A.D. 339 – 1875 10 witnesses 12 excerpts
“The Hebrew Scripture introduces Moses at first as declining the leadership of the people by what he said to God who conversed with him: "I beg you, O Lord, appoint someone else who is able, whom you will send." Afterwards it portrays Saul as hiding himself to avoid assuming the kingdom and the prophet Jeremiah as humbly declining his mission.”
“I resort once again to history. When I consider the men of best repute in ancient days, who were ever preferred by grace to the office of ruler or prophet, I discover that some readily complied with the call while others deprecated the gift. I also learn that those who drew back were not blamed for their timidity, nor were those who came forward accused of being too eager. The former stood in awe of the greatness of the ministry; the latter trustfully obeyed him who called them. Aaron was eager, but Moses resisted; Isaiah readily submitted, but Jeremiah was afraid of his youth and did not venture to prophesy until he had received from God a promise and a power beyond his years.”
“It is a good thing even to hold back from God for a little while—as did the great Moses in ancient times, and Jeremiah later on—and then to run readily to him when he calls. This is what Aaron and Isaiah did—as long as both are done with a respectful spirit. Do the former because you lack strength. Do the latter because of the power of God who calls you.”
“Both Moses and Jeremiah, chosen by the Lord to declare the words of God to the people, avoided through modesty that which through grace they could do.”
“But perhaps you may say, How does Jeremiah call the yoke heavy, when the Lord in the Gospel has said, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"? Now, first understand that the Greek has "yoke" only, and has not added "heavy." Notice this, also, that although it was so in Lamentations, in the Gospel he said "easy yoke" and "light burden," not "light yoke." For the yoke of the Word can be heavy, yet easy. Heavy to the youth, heavy to the young man whose age is in fuller flower, so that he is unwilling to offer the neck of his mind in subjection to the yoke of the Word. The yoke of the Word can seem heavy because of the burdens of discipline, the rigor of improvement, the weight of abstinence and the curbing of lust. Yet it is easy because of the fruitfulness of grace, the hope of eternal reward and the sweetness of a purer conscience. Still, he called the yoke of the Word "easy" and the burden of conscience "light," because for him who has taken up the yoke of the Word with a patient neck the burden of discipline cannot be heavy.”
“Prophets had power either to speak or to refrain from speaking. They were not bound by necessity but were honored with a privilege. For this reason Jonah fled, for this reason Ezekiel delayed and for this reason Jeremiah excused himself. And God drives them not only by compulsion but also by advising, exhorting, threatening. He does not darken their mind, because to cause distraction, madness and great darkness is the proper work of a demon. It is God's work to illuminate and with consideration to teach what is necessary.”
“Alas This is an expression of wailing (konpljjnt in O.F.). for I am a youth I am not worthy to reprove them. Moses reproved them shortly before his death, when he was already esteemed in their eyes through the many miracles that he had performed for them. He had taken them out of Egypt, split the Reed Sea for them, brought down the manna, caused the quails to fly, given them the Torah, brought up the well. I come to reprove them at the beginning of my mission.”
“Here begins the treatise of the book itself, and first the office of prophesying is enjoined upon Jeremiah; second, the prophecy of the prophet now established is set forth, at the words, and it came to pass, chapter 2. The first is divided into two. In the first he enjoins the office; in the second he shows the manner of its execution, at the words, thou therefore gird up. The first is divided into two. In the first he is established in the prophetic office; in the second the matter of his prophecy is designated to him, at the words, and the word of the Lord came to me. The first is divided into two. In the first the preparation of the prophet is narrated; in the second, the bestowal of the prophetic gift, at the words, and the Lord put forth his hand. The first is divided into three. In the first the preparation on the part of the Lord is set forth; in the second the contradiction of the prophet is set forth, at the words, and I said, Ah, ah, ah; in the third, the repelling of the contradiction, at the words, and the Lord said. Concerning the first, three things. First the preparation of the prophet is set forth: the word came, either outwardly through a subject creature, or inwardly through inspiration. Ps. 84: I will hear what the Lord God shall speak in me. I should form thee: for in nature itself forming, God works the form, namely as a first cause in a second. Job 10: thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh. I knew, with a knowledge of approval. Isa. 49: the Lord hath called me from the womb, from the belly of my mother he hath been mindful of my name. Second, the privileged sanctification is set forth, and before. Eccl. 49: they treated him ill, who from his mother's womb was consecrated a prophet, et cetera. Third, the preordination