comfort and good conscience wait till the last day for the appearance of the Lord of glory thy Lord and thy God the man Christ Iesus For it is not sufficient for thee onely to know the word to bee the word of Gods grace Act. 14.3 and 20.32 vnlesse by sound euidences thou also discernest that it hath been a word of grace vnto thee Rom. 10.8 nor barely affirme it to be the word of faith but by good proofe to find that it hath been the meanes to breed a sauing faith in thee Nor yet onely to say that it is able to saue soules Iam. 1.21 but that it hath been Gods powerfull instrument to saue thee For the truth is the word of God was not g 2. Tim. 3.16 inspired from God nor written by h 2. Pet. 1.21 holy men of God to i Hos 8.12 vs and k Rom. 15.4 for vs to the end it should stand l Hos 8.12 stranger-like aloofe off from vs but rather by admitting it to dwell and inhabite richly and plenteously in vs Colos 3.16 it might at length impart of that heauenly vertue that is in it Iam. 1.21 vnto vs. We commonly esteeme men so farre foorth good Rom. 5.7 as they haue extended of their good things vnto vs and those things good Ioh. â— 10 that haue communicated of their goodnesse vnto vs. Isa 39.8 Rom. 6.17 Heb. 6.5 Now if there be any thing vnder heauen good which also is able to make vs good it is the good word of God But we shall but coldly and faintly commend it for good vnlesse we know by good experience that it hath communicated of its goodnesse vnto vs what good I pray you doth that meat or drinke doe vs which we receiue not into vs But where the stomacke craueth and receiueth these the effects will soone be discerned 1. Sam. 14.27.29 Iudg. 15.19 I tasted a little honey saith Ionathan and mine eyes haue been enlightened Sampson drinking in his excessiue thirst of the water of Lehi his spirit reuiued 1. Sam. 30.11.12 The like befell the poore affamished Egyptian Oh that we could come to the good word of God but with the one halfe of that hungry and thirsty appetite wherewith for the most part wee come to these good creatures of God we come to these indeed we take these we receiue these Psal 104.15 and the goodnesse that is in these we make it our owne And if through any defect in nature we feele them any way defectiue in their nature and properties to vs we are ready by and by to say all is not as it should be with vs. Doe wee so strongly and mainly presse toward these whose vertue at the best being perishable Ioh. 6.27 1. Cor. 6.13 can but sustaine a perishable life and can we not be at quiet with our selues vnlesse we feele in our selues that our natures are therby cheered and refreshed Luk. 5.1 and 12.1 Matth. 11.12 1. Pet. 2.2 And shall we not much more presse forwards to take and receiue into vs as with violence the good word of God which is fitted and framed by God himselfe to sustaine vs spiritually Let vs draw neere vnto it then with knowledge desire and faith Heb 4.2 as the poore woman in the Gospell drew nigh to Christ So shall we sensibly feele the sauing and sanctifying 2. Tim. 3.15.16 vertue thereof to be infused into vs to our euerlasting consolation and comfort And then shall our hearts and mouthes be enlarged to speake all the good Psal 138.2 Psal 19.7.8.9.10 of this good word of God that can be deuised Yea we shall not only praise it but also with Dauid the man of God wee shall highly prize it farre aboue all earthly profits or delights Psal 119.72.103 Then we shall be able with him againe and againe to professe how entirely we loue it vers 97. yea how greatly we delight in it vers 174. yea what ioy and felicity we take in it vers 14.162 yea how incessantly our thoughts and meditations are taken vp about it namely before break of day ver 147 throughout the day vers 97. in the night vers 55. yea at midnight vers 62. Let vs not then as the manner of some is permit the word of God barely to harbour in our houses but let vs endeauour rather to harbour it within the closet of our hearts Psal 119.11 Luk. 11.28 And oh happy wee that euer it was our hap to lodge within vs so honourable and gracious a guest that will euery way be so beneficiall vnto vs Psal 119.24 Vers 50. as in our greatest distractions to councell vs in our deepest distresses to comfort vs and when we are to seeke of our way to direct vs directly to that hauen of happinesse 105. where there shall bee mirth without mourning fellowship with God and all his saints without parting where we shall be euer prest to doe his will without fainting and that time without ending As for those that a Heb. 2.3 neglecte so great saluation that haue the word b 2. Thes 2.10 but loue it not that reade it but will not be c Psa 50.16.17 reformed by it that d Prou. 13.13 despise it e Ier. 6.10 reiect and scorne it To say no more their damnation sleepeth not God cannot nor wil not put vp such indignities at the hands of sinners Isa 5.24 Ier. 5.13.14 and 6.10.11 vnlesse they meet him and that speedily Amos 4.12 by true and vnfained repentance And if thou say Oh that I could I wish thee often to read these holy Sermons of repentance penned by the holy Prophet Ieremiah for that purpose For if repentance be a wounding of the heart proceeding of faith which seeketh vnto God for mercy then hath Ieremiah like a skilfull master-builder in these present Chapters and those that follow laid the ground-worke of such a repentance out for thee And if thou say how shal I vnderstand vnlesse I haue a guide Act. 8.31 Accept I pray thee for the present of this which God of his goodnesse hath heere sent vnto thee by giuing him accesse into thy Chariot closet or other retired places and if thou entreat him friendly and makest thy gaine by him of this little the Lord peraduenture may hereafter trust thee with more But before I take my leaue of thee as the summe of all let me entreat thee as thou tenderest thine owne welfare to lay vp in thy heart these sixe lessons which the word of God teacheth thee according as I find them laid downe by a learned Diuine 1 The word of God teacheth thee that thou being by creation made righteous art by the fall of Adam and by thine owne transgression become sinfull Eccles 7 31. Gen. 6.5 2 The word of God teacheth thee that thou art by nature the child of Gods wrath and a fire-brand of hell Ephes 2.3 3
