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by right of creation: it is our Immanuel's Land by right of redemption. And it can be fairly claimed in his name, by such as can in truth produce the title-deeds.

That the title deeds, the documents referred to, were long to remain sealed, or unopened, appears to have been intimated in what immediately follows, ver. 13—15, "And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel "— Be it observed, that it is as "the God of Israel," and not of the Jews only; as "the Lord of Hosts," and not of a remnant merely, that the Most High gives directions as to this matter. "Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days."

It may he observed that Neriah means Lamp of the Lord, as Baruch does Blessing—"Blessed is he that readeth" the book, represented by that which was deposited by Baruch; and has that word as a light to his feet, and a lamp to his path.—In preparation for the battle of Midian, Judges vii. 16, lamps were placed in earthen vessels; and the sudden shining forth of the lights from out the darkness, when the pitchers were broken, ver. 19, appears to have had much to do with the discomfiture of the enemy. To this matter is there a reference, 2 Cor. iv. 6, 7? "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." The treasure is the word of God, presenting the deeds of purchase; the evidences of what hath been done for us by our Kinsman Redeemer. In Him is the fulfilment of the promise expressed in the name Jeremiah, The Lord shall raise up.—And He shall again descend, when those appointed go forth to meet Him, with their lamps trimmed and their lights burning.—

Then those records, which have been left in comparative obscurity many days, will be freely read, and plainly understood, and fully acted upon, by those who, by the grace of God, through Him who hath been raised up for them, have been made heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Soon may darkening self be removed, private interpretations cease, and the prophesying in part be done away; and the clear light of divine truth shine fully forth, for the discomfiture of the powers of darkness, and the deliverance of his people. Then will they have communion in the light.

The immediate purpose, for which the sign of purchase thus was made by Jeremiah, is then stated, ver. 15, "For thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, houses, and fields, and vineyards, shall be possessed again in this land." It is to be again observed, that it is as the Lord of Hosts, as the God of Israel, that the Lord promises the re-inhabiting and peaceable possession of the Land of Promise. The colonization of the Land by either Jews or Gentiles, and not by Israel, would not answer the expectation here, as elsewhere, held out to us in the word of prophecy.Even Israel's dwelling there as under a foreign yoke, and not in absolute possession, as under the God of their fathers, would not fill up the promise; and when the promise is fulfilled, it is only, as it were, the sign of a far more important possession, about to be realized by all the children of God, in resurrection glory.

The prophet prophesied as he was commanded: but it is evident, from the conclusion of his prayer, recorded ver. 16—25, that he did not fully understand his own prophecy, or how it could be accomplished. Had ho acted according to his own knowledge or inclination, or spoken his own thoughts, he would not have acted as he did, or uttered words such as, by the Spirit of God, he was moved to utter.

In his perplexity he addressed himself to Him who could alone resolve his doubts, and disclose to him the

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secrets of wisdom: ver. 16, "Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch, the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the Lord:"

First—As the Creator, the Mighty God, ver. 17, 18: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth, by thy great power and stretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard" or wonderful "for thee."— His might is alike manifested in the fulfilment of promise, to the children of promise, and in the execution of threatening upon those who dare the divine wrath: "Thou shewest loving kindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them." ""The Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of Hosts is his name."

Second—He is then acknowledged as the Counsellor, ver. 19,—" Great in Counsel and Mighty in work; for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:" And here, indeed, the divine counsel was required, to reconcile this strict execution of justice, with the bestowment of mercy upon the guilty.—This can only be through their being brought into new covenant blessing; through their being made one with Him who hath made satisfaction for sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness; and who hath engaged to write his law upon the hearts of his restored people, depositing it in their inward parts— working all then- works in them.

