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 |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
Ch. XXIII.
|
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
|
|
| LIII. |
 |
Ch. XXIII.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job |  |
Ch. XXIII.
But Job reply'd:
From you I find my hopes of Ease are vain,
Your Consolations aggravate my Pain.
I after all your Applications find
The bitter Anguish raging in my Mind.
The sharp redoubled Strokes by which I bleed,
Do all my Cries and loudest Groans exceed.
You give me prudent Counsel to acquaint
My self with God, but this is my Complaint,
That from my Sight he does with Care retreat;
O, that I knew where I might find his Seat.
I would before him justify my Cause,
And shew I'm no Contemner of his Laws.
I would convincing Arguments prepare,
And all my Reasons orderly declare,
To prove my angry Judge is over-strict,
And does too rig'rous Punishments inflict.
I long to know what Charge he would produce,
Of what black Crimes he would my ways accuse.
Let him detect those Crimes to me unknown,
And I'll the Guilt with Shame and Sorrow own.
I will with Patience my Affliction bear,
And ne'er complain his Strokes are too severe.
If I an equal Hearing could procure,
Would he controul me with his Soveraign Power,
And not a calm and fair Debate endure?
No, he would give me Strength and Confidence,
And favourably hear my just Defence.
Then I might state my righteous Case at large,
And God would clear me from your groundless Charge.
I fain would know where I my God might find,
For still he's just, and long I found him kind,
Tho' grown of late estrang'd he has my search declin'd.
If I go forward to the Eastern Coast
To seek him out, I mourn my labour lost.
If I turn backward to the Western Seats
To find him there, he still my Hope defeats.
I roam thro' populous Northern Kingdoms, where
His mighty Works and Wonders most appear,
Yet is my strict Enquiry fruitless there.
I try if Southern Climates will reveal
His Seat, but still he does himself conceal.
Your Consolations aggravate my Pain.
I after all your Applications find
The bitter Anguish raging in my Mind.
The sharp redoubled Strokes by which I bleed,
Do all my Cries and loudest Groans exceed.
You give me prudent Counsel to acquaint
My self with God, but this is my Complaint,
That from my Sight he does with Care retreat;
O, that I knew where I might find his Seat.
I would before him justify my Cause,
And shew I'm no Contemner of his Laws.
I would convincing Arguments prepare,
And all my Reasons orderly declare,
To prove my angry Judge is over-strict,
And does too rig'rous Punishments inflict.
I long to know what Charge he would produce,
Of what black Crimes he would my ways accuse.
103
And I'll the Guilt with Shame and Sorrow own.
I will with Patience my Affliction bear,
And ne'er complain his Strokes are too severe.
If I an equal Hearing could procure,
Would he controul me with his Soveraign Power,
And not a calm and fair Debate endure?
No, he would give me Strength and Confidence,
And favourably hear my just Defence.
Then I might state my righteous Case at large,
And God would clear me from your groundless Charge.
I fain would know where I my God might find,
For still he's just, and long I found him kind,
Tho' grown of late estrang'd he has my search declin'd.
If I go forward to the Eastern Coast
To seek him out, I mourn my labour lost.
If I turn backward to the Western Seats
To find him there, he still my Hope defeats.
I roam thro' populous Northern Kingdoms, where
His mighty Works and Wonders most appear,
Yet is my strict Enquiry fruitless there.
I try if Southern Climates will reveal
His Seat, but still he does himself conceal.
But tho' the Righteous God will not appear
In Judgment now, my Innocence to clear;
This is my Comfort, that his searching Eye
Does all my Thoughts, my Heart and Ways descry:
When he my Virtue tries, which I desire,
I shall, like Gold, come purer from the Fire.
I with unerring Feet have always trod,
In Virtue's Paths, and kept the Heav'nly Road.
I ne'er the rough and steepy Way declin'd,
But to th' Almighty's Will, my own resign'd.
Thro' threat'ning Dangers I my passage made,
Of no low Gulph, or sharp Ascent afraid.
Heav'n's sacred Precepts still I did obey,
And always shunn'd the smooth, but crooked Way,
In which lost Sinners from their Maker stray.
I have preserv'd th' Almighty's sacred Word,
As wealthy Men their choicest Treasures Hoard.
To save the precious Store, I ever shew'd
As much Concern, as for my daily Food.
But tho' th' Eternal Mind did always see
These pregnant Proofs of my Integrity,
Inflexibly resolv'd he'll ne'er relent,
Nor of his harsh proceeding e'er repent.
Confirm'd in Wrath he will not change his Mind,
Never for me a tender Passion find.
My Suff'rings to accomplish he'll proceed,
And execute the Wrath he has decreed.
In Judgment now, my Innocence to clear;
This is my Comfort, that his searching Eye
Does all my Thoughts, my Heart and Ways descry:
When he my Virtue tries, which I desire,
I shall, like Gold, come purer from the Fire.
104
In Virtue's Paths, and kept the Heav'nly Road.
I ne'er the rough and steepy Way declin'd,
But to th' Almighty's Will, my own resign'd.
Thro' threat'ning Dangers I my passage made,
Of no low Gulph, or sharp Ascent afraid.
Heav'n's sacred Precepts still I did obey,
And always shunn'd the smooth, but crooked Way,
In which lost Sinners from their Maker stray.
I have preserv'd th' Almighty's sacred Word,
As wealthy Men their choicest Treasures Hoard.
To save the precious Store, I ever shew'd
As much Concern, as for my daily Food.
But tho' th' Eternal Mind did always see
These pregnant Proofs of my Integrity,
Inflexibly resolv'd he'll ne'er relent,
Nor of his harsh proceeding e'er repent.
Confirm'd in Wrath he will not change his Mind,
Never for me a tender Passion find.
My Suff'rings to accomplish he'll proceed,
And execute the Wrath he has decreed.
The Righteous by him often are opprest,
For secret Reasons lodg'd within his Breast.
This is his Pleasure, who shall dare dispute
His Soveraign Will, and Empire Absolute?
Me to his Throne of Grace would he admit,
His Clemency my Virtue would acquit:
But on he comes his Creature to devour,
Arm'd with resistless, Arbitrary Power.
Therefore when I my great Creator see
Cloath'd with August, Imperial Majesty,
I at his awful Presence shake with fear,
Nor can the Sight of Soveraign Glory bear.
When on his Terrors I reflect, I feel
An inward Dread, and struck with Horror reel.
My sinking Heart dissolves within my Breast
And bitter Sorrows interrupt my rest;
Because he did not cut me off, before
These dismal Shades and Troubles whelm'd me o'er:
Because he ne're would let the friendly Grave
From so much Woe his wretched Creature save.
For secret Reasons lodg'd within his Breast.
This is his Pleasure, who shall dare dispute
His Soveraign Will, and Empire Absolute?
Me to his Throne of Grace would he admit,
His Clemency my Virtue would acquit:
But on he comes his Creature to devour,
Arm'd with resistless, Arbitrary Power.
105
Cloath'd with August, Imperial Majesty,
I at his awful Presence shake with fear,
Nor can the Sight of Soveraign Glory bear.
When on his Terrors I reflect, I feel
An inward Dread, and struck with Horror reel.
My sinking Heart dissolves within my Breast
And bitter Sorrows interrupt my rest;
Because he did not cut me off, before
These dismal Shades and Troubles whelm'd me o'er:
Because he ne're would let the friendly Grave
From so much Woe his wretched Creature save.
|
Ch. XXIII.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job | |