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
the obtaining of pardon which he doth not so much for their sakes to wit in regard of the Israelites as in respect of those which were his owne countrey-men and among whom hee liued To wit those of Iudah For as hath been often said hee principally respects the Iewes who yet were so hardened in their vices that they imagined their brethrens example belonged not at all vnto them albeit thereby God meant to bring their hard hearts to repentance This is the reason then why he so sharply reprooues the Israelites See vers 11. hauing before said that the Iewes were worse than they Vers 21. A voyce is heard vpon the high places the teares of the prayers of the children of Israel because they haue peruerted their way and haue forgotten the Lord their God HEre we may more euidently perceiue that which I touched erewhile namely that the Israelites are set as a spectacle for the Iewes to the end these peruerse creatures whom God had so long spared might know they should by no meanes escape scot-free vnlesse they returned betimes to the Lord their God For the Prophet here shewes how the Israelites lamented and wept in regard they had seuered themselues from their God and had violated their faith which once they plighted to him But what of all this Euen that the Iewes who pleased themselues in their delights might bee awakened and that they should as verily keepe their turne also in weeping and mourning vnlesse they betimes preuented Gods iust iudgements It is true that the teares and lamentations of the Israelites were not yet such that by them the signes of true repentance might be discerned neither is it the Prophets meaning heere highly to extoll their piety hee onely meant to note that they were thus sharply chastised because they had forsaken God There was a voyce then heard in the high places saith he that is it was manifest enough that the Israelites were cruelly afflicted by the enemies Now then they cry and weepe now they thinke themselues the onely miserable people in the world But whence come these lamentations They had saith he peruerted their way which is as much as if he had said what a prodigious thing is it to see the Iewes thus sottish as not to be a whit touched with repentance by the punishments which are inflicted vpon their brethren For the afflictions which befell the the Israelites astonished the whole world because that kingdome and countrey which had long flourished was now dispeopled and in stead of them wild beasts possessed the land vntill some were sent from persia and others out of the Westerne parts to inhabite there How was it possible then that a countrey so rich and populous should lie wast Euen because God had so foretold it by Moses You haue saith he reiected my Sabbaths Leuit. 26.34.35 therefore shall your land rest and shall no more be disquieted by you This was a very horrible spectacle of Gods iudgement and the nations a farre off might well thinke with themselues Surely this people hath grieuously offended God seeing he hath so seuerely scourged them Now the Iewes which saw such a wast made in this land before their eyes and their brethren thus dispersed heere and there must they not be more than senselesse when they tooke none of these things to heart We see then the Prophets meaning A voyce saith hee was heard vpon the high places as if the Israelites had cried and wept vpon the tops of the mountaines The teares saith he of prayers yet he meanes not those prayers which were the testimonies of true faith and repentance Hee onely vnderstands those lamentations which testified their sorrow vnder their afflictions The Prophet meant not then to shew heere what confession the Israelites made but rather to note out the cause why they were brought thus pitifully to bewaile their calamities and miseries namely because they had peruerted their wayes and had forgotten the Lord their God It followes Vers 22 Returne ye rebellious children I will heale your transgressions behold * or we will come we come vnto thee for thou art the Lord our God 23. Truly the sides of the little hils the multitude of mountaines deceiue certainly the saluation of Israel is in Iehouah our God NOw the Prophet exhorts the Israelites to repentance that by their example he might prouoke the Iewes to doe the like I grant the poore captiues might indeed gather some fruit from this doctrine but in regard Ieremiah was after a peculiar manner sent to the Iewes questionlesse he chiefly bent his endeauours that way as we said before God heere shewes then that he is ready to be reconciled with the Israelites Vers 22. albeit they haue grieuously offended and afterwards he brings in the Israelites themselues with their answere Behold wee come vnto thee c. or we will come For there is greater likelihood that the Prophet speakes heere of that conuersion of the ten Tribes which should afterward bee effected Heere is a kind of dialogue then A dialogue betweene God and the Israelites betweene God and the Israelites God of his meere grace calles them to repentance saying Returne ye rebellious children In the next place he promiseth to play the part of a good physition in healing all their diseases I saith he will heale your transgressions that is I will blot out all your sinnes and will absolue you from all your offences See heere what office God performes on his part First he summons the Israelites to repentance and then promiseth them pardon telling them that the remedie is ready at hand if they harden not their hearts against this call On the other side the Israelites for their parts answere Behold we will come vnto thee Now in this place the Prophet taxeth the obstinacy of the Iewes when he saith the Israelites shall not harden their neckes after God hath once graciously called them home to himselfe but will rather shew themselues flexible and ready to yeeld obedience to his voyce I grant this was not accomplished in respect of the generall after they had leaue to returne onely some few of them were thus affected who preferred Gods honour before their owne priuate commodities I say there were very few euen of these neither is it any great maruell For it is not without cause God said before that albeit there came but one out of a City See vers 14. or but two out of a Tribe yet for all that he would readily receiue them although others in the meane while should remaine hardened in their obstinate courses How euer it be God heere signifies that the Israelites shall not be so head-strong but they shall yeeld to his admonitions after he hath giuen them good hope of pardon and of their redemption which he the rather doth that he might make the obstinacy of the Iewes to become so much the more odious and detestable Others thinke the Prophet heere reprocheth the Israelites
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
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
two expositions which I haue set downe will agree very well although the latter agrees yet best of all How long then shall thy vaine thoughts remaine in the middest of thee to wit whereby thou deceiuest thy selfe For in regard God held his iudgements in suspense the Iewes verily thought they should escape his hands Moreouer in regard of their effect they were thoughts of molestation and trouble For what other thing in the end could betide them but to feele and know that those who thus abuse and deceiue themselues doe nothing else but prouoke Gods wrath to wax so much the more hot against thē Wheras some expound it Cogitations of griefe in the actiue signification in regard the Iewes had done their neighbours many wrongs and outrages it agrees no more than the former but it also is vnapt I nothing doubt than but the Prophet heere mentions those false hopes which the Iewes conceiued in their heads which caused them to grow the more obstinate and rebellious against God in such sort as they abandoned all feare of punishment The Prayer Almighty God since thou vouchsafest to call vs yea and daily to allure vs to repentance and that therewithall wee haue also the testimony of our owne consciences to conuince vs as hauing many wayes prouoked thy iust vengeance against vs suffer vs not any longer to remaine hardened in our vices nor yet that our hearts may grow obstinate through vaine deceits but Lord let vs suffer our selues to be subdued by thy word and that we may giue ouer our selues to thee with such purity and sincerity of heart that for the whole course of our liues we may mind nothing more than to exercise our selues in the meditation of that newnesse of life which thou requirest of vs that being consecrated and set apart vnto thee both in heart and life we may endeauor to glorifie thine holy name vntill we be made partakers of that glory which thou hast purchased vnto vs by the blood of thine onely Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE SIXTEENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE THIRD VPON THE fourth Chapter Vers 15. For a voyce declareth vnto Dan and publisheth calamity or punishment others translate iniquity from mount Ephraim THe Prophet repeats that