Jeremiah 10

HEar ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto Here begins another Sermon, i. e. most probably relating to Iechonias and the Iews, that were already in Captivity. you, O house of The ten Tribes. Israel.

Thus says the LORD, learn not the way of the The Iews being to live among the Chaldaeans in their Captivity, where many of them were already, the Prophet in this Sermon admonisheth them against the superstitions of the Chaldaean Idolatries, which he understands here by Heathen, who were also much addicted to Astrology and esteemed the original of Sciences; the Customes and their Manners he calls here their way as is frequent in Scripture, Lev. 18.3. and 20.23. heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of This was a practice, and study so common among them, that judicial Astrologers, of what Nation soever, were generally termed Chaldaeans; a practise so hateful to God, that sometimes he positively prohibites it, Deut. 18.10 14. and sometimes in a way of scorn, and derision Sarcastically sends them to such, Isa. 47.13. and often labours to persuade against it: for though Astronomy be not only lawful, but useful, as being subject to reason, and the rules of art whereby many actions of humane Life are di ected and guided, and proportioned, yet Iudicial Astrology is indeed originally Diabolical, and heathenish, and though God do suffer their predictions sometimes to fall out right, yet it is to punish the curiosity of the inquirer. heaven, for the heathen are q. d. Leave this to Heathens, it does not become Gods people, who do wholly depend upon him; for indeed the heathen, as many ignorant Christians do to this day, were more afraid of the signs of heaven and Astrological predictions, then of God, and what is foretold in his word of Prophesie, as if things were governed rather by the influences of the Stars, then the Providence of God, not, but that we may be affected with such preternatural appearances in the World, which God does extraordinarily cause to appear, as some tokens of his approaching Judgments, Ioel 2.30, 31. Matth. 24, 7. Luke 21.11. dismayed at them.

For the customes of the people are i. e. Such courses, institutions, idolatrous customes, and ceremonies as these, that many people follow, they are vain, and it is a foolish and wicked thing, that any that profess the true God, should give eed to such lying vanities. vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the Here he annexeth their Idolatry to their Astrology, q. d. they cut down Timber to make the Images, and representations of these Stars, and Planets, that they fear and worship as Gods, either in memorial of them, when they could not see them, or else upon a superstitious conceipt, that the Stars, which they worshipped, did by some Magick Art conveigh some virtue, or spirit into these statues or images; or rather, he does set forth the folly of the Heathen, that whereas for the matter of them, they are but a piece of Wood, a Tree out of the Forest, and as to the form of them, no other then the Carver, a sorry man, is pleased to put them into by his Axe, which I suppose is here put for any cutting tool of the Artist, whereby he shapes it, yet they are afraid of these as if they were Gods, Isa. 40.20. See on Ier. 8.2. forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with A farther description of their workmanship, having no other comelyness but what they confer upon it, and no great r security or certainty of them, then as they can with hammer and nail make them fast, and fix them to some place, the wooden God being not able to preserve it self from falling, therefore it is rather to be meant of fastening to some wall, or pillar, then of fastening their parts together, because they seem to be cut out of one entire piece, and therefore need it not. hammers, that it move not.

They are upright as the The nature of which is to grow upright, and tall without any branchings till it comes to the top, thereby possibly representing Majesty. palm-tree, but speak Looking as if they were about to speak, standing in a speaking posture but have not a word to utter, being only dumb stocks, wooden gods. not: they must needs be born because they cannot They move no further or faster then you lift them, either when you go to set them up, or upon any occasion of removal, as stiff as stakes being indeed but sticks. go: Be not afraid of They can do you no more harm, then the signs of heaven could do, they are but dead stocks, the Heathens worshipped some Idols that they might do them good and others that they might do them no harm, but God tells them here they can do neither good, or harm, as in the next words they can neither punish nor reward, they can neither hurt their Enemies, nor help their Friends; by this the true God will be distinguished from Idols, that he alone can foretell things to come, and he alone can reward, or punish, Isa. 48.5. and therefore the Prophet endeavours to turn them off from their Idols to the true God. them, for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

For This particle Mi is to be taken here causally, and refers either to what goes before, showing there is no comparison between God, and Idols, or rather to what follows, as grounding the reason of all due subjection to God, as in the next verse. as much as there is none like unto thee, O LORD: thou art great, and thy name is Or thou art transcendently great. great in i. e. Though Idols may have something of a name in the World among the heathen, yet there was nothing of their real power, or might seen, or if the Devil might act something through them to delude the World, yet nothing to be compared with that might, that has manifested it self in Gods works, Psal. 106.8. &. 111.6. all the works of Idols are either none or feeble and weak, ver. 8. might.

Who would not fear thee, O king of He is called a great King, Mal. 1.14. q. d. thou, by whom all Nations are governed, and all affairs in them disposed, and by none else, who would worship any but thee, or be afraid of any, but thee, seeing it is fit for, and therefore can belong to none besides, as in the next words, it is thy right and due, or who can be so stupid, as not to acknowledge one supream being, and this to be but one, as among the heathens, Socrates, Plato, Seneca and divers others did, and therefore is it not a prodigious thing, that any should so withhold the truth in unrighteousness, be so gross as to worship many gods? nations? for to thee does it appertain: for as much as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms there is none like q. d. If you search among all their Wisemen and Philosophers, all the great men and Rulers in their Kingdoms. For these the Heathens were wont to Worship as gods after death, Wise men, for their Wisedom, and Kings for their Power, you'l find none to compare with God either for Wisedom or Power: their wise men are but as so many Fools. unto thee.

But they are altogether The awe, that the Idol does impress upon carnal mens minds, and thereby taking them off from a due apprehension of the essence of God, does keep them between such hope, and fear, that they become as senseless, and as inapprehensive of any true worship, as brutes. brutish and Not only some of them, but even all, both Iews and Gentiles, q. d. I need not stand to particularize, but take them all together they are become stupid Idolaters, and have drunk in the most gross superstitions of the Gentiles, as Rom. 1.19, 21. foolish: the A Synecdoche put for all sorts of Idols of what materials soever; and a metonymy of the matter, to render them contemptible, either as deluding the ignorant. Or in themselves considered, they are mere vain, foolish, helpless things. stock is a doctrine of The Hebrew word Musar is taken for bad instruction, Prov. 16.22. q. d. It is an easie matter to prove them very fools and brutish, when they look upon a stock, a piece of wood to be their God, which has neither knowledge, nor Providence, and therfore must needs be a doctrine of vanity, when they think to be taught devotion by images, which is a teacher of lies, that says to the dumb stone it shall teach, Hab. 2.18, 19. like that doctrine of D vils first broached by Pope Gregory, who first commended Se e us Bishop of Massilia for not permitting Images to be worshipped, but reproved him for throwing them out of the Church, because they serve for Ornaments, and Lay mens Books, which since has been received as a Catholick Doctrine, that Images are Lay-mens-Books. vanities.

It was not wood washed with Gold, nor massy Silver or Gold, but covered over with plates of Silver or Gold, Exod. 39.3. Silver spread into plates is brought from From some remote place, probably from Spain, whence the best Gold came, Tarshish is the proper name of a Sea Town in Cilicia, Ezek. 27.12, 25. Ionah 1.3. and being a noted Port, from whence they had passage to Africa, India and other remote Countreys, it is usually put for the Ocean and may as well signifie from any place beyond the Sea; if you take it properly, then possibly it is noted as the best Silver coming from thence, as Vphaz for the best Gold, for though we read also of Gold coming from thence, 1 King. 10.22. 2 Chron. 9.21. yet, where the most proper commodities of it are mentioned, we read of no Gold, Ezek. 27.12. unless what seems rather to be brought thither, ver. 2. Tarshish, and gold from i. e. probably the best Gold, coming from thence in those days, as the best Silver from Tarshish, and that here was the best Gold is probable from Dan. 10.5. there are various conjectures at what place this points at, whether the same with Phas, or Fez by an Aphaeresis, or Ophir a place not far from Tharsis, and divers other places are conjectured, and some think it refers to no place at all, but to point at the excellency of the Gold only; but it is not the design, that this Comment should swell with things rather conjectural, then profitable, it is enough to know, that this place intends the purest Gold. Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the Thus says he, the Artificer takes it, and each, according to his Art, shapes it, and adorns it; fits the Silver and the Gold for it. founder: blue and purple is their Expositors differing about the materials, out of which they were died, do differ also in the colours, which here are called Blue and Purple, the dispute is not worth the while in a vulgar Comment, they that will may consult the Assemblies Annot. Either this relates to the further adorning those rich Idols of Silver and Gold; or it implies other Artists, such as shape, or few Silk or Cloth, Woollen or Linnen, made use of to make these garments for those Idols of more inferiour materials, as Wood or Stone, the other being sufficiently beautified without them. clothing: they are all the work of i. e. The choicest men in their respective Arts were picked out for this work, that there might be nothing wanting as to exactness, richness and curiosity; all this the prophet speaks the more to ridicule their Idols, as if all this would put any thing of power, virtue, or excellency to them, still deest aliquid intus. cunning men.

