Edward Taylor: Mine eyes, Lord, shed no tears but ink

04 Tuesday Jul 2017

Posted by memoirandremains in Edward Taylor, Literature, Uncategorized

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Edward Taylor, glory, Heaven, poem, Poetry, Praise, Repentance

The poet begins with a seemingly impossible scene: a King of unsurpassed glory who blazes like the sun (whose crown a bunch of sunbeams was). Even his throne is made of life (sat on a cushion all of sunshine clear). The palace itself is a mass of precious stones.

Was there a palace of pure gold, all ston’d
And paved with pearls, who gates rich jasper were,
And throne a carbuncle, who King enthroned
Sat on a cushion all of sunshine clear;
Whose crown a bunch of sunbeams was: I should
Prize such as in his favor shrine me would.

Now, if there were such a place, he would desire the honor and fellowship of that king (I should prize such as in his favor shrine me would).

Such a King does exist: Christ the king. The poem is headed with the note that it is a meditation on Ephesians 2:18: “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

Thy milk white hand, my glorious Lord, doth this:
It opes this gate and me conducts into
This golden palace whose rich pavement is
Of precious stones; and to this king also.
Thus throned and crowned: whose words are ‘bellished all
With brighter beams than e’re the sun let fall.

This stanza continues on with the imagery from the throne room of heaven in Revelation 4 & 5 and the depiction of heaven in chapters 21-22. The Lord gives us access unto this throne. It is interesting in this poem that it is the “words” in particular which are embellished and brighter than the sun.

The words of Christ — whose is the Word of God — are what grants access to this throne. In John 6:48, Peter says that Christ has the words of eternal life. In John 15:3, Jesus says that the disciples are clean because of the word he has spoken. The topic is too big for this discussion, but it is present here.

The poet having recognized the wonder of what has been granted him, turns on himself: He does not prize this honor as he should:

But oh! poor me, thy sluggish servant, I
More blockish than a block, as blockhead, stand.
Though mine affections quick as lightning fly
On toys, they snail-like move to kiss thy hand.
My coal-black doth thy milk-white hand avoid
That would above the Milky Way me guide.

Here he notes the common complaint of all who being to realize the astounding grant of God in Christ: What could be more wonderful than access to God? But, the things which most easily excite my affections are bauble, “toys”. What stupidity to treasure toys when endless beauty and glory can be had for the reception?

His despair now turns to God: Why should this even be? What is the aim of God in letting such a fool access to such wonder?

What aim’st at, Lord? [What do you aim at] that I should be so cross.
My mind is leaden in thy golden shine.
Though all o’re Spirit when this dirty dross
Doth touch it with it smutting leaden lines.
What shall an eagle t’catch a fly thus run?
Or angel dive after a mote inth’sun?

My presence, my words, my hand can only make things dirty (smutting). An eagle wouldn’t chase down a fly. An angel wouldn’t chance dust — why this with me?

And thus, he turns the fire of his poem upon himself: I should be wracked with sorrow and tears at my evil. I can see this is true of me, and yet the tears are missing. I have this knowledge: but not the affections. I should attack myself for this foolishness – but I can’t.

He then hits the point of the poem: All I have for sorrow is this poem (Mine eyes, Lord, shed no tears but ink):

What folly’s this? I fain would take, I think,
Vengeance upon myself. But I confess
I can’t. Mine eyes, Lord, shed no tears but ink.
My hand works, are words, and wordiness.
Earth’s toys wear knots of my affection, nay,
though from thy glorious self they’re stole away.

His heart is set upon the tokens and marks of the world — which are just, at best stolen glory.

Here he poem makes a turn: repentance.

The genius — if you will — of Christianity is that it both shows human beings our poverty and foolishness — our depravity and then it leads us to desire to be free: but we are not freed by our personal effort, but by the gracious work of God.

Conviction is not guilt: Conviction is a sight of sin and movement toward God. The true heart of Christianity is this constant turning away and toward: it is believing the God will receive me:

Oh! that my heart was made thy golden box
Full of affections, and of love divine
Knit all of tassles, and in true-love knots
To garnish o’re this worthy work of thine.
This box and all therein more rich than gold,
In sacred flames, I to thee offer would.

The human heart should be a box to treasure up affections toward God. As Richard Sibbes writes in the Faithful Covenanter:

Examine what affections we have to God: for it is affection that makes a Christian.

Richard Sibbes, The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes, ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart, vol. 6 (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson, 1863), 10.

With thy rich tissue my poor soul array
And lead me to thy Father’s house above.
Thy grace’s storehouse make my soul I pray.
Thy praise shall then wear tassels of my love.
If thou conduct me in thy Father’s ways
I’ll be the golden trumpet of thy praise.

