A17728:539
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. 3. O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? Thou hast smitten them, and they have not sorrowed; thou hast consumed them, and they have refused to receive discipline, or correction, they have hardened their faces more than a stone, or rock, they would not convert, or turn.
Vers. 3. O Lord, are not thine eyes vpon the truth? Thou hast smitten them, and they haue not sorrowed; thou hast consumed them, and they haue refused to receiue discipline, or correction, they haue hardened their faces more than a stone, or rocke, they would not conuert, or turne.
Some expound, or rather draw in (as it were) against the hair, an unapt sense from the beginning of this verse, as if the Prophet should say, God therefore turns not his eyes upon the right, because he doth so severely revenge himself upon the sins and offences of his people. But Jeremiah prosecutes his former argument still. For the distinction of the verses is of no moment, in this behalf. Whosoever hath thus distinguished them, hath often perverted and corrupted the sentences: we must wink at this fault then: only for the help of memory we are to retain the number. But as touching the scope of the text, the observation thereof often hinders the readers: for things separated one from another, are for the most part confused; yea, and that which was very well knit together, shall we find dis-joined. I often think hereupon, and it is also a profitable advertisement: as in this place, after the Prophet hath showed how the Jews were disloyal, and of a double heart, void of all uprightness, he adds, yet do thine eyes O Lord, behold the ⟨p. 256⟩right, or truth. As if he should say, it is in vain for them to pretend the name of God, or to shelter themselves under heaps of ceremonies, or outward appearances of godliness, for God soundeth the heart and reins; he stands not upon visors of holiness, wherewith mens eyes are blinded and bleared. Furthermore, the Prophet thus suddenly directs his speech to God, the better thereby to show how irksome his travels were unto him, when he saw his preaching did so little good, among so headstrong a people. For had the Jews in any measure been tractable or teachable, no doubt he would rather now (upon his reproof) have exhorted them to integrity and uprightness. He might very well have said thus, Those were much deceived, who in swearing by the name of God, persuade themselves that he will therefore be their father: