7¶ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the first fruits1 of all thine increase: 10 So2 shall thy barns be filled PARALLEL PASSAGES.-1Ex. 22: 29. Mal. 3: 10-12. 2Ec. 11: 1, 2. Matt. 10: 42. who do this constantly seldom fall into prejudicial mistakes; which almost universally arise from neglect of these rules, and from men's fondness for their own schemes, and partiality towards such measures as seem to promise external advantages or accession to their reputation or (selfish) enjoyment. Scott. 7. Wise in thine own eyes, i. e. in thine own opinion or conceit. Be not puffed up with a vain conceit of thine own importance, thy knowledge, thy superior wisdom. Self-confidence is often but another name for self-deception. Even the heathen moralist Seneca has said, "I suppose that many might have attained to wisdom had they not thought they had already attained to it." Muenscher. It is characteristic of true wisdom that one regards himself as simple; men who are wise in their own eyes are far removed from true wisdom. Hasius. -Fear the Lord, depart from evil. We find these expressions frequently put together in Scripture, having nearly the same import, differing only as cause and effect; the proper fear of the Lord producing departure from evil. Tillotson. -The sentiment inculcated is that the fear of Jehovah, or true religion, is the only sure safeguard and preservative against sin. Muenscher. 8. Health. He who makes holiness happy in heaven makes holiness healthful on earth. Arnot. -It is a comparison drawn from the plasters, ointments, oils, and frictions which are made use of in the East in most maladies; they being ignorant in the villages of the art of making decoctions and potions, and the proper doses of such things, generally make use of external medicines. Chardin.-Navel is put here by synecdoche for the whole body. The Syriac and Arabic versions read flesh. Muenscher. -Medicines in the East are chiefly applied externally, and in particular to the stomach. Harmer. Marrow to bones. The word signifies moisture or a moistening of the bones, the latter of which is the marginal reading. There is probably an allusion to the marrow, which was supposed to keep the bones in a soft and healthy state. This was thought to be dried up by means of sorrow and sickness. Muenscher. These peculiar expressions seem to be merely a metaphorical representation of that firmness, and vigorous health, and cheerfulness of mind, which virtue imparts. Patrick. 9. Honor the Lord with thy substance. The habit of recognizing God begets confidence in him. Those who know him best trust him most. To acknowledge him in all one's ways, even in matters of finance, brings a believer near to God. He gives of what his Father has given him, and because his Father would have him. So he reminds himself, more constantly than he otherwise would, that his Father knows all his need. He casts his care on God. To please him, he reduces somewhat the financial provision he might make for the future. So he confidently expects that his beneficent Helper will sufficiently provide for all his real wants. Of old, God pledged himself to send his people abundant temporal prosperity in return for the tithes they paid him, and the time they gave to the ordinances of his worship. Paul urges Christian liberality upon the church at Corinth by the same considerations: "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. And God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work, being enriched in everything to all bountifulness." Universal experience shows that Christian confidence in a Father's care grows deep, and full, and satisfying, as believers draw near to God by honoring him with their substance. Multitudes can testify that the practice of giving by the divinely appointed method has enabled them-in the relations of property, at least-to follow the injunction and prove the promise of the apostle: "Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus." A pastor recently stated that, since a brother in his church, and he by no means the wealthiest, had given a tithe of his income, the contributions of that one man had generally formed about a third of the gifts of a large and liberal congregation. Upon adopting the practice of proportionate giving, Christians often find that their ordinary contributions advance easily from single dollars to fives and tens; so that it is no uncommon thing for such an one to observe that he now gives in free-will offerings as much in addition to the consecrated fraction as he formerly gave without it. "There is that giveth, and yet increaseth.". Tract on Proportionate Giving. 10. So... filled with plenty. No man is impoverished by contributing of the abundance with which God has blessed him, to the support and upholding of his kingdom and cause in the world. Muenscher.—I never prospered more in my small estate than when I gave most and needed least. My with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. 11 My son despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 13 ¶ Happy2 is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding: 143 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and1 the gain thereof than fine gold.5 15 She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. PARALLEL PASSAGES.