but a man of understanding a sound judgment is strength and knoweth when he slippeth. safety.

He that buildeth his house with other men's money is like one that gathereth himself stones for the tomb of his burial. The congregation of the wicked is like tow wrapped together: and the end of them is a flame of fire to destroy them. 10 The way of sinners is made plain with stones, but at the end thereof is the pit of hell. keepeth the law of the Lord getteth the understanding thereof: and the perfection of the fear of the Lord is wisdom. Не that is not wise will not be

10" Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.” The descent of evil is easy and fatal.

12

He that

12 All such wisdom of the world as is confined to worldly gain, is foolishness with God.

taught but there is a wisdom which multiplieth bitterness.

shall abound like a flood: and

The knowledge of a wise man his counsel is like a pure 14 The very heart of a fool despiseth fountain of life. The inner knowledge: whereas wisdom is alparts of a fool are like a broken ways welcome to a prudent man. vessel, and he will hold no knowledge as long as he liveth. If a skilful man hear a wise word, he will commend it, and add unto it but as soon as one of no understanding heareth it, it displeaseth him, and he casteth it behind his back. The talking of a fool is like a burden in the way: but grace shall be found in the lips of the wise. They enquire at the mouth of the wise man in the congregation, and they shall ponder his words in their heart. As is a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool: and the knowledge of the unwise is as talk without sense. Doctrine unto fools is as fetters on the feet, and like manacles on the right hand. A fool lifteth up his voice with laughter; but a wise man doth scarce smile a little. Learning is unto a wise man as an ornament of gold, and like a bracelet upon his right arm. A foolish man's foot is soon in his [neighbour's] house: but a man of experience is ashamed of him. 23 A fool will peep in at the door into the house but he that is

23 The Christian ever regards courteousness and good manners. 1 Pet. iii. 8, and ii. 17.

well nurtured will stand without. It is the rudeness of a man to hearken at the door : but a wise man will be grieved at the disgrace. The lips of talkers will be telling such things as pertain not unto them: but the words of such as have understanding are weighed in the balance. The heart of fools is in their mouth but the mouth of the wise is in their heart. 27 When the ungodly curseth Satan, he curseth his own

27 As often as wicked men condemn sin, they condemn themselves.

soul. A whisperer defileth
his own soul, and is hated
wheresoever he dwelleth.
shame and just hatred will pursue

28 A whisperer may for a time please those whom he flatters, by lowering the character of others; but when once he be found out, him.

EVENING. ECCLESIASTICUS xxii.

A SLOTHFUL man is compared to a filthy stone, and every one will hiss him out of his disgrace. A sloth

3

1 Sloth is so mean and sordid a

habit, that no comparison is too low to express the contempt in which it is held.

ful man is compared to the filth of a dunghill: every man that takes it up will shake his hand. An evilnurtured son is the dishonour of his father that begat him and a [foolish] daughter is born to his loss. A wise daughter shall bring an inheritance to her husband: but she that liveth dishonestly is her father's heaviness. She that is bold dishonoureth both her father and her husband, but they both shall despise her. 6 Music in the day of sorrow is A tale out of season [is as] misplaced-merriment mocks mournmusic in mourning but ing*.

3 Good children are an honour to their parents: bad children, alas ! are their shame.

stripes and correction of wisdom are never out of time. Whoso teacheth a fool is as one that glueth a potsherd together, and as he that waketh one from a sound sleep. He that telleth a tale to a fool speaketh to one in a slumber: when he hath told his tale, he will say,

9 Virtue ennobles the lowliest born; and vice degrades men of the highest degree.

What is the matter? 9 If children live honestly, and have wherewithal, they shall cover the baseness of their parents. 10 But children, being haughty, through disdain and want of nurture do stain the nobility of their kindred. Weep for the dead, for he hath lost the light and weep for the fool, for he wanteth understanding: make little weeping for the dead, for he is at rest: but the life of the fool is worse than death.

10 Those who are of noble birth have but to add noble conduct, to win the honour due to them. They need not the false exaltation of a

haughty demeanor.

11 The wicked man-or the fool, as he is emphatically called-has a living death. As therefore we mourn the dead who are passed to their rest, how much more should we

mourn those who are dead in trespasses, sin, and misery.

