THE great Mischiefs which we already feel, and the far greater yet, we justly fear from the Vniversal Depravation of our Manners, and horrible Contempt of Sacred and Divine Things, have with good reason alarm'd all the Wiser part of the Nation, who have a due Concern for the Interests of Religion, or the Good of their Country. Considering Men in all places express their Melancholy Apprehensions, that if Vice and Prophaness should without controul spread their Infection much farther, the Consequences would be fatal; and that notwith­standing we have by His Majesty's unrivall'd Cou­rage, and most prudent Conduct, surmounted our fears of Foreign Enemies, the Nation is still in greater Danger from our Vices and Immoralities, our more formidable ones at Home. His Majesty therefore, to put a stop to the progress of this dreadful Evil, and after he has sav'd us from our Enemies, to de­liver us from our Selves, (his last and hardest Task) has been pleas'd to recommend from the Throne the Suppressing of Vice and Irreligion; and our Honourable Representatives, in nothing more honourable than in this, have express'd a ready and becoming Zeal for the accomplishing this Great and Good Design.

To think of extirpating Vice would be indeed a vain Imagination; to suppress its growth, and reduce its [Page] Power and Interest, is not impossible. And tho' it must be granted, that even this is hard to be effected, yet when a Work is necessary, the Difficulty should only whet the Courage, and provoke the Zeal of the Vnderta­kers. And when our Government shall endeavour to stop the various Sources of this Mischief, when it shall attack with vigour the many monstrous Heads of this Hydra, that terrible one that poisons the Stage, and from thence conveys a deadly Contagion through the Kingdom, may, perhaps, receive a mor­tifying stroke. It must be confess'd, but not to the Honour of a Christian Nation, that Poetry was never in the worst of Times, or among the worst of Men, employ'd to more detestable [...]urposes than it has been by the Writers of this Age. This Weapon which might have been manag'd with great advantage against Vice and Prophaness, they have made an Instrument of Destruction, and plung'd it into the Bowels of their Native Country. I will not [...]ay that the worst of our Poets, no not he who in the late loose Reigns introduc'd and establish'd that pernicious way of Writing, which corrupted the Stage, and de­prav'd our Manners, had this effect in view, and re­ally design'd the fatal Consequences that attended their performances. 'Tis hard to imagine that any Men should be so intellectually Wicked, as to promote Im­morality and Irreligion, meerly for the sake of doing so; but this has been, and is still my complaint, that it is eventually true, that the Loose and Prophane Wri­tings of our Poets, whatever they design'd, have greatly contributed to that decay of Vertue, and corruption of Manners, which threaten the Nation with such dan­gerous Consequences.

[Page]The Regard I have for the Interests of Religi­on, and my Zeal for the Safety and Happiness of my Country, have extorted these Complaints from me: And though I know 'tis impossible to escape the Reproaches of those who will think themselves ei­ther unjustly, or too severely censured in this Matter; yet that is no discouragement to me. If I can escape the Defamation of their Panegyricks, I think my self very safe. I have no Personal Quarrel with any of the Writers I have censur'd; and if they think fit to expose my Name for asserting the Cause of Vertue and Religion, I have no reason to be displeased with them for doing me so great an Ho­nour. If it be not possible to regulate this Grie­vance, and reform this evil Manner of Writing, at least I am willing that Posterity should know, if my Writings should continue so long, that the In­terests of Religion and Vertue, I mean as far as Poetry [...]s concerned in them, were not given up without Opposition, or any Protestations enter'd against it.

One of the most Famous Poets of the Stage has at last expresly own'd, that the Charge brought a­gainst him is too just. He has done it in two Lines; the two best he ever writ, and by which, in my Opi­nion, he has acquir'd more true Honour than by all the Volumes he has publish'd. The two Lines are these:

Though particular Persons endeavour to vindicate themselves, yet in the general 'tis allow'd that the [Page] Stage requires a Reformation. The chief things that are said in the defence of our Modern Plays, are these; that they are an agreeable Diversion, and that they mightily polish and improve our Language. But of what Persons must that Audi­ence he compos'd, who shall call that an agreeable Diversion, where Prophaness and Immorality are kindly treated and encouraged, and Vertue and Wisdom exposed and put out of Countenance? Was it not an Argument of the great Degeneracy of the Romans, when they became delighted with the bloody [...]ntertainments of the Amphitheatre, where the Gladi [...]to [...]s mangled and killed one another for the Sport and Pastime of the cruel Spectators? But 'tis infinitely more pardonable to be thus diver­ted, than to make Sport with the Tragical Per­formances of the English Theatre. 'Tis sad in­deed that Humane Nature should at any time be so [...]ar divested of all tender Passions, as that it should be de [...]ighted with the Torments and dying Ago­nies tho' of condemn'd Criminals; but for any People to make it a Diversion to see their Religion in [...]ulted, hurt, and wounded, to see Vertue it self re­ceive such cuts and deep gashes, is a certain mark of the most deplorable Corruption.

As to what is said of the Improvement of our [...]anguage by the Writers for the Stage, I believe [...]is in part true; though it must be own'd at the same time that our most famous Masters, and most correct Writers of English, are either of the Clergy, or else are Gentlemen whose Stile seems to have nothing of the Air of the Theatre in it. But suppose it were indeed true, that we owe all the Refinements of our Lan­guage [Page] to the Stage, will that make amends for the Mischiefs which are universally laid to its Charge? Does the Honour and Happiness of a People depend upon the Politeness of their Language, or the Pu­rity of their Manners? let these Gentlemen re­store the old English Vertue, but so far as 'tis im­pair'd by them, and we'll be contented to take our old Language in the Condition they found it.

There is a degree of Vertue necessary to the sup­port of every Civil Society, without which the wi­sest Laws, and the most prudent Provisions will be in vain. Not many Princes have Vertue enough for themselves, but none, no not the Best, not our Great King himself, who has enough for many Kings, has enough for himself, and his People too. For if the Corruption of any Nation should encrease to that degree, that there should not be Men of Vertue le [...]t to put the Laws in Execution; if the Numbers and Confidence of the Criminals become so great, that they stand upon their defence, despise the Authority, and defy the Power of the Magistrate; that Nation for want of Vertue, let the Magistrate and Laws be never so good, must be certainly undone. Whoever therefore, as the Poets of the Stage have done, shall by any means sink the Vertue, and corrupt the Manners of the People, do effectually undermine the Foundations, and subvert the Pillars of the Go­vernment; for a profligate and flagitious People will destroy themselves in spite of the best Laws and the wisest Ministers in the World.

This is the ground of my Controversie with the Stage. If a Foreign Enemy should invade the Na­tion, every English-man should take the alarm, al­though [Page] he has receiv'd from them no personal Provo­cation. The same Reason will justifie the Opposi­tion I have made to those Poets I have at any time condemn'd, and will plainly show that I did not do it unprovok'd. Whoever undermines the Goverment, provokes every Man that loves It, to resist him.