The word of God teacheth thee that thou haste cause to bee troubled for this more than for all worldly crosses and to be humbled and cast downe in thy selfe before God for it Act. 16.50 4 The word of God teacheth thee that thou being laden with thy sinnes and weary of them art not to sinke downe in despaire of Gods goodnesse but to relie vpon his mercy in Christ Iesus Ezra 10.2 5 The word of God teacheth thee that thus relying vpon God in Christ he hath mercy in store for thee Psalm 130.7 Ioh. 3.16 6 The word of God teacheth thee that all true beleeuers haue a constant care and endeauour both to learne and know the will of God Ioh. 10.27 and to obey it in all things Luk. 1.74.75 Tit. 2.11.12 These poynts the word of God teacheth and these if we learne and beleeue as the word teacheth them wee shall in the end be saued And thus with my humble prayers to God that it may be so I bid thee in Christ heartily farwell C. C. LECTVRES VPON THE FIVE FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE PROphecie of Ieremiah By Mr. IOHN CALVIN LECTVRE I. The Prayer which Master Caluin was alwaies wont to make at the beginning of his Lectures THe Lord enable vs so to handle the secrets of his heauenly wisedome that we may truly profit in the feare of his holy name to his glory and our edification So be it HAuing expounded the twelue lesser Prophets and at length finished the expositition of Daniels reuelations I haue now begun and purpose the Lord granting me life and leisure to vnfold vnto you the booke of Ieremiahs Prophecie also which if I attaine vnto there will then remaine no more of all the Prophets but onely Ezechiel for the exposition wherof I wish there may be some other and I hope my wish shall preuaile better fitted for that purpose than my selfe What time Ieremiah began to prophesie As touching Ieremiah note in the first place that hee began to execute his propheticall office whilest Iosias the King raigned namely in the thirteenth yeere of his raigne For albeit that King was a sincere worshipper of God yet were things euen then much out of frame and confused for the booke of the Law was lost by means whereof it was easie for euery one at his pleasure to broach many wicked errours quite contrary to true religion Neither are we to doubt but in so great a liberty many who desired nothing more than to bring in confusions stroue eagerly to peruert and ouerthrow the worship of God and the purity of doctrine euery one forging to himselfe many dotages and impieties For let it be granted that the Priests meant faithfully to teach the people of God yet did not their knowledge depend wholly vpon the Law Now howsoeuer it be very likely that the memory therof was not vtterly abolished yet questionlesse there only remained but some few reliques of it so as they could not cleerly gather thence what kind of gouernment it was which God had ordained to be in his Church 2. Chro. 34.15 For it is recorded in the holy History that the booke of the Law was found in the eighteenth yeere of Iosias his raigne Thus Ieremiah had begun euen now to prophesie foure nay fiue yeeres fully compleat This example then sufficiently manifests what slothfulnesse and carelesnesse there is in men in endeauouring to aduance the true worship of God For hee had giuen an expresse charge by Moses that a copy of the Law should not onely be holily and carefully kept in the Temple but that the King himselfe also should haue a copy of it by him Deut. 17.18 Besides a commandement was added that in all their solemne feasts the whole Law should be repeated in the eares of all the people Deut. 32.11 But after the Kings began once to reuolt from Gods true worship the copy of the Law was no more entertained among them and at length euen the Law also it selfe was vtterly lost No doubt but this happened through the tyranny of King Manasses who exercised his cruelties no lesse vpon the Priests than vpon the rest of Gods seruants For no sooner brake any small sparkle of light forth but he made such a slaughter that he caused blood to runne through all the streets of Ierusalem as the sacred history testifies 2. King 21.16 What maruell is it then if he tooke and conueyed euen out of the Temple it selfe all the written copies of the Law which were extant that so he might vtterly extinguish all light of heauenly doctrine Notwithstanding the booke which had bin hidden was found againe by Hilkiah the Priest 2. Chro. 34.15 as it is also recited in the chapter formerly alleaged This is it wee haue to note then in the first place from the circumstance of time wherein Ieremiah began to prophesie For religion being thus corrupted and euery one taking vpon him to forge what errours soeuer him listed the charge imposed vpon the Prophet must of necessity be very irksome to him or burthensome for him to beare In the next place we are also to note the end He saith How long Ieremiah prophesied that from this time he continued in executing his propheticall office vntill the captiuity of Babylon hee held on his course then for the space of 40. yeeres Now in the progresse of his booke we shall better perceiue what and how sharpe the conflicts were which he was faine to vndergoe But put the case the people had been much more teachable than they were yet could not hee execute his charge enioyned him by God without extreame griefe and also like tediousnesse For we shall see anon what the summe of his message was with which he was sent Seeing then he continued these his painfull labours Ieremiahs constancy and courage noted fortie yeeres together thence it is easie to iudge with what an heroicall spirit hee was endowed Moreouer if wee seriously consider what and how many tempests were daily raised vp against him vtterly to dis-hearten him yea wholly to turne him out of the right way hereby also will his inuincible constancy and ardent zeale shine yet more cleerely vnto vs in that he yet ceased not still to goe on in those duties which he was to performe Therewithall also we are to note that from the destruction of the City after which the inhabitants of Ierusalem were carried away captiue into Babylon that euen then Ieremiah desisted not Ieremiah carried away into Egypt of the Iewes by force For he was led into Egypt as it may easily be gathered out of the end of this booke and especially from the 44. chapter yea he was violently led thither albeit he had from the mouth of the Lord cursed all the Iewes who sought lurking holes in Egypt Now when himselfe was thus constrained to goe downe thither this might much diminish his authority for the wicked as we know watch at euery turne to espie occasions how they
