All speech should be studied. The old proverb is, "Think twice before you speak once." But all studied speech is not good: some study their speech in order to misrepresent their own hearts, to lead others into temptation, to indoctrinate with wrong sentiments: such is not the studied speech to which Solomon refers. The heart of the righteous" studieth to answer" in order. (1.) That the speech may agree with its own thoughts and feelings, and (2) that the speech may be of real service to the auditors. The righteous feel so impressed with the awful responsibility connected with the power of speech and the momentous influence springing from it, that they duly ponder their words. They are "swift" to hear, but slow to speak. Secondly. The speech of the wicked is recklessly uttered. "The mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things." There is no conscience in the speech of the wicked, it has no moral filtering, and is the vehicle of evil. "Out of the mouth cometh," &c., &c. Unchaste, ill-natured, profane, frivolous, immoral, false words, roll in torrents from the mouth of the wicked. The righteous and the wicked are presented here.

II. IN RELATION TO THEIR GOD. First. God is morally distant from the wicked. "The Lord is far from the wicked." Essentially He is alike near to all, all live and move in Him, but morally He stands aloof from the wicked, and they from Him. The language of their heart is, "Depart from us, we desire not a knowledge of thy ways." God has no complacency in the wicked.

Secondly: God is morally near to the righteous. "He heareth the prayer of the righteous." "He is near to them that call upon Him in truth." "He is nigh to them that be of a broken heart, and saveth them that be of a contrite spirit." "Prayer," says Dr. McCosh, "is like a man in a small boat laying hold of a large ship; and who, if he

does not move the large vessel, at least moves the small vessel towards the large one; so, though prayer could not directly move God towards the suppliant, it will move the suppliant towards God, and bring the two parties nearer to each other."

(No. CXLVIII.)

THE HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE.

"The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart; and a good report maketh the bones fat."-Prov. xv. 30.

KNOWLEDGE is that information which the mind receives, either by its own experience or by the testimony of others. It is of different degrees of value, according to the order of subjects which it reveals to the mind and the strength of the testimony by which they are commended to our faith. God is the highest subject of knowledge, and evidences of his being amount to the strongest of all demonstrations: hence, the knowledge of Him is the highest knowledge. All other knowledges to the soul are but stars in its firmament; this is the sun, all-revealing, all-quickening, and all-beautifying. The text suggests two facts in relation to this knowledge:

I. IT IS CHEERING. "The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart." We take the expression "good report" not merely as expressing a good reputation nor good tidings merely, but as expressing good knowledge; and the best knowledge is the knowledge of God. Such knowledge has the same cheering influence upon the soul, as light upon the natural heart. When light breaks in upon the world after a season of thick clouds and darkness, it sets all nature to music. Truly light is sweet; what a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun! It is so when the soul sees God. "They looked upon Him and were lightened." (Psalm xxxiv. 5.) (1.) The knowledge of a personal Providence is cheering

as light. (2.) The knowledge of Divine forgiveness is cheering as light. (3.) The knowledge of a blessed future is cheering as light. II. IT IS STRENGTHENING. "It maketh the bones fat." "The bones may be called the foundation of the corporeal structure, on which its strength and stability depend. The cavities and cellular parts of the bones are filled with the marrow; of which the fine oil, by one of the beautiful processes of the animal physiology, pervades their substance, and, incorporating with the earthy and siliceous material, gives them their cohesive tenacity a provision without which they would be brittle and easily fractured. "Making the bones fat" means, supplying them with plenty of marrow, and thus strengthening the entire system. Hence marrow to the bones' is a Bible figure for anything eminently gratifying and beneficial. The idea is strongly brought out in the words: And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants and his indignation towards his enemies." (Isaiah lxvi. 14.)-Wardlaw.

999

What is the strength of the soul? First. Trust in God is strength. The soul possessing firm trust in Him, is mighty both in endurance and in action. Divine knowledge gives this trust. Secondly. Love for the eternal is strength. Love is soul power. Supreme affection for the supremely good is unconquerable love. True knowledge gives love. Thirdly. Hope for the future is strength. The soul, full of hope, is full of invincible daring. True Thus knowledge gives this hope. a good report, good knowledge concerning God, is to the soul as marrow to the bones.

(CXLIX.)

REPROOF.

"The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul."-Prov. xv. 31, 32.

