Fear of human authority. Thus, in days of persecution, the weak shrink from ma~tyrdom. Wrongs are often permitted for fear of the consequences of agitatin~ &glLmst them. (2) J<'ear of the great. Some men have an awe of mere rank and ~tation. '!'hey bow obsequiously before riches; they dread to oppose important personage~. (3) Fear of society. "Mrs. Grundy" is regarded with awe. It is thought to be a dreadful thing to be out of the fashion. Social impropriety, in the eyes of the fastidious, is regarded as worse than moral delinquency. (4) 1''ear of the multitude. This is the new fear of man peculiarly mischievous in our democratic age. '!'here is a danger lest men should concede to popular clamour what they do not believe to be good or right. (5) Fear of those we love. Perhaps this is the most difficult fear to resist (but see Matt. x. 37). 2. How it originates. (1) In cowardice. This is an unworthy fear. It is selfish and immoral. It springs from too much regard for our own feelings, and too little reverence for duty. (2) In godlessness. Man takes the place of God. The mob is deified. Human action is treated as supreme. IL ITS SNARE. 1. Tlie deception of it. (1) In regard to dnty. Fear tabs the place of conscience. It blinds us to the sense of right and wrong, blurring the great outlines of morality. Instead of asking, "What is right?" a person who is haunted by this shameful fear only inquires, "Whe.t is safe?" Now, there is no more self-deluded mortal than the man who is only sure of being "safe." When he folds his arms in smug complacency, he is really" in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity." (2) ln regard to danger. Subservience to the opinion of other people can never afford real security. It is but a shallow nnd tricky device. We can never please all men, and in attempting to escape the wrath of one party we rouse that of another. If, however, the sleek time-server were clever enough to propitiate a.11 human enmity, he would have left himself exposed to the far more terrible wrath of Heaven. 2. The fatality of it. This fear brings a snare. It entraps its unwary victim. When once the craven-hearted man is caught in the meshes of worldly fears, he finds it vain to strugide for liberty. This fear creates a miserable bondage. No serf under the old feudal system was more bound to his lord than the poor slave of public opinion is to his hydra-headed master. This wretched fear of man is fatal to e.11 true me.nliness. It will make shipwreck of the most honourable career. The only needful fear is fear of doing wrong, foar of the devil (Matt. x. 28). III. ITS ANTIDOTE. We are to find n refuge from the ensn1Lring fear of me.n by putting our trust in the Lord. God is mightier than the whole world. A howling mob hounding its victims to death ce.nnot shake the confidence of one who has made the Lord his Refuge. Trust in God saved Shadrach, Meshe.ch, and Abednego from cowardice when threatened by cruel Nebuchadnezzar e.nd cast into the burning fiery furnace. Christ was calm and fee.rless before all his foes, fortified by the prayers of Gethsemane. We need to rise into 11, higher e.tmosphere above all the mists of popular opinion. Men may frown and rage, or le.ugh and ridicule; but he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High she.II abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Ps. xci. 1). "Ee.rth me.y be de.rkness; Heo.ven will give thee light." Ver. 26.-The supreme .Arbiter. I. IT IS A COMMON MISTAKE TO ASCRIBE TO MAN 'l'HE INFLUENCE WHICH BELONGS ONLY TO Gon. In the previous verse we ho.ve been warned age.inst falling into the snare of the fear of man, and encouraged to find our safety in trust in God. A similar contrast is again presented to us, but from tbo opposite side. We are tempted to flatter the 11:ree.t in order to win their favour; but we are now reminded that our destiny does not lie in their hands, bnt in the he.ads of One who is supreme in judi,nent, though his rule is too often ignored by us. Helena, in 'All's Well the.t ends Well,' say1:1- u It ie not eo with him that o.11 things knows, As 'tie with us the.t squo.re our gueee by euowe: But moet it is presumption in us when The help of Hee.ven we count the a.et of men." 1. This common miete.ke arises partly from the fact that the human influence is visible, while that of God is unseen. The molehill at our feet thus seems to be more important PllOVERBS, ll 0 562 THE PROVERBS. [CH. XXIX, 1-27
than the mountain that bounds our l1orizon but is wrapped in mist. 2. It is also caused by the further fact that much of God's judgment is postponed. We do not yet experience the full effect of the Divine arbitrament. II. GoD's JUDGMENT WILL DE EXPERIEN0ED DY EVERY MAN. He ie not only the Arbiter of the fate of those wbo call in his aid; he is the "Judge of all the earth" (Gen. xviii. 25). Abraham recognized the fact that God was the Judae of Sodom and Gomorrah, though no doubt the wicked cities of the plain utterly repudiated his authority. The godless will be judged by God. Those men who do not choose to put tueir case in the hands of God will nevertheless receive their sentence from him. III. IT IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE WORLD THAT GoD IS THE BUl'REME ARBITER. This is not set before us as a truth of terror. On the contrary, it is declared as a great consolation among the ills of life. 1. God is fust. He is perfectly fair, utterly impartial, no Respccter of persons. Rich and poor stand on equal grounds before his judgment- seat. 2. God is wise. The most acute human judge may be deceived. But he that searcheth the heart knows all facts about all men. His judgment must be based on truth. 3. God is strong. He is able to execute his sentence. When he declares what is right, be will also establish his judgment. . IV. IT IS WELL FOR MEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE GoD AS THEIR ARBITER. We shall all have to submit to his judgment in the end. It would be wise for us to acknowledge his rule throughout life. Surely it is most fatally foolish to labour for the favour even of the most influential men, if this involves disregarding the thoughts.and will of God. The verrlict of the lower court will be overridden by the judgment of the higher court. Therefore what is most incumbent on all men is to see that they are right and straight in the eyes of the One supreme Judge. By sin, as we must acknowledge, we are all wrong in his eyes. Therefore no human favour can save us till we have been put right and justified through the grace of Christ.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS.