The Potter and the Clay

1This is another communication that God had with Ieremie, saying: 2Arise, and go downe into the potters house, & there shal I tell thee more of my mynde, 3Nowe when I came to the potters house, I founde hym makyng his worke vpon a wheele. 4The vessell that the potter made of clay, brake among his handes: So he began a newe, and made another vessell accordyng to his mynde.

5Then sayde the Lorde thus vnto me: 6May not I do with you as this potter doth O ye house of Israel saith the Lorde? Beholde ye house of Israel, ye are in my hande, euen as the clay is in the potters hande. 7When I take in hande to roote out, to destroy, or to waste away any people or kyngdome: 8If that people agaynst whom I haue thus deuised, conuert from their wickednesse, I repent of the plague that I deuised to bryng vpon them. 9Agayne, when I take in hande to builde or to plant a people or a kyngdome: 10If the same people do euyll before me and heare not my voyce, I repent of the good that I haue deuised for them. 11Speake nowe therfore vnto whole Iuda, and to them that dwell at Hierusalem, thus saith the Lorde, Beholde I am deuisyng a plague for you, and am takyng a thyng in hande agaynst you: therfore let euery man turne from his euyll way, and take vpon you the thyng that is good and ryght. 12But they sayde, No more of this, we wyll folowe our owne imaginations, and do euery man accordyng to the wilfulnesse of his owne mynde.

13Therfore thus saith the Lorde, Aske among the heathen yf any man haue hearde such horrible thynges, as the mayden Israel hath done?

14Wyll a man forsake the showe of Libanus, which commeth from the rocke of the fielde? Or shall the colde flowyng waters that commeth from another place be forsaken?

15But my people hath forgotten me, they haue made sacrifice in vayne, and their prophetes make them fall in their wayes from the auncient pathes, and to go into a way not vsed to be troden of iust men.

16Wherethrough they haue brought their lande into an euerlastyng wildernesse and scorne: so that whosoeuer trauayleth therby, shalbe abashed, and wagge their heades.

17With an east wynde wyll I scatter them before their enemies: and when their destruction commeth, I wil turne my backe vpon them, but not my face.

Another Plot against Jeremiah
(Jeremiah 11:18–23)

18Then sayd they, Come, let vs imagine somethyng agaynst this Ieremie: for the priestes shall not be destitute of the lawe, neither shall the wise men be destitute of counsayle, nor the prophetes destitute of the worde of God: Come, and let vs smite hym with the tongue, and let vs not marke all his wordes.

19Consider me O Lorde, and heare the voyce of mine enemies.

20Shall they recompence euyll for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: Remember howe that I stoode before thee to speake good for them, and to turne away thy wrath from them.

21Therfore, let their children dye of hunger, and let them be oppressed with the sworde: Let their wiues be robbed of their children, and become widowes, let their husbandes be slayne, let their young men be kylled with the sworde in the fielde.

22Let the noyse be hearde out of their houses when thou bryngest the murtherer sodaynly vpon them: for they haue digged a pit to take me, and layde snares for my feete.

23Yet Lorde thou knowest all their counsayle, that they haue deuised to slay me, forgeue not their wickednesse, and let not their sinnes be put out of thy sight, but let them be iudged before thee as giltie: this do thou vnto them in the tyme of thine indignation.