[Page] THE BOOK OF JOB IN MEETER, AS To several of those excellent Things contain'd therein, the better to familiarize them, and to bring them the more into Use, for Peoples Benefit, to be Sung after the Ordinary, and Usual Tunes.
Cantus Melodia instituitur, ad spiritualem quandum delectationem, quia animus detinetur in Meditatione. Rei Cantatae, Ames.
All thy Works shall Praise Thee O Lord, and thy Saints shall Bless Thee, Psalm 145. 10.
By R. P. Minister of the Gospel, and an Admirer of the Infinite Perfections and Excellencies of God.
London: Printed for the Author, and Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel, 1700.
THE PREFACE
THIS Book is intitled the Book of Job, it being indeed an History of Job, as of his Integrity, and his Sore and Heavy Trials, and exemplary Patience; so of the blessed End which the Lord at length made, his Sore Tryals ending in glorious Triumphs, and his Sorrows, in great Rejoicings.
It is indeed a most excellent Book, full of various and most excellent Matter, which we should be well acquainted with, and much vers'd in.
1. We have in it many High and Lofty Discoveries of God, and of his glorious Attributes, and Perfections, as of his Wisdom, Power, Glory, Majesty, Greatness, Goodness, Righteousness, and Incomprehensibleness, &c.
[Page] 2. We have a Description of his wonderful Works, and wonderful and gracious Providence, providing for all sorts of Creatures, &c.
3. Here we have much held forth, not only of the Creator, but also of the Creatures, which Manifest, and Declare the Glory of the Creator.
4. We have here an Example of the greatest Piety, most invincible Patience, and sweet Submissiveness; under the sharpest Dispensations.
5. We have here held forth the Happy End, that God makes in afflicting his People, and that he is very pitiful, and of tender Mercy, James 5. 11.
6. We are here instructed, as to several Things very observable, and of great Importance. As,
1. That Persons may be very Great, and yet Gracious, and Good, very Rich and yet Righteous, very Wealthy and yet Vertuous, as we see here in Job. And this is a Blessed Conjunction indeed, but very Rare, Riches exposing so much to Vice, and the Snares, and Temptations of such, being so many and great; [Page] hence says our Saviour to his Disciples (and he puts a Verily to it) A Rich Man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. All hardly, but they hardlier than others, if Truth it self may be believed: But though with Men it is impossible, but not with God, with whom all things are possible: He can withdraw the Heart, from the inordinate Love of them, and from trusting in them, but how hard is this, and hence (which is very observable) when Jesus Christ had explained himself, Mark 10. 24. Children how hard is it for them that trust in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God, yet then it is said, they were astonished out of measure, &c. Because it is so hard to have Riches, and not to trust, in them; hence Paul bespeaks Timothy, To charge them that are Rich in this World, not to trust in them, &c. 1. Tim. 6. 17, 18, 19. and therefore for such to be Good, as Job here was, it is to be good indeed, and to be one of a Thousand. Read 1 Tim. 6. 9, 10.
[Page] 2. We are taught here, that Persons of the greatest Integrity, may be exercis'd with the greatest Calamities, whilst the Wicked Prosper in the World, are Secure, and increase in Riches.
3. That the highest, and best founded Estate here, as to outward Things is mutable.
4. That Afflictions are not by Chance, but are ordered by Divine Providence.
5. What undaunted Courage, and strong Consolation, Integrity gives in Times of Trial.
6. We have here in a Word, a mixture and variety of all Learning and Religion, of all Philosophy and Divinity, so that this Book may well be stil'd as one Calls it, [...], a Book that contains all Excellencies in it.
And now the greatest Part of this Book being in the Original, in Verse, yea, all but the two first Chapters, and Part of the Last; and it being a Book of so great Excellency, and containing in it, so many great and excellent things, I have spent some time, and no small Pains to turn many of them into Verse, and have [Page] reduc'd them to certain Heads, that they might be the better known, and the better made use of; I do not pretend to Poetry, neither do I much Paraphrase upon the Words, but for the most Part keep close to them as they are translated, which I judge meetest in turning Divine Things into Meeter. And now as I looked upon this, as that which might be very advantagious, and serviceable to my Self, so if through the Blessing of God, it shall but any ways prove so to others, which is that I design therein, I shall think my Time and Pains well bestowed, however let an attempt thereto, be accepted.
