1. It is thought by some to be a good; but it is in the best instance doubtful. Even virtue followed through dread of a fellow creature loses half its beauty, if not more.

2. It leads men into great sins at times-, snaring them, and holding them like birds taken by a fowler. Aaron yielded to popular clamor and made the calf. Saul cared more to be honored among the people than to please the Lord. Pilate feared that a charge would reach Caesar, and so he violated his conscience. Peter denied his Master for fear of a silly maid.

3. It keeps many from conversion: their companions would ridicule, their friends would be annoyed, they might be persecuted, and so they are numbered with the "fearful, and unbelieving."

4. It prevents others avowing their faith. They try to go to heaven through a back door. Remember, "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation'' (Rom. 10:10).

5. It lowers the dignity of good men. David was a poor creature before Achish, and even Father Abraham made but a poor figure when he denied his wife.

8. It hinders many in duties which require courage. Jonah will not go to Nineveh because he may be thought a false prophet if God forgives that city. Galatian preachers went aside to false doctrine to be considered wise, etc.

9. It is the cause of weakness in the Church. It is cowardly, shameful, dishonorable to Jesus, idolatrous, selfish, foolish. It should not be allowed by any man in his own case.

• God is with us, therefore we are strong, and need not fear.


• We are determined, and will not fear.


• We pray, and lose our fear.


• We prepare for the worst, and fear vanishes.

• It often never comes. God restrains the persecutor.


• The loss which it inflicts if it does come is less than that which would be caused by cowardice.


• When we trust in God any such loss is joyfully borne.


• After all, what is there to fear? What can man do unto us? God being with us, our safety is perfect, continuous, eternal, even though the whole human race should besiege us.

III. HERE IS A VERY GLORIOUS DOCTRINE. We may take in the widest sense the doctrine of the second sentence,— "Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe"—

• From the damning and conquering power of sin.


• From the overcoming force of temptation.


• From the deadening effect of sorrow.


• From the destroying force of Satan.


• From death, and hell, and every evil


• From all injury which men can inflict.

The soul that cannot entirely trust God, whether man be pleased or displeased, can never long be true to him; for while you are eyeing man you are losing God, and stabbing religion at the very heart. — Manton

"Fear of man." Grim idol — bloody-mouthed — many souls he has devoured and trampled down into hell! His eyes are full of hatred to Christ's disciples. Scoffs and jeers lurk in his face. The laugh of the scorner growls in his throat. Cast down this idol. This keeps some of you from secret prayer, from worshipping God in your family, from going to lay your case before ministers, from openly confessing Christ. You that have felt God's love and Spirit, dash this idol to pieces. Who art thou, that thou should'st be afraid of a man that shall die? "Fear not, thou worm, Jacob." "What have I to do any more with idols?" — M'Cheyne

The difficulties attending an open confession of Christ are the occasion of multitudes making shipwreck of their souls. In many hopeful characters, that Scripture, "the fear of man bringeth a snare," is verified. Cato and the philosophers of Rome honored the gods of their country though unbelievers in the superstitions of their country. Plato was convinced of the unity of God, but durst not own his convictions, but said,"It was a truth, neither easy to find, nor safe to own." Even Seneca, the renowned moralist, was forced by temptation to dissemble his convictions, of whom Augustus said, "He worshipped what himself reprehended, and did what himself reproved." At the interruption which was given to the progress of the Reformation by the return of the Papists to power, some, as they went to mass, would exclaim, "Let us go to the common error." Thus, conviction is not conversion where there is no confession of Christ. — Salter

One fire puts out another. Nothing so effectually kills the fear of man as abundance of the fear of God. Faith is an armor to the soul, and, clothed with it, men enter the thick of the battle without fear of wounds. Fear of man deadens conscience, distracts meditation, hinders holy activity, stops the mouth of testimony, and paralyzes the Christian's power. It is a cunning snare which some do not perceive, though they are already taken in it.

God alone is rightfully sovereign without limit. He is King in the most absolute sense; and so it should be; for he is supremely good, wise, just, holy, etc. As he is Maker of all, dominion over his creatures is a matter of natural right. He has infinite power wherewith to carry out his royal will. Even in his least word there is omnipotence. Let us consider this —

1. His creating word, by which all things arose out of nothing.
2. His preserving word, by which all things abide.
3. His destroying word, by which he will shake earth and heaven.
4. His word of prerogative by which he kills and makes alive.
5. His word of everlasting promise, which is our comfort.
6. His word of terrible threatening, which is our warning.
7. His word of prophecy and fore-ordination, which is a great deep, full of solemn teaching to the lowly in heart.

