On the other hand, the life which starts from the sweet examples of a hallowed home, and all its timely chastisements and discipline, presents a most entrancing history. At first there is much which is difficult to bear, much against which the flesh revolts. The influences of purity are cold like the early dawn, and the young child's spirit shrinks and shivers; but with every step along the levelled road the light broadens and the air becomes warmer,--the dawn shines more and more unto the perfect day.[70] As the character forms, as the habits become fixed, as the power of resistance increases, a settled strength and a lasting peace gladden the life. The rays of heavenly wisdom not only shine on the face, but suffuse the very texture of the being, so that the whole body is full of light. Eventually it begins to appear that truth and purity, pity and charity, have become instinctive. Like a well-disciplined army, they spring at once into the ranks, and are ready for service even on a surprise. The graces of holy living come welling up from those untainted inner springs, and, be the surroundings ever so dry, the fountains fail not. The habit of single-eyed devotion to right avails even where there is no time for reflection; more and more the seductions of the senses lose their point of attack in this disciplined spirit. There is a freedom in the gait, for holiness has ceased to be a toilsome calculation,--the steps of the spiritual man are not straitened. There is a swiftness in all action,--the feet are shod with a joyous and confident preparation, for the fear of stumbling is gone.[71] With daily growing gratitude and veneration does such an one look back upon the early home of piety and tenderness. FOOTNOTES: [53] This subject, which occupies so large a part of the book, is further treated in Lect. XXIII. [54] It is noteworthy that the LXX. in ver. 2 seek to maintain the Solomonic authorship by deliberately altering the words. [55] _Cf._ the beautiful family picture of the linked and mutually blessed generations in the proverb, "Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers" (xvii. 6). [56] Prov. iv. 8, 9. [57] Prov. iv. 14. [58] Prov. iv. 20-23. [59] Matt. xv. 19. [60] _Paradise Lost_, iv. 20, etc., and 75. _Cf._ also ix. 120:-- "And the more I see Pleasures about me, so much more I feel Torment within me, as from hateful siege Of contraries. All good to me becomes Bane, and in heaven much worse would be my state." [61] Prov. iv. 24. [62] Prov. iv. 25-27. [63] Prov. iv. 27. [64] _Cf._ xvii. 24, "Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth." [65] Eccles. ix. 7. [66] Prov. iv. 26. [67] Prov. v. 21. [68] Prov. iv. 19. [69] Prov. iv. 16, 17. [70] Prov. iv. 18, margin. [71] Prov. iv. 12. V.