Lamentations - The Sermon Depository

More documents

Recommendations

Info

eproaches, we seek in adversities to withdraw ourselves in a manner from the observation of men; but our evil is especially doubled, when we become a spectacle to enemies; for they derive joy from our adversities, and then exult over us. When, therefore, the chosen people said, that enemies had heard, they thus showed that nothing could be added to their miseries: They have heard, then, that I was sighing and that no one comforted me. Who had heard? all mine enemies; and they have rejoiced that thou hast done it. Jeremiah seems to intimate, that their enemies, being fully persuaded that God was displeased with his people, did on this account more freely rejoice; and at the same time they believed that it was all over with those miserable people with whom God was displeased. But I know not whether this view is well grounded. I indeed do not reject it, :nor will I dispute with any one who may hold that the enemies rejoiced, because they thought that God was become the enemy of that people, whom he had before chosen and also protected: nor is this view unsuitable; for the reprobate then fully triumph when they can boast that God is adverse to us. But when no such thought comes to their minds, they yet cease not to rejoice when they see that we are oppressed and afflicted. Though, then, they may not think of God’s hand, yet they rejoice that it is done; that is, they rejoice that we are distressed, though they understand not who the author is. We may then take the meaning simply to be, that the enemies of the Church rejoiced at that calamity, without considering who the author of it was. But, why is it expressed that God had done it? even to shew that while the ungodly think that fortune is unfavorable to us, it; is our duty to cast our eyes on God, for we ought not to judge of things according to their blindness. As, then, they ascribe not to God the glory due to him when they do not acknowledge him as judge, it ever behooves us to see by the eyes of faith what is hid from the natural perceptions of men, even that nothing happens to us except through the righteous judgment of God. Though, then, enemies had not wisdom to know how it was that the Church was afflicted, yet it behooved the Church itself to use by means of faith such a language as this, that God had done it; they rejoiced that thou hast done it. And it follows, Thou hast brought the day which thou hast called, or proclaimed; for arq, kora, has sometimes this meaning. F25 In short, the faithful now confess not only that they were afflicted by God’s hand, but also that what the prophets had so often threatened, and what had been despised, was now fulfilled. For we have seen with what pertinacity that people rejected the threatenings given by the prophets: God had often exhorted them to repent, and also had proclaimed or fixed a time for them, but without effect. Therefore the faithful now reflect on what had not been sufficiently known before, even that the day was brought which had been often proclaimed. And thus they confessed, not only that they were worthy of punishment., but that it was the proper time for them to be chastised, as they had not repented after having been so often warned. He adds, But they themselves shall be as I am. Here the future tense may be considered as optative, for presently a prayer follows which confirms this view. But we may also take the meaning to be simply this, — that the faithful began to take courage, as they looked forward to the time when God would render to the wicked according to their proud and disdainful exultation’s. It follows, — Lamentations 1:22 22. Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my signs are many, and my heart is faint. 22. Veniet (aut, veniat) omnis malitia eorum in conspectum tuum, et facias illis,
quemadmodum fecisti mihi super omnibus sceleribus meis; quia multa suspiria mea, et cor meum debile (vel, moestum.) Here, no doubt, the faithful regarded as a part of their comfort the judgment which God would at length execute on the ungodly; and there is no doubt but that this kind of imprecation had been suggested to God’s children by the Holy Spirit, in order to sustain them when pressed down by heavy troubles; not that God gave them thus loose reins to desire vengeance on their enemies, but that while those perished who indulged their malice, the faithful might derive from their ruin a hope of deliverance; for the vengeance of God on the reprobate brings with it a token of paternal favor towards the elect. And that we may better understand what this imprecation means, we must first bear in mind that we cannot complain of enemies, except they are also enemies to God. For should I hurt any one, and should he, impelled by wrath, vex me, there could be no access for my complaint to God, and in vain could I seek a covering from this example; why? because whenever we go before God, it is necessary, as I have said, that our enemies should be also his enemies. But, secondly, it would not be sufficient, except our zeal were also pure; for when we defend our own private cause, something excessive will necessarily be in our prayers. Let us, then, know that we are not to pronounce an imprecation on our enemies, except, first, they are God’s enemies; and, secondly, except we disregard ourselves, and plead not our own cause, but, on the contrary, undertake the cause of public safety, having laid aside all turbulent feelings; and especially, except