TIE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION. 59

XXVIL.
) HE PENEFIT OF pPLRFLICTION.

OD spoke again to Job | sent all his fricnds to comfort him,
4} out of the whirlwind, that | and to give him presents; and the
| He might make him feel | Lord himself gave Job twice as
“4 still more his own sinful- | much as he had before :—sheep, and
ness and folly,in trying | oxen, and camels, and asses; and
to justify himself before God. And | he had also seven sons, and three
then, the Lord told Job of other | daughters. Job lived in comfort
wonderful works of His. He de- | and prosperity for many years after,
scribed two great animals, Behemoth | having the blessing of God to make
and Leviathan, which wereso strong | him happy; and at last he died,
and powerful, that even mighty | “old and full of days.”
men were afraid of contending with And now what are we to learn
them. How much greater then, | from the history of Job? One
must He be who made them, and ; thing we may learn from him is
how vain and foolish to resist His | patience. St. James says, “ We
will! | count them happy that endure. Ye
Then Job answered the Lord, and | have heard of the patience of Job,
said, “I know that thou canst do | and have seen the end of the Lord,
everything. Ihave uttered what 1 | that the Lord is very pitiful, and of
understood not, things too wonder- | tender mercy.” James v.11. And
ful for me, which I knew not.) this teaches us also, the use and
Wherefore, I abhor myself, and re- | benefit of affliction to God’s people.
pent in dust and ashes.” And did | “God does not afflict willingly, nor
God forgive Job? Yes; as soon as | grieve the children of men.” Lam.
Job was humble and penitent, God | iii. 33. He afflicts in mercy. He
pardoned, and accepted, and blessed | would not have allowed Job to be
him. so tried and troubled but for Job’s
Afterwards, the Lord spoke to | own good and profit. And we are
Eliphaz, and said, “ My wrath is kin- | to learn, too, from Job, not to jus-
dled against thee and thy two friends; | tify ourselves before God. Job’s
because ye have not spoken of me | afflictions were sent to teach him
that which is right, as my servant | this. We should remember how
Job has” And God commanded | sinful we all are, and how often we
them to offer sacrifice for their sin, | offend God; and then when trouble
and to ask Job to pray for them; | comes, instead of justifying our-
and they did so, and the Lord ac- | selves, we shall confess, that “ God
cepted Job. has punished us less than our ini-
Did Job still remain in sorrow | quities deserve.” Hz. ix. 13. And
and affliction? No;—*“the Lord:| the history teaches us another thing;
turned his captivity.” He took | —how to obtain pardon. When
away his painful disease, and made | Job and his friends sinned, they were
him well and strong again. ‘He! to repent; to humble themselves