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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commengant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film^s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Stre reproduit en un seul clichfi, il est film6 d partir de I'angie sup(§rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 !) FAVOURITE CHRISTIAN AUTHORS, i ( BOOK V. JAS. McLEAN. PIOTOU, N. 8. 1886. m. W69 ^tl, I ( THE ^lummBWBMB Qw FiMFr^ <*»»» I ARGUMENT. PLEASl'Hfi PHOM CONSIDERING THE CHARACTER OF CFiaiRT AS REVEALED IN THE GOSPEL, — RErlGIOUS CONTROVERSY NOT FAVOURABLE lu PIETT. — THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST — MIS V.IFE — HIS DEATH — Ilir, RESURRECTION — HIS ASCENSION. Great was that prophet whom Jehovah chose, His elect sons from bondage to ^^et free; And lead them safelv throudi a howling wild. Beset with dauf^ers, to that fruitful land, The promis'd gift of heaven ; but greater far Is he whom now I sing ; the Son of God, The Saviour of -nankind; who humbly clothed Himself in human nature, and his life Gave as a ransom for our ruin'd world. •3 ^7 5" 6 7 2 TUP] PLEASURES How various the conceptions of mi,nkind Respecting the Messiah 1 Soiuo him deem A. man, iiot more ; an ani^ol some ; and some Believe him God ! ' Midst this perplexity Of jarring thoughts where shall we go to find The truth ? Can sages tell his crigin ? ■ His naiurc do they know ? All huuiun .skill, This question to resolve, is impotent; Supernatural aid is needful ; then inquire Of those alone whom God has qualified By agency divine ; and they will tell Both whence, and who, the great, llcdeemor is. i Those attributes divine, which neither man, Nor high born angel, can participate ; The names, which Deity alone cnn bear ; And worship, that to none but God is due ; The scriptures openly to him apply; And he as openly, what they ascribe, As his just right receives. Hence, who deny His true divinity, must too reject The evidence of Scripture, for this truth OFPIP^TY, 3 Is then; ioscrib'd in characters so plain, That all, who \^ill, may road, and understand. But stop, my Muse, nor heedlessly descend Down to the deep, dark, desolate, domain Of cheerless controversy I where loud winds, With endless fury, rave 'mong briers and thorns. Where every reptili> voiDa.ous slow crawls ; And wh'To tlio bkssjd lig'it , I'lurir- en .' . nut, But fitful meteors ca'^t ii lurid .!j:;leam On the hewijderd truvt>llor-<'s irk-ornc wav ! Though sometimes neodful in the cause of truth, Oft controversy blights the noblest powers That grace the human soul ; and. after years Of rancorous dispute, the matter leaves IJnsettl d as before'! While stormy winds, And beating rains, destroy the tender flowers, Which beautify the earth ; the gentle liales, And softly f»llinir dews, make the grass sprinij. Unfold the bud, and nurse the mellowing fruit ; Ev'n so the mind, in all its faculties, 4 THE FLEASIIIIES IJonoath tniiioc dictated by love, Expunding flourishes. Not dipt in nail Wasth.it ansf^lic pen which wrot.^ x\u^ term:? OtreconciluuieDt betweeo sinful man And his offended God; then never ou;j:ht The messenizcrs of peace, with burning pen In hateful discord dipt, to vfoo mankind Back to the path of truth ; for human wrath, Though God oft mai^e it praise him, never can Work out bin righteousuc^s; or, helpful, turn One wanderinc; smuer from the way of death. To every creature an appointed sphere, By the wise laws of righteous Heafeo, is tixt Tramovoable. The meanest worm, that ne'er Ambitious cra7/ls beyond its native elod, In its own proper circuit, is as free As the fleet roe whose ample range extends O'er loity mountains, and far- stretching plaits. Though swift an(', hi?h the strong wing'd eagle s-oar, There is a bound aerial that she Can never pass : nay, from heaven's sapphire gates OF PIETY I There is a distput point, which not tho winj^ Of Gabriel can reach 1 Man also hag, Ev'u for his strongest intellectu'»l powers, A limit set ; to know this limit well, And therein give his facultioa full scope, In serving his Creator, ':hov.s him wise, And will aflford him joy at to attempt What lies bejoud the province of the mind, Betrays hira ignorant, ud fills his soul With sad