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,…

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 ⟨p. 24⟩and briars. Jeremiah therefore could not plant, nor sow the doctrine of life, until the land was purged of the varieties of so foul enormities. Thus you see the very cause and reason why he begins with destruction, and rooting out: and afterward mentions planting, and building.

Yet afterwards he addes, To build, and to plant. ¹God then attributes a double vse vnto his word. On the one side, it destroyes, roots vp, &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 speakes of ruine and destruction? for the other order might haue seemed the better; I haue ordained thee to build and to plant. For so Paul speakes: We; that is, my selfe, and my fellow labourers, haue 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 Gospell is chiefly and properly dedicated to this vse; namely, to bring men to Gods obedience. But Ieremiah puts, ruine and perdition, before the words, to build, and to plant. It seemes then (as I haue said) that he deales preposterously: But we must alwaies 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 needfull he should begin with ruine, destruction, and such like things. Ieremiah then could not plant, Answ. nor build the temple of God, before he ouerthrew, plucked vp, and rooted out. Why so? Because the diuell had erected his throne, or palace there. For religion hauing been despised there, many yeeres together: then the diuell (as if he had been enthronized into his tribunall seat) raigned in Ierusalem, and in the whole land of Iudeah, without resistance. How could Gods temple then be erected, in which he might be purely serued, vnlesse these ruines preceded? Thus the diuell had corrupted the whole land. For (as we know) all sinnes and iniquities raigned therein so generally, as if the land had been replenished with thornes