THe Prophet Ieremiáh borne in the citie of Anathóth in the countrey of Beniamín, was the ſonne of Hilkiáh, whome ſome thinke to be he that founde out the boke of the Lawe, and gaue it to Iofiáh. This Prophet had excellent giftes of God, and moſte euident reuelations of prophecie, ſo that by the commandement of the Lord he began very yong to prophecie, that is, in the thirtenth yere of Iofiáh, and continued eightene yere vnder the ſaid King, and thre moneths vnder Iehoaház, and vnder Iehoiakím eleuen yeres, and thre moneths vnder Iehoiachín, and vnder Zedekiáh eleuen yeres: vnto the time that they were caryed away into Babylon. So that this time amounteth to aboue fourty yere, beſides the time that he prophecied after the captiuitie. In this boke he declareth with teares, and lamentation the deſtruction of Ieruſalém, and the captiuitie of the people, for their idolatrie, couetouſnes, ſubtiltie, crueltie, exceſſe, rebellion, and contempt of Gods worde, and for the conſolacion of the Church, reueileth the iuſte time of their deliuerance. And here chiefly are to be conſidered thre things. Firſt the rebellion of the wicked, which waxe more ſtubberne and obſtinate, when the Prophetes do admoniſh them moſte plainely of their deſtruction. Next how the Prophetes and miniſters of God oght not to be diſcouraged in their vocatiō, thogh they be perſecuted & rigorouſly handeled of the wicked for Gods cauſe. And thirdely, thogh God ſhewe his iuſte iudgemēt againſt the wicked, yet wil he euer ſhewe him ſelf a preſeruer of his Church, and when all meanes ſeme to mans iudgement to be aboliſhed, thē wil he declare him ſelf victorious in preſeruing his.