cerning God, even when he was writing bitter things against him. What could express a more holy and submissive frame of heart, than Though he slay me, yet will I trust

6

to say,
in him ?'"

JOB. CHAPTER I.

"Verse 1. There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil.'

"There was such a man, but it is not precisely known at what time he lived, though it is probable it was between the time of Abraham and Moses.

"The land of Uz appears to have been on the borders of the Sabeans, and in Lam. iv. 11. Jeremiah speaks of them as Edomites. It is generally allowed that they were profane and superstitious, yet Job lived holily and justly among them, from which observe, that God hath his servants in the worst of places. It is a high commendation, as well as a great honour, to be good and do good, amongst those that are evil. True grace will shine as a light even in the midst of a crooked and perverse. generation.

Job was a perfect man, not absolutely, but in comparison of those that were all over spotted with filthiness, or only painted with godliA perfect man is one whom you may know by his tongue, and his actions are a tran

ness.

seript of his inner-man; perfect being taken for inward soundness, upright denotes justice and equity, so it is expounded, Psa. xv.

"The fear of God is a holy filial affection, awing the whole man to obey the whole will of God; or it is put for the external or instituted worship of God.

"To eschew evil, is to turn from it with reluctance and abhorrence; Job's heart rose against evil, and that is the strength of holiness, it is not enough not to commit it.

"God first describes Job's spiritual estate, hence observe, that gracious habits and spiritual blessings are not only the choicest, but those only can render a man happy. When God gives a man true grace, he gives the one thing necessary, so he need not be discontented with his own lot, nor envy the condition of any other.

"As in this description, Job's graces are put before his riches, so sincerity is preferred before all his other graces; sincere and soundhearted persons are esteemed by God as perfect. Truth of grace is perfection here, and all who are sincere before God, are just and honest in all their ways before men, which is a great ornament to a profession of Godliness, and none but such as show the reality of their grace by their conduct, have a right to make a profession before men.

"God is pleased with nothing we do, unless we do it in his fear; holy fear contains in it every grace we receive from God, and all the worship we render to him, it keeps both heart

and life clean. Godly persons oppose all sin and avoid all occasions of evil, we cannot avoid sin if we will not avoid the occasion.

"Verse 2. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.'

"Children are the blessing of the Lord; they are put first, as being the best part of his inheritance. He was father and master of a large family, yet we never hear that he excused himself as many do, that they have not time for the worship of God, or any thing to give to the poor, because they have families to provide for. All who make such excuses, would do well to consider, that what is prudently given in alms, is put into the best fund for the benefit of their children; there is a Dutch proverb, that there is nothing gained by stealing, nor lost by praying.

"Verse 3. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and three hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.'

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Though riches are but external and accidental, yet it is common to call a wealthy man, a man of substance; it is only by having heavenly wisdom, that we inherit substance. Cattle were more esteemed in those days than gold and silver, and, having life, they are more excellent in their nature. Job was the greatest man in riches, honour, power, and in grace, and that is the best greatness of all; his outward high station is set forth so fully, that the

universal and sudden change might be the more conspicuous, and discover his patience the more fully by the sad reverse, as Ruth i. 21, I went out full, but the Lord hath brought me home again empty.' To be very great and very good, shows that a man is good indeed. In Job we see the rich man get through the needle's eye, because all his camels and riches did not take up so much room in his heart as one single thread. All his outward estate was kept without. To renounce the world, is to cast it out of our affections, not out of our possession; if you would go the ready way to attain the things of this life, walk in the ways of God; Woe to those that get a wound to their consciences by getting riches, Job served God so frequently, that it is called continually, yet he grows in wealth abundantly. The time we spend in prayer and other offices of religion, &c. whets our tools and oils our wheels, and promotes and gets a blessing upon all we go about. Piety and charity are ordinarily the surest way of thriving; but Job's prosperity and piety being mentioned before his affliction, teaches us, that neither can preserve us from the calamities of this life, as Job's mistaken friends thought.

"Verse 4. And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and drink with them.'

"Job's happiness is here described by the concord of his children, they harmoniously feasted together at their own homes, without mixing with strangers at public entertainments.

Though feasting may be very lawful, and even laudable on some occasions, when it is in moderation, and the conversation edifying; but it becomes sinful when a person cannot afford the expense, and are thereby prevented from complying with the calls of providence in distributing to the necessities of others, or when it is unseasonable, as when the Lord is threatening or inflicting judgments, or when it issues in surfeiting or drunkenness; for such feasting the land mourns. The sons of Job did not feast alone, and the sisters did not intrude upon them, they came by their special invitation.

"The mutual agreement of children is a great blessing and comfort to their parents. How many have their hearts rent by the contentions and disputes of their children. When attending a feast beware of spending too much time, so as thereby to neglect and unfit thyself for the worship and service of God.

"Verse 5. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said,

it

may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts; thus did Job continually.'

"Job could not infuse holy habits into his children, but he sent an order for them to separate and prepare themselves for the sacrifice. To cleanse is called sanctifying, Exodus xix. 14.; Gen. xxxv. 2.; and it appears they all obeyed, for he offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all, which teaches