CHAPTER XXVII.

1. NOwe when Iob perceiued that his aduersaries held their peace, he more freely and boldely continued and held on his speech, which he had begun in so weightie a matter, as was the defence both of the truth, & of him selfe, and thus he spake 2 My freinds, I heare what your opi∣nion Page  [unnumbered] and iudgement is of me, and I confesse that almightie God doth at this time so deale with me, oppressing this my languishing soule with such extreame miserie, that he semeth to haue debarred me from all right of defending and main∣taining mine owne innocencie against you. 3. But the same God, in whose handes the life of all liuing creatures doeth consist, and whose power how great it is, I finde and fele in this my calamitie, the same God I say be so mercifull vnto me, as neither his seueritie which he vseth towards me, nor your slaunderous speeches shall cause me vtter, no not so much as halfe a word, which may sauour either of open im∣pietie or else of dissembled and counterfait holines, so long as my life shal endure, & this breath, which God hath put into my bodie, shall come forth at my nostrels: 4. Farre be it from me, I say, that so long as there is any breath left with∣in mee, I should bee found, in worde or deed to haue beene iustly charged of you either with manifest vngodlines, or with a feyned shew and colour of virtue: and that I shoulde seeme to cast away the testimonie of my life led in all inno∣cencie and vprightnes. 5. & 6. For as I haue not lightly and onely for fashion sake imbraced iustice, but haue seri∣ously sought after her; so now also shal I as constantly retain her: I will not suffer her to be lost or forsaken by me: I will not be so much ouerseene, as that my heart may at any time, so long as I continue in this life, reprooue me for so foule & shamefull an apostacie.

7. Let mine enimie be as the wicked (is:) & mine aduersarie as (is) the vnrighteous.

Now then, haue I saide, that God fauoureth the wicked, or that he alwaies suffereth them to escape vnpunished? Nay I assure you, this was so far from my meaning, that contrari∣wise, if I were disposed to wish hurt and dammage to mine e∣nemies, I would nor desire any greater mischiefe should be∣fall them, then that they might trie God to bee such a one toward them, as he is to the froward and wicked.

8. For what hope hath the hipocrite after he hath set his mind vpon coueteousnes, when God shall draw out his soule?

9. Will God heare his cry, when trouble cometh vpon him?

10. Will he set his delight on the almightie? will he call vpon Page  [unnumbered] God at all times.

8. For howsoeuer a man, making a faier shew of godli∣nes doth by euil meanes treasure vp riches, while God doth winck at it: yet what confidence can he haue, when God shal call forth his soule to appeare before his tribunal seat, draw∣ing it out of his body, as it were, a sword out of a sheath? 9. wil God giue eare vnto him, when he doth mainly cry out in these his troubles? 10 Is it possible that he should com∣fort him selfe with the remembrance of him, whom so often he hath prouoked by his hipocriticall dissembling? and will he daie by day call vpon him?

11 J vvill teach you the hand of God, and I wil not conceale those things (which are) with the almightie.

12 Behold all you haue seene: and why doe you thus vanish in vanitie?

11 In a worde, that you may perceiue, that the admini∣stration of things, which is onlie in Gods hand, is not denied of me, I will laie open those workes of God before you, in the performing vvhereof, wee may clearely see his infinite povvre: and I will make it plaine, that there are vvith God things far more secret & hidden. 12. And vvhereas you your selues haue seene all things vvith your ovvne eies, as appea∣reth by your speeches, I maruell hovv it commeth to passe, that you bring against me so vaine and trifling arguments.

13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, & the inhe∣ritance of tyrantes, which they shall receiue of the almightie.

14 Jf his children be manie in number, they (shall be manie in number) for the sword; and his ofspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

15 His remnant shall be buried in death, and his widowes shall not weepe.

16 Jf he haue heaped vp siluer as the dust, and hath prepared raiment as the claie,

17 He may prepare (it) but the iust shall put it on: and the in∣nocent shall deuide (his) siluer.

18 He may build his house as the mothe, and as a lodge (vvhich) the watchman maketh.

19 The rich man shall lie, and shal not be gathered: he hath opened his eies and there was not anie thing.

Page  [unnumbered]20 Terrors shall take him as waters, a tempest shall come vp∣on him by night.

21 The east winde shal take him awaie and he shall be gone: & with a whirlewind shall he be remooued out of his place.

22 And he shall run violently vpon him, neither shall he spare (him:) (but he himselfe) shal flie from the stroke.

23 (Euerie man) wil be glad to clap his handes ouer him, (that is, at his destruction) & will hisse at him out of his place.

13 These thinges therefore are euen such, as the Lorde hath alotted to the vngodlie as their portion & inheritance, and this is all the gaine and profit, vvhich they shal reape at the hands of almightie God, vvhosoeuer haue abused their povver to doe vvrong and to oppresse others. 14 Bee it that they haue left behind them a great number of children, yet shall it appeare that they begate so manie for the svvord to deuour them: or else so many shall die for vvant of foode and bodilie sustenance. 15 If it happen that any of them remaine, hauing escaped the svvord and famine, so that they die by no violent death, but are brought to the graue as o∣ther men, yet not one of their vvidovves shall bevvaile her husband, but shall rather be glad, that shee is thus rid and de∣liuered from him. 16. 17 Admit he hath heaped vp ri∣ches as the dust that lieth in the streetes, and hath prouided him selfe great store of raiment and verie many sutes of ap∣parell, in so much that hee maketh no more account of his garments, then of the durte or mire vvhich is troden vnder foote: I graunt indeed he may get and prouide these things, but he shall not enioy them him selfe, but some other man for him of a more honest and vpright conuersation then he: his garments shal come into the iust mans handes, vvho shal in like manner bee made master of all his treasure and sub∣stance. 18 He shall take great paines to erect faire and statelie buildings, yet when he hath done all that he can, he shall build a house rather for a mothe to dvvell in, then a man, in vvhich he shall vvast and spend himselfe: his building shall be of as small continuance, as the cottage, vvhich the vinekeepers set vp to defend them from the parching heat of the sunne; vvhich lasteth onely for one summer. 19. And this man, vvho but euen novv for his great vvealth and ri∣ches, Page  [unnumbered] was so highly esteemed, being on a sudden cast down, shall lie without help and no man shall take him vp: he shall looke about him on euerie side, but no succour at all shall he finde. 20 He shall be whollie ouerwhelmed with the terrors of his guiltie conscience, as it were with a sea of raging wa∣ters: & in the night season, when other creatures quietlie take their rest, hee shall be afrighted with horrible tempests. 21 For a swift and violent winde rising suddenly, shall carie him quire away: and being by and by gone out of sight, hee shall neuer afterwardes bee seene: and no marueile, seeing a mightie whirlewind hath swept him away.

22 For God, the iust reuenger will come violently vpon him, and will not spare him at all: then hee like a wretched caitiue shall in vaine run from one place to another without resting, to auoid the heauie blowes which God shall fasten vpon him. 23 And, which is yet a great deale more misera∣ble, he being thus cast downe from his former happy & flou∣rishing estate, all men shall bee so farre from taking pitie of him, that on the contrarie part they shall laugh and reioice at his downefall, hissing and clapping their handes at him.