10 Behold! Such at last is the sure recompense of the just. ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them the LORD also accepted Job. 10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. "Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, 11 Think what will be your joy, when at the final gathering of the families of the earth-every care, and trouble, and sorrow past-you and those you love here, will hereafter meet in joy; and part no more. and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold. So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: gave them inheritance among their brethren. Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days. and their father After this lived One cannot imagine a more touching picture than this of the aged Patriarch. O God, here give to us all the spirit of patience with which thy servant was blessed; and hereafter, O grant us, for Jesus' sake, his rich and gracious recompense in the land where patience finds no exercise. All Saints' Day. MORNING. WISDOM iii. to ver. 10. 1 BUT the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of 1 What a blessed truth for survivors to reflect upon! The righteous live in Paradise: their souls in safe keep ing; even in the hand of God *. Whilst thou * "O mourner! cease thy tears, and calm thy sorrow! art weeping the righteous dead, they are at rest. They know not your tormenting cares. They are spared your temptations, your sorrows, your griefs. "They sleep in the Lord" till the last trump call to judg ment. 5 the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. As gold in the fur 5 The righteous meet every trial as a chastisement from their heavenly Father; and they consider the heaviest trials as "light afflictions which are but for a moment," compared with that eternity of glory for which their tribulations prepare them. nace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. 7 And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. 8 They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect. 7 At the day of judgment they shall be conspicuous in the brightness of their glory. 8 In this world, virtue may be said to judge wickedness even by its contrast-in the next world, how infinitely greaterwill be that contrast. 9 Art thou of the elect, chosen people of God-being baptized unto Jesus, whom God's free grace hath made known unto men? Take heed then, to "add virtue to your faith, and make your calling and election sure?" (2 Pet. i. 10.) EVENING. WISDOM OF SOLOMON V. to ver. 17. 'THEN shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours. When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for. And they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselves, This was he whom we had sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach: 4 we fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be without honour: how is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints! Therefore have we erred from the 1 Observe, that the righteous and the wicked are supposed to be standing before the judgment seat of God. 6 way of truth, and the light Irreligious men mock the faithful followers of the cross. They can see no honour in self-denial, no courage in self-controul, no safety in selfabasement. Theirs is ever the im passioned language of Festus to St. Paul-"Paul, Paul, thou art beside thyself." 6 Remorse will force confession of their own folly and madness. Time of righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the sun of righteousness rose not We wearied ourupon us. will prove that it is true wisdom to aim at such a life as shall bring a man peace at the last. All else is comparatively of no worth. 8 In another world, the impenitent, though too late, will be amazed, that reckless of their soul's welfare, they should have idolized riches, pride, and things of this world: for these all pass away, like the froth of the wave, or the smoke of the flame; and are less than vanity. selves in the way of wickedness and destruction: yea, we have gone through deserts, where there lay no way: but as for the way of the Lord, we have not known it. What hath pride profited us? or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a post that hasted by; and as a ship that passeth over the waves of the water, which when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found, neither the pathway of the keel in the ways; or as when a bird hath flown through the air, there is no token of her way to be found, but the light air being beaten with the stroke of her wings, and parted with the violent noise and motion of them is passed through, and therein afterwards no sign where she went is to be found; or like as when an arrow is shot at a mark, it parteth the air, which immediately cometh together again, so that a man cannot know where it went through even so we in like manner, as soon as we were born, began to draw to our end, and had no sign of virtue to shew; but were consumed in our own wickedness. For the hope of the ungodly is like dust that is blown away with the wind; like a thin froth that is driven away with the storm like as the smoke which is dispersed here and there with a tempest, and passeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but a day. 15 But the right- 15 What a glorious prospect for the eous live forevermore; their faithful and the good! reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High. Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord's hand; for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them. Gunpowder Treason. 2 SAMUEL Xxii. 1 AND David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had 1 Surely our gratitude is due to the same God; who is our defence also, spiritually and temporarily. Think, from how many troubles he has delivered thee. 70 the blessed fruits of prayer; Peace in trouble; joy in sorrow; guidance in life; and in death, hope. (See Ps. 18.) delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: and he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock; in him will I trust he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; the sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; in my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured : coals were kindled by it. 1o He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; he delivered me from my strong enemy, and they were too strong for me. 19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 20 He brought me forth also into a large place he delivered me, because he delighted in me. The LORD rewarded me ac cording to my righteousness: 10 These noble expressions are used to indicate the supreme power and majesty of Jehovah-the sure defence of his people. for me, fall before Him. from them that hated me: for 19 The wicked are always cunning in contriving evil: they prevent-go beforehand with-the simple-minded. Turn which way I will, they are ready to meet me. But when God taketh up my cause, their evil devices come to nought. 20 This is said not presumptuously, but as avowing a good conscience. (Acts xxiii. 1, and xxiv. 16.) 22 my hands hath he recompensed 22 All sin is wickedness. He declares that he had not wilfully and deliberately sinned. 27 Wouldest thou God's favour choose religious companions. according to the cleanness of me. 2 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. There fore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my right eousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight. With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright. 27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury. And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds' feet and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them. And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad. Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me. : * The distinction is illustrated by Peter and Judas. Judas sinned deliberately; Peter sinned from infirmity. How different was their end! 12 |