'Tis a great damage also to the Nation, that so much of its finest Spirit is thus wasted, or employed to very bad Ends. 'Tis plain that many of a Poeti­cal Genius are likewise fit for the greatest and high­est Employments both in Church and State; and there are but very few, that are such meer Poets, as only to be capable of being Turners of Verses. If there­fore our Youth who are Poetically inclin'd, would consider the Matter, and thereupon apply themselves to Business, or severer Studies, many of them might arise to eminent Stations, and at the same time ad­vance themselves, and become very serviceable to their Country; and by this means they would acquire greater Honour and Reputation, than ever they will do by their Rhimes and Plays: For if they would reflect, they would soon be convinc'd, that tho' Poetry is indeed an Ornament to those that have more noble and more useful Qualities, yet when it becomes a Pro­fession, 'tis one of the meanest and lowest sort: 'Tis like Dancing and Musick which we value in a Gen­tleman, when a Musician or a Dancing-Master make no considerable Figure: So greatly different are the degrees of Esteem, which all Men pay, and not without good reason, to the same Attainment, when 'tis in one an Accomplishment, in another, a Trade.

[Page]And that I may not only censure the Performan­ces of others, but likewise give a fresh Example of a Writing that may both entertain and instruct the Reader, I have made a third, which I intend as my last Attempt in Poetry.

It has been observed by great Judges, Parrhasia [...]. and I find Mr. Le Clerk of the same Opinion, that the Moderns have wholly form'd themselves on the Models of the Ancients, and that we have scarce any thing but the Greek and Latin Poetry in the World. We have no Originals, but all Copiers and Transcribers of Homer, Pindar, and Theocritus, Virgil, Horace, and Ovid. Their Design, their Phrase, their Manner, and even their Heathen Theology, appear in all the Poems that have since their Time been published to the World, especially in the Learned Languages. 'Tis therefore to be wish'd that some good Genius, qualify'd for such an Undertaking, would break the Ice, assert the Liberty of Poetry, and set up for an Original in Writing in a way accommodated to the Religion, Manners, and other Circumstances we are now under. But however we write, I think 'tis high time to leave out our Allusions to the Pa­gan Divinity; for how beautiful soever they might be in in the Pagan Authors, who wrote to a People that believ'd in those Deities, 'tis the most ridicu­lous and senseless thing in the World for a Christian Poet to bring in upon all Occasions the Rabble and Riffraffe of Heathenish Gods; and yet if we re­flect on our Modern Poems one would think we were all Pagans to this day. What have we to do with Jupiter and Juno, Mars and Venus, and the rest? [Page] We know they are a Iest, and yet they are brought into all our most grave and chastest Poems. Solemn Prayers are made to them by Christian Writers, than which there cannot be a more intollerable Absur­dity. I know 'tis said, as I have elsewhere ob [...]erv'd, that the Christian Scheme of Religion is not so well accommodated to P [...]etical Writings, and there­fore our Poets are oblig'd to embelish their Works with the Pagan Theology: A wretched Apolo­gy! Are our Poets then so dry and barren, have they so little Learning, and so poor a stock of Ima­ges, that they are not able to furnish themselves with proper Allusions, surprizing Metaphors, and beau­tiful Similes, without reviving the old exploded Ido­latry of the Heathens? As in this Book of Job, they will find a Poem that is indeed an Original, and not beholding to the Greek and Latin Springs; so they will find, if it be not depress'd by the Para­phrase, a sublime Stile, elevated Thoughts, magnificent Expressions where the Subject re­quires them, and great richness and abundance throughout the whole, without the Aids of the Pagan System of Divinity.

It has been generally allow'd that almost all the Book of Job is writ in Metre; though a very lear­ned Person, famous for his Skill in these Matters, has assured me that this is a mistake: However that be, 'tis universally agreed that the Subject of it is treated in a Poetical manner; that is, the Narra­tion, the Allusions, the Similes, and the Diction, are such as are proper only to Poems. But 'tis a Con­troversie among learned Men what kind of Poem it is: Some are of Opinion that there never was any such [Page] Man in Being as Job, but that the Person is feign­ed, and all the Sacred Story concerning him is made up of Allegories and Fables, composed for the In­struction of Mankind, like the Parabolical Relations in the New Testament; and of this Opinion were many of the Ancient Jews. Others believe that this Book contains a relation of nothing but real Facts, without feigned Incidents or Episodes; and that therefore it is an Historical Poem, like that of Lu­can, which contains the Narration of a Series of real Actions in a poetical way without interposing any feign'd Stories. Most of the Commentators and Criticks that have writ on this Book, if not all, are of one of these two Opinions. But I have in Conversation met with learned Men that are of a mid­dle Opinion; that is, that this is a Poem foun­ded on a true History, as those of Homer probably were: But then they say the Conduct, the Me­thod, the Machines, the Incidents, and the Epi­sodes, which make up a great part of the Poem, were form'd in the Poet's Imagination, and that therefore this Poem is of the Epick kind. As to the first Opinion, I think the Scriptures fully con­fute it, by asserting the Person and Patience of Job so plainly, that it leaves no room for any tolerable Evasion. As to the two last, many things of Weight and Importance may be urg'd on either side; and there­fore I shall not undertake to decide the Controversie, but content my self in giving the Reasons that I have read or heard offer'd to support each Assertion.

Those of the last Opinion in the defence of it alledge, that the Frame of the whole Book shews it to be the Work of Imagination and Contrivance, [Page] and not a relation of a Series of real Actions. No Body can believe, say they, that Satan did really ap­pear before God, and that the Discourse recited in the Book was indeed held between them in the Pre­sence of the Holy Angels: 'Tis not credible that the Messengers that brought an account to Job of so many Sufferings that befel him, did really come upon the heels of one another so fast, and in such a manner as is there related. They think 'tis improbable that Job should sit so long upon a Dunghil, and that his Acquaintance should wait seven days and nights to­gether without speaking a word to their sorrowful Friend. They look on this to be a Poetical way of representing the vast Distress that overwhelmed the patient Sufferer. They say, 'tis incredible that all those prolix Discourses should be actually held be­tween Job and his Friends: and that a Man in such sad Circumstances, as Job is supposed to be, should speak so very long, and use so many Poetical Similes, Metaphors, and beautiful Descriptions as are found in his several Speeches. They urge also that it has an Air of Contrivance to sink a Man so suddenly from the most prosperous Condition, and to lay him under such grievous Sufferings, and the ve­ry extremity of Misery, and then by a no less sud­den and surprizing Revolution, in so short a space of time, to make him again the most happy Man in the World. They urge that in the Catastrophe, when this patient Man is rewarded for his inflexi­ble Perseverance, the allotting him just the same number of Children as he had lost, and just a double quantity of Riches as he enjoyed before, seems too nice to be a real Fact. The Men of this Opinion [Page] do not dispute the reality of the Person of Job: They allow there was a Person of that Name, emi­nent for his Righteousness, and famous for his Pa­tience; for this the Scriptures expresly affirm; and they suppose some great Poet, under the Guidance and Assistance of Divine Inspiration, did for the In­struction of Mankind chuse this Subject, and con­trive the Poem upon it of which we are now discour­sing. They affirm that this Poem of Job is of the Epick kind, here being found all the essential parts requir'd in the Constitution of such a Poem. They add farther as a confirmation of their Opinion, that though Machines, that is, the introducing of Invisible Superiour Beings, and the interesting of them in the Business of the Poem, are not necessary to an Epick Poem; yet as it does greatly heighten and embelish the Narration, they can't but take notice that this Conduct is observed here; for the chief Apostate Angel, and even the Divine Being him­self, are both introduced in the most proper manner that can be; and as this perhaps is the Original of that sort of Writing, so it does thereby discover a great Air of the Allegorial Epick Poetry.

