Lectures on Jeremiah, Lectures · Lecture 18
THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE, WHICH IS THE FIRST VPONUPON THE fifth Chapter.
Verſ. 1. Walke you, others tranſlate, enquire, or eſpy, or ſeeke, by the wayes of Ieruſalem; and ſee I pray you, for the word foreign is put heere to exhort: in the former verſe, we thought fit to tranſlate it, Now: Woe is mee now: and know, and enquire through the ſtreets, or in the croſſe wayes where ſtreets meet, if there you can find a man; if there be any that executeth iudgement, that is truly, that ſeeketh the truth; and I will ſpare, or pardon it.
IN this verſe, as alſo in the reſt following, God ſhewes he is not ouer ſeuere nor rigorous, albeit hee denounceth ſuch extreame calamities againſt his people. Becauſe their wickedneſſe was become vtterly incurable, and therefore hee had no other meanes but this left.Iſa. 65.2. Pſalm. 81.13. For we know what hee often teſtifies in the Scripture, namely, that he is patient, that he waites to ſee if ſinners will come to repentance. Seeing God then eueryevery where extols his clemency, promiſing that he will ſhew mercy to ye moſt wicked, if they repent: for as much alſo as hee freely preuents ſinners, it ſhould ſeeme ſtrange, that with ſo great ſeuerity hee riſeth vp in anger againſt his Church. But wee ſee what obſtinacy and peruerſeneſſe there is in the minds of the wicked: and therefore they feare not to make their complaints againſt God, and to call him to an account (as it were) before them: as if hee dealt too rigorouſly with them. For this cauſe then, God now ſhewes, that it was not his fault that the people were not pardoned: for as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, though I would, yet they would not. I grant he ſpeakes heere after the manner of men:Mat. 23.37. but thus (as I hauehave ſaid) he ſhewes how hee vſed all meanes poſſible to reclaime them, before he came to deale thus ſeuerely with them: And the words themſelues alſo doe very well expreſſe as much. Goe (ſaith he) through the wayes of Ieruſalem, and behold I beſeech you, know, enquire, in all the corners of the ſtreets. Ieremiah might in one word hauehave ſaid, Finde me but one man in the City, and I will willingly ſpare it. But God heere permits the whole world (as it were with all poſſible care and diligence) to take a thorow view of of this holy city (for ſo forſooth ſhe ſtiled her ſelfe) Now heere, as alſo in the verſe following, he directs his ſpeech againſt Ieruſalem. He might as well hauehave named all the reſt of the neighbour Cities: but in regard the ſanctity of the whole land ſeemed then to hauehave its ſeat and reſidence in Ieruſalem; therefore God doth of purpoſe turne his ſpeech to this City, who yet retained ſome ſhew of holineſſe, and farre excelled all the reſt. He ſaith then, enquire, view, and marke diligently, if there be a man. He heere permits mortall men to be Iudges: as if he ſhould ſay, Come ye all hither. And if the Iewes will make me odious, and if they will complaine of too much rigour, as if I had dealt inhumanely with them: Let all that liſt, iudge, come in, let them aske, let them make a diligent ſearch: and if after ſearch made, there can not a iust, and vpright man bee found, what remaines, but that this City must periſh? For what is to be done with the deſperate, muſt not my iudgements needs light vponupon them? Wee hauehave now the Prophets meaning then: for hee purpoſed heere to ſtop the mouthes of the Iewes, and to refell their ſlanders, that they might no more murmure againſt God, or find fault with his iudgements, as if he exceeded meaſure: ſhewing, that albeit God be enclined to ſhew them fauour, yet ſhould there be no place left for pardon, for his clemency is by this ſo deſperate an obſtinacy excluded, in regard there was not a man in Ieruſalem that gaue himſelfe to integrity and vprightneſſe.
