in regard they alwayes pretended as if they sought the Lord. Thus they thinke then You shall say indeed Behold we come vnto thee thou art our God as if hee condemned their hypocrisie because they alwayes made faire shewes in seeking God But me thinkes they are far wide from the Prophets meaning I make no doubt then but Ieremiah heere sets that before the eyes of the Iewes as in a glasse which should greatly affect them so as they should be no more addicted to their former vices and wickednesses See Psal 27.8 Behold saith he God is ready prest to receiue your brethren to mercy albeit they be in a manner vtterly forlorne and past recouery and they againe for their parts shall no sooner heare and vnderstand this voice of God in calling and inuiting them thus graciously vnto him but they without let shall ioyfully returne and be conuerted vnto God In the meane while what will you doe In the next place he ads in the same sense Vers 23. Certainly deceit comes from the hils and from the multitude of the mountaines The Prophet doth heere in more words set forth the testimony of their repentance as if they should haue said The hils haue deceiued vs and the multitude of mountaines haue beguiled vs that is we haue rather waited for greater defence from a multitude of gods than by giuing our selues to rest wholly vpon one God This deceit is it that hath ouerthrowne vs away therefore with all such lying vanities Henceforth we will content our selues to haue the Lord onely for our God In a word by these words the Israelites giues vs to vnderstand and they also therein plainly confesse that they were vndone by these most bewitching errours when they forged to themselues a multiplicity of Gods and rested not wholly vpon the onely true God Yet they further adde because in Iehouah our God is saluation Heere they oppose one God against all fained gods as if they had said The cause of all our miseries proceeded hence namely we neither rested nor contented our selues with one God onely but ran hither and thither after multitudes of gods We see then that these two things can by no meanes stand together To serue one God and in the meane while to seeke out diuersities of Gods and in them to forge vaine hopes as those doe whom one God sufficeth not It followes Vers 24. And shame or reproach hath deuoured our fathers labours from our youth their sheepe their cattell their sonnes and their daughters HE heere confirmes the same thing more at large to wit how God shewed by euident signes that the people had much offended because he consumed their labours that is to say whatsoeuer they had gotten and gathered together by their labour For he ioynes sheepe and the rest of their cattell together and then their sonnes and their daughters Now he attributes not this consumption vnto God but it is a much more emphaticall manner of speech when he faith shame hath consumed our fathers labours from our youth Shame taken for sinne For by this word shame he vnderstands the wickednesses whereof they ought to haue been ashamed The meaning then is that the cause of all their euils which they suffered was not to be attributed to any thing else whatsoeuer because it was wholly to be imputed to their owns iniquities Our shame then that is to say our insupportable sinnes haue consumed our fathers labours Vers 25. We haue been deiected in our shame and our ignominie hath ouerwhelmed vs because we haue carried our selues wickedly against the Lord our God we and our fathers from our youth euen to this day and we haue not harkened to the voyce of the Lord our God BEcause the Israelites repeat no new thing heere but onely continue on their former speech my purpose is briefly to passe ouer this whole verse lest I should fill this volume with needlesse repetitions They say then that they were deiected in their miseries Why so Because they had behaued themselues wickedly against the Lord their God Heere we see how that which they confessed before is now expounded namely that their fathers labours had been consumed by their shame that is to say by their iniquities Now they charge vpon themselues the euils which might haue been imputed to their fathers because they knew well enough they were the heires of their fathers iniquities We haue been deiected say they in our shame So that heere in one word they confesse they are thus afflicted for iust cause neither can they accuse God of cruelty as if he had chastised them ouer seuerely Why so Because they are humbled in their shame and are couered ouer with their owne ignominie as if they should say the cause of all our miseries ought to be attributed to our sinnes neither ought the same to bee sought elsewhere For say they we haue dealt wickedly we and our father 〈◊〉 euen from our youth By which words they signifie that they haue prouoked God to wrath not onely for one day but that they persisted in this their rebellion and from their childhood ceased not to nourish in them the iniquities of their fathers adding sinne vnto sinne They said before Vers 24. that their fathers labours were consumed from their youth by which words they signified that the misery had continued long For God had not chastised them for one day onely but had redoubled the same corrections and yet without any fruit Now they adde further Euen as we haue wickedly behaued our selues against the Lord our God from our youth so also hath he euen from our youth admonished vs to returne vnto him neither did hee endeauour any thing more than to effect the same for hee called vs. Seeing then we haue been thus obstinate against him God hath accordingly prosecuted vs in his wrath and that most iustly After they say to this day By which words they confirme that which I said before to wit they were so obstinate that they neuer desisted from their vngodly courses And therewithall hee notes out the cause of all this mischiefe namely because they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord their God For had they erred and God had not spoken vnto them their fault might haue been either some way excused or lessened But seeing God sent his Prophets vnto them daily one after another who ceased not to call them to repentance and yet they hearkened not at all there was not so much as the appearance of an excuse to be made in their behalfe who had thus hardened their hearts in following their euill wayes Thus then wee see how he amplifies their fault yet further by this circumstance that they heard not the voyce of the Lord as if hee should say God was not wanting to them on his part to withdraw them from perdition but so farre were they hardened in their impieties that they despised this mercy which God offered them Iust it is with God then not
hee had finished that race which God had appointed him to runne For we know that such who otherwise are resolued frankly and willingly to obey desire notwithstanding to haue a set time prefixed that afterwards they may haue leisure to repose themselues as old souldiers are wont to doe who commonly haue liberty to tarry at home after they haue spent their strength in seruice But God tels his Prophet heere that after he hath valiantly carried himselfe in his calling till the death of one King that his condition shall be no whit the better for all that because others shall succeed in their roomes against whom hee must of necessity bend all his forces in regard he shall meet with the like peruersity and obstinacy euen in them also With Kings he ioynes Priests and Princes Princes and in conclusion all the people Though some one King forgetting his duty becomes a tyrant and makes his lust a law yet it often falles out that there shall be some good rulers and Magistrates who will bee a meanes to moderate his vnbridled appetites if they cannot wholly reforme them For wee see that euen the most cruell tyrants are often brought to bee calmed and made peaceable by good counsellors But God heere aduertiseth that things are now become so desperate in Iudeah that if the Kings bee mischieuous and wicked they shall also haue pâ—ruerse counsellors who in euery thing shall bee iust of the same stampe that they are That which followes of the Priests Priests might yet seeme much more prodigious but that the Scripture in euery place testifies that the Leuiticall Priests were all in a manner degenerate and become Apostataes so as scarcely one of an hundred was to be found in whom the least sparke of Gods feare appeared For as much then as this state was thus corrupted is it any maruell if Ieremiah bee heere commanded to proclaime open warres against the Priests But in the further progresse of the text we shall see then this come to passe People Now because it might seeme the common people were somwhat more worthy of excuse there being often more simplicity to be found in them than in Princes and men of place for such as beare rule commonly faile either through pride or cruelty or they giue themselues the raines too much trusting in their greatnesse and dignities but as I haue said for the most part there is more modesty in outward shew in those of the common sort yet God heere witnesseth that impiety had gotten such a head throughout all the land of Iudeah that from the very least to the greatest of them all were become notoriously wicked It was needfull then that the Prophet should bee throughly armed as I said erewhile For what thoughts would haue inuaded him had he not at the first receiued this aduertisement when afterward he found by wofull experience such pride yea rage and fury to possesse the hearts both of great and small that as an aduersary hee was to encounter against Gods chosen people no lesse than if he had had to deale against so many diuels It followes Vers 19. They shall indeed fight against thee but they shall not preuaile against thee for I am with thee to deliuer thee saith the Lord. IN this verse God in a word admonisheth his Prophet that howsoeuer he should bee fortified with inuincible power yet there were many bickerings prepared for him lest peraduenture he might think to passe ouer his charge in sport as they say Heere then he shewes wherefore he was likened to a brasen wall to an iron pillar and to a City vnexpugnable Vers 18. namely that he might buckle himselfe manfully to the fight and not to cast farre from him the feares of all dangers combats or whatsoeuer might annoy or bee tedious to his flesh To bee short we see whereunto the vse of this promise tends to wit that Ieremiah being vpheld by the aide and power of the Almighty should not feare to oppose himselfe against the Iewes for what rage or fury soeuer it were that possessed them yet he should not need to be out of heart for all that Hence we may gather a very fruitfull doctrine Doct. namely that as oft as God promiseth his seruants victory against their enemies they must not by and by gather this conclusion thence We may therefore become carelesse or idle but the rather to gather in their spirits vnto them that they may walke in their vocation and calling with inuincible constancy neuer being weary of well doing In a word God promiseth hee will deliuer him but therewithall he also exhorts him manfully to sustaine all the assaults of his enemies He saith then They shall fight against the but they shall not ouercome thee because I am with thee to deliuer thee Hence we learne that Ieremiah was in such wise armed that he needed not to feare Doct. although he saw present cause of feares before his eyes for God testifies not here that he shall be like a wall as if therefore he should be free from all assaults but he saith to deliuer thee As if he should say Be prepared to meet with encounters for if I should not deliuer thee thy life were gone and thou shouldest perish an hundreth times but in the middest of a thousand deathes thou needest feare no danger seeing I am euer at hand to deliuer thee It followes THE SECOND CHAPTER Vers 1. And the word of the Lord came vnto mee saying 2 Goe and cry in the eares of Ierusalem saying Thus saith the Lord I remember thee according to the compassion of thy youth and for the loue I bare thee when thou followedst me in the desart when thou camest after me in a land that was not sowed See Vers 18. NOw God giues vnto his seruant that commission which he was to make report of to the Kings Princes Priests and to all the people of the land For by the eares of Ierusalem he meanes all the inhabitants of Ierusalem But God heere closely intimates that the Iewes were vnworthy he should any longer bee carefull of their estate What then There was some other consideration which moued him not vtterly to reiect them that is hee waited to see whether they were become wholly incurable as touching their wickednesse or no. Thus hee begins then I remeÌ„bred thee with the kindnes or for the compassion of thy youth and with the loue of thy espousals By these words he signifies that he did not much regard what the Iewes deserued at his hands nay he professeth that hee saw no worthinesse at all in them which might prouoke him in any sort to care for them or to labour their conuersion by the ministery of his Prophet but what hee did was in respect of his former benefits bestowed vpon them Some translate I called to mind the piety or mercy of thy youth and this word Lak that is thee may bee so resolued as in many other places Others omit
them by the holy bond of marriage therfore as oft as they turned aside frō his pure worship it is rightly said that they committed whoredome because they corrupted and violated their faith For herein consists the true spirituall chastity The true spirituall chastity when we keep faith in al simplicity as on the cōtrary Apostasie is an impudent disloyalty when the wife deceiues her husband in following adulterers It followes Vers 10. And yet for all these things this her disloyal or deceitfull sister Iudah returned not vnto me with her whole heart but fainedly saith the Lord. HE goes on still with the same matter to wit that the Iewes were not moued at all with any feare in beholding the horrible vengeance of God which fell vpon their brethren Her disloyall sister saith he returned not vnto me that is after all those propheticall admonitions and warnings nor yet after the examples of so many of my iudgements as happened in their sight Notwithstanding he adds a correction that she returned not wholly but fainedly or lyingly For the Prophet preuents some replies which the Iewes might make See what was said vers 6. of this Chap. What Darest thou affirme that we haue not turned hath not the land been purged from all idolatries Is not God now serued according to the prescript forme of his Law Seest thou now any Altar either vpon the tops of the mountaines or vnder the shadow of greene trees For as much then as they might cauill thus cunningly according to their ordinary custome the Prophet preuents them and saith that notwithstanding all their goodly shewes and semblances of repentance all was nothing but a meere counterfeiting how to lye and dissemble with God Why so There was no integrity in them Now we see more plainly why expresse mention hath been made in vers 6. God lookes not so much to outward reformation of religion as to the integrity and vprightnesse of the heart of the dayes of Iosias namely because then the Iewes seemed to returne vnto God but it was onely fainedly and in dissimulation the King and a small remnant which came thereunto with vprightnesse of heart exempted for as touching the multitude they were rank hypocrites Therfore the Lord in these sixe verses shewes that hee rested not in this reformation which was so full of fained holinesse but requireth a sound and vpright affection of the heart And therefore he concludes Vers 11. And the Lord said vnto me this poore rebellious Israel hath iustified her soule in comparison of this deceitfull or disloyall Iudah NOw as I take it wee clearly vnderstand wherefore Ieremiah compared the ten Tribes with the kingdomes of Iudah euen that he might manifest to the Iewes who notwithstanding would be held much more perfect and holy than others that they were much worse and more disloyall yea and worthy of greater punishments than others in regard all the faire shewes they made before God were nothing but meere deceit and lies Quest But one may heere aske Why is it said the Iewes were worse than the Israelites Answ seeing they alwayes continued in some tolerable estate It is most certaine that the kingdome of Iudah was so profaned that in a manner there was no forme of true religion left yet the Temple and the sacrifices alwayes remained in Ierusalem But there are other reasons wherefore the Prophets condemne the Iewes aboue the Israelites namely Why the Iewes are taxed for greater sinners than the Jsraelites because they ought to haue been warned by other mens harmes and should haue kept their owne stedfastnesse by seeing their brethrens defection in erring as they did from Gods pure worship They might easily then haue considered of all these things with themselues on this wise God therefore shewes then that they were more wicked than others in respect of this carelesnesse and senselesnesse together with their pride which made vp the measure of their condemnation because they gloried of their integrity whilest the Israelites had corrupted themselues This is the cause then why he saith that how disloyall soeuer Israell hath been yet she is more righteous than her sister Iudah The manner of speech which he vseth hath iustified her soule is improper For it is not Gods purpose to excuse the Israelites neither is it his meaning to iustifie or absolue them for beleeue me they were grieuously punished but it is a phrase of speech vsuall with the Prophets to say that Sodome is iust in respect of Ierusalem that Tyre and Sydon are iust in respect of the Iewes Ezech. 16.37.38 This sinner then or rebellious Israel hath iustified her soule in comparison of disloyall Iudah to wit in regard of the cause which I before recited namely in that the Iewes were more obstinate and lesse excusable The outward worship of God which they retained ought to haue bin as a bridle to restraine and keepe them within compasse Besides they had seene how seuerely God had handled the ten Tribes and yet they cared for none of these things neither did any of these things profit them a whit The Prayer Lord God and Almighty Father seeing it hath pleased thee to adopt vs for thy people and to knit vs to the person of thine onely Sonne grant we may continue pure and sincere in the obedience of thy Gospell and that we neuer turne backe againe to those corruptions which may separate vs from this so sacred a coniunction established and confirmed in vs by no lesse price than the blood of thine onely Sonne but grant wee may so persist in thy seruice that our liues and conuersations may be witnesses to that holy vocation wherein our hope rests satisfied that we haue eternall saluation till at the length wee come to the inheritance of that kingdome which hath been so dearly purchased for vs therein to gather and reape the fruit of our faith integrity and perseuerance in the same Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE TWELFTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE SECOND VPON THE third Chapter Vers 12. Goe and cry that is to say with full mouth sound forth all these words towards the North and say Thou disobedient Israel saith the Lord returne vnto me I will not cause to rest word for word it is I will not let fall my wrath others translate my face but by a similitude it signifies wrath vpon you because I am mercifull saith the Lord I will not alwayes retaine it AFter the Prophet hath shewed how the Tribe of Iudah deserued to bee more seuerely punished than the ten Tribes and also added the reason of it to wit because they saw before their eyes what chastisements had been inflicted vpon them and yet without any remorse as on their parts hee now directs his speech to the Israelites themselues or to the ten Tribes and promiseth that God will now be mercifull vnto them and bow his eares to their prayers The kingdome of Israel at this time was abolished and the people thereof led
