Vers.1-10.-The blessed parable of the potter and the clay. Few passages of Scripture l1ave been more misread or with sadder results than this one. From St. Paul's reference to it in Rom. ix. it has been thought that it taught the absolute sovereignty o!' God, his right to dispose of men as he pleases ; that, in the exercise of that soyercignty, be makes some vessels unto destruction, and that the vessels so made have no ground of complaint whatsoever. Now, we affirm that, whilst there is much truth in these representations, they are not "the whole truth," still less are they" nothing but the truth." God is SoYcreign, we cheerfully confess, and has right to dispose of us as he 1,ill, But that he exercises these rights iu any arbitrary, or capricious, or cruel way, as is taught by this misreading, or that if he did the vessels made for destruction would have no ground of complaint, we altogether deny. Such teaching has clouded the face of God to many souls and made God our Father " a terror" to thein. But blessed be his Name, this misreading is not the trut)l. Let u.~ try to see what that truth is. In passing, we may note how the command to the prophet to go down to the potter's workshop teaches us how workshops and our .common .work may have precious lessons about God to teach us if we be like as was the prophet, willing to learn them. The star-studying Magi were led by a star to Jesus. 'l'he centurion by his soldier-life gained true comprehension of Christ. The fishermen-apostl~s of how they were to •be " fishers of men." Manifold are, the ministers and ministries ,of God to attentive soul&. • • • • ' •• • "There is e. book, who rups may.reiµl, . Which heavenly truth imparts; And all the lore its scholars· need, Pure eyes e.ud ChrisJia~ hearts." That is said of the book of nature, so it may be of 'the .book of out lawful work. Now let us go down to the workshop told of here arid learn what we· Ii:iay'. 4"nd we are taught- , . • I. THAT "IT DOTH NOT YET APPEAR WHAT WE SHALL DE." We' ate the 'clay. But who can tell what is to be fashioned out of that mere mass of material? Every human soul is but as clay in process of formation into some designed result, II. GoD BAS WISE AND GRACIOUS INTENT IN REGARD TO ALL. The meanest vessel that the potter makes is an advance _in worth, :and, •exceHence on the clay' ere it: was fashioned by him. How much more, then, iii the case of the "vessels of honour." I I!L BUT THE CLAY CAN FOB A 'WlIILE MAR A.MD FRUSTRATE THE POTTER'S PURPOSE, The vessel the prophet saw was marred in the making. What innumerable instances there have been and are of this! Not Israel and Judah alone, but other nations, other churches, innumerable separate souls. And they have had to be· broken up and set down from the place of honour for which they were ·at first intended. 'l'hey have with ~hame to .take a lower place. But- .• IV. EVENTUALLY THE MA.KEB'B WILL WILL DE DONE IN REGARD TO THEM. "So he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." It is· never '' all the same" to a man if he sins against God. Ho ma.y not be destroyed, but his will be "another" position and a worse one. V. AND ALL THIS IN HARMONY WITH THE NATURE OP THE llrlATEBUL WROUGHT uroN. As the potter's work was in harmony with the clay out of which he faslifoned his varied vessels, so God's work will be in harmony with the mental and moral n11ture which he has given to us. It is to us an inexplicable problem-the ho.rm<;my of the Di vine sovereignty and human freedom. We cannot tell how it will be done; dnly tho.l it wiU be done. oB. xvm. 1-23.] THE BOOK Ob' 'l':1fE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 4.:;1
VI. THE LESSONS OF THE WHOLE ARE : 1. Of inquiry. Are we, by obedience to the Divine. will, furthering the work designed in us or by disobedience hinderin"'? Ver. 9 teaches that, however good and gracious a purpose God may cherish concerni~g us, if we "do evil" then God's work will be marred. 2. Of admonition. Seein"' how terrible a process is the "making again" of the marred vessel-what was it ;ot to Judah and Israel? and the process is not finished yet-let us repent of sin and turn to God now, and so be delivered from so great a woe. It has been said that the most terrible. part of the road to heaven is that which the sinner goes over three times- Oll'ce. in his first following of Christ, next when he by sin goes back that way, and the ·third time when in bitter repentance he travels over it ~git.in. 3. Of praise to God, .. that. he has revealed so gracious a purpose concerning man, and that his will shall be done; 4. Of prayer, that we may be found not resisting but ever obedient lo that_will.-C. • Vers. 8-12.'-:-A never-to-be-forgotten principle of interpretation. These verses plainly teach that· all God's threatenings, even the most terrible, and all Go:'t's promises, even the' most blessed, are conditional on the continuance of the moral character to which they were addressed. Now, this is- I. A' CORDIAL AGAill'ST DESPAm. When the convicted sinner-as the men of Nineveh-hear the awful denunciations· of God's judgment, all bopc seems to be forbidden. The Ninevites, to encourage themselves iii. a forlorn hope, conld only say, "Who can_ tell whether God will be gracious?" But. this and the like Scriptures, confirmeq by so many'facts of experience, forbid all such despair. II. A CHECK TO PRESUMPTION. How many prate concerning final perseverance who are not persevering at all except in sin and worldliness? But they need to be reminded of this sure condition, one which. the great adversary of souls is ever striving to make us forget. • ' 'III. AN EXPLANATION OF TIIE STERN WORDS OF SCRil'TURJl:, When one would give the alarm of fire he does not whisper tho word. So when God would warn sinners he does not soften his words, but in most vivid manner sets before men the awful doom of the ungodly. 'l'hus would God, by his terrors, scare men-if naught else will do- to "flee from· the wrath to come," so that" he may repent of the evil he thought to -do unto them." Such _words are not the utterance of absolute decrees against any ·soul to whom they are addressed, but loving warnings to such soul to turn to God and live. • ''IV. A REASON FOR ITS WORDS OF WARNING. These are found iu varied form, addressed to disciples of Christ, to those to whom the most glorious promise had been •mnde. See tho sermon on the mount; how full of warnings! 'l'herefore this cond i- tionalness of God's words speaks: 1. fo the believer, and bids him" Be not high-minded, but fear." "If·God spared not the n·atural branches, take hoed lest ho also spare not thee." 2. To the_ u11godly. See the sure end of thy way: how awful I But see, too, God's earnest desue that thou shouldost forsake that way.-O.