would soon turn his captivity, ver. 5-7. (4.) That it was an usual thing for Providence to extinguish the joys and hopes of wicked men, as his were extinguished, and therefore they had reason to suspect him for an hypocrite, ver. 8-19. (5.) That they should be abundantly confirmed in their suspicion, unless God did speedily appear for his relief, ver. 20, 22.

VER. 6. "If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee."]-The word signifies he would awake, or raise good for thee. When a christian is under deep distress, the apprehensions of his fellow christians are very dark, for they are ready to think, with Bildad, that if they were more holy, humble, and spiritual, God would surely deliver them out of their troubles; as though God were moved by our goodness, whereas afflictions in themselves never make us more holy, humble, or spiritual, but the grace he gives us in or under the affliction.

Ver. 14. "Whose trust shall be a spider's web."The hope of a hypocrite is very fitly compared to a spider's web; for as the spider's web is spun out of the bowels and by the art of the spider, so are the works and profession of the hypocrite, which are his hope; and these, like the spider's web, are thin, fine, and curious, but have nothing supporting or substantial in them, and therefore are not to be depended upon; for the soul's true dependence is only Christ's righteousness. But what makes the hope of the hypocrite so fitly compared to the spider's web, is, that whatever they do is without the grace of God, or a principle of love to God, or the strength of Christ, and therefore such webs are not fit for garments; they are too thin to cover a naked soul, and too weak for a guilty soul to depend upon; they cannot stand the stroke of divine justice in a dying hour, nor in the day of judgment; yet as naturally as the spider hasteth to his web in a time of danger, so do the pharisee and the hypocrite flee to their own works of righteousness for salvation.

Ver. 16. "He is green before the sun."-The real christian hath life and greenness under the sun of adversity and affliction, though that sun at times beats upon them, and they are black, and under the clouds of great tribula tions, yet they have the greenness of faith, hope, life, and love in their souls, and are like the green olive tree, or the cedars of God, which are full of sap, that is, of the supply of the spirit of grace; therefore it is that they wither not in the time of drought, Psalm i. 3.

CHAPTER IX.

In this and the following chapter we have Job's answer to Bildad's discourse, wherein he speaks honourably of God, humbly of himself, and feelingly of his troubles; but not one word by way of reflection upon his friends, or their unkindness to him, nor in direct reply to what Bildad had said. He wisely keeps to the merits of the cause, and makes no remarks upon the person that managed it, nor seeks occasion against him. In this chapter we have, (1.) The doctrine of God's justice laid down, ver. 2. (2.) The proof of it, from his wisdom, and power, and sovercign dominion, ver. 3-13. (3.) The application of it, in which, (1.) He condemns himself, as not able to contend with God, neither in law nor battle, ver. 14-21. (2.) He maintains his point, that we cannot judge of men's character by their ontward condition, ver. 22-24. (3.) He complains of the greatness of his troubles, the confusion he was in, and the loss he was at what to say or do, ver. 25-35.

VER. 2. "I know it is so of a truth: but how should a man be just with God?"]--This is the great question of the gospel, and is answered only by the Lord himself, Isaiah xlv. 25. "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory;" for by Christ's righteousness justice itself is satisfied, and it has no charge nor demand now to make, the penalty being endured, the debt being paid, and the law being magnified: hence it is that the soul stands acquitted, discharged, and justified before God. Rom. viii. 33, 34.

Ver. 3." He cannot answer him one of a thousand.”]— This shews that justification can never be by our works or obedience, either to the law or to the gospel; because we can never answer God for one sin of all the thousands that we have committed against his laws. See ver. 20, 21, 30, 31.

Ver. 12. "Behold be taketh away."]-This is to be understood of temporal mercies; for as to spiritual and eternal mercies, he never takes them away from his people, for "he resteth in his love to them," Zeph. iii. 17. and therefore he never takes away the grace and glory which he has settled upon them, and the gift of Christ which he has given to them, nor any of the blessings of the covenant: these he never takes away, for "the gifts and callings of God are without repentance."

Ver. 15. "Though I were righteous, yet would I not answer."-This is not to be understood as though Job doubted the truth or sincerity of his cause before his friends,

'but it is as though he had said, though ye should have nothing to lay to my charge, or accuse me with, yet I would not answer God with it; for upon this he would not venture a hair of his head, much less the everlasting peace of his soul; see ver. 20, 21. He knew that it was imperfect, impure, and as filthy rags, therefore it could answer no demand for him, and that he stood in need of a rigteous ness that was answerable to the precept and penalty of the law, that he could plead before God, and make mention of as glorious to the perfections of God, that was answerable to the law in all its demands; and this was the righteousness that should plead for him, and answer before God, which was never broke in thought, word, or deed; for Christ in his obedience is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth; and a believer looks upon his own righteousness as none at all, or as nothing in point of salvation, but Christ as all in all. In this sense a believer is able to answer God, and doth answer him every day; for when he pleads with God for the pardon of his sins, and for bis final discharge from all wrath, curse, and condemnation, he pleads the righteousness of Christ, that "being justified by his blood, he may be saved from the wrath through him." This is (if I may be allowed the expression) what he offers to God, and doth stand unto it; for hereby God hath all that he can desire, or doth in justice expect; for holiness can see no flaw in this righteousness, though it try to the uttermost; and in this sense the believer may be said to answer God.

