nothing better than robbery, by means of which the strong take advantage of the necessities of the weak. (2) It is hard for poor people to avail themselves of the law- courts; so that the cry is raised that "there is one law for the rich and another for the poor." (3) Poor men have the natural rights of their manhood treated with contempt. 'fhe courtesy which is offered to the well-to-do is denied to them. Rough treatment is meted out to them. Common politeness is refused to a man with a threadbare coat. 3. When their deficiencies are ridiculed. The poor man is generally illiterate, hi8 "speech bewrayeth him." He has never learnt the manners of good society. So the classes above him put up their eye-glasses to inspect him, as though he were some strange, repulsive animal. 4. Wnen their merits are ignored. There is honest, poverty. 'fhere are brave men fighting against adverse circumstances with the courage of h&roes. Are these people to be mocked at simply because they cannot put money in their purses? The kindness of the poor to the poor is a rebuke to the cynicism of the rich. Yet how difficult it is for poor men to be duly recognized I Dr. Johnson spoke from experience when he said- " This mournful truth is everywhere confess'd, Slow rises worth by poverty depressed." The world mocks the poor when it judges people by the fashion of their clothes and the size of their houses, instead of looking to their character and Ii ves. II. CONSIDER THE GREAT SIN OF MOCKING THE POOR. He who does this "reproacbeth bis Maker." For the God who made the rich man also made the poor man. The reproach of the child is a reproach of bis Father. We do more than wrong our brethren when we treat the unfortunate with contempt; we insult our God. He is the God of the poor, and be takes their wrongs as injuries to himself. This is no slight, shadowy offence. It is an awful sin in the sight of Heaven. The only reason that is suggested why Dives should be writhing in torments of fire is that he was a rich man who gave no heed to the misery of his neighbour. Here is an awful prospect for the careless comfortable classes of England! The evil is aggravated with us, because wo profess that religion which preaches a gospel to the poor. In the Church of Christ rich and poor meet together. For the rich man to despise his fellow-Christian, then, is for him to deny his Master, "who had not where to lay his head." Let it be remem- bered that Christ, who was rich, "for our sakes became poor." He is the Friend and Brother of the poor. Ver. 10.-The wisdom of accepting a reproof. I. IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPr A REPROOF. Only the wise man will take it. Mapy difficulties stand in the way. 1. It is hard to believe that the reproving counsellor is a true friend. He appears to be censorious. We think he takes a pleasure in finding fault with us. We accuse him of a Pharisaic self-satisfaction in comparing his own virtue with our fault. 2. Ie is difficult to admit the application of the accusation to ourselves. David is indignant at Nathan's recital of the parable of the ewe bmb. Yet he fails to see that the moral of it comes home to himself till the prophet exclaims," Thou art the man! " 3. It is not easy to confess our own humiliation. When we see that we are accused, pride rises up to defend us. It is possible for a large amount of pride to lodge with a great quantity of folly. Indeed, the more a person is emptied of real worth the more room is there in him for self-inflation. 4. It is troublesome to yield to a reproof. To do so we must not merely admit our fault, but consent to mend our ways. We must allow tho reproof to work actively in us if it is to be of any use. The drunkard is often ready to confess his sin, but he is not so eager to renounce the cause of it. 5. It is distressing to bear the reproof of God. In reading the Bible people are tempted to appropriate the promises to themselves and to leave the threatenings for their brethren. It needs a divinely inspired wisdom to help us to profit by the warnings of Scripture. II. IT 1s WISE TO ACOEPT A REPROOF, Many as are the obstructions that stand in the way of our receiving and acting upon it, we should do well to conquer them. He is but a foolish person who despises correction, The wise man may shrink from it, but be will not reject it. 1. .A true reproof is justly due. We have earned it by our own fault. It is foolish to kick against the consequences of our own conduct. 2. .d reproof is a wholesome corrective. It is not a judge's sentence, but a friend's counsel, fROVEBB6, l- TilE PROVERBS. [orr. XVII. 1-28.
Its object is not condemnation, but salvation. 3. .A ,·eproof is a mild substitute for harder treatment. ,vhile we foolishly rail at its harshness, we should be thanldul for the lenity. of the most s!ern well~eserved_ reproof. It might have been dispensed with, and we might have received condign punishment. The reproof is not so hard to bear as the "hundred stripes" that may follow if it is disregarded. It is wiso to close with the earlier counsel. 4. A reproof is an element of Divine grace. Christ sends the Co~forter to_ convict the world of sin as we~l as o_f righ~ousness and judgment (John xvi. 8). It is to our own cost that we receive this gracious Guest with resentful dis- courtesy. But, on the other hand, we plainly need Divine grace to accept a reproof in a meek and humble spirit. The wisdom to receive a reproof well is so difficult to attain that we need to seek it as an inspiration from God.