in this land affuredly with my whole heart and with my 42 whole foul; with a true and lafting affection. For thus faith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, fo will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them; I will be as faith43 to my promifes as I have been to my threatenings. And fields fhall be bought in this land, whereof ye fay, [It is] defolate without man or beaft; it is given into the 44 hand of the Chaldeans. Men fhall buy fields for money, and fubfcribe evidences, and feal [them,] and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerufalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the fouth: for I will caufe their captivity to return, faith the LORD; they shall have fuch plenty of money, fuch a flourishing trade and husbandry, that they shall buy lands, not only about Jerufalem and other cities, but all over the country.

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ROM the circumftances of the prophet's purchase we may learn, that it is a matter of prudence and duty to be honest, punctual, and open in bargains and fales. To have them done by the best advice, before competent and sensible witnefles, and to keep the deeds fafe. This is neceffary for the peace and profperity of purchafers and their pofterity. It is much to be lamented that a most useful act for registering deeds was laid afide by the artifice of those who make a figure, without fubftance to fupport it; or who live by the failures of deeds, and the doubtfulness of titles. A wife man guideth his affairs with difcretion.

2. It is very defirable to know the full meaning and extent of God's will; whether by his word or providence. It is our duty, like Jeremiah, implicitly to obey the divine commands, however made known to us. Yet we may

humbly defire to know their meaning, as our obedience in that cafe will be more ready and cheerful; and therefore it becomes us to look to God by prayer, that he would fhow us what and why he requires of us. If any man lack wif dom, let him afk it of God. VOL. V.

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3. In the most gloomy profpects it is good to dwell on the divine perfections and promifes; both to promote our reverence and patience, and encourage our hope. Jeremiah mentions thofe perfections of God in his prayer which have this tendency; and God himself, in his answer, reminds him of them. And this anfwer fhows us, that he can retrieve national affairs, and revive the interefts of his church when it is at the lowest ebb. He can likewife revive his work in our fouls; for nothing is too hard for him What he did for Ifrael, and what he hath promised to do for his people, are fufficient grounds for thankfulness and cheerful expectation.

4. A change of heart and life, are necessary to the acquifition of the divine favour and acceptance. When God promifes the Jews a happy return to and profperity in their land, he promises to give them one heart, and to put his fear within them. And thus muft our hearts be one; entirely devoted to God; and not divided between him and the world, or any creature. Our obedience must be entire and hearty; and we muft, in order to this, feek to God, that he would implant good difpofitions and principles in ùs; and unite our hearts to fear his name. Then he will do us good, and that with all his heart and foul, and at length blefs us with an inheritance in the heavenly country, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.

In which God promifes the Jews a gracious return from cap tivity, a fettled government, and, in due time, Chrift the Branch of righteousness.

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OREOVER the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the fecond time, while he was 2 yet fhut up in the court of the prison, faying, Thus faith the LORD the maker thereof, of Zion and Ferufalem, the LORD that formed it, to establish or regulate it; 3 the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and fhow thee great and mighty things, which thou knoweft not; an expreffion of God's favour to the prophet. and of his kindness to his people; as if he had faid, I will

make

make further discoveries of my kind intentions to Ifrael, not only in their return from captivity, but in the bleffings of 4 the Meffiah's kingdom. For thus faith the LORD, the God of Ifrael, concerning the houfes of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the fword; that is, by engines and mattocks; (the next verfe comes in as a parenthefis concerning the prefent state of Jerusalem, 5 and the ruin coming upon it;) They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but [it is] to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have flain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whofe wickednefs I have hid my face from this city; that is, thofe from the country that come to attack the befiegers, or the besieged themselves fallying out, will only provoke them to do fo much the more 6 mischief. Behold I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth; or, I will grant their prayer for peace and truth; I will reftore their captivity, and heal 7 their civil and fpiritual diforders. And I will caufe the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Ifrael to return, 8 and will build them as at the firft. And I will cleanfe them from all their iniquity, whereby they have finned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have finned, and whereby they have transgreffed against me; I will remit the punishment of their 9 iniquities. And it fhall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which fhall hear all the good that I do unto them and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the profperity that I procure unto it; they shall be ftruck with religious awe, and give glory to me for what I have done for

them. 10 Thus faith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye fay [fhall be] defolate, without man, and without beaft, [even] in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerufalem, that are defolate, without man II and without inhabitant, and without beaft, The voice of joy, and the voice of gladnefs, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall fay, Praise the LORD of hofts; for the LORD

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[is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: [and] of them that fhall bring the facrifice of praife into the houfe of the LORD. For I will caufe to return the captivity of the land, as at the firft, faith the LORD: there fhall be common and religious joy in their families and in their temple; all which was fulfilled in Ezra's time.

Thus faith the LORD of hofts; Again in this place, which is defolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of thep13 herds caufing [their] flocks to lie down. In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the fouth, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerufalem, and in the cities of Judah, fhall the flocks pafs again under the hands of him that telleth [them,] faith the LORD; who counteth them, as they go in or come out of the fold.-Then fol lows a prophecy of Christ, and the continuance of the gospel. 14 Behold, the days come, faith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promifed unto the houfe of Ifrael and to the house of Judah.

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In those days, and at that time, will I caufe the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he fhall execute judgment and righteoufnefs in the land. 16 In those days fhall Judah be faved, and Jerufalem fhall dwell fafely and this [is the name] wherewith fhe fhall be called, The LORD our righteousness; the church fhall be called by the name of Christ, as it is the feat of his refidence, as the righteousness of its members is derived from him, and they are dedicated to him.

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For thus faith the LORD; David fhall never want a man to fit upon the throne of the house of lfrael; 18 Neither fhall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offer. ings, and to do facrifice continually; Chrift Shall reign as a king, and be a priest for ever.

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And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, 20 faying, Thus faith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there fhould not be day and night in their 21 season; [Then] may also my covenant be broken with

David

David my fervant, that he should not have a fon to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priefts, my minifters; that is, God will always have 22 thofe who fhall preach, profefs, and adorn the gofpel, As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the fand of the fea measured: fo will I multiply the feed of David my fervant, the Spiritual feed, the people of Chrift, and the Levites that minifter unto me.

23 Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, 24 faying, Confidereft thou not what this people have fpoken, (referring to their enemies deriding, or to the Jews defpairing,) faying, The two families which the LORD hath chofen, Ifrael and Judah, he hath even caft them off? thus they have defpifed my people, that they fhould be no more a nation before them; as if they 25 were never like to be a nation again. Thus faith the LORD; if my covenant [be] not with day and night, [and if] I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven 26 and earth, day and night, fummer and winter; Then will I caft away the feed of Jacob, and David my fervant, [fo] that I will not take [any] of his feed [to be] rulers over the feed of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them: the chriftian church shall never cease to the end of the world.

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REFLECTION S.

HE vifits of God to his people are fufficient to make any place and circumftance comfortable. v. 2, 3. God came to Jeremiah with very gracious promifes. He had before complained bitterly indeed of his grievous meffages, when he had peace and liberty; here he hath comfortable ones, while confined. God can thus vifit his people, and often does, when confined and afflicted; and makes their fecret chambers delightful. None of their enemies can debar them from his vifits. If we defire his gracious prefence with us in feafons of trouble, we muft earnestly pray for it, v. 3, and then we may hope