the divine majesty, that he would condefcend to convince thee of thy errors! that he would interpofe in this important debate, and confute thee with his own mouth! that he would expofe to view the secret stores and depths of his unerring wisdom, which infinitely furpaffes thy weak penetration, in these fevere difpenfations of his Divine Providence; and demonftrate to thee, beyond all contradiction, that notwithstanding he should ftill add to thy afflictions, he would be infinitely juft and gracious! Is it in thy power, thinkeft thou, after all thy profoundest researches, to account for the judgments of the Almighty? Canft thou, vain creature! entertain any adequate idea of the concealed views of his over-ruling Providence? The attempt to comprehend his conduct, or to pry into the fecret councel of his mind, would be as fruitlefs and ineffectual, as to take the exact dimenfions of the heavens, or to fathom the depths of the infernal regions. Though the earth and the ocean are doubtless very extenfive, yet they have their respective limitations; the reafons of God's Providence, however, are boundless. If God fhould think fit to cut a whole nation from off the earth, or fhould fhut up ten thousand miferable captives into dungeons; if he should, on the other hand, condefcend to release them from their chains, or to eafe a nation that is harraffed and fatigued, who fhall prefume to start objections against his conduct, or to charge him with any act of injuftice? For he knows the rashness and folly of mankind, and can expofe their iniquitous practices, however fecret and concealed; nay, he can discover the very thoughts of their guilty hearts, and reveal their errors. Notwithstanding thou mayft boast indeed of thy righteoufnefs, and mayst vainly declare thyfelf innocent, and free from fin; yet he can difcern the hypocrify that lurks within thee; and if fo, canft thou imagine, that he will stand unconcerned, and not punish or correct his creatures for the errors of their ways? Shall vain, despicable man prefume to cenfure or acquit the Almighty; fince mere 1 mere man is as void of understanding, especially in regard to things of a divine nature, and as dull and ftupid as the wildest afs? If then thou wouldeft act the part of a wife and prudent man, leave off thefe rash contentions with thy Maker, and betake thyfelf to and fupplications. If thou art guilty of any known fin, prayer though ever fo fecret and concealed from the eyes of thy neighbours, chafe it from thy heart; and if thy family are diforderly and diffolute, ftudy how to bring about a speedy reformation: for then thou shalt erect thy face to heaven with chearfulness, and in times of danger, shalt stand unmoved: thou shalt then diffipate all thy fears, and blot out of thy remembrance all thy paft miffortunes; or at least thou fhalt reflect on them, as on waters only that are run away, and will no more return. The remainder of thy days fhall prove more glorious than the fun in his meridian fplendor; and more ferene, and fairer than the morning. Notwithstanding any impending danger threatens thee, thou shalt be fearless and secure; because there is hope that the Almighty will shelter and protect thee: if thou diggest a well of water for thy flocks and herds, thou shalt fee them partake of it in peace, fecure either from beafts of prey, or from the hands of the spoiler: thy habitation shall be undisturbed: and when thou lieft down to reft, no fudden alarms fhall affright thee. Thy neighbours fhall flock round about thee, court thy friendship, and make their applications to be sheltered under the umbrage of thy protection. It shall not, however, be thus with the wicked: unfufferable woes shall overwhelm them; they fhall cry aloud for help, but no one shall relieve them; as a blast of air, all their hope fhall vanish; and as it is the Almighty that denounces war against them, who fhall deliver them out of his hands? MISCEL MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS on CHAP. XI. VERSE XVI. BECAUSE THOU SHALT FORGET THY MISERY, AND REMEMBER IT AS WATERS THAT PASS AWAY. The following lines from Dr. Young's