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Rh spare not, nor gaynesay the wordes of the Holie one. For What is my strength, that I can susteyne it? or what is mine end, that I should doe patiently. Neither is my strength the strength of stones, neither is my flesh of brasse. Behold there is no help for me in my self, and my familiar freindes also are departed from me. He that taketh away mercie from his frend, forsaketh the feare of our Lord. My brethren haue passed by me, as the torrent that passeth swiftly in the valleys. They that feare the hoarefrost, snow shal fal vpon them. At the time, when they shal be dissipated they shal perish: and after they waxe hote they shal be dissolued out of their place. The pathes of their steppes are intangled: they shal walke in vayne, and shal perish. Cosider ye the pathes ∷ of Thema, the wayes of Saba, & expect a litle while. They are confounded, because I haue hoped: they are come also euen vnto me, and are couered with shame. Now you are come: and euen now seing my plague you are afrayd. haue I sayd: Bring ye to me, and of your substance geue to me? Or deliuer me from the hand of the enemie, and out of the hand of the strong deliuer me? ∷ Teach ye me, and I wil hold my peace: and if I perhaps haue beene ignorant in anie thing, instruct ye me. Why haue you detracted from the wordes of truth, whereas there is none of you that can controwle me? To rebuke only you frame speaches, and you vtter wordes in the wind. You rush in vpon a pupil, and you endeuoure to ouerthrow your frend. Notwithstanding accomplish that which you haue begune: geue eare, and see whether I lie. Answer I besech you without contention: and speaking that which is iust, iudge ye. And you shal not finde iniquitie in my tongue, neither shal folie sound in my iawes.

ANNOTATIONS. C. VI.

3. As the sand of the sea] Scarse anie figure is more common in holie Scipture then Hyperbole wherby our vnderstanding is drawne to cōceiue the greatnes of thinges that otherwise surpasse vulgar capacitie. So Iob signifieth here that his calamitie being weighed with his sinnes in balance, would appeare heauier, not precisely in proportion of the number of sandes in the sea, but exceding much in true comparison. Of which superabundance of paines patiently suffered by holie Iob, and other Sainctes, more then their sinnes deserued, especially of our B. Sauiour, who could not sinne, and of our B. Ladie, who neuer sinned, remayneth an infinitie treasure of satisfactorie workes, appliable by the supreme