The grand Tryal :: :: University of Virginia Library

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

Clarke, William (fl. 1684-1688)

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VII.

VIII.

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XI.

XII.

Cap. XII.

XIII.

XIV.

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XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

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XXX.

XXXI.

IV.

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XXXIV.

XXXV.

XXXVI.

XXXVII.

XXXVIII.

XXXIX.

XL.

XLI.

XLII.

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Cap. XII.

1. Then Iob answered and said.

With pious silence Job had all this time
Heard Zophar shreudly aggravat his crime:
Made to his talk no interruption,
As many, in his case, would sure ha' done,
But, so soon as his friend an end had made,
To his discourse he only answered.

2. Indeed because you are the people only wisdom must dy with you.

Indeed, my friends, I see you are so wise
'Tis to be fear'd, with you all Wisdom dies.
You feel no pains, and torments, as I do,
And therefore think all my Expressions now
Are but like School-boyes whinings, when chastis'd
For their own good: for such indeed you're pleas'd
T'esteem my carriage.
You who have never yet affliction known,
On whose soft faces no rude wind has blown:
Have ne'r known sorrow, or the use of tears,
But smilingly enjoy'd your peaceful years;
'Tis easy for you, in such words as these
T'accuse th'afflicted of what crimes you please.

3. But I have understanding as well as you, and am not inferior to you, yea who knoweth not such things?

Then after all this Torrent of Discourse,
Sure you imagine that by very force
Of reason, you've oblig'd me to confess
That I'm now punish'd for my wickedness.
You think you have my case so opened,
In arguments not to be answered,
And so ensnar'd me by your Art, and Skill,
As I a Fool, a Mad-man, what you will,
Must as a man found guilty hold my peace,
And hear my Sentence read upon my knees.
But seriously, my friends, I'd have you know
You're much deceiv'd, if you imagine so:
I know no difference betwixt you, and me
In any thing, but what you all do see,
My sad affliction.
I'm scandalously poor, I must confess,
But I was never tax'd with foolishness:
For follow your discourse, and you shall find,
Although I cannot so express my mind,
As you do in your Flowres of Eloquence,

Yet truly I lack neither Wit, nor Sense,
Memory, Judgment, or what Parts you call,
And understand as much, as you do all.

4. I am as one mocked of his neighbours, who calleth upon God, and he heareth, him, the just, and the upright is laugh'd to scorn.

Whence this insulting then? pray to what end
Do all your vain Expostulations tend?
Whence all these Accusations? alace
D'ye mean to mock me in my very face?
Because God, in his mercy, grants you all,
Your hearts desire, aud hears you, when you call,
Therefore a man afflicted, and opprest
Must be the subject of your unkind jest.
You think perhaps that God doth favour none,
Or has respect, but for your selves alone;
Because you're rich, because you never yet
Have known the pangs of a distress'd Estate.
Hence, (though upright, and just) the poor with you
Have no esteem; to such you don't allow
The Character of simple Innocence,
But laugh at all such, with great Insolence.

5. He that is ready to fall is as a lamp despised in the opinion of the rich.

For O how meanly you Rich Men do prize
The Poor, though Pious, Virteous, Learn'd, and Wise
Yes you on Riches only set your hearts,
And weigh men by their Mony, not their Parts.
Hence I've observ'd, my friends, that such as you
Do undervalue, and (I know not how)
As on a Lamp, or Link extinguished,
On all, that are not rich, you proudly tread.

6. The tabernacles of robbers do prosper, and they are in safety that provoke God, whom God hath enriched with his hand.

But what needs more:—tis so, and still will be,
For wicked persons do encrease we see,
And men of unjust Principles do rise
In Wealth, and Power, erecting Families
Upon the Ruines of the Just, and those
Who understand no Piety (God knows)
Do live in safety: with his bounteous hand,
God doth enrich them, and they fill the land.
Why this to me is no strange thing, I knew
How God did rule the World as well as you.

7. Ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the souls of the heaven, and they shall tell thee.