Queſt. Yet a queſtion may heere be asked, namely, wherfore Ieremiah ſaith, that a good man could not be found, ſeeing himſelfe was then in Ieruſalem, who had alſo Baruch for his companion; and ſome others alſo, of whom wee ſhall heare afterwards. There were ſome true and faithfull ſeruants of God then, and ſome alſo who vnfainedly feared the Lord, albeit they were then thin ſowen: this ſeemes therefore an exceſſiue manner of ſpeech.
Anſw. But wee muſt note, the Prophet hath heere a ſpeciall eye vntounto the multitude, putting the faithfull (as it were) apart by themſelues. Which that it may be made the more euident,Iſa. 8.16. that place of Iſaiah is to bee noted, ſeale vp the Law, and bind vp the teſtimony among my Diſciples. For God ſeeing that the ſending of his Prophet among the the people, had been to little purpoſe, and that his labour was ſpent in vaine among them that were paſt cure: bind vp (ſaith he) the Law among my Diſciples. Wee ſee heere how God takes in, to himſelfe, this ſmall number, in whom there yet remained ſome ſeeds of piety, to wit, in the harts of ſuch, as in whom religion had been well grounded. So in like manner, Ieremiah reſpects not Baruch, nor the reſt that were mingled among this wretched multitude: but he directs his ſpeech (as hath been ſaid) to the whole body in generall: the reſt were not onelyonly already ſeparated in Gods ſecret counſell; but alſo by his open and manifeſt ſentence. He truly pronounceth then, that there was not one. For we ought to bethinke vsus with what kind of people he had to deale at that time. On the the one ſide hee had the King and his councell, See verſ. 5. ſect. 4.ſwollen and puffed vp with the promiſes (which yet they falſly laid claime vntounto) whereby they imagined it was impoſſible the royal ſeat of Dauid ſhould euer be ouerthrowne. This is my reſt for euer, Pſal. 132.14. As long as the Sunne and Moone endures, they ſhall teſtifie for me, that thy ſeed ſhall neuer periſh, Pſalm. 89.37.38. With theſe and the like titles they armed themſelues: but as hypocrites falſly pretend Gods promiſes; ſo theſe naughty-packes bragged that God was on their ſide. Secondly, Ieremiah (as we ſhall ſee afterwards) had many conflicts with the falſe Prophets. For there were great troupes of them, with which for the moſt part, the world is alwaies peſtered, the whole eſtate of the Prieſthood was corrupted, and waged battell of ſet purpoſe euen againſt God himſelfe. The commons were little or nothing better, than the former. Ieremiah then encounters heere with the King, and his counſellors, with the falſe Prophets, the wicked Prieſts, and with the obſtinate and rebellious multitude. And thus he ſaith there was not ſo much as one, that was able to appeaſe Gods wrath.
To ſeeke iudgement, is as much as to giuegive a mans ſelfe to vprightneſſe. For the word iudgement, in the Hebrew, ſignifies vprightneſſe, equity, or the rule of well doing. He ſaith then, that none exerciſed or executed iudgement, nor ſought the truth. The word truth, as in the third verſe following, is taken for integrity. As if hee ſhould ſay, All are giuen to falſhood, fraud, and peruerſe craftineſſe: and therefore he could by no meanes ſpare the Citie. For the relatiue it, cannot be otherwiſe expounded, than of Ieruſalem. God then ſaith, he will be mercifull vntounto it, if there could a man be found among the Kings councell, among the Prophets, Prieſts, or people; but they had all of them with one conſent, conſpired againſt all iuſtice and vprightneſſe.
Verſ. 2. And, or although they ſay, the Lord liueth, yet ſweare they in vaine, or falſly.
