(b) In a state of composure and calmer reflec tion, Job retracts, chiefly in his concluding speech, all his former rather extravagant assertions, and says that, although God generally afflicts the wicked and blesses the righteous, still there are exceptions to this rule, single cases in which the pious undergo severe trials; the inference, there fore, of a man's guilt from his misfortunes is by no means warranted. For the exceptions estab lished by experience prove that God does not al ways distribute prosperity and adversity after this rule; but that he sometimes acts on a different principle, or as an absolute lord, according to his mere will and pleasure.
(e) Humbly to adore God is our duty, even when we are subject to calamities not at all de served ; but we should abstain from harshly judg ing of those who, when distressed, send forth complaints against God.
(4) Elihu Appears. The interest of the narra tive is kept up with considerable skill. by progres sively rising and highly passionate language. At first, Job's friends charge him, and he defends him self, in mild terms. but gradually they are all be trayed into warmth of temper, which goes on in creasing until the friends have nothing inore to ob ject, and Job remains in possession of the field. The discussion then seems to be at an end. when a fresh disputant, Elihu, appears. Trusting in his just cause, Job had proudly opposed God, with whoin he expostulated, and whom he charged with injustice, when the sense of his calamities should have led him to acknowl edge the sinfulness of human nature, and humbly to submit to the Divine dispensations. Making every allowance for his painful situation, and put ting the mildest construction on his expressions, he is still substantially wrong. and could not therefore be suffered to remain the vanquisher in this high argument. He had silenced his friends. but the general issue remained to be settled. Elihu had waited till Job and his friends had spoken, because they were older than he; but when he saw that the three visitors ceased to answer, he offers himself to reason with Job, and shows that God is just in his ways.
He makes this plain. (s) Front the nature of af flictions. He begins by urging that Job was very wrong in boasting of his integrity, and making appear that rewards were due to him from God. However righteous he was. he still had no claim to reward; on the contrary, all men are sinners in God's eyes ; and nobody can complain that he suf fers unjustly, for the very greatest sufferings equal not his immense guilt. Then Elihu explains a leading point on which he differs from the friends of Job : he asserts that from greater sufferings inflicted on a person it was not to be inferred that he had sinned more than others afflicted with a less amount of calamity. Calami‘ies were, indeed,
under all circumstances,punishments for sins com mitted, but at the same time they were correctives also ; and therefore they might be inflicted on the comparatively most righteous in preference to others. For he who was most loved by God, was also most in danger of forgetting the sinfulness inherent in all men, and, consequently, also in himself ; the rather because sin would in him less strongly manifest itself. If the object of afflic tions was attained, and the distressed acknowl cdged his sinfulness, lie would humble himself be fore God, who would bless him with greater hap piness than he ever before enjoyed. But he who took not this view, and did not amend his ways, would be ruined, and the blame would rest wholly with himself. Consequently, if Job made the best of his misfortune, God would render him most happy; but if he continued refractory, punishment would follow his offenses.
(b) From a clear conception of the nature of God. 'How darest thou,' says Elihu, 'instead of bumbling thyself before God, defy him, and offer to reason with him? The whole creation shows forth his majesty, and evinces his justice. For a man to stand up against him, and to assert that he suffers innocently, is the greatest anthropomor phism, because it goes to deny the Divine majesty, evident in all the facts of the created world, and including God's justice. His nature being one and indivisible, it cannot on one side exhibit infinite perfection, and on the other imperfection ; each example, then, of God's grandeur in the creation of the world is evidence against the rash accusers of God's justice. Thus it appears that, from the outset, there must have been a mistake in thy cal culation, and thou must the rather acknowledge the correctness of my solution of the question.' (5) God Decides. Job had, in a stirring manner, several times challenged God to decide the contest. Elihu suspects the approach of the Lord, whcn, towards the end of his speech, a violent thunder storm arises and God answers Job out of the whirl wind, showing how foolishly the latter had acted in offering to reason with him, when his works proved his infinite majesty, and, consequently, his absolute justice. Job now submits to God, and humbly repents of his offense. Hereupon God ad dresses Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, declaring unto them his displeasure at their unmerciful deal ing with their friend, the consequences of which could only be avoided by Job offering a propitia tory sacrifice. This is done, and the Lord grants unto Job ample compensation for his sufferings.