Nay who's so stupid, who so void of sense
As doth not understand how Providence
Earths Governor, chief Minister of state
To our Great God, doth all things regulate
Below the Sun, allowing t'every Creature
Its Shape, its Substance, Virtue, Food, and Nature.
For ask the Beasts that toil for daily fare,
On Earth, and those, who in the open Air
Keep constant Commerce, and they'll plainly tell
What you have lately preach'd to me, as well
As any of you all; they'll fully show
How much all Creatures to their Maker owe.

8. Or speak to the earth, and it shall show thee, or the fishes of the sea, and they shal declare unto thee.

Or speak to th'Earth, and it will soon proclaim
The Power of God, and his most Glorious Name,
Nay very insects, things so despicable
As some o'th' learned hold it questionable

Whether they be of primitive Creation,
Or meerly by equivocque Generation,
Begot on putrid matter by the Sun,
When through the hot Signs he his course doth run.
Or speak to the Fishes, who do every day,
Amidst the rude waves, unconcern'dly play,
All these will clearly speak how deep a sense,
They have o'th' gracious power of Providence.

9. Who is ignorant of all these, but that the hand of the Lord hath made these?

Then to what purpose all your talk? pray why
Should you obtrude your mean Philosophy
Upon your friend? alace I'd have you know
Your wisdom's common to all here below.
Why so dogmatick, when you only preach,
What the Creation every hour doth teach?
Must we esteem you wise, because that you
Know as much as the Brutal Creatures do?
Or shall we think that you deserve esteem,
Because you can descantupon a Theme,
Well known to all men? for who's ignorant
Of what you speak? though you do proudly vaunt,
You are the only knowing men, alace,
How much do I commiserate your case.
For ah, who knows not how Gods mighty hand
Hath all things fram'd in Heavens, Air, Sea, and Land.

10. In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

That mighty hand, that hand, which doth contain
The precious Soul of every living man:
That hand, which grasps at once both Life, and Death,
That hand, which stops, and lets out every Breath:
That mighty hand we know hath formed all,
Without the help of what you wisdom call.
That powerful hand, that right hand, which alone
Acts by true wisdom, is most surely known,
Beyond what all your wisdom can rehearse,
To be the Author of the Universe.

11. Doth not the ear discern the words, and the mouth taste meat for itself.

For lets observe but, who did frame the Ear,
And for what use: why it will soon appear
If once we speak: for then articulate,
And distinct words entring that narrow Gate;
Through the Ears winding Turnpikes progress make,
And are conducted to the Intellect,
In decent order, have quick audience,
And from the council of the common Sense,
As quick returns: for words are instantly
Dispatch'd in answer: twinkling of an eye,
Th'ears of both speakers do these words convey.
T'each others judgements i'th' same form, and way.
Let us observe then, how this useful sense,
By special licence from high providence,
Enjoys its place, and faculty, nor are
Those many towrs, and windings in the ear,
There to no purpose, since experience
Demonstrats every day their excellence.
For, as we see in Princes Pallaces,
How all the avenues, and passages

Are strictly guarded, to oppose the rude
Tumultuous entries of the Multitude:
Whilst civil persons, who have business,
Pass through the Guards, and dayly make address
To th'Princes ear: so all the Guards o'th' brain
To civil courteous words do make a Lane,
Which passing forward to the Intellect,
Are there receiv'd with kindness, and respect.
But, if in throngs, and with a hideous shout,
They chance to make approach, to keep such out,
The Drum o'th' Ear doth quickly beat to Arms,
Yet by the frequent use of such allarms,
Those Guards are oft-times overcome, and thence
Men lose the use of that most useful sense.
That useful sense, to which indeed we owe,
The greatest part of what we learn, or know,
So that were't even but in that curious sense,
We may admire the work of Providence.
Observe the Mouth too, how it tastes the Meat,
To try if it be wholesome, sowr, or sweet,
Ere to the Stomach, whether it doth tend,
It can have access, that it may defend,
The Body from all Food, that's destructive,
To health, and make its charge securely live.
Now from such topicks, though there were no moe,
Who may not soon, th'Almighties Glory know?
Forbear then all your arguing, pray forbear
And let's no more of your vain Lectures hear
Upon this subject, since no art can show
The full extent of what we only know,
From such external signs, for what indeed
The Power of God is, whence all things proceed,
Which here we see: how things are regulate
In Heavens, and Earth: how he did Fabricate
This vast stupendious Globe, which still the more
We view, the more the Framer we adore
Is what exceeds our reach.

