so soon again be, altogether naked, without any thing that he could properly call his own? So just and important is this idea, that St. Paul has actually quoted the very words of Job, to shew that "godliness with contentment is the only desirable gain." Moreover, the use and enjoyment of those things had been given him by God alone: whether they came by inheritance, or had been the fruits of his own industry, God was equally the giver of them': and, whether men or devils or elements had deprived him of them, they were no other than as instruments in the hand of God, who had accomplished by them his own sovereign wills. How then could he presume to reply against God? No: "he would be dumb, and not open his mouth, because the Lord had done it." What astonishing grace was here, that could suggest at a moment such thoughts as these, and give them such an efficacy to compose and tranquillize his soul! But let us notice more particularly,] 2. The manner in which he expressed his resignation [He "fell on the ground and worshipped" his God with the profoundest humility. O what submission of heart was here! How meekly did he receive at the Lord's hands the strokes of his chastening rod! But he went further still, and "blessed the name of the Lord," yea, blessed him for that very dispensation which Satan expected to have called forth only the language of cursing and blasphemy. Job was convinced in his judgment that "the Judge of all the earth could not but do right;" and that however "clouds and darkness might be round about him, yet judgment and justice were the basis of his throne." He knew that whether he could see the reason of God's dealings now, or not, he should see reason to adore him for them in the eternal world; and therefore he would bless and adore him for them here. Thus did he adopt exactly the line of conduct which God approves; "neither despising the chastening of the Lord, on the one hand, nor fainting under his rebukes," on the other hand1. He "walked by faith, and not by sight," and excelled all the saints, whether of that or any other age. David was not the least eminent of men; yet when the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag, and taken away his wives and property, "he wept till he had no more power to weepi:" and when he lost his rebellious son Absalom, he so e 1 Tim. vi. 7-9. g Isai. xlv. 7. Amos iii. 6. f Jam. i. 17. fainted under the loss as to be altogether forgetful of all his mercies, and of all his duties. But Job lost not for a moment his self-possession: his principles operated instantly to the full extent that the occasion required: "Shall we receive good at the hands of God," says he, "and shall we not receive evil1?" Any other conduct appeared to him to be highly unreasonable: and hence he is proposed by God himself as a pattern for our imitation to the end of timem.] From contemplating this exalted character, let us LEARN, 1. To sit loose to earthly things [We deny not but that a competency in earthly things is a blessing for which we have great reason to be thankful: but when we see how uncertain the possession of them is, and, above all, how happy we may be in God without them, we have no occasion to covet them, or to set our hearts upon them. St. Paul, when "he had nothing, yet possessed all things"," because he had God for his God and portion. Let us in like manner" learn in every state to be content, whether we be full or hungry, whether we abound or suffer need." Let us, "if we have a wife, be as though we had none; if we weep, be as if we wept not; if we rejoice, be as if we rejoiced not; if we buy, be as though we possessed not; and altogether use this world as not abusing it, because the fashion of it so quickly passes away P."] 2. To stand prepared for trials— [Truly we know not what a day or an hour may bring forth; what losses we may have in our property, or in our dearest friends and relatives; or what calamities may come upon us. We are sure that "Satan, that roaring lion," is "going to and fro throughout the earth," "seeking whom he may devour:" and, if he have obtained permission to exercise his power against us, how soon may he bring us down to the ground, and even "sift us as wheat!" Who amongst us can have any idea what storms he may be preparing for us, or what instruments he may be stirring up against us? Knowing then his malignity and his power, let us stand upon our guard against him; let us 66 arm ourselves with the mind that was in Christ Jesus;" and let us so endeavour to realize our principles, that we never give way to discontent or impatience, but bless in every thing the name of our God.] k 2 Sam. xix. 4-6. n 2 Cor. vi. 10. q 1 Pet. iv. 1. 1 Job ii. 10. m Jam. v. 11. 。 Phil. iv. 11, 12. P 1 Cor. vii. 29-31. 3. To seek the things which neither men nor devils can take away from us— [Spiritual blessings are out of the reach of all our enemies: "Our life is hid with Christ in God;" and not all the powers of darkness combined can destroy it. Moth and rust may corrupt our earthly treasures, or thieves may break through and steal them: but if we lay up treasure in heaven, it will be inaccessible to them all. That is "substance'," whilst all else is vanity and vexation of spirit. Let us then "labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life;" and "choose the good part, that never can be taken away from us."] r Prov. viii. 21. CCCCLII. FRIENDLY SYMPATHY ILLUSTRATED. Job ii. 11-13. Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. JOB in a second conflict had gained the victory: yea, though his wife acted as a confederate with Satan, and urged him to "curse God and die," yet did he retain his integrity, and prove himself worthy of the character which God had given him. But the rumour of his unprecedented calamities had spread far and wide, and had caused all those who should have been a comfort to him to depart from him; insomuch that, having none to administer to his relief, he had "taken a potsherd to scrape himself withal." But three of his aged friends, descendants of Abraham, though not of the chosen seed, still loved and honoured him; and feeling their incompetency, as individuals, to afford him all the instruction and consolation that the occasion called for, concerted a plan to visit him together, and to unite their efforts for his welfare. An account of their first interview is here set before us; and a most interesting account it is. In discoursing upon it, we shall be led to contemplate, I. The nature of love [Love, as described by St. Paul, and as summarily expressed by our blessed Lord", is the acting in all things towards our neighbour as we would think it right that he, in a change of circumstances, should act towards us. It makes us to consider all men as members of one great body, and to participate with them in their feelings, as the different members of our own body would with each other. If any be afflicted, it prompts us to fly to their relief, and to concert the best measures in our power for their restoration to happiness. In the friends of Job we see the nature of love well exemplified: they did not feel indifferent about him, or run from him, as they did whose hearts were destitute of love; but they met together for the express purpose of participating and alleviating his sorrows. They did this, too, unsolicited, and unsought: it was the fruit of a divine principle within them, the voluntary expression of their own affectionate regards. This was a “love, not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth:" it was "a love without dissimulation:" and wherever true love exists, it will produce exactly the same dispositions, and stimulate, according to its measure, to the same exertions.] In executing their benevolent plan, Job's friends have shewn us, II. The effects of sympathy [When they were yet at some distance from him, they saw him; but would not have recognised him at all, (so altered was he in his whole appearance,) if they had not been prepared for the change by the reports which they had heard concerning him. But the sight deeply affected them all; so that they burst forth into floods of tears, and rent their mantles, as expressive of their anguish, and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven, as mourners were wont to do. On coming into his immediate presence," they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights," that is, a considerable part of a 1 Cor. xiii. 4—7. c 1 Cor. xii. 25, 26. b Mark xii. 31. Matt. vii. 12. d Sec this whole expression of sorrow exemplified in those who mourned over the destruction of Tyre; Ezek. xxvii. 30, 31. each successive day; and so overwhelmed were they with the sight of his melancholy condition, that none of them could give utterance to their feelings, or attempt to suggest any thing for his relief. 66 Those who have never known from their own experience how entirely the soul may be overwhelmed with sympathy, conjecture, that during all this time the friends of Job were harbouring suspicions which they did not dare to express. But this idea is very injurious to the character of those holy men, and directly contrary to the account given in our text: for their silence is expressly ascribed to the overpowering effect of their own sympathy at the sight of his unparalleled afflictions; They spake not, for they saw that his grief was very great:" and to this cause it must be ascribed. We know, that as silence is the proper effect of great sorrow, (David says, "I am so troubled that I cannot speak",") so is it also of deep sympathy; such as the elders of the daughters of Zion experienced, when they saw their city and temple destroyed, their princes and people carried into captivity, the law of their God forgotten, and their prophets no longer favoured with visions from the Lord". In a word, the effect of sympathy is, to make the sorrows of another our own; and to produce in our hearts those very feelings of grief and anguish, which the afflicted individual himself is called to sustain.] The interview, thus illustrated, displays, III. The excellence of true religion— [The whole of true religion is comprehended under the term love: "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Moreover, the sympathy before delineated, is the most unequivocal expression of love: "Pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father, is this; To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." See then religion as exemplified in our text, how beautiful does it appear! A carnal mind would admire rather a sight of kings surrounded by their nobles: but God and his holy angels, I have no doubt, esteem such a sight as was exhibited on that occasion, as infinitely grander than all the pomp of courts, yea than of "Solomon in all his glory." Never did our Lord himself appear more glorious, no not even on the mount of transfiguration, than when he was weeping with sympathy at the tomb of Lazarus, or with compassion over the devoted city of Jerusalem. So the sight of these aged e See Luke ii. 37. and Acts xx. 31. f "Curæ leves loquuntur; ingentes stupent." Ps. lxxvii. 4. i Rom. xii. 8-10. h Lam. ii. 9-11. k Jam. i. 27. |