III. HE BRINGS NEW nrscoVERIBS OF TRUTH TO LIGHT, (Ver. 22.) This is the revelation of God in history, and its pa.ge is fall of illnstrstions. The calling of Abra..ha.m; the raising up of Moses; the deliverance of Israel; the elevation of David, the" rod out of his stem," the lowly Messiah; the progress of the go9pel and triumph over the wisdom of Greece and pride of Rome; the beginnings of the Reform11tion,- are but a few of the salient points in this providential history of the world, The whole description is fitted to tea.eh: (1) Humility in the sense of the feebleness of our power, the inferiority of our knowledge in presence of the power and wisdom of God. (2) Reverence in the study of history and the observation of nature. (3) Watchful and confident expectation of changes in the course of providence, by which iniquity will be overturned, the rnle of falsehood be brought to an end, and the Divine kingdom be advanced in the world.-J. Vers. 1--6.-0ontempt the lot of misfortune. Job is driven to retort, He affirms his own competency to speak. He claims equality with his would-be teachers, whose words are yet far from healing or comforting his sorely afflicted heart, "I have understanding as well as you." But to him belongs the contempt which is the lot of misfortune. Sad is the story told in a sentence here, but repeated in every day's history and in every land and every age. The selfish heart, rising to a higher level of prosperity, looks down, and looks contemptuously down, on him over whom Misfortune CBBts her dark shade. "The just upright man is laughed to eoom." Note the truth of this, its wrong and its remedy. l. UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCE TESTIFIES TO THIS-THAT CONTEMPT 18 THE LOT o• KISFOB.TUNE. The testimony come.s up from a thousand sufferers towards whom fortune has shown no favour. The wounds may be deep, the pangs of sorrow keen; dark desol.a.tion may encompass; but the joyful, the well-~do, on whom the smile of prosperity rests, become incompetent to descend to the lowly lot. On such the tale of woe makes little impresaion. There is a sad, if not even natural, revulsion from the mere sight of su:fferiog, and the step is easy from this to the bitter, scathing complaint, " Ah ! he brought it all upon himself! " From J oh's 'days downward the same has been ever seen. Prosperity seems to blind the eyes, to harden the heart, to withdraw the sympathies even from the friend overtaken in misfortune. It is an interruption to ease and felicity, tu quiet and comfort. And Well-to-do resists a.s impertinent the appeals of the victim of misfortune; or, as here, takes up an accusation against him, and treats him a.s an offender. Everywhere the truth of this is seen. '' He that is ready to slip with his feet is a.s a la.mp despised in the thoughts of him that is at ease!' JI. IT 18 NOT KOBE GENERAL TRAN IT 18 WRONG. It is unworthy, unbrotberly, UDiltighbourlike. Th.1 great Teacher hit the evil with bis hard word.e,and exposed for on. xn. 1-26.] THE BoOK OF JOB. 219
ever to the gaze of men the self-sufficiency of the prosperous one e.nd hie carelesenesa as to tho condition of the sufferer. He passes by on the other side, indisposed to help the poor wretch lying in hie blood, stript and sore. Pride fills the bee.rt t<"l overflowing the.t is well-nigh full of treneure. There is little room in it for sympathy and pity, and the tendor communion of sorrow. He who is lifted up does not feel that thll lot of him who is trodden down is any affair of his. He cannot be hindered on his way. Shame upon the henrt that is so far forgetful of the common interest that it leaves the needy and sad, and finds itself absorbed in its own comfort! The cnrl of contempt upon the lip and the hard word upon the tongue-Job fathomed this depth, and in the bitterness of his soul rebukes the wrong. Ill. WE TURN TO OTHER WORDS FOR THE CORRECTION OF' TITTB ERROR. True, Job by his irony accuses his severe friends, who transport themselves iato accusers. In their hard words he traces the contempt of which he complains, and takes his lot with others who suffer like himself. He is not unmindful of the true Source of help. He is one who "calleth upon God." He retains his integrity, and the consciousness of it gives him support even under this trouble. "The just upright man is laughed to scorn.'' But the assurance of his uprightness is a deep consolation. Here, then, are the true sources of help. The tested faith in God will find its reward, and the testimony of a good conscience is of price untold. By these Job· is upheld, and by that strength which is secretly imparted to all faithful ones who call upon God, though it may seem as though they were abandoned and forgotten. If the "neighbour" mocketh, the righteous Judge does not mock; e.nd though the trial is permitted and continued, a Divine and gracious eud is reserved which Job lived fully to prove.-R. G.