Those on the other side argue thus: As according to a settled Maxim of Interpreting the Scriptures, we should not without apparent Necessity quit the plain and literal Sense, and embrace a foreign, more strain'd and less obvious Meaning: so without the same necessity we should not turn the Relation of any Fact into Invention and Allegory. And to make it appear that there is no such reason in this Case, they alledge that there is nothing related in this Book, but what may well be suppos'd to have actually happened; [Page] that though many things appear improbable and hard­ly credible to the Reader, this is no convincing proof that they were not real Facts. For all Men that are are verst in History will meet with many wonderful and improbable Occurrences, which not­withstanding upon sufficient Evidence they are forc'd to believe; and they say that for that reason, because the Facts were so extraordinary and surprizing, they were recorded in this Book for our Ad­miration and Instruction. They had rather give their Assent to some things that sound only harsh and improbable, for many such Relations are undoubted­ly true, than by departing from the literal Sense en­courage and embolden uncautious and wanton Wits to break in upon the Scriptures, and turn the Histo­ry of the Bible into Parables and Allegories; for the Consequence of such a licentious way of inter­preting the Scriptures they look on as very mischie­vous. They think that the unnecessary Concessions of some Divines in these Points tend mightily to un­settle Men in the Principles of their Religion, and weaken their Reverence of Divine Revelation.

They do indeed al [...]ow the appearance of Satan be­fore the Throne of God, and the Discourse on that Occasion to be an Allegory, for there are cogent Reasons for it; but for the rest of the relations in the Book they see no necessity of making them Alle­gorical also. There is the like Allegory us'd in the History of Ahab, where 'tis said a Spirit appear'd before the Throne of God, and offer'd to be a ly­ing Spirit in the Mouths of Ahab's Prophets to perswade their Master to go down to War to R [...]a­math Gilead, and he had leave given him to do so: [Page] But though this be an Allegory, yet without doubt all the rest of the Story about this Expedition of Ahab against the King of Syria was real. And to be more particular, that Almighty God should per­mit the great Enemy of Mankind to afflict and persecute a great and a good Man for the proof of his Constancy and Uprightness; and to make his Vertues more conspicuous and exemplary, that he should leave him for a time under this sharp and se­vere Trial, and at last deliver the patient Sufferer, and restore him to his former flourishing Condi­tion: This has nothing in it but what is very agreea­ble to the Course of Divine Providence; and if there be any Facts in the Book, that seem improbable, 'tis owing to the Poetical manner of representing them, in which perhaps the Time, Order, Place, and other Circumstances, are not so nicely observed.

But whether this be an Epick, or barely an Histo­rical Poem, which I leave undecided, the Character of Job may in my Opinion be every way proper for the first. The Hero is indeed a passive one, and this perhaps will be made a great Objection against this Assertion; because Homer's and Virgil's Heroes are very active [...]ersons. For the Criticks forming their Model of an Heroick Poem intirely upon the Ex­ample of these two famous Writers, make great and illustrious Actions necessary to the Hero of the Poem, which con [...]orming my self to their Precepts, I have formerly asserted. But upon what Authority is this imposed on the World? What Commission had these two Poets to settle the limits and extent of Epick Poetry, or who can prove they ever inten­ded to do so? They wrote according to their own No­tions [Page] and Measures; and must all future Ages be bound up to follow their Examples, without producing any other Reason? Yet this Opinion, how groundless and absurd soever it appears, some imagine, has been the great obstruction to the Improvement of Poe­try among the Moderns. But it may be urged that the Book of Job was written before Homer and Virgil, and the World has as much reason to be go­verned by this Example, as by that of the Pagan Writers. And if we look into the Reason of the Matter, and reflect on the End and Design of an Epick [...]oem, which is to instruct the World in some important Moral Truth, by the Narration of some great and illustrious Subject-Matter, there is no question but the relation of the Sufferings, as well as the Actions of great Persons, are very conducive to that end; and indeed what else is the Subject of the Odysses? 'Tis true, the Iliad is all active, and a very fighting Poem; but if the Odysses be consi­der'd, 'tis of another nature, there is more a great deal of the Heroes Sufferings not evaded by Arms, but by little Tricks and Subtilties, than there is of Action; and yet Mr. Rapin accounts this the more perfect Poem. In short, 'tis hard to offer any Rea­son why the Hero of the Poem may not be as well active as passive. If it be said, the Authority of Homer is against it (for as for Virgil he is but a Copier of Homer's Model) the answer is, that the Authority of the Book of Job is for it; and more­over that Homer is of this Opinion in his second, th [...] against it in his first Poem. If it be said that Reason is against it, let that Reason be produc'd; let it be shown that the Sufferings of a great Man [Page] manag'd with equal Skill, will not equally serve the Ends of Epick Poetry. As for what the Criticks say on this Point, 'tis plain that Homer has been the great Lawgiver to those Men; they have done little but turn'd his Examples into Precepts; and bring­ing no Reasons to support what they assert, they are of no weight in this Matter. Job then is a Hero proper for an Epick Poem, an Illustrious Person fit to support the Dignity of that Character: He is by the Instigation of Satan brought into miserable Streights and unparalell'd Sufferings, to try his Con­stancy and Integrity. He appears brave in Di­stress, and valiant in Affliction, maintains his Ver­tue, and with that his Character, under the most powerful Temptations, and exasperating Provoca­tions that the Malice of Hell could invent, and thereby gives a most noble Example of passive Forti­tude, a Character no way inferiour to that of the active Hero. When the various Efforts to break this mighty Man's Invincible Constancy prov'd ineffe­ctual, he is at the latter end of the Poem acquitted by God Himself, and rewarded highly for his Patience and Perseverance; whereby the Justice of Divine Providence is asserted, and Mankind encouraged to be stedfast in their Religion and Integrity, upon a sure Belief that Vertue will not always be neglected, but will at last receive a suitable Reward.

