Vers; 8-10.-The choice between life and death. I. THE cno1CE WAS FREE. It was left to the Jews to choose which course they would take. God has endowed every man with freedom of will, opening up to him a vast range of possibilities. All of us have opportunities for choosing life and blessedness if only we will seek them. A Divine vocation marks out for us a course which we ought to follow in preference to the fancies of our own inclination, and a. Divine destiny sets us down in a. certain sphere bpunded by definite limitations beyond which we cannot go; but within theso limits we are free from compulsion, and even in regard to the vocation no force is exerted to make us follow it. We a.re under moral obligation to do so, but we are left to freely acknowledge or reject the claims of that obligation. II. 'l'HE CHOICE WAS MOMENTOUB. lt was between life and death. These were the great alternatives of the Deuteronomic covenant (Deut. xxx. 19). The same alterna- tives are set before us spiritually (Rom. vi. 23). tife is not to be played with; tre- mendous issues depend on the manner in which it is conducted. Religion is no mere topic of abstract speculation for learned leisure, no empty toy for idle sentiment; it is of vast practical moment, for it deals with the choice of the greatest possible alterna- tives-life and death. III. THE 0HOICE WAS LIMITED. The choice which was set before the Jews by Jere- miah was gloomy enough. 'l'be best prospect offered to them was escape from massacre indeed, but escape to exile and captivity. We may come to such a. condition that uo effort will restore the lost possessions and gladness of the past. Even though there is no ground for despair, though the worst may be avoided, our conduct may bear such inevitable fruits in poverty, loss of position, alienation of friends, sickness, etc., that our best prospects may be far from satisfactory. 'rhis is necessary, for moral choice cannot undo past facts nor overleap the barriers of physical law. It is wise, for the disagree- able fruits of sin may be useful medicines in the forru of cbe.stisemcnt. Yet the New Testament offers us a freer choice for the ultimate future; as the alternative of death not captivity and a. life of sorrow, but eternal life and liberty, tho full restoration to the blessings of God's favour (1 John v. 11, 12). IV. 'rHE CHOICE OF LIFE INVOLVED SAFETY WITH SUBMISSION. Jeremiah said that death would await those who stayed in Jerusalem to resist the invader from behind the city walls, while they who went out to the field to yield themselves up without fight- ing would be spared. For this advice the prnphet was regarded as a traitor. It was justified, because (1) resistance was utterly hopeless, (2) submission was required by God to a. divinely appointed chastisement', (3) the Divine a.id with which the Jews had won their victories in the past would not be forthcoming in this case. It is never dishonourable to submit to the will of God. True patriotism will seek tho good of the nation rather than its transirnt glory. 'l'he method of escape offered tu the Jews JEREMIAH, 2 J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [011. x.xx. 1-14.
illustrates the Christ.ian method 0f ~.ih:1tion. 'l'he Jews were to escapo by leaving their ramparts and meeting their foes defenceless in the open field. We are to save our life by losing it. The Jews found safety in submission. 'l'he. Christian salvation is secured, not by fighting and grasping at our rights, but by yielding to tho will of God in Christ, and submitting to this even when it brings chastisement.