Who can stand before any of these without trembling adoration? Power attends them to the fullest degree, for each one is the word of a King.

l. No divine command is to be treated as non-essential, for it is the word of Jehovah, the King. See verses 2 and 3.
2. Each precept is to be obeyed at once, heartily, to the full, by every one, since the King commands.
3. His service must not be shunned, for that were to rebel against our Sovereign. Jonah did not find this succeed: for the Lord will not be trifled with, and will make runaways know that his arm is long.
4. Disobedience is to be repented of. If we have fallen into sin, let the King's word have a gracious power to subdue us to hearty grief.

1. That he is able to give to the penitent, pardon; for he has promised in his word to do so.
2. That he will give to the believing, power to renew their lives. "He sent his word, and healed them" is true, spiritually.
3. That he will give to the tempted, power to overcome temptation. God ensures the believer's victory over every assault of Satan through the word. This weapon Jesus used in the wilderness.
4. That he will give to the suffering, power to endure with patience, and to gather profit from the trial.
5. That he will give to the dying, hope, peace, beatific vision, etc. One word from the Lord of life robs death of its sting.

1. In all we do we should respect the King's word. Churches should own Christ's headship, obey his laws, and acknowledge no other lawgiver. This would be a source of power, as the opposite is the cause of weakness.
2. We must look nowhere else for power. Education, oratory, music, wealth, ceremonialism are weakness itself, if depended on.
3. We must rely upon the word of our King as the instrument of power whenever we seek to do works in his name.

• Preach it: for nothing else will break hard hearts, comfort the despairing, beget faith, or produce holiness.


• Plead it in prayer: for the Lord will surely keep his own promises, and put forth his power to make them good.


• Receive it into our mind and heart: for where divine truth is treasured, there will be a wealth of spiritual power.


• Practice it: for none can gainsay a life which is ordered according to the precepts of the Lord. An obedient life is full of a power before which men and devils do homage.

• Gathering congregations. After all, the many do not go to listen to mere human teachings, but the cross attracts everywhere.


• Gaining true converts. No conversion is worth anything unless it is wrought by the word of truth.


• Keeping such converts to the end. The incorruptible seed alone produces an incorruptible life.


• Order is created and preserved in the church by God's word.


• Saints are instructed, edified, sanctified, and fed by the word.


• Love, joy, peace, and every grace are begotten and fostered by the word.


• Read much the royal word


• Speak more than ever the King's word, which is the gospel of peace.


• Believe in the word of King Jesus, and be bold to defend it.


• Bow before it, and be patient and happy.

No language ever stirs the deeps of my nature like the Word of God; and none produces such a profound calm within my spirit. As no other voice can, it melts me to tears, it humbles me in the dust, it fires me with enthusiasm, it fills me with felicity, it elevates me to holiness. Every faculty of my being owns the power of the sacred Word: it sweetens my memory, it brightens my hope, it stimulates my imagination, it directs my judgment, it commands my will, and it cheers my heart. The word of man charms me for the time; but I outlive and outgrow its power; it is altogether the reverse with the Word of the King of kings: it rules me more sovereignly, more practically, more habitually, more completely every day. Its power is for all seasons: for sickness and for health, for solitude and for company, for personal emergencies and for public assemblies. ! had sooner have the Word of God at my back than all the armies and navies of all the great powers; ay, than all the forces of nature; for the Word of the Lord is the source of all the power in the universe, and within it there is an infinite supply in reserve.

Believers know the life-giving power of the Word, for they can say, "Thy word hath quickened me"; and its life-sustaining power, for they live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"; and its power against sin, for they can say,"Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."

"His word was with power" in Capernaum of old, and it will be with thesame power in any place nowadays. His word cannot fail; "it shall not return void; it shall prosper." Therefore, when our "words fall to the ground," it only proves that they were not his words. — Miss Havergal

This self-praise is not tainted with pride: such a fault could not find a place in the lowly Jesus. His egoism is not egotism. He does not commend himself for his own sake, but for our sakes He sets himself forth in glowing terms because:

• In condescension he desires our love. What a poor thing it is for him to care about! Yet he thirsts after it.


• In wisdom he uses the best way to win our love.


• In tenderness he deigns to describe himself that we may be encouraged by his familiarity in praising himself to us. This is one of the most effectual proofs of lowliness.


• Of necessity he describes himself, for who else can describe him? "No man knoweth the Son, but the Father" (Matt. 11:27).


