HOMILIES :SY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. l.-Tl1e Lortl's remembrance besooght. The inhabitants of Judah and JeruSBlem had looked, now to Egypt and now to Assyria, for help and deliverance. Events bad shown upon how broken a reed they had leaned. Their experience was now lee.ding the best among them to another and a surer, higher, Refuge. As the spokesman of bis repenting follow-countrymen, Jeremiah entreats the remembrance and the regard of Jehovah. l. ADVERSITY SOMETIMES LEADS MEN TO SEEK TBE REGARD AND FAVOUR OF THE GoD WHOM IN PROSPERITY THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN. That trouble may foster self- control and patience is a commonplace of moral teaching. But it only answers its highest end when it leads the afflicted to seek and call upon their God. In the noon- day of happiness, the healthy, busy, and joyous too often forget him to whom they are indebted for all Providence is forgotten when the sun shines; clouds and darkness seem to have a natural tendency to remind the soul of God. II. THE LORD'S REMEMBRANCE AND CONSIDERATION ARE AN ASSURANClE OF HELP AND DELIVERANCE. That the Omniscient is not perfectly a.ware of all that happens to man is not for a moment to be supposed. The language of the prophet is human language, adapted to our ignorance and infirmity. The Lord will be entreated ; he summons his children to think of him; and he promises to draw near to those who draw near· to him. The sinner may well dread the all-including gaze of the righteous Judge; but the lowly and believing penitent may well take courage when he learns that, the Lord has not forgotten to be gracious.-T. Ver. 1.-The moral continuity of nations. Man is naturally not merely gregarious, but social. The powers that be, an apostle teaches us, are ordained by God-from which we learn that political and social life have e. Divine sanction. Accordingly, the Judge of all dmls with men, not only as individuals, but as communities. This fact was present to the mind of the prophet when he wrote these words. I. THE FACT OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE MODAL GOVERNOR. The history of the Jews is the history of a theocracy; but it embodied lessons which are adapted to all mankind. Nations have national privileges, national responsibilities, national proba~ tions, national rewards and punishments. II. NATIOKAL BETRIDUTION IS BOlllETWEB DEFERRED FOR A BEASON. The prophets appear to have bad a clear view of this law. Wrong-doing in one generation was seen to be followed by punishment in a succeeding age. Jeremiah is the author of the well- known proverb, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and tho children's teeth are set on edge." The seed (to change the figure) is sown by one generation ; a following generation reaps the harvest. III. THE CERTAINTY THAT PENALTIES WILL BE INFLICTED UPON THE IMPENITENT. There is indeed a sense in which even the repenting and reformed suffer for the sins of those who have gone before them. But for the impenitent and unreformed there is no exception, no escape. We, says the prophet, speaking of himself and of his rebellious and ungodly contemporaries-" we have borne the iniquities of our fathers." 'l'he apostasy and rebellion of the former generations were viHited upon those who endured th(:; horror6 of the siege and the degradation of the Captivity. '!'here is mystery in the r,rovideut,t,l appointment that, not ouly shall every man bear his own burden, but tb11.t 1wme shall bear the burden of those also who have gone before them. But the fact remains, und it ;:,;iveH i,;olemnity to the life of families and of nations. JV. 'l'HE LEbn0N ll:i THUS IMl'REl:i!!ED UPON ALL MEN-HOW SERIOUS AND REAL A 'l'l!L:-;G 11:i KeT1c,!-:AL PII0DA'l'ION I '!'he teaching which was profitable for Israel is equally OH, V. 1-22,] THE LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH. 87
adapted to Englnnd, nnd indeed to all the nn.tions of mankind. The Lord is King, and from hie government and authority none of the earth's inhabitants is free.-'l'.