to rule and to set their thrones euen in the fields and before the gates of the City of Ierusalem as if it were in their owne houses These things shall afterward be more fully explained and many circumstances also added to the same But in the very entrance God meant to pronounce this sentence against the Iewes that in good earnest they might feele how their estate was gone He saith And vpon the walles thereof round about and vpon all the Cities of Iudeah Briefly the Prophet heere threatens the ruine of the whole countrey as if he should say it is in vaine for the Iewes trust in their owne forces and in the helpe of strangers for God will fight against them because the Chaldeans and Assyrians shall bee armed by him so as they shall ouercome whatsoeuer the Iewes shall plot to the contrary Vers 16. And I will speake or pronounce my iudgements with them touching all the wickednesse of them that haue forsaken me and haue burnt incense vnto other gods and worshipped the workes of their owne hands GOd heere notes out the cause why hee determined to punish the Iewes so seuerely For it was needfull that as well the one as the other should bee manifested as first that the Chaldeans should not breake in vpon them by their owne instinct but in regard they should come vnder Gods pay who will both muster and arme them Marke that for one poynt The second was no lesse needfull to bee mentioned namely that God was not cruell neither had he forgotten his couenant whilest hee purposed to reuenge himselfe so sharply but that he dealt thus rigorously with them in regard hee found the Iewes so rooted in their obstinacy that necessity vrged him thus to afflict and vtterly to consume them Why so because light punishments had profited them nothing at all After the Lord had testified then that he would be the chiefe Commander in this warre hee therewithall shewes what iust causes he hath thus to chastize the Iewes It cannot therefore be imputed vnto his cruelty in regard they had formerly prouoked him by their superstitions full of impietie He saith then I will speake my iudgements with them Many of the expositors referre this to the Chaldeans and Assyrians as if God commanded them as chiefe Iudges are wont to giue that in charge to their bailiffes and officers which they haue once decreed to bee done and performed but this exposition sutes not well and besides the prophet himselfe refutes it sufficiently For he conioynes this together I will speake my iudgements with them vpon their malice But what is it to speake or pronounce iudgements It is when God cites the wicked before his iudgement seate and exerciseth the office of a Iudge And this language is vsuall throughought the Scriptures as we shall see in the end of this booke where it is said Chap. 52.9 that the King of Babylon spake iudgements with King Zedekias that is to say he carried himselfe towards him as a Iudge as wee haue it in our ordinary speech Thus then God now testifies that he will bee the Iudge of his people as if he should say Hitherto I haue been silent not that the wicked among you are vnknowne vnto me but it is because I haue borne with those poore wretches to try if I might see any hope of repentance in them But now saith he I will be a Iudge vnto them in regard length of time hath manifested that they were become vtterly incurable here is an opposition then betweene Gods patience which hee had long vsed towards them when though he might yet notwithstanding hee handled them not roughly but deferred his vengeance and this time of his vengeance which was now at hand I will speake my iudgements then with the Iewes that is I will speedily goe vp to my iudgement seat hitherto I haue forborne to doe it and haue waited to see whether they would returne to me or no but seeing they repent not and that I perceiue well enough they are become gracelesse and so peruerse of nature that they alwayes heape sinne vpon sinne I will now begin to execute mine office to wit that of a Iudge But as I haue said wee must keepe in mind Gods intention in this place for his meaning is to discharge himselfe of all blame and reproches which men endeauour to lay vpon him because the worser sort of them are wont to repine at his iudgements when he chastiseth them He sets his iudgements then before their eyes as if hee should say You cannot charge me neither can any obiect against me that I haue behaued my selfe seuerely or cruelly for my iudgements will be found iust though I iudge you in rigour and therefore hee addes vpon all their malice or wickednesse In the next place he notes out one kind Because saith he they haue burnt incense vnto strange gods No doubt the Iewes had many waies prouoked Gods vengeance against them but this one kinde is heere added because the first spring of all euill was that they had forsaken the Law together with Gods pure worship and seruice yet he names the generall in all their wickednesse Neither is this clause vpon all their wickednesse added without cause For his meaning is that they were not wicked in some one respect alone but that they piled vp diuers sinnes together as vpon an heape now immediatly after hee addes because they haue forsaken me heere God toucheth their reuolt For it may haply fall out whereof wee haue daily experience that a man may faile in some one thing and another may bee tainted with this or that naturall vice and corruption and thus for diuers respects euery one of vs may bee lyable to the iust iudgement of God but the Lord heere shewes how the Iewes were so corrupted that nothing remained sound amongst them therefore it is that he puts all their malice and afterward addes their reuolt .. They haue forsaken me as if he should say they haue vtterly denied me I say not that one of them hath played the theefe that another hath committed adultery or that the third hath sinned in drunkennesse but they are all become apostataes all haue denied me and haue broken their faith and loyalty I haue been forsaken of them then and they haue wholly estranged themselues from me We see now then how the Prophet sharpely aggrauates the wickednes of his nation but in the end this is added as the paterne thereof to wit that they had burnt incense to strange gods that is they had reuolted from the true God to giue themselues ouer to idolatry to which he by and by adds they bowed downe before the works of their hands For as oft as the Scripture vseth these words it signifies that there is too too great a rage and madnesse in men The reason why stockes and stones are worshipped as God who not onely in stead of God worship the Sunne the Moone and other creatures but the very
