The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-05-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON roR SUNDAY. NAY "a.
"Fruits of Wisdom" Prov. xii.. lis.
Golden Text; Prov. IL. so.
Commentary.

british" Nearly every verse In this lesson
contains a contrast between the righteous
and the unrighteous, the wise and the fool.
And Scripture Is full OF such contrasts from
the story OF Cain and Abel TO the end OF the
book. The wise build upon the rock tho
foolish build upon the sand the wise have
lamps well trimmed the foolish have lamps
going out The Lord knoweth the way OF the
righteous, but the way OF the ungodiy shall
perish (Math. vii.. ~, 26 XIV, 1-19 Ps. l. 81.
And as 10 the brutes, they even put men to
shame and know more than some men Qsa.
L.8.
.. "a good man obtaineth favor OF the
Lord, but man OF wicked devices will He
condemn. The Lord showeth favor to ALL
He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on
the good and sendeth rain on the Just and on
the unjust" (Math ", 45). He offers Him
self freely to oil, but only those who receive
Him shall enjoy Him (John l.. II, 12). Those
who receive Him not nro condemned al
ready, and TO shut Him out from our hearts
is the most wicked device that satan can In.
vent (John iii., 15).
8. "a man shall not be established by
wickedness, but the root OF the righteous
shall not be moved" Wickedness shall not
deliver those that are given TO e. and. though
men make - covenant with death and hell. IL
shall not stand (Eccl. Will. 1s'A xviii. ls).
The Lord brlngeth the counsel ofthe heather
TO naught. He maketh the devices OF the
people OF none effect (Ps. xxxiii.. 10). But
on the contrary, all who are In the rock
Christ Jesus are In sure and eternal refuge.
4. "a virtuous woman is crown TO her
husband, but she that mnketh ashamed is NJ
rottenness In his bones" II this IL true lit
orally OF wife and husband, how much more
OF the church and CHRISTI We are said 20 be
even now married to the Lord that we should
bring forth fruit unto God (Rom. vii, ~, and
Paul says OF the believers Mt Corinth. II have
espoused you TO one husband that may
present you as a chaste virgin TO Christ" UI
Cor. xi., %.
5. "The thoughts OF the righteous are
right, but the counsels OF the wicked are de-
ceit." This must mean the thoughts which
he thinks through us. 'for we are not SUM-
Client OF ourselves to think anything IA OF
ourselves. but our sufiiciency Is OF God" UI
Cor. I'LL, 81. The natural heart IL decetful
above all things and desperately wicked DER
xvii, 9), and therefore counsel from such
heart cannot but bo deceit. The contrast be.
tween Christ and satan Is the contrast be-
tween truth and lying.
q. The words OF the wicked are to lie In
wait for blood, but the mouth OF the upright
shall deliver them" The last verse con.
trnsted the thoughts OF the righteous and oi
the wicked. This contrasts their words.
Z. The wicked are overthrown and are not,
but the house OF the righteous shall stand a."
Jesus and all His house shall stand. The
gates OF hell shall not prevail against His
church (Math. xvi, isl.
\. "A man shall DO commended according
tO his wisdom, but he that IL OF peryerse
heart shall be- despised." That which Christ.
the wisdom OF God, does or says or thinks.
In and through us. that shall stand and be-
approved. but apart from Him we can do
nothing John xv.. 8 II Tim. H., 49, All
who having heard Him, will not submit TO
Him are among tho pervcrse To whom II is
said, "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and
perish (Acts xiii, 4D.
.. HE that is despised and hath servant,
" better thnn he that honoreth himself and
lacketh bread" II we will humble our.
selves to be His servants and be willing to be
desplsed for Hts sake, He will In due time
exalt u.s. while those who prefer TO honor
themselves and despise the bread OF life must
forever perish.
10. a righteous man regardeth the life q,
his beast, but tne tender mercies OF thu
wicked are cruel" Lifo Is the special gift OF
God and can come only from God. He
giveth life and breath and oil things. He
Siveth natural life TO man and beast. lie
glycth life eternal TO all who receive Him.
IL. He that tllleth his land shall be salts.
fled with bread, but he that followeth vaiI'
persons Is void OF understanding" Here II
seems to be the diligent and the sothful con.
trasted. Jesus says. MY Father worxeth
hitherto, and / work" He gives to every
man his work. He gives to eacha pound and
says, Occupy till come"
II 1.-The wicked desireth the net OF evil
men. but the root of the righteous yieldeth
fruit" II Is written that they sacrifice unto
their net and burn incense unto
their drag because by them their portion IL
fat and their meat plenteous' (Hab l., l6).
In other words, they prosper and grow rich
and live only for the present. desiring only
the net which will gather IN the most gain.
They think not that suddenly they may be
called away, and then where snail their gain
beE The righteous gather fruit unto lfo
eternal. Their gain will abide.
l3. The wicked Is shared by the trans
gression OF his lips. but the just shall come
out VI trouble" Troubles come 10 all good
and bad and ofttipes apparently more 90 the
righteous than 10 the wicked. but the wicked
finally go of into trouble uncnding. while the
righteous are sure TO be in due time delivered.
They shali forget their misery and remember
1t as waters that pass away And not only
-, for we have also the comfort Of know.
Ing that all present tribuatlon. patiently
borne. Is working out for US lar more ex.
ceeding and eternal weight Of glory Dob xi.
IL ii Cor. w., l7)
IA. "a man shall be satisfied with good by
the fruit OF his mouth, and the recompense OF
u mans hands shall be rendered unto him -
Say ye to the righteous that II shall be well
with him, for they shall eat the fruit OF their
doings. Woe unto the wicked II shall be III
with him, for the reward OF his hands shall
be given him Elsa. ill.,, 10. ~. Such is ths
Uniform testimony OF scripture. III Christ.
the wisdom OF God, IL accepted, then saliva.
ton Is ours, and there will be reward In pro.
portion to labor (Rom. VI, % Cor. ILL.,. &
Rev. xii, 12). II Christ Is rejected. the soul
Is lost, and suffering will be according to sip
(John IT,, IS Luke xii, Al, 4s).
l6. The way OF fool is right in hts own
eyes, but he that hsarkeneth uI % counsel IL
wise" AL benefit for time and eternity comes
from receiving and obeying the wisdom OF
God, but US that Is opposed TO the wisdom OF
man and casts down all mans reasonings (II
Cor. T., o, margin) many In their pride and
folly prefer their own way and go madly ON
TO their destruction. The wisdom OF God IL
fooiishness TO the natural man U Cor. H.. iH.
Therefore the only way Is to be born again