Jeremiah 3

Jeremiah 3:1

THey say] the Law of divorce forbiddeth the man who hath put away his wife, to take her againe if she be married to another husband, Deut. 24 4. and if there be adultery committed, she must die. Yet I have used no such rigor towards thee, O my people, for I have not destroyed thee for thine idolatries, which are spirituall adulterie of the soule, and am yet ready to receive thee into my covenant againe, though I have once put thee away, and thou hast joyned thy selfe unto other gods.

Jeremiah 3:2

Hast thou sat] a description of such as give themselves over to idolatry, under the figure of common strumpets which sat by the high way sides, waiting for passengers As the Arabian] that is to say, a thiese, and high way robber.

Jeremiah 3:4

The guide] the title of a wise and loyall husband, Proverbs 2:17. under whose conduct a young woman passeth over that dangerous age, in honour and safety.

Jeremiah 3:5

Will he reserve] the Prophets words exhorting the people to an holy repentance, not in words, but in deeds to reconcile themselves to God.

Jeremiah 3:6

Israel] namely, the Kingdome of the ten Tribes severed from Judah.

Jeremiah 3:8

Put her away] like to a divorced woman, which I had put away from my covenant, and taken away from her the title of being my Church, by the Assyrians, 2 Kings 17:6.

Jeremiah 3:10

And yet] and to all her other sinnes, to make up the measure, she hath added the sin of impenitencie and hypocrisie.

Jeremiah 3:11

More then] namely, lesse guilty, and faulty.

Jeremiah 3:12

Towards the North] namely, towards that quarter of the world whether the ten Tribes were carried into captivity.

Jeremiah 3:13

Scattered thy waies] the Italian, Prostituted thy selfe] that is to say, hast abandoned thy selfe to unlawfull conjunctions, which the Hebrews call waies, see Ezekiel 16:15; Ezekiel 16:36. Others, thou hast runne out, and hast gon wandering without any shame, or stay, as Jeremiah 2:23.

Jeremiah 3:14

I am married] that is to say, I have made a firme covenant with you by vertue of which continually, untill the end of the World, I will call some converts from amongst you, to the participation of my grace in my Church: which hath been principally verified under the Messias. Others, because I have rejected you yet, &c. as Jeremiah 31:32.

Jeremiah 3:16

When ye be] when the spirituall Israel, which is the Church, shall be encreased by the calling of the Gentiles, and finally by reason of the conversion of the people of Israel the materiall Arke which is called Gods Throne, shall be no more in use, but God shall by his Word and Spirit dwell and raigne gloriously in his Church. A prophecy of the abolishing of ancient ceremonies under the Gospel.

Jeremiah 3:17

To the name] that is to say, to God, who shall plainly, and as it were by his proper name manifest himselfe to his Church, Isaiah 60:9. Imagination] the Italian, hardnesse; or thought,Numbers 15:39. Isaiah 57:17.

Jeremiah 3:18

The house] that is to say, I will in Christ reunite all mine elect, without any distinction of Nations, disanulling all former enmities, Ephes. 2. 14, 15, 16. This may also be more particularly understood of the last reduction of the Nation into one, which was before divided into Israel and Judah, as Isaiah 11:13. Ezekiel 37:16; Ezekiel 37:22. Hof. 1. 11. The Lnd] a figure of the Church in this World, and of the Kingdome of Heaven after this life.

Jeremiah 3:19

But I said] my will indeed is firme for to re establish you; but true conversion is the onely means and necessary condition of it.

Jeremiah 3:21

A voyce] a representation of the Israelites conversion, as Zechariah 12:10. Upon high places.] peradventure he hath a relation to the custome, which was to goe up to the tops of the houses, upon occasion of some great publique mourning, Isa. 15. 3. & 22. 1 Jer 7:29.

Jeremiah 3:22

I will heale] I will free you from the punishments due therefore. I will pardon the offence, and amend the defect in your soules.

Jeremiah 3:23

From the hils] namely, from idols, whose service was performed upon hils or high places. Or, from any other worldly high power. A protestation of the converted Israelites that they will trust onely upon Gods grace.

Jeremiah 3:24

For shame] the Italian, for that shame full thing; Baat and other idols are so called, by way of abomination, see upon Jud. 6. 32. Jeremiah 11:13. Hosea 9:10. The meaning is, idolatry hath been the cause of our former calamities: