^OF-CALIF(%, 
 
 ^\\E UNIVER5/A
 
 SATAN CONQUERED, 
 
 THE SON OF GOD VICTORIOUS. 
 
 A POEM : IN FIVE BOOKS. 
 
 BY J. W. GREEN. 
 
 Effulgence of my glory, son beloved, 
 * * 
 
 For thee I have ordained it ; and thus far 
 Have suffered, that the glory may be thine 
 Of ending this great war. since none but thou 
 Can end it. 
 
 MILTON. 
 
 ALBANY : 
 
 C. VAN BENTHCTYSEN AND CO. 
 
 1844.
 
 PS 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 BY a perusal of this volume, it will be seen 
 that it does not accord with the prescribed rules 
 of epic composition ; and that it has been no 
 part of the author's design to allow himself a 
 wide range of imagination, although that may 
 be esteemed essential to true poetry; but rather 
 to follow the course of divine truth, where all 
 boundaries are marked by the Holy Spirit. His 
 great object has been to present the history of 
 Jesus Christ in conflict with the powers of dark 
 ness, in such a form as not only to amuse, but 
 benefit the inquiring reader ; and thereby pro 
 mote the honor of Christ. If this end should be 
 attained, his highest hopes will be realized. 
 With this view he gives it to the world as it is, 
 with the single remark: That in his judgment, 
 there is a sublimity in the truth of God, which 
 sets at defiance all criticism not in accordance 
 with its holy dictates. 
 
 CLIFTON PARK, N. Y., January, 1844. 
 
 904577
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, 
 by J. W. GREEN, in the Clerk's Office of the District 
 Court of the Northern District of New- York.
 
 SATAN CONQUERED, &c. 
 BOOK I.
 
 For onto us a child is born. 
 
 ISAIAH ix. 6. 
 
 For onto you is born this day, in the city of David, a 
 Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 
 
 LfKB ii. 11. 
 
 And they came with haste; and found Mary and Joseph, 
 and the babe lying in a manger. 
 
 LUKB ii. 16.
 
 BOOK I. 
 
 I COURT no fabled muse, whose fancied power, 
 
 Could move the fountains of unfathomed mind, 
 
 To pour rich streams of poesy and song ; 
 
 Invoked too oft, invoked instead of God, 
 
 By men of Christian name ! Ye patrons famed, 
 
 Of liberal arts ! Ye sacred shadows all ! 
 
 Your aid I ask not ; aid I need, must have, 
 
 Or can not sing my Saviour's praise, whose praise 
 
 To sing, is rich reward for life of toil. 
 
 Thy guidance, God of truth, I ask, and ask 
 
 In Jesus' name, whose praise, attempted, I 
 
 Successfully may roll in numbers sweet 
 
 As angels sing, to end of time. Revive 
 
 In me the song of sacred mirth and joy, 
 
 Of Judah's bards inspired, when harps inscribed 
 
 To Israel's God, and swept by men elect, 
 
 Touched sympathetic chords in hearts alive 
 
 To holy melody and love. Instruct 
 
 Thy humble bard, (if so much claimed, be not 
 
 Presumptuous deemed, in one whose strains so low ;) 
 
 The precious from the vile to separate 
 
 The good retain, and mould to beauteous form ; 
 
 The bad hold up in mean disgusting shape: 
 
 That one may be despised, rejected hence ; 
 
 The other loved, received by all as true 
 
 Reflected image of the Deity! 
 
 In famed Judea's ancient land, renown'd 
 For deeds of holy men, who spoke for God ;
 
 s 
 
 Where holy prophets sung inspired lays, 
 
 A virgin lived. A rural maid, whose days 
 
 Had passed thus far, among the vine clad hills 
 
 And rural scenes of nature's richest dress, 
 
 In peace and silence on, along the course 
 
 Of life; as gentle streams in valleys low, 
 
 Observed by few, o'erlooked by most, still urge 
 
 Their winding, noiseless way to ocean's waves. 
 
 Seclusion deep had thrown her curtain dark, 
 
 Impenetrable, round her lowly home. 
 
 A princess born by lineal tie, in birth 
 
 Obscure, and little known among the great 
 
 The sons of wealth and pride. She figured not 
 
 At courts, nor dazzled heartless multitudes, 
 
 By costly show of princely style ; yet He, 
 
 Who looks with prescient glance from lofty heights 
 
 Of uncreated light the home of God 
 
 And calls by name the things that are not yet, 
 
 Had marked her for his own, when she was not ! 
 
 In council wise, eternal, he decreed 
 
 That nations yet unborn should bless her name, 
 
 As woman highly favored of the Lord * 
 
 A mother worthy of his holy Son ! 
 
 Mistaken zealots thence have blindly taught, 
 
 And multitudes as blindly learned to bow 
 
 Before the Virgin's shrine, addressing prayer 
 
 To one but blest of God a mortal dead 
 
 To importune for them the living Son ! 
 
 A sinner she, and sprung from sinful root, 
 
 Herself unholy, hence her holiness 
 
 Imputed, and derived from attribute 
 
 Of Deity. Inherent his, and most 
 
 * Luke i. 88.
 
 9 
 
 Essential to his being. Man with sense 
 Distorted much by sin's perverting power, 
 Has put for day, the darkness of the night; 
 Writ over ill, 'tis good, and good, 'tis ill ; 
 For doctrine substituted creeds of men, 
 And taught to worship her who bore the Son ! 
 
 The high and lofty One of ancient days,* 
 
 His glory showed to him who lived in times 
 
 Of Israel's kings. High seated on the throne, 
 
 He saw the Lord in splendid majesty 
 
 And honor crowned ! His train, angelic hosts, 
 
 Seraphic forms of light, the temple filled ! 
 
 With holy awe, profound as Ocean's depth, 
 
 And faces veiled, they celebrate his praise 
 
 In strains exalted as the place they fill. 
 
 To him upon the throne they did not speak, 
 
 But one to. other cried, and holiness 
 
 To God whose glory fills the universe, 
 
 Repeated thrice ! The prophet young, unused 
 
 To scenes celestial, habitant of earth, 
 
 As other kindred his, those who live not 
 
 But in congenial element, was filled 
 
 With most distressing fears, and cried, 
 
 " I am undone, wo is me, sinful man! " 
 
 Pure air of holiness he could not breath, 
 
 Till from the throne dispatched, a seraph blest, 
 
 With living fire from off the altar high, 
 
 His lips had touched. Then quick as thought, 
 
 Swift wing'd from pole to pole, his sins were purged, 
 
 And visions bright of future bliss infused 
 
 Into his soul, as pure incitements given 
 
 To works prophetic, and commissioned grace 1 
 
 * Isaiah vi. 19.
 
