second and third time to repentance which mercy as we see he daily exerciseth in the Churches This is the cause then why the Prophet repeats the same words againe Returne now againe O ye disobedient children He said before Vers 12. Thou disobedient Israel returne Now heere he adds For I haue been a husband vnto you Some thinke the word Baal which is heere vsed signifies to be sent but this signification in this place cannot agree therefore where others translate I haue had domination and lordship ouer you it agrees better but this lordship must not be vnderstood generally For after the Latines this domination is referred to the husband who is the wiues head Neither is it to bee doubted but God still continues his former speech See vers 1. and persists in the same similitude of marriage often mentioned before For he accused the Israelites of adulteries in regard they had forsaken him which is the cause he now adds And yet I am your husband He said before that if any man had put away his wife and that shee should marry another the first would neuer after be reconciled to her but contrariwise I willingly forgiue all your disloyalty and whoredomes onely hereafter carry your selues chastly towards me and you shall finde that I also will keepe my faith with you In like manner he saith heere I am your husband See vers 8. that is to say Albeit I haue put you away For hee told them before that hee gaue them a bill of diuorce that is he had as it were by a publike and autenticke instrument testified that he had cast them off and that he neuer meant afterwards to be ioyned vnto them againe in any couenant for their exile was a kind of diuorce Now he saith I am your husband for howsoeuer you haue by the breach of your faith much offended me yet doe I still continue my first plea I am your husband We now vnderstand the Prophets drift and meaning otherwise the Israelites might haue bin so forestalled with dispaire that they would vtterly haue distasted this fauourable accesse whereunto the Prophet calles and exhorts them To the end that slauish feare then should not hinder their returne God heere tels them hee will be their husband neither will he forget that first couenant and coniunction which in former time hee vouchsafed to make with them Thus you see the summe of his speech I haue once loued you with an husband-like affection true it is The summe you haue estranged your selues from me yet returne now againe vnto me for I am ready to pardon you and I will receiue you againe saith he as if you had alwayes kept your faith and loyalty with me But after he adds one out of a City two out of a family This place is well worthy our obseruation for God therin sheweth that they must not tarry one for another moreouer though all the body of the people generally should rot in the filthinesse of their sinnes God hath mercy in store if onely one will accept thereof yet if there were but one that would returne vnto him he would alwayes be ready to entertaine that one into his fauour Now this poynt was of exceeding great vse For Gods couenant was made to the whole seed of Abraham in generall and therefore they might thinke with themselues that this couenant was vtterly abolished vnlesse the whole people of God were againe gathered together Neither had God indeed chosen to himselfe out of this race one or two no not an hundred nor a thousand for hee had chosen the whole of-spring of Abraham Now because this promise was common to them all generally without any exception euery one might thus conceit in himselfe But what haue I to doe with God further than as in respect that I am descended of the race of Abraham It is not I alone then for we are all of vs the children of Abraham And yet I see scarce one that returnes to God it is of necessity then that I must likewise perish with the rest of the people Lest such a cogitation as this then should haue any way hindred or kept backe the godly therefore hee saith I will take one out of a City and two out of a family that is to say albeit there comes to me but one onely out of a City yet that one shall find the gate open if only two out of a Tribe repaire vnto me I will also entertaine them likewise Now we vnderstand the Prophets meaning I grant the expositors vnderstand these words one of a City as if God would not refuse to pardon three or foure although all the multitude besides perished But they touch not the maine matter which was chiefly intended to wit that God restraines his speech to two or three because as hath been said they might bee in perplexitie when they should thinke with themselues that all generally were chosen to bee a people consecrated vnto God Vse The fruite and benefit of which doctrine appertaines also euen to vs at this day For we see many which are so foolish to exclude themselues from all hope of saluation or at least lay such stumbling blockes in their owne way that they dare not come neere in regard one so gazeth vpon another that the multitude stumbles euery one in particular How comes it to passe that there are so many in the papacie who with a setled obstinacy resist God Is it not because they thinke to escape among the multitude Yea euen amongst our selues we see how one hinders another Therefore it behooues vs alwayes to remember this doctrine namely when God stretcheth forth his armes it is not onely to receiue the whole multitude together if with one consent they yeeld vnto him but as well to gather if it bee but two or three that shall come to him out of a City or out of the whole people He adds And I will bring you to Sion This hath been once spoken of before thus God would giue them to vnderstand that their exile should last but for a while and that the Israelites should once againe recouer their inheritance if he may perceiue in them a true and sound conuersion Vers 15. And I will giue you pastors according to mine owne heart and they shall feed you with knowledge and * or wisedome vnderstanding that is with knowledge and wisedome GOd here promiseth he will in such wise prouide for the good and welfare of the people after their returne out of their banishment that they shall not thenceforth bee in danger to fall into the like ruine For the cause why God executed this vengeance is to be obserued Isa 5.13 which also is specified by Isaiah in chap. 5. The reason saith hee why my people are led captiue is onely for want of knowledge Therefore hell hath enlarged her soule or throat He saith then that the reason why the people perished was because knowledge perished and that their
sand for a bound to the sea Now this expresseth much more than if he had said I haue ordained limits for the sea For hee speakes of the sand which is moueable and with a little blast is caried this way and that way The sand also is easie to be pierced into Were there hard rockes placed vpon all the sea bankes the miracle would not be halfe so admirable If God then should beate backe the swellings of the sea with such things as were of a solide substance this worke might peraduenture be ascribed to nature But what solidnesse is in the sand Let me powre but a little water vpon it incontinently it pierceth into it Whence comes it then that the boysterous sea with her roaring waues plowes not vp the sand which of its owne nature is so flexible Wee see then that this word sand is not superfluous There is almost the like place to this in the booke of Iob chap. 38.11 where God speaking of his inuinsible power among other things saith And let the sea come hitherto let her proud waues passe no further For it is most certaine that the least tempest ariseth not but by Gods will Why so Because he can alwayes hold the sea at one rate But hee doth it not nay rather as if he laid the raines in her neck he saith Goe but yet stay heere Now when it seemes these great waues mounted aloft as high as the mountaines threaten both men beasts as if the whole earth should therewithall bee ouerwhelmed then doe these violent waues suddenly cease and are calme Obiect He adds by a perpetuall ordinance I grant the sea sometimes ouerflowes For wee see many Cities sunke by deluges and inundations Answ but this notwithstanding is true that it is a perpetuall ordinance or decree namely that God keepes the sea within her limits For as oft as the sea inuades any part of the habitable world then may we assuredly collect thence that she wanted her bridle whereof Ieremiah here and Iob in chap. 38. speakes We gather then that no let or impediment hinders the sea from ouerflowing the whole earth but onely her obedience to Gods decree yea and this perpetuity also The sea would ouerflow all were it not kept in by Gods perpetuall command wherof the Prophet speakes remaines stedfast in regard of the generall For albeit tempests arise euery yeere this fury notwithstanding ceaseth end yet no otherwise than by Gods speciall command This is true then that bounds are set for the sea ouer which her waues cannot glide And therefore he saith her waues shall mooue and shall not preuaile and then they shall sound or make a noyse and shall not passe ouer We haue now the summe of this verse namely God complaines that the Iewes were growne so furious and so sottish that their obedience came farre short euen of the Seas obedience albeit she be tossed with waues and tempests He therefore brings forth the Iewes heere vpon the stage as monsters in nature in regard nothing is more contrary thereunto than to see more vnderstanding in the senselesse sea and that when it is most vnquiet than in man who is created according to Gods image who also is endowed with some sense and reason He afterwards adds Vers 23. And this people hath a peruerse and rebellious heart they are departed and gone HEre the sentence is compleat in regard it yet depends vpon the former interrogation But now God shewes more cleerly why hee mentioned this matter touching the sea And this people saith he or but this people hath a peruerse heart for the word signifies peruerse Others translate declining which doth not fully expresse the sense We may also see in many places that the word which the Prophet vseth imports somewhat more than declining Yea and this translation agrees better to wit that this people hath a peruerse heart and then rebellious or which could not be tamed No doubt but he compares or opposeth the fiercenesse and rebellion of the people to the obedience of the sea and thus in plaine tearmes he teacheth that there is greater furie and stupidity in this nation of the Iewes than in the tempestuous sea By the effect also he prooues that the peoples heart is peruerse Why so Because they were declined and gone Had he said in a word they had declined it had not been a full proofe but by the word gone he vnderstands their obstinacy As if he had said As desperate diseases cannot be cured by any remedies no more can you because you persist in your rebellion They are departed then and gone that is I could not reclaime them For God had often tryed by the labours of his seruants to see if hee could bring them backe into the right way but so much the more they discouered their incorrigible obstinacy and thereby also shewed that there was no place left for repentance It followes Vers 24. And said not in their heart Let vs now feare the Lord our God who giues raine and the water of the morning See Deut. 28.12 and of the euening of these words we haue spoken in another place in the time thereof or in his season he reserueth vs the perpetuall weekes of the haruest that is to say for the haruest HEre the Prophet in other words shewes that the Iewes are conuinced of obstinate rebellion Hee saith it came not in their minds once to say in themselues let vs now feare God We see then that all these things tend to one and the same end namely that the Iewes were no lesse senselesse than the insensible elements Nay that there was more insensiblenesse rebellion in their harts than in all the creatures of the whole world besides To say in the heart See chap. 2.6 is as much with the Hebrews as to think or consider in ones selfe The Latines say it came not in their mind that is to say they were so far void of common reason and vnderstanding that at least this would not fall into their mind nor once conceiue this thought Let vs now feare God Heere then he takes from them all pretext of ignorance lest they should alleage It is true wee haue not serued God but it was our errour or vnaduisednesse that brought vs to it Nay saith he you had your eyes and your eares too and the rest of your senses God gaue you showers not so much as one yeere passed ouer your heads in which the earth brought not forth her encrease and as oft as you put one bit of bread into your mouthes doth not Gods liberality therein manifest it selfe vnto you yet haue you not once thought in your selues this God surely ought to be worshipped and serued We see then how he heere takes from them all excuses in respect of their ingratitude when he saith they obserued not Gods benefits though they gazed vpon them daily with their eyes though they touched them with their hands and had a sensible feeling thereof
