tended with little danger, are they not little ones? surely our souls shall not die though we fall into them.” We are as little afraid of great sins, because we think them so shocking that we cannot fall into them. Frequently does it happen, that labouring under such misapprehensions as these, men lay down their heads upon the lap of temptation, and awake like Sampson in the hands of their enemies. By these enemies they are carried captive at their will, and to this punishment God has given them up for neglecting to follow his counsels, and preferring to them the instructions of those who cause to err.

There is as great a difference between the path of the just and that of the wicked, as there is between light and darkness.

Ver. 18, 19. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.

The righteous man possesses an understanding brightened by the rays of divine truth, for the Sun of righteousness hath shone into his soul. His heart is beautified by the light of purity, diffusing a pleasant lustre around him in his conversation; and his spirit is cheered with the light of joy and consolation from the countenance of God.

This light is not like that of a taper which burns itself away into darkness, but like that of the morning sun, which shines brighter and brighter, till it blazes with meridian splendour.

Christians increase in knowledge, and grace, and happiness, in this world, and are perfected at death and the resurrection. Clouds may indeed obscure their brightness, and thick darkness may occasionally cover them. Their progress may be suspended, like that of the sun in the days of Joshua; or they may go back

ward, as the same glorious luminary did in the days of Hezekiah, but these days of threatening aspect shall not extinguish their light. The Lord will make their light to spring forth speedily, and their darkness as the noonday. He will remove or turn back in their progress the causes that obstructed them, and he that began the good work in them will perform it until the day of Christ. Then shall they shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, for the Lord shall be to them an everlasting light. They shall see God as he is; they shall love him to the utmost extent of their capacity, and enjoy full satisfaction in the presence of him with whom is the fountain of life.

This

The wicked travel in darkness all their days. is true, not only of those rebels against the light who abandon themselves to all manner of wickedness, but of all who follow not him who is the light of the world, and live without that charity which is the distinguishing mark of the disciples of Christ *. Unbelievers may have some glimmerings of light in their minds and consciences, but these are not sufficient to keep them from walking in darkness; their eyes are evil, and their whole course of life is full of the darkness of ignorance and error, of misery and sin.

So great is this darkness, that they often stumble and wound themselves without knowing the cause of it, or even that they are wounded; and hence arises their ignorance of their need of healing. The wise are not ignorant of Satan's devices, and when they fall they are instructed to avoid the stumbling-block by which their fall was occasioned; but it is the misery of fools walking in darkness, that being insensible to the means of their seduction into sin, they fall again and again by the same instruments of temptation. Instead of learn

*John viii. 12. 1 John ii. 11, 12.

ing caution by their sins, one fall is the occasion of another, and perhaps a worse.

There is indeed a great difference between the darkness of their path, and that region of darkness to which it leads. Their minds being blind, there is no light within them; still, however, the light of Christ shines around them, and they are called upon to give it admission*. Arise, shine, for thy light is come, O thou that long dwellest in darkness! If you are deaf to the shed light into your

voice of him who has come to

souls, you know not when your feet may stumble upon the dark mountains, and your souls drop into the regions of eternal darkness, where there is not the light of a candle to mitigate the horrors of the gloom.

If, after all that our wise instructor says, we still chuse the path of evil men, let us hear the sentence of our Judge t.

This chapter is concluded with a short but comprehensive sum of practical directions; but before addressing them to us, the preacher again summons us to attend.

Ver. 20-22. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

When a preacher has truths of great importance to communicate, and sees many of his hearers asleep, he endeavours to rouse them up; so this wise man, knowing that we are dull of hearing, frequently renews his calls to us to hear and treasure up his words.

It is our duty to be frequently summoning the powers of our souls to attend with reverence to the words of God, our Maker and our Judge, and to pray

John xii, 33. Eph, v. 14. Mat. viii. 16.

+John iii. 19, 20.

to God that he may open our ears to discipline, and seal our instruction.

He that hath ears, let him hear. Let him place these necessary instructions before his eyes, that they may be a rule to his life, and let him lay them up in the midst of his heart, believing them to be the faithful sayings of God, and loving them with a cordial affection, because they are more precious than gold, and sweeter than honey from the comb.

The motives that call for our attention are exceedingly powerful. It is a father that speaks. The things which are spoken are of quickening and invigorating virtue. They are life to such as find them, and health not only to the soul but to the body; not to a particular part of it, but to all the flesh. A medicine effectual to the cure of a single member might soon enrich the inventor of it. Here is a medicine for all the flesh, and yet the physician that prescribes it without reward, finds so few willing to make use of it that he must proclaim its virtues again and again. He speaketh once and again, but man perceiveth it not. Are we then dead not only to every generous principle, but to every feeling of self-interest? Are life and death become matters of indifference to us? Is it all one in our eyes whether we enjoy health in our bodies and spirits, or pine away under the power of deadly distempers ? Here is healing balm. Here is a physieian of infinite value. Attend to the directions which he gives for the management of our whole life.

He that is born of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not. The Lord is our keeper; and in the history of Peter we are furnished with a melancholy proof, that unless he keep us, our care of ourselves will be unavailing; but if we commit the care of ourselves to God by a lively faith, it will not make us careless about ourselves, for God keeps us by his

power through faith, by putting his fear into our hearts, and by exciting into activity those beneficial graces. If God keeps his fear alive in our hearts, we shall be powerfully disposed to guard our hearts and tongues, our eyes and feet from evil. We are here instructed by Solomon in what manner to manage this important affair.

Ver. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.

The heart is the fountain of vital action. It is out of the good treasure of the heart that a good man brings forth good things, and out of the evil treasure of the heart that the evil man brings forth evil things. No actions can be good unless the heart be good, more than the fruit can be good when the tree is corrupt. The heart of Simon Magus was not right with God, and therefore his professions were hypocrisy. This corrupt fountain must be purified by the Spirit of Christ, or the streams issuing from it will be corrupt and poisonous. But even when purified by renewing grace, it is not altogether pure. Such is the remaining tendency to corruption, that the heart must still be kept with all diligence.

We ought carefully to keep our tongues and hands, our eyes and feet; but above all, we ought to keep our hearts. This will be the best means for keeping all the rest, and without this, however well our external behaviour is regulated, we are but corrupt and false-hearted professors of religion *.

That our hearts may be kept, we must observe them with a watchful eye, and endeavour to be well acquainted with their leading principles and their inward workings. It is a shame for one who knows many things

Psal. cxix. 80,