/oi·uxmi to human life from the snnguine standpoint of youth may sec in it little to be afra1<l about; but they who ha,e reached the latter end of it, auJ look baclc upon it, know how much there is in it to give ground for serious apprehension. It is they who are concerned for the young, and who are so devoutly solicitous that these should put their trust in that which will sustain them. There are three priuciplus which ar11 11 pplica ble. I. SELF-RELIANCE IS BETTER THAN LEANING UPON OTHERS. To be kept from "thE. evil which is in the world" by the authority, or the counsel, or the entreaty of others is q11ite unsatisfactory in any but the very young. These human props will be taken away, and where, then, is our virtue? II. 1foRAL PRINCIPLE IS DETTER THAN RIGHT DISPOSITION. It is well enough to inherit or to imbibe right inclinations, pure impulses, honourable feeling. But these ,may g,1 Jown before the force of some one very strong temptation, or be (as indeed they often are) worn down and worn out by the droppings of hosti]e influences. Moral principle, well rooted in the soul, will stand the rough wind aud still lift up its head to Lea,cn. III. To TRUST IN GoD IS INCOMPARABLY WISER THAN RESTING IN OURSELVES. 1. To "ti-ust in our own l,eart" is great folly. For, on the one hand, we do not know what we rna_v have to encounter. Possibly our life may be comparatively free from evil, material and moral; but perhaps it may not be so. There may be before us trials of the utmost severity, for which the very greatest endurance will be required; or there may be temptatiuns of the scvere~t kind, which will assail us with tremendous and orerwhdming force; or there may be demanded of us high duties, large services of even heroic order, otJly to be rendered by a noble self-abnegation; or there may awai~ 1.;s splendid opporttwities, to be unequal to which would be a lifelong regret, to avail ourselves of which would crown us with joy and honour. And, on the other hand, we do know that, associated e,·en with moral principle, there is some measure of human weakness. Every man has his vulucrable point; and to every man's strength of mind and character there is a limit which is only too easily reached. ·who of us would dare to say that he, of himself, however fortified he may be even by sound convictions as well as excellent inclinations, is strong enough to withstand any storm that may beat acraimt him, to swim any current int<J which he may be cast, to rise to any height that he may be called upon to climb? 2. To trust in God is tlie true wisdom. !<'or (1) God is able to make us stanit (Hom. xiv. 4). He can make ns to know "the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe." yve can" do all thi°:gs in Christ who strencrthenetb us." (2) He has promi~cd to sustain and to enable us, 1f w" do put our trust in him (Ps. xxxii. 10; cxxv. 11; Isa. xxvi. 3; xl. 30, 31; 2 'rim. i. 12). God ha; given us abundant reason to believe that, if we practically and devoutly trust in liim, he will sre us safely through every evil we may have to meet and master, and will guide us to his own Lollie and glory.-C.
EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XXIX. teaching of the past, or from the connsel of friends. The LXX. (as some other Jewish This chapter reinforces many precept i11terpreters) takes the expression in the text given previously. aetively, "A man who reproves (h1.•'YX"'") Ver. 1.-He that being often rcp1·oved is bdter than one of stiff neck." Shall hardeneth his neck; literally, a man of soddenly be destroyed, and that without 1·eproofs--011e who has had a Jong experience remedy (eh. vi. I 5; xv. 10). The iucor- of rebukes aud warnings. C11mparc "a rnnn rigiblo nnd self-deluding sinners shall come of sorro,H" (Isa. !iii. 3). Tue hardening of to a fearful and sudden end, though retribu- the neck is a metaphor deri,·ed from obsti- tion be delayed (comp. Job xxxiv. 20; Ps. nate draught a11imub who will not submit to ii. 9; Jer. xix. 11). And there is no hope the yoke (Deut. x. 16; Jer. ii. 20; xxvii. 8). in their end; despising all correction, they Clrnet calla bis yoke easy, nnrl bi<Ll his can huve no possibility of restoration. We f, ,llnwers to Lear it bravely (Matt. :r.l. 29, mRy refer, as an illuetmtion, to that terrible ,-tc.). 'J'he reprool"o muy ari,;u from the pao1m;;e in tho Epistle to the Hebrews (vi. Holy Spirit uud U.10 couacieuee, frou, the 41 etc.), and to thu fe.te of the Jews unto _CD. XXI:11:. 1-27.] 'l'HE PROVERBS. 553