Third—Correspondent to the name Wonderful, or God of Providence, the prayer then proceeds, verse 20—25,"Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a Name as at this day; and hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt, with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched-out arm, and with great terror."—His wonder-working power, as the God of Providence, was abundantly displayed in the bringing

his people out of the land of Egypt, leading them through the Red Sea; and conducting and training them in the wilderness; and in afterwards giving them the Land which he sware to their fathers to give them: a land at that time flowing with milk and honey. "And they came in and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law: they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do." He had dealt wondrously with them in kindness, as he had promised; but he had to deal with them as wondrously in judgment, according to the threatenings of that covenant, under which they had been given possession of the land. "Therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them: Behold the mounts; they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans that fight against it, because of the sword, and the famine, and the pestilence. And what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and behold thou seest it." How trying to the faith were circumstances such as these, in which to receive such a commission as that which he had received! The prophet felt that God is indeed wonderful. "And thou hast said unto me, O Lord God, buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses: though the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans!" The prophet, even after recognizing the Lord as the Mighty God, as the Counsellor, as the Wonderful, appears to have been surprised at the words he was made to utter, so seemingly inconsistent as they were with the circumstances in which he was placed: But he acts wisely in going to Him who could resolve his doubts by making plain his own words. And the Lord condescends, again and again, to confirm his word of promise; and that after a full recognition of the guilt both of Israel and Judah; and of the utter pollution of the place he hath more especially promised to deliver; and wherein he hath purposed to bless his people, lifting them up for ever.

"Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am the Lord"—the ever-living Jehovah, "the God of all flesh," as which, He will be manifested, when will take place the manifestation of the sons of God: He is able to bring them forth, and to fulfil to them all He hath promised, notwithstanding their utter unworthiness, and their being, to appearance, entirely lost. This may seein difficult of accomplishment, but, saith the Lord, "Is there anything too hard" or wonderful "for me?"

The case of the city is declared, ver. 28, 29; of Israel and Judah, ver. 30; and again that of the city, ver. 31; and again that of Israel and Judah, ver. 32; their sin of omission, or refusal to receive instruction, ver. 33; their sins of commission, instanced in the defilement of his sanctuary, ver. 34; and in building high places to Baal, and committing other idolatrous abominations, ver. 35. There is thus a clear and repeated recognition of both place and people; and of their guilt or unworthiness, in all respects: so that there can be no doubt as to who are the people, and what is the place referred to in the words that follow.

1. The then approaching ruin of Jerusalem, and the weight of guilt, as to idolatry, which was about to involve in destruction the appointed place of the Lord's throne, are intimated, ver. 28, 29, "Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold I will give this

city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar, King of Babylon, and he shall take it." The city was, in effect, taken in the fourth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign, and between the seventh and tenth days of the succeeding month, the Chaldeans, having returned from the pursuit and capture of the fugitive king, accomplished the predicted vengeance, "And the Chaldeans that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it, with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink-offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger."

2. The extent of the evil, which the Lord recognises in his professed people, and which required to be avenged, was great. Its length and breadth are thus stated, ver. 30, " For the children of Israel, and the children of Judah, have only done evil before me from their youth." Both the one house and the other, had thus lost all claim, in their own right, to the peaceful possession of the Land.

3. The particular form of evil with which they are charged, was idolatry— the practical rejection of the Lord from being their God: their denying themselves to be his people, by giving themselves up to the worship of idols, as is intimated in ver. 30, "For the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the Lord."

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4. The aggravation of their accumulated guilt, as in the case of the capital, both the nations, and all orders of the people, from the highest to the lowest, is noticed, ver. 31, 32, "For this city hath been to me a provocation of mine anger and of my fury, from the day that they built it, even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face," &c.

5. Their manner of acting with regard to the instructions he was pleased to bestow on them; their contemptuous disregard of the words of his covenant, is intimated, ver. 33, "And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction." They shewed their rejection of the Lord by their neglect of his word.

6. The length to which they had gone in rejection of the Lord, the covenant God of Israel, is stated, ver. 34, "But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by name, to defile it." They had thus made themselves a loathing to the Lord, even in the house which had been professedly set apart to His service.

7. But the weight of their guilt is again to be considered, in the nature of the sacrifices they were willing to

make, on behalf of gods that could not profit them: v. 35. "They built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech, which I commanded them not; neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin."