captiue some of them into Assyria and some of them among those of the Medes and Persians so as they were in such wise dispersed that no memory at all was left of that kingdome As touching the countrey it had often been wasted before For from the beginning there yet remained some part of the kingdome in regard foure Tribes onely were carried away into captiuity but in the end the memory of the kingdome was vtterly abolished and as I haue said led into captiuity See why the Prophet then is commanded to direct his speech towards the North. For albeit the most of them were then in the East yet God chiefly respects that place which was the most eminent in all the Empire in regard they had been wasted by the Assyrians This is the cause why the Lord bids his Prophet cry these words to them whom the enemy had carried into the North parts Reasons why the Prophet was commanded to cry Cry then saith he not onely because the distance of place was very great but also in regard the Israelites themselues who now were become deafe might heare and vnderstand these words Moreouer the Prophet had not this charge giuen him onely in respect of the Israelites but in their example he sets the mercy of God also before the Iewes if so be they would returne The summe is this that although the Israelites had been rebellious The summe Vers 7. and had estranged themselues from God yet they might now obtaine pardon if they would conuert We told you before in a word what the Prophet meanes by this word conuersion or returning and we shall also haue occasion to mention it againe in another place He would they should repent then promising that if they so doe they shall find God fauourable vnto them In the next place he adds I will not cause my face to fall or my wrath vpon you and this latter exposition agrees best God had seuerely chastised their sinnes already for what greater euill could befall them than to bee expulsed the land of their natiuity and to be subiect to such cruell tyrants But that which was worst of all they were depriued of Gods pure worship which himselfe had ordained in his Law they were reiected of God himselfe they had lost that glory and prerogatiue whereby they esteemed themselues more excellent than any people in the world besides For they were chosen indeed to bee his peculiar people but now all this was gone How is it then that God saith he will no more let his wrath fall vpon them The Prophet simply meanes by this manner of speech that God will not be vnreconciliable as if he should say My wrath shall not continue or it shall not alwayes fall heauie vpon you but I will moderate the afflictions wherewith I haue exercised you I therefore mislike not Saint Ieroms translation I will not stay albeit he vseth this word To make which yet as I haue said doth not sufficiently expresse the Prophets meaning But this will bee a good exposition if we reade I will not let my wrath rest vpon you that is to say My wrath shall not tary or abide or it shall not lie heauie vpon your heads vtterly to ouerwhelme you The wrath of God I grant was already fallen vpon them yet so that they were not left hopelesse of some reliefe God then saith that the plagues which hee had brought vpon them for their sinnes should not be mortall Why so Because he would withdraw his hand and not prosecute them to the vttermost with extremity The summe is That if the people shall returne vnto God The summe they shall obtaine fauour in regard God is mooued of his owne good pleasure to call them to himselfe and promiseth that the iudgement he hath sent vpon them shall last but for a while And God once againe confirmes this doctrine from an argument taken from his owne nature For I saith he am mercifull neither will I retaine my wrath for euer The promise was particular in respect of the peoples returne out of captiuity now that he might confirme the same hee adds a generall doctrine namely That he is enclined to mercy and according as he is wholly bent thereunto so will he easily be drawne to forgiue Seeing God then is such an one and therefore cannot deny himselfe what cause haue sinners to despaire thereby shutting vp the gate as it were against themselues from hauing any accesse at all to Gods mercy Doct. Hence then we may gather a good and profitable doctrine What is that As often as we are solicited to dispaire and are not able to apply vnto our selues Gods gracious promises that we then euer remember that God is mercifull Seeing God then is so gracious Mich 7.18 Psal 62 12. that hee retaines not his wrath for euer that is to say it lasts but for a moment we ought alwayes to nourish good hope in our breasts as it is also said in the 30. Psalme Hee continues but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life As if hee should say Gods wrath forthwith vanisheth if we for our parts repent but he continues on his mercy and goodnesse to many ages for that is it which hee meanes by this word life Now it followes Vers 13. Onely or notwithstanding know thine iniquity for thou hast wickedly sinned against the Lord thy God and hast spread abroad or scattered thy waies to the strangers vnder euery greene tree and hast not harkened to my voyce saith the Lord. GOd heere adds to his promise a condition lest hypocrites abusing his bounty should thereby grow more and more hardened and yet in the meane while should thinke he were much beholding to them For see how they are wont vsually to reason God is easily drawn to call vs backe againe to himselfe and more than that he preuents sinners well we doubt not but wee shall as easily make faire weather with him After this sort doe hypocrites delude themselues with these peruerse imaginations because they falsly suppose they can satisfie God with any thing for he lookes for no more at the hands of poore sinners than that they come againe vnto him It is necessary therefore that exhortations to repentance bee alwayes coupled with the promises of grace Doct. God then admonisheth the Israelites heere that they shall much deceiue themselues if they thinke to obtaine pardon so easily for the sinnes they they haue committed against him He saith then But know thine iniquity The particle vsed in the Hebrew may signifie onely or but or notwithstanding I willingly receiue the second exposition because there is an exception heere added according as I haue expounded it namely that the Israelites should not lie snorting in their sinnes as perswading themselues that they had God in their sleeue as they say or as if he were at their becke and command Thus then we see the Prophet adds this exception heere by way of a correction But in
may disgrace and slander the seruants of God Neither might they seeme to want some goodly pretext in this behalfe Ho this fellow hath cursed all such as goe downe into Egypt But I pray you where dwelles hee himselfe now Euen in Egypt with the rest that are fled thither Neither is it to be doubted but the faith of this holy man was much assailed by the breaking of these and the like iests vpon him for as much as impiety hath euermore gone hand in hand with pride and arrogancy yet there Ieremiah constantly persisted in his course yea euen till the city was rased And it is like enough he continued his labours in teaching more than fiftie yeeres Ieremiah stoned to death as it is thought It is said by some that he was stoned to death and this is very likely for hee ceased not still to enuay as vehemently against the Iewes which were fled into Egypt as he did during the time that the City was in safety Now they were at that time enraged with an extreame desperatenesse Thence it came to passe then that they slew the holy Prophet which in their conceit they thought they might lawfully doe in regard he insulted ouer them as it were in their miseries but he endeauored rather thereby to tame their pride and rebellion which was indeed now become incorrigible but as for them they tooke it not so I come now to the summe of the prophesie The summe of Ieremiahs prophesie For Isaiah and the rest of the Prophets that liued in those times had for the most part lost their labour and spent their strength in vaine what remained vnto Ieremiah then but in few words to pronounce this sentence Hereafter expect no more grace nor pardon for the time of the last vengeance is at hand in regard you haue too long abused Gods patience who hitherto hath forborne you and with all mildnesse and long-suffering hath exhorted you to repentance and hath testified that he would deale fauourably and graciously with you if so be you would conuert turn into the right way Thus then Gods mercy hauing by them been despised it was requisite Ieremiah should thus thunder against such kind of persons who by their obstinacy in such a desperate rebellion were growne incurable Now yee see whereunto the summe of this doctrine principally tends namely to shew that the kingdome and priesthood were at an end because the Iewes had so long a time together and after so many waies kindled Gods wrath against them and had also reiected the holy admonitions of his seruants Isaiah had in like manner threatned them in his time but to mitigate these feares and terrours wee see there are alwaies left in his prophesies some hope of pardon so that as oft as he enuayes in the bitterest manner against them yet he forthwith addes some word of consolation Now after the ten tribes were led into captiuity and that their kingdome was wasted and yet the Iewes notwithstanding all this repented not nay they became worse and worse in hardening their hearts against Gods rods and scourges Was it not needfull as I haue said before that he should take them short and handle them more seuerely God had contended and pleaded with the Iewes by Isaiah and by other of his Prophets by Ieremiah and Ezechiel he wholly conuinced them as guilty and also pronounced sentence of condemnation vpon them This is the difference which is to bee noted betweene the forme of doctrine which Isaiah held and that which Ieremiah kept in his Sermons And yet to the end nothing might be wanting to his doctrine it pleased God that Ieremiah also should be an Herald and a publisher of his grace and of that saluation promised by Iesus Christ But this exception must neuerthelesse bee retained to wit that hee giues no hope of * That is in respect of being freed from their 70. yeeres captiuity pardon or mercy till after they should be chastised and corrected for their offences Now then we see what Ieremiah principaly taught But the whole will be better vnderstood by the readers and more distinctly perceiued by the continuall progresse of the Text. Neither is it my purpose now to shew in generall what is to be sought in the Prophet for this argument as I take it is handled elsewhere I onely affirme then See his preface before Isaiah that Ieremiah was sent of God to preach and publish to the people their last ruine and then to declare the redemption to come yet so as that still he placeth the captiuity of 70. yeeres betweene I come now to the words Vers 1. The words of Ieremiah sonne of Hilkiah one of the Priests which were at Anathoth in the land of Beniamin 2 To wit the word of the Lord came vnto him in the daies of Iosias the sonne of Amon King of Iudah in the thirteenth yeere of his raigne 3 And was that is to say he continued in his vocation in the dayes of Iehoiakim sonne of Iosias King of Iuda vntill the end of the captiuity of Ierusalem in the fifth moneth I Told you before how it is not in vaine that the time is here prefixed wherein Ieremiah began to execute his propheticall office in the Church of God namely because the estate of the people was much corrupted all religion blemished because the booke of the Law was lost Gods Law the rule of Gods worship For thither onely must we goe to seeke the rule of Gods worship neither must wee pretend to fetch true vnderstanding from any where else but from this pure fountaine Whilest impiety then had the swinge and that it had already raigned but too long by custome among the Iewes Ieremiah steps suddenly forth and therefore it was a very heauie burthen which God had imposed vpon his sholders for it could not be auoided but many aduersaries would rise vp in opposition against him whilest hee endeauored to bring the people backe to the pure doctrine of the Law which at that time was proudly trampled vnder foot of the greater part of this people Hee calles himselfe the sonne of Hilkiah The Iewes thinke this is that Hilkiah the Priest which found the booke of Moses fiue yeeres after but this is not likely as I thinke The coniecture of Saint Ierome Saint Ierome is altogether friuolous in regard that from the words which the prophet addes a little after hee gathers Vers 6.7 that hee was but a child when he began to prophesie as if he gaue not himselfe this title by way of similitude It is vncertaine in what time of his age hee was called to his propheticall office yet it is probable that he was then come to mans estate because it was needfull hee should bee furnished with more than ordinary authority Moreouer had hee been young or a child vndoubtedly hee would not haue concealed so great and excellent a miracle but would haue shewed how he was created a Prophet before
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
hee durst not frankly and freely before all men in plaine tearmes professe how all matters stood but God who searcheth into mens hearts and findes out all the secret intentions thereof remedies his feare when hee saith vnto him feare not their faces Besides this place shewes vnto vs that euen then corruptions so raigned among this elect people that none of Gods seruants might quietly execute their office For if the Prophets and teachers had had to deale with a teachable people there had needed no feare of quarrels nor combats but where the feare and reuerence of God is wanting yea when men are ouer-carried by the violence of their passions and lusts there can no faithfull teacher duly discharge his duty vnlesse he bee armed aforehand to the fight This is it then which God signifies when hee willes his Prophet to bee bold and fearlesse to wit in regard he well foresaw there were as many enemies as there were men who bragged they were the children of Abraham But the reason of this confident boldnesse is to be noted which is added in the next words Because I am with thee saith he to deliuer thee For by these words the Lord aduertiseth him that hee hath sufficient defence in his owne hand and power lest the Prophet should feare the furie and rage of those of his nation I grant that from the very first entrance Ieremiah had cause enough to feare in seeing that he had to striue not with two or three but with the generall state of the kingdome but God opposeth him selfe alone to all these mortall men and saith I am with thee and therefore feare not By this then it is plaine that we then render to God that honour which to him appertaines How to yeeld God his due honour when contenting our selues with his onely protection and safegard we boldly despise all the men of this world not fearing to fight against the whole rabble of the wicked albeit they band themselues against vs by great troups yea be their power and sorces neuer so terrible let vs notwithstanding assure our selues that the onely protection of God is sufficient to maintaine vs against the same This is the summe and substance of this text Now it follwes Vers 9. And the Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth and the Lord said vnto mee Behold I haue put my words into thy mouth 10 Behold this day I haue set thee ouer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp and to root out and to destroy and throw downe to build and to plant IEremiah here comes againe to speake of his vocation Ieremiah mentions his vocation the third time that his doctrine might not be contemned as if it came from a priuate or particular person Hee protests once againe then that he came not of his owne proper mouing but that he was sent to teach with authority from God To which purpose it is he saith that the words of God were put into his mouth This place ought diligently to bee noted because the Prophet in few words declares whence the certainty of a lawfull vocation is to be fetched when any mindes to take vpon him the office of teaching in the Church namely that he bring nothing of his owne as Saint Peter also teacheth in his Canonicall Epistle 4.11 Let him that speakes saith he speake as the words of God that is to say let him not speake doubtfully as if hee broached his owne deuices but that which he may boldly and without wauering deliuer in the name of God Thus doth Ieremiah in this place for before he desires to be heard he affirmes that the words of God were put into his mouth Let vs assure our selues then God onely is to be heard in his Church that whatsoeuer proceeds from mans braine may lawfully be reiected Why so Because God hath reserued this honour as peculiar to himselfe to bee heard in his Church as wee said yesterday Whence it followes that none are to bee held for Gods seruants nor to bee reputed faithfull Prophets and teachers in the Church but those by whose mouth God speakes that nothing be forged out of the shop of their owne braines nor ought to be taught there according to their carnall appetites but that they faithfully bring and publish that which God hath deliuered vnto them The visible signe was added the better to confirme the thing it selfe True it is that this must not bee drawne to a generall rule as if it were necessary that God should still touch the lips and tongues of all Ministers with his hand but two things are heere expressed to wit the action it selfe and the outward signe As touching the action it is a law imposed vpon all Gods seruants that they bring not in their owne inuentions but onely deliuer that from hand to hand which they haue receiued of God But this was particular in Ieremiah that God hauing stretched foorth his hand touched his mouth thereby plainly shewing that the Prophets mouth was consecrated to his owne vse It sufficeth the Ministers of the word then that their tongues be dedicated vnto God that they intermingle not their dreames nor fancies with his pure truth But in the person of Ieremiah God meant also to adde the visible signe thereof when hee stretched out his hand to touch his mouth Now God hauing testified that the tongue of Ieremiah was consecrated and separated from common and prophane vses in the next words hee giues him power and authority Behold saith hee this day I haue set thee ouer nations and ouer kingdomes In which words God shewes with what reuerence hee would haue his word to be receiued yea euen then when it is preached vnto vs by mortall men For where is the man that will not brag of his obedience towards God But in the meane while scarce an hundred for one imbraceth his word For he no sooner speakes but all generally in a manner murmure or rather if they dare not furiously oppose against him as open enemies yet wee see notwithstanding how some shift off the matter by wranglings others howsoeuer they be silent peraduenture in words yet resist him and his word in their practice This authority then which God attributes to his word is to be marked Behold saith he I haue set thee ouer nations and kingdomes Moreouer when he saith Behold I haue set thee hee therein exhorts the Prophet to be of good courage that hee bethinke himselfe well of his vocation that neither dastardly nor seruilely he seeme to flatter men nor yet to beare with them in their lusts See saith he By this word note that Ministers cannot execute their office as they ought vnlesse they set the Maiesty of God before their eyes so as in respect of that they scorne whatsoeuer glory power or pompe it be in men that may seeme to dazle their sight For experience it selfe teacheth Note that we no sooner begin to haue mens persons in estimation
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
which had infected the whole land Now we see the summe of this place and also the meaning of the words Again he speaks of Kings nations because howsoeuer Ieremiah was giuen and dedicated properly to his owne countrey yet by accident as they say hee was also ordained a Prophet to profane nations as afterwards wee shall perceiue It also seemes that God expressely mentions Kings and nations here to beat downe the fond ouerweening of this foolish people who forsooth would needs be exempt from all reprehensions Hee saith then that he not onely gaue his seruant commission to deale with them of Iudeah but set him as it were ouer the whole world As if hee should say Alas you are but a poore handfull will you offer to lift vp your crests against my seruant and if you doe what shall you get by it For he shall rule not onely in the land of Iudeah but also ouer all nations yea euen ouer Kings themselues that is to say The doctrine which I haue committed as it were to his custodie hath such power and efficacy in it that it hath soueraigne authority ouer all mortall men and not ouer one nation onely And yet we see that albeit the malice and wickednesse of men constraine God to vse seuerity and rigour yet he neuer so forgets his nature but he sweetly allures such as are not become altogether desperate to repentance setting the hope of remission of finnes and saluation before them and this course the doctrine of life alwayes holds For howsoeuer it be the sauour of death vnto death to all such as perish yet is it the sauour of life vnto life to the elect of God 2. Cor. 2.15.16 I grant it will often fall out that the greater part will conuert the doctrine of life and saluation to their owne ruine and perdition But God notwithstanding will neuer suffer all to perish Hee then will cause his doctrine to be an incorruptible seed of life to his chosen and afterwards he will build them vp into an holy Temple to himselfe This truth wee must hold And thus the doctrine of God ought not to bee odious vnto vs though it turne to the ruine of many Why so Because it brings saluation alwaies to the elect for it so plants them that they take roote in the hope of euerlasting blessednesse and after it makes them holy Temples consecrated vnto God Now it followes Vers 11. And that is to say afterwards the word of the Lord came vnto me saying Ieremiah what seest thou And I said The staffe of a watchman or of an Almond tree 12 And the Lord said vnto me Thou hast seene aright because I will watch or hasten word for word I am watching vpon my word that is to fulfill it GOd in this place confirmes that which hee said before as touching the power of his word These two verses then must be taken heere as an exposition of the former for he teacheth no new thing heere but onely confirmes the former sentence namely that the Prophets neither speake in vaine nor fruitlesly in regard they are furnished with a celestiall power as on the one side to build and plant so on the other side to destroy and plucke vp as we haue alleaged the text out of Saint Paul 2. Cor. 2.15.16 where the true Teachers are armed with the same power As also in the other place We haue saith he vengeance ready against all vnbeleeuers 2. Cor. 10.5.6 though they burst with pride though by their loftinesse they fray and scare all the world yet haue wee the sword of the spirit ready drawne in our hands to put them to flight in regard the word of God hath in it selfe sufficient efficacy to ouerthrow and bring to nought all rebels God then continues on this sentence when he saith Ieremiah what seest thou God had presented before him a staffe or a rod of an Almond tree as some translate it and the word indeed signifies so much but in regard it comes of a verbe which signifies To watch or To hasten wee cannot properly translate it heere an Almond tree And yet I denie not but the Hebrew word signifies so much though as I haue said the word which signifies an Almond tree comes of the verbe which signifies To watch and they thinke that this tree is so called in regard it brings forth fruit sooner than all other trees For the Almond trees flourish as it is well enough knowne euen in winter and in the middest of the greatest frosts If we say then I saw a rod or a staffe of an Almond tree and that God answeres Thou hast seene aright because I watch then there will be no likenesse in the words neither will there be that grace of speech besides the sence also will be vnapt Of necessity therefore wee must translate thus Vnlesse we will corrupt the text and wrap vp the Prophets meaning in ambiguities I see a rod or a staffe of a watchman Put the case that an Almond tree were heere noted yet must the tree properly bee called watching if we respect the etymologie of the word and the thing it selfe also requires it as all may now well discerne God then sets this kind before his seruant namely that he saw a staffe watching But wherefore Thou hast saith he seene the staffe of watching aright because I watch vpon my word that I may execute or accomplish it It seemes the expositors restraine these words amisse to punishments as wee shall see anon For thus they expound that the threatnings which the prophet will vse afterwards should not bee without their effect because God is alwaies prest to send whatsoeuer he hath denounced But as I thinke this is to shut vp the sence of this text into too narrow a roome For I make no doubt but God doth here in generall magnifie his word and sets forth the same in regard of the efficacy thereof As if hee should say I speake not to my seruants as if all their doctrine should vanish into smoke or that it should fall to the ground but that the efficacy thereof may forthwith be annexed as it is said in Isaiah Isa 55.11 My word shall not returne vnto me void but it shall prosper in euery thing whereto I send it that is to say I will cause the execution to goe hand in hand with the propheticall doctrine that all the world may know I speake not in vaine also that in my word there is not an empty sound which incontinently passeth away into the ayre but a solide and certaine efficacy which shall appeare in time conuenient This is the cause why I said that these two verses must bee ioyned to the former sentence where the Lord said that hee sent his Prophet to plucke vp to plant to destroy and to build Hee prooues it then by other words to wit because he watched vpon his word to execute whatsoeuer he hath pronounced by the mouth of his seruants as if he
