1

followed by a particular description of one of its pieces of furniture. But whatever their force of Logic may be, their tafte of Rhetoric feems none of the belt. It is a ftrange kind of amplification to say, "He made all the conftellations, and he "made one of them." But that interpretation of Scripture which receives its chief strength from the rules of human eloquence, and art of compofition, hath often but a flender fupport. I fhall go on therefore to fhew, that an Hebrew Writer (and he who, after all that has been faid, will not allow the Author of the book of Job to be an Hebrew, may grant or deny what he pleafes, for me) to fhew, I fay, that an Hebrew Writer, by the crooked Serpent could not mean a Conftellation.

The Rabbins tell us, (who in this case seem to be competent Evidence) that the ancient Hebrews in their Aftronomy, which the moveable Feafts of their Ritual neceffitated them to cultivate, did not reprefent the Stars, either fingle or in Conftellations, by the name or figure of any Animal whatsoever; but diftinguished them by the letters of their alphabet, artificially combined. And this they affure us was the conftant practice, till, in the later ages, they became acquainted with the Grecian Sciences: Then, indeed, they learnt the art of tricking up their SPHERE, and making it as picturefque as their neighbours. But ftill they did it with modesty and referve; and hesitated even then, to admit of any human Figure. The reafon given for this fcrupulous obfervance, namely, the danger of Idolatry, is the highest confirmation of the truth of their account. For it is not to be believed, that, when the ASTRONOMY and SUPERSTITION of Egypt were fo closely colleagued, and that the combination was fupported by this very means, the NAMES

given

given to the Conftellations, it is not to be believed, I fay, that Mofes, who, under the ministry of God, forbad the Ifraelites to make any likeness of any thing in HEAVEN above according to the old mode, would fuffer them to make new likenesses there: which, if not in the first intention set up to be worshiped, yet, we know, never waited long to obtain that honour. To corroborate this Rabbinical account relative to the Hebrew Aftronomy, we may obferve, that the Tranflators of the Septuagint, the Heads and Doctors of the Jewish Law, who muft needs know what was conformable to the practice derived from that Law, understood the Writer of the book of Job to mean no more nor lefs than the DEVIL by this periphrafis of the crooked Serpent; and fo tranfated it, ΔΡΑΚΟΝΤΑ ΑΠΟΣΤΑΤΗΝ, the apoftate Dragon.

From all this it appears, that neither Moses nor ESDRAS could call a Conftellation by the name of the crooked Serpent.

V. The laft Actor in this representation, is Job's fourth friend, ELIHU the fon of Barachel the Buzite, who is brought upon the stage in the thirty fecond chapter. He is made to reprove Job with great afperity; and, like the other three, to have his wrath kindled against him: and yet, to the furprise of all the Commentators, he is not involved in their Sentence, when GoD paffes judgment on the Controverfy. Here again, the only folution of the difficulty is our interpretation of the book of Job. Elihu's oppofition was the feverity of a true friend; the others' the malice of pretended ones. His feverity against Job arose from this, that Job juftified himself rather than God", that is, was

"Chap. xxxii. ver. 2.

H 3

more

more anxious to vindicate his own innocence than the equity of God's Providence. For under the perfon of ELIHU was defigned the facred Writer himfelf. He begins with the character of a true Prophet, under which, as in the act of infpiration, he reprefents himself. I am full of matter, the Spirit within me conftraineth me. Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles *. And this, he contrafts with the character of the falfe Prophets of that time,--Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's perfon, neither let me give flattering titles unto many. But all this will appear from the following confiderations.

Elihu, on the entrance upon his argument, addreffes the three friends in the following manner: Now he hath not directed his words against ME: neither will I anfwer him with YOUR Speeches". This fufficiently difcriminates his caufe and character from theirs. He then turns to Job: "My words

(fays he) fhall be of the uprightness of my "heart; and my lips fhall utter knowledge clearly. "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath

66

a

of the Almighty hath given me life. If thou "canft answer me, fet thy words in order before me, and ftand up, BEHOLD I AM, ACCORDING TO THY WISH, IN GOD'S STEAD: I alfo am “formed out of the clay "," &c. This clearly intimates the character of God's chofen Servant : These were of approved integrity, they received the divine infpiration, and were therefore in God's fread to the People. Elihu goes on in the same strain."He excites Job to attention,-accufes him of charging GoD with injustice,-reproves his impie

ty,―tells him that men cry in their afflictions, and are not heard for want of faith:-that his fins hinder the descent of God's bleffings; whofe wif dom and ways are unfearchable."-But is this the converfation of one private man to another? Is it not rather a public exhortation of an Hebrew Prophet fpeaking to the People? Hence too, we may fee the great propriety of that allufion to the cafe of Hezekiah, mentioned above, which the writer of the book of Job, in this place, puts into the mouth of Elihu. The Spirit with which Elihu fpeaks is farther feen from his telling Job that be defires to justify him. And yet he accufes him of faying, It profiteth a man nothing, that he should delight himself with God; and expoftulates with him. yet further; Thinkeft thou this to be right that thou faidft, My righteousness is more than God's? For thou faidft, What advantage will it be unto thee, and what profit fhall I have, if I be cleansed from my fin© ? Here the Commentators are much fcandalized, as not seeing how this could be fairly collected from what had paffed; yet it is certain he fays no more of Job than what the Prophets fay of the People represented under him. Thus Malachi : "Ye have wearied the Lord with your words : yet ye fay, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye

fay, Every one that doth evil is good in the fight of "the Lord, and be delighteth in them; or, Where is "the God of judgment?" And again: Ye have faid, It is vain to ferve God: and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the proud happy: Yea they that work wickedness are fet up; yea they that tempt God are even delivered.

b Chap. xxxiii. ver. 18, & feq. a Chap. xxxiv. ver. 9. ƒ MAL. ii. 17.

g MAL.

H 4

e Chap. xxxiii. ver. 32. * Chap. xxxv. ver. 2, 3.

iii, 14, 15.

It

It was this which kindled Elihu's wrath against Job; who, in this work, is represented to be really guilty; as appears not only from the beginning of GOD's fpeech to him"; but from his own confeffion, which follows. It is remarkable that Job, from the beginning of his misfortunes to the coming of his three comforters, though greatly provoked by his Wife, finned not (as we are told) with his lips. But, perfecuted by the malice and bitterness of their words, he began to lay fuch ftrefs on his own innocence as even to accuse the justice of GOD. This was the very state of the Jews at this time: So exactly has the facred Writer. conducted his allegory! They bore their ftraits and difficulties with temper, till their enemies the Cutbeans, and afterwards Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabians confederated against them; and then they fell into indecent murmurings against GOD. And here let us obferve a difference in the conduct of Elihu and the three friends, a difference which well diftinguishes their characters: They accufe Job of preceding faults; Elihu accufes him of the prefent, namely, his impatience and impiety: which evi dently fhews that his charge was true, and that theirs was unjuft'.

Again, Elihu ufes the very fame reasonings against Job and his three friends", which are after

h Chap. xxxviii.

k Chap. ii. ver. 10.

Chap. xlii. ver. 1, & feq.

1 To this Dr. Grey fays, that the three friends likewise accufe Job of his prefent faults. Well, and what then? Does this acquit them of injuftice for falfely charging him with preceding

ones ?

From chap. xxxii. to xxxvii.

wards