III. A DANOEB OF FBIDE. Bich Moab is proud. The wealthy man is tempted to transfer his high estimation of his possessions to himself. Because he has much he is induced to think that he is much, and the world too often urges him to this mistake by its despicable sycophancy to mere money. Wlien will people learn to value men by their characters and not by their purses? If pride has any valid excuse for existence, this must be found in the true nature of a man and his own personal ey^cellences. Before God we are judged solely by what we are. Our possessions will only aggravate our guilt if they have been abused, for they will be regardeii as talents to be accounted for, never as merits to secure us any reward. Therefore the pride of the rich man may be his ruin.
Ver. 10. — Slack tervice. " Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord slackly." These words refer immediately to the terrible work of destruction. We shudder at hearing so fearlul a curse ; but we should remember that, if the slaughter were believed to be in accordance with God's will, and there ore also believed to be right and necessary, there could be no excuse for neglecting it. We may derive from this extreme instance a most forcible argument against slack service. If such slackness could appear cursed to the Jew under the most trying circumstances, when pity and all humane instincts cried out against the work, how much more guilty is it in the Christian work uf love 1
L Indications OF SLACK SERVICE. 1. Negative yoodness. Great care to avoid .lU forms of impurity may he foiud together with a reluctance to make any sacrifice or put forth any extrtion. 2. Conventionalism. A man follows in the rut of hL predecessors, evincea
CH. xLvm. 1—47.] THE BOOK OP THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 235
no originality, has no device with which to meet an emergency, never inquires into the suitability of his work to its end, never thinks of improving it, sticks to old ways when the old objects of them are obsolete, cannot break up new ground though new requirements call him to it. 3. Working at half-power. What service is rendered does not come up to the level of requirement nor to the measure of ability. It is done in a slow, dreamy style. 4. Failure he/ore difficulty. The molehill is magnified into a mountain. The opposition, which is the spur to enthusiasm, puts a complete stop to slack service.
n. Causes of black bebvice. 1. Worldlinees. The clay of selfishness is mingled with the strong metal of devotion. A man would serve God and mammon. He tries to do the work of God with one hand, while he advances his own interest with the other. But no work for God is acceptable which is not done with both hands. 2. Unh-lief. This paralyzes much of our work — ^more, I am persuaded, than we are ready to admit. The God served is a shadowy Being, and no wonder the service is faint and I'eeble. 3. Want of devotion. The service of the hands is given without the love of the hiarr. This mechanical work is a poor, spiritless thing. It is love and love only that can inspire a service of unwearying energy. 4. Cowardice. There, is a fear to do diillcult and dangerous work. We pity this for its weakness. We should condemn it as wicked. Should not the servant of Christ be willing to suffer all torments and die for his Lord who suffered and died for him ? " Be thou faithful unto death." 6. Mere indolence. Indolence may be partly constitutional, as in persons of lethargic temperament. Some men are habitually tardy and dilatory. They should learn to resist these tendencies as temptations to fatal unfaithfulness.
in. Evils of slack sebvice. It is no slight failure to be gently rebuked. The curse of God lies upon it. " Cwrsed be he," etc. 1. It is very wicked. We are God's servants, and bound by ties of nature and of gratitude. 2. It is likely to he fruitless. Negligence in work may imperil the whole results of it. If the ship is carelessly steered it may be wrecked. 3. It injtires the man who works negligently. Our manner of work reacts upon ourselves. Indifferent service produces a low tone of life^ coldness, lethargy, unspirituality.
lY. Calls to betteb sebviob. L From the eurw of slack terviee. This curse is a solemn warning. The evils that necessitate it should teriify us from incurring it. 2. From the obligations of duty. " We are not our own ; we are bought with a price." When we do our best we are unprofitable servants. Solemn voices of time and eternit; bid us " work while it is day." " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." 3. Prom the need of the world. Our Christian service is no profitless treadmill drudgery. It is for the good of mankind. The call in the text was to execute wrath ; ours is to do deeds of mercy. The world in its darkness, its misery, its sin, cries luud for the Christian mission of consolation and redemption. Can we sleep while such calls pierce our ears? 4. From the constraining love of Christ. He died for us; he only asks that we shall live for him. But the least we can do is to live faithfully, earnestly, and devotedly, serving the Saviour with all earnest zeal. 6. From the heavenly reward (Heb. xii. 1, 2).
Ver. 11. — " Wine oa the lees." This is a figure of a people left for ages in a condition of ease. They are like wine settled on its lees, unchanged and unpurified.
I. It is bad fob a people to bemain long in a condition of ease. 1. Evil is not purged out. The wine is still on its lees. In times of quiet we settle down coutentt-d with otirselves as well as with our surroundings. We say — Why disturb the air with cries for change while all is still and calm and dreamy as a summer noun ? The old ruin stands unshaken in the faii' weather. But presently the tempest rises, the wind howls, and the broken walls tremble to their foundations. Then we see that repairs must be executed or a new building erected. 2. Progrest in good is stayed. Wine should improve with keeping. But of this wine it is said, " His taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed." Progress needs the stimulus of conflict. Trouble pro- motes reflection and urges to improved action in the future. " Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you I " (Luke vi. 26). 3. Corruption and decay are induced. Ease means stagnation, and stagnation decomposition. If the vital functions are arrested, the body wiU not remain like a marble statue. Very soon other actions are set up,
234 THE BOOK OP THE tBQPHET JEllEMIAH. [oh. xlviii. 1— 47
aad the qniet of death gives place to a horrible scene of rapid corruption. The stagnant soul becomes the dead soul, and this a mass of moral rottenness.