Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction, and of her miseries, all her pleasant things.
The action of the memory in pain
I. It generally refers to the “pleasant things” of the past. This it does by a necessary law of its nature--the law of contrast. All men must meet with trials sooner or later--physical, social, moral, etc. Now in the painful memory reverts to the pleasant. It is ever so. Men under the infirmities of age revert to the bright joys of youth hood; the rich man who has sunk into bankruptcy reverts to the days when he had more than heart could wish; souls in perdition recall the sunny day of grace.
II. Its reference to the “pleasant things” of the past always intensifies the sufferings of the sufferer. There are two things that tend to this:
(1) The consciousness that the “pleasant things” are irrevocably lost: Innocency of childhood, glowing hopes of youth, pleasures of mature manhood, sacred impressions made upon the young heart by books, sermons, and parental piety,--these can never be regained.
(2) The consciousness that the “pleasant things” have been morally abused. This makes the action of memory m hell so overwhelmingly painful. “Son, remember,” etc. Memory involves receptivity--retention--reproduction (Homilist.)
The memory of pleasant things in the time of trial:--
1. In the time of affliction we do better consider of the blessings that our prosperity yielded unto us, than when we enjoyed them.
2. The time of adversity is fit, wherein we may best recount the prosperity that in former times we have enjoyed.
3. God often maketh an men adversaries to His children, that they may learn to rest on Him alone.
4. The enemies of religion do inquire into the decay of God’s Church, and rejoice at it.
5. It is a certain note of an enemy to religion, to mock and deride the exercises of the same.(J. Udall.)
The mockery of bad men
What would the nightingale care if the toad despised her singing! She would still sing on, and leave the cold toad to his dank shadows. And what care I for the sneers of men who grovel upon earth? I will sing on in the ear and bosom of God. (H. W. Beecher.)
