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.

Vers. 10. Climbe vp vpon her walles, and destroy them, or scatter them, and yet make not the consumption, or ra∣ther, an end, take away her spreading, or branches, or the teeth of the wall, as others translate: or the battlements; for they are not the Lords.

HEre God, by the mouth of his Prophet, speakes to the enemies, whose seruice hee meant to vse, for the execution of his ven∣geance vpon the Iewes. Now this is vsu∣all with the Prophets, when they meane to gaule men to the quicke: for wee are not ignorant that there rests in men a world of carelesnesse, when God summons them before his iudgement seat. Ieremiah then seeing he profited little, by a plaine manner of teaching, takes this course as ye see. In the person of God, he speakes to the Chaldeans, and commands them to speed themselues to the siege of Ierusalem. Thus the Prophets are wont to speake: God will hisse for the flie that is in Egypt: or he will sound a trumpet, and call the Caldeans, Isa. 7.18.

and 5.26. But this kind of figure hath much more effica∣cie to wound mens hearts, when the Prophet, by Gods expresse charge, as an herald sent from heauen, calles the enemie, and appoynts them out their taske; namely, to de∣stroy the whole City. In the first place hee saith, Climbe vp vpon the walles, whereby he signifies, that it is but in vaine for the Iewes, to trust in the heighth of their walles; because God will so aduance and lift vp their enemies, that the en∣trance shall not be difficult vnto thē. The Iewes thought themselues safe, in regard the City was well defenced. But they shall be deceiued, saith he: thus then hee reprooues their folly, because their walles should bee insufficient to saue them.

He further adds, make not an end. This clause is expoun∣ded two waies: for some take it in the good part, as if God should mitigate the sharpnesse of this so great a pu∣nishment, as in the former chapter wee haue seene that some take it so. For albeit there, God affrights his peo∣ple; yet (as they thinke) by way of correction hee adds, yet will I not make a consumption: that is to say, there shall a remnant escape. The Prophets also are wont to speake thus, when they meane to shew that some seed shall al∣wayes remaine, to the end the Church be not wholly ex∣tinguished. Thus now the expositors interpret it: as if God should say, Ierusalems ruine shall not bee so great, but the Church shall still remain safe, in regard all should not be consumed. Others take the word heere vsed, for end: and this sense agrees much better. For in this verse God threatens to cut of the Iewes. Neither doth this con∣tradict that which is said elsewhere; to wit, that there should not be an vtter wast or consumption; in regard it is well enough knowne that the Prophets keepe not all one tenour in their speeches. For when they denounce Gods iudgements against the reprobates, they leaue them without any hope at all. Which manner of speech is of∣ten met withall: I will make a consumption. But in direct∣ing their speech to the faithfull, they moderate this rigor

by way of correction; to wit, God will not make an vtter consumption: I willingly therefore receiue their exposi∣tion, who take the word consumption in this place, for end; for the verbe whence this word is deriued, signifies to fi∣nish. The sense then will be, Destroy the City, and let there be none end; that is, raze it wholly. For forthwith it fol∣lowes in the same sense, take away her spreadings, or her branches: or as other translate, The teeth of her walles; which are in the foundation. For wee know that walles are so built, that the foundation is alwayes the largest: and the word which the Prophet vseth, signifies spread∣ings, which are extended euery way abroad. Those who turne it iaggs, notches, wings, or battlements of the wals, seeme not to haue attained the Prophets meaning: in re∣gard he speakes not heere of the toppe of the walles, but of the foundations: as if hee should say, ouerthrow her foundations, or raze the walles of the City. Why so? He adds,

They are not the Lords: for the Iewes were puffed vp with a vaine confidence, thinking they should be hid vn∣der Gods protection: as if God (forsooth) would keepe their City, because the Sanctuarie and the altar were sea∣ted within the same. The Prophet therefore flatly denies, that the walles were the Lords, or that the foundations thereof were his. Neither may that which is said else∣where be alleaged to the contrary; namely, that God laid the foundations of this City. God indeed had chosen it for his dwelling place; howbeit on this condition, that his people should there serue him in sincerity. Ierusalem being afterwards become a den of theeues, God left her, as it is in Ezechiel. The prophet then refels this fottish confidence, wherewith the Iewes deceiued themselues: for they thought that God (after a sort) was so bound and tied vnto them, as hee could neuer cease to bee the guardian of the City. Hee saith then, that their founda∣tions were none of Gods: for the Iewes had so profaned this place by their wickednesses, that God could not

endure to dwell in such a dunghill. It followes.

Notes

• Chap. 4.27.
• Isa. 10.22.
• Psal. 87.1.
• Ezech. 14.16.