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. XLII.

THus the Almighty having opened••* 1.1 His Cabinet of Nature, and display'd His glory by the works of his Creation, And of them all made wholesome application, To th' present state of this afflicted man, Then Job, with great submission, began To answer; and thus openly confesse Gods wisdom, and his own great foolishnesse.

Now, says he, Lord, I fully do believe,* 1.2 Now, as the light, I clearly do perceive, That thou,—thou art that God Omnipotent, Who has his Throne above the Firmament. Now I'm convinc'd that never hithertoo I fully understood, as I do now How great thou art: although I fancyed I knew thee so well, that I did not need Further instruction; but now thou hast shown, That I before this time have nothing known, Of what I ought most to have studied, And now, my God, I do confesse indeed, That in my great impatience, all this time, I've fouly err'd; I do confess my crime. Lord, I knew nothing, but I now do know That thou art he, to whom all things below Do owe their Being: that thy eye doth see Better then we our selves, what ever we Do act, or speak: that every secret thought Lodg'd in our breasts, before thy Bar is brought, There try'd, convict, condemned, or acquit, As thou our Soveraign Judge think'st just, and fit: I know that all things are to thee reveal'd, And nothing from thy eye can be conceal'd.

And where's the man now?—where is that so wise* 1.3 And knowing thing, that in his own vain eyes Appear'd in much esteem, and thought he knew His Maker fully,—ah—where is he now? I am the man, Lord, I am he, alace, That did my thoughts, in passion, express Of thee below thy worth: I am the man, That of all mortals, since the world began, At thy just hands doth most deserve indeed For his miscarriage to be punished. Nor can I from my passion draw excuse For my great errors, for that were to use One crime, to palliat another:—no, I can make no excuse, because I know To be in passion was it self a crime, And so I have supported all this time One error with an other: I am he Then that hath doubly sinn'd:—Lord do by me As thou thinks just: I no more deprecate Thy wrath, but in my present sad estate Am still content to live, and patiently Endure it to the last extremity, Without repining; since thou hast decreed, And by thy Providence so ordered, That I should be afflicted for my sins, I shall imagine that my woe begins, Even from this instant, and without all passion, From this hour forward bear thy indignation.

Only I do demand the liberty To ask some questions of thy Majesty;* 1.4 Not to debate, (for now I plainly see What 'tis for frail man to contend with thee) I ask then, since I am convinced now Of my late errors, Lord, what shall I do To make attonement, for my great offence; What course of living shall I take from hence, That into so great inconvenience, I may not be by passion led again, But may some favour at thy hands obtain.

Before this I have only heard by fame* 1.5 Of thy great actings, and thy mighty name: But now, Lord, with my eyes, I thee behold: These eyes have seen thee: now I may be bold, Since I have heard thee speak upon my case, To say that I have seen thee face to face.

My self I therefore utterly abhore,* 1.6 And on my Parts I will presume no more: I'll think I have known nothing all this while, And at my own unknowing-knowledge smile: I'll think I now know more then e're I did, Since thou, in kindness, hast discovered, How little I in former times have known, Of what I should have studied alone. I thought indeed my knowledge had been such,

And by experience I had learn'd so much, As I, in excess, not defect, might err, But now, alace, it fully doth appear That I knew nothing in regard of what From thy own mouth, I've been inform'd of late. Now I'm convinc'd that I have sinn'd: from hence I'le no more vainly plead my innocence, But for my failings piously lament, And of my errours from my heart repent.

Job thus accus'd, convict, and censured,* 1.7 For his impatience: God doth next proceed To show his three Friends, wherein they had err'd, Whilst they had stifly all along averr'd That Job was sinful, because punished, And so augmented, not diminished The good mans sorrow, which they should ha'done, Had they been his true friends: but they alone, Appear to have accus'd him, and in stead Of comforting him, to have truly plead He was a man of so much wickedness, As for his sins, he had deserv'd no less Than what he suffer'd: and with so much heat, Upon that subject, did with him debate, As if they meant to make him desperate. Now after all, the Supream Judge thinks fit To show them likewise, how upon their wit, Indeed themselves they valued too much, And out of humour more to be thought such, Then for his glory, they had argued Against their friend on that mistaken head. Thus then to th'wise and learned Eliphaz Th' Almighty sharply did himself address. I do perceive, sayes he, thou'rt one of those, That do mistake my actings, and suppose That my proceedings must be regulate By Humane Reason, and accommodate To your capacity: for you have said That in affliction one may plainly read His sin, and my displeasure, and that none But sinful, and flagitious men alone Do in affliction tumble, and from thence, (As you thought, wisely) with much eloquence Inferr'd that Job, whom I long time have known To be upright, and still for such do own: Because afflicted, of necessity, Must be a man of great impiety.

