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,…

Whereas some think the Prophet here excuseth his nation, and as much as in him is, lessens their fault; they are grossly deceived. For doubtless by this comparison he makes it yet more evidently appear, that things at that time were grown desperate. The sum is this; Corruptions reigned then, not only amongst the common people, but even among the great ones also; so as from the crown of the head, to the sole of the foot, nothing was sound amongst them, as they say. There is a sentence somewhat like to this, in Isaiah, although in other words, Chap. 28.7.8. For having there first inveighed against the whole nation in general, he taxeth the governors also: You (saith he) are no less drunk than the common people. I grant he affirms it is through wine and strong drink: but the meaning is, that they were all become like drunkards, in regard they were past shame; whilst (without any modesty at all) they gave over themselves to the committing of all villainies and abominations. Jeremiah hath the same drift here, when he saith, I thought, surely they are of the poorer sort, and ⟨p. 263⟩those of small reckoning, that have thus sinned; but I found even the Governors also guilty as well as they. He might in a word have said, Not only those of the common and baser condition are corrupt; but the chief also, and those that should have given good example to the rest. But this comparison hath far greater weight, when he saith, It may be those that have thus failed are some of the poor ones, who are ignorant of the Law of God. And what marvel? But out of doubt we shall find greater integrity in the Governors. When the Prophet speaks thus then, he brings the readers to the view of the present fact as it were, and shows that they were none of the rascality that had sinned; but they were the Priests, the Prophets, and those of the chiefest rank. The Prophets meaning is plain enough. I said (saith he) not that he thought thus: for he saw all things were out of square, and that there was no more good to be hoped for of the Governors, than of the governed. The Prophet knew all this full well: but (as I said before) he meant to show, as in a lively image, how miserable the condition of the whole nation was.

WHereas some thinke the Prophet heere excuseth his nation, and as much as in him is, lessens their fault; they are grosly deceiued. For doubtlesse by this comparison he makes it yet more euidently appeare, that things at that time were growne desperate. The summe is this; Corruptions raigned then, not onely amongst the common people, but euen among the great ones also; so as from the crowne of the head, to the sole of the foot, nothing was sound amongst them, as they say. There is a sentence somewhat like to this, in Isaiah, although in other words, Chap. 28.7.8. For hauing there first inueyed against the whole nation in generall, he taxeth the gouernours also: You (saith he) are no lesse drunke than the common people. I grant he affirmes it is through wine and strong drinke: but the meaning is, that they were all become like drunkards, in regard they were past shame; whilest (without any modesty at all) they gaue ouer themselues to the committing of all villanies and abominations. Ieremiah hath the same drift heere, when he saith, I thought, surely they are of the poorer sort, and