IV. What are the results ok bitoh pbaters? They grieve the Spirit of God. They harden the heart, and tend to make men of a reprobate mind. Cf. our Lord's words to tlie Pharisees — the pattern dissemblers of his day. They pave the way to " the damnation of hell." Therefore — thus let us conclude — be our prayer, " Search me, Gbd, and try my heart," etc. — 0.
Vers. 7—18. — Man's utter dependence u^aon God. These verses plainly show this much-forgotten but never-failing truth. They tell how the land Of Judah, desolate, unprotected, and oppressed, could be and should be made a happy land fqr them. Whilst Egypt, the land they hoped so much fiom, should bring on them all the sorrows which they thought by going there to escape. Thus we are taught that it is according to God's favour our lives are blessed or unblessed, bright or dark. Mere circumstances are unable to ensure either the one or the other, but the presence or absence of God's favour alone. Now —
I. Men do not thine this. See their frantic endeavours to make their circum- stances pleasant. And how they struggle against adversity, as if all evil were con- tained in thatl Their opinion is very clear.
II. But yet it mcst be. For : 1. Our happiness or unhappiness depends entirely xm the way in which we regard these circumstances. That is to say, it depends upon our mind, upon that which is within us rather than that which is without. Hence what gives great pleasure to one yields none or even the reverse of pleasure to others. The merry laugh of children, e.g., to one in deep sadness, or irritable, or discontented. And vice versd. But: 2. Ood has constant access to the minds of us all, and he has made their satisfaction to depend upon him. " Nostrum cor inquietum est donee requiescat in te " (Augustine). He can flood them with joy in the darkest hour — Paul and Silas in the dungeon at Philippi ; and he can make the most favourable circum- tances powerless to render a man happy — Haman because of Murdecai ; the conscience- stricken, those from whom for any cause he hides his face, are illustrations. And abundant facts prove the powerlessness of mere circumstance over the minds of men.
III. The influence that these considerations ought to have upon ub. 1. Not to lead us to despise circumstances, and so to be careless as to the outward lot of either ourselves or others. For though they have not all power over the mind, God has given them very much power — ^a power that they lose only when he pleases. 2. But to estimate tliem rightly. This we can only do as we bring into view the unseen and the eternal, which can only be as we live iu view of it by the habit of prayer, thought, and practical regard to Gud's will as expressed in conscience and his Word. So shall our balances be adjusted, and we shall rightly judge. There is a machine employed at the Mint of such perfect accuracy and finish that, when a number of sovereigns are tested by it, it will automatically and instautly and infallibly reject every one that fails in the least degree to come up to the proper standard of weight. So if we thus brini' into view the unseen and eternal, all the crowd of facts and events that come
JEBSHIAH n. K
178 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. Lch. xi-n. 1— <s2.
befara ni day by day will each one spontaneously, promptly, and infallibly be judged, and we shall neither under nor over estimate them but as we ought. 3. To seek above all things the favour of God; for "in his favour is life, and his loving-kindness is better than life itselfl"— 0.
Vers. 1 — 6. — Waiting on the Divim ordinanoe. L The request of the feofle. 1. The apparent unanimity of it. All the people come, from the least to the greatest. Certainly there were not very many of them. They were but a remnant to begin with, and now still further reduced. But such as they were, an outward unity obtained among them. Outward unity is often obtained with comparative ease, but it must not be forgotten that it may cloak indifference, discord, opposition, and may be followed by contradictory conduct, even on the part of those who make the largest professions of sub- mission. 2. The profession of submission to Jehovah. The request described a real want, whether the people meant aU they said or not. And there is no reason to suppose that they did not mean it at the present time of asking. Men ask sincerely enough for Divine guidance, not being able to see at the time how hard it will be to follow it up. They want to be shown a way in which to walk, and then, when the way is shown, it looks too hard and perplexed to be Ood's way. They want to be shown the thing to do, and, when it is shown, there appears to be no use in it, no obvious relation of means to ends. Here is a result of prophetic teaching. The people bad learnt from many prophetic utterances what they ought to ask for. 3. Their dependence on the prophet. Here ia man showing his need of mediation. The people had come to know at last that Jeremiah was the faithful and accepted servant of God. This is the best way of recog- nizing a good man — ^to ask him to help those in need. And they wished also to com- mend their desires to the prophet. They wished him to pray a prayer that should be his as well as theirs.
II. The peophet's answeb. That he complies with the request is little to say. The prayer was one he could pray with all his heart. Well would it have been if he had been asked to offer it years before. That which taxed him was to tell them that he would faithfully report the answer. For he knew that God's message would go deep into the necessities of the case ; that God's answer could not be comprehended by the limits of man's desires. This is the temptation of messengers, to keep something back through fear, or expediency, or mistaken kindness. Now, Jeremiah was well assured from a long experience that Jehovah never said a word too many or too few. The genuine promptings of the Spirit of God are the very best guide as to what we should tell men in the hour ot their need.
IIL The promise of the people. They seem to hint that they are ready for difficult and painful requirements. History is not lost upon them so far as their pro- fessions are concerned. They, hint how they have learnt that disobedience to God brings the worst of evils. One thing, however, they had not yet learnt, and that was the difference between knowledge and power. When men are in great straits they will make large promises in the hope ot deliverance ; not at all insincerely, but meaning all they say. It was with the people here as it is with people in dangerous illnesses — the way of restored health is to be the way ot obedience and piety. That people make such promises shows that the promises are right ; the wrong thing is that they lack in strength, persistency, and inward purpose to keep them. God has to make this lack plain before men will humble themselves to have it supplied. — 1.