"and it is but reasonable that we receive what is ungrateful with a calm "refignation; feeing both come from the fame Wife and Sovereign "Difpofer of all things." Still Job is patient, and, under every trial, adheres to God and duty.

The composure and fleadiness of his mind was more feverely tried by his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, men of the fame rank, and of like good fenfe and piety, who dwelt in fome of the adjacent provinces, and in whofe familiarity he had probably been long happy. The report of his fufferings, of the ruin of his character, and the wound thereby given to religion, having reached their ears, they agreed, with a fincere intention, to join their endeavours in adminiftering the only advice and confolation they apprehended his case would admit. For, as the fufpicions were very strong, and his calamities carried evident marks of Divine Inflictions, they had the fame opinion of them with the rest of the world, and believed they were the juft judgments of God upon a hypocrite; and therefore were determined, by all means, to fix a fenfe of guilt upon his confcience, in order to bring him to true repentance, and fo to a folid interest in the Divine Favour and bleffing. But when they were come, and had found their late flourishing, honourable, and highly-efteemed friend, reduced to the most loathfome and miferable wretch, that was fitting in the afhes, they were aftonifhed beyond expreffion; and being confirmed in their evil fufpicions, though they fat with him on the ground, yet, as their bad opinion of him would not allow them to fay any thing comfortable and encouraging, they chofe to fay nothing at all for feven or feveral days together, chap. ii. 12. The fight of his old acquaintance, and their unfavourable manner of condolence, raised his paffion of forrow to fuch a pitch, that it burst out into a torrent of the most bitter reflections upon his birth-day; wifhing it were ftruck out of the number of days, or rendered as odious and deteftable to all others, as it was to himself.

Upon this, Eliphaz, probably the oldeft and most honourable of the three, addreffed himself to Job, and, in the fofteft manner, opened their sense of his cafe; namely, that, in their apprehenfions, he had been very defective in the character to which he had pretended; that great fufferings must be the punishment of great fins; and that they could recommend to him no other method of regaining his former peace and profperity, but repentance, and feeking unto God for pardon. In short, they foon declared plainly, that they judged he had been a very wicked man, and that his calamities were an evident indication of the wrath of God against him as fuch. This Job flatly denied; and this is the matter in difpute between him and his friends: which difpute, as is ufual in fuch cafes, was carried on with a growing eagerness and heat on both fides; and on both fides might occafion fome expreffions too strong and exaggerating.

His friends argue from experience, and what they had obferved to be the ufual method of Divine Providence. They had feen many inftances of wicked men, or of thofe who had paffed for fuch, remarkably punished; and hence they formed to themselves a general maxim, that where they faw great wretchednefs and fufferings, there must be crimes proportionably great. To this Job alfo oppofes obfervation and expe

rience;

rience; and fhews, that the rule of judging they had formed to themfelves, was by no means right, or without exception; that good men were fometimes afflicted, and the wicked flourishing and happy; and that, for the most part, things were dealt out here promifcuously; that this was more efpecially obfervable in times of war and peftilence, and fuch other sweeping calamities where the good and bad fall undistinguished. Chap. ix. 22, 23. To all which he adds, that it was a very heavy aggravation of his mifery, to hear his friends, fo well acquainted with him, men of fenfe and diftinction, charge him with crimes which his foul abhorred, and of which God, who had afflicted him, knew that he was innocent. To him he would appeal, and still adhere in life and death, though he did not know why he had dealt fo feverely with him. And fo ftrongly did Job affert the integrity of his religion and virtue, (chapters xxix. and xxxi.) that his friends, though perhaps not convinced, were however put to filence (chap. xxxii. 1).

Upon this, Elibu, a young man of good understanding, who, probably, with others, was a bystander and witness to this debate (chap. xxxii. 15.) acts as moderator between Job and his friends, and cenfures both very freely and judiciously; only he charges Job with no crime as the cause of his afflictions, but thinks he had not managed the difpute about them with fo much calmness and fubmiffion to God as became his piety.