Whatever others assert, in my Judgment the He­ro of the Poem ought not to be drawn without some defects; for as the representing of a perfect Idea of Vertue, which is never to be found in any meer Man, offends against the Establish'd Rule in Epick Writings, which excludes all things improbable, so [Page] instead of promoting, it rather obstructs the End of that Poetry: For a perfect Idea of Vertue and Ex­cellency may amaze and dazle us; but when pro­pounded for our Imitation, it will rather discourage, than excite us: But when the Examples of Vertue that are set before us, are discern'd to have a mixture of Imperfection, we are provok'd and embolden'd to form our selves according to such a Pattern, where there appears no Impossibility, as there does in the other, [...]f becoming like it.

This Poem seems to me to abound in all kinds of Beauties, which are admir'd in Poetical Writings. What noble strains of Eloquence occurr in every place where they ought to appear, especially in the latter part of this Book? How tender and moving are the Thoughts in the Passionate, how proper, just and instructive in the Moral, how sublime, admira­ble and majestick in the other Parts? What Varie­ty is there of elegant Expression, beautiful Simili­tudes, bold and surprizing Metaphors, natural, strong, and lively Images and Descriptions through­out the whole? In many of these it exceeds, and in all of them it equals the most Celebrated Writings of the Greeks and Romans. And if it should here­after happen, that Homer or Virgil should be well Translated into the English Language, I am very confident that this Book, were it Translated or Para­phrased with equal Skill, would outshine them in all sorts of Perfection. But as to the chief End and Design of an Epick Poem, the giving a noble and true Idea of the Divine Being, the Justification of his Providence, the Instruction of Mankind in Moral Duties, and animating the Reader from pro­per [Page] Motives to imitate the Illustrious Examples of Piety and Vertue set before them, in this respect, which is infinitely the most considerable, this of Job put all the Poems of the Heathen World out of Countenance. How will Homer's wretched Tribe of Gods and Goddesses, introduc'd with all the Follies and Vices too of corrupt Mankind appear to the World as now instructed and inlighten'd with the Christian Revelation? And tho' Virgil is in that, as in other things, more judicious and cautious than the Greek Poet, yet his Theology must be very o­dious to a Christian Reader; and if the Machines of these Poets in which so much of the Beauty of their Poems consists are so contemptible and ridiculous, a great part of their Excellency is gone.

There are indeed some few Moral Sentences in­terspers'd in these Poets; but as they seem inserted only as Embellishments of the Writing, so the Body of the Poem carries little Instruction in it. For my part, when I consider these Poems, I am of Mr. L [...] Clerk's Opinion, that the Authors had no­thing else in their view than to entertain and please the Reader, Ubi supra. and that all the Materials and Contrivance were accommodated to that End. 'Tis true, Criticks in after-Ages, a sort of Men who are very apt to discover in Writings many notable things that never enter'd into the Author's Thoughts, have found out wise and instructive Morals in the Poems before-mention'd; yet this seems an Inven­tion of their own. For as the Learned Man be­fore-mentioned observes, 'tis scarce possible to relate any wonderful Action of a Great Person, or any con­siderable Occurrence, but 'twill be very easie to draw [Page] some Moral Inference from it, tho' the Writer ne­ver had it in his Imagination. And the very same Person has with as great grounds of Probability drawn from the Iliad and the Aencis, Morals very different from those that are commonly mention'd, and has offer'd sufficient Reasons to make us doubtful whether the Morals attributed to these Poems were ever intended by the Authors. And if this be true of these two famous Writers, that only the pleasing and amusing, not the instructing of Mankind was their Design, 'tis more apparently true of the greatest part of the Moderns, especially the Dramatick Poets.

Since this Book of Job, and other Poetical parts of the Scripture, some of which I have likewise under­taken to paraphrase, does at least equal the chief Beauties of the Heathens, and by their Vsefulness in their excellent Instructions infinitely excel them, 'tis a Matter of Admiration that the Christian Po­ets should be so far enamour'd with the Pagan Wri­tings, as to form themselves entirely by their Patterns, to be taken up with the Study of them to the total neglect of these inspir'd Writings. What pains and labour have our Men been at, how great a part of their short Lives have they spent, what a multi­tude of Volumes have they publish'd to illustrate the Meaning and discover the Excellencies of Greek and Latin Poets, and to translate them into their own Languages? If this were the Work of Gentlemen, that had nothing else to employ themselves about, and had no other Capacity of being useful to Mankind, it might perhaps pass for an inoffensive Amusement, and a pardonable [...]ort of Idleness. But 'tis indeed [Page] wonderful that to give a new Sense to an Expression in an ancient Poet, to slop a Period more exactly, to rectifie a Word, to give a truer Spelling to a Man's Name, or to restore a corrupt Sentence, should be look'd on as such a Perfection, as sets a Man in the first Rank of Learned Men; and that a kind of Knowledge which does not make Mankind any ways wiser or better, should procure a mighty Reputation, and dignifie the Owners of it with the honourable Titles of great Criticks, and Masters of polite Learning.

I would not derogate from the true value of Classical Knowledge. The Greek and Latin Po­ets should be study'd, that we may understand those Languages of which there is such a manifest Neces­sity: But 'tis most evident, that for the Sense, for the noble and sublime Thoughts, and what is more than all other Considerations, for the forming a Man's Mind according to the justest Ideas of Ver­tue and true Wisdom, and thereby promoting his Honour and his Happiness, the Poetical parts of the Scripture have, as before suggested, an infinite ad­vantage above all others put together, and therefore one would think should not be less worthy of a Christi­an's Study and Application, than Homer and his Followers.

The Language in which this Book was written is Hebrew; and considering the very great difference there is between the Stil [...] or manner of Expression in the Eastern and Western part of the World, their E­loquence, as well as their Customs and Habits, be­ing of another kind than ours, 'tis very strange that a literal Translation of this Book as 'tis now found in [Page] the Bible, especially considering how long time since it was written, how little the Language is understood, and how much the Idiom of it is lost, should not sound much more harsh, and be less capable of being under­stood than it is. I am confident that if several of the Greek Poets should be verbally translated, they would be more obscure, if not altogether unintelligi­ble. And if in a literal Translation the Book of Job written in an Eastern Language does so much affect us, and raises in our Minds such an Admira­tion of its Beauty and Majesty, what a wonderful and inimitable kind of Eloquence must be suppos'd in the Original, when we can't translate verbatim a good Poem from one Modern Language into a­nother, tho' it be done by the nearest Neighbours, without a mighty diminution of its Excellence?

