The history of the Old and New Testament extracted out of sacred Scripture and writings of the fathers : to which are added the lives, travels and sufferings of the apostles : with a large and exact historical chronology of all the affairs and actions related in the Bible : the whole illustrated with two hundred thirty four sculptures, and three maps, delineated and engraved by good artists / translated from the Sieur De Royaumont, by several hands ; supervised and recommended by Dr. Horneck, and other orthodox divines.

The CONTENTS of the Book of JOB.

THis Book is called the Book of JOB, a very Famous and Holy Man, whose most memorable History is here recorded, con∣taining an account of his great Trials, his in∣vincible Patience, his unmoveable Faith, and the happy end of all his Afflictions.

Some suppose, that this Job flourished in the time of the Patriarchs. Others, whilst the Children of Israel were yet in Egypt, or at least, whilst they were Travelling through the Wilderness to the Land of Canaan, under the Conduct of Moses, who (by some) is supposed to have been the Author and Pen-man of this Book; the Historical part whereof in the He∣brew Original, is set down in Prose; but the Discourses therein contained, are expressed in Heroick Verse, suitable to the gravity and dignity of the Subject.

The Book begins with a description of Job's extraordinary Piety and Uprightness, and of the happy and flourishing state of his Family and Children, which is followed with the sad and lamentable relation of divers dreadful Calamities, which by the instigation of Satan, and wise dispensation and permission of the LORD, suddenly and unexpectedly fell upon him in his Estate, his Children, and his own Body, besides the reproaches and insultings of his Wife. In all which he gave the highest Marks of a most Heroick Patience, which in∣stead of desponding, like the inflexible Palm-tree, hardned and raised it self under the heavy Load of these extreme Afflictions, silently ac∣quiescing in the Will of GOD.

Being in this most deplorable Condition, he is visited by Three of his Friends, Great and Famous Men, to condole with and comfort him. At their first seeing of him, they sit down by him in silence, not speaking a word, as Men transported and overcome with the terrour of his Calamities, and the bitterness of his Suf∣ferings. But Job at last, by the Infirmity of his Flesh, breaking forth into violent Com∣plaints, to that degree as to Curse the Day of his Birth, his Friends take occasion from thence to enter upon discourse with him: They Re∣prove him at first for his too great Impatience, and grounding themselves upon GOD's Righ∣teousness, which suffers not wicked Men sooner or later to go unpunished, they will needs ar∣gue him to be such, and upon this Supposal en∣ter with him into a great and important Dis∣pute: For passing from their general Thesis That GOD punisheth the Wicked, to the Hy∣pothesis, That Job was so, they accuse him of Hypocrisie and Impiety, partly building this their Assertion upon the greatness of his Suf∣ferings, and partly upon some impatient and repining Expressions, which now and then e∣scap'd from him in the excess of his Grief.

The main thing they endeavour to make Job sensible of, is, That GOD punisheth none but the Wicked, and on the contrary showrs down the choicest of his Blessings upon good and godly Men; and from thence conclude, That since Job by such remarkable Judgments was deprived of all his Children, and his Estate, and stript of all his former Advantages and Heavenly Blessings, and cast down into most horrible Calamities; which (thro human In∣firmity) stir'd up and irritated by their bitter Reproaches and sharp Reflexions, did at times force some Discourses from him too full of Heat, and not so well digested as they might have been; they from all these drew this unchari∣table Consequence, That without doubt he was either a very Wicked Man, or a most dis∣sembling Hypocrite. To this purpose they al∣ledge and produce many good and excellent Sentences, to confirm their Judgment; which tho they were all true in themselves, and with respect to the Legal Righteousness of GOD, who in all his Punishments supposeth Sin, yet could not be well apply'd to Job's Person or Condition.

But Job all this while couragiously defends himself against their Attacks, and maintains himself innocent of the Impiety and Hypocri∣sie they laid to his Charge, protesting that his former Life had never been blemish'd with the one or the other. And as to that Maxim of theirs, upon which they grounded the Super∣structure of all their Accusations against him, he most clearly refutes it from daily Experi∣ence, which makes it apparent, That GOD in this World doth often exercise the best of Men with the rudest and hardest Trials and Afflictions; whereas wicked Men (on the con∣trary)

enjoy abundance of Prosperity, and do rather abound with all outward Blessings, than groan under the burthen of Miseries and Ca∣lamities. And thus supporting himself with the Witness and Seal of the Spirit of GOD in his Conscience, he boldly maintains, That he neither is, nor formerly was either a Profane Person or an Hypocrite.

He owns indeed, that he cannot stand his ground before the Soveraign Majesty of the Great GOD of Heaven and Earth, as well in regard of his absolute Power, as being nothing in comparison of him, but a weak and despi∣cable Creature: as with respect to his just and severe Judgment, acknowledging himself a poor and miserable Sinner, who was not able to answer to one Point of a Thousand, the LORD might of right alledge against him. And yet, he most earnestly wishes, That as to the Cause, depending between him and his Friends, GOD would be pleased himself to take cognizance of it, try it and judge it at the Tribunal of his Justice. So fully was he per∣swaded and convinced in his Heart of his unfeigned Piety, and his sincere Uprightness according to the Covenant of Grace.

In the mean time it cannot be denied, but that Job being provoked by the offensive, in∣considerate, and injurious Discourses of his Friends, he suffered himself at times to be strangely transported, so as to speak of GOD, of his Providence and Justice indecently, and not with that Reverence as he ought to have done: So that we may say with good Reason. That Job's Friends did very well, and with strong and acknowledged Truths defend a very bad Cause; and that he (on the contrary) did sometimes ill enough, and with excentrick Motions defend a very good one. However, he stood so firmly in his own defence, that he would never quit his just Cause, nor give it up to his Friends; who at last forbearing to answer him, Elihu takes up the Argument in their stead, and Answers him after another manner than they had done: For he doth not properly accuse him, for having in time past lived wickedly, but reproves him for some ex∣orbitant Expressions, and ill digested Asserti∣ons that had escap'd him in his Conference with them; as if GOD had injur'd him in so rudely handling of him, for secret Reasons only known to his supream Wisdom.

Wherefore Elihu perswades and invites Job to Humility and Repentance, because GOD loves to give forth of his Grace and Mercy to poor and miserable Afflicted ones, that confide in him. He demonstrates (in opposition to what Job had alledg'd) That GOD never injures a∣ny Person by Chastizing of him, and that he is not accountable or responsible to any Man for what he doth. And against Job's Friends he proves, That GOD doth not only punish the Wicked, but also that he often chastizeth and visits with Afflictions such as are good and holy Men, and that he hath right so to do. He deduceth his Proofs of these Assertions from the Nature of GOD, which is All-wise, All-powerful, and All-just, and from his Sove∣reign Majesty, which gives him an incon∣testable Empire over all his Creatures, and which cannot but exactly agree, and go hand in hand with all the other Perfections of his Na∣ture and Essence.

Job acquiescing in Elihu's grounded Dis∣course, and yeilding to his Reasons, holds his peace, not entring upon any further Contest; and then the LORD appearing in a Whirl∣wind, reproves Job for having spoke inconsi∣derately concerning him, proving this as well from his Divine Properties, as by his Won∣derful Works; partly respecting the Govern∣ment of the Universe in general, and partly the production and conversation of some great and wonderful Creatures in particular.

After this Divine Censure pronounced a∣gainst Job, Job in all humility acknowledgeth his Sin, renders unto GOD the Glory due to his Justice, and discovers his sincere Humiliation and Repentance. The LORD afterwards very sharply Reproves Job's Friends, and com∣mands them to endeavour a Reconciliation with him, by procuring his Faithful Servant Job to intercede for them, whom he re-esta∣blisheth again in his former state, doubling all his Blessings upon him.

It is not well known how long this severe Trial of Job lasted. The Jews say, it continu∣ed a whole Year: Some shorten the time, which again is prolonged by others; but it is not at all needful for us to define, what GOD hath not been pleased to reveal to us in his Word.

