The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 99

he dcmanc1ec1, an,1 with which alone he would or ever will be content. 4. And this we must do. Had we been told that the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ can alono do this, or had we been bid,len pray like David, " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me,and I shall be whiter than snow." "Wash me thl'Oughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; "--such declarations and counsels we could readily havo understood, but for us to be told to do ourselves what so many Scriptures repeatedly declare God alone can do-how is this? Well, let the story of the blind man whom our Lord bade go and wash in the pool of Siloam, and who because he obeyed won back ni, sight.,-let his story answer the qaestion. It was the grace of the Lord Jesus restored l1im, hut yet this much that ll8 could do he had to do. Bnt never, never on tho ground of that washing in Siloam would the restored man claim for himself the credit of his own restoration, and so, although we be bidden wash our hearts from wicked• ness, yet who does not know that there lies behind these words the promise of tho cleansing fountain, in which alone we can wash acd be clean? And every one who seeks to obey this word will soon find his own utter powerlessness to rid himself of thu clinging, cleaving wickedness of his heart, and the necessity he is under to answer back to this word of the Lord's, " Lead me, then, Lord, to that cleansing stream, where only it is of any avail that I seek to wash my heart from wickedness." • IV. GOD ENCOURAGING MAN TO DO HIS PART BY THE PROMISE OF SALVATION, .. Wash thine heart, . , • that thou mayest be saved." The promise is contained in the command. We can appeal to experience to verify this implied promise. In the hour when sin would assert its mastery, let the soul turn in instant trust and prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ, and he shall find that he is saved. Sin will slick away, like Satan did at the word of the Lord, acd fo. such experience of Christ's saving power wo have the pledge and earnest of the full salvation which shall be ours when ho who has begun the work in us has perfected it according to his word.-C. Ver. 14.- Vain thoughts. " How long shall," otc.? I. TnEY ARE THE PROLIFIC SOURCE AND CAUSE OF ALL WICKEDNESS, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." St. l'aul, desiring all things lovely an,l of good report, all that has praise and virtue, to abcund in the disciples of Christ, bids them "think on theso things" (Phil. iv.). Therefore vain thoughts must lead to and produce wickedness. "They are the spawn of the evil heart, from which all other wickedness is produced." They are not to be here understood as merely trifling, foolish, empty thoughts, but thoughts that are evil, impious, sinful, ~ked, 'l'hey arc the thoughts which bring forth sic, which in its turn brings forth death. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it," etc. 11. 'l'HEY RENDER SALVATION IMPOSSIBLE. The cleansing of the heart from them, their dislodgement lhercfrom, is set forth as indispensable to Jerusalem being saved- a concli,iun that must be fulfilled. "Blessed are the vure in heart: for they shall seo God." 'l'he converse of this is true also and equally," Without holiness," that is, without this pureness of heart, " no man shall seo the Lord." How manifestly true this is! W bat \\·ould a man whose heart is full of these thoughts do in the "Father's house"? H wonld be hell to him. He would be anywhere rather than there. III. 'l'HEY ARE VOLUNTARILY ENTERTAIKim. They have come to the door and have 6oualit and obtained entrance, They have been bidden "come in," and the heart has con;cutecl to "lodge" them. The protest that the prophet utters against them, were they not voluntarily admitted and retained, would be unmeaning. 'l'here would bo occasion for profound pity, but none for blame. Ilut conscience owns the truth that the prophet's word implies. IV. 'l'HEY CAN BE GOT IUD OF, Men are called upon to "wash their hearts" from them and to expel them. It is, therefore, plainly within men's power to do this. 'l'he wordi; of these exhortations suggest the method. 1. 'l'urn to Christ, in trust and prayer, especially to him as your crucified Lord. Behold the fountain of his blood. l::iuch turning to Cbrist for pardon and for purity will "wash thine heart from wicked• ness." 2. By a vigorous act of the will, like as when our blessed Lord found tho evil one lodging wrong thoughts in Lis mind, he gave him no place, but sternly bado him acd Liti begone. And this was ever his way. It must he ours. 8. But leave not tlw heart cm ply, llriug in at once other thoughts, holy, Chri~t.Jike, that demand prompt, CH, 1v. 1--31.] THE DOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMlAll. 05