But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring. Sermons I. A CORDIAL AGAINST DESPAIR. When the convicted sinner - as the men of Nineveh - hear the awful denunciations of God's judgment, all hope seems to be forbidden. The Ninevites, to encourage themselves in a forlorn hope, could only say, "Who can tell whether God will be gracious?" But this and the like Scriptures, confirmed by so many facts of experience, forbid all such despair. II. A CHECK TO PRESUMPTION. How many prate concerning final perseverance who are not persevering at all except in sin and worldliness? But they need to be reminded of this sure condition, one which the great adversary of souls is ever striving to make us forget. III. AN EXPLANATION OF THE STERN WORDS OF SCRIPTURE. When one would give the alarm of fire he does not whisper the word. So when God would warn sinners he does not soften his words, but in most vivid manner sets before men the awful doom of the ungodly. Thus would God, by his terrors, scare men - if naught else will do - to "flee from the wrath to come," so that "he may repent of the evil he thought to do unto them." Such words are not the utterance of absolute decrees against any soul to whom they are addressed, but loving warnings to such soul to turn to God and live. IV. A REASON FOR ITS WORDS OF WARNING. These are found in varied form, addressed to disciples of Christ, to those to whom the most glorious promise had been made. See the sermon on the mount; how full of warnings! Therefore this conditionalness of God's words speaks: 1. To the believer, and bids him" Be not high-minded, but fear." "If God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee" 2. To the ungodly. See the sure end of thy way; how awful! But see, too, God's earnest desire that thou shouldest forsake that way. - C.
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent. I. THE BEING AND CONDITION OF COUNTRIES AND COMMUNITIES, OF NATIONS AND KINGDOMS, ARE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE MOST HIGH. To suppose Him watchful of the operations in the universe, and yet not active in the management of them, would seem irreconcilable with the inefficacy of all laws without His might; with the appearance of design in most events; with the effects of a sublime power which many of them display; and with the existence, on peculiar occasions, of some occurrences which have been departures from the ordinary course of nature. To believe any affairs to be under the guidance of His providence, and yet to imagine that the fortunes of whole countries and people are free from His observation and care, would be inconsistent with the variety and magnitude of the interests which are in those fortunes always involved. But it may be objected, if it is thus certain that the events of time are under the superintendence of God, why are there so great evils both in the natural and political world? To this it would be sufficient to reply, that in us beings of yesterday, who see but a few links of the vast chain in which the Almighty hath connected all occurrences in the universe; who with the utmost effort of our faculties are unable, in this our low position, to perceive the final results of any of His operations; it is vainly presumptuous to attempt to fathom the counsels of His mind; and worse than presumptuous, with the evidences which He hath vouchsafed to give us in His word and works, of His wisdom, goodness, and rectitude, to doubt that all His arrangements will terminate to the honour of His government, and the greatest possible benefit of His creatures. As the objection, however, is plausible, it may be well to observe further, that our estimate of what appears to be evil may often be erroneous. Somewhere I have seen it with striking force and beauty asked, whether the insect whose habitation the ploughshare overturns knows that its motions conduce to that fertility of the earth which is to sustain many intelligent creatures? In like manner, from the convulsions and terrible occurrences in the moral world, there may be educed by the Being who bringeth good out of evil, such results as will advance His purposes, and the general welfare.II. THE GREAT CAUSE OF PERPLEXITIES AND TROUBLES, CALAMITIES AND RUIN, IN ANY REGION, IS THE PREDOMINANCE OF CORRUPT PRINCIPLES AND MANNERS. For the evils which the Divine Providence sends upon the world, there can be no other cause than the transgressions of the inhabitants thereof. The Scriptures again and again represent the calamities of a people as the punishment of their sins (Hosea 14:1; Jeremiah 5:9, 25; Jeremiah 18:9, 10; Habakkuk 3:12, 13; Psalm 75:9, 10; 1 Kings 9:7-9). Nor is reason less explicit upon this truth than revelation. Upon a little reflection she perceives that the Almighty, being perfectly holy, wise, and good, will approve and encourage virtue. This necessarily implies the condemnation and punishment of vice. In beings destined to exist hereafter, there is extensive opportunity for the fulfilment of the Divine intentions. Their immortality opens a wide field for the display of the justice of God. And hence it is, that in this present state vice does not always in the individual meet its retribution, nor virtue its reward. But nations and communities, as such, are not immortal. It should therefore seem reasonable that they should in their present existence enjoy the rewards due to their virtues, and endure the punishments which their vices deserve. To place the point beyond dispute, experience, weeping as she reviews her venerable annals, declares from them that the indignation of Heaven has frequently been brought upon whole communities by their sins: that debase. inert, calamity, and ruin have resulted to them from the predominance of depraved principles and manners. III. BY A TIMELY REFORMATION OF THEIR PRINCIPLES AND LIVES, COMMUNITIES MAY AVERT THE DISPLEASURE OF THE ALMIGHTY. Contrition is estimable, and acceptable through the Redeemer, in an individual. It has turned away the wrath of Heaven from many an offender. But when a community, as one body, is roused by a sense of danger, or by the calls of the Most High, in alarming occurrences, in foreign examples, or in His holy Word, or by their own consciousness of a relaxed state of religion and morals, to "consider their ways," and turn with sincerity to God, to humble themselves before Him, and to express their earnest desire to be made objects of His forgiveness and favour: if ever He may be said to be taken with holy violence, it is by such an act. (Bishop Dehon.) People JeremiahPlaces Jerusalem, Lebanon, SirionTopics Bring, Calamity, Changed, Disaster, Evil, Inflict, Intended, Minute, Nation, Planned, Pronounced, Purpose, Relent, Repent, Repented, Repents, Spoken, Talking, Turn, Turns, WarnedOutline 1. Under the type of a potter is shown God's absolute power in disposing of nations.11. Judgments threatened to Judah for her strange revolt. 18. Jeremiah prays against his conspirators. Dictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 18:8Library The Sins of Communities Noted and Punished. "Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." This is predicated of the judgments of God on those who had shed the blood of his saints. The Savior declares that all the righteous blood which had been shed on the earth from that of Abel down to the gospel day, should come on that generation! But is not this unreasonable and contrary to the Scriptures? "Far be wickedness from God and iniquity from the Almighty. For the work of man shall be render unto him, and cause every … Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects The Hebrew Sages and their Proverbs The Sick Person Ought Now to Send for Some Godly and Religious Pastor. The Hindrances to Mourning The Ninth Commandment John Bunyan on the Terms of Communion and Fellowship of Christians at the Table of the Lord; Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed. Of the Decrees of God. 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