"Oor times are in his hand Who eaid, • A whole l pl~ned,1 Youth ahowe but half; h'nst God; see all, nor be a.Mid.~ W.F.A. Ver. 21.-Peaoefrom the 'lenowkdge of God. Elipbaz has here atumhled on a great truth, which even his wrong-headedness cannot pervert, .which is indeed a flash of Di,·ine inspiration. Our unrest springs from our ignorance of God, Ifwe did but know him, we should be e.t pesce. I. IIow PEACE SPRINGS FROM THE KNOWLEDGE OF Goo. 1. From the characteristics of lmowledge. There is II restfulness about all knowledge, Vague apprehensions and surprising alarms dog the footsteps of ignorance. We cannot walk tranquilly in .a dark nis:lil throu,:h regions of unknown dangers. Even the knowledge of painful truths is les.s disturbing than uncertainty about them.. When we know the worst the fever·ot anxiety is allayed, although the lethargy of despair may have taken its place. The higher knowledge induces patience, calmness, strength. 2. From the natwre of Goif,. Ill're is the wonderful truth that comes to the troubled soul like a gospel of peace. Our hard thoughts of God are erroneous. They spring from a complete misconception as to his nature. We have thought him indifferent, or stern, or vindictive. These idea, were born of our own ignoranco. If we had but known him we could not have held such views of his nature. The more we do know him the. more we see that his true name is Love. His purposes are gracious. A.fac off they appenr hard ; on a near acqunintance the beaut.y and goodness of them is made eviilent to ·u:s. 3. From the needs of our soul. We cannot be at peace till we know God. The severance from God-is a great cause of unrest. The knowledge of God is life eternal, a.hd'we are.cut off from that life while we hold aloof from God. Il. How THE PEACE-GIVING KNOWLEDGE OF Goo IS ACQUIRED, 1. By BQ171e effort. We have to acquaint ourselves with God. We do not know God in our condition.of sin an<l ~orrow. The world is in ignorance of God. A deep gloom hangs over ,a.large part of heathendom through mistaken beliefs about malignant deiti.~s. Christians need to escape from hard thoughts of God. Our despondency, our limited views, our weakness, out· coneciourness of sin, all make it hard for us to know God in his perfect goodness. 2. Througl, revelahOn.. In acquainting ourselves with God we have not to fe~l after him if haply we may find him. He has spoken to us. The Scriptures enlighten:, us and dispel needless fears as they make lrnown the mercy of the Lord th!!,t endureth for ever. The greatest distress is sometimes felt by people dwelling too much in the region: .of subjective religion. Thus they imagine bard things about God .that are contrary to his revelation of himself. 3. In CJhrist. He is the supreme Revelation of Goel, and he has come io bring "peace on earth." 'To see Christjs to know God. as .favourable to us. He is " our Peace." . 4. By means of reconciliation.. This further th~ught is implied in the notion of acquaiJ:i.ting ourselves :with. God.. We are estranged by sin, which hides from us tbe vision of the love of God. We must turn to God· sub- missively, and make practical acquaintance of liim by yielding ourselves to his. will. Then the intimacy of spiritual communion will be" the peace of God that passeth all understanding."-W. F . .A. Ver. 22.-H~treas11,re.s. God's words are here regarded as heart-treasures, to be received with eagerness and laid up with care. The ignoring of the " Torah,11 the ancient Law of Israel, by the author of Job is one of the striking features of the ~oem. It would seem that the poet wished to set the scene of his great drama of proVldence in the open field of nature, free from the disturbing influences of a special system of religion. But now he does just refer to the word "law," or "instructioD," '!'~ere is a larger law than that of Moses, a wider teaching .than that of the Pentateuch .. A.11 God's words in nature, &:ripture, conscience, and Christ a.re treasures to be received eqd guarded in the heart. . L TRE NATURE oF 1'llE TREABUJtEB, "Law," or "Instruction," and." words." The,ie treasures a.re not material things. Gold and jewels are not the most precious things. Good thoughts are worth more than diamonds. God's words are of the greatest value on several accounts. 1. Their truth, A.ll truth is. precious • Divine cm. xxn.1-30.] THE BOOK OF JOB. 881
truth-tri1th aboub- God aod spiritual thinge--i11 most valuable. 2, Thew bea-rvng im life. God's words are not concerned. with abstract truth, They throw light on duty. '.l.'hey show, us the way of salvation. II. 'fBE SounoE OF TllE TREASURES. The Le.w is from God's mouth. He originates the .commandment; he conveys the instruction; he teaches the truth. God's revela- tion is the original source or all truth, for we can only know nature in so far as God reveals it to ue through its phenomena and by means or the faculties he has given to ue. 1. TIie original Source. God mad11 the Law, impressed the truth on nature, inspired the,anoient prophet, gave the hearing ear. 2. The immediate Source. We can only receive thfl truth of God when the Spirit of God brings it home to us. ThWI it comes from,Godfo each individual. III. THE BEOEPTION OF THE TREAStrn.Es. .We have to receive the Law and the words of God, 1. They are not in us by nature. Or, if it may be said they are with us in our pristine state of.. nature, we .. bave lcist them through sin, e.nd we need to recover them. 2. :'J,'hey must ,be .received willingly. We can keep them out; therefore we are urged to open the door and let them in. The best revelation fails before unwilling ~ars. IV. THE PRESERVATION OF THE Tn~;ASURES. 1. To be laid up. God does not favour us.with a flash of re'l'elation for the use or the enjoyment of a moment. The truth is giveri fo11 a peimanellt good. 2. In the heart. (1) The thought. It is useless to hear, if we do not comprehend and consider. (2) The memory. "The hoarded memories of .the heart " a.re stores for use in after-years. (3) The affections. We need to love God's truth and make it part of our very being by embracing it in. our deepest affections. V. THE UBE OF THE.TBEA.SUREB. They are not buried in oblivion, nor a.re they kept only for show, like the. Crowll jewels at the Tower. In the heart they are at the source of the life, and they a.re there to inspire and influence the whole man. God's Law is to be.written on the fleshy tablets of the heart, that there it may live and rule. This treasure within,.purifies the soul and guides the conduct.-W. F. A.