Iob militant with meditations diuine and morall. By Fra. Quarles.

THE ARGVMENT.

Iobs Lineage and Integritie, His Issue, Wealth, Prosperitie, His childrens holy Feast: His wise Forecast, and zealous Sacrifice.

Sect. 1.

NOt far from Casius, in whose bountious wombe, * 1.1 Great Pompeys dust lies crowned with his Tombe, Westward, betwixt Arabia and Iudaea, Is situate a Country, called Idumaea, There dwelt a Man (brought from His Linniage, That for his belly, swopt his Heritage,) His name was Iob, a man of vpright Will, Iust, fearing Heauen, eschewing what was Ill, On whom his God had heap't in highest measure, The bountious Riches, of his boundlesse Treasure,

As well of Fortune, as of Grace, and Spirit; Goods for his children, Children to inherit; As did his Name, his Wealth did daily wex, His Seed did germinate in either Sexe A hopefull issue, whose descent might keepe His righteous Race on foote; seuen thousand Sheepe Did pay their Summer-Tribute, and did ad Their Winter Blessings to his Fold: He had Three thousand Camels, able for their loade, Fiue hundred Asses, furnisht for the Road, As many Yoake of Oxen, to maintaine His houshold, for he had a mightie Traine; Nor was there any in the East, the which In Vertue was so rare, in Wealth so rich.

Vpon a time, his Children (to improue The sweete affection of their mutuall loue) Made solemne Feasts; each feasted in his turne, (For ther's a time to mirth, aswell as mourne) And who, by course, was Master of the Feast, Vnto his home inuited all the rest.

Euen as a Hen (whose tender brood forsakes The downy clozet of her Wings, and takes Each it's affected way) markes how they feed, This, on that Crum; and that, on t'other Seed, Mooues, as they mooue; and stayes, when as they stay, And seemes delighted in their Infant-play: Yet (fearing danger) with a busie eye, Lookes here and there, if ought she can espie, Which (vnawares) might snatch a booty from her, Eyes all that passe, and watches euery commer. Euen so the affection of this tender Syre (Being made more feruent, with the selfe-same fyre

Of dearest loue, which flamed in their brests, Preserued (as by Fuell) in those Feasts) Was rauish'd in the height of Ioyes, to see His happy Childrens ten-fold vnitie: As was his Ioy, such was his holy Feare, Lest he, that plants his Engines euery-where, Bayted with golden Sinnes, and re-insnares The soule of man, turning his Wheat to Tares, Should season Error with the taste of Truth, And tempt the frailtie of their tender youth.

No sooner therefore had the dappled skye Opened the Twilight of her waking eye, And in her breaking Light, had promis'd day, But vp he rose, his holy hands did lay Vpon the sacred Altar (one by one) An early Sacrifice for euery Sonne: For who can tell, (said he?) my Sonnes (perchance) * 1.2 Haue slipt some Sinne, which neither Ignorance Pleaded, nor want of heed, nor youth can cure. Sin steales, vnseene, when men sleepe most secure.

Meditatio prima.

WAnt is the Badge of Pouerty: Then he That wanteth most, is the most poore, say we. The Wretch, that Hunger driues from dore to dore, Ayming at present Almes, desires no more. The toyling Swaine, that hath with pleasing trouble, Cockt a small fortune, would that Fortune double,

Which dearely bought with slau'ry, then (alas) He would be deem'd a Man, that's well to passe: Which got, his mind's now tickled with an Itch, But to deserue that glorious stile of Rich. That done, h'enioyes the Crowne of all his labour, Could he but once out-nose his right-hand-neighbour. Liues he at quiet now? Now, he begins To wish, that Vs'rie were the least of sinnes: But great or small, he tryes, and sweet's the trouble, And for it's sake, he wishes all things double. * 1.3 Thus wishing still, his wishes neuer cease, But as his Wealth, his Wishes still encrease.

Wishes proceed from Want: The Richest then, Most wishing, want most, and are poorest men: If he be poore, that wanteth much, how poore Is he, that hath too much, and yet wants more? Thrice happy he, to whom the bounty of Heauen, Sufficient, with a sparing hand, hath giuen: Tis Grace, not Gold, makes Great; seuer but which, The Rich man is but poore; the Poore man, rich. The fayrest Crop of either Grasse, or Grayne, Is not for vse, vndew'd with timely Rayne. The wealth of Croesus, were it to be giuen, Were not thank-worthy, if vnblest by Heauen.

Euen as faire Phoebe, in Diameter, (Earth interpos'd betwixt the Sun and Her) Suffers Eclipse, and is disrobed quite (During the time) of all her borrowed Light; So Riches, which fond Mortals so embrace, If not enlightned with the Beames of Grace, Being interposed with too grosse a Care, They lye obscured, and no Riches are.

My stint of Wealth lyes not in my expressing, With Iacobs Store (Lord) giue me Iacobs Blessing; Or if, at night, thou grant me Lazars Boone, Let Diues Dogs licke all my sores at noone. Lord, pare my Wealth, by my Capacitie, Lest I, with it, or it suite not with me. This humbly doe I sue for, at thy hand, Enough, and not too much, for my command.

Lord, what thou lend'st, shall serue but in the place Of reckoning Counters, to summe vp thy Grace.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Chap. 1. 1.
• * 1.2

  Job sacrifice••.
• * 1.3

  Hor. Car. lib. 3. Od. 24.—improbae

  Crescunt diui∣tiae, tamen

  Curtae nescio quid semper ab∣est rei.

  Non qui parum habet est pau∣per,

  Sed qui plus cu∣pit. Sen ad Luc.

  —Multa pe∣tentibus

  Desunt multa. Bene est cut Deus obtulit

  Parca, quod satis est, manu.

  Hor car. lib. 3. Ode 16. Simile.