The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 329

to the prophets were. Two things are noticeable in this remonstrance, 1. It Tejera to Jeremiah's want of cowrage, and says nothing about his mental perplexity. We are reminded that the best cure for our morbid conditions of thought and feeling is that we should brace up the energies of our soul to bear whatever Providence may see fit to lay upon us, and valianUy to contend for the cause of truth and goodness in the face of all opposition. 2. It speaks of swerer trials that Mein store for him in the future. Life is for us all a course of Divine discipline, in which all lesser tests of faith and fortitude are intended to prepare us for sterner conflicts and nobler victories.-W. Vers. 1-4.-The prophet puzzled by the posperity of the wicked. I. How THIS PUZZLE ARISES. It arises from the presence of a number of facts together, the coexistence of which the prophet finds it impossible to explain. 1. There is his assurance as to the character of Jehovah. He speaks confidently as to the Divine righteousness. Observe how it is the thing that he starts with. All our doubts will get cleared up in the end, however long the process may be, if only we start with the sure practical conviction that Jehovah is, and that he is righteous, "Thy righteousness is like the great moun- tains." And as one would not doubt the existence of them, so neither must one doubt the righteousness of God. Jeremiah could not. but become acquainted with the cha- racter of one who was so constantly manifesting himself to him. Besides, there was the history of Jehovah's consistent and glorious dealings in the past to fall back upon, and it was presumed that Jeremiah was well acquainted with that history. If it had not been so, there would have been little use in referring him to Moses and Samuel (eh. :xv. 1). It was no earthly governor swayed about by all sorts of motives with whom Jeremiah had to deal. 2. From the manifest wickedness of the wicked and their equally manifest prosperity. Jeremiah has no more doubt about the character and deserts of his enemies than he has about the character of his God. He speaks as if there were some close connection between the wickedness and the prosperity, and as if the unHcru- pulous man could boast himself without contradiction being possible, as to the results of his audacity. It seems to the prophet as if there should be an instant and complete stoppage of nil this pride and deceit. 3. From some special advantages they have had not of their own procuring. "Thou hast planted them." This is a way of indicating that all outward circumstances favoured men when they started on their knavery. They were well placed for the attainment of prosperity, and the same kind of outwnrJ circumstances had continued. They had grown and brought forth fruit. It seemed that if they had been planted at random, planted anywhere else, these wicked purposes would have been comparatively fruitless. Probably Jeremi:J.h's notion was that God located every n1an in his starting-place, and if so, it is easy to see how such a considera- tion would increase his perplexity. 4. From the hypocrisy of the wicked. While Jeremiah sees only too plainly their wickedness, they pretend to be righteous and devout and God-honouring. 'l'he name of Jehovah is, perhaps, oftener on their lips thau on the lips of the prophet himself. 'l.'hey may be full of zeal for the temple, for incense, for offering; they may even make capital by reproaching Jeremiah for his utterances on these subjects (eh. vi. 20; vii.). 6. From the suffering they inflict on the land. The wicked may prosper, and yet in their very prosperity suck away the life- blood of o. nation. That is no true prosperity where the rich get richer o.nd the poor get poorer. The words of the prophet suggest that there was grinding and rapacity, aud thus no encouragement to the tiller of the soil to do his best. Truly have the fruits of the earth been called" kindly," for they are kindly to one who will diligently cultivate. But no one will diligently cultivate if the fruits of his toil are to come to one who reaps where he has not sown, and gathers where he has not strawed. 6. From the scorn these wicked heap on the prophet himself. " They said, He shall not see our last end." Of course we are not to suppose that the prophet was influenced here by considerations of personal resentment. Doubtless what chiefly moved him was to maintain his sacred work. Those wicked mon were like the sco[crs of whom PetH speaks, walking after their own lusts, and saying, " Where is the promise of h.s coming?" II. How TIIE PUZZLE WAS TO BE IJIMJNIBHED. By the time we reach the eud of the Book of Jeremiah, God's judgments on all the prosperous wicked o.re amply manifested. When Jeremiah came to close the roll of his prophecies, and reflect on all tho.t God haJ  'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, [cu. xu. 1-17.