CHAP. I.

1. THere was a man in the land of Ʋz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed e­vil.1. IN the time of the anci­ent Patriarchs, before the giving of the Law of Mo­ses, there lived in Arabia a person of great eminence, whose name was Job: A man not more illustrious for [Page 2]his Birth or Place, then for the height of his Vertue; which appeared in a most un­blamable life, void of all hy­pocrisie, both in his Piety toward God, and in his dea­lings with men, and all o­ther ways.

2. And there were born unto him seven sons, and three daugh­ters.2. Whom God therefore had so wonderfully blessed, that his outward Prosperity was equal to the Perfections of his Mind. For first, He had given him the sweet fruits of Marriage, in a nu­merous issue of seven Sons and three Daughters:

3. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand ca­mels, and five hun­dred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a ve­ry great houshold; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.3. And then enriched him abundantly with the wealth of that country; which con­sisted in seven thousand Sheep, three thousand Ca­mels, five hundred yoke of Oxen, as many She-asses; with such a very great Til­lage, and so many Servants, that in those Eastern parts he had neither superiour nor e­qual.

4. And his sons went and feasted in their houses e­veryone his day, and sent and cal­led for their three sisters, to eat and to drink with them.4. And together with all this Happiness, he had the pleasure to see his Children [Page 3]live in love and unity. For it was the custom of his Sons to meet at each others hou­ses, and to make a feast eve­ry one upon his birth-day: (III. 1.) And he whose turn it was to treat the rest, always invited their three Sisters to come and be merry with them.

5. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings, accor­ding to the num­ber of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job con­tinually.5. This Feast was wont to last seven days; at the end of which their good Fa­ther never failed to send a Messenger to them, to call upon them, to prepare them­selves by fasting and prayer for the Sacrifice he meant to offer for them: And when they were assembled, he rose up early in the morning, (the fittest time for devoti­on,) and prayed to God, by offering burnt-offerings, for every one of them; because he was afraid they might have done or spoken some­thing that was profane, and misbecoming their Religi­on, when their minds, loose­ned by mirth, were less upon their guard. And thus [Page 4]he did constantly after every Feast.

6. para; Now there was a day, when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.6. But his great Piety was not sufficient to preserve him from false accusations. For, as Job set a time for his Chil­dren to examine themselves, so there are certain seasons when the Angels come and stand in the Divine presence, to give an account of their Ministry, and to receive commands from God the Judge and Governour of the world: and Satan, that subtle adversary of man­kind, came one day and thrust in himself among them.

7. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence co­mest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.7. And the Lord (to make him sensible he was not an absolute Prince, but His Subject) called to him, and demanded an account of him, where he had been, and from whence he came. To which he gave an an­swer, which expressed, as the great restlesness of his mind and his unwearied di­ligence, so the limitation of his power, which extends [Page 5]onely to this lower world; for he told Him, he came from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my ser­vant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth e­vil?8. Then the Lord said to him again; After all thy in­quisitiveness and busy search, thou hast nothing to object against the Integrity of my Servant Job; a man that ex­cells in Piety, and Justice, and all other Vertues, which he practises exactly and sin­cerely.

9. Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?9. Yes, said Satan; He serves himself rather then Thee: it is not Thy plea­sure which he regards, but his own profit.

10. Hast thou not made an hedge about him, and a­bout his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increa­sed in the land.10. Hast not Thou payed him well for his pains? and so inviron'd him and his Fa­mily, and all belonging to him in every place, that no harm can come to them? whereby all his business pro­spers, and his flocks and his herds are so increased, that the country can scarce hold them.

11. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.11. But I am confident, if Thou wilt but imploy that power to plague him, which hath so long preserved him, he will, not onely in his heart but, openly deny thy Providence.

12. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power, onely upon him­self put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.12. Then the Lord (who was willing to prove thy Vertue of his Servant in an afflicted estate, as He had done in a prosperous) with­drew the protection He had given him, and granted Sa­tan a commission to dispose of all belonging to Job ac­cording as he pleased; ex­cepting onely his Person, which He commanded him not to touch. This was joy­full news to that malicious Spirit; who went immedi­ately to doe what he had long desired.

13. para; And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drin­king wine in their eldest brother's house:13. And within a short time found an opportunity to try the Constancy of Job, by doing him all the mischief possible, in one and the same day: which was the Birth-day of his eldest Son, when all his Children (far [Page 7]from fearing any evil) were met, according to their cu­stom, at his house, to feast and rejoyce together.

14. And there came a messenger unto Job, & said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding be­side them;14. Then it was that Sa­tan put in execution what he had designed; and first of all stirred up a thievish sort of people in Arabia, to fall upon that part of his land which was next to them. Of which tidings was presently brought to Job by a messen­ger, saying,

15. And the Sabaeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I onely am e­scaped alone to tell thee.15. As the Oxen were at plough, and the Asses in a pasture hard by them, the Sabaeans made an inrode in­to thy country, and carried them all away; having slain, by an unexpected assault, all those who should have preserved them, except my self alone, who made an e­scape to acquaint thee with it.

16. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from hea­ven, and hath burnt up the sheep, and the servants, & consumed them; and I onely am e­scaped alone to tell thee.16. He had not quite de­livered his message before another of his Servants arri­ved, (as evils seldom come single,) to tell him that there had been a very great [Page 8]lightning in those parts, where his Sheep were fee­ding; which had consumed both them and the Shep­herds, and left none survi­ving, but himself alone, to give him notice of this disa­ster.

17. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldaeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the ser­vants with the edge of the sword; and I onely am e­scaped alone to tell thee.17. He had not finished his narration before another messenger was at the door, saying, Our neighbours, the Chaldaeans, seeking for boo­ty, divided themselves into three parties, who set upon us all at once: and they have carried away the Ca­mels, and killed all the Ser­vants that look'd after them, except my self, who made a shift to save my self by flight, to bring thee news of this invasion.

18. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drin­king wine in their eldest brother's house:18. Before he had con­cluded came in another, the most dolefull Messenger of all, saying, Thy Children, as thou knowest, were fea­sting with their elder Bro­ther;

19. And be­hold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, & smote the four cor­ners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I onely am escaped alone to tell thee.19. And behold, on a sudden there arose a violent wind; which coming from the desart, and whirling a­bout the house, took away the four corners of it, and buried them all in its ruines: and there is not one of the guests escaped, that I know of, but onely my self, to be the messenger of this great Calamity.

20. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and sha­ved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and wor­shipped,20. Then Job (who had heard all the rest without disturbance) was overcome with grief at this last word, and, laying aside all other thoughts, gave up himself to the most lamentable sor­row: for he rent his upper garment, cut off the hair of his head, and threw himself upon the ground. Where he deceived the Devil's ex­pectation; for he most reve­rently adored, as became his Piety, the Divine Majesty, and submitted himself to his will, saying,

21. And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thi­ther: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath ta­ken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.21. I am but what I was at first, and what I must have been again at last: and He [Page 10]that hath stript me of all be­fore I die, hath taken away nothing but what He gave. Let Him therefore be prai­sed, who is the donour of all good things, and the dis­poser of all events.

22. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.22. This was the worst word rhat he spake, when all these evils came upon him so unexpectedly, and so thick together: All the rest was like this; and nothing dropt from his mouth which in the least accused or que­stioned the Providence of God.

CHAP. II.

1. AGAIN there was a day when the sons of God came to present them­selves before the LORD, and Sa­tan came also a­mong them to pre­sent himself before the LORD.1. AFter these things, the Angels going again to attend the pleasure of the Divine Majesty, and to give an account of their severall charges; Satan also openly appeared among them, and presented himself, as ready and desirous to be examined about his management.

2. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Sa­tan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.2. But, not daring to speak before he was called, he [Page 12]waited till the Divine Maje­sty asked where he had been, and what he had done. To which he answered as he had done before, that he had not lost his time, but had fetch'd a circuit round about the earth, to find opportu­nity for the exercise of his power.

3. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my ser­vant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth e­vil? and still he holdeth fast his in­tegrity, although thou movedst me against him, to de­stroy him without cause.3. Well then, said the Lord, art not thou convin­ced how true a Character I gave of my Servant Job, and how much thou hast calum­niated him? For he still resolutely continues as per­fectly Vertuous as he was in his Prosperity, though I have consented to these mi­serable Calamities, which he suffers undeservedly.

4. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.4. To which Satan answe­red again and said, that his Constancy was not so won­derfull; since a man hath reason to think himself rich, who is in health. Who is [Page 13]there that will not give ano­ther's skin, to save his own? nay, part with his Children, as well as his Goods, to save his Life?

5. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.5. But inlarge now my commission a little farther, and let me afflict his Body, so that it touch him to the very quick; and he will openly renounce Thee, and deny thy Providence.

6. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand, but save his life.6. To which the Divine Majesty (knowing the fi­delity of Job, which hereby would become more illustri­ous) was pleased to yield; and said, Behold, I give thee the same power over his Person, which thou hadst over his Family and Goods: inflict what Diseases thou wilt upon him, so they do not kill him.

7. ¶ So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils, from the sole of his foot unto his crown.7. No sooner had Satan ob­tained this new graunt, but, withdrawing himself from the presence of the Divine Majesty, he went to pursue his mischievous desires; and smote Job from top to toe with a fiery Ulcer, whose [Page 14]sharp humour was extream grievous and painfull, and prick'd him (according to his wish) to the very bone.

8. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withall; and he sate down among the ashes.8. The filthiness of the Disease also increased that sorrow and heaviness which before had seized on him, and made him sit down in the ashes: where he laid hold on what came next to hand, a piece of a broken pot, to wipe away the foul Matter which issued out of his Boils.

9. ¶ Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still re­tain thine inte­grity? curse God, and die.9. And it was a farther ad­dition to his Grief, to hear his dear Consort (whom the Divine goodness he thought had still left to help him to bear his Affliction) utter this profane speech; What a folly is it still to persist in the Service of God, when all thou gettest by it is to give Him thanks, and perish?

10. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish wo­men speaketh: what? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.10. These words struck him to the very heart: but, in stead of being angry with God, he onely severely re­proved her; telling her, that she talked like one of the [Page 15]wicked women: and then pi­ously represented to her, that we ought to take nothing ill which comes from the hand of God; (as all evil things do, as well as good;) and the more good we have re­ceived from Him, the less reason we have to complain when we suffer any evil. No discourse but such as this was heard to come from his mouth.

11. ¶ Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shu­hite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment to­gether to come to mourn with him, & to comfort him.11. Now there dwelt in the neighbouring Provinces three great men, with whom Job had long maintained a particular friendship; who, hearing the sad tidings of his Sufferings, came every one from his country to visit him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Na­amathite; who all three met at his house on the same day, according to an appointment they had made, to come and condole with him, and com­fort him.

12. And when they lift up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, & sprink­led dust upon their heads toward hea­ven.12. But as soon as ever they entred into the place [Page 16]where he lay, they were sur­prised with so miserable a spectacle of deformity, that they shrieked aloud, as men affrighted, and burst out in­to tears, and rent their gar­ments, and threw dust into the air; which, falling on their heads, expressed the confusion they were in, to find him so covered over with Ulcers that they could not know him.

13. So they sats down with him upon the ground seven days, and seven nights; and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.13. And when they ap­proached nearer him, they onely sate down upon the earth, in the same mournfull posture wherein they found him; but were not able (so much were they astonished) for seven days and nights to say one word of the business about which they were come to him. And indeed his Grief was so exceeding great, that they did not well know what to say; till time, which alters all things, had asswaged a little both his Grief and theirs.

CHAP. III.

1. AFter this o­pened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.1. AND at the end of se­ven days Job him­self began by Complaints to give some vent to his Grief; which had stupefied him thus long: But he burst out into such bitter Lamentations, that he wisht a thousand [Page 18]times he had never been born.

2. And Job spake, and said,2. That which he said was to this effect.

3. Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man-child conceived.3. Let the Day and the Night of my Birth be never more mentioned; but be quite forgotten, as if it had never been.

4. Let that day be darkness, let not God regard it from above, nei­ther let the light shine upon it.4. Let that Day be tur­ned into Night, and not be counted among the days: let the Sun then withdraw its light, and never shine up­on it.

5. Let dark­ness and the sha­dow of death stain it, let a cloud dwell upon it, let the blackness of the day terrifie it.5. Let the most dismall darkness and the thickest clouds wholly possess it, and render it terrible to men.

6. As for that night, let dark­ness seise upon it, let it not be joyned unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.6. And let the Night be of the same sort: and both of them quite blotted out of the Calendar.

7. Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyfull voice come therein.7. Let no body meet together on that Night, [Page 19]to feast or make merry.

8. Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.8. Let it be as odious as the day wherein men bewail the greatest misfortune; or the time wherein they see the most dreadfull appariti­on.

9. Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark, let it look for light, but have none, neither let it see the daw­ning of the day:9. Let there not so much as a Star appear in that Night; nor so much light as we see at peep of day:

10. Because it shut not up the doors of my mo­ther's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.10. Because it did not bury me in my mother's womb, and thereby secure me from all these Miseries.

11. Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?11. What a misfortune was it, that I did not die before I was born; or at least as soon as I came into the world?

12. Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?12. That they who re­ceived me from the womb did not let me fall on the ground; or my Nurse re­fuse to give me suck?

13. For now should I have lien still, and been quiet, I should have slept; then had I been at rest:13. Then should I have [Page 20]felt none of these Miseries which I now endure; but lain quiet and undisturbed:

14. With kings and counsellers of the earth, which built desolate pla­ces for themselves;14. Equall to Kings and the greatest persons, who lie alone in the Tombs which they built themselves:

15. Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:15. (Having gold and sil­ver in abundance, whereof now they are bereaved:)

16. Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.16. Or like an Abortive, which was never numbred among men.

17. There the wicked cease from troubling: and there the weary be at rest.17. There are none can hurt us in the grave, though they be never so malicious; nor shall we toil any more, when we come thither.

18. There the prisoners rest toge­ther, they hear not the voice of the oppressour.18. The Captives, and they who are condemned to hard servitude, take no pains there; and do not dread the voice of the Exac­tour of their labours.

19. The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.19. There none are grea­ter then other; but the Ser­vant in that place is as free as his Master.

20. Wherefore is light given to him that is in mi­sery, and life un­to the bitter in soul?20. Is it not strange that a man should be forced to live, when he hath no mind to it?

21. Which long for death, but it cometh not, and dig for it more then for hid treasures?21. But wishes for death, though in vain; and seeks it more eagerly then the greatest riches?

22. Which re­joyce exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave?22. Leaping for joy when he can meet with his grave, as far more welcome to him then a mine of Silver;

23. Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?23. Not knowing which way to turn himself, but onely thither?

24. For my sighing cometh be­fore I eat, and my roarings are pou­red out like the waters.24. This is my condition, whose meat merely sustains a miserable life; which is all Sighs and Sobs, as loud as the roarings of the Li­on.

25. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.25. For the very thing which I dreaded is faln up­on me, notwithstanding all my care to prevent it.

26. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, nei­ther was I quiet: yet trouble came.26. I did not confide in my Riches, nor in the least lull my self in security; (Chap. l. 5.) and yet that did not preserve me from being miserable.

CHAP. IV.

1. THen Eli­phaz the Temanite answe­red and said,1. THen Eliphaz (one of his most ancient Friends, descended from Teman) replied to him, and said;

2. If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold him­self from speaking?2. We must either still keep silence, or speak what will not please thee. But Truth sure is more to be re­garded then Friendship; and therefore I must remem­ber thee,

3. Behold, thou hast instructed ma­ny, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.3. That thou, it is well known, hast given good Counsel unto others, (and perhaps reproved their Im­patience,) thou hast incou­raged those who were dis­spirited;

4. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.4. And by thy discourse hast supported those whose [Page 24]hearts were ready to sink, and settled those who trem­bled under their burthen.

5. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art trou­bled.5. And now that thou art faln into the same condition, thou canst not practise thy own Lessons; but faintest, and art struck with conster­nation.

6. Is not this thy fear, thy con­fidence, thy hope, and the upright­ness of thy ways?6. Is not this the time to exercise thy Piety, (so much fam'd,) thy Confidence in God, thy Hope, thine In­tegrity?

7. Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished be­ing innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?7. Consult thine own ob­servation, and tell me when thou ever sawest a Righte­ous man forsaken by God.

8. Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wicked­ness, reap the same.8. Quite contrary, I have seen the Wicked reaping the fruit of their doings.

9. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.9. God blasts and consumes them as the nipping wind, or the fire doth the corn in the field.

10. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.10. Though they be as fierce as the Lions and as strong, their power is bro­ken.

11. The old li­on perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lions whelps are scatte­red abroad.11. The greatest Tyrants and their posterity, after they have long injoy'd their pow­er, are deprived of all their riches gotten by oppression, and come to nothing.

12. Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.12. If these observations be not sufficient to convince thee, hear what God him­self secretly whispered to me.

13. In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,13. As I was ruminating one night, when all were a­sleep, of some Visions which I had had;

14. Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.14. I was on a sudden seized with such a fear, that it made every joynt of my body tremble.

15. Then a spirit passed before my face, the hair of my flesh stood up.15. Whereupon I saw a Spirit pass by me, which made mine hair stand an end.

16. It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was si­lence, and I heard a voice, saying,16. I am not able to de­scribe what it was like; for though it stood still, and I saw an image of something, yet I can onely tell what I heard in a still voice, saying;

17. Shall mor­tal man be more just then God? shall a man be more pure then his ma­ker?17. Can any one think that a miserable Man is more righteous then God his Judge? or that it is possible for any-body to be more un­reprovable then He that made him?

18. Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:18. The Heavenly Mini­sters themselves may fail; for they are not perfectly wise, though they have no flesh and bloud as we have.

19. How much less on them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foun­dation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?19. How can we then pretend to Perfection, who dwell in bodies of dirt; which stand upon no firm foundation, but are as sub­ject to be destroyed as a gar­ment to be fretted with moths?

20. They are destroyed from morning to eve­ning: they perish for ever without a­ny regarding it.20. We see continual ex­amples of those that are cut off: they are quite taken a­way, when no-body thinks of it.

21. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die even without wisedome.21. Though their Dig­nities be never so great, and their Posterity never so nu­merous, all go away with them, and they die like so [Page 27]many Beasts, who have no understanding of their latter end.

CHAP. V.

1. CALL now, if there be any that will an­swer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?1. IF thou dost not believe me, thou mayst en­quire of others. There is no good man but is of this opinion: and if an Angel should appear to thee, (as there did to me,) thou wouldst have no other in­formation but this;

2. For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.2. That God in his anger and indignation destroys the wicked, and him that errs from his Precepts.

3. I have seen the foolish taking root: but sudden­ly I cursed his ha­bitation.3. This is so certain, that I have predicted his down­fall, when he seemed most firmly settled in his Prospe­rity.

4. His chil­dren are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deli­ver them.4. His Children also fell with him; Justice took hold of them, and would not let them escape:

5. Whose har­vest the hungry eateth up, and ta­keth it even out of the thorns; and the robber swalloweth up their substance.5. The hungry Souldier devoured their harvest; there was no fence could se­cure it, but the rest of their riches became a prey to the Robber.

6. Although af­fliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trou­ble spring out of the ground:6. For we are not to a­scribe the Trouble and Mi­sery of mankind merely to earthly Causes, which are but the instruments of God's Justice;

7. Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.7. Who hath made it as natural to Man to suffer, (having offended Him) as it is for the sparks to fly up­ward.

8. I would seek unto God, and un­to God would I commit my cause:8. Wherefore, if I were in thy case, I would hum­bly address my self to God, and desire Him to order all things as He pleases.

9. Which doeth great things, and unsearchable; mar­vellous things with­out number.9. For He is the Authour of all those wonderfull things, whose Causes we can no more find out, then we can count their number.

10. Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:10. Of the Rain, for in­stance, in its season; and of the Springs which run in the fields;

11. To set up on high those that below; that those which mourn may be exalted to safe­ty.11. Whereby men of low condition are inriched and grow great; as the plants and corn shoot out of the earth, after they are moistned with Showrs.

12. He disap­pointeth the devi­ces of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.12. And, on the contra­ry, He defeats the craftiest Designs of subtle men to raise themselves; and it is not in their power to effect that which they have most wisely contrived.

13. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is car­ried headlong.13. Nay, they produce that which they studied to avoid; and when they think themselves sure, make too much haste to their ruine.

14. They meet with darkness in the day-time, and grope in the noon­day as in the night.14. They trip in the plai­nest way; and see not their danger, when it is visible to every-body but themselves.

15. But he sa­veth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.15. Whereby many a helpless man is delivered, both from the open force, and from the treacherous flatteries or calumnies of those that are too strong for them.

16. So the poor hath hope, and ini­quity stoppeth her mouth.16. And therefore he that is oppressed should not de­spair, nor should the Op­pressours boast themselves; for there is hope that God will save the one, to the ut­ter destruction of the other.

17. Behold, happy is the man whom God cor­recteth: there­fore despise not thou the chaste­ning of the Al­mighty:17. Behold then, how little reason there is to com­plain of God's Chastisements; which if thou dost not re­fuse, He is able to turn to thy good.

18. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.18. For He doth not mere­ly wound, but, like a wise Chirurgion, by that very means He cures and heals.

19. He shall de­liver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.19. Thy Troubles cannot be so many, but if thou sub­missively accept them, He will free thee from them.

20. In famine he shall redeem thee from death; and in war, from the power of the sword.20. He will feed thee in the most barren years, and defend thee in the day of battel.

21. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.21. False accusers shall not be able to hurt thee; and when whole Countries are depopulated thou shalt be secure.

22. At destruc­tion and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.22. When nothing is to be seen but wild Beasts, whom famine forces from their dens, thou shalt be chearfull and undaunted:

23. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.23. For the stony parts of the country shall not fail to bring forth its fruits plen­tifully; and the Beasts of the field shall not devour them.

24. And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.24. Wheresoever thou pitchest thy Tent, thou shalt find it in safety: and when thou takest an account of thine Estate, all things [Page 32]shall answer thine expecta­tion.

25. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.25. Thou shalt find thy Posterity also very great and numerous like the grass; though now thou art as bare as the earth in winter.

26. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season.26. Thou shalt not die a violent or untimely death; but be carried to thy grave as corn is to the barn, when it is full ripe and fit to be gathered.

27. Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.27. Doubt not of this, for we have thoroughly con­sidered it, and find it so: receive it therefore, and keep it in memory.

CHAP. VI.

1. BƲT Job answered and said,1. HERE Job replied to Eliphaz, and spake in these terms to him:

2. Oh that my grief were through­ly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances to­gether!2. Would to God some more equall person then you would lay my Com­plaint and my Sufferings one [Page 34]against the other, and judge sincerely which is the hea­viest.

3. For now it would be heavier then the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swal­lowed up.3. He would soon find, that the Sand of the Sea is not so heavy as my Misery; and that I am not able to complain enough.

4. For the ar­rows of the Al­mighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrours of God do set themselves in aray against me.4. The Almighty himself hath given me such a wound, that I am dis-spirited: for nothing but dreadfull Spec­tacles present themselves ready arm'd against me.

5. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?5. It is easie for you, who feel no pain nor want, to forbear Complaints; which is no more then the very Ass and other brute creatures doe.

6. Can that which is unsavou­ry be eaten with­out salt? or is there any tast in the white of an egge?6. But may not he who eats insipid things, call for a little salt to make them go down better? (How much more then may we call for something to qualify that which is very bitter?)

7. The things that my soul refu­sed to touch, are as my sorrowfull meat.7. As I do now, who have nothing afforded me for my support, but such [Page 35]Discourses as yours, which my very soul loaths.

8. Oh that I might have my re­quest! and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!8. I cannot but cry unto God, and beseech Him to grant me my heart's desire.

9. Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off.9. Which is, that He would be pleased not to let me languish in this miserable condition; but with one stroke more quite cut me off.

10. Then should I yet have comfort, yea, I would har­den my self in sor­row: let him not spare, for I have not concealed the words of the holy One.10. It would be a great comfort to me, to hope for this; and would strengthen me to endure the severest pains: for I would receive the sentence of Death with acclamations of praise, if God would pronounce it against me.

11. What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should pro­long my life?11. For I have not strength enough to endure any lon­ger; nor any hope of bet­ter days in the conclusion, which should make me wil­ling to have my Life pro­longed.

12. Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?12. God hath not made me insensible; and there­fore do not wonder that I [Page 36]desire to be released from the sharpest Pains.

13. Is not my help in me? and is wisedom driven quite from me?13. Do not think my Reason hath forsaken me, and that I do not under­stand my self.

14. To him that is afflicted pi­ty should be shew­ed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Al­mighty.14. Were it so, a Friend should shew me the more Pity; as you would doe, but that you fear not God, nor remember that he can afflict you as he doth me.

15. My bre­thren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away:15. My dearest Friends prove as deceitfull as the Torrents, which make a great noise, and run with a violent stream,

16. Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid.16. When the melted Ice and Snow fall thick into them:

17. What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.17. They promise water, but in the Summer-time are dried up;

18. The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.18. So that you can scarce find any mark of the course wherein they ran, they are so perfectly vanish'd.

19. The troups of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.19. They that travell in­to our neighbouring Coun­tries expected to quench their thirst there, where they had sometime seen so much water;

20. They were confounded be­cause they had ho­ped; they came thither and were ashamed.20. But were shamefully disappointed, and blusht to think they should seek re­lief from such uncertain Streams.

21. For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are a­fraid.21. Just such are you, good for nothing; who, seeing my Calamity, shrink from me.

22. Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your sub­stance?22. And yet I never sent for you; nor do I ask, now you are come, any Relief from you.

23. Or, Deliver me from the ene­mie's hand? or, Re­deem me from the hand of the migh­ty?23. I do not expect you should deliver me from these Calamities, which as so ma­ny mighty enemies oppress me.

24. Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have er­red.24. Do not mistake me, nor think that I despise the assistence of your Counsel & Advice: no, I am ready to receive your Reproofs, and humbly to submit to them, if you can better inform me.

25. How for­cible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?25. Oh what power is there in Truth! but your Reprehensions are ineffectu­al.

26. Do ye ima­gine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?26. You onely study to shew your Eloquence; and in vain use words to drive me to Desperation.

27. Yea, ye o­verwhelm the fa­therless, and you dig a pit for your friend.27. You fall upon him who is already depressed and without defence; and in a barbarous manner devise counsel against your Friend.

28. Now there­fore be content, look upon me, for it is evident unto you, if I lie.28. But let it please you to consider my Case a little better; and then judge if I be in the wrong.

29. Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.29. Discuss things over again, I beseech you, and doe it fairly. I say, let me have a second Hearing; it will but the more shew my Innocence.

30. Is there i­niquity in my tongue? cannot my tast discern perverse things?30. Have I said any thing hitherto that is faulty? I do not think my judgment is so corrupted, but that I can discern what is bad, though spoken by my self.

CHAP. VII.

1. IS there not an appoin­ted time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?1. IS not the whole Life of miserable Man a per­petual conflict with various Troubles? and must he not at best undergo much toil, labour and weariness?

2. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:2. Why may I not then as passionately wish to see an end of it, as the Slave in a hot day gasps for the re­freshment of the Shade? or the Labourer longs for the Evening when he may rest, and be paid for his pains?

3. So am I made to possess moneths of vani­ty, and wearisom nights are appoin­ted to me.3. I am sure my days are no less void of Contentment [Page 40]then theirs; and in the night, when men are wont to for­get their Sorrows, I can doe nothing but restlesly increase them.

4. When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.4. I no sooner am laid down, but I wish to be up again; and the night seems very tedious, while I toss up and down in unquiet and tormenting thoughts, cal­ling for the morning.

5. My flesh is cloa­thed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loath­som.5. How can I doe other­ways, when my Body is no­thing but Ulcers full of Worms, and crusted over with Scabs; which have made such clefts in my skin, that I am loathsom to my self?

6. My days are swifter then a wea­ver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.6. All my happy days are run away in a moment; and there is no hope I should recover them.

7. O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.7. O my God, remember how short the most pleasant Life is; which when it is gone, I cannot live over a­gain.

8. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.8. I can never return to my Friends after I have left them: Thou dost but frown [Page 41]upon me, and I vanish quite out of the World.

9. As the cloud is consumed, and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.9. Just as a Cloud dis­solves on a sudden before the Sun, so doth Man sink down into his grave and appear no more.

10. He shall re­turn no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.10. He must make his habitation there, for hither he cannot return; but o­thers shall take his place, which will no longer ac­knowledge him the owner of it.

11. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth, I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.11. Suffer me then to speak freely, and to give vent to my Grief, by com­plaining a little of the inex­pressible Miseries which op­press me.

12. Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?12. Am I like a Sea, or a Whale, (or wild Beast,) that must be shut up and confined under these unsup­portable Sufferings, and by no means break through them?

13. When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint:13. If Death may not come and put an end to [Page 42]them, one would have ho­ped at least to have found some intermission of them by Sleep.

14. Then thou scarest me with dreams, and ter­rifiest me through visions.14. But then I am haun­ted with such frightfull Dreams, and such horrid Ap­paritions,

15. So that my soul chuseth strangling, and death rather then my life.15. That I had much ra­ther die the most violent death, then carry this car­kass any longer about with me.

16. I loath it, I would not live alway: let me a­lone, for my days are vanity.16. It is loathsome to me: I would not, if I might, live always in it. Dismiss me therefore, since I have no pleasure in Life, which of it self will end shortly.

17. What is man, that thou shouldest magnifie him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?17. Is mortall Man so con­siderable, that Thou shouldst honour him so much as to contend with him, and set Thy self against him?

18. And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?18. That Thou shouldst send new Afflictions on him every morning; nay, try his strength and courage eve­ry moment?

19. How long wilt thou not de­part from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?19. It is time to turn a­way [Page 43]thy Displeasure from me; at least for so short a space, as to give me leave to breathe.

20. I have sin­ned, what shall I doe unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a bur­then to my self?20. I am not able to give Thee satisfaction for my Of­fences against Thee, O Thou Observer of men. But why dost Thou not remove me quite out of thy sight, if I be a burthen to Thee?

21. And why dost thou not par­don my transgres­sion, and take a­way mine iniqui­ty? for now shall I sleep in the dust, and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.21. Or else forgive my Sin, and so far release me from its Punishment, as to let me die? which I shall doe presently, and not be found to morrow to endure these Afflictions, if Thou dost not still hold me under them.

CHAP. VIII.

1. THEN an­swered Bildad the Shu­hite, and said,1. WHEN Job had made an end of [Page 45]this Discourse, Bildad (a­nother great Friend of his, descended from Shuah, one of Abraham's Sons by Keturah,) reprehended him in the same manner as Eli­phaz had done, saying;

2. How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?2. Why dost thou persist to talk on this fashion, and with such vehemence expo­stulate with God?

3. Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Al­mighty pervert ju­stice?3. Dost thou imagine the Supreme Judge will not doe thee right? or that He who needs nothing will swerve from the rules of E­quity?

4. If thy chil­dren have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;4. Is it not now reasona­ble to think that thy Chil­dren had highly offended Him; for which cause He took a sudden and hasty Ven­geance on them?

5. If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplica­tion to the Al­mighty;5. And that if thou didst now (in stead of Complai­ning) implore his Grace and Favour, with humble Sup­plication,

6. If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness pro­sperous.6. And wert thy self sin­cere in heart and upright in thine actions, He would cer­tainly have a regard to thee, [Page 46]and restore thy Family to its former splendour?

7. Though thy beginning was small, yet thy lat­ter end should greatly increase.7. I am confident, thou art not now so low, but in time He would make thee as high, nay, far more emi­nent then thou wast be­fore.

8. For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thy self to the search of their fathers.8. I do not desire thee to take my word for it; but let those who are gone before us instruct thee, and search diligently into the Histories of the most anci­ent Times.

9. (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow.)9. (For, alas! we are not old enough to understand much; being able to make but few Observations, by reason of the exceeding shortness of our lives.)

10. Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?10. They will not fail to inform thee aright; and out of their long experi­ence, and the prudent Ob­servations of many Ages, ju­stify the truth of my words.

11. Can the rush grow up with­out mire? can the flag grow without water?11. The Rushes and Flags we see can shoot up no higher, when they want [Page 47]their mud and their moi­sture.

12. While it is yet in his green­ness, and not cut down, if withe­reth before any o­ther herb.12. There is no need to stop their growth by cutting them down; for they will wither of themselves, even when they are fresh and green: while smaller Herbs, which want not water, con­tinue their beauty.

13. So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrites hope shall perish:13. Just such is the con­dition of all those who neg­lect God: (without whose Blessing none can flourish:) who knows him also that counterfeits Piety, and will defeat him of the Happiness he expects.

14. Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.14. He may flatter him­self with vain hopes, and be so much the more miserable; for the things wherein he trusts are as weak as a Spi­der's web.

15. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not en­dure.15. He may fansy his Fa­mily to be so great and po­tent, that it will support him; but it shall fall as well as himself: He may endea­vour to keep it up by strong Alliances, but to no pur­pose.

16. He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.6. Nay, he may seem to all the world, as well as to himself, to be like a flou­rishing Tree, which spreads its branches in a fair gar­den;

17. His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.7. Whose roots have wreathed themselves thick about the earth, and whose head lifts up it self above the highest edifices:

18. If he de­stroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.18. But when God blasts him, and plucks him up by the roots, there shall remain no remembrance that such a man ever lived in that place.

19. Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall o­thers grow.19. Believe it, the plea­sure such men take in their prosperous estate is no bet­ter then this; and out of the dust shall others spring up and flourish in their stead.

20. Behold, God will not cast a­way a perfect man, neither will he help the evil-doers:20. It is a certain truth, that God will not desert the Upright; nor will He up­hold the Wicked.

21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoycing.21. Thou thy self (if thou art upright) shalt still be so blessed by Him, that thou shalt not be able to [Page 49]contain thy Joy within thy heart; but it shall appear in thy countenance, and burst out into joyfull Songs.

22. They that hate thee shall be cloathed with shame, and the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought.22. They that rejoyced at thy Fall, shall be perfect­ly counfounded at thy happy Restauration; and never re­cover themselves, but ut­terly perish.

CHAP. IX.

1. THEN Job answered and said,1. WHEN he had done, Job began again, and replied in this manner:

2. I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?2. There need not so ma­ny words to prove what thou saidst in the entrance of thy Speech; for I know very well that God never perverts Judgment, and that frail Man cannot justify him­self before Him.

3. If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thou­sand.3. If he should go about to answer to a thousand things which may be objec­ted to him, he would hardly clear himself in One.

4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?4. I adore also His Wise­dom and Power as well as his Justice; and am sensible that no men can be safe who obstinately oppose Him.

5. Which re­moveth the moun­tains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.5. Though they were as big and as strong as the Mountains, He can hastily [Page 51]overturn them, in a mo­ment, before they think of it.

6. Which sha­keth the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.6. For He is able to re­move the whole Earth out of its place, and shatter the very Foundations of it.

7. Which com­mandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.7. Nor are the Heavens less subject to His Power; for neither Sun nor Stars can shine if He forbid them.

8. Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.8. He alone commands the Clouds to cover them, and makes the Sea swell and lift up its Waves.

9. Which ma­keth Arcturus, O­rion, and Pleia­des, and the cham­bers of the south.9. All the Constellations of Heaven obey Him in their several seasons: both those which we see, and those in the other Hemisphere.

10. Which do­eth great things past finding out, yea, and wonders without number.10. In short, I agree with Eliphaz, ( V. 9.) that the Wonders He doeth are in­numerable, and past my comprehension.

11. Lo, he go­eth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.11. He sets them before mine eyes continually, and yet I am not able to under­stand them.

12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?12. If He snatch away a­ny [Page 52]thing suddenly, who can make Him restore it, or cause Him to give an ac­count why He did it.

13. If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.13. If He will continue his Displeasure, there is no remedy; but the proudest Undertakers must confess their inability to relieve us.

14. How much less shall I answer him, and chuse out my words to reason with him?14. What am I then, poor Wretch, that I should con­tend with his Anger? or where shall I find out words choise enough to plead with Him?

15. Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not an­swer, but I would make supplication to my judge.15. It is not fit for me to open my mouth before Him in the justest Cause; unless it be to supplicate his Fa­vour when He judges me.

16. If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not be­lieve that he had hearkened unto my voice.16. And if I had made Supplication, and He had granted my desire, I would not think my Prayer had done the buisiness, (or be­lieve my self to be out of all danger.)

17. For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.17. For I am not consci­ous of any Guilt; and yet you see with what violent blasts He hath shattered me [Page 53]and my Family in pieces, and given me one Wound after another.

18. He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bit­terness.18. No sooner was one past, but another immedi­ately followed; which have left me not the least pleasure in Life.

19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?19. If I stand upon my Might; alas! it is not to be named with His: if upon my Right; what Judge is there above Him, to appoint us a day of hearing?

20. If I justi­fie my self, mine own mouth shall condemn me: If I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.20. If I should justify my self, there would be some­thing in my very Plea to condemn me: it will ren­der my Cause worse to pre­tend I am innocent.

21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.21. Though I were so, yet I would not be mine own Judge in the Case: I do not value my Life so much, as to contend about it.

22. This is one thing, therefore I said it, he de­stroyeth the perfect and the wicked.22. All that I affirm is this, and I persist in that opinion, That He lets the Innocent suffer sad things as well as the Guilty.

23. If the scourge slay sud­denly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.23. When a Plague comes, [Page 54]which kills in a moment, He regards not though it fall upon the Innocent.

24. The earth is given into the hand of the wic­ked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?24. And on the other side, (so false is your Dis­course,) we see the Govern­ment of the Earth given in­to the hands of a wicked Prince, who blinds the eyes of his Judges. If you deny this, tell me, where is the man, and what is his name, who administers things up­rightly?

25. Now my days are swifter then a post: they flee away, they see no good.25. I my self was in Pro­sperity, but it is fled away swifter then a post; and there is not the least foot­step of it remaining.

26. They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.26. The Ships that are carried with the most rapid stream, or the hungry Eagle in chace of her prey, do not make more haste away.

27. If I say, I will forget my com­plaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort my self:27. I think sometime with my self, that I will forget the Miseries of which I com­plain, and be more chearfull and courageous.

28. I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.28. But then my Grief frights away that resolution; knowing Thou wilt not re­lease [Page 55]me, but make me still groan under them.

29. If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?29. I am wicked in Thine account; and therefore it is to no purpose to vindicate mine Innocence.

30. If I wash my self with snow­water, and make my hands never so clean;30. Were I never so pure and clean from all Filthiness in heart and life,

31. Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own cloaths shall abhor me.31. Thou wouldest not­withstanding cover me with filthy Ulcers, and make my nearest Relations abhor to approach me.

32. For he is not a man as I am, that I should an­swer him, and we should come toge­ther in judgment.32. For God is not like to me, that we should dispute upon even terms.

33. Neither is there any days­man betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.33. Nor is there any bo­dy above us both to com­pose our differences, and command silence, when ei­ther of us exceeds our bounds.

34. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terri­fie me.34. As for my self, His Rod, which is upon me, keeps me in such awe, that I cannot speak freely.

35. Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.35. Let Him remove that, [Page 56]and then I shall utter my mind with less dread: For I am not so bad as you ima­gine.

CHAP. X.

1. MY soul is we ary of my life, I will leave my complaint upon my self; I will speak in the bitter­ness of my soul.1. AND since Life is a burthen to me, which can find no ease but onely in complaining, I will take [Page 57]that liberty, (for it is in vain to contend against it, IX. 27.) though no words can express my Anguish and Misery.

2. I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.2. O Thou Supreme Judg of all, do not pronounce thy final Sentence against me, till Thou hast first shewn me what the Crimes are for which I suffer.

3. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress? that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands? and shine upon the counsel of the wic­ked?3. What benefit wilt Thou receive by my spoils? or is it agreeable to Thee to slight thine own workmanship, and to countenance the rea­sonings and designs of evil men?

4. Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?4. Dost Thou judge of things as Men do, who can see no farther then the out­side, or are led by their af­fections?

5. Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,5. Must Thou take time, as we do, to find out the truth, and understand the bottom of a buisiness?

6. That thou en­quirest after mine iniquity, and sear­ [...]best after my sin?6. Is that the reason Thou usest me thus severely, (and hast laid me upon a Rack,) and as it were examinest [Page 58]what I have done amiss?

7. Thou know­est that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.7. Surely Thou (whose Vengeance none can escape) knowest without the help of such torments, that I am not guilty.

8. Thine hands have made me, and fashioned me to­gether round a­bout; yet thou dost destroy me.8. There is no part of me but was most elaborately made and fashioned by Thee; (and therefore Thou canst not be ignorant of me;) though now Thou art about to ruine me.

9. Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into dust again?9. Need I put Thee in mind that I was formed by Thee, as the Potter works the Clay into what shape he pleases; and now Thou art crumbling me in pieces a­gain?

10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and crud­led me like cheese?10. Didst not Thou ga­ther all the scattered Parts together, and compact them in my mother's womb?

11. Thou hast cloathed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and si­news.11. And first cover them with Skin, and then with Flesh, and at last strengthen them with Bones and Si­news?

12. Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spi­rit.12. And in due time bring me into the world, and give me all the Comforts [Page 59]of life, and by thy constant care preserve both it and them?

13. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.13. Thou canst not have forgotten these things: and I am sure that this Misery I now endure is not without thy order.

14. If I sin, then thou markest me; and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.14. I cannot offend Thee in the least, but Thou (by whom I was thus formed) must needs know and ob­serve it; and I cannot a­void thy Punishment for it.

15. If I be wic­ked, wo unto me; and if I be righte­ous, yet will I not lift up my head: I am full of confu­sion, therefore see thou mine afflicti­on;15. If I be wicked, I am undone; and if I be righte­ous, I am so oppressed that I cannot look upon what a lamentable confusion I am in, beholding nothing but Misery which way soever I cast mine eyes.

16. For it in­creaseth: thou hun­test me as a fierce lion; and again thou shewest thy self marvellous up­on me.16. For it grows greater and greater, while Thou pursuest me as a Lion doth his prey; and when I hope there is an end of my Trou­bles, sendest more to fill me with new astonishment and horrour.

17. Thou re­newest thy witnes­ses against me, and increasest thine in­dignation upon me; changes and war are against me.17. Fresh witnesses of thine Anger rise up against [Page 60]me: Thou multipliest thy Plagues upon me; so that there is no end, but onely a change of my Conflicts.

18. Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had gi­ven up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!18. And therefore I can­not but wish as I did at the first, that my Mother's womb had been my Grave: Happy had it been for me if I had died there, and never come into this miserable world:

19. I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.19. Or that I had died as soon as I was born, and been carried from the Womb to my Grave;

20. Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a lit­tle:20. To which I am now very near. May I beg there­fore but this one favour, that since Thou wilt not quite remove thy Hand, Thou wilt forbear a while to strike, and let me breathe and refresh my self a little;

21. Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of dark­ness, and the sha­dow of death;21. Before I depart thi­ther from whence I shall not return, (to ask any more favours;) be laid, I mean, in my Grave, the place of dismall darkness:

22. A land of darkness, as dark­ness it self, and of the shadow of death, without a­ny order, and where the light is as darkness.22. Where it is as dark as dark can be; and there is no succession of day and night, as we have here, but one perpetual night.

CHAP. XI.

1. THEN an­swered Zophar the Naa­mathite, and said,1. HERE a third Friend of Job's ( Zophar of Naama) began to speak with no small passion.

2. Should not the multitude of words be answe­red? and should a man full of talk be justified?2. Dost thou think to stop our mouths with abun­dance of words; and by thy Talkativeness to per­swade us thou art inno­cent?

3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee a­shamed?3. Must we not confute thy false Allegations; but suffer thee to be insolent, because thou art miserable?

4. For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.4. For thou pretendest not to have offended either in word or deed; and that God himself can find no reason to condemn thee.

5. But, Oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;5. O that He would vouch­safe to shew thee thine er­rour, and with his own mouth confute thee!

6. And that he would shew thee the secrets of wise­dom, that they are double to that which is! know therefore that God exacteth of thee less then thine ini­quity deserveth.6. That He would shew thee the secret Reasons of his wise Counsels (which far surpass thine) in this Af­fliction; and make thee know that He would be just, if He should punish thy Sin more severely!

7. Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?7. Art thou able, after all thy buisy inquiries, to give an account of God's Judg­ments, and perfectly com­prehend the Reasons of his Providence?

8. It is as high as heaven, what canst thou doe? deeper then hell, what canst thou know?8. Thou mayest as well take a measure of the height of Heaven, or of the depth of Hell.

9. The measure thereof is longer then the earth, and broader then the sea.9. The Earth and the Sea, as long and as broad as they are, have their bounds; but that hath none.

10. If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hin­der him?10. If He seize upon any thing, and shut it up, (as a Hunter doth his prey in a net,) He will gather it, and who shall force Him to re­store it?

11. For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wicked­ness also, will he not then consider it?11. For he knows vain Men, (who mind not what they say or doe,) He sees their most hidden wicked­ness; and will not He pu­nish it?

12. For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild asse's colt.12. Shall Man, void of understanding, take the [Page 64]confidence to dispute with God? Man, who is natu­rally as rude and blockish as a wild Asse's colt?

13. If thou pre­pare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands to­wards him;13. If thou art truly wise, cease disputing, and fall to Prayer.

14. If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wic­kedness dwell in thy tabernacles.14. If thou art guilty of any Sin, banish it quite a­way; and reform thy self and thy Family.

15. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:15. For then shalt thou look chearfully again, and be perfectly freed from this loathsome condition: yea, thou shalt be settled with­out any fear of losing thy Happiness.

16. Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as wa­ters that pass a­way:16. Which shall be so great, that it shall blot out the remembrance of thy past Miseries: or thou shalt think of them as of Waters, that are run away, and will return no more.

17. And thine age shall be clea­rer then the noon­day; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the mor­ning.17. The rest of thy Life shall be more glorious then the Sun at noon: even thy darkness shall be like the morning-light.

18. And thou shalt be secure, be­cause there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.18. Thou shalt be confi­dent, though any evil threa­ten thee; because there is hope God will deliver thee: thou shalt dig wells of wa­ter, and none shall disturb thy Tents or thy Flocks.

19. Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.19. Thou shalt be in per­fect peace, and none shall disquiet thee: yea, the mul­titude shall sue to thee for thy Favour, and the greatest persons shall desire thy Friendship.

20. But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape; and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.20. But the Wicked shall in vain look for Happiness: they shall not escape their deserved Punishment, but their hope of Deliverance shall faint away.

CHAP. XII.

1. AND Job answered, and said,1. TO this Job replied in such words as these.

2. No doubt but ye are the peo­ple, and wisedom shall die with you.2. You believe then there are no men of sense in the world besides your selves: so that if you were dead, there would be no Wise­dom left among us.

3. But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferiour to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?3. Let not your vanity abuse you; I have Under­standing as well and as much as you; and so hath every­body else: for I see nothing singular in all you have said.

4. I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just up­right man is laughed to scorn.4. I am not so simple but I see how you deride your Friend, when you bid him call upon God that He may answer him. But this is no new thing, the best of men hath been mock'd at on this fashion.

5. He that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.5. Though he be as a Lamp, yet they who are dazzled with the splendour of worldly Prosperity de­spise him: the Upright is never acceptable to him who is not stedfast in his goings.

6. The taber­nacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abun­dantly.6. For they thrive and flourish, though they rob the Just; and even such [Page 68]men live without distur­bance, as provoke God with those very things which He bestows upon them with his own hand.

7. But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:7. Thou needest not go any farther then to the Beasts or Birds, to learn how well the Wicked fare.

8. Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.8. The Earth brings forth her fruit to them abundant­ly; and the Fishes of the Sea deny them not their ser­vice.

9. Who know­eth not in all these, that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?9. Who is so stupid as not to understand by all these, that God hath ordered it should be thus?

10. In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.10. Whose right it is to dispose of all creatures, as well as of mankind.

11. Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth tast his meat?11. Cannot the mind di­stinguish truth from falshood, as exactly as the palate sweet from bitter?

12. With the an­cient is wisedom; and in length of days, understan­ding.12. And the older we grow, the wiser one would think we should be.

13. With him is wisedom and strength, he hath counsel and under­standing.13. But what is all our wisedom to God's? who (as He knows, so) can doe all things; and he never errs in his understanding, or mis­carries in his designs.

14. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.14. In is not in the power of any creature to repair that which He throws down; nor to extricate that man whom He casts into difficul­ties and streights.

15. Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.15. If He deny us Rain, the waters themselves dry up: and He sends such Flouds as break the strongest banks.

16. With him is strength and wisedom: the de­ceived and the de­ceiver are his.16. Nor is his Wisedom, as I said, inferiour to his Power: But the Subtlety of those who deceive is as well known to Him, as the Silliness of those who are de­ceived.

17. He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and ma­keth the judges fools.17. He defeats the wisest Statesmen, and infatuates the ablest Senatours:

18. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loyns with a gir­dle.18. So that they are not [Page 70]able to keep the Crown on the head of their Kings; but they are stript of their royal ornaments, and bound in chains.

19. He leadeth princes away spoi­led, and overthrow­eth the mighty.19. Their great Ministers are carried captives with them; nor are the most powerfull forces they can raise able to defend them.

20. He remo­veth away the speech of the tru­sty, and taketh a­way the understan­ding of the aged.20. Eloquence, Fidelity, and the Prudence which hath been gained by long experi­ence, signify as little for their preservation.

21. He pou­reth contempt up­on princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.21. The Nobleness of their birth or their Munifi­cence is not at all regarded: and He dissolves the stron­gest Confederacies, into which their Friends enter for their support.

22. He disco­vereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the sha­dow of death.22. No Plot can be so se­cretly carried but He disco­vers it; and brings to light that which hath been con­trived in the greatest obscu­rity.

23. He increa­seth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlar­geth the nations, and streightneth them again.23. Whole Nations (as well as their Princes) are perfectly under his power; whom He sometimes multi­plies, [Page 71]and again diminishes by war, famine, or pesti­lence. He inlarges their bounds, and, when he pleases, reduces them into narrower limits.

24. He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.24. He deprives their Leaders both of courage and judgment; and brings them into such confusion, that they know not which way to turn themselves.

25. They grope in the dark with­out light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drun­ken man.25. Blind men see as much as they; and their Counsels and motions are as uncertain as those of a man in drink.

CHAP. XIII.

1. LO, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.1. I Have said nothing, I would have you know, but what I my self have ob­served; or received from credible reports, which I have found to be certainly true.

2. What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferiour unto you.2. Whereby you may see [Page 73]I had reason to say, that I know as much as you, and am not to learn of you.

3. Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.3. Would to God I might speak with Him, and lay my Reasons open before Him; and be troubled with your Discourses no longer.

4. But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.4. For your Conclusions are false; and, like unskil­full Physicians, you exaspe­rate the Diseases, which you cannot cure.

5. Oh that you would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your wisedom.5. The best proof of your Wisedom would be, to say never a word more of these matters.

6. Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.6. But listen a little to me, I beseech you, and hear by what Reasons I will de­fend my self.

7. Will you speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?7. Doth God stand in need of Untruths to justify his proceedings? cannot He be righteous unless I be wic­ked?

8. Will you ac­cept his person? will ye contend for God?8. Hath He so little Right on his side, that you must shew Him favour? or do you think to oblige his Ma­jesty [Page 74]by doing me wrong?

9. Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man moc­keth another, do ye so mock him?9. Will it be to your ad­vantage, think you, that God should strictly examine all you have said? or can He be deceived with your Flatteries, as frail men may be?

10. He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.10. No; He will severe­ly chastise you, for design­ing to gratify Him by con­demning me.

11. Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?11. The incomparable Excellence of God, one would think, should have frighted away such a thought; and his dreadfull Majesty made you not pre­sume to imagine He wanted your patronage.

12. Your re­membrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bo­dies of clay.12. Whose Remonstran­ces, on his behalf, are no better then dust; and the Arguments you accumulate, but like so many heaps of dirt.

13. Hold your peace, let me a­lone that I may speak, and let come on me what will.13. Keep silence there­fore, and do not disturb me in my Speech; for I will o­mit nothing.

14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?14. And I am so conscious to my self of my Innocence, that I must still wonder why I suffer such inraging Mise­ries, and am exposed to so many Dangers.

15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways be­fore him.15. Assure your selves I will never forgo this Plea; but still maintain mine Inno­cence, though I were at the last gasp, and had no hope of Life.

16. He also shall be my salva­tion: for an hypo­crite shall not come before him.16. And I am confident God himself would vindi­cate it; for I am no Hypo­crite, nor shall false Accusa­tions be admitted at his Tri­bunal.

17. Hear dili­gently my speech, and my declara­tion with your ears.17. Do not interrupt me, but give due attention to what I am about to say.

18. Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.18. See, I beseech you, I refuse not to be tried, but have framed a Process against my self; and am so sure of the goodness of my Cause, that I know I shall be ac­quitted.

19. Who is he that will plead with me? for now if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.19. Let who will come and accuse me, I am ready to answer: for to hold my [Page 76]peace, on so just an occasi­on, is death to me.

20. Onely do not two things un­to me: then will I not hide my self from thee.20. Let me onely beg, O Great Judge of all, that Thou wilt forbear to make use of two things against me; and then I will appear con­fidently, to plead my Cause before Thee.

21. Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.21. Do not continue my Pain: and let not the sight of thy Majesty put me in disorder.

22. Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.22. Then summon me to thy Bar, and charge me; and I will defend my self: or let me question Thee; and do Thou clear thy procee­dings against me.

23. How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my trans­gression and my sin.23. Tell me what, and how many, are mine Ini­quities and Sins; for I am ignorant of them: I desire to know them all, great and small, against Thee, or a­gainst my Neighbour.

24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, & holdest me for thine enemy?24. For what cause am I thus afflicted, and used as if I was thine Enemy?

25. Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?25. What honour wilt Thou get by imploying thy [Page 77]Power against One, who is no more able to stand be­fore Thee, then the Leaf to resist the wind which sports with it, or the dry Stubble the fire which in­stantly consumes it?

26. For thou wri­test bitter things against me, and makest me to pos­sess the iniquities of my youth.26. For Thou hast passed severe Decrees against me; and punished me for the Crimes which were commit­ted before I well knew what I did.

27. Thou put­test my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.27. And Thou dost exe­cute them as severely; for I can no more escape then a Malefactour whose feet are in the stocks; who is incom­passed with a vigilant guard, and cannot stir a foot from the place where he is:

28. And he as a rotten thing con­sumeth, as a gar­ment that is moth-eaten.28. But there he rots and wasts away, as I do, like a Garment that is eaten by the moths.

CHAP. XIV.

1. MAN that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.1. MAN is born to die; and as he cannot live long, so his short Life is subject to many Cares.

2. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and con­tinueth not.2. He may be compared to a Flower, which is beau­tifull [Page 79]indeed, but suddenly cropt; or to the Shadow on a diall, which never stands still, but is hasting a­way apace.

3. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?3. And dost Thou con­cern thy self so far about such a Wretch, as to summon him before thy Tribunal; and there pass dreadfull Sen­tences against him, as Thou dost against me?

4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.4. The common Frailty of Humanity might make Thee overlook him: for nothing, Thou knowest, can be better then the Ori­ginall from whence it comes.

5. Seeing his days are determi­ned, the number of his moneths are with thee; thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.5. Or if he were more considerable then he is, yet since he can live but to such a time as Thou hast prefixt, beyond which he cannot prolong his days one mo­ment;

6. Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall ac­complish, as an hireling, his day.6. That, I should think, might move Thee not to torment him in this manner; but to let him alone till that appointed time come, which will be as welcome to him [Page 80]as the end of his labour is to the Hireling.

7. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout a­gain, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.7. And after that, there is more hope of a Tree then of him; for if it be cut down to the very ground, the bo­dy of it will grow again, and thrust out new bran­ches.

8. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock there­of die in the ground:8. Nay, though it hath been so long cut down that the roots of it are grown old, and the trunk seems quite dead;

9. Yet through the sent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.9. Yet when it is well moistned it will shoot up a­gain, and bring forth boughs, as if it were but newly plan­ted.

10. But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?10. But when Man dies, he crumbles into dust; and none can set it together, to make him live again.

11. As the wa­ters fail from the sea, and the floud decayeth and dri­eth up:11. As Lakes and great Rivers are dried up, when their waters find a new cha­nell:

12. So man li­eth down, and ri­seth not till the heavens be no more: they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.12. So Man laid down in his grave shall come no more hither; but in that bed of dust shall sleep perpetually.

13. Oh that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, untill thy wrath be past; that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remem­ber me!13. I wish I were buried alive, rather then suffer such things; or that I could take sanctuary somewhere till this Storm be over; or at least Thou wouldst set me a cer­tain time when Thou wilt deliver me.

14. If a man die, shall he live a­gain? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.14. Then (though there be no hope of living here a­gain, after I am dead) Thou shalt see I will patiently wait all the days of that appoin­ted time, till that happy Change come.

15. Thou shalt call, and I will an­swer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.15. Do Thou speak the word, and it shall be done: shew Thou hast some love to thy own workmanship.

16. For now thou numbrest my steps, dost thou not watch over my sin?16. Though now Thou seemest to number every step I have trod in all my life, and dost not spare to pu­nish every Fault;

17. My trans­gression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sowest up mine iniquity.17. Having taken as great care the memory of them [Page 82]should not be lost, as if they had been sealed up in a bag; and added one Pu­nishment to another:

18. And surely the mountain fal­ling cometh to nought: and the rock is removed out of his place.18. Yet notwithstanding the highest Mountains may fall like a leaf, and the Rock be removed from its place;

19. The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth, and thou destroyest the hope of man.19. The Waters, though soft, wear away the hard Stones, and the very Dust or Sand sometimes over­flows the fruitfull Fields: Why therefore (since such strange and unexpected things come to pass) may there not be some hope for miserable Man?

20. Thou pre­vailest for ever a­gainst him, and he passeth: thou chan­gest his counte­nance, and sen­dest him away.20. Who is not able to stand before Thee; but must yield and be gone for ever when Thou requirest: Thou spoilest his beauty, and sendest him away into another World.

21. His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.21. And then whether his Children, whom he leaves behind, be rich, or whether they be poor, it is indifferent to him: for he [Page 83]knows not what passes here.

22. But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.22. But while he is in flesh he cannot but be in pain for them; and his Soul is inwardly grieved to see their misery.

CHAP. XV.

1. THEN an­swered E­liphaz the Tema­nite, and said,1. THEN Eliphaz, in­censed with these Reproaches, rose up again, and said,

2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east-wind?2. Dost thou pretend to be wise, who answerest us with such empty Discourses; and whose heart is swoln with such pernicious Opini­ons, and vents them with so much vehemence?

3. Should he reason with unpro­fitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can doe no good?3. Is this thy Wisedom, which teaches thee to wran­gle to no purpose; and to pour out words, for which one is never the better?

4. Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.4. The better, did I say? they distroy all Religion, and discourage men from pouring out their Complaint in prayer to God.

5. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou chusest the tongue of the craf­ty.5. Thou rather teachest them to dispute with Him; whereby thou hast proclai­med thine Iniquity, while [Page 85]with fallacious words thou seekest how to dissemble it.

6. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.6. I need produce no far­ther testimony against thee; for thy own mouth hath done the buisiness, and con­demned thee of Impiety.

7. Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?7. Thou art but a Man, why dost thou talk as if thou wert God; or at least wert made before the World?

8. Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wise­dom to thy self?8. Wast thou admitted into God's secret Counsels, and thereby ingrossedst all Wisedom to thy self?

9. What know­est thou that we know not? what understandest thou which is not in us?9. Wherein (to retort thy own words upon thee) doth thy Knowledge exceed ours? Let us hear what Secret thou hast learnt, which we do not under­stand.

10. With us are both the gray-headed, and very aged men, much elder then thy fa­ther.10. If by age and long experience men acquire Wisedom; there are some of us who are much elder then thy Father.

11. Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?11. Why dost thou slight then those Divine Consola­tions which we have given thee? Hast thou some secret [Page 86]ones, which no-body else knows of?

12. Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thine eyes wink at,12. What makes thee have such an high opinion of thy self, and in this man­ner contemn us?

13. That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?13. Nay, oppose thy self to God, and take the bold­ness to argue with Him?

14. What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?14. Thou wilt maintain thy Innocence, thou sayest; but thou forget test sure what thou art, and whence thou comest: else thou wouldst not stand upon thy Justifica­tion, nor complain that thou art wronged.

15. Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.15. Remember what I told thee before, (IV. 18.) that the Angels are not im­mutably good; the Hea­venly inhabitants, I say, are not without their spots.

16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like wa­ter?16. What a loathsom and filthy creature then is Man, who is as prone to sin, as he is to drink when he is dry?

17. I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen, I will declare,17. Do not stop thine ears whilst I shew thee thine errour; and I will say nothing but what mine own eyes have seen,

18. Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not bid it;18. And which wise men have observed, and their Fathers before them, who have reported it to their Children:

19. Ʋnto whom alone the earth was given, and no stran­ger passed among them.19. And they no mean persons neither, but such as were alone thought worthy to be intrusted with the Go­vernment of whole Coun­tries; which no forrein pow­er could enter (as they have done thine) while they ruled.

20. The wicked man travelleth with pain all his days, and the num­ber of years is hid­den to the oppres­sour.20. The wicked Tyrant (this is their and my obser­vation) is never free from inward Torment; all his life long he is in dread of some greater Oppressour then himself.

21. A dread­full sound is in his ears; in prosperi­ty the destroyer shall come upon him.21. His Guilt so pursues him, that it makes him fear some mischief or other is still falling on him; and in the most peaceable time he doth not think himself in safety.

22. He belie­veth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.22. When he lies down, he is afraid he shall be kill'd before the morning; and fansies nothing but naked swords round about him.

23. He wan­dreth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.23. He shall wander to get a Morsel of bread where he can find it; and when he hath it, he shall imagine it will prove his poison.

24. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battel.24. The Distress and Anguish wherein he sees himself shall affright him; they shall press upon him, and overpower him, as a King doth his Enemies whom he hath surrounded with his forces.

25. For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.25. Which will be a just punishment of his audacious Impiety; because he defied God, and resolutely set him­self in opposition to the Al­mighty:

26. He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers.26. Who will suddenly lay fast hold on him and kill him, though he be ne­ver so well armed:

27. Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.27. Because he minds no­thing but his belly; and, [Page 89]casting away all fear of God, nourishes up himself in Luxury, Pride, and Haugh­tiness;

28. And he dwelleth in deso­late cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.28. Possessing Cities which he hath laid desolate; and Houses out of which he hath driven the owners, and which are running to ruine.

29. He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.29. But the Riches he hath gotten by such Vio­lence and Oppression shall come to Nothing: He may design great things, but shall leave them imperfect.

30. He shall not depart out of dark­ness, the flame shall dry up his bran­ches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.30. When his Troubles begin, they shall not end, till they have destroyed both him and his Children: One word of God's mouth (so mad a thing it is to set himself against Heaven) will utterly consume him.

31. Let not him that is decei­ved trust in vani­ty: for vanity shall be his recompence.31. Let such Examples teach him that is seduced into evil ways, not to trust to such uncertain Greatness; for vexatious Disappoint­ments shall be all that he will get by it.

32. It shall be accomplished be­fore his time, and his branch shall not be green.32. He shall meet with them, when he little thinks of it; and see his Children wither away as well as him­self.

33. He shall shake off his un­ripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.33. They shall die before their time; as the unripe Grape, or the Blossom of the vine or olive, are struck with hail, or bitten off by the frost.

34. For the congregation of hy­pocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bri­bery.34. The most numerous Families of such ungodly men shall have none in them left: the Divine Vengeance shall destroy the House which was built with ill­gotten goods.

35. They con­ceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly pre­pareth deceit.35. And they justly de­serve to be thus punished, because all they design and doe is nothing but the Op­pression and Ruine of their Subjects: against whom, when one Design miscarries, they conceive new arts to undo them.

CHAP. XVI.

1. THEN Job answered, and said,1. HERE Job interrup­ted him, and said,

2. I have heard many such things: miserable comfor­ters are ye all.2. Thou dost but repeat what hath been often said already: Such Comforters as you, are as troublesome as my Sufferings.

3. Shall vain words have an end? or what em­boldeneth thee that thou answe­rest?3. May not one endlesly pour out such empty Dis­courses? (as I may with more reason call thine, then thou didst mine XV. 3.) I wonder at thy confidence, that, having so little to say, thou shouldst take upon thee to answer.

4. I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.4. I could insult as well as you; and, if we could change conditions, let you see how easy it would be to oppress you with such words as these, and in a grave fashi­on to mock at your Calami­ties.

5. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should as­swage your grief.5. But I abhor the thought of such a guilt: I would not fail to fortify you, in that case, with the best Ar­guments I could invent; and carefully abstain from the least word that should augment your Grief.

6. Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?6. Though, as for my self, I find my Misery ad­mits of no Consolation: For whether I defend my Innocence, or silently suf­fer you to condemn me, it makes no difference.

7. But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.7. God hath long since quite tired me with one Trouble upon another. Thou hast not ceased, O God, till Thou hast left me neither Goods, nor Chil­dren, no nor a Friend to comfort me.

8. And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness a­gainst me: and my leanness rising up in me, beareth witness to my face.8. The furrows in my face (which is not old) shew the greatness of my Af­fliction: which is extreamly augmented by him, who ri­ses up with false Accusations to take away mine Honour, as this Consumption will do my Life.

9. He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy shar­peneth his eyes up­on me.9. He rends my Good name in pieces with a passi­on equal to his hatred: my Enemy is inraged against me, and cruelly sets himself to spy out the least occasion to calumniate me.

10. They have gaped upon me with their mouth, they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully, they have gathered themselves toge­ther against me.10. There is no small number of such as these, who look like so many wild beasts coming to devour me: having already most shame­fully abused me, and joyned themselves together, to give full satisfaction to their [Page 94]wrath wherewith they are fill'd against me.

11. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over in­to the hands of the wicked.11. So God will have it; who hath abandoned the protection of me, and deli­vered me bound into the hands of the ungodly, to use me at their pleasure.

12. I was at ease, but he hath broken me asun­der: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.12. How happy was I heretofore! and now I am crushed in pieces: From an eminent condition he hath thrown me down into the most despicable; and there I am exposed (as a Butt to the Arrow) to all manner of Indignities and Miseries.

13. His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.13. He is not content to take away all my Goods, and destroy my Family; but, to the reproach of my Friends, (which strike like so many darts to my very heart,) He hath added Ul­cers in every part of my Bo­dy, with inward pains which rack me without intermissi­on; and, in one word, hath so mortally wounded me, as if my bowels were already shed upon the ground.

14. He brea­keth me with breach upon breach, he run­neth upon me like a giant.14. Before one Wound [Page 95]be closed, He makes ano­ther; and in so violent a manner, that I can make no more resistence then a Dwarf can do against a Giant.

15. I have sow­ed sackeloth upon my skin, and defi­led my horn in the dust.15. The Sackcloth which I put on at the first, now cleaves so fast to me, as if I had sewed it to my skin: and all my Authority and Honour is changed into Contempt.

16. My face is foul with weeping, and on my eye­lids is the shadow of death:16. My Face is dirty, and mine Eyes, in a manner, quite put out, by the very Tears which have faln from thence.

17. Not for a­ny injustice in mine hands; also my prayer is pure.17. And yet I must still say, I never offered such a violence as this to any man; and was alway (so false is Eliphaz his Accusation XV. 4.) a sincere Worship­per of God.

18. O earth, cover not thou my bloud, and let my cry have no place.18. If this be not true, let my bloud be left to the Dogs to lick, when I am dead; and let neither God nor man regard my Com­plaint while I am alive.

19. Also now behold, my wit­ness is in heaven, and my record is on high.19. But what need these imprecations? The great [Page 96]God who rules over all is my Witness; and can te­stify how just I have been toward my Neighbours, and how pious toward Himself.

20. My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.20. From your judgment therefore (who, in stead of comforting my Innocence, scornfully set your selves to defame me) I appeal to His; and beseech Him with per­petual tears to vindicate me.

21. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!21. I am so assured of the goodness of my Cause, (as well as of his Justice,) that I wish for nothing more, then to have it spee­dily heard and tried by Him, in the same manner that pleas are held before earthly Judges.

22. When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.22. For my Life cannot last long; and I know that when I am gone, I cannot return hither again, for Him to doe me justice.

CHAP. XVII.

1. MY breath is cor­rupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.1. MY vital spirits are spent, they give but a glimmering and dying light; whereby I can see nothing but Graves on eve­ry side prepared for me.

2. Are there not mockers with me?? and doth not mine eye conti­nue in their pro­vocation?2. How can I support my spirits, when my Friends, who should comfort me, mock at all I say for my self? This so bitterly exasperates me, that I cannot take a [Page 98]wink of sleep, nor think of any thing else.

3. Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?3. Once more therefore I beseech Thee, O God, to assure me that Thou wilt judge my Cause Thy self: Let some-body undertake for Thee: who is it that on thy behalf will ingage to doe me right?

4. For thou hast hid their heart from understan­ding: therefore shalt thou not ex­alt them.4. Not these Friends of mine; for they comprehend nothing of the way of thy Judgments: therefore Thou shalt not conferr this ho­nour on them, who talk so absurdly.

5. He that spea­keth flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his chil­dren shall fail.5. I must speak the truth of them, (though it displease them,) and not sooth them up in their errours: for he that flatters his Friends, when he should reprove them, may look long enough before either he or his Chil­dren find one that will deal sincerely with them.

6. He hath made me also a by-word of the peo­ple, and aforetime I was as a tabret.6. This very person who spake last hath made me a proverb in every-bodie's mouth; and it is the vulgar pastime to talk of my Cala­mities.

7. Mine eye al­so is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.7. No wonder then that excessive Sorrow hath dark­ned mine eyes; and that all the flesh of my body is so consumed, that I am but the Shadow of a man.

8. Ʋpright men shall be astonied at this, and the in­nocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.8. Upright men hereaf­ter will be astonished at the cruel sentence which my Friends pass upon me; and the innocent will resolutely oppose the wicked, when he judges the worse of Piety, because of my Afflictions.

9. The righte­ous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shal be stron­ger and stronger.9. The righteous will not be moved by such ar­guments to change his pur­pose of well-doing: much less will he doe any evil acti­on, but grow rather the bet­ter by Adversity, and adde Perseverance to his Piety.

10. But as for you all, do you re­turn, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.10. And truly I wish that all you, who have charged me so heavily, would consider things better, and hearken to what I have said: for I must tell you again, there is not a man of you that judges truly of my Case.

11. My days are past, my pur­poses are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.11. Repent of your harsh [Page 100]Censures before I die, as I must speedily, my Joys be­ing quite gone, and all the hopefull Designs, which had possessed my heart, be­ing utterly subverted.

12. They change the night into day: the light is short because of dark­ness.12. In stead whereof o­ther thoughts are come to torment me; which will not let me sleep in the night, nor enjoy any pleasure in the day.

13. If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.13. If I hope for any thing now, (as you would have me,) it is for a Grave: That's the onely House I can promise my self; there I am going to rest in a bed where I shall not be disturbed.

14. I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.14. I have already made so near an alliance with Death, that my Father and Mother and nearest Kindred are nothing so near me as Worms and Rottenness.

15. And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?15. How vain then are all the hopes you would have me feed my self with­all? (XI. 15, 16, &c.) Who shall see, when I am sure I shall not, the Happiness you would have me look for here?

16. They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest to­gether is in the dust.16. All these Hopes you speak of shall sink down in­to the bottom of the grave; when you my Friends, as well as I, shall take up your lodging in the dust.

CHAP. XVIII.

1. THEN an­swered Bildad the Shu­hite, and said,1. THEN Bildad the Shuhite, seeing Job [Page 102]continue in his first opinion, rose up, and said,

2. How long will it be, ere you make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.2. How long shall we continue this Dispute? Let us make an end of it, unless he will attend better to our Reasons; then we will go on to argue with him.

3. Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and repu­ted vile in your sight?3. To what purpose is it to talk with one who tells us we understand nothing, (XVII. 4, 10.) but looks upon us as a company of dull Beasts, into whom nothing of Wisedome will enter?

4. He teareth himself in his an­ger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?4. Such is his Passion; which will not let him see how he himself, like a wild Beast, tears his own Soul in pieces with impatient Anger. What art thou, that God for thy sake should cease to govern the world by his known Laws, which are fixt and immutable?

5. Yea, the light of the wic­ked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.5. Say what thou wilt, it is an everlasting Truth, that the Wicked shall not continue in the Splendour wherein we sometime see him: but though he seem to sit as by a great fire, [Page 103](warm in his wealth and ho­nour and power,) there shall not remain so much as a spark to comfort him.

6. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.6. The glory of his Fa­mily shall be turned into contempt, and all their joy shall end in sorrow.

7. The steps of his strength shall be streightned, and his own counsel shall cast him down.7. The attempts which his power makes to preserve his Greatness, shall but more perplex him: and his own devices shall prove his over­throw.

8. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.8. He shall intangle him­self by his own wiles; and, having contrived himself in­to danger, every step he takes in pursuance of his de­signs shall farther insnare him.

9. The grin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.9. Before he is aware he shall find it so impossible to disengage himself; that they who thirst after his bloud, or wealth, or place, shall easily lay hold on him.

10. The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.10. He shall not foresee his danger; but be caught as a Bird or a Beast in a Snare or Trap, when he [Page 104]thinks himself secure in his proceedings.

11. Terrours shall make him a­fraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.11. Then he shall be sur­rounded with a thousand Terrours; and which way soever he runs to save him­self, he shall meet with them.

12. His strength shall be hunger-bitten, and de­struction shall be ready at his side.12. He shall pine away till he hath no strength re­maining: for nothing but Mischief shall attend and ac­company him in every place.

13. It shall de­vour the strength of his skin: even the first-born of death shall devour his strength.13. Rottenness shall eat up his bones; I say, his ve­ry bones shall rot and be consumed.

14. His confi­dence shall be roo­ted out of his ta­bernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of ter­rours.14. Whatsoever he relies upon for the support of himself and Family, it shall utterly fail him; nay, help to hasten his Death, the most dreadfull of all his E­nemies.

15. It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitati­on.15. That man had best take heed, who shall have a mind to dwell in his House when he hath left it; for thunder and lightning shall destroy it.

16. His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.16. And it shall never be [Page 105]built up again, nor shall his Family be restored; but be like a Tree, whose roots are so dried up in the earth, that it shall never shoot forth any more branches.

17. His remem­brance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.17. His very Memory shall perish, as well as him­self; and his Name never be mentioned among men, un­less it be to make him infa­mous.

18. He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.18. He shall be cast out of his splendid Greatness in­to some obscure Grave; and removed out of the world as some unclean thing.

19. He shall neither have son nor nephew a­mong his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.19. None of his Descen­dents shall survive him; nor any of his Kindred remain to keep up his Name.

20. They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted.20. Future times shall reade of this severe Ven­geance of God upon him with astonishment; as they who see it shall be seized with horrour.

21. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.21. Certain it is, that this is a just description of the misera­ble condition of the Wicked: they that do not honour God shall thus be abased.

CHAP. XIX.

1. THEN Job answered, and said,1. THEN Job, hearing him also repeat his former discourse, (Ch. VIII.) wherein he reflected on him as a Wicked man, burst out again into these words.

2. How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?2. Will you never cease to torment me, and to break my very heart with your words, which grate upon me as sorely as all the Mise­ries I endure?

3. These ten times have ye re­proached me: you are not ashamed that you make your selves strange to me.3. You have reproached me often enough, one would think; and yet you are not ashamed to continue your hard-hearted Censures, as if I were a perfect Stranger, and my manner of life ut­terly unknown to you.

4. And be it indeed that I have erred, mine errour remaineth with my self.4. Suppose that I have done amiss, (which is more then you know,) I suffer sufficiently for it; and it doth not become you to in­crease my Sufferings by your Reproaches.

5. If indeed you will magnifie your selves against me, and plead a­gainst me my re­proach:5. But if you will still proceed to lift up your voice to declaim against me, and alledge my Calamities, which have made me con­temptible, as an argument to condemn me;

6. Know now that God hath o­verthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.6. Let this answer suffice you: That I am sensible it is God's doing; who, ha­ving laid me thus low, and inviron'd me with unavoi­dable Miseries, calls upon you to compassionate rather then reproach me.

7. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judg­ment.7. And my Case is the more pitiable, because I know not the Cause of all this; nor can have any au­dience or redress, though I appeal to God with the lou­dest cries, and protest to Him that I am innocent.

8. He hath fen­ced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.8. There is no way open for my escape; but his Plagues surround me so on every side, that I am at my wits end, and know not which way to turn my self.

9. He hath stript me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.9. He hath not merely stript me of my Ornaments, and taken that Dignity and [Page 109]Authority from me where­with I was invested;

10. He hath destroyed me on e­very side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.10. But brought me to such utter Ruine, that, like a Tree pluck'd up by the very roots, I have not so much as Hope remaining, which is the onely comfort of the miserable.

