---

To most persons there is some affliction which they account the extreme of trouble. The estimate of "particular troubles changes, however, with circumstances.

I. JOB'S MEANING. Trust in God is built on acquaintance with God. It is an intelligent act or habit of the soul. It is a fruit of religious knowledge. It is begotten of belief in the representations which are given of God, and of faith in the promises of God. It is a fruit of reconciliation with God. It involves, in the degree of its power and life, the quiet assurance that God will be all that He promises to be, and will do all that He engages to do; and that, in giving and withholding, He will do that which is perfectly kind and right. The development of trust in God depends entirely upon circumstances. In danger, it appears as courage and quietness from fear; in difficulties, as resolution and as power of will; in sorrow, as sub. mission; in labour, as continuance and perseverance; and in extremity, it shows itself as calmness.

II. IS JOB'S STRONG CONFIDENCE JUSTIFIABLE? We may not think all Job thought, or speak always as Job spoke; yet we may safely copy this patient man.

1. God does not afflict willingly.

2. God has not exhausted Himself by any former deliverance.

3. In all that affects His saints, God takes a living and loving interest.

4. Circumstances can never become mysterious, or complicated, or unmanageable to God. We must in our thoughts attach mysteriousness only to our impressions: we must not transfer it to God.

5. God has in time past slain His saints, and yet delivered them.

III. THE EXAMPLE JOB EXHIBITS. Job teaches us that it is well sometimes to imagine the heaviest possible affliction happening to us. This is distinct from the habitual imagination of evil, which we should avoid, and which we deprecate. Job teaches as that the perfect work of patience is the working of patience to the uttermost — that is, down to the lowest depths of depression, and up to the highest pitch of anguish. He teaches that the extreme of trial should call forth the perfection of trust. Our principles are most wanted in extremity. Job shows that the spirit of trust is the spirit of endurance. We may also learn that to arm ourselves against trial, we must increase our confidence. True trust respects all events, and all Divine dispensations. All — not a particular class, but the whole. All that happens to us is part of God's grand design and of God's great plan respecting us: Let me commend to you Job's style of speech. To say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." will involve an effort, but there is no active manifestation of true godliness without exertion. Even faith is a fight. It is one of the simplest things in spiritual life to trust, but often that which involves a desperate struggle. Ignorance of God's intentions may sometimes say to us, "distrust Him"; and unbelief may suggest, "distrust Him"; and fear may whisper, "distrust Him"; but, in spite of all your foes, say to yourself, "I will trust Him." The day will come when such confidence in God, as that which you are now required to exercise, will no longer be needed. In that day God will do nothing painful to you. He will not move in a mysterious way, even to you, and you will chiefly be possessed by a spirit of love; but until that day dawns, God asks you to trust Him.

(Samuel Martin.)

---

---

KJV: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

WEB: Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.