be, "However rich thou m1tyeet be in the been felt aa obligatory by the natural con- precious motula, thy true l.reaaure-that science. which ihou wilt volue moat-will be the Ver. 28.-Thou shalt alao deoraa a thing Almighty hiineelr." And thou shalt have and it shall be e■tablished nnto thee. What: plenty of ailver ; or, and he ,hall be pre• ever thou reaolvest on, i.e., G,,,[ shnll ratify olou, sil11or unto thee (see the ·Revised with his authority, and bring to po.as in Version). • duo time for thy benefit-a promise which Ver. 26.-:For then shalt thou have thy has certainly "a touch of audncity" nbout delight in the Almighty. Goel shall no it (Cook). David is less bol<l, but intf'nds longer he a terror and o.lnrm to thee, BB he to give the same sort of encouragement when is at present (oh. vii. 17-20; ix. 17, 84; he says, " Delight thyself in tho Lord, anrl :i:. 15-17; xiii. 21; xix. 6-18, eto.), but he shall give thee the desires of thine heart; a source of rejoicing and joy. '.rhou ahalt commit thy way unto the Lord; trust nlso have blessings at hie hands instead of in hi~; and he shall bring it to pasa" (Pa. sufferings, rewo.rde instead of punishments. xxxvn. 4, 5). And the light shall shine upon Therefore aha.It thou delight ill him, and thy ways. Job had compla.ined of thu ahalt lift up thy face unto God; i.e. "ehalt "darkness" by which his path was shadowed turn towo.rde him, like the sunflower towards (eh. xix. 8). Eliphaz promises that this the sun, and bask in the light of his ooun- cause of complaint shall be removed. Joh' a teno.noe." way shall be "made plain before his face." Ver. 27.-Thou ahalt make thy prayer . A bright light shall illumine it-a light unto him, and he ahall hear thee. Now Joh that shall ever" shine more and more unto prays, but is not hea1·d ; be aaka for death, the perfect day" (Prov. iv. 18). but it does not come; he begs for a respite Ver. 29.-When men are cast down, then from suffering, but it .ie refueed him; he thou ehalt say, There is lifting np; rather, beseeches God to enter into argument with when men cast down, and thou, shalt say, him (eh. ix. 82-84; L 2), but God vouch- Let there be l,jting 11,p; i.e. when oppressors safes no answer. Let him follo1V Eliphaz's have cast a man down, and thou appealest advice, "return to the Almighty" (ver. 23), to God, and prayest for his liftillg up, then humble himself in the duet, repent and he (i.e. God) shall save the humble person. "put away his iniquity" (ver. 28), and then, God shall hear thy prayer, and the oppressed Eliphaz promises him, all shall be changed- person shall he rescued and saved. God will become gracious to him, will listen Ver. 80.-He shall deliver the island of to him, and grant his requests, will remove the innocent; rather, he Bhall deUver even hie heavy hand, and crown him with mercy him that is not innocent (see the Revised and loving-kindness. Then, he adds, thou Version). It is now generally admitted th"t &halt pa.y thy vows. Thou shalt have •tt in this place is for )'N, as ill 1 Sam. iv. wealth enough, and strength enough, to 21; Prov. xxxi. 4. The meaning seems to pay auy vowa that thou ho.at made, which be that God will deliver, at Job's prayer, now in thy affiicted state thou canst not do. even guilty persons, who will be delivered Vows are pMt of naturnl religion, and were by the pureness of Job's hands. Eliphaz widely prevulent over all the East in ancient thus prophesies his own deliverance and times. 'l'he performllnco of vows, which that of his two friends from God's wrath at was strictly enjoined in the Mosaic Law the i.utercession of Job, as actually came to (Deut. xxiii. 21), must at all times have pass afterwards (see oh. xiii. 7-9).
HOMILETICS.
Vere, 1-4.-Eliphaz to Job: the third colloqny: the second controversy: 1. 4 fallacious syllogism. I. A SOUND PREMISS. That God's government of mankind i1 entirely disinterested, his jUtlicial retributions not beiug affected by cousiLlerations of personal benefit or hurt arising from the conduct of his creatures. 1. Not by expectation of advantage. (Vers. 2, 3.) Here is: (1) An admission; that a wise man, rightly exercising his faculties in the sphere of uatural life, may effectually promote his own advantage-- a proposition incontrovertible by re11,son, since wisdom in this sense signifies superior discernment and ability, the capacity of employing means to accomplish en,ls (Eccles. x. 10); and abundantly confirmed by experience, which attests that "by wisdom there is profit to them that see the sun" (Eccles. vii. 11), that" through wisdom is au house builded, and its chambers filleu with all precious and pleasant riches" (Prov. xxiv. 3, 4), and that" wis1lom strengtheueth the wise more thau ten mighty men which are in tho city" (Eccles. vii, 19). (2) An implication; that the same law hold8 good in the THE BOOK OF JOB. [ea. xk.n. i-80.