Study Desk

This is a sermo which the Lorde commaunded Ieremie for to preache, saying:

Heare the wordes of this couenaunt and speake vnto the men of Iuda, and to all them that dwell at Hierusalem,

And say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Cursed be euery one that is not obedient vnto the words of this couenaunt,

Whiche I commaunded vnto your fathers, what time as I brought them out of Egypt from the iron furnace, saying: Be obedient vnto my voyce, and do according to all that I commaunde you, so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:

And wyll kepe my promise that I haue sworne vnto your fathers, [namelye] that I woulde geue them a lande whiche floweth with milke and honie, as ye see it is come to passe vnto this day. Then aunswered I and sayde, Amen: let it be euen so Lorde as thou sayest.

Then the Lord sayd vnto me againe: Preache this in the cities of Iuda, and rounde about Hierusalem, & say: Heare the wordes of this couenaunt, and kepe them.

For I haue diligently exhorted your fathers, euer since the tyme that I brought them out of the lande of Egypt vnto this day, I gaue them warning be times, saying: hearken vnto my voyce.

Neuerthelesse, they would not obey me, nor encline their eares vnto me: but folowed the wicked imaginations of their owne heartes, and therefore I haue brought vpon them al the wordes of this couenaunt that I gaue them to kepe, which they [notwithstanding] haue not kept.

And the Lorde sayde vnto me: it is founde out that whole Israel and all these cities of Hierusalem are gone backe.

They haue turned them selues to the blasphemies of their forefathers, which had no lust to heare my wordes: Euen lykewyse haue these also folowed straunge gods, and worshipped them: The house of Israel and Iuda haue broken my couenaunt whiche I made with their fathers.

Therefore, thus saith the Lorde: beholde, I will send a plague vpon them, whiche they shall not be able to escape: and they shall crye vnto me, and I wyl not heare them.

Then shall the townes of Iuda, and the citizens of Hierusalem go and call vpon their gods vnto whom they made their oblations: but they shall not be able to helpe them in tyme of their trouble.

For as many cities as thou hast, O Iuda, so many gods hast thou had also: and loke howe many streetes there be in thee (O Hierusalem) so many shameful aulters haue ye set vp, aulters [I say] to offer vpon them vnto Baal.

Therfore pray not thou for this people, byd neither prayse nor prayer for them: for though they crye vnto me in their trouble, yet wil I not heare them.

What part hath my beloued in my house, seing he hath worked abhomination, seruing many gods? The holy fleshe offeringes in the temple are gone from thee [O Iuda] and thou when thou hast done euyll, makest thy boast of it.

The Lord called thee a greene oliue tree, a faire one, a fruitefull one, a goodlye one: but with great clamour hath the enemie set fire vpon it, & the braunches of it are destroyed.

For the Lorde of hoastes that planted thee, hath deuised a plague for thee (O thou house of Israel and Iuda) for the euyll that ye haue done to prouoke hym to wrath, in that ye dyd seruice to Baal.

This (O Lorde) haue I learned of thee, and vnderstande it: for thou hast shewed me their imaginations.

But I am as a meeke lambe, an oxe that is caryed away to be slayne, not knowing that they had deuised suche a counsell against me [saying,] We wyll destroy his meate with wood, and driue him out of the lande of the liuing, that his name shall neuer be thought vpon.

Therfore I wyll beseche thee nowe (O Lorde of hoastes) thou righteous iudge, thou that tryest the raynes and the heartes, let me see thee auenged of them: for vnto thee haue I committed my cause.

The Lorde therfore spake thus of the citizens of Anathoth that sought to slay me, saying: Preache not vnto vs in the name of the Lorde, or els thou shalt dye of our handes:

Thus [I say] spake the Lorde of hoastes: Beholde, I will visit you, your young me shal perishe with the sworde, your sonnes and your daughters shall vtterly dye of hunger,

So that none shall remaine: for vpon the citizens of Anathoth wyll I bring a plague euen the yere of their visitation.

O Lorde thou art more righteous, then that I shoulde dispute with thee: neuerthelesse, let me talke with thee in thynges reasonable. Howe happeneth it that the way of the vngodly is so prosperous? and that it goeth so well with them which without any shame offend and liue in wickednesse,

Thou plantest them, they take roote, they growe, and bryng foorth fruite: they boast much of thee, yet art thou farre from their raynes.

But thou Lorde to whom I am well knowen, thou that hast sene and proued my heart, take them away, like as a flocke is caryed to the slaughter house, & appoynt them for the day of slaughter.

