is a man as Job is, but claims to be a man under special inspiration.a (5) in order, array thself before me, defend thyself as at a judgment seat. Influence of teachers.-A certain philosopher was always talking very much to his friends about the garden in which he was in the habit of walking, and where he carried on his studies. At length one of them came to see him, and he found this extraordinary garden was a patch of ground about twice the size of the floor of his own room. "What!" said he, "is this your garden? It's not very broad." "No," said the philosopher, "it's not very broad; but it's a wondrous height!" And so I would say to you, Sunday-school teachers: your work in your class is not a very large one; but it's a wondrous height. It goes up to heaven: to conceive of it aright, it goes right out to eternity. 66 6, 7. (6) in God's stead, trans. more correctly, "Behold, I am like thyself, of God."a I am in the same relation to God as thou art. formed. . clay, nipped from the clay, as when the potter nips off a piece of the clay to make a vessel. The idea of daysman, mediator," does not seem to be required. But Elihu's idea is that instead of meeting Job's appeal by manifestations of terror, God has sent him His message by a fellow man. (7) my terror, is only that of a fellow mortal. hand, pressure, burden. The prayers of a teacher." Do you think," I asked, "that the Lord will let me see in this life the salvation of the souls for clay am I formed as well as thou, formed from the same." So Vulg. Coverdale, etc. and we are b Job xiii. 21. whom I pray?" "I cannot say as to that. When I was a child in the Sabbath school in the old country," she continued, "myc He. iv. 15. faithful teacher used to say, 'I have prayed too much for my class for one of them to be lost.' I was a thoughtless girl at the "The end of wisdom is contime, and remember wondering at it, and thinking it a very self-sultation and deconfident remark. She was so sure, I shall have them all,' she liberati n. -Dewould say. 'I shall say to Christ at the judgment, Here am Imosthenes. and the class Thou hast given me.' "And were they all con- d Witnessing for verted?" I asked. "Yes, she did not live to see it; but my eyes have seen it-the last of the sixteen gathered into the fold."a 8-11. (8) surely, etc. Elihu expresses the utmost astonishment at what he had heard Job say, but he is sure that he heard distinctly." (9) clean, ch. ix. 17, 21, 30. (10) occasions against me, treats me as an enemy, or with cruelty finds grounds and occasions for hostile aversion. (11) stocks, ch. xiii. 27. : Jesus. he says he has heard Job's selfvindication a "I do not venture to charge thee on hearsug evidence, or on suspicion, but on thine own words, spoken publicly." -Wordsworth. b See also Job x. Old men in Scripture.-There is something very affecting in the manner of speech which the sacred penmen adopt when they write of the aged. They deal with such people tenderly and respectfully. The Bible reverences its own precept, "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man." And especially, when anybody has occasion to speak of pious men, he does it most kindly. We are compelled to revere the feeble form of Isaac despite of his indecision, blindness, and trembling. Even dull old Barzillai is shown in so pleasant a light of contentment and repose that we admire him without at all thinking of his churlishness, and unconsciously turn over a few pages of the history to see what became of him. One expression there is which is used frequently in the Scriptures, yet is often passed over without notice, or remembered without appreciation-"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." One of the kings of ancient Israel actually appointed a band of xxxi. 4, 25, 26. 7, xi. 4, xiii. 23, xvi. 17, xxiii. 1013, xxvii. 6, xxix. 14. c See Job vii. 12, 20, xii. 24, 27, xiv. 16, 17, xvi. 9, xix. 11, xxx. 21, he asserts that Job is a Je. ii. 35. b Job xiii. 3, xvi. 21, xxiii. 3-7. c Heb. "answereth not." to accept Job's challenge. rr. 12. 13. T. Steward, 169. "Perhaps there is in wisdom, gentle wisdom, that knows our trained singers, "that they might praise the beauty of holiness." Perhaps beauty in a man is not a thing to be much talked about; but it is certainly interesting to discover that this particular expression has its repeated application to the presence of the aged. "The glory of young men is their strength; the beauty of old men is the grey head; the hoary head is a crown of glory. if it be found in the way of righteousness." That is, religion is as lovely as it is needful in old age. a 12, 13. (12) not just, right, taking right views, in thus unreasonable regarding God's treatment of you. greater than man, therefore may have reasons for His actions which are quite beyond human apprehension. Spk. Com. prefers the rendering "I will answer thee, for God is too great to be questioned by man." (13) strive, desire to argue the matter of His dealings with you." Job was fretted because God did not explain giveth.. matters,c His dealings. Enough for man to know it is God who does it. The wisdom of God.