A17728:404
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.
THE FOURTEENTH LECTURE, WHICH IS THE FIRST UPON THE fourth Chapter.
THE FOVRTEENTH LECTVRE, WHICH IS THE FIRST VPON THE fourth Chapter.
Vers. 1. Israel, if thou return, saith the Lord, return unto me, or, repose thy self in me: and if thou take away thine abominations from before my face, and that thou wander no more: others, and thou shalt not depart from thy place.
Vers. 1. Israel, if thou returne, saith the Lord, returne vnto me, or, repose thy selfe in me: and if thou take away thine abominations from before my face, and that thou wander no more: others, and thou shalt not depart from thy place.
NO doubt but the Prophet here requires of the people a sound and sincere conversion, in regard they seemed often to acknowledge their sins,1 and to show great testimonies of their repentance; and yet for all that, dealt deceitfully with God. Thus then, because they had often counterfeited both with God and his Prophets: Jeremiah would now have them to return unto God in good earnest, & without feigning. This is the sum ⟨p. 190⟩and scope of the Prophets doctrine: but there is some difficulty in the words. For some read this place thus, Israel if thou return to me, saith the Lord: so they join these words, to me, with the former member, and then read, thou shalt have rest, apart; and so they will have one and the same sentence twice repeated: for by and by it follows, If thou take away thine abominations from before my face, thou shalt not depart from thy place: that is to say, I will not cast thee out, as I have threatened thee. Others take the verb which is here twice repeated in the Hebrew, in one and the same signification; Israel if thou convert, convert to me. It is certain, that the Prophet exhorts the Israelites to return unto God in sincerity, and not in hypocrisy, as they were wont to do. Now I have told you what others think, but as I take it, the reading will agree better thus, Israel, if thou convert, repose thy self in me, And then after, and if thou take away thine abominations. I take this And, to signify as much as, To wit. That is to wit then, if thou take away thine abominations from before my face, and if thou trottest no more hither and thither. For where others expound it (as I told you before) Israel, if thou return, thou shalt have rest: it seems to me unapt; yea, I utterly mislike this exposition: but if any will read, Israel, if thou return, stay thy self in me, I leave it to his choice. Or thus; Israel, if thou convert, convert unto me. For there is no great difference; in regard the Prophet reproves the Israelites for their hypocrisy and dissimulation which they had formerly used, showing signs ever and anon as if they had been ready to have obeyed God, and to frame themselves to his service; and yet by and by after, manifested to all by the effects, that they meant no such matter. In regard then they had so oft proved themselves liars, and full of deceit;