him and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And there was a day, when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house; and there came a messenger unto Job and said, The oxen were ploughing and the asses feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away: yea they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burnt up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth; a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and

escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand, but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore biles, from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God and die. But he said unto her, Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place: Eliphaz, the Tenamite, and Bildad, the Shuhite, and Zophar, the Naamathite; for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him, and to comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept, and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days, and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him; for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job answered and said, Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together. For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea, therefore my words are swallowed up. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. For the thing which I greatly feared is come

upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. So am I made to possess mouths of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro, unto the dawning of the day. My flesh is clothed with worms, and clods of dust, my skin is broken and become loathsome. When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: so that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather than my life.

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My soul is weary of my life, I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say unto God, do not condemn me; show me wherefore thou contendest with me, is it good unto thee, that thou shouldest oppress; that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands; and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? Are not my days few, cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death.

The Lord answered Job and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty, instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord, and said, Behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer: yea twice, but I will proceed no further. I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and [repent in dust and ashes.

The Lord also accepted Job. And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job, more than his beginning.

LIFE O F MOSES.

B. C. 1705. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

Therefore they did set over them task-masters to afflict them with their burdens. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born, ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the rivers side: and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said. This is one of the Hebrews' children.

Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women. And

And the maid And Pharaoh's

Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. went and called the child's mother. daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

§ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affiiction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way, and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: