Jeremiah 8

Jeremiah 8:1

THey shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah] The enemie, for greedinesse of gain, or in extremitie of despite, shall rifle their graves; and lay their carcasses before their idols, which they worshipped, while they lived. 1 Kings 13:2. 2 King. 23. 14, 20. Leviticus 26:30.

Jeremiah 8:2

whom they have served] Chap. 7. 18. Ezekiel 8:16. 2 Kings 23:5. 2 Chron. 33. 5.

they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth] Chap 9. 22. and 16. 4.

Jeremiah 8:3

death shall be chosen rather then life] They shall wish rather to die then to live, as being weary of their lives, by reason of those grievous calamities, that shall then and there befall them. Job. 3. 20, 21. & 7. 15. 1 Kings 19:4. Revelation 9:6. & Revelation 14:13.

Jeremiah 8:4

Shall they fall, and not arise] Or, When men fall, will they not rise? Is there any man so absurd and witlesse, who, when he hath by accident got a fall, will lie still, and not assay to rise? or, that will refuse to be holpen up again, by such as offer him their help? Eccl. 4. 10.

shall be turn away, and not return] Or, will not one, that hath gone aside, return? Will not any man that hath unwittingly gone out of his way, desire to come into it again, and be willing to receive direction from those, that would set him again in it?

Jeremiah 8:5

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back, by a perpetuall back-sliding] What is the reason then, that this people, contrary to mens usuall manner in such case, having gone out of the right way, and being in a wrong way, yet will go on still in it, and refuse to be reduced? Chap 5. 3.

they hold fast deceit] They stick fast to their wicked courses. Psalms 36:3. Chap. 9. 6. Or, to those vain tales, that their false prophets deceive and delude them with. Chap. 5. 31. & 14. 14. and 23. 26. Isaiah 30:10.

they refuse to return] Chap. 5. 6.

Jeremiah 8:6

I bearkned and heard] The speech either of the Prophet, or of God himself, implying his longing expectation and earnest desire of their repentance: expressed by a phrase borrowed from the practise of men that are wont diligently and constantly to listen after that which they much desire to hear. Psalms 85. 8. Isaiah 50:4.

they spake not aright] Chap. 23: 10.

every one turned to his course] Heb. a man: as Chap. 1. 16. and 6. 3.

as the horse rusheth into the battell] They runne headlong after their own lusts and fancies, like an head-strong horse; and will not be restrained. Job 39:21-25. Chap. 2. 23. 24.

Jeremiah 8:7

the stork] Isaiah 1:3.

knoweth her appointed times] They observe the due times of their coming and going from place to place, according to the seasons of the yeer: Job 39:26. Son 2:12. observe, as knowing. Psalms 104:19.

my people know not the judgement of the LORD] They take no notice of Gods courses and dealings with them: of the seasons of grace, wherein he offereth himself to them; and of the times of his wrath, wherein he sheweth himself displeased with them. Isaiah 5:12. Chap. 5. 4. Luke 12. 56. & 19 42, 44.

Jeremiah 8:8

How do ye say, We are wie] Ye Priests and Prophets, that should instruct the people. Malachi 2:7. See the like Isaiah 19:11.

the law of the LORD is with us] As they presumed much on the Temple, Chap. 7. 4. so they vaunted much of the Law. Chap. 18. 18. Romans 2:17-18.

certainly in vain made he it, the pen of the scribes is in vain] Or, the false pen of the scribes worketh for falshood. Heb. in, or, unto falshood: as Leviticus 6:3. Chap. 5. 2. Or, in vanity: as 1 Samuel 25:21. Chap. 3. 23. The law doth you no good; nor need it have been penned and published, for ought ye learn by it. Hosea 8:12. Or, Your Scribes and Doctors, that should interpret the Law, deal falsely and pervert it. Psalms 94:20. Isaiah 10:1. Vers. 10.

Jeremiah 8:9

The wise men are ashamed] Or, have they been ashamed. Or, have they made ashamed, &c. The wifest among you may well be ashamed of their ignorance and folly. Romans 1:22. Or, shall not with all their wisdome be able to keep themselves from being dismaied, confounded, captived. Isa. 47. 10-14. Or, reading the words by way of interrogation, Have these wise men, as they reckon themselves, brought the people by their instructions and admonitions to be ashamed of their evill courses? or have they been thereby cast down and humbled, and so caught by them, (Luke 5. 10. Jud. 23.) and brought to repentance? See vers. 12. Chap. 6. 15.

they have rejected the word of the LORD] They set light by, and regard not that Law, which they vaunt so much of. Chap. 6. 10. Romans 2:23.

and what wisdome is in them] Heb. the wisdom of what thing is in them? What wisdom can they have, when as all true wisdom consisteth in that word, which they so reject? Psalms 19:7. and Psalms 119:130. Proverbs 2:6. 2 Timothy 3:15.

