.Ver. 8 (former part).-Sin suicidal. "He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul" (Prov. viii. 36); he that seeks to do injury to others brings trouble upon himself; ·with the measure and after the manner with which he deals will he himself be dealt with. • Evil intents, as also good ones, recoil upon their author-in the one case in penalty, and in the other in blessing. As we observe, we see that- I. EVIL BEGETS EVIL AFTER ITS OWN KIND. 1. Violence begets violence. "They that take the sword perish with the sword;" uot, of course, with absolute and unfail- ing regularity, but generally; so commonly that the professional warrior and, still more, the uncontrollably passionate man may expect to come to a violent end. But, apart from fatal consequences, it is a constantly recurring fact that men give back blow for blow, litigation for litigation, hard measure for hard measure. 2. Cunning begets cunning. 'l'he crafty man is the likeliest of all to be caught with guile. Men have a peculiar pleasure and take especial pride in outwitting the neighbour who is trying to take advantage of them. So that he who is always laying traps for his fellows is in greatest danger of being himself entrapped. 3. Contempt begets ave1·sion. There are those who from the pedestal of (often imaginary) superiority look down upon their companions with supercilious disregard; their attitude is one of haughtine~s, their language and conduct that of condescension. These proud ones suffer o.s they deserve; they pay o.n appropriate penalty; their neighbours resent their ass nm pt ion ; they pass them by with aversion; they speak of them with condemnation; they leave them to loneliness and friendlessness. 4. Slander begets reproach. Men that are unscrupulously complaining of others, hastily or ill-naturedly a.scribing to them mistakes or misdeeds, a.re the men whose own shortcoming is quickly detected and unsparingly condemned (see Matt. vii. 1, 2). Thus sin (or folly) smites itself; it thinks to injure others, but it finds in the end that the stone which it threV{ up into the air comes down upon its own head. On the other hand, we see- 11. Goon BEGETS GOOD AFTER ITS KiND. 1. 'l'he man of pence is permitted to dwell in peace. 2. Frnnkness, sincerity, nre met with reciprocated open-mindedness and honesty. 3. Honour rendered to worth and to our common manhood creates respect, and calls forth the best that is in men, 4. Generosity in judgment receives in return n kind and brotherly estimate of its own actions nnd character. While he that digs n pit for others falls into it himself, he that raises a ladder for others' elevation himself rises upon its rungs.-'---C.
Ver. 8 (latter part).-The broken hedge. There are many fences which we have constructed, or which the Lord of our life has erected, and we discover thnt if we break them we shall find ourselves attacked and bitten by the serpent which is within or upon the other side. I. THE HEDGE OF SOOIAL REQUIREMENTS. There are certain understood enactments of society which must be regarded by us. They may have no claim to be moral laws; they may not have any place in the statutes of the land ; still they are obligatory upon us. If we are so self-willed or self-sufficient, if we a.re so ignorant or so careless, as to violate these, we must pay the appropriate penalty of genernl disregard. Even though we be free from all vice 1md nil crime, we shall be numbered among trans- gressors of the unwritten law of society, and our position will be lowered, our influence will be lessened, our reputation will be reduced, our usefulness will be impnired. II. THE HEDGE OF HUMAN i,AW. HL1man law requires of us that we Rhnll pny tlrn debts we owe, that we shall make our contribution to the protection of the ~ociety of which wo are members, that we shall respect the rights of our neig;hbl>urs. llrcaki11g 2GB ECCLESIASTES ; OR, TltE PREACHER. (mt. x. 1-20.
this hedge, we pay the penalty which the law inflicts; this "serpent" may be only a small fine, or it m11y be loss of liberty or even life. III. THE HEDGE OF DIVINE LIMITATION, God has set a limit to our faculties and thus t-0 our enjoyment, our nctivity, our achievement; and if we heedlessiy or ambitiously pass this limit, we are bitten and we suffer. If we break the hedge of: l. Phys_ical _a,ppropri,a,tion, or exercise, we suffer in bodily sickness, in nervous prostration, m premature decline. 2. Mental activity. If we think, study, strive, la hour on at our desk, beyond the limit of our powers, we pay the penalty in irrita- bility, in _softening of the brain, in insanit~. 3. Spiritual faculty. If we attempt to ent_er regions that are beyond our God-given powers, we end either in a scepticism which robs us of our highest herit.age, or in a mysticism which fascinates and misleads us. IV. THE HEDGE OF CONSCIENCE. Conscience commands us, with imperative voice to keep well within the line of purity, of sobriety, of truthfulness, of reverence. If we go beyond that line, we suffer. We suffer : 1. The condemnation of God. 2. The disapproval of the wfae and good. 3. The reproach of our own soul. 4. The loss of self-respect and the consequent enfeeblement of our character; and of all losses this is perhaps, the worst, for it is one of a series of downward steps at the foot of which is death. 1. Be right at heart with God; you will then have within you a force of spiritual rectitude which will keep you in the path of wisdom and virtue. 2. Be vigilant; ever watching character and conduct, so that you are not betrayed unawares into error and transgression. 3. Be docile; always ready to receive the counsel and heed the warning of true and faithful friends. 4. Seek daily the guidance and guardianship ofGod.-C.