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138 The Right Honourable Rachel, Countess of Bristol Baro∣nes of Sherborne in Dorsetshire, and daughter of S^r. Hugh Wind∣ham of Silton in the said County Knight. For advancement of this Worke. Contributed this Plate.

JOB upon the Dung-hill.

Holy Job is tempted by the Devil, who deprives him of his Children, and of all that he had; and moreover afflicts him with painful Boils and Sores over all his Body, sparing only his Wife, whom he made use of to provoke him to Impatience.

HOly Job, who is so famous in Sacred Writ, for his humble Patience, had in all the former part of his Life allied two things, which are very rarely found to∣gether, viz. a great and extraordinary Ver∣tue, with vast Riches. He was (saith the Scripture) a Man perfect and upright, and fearing GOD. He did not content himself to avoid all manner of Evil himself, but re∣membring that he was a Father, he was very forward to instruct his Children in the Fear of the LORD, and often offered Sacrifices for any secret Sins, and unknown to him, that they might be guilty of.

This Vertue of Job was a great Eye-sore to the Devil, and made him desirous to have a fling at him; yea, he was so bold as to ca∣luminate him in the Presence of GOD him∣self, and not being able to find any thing in his Life that he could justly blame, he slander'd his secret Intentions, maintaining, That he did not serve GOD, but because of the many outward Blessings and Advantages GOD had bestowed upon him.

GOD, to confound this Arch slanderer, and to convince him of his Lyes, gave him leave to take away from Job all that he had. The Devil made use of this Power that was grant∣ed him, with the utmost Malice; and that he might at once overwhelm this holy Man with a whole deluge of Miseries and Calamities one upon the neck of another, he so order'd it. that at one and the same time his Herds of Oxen and Asses were taken away by the Sa∣beans, and his Herdsmen kill'd; his Flocks of Sheep consumed by Fire from Heaven, toge∣ther with his Shepherds that had the care of them; his Camels carried away by the Chal∣deans, and all his Children crushed under the Ruins of a House that fell upon them whilst they were a Feasting in their eldest Brothers House.

Job received all these dismal Tydings from Messengers, that followed at the heels of one another, and came (as it were) all at once crowding in upon him, who with a strange Constancy and unshaken Vertue prostrating himself upon the Ground, worshipped and blessed GOD, uttering those words which since are become so famous; Naked came I into the World, and naked shall I go cut of it again; the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the LORD.

The Innocence this holy Man (preserved in the midst of all these terrible and unheard of Trials, which only served to illustrate his Vertues, and to make them shine more bright) highly enraged this malicious Spirit, who saw himself confounded by him, whom he had in∣tended to confound and conquer: Wherefore he again desired power of GOD to afflict him in his Body; because he can do nothing against the Saints, but so far as GOD permits him. GOD granted him his demand, that he might the more confound his Maliciousness, and to make it appear, that there was nothing, but was sound and sincere in the Vertue of his Servant Job.

So the Devil smote Job with terrible Boils and Ʋlcers over all his Body, insomuch that he was fain to sit down upon the Dunghill, and with a Potsherd to scrape off the Matter issu∣ing from the Sores, that cover'd his Body from the Crown of his Head to the Soles of his Feet. Of all his Family there was none left now, save only his Wife, whom the Devil seem'd to have spared, not that she might be the Comforter•• but the Tempter of her Husband to Impatience and Murmuring against GOD: For she judg∣ing from these Disasters that had befallen him that all his Piety was vain and hypocrital, en∣deavoured to provoke him to Blasphemy.

But Job, as he had couragiously stood it out against all the dreadful Tryals and Temptati∣ons to Impatience, he had been expos'd to by the Malice of the Devil; so he constantly resisted the strokes of her bitter Tongue; telling her That she talk'd like a foolish Woman; for since they had received good things from the hand of GOD, they ought not to repine and grow impatient now that GOD was pleased to dispense Afflictions and Sufferings to them.

Which made S. Austin to admire the Con∣stancy of Job on this occasion, and to declare That Job, by resisting the Temptations of his Eve, was incomparably more glorious on his Dunghill, than Adam was when surrounded with all the Pleasures and Glories of Paradise.

