such troubles as Job's were coming upon us, what diligence should we use to avert them! how careful should we be to preserve our property, and to guard against the disorders with which we were threatened! Not a moment would be lost by us, nor should we decline the use of any means, to ward off such awful calamities. How earnest then should we be in fleeing from the wrath to come! Think, Brethren, what a fearful thing it will be to "fall into the hands of the living God," and to "be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone," "where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched "." O delay not one moment to flee for refuge to the hope set before us in the Gospel: flee to Christ, as the city of refuge, where, notwithstanding all your past iniquities, you may find perfect rest and security. Do not put off the great work of your souls to a time of sickness and trouble: such a season is but ill calculated for so great a work. Look at Job: if he had neglected his soul hitherto, how incapable would he have then been of performing those offices of repentance and faith, which require all the energies of the mind! He could not even compose his mind to bear his affliction aright; much less could he have employed that season in calling his past ways to remembrance, and in turning unto God with all his heart. So we also shall find it quite enough to bear up under the pains or weakness of a dying hour. Let us then improve the time of health and prosperity, in preparing for a better world, where neither sin nor sorrow shall molest us more, but we shall be for ever happy in the bosom of our God.]

• Mark ix. 43-48. with Rev. xiv. 10, 11.

CCCCLIV.

ELIPHAZ REPROVES JOB.

Job iv. 12-19. Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face: the hair of my flesh stood up: it stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker? Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: how much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before

the moth?

THE controversy on the part of Job's friends is here begun and Eliphaz leads the way. He begins with acknowledging Job's former usefulness in alleviating the sorrows of others, but turns it into a ground of accusation against him for not bearing with more fortitude his own sorrows. The testi

mony however was most honourable to Job: for we can scarcely conceive a more honourable character, than that of one who, possessing all the influence of wealth, and power, and wisdom, employs it all in instructing and comforting the sons and daughters of affliction and we cannot be surprised, that, when Eliphaz was so well acquainted with the benevolent exertions of Job, he did not in his own conduct pay greater attention to his example. It is evident, that he did not duly estimate the calamities of Job: not feeling them in his own person, he was not aware of their weight and pressure; else he never could have spoken so lightly of his affliction, as to say, "It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled;" and then to make his confidence a subject of derision. But let us come to the argument with which Eliphaz thought to confound Job; "Who ever perished, being innocent?" This was the ground on which all Job's friends proceeded: they maintained, that his sufferings were a certain proof of his having committed some enormous wickedness, which God was now punishing. From appealing thus to observation and experience, Eliphaz proceeds to mention a revelation which he had received from heaven, and which, in his opinion, strongly confirmed the sentiments he had delivered. This revelation we shall now consider;

I. Abstractedly

The circumstance of so remarkable a vision having been given to Eliphaz, in order to fix his attention the more deeply on the instruction conveyed with it, clearly shews, that the revelation delivered to him was of great importance. The very terror also which the vision inspired, led him, and should lead us also,

to regard every word that was spoken with reverence and godly fear. As he trembled at the sight, so should we "tremble at the word."

But we must not so understand the word as if it imported only that man is not more just or more pure than God; for such a truth as that needed no revelation to make it known: it was obvious to all, and acknowledged by all, without any such confirmation as this. The truths intended to be made known, were these;

1. That no man is pure before God

[Man is a weak and sinful creature: his very nature is corrupt and therefore, whatever superiority to others he may possess in point of dispositions or conduct, he must shut his mouth, and acknowledge himself guilty before God". Having once violated the law in any one particular, (and it is as much violated by defect as by actual transgression,) he is condemned by it, and must to all eternity confess himself a just object of God's displeasure. Job himself, notwithstanding some apparent inconsistency in his assertions, was convinced of this, and expressed it too in very strong terms; just as it is elsewhere declared in Holy Scripture. Even the angels themselves are not so perfect, but that they are capable of committing sin, precisely as the fallen angels did: nor are they so intelligent, but that they would be guilty of the most egregious folly, if a work like that of governing the world were intrusted to them for one single hour. God therefore "can put no trust in them :" and if "he charges even them with folly," in what light must he view the children of fallen man? Verily no descendant of Adam can have any pretensions to wisdom or to purity in his sight.]