Make a man who can praise you; transform me (lead me) and dress me in love for you and I’ll praise you. The desire to praise Christ — who is worthy of such praise is the hope of the Christian. This is not a servile praise but honest joy. We praise many lesser things — and our greatest moments of joy are in those moments we praise.

Edward Taylor, Would God I in that Golden City Were.3

15 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by memoirandremains in Edward Taylor, Literature, Uncategorized

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Edward Taylor, Horror, Mites, poem, Poetry, Replusion, Sin, Worms, Would God I in that Golden City were

The previous post on this poem may be found here.

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I am to Christ more base than to a King
A mite, fly, worm, ant, serpent, devil is,
Or can be, being tumbled all in sin,
And shall I be his spouse? How good is this?
It is too good to be declared to thee
But not too good to be believed by me.

This stanza repeats the theme of the previous two stanzas: the wonder that God should love human beings; that Christ should join himself to such as us. There are two movements which must take place to fully appreciate what the poet does here: the first is to fully understand what he does in the poem itself. The second is to move past our natural prejudice in favor of ourselves.

The stanza breaks neatly into two; the break taking place in the middle of the fourth line (the 34th line of the poem). The first portion reads:

I am to Christ more base than to a King
A mite, fly, worm, ant, serpent, devil is,
Or can be, being tumbled all in sin,
And shall I be his spouse?

The them of this section is the sheer improbability that Christ should love the poet. There are three aspects of this: First, there is the comparison of Christ to a king and the poet to a loathsome creature. Second, the reference to “being tumble all in sin.” Third, that such a one should be brought into intimate relationship.

Technically, the second line is the key here: The first line sets up the comparison Christ equals a King. The second stays to ten syllables but then crams it full of stresses:
a MITE, FLY, WORM, ANT, SERpent, DEVil is. The lien can only be read very slowly and then tails off. The idea picks up in the third line OR can be, which comes along as an afterthought. Of these vermin, ants, worms, and serpents appeared in the previous stanza.

We miss the horror here if we don’t stop to realize what life is like without houses which are sealed against the weather, and screens, and traps, and poisons, and medicines and antidotes. Imagine being invested with mites or worms and being unable to rid your body of the beasts infecting you. Imagine ants and flies getting into and spoiling all of the food which you could have. Imagine fearing that a snake would strike unaware and kill. And most moderns could not imagine any sort of devil that did not exist only in horror movies and was capable of being driven off with a crucifix. When you read this line, you must have a sense of disgust, fear and an uncanny horror.

The purpose of this bestiary is to evoke the sensation which should be stirred by the real reason for wonder: sin. Why should God have anything to do with those in sin? We are supposed to real revulsion and then that explained by the word “sin”:

Psalm 5:4–6 (AV)
4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
We fail to understand what is happening here as long as we think of sin solely in terms of discrete actions. Yes, sin entails discrete acts of sin. But is also a status offense (as such things are called in the law). It is like being an illegal alien in a country: the status is an offense even without additional bad acts. The Mosaic covenant aims at this concept by the matter of being ritually clean or unclean. Many things which were morally neutral were unclean. Likewise inanimate objects could be “holy” because they were dedicated to God.

To be tumbled in sin is to be subsumed it: to be repulsive, unclean.

And yet, it is precisely such repulsive people who are brought into intimate union with Christ. The poet cannot understand it, but for all that, he will not reject it but believe it:

How good is this?
It is too good to be declared to thee
But not too good to be believed by me.

We see in this a hint at why “belief” is at the core of receipt of justification, right standing with God. To believe this gift is to receive it with joy and thankfulness. It is not a bare historical opinion that some event took place. It is a joyful reception of something marvelous being offered.

Edward Taylor, Would God I in that Golden City Were.1

19 Sunday Feb 2017

Posted by memoirandremains in Edward Taylor, Literature, Uncategorized

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1 Corinthians 15, Edward Taylor, Glory of God, God's glory, Heaven, poem, Poetry, Resurrection, salvation, Would God I in that Golden City were

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(Jasper)

Would God I in that Golden City were,
With jasper walls all garnished and made swash
With precious stones, whose gates are pearls most clear
And street pure gold, like to transparent glass.
That my dull soul might be inflamed to see
How saints and angels ravished are in glee.

The reference here is the city of the New (heavenly) Jerusalem:

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Revelation 21:18–21 (AV).

Meter: Note in the first line there is the standard iamb, followed by a trochee which forces attention upon the I: would GOD I in that GOLden CITy WERE. It is his presence in the place which is emphasized in the meter.

