pastors were become dumb dogs or else were like theeues and cut-throats Isa 56.10.11 But heere God on the contrary testifies that he will giue them good and faithfull shepheards who shall discharge their functions diligently I grant that vnder this word Pastors is also comprehended godly and faithfull Magistrats but he especially notes the Prophets and Priests whose office it was to reforme the false worship Whence we gather Doct. 1 that the state of the Church cannot long endure where there wants faithfull pastors to teach the way of saluation The Church cannot long stand where good teaching is wanting Prou. 29.18 See then wherein the saluation of the Church consists euen in this when it pleaseth God to raise vp true pastors and teachers to publish and set forth the doctrine of life and saluation But where people are destituted and depriued of such as should teach them faithfully there they must needs goe to ruine For questionlesse God by this promise meant to signifie that his people should not onely be freed by restoring them out of their captiuity but also that they should be safely kept in a good estate after their reentrance into their countrey Doct. 2 Whence it followes that the Church is not onely begotten by meanes of holy and sincere pastors but that the life thereof is also nourished vpheld and preserued by them euen vnto the end For as it is not enough that the politicall estate be once erected Simile vnlesse good Magistrates doe successiuely second one another in the execution of their office so cannot a worse plague light vpon the Church A worse plague canot befall the Church than to be destituted of faithfull pastors than when God depriues her of her faithfull pastors It is true indeed that the people can neuer returne vnto God vnlesse he first of all send his Prophets to teach but God speaks heere of that continued course or tenor of his doctrine and of a gouernment rightly composed as if hee should say I will not only giue you Prophets who shall reduce you from your errours that you may take the direct way to me and so to saluation but I will also continually furnish you with faithfull pastors which shall leade you on forward to the end It is also to be obserued that none can execute the office of teaching aright vnlesse therewithall they be endowed with wisedome Now God closely intimates his fatherly loue when he saith the pastors shall bee according to his heart It followes Vers 16. And after you shall be multiplied and encreased or augmented in the land in those dayes saith the Lord they shall no more say the Arke of the Lords Couenant neither shall it come any more to mind or ascend into the heart neither shall it be remembred neither shall they visit it any more neither shall that be done any more THe expositors are heere grauelled in regard scarcely any one of them hath attained the Prophets meaning The greater part of the Iewes forge I know not how many fictions heere nothing to the purpose and yet they labour to fetch that farre enough off too namely that they should no more carry with them the Arke of the couenant into battaile Why so Because no enemie should afterwards inuade them Their opinion then is that there is promised to the people in this place a quiet and secure state because they shall no more need to carry the Arke of the Couenant hither and thither to discomfit the assaults of the enemy withall But wee may easily see that these words will not at any hand beare this sense Others say this must be referred to the time of the Messias neither indeed doth any one of the Iewes deny this in regard it followes afterwards in vers 18. that the Israelites shall returne with the tribe of Iudah Which hitherto was not accomplished whence it followes that the Prophet heere prophesieth of the kingdome of Christ and yet the Iewes in confessing this thinke nothing at all heere of the abrogation of ceremonies Notwithstanding all the Christian expositors in a manner fauour this opinion namely that the Prophet meant to teach that when Christ shall appeare the shadowes and ceremonies of the Law shall then in such wise cease that there shall be no more vse of the Arke of the Couenant in regard the fulnesse of the God-head should dwell in Christ And who would not iudge but that this exposition had some good likelihood of truth But yet I thinke this comes nothing neere the Prophets meaning For he speakes expresly heere of that discord or diuorce which had now a long time continued betweene the kingdome of Iudah and the kingdome of Israel for albeit the kingdome of Israel flourished most both in respect of the multitudes of their men and the large extent of their dominion as also in regard of their abundance of riches and that for these considerations they were to be preferred farre before the kingdome of Iudah yet in some respects the kingdome of Iudah was to bee preferred far before them For first they had among them the Temple which had been built by the expresse commandement of the Lord the place also wherein it was built was of his owne chusing besides they had with them the Arke of the Couenant Whence that emulation sprang which so long continued betweene these two kingdomes which was a pledge of his presence Hence grew the emulation and debate betweene the kingdome of Iudah and the ten Tribes The Israelites they swelled in regard of their multitudes both of men and riches with other carnall respects on the other side the Iewes gloried in their Temple and in the Arke of the Couenant Now what saith the Prophet to all this He affirmes there shal be such an agreement betweene the two kingdomes The summe and naturall sense of this verse of Iudah Israel that the Iewes shal no more twit their brethren the Israelites in the teeth with the Arke of the Couenant and the Temple of the Lord. Why so Because God should bee equally neare and alike fauourable to both And this which I haue said the Prophet in the verses following doth yet more strongly confirme necessarily therefore must the other two verses which follow be ioyned with this Hee saith then Vers 17. In that time they shall call Ierusalem the seate or throne of the Lord and all nations shall come vnto it vnto the name of the Lord which is in Ierusalem and afterwards they shall no more follow after the hardnesse others translate obstinacy sometimes it also signifies thought of their wicked heart 18. In those dayes the house of Iudah shall goe with the house of Israel and shall come together out of the land of the North into the land which I haue giuen your fathers for an inheritance or which I gaue your fathers to possesse by the right of inheritance HEre wee see that more cleerly confirmed which I said ere while to wit that
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
from his auditors hee boldly auerres that he had a calling to this propheticall function yea and that immediately from Gods owne voice To this purpose it is he saith that the word was giuen him And that before God formed him in the wombe he knew him Hee brings in God speaking then that the word might haue the greater emphasis that is that it might haue the greater waight and vehemency For had he made a bare narration in his owne person and told how he was ordained a Prophet by the voice of God this would not so much haue affected the mindes of his hearers But when hee brings in God speaking necessity requires that there should be greater waight and force in this manner of speech I now omit the full handling of this poynt namely that a calling is requisite to a Minister that he may be heard of Gods people for none ought to attribute to himselfe authority to speake in the congregation as if either it appertained to him by inheritance or as hauing ability of himselfe as I haue said because God reserues this as peculiar to himselfe alone But I haue else where entreated at large of the calling of the Prophets and therefore it sufficeth for the present that I haue poynted to the matter or rather to the summe of these things as with the finger Besides these things may be found in other tracts or common places For if I should stand to discusse euery poynt to the ful in euery chapter The cause of Master Caluins breuity in his Commentaries and lectures we should neuer make an end I haue therefore determined according to my ordinary custome to runne ouer this Prophet briefly Ieremiah declares then that he was called of God to the end the people might yeeld him that attention which was meet Now concerning the words God testifies that hee knew Ieremiah before he formed him in the wombe This is not spoken so particularly of this Prophet as if other men were therfore vnknowne to God but this is to be restrained to his office and charge imposed vpon him as if he should say Before I formed thee in the wombe I or-ordained thee for thee for this purpose namely that the office of teaching my people should be committed to thee In the second part of the verse there is a repetition when hee saith before thou camest foorth of thy mothers wombe I sanctified thee This sanctification then and knowledge of God are all one Thus we see that by knowledge in this place is not onely meant foreknowledge but predestination by which God chuseth men according to his good pleasure and therewithall also ordaineth and afterwards sanctifieth them For no man naturally is sufficient for these things as Paul cries out in 2. Cor. 2.16 Seeing then this faculty depends vpon Gods free gift what maruell is it if God affirmes that hee sanctified Ieremiah As if he should say I not onely formed thee a man in the wombe of thy mother but therewithall I set thee apart to a speciall vse and because thou couldest not come furnished thence with such an excellency as to bee able to exercise the office of a Prophet therefore I also formed thee a Prophet and not a man simply and onely This is the summe Now those reason too subtilly who thinke that the Prophet was indeed sanctified from the wombe of his mother Luk. 1.15 as Iohn the Baptist was for the words sound nothing alike onely Ieremiah testifies that of himselfe Galat. 