Finally, the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind (the Septuagint add, and clouds), a token of the Divine Prefence. So Ezekiel's vifions were introduced, Ezek. i. 4. And I looked, and behold, a whirlwind came out of the North, a great cloud and a fire. Perhaps Elihu faw this token of the Divine Prefence approaching. Job. xxxvii. 22, &c. Fair weather [ant gold, fplendor, the fplendor of the Divine Prefence. See Schultens in loc.] cometh [nn will come, or is coming, fpeedily] out of the North; with God is terrible Majefty. The fpeech of Deity, (chap. xxxviii. xxxix. xl. xli.) moft inimitably grand and fublime, representing the vast extent of the Divine Wisdom and power in the works of creation, which Job and his friends had well studied, and from which they knew how to deduce proper conclufions, fhews, 1. That all things in the fky, the air, the earth, the fea, are produced and difpofed in a manner far beyond the reach of human wisdom and power. Confequently, 2. That man is not qualified to difpofe of himself, or of any other being. That God may have wife and good reafons for his ways and works, and dealings with us, which we cannot comprehend; and therefore it is our duty, in all cafes, to acquiefce and fubmit. 3. That he who has given various natures and instincts to animals, can give being and life, when and where, and in what degree he pleases. 4. That he is prefent to, cares for, fuftains and directs every living thing; and therefore that we ought to trust in him for a happy iffue out of any of his infictions. 5. That the wifeft of men should be very cautious and modeft in censuring the ways of Providence.

Chap. xlii. Job humbleth himself before God, facrificeth for his friends; his family is reftored, his eftate is doubled.

RULES

RULES to be observed in expounding the Book of Job.

I. He that would rightly explain this book muft, as much as he can, imagine himself in the fame afflicted condition.

II. Every daring thought, or ardent expreffion, which occurs in the fpeeches of this afflicted and exafperated man, is not to be vindicated; yet, as he was a great man, and a prince, he may be allowed to use bold and animated language.

III. We fhall certainly judge amifs, if we think every thing wrong, which will not fuit with the politenefs of our manners. Allowance must be made for the fimplicity of thofe times.

IV. In judging of Job's character, we must fet the noble strains of his piety against the unguarded expreffions of his forrow.

V. It is not his innocence, ftrictly speaking, which Job infifts on, but his fincerity. Chap. vii. 20, 21.

VI. Except their hard cenfures of Job, his friends fpeak well and religiously.

VII. His friends encouraged to hope for a temporal deliverance; (chap. v. 18, &c. vii. 20, &c. i 14, &c.) but Jcb defpaired of it, and expected his bodily diforder would terminate in death, (chap. vi. 11, 12. vii. 6, 7, 8, 21. xvii. 1, 13, 14, 15. xix. 10. Though, in the increafing heat of the difpute, they feem to drop this fentiment, in their following anfwers, as if they fuppofed fob to be too bad to hope for any favour from God.) He hoped, however, that his character would be cleared in the day of judgment: though he was greatly concerned that it could not be cleared before; that after a life led in the moft confpicuous virtues, his reputation, in the opinion of his nearest friends, would fet under a black cloud, and, with regard to the ignorant and profane, leave an odious reproach upon a profeffion of religion. This touched him to the heart; exafperated all his fufferings, and made him often with, that God would bring him to his trial here, in this life; that his integrity might be vindicated, and all, friends and enemies," might understand the true end or defign of God in his fufferings; and the honour of religion might be fecured. Chap. x. ii. 2, 3. Is it good unto thee, that thou shouldft-fhine upon the counfel of the wicked? who from my cafe take occafion to reproach and vilify true religion, and to confirm themselves in their wicked and idolatrous practices. Chap. vii. 20, 21, 22. xi. 17-20, xvi. 9-II.

VIII He could only affirm his integrity, but could give no fpecial fatisfactory reafon, why God fhould afflict him in a manner fo very extraordinary, and beyond all preceding cafes that were ever known in the world. This very much perplexed and embarraffed bis mind, and laid him under a great difadvantage in the difpute. And, for one thing, it is on this account that he is to earneft to come to a conference with God, to know his mind and meaning. Chap. x. 2. Show me wherefore thou contendeft with me. See Bp. PATRICK'S Paraphrafe upon the place, from ver. 2d to the 8th. He knew very well he could not abfolutely juftify himself before God, chap. ix. 2, 3, &c. ver. 17. For he breaks VOL. I.