Howe long shall the lande mourne, and all the hearbes of the fielde perishe for the wickednesse of them that dwell therin? The cattell and the birdes are gone, yet say they, tushe, God wyll not destroy vs vtterly.

Seyng thou art weery in runnyng with the footmen, howe wilt thou then runne with horses? In a peaceable sure lande thou mayest be safe: but howe wylt thou do in the furious pride of Iordane?

For thy brethren and thy kinrede haue altogether dispised thee, and cryed out vpon thee altogether: Beleue them not, though they speake faire wordes to thee.

As for me [I say] I haue forsaken mine owne dwellyng place, and left mine heritage: my lyfe also that I loue so well, haue I geuen into the handes of myne enemies.

Myne heritage is become vnto me as a lion in the wood: it cryed out vpon me, therfore haue I forsaken it.

Is not mine heritage vnto me as a speckled birde? are not the birdes round about agaynst her? Come and gather ye together all the beastes of the fielde, come, that ye may eate it vp.

Diuers heardmen haue broke downe my vineyarde, and troden vpon my portion: of my pleasaunt portion they haue made a wildernesse and desert.

They haue layde it waste, and nowe that it is waste it sigheth vnto me: yea the whole lande lyeth waste, and no man regardeth it.

The destroyers come ouer the borders in the desert euery way: for the sworde of the Lorde doth consume from the one ende of the lande to the other, and no fleshe hath rest.

They haue sowen wheate, and reaped thornes, they haue taken heritage in possession, but it doth them no good: and they were ashamed of your fruites, because of the great wrath of the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord vpon all my euyl neighbours that lay hande on mine heritage which I haue possessed, euen my people of Israel: Beholde, I wyll plucke them [namely Israel] out of their lande, and put out the house of Iuda from among them.

And when I haue rooted them out, I will be at one with them agayne, and I wyll haue mercie vpon them, and bryng them agayne euery man to his owne heritage, and into his lande.

And yf they [namely that trouble my people] wyll learne the wayes of them to sweare by my name, the Lorde lyueth, lyke as they learned my people to sweare by Baal, then shall they be built among my people:

But yf they wyll not obey, then wyll I roote out the same folke, and destroy them, saith the Lorde.

Thus saith the Lorde vnto me: Go thy way and get thee a lynnen girdle, and girde it about thy loynes, let it not be wet.

Then I got me a girdle accordyng to the commaundement of the Lorde, and put it about my loynes.

After this, the seconde tyme the Lorde spake vnto me agayne.

Take the girdle that thou hast prepared and put about thee, and get thee vp, and go vnto Euphrates, and hyde it there in a hole of the rocke.

So went I, and hyd it at Euphrates, as the Lorde commaunded me.

And it happened long after this, that the Lorde spake vnto me: Up, and get thee to Euphrates, & fetche the girdle from thence, which I commaunded thee to hyde there.

Then went I to Euphrates, & digged vp, and toke the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and beholde, the girdle was corrupt, so that it was profitable for nothyng.

Then sayde the Lorde vnto me,

Thus saith the Lorde, Euen so wyll I corrupt the pride of Iuda, and the hye mynde of Hierusalem.

This people is a wicked people, they wyll not heare my worde, they folowe the wicked imaginations of their owne heart, and hang vpon straunge gods, them they serue and worship, and therfore they shalbe as this breeche that serueth for nothyng.

For as straytly as a girdle lyeth vpon a mans loynes, so straytly dyd I bynde the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Iuda vnto me, saith the Lorde: that they myght be my people, that they might haue a glorious name, that they might be in honour: but they woulde not obey me.

Therfore lay this riddle before them, and say, Thus saith the Lorde God of Israel: Euery pot shalbe fylled with wine. And they shall say vnto thee. Thinkest thou we knowe not that euery pot shalbe fylled with wine?

Then shalt thou say vnto them, thus saith the Lorde: Beholde, I shall fyll all the inhabitours of this lande with drunkennesse, the kynges that syt vpon Dauids stoole, the priestes & prophetes, with all that dwell at Hierusalem.

And I wyll set them one agaynst another, yea the fathers against the sonnes, saith the Lorde: I wyll not pardon them, I wyll not spare them, nor haue pitie vpon them: but destroy them.

Heare, geue eare, take not disdayne at it: for it is the Lorde hym selfe that speaketh.

Honour the Lorde your God or he take his light from you, and or euer your feete stumble in darcknesse at the hyll: lest when you loke for the lyght, he turne it into the shadowe and darcknesse of death.

