When the husbandman comes to examine a fruit-tree, he disregards everything in the way of leaf and branch; if he does not also find evidence of fruit in the appointed season, he considers that the end of the planting is not attained. God, the great Husbandman, here declares that all human wisdom and intelligence avail nothing unless they have for their basis that fear of Him which enables a man to attain the end for which he was created. +I. The fear of the Lord springs+ 1. _from a practical recognition of His existence_. God, to the vast majority of mankind, is but a name; they no more recognize the personality and moral character of the Divine Father than they recognize a personality and moral attributes in the wind or the sunlight. He has no influence upon their hearts; to them, practically, there is no God. There is no fear of God before their eyes, because there is no God. 2. _From an experimental knowledge of His kindness_. The mightiest being cannot be reverenced for his power; that may produce the "fear which hath torment," but not the "reverence and godly fear" which leads to willing obedience. When a king's character is such that his subjects taste of his kindness and feed upon his bounty, it begets a reverence which makes them fear to break his law. The "fear of the Lord" is synonymous with heart-religion, and must be born of a personal experience of Divine mercy. This fear says, "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him" (Psa. xxxiv. 8). +II. The means by which this beginning of knowledge ought to be attained.+ The rule in creatures below man is, that they instruct their offspring as soon as they are capable of instruction. The eagle teaches her young to fly: she "stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth about her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings." (Deut. xxxii. 11.) And this is what God expects every parent to do in a moral sense. A child ought to get his first ideas of God from his parent, and his father's and mother's love ought to be the stepping-stones by which he rises to apprehend the love of his Father in heaven. This exhortation takes for granted that the parents will be possessors of this true knowledge, and will impart it to their children. +III. The reason given to the young for receiving and retaining parental instruction.+ The coronet on the brow of the noble proclaims his place in society--sets forth his high position. The necklace of pearls on the young and beautiful maiden proclaims the wealth of the wearer, and adds to her attractiveness. So the obedience of a good son to a true father proclaims him to belong to the noble in spirit--sets a crown upon his character. And a daughter's reverential love for a good mother is a true indication of moral wealth. That mother's words, treasured in the memory and translated into life, are so many precious pearls of soul-adornment, and are in the sight of God of great price.