thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" If the threats of thine own brethren and fellow-citizens dismay thee, how wilt thou endure the opposition of the princes and mobs of the prophet-killing metropolis? The meaning of this language Jeremiah learned from experience when Josiah was cut off, and it soon appeared that he had abundant cause for the lamentation which the history informs us he made over the untimely death of that godly prince. Deprived of his protection, he was now exposed to the vindictive hate of those who were offended at his faithful admonitions.

CHAPTER XXII.

JEREMIAH'S LABORS AS A PROPHET.

NEAR the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, Jeremiah was ordered to take a linen girdle, such as the Jews used for confining their loose dresses around their bodies, and wear it without putting it into water. When he had worn it many days, the Lord commanded him to " go to Euphrates and hide it in a hole in the rock." After some time, he was commanded to go and take the girdle. He went accordingly, and found it "marred" and good for nothing. Most commentators think this only passed in vision, and that Jeremiah, in executing his commission, did not really go twice to the river Euphrates, which was a hundred and fifty leagues distant from Jerusalem.

Girdles were an ornament of dress very highly valued by the orientals, and were often made of precious stuffs. As the prophet's girdle, when taken from its hiding-place, was marred and profitable for nothing," so the Jews, once dear to Jehovah, had by disobedience become worthless in his sight, and he would cast them away.

In view of the judgments impending over his countrymen, the prophet presses on them the exhortation, "Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud:

for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive." As a patriot, Jeremiah could not, without grief, foresee the desolation of his country; but as a worshipper of Jehovah, he grieves still more "because the captives are the people of God."

About this time a severe drought appears to have prevailed over the land. "Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads. Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the ploughmen were ashamed, they covered their heads." The prophet represents the brute creation as sharing in the distress, and wasting away "because there was no grass."

In the pressure of affliction, the people resorted to Jeremiah for help, rather than to their own

gods. Harshly as they had treated the prophet, he addresses his prayer to Jehovah in their behalf: "O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. 0 the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Why shouldest thou be as a man astonished, as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not."

In answer to his supplications, the Lord tells Jeremiah that the people were bent on wandering, and that "he will now remember their iniquity and punish their sin." He had borne with them long, but they had gone backward with a perpetual backsliding. Now, when under the terrors of the drought they fast, he will not hear their cry; and when they offer sacrifice, he will not accept it; but will "consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence." And that the prophet might understand the day of forbearing with them was past, the command is given, "Pray not for this people for their good."

Such a prohibition must have crushed his heart; but, vile as they were, he attempts an apology for their misconduct : Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword,

neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place." Though this plea failed to procure a promise of relief for the thirsty land, Jeremiah, in the deepest affliction, owns the justice of the punishment, and casts himself and his country on the compassion of the God of Israel: "We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee. Do not abhor us; for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? Art not thou he, O Lord, our God? therefore will we wait upon thee; for thou hast made all these things." Forbidden as he was to offer supplications for the people, he still prostrates himself before the mercy-seat, resolved that if he and they must perish, they would "perish only there."

To a mind constituted like Jeremiah's, nothing could be more grateful than retirement and quiet in so godless an age. To live in the midst of idolatry, where the mass of the people were regardless of the worship, word, and government of Jehovah, would " vex his righteous soul from day to day." But to be constrained by conscience and his prophetic office to bear open, continual witness against the oppression of princes, the corruption of the priests, the deception of the false prophets, and the stupid folly of the common people, was more than