The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 290

go into such a city," etc. (Jae. iv. 13-16). 2. Thoughtful observation of tM course of events, with a view to trace the path of the providence that is over us. Hidden as the power that governs our life may be, the teachable mind discerns ever more and more clearly the method of its working. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him,'' etc. (Ps. xxv. 14); "The meek will ho guide in judgment," etc. (Ps. xxv. 9). 3. Practical obedience to the call of present duty. Dark as our way may be, we cannot go far wrong if we follow the dictates of conscience. De true in everything to your own sense of right and to the clear lines of Divine Law, and you may safely leave all issues with God. 4. The calm repose of faith. In the confused conflict of adverse circum- stances, in the deep night of our sorrow and our fear, we hear a voice that whispers to us," All is well." It must be so if we believe that almighty Love is Lord of all.-W. Vers. 1-12.- Wnat men fear and what they ought to fear. I. WHAT MEN FEAR. They fear mere images of their own manufactu1·e. Note the connection between vers. 2 and 3. In ver. 2 the heathen are spoken of as being dismayed at the signs of heaven. Probably these signs, considered in their more particular ancl direct connection with the dismay, were really images on earth, representing the supposed Divine dignity of the bodies in the heavens. 'l'he heavenly bodies were signs to the believer in Jehovah- signs of the power and wisdom of Jehovah. But what signs could they be to the heathen? In their eyes they were themselves Divine realities, and the signs were on earth in the shape of images. If this view be correct, it makes dismay at the signs of heaven look more than ever absurd; for these signs were of man's own making. He goes out to the wood and cuts down one tree, o.nd it supplies material for commoa us<', beams and flooring and furniture for his dwelling-place. He takes another tree, neighbour and of the very same kind, and of this he makes an image, to be an object of dread, to be approached with trembling solicitude and doubt. The very chips and shavings that come oIT as it is being shaped may be burnt, but it itself is sacred, decked with silver and gold, perfected by the most cunning art of the time, surrounded probably with the choicest treasures of the land where it is worshipped. AuJ yet in itself it is nothing. ,vhen it grew in the wood it bore leaves and fruit, and had vital movement in it. B,r its life it spoke to those who had ears to understand. Other trees cut down, even when they become dead wood, are useful; but here is dead wood not only useless but so treated that it becomes full of the worst peril to all associated with it,a centre of abominations, delusions, and cruelties. And it must be felt as a very extraordinary thing that what men thus make with their own hands should be regarded with such perpetual dread ond circumspection. Partly it may be accounted for by the force of education. Those who ho.d been brought up having their minds sedulously filled with certain associations in respect to these imoges, would either fail to see any absurdw.y in fearing them or, in spite of the absurdity, would be uno.ble to get over the fear. It is very o.bsurd to be afraid of walking through some secluded churchyard at midnight, but many people could only do so with the utmost trepidation-even those who show plenty of goocl sense in their ordinary o.ffairs. The mystery lies not so much in the continua.nee of image- worship as in the origin of it; and this is a mystery we have no power to penetrate. A more practical thing is to take heed to the counsel here given. These works of your own hands cannot hurt you. Neglect them, they cannot resent the negligence. Pile up before them a-11 you can in the way of gift and honour, and yet you get not the least good in return. You may be hurt by other works of your hands, but assuredly not by them; and if you aro hurt-as it seems by tho instrumentality of these imagos-yet be sure of this, that the hurt comes from Jehovah's anger because you aro hououring and worshipping the creature in opposition to tho Creator. And if it b~ said! "How does all this dissuasion against image-worship concern usP" th_e ans_wcr 1s phun t_hat, although we do not make images of woocl, we may havo co!l~ept1~ns 10 our own mmds which are as truly the cause of empty terror as any v1S1blo image that man ever made. The ultimate meaning of the counsel here is that it is vain to fear anything or any one save the omnipotent God. II. WHAT MEN OUGHT TO FEAR. Images are presented in this passage, first, in themselves in all their emptiness, as pure fabrications of human supcr!titions; and then they ;re brought into the presence of tbe exceeding glory of Jehovah, and thus the exhibition of their nothingness is completed. Moreover, the glory of Johovnh J11'UEMTAU. u 2l10 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JJmgMfAH. [cH. X, 1-25,