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I. As AFFECTING SUPPOSITION STATED. "If ye will not," &c. The Lord here supposes that His people may commit three grievous sins:

1. The sin of disobedience. "If ye will not hearken unto Me." Hence observe —

(1) That the Lord in His Word speaks to us (Hebrews 8:12).

(2) That whatever the Lord says in His Word it is our bounden duty to hear (Hebrews 3:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:20; James 1:19).

(3) That we are too apt to turn a deaf ear to Him (Exodus 5:2; Psalm 12:4).

2. The sin of incorrigibleness. "If for all this ye will not hearken." Note here —

(1) That afflictions sometimes have the nature of punishments (Jeremiah 13:21).

(2) That punishment is the natural and necessary consequence of transgression.

(3) That in the punishment which God inflicts He seeks our reformation (2 Chronicles 18:22).

(4) That our depravity in too many cases frustrates His designs (Zephaniah 3:2).

3. The sin of perverseness. "If ye walk contrary to Me." Observe again —

(1) That the Lord's pleasure is, we should walk with Him (Micah 6:8).

(2) That we walk with the Lord when we walk in His way (2 Kings 20:3; Ecclesiastes 12:13).

(3) That walking otherwise than He has commanded is to show a perverse and untoward heart.

II. AN AWFUL CONSEQUENCE DECLARED. "I will walk contrary also to you in fury." Thus we see that —

1. Conformable to our character will be our end. If God should deal thus with us(1) We shall lose the blessing which He imparts to> His obedient followers (vers. 4-12).

(2) Our expectations will issue in disappointment and vexation (Hosea 8:7); and(3) Like chaff before the wind we shall speedily be carried to destruction (Psalm 1:4, 5).

2. Enforcement of these considerations: we see —

(1) That a religion consisting of mere notions will never saw a man.

(2) That men are not at liberty, as some suppose, to live as they please.

(3) That God takes notice of the ways of all.

(4) That if He displays His anger we should be anxious to find out the cause; and(5) That if any one perish he will have no one to blame for it but himself (Isaiah 3:11).

(Wm. Sleigh.)

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KJV: And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;

WEB: "'If you in spite of this won't listen to me, but walk contrary to me;