Vere. 12-16.-The causes of national disaster. I. IT 18 PROFITABLE TO INQUIBB INTO THE CAUSES OF NATIONAL DIBAB'l'EB. 1. Inkllectually, this is a subject of profound interest, dealing with fundamental principlcs and the vast issues to which they lead when working on the largest scale. 2. Morally, it is of great praotical importance for the warning it supplies to all nations. 'l'he eight of terrible ruin rushing down upon a people is appalling, but the awe with which it strikes us will not have much whole- cu. 1x. 1-26.] 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 245
some effect till we have an intelligent appreciation of the sources from which it comes and are thus enabled to watch them and guard against them. ' II, SPIRITUAL WISDOM 18 REQUISITE FOR THE DIBOERNIIENT 011' THE CAUSES OF NATIONAL DIBABTER, They do not lie on the surface. No study is more difficult than that of the philosophy of history. Unless the mind is awake to spiritual facts, the inquiry will not go beyond secondary causes, or attempting more will commit injustice. The prophets needed inspiration for this as much as for the prediction of future events. No mere literary historian is fit for the work, Only a prophet can be fully equal to it, and other men can only pursue it with safety when they walk in his footsteps. Hence the immense value of the historical elements of the Old Testament to the statesman. m. THE CHIEF OAUBES OF NATIONAL DISASTER ARB MORAL, Material causes are visible on ·the surface, such as famine, plague, invasion, revolution. Political causes lying deeper may be easily discerned, such as diplomatic complications, class divisions, violent changes in popular sentiment. But beneath all such influences there are great moral causes. 1. These act through providence. God takes note of the conduct of nations, judges, ministers. 2. They also act directly, Luxury is enervating; injustice destroys the confidence of a people in its government, etc. IV. ONCE REVEALED, THE MORAL CAUSES OF NATIONAL DIBASTER ARE SIMPLE AND INTELLIGIBLE. The prophets make these clear to us in the case of their own nation. 1. Negatively, the causes were traced to disobedience to the will of God, culpable because this was well understood-" set before them." 2. Positively, they were found in wilful stubbornness and demoralizing idolatry. God was the shield of his people. When he was forsaken they were defenceless. Nations are only secure while they are governed by the will of God, by justice and humanity. Godlessness, bearing fruit in falsehood, cruelty, and vicious lawlessness of passion, is a sure source of national ruin. The state of the public conscience is more important to a nation than that or its army. Vere. 23, 24.-False boasting and tr'/1,8 confiden~. I. FALSE B0ABTmG. 1. We are inclined to overvalue our own possessions. 'l'he wise man thinks wisdom the one source of security, the strong man strength, the rich man riches. That hulks most largely which lies most near to us. 2. The very good that is in a thing may deceil'e us by tempting us to overvalue it. Wisdom, strength, and riches are all good in their way. Trust in them is very different from trust in fraud and violence. Not regarding them as enemies, we are in danger of confiding in them as saviours instead of simply employing them as servants. 3. The number of earthly resources leads us to assume that security must be found in some of them at least; for wheu one fails we can fall back on another. But if the best <lo not protect in the extremity of danger, will inferior aids suffice? Wisdom is greater than strength, and strength than riches. If wisdom fails, what can the rest do for us? 4. The variety of advantages contained in earthly resources deceives us as to their value. 'Wisdom promises to outwit the enemy or devise some means or evading ruin. Yet the wisdom of the wisest Jews was defeated by those who came from the land of "the wise;" and how can it avail against the supreme wisdom? Strength as physical prowess and national power may be imposing and yet not almighty. Samson was weak under a woman's wiles. Goliath fell before the sling of the stripling David. Riches may buy much, They could not prevent the Chaldean invasion, 'l'hey cannot buy off sickness, disappointment, death, the punishmeut of sin. Nebuchadnezzar found the possession of the world no security against the most humiliating affliction (Dan. iv. 28-33). The rich fool was mocked by his own prudence (Luke xii. 16-21). II. TnUE CONFIDEN0E. 1. This is to be sought in the knowledge of God. Wisdom, the best of earthly resources, is not sufficient for protection, but it is the type of a higher wisdom, wherein is the secret of safety. 'l'his is a wisdom which concerns itself, not with petty devices, subtle schemes, cunning, and cleverness, but with the highest knowledcre, bearing fruit in" the fear of God" (Ps. cxi. 10). Wo must know God to trust hi~. 2. 'l'he knowledge or God will reveal to us the special grounds for co □ fidenco in him, viz. (1) loving-kindness, disposing him to help the needy; (2) justice, making it apparent Ilia~ lw will concern ~imself i°: human affairs ns the Ki,!~ ruling all into order; and (3) nghleonsncss, showrng that m the uroa,\est 11·:iy he w,11 246 THE BOOK OF TUE l'ROPHE'l' JEREMIAH. [oH. 1x. 1-20.
maintain the right. Hence it will be apparent that God can and will help us only in accordance with these principles of bis character; and we must·know them, not only to learn thereby to confide in him, but also to bring ourselves into that spirit which will justify us in expecting his mercy, i.e. reconciliation to his love, submis8ion to his government, and obedience to bis righteous will. 0