Which they who heard beseech'd it would not speak,
And Moses' daring self was known to quake),
And awful yet a pleasing voice is giv'n,
In sudden burst from high approving heav'n;
While grace descended slowly like a dove,
"This is my Son illustrious whom I love."
Which echo fondly iterates to earth,
And earth again to heav'n which gave it birth,
And which in rapture we should ever bear,
From pole to pole, to ev'ry human ear.
But John to vice disdaining servile awe,
Said, when the Scribes and Pharisees he saw,
"Of vipers, O ye curs'd pernicious brood!
Who taint with poison the salubrious blood!
And do
ye fear your future awful doom?
And are ye warn'd to flee the wrath to come?
Of penitence the fairest fruits bring forth,
The true heart-prompted deeds of solid worth.
And make of Abraham your sire no boast,
To virtue and to heav'nly grace while lost.
For God to Abraham can raise new sons,
From these insensible and tongueless stones.
With simple water I indeed baptize,
Until a mightier than myself arise;
So great, that I the latchet of his shoes
Esteem myself unworthy to unloose.
He with the Holy Spirit shall inspire,
And shall baptize with heav'n's immortal fire.
Who holds, and he from heav'n bears high command,
To purge his floor, his fan within his hand.
The chaff with rav'ning fire he will consume,
But in his garner all his grain assume."
But Herod, with tyrannic fury mov'd,
Imprison'd John when he his crimes reprov'd;
Herod, who lov'd the people to beguile,
And to destroy by ev'ry subtle wile.
So the sly fox keeps quiet by the way,
Where fowl domestic are at food or play;
And for a while subdued his nature keeps,
Unnotic'd, or pretending that he sleeps.
But if, devoid of salutary fear,
They pass his ambush unprotected near
He bursts from his concealment or disguise,
Like death that bursts upon us by surprise,
And after feeble momentary strife,
He drinks the crimson fountain of their life.
Deluded man! who hugg'd a fatal crown,
That weigh'd thee with unceasing sorrow down!
Fearing and cringing to that armed band,
Through whom thou didst oppress the groaning land!
To some a coward, though to others brave,
At the same time a tyrant and a slave!
Ambition, with destructive troubles vext,
Loses its peace in this world and the next;
Like jealousy, is cruel as the grave,
Scorning or kindred, sex, or age, to save.
Upon his birth-day once inflam'd with wine,
When men to giddy actions oft incline,
('Gainst which enchanting danger still to guard,
The wise should ever firmly be prepar'd,
Lest in a moment they to ruin give
What a whole age is feeble to retrieve,)
While all his officers, in splendid state,
In order at the royal banquet sat;
The daughter of Herodias danc'd before
The num'rous court, and made the king adore; 200
Made him extravagant admire, and swear
That he would give to her capricious pray'r,
Whate'er she should petition from his hand,
Ev'n half his kingdom to her quick demand.
The subtle mother to her daughter said,
"Ask in a charger for the Baptist's head;"
Wishing to gratify with fell delight
Her fix'd revenge, and her unhallow'd spite.
For John her vicious marriage had denied,
With the fond king, as an incestuous bride,
A brother with a living brother's wife,
Married, with Moses' laws in open strife.
Herod unwillingly the order gave,
To bring his head, whom still he wish'd to save,
Yet for the sake of his notorious oath,
Though made in haste, he to refuse was loth.
The minister of passion, by command,
The rev'rend head gave to the daughter's hand,
Who instant to the cruel mother bore,
The precious member reeking with its gore.
But his disciples came with faithful care,
His sever'd body to the tomb to bear.
Some tender tears they dropt, but wip'd them soon, When they reflected on the glorious boon,
That unto them by bounteous grace was giv'n,
To be immortal denizens of Heav'n;
Where no infuriate tyrants should oppress,
But God for ever should his children bless
With his own holy beatific sight,
In the pure realms of everlasting light.
