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present day is to be content with a vague earnestness； to abstain from
all sharply cut and distinct views； to be an honorary member of all
schools of thought； and to maintain that no man can be unsound in the
faith if he exhibits zeal and works hard。
（b） But； after all； your religion must have roots； if it is to live and
bear fruit in this cold world。 〃Earnestness；〃 and 〃zeal；〃 and 〃work〃
are brave words； but； like cut flowers stuck in a garden； they have no
power of continuance； if they have no hidden roots below。 Admitting to
the full that there are secondary things in religion； about which those
who are young may fairly suspend their judgment and wait for light； I
charge you to remember that there are first things about which you must
be decided and make up your minds。 You must； I say； if you want peace
within； and desire to be useful。 And among these first things stand
forth like mountains in a plain； the two great truths which are laid
down in the text which heads this paper； Christ's death for our sins；
and Christ's miraculous resurrection。 Grasp tightly these two great
truths。 Plant your feet firmly on them。 Feed your own soul on them。
Live on them。 Die on them。 Never let them go。 Strive to be able to say；
〃I know whom I believe；〃not what； but whom。 I live by faith in One
who died for me； and rose again。 Be decided about this at any cost； and
in due time all other truths shall be added to you。
（c） Some； it may be； into whose hands this paper may have fallen are
going forth from the quiet haven of a happy home into the battle and
conflict of busy life。 But wherever your lot may be cast； whether in
town or in country； whether among rich or poor； I hope you will try to
do good。 And remember one chief problem you will have to be continually
solving is how to help souls who are labouring under the burden of sin；
crushed down with sorrow； or oppressed with the fear of death。 And when
that time es； remember the word that I speak to you this day。The
only way to do good is to walk in St。 Paul's steps； and to tell men
first； foremost； continually； repeatedly； publicly； and from house to
house； that Jesus Christ died for their sins； rose again for their
justification； lives at the right hand of God to receive； to pardon；
and to preserve； and will soon e again to give them a glorious
resurrection。 These are the truths which the Holy Ghost has always
blessed； is blessing； and will bless until the Lord es。 These were
St。 Paul's 〃first things。〃 Resolve and determine that by God's grace
they shall be yours in this generation。 I knew a man of God who made a
great mark in his day； who said to me； thirty…five years ago； that
Jeremiah was pre…eminently a book for the latter days of England。 To
that opinion I entirely subscribe。 Holding that opinion； I ask my
readers to hear a few words about the text which I have chosen。 I
mend it to you as a text for the times。
__________________________________________________________________
＇4＇ The substance of these pages was originally delivered as a sermon
before the University of Oxford； in my turn as Select Preacher at St。
Mary's in the year 1830。
__________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER V
Jer。 6：16。
THE GOOD WAY。
＇5＇
〃Thus saith the Lord； Stand ye in the ways； and see； and ask for the
old paths； where is the good way； and walk therein； and ye shall find
rest for your souls。〃 Jer。 6：16。
THE book of the prophet Jeremiah receives from most Christians far less
attention than it deserves。 It is a noteworthy fact that hardly any
portion of Holy Scripture is the subject of so few exhaustive
mentaries and expositions。
I fail to see the reason of this parative neglect。 The book was
written； under God's inspiration； by a Jewish priest； at a peculiar
crisis； in the last days of the kingdom of Judah。 Jeremiah was God's
messenger to a wicked king；a worldly aristocracy；a corrupt people；
in a rotten Church； and a dead formal priesthood。 He warned his
countrymen faithfully； but； like Cassandra of old； he was not believed。
He lived to see the plete ruin of Church and State； the city burnt；
the temple of Solomon destroyed； and the people carried into captivity。
And； finally； it is a Christian tradition； that； after being dragged
into Egypt by the Jewish refugees； who fled there； he died the death of
a martyr。
I repeat that the writings of such a prophet as this deserve more
attention than they have hitherto received。
I。 First of all； you have in this text excellent general advice。
Jeremiah says to you； 〃Stand； and see； and ask。〃 I take these words to
be a call to thought and consideration。 They are as though the prophet
said； 〃Stop and think。 Stand still； pause； and reflect。 Look within；
behind； and before。 Do nothing rashly。 What are you doing？ Where are
you going？ What will be the end and consequence of your present line of
action？ Stop and think。〃
Now to set men thinking is one great object which every teacher of
religion should always keep before him。 Serious thought； in short； is
one of the first steps toward heaven。 〃I thought on my ways；〃 says the
Psalmist； 〃and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies〃 （Ps。 119：59）。 The
prodigal son in the parable 〃came to himself〃 before he came to his
father。 He began to consider quietly the folly and uselessness of his
conduct； and then； and not till then； he returned home； saying；
〃Father； I have sinned〃 （Luke 15：18）。 Want of thought is； in truth； the
simple cause why many make shipwreck for ever。 There are but few； I
suspect； who deliberately and calmly choose evil； refuse good； turn
their back on God； and resolve to serve sin as sin。 The most part are
what they are because they began their present course without thought。
They would not take the trouble to look forward and consider the
consequence of their conduct。 By thoughtless actions they created
habits which have bee second nature to them。 They have got into a
groove now； and nothing but a special miracle of grace will stop them。
That is a solemn charge which Isaiah brings against Israel： 〃My people
doth not consider〃 （Isa。 1：3）。 〃I never gave it a thought；〃 is the sad
excuse which I have heard many a man or woman in the lower classes make
for sin。 The words of Hosea are strictly true of thousands： 〃They
consider not in their hearts〃 （Hos。 7：2）。
There are none； we must all be aware； who bring themselves into so much
trouble by want of thinking as the young。 From natural high spirits and
ignorance of the world； they are always tempted to look only at the
present and forget the future。 Too often they marry in haste and repent
at leisure； and lay up misery for life by wedding an uncongenial
partner。 Too often they choose in haste a wrong profession or business；
and find； after two or three years； that they have made an
irretrievable mistake； and； if I may borrow a railway phrase； have got
on the wrong line of rails。 Esau thought only of present gratification；
and sold his birthright for a mess of pottage。 Dinah must needs go 〃to
see the daughters of the land；〃 thinking no harm； and ends by losing
her own character； and bringing trouble on her father's house （Gen。
34：1…31）。 Lot thought only of the present advantage of settling in the
well…watered valley around Sodom； and forgot the consequence of being
mingled with a people who were 〃sinners before God exceedingly〃 （Gen。
13：13）。 All these found to their cost the folly of not considering；
looking forward； and thinking。 They sowed to the flesh； and they reaped
a harvest of sorrow and disappointment； because they did not 〃stand and
see。〃
These； no doubt； are ancient things。 Every middle…aged person can shake
his head over the foolishness of young people； and tell us mournfully
that you 〃cannot put old heads on young shoulders。〃 But the young are
not the only persons who need the exhortation of the text in this day。
It is pre…eminently advice for the times。 Hurry is the characteristic
of the age in which we live。 Railways； and electric telegraphs； and
general petition； appear to oblige modem Englishmen to live in a
constant breathless whirl。 On every side you see the many 〃driving
furiously；〃 like Jehu； after business or politics。 They seem unable to
find time for calm； quiet； serious reflection about their souls and a
world to e。 They have no abstract objection to the doctrines of
Christianity； or to the use of means of grace； the Bible； or private
prayer。 But； alas； they cannot make leisure for them！ They live in a
perpetual hurry； and in a hurry they too often die。 If ever there was
an age in England when Jeremiah's advice was needed； it is now。 If the
prophet could rise from the dead； I believe he would cry aloud to the
men of the nineteenth century； 〃Stop； and think；look forward；stand；