 10 
 
 Now strong impelled, the joyful prophet went 
 To those rebellious, violent, and fierce ; 
 Communicating messages of peace, 
 From God to man. The greatest burden thus .- 
 " The Lord to man a sign shall give : Behold ! 
 A virgin shall conceive and bear a son ! 
 His name, Immanuel our God with us 
 Is called by him who calls the stars by name! "* 
 In holy vision wrapt, the prophet's soul 
 Was thence transported down the lapse of time 
 To brighter days and rapturous scenes of joy. 
 Enchanted thus he speaks in present time. 
 As one who witness'd what good Simeon saw. 
 And glowing lays in lofty notes begins : 
 
 ' For unto us a child is born, a Son 
 Is given ; and on his shoulders shall be laid 
 The government of Israel's chosen host ! 
 His name is Counsellor, and Wonderful ! 
 The Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace ! 
 The Mighty God ! Secret profound, divine '. 
 By him a reign of love shall yet commence 
 On earth with man. Established not by blood 
 Of warriors spilled, or battles sorely won 
 By legions armed, advancing to the shock 
 Of conflict dread the satiate joy of hell : 
 But means employed by wisdom infinite. 
 Adapted not. to accomplish mighty ends 
 In reason's choice : Approved of God and blest ! 
 So simple, to confound the wise ; so weak. 
 To overthrow the strong ; the gentle fire 
 Of purifying grace I This reign begun. 
 Shall be extended wide o'er earth's domain. 
 
 " Isaiah vii. H.
 
 11 
 
 Nor have an end, but where no tribes of men 
 Shall dwell ! where footsteps human are not traced ! 
 The Kingdom built on justice, judgment, love, 
 The sceptre held by David's royal Son, 
 Must stand 'mid changing scenes of earth and time, 
 As pillars firm of Heaven's eternal dome ! "* 
 
 Thus sung the ancient seer, and thus believed. 
 
 But men of modern name, ignoble too, 
 
 Who were not taught of God in school divine, 
 
 And little skilled in knowledge of the Lord 
 
 Unborn of him, unchanged in heart a less 
 
 Exalted strain have sung proud men who love 
 
 To drag Jehovah down to man's low grade ! 
 
 Aspire to him, they can not, but, through Christ, 
 
 Him they disdain ; and hence the equal Son, 
 
 In whom the Godhead dwells, is humbled low 
 
 To meet themselves ! O ! that such men could learn 
 
 That God has cursed the man, who trusts in man, 
 
 And makes his rebel boast in arm of flesh ! 
 
 They claim him as a Saviour too, yet make 
 
 Him less than Judah's King ! The heaven-born names, 
 
 And titles high above the reach of man, 
 
 As far as heaven from hell, employed to sing 
 
 The Saviour's power, their maddened intellects 
 
 Bestow to Hezekiah's praise! See here 
 
 Theology, absurd, degrading, mean! 
 
 Dishonoring God, exalting man above 
 
 His humble place, in wise gradation fixed ! 
 
 And this in spite of revelation's law ; 
 
 To give that honor to the Son, we give 
 
 To God ! Such is the Father's just decree. f 
 
 Names rev'rend such as Gabriel may not claim, 
 
 Isaiah ix. 9. t John T. 23.
 
 12 
 
 Applied to him who is but man ; withheld 
 
 From him who must be more ! Perversion blind. 
 
 And mockery of thought legitimate, 
 
 Or free inductive reason's course ! The chief 
 
 Of hosts angelic, could not thoughts conceive 
 
 Like these, in compass wide of largest mind! 
 
 Egregious thoughts ! and bearing impress dark 
 
 Of hellish origin, thence turned to shape 
 
 In earthly mould, by imps of human form ! 
 
 The hosts who bow before the throne, delight 
 
 To honor him who sits thereon, as well 
 
 To praise the Lamb ! Rejoicing much in view 
 
 Of grace ineffable, when erring man 
 
 Is turned from sin to God ! Redemption's work 
 
 Is magnified to them ; the reason hence 
 
 That jewels fresh are added to the crown 
 
 Of Christ their King. So harps of gold are tuned 
 
 Anew to praise, and swept by holy hands ! 
 
 Ye sons of God ! Inhabitants of heaven ! 
 
 If eyes celestial, used to medium such 
 
 As vision infinite employs, can look 
 
 Through twilight shades upon the friends of God 
 
 Profess'd, on earth, who pluck from brows divine 
 
 The crown imperishable, highest joy 
 
 To all your sacred throng before whose throne, 
 
 Ye wear no crowns, but cast them at his feet, 
 
 Ascribing majesty to him O, say, 
 
 If blush ye can, does not the crimson flush 
 
 Of shame indignant, tinge your hallowed cheecks T 
 
 The hurried course of ever rolling time, 
 In whose revolving sphere the checkered scenes 
 Of human life are seen, has ushered in 
 The latter days. Years pregnant with events
 
 13 
 
 Important way-marks on historic page 
 To rebel man have fled and mingled long 
 With ancient ages gone ! Proud empires, strong 
 Intrenched by policy and art of man, 
 Have passed as trackless visions' flight ! No trace 
 Of Babylon, glory of kingdoms styled, 
 The Chaldee's beauty, now is found ! And where 
 The Medo-Persian kings of by-gone fame ? 
 Or Grecian reign of brass ? Now Herod sits 
 On David's throne, yet not by right divine, 
 By usurpation gained by Caesar's power 
 Oppressive days of iron rule, to all 
 The chosen tribes of remnant Israel's host. 
 They walked not in the way marked out of God, 
 But turned away : He turned from them, and gave 
 The kingdom to their foes. For Jacob's sake 
 Beloved, the God of Jacob will not cast 
 Them quite away. The sacred promise made 
 To fathers blest, to all the waiting seed, 
 Must be performed ; else where the truth of God ? 
 The kingdom, in unearthly, glorious form 
 The Spirit's reign of bliss must be restored 
 To Israel's King ! Dark clouds of midnight hour, 
 With storm surcharged, and dire forebodement fill'd, 
 At morn's approach, their threatening mien oft change 
 To brighter view, and seem embodied forms 
 Aerial, dipp'd in rays of coming light ; 
 So seemed the cloud which long o'er Judah hung, 
 Now scattered by return of moral dawn ! 
 The eyes unused to light, are blinded soon 
 By that which eyes accustomed, grateful bear ; 
 So men of Israel shrink to darkness back, 
 Or twilight dim their wonted element 
 To wait the preparation meet! The son 
 2
 
 14 
 
 To be of virgin born, will introduce 
 
 A dispensation new ; abolish rites 
 
 In veneration held ; shake principles 
 
 And laws of ancient strength, till naught remain. 
 
