how, and l1mds us in ent~rpri8cB and modes of naUonal activity alien and opr,osed to lhO!!e towRrds which our subt.lest politicians supposed they were guiding us ' (Cox). (2) N alional movements. "He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: be enlarget,b the na.tinns, and strait.eneth them age.in" (ver. 23). The original distribution of mankind into na.tions, and their dispersion over the face of earth, although effected in accordance with natural law, was directly the work of God (Gen. x., xi.). So national incl"<'l\se and natioDRl diminution, national prosperity and national adversity, however these may seem to be the result of well-known and invariably operating causes, are tracea.ble in the last ana.lysis to the will and power of God (Ps. xxii. 28; xxiv. 1; xlvii. ~• 3 ; J sa. xl: 2~, _23; J?a1?. iv. 17; _Acts xvii. 26). H~ incr~ased Israel in Egypt (Exod. 1. 12), and d1mm1shed 1t m the wilderness (Numb. xiv. 29), advanced it to prosperity under David (2 Sa.m. viii. 6, 11, 14), and gave it up to decay from the time of Reho- boam forward (1 Kings xii. 24). He enlarged in turn Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Rome, and in turn straitened them. He has exalted Britain, America, Ger- many, but he has uot deprived himself of power to bring them to the dust again. (3) Na.tional leaders. "He taketh awa.y the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, a.nd causeth tbem to wander in a wilderness where there is no way," leaving them to their own foolish a.ad distracted counsels, so that "they grope fo the dark without ligbt," and causing them" to wa.nder in a wilderness where there is no wa.y" (vers. 24, 25). It is not in ma.n tha.t walketh, whether he be a sta.tesman or II ploughman, to direct his st.eps aright. They tha.t guide either themselves or others by the light of their own understanding a.re like travellers who follow an ignisfatuw to their destruc- tion. Hence no politician can sa.fely guide a state, unless God first guides him. A gigantic intellect, splendid eloquence, prolonged experience, the subtlest craft, the most careful deliberation, the rarest sobriety of judgment, will not suffice for political success (of the highest kind) without the help of Divine wisdom and strength. Even a Solo- mon, if deserted by God, will begin to play the fool, and a Samson to be weak as other men. Learn: 1. To recognize God's hand. in the providential government of the world, Habitually to do so is no inconsiderable sign of a gracious heart. 2. Not to look for an exact distribution of rewards and punishments on earth. It is not included in the Divine programme that the justice of God's procedure here shall always be perceptible by those to whom it relates. 3. To rest assured notwithstanding that God doeth all things well. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" 4. To reverently bow before the providential dispensations of him who reigns in heaven and rules.on earth. Though .his will is too absolute to be resisted., yet the choice of how we shall submit to that will has been placed in our hands. 5. To carry the thought of God's· overruling providence with us into all the relations and duties of life, It is a. great help to piety to recollect that God is near.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vera. 1-6.-71ul raentment of a wo11,nde,d, spirit. Repeated reproaches and a.ccll6lltions falling upon the couecience of an innocent man sting him into self-defence, They may do a service by rousing him out of stupor and weakness, and may bring to light the nobler qualities of his soul. We are indebted to the slanders of the Coriatbians for some of the noblest self-revelations of St. Paul. L OoTBUBST OF INDlGNANT SOOBN. (Vers. 1-3.) With bitter irony Job rebukes the asHumption of these men to know better than himself concerning matters which belonged to the common stocll of intelligence, and in which he was in no wise inferior to them. To claim superior knowledge over others is always offensive, To do so against a sick and broken ma.a from the vantage-ground of heaHh and prosperity is nothing less than a cruelty. And to make this pretension in matters of common tradition and acceptance, where all stand about on a level, is an insult to the sufferer's understanding. IL lNDIGNilT JI.EMO:S8TBANOE AGAINST THE OOUBBE 011' TBE WORLD. (Vere. 4-0.) 1. Cruel inverllWll,8 of life. Job, who in his just and innocent life, had hitherto stood in coD.fidentie.l relations with God, who had prayed and whose prayers had been heard, is now CH. XII, 1-26.j THE BOOK OF JOB. 217