Why so Because their impiety is apparant to all the world euen as a theefe who being taken with the manner can neither denie nor couer the fact His meaning is then The Jewes compared to theeues surprized with the deed doing that they are so surprised as it were with the deed doing that is their wickednesses are so notorious that whatsoeuer they alleage to the contrary they shall neuer bee able to excuse themselues but their villany will manifest it selfe to the sight of all men Wee haue now the Prophets meaning then Before we haue seene how the people by many friuolous euasions haue sought to excuse themselues but here Ieremmiah shewes that all their pretexts are so farre off from procuring them any excuse that on the contrary their impudency is thereby so much the more discouered whilest all the world euidently perceiues their wickednesse which is so manifest that they can by no deuices so colour it but it will cleerly bee viewed of all men Neither speakes he heere of the common sort only but he accuseth the Kings Princes Priest and Prophets as if he should say euen all from the highest to the lowest of them are so corrupted that without any blushing at all they declared and shewed themselues wicked and open contemners of God in following their inuentions and superstitions And yet notwithstanding the Iewes no doubt laboured by all meanes to vphold their owne credits but God heere discouers all their iuglings and deceits whereunder they thought to couer and hide their impieties For in plaine English hee saith they are very theeues and such as are euen taken with the manner as they say And yet there is no contrariety as touching the sense though the Prophet saith that the Iewes before spake otherwise and now deciphers out and blazeth their impudency The Iewes denied they were either Apostataes or disloyall no they had not so much as forsaken the worship of God this they denied in words but when the Prophet now brings their villany to light their replies are well qualified for they had their fallacies as we said before But the Prophet hath already been so plaine with them in telling them they haue wickedly and with a high hand resisted God that now their desperate malice and obstinacy is discouered to the full Now it followes Vers 27. Saying to a tree thou art my father and to a stone thou hast begotten me or as it is diuersly written Thou hast begotten vs for they haue turned away the neck or as others turne it the backe or the backe parts and not the face yet in the time of affliction they will say that is they say Arise and helpe vs. 28 And where are thy gods whom thou hast made let them arise and see whether they can saue thee in the day of thy distresse for according to the number of thy Cities so are thy gods HEre the Prophet confirmes that which hee said before touching the obstinacy of the people in their wicked courses He shewes then it is not without cause he affirmed that their sinnes were growne too apparant and that it was impossible for them to excuse themselues by any of their euasions For to a tree they said saith hee thou art my father c. By these words the Prophet would giue them to vnderstand that idolatry was so rooted in their hearts that they stucke not to giue that honor which belongs to the liuing God to their puppets whether of wood or stone But the Prophet in the meane while notes that heere which is the most detestable in idolatry namely when that honour which is due to God is giuen to images not onely touching that which appeares in outward shew to wit in kneeling or bowing before them but when they call vpon them and that to obtaine helpe and deliuerance from them This then is diligently to be obserued for the Papists when they bow before their images and pictures if you presse them throughly with it they will notwithstanding neuer yeeld that there is any idolatry in this For in their language they haue gotten a distinction The Papists distinction of Latria and Doulia namely that they worship not their images with the honour of Latria but onely with that of Doulia which signifies seruitude or seruice And thus they thinke they haue very well quit themselues See Calu. Jnstit lib. 1. cap. 11. sect 11. But albeit wee should grant them all they say yet can they not for all that deny but they both pray and direct their vowes vnto their images Seeing then they seeke deliuerance at their hands whatsoeuer they cauill to the contrary it is meerly vaine and friuolous For the Prophets condemne not these outward gestures as the bowing of the knee or other kinds of ceremonies and rites when they accuse idolaters in their sermons What then namely because they say to the Images Thou art my father that is to say they fixe the power of God to images of wood and stone It is very sure the Iewes neuer became so brutish as to say in expresse tearmes that gods of wood and stone were their fathers neither did they euer vtter any such words and yet our Prophet belies them not although he attributes this language vnto them The Prophets often in their sermons aime not so much at the speeches of idolaters as at their intent But as it is euident from other places the Prophets note not the speech but the intention For when the Iewes bowed before images they did for all the world as we see the Papists doe at this day They affirmed indeed that they worshipped one God onely and it was to him they came for deliuerance but in the meane while by your leaue they thought Gods power was included in those images And this is the reason why they say Thou art my father thou hast begotten me So our Papists likewise if any of them fall downe before the image of Saint Katharine Saint Christopher he will say Our father but to excuse the matter Oh saith he it is in the honour of God and yet like a foole thou trottest first to this image and then to that and wilt patter ouer thy Pater noster Neither is it to bee doubted but the idolatry now vsed in the Papacy is more grosse and lesse excusable than that which was then among the Iewes But although we should speake nothing of the Papists pattering ouer their Pater noster thus before the first image they meet withall yet it is a thing without question that in offering their vowes and prayers to their images they inclose Gods power within them as if it were fixed thereunto We must therefore obserue that the Iewes are not onely condemned for censing or sacrificing to their idols but for attributing the glory of God to senselesse stockes and in seeking for deliuerance from them Now because this was not done in expresse words the Prophet notes heere their peruerse affections in regard they raised
in regard they alwayes pretended as if they sought the Lord. Thus they thinke then You shall say indeed Behold we come vnto thee thou art our God as if hee condemned their hypocrisie because they alwayes made faire shewes in seeking God But me thinkes they are far wide from the Prophets meaning I make no doubt then but Ieremiah heere sets that before the eyes of the Iewes as in a glasse which should greatly affect them so as they should be no more addicted to their former vices and wickednesses See Psal 27.8 Behold saith he God is ready prest to receiue your brethren to mercy albeit they be in a manner vtterly forlorne and past recouery and they againe for their parts shall no sooner heare and vnderstand this voice of God in calling and inuiting them thus graciously vnto him but they without let shall ioyfully returne and be conuerted vnto God In the meane while what will you doe In the next place he ads in the same sense Vers 23. Certainly deceit comes from the hils and from the multitude of the mountaines The Prophet doth heere in more words set forth the testimony of their repentance as if they should haue said The hils haue deceiued vs and the multitude of mountaines haue beguiled vs that is we haue rather waited for greater defence from a multitude of gods than by giuing our selues to rest wholly vpon one God This deceit is it that hath ouerthrowne vs away therefore with all such lying vanities Henceforth we will content our selues to haue the Lord onely for our God In a word by these words the Israelites giues vs to vnderstand and they also therein plainly confesse that they were vndone by these most bewitching errours when they forged to themselues a multiplicity of Gods and rested not wholly vpon the onely true God Yet they further adde because in Iehouah our God is saluation Heere they oppose one God against all fained gods as if they had said The cause of all our miseries proceeded hence namely we neither rested nor contented our selues with one God onely but ran hither and thither after multitudes of gods We see then that these two things can by no meanes stand together To serue one God and in the meane while to seeke out diuersities of Gods and in them to forge vaine hopes as those doe whom one God sufficeth not It followes Vers 24. And shame or reproach hath deuoured our fathers labours from our youth their sheepe their cattell their sonnes and their daughters HE heere confirmes the same thing more at large to wit how God shewed by euident signes that the people had much offended because he consumed their labours that is to say whatsoeuer they had gotten and gathered together by their labour For he ioynes sheepe and the rest of their cattell together and then their sonnes and their daughters Now he attributes not this consumption vnto God but it is a much more emphaticall manner of speech when he faith shame hath consumed our fathers labours from our youth Shame taken for sinne For by this word shame he vnderstands the wickednesses whereof they ought to haue been ashamed The meaning then is that the cause of all their euils which they suffered was not to be attributed to any thing else whatsoeuer because it was wholly to be imputed to their owns iniquities Our shame then that is to say our insupportable sinnes haue consumed our fathers labours Vers 25. We haue been deiected in our shame and our ignominie hath ouerwhelmed vs because we haue carried our selues wickedly against the Lord our God we and our fathers from our youth euen to this day and we haue not harkened to the voyce of the Lord our God BEcause the Israelites repeat no new thing heere but onely continue on their former speech my purpose is briefly to passe ouer this whole verse lest I should fill this volume with needlesse repetitions They say then that they were deiected in their miseries Why so Because they had behaued themselues wickedly against the Lord their God Heere we see how that which they confessed before is now expounded namely that their fathers labours had been consumed by their shame that is to say by their iniquities Now they charge vpon themselues the euils which might haue been imputed to their fathers because they knew well enough they were the heires of their fathers iniquities We haue been deiected say they in our shame So that heere in one word they confesse they are thus afflicted for iust cause neither can they accuse God of cruelty as if he had chastised them ouer seuerely Why so Because they are humbled in their shame and are couered ouer with their owne ignominie as if they should say the cause of all our miseries ought to be attributed to our sinnes neither ought the same to bee sought elsewhere For say they we haue dealt wickedly we and our father 〈◊〉 euen from our youth By which words they signifie that they haue prouoked God to wrath not onely for one day but that they persisted in this their rebellion and from their childhood ceased not to nourish in them the iniquities of their fathers adding sinne vnto sinne They said before Vers 24. that their fathers labours were consumed from their youth by which words they signified that the misery had continued long For God had not chastised them for one day onely but had redoubled the same corrections and yet without any fruit Now they adde further Euen as