sions of the false prophets, to have sent tribute regularly to Babylon. But at length other counsels prevailed. In the ninth year of his reign, as already related, he cast off the Babylonish yoke, and once more an alliance was formed between Judah and Egypt.

What good reason for this change its advocates could offer, it would be difficult to conceive. Το one or the other of the two great powers between which they were pent, the Jews must necessarily have been subject, if they renounced the service of Jehovah. From the dealings of Providence with the church in other times, as well as from the threatenings of the law of Moses, they might, if disobedient, have anticipated a removal from their own land. But they could not expect to be better treated by Egypt than by Babylon. Daniel was at that time prime-minister at the court of the latter, and other Jews were in office in different parts of the realm. These would have many opportunities to protect the captives from oppression and to redress their grievances. In fact, the condition of the Jews was far from abject in Babylon. They were not persecuted for their religion. They were indeed exposed to ridicule and scorn for their peculiar institutions, but to these they would have been exposed in any other heathen land. If they were to be severed from their country on account of their wickedness, their condition could nowhere have

been more tolerable than under the Chaldean gov

ernment.

But the Jews probably hoped, by an alliance. with Egypt, to be protected against the Chaldeans, and to remain in their own land. Egypt was an ancient, powerful kingdom; Babylon but just rising into notice among the nations. Egypt was already densely populated, and did not need an accession of foreign immigrants. On the other hand, Nebuchadnezzar was aiming to found a mighty empire. His policy, therefore, was to strip the conquered countries of their riches and best inhabitants. Hence, at the first invasion of Judah, he carried away a select portion of the princes and nobility to wait on him at his palace, and afterwards removed a large number of artificers and armorers, whose services he could use in adorning his capital and preparing weapons for his soldiers.

The Jews, moreover, would be disposed to choose the yoke of Egypt, because they had carried on intercourse with that kingdom for many ages; whereas the Chaldeans were a fierce, distant people, with whose customs and country they were unacquainted.

The Babylonish army was approaching Jerusalem to punish Zedekiah for his revolt, or was already besieging the city. Hitherto he had not taken any notice of Jeremiah in the administration of his government. The prophet had borne to the

palace a message from the Lord, but we read of no messenger sent by the king to the prophet. He had not only neglected Jeremiah, but in this very matter had gone counter to his warning. Now the evil is at hand, Zedekiah does not call around him the prophets who urged him to rebel, and ask them to beseech help of their idol-gods, but in alarm at the threatening danger, he sends messengers to request that Jeremiah would intreat the Lord to deal with them "according to all his wondrous works" in former years. The king was not an idolater through ignorance of the true God. He had often heard of the deliverances wrought for the land in other times. The story of the slaughtered Assyrians had not faded from the national history nor from popular tradition, though scorners then, as now, might declare it all a fiction.

Had Zedekiah made such a request of the false prophets, they would readily have assured him of deliverance from the Chaldeans. But Jeremiah renewed his declaration that the city would be taken, and the kingdom depart from the house of David, without a speedy reform in their abuse of power. Such a reply might seem harsh, and was undoubtedly so represented by the princes and prophets to prejudice the king against Jeremiah.

When evil comes on the wicked for their personal transgressions, or approaching death fills their minds with terrors, the servant of the Lord must not

soften the truth, or speak words of peace to those for whom, while impenitent, there is no peace. Better, by faithful yet tender counsel, quicken the fears of the sufferer and wound the bosom of friends, than quiet a soul in sin by misdirected sympathy.

It was a merciful provision of the law of Moses, that at the end of six years the Hebrews who were in servitude to their brethren should be set free. While the Chaldeans were besieging the city, the king and the people entered into an agreement to comply with this requisition. Accordingly all the Hebrew bondmen and bond women in Jerusalem were liberated. The chief motive for this tardy act of justice probably was to engage those who had regained their freedom in a more hearty defence of the city; but mingled with this may have been apprehensions of punishment for disobedience.

When the Babylonish camp was broken up on the approach of Pharaoh's army, and the danger was supposed to be over, the people compelled their Hebrew servants to return to bondage. This hypocritical and cruel movement was severely censured by the prophet. "Thus saith the Lord; behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth."

So the wicked in their calamity will sometimes apparently draw nigh unto God; but when the danger is past, they usually return to their folly,

and perhaps even affect to ridicule their relentings as weakness. And is there not reason to fear that many a death-bed repentance will be found hereafter no better than this seeming reformation of the affrighted Jewish king and people?

The Chaldean army having withdrawn to give battle to the Egyptians, Jeremiah was leaving the city to go into the land of Benjamin, where was Anathoth, his native home. He was persuaded the Chaldeans would return, and he did not perhaps choose to await the horrors of a siege when his messages were treated with so much contempt; but God had work still for him to do at Jerusalem, hopeless as appeared the prospect of usefulness. Men should not too hastily quit their posts because they cannot see at once the fruit of their labors, or because they think they can be more useful somewhere else. In such cases they often find themselves mistaken, and fall into greater difficulties than they attempted to escape. "Follow Provi

dence, and not lead it."

When Jeremiah was going out at the gate of Benjamin, he was apprehended by a captain of the ward, who accused him of a design to desert to the Chaldeans. The officer may have supposed there was some ground for this accusation, because Jeremiah advised the people to surrender, as the only way to preserve the city from ruin. The prophet, conscious of innocence, indignantly repelled the