over men carefully considered their actions and wayted but for the moment which it had decreed to punish them In a word 24 They are exalted for a little while but ere gone and brought low they are taken out of the way as all other and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn their happinesse hath not been of long continuance the same Sun which advanced them hath dissipated them their end hath not bin more glorious than that of the least things of the earth and in the same manner as there needs but a little winde to beat down the fairest eares of corne there hath needed but a little disgrace for to overthrow all their fortune 25 And if it be not so now who will make me a lyer and make my speech nothing worth But if in all these discourses my opinions have not beene conformable to truth I would have them accuse me before the Throne of God and examine all my words there but if it be true that the just are sometimes opprest and that the wicked are not alwaies punished I would have you make a better construction of my Innocence and alleadge my miseries no more as assured proofes of my sinne CHAP. XXV THE ARGUMENT VVHether Baldad would divert Job from the designe which he had to contest with God or whether he had no reasons which he could oppose to his he leaves off his Invectives and makes a Panegyrick of the Majesty of God 1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said BAldad distrusted his forces and judged rightly that a bad cause could not eafily be defended but as he would not yeeld to the good reasons of Job he undertooke with a bad designe an excellent Panegyrick of the power of God which he begun in these tearmes 2 Dominion and fear are with him he maketh peace in his high places It is to have too good an opinion of your selfe and not to make esteeme enough of God when you wish that he were your Judge he hath glorious qualities which ought to beget in you modest sentiments and more humble desires His Majesty is accompanied with so much Power that he strikes astonishment and feare in the minds of all the Greatures He appeaseth the differences of the elements and obligeth them to force their ' owne inclinations to preserve the quiet of the world He shakes all the Heavens with so much evennesse that in the contrariety of their Motions they never disorder themselves Finally maintaines peace amongst the Angels and tempering his Justice with his Goodnesse he makes himself equally loved and feared of those blessed Spirits Though in this absolute power God hath no need of any one to execute his designes 3 Is there any number of his armies and upon whom doth not his light arise notwithstanding he hath Armies whose Souldiers cannot be counted The Angels adore him in heaven men serve him upon earth the Devils are afeard of him in hell This prodigious number of Subjects makes no confusion in his minde and their different qualities do not hinder him but he knows their worth and knowes their names After so much pompe and glory 4 How then can men be justified with God or how can he be clean that is born of a woman which makes the Majesty of God so adorable should not that man be insolent who would justifie himselfe before him and must he not have forgotten the condition of his mother and the shame of his birth if he pretended any thing to the quality of an Innocent That beautifull Starre 5 Behold even to the moon and it shineth not yea the stars are not pure in his sight which in the obscurity of the night makes us see againe the brightnesse of the day hath no lustre in his presence and the Starres who are the honour of the Firmament and give it advantage above the other Heavens compared with him are not without impurities and without staines What then can man promise himselfe 6 How much lesse man that is a worm and the son of man which is a worm whose birth is so shamefull whose death is so miserable and who being but corruption during his life can be nothing but rottennesse after his death CHAP. XXVI THE ARGUMENT JOB descants upon the prayses which Baldad had given God and with nohler tearmes and higher thoughts exalts the greatnesse of his Power and makes seene that his will serveth as Law to all his creatures WHen Baldad had ended this Enlogivus 1 But Job answered and said which he had rather made for the patience of Job than to praise the greatnesse of God he received from him this Answer What designe can you have in your discourse 2 How hast thou helped him that is without power how savest thou the ann that hath no strength which is not injurious to God do you believe that his Power hath need of your succour and when you defend his cause with so much heat do you perswade your selfe that he is one of those oppressed persons whose weaknesse obligeth the great ones to undertake his protection When you give him advice and instructions to ruine me 3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom and how hast thou plentifully decleared the thing as it is do you think he hath need of your counsell and when you make these great discourses do you imagine that his Divine Wisdome hath need of your prudence Do not you know that he whom you undertake to instruct 4 To whom hast thou uttered words and whose spirit came from thee is the source of all our knowledge and that our minde being but the breath of his mouth we have no light but what we have derived from his His Power is so known 5 Dead things are formed from under the waters and the inhabitants thereof that one must have lost his Judgement to imagine that yours is necessary to him and to give you some proofes of it which may oblige you to treat him with more respect I will represent to you but the effects which he produceth in nature Know then that it is he who makes the Monsters groane under the waters who keeps captives in the sea those heavy Whales whose greatnesse justly deserues the name of Gyants His knowledge is not lesse than his Power 6 Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering he sees the dead in their graves and the earth which steales them from our eyes cannot steale them from his since the Abysses are open to him and hell it selfe hath not darknesse enough to hide the Devils from him He hath stretched over out heads those parts of Heaven whence the North winds rise 7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place and hangeth the earth upon nothing and hath given them no foundation but vacuity He hath formed the earth like a bowle and though so weighty a masse required strong Pillars he hath left it
were you 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth declare if thou hast understanding when taking counsell of none but mine owne Power and Goodnesse I laid the foundation of the earth and made it unmoveable in the midst of the Ayre where it hath no other support but its owne weight declare to me this secret if you know it and make it appeare in this occasion that you have more knowledge than vanity Tell me who hath taken the measure of this Universe 5 Who hath laid the measure thereof if thou knowest or who hath stretched the line upon it and compassed the Mountaines and Vallies of the earth and formed so perfect a Globe of it 6 whereupon are the soundations thereof fastned or who laid the corner stone thereof that it serves the Universe for a Center and is the unmoveable Point where all its Lines meet Who hath founded all this great worke upon such firme Columnes and who is that sage Architect who hath layed the first stone of so magnificent a Palace Where were you 7 When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy when at the birth of the World all the Starres praised me and all the Creatures which are my productions and my Children by an harmonions consent which the course of time was never able to interrupt published so loud my Divine perfections Who shut up that proud Element 8 Or who shut up the sea with doores when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb which acknowledgeth no other power than mine within the bounds which it dares not passe Who prescribed it Lawes when it came out of that confused Masse 9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof and thicke darkenesse a swadling band for it which seemed to be the Wombe of the Universe and treating it like a Childe who is new borne I cover'd it with Clouds as with Swadling-clouts and layed it in its Bed as in a Cradle and commanded the Vapours which environ it to serve it for cloathes For you are not ignorant that it was I who gave it its being 10 And brake up for it my decreed place and set bats and doors who marked it out its bounds and who to stay its violence opposed Bankes which it often toucheth but never overthrowes You know it may be too 11 And said Hitherto shalt thon come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed that I used that imperious discourse to it which taught it that it was my slave and that I said to it Thou shalt come hither and passe no further there thou shalt dash thy waves and turne all their fury into foame But if you were not in the world when my hand did these Miracles 12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy dayes and caused the day-spring to know his place since your birth have you assisted me with your power or with your counsell have you commanded the Morning to rise before the Sunne and have you appointed it the place where it must goe out when it appeares upon the Horizon When lastly to punish the sinnes of men 13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth that the wicked might be shaken out of it I have at any time shaken the earth did you take it by the ends to tosse it with me and discharge it of those impious men who profained it with their crimes Yet doe not thinke that so violent a motion ruines my worke 14 It is turned as clay to the seal and they stand as a garment I re-establish it with as much facility as by the impression â—f a Seale they give soft wax the print which it had lost and as when they beat the dust out of a suit of clothes they doe not weare it but make it cleane so by these agitations I doe not ruine the world but purge it My Wisdome discerned the innocent from the guilty 15 And from the wicked their light is with-holden and the high arme shall be broken and my Justice takes away but their lives whose pride would crosse my greatnesse But if it be true that you know all things 16 Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth as your vanity hath made your mouth say it did you ever goe down under the waters of the Sea have you seene all the Monsters which it breeds in its bosome and did you ever descend into the depth of the Abysses for to contemplate the wonders which I have hidden there Have those darke Cavernes which the earth shuts up in her entrails 17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death and those gloomy Palaces where Death holds his Empire opened you their Gates to let you in and to let you out againe But how should you know the depth of the earth 18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth Declare if thou knowest it all since the breadth of it is unknowne to you and your compasse is too little to take the measure of so great a Globe yet tell us what you have learnt of it and satisfie my demands to content your owne vanity Doe you know where the Light makes its retreat 19 Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkenesse where is the place thereof when Night comes to take its place and where Darknesse goes to hide it selfe when the Sunne brings backe the Day and by what secret wayes and imperceptable to your eyes both of them retire into the house which I have designed them But to search no further proofes of your ignorance than your owne Person 20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof did you know at that time that you should be borne in this and understanding then the things which you are ignorant of at present 21 Knowest thou it because thou wast then borne or because the number of thy days is great did you know what would be the number of your dayes and how many yeares you were to passe in the world And to the end I may convince your ignorance by as many Creatures as there are in the Universe 22 Hast thou entred into the the treasures of the snow or hast thou seene the treasures of the hail did you ever goe into those Store-houses where I keep the Snow and the Haile to serve my selfe withall in the day of Battaile 23 Which I have reserve against the time of trouble against the day of battell and waâ— and to teach all the world that nothing is impossible to my infinite Power since with such poore Armes I get such glorious Victories over my enemies Doe you know by what waies I dispence light and heat