which he said before namely that the Iewes are destinated to perdition by their obstinacy in regard they had too often and sundry wayes prouoked God to wrath against them neither would they giue place to his holy admonitions which he sent them by his seruants the Prophets in offering them grace and forgiuenesse vpon their true repentance But whatsoeuer we read heere in this verse represents as it were to the life that calamity which was now at hand in regard the Prophet sets that before their eyes in figures which could not bee expressed in bare words He saith the voice declareth vnto Dan See vers 6. now this was the vtmost City bordering vpon the North. And hee said before that from this part a plague should come that is to say from the North because God had chosen the Chaldeans to be the executioners of his vengeance For that cause he now saith the voice may bee heard from Dan not that the armie was now ready to giue the onset vpon the Iewes but Ieremiah speakes heere by the spirit of prophesie as if he represented the iudgement before the eyes of the Iewes which yet they thought would neuer haue come to passe For we told you yesterday that when God spares the hypocrites for a little space they become the more obstinate and doe the more boldly insult ouer the Prophets For this cause Ieremiah seeing he had to deale with blockish persons it was necessary for him to adorne his doctrine with such figures as might euidently shew that the iudgement of God was neere which yet little affected the Iewes He saith then let the voice bee heard from Dan and let trouble or punishment or calamity bee published for that other reading whereof I aduertised you is very harsh in regard the Hebrew word properly signifies Iniquity but it is also fitly taken for punishment Notwithstanding when the Prophets vse this word they thereby meane that God sends not affliction and calamities vpon men without iust cause and therewithall they also shew that the matter and cause thereof is in the iniquities and sinnes of men Calamity then comes from mount Ephraim which quarter was nearest to the Tribe of Iudah and to the City of Ierusalem But this is all one as if Ieremiah had said God now thunders from heauen you shall therefore gaine nothing by stopping your eares for albeit you are now deafe yet shall Gods vengeance forthwith come to light and that with the greater noyse and astonishment It followes Vers 16. Make ye mention thereof among the Gentiles and publish it in Ierusalem Behold the * or those that besiege her scouts come from a farre countrey and send their cry vpon the Cities of Iudah THe interpreters expound the beginning of this sentence diuersly Some translate Let the Gentiles come into your mind thinking the Prophet saith this because there were many among the Gentiles which published Gods vengeance They take this place then as if Ieremiah sent the Iewes to the Gentiles saying Ye are vnworthy that God should send you ordinary teachers in regard you haue esteemed whatsoeuer they haue told you but as meere tales and fables But because the verbe is in the coniugation of Hiphil it ought rather to bee read Remember yee And yet there are others which expound thus Make mention of the Gentiles that is to say publish it that the Chaldeans are approching with all diligence to lay the land wast to ruinate the Cities of Iudah and to bring the people to nothing But there is a third exposition which as I take it agrees better word for word it is make ye mention of the Gentiles Behold publish it vpon Ierusalem Why so Truly the Prophet saw well enough that he lost but his time in speaking to so dull and senselesse a people and that the same their senselesnesse had brought them to such an obstinacy that they would neither heare nor vnderstand ought Hee turnes his speech towards the Gentiles then and saith Aduertise ye the Gentiles As if he should say it is a long while agoe since I admonished this people besides God hath schooled them by other Teachers but what hath all this profited vnlesse that they are become so much the more vnteachable Seeing the case stands thus then Cause saith he the Gentiles now to know that which concernes Ierusalem that is to say let the Iewes hence-forward heare no more of the calamity and ruine which must befall them but let the Gentiles and profane nations take knowledge of those iudgements of God which are to light vpon their heads This exposition is not any way against the scope of the text but is easie enough and agrees very well with the Prophets manner of speaking Hee vouchsafes not
and that an end is now come of all your miseries Thus God is wont to deale with hypocrites for such is their malepertnesse and obstinacy that being smitten they grow the more hardened in their bad courses and fall to biting or gnawing of the bit as the prouerbe saith Now this stubbornnesse ariseth from this conceit they thinke God hath left himselfe vnfurnished of iudgements after he hath once or twise punished their offences He denounceth then that he hath sundry sorts of chastisements ready wherewith to punish their sinnes To which purpose is that which followes in the next place Vers 19. And it shall come to passe when you shall haue said wherefore hath the Lord our God done all these things Then shalt thou say As you haue forsaken me and haue serued the Gods of strangers word for word it is of the stranger in your land so shall you serue strangers other expositors supply Gods but they peruert the Prophets meaning in a land that is not yours that is to say in a land that shall be none of yours THat which I said before appeares now plainly to wit that the Prophet yet mitigates not that tartnesse and sharpnesse which he vsed in the former threatnings but handles the Iewes according to their obstinacy and rebellion in regard he saw they were incorrigible And the holy Ghost also gaue him to vnderstand that there should be such great obstinacy in them that till they were vtterly dashed to pieces as it were they would not bow their necke to receiue the yoke He also heere alleageth the cause lest they should fall to pleading with God which hypocrites are wont to doe as oft as God begins to correct them a little seuerely for then they murmure against him then they complaine of him and must needs know the causes forsooth wherefore he handles them so roughly as if they deserued no such matter Because the hypocrites then had these things in their mouthes the Prophet here preuents them It shall come to passe saith he when you haue said He speakes to the Iewes in the person of God and by and by returnes Gods speech to himselfe When you then shall haue said wherefore hath the Lord our God done all these things Hee heere attributes that to these hypocrites which alwayes went currant amongst them as oft as they were summoned before Gods iudgement seat For they are as forward in pleading their cause as if they onely were wronged and as if God being summoned before them to yeeld them an account they were able to conuince him either of cruelty or of ouer great seuerity We see then how the Prophet deciphers out this desperate people to the life who could neither be brought into any good order nor yet to acknowledge their fault but stood out against God with brasen foreheads as in the rest of the Prophets we haue seene See Isa 48 4. Mal. 1.6.7 but especially in the first chapter of Malachy For there the Prophet often repeats this cry of the people wherein wherein what meanes this So our Prophet heere in like manner when they shall haue said saith he wherefore hath the Lord done all these things vnto vs As if they forsooth were guiltlesse Prou. 30.20 For men of reprobate minds as they haue skill to wipe their mouthes with the harlot See vers 12. after they haue committed their abominations so can they also set a bold face on the matter and aske reasons of God why he chastiseth them So heere in the same sense these make no bones at all to call God their God albeit they had euen at this instant forsaken him as was said yesterday For this so grosse and gracelesse an impiety raigned amongst them that they esteemed all things to bee gouerned by blind fortune and and chance and that God neuer punished them iustly Albeit then by their disloyalty they had forsaken God yet the Prophet the better to discouer their pride and rebellion brings themselues in speaking heere as if God had been much obliged vnto them Thou shalt say vnto them saith he One while God speaks to the people and another while to the Prophet When they then shall begin to murmure after this manner thou shalt answere because you haue forsaken me Now that the Prophets words might haue the greater waight God bids him speake vnto them as in his owne person because then you haue forsaken me as if Ieremiah spake not but God by bis mouth And haue serued strange gods that is to say strangers in your land God heere shewes in few words what the Iewes had deserued and contents himselfe with naming one kind onely Wee shall see hereafter and haue often seene heretofore that they were culpable of many iniquities before God But that the Prophet might as it were touch all in a word