The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 100

vigorous, and continuous work for Christ; so shall vain thoughts quit their hold and homo in thy heart, and lodge there no more. v. THEY ARE OIIIEVOUB 1N THE SIGHT OF GoD. Note the pathos and pleading of the appeal. "0 Jerusalem, .. , How long?" Men take cognizance only of words an,\ deeds, and are content if these be in keeping with the laws society has laid down. But God notes the thoughts of the heart., and grioves when they are "vain." ·what fervour this fact should lend to our prayers for purity of heart, that its thoughts may be cleansed by the inspiration of God'~ Holy Spirit! VI. THEY ARE RUINOUS IN THEIR EF~'EOTS, (Of. vers. 15-17.) They lead to sin and that to death. Are we conscious that such thoughts have lodged or are lodging within us? Listen to the Divine appeal, and implore his grace that you may respond thereto as he would dcsire.-0. Ver. 27.-" Yet will I not make a full end." God's reserve of mercy. This Divine resolve regarding the reserved remnant of the people of Judah and Jerusalem, who should be excepted from the desolation that wa& coming, is declared several times. Here in tho text, then again in eh. v. 10; xxx. 11, and once again in eh. xl vi. 28. And these Rrc but the echo of what God said to Israel long ages before in the desert of Sinai, as we read in Lev. xxvi. 44. And in other parts of Jeremiah's prophecies, anti in the writings of all the prophets, this Divine resolve to mercifully reserve from destruction a portion of Israel is more or less plainly declared. Thus, then, God does not conceal that the end he makes will not be a full end. And there were many reasons why this fact should be declared. 1. It would show that God was mindful of his covenant with .their fathers; that their" uufaithfulness could not make the faithfulness of God of none effect." The scoff of the unbeliever, the dismay of the true-hearled, would be alike prevented, for, by God's not making a full end, the way was yet plain for the accomplishment of all that he had spoken. 2. Moreover, such declaration would sustain the faith of the faithful. They would see how they were not forgotten, that God's watchful care was over them, and that amid the coming desolations ho would find means to deliver those who put their trust in him. 3. And the keeping open of this door of hope was calculated to persuade somo to euter through that door and so be saved. This is why, even when a man has sinued away well-nigh all !,is life, when he has made an end of nearly every opportunity of return to God, we go and stand by his bedside, dying sinner as he is, and tell him that "a full end" is not yet made; even now Christ waits to be gracious, and will in no wise cast out. Wo tell of this hope in tho trust that now, eveu at the last, the guilty ono may turn to Christ and live. But we know that an "end" was indeed made to the national life of Israel. 'l'he tcrrifio judgments which came upon them, and which the pruphet in tbis chapter so vividly describes and so bitterly bewails, did make an end to all their n.itional glory, 'l'heir land became desolate, their cities were destroyed, tho holy aud beautiful house of God was burnt with fire, their kings were slain, the throne over- turned, the whole people carried into captivity; their cup of national sorrow was full to overflowing. But God did not suffer the agents of his righteous judgment to mako a/ull end. Accordingly, in the days of Cyrus and his successors there came a restora- tion, although partial, poor, and incompleto, and under Ezra and Nehemiah Jerusalem and tho house of the Lord were raised from their ruius and rebuilt. A rewnact of the people was saved, the full end was not allowed to come, has never been allowed to come, though Israel's national glory, yea, their very existence as a nation, has long since passed away. But whilst the oft-repeated words of the text refer mainly to Judah and Jerusalem, they really declare a principle of the Divine procedure, 11, continual law of his government and rule. God's way is, when making an eud, not to make a full end. He has ever a. reserve of mercy. Now, concerning this principle, we observe- I. IT IB IN PEllPETUAL OPERATION, 1. It finds illustration, yea., may be said to be ever ruthlessly at work, in th1J kingdom of natiwe. Look at the story of creation. Whatever may have been the material condition of our globe prior to the period tolu of in the sacred record, we cannot concoive of it as having been eternally" without form and void." Thu researches of science seem to give a very different account from Lbat. But whatever may have been its condition, and we can hardly doubt that it hnd an order aml bennty of its own, an end was made to all that ere the b~t crcali,•u  96 THE BOOK OF TI!E PROPHET JEilEllnAH. [cH. 1v. 1-31.