cannot abide their lookes and that she hath chosen a Dwelling so elevated that the Birds which make their nests upon the tallest Trees and which see the proudest Montaines below them have not yet discovered her Those Angurs themselves who boast of knowing the most secret things by the flight and language of Birds are obliged to confesse that their knowledge is pure ignorance and that to discover wisdome all their conjectures are false Those profound Abysses 22 Destruction and death say We have heard the fame thereof with our eares which are consecrated to Death and those places separated from the noyse of the World which seeme to be dedicated to silence know her by the high reputation which her merit gives her but they are ignorant of her dwelling and know not her face 23 God understandeth the way thereof and hee knoweth the place thereof God alone who knowes her Price knowes her retreat and it is from him onely that we may learne where shee keeps her residence and where leaving of that vayle which hides her from us she discovers all her beauty Nor is he like men who see at once but one part of the Vniverse 24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth and seeth under the whole heaven he sees all the extremities of it together and with one looke he observes distinctly that prodigious confufion of creatures which heaven encompasseth within its Circle And his knowledge is not new 25 To make the weight for the winds and he weigheth the waters by measure for when he weighed the winds when he limited their courses prescribed the seasons which they were to govern when he measured the waters when he reduced them into their Beds and forbad them to powre themselves upon the Earth When he gave lawes to the raine 26 When he made a decree for the raine and a way for the lightning of the thunder when he marked it out Places to thicken into clouds or designed it times to dissolve into water when he formed the tempests and made them flash with lightning and when he traced them out the way which they were to keepe for to fall upon the head of the Guilty Then he saw wisdom in his works 27 Then did he see it and declare it he prepared it yea and searched it out he related her Beauties to the Angels to beget a desire of her in them he prepared the hearts of men to receive her and sought meanes to make her visible for to make her loved of all the world And to fortifie those feeble minds 28 And unto man he said Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisedome and to depart from evill is understanding from whom the difficultie of finding so faire a treasure had taken away the desire of seeking it he taught them that the fear of the Lord was true wisdome that the highest prudence was separating from sin and that amongst men they ought to passe for the most wise who were the most innnocent CHAP. XXIX The Argument JOb entertaines his friends with his past felicitie and his Griefe helping his memory represents to it the blessings wherewith Heaven filled his house and the honours where with the great ones of the age honoured his Vertue THe friends of Job continued their silence 1 Moreover Job continued his parable and said to give him occasion of continuing his discourse and to make comparison of his past happinesses with his present miseries which he did in these tearmes Since God hath lest me nothing in my misfortune but desires 2 Oh that I were as in monethâ— past as in the daies when God preserved me shall I finde noe onâ— who will turn them into effects and reestablishing me in that happy condition where God took so much care of me that it seemed that I was the only object of his providence Why doth he not revive that former condition 3 When his candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked through darkenesse where â—is grace shining upon me like a Sun filled me with new favours I lived without fear amongst dangers and walked without stumbling amongst the obscurities of the night Why doth he not call back that agreeable season 4 As I was in the dayes of my youth when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle of which I tasted the sweetnesse and resented not the troubles where in a vigorous body I had noe violent Passions and where God treated so familiarly with me that it seemed being no more my Soveraign he was become my Equall 5 When the Almighty was yet with mee when my children were about me Or Why doth he not make that more advanced Age return where I saw my selfe environed with a multitude of children and Domesticks who having in the difference of their conditions but the same designe thought of nothing but to serve me and to please me Why is not my happinesse equall to that which I tasted 6 When I washed my steps with butter and the rock powred me out rivers of Oyle when my flocks were so fruitfull that I washed my feet in Milke and my lands so fertill that the Rockes themselves brought forth Olives 7 When I went out to the gate through the city when I prepared my seat in the street which gave mee Rivers of Oyle when followed by my subjects I shewed my selfe in the Places designed to do justice and when to execute the charge of a Judge my self I heard the complaints of the poor parties or when they prepared me a Throne in some publick place and without serving my self with an interpreter I declared my pleasure to my People I did no sooner appear in this pompous equipage but the young men seized with respect 8 The young men saw me and hid themselves and the aged arose and stood up bowed their eyes as dazled with the lustre of my Countenance and durst not look upon me The old men whom Age makes so venerable had no sooner perceived me but without making use of the priviledge of their yeers they rose up and stood in my presence Princes whose birth gives them Liberty to speake 9 The Princes refrained talking and laid their hand on their mouth ceased their discourses when they saw me and the desire which they had to hear me made them put their finger upon their Mouth and condemn it to silence The Generalls of Armies 10 The Nobles held their peace and their tongue cleaved to the roofe of their mouth whose words are received as Oracles in the councels of warre left speaking when I would tell my advice and passing from respect to astonishment their tongues remained tyed to their Pâ—laâ—e and their soul was wholy shut up in their eys their ears to look upon me to hear me Those who heard me 11 When the care heard me then it blessed me and when the eye saw me it gave
how much lesse ought men to hope it who are condemned to carry bodies which may well be called houses of earth since the habitation is so contagious and the Vestments of their soules fince they shall be consumed with wormes Indeed with whatsoever vaine hope the proud flatter themselves 20 They are destroyed from morning to evening they perish for ever without any regarding it and whatsoever Artifice they use to cloak their miserable conditions they know that their life is so short that the same day may see the beginning and the end of it but because they thinke not upon these truths and to give themselves liberty to sin they perswade themselves that they are immortall God will punish them eternally And if their children which survive them be not exeâ—pt from their crimes 21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away they dye even without wisdom they shall not be exempt from their punishments and death which will come and surprize them shall be a just chastilement of their foolish rashnesse CHAP. V. THE ARGUMENT ELiphaz pursueth his discourse and describing the chastisements of the wicked and the recompence of the just makes Job hope that his miseries shall end if he repent him of his sins and that he shall be re-established in his former fortune IF truth be suspected by you 1 Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne for being pronounced by the mouth of a mortall man and if revelations finde no credit in your minde 2 For wrath killeth thefoolish man envie slayeth the silly one conferre with God himselfe and see if by the assiduity of your prayers you can oblige him to answer you or if you have not credit enough to hope this grace from his bounty addresse your selfe to the Angels or to the Saints and demand by their favour what you cannot obtaine by your owne merit Or if you will beleeve me give me leave to tell you that your complaints are unjust and that the motions of your anger which transport you are misbecoming a wise man There are none but fooles who suffer themselves to be conquered by this passion as there are none but weake men and cowards which suffer themselves to be gnawed by envy and who make themselves misfortunes of the felicity of others The prosperity of the wicked ought not to trouble you in your affliction 3 I have seen the foolish taking root but suddenly I cursed his habitation for it is not of continuance and for my part I have seene none whose fortune howsoever it seemed established has been able to subsist long whatever glittering it hath had I have alwaies mocked at it and presaged its end whilest others admired its greatnesse 4 His children are farre from safety and they are crushed in the gate neither is there any to deliver them His children survive him not often they accompany him in his punishment as they have followed him in his sin God permits justice to take cognizance of their actions 5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up and taketh it even out of the thornes the robber swalloweth up their substance and to finde Advocates to accuse them and there are none found for to defend them And as if all their goods were abandoned to pillage the hungry take away their coyne the Souldiers carry away their moveables and the covetous seize upon their riches which they had unjustly acquired 6 Although affliction commeth out forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground But besides this consideration that which ought to comfort you is that nothing befals man but by the permission of God For it is an abuse to beleeve that the afflictions which oppresse us draw their being from the earth God ordains them in heaven and men which we beleeve the Authors of them are but the instruments of his Justice If this reason 7 Yet man is borne unto trouble as the sparks flie upward for being too elevated should not satisfie your minde nature ought to comfort you who teaches you that flying is not more naturall to the birds than travaile is to man who hath no more mortall enemy than repose wherefore whatsoever disaster befals me I should alwayes blesse God and judging favourably of his intentions beleeve that he afflicted me to try me and that punishments being but the seeds of glory I might lawfully hope for a rich harvest Or considering well his greatnesse 8 I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause I should submit my selfe humbly to his Ordinances for it is he who doth all that is great in the Universe It is he who produceth all those effects 9 Which doth great things and unsearchable marvesâ—ous things without number of which we cannot discover the causes It is he who workes all those wonders which ravish us and as his power is not bounded the number of his miracles also is not limited 'T is he who raiseth up the vapours 10 Who giveth raine upon the earth and sendeth waters upon the fields who thickeneth them into clouds and maketh them distill in raines for to render the earth fertile 'T is he himselfe who waters it as well by those waters which fall from heaven as by those which he hath hidden in its entrailes And whose secret raines produce in a thousand places sources and rivers But that which ought principally to invite you to blesse him is 11 To set up on high those that be low that those which mourn may be exalted to safety that he takes pleasure to elevate the humble and to raise slaves upon the throne of their Masters 12 He disappointeth the devises of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise that he changeth thornes into flowers that he comforteth the afflicted and banisheth sadnesse from their hearts to make joy grow there Also it is he who makes the designes of the wicked fustrate who hinders the effects of their pernicious counsels and who to confound their foolish wisdome suffers not their hands to execute what their mindes had projected 13 He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse and the counsell of the froward is carried headlong But we must confesse that his providence never appeares more than when he surprizeth the wise of the age in their craft and giving their designes a contrary successe to what they promised themselves they receive confusion where they hoped for glory and acknowledge by experience that there is no Maxime of State so certaine which may not be overturned by his divine wisdom Is it not pleasant to observe their blindnesse in the most cleare affaires 14 They meet with darknesse in the day time and grope in the noone day as in the night to see them trip at mid-day and to make halts which are not pardonable but in those that walks
not very long our experience cannot be great and we may be ignorant of many things since we know not that our dayes disperse themselves like a shadow which vanisheth at the light of the Sun Those sage old men who have had the Angells for their masters shall resolve you in your doubts 10 Shall not they teach thee and tell thee and utter words out of their heart and their discourses more eloquent than mine shall perswade you that the happinesse of the wicked cannot long endure and that the misery of the just must presently end But if nature herself be the mistresse of men and if we may draw instructions from all the creâ—tures 11 Can the rush grow up without mire can the flag grow without water do not you see that these fayre flowers which the rushes of the Marshes beare cannot live without humidity 12 Whilest it is yet in his greennesse and not cur down it withereth before any other hâ—th and that to remove them from the water is to condemne them to death that when they do but blosome before the hand of men hath defiled their beauty if only humidity be wanting there is no herbe which dyes so soone and the same day which saw them borne sees them dye It is just so with the prosperity of the wicked 13 So are the paths of all that forget God the hypocrites hope shall perish for though all things succeed â—ccording to their desices if the grace of God be wanting it is necessary that they perish 14 Whose hope shall be cut off and whose trust shall be a spiderâ— web and when to deceive mâ—â— they shall seeme pious in appearance God who seeth the bottome of the heart shall nor saile to punish them The designe which they have to cover their sins under the cloke of piety shall not succeede and the vaine hopes wherewith they flatter themselves shall resemble the spiders webs which have never so much artifice but they have as much weaknesse They shall relye upon the greatnesse of their house 15 He shall lean upon his house but it shal not stand he shall hold it fast but it shall not endure but it shall fall like them They shall indeavour to support it by their Alliances but whatsoever cunning they use they shall have the displeasure of seeing it overthrowne but shall not have the power to raise it up Finally to keepe to the tearmes of our first comparison we must confesse that the fortune of the wicked is like to the beauty of the reeds for to see them in the morning in those moyst places where they have their birth you would judge that the spring which sees all the flowers borne and dye would never see them have an end Notwithstanding when the sun is in his Meridian 16 He is greene before the sun his branch shooteth forth in his garden and beats perpendicularly upon their heads he doth not only deface all their beauty but dryes up their roots 17 His roots are wrapped about the heap and seeth the place of stones and depriving them of that moysture which nourished them he makes them more arrid than the rocks Finally he so consumes them by his heat that there remains no rest of them and if the earth which bore them could speake it would say that it had lost the remembrance of them 'T is one of the recreations of this beautifull starre to ruine his workes for to produce new ones 18 If he destroy him from his place then it shall deny him saying I have not seen thee and to keep up the beauty of the world by the variety of his effects 19 Behold this is the joy of his way and out of the earth shall others grow And 't is one of the employments of divine Justice to chastise the wicked and to ruine their fortune and to stifle their glory in the birth Divine bounty 20 Behold God will not cast away a perfect man neither will he help the evill doers its deare companion treats not the simple so for it takes care of preserving them it imbraceth their interests and refusing its assistance to the wicked it tacitely consents to their ruine This generall rule shall have no exception for you 21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with rejoyceing and if you are faithfull to God your bad fortune shall change into a better joy shall appeare againe upon your countenance and laughter recovering its place upon your lips shall banish sadnesse and griefe And as the punishment of the wicked is a part of the happinesse of the just 22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought they who have made warre against you shall be rigorously punished and you shall have the contentment of seeing shame upon their faces and misery in their houses CHAP. IX THE ARGUMENT JOB avowes that there is none just before God and after he had established this maxime by an ample description of the soveraignty of God he againe defends his innocence and shewes that in the tearmes of Justice he ought rather to be rewarded than punished JOB 1 Then Job answered and said who saw well that his intentions were sinisterly interpreted and that they suspected him to accuse heaven of injustice to purge himselfe of this crime and reclayme his enemy from this errour said to him I agree with you that there is none innocent before God 2 I know it is so of a truth but how should man be just with God that our perfections compared with his are reall faults as our Being compared with his is nothing I know that a man being so rash as to dispute with him 3 If he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand can carry nothing away in the conflict but shame and losse and that of a thousand things whereof God may accuse him he shal hardly purge himselfe of one If they make warre against him with open force 4 He is wise in heart mighty in strength who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered he is Almighty and if they thinke to surpriae him by Artifice he is Wisdome it selfe he laughs at our attempts and our subtilties and whosoever opposeth his Will it is necessary he resolve upon an eternall warre He looseneth the Mountaines from their roots 5 Which 50veth the mountains and â—â—ey know not which overturneth them in his anger he fills the Vallies with their breaches and he causeth this destruction so suddenly that those who should resent it can neither foresee nor avoid it He makes the earth tremble when he pleaseth 6 Which shaketh the earth our of her place and the pillars thereof tremble and though it be the center of the world he makes it change its place when he will and those columnes which serve it for
houses of the wicked 6 The Tabernacles of robbers prosper and they that provoke God are secure into whose hand God bringeth abundantly and though they hold all their goods from the liberality of God their ingratitude makes them forget it and their insolence transports them to provoke his anger 7 But aske now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowles of the aire and they shall tell thee It is certaine then that the favours which heaven heapes upon men are not alwayes a good proof of their innocence nor the afflictions which he sends them an assured testimony of their wickednesse he is Master of his creatures he disposeth of them as he pleaseth and his truth is so well known that if you aske the birds of the aire or the beasts of the earth they will both make you know by their answers that they are not ignorant of it Speake to the earth it selfe 8 Or speake to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the sea shall declare umto thee its fruitfulnesse which is never weary of bringing forth will teach you the same thing and the fishes of the sea as dumbe as they are will give give you new assurances of it Also one must be very stupid to be ignorant that all the creatures are the works of Gods hands 9 Who knoweth not all these that the hand of the Lord bath wrought this and as their different qualities are effects of his power and their different motions are markes of his providence Who knowes not at last that their being depends upon his will 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind that as he hath produced them he can annihilate them and that the nobility in which man glories doth not exempt him from this necessity The minde of man may as easily conceive of these 11 Doth not the eare try words and the mouth taste his meat truths as the ear judgeth certainly of the variety of sounds and the tongue of the diversity of tasts But though nature should have denyed us this knowledge 12 With the antient is wisdome and in length of days understanding it were easie to gather it from those venerable old men to whom time being a master hath discovered secrets which young ones are ignorant of But if it be permitted me to make tryall of my abilities 13 With him is wisdom and strength heâ—â— hath counsell and understanding and strive for victory over the weake prayses which you have given to God I shall tell you that wisdom and force which are divided betwixt the old the young are united in him and as by his supreame intelligence he knowes generall things by his incomparable providence he governes particular ones and conducts them happily to their end This power of which you speak is so absolute 14 Behold he breaketh downe and it cannot be built againe he shutteth up a man and there can be no opening that if he ruine townes it is in vaine to undertake to raise them again and if he confine a malefactor to prison they strive to no purpose to deliver him If he shut up the heavens hinder the clouds from dissolving into raine 15 Behold he withholdeth the waters and they dry up also he sendeth them out and they overturne the earth the earth shall be barren or if it produceth some â—ruits the drought shall not permit them to come to perfect maturity if he open the sluces to the waters of heaven they will overflow all the earth and making a second deluge they will againe overthrow its buildings It is true then that he hath Power 16 With him is strength and wisedome the deceived and the deceiver are his if you doubt that he hath wisedome know that he understands the artifices of those who deceive others and the simplicity of those who let themselves be deceived He mockes at Statesmen 17 He leadeth counsellers away spoyled maketh the Judges fools and causeth that their wisest counsells are followed but with bad events 18 He looseth the bond of Kings and girdeth their loyns with a girdle he blindeth those who make lawes and makes Judges stupid who are appointed over the people to govern them but his power never shines forth more then when he assaulteth Monarchs when he taketh the Crowne from their heads and treating them like slaves he despoyles them of their belts leadeth them with