The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 415

e.g. in the French Revolution. A univer~al redistribution of property would soon be followed by the old distinctions. Socialism would destroy virtues of independence and energy. But faith in God will ,vork inwardly towards a reconciliation. 1. .All classe& are equally low before God. The highest earthly mountains vanish in astronomy. 2. Our commrm relation to God is the ground of our mutwil relations w-ith one another. All men have one Father; therefore all men must be brethren. The recognition of th& Fatherhood of God will lead to the admission of family duties and claims among men. Christ, who teaches the Fatherhood of God, inspires the "enthusiasm of humanity." Ver. 4.-Two ,qraces, and their reward. I. Two GRACES. 1. The social grace. "Humility." 'l'his is becoming in all men, but it is especially seemly where its attain- ment is most difficult; e.g. among the high in station, the wealthy, the famous, the gifted, the popular. It is as difficult for the demagogue to be humble as for the lord- perhaps more difficult, for the former is more conscious of his own powers, and more recently lifted above his fellows. Humility is difficult to acquire, because it is so essentially different from mere weakness and self-effacement. It is seen best in the strongest and most pronounced nature~. There is no virtue in falling back from one's highest aims in order to escape notice. The grace of humility is discovered in an earnest effort to press forward energetically, without e. thought of self or a care for the admiration of the world. 2. The religious grace. "The fear of the Lord." Pride excludes true religion. In the childlike spirit of humble dependence we are open to the influence of Heaven. Thus the one grace is linked to the other. Now, the whole of the Old Testament conception of religion is summed up in "the fear of the Lord "-not because there was no room in it for any emotion but terror, but because the root of the ancient faith was reverence. 'l'his is the root of all religion. It may be so richly mingled with love as we come to discern the Fatherhood of God, that its more dread features are utterly lost. Yet love without reverence would not be a religious emotion, or, at all event8, not one suited for God as he is revealed to us in the Bible. The Greeks seemed to dispense with the fear of God in their light, gay religion; but they also dispensed with conscience. A feeling of sin and a. perception of the holiness of God must lay a deep foundation of awe beneath the most happy e.nd trustful religious experience. II. A. THREEFOLD REWARD. 1. Riches. This is the lowest aspect of the reward. It is in the spirit of the Proverbs, which calls especial attention to the secular con- sequences of good and ill. We know that the humble and good a.re often poor and oppressed. But there is a tendency for quiet self-renunciation to be recognized and rewarded. The meek are to be blessed with the inheritance of the earth (Matt. v. 5). When full justice is done, the best men will receive the best things in this world as well e.s the life of that to come. At present we wait for the accomplishment of this social rectification. 2. Honour. The humble who do not seek honour shall have it, while the proud are cast down in shame. 'l'he first shall be last, e.nd the last shall be first. Men delight to honour self-forgetful merit. But the highest honour comes from God, who discerns the heart, puts down the proud, and exalts them of low degree. 3. Life. Whether this is given in the Hebrew manner-in old age-or not, Christ has taught us to see his true eterual life as tbe greatest blessing for his people. 'l'he humility in which e. mnn loses his life is the very means of finding the trne life; the reverence of religion leads us from the shallow frivolity of earth to tbe deep life of God. Ver. 6.-The training of a child. I. THE NEED OF THE TRAINING. This arises from various causes. 1. .An undeveloped crmdition. Each child begins a new hfe. If all that were desirable could be found wrapped up in his soul, this would need to be developed by education. 2. Ignorance. 'I'he child does not come into the world with e. ready-made stock of knowledge. He must learn truth aud be me.de to see the right path, which is e.t first unknown to him. 3. Weakness. The child needs not only to be taught, hut to be trained. He must be helped to do what is at first too much for his strength. His better nature must be drawn out, nourished, and confirmed. 4. Evil. .A. child's mind is not a tabula rasa. We need not go back to Adam for evidences of hereditary evil. The child inherits the vices of his ancestors. Thus " foolishness  430 THE PROVERBS. [on. XXII. 1-29.