-A Christian's graces want their lustre when they are destitute of the guidance of wisdom; mercy is a feebleness, and justice a cruelty, paitence a timorousness, and courage a madness, without the conduct of wisdom. So the patience of God would be cowardice, His power an oppression, His justice a tyranny, without wisdom as a spring, and holiness as the rule. No attribute of God could shine with a due lustre and brightness without it. Power is a great perfection, but wisdom a greater. The pilot is more valuable because of his skill than the galley-slave because of his strength, and the conduct of a general more estimable than the might of a private soldier. Generals are chosen more by their skill to guide than their strength to act. What a clod is a man without prudence! what a nothing would God be without it! This is the salt that gives relish to all other perfections in a creature; this is the jewel in the ring of all the excellencies of the Divine nature, and holiness is the splendour of that jewel.d frailties, therefore can forgive, some healing comfort for a guilty mind, some power to charm it into peace again, and bid it smile anew with right affection." -Thomson. d Charnock. that God has various modes of speaking a Ps. Ixii. 11; Pr. i. 24. 14. once, by the judgment. That is God's voice, to which men should give ear. twice, by repetition of judgments: or. in other ways than judgment; by secret messages heard in men's souls. Elihu says God does answer men, only men want the answer in their own way, so cannot perceive it as spoken in God's v. 14. S. C. Wilks, way. 206. b Dr. Thomas. "I have lived to see five sovereigns, and have been Privy Counsellor to four of them; I have seen the most remarkable things in foreign parts, and have been present at most State trans The philosophy and use of dreams.-I. Their philosophy. 1. What originates the dream? often the state of the body; 2. Why do thoughts take such grotesque forms in dreams? the mind in sleep is left uncontrolled by the will. II. Their uses. 1. They serve to throw some light on our spiritual constitution; 2. They are sometimes the organs of Divine communication." God in dreams.-A lady, a member of Mr. Bull's church at Newport, while staying at Bath, hired a female servant named Saunders. She had imbibed Socinian views, and consequently objected to attend his ministry. It was proposed that she should first hear him, and then, if she did not approve his sentiments, she might go to church. Before leaving Bath she had a remarkable dream. She thought she was walking in a meadow by the banks of a river. It suddenly overflowed; the waters rose higher and higher, and she was without power to escape. Her destruethat seriousness tion seemed inevitable, when, on a sudden, a tall figure stood at is the greatest her side, having the appearance and wearing the dress of a actions for the last thirty years; and I have learned after so many years' experience minister; he directed her attention to certain stepping-stones she had not seen before, at the same time uttering these words, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." The feeling of joy at her deliverance awoke her. She came to Newport, and, as she had promised, went to hear Mr. Bull; and great was her astonishment when she looked towards the pulpit and saw the very person standing there who had appeared to her in her dream. Indeed, she was so overcome that she was incapable of paying attention to the former part of the service. But, having somewhat recovered her composure of mind, she listened with a strange feeling of expectation for the text, and again she heard the words, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." She no longer objected to go to the meeting house; for that sermon, preached under circumstances to her so striking, was the means of her conversion to God.c 15-17. (15) dream," one of the earliest modes of Div. communication. slumberings, the lighter sleep with which dreams are usually associated. (16) openeth, uncovereth. sealeth, as sign of confirmation and completeness. instruction, or admonition. (17) withdraw, etc., this is quite a different explanation of suffering to that the friends had given, or Job had reached. Elihu says God teaches that it bears relation to moral training and culture. hide pride, cover it, so that it may not tempt. c Comp. cases of midnight visions withdrawing men from their purposes, as Ge. XX. 3, xxi. 24. vv. 14-16. L. Abernethy, on Dreams, 117. Divine action in dreams.