to all. .And the best of boons, for gifts and charities soon lose their benefit, while e. hint of wisdom lives and germinates in the mind in which it has been deposited. IX. ODJEOTS OF BYMPA'rny AND ANTIPATHY, (Ver. 10.) Gladness follows the succesR of the good and the downfall of the evil. 'l'he popular feeling about men's lives, as manifested at critical periods of failure or success, is a moral index, ancl suggests moral lessons. There is a true sense in which the voice of the people is the voice of God. Compare the scene of joy which followed Hezekiah's success in the promotion of true religion (2 Chron. xxix., xxx.), and the misery under Ahaz (2 Chron. xxviii.); also the rejoicings on the completion of Nehemiah's work (Neh. viii.); and for jubilation at evil men's deaths, Pharaoh, Sisera, Athaliah (Exod. xv.; J udg. v.; 2 Kings xi. 13-20). x. SOUND POLITICS AND PERNICIOUS COUNSELS. (Ver. 11.) The blessing, i.e. the beneficial principles and administration of good and wise men exalt a city (or state). On the other hand, unprincipled counsels, even if temporarily successful, lead in the end to ruin. "It is impossible," said Demosthenes, "0 men of Athens, that a man who is unjust, perverse, and false should acquire a firm and established power. His policy may answer for once, may hold out for a brief period, and flourish marvellously in expectations, if it succeed; but in course of time it is found out, and rushes into ruin of its own weight. Just as the foundation of a house or the keel of a ship should be the strongest part of the structure, so does it behove that the sources and principles of public conduct should be true and just. This is not the case at the present time with the actions of Philip." Compare the examples of Elisha (2 Kings xiii. 14, etc.), Hezekiah, and Isaiah (2 Chron. xxxii. 20-23), on the one hand; and the Babel- builders (Gen. xi. 4-9) and the Ammonites (Ezek. xxv. 3, 4) on the other; also Jar. xxiii. 10; Hos. iv. 2, 3.-J. Vers. 12-15.-Social sins denounced. I. THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL SIN. It dis- solves mutual bonds of confidence, corrupts and disintegrates the social ore.er and stability. In the mixed condition of human character and society there are elements of wtakness and elements of strength. Our speech about others and beha,iour to them tends either to bring out their weaknesses, so promoting discontent, suspicion, and distrust, or it tends to bring out their good qualities, so promoting genial confidence and good will. II. SOME EXAMPLES' OF SOCIAL BINS. Great stress, as usual, is laid upon the tongue. 1. There is contemptuous tallc about our neighbour. The art of depre- ciation is cruel to others, and moreover is, as the text says, senseless. What good can come of it? Of Byron's poetry the great Goethe said, "His perpetual fault-finding and negation are injurious even to his excellent works. For not only does the discontent of the poet infect the reader, but the end of all opposition is negation; and negation is nothing. If I call bad bad, what do I gain? But if I call good bad, I do a great deal of mischief. He who will work aright must never rail, must not trouble himself at all about what is ill done, but only do well himself. For the great point is, not to pull down, but to build up; and in this humanity finds pure joy." 2. Still worse is open slander (ver. 13). Secret detraction is like an arrow shot in the dark, and does much secret mischief. Open slander is like the pestilence that rages at noon- day. It sweeps all before it, levelling the good and bad without distinction. A thousand fall beside it, and ten thousand on its right hand. They fall, so rent and torn in their tender parts, as sometimes never to recover the wounds or the anguish of heart which they have occasioned (Sterne). 3. Independent counsels (ver. 14) are another source of social mischief. As when there was no king in Israel, anrl when every man did that which was right in his own eyes, and the people became the prey of their enemies (Judg. ii. 19, seq:; xvii. 6; xxi. 25). The spiritual forces in a nation, the intelligence and honest patriotism of its rulers, are ever of more importance than wealth, fleets, or armies. 4. Rash undertakings. (See on eh. vi. I, seq.) To promise more than there is a reasonable prospect of performing; to enter imprudently into bargains, covenants, or treaties, not easy to abide by, yet involving disgrace and dishonour if broken. The serious penalties which follow acts of imprudence should instruct ns as to their real si11f;J,[ness. The good intention is marred by the hasty or thought less execution. PROVERBS. Q 226 THE PROVERBS. [cH. XI. 1-31.
Ill. So~n,; SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS, 1. Seasonable silence. (Vor. 12.) As wo aro not to believe all we hear, so neither are we to speak all we know; to be cautious in believing any ill of our neighbour, and to be cautious in repeating what wo do believe, are alike du ties. 2. Kindly desire. "The honest man's ear is the sanctuary of his absent friend's name, of his present friend's secret; neihher of them can miscarry in his trust" (Bishop Hall). 3. Fulness of counsel. (Ver. 14,) The "multitude of counsellors" implies association, conference, and co-operation. By the exchange of ideas we enrich, define, classify, or correct our ~wn. 'l'he same subject needs to be looked at from opposite points of view, and by minds of different habit; and the just medium is thus arrived at. 4. Caution. (Ver. 15.) Especially with reference to the incurring of responsibilties. To fetter or lose our freedom of action is to deprive ourselves of the very means of doing further good. One of the acts of benefaction is to contrive that neither the doer of the kindness shall be hampered by excessive responsibility nor the recipient of it by excessive obligation. 5. As the foundation of all, intelligence and love-the inner light which fills the intellect with illumination and the heart with glowing affection. 'l'hese are the sources of truth in friendship, safety in counsel, general usefulness to society.--J.