chaines and makes their backs bend under the weight of their Irons Or when he changeth the glory of priests into contempt 19 He leadeth Princes away spoyled overthroweth the mighty and to confound their pride he permits his temples to be violated and his altars profaned or when he ruines those men whom berth or favour of Princes hath elevated to the highest degree of honours 20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty and taketh away the understanding of the aged And do not think that the qualities of the minde are lesse subject to his power then those of the body or of fortune he can take credit from those who speak the truth he takes away the power of perswading from the most eloquent and makes old men lose that knowledge which time and travaile hath acquired them When he will chastise Princes 21 He powreth contempt upon Princes and weakneth the strength of the mighty he takes from them that esteeme which maintaines their reigne he casts confusion upon their faces or renders them despicable to their subjects and producing at the same time a contrary effect he takes the the miserable out of oppression and makes them mount upon the throne of Kings He discovers the most hidden crimes 22 He discovereth the deep things out of darknes and bringeth to light the shadow of death he makes publick those pernicious designes which are conceived in the darke and which have no other witnesses then the night he does wonders upon all occasions he brigns day into the Abysses of our heart and makes evident their most secret thoughts Be doth he not appear very absolute 23 He increaseth the nations and destroyeth them he inlargeth the nations straightneth them againe when to increase the number of people he makes women fruitfull and for to diminish it he makes lands barren or when touched with their teares or conquered with their prayers he delivers them from their miseries and reestablishes them in their former greatnes Is not this an admirable point of wisdome and justice when he changes the heart of Princes 24 He taketh away the heart of the cheif of the people of the earth and causeth them to wander in a wildernesse where there is no way which he holds in his hands when for to deceive them he maks them leave their good resolutions which they had taken in their counsel and ingageth them in designes where they cannot
cease 21 Withdraw thine hand far from me and let not thy dread make me afraid for a man that suffers hath not liberty to speak and give me the assurance which your Majesty hath taken from me for feare puts a man in disorder and permits him not well to duce hâ—s reasons Upon these conditions I am assured of the gaining of my cause 22 Then cal thou and I wil answer or let me speake and answer thou me that without troubling my self whither the first that discourseth hath the advantage I put it to your choyce to oppose me or defend your self to speak or to heare to begin or to end the dispute And since your silence inviteth me to speake 23 How mano are mine iniquities and sins make me to know my transgression and my sin tell me what are my sins and if you will have me have sorrow for them as I have paine declare to me their qualities and number Why do you hide your face from me 24 Wherfore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy testâ—fying by this action that you can neither answer me nor endure me and as often as you see me you thinke you see one of your most mortall enemies What honor wil you carry away by imploying your power against a leaf 25 Wilt thou breake a leafe driven to and fro and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble which serves as pastime for the winds and what glory can you get by persecuting a miserable man who like dry straw hath no force nor vigour to resist you You know that I complain with Reason 26 For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth since after your mouth had pronounced the sentence of my death you write it with your hand and go to ground it upon the follyes of my youth for to give it some colour Finally as if I were some signall malefactor 27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks and lookest narrowly unto all my paths thou sectest a print upon the heels of my feet you put irons upon my feet you overlook all my actions and to finde proofs against an innocent you observe all my words and my thoughts When you come with all this diligence to ruine me 28 And he as a rotten thing consumeth as a garment that is moth-eaten you have without doubt forgotten that I am but rottennesse and that my body being of no better condition then my clothes it must one day be the nourishment of wormes CHAP. XIIII The Argument IOb makes an ample description of the misery of man which he begins by his birth and finisheth with his death then by a dexterity which grief more ingenious than eloquence had taught him he draws reasons from his misfortunes to oblidge the Divine mercy to treat him more gently MAn is borne of woman 1 Man that is borne of a woman is of few daies and full of trouble and as he hath received being from her he hath derived weaknesse he lives here few years 2 He cometh forth like a flower and is cut downe he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not but in so short a term he suffers many miseryes He is borne like a flower and passeth away like it he is like the shadow of our Quadrants in a perpetuall motion and change is so far passed into his nature that notwithstanding all his endeavours he cannot remaine one sole moment in the same condition Notwithstanding 3 And doest thou open â—hine eyes upâ—on such a one and bringest me into judgement with thee Lord you esteeme him worthy of your anger you have your eyes open upon him to examine all his actions and you cite him before your Tribunall that he may give you an account of them 4 Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane nor one His birth might serve him for an excuse in his sin for who can make an innocent of a man conceived in crimes and who can make but you only to whom miracles are easie the progresse of his life to be pure the entring of it being so shamefull and guilty And though the sin of his father should not diminish his own 5 Seeing his dayes are determined the number of his monthes are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot passe at least you ought to pardon the shortnesse of his days and consider that you keep an account of his yeers and that you have given him bounds beyond which his life cannot extend Withdraw your self then from him 6 Turn from him that he may rest til he shall accomplish as an hireling his his day and let him expect in patience till the day of his death content your self with the evils that he suffers without procuring him new ones and permit him to comfort himself like a poor mercenary in hope of the happy day which must end his travail and begin his rest So will you be sufficiently revenged by his death 7 For there is hope of a tree if it be cutt downe that it will sprout againe and that the tender branch thereof will not cease which puts him in a worse condition then trees for after they are cut they leave some hope to their Masters and the sap which animates them makes them recover their verdure and thrust forth new Branches 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth and the stock thereof dye in the ground When time hath made their roots old and age taken from them their vigour and their Trunke being planted in a bad soyle drawes up no more nourishment 9 Yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant At the very smell of the waters they recover their former force and moisture giving them life they cover their heads with a new peruke and as at the day of their birth they crown it with boughes But when man is dead all hope dies with him 10 But man dieth and wasteth away yea man giveth up the ghost and where is he for after the soul is despoyled of the body and the body is reduced into dust neither the endeavours of nature nor the addresses of art can restore him to life 11 As the waters faile from the sea the flood decayeth and drieth up As it would be impossible to gather together the waters of the sea if they were dispersed or to keep together those of a river if the source were dry So cannot they bring a man back from the grave when he is once gone down thither 12 So man lieth downe and riseth not till the heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their fleepe and the sleep of death is so profound that he shall not awake till heaven worne away with age and wearied with its long travailes shall stop its motions and suspend
of your state 10 With us are both the gray-headed and very aged men much elder then thy father you must know that we treat every day with men who are more ancien tand more wise then your masters You complaine of your losses 11 Are the consolations of God small with thee Is there any secret thing with thee and as if your evill were without remedy you speak to God without respect Certainly if you had ever so little of your senses left you you would judge that nothing were more easie with him then to reestablish you in your former fortune and it may be he would already have done it is the insolence of your words had not hindred him Why does your pride raise you above your condition 12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away and what doth thine eyes winke at why do they read in your eyes that you have thoughts of vanity in your heart and that you conceive designs that surpasse your power Why does your minde revolt against God 13 That thou tuâ—nest thy spirit against God and lettest such words go out of thy mouth why does your rash tongue accuse his Providence and why do you utter words which offend his Justice I know you often alledge your innocence 14 What is man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he should be righteous but can one be formed of earth and not sullyed with sin and can one call himself the sonne of a woman and boast of being just Amongst those great men who by their piety have acquired the name of Saints 15 Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints yea the heavens are not cleare in his sight there have been found some unfaithfull and amongst the angels which are the principall Ornaments of Heaven there have been found apostates How much more light and lesse faithfull will man be 16 How much more abominable filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water whom his birth makes abominable whom his weaknesse makes unprofitable whom his inclination carries to evills and by a strange blindnesse perswades himselfe that to drinke water and to commit sin are two actions equally indifferent If you will hear me I will impart to you some of my light 17 I will shew thee hear me and that which I have seen I will declare and to draw you from the error wherein you live I will relate to you what I have seen I will tell you nothing which wise men beleeve not as well as I 18 Which wise men have told me from their fatheas and have not hid it and since truths themselves are suspected when we know not the authors of them I will name you those from whom I learnt them as well to honor their merit as to satisfie your minde And for feare you should take them for persons of mean condition 19 Unto whom alone the earth was given and no stranger passed among them I would have you know that their birth and their wisdome had advanced them to the administration of state and that during their governments our enemies never overran our land nor wonne any advantage over us 20 The wicked man travellech with pain all his dayes the number of yeares is hidden to the oppressour Behold the Oracles which they have declared to man and which I entreat you to heare with respect The wicked Prince hath no more cruel executioner then his own ambition or more sensible displeasure then to know that he is mortall and to be ignorant when his tyranny must end He thinks every hour that he heares the noyse of Trumpets 21 A dreadfull sound is in his eares in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon when he injoyes peace he apprehends warte and fears surprises from his enemies or treasons from his friends When night obliges him to lye down 22 He believeth not that hee shall returne out of darknesse and he is waited for of the sword he never hopes to see the day and his guilt râ—presenting to him on all sides nothing but naked swords He beleeves that they will assassine him in his bed 23 He wandereth abroad for bread saying Where is it he knoweth that the day of darknes is ready at hand When he firs at the Table to take his repast he imagines that his meats are poyson and that he shal finde death where he seeks for the conservation of his life He is alwayes in the same inquietude as a King who is going to give battail 24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid they shall prevaile against him as a King ready to battaile and his state in the hands of fortune and of his Souldiers Although these punishments be rigorous he deserved more cruell ones 25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God strengtheneth himself against the Almighty for he made warre against God and by an insupportable insolence he had gathered forces for to fight with him He marched against him without feare 26 He runneth upon him even on his neck upon the the thick bosses of his bucklers and as if God might have easily been overcome he belâ—eved that the pride of his Troopes and the pompe of his Armes were sufficient to defeat him Having conceived this contempt of God 27 Because he covereth his face with his fatnesse maketh collops of fat on his flank s. he had given himself to debaushes where the fat had so swollen up his cheeks and his belly that he had neither the stature nor the visage of a man For punishment of so many crimes 28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities and in houses which no man inhabiteth which are ready to become heaps he shall see his estate ruined and 10 secure his life he shall be constrained to retyre himself into forsaken Cities and to hide himself in the ruines more proper to serve for a sepuichre for the dead then a retreat for the living His extortions shall not inrich him 29 He shall not be rich neither shall his substance continue neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth for whatsoever care he takes to transport his treasures he shall not preserve them and his fortune shall resemble those trees which not having taken strong root in the ground cannot resist the violence of the winds Feare and shame shall make him hide himself in darknesse 30 He shall not depart out of darknes the flame shall dry up his branches and by the breath of his mouth he shall go away where after he hath seen his children dye and the accomplices of his crimes he shall dye him self of displeasure and by a just judgement of God the same fire which shall burn the trunke of the tree shall consume all its branches When they shall fore-tell him these misfortunes 31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity for vanity shall be his recompâ—nce
They pluck the fatherlesse from the brest and take a pledge of the poor they are constrained to hide themselves in the rocks and like wilde beasts to retire into Cavernes Divine Providence which permits these impieties cannot be ignorant of them but to know when it will revenge them is a secret which it hath reserved to it selfe Others more dangerous than these 10 They cause him to go naked without clothing and they take away the sheaf from the hungty do as many outrages to their neighbours as theeves do violence to passengers for they pillage the goods of the Orphans misery which should beget pitty in them begets but audacity and invites them to ruine the poore and fill their houses with their spoyles When these miserable men are reduced to this pittifull condition 11 Which make oylwithin their walls and tread their wine presses suffer thirst and that having no more Lands of their own they are forced to leaze in those of others These wicked men snatch the eares of corne out of their hands and condemne them to a death which is so much the more cruell as it is tedious and languishing Whilest they commit these excesses and that they make as many poore as they have neighbours they sleepe under the shadow of the sheaves to defend themselves from the heat of the sun and being no better to their Domestiques than their neighbours they constraine them to worke during the time which nature hath destined to repose and by an extreme injustice make those dye with hunger and thirst who tread the grapes and reape the corne Finally 12 Men groan from out of the city and the soul of the wounded crieth out yet God layeth not folly to them their violence is so great that it makes whole Cities groane and constrains the most generous to complaine their sighs mount up to heaven and God who glories in being the Protector of the afflicted mediates the ruine of those who persecute them Certainly 13 They are of those that rebell against the light they know not the wayes thereof not abide in the paths thereof if this consideration should not be strong enough to induce him to it he would be obliged to it out of interest for these are Subjects Rebels to his Decrees who would beignorant of his Lawes that they might not be bound to keep them and to have a pretence to persevere in their crimes perswade themselves that repentance is a weaknesse of minde Others whose inclinations are more guilty 14 The murderer rising with the light killeth 〈◊〉 the poof and needy and in the night is as a thâ—â—â— rise every morning before the Sun and upon the great Rodes or in publike places assassine those poore workmen who begin their labour with the day when night hath covered the earth with darknesse they slip by its favour into houses and end with theft the day which they begun with murder 15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight saying No eye shall see me and disguiseth his face If at any time an unlawfull love possesseth them and its unchaste flames consume their hearts they take a time convenient for their designes and chuse the most darke nights to satisfie their passions and guilt which is never in safety obligeth them to cover their faces that they may not be known 16 In the dark they dig through houses which they had marked for themselves in the day time they know not the â—ight When they judge that meâ— rest and that charmed by sleepe they have lost the use of their sences they betake themselves to the assignations which were given them in the day they enter into houses by tricks or force and gluâ— their unclean desires by the favour of the darknesse If at any time they awake a little late 17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death if one know them they are in the terrors of the shadow of death and the morning surprize them they imagine in the passion which blinds them that she that comes to bring day to men did not rise but to bring death to them and remaining in opinions contrary to the worlds they make day of night and of its most thick darknesses their most agreeable lights But whatsoever precaution they bring 18 He is swift as the waters their portion is cursed in the earth he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards that they may not be discovered Divine Providence shall know how to finde them for to punish them and if it be permitted me to prevent their chastisements by my desires I wish that their prosperity were more inconstant than the waters that their Lands were more barren than the sands of the deserts and that their Meadowes and their Vineyards may never increase the number of their possessions 19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters so doth the grave those which have sinned May the heat agree with the cold to make them barren may the winters be so violent and so moyst as to rot all the Corne which they shall sowe and if there remaine any which shall thrust forth eares may the burning heats of the summer devoure them and may this misfortune without ever being interrupted accompany them to the grave May mercy 20 The wombe shall forget him the worm shal feed sweetly on him he shall be no more remembred and wickednes shal be broken as a tree which hath no greater cares than to succour the miserable never think of assisting them may death be their onely hope may it teare them from the earth like those unprofitable trees which bring forth no fruit may it set upon their reputation as well as their life and may it deface them out of the memory of men 21 He evill enrreateth the barren that beareth not and doth not good to the widow But we must acknowledge that this punishment is too gentle for their sin for they respected not that Sex whom weaknesse serves for a priviledge and assasinating the children and the husband of the same woman they tooke from her her support and her hopes Then 22 He draweth also the mighty with his power he riseth up and no man is sure of life having made practise upon those weake persons and without defence they assaulted the more mighty and as if the ruine of great ones had been the establishing of their owne fortune they employed all their force to overthrow them and notwithstanding after all these violent precautions they were not secure of their life 23 Though it be given him to be in safety whereon he resteth yet his eyes are upon 〈◊〉 their wayes Heaven hath deferred their punishment to give them time of repentance but its goodnesse which should have overcome their malice hath served but to make them more obstinate in their designes and more insolent in their happinesse It is true that his Providence which watcheth alwayes
make them statues is drawne from stones which melted by the heat of the fire turne into Mettal Though nature hath taken pleasure to hide all these Mettalls 3 He setteth an end to darknesse and searcheth out all perfection the stones of darknesse and the shadow of death industry provides man with certaine markes for to discover them and infallible conjectures to know the time when they must be drawne out of their Darknesse and though the shadow of Death forbids the entry into these caves avarice and curiosity give him courage enough to go downe thither and enrich himself with their spoyls There are torrents found which divide certaine people from all others 4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant even the waters forgotten of the foot they are dryed up they are gone away from men and where waters are so profound and rapid that shutting the passage from travellers they make the Provinces inaccessible which they water and put them in the Ranke of those things which were never seen There are lands seen which brought forth corne 5 As for the earth out of it cometh bread and under it is turned up as it were fire and which by their fertility contributed to the Noutriture of men which are become barren and which burnt by the Sunne which shined upon them and dryed with the sulphur which heated them have lost their first fertility T is true that this losse sometimes is advantagious to them 6 The stones of it are the place of Saphires and it hath dust of Gold for it oftens happens that for corne they yeeld pretious stones and their Rocks turne into Saphyrs and their turfes into wedges of Gold But as on the other side 7 There is a path which no fowle knoweth and which the Vultures eye hath not seen they are separated from the world and lodged under climates too hot the Birds never fly thither and Vultures whose penetrating sight can observe the prey so far could never yet discover them 8 The Lions whelps have not troden it nor the fierce Lyon passed by it Those wilde Beasts whose savage humour searcheth out the most Solitary places could never yet finde them and the Lionesses which run every-where when they have lost their little ones have never approached them Yet man discovers them by his Industry 9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock he overturneth the mountains by the roots as by the Obstinacy of his labour he pierceth Rocks throwes down Mountaines and carries away the Treasure which they hide