_The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord._ HEART-CULTURE We must allow no habits of mind to grow upon us which shall unfit us for making the best opportunities of life when they come. We have power in ourselves, by the grace of God, to quicken the percep... [ Continue Reading ]
_All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes._ FALSE JUDGMENTS The best causuits have decided the point that a good intention cannot sanctify an immoral act; but it is certain that an indirect or evil intention will sully the best performances. Here is indicated the false judgment of man. All... [ Continue Reading ]
_Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established._ DOING OUR DUTY IS COMMITTING OUR WAY TO GOD There is no instrinsic value in things. They only possess a relative value. All things depend upon seasonableness. The Scripture speaks of a “word in season.” If there can be words i... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord hath made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil _ OF GOD’S DISPOSING ALL THINGS TO THEIR PROPER ENDS No light on this passage comes from the context. The words may be taken-- I. In the sense that God created all things merely for His own good pleasure, without... [ Continue Reading ]
_Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord._ ON PRIDE In the maladies which assault the human body, a marked distinction prevails as to the relative extensiveness of their influence. A kindred analogy discriminates the distempers of the mind. Pride claims the denomination of a... [ Continue Reading ]
_By mercy and truth iniquity is purged._ THE MISSION OF MERCY AND TRUTH Some plead for prevailing mercy, and some for prevailing justice, in jurisprudence, education, and theology. Some try to blend the two, but find the effort a hopeless one. By a mercy and truth torn apart, and set in opposition... [ Continue Reading ]
_When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him._ OUR WAYS These words contain two blessed fruits of a gracious conversation. The one more immediate and direct, acceptance with God; the other more remote, and by consequence from the former, peace with men. I... [ Continue Reading ]
_A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps._ ON THE GOVERNMENT OF HUMAN AFFAIRS BY PROVIDENCE The efforts of our activity, how great soever they may be, are subject to the control of a superior, invisible power. Higher counsels than ours are concerned in the issues of human c... [ Continue Reading ]
_A just weight and balance are the Lord’s._ A JUST BALANCE It is a part of the Lord’s watchful activity and direct connection with all the affairs of human life that He is interested in our business and trade. The Israelite was encouraged to think that all the work in which he was engaged was orda... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the throne is estaabished by righteousness._ RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES THE BEST SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT I. Righteousness most effectually answers the end and design of government. Religion consists in an acknowledgment of God as Governor of the world. Though the power be lodged in earthen vessels, th... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the light of the king’s countenance is life._ THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE KING’S FAVOUR This is a general proverb. Its primary application is to royalty. In the previous verse the wrath of a king has been, by a striking metaphor, represented as messengers of death (Esther 7:6). When a king is angry... [ Continue Reading ]
_How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! _ WISDOM BETTER THAN WEALTH I. The difference between wisdom and understanding. It is like that which exists between the moving and the acting power, between the principle and the practice, between the plan and the process, between the cause and the... [ Continue Reading ]
_The highway of the upright is to depart from evil._ DEPARTING FROM EVIL In this text is-- I. The upright. Those who are bent on doing the will of God. Those who keep the commandments of their Maker. Those who endeavour, by God’s grace, so to live as to be justified, and pardoned and acquitted in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall._ SHAME AND CONTEMPT THE END OF PRIDE I. Show what pride and haughtiness mean. Pride is thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. It is corruption of self-love, it is self-flattery. A man thinks too highly of hims... [ Continue Reading ]
_Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud._ THE CHARACTER AND CONDUCT OF THE LOWLY UNDER AFFLICTION There is a generation of lowly afflicted ones, having their spirit lowered and brought down to their lot, whose case, in that respect, is better... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he._ TRUST IN GOD--TRUE WISDOM Wisdom is man’s true path--that which enables him to accomplish best the end of his being, and which, therefore, gives to him the richest enjoyment and the fullest play for al... [ Continue Reading ]
_The wise in heart shall be called prudent._ THE WISE IN HEART I. These words are an assertion that true wisdom will show itself in a prudent conduct of life. His wisdom will gain him the reputation of a discreet, serious, and sensible man. Wisdom is the mother of intellectual and prudence of pract... [ Continue Reading ]
_The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips._ IDEAL ELOQUENCE These two verses lead us to infer several things concerning true eloquence. I. It is the utterance of the true heart. “The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth.” 1. It is when the genuinely patriotic hea... [ Continue Reading ]
_There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death._ A WAY OF DEATH I. Multitudes judge of duty by the standard of their own moral sentiments and feelings, and therefore the way of death is thought to be right. 1. Sin first defiles the principles and then the... [ Continue Reading ]
_An ungodly man diggeth up evil._ DIGGING UP EVIL An ungodly man is “a son of Belial.” In the expression “diggeth up evil” two ideas may be included. I. Taking pains to devise it. We dig and search for treasure in a mine, or where we fancy it lies concealed; thus the wicked man does in regard to... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness._ ON THE DUTIES AND CONSOLATIONS OF THE AGED To every age there belongs a distinct propriety of behaviour. There arises from it a series of duties peculiar to itself. I. Some counsels concerning the errors which are m... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city._ CHRISTIAN HEROISM I. What is it to rule the spirit? Spirit is used sometimes for the thoughts of the mind, the passions of the heart, the emotions of sense, phantoms of imagination, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord._ ALL CONTINGENCIES UNDER THE DIRECTION OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE I. Consider the result of a “lot” in reference to men. Why suspend the decision of some dubious case upon it? It implies something future, and something conting... [ Continue Reading ]