shall clap lte bands at him, and whistle at him in derision, the image must be inter- preted to mean that the storm-chased sinner will be beheld with malignant joy and withering BCOm; tbo.t, in fact, men will clap their hands with infinite delight over his tragic fate, and hunt his guilty spirit from the world with exrressions of bitter hatred and contempt. II. Jon's MEANING CLEARED. 1. The difficulty. The abovu exposition of the wicked mo.n's portion bears BO close a resemblance to the pictures already sketched by the friends, that much perplexity has been occasioned by Job's seeming inconsistency, in at this stage ndmitting the very dogma he had so powerfully assailed in his previous contendings. If this were true, it would only prove that great men sometimes change their min<ls and modify their opinions. But the contradiction is more apparent than real. 2. The solution. For a detailed statement of the different schemes proposed with a view to either bridge over or remove this clifficulty, the Exposition may be consulted. Here it may suffice to say that either we may understand Job as recapitu- lating the theory of the friends, which he has just characterized as" foolish notions" (ver. 12); or, holding that the sentiments he delivers are his own, we may affirm that in previously painting the prosperous fortunes of the ungodly (e.g. eh. xii. 6; xxi. 7) he was merely placing exceptional cases against the exclusive theory of the friends, that ungodly men have always evil fortunes, which was all that strict logic required as its refutation, but that here he desires to intimate his acquiescence in the main element of their dogma, viz. that as a rule " the retributive justice of God. is manifest in the case of the !)Vil-doer" (Delitzsch). Learn : 1. That every man's portion from God is twofold, relating to the life that is to come as well as to that which now is. 2. That the higher a wicked man rises in worldly prosperity, the more ignominious will be his final overthrow. 3. That God can effect sudden and surprising transfers of property on earth. 4. That sudden death may overtake the person who appears best secured against it. 6. That sudden death is not the same thing to a wicked man that it is to a good one. 6. That the wicked man cannot face the future without a fear. 7. That if a wicked man's death is a ea.use of joy to the world, the departure of a saint should be a source of lamentation.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-23.-Job a victor in the controversy. After the last speech of Job the friends appear to be completely overcome and silenced, and the third or them does not venture to renew the attack. The sufferer therefore continues, in a speech of high poetic beauty, to instruct the friends, while once more insisting on his own innocence. I. lNNOOENOE MAINTAINED. (Vers.2-10.) 1. COfiScio-us rectitude of resolve. (Vers. 2--4.) In the profoundest sense that bis thoughts are open to the eye of the all-seeing God, and that he need not fear to have his words overheard, Job speaks. He declares that he has still strength and sanity enough to know what he is saying, and to speak as a responsible witness on this question of his innocence. And although it has pleased God, ae he thinks, to withhold justice from him, and to distress his soul, the li~ht of duty and of conscience shines as brightly as ever. He will be true in word and deed to the last. Truth is the supreme duty we owe to ourselves, to our fellows, to our God, to eternity. The resolve to be true should be inseparable from the resolve to live; and we should part with life sooner than with truth. And no suffering should be allowed to disturb our genuine convictions about ourselves. 'fbe discouragement of others' harsh opinion may well lead us to cast more searching glances into the state of our heart, but ought not to extort confessions of guilt which are t'Xaggerated and unreal. It is only superstition which can suppose such to be acceptable to God. But this is the language of a man who has found, deep below all his doubts, an immovable ground of confidence in God. This makes him bold in the presence of his fellow-men. Happy those whose hearts condemn them not, and who have confidence with God. A fe,lse humility is an affectation of being worse than we really are. A genuine humility teaches us to see ourselves as we are; and every recognition of facts as facts, truths 11s truths, gives confidence. 2. The steadfastness of a good conscience. (Vers. ~7.) Job will never give way to bis friends, nor own tbe,u in the right, The language 448 THE BOOK OF J"OB. [OB. XXVII, 1-98,