particularly that part of it which gives fo much offence to the learned prelate.

To all that precedes the twelfth verse, no objection is made; but the whole defcription which follows, confifting of no lefs than twenty three verfes, is roundly and not very elegantly declared to be " a purple patch of more fhew than utility."

In the part admitted, is exhibited the power of the Leviathan; in the part rejected, is a particular description of this formidable being. Now, why the latter fhould be more unneceffary than the former, the learned critic has not told us, though, perhaps, a lefs faftidious reader will be apt to think that to heighten the comparifon, to demonftrate the weakness of man, and the might of the Great Creator of the univerfe, nothing could be more proper than fuch an exact delineation as is here given of the most terrible of all created Beings, whofe power had been already stated as fo great, that neither the ftrength nor the fkill of man could overcome it.

Allowing with Bochart, that by the "Leviathan" we are to understand the "Crocodile," is the defcription given in this chapter defective in any part? The figure, frength, courage, and rapacity of the animal are poetically reprefented, it is true, but fo reprefented as to correfpond with all that travellers and naturalifts have collected and related of that animal.

The Almighty in appealing to his vifible works for the proof of his univerfal and uncontroulable power, places man in competition with this terrific creature, whofe qualities are fet forth with all the ornament of eastern imagery, but with images precifely, adapted to the object defcribed. Its coat of mail, its tremendous teeth, and its relentless nature, are painted in terms which human genius must defpair to equal; and the whole picture prefents to our view a figure which may, indeed, fitly refemble the crocodile, but only as an aid to the imagination for the purpose of raising our ideas to a vafter object.

Let us confider a part of this defcription.

"By his neefings a light doth fhine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps and fparks of fire leap out. Out of his noftrils goeth fmoke, as out of a feething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.. In his neck remaineth ftrength, and forrow is turned into joy before him." (ch. xli, 18-22.

I have

I have given this defcription from the common verfion, but even that may be fafely appealed to as an evidence against the bishop of Killalla. The images are of the ftrongest kind, but to what purpose are they used, and what is the fubject they illuftrate? A creature poffeffed of the moft terrible powers is placed before man, and made to difplay its extraordinary qualities in his prefence, that he may learn from thence his own impotency, and the fovereignty of God.

The laft quoted verse is weakened in the translation; but in the original it gives a tremendous grandeur to the defcription: ftrength abideth upon his neck, and deftruction leapeth for joy before him."

66

In the application of this defcription to the crocodile, as the fierceft of creatures, there is all the minutenefs of delineation that phyfiological accuracy would demand; and all the ornamental elegance which a poetical genius would wish. But are we to ftop here? Is it certain that by the Leviathan nothing more is meant than the formidable tyrant of the Nile? Let us confider the hiflory of Job and the leffon it was intended to convey.

A principal character in the narrative is SATAN, or the adverfary, who accufes the patriarch of hypocrify, and of ferving God from interested motives, thereby alfo charging the Almighty with partiality and injuftice. In confequence of this charge, and to bring the fincerity of Job to the teft, as well as to evince the fovereignty and righteousness of God, the evil fpirit is permitted to exercife his formidable powers against the property, family, and perfon of Job.

Whether, according to a learned writer, the book was directly written in oppofition to the very antient opinion, which introduced two independent principles, one of good, the other of evil, is not material to the prefent confideration; thus much is certain, that the figure which Satan makes in the hiftory of Job's fufferings, is defigned for a very important purpose. His evil nature and terrible qualities are plainly characterized in the ftory. By a rapid fucceffion of calamities, two of which were produced by fuch strokes as might seem to indicate a fupernatural difplay of the divine vengeance, this righteous man was all at once reduced from the height of temporal happiness and prosperity, to the

* Bp. Sherlock, on the Use and Intent of Prophecy, Diss, II. p. 207, ed. 5.

lowest

lowest state of mifery and want; yet his integrity remained 'unshaken, and notwithstanding his bitter complaints, he acknowledged that "God is wife in heart and mighty in ftrength. Who" adds he, "hath hardened himself against him and hath profpered ?" (ch. ix. 4.)

Though Job boafted too much of his innocence, and though he expoftulated with God in a manner unbecoming that awful distance which should be observed between a creature and his creator*, yet he never renounced his religious principles, nor gave up his truft and confidence in God. While he complains of the feverity of his fufferings, he conftantly maintains his belief in providence, and his hopes of redemption. The adverfary could not fhake him from the foundation of his faith, nor provoke him in the midst of his anguish, and at the height of his misfortunes, either to deny the existence, or to question the justice, of God. Though Job acknowleged that his afflictions were exceffive, though he could not reconcile them with the confcioufness of his fincerity and the remembrance of his past life, yet he did not charge "God foolishly" by blafpheming his name, or by afcribing unrighteoufnefs to his difpenfa

tions.