Who taught you thus to speak? who taught you so To argue, as if you did fully know The method of my Government, and were Of Council with me? who taught you t'inferr Such positive conclusions, as these From any unaffording premisses, Of my proceedings? who gave you commission To speak thus to a man in Jobs condition: As if a man, whom I had visit, you

Would in afflicting language visit too. Know then I'm angry with thee, and thy friends, Because you have so rashly spoke your minds Of my proceedings, in the present case Of my good Servant Job.— For you have not talk'd of my Providence, With that entire respect, and deference, As did become you: nor have you at best, In any of your reasonings express't Your selves like men of zeal, and piety, As Job has done, but rather foolishly Maintain'd your own opinions right, or wrong Against the suffering person all along. Nay, you pretended too, you plead for me, Whilst neither to the other two, nor thee, I ever gave commission so to do; And therefore you have all three err'd; but now That I intend to set my Servant free From his afflictions, and let all men see, That what this man has suffered, was meant For tryal only not for punishment, And make of him a famous President, In all time coming, of my Providence, And an example of great patience; I'll censure you no more, but for the time Let it suffice that I have touch'd your crime.

Only 'tis fit you go to Job, and make* 1.8 Attonement for your faults, go therefore take, Seven Bullocks, and seven Rams, and offer these As a burnt offering for your trespasses. Go—do what I command, for you have err'd, And your own knowledge to my words preferr'd. But for your sins make a burnt-offering now, And so my servant Job shall pray for you. Him, because truly pious, I will hear, On your behalf, and for his sake forbear To punish you: although what you have said, Since you begun to speak, has merited Much of my wrath: but go—do so no more, And I will pardon what you've done before.

Prostrat upon the ground lay Eliphaz,* 1.9 With his two friends, asham'd to show his face, While God did speak, because convinc'd at length That they had laboured, with the utmost strength Of argument to broach a Heresie, Which had descended to Posterity, As a firm truth, and been receiv'd of all As a position fully general, That all Gods actings were determined By those of men, and that none suffered But for their sins: if God had not declar'd By his just Sentence, that these men had err'd. Without replying then to what was laid By God Almighty to their charge, they pray'd Their injur'd friend for them to interceed:

Now, all obedience they did quickly bring, As God had ordered, their sin-offering; And with great zeal, did make attonement For their unsound, presumptuous argument. Whilst Elihu, who, as appears, has been A learn'd young-man, pious, upright, and clean I'th▪ eyes of God, and had by inspiration, From his great Maker, spoke on this occasion, Is not reprov'd, and therefore we may guess, He joyn'd his prayer with Job in this address For these three men; which prayer God did hear, And gently for their sake, was pleas'd to spare Those who had err'd. Thus God determined The case of Job: thus he at length decreed, For the afflicted man against his friends, And thus in mercy the grand Tryal ends.

For now, as when the Sun imprisoned* 1.10 Long time amongst thick clouds, begins to spread His rays abroad, and shine as formerly, The proud, insulting vapours by, and by Dissolve themselves into a subtile air, And now the Sun triumphant doth appear In his full splendour, darting every where His warming beams, and makes the Skys again, After the storm, look pleasant, and serene. So now th'Almighty having fully try'd The worth of Job, and being satisfy'd Of his deportment in his misery, Dispels the clouds of his adversity, And puts an end to Jobs captivity. Restores him quickly to his former state, And makes him happier, then he was of late. For he of earthly means doth give him more, By the one half, then he possess'd before.

And now, the days of mourning being gone,* 1.11 We must suppose that Job return'd annon To his own house, and in tranquility, Bless't with firm health, and wealth, as formerly, He liv'd, whilst all his scattered family, Did by degrees return: that every where He view'd his grounds; and daily did repair, What by injurious times had been destroy'd, And here, and there, his serving-men employ'd In Ditching, Fencing, Planting, Labouring, In Pits, and Q••arries, Plowing, Harrowing, Pasturing, Dra••ing, and each other thing That might recover the sad desolation Of his affairs, by th'horrible vastation Made there of late: Not only by th'incursions of those, Who liv'd on spoil, but even of such, God knows Of his own friends, and unkind countrey-men, Who thinking Job would ne're return again; Upon his whole Estate had fairly seiz'd,

