The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 436

the right; and the pre~enoe of the wrong becomes the watohword for an uprlalng of the whole strength against the UBurper. - Il. RESOLUTION, BY ITS DECI8IONB, PREVENTS THE MIND FBOM Tlll!I lN.nratOUil EFFEOTII OF ~AOILLATION. '!'be mind is kept braced up to its duty. Its judgments are formed. beforehand. It ha.• not to wait for any mental procees. +i'he instant wrong is ■ug­ ge~t.ed, that inst:int its reply is at hand. While the wavering and uncertain are being overl'ome, I he resolute man walks on his plain path fearlessly and sate. 111. RESOLUTION TO MAINTAIN INTEGRITY ARISING OUT OF A JUST ESTIMATE 01" I'l'B WORTH PHEbEllYES FROM DECEPTION BY FALSE VIE\\'S. Low estimates of the worth of perBonal i11tegrity make a man lhe sport of the tr~fficker in evil. Personal rectitu_de being held cheaply would be bartered away for any gilded bait. 1Y. THE ENOOUilAGEMENT OF RESOLUTENESS OF BPTRIT DEOOMES AN OBVIOUS AND PRESSING D~TY. No one can be neglectful of this '!ithout doing great wro,ng to h11nself. 'lo stand firm, entrenched by a strong will, guards the soul from the <lelusious that are rife enough; but that the will may be well supported, it is' needful t-0 encourage the spirit of resolute, unyielding determination. Then, with a high senAe of the prl'Cionsness of conscious integrity, nnd with a mind adjusted to an attitude of purposed resistance against whatever would threaten to impair that integrity,' ~he faithful oue holds fast to his possession, and gains, in addition to his own quiet approval, that of all observers, and, above all, that of the great Judge of human c;o~-: duct. ln this Job succeeds, and becomes a pattern to all tempted ones. Froai \t~e depth of his acute and prolonged suffering arises the ory of holy resolve, "~iU I. d1e will I not remove mine integrity from me.". So that from his :inµiost heart cometh"no reproach upon his day&. . • • __ He that thus acts secures (1) peace of mind; (2) consciousness of the Divine approval; (S) the benefit of dai'ly growth in goodness; (4) the final. reward pf fi.delity.-R. G. .. Vers. 8-12.-T/,e hope of the hypocrite. Job, the m1111 of integrity, who was d~ter- mined to hold fast his integrity until death, saw plainly ~µat t_he hypocrite had no ground of confidence, and he boldly makes the demand, 11·W1i.at is the hope of the hypocrite 1" It is an appeal that can receive no satisfying answer. _There is po hope for him, indeed ; whatever he may imagine it to be, it is_ as a b~bble that floal~ _ on _tlie water for a short time, then bursts, and no trace is lefl; of i~. . His confidence i,~ placed on an unsafe found.e..tion; he may build his expeclati~s upon it, but the. i.nevitable flood of time will wlllih it away. It is a vain, groundless, lc;,s!;, disappqinted hope. Job directs his inquiry into one channel-What is the hypocrite's ho~ as· towards God? The earthly hopes of the hypocrite are not safe, though for a time he may prosper. But his hopes towards God are vain indeed. The hypocrite i~_ •estr~nged from God. . L HE RAB NO BOPE IN Goo IN DEATH. When the righteous man filleth his bosom wiill sheaves, the hope of the wicked is·found to be cU:t off. Beyond the grave all is darl; ness. _ _ • Il. HE CANNOT TURN TO Go» IN TlllE 011' TROUBLE. When affliction falls upon the humble and righteous QD.e, he whom he_ bas soul(ht to know and obey prc;,ves to be a reality to him. But the hypocrite has made God to_ bf! a sham. He has no~ known or obeyed him, or acted towards liim as though he were a reality. 'l'o him, indeed, there is no God. How ca.J;l h~ call ou him in trouble whc;)m he has denied in health? - .. . Ill. HE CANNOT FIN~ IN Goo A SPB.DlG OF JOY. He cannot delight himself in hini whom he has represented to himself as an uareality. God hBB not been re~lly _God in the estimale of the hypocrite. The man w4o _is himself conscious of being false makes all false around him. He does not live in a real but a deceitful world, He has deceived himself in respect of it. .. u _. . IV. HE cANBOT CALL t,PON Goo w PBAYEB, Tli1,1s the hope of the hypocrite perishes. It is vain. In the exige!lcies of life, when he moat nee.de help, the fa)ae foundation which he has laid for him!lelf fails him. The man who acts falsely tow11rds God really acts falsely towards himself, and turns the JJIOBt substatitial gro11nds of 1.ope .into airy nothingness.-R. G. <lit, dVIt. l-2B.) 1'81\: roo1t or JOW. 451