Ver. 16.-(See homily on eh. xxix. 11.)-0.
Ver. 24.-(See homily on eh. xxvii. 23.)-C.
Ver. 26.-Growth and seductiveness. The goal which a man will reach rnlll!t <lepend on the tendency of the habits he has formed, or the way in which his life inclines, whether upward or downward. Are his habits such that we can properly speak of them as growing toward perfection, or such as may be more properly thought of as conducting or seducing to wrong and ruin? I. 'l'HE GROWTH OF GOODNESS, "The righteous is more abundant than his neigh- bour" (marginal reading). He is more abundant because: 1. The blessing of God rests upon him, and his reward ii, in fruitfulness in some direction. 2. Righteousness means or includes virtue, temperance, industry, thrift, culture; and these mean prosperity and success. 3. God's great prevailing law that "to him that hath [ uses, or puts out, what powers he has] is given, and he shall have abundance," is constantly operating here and now, in all realms of human action; consequently, the good man is reaping the beneficial result. (1) In the physical world, bodily, muscular exercise "is profiting," and ends in abounding health and strength and capacity of endurance. (2) In the mental world, study and patient observation result in abounding know- ledge and intellectual grasp. (3) In the spiritual world, devotion and the daily learning of Christ (Matt. xi. 28) end in abounding virtue, in the "more abundant life" which the Saviour offers to confer. 'l'hus the life of the righteous man is one of con- tinual growth in all good directions, and he is" more abundant than his neighbour." II. 'l'HE BEDU0TIVENESS OF BIN. "The we.y of the wicked seduceth them." \Ve read (Heh. iii. 13) of" the deceitfulness of sin." And we know only too well by experi- ence and observation how seductive and deceitful are its ways. 1. It begins with 11 pleasureableness which promises to continue, but which fails, which indeed turns to misery and ruin (seo eh. vii. 6-27). At first it- is a Hoft green slope, but the end is a steep and rocky precipice over which the victim foils. 2. It promises an easy escape 2SO THE .PROVEnns. [en. :mr. 1-26.
from i~ hold, but i~ ?oils its cords around. its subjects with quiet hand, until it holds them m a fast captivity. 3. It persuades its adherents that its ,vays are ricrht when they are utterly wrong, and thus sings to sleep the conscience which should b~ aroused nnd active. 4. It pleads the crowded character of it.s path, and aasures of safety; although the presence of a multitude is no guard or guarantee what11ver against the condemnation and the retribution of the Almighty. But let youth understand that all these are "refuges of lies." For the truth 'is that (1) the way of transgressors is all too soon found to be "hard" indeed. (2) After a very little way is trodden it is most difficult, and further on all but impossible to return. (3) The paths oi' sin are all grievously wrong in the sight of Divine purity. (4) "The wages of sin is death."-C. Ver. 28.-The one way of life. "All that a man bath will he give for his life;" but of what worth is life to many men? What does it mean to them but work o.nd sleep and indulgence? Of how many is it true that they "are dead while they live" I But "in the way of righteousness there is life, and in the pathway thereof is no death." I. THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THE ONE PATH OF LIFE. It is the one and only JJath ; for the paths of sin are those of spiritual death. In them the human traveller is separated from God, from all excellency of character, from all true and lastincr joy ; cand what is this but death in everything except the name? It is not the tri:e, the real life of man. But righteousness in the full, broad sense in which the word is here employed, includes: 1. Devotion; the spirit of reverence, the act of prayer, the approach of our human spirit to God, and our habitual walkin~ with him and worship· of him. 2. Virtue ; the practice of truthfulness, temperance, purity, integrity; the exercise of self-restraint, the discharge of the duties which we owe to our fellow-men, respecting ourselves and honouring them. 3. Service; the endeavour, in a spirit of lonng-kindness, to raise, to succour, to guide, to bless, all whom we can reach and influence. 4. Joy; i.e. not mere excitement or gratification, which may expire at any moment, and may leave a sting or a stain behind, but rather that honourable and pure elation of spirit which springs from conscious rectitude, which is the consequence of our being in harmony with all that is around us, and with him who is above UR, which lasts through the changes of circumstances, which" through all time abides," which "satisfies and sanctifies the soul." This is life; this is life fodeed; this is worth call- 1ng life; and this is in the way of righteousness. IL ITs IMMUNITY FROM DEATH. "In the pathway," etc. 1. No death during mortal life; so long as we walk in the light of Divine truth there is no fear of our stumblina; into error and falling into the condition of spiritual death; our life in God and with him will be steadily maintained. 2. No rEial death at the encl of that life; for though we must pass through "the portal we call death," yet "it is not death to die," whou the termination of mortal existence is the starting-point of the celestial life; when the being unclothed of the earthly tenement means the" being clothed upon with ot~r house which is from heaven," when "absence from the body" means "presence with the Lord." 3. Fulness and enlargement of life for ever; for our hope and confident expec- tation is that, along whatever paths our God may lead us in the heavenly spheres, the way we shall take will be one that will be ever disclosin.g greater i;i;raudeurs, ever opening new sources of joy, ever unfolding new secretB, and making life mean more and more to our rejoicing spirits as the years and ages pass.-C.
EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XIII. result of his father's education; he owes hb wisdom to it. Septuagint, "A clever (1rap- Ver. I-eh. xv. 19.-Second section in aiinos) son is obedient to his father." But a this collection. ■corner (eh. i. 22) heareth not rebuke; one Ver. 1.-A wise son hcareth hie father's who mocks at goodness and despises filial instruction. The Authorized Version intro- piety will not listen to reproof. Septm,- duces the verb from the second member. gint, "A disobedient son is in destruction." The Hehrew is elliptical, "A wise son, his Compare the case of Eli's sons, o.nd their fote father'~ discipline," i.e. is the object or tW! (1 Sam. ii. 25 ; iv. 17). on. xm. 1-25.] THE PROVERBS.