The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 153

16). It was also a cause of their not rightly receiving it; for dislike to truth blinds the eye to the nature of it. n: 'l'HE BURDEN OF TRUTH. In spite of all these grounds for discourao-cmcnt Jeremiah feels that he must utter his message when once be considers its ori:in and characler. 1. Truth is a trust from God. It is "the fury of the Lord" that p~ssesses the prophet, not the mere passion of his own thoughts. He who holds a Divine truth is a steward of an oracle of God. Woe to him if he consult his own convenience and rely only on his own judgment when, as a. steward, he is called to be faithful to his Master's will. His duty is to speak; the consequences may be left to God. 2. Truth is on inspiration from_ God. ~eremiah ~"full of the fll:ry of Jehovah." The Spirit of God has possessed him; h~ 1s brought into SYJ?l.Pa!hy _with the thought and feeling of God: he must needs utter this. If men feel the mspirat1on of truth they will be carried away by it and poor considerations of worldly expediency will be swept on one side by the flood of a Divine passion. 3. Truth is a burden on the soul which cries/or utter- ance. Jeremiah exclaims, " I am weary with holding in I" " Woe is me I" cries St. Paul, as he thinks of the suggestion to restrain his preaching the gospel. Under great passions men do not speak measured words, chosen in strict cousidera.tion for their bearers ; they speak to give vent to their own souls. The gra.ndest utterances of humanity, in prophecy and in poetry, are free from all calculations a.s to the reception of them b;y a.n au~ience. They are unrestrainable expressions of the soul; like the songs of birds flowmg from the very fulness of the heart. 4. Truth is/or the good of mankind. Jeremiah must speak, for what he utters concerns others than himself. No one has a right to the monopoly of any great truth. It is common property, and he who hides it steals it. If his excuse is that men cannot understand it, let him remember (1) that be is not an infallible judge of the capa.cities of other men; and (2) that his duty is to bear his testimony, whether men will hear or no, and to lea.ve all further responsibility with them. Ver. 14.-False peace. L TrrE CRAVING FOR PEACE IS NATURAL, These false prophets gained their influence by professing to satisfy a natural instinct, The Jews dreaded war with their great neighbours. 1. All wicked men are at heart in a state of unrest. 'l'he soul that sins is at war with God, with the law and order of the universe, with its own nature. 2. 'l'his condition is distressing. The outward warfare begets inward unrest. Then, above all things, peace is the great want of the soul. Wealth, success, happiness, can be spared if but this jewel is still preserved. All great philosophies and all earnest religions set themselves to the ta.sk of discovering or creating it. II. THE PRETENSIONS OF FALSE PEAOE ARE PLAUSIBLE. The prophets dissuaded their bearers from attending to the warning words of Jeremiah, and endeavoured to make them believe that they were in no danger. There is much that is very popular in arguments such as theirs. 1. They agree with the wishes of the hearers. Men are always inclined to believe what they wish. 2. They flatter the pride of the populace. The people are told that they are too grea.t and too favoured of Heaven to suffer any serious calamity, and they are only too ready to believe it. 3. They claim the merits of charity. They promise pleasant things. '!'his looks more charitable than the threat- ening language of stem censors. Hence the prophets win favour for their appa.rent geniality and liberal sentiments. 4. 'l'hey require no sacrifices from those who accept them. The doctrine is popular because the practice flowing from it is easy. The flattering prophets called to no reforma~ion of charact_cr. 6. They ~a.ve appearances in their favour. At present all looks fair. Is not this a presumpt10n that the future will be happy? '!'he sun is rising in gold and crimson; why, then, prophesy the approach of a storm? III. THE PRETENSIONS Oll' FALSE PEACE ARE RUINOUS. 1. These pretensions do nothing to secure the peace. They simply lead men to believe that they are to enjoy it. Such a belief cannot alter facts. If there is no peace we do not make peace by cryin~, " Pea::e, peace!" 'l'his is the language of folly and indolence. 2. 'l'heso del11sions only aggravate the danger. 'l'hey prevent men from preparing for tho calamity by blinding them to the near advent of it. JV, 'fllERE IS A WAY BY WHICH TIIE NA'rURAT, CRAVING FOR PEA0E MAY DIC SATISFIED, 011, vr. 1--30.] 'IRE BOOK OF THE PROPHE'r JEREMIAH. 1:'.il