But the LORD is the q. d. All these are but false gods: Iehovah is the alone true God; they are but lies, and the teachers of lies; God is Truth it self, and that, both in regard of his Essence, as it is ascribed to Christ, 1 Ioh. 5.20. and also in regard of his faithfulness, Num. 23.19. Psal. 31.5. true GOD, he is the These are all but dead stocks and stones, Iehovah is the only Living God, having Life in himself, and giving Life to all things else, Iohn 5.21, 26. Hence these Idols are not only more base, then any other Creature, but even viler then the matter it self of which they are made. living GOD, and an These though accounted Kings and countenanced by Kings, yet both they and their Kings do all perish; time devours them all with worm or rust, or by injuries, and violence offered to them as in the next verse, but none of these or any thing else can affect the true God, he is Everlasting. everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall He can with his look, or frown make the foundations of the Heaven and the Earth to shake, whereas these stocks can move them no more, than they can themselves, which is not one hairs breadth from their Stations. tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his Not able either to stop it, or bear it, but must stoop, and fall under it, Psal. 76.7. the wicked will not be able to stand in judgment, Psal. 1.5. indignation.

Thus shall ye say Viz. To your great Lords the Babylonians, when they shall solicite you to Worship Idols. unto them, The gods that have not made This seems to have some allusion to a saying common among those Greeks, that held one supream Deity, let him that says he is a God, make another World. the heavens and the Here is noted, both how frail they are, they shall perish, and how weak they are, they could not make the Heaven, or the Earth. This verse is writ in the Chaldaean Tongue, and not in the Hebrew, that when they came among them, that did worship their Idols, they might openly and plainly profess the true God in that language which the Enemies understood better, then they did the Hebrew, and that in such kind of bold Language as this; Let all those Gods perish from of the Earth, and under the Heavens, that were not able to make either. It is an Imprecation upon their Idols. earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

He has made the Acts 14.15. i. e. This whole Globe, consisting of Waters, as well as Earth. earth by his It must needs speak an Almighty Power to make such a vast body; where would the Idols have found Materials, of which to have composed such a Body & Bulk, the true God was not at a loss, he drew them out of nothing, and commanded them into a being by the word of his Power Gen. 1.1. power, he has Either he has made it firm, solid and unmoveable, i. e. off from its Basis, or rather Center, (for it is out of our Sphere and Province here to meddle either with the fixation, or the motion of it, that is left to the old and new Philosophers to dispute among themselves) or else by establishing we understand, he has appointed it its use, or has prepared it to be every way subservient to the inhabitants thereof, both as to delight in prospect, and varieties of Recreation, by its ornamental parts in Mountains, little Hills, Woods, Meadows, Fields, &c. and necessity to accommodate man and Beast with all things useful, both of habitation, and provision to sustain the natural Life, and to praise, and magnifie the founder of it, Gen. 1.11, 12. All which cannot choose but greatly manifest the unsearchable wisdom of God. established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the These are streched out, i. e. expanded, and spread over our head, through the whole circumference of the Earth with all their glorious furniture, and varieties of motions, moving regularly in their several Orbs, i. e. not varying the least degree, either in time or space from the order and Law that God has set them, even in those which are more excentrick and erratick, which must needs argue an unparallel'd skil, and understanding in God, which the word discretion does here properly signifie Exod. 36.1. Iob 12.13. all which are his handy-work, and do declare his glory, Psal. 19.1. heavens by his discretion. In this and the next verse, the Prophet enumerates some particulars, wherein he is transcendently above all Creatures, which he has made, much more above Idols, which are the works of mans hands.

