"Meroy (t~n1µ00-t\v,i) and truth are It gmn-d more piercing, rcmediC1s. Bo dn stripes the to a 1.-ing, and will surround his throne with inward pa.rte of the belly; or better, and righteousness." "The subject's love," says stro~·e,8 that reacl1, etc. • The stings of our English m1txim, "istheldug'slife-guard." conscience, warnings 11ud 1·epl'oofs which Ver. 29.-The glory of young men is their penetrate to the inmost recesses of the strength. Thst which makes the ornament heart, chastisement which 11ffects the whole (tipliereth) of youth is unimpaired strength spiritual being,-these nre needful to the and vigour, which can only be attained by correction and purification of invetemte evil, due exercise combined with s0lf-control. Aben Ezm connects this vel'se with tho The moralist (Eccles. xi. 9) bids the young preceding thus: as strength gives a glory man rejoic.e in his youth, and let his heart to young men, and hoar hairs adorn an old cheer him in those happy days, but at the man, so wounds and bruises, so to speak; same time remember that he is responsible ornament the sinner, mark him out, and !l,t for the use which he makes of his powers the same time heal and amend him. ·It and faculties, for for nil these t.hings God may also be connected with ver. 27. If a will bring him to judgmcnt. The Greek me.u will not use the lamp which God has gives a ncedt'ul warning- given him for illtimination and correction, he Mfµv.,,uo a,{os ~" Ws j'Jp,,w lcrp ,ro-rl. must expect severe chastisement and sternest discipline. Septuagiilt, "Bruises ( &rrw,rici) '' In youth remember thou wi-lt soon be old." and contusions h~fall bad men, and plagues 8eptuagint, "Wisdom is an ornament to that 1·each to the chambers of the belly." ~-oung men." But lwach is bodi_ly, not St. Gregory, 'MoraL,' xxiii. 40, uBy the mental, power. The beauty of old men is blueness of a wollll<l be implies the discipliu!j the gTey head (eh. xvi. 31)- That which of blows on the body; But blows iu the gives an honourable look to old age is the secret parts of the belly are the wounds of l,oa.ry head, which suggests wisdom and the mind within, which are inflicted by experience (comp. Ecclus. xxv. 3-6)- On corn puuction. For as ihe belly is distende!f the other hand, the Greek gnomist warns- when filled with food, so is the'mind· puffed Ilokt?t xp&vov µfwvo-,s ou q,pov,lo-,,.,s. up when swollen with wicked thoughts; The blueness, then, of a wound, and blowii "Grey hairs not wisdom indicate, but age-'' in the secret parts of the belly, cleanse away Ver. 30.-The blueness ofa wo11I1dclee.nseth evil, because both outward, discipline does away evil. So the Vulgate, Lfror 'IJTLlneris away with faults, and compunction pierces absterget mal,a. Cliaburoth means "stripes," the distended mind with the punishment' of and ihe proverb says that deep-cutting penance. But they differ from each other stripes are the only effectual cure of evil; in this respect, that the wounds· of blows i.e. severe pnn.ishment is the best healing give us pain, the sorrows of 'compunction process in cases of moral delinquency ( eh. have good savour. The one affiict a1:1d :rix. 29). Painful remedies, incisions, torture, the others restore when they afflict cnuteries, amputations, are often necessary us. Throug};I the one there is sorrow •in in the successful treatment of bodily ail- affliction, through the other there is joy in ments; epiritual sickness needs sterner, grief" (Oxford transl.).
HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-Wine the mocker. Intemperance was not so common a vice in ·biblical times as it bas become more recently, nor did the light wines of the East exercise so deleterious an effect as the strone1 drink that is manufactured in Europe is seen to pro- duce. Therefore all that is said i; the Bible against the evil of drunkenness a1jp]ies with much-increased force to the airgravated intemperance of England to-day. I. Wn,E IS A MOCKEn llECAUSE IT- ALLURES TllE WEAK. It makes great promises. Strong drink is pleasant to the palate. '.l'he effect of it on the nervous system is at :first agreeably sti?J-~ating. In weakne~s and weariness it-seems to_ give comforta?le relief. •'he assoc1at10ns connected with 1t are made to be most attractive, It goes with genial companionship, and it appear~ to favour the _flo~ of good fellowsl~ip. In sic!~~ uess it promises renewed strength; 1t offers consolation 10_ sorr?w; at festive seasons 1t pretends to heighten t~e joy and to take its_place as a cheermg friend of man. ~foreove!, all these attractive traits are ae1gravated with the weak. The need of the stimulus IS more keenly felt by such perso~s; the early effects of it are_ rn?re read!ly a_nd pleasantly recn'.!nizcd • there is less power of will and judgment to resist its allurmg influence. . n: WIN~ IS A MOCKER BECAUSE IT DECEIVES THE UNWARY. 'l'hc danger that lurks in tLc cu_p is not seen at first, and the sparkling wine looks as innocent as a divine OB. XJ:, 1-30.] THE PROVERBS. 391
nect11.r. The evil th11.t it produces comes on by slow and insidious stages. No one thinks of becoming a drunkard on the first day of tasting intoxicating drink. Every victim of the terrible evil of intemperance was once an innocent child, and, whether he began in youth or in later years, every one who bas gone to excess commenced with moderate and apparently harmless quantities. Happily, the majority of those who take II little are wise or strong enough not to abandon themselves to the tyranny of drinking habits. But the difficulty is to determine beforehand who will be able to stand and who will not have sufficient strength. Under these circumstances, it is a darin"' piece of presumption for any one to bo quite sure that be will always be so wary as to keep out of the snare that has been fatal to many of his brethren who once stood in exactly the 5ame free and healthy position in which he is at present. It is far safer not to tempt our own natures, and to guard ourselves against the mockery of wine, by keeping from all use of the strong drink itself. III. WINE IS A MOCKER BECAUSE I'l' BRINGS RUIN ON ITS VICTrns. It has DO pity. It hounds its dupes on to destruction, and then it laughs at their fate. When once it holds a miserable wretch it will never willingly release him. Too late, be discovers that he is a slave, deceived by what promised to be his best friend, and flung into a dungeon from which, by his unaided powers, he can never effect an escape. There is a peculiar mockery in this fate. The victim is disgraced and degraded. His very human nature is wretched, insulted, almost destroyed. His social position is lost; his business scattered to the winds; his family life broken up and made unutterably wretched; his soul destroyed. '!'his is the work of the wine that sparkles in the cup. We should allow no quarter to so vile a deceiver.