"REPROOF" always implies blame either real or imaginary. It is a charge of misconduct, accompanied with censure from one person to another. By the "reproot of life," in the text, we shall understand God's reproof to sinners. His reproofs are characterised by at least three things. (1.) Truthfulness. Men often address reproofs to others that are undeserved, implying a fault which has no existence. Illtempered people are proverbially fond of the work of reproaching; they look at others through their own feelings, and all are bad. Divine reproofs, however, are always truthful. The blame which God charges on man is a fact attested by man's consciousness. (2.) Necessity. Men often address their reproofs where they are not needed. The fault is so trivial, that evil rather than good would come to the individual by rebuke. Many persons do incalculable injury to the character of their children, by noticing and rebuking trivial irregularities, which are almost natural to young life. God reproves men, because it is necessary that they should be convicted of sin. The world can only be morally restored by convincing it of sin, of righteousness and judgment. (3.) Kindness. Men's reproofs are often inspired by unkindness. Unkind reproofs even when true are injurious. It is kindness that gives it power for good.

Quiet and fervent, and therein was

constant;

Which made him cast off both his cloak and coat:

Like whom should men do."

The text leads us to consider two things

I. THE ACCEPTANCE OF GOD'S REPROOF. "He that heareth reproof," &c. That is, "he that accepts the reproof in a right spirit, determining to improve by it, accepts it in the spirit expressed by David, when he said, "Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindness, let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, it shall not break my head." Two advantages are indicated in the text for the proper acceptance of Divine reproof. First. Permanent social elevation. "He abideth among the wise." The wise are not only the enlightened, but the holy and the good. The man who rightly attends to the approving voice of God, gets a permanent place in his circle. He is born into a kingdom of great spirits. He abideth with the wise, (1) in his social intercourse, (2) in his book studies, and (3) in his spiritual fellowships. Secondly. Secondly. Acquisition of true wisdom. "He getteth understanding."

He learns to repel the evil, and to pursue the good. He gets that wisdom which not only throws a light upon his path, but which vivifies, strengthens, and beautifies his spirit.

II. THE REJECTION OF GOD'S REPROOF. "He that refuseth instruction, (margin correction) despiseth his own soul." The rejection of Divine reproofs is. First. Sudly common. God is constantly reproving sinners by His providence, His gospel, and their own consciences, yet they silence his voice, they will not lay his allegations to heart. Secondly. It is self ruinous. "He despiseth his own soul." The rejection of his reproofs betrays the utmost disregard to the high interest of the soul. What a description Solomon gives elsewhere of the ruin that will befall such a soul. "And thou mourn at the last, when

thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, how I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof. And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!" Again, "When I called, ye refused; I stretched out my hand, and no man regarded. But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh?"

Brothers, attend to the reproof from heaven. Those reproofs are looking-glasses in which you can see the face of your spirit true to life. Because they reveal the hideous blots of moral disease, you recoil from them. But this is unwise, as they will point you at the same time to means by which your youth may be renewed like the eagle.

(No. CL.)

GODLY FEAR AND GENUINE HUMILITY. "The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility."-Prov. xv. 33.

Here we have

I. GODLY FEAR. "The fear of the Lord." There is a slavish fear of the Lord, and there is a loving fear of the Lord. The former is foreign to all virtue, and is an element of moral misery; the latter is the reverse of this. A loving fear may sound as a contradiction, but it is not sɔ. "Perfect love, it is true," casteth out slavish fear, but perfect love generates a virtuous fear. I have read of a little boy who was tempted to pluck some cherries from a tree which his father had forbidden him to touch. "You need not be afraid," said his evil companion, "for if your father should find out that you have taken them, he is too kind to hurt you." "Ah," said the brave little fellow, "that is the very reason why I would not touch them; for, though my father would not hurt me, yet I should hurt him by my disobedience."

This is godly fear, a fear of wounding the dearest object of the heart. Concerning this fear, it is here said, that it "is the instruction of wisdom." First. It is the great subject of Wisdom's instruction. Everywhere in nature, in the events of life and in the holy book of God, does heavenly Wisdom inculcate this godly fear. Secondly, It is the great end of wisdom's instruction. Heavenly wisdom, in all its communications, deals with our souls not merely to enlighten the intellect and refine the tastes, but to fill us with loving fear toward God. The conclusion of its whole mission is, "fear God and keep his commandments." This is the burden of its divine teaching.

