RE8T0UED? Bestoration by itself will do nothing. If the man comes back to his pos- sessions as he went away, then he can only misuse and squander as of old. The house swept and garnished only presented to the evil spirits a chance for greater riot and defilement than before. To the old land there comes back a new people. After tasting the bitterness of wanderings, they have tasted also the powers of the world to come — ol<1 carnal temptations no longer charm, new spiritual considerations stand full in view. Formerly, even on Carmel and Bashan, Mount Ephraim and GUead, there had been dis- content, because, with all the goodness in these places, there was not enough for the carnal heart. But now, when things are used spiritually, there is enough and more than enough. If only we follow where God leads there will be ample provision and ample blessedness. — T.
Ver. 20. — A vain qiKst. I. In oontbabt with pbevioub quebts of the same KIND. Then hardly anything but iniquity and sin were to be found. The few righteous nnd godly men only called attention more emphatically to the general wickedness. God is ever seeking in the earth for all that is true and good, and whatever there be of it he is sure to find. He misses nothing, searching into every man according to the funda- mental thoughts of his heart. In former days sin and iniquity had been the great burden of prophetic deliverances, and the mention of them a continual exasperation to the people.
II. The beabon why the quest bab beooub vain. All is pardoned. There has been deep and adequate repentance, adequate atonement, and consequently there is full forgivenuss. Iniquity and sin cannot be found, because they have vanished as disturb- ing elements in human consciousness. What an intensely evangelical verse this is, full as it can be of one of the great results of the gospel I God, who sends prophets into the midst of sinful men, calling attention to the universal presence of evil, works to remove that evil, so that it shall no longer be possible to find it. This inability to find evil is not the report of man merely ; if so, we might suspect the worth of the report as being nothing more than shallow optimism. When God says that evil cannot be found he means that it has ceased to exist.
HI. This vain quest implies otheb quests equally vain. Ko consequences of sin shall be left. When the roots are gone, clean extirpated, vain will it be to seek lor the fruits. There can be no pain where there is no sin. There can be no death. Fulneas of life and health will succeed. There will be no seed but good seed, no
OH. L. 1—46.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 289
ground but good ground. And hence there will only he good fruit springing forth ahundantly.
IV. Another quest that will be buocessful. The matter must be looked at positively as well as negatively. Iniquity is not to he found, i.e. complete conformity to Law is found everywhere ; sin is not founii, i.e. every man in his own nature is fully glorifying his Maker and his Redeemer. More and more we must seek to see the depth and reality of present iniquity and sin ; so shall we better understand the work whereby God will slowly remove— slowly, that is, to our apijrehension — all these evil things away — and cause harmony,'holiness, and happiness to rise enduringlyin their place. — Y.
Vers. 35—37. — The sword everywhere. I. The destkoting agent. Not a deluge, not fire from heaven, but an ordinary human agent, working with enerjiy and thorougli- ness. The weapon which Babylon in its greed of conquest had used against Jerusalem is turned against itself. First of all, Babylon looks covetously on the land of Israel, and spoils it of its people and their possessions. And then, enriched, Babylon becomes in turn an object of desire. God has only to leave covetousness and graspint; alone, whether in nations or individuals. There will generally come in some human agency to dissipate ill-gotten gains. As Babylon became richer in external goods, it became weaker in manly resources. There was more to invite attack, more need of the best defences, and yet at the same time less ability to defend. The sword stands here as the great symbol of human physical force. We must not infer that God approves it : he simply points out how it must have free scope upon the surface of things. Babylon took the sword, and she in turn must perish by the sword ; and that same sword, suc- cessful against Babylon, points to the destruction of those who wielded it. Nothing abiding, nothing permanently satisfying, is to be achieved by the sword.
II. The extent of the destruction. Physical force can make short work of all man's natural treasures ; all that is wanted is a sufficient amount of it. Skill compen- sates for force only up to a certain point. Vain was it for Babylon to count up its mighty men and parade its horses and chariots. If we would arrive at right conclusions in the matter of security we must know the strength of our enemies as well as our own. As to one element in its strength in particular, Babylon would be dreadfully deceived. It could not realize how, as the agent of a puuishinii Jehovah, there had been more than its wonted strength bestowed on it against sinning Israel. It plumed itself too much on conquered Israel, and thought itself stronger than it really was. — Y.