II. The etilb of a condition of base bulonq to all classes of life. 1. The nation, Moab had lived for ages amongst her hills and fertile fields beyond the surging tide of the world's restless changes which swept along the western side of the Jordan between Egypt and the northern nations. She was not the better for this isolation. Wan, iDTasions, ra*oIutioii8, turn out to be ultimately serviceable to the cause of human progress. 2. The Ghttrch. The Middle Ages, when the Church was all-powerful and at ease, were the dark ages of Christendom. The disturbance of the Reformation was a new birth to the Church, in the good of which even the Roman Cai holies shared by the stimulus it bruught to zeal and the check it put on the paganizing spirit prevalent in Italy in the fifteenth century. 3. The individual Christian. In times of ease we tend to become worldly, and our devotion cools. Trouble drives us to prayer and wakens the deeper instincts of the soul (Heb. xiL 11).
Vor. 29. — Pride, With accumulated phrases emphasis is laid upon this leading sin of Moab, a sin which is condemned throughout Scripture as one of great wickedness.
I. The natube of pbioe. Pride is a passion rising out of an inordinate opinion of our own worthiness. It is to be distinguished from vanity. Vanity is eager for the admiration of others, though, perhaps, in its own heart conscious of possessing but little to deserve it. But pride is inwardly elated with the feeling of self-importance, and may be quite indifferent to the opinion of the world. Indeed, the height of pride is to scorn the admiration as much as the hatred of other men, to look down upon the " dim multitude " as in all respects beneath contempt. Vanity craves social position ; pride is essentially lonely. (Nevertheless we must beware of the common injustice oi mistaking all reserve for pride ; this may arise from constitutional habit, &om sensi- tiveness, even from extreme humility.) Vanity smiles with the desire of pleasing; pride frowns in haughty independence. It is possible, however, for a man to have a very high opinion of his own powers, importance, etc., without much pride. For pride is not a mere conviction of the great worth of one's self, it is an emotion, a passion, a dispo- sition to dwell on one's own merits and make idols of them.
n. The sinbttlness of pride. Why is this so strongly condemned in Scriptuis? so hateful to God ? Consider how it must appear in his sight. We are all his helpless 1 hildren ; '' we have erred and strayed from his ways like lost sheep ; " before him we are foul with sin, humiliated with failure ; our best works are poor and imperfect ; in free grace he spares, endures, pardons. Where, then, is there ground for pride? Pride is the denial of guilt, the assumption that the good we receive from Qod is deserved ; it is, therefore, a gross presumption, an evidence of base ingratitude, a proof of self-will that refuses to humble itself before the good and holy Father.
III. The injubioub effects of pride. 1. It blinds us to our oum danger. It assumes that all must be well. But the assumption does not alter facts. It only aggravates the danger by preventing us from taking precautions against it. Moab was not saved in the general overthrow of the nations for all her pride. Humility sees the stumbling-block in the path, but pride holds its head so high as never to observe it, and so falls over it (Prov. ivi. 18). 2. It prevents us from securing our oum highest good. This can only be given by the mercy of God, and he can only bestow it on the humble, the contrite, the submissive. The proud man bars his own heart against the incoming of the grace of God. 3. It hinders the good work of life. It is directly opposed to charity ; it is incongruous with that spirit of mutual concession and co-operation which is required in the service of life. Thus pride often wastes those very powers on the existence of which it stands. To conquer pride let us look at oui lives in the light of the life of the meek and humble Jesus of Nazareth.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS.
Vers. 11 — 13. — The ease cf Moah. A figure: wine-casks long undisturbed, whose contents improve and mellow in their taste, at length tilted by the coopers so that tb« win* ii spilled.
CH. XLViu. 1— 47.] THE BOOK Oif' THE PllOl'HET JEREMIAH. 23 J
I. 'WOULDLT PROSPEEITY IB OFTEN VERT GREAT AND UMNTEBBUPTBD. 1. Frequency
remarked. Heathen nations, whose very backwardness and barbariam have isolated them from the disturbing stream of the world's life ; and empires that seem to be based upon irreligion and wrong, and that are nevertheless in the van of civilization. The men who make the colossal fortunes of modern times are not, as a rule, distinguished for their religious virtues. Sins tliat immediately destroy some are committed witli impunity by others. Many of the most ancient and lucrative vested interests of the world are owned by persons without moral character, and are prostituted to the basest purposes. 2. The moral, perplexity of this. When wealth and influence almost phenomenally great are thus acquired and used, they cannot fail to trouble the minds of good men. The difSculLies of a moral and religious life are so great that such a spectacle tempts and saddens. Israel had been afflicted from her youth (Fs. cxxix. 1 — 3), whilst Moab was at ease. David was envious when he saw the prosperity of the wicked (Ps. Ixxiii. 3).
II. Sinners are thereby confirmed in their evil habits Ain> BKLixn. The material wealth and secular position of Moab were doubtless gre.itly advanced by this long security, and a kind of prestige attached to him amongst neighbouring nations. Uis customs gradually acquired a fixed and immovable authority. The national character, witli all its inherent vices, devel(j])ed a strong individuality: "His taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed." One trait of this character, for which Ml lab was notorious and intolerable, was his pride (ver. 29). His attachment to idolatry was also intense ; his inhabitants were the " pei pie of Chemosh " (ver. 46). To add to the cup of his transgression, he " magnified himself against the Lord" (ver. 42). All this is in strict analogy with what may be observed anywhere under similar circumstances. National pride grows with impunity and conquest; and prejudice strengthens itself in the apparent success of its policy of life and the blessing that seema to attach to its religious observances. Israel was a derision to Moab (ver. 27).