second and third time to repentance which mercy as we see he daily exerciseth in the Churches This is the cause then why the Prophet repeats the same words againe Returne now againe O ye disobedient children He said before Vers 12. Thou disobedient Israel returne Now heere he adds For I haue been a husband vnto you Some thinke the word Baal which is heere vsed signifies to be sent but this signification in this place cannot agree therefore where others translate I haue had domination and lordship ouer you it agrees better but this lordship must not be vnderstood generally For after the Latines this domination is referred to the husband who is the wiues head Neither is it to bee doubted but God still continues his former speech See vers 1. and persists in the same similitude of marriage often mentioned before For he accused the Israelites of adulteries in regard they had forsaken him which is the cause he now adds And yet I am your husband He said before that if any man had put away his wife and that shee should marry another the first would neuer after be reconciled to her but contrariwise I willingly forgiue all your disloyalty and whoredomes onely hereafter carry your selues chastly towards me and you shall finde that I also will keepe my faith with you In like manner he saith heere I am your husband See vers 8. that is to say Albeit I haue put you away For hee told them before that hee gaue them a bill of diuorce that is he had as it were by a publike and autenticke instrument testified that he had cast them off and that he neuer meant afterwards to be ioyned vnto them againe in any couenant for their exile was a kind of diuorce Now he saith I am your husband for howsoeuer you haue by the breach of your faith much offended me yet doe I still continue my first plea I am your husband We now vnderstand the Prophets drift and meaning otherwise the Israelites might haue bin so forestalled with dispaire that they would vtterly haue distasted this fauourable accesse whereunto the Prophet calles and exhorts them To the end that slauish feare then should not hinder their returne God heere tels them hee will be their husband neither will he forget that first couenant and coniunction which in former time hee vouchsafed to make with them Thus you see the summe of his speech I haue once loued you with an husband-like affection true it is The summe you haue estranged your selues from me yet returne now againe vnto me for I am ready to pardon you and I will receiue you againe saith he as if you had alwayes kept your faith and loyalty with me But after he adds one out of a City two out of a family This place is well worthy our obseruation for God therin sheweth that they must not tarry one for another moreouer though all the body of the people generally should rot in the filthinesse of their sinnes God hath mercy in store if onely one will accept thereof yet if there were but one that would returne vnto him he would alwayes be ready to entertaine that one into his fauour Now this poynt was of exceeding great vse For Gods couenant was made to the whole seed of Abraham in generall and therefore they might thinke with themselues that this couenant was vtterly abolished vnlesse the whole people of God were againe gathered together Neither had God indeed chosen to himselfe out of this race one or two no not an hundred nor a thousand for hee had chosen the whole of-spring of Abraham Now because this promise was common to them all generally without any exception euery one might thus conceit in himselfe But what haue I to doe with God further than as in respect that I am descended of the race of Abraham It is not I alone then for we are all of vs the children of Abraham And yet I see scarce one that returnes to God it is of necessity then that I must likewise perish with the rest of the people Lest such a cogitation as this then should haue any way hindred or kept backe the godly therefore hee saith I will take one out of a City and two out of a family that is to say albeit there comes to me but one onely out of a City yet that one shall find the gate open if only two out of a Tribe repaire vnto me I will also entertaine them likewise Now we vnderstand the Prophets meaning I grant the expositors vnderstand these words one of a City as if God would not refuse to pardon three or foure although all the multitude besides perished But they touch not the maine matter which was chiefly intended to wit that God restraines his speech to two or three because as hath been said they might bee in perplexitie when they should thinke with themselues that all generally were chosen to bee a people consecrated vnto God Vse The fruite and benefit of which doctrine appertaines also euen to vs at this day For we see many which are so foolish to exclude themselues from all hope of saluation or at least lay such stumbling blockes in their owne way that they dare not come neere in regard one so gazeth vpon another that the multitude stumbles euery one in particular