Jeremiah 6:8

Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest My soul depart from thee.

The way to prevent the ruin of a sinful people

I. The infinite goodness and patience of God towards a sinful people and His great unwillingness to bring ruin and destruction upon them. How loath is He that things should come to this extremity?

II. The only proper and effectual means to prevent the misery and ruin of a sinful people. If they will be instructed, and take warning by the threatenings of God, and will become wiser and better, then His soul will not depart from them, He will not bring upon them the desolation which He hath threatened.

III. The miserable case and condition of a people, when God takes off His affection from them and gives over all further care and concernment for them. Woe unto them, when His soul departs from them! For when God once leaves them, then all sorts of evil and calamities will break in upon them. (Archbishop Tillotson.)

A warning to the nation

I. The caution.

1. Whereby are we to be instructed? By the state of affairs, and by the reason of things, or the right of cases.

(1) God is a being of all perfection, of infinitely vast comprehension and understanding and power: and therefore He is able to attain those effects, and to teach men by all things that fall under His government.

(2) Things managed by Divine wisdom are intensely expressive of notions, because they do partake of the excellency and sufficiency of their cause.

(3) God doth nothing in vain, nor to fewer or lesser purposes than the things are capable to promote, or be subservient unto.

(4) Because the affairs of mankind are the choice piece of the administration of providence: And God doth in a special manner charge Himself with teaching the mind of man knowledge.

2. Wherein are we to be instructed?

(1) In matters of God’s offence. For we are highly concerned in God’s favour or displeasure.

(2) In instances of our own duty: if we have departed from it, to return to it; if we have done the contrary, to revoke it with self-condemnation and humble deprecation.

3. What is it to be instructed?

(1) To search and examine.

(2) To weigh and consider.

(3) To understand and discern.

(4) To do and perform.

II. the enforcement.

1. An argument of love and goodwill, “lest My soul depart from thee.”

2. An argument from fear, “lest I make thee desolate,” A double argument is as a double testimony, by which every word is established (2 Corinthians 13:1).

3. This double argument shows us two things.

(1) The stupidity and senselessness of those, who are made to the perfection of reason and understanding, and yet act contrary to it.

(2) The impiety and unrighteousness of sinners, who are a real offence to God, cause His displeasure, and bring upon persons and places, ruin and destruction. Sin is a variation from the law and rule of God’s creation: it is contrary to the order of reason: and when I say this, I say as bad as can be spoken. In sin there is open and manifest neglect of God, to whom all reverence and regard is most due. By sin there is a disturbance in God’s family: it is an interruption of that intercourse and communication there ought to be amongst creatures; for every sinner destroys much good. By the practice of iniquity we mar our spirits, spoil our tempers, and acquire unnatural principles and dispositions. (B. Whichcote, D. D.)