he attained to a sufficient ripenesse of yeeres As touching his father Of what stocke Ieremiah came it is no maruell if the Iewes transferre this name to the high Priest for wee know how they are alwaies rapt vp as it were in their vaine braggings In as much then as ambition possesseth their hearts hence it is they haue affirmed that Ieremiah was the sonne of the high Priest and all forsooth that they might adde the more pompe and glory to this estate But what testifies the Prophet himselfe Truly hee affirmes he was the sonne of Hilkiah but ye heare him not say his father was the high Priest Nay hee rather addes of the Priests which were at Anathoth in the land of Beniamin But we know that Anathoth was a little village Isa 10.30 of small esteeme not farre off from the City of Ierusalem Also Ieremiah himselfe reports that it was situate in the tribe of Beniamin We may gather from the words of Isaiah that it was neere to Ierusalem when he saith that poore Anathoth was afraid Isa 10.30 Isaiah there threatens Ierusalem in regard the enemy was neare saying what is your confidence For from your gates you may heare the cry of the enemie and the lamentations of your brethren For Anathoth is not very farre from you to wit onely three miles Seeing then Ieremiah saith plainly he was borne in the village of Anathoth why should we imagine hee was the sonne of the hie Priest And as idle a conceit is that which the Calde paraphrast addes namely The Calde paraphrast That the possession of Helkiah was in the towne of Anathoth as if forsooth it had been permitted to the Priest to possesse fields God had onely assigned that which was sufficient to feed their cattell with Numb 35.2.3.4 Let vs then follow that which is certaine and that which is without controuersie which also may well bee collected from the words of the Prophet namely That hee was borne and bred in the poore village of Anathoth and yet he affirmes he was of the stocke and linage of the Priests His propheticall office then we see might much better agree to his person than to other of the Prophets as to Amos or Isaiah Isaiah was plucked from the Court because he was of the royall blood and was ordained a Prophet The same for diuers respects may bee said of Amos. For he was taken from the folds of beasts being a shepheard or heard man Amos 7.14 When God deputed such for Prophets in his Church it is most certaine hee meant thereby to reproach the Priests with their sloth and carelesnesse For albeit all the Priests were not Prophets yet were they thence to bee taken for the priestly state was as it were a seminary of the Prophets But there being in them a kind of brutishnesse and as grosse ignorance as might be God chose Prophets elsewhere and thus discouered and brought their shame to light For it was their parts to haue been the messengers of the Lord of hosts the custodie of the Law ought to haue been in their lips that at their mouth the people might go to seek the Law Mal. 2.7 In regard then that they were dumbe dogs God caused the honour of the propheticall office to be transferred ouer vnto others But Ieremiah as I haue already said who was a Priest was also therewithall a Prophet In the second verse he begins to speake of his calling Of Ieremiahs calling For it would haue been too bare and naked if onely at the first entrance hee had affirmed that hee came and brought a message but in the second verse he more fully shewes hee brought nothing but that which was giuen him in charge from God as if he should say I haue faithfully deliuered that as it were from hand to hand which God hath enioyned me For wee know that God onely hath all authority in himselfe when the matter concernes the doctrine of piety and religion neither in deed appertaines it to mortall men to forge this or that according to their owne appetites thereby to subiect the faithfull vnder them Seeing then that God is the onely master and teacher in his Church God the onely master teacher in his Church whosoeuer seekes or desires to be heard there he must of necessity approoue himsele to be the minister and seruant of God Which Ieremiah carefully here doth when he saith in vers 4. That the word of the Lord was giuen him Hee saith before The words of Ieremiah the sonne of Hilkiah But some one might reply yea it may be the meanest of the people How hast thou intruded thy selfe Is it fit wee should heare a mortall man Doth not God reserue this prerogatiue to himselfe alone Ieremiah therefore as it were by way of correction addes here that they are indeed his words not that he is the author of them but the messenger or ambassadour onely Ieremiah a Disciple before he was a teacher Hee affirmes then that he onely executes that which God had enioyned him Why so Because he was first Gods Disciple before hee tooke vpon him the office of teaching As touching that which appertaines to the beginning and end of time the cause is briefly noted why he saith hee was chosen to be a Prophet in the thirteenth yeere of Iosias and that he continued this his function to the eleuenth yeere of Zedekias How Amon is said to be father to Iosias Whereas Iosias is called the sonne of Amon some doubt whether truly and properly Iosias was the sonne of Amon. For in the yeere 22. Amon began to raigne and raigned onely two yeeres Iosias succeeded in his place when hee was eight yeeres of age If we precisely count the yeeres and that Iosias was begotten in the sixteenth yeere then it will seeme absurd that Amon should be a father before the sixteenth yeere for it must needs be that he was begotten in the fifteenth yeere Hence we probably gather that Amon was his legall but not his naturall father as afterwards Zedechias is called the sonne of Iosias because he was his successor although he was his nephew by the brothers side as many thinke But this is a thing vsuall euery where that such are called the children or sonnes of Kings which haue succeeded them and who were so legally and not naturally as I haue said Now it followes Vers 4. And the word of the Lord was giuen mee saying 5 Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee and before thou camest out of the wombe I sanctified thee and ordained thee to be a Prophet to the nations IEremiah prosecutes that more at large here which hee touched erewhile namely that he was called of God for otherwise he had rashly thrust in himselfe We know that none takes this honour to himselfe as the Apostle saith but Gods calling onely exalts men to the office of Prophets and teachers Heb. 5.4 That Ieremiah then might procure diligent attention
North. Why so Because there was the fier and there was the bellowes also To be short God meant to shew to his Prophet that the people were like to flesh which being put into the pot seetheth and after burnes or in processe of time consumes away to nothing The Prophet saw that the mouth of a seething pot or the face thereof that is from the side on which it boyled looked towards the North and therefore it is that the Lord answeres who is the best expositor of this vision that he had presented to his seruant the plague comming from the side of the North vpon all the inhabitants of the land namely vpon Iudeah In which words God protests that hee had already kindled the fier amongst the Caldeans and Assyrians by which hee will seeth his people as flesh and in the end will bring them to nothing as it ordinarily falles out when the flesh continues long in the pot for if the fier be kindled and maintained and be still blowed of necessity the flesh must vtterly wast away after it hath been thus sod or boyled So in like manner God testifies that the fier is euen now kindled in Caldea and in Assyria which shall not onely seeth the Iewes but also vtterly consume them But hee expresseth the same thing in other words namely that the plague shall come from the North Vers 14. vpon all the Iewes We shall also perceiue by the progresse of the text that the summe of doctrine which was giuen to Ieremiah is heere proposed in few words I grant this is but a part of it as we haue said For indeed God minded to prouide for his elect and thus astonished them onely to tame and not to destroy them And yet this is but the one halfe of the prophesie to wit that they were no longer to expect any grace or fauour in regard the Iewes had too much prouoked the Lord by their obstinacie and had so abused his patience that their impiety was no way supportable Ieremiah then confirmes his prophecie againe more plainly and poynts at that as with the finger which the other Prophets had foretold It followes Vers 15. For lo I will * or crie to call all the families of the kingdomes of the North saith the Lord and they shall come and euery one shall set his throne in the entring in of the * or doores of gates of Ierusalem and on the walles thereof round about and in all the Cities of Iudah THis verse containes in it the exposition of the former for God expresseth that more plainly and particularly which he had but touched before namely that the plague should come from towards the North. Hee tels how himselfe will be the author of it but he speakes of the calamity which he was to send Behold saith hee I will call all the families of the kingdomes of the North. Neither should this prophecy haue had such efficacie vnlesse this aduertisement had been in expresse words added to wit that the Caldeans should come vnder the ensigne and leading of God For men are wont to attribute whatsoeuer happens to fortune and we shall afterwards see in the Lamentations how the Iewes were so besotted that in their miseries they attributed the destruction of the City Kingdome yea euen of the Temple it selfe to chance or fortune Lam. 3.37.38 For which cause the Lord rebukes them sharpely for being so blind in a thing so so euident and apparant and because they discerned not aright of his iudgements The Prophet then hauing testified that the plague should come from the North addes now in the second place that it shall not come by chance but that God himselfe shall be the Generall and chiefe leader of the armie gathered by the Caldeans who should muster their souldiers from all parts and prepare an host of men to destroy and root out the Iewes The Prophet vseth the word To cry Behold saith he I will cry to all the families of the North. You see that God vsed sundry and diuers manners of speaking when he meant to shew that all nations are so vnder his power and command Isa 5.26 and 7.18 that hee raiseth vp armies of souldiers as oft as it pleaseth him In Isaiah hee saith Behold I will hisse to the Egyptians and compares them sometimes to Bees But all these formes of speakings tend to shew that whilest men bee tumultuous and trouble all the world that God on the other side orders and directs all things according to his soueraigne power so as nothing falles out but by his gouernment and leading Wee see then that our Prophet speakes not like an historiographer neither foretels hee simply what should come to passe but hee forthwith addes doctrine thereunto This prophecie then A plague shall come out of the North had been bare and naked but as I haue already said hee now exerciseth the office of a Teacher that his prophecie might become profitable in that he affirmes God shall be the Generall and chiefe Commander in this warre Behold then I will cry to all the families of the kingdomes of the North. I grant this was not at that time the onely Monarchie but in regard the Iewes rested so securely vpon it coupled with so great a carelesnesse they feared no calamity To awaken and to correct this benumbednesse God saith that he will cause all the families of the kingdomes to be gathered together It is certaine there were then many kingdomes which God caused violently and suddenly to come and rush vpon Iudeah and it seemes also he hath respect to that vaine confidence with which the Iewes deluded themselues thinking the Egyptians should alwaies be ready to yeeld them succour Because then they were wont to oppose the Egyptians as a target or buckler yea as a mountaine or wall of brasse God derides their folly in regard that whilest they relied vpon the Egyptians they thought thēselues sufficiently armed against all the forces of the Caldean Monarchy This is the reason then why in the first place he puts the families and afterwards the kingdome of the North. It followes And they shall come and set euery one his throne in the doores of the gates Heere the Prophet signifies that the Caldeans shall haue so great a power that they shall dare to campe and pitch their tents euen before their gates and not onely that but they shall close vp the wickets also For he saith the doores of the gates And when he saith euery one it is the rather to gaule the Iewes to the quicke For they resting vpon the succours of Egypt thought themselues sufficient enough to resist albeit the Caldeans were in a manner inuincible after the Assyrians were vanquished and ouercome He saith then that the armie shall not onely campe before the gates but that euery one shall set his throne there and shall erect it as in a place of quietnesse In a word God signifies that the Caldeans and Assyrians shall conquer
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
will haue vs The Prophet then dischargeth not the people so as to lay the whole fault vpon the Gouernours but he rather aggrauates the greatnesse of their extreame impiety in regard all euen from the highest to the lowest had renounced both God and his Law I thinke we haue now the Prophets meaning Doct. And from hence wee are to gather that it is a meere senselesnesse in all those who thinke they haue said somewhat for their excuse when they alleage their good meaning and that they were drawne to the committing of euill onely by other mens example Why so Because it is an apparant proofe that all things are growne past cure when God giues Princes and Priests ouer to a reprobate sense Misorder in Church and Commonwealth a signe that the people by their sinnes haue prouoked God to anger with them For when all order both in the Politicall and Ecclesiasticall state is thus adulterated it is a sure signe that the Commons haue there prouoked Gods wrath and vengeance against them It is a iust recompence then which God rendreth into the bosome of such a people as haue transgressed his couenants when hee blindes the Priests the Prophets with the rest of their Superiours and Statesmen This is it which Ieremiah meant when hee heere saith that the Pri sts neuer thought of enquiring after the Lord. He saith afterwards those which kept the Low The Hebrew word signifies to hold and comprehend it also signifies sometimes to runne And thus it may admit two expositions in this place either that the Priests held that is to say vnderstood the Law or rather that they had it in their custody neither will it sute well to say that they suppressed or kept the Law hidden in regard the Lord speakes heere to them first by way of concession or yeelding so much vnto them but afterwards hee also shewes euen by this that they were so much the more wicked in that they became vtterly carelesse of their duties He saith then Those which had the custodie of the Law not that hee meant they kept the Law of God in truth nor as if they kept it by them of any pure zeale but onely in regard of an outward profession of it For they would needs bee held the keepers of the Law as hauing the heauenly doctrine thereof closed vp within their breast like vnto an hidden treasure Hag. 2.12 Mal. 2.7 in regard the people were to seeke counsell at their lips as being the organs and instruments of the holy Ghost Thus then for as much as they bragged of the knowledge of the Law and that they were the keepers of it therfore the Prophet bitterly inuayes against them because they knew not God And it seemes that Saint Paul drawes that which hee saith in Rom. 2.20.21.22 from this place Thou which vnderstandest the forme of the Law Thou that preachest another should not commit adultery cōmittest thou adultery condemnest thou Idolatry yet cōmittest thou sacriledge For thou obseruest the law thou approuest it thou gloriest in God thou hast knowledge and vnderstanding In which words St. Paul discouers the wickednesse of hypocrites for they are the more worthy to be detested by how much the more they are swollen with pride and vaine-glory and yet in the meane while profane the sacred name of God whilest they thus brag we are preachers and teachers of it and are as it were his Prophets We see now that this which he puts heere in the second place belongs chiefly to the Priests who are therefore called the guardians of the Law because it was committed vnto them by right of their ordination Hag. 2.12 as we may gather out of Mal. 2.7 By way of consequence he addes that the Pastors behaued themselues perfidiousty or disloyally towards God This may be referred as well to the Kings Councell as generally to all the Gouernours of Cities And for my part I nothing doubt but the Prophet meant to comprehend all such as had any charge of gouernment ouer the people of God For Kings and their Counsellors as also the Prophets are vsually stiled by this title of Pastor He saith moreouer That the Prophets prophecied in Baal The name of a Prophet in it selfe is a sacred title but Ieremiah according to a common errour calles them so in this place who were nought else indeed but meere deceiuers and couseners of the people For God had depriued them of all light of true knowledge Notwithstanding because they still retained a reputation among the people as if they had been true Prophets therefore Ieremiah stickes not to grant them this title as well in regard of their duty as of their vocation and calling Euen as we at this day call them Bishops Prelats Primats and Fathers who brag much of performing the duty and office of Pastors in the Papacie howsoeuer we know some of them are wolues and others of them dumbe dogs yet we yeeld them these titles wherein they glory because they deserue double condemnation for vsurping wickedly and with an intolerable pride full of sacriledge these sacred titles and for dispoyling the Lord of that honour which by good right appertaines vnto him So Ieremiah now whiles he calles them Prophets meanes those impostors who then wickedly seduced the people He saith they prophecied in or by Baal that is to say they reuerenced idols more than the true God We know this name of Baal went then for currant in euery ones mouth The Prophets sometimes call all sorts of idols Baalims in the plurall number But because Baal signifies a Patron as oft as the Prophets mention either Baal in the singular number or Baalims in the plurall they meane thereby all those petty gods whom the Iewes had gathered together as if God not content with his sole and onely power needed some fellow-helpers to bee ioyned with him as in the Papacy where at this day they sticke not to confesse that there is one soueraigne Maiesty but in the meane while they make none account of him neither attribute they any more to him than they doe to their stockes and stones which they forge at their pleasure The same vice raigned then among the Iewes yea among the Pagans For both confessed freely and simply that there was but one soueraigne power yet had they an infinite troupe of dunghill gods who were so many Baalims Therefore when the Prophet saith heere that such as had the charge of teaching ministred or prophecied in Baal he therein opposeth this name to the true and onely God as if he should say The doctrine of the word was corrupted by them because they passed their limits continued not within those bounds of the true and sincere doctrine contained in the Law but mingled many abuses and corruptions therewith which they had gotten in together from all parts to wit those troupes of gods whom profane people had forged And yet the Prophet insists not vpon the word or name For haply those great
thee Hast thou not procured these things vnto thy selfe because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way WE must reade all these foure verses together because the Prophet in the first of them shewes that the Iewes were not thus miserable in their first estate but it proceeded from a new cause and in the latter verse he sets downe the cause it selfe In the fourteenth verse therefore he askes saying Is Israel a seruant or a seruant borne in the house God had adopted this people to himselfe and had promised hee would shew himselfe in such wise bountifull vnto them that they should bee euery way happy and blessed yea a mirrour of happinesse In thee saith he shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed Genes 12.3 and 22.18 and 26.4 and 28.14 Wee see then what Israels condition was at the first truly most excellent as hauing the preheminence aboue all other nations in regard Israel was Gods deare darling Gods heritage and an holy and royall Priesthood Exod. 19.5 The Prophet therefore admiring Israels estate now and asking as of a thing strange and vnwonted Is Israel a seruant Surely he was once free aboue all other nations for hee was Gods eldest son There must needs be some cause sought out then how hee is become thus miserable For afterwards he saith the Lions roared and yelled vpon him his Cities were burned or destroyed his land was made desolate Lastly he addes in vers 17. Is not this done vnto thee Againe this interrogation is as much as a double affirmation for it puts the thing out of question as wee vse to speake as if he should say What cause canst thou alleage that thou art in this wofull taking and that euery one hath set himselfe against thee so as thou art made a prey to the whole world Whence I pray thee haue these things come vnto thee Haue they not proceeded from thine owne wickednesse We now see the Prophets meaning But that wee may yet vnderstand him more throughly it is to bee noted that God heere calles the benefits which hee had bestowed vpon the Iewes to mind to shame them withall In regard the children of Abraham then had receiued so many singular gifts and graces from God that they were esteemed before all the world besides this their dignity is set before them but to their disgrace As if hee should say God hath not deceiued thee in promising to deale liberally with thee his adopting of thee to be his son was no fabulous nor vaine thing Thou then shouldest certainly haue been the most happy nation in the world had not thine owne wickednesse procured vnto thee the contrary Now ye see the reason of the Prophets demand Is Israel a seruant or borne in the house By nature indeed they were no whit better than any other nation but in regard God had chosen them to bee his peculiar inheritance and had giuen them so excellent a prerogatiue therefore the Prophet now askes whether they be seruants or no. As if he should say Whence is it that wee see not that happinesse and blessednesse shine in thee now which God once promised vnto thee For this is certaine God for his part deceiues none It must needes follow then that thou hast by thine owne deserts procured vnto thy selfe these miseries And when he saith why then is he spoyled Hee shewes that if he had not been depriued of Gods protection hee should not in such sort haue bin made a prey to the lust of his enemies He was laid open to the spoyle then only because God had forsaken him Deut. 32.30 as it is writtē in the song of Moses How should one of you chase a thousand two of you put ten thousand to flight except our strong God had sold vs and that the Lord had shut vs vp For Moses there closely puts the people in mind of what and how many noble and admirable victories they had obtained ouer their enemies and by meanes thereof he left it to the consideration of the successors that should be afflicted whence this change came namely that there needed but one enemie to chase a thousand that is notwithstanding they should be the greater part Psal 44.5.6.9 yet their enemies should put them to flight But what was the cause of this For in former times they were not wont to turne their backs vpon their enemies but contrariwise to driue them before them it followes then that they were thus captiuated not of men that pursued them but of God Also the Prophet in this place shewes that Israel was not made a prey but in regard that God had left them succourlesse In the next place he addes The Lions roared vpon him It seemes the Prophet compares not Israels enemies to Lions simply in respect of their cruelty but rather by way of contempt as if hee should say Israel not onely feeles men his aduersaries but euen wild and sauage beasts Now this is a greater reproch when God suffers vs to be torne in pieces by wild beasts It is as much then as if he had said Israel is thus miserably handled that hee is not onely exposed to the power and will of man to bee put to death that is by the hands of his enemies but is euen made a prey to bruit beasts And he addes here that they yelled as if he should say Israel who was wont to be protected by Gods powerfull hand is now become the food of cruell and rauenous beasts so as the Lions with enuie roare as it were vpon him Then without any metaphor he addes that his land is laid wast and his Cities burnt without an inhabitant neither indeed doth this sute either to Lions or to other cruell beasts but what he spake before figuratiuely hee heere expounds himselfe plainly Thy land is wasted thy Cities are burned or rased to the ground This as I haue said could not haue fallen out vnlesse Israell had been forsaken of God consequently depriued also of his succour protectiō To amplifie this discourse he addes Also the children of Noph and Taphnos shall breake thine head Wee shall see hereafter that the Israelites were wont to seeke for helpe from the Egyptians and this particle yea or also may be thus expounded not onely shall those who haue hitherto shewed themselues thy open and deadly foes make warre against thee but euen thy confederates vpon whose power thou reliedst euen these shall turne their forces against thee and shall breake thine head or the crowne of thy head Some are of opinion that this is spoken by way of reproach and to shame them in regard the Egyptians were cowards ancient histories also testifie that in Egypt men dealt in those affaires which properly belong to women But because the Scripture is not wont to testifie thus much nor to speake in this sense of the Egyptians I had rather follow that which is most receiued to wit that the Egyptians who
the meane while saith he know thine iniquity for otherwise thou hast no reason to seeke reconciliation with me It followes For thou hast carried thy selfe wickedly against the Lord thy God The Prophet by these words presseth the Israelites home lest they should thinke to escape Gods wrath by their faire and colourable pretexts For we know that euen such as feele themselues inwardly conuinced are not easily brought to confesse their faults And surely it is wonderful men should be so blockish thus to plead alwayes with God Therefore when the Prophets goe about to exhort the Iewes to repentance they alwayes set their sinnes before them Were there any shame or good nature in men they needed not to bee thus pressed but in regard they are either impudent and so will neuer confesse their faults or so senselesse that nothing can terrifie them therefore it is needfull they should bee thus sharply gauled yea deeply wounded This course the Prophet takes heere Thou hast saith hee carried thy selfe wickedly towards thy God as if the Prophet should haue said It is not without cause that in this particular manner I admonish thee to acknowledge thy faults for it is God himselfe that condemnes thee thinke not therfore that thy euasions can doe thee any good In the next place to presse them yet nearer to the quicke he adds the kind of fault wherein they failed From the generall the Prophet proceds to charge them with particulars Thou hast saith he scattered or dispersed thy wayes to strangers vnder euery green tree Againe he compares the Israelites to harlots which are so common to all that they post from place to place to entertaine the first commers See how the Prophet saith the Israelites had scattered their wayes He speakes modestly of an immodest action when he saith thou hast scattered thy wayes but by these words he signifies that they satisfied not themselues with one kind of superstition or with one idoll but polluted themselues with sundry superstitions and that on euery side they heaped together diuers deceitfull errours euen as a common harlot prostitutes her selfe to such as shee neuer knew before without any choyce at all Now all fained gods he termes by the name of strangers because as I haue often said they ought to haue held God for their husband Whilest the Israelites then wandred thus after strange gods it was all one as if a wife forsaking the company of her husband should prostrate or prostitute her selfe to the will of all adulterers And wee know nothing is more vsuall than for those that forsake the true seruice of God to gather to themselues from all parts sundry deceits and errours so as they prostitute themselues without any restraint before all sorts of superstitions In the last place he adds and thou hast not heard my voice By this circumstance the Prophet amplifies their offence namely that hauing been instructed by the doctrine of the Law and therefore could not be ignorant of the right way to saluation how was it possible they should thus foully corrupt themselues by entertaining such variety of superstitions They could not say ignorance was the cause of it it was their open rebellion then against God Thus the Prophet shewes they were disobedient and had no stay of themselues at all and that hence came their falling away into idolatry and peruerse errours The summe and scope of the whole 12. and 13. verses namely they had shaken off Gods yoke and would not endure to be gouerned by his word Now wee haue the summe and scope of all these words In the first place God wils the Israelites to confesse their sinnes which if they performe he shewes what gaine they shall get by their conuersion Vers 12. which he mentioned erewhile For till the sinner acknowledge his faults he will neuer become a true conuert Note neither will he from his heart turne vnto God The beginning of repentance therfore is to acknowledge and confesse our sinnes Moreouer hee conuinceth them of their sinnes that he might take from them all occasions of cauelling Thirdly he names the kind of sinne that hee might hold them as it were at a bay to wit that they were defiled with superstitions And moreouer he adds that they were not onely like to an adulteresse that followes another husband but to the filthy of-scums of the world who post hither and thither without respect either of those they know or know not Lastly he shewes that this came to passe meerly by their owne rebellion namely because they had wholly shaken off all feare and reuerence of God in regard he had committed to their custody the oracles of his Law besides they had also the Prophets whom he had sent to be the true expositors thereof They were therefore sufficiently taught and instructed in that which concerned the will of God and also how to haue walked in the right way Whence came it then that they so grosly erred They stopped their eares against that word of God which was preached vnto them and would not endure to bee guided and gouerned by the same but grew vtterly vnteachable Let vs proceed Vers 14. Returne ye disobedient children saith the Lord for I am your husband or I haue ruled ouer you as some translate others I haue been wearied by you wee will speake of the propriety of the word anon and I will gather you one out of a City and two out of a family or out of a kindred or Tribe and I will bring you to Sion IEremiah reiterates the same sentence with that in vers 12. yet in other words But by heaping vp so many words to one purpose God shewes how ready hee is to be appeased if so be the Israelites from their hearts and without faining will turne vnto him It sufficed to haue assured them in one word that God testified his willingnesse to pardon them But perceiuing how slow and dull of hearing they were and how hardly drawne to yeeld themselues obedient he continues on his former exhortation This fauour of God is not to be a little admired who albeit his grace be in a manner neglected yea reiected of men by their slothfulnesse yet ceaseth hee not but once No small fauour of God when he offers vs conditions of peace againe and againe twise yea the third time he calles vs to him Is any man in the world able to brooke such an indignity as to see his fauour scorned And yet wee see God flies not backe at the first repulse neither reiects he those by and by who are thus dull and slow of hearing but sets vpon them afresh to see if at length he may preuaile and is not this more than necessary Doct. For such a blockishnesse is in our nature that if God should not daily bee calling vpon vs how many of vs would giue him audience or entertaine his admonitions It is no wonder than if he support our slothfulnesse in summoning and calling vs the
