them, just as the prey is struck by the snare warnings he has turned a <leaf ear, and the of the fowler. 'fhe verb is, of course, used teacher says therefore he shall <lie. The meta.phorico.lly, ns in Job v. 13. The wicked Vulgate supports this explanation, quia non (Hebrew, eth-htfrt1sil); in the original intro- habuit disciplinam " because he dirt not duced as explanatory of the object, "him." entertain or use instruction." In the LXX. And he shall be holden with the oords of the i<ler. is enlarged, "He shall die together his sins, Tbo Authorized Version follows with those wh1, have no instruction (,,.,,,.a the LXX. and Vulga.te iu rendering '' bis d,r1t,6•6.,..,v)." The b' (:ai) in b'eyn is causal, sins," instead of the original "his sin" and equivalent to propier, as in Gen. xviii. (khattalho ). It is not so much every sin of 28; Jer. xvii. 3. A similar statement is man which shall hold him, though this is found in Job iv. 21, "They die oven without true, as the particular sin treated of in the wisdom," i.e. because they have disregardecl address, viz. adultery, which shall do this. the lessons of wisdom; and Job xxxvi. 12, 'fhe expression, " the cords of bis sin " "They shall <lie without knowlec..lge." And (Hebrew, khavley 1,hiittatho), means the cords in the greatness of his folly he shall go which his sin weaves a.round him. Nothing astray; better, as Delilzsch, "He shall else will be requisite to bind and hold him stagger to ruin." The verb shaaah is used fast for punishment (cf. "cords of vanity," as in vers. 19 and 20, but with a deeper and in Isa. v. 18). more dread significance. A climax is reached Ver. 23.-He shall die without instruc- in the manner in which the end of the adul- tion. The phrase, "without· instruction," terer is portrayed. His end is without a is in the original b'ew musar, literally, "in gleam of hope or sati,,faction. With an un- there not being instruction." The obvious derstanding darkened and rendered callous meaning is, because he gave no heed to in- by unrestrained indulgence in lust, and by struction. So Aben Ezra. and Gersom. The folly which bas reached its utmost limits Authorized Version is at least ambiguous, aml cannot, as it were, be surpassed, in that and seems to imply that the adulterer has it bas persistently and wilfully set aside been without instruction, without any to and scorned wisdom ann true happiuess, reprove or counsel him. But such is not the adulterer, like the drunkard, who is the case. He has been admonished of the oblivious of the danger before him, shull evil consequences of his sin, but to these stagger to ruin.
HOMILETICS. Ver. 15.-Home Joy,. I. THE HOME IS A DIVINE INSTITUTION OF THE FIRST IMPORTANCE FOR THE WELFARE OF MANKIND. Here and throughout the Bible the sanctity of the home iii insist_ed on as something to be guarded inviolably. It is evident that this beautiful institution is in harmony with our nature. To live according to nature is not to indulge ill-regulated passions, to follow chance impulses, to subordinate reason and conscience to instinct and appetite. It is to live so as to secure the_ harmo:µious working of our whole nature and of the general body of mankind. Thus regarded, family life is natural; it falls in best with the requirements of the race,' it ministers best to its advancement. Polygamy is always degrading. As men rise in the moral scale they cast it off. The home is the foundation of the state. Whern home life is most corrupt social and political institutions are in greatest danger. The homes of England a.re the surest guardians of her internal order and peace. May no corrupt casuistry ever dare to lay its foul finger on these holy shrines! Tbe worst fruits of atheism and of the confessional are seen in specious pretexts for committing that horrible sacrilege. II. IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE HOME GOD HAS MADE IT TO BE A FOUNTAIN OF PURE AND WHOLESOME JOYS. They who break through the restraints of home life in the feverish thirst for illicit delights little know what joys they are losing. The poison-fruits of a pandemonium let a blight fa.II on the sweet, fresh beauty of what might have been a very garden of Eden. For the restraints which look to libertines so irksome are just the very conditions of the most lastin~, most satisfying, most wholesome of human joys. 'l'he strong love of husband and wife, the pa.rentl pleasure in their children, the innumerable little interests of the home circle, and a11 that is typified by the "fireside," arc delights unknown to men who profess to make tho pursuit of pleasure their a.im in life. 116 THE PROVERBS. [oH, V, 1-23,
"The first sure symptom of II mind in health Is rest of heart and pleasure felt at home." Ill. To DE PRESERVED IN THEIR INTEGRITY, THE HOME JOYS MUST DE CAREFULLY GUARDED AND REVERENTLY CHERISHED, The serpent is in the <rarden. beware or its wiles. Temptations s1;ek to. break up the confidence and penc; of th~ family circle. Not only must ~oss m~dehty be shunned as a de~dly sin, but all approaches to a breach of domestic sanctity must be dreaded, Levity, as well as immorality, may go far to spoil_the waters <:>f_ the purest founta)n of deli?ht. Mere indifference may wreck the home Joys. These Joys must be cherished. Courtship should not end with the wedding-day. Husbands and wives should beware of nea-lecting mutual respect and consideration under the influence of familiarity, Why should a man be more rude to his wife than to any other woman? Surely marriage is not desicrned to destroy courtesy. '.1'he~e shoul~ be an eleme~t of reverence in wedded love. M7itual sympathy --each takmg mterest 1n the occupations and cares of the other; mutual confidence- the avoidance of secrets between husband and wife on the mistaken plea of sparing pain; and mutual forbearance, a.re requisites for the preservation of the sweetness of the fountains of home joy.