The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 438

less; it hns a distinct value of its own; but relatively to man's deeper necessities, and to his other, spiritual resow-ces, it is to be beld in slight esteem. I. 'I'm;; UKSU!l~TANTIAL AS DISTINGUISHED FROM TlIE REAL, "Wilt thou set thine eyes upun that which is not?" Money regarded as that which purchases food, clothincr, shelter, books, etc., has a certain value not easily overstated .. But mera wealth, ;s wealth, has but a. fictitious and untwi.l 'Virtue. A man may have it and have it not at the same time. A rich man may be, to all intents and purposes, a very poor one. He may own land the scenery upon which he is wholly unable to appreciate; soil which he hn.s not the spirit or the wisdom to cultivate; houses which he neither inhabits nor causes to be inhabited; gardens whose paths no feet are treadincr, and whose beauty no eyes are admiring; books which he has not the taste or evin the power to read, etc. In fact, his wealth is only a possibility and not a. reality to him. Practically, he "sets his eyes upon that which is not." And it is quite a common thing for men to be wealthy far beyond their capacity of enjoyment; their riches do not sen·e them any real purpose; they remain unused, and are as if they were not at all (see Matt. xxv. 29; Luke viii.18). On the other hand, knowledge, wisdom, pure and holy lo,e, a generous interest in the welfare of others, joy in God and in the friendship of the good,-thesc are real blessings. A man who has these must be and is eoriched thereby. II. THE TRAKSIENT AS DISTINGUISIIED FROM TlIE ADIDING. "Riches certainly make themselves wings," etc. I. They are insecure. It is impossible to mention any "investment" that is absolutely secure. Rven "real property" has been found to become depreciated and even positivel.v worthless in the market. And of the more ordinary sources of wealth, it is proverbial t.hat they have all a limited, and maoy of them but a slight, security. A revolution in government, in trade, even in fashion or in taste, and the ample means are reduced to nothing, the millionaire is brought down to bankruptcy. A poor foundation, indeed, on which to build the structure of human hap- piness and well-being is the possession of riches. 2. They must soon be laid down. III. TlIE HUMAN AS DISTIKGUISlIED FROM TIIE DIVINE, 'l'o " Jabour to be rich " is of man. To work for wealth, and even to live for it is to be borne along on the current of huma.n energy, is to breathe the atmosphere which human society is throwing round him. It is "our own wisdom." But it is not the wisdom of God. That says to us, "Lab=iur not for the meat which perisheth;" "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth;" "A man's life does nut consist in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." The wisdom which is from above speaks to us of "forsaking all to follow ChriRt;" of parting with everything for one inestimable pearl; of agoniziog to enter in at the strait gate. It tells us that the service of God, the friendship of Jesus Christ, the life of holy usefulness, the life-testimony to a Diyine Redeemer, the rest of soul which comes with spiritual rectitude, the inheritance which is incorruptible and unde- filed and which fadeth not away,~that all this is not only more precious tho.n gold, it is absolutely priceless; it is the one thing for which it is worth our while tp labour with all our strength, to sacrifice all that we have.-C. Vers. 6-8.-.The graces of giving, receivi11g, .and refusing. The text treats of a hospitality which _does not deserve the name, and of our d1;1ty whe!1 ~ve are iuvi~e~ to accept a gift that 1s grudged. It thus opens the whole subject of g1v10g and rece1vmg. 'l'b ere are three graces here. I. THE GRACE OF GIVING. This is one which ie readily recognized as heaven-born. 1. God connnends it to us. He says, "Give, and it shall be given unto you" (Luke vi. 38); "Give to him that asketh thee" (Matt. v. 42); "He that giveth let him do it with liberality" (Revised Version); "given to hospitality" (Rom. x_ii. 8, 13). 2. It is the best reward of labour (Eph. iv. 28). 3. It ie the most God-like of nil graces. For God lives to give; he is ever giving forth to all his cree.tio°;; he ie feedini:; the multitudes Hnd millions of bis creatures beneath every sky. 4. It 1e the source of the purest and most elevating joy. "It is more blessed to give than to receive.': . II. THE GRACE OF BE0EIVING. If it is right and good for ~ome men to give of th~1r abundance, then the correlative act ofrcceiving must also b~ nght and good. There 1s, indeed, a virtue, a grace, in receiving cheerfully and cordrnlly as well as g~ate[ully, wliich may be almost, if not quite, as acceptable to G0d as that of generosity itself, 'l'b(;re is truth in Miss Proctor'~ lines- OB. XXIII. 1-35.] THE PROVERBS. 455