1.15 which Paul affirmes of himselfe in the first of the Galatians to wit that God knew him before he was borne Ieremiah then was not in deed sanctified in the wombe but in Gods predestination and in his secret counsell yea before such time as God then chose him to bee his Prophet But some may aske here Quest Answ Was not Ieremiah elect before the foundations of the world The answere is easie Hee was no doubt knowne of God before the creation of the world but the Scripture stoupes downe to the reach of our vnderstanding when it speakes of the forming of any one It is as much then as if Ieremiah had said that he was created a man vpon condition that hee should in his time be manifested a Prophet Neither is it to bee doubted but he addes that which followeth for a more full exposition where it is said I haue ordained thee to bee a Prophet vnto the nations This then as I haue said is no reall sanctification but onely in regard that Ieremiah was ordained a Prophet before he was borne And yet it seemes strange Obiect when he saith he was giuen for a Prophet to the nations for God meant he should be a Minister to his Church He went not to the Nineuites as Ionah did Ionas 3.3 neither to other nations he onely employed his labours for the benefit of the tribe of Iudah Why saith he then he was giuen for a Prophet to the nations I answere Answ Albeit God had especially ordained him for the seruice of his Church yet did his doctrine appertaine to other nations as wee shall see hereafter vers 10. and it will also better appeare in the progresse of the text For he prophecieth against the Babylonians Egyptians and against the Moabites To bee short hee comprehends all the nations bordering vpon Iewry who were therefore knowne to the Iewes I grant this was accidentall as they say but howsoeuer he was especially ordained a Prophet to his owne people yet did his authority also stretch it selfe euen to the profane nations Yea doubtlesse hee therefore speakes honourably as it were of nations in the plurall number that the efficacy and dignity of his doctrine might bee the more fully established It followes Vers 6. Then said I Oh Lord God behold I cannot speake for I am a child 7 And the Lord said vnto me say not I am a child for thou shalt goe to all that I shall send thee and whatsoeuer I command thee shalt thou speake THe Prophet hauing touched the doctrine of his calling addes immediatly his refusall at the very entrance into his office which hee doth for two causes First that hee might free himselfe from all suspition of rashnesse for we know how much this desire of bearing rule raignes among men as Saint Iames also speakes Many saith he would faine be masters ouer others Iam. 3.1 And who of vs is it that would not willingly bee heard Because the most part then are too swift in taking vpon them this office of teaching yea would to God many did not violently snatch it vnto them therefore Ieremiah that he might escape the imputation of one that ranne before he was sent affirmes he was constrained to take it of necessity Secondly therewithall also he gets to himselfe the more reuerence and makes his scholers so much the more attentiue For why refuseth hee to obey Gods calling when he is called to his prophetical office surely the difficulties therof feared him This
but we are forthwith surprised with a fearfulnesse to displease them To what purpose are Prophets and teachers sent then Euen to reduce the whole world into a right order that they spare not their auditors but that they frankly and freely reprooue them as oft as need requires yea menace and threaten them as oft as they see them grow headstrong and obstinate Let there bee but some outward shew of excellency in men and you shal see that the teacher will not dare to offend such because hee sees them to bee endowed with power riches and estimation for their wisedome but especially if they bee aduanced to high honours What other remedie is left then but that the teachers propose Gods authority before their eyes being also fully resolued that they speake in his name And thus with an inuincible magnanimity of mind they shall despise whatsoeuer loftinesse or excellency appeares in any mortall man Now ye see the scope and drift of this word See or behold which God vseth See saith he Behold I haue set thee ouer nations and ouer kingdomes Heere God further testifies that there shines such authority in his word that it brings all loftinesse and greatnesse downe to the ground yea that Kings themselues are not exempt out of the reach of it what God hath ioyned together then let not man separate Matth. 