a glass you may recognise your own countenances, and fall under the conviction which your judgment calls for at the hands of others. With this view, I will endeavour to set before you,
I. The impiety of that people —
To behold this in its just light, we must look back to the preceding chapters, and mark distinctly,
1. Their voluntary engagements —
[After the King of Babylon had carried the Jews into captivity, he permitted a small remnant to return ; and placed over them a governor of their own nation, Geclaliah by name; and to him flocked a considerable number, who had fled to Moab, and Amnion, and Edom, for refuge from the Chaldeans, that they might once more enjoy peace in their own land, under his protection3. But Ishmael, who was of the seed royal, envying Gedaliah this honour, conspired against him, and slew him; and then forced the people to follow him, with an intention to deliver them into the hands of the Ammonites b. Johanan, a friend of Gedaliah, had suspected Ishmael's inten- tions; and had offered to defeat them, by secret assassination. And as soon as Ishmael had accomplished his murderous designs, Johanan followed him, and prevailed on the people to return with him. But when he had brought them back as far as Bethlehem, he was afraid of settling there, lest the Babylonish monarch, whose viceroy had been destroyed, should come and wreak his vengeance on him and the people, who had been altogether innocent in the matter: he contemplated, therefore, the seeking a refuge in Egypt, where he thought he should be altogether out of the reach of the King of Babylon0. But, being doubtful what the Lord's will respecting it might be (for God had forbidden them ever to return to Egyptd), he, at the head of all the people, from the least to the greatest, came to Jeremiah, and intreated him to seek direction from the Lord ; and pledged themselves, in the most solemn man- ner, to obey his voice, whatever it might be, or whatever might be its aspect on their present comfort e.
Now, in all this, especially I mean in referring the matter to God, Johanan acted in a manner that was truly becoming ; for his fears were certainly well grounded ; and, in a matter of such difficulty, it became him to request the intercession of God's highly-favoured servant, the Prophet Jeremiah, and to seek, by all possible means, direction from God. But, behold,
a Jer. xl. 7—12. b Jer. xli. 2, 10. c Jer. xli. 17, 18.
d Deut. xvii. 16. e Jer. xlii. 1—6.
u 2