The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 624

ibe deeert. God la leading nature on to perfection, bat it ia not ye1. perfect. The law of nature, like that of man, ie progreBB, not et11tionary completenese. III. CoMPF.NBATIONII, Things are not eo bad with the ostrich 88 they 11ppear to 118 at flrst eight. Although the ostrich-eggs are left in the sand, they do not perish as the egge of most birds under ordinary circumstances would do. Beneath the tropical heat of the sun they can bo deserted <luring the dny, the bir<l returning to sit on them at night. 'l'hus by th~ wonderful balancing of influences in nature the CIIT'eless materruty of the ostrich does not seriously endanger ite offspring. If God has not given the bird wisdom, it does not need it. Bo long as we keep to the lines that God has laid down, we shall see that most defects have ample compensation in other directions. The oulp!lble carelessness is that which goee against the laws of God; the fatal folly is that which departs from his ways. • Thie carelessness and this folly a.re not found in the ostrich; they are only eeijn in man.-W. F. A. Vers. 19-25.-77ie war-horse. This magnificent picture of the horse shows him to us as he is about to rush into battle. Whilst asses, ox.en, and camels were employed for peaceable work on the farm and as beasts of burden, the horse was almost confined to war. He was rarely used· excepting to dash with the charioteer into the thick of the fight. In the poet's picture he is scenting the battle from afar. Let WI look at his striking features . .I. STRENGTH, There are two kinds of strength-mere brute strength of muscle, and the strength that is vitalized by nervous and mental influences. The urus ie an instance of the former. In simple contractility of muscle he may exceed the horse. But the strength of the horse is nervous strength. It cannot well be meaaared, for it is continually fluctuating. It varies in degree according to the ex.tent to which the sensitive animal is excited. We meet, with the two kinds of strength in men, and especially in women. When the mind fires the body, unheard~f feats are performed. In moments of heroism naturally feeble people: seem to have the strength of a. giant.. God gives strength through spiritual influences. •• II. COURAGE. We may be surprised to meet with this characteristic in a description of the horse. Is he not a timid creature, shying at any unusual object by the way- side? 'l'his is true when he is dull and subdued. But our picture shows him to us as the war-horse rushing in to battle. r Then'he is brave as a lion. His courage is not the dull indifferenpe to danger that is a trait of stupidity,_ but the fiery courage of intense excitement..• It·is difficult to be brave in cold blood. - It is not easy to face the • tfoubles and dangers 'of life without some inspiring influence. The Spirit of God in him makes the .most timid brave. ill. ENT!'fUBIABM. The life·ofthe picture is. its enthusiasm. The horse is impatient (or the rage pf the battle, ex.cited by the distant. sound of it to a strong desire to rush i.rito it. 'fhat is the spirit which will give him strength and courage to go right into the midst of the danger. Nothing succeeds like enthusiasm. Nothing is so. beautiful, so inspiriting, so full of life and hope. It needs guide.nee or it may plunge into disaster; it is not enough -without the direction of wisdom. But wisdom is vain without enthusiasm. In the Christian life men are uplifted and borne onward when they are reached by a wave of enthusiasm. Christ inspires the "enthusiasm of humanity,'' because he first inspires an enthusiasm for himself. Now, the first essential in a worthy enthusiasm is the perception of a worthy object. The horse scents the battle, and the horse knows its master. We see the great battle of sin and misery, and we have a. glorious Captain of salvation. The need of the world calls WI to the tight; the presence of our Lord gives us strength and courage, e.nd ensures the victory.-'iV. F. A. Vere.. 26-,-30.-The hawk and tha eagle. L NATURE'S INDEPENDENCE Ol!' MAY. Thi~.is the leading lesson of the whole chapter, impressed upon us by means of a series of most graphic illustrations; and it reaches its climax. at the concluding parag;aph, in which the high-flying birds of prey, the hawk and the eagle, are described. These above all other creatures are independent of man. Denizens of the air, they soar far above his reach. .No human hand,could give that might of pinion, that keenness of vision, thai rush of life, which we see in the two birds-the one the terror of all small creatures, ib11 other ihe daugerous foe of the. young of larger animals. But nature throughout ia  640 THE BOOK OF JOB.