Vers. 14, 15.-.771e old deliverance forgotten in the new. I. THE GREATER AND MORE INVETERATE THE TRANSGRESSION, THE GREATER WILL BE TllE PUNISHMENT. It was not to be supposed that he past judgments of God, however great, were all that he could or would do. He has many ways of bringing transgressors to their senses; and it is impossible to conceive a limit to his power of imposing penalty. His stern, uncom- promising attitude to sin has been witnes~ed to by many an awful judgment aml destruction, even where previous calamities might seom to have exhausted his anger or his invention. II. 'l'nE PR0lrlSE OF Gon APPEARS SIDE DY BIDE WITH TllE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENTS OF ms JUDGMENTB. J:ven in the way in which it is threatened there is encouragement and hope. It will be an awful experience, but God will redeem his people. So in the beginning of the curse our first parents received an anticipatory evangel. 'fhe failures of God's people in social and political experiment were the occasion of the most glorious predictions of Messianic times. This shows the real purpose of God's threatenings. 'l'hey aro intended to produce repentance, and yet there is reality enough in them if that repentance be not forthcoming. Fear is appealed to, but freedom of choice is preserved, and spiritual power called into responsible action. Ill. 'l'HE MERCIFUL POWER OF GOD WILL BE MORE GLORIOUSLY MANIFESTED IN EVERY NEW CALAMITY WHICH HIS PEOPLE BRING IJPON TIIEMSELVES. The captivity of which tho prophet speaks will but give occasion for a grand dolivorance, in comparison with which the Exodus from Egypt will sink into insignificance. The judgments of Gou., however great they may appear, are limited with the strictest exactness, and are within his control. There is reason, therefore, to expect his interference whenever the folly or unbelief of his people imperils his cause. He will preserve a people to praise him, and ra~se up a generation to call him blessed. So with the backslider from gospel 40G 'l'I:IE BOOK OF THE rROPliET jE!lEMIAit. [cu. xvI. 1-21,
priYileges and obligations. He wh\'.lm Christ has washed in his blood will not be suffered wholly to pass into spiritual death. Grander exhibitions of the Divine grace and power will be afforded. 'l'he good Shepherd will go over the dark mountains to recover the wanderer. 'l'hose who have been entangled again in _the yoke of bondage will be rcdeli vered if they but turn with new obedience and faith to· their Saviour. 'l'hey will be saved, if" as by fire."-M. •
Vers. 19-21.-The heathen turning to the true God. The prophet, disappointed and broken-hearted, is driven to Jehovah for his own comfort and support. We see here how much it cost him to speak the words he had to utter. . Every true minister of Christ must feel in the same manner when he h11s to deal with hardened sinners, and to become the mouthpiece of Divine warnings and threats: The soul that stands up for righteousness will often find itself without sympathy and alone amongst unbe- lieving men. Prayer is the refuge that is ever open in such hours. .Aµ. extremity like this is of all others God's opportunity. Like Elijah in the wilderness, he will receive unexpected succour. He will live, not on bread, bu,t,on words and revelations of God. 'l'o Jeremiah was given this vision. I. VvmLST JEHOVAH IS DESERTED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE THE HEATHEN WILL BEEK HIM. There is a law of displacement visible in God's dealings with his Church from acre to age. ~ike the ~an in the parable, who prepared the feast anq bade many, he is determined that his house shall be filled. 1. In this way God shows his people that ke does not specially need them. His favour depends upon their faithfulness; if they fail he has others to supply their place. His election is no blind favouritism or arbitrary distinction., but proceeds upon spirituii,l conditions. 2. .iJpostasy from God is .due to imperfectly understanding him; but the heathen who turn to him do. so with full experience cf the effects of their-idolatry. 'l'he vanity and nothingness ,of idols drives them in dm,-pair to the true God. Henceforth for them. idolatry can have no power. It has been, as the Law was to Saul, a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ. Lessons acquired in so stern a school are not soon forgotten ; and the half-hearted disciple, led away of his own lusts and enticed, is supplauted by a steadfast and faithful convert. So every day is the Church of Christ being recruited. from the ranks of those who have been the "chief of sinner,." We cannot tell in what depths of degradation those may now be sunk who are. to shine as stars in the etei;nal .firll).ament. Let the individual Christian strive, therefore, to make his calling and his election sure. Let the Church see that its candlestick be not removed. II. IDOLATRY IS A SYSTEM WHICH REFUTES lTSELF. 1. lt disappoints the expecta- tions which it has awakened. 2. The. conscience at last revolts against the excesses to which it leads. 3. By-and-by the evident truism, that what man makes cannot be his god, is realized and acted upon. This process is going on to-day in the great seats of idolatrous worship, and the fiercest iconoclasts are to be found amongst those who have been brought up iu heathenism. A similar pro.cess to .this goes on in the lives of good men as they are gradually freed from the illusions of life and the ensnaring influences of worldly ideas and aims. The disappointments of life are so many waves casting us upon the shore of a heavenly life, and the general drift of earthly experience is in many and many an instance bringing men surely to God. III. FAILING A BETTER REVELATION, THE JUDGMENTS OF JEHOVAH UPON HIS OWN PEOPLE WILL SHOW THE HEATHEN THAT HE .IB THE ONLY REAL GOD. This is not the way in which God would prefer to show men his glory and bis power.. It is by his Eaving grace he would commend himself to them. And the saints are the appointed teachers of the world.. They could tell of his power and his grace, of their own <leliverance. They could exhibit the blessings of a people whose trust is Jehovah. But, fuiling this, they would be made examples. 'l'hc justice of God will take the place of his mercy which has been abused. In its exceptional severity, its evident connection with and suggestion of supernatural agency, etc., it will attract attention and arouse curiosity. Israel., therefore, even in its c;alamity and suffering, will serve Go<l .. A. vi_carious vi~ue will lurk in its captivity, it_s desolation, 9:nd it11 _persecutio~. God 1s dealing thus w1th the unfaithful branches .of his Church to-day. 'lb,e perplexi- ties, entanglements, and griofs that are due to worldly alliance and secular ambitions and desires are well enough understood even by worldly men. Not from E<lcn, but CH. xvt. 1-21.] 'l'HE BOOK OF 'l'lIE PROPHET Jim.EMIJ.H. 407