The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 478

heartless oonduot upon the hero. Still, it ie ever true that we reap as we sow; but the Bower o.nd the reaper may be different persons. The cruel measure meted ont to the 110 unfortunates is now measured to the innocent Job. I\ is not in human nature to requite love with hatred or to give loathing in return for kindness. The responsibility of society for its outcasts is a deep lesson which we have only begun in modern times to learn. All men, however fallen and low, mURt be treated as the creatures of God. If we treat them as wild beasts, we can but expect the wild-beast return. Said Rabbi Bon Azar, "Despise not any man, and spurn not anything. For there is no man that bath not his hour, nor is there anything that hath not its place." Say11 our own Wordsworth- "He who feels contempt For o.ny living thing, hath faculties That ho bath never used, and thought with hiua Is in its infanoy." And again'- "Be assured That least of all can aught that ever owned The heaven-regarding eye and front sublime Which man is born to, sink, howe'er depressed, So low as to be scorned without a sin, Without offence to God, cast out of view." "Condescend to men of low estate." Gentleness and compassion to onr inferiors is one of the chief lessons of our holy religion. II. ABANDONMENT TO MISERY DY Gon. (Vere. 11-15.) Health and happiness are ours when God holds UB by bis hand; sickness, languor, and mental misery when he loosens bis grasp. Job's nerves are relaxed. The war-bands of the Almighty have loosed the bridle; angels and messengers of ill, diseases and plagues, hunt the unhappy sufferer down (ver. 11). This dark throng seems to rise up at his right hand-the place of the accuser (Ps. cix. 6)-and to push away his foet, driving him into a narrow space, laying open before him their ways of destruction, heaping up against him besieging ramparts, thus tearing down his own path, his formerly undisputed way of life. They help forward his ruin, needing Do assistance from others in the pemicioUB work (vers. 12, 13). On comes this terrible besieging host, as through a wide breach in the wall of life-rolls on with loud roar, while the defences fall into ruin (ver. 14). Terrors tum against him, sudden horrors of death (comp. eh. xviii. 11, 14; xxvii. 20) hunting after his honour'--the honour depicted in eh. xxix. 20, seq. His happiness, in consequence of these violent assaults, passes away suddenly and tracklessly as a cloud from the face of heaven (ver. 15; comp. eh. vii. 9; Isa. xliv. 22). If God lays his hand upon the body or outward happiness of his children, there will seldom be release without inward conflict, anguish, fear, and terror. It is with such persons as with St. Paul ; without is conflict, and within is fear (2 Cor. vii. 5). III. INCONCEIVABLE INWARD DISTRESS. (Vers. 16-23.) His soul is melted and poured out within him; his frame is dissolved in tears. Days of pain hold him in their grasp, refuse to depart and leave him in peace (ver. 16). 'l'be night racks and pierces bis bones, and allows bis sinews no rest (ver. 17). By the fearful power of God he is so withered up that his garment hangs loose about him, wraps him like the collar of a coat, nowhere fitting bis body (ver. 18). God has cast him upon the ash-heap-a sign of the deepest humiliation (eh. xvi. 15)-till his skin resembles dust and ashes iu its hue (ver. 19). In this nerveless condition prayer itself seems unable to stir its loftiest, most hopeful energies. He can but cry, grievously and in supplicat1on, but without the hope of being heard. "I stand, and thon lookest fixedly at me "-no sign of attention in thy glance, of favour in thine eye (ver. 20). The aspect of the almighty Father, seen through the medium o.l" intense suffering, becomes one of cruelty and horror (var. 21). Lifting him upon the storm-wind as upon a chariot (comp. 2 Kings ii. 11), God causes him to be carried away, and dissolved as it were in the yeasty surging of the storm (ver. 22). He knows tho.t God is carrying him to death, the place of assembly for all the living (vcr. 23). IV. FAILURE OF ALL ms HOPES. (Vers. 24-31.) According to human calculation, he mUBt despair of liftl. But can the unhar,py man be blamed if he stretches out hie  THE 200~ OF JOB,