we haue wickedly behaued our selues against the Lord our God from our youth so also hath he euen from our youth admonished vs to returne vnto him neither did hee endeauour any thing more than to effect the same for hee called vs. Seeing then we haue been thus obstinate against him God hath accordingly prosecuted vs in his wrath and that most iustly After they say to this day By which words they confirme that which I said before to wit they were so obstinate that they neuer desisted from their vngodly courses And therewithall hee notes out the cause of all this mischiefe namely because they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord their God For had they erred and God had not spoken vnto them their fault might haue been either some way excused or lessened But seeing God sent his Prophets vnto them daily one after another who ceased not to call them to repentance and yet they hearkened not at all there was not so much as the appearance of an excuse to be made in their behalfe who had thus hardened their hearts in following their euill wayes Thus then wee see how he amplifies their fault yet further by this circumstance that they heard not the voyce of the Lord as if hee should say God was not wanting to them on his part to withdraw them from perdition but so farre were they hardened in their impieties that they despised this mercy which God offered them Iust it is with God then not
how in lesse than the twinkling of an eye the clouds are gathered together and couer as it were all the heauens Now this falles out when some whirle-wind ariseth and troubleth the ayre Thus then when hee compares the chariots of God to clouds and to a whirle-wind it is as much as if hee had said that the beginning of the calamity shall come suddenly in regard God shall arise ere they be aware whilest it seemes he hath a long time slept Now in saying the horses of God shall be swifter than Eagles his meaning is that God will not make much ado neither shall it be difficult for him to bring all to nought in a moment or at the least in a very short space to destroy the whole countrey of Iudeah after hee hath once begun for we know how swiftly and nimbly the Egle flies and yet he saith Gods horses shall be more swift and nimble than all the Eagles in the world Now we see the Prophets meaning For the Iewes did nothing else but scorne the Prophets threatnings and amongst other things this was very rife among them These Prophets are so hot that they will not giue vs an houres respit Well yet at least let vs be merry whilest wee may and neuer fill our selues with melancholy muses for we hope many yeeres will passe ouer our heads ere the euill come vpon vs. And are there not such profane ones euen amongst vs at this day who thinke they may toy with God as with a little child For albeit they will not openly scorne the threatnings of the Lord yet they sholder off the time and thinke they haue gained much if they can get the iudgement delayed for a season This is the reason then why the Prophet saith the chariots of God shall now ascend and come vp euen as the clouds suddenly meet Moreouer also euen as a whirle-wind ariseth whilest the aire is calme so shall the chariots come thundring together In the last place he adds they shal be swifter than the Eagles namely because they shall march on without any stop or stay at all Now in the end the Prophet cries out Woe vnto vs for weare vndone He heere cuts off his speech shewing that the false Prophets as well as the common people erred and went astray out of the right way to their owne perdition whilest they continued snorting thus in their euill wayes perswading themselues that God would not correct their carelesnesse He cries out then that albeit all were besotted and growne past feeling yet their ruine was certaine Now it followes Vers 14. Wash thine heart O Ierusalem from thy filthinesse lest thou perish How long shall thy vaine thoughts remaine in the middest of thine heart Others translate thy dolorous thoughts others the thoughts of thy lusts others of thine iniquity HEre indeed the Prophet begins in expresse tearmes See vers 8. of this chapter to exhort the people to repentance And when hee saith let Ierusalem wash her heart to take away the wickednesse which is therein that she may be saued he shewes the Iewes haue none other remedy left them but to make their peace with God which cannot be done without amendment of life He said before that they must certainly perish See vers 13. seeing God was angry with them now hee confirmes that speech Purge thine heart from all thine iniquity that thou maist bee saued as if he should haue said The Iewes are at warres with God they cannot therefore escape whilest he is vp in armes to destroy them nor whilest he shewes himselfe a seuere Iudge in chastising them for their iniquities and therewithall also he shewes what course must be taken to come to true repentance namely The way to come to true repentance if she wash her heart from her wickednesse For hypocrites take great paines to appease God with outward ceremonies and with bodily exercise but the Prophet shewes that God regards none of these things vnlesse they turne vnto him in good earnest and without faining He signifies then The beginning of repentance hath its seate in the heart that the beginning of repentance hath his seat in the affection of the heart Now we haue the Prophets meaning And yet it is ill argued of them which hence would inferre that repentance is the cause of our saluation because God bids Ierusalem to wash her heart from her wickednes that she may be saued Repentance no cause of saluation The Papists I grant strengthen themselues with such places to establish their free-will and to shew that our sinnes are abolished and we redeemed from the punishment of them by our satisfactions But this is but a brauado without any substance for the Prophet disputes not heere about the cause of our saluation but as I haue said he onely shewes that men are growne too senselesse and carelesse when they looke to bee in rest Let him neuer dreame of rest to himselfe that is at variance with God whilest they haue warre with God hee being armed to take vengeance on their iniquities The question heere then is not whether the sinner may redeeme himselfe out of Gods