enemies, who were no longer content with constantly pass from the language of prayer malicious words, but urged each other on to that of fruition. to lay an information against him with the Ve:s. ~4-18.-Jeremiah 01mes the day authorities as a public criminal. The first of his birth. The passage is e. further clauee agrees verbatim with part of Ps. dernlopment of the complaint in eh. xv. 10, xxxi. 13 (this is one of the pse,lms e,ttributed, and stands in no connection with the oon- by a too bold conjecture, to Jeremiah). solatory close of the preceding passage. " There is terror on every side" ( see above, 'rhere is e. very striking parallel in Job iii, 'l"er. 3, and also note on eh. vi. 25) means 3-12, and the question oannot be evaded "e'l"erything about me inspires me with Which is the original ? It is difficult to terror." All my familiars is, literally, all believe that Jeremiah copied from an earlier the men of my peace; i.e. all those with poem. Deep emotion expresses itself in whom I ha'l"e been ou terms of friendship language suggested by the moment; and, (same phrase, eh. xxxviii. 22). Watched for even after retouching his discourses, Jere- my halting; i.e. either laid traps for me or miah would leave much of the original waited for me to commit some error for them expression. But impressions of this sort to take advantage of. The phrase, "my cannot be unreservedly trusted. The argu- halting," is borrowed (?) from Ps. xxxv. 15; ment from parallel passages is only e. xxxviii. 18 (Hebrew). He will be entioed; subsidiary one in the determination of the viz. to say something on which a charge of date of books. treason can be based. Ver. 16.-Aa the oities whioh the Lord Ver.11.-As a mighty terrible one; rather, overthrew. It is, so to speak, the" technical as a formidable warrior. They shall not term" for the destruction of Sodom and prevail. This was, in fact, the Divine Gomorrah which Jeremiah employs, & vromise to Jeremiah at the outset of his deeply imprinted was the tradition on the ministry (eh. i. 19). For they shall not Hebrew mind, that e. special word was appro- 11rosper ; rather, be.cause they have not pros- priated to it, which e.t once called up thoughts pered. of the awful justice of God (see Gen. xix. Ver. 12.-Repee.ted, with slight vn.rie.tions, 25; Isa. i. 7 (?); xiii. 19; Amos iv.11; Deut. from eh. xi. 20. xxix. 23 [22] ; eh. xlix. 18 ; 1. 40). The ory Ver. 13.-In the confidence of faith Jere- . . , the shouting, The cry of the besieged miah sees himself already delh·ered. He for help; the shouting of the suddenly writes in the style of the psalmists, who appearing assailants (comp, eh, xv. 8),
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-6.-Pashwr. At length the smouldering opposition to Jeremiah breaks out into open persecution. Hitherto, though he has been answered by words ( eh, xviii.18) and threatened with violence, no overt act has been committed. Secret enemies have elaborated dark designs, which are alarming enough but come to no serious issue. But now violent hands are laid upon the prophet; and it is not an obscure band of illegal conspirators who contrive evil against him, but the official head of the temple guards formally arrests him and executes upon him the recognized punishment of a criminal. This action bears testimony to the excitement produced by the burning words of the discourse in the valley of Hinnom. So overawing were the utterances of tl1e prophet that no one dared to touch him then; but wl1en he confirmed them in the temple courts the circumstances were altered, and, either from alarm or from rage, Pashur, the chief of the temple police, laid hold of the prophet and brought him to severe punishment. The conduct of Pashur and the fate that is threatened him deserve our careful examination. I. THE CONDUOT OF PASHUR, 1. Pashur was a priest and of high rank in the service of the temple of Jehovah, Such a man should have been able to recognize a true prophet of Jehovah as his fellow-servant, Yet he was first in persecuting him, Uflicial religious positions are no guarantees for spiritual wisdom, But it is scandalous when the professed leaders of the Church are foremost in resisting the declaration oJ Divine truth and the execution of the will of God. 2, Pashur was a responsible officer uf j~tice. Such a man should not have allowed himself to be carried away by a flood of popular indignation, influences of class jealousy, or impulses of persona.I spite. Judicial crimes are always the most atrocious crimes. They poison justice at its very fountain, they abuse high trusts, they disorganize society, and all this in addition to au. xx. 1-18.] THE BOOK O.F THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 465