But if ye wyll not heare me that geue you secrete warnyng, I wyll mourne from my whole heart for your stubburnnesse: Piteously wyll I weepe, and the teares shall gushe out of mine eyes, for the Lordes flocke shalbe caried away captiue.

Tell the kyng and the queene, humble your selues, sit you downe lowe, for your dignitie shalbe throwen downe, and the crowne of your glorie shall fall from your head.

The cities towarde the south shalbe shut vp, and no man shall open them: all Iuda shalbe caryed away captiue, so that none shall remayne.

Lyft vp your eyes, and beholde them that come from the north, where is the flocke [O thou lande] that was geuen thee? and where are thy fat and riche sheepe?

To whom wilt thou make thy mone when the enemie shall come vpon thee? for thou hast taught them thy selfe, and made them maisters ouer thee: Shall not sorowe come vpon thee as on a woman trauaylyng with childe?

And if thou wouldest then say in thine heart, Wherfore come these thinges vpon me? Euen for the multitude of thy blasphemies shall thy hynder partes and thy feete be discouered.

May a man of Inde chaunge his skinne, and the cat of the mountayne her spottes? so, may ye that be exercised in euyll, do good?

Therfore wyll I scatter them like as the stubble that is taken away with the south wynde.

This shalbe your portion, and the portion of your measure wherwith ye shalbe rewarded of me saith the Lorde, because ye haue forgotten me, and put your trust in deceiptfull thinges.

Therfore shall I turne thy clothes ouer thy head, and discouer thy shame.

Thy adulteries, thy neyghinges, thy shamefull whoredome on the hylles in the fieldes, and thy abhominations haue I seene: Wo be vnto thee (O Hierusalem) wylt thou neuer be clensed any more? Or when shall that be?

The worde of the Lorde shewed vnto Ieremie concernyng the dearth of the fruites.

Iuda hath mourned, his gates are desolate, they are brought to heauinesse, euen vnto the grounde, and the crye of Hierusalem goeth vp.

The Lordes sent their seruauntes to fetche water, and when they came to the welles, they did finde no water, but caried their vessels home emptie: they be ashamed and confounded, and couer their heades.

For the grounde is dryed, because there commeth no rayne vpon it: the plowmen also be ashamed and couer their heades.

The hynde also forsoke the young fawne that he brought foorth in the fielde, because there was no grasse.

The wylde asses did stande in the hye places, and drewe in their winde lyke the dragons, their eyes did fayle for want of grasse.

Doubtlesse our owne wickednesse doth rewarde vs: but Lorde do thou accordyng to thy name, though our transgression and sinnes be many, and agaynst thee haue we sinned.

For thou art the comfort and helpe of Israel in the tyme of trouble: Why wilt thou be as a straunger in the lande, and as one that goeth his iourney, and cometh in only to remayne for a night?

Why wylt thou make thy selfe a cowarde, and as it were a giaunt that yet may not helpe? But thou O Lorde art in the middest of vs, and thy name is called vpon of vs, forsake vs not.

Thus hath the Lorde sayde vnto his people, seyng they haue had such a lust to wander abrode, and haue not refrayned their feete: therfore the Lorde hath no pleasure in them, but he wyll nowe bring againe to remembraunce all their misdeedes, and punishe all their sinnes.

Yea euen thus sayde the Lorde vnto me: Thou shalt not pray to do this people good.

For though they fast, I wyll not heare their prayers, and though they offer burnt offeringes and sacrifices, yet wyll not I accept them: for I wyll destroy them with the sworde, hunger, and pestilence.

Then aunswered I: O Lorde God, the prophetes say vnto them, Tushe, ye shall neede to feare no sworde, and no hunger shall come vpon you: but the Lorde shall geue you sure rest in this place.

And the Lorde sayde vnto me, The prophetes preach lyes in my name, wheras I haue not sent them, neither gaue I them any charge, neither did I speake vnto them: yet they preache vnto you false visions, charming, vanitie, and deceiptfulnesse of their owne heart.

Therfore thus saith the Lorde: As for those prophetes that preache in my name, whom I neuerthelesse haue not sent, and that say, Tushe, there shall no sworde nor hunger be in this lande: with sworde and with hunger shall those prophetes perishe.

And the people to whom they preache shalbe cast out of Hierusalem, dye of hunger, and be slayne with the sworde, and there shalbe no man to bury them, both they, and their wiues, their sonnes, and their daughters: for thus wyll I poure their wickednesse vpon them.