within their entralls His hands animated by his Curiosity 10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks and his eye seeth every precious thing divert the Course of Rivers breake the Rockes which serve them for bankes and his Eyes enjoying the labour of his hands discover all that 's rare and beautifull in the World Finally his minde which can not be overcome by difficulties 11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light and which to surmount them imployes both force and skill sees the wonders which the Rivers Cover with their waters and contrary to the designe of Nature reveales her secrets and discovers all that she hides What soever good successe he hath in these searches 12 But where shall wisdome be sound and where is the place of understanding he is not so happy nor so dextrous in that of Divine wisdome for he knows not where shee dwells and what diligence soever he use to penetrate her designs he is obliged to consesse that she surpasseth his understanding and that he ought rather to adore then search after them He knowes not what she is worth 13 Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living and the esteem which he makes of things of the world sufficiently testifies that he is ignorant of the price of her he abuseth himselfe grossely when he perswades himself that he shall finde her in the Palce of them who place all their Happinesse in Pleasures What diligence soever he use 14 The depth saith It is not in me and the sea saith It is not with me he shall have much adoe to hear any news of her for the Abysses which shut up so many Treasures confesse that they possesse her not and the Sea which enticheth it selfe with our losses and which makes us pay use for the Commodities wich it lends us acknowledgeth that she growes not with the Pearls nor with the Corall Though all things obey Gold 15 It cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof and there is nothing which one may not buy with Silver * notwithstaning as Wisdom hath no Price she gives and doth not sell her self no treasure can buy her and Experience teacheth us that the most rich are not the most wise Finally her merit surpasseth all that India hath of Rarity 16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx or the Saphire and it would injure her to compare her with those stuffes whose matter being so rich the tincture is more beautifull or with those precious stones whose luster is so glittering and greatnesse so monstrous That excellent Gold whose Purity the fire cannot encrease 17 The Gold and the Chrystall cannot equall it and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold the Chrystall which seems to be the last attempt of Nature and makes us finde Heaven on Earth those great Vessells of Gold whose workmanship is yet more precious then the matter are not exquisite enough to be given in exchange of wisdom Those starres with which the firmament adornes it self 18 No mention shall be made of Corall or of Pearles for the Price of wisedome is above Rubies when night drives away the day that Sun whose Beauty makes so mary Idolaters and all those other lights which oblige us to preferre Heaven before Earth cannot be compared with her but if her beauty beget a desire in us of seaching her her dwelling more unknowne then the Rockes out of which they setch the Diamonds makes us loose the hope of finding her This Difficulty which enhanceth her price is the cause that the Topazes of Ethiopis 19 The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not equall it neither shall it be valued with pure gold which seem to have the lustre of Gold and the Purity of Chrystall and those agreeable mixtures of colours which make the Purple of Kings are not rich enough to purchase her 20 Whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding Yet must we learn her dwelling and permit our curiositie to search the place where she makes her residence I know she is hidden from the eyes of men 21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the fowles of the aire that her Purity
little esteem of them heretofore 2 Yea where to might the strength of their hands profit mee in whom old age was perished that I would not give them the least imployment in my house their services were unprofitable to me and their persons were so inconsiderable that they who judged without passion esteemed them unworthy to live 3 For want famine they were soliâ—â—ry flying into 〈◊〉 wilderness in former time desolate and waste Hunger and poverty persecuted them every where shame chased them into the deserts where burthened with a thousand incommodities they eat all that was set before them They chewed gras like beasts 4 Who cut 〈◊〉 Mallows by the bushes and Juniper roots for their meat they tote off the barke from the trees to appease the cruel hunger which devoured them the root of Juniper which surpasseth all other in bitternes was their ordinary food When these unhappy men whom necessity constrained to live in the valleys 5 They were driven 〈◊〉 from among men they â—â—ed after 〈◊〉 as after thief saw from far these sad meats they ran with great cries of joy gathered them with care and eat them with pleasure Their dwelling was not more agreable than their norishment 6 To dwell â—n the clifts of the valleys in caves of the earth and in the rocks for they retyred themselves into vaste deserts whose silence was troubled by the noyse of Torrents and to avoid the heat of the sunne which burned them they buried themselves in caves or rolled themselves upon the sands of the streams 7 Among the bushes they brayed under the nettles they were gathered together misfortune had so well accustomed them to this fatall kind of life that they esteemed themselves very happy to be thus lodged fed making their delights of these miseries they thought to sleep upon Roses when they lay upon thornes The nobility of their houses could not comfort them in these distasters 8 They were children of fools yea children of base men they were viler then the earth for as if all things had contributed to render them contemptible their fathers were of the dreggs of the people and they counted none amongst their Ancestours but persons whose mindes were no more elevated then their births Notwithstanding my misery furnisheth them with matter for their entertainments 9 And now am I their song yea I am their by-word I am the subject of all their jeers and as insolence is natural to them they make songs of my misfortunes to make my disgraces passe into a Proverb they call all miserable men by my name They have conceived so furious an Avertion from me 10 They abhor mee they flie farre from me and spare not to spit in my face that they can no longer endure me the plague seemes not more contagious to them then my person and if at any time they approach it it is to do me new outrages and oblige their mouth which hath blotted my reputation to defile my face 11 Because he hath loosed my cord and afflicted mee they have also let loose the bridle upon me That which gives this liberty to these Insolents is that they see that Heaven is a party that God who was my Creator is become my enemy that he who had no arrows but to defend me hath none now but to hurt me that to take from me the liberty of complaining which is so sweet to the Miserable he hath put a bridle in my mouth and condemned me to be silent He had not so soon pronounced my sentence 12 Upon my right hand rise the youth they push away my feet and they raise up against me the wayes of their destruction but my enemies as the Ministers of his vengeance assaulted me on all sides they imitated the cruelty of Hangmen who seize upon a Malefactour they threw me upon the ground they trumpled me under foot and they followed one another like the waves of the sea without giving me any respit Since this Moment they surprize me in all places 13 They maâ— my path they set forward my calamity they have no helper and as if my ruine were profitable to them they prepare ambushes for me upon the way and take their aime so well that there being no one to succour mee they have the better and they alwayes finde themselves the stronger The Torrents run not with so much fury when they break their Banks and overflow the fields 14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me as they powred upon me when God took away the bound which kept them in and gave them permission to assault me At these rude assaults I saw my self reduced to nothing 15 Terrours are turned upon me they pursue my soulas the wind my welfare passeth away as a cloud my hopes which I esteemed so much more just as they were founded upon the Integrity of my Actions and the Truth of the promises of God lost themselves like the wind and the happinesse which I tasted dispersed like a cloud which the Sun raiseth and dissipateth the same day With my hopes my strength abandoned me 16 And now my soule is poured our upon me the dayes of affliction have taken hold upon me for I feele no more that vigour which promised me a long life my soul is grown feeble with my body and my best dayes being past there remaine none but mournfull ones where pleasures never succeed afflictions The night it self destined for repose gvies me no truce 17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season and my sinews take no rest for when I think to shut my eyes I am assaulted with those mortall paynes which the miserable feel when they are broken upon the wheele and if at any time sleep would sweeten them there issues out of my soares a swarme of wormet which devour me and as my flâ—sh cannot satisfie them all my Arts cannot charme them Their number is so prodigious 18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed it bindeth me about as the collor of my coat that when they cannot finde wherewithall to feed themselves in my entralls they gnaw my garments and as it were to repair the damage which they have made they cover me all over and serve me themselves for cloaths In this deplorable Condition 19 Hee hath cast mee into the mire and I am become like dust and ashes which may beget pity in the hearts of my enemies I am so changed that it seems that my miseries preventing the cruelty of death have already reduced me into dust and ashes As I well know so great an evill can finde no remedy upon earth 20 I cry unto thee and thou dost not hear me I stand up thou regardest me not I lift my voyce to heaven and addresse my complaints to