our fervor arises from a desire to glorify God. With these qualifications, then, we may adopt the form of prayer given us here by the Prophet. But as this subject has been explained elsewhere, and often and very fully, I touch on it here but briefly. He then says, Let all their wickedness come before thee; do to them as thou hast done to me. Here, again, the faithful take upon themselves the blame for all the evils they were suffering; for they do not expostulate with God, but pray only that he would become the judge of the whole world, in order that the ungodly might also at length have their turn, when God would be pacified towards his children. But they afterwards more clearly express that they had deserved all that they had suffered — for all my sins. Then they add, because my sighs are many and my heart is weak. We, in short, see that the faithful lay humbly their prayers before God, and at the same time confess that what they had deserved was rendered to them, only they set before God their extreme sorrow, straits, grieves, tears, and sighs. Then the way of pacifying God is, sincerely to confess that we are justly visited by his judgment, and also to lie down as it. were confounded, and at the same time to venture to look up to him, and to rely on his mercy with confidence. Now follows the second elegy, — CHAPTER 2 Lamentations 2:1 1. How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger! 1. Quomodo obnubilavit in iracundia sua Dominus filiam Sion, projecit a coelo in terram decorem Israel, et non recordatus est scabelli pedum suorum in dic iracundiae! The Prophet again exclaims in wonder, that an incredible thing had happened, which was like a prodigy; for at the first sight it seemed very unreasonable, that a people whom God had not only received into favor,
Page 1 and 2: Favorite Sermons RP Ministries Inc.
Page 3 and 4: and there, exposed to every contume
Page 5 and 6: Jerusalem, because all her friends
Page 7 and 8: hostes ejus feliciter egerunt (fuer
Page 9 and 10: omnium desiderabilium suorum quae f
Page 11 and 12: themselves to impiety. This is the
Page 13 and 14: noun is here put instead of an adve
Page 15 and 16: He says also, that they gave the mo
Page 17 and 18: common or human burning; because wh
Page 19 and 20: Jeremiah 51:33, that Babylon was li
Page 21 and 22: omnes populii, videte dolorem meum;
Page 23: the children of God differ greatly
Page 27 and 28: agree, that the Temple was the hous
Page 29 and 30: from him; but it was still a harder
Page 31 and 32: esolved to put an end to their obst
Page 33 and 34: eason why the Prophet enlarged so m
Page 35 and 36: vision from Jehovah. There is then
Page 37 and 38: forth, but in the same sense in whi
Page 39 and 40: whenever it may happen that we are
Page 41 and 42: Though the word ta m, meshat, is of
Page 43 and 44: Matthew says, that Christ opened hi
Page 45 and 46: aised up their horn. F46 By these w
Page 47 and 48: the face of Jehovah. For the unbeli
Page 49 and 50: declares; and the Prophet now menti
Page 51 and 52: well known, using only a pronoun. N
Page 53 and 54: Lamentations 3:7 7. He hath hedged
Page 55 and 56: of holy men, when they were pressed
Page 57 and 58: the sweetness of his goodness. He a
Page 59 and 60: 19. Remembering mine affliction and
Page 61 and 62: day; but he puts morning, and that
Page 63 and 64: to hope in God, when he says that h
Page 65 and 66: super se. Here he shews the fruit o
Page 67 and 68: Lamentations 3:31 31. For the Lord
Page 69 and 70: (Isaiah 1:24.) He calls them advers
Page 71 and 72: mouth of God.” As to the substanc
Page 73 and 74: this verb sometimes means to weary
Page 75 and 76:
We now then understand the meaning
Page 77 and 78:
so the Prophet now says that a clou
Page 79 and 80:
sorrow by which the unbelieving are
Page 81 and 82:
were, with a flood of evils. This s
Page 83 and 84:
of what is said is, that God had be
Page 85 and 86:
how the Prophet strengthens himself
Page 87 and 88:
the precious gold! for µtk, catam,
Page 89 and 90:
distressed people to relieve their
Page 91 and 92:
against her.” But this is a force
Page 93 and 94:
having been pierced through by the
Page 95 and 96:
now, then, understand the design of
Page 97 and 98:
their garments, because the law for
Page 99 and 100:
The Prophet, then, considers now no
Page 101 and 102:
19. Velociores fucrunt persequutore
Page 103 and 104:
head of the people, and so constitu
Page 105 and 106:
Idumeans; for we know that, shortly
Page 107 and 108:
the initial letters of the verses a
Page 109 and 110:
laboravimus non requies nobis. Here
Page 111 and 112:
It may yet be said that children ar
Page 113 and 114:
part for the whole; but that place,
Page 115 and 116:
head: woe unto us, that we have sin
Page 117 and 118:
together with the whole world; but
Page 119 and 120:
the Prophet says, that if it please
Page 121 and 122:
All her desirable things, Which wer
Page 123 and 124:
thyself no rest, Let not the pupil
Page 125 and 126:
2 The precious sons of Sion, Clothe
Page 127 and 128:
often been threatened with banishme
Page 129 and 130:
Become desolate are my sons, for th
Page 131 and 132:
12. To their mothers would they say
Page 133 and 134:
“stones” by the Syr. and the Ta
Page 135 and 136:
has this meaning. It may be taken t
Page 137 and 138:
Children asked bread, A breaker, no
Page 139 and 140:
is the word rendered by Blayney and
Page 141:
towards us.” For surely rejecting
show all

Lamentations - The Sermon Depository

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?