2. That no man can claim any thing at the hands of God

[If we had done all that is commanded us, we must acknowledge ourselves to be only "unprofitable servants:" we must have done no more than was our duty to do." The same must be said of the holy angels, no one of whom ever rendered unto God either more or better service than was his duty to perform. All idea of merit must be excluded as well from them as from us: and it is beyond measure surprising that any one should be found amongst the children of men so ignorant, so conceited, so presumptuous, as to conceive that

a Rom. iii. 19. b Job ix. 2, 3, 20, 21, 30, 31. c Ps. cxliii. 2.

God can by any means be made his debtor. Instead of laying God under an obligation by any thing that we can do, we ourselves are indebted to him for that grace whereby we are enabled to do any good thing, and are more abundantly indebted to him in proportion to the good which he has enabled us to perform.]

3. That no man under any circumstances can have reason to complain of God—

[We will suppose a man to be as "perfect and upright" as Job himself: we will suppose him too to suffer as severely as ever Job suffered; and that too without any previous warning, or any assignable cause: would he have any right to complain? We answer, No: if his sufferings were a thousand times heavier, even a perfect hell itself, he would have no right to complain; because, as a sinner, he is justly obnoxious to the everlasting wrath of God. "Shall a living man complain?" says Solomon. No surely: if he were dead and in hell itself, he would have no other than his just portion; and consequently, any thing short of that is a ground rather for thankfulness than complaint.]

This we apprehend to be the import of our text, abstractedly considered: but it will be proper to notice our text,

II. As tending to decide the controversy between Job and his friends

Eliphaz thought it admirably calculated to decide the point and so it really was, if only it had been viewed in its proper light. Let us consider it,

1. As it was applied by Eliphaz—

person,

[Eliphaz, as we have already observed, thought that Job was suffering on account of some great and hidden abominations and that, if he had not committed some enormous wickedness, God was too just to punish him in so signal a way. Hence he argued thus: If a just man would not deal thus with an innocent how much less will God? "Shall mortal man be more just than God, and more pure than his Maker?" this is impossible: and therefore Job must be a hypocrite; and God has given me this vision on purpose that I may convince him of his hypocrisy. But all this was erroneous: the principle itself was false; and the application of it altogether unwarranted. It was not true that God always punishes great wickedness in this life; for "all things come alike to all;" and the wicked are often the most prosperous: nor was it true that Job, previous to these calamities, had committed any such

evils as they apprehended; for God himself had testified that he was perfect. Therefore, notwithstanding all his confidence, Eliphaz erred exceedingly in his interpretation of this vision.]

2. As it ought to have been applied

[The vision had respect to the controversy: and so far Eliphaz was right: but it had not a partial reference to Job: and there Eliphaz was mistaken. It referred to all the parties, to the friends of Job as well as to Job himself. To Job it spoke powerfully, reproving him for complaining of his sufferings; because all discontent with the dispensations of God does, in fact, impeach his wisdom, and his justice in the government of the world. But "shall man be more just than God, or wiser than he who charges even the angels with folly?" This cannot be; and therefore Job was to be blamed for murmuring against God. But to his friends it spoke also. They took for granted, that, if Job was not a hypocrite, God must have been unjust in so afflicting him. But were they able to fathom all the counsels of the Almighty, and to sit in judgment upon God? Were they wiser, and more just, than HE? or was HE bound to conform his proceedings to their opinion of what was wise and just? No: they should learn therefore not to pronounce so positively upon things which were so far beyond their comprehension: they must not presume to set up their own justice as a standard, whereby to try the justice of their God; and their own wisdom, whereby to estimate the wisdom of their God. To act as they were acting, was uncharitable to their friend, and insulting to their God: and they, no less than Job, should wait for the issue of these calamities; assured, that the wisdom, the justice, and the goodness of God would at last be fully manifested in the whole of this most mysterious dispensation.

Eliphaz was partial in his interpretation of the vision: he saw its bearing upon Job; but overlooked its application to himself. And this is indeed a too common fault in hearing the word of God. We are struck with it as applicable to our neighbour; but we do not hold it up as a glass wherein to behold ourselves: we hear for others, and not for ourselves; and thus make it an occasion rather for uncharitable censures than for personal humiliation. Let us mark this evil in Eliphaz, and watch against it in ourselves.]

IMPROVEMENT

1. Be thankful to God for the written word

[Formerly God made known himself to men in dreams and visions, and by voices and ministering spirits; but these communications were accompanied with terror, and, as in the