CHAP. XXXIII.
1. WHerefore, Iob, I pray thee,* give good heed to what I shall say, and let it not be tedious to thee, but conceive of it as comming from one that wishes thee well, and have the patience to heare mee out.
2. Thou seest I have not beene for∣ward* to speake, but have waited till now that all have done, which I take to be a fit time for me to begin, having heard all that hath beene said on both sides, and seriously weighed them, which makes mee both the abler and bolder now to speake my mind.
3. And beforehand, I assure thee* this, which also I would have thee credit, that I will speake nothing out of passion or partiality, as thou con∣ceivest others to have done, but what I say shall come from an honest heart, nor will I obtrude mine owne con∣jectures and surmises for doctrinall truths upon thee, as my fore-runners have, but I will utter demonstrative things.
4. Thou hast wished for one like* thy selfe in Gods stead, to dispute the Page 202 matter with thee, why, know, that I am he. I am a creature as thou art, nei∣ther better nor worse, but in all points the same with thy selfe, made by the finger of God as thou art, and have my life from him as thou hast.
5. Therefore now make good thy* challenge, and if thou canst, spare not to answer to that which I shall say; for thou maist boldly speake thy minde, there is no cause of feare.
6. For, as I say, I am in Gods stead* according to thy desire to dispute the matter with thee, who am just such an one as thou art, neither higher nor lower, but a pot by the hand of the Potter, molded out of the same clay.
7. So that (as thou conditionedst)* thou seest there is no cause of feare to deale with me, nor can I doe thee any hurt or oppresse thee, so as to hinder thee from speaking thy mind fully and freely.
8. I will lay nothing to thy charge,* nor object any thing against thee, but what I have heard come from thee, yea, out of thine owne mouth will I condemne thee, for thus thou hast presumptuously spoken.
9. (Justifying thine owne righte∣ousnesse,* and questioning Gods) I have not sinned against God, but am inno∣cent Page 203 from giving him any offence, neither can hee lay any iniquity to my charge, or shew cause why hee thus afflicts mee.
10. So that he is over rigorous, pur∣posely* picking quarrells against mee, and of his meere pleasure maketh cru∣ell warre upon me without just cause.
11. Using all manner of hardship* toward me, keeping mee continually fast locked in afflictions, watching me, lest I should make an escape, and find some ease, which he will by no means permit mee to have.
12. Thus, or to this purpose, hast* thou charged God, thou canst not de∣ny it, and however thou art other∣waies upright or righteous, I will not take upon me to judge, onely in this I am sure, and dare say thou art not justi∣fiable, but worthy to be condemned of sinfull and presumptuous arrogance and pride of heart (for which God may and does justly afflict thee) and thus I prove it, from the wonderfull dispari∣ty betweene God and man, betwixt whom there is no comparison, God in∣finitely transcending him, and his ca∣pacity to judge.
13. And consequently, how inso∣lent* a thing is it for thee to cample and reason it thus unreverently with God Page 204 as thou hast done, whose will in all things is a law most righteous, nor is he bound to give any other reason but his will for any of his actions.
14. In all which, yet there is reason* and a gracious meaning too, if thou knewest it; for God many times, and divers waies solicits and admonisheth man (as now hee doth thee) if man would, and could understand him, which partly through the pride and security, and partly through the dul∣nesse of his heart he does not.
15. Out of which spirituall slum∣ber,* God trieth all waies to awaken men; for he teacheth them by nightly molestations, in dreams and visions, to the disturbance of their sleep and rest, as thou complainest.
16. And this way he taketh to in∣struct* men, and remarkeably to set his home doctrine upon them.
17. Which is, to withdraw man* from cherishing and maintaining him∣selfe in his owne selfe-valuing con∣ceits, derogatory to God, and to bring him to stoope to an humble and selfe∣denying subjection to him, expunging pride, (which God corrects in thee.)
18. That so he may in mercy keep* him from perishing for it, both in soule and body, temporally and eternally.
Page 20519. And further also, to worke this* cure, and purge this pride, hee brings high-minded man into a wofull con∣dition, easelessely punishing him with tormenting paines, as hee does thee, yea, making every bone in his body (as many as they are) to ake with ve∣hement torture.
20. So that hee may be forced* through extremity of anguish, neither to care to eate necessary nor pleasant meat, but neglect all manner of suste∣nance.
21. Yea, he may be brought to that* passe and such a change wrought in him, as that his flesh which was wont to be plump and smooth, may be ut∣terly wasted to nothing (as thou com∣plainest thine is) and his bones, which before were comelily covered, may most deformedly and gastly stick out.
22. Yea, hee may be at the very* point of death, ready to breath out his soule, and his life in continuall jeo∣pardy by his deadly plagues.
23. Now, when God hath brought* him to this passe, and he still continues blind, and none of all this will make him perceive his errour and Gods in∣tention, if then besides this, God so or∣der the matter, as that in his gracious providence he further provide for his Page 206 instruction, and send as a speciall mes∣senger (as hee does mee to thee) a man faithfull and able (which is a singular gift of God and very rare) to bring him to a sight of his sinne, and to set him upright in the sight of God by re∣pentance.
24. This soone altereth the case;* for hereupon God is presently appea∣sed toward him, and graciously ac∣cepts him, comfortably cheering his heart with an assured freedome from death and hell, his sinne upon his re∣pentance being done away in the sight of God by the blood of his Son which he sees accepted in his behalfe.
25. And then, as before, through* anguish of his spirit his body was con∣sumed; so now, through the abundant consolation thereof he grows revived, and becomes as fat and faire-liking as ever he was in his life.
26. And whereas before all his* complainings and out-cries stood him in no stead, now he shall humbly put up his suit to God for favour, and shall finde it: and whereas, if hee did but thinke of God, he was troubled; now being justified from his sinne, he shall have abundance of joy and peace in his soule toward God.
27. For God longs to be gracious*Page 207 to mee, and waites that hee may be so, looking when a man will see his sinne and confesse it, how that he hath gone out of the way, and justly suffers by it.
28. Such a man shall soone have his* pardon sealed, his feare banished, and his soule comforted; so that for after∣wards he shall lead a happy life.
29. Lo, I have told thee what varie∣ties* of waies, and diversity of meanes God is oftentimes faine to use toward such a man as he meanes well to.
30. Aiming onely at his good, that* his sin unrepented of be not his death and destruction, but that in the sight and feeling of Gods grace and favour towards him, hee may lead a comfor∣table and happy life.
31. Iob, I pray thee consider well* what I say, as that which neerely con∣cernes thy good, let mee yet further have thine attention without interrup∣tion, for I have more to speake.
32. Not that I desire to stop thy* mouth, if thou questionest any thing that I have said, and hast any just ex∣ception against it in thine owne de∣fence, if thou hast, speake freely, for I desire not to condemne thee in any thing wherein thou art justifiable; on∣ly thy pride I tax, which is apparant.
Page 20833. But if so be thou canst take no* just exception, then doe not needlesse∣ly interrupt me, but let me goe on, and I make no question but before I have done, I shall make thee understand thine errour, and Gods just dealing, and shall shew thee the way to finde mercy.
