despondency, and, at the same time, to convince you that God will never leave nor forsake his children in their deepest sorrows. As there never was a dark night without being succeeded by a morning sun, so the Lord thy God will visit you: For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. Psalm lxxxiv, 11, 12.

SERMON III.

The welcome Harvest.

JOB v. 26.

Thou shall come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in, in its season.

ALTHOUGH Eliphaz, like Zophar, mistook the character of Job, and indulged an impression that the afflictions which he suffered were the fruit of his insincerity, there are many excellent sentiments which he delivered in his address. In a pleasing variety of ways he states to him the benefits attached to that man whom God correcteth, whether in his person, his family, or in his death.-Pressing the application of these to the case of Job, he, in the expressive language of the text, assures him of coming to his grave as a shock of corn is gathered in its season. I will therefore attempt to offer you a few reflections upon this very expressive passage.

The character intended-How such come to their grave-The comparison by which it is described.

I. The character intended may easily be perceived by adverting to the seventh verse of the preceding chapter. Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? So then, the character is, the righteous, innocent person. Where, among the children of men, shall we find a person of this description? The word of God, which bears testimony to positive fact, and which draws the true character of mankind, declares, There is none righteous, no, not one: for the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy: there is none that doeth goods no, not one. Romans iii. 10. Psalm xiv. 2, 3. Humilitating as this may appear to the ignorance and pride of mortals, it nevertheless perfectly accords with the facts of their own history, both in principle and practice; the habit of education only forming the grades of difference between one man and another. But if this may be admitted, where then shall we find the righteous and innocent whom Eliphaz recorded? How can these subjects be reconciled? and how can the righteous and innocent character be produced out of the corrupt mass of fallen beings? The solution is to be found only in the Gospel. That which is impossible with mon, is possible with God. Though by sin man has lost his original righteousness, God, by an act of his own grace, provided a JUSTIFIER in the person of his Son Jesus Christ, adequate to the precepts of his violated law, and the demands of his provoked

justice. By the virtue and merit of the life, obedience, sufferings, and atoning death of this Saviour, for us and in our room, we are justified, and made righteous in the sight of God. To produce the personal knowledge and benefit of this great truth, God, by the influence of his Spirit upon the soul of man, first convinces him of his unrighteousness, and then grants energetic faith to rest in Christ, as the Lord our Righteousness. Nor is this all, the spirit in the same soul forms a new and righteous nature, fraught with principles of truth, holiness, and love, by which it is, in heart and life, adorned with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. This, therefore, is God's gracious work, and this forms the righteous and innocent character, find such where you may. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Psalm xxxii. 1, 2.

Adverting to the figurative language of the text, it will aid us to a few additional remarks upon this part of our subject. It points to a well ripened harvest. We all know, that unless the grain is sown, there cannot possibly be a harvest to reap; neither, unless the seeds of grace be sown in the heart, and ripened in the life, can we expect a harvest of joy in glory. Our Lord, therefore, in one of his most plain and familiar parables, teacheth us, by the growth of corn, the origin, growth, and perfection

of this righteous and Christian person. And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast eed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. Mark iv. 26-29. How perfectly consonant is this parable to the subject of the text, and it may be received as a most valuable explanation of it. The good seed of divine grace is sown in the heart of a sinner; gradual is its advances; its stages are strongly marked; and the fulness of its perfection clearly ascertained by the heavenly Husbandman, who applies the sickle of death, and gathers the soul to his bosom for ever! This may be considered a practical explanation of the subject, and I sincerely wish that the reader may realize it in his own experience.

11. How such righteous, innocent persons come to the grave, is the next inquiry. Thou shalt come to thy grave, said Eliphaz. The ancients were particular in preparing and preserving family burial places; and although, on many other accounts, it is immaterial where a corpse is deposited, I cannot but commend that ancient practice, as it is an expression of their family union and affection while living. Whether Job had such a family burial place, which might have dictated Eliphaz to say, Thy grave,