Jeremiah 8:10

will I give their wives unto others] Deut. 28. 30-33.

every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousnesse, &c.] Isaiah 56:11. Chap. 6. 13.

Jeremiah 8:11

They have healed, &c.] Chap. 6. 14.

the hurt] Heb. breach. Vers. 21. Chap. 30. 12.

slightly] They make a slight matter of it; like an unfaithfull Physitian or Chirurgion, that forbeareth to inform his patient of the dangerousnesse of his hurt or disease. Chap. 10. 19. Lamentations 2:14.

Peace, peace, &c.] Ezekiel 13:10.

Jeremiah 8:12

Were they ashamed] Or, Did they make ashamed? 2 Samuel 19:5.

they were not at all ashamed] Chap. 3. 3. & 6. 15.

neither could they blush] Heb. knew they to blush. Chap. 6. 15. Zephaniah 3:5.

Jeremiah 8:13

I will surely consume them] Or, In gathering I will consume; or, I will utterly take them away. Zeph. 1. 2.

no grapes on the vine] All means of food and relief shall be taken away from them: Hosea 2:9. Joe 1:7; Joe 1:12. Habakkuk 3:17. Matthew 21:19. Luke 13:6. the enemie having destroyed and devoured all before them. Vers. 16.

Jeremiah 8:14

Why do we sit still, &c.] The speech of the people, seeking shelter in their distresse; Chap. 4. 5, 6. and then at length beginning to see an hand of God in those things that befell them; and deeming it in vain therefore to make head against the enemy. Exodus 14:25.

let us be silent there] Or, qiet. Isaiah 62:7. Lamentations 3:28.

for] Or, surely. Isaiah 63:16. or, since that; as Chap. 10. 7.

our God hath put us to silence] He that was in times past our protector and incourager, hath now forsaken us, and taken our courage so from us, that we dare not so much as once open our monthes against our adversaries, much lesse lift up the hand against them. Exodus 11:7. Joshua 10:21. Psal. 38. 13, 14. & 39. Lamentations 3:28.

given us water of gall to drink] Or, water of poison. Or, juice of hemlock. The word is sometime used for the poison of serpents: Deuteronomy 32:33. sometime for a poisonous herb; such as hemlock or hnbane. Hosea 10:4. The meaning is; Hath brought us into extream affliction and bitternesse of spirit. Rth 1:20-21. Lamentations 3:19. Chap. 9. 15. & 23. 15.

Jeremiah 8:15

We looked for peace] Chap. 14. 19.

Jeremiah 8:16

from Dan] Chap. 4. 15.

the neighing of his strong ones] Chap. 47. 3.

all that is in it] Heb. the fulnesse thereof. Psalms 24:1.

the citie] Jerusalem. Chap. 4. 29.

Jeremiah 8:17

I will send serpents, &c.] The Chaldeans; whose crueltie no means should mitigate. Chap. 4. 25.

which will not be charmed] Psal. 58. 4, 5. Ecclesiastes 10:11.

Jeremiah 8:18

my heart is faint] Lamentations 1:22.

in me] Heb. upon me.

because of them that dwell in a farre countrey] Heb. because of the countrey of them that are farre off. Her enemies that come from a remote place. Chap. 5. 15. & 6. 22.

Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her] Hath God, say they, forsaken his people? Have they neither God, nor king to save them? Hosea 10:3. & 13. 10, 11.

why have they provoked me to anger] Gods answer, rendring a reason of his forsaking them. Isaiah 1:4, Chap. 7. 18.

strange vanities] Chap. 14. 22.

Jeremiah 8:20

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved] Long have we looked for succour; but none cometh. Vers. 15.

Jeremiah 8:21

the hurt] Heb. breach. Vers. 11.

I am black] I go in black: or, I mourn and am in heavinesse, Chap. 14. 2.

Jeremiah 8:22

Is there no balm in Gilead] No humane helps are able to save us. Gilead being famous for the most soveraign balm. Ch. 46. 12. Or, as others, our spirituall Physicians, our Priests and Prophets, residing at Gilead, Hosea 6:8. afford us now no help or comfort.

why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered] Or, why is not the daughter of my people recovered? Heb. why is not cure; or, recovery gone up? 2 Chronicles 24:13, Chap. 30. 17.