Lecture 13

^2:13^ Mem. To what shall I compare you? Or to what shall I liken you, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what shall I equal you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For great as the sea is your destruction: who shall heal you?

35. Here is presented what followed the destruction, namely, those things which usually happen after the work has been accomplished.

And first, he excludes the healing of the wound;

second, he presents the astonishment of the spectators, at all they that passed by the way have clapped their hands at you (Lam 2:15);

third, the approval of the judge who brought such a vengeance, at the Lord has done that which he purposed (Lam 2:17).

Concerning the first, he does two things.

First, he shows the incurable wound;

second, he assigns the cause, at your prophets have seen false and foolish things for you (Lam 2:14).

Concerning the first, he does two things.

First, he shows that it cannot be softened by consolations drawn from a comparison with others, which is usually a kind consolation for the afflicted: to what shall I compare you? A similarity is more than just a comparison, for any differences of the same nature are comparable, provided the difference is not infinite; neither are they similar just because they participate in the same quality, nor because they have everything equally. But only those differences are similar in which one does not exceed the other in participating in the quality. But her wounds exceed those of others in that she has lost the temporal and spiritual glory that other nations did not have. That I may comfort you, as if to say, “Others have not suffered anything like or worse than you.” You have brought a day of consolation, and they shall be like unto me (Lam 1:21).

Second, he shows that this wound cannot be cured by medication, because of its size: great as the sea, which is very wide and restless. Your wound is incurable (Jer 30:12).