,DLSCOUItSE XI. 229 tien, the truths which are contained in the one and the other, are all supported by the language of the New Testament: and the express words of both these texts are much more naturally and easily applied to the evangelical sense without any strain and difficulty. The expressions of Job in chapter the xix. I know that my Redeemer liveth, have been rescued by many wise in- terpreters from that poor. and low sense which has been forced upon them, by those who will not allow Job to have any prospect beyond this life ; and it has been made to appear to be a bright glimpse of divine light and joy, a ray or vision of the Sun of righteousness breaking between the dark clouds of his pressing sorrow : And that the words of my text demand the same sort of interpretation, will appear further by these short remarks, and this paraphrase upon them. Job had been speaking, verses 7 -10, &c. That there is hope of a tree when it is cut down, that it will sprout again visibly, and bring forth boughs ; but when man gives up the ghost, he is no more visi- ble upon earth : Where is he? Job does not deny his future existence, but only intimates that he does not appear in the place where he was; and in the following verses he does not say, a dying man shall never rise, or shall never he awakened out of his sleep, but asserts that he rises not till the dissolution of these heavens and these visible things : And by calling death a sleep, lie supposes an awaking time, though it may be distant and far off. Then he prodeeds to long for death, O that thou wouldst hide me in the grave! that thou wouldst keep me secret till thy wrath be past ! till these times and seasons of sorrow be ended, which seem to be the effect of divine wrath or anger : But then I entreat thou wouldst appoint me a set time for my tarrying in the grave, and remember me in order to raise me again. Then with a sort of surprise of faith and pleasure he adds, if a man die shall he live again ? Shall these dry bones live ? Anil lie answers in the language of hope : All the days of that appointed time of thine I will wait till that glorious change shall come. Thou shalt call fret') hea- ven, and I will answer thee from the dust of death. I will appear at thy call and say, fIere am I: thou wilt have a de- sire to the work of thy hands, to raise me again from the dead, whom thou hast made of clay, and fashioned the into life. From the words thus expounded we may draw these several ob. nervations, and make a short reflection upon each of them, as we pass along. Observation I. This world is a place wherein good men are exposed to great calamities, and they are ready to think the anger or wrath of God appears in them. H. The grave is God's known hiding -place for his people. III. God has appointed r3
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