A paraphrase on the Book of Job As likewise on the Songs of Moses, Deborah, David: On Four Select Psalms: Some Chapters of Isaiah, and the Third Chapter of Habakkuk. By Sir Richard Blackmore |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
Chap. XV.
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| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
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| LIII. |
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Chap. XV.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job |  |
Chap. XV.
Then Eliphaz.
Should a Wise Man, and such thou wouldst appear,
Make us such fruitless, frothy Language hear?
Much less with Tempests should we be addrest,
Words fierce and stormy, as the Wind at East.
Of Idle Words why this Eternal Flood?
Can these vain Speeches e'er promote thy Good?
True Piety, which should thy Mind adorn
Thou hast expos'd to universal scorn.
All Reverence to pure Religion due,
Will soon be lost, if thy Assertion's true.
If God's afflicting Strokes Mankind invade,
Without distinguishing the Good and Bad,
Who at his Throne will Adoration pay?
Who will to Heav'n their Songs of Praise convey?
Thy Irreligious Maxims will restrain
All future Pray'r, for Pray'r will be in vain.
Thy bold irreverent Speeches have exprest
Th' Impiety which has thy Mind possest.
The Poison which thy Lips discharge, is part
Of the malignant Treasure in thy Heart.
Yet thou, unwary Judges to escape,
Beneath Divine Religion's lovely shape,
Hast all thy black Hypocrisy conceal'd,
Which thy uncautious Tongue has now reveal'd.
Thou by thy own Defence art clearly cast,
And thy own Mouth has Sentence on thee past.
Make us such fruitless, frothy Language hear?
Much less with Tempests should we be addrest,
Words fierce and stormy, as the Wind at East.
Of Idle Words why this Eternal Flood?
Can these vain Speeches e'er promote thy Good?
True Piety, which should thy Mind adorn
Thou hast expos'd to universal scorn.
All Reverence to pure Religion due,
Will soon be lost, if thy Assertion's true.
If God's afflicting Strokes Mankind invade,
Without distinguishing the Good and Bad,
Who at his Throne will Adoration pay?
Who will to Heav'n their Songs of Praise convey?
Thy Irreligious Maxims will restrain
All future Pray'r, for Pray'r will be in vain.
Thy bold irreverent Speeches have exprest
Th' Impiety which has thy Mind possest.
63
Of the malignant Treasure in thy Heart.
Yet thou, unwary Judges to escape,
Beneath Divine Religion's lovely shape,
Hast all thy black Hypocrisy conceal'd,
Which thy uncautious Tongue has now reveal'd.
Thou by thy own Defence art clearly cast,
And thy own Mouth has Sentence on thee past.
Art thou the Man that God did first Create?
And has thy Birth with Time an equal date?
What didst thou live before th' imprison'd Light,
At God's Command sprang from the Womb of Night?
Before aspiring Hills the Plains survey'd,
Or verdant Meads their flowry Laps display'd;
Before the Rocks their Craggy Ridges reer'd,
Or bounding Billows in the Deep appear'd;
That by unnumber'd Observations made,
Thou hast a perfect Scheme of Knowledge laid?
Dost thou the long, uninterrupted Chain
Of Causes and Effects so well retain,
That thou canst reason right, and clearly see
From what is past, what shall hereafter be?
Have thy Enquiries and Experience, run
Thro' all the years roll'd up, since Time begun,
That thou art full of Science, richer far
In wise Remarks, than we thy Brethren are?
Dost thou with God in secret Council sit?
To his Debates does he wise Job admit?
Does Wisdom with her Fav'rite Job abide,
Despising all the foolish Race beside?
On what new Worlds of Light hast thou been thrown?
What Mines of Knowledge found, to us unknown?
And has thy Birth with Time an equal date?
What didst thou live before th' imprison'd Light,
At God's Command sprang from the Womb of Night?
Before aspiring Hills the Plains survey'd,
Or verdant Meads their flowry Laps display'd;
Before the Rocks their Craggy Ridges reer'd,
Or bounding Billows in the Deep appear'd;
That by unnumber'd Observations made,
Thou hast a perfect Scheme of Knowledge laid?