11. He hath al­so kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.11. For He hath done all this with such violence, as if He were extreamly incen­sed against me, and look'd upon me as his Enemy.

12. His troups come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my taberna­cle.12. Whole Armies of Evils, by his order, have at the same time invaded me; and laid such a streight siege to me, that not the smallest Comfort I had could escape their fury.

13. He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estran­ged from me.13. I look'd for some re­lief from my Brethren; but they were so astonisht at the number and dreadfulness of my Calamities, that they durst not approach me: and as for my Neighbours, who formerly so much cour­ted my acquaintance, they truly kept aloof off, as if they had never known me.

14. My kins­folk have failed, and my familiar friends have for­gotten me.14. They whom Nature inclined to it have failed to perform the duties of Hu­manity towards me; and they to whom I was tied by a stronger bond then Nature have forgotten the Friend­ship there was between us.

15. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids count me for a stranger: I am an aliant in their sight.15. They that have been kindly entertain'd at my house, nay, the people of my Family, have forgot the respect they were wont to give me; and look upon me as if they had no relati­on to me.

16. I called my servant, and he gave me no an­swer: I entreated him with my mouth.16. I called to my Slave, and he regarded not what I said; no, not when I be­seeched him as if he had been my Master.

17. My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the childrens sake of mine own body.17. Which is the less wonder, since I am become so loathsome that my Wife will not come near me; though I have conjured her to it by the dear memory of our Children, those com­mon pledges of our mutual love.

18. Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.18. After these examples young Children and Fools [Page 111]despise me: and when I rise up to invite them to me, abusive language is all the return they make to my Courtesy.

19. All my in­ward friends ab­horred me: and they whom I lo­ved are turned a­gainst me.19. And, which is worst of all, the men whom I in­trusted with my greatest Se­crets cannot endure me; and they who have received so many tokens of my Love are become mine Enemies.

20. My bone cleaveth to my skin, and to my flesh, and I am e­scaped with the skin of my teeth.20. All these Afflictions have so wasted me, that I am little more then skin and bone: a Mouth to complain withall is all the flesh that is left me.

21. Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me.21. O ye my Friends, (if you still deserve that name,) who are the onely persons that undertake to comfort me, have pity, have pity, I beseech you, upon a mi­serable wretch; and consi­der what Wounds the hand of God hath given me.

22. Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?22. Will you assume the same prerogative, and think you have the same right to afflict me? And doth it not suffice you to see my Bo­dy [Page 112]all consumed, but you will vex my very Soul also with your perverse reaso­nings?

23. Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!23. Oh that the Prote­stations and Appeals I have so often made might remain upon record, and be regi­stred in the publick Acts and Monuments!

24. That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!24. May they be graven upon a plate of lead with an iron pen; nay, cut into a rock or marble pillar to continue to all Posterity!

25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day up­on the earth.25. For my Hope, which was as dead as my self, (XVII. 13, 15. XIX. 10.) begins to revive, because, though I seem for the pre­sent to be forsaken of God, yet I know that He can hereafter deliver me out of this miserable condition, since He lives for ever; and will, I doubt not, at last appear victorious over all the Enemies which now op­press me.

26. And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:26. And though the Worms, which have eaten my Skin, should proceed to [Page 113]consume the rest of this wretched Body; yet I feel my Soul inspired with a comfortable belief, that be­fore I die I shall see my self restored, by the mercy of God, to a happy estate.

27. Whom I shall see for my self, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be con­sumed within me.27. He will not let me always lie under these Re­proaches; but I begin to assure my self, that with these very eyes I shall see Him vin­dicate my Innocence: not onely others, but I my self shall live to see it; and I e­ven faint away with vehe­ment desire to behold that happy day.

28. But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?28. Which will make you repent that you have thus persecuted me; who have not without ground thus long disputed this matter with you, but am sure the right lies on my side, and not on yours.

29. Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.29. Take my advice there­fore in good time, and dread the just displeasure of God against you for your perverse Reasonings, (for his wrath punishes mens iniquity with [Page 114]the sword or some such sore Vengeance,) whereby you will know to your cost, that there is a more righteous Judgment then yours.

CHAP. XX.

1. THEN an­swered Zophar the Naa­mathite, and said,1. HERE Zophar, though he had no new thing to produce, hastily in­terrupted Job, and said,

2. Therefore do my thoughts cause me to an­swer, and for this I make haste.2. These words of thine make my former thoughts re­turn again; and do so pro­voke me, that I am not able to forbear speaking any lon­ger.

3. I have heard the check of my re­proach, and the spirit of my under­standing causeth me to answer.3. While thou pretendest to correct my Errours, I have heard my self rather shamefully reproached: yet I will not suffer my Passion to reply, but the clear light of my Understanding shall answer for me.

4. Knowest thou not this of old, since man was pla­ced upon earth,4. It seems thou dost not yet understand, though it be a Truth as old as the World,

5. That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?5. That the Happiness which the Wicked, and he that counterfeits Piety, so much boast of, is of no long standing; and will continue but for a few moments.

6. Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds:6. Though he should be [Page 116]advanced to the highest pitch of humane Greatness, and overtop all mankind, as much as the highest trees do the lowest shrubs;

7. Yet he shall perish for ever, like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?7. Yet he shall fall as low as his dunghill, and, like it, be cast out for ever with contempt: They who saw him so flourishing shall be astonish'd at his Ruin, and ask with amazement, What is become of him?

8. He shall flie away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased a­way as a vision of the night.8. For his Happiness hath no firmer foundation then a Dream, of which we have no remembrance in the mor­ning; or if we have, all the rich furniture and feasts which appear to us in our sleep, vanish in an instant as soon as we awake.

9. The eye also which saw him, shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.9. Just so shall he pass a­way, and all his Glory with him: Those eyes that were wont to gaze upon it with envy, shall lose the sight of it, and never behold it more.

10. His chil­dren shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.10. His Children shall have enough to doe to pacify the rage of the Poor, whom [Page 117]he hath oppressed; and he shall be forced with shame to restore with his own hands the goods he hath extorted from them.

11. His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.11. His very Bones are full of pain and anguish. All which Punishments of his secret Sins shall stick to him till they bring him to his Grave.

12. Though wic­kedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue:12. Though Wickedness, like some dangerous meats, be pleasant in the acting, as they are in the chewing; so that a man is as desirous to continue it, as a Glutton is to keep a long relish of those sweet morsels upon his palate:

13. Though he spare it, and for­sake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:13. Though he will by no means part with it, when he is told the danger; but still retains it, as the other doth that meat in his mouth, which he is told is no better then poison:

14. Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.14. Yet after it is com­mitted it wrings and gripes the Conscience; as those dainty bits, when they are swallowed, do the bowells: [Page 118]the pleasure is turned into pain, the sweetness into such bitterness as brings the most sudden destruction.

15. He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up a­gain: God shall cast them out of his belly.15. His ill-gotten Goods, for instance, which he de­voured with so much gree­diness and unsatiable desire, shall never thrive with him; but he shall be forced to re­fund them with a torment far exceeding the pleasure wherewith he got them: God himself shall violently force them from him, and all his other Riches together with them.

16. He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.16. Which shall prove as great and as deadly a Tor­ture to him, as if, when he squeezed the poor, he had suck'd the poison of Asps, or been bitten with a Vi­per.

17. He shall not see the rivers, the flouds, the brooks of honey and but­ter.17. This shall be his por­tion, in stead of the plea­sures of Nature and Art; which he flattered himself would flow in several streams to him perpetually.

18. That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restituti­on be, and he shall not rejoyce there­in.18. He may endeavour again with new labour to [Page 119]repair his broken fortune; but it shall be in vain: though he should get as much Riches as he had be­fore his change, he shall have no joy in them.

19. Because he hath oppressed, and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not:19. When he hath with new Oppressions grinded the poor, and left them desti­tute, when he hath violent­ly seized on a House, he shall not be able to build it.

20. Surely he shall not feel quiet­ness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he de­sired.20. When he hath turned, as we say, every stone, and been as restless as a woman in travail; all his pains shall bring forth nothing of that which he desired.

21. There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.21. He shall have no more left him to eat, then he was wont to leave for others; which shall put him out of all hope of mending his con­dition.

22. In the ful­ness of his suffici­ency he shall be in streights: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.22. The greater fulness you can suppose him to re­gain of worldly Goods, the more he shall be distressed; for the hand of every man whom he hath afflicted shall [Page 120]lay hold on him to demand satisfaction.

23. When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him, while he is eating.23. God himself also shall disturb him in his Enjoy­ments, with the sorest ef­fects of his Divine Ven­geance; which shall come pouring down from Hea­ven, when he thinks himself most secure.

24. He shall flee from the iron wea­pon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.24. He shall run from a lesser Danger to fall into a greater; as if one, avoiding the weapon in a man's hand, should be shot through with a bow of steel.

25. It is drawn and cometh out of the body; yea, the glistring sword co­meth out of his gall; terrours are upon him.25. And though he should draw the shaft out of his bo­dy, and the wound in his bowels should be healed, he shall not escape so; for Ter­rours shall perpetually ac­company him.

26. All dark­ness shall be hid in his secret pla­ces: a fire not blown shall con­sume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his ta­bernacle.26. Nothing but dread­full Dangers shall wait for him in those places where he hoped for Safety: a Fire not kindled by man shall devour him; and the same Pestilence or Burning-fe­ver shall take hold of the rest of his Family.

27. The hea­ven shall reveal his iniquity: and the earth shall rise up against him.27. The Heaven by Thunder, Lightning or Tem­pests shall declare it self his enemy; and the Earth by Wild beasts, or Serpents, or some other way, shall make war against him.

28. The in­crease of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.28. His whole Revenue shall melt away as waters poured out, in the day when God intends to punish him.

29. This is the portion of a wic­ked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.29. This is the portion which God the righteous Judge will allot to the Wic­ked: thus will the Almigh­ty reward his Blasphemies, or his other proud and inso­lent words.

CHAP. XXI.

1. BƲT Job answered, and said,1. BUT Job, who knew the falseness of this Assertion, (in which Zo­phar secretly struck at him,) That God always punishes Sinners in this manner, would not let it pass without An­swer, and therefore said a­gain unto them;

2. Hear dili­gently my speech, and let this be your consolations.2. Let me prevail with you, to attend better then you have done hitherto to my Discourse: Doe me this kindness, and it shall serve in stead of all the Consola­tions I promised my self from you.

3. Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.3. Hear me patiently, and do not so hastily interrupt me as Zophar just now did; (XX. 2.) who, after I have done, may begin, if he please, to deride me again.

4. As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spi­rit be troubled?4. Have I not all this [Page 124]while made my Appeal to God? why then do you in­terrupt me, and take upon you to pronounce that Sen­tence which I expect from Him alone? But if my Com­plaint had been to you, yet, seeing there is just cause for it, can I chuse but be vext to see you will not hear me patiently?

5. Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.5. Consider well my Mi­sery, and being astonisht at the greatness of it, and of your Rudeness, be so civil now as to impose silence on your selves, while I am speaking to you.

6. Even when I remember, I am afraid, and trem­bling taketh bold on my flesh.6. I am sure I my self am astonisht at the very remem­brance of it: were I free from it, yet the thought of what is past makes every joynt of my body tremble.

7. Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?7. Let me therefore again desire you to answer me this question more leisurely; If what you have said be true, how come we to see so ma­ny wicked men not onely enjoy all the Good things of this life, but grow old in [Page 125]their enjoyment, and want no Honour or Power to which Riches can advance them?

8. Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their off-spring before their eyes.8. Nay, live to see their Children settled in the World; yea, their Chil­drens children grow up like young plants before their eyes?

9. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.9. There is no body dis­turbs their Tranquillity in any of their habitations; nor doth God inflict any Punishment on them for their sins:

10. Their bull gendreth and fai­leth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.10. But extends his care even to their Herds of Cat­tel; where the Kine never fail to conceive, and in due time bring forth their Calves, and do not miscarry.

11. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.11. And so do their flocks of Sheep, with whom their Wives may be compared; who bring forth their little ones as easily and as nume­rously: and their Children dance about their houses, like the little Lambs which skip about their fields.

12. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoyce at the sound of the organ.12. They lift up their [Page 126]voice, and sing to the tim­brel and harp: they dance for joy at the sound of the pipe.

13. They spend their days in wealth, and in a woment go down to the grave.13. In a word, they pro­long their days to a great old age, in all manner of pleasure; and then do not lie long languishing on a bed of Sickness or Pain, but go easily and suddenly to their grave.

14. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.14. And yet these are the men that never think of God; or, if they do, pre­sently bid those thoughts be gone; for they desire to have nothing to doe with Him or with his Laws.

15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?15. They know no such Being, they say, as the Al­mighty; nor do they owe Him any service: and if they should worship and serve Him, they do not be­lieve they shall be a whit the better for it.

16. Lo, their good is not in their hand: the coun­sel of the wicked is far from me.16. Do not imagine that I am of their opinion; I know very well that they cannot make themselves rich and prosperous without [Page 127]God; and therefore far be it from me to joyn with them in their Impiety.

17. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? and hwo oft co­meth their destruc­tion upon them? God distributeth sorrows in his an­ger.17. But yet, I say, how oft is it that we see the Joy of these Wicked men extin­guished? Sometimes indeed God takes a speedy Ven­geance on them; but it is not his usual course to de­stroy them, and to give them such Plagues and Torments (as you speak of) for their portion.

18. They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.18. We do not see them so frequently, as you say, driven away like Stubble before the wind, and all their Estates scattered like the Chaff which is blown a­way with a storm.

19. God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.19. And when doth God punish the Iniquity of the wicked in his Children, (as you pretend he always doth XX. 10.) and that while he lives and beholds it him­self?

20. His eyes shall see his de­struction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Al­mighty.20. It is not such a com­mon thing as you make it, for him to see his own Ru­ine, and to feel the effects [Page 128]of the dreadfull wrath of the Almighty.

21. For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his moneths is cut off in the midst?21. As for what befalls his Children when he is dead, he concerns not him­self: it is nothing to him though they be cut off in their most flourishing estate.

22. Shall any teach God know­ledge? seeing be judgeth those that are high.22. Shall we be so bold as to instruct God how to govern the World? and tell Him He is not just, unless He punish the Wicked when we expect it? He judges the highest Beings, and therefore knows sure how to govern us.

23. One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.23. Who must not think to tie Him to our Rules. For one man dies in the highest and firmest worldly Prosperity, meeting with nothing all his days to dis­turb his Quiet and Tran­quillity:

24. His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.24. Health as well as Riches accompany him to his grave; his Ribs are fat, and his Bones full of marrow, even in his old age:

25. And ano­ther dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with plea­sure.25. When another man (who perhaps is better then [Page 129]he) dies in great Pain and Anguish; after a miserable Life, in which he never en­joyed any Pleasure.

26. They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.26. They shall both alike have the Dust for their bed, and Worms for their cove­ring; and no distinction, that we can see, be made between them.

27. Behold, I know your thoughts, and the divices which ye wrongfully imagin against me.27. I am sensible that in all this I very much contra­dict your thoughts; which are as well known to me as to your selves: I see by what Arguments you are studying to oppress me.

28. For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling-places of the wicked?28. I hear you say within your selves, What is become of the House of Job, who lived like a Prince? what difference is there between him, and those wicked men whose Dwelling-places are destroyed?

29. Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens?29. But let me answer you; or rather go and ask the first passengers you meet with, (for it is a thing vul­garly known, and they are not interessed in our Dis­putes,) let them tell you [Page 130]their observations about God's Providence:

30. That the wicked is reserved to the day of de­struction; they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath?30. Which all agree in this, that the Wicked is spa­red very often in a common Calamity; though it be ve­ry general as well as terrible, yet many of them escape it.

31. Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?31. Which makes the Wicked so bold, that none dare reprove him: much less is he in danger of being punished for his Offences, since God spares him, and Man dreads him.

32. Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall re­main in the comb.32. The Pomp of his Funeral is answerable to the Splendour wherein he lived; and a stately Monument is raised to preserve his me­mory, and represent him as if he were still living.

33. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him; and every manshall draw after him, as there are innume­rable before him.33. There he lies quietly in the earth, and none dis­turbs his ashes: he suffers nothing but what all men shall do after him, as innu­merable have done before him.

34. How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth false­hood?34. See then how ill you discharge the office of Com­forters, whose Answers have [Page 131]so little truth in them. For you maintain that Prosperi­ty is the inseparable compa­nion of Piety; when every­body can tell you, that none flourish more then the Wic­ked, and that Calamities are common to all man­kind.

CHAP. XXII.

1. THEN Eli­phaz the Temanite answe­red, and said,1. THEN Eliphaz, not being able to de­ny all this, and yet not min­ding the scope of it, (but imagining Job had accused the Divine Providence of Injustice, in suffering the Wicked to prosper, and the Righteous to be afflicted,) grew very angry, and said,

2. Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profi­table unto him­self?2. Is God ever the better for any thing that we doe? Because a wise man receives great benefit by his Vertue, shall we think that God is a Gainer by it too, and that He is bound to reward it?

3. Is it any pleasure to the Al­mighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?3. Doth He, who needs nothing, (being Possessour of all things,) desire thou shouldst be righteous for His [Page 133]own advantage? or will it turn to His profit, if thou livest never so unblamea­bly?

4. Will he re­prove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?4. Or, on the contrary, is He afraid thou shouldst hurt Him by thy Sins, and will therefore punish them? Is this the reason that He now afflicts thee, to prevent the damage they might doe Him?

5. Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniqui­ties infinite?5. Are not rather thy Sins against God and against Men so great and so num­berless, that no other Cause is to be sought of thy sore and multiplied Punish­ments?

6. For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their cloathing.6. For (to begin with those against Man) thou hast been a Tyrant, and exacted Pawns of thine own Kindred for little or no­thing: and hast stript even those of their Garments, who had no more but just to co­ver their nakedness.

7. Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink▪ and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.7. Thou hast been hard­hearted to the weary Tra­veller, when thou sawest him ready to die with [Page 134]thirst or with hunger.

8. But as for the mighty man, he had the earth, and the honoura­ble man dwelt in it.8. But as for the Great and the Powerfull, all thy estate was at his service: if he brought the title to any Land in question, he was sure to carry the cause by thy Favour to him.

9. Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fa­therless have been broken.9. When at the same time the poor Widows and Or­phans (whose protection God hath in a special man­ner commended to us) could not obtain the favour of ha­ving Justice done them; but were crush'd and broken by thee, and had all the means of defending themselves ta­ken from them.

10. Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear trou­bleth thee;10. Thou art guilty, sure enough, of some such Sins as these, which are the cause that now thou art beset with these Calamities, and most dreadfull Plagues have on a sudden confounded thee.

11. Or dark­ness that thou canst not see, and abundance of wa­ters cover thee.11. Oh thy Blindness! dost thou not yet see how God hath proportioned thy Punishment to thy Crimes? hath the depth of the Af­flictions [Page 135]wherein thou art plung'd quite taken away all sense from thee?

12. Is not God in the height of heaven? and be­hold the height of the stars, how high they are.12. Is not God above the Heavens? behold, He is the Head and Governour of the Stars, although they be so high; and therefore how shouldst thou think to escape his Justice?

13. And thou sayest, How doth God know? can be judge through the dark cloud?13. But perhaps thou fan­siest (such is thy Impiety against Him, as well as Cru­elty to thy Neighbour) that, because He is so high, He minds not what is done here below: or that He can­not discern the difference of things so very remote, through such a mist as is be­tween us.

14. Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he wal­keth in the circuit of heaven.14. He is wrapt, thou imaginest, in such thick Clouds, that they obscure us from his sight: or He is confined to the Heavens, and so buisied in their affairs, that He hath no leisure to attend to ours.

15. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have troden?15. But didst thou never observe, or hast thou for­gotten, the course of the [Page 136]old Atheistical World, who ran licentiously into all man­ner of Wickedness?

16. Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was o­verflown with a floud.16. To whom God there­fore put a stop, by destroy­ing them before their time, and carrying them quite a­way with the Floud, when they thought themselves firmly settled in the earth;

17. Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty doe for them?17. And were saying, (as thou wouldst have us be­lieve the wicked now do, and yet prosper, XXI. 14.) We have nothing to doe with God, nor He with us. Dost thou remember what God then did to them, for their horrid Ingratitude to him,

18. Yet he fil­led their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.18. Who had filled their houses with all manner of good things? O vile wret­ches! whose wicked thoughts I abhor as much as thou thy self, (XXI. 16.)

19. The righ­teous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.19. Whose overthrow Noah and his Family behol­ding, rejoyced in God's righteous Judgment: That innocent man derided their Incredulity.

20. Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.20. Whereas we, who believe God's Care and Providence, are untouch'd in our Estates; when the reliques of those impious men are devoured by Fire from Heaven.

21. Acquaint now thy self with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come un­to thee.21. Let me advise thee therefore, (whom God hath not yet quite consumed,) to joyn thy self to the soci­ety of the Righteous, and to become like Noah: then be secure, and doubt not but by that means all Hap­piness shall return to thee.

22. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.22. Do not refuse the In­struction which such men give thee from God; but heartily embrace it, and faithfully preserve it to be the rule of thy Life.

23. If thou re­turn to the Al­mighty, thou shalt be built up; thou shalt put away ini­quity far from thy tabernacles.23. Thou shalt soon feel the comfortable fruits of it: for if thou return to the Al­mighty, who hath laid thee thus low, He will return to thee, and raise thee up as high as ever: He will par­don thine Iniquity, and re­move the Punishment of it far from thee and thine.

24. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.24. Thou shalt recover all thy Losses with usury; and no more value gold then the dirt, on which it shall lie; nor the purest gold more then the pebbles in the brook.

25. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.25. Thou shalt be at no pains to secure thy vast Heaps of gold and silver; because thy Almighty Re­storer, who gave them to thee, will defend them bet­ter then the strongest for­tress, and be Himself thy Treasure.

26. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Al­mighty, and shalt lift up thy face un­to God.26. For then thou shalt be so far from doubting of his Care over thee, that thou shalt delight to think how He loves thee: thou shalt not be dejected any more, but confidently and chear­fully expect his Blessing on thee.

27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.27. Thou shalt ask no­thing of Him, but thou shalt obtain it; and have abun­dant cause to be continually giving thanks to Him, for his bounteous Goodness in fulfilling thy desires.

28. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be establi­shed unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.28. Thou shalt accom­plish whatsoever thou de­signest, and all thy under­takings shall be prosperous.

29. When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up: and he shall save the humble person.29. Thou shalt pray to God also to lift up others, who are in a low condition; and He shall grant thy pe­titions, by delivering him that is depressed.

30. He shall de­liver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.30. Yea, a whole Coun­try shall owe its safety to thy Innocence: it shall be delivered by thy pious Pray­ers and blameless Actions.

CHAP. XXIII.

1. THEN Job answered, and said,1. THEN Job, hea­ring his Person thus defamed, and his Dis­course perverted, renewed his Complaints, and said,

2. Even to day is my com­plaint bitter: my stroke is heavier then my groaning.2. Still my just Defence of my self is judged to be Rebellion against God: which renders my Sufferings heavier then all my Sighs and Groans can express:

3. Oh that I knew where I might find him I that I might come even to his seat!3. And makes me once more appeal to God, and [Page 141]wish I could be admitted into his presence, (so free I am from the conscience of any Guilt,) and approach even to his Judgment-seat.

4. I would or­der my cause be­fore him, and fill my mouth with ar­guments.4. I would set before Him the Justice of my Cause; and fill my mouth with Confutations of your false Accusations.

5. I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.5. I would press to know his Judgment of me, and diligently attend to the Sen­tence which He would pass upon me.

6. Will he plead against me with his great power? No, but he would put strength in me.6. Do you think He would make no other use of his absolute Power then to oppress me? I cannot be­lieve it; He would rather imploy it to support me;

7. There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be de­livered for ever from my judge.7. Till at his Bar I had proved my self a Righteous person, and been perfectly acquitted by him my righ­teous Judge.

8. Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; & back­ward, but I can­not perceive him:8. But all these, alas! are vain Wishes; for which way soever I turn my self, whether to the East or to the West, I cannot see [Page 142]Him appear to doe me right.

9. On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.9. He works and moves invisibly in all other quar­ters of the world; but I can discover nothing He does to clear my Innocence.

10. But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.10. My onely comfort is, that, though I cannot know all his Ways, yet He, being every-where, knows the whole course of my Life: and when He hath proved me by these Afflictions, as gold is by the fire, I doubt not I shall be cleared from these Imputations which you lay upon me.

11. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not de­clined.11. I am sure I have ever followed his guidance, and so stedfastly observed his Commandments, that no temptation hath made me swerve from them.

12. Neither have I gone back from the com­mandment of his lips, I have estee­med the words of his mouth more then my necessary food.12. I have prevented the Advice you give me, (XXII. 22.) having never done otherwise then He bid me, and laid up his words more carefully then my ne­cessary provision for this life.

13. But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.13. But for the present this doth not at all move Him to relieve me: He con­tinues his purpose, (what­ever it be,) and none can alter it, no more then they can hinder the fulfilling of it.

14. For he per­formeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.14. For what He hath resolved to inflict upon me, that I find He will accom­plish: and many such things as these He doeth, of which He will not give us the rea­son.

15. Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am a­fraid of him.15. This terrifies me, when I reflect upon it, not­withstanding my Innocence: I tremble at the thoughts of his absolute Power and un­searchable Wisedom, which may think fit still to conti­nue these Afflictions;

16. For God maketh my heart soft, and the Al­mighty troubleth me:16. Which by the weight of them have broken my spirit, and made me so ti­morous, that I cannot but dread the danger I am in of suffering more from his Al­mighty hand.

17. Because I was not cut off be­fore the darkness, neither hath he covered the dark­ness from my face.17. For still He keeps me alive under all these Evils [Page 144]which I endure; and will not let me have the favour to die by that hand which strikes me so severely.