-1Heb. 12:5, 6. Job 28:13, etc. Ch. 8:18. 7Ps. 119:165. Matt. 11:29. own rule hath been first to contrive to need myself as little as may be, and lay out none on need-nots, but to live frugally on a little; second, to serve God in my place upon that competency which he allowed me to myself, that what I had myself might be as good a work for common good as that which I gave to others; and third, to do all the good I could with all the rest. And the more I have practised this, the more I have had to do it with; and when I gave almost all, more came in (without any's gift), I scarce knew how, at least unexpected. But when, by improvidence, I have cast myself into necessities of using more upon myself, or upon things in themselves of less importance, I have prospered much less than when I did otherwise. Baxter.-In defiance of all the torture, of all the might, of all the malice, of the world, the liberal man will ever be rich; for God's providence is his estate, God's wisdom and power are his defence, God's love and favor are his reward, and God's word is his security. Barrow. -New wine. The unfermented juice of the grape. Muenscher. Rev. 3:19. 2Ch. 8:35, 36. Phil. 3:8; 9. 4Ps. 19:10. 11. The chastening of the Lord. Up to this point, the instructions of Solomon have had reference to what should be done, but now to what should be endured. Prosperity and adversity are commingled in the present allotment of man. Each is equally fruitful in opportunity for honoring God, and each is equally necessary to our moral and spiritual discipline and improvement. To despise a thing is to make light of it, to cast it aside as of no value, meaning, or power. Men despise afflictions when they fail to receive them as divine admonitions, having an intelligent purpose and design, or when they fail to apply the lessons to the emendation of their errors. Muenscher. 12. Whom the Lord loveth. He that escapes affliction may well suspect his adoption. God's house of correction is his school of instruction. Trapp.-The very fact that he corrects us shows that he has towards us a father's feelings, and exercises towards us a paternal care. Barnes. 13. Happy... that findeth wisdom. The heavenly wisdom of which Solomon here speaks does not spring up spontaneously in the mind. It is something extrinsic, something to be found by dili. gent search, something to be obtained by faithful labor and application, by fervent, persevering prayer, and the study of God's word. Muenscher.-True wisdom consists in the knowledge and love of God. Henry. 14. Merchandise. (1) We must make it our business, as the merchant bestows the main of his thought and time on his merchandise. (2) We must venture all in it, as a stock in trade, and be willing to part with all for it. (Matt. 13:45, 46.) Buy the truth (Prov. 23:23): he does not say at what rate, because we must buy it at any rate. (3) We must lay hold on it, as we lay hold on a good bargain. (4) We must retain it, keep our hold, hold it fast. Henry. 15. Rubies. The meaning of the Hebrew word is not well ascertained. There are reasons for thinking that "pearls" are meant by it, as they are esteemed at a very high rate, not only by the Jews, but by the Romans, and even by the Medes, Persians, and Indians. Bochart.- Pearls and jewels are valued as the highest kind of riches. Stuart. 16. In her right hand... left hand. Wisdom is here represented figuratively as a queen, holding in one hand length of days, and in the other riches and honor. D'Oyly. She dispenses her blessings with both hands; or, in other words, abundantly. Stuart. 17. Her ways, means the ways she points out and recommends. Stuart. -When Solomon observes that the ways of wisdom, i. e. of piety, are ways of pleasantness, he means that this is not only the excellence, but the peculiar excellence of religion; and, consequently, that the ways of folly and vice, all things considered, are not ways of pleasantness. Thus the sense of this passage is, that the good will infallibly enjoy a satisfaction and delight, of which the wicked will be as certainly deprived. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. 19 The LORD by wisdom2 hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. PARALLEL PASSAGES. -1Gen. 3:22, 24. Rev. 22:2. 2Jer. 51: 15. Jortin. - Paths are peace. Not only peace in the end, but peace in the way; not only in general, but in particular. All her paths, all the several acts, instances, and duties of religion, are peace. Henry. 18. Tree of life. This seems an allusion to the tree of life which God planted at first in Paradise, and which was to give to man life, health, and immortality. Calmet. - So Christ is called (Rev. 2: 7), alluding to the tree of life in Eden, as he gives natural, spiritual, and eternal life. Gill.-A tree of life denotes not here a living tree, as opposed to one that is dead, but a tree whose fruit imparts or preserves life. As the tree of life was the preserver of corporeal life to those who partook of its fruit, so true wisdom brings spiritual health and life to those who seek and follow her instruction. Muenscher. -Retaineth. It is said of the fixed will or purpose of those who take fast hold of instruction or any other thing, "Ah, they are like the hand of the monkey in the shell of the cocoanut, it will not let go the rice." Roberts. 