-Many of our readers will remember a case which filled the newspapers some years ago. One point in it, which was only produced because it was historically necessary to complete the case, engaged our attention greatly at the time. A young woman was murdered in a barn, and buried under the floor. She was thought by all who concerned themselves about her to be still alive in another place; and the murder remained not only undiscovered but unsuspected at the time; when the young woman's mother was warned repeatedly in a dream to vv. 14-17. search the barn. She did so; the murder was thus discovered, Jowett, Lect. 308. and the murderer (Corder) condemned and executed. Now, from what other cause than a supernatural action upon the mind of the mother could this dream have been produced? b 18-20. (18) soul, life. pit,a grave. by the sword, from violent death. "Passing away by the sword." (19) chastened, this is another voice of God. This is disciplinary: a part of spiritual culture. multitude, etc., "and with the unceasing conflict of his limbs." (20) dainty meat, meat of desire: such as he specially loved. By reason of sickness it had become nauseous. Various views of afflictions.-No man is more unhappy than the man who is never in adversity. In other words, the greatest affliction in life is never to be afflicted. "If my property had not perished," says an ancient philosopher, "I should have perished." Many of the servants of God have been enriched for eternity by being made poor for a time. Our bodies need physic; our trees need pruning; our metals need the furnace; and our minds need the discipline of affliction. Afflictions are blessings to us, when we can bless God for afflictions. Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions. Under the equitable Master whom we serve, we do d Dr. Kitto. J. and by c Delitzsch. every counten- mirror transmit B.C. cir. 1520. and ever-shining Washington which may a "Angels of death commissioned by God to end man's life. (2 Sa. xxiv. 16; Ps. lxxviii. 49.) Or the deathpains personified"-Fausset. not suffer a single affliction that hath not for its foundation either His justice, which corrects us for our sins, or His mercy, which would prevent the faults into which we are liable to fall. There is not one affliction, therefore, which is not either a just chastisement or a merciful preservation. 21, 22. (21) consumed away, this expression shows that Elihu was taking such a case of extreme suffering as was that of Job. cannot be seen, too painful a sight for any to look at. (22) near unto the grave, sickness may gain such a hold that life is despaired of. destroyers, death and his attendants and precursors, the pangs preceding dissolution. The Gospel preached by Elihu (vv. 22-27).—In the text, compared with the preceding and following verses, we discover six states of the sinner. I. A state of ruin. II. A state of grace. III. A state of justification. IV. A state of sanctification. V. A state of peace with God. VI. A state of glory.-The right improvement of sickness or other distress (vv. 22—24).—These b C. A. Hulbert, words have in them-I. A case of distress supposed. II. An intimation that it will be well to call in a competent adviser under it. III. They suggest what in general such an adviser will e Ven. E. Bather, have to do. IV. They declare the consequences, through the Divine mercy, if sound counsel be followed.c M.A. M.A. If you would be Divinity taught by affliction.-A minister was recovering from miserable, look a dangerous illness, when one of his friends addressed him thus:within. If you · Sir, though God seems to be bringing you up from the gates of would be dis- death, yet it will be a long time before you will sufficiently tracted, look retrieve your strength, and regain vigour enough of mind to around. If you would be happy, preach as usual." The good man answered, "You are mistaken, my friend; for this six weeks' illness has taught me more divinity than all my past studies and all my ten years' ministry put together." Jook up. the Divine ransom a "One angel stands apart fr. all others in the O. T.; his office, rank, and apparently his nature 23, 24. (23) messenger, the word is usually trans. angel, and this may properly be referred to the Angel of the Covenant, the Angel Jehovah.a Elihu's primary reference may, however, be to himself as Divinely sent to explain God's ways with Job. interpreter, Heb. melits. One able to explain the meaning of the affliction, and the way of improving it. among a thousand, a man rarely to be found: of rare intelligence, fidelity, and skill. are represented uprightness, or his right way; what may restore him to a as peculiar; he bears the Holy state of uprightness. (24) then he, i.e. God. and saith, Name."-Spk. some think that these following words are those of the mediator. It is, however, more simply taken as God's commission to him. to the pit, fig. for the grave. Death had seemed the only issue of Job's afflictions. ransom, that which covers sin.d Com. Comp. Hag. i. 13; 20. b Ge. xlii. 23; 2 Chr. xxxii. 31 marg.; Isa. xliii. 27. "What is for his profit."Delitzsch. The benefit of visiting the sick.-I. The office of those who visit the sick. It is to show the righteousness of God-1. In punishing sin; 2. In His way of pardoning sin. II. The benefit arising from the faithful discharge of this office. 