the hand of God. Job's language bespeaks rather his sense of the wrongs which the injured man had endured: he demands to be told his offence; because he is sure that he has committed none that could have brought down such calamities upon him! Job, notwithstanding the general excellency of his character, must, in this part of his trial, be instanced as one that despised the chastening of the Lord, and fainted when he was rebuked of him,' nay, he had condemned' the righteous Governor of the world, that he might justify himself.' For this he is chiefly blamed, and rebuked before all, 'who will consider these things, and would understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.'

34. Let men of understanding talk with me, And let the man of wisdom listen to me. 35. Should Job answer without knowledge? And his words be void of discretion?

36. I would that Job may be tried unto the truth', Respecting his answers, concerning wicked men'.

That is, Elihu would have those replies of Job, which stated so strongly the matter of fact, that the wicked may prosper and enjoy their prosperity through life, while innocent sufferers cry in vain for redress-Elihu would have these replies, and the arguments which Job adduced from known observation, to be more carefully examined; and the real truth of the facts, and the correctness of the inferences deduced from them, clearly set forth.

b

Unto victory.' Mr. GooD, and several others.

Or,

66 as wicked men" are wont to answer.'

Job had said, what wicked men say or think all the world over; but there is a deception here. In his next conversation, Elihu takes up this subject again: he now concludes by expressing the ill consequence likely to result from such sentiments as Job had advanced.

37. For he would add unto his sin;

He would clap hands at the transgressor amongst us,
And multiply his words against El!

The doctrine of a righteous Providence, in actual exercise over the affairs of men, is what we are ever to maintain: though appearances may sometimes deceive us, in what we take to be the prosperity of the wicked, and the disproportionate sufferings of some, whom we deem comparatively righteous; yet let the sinner be told plainly, he cannot, in reality, prosper in his wickedness,' 'nor will justice, in reality, be denied to the innocent in their oppressions.' But Job's sentiments would encourage the wicked in their daring impiety; they were, at the same time, disparaging to the government of the Omnipresent God!

SECTION III.

Elihu's Third Address.

Chap. xxxv. Ver. 1. MOREOVER, Elihu answered, and said:

2. Is this what thou hast thought respecting equity? Hast thou said, 'I have a demand in justice upon God?"

3. That thou shouldest say: "what will it profit thee?" "What shall I be benefited, by being free from sin ?"

ELIHU infers, from several statements that Job had made, that he entertained an exaggerated view of the value of human righteousness, for Job had argued, that it was plain, from experience and from a knowledge of the world, that the faithful cultivation of religion and morality brought with it no distinguishing prosperity, or exemption from adversity, in this present life; which it would do, if God, in his present dispensation of providence, intended to manifest himself as the righteous Governor of the Universe. Therefore, he concluded that this was not the present rule or design of God's providence. He meant it to bear upon his own case: he was sustaining, according to his friends' doctrine of Providence, the portion of a transgressor. But he maintains, and thinks he can appeal to God for the truth of the assertion,-my conduct has been most exemplary for justice and charity; and he had stated, at length, his claim to this character. He seems to insinuate-Is all this nothing? If God were now displaying the just Judge, would not this have insured to me prosperity?-would it have been possible, that my lot in life should be the calamities that might be supposed to follow the violation of all these duties and charities?

Elihu is apprehensive, or, more properly speaking, the Spirit of God, who speaks through him, 'quick and powerful,' penetrates to this secret in

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the heart of Job, that he looked upon his duties and charities as, in some sort, meritorious in the sight of God; as if he had by them made God his debtor, had a demand in justice upon God,' when he should act as a righteous judge-as if God felt much obliged to him for abstaining from the sins which others were committing! Though, as he acknowledged, he was not free from the common corruption of mankind; yet would not all this exemplary virtue weigh against this, and against the sins of his youth? And how often does this pride of self-righteousness betray itself in those who have been enabled, in some measure, to imitate the conduct of Job? In the hearts of some, who have been enabled to regulate well their passions, have acquired a great name for piety, and been very beneficial to mankind by their public virtues and munificent charities, how often has the proud thought arose, how greatly must God be their debtor! and has stung true humility to death! And how has 'flesh' gloried in the presence of Jehovah! Nay, on some occasions, has not this self-boasting, in the pride of character, injured the meekness and the gentleness of the professor, as more narrowly inspected in the circle of domestic life?—The charity that vaunts not itself, is not easily provoked.'

This seems to open to our view what was the great defect of Job's character; what it was, offensive in the eyes of his Heavenly Father,' that induced him, in very faithfulness, to cause him to be afflicted;' and this being the case, it is no wonder

that Job's conscience did not accuse him. For it is the very nature of pride, to have a good opinion of self. It consists, indeed, in self-estimation, and selfapprobation; and though it is worse than worldly,' worse than sensual,' ay, ' devilish,' in the sight of God! yet it cannot judge itself: for pride to judge itself, supposes an absurdity. It must be destroyed, to be known by the man himself. Humility must be raised up in him before he can perceive that he has been proud. And, to humble Job, Elihu is sent to convict him of the falsehood of that sentiment, which had filled his heart with pride, and had rendered him, with all his virtues, a thing abhorrent in the sight of God.

4. I will repeat to thee a saying,

Even that of thy friends with thee.

For

Job had been indignant with his friends for endeavouring to confute him by the sayings' and 'parables' of old times. But Elihu, for once, would repeat, after them, one of their 'sayings.' they, especially Eliphaz, in the beginning of the twenty-second chapter, had already exposed this false conceit of Job, though he had not received the admonition. The four next verses are, accordingly, a quotation from what had been before advanced.

5. Look at the heavens, and behold,

"See the skies how high they are above thee!

6. "If thou hast sinned, what hast thou done to him?

"If thou hast multiplied transgression, how hast thou affected him?