should say It is true that I giue this commandement to my Prophets that they speake but in regard they speake from my mouth I am saith hee ready to effect and accomplish whatsoeuer I haue enioyned them In a word God heere signifies that the might and power of his hand goes with his word whereof the Prophets are the Ministers in respect of men Thus it is a generall doctrine belonging not onely to the punishments but also to the promises Thou hast then saith hee seene aright because I watch You see then that God resignes not his office vp to Ieremiah heere although hee vseth his labours in teaching but he shewes that the power to effect and accomplish whatsoeuer the Prophet should speake remained entirely in himselfe We are also to obserue that which he addes Vpon my word to accomplish it For God attributes nothing to Ieremiah that was proper or peculiar to himselfe but he only magnifies the efficacie of his word as if he should say If thou remaine a faithfull seruant to me I will neither disappoynt thee of thy hope nor those which shall obey thy doctrine for I will accomplish whatsoeuer either they or thou hast expected Moreouer whosoeuer hath resisted thee shall not escape vnpunished Why so Because I will bring their waies vpon their owne heads in due season To which purpose it is he vseth the word To watch or hasten therby shewing Dan. 9.14 that he is ready to put his word in execution in due time I grant this appeares not so to vs alwaies and therefore it is said by the Prophet Habakkuk If the prophecie tary wait because it will come and will not tary Habak 2.3 God commands then that we patiently waite for the accomplishment of his word but in the next place he addes as it were by way of correction that it will come that is to say I will performe and indeed accomplish whatsoeuer my Prophets haue spoken by my commandement And thus there shall be no foreslowing of it because the fit season for the execution depends vpon the will of God and not vpon mans iudgement The rest should be handled now but because I see the time is past I can passe no further at this time The Prayer Almighty God and heauenly Father seeing it hath pleased thee so graciously to becken vs vnto thee and that thou hast consecrated thy word for our saluation giue vs grace that willingly and heartily wee may yeeld our selues subiect vnto thee that these things which thou hast ordained for our good and saluation may not turne to our ruine and destruction but that this incorruptible seed by which thou begettest vs againe to a liuely and heauenly hope may take such deepe rooting in vs and may bring forth such fruit that thy holy name may be glorified Grant also wee may in such wise be planted in the courts of thine house that we may flourish and the fruit thereof may appeare in the whole course of our liues till at the last we come to the enioying of that blessed life which is prepared for vs in heauen by Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE THIRD LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST CHAPTER Vers 13. And the word of the Lord came againe vnto me the second time saying What seest thou And I said I see a seething pot looking out of the North. 14 Then said the Lord vnto me Out of the North shall a plague be spread vpon all the inhabitants of the land NOw Ieremiah begins to direct his speech to the Iewes Jn the former verses Ieremiah handled the doctrine of his vocation now he applies the same to the Jewes to whom hee was ordained a Prophet For hitherto he hath disputed as touching his vocation that he might establish the authority of his doctrine so that hitherto he hath spoken generally but now hee applies his doctrine to the people in particular He saith then that a vision was presented vnto him of a boyling pot the face whereof looked towards the North. Whereas God askes the question and the Prophet answeres heereby he confirmes his prophecie for if he had made a bare narration touching the sight of a boyling pot and had plainly shewed why this figure was represented vnto him the words had not carried such waight with them But when God himselfe comes forth and tels what this seething pot signifies the prophecie is so much the better confirmed Neither are we to doubt but of set purpose the Prophet vseth this manner of speech as if God himselfe being there present shewed that himselfe was the author of this prophecie The summe Now the summe is that the Caldeans were comming to destroy the City of Ierusalem to take away and abolish the dignity both of the kingdome and of the Priesthood This was foretold and threatned before as well by Isaiah as others of the Prophets but all the prophecies were contemned for whilest Isaiah liued the King of Babell endeauoured to curry-fauour with King Hezekias and the Iewes imagined that such a succour came in good season to aide them against the Assyrians but they considered not that the hearts of Kings are gouerned by the hand of God and turned which way it pleaseth him neither did they once dreame that long agoe and for many yeeres together they had by their sinnes prouoked Gods wrath against them and that hee was become their enemie For as much then as all his threatnings had been despised and in a manner derided Ieremiah now comes as it were betweene and saith that the Northren people shall come to wit as well the Assyrians as the Caldeans For we know that one of the Monarchies deuoured the other in regard the Caldeans domineered ouer the Assyrians and thus it came to passe that almost all the Empire of the East the Medes and Persians excepted were subiected vnder their dominion Now they were Northward in respect of Iudeah Therefore the Prophet saith he saw a seething pot Many by this pot vnderstand the King of Babylon but it seemes they mistake the Prophets meaning and I could easily refell their exposition but that I content my selfe with the naked and bare truth which we shall better perceiue in the progresse This boyling pot then is euen the nation of the Iewes as will plainly appeare in the owne place For my purpose is not now to heape vp all that may be said on either part But the people are compared to a seething pot in regard the Lord had boyled them till they were in a manner consumed to nothing Now it is said that part of the pot looked towards the side of the North because thence the fier was kindled as Ieremiah by and by expounds it and the similitude agrees very aptly For when a pot is set on the fier it boyles on that side which is nearest the flame and all the bublings passe ouer to the other side It is said then that the pot seethed or boyled but so that the mouth was towards the
Idols which their owne fingers haue made For whence comes it that the superstitious and Infidels worship stocks and stones but because themselues haue framed vnto them noses hands and eares No man is so mad to adore a formelesse logge or trunke of wood Who is it that sets not light by a confused lumpe of brasse and siluer Neither wil any bee so senselesse as to imagine a stone to bee God but let there bee but a little engrauing or some artificiall shape of a man added thereto and by and by poore blind and miserable Idolaters bow downe before pillars pictures and images Aske the reason truly because they haue made them eyes eares c. they then haue made gods Therefore you now see the Prophets drift when hee saith that the Iewes worshipped the workes of their owne hands But I doe the rather passe ouer these things lightly now because it is a doctrine which ye ought to bee well exercised in It followes Vers 17. And thou trusse vp thy loynes and arise and speake vnto them all that I command thee bee not afraid of their faces * or lest I make thee to feare before their face lest I destroy thee before them or in their presence IN the first place God commands his Prophet to proclaime this heauie and wofull iudgement whereof wee haue formerly heard For his meaning was not to speake to Ieremiah in a corner or in hugger-mugger to himselfe alone but he puts him in trust with that which he meant should bee published to the whole body of the people that is the cause why hee addes And thou Wee see then that the Prophet was instructed and taught of God that he might bee able boldly and fearelesly to publish that message which hereafter hee will deliuer These things therefore must bee read altogether namely that God will ascend into his iudgement seat to execute that vengeance which hitherto hee hath deferred Secondly hee will haue Ieremiah to be the preacher thereof which hee is now about forthwith to execute Thou then This is added by way of a conclusion for the word And must bee thus resolued Thou therefore that is seeing thou hast heard that I will shortly bring my wrath and vengeance vpon this people for their wickednesse and that the period of the time appointed is at hand seeing also thou knowest that this hath been manifested vnto thee that thou admonishing of them they may bee so much the more left without excuse Thou then trusse vp thy loynes Thus then wee see to what purpose God speakes to his seruant Ieremiah in this particular manner namely that in the presence of the people he might execute the office of a publike Teacher And hence we gather Doct. that whosoeuer is called to gouerne in the Church of God hee cannot possibly bee exempt from blame vnlesse hee freely and bouldly publish whatsoeuer the Lord hath giuen him in charge and therefore it is the Apostle Paul saith that hee was pure and cleane from the blood of all men because hee had taught from house to house and published that whole councell of God which he had receiued Act. 20.26.27 And in another place he saith Woe be vnto mee if I preach not the Gospell for this office is committed vnto me 1. Cor. 9.16 Whereas the Lord bids the Prophet to trusse vp his loynes it must be referred vnto the garments which were then in vse among them of the East as they are also yet vnto this day for they weare long garments therefore as oft as they purposed to vndertake any businesse or iourney they were wont to trusse them vp about them He saith then trusse vp your loynes that is enterprise and dispatch this businesse which I haue giuen thee in charge In the meane while he willes him to take courage and heart to him that he may without stop or stay goe cheerfully and diligently about his calling Arise saith he and speake vnto them all that I command thee To be short in these words God signifies that he is not purposed to doe his vtmost against them till hee hath once more tried whether any hope of repentance be yet left or no. I grant he knew well enough that they were vtterly incurable but his meaning was by this the better to discouer or lay open their peruersity and rebellion whilest in the last place he commands the Prophet Ieremiah to pronounce against them this last sentence of condemnation He againe repeates that which he said before Be not afraid of their faces And this exhortation was of great vse for Ieremiah tooke vpon him a very thanklesse office in regard of men Why so Because it was all one as if he had been an herald of armes proclaiming open war against them in the name of the Lord of hosts In as much then as Ieremiah brought an expresse message touching the ruine of this people because their rebellion had been so great that God testified hee would no more hereafter shew them any fauour Chap. 16.13 this must needs bee an hard saying for them to heare but especially if wee consider the pride wherewith the Iewes were possessed For they gloried in the holinesse of their race and stocke also as we shall see afterwards the Temple in their conceit was an impugnable fortresse as it were euen against God himselfe Chap. 7. Being then growne thus obstinate and rebellious it was very requisite he should bee confirmed in his calling more than once that he might with the greater courage set vpon his charge This is the cause then why this exhortation is redoubled Feare not their faces In the next place he addes Lest I make thee feare or lest I tread thee vnder foot The word signifies sometime to feare it signifies also tread vpon Saint Ierome hath corrupted the Prophets meaning when hee interprets I will neuer make thee afraid I deny not but this is a good and holy doctrine namely that God will furnish his Prophet with such force and power that he shall remaine inuincible against the rage of his enemies yea it is most certaine that God should in vaine exhort vs to quit our selues like men in this race were it not that himselfe did therewithall inwardly endow vs both with strength and constancy by his holy spirit this I say is most true but the word here vsed will not suffer vs so to expound this place What meant the Lord to say then Be it that wee translate to tread vpon or I will cause thee to feare the sence will sute very well For as soone as God hath exhorted his Prophet to bee valiant and of an inuincible courage he now addes Take heed for if thou quailest I will make thee feare with a witnesse or I will indeed trample thee to peeces vnder my feet before their faces His meaning then in these words is that the Prophet shal be sufficiently furnished if hee acknowledge himselfe to bee sent of God and if in consideration thereof hee carry
this word Lak some adde a copulatiue And I haue remembred thee and thy mercy But none of these as I thinke haue attained the Prophets meaning although to say the truth there is no obscurity in the words if we heere onely supply a particle to wit that God remembred his people in respect of that mercy and compassion which hee had on them and for that loues sake which he bare vnto them from the beginning This as I take it is the Prophets true and naturall meaning namely that God heere takes away from the Iewes all matter of pride and boasting as if he should say They deserue not that I should so much as looke towards them onely my meaning is to shew my selfe a father to them not for their sakes but that the benefits which I haue heretofore bestowed vpon them may not vanish away In a word he here renders a reason wherfore he now sends Ieremiah after the rest of the Prophets whom he had sent before as if hee should say I thinke this may serue as a sufficient testimony to confirme you in the assurance of that fatherly care respect I haue of you in that I here send you another of my Prophets to offer you hope of pardon if you will come home into the right way and seeke reconciliation with me But if you would know the cause why I thus remember you whence is it I pray you seeing you haue forgotten me and cast my Law altogether behind your backes Euen because I meane yet to continue on my bounty towards you He names the mercy of youth in the passiue signification For by these words his meaning is not that the Iewes were in times past mercifull but that they had tasted of Gods mercy to them yet the similitude which he vseth is worth the obseruing For God here compares himself to a yong bridegroome that hath married a faire young damsell in the flower of her youth which similitude is very frequent among the Prophets But I meane not to trauell any further in the exposition of the words now because wee shall haue occasion to handle them more fully in another place In as much then as God had married the people of Israell by redeeming of them and in bringing them out of Egypt that is the reason why he saith hee remembred the people in respect of such a mercy and of such a loue He puts mercy or liberality before loue For the Hebrew word signifies that free fauour courtesie or liberality which is shewed to them which are in misery By this word loue God also in many places of the Scriptures signifies that free choyce by which hee had receiued the whole body of this people But the proper signification is here more cleerly expressed when mercy or free fauour is put in the first place and that this loue followes after I grant hee addes nothing new to the former but onely the Prophet in more plaine termes shewes that this people was loued of God for none other cause but in respect of his mercy Heere is a text then very remarkable for God testifies that his couenant shal continue stable and inuiolable notwithstanding the Iewes had perfidiously violated it For howsoeuer all those that descended of Abraham according to the flesh were not true and legitimate children of Abraham according to the promise yet God ceased not to continue true as on his behalfe so as his gifts and calling were without repepentance as Saint Paul testifies in Rom. 11.29 From these words of the Prophet Doct. 1 learne wee then that God contented not himselfe with sending one prophet alone but continued on this fauour still because hee would not haue his couenant become fruitlesse True it is the Iewes had wickedly broken the couenant and the multitude also for their parts went the high way to hell and destruction and were therefore vtterly cut off as they well deserued yet would God giue manifest testimonies that his grace depended not vpon mens inconstancy as also Saint Paul speakes in another place namely that though all men should prooue lyars and disloyall yet will not God therefore become vnfaithfull but will remaine stedfast in his couenant Rom. 3.4 This is it which we gather from the Prophets words when in the beginning he saith God remembred his people in regard of the mercy of their youth Whereas hee speakes of youth and of the espousals Doct. 2 hence we gather that God preuented this people of his free liberality For what acquaintance or familiarity had they with God but only in regard it pleased him to make choyce of them Certainly these espousals had neuer been begun as on the peoples behalfe vnlesse God had preuented them by his grace What was Abraham What were all his posterity God therefore heere signifies that the fountaine of all these benefits proceeded hence that he vouchsafed to chuse the people as peculiar to himselfe Which he yet better confirmes in the rest of the words saying when thou followedst me in the desart in a land that was not sowne Wee know the people behaued not themselues so obediently to God as was meete no not after their redemption It cannot be affirmed heere then that God any way magnifies their desarts but as I haue said he confirmes his former speech namely that hee could not cast off his care of them whom hee had once adopted for his owne whom also hee had drawne into the wildernesse after him as separating them thereby from all the rest of the world besides and yet by way of yeelding them so much according to his indulgēce he attributes this seruice which the people did him in following him through such craggie pathes to their praise and commendation as if a young damsell refusing no labour nor trauell should for the loue she beares to her husband follow him through thicke and thin In the next words to these he addes Vers 3. Israell is the * or as a thing hallowed to the Lord. holinesse of the Lord the first of of his fruits all those that eat them shall find euill others translate shall sin but I had rather understand it of the punishment which shall come thereupon euill shall come vpon them this is put by way of exposition saith the Lord. GOd doth heere more plainly taxe the peoples ingratitude And first hee mentions the benefits bestowed vpon them which were sufficient to haue obliged them for euer vnto him Secondly he shewes how vnworthily the people behaued themselues whilest they should haue acknowledged so many benefits receiued and therefore when he saith that Israel was holy hee speakes not so to honour them I grant this is an honourable title in it selfe first that God had set them apart for his owne and esteemed them as the first fruits of his reuenew But the opposition which is closely heere vnderstood must be considered to wit betweene that so incomparable a grace of God and the peoples disloyalty who notwithstanding his bounty and liberality
