This is a point of very great importance to ascertain. Orthodox men who certainly did not write to favor my opinions shall furnish us with all necessary information about this: Prideaux in his Connexions, vol. 1. pp. 185-6. thus writes: "Directly opposite to these were the Magians, another sect, who had their original in the same eastern countries; for they abominating all images, worshipped God only by fire. They began first in Persia, and there, and in India, were the only places where this sect was propagated; and there they remain even to this day. Their chief doctrine was, that there were two principles, one which was the cause of all good, and the other the cause of all evil, that is to say, God and the devil; that the former is represented by light, and the other by darkness, as their truest symbols; and that, of the composition of these two, all things in the world are made: the good god they name Yazdan, and also Ormudz, and the evil god, Ahraman: the former is by the Greeks called Oramasdez, and the latter Arimanius. And therefore, when Xerxes prayed for that evil upon his enemies, that it might be put into the minds of all of them to drive their best and bravest men from them, as the Athenians had Themistocles, he addressed his prayer to Arimanius the evil god of the Persians, and not to Oramasdez their good god. And concerning these two gods there was this difference of opinion among them, that whereas some held both of them to have been from all eternity, there were others that contended, that the good god only was eternal, and that the other was created. But they both agreed in this, that there will be a continual opposition between these two till the end of the world; that then the good god shall overcome the evil god, and that from thenceforward each of them shall have his world to himself, that is, the good god his world with all good men with him, and the evil

god his world with all evil men with him; that darkness is the truest symbol of the evil god, and light the truest symbol of the good god. And therefore they always worshipped him before fire, as being the cause of light, and especially before the sun, as being in their opinion the perfectest fire, and causing the perfectest light. And for this reason, in all their temples, they had fire continually burning on altars erected in them for that purpose. And before these sacred fires they offered up all their public devotions, as likewise they did all their private devotions before their private fires in their own houses. Thus did they pay the highest honor to light, as being in their opinion the truest representative of the good god; but always hated darkness, as being, what they thought, the truest representative of the evil god, whom they ever had in the utmost detestation, as we now have the devil: and, for an instance hereof, whenever they had an occasion in any of their writings to mention his name, they always wrote it backward, and inversed, as thus, uewey.

That such were the religious opinions of the people where Job lived, cannot well be doubted. This fact we should think indisputable to whatever result it may lead. Ahraman or Arimanius, the evil principle deified, was the evil god of the people. The only objection which will be stated against this is "That Job lived at too early a period for the opinions advanced in this quotation." But in answer I would remark first, that Job's day was not too early for Sabianism or the worship of idols, for this existed in Abraham's day and when Israel entered Canaan the worship of idols prevailed among the inhabitants. Why then should his day be too early for the Magian religion? Prideaux, speaks of Sabianism, as opposite to Magianism, but does not intimate that the former was of a more ancient date. On the contrary, we shall

see in the next Section, that when Zoroaster arose and revived the Magian religion he revived that, which for "many ages" had been the established religion of Persia. In this account satan is not represented as a new or extraordinary being, which had never been heard of before. It is taken for granted that the people where the scenes of the book are laid, were familiar with such a being, and the opinions expressed concerning him. This account, which appears strange to us, they needed no explanation of, any more than people among us do, when any man preaches about the devil.

But what shows such opinions prevailed where Job lived, are the facts and circumstances mentioned in the account itself. These we shall notice presently. Here I would only say, that it is evident satan is introduced as an evil being, and it is generally contended that he was the author of all Job's afflictions. This perfectly agrees to the opinions of the Magians, as stated by Prideaux. Besides, previous Scripture usage of the term satan, forbids us thinking, that the sacred writers recognized either an evil god or a fallen angel under this name. Where, let me ask, do any of them intimate, that an evil being, such as the Persian evil god, or the Christian's devil, existed as a rival to Jehovah? To what else then could the writer refer, but to such heathen opinions? If such a being as the Christian's devil existed, how is it accounted for, that he remained so quiet until the days of Job? Job appears to have been the first man he ever troubled, from the creation of the world. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with many others were good men, and rich men, but he never attempted to injure them in their property, or smite them with a single boil in their whole lifetime. From any thing which appears to the contrary, they had no fear of such a being, nor knew of his existence. Had satan just

fallen from heaven, in the days of Job, and began his depredations on mankind? Admitting this true, how is it, that as Job was the first, so he was the last man he ever so tormented? The case of the woman, whom he is said to have bound eighteen years, is no exception to this, as we shall show, Section 5. Let it be accounted for then, why satan had such a particular hatred against Job, above all other men before or since. It is easily perceived, that these things are rationally accounted for, on the presumption, that in this account there is a reference to the evil god of the people among whom Job lived. Allowing this, the account is just what might be expected. The character given to satan, answers to that of their god, whom they believed to be the author and director of

all evil.

The question, which now comes forward for consideration is-Was this account of satan introduced for the purpose of establishing, or was it introduced to refute such opinions? Let satan here be considered, either the evil principle deified, or the devil of Christians, were such opinions intended to be sanctioned by the writer, or does he introduce them, to expose their fallacy, and establish the supremacy of the one living and true God in opposition to them? All I think will agree, that the whole must stand approved or condemned. No middle path can be here taken, for no ground is afforded for it. It is then a matter of no consequence, whether we consider satan in this account the principle of evil deified, or, that he was the Christian's devil. Whether the same or different, I shall proceed to show, by direct and I think conclusive evidence, that neither of them had any influence in producing Job's afflictions. That they were all sent by the one living and true God, whom Job feared and obeyed, is evident,

1st. From Job's own testimony concerning his afflictions. Job's heathen neighbors supposed their evil god Ahraman was the cause of them. Christians believe their satan or devil was the cause of them. But does Job ascribe them to either? No, when one messenger after another is represented as announcing to him the loss of his property and at last the death of his children, he says "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." chap. i. 21. He does not for a moment admit that either Ahraman or the devil had any kind of concern in his afflictions. He no more admits their influence in taking away his property and children, than in the bestowment of them. The giving and taking them away are alike ascribed to Jehovah. Similar were his views and feelings, when afflicted with sore boils. His wife desired him to curse God and die. But he says to her "Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" Job ii. 9, 10. Does this look like acknowledging the Persian evil god or the Christian's devil? Notwithstanding the popular opinions, that Ahraman was the cause of all evil, the severe bodily pain he suffered, and the taunts of his wife, he holds fast his integrity in the true God. Now, permit me to ask, if Job had believed, that either Ahraman or the devil brought his afflictions upon him, why did he ascribe them all to the true God without reservation? And why did he not correct his wife's mistake by telling her, that Ahraman or the devil ought to be cursed? But Job had no faith in either, and hence he told her, that she spoke as one of the foolish or heathen women speaketh. Job allowed of but one God, and it is evident, that his adversity and prosperity are both alike ascribed to See chap. xlii. 10-12. and i. 21.

him.