tance, as is evident from many of their predictions. And why might not Job be fo honoured, as well as others who lived before the days of our Saviour?

But ftill there is fomething that seems very unaccountable in this matter; for if Job's friends allowed and believed this great truth of a future refurrection, how is it that they continue to prefs their argument, and to infift, that he was undoubtedly wicked, because miferable? How is it that they do not reply to this argument, and fhew the reasoning to be falfe, if they apprehended it to be fo? Or, if this knowledge was peculiar to Job, how is it that they are not surprised at fuch new, such strange doctrine? And yet no fuch marks have been observed (as far as I have seen) by any interpreters. The Book of Job is in the nature of a drama, in which feveral perfons appear difcourfing one with another; and how could fuch a material affertion as this pass unobferved by all the fpeakers? One would imagine, from fuch conduct, that Job's friends understood him to fpeak only of his hope in this life, which they might entertain as a vain delufion, and deferving no regard.

But I am perfuaded the case will appear otherwise upon a strict examination; and that the circumstances relating to this paffage, duly observed, will caft a great light upon it, and be a means to open to us the true and genuine meaning of it.

The argument between Job and his friends turns upon this point, whether the afflictions of this world are certain marks of God's difpleasure, and an indi

• See Dr. Clarke's Difcourfe concerning the Connection of the Prophets, &c. page 12, 13.

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cation of the wickedness of those who fuffer? Job's friends maintain the affirmative; and in confequence of it charge Job with great iniquity, for no other reafon but because they faw him greatly miferable. This they thought was doing honour to the justice of God: but Job calls it, fpeaking wickedly for God; and talking deceitfully for him; and accepting the perfon of God, chap. xiii. as corrupt judges accept the persons of great men, when they give sentence partially in their favour. As to himself, he refolutely maintained his innocence; but ftill he depended upon the juftice and goodness of God, notwithstanding his present diftrefs. His character cannot be better de-. scribed than in his own words; Though he flay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him, chap. xiii. ver. 15. It is plain from hence, that Job's friends confined the exercise of God's juftice within the fcene of this world, and looked no further: but he, vexed with continued reproaches, applies himself to God in certain expectation of another time for juftice; O that thou wouldeft hide me in the grave, that thou wouldeft keep me fecret, until thy wrath be paft, that thou wouldeft appoint me a fet time, and remember me! chap. xiv. 13. What time was it, do you imagine, that Job defired to be appointed for him? Was it the time of this life? If fo, how could it fucceed his being hid in the grave? No; he had other hopes, and expected to be called from the grave, and seems affured that God would not defert his creatures even there; Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a defire to the work of thine hands, ver. 15. He had before declared his notion, That man lieth down, and riseth

And pre

not till the heavens be no more, ver. 12. fently declares, that all things were drawing to an end; the earth, and the inhabitants thereof: Surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place. The waters wear the ftones : thou wafheft away the things which grow out of the duft of the earth; and thou deftroyeft the hope of man. Thou prevaileft for ever against him, and he passeth, ver. 18, 19, 20. Thus far Job. Let us fee now how this new argument is entertained by his friends. The first who replies is Eliphaz the Temanite: he appears quite aftonished, and afks Job where he had this knowledge; whether he had the fecret of God, and had engroffed all wisdom to himself: he tells him, they were no strangers to the ways of God, but had heard as much from their fathers as Job had, though he pretended to the knowledge of fuch fecret things. But take his own words; Art thou the firft man that was born? or waft thou made before the hills? Haft thou heard the fecret of God? and doft thou reftrain wisdom to thyself? What knoweft thou, that we know not? what underftandeft thou, which is not in us? With us are both the gray-headed and very aged men, much elder than thy father. Are the confolations of God (which we have inftructed thee in) fmall with thee? is there any fecret thing with thee? chap. xv. ver. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. After this ftrong expoftulation, he returns to his old argument, and offers many proofs, from ancient tradition, of God's immediate vengeance upon the wicked. The next who answers Job is Bildad the Shuhite: he talks in the fame ftrain, and reproaches Job with his pretence to fecret knowledge above others. Wherefore, fays he, are

we counted as beafts, and reputed vile in your fight? chap. xviii. ver. 3. And because Job had talked as if the heavens fhould ceafe to be, and that the earth and its inhabitants should fail, and the rock be rèmoved out of his place, Bildad thinks him even diftracted with paffion, and reproaches him with his wild conceit; He teareth himself in his anger: Jhall the earth be forfaken for thee? and fhall the rock be removed out of his place?? chap. xviii. ver. 4. As if he had faid, "What is this wonderful man, that he "expects to fee all things deftroyed, the earth and "the heavens to pass away, that there may be a pro"per time to do him juftice? Is it not more reafon"able to think that God will do juftice here, than "that all the works of nature fhould be deftroyed "to make way for judgment? Yea, the light of the "wicked shalt be put out, and the spark of his firt "fhall not fhine," ver. 5.

These repeated provocations drew from Job that noble declaration of his faith and hope, which is the fubject of our prefent inquiry. In the next chapter he gently rebukes his friends for their fevere reproaches for his fuppofed error; And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself, chap. xix. ver. 4. It affects not you; why then are ye fo enraged? He goes on to acknowledge, in the first place, that all his mifery was from the hand of God; and that he cried in vain, being not regarded by God, or by man; I cry aloud, but there is no judgment, ver. 7. But then, fo far was he from being afhamed

? Τί γάρ, ἐὰν σὲ ἀποθάνης, ἀοίκητος ἢ ὑπ ̓ οὐρανόν ; What, if you die, muft the earth under the heavens be uninhabitable? LXX.

19, 20.

of the error imputed to him, that he appeals again with great folemnity to the future judgment of God; Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my fkin worms defroy this body, yet in my flefh fhall I fee God: whom I fhall fee for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. Job's meaning in this folemn appeal may be understood from another like paffage: Alfo now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. My friends foorn me; but mine eyes poureth out tears unto God, chap. xvi. ver. From these reasons and circumftances laid together, it appears to me evident, that Job's friends understood him to speak of a refurrection to judgment, and not of a temporal deliverance; otherwise, what occafion was there to reproach him with pretending to be wiser than all men, to know the secret of God beyond what the firft man knew, or any who fucceeded him? What reafon was there to charge him with an opinion, that the earth fhould be forfaken for his fake? His temporal deliverance furely could hurt neither the earth, nor its inhabitants. Add to this, two other charges brought against Job's opinion by Eliphaz, and not yet taken notice of; he calls his notion unprofitable, fpeeches that can do no good, nay, which are hurtful; for, fays he, thou cafteft off fear, and restraineft prayer before God, chap. xv. ver. 4. His thought was plainly this; If once Job can perfuade men that God does not interpofe to execute judgment in this life, but referves all things to a dif