Page images
PDF
EPUB

come in like manner as ye have seen him go into. heaven;" that is, with all the splendor and glory of Divine Majesty. At his first coming he appeared in the capacity of our suffering Redeemer; at his second, he will come in the awful character of the great Judge of all men. The design of his first appearance was to rouse the souls of sinners from the death of sin unto a life of righteousness: the intention of his second advent, is to summon our bodies from the grave with the sound of the trump,† that we may all appear before his judgement-seat.

The apostle, indeed, very rationally infers Christ's coming again from his resurrection from the dead, Acts xvii. 31; for, who so, proper to raise the dead as he who raised himself who can remand us from the grave, or make death and hell surrender up their dead, but he who triumphed over them? but yet, the ascension of Christ is a still farther' convincing argument to persuade us of this important truth. When, by his meritorious death on the cross he had purchased for us an eternal inheritance in the heavens, he went thither that he might take possession of it; it is necessary, therefore, that he should return again to gather together the elcct,|| and, as the great captain of their salvation,§ conduct them to the celestial Canaan. As by his ascension into heaven he was invested with regal authority, and all judgement was committed to him, thence may we expect him again in great power and glory to be the judge of the quick and dead; an expectation inconceivably joyful to the true believer, but terrible indeed to the wicked Christian who has no other prospect but a fearful looking for of judgement. It is a terror to him

"Resurrecturos in monte Olivarum Israelitas sentit Chaldæus in canticum, et alii ad Joel, iii. 2, Zach. xiv. 4." Grotius.

"Allusio ad morem Judæorum, apud quosimová fieri solebat sono tubæ, Num. x.” Grotius.

"In ea doctrina hoc erat, se fore Judicem humani generis." Grotius.

The elect. "Christianos veros scilicet atque constantes." Grotius, &c.

orum credentes." Hammond.

"Reliquias Juda

§ "Antisignanum salutis eorum; præcipuum illius opificem et effectorem; et ad consummatam gloriam perducere, in novam Canaan, non in regnum terrenum et opulentum, ut Judæi frustra sperant." Beza, &c.

[ocr errors]

to

to think that the redemption of his body draweth nigh, and he must shudder to see his Saviour coming in the clouds of heaven. The despised and crucified Jesus will shortly become his awful tremendous judge, and he must appear at the bar of divine justice for his insolent refusal of divine mercy.

But, what inexpressible comfort must the sincere Christian draw from his hopes of this great event: how must it support him under the scvercst trials he must meet with in this sinful world; to think that, by patient continuance in well doing, he secures to himself the mercy of heaven and the approbation of his Redeemer and Judge. With what undaunted courage may he look forward to that great and terrible day of the Lord when he shall receive that sentence of applause from his blessed Master: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. xxv. 21.* Let us, therefore, living under a continual sense and expectation of this coming of the Son of man, endeavour to prepare ourselves for it. Let us in heart and mind thither ascend whither Christ, our forerunner, is for us entered; and, leaving the false pleasures and momentary enjoyments of this life, let us set our affection on things above, "which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man.”‡

“Intra in gaudium Domini. Particeps esto herilis gaudii. Gaudium est lætitia æterna, Esa. Ixi. 7." Grotius.

"

+ For us entered. Christus cò prior ivit pro nostro bono, locum nobis paraturus; sive ut nos eò accerseret, sicut ipse dixit Joh. xiv. 3; vel, ut intercedat pro nobis, id quod typo pulchre respondet, quia in V. T. pontifex introiit intra velum semel in anno, supplicaturus pro populo;. vel, ut quam suo merito nobis adeptus est salutem eam suâ virtute vendicet, conferat, et conservet in æternum." Grotius, &c.

Which eye hath not seen, &c. 1 Cor. ii. 9. These words are a quotation in part from Isai. Ixiv. 4, upon which passage Dr Kennicott remarks thus, "Nihil majorem vitii suspicionem justò affert, quam verba sensu destituta. Quis vero existimabit a qualicunque Scriptore, nedum sacro, hujuscemodi verba unquam proferri potuisse; nec ullo modo explicanda, nisi apostolicæ auctoritatis lux affulserit." Gen. Dissert. Grotius and others suppose "de promisse hoc Paulum ex scriptis Rabbinorum, seu apocryphis." But Dr Randolph conjectures that the apostle quoted from some purer copy. But, if the inspiration of the apostle be admitted, that at once accounts for his greater accuracy.

And

And let us glory in the cross of Christ now, that, when we shall see the sign of the Son of man in heaven,* and he himself coming in the clouds with power and great glory, attended with an innumerable host of angels, we may be esteemed worthy followers of the Lamb, and return with our victorious deliverer to the mansions of eternal bliss with this hymn of triumph in our mouths: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory

shall come in."

* Sign of the Son of man, &c. "Crux Christi, quâ Christus in hoc mundo notus et celebris fuit, quæ Christum ad judicium venientem præcedet, tanquam trophæum et insigne regium, quo de Diabolo et mundo triumphavit." Brugensis, &c.

[blocks in formation]

HEBREW_ODES,

MOSTLY ON PUBLIC OCCASIONS.

A sacred Ode to the memory of the Honourable and Reverend GEORGE TALBOT, D.D. a most eminent pattern of piety, virtue, and charity, who died at Barton, in Gloucestershire, November 19, 1785. - A translation nearly literal.

Sons of Adam, your joy restrain,

For now good Talbot is no more; Daughters of Eve, your song refrain, For e'er is shut his bounteous store.

Perfect like him not one on earth,

Who serv'd, with all his heart, his God; The ways of sin shunn'd from his birth,

In upright paths he always trod.

בני אדם גילכם חדלו כי טוב טלבוט לא עוד עמכם

בנות חוה שירכן שבתו כי איש חסיד עזב אתכן:

לא תם כמוה בכל ארץ בכל לבו עבד האל : לא בדרכי רשע אשר ובאורה צדק הלך

* He

*He cloth'd the naked, fed the poor,

And made the widow's heart rejoice;

Sight to the blind he did restore,

The dumb through him regain'd their voice.

To honour, though by birth allied,
†The mitre tempted him in vain;
The poor man's blessing was his pride,
For that the praise of heav'n could gain.

Sons of sorrow, let flow the tear;

The best of friends death would not save: Daughters of woe, your bosoms tear; The comforter lies in the grave.

Cease then the harp, cease then the flute,

Let joyful sounds no more be heard; Let men their heads with dust pollute, Their loins with sackcloth women gird.

Why for the just should we complain,

Who to the heav'n of heav'ns is gone? At God's right hand he'll e'er remain; Such honour to his saints be done!

רעב רעח ערום הלביש לב אלמנה מגיל הרנין: עינים הוא לעורים היה ולאלמים לשון שובב:

לא באישים כבוד בקש כי פקודה מאן מאן : ברכת רשים מכל אוה כי בשמים קולם נשמע:

בני עני דמע תרד כי רע רעים המות לקח

בנות אניה דדכן הכו כי מנחם בקבר שכב:

ידום כינור ישבת חליל הקול שמחה לא עוד ישמע :

ראשי אישים עפר יכסה מתני נשים השק יחגר;

למה נספר כן לצדי הוא בשמי שמים עלה ביד ימין אל נא ישב: חדר הוא לכל חסידיו :

:

* He was a joint, if not the first, patron of the Gloucester Infirmary,

+ Once, at least, if not twice, he refused a bishopric, and had no other preferment besides, but attended the chapel of Barton, in Gloucestershire, which he fitted up in a very handsome manner, merely for the sake of doing duty.

« PreviousContinue »