perplexity, and rdokling doubt ; And makes him fooiish as the weak-eyed bat, Tliat would forsake the twilight mantled tower, To join the eagle in her sunward flight! Insfructivo pleasinir tusk, by light divine. Full beaming triMu God's holy word, to trace, With meiik adoring mind, tho sacred steps Of tlio Messiah, v»hile he lowly waik'd In the abodes of men. Where'er he went, Disease and sickness, pain and sonow, fled; Nay, fled even death, man's formidable foe, A>^ fliM? the dark and dismal shades of night, 6 THE PLEASURES Before the rosy beam, of wakinir morn, And leave the jojous earth enrob'd in smiW As day not instantanrous foi th at once Burst, ou th' astonish'd ;-iu'ht, but dim at first BreakH o'er the eastern mountains, then the cloud.' That fleecy han^ in the ^urey orient >kv, Enkindlini< with the upward sbpin. bea.ns Uf the approachin- sun, -low vividly ; - Then the ^reat orb of liL^ht himself appears Vull o'er the enflam'd horizon, and dispels Kach trace of darkness from th' abodes ot men ; Even so, amid the dismal -atherin- -loom Which hun- o'er Paradise tor man's offence, The Cxospel faintly dawn'd ; and bri-htor still O'er the dark moral world it rose, till Hto And immortality, by its glad beams, Were openly reveal'd. The woman's Seed, In Eden was, by God himself, foretold ; And prophets still, I'rom a-c to age, announcM Ills co.nin-; ond, in plainer terms, declar'd His person, character, and offices; i OF PIETY TIntil at last, an ang^el from the sky To Nazareth desceDdiou; thus addressM His vir^ia mother : "Hail, thou that art hi^h In favor, God is with thee ; thou art blest Above thv fellow women ; for, by power Divine, thr.vj shalt oonceive, and bear a Son, Whom Jesus thou shalt n^^me, because from sin His people he shall save, (ireat shall he be, Sou of the Highest call'd ; a'ld the Ijord (rod To him shall give his father David's throne, Despite his bitter enemies, and he Eternally o'er Jacob's house shall reign ; Nor shall his kingdom ever have a close." Now was the ancient prophecy fulfill'd, Which Israel utter'd on his dyin.^j; bed llespectio^ Shiloh's coming ; for the tribes. Obedient to the manchite of a kinj^ Not sprung from Judah, and that nothing knew or Judah's God, crowded the public ways, Not as, at festive seasons, when they walk'd, From strength to" strength, cheer'd by the joyful strains TOE PLEASTTRES OK elevating music, to appear Before their God iu Zion ; but, all sad, Eiich Ki^ekshis native city, tliat lie amy, Ev'n there, be mark'd a tributary slave Of hau-hty Rome! Then pious Joseph, urged By the decree ot proud Augustus, cam.-, From Nazareth with Mary hie espou^'d. To Bethlehem, their royal ancestor's Paternal town ; but, ihough of royal line, And near to be deliver'd of a Son, The heir ol all things both in earth and heaven ; A stable was the palace, and a stall The chamber, where tite blessed irgin bore That heavenly child, of whom the prophets sung In strains so rapturous ; aud his tirst robes Were humble swaddlingbands, and hisfir.«tcouch Was a cold mauger where the beu.-t.s were led 1 wonderful humilit} ! Who can Contemplate this great sight, and yet be proud Of earthly riches, or of earthly state ? Or haughtily a fellow-being scorn, Because his birth mean, and obccure. OF PIETY, Attracted not the notice oi' mankind, Or wuk'd one echo with a natal song? But though no human voices, loudly rais'd In joyful acclamation, mark'd the hour, The blosscd hour, when, of a virgin born, The Prince of life appear'd; all heaven rcjoic'd; And the dark caves of hell rcturn'd the groans Of its inhabitants. Down from the sky , A bright angelic band, descending swift, Illumed the midnight plains of Bethlehem With the clear shining of their heavenly robes, And to the wondering shepherds straight revcal'd The joyful tidings of the Saviour's birth, And where they would behold the babe divine. Low in a manger sleeping, careful watch'd [told. By her that brought him forth. Their message Before they speed their flight back to heaven's gates. They iiDvering o'er the highly honoured earth, Prais'd God aloud for his good will to men. 10 THE PLEASTJKKS I (I .'J u Nor were the Gentile natioos not appriz' Of his nativity, by God decreed Not only to restore the chosen