How comes it to passe that there are so many in the papacie who with a setled obstinacy resist God Is it not because they thinke to escape among the multitude Yea euen amongst our selues we see how one hinders another Therefore it behooues vs alwayes to remember this doctrine namely when God stretcheth forth his armes it is not onely to receiue the whole multitude together if with one consent they yeeld vnto him but as well to gather if it bee but two or three that shall come to him out of a City or out of the whole people He adds And I will bring you to Sion This hath been once spoken of before thus God would giue them to vnderstand that their exile should last but for a while and that the Israelites should once againe recouer their inheritance if he may perceiue in them a true and sound conuersion Vers 15. And I will giue you pastors according to mine owne heart and they shall feed you with knowledge and * or wisedome vnderstanding that is with knowledge and wisedome GOd here promiseth he will in such wise prouide for the good and welfare of the people after their returne out of their banishment that they shall not thenceforth bee in danger to fall into the like ruine For the cause why God executed this vengeance is to be obserued Isa 5.13 which also is specified by Isaiah in chap. 5. The reason saith hee why my people are led captiue is onely for want of knowledge Therefore hell hath enlarged her soule or throat He saith then that the reason why the people perished was because knowledge perished and that their
them ouer as gracelesse and desperate people This is it which I conceiue touching the true and naturall meaning of this place And to the same purpose he also adds thou saith he wast able that is thou ceasedst not to adde sinne to sinne but gauest thy selfe ouer to the committing of iniquity Now it followes Vers 6. And the Lord said to me in the dayes of King Iosias what hath this lewd or disdainfull Israel done others translate This rebell shee is gone vpon euery high mountaine and vnder euery greene tree and there hath she played the harlot 7 And after she had done all these things I said Returne vnto me Others translate in the third person Shee will returne and she returned not as her rebellious sister Iudah saw 8 And I saw that for all this for all these occasions or causes to wit that rebellious Israel had played the harlot I forsooke her I put her away and gaue her the bill of ber diuorce and yet her disloyall sister Iudah feared not but shee went also and played the harlot HEre the Prophet begins a new speech for he recites that which God had giuen him in charge and withall notes the time to wit whilest Iosias raigned Now it is well knowne that in his dayes the land was purged from all sorts of superstitions For this good King endeauored to restore Gods pure worship and to abolish all the filthy corruptions wherewith the Temple and religion it selfe had been wholly infected and defiled He therefore manfully imployed himselfe in this businesse neither is it to be doubted but as touching the outward face of things religion and piety then seemed to flourish yet shall we see how in the greater part of the people hypocrisie and counterfait holinesse beare a great sway which often falls out when the heads and gouernours of countreys desire to maintaine the purity of Gods worship and to purge out the corruptions that haue crept in For ye shall euer see some which carry a faire shew for a time and yet in the meane while will not sticke to continue still in their obstinacy against God This was then the state of the Commons Which we are diligently to obserue because it might be thought that Ieremiah carried himselfe somewhat too harshly towards his nation for reformation was in euery mans mouth as the greater part of those at this day who at the beginning of reformation made goodly shewes of their readinesse to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell and yet after they had renounced all popish superstitions now willingly content themselues with a slight reformation wherein they glory But in the meane while they shift off Christs yoke and cannot endure to be subiect to the discipline of the Church In a word they could wish that all order and policy were ouerthrowne And yet for all this as oft as they are taxed for their sinnes they are ready to couer themselues with this faire pretext of reformation And doubtlesse Ieremiah had euen such in his time to deale withall This is the cause why he expreslly notes that he had this commission in the dayes of Iosias to wit euen then whilest the King bent himselfe to set vp Gods worship in the purity of it and whilest none durst contradict it for during this time wee may perceiue that God was called vpon with one consent without any outward superstitions But what is the summe of this message or ambassage Hast thou not seene saith he what this disdainfull Israel hath done God heere compares the ten Tribes with the kingdome of Iudah to which as we know was added halfe