sake. Take care that this command be obeyed without delay, lest my vengeance should fall with weight on your devoted heads; because, as I have before said, all of you have put an evil construction on my ways, and set my Providence in a very unfair and disadvantageous light, and would not hearken to my servant Job, notwithstanding he told you that your assertions were false and groundless."

Eliphaz and his two companions made their due submission to the Almighty, and entreated Job to be their intercessor. Job accordingly offered up his prayers to God in their behalf, which were graciously received, and the offenders, in consequence thereof, freely forgiven.

At the very instant that Job was discharging this charitable duty in behalf of his friends, the Lord was pleased to shew several extraordinary marks of his Divine favor; nor did he cease bestowing his bounties, till he had not only reestablished him in his former state of health, but made him twice as rich as he was before his calamities were inflicted on him.

When Job's kindred and friends heard of his happy restoration, they went in throngs to testify their joy on the occasion. After having condoled with him, and expressed their sorrow on account of the losses and misfortunes he had met with, they congratulated him on his sudden and unexpected recovery; and as a testimony of their respect, each made him a present, the value of which was proportioned to their respective circumstances.

Thus was the Lord pleased to make the innocent Job miserable for a time in order to augment his happiness; for instead of seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels which were taken from him, he had soon after fourteen thousand of the former, and six thousand of the latter. He had a thousand yoke of oxen instead of five hundred, and his she asses were multiplied in proportion. His wife also became very fruitful, and brought him seven sons and three daughters, which was the very same in number with those he had lost.

In order to perpetuate the memory of so extraordinary a deliverance, Job called the eldest of his daughters Jemima, which signifies the day, because of the felicity he now enjoyed after he had been so long obscured in the dismal

night of affliction. His second daughter he called Kesia, which signifies an aromatic spice, in allusion to his having been released from his filthy ulcers. The youngest daughter he named Keren-happuch, which signifies plenty restored, or rather the Horn of Varnish, because God had wiped away the tears that had bedeyed his checks. These three daughters were all remarkable for their personal accomplishments, there not being any in the whole country whose charms were so conspicuous; and their father did not (as the usual custom then was) endow them only with a small portion of his effects, but fixed them as coheirs with his sons, and appointed that they should have a proportionable share of his inheritance.

After this glorious turn of fortune, this happy restoration of himself and family, Job's years were augmented as well as his possessions. The Lord was pleased to add an hundred and forty years to those he had lived before his misfortunes; so that the good man had the satisfaction to see his numerous progeny to the fourth generation. At length, fully satisfied, and full ripe with hoary age, he dropped into the grave-nor wished to live a moment longer.

We shall conclude our History of the Life and Transactions of the pious Job with a short view of his character, as represented by a very late and eminent writer.

The character of Job, says he, affords us a spectacle worthy of the Deity himself to look upon, viz. that of a pious and good man, combating adversity; and, amongst other miseries of an extraordinary kind, vexed with the unjust suspicions and peevish accusations of his mistaken friends.

And here we find him using every argument that could be thought of in his own defence, to cure them, if possible, of their mistake, and to persuade them of his innocence; appealing to the general course of Providence, which, for the most part, deals out things promiscuously, and often involves the good and bad in the same common calamity; directing them to instances within their knowledge, of such who had been as wicked as they were great, and yet had lived a long course of years in prosperity, and died at last in peace, and were buried with great pomp; so that no visible judgment had overtaken them, either in their lives, or at their deaths.

When this view of Providence, so true and evident to experience, still wanted force to remove an obstinate error, he puts them in mind of the future judgment, which was the proper season of reward and punishment; and declares in the most solemn manner, his hopes of being acquitted there.

When all this would not do, but they still disbelieve and persecute him, he is driven to the last argument which a modest man would make use of, and appeals to his own public and private behavior in the whole course of his life: and upon this occasion he displays such a set of admirable virtues, shews the piety, prudence, the humanity of his conduct, in so amiable a light, with such a noble freedom, and, at the same time, such an air of truth, that it is a matter of doubt whether there be any thing of the kind more beautiful or instructive in all antiquity; or perhaps a finer picture of a wise and good man was never drawn. How prudent and upright in his decisions, as a magistrate or judge! How just and benevolent in his domestic character, as the father of a family! How untractable to all allurements of pleasure, in the height of his prosperity! and how sensible to the complaints and miseries of others! And, above all, how remarkably pious in his principles! How careful to build his virtue upon its own solid basis, religion, or the fear of God! But with all these great and excellent qualities, we cannot but take notice of some little mixture of allay and imperfection. For a perfect character, however it may have existed in idea, it is certain never yet appeared above once upon the real stage of the world.

