An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

It is an affliction, never to have been in prosperity; but it is a greater affliction to be cast down from a state of prosperity: for him that hath been great, and rich, and powerful in the World, to become mean, and poor, and powerless,¹ this pinches sore, and goes to the quick. Job aggravates his sorrows at large upon this account (Chap. 29. Chap. 30.) The Candle of God shined upon my head, I washed my steps in butter, my glory was fresh in me, &c. But now they that are younger then I have me in derision, &c. So (Lam. 4.2.) The precious Sons of Zion, comparable to fine Gold, how are they esteemed as earthen Pitchers, And (Vers. 5.) They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets, they that were brought in up Scarlet embrace dunghills. From delicate feeding to desolation, from Scarlet to a dunghill is a great change: the dunghill would not be so loathsome, were it not for the Scarlet, nor desolation so grievous were it not for the remaining taste of the late delicate feeding. Every remembrance of the Wormwood and the Gall of their present affliction in Babylon, was made more bitter by the remembrance of the Milk and Honey which flowed in the Land of Canaan. They who have always been in a low condition scarce feel or know the want of great things, because they never knew the meaning of their enjoyment.

It is an affliction, never to have been in prosperity; but it is a greater affliction to be cast downe from a state of prosperity: for him that hath been great, and rich, and powerfull in the World, to become meane, and poore, and powerlesse,¹ this pinches soare, and goes to the quick. Job aggravates his sorrows at large upon this account (Chap. 29. Chap. 30.) The Candle of God shined upon my head, I washed my steps in butter, my glory was fresh in me, &c. But now they that are younger then I have me in derision, &c. So (Lam. 4.2.) The precious Sons of Sion, comparable to fine Gold, how are they esteemed as earthen Pitchers, And (Vers. 5.) They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets, they that were brought in up Scarlet embrace dunghils. From delicate feeding to desolation, from Scarlet to a dunghill is a great change: the dunghill would not be so loathsome, were it not for the Scarlet, nor desolation so greivous were it not for the remaining taste of the late delicate feeding. Every remembrance of the Wormewood and the Gall of their present affliction in Babylon, was made more bitter by the remembrance of the Milke and Honney which flowed in the Land of Canaan. They who have alwayes been in a low condition scarse feele or know the want of great things, because they never knew the meaning of their enjoyment.