I. A STREXGTII TO THE JUST MAN WHILE HE LIVES. "\Vlmt has posterity done for us?" asks the cynic. "The idea of posterity has done great things for us," replies the n!oralist. That_ idea and the hope to which it gives birth have done much to fortify Vll"tue, to establish character, to enlarge and ennoble the good man's life. '!'hat thouaht Llas been fruitful of earnest work, and bas helped men to gird themselves for he;oio ~uffering. Good men have been better, noble lives have been nobler, because we care t_o _be tenderly remembered and kindly spoken of when we are no longer among the hvrng. II. A COMFORT TO THOSE WHO MOURN HIM. 1. It is true that .the more admirable and loving a man is, the greater is our loss when he is taken from us. 2. But it is also true that they are blessed who lose the worthiest and the best. 3. For the sorrow we feel at such loss is a very sacred thing; it comes from God himself; it can be borne with simple and pure resignation; it is unembittered with the most painful rearats • it works for the rene"·al and purification of our spirit and character. 4. And it isbatte~ded with a very precious mitigation; we have a pure and holy joy in the recollection of what the departed one was, what he did, how he laboured and triumphed, how many hearts he comforted, how many lives he brightened, what he was to ourselves. And these remembrances bring sunshine over the shadowed fields; they sweeten the bitter cup· they give "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." ' III. A,s INSPIRATION TO ALL WHO KNEW mM. For the completion of a true and godly life is an inspiration. 1. It is another proof that goodness can triumph over every obstacle anJ persevere to the end. 2. It is an unspoken, but not inaudible summons, saying, "Follow me." 3. It is a thing of beauty as well as worth; and it attracts all who have an eye to see as well as a heart to feel. (1) Re~olve that, what- ever else you leave (or fail to leave) behind, you will bequeath the memory of a just man; that is the best legacy to leave. (2) Be drawn, as by a powerful fascination, toward the character and the destiny of the good and wise who have gone before you.-C, Vers. 8, 10, 11, 14, 18-21, 31, 32.-The service of speech, etc. "Man is a talking animal," we say. But if we are distinguished from the brute creation by the mere fact of speech, how truly are we divided from one another by the use we make of that human faculty! To what height of worthiness one man may rise, and what inestimable service he may render, but to what depth of wrong another man may fall, and what mischief be may work, by the use of his tongue! I. THE SERVICE OF SPEECH. "By our words" we may do great things, as our Master has told us, and as his apostle reminds us (see Matt. xii. 37; Jas. iii. 9). 1. We may give deep and pure gratification (ver. 32; and see Eccles. xii. 10). We may speak (or read) words which shall be (1) charming, soothing, comforting, encouraginl!', even inspiring, in the ear of man; and also (2) pleasing and satisfying to our Divine Master. 2. ViTe may follow in the footsteps of the Divine. For" the mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom" (ver. 31). We may utter in the ears, and may thus convey to the minds and hearts of men, the truths which are nothing less than the wisdom of God. Thus we may be speaking to others the very thoughts and making known the will of God. ,v e ourselves may be, on our scale and in our sphere, like the Lord whom we serve and follow, "the Wisdom of God" (1 Cor. i. 24, 30). 3. We may enrich the life of our fellow-men. "The tongue of the just is as choice silver" (ver. 20). And surely fine thoughts, brilliant images, sound principles, sustaining truths, elevating conceptio11s of God, charitable ideas of men,-these are more enlarging Rnd enriching than many pounds of silver or many piles of gold. 4. We may nourish the soul. "'l'he lips of the righteous feed many" (ver. 21). '!'heir words are spiritual bread which "strengtheneth man's heart" and makes him able to watch, to work, to battle, to endure. 'l'hey are the wine which gives new life when he is ready to perish (eh. xxxi. 6), which restores him in the lan"uor of doubt and difficnlty, and fills his soul with hopcf□ lness and energy. 5. We "'m'.3-Y thus contribute. to the tr~ and real_ life of men. O~r mouth_ ~ill be" a fountain of life" (ver. 11, Revised Version). Wh1thersoever the river of D1vme wi,dom, of Christian truth, runneth, there will be that spiritual upspringing which is the true life of man. II. TaE MISCHIEF OF ITS ARUBE. The abuse of the power of speech, the talking wliich is idle and vain, is a great a11d sore evil. l. It brings the speaker into contempt 1 en. x. 1-32.] THE PROVERBS. 213
be is thought aod spoken of as "a prating fool" (vers. 8, 10), aod be comes under tho contempt of the wise. 2. It involves men in sir.. "In tbe multitude of words," etc. (ver. 19). The man that is ever speaking with little forethought is sure to violate truth aod righteousness before many hours have passed. 3. It works mischief of m:>.ny kinds (vers. 14 and 18). It is sure to end in slander, in the robbery of reputation. 'l'he mouth of the foolish is" a present destruction" (Revised Version). The habit of be.d speech, especially if it be that of falsehood, or lewdness, or profanity, is a "present destruction," (1) in that it constitutes a real calamity; for in the sight of God there can be few things worse than such a pitiful abuse of the powers he has entrusted to us. It is also a "present destruction," (2) in that it leads with a fatal swiftness to the deterioration and corruption of those in whose hearing it is uttered.-O. Ver. 9.-(See homily on eh. xi. 3.)-C.