a fortress (ver. 15). Doing his simple Ver. 31.-Bringeth forth; as a tree pro- duty, a. good man ia se.fo; for, as St. Peter duces fmit, and the fields yield their in- 8C1ys, " Who is he the.t will harm yon, if crease. The metaphor is common. Thus yo be zealous of that which is good?" Isaiah (lvii. 19) speaks of "the frnit of the (I Pet. iii. 13). But destruction she.11 be; lips" (comp. Heh. xiii. 15 and Ps. x.xxvii. better, hut it (the way of Jehovah) is destruc- 30, which latter passage occurs in the same tion. 'l'he two effects of the Law of God are connection es the present). The Septuagint contrasted, according as it is obeyed or neg- renders, "distilleth wisdom." So Cant. v. lected. While it is protection to the right- 13, "His lips are like lilies, dropping sweet- eous, it is condemnation and ruin to sinners smelling myrrh." The froward tongue (eh. (see on eh. xxi. 15). So Christ at one time ii. 12, 14; viii. 13, which speaks only what calls himself "the Way" (John xiv. 6); at is perverse and evil). Shall be cut out; another says, "For judgment I am come like a corrupt tree that cumbers the ground into this world" (John ix. 39); and Simeon (Matt. iii. 10; Luke xiii. 7). The abuse declares of him (Luke ii. 34), "This Child of God's great gift of speech shall be severely is set for the fall and rising again of many punished. " For by thy words thou shalt in Israel" (comp. 2 Cor. ii. 15, etc.). be justified, and by thy words thou she.It Ver. 30.-The righteous shall never be be condemned" (Matt. xii. 36, 37). removed (eh. ii. 21; xii. 3, 21; Ps. x. 6; Ver. 32.-Xnow. A good man's lips are xxxvii. 29). This is in agreement with the conversant with what is acceptable to God temporal promise made to the patriarchs and man. Such a person considers what and often renewed, e.s in the fifth command- will please God and edify his neighbour, ment. St. Paul says (1 Tim. iv. 8)," Godli- and speaks in conformity therewith. The ness is profitable for all things, having LXX. has," The lips of the righteous distil promise of the life which now is, and of graces;" a.1rocrTd.(e, xd.p,.,.a.s, but probably the that which is to come." The wicked shell right verb is flTicrTaTcu, which is fonnd in not inhabit (or, abide not in) the land. The some manuscripts. Speaketh frowardness; punishment of exile was threatened upon rather, knoweth, or is perverseness ( comp. the Jews for their disobedience, and they are Eph. iv. 29); Septuagint, ri1ro,,.,.pe,PeTa1, or, still suffering this retribution (Lev. xxvi. 33; according to the Sinaitic corrector anrl some Deut. iv. 27; Isa. xxii. 17). Christ gives other scribes, tcaTacrTpe<j,eora,, "is turned the other nspect of God's moral government aside," or" is overthrown." Delitszoh trans- when he say~ (Matt. v. 5), "Blessed are the lates, "is mere fa.lsehood." meek ; for they shall inherit the earth."
HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-The influence of a son over his parents' happiness. It is impossible to estimate the tremendous influence which children have on the happiness of their parents. 'rhe unfortunate thing about it is that the children are the last to realize it. It may be that a misplaced modesty inclines them to imagine that their course in life cannot be of much consequence to any one. In many cases, unhappily, gross selfishness engenders sheer indifference to the feelings of those who have most claim upon them, so that they never give a thought to the pain they are inflicting. But behind these special points there is the universal fact that no one can undtrstand the depth and overpowering intensity of a parent's love until he becomes a parent himself. Then, in the yearning anxiety he experiences for his own children, a man may have a revelation of tho love which he had received all the days of his life without ever dreamiug of its wonderful power. But surely, up to their capacity for understanding it, children should realize the great trust that is given to them. 'l'hey are entrusted with the hap- piness of their parents. After receiving from them lifo, food, shelter, innumerable good things llnd a watchful, tender love throughout, they have it in their power to make bri"ht the evenin" of their father's and mother's life, or to cloud it with e. deep, dark glo~m of hopeless ~isery. l, THE SEORET OF TBIS INFLUENCE IS IN THE MORAL CONDUCT OF THE SON OR DAUGHTER. "The wise son"-" Tho fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;" "the foolish son "-the fool in the Bible is moro morally than intellectually defective. In the infancy of their children fond parents often dream of the earthly prosperity they would wish for them-a brilliant career, success in business, wealth, renown, happi- ness. But as life opens out more fully they come to see that these are of secondr1ry importance. The mother whose brooding fancy prophesied a yotwg Milton in her 200 TilE PROVERBS. [on. :x. 1-32.