therfore going out from the face of our Lord, stroke Iob with a verie sore boile, from the sole of the foote euen to the toppe of his head: 8who with a shel scraped the corruption, sitting on a dunghil. 9And ∷[1] his wife sayd to him: Doest thou yet continue in thy simplicitie? blesse God and die. 10Who sayd to her: Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish wemen, if we haue receiued good things of the hand of God, euil thinges why should we not receiue? In al these things Iob sinned not with his lippes. 11Therfore ″ Iobs three frendes hearing al the euil, that had changed to him, came euerie one out of their place, Elephaz a Themanite, and Baldad a Suhite, and Sophar a Naamathite. For they had appointed, that coming together they would visite him, and confort him. 12And when they had lifted vp their eies a far of, they knew him not, and crying out they wept, and renting their clothes sprinkled dust ouer their head toward heauen. 13And they sate with him on the ground ∷[2] seuen daies and seuen nightes, and no man spake to him a word: for they saw the payne to be vehement.
ANNNOTATIONS.
Chap. II.
11. Iobs three freindes.] For better intelligence of these conflictes betwen holie Iob and his freindes, it may here be obserued, that they were in dede his freindes, as the text simply calleth them: that they beleued rightly in God Almightie, and were not idolaters: that they came of freindly good affection to comforth him though they fel into wordes of reprouing him, (as S. Gregorie teacheth) they alleaged also manie excellent diuine sentences very truly, which therfore Iob reproued not. But they erred in their illations against Iob: and that of ignorance rather then of sette malice, concluding that Iob was guiltie of some enormious sinnes, because they saw him so greuously punished, and heard him complaine therof; his owne conscience knowen to him and hid to them (wherof they rashly iudged) testifying that he was innocent, in respect of so great crimes. And in this their particular error, though they were not heretikes, being not obstinate after that the truth was sufficiently reueled vnto them, yet they prefigured heretikes, endeuouring by one truth to destroy an other, and by arrogating knowlege which they had not: promising also new thinges & vnheard of, rather to draw others to admire them, then to edification.
Chap III.
Iob lamenteth, describing his owne, and the general calamities of man, 13. and shewing how escape manie miseries which either are neuer borne or dye presently after their borth.
AFter these things Iob opened his mouth, and ∷[3] cursed his day, 2and spake. 3Perish may the day wherin I was
- ↑ His wife perswading him to desperation and blasphemie, signified carnal cogitions which corrupt the soule inwardly, as afflictions do assault the flesh outwaredly S. Greg. li 3. c. 24.
- ↑ Seuen dayes together euerie day and night some good part.
- ↑ After so long silence at last Iob expresseth his grief before his freindes to be so great, that in respect therof, he iustly curseth al euil thinges as not made by God but adioyned to mans life, being effectes of sinne, euen from his conception and birth: wishing that what soever concurred to his longer afflictions in this life, and hindered his more spedie deliverie from dangers and calamities had not bene, for so he had benne sowner at rest as Gods goodnes should dispose of him. Al which was a lawful desire and no sinne at al. See 1. Pin. da inc. 2. Iob
