HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1, 2, 4, 7.-Virtues and vices of the tongue. I. MILDNESS AND VIOLENCE. (Ver. 1.) '!'he soft answer is like the water which quenches, and the bitter retort, the "grievous words," like the oil which increases the conflagration of wrath. As scriptural examples of the former, may be mentioned Jacob with Esau (Gen. xxxii., xxxiii.), Aaron with Moses (Lev. x. 16-20), tho Reubenites with their brethren (Josh. xxii. 15-34), Gideon with the men of Ephraim (Judg. viii. 1-3), Davicl with Saul (1 Sam. xx.iv. 9-21), Abigail with David (1 So.m. xxv. 23-32). And of the latter, Jephthah (Judg. xii. 1-6), Saul (1 Sam. xx. 30-34), Nabal (1 Sam. xxv. 10-13), Rehoboam (1 Kings xii. 12-15), Paul and Barnabas (Acts xv. 39). II. 'l'BE ATTRACTIVENESS OF WISE SPEECH AND THE REPULSIVENESS OF FOOLISH TALK. (Ver. 2.) If this verse be mo~e correctly rendered, it means t~nt the tongue of the wise makes knowledge lovely, while the mouth of the fool foams with folly. 'l'he speech of the former is o.pt to time and place---coherent-and wins upon the listener. 'l'ho latter is unseasonable, confused, nonsensical, repellent. Notice the tact of St. Paul's addresses (Acts xvii. 22, 23; xxvi. 27-29), and what he says about foolish babbling in 2 'fim. ii. 16-18; Titus i. 10. III. MODERATION AND EXTRAVAGANOE. {Ver. 4.) A calm and measured tone 302 THE PROVERBS. [cH. XV. 1-33.
should be cultivated, as well as a pure and peaceful heart; these mutually react upon one another. The ext,ravagant, immoderate, licentious tongue is" like a blustering wind among the boughs of the trees, rushing and tearing the life and spirit of a man's self and others" (Bishop Hall). Beware of exaggeration. IV. SPEECH A DIFFUSIVE INFLUENCE. (Ver. 7.) The lips of the wise scatter soerls of good around them; not so with the heart and lips of the fool. "They trade only with the trash of the world, not with the commerce of substantial knowledge." 'rho preaching of the gospel is compared to the scattering of good seed, and evil activity is the sowing of tares in the world-field (Matt. xiii. 24, etc.).-J.
Ver. 3.-The omnipresence of God. I. Goo rs A SPIRIT. We cannot exhaust the sublimity, the awfulness, the comfort, the meaning, in this thought. !L Gon sE~s ALL AND KNO~s A:LL. Both the good and the evil. In looking upon evil deeds which pass unchast1sed m appearance, we are ready to exclaim, " And yet God has never spoken a word!" But God has seen, and will requite. III. HENCE LET us POSSESS OUR SOULS IN PATIENCE. Commit them unto him in well-doing, and wait for the "end of the Lord." He knows, among other thinas the need of his children, and bethinks him of helping and delivering them.-J. " ' Ver. 5.-Contempt and respect for instruction. The fool is as a "wild ass's colt" (Job xL 12), recalcitrant, stubborn; while he who early shows a willingness to listen to good advice has the germ of prudence, the prophecy of a safe career. l. A :r.nrnMlIBING TEMPER, A RELUCTANCE TO SUBMIT TO NECESSITY AND TBE COURSE OF LIFE, IS IN REALITY A CONTEMPT OF Goo. II. SUBMISSION TO THE INEVITABLE, COMPLIANCE TO THE LAWS OF LIVING, JS DOCILITY TO GoD.-J. Ver. 6.-True and fal,se gains. I. A MAN MAY BE POOR, YET POSSESS ALL THINGS, (2 Cor. vL 10.) Deus meus, et omni,a,! II. A MAN MA y BE BICH, YET DESTITUTE, POOR, BLIND, AND MISERABLE. If we are not satisfied, we are not rich. If we are content, we are never poor. III. Gon IS THE TRUE AND ONLY GAIN OF THE SOUL. We have a nature which will be satisfied with nothing short of the Infinite. To attempt to feed it with anything less is found to be a cheat and a self-delusion.-J. Vers. 8, 9.-God's hatreds and God's <'lelights. We all have our aversions, natural antipathies, acquired hatreds. A noted author not long ago published a book called • Mes Haines.' What are the hatreds of him who is Love? They should be our aversions. I. THE SAClllFICE OF THE WICKED. (Ver. 8.) It is not the man's works which malte him "'Ood but the justified man-the man made right with God-produces good works, and these' though imperfect, are well-pleasing to God. The lack of heart-sincerity must stamp ev~ry sacrifice, as that of Cain, as an abomination. II. THE PRAYER OF THE GOOD MAN. Symbolized by fragrant incense, sweet to him are pious thoughts, wishes for the best, charitable aspirations, all that in the finite heart aims at the Infinite. III. 'fHE WAY OF THE WICKED. A prayerless life is a. godless, and hence a. corrupt life. It is a meaningless life, and God will not tolerate what is insignificant in his vast significant world. IV. THE PURSUIT OF GOOD. He who hunts after righteousness, literally, is loved of God. We leam the necessity of patience, constancy, diligence in well-doing. In no other way can genuineness and thoroughness be shown.-J. Ver. 10.-The principle of judgment. I. IT IS NEVER CAUSELESS. II. THE CO?,NECTION OF CAUSE AND EFFECT 16 OFTEN MYSTERIOUS, Hence we should be slow to trace the judgment of God upon si:oners. III. So11m srns THAT FORETELL JUDGMENT. 1. Desertion of duty; forsaking of God's ways; travelling in paths we know to be cro?ked or unc_lean. 2. Indifference to rebuke. For even in error, if we will heed the timely warning and correct the dis• OH, XV, 1-33.] THE PROVERBS. 303
covered fault, judgment may be averted. If not, there is no way of avoiding the law of doom. The soul that sinneth shall and "must die."-J. Ver. 11.-The heart open to God. I. THE HEART A PROFOUND MYSTERY. We speculate a.bout the mysteries of the world without w, as if these were the great secrets forgetful what an e.byss of wonder is within. ' II. 'l'HIS MYSTERY MAY DE COMPARED TO TIIAT OF HADES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE DEVIL. 1. It is equally profound. 2. It is equally fascinating. 3. It is equally hidden from our knowledge. Peruse our greatest masters of the human heart-a Shakespen.re, Bacon, Montaigne-we have still not touched the bottom. III. THE MYSTERY OF' ALL WORLDS IS KNOWN TO Goo, THE INTERNAL NO LESS TUAN THE EXTERNAL. 1. This is a thought of awe. 2. Still more it should be of comfort. My God, thou knowest e.ll, all that fain would hide itself from others, even from mvself -and yet "hast stooped to ask of me the love of this poor heart" !-J. •