The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 115

profoundly penitent David. prays that God ,voulu wash him from his iniquity, and ngain to wash him so that he should be whiter than snow (Ps. Ii,). And so here we have another instance of the unremitting thoroughness which marks this chapter. It b the hea1·t that is to be cleansed, and that by the most vigorous kind of washing. 'l'ho accumulated filth of years has entered into the very texture of the fabric, Tho truth is that the only way of carrying out the exhortation is to submit the heart to him in exactly the same spirit as David did. God is tl,e Cleanser, and only when our nature has passed through all his purifying agencies shall we really know what perfect human nature is. We do indeed see that perfection in Jesus, but with such distorted vision that the seeing cannot be called seeing as we ought to see. II. THE QUESTION. 'l'he thoughts with respect to which the question is asked are really purposes. This will come out more clearly on considering some of the expres- sions in which the same Hebrew word is used; e.g. when the woman of 'l'ekoah spoke to David of God devising means to bring back his banished (2 Sam. xiv. 14); so Eliphaz tells Job that God disappoints the devices. of the crafty (Job v. 12). Several of the Proverbs contain the word. 'l'hc thoughts, i.e. counsels, of the righteous are just (Prov. xii. 5). Where there is no deliberation, purposes are disappointed (Prov. xv. 22). 'rhcre are many devices in a man's heart, but the counsel of God shall stand (Prov. xix. 21). Purposes are established by counsel, i.e. there must be wisdom in forming them, an<l. prudence in carrying them out. A comparison of these selected passages will amply suffice to show what God means by vain thoughts, and what sort of practical thoughts he would wish us to put in their place. Man is meant to live with definite ends in view, on which he may expend his strength and faculties. But when these ends are his own-self-originated and self-gratifying-then they are emphatically vain. 'l'bey can only continue by deceiving the mind that proposes them and holds to ~hem. The question therefore is as to when our eyes shall be opened to perceive the right purposes of life, the solid and. attainable ones, the purposes that are not vain, because they are God's purposes and because he provides all resources needed for carry- mg them out. Jerusalem wished these terrible troubles from outside to be at an end, jUEt tbat it might resume its own projects. On the other hand, God wished it from the very heart to adopt his projects in order that then he might take all obstacles and enemies completely out of the way.-Y. Ver. 22.-Those who are wise to do evil. This description of "my people" has r. curious resemblance to the exhortation of our Lord when he told his friends to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 'l'hcsc people, according to Jeremiah's observation, had all the wisdom of the serpent, but it was for serpentine purposes. And the worst of it was that they hurt themselves the most. Note- I. THE REFERENCE TO MAN's GREAT POWERS. Even in his headlong, infatuated descent to ruin, the great powers are manifest. It is .the very perversion and ruin of what is so noble in its original constitution that helps to give one an insight, deep even though melancholy, into all that makes up the nobility. A temple in ruins fills one with thoughts which could never be excited by looking at e. dilapidated shed. Jeremiah looks upon Jerusalem and the men who are leaders there (ver. 9), and their great human faculties cannot be concealed from him. When man sinks into sin, this does not destroy the great human powers; it simply distorts their operation. \Ve look at men as they are, and whatever the sad reflections coming into our minds, we still see the supremacy in terrestrial creation, the power to adapt means to ends, and all that strength and suppleness of intellect which are so much more than the greatest strength of a brute. II. THESE GREAT P0WEBB MUST JIE UBED. The human intellect cannot be left to lie like a dead sword in the scabbard. In one sense the intellect is but an instrument. having in itself no character either for good or evil, any more than a piece of machinery. Everything depends on the disposition and intents of the man using it. But. then the intellect, illiltrumental as it ill, is 1.,ot e. mere instrument, but has a living connection with the rest of human nature. It must act, with more or less energy, according to the inilividuality of its possess,r. These faculties must be used, if not for goo~, then for evil Ui8tory abounds in inRtances of wiclted and selfish ruen who have achieved their mischievous ends by that very intellectual force which was given for something very ou. Iv. 1-31.) 'l'llE IlOOK 0.1!' 'l'HE PROPHET JEl:E11IMI. 111