THis is added by way of anticipation; and (as you would ſay) to preuent the Iewes, becauſe (as it is well knowne) they thought to hauehave the name of God (which went glib thē in eueryevery ones mouth) as a ſufficient couert for their vices. For as much then, as they openly vaunted that they ſerued the God of Abraham; they thought all their wickedneſſes might well be winked at, in regard of this pretext. Now the Prophet meets with this conceit, and ſhewes that ſuch figge leaues are nothing worth, becauſe they onelyonly profaned the name of God with their abuſes of it. Moreouer, Ieremiah alſo aggrauates the fault of the Iewes: for he ſhewes that they were vtterly eſtranged from Gods true feare; not onelyonly in their whole courſe of life; but albeit ſome kind of religion remained amongſt them, yet euen that alſo was meere ſacriledge. It is bad enough when Gods name is buried in obliuion, and when wretched men giuegive themſelues the raines to commit euil, as if they could eſcape away with it in the darke. But how odious and deteſtable is ſuch a wickedneſſe, when they dare thus of ſet purpoſe, prouoke God euen to his face? It is this then, which Ieremiah heere notes, Although they ſay, Iehouah liues, yet (ſaith hee) they ſweare falſly. Now we ſee the Prophets meaning. For in the firſt place, hee pluckes the vizard of this vaine confidence from off the faces of the hypocrites, in regard they thought God would eaſily be entreated, if ſo be they only pretended his name. And yet they conſidered not how pretious the name of God was: and thus they cared not lightly to take vp the ſacred name of God in vaine. Now the Prophet not onelyonly condemnes the hypocriſie of the Iewes, but (as I hauehave ſaid) he aggrauates their fault, in regard they made no conſcience in proſtituting the holy name of the Lord to all purpoſes, and to be at vtter defiance with it. For this is done, when wee abuſe the name of God, by vaine ſwearing.
When he ſaith, Although they ſweare, &c. he vſeth here the ſame word which the faithfull vſe in their oathes: for when they call the liuing God to witneſſe, it is as much as if they preſented themſelues before his iudgement ſeat, as being well aſſured, that howſoeuer God may deferre his vengeance for a time, yet muſt they come to an account, in regard he alwayes liues. Thus the faithfull acknowledge, that if they forſweare themſelues, they can gaine nothing by it, though God ſhould ſuſpend his iudgement. But (as I hauehave already ſaid) the Prophet referres this to the hypocrites, who ſeemed to honour God much: for nothing hath a goodlier ſhew than their words. But gall is in their hearts, whileſt they hauehave theſe ſugred words in their lips. The Prophet then derides this fained holineſſe, when he ſaith; that in outward ſhew they ſware very demurely, as though they affected nothing more than piety and religion; yet for this they will ſweare. Others tranſlate, truly, or certainly: but the ſenſe will be plainer, if we tranſlate, for this, that is to ſay, for this thing, or for this cauſe, they will ſweare falſly, or lyingly. It followes.
Verſ. 3. O Lord, are not thine eyes vponupon the truth? Thou haſt ſmitten them, and they hauehave not ſorrowed; thou haſt conſumed them, and they hauehave refuſed to receiue diſcipline, or correction, they hauehave 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 haire, an vnapt ſenſe from the beginning of this verſe, as if the Prophet ſhould ſay, God therefore turnes not his eyes vponupon the right, becauſe he doth ſo ſeuerely reuenge himſelfe vponupon the ſinnes and offences of his people. But Ieremiah proſecutes his former argument ſtill. For the diſtinction of the verſes is of no moment, in this behalfe. Whoſoeuer hath thus diſtinguiſhed them, hath often peruerted and corrupted the ſentences: wee muſt winke at this fault then: onelyonly for the helpe of memory we are to retaine the number. But as touching the ſcope of the text, the obſeruation 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-ioyned. I often think hereupon, and it is alſo