all speak like men of sense and piety, but, as they waxed warm in the debate, their expressions on both sides are perhaps too strong and exaggerated. As Job continued speaking long after his friends had ceased to answer, Elihu, a young man of an excellent understanding, a by-stander and witness of the whole controversy, at length comes forward as moderator, and freely censures both parties, judiciously pointing out what had been faulty in the arguments, both of Job and of his friends.

Finally, God himself answers Job out of the whirlwind. Nothing can be conceived more awful than this appearance of Jehovah; nothing more sublime than the manner in which the speech is introduced. Thunders, lightnings, and a whirlwind announce his approach! All creation trembles at his presence! At the blaze of his allpiercing eye, every disguise falls off. The stateliness of human pride, the vanity of human knowledge, sink into their original nothing. The man of understanding, the man of age and experience; he who desired nothing more than to argue the point with God; he that would maintain his ways to his face,—confounded at his presence, and ready to drop into dissolution, with the deepest humiliation and reverence, exclaims, "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." With these words the poem ends. The remainder of the book is mere history.

After the speech of the Almighty had brought Job to this humble and penitent temper, it pleased God to restore him to health and prosperity. His three friends are directed to seek his intercession, as not having spoken so well of God as the person whom they had accused. All his former possessions were doubled, and his life prolonged to probably double the number of years that he had lived before his affliction. This temporal good was granted as an earnest of a still greater and higher felicity in store for him hereafter. Such was the end of the Lord," thus merciful and gracious in his dealings with this his faithful servant. His afflictions were permitted that he might exhibit to all the succeeding generations of mankind a noble and shining example of suffering virtue.

He is called "a perfect and upright man;" but by these expressions we are only to understand that he was a man of sincere and eminent goodness. A character strictly perfect, has never appeared but once on the real stage of the world. In Job, as well as in other good men, there was a mixture of human infirmity. His bitter complaints, execrations on his birthday, weariness of life, longing for death, eagerness to be brought upon his trial, and his expostulations with his Judge, were all below the serene dignity and perfect submission with which the man Christ Jesus endured far greater sufferings. They were shades and blem

ishes in this otherwise excellent character, and argued some degree of impatience even in this heroic pattern of patience. It should be remembered, however, that they were wrung from him by the astonishing nature and uncommon severity of his sufferings, accompanied with the rash censures and torturing suspicions of his friends. The ready forgiveness and favour with which his humble acknowledgment was accepted, and the ample reward which compensated his sufferings, may teach us the tender compassions of God towards the infirmities and weaknesses of our nature, and how ready he is to overlook our slighter failings, where there is a fixed principle of piety, and an heart steadily bent upon the practice of virtue amidst all trials and temptations.

In this world we are all upon trial. We are placed here in the midst of temptations, difficulties, and troubles, that by repeated acts of wisdom and virtue, in opposition to all the allurements to folly and vice, we might acquire those habits of selfcommand, submission to God, and acquiescence in his will, which may fit us for a state of higher felicity in a better world. The example of Job and of other good men whose lives are recorded in Scripture, is set before us to encourage and animate our endeavours to tread in their steps. By what happened to them, we are warned of the temptations and dangers to which we ourselves are

exposed; and in their victory and triumph over them, we see to what noble attainments our nature is capable of rising, when duly cultivated and improved. God grant that we may all become followers of those "who through faith and patience are already inheriting the promises!"

SERMON XVIII.*

PREACHING OF PAUL.

ACTS xxiv. 25.

As he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled.

As the ministers of Christ, in fulfilling the duties of their holy profession, must wish to regard St. Paul as a model, copying after his manner of preaching, his judgment in accommodating his discourses to the circumstances and characters of his hearers, and his earnestness and zeal in speaking to their hearts and consciences; the words now read may lead us to contemplate him in each of these respects. Of his method of preaching we are informed by the assertion, that he reasoned.

The great pre-eminence of human beings above the other species of creatures belonging to this lower creation, results from their powers of reason. By this faculty they are enabled to reflect upon

This discourse was delivered at an ordination. The portion of it more immediately adapted to the occasion, being alone omitted.