높은 정의와 밀턴의 <실낙원>

Abstract

This essay attempts to consider what is high justice and how it serves to advance the post-Restoration society. In Book 12 of Paradise Lost, Milton examines the ways in which high justice has been completed on the basis of a typological process of history. This justice was introduced to redeem human mortal destiny after the Fall, which led to a break in the first covenant between God and Adam. In a fallen history, high justice as a form of covenant has been developed in the interactive relationship between potentiality and realization: Abraham’s seed, Moses’ law and David’s promise. In particular, Moses’ law took a decisive position in the progressive way of how high justice has been involved in refashioning human history. The law started its function as a positive institution of guiding Israel to please God but later became as a negative stumbling stone by obstructing Israel from forming its true connection with God. Moses’ law finished its role with the freedom of the chosen people from Egyptian tyranny and made way for a better covenant by which high justice was made. High justice has been realized on the cross by Abraham’s seed in the fullness of time, serving the greatest purpose of human deliverance. The seed as the embodied Word has fulfilled high justice by perfectly employing and satisfying two requisites of lawful justice and self-sacrificing love. That is, the Crucifixion judged rightly the human existential condition condemned to death by nailing to the cross the law against human salvation, and moreover, it restored love and peace between God and man by nailing to the cross Satan’s strategy of breach. Considering that human redemption and high justice coexist, high justice is restorative and regenerative. Furthermore, in terms of an eschatological framework, this high justice can be a cornerstone to construct a new heaven and earth with the final dissolution of the fallen world ruled by Satan. The new heaven and earth are rooted in the principle of righteousness, peace and love, which will make high justice work completely. Most importantly, high justice can provide post-Restoration England with the model of an ideal society in that this justice can be the forming power to build a heaven on earth.