莱尔主教upper_room-第15章
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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；
and see。〃
Let me； as Christ's minister； impress on all into whose hands these
pages may fall； the absolute necessity of resisting the current of the
age；the absolute necessity of making time for your souls。 The
restless； high…pressure hurry in which men live endangers the very
foundations of personal religion。 Daily private prayer and daily
Bible…reading are too often jostled into a corner； and hastily slurred
over。 Body and mind are wearied out； when Sunday arrives； by the
intense struggle of week…day life。 Church services are listlessly
attended； and sometimes neglected altogether。 The temptation to idle
away God's day； or to spend it in visiting or dining out； bees
almost irresistible。 Little by little the soul gets into a languid and
relaxed condition； and the fine edge of conscience bees blunt and
dull。 And why？ Simply because in the incessant hurry of business and
politics men never find time to think。 They are not wilfully and of
purpose irreligious； but they give themselves no leisure to stand still
and take stock of the state of their souls。 Even at the end of last
century William Wilberforce made this sorrowful remark about Mr。 Pitt；
〃He was so absorbed in politics； that he had never given himself time
for reflection on religion〃 （Life of Wilberforce； p。 41。 Edition；
1872）。
I ask every reader of this paper to consider his ways。 Beware of the
infection of the times。 Remember the old Spanish proverb； 〃Hurry es
from the devil。〃 Resolve by the grace of God； if you love life； that
you will have regular seasons for examining yourself； and looking over
the accounts of your soul。 〃Stand； and see〃 where you are going； and
how matters stand between you and God。 Beware of perpetual hurried
prayers； hurried Bible…reading； hurried church…going； hurried
munions。 mune at least once a week with thine own heart； and be
still。 Cotton； and coal； and iron； and corn； and ships； and stocks； and
land； and gold； and Liberalism； and Conservatism； are not the only
things for which we were sent into the world。 Death； and judgment； and
eternity are not fancies； but stern realities。 Make time to think about
them。 Stand still； and look them in the face。 You will be obliged one
day to make time to die； whether you are prepared or not。 The last
enemy； when he knocks at your door； will brook no delay； and will not
wait for a 〃convenient season。〃 He must be admitted； and you will have
to go。 Happy is he who； when the roar of business and politics is dying
away on his ear； and the unseen world is looming large； can say； 〃I
know whom I have believed： I have often stood and muned with Him by
faith； and now I go to see as I have been seen。〃
II。 From the general advice which Jeremiah gives in our text； I shall
now pass on to the particular direction which the Lord mands him to
address to the men of his generation。 If they were really willing to
listen to his counsel to 〃stand；