a profitable aduertiſement: as in this place, after the Prophet hath ſhewed how the Iewes were diſloyall, and of a double heart, void of all vprightneſſe, he adds, yet doe thine eyes O Lord, behold the right, or truth. As if he ſhould ſay, it is in vaine for them to pretend the name of God, or to ſhelter themſelues vnderunder heapes of ceremonies, or outward appearances of godlineſſe, for God ſoundeth the heart and reynes; he ſtands not vponupon vizards of holineſſe, wherewith mens eyes are blinded and bleared. Furthermore, the Prophet thus ſuddenly directs his ſpeech to God, the better thereby to ſhew how irkſome his trauels were vntounto him, when he ſaw his preaching did ſo little good, among ſo headſtrong a people. For had the Iewes in any meaſure been tractable or teachable, no doubt he would rather now (vponupon his reproofe) hauehave exhorted them to integrity and vprightnes. He might very well hauehave ſaid thus, Thoſe were much deceiued, who in ſwearing by the name of God, perſwade themſelues that he will therefore be their father:Verſ. 2. for his eyes behold the truth, and the vprightneſſe of the heart. This had been (you ſee) to good purpoſe, and it had alſo been an apt manner of teaching: but Ieremiah breakes off his ſpeech, as it were abruptly, and leauing the people, turnes him to God: Lord (ſaith hee) are not thine eyes vponupon the truth? As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, What doe I any further trouble my ſelfe about this deſperate people? I ſpeake, but it is as if it were to a rocke; or to a ſtone wall. Fare you well therefore, I hauehave done with you: I will now another while make my mone to God. Now we ſee that this*A turning of ones ſpeech from thoſe that are preſent, to ſome abſent. apoſtrophe, hath much more vehemency in it, than if the Prophet had ſtill ſpoken to the Iewes without intermiſſion; performing the office of a teacher vntounto them. For thus he ſhewes, that his head and heart was broken with this tedious courſe, ſeeing his words ſo little to preuaile, and all of them generally to whom hee preached, to bee ſtubborne and obſtinate. Neither yet did he caſt foorth this ſpeech raſhly into the ayre, as if it had been to no purpoſe: but by this meanes he rather meant with the greater eagerneſſe, to pricke forward theſe dull ſcholers of his, whom hee ſaw thus to lagge behind; for otherwiſe hee was (as it were) hopeleſſe, that he ſhould euer procure their good. Wee are to call to minde then,See for this matter, Maſter Caluins preface before the propheſie of Iſaiah, the latter end. that which elſewhere I hauehave touched, namely, that the Prophets preached not word for word as they hauehave written: but after they hauehave ſtood long vponupon a poynt before the people, they then gathered the ſumme afterwards. And thence came the bookes of the Prophets. Ieremiah therefore no queſtion, had at large handled the doctrine of repentance; had earneſtly inueyed againſt the hypocrites; had diſcouered the fraudulent courſes of his nation; and had alſo ſharply reproued their obſtinacie. But after all this, it was needfull hee ſhould make a ſtop as it were, in the midway, in regard hee well foreſaw that little fruit would redound to him by his painfull labours. And the Iewes alſo being priuie to this, it ſtood him in hand to touch them ſo much the more, to the quicke. For doe we not ſee how wee at this day prouoke the ſpirit of God by our rebellion, in regard it is ſo horrible a monſter? Nothing therefore ought more to wound vsus to the heart, than the ſame. What a thing is it? God calles vsus familiarly to him eueryevery day: but when hee ſees our hearts ſo hard, and that we hold vp our heads ſo high; there he leaues vsus, becauſe we grieue his holy ſpirit, as he ſaith in Iſa. 63.10. An ordinary or common courſe of teaching heere then, would not ſerue the turne: but there was need of more efficacy now to be added to his teaching, when he ſaw the wickedneſſe of his nation was become intolerable. Lord (ſaith he) are not thine eyes vponupon faith, or truth.
