united with the forces of nature, has been blessed with the abund1mt harvests and the rich flocks. Let a man keep the laws of God, and his way will be strewn with satisfac- tions. To find out the secret of " working together with God" in all the departments of our life is one of the deepest secrets of satisfaction and blessedness.-J. Ver. 1.-Man in presence of the future: our greatnes, and our littleness. It is well to glance at- I. OUR GREATNESS IN REGARD TO THE FUTURE, 1. There need be no 'tound at all to our hope and aspiration in respect of the future. We are warranted in lookin" forward to an endless life beyond, to an actual and absolute eternity of blessedness a;;d glory. Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ has everlasting life. 2. We can and we should prepare for a very long time to come. The legislator should devise his measures, the religious leader or organizer should lay his plans, the architect should make his designs, and the builder provide his materials with a view to the next century as well as to the next decade. 3. We should have regard to the coming years as well as to the passing days; teaching our pupils so that they will not only pass the approaching examina- tion, but be ready for the battle of life; offering and enforcing truths and principles which will not only tide men over to-morrow, but carry them victoriously through all the vicissitudes of their course, and solace and strengthen them in their declining days. But the lesson of the text is- II. Ou& LITTLENESS IN REGARD TO THE FUTURE. We do not know what a day may bring forth. 1. How our purposes may be deranged, and all that we are pro- posing to do may have to be abandoned in favour of some more imperative duty (see Jas. iv. 13-15). 2. How our prospects may be affected; we may possibly rise from indigence to affluence, but we are much more likely to be suddenly and seriously reduced. Financial calamities are many, but "windfalls" are few. 3. How our circle of friendship may be narrowed, or how soon we may be called on to leave home and kindred. 4. How our hope of health or life may be extinguished. "Between the morning and the evening" (see Job iv. 19-21, Revised Version) we may discover that we are afflicted with a disease which will complete its work in a few months at most, or we may be stricken down with a blow which will bring us face to face with death and eternity. With this uncertainty there are three lessons we should learn. (1) All unqualified and unreserved declarations are unbecoming. If there be no verbal qualification, there should be a mental reservation, a feeling below the surface that all our plans and movements are subject to the will of God. (2) We should do to-day's work before its hours are over. Since we may not be able to do a stroke to-morrow, Jet us see that every day's work is well and thoroughly done. We are not responsible for the future, but we are for the present. And not only is it of no use for us to be anxious to do much in the coming years, but it is foolish and unfaithful of us to be concerned about it. Our Master sets us our work, and he gives us our time. All that we should be solicitous about is the diligent and devoted discharge of our duty in his appointed time and way. If he takes the weapon out of our hand here, it will be because he has a better one to give us in a brighter and broader sphere. (3) We ought to be prepared for any and every event. We should have within us principles that will snstain or preserve us in any trouble or in any elevation that may be awaiting us. ,ve should have our house in such ordt,r that, if death should come suddenly to our door, those whom we leave behind us will suffer the least possible affliction, and we ourselve& shall pass to the great inheritance beyond.-C.
Vers. 2, 21.-The praise of man. How far we should go in praising others, ~nd in what spirit we should accept their praise, is a matter of no sm1Lll importauce m the conduct of life. I. THE DU'l'Y OF PRAISING OTHERS. "Let another man praise thee" can hardly be said to be imperative so far as ho is concerned. Ilut it suggests the p~opriety of ,i.nother man speaking in words of commendation. An~ the duty o_f pra1smg th?~e "ho have done well is a much-forgotten and neglected vmue. 1. It 1s the correlative of blame, and if we bla:ne freely (as we do), why should we not freely prnise the scholar, the servant, the son or daughter, the workman, etc.? 2. With many I.carts, 1,erhaps wit.h most, a little praise would prove a far more powerful incentive than a CH. XXVII. 1-27.] THE PROVERBS. 529