The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 154

The deceiving prophets do not make peace; they only talk of it. But in the tea.chiw, of true prophets and apostle.~ the way to secure solid peace is revealed. 1. This is show~ to be not immediate. Jeremiah was right in saying that the people must suffer before they enjoyed peace. Christ, the Prince of peace, came to "send a sword" (Matt. x. 34 ). The gospel does not preach "peace at any price," but peace after victory in warfare, rest after patient endurance of tribulation. 2, This is shown to be through repentance and renewal of life. The deceiving prophets promise peace to the people as they arc. While we are in sin we cannot have true peace (Isa. xlviii. 22). Peace follows the advent of the Spirit of Christ (John xiv, 26, 27). Ver. 16.-The old paths. I. CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION TO FOLLOW THE OLD PATHS. 1. The course of life should be determined after thoughtful deliberation. Jeremiah is to "stand in the ways and see." It is foolish to go with the multitude without individual convictions of what is right, or to follow our own private impulses blindly and aimlessly. 2. The choice should fall on a good way. Other ways may be smooth, pleasant, flowery at the starting, only to lose themselves in the pathless wilderness, while this may look more rugged and steep at first; but it should not be the present attractiveness, but the direction, the whole course and the end of a way, which should determine our choice of it. 3. There are old paths of right. Religion has not to be made anew. It is not left for the latest saint to discover the way of holiness. 4. Having found the right way, we should forthwith" walk therein." Know- ledge is useless without practice; nay, guilt is aggravated if, knowing the right, we follow the 'wrong. 5. In the right way is rest for the soul. Even while on the earthly pilgrimage many quiet resting-places may be found (Ps. xxiii. 2), through all the course an inward peace may he enjoyed (Prov. iii. 17), and at the end will be found the perfect rest of the home of God (Heb. iv. 9). II. CONSIDER THE GROUNDS ON WHICH THIS BECOllllllENDATION IS BASED. 1. Old ways have been tested by experience. We choose for a guide one who has already traversed the country. In an unknown land we naturally turn to beaten tracks in preference to following stray footprints across the wild, or striking out for ourselves a pathless way. If others have done rough pioneer work, why should not we avail ourselves of it? If they have reached the goal, they have proved that it is attainable by their way. 'rhis is fact; that a new way will be easier or shorter is conjecture. There is, therefore, a presumption in favour of the old. 2. Old ways in religion are nearer to the original fo11ntai11s of inspiration. Israel was referred back to the old ways marked out by Moses, the great founder of the Jewish faith. Uhristians are referred back to primitive Christianity, to the teaching of the apostles, to the life and example of Christ. Christianity is not a speculation, a creation of the spirit of the age. It is a tradition, a following of those Divine counsels which are indicated in the New Testament. Ill. CONSIDER THE LilllITATIONB TO THE APPLICATION 01!' THIS RECOMMENDATION. 1. The old we.ye are to be followed only in so far as they are good. Still we must judge by our own conscience. Antiquity must not be taken as a despotic master. There are bad old ways. The first-born man struck out an evil wny; it was left to Abel, the second-born, to show the better course, 2. In considering the character of an old way, we must take note of the character and light of those who founded it. 'l.'bero have been dark ages in the past. Corruption soon crept in. Things are not good just in proportion to their age. Christians must look, not to the Puritans, the Reformers, the medimval Church, the Fathers, but, passing numerous errors and corruptions, reach back to Christ himself for the true old WI\Y, He is tlie Way (John xiv. 6). 3. We must ever progreas beyond the attainments of the past. We are to follow those old ways that are good; we are 'to build on the one foundation. But we are not to be con- tent with having the foundation. The fabric must rise higher and higher (1 Cor. iii. 11-15). Christianity is a religion of progress. It is not to be subject to revolutions. Progress must follow the lines laid down by Christ and his apostles. Christianity is not strengthened nor adorned, but only burdened and hidden, by a mere l\ccretion of human ideas and institutions; yet it is a seed which grows, developing lnr11:er, fuller lifo out of its own essential principles (Matt. xiii. 31). Jeremiah himself took a great stride forward beyond the limitJ attained by antiquity, though in the <l.ircction of the  152 'l'llE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [dII, vr. 1~30,