Ver. 23. "He will laugh at the trial of the innocent."] -Not that sinless innocent persons are here meant, for we have all sinned, but the sincere christian is here meant, who may be said to be innocent, as no particular sin may be the cause of his present afflictions. The afflictions of Job teach us particularly the displays of divine sovereignty, namely, that God takes a delight in the afflictions of his own people, and this is consistent with his unchangeable love and favour to them, in supporting them and delivering them from all their troubles. The Lord may be said to laugh at the fears of his people under their trials, for they are apt to judge all is lost, they shall be ruined and undone, because they are thus tried; but God sees the end he has ordained by their affliction, and delights therein. The Lord carries himself in outward things with an equal hand both to the good and to the bad. The Lord laugheth at and derideth the wicked, Prov. i. 28. "I will laugh at their destruction,

and mock when their fear cometh." The carriage of God to his own people at times is such as if he did mock and laugh at them also. He that laugheth at a man's affliction, doth not regard what he suffers, he gives him no help, nor delivers him out of his sufferings, but will lay more affliction upon him. Even thus, in regard to outward dispensations, God deals with his own people; when they are in affliction and cry unto him, he makes as if he did not hear or regard them, but lets them cry day after day in their pains and wants; sometimes, instead of easing them, he lays more afflictions upon them. He delights at their trial, because he knows they will honour him in it, not because they are pained, but because himself is glorified: as a father, who puts a child upon a very hard task, which yet he is assured the child is able to go through with, is pleased to see him labour at it. And thus a believer is exhorted to delight at his own trial: "My brethren, (says the apostle James, chap. i. 2.) count it all joy that ye fall into divers tempta tions, or trials." The more trials, the more joys: and thus one believer may rejoice at the trial of another, because he knows" that the trial of our faith, being much more pre cious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, shall be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. i. 6, 7.

CHAPTER X.

Job owns here that he was full of confusion, ver. 15. and as he was, so was his discourse; he knew not what to say, and perhaps sometimes scarce knew what he said. In this chapter, (1.) He complains of the hardships he was under, ver. 1–7. And then comforts himself with this, that he was in the hand of the God that made him, and pleads that, ver. 8-13. (2.) He complains again of the severity of God's dealings with him, ver. 14-17. and then comforts himself with this, that death would put an end to his troubles, ver. 18-22.

VER. 12. "Thou hast granted me life and favour."]This shews, that though Job's affliction was very great and distressing, yet he had a great sense of the favour of God to him, and that he was blessed with both in a temporal and spiritual sense; for God had blessed him with grace and the blessing of spiritual life implanted in him, and communicated to him, by which life he became a spiritual man; and this was the free favour and grace of God to him, as

it flowed from his own good pleasure: which time of love was a time of life to him, and this life of grace is a living life, as it centers in Christ, and is secured by him, and has all its communications and supplies from him, "whom to know is life eternal." The christian's greatest joy under his trials is, to see that the favour of God and the blessings of the covenant are secured to him; for though there may be many changes in providence concerning him, yet his spiritual and eternal life are secure.

Ver. 15, "If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head."]-Which shews that Job's personal righteousness was not the matter of his confidence before God, but his Redeemer's righteousness alone.

Ver. 20. Let me alone, that I may take comfort a little."]-The trials of the christian may be so great, and his mind so full of confusion and distraction through one affliction and another, that he cannot take in any comfort till God is pleased to remove his afflictive hand: for though the christian under great sorrows is told of the love of God, the pardon of sin, the mercies of Christ, the promises of grace, and the inheritance of the saints in light, yet none of these at this time did give Job comfort, while the hand of God was so heavy upon him; and therefore his prayer was for a little release from affliction, that he might enjoy some comfort.

CHAPTER XI.

Poor Job's wounds were yet bleeding, his sore still runs and ceaseth not, but none of his friends bring him any oil, any balm; Zophar, the third, pours into them as much vinegar as the two former had done. (1.) He exhibits a very high charge against Job, as proud and false in justifying himself, ver. 1-4. (2.) He appeals to God for his conviction, and begs that God would take him to task, ver. 5. and that Job might be made sensible, (1.) Of God's unerring wisdom, and his inviolable justice, ver. 6. (2.) Of his unsearchable perfections, ver. 7 -9. (3.) Of his incontestible sovereignty, and uncontrolable power, ver. 10. (4.) Of the cognizance he takes of the children of men, ver. 11, 12. (3.) He assures him, that upon his repentance and reformation, ver. 13, 14. God would restore him to his former prosperity and safety, ver. 15-19. But if he were wicked it was in vain to expect it, ver. 20.

VER. 6. "And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom."]-This may be understood of the wisdom of