THE WARNING BY JEREMIAH.

faith. The prophets read .God’s
holy law: but their knowledge of
the law was of no use, for they read,
but did not obey. God will not ac-
cept our services if we are not sin-

- cere;—if we do not truly love and |

wish toserve Him. He sees the heart.
If there is no faith, and no love there,
God will not attend to the prayers
we say. And if we do not ask for
the Holy Spirit to teach us, we shall
have no blessing when we read His
word.

Jeremiah stood, quietly before his
judges. They were stronger than
he, but he was not afraid. He
knew it was his duty to speak the
truth boldly for God, and he prayed
for courage to do so. God geve
him the boldness and courage he
needed ; and when the priests and
the prophets spoke to the princes
and people, saying, “This man de-
‘serves to die, because he has pro-
phesied evil against our city ;” Jer-
emiah cried out to them all, “It is
God who sent me to prophesy these
things; He has spoken the words
you have heard, and what He says
is truth. Ifyou wish your city and
your temple to be spared, you must
amend your doings, and obey the
voice of the Lord, and then He will
have mercy, and will not bring this
evil upon you. Iam in your power;
do_with me as you please. But
know, thatif you put me to death,

291
you will bring worse punishment
upon yourselves, and upon your
city, because what I have spoken is
the word of God.” And did the
wicked priests and prophets put
Jeremiah to death? No; God in- |
clined the hearts of the princes and
people to attend to Jeremiah. He
made them fear to hurt His prophet;
and they said to the priests, “ No;
this man does not deserve to die.
He has spoken to us in the name of
God.’ Then some of the elders
rose up, and said, “ Many years ago,
Micah prophesied that this city
should be destroyed because of the
wickedness of the people. Heze-
kiah was king when Micah prophe-
sied this. But Hezekiah and his
people did not put Micah to death.
They were not angry with him for
speaking the truth. They believed
what he said, and repented, and
feared the Lord, and besought Him
to have mercy on them; and God
heard their prayer and spared them.
Let us do as they did; and not kill
Jeremiah, and bring God’s anger
upon us.”

There was another prophet of the
Lord, who prophesied as Jeremiah
did, named Urijah. The wicked
king Jehoiakim slew him with the -
sword; but Jeremiah was kept by
his friends, and his enemies did not
hurt him at that time.