with it But the spirit or spirituall circumcision is when a man denies himselfe and is renewed in a word that true and vnfained conuersion of the heart vnto God Spirituall Circumcision what whereof the Prophet heere speakes And Moses also toucheth the same Deut. 10.16 for there he shewes how the Iewes much deceiued themselues if they thought to satisfie God with the bare circumcision of the flesh therefore saith he circumcise the fore-skin of your hearts Deut. 30.6 I grant in another place he shewes that this is Gods peculiar worke but howsoeuer God circumciseth the heart yet it is not in vaine that men are exhorted to circumcise themselues spiritually which also we may now say of Baptisme For when Saint Paul exhorts the faithfull to the feare of God Rom. 6.4 and to holinesse of life hee brings in Baptisme therewithall and yet it is certaine that men attribute not that to themselues which God signifies vnto vs by the signe of Baptisme But his meaning is God commands vs that which we are vnable to doe that we might seeke to him for ability to doe it we should aske of God the grace of his holy spirit that the outward signe become not vnprofitable vnto vs by wanting the inward truth therof Thus then when the Prophet commands the Israelites to take away the fore-skin of their hearts it is all one as if he had said vnto them I see you are but too liberall in preferring ceremonies and the outward seruice but what auailes all this vnlesse the integrity of the heart goe before Now he speakes to the Iewes and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem in regard they thought themselues more excellent than the Israelites vpon whom God had inflicted so heauie chastisements Thus then he shewes that the Tribe of Iudah yea euen the inhabitants of Ierusalem were no better than others and that they were no more priuiledged than their brethren but they must be accountable to God as well as they vnlesse they returned in time yea and that without faining too After he adds lest my wrath breake forth like fier c. Heere the Prophet freely and plainly denounceth that the Iewes must not differre their repentance till God declare himselfe their iudge Repentance must not be differred for feare of after-claps in executing his vengeance vpon them for then it will be too late To be short hee admonisheth them to preuent Gods iudgements betimes for if Gods wrath begin once to burne it will vtterly consume and destroy them like a fier It will be no time then to quench this fier But on the contrary if they now repent he sets before them some hope of pardon in regard the wrath of God was not as yet kindled In the nex place he adds because of the wickednesse of your actions by which words the Prophet gaules them yet further to the quicke and shewes they shall gaine nothing by their cauils for if God be once set vpon his iudgement seat and shall but begin to execute his iudgements there will then be no more place for any of their vaine replies or excuses to wit as if they deserued not to be so seuerely dealt withall and that the nature of their sinnes were not so hainous God saith he will cause you to feele by wofull experience how odious your sinnes are before him when he shall once stretch out his hand against you he will not then stand to answere your bablings It followes Vers 5. Declare it or publish it in Iudah and cause it to be knowne in Ierusalem and say Sound the trumpet in the land call assemble and say Assemble your selues and let vs enter into the fortified Cities 6 Lift vp the standard or the banner in Sion assemble you or flee Others translate be valiant but others take it in a contrary sense as if it were said that they should flee or assemble together for feare stay not or you shall not stay because I will cause euill to come from the North and a great ruine or breaking THe Prophet heere handles his nation somewhat seuerely because he knew they were rebellious and growne so obstinate in their sinnes that it was in a manner impossible by faire meanes to bring them into the right way He therefore inueyes thus earnestly against them as men past cure and as against them in whom he knew his doctrine would become wholly vnprofitable Now albeit he sounds the alarme as the Prophets were wont to doe to strike the greater terrour into them yet he seemes to doe it after a taunting manner when hee bids them publish it in Iudeah c. as if hee should say when your necessity shall pinch you a little nearer then shall you learne by experience that God is offended with you It may be now you will set light by my admonitions neither will God then draw you to him by violence because you seeke euasions and hiding places you shall cry then at the sound of the trumpet Behold the enemies are come and as many as wil be at our doores Therefore let euery one of vs retire into Ierusalem enter into the City and saue our selues in Sion that is to say though we cannot be safe in the City yet at the least wee shall bee safe within the fortresse of Sion And yet notwithstanding saith he God will cause this plague to come vnto you out of the North so as whatsoeuer you imagine will be for your safety and profit it shall vtterly vanish away to nothing But it is especially to be noted that the Prophet proclaims open warre against them as Gods herald and albeit he insults ouer their obstinacy yet he tels them there shall be such a generall terrour as they must bee forced to saue themselues by flight Sing saith he with a loud voyce in Iudah and publish it or make it knowne in Ierusalem The Hebrew word signifies word for word publish or cause to heare But he speaks not simply here as Ioel doth when hee calles to haue the trumpet sounded Ioel 2 1.15 for he exhorts the people there to repentance But Ieremiah as I haue said frumps the Iewes in regard of their contumacy and obstinacy as if he should say I see well enough what you will doe when you shall be pressed with the stroke of Gods vengeance truly you meane not then to repent but you will cause the trumpet to be sounded throughout the land that all may retire to Sion as if thence you were able to beate backe your enemies and saue your liues God then commands them not to sound the trumpet but rather shewes what they will doe Some there are who quite and cleane from the purpose translate Accomplish but the most receiued opinion is Assemble And yet me thinkes the expositors haue not sufficiently weighed the etymologie of this word for in Hebrew it signifies as much as wee say in French Amassez vous Gather you Gather you then and assemble you and we will come
into the strong Cities I see your meaning is to seeke some sufficient place of refuge to secure you in respect of your enemies be it so saith God Vers 6. Lift vp the standard in Sion and flee thither for succour but in the meane while I will bring a plague vpon you from the North. For the meaning of this word North see the 15. verse of this chapter The word which followes in the Hebrew may be expounded two wayes stay not in a place that is flee quickly as they commonly doe that are ouertaken with feare or rather you shall not stand that is to say albeit you thinke to secure your selues very safely in this mountaine of Sion yet shall you not bee able to stand there but the first exposition seemes to sute best The Prayer Almighty God for as much as wee cease not daily to estrange our selues from thee by our sinnes and notwithstanding the same thou ceasest not graoiously to exhort vs to repentance promising to be fauourable and mercifull vnto vs grant we may not remaine obstinately in them neither let vs shew our selues vnthankefull in respect of thy so great kindnes towards vs but giue vs grace so to conuert and turne vnto thee that our liues may testifie our repentance to be vnfained also that we may so securely rest in thee that the wicked lusts of our flesh may not carry vs hither and thither but grant we may rather continue setled and established in a right purpose of heart whereby we may endeauour so to obey thee in the whole course of our life that at the length we may receiue the fruit of the same our obedience in thy kingdome of glory and that through the merits of Iesus Christ thine onely Sonne our Sauiour Amen THE FIFTEENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE SECOND VPON THE fourth Chapter Vers 7. The Lion is come forth of his fort or den and the destroyer of nations is departed he is gone out of his place to make the land desolate thy Cities shall be so destroyed that there shall remaine none inhabitant therein THe Prophet in more words heere shewes what this threatning meanes which wee began to touch yesterday For in vers 6. God said he would cause a plague to come from the North. The King of Babell called a Lion and why Now heere hee shewes what kind of plague it should be and compares the King of Babylon to a Lion and afterwards without vsing any figure he calles him The destroyer of nations By this similitude of a Lion he giues the Israelites to vnderstand that they shall be too weake to resist and in adding hee shall bee a destroyer of nations he signifies they shall perish as well as the rest For if Nabuchadnezzar had sufficient power to destroy many nations what should let the Iewes from passing that way or how could they escape the same calamity which others had tasted of before them Therefore he saith the destroyer shall come But in all these words hee vseth the present tense to shew the certainty of his prophesie as also that he might so much the more affright and terrifie such as were become secure and carelesse and wholly rocked asleepe in their hypocrisie in regard no threatning at all could mooue them For whilest God spared them they contemned his iudgements imagining they should neuer be called to an account or chastised for any of all their offences That the Prophet then might the better awaken them out of their drowsinesse hee sets the thing as it were before their eyes euen as if Nabuchadnezzar had been now ready with a mighty armie to sacke and destroy the whole land countrey of Iudeah Now he saith the Lion is gone out of his den but the word he vseth properly signifies a thicke twisting or intangling where there are a multitude of trees interlaced one within another or where a place is ouergrowne with briars and brambles Now this similitude agrees very well for the Iewes neuer dreamed that the King of Babell would come vp from a place so farre remote from them in regard the passages were very vneuen to leade or conduct an armie through And yet the Prophet saith the Lion shall come forth of his thicket or burrow and that nothing shall be able to hinder his passage nor entrance into the open field In the end he concludes that the Cities shal be rased so as no inhabitant shal remaine there Now it followes Vers 8. Therefore gird you with sackcloth mourne and howle for the fury of the Lords wrath is not turned backe from vs. IT is not likely that the Prophet doth heere exhort his countreymen to repentance for there followes a more euident doctrine touching this poynt hereafter See vers 14. For the present he onely warnes them that a great lamentation is approaching them in regard hee saw the hypocrites so farre plunged in their delights that it was impossible once to terrifie them Therefore hee tels them they are much deceiued if they thinke to be in any safety whilest God is their enemie Clothe you with sackcloth saith he lament and howle The reason followes because the wrath of the Lord is not yet turned away from vs. For we know how hypocrites are wont to weaken Gods power as if by their obstinacy they were able either to turne back his iudgement or else to hold his hands as you would say from executing his will Because hypocrites then shew themselues thus malepert against God the Prophet expresly saith that Gods wrath is not turned backe By which words he giues them to vnderstand that they shall bee alwayes and euery way miserable vntill they bee reconciled vnto God We now conceiue the Prophets meaning For hee cōfirmes that which he said before namely that the Lion was come forth and the destroyer was already in armes Se vers 7. I say he now confirmes those words Such as with whom God is angry are exposed to all the miries that may be that hee might bereaue them of all hope vnlesse God shewed them mercy But he tels them God is angry therefore it must needs follow that they lay open to all the miseries that might be Vers 9. And in that day saith the Lord it shall come to passe that the Kings heart shall faile and the heart of the Princes and the Priests shall be astonished and the Prophets shall wonder IN regard the regall dignity as yet remained among the Iewes albeit their power was much diminished they trusting in their King thought themselues in regard thereof in great safety and this was the reason why they trembled at no threatning For this name of a Kingdome though not altogether in its perfection yet in such a mean estate as it then was serued them as an anuill to beat back all the Prophets blowes Moreouer we know how pride alwayes possesseth the harts of courtiers For as they highly magnifie the greatnesse of their Kings so insult they in regard of
