His substance is gone-his children taken away—all at a stroke-by a violent death, and while they were feasting, and consequently not expecting such a destruction. All these were painful reflections; but what can be done? Why, the best means next to prayer and faith, to keep those gloomy thoughts from preying too much upon the mind, is to be fully employed. Job has still his health, perhaps it would be the best for him to cultivate land, or to be engaged in any other employment; but, alas! the inestimable blessing of health is soon to be taken away. "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves." Ch. ii, v. 1 to 8. Behold him there in that degraded and miserable situation,—who is that who is so afflicted and so sorrowful? It is the once famous man of the land Uz! That man who a short time ago was the greatest of all the men of the East,-who was blessed with extensive property and a numerous family,—who was so much respected and revered that "aged men when they saw him arose and stood up; the princes refrained talking, and laid their hands upon their mouth; the nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth." Such a veneration had they for his wisdom and excellent accomplishments, that the ear that heard him blessed him. All gave ear to him, and waited and kept silence at his counsel. After his words they spake not again; his speeches dropped upon them, and they waited for him as for the rain, and opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. Ch. xxix, 8, 10, 11, 22, 23. And it is he who was not only thus beloved by man, but also approved of by the Lord: he was a perfect man, an upright soul, who feared God and eschewed evil;-but where is he now? how is he changed!-how are the mighty fallen! And yet in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly! 4. There was, however, yet one individual from whom Job might naturally expect comfort and sympathy in his eminent day of trouble. I mean his wife. From their nufamily, it would appear they had long been united; ten children crowned their conjugal affection, and from the amiable disposition of Job, we may almost infer that they lived in the greatest harmony and peace. But, ah! poor Job, the most trying temptation that ever he had was suggested to him by his wife! "Then said his wife unto him,

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Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God and die!" We are not from this expression to infer that Job's wife was an impious woman; but it seems that on this occasion, as Satan had such extensive power given over even the elements, that he was also permitted to make use of Job's wife as an instrument to try her spouse, well knowing that those are the most powerful temptations that come from those we love. But no: Job would not curse his God: he would rather reprove his wife. "But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What! shall we receive," &c. Ch. ii, v. 10.

5. There was yet one single source of consolation leftJob had many friends. There were three especially who were very much attached to him. It is very likely that they were relations of Job's. They were, however, men of eminence for birth and quality, wisdom, and knowledge, and even for true religion. These heard of all this evil that was come, &c. Ver. 11 to end. After this a conver. sation takes place amongst them, but they were completely ignorant of the cause of Job's afflictions. They had ever considered him as a good man, but they could not comprehend how God should permit a pious man to suffer so extremely without interfering for his deliverance. They therefore concluded that Job must have been a hypocrite, and that therefore the Lord was pouring out his fury upon him, and making him a public example;—and thus, instead of condoling with him, they proved the most miserable comforters of all! But, however, in the midst of all this, Job is determined to trust in God. Every earthly prop had given way his children were gone, his wife had become a snare, and his friends had forsaken him, or rather turned his accusers, and his afflictions were very heavy; but Job had a friend who stuck closer than a brother, and on this friend would he rely: "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."

II. His determination.

I. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. Job was apparently in the very high way to the grave: there seemed but one step between him and death. He was outwardly afflicted with a most grievous disease, which was wasting his poor emaciated body every hour, and he was inwardly oppressed with a most sensible reflection of his past losses,

his present situation, and the keen remembrance of better days. But he looked upon all this as a wise dispensation of Divine Providence sent to effect some good and gracious purpose; and viewing his sufferings in this light, he resolved that, if they should even grow worse, and in the end terminate in death, he would still place unshaken confidence in God.

2. Job might confidently trust in the Lord, because he had not brought his sufferings upon himself, by his own neglect or imprudence. Had he been prodigal, and wasted his substance with riotous living; or negligent, and had not taken due care to preserve his property: had he wilfully exposed his children to danger, and never warned them; had he provoked his wife to displeasure by his unkindness and want of affection; had he dealt unfaithfully or treacherously towards his friends; or had he brought on an inflamed habit of body by intemperance and excess;-then his trust in God would have been vain presumption but as he was conscious of his innocence in these respects, he had a right to trust in God, and with his humble confidence God was well pleased!

