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24. For as my bread my sighing comes",

And my groans are poured out for water. 25. For the fear I fear even befalleth me, And as I dread, it happeneth unto me; 26. I have no peace, nor have I quiet,

I have no rest, but trouble cometh!

Such are Job's expressions, describing his present feelings of grief and distress: as well, no doubt, of the sorrowful reflections of his mind respecting his recent losses, as more particularly of his pain and agony in the returning symptoms of his distressing disorder. He says, like the Psalmist: "his tears have been his food day and night," he has mingled his drink with weeping' -that all his time is divided between the dread apprehension of the pain which he knows is coming, and the actual endurance of the paroxysms, equalling his utmost alarm; and so frequent are they, that he hath no respite nor intermissions of rest! This he urges as the reason of his complaint that God should still continue his life!

His fellow-sufferers, 'compassed with the same infirmities,' will feel for Job; but it is too plain the fortitude of his mind is shaken. There is no

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Or, the cause of my fear'-' that at which I tremble.'

longer that calm resignation which said," What, shall we receive good from the Elohim, and shall we not receive evil?" Besides, his despair of ever recovering, though perhaps natural in his situation, was, we know, unnecessary. And how frequently is the afflicted led to despond beyond the occasion, forgetting to argue, "Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" But, above all, we cannot but perceive it to be wrong, that Job should give way to such sorrow, that he should execrate the day of his birth, and indulge in so melancholy an estimate of all the blessings of this life, so large a portion of which he had once enjoyed. We know, indeed, that the afflicted mind is too apt to cast the tinge of its sorrow on all the prospect around; and that past enjoyments, which are contemplated as gone never to return, are remembered with little pleasure, but in the pain of their privation we seem to pay dear for their former possession.

But then it should not have been so lost sight of, as it appears it was for the moment, that he had lived to some purpose, who had lived to know the covenanted mercies of his Elohim, and had received those pledges of his grace which all this sad reverse could not frustrate. This Job would see, when a little more composed, or better practised to bear his griefs. But we are to recollect that he is describing to us his thoughts and feelings, when he stood the first brunt-or rather when his spirit first fainted, at the review of his accumulated afflictions,

and when his mortal frame at the same time was racked with excruciating pain; perhaps we may add, when the wounded spirit' fainted in the depression of its energies. In such circumstances, how easily may the strongest mind be driven from its firm hold! and though it yield not up its hopes, yet it may become so clouded and bewildered, that it loses sight of them, and can draw no present comfort and support from all it seemed to know so well before!

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The afflicted and tempted christian knows something of this" season of heaviness." Though he sink not so low as Job; yet, when he has been 'looking' too much at the things that are seen,' some chastisement of the heavenly Father will sometimes give him a taste of this disgust of life, and a glance at these dark regions of despair. Nor is there any help until God shall cast the light of his countenance upon him, and restore to him the joys of his salvation.

PART THE SECOND.

The Conversations between Job and his three Friends, respecting the Cause of his Calamities.

us.

INTRODUCTION.

A NEW part of our subject now opens itself before The conversation between Job and his three friends, who had visited him in his distress, respecting the cause to be assigned for this awful reverse. This proves the most searching part of Job's trial. Their injudicious application of general and important truths, and their somewhat severe treatment of the case of their fallen brother, provokes him to a discovery of the hidden sentiments of his mind, all of which are not right, nor honourable to God.

It was overruled for mercy that Job met with such severe reprovers; but his comforters are not models of that" spirit of meekness," with which even a faulty brother should be attempted to be restored. Their intention, no doubt, was to be honest and faithful with their friend; and this certainly was better than the unmeaning soothing, and indiscriminating flattery of some comforters of the afflicted. The sufferer should be told the truth, or no foundation can be laid for solid and lasting com

fort to conceal it, were most pernicious charity. But it requires all the sympathy of the most tender friendship, or consciousness of the same frailty, so to urge this point as not to hurt and irritate the already broken and wounded spirit; and then to know how soon we may with safety begin to pour in the oil and wine.'

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One leading and deep impression had evidently been made on the minds of all the three friends, that this extraordinary reverse of Job was a judgment of God for his sins. And the despairing state of mind in which they find him, so destitute, as it would appear to them, of all religious trust, and even of humble submission, under the afflicting hand of God, corroborates this impression. Nor can we say that their judgment was altogether wrong, or that their arguments were always devoid of force. But they, apprehending the commission of some outward gross sins, lay to the charge of the afflicted things which he knew not; this has the effect of emboldening him in his selfvindication, in which Job sins with his lips. And after all, that in Job, which had offended the eyes of the heavenly Father, they did not penetrate; it was too subtile for the tests which they applied: they aggravate much its symptoms, but cannot expose to reprove it.

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