the Tribe of Beniamin hee compares Israel then with Iudah and saith Seest thou not what this rebellious Israel hath done Now he brings in the kingdome of Israel and Iudah vnder the person of a wife For as we haue seene heretofore God takes vnto himselfe the person of an husband in respect of the people Chap. 3.1 Thus then hee saith he hath had two wiues to wit Israel and Iudah I grant God had married to himselfe in one marriage the whole seed of Abraham But Ieremiah speakes heere by way of granting them so much For albeit the Israelites had reuolted from God yet had he not vtterly reiected them so the couenant held as yet in part In this sense hee acknowledgeth as well Israel as Iudah for his wiues Hee saith then Hast thou not seene what this disdainfull Israel hath done This word To disdaine or turne away is diuersly taken by the expositors but it may properly bee translated lewd or loose Desbauchée See saith hee how shee is gone vpon euery high mountaine and vnder euery greene tree c. The summe of Gods complaint heere is That the ten tribes haue falsified the faith of this holy marriage Why so Because they bowed before idols and that vpon euery high mountaine and vnder euery greene tree For as we haue said it was their custome to chuse out those places as if there had been some holinesse vpon the tops of the mountaines or vnder the shadow of the greene trees He therewithall adds Notwithstanding I said Vers 7. Gods meaning in these words is that he tarried long in suspending his iudgement before he chastised the people of Israel Heere therefore wee see the praise of his patience not onely in not proceeding in his wrath against the Israelites but also in that he forbare them and for a long time held his peace to see if they would come to amendment I said then after thou hadst committed all these things returne to me If wee reade this place in the third person the sense will be this I alwayes hoped well of their amendment and that they would at length returne againe into the right way albeit they had fallen so grosly yea notwithstanding they had so wickedly reiected me in reuolting from me and in forsaking their faith and and all piety But I rather encline to the contrary opinion namely that God heere shewes how his purpose was to recall and bring backe the ten Tribes by his seruants the Prophets notwithstanding they prouoked him to wrath and iealousie Thus then God meant heere to shew how the Israelites were bent to obstinacy and rebellion for he did but loose his labour though hee tooke such paines by all good meanes to bring them home to himselfe I take this word said then for the Prophets doctrine as if he should say Although the Israelites were plunged as it were ouer head and eares in their impieties yet left I no meanes vnattempted for all that to see if I could cause them to returne vnto me In a word he shewes how he resembled not those husbands which could neuer be brought in any sort to be reconciled with their wiues after they haue been prouoked to ielousie by the disgraces and wicked outrages which haue been offered them God hereby shewes then that albeit the Israelites had forsaken him yet he sent them his Prophets yea and
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
yeeres by Gods immediate hand and not after an ordinary manner For they had no bread to nourish them neither had they water God caused water to flow out of the rocke and afterwards hee filled them with bread which fell from heauen neither did their garments waxe old by length of time Wee see then that their fault is heere augmented by the circumstance of time now follow the things which I spake of For the Prophet calles the desart a dry or vast land a terrible land an hidious or horrible land a land of deadly darknes As if he should say you were preserued in the middest of many deathes for none euer passed through this land neither did any saith the Lord euer inhabite there Whence appeared your safety then or from what fountaine Truly euen from death it selfe saith he For as for the desart what was it but an hideous spectacle in which you might from all parts bee viewed to bee not onely compassed about with one but with an hundred deaths Seeing God then beyond the order of nature brought you by a stretched out arme from out of Egypt and sustained you forty yeres long in the desart what shew or colour of reason haue you to excuse such a folly or rather madnesse that are now so farre estranged from me Doct. Now hence we are taught that the more mercies God hath bestowed vpon vs the more fiercely shall the guiltinesse of our consciences wound vs especially if after all this we forsake him also our malice and vnthankfulfulnesse shall be so much the lesse inexcusable but most of all if hee haue held on the course of these his benefits for a long space and after diuers manners towards vs. He goes on in the next words And I haue caused you to enter Ieremiah brings in God himselfe speaking here namely how he stretched forth his hand as it were to this poore of-spring of Abraham that hee might put them in possession of the land of promise for as it is said in the 44. Psal 44.3 Psalme It was neither by their arme nor sword that they obtained this possession for albeit they had to fight indeed against many enemies yet in all their battails notwithstanding the victory came of the Lord. And thus he might truly and rightly affirme that they entred no otherwise into this land than by his conduct and leading to wit in opening a way and passage vnto them and in ouercomming and destroying their enemies that they might enter into and enioy the land which hee had promised them I haue brought you then saith hee into the land of Hacarmel Some take this to bee the proper name of the place and certainly mount Carmel is so called in respect of the great fruitfulnesse thereof For as much then as this mountaine tooke its name in respect of the richnesse of the soyle what maruell is it if Ieremiah compares the land of Israel to mount Carmel Others expound it as if the particle which imports a similitude should be heere vnderstood I haue caused you to enter into a land which is like to Carmel but what neede wee offer violence to the Prophets words I thinke then that the noune is a noune appellatiue signifying fruitfulnesse namely that the Israelites were conducted by the hand of God into a plentifull and fruitfull land of the fruitfulnesse whereof mention is often made as well in the Law as in the Prophets To eate his fruit and his abundance that is to say The end why I brought you in thither was to enioy the great abundance and large reuenue thereof God by these words then meant to make it knowne to the Israelites that it was their duties to haue been prouoked by such benefits to serue him in vprightnesse in regard he had sought by such ientlenesse to draw them to himselfe and had vsed them after so gracious a manner But so much the more as God had shewed himselfe liberall towards them so much the lesse insupportable was their vnworthy reuolt in forsaking God and in contemning such abundance and variety of all good things For which cause he addes afterwards And you polluted my land and haue made mine heritage an abomination as if hee should haue said This is the recompence and the reward that I reaped from my bounty I vsed towards you Indeed I gaue you this land but vpon condition that you should serue mee in holinesse and righteousnesse therin but you saith he haue polluted it Now he calles it his land or heritage God so giues vs leaue so to vse his benefits that still he reserues the right and title of them to himselfe as if hee should say I so gaue you this land that in the meane while I neuer meant to shut my selfe out of that right and interest which I haue in it howsoeuer I was content you should reape the whole commodity of it He shewes then that they had wickedly abused his bounty in polluting this land notwithstanding it was dedicated to his name and honour He calles it his heritage in the same sence as if hee should say You haue in such wise possessed this land by right of inheritance that yet the heritage came to you from me your heauenly father They were to consider then that they therefore entred into this land because it was giuen for an heritage to Abraham and his children But by whose gift Was not God the author of it Their ingratitude therefore was so much the more detestable in that they had made such an heritage to become an abomination It followes Vers 8. The Priests said not Where is the Lord and those which kept or had kept the Law knew me not and the Pastors behaued themselues disloyally towards me and the Prophets prophesied in Ball that is to say by Baal and haue walked after things which did nothing profit them NOw God ioynes issue especially with those that had the charge of teaching in the Church and with those that had authority to rule and gouerne the people For it may very often fall out that the common people will bee irregular whilest the heads and leaders notwithstanding shal be carefull to walke sincerely and in vprightnesse But God heere shewes that this nation was become so degenerate The faults of the Superiours excuseth not the sinne of the Jnferiours that Priests Prophets Rulers yea the heads of the people and all had abandoned the true seruice of God and all righteousnesse towards men Now in that Ieremiah thus sets vpon the Priests and Teachers and the rest he therein excuseth not the multitude neither goes he about thereby to extenuate or lessen those foule crimes and enormities which were rife in euery place as we shall perceiue hereafter in the processe of the text although we know diuers there are who thinke they may fence themselues against Gods accusations by alleaging Wee are not so well instructed to discerne betweene truth and falshood is it not enough to doe as our leaders
redemption vpon such gracelesse ones who thus abused their liberty For they tooke occasion hereby to ouerflow in all lasciuiousnesse But if any had rather follow the other reading I will not gainsay him and then the sense will be It is long agoe since I disburthened thee of thy yoke and brake thy bands but thou hast said that is thou didst promise me for he speaks of this people as of a woman which is the cause that it is put heere in the feminine gender as also in regard that God held the place of an husband towards his people therefore he no sooeer accuseth them of disloyalty but he by and by speakes vnto them as an husband doth to a shamelesse woman who hath giuen ouer her selfe to the committing of adultery Thou therefore hast said vnto me that is to say thou didst promise me that thou wouldest not passe that is that thou wouldest assuredly keepe thy selfe chast and loyall to me alone And thus in stead of the particle ki which among the Hebrewes is a note of rendring the cause we may put in the place of it an aduersatiue to wit Notwithstanding it being so taken in other places of the Scriptures But or Notwithstanding then thou hast runne vpon euery high mountaine c. as harlots are wont to doe in seeking their maintenance But as I haue said I rather thinke that God complaines heere of his people in that by the fauour hee shewed them touching their deliuerance and freeing them from the yoke they thereby tooke occasion to giue ouer themselues to all dissolute behauiour For thus the text runnes very well and all the parts and members thereof concur very fitly one with another Whereas the Lord puts them in mind of breaking their bands and bursting their yoke some referre this onely to the first redemption But I mislike not of their opinion who thinke the Prophet speakes of many deliuerances For we know the Israelites were not for once onely deliuered out of the land of Egypt but that God euer anon stretched forth his hand assoone as they were afflicted and oppressed He had long since then taken the peoples yoke from of their neckes but it was at sundry times as we may perceiue by the history of the Iudges See Nehem. 9.28 Seeing the peoples liberty then proceeded meerly from Gods free bounty who had for the sames sake redeemed them ought they not to haue yeelded themselues obedient to their Redeemer For the people were therefore set at liberty The end why God redeemes vs. that they should wholly dedicate themselues to his seruice Thus then God heere accuseth the ingratitude of this people because they imagined hee thus deliuered them Doct. that they might afterwards resemble wild beasts as wee shall see hereafter That wee may the better vnderstand the Prophets meaning then we must haue an eye to that which Saint Paul saith in Rom. 6. namely that whilest we serue sinne wee are freed from Gods righteousnesse for then we runne after our lusts and haue no bridle left to keepe vs in But after God hath once set vs free from this wofull seruitude vnder sinne then wee begin to be seruants vnto him and his righteousnesse And thus being freed and deliuered from sinne wee become seruants of righteousnesse this is the end of our redemption But many abuse this grace of God taking occasion thereby to breake foorth into all intemperancy Vse behauing themselues so inordinatly as if there were no law nor rule to keepe them within the bounds of holinesse and honesty This is the cause then why God complaines of the Israelites But thou saidst I will not serue for it is too grosse an ingratitude yea it is too much that thou hast done already to dreame that I haue not redeemed thee as also not to vnderstand that my meaning in vsing thee with such respect was to teach thee that thou wert wholly mine For he that is redeemed by another is no more his owne 1. Cor. 6.19.20 What Condition redemption containes in it God had redeemed this people and therefore the redemption contained in it an obligation binding the people ouer to yeeld voluntary obedience vnto God and to be gouerned by him Thou hast said then I will not serue Thus God complaines that he hath ill imployed the benefits and graces which hee bestowed vpon the people in regard they abused the liberty hee gaue them to all excesse of riot And the reason which followes manifests it yet better For thou runnest as an harlot saith hee vpon euery high mountaine and vnder euery greene tree For we know that the Israelites no sooner reuolted from Gods true worship but they chose them places here and there as if the tops of the mountaines and shadowie places vnder greene trees had had more holines in thē than any other And euen thus it fares with the Papists at this day for their deuotion that is to say that diuellish fury which transports them from place to place is the very same Oh say they such a place is holier and better than that So did the Israelites for they thought themselues nearer heauen when they were mounted aloft vpon the tops of the hils likewise they thought they they had more familiar accesse to God when they were below vnder the thicke shade And we see also how euery profane man almost is bewitched after the same manner For when they are on the mountaines they thinke that makes them nearer to God they also imagine that some diuinity is secretly included as well by the riuers sides as vnder greene trees For as much then as this superstition had long continued among the Israelites God heere thus reprocheth them for their running and wandring to and fro But the similitude which hee vseth must be obserued For he compares them to harlots who hauing cast off all shamefastnesse trudge hither and thither not onely to satisfie their base and filthy lusts but also their insatiable couetousnesse whlch sets them so on gog He saith then Thou rannest about vpon euery mountaine and vnder euery leaued tree like an harlot or harlot that thou art as if hee should say See the reward thou gauest me for my mercy in redeeming thee thou thinkest thou hast obtained leaue now to ouerflow now in all impiety Thinke well then what hath occasioned thee thus to prostitute thy selfe to all villany and wickednesse It followes Vers 21. And I planted thee as a vine of choyce noble or exquisite for so much the Hebrew word signifies wholly of faithfull plants or approoued seed and how art thou then turned vnto me into the plants of a strange or wild vine GOd here cōfirmes that he said in the former sentēce for there he condemned the Israelites because they ranne riot after their superstitions notwithstanding God had redeemed them to another end namely that they should suffer themselues to be gouerned by his hand I saith he then haue planted thee a choyce vine that is to
the Prophet shewes that the estate and condition of the Iewes was vtterly desperate seeing they would no more be admonished nay on the contrary they were growne so obstinate that they durst vaunt of their innocency Thou hast said note that he still speakes in the singular number as to a wife Thou hast notwithstanding said Surely I am cleane See how hypocrites not onely labour with diuers maskes to excuse themselues but more than that are so bold as to aduance themselues and houer in the ayre as if by their confident pride they would scale euen the very heauens As if they had said Who dare chalenge vs Lo how hypocrites come in loftily aduancing themselues in despiting and setting light by the seruants of God thinking by their great crakes to put them to silence Now he condemnes the Iewes of the like arrogancy because albeit they were manifestly conuinced yet they feared not to affirme that they were altogether innocent Onely let him keepe backe his wrath from me Behold yet another fault for which the Prophet reprocheth the Iewes namely because they complained that God offered them wrong whilest by his chastisements and reprehensions hee endeauoured to bring them into the right way For it is well knowne that God had already many wayes afflicted the Iewes besides he had thereunto added many sharp and seuere reprehensions By which two meanes he prooued if hee might any way doe them good But what did they Surely I haue no way offended him but God is displeased against me without cause onely let him withdraw his anger from me As if they had said If so be God will not vse his absolute power against vs and will not deale rigorously with vs nor handle vs seuerely it will be easie for vs to proue our innocency See how the wicked disgorge their blasphemies against God when they feele themselues throughly gauled with sharpe and seuere admonitions What should I doe I know I am not able to resist God fights but against a shadow when hee afflicts me on this manner I willingly beare not onely all the aduersities he layes vpon me but wherewith hee presseth and persecuteth me yet therein he wrongs me For if hee would proceed with me according to equity I would be able to proue that I haue not deserued all the euils which hee hath brought vpon me Thus the Iewes dealt with God Onely let him withdraw his anger from vs and then we shall make our party good or at the least we might be somewhat borne withall Now we haue the Prophets meaning in this verse namely that the Iewes were growne bold and audacious not onely by their cursed pride in making a shew of their innocency but also in that they durst plead with God as if he had handled them too seuerely by his prerogatiue royall and as if he meant not to call them to a iudicious hearing but proceeded against them rigorously that so hee might ouerthrow and destroy them Behold saith hee I will iudge thee because thou hast said I haue not sinned Some translate I iudge or condemne But questionlesse there is heere a close opposition betweene the wrath of God and his iudgement For the people complained because God vsed them too seuerely the question here then is touching his wrath Now God he opposeth against that his iudgement You need not saith he pretend this excuse for in the end it will goe all into smoke because I will proceed in iustice against you thar is I will manifest it by the effects that I am a iudge and no tyrant that I doe execute such chastisements as are due and euery way agreeable to law you