they say what our hearts have often: said, and not least do they thus speak for us when, as they so often do, they confess the smart, the shame, the pain,. and the manifold distress which our sin has brought upon us, UL Tn:E CAUSE OF THIS COKTRAST, (Ver.17.) Did not thy forsaking of Jehovah thy Go l procure thee this? Let conscience confess if this be uot the true explanation of wr. 19. Let us beware of explaining away the true cause, and sheltering ~ur sin beneath some conYenient excuse, • IV. THE REMEDY FOR THIS coNDITIOY OF THINGS. 1. There must be the clear per- ception of its true cause. Ver. 19, "Know therefore and see that," etc. To further this rnost salutary knowledge was the reason _of so many distresses l',{)ming upon Israel, and l\lr the same reason God will not suffer sm to be only pleasant, n0r the cup of iniquity to be free from bitterness, To the riot and gaiety of the prodigal in the "far country," Gud added on the poverty, the swine-feeding, the rags and wretchedness, the husks for Juod, nnd the desertion by all his so-called friends,-all that misery that be might "conie to hiruself," which whilst his riches and riot lasted he never would. And this is God's ,my still. He would ba,e us know and see that it is an evil thing and bitter to forsake the Lord. 2. And when this has been thus known and seen, would we regain what we have lost, we must have done "with the way of Egypt and the waters of Sihor," that is, we must resolutely abandon those forbidden ways in which we have hitherto l,een walking. Ver. 18 is an earnest expostulation with such as _have wandered from God. It ~ems to say to such, "What hast thou to do to be going after the world's sinful ways, or to be looking for help from her Sihor-like, her foul dark, waters? Oh, have not her ways harmed thee sufficiently already? will not the burnt child dread the fire? Wilt thou again belie thy name, and live rather as the devil's slave than as God's child? ,vas the one sorrow a.nd shame which thy sin heaped upon thy Saviour not sufficient, that thou must crucify the Son of God afresh, a.nd put him anew to open shame? Shall the dove vie with the vulture in greed for foul food, or the lamb find satisfaction in the trongh of the swine? As soon sbouldest thou, child of God, love sin and its evil ways." Let us remember for our great comfort, when well-nigh despairing of deliverance from the dread power of sin, that Christ has as certainly promised to deliver us from this, the po1ver of sin, as be bas from its guilt. 'l'be earnest look of trust to him, pleading his promise herein,-this repeated day by· day, and especially when we know that "sin is nigh," will break its mastery, and win for us the freedom we need.-C. Vers. 20-37.-Jehovah's indictment against Israel. Note- I. lTs M.ANYCOUl\'TS, 1. Their sin of outrageous character. It is spoken of as in ver. 20, l,ecause it so commonly involved the grossest fleshly sins, and because it involved shameful denial of God. Cf. ver. 27, "Saying to a stock, Thou art my father," _etc: And it '"°as chargeable with numerous and shameful murders (ver. 30). • Killing the prophets of God ; ver. 34, "In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents," etc. 2. Of long standing. Ver, 20, "Of old time thou hast btoken thy yoke" (see exegesis for true translation), "and saidst, I will not serve." 3. In niJ wise' chargeable to God. Ver. 21, "Yet I bad planted thee a noble vine," etc. 4. Was ingra,ined into their very nature (ver. 22). All manner of endeavour had been made to cleanse away the defilement, but its stain remained in the_m still, 5. Was fiercely ai,d determinately pursued after (vers. 23, 24, 3::1; see exegesis). They "worked all uncleanness with greediness." 6. And this in spite of all that might have tau~ht them better. (1) Warnings (ver. 25, where they are entreated to have done_ with such wickedness). (2) Miserable results of their idolatry in tho past (vers. 26-- 28). (3) Divine chastisements (ver. 30). (4) God's great mercy in the past (ver. 31)., God bad not been to them as a wilderness. (5) The honour and glory God was rea'dy to place upon them (ver. 32), like as a husband would a~orn his bride with jewels.. 7. And their sin is aggravated by (1) their shameless assertion of innocence (vers. 23, 3?); (2) their persistence in sin (ver. 36), "gadding about to change th!lir way," gomg from one idolatry to another, one heathen alliance to another. ' ll. TnE MISERABLE DEFENCE OFFERED. It consisted simply in denial '(vers. 23, 35). It augmented their guilt and condemnation (ver. 37). !II. 'J'IJE ITETRUCTION FROM: ALL TIIIS FOR OUR OWN DAY AND FOR OUR OWN LIVES. ou. u. 1-37.] 'l'HE BOOK OF Til@ PROPHE'r JE!tEMIAH. 37
1. It ahcws us tho terrible nature of sin. (l) The lengths it will go. (2) The gracious barriore it will break through. (3) 'l'he condemnation it will surely meet. 2. It bids us not trust to any early advantages. Israel was planted" a noble vine, wholly a riaht seed." 3. The folly and guilt of denying our sin ( cf. 1 John i. 8, "If we say that we h~ve noein,"etc.). 4. The needs be there is for us all of the pardoning and preserving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.-C.
•. Ver. 22.-771e sinnei~s attempt to wash away his sin. I. WHEREFORE RE MAKES THI!. A'l'TEMP'l'. Sometimes it is that (1) conscience is aroused; or (2) the Word of God is too plainly against him; or (3) Divine providence threatens ominously; or (4) lik~ Felix, he trembles as some Paul preaches. II. THE MANNER IN wmon HE PROCEEDS. 1. He partially abandons known sin, as Pharaoh, Nineveh, Israel at time of Josiah's reformation, Herod. 2. Multiplic, religious services. 3. Is ready with good resolves. 4. There is some stir of religiot., feeling. Tears are shed, the emotional nature is excited, and there is some temporary tenderness of conscience. Added to all this there may be : 5. Self-inflicted punisl,- ments, bodily mortifications. Such is the washing with nitre and the taking of mncl, soap which the prophet describes. III. ITS USELESSNESS. 'l'he stain of the iniquity is there still (ver. 22). How powerfully is this confessed in the great tragedy of 'Macbeth'! After his dread crime, the conscienceastricken wretch thus speaks- "How is't with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here? Ha. I they pluck out mine eyes! Will ull great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my huntl? No; this my hand will mtber The multitudinous sea.a incurna.dine, Making the green-one red."