silence' (while I smothered my sins in secret,) I roared for the disquietness of my soul. Silence in not confessing sin causes roaring under the guilt of sin. I am as it were melted into sorrows.

"Verse 25. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.'

"Job seems to make this the sum of all complaints. The Hebrew is, I feared a fear and it is come upon me, I long before thought that such a black day might come upon me.

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Query. Was it lawful in Job to be thus fearful? An apostle bids us be careful for nothing. There are divers sorts of fear. Job's was a fear of caution, not of torment and vexation, a fear opposed to security and presumption, not to joy and consolation. Job's fear was grounded on the uncertainty of creature comforts. He knew that wealth was but brittle. ware, and might quickly receive a crack. This fear we ought to carry about us in regard of our spiritual state, though grace be everlasting ware, and though we are high built we must not be high minded. Job's was a fear that made him diligent to prepare for an evil day, not a fear that did eat out all the comfort of a good day,-a fear opposed to hardness of heart, but not opposed to courage and strength of heart. Such a fear as this is a holy fear, a good companion in our best estate, which will not trouble but regulate our lives.

"Note, That holy wisdom and sanctified prudence prepares for evil in our good days.

Lest the disciples in time of peace should forget trouble, Christ says, Matt. xxiv. 25, Behold I have told you before.'

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"When ungodly men have a good day they think it will last for ever. When they were merry, singing and feasting, Amos vi. 3, they would not allow the thought of a change; for it is added, They put the evil day far from them.' Isaiah describes them as making a covenant with death; and when he had been talking of judgments, they say, If the overflowing Scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us.' These are the thoughts of foolish and ungodly men. They have made lies their refuge, and under falsehood have they hid themselves; and so they confidently say, we will fill ourselves with strong drink, and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. Many of the people of God do say of the evils that are now upon us, the things which we feared are come. These storms were seen long ago in the clouds, yea in the sunshine; and they who foresaw them with an eye of faith and holy fear, are in best case to grapple with them, and will be gainers by them.

Dangers unknown easily surprise us, whereas those we fear may either be prevented or prepared for. Trouble will lie heavy enough upon us, even when we look and prepare for it. Therefore say to thyself, I am rich, but before I die I may be poor. Now I have a house, but in a few days I may be turned out. Now I am at liberty, but shortly I may be cast into prison. Now I have wife and

children, but I may soon be bereaved of them, or they may be turned into crosses and afflictions.

"Now, O my soul, art thou prepared to bear these changes? Surely Job questioned himself thus, which made him say, That which I greatly feared is come upon me.'

"Verse 26. I was not in safety; neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble

came.'

“This is an addition to, and an exposition of the former verse. The Hebrew root also signifies, I was not secure. From the same root is Shiloh, that is, he whom all may securely trust in and rest upon for safety. Job means, I did not think myself safe, or beyond the reach of danger.

"Job had not a rest in confidence; he did not trust in his outward peace; but he had the rest of contentment even in his outward troubles. A wicked man's conscience is like a troubled_sea, even when he enjoys outward peace. But Job enjoyed peace of conscience when his affairs were like à troubled sea.

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"The contrast in the conduct of the rich man will illustrate this verse, Luke xii. 9. His house was full, but his heart was fuller of the creature. He makes it a rock to build upon, and a pillow to sleep on. He sings a requiem to his soul. The rich man's words are affirmatives of all Job's negatives. Job's estate was as full as his, but his heart was emptied of all delight in it. I never expected much peace in the world, none at all from it,

ty;

yet trouble came. When Job had abundance of all earthly things, he said he was not in safe&c. Hence observe, that in the springtide of worldly prosperity, we should keep our hearts within the channel. A believer, like Noah's dove, finds no rest; and after all his flights and fluttering among creatures, he must say, Return unto thy rest, O my soul.

"God often wrests worldly enjoyments out of their hands who hold them fastest. Christ gives an instance, in the days of Noah and Lot, when they were secure, buying and selling, &c. as if the world had been their own. Then the flood and the fire came and swept them all away.

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"But the way to hold spiritual things is to cleave to them with full purpose of heart. And what Christ says of this life is true of the things of this life; He that will lose,' (that is, he who is ready to lose,) the things of this life shall save them; and he that will save, (that is, he who is resolved to save) the things of this life, shall lose them.' Put them out of your hearts and you may hold them in your hands.

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

A QUESTION is started and touched in many books of Scripture, how the justice and goodness of God can be vindicated while his providence distributes good to the evil, and evil to the good. But it is here purposely handled in

a very long disputation between Job the respondent and his three friends opponents. Then in a full determination, first, by Elihu, an acute and wise reasoner, and then by God himself, the most wise and infallible modera

tor.

There are three principles wherein Job concurs with his three friends

1st, That all the afflictions which befal man come under the eye and certain knowledge of God.

2dly, That God is the author and efficient cause, the orderer and disposer of all these afflictions and calamities.

3dly, That in regard of his most holy majesty and unquestionable sovereignty, he neither doth nor can do any wrong or injury to any of his creatures, whatsoever affliction he lays, or how long soever he is pleased to continue it upon them.

These three principles, and such conclusions as are immediately deducible from them, are copiously handled by them all, and they all speak very glorious things of the power, wisdom, justice, holiness, and sovereignty of the Lord; but Job far excels the other three.

But they proceed to a fourth principle, which he utterly denies, about which so much of his answer as opposeth their objections wholly consists. That their fourth principle seems to be bottomed on two grounds.

1st, That whosoever is good and doth good, shall receive a present reward, according to the measure of the good he hath done, and that