II. GENUINE HUMILITY. "The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility." This is a maxim of very wide application. First. It is sometimes applicable to secular exaltation. As a rule, the man who rises to affluence and power in the world has had to humble himself. He has stooped to conquer. H6 has condescended to drudgeries and concessions most wounding to his pride. Secondly. This always applies to intellectual exaltation. A most humbling sense of one's ignorance is the first step to intellectual eminence, and almost the last. He who feels he knows nothing is in the surest field where intellectual laurels are won. Thirdly. This invariably applies to moral exaltation. The very first sentence the Saviour uttered when describing the members of his kingdom were, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." The cross is the ladder to the crown. "The bird that soars on highest wing Builds on the ground her lowly nest; And she that doth most sweetly sing, Sings in the shade when all things rest. In lark and nightingale we see What honour hath humility."

J. MONTGOMERY.

(No. CLI.)

MAN PROPOSES, GOD DISPOSES.

"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord."-Prov. xvi. 1.

TAKING the words as they stand before us, they give the idea that all goodness in man is from God. (1.) The goodness in the heart is from Him. "The preparations of the heart in man." The margin reads "disposings." All the right disposings of the heart towards the real, the holy, and the divine, are from the Lord. How does He dispose the heart to goodness? Not arbitrarily, not miraculously, not in any way that interferes with the free agency of man, or that supersedes in any case the necessity of man's own actions. Still it is a mystery transcending our present intelligence. He has avenues to the human heart of which we know nothing. He can instil thoughts and impressions, by methods, of which we are entirely ignorant. "The wind bloweth where it listeth," &c. It is enough for us to know, First. That He is the author of all goodness in the soul. Secondly. That we are bound to labour after this goodness. Taking the words of the text as in our version, they teach that goodness in language is from God. "And the answer of the tongue." This follows from the other. The language is but the expression of the heart. If the heart is right the language will be right. All good in man is from God. "Every good and perfect gift cometh down," &c.

But whilst the words as they stand teach this truth, the words themselves are not true to the original. A literal translation would be this: "To man the orderings of the heart, but from Jehovah the answer of the tongue." And the idea undoubtedly is, "Man proposes, God disposes."

I. THIS IS AN UNDOUBTED FACT. A fact sustained. (1) By the character of God. All the schemes,

and plans formed in the human heart must necessarily be under the control of Him who is all-wise, and all-powerful.

They cannot exist

without his knowledge, they cannot advance without his permission. A fact sustained. (2) By the history of men. Take for examples the purposes of Joseph's brethren, of Pharaoh in relation to Moses; of the Jews in relation to Christ, &c. A fact sustained. (3) By our own experience. Who has not found the schemes and plans of his own heart taking a direction never contemplated by the author? Truly, "Man proposes, God disposes."

II. THIS IS A MOMENTOUS FACT. It is momentous. (1) In its bearing on the enemies of God. Sinner, your most cherished schemes, whatever they may be, sensual, avaricious, infidel, are under the control of Him against whom you rebel, He will work them for your confusion, and his own glory. It is momentous. (2) In its bearing on the friends of God. It is all-encouraging to them. The schemes of the wicked can have no permanent reign, the purposes of the gool must conquer. He maketh the wrath of man to praise Him. (Ps. lxxvi. 10.) Trust in Him.

ample of this. His own words are, "I verily thought of myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth," &c. He once rejoiced in virtues which he never had. The Pharisee in the Temple is also an example of this. Indeed. all sinners think wel of their own conduct. Why is this? First. He views himself in the light of society. He judges himself by the character of others. Secondly. He is ignorant of the spirituality of God's law. "I was alive without the law," said Paul. Thirdly. His conscience is in a state of dormancy. The eye of his conscience is not open to see the enormity of his sin. Thus like the Laodiceans, he says, "I am rich and increased in goods, and needeth nothing," &c.

II. THE SEARCHING OMNISCIENCE OF GOD. "The Lord weigheth the spirits," "Ye are they," said Christ, "which justify yourselves before man, but God knoweth your hearts." (Luke xvi. 15.) He sees the iniquity in those who regard themselves as blameless.

"The

Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearances, but the Lord looketh on the heart." "The Lord weigheth the spirits." This implies, First. The essence of the character is in the spirit. The sin of an action is not in the outward performance, but in the motive. God sees all the crimes of the world, and judges them as they appear in the spirit. Secondly. This urges the duty of self examination. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand." "Search us, O God, and try us," &c.