by the faithful preaching of His faithful followers; and by His Spirit, whose prerogative it is to "reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." Oh, let us, whose office it is to deal with human souls, seek to bring the character of Christ, rather than the creed of Churches, in contact with conscience. The world has no soul quickening, correcting, purifying, strengthening, and ennobling spiritual force but this. This is the world's "Sun of Righteousness."

Another thing which the text leads us to remark concerning the successful discipline of life is

III. It EVERMORE CULMINATES IN COMPLETE RESTORATION. "Then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom." Elihu proceeds on the assumption that the sufferings which the man had endured, and the moral teachings of the "interpreter," had produced a proper effect on his heart, and had brought him into genuine sympathy with the mind and will of God. Such being the case, he says, God would be "gracious unto him," and would find "a ransom," which does not mean an atonement, but a valid reason for mercifully interposing on his behalf. In the genuine penitence of a man, Elihu regards the Almighty as having a sufficient reason for his deliverance. (1) The restoration is here represented as a restoration to health: "His flesh shall be fresher than a child's." The physical sufferings, having answered their moral ends, cease; and the stream of health again flows through the veins, and reinvigorates the frame with youthful energy. (2) The restoration is here represented as a restoration to Divine favour: " He shall pray unto God, and He will be favourable unto him." The soul that had been clouded by remorse, pressed down with a sense of Divine displeasure, and blinded by corrupt feelings, shall be enabled to look up to God and "see His face with joy." (3) The restoration is here represented as a restoration to safety. He shall deliver his soul from going down to the pit, and his life shall see the light." The "pit" to which the sinner is exposed may stand to represent not only the grave, into which we must all descend; but, what is worse, all the moral ignorance, self-criminations,

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and dark forebodings to which all guilty souls are exposed. Deliverance from such a terrible "pit" and elevation to the light of the living," or the living light, are included in this restoration. We are far enough from believing that Elihu understood all that we mean by this complete restoration of man; but to us the blessed assurance is given, that all who are truly repentant and regenerate shall have the "vile body fashioned and made like unto Christ's glorious body"-shall be raised from bondage and corruption to the glorious life and liberty of the children of God. The words of Elihu suggest two facts in relation to this true restoration

"He

First: It is effected by the gracious agency of God. is gracious unto him," &c. Who else could accomplish this? It is a resurrection from the dead, a new creation; and what but sovereign grace could inspire the Almighty to such an undertaking? This indeed is His great and constant work with humanity. God works with all men, works with their circumstances, with their bodies, with their souls: works, as Elihu tells us, by visions of the night, by special afflictions, and by moral interpreters sent by Heaven. He thus works with each and all, in varied ways and without remission, in order to bring men back from the "pit"-a scene of darkness, confinement, and desolation-and give them the living light, the light of intelligence, purity, and joy. The words of Elihu suggest that

Secondly: This gracious agency of God is obtained in connection with penitential prayer. "He looked upon men," that is, as the margin has it, the penitent man looks upon his fellow-men, and says from experience, "I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not." This is the language of true contrition. The genuinely penitent man never ascribes his sin to his organization or to his circumstances, but to himself—" I have sinned." Now, it is this state of mind that ensures Divine interposition. Because of this He,—that is, God,—“ will deliver his soul from going into the pit." This moral state of mind is indispensable to man's complete restoration. If men repent, will not the Almighty save? "The Lord is nigh unto them. that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a

contrite spirit." "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." This is the great call of God to man in the Gospel. "In that time Jesus began to preach and say, Repent." "Except ye believe and repent, ye shall all likewise perish." "God commandeth all men everywhere to repent."

Such is the successful discipline of life, as suggested by the words of Elihu. In this school, afflictions are required, and we have them. The human world is full of suffering. "Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward." "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." In this school these troubles and trials are chastisements. In this school moral "interpreters" are required, and we have them in the books, in the examples, and in the teachings of the faithful followers of Him who is the One Infallible "Interpreter," Jesus Christ, the Righteous. In this school the complete restoration of man is the grand end.

CONCLUSION.-The great question for us to determine is, What are we doing in this school? How are we using our afflictions? As arguments to reflect on the benevolence of God, and as reasons for murmuring and repining under His dispensations? Or do we regard them as the chastenings of a loving Father? Are we so exercised" by them that we feel that, like the gales of the mariner, they are bearing us away from those unholy scenes on which our hearts are set? How are we treating our moral "interpreters"? Do we close our ears to their instructions, and trifle with the admonitions of those who are seeking to show us the righteousness of God in all His procedure? Or do we hearken to their words with an ardent and sincere desire to know Him "whom to know is life eternal"? Are we getting restored, intellectually and morally restored, by all the lessons and influences of His great school? Or are we getting more morally depressed and infirm? We shall soon have passed through this school. We shall only have a few more lessons, a few more fleeting years, or days, it may be,

and our school-time will be over; and then, if we have not rightly improved our opportunities, we shall "mourn at the last," and say, "How have we hated instruction, and our heart despised reproof!"

HOMILY No. LXVIII.

THE SECOND SPEECH OF ELIHU.

(1.) A THREEFOLD SUBJECT OF THOUGHT.

"Furthermore Elihu answered and said," &c.-CHAP. Xxxiv. 1-15.

scoffing as a man is brimful of Respecter of persons. water who has had his fill.

HOMILETICS.-There are three subjects of thought here: the judicial faculty of man's mind, the moral imperfections of man's character, and the transcendent glories of man's God. We shall notice these thoughts with great brevity.