• Ver. 33.-The limits of privak judgment. Elihu ha11 been appealing to private judgment, saying," The ear trieth words, as the mouth tastcth meat" (ver. 3). Now he seems to tum round on this principle and repudiate it. Yet he is not inconsistent, for there must be limits to private judgment. We cannot sit in judgment on Providence. Let us, then, consider in what respect the decision as to truth is to be removed from the court of our own reason and judgment. What are the limits to private judgment? We may consider these from two points of view-from that of our own imperfection, and from that of God's greatness. I. THE 'LIMITS THAT RESULT FROH OUR OWN IMPERFECTION. 1. Ignorance. The best-judge cannot decide aright till all the facts are laid before him. We know but a few-of the circumstances that determine the action of Providence; and we do not know the laws and principles that have to be applied. 2. Prefudice. We are not impartial judges; our justice is not blindfold; our sea.Jes are not even. Pride, self- interest, and passion blind our eyes and warp our judgment. 3. Sin. This is worse than preju~ce; it is a directly deceiving influence. lt leads us to ignore moral distinctions, and even to call.evil good. We are unjust judges concerning truth when we are the enemies of the highest truth and justice. 4. Natural weakness. Apart from all these defective conditionB, there are natural conditions that limit our powers of judgment. With all possible enlightenment and moral rectification we should still rem11;in human, i.e. we should still be creatures of very small capacity in regard to the great problems of the universe. These problems are too high for us; we cannot attain unto them. They baffle thought. - 'II. THE LIMITS THAT RESULT FROM THE GREATNESS OF GoD. Our imperfection limits us-in judging all questions; buL more especially does it limit us in estimating ihe •,actfori of God.. The special idea of Elihu is that we cannot judge of God's providen~ial dealings with us.. The three friends were wrong in their defence of it-as .)'ob said, ".spea;king wickedly for God;" and Job was wrong in thinking hardly of it. For neither party was in a position to decide about it. We cannot choose our own course in the -world wisely, much less can we decide how God shall act. The greatness of God and of his works far exceeds the range of our view. 1. Supreme wisdom. Ideas quite above our comprehension rule in the purposes of God. 2. Large designs. God is not confined to the consideration of a single individual or a. little circle; he administers a universe. Therefore •bis schemes and purposes must far exceed our view in the extent of their fange 1u1 well as in the character of their aim. 3. Pe1fect goodness. God miist decitl'e aright; for in him is no evil. His holiness and love should make us feel _that we dare not sit in judgment on his actions. If they are dark to us, they are "° from.excess of light.-,W. F. A. , - Ver. 36.-The completion of trial. Elihu wishes Job to be "tried unto the end.'" His desire:strikes us as cruel. Yet, perhaps unknown to himself, great good may coma out of the fulfilment of it. I. THERE IS AN END OF TRIAL. As we look down the long vista of troubles we can see no terminus; it seems to run on for ever into the darkness. But whatever may be the ·appearance, the reality is not everlasting. "Weeping may endure for a night, but ~oy coi;neth ·in· the morning." Never was night more long. Its slow hours drag on weari1y ; y_et they must pass, and day must come in God's good time. The long life of iroiible will end at last in the peace of the grave. But many earthly troubles pa.58 like stormy noons, and there is "light at eventide." •II. A GOOD UBE OF TBHL MAY HASTEN THE END OF IT. So long as we fret a.gains\ it God may find it necessary to keep it with us. If we are s1ow in learning our 564 THE BOOK OF JOB. [cu. XXXV. 1-18,
1r~~on we must be kept long at sohool. Bnt when the lesson is learnt the BOhool may he broken up. , Ill. THE COMPLETION OF TRIAL IB SEEN IN lT8 FRUITS, The fire has not dono it& work if the dross has not been separated from the metal. Only when the crucible 11hows the required chemical change is the test complete. Therefore we should be watching for results. Great troubles are wasted on men who will not submit to them, 8'l that they may bear their designed fruits in patience, humility, contrition, amend- ment, etc. lY. 'WE CANNOT JUDGE OF TRIAL TILL WE HAVE BEEN THE END OF IT. We have to read to the end of the story of Job before we can discover for what he is being led through the deep waters. The rounded life shows the place and purpose of its several episodes, but those episodes by themselves look fragmentary and meaningless. Therefore we have to "wait for the end." When this arrives many a riddle will be solved, many a hard ex:perience will be ex:plained, many a black cloud will be glorified into golden splendour. V. Gon 111:AY DISPENSE WITH THE NATURAL 00111:PLETI0N OF TRIAL, Trouble is not like a tunnel, from which there is no ex:it except at its ends. It is a burden which ma:v be lifted whenever God sees fit. The object of trial may be obtained by other means, and it is possible that gentler methods may bring about the same results. Thus God leads to repentance by his goodness as well as by purgatorial afflictions. Therefore we should not Jive as though some iron fate held us to a certain amount of trial. God is a living Spirit and a loving Father ; and he will not permit his children to suffer, when peaceable methods of discipline will do the desired work for them; Our part is to take patiently wba.t God sends, and to use it profitably, trusting God to cut short the trouble or lengthen it as he sees best.-W. F. A.
EXPOSITION.