Paraphrase: The poet wishes that he could be present in the age to come, in the heavenly Jerusalem come down to earth (for the goal of Christianity is not some far away place, but heaven and earth together). The trouble lies with his “dull soul”. This is a constant them in Taylor: the present inability to truly enjoy the glory of God. In the Ascension poems, he would that he could bare the sight of Christ entering into glory and being seated. Here, he wishes for the age to come. This tension will only be resolved by the resurrection:

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:42–44 (AV).

Were I but there and could but tell my story,
‘Twould rub those walls of precious stones more bright:
And glaze those gates of pearl with brighter glory;
And pave the golden street with greater light.
‘Twould in fresh raptures saints and angels fling
But I poor snake crawl here, scare mud walled in.
Reference “I poor snake crawl here”. I an ironic reference to Genesis 3:1 where the Serpent (Satan) appears as a snake to tempt Eve. Genesis 3:15 makes reference to the “seed/offspring of the serpent”. Being subjected to the Fall and the Curse, human beings have now been brought low.

Meter: “Story/Glory”, end the first and third lines. The line scan 11 syllables with a feminine rhyme on the 10 & 11th syllables.

Paraphrase: The story of the poet’s salvation (his coming to this city) of such a marvel that if it were known, it would impart a greater glory to the place than is possible in the mere stones and gold. Those things are beautiful, but the story of the poet’s salvation is greater still.
May my rough voice and blunt tongue but spell my
My tale (for tune they can’t) perhaps there may
Some angel catch in an end of’t up and tell
In heaven when he doth return that way
He’ll make they palace, Lord, all over ring
With it in songs, they saint and angels sing.
Meter: In the first line of the phrase “blunt tongue” again creates a pair of accented syllables by running a trochee after an iamb. The effect is jarring, underscoring the bluntness of his tongue.

Reference: The purpose of salvation is bring glory to God. As Paul writes in Ephesians:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Ephesians 1:3–6 (AV)

Paraphrase: The poet is unable to sing in any manner worthy of God’s glory (much less saints made perfect or the angelic world). Therefore, he will “spell” his story: he will write it out in this poem. His hope is that by spelling it out, an angel may over his story and bring the story back to heaven where the angel’s far greater abilities will make it possible to recount the story (given in this poem) in a song worthy of God’s gory.

As Charles Wesley wrote:

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.

Edward Taylor, When thy bright beams

13 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by memoirandremains in Literature, Philippians, Uncategorized

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ascension, Carmin Christi, Edward Taylor, Judge, Judgment Day, Philippians 2, poem, Poetry

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(Judgment Day, Michelangelo)

When thy bright beams, my Lord, do strike mine eye
Methinks I then could truly chide outright
My hidebound soul that stands so niggardly
That scarce a thought get glorified by’t.
My quaintest metaphors are ragged stuff, 5
Making the sun seem like a mullipuff.

It is my desire thou should’st be glorified:
But when thy glory shines before mine eye,
I pardon crave, lest my desire be pride.
Or bed thy glory in a cloudy sky 10
The sun grows wan; and angels palefac’d shrink,
Before thy shine, which I besmirch with ink.

But shall the bird sing forth thy praise, and shall
The little bee present her thankful hum,
But I who see thy shinning glory fall 15
Before mine eyes, stand blockish, dull, and dumb?
Whether I speak or speechless star, I spy,
I fail thy glory, therefore pardon cry.

But this I find, my rhymes do better suit
Mine own dispraise than tune forth praise to thee. 20
Yet being child, whether consonant or mute
I force my tongue to tattle as you see
That I thy glorious praise may trumpet right
Be thou my song and make Lord me thy pipe.

This shining sky will fly away apace, 25
When thy bright glory splits the same to make
Thy majesty pass, whose fairest face
Too foul a path is for thy feet to take.
What glory then, shall tend thee through the sky
Draining the heaven much of angels dry? 30

What light then flame will in thy judgment seat,
‘Fore which all men and angels shall appear?
How shall thy glorious righteousness them treat,
Rendering to each after his works done here?
Then saints with angels though wilt glorify: 35
And burn lewd men and devils gloriously.

One glimpse, my Lord, of thy bright Judgment Day
And glory piercing through, like fiery darts,
All devils, doth me make for grace to pray.
For filling grace had I ten thousand hearts. 40
I’d through ten hells to see thy Judgment Day
Woulds’t though but guild my soul with thy bright rays.

Notes:
This poem begins with a familiar complaint in Taylor’s poems on the Ascension: The beauty and glory of the scene have such transcendent wonder that no word of the poet can suffice to match what is seen. In the first stanza, he complains of his ability, My hidebound soul that stands so niggardly/That scarce a thought gets glorified by’t”.

The trouble does not lie with his wish, “It is my desire”. But when he sees the glory of Christ, rather than responding with appropriate praise, repents, “I pardon crave”. This is a point which may easily lost: The glory of Christ is such that the one who sees condemns himself, such as when Peter has an inkling who Jesus is he calls out, “Depart from me, for a I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Luke 5:8.