tribes Of Jacob to lull liberty from all Their stern oppressois ; but to raise mankind Through earth's remotest bounda, and make them The joy of his salvation. A bright star [feel Flau/d in the orieot, which sages knew To mark his natal hour ; hence taught, they carac To Judah's favour'd land, bearing rich gifts, And when they found hiiu, laid them at his teet, Whom, lowly worshipping, they own'd a king Whose scftptre aonn would reach o'er all the earth. While every nation blest his hap^^y reign. Time pass'd; and now at Jordan's sacred stream, Where thousands flock'd to be baptiz'd of John His areat foierunner, to that solemn rite Himself submitticg, o'er his blessed head, Heaven's sapphire gates were opcn'd and rcveal'd, A glory brighter than when aoonday sun Shines through an aperture of some dark cloud • OF PIETY, 11 Which veils the azure sky ; while, like a dove, The Holy Spirit, visibly disclos'd, Descending lighted on him ; and a voice, Loud speaking from the dazzling glory, said, "This is my well be'.oved Son, in whom My soul doligbteth; and. through whom well pleas'd, Unto myself I reconcile the world." Behold the Son of God attested thus. And thus prepared for conflict, issue iorth To the lone wilderness himself to meet, And overthrow, that enemy who first subdu'd The human race to bondage, by his wiles I'jsnaring, leading them to sin against Their gracious Maker, and from Paradise To be outcast. But though our father fell By strong temptation tried, not so God's Son (3d whom man's help was Uid ; he firmly stood Defying all the tempter's subtile arts; And after forty days' and forty nights' Hard contest in the desert, he return 'd 12 THE PLEASURES To Galilee victorious, and began To preaoh salvation to th« human race . f Methinks I hear his sweet rnellifluous voice God's law expounding to largo listeoing throngs, Warning them earnestly to tlee from wrath, To the Messiah who alone can save; And, while the prophets point to one to come As a Redeemer, Jesus to himself Directs their weary, fainting, trembling souls. Saying, ''I who speak to you myself am he." Ye reverend servants of the Son of God, Whose office is to load mankind to heaven ; Behold the model which your Master left Of public teaching ; ever follow that, Nor fear success. It shows not intellect, But unbelief, t'address immortal cauls Go matici'S of eternity, in mode Abstract and hard to comprehend. Be ijlain. Despite lii' unhallow'd sneer, and foul reproach, Of those, unfaithful to their sacred trust, OF PIETY. 13 Who, poor deluded mortals, tliiak themselves Highly to be admir'd because they preach, Not to be understood by the base crowH, But only by the learn'd, a8 if men's rank, Or wealth, or learning, could enhance, or lower The value of their souls I The learn'd and great Despis'dthc Saviour';* prenching, and wer*^ \A'( To perish ; while th' illiterate and poor Heard him with pleasure, understood, believ'd ; And so wore fitted for immortal joy With (jri)d in hoaven. Busides, it argues not A powerful mind well tutor'd, t'obscuro j The subject it professes to unfold, But the reverse. Minds are like burning liglits, The strong and clear make objects plain; the weak And dim, leave ihem obscure. The glorious sun is still the nobler light, though the pile moon, With many a gloomy shadow, makes earth's heights Seem higher, and her hollows more profound, Than when illumiu'd by his powerful rays. l}(^ hold — th' ambassadors of heaven's high King, Who speak by his authority, ought ne'er 14 THE PLEASriHES 1^ To court the smiles of princes, nor to, dread Their frowns ! Be edvnest — none are so who speak, With cold indiff'reuce of heaven and hell To d^ing men ! Can jou behold the tears Of prophets, and apostles; nay, the tears Ev'n of the Son of Goil ! and yot commend Tluise dull, cold, heartless, preachers, who ne er One pitying tear for ruin'd souls? If while [shed Some (question merely politic pervades The public mind, the most letharj>;ic rouse To animation ; and, with lifted arm, Expressive eye, and countenance deep mark'd With liigh emotion, now, all eloquent. Express themselves with feclinjj;, and declare They arc in earnest , if mere wordly uieo Deem coldness, in a ((uestion that concerns The public weal, a crime, and