As to the Time when Job liv'd, it is highly proba­ble that he was Moses's Predecessor, or at least his Contemporary; and that for these Reasons. This righteous and devout Man was allow'd to offer Sa­crifices to God, which only the Priests under the Mo­saical Dispensation had Authority to do, and that only before the Tabernacle or Temple. This de­vout Person seems intirely ignorant of the Modes of the Jewish Religion, and of their manner of ask­ing Counsel of God either by Urim and Thummim, or by the Prophets; and therefore 'tis evident the Mosaical Scheme of Religion was not yet institu­ted. In the whole Book of Job there is no mention made of the Law and the Prophets, nor of the many Miracles wrought either in Egypt, or in the Passage of the Children of Israel to Canaan, though nothing could have been more pertinent and sutable to the [Page] Design of the Author of this Book, had Job liv'd after that wonderful Deliverance; and there is scarce any Writer that follow'd that Time, that does not mention or allude to that famous History. And this is yet farther confirm'd by the long Life of Job, which was protracted to two hundred Years, which agrees to the Times of the Old Patriarchs.

As to the Land of Utz, the Country in which this great Man liv'd, there are different Opinions, occasi­on'd chiefly by the uncertainty which Utz it was (for three are mention'd) from whom it receiv'd its Name. The first Utz the Son of Aram is mention'd, Gen. 10. 23. who is reported to be the Founder of Damascus and Trachonitis; and many Writers, for this reason, conclude the Seat of Job to have been in the Plain of Jordan in the Region of Trachonitis, where the Tomb of Job is shown to Strangers at this day: O­thers place it in the Famous Valley of Damascus.

A second Utz, the Son of Nachor is mention'd, Gen. 22. 21. from him the Country where he liv'd is call'd Usitis or Ausitis, which by Ptolemy is plac'd near Euphrates, and the City Babylon; and there­fore many Authors believe Job had his Habitation in that part of Arabia.

A third Utz, who, as Spanh [...]mius observes, was a Horite of the Posterity of Sehir, and not as common­ly accounted of the Race of Esau, is mention'd, Gen. 36. 28. the Horites being driven out by the Edomites, their Country was after that call'd Idumea, which has for its bounds Arabia, Canaan, and the Red Sea, and in this Country many believe was the Ha­bitation of Job.

But if a Man could remove the Obstructions of great Learning and Critical Remarks, methinks it [Page] should be a very easie matter to settle this controver­ted Point. `Tis allow'd by all, that Utz the Country of Job was expos'd to the Incursions and Depredations of the Chaldeans; and 'tis allowed likewise that Chal­dea was Eastward of Arabia. Now suppose that in our English History there had been mention'd a great Man, that had in ancient Times been plunder'd by a Band of Scotch-men; and the Habitation or Country of this unfortunate Man being mention'd by an obscure or obsolete Word, a Controversie should arise in what part of England this Man lived; would not any Man that was derivered from the encumbrance of great Read­ing and learned Observations, presently conclude, that he lived in the North part of England not far from the Borders of Scotland? And must it not have been a Critick of extraordinary Sagacity that should have found out his Seat in Middlesex, or at the Land's End? And yet those that place the Country of Job in Idumea, or near Damascus, remove it farther from Chaldea than those two Places before-named are from Scotland. 'Tis not therefore to be doubted but that the Country of Job was in the Eastern part of Ara­bia, and 'tis probable 'twas near the River Euphrates, and that he was of the Posterity of Nachor. The▪ Stories therefore of Job's Well near Jerusalem, of his Scpulchre in the Plain of Jordan, and of the Regi­on in the North of Syria, which the Inhabitants shew to Travellers for the Seat of Job, are all Modern Fables, and not to be regarded. But much more ridi­culous is the [...]rror of those Commentat [...]rs, who make Constantinople to have been the Seat of Job: The Scpulchre of Job in Armenia that favours this Opinion, 'tis very probable according to the Conjecture of several learned Men, was erected in honour of some Captain of the Turks of that Name.

[Page]As to the Time when the Author of this Book liv' [...] ▪ there are many different Opinions. Some believe [...] this Book was wrote in the Time when the Israelites were under the Aegyptian Bondage, and that it was compos'd to encourage them to a patient suffering of their Afflictions, and to confirm them in their depen­dance upon God for Deliverance. And those of this Opinion believe, that either Moses himself was the Au­thor, or at least the Translator of it; and that this was a Tradition among the ancient Jews several Authors testifie. Others are of Opinion, that the Writing was of much later date, and give these Reasons for it. They alledge that there are many Syriack and Arabick Words, and Forms of Expression that were not in use among the ancient Hebrew Writers, the Interpreta­tion of which must be fetch'd from the Rabbins; that there are many Elegancies relating to the Constellati­ons, and several Fish and Birds which shew it to be of a Modern Date, and from hence they conclude that it was then wrote when these Foreign words and manners of Expression were introduc'd into the Hebrew Lan­guage. They believe therefore that the Author liv'd after David and Solomon, and before Ezekiel, because he is mention'd by that Prophet.

Some believe that Isaiah himself was the Author, the time when he lived being very sutable to this Conje­cture, besides the Majesty and Sublimity of his Stile, his singular Erudition, the similitude of Character, and ma­ny Words, and Forms of speaking common to them both. Grotius imagines the Author to be an Hebrew, be­cause after the Custom of that Nation, he calls Arabia the East, tho' others suppose he was an Idumean, be­cause he abounds with Syriack and Arabick Words: Whether he was the one or the other, 'tis plain the Au­thor [Page] was well vers'd in the Hebrew Language and those of the Neighbouring Countries: And that in the Writing of this Book he was under the direction and guidance of Divine Inspiration, has been universally acknowledged by the Jews and Christians in all Ages.

But one single Reflexion prevails with me to believe that the Author was of the oldest date; and that is, that I cannot imagine that if he had lived after the De­liverance of the Children of Israel from their Aegyp­tian Bondage, and after the Institution of the Mo­saical Scheme of Religion, he could have been so per­fectly silent as to both. 'Tis hardly to be imagin'd that if he had liv'd after Moses he should ever have design'd to be so accurate and nice in relation to Time, as not to say any thing in the whole Book but what might be well suppos'd to have been said by one who liv'd before Moses. This exact Care seems not agreeable to the Writers of that Age. And if it should be suppos'd, that an Author, that many years after took this Subject of Job to write upon, should resolve to say nothing but what might be fit to be said in that time when Job liv'd; yet 'tis a great difficulty to believe that he should be so successful, as not in any one Place, or in any one Expression, to drop any thing that should men­tion or allude to some Matters of Fact that happen'd after; especially such famous ones, as the Miracles wrought when the Israelites were brought out of Ae­gypt, their Settlement in the Land of Canaan, and the Rites of the Mosaical Religion. The same Rea­sons therefore that convince me that Job himself liv'd before, or in the Time of Moses, perswade me to think the Author of this Poem, whoever he was, did so too; and therefore 'tis very probable that this of Job is the oldest Book in the World.

