ON THE NATURE AND REASON OF ALL
OUTWARD LAW.
“The Sabbath was made for Man; not Man for the Sabbath.”
—St. Mark, ii. 27.
I
From this true Saying one may learn to draw
The real Nature of all outward Law.
In ev'ry Instance, rightly understood,
Its Ground and Reason is the human Good;
By all its Changes, since the World began,
Man was not made for Law, but Law for Man.
II
“Thou shalt not eat,”—the first Command of all—
“Of Good and Ill,” was to prevent his Fall.
When he became unfit to be alone,
Woman was form'd out of his Flesh and Bone.
When both had sinn'd, then Penitential Grief
And sweating Labour was the Law Relief.
III
When all the World had sinn'd, save one good Sire,
Flood was the Law that sav'd its Orb from Fire;
When Fire itself upon a Sodom fell,
It was the Law to stop a growing Hell;
So on,—the Law with Riches or with Rods,
Come as it will, is Good; for it is God's.
IV
Men who observe a Law, or who abuse
For selfish Pow'r, are blind as any Jews;
On Sabbath, constru'd by rabbinic Will,
God must not save, and Men must seek to kill.
Such Zeal for Law has pharisaic Faith,
Not as 'tis good, but as it worketh Wrath.
V
Jesus, the Perfect Law-fulfiller, gave
The Victory that taught the Law to save;
Pluck'd out its Sting, revers'd the cruel Cry:
“We have a Law by which He ought to die.”
Dying for Man, this Conquest He could give:
“I have a Law by which he ought to live.”
VI
Whilst in the Flesh, how oft did He reveal
His Saving Will, and God-like Pow'r to heal!
They whom Defect, Disease or Fiend possess'd,
And pardon'd Sinners, by his Word had Rest;
He, on the Sabbath, chose to heal and teach,
And Law-proud Jews to slay him for its Breach.
VII
The Sabbath, never so well kept before,
May justify one Observation more.
Our Saviour heal'd, as pious Authors say,
So many Sick upon the Sabbath-Day,
To shew that Rest and Quietness of Soul
Is best for one who wants to be made whole;—
VIII
Not to indulge an Eagerness too great
Of outward Hurry or of inward Heat;
But, with an humble Temper and resign'd,
To keep a Sabbath in a hopeful Mind,
In Peace and Patience meekly to endure,
Till the Good Saviour's Hour is come,—to cure.