12. Amongst the ancient is wisdom, and in the length of days is understanding.

'Tis true indeed, (and I do not deny)
But even on this side of Mortality,
There is a wisdom, which one may attain
By serious thoughts, and labour of the Brain,
There is a thing I know, which in some sense
May be thought wisdom, call'd experience,
Which 'mongst ag'd persons keeps its Residence.
Seldom in other company we see
This grave Instructer, whom I take to be
A thing made up of many passages
Of foolish Life, by which it seems to guess
At future Events, and would wisely cast
By th'vanity of things already past,
The issues of new Counsels, but alace,
When we perceive how still new passages
Occur, which we have never known before,
Then we admire, and can presage no more.

And then, when we reflect what vast Expence
Acquaintance with this same Experience
Doth cost us daily, and how, ere we can
Improve to its full height the wit of man,
The life of man runs out: who'd not assert
That all the knowledge, all the wit, the art,
And all the cunning; which we can attain
Below the Heavens is absolutely vain.
Vain, and inconstant, frail, and perishing
A very inconsiderable thing,
Not worth our pains to know: for don't we see
'Mongst all alive on earth how few there be
Can teach us, which obliges us to crave
Instructions from the Records of the Grave,
Their sayings we esteem, their Works we read,
And borrow all our Knowledge from the Dead.

13. With him is wisdom, and strength, he hath counsel, and understanding.

But O how mean, how poor, and despicable
This Wisdom looks! how like a very bable!
A thing of no esteem, compar'd with that,
Which did this Glorious Universe creat!
That,—that's true Wisdom! that—O that indeed
Doth all your Human Wisdom far exceed.
For with our God, Wisdom, and Strength doth dwell,
In understanding he doth all excel.
No more than of that thing you Wisdom call,
Here's Wisdom that gives silence to you all.
A Divine Wisdom, which no art can teach!
A perfect Wisdom, far above our reach!
A Wisdom infinit! incomparable!
Vastly profound! simply inimitable,
By us poor Mortals! O the Excellence
Of this eternal pure intelligence!
This uncreated Wisdom! this so fair,
Unspotted Knowledge! this so singular
And precious Wisdom! this so eminent
And glorious Prescience, which did all invent
This solid Understanding! this so clear,
And pointed Wisdom, which should only bear
The name of Wisdom! this doth plainly show
We have no Wisdom, we do nothing know:
But all the Wisdom we can here attain,
Is (without question) evident, and plain
(Though on it we bestow a goodly name)
But like the sparks, that issue from the flame.
Or as we see in a contracted Ray
O'th' Sun how Atoms wantonly do play,
Which were but dust, while by that glorious Beam
Rais'd from the Dung-hill: then to men they seem
To be some things of moment, and become
The subject of grave arguing to some
More curious Brains; as they're of admiration
To duller judgments; and of meditation
To pious Breasts: yet let the Sun recall
His Animating Ray, and after all

Those things appear but transient, and vain,
And soon incorporat with the dust again.
Just so all Humane Knowledge animat
By wisdom from above we estimat
For some small time, so long as so inspir'd,
But when the Divine Rayes are once retir'd,
Then we perceive what we did late esteem
Was but a Shadow, or an empty Dream.

