Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 18:15

15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burnt incense to vanity , and they have caused them to stumble in their wayes from the ancient paths to walk in paths, in a way not cast up .

Forgotten and forsaken are much the same thing differing onely as the cause and the effect, for if men remembred God as they ought to do they would not forsake him.

By Vanity he means Idols, which are called vanity, not only because they are in themselves nothing of what they are pretended to be, and because the worshipping of them is an high degree of sin which is often called vanity in Scripture, but because the service of them is of no use nor profit, or advantage, and any expectations from them are idle, and vain for which there is no ground at all.

Whether the false prophets or the idols are here said to cause them to stumble by receding from the ancient paths is incertain. The words may either be translated paths of Eternity or paths of Antiquity, the most and best t[illegible: 1 letter]anslate it aswe do quod v[illegible: 1 letter]rum primum the ways of truth are the most ancient ways. The ways wherein Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob and all the ancient Patriarchs did walk.

To walk in paths in or a way not cast up not fitted for Gods people to walk in, Prov. 15.19. The way of the Righteous is said to be a way madeplain, Heb. raised up as a causey, wicked men in opposition to these wayes are said to walk in a way not cast up.

Marginal references: chap. 2.13, 32. and 3.21. and 13.25. and 17.13.; chap. 6.16.