A17728:441
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. 10. And I said, Ah, ah, Lord God! surely thou hast deceived this people of Jerusalem, in saying, you shall have peace, and the sword pierceth to the soul: that is, notwithstanding the sword, &c. for here the copulative, is put for the adversative.
Vers. 10. And I said, Ah, ah, Lord God! surely thou hast deceiued this people of Ierusalem, in saying, you shall haue peace, and the sword pierceth to the soule: that is, notwithstanding the sword, &c. for heere the copulatiue, is put for the aduersatiue.
Some expound this place, as if the Prophet here propounded the peoples words. For it is the manner even of the most wicked, to charge God foolishly, when his hand presseth them; and to brawl and contend with him. They think then that the Prophet speaks not here in his own person, but in the person of the whole people: as if they should say, Lord! what meaneth this? surely thou hast deceived us. Others take it somewhat more strictly; namely, that the Prophet here makes his complaint to God, in regard he suffered the false Prophets to abuse the people by their flatteries, so as they had in a manner bewitched their minds and understandings: but there is another sense, which I more willingly approve of: for as I think, the Prophet tauntingly and overthwartly toucheth the false and pernicious flatteries wherewith the false Prophets had (in a manner) brought the poor Jews unto utter ruin; in making them believe ⟨p. 208⟩they should obtain mercy of God, and always preached to them pleasing things. Neither are we to doubt, but God rendered unto the Jews their just teward, when he permitted them to be thus deceived by these deceivers. For we know the world hath always been subject to such a sickness;1 namely, a desire it hath to be delighted with sweet words, and vain flatteries. As in Mich. 2.11. where God by his Prophet thus reproacheth the Jews: You seek our Prophets (saith he) that may make you large promises of plentiful harvests, and vintages. By which you may perceive how well they liked to be spared, and by no means to have their sins examined: also, that they not only hated the true pastors, and those which sharply reproved their vices; but utterly detested them. God then for this cause was as willing that there should be many hirelings, which should assume unto themselves the name and title of Prophets. And thus it came to pass, that the Jews always dreamed of a peaceable estate: which (as I have said) is a thing very common with hypocrites. Now the Prophet here by a very tart and galling manner of speech, reproves such deceits. Ah, ah, Lord! (saith he) surely thou hast deceived this people. For the Prophet speaks not here, as in the person of the people; neither complains he because God gave this liberty and license to the false Prophets; but in taunting wise he insults as well over these deceivers, as over the whole nation.