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Jer_6:16
The case assumed is that of a traveller, who, on his journey, finds himself at the opening of many ways, and knows not with any assurance which of them leads to his resting-place, or which of them will bring him thither by the most direct and the safest road. The place which he seeks is a most ancient city, the way to which men have traversed in all ages. That fresh foot-path through the flowery meadows—that bridle-path round by the marshes—this fresh cutting through the hills—these will not do for him; he must ask for the old path. But there may be more old paths than one. The broad and pleasant way that leadeth to destruction, is as old as, and far better frequented than the strait road that leadeth unto life. It is, therefore, necessary to seek not only “the old path,” but “the good way.” Although every old way may not be good, the good way is certainly old; if, therefore, the traveller finds and follows the way that is both old and good, he is safe—he shall without fail reach his home at last, and “find rest to his soul.”
As this last expression occurs only in one other place, the mind is carried forward to our Savior’s invitation: “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden,…. and ye shall find rest to your souls.” And to come, is not to come to Him, but by Him; for again, He says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”
There was never yet found, and never will be found, any way of rest or safety for the soul, but by Him. And this is the old way. The apostle, indeed, calls it “a new and living way,”—(Heb_10:20)—as having then received new and fuller illustration; yet it is a way as old as the Fall, as old as the Creation: and, indeed, in the purpose and foreknowledge of God, older than the Creation. There is no older way than this, nor any so safe; there is no other, indeed, that is safe. It was not then, when the apostle wrote, a way newly opened, for it existed before all time; nor was it then newly revealed, for it had been made known to man so soon as he had fallen; nor was it then newly made use of, for all the Old Testament saints were saved by the same grace of Christ, and justified by his righteousness, and their sins pardoned through his blood, and expiated by his sacrifice—the same as those who have lived under the New Testament. In those latter days this ancient path had been more clearly shown and more fully opened up—just as now many an old road is opened up to the sun and air, by the removal of the dense foliage that grew on either side and met overhead, admitting only here and there some stray beams of the sun, and allowing only a few glimpses of the clear blue sky. In all time there is but one way of salvation; there never was any other, and never will be. It is therefore our course, as it was formerly, still to inquire for the old path, the good old way, the pleasant way of Christ.
It is not difficult to find. It has been opened up, cleared and leveled; way-marks have been set up for every step to be taken in it; and in the Scriptures we are provided with a chart of the road, which never yet misled any who turned to it, with a full and earnest purpose to be guided by its indications.
But we may be told to see what differences there are among Christians as to the road, who yet have all this same chart for their guidance, and who all declare that they follow its directions. Well; but it is not so. They agree much more than they differ; and, after all, it is not so much about the way itself that they disagree, for that is very plain, as about the stones with which the way is paved, the length or shortness of the way; or the medicinal qualities of the plants that grow by the wayside.
If men would read their Bibles with meekness and modesty, and study the sacred pages with honest diligence, we should be soon perfectly agreed in all things necessary to salvation, and belonging to the way of life; and, for the rest, we may entertain different notions, and yet rest safe and quiet, and it would signify little whether such controversies were ever settled. When our eternal state seems to be brought into peril and doubt; when the public peace is broken, and the order of Christ’s church disturbed; when private friendships are torn asunder, and grievous misunderstandings arise among those who are the fellow-heirs of the promises, these are not the effects merely of allowable differences of opinion, but of indiscretion, of intemperate heat, and bitter zeal. Whoever examines the rise and growth of dangerous heresies and schisms, will find that their root is more generally in the abuse of knowledge than in the want of it. In short, God has done for us as much as became Him, and as much as we needed. All necessary truth He has made plain and obvious; and He will not call us to severe account for our mistakes and ignorances in lesser matters: and, therefore, although all may deceive themselves in points unessential, yet only they shall have to sustain his fiery indignation who fully deceive themselves in the face of the light He has given to our path, or who labor to pervert and disturb others in their quiet and happy walk along the old path, the good way, that leads them to the true and only rest for their souls.