3. Job's trust or faith was of the right kind. Trust in God implies that the depending person has an experimental knowledge of his power, wisdom, and goodness. A man can put no real confidence in an unknown God; but "they that know his name will put their trust in him." Now Job well knew the Lord as a God of providence and grace, yea, he knew that the Divine power and goodness extended beyond the grave: hence he said, I know that my Redeemer liveth," &c. Ch. xix, v. 25, 26. Trust in God includes prayer, patience, and a reconciliation to the Divine will; and whoever reads the history of Job will soon discover how very remarkable he was for the exercises of all those graces. Job was determined to trust: he knew the Lord was good, and would, in his own due time, either remove his sufferings from him, or him from his sufferings. REMARKS-1. What a very wonderful example of patience and resignation we have in the character of Job, and how lamentable it is that there are so few who imitate him! In all the accumulated sorrows that overtook him, he saw the hand of God, and meekly submitted. But how

many there are who, if they only lose a small portion of their property, or a beloved object, or if they are slightly afflicted, give way to sullenness and impatience, lose all their cheerfulness, become peevish, and even fret against the Lord. 2. What decision of character and manly firmness are exemplified in the conduct of this good man! One would almost think that even Satan himself could not but admire the unshaken firmness of Job's mind. He had long served God, and still it seemed as if the Lord had forsaken him. All things were against him, every thing seemed to tempt him to doubt the Divine goodness; but Job was firm, he knew in whom he believed, and nothing was able to move him. 3. How well it was for Job that he trusted and patiently waited to see the salvation of God. Had he given way to unbelief, or cursed God, according to the rash request of his wife, the devil would have been gratified, the Lord grieved, and Job himself ruined; but he held fast his integrity, persevered in the exercise of faith and patience, and behold how honourable was his end! See ch. xlii.

CHRISTMAS.

ST. LUKE ii, 10.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for, behold, 1 bring you good tidings of great joy,"

WHEN we consider the coming of our blessed Lord and Saviour into the world, the period at which he was born, the circumstances which took place at his birth, and the occurrences which happened about that time, we must be at once convinced that he was that Divine Messiah which was promised to the patriarchs and foretold by the prophets. The canonical books of the Old Testament had long since been completed and ratified, many great events which had been foretold by the prophets had actually come to pass, which gave sufficient proof that they were divinely inspired; the time when, according to their predictions, the Messiah should come had seen its completion, the sceptre had departed from Judah, and had passed into the hands of the Romans, when all were in full expectation of that Shiloh unto whom the gathering of the people should be.

The inhabitants of the world, however, had various views of this expected deliverer, according as they considered themselves affected by or interested in his appearance; and there is no doubt but there would be many conferences and deliberations on the subject. Kings and governors would fear lest some pretender should come from a distance, and introduce himself as a descendant of the illustrious house of David, and wrest the kingdoms out of their hands: hence the suspicion and jealousy of Herod, who when he heard of the birth of Christ, sent forth carniverous murderers to destroy all the infants of the district, in hopes that, by this means, he would be able to cut off at a stroke the announced Prince of Peace. What monstrous tyranny! what inhuman cruelty! Well might mourning, lamentation, and weeping be heard in Rama! well, indeed, might Rachel bemoan her murdered children! The political part of the Jewish people would be in full expectation of being delivered from the bondage and taxation of the Romans, while some few who entered into the spirituality of the prophecies, were expecting greater things than these, and, to use the expressive language of St. Luke, were "waiting for the consolation of Israel."

While the Palace, the Sanhedrim, and the Temple were thus divided in their sentiments respecting this anxiously looked-for Messiah, he made his appearance in the world, but in a manner O how different from that which the generality of mankind looked for ! He did not come decked in all the pomp and pageantry of kingly dignity: he came not with glittering sword and garments rolled in blood; but was " meekly in Bethlehem born." His first appearance was a prelude to his future life, and indicated that he would be "a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs." But still there were some things attendant upon his advent which were awfully grand and sublimely glorious. The planetary system afforded a phenomena which had never been seen before, and presented a new star which conducted the Oriental astronomers to the very place "where the young child was," while holy angels with ecstatic anthems hailed the joyful day of his nativity.

It happened that there were some shepherds in the plains of Bethlehem "keeping watch over their flocks by night."