When he uttereth his As in the former verse he relates Gods unspeakable Power and Wisdom in his creating and fixing the stated order of things, so here he further sets it forth in his Providential ordering and disposing their accident, i. e. either at his command when he is pleased to call for the rain, or rather, when he thundereth in the Heavens, Job 37.4, 5. Psal. 77.18. though it often rains when it thunders not, and thunders when it rains not, yet when it rains and thunders it usually falls more forcibly from the Clouds, and more sudden plenty, as it were a more immediate consequent of it. voice there is a multitude of waters in the Viz. The lowest heaven, the Region of the Air. heavens, and he causeth the Exhalations, whether wet or dry causing Wind or Rain, by the ascending whereof the Lower Heavens gather them into Clouds, which, when full and burdened, descend in showers for the conveniences of the Earth, and Springs. vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with Though Fi e and Water be contrary, yet i opens the clouds to make way for the Rain, and is produced in the midst of waters, all which is wonderful. rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his Which partly notes that it is secret and hidden, as coming from the Caverns and hollow parts of the earth, no man knows from whence they come, or whither they go, Ioh. 3.8. and it is wonderful to observe how suddenly at a calm time the Winds will rise, how they will whirle about, how various, unconstant, and contrary in their motions and partly the plenty both for vehemency and continuance, signified also by treasures the plenty of snow, and hail being thus expressed, Io 38.22. and partly that it is at his disposal to bring out of his treasure when he please. See Psal. 135.7. treasures.

Every man is brutish in his Some limit it to the makers of these Idols, that can employ their Arts and wits to no better purpose, than to frame such Stocks into gods; this suits the next expression; as men are bewitched, and besotted by these things, so as to see no more into their Folly, than if they were Brutes, and the reason that it has taken such root may be by reason of mens so much admiring the art of carving and painting, or rather through their Ignorance, q. d. It is for want of knowledge, and understanding that men are thus brutish, Isa. 44.18. knowledge, every founder is Either it shall turn to his reproach, or rather, he shall see his folly and shall be ashamed of it when he shall discover it, that ever he should make such a thing, and trust in it, and expose it to be adored by others. confounded by the graven Image, for his molten Image is It is not that which it pretends to be but a deceitful thing a ly, they turn the truth of God into a lye, Rom. 1.25. falshood, and there is no They have nothing of life in them, nay that very vegetative life, that once was in their Stocks, is now lost, much less are they spirits sent down from Heaven. breath in them.

They are vanity and the work of Either in their rise, as springing from men of corrupt Minds, or the foundation of them: a Metonymy of the effect, Teachers, and encouragers of Lies, Hab. 2.18. things rather to be scoffed at and derided, then adored, and worshipped, and it is expressed in the plural number to note the multiplicity of them. errors: in the time of their visitation they shall When God shall have a controversie with them, shall come to reckon with Babylon and her Idols, they and their Worshippers shall be destroyed, alluding, possibly, to the manner of the Pagan Conquests, who were wont to carry away both Persons, and the Idols of the Country, and either break them to pieces, or burn them Thus were they serv'd by the Persians, see on Isa. 46.1. This possibly may be spoken by way of Encouragement to the Iews, that took offence at the Chaldean Idols, that were set up in their sight, that God may strengthen their Patience he tells them he visits them in Mercy, and their Enemies in Judgment; he will destroy those Idols. perish.

The A Periphrasis for the true God, who vouchsafeth to be the portion of his People and to be so called, Deut. 32.9. Psal. 16.5. and many other places because he is in Covenant with his people in the Messiah, whose co-heirs are as dear to him as a portion is, that descends to a man by inheritance, and he tells you his Name in the close of the verse, Isa. 47.44. one who has the whole Host of Heaven and Earth at his disposal. portion of Jacob is not like them, for he is the Idols are things framed and formed, but God is the former of all things, the maker of heaven and earth. former of all things, and Israel is the So called, because the portions and inheritances of Israel were measured by a line, reed, or rod, and therefore called the rod of his Inheritance, Deut. 32.8, 9. Psal. 74.2. and because they were his by a continual line of Succession; beside Israel is, Schebet the Rod, or Scepter of his Inheritance, because God did set up his Kingdom in Israel. rod of his inheritance, the LORD of hosts is his name.

