" a self-deceiver," and to " make God himself a liarV Job, though not possessing the Mosaic writings, had a deep insight into this truth. He saw that it was the necessary consequence of the fall of Adam ; for that our first parents being unclean, nothing but what was unclean could proceed from themc. Indeed it was by no ordinary method that Job was brought to the knowledge of this truth. A vision was vouchsafed to him for this express purpose, and such a vision as made " his very hairs to stand upright," and " every bone of his body to shake d." And verily a discovery of the corruption of our hearts would produce the same effect on us, yea, and would drive us utterly to despair, if some view of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus were not vouchsafed to us at the same time. This then is the first principle avowed in the passage before us, " That there is no man that liveth and doth good, and sinneth note."]
2. That all, as sinners, are obnoxious to God's heavy displeasure —
[To man in Paradise it was said, " In the day that thou eatest of the forbidden tree thou shalt surely die." From that time to this " the wages of sin have been death." The whole Gospel assumes this as an acknowledged truth : for, if all were not under the displeasure of God, all did not need a Saviour, nor was Christ a propitiation for their sins. But if all are sinners, then are all under a sentence of death : since it is written, " Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them ; " and again, " The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Paul, when ignorant of God's law, thought himself alive: but, when instructed in it, perceived himself to be dead, even as others f.]
3. That all must look for some other way of justi- fication than by any works of their own —
[Justification necessarily implies, that a person is not con- sidered as guilty in the sight of God. But all being guilty, they are condemned as sinners ; and consequently cannot at the same time be justified as righteous. But there is a righteous- ness provided for sinners, in, and through, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is on that very account called, " The Lord our righteousness." In him the vilest of the human race " may be justified, and may glory *." But in any other way not even the
Apostles themselves could be justified11 Every man
therefore that would find acceptance with God in the last day, must seek " to be found in Christ, not having his own righteous- ness, but the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ1."]
b 1 John i. S, 10. c jOD xv. 14 — \(i ana XXv. 4 — 6.
d Job iv. 12 — 19. e Eccl. vii. 20. f Rom. vii. 9.
* Isai. xlv. 25. h Gal. ii. 16. s Phil. iii. 9.