Jeremiah 14:21

The thing which the prophet deprecateth is, the judgments come already and further coming upon this people, the famine, sword, and pestilence, with the drought, under the sad consequents of which they at present laboured; but he prays for the removal of these judgments, and the prevention of such as were yet to come, in this phrase, Do not abhor us; noting to us that the love of God to a people is the root of all good which they can expect, and his hatred and displeasure the root of all the evil that can betide them. Here are divers arguments brought to back this petition. 1. For thy name's sake; that is, thine honour and glory sake; an argument often made use of in holy writ, in the prayers of God's people, Joshua 7:9, &c., and upon a very good foundation, whether we consider God's concern for his own glory, or the tenure of God's promises, promising mercy for his own name's sake. He also argueth with God from his former love and kindness to this people, which he had made the throne of his glory. The words are either to be understood of the throne of the house of David, called the Lord's throne, 1 Chronicles 29:23, or else the temple, and the ark in it, the more special symbol of God's presence: hence he is said to have dwelt betwixt the cherubims, Psalms 80:1; so Jeremiah 17:12, the prophet saith, A glorious high throne from the beginning is our sanctuary. Lord, (saith the prophet,) we have deserved all the disgrace thou canst throw upon us, but do not thou disgrace the throne of thine own glory. Remember, break not thy covenant with us. Did not Jeremiah then know that God could not break his covenant ? Answ. He did know it; but he also knew that it is our duty to pray to God to fulfil it; or possibly he would extend it a little further, and for God's covenant sake made with the faithful in Israel he would have obtained mercy for the whole body of the nation.