research. Religion influencllS all life; intellectual life is no exception. 1. Religion should excite the thirBt for truth. It is a mistake to suppose that religion inclines to indolence and ignore.nee. It inspires all the noblest endeavours. It is on the side of light and truth. Rightly understood, it will impose the pursuit of science as a dnty. Without religion this pursuit ls too likely to be followed only from mere inclination, or possibly for ends of self-interest. 2. Religion tends to induce the most wholesome Bcientifio temper. There is great resemblance between the Christian graces and the special dispositions requisite for the successful discovery of truth. The Sermon on the Mount contains the best possible precepts for the charncter of the model man of science. Loyalty to trnth, unselfishness in sacrificing prejudices and crotchets, justice to the work of rivals, diligence in uninteresting but needful inquiries, patience in waiting for solid results, conscientiousness in refraining from mere sensationalism, humility in confessing the smallness of the area really conquered, calmness and generosity under criticism, are among the most essential requisites for the pursuit of science, and they are among the best fruits of religion. 3. Religion tends to open the eyes to truth. It raises us from the gross animalism which is intellectual death. Elevating the whole man, it enlarges the intellect. II. RELIGION IS THE NECESSARY FOUNDATION OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE. This fact agrees with the great modern doctrine of inductive philosophy. Experience is the basis of knowledge. 'l'o know God we must have personal relations with him. Spiritual truths in regard to human life depend on the same Source. We must do the command- ment in order to know the doctrine. Indeed, there is a constant interaction between knowledge and expelience-every enlargement of experience increasing our knowledge, and every increment of knowledge throwing light on onr way for future experience; till, in consequence of these two processes, we rise, as one has said, by a sort of" spiritual spiral," to'the coexistent perfection of knowledge and of character. Our independence upon an external and superhuman revelation for our knowledge of Divine things is no exception to this principle, as two considerations will show. 1. Revelation was first vouchsafed through religious men. The fear of God was the beginning of knowledge in the prophets; the love of Christ is its basis in the apostles. Nebuchadnezzar could not have written the prophecies of Isaiah, nor could Judas have written St. John's Gospel. 2. Revelation can only be understood by religious men. A bad man may be a good verbal commentator, but the essential truth, the spirit which quickens as dis- tinguished from the "letter that killeth," can only be discerned by those who are in sympathy with it, because "spiritual things are spiritually discerned."
Ver.10.-Temptation. I. How THE TEMPTATION COMES. 1. From sinners. (1) It comes from without. The evil of our own hearts inclines us to sin ; but were we per- fectly innocent we could not escape temptation. The serpent was a denizen of Eden. Christ the Sinless One was tempted. The sights and sounds of the wicked world pene- trate to the most carefully guarded soul. (2) 'fhe temptation is furnished by tboso who have themselves succumbed to sin. It is sinners who tempt. Sin is contagious. The worst sin is that of those who, like Jeroboam, "make Isrnel to sin." The bad man has terrible power for harm. Example, social influence, friendship, favour his desi:rns. 2. By enticements. Sin is made to be attractive; nnd it is most important for all of us to kuow that there e.re pleasures in sin, in order that we may not be surprised nt tho discovery of them. The fruit is palatable, though, like apples of Sodom, it soon turns to ashes. If it were not so, who would run the risk of tasting it? If stolen water~ were not sweet, who would choose to wear the brand of a thief on his conscience? Herein is the great power of temptation. By slow degrees and soft inducements tho evil is wrought. The subtle serpent succeeds where the roaring lion fails. Delilah conquers the man whom no Philistine warrior could overthrow. "Devils soonest tempt, resembling spirits of light." II. How THE TEMPTATION rs TO DE MET. "Consent thou not." Let no man deem himself the helpless victim .:.f temptation. "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able," etc. (1 Cor. x. 13). We have wills. We can say "Yes" end" No." We are not responsible for meeting with temptation, since even Christ felt the cruel force of this trinl, but we are responsible for the wny we behave under it. 20 THE PROVERBS. [OB. I. 1-33,