no more Thou shalt with safety Furrow up the Ground And where Earths hidden Treasures can be found Securely dig and reap those goodly things Which here beget us Emperours and Kings Nay thou shalt with thy Riches have more peace And sleep more soundly than the best of these For in profound tranquility of mind Thou shalt great ease and satisfaction find With soft domestict peace thou shalt be bles't No rude allarum shall disturb thy rest Thy proud Relations shall not thee despise But maugre all their envy thou stalt rise In wealth and reputation and encrease In all the goodly perquisits of peace For stead of cursing with uplifted hands They shall present thee with their mean demands And with sad groanings and submission plead The favour of some petty Loaves of bread T' allay the Famine and compesce the cryes Of their decaying half-starv'd Families But such as in their â—ins do persevere And with high lifted hands do boldly Err Such as on wrath and malice are intent And have no Inclination to repent God shall destroy all their fair hopes shall fail Nor shall their Death-bed-tears with him prevail He with great justice shall reject their Suit And when they are accus'd they shall be mute Sorrow of mind anxiety and care Black Horrour sad Remembrance and Despair Shall be with those poor men familiar Cap. XII WIth pious silence Job had all this time Heard Zophar shreudly aggravat his crime Made to his talk no interruption As many in his case would sure ha' done But so soon as his friend an end had made To his discourse he only answered Indeed my friends I see you are so wise 'T is to be fear'd with you all Wisdom dies You feel no pains and torments as I do And therefore think all my Expressions now Are but like School-boyes whinings when chastis'd For their own good for such indeed you 're pleas'd T' esteem my carriage You who have never yet affliction known On whose foft faces no rude wind has blown Have ne'r known sorrow or the use of tears But smilingly enjoy'd your peaceful years 'T is easy for you in such words as these T' accuse th' afflicted of what crimes you please Then after all this Torrent of Discourse Sure you imagine that by very force Of reason you 've oblig'd me to confess That I 'm now punish'd for my wickedness You think you have my case so opened In arguments not to be answered And so ensnar'd me by your Art and Skill As I a Fool a Mad-man what you will Must as a man found guilty hold my peace And hear my Sentence read upon my knees But seriously my friends I 'd have you know You 're much deceiv'd if you imagine so I know no difference betwixt you and me In any thing but what you all do see My sad affliction I 'm scandalously poor I must confess But I was never tax'd with foolishness For follow your discourse and you shall find Although I cannot so express my mind As you do in your Flowres of Eloquence Yet truly I lack neither Wit nor Sense Memory Judgment or what Parts you call And understand as much as you do all Whence this insulting then pray to what end Do all your vain Expostulations tend Whence all these Accusations alace D' ye mean to mock me in my very face Because God in his mercy grants you all Your hearts desire aud hears you when you call Therefore a man afflicted and opprest Must be the subject of your unkind jest You think perhaps that God doth favour none Or has respect but for your selves alone Because you 're rich because you never yet Have known the pangs of a distress'd Estate Hence though upright and just the poor with you Have no esteem to such you don't allow The Character of simple Innocence But laugh at all such with great Insolence For O how meanly you Rich Men do prize The Poor though Pious Virteous Learn'd and Wi. Yes you on Riches only set your hearts And weigh men by their Mony not their Parts Hence I 've observ'd my friends that such as you Do undervalue and I know not how As on a Lamp or Link extinguished On all that are not rich you proudly tread But what needs more t is so and still will be For wicked persons do encrease we see And men of unjust Principles do rise In Wealth and Power erecting Families Upon the Ruines of the Just and those Who understand no Piety God knows Do live in safety with his bounteous hand God doth enrich them and they fill the land Why this to me is no strange thing I knew How God did rule the World as well as you Nay who 's so stupid who so void of sense As doth not understand how Providence Earths Governor chief Minister of state To our Great God doth all things regulate Below the Sun allowing t' every Creature Its Shape its Substance Virtue Food and Nature For ask the Beasts that toil for daily fare On Earth and those who in the open Air Keep constant Commerce and they 'll plainly tell What you have lately preach'd to me as well As any of you all they 'll fully show How much all Creatures to their Maker owe. Or speak to th' Earth and it will soon proclaim The Power of God and his most Glorious Name Nay very insects things so despicable As some o'th'learned hold it questionable Whether they be of primitive Creation Or meerly by equivocque Generation Begot on putrid matter by the Sun When through the hot Signs he his course doth run Or speak to the Fishes who do every day Amidst the rude waves unconcern'dly play All these will clearly speak how deep a sense They have o'th'gracious power of Providence Then to what purpose all your talk pray why Should you obtrude your mean Philosophy Upon your friend alace I 'd have you know Your wisdom's common to all here below Why so dogmatick when you only
