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,…

Keep back thy foot (saith he) from being unshod: that is, put not off thy shoes. Others translate, from nakedness, because in long journeys they wore out their shoes. But for mine own part, I rather think it ought to be referred to their ordinary custom, because they were wont to walk bare-foot. Keep thy foot then from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: we all know that drought is a thing which molests men much. Thus then the Prophet here corrects the peoples folly, for suffering themselves to be so violently overcarried with their wicked lusts, that they procured thirst to themselves by their long journeys. In regard then, that God required nothing of them but to spare their pains, their fault is redoubled, in that they refused to follow such wholesome counsel and advice. For (as I said before) if God had required ought of them that might hardly have been performed, they might have had some show of excuse: but seeing he demanded nothing of them, but to rest patiently and meekly in tranquility at home, they were able to say nothing for themselves; and therefore he saith, thou saidst desperately, no. Here the Prophet shows how the people on the contrary were rebellious and headstrong, in that they proudly scorned such sweet and amiable admonitions. In the first place, they say, there is no hope: the verb in Hebrew signifies to be desperate; and thereupon they say, It is a thing desperate; unless any had rather translate, It is a wearisome thing: which sense agrees not ill: as if they should say, I am but too much vexed in vain, so as my ⟨p. 107⟩weariness advertiseth me to sit still.

Keep backe thy foot (saith he) from being vnshod: that is, put not off thy shooes. Others translate, from nakednesse, because in long iourneys they wore out their shooes. But for mine owne part, I rather thinke it ought to be referred to their ordinary custome, because they were wont to walke bare-foot. Keepe thy foot then from being vnshod, and thy throat from thirst: we all know that drought is a thing which molests men much. Thus then the Prophet heere corrects the peoples folly, for suffering themselues to be so violently ouercarried with their wicked lusts, that they procured thirst to themselues by their long iourneys. In regard then, that God required nothing of them but to spare their paines, their fault is redoubled, in that they refused to follow such wholesome counsell and aduice. For (as I said before) if God had required ought of them that might hardly haue beene performed, they might haue had some shew of excuse: but seeing hee demanded nothing of them, but to rest patiently and meekly in tranquility at home, they were able to say nothing for themselues; and therefore he saith, thou saidst desperately, no. Here the Prophet shewes how the people on the contrary were rebellious and headstrong, in that they proudly scorned such sweet and amiable admonitions. In the first place, they say, there is no hope: the verbe in Hebrew signifies to be desperate; and thereupon they say, It is a thing desperate; vnlesse any had rather translate, It is a wearisome thing: which sense agrees not ill: as if they should say, I am but too much vexed in vaine, so as my