A17728:218
Two and twenty lectures upon the five first chapters of Jeremiah With prayers annexed,…Tvvo and tvventie lectures vpon the fiue first chapters of Ieremiah With prayers annexed,…
Two and twenty lectures upon the five first chapters of Jeremiah With prayers annexed, at the end of every lecture: by Master John Calvin. Which being faithfully collected form him as he uttered them in Latin, in the schools of Geneva, were afterwards translated into French: and now newly turned out of French, into English, with a table at the end, containing the sum and scope of every lecture.Tvvo and tvventie lectures vpon the fiue first chapters of Ieremiah With prayers annexed, at the end of euery lecture: by Master Iohn Caluin. Which being faithfully collected form him as hee vttered them in Latine, in the schooles of Geneua, were afterwards translated into French: and now newly turned out of French, into English, with a table at the end, containing the summe and scope of euery lecture.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Nathanael Newbery, 1620
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Vers. 20. For I have of old time broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds, and thou saidst, I will no more serve, or, I will no more transgress; for there is a double reading: but like an harlot as thou art, thou runnest about upon all high hills, and under all green trees.
Vers. 20. For I haue of old time broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds, and thou saidst, I will no more serue, or, I will no more transgresse; for there is a double reading: but like an harlot as thou art, thou runnest about vpon all high hils, and vnder all greene trees.
For as much as the Hebrew text admits a double reading (because of the affinity which is here between two letters, it causeth some to take it for one verb, & others for another) which is the reason that this place may be expounded two ways. For if we read, I will not pass, or, I will not transgress, the sense will be, when I brake thy yoke; that is to say, when I delivered thee from the bondage of Egypt, then thou diddest promise me loyalty: for then there was a mutual contract between God and the Israelites: for §1as God received them under his protection, to be (as it were their patron and support: so they on the other side §2promised subjection to him. If we receive this reading, it shall be a complaint; as if God accused the people of their ingratitude and disloyalty. But it seems the Prophet meant some other thing: and therefore I find the other reading better, I will not serve; and yet I approve not of the interpretation which the expositors bring; neither doubt I but this place hath been corrupted, in regard they usually allow this interpretation, I will not serve idols: and those that have any mean judgement will easily consider, that this sense agrees not, but is constrained; ⟨p. 92⟩and therefore it may be (and I think it very likely) that the text by this means hath been mis-interpreted. For generally all the expositors interpret thus, Thou hast said, I will not serve idols: but this is too constrained. And for my part, I rather think that God here complains that the people turned that liberty which he gave them, into licentiousness: which also agrees very well, as we may easily judge by the scope of the text. Because of long time (saith he) I have broken thy yoke, I have broken thy bands; therefore thou hast said: (for vau, which is here in the Hebrew, should be resolved into a particle illative, Therefore thou saidst) I will not serve, that is to say, in stead of giving thy self to me who had redeemed thee; thou thoughtest thou mightst take liberty to do what thou wouldest: and the reason which he yields of his speech suits very well; For thou rannest upon every high mountain, and under every green tree; harlot that thou art. God shows then, that he hath ill bestowed the grace and benefit of redemption upon such graceless ones, who thus abused their liberty. For they took occasion hereby to overflow in all lasciviousness.