to be bound up and healed are those lncer11ti1ms of spirit, painrul and deep, which have been previously inflicted by the hand of God through the sharp instrument of affliction. Thllt these wounds, however keen llnd incisive, llre not designed to be mortal or suffered to continue open, but, llfter llccomplishing their purpose, ue to be closed should prove ll source of comfort to the saint. (2) Tho Physician by whom the binding up and healing o.re to be effected is God, as EliphllZ declares (ver. 18), and David testifies (Ps. ciii. 3), as Jehovah himself promised (Exod. xv. 26), and llS Christ taught (Matt. ix. 12; Luke iv. 18, 23). This ll second ground of comfort for the chastened spirit; since God, having Cllused the wounds, will best understand how to cure them, and God never makes a sore thllt he cllnnot heal, or inflicts a stroke that he cannot mend; and since God is possessed of all the qualities that llre needful to constitute ll successful chirur- geon, having "an eagle's eye,-an all-seeing eye, seven eyes of providence and wisdom to look through our sores, llnd into all our distempers; a lady's hand, soft and tender, to dress our wounds and pain us little; and a. lion's heart,-infinite courage and strength of spirit, to undertake the most ghastly wounds or swollen, putrifi.ed sores" (Caryl). (3) The bandages employed in the operation a.re the doctrines, promises, and consola- tions of the gospel l(Ps. cvii. 20), 2. Divine protection. Generally, from whatever troubles may assail, from six, ay, from seven, i.e. from all possibilities of trouble; then particularly from: (1) Public calamity (ver. 20). From famine, by ea.using the earth to yield its iucrease so as to avert famine (Ps. lxvii. 6), by miraculous interposition so as to support in the midst of famine (Exod. xvi. 15, manna; 1 Kings xvii. 14, the widow's barrel; 1 Kings xix. 7, Elijah's feast), by spiritual consolations should his people die of fa.mine (Hab. iii. 17); and from the sword, by removing occasions of war, by shielding while engaged in lawful war (if he so please in his wisdom), and by con- ducting safely out of war. (2) Private wrong (ver. 21). From slander, by enabling the good man to escape it through blamelessness of character and life, as Daniel (vi. 5); or by vindicaliug him against it through some favourable turn in providence (Ps. x_xxvii. 6), as was the case with Jeremiah (xx. 10, 11); or through miraculous inter- position, as happened to the three Hebrew children (Dan. iii. 25); or by rewarding him on account of it should it bring him hurt, as he did with St. Stephen (Acts vi.11); and from violence, i.e. the injuries and· injustices perpetrated by the strong against the weak, not by preventing t.hem altogether, for it is implied that they will come, but by keeping the soul from sinking under them through terror. (3) From personal mill- fortune; such as hunger, i.e. private destitution; and violence, i.e. ravages of wild beasts on personal property; God enabling the saint, instead of regardin!!; these with stoical indifference, to triumph over them as a. means of effecting his highest good (Rom. v. 3), since all things-, even the stones o.nd the wild beasts, will be in league with him, and contribute to his peace (Rom. viii. 28). 3. Divine blessing. (1) Health. "Thou shalt know that it is well with thy tent;" i.e. the inhabitants of thy home will be in safety from others, in harmony amongst themselves, and, generally speaking, in the enjoyment of peace and felicity. Domestic happiness-one of the greatest blessings a good man can enjoy. (2) Prosperity. "Thou shalt oversee thy household, and not err," or "count thy cattle, and miss none." The success attending ordinary avocations comes from God; yet it cannot now, as then, be deemed a proof of Divine favour, though it is still true that piety tends to sharpen the miud's faculties, and to increase the hand's diligence, thereby making godliness profitable for this lif'l as well as that which is to come. (3) Posterity. • " Thy seed will be mllny ," and "thine offspring like the grass of the lo.nd." A numerous family one of the blessings of the old, a gracious family one of the blessings of the new, dispenslltion (lsll. xliv. 3-5). (4) Length of days. "Thou sbalt come to thy grave in a full [ripe] age," indicating many years of living, so many as to fully mature the gfllces of the soul (Ps. xcii. 14) and to satisfy the saint's desire for living (Ps. xci. 16)--a promise first made to Abraham (Gen. xv. 15), and o.fterwllTds given generally to the godly (Ps. xci. 16); ll promise also whose fulfilment is promoted by holy living (Prov. iii. 16; Ps. xxxiv. 12). (5) A peaceful death. "Thou she.It come to thy grllve," willingly, quietly, peacefully, feeling dissolution to be no curse. (6) An honoured burilll, ".As the shock of corn is carried in its season " so she.It thou be reverently and respectfully consigned to the tomb. A peaceful grave 1'nd ll deceut burial esl~emed b~ Orientals, who reg~~ded the wan_t_ of them as a ~oken of Pivine anger, which 1t BOII"•t-•roiu was (Deut. xxv111. 26; Jer, xX11. 18, 19; u.xv1. 30). THE BOOK OF JOB. [OH, v. l-2i,
Learn: 1. " Happy are we if we receive chastening; for then God dealeth with us 88 sons." 2. "No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but rather. frievous; nevertheless afterwards it bringeth forth the peRceable fruits of righteousness.' 3. The soonest way to escape from chastening is to" hear the rod and him who bath appointed it." 4. It is hetter to be chastened as God's children than condemned as •(}od's enemies. 5. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God delivcreth him out of them all." 6. The best alliance against the ills of life is the friendship of the living God. 7. If God be for his people, nothing can be really against them,