Jeremiah 7

No, to obey is better than sacrifice. God disclaims sacrifice, if obedience be wanting (Jeremiah 7:22). I spoke not to your fathers concerning burnt offerings, but this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice.

Dry wood is not more prone to take fire, than our nature is to idolatry. The Jews made cakes to the Queen of Heaven, that is the moon (Jeremiah 7:18). Quest. From where is it that we are so prone to idolatry?

Visiting the iniquity of the fathers. Most of God's envenomed arrows have been shot among idolaters (Jeremiah 7:12). Go now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it. God for Israel's idolatry, suffered their army to be routed, t…

Judges 17:13: I have a Levite to my priest; surely I shall go to heaven. The Jews cried (Jeremiah 7:4): The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. We are apt to glory in this — the oracles of God are committed to us, we have Word and Sacrament.

It is God's will that we should believe; and why is it but that we should be crowned with salvation; (Mark 16:16) He that believes shall be saved. What God wills is not so much our duty as our privilege; he bids us obey his voice, and it is greatly for our good; (Jeremiah 7:23)…

Qu. 12. What is principally to be attended to by us in the manner of the celebration of the worship of God, and observation of the institutions and ordinances of the Gospel? Answ. That we observe and do all whatever the Lord Christ has commanded us to observe, in the way that he…

Chapter 17:3: to the same purpose were the places before mentioned (Matthew 15:9), as also is that severe rule applied by our Savior to the additions of the Pharisees (verse 13): Every plant, which my Heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. And there is yet further…

Question 2. By what means do we come to know that God will thus be worshipped? That God is to be worshipped, and that according to his own will and appointment, is a principal branch of the law of our creation, written in our hearts (Romans 1:21; Romans 2:14-15; Acts 15:16-17; A…

And thus was Abraham warranted to sacrifice his Son; namely, by virtue of a special, and personal commandment to himself alone. But if Abraham had not had this particular commandment, the sacrificing of Isaac had been unlawful and abominable; for, the killing of a man is a heino…

So has he dealt with many other places, and in particular, notwithstanding their boasting, with the city of Rome, sometimes a seat of the gospel, now the throne of Antichrist. "Go to my place which was in Shilo" (Jeremiah 7:12, 14; 26:6). By the way we must here give an account…

And such he conceived to be the evidence of this maxim, that he chose rather to argue from the silence of Moses in general, than from the particular prohibition, that none, who was not of the posterity of Aaron, should approach to the priestly office. So God himself condemns som…

Hereof we have a fatal instance in their bringing the Ark into the field, in their battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:5, 6). And it will fare no better with others who shall rest satisfied with outward institutions of divine worship, neglecting the end of them all, which…

1. That this is not spoken of the will of God, as to the institution and appointment of these Sacrifices; for the Apostle affirms, that they were offered according to the Law, ver. 8, namely, which God gave to the people. God says indeed by the Prophet to the people, that he spo…

But it is one of the greatest effects of God's severity towards them. So he commanded his prophets not to pray for the people when his heart would not to be towards them (Jeremiah 7:16; chap. 11:14; chap. 14:11). And in like cases, though not by express command yet by his secret…

Hence the Lord often begins with this, that he is their God (namely, in outward Covenant) and they his people, when he would most powerfully win and draw them to faith and obedience (Psalm 81:8, 10; Leviticus 19:3, 4; Deuteronomy 14:1, 2; Hosea 14:1; Acts 2:38, 39) and the exper…

Again, false grace does not grow, unless it be worse and worse; pretences wither rather than thrive. God complains (Jeremiah 7:24) that they went backward rather than forward. False grace is always declining till it be wholly lost; like bad salt, that loses of its acrimony and s…

When God calls to a people by his Word, Spirit, Judgements, but they regard him not, he will pack up and be gone. Jer. 7. 13. I spake unto you rising up early, but you heard not, therefore will I do to this house which is called by my Name, as I did to Shilo. Why, what did God t…

