Behind him shines a phosphorescent path,

And hoary ocean foams beneath his wrath.

On all the earth there doth not yet appear,

A monster made so destitute of fear.

For courage, strength, ferocity, and skin,
For teeth and size his like has never been.
His looks are scornful, haughty, tow'ring high,
Above all things, contained in earth or sky.
He reigns a king, o'er children filled with pride,
Or animals that roam creation wide.

No savage beast was ever like him made,

Of all combined he never feels afraid.
No snares successful can they for him lay,
Nor altogether take him for their prey.
Behold the power and wisdom thus displayed,
In nat❜ral objects which my hands have made!
How vastly far my power transcendeth thine!
How infinitely doth my wisdom shine!
Remember also that a finite mind,

Can never fathom all that I've designed.
Because their comprehension is in vain,

Shouldst thou repine, and murmur, and complain ?

My works my boundless attributes declare,
With love and reverence unto them repair.
I reign by laws unchanging, and supreme,
Organic structures richly with them teem.
Design, contrivances, with power and skill,
In all my works my purposes fulfill.

Examine, study, search, and deep explore,
The laws, and wonders of creation's store.
Submission dumb becomes a mortal clod,
To power and wisdom of Almighty God.
His secret counsels do not yet appear,

In all His dealings with His creatures here.
When troubles come, with murm'ring and distrust,
Remember then that God is great and just.

CHAPTER XXI.

JOB'S CONFESSION, ACCEPTANCE, AND PROSPERITY.

JOB is convinced, by the speech of the Almighty, of His infinite power, wisdom, and majesty. He acknowledges that he has hid His counsel in his unwise speeches; that he has attempted to debate questions which were too wonderful for him, and of which he knew nothing. He now submissively and penitently begs of the Almighty to instruct him. His views and feelings are entirely changed. He no longer desires to come into court with his case, and argue it before so exalted, wise, and powerful a Being, as he now sees God to be. He declares that hitherto he had only heard of Him, by the hearing of the ear; but that now his eyes behold Him; that heretofore his views of God had been dark and obscure; but that now his apprehensions of Him were clearer, and more overwhelming. Desire to contend with God in debate is now changed into profound humiliation, self-abasement, submission, docility, and reverence. He declares that, in comparison with God, he is vile, and that he abhors himself, and repents in dust and ashes. He now sees that he had uttered many hasty and irreverent expressions, and, instead of submitting, unmurmuringly, to His dealings, he had rebelled against them, and desired to have them changed; that, in this, he had put himself in the attitude of an instructor, and counselor to Jehovah; and sought to have Him change His plans, purposes, and designs, at his dictation; that he had treated God, in this respect, more as an equal, than as the almighty, and infinitely wise and just Jehovah. His general spirit was, however, pious, and faultless. He vindicated, most eloquently, the character, and government of God. He bore his afflictions with great fortitude, and resignation, as a general thing; and never lost his confidence in his Maker. His heart was right, and he was truly a sincere, and good man. The Almighty now accepts Job, and condemns his three friends. He vindicated the integrity and general positions of the patient, and faithful sufferer, and reproved the unkind, and bitter spirit of his three pretended comforters. He also declared that His wrath was kindled against them, because they had not spoken concerning Him the thing that was right, as Job had. Job's positions were, in the main, correct. Theirs were chiefly erroneous. Human sufferings, in this life, do not determine human guilt. Through sacrifices, and intercessions by Job, his three friends are spared from punishment. This is a beautiful instance of a holy man praying for and forgiving his

slanderers, and false accusers. They had wrongfully charged him with great sins, and asserted that his extraordinary sufferings proved him to be a bad man. Now it turns out that they are the guilty ones, and are delivered from a just retribution through his holy prayers. He no doubt acted, at the offering of the appeasing sacrifices, as an officiating priest. The Lord now turned his captivity, and restored him to health and prosperity. His possessions were doubled, and the same number of children were born to him as he had before his calamities came upon him. These children were undoubtedly by a second wife. The first had proved herself so unworthy of a man, so exalted and noble, that it is not likely she was permitted, in his restoration to all things new, to be the mother of his new offspring. His three daughters were very beautiful, and had names appropriated to them expressive of their leading peculiarities. He made them equal heirs, with his sons, of his estate. This was not common with the Hebrews, nor with the great men of the East. His former friends returned to him again. He lived one hundred and forty years afterwards in peace, and domestic happiness; saw the fourth generation of his descendants flourishing in the land; and died in a serene old age, full of days, and loaded with honors.

Then Job convinced, and pensively inclined,

In answer spoke, and thus expressed his mind:
I know that both, in earth, and o'er it too,
Thy power almighty ev'rything can do;
That thy omnipotence, in wisdom's plan,
Demands submission of thy creature man;
That wisdom, majesty, and might supreme,
From all thy works in matchless glory beam;
That no intent can be from thee withheld,
Or from thy mind, by human power, dispelled;
That love and wisdom, infinite, and clear,
In all thy ways transcendently appear;
That no design, intention, scheme, or plan,
That thou dost form concerning mortal man,
Can be prevented, hindered, or restrained,
But will be executed, and maintained.

And who is he that hideth, by his speech,
Eternal counsel, and doth falsehood teach?
That dark'neth knowledge by his hasty word,
And utters things imprudent, and absurd?
I do not now deny the monstrous fact,
That I am guilty of this wicked act.
I've spoken things, with high, uplifted hand,
My hasty spirit did not understand;
Pronounced opinions foolish, and unsound,
On subjects altogether too profound;
And uttered many words concerning thee,
Too mighty, deep, and wonderful for me.
But led away, by suff'rings great and strong,
I used expressions vehement, and wrong;
Respecting things I did not comprehend,
And which alas! I never can defend.
Submissive, docile, penitent, and meek,
Oh, hear, I pray thee, and I now will speak.
Divine instruction I will ask of thee,

With holy rev'rence and humility.

With no desire to controvert thy plans,

Debate with thee, or break thy just commands;
Declare to me thy wise, and sovereign mind,
And teach me truth, for I am now resigned.
My views of Thee have heretofore been dark,
And idle hearsay, dropped in false remark;
Of ages past, blasphemous of their God,

His laws, and government, and chast'ning rod.