did afterwards quite forsake him It is in this sence then that Ieremiah saith Israel was the holinesse of the Lord that is as one separated from all other nations that Gods glory might shine there especially He consequently addes that he is the first of the fruites For albeit all the benefits the earth brings forth are consecrated vnto God from whose power it is that they wholly proceed yet wee know the first fruites were selected out that being presented vpon the Altar they might be as it were an holy and consecrated meat Seeing God then in the Law had commanded the first fruits to be offered vnto him and afterwards to be giuen to the Priests for this cause alluding to the ordinary custome he calles the people of Israell the first of his fruits For the nations which were scattered heere and there were not exempt from vnder his dominion in regard hee is the Creator of the whole world and besides hath alwaies manifested himselfe to be the foster Father thereof but hee passed by all other nations to chuse and reserue to himselfe the stocke of Abraham vpon condition to be the guardian therof by his power and assistance Seeing God then by these fauours had in this sort obliged this people particularly to himselfe with what a strait and sacred bond ought they for their parts to haue been obliged and bound vnto him Their disloyalty therefore was so much the greater and the more odious in that they lightly esteemed such rare and vndeserued fauours as God had shewed them We see now then wherefore it is the Prophet saith that the people of Israell were hallowed to the Lord and were the first of his fruits but withall he giues them to vnderstand that a time will come wherein God will also gather other nations into his Church For the Iewes dedicated and offered vnto God the reuenue of the whole yeere by the first fruits Thus Israell was like to the first fruits in regard God afterwards also receiued strangers who for a long time had been held and reputed for profane and vnholy But the Prophets chiefe drift notwithstanding is to shew how great the people fault was in not acknowledging the benefits and priuiledges which they had receiued of God In the next place he addes whosoeuer shall eate thereof shall be liable to punishment I told you before that this sense likes me best because the exposition by and by followes euil shal come vpon them And thus the meaning is that such shall not onely be guilty before God that shall eate of his first fruits as hauing offended but hee referres this to the punishment as if he should say If the profane nations presume to eate of these my first fruits which are consecrated vnto me they shall not escape vnpunished For whosoeuer durst bee so bold rashly to seaze vpon those first fruites which were once dedicated vnto God God punished such an one as a sacrilegious theefe But if any had rather vnderstand it otherwise namely that it was not lawfull to offend Israell or to offer him any violence because hee was vnder Gods protection I will not greatly gainsay it Yet the phrase of this tongue leades vs notwithstanding to follow the other exposition to wit that such as shall offend Israell shall not onely be guilty but which is more they cannot escape Gods correcting and punishing hand Why so For euill shall fall vpon them saith the Lord. In the verses following hee will touch the vse of this doctrine more at large Vers 4. Heare the word of the Lord O house of Iacob and all the kindreds or families of the house of Israell 5 Thus saith the Lord what iniquitie haue your fathers found in me that they haue estranged themselues from mee and haue walked or haue been after vanity and are become vaine or vanish away GOd heere giues a reason why he had bestowed those fauours vpon the Iewes Vers 3. of which we heard before to wit wherefore he made choyce of Israell to be a people consecrated peculiarly to himselfe and to bee as his first fruits God often times remembers his benefits formerly bestowed vpon vs either to giue vs hope for the time to come or that he might alwaies giue vs assurance whatsoeuer should fall out to the contrary of our saluation in regard he hath not onely vouchsafed once to elect and chuse vs but to be our protection and defence Yet in this and in many other places God shewes how many waies the Israelites were indebted vnto him that their ingratitude might bee so much the more apparant He saith then Heare the word of the Lord. The Preface He vseth this preface to procure attention signifying that he is not to speake of some common or ordinary matter Heare then saith he O house of Iacob giue eare all the families of the house of Israell As if Ieremiah should haue said I come boldly on my message euen in the name of the Lord so as I am not much afraid of your defences by which you will labour to repulse the reprehensions of God I therefore securely stand before you to heare your replies but I am well assured that you shall be inforced to lay your hand vpon your mouth wherefore I feare not to cry shrilly in your eares like a trumpet that I come to proclaime your iudgement and condemnation if you haue ought to reply I am ready to heare it but the truth I know will constraine you to bee silent in regard your offences are too manifest and abominable This is the scope of this exhortation when he calles thus for audience to all the families of Israell Now followes the accusation The accusation what iniquities haue your fathers found in me c. Ieremiah heere chargeth the people with two crimes first for departing away from God whom they had found their deliuerer secondly that they vanished away in their inuentions namely for that they played the Apostataes without cause For the fault is aggrauated in that they had no cause giuen them so to forsake or estrange themselues from God Seeing God then had vsed them with all louing respect and had eased their neckes from their grieuous bondage seeing also they could not possibly meet with any other any way comparable to God in kindnesse and truth they could not say their hopes or expectations were deceiued And why For saith he you haue followed vanity and vanity onely is it that hath caused you to forsake me I should haue proceeded further but some other businesse calles me away for I was sent for before the Lecture began The Prayer Almighty God seeing thou ceasest not stil to cal vs to thee and that both early and late and continually exhorts vs to repentance seeing thou also art pleased to promise vs mercy when we shall seeke vnto thee for the same let vs neuer stop our eares against so gracious a benefit but let vs alwayes remember thy free election the fountaine of all
thy graces proceeding from thy free loue to vs that we may endeauour so to giue vp our selues to thy seruice that thou maist haue glory by our life and conuersation And though it so fall out that we now and then goe astray from thee yet giue vs grace speedily to returne into the right way and let vs euermore be ready to receiue thy warnings and corrections that it may appeare wee haue been in such wise called and chosen of thee that wee may desire to continue in the hope of our saluation to which thou daily inuitest vs and which thou hast prepared for vs in heauen through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE FIFTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE FIRST VPON THE second Chapter WE heard yesterday the complaint that God tooke vp against his people The summe was That if he were to make his defence before any Iudge it would be found that he had iust cause to condemne their ingratitude and as for them they had no colour or shew of reason that might cause them to wander after vanity but they were become vaine that is they had abandoned him without any cause at all and suffered themselues to be transported and carried away by their owne dreames and forgeries Vers 6. And they said not that is it came not into their minds to say where is the Lord that hath brought vs out of the land of Egypt and caused vs to walke through the desert by a solitary or empty land and vaste in a terrible land by the shadow of death by a land that no man passed thorow and where no man dwelt 7 And I brought you into a * or Hacarmel plentifull land to eate the fruits thereof and the abundance thereof word for word it is To his good and you entred into it and haue polluted my land and haue made mine heritage an abomination THe Prophet prosecutes the same poynt of doctrine still for God heere blames the people for no small fault seeing they had forgotten his benefits and yet had he redeemed them after such an admirable manner that it worthily deserued to be celebrated not of one nation only but of all the nations of the world besides See then how iustly he taxeth the Iewes for their hatefull ingratitude for forgetting the memory of so famous and incomparable a deliuerance Had they not at all felt Gods bounty and liberality towards them nay or rather had they had but some little semblance thereof then their fault peraduenture might haue been somewhat the more excusable but God hauing not after an ordinary manner discouered his power from heauen and hauing openly manifested his maiesty and glory euen in the very eye of the people what a barbarity was it in them after all these things to forget God who had so plainly declared himselfe to them by such notable experiments Thus we haue the Prophets meaning then when he saith they said not See chap. 5.24 For God heere taxeth the sloth of the Iewes for not considering in themselues how they were perpetually bound with strict bands to the maiesty of God for those great fauours he had shewed them in deliuering them so miraculously out of the land of Egypt When he saith they said not where is the Lord Hee giues them to vnderstand that hee was alwayes present before them or nigh vnto them but they were blind and therefore had no pretext for their ignorance for they needed not to haue sought him farre off nor haue fetched many long circuits about Had they onely then but thought thus with themselues Hath not God once redeemed vs had they I say but thought thus in themselues they would neuer haue followed their vanities Vers 5. Whence proceeded such a fault then or rather such a frensie in pursuing Idols Euen from this They would not vouchsafe to apply their minds and hearts to seeke after the Lord. Thus then the Prophet here preuents the replies of hypocrites who would be ready to alleage that they were deceiued and that they faulted rather of ignorance than otherwise For it is alwayes the manner of those that are found guilty to seeke euasions and starting holes as soone as they be called to an account That the Iewes then might not be able to bring in their excuses the Prophet telles them heere in plaine words that they erred not of ignorance but of malice through which they were carried away after their vanities and lies in regard they had wittingly despised the Lord and would not so much as aske after him though he was neare enough vnto them This place is worthy to be noted for nothing is more vsuall with the wicked after they be once conuinced than to seeke this refuge namely that the giuing of themselues to all superstitions proceeds forsooth from their good intentions The Prophet therefore meets with this wile and shewes that where the knowledge of God hath been once entertained among men there his name and glory cannot be blotted out vnlesse it be of set malice when they wittingly and willingly estrange themselues from him And thus this one clause so condemnes all Apostataes that they haue nothing to answere when they obiect We were ouertaken through ignorance For a man shall no sooner bring them forth to the triall but their malice and ingratitude shall forthwith be discouered in regard they vouchsafed not to aske Where is the Lord He by and by addes that which is the exposition of this sentence For I told you that the question is not here of sentencing babes in vnderstanding but of the Iewes who by sure and certaine proofes knew that God was their Father Seeing then God had manifested himselfe vnto them by so many infallible testimonies they had not to alleage for themselues so much as any shew of ignorance That is the cause then why the Prophet saith It came not into their thoughts to aske Where is the Lord that hath brought vs out of the land of Egypt c. This could not be said generally of all nations therefore I told you before that this speech is directed particularly to the Iewes who had tasted and felt the power of God by euident testimonies so as they could not offend but of set purpose that is in quenching by their frowardnesse the cleare light that shined before them Also the Prophet yet further aggrauates their offence by certaine circumstances for hee saith not onely that they were brought out of Egypt but that God was alwaies to them in stead of a Captaine and leader and that for fortie yeeres together for vnder this word desart he notes the time Now because the history thereof was fresh in memory that is the cause why hee thinkes it enough to touch it onely in a word And yet euen therein he notably sets forth Gods glory in mentioning the desart But in the first place obserue that the Iewes were altogether inexcusable in that they remembred not how their fathers had been miraculously preserued for the space of fortie
notwithstanding they were Israels confederates should become their enemies yea that they were their enemies already By the top or crowne some vnderstand the Princes and heads of Israel but we may expound it according to our vsuall manner of speaking They shall breake or they shall rub or chafe thine head and this sense in my iudgement sutes best Now the reason followes why this came to passe Hath not this been done vnto thee saith he Others translate Hast not thou done this in the second person Howsoeuer the sense is all one And yet it seemes the opinion of others is better Hath not this been done vnto thee because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God In a word Ieremiah shewes that the falling away of the people was the cause of all their chastisements As if hee should haue said Such broth as you haue made euen such sup you off and know that thou canst not any way charge the Lord as being blame-worthy for he is ready to performe that which he hath promised did not thine owne impiety hinder him Neither hath God indeed chosen thee in vaine neither hath hee without cause preferred thee before all other nations onely thou hast reiected and put backe his benefits and liberality from thee Thus then thy condition had neuer been as now it is if thy selfe hadst not procured these euils to thy selfe And how is that Because saith he thou hast forsaken thy God And hee doth againe aggrauate the fault in saying In the time when hee led thee by the way To leade by the way is as much as to gouerne rightly and happily Thus the Prophet shewes that their disloyalty and backsliding was vtterly inexcusable in that they had reiected the worship and seruice of God for then things went prosperously forwards Had they been pressed with many tentations they might thus haue made their excuse wee thought our expectations should haue failed vs whilest we waited for deliuerance from the true God Why so Because hee with-held the signes of his presence from vs therefore necessity constrained vs at the least that which we haue done inconsiderately ought to be pardoned For what could we thinke else but that God had forsaken vs This obiection our Prophet heere preuents as in the fifth verse of this chapter What iniquity haue your fathers found in me And in another place O my people what haue I done vnto thee testifie against me Mich. 6.3 For God in that place is ready to iustifie his cause and to cleere himselfe of whatsoeuer accusations the people could charge him with So heere I haue lead thee by the way that is to say thou wert in good case being vnder my leading and gouernment and yet could neither my goodnesse nor louing kindnesse keepe thee in awe though I dealt graciously with thee no though thou knewest thou couldest no way better thine estate then to be vnder my custody yet thou louedst rather to follow after idols What excuse therefore hast thou now or what shew of excuse canst thou alleage for thy selfe We see then how the fault of the people is so much the more aggrauated because they then forsooke their God when they were no way forced thereunto by any tentation but being growne meerly disloyall they voluntarily gaue themselues to the seruice of idols Now this is confirmed in the verse following Vers 18. And what hast thou now to doe in the way of Egypt to drinke the water of Nilus or what makest thou in the way of Ashur to drinke the water of the riuer THe Prophet as I touched before confirmes that which I haue said namely that the people could not chalenge the Lord as being the author of their euils seeing the whole cause thereof rested in themselues And yet the fault is redoubled in regard they sought here and there after such remedies which profited them nothing at all by meanes whereof also they alwayes heaped new iudgements vpon their owne heads For we must vnderstand that their onely remedy in afflictions was to seeke reconciliation with God Simile For example if a sicke man knowes whence the cause of his sicknesse comes and afterward in stead of seeking fit remedies he betakes himselfe to some medecine which shall doe him no good but will rather be a meanes to encrease the malady will wee not iudge such an one worthy to perish seeing hee wittingly willingly reiected those remedies which would haue done him good to runne after vaine and deceiueable medecines thinking to find comfort by them This is the very thing which Ieremiah heere reprooues in the Israelites If thou carefully enquirest saith he whence so many afflictions proceed thou shalt find me guiltlesse and thine owne iniquities to bee the cause But what is now to bee done what course art thou now to take euen this bethinke thy selfe well how thou maist bee reconciled with me and how thou maist obtaine pardon endeauour to bee reuenged on thy selfe for thy wickednesse Thus shall thy plagues be soone remoued and by experience thou shalt find me the best physicion God the best physicion if thou thus addresse thy selfe vnto me But what doost thou now Thou trottest vp and downe hunting after vaine and deceiueable comforts Now thou fleest to Egypt and by and by to Assyria but by none of these meanes canst thou procure vnto thy selfe any benefit Now wee haue the Prophets meaning for hauing conuinced the Iewes of their impiety and hauing so caused them to vnderstand that they could neither ascribe the euils which they endured to God nor to Fortune no nor yet to any other causes he now shewes that the onely remedy and the best way to attain saluation is to returne into fauour with God But to runne hither and thither now into Egypt now into Assyria they therein discouered an euident signe of desperate folly Now this reprehension depends vpon the holy history For this people had one while the Assyrians their enemies an other while the Egyptians in regard there still happened great mutations and changes and God also laid diuers troubles and afflictions vpon them the better to awaken them out of their drowsinesse and security Sometimes he hissed for the Egyptians as wee shall see afterwards then hee caused his trumpet to sound into Assyria and all to certifie the Israelites that no peace was euer to be looked for till they quietly submitted themselues vnder Gods gouernment And yet the people reiecting this counsell were so blinded that when the Assyrians assailed them then they fled to Egypt that is to say they sought for succour of the Egyptians and made a league with them But if any change happened then they sought and desired to bee confederates with the Assyrians yea and often to purchase their friendship at a very deare rate This is that frensie then wherewith the Prophet heere taxeth them when he saith What hast thou to doe in the way of Egypt that is to say I pray thee what good gettest thou by it what
