The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 207

And there is a sense in which these words are most blessedly true, but it is undeniable that such words are often pressed to a meaning which practically encourages the sinner to go on in sin. 3. And yet more is this truth abused in deed. Those to whom the prophet was writing had abused the long-suffering of God (cf. the closing verses of the Second Book of Chronicles). And how fearfully frequent is this abuse in the present day I How many reckon securely on making their peace with God, and having all the great affairs of their souls fully settled for eternity, although they go on, day by day and year by year, living in total disregard both of God and of his will. Therefore it is necessary to insist with all urgency- III. THAT THE LONG-SUFFERING OF GoD CAN BE WORN OUT, The above section of this prophecy plainly declares this fact. And the fate of Jerusalem stands not alone in evidence of this (cf. the story of the Deluge, and how long then the long-suffering of God waited). Those who perished in the wilderness-how often were they warned! And, indeed, it may be said that God never brings ruin upon nation, Church, or individual soul without warning, repeated, plain, and urgent. But the fact that he <loes send such ruin proves that men may tempt God too far. IV. AND THAT WHICH WILL EXHAUST THE LONG-SUFFERING OF GOD 18 CLEARLY SHOWN us. It is not the fact of sin, great sin, repeated sin, but it is when, as in the case before us, sin has been persisted in in spite of every kind and degree of plainest warning. "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck," etc. (Prov. x.x.ix. 1). Now, such was the conduct of those told of here. God had not merely let them know of the peril of their conduct, but his loving solicitude for them had shown itself in the most marked ways. Note expressions in ver. 13: God not only spoke to them, but like as" those who watch for the morning" rise up early, so God himself a.woke early, i.e. he chose the most favourable hours, the most probable means for gaining attention to the truths which he, by his prophets, spoke to them. But it was all of no avail. "Ye heard not; . . . ye answered not" (cf. eh. vi. 16, 17). Now, it is sin persisted in, in spite of all such Divine solicitude so repeatedly manifested, that God will not pardou (vers. 14, 15). It is an unpardonable sin, aud like such sin its forgiveness is not eveu to be prayed for (ver. 16, and cf. 1 John iv. 16). V. CoNSIDER THE REASON OF THIS REFUSAL TO FORGIVE. It is not because there is not love sufficient in God to pardon, but because his love is so great, because he is love. For God's love is not as that of too many earthly parents-a partial and unjust thing, loving one child at the expense of the others-but his love is for the children. His whole family are the subjects of his incessant and tenderest solicitude. Now, if a rebellious child come away from its rebellion, and have done with it, coming and confessing, "Father, I have sinned," with what joy the Father welcomes such returniug one back I And so do the angels of God. No harm, but only good, results. But if there be no repentance, and the spirit of rebellion burns on in the heart of the child, how, consistently with true regard for the welfare of the other and obedient children, can the Father deal with that one as he does with these? lt would turn heaven iuto hell, and make the Father's house, now the home of blessedness and the blessed, a scene of eternal discord. It could not be. Now, it is because such despising of the long- suffering of God destroys the hope of repentance, renders impossible the sighing of the contrite heart, and renders certain the going on in rebellion, that thereforn this sin wears out the long-suffering of God and hath never forgiveness. The very love of God necessitates that he who is separate and alien in heart from the children of his love should be separate and alien from them in every other respect as well. And therefore, because it would be praying against the well-being of God's children, the prophet Is forbidden to pray for tho forgiveness of this sin. It is the unpardonable sin, the sin uuto death, the sin against the Holy Ghost. CoNCLUBION. We learn what alone bars the mercy of God. Not this or that sin, however great. Still lees the circumstance of death. But this " despising the for- bearance of God." What need, then, for us all to pray," Keep back Lhy servant 11lso 20G THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [oH. vu. 1-34.