HOMILETICS. Ver. 3.-" Bitter words." Of the ten commandments, two are directed against sins of speech-one against profane words concerning God; the other against slanderous words concerning our neighbours. No sins are apt to be thought more lightly of than sins of the tongue; yet no sins are more severely and constantly denounced in Scripture. Probably no class of sins does more mischief in the world. Our words are spoken of a:i the special object of Divine knowledge (Ps. cxxxix. 4). The sinfulness (Jf "bitter woi·ds" is seen (1) in their source-they flow from a bitter fountain in the heart; (2) in their utterance-they have a bitter taste in the mouth ; (2) in their results- they infuse bitterness into life. I. lN THEIR souncE. St. James compares the heart to a fountain, and notes the unnatural anomaly that from the same source should flow sweetness and bitterness, blessing and cursing, praise and slander (Jas. iii. 8-12). If the heart harboured no envy, malice, anger, pride, uncbaritableness, ill-natured censorious judgments, how sweet and refreshing would the flow of speech be (Eph. iv. 29-32; Matt. xv. 18) ! II. IN THEI!l UTTERANCE. Our Lord speaks of the good man bringing forth what is good from "the good treasure of his heart," and the evil man, that which is evil "out of the evil treasure" (Matt. xii. 35). Solomon marks it as one great difference between a wise man and a fool, that tho former knows how to bold his tongue (Prov. x. 19; xxix. 11). A i!:OOd man may be aware of envious evil, uncharitablo thoughts; but he is very careful how he gives them vent in bitter worJs. His prayer is, "Keep the door of my lips" (Ps. cxli. 3). Some people not merely find a pleasure in uttering all the sharp unkind things that occur to them; they persuade themselves it is a duty. No matter how bitter the word may be, ont it comes, on the plea, "I must be honest; I must always speak my mind." ,vhy must you? It is not honesty; it is want or self-control, of sympathy, good feeling, Christian and Christ-like consiuera- tion for others. III. IN THEIR RESULTS. The word once spoken, like the bolt overshot, cannot be recalled. But the deadliest arrow can hit but one mark; the bitter word may fly from lip to lip, growing as it flies, and inflict a thousand wounds before it is forgotten. David sntfered much from bitter words. He counts it a great instance of God's good- ness when he defends his servants " from the strife of tongues " (Ps. xxx.i. 20; cf. vers. 13, 18). Unjust, slanderous, cruel words are compared to arrows, swords, spears, razors, serpents' teeth, burning coals (Pss. Iii. 2-!; lv. 21; !vii. 4; !viii. 4; cxx. 4; ex!. 3). Bitter words were no small part of tho bitter cup which our Saviour drank for us, nnd of which he warned his disciples they must taste. Spokeu by the uubelieving world, "falsely for his sake," they are the Christian's glory (Matt. v. 11; x. 25); but spoken by Christians of Christians, they are weapons put into the hand of unbelief. 'l'he bitterness of controversy has perhaps been a greater hindrance to truth than tho assaults of atheism. Wherever this Marah flows-in the Church, the home, the social circle, tho nation-it poisort's life. Seek to cast into it the healing branch (Col. iv. 6). 28 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. Crs. nv. 1-13.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Yers. 1-10.-" Man's inhumanity to man." I. DRIVIKG THE GODLY MAN TO PRAYER. We ~ee many evils we cannot remedy. 'l'hey move our pity, they stir our incl ignation. Perhaps we argue and remonstT11te; perhaps in a moment of generous impul~e we may try our hand at redress. But how little can we do! and our best efforts not only fail, but may even brin:; ourselves and oth()rs into greater trouble (Exod. ii. 11-14.). In our grief and de.spair we turn to God; his car is ever open to tho cry of the poor; his arm is e,er ready to bring help to the oppressed. Into his great, fatherly heart we can pour all onr woes; and uuder his sheltering wings wo mny eve1· find sweet securitv. II. Ih:rr.onEo AS A sonE EVIL UNDER THE SUN. There are differences. Inhumanity breaks forth more furiously at times. Some men see and suffer vastly more than others. It has been :;aid of poets that "they learn iu suffering what they teach in son"," and this was the experience of the psalmist. Inlrnrnanity is charnctcrized by sec1'ecy. Mon who do e,·il hate ibe light. By combinations. Sin is weakness. Hand had to join with hand so as to give power. Co-operation for good is praiseworthy; but men banded together for evil are branded with infamy. Inveterate malice. There is no relenting, no mercy. The heart grows hardened in ~elfishness. Utter godlessness. (Ver. 5.) 'Jhe more men indulge in sin, the blinder they become; the more persistently they break the second great comn,andment, the more indifferent they grow to the first. 'l'ha thought of God troubles them, and they put it away. If it returns, they still reject it, Dy-aud-by it will cease to come. Their hearts are set in them to do iniquity. How distressing it is for the man who fears God to behold all this! He thinks how different it might have been; he grieves over the waste and, worse still, the awful misapplication of human power ; he confesses with shame and sorrow of heart the sins that have brought such terrible woes into the world; and mourns the guilt of which he must bear his share. III. DooMED TO TIIE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF GoD. Even here, where we know but in part, we cannot but s~e that it is ill with the wicked. In spite of their vauntings, they are not at peace. Though they call their lip~ their own, they are in reality held in by hit and bridle; though lhey boast of their successes, their rejoicing is vain and futile; retribution will in the end surely come upon them. So it was with Pharaoh and Sennacherib and Herod; so it was with Ahab, who thought to escape by disguising himself; but a certain man drew his bow at a venture, aud smote him between the joints of his harness, and he died. God's arrows never miss their mark. Learn three great lessons. 1. That to do right is always best. 2. That we cau only o'l'ercome evil with good. 3. That vengeance belongeth to God alone.-W. F.