Truth and Poetic Language

Truth does not consist in minute accuracy of detail, but in conveying a right impression; and there are vague ways of speaking that are truer than strict facts would be. When the Psalmist said, ‘Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy law,’ he did not state the fact, but he stated a truth deeper than fact, a truer.

—Henry Alford

Edward Polhill's (1622–1694) Essay on the Extent of Christ's Death

The Internet Archive now has a free copy of Edward Polhill's Essay on the Extent of Christ's Death (an extract from his work on The Divine Will Considered in its Eternal Decrees) available in pdf format (click).

Update:

David has now posted excellent material by Robert Balmer, who wrote the preface to this Polhill essay. Balmer's lectures can be obtained here (click), and biographical data here (click). Of particular interest is Balmer's work on the gospel call.

Thomas Tuke (1580/81–1657) on the Love of God

There is no man living, which, as a creature, is not loved of God the great Creator; which appeareth in that He is said to be the Saviour of All, and to cause the Sun to shine, and the rain to fall, even on the wicked. He loveth Humanity, but hateth impiety; the Man-head is beloved, but malice in it is detested: He likes well of the Nature, but dislikes the sin: That, which is His, He loves, but that which mars His, He hates: His own Image He loves, but the deformities thereof, made by man, are altogether displeasing in his sight. Now when all men had transgressed, and by transgression had made themselves the children of death, it pleased Him to pass by some, being tied to none, and some others to choose in love unto Eternal Life. But what loved He now? The men, and not their manners; their nature, now under great corruption, but not corruption itself: Their persons, not their prevarications. And why loved He them? What moved Him to make that difference? Surely nothing but His own good Will: Mere mercy in Him, no merit at all in them; His free Dignation, and no dignity or deserts of theirs: His free favour to them, and no foreseen faith in them. But God, that had nothing to love in a sinner but his Humanity, in a true Saint hath also Christianity: then Nature, but now Nature and Grace too: In Generation the Human Nature, in Regeneration a certain Divine Nature. If the devil hate all men, but especially all Saints; then we may be sure that God loves all men, but especially all holy men: And if the devil hate and pine at the graces of God in men; then questionless God loves all His graces, in whomsoever He finds them.

Thomas Tuke, New Essays (London: Printed by N.O. and are to be sold by William Bladon, at his Shop in S Pauls Church-yard, at the signe of the Bible, 1614), 113–115.

The Love of Christ unto the creature, is general or special. His general love, is either that whereby he loveth all his creatures, as they are his creatures, and declareth it by continuing their kinds, by preserving their natures, and by saving them from many dangers; and according to this kind of love, God is said to be good to all, to be merciful to the unjust as to the just, and to be the Saviour of all men: or else that whereby he loved Mankind in generally, by taking upon him the nature and name of man, and not the nature of Angels, nor of any other creature whatsoever. His special love (understood in this place) is that whereby he loveth the elect & faithful people of God, and is so well affected towards them, as that he is wanting in nothing to them, which is convenient for them. And in this respect he is called the Saviour of his (mystical) body, and is said to love the Church.

Thomas Tuke, The Treasure of True Love (London: Printed by Thomas Creede, and are to be sold by Thomas Archer, 1608), 4–5.

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Andrew Kingsmill (1538–1569) on Christ’s Question to Judas

Even as that lamentable question imports, Judas, you betray the Son of Man with a kiss? [Luke 22:48] Which was to say, “you whom I have chosen of many a thousand, one of my twelve familiars, you upon whom I have bestowed so many good turns, to whom I have given freely so many good lessons, upon whom I have wasted so many words, you that eat bread with me, you that dip in one dish with me, you you lift up your heel against me, and tread me under foot? you that provide for the sustenance of my body, are you become the betrayer of my soul? whose salvation I have sought by so many means, do you thirst for my blood? for whom I am content to lay down my life, are you become my hangman? Come you unto me with the face of a friend, and give me up to my enemies? You call me master, and wish me the curse of the cross? You give me a kiss, and wound my heart?” These sighs no doubt came up with that question.

Andrew Kingsmill, A View of Man’s Estate, Wherein the Great Mercie of God in Man’s Free Justification by Christ, is Very Comfortably Declared (London: H. Bynneman, for Lucas Harison and George Bishop, 1574), E3^v; or p. 62 [no pagination; pages numbered manually from the beginning of the treatise; some spelling updated and modernized].

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Brook

A Recent Series by Curt Daniel on the Five Points