combination of exalted principle and exact detail of practice, -admonition that is faithful, conveyed in language the most fascinating and kind. Like the prince of apostles under a later dispensation, he exhorts, comforts, and reproves, as a father doth his children. The benevolence of his heart equals the sagacity of his mind; he is severe, without being repulsive, and eminently instructive, without being either frigid or dry.

An eminent modern student and translator of Solomon's works, speaks of them as follows: "The great object in each of the Proverbs is, to enforce a moral principle in words so few, that they may be easily learned, and so curiously selected and arranged, that they may strike and fix the attention instantaneously; while, to prevent the mind from becoming fatigued by a long series of detached sentences, they are perpetually diversified by the changes of style and figure. Sometimes the style is rendered striking by its peculiar simplicity, or the familiarity of its illustration; sometimes by the grandeur or loftiness of the simile employed on the occasion; sometimes by an enigmatical obscurity, which rouses the curiosity; very frequently by a strong and catching antithesis; occasionally by a playful iteration of the same word; and in numerous instances by the elegant pleonasms or the expansion of a single or common idea by a luxuriance of agreeable words."

Every intelligent reader of that portion of the Bible here referred to, will certify to the justness of the critical judgment just quoted. Of the universal attractiveness and utility of such sententious forms of instruction, no other testimony need be added to what is contained in the following judicious words by Cardan: "Brevity of language is of excellent service to persons of competent ability and knowledge, though to stupid and ignorant persons it may be useless. To those who have the power of understanding many things comprised in few words, this style impresses the mind with more force,

brings light and prevents things from vanishing through oblivion; does not produce weariness; and while it increases the authority of the speaker, augments also in the hearer the desire of being gratified."

In the second place, proverbs are practical in their use. True religion is not of the head only, nor of the heart only; it is the cultivator and nourisher of all our faculties, and acts upon our whole person, in its legitimate development, as the God of nature forms a tree or flower, unfolding all parts at the same time, breathing life and beauty on every leaf. The proverbs of Solomon teem with wisdom the most august, the most comprehensive, and the most practical. They are condensed maxims, fitted to every region and adapted to all ages. Their author was inspired with superhuman wisdom, and this gives dignity to his instructions; he was wonderfully skilled in the knowledge of mankind, and this renders his teaching always pertinent, since the constituent elements of our race never change.

The portion of sacred record now under consideration is of especial importance to young persons. "It is," says Dr. Good, "chiefly confined to the conduct of early life. All the most formidable dangers to which this season is exposed, and the sins which most easily beset it, are painted with the hand of a master. And while the progress and issues of vice are exhibited under a variety of the most striking delineations and metaphors in their utmost deformity and horror; all the beauties of language, and all the force of eloquence are poured forth in the diversified form of earnest expostulation, insinuating tenderness, captivating argument and sublime allegory, to win the ingenuous youth to virtue and piety, and to fix him in a steady pursuit of his duties towards God and man. Virtue is pronounced in the very outset to be essential wisdom, and vice or wickedness essential folly. The only wise man,

therefore, is declared to be the truly good and virtuous, or he that fears God, and reverences his law; while the man of vice

and wickedness is a fool, a stubborn or perverse wretch, and an abomination to Jehovah."

In dealing with the writings of Solomon, as with all other inspired penmen, it should be our main endeavor to attach to each sentence its own literal and specific meaning, as it is under this rule that we most directly arrive at its spiritual signification-the mind of the Spirit. We are bound to draw practical instruction from the literal meaning of each proverb. It is designed that in this way we should find the greatest variety and the richest abundance. Lord Bacon, in his “ Advancement of Learning," viewing the Proverbs in this light, speaks of them in the highest strain of praise. "Beside a code of laws directly religious, a variety of admirable rules stream forth from the deep recesses of wisdom, and spread over the whole field." It is this diversity and wealth of admirable rules, adapted to all classes and pursuits, that we propose to consider in subsequent chapters.

