A17728:74
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.
In the next place he adds, To pluck up, to destroy, to break down, &c. It seems here as if God of set purpose meant to make both his word, and the ministry of his servant, odious at the very first entrance. For how could ⟨p. 23⟩the word of the Lord be amiable in the mouth of Jeremiah, unless the Jews perceived that it was published for their salvation? But what speaks God of here? Of plucking up, of rooting out, of destruction, of death, of perdition.
In the next place he addes, To plucke vp, to destroy, to breake downe, &c. It seemes heere as if God of set purpose meant to make both his word, and the ministery of his seruant, odious at the very first entrance. For how could ⟨p. 23⟩the word of the Lord bee amiable in the mouth of Ieremiah, vnlesse the Iewes perceiued that it was published for their saluation? But what speakes God of heere? Of plucking vp, of rooting out, of destruction, of death, of perdition.
Yet afterwards he adds, To build, and to plant. 1God then attributes a double use unto his word. On the one side, it destroys, roots up, &c. on the other side, it plants, and builds. And yet the question may here be fitly asked, Quest. why God in the first place speaks of ruin and destruction? for the other order might have seemed the better; I have ordained thee to build and to plant. For so Paul speaks: We; that is, my self, and my fellow labourers, have vengeance ready against all disobedience, and against all contemners and despisers: after (saith he) that your obedience is fulfilled. Saint Paul signifies then in this place, that the doctrine of the Gospel is chiefly and properly dedicated to this use; namely, to bring men to Gods obedience. But Jeremiah puts, ruin and perdition, before the words, to build, and to plant. It seems then (as I have said) that he deals preposterously: But we must always remember, what the state and condition of this people was then. For impiety, rebellion, and desperate obstinacy had already (for a long time) gotten such head, that it was needful he should begin with ruin, destruction, and such like things. Jeremiah then could not plant, Answ. nor build the temple of God, before he overthrew, plucked up, and rooted out. Why so? Because the devil had erected his throne, or palace there. For religion having been despised there, many years together: then the devil (as if he had been enthronized into his tribunal seat) reigned in Jerusalem, and in the whole land of Judea, without resistance. How could Gods temple then be erected, in which he might be purely served, unless these ruins preceded? Thus the devil had corrupted the whole land. For (as we know) all sins and iniquities reigned therein so generally, as if the land had been replenished with thorns