 Established hence, approved of God and loved ; 
 
 But worship spiritual, humble, meek, 
 
 Of pomp devoid and showy trappings stripp'd 
 
 Religion's beauteous, holy form, disrobed 
 
 Of earth's deforming garb, in Heaven's own light 
 
 And glory then reflected. Former rites 
 
 Indeed, much glory claimed, as well they might, 
 
 And challenged all of Pagan stamp, because 
 
 Of origin divine ordained of God 
 
 Till Christ the promised seed should come. But a 
 
 The stars of morning fade before the sun, 
 
 In splendor coming forth, so vanish all 
 
 The former, when the lattr comes ! So mucb, 
 
 Of revelation's brilliancy at once 
 
 Displayed, would but confound, and overwhelm 
 
 Where it should strengthen most! Among the throng 
 
 Attendant round the throne of God, was one, 
 
 As all, in borrowed light and radiance clothed, 
 
 But favored much, and chosen oft to do 
 
 His will, and go on missions to the earth. 
 
 New Gabriel leaves the ranks elect, and wings 
 
 His trackless way through space ethereal, 
 
 To man's abode ! He comes to those belov'd 
 
 Of God and man, who blameless lived, and walk'd 
 
 In paths divine. The man, a priest of God, 
 
 Appointed to Abia's course, whose lot 
 
 Was then to offer incense up to Him 
 
 At consecrated hour, in sacred courts, 
 
 Whilst multitudes were bowing down without. 
 
 Approaching thus the altar of his God,
 
 15 
 
 Behold a form divine, in light arrayed, 
 
 And brilliant as the sun at cloudless noon, 
 
 In brightest blaze, his entrance waiting stood ! 
 
 Affixed as marble statues are, so was 
 
 The priest affrighted fixed ! Advance, or fle, 
 
 He neither could ; nor yet could speak ; with fear 
 
 His tongue was paralyzed ! To whom the son 
 
 Of light discourse began : " Fear not Thy prayer 
 
 Is heard. Thy spouse shall bear a son, of joy 
 
 To thee, and many more ! A festive day 
 
 When he is born ! Repentant crowds shall catch 
 
 With eager ear, the pleasing strains of truth 
 
 Soft music from his lip. He shall be great 
 
 In sight of Him who estimates aright 
 
 Man's greatness ; weighs in scales of balance just, 
 
 All human claims." The preface sucL, employed 
 
 To calm good Zacharias' fears, in smooth 
 
 And gentle numbers flowed, as streams of oil 
 
 O'er polished planes may run. His strength restored, 
 
 Composure gained, he now can hear from God 
 
 The message superhuman. Office kind 
 
 And necessary. How can man receive 
 
 Such visitants from Heaven, and start not back 
 
 With awe? To his dark mind they mirror forth 
 
 God's majesty and dread, as rays of light, 
 
 In solemn night, by Sol's bright counterfeit, 
 
 To earth sent back ! Affected thus was he, 
 
 Who visions saw at ancient Ulai's banks, 
 
 And Hiddekel's broad stream ; nor sense, nor strength, 
 
 Regained, until the words, " O man beloved, 
 
 Fear not !" with angel sweetness were pronounced !* 
 
 A reason clear to finite minds, why mind 
 
 * Daniel x. 19,
 
 16 
 
 Eternal, infinite, accredits man 
 
 To go on holy embassy to man, 
 
 From courts celestial ! Station honored much , 
 
 Exalted most on earth ! Diplomacy 
 
 Of heaven to plead instead of Christ, with man! 
 
 Compared with this, the envoyship of earth, 
 
 As molehills at the base of Alpine heights, 
 
 Or distant stars beside the orb of night, 
 
 Appears! Engraved on truth's fair page we read, 
 
 If prophet's word's despised, persuasive power 
 
 Is lost, though herald from departed shades, 
 
 Should come, unfolding secrets of the dead!* 
 
 Ye favored men ! whose office holy, hearts 
 
 Engaged, what task is yours ! persuading man 
 
 To yield allegiance due to God, from whom 
 
 Revolted ! You by power divine, perform 
 
 AVhat God intends : The labor yours, as means 
 
 Adapted wise to ends omnipotent ; 
 
 The glory His, and most befitting so : 
 
 Your strength, inadequate to work so vast ; 
 
 Efficiency alone can come from Him ! 
 
 Important still, and glorious toil, to work 
 
 With God, and He with you ! accomplishing 
 
 What angels can not do, nor yet may know, 
 
 As known by you .' What though unknown to those 
 
 Who turn in pride away, reject with scorn 
 
 The message kind, and mark with stern contempt 
 
 Credentials wise the cross you bear ; well known 
 
 Are ye to Him who sends ye forth, and those 
 
 Beloved of Him ! What though despised ; in turn 
 
 They are despised of Him, and turned away 
 
 When most they need, and loudest cry for aid ' 
 
 ' Luke xvi. 31
 
 17 
 
 Resumed the angel : " Abstinence entire 
 
 From wine and stronger drinks, in Him unmoved. 
 
 An advocate shall find, whose precept pure, 
 
 And firm resolve, as equals true, concur ! 
 
 He shall be early with the Spirit filled : 
 
 A preparation for the work of God 
 
 Designed, most gracious and magnificent! 
 
 In deeds by Him performed, Elijah's fire 
 
 Shall be renewed ; his spirit roused ; his zeal 
 
 Revived ; his power exhibited ! For He 
 
 Shall reconcile the father's stubborn heart, 
 
 To sons of cherished hate ! and bitter foes, 
 
 Of alienation long, in fond embrace 
 
 Shall fold each other close, as absent friends 
 
 Returned, are clasped by waiting loved ones, home ! 
 
 For Israel's seed, in numbers large, shall turn 
 
 To God, from sin ; to wisdom just, from folly's course ; 
 
 To true obedience back, from rebel ways ! " 
 
 But Zacharias questioned how the word, 
 
 With solemn sanction given, should be fulfilled 
 
 In order fixed, legitimate the course 
 
 Of nature's law appointed. Stupid man, 
 
 Forgetful of the power which spoke all things 
 
 To being first, in hours of unbelief, 
 
 Will find some things with God impossible ! 
 
