The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 377

martyrdom is unavoidable without unfaithfulness, we mc1y honour God an<l benefit men moro by our death than by our life. Ver. 16.-Tlie words of God found and eaten. I. THE WORDS OF Goo REQUIRE To DE FOUND. They arc not emblazoned on the face of the world that the most careless may not miss them. They are hicl.den treasures to be dug for, pearls of great price to be so~ght after. Divine truth in nature is only discoverable after thoughtful observation and reflection. The prophets were especially commissioned to toil in deep mines of spiritual thought. Revelation was born in them with labour, fasting watching, praying. But the words of God are not so hidden that they cannot b; discovered by the earnest and prayerful seeker after truth. He that seeks shall find (Matt. vii. 8). Many honest, earnest men pass through a season of doubt, but few such remain hopeless sceptics all their lives. Of those who never find the light probably some are suffering from some moral or intellectual perversity which distorts their vision, and others are not content to trust to the measure of light that has been given to them, and remain restless and questioning because they desire satisfaction in a direction wherein it cannot yet be afforded. But so long as all such men do not convert doubt into settled unbelief, and are not satisfied with doubt, we may be assured that ultimately the Father of lights will dispel the darkness that now troubles their souls. II. THE WORDS OF Goo ABE FOOD. Truth is food for the soul. Christ, the "Word made flesh," is the" Bread of life." Truth is not simply revealed to amuse our curiosity; it is intended to feed our starving souls. The object of relevation is practical. The result of rightly using revelation is seen in an increase of spiritual vitality, in refresh- ment, heightened energy and growth in the inner life. Jf the words of God have not attained this end, they have failed of their object. They are food because they are not empty breath but the vehicles of vital truths-of spirit and life (John vi. 63). God is in his own words. They are inspired words. With the spoken words we receive the life-giving Spirit. III. THE WORDS OF Goo MUST BE EATEN TO PROFIT us. It is not enough that they nre spoken, heard, understood, believed, remembered, admired; they must be eaten. 1. We must apply them to ourselves. The starving man gains nothing by looking at food through a shop-window. The external intellectual study of truth is profitless to the soul. We must bring it to bear upon our own circumstances-hear the voice of God speaking directly to us and in regard to our immediate conduct. 2. We must meditate over the words of God. Food mwt be masticated and digested. Truth must be analyzed, ideas separated and compared," inwardly digested," hidden in the soul :md quietly thought over. Our common habit is to treat it too superficio.lly and hastily. 3. We must abstract tlte vital ideas from the dry husk of words. Words are uot profitable so long as they are regarded from the outside as mere language. Wo must break the shell and get at tho kernel, casting aside the flesh that proliteth nothing and assimilating the spirit that quickeneth. IV. THE WORDS OF Goo BRING JOY WHEN THEY ARE FOUND AND EATEN. To some they appear to be dull sayings, to some stern utterances of law, to some ho.rsh messages of judgment. This is because they are not properly applied. They must first be truly found and eaten-applied, meditated on, spiritually assimilated. Then they lead to joy, for: 1. All truth is essentially noble, beautiful, and glorious. 2. Even the darker truth is wholesome as a warning, like nauseous medicine that cures pain and restores the serenity of health. 3. The highest truth is a revelation of the love of God ~a gospel of good will to. men. V. THE SE0BET OF THE JOY AND PROFIT OF Goo's WORDS IS IN THE RELATION OF THE SOUL TO _Goo. Jeremiah is called by the Name of Jehovah, the God of hosts. If we are strangers to God, his words will seem distant and of little interest. We prize the words of those we love. God speaks helpful and comforting words to his own reconciled children, Ver. 17.-The sadness and solitude of a prophet. I. A PROPHET'S COMMUNION WITH Goo DOES NOT PRECLUDE EARTHLY BADNESS AND SOLITUDE. Jeromiah was not plunged into grief through any unfaithfulness; he was under no shadow in regard to heavenly communications; yet he was sad and solitary. 1, Consider the sadness. While we are 380 '1'1IE BOOtr. 01" '1'1IE l'IlOPHET Jli:REMIA1I. Cun. xv. 1-21.