Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37. v1

308 Verf i t , An Expofition upon the Bookof J O B. Chap. a, We may further prefs ,this point, in reference unto the prefent condition of our brethren in, many places ofthis Nation, in refe- rence- to the whole Nationof Ireland, yea of the whole Church of God : Are they not all mourners ? And if we are to mourn with private fricnds, much more thenwith publick, with whole King- domes and Churches. We may befpeak -all paffengers.in the lan- guageof the Prophet Jeremy, lamenting over the defolations of jerufalem, Is it nothing toyou, allyou that pafs by England, Ire- land ? Is it nothing to you that travel (though but in meditation) into the Churches of Chrift in Germany ? &c. We read of Ne- hemiah, Cap. I.4. when he heard the repoltof7erufalemsdefo-' lation, though himfelf was far off at Babylon,, though himfelf r was rich and full, and,prcfeer'd in the Court of that Perfian Mo- narch, yet he mourned many dayes. And. Daniel ( Cap. i O. 2. ) mourned three,full weeks , that is, one and twenty dayes toge- ther, over the diflreffed eftate and condition of his people. Jeremy witheth, 0 that my headwere a fountainof tears, that Imight weep night and day_for the Hain of the Daughter of my People l Cap. '. I.. We have had many, Hain , choyce ones Hain ; this Ihould.be matter of mourning to us. Take,heed,of fuch a fpirit, as is reproved in thofe, Amos 6. Whofate upon.Beds.of Ivory, and ffretched themfelves upon their Couches, who eat the Lambs out ofthe Flock, and. the Calves out of the midjf of the frail Who chauntedto thefound of the Viol; and invented to themfelves In- ffruments ofMufick, like David, who drank wine in bowls, and annointedthemfelves with the chief Ointments : but they were not grievedfor theAJjlUlion of fofeph. If ever that of Solomonwere ápplyable, it is to.fuch a time as this, (Ecclef .2..2.) Ifaidof laughter,thou art mad,ofall woildly. laughterand outward mirth, what doff thou ? ifever.it were mad, now it is mad. i, Now for - ow is fobriety, and tears are in feafon. No fong.fo mufical as 9that which is fet to the higheft Brain of lamentation. I remember the Prophet Elijha's paffion, when he forefaw evils that thould be abed; he looked uponHazael, faith the Text, (2Kings 8.1I.) and wept..; and Hazael laid, ,Why weepeth my Lord ? he replyed, Becaufe I knowof all the evil that thouwilt do unto the Children of Ifrael theirJfrong holds wilt., thou fet, on fire, and theiryoung men wilt thouflaywith the Sword, and wilt dash their Children, andrip up their women with child. This made him weep, he Wept, .Becatifehe.faw,blood and fire, murder and burnings in the face

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