Dost thou the long, uninterrupted Chain
Of Causes and Effects so well retain,
That thou canst reason right, and clearly see
From what is past, what shall hereafter be?
Have thy Enquiries and Experience, run
Thro' all the years roll'd up, since Time begun,
That thou art full of Science, richer far
In wise Remarks, than we thy Brethren are?
Dost thou with God in secret Council sit?
To his Debates does he wise Job admit?
64
Despising all the foolish Race beside?
On what new Worlds of Light hast thou been thrown?
What Mines of Knowledge found, to us unknown?
If years, of Wisdom were a certain sign,
Our years are not inferiour found to thine.
With us is seen th' experienc'd, hoary Head,
Who does in Age thy Father far exceed.
Why as a worthless thing dost thou regard
The Joy, the Comfort, and the blest Reward
Which we have offer'd thee with Heav'n's assent,
If of thy wicked Deeds thou shalt Repent?
Hast thou (we ask thee) some peculiar ground,
Some secret way of Consolation found?
Should'st thou to such Discov'rys make pretence,
Thou wouldst expose thy wondrous Impudence:
And yet without uncommon grounds of Hope,
Nothing but stubborn Pride can underprop
Thy Confidence, and our Proposals stop.
Wilt thou dishonour with unworthy Speech
Thy Maker, and his Providence impeach?
What does this Conduct mean? with what intent
Against thy God are thy Reproaches sent?
What is the mark at which thou takest aim,
When thou dost boldly War with Heav'n proclaim?
From such a War what benefit can flow?
What canst thou gain by Force from such a Foe?
Ah! what is wretched Man, that he should seem
All pure, and guiltless in his own esteem?
Blest Seraphs can't his piercing Eye endure;
Before him bright Arch-Angels are impure.
Those Heav'nly Orders who were clean esteem'd,
And all refin'd and spotless Glory seem'd,
When they appear within th' Almighty's sight,
O'erwhelm'd with splendor, and all-searching Light,
They blush to see their secret Stains reveal'd,
And Specks and Flaws which lay before conceal'd.
Then what an odious, loathsome, monstrous Thing
Must Man appear before th' Eternal King?
Who by impure Traduction is unclean,
And does to Vice with a strong Byass lean.
Who with vast Draughts of Sin himself extends,
And with Hydropic Thirst for more contends.
Our years are not inferiour found to thine.
With us is seen th' experienc'd, hoary Head,
Who does in Age thy Father far exceed.
Why as a worthless thing dost thou regard
The Joy, the Comfort, and the blest Reward
Which we have offer'd thee with Heav'n's assent,
If of thy wicked Deeds thou shalt Repent?
Hast thou (we ask thee) some peculiar ground,
Some secret way of Consolation found?
Should'st thou to such Discov'rys make pretence,
Thou wouldst expose thy wondrous Impudence:
And yet without uncommon grounds of Hope,
Nothing but stubborn Pride can underprop
Thy Confidence, and our Proposals stop.
Wilt thou dishonour with unworthy Speech
Thy Maker, and his Providence impeach?
What does this Conduct mean? with what intent
Against thy God are thy Reproaches sent?
What is the mark at which thou takest aim,
When thou dost boldly War with Heav'n proclaim?
From such a War what benefit can flow?
What canst thou gain by Force from such a Foe?
Ah! what is wretched Man, that he should seem
All pure, and guiltless in his own esteem?
65
Before him bright Arch-Angels are impure.
Those Heav'nly Orders who were clean esteem'd,
And all refin'd and spotless Glory seem'd,
When they appear within th' Almighty's sight,
O'erwhelm'd with splendor, and all-searching Light,
They blush to see their secret Stains reveal'd,
And Specks and Flaws which lay before conceal'd.
Then what an odious, loathsome, monstrous Thing
Must Man appear before th' Eternal King?
Who by impure Traduction is unclean,
And does to Vice with a strong Byass lean.
Who with vast Draughts of Sin himself extends,
And with Hydropic Thirst for more contends.
To my Discourse attentively advert,
I'll only what my Eyes have seen assert:
That is, that wicked Men, and those alone
Beneath such great, uncommon Suff'rings groan.