This shalt thou say also vnto them, Mine eyes shall weepe without ceassyng day and nyght: for my people shalbe destroyed with great harme, and shall perishe with a great plague.

For yf I go into the fielde, lo, it lyeth all full of slayne men: If I come into the citie, lo, they be all famished of hunger: yea their prophetes also and priestes shalbe led into an vnknowen lande.

Hast thou then vtterly forsaken Iuda? Doest thou so abhorre Sion? Wherfore hast thou so plagued vs, that we can be healed no more? We loked for peace, and there commeth no good, for the tyme of health, and lo here is nothyng but trouble.

We knowledge (O Lorde) all our misdeedes, and the sinnes of our fathers: for we haue offended thee.

Cast vs not of (O Lord) for thy names sake, forget not thy louyng kindnesse, ouerthrowe not the throne of thine honour, breake not the couenaunt that thou hast made with vs.

Are there any among the gods of the gentiles that sende rayne, or geue the showres from heauen? Art not thou thy selfe our Lorde God? we wyll trust in thee, for thou doest all these thynges.

Thus spake the Lorde vnto me, Though Moyses and Samuel stoode before me, yet haue I no heart to this people: driue them away, that they may go out of my sight.

And yf they say vnto thee, whyther shall we go? then tell them, The Lorde geueth you this aunswere: Some vnto death, some to the sworde, some to hunger, some into captiuitie.

For I wyll bryng foure plagues vpon them, saith the Lorde: The sworde shal slay them, the dogges shall teare them in peeces, the foules of the ayre and beastes of the earth shall eate them vp, and destroy them.

I wyll scatter them about also in all kingdomes and landes to be plagued, because of Manasses the sonne of Hezekia kyng of Iuda, for the thynges that he did in Hierusalem.

Who shall then haue pitie vpon thee O Hierusalem? who shalbe sorie for thee? Or who shall make intercession to obtayne peace for thee?

Seing thou goest from me, and turnest backwarde, saith the Lorde: therfore I dyd stretche out myne hande against thee to destroy thee, and I haue ben sorie for thee so long that I am weerie.

I haue scattred them abrode with the fanne of euery side of the land, I haue wasted my people and destroyed them, yet they haue had no lust to turne from their owne wayes.

I haue made their widowes mo in number then the sandes of the sea, vpon the mothers of their children dyd I bryng a destroyer in the noone day: sodaynly and vnawares did I sende a feare vpon their cities.

She that hath borne seuen children, hath none, her heart is full of sorowe: the sunne doth fayle her in the cleare day, she is confounded and faintie for very heauinesse: As for those that remayne, I wyll deliuer them vnto the sworde before their enemies, saith the Lorde.

O mother, alas that thou euer didst beare me, a brawler and rebuker of the whole lande: though I neuer lent nor receaued vpon vsurie, yet all men speake euyll vpon me.

And the Lord aunswered me, Ueryly thy remnaunt shall haue wealth: Come not I to thee when thou art in trouble, & helpe thee when thine enemie oppresseth thee?

Doth one iron hurt another? or one metall that commeth from the north another?

As for thy riches and treasure, I will geue them out into a pray: not for money, but because of all thy sinnes that thou hast done in all thy coastes.

And I wyll bryng thee with thine enemies into a lande that thou knowest not: for the fire that is kindled in myne indignation shall burne you vp.

O Lorde thou knowest, therfore remember me, and visite me, reuenge me of my persecutours: take me not from this life in the tyme of thine anger, thou knowest that for thy sake I suffer rebuke.

When I had founde thy wordes I did eate them vp greedyly, they haue made my heart ioyfull and glad: for thy name was called vpon me O Lorde God of hoastes.

I dwell not among the scorners, neither is my delight therin: but I dwell alone because of thy hande, for thou hast fylled me with bitternesse.

Shall my heauinesse endure for euer? Are my plagues then so great that they may neuer be healed? Wylt thou be as one that is false, and as a water that falleth, and can not continue?

Upon these wordes, thus sayde the Lorde vnto me, If thou wylt turne agayne, I shall set thee in my seruice, and yf thou wylt take out the thynges that is precious from the vile, thou shalt be euen as myne owne mouth: they shall conuert vnto thee, but turne not thou vnto them.

And so shall I make thee a strong brasen wall agaynst this people, they shall fyght agaynst thee, but they shall not preuayle: for I my selfe wyll be with thee, to helpe thee and deliuer thee, saith the Lorde:

And I will rid thee out of the handes of the wicked, and deliuer thee out of the handes of tirauntes.