Now when he ſpeakes thus to God, there is an antitheſis betweene God and men. For we know that the worſt ſort of people in the world are pleaſed well enough, whileſt they may hauehave the good opinion and eſtimation of men like themſelues. Whileſt they are ſo eſteemed then, they lie ſnorting in their vices. The Prophet derides this fooliſh confidence, and ſhewes that God ſees otherwiſe than mortall man doth. For man ſcarcely can looke the length of three fingers from him: but God diueth into the very bottome and depth of the heart. The Prophet then ſo ſpeakes of Gods eyes, that in reſpect thereof he ſhewes mens iudgements are friuolous, in regard they ſeeke after nothing but faire ſhewes, and vaine appearances. By the word faith, as alſo in the firſt verſe of this chapter, the Prophet meanes the integrity of the heart. They erre from the marke then, who to ſhew their wit, endeauour to prooue, from this place, that we are acceptable to God by faith onelyonly. For the Prophet ſpeakes not heere of that faith by which wee embrace free reconciliation with God; by which alſo we are made the members of Ieſus Christ. The ſenſe then is plaine enough of it ſelfe, namely, that God eſteemes not outward ſhewes, wherewith men are delighted, as it is in 1. Sam. 16.7. Man lookes to the outward appearance; but God regards the heart. By the word heart there, the holy Ghoſt expreſſeth the ſame thing which Ieremiah meanes by faith, or truth heere. For Samuel ſhewes, that Dauids father deceiued himſelfe in bringing forth thoſe ſonnes firſt, which were of the moſt comely ſtature and perſonage. Man (ſaith hee) lookes to the outward forme; but God ſees the heart. Now wee hauehave the true and naturall ſenſe of the Prophets words; to wit, after the hypocrites ſhall hauehave flattered themſelues to the full, and that all the world ſhould hauehave applauded them therein; yet all this ſhall ſerue them to no purpoſe: for in concluſion, they muſt all be ſummoned before the barre of Gods iudgement ſeate. Now in his preſence, nothing but truth hath place, neither is any thing elſe precious in his ſight.
He adds, Thou haſt ſmitten them, but they hauehave not ſorrowed. Here the Prophet reprooues the obſtinacy of the people, in that being ſmitten of God, yet they amended not.Prouerbes, For experience (as they ſay) is the miſtriſſe of fooles. It is alſo a prouerbe, as true as ancient, that fooles become wiſe by their harmes and loſſes. The Heathen Poets, and Hiſtoriographers doe often vſe theſe ſentences. Since then the Iewes were of ſo ſtubborne and rebellious a nature, that they gained nothing, no not by the ſmart of the ſtripes with which they were ſmitten; it was a ſigne they were altogether incurable. The Prophet heere then ſubſcribes vntounto the former ſentence, where God ſaid, hee would ſpare this people, if an honeſt and vpright man could be found in the whole City. This the Prophet confirmes when hee ſaith, Thou hast ſmitten them, but they hauehave not ſorrowed. No doubt but the Iewes ſorrowed; yea and howled alſo, vnderunder the blowes, and were but too skilfull in making their complaints. For wee ſee with what an heighth of pride they deſpited God himſelfe. They ſorrowed then: but the word ſorrow, They ſorrowed, but it was not a ſorrow according to God. 2. Cor. 7.11.is heere taken ſtrictly: as where Paul handles the doctrine of repentance, he ſhewes, that the beginning thereof conſiſts in ſorrow. So in this place the Prophet denies, that thoſe who had confuſed thoughts in their minds, did therefore ſorrow rightly: for they felt not that they had to deale with God. By this word then, hee ſignifies as much as another Prophet doth, who ſaith, they looked not to the hand of him that ſmote them, Iſa. 9.13. For his meaning is not, that they were ſo brutiſh or blockiſh, as not ſenſibly to feele the blowes: but in the meane while, they neglected the hand of God, from whence they came. Now this ought chiefly to be reſpected in our ſorrow: for although wee howle with a blind outrage, proceeding from the ſenſe of our miſeries; hauing this word Alas, neuer ſo much in our mouthes, what of all this? Theſe are onelyonly the yellings and rorings of bruit beaſts. But when wee hauehave regard to the hand that ſmiteth; that is the true and right framed ſorrow. In this ſenſe Ieremiah ſaith, the Iewes ſorrowed not, becauſe they felt not that God had iuſtly chaſtiſed them with his hand.