The glory of Christ is so create that the Creation itself shrinks back at his greater beauty, “The sun grows wan”. Even angels, the most glorious of creature, “palefac’d shrink”. If the most glorious elements of creation (the sun, angels) cannot respond to such glory, then how I how hope to do so: (“bed [set] thy glory in a cloudy sky …./ which I besmirch with ink”).

Having spent two stanzas complaining of his weakness to do this work, he notes that humbler creatures, birds and bees, do their work of praising him: then why should I “who see thy shining glory full” not respond but “stand blockish, dull, and dumb”.

And so there is no escape from the paradox: if he praises or stands quiet, he fails to respond adequately to Christ’s glory:

Whether I speak, or speechless stand, I spy [I see]
I fail thy glory: therefore pardon cry.

He then does something interesting: he comments upon his own ability and states that his best poetical gift lies in his expression of his inadequacy to respond to the glory, rather than to praise the glory:

But this I find: my rhymes to better suit
Mine own dispraise than tune forth praise to thee. [the repetition of “praise” well balances the line]

However, having gone this far, he will force himself to praise, “I will force my tongue to tattle” (here it does not have the force of “telling on someone”). And he invokes the help of Christ to praise Christ: “Be thou my song, and make Lord me thy pipe”. The image alludes to the ancient concept that the Spirit’s inspiration of the Scripture was like one playing upon an instrument.

At this point, he begins to praise Christ, but chooses an interesting subject for praise — and one that might seem out-of-place if one does not know the context (The Carmin Christi of Philippians 2): the day of Judgment: The song begins before the Incarnation. The Divine Son willingly becomes Incarnate to bear the weight of the Curse and then Ascends in glory – the God-man having been received by God [when we combine the Trinity and the Incarnation, it becomes constantly paradoxical].

But the exaltation of the Son will be not just the reception of God but the entire Creation’s proclamation of his lordship:

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9–11 (AV). The bended knee comes about either joyfully or involuntarily as a direct result of Christ’s glory. There is no choice in the matter, the glory of Christ will overwhelm all.

This helps explain Judgment: it is the vindication of Christ. Within Christian theology, it is a sin a to go to Hell and be condemned. Human beings are commanded to repent and be saved. God commands human beings to not go to Hell. Hell was not intended for human beings (it was created for the Devil and his angels). Christ has fully carried the weight of the Curse and will pronounce free grace and forgiveness upon all who will receive it. Thus, it is only continued rebellion against Love which results in damnation.

The great exaltation of Philippians 2 takes place in the vindication of Christ when all Creation (whether joyfully or not) confesses Christ’s lordship.

At this point, Taylor joins the theme of Creation blushing before the glory of Christ and Christ’s return in Judgment. He takes an image from Isaiah concerning the sky rolled upon like a scroll:

Isaiah 34:4 (AV)
4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

This image is repeated in Revelation and is again explicitly tied to Judgment:
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Revelation 6:12–17 (AV)

The sky is rolled up because it cannot stand before Christ’s greater glory. Heaven will be “drained” of angels because the armies of heaven will come with Christ in his return (Revelation 19).

The scene moves from the Descent of Christ to the Judgment Seat:
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Revelation 20:11–12 (AV).

In this last stanza, the glory which overwhelmed Taylor with its beauty, the glory which the Creation could not bear, now becomes an instrument of judgment for those who refused to receive the “Lord of Glory”:

One glimpse, my Lord, of thy bright Judgment Day
And glory piercing through, like fiery darts,
All devils,

Thus, the glory of Christ is a “fiery dart” which pierces “all devils”. There is a pun here based upon Paul’s characterization of the Devil’s attack upon the Saints as an assault of “fiery darts”

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Ephesians 6:16 (AV).

Taylor ends with a prayer that the glory of Christ will be sufficient to lead him. He would willingly march through Hell to see Christ’s glory on Judgment Day.

Another note on construction: the poem begins and ends with the “bright rays” of Christ. The first rays are seen on the Ascension. The final rays are the prayed for rays of Judgment.

Edward Taylor, What Glory’s This My Lord.3

12 Saturday Nov 2016

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The previous post concerning this poem may be found here.

Yet shall my mouth stand ope, and lips let run
Out gliding eloquence on each light thing?
And shall I gag my mouth and tie my tongue,
When such bright glory glorifies within?
That makes my heart leap, dancing to thy lute?
And shall my tell tale tongue become a mute?

Lord spare I pray, though my attempts let fall
A slippery verse upon thy royal glory.
I’ll bring unto thine altar th’best of all
My flock affords. I have no better story.
I’ll at thy glory my dark candle light
Not to descry the sun, but use thy light.

