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us that every soul must believe for himself, and that parents ought to pray for each of their children particularly, and that even grown up children should obey with reverence and submission the lawful commands and directions of their parents. The chief and special care of parents should be for the souls of their children.

"A holy person desires that all others were made holy, and if by means of their counsel and instruction they become holy, it may be said that they have sanctified them. Special preparation is necessary for every holy duty. Ps. xxvi. 6. We are to take heed how we hear.

"Job's diligence and zeal is apparent from the time of his performing this service and duty. It is our duty to dedicate the first and best of every day to God. Job had a special reason for this service. For though he knew that his sons had not openly and avowedly blasphemed God, yet he was afraid that they might have neglected a due reverence of God in their thoughts; for he knew that the heart is deceitful, and that it quickly conceives and also conceals its vain and vile productions. It is dangerous to let any sin lie a moment on the conscience unrepented of, for it will be reckoned by God a cursing of him in our hearts.

"A tender conscience is grieved when there is ground of suspicion, and we may suspect that we have sinned when we have been praying, much more when we have been feasting. The sins of the world are described, Luke xvii.

They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted,' &c. and there is none of these evil in themselves. Therefore we ought to keep our hearts with all manner of keeping, even in our lawful transactions. A good man turns his suspicions of others faults and failings into prayers for their pardon, not into slanders that they may be defamed.

"Job's offering sacrifice as often as his sons did feast, teaches us, that when we do any thing from a conscience of duty, we will persevere in it; we may be said to do a thing continually, when we do it seasonably; to have the heart in a praying frame, and to pray when duty requires it, is to pray always. Nature may have good moods, but grace is steady..

"In these five verses we have the prospe rity and sincerity of Job, and the holiness and piety of his life. God having thus qualified him, proceeds to try him in the furnace of affliction.

"Verse 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.'*

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Angels are the sons of God by creation; they are mighty in power, and always ready

* It doth not derogate from the credibility of Job's story in general, to admit that this discourse between God and Satan is parabolical. Like that of Micaiah, it is designed to represent the malice of Satan against good men, and to show the divine restraint that he is under.

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cheerfully to obey him, therefore said to present themselves before the Lord. And what is the difference between these angels and this Satan? Only sin. The angel sinning, presently became an adversary to God and man. All opposition to what is good is Satan; hence our Lord said to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan.' Satan is said to come among the sons. of God, in allusion to the dealings of men in their assemblies; and there is no necessity to try to find a similarity in every particular. Satan did not offer himself for any good purpose, but came thither by the overruling power of God.

"Verse 7. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered. the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in: it.'

"This question may seem to chide and show a dislike of what Satan had been about, but chiefly to draw a confession from him, or perhaps to show that he was under the divine control, and accountable for what he did. The word translated 'going to and fro,' signifies, to compass, or make a circuit by any kind of motion.*

*The answer shows that he is very restless, yet very active; and it may intimate that he kept within the bounds allotted him : for the dragon is cast out into the earth; and while we are on it we are within his reach; and with so much subtilty, swiftness, and industry doth he penetrate into all the corners of it, so there is no security from his temptations in any place.-Henry.

"Verse 8. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil?'

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"God calls Job his servant, as being his special right and property; and by way of distinction, as to his riches, he is the greatest man of the east, but in reference to his holiness he has no equal upon earth. Though all the saints are conformed in their nature to the will of God, which is holiness, yet they differ in degree; we should not content ourselves that we are like others in grace, but study to excel therein. He that is a servant of Christ is not only free but noble; he is under the special care as well as enjoys the peculiar love of God; and he has a perfect knowledge of, and will give a true testimony of every one.

"It is not he that commendeth himself, or is commended of others, but whom the Lord commendeth, that is approved of him, and they who are so need not mind though all the world be silent or even slander them.

"The Lord's question to Satan may be, Hast thou taken notice of? or affirmatively, thou hast considered my servant Job, and set thyself to tempt and try him.

"The most eminently godly are exposed to the most violent temptations from Satan.*

The holiness and happiness of the saints are the shame and torment of the devil and of his children.

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"God having spoken of Job as a man does of that which he glories in. Though Satan does not attempt to deny God's testimony of him, yet he represents Job as mercenary, and of course an hypocrite.

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"Verse 9. Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?' Some render, Doth Job fear God in vain? No. He looked for riches and he hath attained them. When a man's actions are fair, to accuse his intentions is devilish. Envy and malice accuses what others do well, while love excuses what is ill done.

"Is it lawful to have an eye to our own advantage while we do our duty?

"Must we serve God for nought in that strict sense? There is no man doth, or possibly can, serve God for nought. For he hath bestowed so many benefits, and promised so many more, they outvalue all the services of the creature. 2d, The more blessings any man receives the more he ought to serve God. 3d, It is lawful to have respect to benefits both received and promised by way of motive, Heb. xi. 26. and xii. 2. 4th, But reference to benefits is sinful, when we make them either the sole or supreme cause of our obedience.

"In all our duties we must set the glory of God in the throne; our desire of heaven on the right; and the fear of hell on the left hand;

But God knows all their malice and devices against his servants, and is ready to appear for them even before they are accused.—Henry.

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