er' when viewed in their collective
character; and 'children' when viewed in the individuals who are born
of that people. For a people is born from the people. For the whole
people is considered according to that which is radical in it, which
constitutes its nature and substance,--and, in this respect, it is
called the 'mother of its citizens.'" But we are as little entitled to
infer from this exhortation, that a reform, and an averting of the
threatened judgments, may still be hoped for. This is opposed by what
follows, where the wife appears as incorrigible, and her rejection as
unavoidable. The fundamental thought is, on the contrary, only
this:--that a reform is necessary if the threatened judgments are to be
averted. That this necessity, however, would not become a reality, the
prophet foresaw; and for this reason he speaks unconditionally in the
sequel. But from this again it must not be inferred that, in that case,
his exhortations and threatenings would be altogether in vain. Though
no reform was to be expected from the people, single individuals might,
nevertheless, be converted. At the same time, it was of great
importance for the future, that before the calamity should break in, a
right view of it should be opened up to the whole people. It is of
great importance, that if any one be smitten, he should know for what
reason. The instructions in the doctrines of Christianity, which a
criminal has received in childhood, may [Pg 232] often seem for a long
series of years to have been altogether in vain; but afterwards,
notwithstanding, when punishment has softened his heart, they bring
forth their fruits.--In the words, "For she is not my wife, and I am
not her husband," the ground of the exhortation is stated. Even for
this reason, the words cannot be referred to the _external_ dissolution
of the marriage, to the punishment of the wife; they signify rather the
_moral_ dissolution of the marriage--the guilt of the wife--and are
equivalent to: "our marriage is dissolved _de facto_." But in the case
of the spiritual marriage, this dissolution _de facto_ is always,
sooner or later, according to the greater or smaller measure of God's
forbearance, followed by the dissolution _de jure_; or, to speak
without figure, wherever there is sin, punishment will always follow.
God bears with much weakness on the part of His people; but wherever,
through this weakness, the relation to Him is essentially dissolved, He
there annuls