our desire of outward comfort at the footstool. Thus we must marshal and rank our respect to God and ourselves, and we may look on secular advantages as fruits of holiness and encouragements to it, but not as proper causes producing it.

"Satan's speech seems to imply, 1st, That riches will make any man serve God. God can have no servants from love. Job had no desire to please God but himself.

2d, That 3d, That to benefit

"As there is nothing we should dread more than being hypocrites, so there is nothing we should dread less than being called so without

cause.

Verse 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.'

"Here Satan answers God's question, by putting another, in which he discovers how grievously he is vexed at the prosperity of Job, and particularly enumerates the favours he had conferred on him, that he might thereby debase and lessen the value of Job's obedience, and contradict the character that God had given of him; by which, from the use he made of them in what he proposes in the following verse, he discovers himself to be the father of lies, yet they contain truths full of consolation to the people of God, as,

1st, The safety of the man or nation to whom God himself becomes an hedge or wall,

C

Zech. ii. 5; I will be unto her a wall of fire round about.' He hath not left the least gap for Satan or any annoyance to come in; the hedge surrounds on every side, so that their mighty and malicious enemies cannot touch the meanest thing that belongs to them. Christ assures his disciples that the very hairs of their head are numbered, as if he had said, your enemies cannot pull off a hair from your head, but God will call them to an account for it.

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2dly, That whom God blesses, they are blessed indeed; and therefore the people of God may, and ought to seek their Father's blessing on all their lawful undertakings. All success is from the Lord; but he does not work that we should be idle, nor has he promised to bless the indolent. It is absurd to say, Lord help us, while we neglect the use of the means that are in our power; we should beware of standing still in regard of attention and diligence, but as to fear and diffidence we may.

"Verse 11. But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.'

"To put forth the hand signifies to help, Psa. cxliv. 7, Acts iv. 30, by stretching forth thine hand to heal, and sometimes to hurt or punish, Isa. v. 25, ix. 12. Then Satan's meaning is, let him feel the weight of thine hand in sore affliction, either strike him thyself, or give me a commission to deprive him of all that which thou hast given him, and thou mayest take my word for it, that as soon as thou takest

away his riches, he will withdraw his service and show that he is an hypocrite.

"To touch signifies a sore affliction, Chapter. xix. 21, and it signifies a light affliction, Gen. xxvi. 11. It is certain, that if God do but touch the highest and greatest estate in the world, it will quickly fall to pieces.

"What is it to curse God to his face! see Mal. iii. 14, it is to speak against God's ways, to quarrel and be angry with his providence, or to curse his people.

"Although Satan can only guess at the hearts of men, and at what would be the consequence of bereaving Job of all his enjoyments, yet he boldly asserts, as if it were done already, he will curse thee to thy face. Affliction is the trial of sincerity; bring professors to the fire, and then they show their metal. While religion and prosperity go together, it is hard to which we are following.

say

"Verse 12. And the Lord said unto Satan, behold all that he hath is in thy power, only upon himself put not forth thine hand; so Satan went forth from the presence of the

Lord.'

"It is not always an evidence of God's good will to have our motions granted. Paul besought the Lord thrice, but Satan had his petition

* God declared Job the best man then living; now if Satan can prove him an hypocrite, it follows that God had not one faithful servant among men. But it appeared that the Lord knows them that are his, and is not deceived in any.

granted at once. It is ground of comfort to the Lord's people, that while they are suffering, his will is doing, and that what Satan and evil men desire sinfully, he grants holily; Satan wills it that God may be blasphemed, but God will glorify himself by it.

"From the limitation of Satan's commission learn, that God himself sets the bounds to the afflictions of his people. The season, measure, degree and continuance of them, he keeps in his own hand; and know for thy comfort, O believer! that he himself fills thy cup of sorrow, and thou shalt not have one drop more than he prescribes, nor than he knows to be necessary and will render profitable to thee, 1 Cor. x. 13. *

"Verse 13. And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house.' From this to verse 19, is contained a particular description of Job's affliction, as 1st, The season. 2d, The instruments. 3d, The matter, his outward estate. 4th, The variety. 5th, The suddenness. 6th, The incessant report of these afflictions.

* It is matter of wonder, that God should give Satan such a permission, but he did it for his own glory, the honour of Job, and the encouragement of his own people in all ages; to make a case, which being adjudged, might be a useful precedent. Resolved to lose no time, Satan went forth to fall upon poor Job without delay, who knows nothing of the matter, and is going on in the way of his duty.

"It was a notable day, and what can more embitter a cup of sorrow than to have it put into our hands on a day of feasting and rejoicing. If joy be troublesome in our sorrows, what must sorrows be in the midst of our joys. In chusing this time, as well as by bringing such a complication of distress so suddenly upon Job, there is a mixture of malice and cunning; the clearest day of outward comfort may be overclouded before evening.

"Verse 14. And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, the oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them.'

"This is as if he had said, thy cattle were not carelessly exposed, and the sad disaster which has befallen them did not come through the negligence of thy servants. It is true, that the greatest care cannot secure the continuance of our outward possessions; but it is well when we are not to blame for indolence or inattention when they are taken away.

"Verse 15. And the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away; yea they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'

"The Sabeans inhabited Arabia-Felix, and lived by robbery. They came like a storm violently upon them, and while they were gratifying their covetous desires they were doing Satan's work. It is said, that Satan stood up and provoked David to number the people. He somehow knows how to lay the bait suitable to our inclinations.