Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 11:4

4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, obey my voice, and do them according to all which I command you , so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God .

Which Law (that you by your restipulation made a Formal Covenant) I that am the Lord, and so had a soveraign power to lay Laws upon my creatures, commanded your Fathers.

And obliged them to obedience before I laid my Law upon them, by bringing them out of the Land of Aegypt, from the furnace wherein iron is melted, which may either be taken litterally (probably that was a piece of their work in Aegypt) or metaphorically, serving at iron furnaces being a very hard, and servile labour.

For which kindness I required no more of them but a gentler service to me, in obeying my voice as to the things of this Law which I gave them in charge.

Nor did I onely lay my commands upon them, but I also incouraged them to the obedience of it, by my gracious promise that if they would they should be a people, I would bless protect and defend, and bear the name of my people, and I would be their God to own and bless them.

Marginal references: Deut. 4.10. 1 King. 8.51.; Lev. 26.3, 12.