Jeremiah 16:1-7

I venture to read this precept given to Jeremiah concerning marriage while in Babylon, both with a national and spiritual view. No alliances were to be made by the people of God, with their idolatrous neighbours. And this, not only to keep them from idolatry; but to preserve the holy seed pure, distinct, and uncorrupt; and specially with an eye to Christ. Hence we find the genealogy of Christ, is so faithfully recorded by the Evangelists, Matthew 1:1, and Luke 3:23 to the end. Whether my views in this passage be right or not, still the Reader will not find it unsuitable to the general idea of scripture; for the Lord hath himself dwelt largely upon the subject, in several places. Hosea 2:1; Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14. And I confess, that I am the more inclined to this view of the subject, in a spiritual point, from that solemn expression which is in the midst of it; in which the Lord saith, I have taken away my peace from this people: perhaps (for I do not presume to determine) it means, that the Lord hath taken away his people's views of peace in Christ, the promised seed, when they found themselves in captivity; and for a while their hopes were cut off. They had lost the faith of that peace, and joy in believing, which their fathers had in seeing, the day of Christ afar off. And of course it made their bondage yet more grievous. Hence the Church cried out; thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity: And I said, my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord, Lamentations 3:17.