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,…

But here 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 speak of the words, Answ. and afterwards I will dispatch the rest. All in (a manner) turn 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, unless peradventure God meant to compare the wife divorced, to the land: or rather, that suddenly breaking off his speech, he meant to transfer that which he had said touching the rejected wife, to the land: or at least, that he now expounds the figure which he formerly used. And yet we 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 have showed) this was forbidden by the law: neither could it be avoided, but the husband of such a wife must be reputed an adulterer, if he took her again for his wife, whom he had once put away. For by the bill of divorce, the woman was at liberty: not that God permitted it so to be; but because the women were guiltless, they were borne withal: for God laid all the fault upon the husbands. Now in this case, when the wife who had been divorced from her first husband, joined her self in marriage with another, this ⟨p. 142⟩second marrying was lawful; so as if the first husband would recover 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 have said, It is not lawful for the husband to recall his wife to him, notwithstanding he be most ready to entertain her into his favour and good liking: and yet do I (saith the Lord) expect nothing else, but that you should return unto me. As touching these words, we have already seen how the Prophet saith not without cause, In this, that is to say, it would breed such confusion, if a woman should be married now to this man, and then to another; and in conclusion, should return again to the first: that by means hereof the band of humane society and order would be broken.

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