Night Thoughts, may, I conceive, be juftly termed a beautiful paraphrase on this verse. Life glides away, Lorenzo! like a brook; In life embark'd, we smoothly down the tide We start, awake, look out; what fee we there? CHAP. PP VOL. III, CHA P. XII. IN THIS CHAPTER, WE HAVE JOB'S REPLY TO ZOPHAR'S ACCUSATION; WHEREIN HE CHARGES ALL THREE OF HIS VISITORS WITH A PARTIAL REGARD FOR THEIR OWN WISDOM, WHICH WAS NOTWITHSTANDING SO SHAMEFULLY DEPRAVED, THAT IT HAD NOT SO MUCH AS TAUGHT THEM HOW TO SHEW COMMON PITY AND COMPASSION FOR THEIR NEIGHBOURS IN DISTRESS. AFTER THIS, HE INTIMATES, THAT HE HAD NO OCCASION TO APPLY TO THEM FOR INSTRUCTION; BUT THAT THEY OUGHT RATHER TO OPEN THEIR EYES, AND BE CONVINCED OF THE FALLACY SO APPARENT IN THAT LAST PROPOSITION OF ZOPHAR'S, WITH RESPECT TO THE INEXPRESSIBLE CALAMITIES OF THE UNGODLY; SINCE IT WAS OBVIOUS TO SENSE, THAT THE WICKED TOO FREQUENTLY LED A LIFE OF UNINTERRUPTED PEACE AND TRANQUILITY. FROM THENCE HE PROCEEDS TO SHEW THE UNERRING WISDOM AND JUSTICE OF GOD IN THE GOVERNMENT OF ALL TEMPORAL AFFAIRS; AND PARTICULARLY, IN PERMITTING SOME TO BE PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY, WHILST OTHERS ARE OVERWHELMED WITH CARES AND TROUBLES; IN EXALTING ONE MAN, AND HUMBLING ANOTHER, ACCORDING AS IT SEEMED MOST MEET TO HIS OWN GOOD WILL AND PLEASURE. N O fooner had Zophar concluded his harangue, but Joв refumed the argument; and made the following replication. You imagine, I prefume, that there are no perfons of equal wisdom and penetration with yourselves; infomuch that were you once dead, ignorance would reign unmolested, and folly gain univerfal empire; be not, however, fo very vain and felf-conceited; you have understanding, and fo have I; neither are my intellects, in any respect inferior to yours: there is no one, let his capacity be ever so weak, but might have difcourfed as profoundly on the topics at present under confideration as you have done. I am not so senselefs and ftupid, but I can clearly difcern your fecret pride, when, with with an air of derision and contempt, you are pleased to bid me call upon God, that he may anfwer me. This, however is no novel cafe: the most innocent and upright men have met with the fame infolent and imperious treatment. He, who could once boast of his riches and preferments, but is reduced to the lowest ebb of fortune, notwithstanding he might be efteemed whilft his lamp burnt fresh and bright, is defpifed when that light only glimmers, and is juft expiring. This, however, is the common lot of the righteous; whilst the wicked live in an uninterrupted feries of affluence and ease. Even those who are tyrants and oppreffors, and provoke God daily, heap up riches and live fecure from all manner of harms the Almighty confers his favours upon them with a lavish hand, and makes no vifible diftinction, in point of his rewards, between the just and the unjust. We need have recourse no farther than to the beats of the field, and the birds of the air to discover how the wicked flourish. The earth produces her fruits in abundance for their use, and fifh of the fea are daily at their fervice. Who is there fo illiterate and fenfeless as not to perceive thereby, that all this happens through God's own permiffion and appointment, who has an indisputable right over the whole creation? As the palate can distinguish what is fweet from what is bitter; and as the ear can perceive the harmony or difcord of any founds; fo can the minddistinguish between truth and falshood: and as we advance in years, one would imagine at least, that we should encreafe in knowledge. But what is our finite wisdom when compared with omniscience? And as God's knowledge is infinite, so likewise is his power; and it is impoffible for him either to err in his judgment, or be difappointed in his defigns. When he once demolishes a building, all: the art of the most skilful architects will be incapable of repairing it; when he plunges any man into a fea of troubles, and overwhelms him with diseases, no phyfician, how judicious foever, can reftore him to his health. If he be pleafed to withhold the rain, |