The Broken Covenant

1This is another Sermon, which the LORDE commaunded Ieremy for to preach, sayenge: 2Heare the wordes of the couenant, and speake vnto all Iuda, and to all them that dwel at Ierusalem, 3And saye thou vnto the: Thus saieth the LORDE God of Israel: Cursed be euery one, that is not obedient vnto ye wordes of this couenaut: 4which I commaunded vnto youre fathers, what tyme as I brought them out of Egipte, from the yron fornace, sayenge: Be obedient vnto my voyce, and do accordinge to all that I commaunde you: so shal ye be my people, and I wil be youre God, 5and will kepe my promyse, yt I haue sworne vnto youre fathers: Namely, that I wolde geue them a londe which floweth with mylke and hony, as ye se, it is come to passe vnto this daye. Then answered I, and sayde: Amen. It is euen so LORDE, as thou sayest.

6Then the LORDE sayde vnto me agayne: Preach this in ye cities off Iuda and rounde aboute Ierusalem, and saye: Heare the wordes off this couenaunt, that ye maye kepe them. 7For I haue diligently exorted youre fathers, euer sence the tyme that I brought them out off the Londe off Egipte, vnto this daye. I gaue them warnynge by tymes, sayenge: herken vnto my voyce: 8Neuertheles, they wolde not obeye me, nor enclyne their eares vnto me, but folowed the wicked ymaginacios of their owne hertes. And therfore haue I accused them as transgressours of all the wordes off this conuenaunt, that I gaue them to kepe, which they (notwithstodinge) haue not kepte.

9And the LORDE sayde vnto me: It is foude out, that whole Israel and all the citisens off Ierusalem are gone backe. 10They haue turned them selues to the blasphemies off their fore fathers, which had no lust to heare my worde. Euen likewise haue these also folowed straunge goddes, and worshipped them. The house off Israel and Iuda haue broken my couenaunt, which I made wt their fathers. 11Therfore thus saieth the LORDE: Beholde, I will sende a plage amonge you, which ye shal not be able to escape: and though ye crie vnto me, I will not heare you. 12The shal the townes off Iuda and the citisens of Ierusalem go, and call vpon their goddes, vnto whom they made their oblacios: but they are not able to helpe them in tyme off their trouble. 13For as many cities as thou hast (o Iuda) so many goddes hast thou also: And loke how many stretes there be in the (o Ierusalem) so many shameful aulters haue ye set vp, to offre vpon them vnto Baal.

14But praye not thou for this people, byd nether prayse ner prayer for them: for though they crie vnto me in their trouble, yet will I not heare them.

15O thou beloued, why doest thou so shamefull greate blasphemies in my house? euen as though that holy flesh might absolue the, specially when thou hast made thy boost off thy wickednes.

16The LORDE called the a grene olyue tre, a fayre one, a frutefull one, a goodly one: but now that there is a contrary reporte off the abrode, he will burne the vp, ad destroye thy braunches.

17For the LORDE off hoostes that plated the, hath deuysed a plage for the (o thou house of Israel & Iuda) for ye euel that ye haue done, to prouoke him to wrath, in that ye dyd seruyce vnto Baal.

A Plot against Jeremiah
(Jeremiah 18:18–23)

18This (o LORDE) haue I lerned of the, and vnderstonde it, for thou hast shewed me their ymaginacions.

19But I (as a meke lambe) was caried awaye to be slayne: not knowinge, that they had deuysed soch a councel agaynst me, sayenge: We will destroye his meate with wod, and dryue him out of the londe of the lyuynge, that his name shal neuer be thought vpon.

20Therfore I will beseke the now (o LORDE of hoostes) thou rightuous iudge, thou that tryest the reynes and the hertes: let me se the auenged of them, for vnto the haue I committed my cause.

21The LORDE therfore spake thus of the citesens of Anothot, that sought to slaye me, sayege: Preach not vnto vs in the name of the LORDE, or els thou shalt dye of oure hondes. 22Thus (I saye) spake the LORDE of hoostes: Beholde, I will viset you. Youre yonge me shal perish with the swearde, yor sonnes and youre doughters shal vtterly dye of honger, 23so that none shal remayne. For vpon the citesyns off Anathot wil I bringe a plage, and the yeare of their visitacion.