 To whom the angel stern replied : "I stand 
 
 Before the Lord! My errand down to earth, 
 
 To make these tidings known and faithless thou ? 
 
 Thy tongue its office shall not do ; thy lips 
 
 Remain in silence closed, until the day 
 
 The promised good shall be enjoyed!" Then flew 
 
 On joyful wing to heaven. The season pass'd. 
 
 The child was born ! The father's tongue unloosed, 
 
 2*
 
 18 
 
 Redeeming time in silence passed, began 
 
 A strain of lofty praise to God : " The God 
 
 Of Israel visits thus His chosen ones, 
 
 Delivering them from foes of hatred deep ; 
 
 Performing promises to our fathers made ; 
 
 Restoring back their palmy days of good, 
 
 When Israel worshipped Him in truth, and none 
 
 Could make afraid ; that we may serve Him now, 
 
 In righteousness and holiness again, as when 
 
 Jerusalem and Judah offered prayer, 
 
 And sacrifice acceptable to Him, 
 
 And pleasant in the former years! Thou, child! 
 
 The prophet of the Highest called, shalt go 
 
 Before the face of Him who comes to bless 
 
 The world with joy unutterable! Thou, 
 
 Preparing ways for Him, who must prepare 
 
 The way for thee ; with joyful heart and tongue, 
 
 Shalt publish far, what thou, thyself hast learned, 
 
 Not in scholastic halls, where science spreads 
 
 Her tempting sweets to mental appetite, 
 
 But from above, by inspiration taught, 
 
 Thou shalt receive the knowledge of the truth 
 
 The Spirit's science taught by Him who sits 
 
 A teacher wise, deep skilled in things divine, 
 
 The Lord, omniscient and omnipotent! 
 
 To give this knowledge to His people, thine 
 
 As organ of communication chosen ; 
 
 And instrument in hand divine, to make 
 
 A preparation wise, appropriate 
 
 For more extended grace. 'Tis also thine, 
 
 As orbs opaque reflect in milder rays 
 
 The sun's bright beams, to pour the softer streams 
 
 Of heavenly light on lands where darkness long 
 
 Has brooded, 'gendering blackness and despair."
 
 19 
 
 Who's thus address'd? This personage, whose birth 
 
 Announced by herald angel's voice ? Is this 
 
 The Christ? Elijah risen? Expected messenger ! 
 
 Elias promised ! John the harbinger 
 
 Of Christ! The twilight gray succeeding night ! 
 
 The day premonished ; day-spring of a morn, 
 
 Whose glories shall eclipse the mid-day sun, 
 
 As when mad Saul, with threatening mischief filled, 
 
 On hellish errand to Damascus sent, 
 
 Distressing saints, delighting fiends, deprived 
 
 Of sight, struck down to earth and overwhelmed 
 
 With awe, with bursting heart for sin's reproach, 
 
 With anxious soul for grace withheld, cried out, 
 
 What must I do ? The porter, opening wide 
 
 The portals of religion's ancient dome : 
 
 Long closed by frowardness, contempt of good, 
 
 Rich blessings richest in the gift of God 
 
 Unthought of, undervalued and despised ; 
 
 Improved not to his glory. Opened now, 
 
 To welcome earth's expected guest from heaven ! 
 
 The voice a theme of prophet's lays of one 
 
 In places solitary, crying loud, 
 
 As thunders roar, or voice of him, who stands 
 
 On sea and land, "Let all prepare his way!* 
 
 Let mountains sink, let valleys rise, let seas 
 
 Retire, wide waters melt away, and earth 
 
 A plain of vastness great become all earth 
 
 Entire, quick changed, in richest beauty dress'd 
 
 That glorious feet, with unobstructed grace, 
 
 And dignity divine, may tread these yet 
 
 Unhallowed paths! " Is this a fancy sketch, 
 
 O'erwrought by hands unpracticed in the art, 
 
 Unstudied and unskilled ? Obtruded on 
 
 ' Luke, iii. 5.
 
 20 
 
 The sight by glaring tints, and harmony 
 
 Despoiled? Be not deceived. The picture's drawn 
 
 By guided hand. A master's draft light, shade, 
 
 And outline his ! Prospective seen and known! 
 
 As beacon light to mariners appears 
 
 In starless night, to guide them safe to port 
 
 Desired, so's light prophetic to the eye 
 
 Of christain faith. All prophecy must stand, 
 
 Shall be fulfilled, in Heaven's appointed time ; 
 
 This now in part, but then, all parts complete. 
 
 The day of judgment day of God, the dread 
 
 Of all who love not Him ; the truth denied, 
 
 The promise disbelived by scoffers bold, 
 
 In latter days ; must first with grandeur come ! 
 
 A grandeur awful, glorious dreadful day ! 
 
 The fiery advent must precede. The earth, 
 
 Old earth, in form must pass away ! The curse 
 
 Pronouced for man's abuse of happiness 
 
 Conferred, must be removed : The early form 
 
 And loveliness of earth restored. What scenes 
 
 Of beauty inexpressible, will charm 
 
 The sense of man renewed capacities 
 
 Unbounded, unrestrained enjoyment's range ! 
 
 O, for a soul of vivid imagery, 
 
 And fire, and master's hand, to paint in bright, 
 
 Enduring form, the beauties, sparkling, rich, 
 
 Unparalleled, which renovated earth, 
 
 In fresh primeval state, will then present ! 
 
 Or which, far better, most desired by minds 
 
 With truth enlightened influence divine 
 
 The powerful breathing of the Holy Ghost, 
 
 To w r aft me o'er the flowing tide of truth, 
 
 Avoiding rocks and shoals on either hand; 
 
 A guide to follow inspiration's track,
 
 21 
 
 That as I pass in rapid course along, 
 
 I may, in numbers sweet as harps of gold, 
 
 To music tuned by holy choirs above, 
 
 Repeat in perfect strains, the glowing songs, 
 
 Once sung by those whose souls were fired by torch 
 
 Of Heaven! The wilderness and desert lands* 
 
 Shall blossom as the rose, (redeemed from sin ;) 
 
 Transition, sudden as the lightning's gleam, 
 
 From sterile gloom, to perfect beauty's dress ; 
 
 Assemblages of beauties, skirted round 
 
 By beauties richer still, and dazzling bright, 
 
 As rubies' countless rays of infinite 
 
 Variety. The fir, renowned of old, 
 
 Instead of thorns shall grow ; the myrtle, fresh 
 
 With fragrance sweet as morning flowers emit, 
 
 In place of briars come : The barren grounds, 
 
 By thirst parched up, where dragons lately dwelt, 
 
 Shall be transformed to fertile, grassy plains, 
 
 With rushes interspersed ; where living streams 
 
 Meandering through with gentle flow, shall lave 
 
 Their verdant shores ! Whence pleasant myrtle groves, 
 
 Exhaling most delicious sweets by day 
 
 No night shall intervene and arbors gay, 
 
 Inviting, cool, where angels might repose 
 
 Shall side by side, continuous range the earth 
 
 Around ! Fair paradisean flowers, exotic once, 
 
 But now indigenous, shall bloom as far 
 
 As customed eye can look, like polished gems 
 
 Of various hue, bright glittering o'er the plains ! 
 