This poem makes no sense without an understanding of the theological commitments which underlie the expression.

The poet has been going back and forth between the desire to praise the glory of the exalted Christ and the realization that anything said cannot come up to what he has seen. As St. Paul said of his vision, that “he heard things that cannot be told, which man not utter” (2 Cor. 12:4).

In this section of the poem, the poet subtly moves onto another aspect of Christian theology: human beings as the “image of God”. There is enormous debate as to what is meant by this language concerning the creation of human beings from Genesis 1:26, “Let us make [Adam — the human being; which is defined in Genesis 5:1-2 as both male and female; the word “man” might lead a contemporary reader astray here] in our image.”

Yet, as Richard Lints explains, “An image reflects by virtue of having certain characteristics. A mirror has a physical set of qualities by which it is possible to see reflections in the mirror….Human kind reflects divine being. the language of ‘image’ draws attention to this reflection of and relationship to God as the defining aspect of humankind in creation.” (Identity and Idolatry, p. 60).

Here, the poet is looking upon the glorified Christ — both God and man and thus the perfect image, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exit imprint of his nature” (Heb. 1:3). In looking on the exalted Christ, the poet is looking upon the glory of God displayed.

To come into contact with this glory is to irradiate the poet: he becomes charged and overcharged with glory and is transformed by this sight: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” 2 Cor. 3:18.

This glory and the transformation into a being glory is the promise of the Christian life (see, e.g., 1 Peter 1:7; Romans 8:28-290. However, prior to the resurrection, the human being is simply unable to bear but it will become so (1 Cor. 15:42-49).

The poet as he looks upon the glory finds that the “glory glorifies within.” He cannot keep quiet because the effects of the glory are overwhelming — but his fear is that he ability is not sufficient to speak fitting words. Therefore, he prays for help, “Lord spare I pray … a slippery verse”: yes, I lack the ability to speak, though overwhelmed, but you can transform my speech and give me adequate words.

This pray seems to allude to the reference in Romans 8:26, that, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.”

The glory and praise which the poet returns are mere dim returns of what has been received:

I’ll at thy glory my dark candle light
Not to descry the sun, but use thy light.

My candle does overcome the sun, but rather merely borrows the light.

He refers to this praise by using explicitly “sacrificial” language. Taking language from first covenant which required sacrifices, the poet promises to bring the best sacrifice is “flock affords.” He speaks of his song as if it were a sheep or goat

I’ll bring unto thine altar th’best of all
My flock affords.

But in doing this, he alludes to the “sacrifices” which are appropriate under the new covenant, “Through him, then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Heb. 13:15.

He then ends with his praise:

First, he notes that however glorious the throne and surrounding it pales in comparison to the glory inherent in Christ himself:

A golden throne who banisters are pearls
And pommels choicest gems: carbuncles-stayed
Studded with precious stones, carv’d with rich curls
of polished art, sending out flashing rays
Would him surround with glory, throne’d therein.
Yet this to the throne a dirty thing.

The true throne of the Son is the “heart” of his Father. And the true glory of heaven is the glory of his person:

Oh! glorious sight! Lo, how bright angels stand
Waiting with hat in hand on him alone
That is enthroned, indeed at God’s right hand [Heb.1:3]
God’s heart itself being his happy throne.
The glory that doth from this person fall
Fills heaven with glory, else there’s none at all.

The glory of heaven is derivative of the glory of Christ. The glory of the creation derives from the greater glory of the Creator. The praise and worship of the creature is to reflect this glory.

What Glory’s This My Lord? (Edward Taylor)

03 Thursday Nov 2016

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The previous post on this poem may be found here:

Oh! Bright! Bright thing! I fain would something say
Lest silence should indict me. Yet I fear
To say a syllable lest at thy day
I be presented for my tattling here.
Coarse phancy, ragged faculties, alas!
And blunted tongue don’t suit: sighs soil the glass.

Tattling: speaking nonsense

Fancy: what we would mean by “imagination”.

Faculties: cognitive, preceptive abilities.

The poet gazes upon the exalted Christ: the joy of the sight has so overdone him that he cannot be silent. He fears not to speak, because the Lord deserves praise. The necessity to praise is built into the primary text underlying this (and the preceding poems in this series), the Carmen Christi of Philippians 2:6-11. That song of Christ ends with the proclamation that “every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and ever tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11, ESV). Therefore, praise of the exalted Lord is impossible to avoid.

