Ver. 11.-The premature arrest <!f the purposes of life. Job looks out from the 1111dness of his present condition, and turns in thought to his past days, to the purposes of those days--the hopes he had cherished, the plans he had laid, even the thoughts of his heart. Alas! they are dashed-broken off. His purposes not accomplished, hi1, plans useless, his hopes frustrated, his thoughts disavpointed, his very days are past! Ho"· sad! how painful l We may reflect- ., I. ON THE LlABil,lTY, TO WHICH EVERY ONE IS SUBJECT, OF HAVING THE PURPOSES OF HIS LIFE BeQKll:N OFF. No one can certainly calculate on the prolongation of .his life. The plans wisely laid even for good and holy purposes may be frustrated. The thoughtfully devised schemo for usefulness, even for the highest service to· men, as well as the prudent endeavour to promote the felicity of· home, or ito advance personal culture, may all be torn asunder or broken, snapped off without coming to maturity. None can calculate on the future. • Ii. ON THE WISDOM OF SO FRAMING OUR ESTDU.TE OF LIFE TRA.T WE ALWAYS TA.KE INTO AOCOlTh'T THE UNCERTAD,TY OF ITS TENURE. No man has a just view of his life who does not consider how soon life's plans ma.y be overset,. tom to shreds. Life is not assured to us. We have no pledge that we shall have time to finish the work we ba.ve begun. Hence it is wise to frame our estimate of life in view of the possibility that all our hopes may be disappointed, our purposes broken off, and the thoughts of our hearts never fulfilled. Ill. THE POSSIBLE ARREST OF LIFE'S PURPOSES l'REIIIATUBELY HAKES IT NEEDFUr, THAT EVERY ONE SHOULD SEEK DILIGENTLY TO DO HIS WORK WfilLE OPPORTUNITY IS AFFORDED. Some work is given to every man to do, and time is given in which todo. iL. For no man is expected to do that for which he has not time. But no time may be wasted. 'l'he great lesson is again and again read in our hearing, "Work while it ,is ea.lied to-day, for the night cometh when no man can work." The uncertainty of our life's duration make!! diligence imperative. it checks too confident an assurance of the future, and it makes it all-important that the life be grasped whose duration is assured. Happy he who can form good purposes and find time to fulfil them !-R. G.
Vers. 13-16.-77ie darkened hope. Sad indeed is the hope which is attained only in the grave, which has no clear vision beyond. Unillumined, uncheered, it has no briuhtness, no comfort. All that Job seems at present to hope for is the silence, the dnrk □ess, the rest, of the grave. There certainly does not dawn upon him ·the clear Jiuh t of the future; at least the assurance of it ie not declared in his words. It is the w'ave, the grave, and the grave only. Contemplate the condition of such as .have this hope only. I. No LIGHT 11 CA.BT UPON LIFE'S DARKNESS. Job's condition one of extreme saclaesa. He bears up with much bravery; but when his spirit is sorely pressed he buries his tbouahts in the tomb. "I have made my bed in the darkness." No light comes from thee: dark ehades to make bright.er life's gloom. "The grave," "darkness," "corrup- tion" "the worm,'' "the bars of the pit," "the dust,''-to these Job is reduced; he can~ot rise above them. No ray of light can come thence to make his present path bright.er. ll. 'l'ms HOPB GIV&S No EA.BE IN LIFE'S &OBBOWS. It awakens no holy emotion, It is a gloomy despair. Life ends in a tomb. The purposes of life are broken off with. IJH. xvu. 1-16.] THE B0(1K OF JOB. 303