The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 179

Ver. 16.-The good way. The prophet here employs the memory of the past as a motive to repentance. He would fain persuade t.he people to return to the better ways in which their fathers walked. The calamities that were falling so heavily upon them were the result of their having forsaken those good old ways. Let them consider how they have fallen, search out the real causes of the trouble and sorrow they endure retrace their wandering steps, and the old prosperity shall como back to them again: Note here- L THE DIVERSE WAYS MEN TAKE, diverse as regards their moral quality and issues, " Stand ye in the ways." 'l'hink of the various kinds of moral life that men are leadino-, .A.mid the social conditions and relations of this world we are as travellers with many paths branching out in different directions before them, who must choose their own. We may know little of the internal experiences of our associates in the pilgrimage of life, but the broad types of character, the general tendencies of moral habit, are open enough to our view. The " ways" are many, but there is only one path of eternal rectitude and blessedness. There is the way of reckless transgression, of thoughtless indifference, of base avarice, of exclusive devotion to earthly ambitions, of mere virtuous respectability, of religious indecision, etc. ; and there is the way of faith and piety, "the path of tbo just which is as the shining light, that sbineth more and more unto the perfect day." Men cannot help to some extent revealing outwardly the tenor of the life within them. Every one of us bears more or less clearly upon him the stamp of a certain distinctive character. Whatever the bent of bis spirit may be, it will always betray itself, in look, manner, speech, conduct, by the books he reads, the friendships he forms, the places he frequents, the· gratifications in which he delights, through a thousand channefs of selt:.revelation. We are all "living epistles" of something-some type of character, some order of moral life-" known and read of men." H. THE THOUGHTFUL OBSERVATION THESE CONDITIONS DEMAND. "Stand in the ways, and see." It is a great thing to know how to "see." 'l'here a.re those who " seeing, see not." One of the first lessons in the moral science of life, a.s in physical science, is observation-to know how to note facts and trace laws and draw conclusions, to know how to learn and to turn what is learnt to good account. 'l'he characters and lives of others a.re not to be to us mere matters of amusement or philosophic specula- tion, much less ill-natured criticism; but sources of instruction, teachers of practical truth. They all have their admonitory and exemplary use. The higher advantages of social liie have never been reaped, the very rudiments of our duty as social beings have not been mastered, till we thoroughly apprehend this. Let the young specially lay the lesson to heart. Their position is favourable-the plain of lifo before them, not yet entangled in a network of circumstantial _difficulties, nothing to undo that ought never to have been done, no false steps to retrace that were rashly taken. But how soon may they be drawn into forbidden and dangerous paths if they do not consider I As the ship glides imperceptibly from the open sea into the broad mouth of the river, whose distant banks are hidden, so easily are they led captive to the power of evil if they allow themselves to drift with the tide of outward influence and inward impulse, and will not think. At the same time, enlarged experience of life may be expected to give added force to its moral lessons. Deset as a man may be with associa- tions that seem to determine his course for hiru in spite of himself, it is always possible for him to pause and consider bis way. 'l'he darkness and confusion of tho storm may be too great to allow the sailor to take his observations and find out his real place on err. VI. 1-30.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREhlIAII. 177