that the imperceptible gradation~, as we reckon them, count for nothing with God. 'l'here are only two kiuds of hearts, the good aud the b1td, lI, CoNSIDER THE Dl,ESSINGS ON THAT CLASS IN ISRAEL BET FORTII DY THE GOOD FIOB, Painful external experiences cannot destroy tho blessing coming from satisfnctory internal character. 'l'hcse pc-ople represented by the good figs might say, "If wo aro indeed as good figs, why make us pass through such pains?" 'l'o this it might be answered, in the first 11laco, that it was because of this very goodness that God thus treated them. 'l'hey were being pruned and clen.nsed thn.t thoy might bring forth more fruit. Secondly, when they looked on the fate of those represented by the bad figs, even captivity in n. distant land would be seen as a blessing. God bends every word that he here speaks through his prophet so as to form a total of strong consolation and hope. l. '!'hough these people are called captives of Judn.h, yet this is only tho conventional mode of description. In reality, Jehovah himself sends them into the land of the Chaldeans. So Joseph was made to feel that it was God who had brought him into Egypt. 2. God's eye is upon his people for good. 'l'hat which God sees to be ;;ood he always regards for good. Whosoever has, to him is given more. Noto, too, that the people were not merely remembered, as if God had stayed behind in the land of Israel. He was equally in Israel watching over it against the day of his people's return, and in the land of the Chaldeans watching over his faithful ones there. 3. 'l'here is to be in due time a restoration. He who sends away can also bring back. The external circumstances of his people a.re completely under his control. He was ~peaking to those in whose history was written down all the marvellous things of the Exodus from Egypt. 4. There is to be a Divine building and planting. What others had built God had pulled down, what others had planted he had uprooted. Every plant not of the heavenly Father's planting must be rooted up.' All this was done, not for any delight God took in the ruin and the wilderness, but that a nation might be built up in righteousness, and bring forth only good fruit. 5. The giving of a true knowledge of God. God must give this knowledge, for it can only come to a renewed heart. The mere exhibition of God's name and person to the natural man is not enough. There may be very elaborate intellectual conceptions of Deity without the slightest profit or comfort. When the renewed heart begins to know, then God begins to be truly known. His love must not only be set before us, but must be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us. IIL Tim CURSE ON THOSE BET FORTH DY THE DAD FIGS, There is the greatest pos- sible contrast between the treatment of good fruit and bad fruit. .And so there was the greP.test possible contrast between the treatment of the people taken to Babylon and the treatment of those remaining at home and nearer home. Upon the surface and at the first aspect it might seem as if these latter had the best of it. .And, indeed, there might be no immediate way of making clear the difference. But a difference there assuredly was, and every succeeding year would manifest and emphasize it the more. In the mean time here stood the contrast between the good and bad figs, which would be quite enough for the eye of faith. How the history of the Jewish people justifies the bitter words of vers. 9 and 10 I Again and again the Gentile has treated the Jew nccording to the words of this prophecy, and found in them and similar words a justifi- cation of' his treatment. Not, of course, that the prophecy did really justify tho treat- ment, but God could !!peak beforehand of the way in which human passions would assuredly work.-Y.
EXPOSITION. hen.rt of a Jew could not but be moved with CHAPTER XXV. the liveliest sympathy. But it is another This chapter may be illustrated by a. strain which meets us in this chapter, and comparison of it with eh. dvi. There Jere- one which to a Jew would certainly neutral• miah exults over the destruction of a nation ize the favourable feelings which prophecies (Egypt) which WIIB one of the chief enemies like that referred to must have awakened. of God's people, and on hearing or reading Here Jeremiah announoos that the le.et the iuspired eloquence of the prophet the moment of grace for Judah ls put, o.nd the 011. xxv. 1-38,] 'l'lll~ DOOK OF '1'1U: l'IlOl'llET JEl:EMIAU.