The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 356

most fenrful kind of drought. Yet, while the physical calamity excites all attention and occasions universal distress, this calamity is orten unheeded. llut the effects of it ara not the less destructive, The soil becomes barren, unfruitful; the heavenly graces within, the instincts of Christian charity, are lost; the spiritual vision fails. It is unnatural not to feel thirst in a. season of drought. The son! that is in this condition will first come to itself with a feeling of deep distress, a. pa.in of inward longing, a panting and thirsting after God (Pa. !xiii. 1). . IV, A PLAGUE OF DROUGHT SHOULD MAKE US MORE THANKFUL FOR THE COMMON BLESSINGS OF DAn.Y LIFE. The commonest blessings are the most valuable. The first necessary of lire is air, and air is the most abundant thing in nature. The next most important requirement is water, and water is usually exceedingly plentiful. Gold and diamonds a.re re.re, but these ca.n easily be spa.red. This very fact, which is a result of God's providential care, induces an ungrateful neglect. \Ve take without thought that which we are always receiving. We must lose it to appreciate it. In sickness we prize health; in thirst we value water, It would be more wise and grateful to acknow- ledge God's blessings while we have them, instead of requiring him to take them from us to teach us their worth. Ver. 7.-A plea for mercy in spite of guilt. I. WE CAN ONLY PLEAD FOR Goo's MERCY AFTER A FRANK ADMISSION OF OUR OWN GUILT. The common habit of people is to take the opposite course-to excuse themselves, extenuate their faults, or ignore, or even deny them. But this is vain before God, and while persisted in it shuts the door against forgiveness. God can only forgive sin that is confessed, can only have mercy on the humble and penitent. This confession must be frank and full. Such a confession is contained in the prayer of Jeremiah. 1. Personal guilt is admitted-" our iniquities." 2. The shame of increasing guilt is admitted-" our backslidings." If we feel we are better than we once were, we excuse our present imperfection on the ground that it is at least an improvement on the past. It requires a genuine penitence to admit that we have been growing worse. 3. Sin is seen to be an offence against God-" We have sinned against thee." It is not a. mere fault in ourselves; it is a direct act of warfare with Heaven. David said this (Ps. li. 4); so did the prodigal son (Luke xv. 18). 4. Sin is recognized as abundant-" Our backslidings are many." It is vain to confess some sins whilst denying others, or to attempt to represent them as less numerous than they really are. This keeping back of part of the confession mars the whole of it. 5. Guilt is acknowledged to be open before God-" Our sins testify." 6. It is seen to bo a bar to our claim of simple right-they testify" against us." Condemnation, therefore, may justly follow the plain evidence of guilt. Our own sins arc witnesses to opposo nny plea we may found on our personal deserts. II. Oun OWN GUILT, WHEN FRANKLY ADMITTED, IS NO HINDRANCE TO TlIE MEP.CY OF Goo. The only hindrance is impenitence. The ground of God's mercy is uot onr desert, but his goodness. If there is anything in us which predisposes him to be gracious, this is not our worth, but our want. The more wretched the condition to which our sin has brought us, the more urgent the call to his pity. The one plea is " for his Name's sake." 1. For the sake of God's character. His Name expresses what he is. His highest name is "Love." By this name we plead for mercy. Because of what he is, because of his inherent goodness, love, and pity, we implore bis help. 2. F,,r the sake of God's honour. He has promised to have mercy on the penitent (e.g. Deut. xxx. 1-10). Thus he has pledged his Name, bound himself by his own certain faitbl'ulocss. 3. For the sake of God's glory. His highest glory is his goodness. When he delivers his children his own Name is glorified. Redemption honours God more than creation. 'l'be song of the redeemed at the end of the world will he moro sweet and more uoble than the song of the sons of the morning at the dawn of creation. As Christians we see these truths more clearly revealed in Christ. He is tho "Word" incarnate, the "Name," tho highest manifestation of the character of God, tho fulfilment of his greatest promises, the expression of his brightest glory, For us to pray "for Christ's sake'' is the same ns praying " for God's Name's sake." Vers. 8 9.-The llope of Israel a stranger in the land. I. Goo IS THE HOPE AND SAVIOUR ~F ms PEOPLE. 1. God is the Hope. (1) lie inspires hope; (2) iu him ;s  358 THE BOOK 01<' THE PHOPHE'l' JEREMIAH. [cH. xtv. 1-22,