G

me

me with a tempeft, he multiplieth my wounds without a caufe, or without any apparent reafon. Chap. vii. 12, 20. The whole xxiiid chapter relates to this point; in which he wishes he could come to the dwellingplace of God, (ver. 3.) and spread his cafe before him, and argue about it at large, (ver. 4.) for he had turned his thoughts every way, and could make nothing of it, (ver. 8, 9.) only he was fure God knew he was an upright man, (ver. 10, 11, 12.) But, (ver. 13.) he is in one 78 or in unity, fupreme above all others, abfolutely entire, keeping his mind and defigns to himself; and none can turn, or oblige him to alter his refolution. All that we can fay is, that he doth whatever is agreeable to his own wifdom. For (ver. 14.) what he hath refolved to inflict upon me he hath accomplished; and many fuch things he doth, of which he will not give us the reafon. To the fame purpofe underftand chap. xxvii. 2, 3, 4, 14. and chap. xxviii. 2. He hath taken away my judgment, i. e. the rule by which I might judge of the reafon of my afflictions. This point, in reference to God, Elihu tells him (chap. xxxiii. 13.) he had urged to no purpose, seeing he gives no account of his matters, or will not reveal to us the fecrets of his Providence.

IX. In such a noble performance, if any thing feems to be faid not in confiftency, or not in character, we fhould rather fufpect our own judgment, than the good fenfe of the Author. The fault is not in the book, but in our understanding.

X. That fenfe which beft agrees with the subject, or the point in hand, or which ftands in the best connexion with the context, fhould always be judged the best sense.

CRITICISMS.

Chap. i. 5. To bless a person is a form of valediction, 2 Sam. xix. 39. So here, My fons have have taken leave of God. And fo 1 Kings, xxi. 13. Naboth hath bid farewell to God and the King, or hath treated them with contempt.

Chap. iii. 25, 26. The thing that I greatly feared is come upon me, &c. This alludes to the lofs of his children, for whom he was very much concerned, chap. i. 5. But chap. xxix. 18. and xxx. 26. relate to his circumftances in general.

Chap. xiii. 12. Your remembrances your [quoting of] memorable fayings are like afbes, or dirt; your bodies D22 your heaps, eminencies, your ftrongeft arguments, to heaps of clay, foon wafhed away,

CHAP.

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С НА Р. XXIV.

The Doctrines of the PATRIARCHAL AGE.

HE inftructions particularly defigned to be given in the Book of Job, might not be fo well underflood in that age of the world; namely, that great fufferings are not always an argument of great fins; but that very good men may be very much afflicted in this world; that therefore we fhould not cenfure any under calamities, be the hand of God ever fo apparent, unless the crimes be likewife certain and apparent. That we ought not to complain of God in any condition, as if he neglected us, or dealt hardly with us, but rather meekly fubmit to his Bleffed Will; who never doth any thing without reafon, though we cannot always comprehend it; adoring and revering the unfearchable depths of his Wife Counfel, and believing that all at laft will turn out to our advantage, if like his fervant Job we perfevere in faith, hope, and patience. This was Job's real character, though not without errors. No error can be difcerned in his behaviour, but what the uncharitable cenfures of his friends provoked him to. Thus he was put upon too frequent and too ftrong juftifications of himfelf, being withal extremely perplexed to give a plain and fatisfactory account why God afflicted him fo feverely.

God, in the iffue, fatisfied him, that he had juft and weighty reafons; and, in particular, by doubling his profperity, that he defigned to make him a pattern of patience and reward. James v 11. Behold, we account them happy who endure patiently the greateft fufferings. Ye have heard of the wonderful patience of Job, and have feen, in his cafe, the happy end to which the Lord brought his calamities. Whence we may learn, that under the fevereft vifitations, the Lord is very compaffionate and merciful to the fincere and upright, and will amply recompenfe them in a future world.

Thus the great point in religion, before dark and doubtful, relating to the Providence of God, and the fufferings of good men, is cleared up with fuch evidence, as can no where else be found but in the gospel of Jefus Chrift.

Though this point might not be fo well understood, before it was thus illuftrated, yet there are feveral other important articles of religion, of which Job and his friends, and doubtless many others, had very juft and clear conceptions: as the being and perfections of God; that we can receive neither good nor evil but from him, the Author of our being, and Difpofer of all events; that he fees and orders all things in heaven and earth; that there can be no iniquity with him; that he is the Friend and Patron of virtue, and hates, and will punish vice and wickedness; nevertheless, that he is merciful and gracious, and will certainly pardon and bless those who fincerely repent of their fins, and return unto him: that he is to be fupremely reverenced and worshipped, as the fole Sovereign of the univerfe, by prayers and facrifices, by purity and integrity