THE CONTENTS.
- AS concerning God's Excellencies and Perfections, viz. His wonderful Power, Wisdom, Greatness, Majesty, Immensities and other Excellencies and Perfections in himself; as also several Ways manifested and displayed in and by the Creature, and in and by his great and glorious Works, Page 1, 2, 3, (4, 5, 6, 7.
- God's Answer to Job out of the Whirlwind, p. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
- Concerning Behemoth, p. 15.
- Concerning Leviathan, p. 16, 17.
- God Invisible and Omniscient, p. 18.
- God Just and Righteous, p. 19, 20.
- God Incomprehensible, p. 21.
- God's great Condescention in magnifying Man, p. 22.
- Wisdom is of God, Ibid.
- [Page] Affliction from God, p. 23.
- God's Way with the Righteous, p. 24.
- No Contending with God, p. 25.
- Concerning Man's sinfulness, vilenss, unworthiness and worthlesness, p. 26, 27, 28.
- Man's Frailty and Mortality, the Brevity of his Life, and Impossibility of his Return hither again, p. 29, 30, 31, 32.
- What is Man's Wisdom, p. 33.
- The Godlies Submissiveness under the afflicting Hand of God, p. 34, 35.
- The Godlies Hope and Happiness, p. 35, 36.
- The Godly not secure, p. 37.
- The Integrity of the Godly, p. 38, 39.
- Concerning the Hypocrite, p. 40.
- The Benefits of acquainting our selves with God, and when he gives Peace, p. 41.
- Rest in the Grave, p. 43.
- The Misery of the Wicked, p. 44, 45, 46, 44.
- The Benefit of Repentance upon God's chastening of Man, p. 49, 50.
- The Prosperity of the Wicked, together with the Brevity and Ʋncertainty thereof, p. 51, 52.
- [Page] The Spouses Description of her Beloved, p. 53, 54.
- The Spouses sweet Resolve, p. 55.
- Requests of the Spouse to her Beloved, p. 56.
- God's exceeding and incomprehensible Greatness and Majesty, p 57, 58.
- The Mystery of Godliness for Sacramental▪ Occasions, p. 59.
- An Hymn after Sacrament, p. 60.
- Sacramental Hymns, p. 61, 62.
- An Hymn for the Spirit and Grace, p. 63, 64.
- God's Majesty and Severity against his Enemies, p. 65.
- Our great unworthiness, p. 66.
- God's wonderful Respect to the Contrite and Humble, p. 67.
- An Hymn upon the failing of Creature Comforts, p. 67, 68.
- Petitions for observing God's Precepts, p. 69, 70.
- The Conclusion, p. 71.
As concerning GOD.
His Excellencies and Perfections, viz. His wonderful Wisdom, Power, Greatness, Majesty, Immensity, and other Excellencies and Perfections both in himself; as also several Ways manifested and displayed in and by the Creature, and in and by his great and glorious Works.
Job V. from verse 9. to the 17.
Job 9. from ver. the 4th. to the 16th.
Job 12. from verse 13th. to the end.
Job 25. throughout, to the Tune of the 25th. Psalm.
Job 26. from verse 6. to the end.
Job 36: from verse 22. to the end.
Gods Answer to Job out of the Whirlwind, as to the greatest Part thereof, Ch. 38. verse 2. to the 12th. verse 25. to 36, 37, 38, 41. Ch. 39. verse 13, 19, to the end.
To the Tune of the Hundred Psalm.
I. Part.
II. Part.
III. Part.
Chap. 39. 13.
Chap. 39. verse 19. to the end.
IV. Part.
Pleiades, Orion, Mazzaroth, and Arcturus, and his Sons spoken of, Chap. 38. ver. 31, 32. are four famous Co [...]stellations; and have respect to the four Seasons of the Year, Pleiades to the Spring, Orion to the Winter, Mazzaroth to the Summer, Arcturus with his Sons to the Autumn, and the Virtues, Influences, and Effects which these produce are wonderful, and [...]ery ben [...]cial, and many unseen, and unknown Benefits, we have by them.