hands by repentance The Prophet meant onely to say we can looke for no safety nor tranquility vnlesse God be appeased with vs and therewithall also testifies that God cannot shew himselfe gracious vnlesse wee repent yea and that in good earnest and from the pure affection of the heart Afterwards he adds how long shall thy wicked thought remaine in the middes of thee Heere he taxeth the hypocrisie of the Iewes in saying that whatsoeuer excuses they pretend yet they are conuicted before God and that all their euasions should stand them in no stead in regard God diues into the secretest imagination of the heart Now he speakes very pertinently for he had to deale with hypocrites who thought God tooke pleasure in their ceremonies Moreouer by opposing their cauils they thought to haue been absolued in regard they could not be condemned before earthly Iudges The Prophet scornes all these gauds when he saith How long shall thy vaine cogitations remaine in thee that is to say albeit the whole world should acquit and iustifie thee what benefit shouldest thou reape by it for thy vaine thoughts remaine still in the middest of thee that is in the depth of thine heart Now God sees and discernes them because nothing is hid from his eyes Thinke not then that you shall gaine ought by all your outward shewes neither by any of your vaine excuses for God searcheth the hearts Let not therefore thy wicked thoughts abide in the middest of thee Hee calles them vaine cogitations The Hebrew word sometimes signifies a substance and sometimes vertue or power also sometimes it signifies griefe and sometimes vanity or trouble As touching this present place I doubt not but it signifies molestation or vanity For to expound it concupiscense as some doe I see not how the word will beare it But either of the
two expositions which I haue set downe will agree very well although the latter agrees yet best of all How long then shall thy vaine thoughts remaine in the middest of thee to wit whereby thou deceiuest thy selfe For in regard God held his iudgements in suspense the Iewes verily thought they should escape his hands Moreouer in regard of their effect they were thoughts of molestation and trouble For what other thing in the end could betide them but to feele and know that those who thus abuse and deceiue themselues doe nothing else but prouoke Gods wrath to wax so much the more hot against thē Wheras some expound it Cogitations of griefe in the actiue signification in regard the Iewes had done their neighbours many wrongs and outrages it agrees no more than the former but it also is vnapt I nothing doubt than but the Prophet heere mentions those false hopes which the Iewes conceiued in their heads which caused them to grow the more obstinate and rebellious against God in such sort as they abandoned all feare of punishment The Prayer Almighty God since thou vouchsafest to call vs yea and daily to allure vs to repentance and that therewithall wee haue also the testimony of our owne consciences to conuince vs as hauing many wayes prouoked thy iust vengeance against vs suffer vs not any longer to remaine hardened in our vices nor yet that our hearts may grow obstinate through vaine deceits but Lord let vs suffer our selues to be subdued by thy word and that we may giue ouer our selues to thee with such purity and sincerity of heart that for the whole course of our liues we may mind nothing more than to exercise our selues in the meditation of that newnesse of life which thou requirest of vs that being consecrated and set apart vnto thee both in heart and life we may endeauor to glorifie thine holy name vntill we be made partakers of that glory which thou hast purchased vnto vs by the blood of thine onely Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE SIXTEENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE THIRD VPON THE fourth Chapter Vers 15. For a voyce declareth vnto Dan and publisheth calamity or punishment others translate iniquity from mount Ephraim THe Prophet repeats that which he said before namely that the Iewes are destinated to perdition by their obstinacy in regard they had too often and sundry wayes prouoked God to wrath against them neither would they giue place to his holy admonitions which he sent them by his seruants the Prophets in offering them grace and forgiuenesse vpon their true repentance But whatsoeuer we read heere in this verse represents as it were to the life that calamity which was now at hand in regard the Prophet sets that before their eyes in figures which could not bee expressed in bare words He saith the voice declareth vnto Dan See vers 6. now this was the vtmost City bordering vpon the North. And hee said before that from this part a plague should come that is to say from the North because God had chosen the Chaldeans to be the executioners of his vengeance For that cause he now saith the voice may bee heard from Dan not that the armie was now ready to giue the onset vpon the Iewes but Ieremiah speakes heere by the spirit of prophesie as if he represented the iudgement before the eyes of the Iewes which yet they thought would neuer haue come to passe For we told you yesterday that when God spares the hypocrites for a little space they become the more obstinate and doe the more boldly insult ouer the Prophets For this cause Ieremiah seeing he had to deale with blockish persons it was necessary for him to adorne his doctrine with such figures as might euidently shew that the iudgement of God was neere which yet little affected the Iewes He saith then let the voice bee heard from Dan and let trouble or punishment or calamity bee published for that other reading whereof I aduertised you is very harsh in regard the Hebrew word properly signifies Iniquity but it is also fitly taken for punishment Notwithstanding when the Prophets vse this word they thereby meane that God sends not affliction and calamities vpon men without iust cause and therewithall they also shew that the matter and cause thereof is in the iniquities and sinnes of men Calamity then comes from mount Ephraim which quarter was nearest to the Tribe of Iudah and to the City of Ierusalem But this is all one as if Ieremiah had said God now thunders from heauen you shall therefore gaine nothing by stopping your eares