And 'mongst themselves divided, as they pleas'd, All his Effects: thinking them now their own By Right, since all his Race were dead, and gone, And he a Beggar, countenanc'd by none. At least they thought, if e're it should fall out He should return again, beyond all doubt, His Spirits would be so with Sorrows spent, That he'd surrender for an Aliment, During his life, all what they did possess, And not adventure upon tedious Pleas For the recovery of it, but in peace, Desire to end the residue of his years, And then they would be as it were his Heirs. Therefore we may not without ground suppose That seing God resolv'd to put a close To all Jobs Woes, and Sorrows, and restore This man ex postliminio, what before His late Affliction to him did pertain Was soon by him recovered again From these Intruders, by a short complaint, Exhibite to those in the Government, Whose hearts now God had mov'd; unfeal'd their eyes, And let them see, what wrongs, and injuries His Servant had even by their Laws sustain'd Whilst poor, and friendless, under Bonds restrain'd, Absent, and sick, not able to defend His legal Title, and just Interest, He was by formal ch••canery oppress't. And therefore now to make full expiation For their Intrusions, and their malversation, In countenancing such illegal deeds, The Court on his Petition, proceeds To a full restitution, and declares All other Titles (save Job and his Heirs) To that Estate to be now null, and void Renvers'd, rescinded, cancell'd, and destroy'd. Orders him full Possession again, And finds in Law that those intruding men Were violent Possessors, and ordain These to make Compt, and Payment of what Rent They had uplifted, during his Restraint, As violently seiz'd, and fin'd beside Those men in Costs, and Charges to be paid To th' injur'd Party, for what Damnages He had sustain'd:—— For so much some think humbly may be guess't Without offence, from what is here express't, That seing God himself did Job restore To twice as much as he possess'd before; Why might he not by way of Justice so Have ordred things, as that he might bestow Upon his faithful Servant the Estates Of these, whom for their wickedness he hates. Since that we know God is accustomed,

When he by rules of Justice doth proceed Against the race of Sin, to overthrow Them totally, and graciously bestow Their Means on good men, in retalliation Of what they suffer'd by these mens oppression. And though the Gift the Damnage should exceed By two parts more, yet that doth nothing plead Against Gods Justice, since their sins do call Aloud for extirpation general Of them and all their Race: if then he may By Justice take their whole Estates away From them, and theirs, why may he not dispose What is his own undoubtedly, to those Who merit at his hands much better things, As is the custom among earthly Kings To gratify their Subjects Loyalty, By Spoil, and Plunder of the Enemy.

But howsoe're it was, Jobs restauration Is, truth, a most conspicuous demonstration O'th'justice, greatness, goodness, equity, And gratitude of him, who sits on high: For it we ponder all his circumstances, How in Prosperity he now advances; And how, his Clouds of woes now dissipate, His last is better then his first estate: We'll find that God has only laid him low, That when restor'd he might the better know The real sweetness of Prosperity, By his reflections on his Misery. For those, who all their life-time live at ease, And know no trouble, suffer no disease, But waste their time in dull felicity, Because they do not know it's contrary, They do not know it self: since 'tis confess't By all the knowing World that Contrares plac't Beside each other make each other knowen, Better then when considered alone. For if a man shall first some Aloes taste And then some Sugar: why he finds the last Is sweeter far, when he reflects upon The bitterness o'th'first, then if alone He had the latter tasted: even so When Job reflects how miserably low, And scandalously poor he was of late Which by reflection on his former state Was much augmented; so he now esteems His present happiness the more, yet seems With so much moderation to bear His restauration, as if yet he were Upon the Dung-hill, and betwixt the two Extremities of both Conditions, now He lives like one, that his Condition knew. Not elevat, when all his Kinred come With joyful voice to bid him welcome home

His worthy Kindred! O his kind Relations, Who formerly had in his sad occasions Deserted him, and spoke of him, with hate, Now come, by dozens, to congratulate His happy Restitution. Those who did from him in Affliction fly Are now his stout friends in Prosperity. By turns they feast him, striving who shall treat A man, to whom they would not give of late One Loaf of Bread: but O his great Estate! His Means, and Honours now such figure make As all of them do covet to partake The happiness of his society And wait upon him, with alacrity. With Jewels, and Gold ear-rings they present him, And with broad Silver Medalls complement him. All his acquaintance too make now addresses To him, and trouble him with fresh caresses, And salutations in Prosperity, Who did not mind him in Calamity. For now—— His Friends, Acquaintance, Kinsmen, in a word, All that e're knew him, seeing him restor'd Do croud about him, every one denyes, At least make fashion of Apologies, For their unkindness, whilst he was of late In a most sad, and despicable state: But Job considering that those, who forsook him When in Affliction, if again it took him, Would do the like, did with great moderation, Receive th' addresses of that Corporation: Because he knew such Wardrobe-friends, as these Were not for Storms, but for Festival days. For he's the only friend, who men doth owne In trouble: other friendship there is none; And friendship's ne're, but in Affliction knowen.

