rd

Jeremiah 18

2 God ſheweth by the example of a potter, that it is in his power to deſtroie the diſpicers of his worde. 18 The conſpiracie of the Iewes againſt Ieremiah. 19 His praier againſt his aduerſaries.
1.THe worde which came to Ieremiáh from the Lord, ſaying,
2.Ariſe, & go downe into the potters houſe, and there ſhal I ſhewe thee my wordes.
3.Then I went downe to the potters houſe, and beholde, he wroght a worke on the wheles.
4.And the veſſel that he made of claie, was broken in the hand of the potter: ſo he returned, & made it another veſſel, as ſemed good to the potter to make it.
5.Then the worde of the Lord came vnto me, ſaying,
6.O houſe of Iſraél, can not I do with you as this potter, ſaith the Lord? beholde, as ye claie is in the potters hand, ſo are you in mine hand, ô houſe of Iſraél.
7.I wil ſpeake ſudēly againſt a nation or a againſt a kingdome to plucke it vp, & to roote it out and to deſtroie it.
8.But if this nation, againſt whome I haue pronounced, turne frō their wickednes, I wil repent of ye plague that I thoght to bring vpon them.
9.And I wil ſpeake ſuddenly concerning a nacion, and concerning a kingdome to buylde it and to plant it.
10.But if it do euil in my ſight and heare not my voice, I wil repēt of the good that I thoght to do for them.
11.Speake ye now therefore vnto the men of Iudáh, and to the inhabitãts of Ieruſalém, ſaying, Thus ſaith ye Lord, Beholde, I prepare a plague for you, and purpoſe a thing againſt you: returne you therefore euerie one from his euil waie, and make your waies and your workes good.
12.But thei ſaid deſperatly, Surely we wil walke after our owne imaginacions & do euerie man after the ſtubbernes of his wicked heart.
13.Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, Aſke now among the heathen, who hath heard ſuche things? the virgine of Iſraél hathe done verie filthily.
14.Wil a man forſake the ſnowe of Lebanón, which cometh from ye rocke of the field? or ſhal the colde flowing waters, that come from another place, be forſaken?
15.Becauſe my people hathe forgotten me, & haue burnt incenſe to vanitie, and their Prophetes haue cauſed them to ſtumble in their waies from the ancient waies to walke in the paths and waie that is not troden,
16.To make their land deſolate & a perpetual deriſion, ſo that euerie one that paſſeth thereby, ſhalbe aſtoniſhed and wagge his head,
17.I wil ſcattre them with an Eaſt winde before the enemie: I wil ſhewe them the backe, and not the face in the day of their deſtruction.
18.Then ſaid they, Come, and let vs imagine ſome deuiſe againſt Ieremiáh: for the Law ſhal not periſh from the Prieſt, nor counſel from the wiſe, nor the worde from the Prophet: come, and let vs ſmite him with the tongue, and let vs not grue hede to any of his wordes.
19.Hearken vnto me, ô Lord, and heare the voyce of them that contend with me.
20.Shal euil be recompenced for good? for they haue digged a pit for my ſoule: remembre that I ſtode before thee, to ſpeake good for them, and to turne away thy wrath from them.
21.Therefore, deliuer vp their children to famine, and let them drop away by the force of the ſworde, and let their wiues be robbed of their children, and be widdowes: and let their houſbands be put to death, and let their yong men be ſlayne by the ſworde in the battel.
22.Let the crye be heard from their houſes, when thou ſhalt bring an hoſte ſuddenly vpon them: for they haue digged a pit to take me, and hid ſnares for my fete.
23.Yet Lord thou knoweſt all their counſel againſt me tendeth to death: forgiue not their iniquitie, nether put out their ſinne from thy ſight, but let them be ouerthrowen before thee: deale thus with them in the time of thine angre.

Notes

4:a.
As the potter hathe power ouer the clay to make what pot he wil, or to breake thẽ, when he hathe made them: ſo haue I power ouer you to do with you as ſemethgood to me, Iſa 45,9 wiſd 15,7 rom 9,20.
7:b.
When ye Scrip ture attributeth repentance vnto God, it is not that he doeth contrary to that which he hathe ordeined in his ſecret counſel: but whẽ he threateneth, it is a calling to repentance, and when he giueth man grace to repent, ye threatning (which cuen cōtemeth a condition in it) taketh no place: and this the Scripture calleth repentance in God, becauſe it ſo appeareth to mans iudgement
8:*.
Iona 3,10.
11:c.
2. king. 17.13 chap. 7.3 and 25.5 and 35.15.
12:".
As men that had no remorce, but were altogether bent to rebellion and to their owne ſelf wil.
14:d.
As no man ye hathe thirſt, refuſeth freſh cōduit waters which he hathe at home, to go and ſeke waters abroad to quench his thirſt: ſo they oght not to ſeke for helpe & ſuccour at ſtrãgers and leaue God, which was preſent with them
15:*.
Chap. 6.16.
17:e.
That is, the way of trueth, which God had taught by his Law, read chap 6,16
18:*.
Mala. 2,7.
18:h.
This argument ye wicked haue euer vſed againſt the ſer uants of God, yethe Church can not erre: we are the Church, and therefore who ſoeuer ſpeaketh agaĩſt vs, they oght to dye, 1. King 22,24, cha 7,4 & 20,2 mala 2,4 and thus the falſe Church perſecuteth ye true Church, which ſtādeth not in outward pompe, and in multitude, but is knowen by the graces of the holie Goſt.
21:*.
Pſal. 109,10
23:l.
Let vs ſclander him, and ac cuſe him: tor we ſhalbe beleued Seing the obſtinate malice of the aduer ſaries, which grewe daicly more & more, the Prophet being moued with Gods Spi rit, without any carnal affe ction praieth for their deſtruction becauſe he knew that it ſhulde tend to Gods glorie, & profite of his Churche.