it.i;elf (,1u. iv. 8); (4) he does not uk with sincere faith, but ataggerl! at ,he promiae through unbelief-evrr an insuperable barrier to forgiven81!8 (Jas. i. 6); and sometlmen (6), though be asks, God may have re11BOns for delay in granting the soul's request, 118 e.g. t~ test t-b~ soul's sin~erity ~r el\rnestn,ess, ~ comple~ the soul's penitential_ sub- m1sR10~, to qwoken aud_ mtenS1fy the soul~ faith, to heighten the soul's appreo1at-ion of D1nne mercy when 1t oomes. 4. Umawe. " For now shall I sleep in the dust," etc. J<•h 1mant to say that, if God had any thoughts of mercy toward him at a\l, it was unwise to delay putting them into execution. Burdened with misery aud unpar- doned sin as he was, he would soon be gone. The pressure of such calamities ns he endured must soon crush him into bis grave; and thon, should God, relenting, seok him to extend to him kindness, lo! be should not be, A beautiful picture, that of the Deity relenting towards man (cf. Isa.. liv. 6-10; Jer. xxxi. 18-20); an impressive sermon, that ,iow is the day of graoe for both God and man-for man to seek (2 Oor, vi. 2), and for God to grant salvation (John ix. 4). L ..arn : l. That the most maligned Being in the universe is God, even his own people not always spea.king him fair. 2. That, however mean and insignificant in himself, IMn has been more magnified. by God than any other of his oreatures, 3. That even afflictions are a token of God's desire to exalt man, since only through t-hem can he attain t.o purity. 4. That if ma.n's miseries are e. heavy burden to himself, man's sins are a heavier to God. 6. '!'hat if man's iniquities are not removed, the rea.son lies with man., and not with Ck,d. 6. That God's love to his people is unchang- ing; since, however he may seem to be angry with them, be is oertain in the end to relent. 7. That God is grieved when men pass away from earth without experiencing his favour.
Ver. 17 .-" Lord., what is ffi(Jfl, f" L Tm: INSIGNinOA NOE OF MAN, 1. In origin, allied to the dust. 2. In cJiarad,tJr, defiled by sin. 3. In e:cperience, weighted with misery. 4. In dwation, short-liv-ed and evanescent. _5. In destiny, doomed to dissolution. II. 'l'HE GUA.TNESS OF lUN. l. Oreated in the Divine· image. 2. Preserved by Divine care. 8. R ~ by Divine love. 4. Beneu,ed (or may he) by Divine grace. 6. Immortaliud (or may be) by Divine life. 6. Orowmd with Divine glory, already in Christ Jesus, and afterwards in them that are his. LEssoNS. L Sinoe man is eo i.naignific&nt, be hnmble. 2. Since man is so great, be good. Ver. 2L-.4 ffl/lAtrl i"']tli,ry. L A OONll'EBBION. My transgression, mine iniquity. IL A JlEOOGNl'I'lOJL Of: L 'I'll.a possibility of pardon. 2. 'l'he meaning of pardon -t.o take away Bin. • ,_ lIL Ali DP.rJ!lBBOGA'J!IOlll. "Why dost thou not take away mine iniquity?" 1. A question natural to ask. 2. A question easy to answer (see preceding homiletics).
HOMILIES RY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Veni. 1-10.-JVae _,.,,,_ of m1111: appeal to tM d.t,mency of God. L GEBBBA.L YIEW OF JUN'& llIBBBY .um BIB oWll. (Vers. 1-5.) Man is compared to a hireling with an &ppointed time of service, the end of which ii wearily and wistfully looked for. The ideas suggeated are (1) toi.laomeneu; (2) fatigue and exhaustion; (3) intense longing for rest. .AB the slave longs for the lengthening shadows of evening, the hired la.bourer for pay-time, so the oppre.ssed sutlerer, toiling beneath a load of pain, longs for the welcome end of death. He .. would 'twere bedtime, and all well." Voluntary and moderate labour is one of the keenest delights of life ; but forced and prolonged toil exhausts the very i;pi1Dg& of enjoyment. Reat is the reward of moderate exertion, hut to the exce:1111ive toiler or sufferer it is denied. We have a picture here of the extreme mis.ery of sleeplessneu, than which none can be more acute; the tossing through the wakeful hours of dackness, the mind travelling over and over again the same weary track of its melancholy contemplations. It may be appropriate bere to think of the g,wat bi.us~ of ,leep Romer t.ormed it "&lllbrosial." It waa one of the great boons 011, VIL 1-21.) TH1I BOOK OJI' JOB. 131