Jeremiah pursues the same subject, even that the Jews, after having undergone (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
profited under the scourges of God, they would become humble so as to deprecate his wrath.
But there is added a promise, that God would hear them. It may however appear, that God promised conversion even in the first clause; and, no doubt, prayer is the fruit of repentance, for it proceeds from faith; and repentance is the gift of God.
And further, we cannot call on God rightly and sincerely except by the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit; for he it is who not only dictates our words, but also creates groanings in our hearts. And thus Augustin, writing against the Pelagians, understands the passage, and proves that it is not in the power of man either to convert himself or to pray; ``for God,'' he says, ``would in vain promise what is in the power of man to do; and this is the promise, ye shall pray; it then follows, that we do not pray through the impulse of our own flesh, but when the Holy Spirit directs our hearts, and in a manner prays in us.'' I do not, however, know whether the Prophet intended to speak in so refined a manner. From other passages of Scripture it is easy to prove, that we cannot pray to God, except he anticipates us by his own Spirit. But as to this passage, I prefer to take a simpler meaning, that God would hear, when they began to pray; but yet he shews that it would not be after a short space of time, because they were almost untameable, and would not repent until after many years.
It follows, ---
Jeremiah 29:13
13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
13. Et quaeretis me, et invenietis, quia quaeretis in toto corde vestro.
He confirms in other words the same thing; and yet the repetition, as we said yesterday, is not useless; for as the Jews perversely despised all threatenings, so it was difficult for them to receive any taste of God's goodness from his promises.
This then is the reason why the Prophet employs many words on this subject. By the word seek, he means prayers and supplications, as mentioned in the last verse. And Christ also, exhorting his disciples to pray, says, ``Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.'' There is no doubt but that he speaks there of prayer; he yet adopted various modes of speaking, derived from the common habits of men.
But to seek, when we feel the need of God's grace, is nothing else than to pray. Hence the Prophet says, ye shall seek me and ye shall find me And though he addresses here the Israelites, yet this doctrine ought to be extended to the whole Church; for God testifies that he will be propitious to all who flee to him.
But as hypocrites are abundantly noisy, and seem to surpass the very saints in the ardor of their zeal, when the external profession is only regarded, the Prophet adds, Because 217 ye shall seek me with your whole heart There is no doubt but that readings. It is difficult to understand the meaning here of the second verb, go, or proceed. Some give this meaning, "And ye shall call upon me and shall go to your country; and ye shall pray to me, and I will hearken to you." But the sense most suitable appears to be the following, — "And ye shall call on me, and ye shall go on and intercede with me, and I will hearken to you." The verb {{הלךis used in the sense of advancing or of going on in a course that is begun. See Genesis 26:13; Exodus 19:19.
To ``intercede for themselves and others, was more than to call upon God. From calling they would go on to intercede, earnestly to plead for themselves and others, and then the promise is that God would hear them. --- Ed
217The {{כיhere is rendered ``when'' in our version, and in the ancient versions, except the Sept., where it is; {ὅτι}, ``for,'' or because. The most usual meaning of the particle is ``because;'' and it may be so rendered here; for sincerity may be justly