HOMILIES BY VARIOUS A'IJTHORS. Ver~. 1-29.-Unconquerable eonvictioM. Job feels bitterly hurt by the speeches of Eli11haz and Bildad, and pleads, in face of their harsh constructions,· for ootnpa'ssidn in hi~ unntterable suffi>iings. At the 1111.me time, he raises· himself to bolder ccmfidence in God's help than ever before. He expresses the definite hope that,' if not: dn this ~ide the grave, then on the otber side, a justification awaits him by the personal appearance of God. : • • • ", • • , ,, I. lFrRoDuCTioN: INDIGNANT CENSURE oF ms 'FRIENtll! As MAttetoUl! • susPECTER!I or, HIS INNOCENCE. (Vers. 1-5.) "How long will ·ye trouble my sou), and criish ta~ with words?" '"l'cn times," he says, speaking in round· numbers; i:e. ,l'g~_ln ~nil. again; have they slandered him by attacks on his innocence; they a,re ~t·ashamed to·tleafej him with their rl!T'ilings. It-~ true, he again confesseR (eh', vi, 24)/he'lias•,ilil'lned;.' but his sin remains with him alone; he is answerable fo God atone, not ··to their unfeeling judgment. Is it their desire to magnify the,/pselve11-l:o'·play'the· part of great speakers and advocates, ·and b~ng home to~him his disgrace by ingenious pleas.? Vanity and self-conceit ll.I'e at the -bottom -of much ·~nsoriousness; and iT'ob'here· layil' hi~ finger upon the morn\ weal..""Iiess ·of his self-constituted judges.• • •.. '. : , " . •: . '·: J 1 II. LAJ!ENT OVEa THE"'SUFFERING C::AUS1!:D ·:ani:· BY Goo. • (Vers. 6--12.): • God ·has wronged him, ·and tmrroundcd him with his nets, as a hunter takes his.prey,- deprivi.n:g it of all means of escape (ver. -6). The sttfferer cries out, "Violencli I'"' but·_n\'i anirw~I" is given ; 11nd there is no justice in response to his cry for h:ei p { vei:. ,'7-), His-wa,y'i~ fenced i'n, alld darkDess is on his paths (ver. 8; comp. eh, iii. 23-; xiii.'·27-f-Lamtiill' 7, 9; Hos. ii. 6). God has stripped him of his honour and of his, fair-~stbeririii th,E! eyes of men, and taken away the crown from his hca<i"(ver. 9; comp. eh: uilf: ];4;1:Lam;,' T. 16). " Honour" and the "crown" 11re two·expres,;ions for thifsame 'thing (Isa! l]d/lOf !xii. 3). God pulls him down on- every side, liktt a building. -devoted- to' de&ti'uctiotH roots out the hope of his restoration, -likes tree{,ver. 10). • His-warlike band~tounds; pains, and woes of e-vcry kind-come on, and make their'way·agitinst him as'against a besieged fortress (vers. 11, 12; -comp. eh. xvi. 14). All this·is a true description of:the thoughts of the heart from which Divine help has been withdrawn.· It is a·sore conflict; none sorer, when the mind is driven in its agony to view Goo. as ·an enerny,'treat-ing us unmercifully, willing neither to. hear n9!' to help. ·Job,is tempted to think God: unjust; -one who promises the forgiveness -of sins, yet does ·not' remoye the penalty;: promises his presence t{l the suffering, yet seems not to be touched by our woes--i-nay, even to delight in them. " In so great and glowing flamea of hell we must look to Christ alone, who was made in all things like to hill bre~ren, and was tempted, that, he might succour them that 11re tempted"' "(Brenz), ffi L.urENT OVEB THE1lUFFEBING CAUSED HUI BY JllAN. (Vers.13--:-20.)' In such crises we tum to friendship for solace. But to Job this is denied. , In' six different forms be mentions his kindred -and frie_nds, only to complain of their coldnees and alienation (vers. 13, 14). His domestics, too (ver. 15); te whom he had doubtless been a kiod master, are become strange to him. His servant does not answer,when.-he calls; so that he is obliged to change parts with hiru, and beg his help-as -a,, favom ;(ver. 16), His breath and diseased body make him offensive even to bis wife,-and"'-sons,' 1 oit " brethren" (ver. 17). 'l'he impudent little boys of the street, like' those :who mocked Elisha (2 Kioge- iL 23, B']_q.), make a butt of him, indnlgit!g''ifi satcllstie tautlts'Wben he rises to speak (ver. 18). His bosom-friends abhor him,,and· tbose,whom he ha.d loved-Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zopbar-tw-ri against ·him as •iolen~ iOpponell,ts, (,ver. 19), His bones cleave to bis skin and flesh, can be. seen and felt through -hifi ~ma~iated flesh; a.nd only the skin of hill teeth, the .thin tilrn,·ha~ eeca.ped ithe -ravages• of hle, fearful 0
ma.lady. He can ouly just speak still, without bis •mouth•lheing filled:•wilih•boils and matter, u'i11the-laat sta~e af the filaeue (ver; '20).. •;Priendadftenlfail m,the •ime of 831