The new wine mourneth— In this fifth gradation we have a fine and pathetic description of a once flourishing land, entirely ruined and desolated by a destructive enemy. There is no difficulty in the words, nor in the fact, which is most notorious from history; for at this period, says the author of the book of Maccabees, there was so great mourning in Israel, that even every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage-chamber was in heaviness: Joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp ceased. Genesis 1:27; Genesis 3:45.

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