err'd or ly'd Cap. XXV BIldad it seems did undertake to do it And in a short discourse he thus spoke to it Why is it so says he that thou must still Hold such opinions argue what we will To th'contrair what has all that we have said Of our good wishes no impression made In thy poor Soul are all our labours vain And shall we still have reason to complain That after all what we can do or speak VVe are as yet not able to correct The fury of thy hot impatience But still thou tel'st us of thy innocence Ah! wilt thou never be convinc'd wilt thou Still wildly rave what ever we can do To bring thee to thy wits art'not asham'd To speak thus of thy Maker who has fram'd Both thee and us of very simple Dust That yet for all this thou wilt still be just What ere he say to th' contrair why my friend Is 't fit thou with thy Maker shouldst contend With him who all perfection doth transcend With him is fear dominion power and state Honour and glory pray who can debate With our Almighty God with God on high Under whose feet we Mortals grovelling ly Wilt thou contend with him whom all obey Whom no command or power dare gain-say A God unlimited and absolute In all his actings and wilt thou dispute With such a one His mighty armies are innumerable By which at all occasions he is able To make all men from Wars and Tumults cease And keep the whole Creation in peace He makes his Sun on every Creature shine Without distinction who then should repine Or say that he is partial when his care For all his Creatures equal doth appear O then since God is absolute and high Unlimited in power and soveraignty All-seeing wise impartially just And best of men is but a mass of dust Who 's he that in his presence dares assert That he is clean and upright in his heart Who 's he dares undertake to justifie Himself before his Maker or denie That he is sinful and by consequence Deserves to be chastis'd for his offence Who 's he of Woman born that can be clean Was ever yet that Mortal heard or seen That came into the World without Sin Since our first Parents did of old begin To lay the first foundation of offence Entailing firmly on their race from thence A sad inheritance of sin a black And uglie spot in a continued tract Of Generation from the dismal time That these till then unknown durst act a crime Then how darst thou affirm that thou art pure I'th'sight of God dost think we can endure To hear a man so impudentlie speak Of what but even to think deserves a check Pray but behold the Moon observe I pray How now at Nights it doth its beams display In imitation of the light of day View but the Stars too and observe how these Shine like bright Tapers in Kings Pallaces And though not great yet yield an useful light T' allay the horror of the tedious night Now one should think those glorious Heavenlie Creatures By their own Constitutions and Natures Were pure and clean but 't is a great mistake For those what ever figure they do make Of bright unspotted glorie in which sure They mankind do exceed and are more pure Than anie of us all yet in his eyes Those glorious Creatures with Impurities Are overspread and in his sight appear Unclean and Daple-spotted every where Then how much more unclean foul and deform Is man before him man a verie Worm A Moth an Aunt a Spider anie thing That may be thought not worth the valuing Man a meer Frog a thing both mean and base A sillie Worm both he and all his race Cap. XXVI TO hear such language without some offence Requir'd in Job a solid patience Who though he 's now nigh spent and hardlie able To speak yet hearing how his friend did table The same Discourse which had so oft before Been argued on both sides o're and o're With some disdain and seeming Indignation He thus put in his answer Pray now good friend if I without offence To your so oft displayed eloquence May ask the question pray now let me see What comfort brings all this Discourse to me What comfort pray my friend is this the way Are these the methods these the means now pray By which you would afford me some solace In this my sad and lamentable case No sure for what by your Discourse appears Your onlie aim is to augment my feares For you still tell me that my God is great Absolute Boundless and Unlimitat And how compar'd with him wee 're all but dust And so conclude none can be pure and just In sight of our great God Is this to comfort pray is this t' allay The Feaver of my Soul is this I say The way to comfort one in sad distress By Baiting of him with such words as these Words stuff'd with terror words of dreadful sense And to th' afflicted of sad consequence Words that with comfort so repugnant are As they 'd provoke one rather to despair Words of severest rigor words of death Words that would shake a verie solid faith Is this the comfort you intend alace This all the pity you have on my case To fright me with such passages as these For when you tell me that my sins do merit All I endure you do so crush my spirit You do so damp my wearied soul with fear As I am almost readie to despair And were 't not that my God in mercie yet Sustain'd my spirit I would soon forget My dutie to him and undoubtedlie As my impatient Wife did formerlie Advise me I should curse his Name and die But O my Soul do thou his Glorious Name In gratitude to everie age proclaim His Name who thee so graciouslie supports When men against thee make such strong efforts Pray then my dear friend if I may demand Without offence let me but understand What dost thou by this short Discourse intend What wouldst infer from thence pray to what end Dost thou with so much art delineat The Power of God and so expatiat Upon his works as if thou thought'st that I Did anie of his Atributes denie Are these the methods by which you intend T' instruct your shallow and unthinking friend You say I 've err'd why truth it may be so But by what you have spoke I do not know As yet in what For I as well as you A firm that God to no man doth allow Such puritie as he may arrogate Th' inheritance of an immortal state T' himself from thence I do with you agree That God is great and just and as for me I 'me but a Worm indeed a verie Gnat A Fly a Wasp a thing I know not what So mean so low and of so small esteem As baseness is it self compar'd with him I do agree with you that sinful men On this side
