¶ Of the dea••the that shulde come in Iewry. The prayer of the people askynge mercy of the Lorde. The vnfaythfull people are not hearde. Of praier, ••astynge, and of false pro∣phetes that seduce the people.
CAPI. XIIII.
THE worde of the Lorde shewed vnto [unspec A] Ieremy, concernyng the derthe of the frutes. Iuda hathe mourned, his gates are desolate: they are brought to heuinesse euen vnto the grounde / and the crye of Ierusa∣lem goeth vp. The Lordes sente theyr ser∣uauntes to fetche water / and when they came to the welles, they dyd fynde no wa∣ter but caryed theyr vessels home emptye. They be ashamed and confounded / and co∣uer theyr heades. * 1.1 For the grounde is dryed vp / because there commeth no rayne vpon it. The plowmen also be ashamed / and couer theyr heades. The hynde also forsoke the yonge fawne, that he broughte forthe in the felde / because there was no grasse. The wylde Asses dyd stande in the hye places, and drewe in theyr wynde lyke the dragons. theyr eyes dyd fayle for wante of grasse.
Doutles oure owne wyckednesse dothe re∣warde [unspec B] vs: But Lorde do thou accordynge to thy name / though oure transgressyons and synnes be many. * 1.2 For thou art the cō¦forte and helpe of Israel in the tyme of trou¦ble. Why wylt thou be as a straunger in the lande, & as one that goeth ouer the felde, and cōmeth in only to remayne for a nyght? Why wylt thou make thy selfe a cowarde / and as it were a gyaunt that yet maye nat helpe? For thou (O Lorde) art in the myddes of vs / and thy name is called vpon of vs: forsake vs nat. Thus hathe the Lorde sayde vnto this people: ☞ seyng they haue had suche a lust to wander abrode, and haue nat refrayned theyr fete, & therfore displea∣sed the Lorde: but he wyll nowe brynge a∣gayne to remembraūce all theyr mysdedes, and punysh all theyr synnes. Yee, euen thus sayde the Lorde vnto me: * 1.3 Thou shalt nat praye to do this people good.
For though they fast, I wyll nat heare theyr prayers. And though they offre burnt offrynges and sacryfyces, yet wyl nat I ac∣cepte them. For I wyll destroye them with [unspec C] the swerde, honger and pestilence. Then answered I: O Lorde God, * 1.4 the prophetes saye vnto thē: Tush, ye shall ‡ 1.5 nede to feare no swearde, and no honger shall come vpon you, but the Lorde shall geue you cōtynuall rest in this place.
And the Lorde sayde vnto me: The pro∣phetes preache lyes in my name, where as I haue not * 1.6 sent them, nether gaue I them any charge, nether dyd I speake vnto thē: yet they preach vnto you false visiōs, char∣mynge, vanyte / and disceatfulnes of theyr owne hert. Therfore, thus saieth the Lorde: As for those prophetes that preache in my my name (whom I neuerthelesse haue nat sente) and that saye: Tush, there shall no swearde nor hōger be in this lande. * 1.7 With swearde and with honger shal those prophe¦tes perysh, and the people to whom they preache shalbe caste out of Ierusalem, dye of honger, and be slayne with the swearde, * 1.8 (and there shalbe no man to burye them) bothe they and theyr wyues, theyr sonnes & theyr daughters. For thus wyll I poure theyr wyckednesse vpon thē. Thys shalte y• [unspec D] say also vnto them. * 1.9 Mine eyes shal wepe without ceassynge daye and nyght. For my people shal be destroyed with great harme / and shall peryshe with a great plage. For if I go into the felde, lo; it lyeth al ful of slay∣ne men. If I come into the cyty, lo, they be all famyshed of honger.
Yee, theyr prophetes also and prestes shall be led into an vnknowen lande.
Haste thou then vtterly forsaken Iuda?