then to direct his speech to those ouer whom God had placed him for it had bin to haue cast holy things to dogs but he rather directs his speech to the Gentiles as if he should say The blind and poore ignorant heathen haue more sense and vnderstanding than the people whom God himselfe hath chosen Neither doth this hinder but the Prophet notwithstanding still continued to exercise his office and function among the Iewes and that for a long season For it is a thing vsuall and ordinary with the Prophets being once inflamed with the zeale of Gods glory to threaten the people with imminent destruction and yet they cease not for all that to goe on constantly in the discharge of their duties proouing if by any meanes they might bring them home into the right way who seemed in a manner to haue been vtterly past recouery Those that besiege thee saith he shall come from a farre countrey they ordinarily turne it the Keepers Others thinking that Ieremiah alludes to Nabuchadnezzars name as if the guards of Nabuchadnezzar came forth to ruinate and destroy Ierusalem and the Cities of Iudah But as I thinke it is better referred to besiegers which will be yet better cleared by the verse following Neither see I any reason why some should translate Guards albeit the most in a manner are of this opinion But I take it for those that besiege The besiegers then shall come saith he and that from farre This word farre is expresly added to assure the people that they should not escape though God had patiently expected their repentance so long a time as before we noted For because God deferred his iudgements they now thought themselues past all feare of danger and therefore now he saith that howsoeuer they saw not the enemy approch with their eyes nor heard not the noyse of the armie in their eares yet shall not Gods threatnings be in vaine for out of a farre Countrey can he cause such to come as shall be the executioners of his vengeance And therefore he adds They shall send forth their cry vpon the Cities of Iudah This also was added for good cause that the Iewes might thereby know that no impediment comming betweene could stay the passage of the Chaldeans from surprising the Cities suddenly by the voice of their cry His meaning is indeed of the cry which the souldiers make the better to encourage one another to the battell but in regard this often falles out after they haue gotten the victory to testifie their ioy and reioycing he pronounceth definitiue sentence vpon the Iewes euen as if the souldiers were now making their cries of triumph It followes Vers 17. They shall be about her as the keepers of the field because shee hath prouoked mee to wrath saith the Lord. HE heere shewes that the Iewes shall not be able to retire themselues into any corner at all after God shall cause the Caldeans to come forth in regard all the wayes and passages shall be so shut vp that they shall not bee able to saue themselues elsewhere It is as much then as if he had said Such a iudgement will shortly befall you which you can no way auoid vse all the meanes you can Doubtlesse it is a wofull thing when men are driuen to flee all naked as it were to shift for their liues any where and that they be forced to seek their abode among strangers to liue there in much pouerty and distresse But the Prophet heere testifies that the iudgement which should ouertake the Iewes shall be so horrible that they should neither auoid it nor flee from it no not by suffering and sustaining banishment from their countrey nor by flight because God will compasse them in on euery side as if he had set watchmen to shut vp all passages In the next place he adds the reason Because they haue prouoked me to wrath The Prophet againe shewes that the Lord deales not too seuerely with the Iewes neither is it by chance that they are afflicted with so many and grieuous euils but that they receiued the punishment which they iustly deserued in regard they had prouoked God to bee displeased with them For it had not been a matter of so great moment if the Iewes had apprehended the calamity which suddenly should haue surprized them vnlesse therewithall they had also knowne that God meant to call them to an account and to chastise them for their obstinacy This is the reason then why he adds because shee hath prouoked me to anger namely to the end the Iewes might know and vnderstand that these chastisements and afflictions came meerly from the immediate hand of God According to which hee now saith Vers 18. Thy way and thy workes haue brought this vpon thee such is thy malice therefore it is bitter therefore it pierceth to the heart or although it be bitter and although it hath pierced thee to the heart THe Prophet as I haue already said confirmes his doctrine to wit that the euils which befell the Iewes came not to passe by ill fortune as they say but that it is God himselfe who calles them to an account that being touched with his true feare they might at length returne vnto him or if they must needs perish in regard of the outward man yet at the least they might obtaine fauour after their humiliation and so be saued in respect of their soules and inward man See 1. Cor. 5.5 Hee saith then their actions haue procured them these things as if hee should say you are not to lay the fault vpon God nor yet vpon your bad fortune as you vsually haue done and as all profane persons commonly doe Against such as cry out of their bad fortune For they are your workes that haue procured you these things Thus God will performe the office of a iust Iudge therefore whatsoeuer befalles you impute it to your owne iniquities To which purpose in the next place he adds such is thy malice In a word he shewes that the Iewes doe in vaine impute their euils either to this or that for the blame lies wholly in themselues as hauing purchased obtained this ruine to themselues by their owne impiety and wickednesse In the second part of the verse where it is said this pierceth to the heart the Prophet thereby signifies that albeit this be very bitter and toucheth to the quicke and to the depth of the heart yet as all this proceeds from themselues so ought they wholly to ascribe it to to themselues and to none other For hypocrites are wont to waile and lament that they might bring some imputation vpon God or at the least to blame Fortune But the Prophet reiects all these cauils and shewes that howsoeuer the affliction which the Iewes suffered was as a bitter morsell vnto them yea although God pierceth and entreth as it were into the very heart and bowels yet haue they notwithstanding been the authors of all these euils Now hee adds
Prophets words He rather attributes terrour and sorrow heere to the dumbe and insensible elements which is much more passionate than if hee had plainly said The inhabitants of the earth should mourne and lament The same may bee said also of the heauens And indeed this latter member euidently shewes that he speakes not of the inhabitants of the earth but of the earth it selfe which albeit it is vtterly without sense or feeling yet it seemes it hath a kind of feare and horror in respect of Gods vengeance And thus the Prophet casts mens hard-heartednesse and senselesnesse in their teeth in that they were no whit moued nor smitten with any dread although they saw signes of Gods wrath manifested against them from heauen The earth then shall mourne and the heauens shall be darkened and troubled that is howsoeuer men remaine insensible yet shall heauen and earth feele the horriblenesse of Gods vengeance In the next place he adds For I haue said it Some translate this as if a relatiue were to be supplied betweene the two verbes as if he had said For I haue said that which I thought and I wil not repent But this same abrupt manner of speech sutes well enough For in the first place God pronounceth sentence which shall abide immutable and vnchangeable As if he should say I haue once for all signified by my faithfull seruants the Prophets what I meant to doe For the Prophets as we know were Gods heralds to declare and publish his iudgements And for as much as men for the most part set light by their doctrine for as the world at this day is growne to that passe that it proudly contemnes and scornes al the threatnings that are denounced against it so fell it out then Ieremiah therefore brings in God himselfe speaking heere as if he had said You haue despised my messengers and yet haue they told you nothing but what my felfe haue enioyned them From me then hath proceeded that sentence which you for your parts ought to haue trembled at See now in what sense it is that God saith I haue spoken For he attributes that to himselfe which the Iewes thought came from the Prophets and therefore they saw no reason why they might not freely set light by whatsoeuer the Prophets pronounced against them It is I then saith God that hath spoken And thus there should be an antithesis betweene God and the Prophets as if hee should say The Iewes gaine nothing at all by snorting thus in their euils whilest they thinke they haue to doe with mortall men whereas God himselfe hath commanded and enioyned his seruants to denounce the iudgement which they scorne so much And yet lest they should Imagine God spake onely to affright them with words full of wind for hypocrites are wont to flatter themselues vnder this pretext that God speakes not in good earnest but onely frayes men as if he had to deale with little children he saith also I haue thought it He said before hee spake that is as hauing respect to the Prophets but now in saying he thought it hee meanes that the prophesies shall manifest their power wherein God had threatned the Iewes with ruine out of his owne secret counsell This saith hee is decreed with me Afterward he adds I repent not In a word he shewes that the Iewes are destinated to destruction lest they should perswade themselues that God could bee appeased whilest they went on in their sinnes because hee was determined to proceed in iudgement against them and not onely signified the same by his Prophets but had also concluded thereof