1. Even to the bodies of men; 2. More especially to their soul. Reflections :-(1) How honourable an office is that of a visitor to the sick; (2) How blind are they who are averse to have such pious instructors d Heb. copher, introduced to their sick and dying friends. How desirable it is a covering; fr. to support such a society as this.-The Gospel according to J caphar, to cover,-Let us notice-I. The scope and grandeur of its disclosures. tion and atone- II. The great argument, or main purpose of the book. III. In this Book of Job there are the foreshadowing of Christ and His to make satisfac ment. salvation of very remarkable character. Let us now look at some of the anticipative elements in this anticipative gospel taught by Elihu. (1) Man should be humble in the same ratio as God is inscrutable; (2) That Christ's sacrifice and intercession are allprevailing in the salvation of the sinner; (3) That Christ's sacrifice is the great theme of the ministry; (4) That prayer and profession are essential to the Christian life. This mode of Delivered from the pit (v. 24).-A species of capital punishment which serves to illustrate the sacred text, is the pit into which the condemned persons were precipitated. The Athenians, and particularly the tribe Hippothoontis, frequently condemned offenders to the pit. It was a dark, noisome hole, and had sharp spikes at the top, that no criminal might escape; and others at the bottom, to pierce and torment those unhappy persons that were cast in. Similar to this place was the Lacedemonian Kaiadas, into which Aristomenes, the Messenian, being cast, made his escape in a very surprising manner. punishment of great antiquity; for the speakers in the Book of Job make several allusions to it. Thus, in the speech of Elihu, "He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword." "Then is He gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom. "He will deliver his soul from going down into the pit, and his life shall see the light." The allusions in the Book of Psalms are numerous and interesting; thus the Psalmist prays, "Be not silent to me; lest if Thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit." "Let them be cast into deep pits, that they rise not up again." The following allusion occurs in the prophecies of Isaiah :-"The captive exile hasteneth, that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail." B.C cir. 1520. vv. 23, 24. W. Perkins, Wks. iii. 429; M. Poole, Morn. Ex. i. 111; J. Alting, Op. 2 pars. 2, 174. v. 24. Dr. J. Gill i. 514. f Douglas Alport. a good scythe will do more in one day than another that hath a bad one can do in two; every workman knoweth the benefit of having his tools in order; and every traveller knows the difference between a cheerful and a tired horse. And they that have tried health and sickness know what a help it is in every work of God, to have a healthful body and cheerful to spirits, and an alacrity and promptitude obey the mind." Baxter. 9 Paxton. the renewal of youth a Comp. Naaman, 2 Ki. v. 10 14; see also Jno. iii. 3-7. 9. "The sense is, re will burn his inwho will be well cense unto God, pleased thereby." Wordsworth. 25, 26. (25) flesh, mentioned bec. Job's was a disease of the skin and flesh. a child's, or childhood." days.. youth, time of bodily health and vigour. (26) favourable, Job had complained that he prayed in vain. see.. joy, rejoice in the Div. favour and fellowship; shall not even seem to be under a frown. his righteousness, deal with him according to his conduct again regard and treat him as a righteous man. Preservation of health.-Socrates used to say that it was plea-b Job xxiii. 3, 8, sant to grow old with good health and a good friend, and he might have reason; a man may be content to live while he is no trouble to himself or his friends, but, after that, it is hard if he be not content to die. I knew and esteemed a person abroad, who used to say a man must be a mean wretch who desired to live after threescore years old. But so much, I doubt, is certain, that in life, as in wine, he that will drink it good, must not draw it to the dregs. Where this happens, one comfort of age may be, that whereas younger men are usually in pain whenever they are not in pleasure, old men find a sort of pleasure when they are out ofc pain; and as young men often lose or impair their present enjoyments by craving after what is to come, by vain hopes, or fruitless fears, so old men relieve the wants of their age by pleasing reflections upon what is past. Therefore, men in the health and vigour of their age should endeavour to fill their lives with reading, with travel, with the best conversation, and the worthiest actions, either in public or private stations; that they may have ing morning VOL. V. O.T. X Ps. 1. 15; Je. xxxiii. 3; Mat. vii. 7, 8. Sir W. Temple. "Auspicious health appear'd on zephyr's wing; she seem'd a cherub most divinely bright, more soft than air, than blush |