A collection of miscellanies consisting of poems, essays, discourses, and letters occasionally written / by John Norris ...

Annotations.

THis Ode is after the Pindaric way; which is the highest and most magni∣ficent kind of writing in Verse, and con∣sequently fit only for great and noble Sub∣jects, such as are as boundless as its own Num∣bers. The nature of which is to be loose and free, and not to keep one settled pace, but sometimes like a gentle stream to glide along peaceably within its own Channel, and some∣times, like an impetuous Torrent, to roul on extravagantly, and carry all before it. Agree∣able to that description of Horace:

Nunc pace delabentis Hetruscum In mare, nunc lapides adesos Stirpesque raptas & pecus & domos Volventis una non sine montium, Clamore vicinaeque Sylvae.

And this may serve to explain the Introduction of the Poem:

And hatch'd with kindly heat the Ʋniverse.

Love in the Gentile Theology, is made the most ancient of the Gods, and the Sire of all things. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 says Plutarch.

And it is described by Simmias Rhodius, in a pair of Wings, which suited well with the Sym∣bolical representation of the Chaos by an Egg, which was brooded and hatch'd under these Wings of Love. This whole matter is rarely well, and at large express'd by Aristophanes in Avibus. The plain and undisguised meaning of it is this, That the Creation of the World was the effect of the Divine Love, God having no other end in it besides the Communication of his own Happiness.

As th' Elements are weighty proved, When from their Native Station they're removed.

This is according to the Aristotelean Hypothe∣sis, that the Elements are not heavy in their own places, which whether it be true or no, I shall not now dispute. However, it serves for an Illustration, which is sufficient for my present purpose.

He saw the foul Ingratitude of those, &c.

The bitter Ingredients of our Lord's Cup men∣tion'd hitherto, were taken from things relat∣ing to his own personal concern. But this last motive of his Sorrow proceeds wholly on the behalf of others, of whose final Impenitence he is suppos'd to have a foresight. This I take to be a good and proper insinuation of the excellency of our Blessed Lord's temper, his ex∣ceeding great Love and Philanthropy, when

among the other Ingredients of his Passion this is supposed to be one, that there would be some, who, by their own default, would re∣ceive no benefit from it.

Ʋnseal'd to him the Book of Gods decree, &c.

Whether the Angel used these topicks of Con∣solation or no, is a thing as indifferent to my purpose, as 'tis uncertain. In the Scripture it is only said in general, that there appear'd an An∣gel from Heaven strengthning him. However, these Arguments are such as are probable and pertinent, and that's sufficient.

In haste for news the heavenly people ran, And joy'd to hear the hopeful state of man.

It is highly reasonable to believe that those blessed and excellent Spirits, who out of their compassionate love and concern for mankind, usher'd in the news of our Saviour's Nativity with Anthems of Praise and Thanksgiving; and are said likewise to rejoice at the Conversion of a Sinner, were also mightily transported with joy, when they understood that our Saviour, notwithstanding the reluctancy of innocent Na∣ture, was at length fully resolv'd to undertake the Price of our Redemption.

Full three long hours his Tender Body did sustain Most exquisite and poignant pain.

It is supposed by the Ancient Fathers, that the

Sufferings which our B. Saviour underwent in his Body, were more afflictive to him than the same would have been to another man, upon the account of the excellency and quickness of his sense of feeling: And this opinion I take to be as reasonable, as 'tis pious. For since, ac∣cording to the Principles of Philosophy, the sense of feeling arises from the proportion of the first Qualities, it follows, that the better the complexion or temperament of any man is, the better his Feeling must needs be. Now 'tis very reasonable to believe, that that man who was to be substantially united to the God∣head, and who was begotten by the miracu∣lous overshadowings of the holy Spirit, should have a Body endow'd with the best Comple∣xion, and most noble Harmony of Qualities that could be, that so it might be a suitable Or∣gan for his excellent Soul. And if so, then it follows that the flesh of our Lord's Body was so soft and render, and his feeling so exquisitely quick and sensible, as never any man's was be∣fore: And consequently the severe usages which he underwent, not only at his Passion, but throughout his whole Life, must needs be in a Singular manner afflictive to him. And hence appears the vanity of their opinion, who are little or nothing affected with the considera∣tion of our Lords Passion, because they think it was made light to him, by reason of his uni∣on with the God-head. 'Twas easie for him (some

