In the words going before he had denounced heavy plagues against them in regard of their horrible and fearful transgressions, which did continually flow from them, even as waters from a fountain, vers. 7. Now hereupon some man might say, If their offences be so grievous, wherefore do not you tell them thereof? Why, (says the Prophet) unto whom shall I speak, whom shall I admonish? their ears are uncircumcised, that is, fleshly and carnal: so that albeit good instructions be brought unto them, yet they […] hearken thereunto; but will be gazing hither and thither, and have their minds taken up with other matters. Let a debtor of theirs come unto them to pay them money, and they will not be looking on this thing and on that, when they should receive it at his hands: but when the true treasure is offered unto them freely, they are either idle, or ill employed, so that they have no mind to accept of that. Tell them a tale of lucre, which they may get; or of some injury done unto them; whereof they may take advantage, and their ears are wide open for such matters: but let there be any speech used tending to the glory of God, or the salvation of their souls, they are altogether deaf, and cannot with any life or cheerfulness listen to such things. Now how comes their ears to be thus uncircumcised? ⟨p. 152⟩because their hearts are uncircumcised: (which is the second cause of their unwillingness to attend to the words of wisdom:) And this appeareth in two things: the first is, that (as Jeremiah speaketh) they delight not in Gods voice. 1The second, that they do take pleasure in unrighteousness, as the Apostle witnesseth. 2And look how much delight any one taketh in sin, so much hatred will he bear against the word that checketh him for his sin: and in what measure any man dislikes the word, in the same measure will he take pleasure in all manner of iniquity, which is condemned by the word. And thus much for the causes of this unwillingness.
In the words going before hee had denounced heauie plagues against them in regard of their horrible and fearefull transgressions, which did continually flow from them, euen as waters from a fountaine, vers. 7. Now hereupon some man might say, If their offences be so grieuous, wherefore doe not you tell them thereof? Why, (faies the Prophet) vnto whom shall I speake, whom shall I admonish? their eares are vncircumcised, that is, fleshly and carnall: so that albeit good instructions be brought vnto them, yet they 〈…〉 hearken thereunto; but will bee gazing hither and thither, and haue their minds taken vp with other matters. Let a debter of theirs come vnto them to pay thē money, and they will not be looking on this thing and on that, when they should receiue it at his hands: but when the true treasure is offered vnto them freely, they are either idle, or ill imployed, so that they haue no mind to accept of that. Tell them a tale of lucre, which they may get; or of some iniurie done vnto them; whereof they may take aduantage, and their eares are wide open for such matters: but let there bee any speech vsed tending to the glory of God, or the saluation of their soules, they are altogether deafe, and cannot with any life or cheerfulnes listen to such things. Now how comes their eares to be thus vncircumcised? ⟨p. 152⟩because their hearts are vncircumcised: (which is the second cause of their vnwillingnesse to attend to the words of wisedome:) And this appeareth in two things: the first is, that (as Ieremy speaketh) they delight not in Gods voice. 1The second, that they doe take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse, as the Apostle witnesseth. 2And looke how much delight any one taketh in sin, so much hatred will hee beare against the word that checketh him for his sin: and in what measure any man dislikes the word, in the same measure will he take pleasure in all manner of iniquity, which is condemned by the word. And thus much for the causes of this vnwillingnesse.
- 1Jer. 6.10.Ier. 6.10.
- 22. Thes. 2.12.
