I. THE NEED OF READINESS AT THE END. "How shall we enjoy the present time?" nsks one; "How ehall we make ready for the end?" asks another and a wiser soul. 'fhe question preeents itself to the youth, as he looks forward to the end of the term nnd the coming of the examination or the writing of the report; to the young man- the apprentice, the articled clerk, the student--as he considers how be shall go through his trial-hour and be prepared for his business or profession ; to the man in midclle life, as he foresees the time coming when he can no longer do as he is doing now, and must have something to foll back upon in his declining daye; to the man in later life, as be is compelled to foe! that his powers a.re fast failing, and that the hour is not distant when he will stand on the very verge of life and confront the long and solemn future. It should also be present in the mind of those who are soon to go forth into the sterner conflict of life, to meet alone, away from home-influences, the serious and strong temptations of an evil world. Whatever the stage through which we are now passiog, it moves towards ite close-an end which is eure to open out into something beyond, and, moet likely, something more important, weighted with graver responsibilities a.nil leading to larger issues. .Are we so living, the wise will ask, that we shall be ready for that end when it comes? II. THE CONSEQUENT NEED TO LEARN OF GoD. "Hear counsel," etc. 1. There is much need to learn of men-from our parents, from our teachers, from every form of instructive literature, from all tthat the experiences of men, as we watch their life, are saying to us. Whoso would be wise at the end of his career should have an open mind that every one and everything may teach him. Lessons are to be learnt from every event, however simple and bumble it may be. The wide world is the school which the wise will never "leave." 2. There is much more need to learn of God, to learn of Oltrist. For: (1) He can speak authoi·itativdy, as man cannot. (2) He gives us wisdom unmingled with error, as me.n does not. (3) He can tell us how to find bis Divine favour and bow to reach bis nearer presence, as no ma.n can. Let us learn of Christ and be wise.-C. Ver. 21.-The mind ·qr man and the mind of God. Here is a contrast which we do well to consider. Between our hume.n spiritual nature and that of the Divine Spirit it is possible to find resemblances and contrasts. Both are interesting and instructive. I. THE THOUGHTS OF MAN'R MIND. We know how fugitive these are; how they come a.nd go like the flash of the lightning; and even those which linger are but short- lived, they soon give place to others. Even those thoughts which become "fixed," which settle down into plans and purposes, have but a brief tenure in our brain; they, too, pass a.way and make room for others in their turn. Our thoughts are : 1. Fluc- tuating and therefore many. We care for one pleasure, we pursue one object now; but in a few weeks, or even days, we may weary of the one, we me.y be compelled to turn our attention from the other. 2. Feeble and therefore many. We propose and adopt one method, but it fails; and then we try another, and that fails; then we resort to a third, which also fails. We pass from thought to thought, from plan to plan; our very feebleness accounting for the manifoldness of our devices. 3. False and therefore many. "\Ve hold certain theories to-day; to-morrow they will be exploded, and we shall entertain another; before long that will yield to a third. 4. Sinfztl and there- fore many. Nothing that is wrong can last; it must be dethroned, because it is evil, h:imoral, guilty. 5. Selfish and therefore many. We are concerning ourselves supremely about our own affairs or those of our family; but these are passing interests, changing with the flitting hours. II. THE THOUGHTS WHICH ARE IN THE MIND OF GoD. His counsel stands (text). "The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all genera- tions" (Ps. xxxiii. 11). God's purpose holds from age to age. For: 1. He rules in righteousness. He is governing the world by Divine and unchanging principles. "With him is no variableness," because he ever loves what is righteous and bates what is unholy and impure and unkind. He cannot change his course, because he cannot change his character. 2. He is working out one great beneficent conclusion. He is l'edceming a lost world, reconciling it unto himself, uprooting the multiform source~ ~f wrong 11nd wretchedness, establishing the blessed kingdom of Christ, the kingdoni of 382 THE PROVERBS. [err. XIX, 1-29.
henven on the !'arth. 3. He has ample time and power at his commnnd; he Ima no need to change his plan, to resort to " devices." "His eternal thought moves on His undisturbed affairs ; ' and is working out a glorious consummation which nothing shall avail to avert. 4. His perfect wisdom makes quite unnecessary the adoption of any other course than that which he is employing. (1) Steadfastness is one sign of wisdom. If we see a man or a Church perpetually changing its methods, we may be sure that it is weak. (2) Let us make God's great nod holy purpose ours; (a) for it is that with which our eternal interest is bound up; (b) it is certain to he victorious. 3. Let us work on for our Lord and with him, in the calmness that becomes those who are confident of ultimate success.-C.