inheritance, they divide it all to every child, and yet keep it all to themselves.

"Verse 8. I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause.'

"This verse is an application of the doctrine contained in the two former verses. Heb. Unto God I would put my word or turn my speech. The committing of our cause to God, supposes first a resignation of ourselves unto him. I will lay myself down at his feet, and tell him my case, then let him do with me as seemeth good in his eyes. Unto God, the great and impartial judge of heaven and earth, I refer myself to his arbitration.

"From Eliphaz reproving and then exhort-. ing Job, learn, That, as it is our duty to reprove, so we ought to advise and exhort our brother with meekness.

"Under affliction we should seek unto God, to know the cause; to obtain strength and patience to bear them; for mitigation under, or deliverance from them; but especially, that we may have the blessing of God with them. We have as much need of his blessing with our daily rod as with daily bread.

us.

"Sorrows as well as sins are too heavy for

Let us, therefore, cast our burden on, and commit our cause to God, which is at once our duty and safety. When in great distress, David committed himself and his cause to God very pleasantly, 2 Sam. xxv. 25, 26. He that suffers in a good cause, and hath a good conscience, may commit all his causes to God, and in the mercy of the Most High he shall not

miscarry. But God will not accept the trust of a bad cause.

"Verse 9. Which doeth great things, and unsearchable marvellous things without number.'

"From this general assertion, Eliphaz, in a variety of particulars, shows, that God is infinite in wisdom, power, and goodness; and, therefore, we should seek unto God; and this contains the second argument to support his exhortation. He speaks of his power, 1st, In natural things, verse 10. 2d, In civil things, -in destroying the plots of the wicked, verse 12, 13, 14; in protecting the poor, verse 15; and in the end aimed at in these mighty works, verse 11; and by the future benefit of them, verse 16, is the goodness of God shown forth.

"In this description of the great and marvellous works of God, Eliphaz intends, 1st, To prove what he had said, verse 6. 2dly, To humble Job and silence his inquiries. 3dly, To exhibit God as able to deliver him, seeing he had done such wonders, and thereby to comfort him.

"Which doeth, notes not only a perfect but a continued act. Let us manifest our zeal for, and love unto, the Lord, by doing great things for him, as well as by expecting great things

from him.

"The causes and end of many of God's works are unsearchable; they are hid from us. We need not search to satisfy a vain curiosity; but we may search, with a view to honour, adore,

and trust in God, and to reverence and submit to all his dispensations.

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Things are marvellous whose cause cannot be found. And God has done so many marvellous things, that it may well be said they are without number. We at once provoke and dishonour the Lord, by imagining that he is not able to supply our need. Men soon weary of those that come often for favours. But our Lord says, 'Hitherto have ye asked nothing.' O wo

"Christ speaks with admiration: man! great is thy faith. O that the people of this nation would make him say, O great is thy love, thy faith, repentance, and zeal! How glorious is thy reformation!

"His pardons also are without number. He multiplies to pardon, Isa. lv. The argument of Moses is truly admirable; it is not, as is usual with men, 'Lord, this is the first fault ;' but it is, Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people, as thou hast forgiven them from Egypt until now.' As if he had said, Lord, because thou hast pardoned them so often, therefore, I beseech thee, pardon them now.' It is a most wicked argument to sin because God will pardon often. But when we have sinned, it is a holy argument to move God to pardon again, because he has done it often before. Let us do great things for God, and good things for one another, without number.

"Verse 10. Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields.'

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Every shower of rain drops down this truth, That God doth great things. By the

rain, we are to understand all those supports of natural life which are fruits of rain. It is a great, wonderful, and unsearchable work of God to send rain. The fullest clouds distil no more than the rock in the wilderness, till the Lord speak to them, Jer. x. 13. It rains by appointment, Amos iv. 8. We ought to observe and own a special hand in giving it. Can the heavens give rain? Let this check our natural atheism, in looking only to the motion of the winds, or changes of the moon, for rain.

"And since we must depend on God for natural blessings, how much more for spiritual? if for the rain of the clouds, how much more for the influences of the Spirit to accompany and make effectual the word on the heart.

"Verse 11. To set up on high those that be low; that those who mourn may be exalted to safety.'

"This is a hint to Job, That if he would seek unto, and commit his cause unto God, though he was now very low, yet he might soon be exalted to joy and safety. For the power, wisdom, and goodness of God are usually displayed in raising up the meek.

"The low are either those that are low in their own eyes, or are made low by others. Grace is the cause of the former, and oppression of the latter. The former are humble, the latter are humbled. The Lord sets both these on high.

"The Hebrew word for exalted implies safety; but it is added, to show that it is a full and perfect safety to which God exalts his

mourners and oppressed servants, they that are low and mourning are nearest to exaltation and safety. God can and will raise his people beyond the reach of all enemies. But the wicked are also sometimes exalted. God exalts them to a high place though they know it But does he exalt them to a safe place? No. Psa. lxxiii,Thou hast set them in slippery places.' Though the people of God have many cruel and subtile enemies, yet they shall be exalted to safety.

not.

"For, Verse 12. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty;' or he defeateth the purposes of the subtile. The crafty lay fine plots and projects, but the Lord breaks them; then they are defeated and disappointed.

"So their hands cannot perform their enterprise.' Every business requires invention and action; their crafty heads were at work before, now their hands are employed, what they devise craftily, they would act industriously; but they cannot accomplish it. It is a great and wonderful work of God to disappoint the devices, and stop the enterprise of crafty men. Craft prevails no farther and no longer on earth, than serves to accomplish the counsels of heaven, and fulfil what infinite wisdom hath devised; therefore when you see any devices of the crafty thrive, know that God is serving himself by them, and that they are but acting what his hand and counsel hath determined before to be done, Acts iv. 28. No sinful device of man ever did or ever shall prevail, beyond a contribution to the just and holy pur