he hath said that God would not doe him Justice 6 Should I lie against my right my wound is incurable without transgression and that he had searched pretences that he might not give him audience that being overcome by his importunities he had at last pronounced his Sentence but that it was conceived in tearmes which made apparent the injustice of it and that he suffered punishments which made knowne the rigour of it Remember also the quality of the Personage 7 What man is like Job who drinketh up scorning like water which makes these unreasonable complaints and see how he hath not his equall in impudence and how having lost all sence of honour he drinkes affronts and blushes not at it How without shame hee walkes publikely with lost men 8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity and walketh with wicked men and priding in his sinne he is very glad that it is knowne that he frequents not their companies but because he approves their opinions Lastly 9 For hee hath said It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himselfe with God remember that he hath sayed that the God whom you adore is too hard to be served that a man whatever paines he takes cannot oblige him that he is their enemy who obey him and persecutes them as well as those who offend him Wherefore wise and generous Personages I conjure you by the interests of God 10 Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding far be it from God that he should do wickednes and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity which are so deare to you to weigh the reasons wherewith I pretend to cleare him from these calumnies and to make you plainely see that injustice and impiety cannot lodge in his person He treats men according to their merits 11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him and cause every man to finde according to his wayes and whether he recompence or punish them he regulates himselfe by their actions and never pronounceth sentence but he consults his Justice As he is good 12 Yea surely God wil not do wickedly neither will the Almightypervert indgement he chastiseeth no man without cause and resembles not those Soveraignes who faine crimes that they may punish them as he is powerfull he walkes upright in his Judgements and imitates not those evill Judges who let themselves be overcome by threats or corrupted by presents If then he hath punished you 13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth or who hath disposed the whole world you ought to beleeve that you are guilty and you cannot cast the cause of your misfortune upon any other fince the same who made the world governes it and reposeth none of his conduct neither in men nor in Angels And we must confesse that he governes it by his Justice tempered with his sweetnesse 14 If he set his heart upon man if he gather unto himselfe his spirit his breath for if he used his Power only or had a desire to overthrowmen it would not be hard for him to take away the life which he hath given them nor in his fury to ruine a worke which he hath made but for his pleasure In this case all nature would perish 15 All flesh shall perishtogether man shall turne again unto dust and the body of man destitute of that spirit which animates it would returne into its first condition and become either earth or ashes If then you have any wit left you 16 If now thou haste understanding hearken to the veyce of my words comprehend what I tell you for to profit by my thoughts hearken diligently to my words and doe it so that my eloquence may be glorious to me and profitable to you How can you hope for your Cure since not loving Justice 17 Shall even he that hareth right govern and wilt thou condemn him that is most just you hate your remedy How dare you pretend that God should be favourable to you since being Justice it selfe he Condemnes you and by an execrable attempt you would ruine his Honour to establish your own innocence Notwithstanding you know that he is so just 18 Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked to a Prince Ye are ungodly that he pardons not Monarchs themselves that without respecting their condition he reproacheth them either with the unbridled license which they give themselves in their states or with the worship of Idols which they entertaine amongst their subjects You are not ignorant that he hath no regard in his Judgements to the quality of persons 19 How much lesse to him that accepteth nor the persons of princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poor for they are all the worke of his hands and when great ones have any thing to doe with meane ones he considers not the eminence of their condition but the goodnesse of their cause for as he knowes well that they are the workes of his hand he treats them equally and doth them no more favour than his Justice permits him Thus it often happens that Princes receive their death 20 In a moment shall they dye and the people shall be troubled at midnight passe away and the mighty shall be taken away without hand when they least feare it that people revolt against their Soveraignes that by the favour of the night they make meetings that they enter into their Palaces surprize them without their Guards and take away their lives to recover their liberty For whatsoever impunity the wicked promise themselves 21 For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and he seeth all his goings God hath alwaies his eyes open upon their actions and when he seemes to be most busie in the conduct of the Universe 22 There is no darknesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves he failes not to marke all their steps and to consider all their thoughts the night hath not darknesse thick enough nor the Region of Death shadowes blacke enough to hide them and steale from his eyes the impieties which they commit 23 For he wil not lay upon man more then right that he should enter into judgement with God Besides his Decrees are so constant that they cannot make them change for as he who pronounceth them is Soveraigne they cannot appeale from him to another Judge and as he is alwaies equall they cannot hope that he will revoke them He produceth every day examples to establish this truth 24 He shall breake in pieces mighty men without number and set others in their stead for he breakes the heads of Tyrants he gives them strangers or enemies for their successours and makes them see that he is absolute over all Monarchs since he disposeth as he pleaseth of their estates It is not though without knowledge of the cause
to the world 24 By what way is the light patted which scattereth the east-winde upon the earth and how for to accommodate my selfe to the necessities of my Creatures I distribute Raine and faire weather and make the calme succeed the Tempest Are you ignorant in what manner I raise the Vapours into the Ayre 25 Who hath divided a water course for the overflowing of waters or a way for the lightning of thunder and draw out of their bosome Raines mixt with Thunders which falling into the Deserts and covering them with greenenesse testifie as well my liberality as my Power and make it appeare that the profit of men is not the onely morive of my Actions since I enrich places which are inaccessible to them and feed in the Woods savage Beasts which are unprofitable to them There is nothing more ordinary than those Waters which fall from Heaven to water the thirsty fields 26 To cause it to raine on the earth where no man is on the wildernes wherin there is no man and there is nothing more common or more pleasant than the Dew which nourisheth the Flowers 27 To satisfie the desolate waste ground and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth yet you know not who is the father of them and though these effects are evident to you yet the cause of them is hidden You know as little out of whose bosome the Haile comes 28 Hath the rain a father or who hath begorten the drops of dew which would abate the value of the Pearles of the Sea if it could longer retaine its whitenesse 29 Out of whose womb came the ice and the hoary frost of heaven who hath gendred it and its hardnesse you know not neither the originall of the Ice which makes the Rivers unmoveable and of their very water raiseth bridges of Chrystall But if you beleeve that your power surpasseth your knowledge 30 The waters are hid as with a stone and the face of the deepe is frozen can you gather together those glittering Starres which we call the Pleiades 31 Canst thou binde the sweet influences of Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion and make one constellation of them Can you divide in an equall distance those other Starres about Vrsa Major and which presage as well changes in States as Tempests in the Ayre 32 Canst thou bring forth Mazaroth in his season or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons Can you make rise over mens heads that beautifull Starre to which you give severall names according to its severall uses which precedeth the day and goes before the night which riseth first of the Starres and which sets last Doe you know the admirable order which I have established in the Heavens 33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth the regular motion of their Globes the certaine conjunction of their Planets the secret influences of their Starres and that Empire which they have over all the things of the world Is Nature ingaged to follow your inclinations 34 Canst thou lift up thy voiee to the clouds that abuudance of waters may cover thee Doe your defires serve for Lawes to the Elements When you command the Clouds to give water doe they obey your Commands and when you have spoken doth the Raine to obey your orders fall over your head Is the Lightnings subjected to your power 35 Canst thou send lightnings that they may go and say unto thee Here we are which would have no bounds if it were as great as your pride doeth it fly through the Ayre to execute your designes doeth it spare your friends doeth it hit your enemies doeth it come to know your Will and when it hath accomplished it doth it returne to give you an account of it If you cannot doe these things 36 Who hath put wisdome in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart can you so much as tell us who was that great Architect who formed Man and put wisdome in his heart and who having made him the weakest would also make him the wisest of all the Creatures or if you know not his perfections doe you know those of Birds and can you teach us who is that Divine Workman who hath given the Cocke an inclination to salute the Sunne to awake men and to announce day But without questioning you any further 37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom or who can stay the bottles of heaven who is he amongst men who can tell me all the Wonders of the Heavens the sweetnesse and the force of their influences the order and the number of their Starres the differences and the agreements of their Motions and who can make the harmony of those Globes cease which alwaies roule or lay them asleep by any Artifice and impose upon them silence Notwithstanding the Prayses which they give me are as ancient as the World 38 When the dust groweth into hardnesse and the clods cleave fast together for ever since I mixt the sand with the water to give consistence to the earth and that my hands were employed to kneade the Mould of which it is formed the Heavens published my greatnesse and the perfections of my Essence were the only subject of their consort But since you confesse by your filence that these Miracles surpasse your power 39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion or fill the appetite of the young lions dare you bragge of having directed the Lionesses in the Chase and taught them to search for Prey for the nourishing of their young ones 40 When they couch in their dens and abide in the covert to lie in wait who not daring yet to declare an open warre against the other Beasts of the Forrests lay imbushes for them in their Dens or wait for them upon a passage to surprize and dâ—â—our â—â—em Doe you take care of providing for the necessity of the Ravens 41 Who provideth for the raven his food when his yong ones cry unto God they wander for lack of meat doe you take charge of feeding their little ones when by their dolefull cries they accuse the cruelty of their Parents who have left them and implore the ayde of God who is the common Parent of all his Creatures CHAP. XXXIX THE ARGUMENT GOd continues his discourse in which he describes the properties of some living Creatures and Job touched with so many Wonders adores Divine Providence and condemnes his owne rashnesse SInce the height of the Heavens excuseth you from knowing the Wonders of them 1 Kuowest thou the time when the wilde goats of the rock bring forth or canst thou marke when the hindes doe calve and the little commerse which you have with the Birds doth not permit you to know their properties you ought not to be ignorant of those of the Creatures which converse with
