Vers. 4-9.-.A family of vices. There is a kinship between all vices as between all ,·irtues. All sins sµring from a disturbance of our true relations to God, as all virtues rest upon the deep consciousness of that relation. I. THE SIN OF PBlDE. (Ver. 4.) Its aspect-the lofty eyes, the haughty glance-and its principle in the heart are struck by the Divine rebuke. 'l'he meaning of the second clause is not quite clear; probably it is, "'l'ho light of the wicked is only sin," i.e. his haughty and overweening temper is compared to a flaming or a lurid light, contrasted with the mild serene ray that seems to stream from a good man's life. II. THE VICE OF COVETOUSNESS. (Ver. 5.) Shown by an eager and selfish haste to obtain the wealth which Providence has apportioned only as the reward of pains- takin2: toil Religion teaches us moderation, measure in all things. "Unhasting, unre~ting," expresses the measure of diligence in all our life-business. Ill 'l'.HE usE OF DISHOKEST MEANS. (Ver. 6.) This can never lead to aught but a seeming success (see the exegesis of this passage). "Man is a shadow's dream," said Pindar. "What shadows we are! and what shadows we pursue!" said a great Englishman. But of none is the word more true than of him who seeks gain at the expense of inner truth, profit by the loss of the soul I IV. VIOLENT DEEDS. (Ver. 7.) All violence recoils upon the perpetrator. Tho desolation which godless men bring upon others finally carries away themselves. No "ue who persistently sets himself against right can stand, can abide, for right is the very foundation and constitution of things in the order of God. And so of criminality or impurity in general (ver. 8). It is a crooked way, o. twisted web. Perplexities, miserable intricacies of doubt, are generally to be traced to the fault of the will; and the straightforward man is he who walks by the light of a pure heart. V. THE CONTENTIOUS TEMPER. (Ver. 9.) It unfits for society. It makes the home intolerable. The vexing, captious, irritable temper makes a solitude around it, and calls 't peace. The very idea of the Christian household is peace. Wherever struggle may be necessary, it is certainly out of place there. Let us seek the "things that make for peace "-these first aud foremost. Every wife, mother, claugbter, should be iu reality, if not in name, a "Salome!" (" a peaceful one ").-J.
Vere. 10-13.-Leiisons and warnings from life-experience. I. THE MEil0ILESBNEijS OF EVIL DESIRE- (Ver. 10.) There is nothing more cruel than unbridled appetite of any kind. .All oad desires are perversions of self-love, and men thus became "hateful and hating one another." It is the grace of God which converts the selfish imagina- tion, ever fixed on one narrow object, to the all-embracing imagination which is neces- sary to the fulfilment of the "golden mle" (Matt. vii. 12). OIi. XXI, 1-31.] THE PROVERBS. 415
II._ TIIE LESSON_s OF PUNISHMENT AND OF REWARD. (Vers. 11, 12.) Daily lifo is full of this contrast, will we but heed its warninas. When the evil meet their just doom let us say with the psalmist, "Thou puttest° away the wicked of the earth like dr~ss; therefore I love thy testimonies" (Ps. cxix. 119). .And not less when the wise and good are ma.de happy (this is the sense of the next claase) let us own the hand of him who pronounces concerning every good deed, "It shall in no wise lose its reward." III. RETRIBUTION ON •rrm HARD HEART. (Ver. 13.) The pitiless man closes the door of pity against himself in the time of need. If the cries of the poor are not heard by us, they will be heard against us (Exod. xxii. 23; Matt. xvi ii. 30-34 ). The parable of the unmerciful servant is the best commentary on this text.-J. Vers. 14-11.-Lights and shades of the earthly scene. I. THE POWER OF GIFTS. (Ver. 14.) They are neither good nor evil in themselves, hut may be employed for good _or evil ends. Let us zr.ak~ a. good use of this text. We learn that gifts should be quiet, unobtrusive, unobserved; and the same is true of all acts of kindness, which are real gifts from the heart. They should neither irritate pride nor depress independence. By such little attentions and marks of love, how much evil may be warded off, how many asperities of temper or circumstance may be soothed ! II. DELIGHT IN OR DISGUST FOR RIGHT CONDUCT. (Ver. 15.) There is DO joy in the world to be compared for depth and purity to that of the good conscience; no exercise that brings so much health and pleasure as acting rightly and doing good. But the corrupt mind of evil men can take no delight in looking at goodness, in contem- plating pure and noble conduct, For the con~equences can only be the judgment and punishment of their own iniquity. III. THE END OF ALL MORAL OBSERVATIONS. (Ver.16.) One of the most solemn pasrnges of the Bible. Taken literally or figuratively, of the present or of the future, they contain a statement, a prophecy, a fact. The wicked and unrepentant pass into a. night without the hope of a sunrise to follow. IV. 'l'HE END OF IDLE AND FRIVOLOUS Mffi'l'H. (V er.17.) He that will squander more than his plough can earn must utterly waste (Sirach viii. 32). Magnum vectigal est parsimonia, or "Economy is income ; " "Waste not, want not." "Better than merry Nineveh" is recorded as an old proverb (see Zeph. ii. 15).-J. Vers. 18-20.-.J.Uernatives presented to choice. I. THE JUST AND UPRIGHT, THE FAITHLESS AND WICKED LIFE. (Ver. 18.) It occurs in many cases that the Divine wrath in judgment turns aside from the just man to roll upon the head of the sinner. See this in a natural light in Isa. xliii. 3, and in the great Christian light of redemption (2 Cor. v. 21; 1 Pet. iii, 18). Christ became as sin, or in the place of the sinner, for us. We must not, however, copfuse the evident meaning of, the text, which is that in critical moments of calamity the faithful minority appear to escape unscathed; and the lesson that righteousness alone is safe. II. SOLITUDE OR UNPLEASANT SOCIETY. (Ver. 19; see on ver. 9.) III. WISE STORING OR FOOLISH SQUANDERING. (Ver. 20.) Thrift and economy give meetness to every home enjoyment they purchase. Waste is without zest, and. brings positive dishonour.-J.