To tbe lower animals this comes as n necessary law, n.s a course determined by uncon- scious instinct. To man it comes as a mandate of duty, an impulse in the conscience, a way to be clearly ptirceivcd and freely chosen. But, though the same method for exacting the performance of the Divine or<linnnces which obtains in nat.ure is not enforced on man, those ordinances extend to him; to him nlso they come with Divine sanction. '!'hough man is physicnlly free to rebel, morally he is no more his own master than are the birds who are bound by the lMvs of their instincts. Freedom from compulsion is not freedom from obligation. Il. TnE BIRDS REMIKD US THAT IT IS AS WELL TO ODEY THE DIVINE ORDINANCES. In their migrations they find their welfare secured. Driven by the inward impulse of Divine law written on their instincts, they speeil them over vo.st tracts of unknown land~, and at length find themselves in the clime and at the season which is best suited for them. What an image of implicit faith! We are called to go forth, like Abraham, we know not whither, but like him to find a possession in the unknown land (Heb. xi. 8). The future is unseen, the way is wild and pathless, dark clouds as oi brooding storms gather on the horizon; but if we take as our compass the known will of God, we too shall find sunny climes beyond the seas of trouble, a home at the end of our pilgrimage. III. THE BIRDS, BY THEm EXAMPLE, REBUKE OUR DISOBEDIENCE TO THE DIVINE onDINANCEB. Free to roam through illimitable regions of air, the high-flying stork, the turtle-dove, the swift, and the crane all keep to their true course, not dropping down, tempted by the attractions of leafy vales or fruitful gardens, not turned aside terrified by the horrors of high mountains, lonely deserts, or stormy seas, till they reach their destination in punctual obedience to the mysterious law of their nature. Theso migratory birds are representative of external liberty restrained by inward law. We are not under any outward compulsion nor any inward law of instinct like that of the birds. But we are capable of following a higher law. We have light which is denied to them, and high motives of fear and love to prompt to obedience. If we disobey, the obedience of the birds is an ever-recurring rebuke. Vers. 8, 9.-Untrustworthyliterature. I. LITERATURE MAY HAVE :MANY ATTRACTIONS AND YET BE m.'TBUSTWOBTHY. 1 . ..t1uthority. '!'hey were official prophets and teachers whom Jeremiah opposed. Errors gain power when they are pronounced ex cathedra. The belief in papal infallibility is but one instance of a common human weakness. 2. Pretentiousness. The self-styled wise men of Jeremiah's age were confident and boastful. The world is too ready to take a man at his own estimate of himself. Vehement assertion is often accepted instead of solid proof. 3. Nume:rical force. Jeremiah stood as one against many. No mistake is greater than the assumption ol so-called common sense, that truth may be presumed to reside with the rq.ajority. How often from the days of Noah downwards has it been found with the few I 4, Popular style. These" wise" men knew how to suit the taste of the multitude; they could prophesy smootb things. There is a fearful fascination in literary style. The groat danger to the cultivated is that they should select for their guides those writers whoso language is most pleasing in place of those whose arguments are most sound. Lies may be commended by brilliant epigrams, and unwholesome passions fostered by splendid poetry. The ease and fluency of Hume and the wit of Voltaire were effective with many persons who would not have been moved by bare arguments. II. IF LITERATURE IS UNTRUE IT SHOULD DE 'l'REATED AS WORTHLESS. 1. Style is but the vesture of thought, and thought is but idle fancy if it does not correspond to fact. The first question to be asked about a writer is not,:" Are his ideas novel, original, striking? are they beautiful, grand, imposing? are they pleasing, popular, accept- able?" but simply, ".Are they true?" If this question in answered in the negative, aU other recommendations may be considered ns worse than worthless. 'fhe sweeter the bait, the more dangerous the trap. 2. 'l'he test of truth in religions literature is con- formity to the Word of God. '!'he Scripture is a guide and authority to the Chr!stian. God's word in nature, pro,.i,lencc, and coni:cience must be heard and i_nterpr_et_ed if men would speak truly on 1hese subjectM. The profession to be speakmg D1v1na words founded either on a pretended revelation or a boast of superior intlllligence, is vain unless the private words of the individual harmonize with the general truth of God'a «lR, vm. 1-22.] '!'HI] BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 210
world-wide revela.tions. 3. Experience will test the truth of li tera.ture. If literature concerns itself with serions subjects, it ca.nnot be rega.rded a.s a trifle of idle hours. It will be brought into judgment. Experience will try it. No lie can be eternal, The ,elf-styled "wise" men will "have to be asha.meJ," "dismayed and taken," when events contradict their untrue la.nguage.