Jer 1:4-5:
The word of the Lord came to
me, saying, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you left the
womb I consecrated you (vv. 4-5). The election was not without basis: knowledge
preceded it. He had knowledge, note, and then he consecrated; for he knows
everything before its coming to be. (Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentaries on the
Prophets, 2 vols. [trans. Robert Charles Hill; Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross
Orthodox Press, 2006], 1:23)
Jer 18:7-8:
Do not despair of salvation, he
is saying: even if I condemn a nation and threaten ultimate punishment, I
extend mercy. On the other hand, if I promise an abundance of good things, but
they scorn me and embrace wickedness, I shall not fulfill the promise of good
things. Knowing this, then, do not despair of better things, but apply
repentance and reap salvation. (Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentaries on the Prophets,
2 vols. [trans. Robert Charles Hill; Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross Orthodox
Press, 2006], 1:85)