Job 22:30

REFLECTIONS

READER the view here presented to you of Job's exercises, is the more profitable from being the more plain. In all the charges of the friends of Job before, there were none so palpably false and cruel; and therefore here we feel the more comfort, from the consciousness that Job himself found that consolation under them, which a mind of rectitude cannot but enjoy, under the false accusations of the wicked. Indeed Job was too deeply drenched in affliction, from the sufferings of his body, not to be very sensibly affected also, however false the charges were, with what Eliphaz had said. The man that doth not realize his trials, and feel them as trials, will not truly profit by them. Yet, certainly, Job had a comfortable retreat in his own mind, in the consciousness of their falsehood. Our profit will be the more striking from this chapter, in what we behold under this particular. We are taught the blessedness of that state of mind, when, from being exercised with the temptations, or the accusations of Satan, we can look to JESUS, with thankfulness, when the tempter's malice is ill founded.

But what I would particularly desire from the perusal of this chapter, to have impressed both upon the Reader's mind and my own, is this a that when the malice of men, or the adversary, raiseth storms of trial, or persecution, falsely against us, this is the blessed moment to look after, and narrowly to watch, and eye the hand of JESUS in the permission. My brother! do mark this down as a never-failing maxim, whatever our trial be, it must be by JESUS'S appointment. Be the instrument who, or what it may, yet JESUS is in it. His love, his wisdom, is at the bottom. Mark this down, as a rule never to be controverted. Then follow this up with another. Whatever the trial be, it is for good. Thy GOD, thy JESUS, my soul, cannot do iniquity. Mark this also. And this will bring out a third, as the sweet and blessed result of the two which went before: the end shall be as Job's was; glory to GOD, and salvation to his redeemed. When Eliphaz thus charged Job, when Shimei cursed David, and when, on an infinitely more important exercise than both, or than all the world of GOD'S children put together, JESUS was traduced and blasphemed, what was the result? As it is beautifully expressed in one of the Psalms: 'I will cry unto GOD, most high, even unto GOD, that performeth all things for me.' Yes! Reader! it is very sweet and very precious, when the conscious soul, unjustly oppressed, can take refuge in divine favor, and divine strength, and say, Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God!

But chiefly let our eye and heart, upon all those occasions, be altogether fixed upon the person and work of JESUS. In all situations, he is the pattern, and forerunner of his people: and what he said of old, be saith the same to all his exercised family now: fear none of these things, which thou shalt suffer. Through Satan cast some of you in prison, when he would cast, if he could, all: and when, instead of prison he wishes it were hell; yet, it shall be but for ten days, though he would have it to be forever. Fear not therefore; but be faithful unto death and I will give you (saith the faithful and true witness) the crown of glory that fadeth not away.