"
The prophet gives a thundering message, that they might be terrified
and have some convictions and inclinations to repent; but it seems
that the false prophets, the false priests, went about stifling
people's convictions, and when they were hurt or a little terrified,
they were for daubing over the wound, telling them that Jeremiah was
but an enthusiastic preacher, that there could be no such thing as war
among them, and saying to people, Peace, peace, be still, when the
prophet told them there was no peace.
The words, then, refer primarily unto outward things, but I verily
believe have also a further reference to the soul, and are to
be referred to those false teachers who, when people were under
conviction of sin, when people were beginning to look toward heaven,
were for stifling their convictions and telling them they were good
enough before. And, indeed, people generally love to have it so; our
hearts are exceedingly deceitful and desperately wicked; none but the
eternal God knows how treacherous they are.
How many of us cry, Peace, peace, to our souls, when there is no
peace! How many are there who are now settled upon their lees, that
now think they are Christians, that now flatter themselves that they
have an interest in Jesus Christ; whereas if we come to examine their
experiences we shall find that their peace is but a peace of the
devil's making--it is not a peace of God's giving--it is not a peace
that passeth human understanding.
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