in his owne breast The word repentance is taken heere for mutation or change For God is not subiect to repenting in regard all things are well enough knowne to him but he speakes after the manner of men as I said erewhile Repentance improperly attributed to God And that which followes remooues away all ambiguity or doubt for he saith I will not turne away from it that is I will not call backe my sentence It followes Vers 29. Euery City shall flee for the voice of the horseman and of the archer they shall dig into the thicknesse according to others into the clouds The Hebrew word signifies a very thicke bush or thicket it also signifies clouds and as I take it it may bee accepted rather for clouds because forthwith it followes they shall ascend into the rockes and then euery City shall be forsaken and no inhabitant shall remaine therein WHen he speakes of the voice or noyse of the horsmen and archers which shall cause all to flee he signifies that the enemie shal come with such boldnes and fury that the Iewes shall not dare to meet them because they shall all be scattered heere and there before one stroke be strucken for questionlesse hee heere opposeth the voice to blowes Wee know with what pride the Iewes were possessed therefore the Prophet scornes this their cursed confidence wherewith they were so bewitched that they could no way apprehend Gods iudgements The onely noyse saith he of the enemy shall so terrifie you that all the Cities shall be forsaken of their inhabitants who shall voluntarily yeeld themselues captiue to the enemy neither shall their walles defend them nay the gates themselues shall be set wide open All the Cities then shall flee That which followes they shall ascend into the clouds or into the thickets may bee expounded of the enemies namely they shall be so quicke and nimble that they shall seeme to scale the clouds and to get vp among the rocks but I had rather reade it all with a breath thus The Iewes shall be so affrighted and terrified in their flight that no clouds shall be so high to which they will not attaine because the tops of the highest mountaines are often so couered ouer with groues and thickets that they are alwayes ouershadowed This place then may well be thus expounded to wit that they shall flee into groues and thickets where much wood is How euer it bee the Prophet no doubt speakes heere of places of great heighth and thus this exposition will be the more firme if we retaine the word clouds As touching the summe we see wel enough what his meaning is namely that the enemie shal be of such agility that they shall outstrip the Eagles by their nimblenesse in comming to subdue and ouerthrow the state of the Iewes or according to that which others thinke which also is most receiued The Iewes shall be put to their shifts in such wise that they shall not onely flee out of their Cities but shall enter the tops of the highest mountaines to hide themselues there among the trees and bushes as amongst the clouds Also they shall ascend vp vnto the rocks Why so Because they shall not thinke themselues otherwise in safety in regard of the incursions and assaults of the enemie Finally he adds That all the Cities shall bee so forsaken that not so much as
they among the gouernours also I told you erewhile that the Prophet consults not in himselfe as of a thing doubtfull but as one meaning to shame euen the greatest Which he also doth the better to confirme his former speech namely That there was not an vpright man to be found in all the City of Ierusalem Vers 1. For they haue knowne c. He repeats the same words affirmatiuely yet wee must alwayes remember that the Prophet was otherwise perswaded in his mind but hee speakes as of a thing likely For who would almost haue imagined that at that time there had been such brutishnesse in the heads and gouernours For I tell you they were wonderfully admired amongst the people This conceit then going for currant to wit that all such as then had the command ouer the people were men well exercised in the Law of God Ieremiah speakes now according to this receiued opinion doubtlesse they haue knowne the way of the Lord. He adds But they haue broken the yoke and burst the bands that is if any supposeth the heads and gouernours are any whit better than the commons hee failes exceedingly for I know well enough how the world goes with them They also haue as well broken Gods yoke as the most ignorant among the rude multitude By this repetion he yet better confirmes the certainty of their reuolt and withall shewes how vnworthy a thing it was that the Prophets Priests and Iudges who had the command of all were so dissolute and vnbridled in their lusts It followes Vers 6. And therefore a Lion out of the forrest hath smitten them the wolfe of the deserts others by the word heere vsed vnderstand the nights or euenings because they deriue it from another word which signifies the euening and translate the wolfe of the night hath destroyed them the Leopard others translate the Panther watcheth ouer their Cities whosoeuer goes out thence shall be dismembred or rent in pieces for their iniquities are many and their transgressions or reuolts are encreased IEremiah now at length shewes that God keepes such measure in his iudgements that the cast-awayes shall in vaine accuse him of ouermuch seuerity though it bee vsuall with them so to doe Some translate these words as if that which is heere said had been already effected and thinke the sense to be this namely that the Prophet reprocheth the Iewes shewing it was not without cause they had been chastised with so many calamities in regard they had iustly deserued as many more But the other sense sutes also very well For we know how the Hebrewes are wont to change the tenses of verbes and for mine owne part I willingly referre it to the time to come because it seemes the Prophet makes not a narration of that which they had formerly suffered but how sharpe the afflictions were which immediatly should befall them The Lion of the forrest then shall smite them As touching the words we told you that the Wolfe of the deserts is as much as the wolfe comming out of the desert Whereas others expound it the wolfe of the night or euening it may also stand For in other places we know that hunger-starued wolfes are called wolfes of the night in regard they hauing sought their prey all the day long and not meeting therewith are almost mad in the euening thus hunger makes them range here and there This exposition then may passe but hauing said before that the Lion came out of the forrest it is more likely he also describes the wolfe comming out of the desert And as touching the summe the difference is not great He names three beasts heere A Lion a Wolfe and a Leopard No doubt but by these beasts vnder a metaphor he meanes the enemies which should shortly inuade the land with great cruelty True it is that before Ieremiah made this Sermon the Iewes had already suffered many calamities for God reuenged not himselfe vpon them all on one day but he often aduertised them and had there been any hope of amendment left hee would yet haue saued them because their condition had been to be pitied But it seemes Ieremiah prophesieth heere of iudgements to come and therefore hee not onely vnderstands by these beasts the Assyrians and the Egyptians but all other enemies also For we know that this nation was hated mortally of all their neighbours and cruelly vexed with iniuries euen by those of their * Of the Edomites Moabites c. owne blood In regard then so many nations hated the poore Iewes it is no maruell if the Prophet numbers vp three sorts of beasts heere As if he should say Enemies will inuade you on euery side who like Lions Wolfes and Leopards will exercise their cruelty vpon you because you haue so often so many waies and so long a time together prouoked the Lord to displeasure In the meane while God heere reiects the false and peruerse complaints which the wicked were ready euer anon to make against him shewing that he is their iust iudge and that the punishments and chastisements which he inflicted vpon the Iewes were not to bee taken in ill part And hitherto appertaines that particle therefore or because He adds that the Leopard watcheth to rend all those in pieces that come out of the Cities Doubtlesse hee signifies by this similitude that after the enemie hath inuaded the land the Iewes shall be so inclosed and shut vp within their Cities that they shall not dare to peepe out because dangers from euery part shall appeare vnto them In the end of the verse hee repeats againe and more largely prosecutes that which he vnderstood by the particle And therefore or because For hee saith because their iniquities are multiplied and their reuolts encreased By these words he shewes yet better that which he touched before to wit that God is a iust iudge euen then when he seemes to be most seuere for it was impossible that this so desperate a people should escape without some strange iudgement inflicted vpon them from God Neither names he them simply wicked ones or Apostataes but he saith their iniquities or wickednesses were multiplied and their reuolts augmented And by this latter word hee aggrauateth their condemnation For albeit the first word signifies not onely to faile but to doe wickedly yet to revolt from God is a crime much more odious and hatefull Whence wee gather that the Iewes are heere charged with so great a peruersity that it was not to bee chastised with ordinary or light remedies It followes Vers 7. How shall I pardon thee for this that is how should I pardon thee for so it must be vnderstood Thy children haue forsaken me and haue sworne by that which is not God Now I haue filled them and they haue committed adultery or notwithstanding they haue c. and the house of the harlot they are assembled or in the house of the harlot THe manner of speech heere vsed is by the Rhetoritians called