warmth, a virtut! ; O ! whv should those, whose office 'lis to teach Mankind, in mattei^ which affect their welfare Through the long atj;es of eternity, Deem coldness here a virtue, zeal, a crime ? ijj^ OF PIETY, 15 ead ^ho speak, 1 r.s nd ho ne er ilo [shed so irk'd ilaro a ns I virtuii ; ) teach vell'are [le ? While Jesus taught in true simplicity, With fervent zeal ; he sbow'd himself divine, By various miracles, in open view Portorm'd ; and while his nii;4htv works deelared His power omnipotent, they also show'd His meroy and his love, to fallen man IJnparallerd. The water into blood He turns not, but to wine: with lire from heaven, Ho blights no mocking eye, but give- the blind Thi'ir sight : He none with sickness smites, nor But h(!als the sick, and raises up the dead, [death, Turning the house of niouroiug into joy. The tempest he not raises but subdues ; Brings no destroying hail to smite the earth VVitii barrenness ; nor locusts to devour The fruitful fields; but, in the desert wild, Compassionate, vast multidues he feuds, With a few fishes and a little bread So amplified, by his almighty power, 'iMiat all are 'satisfied, and yot remains. Of fragments, more than was at firpt possess d ! t« THE PLEASURES Mothinks I see him seated on a hill, Near the Tiberiao lake, whore thousands flock, From all the country round, leading the blind, Bearing the lame, and sick, and sore diseas'd. To be relieved from all tho various ills ; Nor do they seek his genorous aid in vain. O wondrous spectacle ! those at his feot Laid down pale and emaciated, rise All flush'd with rosy health ; the lame leap up Not lame ; the deaf obey his call ; the duh^b Rise singing; and the blind, now blind no more, Rise gazing with astonishment on all Around / while twice ton thousand voices wake The mountain echoes with Jehovah's praise 1 Again I see him, as the piophet sung Oi the Messiah, Zion's mighty Kin<.', All meek and lowly, on au ass's colt Riding; while a large multitude strip off" Tlicir upper robes, and strew them in the way, Mixt with green branches of the joyful palm; And rapturous the loud hosaunas raise OF PIETY, 17 To David's 8oa, who, in Jehovah's name, Cniuus with salvation to his chosen race. But why, amid so universal joy. Is he, wht' causes it, himself' so sad ? Ne'er was a prospect so magnificent, And beautilul as that which now they saw From th' Olive mount. Pull to the view expos'd All Canaan lay. Jerusalem appear'd (ylose underneath the eye, seen in each street With people thickly throug'd ; while all her towers Shone brightly in iho sun. Another scene Hose 10 the Saviour's sij^ht than that beheld By those who t'oUow'd hiui ! He saw the sireota Flowing >vitli blood of Zion's citizens; Her lofty edifices crumbling down. Amid devouriujj; flames, wliose lurid ^lare Siione on the ghat-tly faces of the dead, And dyin^, who, in countless numbers, lay, Thick as autumnal ieavCvS, scattered around TJnpitied ! He beheld each eminence, Which overlook'd tlie city, planted thick I m THE PLEASIJKKS With crosses, on which igDomiDious hunpf The sons of Jacub, while, before their eyes, That glorious temple where Jehovah dwelt, Sunk dowc in smouldering rum ! He beheld Those who escaped from slaughter, captive led To bondage more enduring, more severe, Than that 'neath which of old their lathers groan'd In Egypt! Thus beholding such a scene Of misery, the piteous Jesus wept. The scone is chanir'd — now in Gethscmane, Retir'd ilone, he to his Father icneels Ardent in prayer. Each quivering leaf is still, Awed into silence while its Maker speaks. In heaven's high azure vault, the peaceful night, Hangs forth her silver lamps, sweet shedding down, On earth, a sottpale light; and all around Is beautiful. But what mean these deep sighs, And hoavy ,q;ro;.ns, which issue from the spot Where Jasus Laeels? ! he is deeply wounded! See 1 how his blood, distaining all his robes. Falls to the ground, like copious drops of dew OF PIETY, t» From the oighfc alippherd's locks. No human foe Is near, and yot he bleeJs 1 Ah ! tU the aworJ, Not of iafuriated feeble man, That now awakes to smite him, but the sword, The keen edg'd sword ! of an avenging God llais'd agaiust reb^l men, thit thoy, deep piero'd, May feel eteri