Vere. 5, 6.-.The purity of God's words. I. THE REFUGE FROM VAIN SPECULATION IS PRACTICAL REVELATION. '!'he search for God in thought aad nature has ended in weariness. But Agur does not subside into agnosticism, much less does be renounce all higher thinking as "vanity of vanities," and plunge into Sadduceaa worldliness and Epicurean materialism. On the contrary, though he gives up his ambitious quest with a sigh of disappointment, he learns to take a humbler path, on which he finds that God has shed light. The mysteries of pure theology are wrapped in clouds, but the path of man's duty and the way of practical religion are illumined by the light of God's revealed truth. This truth consists in more than those" regulative ideas," which are all that Mansel would have us expect to know, for it corresponds to the actual; it is fact and law of God's real spiritual world. '£he Word of God is with us in the Bible and in Christ. In this Word the weary seeker after light may not find a star-spangled heaven, but he will see.'' a lamp to his feet" (Ps. cxix. 105). II. THE REVELATION OF Gon IB PURE. 1. It is free fi-om error. This is not a. matter of the language of the Bible, which is but the case that enshrines the holy revelation. The frame is not the picture. Wheo. we crack the nut we find that the kernel is sound and flawless. The spiritual contents of revelation o.re infallible. 2. It is free fi-om moral corrupticm. Prurient minds have affected to be shocked at immoral stories in the Bible. Dut what is most wonderful a.bout the Scripture writers in respect to such matters is that, though they are bold enough to touch the most repulsive subjects, they never soil their fingers, nor do they ever soil the minds of their readers. Only impure minds draw impure suggestions from the Dible, and such minds may find them anywhere. 'fhe Bible reveals man to himself, and declares God's estimate of sin. It cannot cover over the foulest evil with s cloak of socio.I propriety. The horrible things must be exposed in the interest of purity, that they may be denounced, and the doers of them put to shame. III. THE PURITY OF Gon's Woao SHOULD INSPIRE TRUST AND REVEREN0E. 1. It should inspire trust. For" he is a Shield to them that put their trust in him." We cannot understand all mysteries; the deep counsels of God must ever lie beneath our most searching inquiry; but we have light in God's words for our help e.nd guidance. The purity of this light is a security against danger. It will not allure us into error, o.nd it will not permit us to live in sin unrebuked and unwnrned. Therefore the light is guiding, healing, saving. With such a revelation we can afford to endure the insoluble character of great mysteries of theology. When vexed, perplexed, and wearied out, we can turn to the God who has thus made himself known to us, and quietly rest in his sheltering care. 2. It should also inspire reverence. "Add not thou unto his words." The truth of God is too sacred for man to be permitted to tamper with it. This is a great warning that men have rarely heeded. We may thiuk and utter our thoughts. But the fatal mistake is when we put forth our 11peculaiions as though they were a part of God's revelation. This is a common sin of authoritative theology. Men's opinions-harmless enough in themselves, perhaps- 582 'l'BE PUOVERBS. [cm. xx..._. 1-33.
ha'l"e been added to the Scripture truths, and set before the world as unquestionable and Divine. The interpretation of Scripture has been mi.de as sacred as the text. Church dogma bas claimed Divine authority. This is adding to God's words and the danger of it is (1) Divine disapproval-" lest he reprove thee;" and (2) hu:nan dis- loyalty to truth-" and thou be found a liar."