I only detain the Reader, to make one remark on this passage, though it furnisheth out many; and the one I beg the Reader particularly to observe is, in my view, a most important one; namely, that Babylon's sin, in the cruelty manifested to Israel, was directed against the Lord. She hath been proud against the Lord. Yes! The hatred manifested against the Lord's people, is on the Lord's account. So saith Jesus, and blessed be his dear name, that it is so. Turn to that scripture, and you will find it. John 15:18-19. I know not what the Reader's feelings are at this discovery; but in mine it forms a sweet and precious consideration. I find a holy boldness sometimes to faith, in telling my Lord, that since he hath called me by his grace, and the enemy hates me but the more on his account, surely my Lord will feel constrained to keep me the nearer to himself for this reason, that the foe may not triumph.
Jeremiah 50:21-32
21 Go up against the land of Merathaim,f even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!
24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.
25 The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.
26 Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.
27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
28 The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.
29 Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
30 Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.
31 Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
32 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.