of the office is set forth. And a prophet I gave, namely, in my own ordaining. Isa. 44: I have given thee for a light to the nations, that thou mayest be my salvation even to the end of the earth. Concerning the sanctification in the womb let us consider four things. First, the time. And it seems that such sanctification can exist before the infusion of the soul, on account of that which the Gloss of Ambrose says on Luke 1: the spirit of life was not yet present, and already the spirit of grace was present. Moreover, it is said here: before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee: and this is understood of a spiritual knowledge, which is one of approval: therefore before formation he had grace. On the contrary it seems that not, before he is born from the womb, because Augustine says: he cannot be reborn unless already born: but no one has grace unless reborn, since it is through grace that one becomes a son of God: therefore neither the grace of sanctification. To this it must be said that the sanctification of which we speak comes about through grace, whose subject is the soul; and therefore it cannot exist before the infusion of the soul; but after the infusion, before birth from the womb, it comes about by a special privilege. To the first it must be said that the spirit of life is there said to be the outward air, freely breathed. Or the spirit of life is said to be present, if it be taken of the soul, when it becomes known. To the other it must be said that it is understood of a knowledge of approval, which is according to predestination to grace, and is not said according to present justice. To the other it must be said that no one can be reborn by the common law, by the regeneration which is through the sacraments, before he is born, because he cannot yet be subject to the operations of the ministers of the Church, through whom this kind of grace is dispensed. But God has not bound his power to the sacraments; and therefore he himself can, by a special privilege, sanctify someone in the womb. Second, it is asked to whom this sanctification belongs. And it seems that it belongs to Christ, of whom it is said in the Gloss, that before he came forth from the womb, he was sanctified in the womb. But on the contrary: to be sanctified is to become holy from not-holy; but he was never not holy: therefore, et cetera. Likewise it seems that it belongs to inanimate things, on account of what is said in Ps. 45: the Most High hath sanctified his tabernacle. On the contrary is that such things are not receptive of grace. And it must be said, to the first, that not-holy is said in two ways. Either privatively, and then the existence of the subject is required; and thus it does not belong to Christ: or negatively; and thus it belongs to Christ to become holy from not-holy, because before he was man, he was not holy with a created holiness. To the other it must be said that holy is said in one way as dedicated to divine worship; and thus animate and inanimate things can be sanctified; but sometimes holy is said of what is firm, or clean either from sin, or from carnal act; and such sanctification is through grace, and possible only in men. But since every sanctification is ordered to that most holy conception of the Son of God, fittingly the mother, in whose womb that conception was accomplished, was sanctified, and John the Baptist, who while still enclosed in the womb, showed the one enclosed in the womb, and Jeremiah, who among others expressly discoursed on the manner of that most holy conception. Below, 21: the Lord hath created a new thing upon the earth: a woman shall compass a man. Third, it is asked concerning the effect of sanctification. And it must be known that sanctification is ordered against the uncleanness of original sin, in which one must consider the guilt of the lack of the divine vision arising from the lack of due justice; and this it wholly removed, so far as pertains to the impediment of the person, although the price by which the impediment of nature would be removed was not yet paid. One must also consider the tinder of sin, which is a proneness to every evil; and this indeed remains, like a habit impeded, not inclining to that to which it is ordered: but in others it inclined to venial sin, though not to mortal; but in the Blessed Virgin, to neither of these. Fourth, it is asked concerning the comparison of the grace of sanctification to sacramental grace. And it must be said that, absolutely speaking, the grace of sanctification prevails, because after sacramental grace an inclination to mortal sin remains. But in a certain respect sacramental grace prevails, namely as regards the imprinting of the character and such things. And I said. Here the contradiction of the prophet is set forth: and first he sets forth his own dismay — ah, on account of a defect of life; ah, on account of a defect of knowledge; ah, on account of a defect of eloquence. Ezech. 