he mentions no more heere but this particular only You shal serue tyrants saith he in a strange land who will oppresse you with cruelty in regard you haue serued their gods in your land God heere puts them in mind of those benefits hee had bestowed vpon them namely that hauing driuen out from among them the profane nations hee gaue them the land of Canaan for their owne possession which was so fruitfull and desirable that it ought to haue been their perpetuall rest God called this land his rest why so Because he there maintained the Iewes and meant they onely should bee the lawfull inheritors thereof to the worlds end Hee now saith then this land was yours No doubt but in that hee thus calles his benefits bestowed vpon them to their remembrance it was to aggrauate their vnthankfulnesse in regard they were the iust and lawfull possessors of this land Psal 44.3 which yet was none of their conquest Hee saith they serued strange gods in their land and not onely that but strangers also The Prophets speake often thus they call them the gods of the stranger or of a strange nation but the phrase of speech hath great waight in it because it is an vnworthy thing and much lesse excusable that the Iewes who had God dwelling in the middest of them should by way of borrowing seeke after the gods heere and there of profane nations as if they should say Giue yee vs your gods The Prophet then poynts out this so detestable a crime as with the finger when he saith you haue serued the gods of strangers In the next place he adds you shall serue strangers As I thinke he meanes not their gods for as I haue said those that referre it to those gods corrupt the true sense but he speakes of tyrants I haue giuen you saith hee in Ezechiel good lawes Ezech. 20.21.25 which whosoeuer obserueth shall liue in them but you would not obey them And therfore will I now giue you lawes which shall not be good that is to say I will impose a tyrannous yoke vpon you and those that shall vanquish you shall pill and spoyle you yea
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
thee Hast thou not procured these things vnto thy selfe because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way WE must reade all these foure verses together because the Prophet in the first of them shewes that the Iewes were not thus miserable in their first estate but it proceeded from a new cause and in the latter verse he sets downe the cause it selfe In the fourteenth verse therefore he askes saying Is Israel a seruant or a seruant borne in the house God had adopted this people to himselfe and had promised hee would shew himselfe in such wise bountifull vnto them that they should bee euery way happy and blessed yea a mirrour of happinesse In thee saith he shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed Genes 12.3 and 22.18 and 26.4 and 28.14 Wee see then what Israels condition was at the first truly most excellent as hauing the preheminence aboue all other nations in regard Israel was Gods deare darling Gods heritage and an holy and royall Priesthood Exod. 19.5 The Prophet therefore admiring Israels estate now and asking as of a thing strange and vnwonted Is Israel a seruant Surely he was once free aboue all other nations for hee was Gods eldest son There must needs be some cause sought out then how hee is become thus miserable For afterwards he saith the Lions roared and yelled vpon him his Cities were burned or destroyed his land was made desolate Lastly he addes in vers 17. Is not this done vnto thee Againe this interrogation is as much as a double affirmation for it puts the thing out of question as wee vse to speake as if he should say What cause canst thou alleage that thou art in this wofull taking and that euery one hath set himselfe against thee so as thou art made a prey to the whole world Whence I pray thee haue these things come vnto thee Haue they not proceeded from thine owne wickednesse We now see the Prophets meaning But that wee may yet vnderstand him more throughly it is to bee noted that God heere calles the benefits which hee had bestowed vpon the Iewes to mind to shame them withall In regard the children of Abraham then had receiued so many singular gifts and graces from God that they were esteemed before all the world besides this their dignity is set before them but to their disgrace As if hee should say God hath not deceiued thee in promising to deale liberally with thee his adopting of thee to be his son was no fabulous nor vaine thing Thou then shouldest certainly haue been the most happy nation in the world had not thine owne wickednesse procured vnto thee the contrary Now ye see the reason of the Prophets demand Is Israel a seruant or borne in the house By nature indeed they were no whit better than any other nation but in regard God had chosen them to bee his peculiar inheritance and had giuen them so excellent a prerogatiue therefore the Prophet now askes whether they be seruants or no. As if he should say Whence is it that wee see not that happinesse and blessednesse shine in thee now which God once promised vnto thee For this is certaine God for his part deceiues none It must needes follow then that thou hast by thine owne deserts procured vnto thy selfe these miseries And when he saith why then is he spoyled Hee shewes that if he had not been depriued of Gods protection hee should not in such sort haue bin made a prey to the lust of his enemies He was laid open to the spoyle then only because God had forsaken him Deut. 32.30 as it is writtē in the song of Moses How should one of you chase a thousand two of you put ten thousand to flight except our strong God had sold vs and that the Lord had shut vs vp For Moses there closely puts the people in mind of what and how many noble and admirable victories they had obtained ouer their enemies and by meanes thereof he left it to the consideration of the successors that should be afflicted whence this change came namely that there needed but one enemie to chase a thousand that is notwithstanding they should be the greater part Psal 44.5.6.9 yet their enemies should put them to flight But what was the cause of this For in former times they were not wont to turne their backs vpon their enemies but contrariwise to driue them before them it followes then that they were thus captiuated not of men that pursued them but of God Also the Prophet in this place shewes that Israel was not made a prey but in regard that God had left them succourlesse In the next place he addes The Lions roared vpon him It seemes the Prophet compares not Israels enemies to Lions simply in respect of their cruelty but rather by way of contempt as if hee should say Israel not onely feeles men his aduersaries but euen wild and sauage beasts Now this is a greater reproch when God suffers vs to be torne in pieces by wild beasts It is as much then as if he had said Israel is thus miserably handled that hee is not onely exposed to the power and will of man to bee put to death that is by the hands of his enemies but is euen made a prey to bruit beasts And he addes here that they yelled as if he should say Israel who was wont to be protected by Gods powerfull hand is now become the food of cruell and rauenous beasts so as the Lions with enuie roare as it were vpon him Then without any metaphor he addes that his land is laid wast and his Cities burnt without an inhabitant neither indeed doth this sute either to Lions or to other cruell beasts but what he spake before figuratiuely hee heere expounds himselfe plainly Thy land is wasted thy Cities are burned or rased to the ground This as I haue said could not haue fallen out vnlesse Israell had been forsaken of God consequently depriued also of his succour protectiō To amplifie this discourse he addes Also the children of Noph and Taphnos shall breake thine head Wee shall see hereafter that the Israelites were wont to seeke for helpe from the Egyptians and this particle yea or also may be thus expounded not onely shall those who haue hitherto shewed themselues thy open and deadly foes make warre against thee but euen thy confederates vpon whose power thou reliedst euen these shall turne their forces against thee and shall breake thine head or the crowne of thy head Some are of opinion that this is spoken by way of reproach and to shame them in regard the Egyptians were cowards ancient histories also testifie that in Egypt men dealt in those affaires which properly belong to women But because the Scripture is not wont to testifie thus much nor to speake in this sense of the Egyptians I had rather follow that which is most receiued to wit that the Egyptians who
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