19. The wisdom which God gives is an emanation from his own infinite wisdom by which he formed the whole creation, and it must on that account be unspeakably valuable. Scott. LESSON IX. AUGUST 27, 1876. HONEST INDUSTRY. PROVERBS 6:6-22. [B. C. 1000.] 6 ¶ Go1 to the ant, thou sluggard; | consider her ways, and be wise: PARALLEL PASSAGE.-1Job 12:7. - 6. Sluggard. A person habitually lazy, idle, and inactive,- -a drone. Webster. Go to the ant. "It is a shame," says the heathen moralist Seneca, "not to learn morals from the small animals.” The ant has been famous from remote antiquity for industry, ingenuity, and economy, and for the instructive comprehension of the advantage to be derived from division and combination of labor. Frequent allusions have been made by the poets and moralists of all ages to this animal, as an example of the qualities and habits to which we have alluded. Thus Horace, Satires, I, 1, 33: "Thus the little ant, of great industry, carries with her mouth whatever she is able and adds to her heap, which she piles up by no means ignorant of and not improvident for the future." So Virgil, Æn. 4, 402. Muenscher.Consider her ways. Solomon's recommendation to "consider the ways" of the ant, seems, how. ever, to have had a larger reference. He, who knew these things so well, must have been aware that there was much in the habits and manners of this creature which would richly reward attentive con. sideration, by revealing to us the wisdom of God, as manifested in even the least of his creatures, and by furnishing important lessons, which the humbleness of the teacher should not lead us to despise, but to value all the more. The researches of Réaumur, Huber, Kirby, Spence, and other naturalists into the habits and pursuits of these wonderful little creatures enable us much better than formerly to appreciate the fitness of the wise king's recommendation, whether taken in regard to the industry, the skill, or the economy which their communities exhibit. Whether as masons, carpenters, or carvers of wood, they offer examples which the most ingenious of men cannot refuse to admire, and by which the wisest of men may be instructed. But all this that is seen in cold climates is as nothing to what we behold when we look at the buildings constructed by the white ants of tropical climes. Their industry appears greatly to surpass that of our own ants and bees, and they are certainly more skilful in architectural contrivances. The elevation, also, of their edifices is more than five hundred times the height of the builders; so that, were our own houses built according to the same proportions, they would be twelve or fourteen times higher than the London Monument, and four or five times higher than the largest of the Egyptian pyramids, with corresponding dimensions in the basement of the edifice. These nests are often twelve feet high, and have sometimes been seen as high as twenty feet, and large enough to contain twelve men. They consist of an exterior shell, containing an interior apartment, in which are formed a vast number of chambers, galleries, and magazines. Besides all this, there is much in the internal economy and management of these insects not less worthy of admiration, their unwearied industry and indomitable perseverance; the arduous and sincere exertions of every individual for the common 7 Which having no guide, over seer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the sum mer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. welfare; their well-regulated labor; the sagacious judgment with which they avail themselves of favoring circumstances. Kitto.- Their uniform care and promptitude in improving every moment as it passes; the admirable order in which they proceed to the scene of action; the perfect harmony which reigns in their bands; the eagerness which they discover in running to the assistance of the weak or fatigued; the readiness with which those who have no burden yield the way to their fellows that bend under their load, or, when the grain happens to be too heavy, cut it in two and take the half upon their own shoulders; furnish a striking example of industry, benevolence, and concord to the human family. Some writers go so far as to prefer the ant to man himself. Although this opinion is justly chargeable with extravagance, yet it must be admitted that the union of so many noble qualities in so small a corpuscle is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the works of nature. Paxton. - And be wise. The Arabians held the ant in such estimation that they used to place one of these insects in the hands of a newly-born infant, repeating these words, "May the boy turn out clever and skilful." Houghton. 