life in Capernaum and Bethany, and not at all in Nazareth. We may surmise that he never had as much as one quiet day there after his public ministry began, The rela- tives of Jesus said that be was beside himself, and probably they feared that the strange things he did and the ever-increasing hostility he provoked would bring sus- picion on themselves. And so it was very awkward for these kinsfolk of Jeremiah in Anathoth. Every one ran the risk of being pointed at as brother, or uncle, or cousin of that madman the prophet. Further, this peril, being from an unsuspected source, went on to its height without suspicion, The prophet puts his position very touchingly and forcibly by the figure of the tame lamb. As the lamb goes along with those to whose company it has been accustomed, all unconscious of their slaughtering designs, so the prophet meets his brethren, those with whom he played as a child, those whose faces were among the first he could remember. Why should he suspect them? True, he knows that far too often brother has been the sworn and relentless enemy of brother ; but let this be the experience of others. He cannot believe it till by actual taste he finds the bitterness in his own cup. Jeremiah's experience stands here to teach us, not to be suspicious, not to let caution and wariness degenerate into a cynical putting on of armour against everybody, but to let both our safety and our peace of mind lie in our nearness to God. The nearest of brother men is too weak, too uncertain, to be made an object of trust. II. THERE WAS A PECULIAR PERIL TO THE CONSPIDATORS. Though there was a danger where Jeremiah never thought of looking, it was precisely upon that danger that Jehovah had his observant eye (eh. xvii. 9, 10). What the conspirators would reckon one of their greatest helps, namely, that the proposed victim did not in the least suspect their designs, doubtless proved in the end a very material help to the faith and endurance of the prophet. Had not God made a sure provision for him where he did not even suspect that there was anything needing to be provided? Let the wicked know this, that whatever they reckon to be their peculiar advantage will assuredly turn out to be their peculiar weakness, difficulty, and, indeed, weapon of decisive overthrow. The prophet's kinsfolk made the not uncommon blunder of thinking that they would get rid of difficulties in getting rid of one peculiarly awkwarcl and irritating difficulty that lay close to them. 'fhere is one great difficulty we never can get rid of, and that is the omniscience of God. Let there be a warning, then, to all those who belong to the w11.-pu£ of a prophet. Let them be careful how they set themselves against anything strange and peculiar in any one belonging to them. Self- delusion, of course, is possible, and a man may mistake some "Will-o'-the-wisp" for the steady prophetic illumination. But he is not likely to be converted by threatening and repression. It is only by Gamaliel's policy that either impostors or victims of delusion can be truly exposed. The men of Anathoth, kinsfolk and neighbours alike, were not required to believe in Jeremiah on his first appearance, but they were require,! to wait and see whereto this thing might grow. What a pity they had not some shrewd and commanding Gamaliel to keep them in the path of prudence !-Y.
EXPOSITION. cltAP'l'tm xn. ehould rnther be, yet will I debate qtinUons of right w-ith thee. The questions remind us Vor. 1.-Paiofully exercised by the mys- of those of Job in Job xxi., xxiv. Thus to teries of the Divine government, the prophet have been the recipient of speoinl Diviuo opens his grief to Jehovah. Righteous art revelntions, nnd to be in close communion thou, etc.; mthcr, Righteous wouldest t11011 be, with God, gives no security nguiust tho 0 Jehovah, if I should plead with thee ; i.e. occnsionnl Ingress of doubting thoughts nnd if I were to bring a charge against thee, I spiritual dlstrcs~. Wher9foro are all they should be unable to convict thee of injustice happy, etc.? rather, secure. The stl\tem~nt (comp. Ps. Ii. 4; Job ix. 2). The prophet, must be qunlified by what follows. In the however, cannot refrain from laying before gencr11! co.lnmity the wicked still fore the Jehovah a point which seems to him irre- best. concilable with the Divine righteousness. Ver. 2.-Far from their reins; i.e. from The rendering, indeed, must be modified. their heart (the scat of strong impulses and Yet let me t&lk with thee of thy judgmonts desires;· comp. Ps. ui. 7; xxvi. 2. THE DOOK OF THE PROPHET JJ.<rnEllUAH. [err. :ur. 1-17.