Here all is summed up in one short lesson-a lesson very easy to speak and very hard to practise. "The obedient ear" (Prov. xxv. 12) will receive it with humility, patience, and generous teachableness. Then only do our communications with each other fulfil all that God would make them, when both sides of the divine instruction are fulfilled, and we have "the wise reprover" and "the obedient ear."

In every point of view the disposition frankly to receive advice, and calmly and candidly to consider it, is one of the most honourable and dignified tempers possible for a Christian man. Much of this subject will be discussed in a subsequent chapter. But every one of the feelings which lead men to reject advice, is directly opposed to the instruction of God, and to the graces of the believer. For a man who rejects advice does so either because he will not accept it, or because he cannot; the one is the instinct of pride, the other the offspring of ignorance. The irritation which rises up provoked against the words of the wise, and the headstrong obstinacy which, although convicted, will not yield, because it will not, from the mere unsanctified instinct of opposition, are but the twin children of pride, evil offspring of an evil mother. The want of perception which indignantly denies the need of advice or the occasion for correction, is the result of ignorance-ignorance of self, ignorance of the world, ignorance of divine truth, ignorance of God. There are some persons

who will never allow themselves to be

wrong, and have ever at hand an unhappy store of reasons to justify themselves, as numerous as they are vain. He who always thinks himself right must always be wrong-wrong alike helplessly and hopelessly. Helplessly, because he rejects advice; hopelessly, for what prospect of improvement can there be in one who denies even the necessity for it? Of all things in the world, weak vanity is the most unteachable. This, too, Scripture has touched with its own peculiar vividness and power: "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him" (Prov. xxvi. 12).

Never are Christian self-control and Christian gentleness more conspicuous or more admirable than in the act of gently receiving advice. The failure of the first part of the divine injunction is no reason for the neglect of the second; for each man must do his duty, whether another does his or not. Even if advice be ill given; if the proffer of it be itself an impertinence, and if it be expressed harshly, rudely, unwisely, so that every unkind word pierces like a sword, still, Christian, show the heroism that becomes thee. Forgive its mistakes for Christ's sake, and for Christ's sake lay to thine heart its lessons; and, for thine own sake, prayerfully seek to combine in thyself the two sides of the duty; and exhibit in turn the understanding of the wise reprover, and the generous teachableness of the obedient ear.

VII.

Manners.

Manners are the expression of character-Apparent exceptions considered and explained-The genial manner, the reserved, the repulsive, the rugged-Moral and mental differences of men-Relation of manners to Christian edificationThe existing evils-Their practical remedy.

H

Scriptural Illustrations.

PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT.

Source and importance of manner. Mark vii. 15, 22, 23; 1 Cor. x. 32, 33; 2 Cor. viii. 21; Phil. ii. 4, 14, 15; Col. iv. 5, 6.

Courteous manners a part of Christian duty. Lev. xix. 32; Matt. v. 47, 48; x. 12; Luke xiv. 8, 9, 10; Rom. xiii. 7; Col. iii. 12, 14; 1 Peter ii. 17; iii. 8.

INSTANCES.

Abraham entertains the angels. Gen. xviii.

Abraham and the children of Heth. Gen. xxiii. 3, 7, 12.
Jacob meeting Esau. Gen. xxxiii. 3, 15.

Rachel's apology to her father. Gen. xxxi. 35.

Joseph's attention to Jacob. Gen. xlv. 26, 28; xlvii. 9, 12. Moses welcoming Jethro. Exod. xviii. 7.

Solomon's courtesy to Bathsheba. 1 Kings ii. 19.

Paul privately conferring with the most influential Galatians. Gal. ii. 2.

Paul before Festus. Acts xxvi. 25.

Paul pleading with Philemon.

Philem. 5, 19.

John addressing the elect lady.

2 John 1, 5, 13.

Manners makyth the man.-WILLIAM OF WYKEHAM.

Virtue itself offends, when coupled with forbidding manners. BISHOP MIDDLETON.

As the sword of the best tempered metal is most flexible, so the truly generous are most pliant and courteous in their behaviour to their inferiors.-FULLER.

By "Manners," we are not to understand deeds, but the mode of doing them. For instance, the word denotes not the act, but the gesture, carriage, expression assumed in doing it. All must be conscious that the same act may be combined with a widely different manner. See, for instance, two persons giving alms. The one does it with simplicity, and with a kind, genial, unaffected good-will and courtesy, which bestow double value upon the gift itself. Another does it with an air of condescension and superiority, or with an appearance of unwilling reluctance, which takes away from the gift more than half its value. The act may be the same, and the amount of the gift the same in both cases, but the manner is different. Thus also manners have not reference to the words we speak, but to the tone of voice, the emphasis, and expression adopted in speaking them. Here, too, all must be conscious of the familiar difference. The words of intreaty may be invested by manner with all the harshness of command, or the words of authority with all the tenderness of entreaty.