Chapter 49

Josias, too, is still remembered; a memory grateful as some mingled scent, pride of the perfumer’s art,

or the honey that tastes sweet in all men’s mouths, or music over the wine.

A king divinely ordained to make a nation’s amends, how he swept away all the foul idols of the law-breakers;

how true he kept his heart to the Lord’s bidding, what comfort he gave to piety, when wickedness abounded!

David, Ezechias, Josias, these three only were exempt from the guilt of their line;

the other kings of Juda forsook the law of the most High, and counted the fear of God a light matter.

What wonder if they were doomed to bequeath all the glories of their kingdom to strangers, to princes of an alien race,

who set fire to the city that was God’s chosen sanctuary, and left the ways unfrequented? … By means of Jeremias;

so ill they used him, that was set apart to be a prophet when he was yet in his mother’s womb, empowered to overthrow, to uproot, to destroy, then to rebuild and to plant anew.

And next Ezechiel, to whose eyes God shewed the vision of glory, by wheeling cherubs borne aloft …

And in storm he remembered the enemy … to reward all such as pointed men to the right path.

May life spring from the bones of the twelve prophets, where they lie buried; men that put heart into the sons of Jacob, and by trusting in God’s power won deliverance.

The fame of Zorobabel what words of ours shall enhance? The jewel God wore on his right hand for signet-ring;

he, with Josue son of Josedec, rebuilt God’s house that then lay ruined; raised up a holy temple, of the divine glory the eternal dwelling-place.

Nor shall Nehemias be soon forgotten, that mended these ruined walls of ours, our gates built and barred, our homes restored to us.

Enoch no man born on earth can match, that from earth was taken away;

nor Joseph, that was born to be his brethren’s master, and the bulwark of a great nation. Lord of his brethren, stay of a people,

he left his bones to await the day of God’s deliverance, in death prophetic still.

Seth and Sem are among the heroes of their race, and Adam, too, that when earth began was made Lord of all living creatures.