Vers. 1-21 (continued).-'l'he ea:cellency of Divine wisdom: No. 2. We have also these features of the wisdom of God- • I. IT ENDOWS WITH THE WEALTH WHICH IS THE PRODUCT OF VIRTUE. (Vers. 20, 21.) It leads in that "way of 1ighteousness" and those "paths of judgment" which result in" inheriting substance," and being" filled with treasures." It places in the hand of its followers all that measure of earthly good which they can regard with holy satisfaction and enjoy with a good conscience. II. IT IS A SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND INFLUENCE IN HUMAN SOCIETY. (Vers.14---16.) It is attended with that breadth of understanding, that knowledge of affairs, that insight into" men and things," which gives sagacity to statesmen and stability to thrones. III. IT RECIPROCATES AN ATTACHMENT. (Ver. 17.) The more we know, the more attractive does knowledge become to our admiring spirit. The further we advance into its domain, the firmer becomes our footing and the brighter becomes the light. More- over, the highest peaks attainable by man are only reached by those who begin to climb in the days of their youth (vide homily infra). IV. IT IS OF INCOMPARABLE VALUE TO THE HUMAN SOUL. (Vers. 10, 11, 18, 19.) If the choice should lie between wealth and wisdom, it is better far to choose the latter; for: 1. While wealth will not buy wisdom, wisdom will lead to wealth, later if not sooner, of one kind if not of another. 2. Wisdom itself is wealth; it is the possession of the mind, it is the inheritance of the soul, it is "durable riches and righteousness." The excellency of Divine wisdom: No. 3 (see below).-C.
Vl'rs. 1-21.-" <Jhrist the Wisdom of God:" No. 1. Though it is not to be supposed that Jesus Christ was in the mind of the writer of this pasr,::ge, yet as he does personify wisdom, and as wisdom was incarnated in that Son of mnn who was the Son of God, we should expect to find thnt the words of the wise mun in the text would apply, in farge measure, to the Lord Jesus Christ. 'l'hey do so, a111l suggest to us- I. THE MAN?IER OF ins Tl!lACJJING. (Vere, l-3.) llo 1'spnke openly to the world, fllOVERllS, N 178 THE PUOVEH.BS. [ou. vm. 1-36.
. . . taught in the synaii;ogue, and in the temple," etc. (John xviii. 20; eee Luke iv, 15 ;, John vii. 14, 2G, 28; Mark vi. 34; Matt. v. 1, 2). II. HIS APPEAL TO ALL CLASSES AND CONDITIONS OF MEN, (Vers. 4, 6,) He came unto the world at large, to "draw all men unto him." None were, none are, so poor or so rich, so ignorant or so learned, so simple or so subtle, so degraded or so refined, so spiritually destitute or so privileged, as to be out of range of his heo.venly voice. All need his message; all are welcome to his kingdom. llI. His MAl\,FESTATtoN OF THE TRUTH. (Vers. G-8.) He came" to bear witness unto the truth" (,John xviii. 3i). He c~rue to be the living Truth himself (John xiv. 6), so that the more we know of him and grow up into him, the more of Divine truth do we recei,e into our souls. , IV. THE APPRE~IABLENESS OF ms MESSAGE. (Ver. 9.) "When he spak.\l with his own lips, men received his wor,ls, wondering at his wisdom and his grace (see Luke ii. 4i; i, . 22, 32; Matt. vii. 28, 29).. "Never man spake like this M:rn," said the officers to the chief priests (John vii. 46). "The common people heard him gladly" (Mark xii. 3i). And now that he speaks to mankind from heaven, his message of truth and love is comprehensible to all who care to know his mind. 'l.'o those who earnestly seek, the way becomes plain; to those who have "spiritual discernment," the deeper things of God are intelligible; to those who" know him," bis dealings are seen to be right and true. V. Hrs RESPONSIVENESS. (Ver. 17.) (See succeeding homily.) VI. Hrs INCOMPARABLE WORTH. (Vers. 10, i1.) . Jewels, compared with him, are empty toys; gold, compared with him, is sordid dust. So great is his worth to the hungering heart, to the suffering spirit, to liying, dying 'man, that all forms of earthly good are not to be named or counted in comparison. . ·· VII. HIS SERVICE ISSUES IN THE BEST OF AL~ POSSIBLE RECOMPENSE. (Vers. 18-21.) The fruit of the service of Christ is honour, joy (including-peace), righteousness (ver. 20), the "inheritance which is incorruptible, and undefiled, and t,hat fadeth not away" (ver. 21; 1 Pet. i. 4).-C. . Vers. 10, 11._:_Wisdom and wealth. The immeasun~))le preference of heavenly wisdom to earthly wealth may be seen if we consider- L THE FAILURE OF WEALTH. Wealth is continually found to fail; for: 1. It cannot even buy happiness. It may purchase a certain amount of excitement and jollity, but it will not secure contentment, even for one brief year, . 2..Much, less can _it buy blessedness. '!'hat happy state of which our Lord so often, spoke as· bless,edness-the deep and true gladness of heart which God plants within the ·.so,ul, and which all may well wish to possess-this wealth is utterly unable ,to impart. 3. It will equally fail to buy wisdom. Indeed, it may be truly said 'that: 4. It. often stands positively in, the way of its acquisition (Mark x. 23-25). . . , , ., II. 'l.'HE CAPACITY OF ,nsno:11. 1 . .It tends to provide men with competency,, if not with abundance. Honesty, purity, sobriety, diligence, frugality,. those virtues. which go with the "fear of the Lord;' tend to,supply a man's home with all .that is nee.dful and desirable. 2. It secures peace and joy of heart. 3. It, itself, is man's chief treasure. Better the knowledge of God, the love of Christ, a holy, .manly, loving spirit, than any external advantages whatsoever (see Jer, ix. 23, 24). 4. It prepares for the enjoyment of the treasures which.are in heaven (Matt. vi. 1_9-21).-C. Ver. 17.-The rtsponsiveness of Christ. Adapting these words to. him who became, and for e1•e.r will be, the Wisdom of God, they ma,y spC'lak to us of- I. CHRIST'S INITIATIVE LOVE. It is quite trlle that:" W(l lov,e him because .he .first loved us." We should first consider "the great love wherewith he loved UR, even when we were dead in sins" (Eph. ii. 4, 5). All our love to Christ springs from, has its source in, his spontaneous love toward us, unexcited by our affection, flowing from bis own exceediog grace. II. Hu, RESPONSIVE LOVE. Thia involves much. 1. His special interest in those who are inquiring at his feet. "JesUB beholding him, lo~ed Aim, an~! sai_d _unto him, One thing thou lackest" (Mark x. 21). Zaccbrell8 (Luke x1x.). 2. His D1vme favour accorded to those who have accepted him as their Lord. "I love them that love me" (see John Jti, 5). These are his friends ~nd hie guests(John J:iv, 23; ~v, 14, l6; Rev, iii, 011,.Vlll, 1-36.] THE PROVERBS. 179