We must forgive this good man, therefore, the little passionate complaints which the extremity of his sufferings sometimes forced from him. His despair and weariness of life; his often wishing for death; his eagerness to come upon his trial; his earnest requests, and even expostulations with his judge, to bring him to it, or to acquaint him with the reasons at least of these severe inflictions. These and the like, it must be owned, appear as shades and blemishes in the character of this great man, and may argue somewhat of impatience, even in this heroic pattern of patience.

A great deal, however, might be said in his excuse: as, that his afflictions had something in them very astonishing,

and beyond the common measure; that the distempers of the body have oftentimes a natural tendency to produce black thoughts, and a despondency of mind: To which may be added, the rash censures and suspicions of his friends, as they affected his reputation, which, to a generous mind, is the most valuable thing in the world, next to his integrity: It is no wonder that a treatment so inhuman, so undeserved, so unexpected, should provoke to an extremity a person borne down already with the weight of his misfortunes.

These things might certainly be offered in excuse for the little blemishes which appear in the speeches and conduct of this great man. But after all, the best thing that can be pleaded in his behalf, and that which covers all his imperfections, is his own behavior upon this occasion, and his making no excuse at all for them; but as soon as ever he was brought to recollect his errors, immediately confessing them with great simplicity, and the most profound humility and contrition. Then Job answered the Lord, and said, Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth: chap. xl. 3, 4. And again, I have uttered that I know not; things too wonderful for me, which I know not.-But now mine eye seeth thee: wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes, chap. Ixii. 3, &c.

The easiness and favor with which this humble acknowledgment was accepted by the Supreme Judge, and the bountiful reward bestowed upon this good man, as a present earnest of a still greater to be expected by him hereafter, will teach us this very acceptable and important truth: how ready God is to pass by the little weaknesses of man, where there is a tried and resolute integrity, still bent upon the doing of his duty, and determined, whatever may befal him, to adhere to God in all his trials and temptations.

CHAP. VIII.

Ezra, a priest and scribe, obtains permission of Ahasuerus, king of Persia, to go, with some other Jews, to Jerusalem, and at the same time receives a commission, empowering him to make a reformation both in church and state. He accordingly goes thither, and begins to execute his commission by making a reform among the people relative to their marriages. Nehemiah, cup-bearer to Ahasuerus, is sent to Jerusalem, with a commission to rebuild the walls of the city. He is interrupted in the execution of his commission by Sanballat, an officer of the Moabites, and Tobiah, a popular man among the Ammonites, notwithstanding which he carries on the work with great success. Sanballat and Tobiah, concert several schemes for taking away Nehemiah's life, all of which prove abortive. Nehemiah, having finished the walls of Je rusalem, after surmounting a variety of difficulties, gives directions for the good order and government of the city. He suppresses the practice of usury among the people, and after obliging them to sign a covenant with him strictly to adhere to the laws of Moses, returns to the Persian court. During Nehemiah's absence from Jerusalem, the people relapse into their former corruptions, owing to the mismanagement of Eliashib the high-priest. Nehemiah goes again to Jerusalem, and turns Tobiah, the Ammonite, out of an apartment in the temple, which had been assigned him by Eliashib. He orders the payment of the titles, and makes the people pay a more strict attention to the Sabbath. He dissolves unlawful marriages. His death.

HAVING made a long digression, in order to admit the life and transactions of Job, as related in the last chapter, we shall now resume our history of the Jews, which we shall prosecute with the most accurate circumspection from the last occurrence mentioned towards the close of the sixth chapter, namely, the punishment of the base and treacherous Hamau, by means of Esther, the new queen of Ahasuerus, king of Persia.

In the seventh year of the reign of king Ahasuerus, Ezra, (a priest descended from Seraiah the high-priest, who was slain by Nebuchadnezzar, when he burnt the temple and city of Jerusalem) a man of great learning and well acquainted with the scriptures, and who had hitherto