CHAP. XXIV.

1. WHY, seeing times are not hid­den from the Al­mighty, do they that know him, not see his days?1. BUT, to answer a little what you have so often asserted; If Punish­ments [Page 145]from the Almighty be so apparent and visible upon the Wicked, why do not they who are truly Pious see these publick and open Judgments?

2. Some re­move the land­marks; they vio­lently take away flocks, and feed thereof.2. Especially when the Wickedness of some of them is so notorious, that they violate all known Rights; seizing on the Lands of their Neighbours, taking away their Cattel, and (not con­tent with that) owning it when they have done, by putting them openly into their pastures?

3. They drive way the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.3. If a poor Fatherless child have an Ass left him to carry his burthens, they drive it away on some pre­tence or other; and have no more mercy then to take of the Widow, for the secu­rity of her debt, the onely Oxe she hath wherewith to plough her ground.

4. They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves toge­ther.4. They offer Abuses to helpless people upon the high-way: so that the meaner sort dare not appear, for fear of their Insolence or their Violence.

5. Behold, as wild asses in the desart goe they forth to their work, rising betimes for a prey: the wil­derness yieldeth food for them and for their children.5. And you shall see o­thers of them who (making Pillage their trade) leave the Cities and Towns, and go to skulk in Forests and de­sart places; where becoming wild and savage, they live on Rapine and Spoil; in which they are so diligent, that those Wildernesses (where they neither plough nor sow) maintain their fa­milies.

6. They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wic­ked.6. For they make Inrodes, out of those Woods, into the neighbouring Fields and Vineyards; and thence wic­kedly carry away the Corn and the Grapes, never re­garding who is the owner of them.

7. They cause the naked to lodge without cloathing, that they have no covering in the cold.7. They spare not the poor Reapers and Vinta­gers; but, stripping them to their very skin, leave them never a rag to defend them from the cold, when they go to rest after their wearisome labours.

8. They are wet with the showrs of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shel­ter.8. They are exposed (poor wretches!) to the in­jury of the weather, as they [Page 147]lie asleep at the foot of mountains: they have no­whither to run, but into Caves and Holes of rocks; where they endeavour to shrowd themselves, when they see a Tempest coming.

9. They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.9. Nay, the Persons of men are not safe from the violence of these Outlaws: but they snatch away young Children from their Mo­thers breasts; and carry a­way the Poor (pretending they owe them something) to make them their Slaves.

10. They cause him to go naked without cloathing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry:10. Whom when they have stoln, they will not allow so much as Cloaths to cover their nakedness; nor let him that is ready to starve eat of the Sheaf which he hath gleaned.

11. Which make oyl within their walls, and tread their wine­presses, and suffer thirst.11. They cause these mi­serable creatures to press out their oyl and their wine in their Cellars; but let them not tast a drop, though they be ready to die with thirst.

12. Men groan from out of the ci­ty, and the soul of the wounded cri­eth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.12. Whole Cities groan under the Oppression of some or other of these wic­ked [Page 148]men, and cry out like those that are dying of their wounds: and yet God, who knows all this, doth not make them examples of his Displeasure, nor can we tell when He will punish them for their Injustice and Cru­elty.

13. They are of those that rebell against the light: they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.13. The world would be very empty, if He should destroy all such persons; for besides these open, there are more secret Sinners, who look upon the light as their Enemy: They dare not be seen in the day-time; or if they be espied, they pre­sently seek to hide them­selves, that they may not be discovered.

14. The mur­therer rising with the light, killeth the poor and nee­dy, and in the night is as a thief.14. The Murtherer, for instance, rises before the Sun, to kill those whose poverty calls them up to early la­bour; and then lurking all day in the close thickets and woods, he turns Robber, and rifles rich mens houses in the night.

15. The eye al­so of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me; and disguiseth his face.15. The Adulterer also, whose eye hath let an un­lawfull [Page 149]love into his heart, waits for the dusk of the evening, to favour his leud desire: Then he hopes no­body he meets withall will know him; but lest they should, he wraps his face in his cloak to prevent disco­very.

16. In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the day-time: they know not the light.16. And, when all are at rest, he will dig through the walls of houses, if there be no other way to come at the Adulteress: The assign­ment was made between them in the day-time, and the place then mark'd out, at which he may most easily enter; but it is the night which brings them together, to act the works of dark­ness.

17. For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the ter­rours of the sha­dow of death.17. These are their de­light; and if they chance to sleep too long together, and the morning surprise them, they are ready to die with fear: if any one know them, they are in the very agonies of death.

18. He is swift as the waters, their portion is cur­sed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.18. To this wicked crue you may adde the Pirate, [Page 150]who robs upon the Sea, and runs from one little creek to another in swift ships: which bring him in so much riches, that he despises the imployment of those who till the earth and plant vine­yards, as poor and unprofi­table.

19. Drought and heat consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.19. And yet all these, af­ter they have spent their life in such horrid Villanies, do not die of lingring and tormenting Diseases; but go down to the grave as ea­sily as Snow-water sinks in­to the dry ground when it is melted by the Sun.

20. The womb shall forget him, the worm shall feed sweetly on him, he shall be no more re­membred, and wic­kedness shall be broken as a tree.20. God sets no such mark of his Displeasure up­on him, but that his Mother may soon forget him: The hand of Justice doth not hang him on a gibbet for the birds to feed on; but he is carried to his grave like o­ther men, to be the sweet food of worms. There he lies quietly, and neither he nor his Wickedness are any more remembred then a Tree which is broken all to shi­vers.

21. He evil in­treateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.21. This is true even of him who, to hide his Villa­ny, kills the Child in the womb of her whom he hath deflowred; and when he hath abused a poor Widow, makes her no satisfaction.

22. He draw­eth also the migh­ty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.22. The greatest persons are not able to stand before him: When he rises up to assassinate, there is no man, be he never so strong, is sure of his life.

23. Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.23. Though he give you his hand, and promise you security so solemnly, that you think you may rely up­on him; yet he watches all occasions, and lies in wait secretly, to doe you mis­chief.

24. They are exalted for a little while, but are 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.24. Thus these Impious men flourish and are lifted up above all other; and then they depart the world without any Punishment: They are laid down and shut up in their Graves like all other men; nay, they die as easily (without those te­dious pains which some en­dure) as the top of an Ear [Page 152]of corn is cropt with your hand.

25. And if it be not so now, who will make me a li­ar, and make my speech nothing worth?25. All this I know to be so true, that I challenge all the World to disprove me: I am sure it is not in any man's power to shew that my Discourse is frivolous.

CHAP. XXV.

1. THEN an­swered Bildad the Shu­hite, and said,1. THEN Bildad, (whose turn it was to speak,) being unable to refute what Job had said, onely desired him in a few words, to beware how he reflected upon the Justice of God, or imagined him­self to be just if He exami­ned [Page 153]him. The words were these.

2. Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high-places.2. Take heed what thou sayest of God, the Sove­reign of the World, who ought to be worshipped by thee with the most awfull reverence; as He is in the Heavenly places, where they never rebell against his or­ders.

3. Is there any number of his ar­mies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?3. Hath He not innume­rable troups of Angels and other Creatures, all ready to execute his pleasure? And where is the man that is out of the verge of his all-overspreading Provi­dence?

4. How then can man be justifi­ed with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?4. Why then doth such a pitifull wretch as he talk of his Righteousness, before this glorious Majesty? He forgets sure the condition of his Birth, who pretends to Purity in his sight.

5. Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.5. Let a man lift up his eyes as high as the Moon, nay, look as far as the Sun and the Stars of Heaven, he shall find that they have their Spots; nay, in His [Page 152] [...] [Page 153] [...] [Page 154]presence, have no lustre at all.

6. How much less man that is a worm, and the son of man which is a worm?6. What can be expected then from miserable Man or his posterity; who, being full of Corruption whilst they live, can be nothing but Rottenness when they are dead?

CHAP. XXVI.

1. BƲT Job answered, and said,1. TO this Job replied almost as briefly; saying,

2. How hastthou helped him that is without power? how sa­vest thou the arm that hath no strength?2. O wonderfull Advo­cate! [Page 155]How excellently hast thou defended Him who hath no need of thy help? Dost thou think to doe the Almighty any service by such Discourses?

3. How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisedom? and how hast thou plentifully decla­red the thing as it is?3. What admirable Ad­vice wouldst thou give Him in his Government of the world, if He would admit thee to be his Counsellour, who imaginest, no doubt, thou aboundest with Wise­dom, and hast hit the very mark?

4. To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?4. Dost thou think me ignorant of such things as these? or canst thou pre­tend to any extraordinary inspiration concerning them?

5. Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabi­tants thereof.5. I know, as well as thou canst inform me, the Power of God; which appears not onely in the Heavens, (to which thou biddest me look,) but even in the low­est parts of the Earth: where vast giant-like Creatures are formed under the water, whose inhabitants are innu­merable.

6. Hell is na­ked before him, and destruction hath no covering.6. Nor is his Knowledge, [Page 156]I am sensible, less then his Power; but penetrates into the greatest depths: the ve­ry dead, who are quite re­moved out of our sight, be­ing perfectly visible unto him.

7. He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon no­thing.7. Who by his wonder­full Power and Wisedom stretches out the whole World from the one Pole to the other: which He alone sustains; as He doth this globe of Earth hanging in the Air, without any thing to support it.

8. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them.8. It is He who binds up the fluid Waters, as it were in bags, and keeps them a long time hanging in the Clouds: through which they do not burst all at once, but distill by drops to moisten the earth in due season.

9. He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.9. These Clouds He spreads before the glorious face of Heaven, to restrain the beams of the Sun from scor­ching the earth.

10. He hath compassed the wa­ters with bounds, untill the day and night come to an end.10. He hath inclosed the waters of the Sea in shores; and so exactly compassed [Page 157]them about, that as long as the world lasts they shall not be able (be they never so furious) to exceed those bounds, but shall break all their rage against them into froth.

11. The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished at his reproof.11. And yet the highest Mountains, which look as if they were the pillars and supporters of the Heavens, quake and tremble, when He thunders and lightens upon them.

12. He divi­deth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.12. By his Power He rai­ses a Tempest, which makes great furrows in the Sea, and divideth, as it were, one part of it from another: and (such is his Wisedom) He knows how to appease it again, and depress its proud waves into the deadest calm.

13. By his spi­rit he hath gar­nished the hea­vens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.13. Finally, by his wise contrivance the Heavens were adorned, and made thus beautifull, as we be­hold them: His Power made the Milky way, (and other celestial Signs,) whose win­dings are so admirable.

14. Lo these are parts of his ways, but how lit­tle a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can un­derstand?14. And yet these are [Page 158]but very small parcells of his Works: For, alas! it is ve­ry little that such as we can comprehend of Him; but the utmost force of his Pow­er is past all understanding.

CHAP. XXVII.

1. MOreover Job con­tinued his para­ble, and said,1. AFTER Job had made some pause, and Zophar (whose turn it was now to speak) had no­thing at all to reply, He proceeded with greater e­loquence then ever to assert his Innocence; saying,

2. As God li­veth, who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;2. I protest by the Eter­nal God, who, for the pre­sent, will not judge my Cause; by the Omnipotent Lord of the world, who hath loaded me with so ma­ny Afflictions, that they have taken away all the pleasure of Life from me:

3. All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my no­strils,3. I protest, I say, that as long as I have breath in my body, and He shall ena­ble me to speak a word,

4. My lips shall not speak wicked­ness, nor my tongue utter deceit.4. My tongue shall be the faithfull interpreter of mine heart, and I will never speak otherways then I think.

5. God forbid that I should justi­fie you: till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me.5. Therefore never hope I will yield to your Opinion, which I know to be false: [Page 160]no, I abhor the thought of it, and will sooner die then confess the Guilt which you charge me withall.

6. My righte­ousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.6. You shall never extort that from me, but I will re­solutely maintain my Righ­teousness, and not be per­suaded by any reasons to desert its defence: my Con­science doth not hitherto accuse me, and it shall ne­ver upbraid me hereafter, for betraying mine Inno­cence.

7. Let mine e­nemy be as the wicked; and he that riseth up a­gainst me, as the unrighteous.7. And let me tell you, he that sets himself against me, and would have me thought wicked, shall be found so himself in the end: I say again, he shall prove himself unrighteous sooner then me;

8. For what is the hope of the hy­pocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?8. Who know very well, it is madness for a man to counterfeit Piety, when he hath none: for though he may get Riches by that pre­tence while he lives, yet what hope hath he when he dies?

9. Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh up­on him?9. Nay before that, when [Page 161]any Calamity comes upon him, will God give any re­gard to the cries of one who regarded Him so little?

10. Will he de­light himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?10. Or will he himself have the confidence to go to God, and expect any comfort from Him? will he not rather despond in such a case, and cease to call upon Him?

11. I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Al­mighty will I not conceal.11. Do not disdain to learn of me, and I will make you understand what God doeth with the Wicked; and discover to you some of the secrets of his Almighty Providence.

12. Behold, all ye your selves have seen it, why then are ye thus altoge­ther vain?12. Behold, there is not one of you but hath by his own experience found what I am about to say to be cer­tainly true; and yet, such is your vanity, you will de­fend an ungrounded opini­on.

13. This is the portion of a wic­ked man with God, and the heritage of oppressours, which they shall receive of the Almighty.13. I grant that a Wicked man (but not all Wicked men, as you maintain) doth sometimes receive such Pu­nishment from God as he de­serves: which might make [Page 162]other tyrannical Oppressours fear to meet with the same Vengeance.

14. If his chil­dren be multipli­ed, it is for the sword: and his off­spring shall not be satisfied with bread.14. We have seen, for instance, his numerous po­sterity fall by the sword of Justice or War; or by the fury of a popular Tumult: and they who escaped were reserved to perish with cru­el Hunger;

15. Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.15. Or else with such pe­stilential Diseases, that none would adventure to bury them, nor did their widows survive to lament them.

16. Though he heap up silver as the dust, and pre­pare raiment as the clay;16. So that if he have treasured up such heaps of Riches, that he values silver no more then dust, nor costly apparel and furni­ture then the mire of the street;

17. He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the sil­ver.17. He shall have onely the trouble of gathering them together, but none of his shall enjoy them: God shall translate all these Trea­sures to another family, who shall doe more good with them.

18. He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the kee­per maketh.18. He builds a goodly [Page 163]Fabrick, out of which he is as easily shaken as a moth out of a garment: and it shall not be more durable then the booth, which is made for him that keeps the fruits of a garden.

19. The rich man shal lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he ope­neth his eyes, and he is not.19. And when he dieth, he shall have no Monument made for him: nay, while he lives it so falls out, that he looks about him, and sees that every-body hath deserted him.

20. Terrours take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.20. Innumerable Ter­rours then break in upon him and surprise him, like an Inundation of waters; the Divine Vengeance, like a violent Tempest, unex­pectedly hurries him away.

21. The east-wind carrieth him away, and he de­parteth: and, as a storm, hurleth him out of his place.21. Some pestilent Va­pour blasts him irrecovera­bly; and as certainly kills him, as a Whirlwind hurls things out of their place.

22. For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.22. Or God shall send some other Mischiefs so fast upon him, (without any pi­ty to him, who had none for others,) that all the at­tempts shall be in vain, [Page 164]which he makes to escape the Vengeance.

23. Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.23. At which the behol­ders shall rejoyce, and ap­plaud God's righteous Judg­ment: (which I confess He sometimes executes:) They shall hiss at his Name when he is dead, in that very place where he hath been so much magnified.

CHAP. XXVIII.

1. SƲRELY, there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold, where they fine it.1. YOU would have me give a Reason perhaps why God punishes some Wicked men, and not all: But the wit and indu­stry of mankind, which have discovered Mines of silver and gold, must not think to find out this Se­cret, which God hath re­served to himself.

2. Iron is ta­ken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.2. They invent means to extract Iron and Brass, out of the Earth and out of Stone.

3. He setteth an end to dark­ness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of dark­ness, and the sha­dow of death.3. There is no Mine so dismally dark, but there some man or other sets things in order for his work; he searches to the very bottom of it, and finds out those Stones which lie in the most abstruse and hidden parts of the Earth.

4. The floud breaketh out from the inhabitants; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dri­ed up, they are gone away from men.4. A Floud breaks out from some neighbouring place, and disturbs the Mi­ners: (for the waters seem as if they would stagnate there and never stir a foot:) but by the hard labour of man they are drained, and leave the place dry again.

5. As for the earth, out of it co­meth bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.5. Out of the surface of the Earth he gets Herbs and Corn, for his food and suste­nance; and underneath it he finds Lime and Brimstone and such like fiery stuff, for other uses.

6. The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.6. He goes into Countries whose stones are the place where Sapphires are lodged; [Page 167]and whose dust to him is as good as gold.

7. There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vul­ture's eye hath not seen:7. He treads in paths which no Bird of prey knoweth; which the most quick-sighted among them hath never seen:

8. The lions whelps have not troden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.8. Where the wildest Beasts, who search for soli­tary places, never made their den, or so much as ap­proached; no not the rave­nous Lions, whose hunger leads them every-where to seek satisfaction.

9. He putteth forth his hand up­on the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.9. He digs through the hardest Rocks by his obsti­nate labour; and under­mines Mountains, that he may find the Treasure hid in their bowels.

10. He cutteth out rivers among the rocks, and his eye seeth every pre­cious thing.10. And if he meet with Waters which hinder his work, he cuts a Chanell through the Rock to con­vey them away; and ne­ver rests till he hath disco­vered every thing that may requite his indefatigable pains.

11. He bindeth the flouds from o­verflowing, and the thing that is hid, bringeth he forth to light.11. Nay, more then this, he stops the course of Ri­vers, [Page 168]and leaves not a drop remaining; that he may bring to light all that is hid­den in the bottom of them.

12. But where shall wisedom be found? and where is the place of un­derstanding?12. But though he be so successfull in these Searches, he must not think to com­prehend the Reasons of wise providence. He may study as long as he pleases, and weary himself with bui­sy inquiries; but never be able with all his labour to dive into the bottom of this Secret, why God doth not punish all the Wicked, who so insolently contemn him.

13. Man know­eth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.13. Alas! this Wise­dom is not to be purchased with all that wretched Man hath to give for it: it is not a thing that any part of this world affords.

14. The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.14. The Miners, poor Souls! dig they never so deep, are never like to come within the reach of it: nor is it to be fetch'd by the Ma­riner from any of those Countries to which he sails.

15. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.15. All the Gold and Sil­ver which men have heaped up by such long toil and la­bour, are too inconsidera­ble a price to be offered for it.

16. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx or the sapphire.16. Though it be the purest Gold which comes from Ophir, together with all the precious Stones wherewith that rich Coun­try abounds, they are of so little value,

17. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.17. That if you should adde the Gold and the Cry­stall which are brought from other places, with all the Vessels made by the art of man of the most refined and massy gold, they could doe nothing to obtain it.

18. No menti­on shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisedom is above rubies.18. The precious Stones which are fetch'd out of the mountains of the East are not worthy to be named with it: Men may dive in­to the Sea and fetch up Pearls, but this Wisedom lies a great deal deeper.

19. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, nei­ther shall it be va­lued with pure gold.19. The Arabian Topaz, which is so much esteemed for its wonderfull lustre, [Page 170]doth not come near it; nor are all the golden Orna­ments, which they wear in those parts, proportionable to it.

20. Whence then cometh wise­dom? and where is the place of un­derstanding?20. By what means then shall we get this Wisedom of which we are so desirous? who can shew us where it lies, that we may go and search for it?

21. Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.21. We may ask this que­stion as often as we please, but none can resolve us: for it is concealed from all men living; the most soa­ring wits were never able to disclose it.

22. Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.22. Death is the best In­former, and the Grave the onely place where we may learn something of it. But this is all that they can tell us, (which is as far short of a full account, as a rumour is from a certain knowledge,) that they will shortly make all men equal; and then it will be of no great moment, whether we have been hap­py or miserable.

23. God un­derstandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.23. None but God under­stands [Page 171]the way and method of his own Providence: He alone knows the place of that Wisedom we enquire after; which is no-where else, but in his own Mind.

24. For he loo­keth to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven:24. For who should go­vern the World but He, whose Understanding is in­finite; and sees the motions of all Creatures, from one end of it to the other?

25. To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the wa­ters by measure.25. Which He hath set in such exact order, and gi­ven to them such just mea­sures, that the Wind can­not blow, nor the Waters flow, but in those propor­tions which He hath prescri­bed.

26. When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the light­ning of the thun­der:26. To the like laws He hath bound the Rain, and appointed the course which the Thundering cloud shall take.

27. Then did he see it, and de­clare it, he pre­pared it, yea, and searched it out.27. And when He orde­red all these things, He was pleased in the wisedom which He saw in his works; He made it visible and ap­parent; He fixed it there­fore, and made these Laws [Page 172]perpetual: because, after all the search that could be made, He found no fault in it.

28. And unto man he said, Be­hold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisedom, and to depart from evil is understanding.28. And making Man at the same time, He imprin­ted this sense upon his heart; that he ought to be an hum­ble Adorer, not a Censurer, of his secret Wisedome, whereby He governs the World. For the highest Wisedom and skill that man can attain, is to be possessed with such a Religious Fear of the great Lord of all, as not to dare to doe any thing which he knows will dis­please Him.

CHAP. XXIX.

1. MOreover Job con­tinued his parable, and said,1. HERE Job made a­nother pause, to see if his Friends would re­turn any Answer: But they continuing silent, he pro­ceeded in his eloquent Vin­dication of himself; say­ing,

2. Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me:2. Oh that God would re-establish me in that hap­py [Page 174]Condition, wherein, sometime agoe, I was a prin­cipal part of his Care! You would then give a greater regard to my words, then you do now in my Misfor­tune:

3. When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness:3. Which hath left me Nothing but onely Wishes, that He would restore me those pleasant days, when I saw nothing but continued tokens of his Favour; by which I passed untouch'd through all the Inconveni­ces and Troubles of this Life.

4. As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my taberna­cle:4. Oh the flourishing season of that prosperous e­state! would it were possi­ble to recall the Felicity of those days, when the Di­vine Providence treated me so kindly, that all my An­swers were held for Oracles:

5. When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me:5. When the Almighty Goodness had not ceased to be gracious to me; but I saw my self surrounded with my Children and Servants, waiting to know my plea­sure.

6. When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oyl:6. When my Lands were so fertile and were blessed with such plenty, as if the rivers had flowed with butter and oyl:

7. When I went out to the gate, through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!7. When I went in state to the Court of judgment, and sate on the Bench, in the open place, where the people are wont to have their causes heard:

8. The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged a­rose, and stood up.8. And the Youth seeing me appear, were seised with such fear, that they durst not look me in the face; and the Aged no sooner per­ceived me, but they rose up from their seats, and, in token of reverence, stood in my presence.

9. The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.9. Immediately ensued a general Silence; the Prin­ces themselves breaking off their discourses, and not ta­king the liberty to speak a word.

10. The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.10. The Nobles and great Commanders could not have heard me with greater attention and stil­ness, if they had quite lost their voices, or their tongues [Page 176]had been tied to the roof of their mouths.

11. When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave wit­ness to me:11. And (so far was I from being a Tyrant, as you have accused me, XXII. 5, 6.) there was no ear heard the Sentence I gave, but praised my Integrity; no eye saw me after I had spo­ken, but you might have beheld therein the Respect and Honour which they all bare me.

12. Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.12. Because I never fai­led to ease the Poor when he complained of his Op­pressions; the Fatherless, and such as had none to take their parts, ever found me their Defender.

13. The bles­sing of him that was ready to pe­rish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.13. I had his prayer for my Prosperity, whose life and estate I preserved, when he was in danger of utter undoing: and I made the sorrowfull Widow such a joyfull woman, that she o­penly proclaimed my praise.

14. I put on righteousness, and it cloathed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.14. For in the morning I put on a resolution to doe justly, together with my cloaths; and I never swer­ved [Page 177]from it all the day af­ter: But look'd upon the righteous Sentence which I pronounced, as a greater ornament then the purple Robe on my Shoulder, and the Diadem upon my head.

15. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.15. I instructed him who did not well understand his own buisiness; and assisted him who wanted means to carry on his cause.

16. I was a fa­ther to the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out.16. For the Poor I had such a paternal affection, that it made me his Advocate as well as his Judge: and I never left studying his cause, (when there was an obscuri­ty in it,) till I had cleared the buisiness, and done him right.

17. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and pluckt the spoil out of his teeth.17. By which means I disabled the Unjust to op­press them; and forced them to restore that which they had violently extorted from them.

18. Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.18. And having done so many Vertuous actions, and being in such high Authori­ty, I was apt to promise my self that, after an exceeding [Page 178]long and happy Life, I should die quietly in mine own house, among my Chil­dren and Friends.

19. My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.19. For, being like a Tree whose root spreadeth out it self by the waters, and whose boughs are per­petually moistned by the sweet dew of Heaven, I thought I should never wi­ther.

20. My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.20. My Esteem and Re­putation increased every day, and grew greater; and so did my Power to de­fend the Authority and Dig­nity I had obtained.

21. Ʋnto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my coun­sel.21. Though there was no need I should so imploy it; for when I spake, all men gave me the greatest atten­tion, and my words were a Law to them:

22. After my words they spake not again, and my speech dropped up­on them.22. Which when I had uttered, no man contradic­ted, or so much as correc­ted; but it sweetly instilled it self and sunk into their hearts.

23. And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide, as for the latter rain.23. For they expected my Opinion with the same ea­ger [Page 179]desire that the Husband­man doth the Showrs, after he hath sown his seed; they gaped for it as the thirsty Earth doth for the latter Rain, to plump the corn.