Gather up thy i. e. Every thing thou hast any advantage by, not only thy Domestick concerns, but all thy Traffique and Merchandize, wherever thou hast any concerns in the land, as men use to do in case of Invasion by an Enemy, to secure them, It seems to be a Sarcasme, or a kind of Military derision. wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the This is understood by some, as spoken to the Babylonians, that they should make provision for their escape, their Idols being not able to save them, but this seems to be remote from the Prophets meaning; It is rather therefore directed to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, that being the chief place of security in Judea, and by a Syn chdoche to all other places that they promised themselves security in; the approaching destruction being to pass through the whole country. fortress. The Prophet now enters upon another subject, and probably begins another Sermon.

For thus says the LORD, Behold, I will It notes with how much violence and speed, and with ease the Chaldeans shall hurry away the People into Babylon, as the stone does swiftly, and violently pass, which is thrown out of a sling, with so much ease, and therefore it is said at this once, I will not delay, but make one thorough quick work of it, noting not only the time, but implying the clear riddance that he would make of them, 2 Chron. 36.17, 18, 19. they had been often assaulted by Enemies, and sometimes they redeemed themselves, sometimes delivered by God, their Enemies being sometimes divided; but it should not be so now, but all swept away. sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so. That they may see I am in good earnest, that I have not only said it, but they shall find, that I will execute it, and though they would never believe it, yet they shall actually find the truth of my Prophesies, see chap. 5.12, 13. Ezek. 6.10.

Wo is me for my hurt; my wound is Here the Prophet does not so much express his own sorrow, though that be great, as personate the Sorrow and Complaint that the Land, i. e. the people of the Land, manifest, or at least ought to do; which because they do not, causeth no little grief in the Prophet himself, who cannot but be affected with their condition, which he calls not only a hurt, but a wound, and both of them very grievous. grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must Or rather, but I better considered it and said within my self, I were as good be silent, it is indeed a grief greivous in it self, and grievous that I must smother it, and not complain, but it is my duty to bear it patiently. There is in this expression a double necessary preparation to Repentance, viz. 1. An acknowledgment, that they had deservedly brought the Judgment upon themselves, and that therefore 2. They would patiently bear it, and it does imply something of their stupidity, q. d. we could not have imagined the damage could have been so very great, but now we see how it is, we will patiently bear the indignation of the Lord because we have sinned against him, If this be not the meaning, then it is a further obstinate persisting in their Rebellion, q. d. seeing it must be so, truly it is very grievous, but I am bound now to bear it, and rub through it as well as I can: A further persisting in their pertinacy, but I incline most to the former sense. bear it.

My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are He proceeds in his prosopopeia to bring in the land, or the inhabitants thereof enumerating their Calamities, and by a metaphor sets out the overthrow of the land, or Jerusalem, by the breaking of the cords of a Tabernacle, the use whereof is to fasten it on every side to Stakes in the ground, which cords being broken the Tabernacle falls, implying all the supports of City and Country were gone, nothing but desolation to be expected, See chap. 4.20. broken; my children are gone forth of Either the inhabitants of the land or the lesser Cities, being frequently called daughters, viz. the Chaldeans, have snatched them away from me, and carried them into Captivity. me and they are Of the phrase and meaning of it, see chap. 31.15. not: there is none to stretch forth my tent i. e. 'Tis irrevocable; I am without all help either for Defence or Beauty, or any thing to regain my pristine state, which he chuseth to describe hereby continuing this Metaphor rather than any other, of a Sheph s Tent; possibly insinuating the ground of it to arise princip ly from their Pastors, the neglect both of their Civil and Ecclesiastical Governours which the next verse favours. any more, and to set up my curtains.

For the Pastors are become brutish, and have not sought Not that the Prophet takes off all blame from the People, but that he layeth it chiefly upon the Rulers of Church and State; for so is Pastor taken frequently. See chap. 23.1, 2, 3. the LORD Not sought unto him, and taken him into their counsels.; therefore they shall not The Prophet gives the reason why nothing went well with them, namely because there was no regard had to Godliness, without which we cannot expect a blessing upon any thing. prosper, and all their flocks shall be i. e. All, that have been committed to their care, shall be carried unto Babylon, and divers of them dispersed abroad into several Countries, for their sakes. scattered.

Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion The Prophet had divers times sounded this Alarm in their ears, but to very little purpose, his words seemed but as idle Tales, they believed him not; he speaks of it partly, as one conceiving what dreadful commotions and concussions would be upon the Land by the clattering of Arms, prancings and neighings of Horses, sounding of Trumpets, and rattling of Chariots, making as it were the earth to shake under them, when that vast Army of the Chaldeans should furiously break in upon them. Partly, insinuating an Antithesis opposing the voice of Gods Prophets, that had so often spoken of this, but they would not hear, against this dreadful noise, which they should not but hear and see and feel too. So that they that would not learn of Gods Prophets, shall be sent to harder Masters, that shall teach them in a manner as Gideon did the men of Succoth, Iudg. 8.16. out of the north-country See chap. 1.10. & 5.15., to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons See on chap. 9.11..

¶ O LORD, The Prophet finding that all he could say prevailed nothing upon this people, but they rather grew worse, he turns himself to God. I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps How far these words concern Pelagianism, or Free-wil either one way or other, or whether at all, concerns not this Comment, they seem literally to be the words of the Prophet relating, either to himself and other Holy men, q. d. it is not in our power, neither do we presume, to stop this Decree of thine against Iudaea; or else to the Enemies in general, or Neb chadnezzar in particular, q. d. we know all their marches and designs are of thine appointing, and all their atchievments of thine ordering, it is thy Providence, that directs every step they take against this Land, without whom no counsels shall prosper, who alone turnest mens Hearts which way thou pleasest, Prov. 21.1. who canst bring men on, or turn them back, as thou seest good, Isa. 37.29. so that no mans way is properly his own, to give them what success he will; or to the people, whereby he does tacitly insinuate, that all the counsels and measures they think to take, whether by their own strength at home, or confederaci s and alliances abroad will avail nothing however they may think to escape by some devices, or stratagems of their own, it is to no purpose, God can overturn all in a moment when men think their counsels are ripe, and they want nothing but execution; or lastly, as others think, this is by way of petition q. d. Lord we know it is not in our Power to divert these Judgments that are coming upon us by the Chaldaeans, but thou canst moderate and limit it as thou pleasest, seeing all their designs are ordered by thy Providence, they cannot do any thing against us without thy permission; this the next verse seems to favour..

O LORD, correct me q. d. Seeing thou wilt bring the Chaldaeans upon us to punish us for our sins, let it be a correction only not a destruction, and utter ruine., but with judgement Let it be in measure, in judgment, i. e. in wisdom, proportioning it as a Father toward his Children, chap. 30.11. for so the Hebrew Mizpah signifies, and thus judgement is taken, Isa. 30.18. We refuse not correction, but we cast our selves upon thee, therefore, in the midst of Iudgment remember mercy., not in thine anger The reason of this he gives in the next clause, lest if thou shouldst let out thy fury upon me, thou wouldst bring me to nothing, i. e. thou wouldst utterly consume me, or make me few, as Heb. that I should be no more a people, never lift up the head again., lest thou bring me to nothing.

Pour out thy fury upon the heathen This may imply both Petition, that God would do so, and Prediction that God will certainly do so, which toward the close of the Prophesie we find was fulfilled, God first sending the King of Babylon to overthrow divers of the Heathen Nations, and then Babylon it self destroyed with a great destruction. He will make a difference between us and the heathen, such as know thee not, i. e. Such as do not acknowledge and own thee for their God, the phrase is frequent, 1 Sam. 2.12. Iob 18.21. 2 Thess. 1.8. the sense is expressed here in the next words, that do not call on thy name., that know thee not, and upon the families, that call not on thy name A Synecdoche, one part of worship put for the whole, q. d. If thou wilt be pouring out thy fury, the effects of it be to thine Enemies, not unto thine own People, who worship thee.: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate Here he gives a reason as a motive to God, why he should do so; which words see explained on Psal. 79.5, 6, 7. whence they are taken, and possibly Ieremiah himself was the author of that psalm after the City was destroyed, and he carried into Aegypt, and for the phrase of devouring him, see chap. 8.16..