Christ the sine of the penitent ind believing are "covered," and that hie blood cleaneeth from all sin ?-J, Vera. 6-20.-Tlie tempora1·y triumph of the wicked. Zophar now comes forth with wiso words; but they are as arrows, slander, strong, and sharp, which, though drawn upon e. strong bow, yet miss their mark. Only too true is his assertion of the brevity of the triumph of the evil-doer, the momentary joy of the hypocrite; only too accurate hie forcible setting forth of the state and portion of the ungodly. Job has to hear again cruel words. His patient faith has yet to he further tested; his final triumph is postponed. I. His HONOUR IS TEMPORAnY. If he raise himself so that "hie bead reach unto the clouds, yet be shall periBh for ever;" "he shall fly away as a dream," so short is hie grasp of any position of honour. II. His FAMILY PROSPERITY IS BUT BRIEF. The goJds he baa gained by his ungod- liness "his hands shall restore," and his children crouch to appease the poor. lll- gotten gain is held by uncertain bands. For a time the ungodly seems to prosper, but it is that he may be consumed out of his p!ace. · Ill. Hn1 LIFE IS WASTED AND PASSETH AWAY, Even his youthful vigour fails hiJL It shall speedily "lie down with him in the dust." The practice of wickedness brings punishment on him who offends. The tendency of wrong-doing is ever to prey upon the strength of the life. IV. THE PLEASURES OF BIN TO HIM ARE BUT FOR A SEASON. Though he "hide" wickedness "under his tongue," though it be "sweet in his mouth," yet shall it be turned to "the gall of asps within him." -v. THE POSSESSION OF RICHES IS PERMITTED ONLY FOR A BRIEF PERIOD. Though he swallow them down, " be shall vomit them up again." Nothing has permanence with him. Changes come over him from sources he cannot trace and certainly could not foresee. His. toil is fruitless. "That which he laboured for shall be restore . . . be shall not rejoice therein," Wickedness eats into the strength and joy of life. It exposes life to innumerable evils and robs it of its chief good. 'fhe wicked man has no pledge of permanent blessing. " He shall not save of the.t which he desired." Truly "the triumphing of the wicked is short."-R. G. Vere. 21-26.-Disappointment to tlte wicked. Even when all promises well to the wicked, evil shall lurk under cover of the seeming prosperity. When he is about to satisfy himself, suddenly he shall be in straits. His hopes shall be blasted, his strong confidence disappointed. With a singular cluster of strong figures Zophar depicts the unsatisfying position of the wicked man. He is in the midst of enemies. Every source of help and joy seems to fail him, I. HE FINDS NO HELP IN MAN. "Every hand of the wicked shall come upon him." Even they of his own way of thinking disappoint him. They tum upon him. An ungodly man· can, have no. true confidence iu his ungodly associates. Evil in them enables them: to detect evil in him. 'l'he spirit which they know within themselves to be wrong and untrustworthy, unkind and evil-plotting, they know to be the same in him. II. HE FINDS NO HELP IN GoD. "Wbeu he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him." _The wicked, so long as he continues wicked, has nothing to hope for from God. It was the joyful boast of one assailed on every hand, " If God be for us, who can be against us?" So if God be "against" a man, of what avail is it that any arci "for" him? God is the best of friends, the most mighty of enemies. Not that in the Divine heart are any sentiments of enmity against the children of men, but men turn blessin~s into curses by the way they use them. So men make an enemy of their best Friend. III. HE FINDS NO HELP IN cmouMSTANCES. The iron weapon which he might have grasped he shall flee from; and the bow of steel which he might have drawn shall strike him through. "Terrors" seize him, "darkness" hides in his secret places, "a. fire not blown" consumes him. He is encompassed by foes. All things are against him. Though he prosper, yet "in the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits." "'!'his is the porttou of th~ wick~d man from God, and the heritage apvc>inted unto hiru by Ood.''-R, G, THE OOOK OF JOB.
Ver. Z7.-~fitalll ttmfflOft!,' cg11msl U111godli'ftffl. The wicked 1n•y hide hitnnlr "in his secret places," but his iniquity will be revealed. He cannot escape. For a time he may /rosper and may practise deceit; but ultimately hie doings shall be tt111.de known an meet with their just retribution. The natural oonsequentie of wrona- doing is to go on frotn biui to worse until at length it bnrBts all restraint. Even the dull eye of the neighbour will detect the prevailin·g W'l'ong, but. the keen ,eye of a Divine justice cannot be esORped. Evil outwits itself. Its fruit appears in dile time. Feult.iness of life and conduct make themselves apparent.. But should it be poRsiblo wholly to hide iniquity through life, and to die with the dreadful secret locked in the breast of the wrong-doer, yet there still remains a revelation which cannot be evaded. "The heaven shll reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him," This final testimony a.ga.inst ungodliness is- I. IKETITABLE. II. IMPARTIAL. III. DESERVED. IV. SEVERE.-R. G.