madnesse is it in thee when thou manifestly feelest that God is against thee that thou then thinkest not of the right meanes whereby thou mightest procure thine owne welfare namely by seeking reconciliation with thy God All thy health consists in fleeing to God in seeking to get his fauour and in suing for mercy at his hands But what course takest thou Thou runnest to Egypt thou runnest to Ashur Bringest thou not thy selfe thus into a wofull plight What childishnesse is it in thee thus to vexe thy selfe to no purpose From this place let vs learne Doct. that as oft as God corrects vs for our sinnes it is our parts to seeke for the true remedy and neuer busie our heads in seeking after those vaine comforts which Satan will present before vs as so many snares to intangle vs for such allurements shal only cast vs into a dead sleepe so as the euils which otherwise in themselues might be curable shall become at the last incurable and deadly What is to bee done then As soone as we feele the smart of Gods rods Vse let vs presently seeke attonement with him and how we may attaine his fauour thus shall wee not loose our labour But if wee stand gazing about vs we shall be so farre off from attaining reliefe that wee shall double and treble our sorrowes To drinke the waters of Nilus and the waters of Euphrates is nothing else but suing for helpe heere and there I grant hee alludes to the Ambassadours which were sent because in their trauell some dranke of the waters of Nilus and others of the waters of Euphrates and yet notwithstanding he speakes by way of allegory as if he should say God was ready to succour thee hadst thou but resorted to his mercy as to a city of refuge but thou thoughtest it better to neglect him that thou mightest haue helpe from the Egyptians and Assyrians Thou seekest then to drinke the waters of farre countries whilest God supplies thy necessities with sufficiency of waters at home It may be also he alludes to that similitude hee vsed in ver 13. he there called God the fountaine of liuing waters as if he should haue said God would bee to thee an euer-springing fountaine that can neuer bee drawne dry neither shouldest thou euer perish for thirst if thou wouldest content thy selfe with him alone but thou thirstest after the waters of Nilus and Euphrates Thus we haue now attained the Prophets meaning Neither is it to be doubted but he speakes of the waters of Nilus and Euphrates because both these nations in outward appearance abounded in al sorts of riches and in multitudes of men Seeing Israel then relied vpon such defences the Prophet heere blames their ingratitude in that they satisfied not themselues with those succours which God affoorded them albeit the same appeared not vnto them in so manifest and visible a sort as the others did An excellent and fruitfull instruction For in God we haue all sufficiency and if himselfe alone could content vs certanly hee would giue vs more than wee could wish and would euer supply all our needes For himselfe being neuer weary of well doing hee would bestow vpon vs whatsoeuer our hearts could desire But because we cannot perceiue this bounty and liberality towards vs with our outward senses that makes vs runne so greedily after the worlds enticements Doct. Learne wee hence then neither to lust after the waters of Nilus nor Euphrates that is to say after the deceiueable allurements of this present euill world which carry in them a faire glosse in outward shew but let vs rather thirst after this secret and hidden fountaine Note which is therefore kept close from our bodily eyes that wee might seeke it by faith Now it followes Vers 19. Thine owne wickednesse shall correct thee and thy turnings backe or treasons shall aske vengeance of thee and thou shalt know and vnderstand that it is an euill and a bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my feare is not in thee saith the Lord God of hosts THe Prophet here againe confirmes that which I haue said before namely that the people will they nill they shall in the end feele what it is to reuolt from God as if he should say If hitherto by so many chastisements The summe thou hast not learned that thy treasons and trecheries are the cause of all these miseries God will yet adde iudgement vpon iudgement till at the last thou bee inforced whether thou wilt or no to confesse that thou receiuest the iust reward of thine iniquities this is the summe of the verse But he saith in the first place Thy wickednesse shall correct thee as if he should say Albeit God neither ascends into his iudgement seat nor stretcheth forth his hand to correct thee yet shall thine iniquities testifie thy iust condemnation euen in the sight of the Sunne And this manner of speaking is more forcible and hath greater vehemency in it then if the Prophet had onely said that God would afflict his people iustly Thy wickednesse then saith he shall chastise thee The like speech there is also in a manner in Isaiah Isa 3.9 and 59.12 The triall of their countenance testifies against them as if the Lord should say Though I should sit still and not take vpon me the office of a Iudge though no man should giue in euidence against thee though none should commence any action at all against thee yet would the guilt of thine owne conscience rise vp against thee and would put thee to shame and rebuke So in this place Thine owne wickednesse shall correct thee Now wee are to see the reason why the Prophet saith this for it is most certaine that hitherto many of thē still repined with open mouth against God as if he had dealt too sharpely and seuerely with them In regard therefore of these murmurings which euery one was ready euer and anon to vtter forth against God the Prophet repels such slanders in telling of them that their owne wickednesses were sufficient to correct them Thy owne wickednesse saith he shall execute against thee the office of a Iudge in condemning thee Vers 13. 17. He saith the same of their turnings backe but he heere better expresseth that which he had said before in generall of their reuolt from Gods seruice and obedience therfore here he specifies one kind of wickednes as if he had said We need not now call for thine accuser or for witnesses or for a Iudge to pronounce sentence thy onely turnings backe will suffice in stead of all these as sufficient to condemne thee He addes in the next words Thou shalt know and prooue how euill and bitter a thing it is to haue forsaken the Lord thy God These phrases of speech are somewhat sharpe but we told you before what they signifie namely thy reuolting or forsaking that is to say thy trecherous disloyalties to wit in that thou hast forsaken
chastening you no part in you is free no not from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot In which place God testifies that he tried all the remedies he could but he found the Iewes of such a stubborne and rebellious nature that they were vtterly incurable Ieremiah heere handles the same argument and God by this meanes so much the more aggrauates the peoples vntowardnesse and stubbornnesse thereby giuing them to vnderstand that hee not onely laboured by words to see whether the Iewes would receiue any admonition but also by chastisements and corrections and yet in both these that hee spent his labour in vaine Before he spake concerning instruction when hee said keepe thy foot from being vnshod Se vers 25. Jsa 30.7 to 15. and thy throat from thirst Thus then the Prophet by Gods commandement had aduertised them that they should be still but all these admonitions were fruitlesse and vnprofitable Now hee addes A desperate case is that people come vnto when neither words nor blowes will amend them that he yet tried a second meanes to see if corrections would make them wise but they also profited by them as little as by the former I haue chastised you then in vaine saith he because you haue receiued no correction But he speakes of children to shew that the whole body of the people was corrupt For albeit lusts are more hot and boyling in youth than in aged persons yet is there not such a rebellion and stif-neckednesse in them as in those that are stricken in yeeres Hardly is that disease cured that is rooted in the bones When one hath been accustomed all his life to despise God it is a thing almost impossible euer to cure such an one of that sicknesse especially if he be once hardened in it for then a man hath made himselfe vnfit to receiue either admonition or correction For age of it selfe is very wayward and testie yea they thinke great wrong is offered them if they bee reproued But where there is such audaciousnesse and stubbornnesse in youth that they will no more be corrected nor receiue any reprehension that is more prodigious and strange The Prophet then shewes that there was no sincerity nor vprightnesse at all in this people seeing their children reiected all discipline Now we haue the Prophets meaning to wit that God had sent his Prophets in vaine and therefore hee now shewes that the people not onely wanted eares to heare those holy doctrines which were deliuered vnto them but had also stiffe neckes which would not bow although he corrected them seuerely so as that way also hee gained nothing at their hands It followes Your sword hath deuoured your Prophets But I cannot finish this now Let vs pray Almighty God seeing it pleaseth thee by thy fatherly bounty to call vs daily vnto thee giue vs grace we may not harden our hearts against thy holy and wholsome admonitions moreouer when it pleaseth thee also to chastise vs with thy rods let vs not shew our selues stif-necked against thee but let vs learne quietly to submit our selues to thy good word also as oft as thou smitest vs grant we may receiue thy corrections that thus we may profit our selues by both these meanes lest otherwise we bring downe vpon our owne heads the extremity of thy iudgements which thou threatenest all hard-hearted persons withall but rather giue vs passage into thy sweet and fatherly kindnesse yea deale O Lord thus fauourably and graciously with vs vntill thou hast gathered vs into that blessed rest which is prepared for vs in heauen and that through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE NINTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE FIFTH VPON THE second Chapter Part of the 30. verse Your sword hath deuoured your Prophets like a destroying Lion IN the former lecture God complained that he had spent his labour in vain in chastising the children of Israel in regard they were of so rebellious and stubborne a nature that they could not be tamed by any discipline or correction I haue lost my time saith hee in endeauouring by chastisements and corrections to bring you home but now hee aggrauates this crime of stubbornnesse and wilfulnesse because they not onely reiected all wholesome admonitions but shead innocent blood Why so Because they persecuted and pursued the Prophets no lesse than if they had been their open enemies who yet notwithstanding were sent vnto them from God to procure their saluation For this cause God heere not onely accuseth them of rebellion but of cruelty also for he saith hee attained not his desire namely their conuersion Besides they were not onely obstinate and vntamed but also behaued themselues both currishly and cruelly euen towards their owne Prophets Mat. 23.37 Luk. 13.34 For we know that Ierusalem was become a shambles or butchery wherein many of Gods true Prophets were slaine and murthered Some expound this place of false teachers as if the Prophet had said the sinnes of the people were the cause why the Prophets were punished according to their deserts in regard they were liars and deceiuers and those who thus expound it insist vpon this word your your sword hath deuoured your Prophets which is the cause why Saint Ierome saith your and not my Prophets as if God denied that he gaue them any commission but this is a forced sense and too much constrained We are therefore to retaine that sense which I haue giuen to wit that whilest God laboured to reforme the vices which then raigned amongst this people the Prophets being the Ministers of this gracious message euen the people themselues put them cruelly to death And the similitude which immediatly followes agrees very well with this exposition as a Lion deuouring For God shewes that the Iewes carried themselues as cruelly and sauagely towards the Prophets as if the Prophets had been in some forrest full of Lions Now it followes Vers 31. O generation take ye your selues heed to the word of the Lord Haue I been a desert to Israel Haue I been as a land of karknesse Wherefore then saith my people we are Lords we will come no more vnto thee NO doubt but the Prophet speakes heere as a man astonished that he might make the fault of this people the more odious and detestable For as one amazed he saith O generation the Hebrew word as it is well knowne signifies an age Thus it is as much as if hee had said Lord into what times are we fallen or in what an age or world liue we in now We haue the propriety of the word then The Prophet addes looke to the word of the Lord. It seemes he speakes improperly for he should rather haue said Vnderstand or heare the word of the Lord but he commands them to see or looke and yet this phrase of speech agrees very well Why so Because he bids them not heare but rather hee brings them to their owne knowledge as if he should say looke you to it see
what it is the Lord saith And where he saith euen you or you your selues it is to adde the greater emphasis and vehemency vnto his speech you euen you saith hee For the Iewes iustly deserued to haue been condemned by the whole world if God had called them before his iudgment seat But how blind soeuer they were the Prophet shewes that themselues notwithstanding might discerne euen with their owne eyes what the Lord said This belongs not to doctrine but to the act or thing it selfe as if he should say The Lord by me complaines of you so as though there be no witnesses nor any iudge or arbitrator yet ye your selues can iudge and perceiue how things goe well enough Wee see then that the Prophet hath spoken aptly when he bids themselues to regard or see the word of the Lord for by and by hee adds Haue I been a desert to Israel He appoints the Iewes themselues then to iudge and determine this matter to wit whether they had not tasted of Gods bounty and liberality by their owne experience and whether they had not reiected and forsaken him Se vers 13. as formerly he complained albeit he was that fountaine of liuing waters and whether they digged not vnto themselues broken cesternes that could hold no water Now God saith Whence came this that you haue thus bidden me farwell Is it in vaine that I haue promised to shew my selfe gracious bountifull vnto you Haue I therein abused or disappoynted you of your expectation whilest you serued me Seeing then I haue not been vnto you a barren land or a land full of obscurity and darknesse namely wherein the Sunne shines not seeing I say you haue alwayes found abundance and plenty of all good things in me how comes it to passe now that you are departed and gone away from me In the next place he adds yet another fault Wherefore saith my people we rule or are Lords The Hebrew verbe heere vsed is diuersly expounded because some deriue it from one root and others from another Notwithstanding among them that deriue it from one and the same root they varie in their iudgements for some referre it to those calamities and afflictions which the Iewes sustained others to their reuolt As touching the first thus they vnderstand it We are come downe that is to say we are ouerwhelmed with miseries what shall it auaile vs to call vpon God For all our affaires are become vtterly desperate Others chuse a contrary sense We are gone backe that is what need the Prophets trouble our eares any more with their clamors for we are resolued neuer to returne to God we haue at once renounced him let him goe then with all his goodly exhortations for we will neither heare him nor doe ought for him and both are of opinion that this is a speech of such as are growne desperate But we see well enough wherein they differ for the first sort vnderstand this word To descend of the peoples calamities the latter sort take it for their reuolt to wit because they had once taken their leaues of God and would haue no more to doe with him There is a third sort who come nearer to the Grammaticall sense For the verbe heere vsed in the originall signifies to rule and thus I rather willingly encline to this exposition wee rule I also thinke that it is an arrogant and swelling kind of speech namely that the Iewes thought themselues Kings as Saint Paul in 1. Cor. 4.8 taunts the Corinthians yee are rich and yee raigne as kings saith he without vs would to God ye did raigne that wee also might raigne with you For the Corinthians were swollen with pride Corinth was famous in regard of her riches in regard of the wealth of their City and so despised the Gospels simplicity they sought after subtelties and gaue themselues wholly to new deuices Saint Paul therefore seeing they made no great reckoning of the fauour which God had vouchsafed them tauntingly he saith Ye are full ye are rich and without him yâ—â—â—â—w raigne as Kings of whom notwithstanding ye◠〈◊〉 whatsoeuer good thing ye haue Ieremiah heere reproâ—cheth his people with the very same sinne Wee rule neither will wee come any more vnto thee As if he should say All your happinesse and the good things yee enioy I am sure came from me for all ye enioy and whatsoeuer hath been bestowed vpon you ought to be attributed to me and to my liberality and yet forsooth ye raigne as Kings without me For it is God himselfe who speakes heere ye are now become Kings without mee But which way I pray you what haue you that is your owne Why then saith my people we will come no more at thee Wee haue now the Prophets naturall meaning As touching the thing it selfe as wee told you before first he stands as one amazed at the peoples malice euen as at some prodigious thing and therefore he cries out O generation as if he had said That which I now see is incredible Then he adds looke your selues to the word of the Lord and this was of greater importance than if hee had summoned them before the tribunall seat of God for thus he shewes their malice is too too grosse in that without any cause or pretext at all they had shamelesly forsaken renounced God albeit he had dealt so bountifully with them In the meane while hee priuily nippes them because there was now no place any longer for instruction Therefore leauing that he bids them looke with their eyes either because they were deafe or stopped their eares and repulsed all sound admonitions For as we haue said leauing the word he brings them backe to the very fact which the expositors haue not obserued Now the reproach followes that God was not as a wildernesse vnto them See vers 13. but as the Prophet shewed heretofore that out of him flowed abundance of all good things wherewith they might haue satisfied themselues Seeing God then had enriched them with his blessings so much the more hainous was their fault in that they had forsaken him How in the last part of the verse God complaines of their ingratitude in regard they thought themselues lordâ— I grant they were a royall priesthood but this came from Gods grace In that they raigned they obtained it not by their owne industry or power it was not from any right of theirs neither yet by their power or good fortune as they say Whence then Onely by way of entreaty Albeit they were kings then yet it was vpon condition that they yeelded obedience to the King of kings and not otherwise yet forsooth they would raigne alone that is as they listed and thus they trampled the grace of God vnder foot It is this peruersity of theirs then which the Prophet heere reprooues To the same purpose also in the end of the verse he saith wee will come no more vnto thee as if they needed not Gods helpe and
I said there is a double similitude or comparison Albeit an husband in his discontent had reiected his wife and that by meanes thereof by his owne fault he occasions her to marry another notwithstanding after a second hath lien with her because hee thinkes he is now despised he esteemes it so great an indignity that he will neuer admit of any reconciliation But I thinke you will not say that I haue sent you away you rather haue played the part of a disloyall wife hauing prostituted your selues to the first commers yet am I ready notwithstanding to receiue you into fauour and to forget all your former slips and falles Now we haue the summe of that which the Prophet meant to say heere And in this second member there is a comparison from the lesse to the greater For the agreemēt would be more easily effected if the wife hauing been reiected by her husband should afterward come to please him and recouer his fauour albeit she had married another but when an adulterous wife finds her husband so willing and ready to pardon her it is a very rare example and hardly shall it be discerned in any one We see then how our Lord magnifies his mercy towards this people by an argument taken from the lesse to the greater which he the rather doth that the Iewes might be so much the more without excuse in that they had so obstinately reiected so great a fauour which God freely offered them But heere a question may be asked namely Quest wherefore the Prophet saith That this land is polluted with pollutions or in this I will in the first place speake of the words Answ and afterwards I will dispatch the rest All in a manner turne it thus Hath not this land been polluted with pollution But in reading this place thus I know not what sense to draw from it vnlesse peraduenture God meant to compare the wife diuorced to the land or rather that suddenly breaking off his speech hee meant to transferre that which he had said touching the reiected wife to the land or at least that hee now expounds the figure which he formerly vsed And yet wee may take it in this sense reading it apart thus In this to wit if it so fall out that some one take her for his wife the second time who had married another For as we haue shewed this was forbidden by the law neither could it bee auoided but the husband of such a wife must be reputed an adulterer if he tooke her againe for his wife whom he had once put away For by the bill of diuorce the woman was at liberty not that God permitted it so to be but because the women were guiltlesse they were borne withall for God laid all the fault vpon the husbands Now in this case when the wife who had been diuorced from her first husband ioyned her selfe in marriage with another this second marrying was lawfull so as if the first husband would recouer his wife whom he had forsaken he therein violated and brake the faith of the second marriage And in this sense it is the Prophet saith that in this the land shall be polluted as if he would haue said It is not lawfull for the husband to recall his wife to him notwithstanding he be most ready to entertaine her into his fauour and good liking and yet doe I saith the Lord expect nothing else but that you should returne vnto me As touching these words we haue already seene how the Prophet saith not without cause In this that is to say it would breed such confusion if a woman should bee married now to this man and then to another and in conclusion should returne againe to the first that by meanes heereof the band of humane society and order would be broken Moreouer by meanes heereof the sacred band of matrimony would be violated which notwithstanding is one of the most principall bands that men haue to preserue and establish the right gouernment of the Common-wealth When he adds but thou hast played the harlot with many louers it is the better to confirme that which wee haue seene before namely that the people offended not in one thing alone but were growne like common strumpets who indifferently without any choyce at all prostitute themselues to the first customer which is signified by these words many louers that is with many whore-masters for he calles them companions or louers who seeme to sue to one woman Then he adds yet turne againe vnto me saith the Lord that is I am most ready to receiue thee to mercy if so be thou wilt confesse thy fault Quest But heere may arise a question namely how God promiseth to doe that which himselfe in his Law had forbidden to be done But the solution is easie Answ I grant that so farre forth as respect was to be had to the right of maintaining humane society there was no other remedie to be giuen but seeing men had this liberty to put away their wiues it was not freely to be permitted without some restraint lest so it might seeme that God meant to cherish and approoue of their lightnesse and inconstancy It was very requisite then that wayward and peeuish husbands should be thus chastised that it might at no hand be lawfull for them to take againe into their fellowship the wife whom they had once put away otherwise euery one would haue been ready to haue changed their minds euery third day or at least euery yeere and then would haue been as ready the fit being ouer to haue demanded her againe God himselfe therefore imposed this law vpon diuorces that the man who had once put away his wife might not afterward receiue her againe But the case is otherwise in respect of God therefore no wonder if he retaine this right and power of receiuing the Iewes againe into fauour vpon their amendment It followes Vers 2. Lift vp thine eyes to the high places that is to the little hils or mountaines and behold in what place thou hast not played the harlot thou hast sitten waiting for them in the wayes namely to allure them as the Arabian in the wildernesse and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredomes and with thy malice FOr as much as the Prophet had taxed the Iewes for such as were become common and that they made no choyce at all who were one so they might bee the other euen like loose strumpets after they are growne past shame lest they should make their replies and also lest at any time they should alleage that they neuer so much as meant to commit such an offence hee makes them as it were their owne iudges Lift vp saith he thine eyes to the high places and behold that is I produce testimonies manifest enough for there is not the least mountaine in the land whereon thou hast not played the harlot with thine idols For we haue seene before and shall haue occasion oft times in this prophesie to repeat