And yet he fears to speak because his abilities and command of language are insufficient. This idea has ample Scriptural warrant. Perhaps the most pointed exampled being Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians upon seeing the heavenly state:

³And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 2 Corinthians 12:3–4 (ESV)

Also relevant here would be Ecclesiastes 5:

5 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. ² Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:1–2 (ESV)

If we must guard our words on earth, how much more so if we were present in the heavenly court! There is of course the irony of the poet speaking about whether he should speak: in the very act of considering silence, he is not being silent. But what he does do is indict himself (rather than wait to be indicted for speaking foolishly on the “thy day”).

By referring to “thy day”, Taylor means “the Day of Lord”, which is a repeated phrase throughout Scripture and which arguably refers to different historical events of judgment:

Expression used by OT prophets (as early as the eighth-century B.C. prophet Amos) to signify a time in which God actively intervenes in history, primarily for judgment. Thus “the day of the Lord” is also called “the day of the Lord’s anger” (Zep 2:2 KJV).
Sometimes “the day of the Lord” is used in the OT to speak of a past judgment (Lam 2:22). More often an impending future judgment is in view (Jl 2:1–11). Ultimately, though, the term refers to climactic future judgment of the world (Jl 3:14–21; Mal 4:5). Often prophecy of a near-future event and an end-time prophecy are merged, the immediate judgment being a preview of the final day of the Lord. The prophecy of Isaiah against Babylon is an example (Is 13:5–10). Jesus combined events described there with other prophecies to explain his second coming (Mk 13:24–37). Another example is Joel’s prophecy of the day of the Lord (Jl 1:15–2:11). Though the prophet initially spoke of God’s judgment on Israel by a locust plague, that judgment prompted further pronouncements about a final day of the Lord far beyond Joel’s time (Jl 2:31; 3:14–17). That day of the Lord extended even beyond the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost predicted by Joel’s prophecy (Jl 2:28–32; Acts 2:16–21; Rv 6:12, 13). The NT uses the term exclusively to mean the end time.

Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 588.

The rhythm of the piece underscores the wonder of the poet as he looks upon the Lord Ascended:

O! Bright! Bright thing!: ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Four straight stresses.The line is actually overloaded with stresses.

The rhythm is again interrupted in the fifth line of the stanza, where he indicts himself: Coarse fancy, ragged faculties: ‘ ‘ ^ ‘^. The word “coarse” upsets the entire line thus doing in rhythm what he fears he would do if he spoke.

Edward Taylor, “What glory’s this my Lord?”

01 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by memoirandremains in Edward Taylor, Literature, Uncategorized

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What glory’s this my Lord? Should one small point
Of one small ray of’t touch my heart t’would spring
Such joy as would an adamant unjoint
If in’t, and tear it, to get out and sing.
T’run on heroic golden feet, and raise
Heart ravishing tunes, curl’d with celestial praise.

This poem is one of the four meditations upon Philippians 2:9, “God hath highly exalted him”, referring to the Ascension of Christ are his resurrection. For the previous poem in this group of poems look here.

This particular poem concerns the sight of Christ’s glorious throne and the effect upon the poet. Should I speak (and thus not rightly describe the beauty), or be silent (and thus not praise)? He finally settles upon praise, but seeks pardon in the praise because it is insufficient for the subject.

This first paragraph speaks to the subject effect of such beauty upon the poet. The first thing to realize is the glory is an objective fact: Glory is not first in the eye of the poet: the glory is overwhelmingly in the enthroned Christ. While not explicit in the biblical text, the power of this glory is implicit in the passage:

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9–11 (ESV)

The reference to every knee bowing may sound like angels go about breaking knees and every honors Christ because they have been bullied. But the text implies — and Taylor explicitly states — that the glory of Christ’s enthronement is such that bowed knees is the automatic response of even his enemies. The Father has been bestowed such surpassing glory upon Christ, which in turn honors the Father.

Taylor in this first stanza explains that this glory is of such power, that if the objective glory were to actually touch his heart it would tear it open “to get out and sin”. The joy would tear through his heart and run, singing praise.

The first three lines of the stanza proceed with a basically “normal” meter; however, at line four the rhythm changes

If IN’T, and TEAR it, to GET OUT and SING

The line also contains two pauses which force one to slow down significantly and consider this image: Glory proceeds from the throne, touches the heart, turns to joy and bursts out with extraordinary power.

This is a very interesting understanding of the Spirit’s work in the human heart. God affects the human so profoundly that the effect is the cause of God and a true spontaneously act of the human being.

Edward Taylor: View All Ye Eyes Above.4

08 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by memoirandremains in Ascension, Edward Taylor, Uncategorized

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the-ascension

The analysis of stanzas 1-3 can be found here, here and here.

4.
Methinks I see Heaven’s sparkling courtiers fly
In flakes of glory down him to attend
And hear heart cramping notes of melody
Surround his chariot as it did ascend
Mixing their music making every string
More in in-ravish as they this tune sing.

