Ver. l.-Harde11ed unde1· reproof. I. REPROOF MAY BE REJECTED. It is not violent and compulsory correction. We have free wills, and God does not destroy our wills in order to reform our conduct, for he only delights in voluntary obedience; but he sends warnings and chastises us as his children. 'fhis treatment should lead to repentance. Still, it is addressed to our reason, our conscience, our affections. Pharaoh repeatedly rejected Divine reproofs, when he refused to let the Hebrews go after each successive plague was removed. The Israelites in the wilderness murmured and rebelled aaain and again, in spite of continuous mercies and numerous sharp rebukes. God is often warning his children now. The faithful preaching of his truth is a rebuke to the thoughtless and the sinful. 'l'he interior voice of conscience utters its own solemn Divine reproof. If we sin heedlessly, we do not sin unwarned. The rejection of the reproof is no sign of its weakness or insufficiency. Even the warning words of Christ failed to arrest the wilful people of Jerusalem in their headlong race to destruction (Matt. x:xiii. 37). II. REPROOF rs REJECTED BY STUBBORN SELF-WILL. The neck is hardened. The obstinate man is like a horse that will not obey the reins; like one that has taken the bit into its teeth and wiil rush on in its own wild course. 1. This implies determination. One who was unreproved might plead ignorance or forgetfulness. Such an excuse cannot be put forward by the man who has been often reproved. His disregarded warnings will rise up in the judgment to condemn him. Meanwhile his continuous refusal to give heed to them is a sure sign of deliberate sinfulness. 2. This also implies hardness of heart. It is the hard heart that makes the neck hard. The stiff- necked generation is a stony-hearted generation. 'l'he repeated rejection of reproof tends to harden the heart more and more. The ear grows deaf to the often-neglected alarum. ill. REPROOF, WHEN REJECTED, IS FOLLOWED BY RUIN. The reproof is a warning. Its very sternness is inspired by love, because it is intended to guard the foolish soul against impending danger. But after thi.s has been heard unheeded there can be no escape. 1. There is no excuse. The warning has been uttered. Everything possible has been dcne to arrest the downward career of the stubborn reprobate. 2. 'l'here is double guilt. The rejection of the reproof is an additional sin-an insult to the Divine righteousness and Jove. 3. There can pe no hope of escape. The destructiou may be sudclen after its long delay, and "that without remedy." IV. REPROOF, WHEN HEEDED, LEADS TO RESTORATION. 1. It contains hope. For if there were no way of escape open the language of reproof would be wasted. In that case it would come too late, and might as well be spared. The sternest reproof i11 a call to repentance, and this call points to a restoration. 2. It prepares for the gospel. John the Baptist makes straight the way for Christ. After We have humbly submitted to reproof, we shall hear the joyous message of the gospel,
Ver. 2.-The religion of politics. I. RELIGION IS coN0ERNED WITH :roLITics. Too often the two spheres are kept disastrously distinct. On the one hand, it is pretended that the sacred character of religion would be desecr11ted by its being dragged into the political arena; and on the other hand, the claim of religion to have a voice in public affairs is set down to the ambition and tyranny of priestcraft. Now, it is not to be supposed that purely religioµs subjects should be obtruded on the uncongenial platform ""· xxrx. 1-27.] THE PROVERBS. 5,;9
of a public meeting. Very possibly they would be resented; we are sot to cast pearls before swine. Moreover, there is a time for everything. But religion claims to influence politics, to be a leading factor in public movements, to hold the standard by which all political actions are to be judged. It must do this if it is to carry out its mission of leavening the whole lump. It should leave no region of life untouched; commerce, literature, art, science, recreation, society, and politics must all come under i.ts influence. For religion to withdraw from politics is to hand that important region of life over to the devil. We find that the Bible has much to say on the conduct of public affairs. II. THE WELFARE OF A PEOPLE IS LARGELY DETERMINED BY TEE MORAL CHARACTER OF THE GOVERNMENT. 1. The principal influence of religion on politics must be. moral. In public life nice distinctions of creed, fine varieties of abstract dogma, and academic discussions of theoretical divinity are brushed aside as mere cobwebs compared to the serious, practical, present-day questions that are at stake. But the moral influence ot religion does not belong to any of these categories. That influence is direct, practical, and real. The religion of politics is the morality of public life viewed in the light of God. ~- The moral character of public affairs is of vital interest to the people. States are ruined by immoral government. Bad passions stir up needless strife. "\Vickeu greed, jealousy, or revenge are at the root or most wars. A government of a high moral character would have found a means of keeping the peace, where one of lower tone bas plunged the nation into all the horrors of war. The right and peaceabl<J relation of class to class within the community can only be preserved when justice and humanity are observed in the conduct of public affairs. III. IT IS THE DUTY OF CHRISTIAN MEN TO BEE THAT THE RIGHTEOUS ARE I~ AUTHORITY. 1. In a system of popular government all who have ,1, voice should make that voice heard. It is a distinct dereliction of duty for any Christian man to withdrnw from all influence in public life. It may be urged that the tone of that life is worldly. If so there is the more reason why unworldly men should enter it in order to give it a higher character. The Christian is not a. recluse. He is called to be the salt of thc1 earth, to season all society with wholesome thought and action. It is unfair to leave the burden of public affairs to others, and then to profit by their labours; and yet this is what is done by those people who 11.re too devout to assist in the making of goo,l laws, but by no means too devout to avail themselves of those laws when they are made. 2. Religion will best influence politics by good men being at the head of ajf'airs. Good men will make good measures. It is therefore necessary to select men of high character for parliament and also for municipal offices.