"All that had witnessed Job's instructions, as well as Job himself, are called upon by Eliphaz, to observe the great change, behold thou hast instructed many.

"Verse 5. But now it is come upon thee.' That is, thou art visited with afflictions, and thou faintest. The word signifies an extraordinary fainting, as when a man is so wearied and spent that he knows not what he doth. "It toucheth thee and thou art troubled.' That is a vehement trouble that fills with amazement.

"Observe 1. To commend a man with a But is a wound instead of a commendation.

"Observe 2. It is far easier to give instructions to others in trouble than to exemplify them in our own conduct.

"It is as if Eliphaz had said to Job, Art thou not ashamed to cry out of thy afflictions, after thou hast told others to be quiet and cheerful under theirs?'

"The wisdom and patience which is seen in bearing afflictions is far better than that which is heard in exhorting others. The apostle, Romans ii. 19. speaks of it as a matter of shame and blushing, that their actions run so cross to their professions.

6

"Thus we have opened the minor proposi tions of the first argument, couched in the third and fourth verses, thou hast instructed many,' &c. yet when trouble comes upon thee, thou faintest and art troubled.' He then draws the conclusion, and from hence infers Job a hypocrite, as

"Verse 6.

Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?'

"The vulgate reads it, &c.' 'what is become of thy day of trouble?'

where is thy fear,

these graces in this

"Mr. Broughton reads, is not thy fear thy confidence, and the uprightness of thy ways thy hope? or, is not thy religion thy hope? and thy right ways thy confidence? didst thou not think that they would have been thy protection? but thou art deceived.

"Eliphaz seems to call Job to make a clearer proof of his religion, and tells him, thou art surely but an hypocrite, for if thy fear were true, it would have preserved thee from these impatient complainings.

"The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil. Therefore, if thou hadst any genuine fear of God indeed, thou wouldest never have cursed thy day.

"The major proposition is plain in verse seventh, for the question, who ever perished, being innocent, &c. is to be resolved into this negative, no innocent person ever perished, &c. And Eliphaz conceives this to be so clear a truth that he challenges Job to give one instance to the contrary: He appeals to expe

rience.

"Verse 7. Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

"Some render, who ever saw the righteous

plucked up by the roots, so as there should be no remembrance nor remainder of them?

"The word for innocent signifies empty. Now a converted person is emptied of all sin, comparatively, not absolutely.

"The righteous who are justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus cannot be cut off eternally, but in regard of temporal. calamities they are on a level with others.

"From Job's substance being destroyed, his children slain, his body diseased, and his mind distempered, Eliphaz not only looked on him as irrecoverably lost, but seems to conclude that Job had good reason to suspect himself a hypocrite on account of his present condition, and also seems to defy him to produce one good man ever being in such a deplorable situation. From Eliphaz sending Job to former experience-Note, That it is our duty, and it may be useful to record the dispensations of providence to both good and bad, and whether personal or public. The dealings of God may appear contrary to his word, but they can never be really so, for his works are an infallible commentary upon his word, and carefully to study them in their connection with each other, would be a good means of obtaining a profitable knowledge of both.

66

Eliphaz having called upon Job to examine his memory, the storehouse of the soul, proceeds to produce his own experience.

"Verse 8. Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow wickedness, reap the

same.'

"He had carefully observed and duly considered what had occurred.

"Those who plough or work iniquity, are such as sin industriously, and who have the art, and spare no pains to do wickedly. After ploughing comes sowing, and then reaping. It is mystical husbandry. Sowing is spoken of as giving to the poor, 2. Cor. ix. 6. To preaching the word, Luke, viii. 5. To repenting tears, Ps. cxxvi. 5, and to any action, good or bad, Gal. vi. 8. Sin goes on gradually; a ploughing, a sowing, and reaping.

"Reap the same, that is in the issue and consequences of it. If God spared not his own Son, he cannot spare impenitent sinners, who will not accept of Christ. Observe 1st, That every sin persisted in shall have a certain sorrowful reward. They that go forth vainly rejoicing in bearing that poisonous seed, shall doubtless come again, and bring their sheaves of sorrow with them. Observe 2d, That the punishment may come long after the commission of sin. The sound of punishment is sometimes at the very heels of sin, but when it comes slowest it often treads heardest.

"The punishment of sin shall be the same, not only in degree, but in likeness; and it often bears the image and superscription of sin upon it, so that we may read its name upon the affliction. Many, since Adonibezek, have had reason to confess, As I have done, so God hath requested me.' Eliphaz seems to have had store of instances, and having stated his general observations, That he had often seen the

wicked perish, proceeds to illustrate it by an elegant description of the manner how they are

cut off.

"Verse 9. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.'

"They who sow iniquity are often punished by reaping disappointments, which is the blasting of their hopes. They are not only a little withered, but they are utterly consumed, root and branch; some think this is a hint at the manner of the death of Job's children. The septuagint is, by the command of God they perish. It is all one with God to command and accomplish. He can, and sometimes does destroy his enemies, as easily as a man can breathe. Hag. i. 9. I did blow upon it.' It comes suddenly, invisibly, and irresistibly. Who can stand before his anger, yea, who knoweth the power of his wrath, or blast ?' This Eliphaz goes on to show.

"Verse 10. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.'

N

"Verse 11. The old lion perished for lack prey, and the stout lions whelps are scattered abroad.'

of

"The Hebrew has five several names for lions, and they are all here used, to set forth the terrible tearing power, fierceness, and cruelty of proud oppressors.

"It is certain that the wicked in general, and tyrants in particular, expose themselves to the just vengeance of God, and he often scat