The propriety of considering Christ's moral character, as it may excite to imitation-His piety first considered, as it was the vital principle that animated his conduct-His re. gular and inflexible exertion of that virtue--The absur dity of those who imagine that prayer is not necessary-They should be looked upon as heretics, and unworthy the name of Christians-Our Saviour frequently exhorts to prayer-.Has given us himself a concise but comprehensive form of prayer...He would often retire to a mountain, and pass the whole night in prayer--The epistles of the apostles contain the same doctrine upon this matter which was taught by our Saviour---The advantages of prayer---The blessing comes more readily, when solicited, from Heaven---The retirement which is convenient for prayer, induces us calmly to think upon the welfare of the soul--The reasonableness of piety---Address to the Deity.
BUT let us ('tis what we should now prefer)
Expatiate on Christ's moral character:
While his example teaches us to live,
'Twill wonder raise, and resolution give,
Our native ingenuity refine,
And charm, as animate, to worth divine.
He is of righteousness the mighty sun,
Whose glorious course through endless years will run.
He, while he gives illumination fires,
With reason and with fortitude inspires.
To him each other prophet is a star,
That feebly twinkles on our sight from far.
And first we will his piety admire,
Which may our breasts with sacred warmth inspire. 'Twas rais'd by a becoming dignity,
'Twas manly, animated, gen'rous, free:
No languid homage to a tyrant paid,
With coldness thank'd, reluctantly obey'd;
But teem'd with praise and resignation meet,
Sublime, though tempʼrate, fervent, though discreet;
(Such as is due the bounteous sire of man,
His friend, from whom his ev'ry good began ;)
'Twas built on reason, and by reason sway'd,
In ev'ry fortune equally display'd.
In early youth, his manhood long before,
An earnest reverence for God he bore;
(Ah! happy they, who, blest with grace divine,
To virtue thus the morn of life consign,
And shun at ev'ning, with severe remorse,
Their former folly, and their vice to curse!)
And in the temple then the doctors heard,
And learned questions artfully preferr❜d;
And with such wisdom answer'd, as to raise
In all around astonishment and praise.
But when his parents tenderly inquir'd,
Why from their guardian care he had retir'd,
"Why wist ye not," he said, "nor comprehend, That I my heav'nly Father's business must attend?" He shew'd to God, in all that he pursu'd,
Or his submission or his gratitude;
To this high purpose he his conduct bent,
On this for ever pleasingly intent.
It was his meat, obsequious to fulfil,
Without repining, his great Father's will;
'Twas the delight, refreshment of his soul;
Which was more heav'nly sweet, than any foul,
Than any fleeting, treach'rous joy could be,
Of low debasing sensuality.
And e'en for bread, whene'er that bread was giv'n,
He render'd thanks sincere to gen'rous Heav'n.
Ah! how unlike to many, who possess
Whate'er can reason or can fancy bless;
Whose hours in various pleasures glide away;
Who feast luxuriously each jocund day;
Yet little of the sacred Donor deem,
Or while they cram, their Feeder they blaspheme! With what a full command he could divest
The wild rebellious passions froin the breast,
Appears in all the horrid misery
Of his severe stupendous agony;
When nature, shock'd, a strong reluctance shew'd
At that affrightful and oppressive load
Of griefs, which were appointed to be borne,
A cruel death, with still more cruel scorn.
Yet there, e'en there, inflexibly resign'd,
He still preserves his constancy of mind;
And humbly says, "In mercy, Father, pray,
"Vouchsafe to take this bitter cup away.
"If it be possible; O be it done!
"But be thy will perform'd, and not my own!"
Yet some, deluded, vainly will declare
The total inutility of pray'r.
But such as heretics should be esteem'd,
And, without bigotry, unworthy deem'd
To bear of Christians the respected name,
For bad their tenets are, provoking blame.
For our great Lord, our Chief, our Saviour blest,
The strong necessity for pray'r confest.
Ask, and the heav'nly good ye shall receive, "For to his sons my Father loves to give." And then he wisely says, "Oft watch and pray, "Lest by temptation ye be led astray." For our strong lusts, like a besieging foe, Are active all our guards to overthrow;
Line 74, &c. Luke, xviii. 4.
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