1 a That is, the sermons and prophecies.
1 c This was a citie aboue thre miles distant from Jerusalem, and belonged to the Priests the sonnes of Aaron, {Josh. 21,18}.
1 ! In what time Jeremiah prophecied.
2 d This is spoken to confirme his vocation & office: forasmuche as he did not presume of him self to preache, & prophecie, but was called thereunto by God.
3 e Meaning, the nephewe of Josiah: for Jehoahaz was his father, who reigned but thre moneths and therefore is not mencioned, no more is Joachin that reigned no longer.
3 f Of the eleuenth yere of Zedekiah, who was also called Mattaniah, and at this time the Jewes were caried away into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.
5 g The Scripture vseth this maner of speache to declare that God hathe appointed his ministers to their offices before thei were borne, as {Isa. 49, 1} {gal. 1, 15}.
5 i For Jeremiah did not onely prophecie against the Jewes but also gainst the Egyptians, Babyloniah, Moabites, and other nations.
6 i Considering the great judgements of God, which according to his threatenings shulde come vpon the worlde, he was moued with a certeine compassion on the one side to pitie them that sulde thus perish, & on the other side by the infirmitie of mans nature knowing how hard a thing it was to enterprise such a charge, as {Isa. 6, 11} {exod 3, 11} & {4, 1}.
9 k Which declareth, that God maketh them mete, & assureth them, whome he calleth to set forthe his glorie: giuing them all meanes necessarie for the same, {Exod 4, 12}. {Isa. 6,7}.
10 l He sheweth, what is the autoritie of Gods true ministers, which by his worde haue power to beat downe whatsoeuer lifteth it self vp against God: & to plant & assure the humble, & suche as giue them selues to the obedience of Gods worde. {2 cor. 10,4}, {ebr. 4, 12} and these are the keyes which Christ hathe left to loose, & binde, {Mat. 18,18}
11 m He joyneth the signe with the worde for a more ample confirmation: signifying by the rod of the almond tre, which first buddeth , the hastie comming of the Babylonians against the Jewes.
13 n Signifying that the Caldeans, & the Assyrians shuld be as a pot to seethe the Jewes, which boylde in their pleasures, and lustes.
16 p I wil giue them charge and power to execute my vengeance against the idolaters, which haue forsaken me for their idoles.
17 q Which declareth that God vengeance is prepared against them, which dare not execute their duetie faithfully, ether for feare of man, or for anie other cause, {1 Cor. 9, 16}
18 r Signifying on the one parte, that the more that Satan, and the worlde rage against Gods ministers, the more present wil he be to help them, {Josh. 1,5} {ebr. 13, 5} & on the other parte, that thei are vtterly vnmete to serue God, andhis Church, which are afraide, and do not resist wickednes, whatsoeuer danger of depende thereon, {Isa. 50, 7}, {ezek. 3,8}.