Prov. xxviii. 4. The^ that forsake the Law, praise the loicked ; hut such as keep the Laio, contend tvith them.
MAN, as a social being, has an influence on those around him : and his actions should be considered, not merely as they affect himself, but, in their social aspect, as tending to make an impression upon the minds of others. In this point of view, a great mea- sure of responsibility attaches to lis, far beyond what, at first sight, we should be ready to imagine. Our good or evil conduct operates as an example, and countenances a similar conduct in others : so that, in our daily actions, we, though unconscious of it, are doing good or evil to an unknown extent. This is proclaimed in the words before us : " They that for- sake the Law, praise the wicked ; but such as keep the Law, contend with Ihein."
^ From these words I shall be led to shew the effects of piety and impiety on the smTomiding world. And, I. Of impiety —
Whatever be men's line of conduct, they must, of necessity, " have pleasure in those who pursue the same^" Those they will of course choose for their companions ; and if for no other reason, yet in their own vindication they will approve of and applaud their ways. The proud will commend the proud, and " call them happy'';" as will the worldling also " bless the covetous, whom God abhorreth^" Indeed, it may be laid down as a general rule, that if only you " do well to yourself," by studying your own ease, interest, and honour, " all men will praise you," as men that are wise, and worthy of imitation''. It is a matter of course that " the world will love its own^" This, however, is a very partial view of our text ; the true sense of which lies much deeper. The praise which an ungodly man will give to those who are like him- self, is bestowed not only occasionally with the lips, but uniformly and without intermission in the life. A man who refuses submission to the will of God, and " forsakes his Law," does by that very act tacitly, though most intelligibly, declare to all around him,
1. That obedience to God's Law is unnecessary — [He will acknowledge the Scriptures to be a revelation
from God ; and would be greatly offended, if his belief in that revelation were questioned. But his faith in it is nothing more than a speculative assent : he regards not the authority of God in it ; and by his contempt of that authority he says, in fact, that a submission to it is unnecessary. The language of the heart and of the life is interpreted in this way by God him- self: " Ye have said, It is vain to serve God : and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts^ ? " And this construction is just; for what a man avows to be unnecessary for himself, he must be understood as maintaining to be unnecessary for others.]
2. That not even the Gospel itself entails any obli- gation upon us —
a Rom. i. 32. b Mai. iii. 15. c Pg, x. 3.
^ Ps. xlix. 18. e John XV. 19. f Mai. iii. 14.