loves he rebukes nnd chnstens. But the grief of sin bcgius first in the breast of God and in the person of his Son. It is of the nature of Di vino love to suffer for the sinful, even to die, that he may be made a child of grace. H. THE EXTENT oF IT. "All the inhabitants of the earth." Thus early-nay, from the first sin on"·ards-does he begin the judgment of the whole earth. '!'he Min of one is but a symptom of the universal depravity of all. The oneness of the world in its fall and the evolution of its sin, is constantly declared in Scripture, I. This is demanded by the ;'ustice of God. " Should yo bo utterly unpunished? " It would be manifestly unfair that the child of God alono should suffer for that which is primarily a sin of all mankind. 2. It is founded upon the solidarity of the race, 'fhere is a universal kinship in sins. "In Adam (they) all die" (1 Uor. xv. 22). III, THE MEASURE OF IT. "A sword" (cf. ver. 33). This signifies destruction, death. That which opposes itself to him will be utterly destroyed, He begins his judgment upon bis own, but it passes from them and rests for ever upon his enemies. 'fhe picture painted by Jeremiah (vcrs. 30-38) is but one of many similar ones in the Dible. The utter holiness of God cannot endure the sinfulness of men; it must consume it and all tbat identify themselves with it. In the New Testament the horizon widens and the spiritual world participates with the living upon earth in the sentence of th~ Judge. The first duty, therefore, of every awakened sinner is to flee from the" wrath to come." Whilst he remains unconverted he is a "child of wrath." Punishment has a different significance to him from what it would have if be were "in Christ," It is the same principle of solidarity which condemned us that now avails for our salvation. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. xv. 22).-M. •
Vers. 30-38.-The vision of final fudgment. A sublime and terrible description; corresponding with many others throughout the Old and New Testaments. L lT SERVES A GREAT ETfilCAL PUil.POSE. The sense of wrong-doing is thereby intensified, and some idea is given of the awful consequences of sin and its hatefulness to the mind of God. II. AN EVIDENCE OF TIIE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF SIN AND SALVATION. By such visions as these the ages of the world arc linked together and shown to be convergent in one point. There arc not to be so many judgments of isolated offences, but one judgment, towards which all the world has looked forward, Sin increases with the lapse of time, and develops into a more pronounced opposition to truth and goodness Ouly in final judgment can all its significance be comprehended and its issues be stayed. UL AN EVIDENCE OF THE REALITY OF THE PilOPllETIC GIFT AND ITS SPIRITUAL END, This vision is corroborated by the universal instincts of man, on the one band, and by the endorsement of Christ on the other, The various minor judgments which have intervened between that time and this are so many proofs of the correctness of the prophet's intuition. And the manner in which be and other seers have laid chief emphasis upon this event exhibits the fundamental moral purpose of all prophecy. Its intention is to reveal the righteousness of God, and to lead men into its practice and love.-M. Vcrs. 1-7.-..1 twenty-three years' ministry. Here we get a statement, brief but not at all uncertain, of what bad been done in the prophetic way during twenty-three years. Three parties a.re concerned in this statement: (1) God; (2) the prophet; (3) the people. I. GoD. Ncbuchadrczzar, who is to act as the servant of God (vcr. 9) in the great ovcrlhrowing work, has just come to his throne, and is unconsciously preparing for that to which God bad appointed him. Hence it was fitting that, just at this crisis, God should point back over the past and show how very much be had done to bring about a different result. Not that this comprehensive view was likely at the eleventh hour to make any change in Israel itself; but it is well that it should stand recorded in the history. It is well that we who come after should be made to see clearly bow continuously God protested against tho wickedness of his people. Jeremiah himself, Ollt or his own experience, speaks as a witness of what had been going on for twenty- three years; and he knew further that he was only ono out of many ngents by whom God had been doing the same kind of work. OH. xxv. 1-38.) THE IlOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 561