14. Behold he will break down, and it cannot be built, he shutteth a man up, and he cannot be loosed.

O the great Power of God! who can express
His admirable Strength! we must confess
'Tis he alone that rules, 'tis he alone
That orders all, accountable to none.
'Tis he that builds, 'tis only he erects
Kingdoms and States; 'tis he alone protects
These in their beeing; he alone beats down
Those powerful Corporations, assoon
As he thinks fit: he overturns them all;
At his command to Anarchy they fall.
Those glistering things, which we adore by names
Of Scepters, Robes, Swords, Balls, and Diadems,
He breaks to pieces with his mighty hand,
To let the' admiring world understand
'Tis he alone, by whom all Princes reign;
And fall; and whom he once beats down, in vain
Mortals endeavour to restore again.
Or if they do, he renders their designs
Unsuccessful, and quickly countermines
Their secret Plots: but when they have done all
That men can do, if on his Name they call,
Then he will hear, and by his Power alone
Restore Exiled Princes to the Throne.
When he imprisons men, (who e're they be)
No Friendship, Force, or Law can set them free.

15. Behold he withholdeth the waters and they dry up, but when he sendeth them out they destroy the earth.

When he seals up the Clouds, then by, and by
The Floods and Rivers of the Earth run dry.
The parched Ground no moisture doth retain,
But every thirsty Clod doth gape for Rain.
And all the beasts o'th' field with drowth opprest,
Hang out their tongues, and can enjoy no rest.
But when he sends them out, they furnish all
Men, Beasts, Birds, Insects, Creatures great and small
With Liquor in abundance: and o'rflow
Earths surface quite if he will have it so.

16. With him is strength & wisdom, he that is deceived; & he that deceiveth are his.

With him is Strength, and Wisdom, no thing can,
Without his licence, be perform'd by man.
Nay Sin it self, tho man to it make sute,
Without permission, dares not contribute
To its own beeing: he who means to make
Unlawful gain, dares not yet undertake
Without Gods special tolerance to do it,
Who will permit it, though he don't allow it.

17. He causeth the Counsellors to go as spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

'Tis he, who turns the Counsels of the Wise
To down right folly: he who vilifies
Their closs Projectings, and doth laugh at all

What these Intrigues, and Cabin councils call.
'Tis he makes Dotards on the Benches sit,
And Beardless fools, when ever he thinks fit,
To plague a sinful Nation: 'tis he
That raises men of base, and low degree
To be our Rulers: he takes Princes down,
And brings th'unweildie Distaff to the Crown:
That he a sinning Nation may vex,
With all the passions of that humorous Sex.
He cuts of aged Princes; he alone
Sets Fools, and sucking Infants on the Throne:
And for the faults of an unrulie Land,
Makes many Princes stead of one, command.

18. He looseth the collar of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

He snatches Scepters from the greatest Kings,
Pulls off their Robes, and makes those crowned things
Fetter'd, and pinion'd, beg their dayly Meat,
With fear, and trembling at the Conquerours feet.

19. He leadeth away the princes as a prey, and overthroweth the mighty.

Whole Nations in a herd he drives away,
And of their Princes makes a lawful Prey.
The high and mighty he doth overthrow
Annuls their Powers, and makes the proudest low.

20. He taketh away the speech from the faithful councellors, and taketh away the judgement of the ancient.

He makes the faithful Counsellours speech to fail,
And what they talk, sound, like an idle tale.
He makes their mouths to furnish Evidence,
Sufficient to condemn their Eloquence.
He makes the ag'd, and prudent stammer out
Their minds like fools; and make the audience doubt;
Although they see their Senators i'th' face,
If these be they, or mad men in their place.

21. He poureth contempt on princes and maketh the strength of the mighty weak.

Your Soveraign Princes, who to day appear
In wealth and honour, void of any fear
Of being overturn'd, and dayly fleece
Their poor o're toiling Subjects as they please,
To morrow he contemptible doth make 'em,
And makes all these they thought their friends, forsake 'em.

22. He discovereth the deep places from their darkness, and bringeth forth the shadow of death to light.

Deep subterraneous Caverns, where the Beams
O'th' Sun ne're pierc'd; dark places, void of names;
Unseen, unheard of, never known before,
Replete with noisome vapours to that hour,
And killing Damps, foul Kennels, black as Hell;
He clears, their darkness he doth soon dispel:
At his command those Fogs do flye away,
And these dark holes, like Noon-tide of the day
Appears, so clear, and so transparent bright,
As if they always had been full of Light.