that could not blush at any thing that is to say they were not touched with remorse in respect of any iudgements or they would not endure to be corrected The Ppayer Almighty God seeing it hath pleased thee once to shew vs this fauour not onely to adopt vs for thy children but also to binde vs vnto thee by the bond of spirituall marriage and hast giuen vs so good a pledge thereof in that holy and sacred vnion which we haue with thy onely Son Iesus Christ grant we may hold fast the faith of the Gospell and also with such fidelity and loyalty keepe that faith which wee haue plighted to thee that on thy part thou maist shew thy selfe an husband and a father in such wise vnto vs euen vnto the end that wee may find thy bounty so enlarged towards vs that by meanes thereof we for our parts may also be held in the feare of thy holy name till at the last we come to enter into the possession of that holy couenant of thy heauenly kingdome through the same our Lord Iesus Christ Amen THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE FIRST VPON THE third Chapter Vers 4. Wilt thou not hereafter cry vnto me My father the captaine and guide of my youth GOd hauing manifested the iniquities and wickednesses of his people and hauing according to their demerits sharply reprooued them yet hee ceaseth not by sweet allurements to summon them to repentance Wilt thou not saith he say vnto me My father Some vnaduisedly translate Wilt thou say to me my father as if God reiected this cry Thus they expound it then namely that the Iewes are too impudent yet to glory thus of Gods name whilest in their affections they were estranged from him But the Prophets meaning is otherwise for God meant heere to allay the tartnesse of the former reprehension and shewes that hee is willing and most ready to be at one with them vpon condition of their repentance yea he not onely waites for their repentance but by this gracious speech to these Apostataes he seekes to preuent them As how Shall there not bee once againe a peace concluded betweene vs For God heere manifests the passion of a man sad and heauie in seeing this people thus to perish who if possibly he could would faine preuent the same According to this sense hee demands whether they will not yet once againe call vpon him as their father and as the guide of their youth Now by this manner of speech he signifies that he was married with this people For the affection which the husband beares to a young virgin in the flower of her youth is maruellous tender And this similitude God vseth in this place saying I cannot yet forget that exceeding loue which I bare to this my Church and people In a word I am ready to pardon them if so be they seeke peace and amity with me which he confirmes in the next verse saying Vers 5. Will he keepe this in mind for euer will hee alwayes remember it Behold thou hast spoken and goest on in thy wickednesse and thou hast had ability GOd heere shewes that it is the Iewes fault that hee receiues them not to mercy And this he doth by an argument taken from his owne nature Now hee speakes of himselfe in the third person and it is all one as if the Prophet had reasoned thus God is not such an one as cannot be entreated for hee is alwayes as ready to forgiue as he is patient and long-suffering who lets you then that you liue not happily vnder his rule and dominion For he will spare you if so be he finde you truly penitent Wee see now what the Prophet meant to say For God hauing exhorted and allured them graciously to repentance the Prophet now in generall sets foorth the nature of God namely that he keepes not his anger for euer neither doth he alwayes nourish the memory of it When these words are put simply by themselues they signifie to nourish vengeance in the heart In our tongue we imitate this Hebrew phrase He keepes it When this word Illui garde To keepe is put simply without an other word ioyned with it it signifies as I haue said to nourish that vengeance which a man hath in his heart Now there is nothing more repugnant to this than Gods nature whence it followes that nothing hinders the Iewes from obtaining fauour but their owne backwardnesse and vntowardnesse and as they are maliciously bent to their will so will they not receiue that pardon and grace which is freely offered and presented before them As touching that which afterwards followes it may be expounded two wayes for it may be taken thus Albeit thou hast spoken it and done it as if the Lord should say I cease not to shew my selfe fauourable and mercifull vnto you bee the faults you haue committed neuer so many and great But there is another exposition which seemes to be more naturall and agreeable namely that God heere takes vp a lamentation in respect he sees there is no hope to be conceiued of the Iewes amendment in regard they are growne hardened in their euill wayes Thou hast spoken it saith he and done it and hast had ability to doe it And yet there are sundry opinions among the expositors as touching these latter words Some take this And hast had ability for according as thou hast had ability or according to the power thou hast had as if he should say so farre forth as thy ability stretched thou hast committed all sorts of wickednesses Others take it more simply and as I thinke their opinion is the best Thou hast been powerfull that is thou hast wholly giuen ouer thy selfe to wickednesse euen according to the vttermost of thy power Thus then I vnderstand it After God had shewed himselfe sorry for their miseries and had louingly exhorted them to repentance testifying that he would be ready to make peace with them in regard he is by nature enclined to shew mercy after the manifestation of all these things he now adds Behold this people are become desperate and past hope of recouery namely because they boasted of their wickednesse For to speake and doe is as much as if he had said This people are become so impudent that they sticke not to call darknesse light as wee know it is the manner of the superstitious to bee so shamelesse that they feare not to braue God to his face Now such was the quality and condition of this people that indeed which God principally condemned in them by the mouthes of his Prophets was that they corrupted his pure worship commanded in his Law But they on the contrary like brazen-faced strumpets were so malepert as against that to alleage their owne deuotions and good intentions as they commonly called them Seeing then they were growne so audacious as to maintaine and defend their bad courses God heere complaines that there is no hope of their amendment and therefore giues
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
the Prophet promiseth there shall be a good harmony and agreement betweene the two houses of Iudah and Israel after God shall be pleased to bring them home both together out of their exile as if he should say their future estate shall far exceed that which it was before Why so In regard the posterity of Ahraham was as it were scattered and dispersed for the people whom the Lord meant to maintaine in brotherly concord with an holy and inuiolable band had been notwithstanding wofully diuided and rent in sunder one from another for we know there was a deadly fude betweene these two houses In regard then there had been for a season such and so shamefull a rent See vers 16. betweene the children of Abraham the Prophet shewes what fruit shall ensue vpon their banishment and captiuity to wit They hauing been chastised with a temporary punishment by the Lord they should returne againe into their countrey not to liue there as in former time in such discords and hatreds but to call vpon one God together with one mouth that is to say the Iewes carrying themselues as brethren to the Israelites and the Israelites holding brotherly amity and vnity with the tribe of Iudah The Prayer Almighty God seeing it pleaseth thee so graciously daily to support vs notwithstanding we haue not ceased more and more euery manner of way to prouoke thee to displeasure against vs grant we may no longer harden our hearts against thy chastisements but whilest thou sparest vs let thy patience prouoke vs to confesse and acknowledge our sinnes and let thy corrections also become profitable vnto vs that by meanes hereof we may without faining so conuert vnto thee that the whole course of our life may testifie that our hearts are indeed changed Moreouer grant we may so draw on one another so as with one consent we may yeeld obedience to thy blessed word and that euery one of vs in particular may study to set forth thy glory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE THIRTEENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE THIRD VPON THE third Chapter The exposition of the two former verses is still contsnued YEsterstay we began to shew in what sense the Prophet saith that the Arke of the Lords couenant should be no more mentioned after the Israelites returne into their owne countrey and that they shall be there multiplied and encreased namely because that dissension which was once betweene them before their captiuity should now vtterly cease For we know that the Israelites had their manner of seruing God apart by themselues in regard they had forsaken the pure and sound doctrine of the Law The Prophet meant then to shew that all of them should become the true seruants of God and that there should be such vnity of faith amongst them that the Iewes and Israelites should no more serue God after diuers fashions And that is the cause why hee adds it shall no more come into their heart that is to say It shall no more be thought on Neither shall it bee remembred that is there shall remaine no more signes of differences and discord as in times past Neither shall they visit it that is those who heretofore desired to offer sacrifice to God shall no more come to Ierusalem by stealth In a word the case shall be quite and cleane altered from that it was before for in that time Ierusalem shall bee called the throne of the Lord. But it seemes the Prophet contradicts himselfe where he saith Obiect Ierusalem shall be the throne of the Lord and yet no mention shall be made of the Arke of the Couenant Answ but these two things agree very well together For his meaning is that Ierusalem shall be the eternall throne and dwelling place of the Lord without any controuersie or contradiction Before the Israelites were led captiues they bragged as hauing the true and sincere worship of God amongst them and that in great pâ—â—â—pe and outward ostentation so as Ierusalem in comparison thereof was in a manner nothing as touching the outward appearance Now the Prophet saith there shall be no more this kind of difference neither shall the contention betweene the Iewes and the Israelites continue any longer Why so Because both of them should without contradiction hold Ierusalem to be the Sanctuary of the Lord as if hee should say All without exception shall serue God purely which in times past was farre otherwise Which hee yet better confirmes by the words following All nations shall be gathered vnto it to the name of the Lord or because of the name of the Lord. Thus then all nations shall be gathered together vnto Ierusalem for the loue they beare to the name of the Lord. We see there is no ambiguity in these words for the Prophet plainly testifies that the seruice which God had ordained in his Law should be in such estimation that all nations should be ready to imbrace whatsoeuer should be taught them by the Iewes And yet by all nations it may be hee meant the ten Tribes who also in many other places are called many nations If any will extend the words further I gainsay him not and as yesterday I noted the Iewes are of opinion that the time of the Messias is heere described in regard that which Ieremiah heere promiseth was neuer fulfilled For it is certaine that such a concourse of all nations vnto Ierusalem after the Iewes were returned home was neuer seene but the Iewes onely returned Wherefore hence they conclude that mention is heere made of Christ his kingdome which I also consent vnto But in regard this returne and restitutioÌ„ of the people was as it were a pledge and entrance vnto the kingdome of Christ Note therefore wt must alwayes begin to count from thence as oft as the Prophets speake of the new Church I grant indeed wee are not to seeke the vniuersall restauration of the whole world any where else than in Christs comming but the restauration of the Church began when God first reached forth his hand to the Iewes in the reedifying of the Temple vntill the comming of Christ As touching this present text whether by all nations we vnderstand all the ten tribes or both the kingdomes or generally all the nations of the earth the matter is not great The Prophets meaning is plaine enough namely that the Church shall grow greater than it was before after God shall haue brought backe his people from their captiuity as also that he will cause true religion to flourish and that without any brawles or contentions at all And yet that which followes confirmes their opinion who expound this place of both kingdomes they saith he shall walke no more after the stubbornnesse of their wicked heart for this is not wont to bee affirmed of such as are meerly profane who haue alwayes been strangers from the doctrine of the Law In regard this then appertaines by a speciall right to the Iewes and Israelites therefore it seemes
onely to this day to punish these their impieties but also their ingratitude and that which is worst their malicious obstinacy The Ppayer Almighty God seeing we carry about vs such a corrupt nature that all thy graces and benefits cannot cause vs to cease from prouoking thee by our wicked behauiour as if of set purpose we meant to proclaime open warre against thee giue vs grace to make such good vse of the examples thou settest before vs to call vs to repentance that thereby thou maist cure in vs this peruersity of our nature and that we may in due season turne vnto thee that by meanes hereof we may in such sort giue ouer our selues vnto thy seruice that thy name may receiue glory by vs. Grant also that wee may endeauour to bring those likewise home with vs into the way of saluation which may seeme to be vtterly lost that so thy mercy may be extended vnto all and that the saluation purchased by thine onely Sonne Iesus Christ may by this meanes haue its effect and power ouer all the kingdomes and nations of the earth Amen THE FOVRTEENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE FIRST VPON THE fourth Chapter Vers 1. Israel if thou returne saith the Lord returne vnto me or repose thy selfe in me and if thou take away thine abominations from before my face and that thou wander no more others and thou shalt not depart from thy place NO doubt but the Prophet heere requires of the people a sound and sincere conuersion in regard they seemed often to acknowledge their sinnes Hos 7.16 Psal 78.34.35.36.37 and 57. and to shew great testimonies of their repentance and yet for all that dealt deceitfully with God Thus then because they had often counterfeited both with God and his Prophets Ieremiah would now haue them to returne vnto God in good earnest without faining This is the summe and scope of the Prophets doctrine but there is some difficulty in the words For some reade this place thus Israel if thou returne to me saith the Lord so they ioyne these words to me with the former member and then reade thou shalt haue rest apart and so they will haue one and the same sentence twise repeated for by and by it followes If thou take away thine abominations from before my face thou shalt not depart from thy place that is to say I will not cast thee out as I haue threatened thee Others take the verbe which is heere twise repeated in the Hebrew in one and the same signification Israel if thou conuert conuert to me It is certaine that the Prophet exhorts the Israelites to returne vnto God in sincerity and not in hypocrisie as they were wont to doe Now I haue told you what others thinke but as I take it the reading will agree better thus Israel if thou conuert repose thy selfe in me And then after and if thou take away thine abominations I take this And to signifie as much as To wit That is to wit then if thou take away thine abominations from before my face and if thou trottest no more hither and thither For where others expound it as I told you before Israel if thou returne thou shalt haue rest it seemes to me vnapt yea I vtterly mislike this exposition but if any will reade Israel if thou returne stay thy selfe in me I leaue it to his choyce Or thus Israel if thou conuert conuert vnto me For there is no great difference in regard the Prophet reprooues the Israelites for their hypocrisie and dissimulation which they had formerly vsed shewing signes euer and anon as if they had been ready to haue obeyed God and to frame themselues to his seruice and yet by and by after manifested to all by the effects that they meant no such matter In regard then they had so oft prooued themselues lyars and full of deceit therefore it is that the Prophet in the person of God requires them to returne vnto God without faining If wee reade Israel returne to me the reason of it will bee because they alwayes laboured to make long circuits lest they should come directly vnto God For it is ordinary with hypocrites to make goodly shewes of conuersion but in the meane while to get themselues as farre off from God as they can This is the Prophets meaning then if we follow this reading Israel I wish thee to be wiser than to thinke thou shalt gaine ought by this deceitfull course when hereafter thou shalt faine a conuersion Returne to me then that is to say know that thou hast to doe with God who will not be mocked nor deceiued no more than he mockes or deceiues others Returne to me then with thine whole heart let there now be no faining in thy conversion But if we thinke it better to expound the Hebrew word in the second place in a diuers signification from the former there will be no great difference neither in that reading as touching the sense Israel if thou returne rest thy selfe in me that is to say for the time to come renounce all thine idols and all thy wicked and peruerse lusts And thus the Prophet in briefe shewes that there is no other meanes of true conuersion but for Israel to repose himselfe quietly in God onely and not to suffer himselfe to be transported hither and thither as a vagabond after his vaine lusts as often as he had done before And thus that which followes agrees very well namely if thou take away thine abominations out of my sight for as I haue said this particle And may be taken by way of exposition thus To wit if thou take away c. For this is the vice which Ieremiah meant principally to condemne namely that the Israelites made outward shewes of piety and religion but were notwithstanding euer wauering and could not from the heart giue ouer themselues vnto God but alwayes hung in suspense which way to take neither is it without cause that Ieremiah reprooues this vice in them and therefore also doe I willingly receiue this exposition Israel if thou returne stay thy selfe in me that is abide firmely and constantly in me But how may this be done namely if thou take thine abominations out of my sight and ceasest to trace vp and downe like a vagabond according to thy former lightnesse and inconstancy See chap. 3.9 Doct. which is but too well knowne already How euer it be the place is very remarkable against all hypocrites who though they dare not openly reiect all admonitions of the Prophets and holy men of God yet vnder pretext of some faire shewes of repentance they seeke out all the starting holes they can inuent to estrange themselues from God No doubt but with their lips they will pretend to seeke God but in the meane while they finde euasions that they may not come neare him which is the reason why I said that this is a very excellent place teaching vs that God contents not himselfe with nifles which