 Each floweret fanned by lambent breeze, soft, pure 
 
 As angel's breath or balmy air of heaven, 
 
 Beneath whose leaves and petals fair, to light 
 
 Congenial spread, no deadly serpent lurks, 
 
 * Isaiah xxxv. and IT.
 
 22 
 
 An enemy to man ! The scorching rays 
 Of noon-tide suns, and mists of darker day, 
 As well as shadows of the night, shall pass 
 As things of other times, away ; and light 
 Subdued and mellow sunless light of Heaven 
 O'er all the scene, from God, shall radiate! 
 The garden of the Lord, and He the light 
 Thereof, amid whose groves and arbors green, 
 Bless'd man, renewed in image lost, may walk 
 With God, as Adam walked in Paradise 
 With Him : communication sweet, ecstatic bliss, 
 And interchange of burning thought, impress'd 
 By love divine, upon the soul, whilst here 
 Imbodied, struggling with the flesh, confined 
 In house of clay, with organs physical, 
 Adapted not to faculties redeem'd, 
 Capacities for bliss and God- like deeds ! 
 
 Then savage beasts shall be subdued. The wolf," 
 
 The lamb's most dreaded foe, voracious, wild, 
 
 Shall sleep among the flock ; the tender kids, 
 
 In quiet shall repose within the grasp 
 
 Of leopards fierce, and fearful once to man ; 
 
 Young lions, fatlings, calves incongruous group 
 
 Together dwell as sportive children, young 
 
 And innocent, of kindred blood and name ! 
 
 The cow and bear at one appointed crib 
 
 Well stored, shall feed ; the lion, dreaded most, 
 
 Because of powers destructive most possess'd, 
 
 As docile then shall be, as yielding ox 
 
 Accustomed to the yoke : And infants weak, 
 
 Unpracticed with the goad, shall guide them well, 
 
 As shepherds lead their flocks ! How great the change ! 
 
 * Isaiah xi. 6
 
 23 
 
 The serpent of his poison dispossess'd, 
 
 Destructiveness in name, and but in name, 
 
 Will then exist ; and dwellers on the earth , 
 
 Excepted none alas ! how many now ! 
 
 Shall know and love the Lord : Delighted most, 
 
 To hold communication with their King 
 
 And Saviour, such as those redeemed from death 
 
 Of body, spirit, both, enjoy. Enjoyed 
 
 Alone, till then, by those who sing the song 
 
 In Heaven peculiar to themselves. Is this 
 
 Millennial glory? Kingdom of the saints, 
 
 A thousand years before the Judge shall come f 
 
 The judgment first ! Shall faith be found on earth* 
 
 When He shall come ? Has He not said that tares 
 
 With wheat together grow till harvest time? 
 
 The harvest of the earth, when wicked men, 
 
 Like vintage ripe, are reaped of God, and crushed 
 
 As grapes are crushed, by his vindictive wrath 1 
 
 Dismissed from present waiting at the throne 
 
 Of Majesty on high, where joyful bow, 
 
 With reverential awe and listening ear, 
 
 To catch divine command, ten thousand sons 
 
 Of light, by twice ten thousand multiplied, 
 
 Gabriel returns to earth ! His errand great 
 
 And glorious ! Heaven rejoiced and man redeem'd ! 
 
 Now shrink to nothing back, and hide your heads 
 
 Ye mighty ones of earth, as reptiles mean 
 
 From light unwelcome ! Gabriel pass them by ! 
 
 Thy visit, long looked for, presaging much 
 
 Of God's intentions, hitherto concealed, 
 
 Shut up in secret cabinet of mind 
 
 Eternal ; big with good or ill to man, 
 
 ' Daniel vii. 2627 : Rev. xi. 1518
 
 24 
 
 Is not for them! God looks upon the heart. 
 
 Those who commend themselves, are not approved, 
 
 But whom the Lord commendeth. Haste away 
 
 To Nazareth. The virgin known of God 
 
 And favored, waits thy coming. Mary, blest 
 
 Among the fair, behold thy visitant! 
 
 Who, eager his great message to reveal, 
 
 With gladden'd haste begins : " Hail favored one! 
 
 The Lord is with thee, fear thou not ! Thou shalt, 
 
 Through intercourse with God, the Holy Ghost, 
 
 Conceive conception wonderful ! unknown 
 
 To earth ! Miraculous, unique, sublime ! 
 
 The incarnation of the Deity ! 
 
 God-head imbodied ! Heaven His presence void, 
 
 If fullness infinite vacuity 
 
 Can know, to give rich plenitude to earth! 
 
 Thou shalt bring forth a son the Son of God ! 
 
 To Him the throne of David shall be given ; 
 
 And He shall reign in righteousness and peace 
 
 O'er Jacob's house forever ! " Then away 
 
 The angel back to Heaven. By custom fixed, 
 
 Ordained of God, and venerated long, 
 
 The virgin was espoused to a man devout 
 
 And well disposed, of David's royal house. 
 
 The nuptials yet unsolemnized, for God 
 
 Had intervened. His great designs, replete 
 
 With bliss to man eternity of bliss, 
 
 In time commenced, and glory to himself 
 
 Resulting, glory brilliant most in what 
 
 Designed for man rich grace exemplified, 
 
 Must first be consummated ! Heaven and earth 
 
 In her must be united! Holy bans ! 
 
 Enduring as eternity! In her 
 
 Conjoined must God and man j these two in one !
 
 25 
 
 One glorious personage, with character 
 Conformed and nature not his own! 
 Assumed, put on as kings put on disguise ! 
 Angelic, nor yet human ; nor divine ; 
 But human and divine united, one! 
 Mystery sublime! God manifest in flesh! 
 He, one in flesh with us, that we with Him, 
 In spirit one, and nature might become ! 
 
 Now Joseph, unadvised of God's design, 
 
 Reluctant stood, meanwhile perplexed, and mused 
 
 As one distress'd, and hesitating much 
 
 With justice what, or honor to himself, 
 
 Or what comport with claims of her betroth'd, 
 
 Should then be done ; nor could he well decide. 
 
 At night, when sleep had sealed his eyes, (not sense 
 
 For truth's reception,) God, who slumbers not, 
 
 Appeared in vision saying : " Fear not thou, 
 
 Nor hesitate. Take Mary to thyself 
 
 As spouse beloved and virtuous as thyself. 
 
 Miraculous to thee and wonderful, 
 
 But not with God, is what thou seest. The child 
 
 An heir of God, and by the Holy Ghost 
 
 Begotten, shall save from sin's accursed power 
 
 His chosen ones ; and Jesus thou shall call 
 
 His name!" The morning came, and with it came 
 
 A brighter day for Joseph. Doubts and fears 
 
 The equipose of mind, distressing state 
 
 To all but sluggish souls, inert where most 
 
 Would be excited, active and awake 
 
 To cause and sequence, else of import slight 
 
 Were now dispelled by voice of God to him 
 
 Addressed, as shades of thickest night dispersed 
 
 Before the light of day ! Thrice happy man ! 
 
 3
 
 26 
 
 Advised of God in case most critical 
 
 And difficult of choice ! Domestic ills, 
 
 With their attendant train of woes accursed, 
 
 Most cruel jealousies and burning strifes, 
 
 And disappointed hopes, with crushed desires 
 
 Of early fancied bliss, for life involved ! 
 
 But happy most in choice, at God's command 
 
 Obedient made. Allied to her whom God 
 
 Had bless'd reputed father of the Son ! 
 
 To be affianced thus, might Gabriel wish, 
 
 If he could covet earthly bliss, or ask 
 
 What mortals may of God. Now Mary's cup 
 
 Of pleasure's filled. A cup no mortal drank 
 
 Before, or shall. Ingredients mixed, and well 
 
 Adjusted to a taste refined by grace 
 
 And intercourse with God. No good desire 
 
 Unsatisfied ; no appetite unfed ; 
 
 No thirst for living waters, deep, unslaked ; 
 
 Perfected bliss! Attainment highest that 
 
 Her state can reach ! Now she seeks, wisely seeks, 
 
 As others of her sex, a confidant 
 
 And friend of kindred blood and mutual choice, 
 
 To whom she may, with added bliss, (because 
 
 She may,) communicate her fullest joy! 
 
 Her object fixed and mind established well, 
 
 With good intent and buoyancy of soul 
 
 She treads with swift untiring feet, the hills 
 
 And dales of her loved native land ; nor rest, 
 
 Nor respite knows until that object's gained. 
 
 The way pursued, enchanting to the eye, 
 
 In nature's wild profusion rich. Bright meads 
 
 Extending far, bedecked with dewdrops fresh, 
 
 Glittering in morning light as diamonds'set, 
 
 Or pearls in crowns of gold, by princes worn ;
 
 27 
 
 The verdant copse, now skirting wide the scene 
 
 Where feathered warbles pour sweet melody 
 
 Unmixed, from nature's fount, (instructed well 
 
 By Him who guides their flight ;) the landscape fair, 
 
 Spread out like painted fields of heathen fame, 
 
 In loveliest view from elevations green, 
 
 Are passed unheeded by ? And soon the place 
 
 Desired, is near, and she with beating heart, 
 
 At cottage door beloved, in waiting stands, 
 
 The customed saluation to receive. 
 
 The greeting welcome, oft received and given, 
 
 Not now received. Not one that custom makes 
 
 Respectful and expected greeting which 
 
 The Holy Ghost inspired : " Hail, Mary, blest! 
 
 Of women blest in what thou hast believed, 
 
 Most richly blest, and what received of God ! 
 
 The promise given to thee, most gracious, freely given, 
 
 Embracing what the prophets sung, and kings 
 
 Have waited long to see, shall be redeemed. 
 
 Why am I honored thus ? More honored far, 
 
 Than David's royal line of sceptred ones, 
 
 To Zedekiah last, till heir of God 
 
 Appointed. Honor more than man bestows 
 
 On fellow man, with pageantry of earth, 
 
 In triumph given for deeds of valor done ; 
 
 Or visit royal, state and equipage 
 
 Befitting, made to those of equal grade 
 
 The mother of my Lord hath come !" To whom 
 
 Responded Mary, thus : " My soul enlarged, 
 
 Doth magnify the Lord, as mediums fit, 
 
 From earth's position viewed, do magnify 
 
 The orbs of heaven! My spirit hath rejoiced : 
 
 Unspeakable my joy ! Chosen of God, 
 
 In low estate, and visited of Him !
 
 28 
 
 From hence, not only thou, but nations great r 
 
 Shall bless the mother for the Son, more blest ! 
 
 He, who is mighty to subdue His foes, 
 
 To favor friends, ordains it so. Holy, He, 
 
 And reverend be His name ! His mercy great, 
 
 From generations gone to end of time, 
 
 Is shown to those who fear His name ; not those 
 
 Who proudly soar in vain, imagined flights, 
 
 Above their wingless fellow tribes ; above 
 
 Whose grade they cannot soar, but ever doomed 
 
 The same reality's degree in spite 
 
 Of unavailing efforts, madly made, 
 
 Repeated oft, and still the same. Such men 
 
 Are scattered by His arm, as lightnings dread 
 
 Are scattered from the cloud ; as chaff is blown 
 
 Before the storm ! In their own net they're taken! 
 
 Cast down in guilty, vain imaginings ! 
 
 With triumph flushed, where's yielded honor less 
 
 To victor, than to vanquished. Triumph base, 
 
 Infernal, o'er the poor, enslaved, oppressed, 
 
 And friendless ; here, among the just condemn'd, 
 
 Reproachful, cruel ; celebrated loud 
 
 In hell, with most malignant jubilee I 
 
 His arm is strong revealed, in justice bared, 
 
 To humble those exalted ; raise to seats 
 
 Of power and honor, those cast down, oppressed : 
 
 To fill the poor with good, and others turn 
 
 The rich and proud, who look within themselves 
 
 For good away, unsatisfied, despised !" 
 