In the next words he amplifies this doctrine, Thou haſt conſumed them (ſaith he) and they refuſed to receiue correction. When he ſaith, they were conſumed, it is a ſigne of a deſperate rebellion. For if God touch vsus but lightly, no maruell, if (according to our ſlowneſſe and careleſneſſe) we be not forthwith awakened. But if God redouble his blowes; yea, that hee not onelyonly ſcourgeth vsus with his rods, but alſo drawes forth his fiery ſword, vtterly to conſume vsus: when he deales thus with vsus, and executes his vengeance by horrible and fearfull iudgements;When God doubles his chaſtiſements, and we how not vnderunder them, it is a ſigne that the diuell hath beſotted vsus. if then (I ſay) we be yet ſenſeleſſe, vnderunder ſuch euils, and feele not how hidious a thing it is to fall into his hands: it may well be concluded, that the diuell hath blinded and bewitched vsus. This benummedneſſe that was in the Iewes, the Prophet now bewaileth, in regard they were not onelyonly void of feeling the ſtripes whileſt God ſmote them; but that they receiued no correction, albeit he conſumed them. In this ſecond member he toucheth that which I formerly told you; namely, that this ſorrow whereof he ſpake, muſt not be taken generally, but for that true ſorrow which ſets Gods iudgement in ſuch wiſe before vsus, that we learne to tremble thereat.
He adds, that they hardened their faces like a ſtone: in a word, that they would not returne. The Prophet ſignifies, that the Iewes were not onelyonly rebellious, but alſo growne ſhameleſſe. And although they had ſhewed all the ſignes of ſhame that poſſibly they could; yet all had been nothing, vnleſſe the integrity of the heart had gone before, as we hauehave ſaid. But it often falles out, that euen the moſt wicked being full of impiety; of the contempt of God, and rebellion alſo: will yet be ſmitten with ſome ſhame and remorſe. But the Prophet (to ſhew that the Iewes were growne to the heighth of all impiety) ſaith, they hardened their faces: that is to ſay, they were vtterly impudent, in regard they had reiected all honeſty, and difference betweene good and bad, of iuſtice and equity. Being deſtitute then, of all humane ſenſe; hee therefore ſaith, nothing now remaines, but that God (according as hee had foretold) muſt of force execute his laſt iudgement vponupon them. And hee repeates that which hee ſaid, when hee ſaith, they refuſed to returne. For hee ſignifies, that they ſinned not now through errour or ignorance, neither were they gone aſtray through weakneſſe: but that voluntarily, and of ſet purpoſe, they caſt off all care of their ſaluation, and witttngly had forſaken the Lord, ſo as they would ſuffer neither his word nor workes to take any place in them.
The Prayer.
Almighty God, and heauenly Father, for as much as Satan ceaſeth not ſo to allure vsus to himſelfe by his enticements, that wee become like thoſe that are ſenſeleſſe of thy iudgements; grant vsus the grace, good Lord, that thy word may ſhine into our minds and hearts, that wee ſleepe not in darkneſſe; and therewithall ſo awaken vsus by thy holy ſpirit, that we may attentiuely hearken to all the aduertiſements of thy holy Prophets, by which thou calleſt vsus into the right way, that ſo wee periſh not: and grant that without ceaſing wee may exerciſe our ſelues, the whole courſe of our liues, in the meditation of repentance, that wee may alwayes be diſpleaſed in our ſelues for our ſinnes, that wee bee ſtill iudging of our ſelues, that thy wrath may bee turned away from vsus, till at the length, being come to the end of our warfare, which we are to wage continually againſt our ſinnes, wee may attaine that bleſſed reſt, which is prepared for vsus in the heauens, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.