Imatges de pàgina
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with infinite ease he can accomplish the desires of your heart.

3. Is there a kingdom of grace on earth, as well as a kingdom of providence ? Then be it your highest concern to know if you are the real subjects of this spiritual kingdom. Are you reconciled to God through Christ? have you submitted to the glorious Redeemer's righteousness, and government, and disposal ? are you going up through the wilderness, leaning on him whose name and memorial is King of kings, and Lord of lords ? Unless he reigns in your heart by his love, and grace, and Spirit, you cannot sincerely adopt the triumph of our text; nor can you say on solid grounds, that the God of providence is your shield ; that all the events which befal you will in their final issue work for your good; that the afflictions of the present life will lead to an eternal weight of glory; and that present joys are pledges of far nobler blessings in a future state of being. O my

beloved hearers ! was I assured from heaven that this would be the last time these lips would address you from this place ; did I know with certainty that, ere another hour,

my

my powers of speech would for ever cease, and that I am now uttering my last words to men; this would be the solemn parting, dying exhortation which I would leave upon your conscience :-Make sure of the divine favour; give all diligence to be found of God in peace; and rest not satisfied until you can say with heavenly triumph, Alleluja! Jehovah reigns supreme in my affection, and I shall reign with him for ever and ever. men and amen.

A

SERMON

SERMON IV.

THE TRIALS OF JOB, AND HIS CONSOLATIONS

UNDER THEM.

JOB ii. 13.

They saw that his grief was very great. This man, whose grief was so evidently great, was not one who was led captive by Satan, whose transgressions reproved him, and whose iniquities were his punishment: Job was the friend of God, and the favourite of Heaven; a person known in the gates as an upright judge, and a public blessing: his seasonable bounties made the widow's heart rejoice; and his liberal charities were as eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

Yet this is he of whom my text affirms that his grief was very great. Never was any man more afflicted than Job; each trial he

experienced

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experienced was sufficient to overwhelm human fortitude. How agonizing, then, must have been the pressure of so numerous calamities, coming so unexpectedly, so suddenly, and in such rapid succession !

But that faithful and compassionate God, in whom this patriarch placed all his confidence, sustained his fainting mind, strengthened his heart in his agonizing struggles, and brought him, in due time, with safety and triumph to the harbour of rest.

That the book of Job is no allegory, but the real history of an eminent saint ; that the important facts here recorded actually took place in an early period of time; and that there was such a man as Job in the land of Uz; appears abundantly evident from the testimony of several passages of sacred scripture. Moses is generally understood to have written this interesting history, while he dwelt in the wilderness of Midian.

The prophet Ezekiel speaks, of Noah, Daniel, and Job, as illustrious servants of God; and plainly intimates, that the existence, fame, and history of all the three, were equally certain and authentic. The apostle James proposes Job as a pattern of

patience

and many

patience to all believers; and Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, quotes as a part of inspired scripture, the words of this book of Job, contained in chap. v. 13. Job's being more than one hundred and sixty years old; his making no mention of the Mosaic economy; the sacrifices he offered up being different in nature and number from any of the Jewish rites ; other circumstances mentioned in his history, strongly confirm the general opinion, that he lived in the days of the patriarchs ; that he might be descended from Nahor, Abraham's brother; that though to him was made known the promise of a Saviour, and the true religion, yet he dwelt in a land of idolatry, and amongst the worshippers of the sun, moon, and stars.

Questions upon these subjects have given rise to many unedifying dissertations amongst the learned; but let us, instead of attempt

! ing to gratify a vain curiosity, or of entering into critical inquiries about what cannot profit, and what was never intended to be known ; let us endeavour to understand the important instructions here revealed ; profit

; by the example here set before us; and live

under

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