• Moreover, he here states a fact which else might not be believed, seeing he makes himself so common a flower of earth, so graciously a joy for men, that all may have him.

We will not take up your time by trying to discover what flowers these may have been in the eastern flora: we may select those most like them in our own western land, and do our Lord no wrong.

He compares himself, not only, as in other places, to needful bread, and refreshing water, but to lovely flowers. In Jesus there are all delights as well as all necessaries.

1. He is now all that he ever was, for his "I am" runs through all eternity in unabated force.
2. He is in himself the delight of men. He speaks not of offices, gifts, works, possessions, but of himself. "I am."
3. He is delightful to the eye of faith, even as flowers are to the bodily sight. What more beautiful than roses and lilies?
4. He is delightful in the savor which comes of him. In him is a delicious, varied, abiding fragrance.
5. In all this he is the choicest of the choice: the rose — yea, Sharon's rose: the lily — yea, the most delicious lily of the valleys. There is none like him. He is indeed "a plant of renown."

Yet blind men see no color, and men without scent perceive no odor in the sweetest flowers; and carnal men see no delights in, Jesus. Roses and lilies require eyes and light ere they can be appreciated, and to know Jesus we must have grace and gracious dispositions. He says, "I am the Rose of Sharon"; and so he is essentially; but the grave question is, — "Is he this to you?" Yes or no?

1. Of the rose, majesty: of the lily, love.
2. Of the rose, suffering: of the lily, purity.
3. Of both a great variety: all the roses and all the lilies, all the beauties of heaven and earth meet in Jesus.
4. Of both the very essence. Of all the creatures, all the excellences, virtues, and blessings, which may be found in them, come from Jesus, and abide in Jesus without limit. Many eyes are wanted to spy out the whole of Christ. No eye, nor all eyes, can see all that lies in his varied perfections.
5. Of all these a perfect proportion, so that no one excellence destroys another. He is all a rose should be, and yet not the less perfect as a lily.

1. Meant to be plucked and enjoyed as roses and lilies are.
2. Abundant as a common flower. He is not as a rare orchid, but as the anemones which covered Sharon's plains, and as the lilies which abounded in all the valleys of Palestine.
3. Abiding in a common place, as roses in Sharon, and lilies in the valleys, where every passer-by was free to gather according to his own sweet will. Not found on inaccessible steeps, or within guarded enclosures, Jesus is out in the open: a flower of the common. This is a leading idea of the text. Those who desire Christ may have him.
4. Scattering fragrance, not over a room or a house, but far and wide, perfuming every wandering wind.
5. Yet roses and lilies fail to set forth our Beloved, for his is unfading virtue.

Listen much to Jesus, for he can tell you most about himself; and, coming at first hand, it will be surely true, and' come with great force and unction. Hearken, and hear him say, "I am the Rose of Sharon."

"I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys"; words most seemly in the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom it is not robbery from others, but condescension and grace, to commend himself to the sons of men. "I am meek and lowly," would be the utterance of pride in Gabriel, but it is humility in Jesus, who has stooped that he might become meek and lowly. "I am the true Vine, "I am the good Shepherd," etc., are the expressions alike of truth and grace, and so here. — A. Moody Stuart

Not to flowers which only the rich and great can possess, but to those easily obtainable, does he liken himself; for always did he stoop to the lowliest, arid the common people ever heard him gladly. His presence on earth never failed to bring comfort to the needy, and refreshment to the downcast spirit, just as sweet odors float around roses and lilies, and minister solace to the organ of smell, while their fair forms and rich and delicate colors gratify the eye. — H. K.Wood, in "The Heavenly Bridegroom and His Bride"

We believe there can be little doubt that the rose is really intended by the Hebrew word. Even if in the general sense it should mean but a flower, we should still infer that, when applied in a particular sense, it means a rose, for this would be according to the usage of the East. Thus, the Persian word gul describes a flower in general, and the rose par excellence. This suffices to show the estimation in which the rose is held in the East. In the Persian language, particularly, there is perhaps no poem in which allusions to it, and comparisons drawn from it, do not recur even to repletion The extreme fragrance and beauty of the rose in some parts of Western Asia have attracted the notice of many travelers. It is also cultivated, not merely as a garden plant for pleasure, but in extensive fields, from the produce of which is prepared that valued and delicious perfume called rose-water. The size of the rose trees, and the number of the flowers on each, far exceed in the rose districts of Persia, anything we are here accustomed to witness. — Pictorial Bible