Wise Men this Observation made of Old,
Their Fathers them, and they their Children told.
Thus has Tradition down from Ages past
Convey'd this Truth, which is by us embrac't.
Job has affirm'd, that God the Earth bestows
On the vile Race of his invet'rate Foes:
But to our Fathers Judgment have respect,
And they this groundless Error will detect.
Wealth and Dominion was on them confer'd,
Their Piety and Virtue to reward.
They did in Peace command the Towns around,
And undisturb'd with Inroads, till'd the ground.
No arm'd Chaldeans did their Herds invade,
Or to a Land remote their Wealth convey'd.
While they obey'd his Laws, th' Almighty's Hand
Was still extended to protect their Land.
To Leagues of Peace their Neighbours did agree,
And to maintain them, God was Guarantee.
I'll only what my Eyes have seen assert:
That is, that wicked Men, and those alone
Beneath such great, uncommon Suff'rings groan.
Wise Men this Observation made of Old,
Their Fathers them, and they their Children told.
Thus has Tradition down from Ages past
Convey'd this Truth, which is by us embrac't.
Job has affirm'd, that God the Earth bestows
On the vile Race of his invet'rate Foes:
But to our Fathers Judgment have respect,
And they this groundless Error will detect.
Wealth and Dominion was on them confer'd,
Their Piety and Virtue to reward.
66
And undisturb'd with Inroads, till'd the ground.
No arm'd Chaldeans did their Herds invade,
Or to a Land remote their Wealth convey'd.
While they obey'd his Laws, th' Almighty's Hand
Was still extended to protect their Land.
To Leagues of Peace their Neighbours did agree,
And to maintain them, God was Guarantee.
On th'other hand, 'tis by experience plain,
That wicked Men consume their Days in pain.
Th'Oppressor still is grip'd with inward Fears,
Nor shall compleat the number of his years.
When no invading Foe appears in Arms,
His secret Guilt the trembling Wretch alarms.
He in his prosp'rous State is unsecure,
Nor can his guilty Triumphs long endure.
When in his Sphere he shines serenely bright,
And not a Cloud disturbs his beaming Light,
Then shall a Tempest of Affliction rise,
And with a suddain Darkness spread the Skies.
Neighbours to Rapine bred shall from afar,
As late on thee, advance destructive War.
The bloody Spoilers shall his Servants slay,
Ravage his Lands, and make his Herds a Prey.
Like Job in trouble, they'll despairing ly,
And Consolation from their Friends deny.
They can't believe these Clouds will disappear,
Great Ills they suffer, and they greater fear.
Despair attended with her ghastly Train
Anguish, Confusion, Sorrow, howling Pain
Shall at her hideous Army's Head advance,
And shake against his Breast her bloody Lance.
She'll draw her Troops of Terrors in array,
Muster her Griefs, and horrid War display.
As Kings for Fight their Warlike Ranks dispose,
So shall she range her thick, embattled Woes.
The Victor thus the Wicked shall assail,
And o'er the proud Oppressor's Hopes prevail.
This is his End, for that with Hellish Rage,
Th'audacious Wretch would against Heav'n engage.
Against th' Almighty's Host he takes the Field,
And runs upon his Spear and dreadful Shield.
He does defiance of his God express,
Deride his fiery Darts, and on his Thunder press.
Pamper'd with Spoil of ruin'd Neighbours round,
Sleek with his Fat, and with Dominion crown'd;
Luxurious, Haughty, and Presumptuous grown,
He spurns at Heav'n, and mocks th' Almighty's Throne.
His Cruelty has laid his Country wast,
And Cities full of Men and Wealth defac'd.
Those who survive in secret Corners weep,
Or thro' the grassy Streets desponding creep.
The empty Dwellings mossy Heaps appear,
And all the Signs of suddain Ruin wear.
But God will soon despoil him of his Power,
Nor shall his Wealth and Greatness long endure.
Black Seas of stagnant Darkness round him spread,
And Night Eternal shall involve his Head.
Th' Almighty's Lightnings shall destroy his Fruit,
Blast his green Leaves, and kill his spreading Root.
His angry Breath shall as a Tempest tare
His Branches off, and drive them thro' the Air.
