348 With Jubilee, 348 351 A year of rejoicing, celebrated every fiftieth year among the Jews, in commemoration of their deliverence out of Egypt. Among Christians, a solemnity first instituted by Pope Boniface VIII. in the year 1300, who ordained it to be kept every hundredth year: afterwards, Clement IV. ordered one to be kept every fifty years; and Sextus IV., one to kept every twenty-fifth year. and loud hosannas filled Hosanna, save we beseech thee; or God bless the king. Solemn rejoicings among the Jews, in the feast of tabernacles, and congratulations to their kings. When shall we reach those blissful realms, Where Christ exalted reigns, And learn of the celestial choir Their own immortal strains? down they cast Their crowns inwove with amarant and gold. They cast their crowns before the throne: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. Rev. iv. 10. 11. Ye shall receive an amarantine crown of glory, 1 Peter, v. 4. 353 Immortal amarant. Amaranthus, everlasting; a flower that lasts long without any sensible decay. 358 And where the river of bliss He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Rev. 22. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Let us raise our eyes to the water of life, which issues from the throne of God and the Lamb; to the tree of life, which grows on its banks and produces such a variety of fruit, both for food and refreshment, and for the healing of the nations; to that more excellent paradise, in which there shall be no curse, where from the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be scattered ten thousand blessings on all his servants; who shall there serve him with everlasting, with increasing delight, being admitted to see his face, and exulting in their having the name of God written upon their foreheads; which they reckon a brighter and nobler ornament, than the most glorious crown or diadem, without such an inscription, could be. These are the words of truth and faithfulness, and as such may our faith embrace them, and our souls rest upon them. Doddridge. 359 Rolls o'er Elysian flow'rs 363 The grove of God, the Heaven of the poets. that like a sea of jasper shone, A precious stone of a green colour transparent with red veins of great value. It was the last of the precious stones in the fourth row of the High Priest's breast plate, upon which the name of Benjamin was engraved. Exod. xxviii. 20. 365 Then crown'd again, their golden harps they took. Having every one of them harps, and golden K vials full of odours. Rev. v. 8. In this world the disciples of Christ are only a little flock; but when they stand upon the heavenly mountain, they shall appear ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; and all the harmony of their voices, and all the ardour of their souls, inconceivably improved, as all their powers will be, shall be united on this happy occasion. Form us, O Lord, we entreat thee, for this divine employment, and teach us to anticipate its pleasures in the regions below. that brightest Seraphim Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes. In scripture denotes an holy angel of the first order. Each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face. Isa. vi. 2. 386 Made visible, th' Almighty Father shines. Who is the image of the invisible God. Col. i. 15. 388 Transfus'd on thee his ample spirit rests. The spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord. Jo. xi. 2. 401 Father of mercy and grace. 412 The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. For as the sufferings of Christ abound so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 5. in us, thy name Shall be the copious matter of my song Oh goodness infinite! goodness immense ! And love that passeth knowledge! Words are vain; Language is lost in wonders so divine. "Come then, expressive silence, muse his praise." 418 Meanwhile upon the firm opacous globe Of this round world, Satan's arrival on the outside of the new created world, and that shapeless unformed heap of materials, which still lay in chaos and confusion, strikes the imagination with something great and wild. He after wandering on the surface discovers a wide gap, which led to the creation, and is described as the opening through which the angels pass to and fro into the lower world upon their errands to mankind. He looks down into that vast hollow of the universe with the kenn of an angel. He surveys all the wonders in this immense amphitheatre that lie between both the poles of Heaven, and takes in at one view the whole round of creation. 431 As when a vulture A voracious bird larger than the eagle, of an excellent sight and smelling, more than other birds. Milton compares Satan in his pursuit of man to the vulture. It can perceive the savour of dead carcases many miles from it. They do not touch the living. 431 Imaus. A large mountain of Scythia, which is part of Mount Taurus. 436 Of Ganges or Hydaspes. The Ganges, a large river of India, falling into It inundates the adjacent the Indian ocean. was held in the greatest veneration by the inhabitants, and this superstition may be said still to exist in some particular instances. The Hydaspes likewise in India, the boundaries of Alexander's conquest in the east. It falls into the Indus. 438 Of Sericana where Chineses drive. Seres, a nation of Asia, according to Ptolemy, between the Ganges and the eastern ocean. They were naturally of a meek disposition. Silk was brought to Rome from their country, and on that account it was called Sericum, and thence a garment of silk is called serica vestris. Heliogabalus, the Roman Emperor, was the first who wore a silk dress, which at that time was sold for its weight in gold. It afterwards became cheap, and was the common dress among the Romans. Some suppose the Seres are the same as the Chinese. 441 Walk'd up and down alone, bent on his prey, Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour. 1 463 Hither of ill join'd sons and daughters born. Then the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of all which they chose. There were giants in the earth in those days: the same became mighty men, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was earth. Gen. vi. 2. 4, 5. great in the |