It is practical religion in the pulpit and in the pew, in the common walks of life and in all the pursuits of business, that we most need. The inculcation of duty is no less essential than the defence of doctrine. The hypocritical professor of godliness may not relish the preaching that exacts consistency; but they who sincerely desire to glorify God in their profession, will not complain when told how exalted are the preceptive laws of that religion they are pledged to exemplify. Some portions of Scripture are designed to show us the glory of our high calling; while other parts, of equal importance, minutely and with infinite solicitude detail to us how we are to walk worthy of it. From the writings of Paul, we learn our ultimate completeness in Christ; but a careful observance of Solomon's precepts will effectually teach us how that completeness is obtained. We may reasonably glory in our high exaltation, as joint heirs with our Lord, made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; but it would be unwise to do this without remembering that the first law of the

Messiah's kingdom requires that we should deal justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God.

It is the symptom of a diseased condition, when a patient desires intoxicating draughts, rather than wholesome aliment. When a religionist is more voracious of excitement than instruction, and is much more prompt to fight for a dogma than to illustrate his infallibility by a noble demeanor, he would do well to search into the divinity of a faith which is so barren of heavenly deeds. Sir Mathew Hale esteemed it the most conducive to spiritual health, "to be impressed and affected, and to have old and known truths reduced to experience and practice." It will not answer that the mighty things of the Gospel-the realities of eternity—should have a place in denominational hand-books and not in our hearts. What is shut up in human creeds will probably be resorted to on sacred days; but that only which is divinely breathed into the soul will mould it into the image of God and be reduced to practice at every step of our earthly pilgrimage.

Thirdly, sacred Proverbs are ennobling in their tendency. In the first place, they present the most concise forms of wisdom. Proverbial teaching is one of the most ancient and efficient modes of instruction. The sayings of the seven sages of Greece, and the choice maxims of other renowned teachers of antiquity, are preserved with great care and deemed of the greatest value.

But undoubtedly the best specimens in form and substance are the Proverbs of the Bible, and these are of the very earliest date. "As saith the proverb of the ancients," is an expression in the first book of Samuel, which indicates that this form of teaching was recognized long before Solomon. But it was the wisdom of that monarch that gave to aphoristic sayings their greatest renown. In the first book of Kings we are told that "he spake three thousand proverbs." The most regal thing about Solomon was his intellect, and this he seems to have exercised with the greatest diligence. Classic ages

and more recent times have produced distinguished men who have imitated his style, but none have ever emulated with success the depth and force of his thought; he was "the disciple of none, but the instructor of them all."

It is to this author alone that the apostrophe of the son of Sirach can justly be applied: "How wise wast thou in thy youth, and as a flood filled with understanding! Thy soul covered the whole earth, and thou fillest it with dark parables.” Eusebius, referring to this last expression, remarks of Solomon, that while "inspired by divine wisdom, he consecrated all his writings to the profit and salvation of souls; yet he used these 'dark parables' for the exercise of the mind."

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In the second place, in proverbs we have the most profitable type of wisdom. Their statements of doctrine may not be so explicit as in some later portions of Scripture, but what they do assert is of the very highest importance. In particular are we here taught to combine reflection with action— nourishing a mind that ponders over a heart that prays. we would soar above the sickly regions of effeminate sentimentalism, we must search for novelty and excitement with less avidity than for the rugged and enduring elements of solid instruction. As saith the author of the Book of Wisdom, "Set your affection upon my words. Desire them, and ye shall be instructed. Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away; yea, she is easily seen of those that love her, and found of such as seek her. She preventeth those that desire her, in making herself first known unto them. Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travail; for he shall find her sitting at his doors. Whoso watcheth for her shall quickly be without care. For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, showeth herself favorably unto them in the ways, and meeteth them in every thought."

Religion, to be permanently influential, must be intelligent. Nothing can be foreign to the welfare of the soul that is productive of light and vigor to the mind. A discrimination of