The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 209

Vers. 15-21.-.A sevenfo1!1, strain of ezperience. For the most part these sayings relate to earthly goods-their value, and the means for their acquisition. Godliness has the promise of both lives. Equally incredible would a religion which ignored the future be with one which ig!1ored the present. Equally one-sided is the ~xpectation only of earthly good from wisdom, and the expectation only of heavenly good. We must beware of a false materializing and of a false spiritualizing of religion. I. THE POWER OF 'WEALTH .AND THE WEAKNESS OF POVERTY. The former like a strong city or fortress; the latter like a ruinous dwelling, which threatens at any moment to tumble about the dweller's head. The teacher is thinking, as the following verse shows, on the one hand., of wealth wisely and honourably won, which becomes a means to other wise ends; on the other hand, of blameworthy poverty, which leads in time to further vice and misery. To desire competent means for the sake of worthy objects, and to fear poverty because of its temptations, is a right and true attitude of mind. II. THE TE)).'DENCY OF WE~LTH DEPENDS ON THE MIND OF THE POSSESSOR. (Ver. 16.) The "tendency of riches" is in itself an incomplete thought. Silver and gold have no tendency, except by a figure of speech. In the heart of man the directing force is found. Used ju.~tly, riches are a good; they are simply, like bodily strength, knowledge, skill, a mass of available means. Used wickedly, so that they simply feed our senses and our pride, or become corrupters of others' integrity, they simply increase the possessor's power and range of mischief. When we poetically speak of accursed gold, or base dross, we should be aware that these are figures, and that the curse can never rest on anything in God's creation except the will which perverts what is a means to good into a means to evil. III. THE CAUSES OF DmECTION AND MISDIRECTION IN LIFE. (Ver. 17.) Why do some men succeed, and others fail, in perpetual blundering and error? The particular cases may be complex; but as to the general rule there can be no question. In the one case there is admi&sion of fault& and attention to the correction of them. In the other, blindnes& to faults, inattention to warnings, obstinate persistence in error. Be not above taking a hint, especially from a foe. "Temper" is the bane of many. Any opportunity is sacrificed rather than the whim, the humour which stiems to the man so thoroughly a part of himself that he cannot give it up. The habit of calm revision of one's progress and failures in the hour of prayer seems needful both to preserve from over self-confidence and from over-reliance on the ad vice of others. IV. CONCEALED HATRED AND OPEN MALICE EQUALLY ODIOUS. (Ver. 18.) Resent- ment that one dares not, or thinks it polite not to, express makes the lips turn traitor; and the victim is both "contemned and flattered." God has placed a natural hatred of duplicity in our hearts. It was levelled as a reproach agRinst Euripides that he had put into the mouth of one of bis characters the sentiment, "My tongue did swear, my heart remain'd unswom." Not so dangerous in many cases, but morally worse, is the deli berate slanderer, who goes about to despoil his ne.ighbours of that which leaves them much poorer, makes him none the richer. He is a fool, because his arts recoil upon himself. V. Trrn PERIL OF TBE DABBLING TONOUE; THE PRUDENCE OF RESERVE. (Ver. HJ.) 'I1e man may be confronted with his words. The "written letter remains," and" many OH, X, 1--32.) THE PROVERBS. 209