THIS CHAPTER IS DIVIDED INTO THREE DISTINCT SECTIONS. IN THE FIRST, WE HAVE A SHORT ACCOUNT OF JOB'S PIETY, EXTENT OF POWER, AND LARGE POSSESSIONS. THE SECOND INFORMS US OF THE MANNER IN WHICH SATAN, BY GOD'S PERMISSION FOR THE TRIAL OF HIS FAITHFUL SERVANT JOB, DEPRIVED HIM NOT ONLY OF HIS EFFECTS, BUT OF HIS CHILDREN. AND THE LAST SHEWS US WITH WHAT HUMILITY AND RESIGNATION TO THE DIVINE WILL, THIS ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE RECEIVED THE MELANCHOLY TIDINGS OF ONE CONTINUED SERIES OF MISFORTUNES. N the days of old, there dwelt a prince, Joв, by name, at EL- I high birth, than for his heroic virtues. The Almighty therefore was pleased to blefs him in fuch a very fingular manner, that his outward profperity bore fome degree of proportion to the perVOL. III. Ff fections fections of his mind; for he not only beftowed on him a nume rous iffue, namely, feven fons and three daughters, but seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and as many fhe-affes, which were the riches of the country. where he lived; and in fhort, fuch an extenfive command, and, fuch a grand retinue, that he had no fuperior at least, if he had. any equal throughout the whole compafs of the Eaft. To this happiness he had the additional pleasure of seeing his children live in the strictest bonds of love and affection towards each other ;. for the fons made it a conftant practice to meet alternately at each others houses on their refpective birth-days, at which times they made fumptuous entertainments, and never failed of inviting their fifters to partake with them. Now as it was customary for these annual festivals to last seven days fucceffively, the prince, their indulgent father, who was never present to interrupt their mirth, took particular care, at the expiration of the week, to inform them by a special meffenger, that he expected they would prepare themselves, both by fafting and prayer, for the approaching facrifice which he proposed to offer up to God Almighty on their behalf; and when they were all affembled together, pursuant to fuch intimation, he rofe early the next morning, the most proper time, doubtlefs, for fuch an extraordinary act of devotion,. and not only prayed to God to bless them, but offered a particular burnt-offering for each of them, being apprehensive that some one or other of them might, in an unguarded hour, and in the heighth of their mirth, have either, faid or done fomewhat unbecoming the holy religion they profeffed: and this was JOB's conftant practice at the close of their respective feftivals. The great and exemplary piety, however, of this illuftrious prince was not fufficient to screen him from the most severe, though unjust accusations: for as there was a time fet apart for Job's fons. to prepare themselves for their appearance before the Almighty in. their their father's houfe; fo likewife there were days appointed for the bleffed angels themselves to approach the throne of God, and to lay before him an exact account of the adminiftration of their respective commiffions: and Satan, who is the most malicious and implacable enemy of mankind, embraced the favourable opportunity of introducing himself amongst them. God Almighty, however, in an instant difcovering the intruder, called to him, and in order to convince him, that, though he was a powerful and arbitrary spirit, he was notwithstanding in all refpects fubject to his controul, infifted, with a ftern countenance, that he should give an account of himself, and of what business he had been upon: to which he made a faint reply, with fuch an apparent concern and uneafinefs of mind, as fufficiently teftified his awful apprehenfion of the Almighty, and the limitation of his power. "I have been, « said he, taking a circuit round the habitable globe." If then that "has been your employment, faid God, after all your enquiries, "after all your malicious endeavours to disturb the peace and tranquility of mankind, you have no objection to my faithful fervant Job, nothing, doubtlefs, to lay to his charge, whofe integrity it " is well known can never be fhaken, and in whom there is no "manner of guile:" Yes, replied Satan, recollecting his usual "confidence, but I have: what he does is purely the refult of felf"interest it is not the pleasure he really takes in acting conform ¢ ably to your commands, but the advantage which he is con"scious to himself arifes from his fervile obedience. Have not you "made him ample amends for all his trouble? Have you not protected both him and his family in fuch an extraordinary "manner, that no misfortune could poffibly attend them?-What"ever he undertakes is crowned with fuccefs; and have you not "bestowed on him fuch an abundance, that the country he lives "in can scarce contain his flocks and herds? I am very well affured, "however, was you to exert that power to his disadvantage, and "reduce Ff2 "reduce him to a lower ftate of life, he will then play the hypocrite no longer, but pull off the mafk, and openly disdain your over-ruling Providence: and therefore, notwithstanding all "his boafted virtues, he has not that gratitude in him which the "world imagines." Upon this the Lord, being inclined to testifythe integrity of his fervant, who was thus maliciously accufed, and fet his exalted virtues in the fairest point of light, said to Satan : "Since you have thus unjustly afperfed the man who is perfectly guiltless, and who will maintain his integrity to the last under "the most abject poverty, with the fame ftrictness and fincerity: "as he does now, whilst under the umbrage of my protection, I " will with-hold my hand, and give you full power and authority "to dispose of all his substance at your will and pleasure, but upon "this exprefs condition, that you prefume not to touch his person.' Upon this, Satan withdrew, tranfported no doubt with fuch an unexpected commiffion, from the Divine presence, and made all the hafte he poffibly could, to fatiate his malice on this favourite of the Almighty. Accordingly, that malignant restless fpirit foon found out a very fair opportunity of putting his hellish defign into execution. For not long after was the birth-day of Job's eldest son, at which the whole family, according to custom, were affembled together, in order to indulge themselves in their wonted gaiety, without restriction or reserve, and without the leaft apprehension of pending danger. This was the critical conjuncture for Satan to enter upon his moft merciless project. any im In the first place, he animated a clan of Arabian robbers to ravage that part of his land which lay nearest them. Thofe fons of violence instantly obeyed his orders, and Job foon received a very melancholy account of his first misfortune, in words to this or the like effect. "As your oxen were plowing in the fields,. and your affes were grazing in the adjacent meadows, the Sa "beans "beans made an incurfion on your territories, and carried away your fubftance along with them, having first put every foul "to the fword, in the most barbarous and inhuman manner, "that made the leaft refiftance, or were employed in your service, "and I am the only furviving perfon, who by flight have escaped "to bring you the unwelcome. news of fo fudden and unexpected an invasion." No fooner was this meffenger withdrawn, but a second arrived with the melancholy tidings, that there had juft happened a moft violent ftorm of hail, rain, thunder, and lightning, in the pastures where his sheep and oxen were. enclosed; in which, not only the cattle, but all the fhepherds and herdfmen were confumed, and that he was the fole furviving perfon to acquaint him with this fatal difafter. Before this fecond meffenger had fully concluded his doleful narration, a third was preffing at the door for admistance, with fresh news, that the Chaldeans, another clan of Arabian robbers, had divided themselves into feveral parties, and made an inroad into a very material part of his domains; and that they not only drove away his camels, but had flain their keepers, and that no foul befide himfelf was preferved to give him this notice of their bloody havock. This exprefs had fcarce delivered his mesfage when a fourth came in with more fatal tidings than all the reft, informing him, that, as his children were feafting according to their ufual custom, in their elder brother's houfe, there arose fuch a whirlwind all on a sudden from the defert, as took away the four corners of the house, and laid it at once in ruins, and that not a fingle gueft efcaped but himself to give an account of this univerfal defolation. Though Job heard all the former narrations without the least difcompofure, yet this laft indeed fo ruffled him, that, like a tender and indulgent parent, he expreffed the inward anguish of his foud by his outward actions. In the first place, he rent his mantle, then tore. |