Doctrine, Experience, Practice.

THE GRAVES ARE READY.

"My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me." JOB Xvii. 1.

THE words are ready are not in the original, but are supplied by the translator of this portion of the sacred Scriptures. The original is, "the graves for me." These words have been understood in different senses. Some suppose the sense to be this, "the graves for me;" that is, now there is nothing for me to think about but a grave. Such was the diseased state of Job's body that he had no hope of restoration to health, therefore it was high time for him to have done with the world, and to devote the remainder of his days to preparation for the grave. "My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves for me." His vital powers were nearly extinct; his breath failed; his power was weakened, and he was ready to die. There are persons living at the present moment who are so old, or so diseased, that they should think of little else but of preparation for death, when their body will be deposited in a grave, and their soul will enter into the eternal world. Death should be much in our thoughts at all times, especially in old age and in times of dangerous sickness. Some, when they are sick, cannot endure to hear a word spoken of the grave; others will forbid such as come to visit the sick to speak a word of death. Louis the Eleventh, King of France, was so excessively afraid of death, that he gave command to his attendants not to give him any warning of the approach of death. It was worse than death to him to hear of death; and yet, before he died, he was told of it, not only plainly, but rudely. He was told that his fatal hour was come, and that no one could keep him alive a day longer. Such a slavish dread of death can only be overcome by faith in Christ, "who has abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light." The words of Jesus are full of comfort to the believer. He says, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall be live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" There are many aged and sick persons who would do well to think less about their worldly business, and to think more about what will become of their

souls, when their bodies are put in their coffins, and their coffins shall be deposited in the grave. Think not that this subject is only invested with thoughts that are gloomy, for if you look at it in the glass of the glorious Gospel you will see light beyond for all who believe in Jesus. Would you welcome death as a friend, rather than dread it as an enemy? Then study the sublime doctrines of the Gospel, meditate on the good news it proclaims, and believe the Divine record concerning the Saviour of the world. He has made full satisfaction for sin, so that through Him you may be restored to the friendship of God, and obtain eternal life. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage."-Heb. ii. 14, 15.

"The graves for me." Some think that Job meant to say, "I wish for nothing but a grave." His trials were so heavy, that he longed for the rest of the grave. "The grave and I shall not fall out, now that I am ready to fall into it. For if I had my vote, or might put down in writing what I would have, I would write, a grave—a grave for me; as I am declining and decaying in my body, so my spirit is as willing that my body should decay. I am as ready for the grave as that is for me. A grave for me." But, alas! some wish for the grave, who are not ready for it. How many, when they are racked with pain, when they meet with disappointments, when they are laden with the infirmities of old age, rashly exclaim, "Oh, that thou wouldest hide me in the grave,” yet are not prepared by sound conversion to God, for the grave. No wise man will wish the grave to be ready for him before he is ready for the grave. Remember, the whole of man is not put into the grave. He is a compound being, composed of matter and mind. When he dies, one part of him is deposited in the grave, but the other enters into eternity. If saved, it wings its flight to heaven; but if not saved, sinks to hell. Hence every thoughtful person will desire to be saved before he wishes for the grave. Many under the pressure of affliction desire to die, who are not prepared for death, forgetting the bitter pains of the second death. How dreadful to have the body resting in the grave, and the soul tormented in hell! And yet this will soon be your condition, if you refuse to repent and believe the Gospel. Then, before you long for the grave, long for the blessings of salvation, and then you will finish your course

with joy. When you have embraced the offers of Divine mercy, when Christ is precious to your soul, when you have put off the old man and put on the new man, then you may desire the grave, but in patient submission to the will of God. His glory ought to be our chief concern, and He is glorified by our patient submission to His will. Some who say, Oh, that thou wouldest hide me in the grave," would do far better if they were to say, “Oh, that thou wouldest make me more holy, more useful, more devoted to thy service. Oh, that thou wouldest make me more self-denying, more spiritual, more fit to live or to die." The desire for the grave may spring from purely selfish motives, to escape suffering, and not to honour God. Let us think of our responsibility, our duty, and of the judgment-day, as well as of the grave.

"The graves are ready for me." Job speaks in the plural number. He saith not, the grave is ready for me, but the graves are ready for me. Now, why is this? How many graves must Job have? Would not one grave hold him? Or, was Job covetous to have many graves? Many houses will not serve some men while they live, but one house will serve any man when he dies. One room will hold the dead, for whose covetous and ambitious minds the whole world was not roomy enough while they lived. Why, then, does Job say, "The graves are ready for me?” He saith it to show that death abounded to his apprehension, or that he could not escape death. As if he had said, “Wherever I set my foot, I step upon a grave." Job saw deaths, and beheld graves everywhere gaping for him. Paul was "in deaths oft," and Job was in many deaths at once. "The graves are ready, there are many pits making, I am sure to fall into one, there is no avoiding it." Death is always near, and may be nearer than we expect. Solemn thought! Are we ready for the grave into which we must so soon be placed? The Great Teacher says, "Be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." "The graves are ready for me." Perhaps Job refers to the graves of his ancestors. He knew there was a place ready for him whenever he should be wanted. Many persons in the present day have a grave, or vault, or mausoleum prepared for them, and it would be well for some if they thought more of the spot they will soon occupy, and prayed, "So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." The subject should lead us to serious self-examination. Are we ready for the change before us? Have we fled to the refuge set before us? Have we

committed our souls to the keeping of Christ? Are we in a state of nature, or are we in a state of grace? Are we reconciled to God? Are we in Christ, or out of Christ? Will death be gain? Are we living to God? "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your ownselves. Know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates." How thankful we ought to be for the Gospel, which gives us a good hope in the prospect of the grave. The righteous hath hope in his death." The Gospel makes known the happiness of heaven, and the way to it, and the encouragement we have to prepare for it. Here we learn, " that this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality." Though death is an enemy, yet to the Christian it is the last enemy. The Gospel is a bright light in the cloud. This is a glorious sun, which illumines the valley of the shadow of death. All who look to Jesus may sing in their last moments, Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." The subject should quicken us into greater activity in the cause of Christ, for we cannot labour in the grave. "The grave cannot praise thee." And the subject should comfort the tried Christian, for when he is in his grave all his sorrows will be over. There the weary be at rest." H. H.

WHAT NEXT? "A SHORT life and merry one," says one who values not the salvation of his soul. Enjoy the present, leave the future without any care about eternal things, until old age and decay of nature render it any longer impossible to indulge in the pleasure of the world. Is this your resolution, Not to consider the vast interests now at stake-to put off the one thing needful, to yield to the temptation of delaying the solemn duty of searching your heart by the light of Divine truth, to ascertain your real condition in the sight of God? What next will

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you do?
Is life to be frittered
away, by laboriously doing nothing,
by the squandering of precious time
on the bubbles of a moment, when
the soul is in danger, when all that
is valuable may soon pass away,
when the present scene, which so
powerfully attracts and charms,
may suddenly be brought to a close?
The busy plans of the future life,
with its fondest hopes, are often
intensely cherished, longed for, and
eagerly expected, as if there was an
immunity from dread disease or
sudden death. The present is not
improved, nor the concerns of the