Ver. 29.-The decrPe of the 8ea. We live under the reign of law. This fact is taken to be the late revelation of modern science. But it is embedded in Old Testament teaching. There we see that the laws of nature, which are but the ways of God on earth, are recognized as fixed and stable. But the Bible helps us in two ways in examining those laws. First, it traces them back to their origin in a personal will. These are not merely channels of a blind force. They are decrees of an authority. Secondly, it teaches us to believe that they are good, wisely directed and tending to righteousness. They come from a wise, holy, just, and benevolent source. 'l'he decree of the sea has a special significance. I. IT RAB A VAST DOMAIN. The sea covers three parts of the surface of the globe, Leagues upon leagues of spreading ocean roll round the earth with every tide. '!'he sea is deep, and hides in its many waters myriads of living creatures. The fearful storms that sweep its surface tell sad tales of its more than giant strength. Here we are face to face with a frightful nature-power. Yet tbat power is under law. God's decree encircles it, a11d l,i~ hand reins it in with irresistible might. The sea is great, but God is !!Teater; strong, but God is stronger. .As we look at the fearful might and majesty of the ocean, we are called to bow before the infinitely greater Power who hnlds its waters in the hollow of his hand. If we tremble before its terror, we may remember that it is but the ina.,imate ~lave of our Father in heaven. II. IT IB ENSHIIINED IN MYSTERY. Men have discovered some of the laws of tides, currents, storms, etc. Yet the oc-,an is still, in many respects, a great mystery. What caverns are hidden beneath its dark waterB? What monsters of the deep may still dude the grasp of man's observation? What secret terrors may burst upon bis astounded gaze? Here is indeed a mystery. Yet this iR all known to God, governed by God, subject to his law, humbly obedient to his decree. God rules over all the mysteries of the uni verse. . III. IT GOVERKB CHANGE. The sea is the symbol of fickleness and deception-to-day smooth as a mirror," green calm below, blue quietness above" (Whittier); to-morrow a. black aud storm-tossed chaos. Its restless waves never cease to crawl to and fro on the quietetit day; its tides are ever ebbing ancl flowing. Yet it obeys law. _'f_I.ere are laws of change, as in night and day, the seasons, etc. God rules over all the v1cu;situdes of life. Change does not mean chance. en. vm. 1-36.] 'fHE PROVERBS. 173
IV. IT OVERRULES CONFUSION. God's decree does not prevent the tempest, bnt the tempest itself obeys the law of God. The wild and wintry waste of waters, ilccked with foam, and scoured with angry billows, is all under law and order. It is so iu life, God does not prevent trouble; but he overrules it and limits its extent. This decree of the sea is typical of the Divine government of what looks most tumultuous and lawless in life. Apply it throughout with the four points-vastness, mystery, change, and confusion-(1) to earthly circumstances; (2) to the ocean of human life; (3) to the soul, that sea of many storms. Ver. 30.-The pre-eminent glory of Christ. This is affirmed of wisdom, and wisdom in the Proverbs is always an abstraction, an attribute of God, or a grace conferrecl upon man. Thus we have the highly imaginative picture of a certain quality of thought described like a personal favourite in the heavenly presence. But surely it is not necessary for us to rest with this idea. The New Testament cannot be out of our minds when we read the Old. It was not long before Jews learnt to personify wisdom, and when Christ appt'ared he realized in his own Person what had previuusly been ascribed to an abRtract quality. Christ is "the Truth" (John xiv. 6) and "the Wisdom of Gcid" (1 Cor. i. 24). His pre-existence is affirmed by himself (John viii. 58) and repentedly asserted by his apostles (e.g. Col. i. 16). We may, then, think of Christ embodying this wisdom of God in the awful ages of the past, and see how truly what is here predicated of wisdom applies to him in whom that wisdom dwelt. I. WISDOM IN CHRIST WAS WITH GoD. "I was by him." 1. Wisdom was always with God, always at bis right hand. There was never a time when God acted blindly, imperfectly, without full ccinsciousness. We have no ground for thinking of a lawless chaos previous to the exercise of Divine wisdom and power in creation. Even when the world was" without form and void" (Gen. i. 2), God's wise thought presided over it. God's mind did not grow like ours, from infantile simplicity. He was ever fully God. 2. Ghrist was similarly eternal with God. "The Word was with God" (John i. 1). 'When he came to our earth he came forth from God. His condescension was seen iu this, that he left his place by the right hand of his Father and came down to dwell with men. II. WISDOM IN CHRIST WAB CONCERNED IN CREATION. 1. God made the 'Univers11 in wisdom. It bears the impress of thought. Deep purposes have impregnated it. Creation is a parable of infinite ideas. 2. God created all things through Christ. "By whom he made the worlds" (Heb. i. 2). Of course, the humanity of Jesus was not then existing. But the Divine side of our Lor..l was not only eternal; it was even directly active. Therefore there is n Christ-spirit in nature. III. WISDOM IN CHRIST WAS GoD's DAILY DELIGHT. 1. God reJoices over his u:ork, as an artist over the thing of beauty that his hand has fashioned according to the drenm of his heart. " God saw that it was good " (Gen. i. 10). The thought that is in God's work is his especiai delight. He cares not for mere exbibitious of brute force. He loves wisdom. 2. God reJoices over Ghrist. So Christ is God's "beloved Son" (Matt. iii. 17). There are times when we grieve our Father, though at other seasons he may smile upon us. But Christ always dwelt under the smile of his Father, a daily delight-rejoiced in for his wisdom and the holy and gracious use he wade of it. IV. CHRIST, BY HIS WISDOM, WAS REJOICING ALWAYS BEFORE GoD. Wisdom is a source of joy. Wisdom devoted to God is doubly joyous. Christ had an ancient joy (John xv. 11). He left a happy home to come to us. The word fur this joy is "sport- ing." Is there humour in nature? May there be in heaven those lighter, innocent joys which make up so much of the mirth of children on earth? Why should Christ have been always solemn?
Vers. 35, 36.-Life and favour with God. It is common to see this and similar passages applied directly to the soul's possession of God, or to the epecial Christian faith in Jesus Christ. Now, it is quite true that we have here in germ what will lead up to those experiences. But apart from the mistake of ignoring the distinction between the elementary truth and its full development, there is II practical considera- 1,4 THE PROVERBS. [cu. vm. l-3G,