[Page]The Argument of the Poem is this: Job, a Prince in his Country, of distinguish'd Piety and eminent Ju­stice, at the Entrance of the Narration, is represented as happy as the favour of Heaven, and the affluence of all Earthly Possessions can make him. From this pre­sent State of Prosperity he is all on a sudden, by the permission of Providence, for the trial of his Integri­ty, depriv'd of his Estate, his Children, his Friends and Health, and reduc'd to a Condition as perfectly mi­serable, as his former had been happy. After this sur­prizing change of his Fortune, to exasperate the bit­terness and anguish of his Soul, his Wife, in a most profane manner, provokes and tempts him to quit all his Pretensions to Piety, and desperately to renounce all his dependence upon God, and all expectations of Deliverance from him. In this, she is imitated by the Aegyptians and old Grecians, as well as other Idolatrous Countries, who us'd under any great Ca­lamities to rail bitterly at their Gods, to pull down their Images, and drag them about the Streets, to be re­veng'd on them for not preventing their misfortunes. After this three Persons, eminent for their Birth, Vertue and Wisdom, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar (perhaps Elihu was with Job before) went to comfort their distress'd Friend. Their Design was good, and they considering that Wickedness was the meritorious Cause of Suffering, and that Divine Justice was not to be clear'd, if proffligate and impious Men should go unpunish'd; and having themselves often seen as well as heard by Tradition from their Forefathers, that wicked Nations and Families had frequently, by the just Judgment of God, been utterly destroy'd, concluded that, Job notwithstanding the outward Figure he made of a very upright and religious Person, must needs be [Page] guilty of some great, tho' secret Crimes: Otherwise they could not conceive how it was consistent with Di­vine Justice and Mercy to suffer him to be so very mi­serable. Their Opinion was, that a good Man, such as Job was suppos'd to be, could never be so far forsa­ken of God, and abandon'd to such prodigious Suffe­rings. This is the Point they labour to prove. They press this very hard on their afflicted Friend, hoping thereby to bring him to a Confession of his Sins, and a sutable Repentance, upon which they believ'd, as they often assur'd him, God would withdraw his af­flicting hand, ease his Complaints, and restore him to his former Prosperity. On the other hand, Job, who was sure he was no Hypocrite, but that he was in good earnest a Lover of God and of his Neighbour, and was not conscious of any such conceal'd and secret Guilt, as his Friends reproach'd him with, asserts in his defence, that his Friends proceeded in their De­bates on erroneous grounds: That they mistook his Case, and the Methods of relieving him. He affirms that neither their Notions, nor their Observations were true. For tho' they asserted the contrary, he was fully assur'd that God did often afflict even with the greatest Severity many just and upright Men, and suffer'd in the mean time the Enemies of God and Man to live in the most flourishing Condition; and that therefore there could be no Argument drawnfrom [...] Mans Sufferings that he was a wicked and un­righteous Person. In some of his Debates on this Head, he is so far transported as to censure rashly the Divine Administration, as if God had too little re­gard to the Piety and Righteousness of good Men, whom he punish'd with so severe a hand, whilst he fa­vour'd the Wicked, and prosper'd their Vndertakings; [Page] or at least that he made not that distinction between them that the Iustice of Righteous Government requires. But as to himself his Anguish and Impatience rose to such a degree, as vented themselves in many Ex­pressions relating to God's Severity to him, unbecoming an humble and patient Sufferer, which made a lear­ned Critick say, that Job who had a good Cause, discomposed by his Impatience manag'd it ill, as his Friends had a bad one, but manag'd it well. Their Debates being ended, Elihu a wise young Man that had heard the Arguments on either side, undertakes as Moderator to compose the Controversie, and set them both right. He agrees with Eliphaz, and his two Com­panions, that God was a Hater of Wickedness and Irreligion, and that he often punished those that were guilty of them; but then he will not allow that Job may from thence be justly condemn'd as a wicked Man, because a good Man may often be afflicted by God for great and wise Ends. On the other side, tho' he does not censure Job for his Hypocrisie, or any concealed or secret Guilt, yet he condemns him for the Impati­ence he express'd in his Sufferings, and for his bold and rash Expressions that seem'd to charge God with Injustice. After this God himself condescends to speak and put an end to their long Debate. He condemns Eliphaz, and his two Friends, for their unjust Cen­sures of Job, and Job for his unjust Censures of Di­vine Providence; but on the comparison declares that Job had the better Cause, and had spoken better of him than his Friends had done; perhaps that Expressi­on of Job's is alluded to, The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord. Then he delivers him from his great Afflictions and restores him to his former happy Condition.

[Page]'Tis evident that the Design of the Book is to show that the Providence of God does not only guide and over-rule the highest and most important Affairs, The Enterprizes of aspiring Princes, and the Rise and Fall of States and Empires, but that it inter [...]sts and mingles it self with all the Concerns of Humane Life, and thereby prepares the Mind of the Reader to acknowledge him as the great Moderator of the World, the Director of all our Actions, and Disposer of all the Events that happen to Mankind. By which Impression he is dispos'd to submit himself and all his Concernments with humble Resignation to the Al­mighty's Righteous and Unerring Conduct.

And more particularly, the Design is to justifie the Divine Providence in suffering impious and flagi­tious Men to live in the undisturbed Enjoyment of all the Power and Plenty their Hearts can desire, while good and upright Men are often overwhelmed with Poverty and Distress, and expos'd to the scorn and outrage of their insulting Enemies. The solving of this difficulty, which has so often puzled the Under­standing, and discomposed the Temper of the Wisest and Best of Men, seems to be chiefly aim'd at in this Writing. And 'tis observable that in the Debates be­tween Job and his Friends, when they are prest with any difficulty concerning the Divine Administration of Affairs, and are at a loss how to reconcile Occurren­ces with their own Notions of Iustice and Goodness, they fly to God's Infinite Greatness, and seem to re­solve the Controversie into his absolute Sovereignty, and uncontroulable Power, which occasions many wonderful Descriptions of God's Majesty and Om­nip [...]tence. They seem to think that when we are puzled and confounded, and after all our Attempts can by no [Page] means account for the Proceedings of Divine Provi­dence, that directly thwart our Opinions of Wisdom and Justice, we should enter upon the Contemplation of the Glorious Attributes of God, and consider they so far transcend all the low created Perfections in Man, that ours are by no means to be a measure of his. They may and do assist us in many Instances, as faint Representations of the Divine Excellency; but whenever we see any Conduct of Divine Providence that we can't reduce to our ways of Reasoning, we should humbly adore and not dispute. We should fetch a Solution from the Sovereignty and boundless Perfe­ctions in God, who is always Good, and Iust, and Wise, e­ven when in his Administration he seems to be most the contrary. And 'tis very plain that when God be­speaks them in the latter end of the Book, he insists on no other Justification of his Proceedings with Men, than his Dominion and Property, his absolute Sove­reignty, and transcendent Greatness, that render him unaccountable able to his Creatures for all his Actions. And therefore in the sharpest and severest Trials, when Providence seems vigilant and industrious, as Job expresses it, to find occasions of afflicting, when it runs counter to all our Desires, defeats our Hopes, and disappoints all our Designs; in such a hard Case we are to moderate our Passions, submit our Wills and our Reason too, and acquiesce in this Belief, that nothing is more certain than that God can do his Creature no wrong, and that in all his Dispensations he has both wise and gracious Designs, tho' our shallow and in­competent Reason is not able to discern them.

