Ver. 28.-Ancient landmarks. I. ANCIENT LANDMARKS OF PROPERTY. The stone that divided one man's vineyard from his neighbour's was regarded as a sacred thing, on no account to be touched. 'l'his arrangement helped to perpetuate family holdings. It prevented the accumulation of large estates by the wealthy, and the alienation of the land from the poor. .It guarded the weak from the oppression of the strong. It was a protection a!!:ainst deceit, error, and confusion. Ahab transgressed the Law in seekirig to acquire Naboth's vineyard. It would be well if we could appreciate the spirit of the old Hebrew sanctity of the landmark. It would be well, too, if there were more people who had a personal interest in the soil of the country. The "sacred rights of property" cannot confer on the owner any power to oppress the tiller of the soil ; but, on the other hand, they should protect the owner from the violence of social revolution. II. ANCIENT LANDMARKS OF HISTORY, The field-stones of Palestine were historic. Their very presence served as a record of the lives and doings of a past ancestry. As such they gathered a certain sanctity of association. It is no small thing that we in England belong to a historic nation. The forward movement that is so characteristic of our day should not blind us to the lessons of the past. Noble lives and great events are landmarks on the vast field of history. They help us to map out the past, and they also assist us to gain wisdom for the present. We cannot dispense with the landmarks of Scripture history. Christianity, without the facts of the life of Christ, would be boneless and shapeless. It is strong as a historical religion. Directly it is treated merely as an idea, a sentiment, or a "spirit," it will languish by the loss of the old landmarks of concrete facts in the Birth, Life, Passion, Death, an<l. Resurrection of Christ. III. ANornNT LANDMARKS OF DO0TRmE. We live in an age when many of these have been uprooted and flung on one side. No doubt some of them had been converted into obstructions standing up in the middle of the road of truth. We need to ascertain whether we ue really dealing with the truly ancient landmarks, and are not deceived by fraudulent inventions of later ages. The primary landmarks of Christianity are in the teachings of Christ and his apostles. We may have to clear away a great deal of the rubbish of the ages in order to get back to these original truths of Christianity. It is not right to accuse those who are loyal to Christ with removing the ancient land- marks, when they are only taking away these later accretions. But we cannot dispense with the truly ancient la.ndmarks. If we forsake the New Testament, we forsake Christianity. IV. ANCIENT LANDMARKS OF MORALS, Many practices of antiquity may be abandoned. Some may be superseded by better way~, others left behind as unsu.ited to . the oircumsto.nces of the new times. But behmd and beneath all these changmg fash10ns there are the solid rocks of truth and righteousness. Wha.tover else may be shaken, we,cannot afford to shift theso landmarks. Wo may improve upon old customs; but )Ve cano.ot cast a.way the teo. commao.dment11. 432 THE PROVERBS.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS, Vers. 1-16.-The theme of the earlier part of the chapter may be said to be the good name: the blessings in the possession of it, and the oonditions for the acquirement of it-partly negatively, partly positively, described,
Vers. 1-5.-Tlie genei-al conditions of a, good name.- I. WHAT DOES NOT coN- STITU'l'E ITS FOUNDATION. 1. Riches. (Ver.1.) Riches have their worth; reputation has its worth ; but the latter is of an order altogether different from the former. '!'he fomier gives a physical, the latter a moral, power. It is right that we should have regard to the opinion of good men. "An evil name shall inherit disgrace and reproach" says Sirach vi. 1. And we have, as Christians, clearly to think of the effect a g~ or evil name must have upon "them that are without" (1 Cor. v. 12; x. 31, sqq.; Phil. iv. 8). 2, Again, poverty with a good name is infinitely preferable to riches associated with an evil character (ver. 2). It is according to general laws of providence that one is rich, the other poor. 'l'he great point is to recognize that we cannot all possess the lower good, hut that the higher good is offered to a.JI, made the duty of all to seek. Let the poor man not exaggerate the worth of riches, nor murmur against God, but humble himself under his hand, and trust the promises of his Word (Matt. v. 3). And Jct the rich man not put his confidence in riches (1 Tim. vi. 17), but lay up an inward store against the time to come. It is religion alone which solves the contradiction between riches and poverty by reducing both under the true standard of value. II. THE POSITIVE CONDITIONS OF THE GOOD NAME. 1. Prudence. (Ver. 3.) To foresee evil at a distance-to have a cultivated spiritual sense, analogous to the keen scent of the lower animals, that may enable us to detect the danger not apprehensible by the duller sense-is necessary to our safety. And what is necessary to safety is necessary ultimately with a view to the good name. 'l'o go too near the fire may lead to the scorching of the reputation, if not to the los!l of the life. To conceal ourselves beneath the wings of the Almighty and !to abide in communion with God (Ps. xci. 1) is the best refuge from all danger. 2. Humility. (Ver. 4.) He that would attain to the glory must first " know bow to be abased." Clearly to recognize our position and part in life always implies humility. For it is always less and lower than that which imagination dreams. Another important lesson from this verse is that reputation and the good attached to it come through seeking something else and something better. To do our own work is really to do something that has never been attempted before, For each of us is an original, and success in that which is peculiar to us brings more honour than success in a matter of greater difficulty in which we are but imitators of others. 3. The fear of God. (Ver. 4.) Religion gives reality to character. And reputation must at last rest on the presence of a reality; and those who have it not are perpetually being found out. 4. Rectitude of conduct. (Ver. 5.) What pains, anxieties, what dangers, rebuffs, and disappointments, and what loss of o.11 that makes life sweet and good, do not the dishonest in every degree incur! The path of rectitude and truth seems rugged, but roses spring up around it, so soon as we begin fairly to tread it; the way of the transgressors i;eems inviting, but is indeed "hard."-J,