LECTURE III.

ON THE POETICAL BOOKS.

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope."-Romans

xv. 4.

"THOSE books which, by the Hebrews, are termed Hagiographia, or Holy Writings, are Job, the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. They are termed poetical, because they are generally composed in measured sentences, and possess what has been considered as the distinguishing characteristic of Hebrew poetry. They are placed in our Bibles between the historical and the prophetical books."-Critica Biblica, Vol. IV. p. 349.

THE BOOK OF JOB.

"This is one of the most extraordinary books of the Holy Scriptures, and has occupied the attention of the learned in all ages. There has been much diversity of opinion concerning its hero, chronology, character, and author. Some have denied the actu

al existence of the venerable patriarch, and considered the book as a fictitious narrative, intended to instruct through the medium of parable. But that such a notion should have been entertained by persons who credit the writings of Ezekiel and James, is something calculated to excite surprise. Both these inspired writers speak of him as a real, and not a fictitious personage. (See Ezek. xiv. 14; and James v. 11.) To this we may add, that he is also mentioned as a real person, in the Apocryphal book of Tobit; as such he has been contemplated from time immemorial in Arabia and Palestine; and no good reason can be given why we should abandon an opinion so strongly supported. With regard to the time when the events here recorded took place, and when the history was committed to writing, critics are by no means agreed. Some are of opinion that it was the earliest written of all the books of the Bible; while others ascribe it to the time subsequent to the captivity. It has been attributed to Moses, to Elihu, to Job, to Solomon, and to Ezra. To enter into an examination of these several opinions, each of which has been advocated by men of the profoundest learning and ability, would exceed the limits of this discourse, nor would it prove materially edifying to the reader."-(C. B.)

"Those who wish to investigate the claims of these different hypotheses, may consult the writings of Lowth, Stock, Warburton, Peters, Faber, Good, Horne, and Dr. A. Clarke. Dr. Hales was of opinion that Job lived before the time of Abraham, and in support of this opinion, Mr. Townsend, in his arzangement of the Old Testament, has added several

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weighty arguments. In the opinion of these writers, the book was written by Job himself, or one of his cotemporaries, and was obtained by Moses when in the land of Midian, and by him prepared for the use of the Israelites. The country in which this scene is laid, is said to be the land of Uz, which Mr. Good has distinctly shown to be the land of Idu

mea.'

"Of the character and structure of this extraordinary book, as a literary composition, several opinions have been entertained. Calmet, Warburton, and others, have regarded it as a drama. Bp. Lowth conceived it to be of a mixed character. Mr. Good considered it as a regular epic poem. Dr. Clarke, whose opinion coincides nearly with that of Bp. Lowth, says, "It is a poem of the highest order; dealing in subjects the most grand and sublime; usi g imagery the most chaste and appropriate; described by language the most happy and energetic; conveying instruction, both in divine and human things, the most ennobling and useful; abounding in precepts the most pure and exalted, which are enforced by arguments the most strong and conclusive, and illustrated by examples the most natural and striking.'"

"The general scope and moral of this sublime production, namely, that the troubles and afflictions of a good man are, for the most part, designed as tests of his virtue and integrity, out of which he will at length emerge with additional splendor and happiness, are common to eastern poets, and not uncom→ mon to those of Greece. But, in various respects, the poem of Job stands unrivalled and alone. In

addition to every species almost of corporeal suffering and privation which it is possible for man to endure, it carries forward the trial in a manner, and to an extent, which has never been attempted elsewhere, into the keenest faculties and sensations of the mind, and mixes the bitterest taunts and accusations of friendship with the agonies of family bereavement and despair. The body of other poems consists chiefly of incidents,-this of colloquy or argument, in which the train of reasoning is so well sustained, its matter so important, its language so ornamented, its doctrines so sublime, its transitions so varied and abrupt, that the want of incident is not felt, and the attention is still rivetted as by enchantment.

"In other poems, the supernatural agency is fictitious, and often incongruous; here, the whole is solid reality, supported in its grand outline by the concurrent testimony of every other part of Scripture; an agency not obtrusively introduced, but demanded by the magnitude of the occasion; and as much more exalted and magnificent than every other kind of similar interference, as it is more veritable and solemn. The suffering hero is sublimely called forth to the performance of his part, in the presence of men and angels; each of whom becomes interested, and equally interested in his conduct; the Almighty assents to the trial, and for a period withdraws his aid; the malice of Satan is in its full career of activity; hell hopes, earth trembles, and every good spirit is suspended with awful anxiety. The wreck of his substance is in vain ; the wreck of his family is in vain; the scalding sores

of a corroding disease are in vain; the artillery of insults, reproaches, and railing, poured forth from the mouths of bosom friends, is in vain. Though at times put, in some degree, off his guard, the holy sufferer is never completely overpowered. He sustains the shock without yielding; he still holds fast his integrity. Thus terminates the trial of his faith; Satan is confounded; faith triumphs; and the Almighty, with a magnificence well worthy of the occasion, unveils his resplendent tribunal, and crowns the afflicted champion with applause." (Good's Prelim. Dis. C. B. Vol. IV.)

"The scope of the Almighty's speech," says bishop Stock, "is to humble Job, and teach others, by his example, to acquiesce in the Divine dispensations, from an unbounded confidence in his wisdom, equity, and goodness,—an end worthy the interposition of the Deity. On the conclusion of this address, Job humbles himself, acknowledges his ignorance, repents as in dust and ashes, offers sacrifices for his friends, and is restored to double prosperity, comfort, and honor."

Bishop Lowth is of opinion, that "the principal object of the poem is the third and last trial of Job, from the unkindness and unjustness of his accusing friends; the consequences of which are, in the first place, the anger, indignation, and contumacy of Job, and afterward his composure, submission, and penitence. The design of the poem is, therefore, to teach men, that, having a due respect to the corruption, infirmity, and ignorance of human nature, as well as to the infinite wisdom and majesty of God, they are to reject all confidence of their own strength, and in their own righteousness, and to