Ver. 1.-(See homily on eh. xvi. 11, including eh, xx. 10-23.)-C. Ver. 2.-(See homily on eh. xvi. 18.)-C. Vers. 3-5, 8-11, 19, 20, 28, 31.-The pricelessness of integrity. We have here a view of the exceeding worth of moral integrity, or of righteousness; we see what, in the judgment of the wise, it will do for its possessor. It will- I. DrnECT HIS WAY. "The integrity of the upright shall guide them; ... the righteous- ness of the perfect [i.e. the upright] shall direct his way" (vers. 3-5). And we read (eh. x. 9) that "he that walketh uprightly walketh surely." The man who honestly and earnestly seeks guidance of God will find what he seeks ; he will know what he should do, and whither he should go, and how he should act, in the various relations of life. Instead of moving onwards and backwards, instead of inclining this way and that, he will walk straight on in the highway of justice, purity, devotion. And he will walk "surely." It is not in the way of holiness that the snares of sin or the stumbling- blocks of folly are scattered about. II. DELIVER mM IN DANGER OR DISTRESS. (Vers. 4, 8, 9.) "Many are the afB.ic- tions" even "of the righteous," but "the Lord delivereth him," etc. ; "U uto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness" (Ps. cxii. 4). Righteousness brings deliverance in many ways. 1. It secures the favour, and t.hus the merciful interposi- sition, of the Almighty. 2. It co=ands the esteem, and thus the succour, of the good and true. 3. It confers mental and physical vigour on its subjects, and makes them strong for the day of peril and of need. 4. It endows with those moral qualities-con- scientiousness, consciousness of rectitude, courage, patience, hopefulne,s, perseverance- which lead to victory. III. MAKE IllM THE SOURCE OF ENLARGnr.-::NT TO OTHERS. "The city is exalted" (ver. 11). Every man is something the letter for the integrity of his neighboo1r; and the contribution of many righteous men to the exaltation and enlargement of the city, or the Church, or the socieLy, is very great. 'l'hey are the salt which preserves it; they are the fountain and the garner which sapply its need and minister to its strength. IV. PROMOTE ms PROSPERITY, (Vcrs. 28, 31.) As a rule, upon the whole, the righteous man will prosper and be recompensed "on the earth." Sobriety, purity, justice, prudence; in fact, integrity conducts to well-being now and here. V. SECURE FOR llIM THE GOOD PLEASURE OF THE HIGHEST, (Ver. 20.) What a recompense is this-" to be a delight unto the Lord," to "have this testimony, that he pleases God" I What a reward of the purest and most enduring kind to the Ubristian man, that he is " pleasing Christ," is living every day in the sunshine of his Lord's approvall VL IssuEs IN THE FULNESB OF LIFE. "He that is steadfast in righteousness shall attain unto life." 1. Unto the fulness of spiritual life below; nearness of access to God; a real approval by God and of delight in him; constancy of service rendered unto him; growing likeness to his Divine spirit and character. 2. Unto the fulness of eternal life hereafter.-C.
Vers. 7-10 (latter part).-Two sad aspects of 11,eath. Death is the most unwelcome of all themes for human thought, certainly for the thought of the wicked. Yet has he special reason for considering its approach. For it is likely to e.rr!ve sooner than if he were righteous. As we read in thb chapter, "Righteousness dehvereth from death " 230 THE PROVERBS. [CH. XI, 1-31,