Lam. i. 9. She remembereth* not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully.
TO men in general nothing appears sinful but that which violates in the grossest manner some positive command, and interrupts in a very high degree the welfare of society. But God considers an unpro- fitable servant as meriting the same doom as the dis- honest ; and informs us, that an unmindfulness of our latter end will bring his judgments upon us, no less than a determined commission of every thing that is evil.
The Prophet Jeremiah is lamenting the sore bond- age under which his country groaned in Babylon, and is assigning the reasons for which God had thus re- jected her. But in doing this, he does not fix on any one particular sin, however great ; but on that which had pervaded all ranks of people, their unmindfulness of their latter end.
In his words we read,
I. Their sin —
This is the common sin of all mankind —
[Moses had forewarned the Jews of the things that should come upon them in the latter days : but they had never duly considered his predictions, nor laboured to avert the threatened calamities. Thus has God warned us also of the miseries which the wicked shall endure in another world : but we will
a It should rather be, remembered.
not regard his admonitions. The gay, the worldly, the am- bitious, are intent on their several pursuits ; but none says " Where is God my Maker b?" Even those who profess some regard for religion, are yet, for the most part, very little engaged in a preparation for eternity : their zeal, in the pur- suit of heavenly things, bears no proportion to the importance of their object, or even to the labours which others use for the attainment of worldly vanities.]
Nor let this be thought a venial matter —
[This it was, which brought down Jerusalem : and it will involve us also in the heaviest calamities. And well it may : for it is a contempt of God our Maker. In this view he him- self complains of itc ; and he represents all his attributes and perfections as dishonoured by itd. It is also a contempt of Christ our Saviour. He had even " died, to purify us unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works :" but, by our indifference, we make light of his mercies e, and trample on his blood f. Finally, it is a contempt of our own souls. The most avowed enemies of God and his Christ profess to have some regard for their immortal souls : but God, who will not put a wrong construction upon our actions, tells us, that " he who refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soulg." Indeed this is but too manifest ; since the man who remembers not his latter end, practically says, ' Give me the things which my body most affects ; and, as for my soul, I care not for it : if my soul can be saved, notwithstanding my indulgence of the body, it is well : but if their interests clash, I will gratify my body, though at the peril, yea, to the certain destruction, of my soul.'
Can that then be light and venial, which involves in it such awful consequences? Surely, though no flagrant crime were ever committed, this alone would be sufficient to bring upon us God's eternal wrath and indignation.]
The evil of such conduct will abundantly appear, if we notice,
II, Their punishment —
The downfall of Jerusalem was a fit emblem of that which awaits impenitent transgressors —
[Let us only compare the departure of Israel out of Egypt, guided, protected, and supported by God himself,
b Job xxxv. 10. Ps. xiv. 2, 3. c Ps. x. 4—6, 11, 13.
d His majesty, Ps. xii. 4 ; his omniscience, Job xxii. 13, 14 ; his justice, Ps. xciv. 7 ; his goodness and forbearance, Rom. ii. 4. e Luke x. 16. f Acts xiii. 38 — 41. Heb. x. 28, 29.