John Trapp on Jeremiah 44:17

Ver. 17. But we will certainly do whatſoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth] Heb. we will doing do every word hath gone forth from our mouth; that we may be dicti noſtri dominae, as big as our words, our vows eſpecially, (as ver. 25.) which we made to worſhip the Queen of heaven, in caſe we came ſafe into Egypt.

To burn incenſe to the Queen of heaven] See chap. 7.18.

As we have done, we and our fathers, our Kings and our Princes] Antiquity is here pleaded, and Authority, and Plenty and Peace. Theſe are now the Popiſh plea's, and the pillars of that rotten religion. It is the old religion ſay they: and hath potent Princes for her Patrons, and is practiſed in Rome the Mother-Church, and hath plenty and peace where it is profeſſed, and where they have nothing but Moſſe and Matins. Theſe are their arguments: but very poor ones, as were eaſy to evince. But as women (counted the devouter ſex) have alwayes carryed a great ſtroke with their husbands, as did Eve, Jezabel, Eudoxia, &c. (the women of Antioch could do much againſt Paul, and Barnabas, Acts 13.) ſo the people are indeed a weighty but unweildy body,Plus valet malum inolitum quam bonum inſolitum. ſlow to remove from what they have been accuſtomed to. The Iriſh will not be perſwaded to put geeres and harneſſe on their horſes, but will have the plough ſtill tied to their tails, as they have been: neither in matters of religion will they be drawn to leave their old Mumpſimus for the new Sumpſimus: ſo powerful is uſage, and ſo ſweet our preſent though perverſe opinions and perſwaſions.

For then had we plenty of victuals] Juſt ſo doth the Church of Rome borrow her Mark from the Markets plenty or cheapneſſe of all things. But one chief reaſon of that, is the ſcarcity of mony that was in our fathers dayes, and the plenty thereof that is in ours, by means of the rich mines in the Weſt-Indies, not diſcovered till the dayes of Henry the ſeventh. Hollinſhead ſaith, that ſome old men he knew, who told of times in England, when it was accounted a great matter that a Farmer could ſhew five ſhillings or a Noble together in ſilver.

And were well, and ſaw no evil] Ʋbi utilitas ibi pietas, ſaith Epictetus: [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Si ventri bene, ſi lateri. Horat. and deos quiſque ſibi utiles cudis, ſaith Another: for profit men will be of any religion. If the belly may be filled, the back fitted, &c. modo ſerveat olla, ſo the pot may boil, much will be yielded to: It is well obſerved that the Papiſts are moſt corrupt in thoſe things where their profit, eaſe, or honour is engaged. In the doctrine of the Trinity and other points that touch not upon theſe they are ſound.