Among them; how can God with such reside? To whom thus Michael. Doubt not but that sin 285 Will reign among them, as of thee begot; father, and the reply of the angel, are grounded upon St. Paul's Epistles, and particularly those to the Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, as the reader, who is at all conversant with these sacred writings, will easily perceive. It would be too minute and tedious to quote chapter and verse for every expression: but the reader may peruse the following texts, and compare them with our author. Wherefore then serveth the law? it was added because of transgressions. Gal. iii. 19. I had not known sin but by the law: but sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. Rom. vii. 7, 8. By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Rom. iii. 20. If the blood of bulls and of goats sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself with out spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works? Heb. ix. 18, 14. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins; wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me, Heb. x. 4, 5. It was imputed to him for righteous ness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, Rom. iv. 22, 23, 24. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. v. 1. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof; for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did. Heb. vii. 18, 19. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices make the comers thereunto perfect. Heb. x. 1. That no man is justified by the law in the sight of God it is evident; for the just shall live by faith: and the law is not of faith; but the man that doeth them shall live in them.-But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. Gal. iii. 11, 12, 23. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son. Gal. iv. 7. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. Rom. viii. 15. How admirably hath our author here in a few verses summed up the sense and argument of these and more texts of Scripture! It is really wonderful, how he could comprise so much divinity in so few words, and at the same time express it with such strength and perspicuity. And therefore was law giv'n them to evince Sin against law to fight: that when they see The blood of bulls and goats, they may conclude Of conscience, which the law by ceremonies From shadowy types to truth, from flesh to spirit, Of law, his people into Canaan lead; 307. And therefore shall not Moses, &c.] Moses died in mount Nebo, in the land of Moab, from whence he had the prospect of the promised land, but not the honour of leading the Israelites in to possess it, which was reserved for Joshua. Deut. xxxiv. Josh. i. Commentators on the death of Aaron in mount Hor, 290 295 300 305 310 Numb. xx. 28. remark, that neither Miriam, that is the prophets, nor Aaron, that is the priests, nor Moses the deliverer of the law, but Joshua, that is Jesus Christ, was able to lead God's people into the promised land, to heaven and everlasting bliss. St. Jerom. Theod. Rabanus, &c. Hume. His name and office bearing, who shall quell Through the world's wilderness long wander'd man Mean while they in their earthly Canaan plac'd Provoking God to raise them enemies; 311. His name and office bearing,] Joshua was in many things a type of Jesus; and the names are the same, Joshua according to the Hebrew, and Jesus in Greek. The Seventy always render Joshua by Jesus, and there are two passages in the New Testament where Jesus is used for Joshua, once by St. Stephen, Acts vii. 45. The taber nacle which our fathers brought in with Jesus, that is with Joshua, into the possession of the Gentiles; and again by St. Paul, Heb. iv. 8. If Jesus, that is if Joshua, had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. And the name Joshua or Jesus signifies a Savi our. 322. -ɑ promise shall receive &c.] The poet alludes here to the following prophecies: And thine house, and thy kingdom, shall be established for ever before thee; thy throne shall be established for ever, 2 Sam. vii. 16. And this 315 $20 promise is called irrevocable, for, Irrevocable, that his regal throne For ever shall endure; the like shall sing And his next son, for wealth and wisdom fam'd, Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scroll, To that proud city, whose high walls thou saw'st There in captivity he lets them dwell 325 330 335 340 The space of sev'nty years, then brings them back, 345 Rememb❜ring mercy, and his covenant sworn angel, Luke i. 32, 33. The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 342.-whose high walls thou saw'st &c.] It was no part of Adam's vision; it is only a part of the angel's narration in this book. We must not therefore understand the expression literally; for verbs of seeing are often extended beyond the bare act, and are applied to other senses and other faculties of the mind. To David, stablish'd as the days of heaven. Their lords, whom God dispos'd, the house of God In mean estate live moderate, till grown In wealth and multitude, factious they grow; The pow'r of the Most High; he shall ascend 350 355 360 365 high-priest of the Jews, was the first who assumed the title of king after the Babylonish captivity; before Christ 107. And regard not David's sons, none of that family having had the government since Zerubbabel. Then lose it to a stranger, to Herod who was an Idumean, in whose reign Christ was born. See Josephus and Prideaux. |