and in his innocence unto his life's end,
or whether he would turn from God through the exceeding persecution
which the envious devil sent him.
Thereupon the devil in one day slew all his cattle,
and his seven sons, and three daughters, and likewise afterward
afflicted himself with an awful sickness;
but the constant Job would never swerve from God's love,
neither for persecution, nor for sickness, nor for the loss of his bairns,
neither spake he one foolish word against God,
but with great patience he ever thanked God
and from his inward heart ever praised his Lord.
Then God healed him of that awful affliction,
and repaid him all his possessions by twofold,
and he then lived happily, because he had overcome the devil.
David for his meekness and mildheartedness
was pleasing to God, and was chosen king,
so that God Himself spake thus concerning him,
I have found Me David, Jesse's son, after mine heart,
who shall perform my will by his works.
Again Elias, the noble prophet, because he combated against unrighteousness,
was taken up to Heaven in a heavenly chariot,
and there, like Enoch, dwelleth securely;
because no ghostly offering is so pleasing to God,
as [that] is to Him, that a man alway strive against unrighteousness,
for men's correction, yet nevertheless with meekness,
and with sobriety, and mildheartedness,
that one may put down wrong, and raise up God's right,
even as the prophet Elias strove against unrighteousness
until that God took him in a fiery chariot to heaven