'Tis probable that one Reason why we are apt to censure God's Proceedings is, that we take his Idea too nicely from our selves. For tho' we must form our [Page] Idea of him from the Contemplation of our selves, yet this must not be too strict, nor extended too far. For 'tis plain that God's Knowledge is another thing from ours; he knows by one single Act of Intuition, we know by Reasoning, that is by deducing one Proposition from two others, and by forming in a tedious way, a long depending Chain of Consequences, which are for that reason apt to create a distrust. Now as our inferiour kind of Knowledge is by no means a measure of that most perfect kind in the Divine Understanding, so the Iustice, Mercy and Goodness, which are the Perfe­ctions of a Creature's, may be of a lower kind, and therefore an unfit measure of those Perfections in the Divine Will. 'Tis probable that for this reason the Disputants in this Poem, for the clearing of God's Justice and Goodness, betake themselves so often to the transcendent Greatness and Excellency of the Divine Nature, whereby they plainly intimate that we are by no means competent Judges of his Actions.

Another means to quiet Men's Minds concerning the Wisdom and Justice of God's Dispensations in those Instances that are the [...]arshest and most unaccountable to us, is to reflect on the narrow and broken, as well as obscure Prospect which we have of the wide Sphere of his Providence. Did we clearly and fully understand how we are related to all the Parts of Mankind, both to our Contemporaries, and to those who have liv'd in the past, or shall live in the future Ages of the World; had we besides a clear Knowledge of our relation to o­ther Reasonable, but Superior Creatures, I mean the Angels that inhabit the Immense and Glorious Regions above us, and to those that [...]ill the Stars and Planets; (for 'tis improbable this Ball of Earth, the Dregs and Sediment of the World should be so full of [Page] Reasonable Beings, and the nobler Parts of the Crea­tion should not be peopled with sutable Inhabitants) Had we a perfect and comprehensive View of the whole Scheme of the Divine Oeconomy in relation to all these Parts of his Government, and how in his Ad­ministration in the different Parts of it he promoted the great and glorious Design of the whole, we should have quite another Apprehension of God's Wisdom and Iustice. He that contemplates a Leg or an Arm with its relation to a Humane Body, of which they are Parts, has a very different Notion of them from him, who considers them divided, without any dependance on, or connexion with the Whole. It is not in our Power to make any but partial and very lame Observations of God's Government of his Creatures, and upon such imperfect Views, 'tis no wonder if our Constructions and Conclusions are often erroneous, and this, it may be, is another Reason why these Wise Men that ma­nage the Debate about Providence in this Book, lead us so often to contemplate the Works of God's Creation, of which our selves are so small a Part.

Besides this Principal and most Conspicuous Design, other Vseful and Excellent Ends are pursu'd in this Poem: One of which is to enlarge and raise our Con­ceptions of the Divine Being, to give us worthy and honourable Thoughts of his Infinite Perfections, and form in our Minds a sutable Idea of his Great­ness. The Representations of God's Transcendent Excellencies, of his Independent, Sovereign and Ir­resistible Power, as well as of his Purity, Wisdom, Ju­stice and Beneficence, are in many Parts of this Book so noble, so lively and admirable, that they are very capa­ble of leaving in our Thoughts very deep and lasting Impressions: And to give us right and just Conce­ptions [Page] of the Divine Nature, on which our Notions of Religion, the Conduct of our Lives, our Ho­nour and our Happiness depend, is to do one of the greatest Services that can be done to Mankind.

Another great End is to set before us for our Imi­tation an Illustrious Example of Piety, and all kinds of Vertue, in the most contrary Circumstances of Life that can be, the most Flourishing, and the most Miserable. And this is done in the Character of Job: While he possess'd a greater Substance than any Man in the Country where he liv'd, and was blest with a compleat Collection of all those Enjoyments, that are suppos'd to make a Man happy in this World, he maintain'd his Religion and Integrity inviolable, he was no less eminent for his Piety, than for his Pow­er and Abundance. He strictly preserv'd his Mo­deration and Humility, his Temperance and Ju­stice, his Continence, his Compassion, and his great Love to Mankind; as appears by the first, and Thirty first Chapters of this Book. And when by a strange and surprizing Revolution the Scene was chang'd, and this Righteous Person being depriv'd of his Children and Possessions, and afflicted with grie­vous Pain and Sickness, became the most wretched and unhappy Man that can be imagin'd, he then by the Exercise of other rare Vertues, maintains as great a Character in his Sufferings: He shows an admirable Instance of Patience and Resignation, of Constan­cy and Perseverance, holds fast his Religion, and still expresses his unalterable Dependence on his God. In short, his Mind was neither elated, nor soften'd by the greatest Prosperity, nor sowr'd or broken by the greatest Adversity. 'Tis true indeed that he vented several passionate, rash, and unbecoming Expressions; [Page] but when we consider the Anguish of his Soul under such prodigious Sufferings, the profane Provoca­tions of his Wife, the exasperating Reproaches of his mistaken Friends, who after all his heavy Losses would have robb'd him too of his Integrity, it will not be hard to excuse those Expressions: And no more can be concluded from them than this, that tho' he was an Excellent, he was not a Faultless Man. Moses, who was honour'd with the Character of the meekest Man on Earth, did on some provoking Occasions lose his Temper; and Job may be allow'd to be the most pa­tient Person in the World, tho' in such Streights and Distress, and urg'd with such Provocations, some im­patient Speeches might be extorted from him.

I cannot but observe in this place, that Job a Person of such Piety, and so many rare and admirable Ver­tues, had no Advantages from the Divine Revelati­ons made to Moses and the Jewish Prophets. He was a Stranger to their Law and their System of Reli­gion. The Light that directed him must be only that of Natural Reason and Conscience, assisted by some Oral Traditions from Adam and Noah, and by what God was pleas'd sometimes to communicate by Dreams and Visions in those darker Ages of the World. By this it appears, that great Advances may be made in Vertue by a diligent attendance to the Dictates of our Natu­ral Light. Would Men but improve their Reason, re­verence their Consciences, and stand in awe of themselves, they would become Worshippers of God, as well as Sober and Righteous in an eminent degree. I re­fer this to the Consideration of those Gentlemen that do not acknowledge the Divine Authority, either of the Mosaick, or of the Christian Institution.

Another [...]nd, and a very useful one too, is by the [Page] Example of Job to con [...]ince the Reader of the Insta­bility of a prosperous Condition, and the great Vicissitude of Humane Affairs, whereby his Mind may be dispos'd to Moderation, Humility, Tem­perance, Compassion and Charity, and preserved from that Pride and Contempt of others, from that ar­rogant, cruel and haughty Temper, which great Riches and high Stations are too apt to produce, especially in Men of a mean and low Spirit.