4: and I said, Ah, ah, ah. Second, he sets forth the reason for his dismay: and he alleges a defect of eloquence: behold, I know not how to speak. Exodus 4: I am not eloquent from yesterday and the day before. And the age of boyhood: because I am a boy, wherefore my age does not befit the office of preaching. Job 32: I hoped that greater age would speak, and a multitude of years would teach wisdom. Eccl. 32: speak, thou elder, for it teaches thee. But why this one refused the office of preaching, to which Isaiah offered himself, Isa. 6, Gregory shows in that Gloss: the office (he says) of preaching some laudably seek, to which others are laudably compelled, et cetera. Because this one, out of the love by which he was borne toward God, feared the loss of contemplation, while that one, through love of neighbor, desired the salvation of his neighbors. Yet neither did that one offer himself before his purgation, nor did this one refuse out of obstinacy. And the Lord said. He repels this contradiction. And because he alleged his boyhood, he promises three things against three defects of boys. For boys are inconstant; and against this he promises constancy: say not, in excusing thyself, as to all things that are to be carried out. Below, 10: the way of man is not his own, neither is it for man to walk and direct his own steps. Prov. 3: in all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps. Likewise he promises eloquence against this, that boys are tongueless, and all things. Wis. 10: wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent. He promises boldness against the timidity of boys: fear not, for I am with thee, to deliver thee — not that thou shalt be free from anguish, but that thou shalt bear all things patiently. Ps. 12: I will not fear evils, for thou art with me. And the Lord put forth. Here he bestows the gift of prophecy after the manner of a sacrament. Whence first the action is set forth: the Lord put forth, by an imaginary vision, so that the boy, seeing human limbs, might not be terrified: by which is signified the liberality of the divine goodness. Ps. 103: when thou openest thy hand, all things shall be filled with goodness. But he is not purged beforehand by a fiery coal, as Isaiah was: because, on account of his boyhood and the grace of his sanctification, he had no sins. Second, the words are set forth: and he said to me: which contain three things. First he expresses the gift: behold, I have given. Ps. 67: the Lord shall give the word to them that preach the gospel, with great power. Second, he shows the degree: behold, I have set thee over the nations — diverse ones, to whom he preached, as a mediator between them and God. Exod. 7: behold, I have made thee the god of Pharaoh. Ps. 17: thou wilt make me the head of the nations. Third, he sets forth the office: that thou mayest root out — evils, as to their root; destroy — as to the contrivance of evil ordering; pull down — the joining together of evils; throw down — the defense of evil; build — goods, as to their order; plant — as to their root. For they do not need an outward fortification, as it were a hedge. Eccl. 49: he was consecrated a prophet, to overthrow, to root out and to destroy, and again to build and to renew.”
“Then said I, Ah, Lord God!.... The word "Ah", or "Ahah", is used in distress and grief, as Kimchi observes; and is expressive of mourning and complaint, as Jarchi notes; and shows that the prophet was troubled and uneasy at his call, and would gladly have been excused on the following account: behold, I cannot speak; or, "I know not how to speak" (r); properly and pertinently, politely and eloquently, especially before great personages, kings and princes, and the citizens of Jerusalem, being brought up in a rustic manner in the country. A like excuse Moses made, Exo 4:10. The Targum is, "I know not to prophesy: for I am a child"; meaning either in knowledge and understanding, or in years; not a mere child, but a "junior", as the Septuagint version renders the word; or a "young man", as the Arabic version; so Samuel and Zechariah were young men, when they first ministered in their office, Sa1 3:1. Abarbinel supposes that Jeremiah was now twelve or fifteen years of age; but it should seem rather that he was more, perhaps twenty years of age; since he seems to have prophesied to the men of Anathoth before he was sent to Jerusalem, Jer 11:21. (r) "uescio loqui", V. L. Munster, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius; "non novi loqui", Pagninus, Montanus.”
“Ah. Hebrew ahah. Septuagint, “thou Being.” Protestants, “Then said I: Ah, Lord God.” (Haydock) — He does not imitate a child. He might be above 30 years old, though some say (Calmet) only 14, (Tirinus) or less; yet he finds himself devoid of eloquence, like Moses, Exodus xiv. 10. (Calmet)”
“From the long duration of his office (Jer 1:2-3; Jer 40:1, &c.; Jer 43:8, &c.), it is supposed that he was at the time of his call under twenty-five years of age. child--the same word is translated, "young man" (Sa2 18:5). The reluctance often shown by inspired ministers of God (Exo 4:10; Exo 6:12, Exo 6:30; Jon 1:3) to accept the call, shows that they did not assume the office under the impulse of self-deceiving fanaticism, as false prophets often did.”
“The divine call throws Jeremiah into terror. Knowing well his too great weakness for such an office, he exclaims: Ah, Lord Jahveh! I know not how to speak; for I am נער, i.e., young and inexperienced; cf. Kg1 3:7. This excuse shows that לא יד means something else than לא אישׁ דברים, by which Moses sought to repel God's summons. Moses was not ready of speech, he lacked the gift of utterance; Jeremiah, on the other hand, only thinks himself not yet equal to the task by reason of his youth and want of experience.”
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.