It would be difficult to identify people and place, or to describe forfeiture of the inheritance, more fully than we have seen done. The children of Israel, brought out of Egypt, who afterwards were divided into the two houses of Israel and Judah, and who had so remained uuprofited by the Lord's teaching; who had defiled the Lord's sanctuary, and utterly corrupted their ways! Jerusalem, which had been so distinguished by guilt, and which was to be, and has been, so remarkably distinguished in judgment—These are undoubtedly the people and place referred to in the succeeding promises.

The foregoing sevenfold description of the evil which was found in Israel, as under the Law, may be contrasted with the following fulness of blessing -the good to be bestowed upon the children of promise, according to the Gospel.

ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL. 36—44.

was driven away in wrath, are they to be gathered out of all countries, and that by the Lord himself.

Well may it be said, when such en assembling of all Israel to Jerusalem shall take place, "Who can count the dust of Jacob?" Then will they be astonished at their own previous darkness and defilement, and at the multitude of the Lord's mercies towards a people so unworthy.

Second—The place unto which the return is to be, is as distinctly marked in the end of ver. 37: "And I will bring them again unto this place."That Jerusalem is meant, there can be no doubt; and the return here referred

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to, cannot be any which has yet taken place; for it follows, "And I will cause them to dwell safely." Compare ch. xxiii. 6, with ch. xxxiii. 16, by which it may be seen, that Israel is distinguished from Judah, and identified with Jerusalem, as dwelling safely.

Third—They had rejected the Lord from being their God, and were made Not his people; but now these are the marks whereby they shall be known. "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God," ver. 38. He will be known as emphatically the God of Israel; and they shall be known to be in truth the people of the Lord.

Fourth The oneness of Christ with his people is plainly intimated, ver. 39: "I will give them one heart," which can only be by their being given the mind of Jesus, and being given to say with Him, "Thy will be done—" "and one way—that they may fear me for ever."—This is a unity of spirit and worship which is to continue, "for the good of them, and of their children after them." It is clear, that the words do not refer altogether to another state of existence; when the persons referred to shall neither marry nor be given in marriage. Nor can they be applied to a state in which there has not been inward, as well as outward, uniformity.

This has not, as yet, been to All Israel; but it is to be: and that in the present life: else how can it be said to be for the good of their children after them, as well as for their own good? In the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Fifth—The recognition which is made of the people of promise is that of their being objects of gospel mercy. They are restored, not as under the law; but thus are they his people, ver. 40. "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good." This is the favour with which the returning prodigal is received, as being thoroughly convinced

of the folly and evil of his own ways, as returning with one heart, in the one way appointed of the Father—as being given the adoption or sonship, in Him who alone is worthy: and his people thus brought to Him, God engages to keep, so that they will turn from Him no more. "But I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." This, certainly remains to be done to them as a people. But the Everlasting God, the Covenant-keeping God, has fully engaged to do it; and it must be done. And it will be done by their being unlike their stiffnecked fathers, through their being given to hearken diligently unto his word. See Isa. lv.

Sixth—The words, v. 41, "Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good," imply, that joy in the Holy Ghost will be richly bestowed; and that an abundant entrance will be given into the good word of God. The Church of the first-born will be enriched by Him in all utterance, and all knowledge. The prayer will be answered—" Thy Spirit is good. Lead me into the land of uprightness."

Nothing shall be wanting that is necessary to bring them into the blessing designed; and for this there must be a return to the very land from which they were cast out, and which is surely sufficiently indicated, when it is said, "And I will plant them in this land, assuredly "—that is, in truth or stability, upon the one all-sufficient Foundation laid in Zion—" with my whole heart, and with my whole soul." They are now to be found in a very different case than when they were a loathing to the Lord, as defiling his house with their abominations. will He delight in his people. Since these words were spoken, it surely cannot be said, that the Lord has planted any people in that land, with his whole heart, and his whole soul. And this was to be, and must yet be, according to the everlasting covenant ordered in all things, and sure. Oh, what blessing must abound to the people (and they are the very people of Israel, whose fathers were outcasts) who shall be

Now