The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 231

deceived, and, what is worse, a.re willing to be deceived: "They bold fast deceit and eo refuse to return." We should have thought that surely it would be otherwiSC:, 1. Reason bids them return (ver. 4). If a man have fallen, he will not lie content on the earth, but will a.rise. If in an ordinary journey he have missed his way, he will a.t once retrace his steps. Reason rules in such ea.see, but not here. 2. Conscienu bids them return. They could not but know that their sin had done them sore harm; but none of them asked," What have I done?n however loudly conscience might summon them to such repentance. 3. God's Word bade then return (ver. 8), bnt lo I certainly in vain he ma.de it. 4. Providence bade them. The events that had taken place were all admonitions of God; but though the birds of the air marked and obeyed the pro- vidence of God, sinful man" knew not the judgment of the Lord" (ver. 7). Hence the way is solitary. CoNOLUSlON. But the question for ns is," Are we in this way?" Let us bless God if we are, and press on therein. Let us note how short the day is in which we can travel, how its few fleeting hours are lessening, lest when we would start on the way we have to exclaim ( eh. vi. 4), "Woe unto us I for the day goeth a.way, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out."-C. Ver. 18-ch. ix. 1.-The prophet's grievous lament. I. ITs GRIEVOUSNESS. (Vers. 18, 21, eh. ix. 1.) Ver. 18, " When I would comfort myself," etc. .All hope dies down, is crushed beneath the overwhelming evidence of the hopelessness of his people's condition. Ver. 21 : be is as if wounded, bis heart is clad in the !(arb of deepest woe, the black raiment of the mourner. Ch. ix. 1 : he has exhausteJ. his power of telling forth his deep grief, his eyes refuse to weep more, though his heart be sore pierced, and the troubles of his people are unrelieved. Therefore he desires that he might weep continually. II. ITS GROUNDS. 1. They were still trusting in lying words (ver. 19), reckoning that, because the temple of Jehovah and the throne of David belonged to them, there- fore they should have been secure. Though in distant lnnds, in actual captivity-for there the prophet contemplnles them-they were still imagining that the possession of the temple and David's throne should have been their sure safeguard. It is terrible to see God's judgments coming upon guilty men, but when these judgmeots themselves seem to fail in teaching the needed lesson, that is a greater sorrow still. 2. The time of redemption was over. (Ver. 20.) The long harvest days, the bright summer weather- symbols of a.11 days of opportunity-these were gone. The days when they might have turned to Ood and found deliverance, "the wrath of God had arisen against them, and there was no remedy." But what a retrospect is his who has to say a.s did lost Israel," The harvest is past," etc. I For: (1) Such sea.sons remind us of our privileges and obligations. (a) It is a time of fruitfulness, of great privilege, grace, anti good- ness. God makes man's cup to overflow. Youth and days of gospel privilege. Sun- days, sacred services, etc. (b) It should be a time of great activity. The natural harvest and summer-time is so. For: (c) It is a season of such limited duration. (2) But meu often let these tim83 pass away unimproved. (a) 'l'ho world hinders them. (b) Per- version of Scripture truths. (c) Belief that they aro woll enough as they a.re. (d) Procrastination. (3) But once gone, the fruits of tbaL summer and that harvest can never be saved. Such facts as these open the floodgates of grief in hearts like that of Jeremiah. 3. He could see no means of restoration or recovery whatsoever (ver. 22), no balm and no physician anywhere. III, ITS WORD TO ALL WHO SllOULD KNOW OB ARE TIIE 0AUSEB OF BUCH GRIEP NOW, 1. Christ's servants should be in sympathy with the prophet's Inmont. It is because we aro so indifferent the world is so. "Si vis me flere flendum est," it is ever sa.yin" but in vain, to the professing Church. Oh for the compassion of Jeremiah and yet m"r;re of C~ristl If we sowed in tears we should re~p. i!3- joy.. If_ so .~ve went forth "bea.rina0 precious seed, we shall doubtless como aga.m reJ01cmg, bnngmg, etc. 2. But you who cause such grief, think you not that if such be tho result of anticipating God's judgments upon sin, the enduring of them must be far worse? And that is your pa.rt in them. Christ himself assured the weeping women who followed him to Calvary that the woes of them who crucified him would be worse than bis own. "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" 230 THE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHE'l' JEREMIAH. [cu. vm. 1-22.