Jer. xxxiii. 3. Call unto me, and I luill answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
IT is curious to observe in what different estima- tion the same persons are held by their fellow-crea- tures and by God. We may certainly be allowed to say, that there was not, at the time referred to in our text, a more holy person upon earth than Jere- miah ; yet by his countrymen was he held in such abhorrence, as to be deemed worthy only of impri- sonment and death. God, on the contrary, honoured him with the highest tokens of his regard. As a friend (so to speak), he repeatedly visited him in pri- son ; he encouraged him to inquire into his most secret counsels, and confided to him the most stupendous mysteries both of his providence and grace.
We need not however confine our attention to Jeremiah : for the words, though primarily addressed to him, may well be applied to all who suffer for right- eousness' sake, and to all who are truly devoted to their God. In this view, they accord with many other passages of Scripture ; and contain a most important truth, namely, that prayer is the necessary and effectual means of obtaining divine knowledge.
I. It is necessary —
God is always represented as the fountain of light and truth —
[He is " the Father of lights :" and whatever light there is in the whole creation, it is all derived from him. There are indeed amongst us stars of greater and smaller magnitude ; but all in themselves are opaque, and destitute of any native lustre : they shine only by a borrowed light, and are glorious only in proportion as they reflect a greater or less portion of Jehovah's beams. Even where their knowledge is only in arts and sciences, it must be traced to God as its author ; much more must it be so, when it pertains to things which the natural man is not able to receive. " In the hearts of all that are wise-hearted, I have put wisdom*."]
a Exod. xxxi. 3, 6.