24. If I laugh­ed on them, they believed it not, and the light of my countenance they cast not down.24. The Reverence they bare me was so great, that when I laid aside my Gra­vity, and jeasted with them, they would not believe it; but still took all I said to be serious: and whatsoever pleasantness I used with them, it did not diminish my Authority among them.

25. I chose out their way, and sate chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth [...] the mourners.25. But if I went to visit them, they still preserved their Respect to me, and gave me the Preeminence. And as my Condescension to them did not make them less honour me, so their Sub­mission to me did not make me less familiar with them: for when I sate as a King guarded with many troups of followers, I comforted the meanest, and would not suffer them to be dejected.

CHAP. XXX.

1. BƲT now they that are younger then I, have me in derisi­on, whose fathers I would have dis­dained to have set with the dogs of my flock. 1. BƲT now they that are younger then I, have me in derisi­on, whose fathers I would have dis­dained to have set with the dogs of my flock.1. BUT now, alas! there is so sad an alterati­on, that the Youths, who durst not look me in the face, have the confidence to mock and jear me; even those Youths, whose Fa­thers were so mean, that I disdained to imploy them in the vilest service.

2. Yea, where­to might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? 2. Yea, where­to might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?2. Men whom if I had had a mind to imploy, were fit for Nothing; being so lazy, listless, and unable to [Page 181]doe any buisiness, that it was in vain to call them to it.

3. For want and famine they were solitary: flee­ing into the wil­derness in former time desolate and waste:3. Beggerly fellows, who, being ready to starve, were ashamed to be seen; and sneak'd into desart places to hide their poverty: it is but yesterday that they were most wretchedly misera­ble;

4. Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juni­per-roots for their meat.4. Satisfying their hun­ger with those unsavoury Herbs, which they cut up in the salt marishes; and ha­ving no other bread but the roots of Juniper-trees.

5. They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them, as after a thief)5. They were driven from the society of men; and if ever they appeared, an out-cry was raised against them, as there is against a Thief when he is discove­red.

6. To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.6. They had no other ha­bitation, but the Clefts which the brooks sometimes make in the vallies; or the Caves which they found in other parts of the earth, or in the rocks.

7. Among the bushes they bray­ed, under the net­tles they were ga­thered together.7. Their Sighs might be [Page 182]heard, like the braying of Asses, among the thorn­bushes; they lurked toge­ther under nettles or thi­stles:

8. They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler then the earth.8. Being leud Villains, the Children of obscure Pa­rents; viler then the Earth upon which they trod.

9. And now am I their song, yea, I am their by word.9. And now I am become their Pastime: They have made Songs of my Calami­ty; and it is the common entertainment to discourse of my Misery.

10. They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.10. They express an ab­horrence of me; and, as vile as they are, will not come near me; or if they do, it is onely to shew their extream Contempt of me.

11. Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have al­so let loose the bri­dle before me.11. God, they see, hath scattered all my Estate, and by sore Afflictions laid me very low; which hath made them forget all Respect to me, and take an unrestrai­ned licence in their insolent behaviour towards me.

12. Ʋpon my right hand rise the youth, they push away my feet, and they raise up a­gainst me the ways of their destructi­on.12. They set up the very Boys to accuse me; they [Page 183]push me down, and then trample on me: I am be­come the beaten path, as I may call my self, of their pernicious Reproaches.

13. They mar my path, they set forward my cala­mity, they have no helper.13. They so disturb my thoughts, that I know not what course to take in this miserable condition: which they heighten by their Ca­lumnies; and are so fruitfull in them, that they need none to help to invent them.

14. They came upon me as a wide breaking in of wa­ters: in the deso­lation they rolled themselves upon me.14. They assault me with such a fury as Souldiers do their Enemies, when they have made a wide breach in the wall of a besieged City, and pour in all their forces to destroy them.

15. Terrours are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth a­way as a cloud.15. This dismall Change hath fearfully astonished me, to see all my Wishes and Hopes dispersed like the wind, and all the Happiness I possessed passed away as swiftly as a cloud.

16. And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.16. I can doe nothing now but melt into tears; my very Soul is ready to faint away with grief; when I [Page 184]think how those joyfull days are gone, and what Distres­ses have seized on me, and come to take their place.

17. My bones are pierced in me in the night-sea­son: and my si­news take no rest.17. In the night (when Sleep is wont to bury our Grief) I feel such sharp pains, as penetrate through my very bones; my bloud boils so violently in my veins, that I can take no rest.

18. By the great force of my dis­ease, is my gar­ment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.18. It requires a great deal of strength, when I would shift my cloaths, to pull them off: my outward garment, by the filthy Mat­ter of my sores, being glewed as fast to me, as the collar of my shirt.

19. He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.19. I look as if I had been thrown into the dirt: there is little difference between me, and dust and ashes.

20. I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.20. And, which is saddest of all, I call upon Thee, O God, but cannot prevail with Thee to relieve me: I continue praying and wai­ting for thy help, and Thou sufficiently understandest my miserable case;

21. Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thy self a­gainst me.21. But thy former Kind­ness to me is turned into such Severity, that it looks like Cruelty: Thou hast given me such deadly blows, as if thou hatedst me.

22. Thou lif­test me up to the wind: thou cau­sest me to ride up­on it, and dissol­vest my substance.22. Thou didst lift me up on high, and madest me, as it were, to ride upon the clouds: but hast thrown me down with so much the sorer Fall, which hath bro­ken me all in pieces.

23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.23. So that I can think of nothing but dying, and going to my Grave; the common Sanctuary of all mankind.

24. Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruc­tion.24. Whither thy afflic­ting hand will not pursue me: for though men cry when they are sent thither, yet when they are there, all their Sufferings and Com­plaints are ended.

25. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?25. Strange, that I should be thus punish'd without a­ny mercy! was I wont to be so unmercifull to others? No, I never look'd upon men under any hardship without tears; and was so [Page 186]sensibly touched with the Miseries of the Poor, that I ever relieved them.

26. When I looked for good, then evil came un­to me: and when I waited for light, there came dark­ness.26. Which gave me good hope that I should be very happy: but in stead there­of, the saddest Afflictions and Troubles are befaln me.

27. My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.27. Which have so sud­denly surprised me, that they have put me into the greatest commotion and dis­order: my bowels boil without the least intermissi­on.

28. I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.28. My Affliction is so constant without any glimpse of Joy, that I am a perpe­tual Mourner; and am not able to lie still, nor to re­frain from Shrieks and Cries in the greatest Assemblies.

29. I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.29. I can doe nothing but lament my self, as if I were one of those mournfull creatures, which make such dolefull noises in desart pla­ces.

30. My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burnt with heat.30. The boiling heat in my body hath so parched [Page 187]me, that my Skin looks black; and the Marrow in my bones and all my vitall moisture is dried up.

31. My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.31. And, to say no more, all Mirth is banished my House, the musicall instru­ments are laid aside, and nothing but Mourning and Weeping come in their room.

CHAP. XXXI.

1. I Made a co­venant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?1. BUT do not, I be­seech you, any lon­ger look upon these Suffe­rings as an argument that I am not innocent; for I pro­test to you, I have been ve­ry resolute and carefull to avoid even the occasions of Lasciviousness: And there­fore how should I ever so much as deliberate to cor­rupt a Virgin?

2. For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheri­tance of the Al­mighty from on high?2. For I know there is a God in Heaven, an Almigh­ty Being, who rules over all: and what could I ex­pect from Him, as the re­ward of such Impurity?

3. Is not de­struction to the wicked? and a strange punish­ment to the wor­kers of iniquity?3. Doth it not lead to destruction? nay, do not strange and horrible Punish­ments fall upon the workers of that Iniquity?

4. Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?4. Is it possible to commit it so secretly, that it shall not be known by Him, who observes every motion, and tells every step I take?

5. If I have walked with vani­ty, or if my foot hath hasted to de­ceit;5. If I have broke my Promises, or have been for­ward to deceive and cheat my Neighbour;

6. Let me be weighed in an e­ven balance, that God may know mine integrity?6. I refuse not to be tri­ed: but rather desire my actions may be scrupulously weighed and examined; for God, I am sure, will approve of my upright dealing.

7. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath clea­ved to my hands:7. If I have turned aside from the rules of Justice for fear or favour; if I have co­veted the Goods of other men, or my hands have ta­ken any Bribes,

8. Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my off-spring be rooted out.8. Let me be served in my kind, and let other men eat the Corn which I have sowed, and pluck up the Trees (roots and all) which I have planted.

9. If mine heart have been deceived by a wo­man, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door:9. If my heart hath been seduced to filthy desires af­ter another man's Wife; if I have watched for his ab­sence, or some fair oppor­tunity, to enter into his house, and defile his bed;

10. Then let my wife grind un­to another, and let others bow down upon her.10. Then let others take away my Wife from me, and make her the vilest Slave, whom they may use at their pleasure.

11. For this is an heinous crime, yea, it is an ini­quity to be pu­nished by the judges.11. I ever thought this a Crime of the highest nature, [Page 191]an Iniquity to be corrected by the severity of the pub­lick Justice.

12. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.12. For it is a Fire, which, if it be not extinguished, consumes men and their estates, yea destroys whole Families and Kingdoms: and so incenses the Divine Displeasure, that, should it escape the Magistrates pu­nishment, I could never hope that any thing of mine (were I guilty of it) should thrive, but all come to ut­ter ruine.

13. If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-ser­vant, when they contended with me:13. So far was I from do­ing such foul Injuries to my Neighbours, that I never extended my Power to the oppression of my Slaves: but was content to wave the priviledge the Law gave me, of using them as I plea­sed; and to allow them a fair hearing, when they had any difference with me.

14. What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visi­teth, what shall I answer him?14. For I thought with my self, that though men could not punish me for my rigour towards them, yet I should never be able to ex­cuse [Page 192]it to God, when He came to judge me; nor tell what to answer, when He called me to an account for my ill usage of them.

15. Did not he that made me in the womb, make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?15. I often also called to mind, that there was not such a difference in our E­states, as there was an equa­lity in our Births: and that we having one common Cre­atour, my Slave was as near­ly related to God as my self.

16. If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail:16. Nor have the Poor any reason to complain of me: for if I ever denied to satisfy their desire, or let the Widow in vain expect my relief;

17. Or have eaten my morsel my self alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten there­of:17. Or have sitten down at my Table alone, without the company of Fatherless children;

18. (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a fa­ther, and I have guided her from my mother's womb)18. (For whom I have al­ways had a natural compassi­on from my very youth; I brought it into the world with me, and it hath been my companion ever since;)

19. If I have seen any perish for want of cloathing, or any poor with­out covering:19. If I have suffered any to perish for want of Cloa­thing, or let the Poor go naked without a covering;

20. If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sleep;20. If his loins did not ad­monish him to bless me, as oft as he girded on his gar­ment, and he were not kept warm with the cloth made of my wool;

21. If I have lift up my hand a­gainst the father­less, when I saw my help in the gate:21. If I ever have beaten the Fatherless, because I knew I should be too strong for him in the Court, in case he complained there of the Injustice;

22. Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.22. Then let that guilty Arm fall off from my shoul­der, or be broken in two in the midst.

23. For de­struction from God was a terrour to me, and by rea­son of his highness I could not endure.23. For I never thought I could escape the Divine Vengeance; the dread of which affrighted me, when men could not, from all such insolence: for I knew I could not support my self against his Majesty.

24. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my con­fidence:24. Whose Favour I do [Page 194]not desire, if I have put my trust in Riches, and thought my self safe and secure be­cause I was furnished with the noblest Treasures:

25. If I rejoy­ced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much:25. Or if I was vainly elated and puffed up with the large Possessions left me by my Ancestours, or with the great increase I had made to them by my own indu­stry.

26. If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness:26. If when I beheld the Sun arise, or the Moon ap­pear in her full lustre,

27. And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:27. I ever entertained an opinion in my mind that they were Gods, or kissed my hand in token of wor­ship and reverence to them;

28. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have deni­ed the God that is above.28. This also were a fear­full Crime, which God's Vice-gerents should punish: because it were to put those Stars in the place of Him who is above all Heavens.

29. If I rejoy­ced at the destruc­tion of him that hated me, or lift up my self when evil found him:29. Whom I do not wish to be my Friend, if I ever was glad at the ruine of mine Enemy; or insulted over [Page 195]him, when any mischief be­fell him:

30. (Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul)30. (No, I was not so much as guilty of making a­ny Imprecations against him, nor was provoked by his malice to wish him dead:)

31. If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be sa­tisfied.31. Though the people of my Family were so inra­ged at him, that, if I would have yielded to their passi­on, they were ready to eat him up with an insatiable Anger.

32. The stran­ger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.32. Much less was I guil­ty of Unkindness to Stran­gers, whom I never suffered to lodge in the streets: for the door of my house stood open, that any Traveller might turn in there, if he pleased.

33. If I cove­red my transgressi­ons, as Adam: by hiding mine ini­quity in my bosom.33. If I have studied to seem better then I am, and have not now made a free Confession; but, like our First Parent, have concea­led or excused my Faults, and out of self-love have hidden mine Iniquity;

34. Did I fear a great multitude, or did the con­tempt of families terrifie me: that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?34. Because I dread what the people will say of me, [Page 196]or am terrified by the Con­tempt, into which the know­ledge of my Guilt may bring me with the neighbouring families: then I am content my mouth should be stopt, and that I never stir out of my door any more.

35. Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Al­mighty would an­swer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.35. Oh that the truth of all this might be examined by some equal Judge! Be­hold, I continue still to de­sire of God this favour: And let him that can accuse me, bring in his Libell in writing against me.

36. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.36. Surely I would not endeavour to obscure it, but openly expose it to be read by all; nay, wear it as a singular Ornament, which would turn to my honour, when the world saw it disproved.

37. I would declare unto him the number of my steps, as a prince would I go near unto him.37. I my self would assist him to draw up his Charge, by declaring to him freely every Action of my life: I would approach him as un­dauntedly as a Prince, who is assured of the goodness of his cause.

38. If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain:38. For if so much as a bit of my Land was unjustly gotten, or I have defrauded those who ploughed it of their wages;

39. If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:39. If I have taken the fruits of it from my Tenants, and paid nothing for them; or let them such hard bar­gains, that it broke their heart:

40. Let thi­stles grow in stead of wheat, and cockle in stead of barley. The words of Job are ended.40. Then let Corn never grow there any more; but let it be overrun with Thi­stles, and the most stinking Weeds.

Here Job ended his Defence.

CHAP. XXXII.

1. SO these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.1. AND his three Friends also left off dispu­ting with him; because they saw him immovably fixed in the opinion of his Inno­cence.

2. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Bu­zite, of the kin­dred of Ram: a­gainst Job was his wrath kindled, be­cause he justified himself rather then God.2. Which very much dis­pleased a young man, who had stood by all this time, and heard what both sides said for themselves. His name was Elihu, descended from a Brother of Abraham: who was exceeding angry with Job, because he spent more time in justifying him­self, then in justifying God;

3. Also against his three friends was his wrath kin­dled, because they had found no an­swer, and yet had condemned Job.3. And with his three Friends also, because they were not able to maintain [Page 200]their Charge against Job, and yet had condemned him to be a wicked Hypocrite.

4. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder then he.4. Yet he moderated his passion so discreetly, that he said not a word, till he had waited, as well as Job, to see whether they would re­sume the Debate: because it was not fit he thought, for him to meddle, as long as his Elders had any thing to say.

5. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kin­dled.5. But when he saw that none of the three offered to reply, but sate as men that knew not what to say, he was not able to hold his peace any longer:

6. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, an­swered, and said, I am young, and ye are very old, wherefore I was a­fraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.6. But in this manner ad­dressed himself unto them; saying, I have considered all this while mine own Youth and your aged Ex­perience; which hath de­terred me so much, that I have hitherto been afraid to interpose my Opinion.

7. I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wise­dom.7. I thought with my self, that it was becoming one of my small standing, to hear rather then to speak; [Page 201]and to learn Wisedom in such grave company as yours, rather then pretend to teach it.

8. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspirati­on of the Almigh­ty giveth them un­derstanding.8. But I see I was mista­ken: Man is a very wretch­ed thing, though he live ne­ver so long, if God do not illuminate him. It is the Divine Inspiration which gives Understanding.

9. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged under­stand judgment.9. They are not always the wisest, who are in Au­thority, and the Teachers of others: nor do old men always so well imploy their years, as to understand the difference of things.

10. Therefore I said, Hearken to me, I also will shew mine opinion.10. Therefore let me in­treat you to lend your ears a little to me: I also will tell you what I think about this matter.

11. Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilest you sear­ched out what to say.11. Do not think me too forward; for I have with great patience heard all your Discourses, and observed your Arguments; and let you proceed till you have searched as far as you could into the buisiness:

12. Yea, I at­tended unto you: and behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that an­swered his words:12. And having duly con­sidered [Page 202]and comprehended every word, I must needs pronounce that there is none of you hath confuted Job; nor said any thing to the purpose, in answer to his Defence of himself.

13. Lest ye should say, we have found out wise­dom: God thrust­eth him down, not man.13. For it is not sufficient for you to say, he is Obsti­nate; and therefore it is wisely done of us to leave him to God: He shall con­found him, by continuing his Affliction; not We, by our Arguments.

14. Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.14. Which truly are so weak, that I shall make no use of them: But as Job hath directed none of his words against me, so I shall trou­ble him with none of your Replies.

15. They were amazed, they an­swered no more: they left off spea­king.15. See, I beseech you, all you that hear us, how these Disputants are ama­zed; how silent they are, as if their speech had forsa­ken them.

16. When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and an­swered no more)16. You are my Witnes­ses, that I have waited for satisfaction: but after long expectation they bring forth [Page 203]nothing; they are at a stand, and furnished with no fur­ther Answer.

17. I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opini­on.17. Which made me re­solve within my self, that I would have a share in this Dispute; and shew, as I have often told you, what my Opinion is concerning it.

18. For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.18. And indeed it is high time; for I am so full, by long thinking of what I have to say, that I am in pain till I have uttered my mind.

19. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles.19. My thoughts work within me, like new Wine in a Vessel: and we are both alike in danger to burst, un­less there be a vent.

20. I will speak, that I may be re­freshed: I will o­pen my lips and answer.20. I must speak there­fore, if it be but to ease my self: I will open my lips, as they do such Vessels, and make an Answer, because I cannot with safety hold my peace any longer.

21. Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.21. And, I beseech you, let me speak with all free­dom; with regard onely to the Cause, and not to the Person: and do not expect [Page 204]that I should complement, and give to man any glori­ous titles.

22. For I know not to give flatte­ring titles, in so doing my maker will soon take me away.22. For I do not under­stand that art of soothing men into a great opinion of themselves: or if I did, I should not venture to use it; lest He that made me should presently stop my mouth, for not dealing plainly.

CHAP. XXXIII.

1. WHere­fore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.1. AND truly I think I need not use any [Page 206]farther Preface, to perswade thee, O Job, to hear my Discourse, and to give an attentive ear to all I have to say.

2. Behold, now have I opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.2. Behold, now I begin; my words are upon my tongue, if thou art ready to receive them.

3. My words shall be of the up­rightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.3. And I assure thee they shall be the unfeigned language of mine heart, which it shall not be hard for thee to understand: for the instruction they give thee shall be clearly and per­spicuously delivered.

4. The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.4. And first of all consi­der, that I am no other Crea­ture then what thou art; a Man whom the power of God hath formed, and then inspired with Life.

5. If thou canst answer me, set thy words in or­der before me, stand up.5. Thou needest not therefore decline the En­counter; but if thou art a­ble to answer, set thy forces in order against me, and stand up to oppose me.

6. Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.6. Thou hast formerly desired (IX. 33. XIII. 3.) that some-body would ap­pear [Page 207]in God's stead, to rea­son the Case with thee: Behold, thou hast thy wish; I am the Man that appears for Him; who am made of the same matter with thy self.

7. Behold, my terrour shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy up­on thee.7. Look upon me, the Combate is not unequall, (as thou complainedst when thou lookedst upon God, IX. 34. XIII. 21.) thou seest no dreadfull Majesty in me to affright thee, nor any Power to oppress thee.

8. Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,8. I do not accuse thee neither, as they three Friends have done, of Crimes un­certain or unknown; but of what I my self, with mine own ears, have heard thee utter.

9. I am clean without transgres­sion, I am inno­cent; neither is there iniquity in me.9. For surely thou hast said more then once, (X. 7. XIII. 23. XVI. 17, &c. XXXI.) I am pure and with­out any Fault, in my heart and in my actions, both to­wards God and towards man.

10. Behold, he findeth occasions a­gainst me, he coun­teth me for his e­nemy.10. Behold, He, who I thought would have vindi­cated [Page 208]my Innocence, seeks for occasions to fall out with me; and for slight matters declares himself mine Ene­my.

11. He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.11. Whom He keeps so fast in prison, that I cannot stir; and watches so narrow­ly, that I can find no way to escape.

12. Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater then man.12. This is thy complai­ning language, and mark what I say to thee: Though I cannot accuse thee, as thy Friends have done, of other Sins, yet in this thou dost offend; and I must repre­hend thee for it, by remem­bring thee that there is no comparison between God and Man.

13. Why dost thou strive against him? for he gi­veth not account of any of his mat­ters.13. And therefore why dost thou presume to dispute with Him, and call Him to an account for his actions, who will not reveal to us all the Secrets of his Provi­dence?

14. For God speaketh once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not.14. Not that God envies knowledge to us, for He teaches man more ways then one; and a great deal [Page 209]more then he takes care to learn.

15. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbrings upon the bed:15. One way is by a Dream, (which you may call a Night-vision,) when men fall into a deep sleep, or lie on their beds between sleep­ing and waking:

16. Then he o­peneth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,16. Then (when their minds are free from the bui­siness and cares of the day) He secretly whispers Instruc­tion in their ears, and im­prints it upon their minds.

17. That he may withdraw man from his pur­pose, and hide pride from man.17. Not to make them understand indeed all the se­cret reasons of his Provi­dence; but to turn man from his evil way, and to dispose him with all humili­ty to submit himself to his Heavenly Instructer:

18. He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.18. Who by this means mercifully preserves him (if he obey his Admonition) from running on to his own destruction; and rescues him from the violent death, which the sword of Justice or of an Enemy would have inflicted on him.

19. He is cha­stened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:19. Another way (and [Page 210]more common then this by Dreams) is the painfull Dis­eases wherewith he chastises man, and lays him low on his bed; though his consti­tution of body be never so firm and strong.

20. So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.20. In which languishing case he loaths his food; yea, nauseates that very meat which formerly was his grea­test delight.

21. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen, stick out.21. Which makes so great a change in him, that his Flesh, which formerly ap­peared plump and fair, can­not be seen; and his Bones stick out, which formerly did not appear.

22. Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the de­stroyers.22. There is but a step between him and his grave; the pangs of death being ready to seize on him.

23. If there be a messenger with him, and interpre­ter, one among [...] thousand, to shew unto man his up­rightness:23. If then (which is a third way whereby God teaches men) there come a Divine Messenger unto him; a rare person, that can ex­pound the mind of God, and perswade the sick man to repent and amend his life;

24. Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ran­som.24. He shall beseech God to be gracious to him, say­ing, Spare him, good Lord, and rescue him from going down to the grave; let it satisfie thee that thou hast corrected him, and that I have found him a Penitent.

25. His flesh shall be fresher then a childs: he shall return to the days of his youth.25. Presently the sick man shall begin to recover, and become a new man in his Body, as well as in his Mind: His Flesh shall look as fresh as when he was a child; and he shall be resto­red to the Vigour and Strength of his youthfull age.

26. He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him, and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righte­ousness.26. His Prayer also shall be acceptable to God, and prevail for the Blessings he asks: He shall go into the House of God, and with the most joyfull voice give thanks unto Him, and praise his Goodness; who will then acquit him, and restore this poor man to his Fa­vour.

27. He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and per­verted that which was right, and it profited me not;27. And he, (as becomes a true Penitent) casting his eyes upon his Neighbours, [Page 212]shall openly confess and say, I have offended God, and He hath justly chastised me; I have done wickedly, and He hath punished me accor­ding to my desert:

28. He will de­liver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.28. But hath redeemed me from that Death into which I was going; and not onely made me live, but given me hope that I shall enjoy prosperous days.

29. Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,29. Behold in all this the wonderfull goodness of God; who by so many means very often admonishes Man:

30. To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightned with the light of the li­ving.30. To reduce him from those evil courses, which had just brought him to his Grave; and to raise him up again to live in all true Hap­piness and Pleasure.

31. Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me, hold thy peace, and I will speak.31. Mark this well, O Job, for it may very much concern thee: consider what I have said; and if thou pleasest to hear me patient­ly, I will still instruct thee more fully.

32. If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to ju­stifie thee.32. Or if thou hast any thing to object to what I have said, I am willing to [Page 213]hear it: Speak before I go any farther; for I heartily desire thou mayst clear thy self, and appear a Righteous person.

33. If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisedom.33. If thou hast no ex­ception against my Dis­course, then continue thy attentions, and silently li­sten to me; and I will teach thee more Wise­dom.

CHAP. XXXIV.

1. FƲrthermore Elihu an­swered, and said,1. TO this last motion Job consented; and replying never a word, Elihu proceeded in his Dis­course, and said,

2. Hear my words, O ye wise, men, and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.2. I do not desire to be Judge alone in this Cause, but I appeal to them that are wise; and beseech all those (among you that hear me) who are intelligent, to mark and consider what I now deliver.

3. For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.3. You can discern whe­ther it be true or false; for the Mind is as proper a Judg of Discourse, as the Palate is of Meat.

4. Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among our selves what is good.4. Let us agree to exa­mine the buisiness, that we may be able to pronounce a righteous judgment: let us debate among our selves, and resolve, whether Job have a good Cause or no.