Paffing over the converfations that paffed between Job and his friends, we come to the appearance and the declara-, tion of GOD himfelf. Here his power and providence are difplayed and maintained in language fuited to the awful character of the fpeaker, in a convincing appeal to his works. But what becomes of SATAN, THE ADVERSARY, all this while? This formidable being, who by his breath kindled the fire of heaven, and raised the mighty ftorm and tempeft for the deftruction of Job's property and family, appears not after the laft permiffion he had received from the Almighty. We are informed exprefsly of the cause of Job's misfortunes, but as foon as the patriarch is reduced to the dunghill, Satan vanifhes and appears no more, though his agency and the limit of his power evidently form a confiderable part of the inftruction conveyed in this remarkable history.

But because the evil fpirit is not directly introduced into the remaining part of the narrative, are we from thence to conclude that no allufion is made to him at all? As SATAN makes fo confpicuous a figme in the opening of the flory,

* Peters's Critical Dissertation on Job, p. 40.

and

and as fo much of what follows depends upon his agency, it is rather reasonable to fuppofe that fome notice would be taken of him at the clofe of the piece; and that more efpecially fince the Almighty himself, or the great inhabitant of the SHECHINAH, appears in his glory to affert his power and righteoufnefs, and to vindicate and reward his fervant's integrity against the malice of his accufer, who therefore ought to be prefent fome way or other to hear the vindication, and to bear witnefs to his own confusion.

Under vifible objects, fpiritual things are generally fhadowed in holy writ. Thus the ferpent, in the hiftory of the fall, is "curfed above all the beafts of the field," and the punishment inflicted feems, at firft view, confined to the external condition of that reptile; but, in fact, the malediction is to be underflood as far more extenfive, and applying, through the ferpent, to the real author of the mifchief, the adverfary of God, and the tempter of man.

So in the paffage under confideration, I apprehend that by the LEVIATHAN is meant not fimply the crocodile, or any other rapacious animal, but Satan, the accufer of Job. That the defcription does indeed correfpond with the known figure and qualities of the crocodile, cannot well be denied; but it agrees therewith no farther than as a comparison ferves to convey the general idea of an unknown object; or in the fame way as the evil fpirit is in other places called a ferpent, a dragon, and a lion, to exprefs his fubtilty, venomous nature, and formidable power.

The clofe of the defcription is a proof, to my mind, that fomething far beyond any vifible object was intended in the portraiture fo remarkably and forcibly delineated' by the firger of God: "He beholdeth all high things, he is a king over all the children of pride,' i. e. he regards contemptuoufly and holds in fubjection all that is lofty and majestically proud, he reigns fupreme over the fons of fiercenefs." How does this apply to the crocodile unlefs hyperbolically? That animal may, it is true, in many refpects be pronounced refiftlefs, and fuperior to moft creatures either on the land or in the water for ftrength and fiercenefs, but it is by no means a fearless animal, for on a sudden noise, and even at a flight alarm, it darts immediately into the water. Now on the contrary the Leviathan is faid to look down ftedfastly and contemptuoufly on the or the "fons of gigantic fierceness," for theword in Arabic unites both properties.*

* Vid, Schultens in loc.

If this part of the defcription, which fo remarkably finishes the picture, agrees but faintly and partially with the crocodile, it will be found to comport moft fuitably to that Being, who in the ftrong language of Scripture is called "the God of this world," who from a lofty height, with proud oftentation difplayed to the view of our Lord "All "the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, faying, "all this power will I give thee and the glory of them "for that is delivered unto me; and unto whomfoever I "will I give it." (Luke iv. 5, 6.)

Taking the defcription of the Leviathan in this extended and awful fenfe, the paffage in the 41ft chapter of Job, which has been fo unjustly cenfured, will be found equal to any other part of the book.

The Almighty having given a general view of the Leviathan, and declared that man is not able to overcome or to contend with him, puts thefe queftions, "None is fo fierce. "that dare fir him up. Who then is able to ftand before me ? Who hath prevented me that I should repay him? "Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine."

This is the affertion of fupremacy and of uncontrouled dominion; but the comparifon is weak and defective if the crocodile alone be regarded. View the object prefented in a ftronger light; extend the figure, and confider the Leviathan poffeffed of ftrength, fiercenefs, fubtilty, pride, and inflexible revenge, oppofing himself to the Omnipotent, and exercifing his powerful qualities against man, yet ftill being weak and impotent when compared to God, and we have a grand and fublime fpectacle fuited to the opening narrative, the genius of the poem, the fcope of the argument, and the doctrine inculcated, namely, that whatever be the might of the prince of darknefs, he is unable to "prevent, "or to obftruct the designs of the fovereign of all that is

"under heaven."

In the 26th chapter (which though short contains many curious things very well worthy of our notice, but which I muft neceffarily pafs over) Job makes a noble and fublime confeffion of the power of God.

Here we read that God "by his fpirit hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked ferpent.” On turning to Ifaiah xxvii. 1. we meet with the following paffage, "In that day the Lord with his fore and great and

ftrong fword, fhall punish LEVIATHAN, the piercing ferpent, even LEVIATHAN, that crooked ferpent, and he shall flay the dragon that is in the fea,"

The