Ver. 26.--4. Good guidance and misleading counsels. The true translation seems tci be; "The righteous directs his friend aright: but the way of the wicked leads them astray." I. WE ABE ALL SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE INFLUENCES OF THOSE ABOUT us. This is true even of the strongest minds; how much more of the feebler I . II. WE ABE ALWAYS SAFE IN THE COMPANY OF MEN OF BE0TITUDE. The character of the man, not hiB mere opinions, is the force that goes forth from him to enlighten and guide. IIL WE ARE J\."EVER SAFE IN THE COMPANY OF UNl'RINCIPLED PERSONS; no matter how correct their conversation or unexceptionable their expressed opinions.-J.
Ver. 27.-5. Lari:ity and industry. I. LAXITY GOES EMPTY-HANDED. The proverb seems to call up the image of a hunter who is too lazy to pursue the game. II. INDUSTRY IS ITSELF A CAPITAL, Toil is as good as treasure ; such seems to be the force of the proverb. And we may be reminded of the parable of the farmer who indicated to his sons the treasure in the field ; their persevering toil in digging led to their enrichment.-J. Ver. 28.-6. Tlte straight road and the bypath. I. RECTITUDE MAY BE COMPARED TO A STRAIGHT ROAD. It has a definite beginning, a clearly marked course, a happy termination. II. .ALL IIIIMORALITY AND IRRELIGION MAY BE COMPARED TO DYPATHS, See Bunyan's Bypath Meadow in 'Pilgrim's Progress.' III. LIFE AND DEATH ARE THE TWO GREAT TERMINI. ,All the more impressive because we know not what they contain of blissful or of dread meaning: "Behold, I set before you life and death!" is the constant cry of wisdom, of every true teacher, of the unchanging gospel.-J.
Vers. 1, 15.-17i.e downward and the upward paths. Whether we o.re d~ily ascending or descending depends very much on whether we are ready or are r~fusmg to learn. 'l'Le man of open mind is he who moves up, but the man whose soul 1s shut agaimt the light is he who is going down. on. xn. 1-28.] THE PROVERBS.
I. 'l'um DOWNWARD PATH. We et!"ike one point in this path when we come to: 1. '1.'he forming of a false estimate of ourself. When "our way is right in our own eyes" (ver. 16), and that way is the wrong one, we are certainly in the road that dips down- ward. The wise who love us truly are grieved when they see us imagining ourselves to be humble when we are proud of heart, generous when we are selfish, spiritual when we are worldlyiminded, sons of God when we are children of darkness; they know well and sorrow much that we are in a bad way, in the downward road. 2. 'l'he consequent refusal to receive instruction. 'l'he man who thinks himself right is one who will oppose himself to all those who, and to all things which, approach him to instruct and to correct. He takes up a constant attitude of rejection. Whenever God speaks to him by any one of his many agents and influences, he is resolutely and persistently deaf. 3. The consequent sinking into a lower state; he becomes "brutish." A man who never admits correcting and purifying thoughts into his mind is sure to decline morally and spiritually. If our soul is not fed with truth, and is not cleansed with the purifying streams of Divine wisdom, it is certain to recede in worth; it will partake more and more of earthly elements. The finer, the nobler, the more elevating and enlarging elements of character will be absent or will grow weaker; the man will sink ; he will become brutish. II. THE Ul'WARD PATH. This is, naturally and necessarily, the reverse of the other. It is that wherein: 1. We form a true estimate of our,elves. 2. \Ve open our minds to welcome wisdom from all quarters. We hearken "unto counsel," -i.e. to the words of those who are wiser than ourselves. And it may be that some who have much less learning, or experience, or intellectual capacity than we can claim are in a position to advise us concerning the way of life. It may be even "the little child" who will "lead" us into the circle of truth, into the kingdom of God. And not only unto " counsel " shall we hearken ; we shall give heed, if we are wise, to the suggestions of nature, to the teaching of events, to the promptings of the Divine Spirit. We shall be always ready and even eager to learn and willing to apply. 3. We attain to a higher aud deeper wisdom. " Whoso loveth instruction lovoth knowledge." In the upward way which he of the humble heart and open mind is travelling there grow the rich fruits of heavenly wisdom. The higher we ascend, the more of these shall we see and gather. To love counsel is to love knowledge; it is to love truth; it is to become the friend and disciple and depository of wisdom, There is a knowledge which is very precious that may be had of all men; it is found on the plain where all feet can tread. 'l'here is also a knowledge which dwells upon the hills; only the traveller can reach this and partake of it; and the path which climbs this height is the path of humility and heedfulness; it is taken only by those who are conscious of their own defect, and who are eager to learn all the lessons which the Divine teacher is seeking to impart.-C.
Vers. 3, 12.-Strength and fruitfulness. Concerning the righteous man two things are here affirmed. I. IN HIM IB STRENG'l'II. "'l'he root of the righteous shall never be moved." The strong wind comes and blows down the tree which has not struck its roots far into the soil; it tears it up by the roots and stretches it prone upon the ground. It bas no strength to stand because its root is ea.sily moved. The righteous man is a tree of another kind ; his root shall never be moved; he will stanrl agaiust the storm. But lie must be a man who deserves to be called and considered" righteous" because he is such in deed and in truth; for they are many who pass for such of whom no such aflirma• tion as this can be made. The man of whom the text speaks: 1. Is well rooted. He is rooted (1) in Divine truth, and not merely in human speculation; (2) in deep con- viction, and not merely in indolent acceptance of inherited belief, or in strong but ,:vanescent emotion; (3) in the fixed habit of the soul and of the life, and not merely m occasional, spasmodic outbursts. 2. Is immovable. There may come against him the strong winds of bodily indulgence, or of pure affection, or of intellectual struggle and perplexity, or o( worldly pressure; but they do not avail; he is immovable; his root~ only strike deeper and spread further in the ground. He" stands fast in the Lord;" he is e. conqueror throuith Christ who loves him. For: 3. He is upheld by Divine power, While his own spiritual condition and his moral habits have much to 248 ~'liE l>ROVERM. Cert. :xn. 1-28.