That wicked Men consume their Days in pain.
Th'Oppressor still is grip'd with inward Fears,
Nor shall compleat the number of his years.
When no invading Foe appears in Arms,
His secret Guilt the trembling Wretch alarms.
He in his prosp'rous State is unsecure,
Nor can his guilty Triumphs long endure.
When in his Sphere he shines serenely bright,
And not a Cloud disturbs his beaming Light,
Then shall a Tempest of Affliction rise,
And with a suddain Darkness spread the Skies.
Neighbours to Rapine bred shall from afar,
As late on thee, advance destructive War.
The bloody Spoilers shall his Servants slay,
Ravage his Lands, and make his Herds a Prey.
Like Job in trouble, they'll despairing ly,
And Consolation from their Friends deny.
They can't believe these Clouds will disappear,
Great Ills they suffer, and they greater fear.
67
Anguish, Confusion, Sorrow, howling Pain
Shall at her hideous Army's Head advance,
And shake against his Breast her bloody Lance.
She'll draw her Troops of Terrors in array,
Muster her Griefs, and horrid War display.
As Kings for Fight their Warlike Ranks dispose,
So shall she range her thick, embattled Woes.
The Victor thus the Wicked shall assail,
And o'er the proud Oppressor's Hopes prevail.
This is his End, for that with Hellish Rage,
Th'audacious Wretch would against Heav'n engage.
Against th' Almighty's Host he takes the Field,
And runs upon his Spear and dreadful Shield.
He does defiance of his God express,
Deride his fiery Darts, and on his Thunder press.
Pamper'd with Spoil of ruin'd Neighbours round,
Sleek with his Fat, and with Dominion crown'd;
Luxurious, Haughty, and Presumptuous grown,
He spurns at Heav'n, and mocks th' Almighty's Throne.
His Cruelty has laid his Country wast,
And Cities full of Men and Wealth defac'd.
Those who survive in secret Corners weep,
Or thro' the grassy Streets desponding creep.
The empty Dwellings mossy Heaps appear,
And all the Signs of suddain Ruin wear.
But God will soon despoil him of his Power,
Nor shall his Wealth and Greatness long endure.
Black Seas of stagnant Darkness round him spread,
And Night Eternal shall involve his Head.
68
Blast his green Leaves, and kill his spreading Root.
His angry Breath shall as a Tempest tare
His Branches off, and drive them thro' the Air.
Let therefore none on Power and Wealth depend,
These from approaching Evils can't defend,
Their Promises are vain, and vanity their end.
Whoe'er in these deceitful Friends confide,
Untimely Ruin shall correct their Pride.
Suddain Destruction shall their Heads invade,
And all their Fruit and verdant Pomp shall fade.
As when a rough East Wind, or Storm of Hail
The fruitful Olive, or the Vine assail,
Their flowry Pride the Olive Branches shed,
And unripe Grapes shook off, the Vineyard spred:
So shall th' Oppressors gawdy Pomp decay,
So his fair Limbs and Beauty fade away.
His Sons and Friends shall meet as sad a Doom,
And vengeful Fire their Dwellings shall consume.
His lab'ring Brain dire Mischief does contrive,
And black Deceit his teeming Heart conceive.
But he shall bring his own Destruction forth,
As Vipers dye to give their Offspring Birth.
These from approaching Evils can't defend,
Their Promises are vain, and vanity their end.
Whoe'er in these deceitful Friends confide,
Untimely Ruin shall correct their Pride.
Suddain Destruction shall their Heads invade,
And all their Fruit and verdant Pomp shall fade.
As when a rough East Wind, or Storm of Hail
The fruitful Olive, or the Vine assail,
Their flowry Pride the Olive Branches shed,
And unripe Grapes shook off, the Vineyard spred:
So shall th' Oppressors gawdy Pomp decay,
So his fair Limbs and Beauty fade away.
His Sons and Friends shall meet as sad a Doom,
And vengeful Fire their Dwellings shall consume.
His lab'ring Brain dire Mischief does contrive,
And black Deceit his teeming Heart conceive.
But he shall bring his own Destruction forth,
As Vipers dye to give their Offspring Birth.
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Chap. XV.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job | |