B.C. cir. 1520. "Down thither prone in flight he speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky sails between world and world with steady wings, now on the polar winds, then quick with fan winnows the buxom air.". Milton. (1612). "If two angels sion of a man's heart, so long he never molesteth him; he willingly obeyeth the devil, and delighteth in his service; and. therefore, what need the devil impugn him? A king never lifteth up his sword against his own loyal subjects; but if once they begin to rebel, then he raiseth a power to subdue them to his obedience. In like manner, so long as men are sworn subjects to the devil he never stirreth against them but if once, by the grace of God, they begin to rebel against him, and shake off his yoke, then he rageth and laboureth by all means to reduce them to obedience. A dog, though never so fierce, doth not bark at those of the household. So the dogs of hell will never bark at men, so long as they are of the devil's household; but when they are made "citizens with the saints, and of the household of h C. Richardson God," then they begin to take on.h-Employment of evil angels.They are (remember! so far as God permits) "governors of the world." So that there may be more ground than we are apt to imagine for that strange expression of Satan (Matt. iv. 8, 9) when he showed our Lord "all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them." "All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me." It is a little more particularly expressed in the fourth chapter of St. Luke-"The devil showed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time." (Such an astonishing power is still left in the prince of darkness!) "And the devil said, All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them; for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will, I give it" (vv. 5, 6). They are the rulers of the darkness of this age (so the words are literally translated), of the present state of things, during which the whole world lieth in the wicked one. He is the element of the children of men, only those who fear God being excepted. He and his angels, in connection with, and in subordination to him, dispose all the ignorance, all the error, all the folly, and particularly all the wickedness of men, in such a manner as may hinder most the kingdom of God, and advance most the kingdom of darkness. were sent from exe Divine command, one empire and the other to sweep a street in it, they would feel no inclination to to conduct an change employments." John Newton. "Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell."Shakespeare. i T. Wesley. Job's trials the cattle destroyed a The Chaldee reads: "The were oxen ploughing, and Lilith, queen of Zamargad, sud denly rushed vv. 13-22. Dr. T "While the 13-15. (13) day.. house, the circle of feasts began once more. (14) oxen, etc., the work proceeding as usual. asses, she-asses. (15) Sabeans, some wandering and predatory tribe of Arabs. fell.. them, suddenly. I.. thee, so ea. of the messengers said. Satan reserved one to bear the crushing intelligence. The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Satan, as a servant of the Infinite, malevolently dealing with Job's circumstances.-Observe-I. The enthusiasm of his malignity. II. The variety of his agents. He employed-1. Wicked men; 2. Material nature. III. The celerity of his movements. IV. The folly of his calculations. Job worshipped, here we discover-1. His profound sensibility; 2. His exalted philosophy; 3. His religious magnanimity." The land of Hamath.-After wandering for a time among the ruins I discovered a poor gipsy crouching in terror beneath a shattered wall. He was the only living being in Arethusa, and his tale was sad enough. The day before he was rich and happy, the head of a numerous family, and of an attached tribe. Now he fied into calami- was alone and a beggar. The tents of his people had been pitched ties-while on the banks of the Orontes, their camels and goats were feeding tragedy mouths out their suffer- on the plain. A troop of Anezeh came suddenly upon them and ings in all the swept them all away-camels, goats, tents, women, children. He great are magni B.C. cir. 1520. of elo strains lower ranks of with his two sons escaped by plunging into the river and swim- than those of a more exalted station suffer in their whole lives."-Gold smith. c Dr. L. J. Porter. 16. while.. speaking, Satan loses no time. "He would the sheep overwhelm Job with the suddenness and greatness of his destroyed calamities." the.. God," poet. for great destructive fire. Prob. a Ep. ii. 2. the lightning is meant. Thankfulness in trouble.-A Christian sailor, who lost one of his legs at the battle of Trafalgar, said that he could very often measure the faith of the people who conversed with him, by the way in which they alluded to his misfortune. Nine out of ten would exclaim, "What a pity that you lost your leg!" and only one in ten, "What a blessing that the other was preserved!" When God comes into the family and takes away one child, instead of complaining because He has taken one, it would be wiser to thank Him that He has left the rest. Or He may crush a man's business, and strip him of all his worldly wealth, and yet leave untouched and uninvaded what is dearer than all-the cradle of his only child. Would it not be nobler for such a man to be thankful for what God left than to murmur for what He took away?"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away," but He always gives more than He takes away. If God robs a man of his riches He leaves him his health, which is better than riches. If He takes health He leaves wealth. If He takes both He leaves friends. And if He takes all these-house, and home, and worldly goods, God's providence is not yet exhausted, and He can make blessings out of other things which remain. He never strips a man entirely bare. A man may be left a beggar upon the highway, and yet be able to give increasing testimony to God's goodness and grace !" 17. Chaldeans, in time of Job a wandering people fr. the N. and E., as the Sabeans were fr. the S. made.. bands, and so attacked simultaneously fr. three points. fell,a lit. rushed. They prob. came as a cloud of horsemen," spreading out" to surround their prey. Homiletic notes.-I. Draw a distinction between trial and chastisement. II. The uncertain character of earthly things. III. One thing abides for ever-God's presence. IV. He recognised all his trial as coming from God. V. Children have little idea of the deep solicitude of pious parents. VI. Sin always v. 16. H. Stebbing, ii. 315. "The Lord often provideth for His own glory, in bringing light out of darkness, and by the humiliation of His children bringing their greatest exaltation. When Jacob must be blessed, he must first wrestle for it, and when Joseph shall be exalted, he must first be cast into prison." -s. Smith, 1588. The true way of softening one's troubles is to solace those of others." Ma dame de Mainte non. b H. W. Beecher. the camels taken a The word here used is spoken of hostile troops, 1 Ch. xiv. 9, 13; of locusts spreading over a country, Nah. iii. 16; of a marauding army, Jud. ix. 33, 44; 1 Sa. xxvii. S. B.C. cir. 1520. "Tis only from the belief of the goodness and wisdom of a Supreme Being, that our calami ties can be borne in that manner which becomes a man. ."-Mackenzie. b Dr. Cheever. "Times of general calamity and confusion have ever been productive of the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storm."-C. Colton. c Cawdray. Job's children killed vv. 18-22. Dr. S. Eaton, 26. a A. Barnes. that this world is for, if we so exposes to danger. VII. Satan a liar. He said Job would curse God. A chain of calamities.-A Christian whom God had prospered in his outward estate, and who lived in ease and plenty on his farm, suffered the world to encroach so much upon his affections as sensibly to diminish the ardour of his piety. The disease was dangerous, and the Lord adopted severe measures for its cure. First, his wife was removed by death; but he still remained worldly-minded. Then a beloved son; but, although the remedy operated favourably, it did not effect a cure. Then his crops failed and his cattle died; still his grasp on the world was not unloosed. Then God touched his person, and brought on him a lingering, fatal disease; the world, however, occupied still too much of his thoughts His house finally took fire; and as he was carried out of the burning building he exclaimed, "Blessed be God, I am cured at last." He shortly after died, happy in the anticipation of a heavenly inheritance.-Extent of calamity.Like as lightnings do smite whatsoever they find in the earth except the laurel tree, as Pliny affirmeth, even so great calamity is able to take away and to overthrow whatsoever is in man, or that he hath, save only constant virtue; for constant virtue is a goodly laurel tree, ever flourishing and green, and will not be consumed, burned up, nor destroyed with any fire that breaketh out of the clouds, be it never so fierce, nor with any violence of torments and troubles whatsoever. 18, 19. (18) sons, etc., see vv. 4, 13. (19) came.. wind, tornado. from.. wilderness, sweeping across the desert. smote.. house, like a hurricane, or whirlwind. Lessons from Job's afflictions.-We may learn-I. That true piety will bear the removal of property and friends without murII. That when we are afflicted we should not vent our "It is, to a Chris-muring. tian considera- wrath on winds and waves, on the fraud and perfidy of our fellowtion, one of God's men, etc. III. That God has the right to take away as well as to greatest mercies, give. IV. That we see the nature of true resignation. V. full of troubles; That we may see the true source of comfort in trial. VI. That we may see the power of religion in sustaining in the time much court her of trial.a now she is foul, what would we do if she were beautiful? if we take such pains to gather thorns and thistles, what would we do for figs and grapes?" -Lord Capel. Whirlwinds in the East.-On the 25th at four o'clock in the afternoon, we set out from the villages of the Nuba, intending to arrive at Basbock, where is the ferry over the Nile; but we had scarcely advanced two miles into the plain, when we were enclosed in a violent whirlwind, or what is called at sea the waterspout. The plain was red earth, which had been plentifully moistened by a shower in the night-time. The unfortunate camel that had been taken by Cohala seemed to be "Every roof is nearly in the centre of its vortex; it was lifted and thrown agreeable to the down at a considerable distance, and several of his ribs broken. eye until it is Although, as far as I could guess, I was not near the centre, lifted; and then it whirled me off my feet and threw me down upon my face, we find tragedy, and moaning so as to make my nose gush out with blood; two of the servants, women, and likewise, had the same fate. It plastered us all over with hard-eyed hus- mud, almost as smoothly as could have been done with a trowel. luges of Lethe." It took away my sense and breathing for an instant; and my mouth and nose were full of mud when I recovered. the sphere of its action to be about two hundred feet. molished one half of a small hut, as if it had been cut through bands, and de -Emerson. b Bruce, Travels, etc. I guess It de with a knife; and dispersed the materials all over the plain, leaving the other half standing." C B.O. cir. 1520. Job's submission a Ps. ci. 1; Isa. xxiv. 15; 1 Pet. V. 2. Ec. v. 15; 1 Ti. 19; Ec. xii. 7. vi. 7; Ps. xlvii. c Ja. i. 17; La. iii 38; Am. iii. 6 Isa. xlv. 7. d 1 Sa. iii. 18 ii. 179. J. Clapp, v. 20, 22. Dr. S. J. F. Raw, 41. 21. A. Clure, lerier, 313; J. M. Wynyard, 428; F. 1; J. I. S. Cel 20-22. (20) arose, as one stunned by these rapidly accumulating disasters. rent.. head, com. outward signs of great sorrow. fell ground, mark of grief, humility, homage. worshipped," resigning himself to God's will. (21) naked, etc., he had nothing at the first, he would have nothing at the last. The earth-the universal mother-is here ref. to. gave, etc., what I had was the Lord's gift, what I have lost is not by mere accident, but by God's will. blessed, he did not curse as Satan sug. (22) in.. this, sorrow upon sorrow, and all that followed. nor.. foolishly, by unrighteousness to Him. Trials and resignation of Job.-I. His trials: they were beyond measure great. In them we see-1. How great the power of Satan is; 2. How uncertain is all worldly good; 3. That the most eminent saints are not exempt from even the heaviest calamities. II. His resignation. Notice-1. The considerations with which he quieted his mind; 2. The manner in which he expressed his resignation. Learn (1) To sit loose to earthly things; (2) To stand prepared for trials; (3) To seek the things which neither men nor devils can take away from us.-The life of the true.-I. The life of the true has the ordinary vicissitudes. II. The life of the true has an ennobling creed, which is-1. Scriptural; 2. Dignifying; F. Dibden, 231. Reasonable. III. The life of the true has a magnanimous religiousness.-The mourner's song.-Atheism in sorrow is night without a star. I. Man cannot have any property apart from God. II. Death is the assertion of God's proprietorship. III. Submission to Divine arrangements is the highest test of obedience. IV. Submission is most honourable to man, and most acceptable to God, when it rises into thankfulness. In sorrow the soul finds its surest refuge in fundamental principles. 1. There is a God; 2. That God is careful of me; 3. By impoverishing me of other possessions, He is seeking to enrich me with Himself; 4. He will ultimately take as well my family and property; 5. If I can bless His name in the very sanctuary of affliction and death, what rapture shall I feel in the heaven of unclouded and undying love; 6. Out of this filial submission comes a doubling of the very possessions which were taken away.9 3. Patience under trial.-During the absence of Rabbi Meir from his house his two sons died, both of them of uncommon beauty, and enlightened in the law. His wife bore them to her bedchamber, laid them upon the bed, and spread a white covering over their bodies. When Rabbi Meir returned, his first inquiry was for his sons. His wife reached to him a goblet, he praised the Lord at the going out of the Sabbath, drank, and again asked, "Where are my sons, that they too may drink of the cup of blessing?" "They will not be far off," she replied, and placed food before him that he might eat. He was in a gladsome and genial mood; and when he had said grace after the meal, she thus addressed him: "Rabbi, with thy permission I would fain propose to thee one question." "Ask it then, my love," he replied. "A few days ago a person entrusted some jewels to my custody, and now he demands them again; should I give them back to him?" "This is a question," said Rabbi E. Paget, 41; T. v. 22. H. Stebbing, Johnson, ii. 39. ii. 323; Dr. S. e C. Simeon, M.A. Dr. Thomas. "Outward at tacks and troubles rather fix than unsettle the Christian, as tempests from without only serve to root the oak faster: whilst an inward canker will gra dually rot and decay it."-H. Mocre. B.C. cir. 1520. Satan again before God a i. 6. bi. 9-11. "I am a mighty spirit, and yet I am but to God what lightning is to light; lightning slays one Meir, "which my wife should not have thought it necessary to ask. What! wouldst thou hesitate or be reluctant to restore to 66 every one his own? "No," she replied; "but yet I thought it 66 Methinks if you would know Affect the pious soul, 'tis shown ye there! Look yonder at that cloud, which, through the sky, The rolling moon! I watch'd it as it came, And deemed the deep opaque would blot her beams; CHAPTER THE SECOND. 1-3. (1) again.. day," as if such events were periodical. present.. Lord, an enforced attendance. (2) said, etc., see on i. 7. (3) considered, see i. 8. still.. integrity, so, while Satan tried, God watched. cause, Satan invented a reason. It is now asserted that Satan had no valid reason. Satan among the sons of God.-We read in the Book of Job that when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them. So, when the children of God come to present themselves before the Lord in the assemblies thing-light of His saints, to seek His face in the beauty of holiness, and to makes all things be instructed in His will, revealed in His Word, the agents of Satan will likewise sometimes come amongst them, but 'tis only with this devilish design, to make some opposition to the ministers of the Word, and to subvert the faith of the hearers by some contradiction of the doctrines of the Gospel by them delivered.c live.-Bailey. "I am the im- Characteristics of Satan. He, above the rest, Shorn of his beams; or from behind the moon, |