Prophet heere shewes the reason why he speakes so bitterly to them Because a man indeed would haue thought this an excessiue manner of speech to compare this people vnto a common strumpet who fiskes abroad into euery corner But this reason stood in stead of a thousand to take from them all shifts and euasions namely that it was to no purpose for them to rest vpon such broken reeds and deceiueable leaning stockes Why so Because they were accursed of God For had hee permitted them freely to haue vsed them then had they not been so sharply reprooued But seeing God had forbidden them to goe downe into Egypt this in the first place was an abominable confidence secondly it was a meanes to make them altogether carelesse of Gods assistance and as you would say to reiect all his promises For in as much as their affections were fast glued to the Egyptians they also imagined that in them their safety was secure By meanes whereof it came to passe that their prayers were not onely few and faint but they scarcely so much as vsed any at all Thus we see how the Prophet passeth not his bounds heere in this his vehement reprehension vttered against the Iewes in setting shame and ignominie before their eyes namely because they gaue that glory to the Egyptians which appertained vnto God making their account as if they had been the authors of their safety and thereby also they buried in obliuion yea contemned all the promises of God and vtterly neglected inuocation vpon his name The Lord then saith he abhors thy confidences In the next place he saith Neither shalt thou prosper thereby No good can come of that action that God approoues not This must bee diligently obserued namely that when we take ought in hand which God approoues not that no good can come vnto vs thereby Why so Because he will frustrate all our hopes Let vs know then that the Prophet sets a punishment before all vnbeleeuers who not contenting themselues with Gods protection wander in their vaine and idle confidences and had rather enioy the fauour and good liking of men than the fauour and loue of God Now it followes THE THIRD CHAPTER Vers 1. * or put the case And saying If a man put away his wife and shee goe from him and become another mans shall hee returne againe vnto her shall not this land heereby be polluted And thou thou hast played the harlot with many louers notwithstanding returne vnto me saith Iehouah MAny thinke this verse depends vpon the former so as they reade it ioyntly together God hath reiected thy crooked confidences See chap. 2.37 And saying c. But as I thinke this agrees not because Ieremiah heere begins a new speech namely God endeauours to reconcile this people euen as if a husband should desire to receiue an adulterous wife into his fauour againe meaning wholly to passe by her former faults and hereafter to esteeme of her as a chast and loyall wife Thus you see this verse cannot agree with that reproach which we saw before but the Hebrew word which is put heere in the beginning of this verse as I thinke signifies that which we haue in our vsuall speech as you would say or rather put the case For the Prophet brings not in God speaking heere but hee comes in with a common sentence and therefore he saith Put the case that a man put away his wife and she become another mans shall she returne againe to the first No for this is not the custome I therefore will shew my selfe more fauourable than any man whatsoeuer for I will be most ready to take thee againe prouided thou promise me for the time to come to carry thy selfe as an honest woman ought to doe to wit loyally towards me in renouncing all thy former loose and lewd behauiour You see there is no great difficulty in that which the Prophet meant to say nor in the summe of his speech For God here shewes that his wrath shall be appeased towards the Iewes if so be they proceed not on still in their vngodlinesse obstinately and rebelliously And the better to expresse this his clemency he vseth a similitude which ought aduisedly to be noted Before he said that hee held the place of an husband and that this people was vnto him in his account as a wife chap. 2.2 In the next place he bewailes their grieuous ingratitude and disloyalty in that they had thus forsaken him telling them it was all one as if a wife forsaking her husband should prostitute her selfe to all commers Heere he adds Behold if an husband put away his wife and she marry with another he would neuer entertaine such a wife againe into his fauour for hee was forbidden so to doe by the Law But see how ready I am notwithstanding to take thee againe albeit the diuorce came not as in respect of my fault For it was the custome of the husbands then to put away their wiues when there appeared in them any cause of dislike It is not a simple comparison as many thinke neither doe I know whether all follow this opinion for the expositors doe not so much as touch this exposition because God doth not simply heere compare himselfe with an husband that hath put away his wife for her lewdnesse but as I haue said there are two distinct members in regard the Iewes were wont to cashere their wiues for very light causes yea for such as were of no moment at all Now God speakes thus in Isaiah Isa 50.1 Shew me your bill of diuorce as if he should say I haue not put away your mother For at that time when any purposed to put away his wife he was liable by the law to the note of some ficklenesse For what I pray you was that bill of diuorcement but a testimony of the wiues chastity otherwise if the woman had been taken in adultery the husband needed not to send her away for shee was to suffer death Thus then adulterous women vsed not to be diuorced Leuit. 20.10 Deut. 22.21 Deut. 24.1 But if a mans wife had liued honestly with her husband and yet notwithstanding he meant to put her away hee was bound by the law to giue her a bill of diuorce on this manner I put away this woman not for breaking or violating the marriage band but because her personage or qualities are not to my liking Thus the husbands were obliged to incurre some note of inconstancy and therefore it is that the Lord saith in Isaiah Shew me the bill of your mothers diuorce as if he should say it is shee her selfe that hath cast me off it is she who by her whoredomes hath broken the sacred bond of marriage it is not I then that am the cause of this alienation God meant not heere then to signifie that he diuorced the people for that was a thing worthy of blame and therefore could not agree with Gods nature but as
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
himselfe also sought which way he might be at one with them but they neuer returned In the next place he adds And when shee saw vpon all this to wit for all the whoredomes that rebellious Israel committed that is to say when the kingdome of Iudah saw all these things We shall see the drift of this comparison by and by For he amplifies the wickednesse of the kingdome of Iudah because she might easily behold all that which hath formerly been recited yea and a great way off as from an high turret discerne it and so might haue been brought to repentance but she saw howbeit without fruit Thus then God meant to shew what obstinacy there was in the Iewes who had beheld the reuolt of the ten Tribes neither were they ignorant how sharply they had been reproued and threatened by the Prophets Vers 8. And in the next verse he adds I haue seene As in the former verse he said Iudah saw what Israel did so now also he saith that he himselfe saw both the one and the other I haue seene then But what is it which hee faith hee saw namely that Iudah also played the harlot for I speake now of her as of a wife God saith then that he was not ignorant of this Whereof That Iudah fell not by errour or ignorance but that of malice and of set purpose she exceeded the wickednesse of her sister Israel Yea I haue seene for all these things when she played the harlot He now sets that forth more at large which hee deliuered before in few words He said the Tribe of Iudah saw but this by reason of the breuity of it might haue seemed obscure He explaines his meaning further then Iudah saith he saw that I gaue her sister a bill of diuorce because she had played the harlot and yet this astonished her not that is it neuer came into her thought to repent though she saw so manifest an example of my wrath and vengeance euen before her eyes Quest But heere a question may be asked How is it said he gaue Israel a bill of diuorce seeing in Isaiah chap. 50. vers 1. he flatly denies it But the Prophet speakes heere in another sense Answ than hee doth in that place of Isaiah For hee mentions not heere that bill of diuorce which husbands were wont to giue their wiues when they meant to put them away who in other respects had carried themselues chastly and well but he speakes of such a diuorce as was approued of by the Law to wit when the woman being conuinced of adultery was condemned to death God therfore in Isaiah denies that he had giuen any bill of diuorce and yet heere he saith he gaue one that is because he had put away a wife taken in adultery I grant this was not ordinarily practiced among the Iewes at that time namely that a man being diuorced himselfe from an adulterous wife she was by and by called to iudgement But wee haue seene in the beginning of this Chapter what difference there is betweene God and womens husbands For as much then as God had not dealt rigorously with the Israelites neither had inflicted vpon them those extreame punishments which they had iustly deserued and also