7. No guide, overseer, or ruler. The three expressions are relatively like the Arabic official titles, kadi, wali, emir. Zockler. — The diligence of the ant is the more remarkable as it has no overseer to exact its labor. It is worth mentioning that Aristotle, having spoken of cranes, bees, and ants, as living in a political state, says that the two former lived under a ruler, and the latter did not. Noyes.Laziness seems to have been a very prevalent vice in this country (Palestine) from days of old, giving rise to a multitude of popular proverbs. When I began to employ workmen in this country nothing annoyed me more than the necessity to hire an overseer, or to fulfil this office myself. But I soon found that this was universal and strictly necessary. Without an overseer very little work would be done, and nothing as it should be. The workmen, every way unlike the ant, will not work at all unless kept to it and directed in it by an overseer, who is himself a perfect specimen of laziness. He does absolutely nothing but smoke his pipe, order this, scold that one, and discuss the how and the why with the men themselves, or with idle passers-by, who are strangely prone to enter earnestly into everybody's business except their own. Now, the ants manage far better: every one attends to his own business and does it well. Thompson. 8. Provideth her meat in summer. These texts (this and Prov. 30:25) have been thought to be in conformity with, and to give their sanction to, the popular opinion respecting the ant, which is indeed old, and frequently cited by ancient writers. That is, that these insects lay up corn against the winter, depositing it in suitable cells or store-houses which the wet cannot easily reach; and that, as a further measure of precaution, they destroy the vegetative powers of the corn by nipping off the end of every grain. This is so interesting, is so pleasant a belief, that one will scarcely regard with good-will those who attempt to overturn our faith in it. Yet the alleged facts have of late years been questioned by naturalists. We are assured that ants do not store away any food against winter, for the sufficient reason that they do not need it, as during that season they become torpid. How, then, are we to reconcile this with the assertion of Solomon? The task is less difficult than it seems. In the first place it is not clear that his words have been rightly understood, or that they do afford the alleged sanction to the popular opinion thus affirmed to be erroneous. Ants do not lay up grain for food. Well, Solomon does not say that they do; there is not a word about grain in his statement. Again, ants do not store up food for winter. Neither, again, does Solomon say this; there is nothing concerning winter in his words. It may be, therefore, that the common opinion has been carelessly and uncritically fastened upon his words against his consent. Attentively read, what he does say is, that the ant, with considerable prudence and forethought, prepares her bread and gathers her food, that is, such food as is suited to her, in the proper seasons, in summer and harvest, when it is most plentiful; and thus shows a wisdom and prudence worthy of imitation in making the best and most timely use of the advantages offered to her. But, even taking the words of Solomon and Agur in the sense commonly understood, why might they not refer to the common opinion respecting any creature, when it afforded the moral lesson which they desired to inculcate? The sacred writers generally regard it as no part of their duty to set right all the popular notions of common things, but use them, as poets and moralists have done in all ages, to enforce their teachings and illustrate their arguments. But still further, and once more supposing that this is the meaning of Solomon, it cannot be safely affirmed that his words, as understood, are not true. The observation of the naturalist is founded upon the habits of these insects in our own latitudes; the habits of ants in other countries, where the same conditions do not exist, may be and probably are different; and until we possess more exact information respecting the habits of exotic ants, it would be very rash to affirm that they do not make any stores of provisions. Although during the cold of our winter they remain in a state of torpidity, and have no need of food; yet we have no reason to suppose that i warmer climates they, or indeed any other creatures, become torpid during winter. The cold, which brings them into that condition with us, does not there exist; yet, as during the rainy season they will be prevented from seeking their food abroad, an apparent necessity exists for their laying up some stores of food against that season, and this their nature and habits well enable them to do. Even in our northern climates it is thought that they may and do, against wet seasons, provide in this way for their Bustenance and that of their young brood, which are exceedingly voracious, and cannot bear to be long deprived of their food. Else why do ants carry worms, living insects, and many such things, to their nests? Solomon's assertion, therefore, even taken in the broadest significance, can only be regarded as referring to the species of a different and warmer climate, in respect to which the statement may be perfectly correct, while inapplicable to the indigenous ants of our own colder clime. We thus find that the present proverb is not really committed to any of the opinions which have been disputed; and that, even were it so, in that single point to which it has seemed more particularly to tend it may still be a fact, and not merely an allowable accommodation to popular notions, in a matter wherein no essential interest is involved. It is noteworthy that the opinion of the ant's storing its food (not corn in particular) seems to have come from the East, and from thence we have no information that disproves it. There it still prevails; and in Egypt it is preserved in the proverb (quoted by Burckhardt), "What the ant collects in the course of a whole year the monk eats up in one night." Kitto.