May 1872.
Proverbs xi. 31. "Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the
earth: much more the wicked and the sinner."
This is the key-note of the Book of Proverbs--that men are punished or
rewarded according to their deeds in this life; nay, it is the key-note
of the whole Old Testament. "The eyes of the Lord are over the
righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers; the countenance of
the Lord is against them that do evil, to root out the remembrance of
them from the earth."
But here, at the beginning of my sermon, I can fancy some one ready to
cry--Stay! you have spoken too strongly. That is not the key-note of the
whole Old Testament. There are words in it of quite a different note--
words which complain to God that the good are not rewarded, and the
wicked are not punished: as for instance, when the Psalmist says how the
ungodly men of this evil world are filled with God's hid treasure, and
how they have children at their desire, and leave the rest of their
substance for their babes. And again, "I was envious at the foolish,
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
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