he.d been mugbt t.o ~<'e the h!\nd of God in God's goodneBB and 001npa&sion underlleR the outwtLrd dispen81ltion" (' Short Studies,' tbo thought. vol. i. p. 800). He therefore e.ssumes thRt Ver. 26.-l'or thon wrltelt bitf.-er thinp God will he.ve e. particular oharge t.o mnke again■t me. The allusion seems to be to against him. in connection with each of the the ordinary pmctioe in ancient law-oourtll calamities thRt ho.ve oome on him, and he of formulating a written act.e d'aocUBation is prepar,-d to faoe thePe obe.rges and oon- against supposed criminals. Keeping up furo t.hem. At the s11me time, he is nn- the imagery of a oourt e.ud ple&clings, Job douhted ly muoh oonfused and perplexed, represents God as engaged in dmwing up not knowing how to l'l.'0011oile bis tm<litional such a document against him. The " bitter belief with hi• internal oonsoiousn81lB of things" are tho charges which the aot.e innocence. Or let me speak, and answer contiiins. And makest me to poase■e the thou me. " Let me," i.e., "take the initia- iniqnitie■ of my youth, Job, like Do.vid, tive. if thou preferrest it ao--let me ask the has to acknowledge "sins and offences" oom- qn<'stions, and do thun answer." mitted in his youth (Ps. xxv. 6). In -Ver. 28.-How ma.ny are mine iniquitie■ considering what the indiotment against &nd IIUUi 1 This is eca.roely, as Professor him can be, he oa.n only suppose that these Stanley Leathes represents it, "a deep old and long-forsaken sins are being confession of personal sin" (' Old Testament remembered and brougl,t up against him, Commentary,' vol. iv. p. 27). It is more in and that he is being punished for them. th., nature of a remonstrance. •• These Bina Ho does not exolaim age.inst thie ns in- of mine, for which I am so grievously justioe; he feels probnbly that there is no punished, what are they? Name them. stn tute of limitations respecting sins and How many are there of them? Let me their punishment; but it can scarcely have know exactly what they are; and then I seemed to him oonsistent with God's good- can 41.uestian my oonscienoe oonoerning ness and mercifulness that the oft'enoes of them. ]l[ake me to mow my tmnsgres- hie immature age should be visited upo11. Bion and my Bin. These words imply that him so bitterly. he does not know them at present. He Ver. 27.-Thou pnttest my feet also in knows of some infirmities and lighter mis- the stooks (comp. eh. :u:dii 11). The doings of hie youth (ver. 26); but he knows punishment is said to be still in use among of no such sins 6S B.?e commensurate with the Bedouin Arabs. It was well known to his sufferings. the Israelites (Prov. vii. 22; Jer. xx. 2; Ver. 24.-Wherefore hidest thon thy face, :ui.x.. 26), to the Greeks (Herod., ix. 87), and hold.est me for thine enemy t What is and to the Romans (Acts xvi, 24). And thy reason for withdrawing from me the lookest ll8rrowly unto e.11 my paths. Not light of thy countenance, and behaving allowing me to escape thee. Thou aettest a towards me as though thou wert mine print upon the heels of my feet ; rather, enemy? Job does not believe God to be upon the sous of my feet. The "print" hie enemy. He knows that God will one intended is probably a mark which the day be his Salvation (ver. 16); but he stocks were in the he.bit of me.king (see recognizes a present alienation, 8.lld desires Professor Sayce, in Sunday at I1ome, to be made acquainted with the cause of it. December, 1890, p. 125). Ver. 25.-Wilt thou break a leaf driven Ver. 28.-A.nd he. The change of person to and. fro t and wilt thou purne the dry is very strange, but not unknown to the lltubble t Job compares himself to two of Hebrew idiom. It is impossible that any one the weakest things in nature-a withered but Job himself can be meant. As a rotten leaf, and a morsel of dry stubble. He cannot thing con■ umeth, as a garment that is moth- believe that God will employ hie almighty eaten. An allusion to the character of the 11trength in crushing e.nd destroying what disease from which he is suffering. ii! BO slight and feeble. A deep 110nse of
HOMILETICS. Vers. l-16.-Job to Zophar: 4. .A wou:,ided SOU,l, at bay. L TBE VOICE OJ' l'IEBCB BECBllllNATION. Transfixing on the spear-point of his remorseless logic the men who had mocked at his misery, and converted his very piety into a laughing-stock, with infinite scorn Job holds them up a spect.acle to angels and to men, charging them with at least three most derestable offences. 1. IgMring of facts. They had favoured. him with their views of how God conducted the affairs of the universe, citing apothegme, quoting proverbs, and adducing similitudes carefully selected. to bear out their peculiar dogm&11 and preconceived theories; but he too could string together wise saws extracted from tbtl aucients, beiug in respect of traditionary lore not one whit behind them (ver, 2), ou. xur. 1-28.] 'l'HE BOOK OF JOB. 229