Whatever we do which evil does necessarily follow it, is accounted by God, as we brought the evil on purpose upon our selves. Surely they set not up silver and gold on intention to destroy themselves, but because destruction does necessarily follow, therefore God accounts it don…

Now to uproot this most pernicious error, God employed the extraordinary ministry of the prophets. And in order that the unmoved authority of that foundation of His worship, which they wickedly undermined, might stand firm — although there was no lack, as it may perhaps seem to…

VII. In that valley there was a particular place called Topheth; perhaps that word denotes the entire precinct that was within the sacred enclosure: (2 Kings 23:10), "He defiled Topheth in the valley of the sons of Hinnom." And (Jeremiah 7:31), "The high places of Topheth in the…

From hence cometh it, that we fear not in greatest dangers (2 Kings 6:16; Psalm 3:7; Psalm 27:3); that in the time of affliction, we are patient (Proverbs 20:22; Hebrews 10:33); without all murmuring to hold our peace (Psalm 39:10); receiving them as from a father (Job 1:21; Psa…

The Lord calls this a deceiving of Him, for He says in His Word, that there is no peace to the wicked, and the foolish presumer says, I shall have peace; shall His Word or theirs stand? They say (Jeremiah 5:12; Jeremiah 7:9), "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are t…

But if Mr. Den and others will contend that this seeing of the salvation of God, is the revelation of the literal knowledge of Christ, that saving thing which is bestowed on the nations by the ministry of John and the coming of the Messiah, they must with us confess a large syne…

Thirdly, God sometimes requires that we should part with all his holy ordinances in some cases; part with all confidence in them, and from staying our hearts upon them; we may soon lose Christ, and lose his protection, and his fatherly compassion towards us, if in the use of the…

This prophecy therefore might seem very strange, to wit, that they should become heartless, and betake them to their heels, and yet should not escape this way neither. (Jeremiah 7:4) Verse 4. Therefore said I, Turn away from me: I will weep bitterly: labor not to comfort me for…

And Solomon in dedicating the Temple said, When they shall come and pray in this house, then you will hear in heaven your dwelling place (1 Kings 8:33). Which is the cause why Christ reproaches the Jews for making his Father's house a den of thieves (Matthew 21:13), and thereunt…

For they confess they had nothing to glory in but the Temple, wherein God was pleased to be worshipped and served. And yet we see that this their rejoicing was often vain; insomuch that Jeremiah reproves them for it, saying: Trust not in lying words; to wit, The Temple of the Lo…

Indeed, he so manifests his fatherly love, and so willingly accepts of us, that if we yield not obedience to his voice, we ought justly to impute the same to our own frowardness. Moreover, the clause, all the day long, aggravates the fault greatly, namely, that God ceased not fo…

13. It is written. Christ quotes two passages taken out of two Prophets; the one from Isaiah 56:7, and the other from Jeremiah 7:11. What was written by Isaiah agreed with the circumstances of the time; for in that passage is predicted the calling of the Gentiles.

37. Jerusalem, Jerusalem. By these words, Christ shows more clearly what good reason he had for indignation, that Jerusalem, which God had chosen to be his sacred, and — as we might say — heavenly abode, not only had shown itself to be unworthy of so great an honor, but, as if i…

53. And went into the holy city. When Matthew bestows on Jerusalem the honorable designation of the holy city, he does not intend to applaud the character of its inhabitants, for we know that it was at that time full of all pollution and wickedness, so that it was rather a den o…

And he says daily that it should be no marvel to any man, though he were weary of doing good to them, seeing he did avail and profit nothing by his assiduity or continual doing good. This is the same figure which is in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:13 and 11:7), where he says that he ros…

Henry the Second of France in a great rage against a Protestant Counsellor, committed him to the hands of one of his Nobles to be imprisoned, and that with these words, that he would see him burned with his own eyes: but mark the righteous Providence of God, within a ew days aft…