19.6 Mark 10.9 True it is that God heere extolles his prophets and exalts them aboue the whole world yea aboue the Kings of the eatth but hee said but erewhile See vers 9. Behold I haue put my words in thy mouth It is necessary then that if any will chalenge to himselfe power and greatnesse of authority aboue others that hee haue Gods word for his warrant and that hee manifest himselfe a Prophet by some good effects broaching none of his owne deuices nor imaginations Heere then I pray you take a view of the Popes insolency The Popes insolency noted and of the impudency of his Clergie when so malipertly they dare snatch to themselues that which is here said We are say they set ouer Kings and nations By what law God hath so told vs by his Prophet Ieremiah But yet of friendship take all with you I haue put my words in thy mouth and haue set thee ouer nations and kingdomes Now let the Pope shew his warrant from Gods word vsurping nothing to himselfe in particular In a word let him bring in none of his dreames and we will willingly yeeld him this supremacy aboue all the world for God and his word must neuer be sundred As Gods Maiesty is eminent aboue the whole world yea aboue the Angels of heauen so is there the like soueraignty which alwayes goes with the word But seeing these swine and mastiffe curres are void both of all found doctrine and piety what shamelesnesse or rather foolishnesse is it in them to brag of their soueraignty ouer Kings and nations To bee short this text teacheth that men are not aduanced heere albeit they be the Ministers of the word of life but rather the word and doctrine it selfe God then you see attributes the soueraigne authority to his word howsoeuer the Ministers thereof bee poore base and contemptible and albeit there appeares neither pompe nor glory in them But I haue told you before why this clause is added namely that the true Prophets and teachers may come furnished with valour and courage and thus may not feare boldly to set themselues both against Kings and nations being armed and fortified with the power of the heauenly doctrine In the next place he addes To plucke vp to destroy to breake downe c. It seemes heere as if God of set purpose meant to make both his word and the ministery of his seruant odious at the very first entrance For how could the word of the Lord bee amiable in the mouth of Ieremiah vnlesse the Iewes perceiued that it was published for their saluation But what speakes God of heere Of plucking vp of rooting out of destruction of death of perdition Yet afterwards he addes To build and to plant The ward hath a double vse God then attributes a double vse vnto his word On the one side it destroyes roots vp c. on the other side it plants and builds And yet the question may here be fitly asked Quest why God in the first place speakes of ruine and destruction for the other order might haue seemed the better I haue ordained thee to build and to plant For so Paul speakes We that is my selfe and my fellow labourers haue vengeance ready against all disobedience and against all contemners and despisers after saith he that your obedience is fulfilled Saint Paul signifies then in this place that the doctrine of the Gospell is chiefly and properly dedicated to this vse namely to bring men to Gods obedience But Ieremiah puts ruine and perdition before the words to build and to plant It seemes then as I haue said that he deales preposterously But we must alwaies remember what the state and condition of this people was then For impiety rebellion and desperate obstinacy had already for a long time gotten such head that it was needfull he should begin with ruine destruction and such like things Ieremiah then could not plant Answ nor build the temple of God before he ouerthrew plucked vp and rooted out Why so Because the diuell had erected his throne or palace there For religion hauing been despised there many yeeres together then the diuell as if he had been enthronized into his tribunall seat raigned in Ierusalem and in the whole land of Iudeah without resistance How could Gods temple then be erected in which he might be purely serued vnlesse these ruines preceded Thus the diuell had corrupted the whole land For as we know all sinnes and iniquities raigned therein so generally as if the land had been replenished with thornes and bryars Ieremiah therefore could not plant nor sowe the doctrine of life vntill the land was purged of the varieties of so foule enormities Thus you see the very cause and reason why he begins with destruction and rooting out and afterward mentions planting and building Note This heaping vp of so many words also shewes what deepe rooting impiety and the contempt of God had taken among them God might as well in a word haue said I haue ordained thee to plucke vp and destroy and so might haue contented himselfe with two words in this double similitude as well as hee doth afterwards with those of planting and building But in regard the Iewes were rooted in their rebellion and that their pride and headstrongnesse was growne to such an height that they could neither by and by nor at the first day nor yet easily be corrected therefore the Lord is constrained as it were to heape vp so many words one in the necke of another by meanes whereof he encourageth his Prophet that without ceasing he might labour to purge out these filthinesses
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