The grand tryal, or, Poetical exercitations upon the book of Job wherein suitable to each text of that sacred book, a modest explanation, and continuation of the several discourses contained in it, is attempted / by William Clark.

Cap. XXV.

BIldad it seems did undertake to do it,* 1.1 And in a short discourse, he thus spoke to it. Why is it so? says he, that thou must still* 1.2 Hold such opinions, argue what we will To th'contrair? what has all that we have said Of our good wishes, no impression made In thy poor Soul? are all our labours vain? And shall we still have reason to complain, That after all what we can do, or speak, VVe are as yet not able to correct The fury of thy hot impatience, But still thou tel'st us of thy innocence? Ah! wilt thou never be convinc'd? wilt thou Still wildly rave, what ever we can do To bring thee to thy wits? art'not asham'd.

To speak thus of thy Maker, who has fram'd Both thee, and us of very simple Dust, That yet for all this thou wilt still be just, What ere he say to th' contrair, why my friend, Is't fit thou with thy Maker shouldst contend? With him, who all perfection doth transcend? With him is fear, dominion, power, and state, Honour, and glory: pray who can debate With our Almighty God: with God on high, Under whose feet we Mortals grovelling ly? Wilt thou contend with him whom all obey Whom no command or power dare gain-say? A God unlimited, and absolute In all his actings, and wilt thou dispute With such a one?

His mighty armies are innumerable,* 1.3 By which, at all occasions he is able To make all men from Wars, and Tumults cease, And keep the whole Creation in peace: He makes his Sun on every Creature shine, Without distinction, who then should repine, Or say that he is partial? when his care For all his Creatures equal doth appear.

O then, since God is absolute, and high,* 1.4 Unlimited, in power, and soveraignty, All-seeing, wise, impartially just, And best of men is but a mass of dust: Who's he that in his presence dares assert That he is clean, and upright in his heart? Who's he dares undertake to justifie Himself before his Maker, or denie That he is sinful, and by consequence Deserves to be chastis'd for his offence? Who's he of Woman born that can be clean? Was ever yet that Mortal heard, or seen That came into the World without Sin, Since our first Parents did of old begin To lay the first foundation of offence, Entailing firmly on their race, from thence A sad inheritance of sin, a black, And uglie spot, in a continued tract Of Generation from the dismal time That these (till then unknown) durst act a crime.

Then how darst thou affirm that thou art pure* 1.5 I'th'sight of God? dost think we can endure To hear a man so impudentlie speak Of what but even to think deserves a check? Pray but behold the Moon: observe, I pray How now at Nights it doth its beams display In imitation of the light of day. View but the Stars too, and observe how these Shine, like bright Tapers in Kings Pallaces, And though not great, yet yield an useful light T' allay the horror of the tedious night.

Now one should think those glorious Heavenlie Creatures, By their own Constitutions, and Natures Were pure and clean: but 'tis a great mistake, For those, what ever figure they do make Of bright unspotted glorie, in which sure They mankind do exceed, and are more pure Than anie of us all, yet in his eyes Those glorious Creatures with Impurities Are overspread, and in his sight appear Unclean, and Daple-spotted every where.

Then how much more unclean, foul, and deform,* 1.6 Is man before him? man a verie Worm, A Moth, an Aunt, a Spider, anie thing That may be thought not worth the valuing. Man a meer Frog, a thing both mean, and base A sillie Worm, both he, and all his race.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
• * 1.2

  2 Dominion, and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.
• * 1.3

  3. Is there any num∣ber of his armies, & upon whom doth not his light arise?
• * 1.4

  4. How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clear, that is born of a woman?
• * 1.5

  5. Behold the moon and it shineth not, yea the stars are not pure in his sight.
• * 1.6

  6. How much lesse man that is a worm, and the son of man, which is a worm?