are therefore to know that I fare not like a furious man who in his rage auengeth himselfe vpon his enemies yea and proceeds with them according to his blind and inordinate passions but I will saith hee shew my selfe a iudge Hence we may gather a profitable instruction And in the first place God cannot endure we should iustifie our selues before him when we be guilty let vs obserue that God abhorres nothing more than this obstinacy when we will needs be reputed guiltlesse albeit our owne consciences condemne vs. Let vs also in the second place note that all such as aduance themselues thus with this insolencie and pride and with an impudent obstinacy For that is to rush against God not sticking to vphold themselues in their sinnes that they forthwith iustle against God For all the false pretences which men alleage come alwayes to this issue namely that God must thereby be condemned as one that deales vniustly and too seuerely But will you see what such kind of persons get by this God will in the end make it appeare to all the world that hee is iudge and thereby also will manifest the course he holds in discouering and bringing to light the wickednesse of those who thinke by shifts cauils and friuolous excuses to escape his iudgement seat It must needs be then that whosoeuer rebelliously vseth these practises against God must at length come to that which the Prophet heere mentions to wit they shall be enforced will they nill they to confesse that God neuer carried himselfe rigorously towards them neither that he vsed any vniust tyranny ouer them but that they were chastised according to their deserts The Prayer Almighty God seeing we are stuffed full with such variety of vices and that wee so often yea and so many wayes prouoke thee to wrath and indignation against vs grant that at least we neuer harden our hearts against thy holy admonitions but may rather shew our selues pliable and obedient and at the very first may turne vnto thee lest our pride and rebellion force thee at length to manifest thy mighty hand to our confusion but rather for as much as heretofore wee haue had experience of thy fatherly affection and liberality towards vs so we also may yeeld willingly to learne our duties for the time to come that thus wee accustoming our selues to beare thy yoke at the last attaining to the end of our race which thou hast set before vs we may also obtaine that blessed rest which is prepared for vs in heauen through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE TENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE SIXTH VPON THE second Chapter Vers 36. To what purpose runnest thou about to change thy wayes Thou shalt be as well confounded of Egypt as thou hast been of Ashur THe Prophet goes on still with the same argument For in vers 33. hee affirmed that the people resembled a disloyall wife who forsaking her husband gads hither and thither to satisfie her whorish lust Now in this verse he giues the reason of that which hee he said there For had he not now shewed what he taxed them there for as with the finger it might haue seemed that he had dealt too seuerely with this people For this cause then he saith they gadded or ranne but not after a common manner for it was in
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
with so many words he inculcates and with such diuersities of speech repeats one and the same thing which he could not haue deliuered so well in plaine tearmes nor in a word or two For oft times the doctrine will little auaile vnlesse exhortations and threatnings bee added thereunto You see now to what end and for what cause hee so often and in so many words repeates one and the same thing also why he hath expounded that at large which we saw before I haue saith he heard a voice as of her that trauelleth Doubtlesse this must bee taken otherwise than the words sound for it is certaine that Ieremiah was no quicker of hearing than the rest vnlesse wee would say that being mounted vpon an high turret he saw Gods iudgement approching a farre off whereof the people at that time made but slight reckoning that he might represent the same out vnto others He saith then that he heard and that no lesse plainly than if the thing had been present before him He further amplifies the matter by a word which signifies anguish and then in stead of a woman that hath had a child he puts a woman that trauels of her first borne where the sorrow is greater Ieremiah shewes then that this people which could not bee reclaimed from their sinnes should shortly fall into an horrible and extreame misery But withall he secretly intimates as also the holy Ghost speakes in other places that the ruine which was to come should suddenly come for when they should say Peace and safety then should sudden destruction fall vpon their heads 1. Thes 5.3 So likewise the Prophet in this place shewes that the Iewes shall get nought by standing in their obstinate courses against God as if therefore the iudgement were the further off from