5.
God is gone up with a triumphant shout
The Lord with sounding trumpets’ melodies
Sing praise, sing praise, sing praise, sing praises out
Unto our King sing praises seraphic-wise.
Lit up your heads ye lasting door they sing
And let the King of Glory enter in.

6.
Art thou ascended up on high, my Lord,
And must I be without thee here below?
Art thou the sweetest joy the heavens afford?
Oh! that I with thee was! What shall I do?
Should I pluck feather from an angel’s wing,
They could not waft me up to thee my King.

7.
Lend my thy wings, my Lord, I’st fly apace.
My soul’s arms stud with thy strong quills, true faith,
My quills then feather with thy saving grace,
My wings will take the wind thy Word displaith
Then I shall fly up to thy glorious throne
With my strong wings whose feathers are thine own.

Stanzas 4 & 5, shift from the ascent of the Lord into heaven to the reception he receives. As doors glory open, the Lord is met with the heavenly beings — the “sparking courtiers”, as fit for a king. It is an imagined scene of a triumphant king entering into his place.

Stanza 5 relies heavily upon the imagery of Isaiah 6 (as well as Psalm 24, discussed previously). In Isaiah 6, Isaiah sees a vision of the Lord surrounded by seraphim singing praise:

Isaiah 6:1–4 (ESV)

6 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

Taylor imagines the scene and calls upon the heavenly host to praise even more fully the King of Glory.

This scene of singing also recalls the Incarnation:

Luke 2:10–14 (ESV)

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

And the scene of the heavenly court in Revelation 5:

Revelation 5:13–14 (ESV)

13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

And interesting shift takes place in the final two stanzas. Taylor moves from imagining the scene to a plan as to how to enter into the scene. In age of “heaven tourism” plucking an angel’s feather seems most plausible. But Taylor knows that such thing is not to be.

In the final stanza, he says that such a space is open to him through the means of (1) true faith, (2) saving grace, (3) the Word of God. There is a present an anticipation, but to a present physical presence before the Lord. That is to come. He has an anticipation of eventual, future reception before the King

Lend my thy wings, my Lord, I’st fly apace.

Not an angel’s feather, but wings from the Lord will be needed.
My soul’s arms stud with thy strong quills, true faith,

It will be true faith that will raise him. It is faith alone that is the conduit of salvation.

My quills then feather with thy saving grace,

Faith obtains for us saving grace as a gift:
Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

My wings will take the wind thy Word displaith

Contrary to a mysticism which goes beyond the written Word of God, Taylor says, I will take the means which you provide to us, the Word of God. Note also the future sense: “will take”.

Then I shall fly up to thy glorious throne
With my strong wings whose feathers are thine own.

Faith, grace, developed by the Word of God (and note how thoroughly Taylor’s poetic imagination is filled with allusions to the Word), will result in the future coming to the Lord “I shall fly”.
The purpose of the poem is then to sharpen his present hope.

Romans 8:23–25 (ESV)
23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Edward Taylor: View all ye eyes above.3

04 Wednesday May 2016

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elijah

View all ye eyes above, this sight which flings

Seraphic fancies in chill raptures high,

A turf of clay, yet bright Glory’s King

From dust to glory angel-like to fly.

A clod immortalized, behold,

Flies through the skies swifter than an angel could.

(The analysis of the first stanza may be found here)

Upon the wings he of the wind rode in

His bright sedan, through all the silver skies

And made the azure cloud his chariot bring

Him to the mountain of celestial joys.

The Prince of the Air durst not an arrow spend

While through his realm his chariot did ascend.

(The analysis of the second stanza may be found here)

He did not in a fiery chariot’s shine

And whirlwind like Elias upward go.

But th’golden ladders jaspers rounds did climb

Unto the heavens high from earth below.

Each step trod on a golden stepping stone

Of diety unto his very throne.

This stanza is interesting on a couple of grounds. First, it seemingly contradicts the previous stanza In stanza two, Taylor describes Christ’s Ascension as an ascent in a “chariot” (the azure clouds his chariot”). This stanza states he did not ascend in a chariot.

The contrast is in part underscored by the emphatic placement of “He” which begins this stanza and line with an accent

HE did NOT in a FI-ery CHAR-iots-SHINE

There are three things to say about this conflict: two explanations for why the conflict is not as sharp as it may appear. And a third point: the source for Taylor’s shift in imagery.

Why the Conflict is not as Sharp as it may Seem

First, Taylor’s poetry constantly bursts the bounds of language: He is trying to describe things for which there are no good human analog, and thus odd inversions of language may be necessary. Taylor has a Scriptural basis for this: for example Hell is described as both a place of fire and darkness (Matt. 8:12; 2 Peter 2:17; Matt. 25:41). In attempting to describe the glory of the Ascension Taylor simply runs out of language.

