The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 381

Ver. 9.-Universal sinfulness. We must distinguish between the idea of universal sinfulness and that of total depravity. ,ve may hold that there is some gleam of goodness in a human heart without maintaining its immaculate purity, It is possible to believe that there are great varieties of character, many different de"rees of sin and yet to see that the highest saint ha.s his faults. " ' I. No ONE CAN CLEAR HIMSELF FROM THE CHARGE OF SINFULNESS. Who can say, "I have ~ade my hear_t clean from ~l imp1;1t:ations of guilt '? 1. The best confess that they are sinful. Canomzed by their admmng brethren, they cast themselves down in humility and shame before the holiness of God. No men have so deep a sense of the sinfulness of their own hearts as those who live most near to God. 2. The most skilful can11ot excuse themselves. It is possible to formulate specious pleas that will deceive unwary men;. bu_t we have to do with the great S~rcher of hearts, before whose piercing gaze all sophistries and pretences melt as the mists before the sun. 3. The deceitful- '11.eSS of the heart blinds many to their ou,n guilt. Men naturally desire to defend themselves; they are excellent advocates of themselves to themselves. The familiar sin is softened by habit. The conventional sin is condoned by custom. 4. False standa1·ds of holiness confuse men's estimate of their own sinfulness. Some people seem to take a feeling of placidity as an assurance of inward perfection, as though not to be conscious of strife were to be assured of peace with God. But it is possible to slumber under the influence of spiritual narcotics. A keener conscience might rouse a new, unlooked-for sense of sin and shame. It is thought that there is no shortcoming simply because the surrounding mists hide the far-off goal. Or it may be that negative correct- ness is mistaken for a satisfactory condition, while many positive active duties are left undone. Perhaps the soul that thinks its aspiration after purity satisfied is wanting in charity, or in the very act of claiming sinlessness it may be puffed up with pride. The most dangerons delusion is that which denies the ownership of guilt because sin is sup- posed to be relegated to bodily infirmity, while the true self is spotless. This is a most deadly snare of the devil. TI. NO O~"E CAN CLEAR HIMSELF FROM THE BINS WHICH HE HAS COMMITTED. Who can say," I have purged'my own conscience, cleansed my own heart, cleared off my record of guilt?" 1. It is impossible to undo sins. Deeds are irrevocable. What has been committed is stereotyped in the awful book of the changeless past. What I have written, spoken, done--! have written, spoken, done. 2. It is impossible to compensate for past sins by future service. The future service is all owing ; at our best we are "unprofitable servants"-there is no;margin of profit-for "we have onl:i,: done that which it was our duty to do." 3. lt 1·s impossible to atone for our sins by an_y 1acrifice. The hardest penance can be of no value with God. Its only use could be III self-discipline. For God is not pleased with the sufferings of his children. We can offer him nothing; for "the cattle on a thousand hills" are his. 4. It is imposs!ble to cha11ge our own inner si11julness by ourselves. We canno~ create cle~n hearts_ 111 our own breasts. We cannot kill our own love of sin. 5. It is only possible for sin to be cleansed in the blood of Ohrist. "There is a fountain opened f~r all uncleanness:'' The admission of guilt, the repentance that turns from the old slII and _seeks forg1ve~ess, the renunciation of all claims but that of the grace of God in Chnst,-these thmgs open the door to the true way of making the heart clean, both in pardon and in purification. Ver. 11.-.A child and his doings. I. A PICTURE OF omLDHOO::>. FirAt, l~t this picture be regarded on its o~n ~ccoun~.. Chil_dh?od i? yrorthy of study. ,1. A child ha.~ his character. Very early in life varieties of d1spos1t10n may b~ seen rn the several members of a young family. One is hot-tempered, another p~t1~nt;. one dem~nstra- ti ve, another reserved ; one energetic, another inactive. Mor:i,l ~1stmct~ons 3:r~ pa1I1fully aad glaringly apparent. As childhood advances these varieties of d1spos1t1on merge OH, XX, 1-30.] THE PROVERBS. 393