according to the custome then in vse therefore he saith hee gaue her a bill of diuorce that is to say he separated himselfe from this people and vtterly forsooke them In the meane while by the bill of diuorce he vnderstands their banishment What is meant by diuorce in this place For when the ten Tribes were led into captiuity it was all one as if God had openly protested that hee would no longer hold his couenant or coniunction at all with this people Truly whilest they dwelt in the holy land and in the inheritance which he had promised them there remained alwayes some resemblance of this holy wedlock but after they were once scattered heere and there and that Gods true worship had no more any place among them in a word after the name of the kingdome of Israell was once abolished then God made this diuorce Her sister Iudah then saw saith he and yet shee feared not Now what an exceeding great senselesnesse was this not to become wise by the harmes of another But this complaint is often met withall in the Prophets namely that when God spared the Iewes they were neuer moued thereby to repentance albeit God set such examples before their eyes as might haue been sufficient to haue terrified them For might they not well thinke or at least they ought so to haue done that God would certainly shew himselfe their Iudge in punishing so many crimes whereby they had prouoked him seeing hee spared not the Israelites their brethren They saw that poore kingdome rooted out and abolished before their eyes and yet they came all out of one and the same stocke to wit Abraham who was father to them both How was it possible then that they should make so little reckoning of Gods iudgements which had so long a time been exercised vpon their brethren in their sight He saith then that they feared not It followes Vers 9. And by her hastinesse it is come to passe other of the expositors as well as Saint Ierome translate Easinesse The Hebrew word whence it is deriued sometimes signifies swiftnesse but heere it notes lightnesse or wantonnesse which the Prophet reprooues It came to passe then by the lightnesse or wantonnesse of her whoredomes that she polluted the land or defiled it other translate she made the land sinne but Saint Ierom almost euery where translates this word To defile neither sutes it amisse heere and she played the harlot with stockes and stones THe Prophet heere and in the two next verses concludes his speech which he began in vers 6. namely it was so farre off from striking a terrour into Iudah by the punishments which God had inflicted vpon Israel that rather by her lightnesse and loose life she surmounted all the whoredomes of her sister She hath saith he defiled the land or she hath caused it to sinne that is to say she hath made the land wicked Now this serues to aggrauate the fault much when he saith that the land was made culpable or that it was defiled For we know that the earth of it selfe is pure and cleane neither is it apt to draw into it any spot or vice from mens impiety But to the end the impiety of her inhabitants might be made so much the more odious and detestable it is said the earth is defiled therefore he saith the land is guilty Wherfore The reason why the land is defiled or is made wicked or wrapped in their sinnes is added to wit because she played the harlot with stockes and stones As touching this similitude of whoredome heere mentioned we need no more to explaine it seeing from the beginning wee haue so often repeated it for God had entred into couenant with this people and had vnited himselfe vnto
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
pastors were become dumb dogs or else were like theeues and cut-throats Isa 56.10.11 But heere God on the contrary testifies that he will giue them good and faithfull shepheards who shall discharge their functions diligently I grant that vnder this word Pastors is also comprehended godly and faithfull Magistrats but he especially notes the Prophets and Priests whose office it was to reforme the false worship Whence we gather Doct. 1 that the state of the Church cannot long endure where there wants faithfull pastors to teach the way of saluation The Church cannot long stand where good teaching is wanting Prou. 29.18 See then wherein the saluation of the Church consists euen in this when it pleaseth God to raise vp true pastors and teachers to publish and set forth the doctrine of life and saluation But where people are destituted and depriued of such as should teach them faithfully there they must needs goe to ruine For questionlesse God by this promise meant to signifie that his people should not onely be freed by restoring them out of their captiuity but also that they should be safely kept in a good estate after their reentrance into their countrey Doct. 2 Whence it followes that the Church is not onely begotten by meanes of holy and sincere pastors but that the life thereof is also nourished vpheld and preserued by them euen vnto the end For as it is not enough that the politicall estate be once erected Simile vnlesse good Magistrates doe successiuely second one another in the execution of their office so cannot a worse plague light vpon the Church A worse plague canot befall the Church than to be destituted of faithfull pastors than when God depriues her of her faithfull pastors It is true indeed that the people can neuer returne vnto God vnlesse he first of all send his Prophets to teach but God speaks heere of that continued course or tenor of his doctrine and of a gouernment rightly composed as if hee should say I will not only giue you Prophets who shall reduce you from your errours that you may take the direct way to me and so to saluation but I will also continually furnish you with faithfull pastors which shall leade you on forward to the end It is also to be obserued that none can execute the office of teaching aright vnlesse therewithall they be endowed with wisedome Now God closely intimates his fatherly loue when he saith the pastors shall bee according to his heart It followes Vers 16. And after you shall be multiplied and encreased or augmented in the land in those dayes saith the Lord they shall no more say the Arke of the Lords Couenant neither shall it come any more to mind or ascend into the heart neither shall it be remembred neither shall they visit it any more neither shall that be done any more THe expositors are heere grauelled in regard scarcely any one of them hath attained the Prophets meaning The greater part of the Iewes forge I know not how many fictions heere nothing to the purpose and yet they labour to fetch that farre enough off too namely that they should no more carry with them the Arke of the couenant into battaile Why so Because no enemie should afterwards inuade them Their opinion then is that there is promised to the people in this place a quiet and secure state because they shall no more need to carry the Arke of the Couenant hither and thither to discomfit the assaults of the enemy withall But wee may easily see that these words will not at any hand beare this sense Others say this must be referred to the time of the Messias neither indeed doth any one of the Iewes deny this in regard it followes afterwards in vers 18. that the Israelites shall returne with the tribe of Iudah Which hitherto was not accomplished whence it followes that the Prophet heere prophesieth of the kingdome of Christ and yet the Iewes in confessing this thinke nothing at all heere of the abrogation of ceremonies Notwithstanding all the Christian expositors in a manner fauour this opinion namely that the Prophet meant to teach that when Christ shall appeare the shadowes and ceremonies of the Law shall then in such wise cease that there shall be no more vse of the Arke of the Couenant in regard the fulnesse of the God-head should dwell in Christ And who would not iudge but that this exposition had some good likelihood of truth But yet I thinke this comes nothing neere the Prophets meaning For he speakes expresly heere of that discord or diuorce which had now a long time continued betweene the kingdome of Iudah and the kingdome of Israel for albeit the kingdome of Israel flourished most both in respect of the multitudes of their men and the large extent of their dominion as also in regard of their abundance of riches and that for these considerations they were to be preferred farre before the kingdome of Iudah yet in some respects the kingdome of Iudah was to bee preferred far before them For first they had among them the Temple which had been built by the expresse commandement of the Lord the place also wherein it was built was of his owne chusing besides they had with them the Arke of the Couenant Whence that emulation sprang which so long continued betweene these two kingdomes which was a pledge of his presence Hence grew the emulation and debate betweene the kingdome of Iudah and the ten Tribes The Israelites they swelled in regard of their multitudes both of men and riches with other carnall respects on the other side the Iewes gloried in their Temple and in the Arke of the Couenant Now what saith the Prophet to all this He affirmes there shal be such an agreement betweene the two kingdomes The summe and naturall sense of this verse of Iudah Israel that the Iewes shal no more twit their brethren the Israelites in the teeth with the Arke of the Couenant and the Temple of the Lord. Why so Because God should bee equally neare and alike fauourable to both And this which I haue said the Prophet in the verses following doth yet more strongly confirme necessarily therefore must the other two verses which follow be ioyned with this Hee saith then Vers 17. In that time they shall call Ierusalem the seate or throne of the Lord and all nations shall come vnto it vnto the name of the Lord which is in Ierusalem and afterwards they shall no more follow after the hardnesse others translate obstinacy sometimes it also signifies thought of their wicked heart 18. In those dayes the house of Iudah shall goe with the house of Israel and shall come together out of the land of the North into the land which I haue giuen your fathers for an inheritance or which I gaue your fathers to possesse by the right of inheritance HEre wee see that more cleerly confirmed which I said ere while to wit that
into the strong Cities I see your meaning is to seeke some sufficient place of refuge to secure you in respect of your enemies be it so saith God Vers 6. Lift vp the standard in Sion and flee thither for succour but in the meane while I will bring a plague vpon you from the North. For the meaning of this word North see the 15. verse of this chapter The word which followes in the Hebrew may be expounded two wayes stay not in a place that is flee quickly as they commonly doe that are ouertaken with feare or rather you shall not stand that is to say albeit you thinke to secure your selues very safely in this mountaine of Sion yet shall you not bee able to stand there but the first exposition seemes to sute best The Prayer Almighty God for as much as wee cease not daily to estrange our selues from thee by our sinnes and notwithstanding the same thou ceasest not graoiously to exhort vs to repentance promising to be fauourable and mercifull vnto vs grant we may not remaine obstinately in them neither let vs shew our selues vnthankefull in respect of thy so great kindnes towards vs but giue vs grace so to conuert and turne vnto thee that our liues may testifie our repentance to be vnfained also that we may so securely rest in thee that the wicked lusts of our flesh may not carry vs hither and thither but grant we may rather continue setled and established in a right purpose of heart whereby we may endeauour so to obey thee in the whole course of our life that at the length we may receiue the fruit of the same our obedience in thy kingdome of glory and that through the merits of Iesus Christ thine onely Sonne our Sauiour Amen THE FIFTEENTH LECTVRE WHICH IS THE SECOND VPON THE fourth Chapter Vers 7. The Lion is come forth of his fort or den and the destroyer of nations is departed he is gone out of his place to make the land desolate thy Cities shall be so destroyed that there shall remaine none inhabitant therein THe Prophet in more words heere shewes what this threatning meanes which wee began to touch yesterday For in vers 6. God said he would cause a plague to come from the North. The King of Babell called a Lion and why Now heere hee shewes what kind of plague it should be and compares the King of Babylon to a Lion and afterwards without vsing any figure he calles him The destroyer of nations By this similitude of a Lion he giues the Israelites to vnderstand that they shall be too weake to resist and in adding hee shall bee a destroyer of nations he signifies they shall perish as well as the rest For if Nabuchadnezzar had sufficient power to destroy many nations what should let the Iewes from passing that way or how could they escape the same calamity which others had tasted of before them Therefore he saith the destroyer shall come But in all these words hee vseth the present tense to shew the certainty of his prophesie as also that he might so much the more affright and terrifie such as were become secure and carelesse and wholly rocked asleepe in their hypocrisie in regard no threatning at all could mooue them For whilest God spared them they contemned his iudgements imagining they should neuer be called to an account or chastised for any of all their offences That the Prophet then might the better awaken them out of their drowsinesse hee sets the thing as it were before their eyes euen as if Nabuchadnezzar had been now ready with a mighty armie to sacke and destroy the whole land countrey of Iudeah Now he saith the Lion is gone out of his den but the word he vseth properly signifies a thicke twisting or intangling where there are a multitude of trees interlaced one within another or where a place is ouergrowne with briars and brambles Now this similitude agrees very well for the Iewes neuer dreamed that the King of Babell would come vp from a place so farre remote from them in regard the passages were very vneuen to leade or conduct an armie through And yet the Prophet saith the Lion shall come forth of his thicket or burrow and that nothing shall be able to hinder his passage nor entrance into the open field In the end he concludes that the Cities shal be rased so as no inhabitant shal remaine there Now it followes Vers 8. Therefore gird you with sackcloth mourne and howle for the fury of the Lords wrath is not turned backe from vs. IT is not likely that the Prophet doth heere exhort his countreymen to repentance for there followes a more euident doctrine touching this poynt hereafter See vers 14. For the present he onely warnes them that a great lamentation is approaching them in regard hee saw the hypocrites so farre plunged in their delights that it was impossible once to terrifie them Therefore hee tels them they are much deceiued if they thinke to be in any safety whilest God is their enemie Clothe you with sackcloth saith he lament and howle The reason followes because the wrath of the Lord is not yet turned away from vs. For we know how hypocrites are wont to weaken Gods power as if by their obstinacy they were able either to turne back his iudgement or else to hold his hands as you would say from executing his will Because hypocrites then shew themselues thus malepert against God the Prophet expresly saith that Gods wrath is not turned backe By which words he giues them to vnderstand that they shall bee alwayes and euery way miserable vntill they bee reconciled vnto God We now conceiue the Prophets meaning For hee cōfirmes that which he said before namely that the Lion was come forth and the destroyer was already in armes Se vers 7. I say he now confirmes those words Such as with whom God is angry are exposed to all the miries that may be that hee might bereaue them of all hope vnlesse God shewed them mercy But he tels them God is angry therefore it must needs follow that they lay open to all the miseries that might be Vers 9. And in that day saith the Lord it shall come to passe that the Kings heart shall faile and the heart of the Princes and the Priests shall be astonished and the Prophets shall wonder IN regard the regall dignity as yet remained among the Iewes albeit their power was much diminished they trusting in their King thought themselues in regard thereof in great safety and this was the reason why they trembled at no threatning For this name of a Kingdome though not altogether in its perfection yet in such a mean estate as it then was serued them as an anuill to beat back all the Prophets blowes Moreouer we know how pride alwayes possesseth the harts of courtiers For as they highly magnifie the greatnesse of their Kings so insult they in regard of
Gods mouth For Ieremiah thundred daily and continually threatened their destruction He was as it were an Herald sent from heauen to affright and terrifie the whole world but none gaue him audience the Iewes in the meane while applauded the false Prophets who flattered and entertained them with sweet words and faire promises We see then that God neuer spake of this but the Iewes on the contrary not onely willingly suffered but also much reioyced to heare of these goodly promises which the false Prophets to gratifie them withall made vnto them Ieremiah then attributes that to God by way of derision which he knew well enough could agree to none but to those deceiuers In the next place he adds and the sword pierceth to the soule that is notwithstanding we are now wounded with mortall and deadly blowes Now heere the Prophet sets these dangerous and wicked flatteries before the eyes of the Iewes which caused them to lift vp their crests shewing that in the end they shall assuredly feele how falsly they pretended the name of God Vers 11. At that time they shall say to this people that is of this people and of Ierusalem the dry winde others translate a vehement wind to the high places of the desert word for word it is in the desert towards the way of the daughter of my people not to fanne nor to cleanse 12 A wind more full than those shall come vnto me and now also I will pronounce iudgements with them IEremiah prosecutes his prophesie still when he saith a turbulent wind shall quickly come which shall not only fanne and cleanse but shall also scatter and ouerthrow all He shewes then how great and horrible the calamity shall be which he mentioned before he compares it to a dry and sharpe wind The Hebrew word hath diuers significations but doubtlesse hee speakes heere of such a wind as comes rushing with great violence and disturbs all the ayre especially when there is neither clouds nor any trees to hinder the course thereof and that is the cause why he speakes of the high places and deserts It is as much then as if he had said God will execute such an horrible iudgement and it shall come with such violence as if a whirlewind passed through high places or through a dry land or some desert He saith by the way of the daughter of my people as if he should say the wind shall haue such a passage as shall directly ceaze vpon Iudeah Now this is a phrase of speech well enough knowne to them that haue been but meerly read in the Prophets when he puts the daughter of the people Daughter of my people taken for the people themselues for the people themselus This wind then shall passe directly towards Iudeah Afterwards hee adds neither to fanne nor to cleanse for it is the manner of husbandmen to fanne their corne in the ayre so as you shall see the chaffe flie abroad and be purged out by the wind But the Prophet affirmes that this wind shall neither fan nor cleanse Why so Because saith he it shall be too boysterous In a word his meaning is that God shall bee so displeased with the Iewes that he will not chastise them with such gentlenesse and moderation as in times past For God had already corrected the Iewes often but hee hitherto carried himselfe in such wise as hee alwayes performed as it were the part of a good physition God is desirous as a good Physition to cure the vices of people by sparing them but when this lenity is abused he will fall to extremities in regard his meaning was to procure the saluing and curing of the peoples vices But in as much as none of his corrections had done them any good therefore the Prophet now affirmes that God will come in wrath and indignation which shall not serue as before to cleanse and purge them by sending away their of-scourings into the wind but wholly to consume and destroy whatsoeuer appertained to the people And therefore he adds for these two verses depend one vpon another a wind more full saith he or more perfect than those shall come Others translate shall come from those places But it is to be taken rather as we haue turned it namely that this wind shall bee more terrible than other winds which were wont to winnow the corne in separating it from the chaffe or to purge the earth The wind then shall be much more violent and it saith he shall come to me I doubt not but God himselfe speakes this Others thinke the Prophet heere represents the whole body of the people and expound it that a wind shall come rushing in vpon them but this exposition is vnapt and the text it selfe confutes it For that which followes next in the Prophet would not agree now will I pronounce iudgements with them It is God then who in the person of a iudge pronounceth that a wind shall come vp at his command to scatter and ouerthrow the whole land but not to purge or cleanse it And thus he shewes how the Caldeans shall not come vp by their owne proper mouing but shall be ready to accomplish put that in execution which God himselfe shall enioyne them as if he should say See Isa 45.7 and Amos 3.6 I my selfe am the author of all the euils which shall happen to the Iewes It shall come to me then that is it shall bee ready to obey my commandement Lastly by way of exposition he adds Then will I speake iudgements with them To speake iudgements Chap. 52.9 See chap. 1.16 is as much to say as to performe the office of a iudge or to call to iudgement or to summon and cite one to make his answere in the place of iustice as it is also said that Kings speake iudgements when they cause men to yeeld an account In a word Gods meaning heere is that hitherto hee hath forborne the Iewes but too long but in regard hee sees the patience he hath vsed is not onely fruitlesse but that they are become so much the more stubborne and rebellious he testifies he will now play the part of a iudge with them to punish their vngodly courses Now it followes Vers 13. Behold he shall come vp as a cloud and his chariot shall be as a whirle-wind his horses are more swift than the Eagle woe vnto vs for we are destroyed HEre the Prophet in the shutting vp of his prophesie expresseth the greatnesse of Gods vengeance Now hee vseth two similitudes to terrifie and awaken the Iewes Two similitudes He saith the chariots of God shall come vp as clouds and as a whirle-wind and then that his horses shall be swifter than the Eagles Touching the clouds and whirle-wind and likewise the Eagles for there is one and the same reason in the three similitudes no doubt but the Prophet meant to signifie that Gods vengeance should come speedily and yet there is some difference Wee see
the Prophet now saith that their calamities shall still be encreased The reason why God adds affliction to affliction and that for a long time together so as they are not to looke for any end of them till the Iewes be vtterly wasted But in saying the calamities are called he giues them to vnderstand and that in few words that God is set vpon his tribunall seate who after he hath inflicted some light chastisements vpon men for their sinnes soone after adds more waighty punishments lastly seeing them to grow desperate in their rebellion he also continues his strokes so long till at length he vtterly destroyes those that will not amend Affliction vpon affliction is called But how Truly because the whole land is destroyed And then my tents are suddenly destroyed Lastly my courtaines in a moment are cast downe The most receiued opinion is that the Prophet heere compares the strong and defenced Cities to tents courtaines that he might take from the Iewes that fond confidence which made thē to burst as it were with pride thinking such Cities should serue them as bulwarks fortresses to repulse their enemies And thus they think the Prophet meant to depriue them of this vaine hope in calling their strong cities by the name of tents or tabernacles There are others also who imagine that he alludes to the city of Anathoth the place of the prophets byrth or to the maner of life which mē led there And to say the truth Ieremiah vseth often such phrases of speech as agrees to shepheards and keepers of cattell that is to say such a stile as is somewhat rude and dis-ioynted it shall not bee greatly amisse then if wee say hee speakes heere as in the person of a shepheard when hee mentions these tents Notwithstanding both may stand very well namely that he speakes like vnto shepheards and keepers of beasts and yet in the meane while hee meant to shew that the Iewes did but dally if they thought to escape vnder colour of those strong Cities which stood vpon their borders as if thereby their enemies could bee beaten backe But wee may also expound it very well thus to wit that not the least corner should escape in regard the enemie would enter into the deserts yea that he would wast and breake downe euen the poore cotages which in all likelihood might well haue been spared seeing they were remote from neighbours Now he saith suddenly and in a moment that the Iewes might promise to themselues no truce as if it might be delayed from day to day or as if they had any respite giuen them to make their peace with God It followes Vers 21. How long shall I see the standard How long shall I heare the voyce or the sound of the trumpet HEre he shuts vp the speech which we said See Vers 19. he adorned and enriched with figures that he might the better touch those to the quicke who were slow dull of hearing And yet he also confirmes that which he said in the beginning of the former verse Affliction vpon affliction is called By another phrase of speech then he repeats that which he said before when he now adds how long shall I see the standard c. as if he should say you greatly deceiue your selues if you thinke the enemie shall retire himselfe home into his countrey after he hath remained a while in the land and spoyled some part thereof For the warre shall be of long durance and God shall still prolong the afflictions so as the sound of the trumpet shall continually ring in your eares and your eyes shall daily see the banners displayed yea euery moment Now we haue attained the Prophets meaning First hee shewed that albeit their enemies were farre off from them yet they should post towards them in a moment as we heard yesterday in vers 13. Gods horses shall be swifter than all the Eagles in the world In the second place he mentions the continuance of the warres For it was very expedient Vers 20.21 that this also should be manifested to the Iewes namely that as they had walked on in their rebellion and contempt of God in a continued course so his vengeance should not last for a day or two onely but it should presse them in such wise that it should euer pursue them And by the way let vs note that the world at this day is no lesse dull of hearing than were the Iewes in their time it is not enough then that we cite and summon the wicked and contemners of God before his iudgement seat but we ought also to vse the like figures and phrases of speech which the Prophet heere vseth to terrifie yea to force and constraine them to come to some remorse albeit they for their parts doe the vtmost and that by all the meanes they can to benumme their owne consciences and to make themselues insensible that they might the more easily contemne God and all godlinesse Gods seruants must presse the hypocrites thus continually that both they and the open wicked ones may be awakened It followes Vers 22. For my foolish people haue not knowne me they are children without vnderstanding and haue no knowledge They are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge THe Prophet againe shewes See vers 18. that the cause of all their euils proceeds from themselues that they might not foolishly impute the same vnto any other He saith then my people is foolish He speakes heere in the person of God for by and by it followes they haue not knowne me which can no way agree vnto Ieremiah God then complaines heere of the folly of his people whom he calles his not by way of honour but rather to redouble their reproch For what was more vnseemly than for Gods people whom he hath chosen as his owne peculiar inheritance to be void of knowledge and vnderstanding What else was Gods purpose in chusing and adopting the children of Abraham but that they should be as burning lights to manifest the doctrine of saluation to all the world What nation is there saith Moses so noble in all the world to whom the gods come so neere and so familiarly as the Lord thy God doth Herein consists thy knowledge and wisedome as it followes in Deut. 4.6.7 Thus God here shewes that it is a thing most prodigious which all the world also ought to abhorre when he giues his people heere the title of a foolish people As if he should say Is it possible that this people whom I haue chosen to be a guardian of my couenant touching euerlasting saluation to whom I haue vouchsafed the honour to instruct them by my word is it possible I say that this people should be so insensible as wilfully to cast themselues into perdition It is a foolish people then in regard they haue not knowne me Now heere he shewes what is the cause of this folly to wit they knew not God
and confusion euen such as was before God had ordained that distinction by separating light from darknesse Gen. 1.2 the firmament from the earth whilest as yet nothing was to be seene but a confused lumpe in which was comprized the ayre the earth without any order at all Now it followes Vers 27. For thus saith the Lord the whole land shall be desolate and I will not make an end but then the copulatiue and must be resolued into an aduersatiue notwithstanding I will not make an end or a consumption HEre the Prophet in summe See verses 23.24.25.26 explaines that which hee meant to say as touching those foure visions which we haue formerly handled He denounceth then as in the person of God that there shall be a maruellous yea a most horrible desolation throughout the whole land of Iudeah The land saith he shall be vtterly desolate or there shall be a desolation throughout the land Some expound that which followes as if he somewhat allayed the tartnesse and sharpnesse of his speech And according to their opinion there should be a correction heere which should as it were giue some reliefe vnto the faithful who hoped and waited to obtaine some grace and mercy that they might not be vtterly out of heart And to say the truth if God should onely threaten without adding some exception it were able to swallow vp with feare and dread an hundred worlds That the faithfull then might not in such wise be ouer-whelmed with feare as not to haue their recourse to Gods mercy it is often added by way of correction that God will not vtterly consume the earth The word which the Prophet heere vseth sometime signifies perfection but in many other places it signifies consumption for the verbe signifies to perfect and consume And there is the same reason for both and yet it seemes these words should be one contrary to another Notwithstanding that which is consumed may properly be called perfect because it alwayes brings to an end If this exposition seeme good then we now see why hee saith That he will not make a consumption albeit he doe seuerely chastise this people to wit that he might leaue some hope for the faithfull lest they should be discouraged which would haue fallē out had not God promised to be ready to succour them and to be mindfull of his couenant vnlesse peraduenture we will reade it by way of an interrogation thereby to represse the pride and ouerweening of the wicked that they might the better feele how none of their vaine boastings should goe vnpunished As if he should say And will ye yet say that I will not make a full end Now howsoeuer the first exposition containes a doctrine much more ample yet had I rather take the Hebrew word heere vsed for End as if he meant to shew that he will not cease to pursue them with his vengeance euen to the vttermost Wee also shall meet with the same phrase of speech in the chapter following Chap. 5.27 The naturall sense then will be this That God is purposed to wast and consume all at once I grant when the Prophets speake of Gods iudgements they speake thereof diuersly Sometimes they will threaten that all shall goe to wrack so as there shall bee no appearance of saluation And yet God in the meane while alwayes reserues some hidden seeds Isa 1.7.8.9.10 and 10.22.23.25 as it is said in the first and tenth of Isaiah From which places it is easie to iudge what the Prophets meant to say by this manner of speech To make a consumption For in these places God threatens that he will make a consumption and yet by and by after hee adds this consumption shall bring forth some fruit that is to say a remnant shall be exempt out of this consumption For in other places the Prophets compare the Church to oliues Isa 17.6 and 24.13 or oliue trees when they are beaten or shaken or to vines at the time of vintage For there will alwayes remain one cluster or other which cannot be espied though all seeme to be gathered the like also falles out when the oliue trees are shaken for it is impossible but some oliues will alwayes remaine in the vpper part of the bowes And in the same manner God also saith he will make such a consumption of his Church as shall resemble the vintage or the gathering of oliues which yet are neuer so cleane stripped as it were of their fruit but there will be some remainders which shall not be espied We haue now then as I take it attained the Prophets meaning namely that such a ruine of the whole nation approcheth as no mention at all shall afterwards be made of it there shall be seene neither forme nor beauty of it which also in effect fell out when they were led captiue into Babylon For then the people at least in respect of the whole body were brought as it were to nought And thus there was no end I willingly confesse that Gods threatnings cannot be auailable to our saluation vnlesse he forthwith sets before vs the hope of mercy that being vpheld by this hope we may haue our recourse vnto him For whilest wee thinke God to be so angry against vs that he will not be appeased we flee from him as much as we can And this is the cause why despaire makes men fall into a diabolicall frensie Thence also it comes to passe that the reprobates not onely murmure and gnash their teeth against God and storme and take on like bedlems but they would willingly also cast him downe from his seat It is needfull then that hope of pardon bee set before vs that so wee may be touched with true repentance And therefore in regard this promise is perpetuall come what come will yea albeit to our thinking heauen and earth will goe together See Psal 46.1.2 so as dangers of death shall seeme to presse vs on euery side yet ought we alwayes to rest confident in this beleefe that there shall alwayes a residue remaine Isa 17.6 and 24.13 according to that which we alleaged out of Isaiah 1. and 10. But in regard this people was not as yet well prepared nor fit to receiue consolation the Prophet now mentions on s not this second poynt at all but speakes onely of the punishment Now he adds Vers 28. Thereupon the earth shall mourne the heauens shall be darkened on high for I haue spoken I haue thought and cannot repent mee of it neither will I call backe my word IEremiah prosecutes his former speech and alwayes brings in God speaking that his words might bee the more forcible Thereupon saith he the earth shall mourne He calles that destruction and deformity the mourning of the earth as hauing respect to that which hee spake in vers 23. c. He speaks not then of the inhabitants of the earth For those which so expound it doe very much lessen the vehemency of the