this time brought agaia the Chaldean Forces:
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T H E : ”
Lamentations of JEREMIAH
His Book in Greek, Tatine, and Engliſh bath its name from the Subject matter of it, which Fp Lamentation 5 So alſo amongſt the Hebrew Writers, but inthe Hebrew it hath its Name from the firft word of the Book, as alſg
the frve Books of Moles have.
That it was Wrote by Jeremiah none ean reaſonably queſtion, becauſe inthe Hebrew it is filed, The Book of Jeremiah.
There is little controverſie about the Time, or Occaſion of the Writing of it. That the Occaſim was the miſeries of the People, by reaſon of the Famine, Sword, and Captivity is evident to thoſe that read any partof it ; but whether they wer e thoſe miſeries which began with the Death of Joſiah, and held en till the City was taken, which was two and iwent y or three and twenty years after ; Or thoſe only which began with the Siege and followed on many Years, hath been doubted by ſome. That Jeremiah lamented for Joſiah, and all the ſinging Men, and ſinging Women ſpake of Joſiah in their Lamentations 3s plain from 2 Chron. 35. 25. But that theſe were the forms they uſed, or that they were compoſed upon that [ad account appeareth not, and the miſeries, which the Prophet mentionerh befel not the People in the time of Joſiah, but during the Siege Nor is there any thing which looks like a Lamentation fer Joſiah through the whole Book, unleſs Chap. 4, 20» which ( as we ſhall ſhew ) may alſo be fairly interpreted of Zedekiah : Some think that Jeremiah began to write them upon the Death of Joſiah, and continued his flile to the time of the Captivity, ſetting down all
more than twenty Years after Joſiah's Death
the miſeries the People ſuffered all along that time.
The Scope of the writing as to thoſe whom it immediatly concerned, is plain and obvious, viz. to offe& the People with theſe Fudgments which came upon them for their ſins: As to us ( upon whom the ends of the World are come ) to mind us to take
becd of their Sins, leſt we be ſharers in their Plagues.
| The Book is made up of Complaints of their lamentable condition 3 Petitions unto God for Mercy, and Prophecies both of
their better eſtate and the ruine of their Enemies.
Inthe four firſt Chapters are ſeveral Alphabets of Letters beginming the ſeveral Verſes, each Verſe beginning with a new Letter, only Chapter 3+ every three Verſes begins with a new Leteer ; the mytery of which we do not underſtand, nor peſſibly was there any myſtery intended in it, only the Chapters were ſo compoſed for the advantage of our Memories.
| The whole Book lets us [ce from what an height of dignity, towhat adepth of miſery ſin may bring Nations, how much ſoever intereſted in God; and likewiſe dirc&s us to our duty in ſuch fates of Aflittions and Miſery if we would chtain Mercy,
CHA F- k | | Jeremiah lamenteth the former Excellency and preſent Miſery of Jeruſalem for her ſn, 1 12. She complaineth of her Grief, 13 17s Con- feſſeth God's Judgments to be Righteous: And prayeth unts him,
18 22. | | Ow doth the city ſit ſolitary, that was full of peo-
ple a? bow is ſhe become as a widow b? ſhe that was great among the nations, and princeſs among the provinces, how is ſhe become tributary c ?
a The intrrogative Particle how ? Once expreſſed and twice more underſtood in this Verſe, doth not ſo much inquire the cauſe or Reaſon of the effe&, as expreſs admiration, or lamentation. The Propher admires the miſerable ſtate of the City, which-was full of people beyond the proportion of other Cities, and now was ſolitary, ſo thin of people that ſcarce any could be ſeen in her Streets. b She that had a King, or rather a God, that was an husband to her, now was forſaken of God, her King and ſhe like a poor widow. «c She that was like a Princeſs a= mongſt the Nations, that ſometimes ( as in Davids time.) had the Moabites, Ammonites, &c. Tributaries to her, was now a Tributary her ſelfs
2 * She weepeth ſore in * the night, and her tears are on her cheeks d: among all her lovers ſhe hath none to comfort her, all her friends have dealt treacherouſly
with her, they are become her enemies e.
d All her hours are hours of ſadneſs, ſhe dothnot only mournin the day time, bur in the night alſo, when ſhe ſhould reſt, her Cheeks are like the Graſs in the Morning hanging full of drops, as if her Head were a Fountain of Water, and her Eyes Rivers of Tears. e In her proſperity ſhe had a great many Friends that ſoughr, and courted her favour, with whom ſhe made Leagues and confederated ( ſuch were the Egyprians, Aſſjrians, &c. ) but they were now ſofar
from helping the Jews, that they helped their Enemies, and dealt |'
treacherouſly with them becoming themſelves Enemies inſtead of Aſſiſtants ro them.
2 Judahis gone into captivity, becauſe of affliction, and + becauſe of great ſervitude f; ſhe dwelleth among the heathen, ſhe findeth no reſtg: all her perſecutors
overtook her between the {traits þ.
f This is expounded as the cauſe why the Jews were carried into Captivicy,becauſe of the ſervitude, and &pprefſion exerciſed amongſt them, oppreiſion by their Rulers, and ſervitude more generally. keeping their Servants bzyond the Year of Jubile, when they ought to have ſet them ar Liberty, and that this was one cauſe appeareth from Jer. 34+ 17. or if becauſe of affiitiion, &c, be joyned to the next words, the ſenſe is plain ſbe dwell:th among#t the Heathen, by reaſon of her low condition, and the ſtate of ſervitude the is in, g Where ſhe ( that is the Jews ) have neither any fatisfaQtion nor quiet in their own minds, nor are they by their Enernies ſuffered co be at
aietany where. þ Thoſe that purſued them with all violence to de- rn them, overtook them in places where tl.ey could not eſcape them,as Huniſmen and other take their Game by driving them inco ſtrait and narrow places. x
The ways of Zion do mourn, becauſe none com- eth to the ſolemn feaſts ;: all her gates are deſolate k: her prieſts ſigh /, hervirgins are aftlited, and ſhe is in bitterneſs w. -