consist in the inuentions of hypocrites but requires the vprightnesse and sincerity of the heart and vtterly detests all dissimulation For which cause he expresly adds If thou take away thine abominations from before mine eyes for hypocrites alwayes loue to be seene of men and seeke to be approoued of them resting in that opinion which they conceiue of them But God in the meane while calles them to himselfe and we are also to note that he can neither be mocked nor deceiued because it is he who searcheth the heart and raynes Vers 2. And thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth in iudgement and in righteousnesse and all nations shall bee blessed in him and shall glory in him HEre the Prophet prosecutes the same matter for he refels all these goodly shewes by which they thought God would bee pacified For whilest they had the name of God in their mouthes they thought that sufficient to iustifie their cause As how Call we not vpon the name of the Lord yeeld we not vnto him his due honour when we sweare by his name For the Prophet takes one particular for the generall namely swearing by Gods name for his whole worship Because the Iewes then pretended the name of God thinking they had so throughly purged themselues that none could charge them with any fault therefore the Prophet saith thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth that is you hold your selues safe and secure in regard you imagine that a bare shew and an outward appearance of godlinesse will serue the turne to procure your absolution from all your sinnes and that God will be well enough appeased as oft as you boast your selues to be the seed of Abraham and in a word as oft as you sweare the Lord liueth But in the meane while perceiue you not how sacrilegious you are in abusing the sacred name of God in this false manner Sweare then saith he in truth Now we see how the Prophets words depend one vpon another In the former verse hee affirmed that the people lyed vnto God Coherence in regard they neuer kept touch with him but brake their promise For they alwayes wandred from him Now he adds that the Israelites shall gaine nothing by calling vpon God thus in this outward appearance shewing by their outward gestures that they were his people and did him very good seruice all this saith hee is nothing vnlesse you serue God in truth in iudgement and in righteousnesse No doubt but truth is heere taken for the vprightnesse and integrity of the heart Chap. 5.3 as wee shall see afterwards in the fifth chapter In regard he commands them then to sweare by the name of God in truth it is as much as if hee had said that God is not duly serued according as of right he ought to be vnlesse the heart bee emptied and purged from all fraud and dissembling In a word hee shewes that where the sincerity and integrity of the heart is wanting there can no acceptable seruice bee performed vnto God But this truth whereof the Prophet speakes is principally knowne by iudgement and iustice namely when men conuerse one with another in vprightnesse and when euery one renders to his neighbour that which to him appertaines also where none seekes his owne aduantage with the disaduantage of another When this equity I say and vprightnesse heere mentioned is thus preserued and kept amongst men then is that accomplished which the Prophet in this place requires because men honour not God with shewes nor with vaine and lying words but where they shew indeed that they serue God without any vizard of holinesse and they yeeld him that reuerence which he deserueth That which followes and all nations shall be blessed is also expounded sundry wayes by the expositors yet I make no question but the Prophet heere closely taxeth the Israelites in regard Gods name was exposed to many reproches whilest they gaue profane nations cause to say that there was no power nor strength in the God of Israel yea and the Israelites themselues often expostulated the matter with God as if he had giuen them iust cause so to doe As how God promised vs that we should be made mirrours of his blessing and yet in the meane while wee lie open heere to all the iniuries profane people can lade vs withall How hangs these things together Because the Israelites then murmured thus in respect of their condition and thus wronged the Lord the Prophet answeres them The nations shall be blessed in God and shall glory in him Some referre this to the people of Israel but very vnaptly I grant he promised Abraham that all nations should be blessed or should blesse themselues in his seed but this blessing had not his beginning in them according as the Prophet heere noteth For respect must be had to the cause of this blessing How could the nations blesse themselues in the seed or of-spring of Abraham vnlesse God who is the authour of this blessing had manifested his grace towards the children of Abraham The Prophet then speakes very aptly heere when he saith Then shall all nations blesse themselues in God and shall glory in him that is to say your selues are the cause why Gods curse presseth you thus and that you are a reproach in the sight of all the heathen as also why the name of God is blasphemed among the nations For your owne impiety constraines God to handle you more seuerely than otherwise hee would for according to his nature hee is enclined to shew himselfe fauourable and gracious vnto you What is the cause then why all nations blesse not the Lord and that they glory not in him that is to say What hurt professors doo themselues and others by their bad conuersation that pure religion spreads not it selfe throughout the whole world and that the Gentiles ioyne not with you in approouing the worship of the onely true God Euen your impiety and malicious obstinacy is it which hinders Gods glory and that the whole world rings not of your happinesse and felicity We now then haue the Prophets meaning namely that the Iewes did expostulate the matter with God without cause in respect of the miseries and calamities which they endured because themselues had sought out and also heaped vpon their owne heads all these euils and had therewithall giuen the profane nations matter and occasion thus wickedly to pollute and blaspheme the sacred name of God Now it followes Vers 3. For the Lord saith thus to to the man of Iudah that is to the Iewes and to Ierusalem plow vp your fallow ground and sowe not among thornes THe Prophet still prosecutes the same doctrine for he reprehends the hypocrisie of the Israelites because they would needs satisfie God withoutward ceremonies onely albeit their hearts were full fraught with fraud malice and all other impieties Therefore hee saith God willes the Iewes to plow vp their fallow ground and no more to sowe among thornes
And hee repeates that which hee said when hee saith they refused to returne For hee signifies that they sinned not now through errour or ignorance neither were they gone astray through weaknesse but that voluntarily and of set purpose they cast off all care of their saluation and witttngly had forsaken the Lord so as they would suffer neither his word nor workes to take any place in them The Prayer Almighty God and heauenly Father for as much as Satan ceaseth not so to allure vs to himselfe by his enticements that wee become like those that are senselesse of thy iudgements grant vs the grace good Lord that thy word may shine into our minds and hearts that wee sleepe not in darknesse and therewithall so awaken vs by thy holy spirit that we may attentiuely hearken to all the aduertisements of thy holy Prophets by which thou callest vs into the right way that so wee perish not and grant that without ceasing wee may exercise our selues the whole course of our liues in the meditation of repentance that wee may alwayes be displeased in our selues for our sinnes that wee bee still iudging of our selues that thy wrath may bee turned away from vs till at the length being come to the end of our warfare which we are to wage continually against our sinnes wee may attaine that blessed rest which is prepared for vs in the heauens through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE NINTEENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE SECOND VPON THE fifth Chapter Vers 4. And I said certainly others translate peraduenture they are those of the poorer sort they haue done foolishly because they know not the way of the Lord the iudgment of their God 5 I will goe to the great ones and speake to them for they know the way of the Lord the iudgement of their God but these also haue broken the yoke and burst the bands WHereas some thinke the Prophet heere excuseth his nation and as much as in him is lessens their fault they are grosly deceiued For doubtlesse by this comparison he makes it yet more euidently appeare that things at that time were growne desperate The summe is this Corruptions raigned then not onely amongst the common people but euen among the great ones also so as from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot nothing was sound amongst them as they say There is a sentence somewhat like to this in Isaiah although in other words Chap. 28.7.8 For hauing there first inueyed against the whole nation in generall he taxeth the gouernours also You saith he are no lesse drunke than the common people I grant he affirmes it is through wine and strong drinke but the meaning is that they were all become like drunkards in regard they were past shame whilest without any modesty at all they gaue ouer themselues to the committing of all villanies and abominations Ieremiah hath the same drift heere when he saith I thought surely they are of the poorer sort and those of small reckoning that haue thus sinned but I found euen the Gouernours also guilty as well as they He might in a word haue said Not onely those of the common and baser condition are corrupt but the chiefe also and those that should haue giuen good example to the rest But this comparison hath farre greater waight when he saith It may be those that haue thus failed are some of the poore ones who are ignorant of the Law of God And what maruell But out of doubt we shall find greater integrity in the Gouernours When the Prophet speakes thus then hee brings the readers to the view of the present fact as it were and shewes that they were none of the rascality that had sinned but they were the Priests the Prophets and those of the chiefest ranke The Prophets meaning is plaine enough I said saith hee not that hee thought thus for he saw all things were out of square and that there was no more good to be hoped for of the Gouernours than of the gouerned The Prophet knew all this full well but as I said before he meant to shew as in a liuely image how miserable the condition of the whole nation was He saith certainly the word heere vsed in the Hebrew serues either for an affirmation or for a particle aduersatiue Although as wee saw in the third verse Some take it in this place for peraduenture It is put heere by way of yeelding so much Put the case saith he that they are those of the baser and beggerlier sort that haue sinned thus I wonder not that they haue carried themselues thus foolishly for they haue not knowne the way of the Lord nor the iudgement of their God The Law indeed was manifested to all indifferently so as the common sort were without excuse but this sicknesse hath raigned almost in all ages that few haue been attentiue to the law for who is it that doth not willingly reiect this yoke Now those of the meaner sort thinke to be somewhat excused because they want leisure to study neither are they borne to any great matters The Prophet then frames his stile according to the manner of men and yet he lessens not the fault if any would haue pretended ignorance As Oh sir I was neuer at the schooles For as we haue said God published his Law for the good of the whole nation in generall By the way of the Lord and by the iudgement of God the Prophet signifies one and the same thing It is a repetition then a thing very vsuall with the Hebrewes For when God prescribes vs the rule of a good life it is as much as if he shewed vs the way For our life resembles a race now God would not haue vs to runne at randome but sets vs vp a certaine marke He also leades vs by a certaine way because it is the office of the Law to call vs from wandring astray The office of the Law and to leade vs to the marke that is set before vs. For this cause the Law is called the way of the Lord but iudgement as we heard yesterday signifies vprightnesse or a rule He puts the way of the Lord in the first place and the iudgement of God in the second And thus he shewes Such as liue vnder good teaching cannot pretend ignorance he they neuer so meane or simple that such as esteeme themselues poore idiots that know nothing are yet without excuse For God meant no lesse to teach them the right way than the most learned in the world Now he adds in vers 5. I will goe to the great ones By the great hee vnderstands as well the Priests and Prophets as the Kings councell yea the King himselfe I will goe then to the great ones and speake to them which is as much as if he had said I know I shall but loose my labour which way soeuer I goe for they are all not onely deafe if I direct my speech to the poore commons but euen
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
Apostataes in regard they had carried themselues disloyally against God Now because this was a most bitter complaint and therefore would gaule them to the quicke he referres it to God knowing well enough that the Iewes would neuer take this reproch well at his hands It is the Lord that speakes saith hee as if hee should say plead not with mee as if I handled you ouer-seuerely but if you will pleade argue the case with God for it is he that affirmes that as well the Israelites as the Iewes are become perfidious and disloyall It followes Vers 12. They haue denied the Lord others translate they haue lied to the Lord and said It is not hee neither shall euill befal vs * For the application of this latter member see the second section following in vers 13. neither shal we see the sword nor famine HE expresseth that which hee said before more cleerly and also in more words This was a kind of disloyalty in that they had denied the Lord. For I doe not vtterly reiect the other translation to wit that they lyed to God But because there is one letter in the word heere vsed I will not say whether it signifies to lie in this place or no I make no question but hee simply affirmes that they had denied God and the context it selfe requires it should bee so For by and by after they expound themselues when they said that God was not Certaine it is that this was not simply to lye to God but so to reiect him as if he had not been at all In regard this sense then that they lyed to God would bee too fauourable I rather encline to the other side namely that they denied God that is they regarded him not or they laboured to abolish the memory of him and yet the reason is added which also ought to be well obserued They said God is not The more fully to expresse this he saith that they gloried as is they should haue escaped punishment Indeed it seemes an excessiue speech when the Prophet affirmes they renounced God But to preuent all cauils hee confirmes his speech namely they said God was not In the meane while let vs see wherefore he chargeth them with so hatefull a crime They made their vaunts they should be freed from those plagues wherewith the Prophets threatened them Now wee see what it is with which the Prophet taxeth them euen an obstinate contempt For they had hardened their hearts against all the menaces of the Prophets Which Ieremiah tearmes no lesse See vers 3. than a plaine deniall of God himselfe If we our selues might be iudges we would thinke this definitiue sentence too sharpe and seuere but we must hold it our wisedome to rest in the iudgement of the holy Ghost This is an excellent place then and well worthy our obseruation for hence wee may gather If we take from God his power to execute iudgment vpon offenders we denie him to be God how much the Lord abhorres the carelesnes of such as harden their hearts against his threatnings and set light by his iudgements For if wee know him to bee God we must not plucke from him the power to iudge For what imports this Name God Such as imagine hee sits idle in heauen and cares not how things go in the world but followes his delights albeit they denie not God in word yet doe they nothing but toy with him But in the meane while there is not so much as one dram of religion in such nor any feeling of the diuine power This place then is diligently to be obserued wherein God testifies that we renounce him See vers 13. if we be not touched nor mooued with his threatnings Why so Because our carelesnesse in which we rocke our selues asleepe whilest God thunders against vs is nothing else but an vtter renouncing of him Neither ought they heere who despise Gods iudgments to lessen this their fault For this the holy Ghost hath pronounced as a resolued truth namely all they that scorne the Prophets doe as much in effect as conclude in their hearts there is no God For they bereaue him of his power and office only leaue to him a bare naked essence that is to say I know not what dreame or fancy Wee now then haue attained the Prophets meaning See vers 11. For with many words he amplifies the disloyalty of the Iewes which before hee condemned in them because they had denied God and had said it is not he that is because they had concluded in themselues surely the euils which the Prophets threaten are not so neere vs as they would make vs beleeue they are It followes Vers 13. The Prophets shall goe away with the wind and the word is not in them thus shall it be done vnto them THe Prophet prosecutes the same doctrine wherfore this place is diligently to be noted in regard the externall ministery of the word is therin singularly recommended vnto vs. For what thing more detestable can be imagined The word is not in them than the deniall of God But if the word retaine not its authority it is all one as if the contemners should plucke God out of heauen and denie him to be God We see then how the maiesty of God is with an inseparable band ioyned with the outward preaching of the word And this verse tends to the very same end wherein Ieremiah discouers the scornes and deridings of the Iewes For hee brings them in speaking these words The Prophets shal be as the wind the word is not in them that is the euils wherwith they threaten vs shall fall vpon their owne heads It may be the Iewes vttered not such blasphemies in plaine tearmes but there was among them such a grosse and shamefull cōtempt of the Prophets that this impiety was manifested well enough to all the world by their practice it is not without cause then that he condemnes so odious an impiety whē they said the Prophets should go away with the wind As the most part of men at this day who when God thunders from heauen and by his seruants manifests sure signes of his displeasure they are not a whit moued therewith but stand scorning of vs and boldly repulse all feare farre enough off from them Oh! These are but words These Preachers thunder terribly Against such as thinke the preachers words are but wind when they are in their pulpits but all shall vanish in the aire and that which they denounce against vs shall light vpon their owne heads Many such scorners and profane persons we may heare of almost in euery corner who sticke not to disgorge such blasphemies Although as I haue said the Iewes peraduenture durst not spit thus openly as it were in Gods face But the holy Ghost who exerciseth his iurisdiction vpon mens hearts spirits secret intentions and affections no doubt iustly condemnes the Iewes of this so shamefull and execrable an impiety Albeit out of