inconsiderate Persons are ready to say) to suf∣fer this or this, for he was God, and not meer man, as we are. True, he was so, but his be∣ing God did no way lessen the punishment he underwent as man, but only supported him in his existence under it, in the same manner as God is supposed, by an act of his Almighty Power, to preserve the bodies of the Damn'd, incorruptible among the everlasting burnings. But this I think is no kindness to them. Neither did the Society of the Divine Nature any more diminish the Sufferings of our dearest Lord; nay, in one respect it proved an accidental ag∣gravation to them, because upon the account of this Noble Union he had given him a Bo∣dy of a most admirable Complexion and Har∣monious Temperature, and consequently of a Flesh exceeding tender, and most exquisitely perceptive of the least impressions.

So long the Sympathizing Sun his light withdrew, And wonder'd how the Stars their dying Lord could view.

The Eclipse which accompany'd the Passion of our Saviour was so remarkable and mi∣raculous, that 'twas taken notice of by many of the Gentile Historians. There are three things which made this Eclipse so very re∣markable, the time of its Appearance, the time of its Duration, and the Degree of it. 1. For the time of its Appearance, it was at

full Moon, when the Moon was not in Conjun∣ction with, but in opposition to the Sun. And this appears not only from the testimony. of Dionysius, who affirms that he saw it at that time, but also from the time of our Lord's Passion, which, according to the relation of the Evan∣gelist, was at the Celebration of the Passeover. Now the Iews were bound to celebrate the Pas∣chal Solemnity always at full Moon, as is to be seen in the twelfth of Exodus. This was no time therefore for a Natural Eclipse, because 'twas impossible that the Moon should then inter∣pose betwixt us and the Sun. 2. For the time of its Duration, it was full three hours, which is another evidence that this was no Natural Eclipse: For the Natural Eclipse of the Sun can never last so long, both because of the great disproportion between the Suns Magni∣tude, and that of the Moon, and because of the swift motion of the latter. 3. For the de∣gree of it, it was a total Eclipse. The Sun was so darkned, that (as Historians report, who write of that Eclipse) the Stars appear'd. And this is another Argument that it was no Natural Phoenomenon, it being impossible that the Body of the Moon, which is so infinitely less than that of the Sun, should totally eclipse it. Now all these three Remarkables are comprized in the compass of these two Verses. For in that it is said that the Sun withdrew his light, it is in∣timated that the light of the Sun was not in∣tercepted

by the ordinary conjunction of the Moon, but that by an Extraordinary Commission from the God of Nature, the Sun rein'd in his light, and suspended the emission of his Beams. And this denotes the time of its appearance, (viz.) when the Moon was not in Conjunction. The time of its duration is implied by the words, So long. And lastly, the Degree of it is implied in the last Verse,

And wonder'd how the Stars their dying Lord could view.

Where the appearance of the Stars is not di∣rectly express'd, but only insinuated and couch'd, for the more elegancy of the thought.

And calm the Relicts of his grief with Hymns divine.

It is here supposed that the Passion of our Sa∣viour was now over, and his Father's wrath wholly appeas'd. For I can by no means ap∣prove the opinion of those who fancy that our Saviour, in the interim betwixt his Death and Resurrection, descended locally into Hell, there to suffer the torments of the damn'd. His own words upon the Cross, It is finish'd; His pro∣mise to the penitent Thief, that he should be with him that day in Paradice, and his last re∣signation of his Spirit into the hands of his Fa∣ther, do all of them apparently contradict it. But yet, though the bitter Cup was wholly

drank off upon the Cross, 'tis natural to ima∣gine some little relish of it to remain behind for a time. Though all his sufferings and penal inflictions were ended before his death, yet, I suppose (and I think very naturally) some little discomposures of mind, remaining like the after-droppings of a shower, which his Soul could not immediately shake off, upon her release from the Body. In allusion to that of Virgil,

Inter quas Phoenissa recens a vulnere Dido Errabat Sylva in Magna—

Where the Poet fancies the Ghost of Dido be∣ing newly releas'd from the pains of Love, could not presently forget her shady walks and melancholy retirements. Now these Remains of Sorrow and after-disturbances of mind which cleav'd to the Soul of the Holy Iesus, I suppose here to be allay''d by the Musick of Angels in his passage to Paradice.