them for sorrow should suddenly ouertake them as the labour comes vpon a woman that is iocund who eates and drinkes merrily but yet the sorrowes of her trauell will not cease for all that to take her suddenly in the necke Euen so our Prophet aduertiseth the Iewes that they should not thinke to put backe Gods vengeance by their fond confidence and ouer-weening because the plague should surprize them and they should feele their ruine ere they were aware And yet as I haue said hee expresseth their calamity vnder similitudes and borrowed speeches The voyce saith he of the daughter of Sion shall lament or bewaile her case Some translate in the second person Thou shalt lament and shalt spread or wring in pieces thine hands but this cannot well agree because it by and by followes her hands in the third person He saith then that the voice of the daughter of Sion shall witnesse her great dolour and affliction because shee shall lament And forthwith adds the smiting of the hands for the expositors translate the words diuersly But in regard the Hebrew word signifies properly to rend and teare in pieces or diuide I thinke the Prophet meant to expresse the gestures of a woman that is in labour For they are wont thus to smite their hands one against another and to diuide and intermingle their fingers one within another Others translate They spread in regard the hands are as it were cut or diuided when they are thus lifted or holden vp in the ayre As touching the matter it selfe the Prophets meanning is not obscure for he foreseeth that God will send an horrible iudgement so as the Iewes shall lament after an extraordinary manner as women are wont to doe that are brought into some desperate extremity Lastly he concludes his speech saying Woe is me now my soule fainteth c. The Prophet meant heere to aduertise them that howbeit they were all as blind as bats at noone day yet he apparantly perceiued Gods iudgements whereat they fleered and laughed or at least the wicked made but a sport of them He saith his soule fainteth in regard of those which were slaine and yet none were killed But by this phrase of speech he testifies that he already saw those things which were secret and vnknowne as it were before his eyes which made them to be so little moued at them The Prayer Almighty God seeing we are lulled so fast asleepe in our sinnes grant at least that we may be attentiue in hearkening to the examples of thy wrath which thou hasts been pleased to set before our eyes that at other mens cost wee may learne to feare thee Let vs also carefully consider what threatnings thou vsest to draw vs to thy selfe because thou canst not win vs by ientlenesse Therewithall also cause vs to feele that thou wilt alwayes be mercifull and fauourable to such poore sinners as vnfainedly seeke thee and conuert vnto thee with their whole hearts Giue vs likewise to be armed against our sins and infirmities that we may earnestly striue to dispatch our selues out of Satans nets which at euery turning hee spreads for vs that giuing ouer our selues with full liberty to thy seruice we may take such delight in an holy course that our chief end may be to please thee in the whole tenour of our life that so our seruice and obedience may bee acceptable vnto thee through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE FIRST VPON THE fifth Chapter Vers 1. Walke you others translate enquire or espy or seeke by the wayes of Ierusalem and see I pray you for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put heere to exhort in the former verse we thought fit to translate it Now Woe is mee now and know and enquire through the streets or in the crosse wayes where streets meet if there you can find a man if there be any that executeth iudgement that is truly that seeketh the truth and I will spare or pardon it IN this verse as also in the rest following God shewes he is not ouer seuere nor rigorous albeit hee denounceth such extreame calamities against his people Because their wickednesse was become vtterly incurable and therefore hee had no other meanes but this left Isa 65.2 Psalm 81.13 For we know what hee often testifies in the Scripture namely that he is patient that he waites to see if sinners will come to repentance Seeing God then euery where extols his clemency promising that he will shew mercy to the most wicked if they repent for as much also as hee freely preuents sinners it should seeme strange that with so great seuerity hee riseth vp in anger against his Church But wee see what obstinacy and peruersenesse there is in the minds of the wicked and therefore they feare not to make their complaints against God and to call him to an account as it were before them as if hee dealt too rigorously with them For this cause then God now shewes that it was not his fault that the people were not pardoned for as if he should haue said though I would yet they would not I grant he speakes heere after the manner of men Mat.
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