exposing the folly of their falling down to idols, the work of cunning men like the heathen.* (ch. vii.-x.)

In the eleventh and twelfth chapters, he charges them with covenant breaking, thus exposing them to God's judgments, when they shall cry unto the gods to whom they have offered incense, but they shall not save them. Jeremiah is not to pray for them. (xi. 14.) Though God has forsaken His house, and given His dearly-beloved into the hand of her enemies, yet He will by and by return and have compassion on them, and bring them again every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. (ch. xii.)

The prophet is next shown by a linen girdle, which he hid in Euphrates, the thorough ruin and unprofitable state of Judah, whose pride God purposes to humble. (ch. xiii.)

By the famine, the prophet's heart is so touched that he most feelingly intercedes for the people; but he is told that even if Moses and Samuel stood before God, it would not hinder His casting them out of His sight.

Jeremiah feels himself to be a man of strife; but God's word is precious to his soul, and he is taught that the only path for the faithful is separation. (xv. 16, 19.) Decision on this point is so practically enforced, that he is neither to go into the house of mourning or feasting with them. (xvi. 5-8.) The

*It has been pointed out by another, that as the heathen were also guilty of idolatry, a message was sent to them by this prophet to the nations, announcing, not in the Hebrew language, but in Chaldee, these words, "The gods who have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens." (ch. x. 11.)

seventeenth chapter sets forth the blessedness of the path of faith.

In the potter's house the prophet was shown that God could do as He pleased with His own, only coupled with it was the promise of blessing to them if they obeyed His voice and turned from their evil way. (ch. xviii. 1-8.)

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We next have the judgment of Jerusalem. (ch. xix. 20.) From chapters twenty-one to twenty-four, judgment is pronounced on the royal decendants of David, Zedekiah, Shallum, Coniah, and Jehoiakim; but the days will come when God will raise unto David a righteous branch, and "in those days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (xxiii. 6.) This is still future. There is now no hope of Judah's escaping being carried away into Babylon; but the captivity is to be limited to seventy years. The cup of fury is now to be drank by the nations, beginning first with Judah. At the end of the seventy years the King of Babylon is to be punished, and the land to become a perpetual desolation.

It is important to notice here that the government of the world is given to the King of Babylon because of Judah's unfaithfulness. But Babylon failed at once, not only by oppressing God's people, but in commanding all people to be idolaters; for Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, and commanded all nations to fall down to it. These things called afterwards for God's judgment upon it.

But to return. The prophet is now commanded to

say to his people, that if they do not hearken to God's word, He will make their city a curse to all the nations of the earth. (ch. xxvi. 6.) He informs them that they must bow to Nebuchadnezzar, God's servant, to seek the peace of the city whither they are carried away captive, and that when they turn to God with all their heart, He will be found of them. (ch. xxvii.-xxix.) The next four chapters are occupied with the most gracious promises of mercy, and of future restoration and blessing in the last days, on new covenant ground, and in connection with the Branch of Righteousness which shall grow up unto David. (ch. xxx.-xxxiii.)

Jeremiah again declares that Nebuchadnezzar shall fight against Jerusalem, take it, and burn it with fire, and that the cities of Judah shall be desolate, without an inhabitant. (ch. xxxiv.) The house of the Rechabites is commended and blessed for their obedience to their father. (ch. xxxv.) A curse is pronounced on Jehoiakim for burning the prophet's roll—God's word. (ch. xxxvi.) Jeremiah is imprisoned in a dungeon for his faithfulness for many days; but through the kind intervention of Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian, he is drawn up out of the dungeon with cords, but remained in the court of the prison till Jerusalem was taken. (ch. xxxviii.)

From chapters thirty-nine to forty-three we have the account of Nebuchadnezzar taking Jerusalem, carrying Judah away into captivity, except a few of the poor whom he left, and gave vineyards and fields. He gave special charge to do Jeremiah no harm, but to look well to him. The state of confusion with those who were left in the land is then recorded, their opposition to the prophet's counsel and warning, and their fleeing

into Egypt, where Johanan carried captive Jeremiah and Baruch. In this way was brought to pass the judgments God pronounced, until an end of them had been made by the sword and by famine. (ch. xliv.) Baruch's life is given him for a prey. (ch. xlv.) We have then the prophecies of Jeremiah concerning the judgments to fall on the Gentile nations, and lastly on Babylon. The last chapter is not by Jeremiah.

LAMENTATIONS.

JUDAH is in deep affliction. They have been carried away into captivity. They are under God's governmental "wrath." (chap. ii. 1-7.) Nevertheless, they are His people. Jeremiah's heart is therefore deeply moved, no doubt by the Spirit of Christ, to express most touching feelings concerning them, again reminding us of the precious Scripture, "In all their afflictions He was afflicted." And did not, at a later time, the sad condition of the nation, in rejecting God's message both by the Baptist and by the Messiah, give no sorrow of heart, no inward suffering, to the Lord Himself? Most assuredly it did; for they were still "His own;" and He could not but weep over their doomed city. And who can read His tender care for the suffering remnant in the coming time of Jacob's trouble, without being struck with His deep love and sympathy for them? (Matt. xxiv. 16-22.) So we find the prophet in Lamentations, under the power of the same Spirit, giving utterance to the most touching exclamations, while acknowledging the sins of the prophets, priests, and people bringing deserved chastisement, and most feelingly entering into their sufferings under "the rod of His anger," and their deep humiliation by the Gentile power. Still there is hope; "for the Lord will not cast off for ever; but though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies." (chap. iii. 31, 32.)

"WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME."

How wonderful, and yet how blessedly true, that the holy Son of God should love me! Yes, me, who was so unclean, so far from God, so self-willed, so proud, so sinful, as to present nothing to His eye but evil, and that continually! How strange! and yet it is a most precious fact that, notwithstanding all, He loved me. Oh, yes! His pitying eye beheld me when madly posting on the broad road which leads to everlasting destruction, and His compassionate heart moved tenderly toward me. Yes, He loved me then, and in richest grace drew near and spoke to me. Yes, He spoke to me. His still small voice my inmost conscience reached, saying"Turn ye, turn ye; why will ye die ?" What, said my wounded heart, am I so bad, so unclean, so undone, that death, the second death, is but just before me? Where am I going? Whither are my steps inclining? Is it possible that all along my quiet, amiable life, every movement has only hurried me along the broad and downward road? Is this a fact? Can it be that until now my sinful feet have only walked in paths where He is not? Is it true that all my best enjoyments, thus far, have been with my back quite turned to Him, ears deaf to His loving words, and heart unmoved by all the groans, and sufferings, and death, of the loving Son of God upon the tree? And yet when thus so loathsome, so unclean, in purpose and in act,