"pnrtnkere of lhc Divine na.ture" In reHection from him, union with him, and enjoy- ment of him (2 Pet. i. 4). 3. Wisdom is the nature of God (Prov. viii. 25, B'l'J.), uncrcnted, ossential; with us it is nn acquisition, a derivntion. 4. True wisdom for us depends on the llviag, moral communion of the heart wit.h God. Without this it is vnin to seek to know him. An Eastorn proverb says, "He who would learn the eeorota of the mighty, must diligently keep watch at his doors." Blessed they who thus wnit continunlly at God's doors I 6. True wisdom is not to be obtained without its price. It must be wrought for by the endeavour of e. holy and pious life. The departing from evil, the mortification of sin, the weeding out of vices, lays out work enough for ue in this life, and ma.kee the toils of man for perishable good seem small in comparison, "But the end is noble, and the reward is great." 6. The energy of man in the pursuit of earthly good should be a constant reminder to us of the need for like 1:eal in the pursuit of the etern11l good (Matt. vi. 19, sqq.; 1 Tim. vi.; Je.s. v.).-J. Vere. 1-12.-The path of true wisdom. With singular fulnese Job describes the early methods of mining, and the knowled2;c man ha.d already gained of the hidden treasures of the eart.h, and the power he could wield over them. In this recognition of the power of man, and of his deep insight into the nature and constitution of the earth, and its many treasures and processes, he prepa.reo the way for e. setting forth of the limits beyond which man cannot go. With all his searching he finds not out the path of" wisdom," and with a.ll his getting he fails to get "understanding." Aad this further prepares for a setting forth of the true sources of wisdom and the place of understanding. The path of true wisdom does not lie in those dark recesses of the earth where the vein of the silver lies hidden. It is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's keen eye hath not seen, and over which the beasts of prey have not trodden; nor hath the fierce lion passed by it. God alone understandeth the way thereof, and be alone knoweth its path. The plain inference, then, is-Man must ask wisdom of God. l. THE ERROR OF SUPPOSING THAT A KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROCESSES OF NATURE GIVES A TRUE AND PERFECT WISDOM. In all these man may be deeply learned, and yet there be a path hidden from him. The danger of this day is a supposing that science truly so ea.lied is a sufficient knowledge for man. An accurate acquaintance with "the laws of nature" still leaves man ignorant of many necessary truths. For the right use of material. substances, a knowledge of those substances a.nd the laws of their combi- nation is necessary ; and for the safety of the animal life, a knowledge of its structure and processes-the !awe of animal life-is equally needful. But the total idea of the human life is not reached by these. He who is capable of moral and spiritual acts has a moral and spiritual nature; and he has need of the knowledge of the laws of the moral government under which he is placed, and of the spiritual nature with which he is endowed. !I. THE LOWLY BEAl\CHING FOB TBIS HIDDEN WISDOM WILL LEAD MEN TO A CON- VICTION OF THEIR INABILITY TO ARRIVE AT A PERFECT ACQUAINTANCE WITH IT. It is hid from the eyes of all living. Very humbling is this to the proud heart of him who has obviously e. supreme position amidst the works of God-who is above all creatures, subduing them to his authority; and above "nature," compelling it to be subservient to his wish. To know that he knows not, and to know that by searching he cannot find out the knowledge he desires, brings down his high looks. Here he must sit in the sea.t of the scholar ; here, confessing his ignorance, ask. III. THE TRUE SEARCHER, BAFFLED IN HIS MANY F.FFORTS, TURNS AT.LAST TO GoD, AND FINDS THE SOUROE OF WISDOM IN HIM ; and learns that the fear of the Lord is the possession of the true wisdom, and the careful keeping of the path of righteousness the true understanding. That is to say, the highest wisdom is a moral state, and the truest understanding a religious obedience. From how many ie this " hidden," and how unwilling are the ignorant to ask, n..n1 the proud to acknowledge their need I While he who consciously lacks this highest wisdom, and e.ske of God, proves that he giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not any for aeking.-R. G.
Vere. 20-27.-Wisdom hidden from man. Skilful is the hand of man. His ~~ 2~ THE BOOK OF JOB. [oa. xxvnr. 1-28,
rescl!.:cbes are profound. He bas digged deep int.o the earth, He tracks the vein of thu silver and t.he plRce for the gold. He tRketh iron out of the earth, and brass he melteth from the ~tone. He sea.rcheth amidst the stones of da.rknees and the very 1badow of death. His eye seeth what escapes the eye of the vulture, and he knoweth the path which no fowl knoweth. His power ie over the hills, for he putteth his hand upon the rock, ,mrl ovcrturneth the mountains by the roots. Rooks and rivers and floor! are under his power, and t.be bidden things he bringeth t.o light. But with all his pnwer,; of research he is baffled in the pursuit of wisdom, and he knows neither the place nor the price of understanding. The perfect knowledge of the nature of things, and the hi)!h wisdom to guide in the proper use of things, is not within the human gre.sp. Such knowledge is too high for him. It belongs unto God. It cannot be gotten for gold, nor pnrchased with the price of silver. This reflection may- I. PROFITABLY TURN AWAY OUR HOPES OF GA.Th'ING WISDOM FROM MAN, .We cannot gain it there; for "it is hid from the eyes of all living." II. IT IS A BECOMING OCCASION FOB HUMILITY ON TB.E PABT OF MAN, Vain man who can do so much, is haffied here. ' Ill. IT IS A MOTTVE FOR THANKFULLY RECEIVING THE TEACHINGS OF THE WISE. There are men to whom God h&s discovered the hidden springs of wisdom, Happy the_v, and happy all who learn of them. IV. BUT ITS SUPREME LESSON 1B TO DRIVE US IN OUB SEAROB FOR WISDOM TO Goo to whom alone it appertains. "God understandeth the way thereof, and. he, knowetb. the place thereof" -even the wisdom that is " hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air."-R. G.