Page images
PDF
EPUB

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
Their natural pravity, by stirring up

Sin against law to fight: that when they see
Law can discover sin, but not remove,
Save by those shadowy expiations weak,

The blood of bulls and goats, they may conclude
Some blood more precious must be paid for man,
Just for unjust, that in such righteousness
To them by faith imputed, they may find
Justification towards God, and peace

Of conscience, which the law by ceremonies
Cannot appease, nor man the moral part
Perform, and not performing cannot live.
So law appears imperfect, and but given
With purpose to resign them in full time
Up to a better covenant, disciplin'd

From shadowy types to truth, from flesh to spirit,
From imposition of strict laws to free
Acceptance of large grace, from servile fear
To filial, works of law to works of faith.
And therefore shall not Moses, though of God
Highly belov'd, being but the minister

Of law, his people into Canaan lead;
But Joshua whom the Gentiles Jesus call,

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
The adversary Serpent, and bring back

Through the world's wilderness long wander'd man
Safe to eternal Paradise of rest.

Mean while they in their earthly Canaan plac'd
Long time shall dwell and prosper, but when sins
National interrupt their public peace,

Provoking God to raise them enemies;
From whom as oft he saves them penitent
By judges first, then under kings; of whom
The second, both for piety renown'd
And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive

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,
says God, Psal. lxxxix. 34, 35,
36. My covenant will I not break,
nor alter the thing that is gone
out of my lips. Once have I
sworn by my holiness that I will
not lie unto David. His seed shall
endure for ever, and his throne
as the sun before me.
The poet
goes on, the like shall sing all
prophecy, all the prophets shall
foretel the same, that of the royal
stock of David shall rise a son,
insomuch that when the Phari-
sees were asked, Whose son is
Christ, they all readily answer,
The son of David. Matt. xxii.
42. foretold to thee as the Woman's
seed, Gen. iii. 15. foretold to
Abraham as a person in whom all
nations shall trust, Gen. xxii. 18.
And in thy seed shall all the na-
tions of the earth be blessed, and
in him shall the Gentiles trust,
Rom. xv. 12. and to kings fore-
told, as the last of kings, for of
his reign shall be no end, accord-
ing to the declaration of the

Irrevocable, that his regal throne

For ever shall endure; the like shall sing
All prophecy, that of the royal stock
Of David (so I name this king) shall rise
A son, the woman's seed to thee foretold,
Foretold to Abraham, as in whom shall trust
All nations, and to kings foretold, of kings
The last, for of his reign shall be no end.
But first a long succession must ensue,

And his next son, for wealth and wisdom fam'd,
The clouded ark of God, till then in tents
Wand'ring, shall in a glorious temple' inshrine.
Such follow him as shall be register'd

Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scroll,
Whose foul idolatries, and other faults
Heap'd to the popular sum, will so incense
God, as to leave them, and expose their land,
Their city', his temple, and his holy ark
With all his sacred things, a scorn and prey

To that proud city, whose high walls thou saw'st
Left in confusion, Babylon thence call'd.

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.
Return'd from Babylon by leave of kings

Their lords, whom God dispos'd, the house of God
They first re-edify, and for a while

In mean estate live moderate, till grown

In wealth and multitude, factious they grow;
But first among the priests dissention springs,
Men who attend the altar, and should most
Endeavour peace: their strife pollution brings
Upon the temple' itself: at last they seize
The sceptre, and regard not David's sons,
Then lose it to a stranger, that the true
Anointed King Messiah might be born
Barr'd of his right; yet at his birth a star
Unseen before in heav'n proclaims him come,
And guides the eastern sages, who enquire
His place, to offer incense, myrrh, and gold;
His place of birth a solemn Angel tells
To simple shepherds, keeping watch by night;
They gladly thither haste, and by a quire
Of squadron'd angels hear his carol sung.
A virgin is his mother, but his sire

The pow'r of the Most High; he shall ascend

[blocks in formation]

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.

« PreviousContinue »