Lamentations 1:19-22 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders gave up the ghost in the city… 1. It is the duty of all men to comfort the afflicted, and not to add to their miseries (Matthew 25:40; James 1:27; 1 Corinthians 12:26; Hebrews 13:3). (1) We owe this duty one to another. (2) No misery can befall another, but when God will it may light upon ourselves. 2. It is the property of the wicked to rejoice at the miseries of the godly, with whom they should mourn (Psalm 69:12; Psalm 137:3; Judges 16:25). (1) They are affected as their father the devil, who rejoiceth in nothing but the calamity of mankind. (2) Their hatred maketh them glad when any evil lighteth on the righteous. 3. We are the fittest scholars to learn God's Word and make right use of it, when afflictions are upon us. (1) In prosperity we forget God and ourselves also. (2) We are in our corrupt nature as naughty children that will not learn except they be well whipped. (3) In afflictions we can more easily consider of our estate, both present, past, and to come. 4. Every tittle of God's Word shall be accomplished in due season (Matthew 5:18). 5. Though the troubles of the righteous be many, yet arc not the elect to be discerned from the reprobate by affliction. 6. It greatly easeth the godly in their afflictions to consider that their foes shall be destroyed (Revelation 18:20). 7. The punishments that God's people sustain in this life are sure tokens that the wicked shall be plagued, howsoever they escape for a time. (J. Udall.) Parallel Verses KJV: I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls. |
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