things, and bad men with evil things, upon the earth and in time. He contended that God could by no possible consideration be induced to depart from a.dministerina mundane affairs on this plain and simple principle. Accordingly, he argued that, if men sinned, God was shut up by the aforesaid principle to punish them in time; anrl, vice veTBd., that if men were seen to he afflicted, the inference was irresistible that they had trno~gressed-otherwise God would be guilty of perverting justice in visiting them :with tribulation. Similarly, he reasoned that God we.a bound to crown righteous men with prosperity; and that they who enjoyed good things in this life were only reaping the reward of virtue; although he likewise contended that if a good man relapsed into wickedness, he could not escape retribution in the shape of temporal calamity, while, if he repented, he would as surely be conducted back to his former prosperity. Now not one of these dogmatic positions of the ancient sage was correct; and against them all Job vehemently protested. The theory that connectA all suffering with sin, though popular (John ix. 2; Luke xiii. 1-5), is fallacious. The doctrine that good things are _invariably a reward of goodness will not stand the test of facta (Luke xvi. 25). III. INAPT lLLUBTRATIONB. 1. The case of Job's children. (1) The assumption. "If thy children have sinned against him." Outrageously unfeeling was it, even if it had been true, so to lacerate the heart of a bereaved parent. "The words of the wise may be as goads" (Eccles. xii. 11), but the words of the good should be as" an honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones" (Prov. xvi. 24). "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright" (Prov. xv. 2), and "a prudent man covereth shame" (Prov. xii.16). Entirely uuwa1Tanted, it was likewise atrociously cruel. Bilda.d had no reason whatever to assume that Job's children had been guilty (in his sense) of wickedness against God. Job's "it may be" (eh. i. 5) was not proof that" it was." Iu the general sense in which "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii. 23), they had doubtless transgressed; in the particular sense that they had perpetrated positive offence against God evidence was completely a.wanting. Hence, because un- warranted, it was also. heinously sinful. Bild ad's imputation was an offence against the dead, against the living, against God. (2) The inference. "So hath he cast them a way for ( or, 'delivered them over into the hand of their'] transgression." Superficially correct to the extent that all sin has a tendency to autonemesis-sooner or later it will avenge itself upon the perpetrator thereof (cf. eh. v. 2), and that Job's children had been suddenly cut off by God (eh. i. 19); but radically vicious in attempting to connect these two- the principle and the fact--as cause and effect, since the history explicitly discovers ( eh. i. 12) that the wickedness of Job's children was not the cccasion of their destruction. They were cut off in pursuance of a divinely formed purpose to try Job. Yet this was no contravention of God's absolute jll8tice, though on Bildad's principles it was quite inexplicable. 2. The case of Job himself. (1) The underlying hypothesis, which was false, viz. that Job was not pure and upright, even in the sense meant by Bildad (ver. 6), which Job was, having, like St. Pa.ul, a conscience void of offence both toward God and toward men (Acts xxiv. 16), and like St. Peter the answer of a good conscience toward God (1 Pet. iii. 21). (2) The proffered counsel, which wa.s good. What 1 To seek unto God; i.e. to make supplication unto him, to address him in prayer. Why t To make God gracio\18 unto him, this beautiful idea being conveyed by the force of the reflex. hithpael of the verb (Davidson). When P Betimes; the verb signifying "to seek early," i.e. first in time and first in importance (cf. Prov. vii. 15; viii. 17; eh. xxiv. 5). How P Earnestly; this Ftlso being implied in the verb '' to seek." (3) The promised blessing, which was doubtful. This we.a: (a) Protection. The cause: "He will watch over thee," instead of" watching against thee" (eh. vii. 12). The effect: "Aud make thy habitation secure;" salute it with peace, and preserve it in safety (cf. Eliphaz's picture of tho good man's house, eh. v. 24:; and contrast his cursing of the wicked man's abode, eh. v. 3). The condition: "thy righteous habitation;" i.e. when thy habitation became the abode of a righteous man, God would pronounce it blessed and presel"Ve it in peace. (b) Prosperity. "Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase." Bildad had no guarantee beyond his own theory for the prediction tho.t a return on Job's part to piety woLtld be followed by a restoration to material prosperity. LESSONS, 1. "A soft answer turnclh away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger" 144. THE BOOK OF JOB. [ou. vm. 1--22..
(Prov. xv. 1). Bild&d's l!uccess would have been greater had his le.ngue.ge been milder. 2. Th0Re who undert11ke the work of tilllchiug othere should both eee that what they teach i~ true and study to spe11k the truth in love (Eph. iv. 15). Bild&d we.a wanting in both of th'ese respects. 3. A half-truth is sometimes as dangerous e.s e. whole lie. Bildsd's theology was of this sort. 4. Saints who e.re vehemently jealous for the Dh·ine honour are often inteneely unkind &S well e.s unfair to their fellow-men. Bild11~ was as cruel towards Job as he was courageous in behalf of God. 6. Beware of sentencing those to perdition concerning whom God has not declared his mind. Bildad nrnnife~tly had no doubt e.s to the fe.te of Job's children. 6. It is man's duty to seek God betimes, whether the habitation of their righteo11sness prosper or no. Bilde.d's prediction must not be accepted as equivalent to God's promise. 7. 'l'he latter end of pious men, if not on earth, at least in heaven, will be one of greatness and glory combined. In this sense alone is Bilde.d's statement certainly oorreot.