JOBS FRIENDS.

Job instead of being comforted by his Three Friends that came to Visit him hath his Affliction increased by their means; They concluding him a great Sinner, because of the Disasters that had hapned to him.

JOB being thus reduced to the condition be∣fore mention'd, seem'd to have as great a load of Affliction and Sorrow upon him, as was possible to fall upon Man; and yet, as if all this were not sufficient, a new Trouble is added to all his other Sufferings, which did as much oppress his Mind, as the other were sensible to his Body.

Three of his Friends, viz. Eliphaz the Te∣manite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar, the Naamathite, coming to visit him, and to con∣dole with him for the heavy Judgments that had befallen him, and who seeing his Grief was so great, they rent their Mantles sprinkled Dust on their Heads, wept and sat down by him for 7 Days and Nights not say∣ing a word; at length when they spake, Job instead of receiving any solid comfort from them, as probably he might have expected, was fain to defend himself against their false Reasons and unjust Thoughts concerning him. He had nothing to support him under the rude Attack of their sinister Thoughts con∣cerning him, but the testimony of his Consci∣ence, and the innocence and integrity of his past Life; which was that his indiscreet Friends would rob him of, by mainatining, That it could not be, but he must needs be guilty of great Crimes, because GOD did so severely chastize him. They made an esti∣mate of GOD's dealings towards this holy Man, according to their carnal and human Judg∣ments; and they mingled very grave Dis∣courses with their Demonstrances, only to give the greater authority to their Reflections and Invectives against him.

Holy Job seem'd to be more concern'd and troubled for this last Affliction from his Friends, from whose hands in the condition he was; he might have expected better usage, than for all the other Miseries that had overtaken him. He did his utmost endeavour to convince them of their mistake, and by Reasons and Instan∣ces to rectifie their misapprehensions; but all was to no purpose, they shewing by their Ex∣ample, how dangerous it is for Men to suffer themselves to he Leaven'd by bad Impressions and to entertain sinister Thoughts concerning the Innocence of good and holy Men. For suffering themselves to be carried away by out∣ward Appearances, that seem'd to favour their prejudicate Opinions, they were not to be re∣moved from their belief, that Job was guilty, because he was handled like one that is so.

But GOD at last avenged the Quarrel of his Servant Job upon these his unjust Friends; for his Anger being kindled against them, he reproached them for the folly of their Dis∣courses, and declar'd, that he would not par∣don this their injurious dealing, or be recon∣ciled to them, but at the Prayer of him, whom they had taken so much pains to prove a Sinner and wicked Person.

This Example (say the Fathers) ought to teach us, never to entertain any sinister Judg∣ments concerning good and righteous Men how great and extraordinary soever their Sufferings may be in this World; nor to conceive an high esteem for those, who being more corrupt and ulcerous in their Souls, than Job was in his Body, when he sat upon the Dunghill; yet abound with all the Honour and Good things of this World. The Judgment of Faith is ge∣nerally opposite to that of Sense.

Those who seem to be outwardly Rich and Righteous, are frequently poor and sinful in the Eyes of GOD, and those who are despised, as being poor and reproached as Sinners, are often the more rich in Grace and Vertue in the Eyes of him, who searches the Heart and Reins, and from whom nothing is hid.

GOD, at the upshot of all, justified his Ser∣vant Job in a most publick and illustrious man∣ner, restoring more Riches and Blessings to him, than ever the Devil had taken from him. But under the New Law, GOD often suffers his most faithful Servants to continue opprest and disgrac'd to the end of their Lives; because those who will be his Disciples and Followers, must (according to the Example of Jesus Christ and the Saints his Members) not be afraid of, or apprehend any Evils, save only those that defile and hurt the Soul; nor esteem any Good things or Rewards, but such as are Spiritual Invisible, and Eternal.

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139 The Right Noble Isabella Dutchess. of Grafton &c^a. For advancement of this Worke. Contributed this Plate.

Notes

• 'Tis not certainly known when this History hapned, tho it seem probable that it was whilst the Children of Israel wandred in the Wilderness.