Dut o.s muaar is used in a good sense Bo we have in Job xv. IG, "A rne.n thrit throughout this book, it is better to rege.rd drinketh iniquity; like water" (see on r,h. the injunotion as warning e.ge.inst listening xxvi. 6). Buch e. man will lie and slanrler to wise teaching with no intention of profit• with the ntmost pleasure, living and batten- ing by it: "Ceo.ea to heo.r instruction in ing on wickedness. Septuagint," The mouth. oruer to err," eto.; i.e. if you e.re only going of the im pioUB drinketh judgment.s (1<pfa-m) " to continue your evil-doings. You will only i.e. boldly transgresses the Law. ' increase your guilt by knowing the we.y of Ver. :.!9.-J'ndgments are prepared for righteousness perfectly, while you refuse to soornera (see on ver. 25). The judgrncntr walk therein. The Vulgate inserts a nega• here o.re those inflicted by the providenc., tion, "Cease not to hear doctrine, and be of God, as in eh. iii. 34. Scorners may not ignorant or the words of knowledge;" deride o.nd affect to scorn the judgments of Septuagint, "A son who fails to keep the God and man, but they are warned that instruction of his father will meditate evil retribntion awaits them. And stripes for the sayings.'' Solomon's son Rehoboam greatly back of fools; Vulgate, Et maUei percu- needed the admonition contained in this tientea atultll'rum Cll'rpcm"bus (comp. eh. x. l::l; verse. xxvi. 3). We had the word here rendered Ver. 28.-An ungodly (worthleaa) witness "stripes" (nio,1,lJ~, mahalumoth) in eh. soorneth judgment; derides the Le.w which xviii. 6. The certainty of punishment in denounces perjnry and compels a witness to the ce.se of transgressors is a truth often in- speak truth (Exod. xx. 16; Lev. v. l), and, sisted on even by heathens. Examples will' as is implied, he bears false testimon.v, thus occur to all readers, from the old Greek proving himself "e. witness of Belie.I," ac- oracle, OU0t:ls- rl.v6pC:,1r"'" G.Bucedv Tfa,v oU,c cording to the Hebrew term. Septuagint, lr.1ro-ria-u, to Horace's "Raro antecedentem "He who becometh security for a foolish scelestum," etc. (See on eh. xx. 30, where, child outrages judgment." The mouth of however, the punishment is of human in- the wicked devonreth iniquity; swallows it fliction.) ee.gerly as a toothsome morsel (eh. xviii. 8).
HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-Poverty and integrity. I. IT IB POSSIBLE FOB. POVERTY TO BE FOUND WITH INTEGRITY, We do nqt always see integrity leading to wealth. Circumstance■ may not open up an opportunity for attaining worldly prosperity. Illicit "short cuts" to riches may be within the reach of e. person who refuses to use them on grounds or principle. A man may be honest e.nd yet incapable, or he may refuse to pursue his own advantage, preferring to devote his energies to some higher end. No one has a. right to suppose that God will interfere to heap up riches for him on account of his ntegrity. He may be upright, and yet it may please God that he shall also be poor. II. IT 18 POSSIBLE FOR INTEGRITY TO DE FOUND WITH POVERTY, We now approach the subject from the opposite side. Here we first see the poverty, and we then find that there is no reason why the character should be low because the outside circum- stances are reduced. There is no more vulgar or false snobbishness than that which treats poverty as a vice, e.nd assumes that a shady character must be expected with shabby clothes. We sometimes hear the expression, "Poor but honest," as though there were any natural antithesis between the two adjectives! It would be quite as just to think of o.n antithesis between wealth and uprightness. But experience shows tho.t no one section of society holds a monopoly of virtue. III. WHEN INTEGRITY AND POVERTY ARE FOUND TOGETHER, THE Ol(E IS A C01'S0LAT10N FOK THE OTHER, It may be said that a hungry man cannot feed upon his honesty. But when pressing wants are supplied, it is possible to endure a considerable amount of hardship if a person is conscious of being upright and true. The sturdy inde- pendence of the honest man will lift him out of the she.me of penury. If he feels that he is walking in the path of duty, he will have a source of strength and inward peace that no wealth can bestow. The gold of goodness is better than the guineas of hoarded wee.Ith. IV, INTEGRITY WITH ANY EXTERNAL DISADVANTAGES IS BETTER THAN CORRUPTION 01!' CHARACTER WITil ALL POSSIBLE WORLDLY PROFIT. Here is the point of the subject. It is not affirmed that poverty is good in itself-the naturo.l instincts of man lead him to endeavour to escape from it as an evil. I. 1s no. even asserted that it is right lor THE PROVERDS. [cu. XIX. 1- 29.