that, under the present dispensation of Providence, many innocent men might have to complain of wrong; while, on the other hand, the wicked often not only escaped with impunity, but enjoyed abundant prosperity. (Compare chap. xvi. 8.) After all, however, the course of events, as ordered in this life, which Job has arranged as conformable to no rules of justice and equity, is applicable to man in his present state, this very ordering of events does God acknowledge as his wise and righteous judgment; and the calamities with which Job had been visited, among the rest. What blasphemous censures, then, had Job been passing upon the just and wise government of God!

7. What man is there like Job?

He would drink scorning like water;

8. And proceed to join the workers of iniquity, And to journey with wicked men !

To drink like water'-is a phrase that has occurred before, and denotes an excess of wickedness, the doing a thing with greediness, or as though it were a usual thing, which a man thought nothing of doing. A scorner of such a class would Job become: for, betrayed by his error that Providence did not manifest the righteous judgment of God, all that he had said, respecting its arrangements, was the language of scorn and derision; for they were all, in fact, dispensed in perfect equity and wisdom. Job, in expressing such sentiments as these, would, in fact, side with the irreligious,

who 'know not the Lord,' nor regard the operation of his hand; but are willing to suppose that the events of this life fall out by chance, or are fixed by blind, inexorable fate, that does not manifest a righteous and intelligent Governor. Not to believe a special, discriminating Providence, displayed in the course of events in this present life, is, therefore, argued to be a great impiety; and in so far as Job had derided this notion, he journeyed with wicked men. He differed from them, indeed, in that he had before his eyes a righteous judgment to come in an eternal state, and his portion of grace laid up there. But he joined with them in his sentiments respecting the course of events in this present world. In particular, he had in plain terms declared, that a man's piety would not procure him any advantages in respect of the things of this life.

9 For he hath said: "there will be no advantage to a

man,

In his conciliating the favour of Elohim."

Job had said this expressly-Chap. xxvii. 9, 10. "Is Eloah wont to hear his cry, when affliction shall come upon him? If he will ingratiate himself with Shaddai, will call upon Eloah continually?" Evidently intending, upon his hypothesis respecting Providence, that to supplicate and to propitiate the favour of God would have no influence upon a man's situation in this present life; that the effects of that favour would only be witnessed in a future state: "As a servant must he pant for the shade, and as a hireling look forward to his pay; when

his appointed service upon earth is over." Chap. vii. 1, 2.

So far did he proceed to join himself to the workers of iniquity, who persuade themselves that there is nothing got by religion, or lost for the want of it;-they think not of an hereafter, but, with regard to this present life, they practically hold with Job. Now it is this sentiment that Elihu rejects with abhorrence, as most derogatory to the honour of the Divine Being, who is actually governing all things in heaven and earth, and doing whatsoever pleaseth him; so that all events must be acknowledged as his doings; and not only so, but his ears are ever open to the righteous, and his face is against them that do evil.

10. Notwithstanding, O men of understanding, hear me ! Far be it from El to do unjustly, from Shaddai to do wrong!

11. For a man's works will he recompense to him,

And according to his way will each find.

12. Ay, truly, El will not act unjustly,

Nor will Shaddai pervert equity!

The style and sentiment in this passage very much resembles that of Abraham, when pleading for Sodom and Gomorrah: "That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked; and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee." Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Abraham recognises in God the just Judge of all the earth;' and having no doubt in his own mind that the general

destruction of these cities would involve some righteous persons with the guilty, he humbly remonstrates, upon principles of equity, which he knew God approved ;-that he could not, indeed, carry this threat into execution; because it would not be right, and the just Judge could not do what was wrong! And with this reasoning the inspired Elihu agrees, and infers, that whatever is, is right; because the just Judge of all the earth has done it. Now Job had argued in an opposite direction: upon the same acknowledged principles of equity, he stated it to be a plain matter of fact, that many things did fall out wrong, and contrary to the rule of equity; all which things, however, must come from the hands of God. Therefore Job concluded, God cannot now be acting in the character of a righteous Judge, executing judgment and justice in the earth.' Job was firmly persuaded that God was the author of all events that did happen, but he denied that he acted as an awarder of good and evil in the present dispensation of his providence. His reasonings, in the twelfth chapter, seem to be particularly in the mind of his reprover,-" The tents of robbers are in peace," &c.-Yet all creation attests-"That the hand of Jehovah doeth this; for in his hand is the soul of every living creature, and the spirit of all human kind."

Elihu, I think, seizes upon this acknowledgment of Job, that God is, in point of fact, the doer of every thing that is done upon earth, by whatever agent; that his hand only is to be acknowledged,

and his will alone. The three next verses but rehearse what Job had acknowledged at large.

13. Who inspecteth, along with him, the earth?

And who disposeth all the habitable world?

Who, as a visiter, or controller, besides,'' over and above,' or, in the stead of God,' has the inspection of the earth, and the disposal of all things in it? meaning, I conceive, not only what superior has God?' for that does not appear sufficiently to point; but what co-operator has he, or what delegated minister is there, to whom he has committed the government of providence, or the bringing about of any particular event, independent of himself? so that there might be something wrong in events which fall out, without God's being the cause of that event. The passage referred to in Job's speeches clearly attested that he thought not this; nor had once imagined that the wrong, which he had received, could come from any other hand than God's. His providence, he knew, has its visible and invisible instruments, but they act not out of his immediate control, in whom they live and move, and have their being.'

14. If he should be so disposed in his heart,

He could gather to him his spirit and his breath:

15. All flesh would expire together,

And man would return unto dust.

So that neither man, nor whatever possesses the breath of life, can be anything, or do anything, but as sustained by God. The wrong, that is

a

Literally, "if he should place his heart unto him."