PART THE FOURTH.

INTRODUCTION.

It now pleases God, who had hitherto been speaking by his prophetic Spirit in Elihu, to appear visibly to Job, and address him as from his own lips. Great had been the casting down of Job and great also was to be his exaltation! The address of Elihu, there is no doubt, had already wrought conviction on his mind; for though invited to defend himself, he makes no reply.

Jehovah, as has been before intimated, addresses Job much in the same style as his prophet had begun to do. He does not make to Job new discoveries of heavenly things. That was not the design of his gracious appearance: nor does it appear, that, according to the dispensation of the faith under which he lived, the afflicted patriarch had been defective in this knowledge. His trial was not on this account. At least, his faith in 'things unseen,' pledged by the covenant of his redemption, has ever appeared triumphant; but his conduct as a child in the holy family, as a pilgrim travelling through this world under the guidance of Divine Providence, had been perverse before God. Blessed with prosperity, and distinguished beyond

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all others, by that exemplary life of moral and religious virtues in which God had sustained him, he had forgotten to give to God the praise of the glory of his grace.' Hence, being lifted up with pride, he had fallen into the snare of the devil, who had desired to have him, that he might sift him as wheat.' God had ordered that it should be so; not to gratify the malice of the devil, but to expose and correct in a child whom he loved something that did offend his heavenly eyes; and, no doubt, for an example to others, that those who think, that, as ar as our common corruption will permit, they do righteousness' and 'love mercy,' may learn also 'to walk humbly with their God.'

In order for his trial, Job's lot is, as we have seen, reversed-all the sources of his earthly happiness are taken from him, and he is made to drink most deeply of the cup of adversity. At first he bears it with great magnanimity: at length, however, he gives way to despair; and what is this in any man, but to lose sight of the wisdom and power of God, in his providential dealings with us? In one point, where he was kept by the power of God through faith,' Job was invulnerable: respecting his faith and hope in the living Redeemer,' that, in a superior sense, was a life, which the adversary might not touch.'. We are called, however, not only to put our trust in God, as pledging eternal mercies, and a glorious inheritance in a world to come; but to put our trust in him, and to walk by faith before him, as the Lord of providence in this present world. But

how often, in trying circumstances, if we sink not into the utmost despair of Job, are we all included in unbelief here? How sure is this to happen, if the holy Comforter leave us but a little to ourselves in adverse circumstances! How prone are we to feel mistrust of a special Providence, and of an immediate care of God over us! How backward to give glory to God, in belief of his goodness, and power, and wisdom, in the various vicissitudes of life! If God is pleased to try our faith, how many have to say, “I was almost gone, my feet had well nigh slipped.” How often has he, that has appeared to our help, kindly rebuked us, " O, thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

It is, in a God at hand,' and not afar off, that the believer is called to put his trust; in a God executing judgment and justice in the earth, a ' rewarder of them that seek him,' and who will repay the wicked to his face ;'-in a God, in all `his dispensations towards his adopted children, showing loving kindness and tender mercies, who 'will ever be mindful of his promise,' and who has said, “ all things are yours, the world, and life and death, and things present, as well as things to come." But to believe this in hope, that is, to believe it with real expectation of the promised good, when we are compelled, against hope-with all appearances and visible grounds on which we can form an expectation, all opposed to our hopes→→ still to trust in God, this is the work of faith; and he who, like Job, despises the chastening of

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the Lord, and faints when he is rebuked of him,' who gives way to despondency and despair, fails in this work of faith. He forgets; and, as to the life of faith, falls into a trance. Now, in these trials, to prevent the risings of the gloomy thoughts of despair, that we stagger not at the promises of God,' what is chiefly wanting in us? Certainly a present conviction and feeling in the mind, of the great wisdom and almighty power of God, as being in actual operation to accomplish his purposes of love; not in regard of the things of a future state alone, or respecting our eternal interests-the temptation affects not these,-but of the wisdom and power of God in his present designs and operations to-usward,' and in all the scene we contemplate around us. A present conviction of this-that the Allpowerful and All-wise is really having in all things, bringing wonderful things to pass, surpassing all the knowledge and comprehension of man,-will alone support us in acting faith in God, when all things seem to be against us. This will prevent us from leaning to our own understanding, or from forming our deductions from human reason and the judgment of sense. The declaration of Elihu to Job, "God is greater than man," is a very satisfactory answer-if it be powerfully impressed upon the mind-in many perplexing circumstances of life, and mysterious dealings of Providence. But if it be properly analysed, in every desponding, dissatisfied thought of ours, there will be found this 'swelling of pride:-I know better than God

things are otherwise than they ought to be. And this will either lead to the disbelief of a special Providence altogether, or else to such notions of God's present moral government of his intelligent creatures, which he reckons equally dishonourable to his character, and contrary to what he means his creatures to understand.

The whole tenor of the ensuing address of Jehovah to Job charges him with this last-mentioned proud arrogance of thought. Job had too just a knowledge of God, to doubt a special providence. His mind was too well taught to lean to the atheistical thought, that anything could happen in the world without God. He was convinced that whatsoever or whosoever was the agent or instrument, the event fell not out by chance; nor was the will of any intelligent being put forth, independent of God's will, in any good or evil that was done-so that the plan of Providence could be compared to a mere outline, which other devisers filled up. Job entertained no thoughts of this, that the whole could be right, when the parts were not right; or that God's ordering of all things pertained only to certain greater interests and general results, but not to the volitions of individuals, and to all events whatever. No; Job, speaking of the effects produced by what, in the agents, was morally evil, exclaims, Who knoweth not that the hand of Jehovah is in all this? Neither had Job any conception of any other fatality, except the will of the Almighty mind, made in perfect knowledge, and therefore

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