the day of triumph cover your selfe with sumptuous cloathes and march with a Majesty which may strike respect in all your subjects In this glorious Equipage 11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath and behold every one that is proud and abase him make your just indignation felt by all the rebells of the world compose your eyes in that manner that their lookes may astonish the arrogant and teach the proud humility Beat downe Kings under your feet 12 Looke on every one that is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked in their place use not your power but to tame their insolence and when they shall have oppressed your Subjects make the same place which was fouled by their Crime be washed with their bloud and their death give an example where their life hath given scandall Bruise their Scepters 13 Hide them in the dust together and binde their faces in secret hide the lustre their Crownes hide the lustre of their glory under obscurity pursue them after their death and teach them that the Grave is not a sanctuary which can protect them from your anger When you have done these Miracles 14 Then wil I also confesse unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee I shall confesse that in the miseries wich encompasse you my succour is unprofitable to you and that your forces being equall to mine one cannot assault you so well but you can better defend your selfe But as all these effects surpasse your power 15 Behold now Behemoth which I made with thee he eateth grasse as an ox and you despise not mine but because it is not sufficiently knowne to you I will give you new proofes of it Consider then the Elephant which I have produced like you and which I have fed as an Oxe with the grasse of the fields His force which hath no equall resides particularly in his loynes 16 Lo now his strength is in his loyns and his force is in the navell of his belly which are so strong that in the Battell he carries Towers filled with Souldiers and his vigour is inclosed in his Navell which is as the center to which all the members of his body answer 17 He moveth his taile like a cedar the sinews of his stones are wrapt rogether This advantage is the recompence of his purity for he is so chaste that he is never seene to doe undecent actions and Nature which accommodates her selfe to his inclination hath hidden all those parts which seeme for the conservation of his species as the Barke covers the wood of Cedars and of Cypresses His bones 18 His bones are as strong pieces of bras his bones are like bars of iron and principally his teeth which were given him for defence are as hard as plates of Brasse and his truncke which seemes to be composed of gristles is equall in its strength to barres of Iron and in its dexterity to the hand of man Amongst the Creatures which conduct themselves by instinct he is the Master-piece of my power 19 He is the chiefe of the wayes of God he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him and if I had not given hornes to the Rhinoceros and poyson to the Dragon who are his most mortall enemies there were no beasts to be found which could have the better of him Although he be so strong 20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food where all the beasts of the field play he is so gentle that content with the Grasse which the Mountaines bring forth he seeketh not for prey and the other Beasts which know his humour feed quietly in his company When he would repose himselfe he seekes out moyst places 21 He lieth under the shady trees in the covert of the reed and fens where he sleepes under the freshnesse of the shade which the Groves afford him or the Willowes which so pleasantly bound the streams When he drinkes 23 He drinketh up a river and hasteth not he trusteth that he can draw Jordan into his mouth it is such great draughts that it seemes to those who see him that he would dry up Rivers and when he enters into Jordan to appease his thirst you would say that he hath a designe to drayne it With all his strength he hath so little cunning 24 He takeeth it with his eyes his nose pierceth thorow snares that he sees the snares of the Huntsmen and doth not avoyd them he is so simple that he lets himselfe be taken like Fish with the Hooke and so gentle that he lets his nostrils be pierced and himselfe be led by the nose But that your weaknesse and my Power may appeare as well upon the Water as the Land 1 Canst thou draw out Leviathan with an hook or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down make triall of your strength against the Whale see if you can take him with a Hooke or with a Line 2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose or bore his jaw thorow with a thorn and if after having tyed his tongue with a Cord and thrust a Buckle of Iron through his nostrils or his cheekes you can draw him from his Fortresse and lead him where you please Doe you thinke to oblige him to say his prayers to you 3 Will he make many supplications unto thee will he speake soft words unto thee doe you beleeve that astonished at your power or surprized with your Artifices he will aske his liberty of you with words of sweetnesse and respect Doe you thinke to reduce him to make an agreement with you 4 Will he make a covenant with thee wilt thou take him for a servant for ever and to protest to you publickly that he honours you as his Master and will serve you as your slave and that the tearme of his life shall be no longer than that of his servitude Will you play with him as with those poore Birds 5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird wilt thou bind him for thy maidens which serve as pastime for little Children Shall your Daughters tye him with a thread which lengthening or shortning at their discretion shall make his prison either larger or straighter Doe you thinke it easie for a band of armed men to catch him in Nets 6 Shall the companions make banquet him shal they part him among the merchants to cut him in pieces to load vessels with his spoyles and to divide his Body amongst the Merchants who have contributed to his taking If it be not a thing impossible it is dangerous at the least 7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons or his head with fish-spears for when you assault him remember that you must prepare your selfe for so furious a fight that after you have tried him you will lose the desire of medling any more And though the designe should not be
no support but nothing It is he who hath found the secret of keeping the waters in the ayre 8 He hindeth up the waters in his thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them and of thickning them into vapours that they may distill drop by drop and water the fields which might apprehend a second deluge if they discharged themselves all at once But is it not wonderfull 9 He holdeth back the face of his throne and spreadeth his cloud upon it that he hides from us with the clouds that beautifull Starre which serves him for a Throne and that doing us a little hurt to procure us much good 10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds untill the day and night come to an end he deprives us of its beauty to enrich our Lands with the raine The elements beare him so much respect 11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof that they have no other motion than his will the sea never passeth the bounds which he hath prescribed to its fury 12 He divided the sea with his power by his understanding he smiteth through the proud and when it seemes that its floatings are about to ingulfe all the earth they have no sooner touched the banke but their fiercenelk slackens and their rage converts it self into foame this obedience shall not be lesse faith full than it is prompt for as long as the dayes and nights do mutually succeed one another the Billowes shall breake themselves upon the Land and the Sea shall not passe its limits Those high mountaines which seeme to be the pillars of heaven are touched with the same sentiment 13 By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens his hand hath formed the crooked serpent and though nothing be more proper to them than repose they tremble when he speaks and to obey his will they either shake their heads or unfasteâ— their feet from the earth But is it not a prodigious 14 Lo these Effect of his power when he appeaseth the Tempests that he calmes the fury of the Sea and triumphs over that pride which is no lesse naturall to it then inconstancy Finally 13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens his hand hath formed the crooked serpent it is his puissant hand which hath adorned the heavens with all these different beauties which make it so agreable t is it which fils the aire with meteors which formes the cloud and which to deliver them of those thunders of which they are great opens their bosome and makes them happily bring forth the lightnings which as furious Dragons fly in the aire and fill it with flames 14 Lo these are parts of this wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand Although these things be admirable yet they are but the ordinary effects of his Power and if it be true that we have so much trouble to relate them how can we describe those great miracles whose brightnesse dazzeleth the eye and whose noyse astonisheth the eare CHAP. XXVII The Argument IOb asswageth his griefe in blaming the infidelity of his friends and defending his innocence then to prevent their calumnies and testifie to all the world that he approves not of the designes of the wicked he makes an ample description of the punishments which God provides for them AS Job saw that his enemies had no reply 1 Moreover Iob continued his parable and said he continued his discourse which he fortifyed with new reasons and appeared more eloquent then ever I sweare by the living God 2 As God liveth who hath taken away my judgement and the Almighty who hath vexed my soule who that he might not be obliged to absolve me would not pronounce my sentence I sweare by the Omnipotent who makes me suffer so many miseries who deprives me of all consolations which may sweeten them and who condemnes me to passe my life in perpetuall languishment I sweare I say 3 All the while my breath is in mee and the spirit of God is in my nostrills that as long as my heart shall beat in my brest and my lungs shal breath the Aire and my spirit animate my sad body my mouth which I have consecrated to truth shall never serve for lyes that my tongue which is the faithfull interpreter of my heart shall never speake a word which is contrary to my thoughts 4 My lips shall not speak wickednesse nor my tongue utter deceit Wherefore you ought not hope that I take your part or that I approve of the unjust just opinions which you have of my person for were I to dye I would persist in my opinion and with whatsoever reasons you endeavour to oppose it I will never betray my innocence I know very well that it is dangerous to be Judge in ones owne cause 5 God forbid that I should justifie you zill I die I will not remove my integrity from me and that one is easily deceived where his interest is concerned but for my part I feare not mistaking my selfe and I thinke that in defending my side I defend truth's for conscience which is worth a thousand witnesses doth not accuse me of committing any sinne which deserves so rigorous a punishment Sinners have never had commerce with me 5 My rightcousnesse I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live and as the honour of God regulated all my interests his enemies have alwayes beene mine and all those who stood ill with him never stood faire with me Also I doubted that the hope of the wicked was ill founded 7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous that they could not finde in riches the contentment which they promised themselves that the most great if heaven did not blesse them were ofttimes the most unprofitable and if they did deliver them from poverty they did not warrant them from death Do you thinke that God will assist them 8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained when God takes away his soul when they shall implore his goodnesse in their misfortunes and that he heares prayers which having no other motive but interest deserve rather punishment then recompences and are rather sinnes then good workes Finally do you thinke that in the ingagements 9 Will God heare his cry when trouble commeth upon him which thep have to the goods of the earth 10 Will he delight himselfe in the Almighty will he always call upon God they can finde their rest in God and that in the happy successes which make them insolent they invoke the name of God with as much fervour as in their disgraces 11 I will teach you by the hand of God that which is with the Almighty will I not