 The King of kings, and King invisible, 
 
 By power unknown, contemned, by few confess'd, 
 
 His sceptre sways o'er earth as well as heaven. 
 
 Vile man, in all the universe, is led 
 
 By hand unseen through life's extent, is led
 
 29 
 
 On earth denied, in hell acknowledged, felt ! 
 
 His wrath's restrained, and turned from mad designs 
 
 Against designs omnipotent, divine ; 
 
 As proud Sennacherib was turned, by hook 
 
 Of God, and led from spoil and conquest plann'd 
 
 Against Jerusalem ! From motives base, 
 
 And selfish ends, man oft unwittingly 
 
 Co-operales with God, effecting what 
 
 His purpose fixed, whose word as pledged by man 
 
 Inspired, in things minute shall faithful stand, 
 
 And prove His prescience clear : " Thou Bethlehem,* 
 
 Of Judah, small, not least ; for out of thee 
 
 The Governor shall come, as Prince to rule 
 
 My people well!" To this must Caesar's law 
 
 Conform. 0, monarch great ! Augustus named! 
 
 August thyself, in vain conception thine ; 
 
 Ambitious. Worm thou art in sight of God! 
 
 Thy great designs, encircling policy 
 
 Of state extended ; policy in which 
 
 The good or ill of many is involved, 
 
 And government of empire vast, of right 
 
 Administered ; thy splendid plans promulged, 
 
 Promote, unknown to thee, the cause of God! 
 
 Now Israel's tributary host, oppressed, 
 
 Submissive to the Roman yoke, imposed 
 
 As chastisement divine, obedient each 
 
 To Caesar's wide decree, repair to place 
 
 Respective natal origin and house, 
 
 To render tribute to their king. A group 
 
 Of opposite varieties : The man 
 
 Of age and judgment fixed ; the child of days 
 
 * Matthew ii. 6. 
 
 3*
 
 30 
 
 And mind expansive ; volatile and staid ; 
 
 Illiterate and learned ; polite and rude ; 
 
 The credulous and sceptical ; the rich 
 
 And poor ; religious, irreligious all 
 
 With one desire impell'd. Among the crowd, 
 
 Were two, by higher, holier motive led ; 
 
 A modest pair intent to honor God, 
 
 By honoring His behest to honor kings ! 
 
 Quite unobstrusive they, and less observed, 
 
 Than those of forward mien. Unknown to most, 
 
 Yet known of God important links in chain 
 
 Of His design to bless the world ! O, God ! 
 
 Mysterious Thou, and none can trace Thy ways ; 
 
 Thy home is in the whirlwind and the cloud, 
 
 Thy footsteps trackless, and Thy paths unknown! 
 
 The weary pair arrive at Bethlehem, 
 
 But luckless, find no room, where others find 
 
 A goodly fare, for compensation paid! 
 
 No costly lodging theirs! No stately pomp, 
 
 By citizens of David's ancient town 
 
 Displayed, to welcome strangers eminent 
 
 With God ! A stall their lodging place ! A place 
 
 For cattle fitted ! Be astonished earth, 
 
 Ungrateful to your King Here Christ was born! 
 
 No furnished nursery's attendant state, 
 
 Nor splendid style, nor festive season gay ; 
 
 Nor gratulations meet, to princes given 
 
 Of meaner name, by right of royalty 
 
 Received ; in adulation blind bestowed ! 
 
 His pillow coarse, the refuse straw ; His bed, 
 
 The manger rude, where oxen fed ! No peal* 
 
 Of acclamation break upon the ear, 
 
 Nor demonstrations joyous fill the air, 
 
 To mark the spot, and solemnize the deed !
 
 31 
 
 Vet celebrated round the throne of God 
 
 And marked, an era new to earth and heaven ! 
 
 The burning sun his ever circling car, 
 
 Down earth's declivity had rolled ; his light 
 
 Trailing afar, bright gilding nature's scenes, 
 
 Had fled away and left instead, the gloom 
 
 Of night to settle down on Palestine : 
 
 A company of shepherds silent sat, 
 
 And watched their resting flocks. They led them forth 
 
 By day, to graze along the streams, and feed 
 
 Amid refreshing meads ; at night they watched 
 
 With care, lest ravening wolves, with eagar haste, 
 
 Should waste their charge defenceless image fit, 
 
 To shadow forth the Saviour's care for sheep, 
 
 Redeemed by him with price of blood ! To these, 
 
 Employed to watch their flocks the patriarchs 
 
 Were such, and loved of God the Lord appeared! . 
 
 As when by him on Patmos seen, or him, 
 
 At Horeb's mount ; the angel his, who came, 
 
 As representative of Deity ! 
 
 Celestial light the glory of the Lord, 
 
 Which rested on the camp in cloudy form, 
 
 And marked the way by night, as fiery guide, 
 
 To marching Israel's host His presence now 
 
 Revealed ! As Moses at the mount of God, 
 
 These men affrighted, trembling stood. To whom 
 
 The angel : " Fear ye not ; behold I bring 
 
 You tidings good and joyous ; tidings great ! 
 
 To earth's extent and end of time embraced, 
 
 By all expectants of the promised good 
 
 Messiah's advent ! Born to you this day, 
 
 Is Christ the Lord ; at David's city born !" 
 
 Then quick as angel's flight, the song of Heaven, 
 
 Was thence transferred to earth : A multitude
 
 32 
 
 Of heavenly habitants were praising God, 
 
 In notes celestial ; grateful to the ear 
 
 Of Him whose praise they sing. Anthem of God ! 
 
 Sung before time began ; again, when earth, 
 
 From chaos rose, in Eden's beauty dress'd ; 
 
 And now, with added notes of harmony, 
 
 Revised in Heaven! Angelic choir on earth! 
 
 Ye shepherds wonder ! Mountains echo back 
 
 The sounds seraphic ! Hark ! How exquisite 
 
 The strains ! as thunders, loud ; as trumpets, shrill ; 
 
 Yet soft as breath of God, they roll along, 
 
 As sweetly borne, in peals successive borne 
 
 Upon the midnight air ! The counterpart 
 
 Was sung in Heaven ; harmonious sung, by all 
 
 The sons of God, with those of earth ; in this 
 
 Alone harmonious : The occasion fit, 
 
 To wake the slumbering lyres of Heaven ; so long 
 
 By sins of earth imposed to silence dread, 
 
 Because no door of hope was opened there 
 
 For guilty man ! Ye holy choirs of God ! 
 
