II. The assubancb of God's notice. No sooner is the cry out of his lips than the sufferer comforts himself with the assurance that God does remember his afiSiction. Thus speedily is the prayer answered, even in the very act of uttering it. Neverthe- less, it is not to be thought that God did not remember the affliction till he had been Implored to do so. We should rather understand that it was always under the pitying eye of God, only the Divine compassionate recognition of it was not discovered until prayed for. Thus we often pray to God to do for us what he is already doing, and receive an answer to our prayers in the opening of our eyes to see the Divine action that has been hitlierto unobserved. We pray that God will be merciful to us. He answers our prayer, not by beoomiug merciful, but by showing us that he is and has been merciful all along. This revelation comes to us in two ways. 1. We are able to believe more in the character of Qod, in his love amd mercy. Then we can apply this faith to our present circumstances, and infer with confidence that such a God must be remembering us even when we see no proof of his notice, as a cliild when lost at first despairs, but, after refiecting on the love of his father and mother, comforts himself with the assurance that they will surely never desert him. 2. We are able to see indication! of Ood?t notice. Sometimes we can see how God is working for our deliverance when we shift our standpoint and regard our life from the footstool of prayer.
III. The hope that springs from God's notiob. This is enough. God obtervei us. Still the trouble is great and bitter. But we know that he will not permit us to perish. As the shipwrecked crew wave garments and make frantic efforts to attract the attention of a passing vessel, and recover hope directly they see indications that they are discovered, so troubled souls should lose all despair as soon as they learn that they are seen by God. It may still be impossible to see how God will save. But we can trust that to him. Now, that we may enjoy this hope, it is necessary for us to call to mind the fact that God is remembering our affliction. Much depends on the aspect of affairs on which we dwell. If we turn to the wormwood and gall our lot will seem to be bitter without mitigation. We must voluntarily direct our thoughts away to the unseen remembrance of God, that we may receive the comfort of hope.
Vers. 22, 23. — The unceasing mercies of Qod. It would seem, according to the best authorities, that we ought to read the first of these two verses thus : " The Lord's mercies, verily they cease not, surely his compassions fail not." Thus we are assured of the enduring character of God's mercies. How striking is this assurance, coming where it does after monstrous dirges of despair I In the Lamentations we meet with one of the richest confessions of faith in the goodness of God. The black clouds are not universal ; even here there is a break, and the brightest sunlight streams through, all the more cheering for the darkness that precedes it. This is a remarkable testimony to the breadth and force of Divine grace. No scene is so terrible as absolutely to exclude all vision of it. Its penetrating rays find their way through chinks and crannies of the deepest dungeon. Were our eyes but open to see it, every one of us would have to confess to indications of its presence. Surely it is a great consolation for the dssponding that even the exceptional sufferer of the Lamentations sees the unceasing mercies of God 1
I. God's mercies never obabi. 1. We have no claim upon their continuance. Mercies are to the undeserving. It is much that such as we receive any. We could have no right to complain if they all ceased. The least of them is beyond our merit. 2. We have done much to provoke the cessation of them. (1) By ungratefully accepting them; (2) by eomplainingly ignoring them ; (3) by sinfully abusing them. %. They
40 THE LAMENTATIONS OV JEREMIAH, [oa. m. 1— 66.
tometimes appear to cease. They are not always equally Tisible. But as the moun which seems to wax and wane never changes in itself, the grace which appears to us to 5uctuate, and even at times to be extinguished, is never lessened, much less is it destroyed. 4. They change their form. The morning light varies from the evening light. Yet both come frum the same sun. God's mercy is sometimes cheery, at other times it seems to frown upon us. But the wrath is mercy in disguise ; and not only so, but under the circumstances that make it necessary it is more merciful than gentle- ness would be. There may be more mercy in the surgeon's knife than in the bed of down.
II. God's mercies are constantly renewed. The same mercies wi 1 not last for ever. They are gifts and acts for a definite time. What suits one age does not agree with another. God adapts his grace to the immediate needs of the hour. His mercies are not statuesque and immobile. They are living and suitable to need. Tliey are never anachronous. They are never stale. GKxi gives to each of us new mercies. He is living and acting in our midst every day and at each immediate momeut. We read of God's mercies in writings of David and St. John. But we have not to exhume the antique mercies tliat were bestowed on these men of the olden times. Our own mercies are fresh to-day. As God keeps the old world green by renewing it every spring, so be refreshes and invigorates his people by spring- times of grace. More- over, it is well to see how he does this daily, and to wake in the morning with a joyous thankfulness in prospect of the entirely new mercies of the new day.
III. 1'ee oeaselessness of God's meroy is a proof of his FAiTHFtrLNESS. 1. It is the fulfilment of his promise that he will never leave nor forsake his people. 2. It is cUso a sign that he is still acting according to his ancient word. For the mercy, being not only continued, but also renewed, shows us that God is fulfilling his promise in the immediate present. The friend who builds us a house may be considered to be futhful to his promise to shelter us as long as the house stands. But he who promises daily bread gives an additional proof of faithfulness by visiting us every day. The manna showed that God was daily present to fulfil his purposes of grace. Daily merdes are recurrent reminders of the faithfulness of OtoA.