Now after this so signal restauration,* 1.12 Job us'd with so much grace, and moderation, His new Prosperity, that God did bless His labour daily, for he did increase In Wealth, and Riches, and did now possess Twice as much Means, and had a greater Store By the one half, then that he had before▪ Upon his Pasture Grounds he now did keep A lusty Stock of fourteen thousand Sheep: And so of Camels, Oxen, Shee-asses, He now just twice the number did possess. In Honours too, and Offices beside No doubt he now was highly magnify'd: So that the figure of his latter days Appear'd more glorious then his former was.

But what do Wealth, and Honours signify* 1.13 Without the prospect of Posterity? And therefore that in all Job might be bless't

His hopeful Issue, with his Wealth increas't. For now his Wife, who all this time had stray'd, And had belike i' th'Country begg'd her Bread, During her Husbands Misery; at last Learning by publick Fame, what late had past In his Affair, had to her former station Return'd, and liv'd, in sweet association, With her kind Husband: (for we do not read That ever Job another Wife did wed) By the same Wife then, as it here appears, He had ten Children in his latter years: Seven Males, three Females, and, as here related, Never were Girls more beautiful created.

Then were Jobs Daughters, so compleatly fair,* 1.14 So brisque, so smooth, so sweet, and debonnair, So amiable, of such comely features, As both their names, and faces with their natures Did fully suit: the eldest Jemima He nam'd, 'cause of complexion bright, as day. The second Kezia, which doth signify One of an odorifick quality, As sweet as Cassia: the third was knowen By th'name of Keren-happuch, as to none

Inseriour in beauty: these Co-heirs,* 1.15 With their seven Brethren, as by th' Text appears Were institute, and without all debate, By equal parts their Fathers great Estate They did possess, living in unity Amongst themselves, as if one Family: Free of Law-Suits, each with their Dividend Did live content: none of'em did contend For th'right of Primogeniture, or claim'd More then their Father t'each of them had nam'd.

And now, to crown this good mans Happiness* 1.16 Full sevenscore years in Honour, Wealth, and Peace, Job after this did live, and fairly see His Childrens Children to the fourth Degree.

At length, as all the Race of Mortals must* 1.17 When Time is spent, return again to Dust: So Job, whom God with both Estates had try'd, Old, full of happy days, and blessings dy'd.

O so let all with Sorrows now oppress't In thy good Time obtain Eternal Rest: Let all afflicted trust in thee alone Great God, besides thee comfort there is none. Let no man in his Sufferings repine▪ For both Lifes-Sorrows, and Delights are thine, Which to each Mortal, Lord, thou dost dispense As thou thinks't good; O let Jobs Patience Be a grand Copy, which, in my sad state, My anxious Soul may strive to imitate. That pious thoughts each hour may lenifie The Paroxisms of my Adversity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Then Iob an∣swered the Lord, and said,
• * 1.2

  2. I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be witholden from thee.
• * 1.3

  3. Who is he that hideth counsel with∣out knowledge? therefore have I ut∣tered that I under∣stood not things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
• * 1.4

  4. Hear, I beseech thee. and I ••ill speak: I will demand of t••••••, and declare thou unto me.
• * 1.5

  5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee.
• * 1.6

  6. Wherefore I abhore myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
• * 1.7

  7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Iob, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled a∣gainst thee, & against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as ••y ser∣vant Iob hath.
• * 1.8

  8. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Iob, and of∣fer up for your selves a bu••n-offering, and my servant Iob shall pray for you; for him I will accept, lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spo∣ken of me the things which are right, like my servant Iob.
• * 1.9

  9. So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and ••••d according as the ••ord had com∣ma••ded them: the Lord also accepted Iob.
• * 1.10

  10. And the Lord turned the captivity of Iob, when he pray∣ed for his friends, al∣so the Lord gave Iob twice as much as he had before.
• * 1.11

  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 bemoaned him, and com••orted him o∣ver all the evil that the Lord had broght upon him▪ every man gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold.
• * 1.12

  12. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Io•• more then his beginning: for he had 14000 sheep, and 6000 camels, and 1000 y••ke of oxen. and 1000 she asses.
• * 1.13

  13. He had also seven sons, and three daughters.
• * 1.14

  14. And he called the name of the first, ••e∣mima and the name of the second, Kezia, and the name of the third, Keren-hap∣puch.
• * 1.15

  15. And in all the land were no ••••men ••ound ••o 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as the daughters of ••ob▪ & their father gave them inheritance among their bre∣thren.
• * 1.16

  16. After this lived Iob an hundred and fourty years, and saw his sons, and his sons sons, even four ge∣nerations.
• * 1.17

  17. So Iob died, be∣ing old, and full of days.