plainly described to have been that of the luxurious profligate, who forgets God in his prosperity, and feels no need of religion; who seems unable to conceive of what benefit its observances and the worship of God could be to him. Such is every description that is given in scripture of the old world, which perished in the waters.

Eliphaz, certainly, meant to suggest, that Job might have been pursuing this course in his prosperity. But, as if recollecting that Job had expressly declared his abhorrence of this "counsel of the wicked"-for the latter part of the eighteenth verse is a repetition of Job's own words-he leaves off accusing him, and joins him in the sentiment : and, having the example of the general deluge before his eyes, and the predicted destruction of a wicked remnant by fire at the last day, he doubts not, although judgment be for a little while suspended, "The righteous shall see, and rejoice," &c. The twentieth verse is considered very obscure. I follow Mr. Scott, in supposing it refers to the final judgment, and conceive the meaning to be this-If our insurgents or our insurrection, that is, the insurgents or the insurrection now among us, of the same sort of profligate despisers of religion, that stand up against God,-if they be not cut off by a flood, we know, by the word of God, that ‘a residue' or 'survivorship,' as it were, of the same atheistical crew perishes by fire in the latter day. The prophecy of Enoch is an argument that the destruction of an ungodly race, which should be

upon earth when the Lord' should come from heaven,' was known to the patriarchal church; and the character of the times, previous to the second coming of Christ, is often in scripture compared to the state of the world before the flood; atheistical profligacy is marked as its leading trait, and it is described, as being permitted for a little while to rear its head, as if in defiance of the providence of God.

But if Job did really abhor these sentiments, whatever had been the transgressions which had brought down these present judgments upon him, let him give glory to God, and return to him; he would find him merciful and forgiving, and soon would he restore him to prosperity.

21. Acquaint, now, thyself with him, and there shall be

peace;

In abundance shall good come unto thee. 22. Receive, now, instructions from his mouth, And lay up his words in thine heart.

What follows is, I conceive, another parable quoted from the ancients.

23. "If thou return to Shaddai, thou shalt be built up, "Thou shalt remove evil far from thy tent.

24. "And thou shalt set treasure with the dust,

a

"And Ophir with the rock of the valleys".

"Have fellowship with him."

"Treasure up for thyself

That is, the friendship of God would be better to thee than all treasure. Thou shouldst account treasure as dust, and Ophir, whence the choicest gold comes, no more than the common rocks of the torrents.'

25. "Ay, Shaddai shall be thy treasurer,

And silver piled up in heaps to thee.

26. For then shouldst thou make thee happy in Shaddai,

"And shouldst lift up thy face to Eloah.

27. "Thou shouldst pray to him, and he would hear thee; And thou shouldst have to perform thy vows".

28. Thou shouldst determine a thing, and he would establish it to thee.

"And the light should shine on thy paths.

29. "And when they had been brought low, then shouldst thou cry, Exaltation!'

"And he, whose looks had been depressed, should triumph.

30. "The habitation of the innocent should be delivered, "And be delivered by the cleanness of thine hands."

All this Eliphaz urges upon Job, from a fixed persuasion, that Job had been criminal in his conduct, of which his afflictions were the just chastisement; but that, if he repented and turned to God, the affliction brought upon him for his sin would be removed, and visible prosperity attest the restored favours of God.

SECTION XIV.

Job's Reply to Eliphaz.

Chap. xxiii. Ver. 1. And Job answered and said: 2. Although to-day my complaining is bitter, My lot is heavier than my sighs.

a

Unbosom thyself.' See PARKHURST and GOOD.

The vows you had made in adversity, when prosperity

should come.

eHouse,' or settlement.' See Mr. Good's note.

3. Oh, that I knew where I could find him, I would go to his tribunal!

4. I would open my case before him,

And fill my mouth with argument.

5. I would know the answers he would return me, And learn what he would say to me.

Still persisting in the confidence of his integrity, and, that no crimes or sinfulness of his have brought these calamities upon him; in the midst of griefs and distress more than he could express, Job states it to be his most earnest wish, that he could have access to God, to plead his case before him. But it seems to him, as if God was resolved to show himself his powerful adversary, and not allow him a hearing to plead his innocency before him; although he feels confident that, if such an opportunity were allowed him, he should be able completely to vindicate himself before his judge. 6. Will he contend against me with his great power? Not even himself attend to me?

7. There where right might be argued before him, And I should come off victorious in my cause b.

If I could meet him on equal terms, himself "conceding to me;" or, " depositing a pledge for me;" or, allowing such an opportunity, that the simple question might be argued, as between man and man, whether I have deserved these calamities by my crimes; then I have no doubt of the validity of

a

Or, give me a hearing; or, let me put in my pledge, to prove my innocence.

Or," should be delivered entirely from my judge." "Perveniat ad victoriam judicium meum." Compare the different meanings of in the Syriac and Chaldee cognates,

my

defence. But no: no such opportunities were now afforded to mortals upon earth.

8. Lo, I go forwards, but he is not there;

And backwards, but I cannot perceive him.

9. I feel for him on the left hand, but cannot lay hold; He is covered up over on the right hand, and I can

not see.

Some expressions in these two verses are obscure, but the general scope is plain. According to our public translation, the meaning of the last would be, I see the operations of his hand being carried on one hand, but cannot catch a glimpse of him; he is covering the earth on the right hand with his blessings, but I cannot discern him. Good has, however, a new explanation of the terms, and justly compares with it that of St. Paul

Mr.

"That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from every one of us: for in him we live, move, and have our being." Job appears to speak under a similar impression of the omnipresence of God, filling all things; but the impossibility of finding access to his manifested presence, is what he means strongly to state.

10. Certainly he hath known the path I was in; Let him try me, like gold shall I come forth.

a

The allusion seems to be, the trying of the soil

Houbigant would read.

Mr. Good would read

.בעש and takes the meaning of the Arabic ,בעשתיו

b Or, the right hand is covered over that I cannot see. Literally, "of my standing." The circumstances of my

course.