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1062 face of our Lord. And when vpon a certeine day his sonnes and daughters did eate, and drinke wyne in the house of their eldest brother, there came a messenger to Iob, which sayd: The oxen plowghed, and the she asses fed beside them, and the Sabeians came in violently, & haue taken al things, and haue stroken the seruantes with the sword, and I onlie haue escaped to tel thee. And when he yet spake, an other came, and sayd: The fire of God fel from heauen, and striking the sheepe and the seruantes hath consumed them, and I only haue escaped to tel thee. But whiles he also was yet speaking, there came an other and said: The Chaldees made three troupes, and haue inuaded the camels, and taken them, moreouer the seruantes also they haue strooken with the sword, and I alone am fled to tel thee. He yet spake, and behold an other came in, and said: Thy sonnes and daughters eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, sodenly a vehement winde came violently from the countrie of the desert, and shooke the foure corners of the house, which falling oppressed thy children and they are dead, and I alone haue escaped to tel thee. Then Iob rose vp, and rent his garmentes, and with powled head falling on the ground, adored, and said ∷ Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shal I returne thither: Our Lord gaue, and our Lord hath taken away: as it hath pleased our Lord, so is it done: the name of our Lord be blessed. In al these thinges Iob sinned not with his lippes, neither spake he anie foolish thing against God.

ANNOTATIONS. C. I.

1. Simple, right, and fearing God.] Moyses, Samuel, Esdras, & other Prophetes writ ther owne actes among others, also their owne prayses, speaking of themselues in the third person. & so did holie Iob, humbly, truly, and simply, without vayne glorie, or arrogancie, as S. Gregorie noteth, saying, Blessed Iob, inspired with the Holie Ghost, might wel write his owne actes, which were the giftes of supernal inspiration. God being the principal cause efficient of al good mens workes, and men the secondarie cause of the same.

Moreouer Iobs singular patience and other vertues are likewise commended in other holie Scriptures & by ancient Doctores, ''Tobiae. 2. God permitted tentation to happen vnto Tobias, that example might be geuen to his folowers of his patience, as of holie Iob, S. Iames (c. 5.) exhorting to patience, sayth: You haue heard the suffering of Iob, and you haue sene the end of our Lord''. Tertullian (li. de patientia) admiring Iobs patience exclameth thus: O most happie man whom neither the driuing away of his flockes of catle, nor consuming of the rest with fire