This is our duty, because God has expresly commanded it, and called his people to make the most serious reflections, and animadversions upon his works, whether of mercy or judgement. So when that dreadfullest of all Judgements was executed upon his professing people for their Ap…

And from there was solemnly introduced into, and enthroned in the most holy place of the Temple, built by Solomon (1 Kings 8:6, 7). In the mean time, whether occasionally, or by advice, the Tabernacle was removed from Shilo, and that first place of the solemn worship of God alto…

And the prophet puts in this as an aggravation of their sin, that when the Lord called for such a mourning as was joined with baldness and shaving the head, that then there should be joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine. See this mor…

How much more then, is it a most hellish wickedness, committed against the great God, to assert a known lie, and then call in God to attest it for a truth? Which is no other but to father a brat of the Devil, who is a liar, and the Father of Lies, upon God, who hates liars, and…

So they are called lying Children, Isaiah 30. 9. and Chapter 59. 13. and are represented as Lying in pretending to be of the Temple or Church of God. Jeremiah 7. 2, 4. Hear the Word of the Lord, all you of Judah that enter in at these Gates to worship the Lord,—Trust you not in…

Lastly, when fields prove barren, and will not quit the husbandman's cost, nor answer the seed he sows in them, he plucks up the hedges, and lays it waste. So when churches grow formal and fruitless, the Lord removes his gospel-presence from them; plucks up the hedge of his prot…

The truth is, the foolishness of impenitency in nothing appears more, than in the arguings by which men strengthen themselves in it: and among these, I know none more amazing, than the delusion of a false hope in mercy; notwithstanding men persist in iniquity, and refuse to retu…

But as to the lazy despairing, 1. It was the people's way, when they are exhorted to repent (Jeremiah 18:12), There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices; and they were far from doing all, that men can do, and praying night and day; they were stealing, murdering, wh…

But yet remember that God is unchangeable; for, you see, the Jews in Jeremiah's time, they lived under Jeremiah's ministry almost twenty years, but yet at the last he rejected them, and he would not be entreated, though Jeremiah and the people did pray to him. There are three pl…

And one principal Reason of this different distribution, is to maintain fellowship among them all, 1 Corinthians 12:21. The Head cannot say to the Feet I have no need of you. As in a Family, where there is much business to be done, even the little Children bear a part, according…

2. By the Name of God is meant his Glorious Attributes, which are the several Letters of his Name. 3. By the Name of God is meant his Worship and Ordinances where his Name is called upon, Jeremiah 7:12. Go ye to my Place which was in Shiloh where I set my Name at first: That is,…

With what busy diligence does an idolatrous family carry on their way and their course! See (Jeremiah 7:18): The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, etc. says the Lord. Every one will have his hand in the work, and are quickening and inflaming one another; fat…

5. There are many aggravating circumstances attending the sins of men (beside the greatness of its own nature) which do exceedingly provoke God: men's sins are not only many and great, but are both multiplied and magnified, they are heightened by many circumstances: men increase…

They think the Lord will be pacified with rivers of oil, and that the fruit of their bodies will compensate for the sin of their souls. The Jews would steal, commit adultery, and swear falsely, and yet trust in lying words, saying, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord…

Tush, say they, we have made a league with death and a covenant with Hell, and when the destroying scourge passes over, it shall not come near to them (Isaiah 28:15). Indeed they do commit evil, and yet say they are delivered by the Lord (Jeremiah 7). Thus they grow [illegible]…

And here; if we speak of a people in general, Israel of old stand for monuments of this to the end of the world: how near God had taken them to him we find upon record; they were the only people that he had in the world; they were his vineyard which he had planted, and fenced, &…

1. All profane persons that are in the visible Church; and it is a matter of sad lamentation, that there are too many such, who call themselves Christians, and yet are always doing the works of the flesh, of which we have a catalogue (Galatians 5:19, &c.). They mind nothing that…