prophet, be wo.s o.t the so.me time a philanthropist and a patriot, who could not con- template without a shudder the decimation of his people or the desolation of his country; o.n<l neither co.n the Christio.n anticipate without apprehension those chas- tisements that are promised to himself for correction of his backslidings, and to the Church for her recovery from doctrinal aberration or spiritual declension. It may be better to fall into God's hands, because his mercies are great, than to fall into those of roan (2 Sam, xxiv, 14); but in o.ny case it is a fearful thing to fall for judgment into the hands of the living God (Heb. x. 31). Again, the fierce whirlwind of retribution, which in the end should throw down the eagle's nest of Chaldean pride and blow up the crackling flames in which its palaces and temples were to be destroyed, raised within him awe-inspiring conceptions of the omnipotence of Jehovah which made him tremble, even though the downfall of Chaldea meant the deliverance of Jndah; and so, although the final destruction of the ungodly will be to the saints a cause of rejoicing (Rev. xviii. 20), it will also inspire them with a solemn awe of the Divine holiness and justice, majesty and power. 2. Its cwre. Prayer, Different from Adam, who, having heard God's voice, ran from God, Ho.bakkuk, in his alarm, betook himself to God. Hiding from God, the custom of sinners ; hiding in God, the comfort of saints (Ps. cxliii. 9). Suitable for o.11 times (Eph. vi. 18; Phil. iv. 6; 1 Thess. v, 17), prayer is specially appropriate for bad times (I's. I. 15). In addition to the promise that God will be a Refuge for the oppressed, a Refuge in times of trouble (Ps. ix. 9), and to the fact that good men in all ages have found him so (Ps. xlviii 3; xci. 2; Jer. xvi. 19), the practice of pouring one's fears (Ps. xxxiv. 4) as well as complaints (Ps. cxlii. 2) o.nd requests (Phil. iv. 6) into the ear of God seems justified by this, that be who by his judgment causes, is by his wisdom o.nd mercy best able to remove alarms. II. THE PROPHET'S PRAYER, 1. Its fervour. Intimated by the repetition of the term" Jehovah," and by the three short sentences of which the prayer is composed. Souls labouring under strong emotion commonly express themselves iu brief and broken ejaculations, rather than in long and polished periods. 2. Its tenor. A three- fold petition. (1) For the acceleration of Jehovah's work. "0 Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years," The work referred to was the purification of Judah by means of the Chaldee.n exile, and the salvation of Judah by the ultimate overthrow of her oppressor. It was thus a picture of God's work in all ages--the deliverance of the individual believer and of the Church in general, first through the afflictions and triah! of life from the moral defilement of sin; and second, through the overthrow (by Christ's cross and rule) of the enemies of both from the legal and spiritual bondage of sin. The prophet craved that Jehovah might not defer the completion of Judah's redemption till the end of the time which had been appointed for this purpose, but that he might cause his work to live (not suffer it to go to sleep, but quicken and revive it), so that it might be finished in the midst of the years, aud Judah's reformation and emancipa- tion brought about long before the stipulated period bad arrived. Thus his prayer was one the believer might offer for himself, that God would perfect that which concerned him (Ps. cxxxviii. 8), would carry on his work of grace within him (Phil. i. 6), making all things work together for his good (Rom. viii. 28), causing tribulation to work in him patience, etc. (Rom. v. 3), and afflictions to yield him the peaceable fruits of righteousness (Heb, xii. 11), as well as to work out for him a far more exceeding, even an eternal weight of glory (2 Cor. iv. 18); and would crown the.t work by completely effecting his deliverance from the curse and power of sin, from the terror of death, the darkness of the grave, the misery of hell. It was also a petition which the Church might present for herself, that she might be purified, extended, completed, glorified, not after long waiting, but soon, in the middle of the years. "Even so, come [quickly], Lord Jesus" (Rev. xxii. 20). (2) For the manifestation of Jehovah's glory. "In the midst of the years mnke it known." Make it known, the prophet meant, that the work of punishing and putifying Judah by means of exile in Babylon is thy work; so shall it comfort Judah and awe Babylon. Make it known that the deliverance of Judah by means of the overthrow of Babylon is thy work; so again shall Judah rejoice and the nations of the earth be afro.id. The believer and the Church may also ask that God's work in dealing with them should be manifest, not to themselves merely, but to the world at large. This would both sustain them aud impress the world. 58 THE DOOK OF HABAKKUK. [ou. m. 1-19.
Until a.ffliotion is seen to be God'•s work 1 it does little good to the soul; till the world perceives th11t God is in the Church, it will not cease to persecute and hinder the Church. (3) For the dispensation of Jehovah's mercy. Habakkuk's plea was not merit. He knew well that what be asked could not be granted on the score of justice, 1 " Tis from the merer of our God That all our hopes begin." LESSONS, 1. That God's voice should excite alarm even in the hearts of good men is no mean proof of the fallen st.'\te of mankind generally, 2. lt is a p;ood sign of grace whe::i a~ alarmed soul betakes itself to God. 3. The pre-eminence which belongs to redemption over all the other works of God. , 4. The only power that can awaken dead souls or revive unspiritual and decacl.ent Churches is God. 6, 'l'he chief hope of man lies in the mercy of Heaven, not in the goodness of himself.