wa, a more righteous being than l1ia Malur. No doubt Job would have shrunk from any such deification of himself, had be clearly foreseen how much his utterances meant. Job's example should teach saints to keep the door of their lips. That Jehovah still urged these interrogations on his servant was a proof that the work of reducing him to complete subjection was not yet accomplished. III. A PROPOSAL HADE, 'fhat Job should for once take God's place, and show what he could do in the way of governing the world. " Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?" On the supposition that Job is com- petent to exchange places with the Supreme, he is invited: 1. To array him.ielf in the royal robes of Deity. "Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty." Whatever glory man possesses is not inherent, but derived, and is really 118 no glory by the reason of the glory that excelleth, viz. the glory of tbe supreme Creator. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firma- ment showeth bis handiwork." God" covereth himself with light as with a garment," and is "clothed with honour and with majesty.'' Jehovah means that Job should similarly array himself in splendours like those of t:b.e material creation, or that he should occupy the throne of which these constituted, as it were, the external trappings and visible decorations. 2. To display the righteous wrath of Deity. "Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath;'' literally," Let the overfiowings of thy wrath pour themselves forth.'' A characteristic attribute of Deity to manifest holy indignation against evil- doers (Isa. il.10-21), it is here suggested to Job for imitation. This, however, does not warrant good men to usurp the place and function of him who says, "Vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord.'' God's people may pour forth their righteous indignation against iniquity; upon the evil-doer they are only warranted to pour forth pity. 3. To e:cercise thejudicialfwnctions of Deity. "Behold every one that is proud, and abase him;" or, "Behold all pride and abase it; behold all pride and bring it low ; and tread," or cast down, "the wicked in their place.'' The language sets forth (1) the principle of the Divine administration, which is to humble pride (Lev. xxvL 19; Ps. :r.viii. 27; Prov. viii. 13; Isa. ii. 11; Matt. xxiii. 12); (2) the certainty of its opera- tion, indicated by the repetition of the challenge, "Behold all pride, and abase it," i.e. as I do without failing; (3) the ease with which it is carried into execution, "Behold pride, and abase it," cast it down with a look, as I do; (4) the efficiency with which it is performed, " Hide them in the dust together, and bind their faces in secret," the allusion being either to the shutting up of prisoners (Umbreit, Delitzsch), or perhaps to the bandaging of mummies or shrouding of corpses (Carey). IV. A RESULT STIPULATED. "Then will I also confess unto thee [or,' extol thee'] that thine own hand can save thee [or, 'bring to thee help']." The words imply: 1. That man cannot save, or even effectually help, hinu;elf. 'l'he human heart is prone to think it can effect its own deliverance from misery and sin; but the utter helpless- ness of man to escape condemnation and free himself from the moral pollution in which he uaturally lies, or even to surmount the calamities of life, is not only declared by Scripture, but confirmed by all experience. "Without me," said Christ, "ye can do nothing." 2. That nothing short of Divine power is required to accomplish man's salvation. Only on the hypothesis that Job was possessed of powers and attributes that were Divine does Jehovah admit that he might achieve his own emancipation from either the afflictions that assailed his body or the fears that disturbed his mind. This thought lays the axe to the root of the doctrine of the self-regenerative power of human nature. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." 3. That su,ch power belongs exclusively to Jehovah. Hence he alone is a God of salvation. "I am a just God and a Saviour, and there is none beside me." Hence also he alone is the quarter to which man should look for succour. "0 Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me L; thy help.'' 4. That, as a conseq11ence, to God alone belongs the praise of man's salvation. Jehovah admits that to save a man like Job would be a creditable achierement, an extremely praiseworthy deed, and offers, moreover, to extol him if he can perform it. Bnt to God alone pertains the power that is able to redeem. Hence also to God alone pertains the glory (1 Chron. xxix. 11; Rev. iv. 11; v. 9, 12). Learn: 1. That the proper subject of man's judgment is not God, but himself. 2. That he who thinks to rival God is self-deceived. 3, That the visible part of God's glory is as nothing in comparison to what is yet to be revealed. 4. That Go,l's 'mE ~OO'K OP' JOB. [OR, XL, 1-1'4
gonmment of the world is always in the intere~ of meekneH, tru:th, and righteoua- neea. 6. That man should not &tint the praiee of him who bath btottght nlvatlon nigh to a fallen world.