"It is easier for most men to walk with a perfect heart in the Church, or even in the world, than in their own families," I. HoME·RELIGION ouaHT TO BE EABY. Because usually the atmosphere is healthy and inspiring. If we are the heads of the house we can give the tone to the house. If we are but members, still our well-being is the care of all, and if religion is our concern, we are, usually, at least unhindered. For our religious habits and duties we can easily make or find fitting time and place. But this ease of home-religion may come to be a temptation and peril. Men, in every sphere, reach their noblest things by mastering opposition. 'fhey tend to lose nobility and enterprise when a thing is easy. Easy religion very readily becomes weak religion. Religion cannot bear indulgence; it needs the bracing of hardship. II. HOME-RELIGION OUGHT TO BE STEADFAST. Because:there·are no suddennesses, and no great variations, in the experiences and tern ptations of home to sway the religious barometer. The psalmi8t means by a "perfect heart" one quietly, steadily, persistently set on the right, the kind, and the good. The finest thing we can say of the pious man at home is that he is "always the same.." It is in homes we can most fully exhibit that great grace, "patient continuance in well-doing." III. HoME-RELIGION OUGHT TO BE BEAUTIFUL. Because home is the sphere in which natural amiability and personal affection find their freest expression. And these, when sanctified by sincere and earnest piety, cannot fail to make attractive characters . .Appeal to all experiences thus. .Are not the Christians yon most admire and love those who were beautiful for Christ in home-spheres ?-R. T. Ver. 4.-The feeling of piow souls concerning self-wi7l. ".A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person." The idea in the word " froward " is " twisted," or "perverse." The idea in the word " wicked" is " wilful," "self-willed," "lawlessness.'! " What David, therefore, disclaims is the reckless self-will, acknow- ledging no la.w of right, which is the temptation of despotic royalty, and was hereafter the secret of his own great sin." I. Proue SOULS BEE SELF-WILL AS THE BOOT OF BIN. Take man as the creature of God. Manifestly he is dependent on God. He has no independent rights, and no independent will. He bas a free-will within the necessary limits of the creature, but as tbat free-will finds exercise, it can get' no better standard than the sovereign and perfect will of the Creator. The supreme triumph of man's free-will is his full, loving, hearty acceptance of the Divine will. .Adam sinned when be put his self-will iu opposition to God's will. Describe how you may the various forms that human iniquity can take (Gal. v. 19-21), the informing spirit of them all is self-pleasing, self-will. Therefore pious souls see clearly that their witness and work is not the mere cleansing of conduct, but the rooting out of the very fibres of self-will, which thread their souls as couch-grass threads the fields, or cancers thread the body. Parents roust deal with self-will in their children; kings must deal with self-will in their officials; Christians must dee.I with self-will in themselves and in the world. II. Pious SOULS SEE SELF-WILL AS THE ONE THING TO RESIST. Many may be occupied with special forms of temptation, and with what they discover to be their "easily besetting sins." So they arti occupied with the expressions of things rather than with the causes. Illustrate from the various treatment of skin-diseases. That treatment alone is hopeful which deals with the fountain of mischief. But the psalmist is dealing with self-will in others, rather than in himself. There is a self-reliance which is good, if kept within due bounds. It is the ~pring of enterprise; it is the spirit of the man who conquers circumstance. But it may easily become masterfulness, tyranny, pursuit of ends irrespective of means, and then pious souls feel repugnanct>, and may rightly show repugnance. The self-willed man is not a. God-fearing man.-R. T.
Ver. 5.-The sin of the slanderer. "Privily slo.ndereth his neighbour.'' Modern law cannot reach the slanderer unless his slander ha.s produced pecuniary loss to him whom he has slandered. Eastern kings judge,! ou principles of equity, a.nd not according to written rules or established precedents,so they could punish all slanderers, To a kiug the term inclur!es the jealous int'ormer who tries to breed suspicion, a.nd the sycophaut who flatters the king, and speaks evil of others in Qruer to obtain place and favour. 368 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB. OI. 1-8,