Yer. 29. (CARMEL. )-:-The bundle of life. 1. The bundle of life, or the living (the ,rnrd bnndle. tsei·or, bemg used once before of the bag or pnrse of money which each of Joseph's brethren found in his sack of corn, Gen. xiii. 35), signifies the society , r congregation of the livinq out of which men arc taken and cut off by death ( Barrett, 'Synopsis of CritiCisms '). It contains those who possess life, continued and prosperous life, in the present world in the midst of the dangers to which they are exposed, and by which others arc taken away from" the land of the Ii vino·" (Isa. iv. 3). Life is a gift of God, and its continuance is presumptive of his favgur. 2. ·w1ia! is here desired and predicted concerning them is based upon their moral dis- tmction from other r.1en. They are, like David, servants of God, and differ from others, as David from Saul and Nabal, in their character and conduct. They con- stitute the community of the godly in "this present evil world," and "their names are written in heaven." 3. They are of inestimable worth in the sig·ht of God. He values all men because of their capacity for goodness, but much more some on account of their actual possession of it. Their worth surpasses all earthly possessions and distinction,:. "The whole system of bodies (the firmament, the stars, the earth, and the kingdoms of it) and spirits together is unequal to the lenst emotion of charity" (Pascal). 4. They are his special possession; belong t., him in a peculiar manner, because of what he has done for them "above nil people," and their own voluntary devotion to him. "Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself." "The Lord taketh pleasure in his people," and calls them "my jewels" (Mai. iii. 17). 5. They live in intirnate communion with him. "A people near unto him" (Ps. cxh;ii. 14); "bound np in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God." 6. They are preserved safely from the malicious designs of their enemies, and from all evil. "Should a man arise to pursue thee and seek thy soul," &c. The expression is derived from the common usage of men, who put valuable things together and keep them near their persons to prevent their being lost or injured. "Your life is liid with Christ in God" (Col. iii. 3). 7. They have n common participation in the strength and blessedness afforded by his presence and favour. Their life is of the l1ighest kind-life in the truest, fullest sense, directly derived from him who is "the Fountain of life," and involving all real good. "In thy presence," &c. (Ps. xvi. 11.) The life of others is but "a race to death," and they are "dead while they live." B. They are designed for useful servu;e; not merely to be looked upon and admired, but employed according to the will of the owner. It is for this that they are pre- served. 9. They have "the promise of eternal life." Their spiritual fellowship with God and with each other in this life is an earnest of its continuance and perfec- tion in the life to come. " God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." The pious Jew dies with the words of the text upon Lis lips, and has them inscribed upon his tomb. "Whosoever is so hidd1m in the gracious fellowship of the Lord in this life that no enemy can harm him or injure bis life, the Lord will not allow to perish, even though temporal death should come1 but will t~en receive _him i!lto eternal life" (Keil). "And so shall we ever be with the Lord.' 10. _Then desti!1y (like their character) is the opposite of that of the ungodly. "Concern!11g the bodies of the righteous it is said, ' He shall enter into peace; they shall rest m their beds' (Isa. !vii. 21); and of their souls it is said, 'And the soul of my lord shall_ be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God.' But concerning the bodies of the wicked it is said, 'There is no peace, saith God, to the wicked.' And of their so~s it is said, ' .A.nd the souls of thine enemies, them slia_ll he sling out, as out of the middle ~f a sling'" (Talmud, quoted by Hurwitz).-D.
Vera. 32, 33. (CARMEL.)-Moral restraints. 1. Between the purpose to transgress and the intended act of transgression there is u~ually an interval, and in that interval there may occur physi,cal restraints, rendering the act impossible but not affecting ·the purpose or dispo&ition; or moral restraints, affecting the purpose, and often alter• .CH, XXV. 1-44.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SA;\,lCEL. 495