II. To SUCH THIS threefold chakqe is addressed. 1. They are to "go away, etand not atiU." As Israel from Babylon that had enslaved them, so these from the sins which QoA has forgiven them. " Let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Many Jews despised this charge, and stayed on in Babylon. Some not merely stayed in Babylon as Jews, but probably far more of them were " mingled with the heathen, and learned their ways." " Evil communications corrupt good man- ners." Even those who disobeyed only the letter of the command suffered, whilst those who disobeyed both the letter and the spirit were simply lost, cut off from the house of IsraeL And they who have received Christ, if they do not break away from their old sins and from all that wovdd hold them in bondage to such sins, will lose their religion and are in sore peril of apostatizing from Christ. Therefore let such put further and further distance between themselves and their former life, lest again they be entangled and overcome. 2. To " remember the Lord afar off." In their sin and misery God seemed afar o£r to Israel. " My way is hid from the Lord, and my judg- ment is passed over from my God" — .such was their grievous lament. But they were to remember him, turn their thoughts and prayers toward him, and believingly wait his promised answer. And to the believer now "it doth not yet appear what we shall be;' we are far off from that ; but we are to remember the Lord, though we be yet in con- dition and character so far off from him. Remember him in our meditations, prayers, purposes, and aims ; wait on him, and so renew our strength. 3. " Let Jerusalem come into your mind." How blessed to be there 1 how she demands our earnest service ! — her joys, her sanctity, her children, her employ ; our place there prepared for us, and our preparation for the place. So remember her, and so be delivered from bung wearied and faint in our minds. — 0.
Ver. 68. — "The hroad vnH*," L Tmt empire of bus has such waua Those referred to here may be taken as a type of them. They were : 1. To separate. Have we not proof of this in the wide distance, the invincible barriers, which keep the ungodly from sympathizing, associating, or in any way uniting, with the people of God ? The kingdom of evil remains shut up from the kingdom of God. Mansoul cannot be entered by way of the gates ; the messengers of the King seek admission, but cannot obtain it. And hereafter the separation will continue (cf. Luke xvi., " Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed "). Separation, which is voluntary now, becomes iuvduntary then. 2. For leeurity. A terrible security it is. In vain do the ambas- ■adcnra of Qod endeavour to penetrate within those walls. In vain do his soldiers seek
CH. LI. 1—64,] THE BOOK OP THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 305
to scale them and his weapons of war to destroy them. The strong man armed keepeth his goods in peace. What minister of Christ has not again and agRin retired baffleri from before these broad walls, so high, so strong, so impregnable? 3. for enjoymenf. The broad walla of cities such as Babylon were places for pleasant walking for recrea- tion and enjoyment. So does the sinner's fancied security lull his soul to rest, make him cry, " Peace, peace ! " when there is no peace. But —
II. Tt.E KINGDOM OP GoD HAS ITS BROAD WALLS. (Cf. Neh. ill. 8, where we read o( the broad walls of Jerusalem.) Let us see to it that we maintain and preserve those walls. 1. For separation. Let us not seek to come close to the world, in its habits, maxims, spirit, behaTiour. Keep the wall broad, strong, high. We cannot serve God and mammon. Let there be no attempt at compromise. And these walls are aiso 2. For security. If we do not maintain them we run great risk for ourselves. Tamper- ing with sin is perilous work. And let us not think that we are more likely to win the world by such breaking down of the broad walls. The result is all the other way. Si'o how broad a wall Christ maintained between himself and the world. God has built these walls. His power, his wisdom, his love, his promise, are all portions of thesa walls by which his Church is guarded and against which the gates of hell, shall not pre- vail. 3, For enjoyment. What comfort there is in the thought of them, of the sure defence, the wall of fire, which God will be to his people 1 And on these walls, as we " walk about Zion, and go round her, and tell the towers thereof," what rest, what com- munion one with another, and what bright prospects are ours! The broad walls oi Babylon shall be " broken down ; " but these are eternal. Are we within them ? — C.
Ver. 64. — The weariness of sin. " They shall be weary." With these sad words the Prophet Jeremiah closes his book. The shadows are over it all, nor are they in the least lifted where we most love to see them lifted — at the end. They are spoken of the inhabitants of Babylon, and repeat what was said in ver. 58. They suggest the theme — The weariness of sin.
I. Wbarinbss is ALWAYS PAIN. It may be of the body, and then exhaustion and fatigue render exertion any longer only so much torture. Or of the mind. The br.iin becomes dazed, bewildered, incapable of effort. Or of the heart — that which is caused by disappointment, ingratitude, unfulfilled desire, hopelessness. Or that of the soul, which is the weariness told of here. But in all cases it is full of pain.
II. Weakinbss is a ukiveesal expeeibnce. The child of God is often weary. Such are exhorted not to be "weary in well-doing," the exhortation implying the more than possibility of such weariness being experienced. And our Saviour knew this weariness — never of, but often in, his work. In a world like this there are causes enough for such weariness to lay hold on the servants of God. But if they know weari- ness, yet more do the children of this world ; for —