other places it is not hard to collect how they were growne to such a pride that they made no bones in plaine tearmes to scorne all the threats which the Prophets denounced How euer it be the Prophet as in a glasse sets before vs to what a height the obstinate rebellion of the Iewes against God was now come vnto for he heere makes it plaine into what a wretched condition the Iewes were fallen when they durst set vpon the Prophets with such a desperate boldnesse as to charge them with words of vanitie and lies The Prophets say they shall vanish with the wind and then the word is not in them Thus the Iewes denied that any credit was to be giuen to the Prophets albeit they pretended the name of God for in their seeming they did but foolishly brag that this and that was commanded them of God We see heere then that all reuerence of found doctrine was troden vnder foot whereof we haue but too much experience at this day For what reuerence doe men for the most part shew towards the word of God This place then ought diligently to be obserued because we see heere as in a mirrour into what a malepertnesse and furie men plunge themselues after they haue once begun to call the truth of God into question Thus shall it be done vnto them or thus be it to them for some thinke it to be an imprecation Vers 12. as if the godlesse should say Let the Prophets to their owne ruine feele what force the sword famine and pestilence hath seeing they cease not day by day to dull our eares with such terrours let them then know what these scourges meane But we may retaine the tense of the verbe heere vsed so shall it be done vnto them as if they opposed against the seruants of God and as if themselues seemed to be his Prophets forsooth Well we haue a prophesie cleane contrary to his hee feares and terrifies vs in threatening the sword famine and the pestilence hee shall haue as good as he brings we will another while threaten that the sword famine c. are now to fall vpon them For by whose authority doe they thus insult ouer vs Is it not lawfull for vs to retort the same backe againe vpon them Now then we see the drift of this lattter member It followes Vers 14. Wherefore thus saith the Lord of hosts seeing you haue pronounced this word behold I will giue or will put my words in thy mouth as a fire or for a fire and this people shall be the wood and it shall deuoure them GOd heere shewes how insupportable this pride of theirs is vnto him when they contemned his Prophets by whose ministery he onely will be heard For albeit Iesus Christ had not at all pronounced this sentence He that heares you heares me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10.16 yet had this been a perpetuall law in regard God from the beginning meant that his seruants should be no lesse obeyed than if he himselfe had in his owne person descended downe from heauen And therefore the Iewes offered as much violence to God as oft as they contemned his Prophets as if they had presumed to haue spit in his owne face God now shewes then in what detestation hee hath this their folly and madnesse in that they profited nothing by the labours of his messengers Wherefore thus saith the Lord of hosts Ieremiah vseth this preface the better to awaken the Iewes For if in omitting these words Thus saith the Lord he had begun thus Because you haue pronounced this word behold God will make his words in my mouth as fier his doctrine would haue been receiued but by way of contempt But now putting the name of God in the first place neither yet that simply but adornes him with this title and calles him the Lord of hosts therein magnifying his power to terrifie them the more doubtlesse this must needs touch the Iewes to the quicke he saith then thus saith the Lord of hosts namely because you haue ponounced this word Hee often changeth the persons heere but it is that the doctrine which he brings might haue the more efficacy He might as well haue said in the third person Because they haue spoken thus behold I will put my words in thy mouth But he speakes one while to the people and then againe directs his speech to his seruant Ieremiah Hee saith then you cannot deny but you haue spoken thus that is you haue thus scorned me with your disdainfull speeches as if my Prophets whom I sent had buzed but an empty sound of words in your eares or had fed you with fables Behold saith he I will put my words in thy mouth as fier See vers 13. heere hee speakes to the Prophet and this people shall bee the wood and the fire shall deuoure them God compares his word to fire Why Gods word is compared here to fier not as in other places nor for the same end but there is a speciall cause of this similitude heere to wit that the words of the Prophets should consume the people as the fier consumes dry wood or stubble The word of God is elsewhere tearmed burning or flaming in regard it inflames the hearts of men and because it purgeth out and consumes away their drossinesse But the question heere is neither of the vtility which the word brings with it nor of the fruit which the faithfull reape from it For God simply denounceth that the Prophets doctrine shall be the ruine of the people and therefore he expresly saith I will put my words in thy mouth as a fier Had he onely said Behold my words shall bee as the fier and this people as the stubble this had not been cleere enough But in regard the Iewes had now accustomed themselues to disdainfull scoffings And I pray you what are these Prophets and what are their big and high words words that onely beate the aire Because the Iewes I say accustomed themselues to these contemptuous speeches therefore the Lord on the contrary answeres Behold I will put my words in thy mouth that is to say Thy tongue shall bee more than sufficient to abolish and root out this people Ieremiah then teacheth the same here which Paul doth in other words 2. Cor. 10.4.5 We haue vengeance ready against euery high thing that exalts it selfe against the Gospel of God For this vice hath raigned in all ages namely men haue either little respected or rather vtterly contemned Gods seruants Now Saint Paul seeing the Gospell despised of many saith that he and his fellow-ministers had vengeance ready as if he should haue said all the words we vtter shall bee as so many swords to ouerthrow and destroy the wicked though now through their malepertnesse they dare repulse Gods iudgement such a rebellion shall stand them in no stead They then shall feele no lesse efficacie in my words then if God from heauen had openly
been too deafe in hearkening to so many exhortations as also to those threatnings whereby thou hast more sharply pricked vs forwards to repentance grant that this our obstinacy may not alwayes remaine in vs but that in the end wee may subiect our selues vnto thee and that not by fits or for a moment but with a constant resolution that wee may for euer giue our selues wholly to thy seruice and that we may also so glorifie thy name that in the end we may attaine that glory which thou hast purchased for vs by the blood of thine onely Sonne Iesus Christ. Amen The end of Master Caluins Lectures vpon the fiue first chapters of the Prophesie of Ieremiah THE SVMME AND ORDER OF SVCH THINGS as are handled by the Author in his Lectures on the former Chapters of Ieremiah his prophesie The figures in the margin poynt to the Chapters and verses the residue to the page or pages where the things themselues are to be found The first Lecture THe first thing noted in this Lecture is the time when Ieremiah began to execute his propheticall office namely in the thirteenth yere of Iosiah his raigne ouer the kingdome of Iudah page 2. In the next place is noted how long he continued to execute his charge to wit vntill the Iewes were carried away captiue into Babylon which is thought to be for the space of fortie yeeres together p. 3. See vers 3. of this Chapter Whence is also noted his inuincible constancy first if regard be had to the message on which he was sent secondly to the parties vnto whom it was sent ibid. for which see verse 18. of this Chapter The summe of his message was to declare to the Iewes that the time of Gods last vengeance was now at hand because they had too long abused his patience and long forbearance of them p. 5. The Prophet by birth is said to be the sonne of Hilkiah one Chap. 1 Vers 1 of the Priests which were in Anathoth p. 7. And therefore that his office suted well to his person whereas Isaiah was called from the Court to be a Prophet and Amos from the heard p. 8. Vers 2 He ranne not before he was sent p. 9. 10. It is probable that Amon was rather Iosiah his legall than naturall father ibid. Vers 3 The note on this verse hath been obserued before in p. 3. Vers 4 His words mentioned in vers 1.2 are heere said to bee to be the Lords words p. 11. Vers 5 Hee was by Gods secret decree created a man that hee might be a Prophet to the nations p. 12. Vers 6 He heere shewes how loth he was to be imployed in the office of teaching p. 13. The second Lecture Vers 7 God opposeth his command against his modest excusing of himselfe thereby giuing him sufficient warrant to vndertake this charge notwithstanding all his insufficiencies p. 16. Vers 8 Arming him yet further against his immoderate feare promising him therewith his presence to accompany him and his protection ouer him p. 18. Vers 9 To which he yet adds a visible signe the better to confirme his faith heerein p. 19. Vers 10 Heere is shewed that Gods word in the mouth of his seruants is of soueraigne authority p. 21. 22. A two fold vse of the word viz. to root vp and to plant and why the words are so placed p. 23. Vers 11 Gods word and the effect therof goe euer together though to vs it doth not alwayes appeare so Vers 12 Which is signified by Ieremiahs vision of the rod of an Almond tree and thererefore vers 10. and 11. must bee considered both together p. 27. The third Lecture Vers 13 The nation of the Iewes compared to a seething pot p. 3. Vers 14 The first punishment threatned to be inflicted vpon them was that the Chaldeans should make such an inroade vpon Vers 15 them as that they should pitch their tents euen before the gates of Ierusalem p. 34. Vers 16 Heere is shewed what causes moued the Lord to bring so sharpe a iudgement vpon them first they forsooke the true God secondly they worshipped false Gods euen the workes of their owne hands p. 37. 38. Which iudgement let them take it as they would the Prophet Vers 17 must with all readinesse denounce against them for so much is implied when the Lord bids him Trusse vp his loynes c. p. 39. And lest he should slacken his duty the Lord armeth him againe the second time against immoderate feare adding thereto a seuere threat if he should decist viz. that he would surely be auenged on him p. 40. 41. The fourth Lecture Contrariwise if in the strength of the Lord hee went on Vers 18 cheerfully in doing his message God promiseth so to fortifie him that he should become inuincible albeit Kings Princes Priests and people should plot together to oppose him p. 43. Vers 19 44. 45. 46. The maine cause why God sent his Prophet to reclaime Chap. 2 Vers 1 them if it might be is heere said to be that free mercy and loue which at the first it pleased him to manifest towards Vers 2 them p. 51. 52. Here are recited many fruits flowing from this mercy and Vers 3 loue of God towards them the rather to aggrauate their disloyalty and vnthankfulnesse p. 54. 55. Now because their reuolt from God was causelesse as on Vers 4.5 his part and altogether bootlesse to them the Lord prefixeth to this accusation a solemne preface commanding them to giue him audience p. 56. 57. See vers 8. and 11. The fifth Lecture Taxing them for not seeking to him in their extremities Vers 6 who notwithstanding had done so great things for them but carried themselues aloof◠from them as if he had neuer done ought either for them or for their fathers before thē p. 59. 60. Now the better to set forth Gods prouident care ouer them together with their ingratitude for the same heere is a description of the wildernesse through which hee miraculously led them p. 61. Where he not onely preserued and fed them for many yeres Vers 7 but brought them afterwards into a land flowing with milke and honey but like foolish people and vnwise they turned his grace into wantonnesse p. 62. 63. Vers 8 Now their sinne of not asking after the Lord mentioned vers 6. was not to be charged vpon the common people alone but the Prophet shewes that euen their leaders and teachers were deeply guilty of the same crime with them p. 64. Not onely so but that therewithall they reuerenced dumbe Idols more than the liuing God albeit by experience they found that they honoured such gods as could giue them nothing Deut. 29.26 p. 67.68 See vers 5. Vers 9 For which they must make their reckoning to be called to their answere p. 69.70 Vers 10 Here the Lord compares them with people of forrain countreys Vers 11 shewing that those poore idolaters kept themselues closer to the seruice of their Idols than the
both the houses of Iudah and Israel are charged by Gods owne testimony to haue plaid the reuolters against him p. 278. Vers 12 For in plaine tearmes they affirmed that though the Lord by Ieremiah had threatened them thus sharply yet they should speed well enough for all that p. 279. 280. Vers 13 And therefore concluded that if any went to the walles it must be Ieremiah himselfe as for his words against them they should passe away with the wind without taking any effect at all p. 281. 282. Which intolerable pride of theirs in insulting ouer the word Vers 14 of the Lord in the mouth of his Prophet he could no longer endure and therfore as one taking his part against them denounceth that the words of his mouth which they esteemed as wind should become after to consume them euen as the stubble p. 283. 284. 285. Which metaphor of fier and stubble is here in plain termes Vers 15 explained p. 286. 287 The one and twentieth Lecture Heere vnder another metaphor he shewes how the enemy Vers 16 shall deuoure all p. 288. 289. The which he layes foorth in the particulars shewing how Vers 17 it shall reach to their defenced Cities and so to the persons euen of their sonnes and daughters as also to their sustenance and substance p. 289. And yet the Lord tels them they must expect no truce because Vers 18 his wrath was not turned away from them but should be stretched forth still p. 290 291. And if they would needs haue him to giue them an account Vers 19 of handling them thus seuerely he shapes them a ready answere to their demand p. 292 293. 294. But lest hee might bee thought to affright them with Vers 20 words onely he shewes his words shall be no lesse effectuall than if the enemy had already sounded an alarme to the battell p. 295. Which they could not be ignorant of but that they were become Vers 21 meerly senselesse and hartlesse p. 295. 296. Now lest they should make their replies God conuinceth Vers 22 them by a comparison taken from the boysterous Sea which is ready to be calmed at his onely becke and command but such was their rebellion that nothing would daunt them p. 297. 298. Heere the doctrine of the similitude formerly mentioned is Vers 23 applied home to the Iewes p. 299. 300. And though God came nearer to them by his benefits in Vers 24 giuing them the former and the latter raine yet all was one they remained insensible and vngratefull still they could not conceiue so much as a thought tending to thankefulnes 300. Vers 25 301. 302. The two and twentieth Lecture Therefore if they found God to restraine his benefits from Vers 26 such as restrained their thankes from him they were not to thinke it strange They might thanke themselues for it p. 304. 305. For their wickednesses were growne so apparant that the Vers 27 very fact it selfe conuinced them thereof to their very faces p. 305. 306. Shewing that Fowlers cages are not commonly more replenished with birds than their houses were filled with the Vers 28 booties they had filshed from the poore by their craft and subtilties p. 307. Neither was this to be found among the common sort but among the Iudges and Magistrates who because they were Vers 29 growne great by their oppressions neglected the cause of the poore and fatherlesse in iudgement p. 309. To which purpose he takes vp his speech againe vsed vers 9 which shewes that the Iewes were growne to be so hardened in Vers 30 sinne that God must at once auenge himselfe vpon them vnlesse he should cease to be the iust Iudge of the world p. 310. Vers 31 As before he had taxed them in the Magistracy so now by way of admiration at so horrible an impiety he taxeth them in the Ministery both Priests and Prophets in that by their flatteries and lies they made the people their prey who yet were willing enough for their parts to be so abused by them p. 311. 312. 313. Concluding the whole with this that seeing there was such disorder among all sorts both high and low therefore they must in the end looke for a miserable downefall p. 314. 315. FINIS
discouered his arme vnto them and had thence thundred downe vpon their heads And this is Ieremiahs meaning in this place Behold saith the Lord I will put my words in thy mouth as a fier that is there shall bee such force in thy words that the wicked shall well perceiue to their cost that thou art the executioner of my vengeance We ought aduisedly to bethinke vs of the doctrine of this place lest by our ingratitude wee prouoke Gods wrath so to be kindled against vs The word of God by our vnthankefulnesse may become a fier to consume vs which in it selfe is food to feede vs. that we cause his word to be conuerted into fier which otherwise is ordained for our food For to what purpose doth God send vs the ministers of his Gospell but to allure vs to life eternall and heereby sweetly to feed and refresh our soules The word of God therefore is vnto vs as the water wherewith our soules are besprinkled and washed It is indeed as a fier vnto vs but for our good It is a fier but it is to purge out our drosse not to consume vs. If wee then shall dare proudly to contemne this fier what will follow but that it be turned to the cleane contrary vse namely to deuoure and vtterly consume vs Now he saith the people shall be as wood in regard the wicked all the while they obstinately bend their iron brow against God thinke thereby to make his vengeance to recoyle a farre off from them But our Prophet derides this folly and saith they shall be consumed as wood or stubble It followes Vers 15. Behold I will bring vpon you O house of Israel a nation of a farre countrey saith the Lord an hard nation that is to say which shall be hardy an * or of an age ancient people a people whose language thou vnderstandest not or shalt not know neither shalt thou vnderstand what they shall say See Deut. 28.49 THe Prophet heere shewes how the people shall bee like to stubble or seare-wood namely because God shall send such a calamity as they little feared and the context is heere to be noted The Prophet told them in the former verse that his tongue should be as the fier now he applies this to the Assyrians Gods word and the efficacie thereof goeth alwaies together See Isa 55.10 11. 2. Cor. 2.14.15.16 and Caldeans It should seeme there is some repugnancy in these speeches But we haue formerly aduertised you that all Gods rods depend vpon the efficacie of the word When the City then was destroyed by the Assyrians and Caldeans then the fier according to the word which Ieremiah had foretold destroyed both the City and people In a word Ieremiah signifies that when the enemie shall approch respect must be had neither to their men nor munition nor yet to all the warlike powers they shall bring with them but that it shall be the execution of the doctrine which proceeded out of the Prophets mouth In another place we shall see how God sends Ieremiah to lay siege to the City but with what power None but himselfe alone without any munition at all True but this was a mystery to the reprobate and yet had it its effect For as the Prophet spake so did God execute that which proceeded out of his mouth We see heere then that the Caldeans came as it were out of Ieremiahs mouth euen as if the enemy minding to batter the walles of a City should shoot against it and play vpon the walles with Canon shot for which purpose we at this day haue new engins and inuentions for stratagems of warre to batter and raze Cities what are then all the engins of warre They are the fier which God casts out by the mouthes of his seruants and the doctrine by them taught The word of God hath greater force in it than is in all the engines of war brings forthwith with it all the preparations of warre that can be inuented not onely to destroy a City and people but the whole world also as oft as neede shall require I then will bring vpon you O house of Israel a nation from farre We haue told you elsewhere why the Prophet notes out this distance of place namely because the Iewes imagined they were safe enough in regard of these nations so farre remote from them as at this day if one should tell vs of the inuasion of the Turkes wee would reply Oh they haue enough to doe with many of other countreys let them that dwell neare them feare their incursions we hope it will be three or foure ages ere they come at vs. We see I say amongst vs such a carelesnesse to raigne in many The Prophet then that he might keep the Iewes from feeding their humours with this vaine confidence saith that this people shall bee in a readinesse at an instant though they come from farre He saith It is an hard or strong people The word Siecle is commonly vnderderstood of an 100. yeeres and a people which is wholly of an age by this word age he meanes not onely strong but hard or cruell For hee will say by and by they are all strong He calles this nation hard then in regard they were cruell afterwards he will also expresse their barbarity But first of all he saith it is of a whole age because when a nation hath ruled time out of mind it easily begets cruelty and pride in them This length of time often puffes vp mens hearts with pride and presumption and makes them the more cruell Now he speaks of their barbarity Thou saith he shalt not vnderstand their speech c. The tongue the image of the mind and a band that knits men together in humane society Wee know that in the tongue there is not onely a communication of words but also of affections The tongue is the liuely image of the mind as they vsually say and therefore it is a band that knits men together in humane society For were there no vse of the tongue wherein should men almost differ from beasts one would offer cruelty to another In a word there would be no humanity amongst them In as much then as speech vnites men together therefore the Prophet to terrifie the Iewes saith that this shall be a barbarous nation in regard there shall bee no community neither of speech nor of affections betweene them Whence it also followes that they should shew no pity in sparing the vanquished though they should vse neuer so many entreaties yea the poorer sort who peraduenture might find some fauour if their speech could be vnderstood euen those should obtaine no audience The Prayer Almighty God and heauenly father seeing thou maist iustly condemne in vs at this day that grosse and cursed impiety which in times past thou condemnedst by the mouth of thine holy Prophet in the ancient people the Iewes grant wee pray thee that we may not persist