for albeit you are now deafe yet shall Gods vengeance forthwith come to light and that with the greater noyse and astonishment It followes Vers 16. Make ye mention thereof among the Gentiles and publish it in Ierusalem Behold the * or those that besiege her scouts come from a farre countrey and send their cry vpon the Cities of Iudah THe interpreters expound the beginning of this sentence diuersly Some translate Let the Gentiles come into your mind thinking the Prophet saith this because there were many among the Gentiles which published Gods vengeance They take this place then as if Ieremiah sent the Iewes to the Gentiles saying Ye are vnworthy that God should send you ordinary teachers in regard you haue esteemed whatsoeuer they haue told you but as meere tales and fables But because the verbe is in the coniugation of Hiphil it ought rather to bee read Remember yee And yet there are others which expound thus Make mention of the Gentiles that is to say publish it that the Chaldeans are approching with all diligence to lay the land wast to ruinate the Cities of Iudah and to bring the people to nothing But there is a third exposition which as I take it agrees better word for word it is make ye mention of the Gentiles Behold publish it vpon Ierusalem Why so Truly the Prophet saw well enough that he lost but his time in speaking to so dull and senselesse a people and that the same their senselesnesse had brought them to such an obstinacy that they would neither heare nor vnderstand ought Hee turnes his speech towards the Gentiles then and saith Aduertise ye the Gentiles As if he should say it is a long while agoe since I admonished this people besides God hath schooled them by other Teachers but what hath all this profited vnlesse that they are become so much the more vnteachable Seeing the case stands thus then Cause saith he the Gentiles now to know that which concernes Ierusalem that is to say let the Iewes hence-forward heare no more of the calamity and ruine which must befall them but let the Gentiles and profane nations take knowledge of those iudgements of God which are to light vpon their heads This exposition is not any way against the scope of the text but is easie enough and agrees very well with the Prophets manner of speaking Hee vouchsafes not
both the houses of Iudah and Israel are charged by Gods owne testimony to haue plaid the reuolters against him p. 278. Vers 12 For in plaine tearmes they affirmed that though the Lord by Ieremiah had threatened them thus sharply yet they should speed well enough for all that p. 279. 280. Vers 13 And therefore concluded that if any went to the walles it must be Ieremiah himselfe as for his words against them they should passe away with the wind without taking any effect at all p. 281. 282. Which intolerable pride of theirs in insulting ouer the word Vers 14 of the Lord in the mouth of his Prophet he could no longer endure and therfore as one taking his part against them denounceth that the words of his mouth which they esteemed as wind should become after to consume them euen as the stubble p. 283. 284. 285. Which metaphor of fier and stubble is here in plain termes Vers 15 explained p. 286. 287 The one and twentieth Lecture Heere vnder another metaphor he shewes how the enemy Vers 16 shall deuoure all p. 288. 289. The which he layes foorth in the particulars shewing how Vers 17 it shall reach to their defenced Cities and so to the persons euen of their sonnes and daughters as also to their sustenance and substance p. 289. And yet the Lord tels them they must expect no truce because Vers 18 his wrath was not turned away from them but should be stretched forth still p. 290 291. And if they would needs haue him to giue them an account Vers 19 of handling them thus seuerely he shapes them a ready answere to their demand p. 292 293. 294. But lest hee might bee thought to affright them with Vers 20 words onely he shewes his words shall be no lesse effectuall than if the enemy had already sounded an alarme to the battell p. 295. Which they could not be ignorant of but that they were become Vers 21 meerly senselesse and hartlesse p. 295. 296. Now lest they should make their replies God conuinceth Vers 22 them by a comparison taken from the boysterous Sea which is ready to be calmed at his onely becke and command but such was their rebellion that nothing would daunt them p. 297. 298. Heere the doctrine of the similitude formerly mentioned is Vers 23 applied home to the Iewes p. 299. 300. And though God came nearer to them by his benefits in Vers 24 giuing them the former and the latter raine yet all was one they remained insensible and vngratefull still they could not conceiue so much as a thought tending to thankefulnes 300. Vers 25 301. 302. The two and twentieth Lecture Therefore if they found God to restraine his benefits from Vers 26 such as restrained their thankes from him they were not to thinke it strange They might thanke themselues for it p. 304. 305. For their wickednesses were growne so apparant that the Vers 27 very fact it selfe conuinced them thereof to their very faces p. 305. 306. Shewing that Fowlers cages are not commonly more replenished with birds than their houses were filled with the Vers 28 booties they had filshed from the poore by their craft and subtilties p. 307. Neither was this to be found among the common sort but among the Iudges and Magistrates who because they were Vers 29 growne great by their oppressions neglected the cause of the poore and fatherlesse in iudgement p. 309. To which purpose he takes vp his speech againe vsed vers 9 which shewes that the Iewes were growne to be so hardened in Vers 30 sinne that God must at once auenge himselfe vpon them vnlesse he should cease to be the iust Iudge of the world p. 310. Vers 31 As before he had taxed them in the Magistracy so now by way of admiration at so horrible an impiety he taxeth them in the Ministery both Priests and Prophets in that by their flatteries and lies they made the people their prey who yet were willing enough for their parts to be so abused by them p. 311. 312. 313. Concluding the whole with this that seeing there was such disorder among all sorts both high and low therefore they must in the end looke for a miserable downefall p. 314. 315. FINIS