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turn to us when we pray. When he stirs up his people to pray for the doing of any thing, it is an evidence that he is about to do it, and that he will withdraw his anger. Job having lifted up the glory and majesty of God in his power and justice, and showed the utter insufficiency of creatures to implead his justice or to rescue themselves out of the hand of his power, he now comes nearer home.

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"Verse 14. How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him!'

"If these mighty and powerful creatures, and the mightiest of the children of men, are not able to contend with God, how much less shall I answer, &c.? I am so far from being able to answer him, that I know not how to choose out words to reason with him. A godly man's thoughts are lowest of himself. Are we then not to reason with God at all? We must not reason on the footing of our own worth, and we ought not to attempt it in our own strength but we may reason from such arguments as these, The riches of his grace, the freeness of his promises, the greatness of our need, or the troubles of the church, and the concerns of his own glory, &c. Thus we may reason with God for the blessing we ask according to his will, and in these the life and strength of prayer consists. Jacob's prayer contains seven arguments; and in the issue, got not only a new blessing but also a new

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"We may declare our cause, and confess our sins without fear, but we must not presume to declare our righteousness, that we may justify ourselves. This Job declines. If the Lord object against me, I am not the man who dares, or is able to answer him; and if I take upon me to object against the Lord, he can easily

answer me.

"Verse 15. Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my Judge.'

"Job would not only not answer God objecting or reasoning, but that he would not answer him accusing or judging him. I must acknowledge myself to be what God judgeth me to be, and that I am worthy to suffer whatever he appoints me. All the failings and infirmities in man are the issue and effects of sin. Job's supposition hath a negation in it. I am not righteous. He did not deny the work of the Spirit, or the grace of God in him, but he would not own them in his pleadings with God. He could stand upon his terms with men, but before God he had nothing to mention but Christ. In reference to justification we must forget all our sanctification, and in sanctification we must forget all that is past and press to that which is before. Christ draws the picture of an hypocrite to the life, in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. Never did any good man tell God such a story of his own life as the Pharisee told.

"Hezekiah and Nehemiah seems to put God in mind of their good deeds. But it is one

thing to put the Lord in mind of what we have done historically, and another thing to plead what we have done legally. It is one thing to show the Lord the work of his grace in us, and another to mind the Lord of our works to obtain his grace. Job resolves to crave pity and pardon at the hands of God, and thus obey the counsel of Bildad.

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Prayer overcomes when nothing else can. Christ conquered by dying, and we conquer by submitting; and yet it is not supplication as an act of ours, but as it is an ordinance of God's, that it prevails with him.

"He looks on prayer as having the stamp of his own institution, otherwise our greatest humblings could prevail no more than our proudest contendings.

"This holy man having abased himself before the Lord, and disclaimed the least intention of contending with him, now confirms it.

"Verse 16. If I had called, and he had answered me, yet would I not believe that he had hearkened to my voice."

"When I find God so gracious as to grant what I pray for, yet I will not believe that he hath done it for any worthiness in me, or in my prayers; or on account of any value which my person hath with God. Job speaks very highly of the goodness of God, and very humbly of himself. When man prays, God answers; but he does not answer because man prays.

"He speaks very highly of the providence

of God, though the dispensations of providence be dark towards him.

"Verse 17. For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without

cause.'

"A tempest, or whirlwind, which implies a sudden and unexpected affliction, and also its fierceness and violence. It is irresistible, who can stand before it? The Lord lays very sore afflictions upon those that are very dear to him. Therefore, we cannot distinguish men by either the matter or measure of their afflictions; that which is a judgment to one is but a chastening to another; with the same weapon he wounds a friend and destroys an enemy.

"Though he hath wounded me already, yet he may wound me still, without giving me a reason. Or though I have given him no cause, that is, not the cause that you have alleged against me, namely, that I am an hypocrite.

"God is the only Judge who may give sentence without hearing parties. He hath the reason of all things in himself. He not only breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds, but

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"Verse 18. He will not suffer me to take' breath.' These words are of the same import with Chap. vii. 19, and implies not only that he had many and great afflictions, but that he had no respite.

"But filleth me with bitterness.' Which notes abundance of afflictions. Though Christ drank the cup of his Father's wrath to the

very bottom, yet when he tasted the vinegar he would not drink. If it be grievous to taste but a little of a bitter cup, then judge how grievous Joh's sufferings were when bitterness was both his meat and drink. Since afflictions sometimes come incessantly, therefore when thou art assaulted, prepare for fresh attacks. The Lord often mixes a very bitter cup for his own people; but everlasting love is always an ingredient in the very bitterest of them. "Notice here a climax or gradation of four steps, Job says, that he the Lord, verse 14: would not, verse 15: answer his *prayers in mercy, he would not ascribe it to them: That God might go on to afflict him, for some read, He will multiply my wounds.

was unable to answer That if he could he That if God should

"Job humbles himself yet farther before God. "Verse 19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead ?'

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"God is of infinite and insuperable strength. No creature is able to grapple with him. As I cannot oppose God by force, neither can I at the bar or at the judgment-seat. Neither men nor angels can stand before God.

"Verse 20. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me.' But of what would it condemn me? Surely of folly. Paul says, 2 Cor. xii. 21. I am become a fool,' &c. That is, ye ought to have given a testimony of me, and I had been condemned in justify

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