I have not attempted a close Translation of this Sacred Book, but a Paraphrase. For the Origi­nal being written in an Eastern Language, their Manner and Turns of Expression are, as before-men­tion'd, so very different from ours, that I thought a Paraphrase more proper and advantageous for a Mo­dern European Language. But as I judg'd it would not bear a strict Translation, so on the other hand I have endeavour'd, that the Paraphrase should not be too loose and wide, but that the Reader may all along carry with him the Sense of the Original. I have often diffus'd the Sense in other Expression. I have amplify'd the Text in many Places that appear'd more Poetical, and from General Heads I have descended sometimes to Particulars, the Enumeration of which, I believ'd, would illustrate and enliven the Original. I have avoided the immediate Repetition of the same Thought in Words little different from the first, which is so very common in this Book, as well as in that of the Psalms, and other Poetical Places of the Scripture. For tho' this was no doubt accounted in the Eastern Countries at that time a great Beauty and Ornament to the Writing, yet we have quite a­nother Taste of Eloquence, and therefore I have thought it best to accommodate that Matter to the [Page] Modern way of Writing. The Method of Wri­ting in the Eastern Countries is what the Europeans think irregular; the same Matter treated on before frequently recurs, and the Connexion is sometimes bro­ken, and often obscure. The Transitions are some­times neglected, and a new Subject enter'd upon with­out the preparation for it which we expect should be made. We censure these Modes and Customs in Writings as defects, and no doubt they would censure ours as much. I would not peremptorily condemn their Taste, for the Opinion of Beauty and Ornament seems not to be capable of being determin'd by any fixt and unalterable Rule. Truth and good Sense are setled upon Eternal and unchangeable Grounds and Reasons; but the manner of Expression, and the method of con­veying them, and what concerns the Dress, the Pomp and Ornament of them, these are perhaps indifferent Ceremonies, and every Nation may have Authority to establish which they please. 'Tis plain the Eastern World have not the same Apprehensions of Beau­ty and Ornament that we have: They believe there is a great Beauty in the neglect of what we call Or­der and Regularity, as is evident in their Gardens and Buildings. What we censure as careless, wild and extravagant, strikes them with more Admiration, and gives them greater Pleasure, than all our elabo­rate and orderly Contrivances. All that can be said is, that our Tasts are different, and if they are barba­rous to us, we are so to them, some of which especially the Chinese are, or at least have been very Wise and Polite Nations.

We in this part of the World are all so full of Homer and Virgil, and are so bigotted to the Greek and Latin Sects, that we are ready to account all [Page] Authors Heretical that are without the Pale of the Classicks. This seems to me to be a narrow Sectarian Spirit, that prompts Men to impose their Fancies and Opinions on all the World besides. Whatever high Opinion we have of our own Attainments, we should have that Temper and Moderation, that might pre­serve a due regard for the Wisdom and Judgment of other Nations; and not with the haughty Air of a Supercilious Critick, censure and condemn every thing that deviates from the Examples of the Greek and Latin Authors.

I have therefore in this Paraphrase proceeded all along from Chapter to Chapter, and Verse to Verse, in the Order they are set down, excepting some very few inconsiderable Transpositions: So that I have by no means alter'd the Method and Order of the Narration, or any way chang'd the Model. And 'twill be hard to give a Reason why the Author of this Book has not as great a Right to be made the Standard where­by to try Homer and Virgil, as those two Authors have to bring this to their Tribunal. If the Know­ledge of the Hebrew Language had been look'd on in Europe to have been as necessary as the Greek and Latin; had it been as great an Honour and Accom­plishment for a Man to understand the first as the last; and had there been as great a variety of Authors of all sorts of Learning left in the Language, that there might have been an equal Inducement to have study'd and taught it universally in the Schools, I say had this been, the Grammarians and Criticks might perhaps have [...]ixt on this as the best Model of Poeti­cal Writings, and have drawn their Rules and Re­marks from the Example they found here: For 'tis plain all their Precepts are founded on Examples, [Page] and on those Examples with which they were most conversant, and in such Languages as were most in vogue, and which most of them were oblig'd to profess and teach.

I have indeed supply'd in some Places the Transi­tions and other Connexions, which according to their manner of Writing are omitted in the Original, that the Reader of the Paraphrase, who is unaccustomed to that way, may not be embarrass'd or interrupted. There are many hard and obscure Places, about the mean­ing of which I have consulted the ablest and most fa­mous Writers, and have taken that Sense which I look'd on as most natural, and supported by the best Reasons: And in this I have chiefly been obliged to the Excellent Paraphrase of the Learned Bishop of Ely, and the Collection of the Critici.

I have added a Paraphrase upon several other Poe­tical Parts of the Bible; which, in my Opinion, are nobler Examples of the true sublime Stile, than any can be sound in the Pagan Writers. The Images are so strong, the Thoughts so great, the Expressi­ons so divine, and the Figures so admirable, bold and moving, that the wonderful manner of these Writers is quite inimitable. One thing I must advertise the Rea­der of, that in the Prophets 'tis common with them, that they may represent the Certainty of their Predi­ctions with the greater Advantage, to use the past for the future Tense, that is, to speak of Things to come, as already done; so that their Prophecies often seem Historical Narrations of Matters already trans­acted: Therefore the Reader is not to be surpriz'd, when in the second Song of Moses he finds that great Prophet speaking of what befel the Children of Israel in Canaan, as things past in his own Time, which did [Page] not happen till long after his Death. I am of Mr. Cow­ley's Judgment, who in his Preface declares that there are no more noble Subjects of Poetry to be found than those the Scriptures furnish us withal, and therefore I have made this Attempt. 'Tis true, Mr. Sandys, a Gentleman of great Merit, has done this before; but that I did not know till after I had begun this Work, and made some Progress in it; and when I had perus'd part of his Paraphrase, I thought I might be able to supply some Defects, espe­cially in relation to Perspicuity and Coherence.

As to the Leviathan and Behemoth, mention'd in the latter Part of this Book, I have appropriated the Character of the first to the Crocodile, and of the last to the Elephant. I believe the Marks enumera­ted by the Learned Bochart, do justly determine the Description of the Leviathan to the Crocodile; but I can't see any necessity from what he urges, to conclude Behemoth to be the Hippopotamus, or River-Horse. The Character given in Job is, in my Opinion, more sutable to the Elephant. The Rea­sons alledg'd on both sides may be seen in the Critici before-cited; and whether the one or the other be true, is not a Matter of that Importance as should oblige me to transcribe the Arguments in this Place. Per­swaded by the Reasons of some Learned Commen­tators, I have taken the Unicorn for the Uri or wild Bull, and not the Oryx, or wild Goat, according to Boshart, or the Rhinoceros, according to others. I impose not my Opinion on others: These are Mat­ters of small Moment, and every Man is at liberty to think as he pleases.