First, in a particular, namely, long life: which is not so to be understood as though it were perpetual and so of absolute necessity: for then good men must grow to be old men, ⟨p. 26⟩and all which dye young, should dye wicked and damned: but that God hath the keeping of their lives in such good safety as they shall never be taken away before due season: they shall not die so soon as that it would be better for them to live longer: nor live so long as that it might be hurtful that they died not sooner. This point doth Eliphas truly expound to Job, and all other righteous persons Job. 5. 26. Thou shalt go to thy 1grave in a full age as a crop of corn cometh in due season into the barn. Now all grain is not of equal proportion of growth: some is sown before others, and yet is cut down after them: some is sown after others, and cometh to maturity before them: so that good husbands dispose not of their harvest by measure of time, but by the ripeness of their corn: and two extremities they providently avoid: neither too hasty to inn the fruits of their fields or trees, for so they would wither away: neither to defer the gathering of them after they be ripe, for so they would drop off, and shed, and grow to rottenness. Afterwards he declareth the recompense of wisdom in general: that the possession and practise thereof is not only a service to God, nor alone for his sake so often required: but redoundeth also to the profit of them that be owners and performers of it. And to this is opposed the contrary state of those perverse and wilful scorners, that howsoever their desire and purpose is to do mischief to others, yet all their malice returneth on their own heads.
First, in a perticular, namely, long life: which is not so to be vnderstoode as though it were perpetuall and so of absolute necessitie: for then good men must grow to be old men, ⟨p. 26⟩and all which dye young, should dye wicked and damned: but that God hath the keeping of their liues in such good safetie as they shall neuer be taken away before due season: they shall not die so soone as that it would be better for them to liue longer: nor liue so long as that it might be hurtfull that they died not sooner. This point doth Eliphas truely expound to Iob, and all other righteous persons Iob. 5. 26. Thou shalt goe to thy 1graue in a full age as a crop of corne commeth in due season into the barne. Now all graine is not of equall proportion of grouth: some is sowen before others, and yet is cut downe after them: some is sowen after others, and commeth to maturitie beefore them: so that good husbands dispose not of their haruest by measure of time, but by the ripenesse of their corne: and two extremities they prouidently auoide: neither too has•y to inne the fruits of their fields or trees, for so they would wither away: neither to defer the gathering of them after they bee ripe, for so they would drop off, and shedde, and grow to rottennesse. Afterwards he declareth the recompence of wisedome ingenerall: that the possession and practise thereof is not onely a seruice to God, nor alone for his sake so often required: but redoundeth also to the profit of them that bee owners and performers of it. And to this is opposed the contrary state of those peruerse and wilfull scorners, that howsoeuer their desire and purpose is to doe mischiefe to others, yet all their malice returneth on their owne heads.
- 1Job. 5. 26.Iob. 5. 26.
