132 THE KING'S MIRROR 



foundations of the earth, so that the entire land will be 



destroyed, that cannot come to pass before the time 



that God has appointed. For neither this created force 



, nor any other governs itself but all things are compelled 



" " * <^ to move as God's providence has ordained from the be- 



CginningJAnd you will understand this better if I take 



up certain events that can be used to illustrate these 



things. 



When the lord of death wished to tempt Job, he had 

 no power to do so before he had asked permission; and 

 when this had been granted, he did not have power to 

 carry out his will farther than the permission extended; 

 for he would gladly have slain Job at once, if that had 

 been allowed. He was allowed to take away Job's wealth 

 and he took it all at the first stroke; but he was not per- 

 mitted to destroy the man himself. As he yearned for 

 permission to tempt him even more severely than he 

 had already, he was suffered to carry out his will upon 

 Job's body and upon all the possessions that belonged 

 to him. But he was not permitted to separate soul from 

 body, before the hour should come that He had fixed, 

 Who has all power over life and destiny. But as soon as 

 Satan had received permission to carry out his desires 

 upon Job, he showed immediately how eager he was to 

 act in such matters as were within his power. For it is 

 written that Satan took away from Job his abundant 

 wealth and his seven sons and three daughters, and 

 smote his body with terrible leprosy from the crown to 

 the sole of his feet. 



/** Now the meaning of this (which ought to be noted 

 J carefully in our minds) is that the Lord of life has power 