of the Iewes were once too much addicted vnto grant that we being gouerned by thine holy spirit may not harden our hearts against thine holy admonitions whereby thou daily rebukest both vs and our sinnes but grant we may become truly teachable and obedient And because hitherto we haue been but too rebellious and haue proclaimed open warre against thy iustice let vs another while learne to fight against our selues and our vices that taking our direction from thy holy word and hauing gotten the conquest ouer our selues we may at length also obtaine the crowne which is prepared for vs in heauen by Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE TWENTIETH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE THIRD VPON THE fifth Chapter Vers 10. Climbe vp vpon her walles and destroy them or scatter them and yet make not the consumption or rather an end take away her spreading or branches or the teeth of the wall as others translate or the battlements for they are not the Lords HEre God by the mouth of his Prophet speakes to the enemies whose seruice hee meant to vse for the execution of his vengeance vpon the Iewes Now this is vsuall with the Prophets when they meane to gaule men to the quicke for wee are not ignorant that there rests in men a world of carelesnesse when God summons them before his iudgement seat Ieremiah then seeing he profited little by a plaine manner of teaching takes this course as ye see In the person of God he speakes to the Chaldeans and commands them to speed themselues to the siege of Ierusalem Thus the Prophets are wont to speake God will hisse for the flie that is in Egypt or he will sound a trumpet and call the Caldeans Isa 7.18 and 5.26 But this kind of figure hath much more efficacie to wound mens hearts when the Prophet by Gods expresse charge as an herald sent from heauen calles the enemie and appoynts them out their taske namely to destroy the whole City In the first place hee saith Climbe vp vpon the walles whereby he signifies that it is but in vaine for the Iewes to trust in the heighth of their walles because God will so aduance and lift vp their enemies that the entrance shall not be difficult vnto theÌ„ The Iewes thought themselues safe in regard the City was well defenced But they shall be deceiued saith he thus then hee reprooues their folly because their walles should bee insufficient to saue them He further adds make not an end This clause is expounded two waies for some take it in the good part as if God should mitigate the sharpnesse of this so great a punishment Chap. 4.27 as in the former chapter wee haue seene that some take it so For albeit there God affrights his people yet as they thinke by way of correction hee adds yet will I not make a consumption that is to say there shall a remnant escape The Prophets also are wont to speake thus when they meane to shew that some seed shall alwayes remaine to the end the Church be not wholly extinguished Thus now the expositors interpret it as if God should say Ierusalems ruine shall not bee so great but the Church shall still remain safe in regard all should not be consumed Others take the word heere vsed for end and this sense agrees much better For in this verse God threatens to cut of the Iewes Neither doth this contradict that which is said elsewhere Isa 10.22 to wit that there should not be an vtter wast or consumption in regard it is well enough knowne that the Prophets keepe not all one tenour in their speeches For when they denounce Gods iudgements against the reprobates they leaue them without any hope at all Which manner of speech is often met withall I will make a consumption But in directing their speech to the faithfull they moderate this rigor by way of correction to wit God will not make an vtter consumption I willingly therefore receiue their exposition who take the word consumption in this place for end for the verbe whence this word is deriued signifies to finish The sense then will be Destroy the City and let there be none end that is raze it wholly For forthwith it followes in the same sense take away her spreadings or her branches or as other translate The teeth of her walles which are in the foundation For wee know that walles are so built that the foundation is alwayes the largest and the word which the Prophet vseth signifies spreadings which are extended euery way abroad Those who turne it iaggs notches wings or battlements of the wals seeme not to haue attained the Prophets meaning in regard he speakes not heere of the toppe of the walles but of the foundations as if hee should say ouerthrow her foundations or raze the walles of the City Why so He adds They are not the Lords for the Iewes were puffed vp with a vaine confidence thinking they should be hid vnder Gods protection as if God forsooth would keepe their City because the Sanctuarie and the altar were seated within the same The Prophet therefore flatly denies that the walles were the Lords or that the foundations thereof were his Neither may that which is said elsewhere be alleaged to the contrary namely Psal 87.1 that God laid the foundations of this City God indeed had chosen it for his dwelling place howbeit on this condition that his people should there serue him in sincerity Ierusalem being afterwards become a den of theeues God left her Ezech. 14.16 as it is in Ezechiel The prophet then refels this fottish confidence wherewith the Iewes deceiued themselues for they thought that God after a sort was so bound and tied vnto them as hee could neuer cease to bee the guardian of the City Hee saith then that their foundations were none of Gods for the Iewes had so profaned this place by their wickednesses that God could not endure to dwell in such a dunghill It followes Vers 11. For the house of Israel and the house of Iudah haue dealt wickedly against me saith the Lord. THe word which the Prophet vseth signifies to deale disloyally God heere then condemnes the Iewes of disloyally because they had reuolted from him For hee not onely complaines that they failed in some one kind and had thus offended him but hee condemnes them in regard of a generall reâ—olt He affirmes that both the houses of Israel and Iudah were become Apostataes Wee know the people were then diuided into two kingdoms Now albeit Ieremiah was properly ordained a Teacher of the Tribe of Iudah yet was he therewithall to bestow his labours on the Israelites also The kingdome of Israel was in part subdued for foure tribes were already led captiue this kingdome then was as it were rent in peeces and growne feeble notwithstanding as much as in him lay he sought the good of that remnant which was left You see why he saith that both the one and the other are wicked
In many places there were Oracles that is to say illusions of Satan but to see and behold in the Sanctuarie of God there being then but one in all the world the ministers of Satan to sowe lies which should bring the people to perdition and in the meane while to colour all vnder Gods name who as I haue said had his dwelling and his seat royall in this City was it not an horrible monster that might astonish all the world And albeit euen at this day it be a thing detestable for the Monkes and those sinkes to get vp into pulpits to preach and wickedly to glory as if they were Gods true Prophets and faithfull teachers yet if amongst vs it should fal out They are double monsters who dare teach lies where the Gospell is purely preached that some one should corrupt the pure doctrine with their errours and infect our people with their superstitions he were a double monster It is not without cause then that Ieremiah saith it was a thing both fearfull and incomprehensible that the Prophets prophesied lies Now he adds the Priests take in their hands some translate it thus but the sense may bee double It is said in Iudges 14.9 that Sampson tooke honey with his hands out of the Lion where the same word is is vsed And yet because ordinarily for the most part it is taken to rule me thinks the other expositioÌ„ agrees better to wit that the Priests ruled by the hands of the false prophets Now albeit we translate thus they tooke vpon their hands that is they got in and heaped together gifts on all sides this also will not be much vnapt How euer it be the Prophet shewes there was a mutual collusion practised betweene the Priessts and the false prophets so as they held both together For the false prophets saith he deceiued the people by their flatteries But what did the Priests For they ought to haue opposed against them but O they receiued saith he in their hands that is to say they winked at it because they saw these iuglings made for their aduantage and thus the agreement was easily made vp betweene them and the false Prophets We see the very same at this day in the Papacie for whilest rhe Monkes and that rabble seeke to creepe into the peoples fauour they thereby vphold and maintaine the whole Popedome For which cause these curres haue also dared to tearme themselues The Popes Chariots vpon which he is carried to wit the foure orders of beging Friars the Popes chariots For the Pope say they is carried vpon foure wheeles these foure wheeles are the foure orders of beging Friars and this they boast of when they meane to shew what power they haue to lie The Pope then is carried vpon these foure wheeles of beggars We see also he hath adorned and euery day adornes these beggars Why so Because they beare vp his tyranny Such at that time was the condition of this people for the Priests tooke the prey and the false Prophets also raked to them another part as these hungry dogs doe at this day and yet these dogs set not vpon the people with such violence as the Pope doth but like dogs they licke vp his stoole He with his horned Bishops deuoure the best and the fattest part This sense then ye see agrees not ill to wit that they took in their hands But as touching the summe it will also agree very well if we say that the Priests ruled by their hands in regard their state would not haue stood vpright neither could they haue retained their credit and reputation among the people without these false prophets for they were reiected of all Seeing then they raigned as it were by their hands there was a mutuall compact betweene them He adds and my people will haue it so because the common people might easily as they thought exempt themselues from all blame for euen so it is their custome at this day to shroud themselues vnder this defence Alas we are poore silly men we were neuer at the schooles we are none of these great Clerkes and what would ye haue vs to doe but follow our Prelates Those of the meaner and baser sort of people then amongst vs would willingly auoid all blame vnder this pretext But the Prophet saith heere the people will haue it so It is certaine we shall alwayes find that which is written in Deut. 13.3 to bee most true The rising vp of false â—â—â—â—rs a triall of the peoples constancie as oft as false Prophets arise it is a true tryall of the peoples constancy whether they will loue the Lord or no with all their hearts As oft then as God meanes to make triall of the peoples piety he layes the raines as it were in the neckes of false Prophets and deceiuers He that loues the Lord in truth will not be drawne away by false teachers to deceiue For whosoeuer loues God with a sincere affection will be held backe by his holy spirit from following lyes and errours When the ignorant then are misled and reduced it is certaine they are iustly punished for their contempt in regard they were not attentiue enough vnto his word and withall because voluntarily they loue to bee seduced by deceiuers For the Monkes and clergie men can say A monk sh prouerbe and they haue it oft in their mouthes Seeing the world will be deceiued let them in the diuels name be deceiued Ye see these wicked deceiuers are growne so shamelesse that they glory in the diuels seruice as being his slaues and instruments whereby he deceiues the world And yet is this notwithstanding a true prouerbe for the world is neuer deceiued A true Prouerbe but wittingly and willingly Why so Because they that are most ignorant shut their eyes against the cleere light and flee from God as much as in them is delighting to hide themselues in darknesse as our Lord Iesus Christ also saith Joh. 3.20 Whosoeuer euill doth hates she light Ioh. 3.20 Lastly the Prophet adds And what will ye do in her last or in her end Some leaue out the relatiue heere and others refer it to the Priests and false prophets But I assure my selfe the Prophet notes out the City of Ierusalem heere when he saith what will ye doe in her end For Ierusalem being founded as we know by God owne hand and hauing him for her guardian and protector shee grew altogether secure but it was a false security for in despising and contemning the Lord shee grew proud and headstrong in her iniquities What will yee doe then saith he in her last As if he should say you much deceiue your selues in thinking this City shall stand euer for her ruine and destruction is euen at the doores What will ye then doe when the City it selfe shall goe to wracke must not euery one of you perish together with her The Prayer Almighty God and heauenly Father seeing hitherto wee haue