Vers. 7-12.-Man humbled before God. Vain man reasons upon the ways of God, and presumes to penetra.t.e to .the depths of the Divine wil!dom, A profe.esed wisdom OH, xl. 1-20,] TtlE 1'ooK OP JOB. 203 --- -- - --------- lands him In folly. To see.le the hea\'en8 is as easy as to "find out the Almighty to perfection," to fathom the depths of the Divine designs. Job 11/nd hi11 friends and hoete of others of us e.ttempt to explain the no.me e.nd ways of God, but our efforts are vu.in, o.ntl but expose o. folly tque.l to our ignore.nee. J, THE DIVINE NATURE AND THE DIVINE PURPOSES INFt::-.ITELY DEYOND THE POBBIDLE KNOWLEDGE OF MAN. How soon may a prudent reflection on either of these nssure men tho.t they" ce.nnot attain unto" them I "High as heaven," "deeper than hell," "longer than the earth," "broader than the sea,"-these are the terms userl by Zopho.r in hie just description. As well may man attempt to touch the height of heaven, to reach to the depth of Hades, to stretch his arms to compass sea and lancl from the far east to the distant west, as to pretend to comprehend, within the compass of his feeble and limited knowledge, an adequate estimate of t.he Divine nature, an adequate understanding of the Divine counsels,-" to find out God." II. As the Divine Name is incomprehensible by man, and the Divine ways past bis searching out, so is it equally BEYOND THE POWER OF MAN TO HlNDER THE WORKL'Vi OUT OF THE DIVINE PURPOSE. In his ways God hi<les his wise desi~n. He worketh towards a definite end. Men may oppose it in their folly or sinfulness, or seem to hinder it in their error. Uut like an onflowing tide it bears all before it. "Who can hinder him?" His work is an omnipotent work, as his Name is infinite. .Against the might of God it is vain for feeble man to oppose his strength, or the energy of his will. The Divine" kingdom ruleth over all." III. It is, therefore, utterly IMPOSSIBLE FOR MAN TO ESCAPE THE RIGHTEOUS JUDG- MENT OF ALMIGHTY Go». Zophar would thus shut up Job unto self-abasement. Revealing his impotence before God, his inability so much as to know the Divine Name, or to grasp with his understacding the widespread ways of the Most High, he would compel Job to abasement-to a confession of guiltiness, to the wisdom of casting away his vain self-assurance, that of God he may be made wise. .All these purpo~es are good in them.selves, but the covert implication-God is angry with thee; God judgeth thee; "he seeth" thy_ "wickedness "-is harsh and erroneous. Like his brethren, he errs in the method of applying his good principles. Yet is it wise for all men (1) .to learn their impotence before God; to bow to the Divine ways; (2) to assure themselves of the wisdom and goodness of the hidden purposes of God; (3) to co=it themselves in lowly reverential trust to the overruling power and government of God. Thus the intractable one shall become gentle, docile, and obedient-the "wild ass's colt" will become a me.n,-'R, G. Vers. 13-19.-The invitation to repll1ltance. .All Job's friends would lead him to repentance. They see the judgments of God upon him in his afflictions. They know of no other cause for afflictions than as a punishment for wrong-doing. The conclusion is clear, "Thou hast siuned." This underlies_ all their speeches, But they have rightly seized the truth-God forgiveth the iniquity of the repentant. Therefore they urge their entreaty to their friend in one word, "Repent." And Zophar reveals to Job the method of repentance, the encourngement to it, and its reward. I. THE METHOD OF REPENTANCE. 1. "Prepare thine heart." Give the heart its true direction-from evil towards God. 2. "Stretch out thine hands towards God" -in prayer-the true sign of repentance, the sign of lowly self-abasement, the very confession of sin, the opening of the heart with the lips to renounce evil, to sue for pardon. The hands stretched towards God is the human sign of return to him. 3. Put away iniquity. The actual renunciation of evil, forsaking and abandoning it with the heart and hands and voice lifted to God, is the certain and indubitable evidence of true repentance. No sorrow for sin becomes repentance until sin is by the sorrowing heart renounced. "If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away." II. THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO REPENTANCE. 1. "Then she.It thou lift up thy face without spot," i.e. of guilt, Thy heart, cleared of its guilt, shall be free and joyfuL 2. .And with consciousness of the Divine forgiveness thou wilt be able to look up without fear-" to lift up thy face "-to God. 3. Then sorrow shall be supplanted by peaceful joy. "Thou shalt forget thy misery." Thy grief shall leave no more trace thau waters the.t flow by. 4. Thrn brightness shall dawn upon thy life, over its remainder shall be a time of gladness; " as the morning shalt thou be." 206 THB '8001[ 0, JOB. [OR, lll, 1-IO,
IIL TR1 BIWAU oF nKrBNTANOL The enoounLgoment.a to ropontAooo aro In tbema1Jlvea pvt or lt1 roward, tboui,tb t,hat roWl\rd will be only truly beoa.u ■e only perreotly, found ln the 11uhsoqucnL day11 or the life. Boautifully 1md 0!1oorlngly doo■ thl■ friend paint tho rioh prosporltf of later days oven t.o the ovorwholmod euft'oror. Although an error lurks benOAth 1t all, which tho tot.oblng or tho ootiro book l■ dealgne.1 to oorroot; yet out of the bright oncoura.i,temontR, Al out or an early morning, the full promlRI' of bleR11ing to the repentant ari11os. "1'hou ■bait be ■oouro," 'l'ho 110nAc of Mocurily will take JlOllt!RRion or the hr11a1t from whioh ooudemnatlon la romoved. Tiu• Msumnoe oft.ho rnvioe forgi\'onnH iR A pledgn of thn Divina \ovo, and the forp;lvon one hi<io~ in tho God against "'born in hl.11 foHy ho had slnnod. llol'9 lllumlno1 tho future, and his spirit, brooed with holy oourago, takoR its roet in 11afoty. He oa.n llo down In J'('Acie and aloop, for he h1U1 gainod a new trust In God. llo dofio1 hie fooa. Proapority rotum•; " man.1· make 11uit unto him." Such IR tho rich rowl\rd 11roml1od to Job by hiH friend, Hho11ld be repent of hlR sin, True, &111. groat principle for human oonduot it, howc\'or, l1LCk1 a OOl'l'NltneBB or application, for Job ie not s11ff'orlng for hl1 1!111, But every smitten one may loam the wiadom, the comfort, and the happy oonsequoooe or true ropontanoe.-R. G.