5. For Job hath said, I am righte­ous: and God hath taken away my judgment.5. For he hath said, I am innocent; and God (who knows I do not deserve to suffer in this manner, XXVII. 2, 6.) will not doe me right:

6. Should I lie against my right? my wound is in­curable without transgression.6. I scorn to defend my self with lies; but I must still maintain, that this dead­ly Wound is given me for no Crime of mine.

7. What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorn­ing like water?7. Did you ever know [Page 216]such a man as Job, who, in stead of adoring the Almigh­ty, (as becomes his Wise­dom and Piety,) takes the liberty to pour out abun­dance of contemptuous lan­guage concerning his Judg­ments?

8. Which goeth in company with the workers of ini­quity, and walketh with wicked men.8. He associates himself with Evil-doers; and talks after the same rate that the Wicked are wont to do.

9. For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing, that he shall delight himself with God.9. For he seems to me to be of this opinion, that though a man study to please God, he shall get nothing by it. IX. 22.

10. Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of under­standing: far be it from God, that he should do wic­kedness, and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.10. What think you of this, ye men of wisedom? Do you not abhor such a thought as much as I, that He who is Almighty should wrong any man, and He who is All-sufficient should swerve from the rule of Righ­teousness?

11. For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause e­very man to find according to his ways.11. He will never be charged with such Weak­ness, but always deals with men according as they de­serve: For he that doeth well never fails to find a Re­ward, [Page 217]and he that doeth ill, meets with a just Punish­ment.

12. Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.12. Surely, I need not fear to affirm this with the greatest confidence, that the Supreme Judge of the World will never condemn an In­nocent person; nor will He that possesses all things be corrupted to pronounce an unrighteous Sentence.

13. Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?13. For He did not re­ceive the Government of the world from any above himself; nor is there any higher Being, whose Autho­rity He may be thought to dread, and for fear of whom He may be tempted to doe unjustly.

14. If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;14. No, He made and He sustains all creatures; so that if he should contain his Goodness within Himself, and recall that Spirit and Life which He hath infused into them;

15. All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn a­gain unto dust.15. Nothing could sub­sist one moment: but all Mankind would expire to­gether, and return unto their dust.

16. If now thou hast under­standing, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.16. If thou art wise, mind what I say; and consider also what follows.

17. Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?17. Can he be an enemy to Justice Himself, who binds us so fast to the prac­tice of it? and wilt thou condemn His Actions, who is most powerfull, as well as just; and therefore need not serve himself by any wrongfull dealing?

18. Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked, and to princes, Ye are un­godly?18. There is no King on Earth but looks upon it as a great and unsufferable re­proach to be called a Ty­rant: nor will inferiour Ru­lers endure you should say, that they have no regard to Equity.

19. How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more then the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.19. Shall we impute then any such thing to Him, be­fore whom a Prince or a Rich man is no more then the meanest and poorest per­sons? who shall have the same Justice from Him with the greatest, because they are all alike the work of his Hands.

20. In a mo­ment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at mid­night, and pass a­way: and the mighty shall be ta­ken away without hand.20. How should He stand [Page 219]in awe of the Power of Kings, or be bribed with the Gifts of the rich, who can strike them all dead in a moment? Whole Nations tremble before Him, and in their deepest security are de­stroyed. He needs not the help of any force on earth to put down a mighty Ty­rant; but invisible powers carry him away.

21. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.21. For there is no one passage of man's Life, but He is acquainted with it: and therefore cannot be sus­pected through Ignorance of their actions (no more then through fear of their persons) to overlook their Crimes, or to doe them any Injustice.

22. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.22. They may seek to hide their Wickedness, when they have committed it; and may make Excuses and subtle Pretences: But they cannot cast a mist before His eyes, who sees into the thickest Darkness, and the deepest Secrets.

23. For he will not lay upon man more then right; that he should en­ter into judgment with God.23. And therefore, as He [Page 220]will never charge man with that of which he is not guilty; so, when He calls him to an account, He will not delay, nor put off his Judgment, to hear what man can say for himself.

24. He shall break in pieces mighty men with­out number, and set others in their stead.24. For He needs not be informed how matters stand; and therefore breaks in pie­ces Mighty men, without inquiry or examination of witnesses against them; and confers their Dignity upon others.

25. Therefore he knoweth their works, and he o­verturneth them in the night so that they are destroyed.25. And by this means shews that He knows their works; when He so sudden­ly overturns them, that they are crushed in pieces.

26. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others:26. He punishes them as men that in his eyes are ap­parently wicked; and there­fore makes them publick Examples for the terrour of their neighbours.

27. Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways.27. Because they would not follow his Counsels, nor regard any of his Commands:

28. So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he hea­reth the cry of the afflicted.28. But went on in their [Page 221]Oppression of the Poor, till they cried to Heaven for Vengeance upon them: and the Cry of such afflicted peo­ple God never fails to an­swer.

29. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can be­hold him? whe­ther it be done a­gainst a nation, or against a man one­ly:29. And if He will grant such poor wretches rest and ease, who can disturb them? or if He be angry with their Oppressour, who can shew him favour? (which is as true of whole Nations, as of one single person.)

30. That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.30. He will not let the wicked Tyrant reign alway, though he pretend Piety and the publick Good never so much; lest the people should be ensnared into sin by his Example.

31. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have born chastisement, I will not offend a­ny more.31. Wherefore it is best for an afflicted person not to complain, but to suspect himself, (though he be ne­ver so good;) and present­ly to say to God, I confess this Suffering is just; I will not offend by pleading my Innocence.

32. That which I see not, teach thou me; If I have done iniquity, I will do no more.32. If I have overlook'd any thing that I should have observed, do thou shew it me: if I have committed a­ny Fault, I will take care to doe so no more.

33. Should it be according to thy mind? he will re­compense it, whe­ther thou refuse, or whether thou chuse, and not I: therefore speak what thou know­est.33. Hast thou addressed thy self to God in this man­ner? Answer that question; for God will recompense it, if thou dost despise such good Counsel: which perhaps thou wilt chuse to doe, but so would not I. Speak there­fore what thy opinion is.

34. Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.34. Or let any understan­ding person tell us what is their opinion; for such, as I said before, would I have to judge between us.

35. Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were with­out wisedom.35. Job seems to me to be very much mistaken; and his Discourses to be incon­siderate and without rea­son.

36. My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end, because of his an­swers for wicked men.36. And therefore I am so far from wishing he may be presently released from his Afflictions, that I take it to be more desirable, he should be still tried and pro­ved by them; till he recant [Page 223]the Answers in which he hath complained of Divine Providence, after the man­ner of wicked men.

37. For he ad­deth rebellion un­to his sin, he clap­peth his hands a­mongst us, and multiplieth his words against God,37. For otherwise he will adde greater Offences to those lesser he hath already committed: he will defend what he hath inconsiderate­ly spoken; nay triumph, as if he had gotten the better of us; and, in stead of ma­king the Confession to which I have exhorted him, con­tinue to multiply his Com­plaints against God.

CHAP. XXXV.

1. ELIHƲ spake moreover, and said,1. TO this Job making no Answer, Elihu pressed him again, and said;

2. Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more then Gods?2. Let me appeal to thy own Conscience. Dost thou think this to be right, that thou said'st, God is not so righteous as I am?

3. For thou saidst, What ad­vantage will it be unto thee, and, What profit shall I have, if I be clean­sed from my sin?3. What else could be thy meaning, when thou utte­redst such words as these, What doth God care whe­ther I be innocent or no? or what benefit shall I have by it, if I be?

4. I will answer thee, and thy com­panions with thee.4. I will answer thee, and such as thou art, in a few words.

5. Look unto the heavens, and see and behold the clouds which are higher then thou.5. Cast up thine eyes to the Heavens, look upon the Clouds and the Sky; and consider that, as high as they are, they are not so much above thee, as God is above them.

6. If thou sin­nest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgres­sions be multipli­ed, what doest thou unto him?6. And therefore it is true, that He is never the worse for the Sins which thou hast committed; nor will be the worse, though thou shouldst proceed to commit more and greater:

7. If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?7. And that He is never the better for thy being Righteous; which can con­ferr [Page 226]nothing upon Him which He hath not already, nor adde any thing to his Great­ness.

8. Thy wicked­ness may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righte­ousness may profit the son of man.8. But thou shouldst not conclude from thence, that it is all one whether a man be good or bad: For thy Wickedness will prove hurt­full to thy self and to the rest of mankind; and thy Righteousness will doe thee and them great service.

9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions, they make the oppres­sed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.9. The cries of the Op­pressed tell us what mischief Injustice doeth, and how miserable it makes them: The tyranny of the mighty forces them to cry aloud to God for Vengeance; who, though He be not hurt him­self by it, is touched with a sense of their Affliction.

10. But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night?10. The greatest mischief is, that not one of these mi­serable Wretches inquires seriously after God, who gave him his being; and is able therefore, not onely to relieve him, but to comfort, yea to fill him with Joy, in the midst of the saddest Af­fliction.

11. Who teach­eth us more then the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser then the fowls of heaven.11. Having indued us with Reason and Wisedom to consider, that He, who takes care of the Beasts and the Birds, will not neglect us; if we do not merely cry and groan under our Op­pressions, (as those brute Creatures do,) but with hearty Repentance, and a thankfull sense of his Bene­fits, and humble Confidence in his Goodness, piously ad­dress our selves unto Him.

12. There they cry, (but none gi­veth answer) be­cause of the pride of evil men.12. This is the reason that God doth not deliver them; because they lie cry­ing indeed under their Affliction: but it is not a sense of Him, but onely the haughty Violence of their Oppressours, which extorts it from them.

13. Surely God will not hear vani­ty, neither will the Almighty regard it.13. For we must not think that God (though He be inclined to relieve the Afflicted) will give ear to men so void of Piety: He will not regard those, who have so little regard to Him; even for this reason, because He stands in need of no-body.

14. Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgmeni is before him, there­fore trust thou in him.14. Therefore, although thou complainest that thou dost not see Him appear for thy deliverance; (XXIII. 8.) yet do not conclude from thence that He is unrighte­ous: but go and condemn thy self before Him, and then patiently wait for his Mercy.

15. But now because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger, yet he knoweth it not in great extremi­ty:15. But now, because there is nothing of this in thee, God hath thus severe­ly afflicted thee; and not at all regarded the exceeding great Prosperity wherein thou hast hitherto lived.

16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain: he multiplieth words without knowledg.16. And Job may spare his Complaints hereafter, for they are to no purpose: he heapeth up words with­out reason.

CHAP. XXXVI.

1. ELIHƲ also proceeded, and said,1. JOB still keeping si­lence, Elihu procee­ded in his Discourse, and said;

2. Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee, that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.2. Be not weary, and I will open my mind more fully; for thou hast not yet heard all that God hath to [Page 230]say for himself by my mouth;

3. I will fetch my knowledg from afar, and I will ascribe righteous­ness to my maker.3. Which shall now, from the most sublime Con­templations, assert the Righ­teousness of my Maker.

4. For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in know­ledge is with thee.4. For assure thy self I will not seek to baffle thee with sophistical Arguments: He that discourses with thee is none of those subtle Dis­puters, but loves sincere and solid Reason.

5. Behold, God is mighty, and de­spiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wise­dom.5. Know then that God is most mighty, but despiseth not the meanest: The ex­cellence of His Power, and the greatness of His Mind, will not suffer Him to wrong any-body.

6. He preser­veth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.6. When men are extream­ly wicked, and fit to be pu­nished, He will let them live no longer; but the Poor at last shall recover their right, and be delive­red out of their Affliction.

7. He with­draweth not his eyes from the righ­teous: but with kings are they on the throne, yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.7. For whatsoever Afflic­tion the Righteous suffer, God never ceases to take a special care of them; and sometimes raises them to the [Page 231]highest Offices that Kings can confer upon them: in which they are settled as long as they live, and ex­alted above the power of their Enemies that would pull them down.

8. And if they be bound in fet­ters, and be hol­den in cords of af­fliction:8. Or if they should fall into any Trouble, which lies as heavy on them, and holds them as fast, as if they were bound with chains and with cords;

9. Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceed­ed.9. It is onely to make them reflect upon their Lives, and to shew them their Sins; because they grow strong, and begin to prevail over them.

10. He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.10. He disposeth them hereby to listen to Instruc­tion, and admonishes them to forsake their Sins, and return to their Duty.

11. If they o­bey and serve him, they shall spend their days in pro­sperity, and their years in pleasures.11. And if they profit so much by their Affliction, as to obey this Counsel, and devoutly serve Him, they shall regain their former Splendour; and pass the rest of their life in Prosperi­ty and Pleasure.

12. But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without know­ledge.12. But if they be diso­bedient, they shall be ut­terly cut off, and die in their Folly.

13. But the hy­pocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.13. And they that are false-hearted do but heap up Wrath to themselves by their counterfeit Piety: which surprises them so sud­denly, that it gives them no time so much as to cry to God, when his Punishments seize on them.

14. They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.14. They die before their time in the flower of their age; and perish like the impure Sodomites, with an hasty and unexpected De­struction.

15. He delive­reth the poor in his affliction, and o­peneth their ears in oppression.15. Whereas He delivers the poor humble man in his Affliction; and makes his Oppression the means of gi­ving him wholesom Coun­sell:

16. Even so would he have re­moved thee out of the strait into a broad place where there is no strait­ness, and that which should be set on thy table, should be full of fatness.16. Even so would He have rescued thee (if thou hadst humbly submitted to his Correction) out of these miserable Streights to which thou art reduced: and not [Page 233]onely inlarged thee, but set thee so far from all danger of falling again into them, that Peace and Plenty should have been thy portion.

17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.17. But thou hast main­tained the cause of the Wic­ked: and such as a man's Cause is, such will the Judg­ment of God be upon him.

18. Because there is wrath, be­ware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot de­liver thee.18. And because God is angry with thee, take heed lest thou farther incense Him to punish thee so hea­vily, that upon no terms He will deliver thee.

19. Will he e­steem thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of strength.19. Dost thou think He will have any regard to thy Riches? No, not if thou hadst all the Treasure and all the Force which all the power on earth can muster up.

20. Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.20. Do not dream that they can doe thee any ser­vice; nor entertain thy self with vain hopes, as thou art musing on thy bed in the night: when God sometimes destroys whole Nations on a sudden.

21. Take heed, regard not iniqui­ty: for this hast thou chosen rather then affliction.21. But let thy Suffe­rings teach thee Caution, and make thee afraid to go on to provoke offended Justice: for thou hast done it too much already, in chusing rather to accuse Divine Pro­vidence, then to submit patiently to his Chastise­ments.

22. Behold, God exalteth by his power: who tea­cheth like him?22. Consider the vast ex­tent of God's Power, which lifts men up as well as casts them down. What Lord is there so absolute as He? or who shall teach Him how to govern his Dominions?

23. Who hath enjoyned him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?23. What Visiter is there over Him, to examine and take an account of His Acti­ons? or who may presume to say, This or that is not well done?

24. Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.24. See that thou leave off this carping at his Pro­vidence; and remember to extoll and magnify it, as well as the wonderfull fa­brick of the World, which men behold with admiration and praise.

25. Every man may see it, man may behold it afar off.25. All mankind contem­plate [Page 135]it with astonishment: there are none so dull, but in the farthermost parts of the earth they behold, if they open their eyes, the Majesty of God;

26. Behold, God is great, and we know him not, nei­ther can the num­ber of his years be searched out.26. And must confess that He is great in Wisedom and Power, and cannot be comprehended by our shal­low Understandings; which are presently confounded, when they enter into the Search of His Eternall Be­ing.

27. For he ma­keth small the drops of water: they pour down rain ac­cording to the va­pour thereof:27. For it is He who dis­solves the Clouds into wa­ter, and doth not pour it down all at once; but by small drops sweetly restores to the earth the vapour which was exhaled from thence.

28. Which the clouds do drop, and distill upon man a­bundantly.28. For He hath made the Clouds to be fluid bodies; which distill their showrs in so many places, that there are multitudes of spectatours and admirers of this wonder­full contrivance.

29. Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his taber­nacle?29. And can any one un­derstand how He spreads [Page 236]those Clouds, and makes them hang in the air, when they are full of water? or give an account of the dread­full Sounds, which are heard from thence, and which tell us that He dwells in those celestial places?

30. Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and co­vereth the bottom of the sea.30. Observe also how He spreads the beams of the Sun upon the Sea, and co­vers it all over with light; which raises new Vapours and Clouds in the room of those which are exhau­sted.

31. For by them judgeth he the people, he gi­veth meat in abun­dance.31. Which He uses for quite contrary ends; both to punish mankind by Storms and Tempests and Flouds, and to make a plentifull pro­vision for them by fruitfull Showrs.

32. With clouds he covereth the light; and com­mandeth it not to shine, by the cloud that cometh be­twixt.32. By those Clouds also He sometimes quite hideth the Sun from us, that it cannot ripen the Fruits; and sometimes onely inter­cepts its beams a while, that it may not burn them up by immoderate heat.

33. The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattel also concer­ning the vapour.33. The very Cattel per­ceive [Page 237]the Cloud as soon as it rises, and declare what God intends to doe with it; whether to turn it into Storms and Tempests, or into fruitfull Rain and Showrs.

CHAP. XXXVII.

1. AT this al­so my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.1. THESE are a few of the Works of God; and though there be innumerable more, yet this [Page 238]one single effect of his Power strikes terrour into me, and makes my heart tremble, as if it would leap out of my body, and leave me dead.

2. Hear atten­tively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.2. Hearken, I beseech you, seriously to the horri­ble Noise, which comes out of some of those clouds; and it will astonish you also. The smallest Murmurs of it are so dreadfull, that it may be fitly stiled the Voice of God, calling men to stand in awe of Him.

3. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.3. It is heard far and near, for he darts it through the whole region of the air; accompanied with his Flash­es of Lightning, which shoot to the ends of the earth.

4. After it a voice roareth: he thundreth with the voice of his ex­cellency, and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.4. After them follow the claps of Thunder, more ter­rible then the roarings of a Lion: which grow louder and louder, till they con­clude in violent Rain, or Hail, or Tempest.

5. God thun­dreth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we can­not comprehend.5. And He who thunders thus with His most won­derfull Voice, doeth other great things, which the wit [Page 239]of man cannot comprehend.

6. For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.6. For in those clouds, which I have so often men­tioned, He makes the Snow, and commands it to cover the earth: and on a sudden they turn into Rain, which sometimes falls in gentle Showrs, and sometimes in impetuous Spouts of water.

7. He sealeth up the hand of eve­ry man; that all men may know his work.7. Which stop the labour of all those whose buifiness is in the fields; and makes the Husbandmen know that He disposes of it as He plea­ses.

8. Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.8. The very Beasts also are driven, at that season, into their Lurking-places, and are forced to stay in their Dens.

9. Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.9. From one quarter of the Heavens blow turbulent Winds; and from the op­posite quarter, those cold Blasts which clear and puri­fy the air again.

10. By the breath of God, frost is given: and the breadth of the wa­ters is straitned.10. By the like sharp blasts God sends the Frost; and binds up the Waters so fast that they cannot flow.

11. Also by wa­terings he wea­rieth the thick cloud: be scatte­reth his bright cloud.11. In serene evenings also He presses the cloud, in­to drops of Dew upon the earth: or the dewy cloud receiving the Sun-beams, by a dispersed and various light, makes the beautifull Rain­bow in the Heavens.

12. And it is turned round a­bout by his coun­sels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.12. For it is turned a­bout and whirl'd severall ways, according to the or­ders of His wise Counsell; and so are all the rest that I have mentioned, which exe­cute his Commands upon the face of the whole earth.

13. He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.13. Being sent either to bring a Dearth, and to scourge our sins with Plagues and Pestilential Diseases; or to produce the wonted Crop of the earth, for the neces­sary sustenance of man and beast; or to reward our O­bedience with extraordinary Plenty and very Healthfull seasons.

14. Hearken unto me, O Job: stand still, and con­sider the wondrous works of God.14. Listen diligently to these things, O Job, do not dispute any more with God, but silently consider these his wonderfull Works.

15. Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?15. Canst thou tell be­forehand what Orders God will give about them? art thou able to tell so much as when a Rainbow will ap­pear in the clouds?

16. Dost thou know the balan­cings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in know­ledge?16. What canst thou tell us then of the hanging of the Clouds in the air, as in an equal balance; and such like stupendous Works of his most absolute Wisedom?

17. How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south -wind?17. Whence comes the violent Heat which wesome­times feel? or how do Calms come out of the same quarter, from whence come Whirlwinds? v. 9.

18. Hast thou with him spread out the skie, which is strong, and as a molten looking­glass?18. Lift up thy thoughts still higher, and tell us, didst thou joyn with Him, when He stretched out the Sky; in which, as in a mirrour, we behold the admirable Power and Wisedom of Him, who, though it be so wide and vast, made it as firm, as it is clear and bright?

19. Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.19. Teach us (if thou art so well skill'd) what we shall say to Him of His Pow­er and Wisedom; for we [Page 242]must confess our Ignorance is so great, that our thoughts are confounded when we attempt it.

20. Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.20. Is any thing that I have said of Him worth His hearing? Whoever he be that goes about to describe Him, shall lose himself, and be dazled with the bright­ness of his Glory.

21. And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind pas­seth, and cleanseth them.21. For, alas! men are not able to look upon the brightness of the Sun, when it shines in the Heavens, af­ter a wind hath swept and cleansed them,

22. Fair wea­ther cometh out of the north: with God is terrible ma­jesty.22. And brought pure and serene weather out of the Northern parts: How then shall they look upon God, whose Majesty is most dreadfull; and therefore not to be pried into with Curiosity, but worshipped and praised with the hum­blest Reverence?

23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excel­lent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.23. For when we have done all we can, we must acknowledge that the Al­mighty cannot be compre­hended by our Understan­ding: [Page 243]His Power is so ex­cellent, His Judgment so exact, His Justice so abun­dant, that He ought not to be questioned by us for what He doeth; but if He be, He will not give an account of His Actions.

24. Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not a­ny that are wise of heart.24. Which should make all men stand in awe of Him, and lowly adore, rather then boldly dispute with Him: For He despiseth all those who are so wise in their own conceit.

CHAP. XXXVIII.

1. THEN the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,1. NO sooner had Elihu spoken these words, but there was a sensible to­ken of the Presence of that most dreadfull Majesty of God, (XXXVII. 22.) a­mong them. For there a­rose an unusual Cloud, (af­ter the manner of God's ap­pearing in those days,) and a Voice came out of it, as loud as a Tempest; which called to Job, saying,

2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without know­ledge?2. Who is this that dispa­rages my Counsels, with his ignorant Discourses about them?

3. Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.3. If thou hast the cou­rage to argue the case with Me, (as thou hast often de­sired,) make thy self ready for the Debate, and answer [Page 246]me the questions I shall ask thee.

4. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? de­clare if thou hast understanding.4. Where wast thou, when I founded the earth? speak Man, and relate how I went about that work, if thou art so skilfull as thou pretendest.

5. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?5. How came it to have these Dimensions? (For thou, sure, who presumest to censure my Providence, canst not be ignorant of such matters.) After what man­ner was the line and the rule applied, to give it these ex­act Proportions?

6. Whereupon are the foundati­ons thereof fasten­ed? or who laid the corner-stone thereof?6. Canst thou tell how it was fixt, and settled upon its Center; or what it is that holds all the Parts of it so firmly together?

7. When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.7. Where wast thou when the bright Stars first appea­red to proclaim my Praise with one consent? and all the Angelicall Powers ex­pressed their joy, but did not assist, at the birth of the World?

8. Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb?8. What Midwise had the Sea, to bring it forth, when [Page 247]it burst out of the confused Abyss, like an Infant out of the womb?

9. When I made the cloud the garment there­of, and thick dark­ness a swadling­band for it,9. And I covered it with Clouds as with a garment; and wrapt its boisterous waves in a thick Mist, with as much ease, as a Nurse swaddles a new-born Child?

10. And brake up for it my de­creed place, and set bars and doors,10. And laid it in that Bed, which I had appoin­ted to be broken up for it in the earth? where though it be tossed to and fro, as an Infant in a Cradle, yet it keeps within its Shores, which cannot be overtur­ned.

11. And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no far­ther: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed.11. For I have fixed its Bounds, and resolved, Thus far shalt thou flow, but no farther: These Sands and these Clifts shall stop thy swelling waves, be they lifted up never so tempestu­ously.

12. Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days? and caused the day-spring to know his place.12. Raise up thy thoughts still higher, and tell me, dost thou remember since the morning Light was made? or was it thou who ordered the Sun, in what [Page 248]part of the Heaven it should every day arise?

13. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?13. And spred its Beams to the ends of the earth; that the Wicked, who de­light in works of darkness, may be detected, and dragg'd to their deserved Punish­ment?

14. It is tur­ned as clay to the seal, and they stand as a garment.14. For they are daunted at its approach, and change colour as oft as the Clay doth its form under different seals: they are no more consistent with themselves then a changeable Garment:

15. And from the wicked their light is withhol­den, and the high arm shall be broken.15. And at last lose the use of that Light, which in­nocent persons injoy with so much pleasure: their in­solent Power, which in the Night was so audacious, be­ing broken in pieces in the Morning.

16. Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?16. O thou who adven­turest to enter into the A­byss of my Judgments, didst thou ever penetrate into the spring of the Sea? or hast thou perfectly discovered all that lies at the bottom of that great Deep?

17. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?17. Hath the Earth ope­ned all her dark caverns to thee? or hast thou gone down to the very Center of it?

18. Hast thou per­ceived the breadth of the earth? de­clare, if thou know­est it all.18. Nay, dost thou so much as understand all that grows upon the Surface of the earth? Shew thy skill, if it be so comprehensive.

19. Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,19. Tell me, which is the way that leads to the place where Light takes up its dwelling when the Sun goes down? or what becomes of the Darkness when the Sun rises again?

20. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?20. Art thou able to go, and bring either of them hi­ther? or to carry them back again away from hence, and prescribe them their limits at thy pleasure?

21. Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the num­ber of thy days is great?21. Art thou acquainted with these things, because thou wast then born when I made them? How comest thou to discourse so confi­dently of my Government of mankind, who couldst neithertell that thou shouldst [Page 250]be born, nor art able now to say when thou shalt die?

22. Hast thou entred into the treasure of the snow? or hast thou seen the trea­sures of the hail,22. And when wast thou in the Clouds, to see how the Snow or the Hail is made in such abundance?

23. Which I have reserved a­gainst the time of trouble, against the day of battel and war?23. That I need no other weapon then those, if I please to use them, for the destruction of mine Ene­mies?

24. By what way is the light parted, which scat­tereth the east­wind upon the earth?24. Art thou able to give an account how the Light diffuses it self, all over in an instant? or what makes the East-wind blow so vio­lently upon the earth?

25. Who hath divided a water­course for the over­flowing of waters? or a way for the lightning of thun­der,25. Didst thou make a chanel in Heaven for the conveyance of overflowing Showrs? or open the way for the breaking out of Lightning and Thunder?

26. To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is; on the wilderness where­in there is no man?26. Is it by thy direction that these Showrs go, and fall upon the desart places; where there are no Inhabi­tants to imploy their art to provide them with water?

27. To satisfie the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?27. And that they satisfie the dry and barren parts of [Page 151]the earth, where all the la­bour of man is unprofitable, without such plentifull Rains to make them fruit­full?

28. Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?28. What's more common then the Rain and the Dew? but who is able to produce one drop of either?

29. Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of hea­ven, who hath gendred it?29. In whose womb was the Ice formed? or who can make so small a thing as the hoary Frost?

30. The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is fro­zen.30. Whence comes the Cold that turns the waters into Stone, and fetters the raging waves of the Sea?

31. Canst thou bind the sweet in­fluences of Plei­ades, or loose the hands of Orion?31. Canst thou forbid the sweet Flowers to come forth, when the Seven-stars arise in the Spring? or open the Earth for the Husband­man's labour, when the Winter season, at the rising of Orion, ties up their hands?

32. Canst thou bring forth Maz­zaroth in his sea­son, or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?32. Is it by thy power that the rest of the Stars, great and small, appear in the Southern [Page 252]and the Northern Signs, in their proper season?

33. Knowest thou the ordinan­ces of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?33. Dost thou understand the Orders and the Laws, which I have established a­mong the Heavenly Bodies? or couldst thou tell what to doe, if it were referred to thee here on earth, to settle the Government of them?

34. Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of wa­ters may cover thee?34. Let me see an instance of thy Power and Skill; lift up thy voice to the Clouds, and command them to pour out abundance of waters, upon the place where thou now art.

35. Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?35. Or call to the Light­nings, and bid them go whi­ther thou hast a mind to send them: and let me hear them answer, Behold, we are ready to obey thee.

36. Who hath put wisedom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?36. Didst thou give thy self understanding? How comes it then to be so small, that thou canst not tell how a Thought is made?

37. Who can number the clouds in wisedom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,37. Nor with all the Wise­dom thou hast, so much as count the number of the Clouds? whose Showrs thou [Page 253]art as unable to stop, as to make them run:

38. When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?38. Though they have faln so long, that the earth is abundantly satisfied, and fit for the plough, or for the seed.

39. Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,39. Or dost thou pretend to have great power upon Earth, though none in Hea­ven? wilt thou undertake then to provide food for a Lion and all his whelps?

40. When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?40. And that in a Desart; where they lie lurking in their dens, and greedily watch for a prey, in close and shady places?

41. Who pro­videth for the ra­ven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.41. Or, which is less, wilt thou take upon thee to feed the young Ravens? who, expelled by the old ones out of their nest, com­plain to Me of their Cruelty, but know not where to get a bit of meat?

CHAP. XXXIX.

1. KNowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?1. VAIN Man, who wouldst so fain pry into my Secrets! didst thou ever climb the rocks to see the wild Goats bring forth? or hast thou assisted at the hard labour of the Hindes, [Page 255]and helpt to ease them of their burthen?

2. Canst thou number the months that they fulfill? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?2. Dost thou know the moment of their concepti­on? or keepest an account when they will be delive­red?

3. They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sor­rows.3. Hast thou seen how they bow themselves? with what pain they bring forth, and with how much diffi­culty they are freed from their sorrow?

4. Their young ones are in good li­king, they grow up with corn: they go forth and return not unto them.4. And yet their young ones are lusty and strong; they grow up in the open fields; they leave their mo­thers, and return to them no more.

5. Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?5. Was it thou that gave the wild Ass his liberty, and made him so free from the Servitude, in which you keep other creatures?

6. Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.6. Who but I made that difference between him and them; and laying no bur­then on him, assigned him the Wilderness and barren Countries for his habitati­on?

7. He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the dri­ver.7. Where he laughs at [Page 256]those that live in the tumult and bustle of Cities; and hears none of the cries of him that drives other Asses to their labour:

8. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.8. Nor is confined in small Inclosures, but hath whole Mountains to range in for his pasture; where he finds sufficient food to appease his hunger.

9. Will the uni­corn be willing to serve thee, or a­bide by thy crib?9. Go to the Unicorn, (thou who wouldst have all things conformable to thy will,) and see if thou canst perswade him to serve thee: will he be content to be tied to thy crib all night?

10. Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the val­leys after thee?10. Or submit his proud neck to thy yoke all day? canst thou make him go to plough? or will he draw the harrow over thy land?

11. Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy la­bour to him?11. Wilt thou rely upon him (because his strength is great) to doe all the rest of thy work in the field?

12. Wilt thou believe him that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?12. Or leave thy harvest out of doors, till thou hast prevail'd with him to bring it home, and lay it in thy barn?

13. Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?13. Have other Birds any reason to complain that they are not so goodly as the Estrich? whose wing is tri­umphant, if it be compared with the wing and the fea­ther of the Stork.

14. Which lea­veth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in the dust;14. But her inward qua­lities are not so beautifull as her plumes: For she doth not seek for solitary places wherein to lay her Eggs; but drops them any-where upon the ground, and neg­ligently leaves them to be corrupted by the heat of the Sand and of the Sun.

15. And for­getteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.15. She doth not secure them from the foot of tra­vellers or of wild beasts; who frequently tread upon them, and crush them in pieces:

16. She is har­dened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her la­bour is in vain without fear;16. But is hardened a­gainst the fruit of her own womb, as if it were not hers; and so she loses all her la­bour, because she hath no fear it may be lost.

17. Because God hath deprived her of wisedom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.17. For God hath not given her that wisedom which he hath bestowed up­on other Creatures; but made her of a stupid and careless nature:

18. What time she lifteth up her self on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.18. Though He hath im­parted so much as is neces­sary for her preservation: For when she raises her self, and lifts up her wings, she runs so fast, that she despi­ses a man on horseback, who cannot overtake her.

19. Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder?19. And now I speak of the Horse, let me ask thee again, Who was it that made him so much superiour to o­ther creatures in strength and in courage? Didst thou give him his valiant Spirit; or clothe his neck with such a stately Main?

20. Canst thou make him afraid as a grashopper? the glory of his no­strils is terrible.20. Or put that Vigour and Mettle into him, which makes him leap and bound in the air like a grashopper? There is a majesty in his Looks; and when he snoars vehemently it is terrible.

21. He paweth in the valley, and rejoyceth in his strength: he go­eth on to meet the armed men.21. He stamps impatient­ly on the ground, and breaks [Page 259]it up with his feet: he glo­ries in his strength, and goes out boldly to meet the arms that oppose him.

22. He moc­keth at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.22. He derides all the dreadfull instruments of War, and cannot be dismayed by them: he runs upon naked Swords;

23. The qui­ver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.23. And is not daunted at the noise of Arrows which come whizzing by his ears, nor at the sharp points of Spears and Launces which are thrust at his breast.

24. He swal­loweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.24. He makes the earth quake and tremble, as he gallops over it, and rids a­bundance of ground in a moment: neither can he stand still, when he hears the sound of the Trumpet:

25. He saith among the trum­pets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battel afar off, the thunder of the cap­tains, and the shouting.25. But the louder it is, the more he neighs and dan­ces for joy. He perceiveth the Battel before it begins, by the thundring voice of the Captains, and the shou­ting of the Souldiers.

26. Doth the hawk flie by thy wisedom, and stretch her wings toward the south?26. Behold, also, how the Hawk mounts up aloft. [Page 260]Didst thou give her those swift wings? or teach her, when the winter comes, to fly into the southern parts; that she may still enjoy the warmth of the Sun?

27. Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?27. But what Bird sores so high as the Eagle? Is she beholden to thee for that strength which carries her into the clouds? or was it by thy direction, that she builds her Nest quite out of all mens reach?

28. She dwel­leth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.28. She dwells on the top of high Rocks; in the steep and craggy Rock, as in an inaccessible Fortress, she settles her abode.

29. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.29. There she leaves her young ones safely, while she goes to provide them food; from thence (so sharp is her sight) she spies her prey a vast way off.

30. Her young ones also suck up bloud: and where the slain are, there is she.30. Which when she hath seized and torn, she brings to her nest, that they may suck its bloud: she looks down to the very earth; and where the carkasses lie, there may she be found.

CHAP. XL.

1. MOreo­ver the LORD answered Job, and said,1. AFTER a short si­lence, to see what Job would reply to this long Discourse, the Lord pro­ceeded, and said;

2. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty in­struct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.2. Why dost thou not speak? Hath not the Al­mighty brought Arguments enow to convince thee? Let him that will argue with God about His Providence, first make an Answer to these Questions.

3. ¶ Then Job answered the LORD, and said,3. Then Job, whose Con­fusion had made him silent, answered with great humi­lity, and said;

4. Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.4. Behold, I am a wret­ched creature, and not wor­thy to speak unto thy Maje­sty: nor do I know what to answer; and therefore I will hold my peace.

5. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer: yea, twice, but I will proceed no farther.5. I have said too much al­ready, [Page 263]in speaking only these two words to Thee: But I have done; I will adde no more.

6. ¶ Then an­swered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,6. Then the Divine Ma­jesty spake again, after the same manner as before, say­ing,

7. Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will de­mand of thee, and declare thou unto me.7. What? hast thou (who desiredst so much to plead with Me) lost thy Cou­rage? pluck up thy spirit, man, and prepare thy self (as I said at the first) to an­swer the Questions I shall farther ask thee.

8. Wilt thou also disannull my judgment? wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous?8. Is there any reason to suspect my Care of Mankind, who have shewn it so much about other Creatures? Canst thou not defend thy self, but thou must also com­plain of Me? must I be con­demned, that thou maist be justified?

9. Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?9. Who art thou, that talkest so much of thine own Innocence, that thou for­gettest to maintain my Righ­teousness? Hast thou a Power equall to mine? or canst thou speak with a Voice like this; or imitate [Page 264]the Thunder thou hearest in the clouds?

10. Deck thy self now with ma­jesty and excellen­cy, and aray thy self with glory and beauty.10. Lift up thy self then, and let me see thee appear in the highest Majesty: put on thy Robes, and shew thy self in such Royal state, that all may honour and reve­rence thy excellent Great­ness.

11. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and be­hold every one that is proud, and abase him.11. Let all thine Adver­saries round about thee (as becomes a mighty Prince) feel the fierceness of thy Wrath: frown upon all the haughty, and make them hang down their heads.

12. Look on e­very one that is proud, and bring him low: and tread down the wicked in their place.12. Look, I say, upon every proud Oppressour, and make him cringe and throw himself at thy feet: tread down all the Wicked, wheresoever thou shalt find them.

13. Hide them in the dust toge­ther, and bind their faces in se­cret.13. Cast them all into one grave, that the world may be no more troubled with them: cover those fa­ces with perpetual shame and confusion, which now bear themselves so high, and overlook all others.

14. Then will I also confess unto thee, that thine own right hand can save thee.14. When I see thee doe such things as these, then will I my self also magnify thy Power; and acknow­ledge that thou needest none of my help to deliver thee.

15. ¶ Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee, he ea­teth grass as an oxe.15. But consider a while (if thou art not yet hum­ble enough) a Creature Behemoth, i. e. River­horse. which I have made in a Coun­try not far from thee: He lives among the fishes in the great river of Egypt, but he feeds upon the earth, and eateth gra [...] like an Oxe.

16. Lo now, his strength is in his loyns, and his force is in the na­vel of his belly.16. Consider, I say, the greatness of his Strength, and the firmness of his Flesh: not onely in his Loyns, but even in the Navel of his belly; where other creatures are wont to be weak and tender.

17. He moveth his tail like a ce­dar: the sinews of his stones are wrapt together.17. He hath a Tail as thick and as stiff as a Cedar; but he bends and throws it back at his pleasure: the Nerves of his thighs are so many, that they are intricate and perplexed one within a­nother.

18. His bones are as strong pie­ces of brass, his bones are like bars of iron.18. His Bones (for so they are rather then Grissles) are as strong as bars of brass, and as hard and firm as rods of iron.

19. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him, can make his sword to approach unto him.19. He is one of the prin­cipal works of God, a very singular instance of his Pow­er: He that made him hath fastned such crooked Teeth in his jaws, exceeding sharp, that therewith he mows the grass and the corn, as with a Sythe.

20. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.20. For he goes (in the night) to graze upon the hills; in the company of the rest of the beasts [...] the field, who sport themselves in those rich pastures:

21. He lieth under the shady trees, in the co­vert of the reed, and fens.21. But (in the day) he lies down in shady and close places; under the covert of the reeds, and in the fenny mud.

22. The shady trees cover him with their shadow: the willows of the brook compass him about.22. The bushy trees, which are there very nume­rous, afford him a shelter: he is incompassed with the willows and the osiers, which grow in abundance on the banks of Nile.

23. Behold, he drinketh up a ri­ver, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.23. Nay, (behold a won­der) he dives to the very bottom of the river, and there takes his repose with­out fear: He will be secure, though Jordan also should break out, and be poured upon his mouth.

24. He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.24. Who dare come in his sight, and attempt to take him by open force? where is he that will under­take to fasten hooks in his Nose?

CHAP. XLI.

1. CANST thou draw out leviathan with an book? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?1. THERE is ano­ther Creature also [Page 269]in the same River, which I would have thee consider; and behold therein the Di­vine Power, and humane Weakness. Canst thou catch * Crocodile. the Leviathan * as you do other fishes? canst thou let down a line, and draw him out by the tongue with a hook?

2. Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?2. When thou hast made a cord of the rushes of the river, canst thou put it about his nose; or strike an iron, as sharp as a thorn, into his jaw?

3. Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?3. Will he importune thy favour, and with many prayers beseech thee to spare him? will he sue for his li­berty with submissive words, and speak thee fair to let him goe?

4. Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a ser­vant for ever?4. Will he enter into bonds, and make a solemn covenant with thee, never to doe thee hurt; but to be thy slave, and doe thee ser­vice for ever?

5. Wilt thou play with him, as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?5. Wilt thou adventure to play with him, as with a Spar­row? or tie him by the leg, [Page 270]for the sport and pastime of thy Daughters?

6. Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the mer­chants?6. Shall the society of Fishermen make a feast for joy they have taken him? and sell their share in him a­mong the Merchants?

7. Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish-spears?7. Where is the dart wherewith thou canst hope to penetrate his Skin? or the fish-spear that is able to wound his Head?

8. Lay thine hand upon him, remember the bat­tel, doe no more.8. Go, and touch him if thou darest: the battel will be soon ended, for thou shalt not doe it the second time.

9. Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?9. Mark what I say; he will be sorely disappointed that thinks to take him: for he will be ready to sink down with fear at the very sight of him.

10. None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand be­fore me?10. Though he lie asleep on the shore, there is none so hardy, as to dare to awake him. Who is he then that takes upon him to contend with Me? If one of my Creatures be so terrible, how dangerous is it to provoke my Majesty?

11. Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.11. And where is the man to whom I am a Debtour? How came I, that made the whole World, to be obliged to thee, or any one else? Did you first be­gin to doe me kindnesses, that I should owe you a re­quital?

12. I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely propor­tion.12. What Insolence is this, to dispute with Me, when thou art not able to stand before this single work of my hands? none of whose lims or joints I will conceal; nor forbear to speak of his strength, and of the comely disposition of all his parts.

13. Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his dou­ble bridle?13. And first take a view of his scaly Skin, wherewith he is covered: who hath e­ver stript him of that upper garment? or who dare come within his doubled Snout?

14. Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.14. Who will venture to open his wide Jaws, and so much as look into his Mouth? in which his long rows of Teeth are very dreadfull.

15. His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.15. The Scales of his back [Page 272]are like the plates of a shield, which I have provi­ded for his defence: every one of them is closely com­pacted, and strictly sealed to the next.

16. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.16. They are knit so close, that the air, which presses into all things else, cannot come between them.

17. They are joyned one to ano­ther, they stick to­gether, that they cannot be sundred.17. They cleave one to another, they hold so fast together, that no art or vi­olence can make a separati­on.

18. By his nee­zings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eye­lids of the mor­ning.18. When he sneezeth, as he lies gaping in the Sun, the Spirits break forth with such a force, that they seem to sparkle: and when he riseth up out of the river, his Eyes appear before the rest of his body, as the morning light before the Sun.

19. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.19. The Steam also which then comes out of his mouth is as vehement as if it were full of burning torches; or there were a fire in him, that sends forth sparks.

20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoak, as out of a seething pot or caldron.20. Out of his Nostrils [Page 273]goes a Smoak like the reek of a seething pot, or a boi­ling caldron.

21. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.21. His Breath is so hot, though he come out of the water, that it is sufficient to kindle coals; and may be called a flame, which issues out of his mouth.

22. In his neck re­maineth strength, and sorrow is tur­ned into joy before him.22. His Neck is exceeding strong, as if it were the very seat of strength: sadness and terrour marches before him, and seizes on all those that meet him.

23. The flakes of his flesh are, joy­ned together: they are firm in them­selves, they cannot be moved.23. The Muscles of his flesh are glewed together; every one of them is com­pact and solid; they are not easily moved.

24. His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether milstone.24. He is as far from Fear, as he is from Pity: for his heart is as firm as a stone; as hard as an anvil, or a piece of the nether mil­stone.

25. When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are a­fraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.25. But the stoutest hearts tremble when he lifts up himself above the water: they are seized with such a fright, that they are at [Page 274]their wits end, and know not which way to turn them­selves.

26. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold; the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.26. Though they assault him with the sword, it will doe them no service; for the hardness of his Skin will break it in pieces: the Spear, also the Dart and the Jave­lin are altogether as fee­ble, and cannot enter into him.

27. He estee­meth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.27. All the other Wea­pons of iron (which the wit of man can devise) he values no more then a straw; and those of brass, no more then rotten wood.

28. The arrow cannot make him flee: sling-stones are turned with him into stubble.28. The Arrow shot out of the strongest bow cannot make him flee: and those Stones, which are thrown out of a Sling with so much force, move him no more then a little chaff.

29. Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.29. Lay at him with hea­vy Clubs, and he regards them no more then if they were stubble: shake the Launce at him, and he contemns its most violent thrusts.

30. Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp-pointed things up­on the mire.30. For in stead of him, it meets onely with the rough Shells wherewith he is armed: which are so hard, that he beats back the shar­pest Weapon, and throws it into the mire.

31. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he ma­keth the sea like a pot of ointment.31. When he tumbles a­bout in the bottom of the River, he raises bubbles on the top; and the water of the Lake is so troubled, with the slimy mud which he stirreth up, that it looks like a Pot of oint­ment.

32. He maketh a path to shine af­ter him: one would think the deep to be hoary.32. When he swims, he makes furrows in the face of the Deep; and leaves a path behind him so covered with froth and foam, that it looks as if it were grown old, and were full of gray hairs.

33. Ʋpon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.33. His fellow is not to be found upon the earth; where he creeps indeed in the dust, but is so made that he cannot be trodden under foot and bruised.

34. He behol­deth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.34. No, though he lie so [Page 276]low, yet he despises the tallest Beasts; and reigns over the Oxen and Camels, and all those creatures whose long legs raise them to the loftiest height: whom he masters and rends in pieces at his pleasure.

CHAP. XLII.

1. THEN Job answered the LORD, and said,1. THESE words so lively represented the Power, and Wisedom of God in his Works, that Job, seeing his errour more [Page 278]clearly then ever, submitted himself unto the Great Lord of all, and said;

2. I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.2. I am abundantly satis­fied that thy Power is as large as thy Will; and that nothing can hinder Thee from effecting every thing which Thou designest: but as Thou hadst reason to cast me down, so Thou canst restore me and lift me up a­gain.

3. Who is he that hideth coun­sel without know­ledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonder­full for me, which I knew not.3. I am sensible also of the Justice of the Reproof which Thou hast given me (XXXVIII. 2.) and do con­fess I very much forgot my self, when I adventured to talk so ignorantly of thy wise Administrations. It was that which made me so rash as to discourse of things far above my reach; won­derfull things, which I ought humbly to admire, not ar­rogantly censure.

4. Hear, I be­seech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.4. Be not angry with me, I beseech Thee, but graci­ously hear me speaking in thy own words. I do not pretend to give an account [Page 279]of thy wonderfull Works and of thy Providence; and therefore ask me no more Questions, (XXXVIII. 3.) but let me learn of Thee, and do Thou instruct my Ignorance.

5. I have heard of thee by the hea­ring of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.5. Something I did know before, of thy Greatness, and Mightiness, and Wise­dom; but nothing so clear­ly as I do now, by this re­velation and visible appea­rance of thy dreadfull Ma­jesty.

6. Wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes.6. Which touches me with a sensible displeasure against my self, for my un­decent Complaints, and ve­hement Expostulations, and eager Desires to die or to be delivered: I condemn them all, (together with what­soever I have spoken too boldly about thy Govern­ment,) and in the most sor­rowfull manner repent, that I have justified my self so much, and Thee so lit­tle.

7. ¶ And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Tema­nite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my ser­vant Job hath.7. Which ingenuous Con­fession pleased the Lord so [Page 280]much, that He did not chide Job any farther: but tur­ning his voice to Eliphaz, (his principal Accuser,) He said, I am angry with thee and with thy two Friends: For you have made a per­verse construction of the Afflictions I sent upon Job; whom, notwithstanding all his Errours, I acknowledge to be my Servant, and to have spoken better of Me then you have done.

8. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I ac­cept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.8. And therefore take no less then seven Bullocks, and as many Rams, and carry them to my Servant Job; whom I appoint to be your Priest, to offer for you a Burnt-offering, in token of my absolute Dominion over all Creatures. And that faithfull Servant of mine shall pray for you, and ob­tain your Pardon: for I have a great love to him, and will be favourable to you for his sake. Do not fail to go about this, lest I in­flict some grievous punish­ment upon you; because, [Page 281]as I said, you have made an ill representation of my Pro­vidence, and repeated those things confidently, which my Servant Job shewed you to be false.

9. So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shu­hite, and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did ac­cording as the LORD comman­ded them: the LORD also ac­cepted Job.9. So Eliphaz and his two Companions submitted themselves also unto God, and went, as He comman­ded them, and desired Job to intercede for them. And the Lord heard his Prayer, and was reconciled to them.

10. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as be had before.10. And at that very time when Job was perfor­ming this charitable office for his Friends, the Lord was pleased to begin to re­store to him all those things which had been taken away from him: and never cea­sed, till He had not onely established him in his former Splendour, but made him twice as rich as he was be­fore.

11. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his ac­quaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold.11. All his Kindred like­wise and his familiar Ac­quaintance (whom his un­usual [Page 282]Affliction had estran­ged from him, XIX. 3.) when they heard of the won­ders the Lord had done for him, came to visit him and feast with him: And after they had condoled his Mi­sery, and testified their sor­row for all that had befaln him, they congratulated his happy Recovery; and, in token of their joy, every one of them presented him with a piece of money, and a pendant of gold.

12. So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more then his beginning: for he had fourteen thou­sand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she­asses.12. Thus the Lord impo­verished this good Man, onely to make him richer. For in stead of seven thou­sand Sheep, which he had before his Troubles, he found he had fourteen thou­sand, when they were en­ded; and for three thou­sand Camels, which were taken from him, the Lord gave him six thousand: and multiplied his yoke of Oxen, which were but five hun­dred, into a thousand; and his she-Asses, in the same proportion.

13. He had al­so seven sons, and three daughters.13. His Wife also became very fruitfull, and brought him as many Children as he had lost; seven Sons, and three Daughters.

14. And he called the name of the first, Jemima, and the name of the second, Kezia, and the name of the third, Keren­happuch.14. And to preserve the memory of so marvellous a Deliverance, (of which they were so many living monu­ments,) he called the name of the first Jemima, that is, the Day; because of the Felicity wherein he now shone, after a sad Night of Affliction, wherein he had lain: and the second, Kesia, (a Spice of an excellent smell;) because God had healed his filthy stinking Ulcers, which made even his Wife refuse to come near him, XIX. 17: and the last he called Kerenhappuch, i. e. Plenty restored, or, an Horn of varnish; because God had wiped away the tears which fouled his face, (as he complains XVI. 16.)

15. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daugh­ters of Job, and their father gave them inheritance among their bre­thren.15. The Beauty also of these Women proved as bright as their Names; for there were none so amiable [Page 284]in all that Country: and their Father did not (as the manner was) endow them with a small portion of his goods, but (having a large estate, and a great affection to them) he made them Co­heirs with their Brethren, in the inheritance which he left them.

16. After this lived Job an hun­dred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons sons, even four ge­nerations.16. After which glorious Restitution of Himself and his Family, his years were multiplied as well as his e­state: For the Lord added almost an Age and an half (no less then an hundred and forty years) to those he had lived before; so that he had the pleasure to see his Childrens Children to the fourth generation:

17. So Job di­ed, being old and full of days.17. And departed not out of the World till he was so fully satisfied, that he desi­red not to live any longer.