Lamentations 1:4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh… 1. The overthrow of the commonwealth bringeth with it the overthrow of the Church's outward peace. 2. When the things that God hath given us here are not applied to the appointed use, we have just cause to mourn, seeing our sins have caused the let thereof (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Isaiah 13:19, etc.). 3. The earth and earthly things do often admonish men of their sins, either by denying that comfort which naturally they bring with them (Leviticus 18:25), or bringing grief or punishment with them (Micah 2:10). (1) God hath made all His creatures as written books, wherein man may read his sins. (2) That man may have no show of excuse left him at that great day of account. 4. All God's creatures mourn when God is disobeyed, and rejoice when He is obeyed by His people. 5. The service of God is not tied to any place, but upon condition of their obedience that dwell therein (Jeremiah 26:4). 6. It is a great grief to God's ministers to be deprived of their ministry or to see it unprofitable to the Church. (1) God is greatly dishonoured thereby. (2) It giveth occasion of interrupting all good things among the people, and matter of all kinds of sin. 7. The ministers must be guides to the people, to lead them to mourning (when there is cause), as also to all other duties. 8. They that seem most exempt from it must mourn at the decay of religion. (1) This reproves them that lay not to heart the distress of God's people for the truth, thinking it sufficient that themselves live in safety. (2) It teaches us to strive to be grieved when we hear of the decay of true religion in any place, though it be safe where we are. 9. The greatest loss that can befall God's people is the loss of the exercise of the Word and Sacraments. Because God hath appointed them to be the means of begetting and confirming faith in us. (J. Udall.) Parallel Verses KJV: The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. |
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