23. He encreaseth the people, and destroyeth them, he enlargeth the nations, and bringeth them in again.

That Nation which our God intends to bless,
He makes to flourish in all happiness.
He makes the people in prosperity
And wealth to live, and daily multiply.
Under his own vine, ignorant of fear,
Makes each man with his Neighbour keep good chear,
Furnishes to 'em all the best of Meat,
Which under their own Fig-tree they do Eat.
Proof of all Writs, these people do not care

For th'heavy clutch o'th' pinching Usurer.
The dismal News of an approaching term,
Which frights the most of men does not allarm
That happy Nation. who in plenty live,
And spend as freely, as their God doth give
They know no Contributions, Raps, or Force,
Quart'rings, or transient March of Foot, and Horse,
No they are free of all these Curses, far
From all the sad calamities of War.
Whilst other Nations howl, they live at ease,
Enjoying all the Benefits of Peace.
But when a long continued peace has bred
Foul luxury; and all the Land's o'respread
With unclean Acts, and scenick wantonness,
Then farewell all their former joys, and peace.
Their loud-tongu'd sins no sooner make a noise
In Gods Ears, but he instantly destroys
That foolish people, whom he so much bless't,
And throws them out, like Chaff, he doth detest
Their very memory; makes them soon a prey
To Barbarous Nations, who drive all away
They find within that peoples Land, before 'em;
Nor will afford them food, though they implore 'em;
With cryes, and tears, would burst the very stones,
Yet these unmov'd with all their sighs, and groans,
'Stead of all answer to these sad demands,
Shall poinard those poor wretches, wash their hands
In their hearts-blood; cut off their heads, and show
Them on their spear points, not consented so
Ravish their Virgins, and unrip their Wives,
Brain all their Children, and with bloody Knives,
On their dead Corps their cruelty repeat,
And throw large Collops to their Dogs to eat.
Without regard to either sex, or age,
These men shall glut their Military rage.
Burn all their Houses, Towns, and Villages,
Waste all, and leave no memory of peace.
But after all, he will his ear afford
To some small remnant, who have scapt the Sword:
When in their Chains, and fetters they do cry
To Heavens for mercy, then he instantly
Will hear their pray'rs, release them from their pain,
And soon restore them to their own again.

24. He taketh away the hearts of them, that are the chief over the people of the earth, and maketh them to wander in the wilderness out of the way.

When he intends a final desolation,
And means, in anger, to destroy a Nation;
Let them give out Commissions of array,
And raise well modell'd Armies under Pay:
With great allowance, and large hire engage
The most accomplish'd Captains of their age
To be their Generals: give them full Command,
Put all their Force, and Treasure In their hand.
Who may Encamp these Troops in every part,
By all the Rules of Military Art:
Decamp, March, Counter-march, and make a halt,

Lay ambushes, besiege, and make assault;
Do all that brave, and skilful Chiftans dare,
By the exactest Discipline of War.
Assur'd of Victory, yet after all,
A Pannick Fear shall on these Captains fall:
Their Blood shall cool, their Courage shall decay,
And they shall be the first shall run away,
When action comes: their Troops shall be defeat,
And stand in fear of every one they meet.
Their broken Squadrons squandring in their way,
Through all the Countrey shall become a prey
To Boyes and Peasants: Hills, and Dales to boot
Shall not secure them from the hot pursuit.
Three of'm in a body shan't remain
Most of'm being captivat, or slain
Without all hopes of Rallying again.

25. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

But as men in the dark do feel, and grope,
So shall those scattered Forces without hope,
Benumm'd with fear, in lamentable case,
Whilst the feirce Conquerors closs pursue the Chase,
Through Ditches, Pools, and Quag-mires, here and there
Woods, Mountains, Corn-fields, Pastures, every where,
Run to preserve their Lifes, but all in vain,
Staggering, like so many Drunken Men.