all, to sanctify it; and threatens the wicked with eternal ruin.

Reflections.

THE first part of this chapter teaches us, I. That God, being the Creator of the world, dwells not in temples made with hands; that he is not honoured by a worship that is merely external; that he accepts none but those that can come to him with an humble spirit, and who tremble at his word; and that without these dispositions, all acts of divine worship, even those he has established and commanded, such as were under the law, sacrifices of sheep and oxen, oblations and incense, are so far from pleasing him, that they become an abomination to him. II. The promises which God made to redeem his people, to multiply them, and to pour down his blessings upon them, were all accomplished, when the Jews were gathered from the several countries of the world to Jerusalem, and the divine worship restored. But these promises especially declare, that the Gentiles should enter into the church of Christ, which also came to pass. Herein we should acknowledge the truth and faithfulness of God, as well as his mercy towards us. However, we must likewise carefully remember, that God declares several times in this chapter, that these promises, and these blessings, are only for the faithful and elect; and that he would display his vengeance upon the wicked and unbelieving. From whence it appears, that it is only by faith and obedience, that we can be made partakers of that salvation and glory, which Isaiah and the other prophets have promised, and which have been purchased for us by Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and adoration for ever and ever. Amen.

The end of the Book of the prophet Isaiah.

THE

BOOK OF THE PROPHET

JEREMIAH.

ARGUMENT.

Jeremiah, who was a priest and prophet, prophesied from the 13th year of king Josiah, till after the taking of Jerusalem, which was about the space of 45 years. This book is writ with a great deal of plainness, and at the same time with great strength and energy. It is partly historical and partly prophetical. We meet with several prophecies in it concerning the ruin of the Jews, their return from the Captivity, the destruction of the Babylonians, and of some other kingdoms; the calling of the Gentiles, and the new covenant that God would make with mankind by Jesus Christ. We have here likewise a relation of the sufferings Jeremiah himself underwent, and of several things that happened to him before, and after, the taking of Jerusalem; as also an account of what passed during the siege and taking of that city, and of the state of the Jews that dwelt in Judea, and who retired into Egypt, after that Jerusalem was taken by the Chaldeans.

CHAPTER I.

THIS chapter consists of three parts. I Jeremiah gives an account in what manner he was called to the office of a prophet, the reasons he gave to be excused from it, and God's command to obey his call. II. Jeremiah relates two visions which he saw; the first of which was, the vision of an almondtree beginning to bud, which signified that the destruction of Jerusalem was near; and the second, which was a seething pot towards the north, showed, that this desolation would come from the north, that is, from Babylon. III. We here see the promises God gave Jeremiah of his assistance and protection.

Reflections after reading the chapter.

I. LET us make one general reflection on this Book, which is, that God in his great goodness sent Jeremiah to the Jews to exhort them to repentance, and to warn them of their approaching destruction. II. It must be remarked, that Jeremiah was called to be a prophet when he was yet young; that at first he was afraid to take this office upon him, and would have excused himself from it, but that, when God commanded him, he obeyed the call. From whence it appears, that Jeremiah did not take this office upon himself of his own choice, but in obedience to the will of God, and with profound humility. As it is God alone who is to send his ministers, so those whom he calls ought to be sensible of their weakness; but they ought nevertheless, to obey his voice, and to rely upon his assistance. The two visions of Jeremiah gave him to understand, that the chief design of his ministry was, to denounce the approaching ruin of Jerusalem. Thus the servants of God are sent, not only to deliver promises to men, but very often threatenings, to warm them of the judgments of God. Lastly, the command of God to the prophet to acquaint the Jews with all

that he should command him, promising to support him against all that should oppose him, shows, that the ministers of the Lord are bound to discharge their office without fearing men, and courageously to declare the whole will of God; and that God always supports them that faithfully discharge the duties of their calling.

CHAPTER II.

THERE are three things to be considered in this chapter: I. God, under the similitude of a husband who has a tender affection for his wife, represents his own love to the Jews, and the many good things he had done for them in the land of Canaan. II. He complains of the ungrateful returns which the Jews had made to so much love, and for so many favours; that the people, and even the priests, the kings and the rulers, had carried their rebellions so far, as to forsake the Lord to serve false gods, which the prophet reproaches them for very largely. III. God tells them, that this their ingratitude and idolatry, would be the cause of their destruction, and that he would punish them, by delivering them into the hands of their enemies; that neither Noph, nor Tahapanes, that is, the Egyptians nor the Assyrians, in whom they trusted, should deliver them; and that God would make use of these very nations to chastise them.

Reflections.

THIS chapter engages us to reflect upon the love of God towards the Jews, upon their ingratitude, and their destruction. I. Upon the first of these we should reflect, that if God thus loved the Jews, and did such great things for them, he has manifested to us still greater love, and bestowed much more valuable blessings upon us, than those which he vouchsafed to his ancient people. II. God reproaches the Jews with falling into the basest ingratitude against him, and forsaking his worship, to commit the most abominable idolatries. This is expressed

in the following complaint which God makes; What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Neither have they said, Where is the Lord that hath brought us up out of the land of Egypt? Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, for my people have forsaken me, who am the fountain of living waters, to hew them out broken cisterns that can hold no water. By this God very plainly shows, that he is man's sovereign good; that he ceaseth not to draw men to him by his kindness; that it is extreme ingratitude and folly thus to turn away from God, who is the fountain of all their happiness, and cleave to vain things which cannot make them happy; that those who behave thus have no excuse to plead, and are of necessity miserable, as the Jews experienced. III. We see that the Jews, for their unfaithfulness to God, were deprived of his protection, and drew upon themselves all those miseries which Jeremiah threatened them with. Thus all those who forsake God, who abuse his long-suffering, and are insensible both of his mercies and judgments, perish at last in a miserable

manner.

CHAPTER III.

I. Jeremiah here represents, under the similitude of a woman that had committed adultery, the crime of the Jews in forsaking the service of God, and breaking his covenant; and continuing the same comparison, he speaks of Israel and Judah, as of two sisters that had both fallen into the sin of adultery: The meaning of which is, that the Israelites of the ten tribes had first forsaken God to serve idols ; and that those of the kingdom of Judah had imitated, and even exceeded them by their sins and obstinacy. II. God declares, that notwithstanding the unfaithfulness of that people, he was nevertheless still ready to forgive them upon their conversion. III. He promises, that after he had dispersed the people of Israel