II. GOD OANN0T DE DRIBED BY MAN'S GIFTS, The huge mistuke of heathen worship la that it consists for the most pnrt in attempts to buy off the anger a.nd secure the favour of the gods by means of gifts o.nd sacrifices. We meet with the same heathenish idea in nil religious exercises that nim at being really profitable to God, not for his own sake, but to purchase his favour. III. GOD 18 UNDER NO INDUOEMENT TO BE UN.1UBT TO MAN. Between man and man injustice is common, becanse one man is much affected by the conduct of another, But if man can neither profit nor injure God, God can have no motive for dealing in o.ny unequal way with man. IV. GOD VOLUNTARILY OONOEBNS HIMBELI!' WITH OUR CONDUOT BECAUSE HE LOVES us. Elihu's description of God is one-sided. True in regard to the nature of things, it is false as it concerns the action and sympathy of God. Elihu's God is too much like an Epicurean divinity. The love which is most characteristic of the Divine cha- racter, as it is revealed in the Bible, is here quite ignored. God may not be dependent on us. Yet his love leads him to be deeply concerned in what we do, and to entrust his designs to us as his servants. At the same time, seeing that love is his leading motive, there can be no need for us to try to bribe God, even if it were possible for us to do so; and we may be sure that, so far from dealing with harsh injustice, God will only desire our good. V. GOD ACCEPTS MAN'S TREATMENT OF HIS BROTHER-MAN AS THOUGH THIS Al!'l!'ECTED HIMSELI!', Christ has taught us that what is done to cne of the least of his brethren is done to our Lord himself (Matt. xxv. 40). God's love for his children makes him regard any injury done to them as though it were an injury to his own person.. The Father feels in the sufferings of his children. Thus we may benefit or injure God by benefiting or injuring our fellow-men. At the same time, this only results from the position which God voluntarily assumes towards us. VI. MAN 18 DEPENDENT ON GOD, AND BIB CONDUCT SHOULD BE A RESPONSE TO GoD's. :Religion does not begin with our worship of God. Its commencement is earlier, in God's goodness to man. All true worship springs from gratitude. Thus, while we cannot be useful or hurtful to God, excepting in so far as his love and sympathy permit us, we are urged to consider how completely onr lives are in his hands, and how essential it is for us to live so that we may enjoy his continued fa.vour.-W. F. A. Ver. 10.-" Bongs in the night." I. SoNas IN THE NiaHT ABE PE0ULUBLY HELPFUL. The thought is of a lonely and desolate night-a night of weary watching or painful suffering, when sleep cannot, or should not, be enjoyed. Travellers who dare not sleep in· a perilous region infested by wild beasts, sing songs as they sit round their camp fire. Poor sufferers on beds of sickness welcome strains of well-known hymns in the long, wakeful night. The dreadful night of sorrow needs the cheering of some song of Zion. - In the sunny day songs come readily enough.., but then we could dispense with them. It is when darkness lies about our path ibat we need some uplifting and cheering influence. II. SONGS IN ,THE NIGHT MAY BE ENJOYED. Elihu speaks in the present tense. Ohristian history tells of many a soul cheered by heavenly ,songs in darkest hours. Paul and Silas sang in prison with their feet in the stocks (Acts xvi 25). •• Stone we.lie do not e. prison make, · ·Nor iron bars e. cage." Sufferers have been cheerful with interior joy, even when their outer life has been hard and cruel. The joy of God is never so real as when it breaks out in the midst of the deepest earthly trouble. This is au actual experience that lies within the reach of benighted souls, if only they will seek its cheering helpfulness. III. SoNGB IN THE NIGHT DO NOT ARISE SPONTANEOUSLY. There is something para- doxical in the phrase, "songs in the night," for of course the context shows that it does not point to the noise of those who turn night into day with unseemly revr.lry, Elihu's night-songs are of holy thoughts and heavenly music, or at least of pure and refreshing gladness, as his indication of the Source of them proves. Now, sorrow is not the parent of gladneSB. If we are to enjoy deep harmonies of thought, or to soar iuto high heavens of emotion among the depressing influences of trouble, we must not Fi74 THE HOOK OF JOB. [olJ, XXXV. 1-18,
lo0k. for the trouble t.o produoe the songs. We mullt tum elsewhere, Rnd if wo have no higher than '81\rthly supplil'~, we shall have no songs such RB Elihu spoke of. IV. SoNGll IN THE NIGHT ARE GIVEN BY Gon. In the still hom"R of darkness he dl'IL'Ws near to the soul. When t.be desolation and misery are greatest• Goo is most c~mp11SBio~1ate. He i~ ~ot de~ndent o~ exte~nal _circ~metancee. Night n.nd day are ahk<e to him. Thus 1t 1s possible for him to msp1re his sweetest songs when we are drinking thC' most bit.t.er cup. We must not delude ourselves into the notion that we llhall not fool suffering if God is with us, although martyrs have been known to loso consciousn_ess of the devouring flames in the ecstasy of their spiritual· joy. The song does not dispel the darkness or n'ight. But it drives out the terror and the despair and brings peac.e and a deep joy that is neare.r the true heart of• man than the watcs .of 1mrrow which swMp over the surface of his life. The lark that soars to heaven's.high gate rises from a lowly nest on the ground. Tile sweetest songs of Zion that· IIBCend to the gates of glory begin on the tearful earth.-W. F. A. •