The reader will please be cautious not to confound the principle of fore-ordination with that of predestination, in the case of Jeremiah, for there is a broad distinction between the two. A man may be fore-ordained, set apart or commanded to do a certain work, yet he retains his agency in the matter, and it is optional with him whether he performs the duty assigned him or not. If predestinated to perform a certain work, there would be no choice but to do that work. Not having any choice, he would not incur the responsibility of his own actions, nor control them, but would be controlled by the power which predestined him. While Jeremiah was fore-ordained to be a prophet to the nations, we do not read that he was predestined to fill the office of a prophet by any means. The principle of pre-existence is plainly illustrated in the life of our Savior, who thus spake to the people: "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?" (John 6:62.) Again, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven." To all human appearance, Jesus resembled very much the rest of the children of our common Father. So close was this resemblance, that those by whom He was surrounded failed to see any contrast between Him and any ordinary man. They enquired of each other, "Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon and Judas?" Let us ask ourselves the question: Is it so difficult to comprehend our own pre-existence, when that of Jesus is so plainly taught, and also that of many of the Biblical characters of whom we read? Paul, the great apostle, speaking of himself, says, "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, _promised before the world began_." (Titus 1:2.) Here was a promise made to Paul of eternal life, "_before the world began_," conditioned upon obedience, as was said to Cain aforetime, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" (Genesis 4:7.) Yet, notwithstanding this promise, Paul was under the necessity of performing certain duties to enable him to claim the promise made. After being stricken with blindness on the way up to Damascus, and hearing the voice of a risen Redeemer, he was told to "Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." (Acts 9:6.) After fasting and prayer, he was visited at the end of three days, by one Ananias, who had been commanded of the Lord in vision, to visit Paul, and was furthermore told, that he was a "chosen vessel," or, in other words, one whom the Lord hath made promises to before the "world began," and who had a mission to perform before "Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." The question of Ananias was, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and _be baptized_, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16.)