-The thriftiest people in Central America are the smallest, the ants. Some of them are wonderful workers. There is one kind, a sort of wee, wee truffle-growers, who live together in immense swarms, and do such a deal of cutting up that it is almost as much as the forests can do to stand against them. They are called leaf-cutters, for the reason that they send out armies of thousands and thousands to bring in leaves, which they cut from the trees in such quantities that whole plantations of mango, orange, and lemon trees are sometimes stripped and killed. Do they eat the leaves? Not at all. They live on funny little truffles, or fungi, of their own raising. They use the leaves only to make hot-beds for their dainty plants in chambers under ground. One colony of leaf-cutters will have a great many of these cellar chambers, all united by tunnels for quick transit, and well supplied with what builders call ventilating shafts, for the ants are very particular about having plenty of fresh air. These shafts reach to the surface of the ground. Each chamber is about as large as a man's head, and is kept a little more than half full of cut leaves, overgrown with the small white fungus which the ants cultivate for food. There are three kinds of ants in each colony: the workers, who go off to the woods for leaves, and have all the outside work to do; some very small ants, who stay at home and spend their time cutting up the leaves that are brought in, and taking care of the baby ants; and a few gigantic fellows, who manage things and do all the fighting in time of war. Let any enemy disturb the workers going out for leaves or bringing them home, and instantly the soldiers will rush out in force, with their big jaws wide open, and settle things in short order. The little nurses come out sometimes, too, but only for fun or exercise. When they have n't anything to do, and the weather is fine, they like to take a run out with the workers; but they do not bring any loads back. When one of them gets tired, he just climbs up on a leaf that a worker is bringing in, as you might climb up on a load of hay, and so enjoys a nice ride home. St. Nicholas. — The efforts of many to show that the Bible contradicts science are aided by many biblical interpreters, who say that the Bible was not intended to teach science. But it was certainly not intended to teach false science. But every instance of the seeming contradictions will be found to be something like the present one. The naturalists have observed the habits of ants in cold climates, but not in the warm climates; and have said that, because a statement about ants is not true in the colder zones, therefore it is not true in the tropics. There are several hundred species of ants; and, though it may not be true of some, yet it may be true of others. Smith's Bible Dictionary, which argues against facts implied in the text, says that "there is not in the British Museum a single specimen of an ant from Palestine"; and the only observer from a warm climate which it notices is that of Col. Sykes, who writes of "a species of Indian ant which he calls Atta providens, so called from his having found a large store of grass seeds in its nest." In all warm climates there is a ruinous want of calculation and forecast. Now the ant provideth her meat in summer and gathereth her food in harvest. As we ride or walk over the grassy plains we notice paths leading in all directions from their subterranean granaries. Along these converging paths hurry thousands of ants, thickening inward until it becomes an unbroken column of busy beings going in search of or returning with their food for future need; there is no loitering or jostling, every one knows his business and does not intermeddle with others. They are great robbers, however, and plunder by night as well as by day; and the farmer must keep a sharp eye to his floor in harvest, or they will abstract a large quantity of grain in a single night. Thompson. - The allusion in Prov. 6:6-8 to the habits of an Asiatic species is also applicable to a Texan ant, which is reported by observers to not only feed upon a certain grain, the seed of the Aristida stricta, but also to plant, cultivate, and harvest it, laying it up in dry cells against a rainy day. This species, sometimes called the agricultural ant, builds paved cities, constructs roads, and sustains a large military force. A favorite article of food is the secreMions of various species of aphides known as honey dew. Some varieties of ants are in the habit of |