Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

46 Chap. 3o. An Expofition upon the Book ofJo a. Verf, qy corneand wine, fifhand fowle, fhould think of thofe that are glad to eatmallows, and Juniper roots; that is, who live upon Inch things, as we can fcarfely count or call manf.meate. The rich ufually finwith their plenty, and fo fin atay their plenty God may luftlybring thofe to mallows and Juniper roots, who are wanton in the oie of their pleafant r;teates and full Tables. We read in the history ofthe late Germaine warres, andofthat in Ireland, how, famine prevailing, many did Bate thofe things which are the abomination of nature; and that fome were found dead with grafs in their mouths, and worfe then mallowes and Juniper roots in their bellyes ; as for dogs, rates, cates and mice, they were reckoned rich fare, and happy was he that could get them. Yea famine forced many toBoyle and eat old leather, as a very choice difh. O how leyere bath this hand ofGod been uponmany Cities andNrionoI The Scriptureaffures us how it was with Samaria (2Kings6. 25.) There an affes head was paidforfoure-fcore piecesoff:lver ; 'fhe flesh ofatt affe ( betides that among theJewes it was uncl ane) was very lorry food, and the head of an affe could yeeld but little food, yet famine made it fweet though courfe, andmuch though little, and cheap though deare ; ten pounds (fo the price is caft up in our money) was readily payd as the price of a poore affes head. And (which feemes more) thefourth part ofa kab f d9vrs dung was f uldfor fivepieces offilver; They who before did feat st, even to furfet, upon doves, flefh, upon the vareft fifh and fouie that could be gotten for love ormoney did then ravine after the dung of doves, giving ten or twelve fhillings (fo'tiscomputed) for a pint ofit. Thereare fe.veralf opinions about it, tome (to allay the matter) conceive it was the dung of the dove which was takenout oftheir crawes, before it had gaffed through the body by digestion; others, ( and I thinkmore truly) lay st was their digefted dung, and that this was_ufed as meat,or at leaft as faute becaufe ofthe faltneffe of it. RabiS keth thrertned 7erufalem, with a fiege, that fhould make them eate nor only doves -dung, but their osandung, anddrinke theirows pife, (2Kings 18.27.) Oh what hard fhifts famine puts man to l And at the 29:h verfe ofthat Chapter before cited, we read ofa woman pitifully com. plaining to the King, wh® fàyd to her, what ayletb thee ? And heanfwered, shit womanPaid untome, give thy, fon, that we may Bate

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