Seven days do men mourn for him that is dead; but for a fool

Hence the unfeeling taunt of Babylon to her captives; requiring of them a song in their heaviness.-"Sing us one of the songs of Zion."

and an ungodly man all the days of his life. Talk not much with a fool, and go not to him that hath no understanding : beware of him, lest thou have trouble, and thou shalt never be defiled with his fooleries: depart from him, and thou shalt find rest, and never be disquieted with madness. What is heavier than lead? and what is the name thereof, but a fool? Sand, and salt, and a mass

15

15 Religion gives stability to conof iron, is easier to bear, than duct, as a good foundation ensures a man without understanding. strength to a building. Matt. vii. 26. As timber girt and bound together in a building cannot be loosed with shaking: so the heart that is stablished by advised counsel shall fear at no time. A heart settled upon a thought of understanding is as a fair plaistering on the wall of a gallery. Pales set on an high place will never stand against the wind so a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool cannot stand against any fear. 19 He 19 Because, painful as reproof may that pricketh the eye will be, even as a sword that pierceth the make tears to fall: and he heart; faithful are the wounds of a friend-they are for our benefit. that pricketh the heart maketh it to shew her knowledge. Whoso casteth a stone at the birds frayeth them away: and he that upbraideth his friend breaketh friendship. Though thou drawest a sword at thy friend, yet despair not for there may be a returning [to favour]. If thou hast opened thy mouth against thy friend, fear not; for there may be a reconciliation: except for upbraiding, or pride, or disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound: for for these things every friend will depart. 23 Be faithful to thy neighbour in his poverty, that thou mayest rejoice in his prosperity: abide stedfast unto him in the time of his trouble, that thou mayest be heir with him in his heritage for a mean estate is not always to be contemned: nor the rich that is foolish to be had in admiration. As the vapour and smoke of a furnace goeth before the fire; so reviling before blood. I will not be ashamed to defend a friend; neither will I hide myself from him. And if any evil happen unto me by him, every one that heareth it will beware of him. 27 Who shall set a watch before my mouth, and a seal of wisdom upon my

:

23 True religion scorns to forsake a fallen and afflicted friend: nay, his poverty and distress endear him to

us the more.

27 A wise wish! and an attainable wish; if we seek the Spirit of God, to set that watch-to sanctify and

direct, to counsel and to comfort us.

lips, that I fall not suddenly
by them, and that my tongue destroy me not.

St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

MORNING. ECCLESIASTICUS xxiv.

'WISDOM shall praise herself, 1 Divine wisdom, or religion, fears and shall glory in the midst. not to avow her superiority over all of her people. In the conthe learning and wisdom of which the heathen world so much boasted. gregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power. I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud. I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar. I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep. In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession. With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide? So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and he that made me caused my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel. He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail. In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion. Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power. And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord's inheritance. 13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon. I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and

13 All these comparisons indicate the high excellencies of religious wisdom over every other wisdom, of whatever kind it be. No vain boast this! for it has the promise not only of the life that now is, but of that which is to come-even life eternal.

as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water. I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle. As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace. As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I, therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him. Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.

19

19 This wisdom is free to all. The Gospel is the light of the world, to send forth afar its guiding and its

For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.

cheering ray.
ye that are weary and heavy laden,
and I will refresh you.”

"Come unto me, all

They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty. He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss. 23 All these things are the

23 This wisdom is found in the word of God. which Moses commanded for an

24 Joy to the soul! Its Saviour is its God; even the Lord God Almighty. Well may we rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

book of the covenant of the most high God, even the law heritage unto the congregations of Jacob. 24 Faint not to be strong in the Lord; that he may confirm you, cleave unto him: for the Lord Almighty is God alone, and beside him there is no other Saviour. He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits. He maketh the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the harvest. He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage. The first man knew her not perfectly: no more shall the last find her out. For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep. I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden. I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea. I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off. I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever. Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.

31

31 God's grace, though "more than the sea, and profounder than the great deep," yet watereth the little hills with its showers, and fertilizes

by its streams the lowly valleys. By

the continual dew of its blessing, it so nurtureth the heart of the contrite, that even the lowliest may flourish to the honour of their God.

EVENING. ECCLESIASTICUS xxix.

1 HE that is merciful will lend unto his neighbour; and he that strengtheneth his hand keepeth the commandments. 2 Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season. Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shalt

1 We are said to "strengthen the hand of our neighbour" when we relieve him in his distress.

2 Honesty towards man is duty towards God,