Second, the contrast is not as sharp as it may seem. Having said that Jesus ascended in a chariot of the “azure clouds” (itself, an impossible image), Taylor dispels the image which comes to mind by saying, It was not a chariot like Elijah.

Elijah’s chariot is found in 2 Kings 2. Elijah, the aging prophet, takes along his disciple, Elisha. Elisha fears that Elijah will be taken away and thus watches Elijah closely:

¹¹And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.2 Kings 2:11 (ESV)

Unlike Elijah, Jesus did not need some assistance to enter heaven: Jesus walks into the Kingdom as King:

Each step trod on a golden stepping stone

Of diety unto his very throne.

Third, the Basis for Taylor’s Shifting Imagery

The rhythm here is stately: EACH STEP TROD on a GOLD-en STEPing STONE

The three accented words at the beginning of the line require one to slow to speak the words. The addition of 6, rather than 5, accents also makes the line slow. Jesus was not hurried, he entered into his kingdom at a slow stately pace.

Another reason for the difference between the second and third stanza comes from two separate passages which describe the event. In Acts 1, Christ’s Ascension looks like one being charioted by the clouds (to be poetic):

⁹And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.Acts 1:9 (ESV)

This visible description is to be read along with the descriptions of the Psalms and Hebrews:

Psalm 24:7–10 (ESV)

⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates!

And be lifted up, O ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

⁸ Who is this King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,

the Lord, mighty in battle!

⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates!

And lift them up, O ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

¹⁰ Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,

he is the King of glory! Selah

And:

Hebrews 1:6–9 (ESV)

⁶And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.”

⁷Of the angels he says,

“He makes his angels winds,

and his ministers a flame of fire.”

⁸But of the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,

the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

Thus, when viewed from a human perspective, Jesus is being brought up into the clouds. But when viewed from the the heavenly perspective, he is the King marching into his Kingdom.

Edward Taylor: View All Ye Eyes Above.2

19 Saturday Mar 2016

Posted by memoirandremains in Ascension, Edward Taylor, Literature, Philippians, Psalms, Puritan, Uncategorized

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16815854588_e6021d93f1_o

The analysis of the previous stanza made be found here

Upon the wings he of the wind rode in
His bright sedan, through all the silver skies
And made the azure cloud his chariot bring
Him to the mountain of celestial joys.
The Prince of the Air durst not an arrow spend
While through his realm his chariot did ascend.

The entire poem concerns the Ascension of Jesus following the Resurrection. Jesus having been resurrected ascends to heaven as King of All.

The image is of Christ ascending through the air up to heaven in great power. Satan can see the ascent of Christ but cannot attack:

Romans 6:9 (AV)
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Biblical Allusions:

Upon the wings:

The allusion here is to metaphorical references to God coming in Judgment or great power.

Psalm 18:9–12 (AV)
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. 12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

The allusion is also to God unassailed power over all his creation:
Psalm 104:1–5 (AV)
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: 3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: 5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

The mountain of celestial joys:

The place of God’s peculiar residing is sometimes referred to as “heaven” and sometimes as on a mountain. The allusion here seems in particular to be Psalm 24:

Psalm 24 (AV)
Psalm 24
A Psalm of David.
1 The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

This psalm is particular appropriate to Taylor’s poem because it concerns the Ascension of Christ, beginning in verse 7: The King of Glory coming through the everlasting doors.

Then follows the apostrophe: the prophet foresees the ascension of Christ and his saints into the kingdom of heaven. He sees his Lord marching at the head of the redeemed world, and conducting them into regions of honour and joy. Suitably to such a view, and in a most beautiful strain of poetry, he addresses himself to the heavenly portals. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory,” with all the heirs of his grace and righteousness, shall make their triumphant entry; “shall enter in,” and go out no more.—James Hervey.

C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 1-26, vol. 1 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.), 382–383.

The Prince of the Air: Satan

Ephesians 2:1–3 (AV)
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Mechanics

A-B-A-B-C-C

The first line is the most interesting metrically

– ‘ – ‘ ‘ – – ‘ ‘ –
Up on the wings he of the wind rode in

Two observations: the accent on “he” coming after the accented “wings” brings a jolt and lays the attention fully upon the main character in the scene. Second, the unaccented “in” hurries the attention along to “His bright sedan”. The same effect is rendered in the third line which ends with “bring”.

In the fourth line, the rhythm slows. There is a long pause after of “mountain” created by normal mid-line pause followed by two unaccented syllables. The effect is to slow the scene as the King arrives at the mountain — with the emphasis falling last of all upon “joys”.

Satan then comes along in the couplet as an impotent enemy gazing in rage at his loss:

Colossians 2:15 (AV)
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.