who yet would be esteem'd Great saints and are such by the vulgar nam'd Whilst in their hearts they think on nothing less But entertain all sort of wickedness Which they imagine may promove i' th least The smallest part of their own interest Then shall they fall like such then shall they dy Like all the followers of hypocrisy Hypocrisy and here 's a sin indeed Which in Gods sight doth many sins exceed A complex sin made up of many parts A catalogue of all pernicious Arts A close concealer of all villany A great debaucher of integrity A guilded sin compos'd of all that 's bad A crying sin in pious masquerade A couz'ning sin a sin so intricat As all save God it easily doth cheat A sin so painted siz'd and varnished With pious Oyles and so well shaddowed As it can hardly be discovered To be a sin by any mortal eye A sin that seems t' abhor impiety And yet doth hug it such a sin indeed In my opinion doth all sins exceed And sure I know God who doth falshood hate Above all others doth abominate This cunning sin and thence we often read How this close sin God has discovered By his great art For as we dayly see How many counterfeited Coines there be By worst of villains stamp'd and fashioned Where Silver is so cunningly allay'd With courser Mettals as they will endure The Touch-stone and the File and seem so pure As one would think they of true fineness were Yet put them in a crucible and there By heat of Fire the cheat will soon appear So when the Hypocrite doth pleasantly Enjoy himself in great tranquility With such a specious but adulterat show Of piety he gulls the people so As in his Fig-leav'd Coat and zealous paint He passes current for an upright Saint But let him once be brought as others are To th' fiery tryal then he doth appear To be the person that he is indeed Then all his falshood is discovered His timerous spirit soon doth liquify His soul begins to shrink he cann't apply Himself to God but passes stupidly His time away without all meditation Or thoughts of Heaven as upon such occasion All good men do But hardned in his sins and knowing well How much his former actions merit Hell He thinks that now 't is hardly worth his pain T' apply to God for mercy or complain To him whom he has so much irritate But as contented with his present state Takes of his Masque and acts now openly What he before perform'd more cautiously Then he lets loose the reins of inclinations And runs like mad man into all temptations Then as in youthful veins his blood doth rage And he must find out pleasures to asswage The horrid torment of his melancholly And so expends some years in sin and folly For that so rude disordered fermentation O' th' mass of Blood doth quickly give occasion To sharp Diseases which do warmly fall Upon his body and e're he can call To God for mercy without more delay Do hurry him and all his sins away Thus then my friend we see Afflictions are Most necessary and we must prepare Our selves for Tryals and severe Temptations As thou dost now endure at all occasions Because by these our God is us'd to try The difference betwixt true Piety And base sophisticate Hypocrisy For as the best of Grain is pestered With the foul mixture of some specious Weed Which growing up in the same Field with it Doth the good Grain so slily counterfeit As while cut down thresh'd out and winnowed The false Grain cannot be discovered So in the Summer of Prosperity When true Religion and Hypocrisy Appear to grow up in one Field together 'T is hard for Mortals to distinguish either But in the Harvest of Adversity When cut down thresh'd and winnowed by and by We can distinguish what is bad what 's good And Hypocrites are quickly understood In time of Trouble then indeed as Wheat Is from the Chaff by winnowing separate So Hypocrites are all discovered And from just pious men distinguished But those my friend who are in heart sincere Though their ingrain'd Afflictions appear To be o' th' deepest dy and do endure For a long time yet God at length will sure Deliver them out of them all and show That neither to themselves nor friends they owe Such great deliverance but to him alone Who 's their Redeemer and forsaketh none In their Afflictions who upon him call But hears them and at length doth grant them all Their hearts can wish and doth instruct them too What for the future such good men should do T' evite such Troubles Even so my friend if thou hadst put thy trust In his great Name and not ha' been unjust In thy Complaints he had reliev'd thee too Out of thy sad Afflictions long ere now Before this time he had thee liberate From these sad pains and without all debate Restor'd thee fully to thy former state But thou in thy Afflictions hast rav'd And hast so very foolishly behav'd Th' hast so provok'd him as it would appear ' Had left thee in a Labyrinth of fear And of thy restitution took no care And now that I thy Case have opened And shown'n thee why thou art so punished In the next place I must give thee advice Not to esteem thy self too just and wise Nor think that God has done thee injury By plunging thee in so much misery When all th' hast suffered must be understood T' have been intended meerly for thy good But with great calmness humbly meditate On th' circumstances of thy present state Confess thy Errors seriously implore His pardon and resolve to do no more As thou hast done lest in his burning wrath He prosecute thee closely to thy death And then no offers of some thousand Prayers Largitions Fastings Pennances and Tears Can ransom thee for thou must quickly die Without Repentance and for ever ly In the dark Prison of Eternity Assure thy self my friend this is thy Case If thou repent not quickly this alace Will be thy final Sentence this thy Doom Which thou must suffer in all time to come And of this Sentence no Reprival can Be purchas'd by the Art or Wit of Man Nor Gold nor Friendship nor all Artifices Of Humane Labour nor the close devices Of cunning Interceeders can delay The Execution but for half a day Of this same Sentence for be confident With Gifts thou canst not bribe th' Omnipotent But O me thinks I hear thee say if Death Be all that I must suffer in his Wrath Why let him kill me I am well content And shall esteem Death a kind Punishment For I am wearied of my Life and know I never shall have rest until I go Down to the Grave Why here my friend again Is a gross error and I must complain Of thy so frequent wishing thou mightst die And in the Grave enjoy tranquillitie For though