 Reserve your songs for triumphs of his Son : 
 
 Triumphs which soon shall wake the songs of earth, 
 
 For man shall join in concert with yourselves ; 
 
 Eternal, joyous concert j once commenced 
 
 Shall never cease, but each continuous note, 
 
 Original, add interest to the whole ! 
 
 His praise deserved, appropriate, ye well 
 
 Have sung ; His glory seen by you above ; 
 
 To Him ye bowed and hallelujahs sung, 
 
 Before He left the throne to dwell with man ! 
 
 The burden of this song, unknown, unsung 
 On earth before, was sung to celebrate 
 A day of peace and glory to the world !
 
 33 
 
 From Abel's death the martyr first, who fell 
 
 By brother's hand accursed, the work of hell 
 
 On earth commenced till now, Messiah's birth, 
 
 The blood of murderous murdered sires, has cried 
 
 From thirsty grounds, which drank its flowing streams 
 
 And garnered them as witness of their deeds, 
 
 For vengeance on the sons ! Thus, earth, enriched 
 
 With blood of man, has reaped a harvest ripe, 
 
 Of wars successive, murders multiplied, 
 
 And horrors dire, as fruit legitimate ! 
 
 No hostile legions now with heavy tread, 
 
 Moving to meet the hated foe, shall shake 
 
 The solid earth, or sweep like autumn's storms, 
 
 With angry blast, o'er cultured plains ; nor dread 
 
 Imperial hosts with vengeance fired, march forth 
 
 Against provincial foes enslaved at most, 
 
 Not conquered j won by friendship, not by chains 
 
 But Peace, like mercy's angel, winged in heaven, 
 
 Delighted spreads her pinions o'er the earth ! 
 
 From old Euphrates to Atlantic's shore, 
 
 No cry to arms alarms the timid soul, 
 
 Or courage frantic breathes in bolder hearts ! 
 
 No martial bugle breaks the quiet air, 
 
 With strains of dissonance to earth and heaven, 
 
 Which rudely give the fearful note of war 
 
 Of havoc wild, and thousands slain ; for Peace 
 
 Her olive sceptre holds, and earth obeys ! 
 
 The temple consecrate to Peace at Rome 
 
 Strange offering for a nation bred to arms 
 
 Is closed, betokening good! " Pacific age !" 
 
 The adumbration of Messiah's reign ! 
 
 If ought of earthly policy, or state, 
 
 May show the glories of that kingdom forth, 
 
 Where peace of God, from him derived, begets
 
 34 
 
 As motive pure, each thought, each bosom swells, 
 As spring impulsive moves all hearts to deeds 
 Of love and joy, and holy consonance ! 
 
 The shepherds heard the message sent from God 
 And pondered, as did Mary, what they heard. 
 A Saviour born! at Bethlehem! the Christ, 
 Whose advent once was sung by bards of old ! 
 This truth, so strange, communicated thus, 
 Aroused their torpid minds to active state, 
 And energy determinate. As when 
 By martial music roused, the war-horse trained, 
 To battle leaps impetuous ; so haste 
 These men to Bethlehem, where Jesus lay! 
 Their flocks were left in care of Him who cares 
 For all, and provident for all in wide 
 Creation's range, from insects small, that hum 
 His praise in groveling strains, to angels high, 
 Who strike the lyres of God. Their thoughts 
 Were turned to Him the chief of shepherds born, 
 And sheep of pasture His. The Spirit taught 
 Them thus to think, and led them to the place 
 Announced. The infant Saviour there they saw ! 
 Their eyes with rapture lingered on the babe 
 The embryo perfections of their Lord 
 As on some scene enchanting ! Nor could they 
 Well forbear ; innocence, nay, Heaven itself 
 Was pictured there, in lineament and form ! 
 The smile of love, unearthly love, played round 
 His lip of rosy sweetness, as soft winds 
 Around earth's gayest blossoms ; and His eye 
 Expressive, beamed with new delight, by man 
 Not understood, by angels seen, not known- 
 Delight to do his Father's will to live
 
 35 
 
 On earth a life of sorrow, sorrow more 
 
 Than man can suffer or conceive ; to die 
 
 A death that death, can pencil paint, or pen 
 
 Describe? accursed, glorious death ; of man 
 
 Reproached, of God exalted, glorified ! 
 
 They gazed and felt, and caught the glow of Heaven f 
 
 And then returned, rejoicing as they went, 
 
 Ascribing praise to God, and glory new ! 
 
 The consequence as constant as the cause 
 
 Unvarying, they published what they saw. 
 
 As Philip, when he found the one of whom 
 
 The prophets wrote, to others said, " Come see !" 
 
 The woman to Samaria's sons, when she 
 
 The Saviour saw and heard at Jacob's well, 
 
 " Come see the man ;" so every one who sees 
 
 And hears the Son of God with faith, will ope 
 
 For God, his mouth, and speak for Him, in praise 
 
 Of grace bestowed, and life received ; for this 
 
 Is life, to know Jehovah and His Son ! 
 
 The joyful parents, grateful to their God, 
 Present with prudent haste, the child to Him,* 
 As was required by law which Moses gave : 
 That first born males were holy to the Lord 
 And His peculiar sons, unless redeemed 
 By price determined ; and exempted thence 
 From service Levi's sons performed by choice 
 Of God, instead of those first sanctified 
 To Him, and ransomed from Egyptian chains. t 
 The Son of God was sanctified to Him 
 For service none but He could do ! No price, 
 Or ransom paid, exemption claims for Him 
 From gracious work man's lost estate requires. 
 
 * Exodus xiii- 2. t Numbers viii. 1418-
 
 36 
 
 Nor would He seek exemption, where accrues 
 
 No privilege, but privilege to yield 
 
 Subjection liability engaged 
 
 By Him, 'in covenant eternal made. 
 
 His work, to magnify the law of God,* 
 
 By passive sufferance first, obedience then, 
 
 And voluntary. Jesus was redeemed, 
 
 As first-born sons from priestly service due. 
 
 Made under law and subject to the law, 
 
 In Him the law must be fulfilled, and have 
 
 Through Him. for righteousness, an end to all 
 
 Believers in His name those justified 
 
 Of God, acquitted thus through perfect grace .' 
 
 Now Simeon blest, a man devout and just, 
 
 Who waited long for Israel's hope and joy, 
 
 Was by the Spirit led to approach the courts 
 
 Of God, where sacrifice was offered up 
 
 To Him for Jesus' sake the customed gift, 
 
 For sons redeemed. To him it was revealed 
 
 That he should see the Christ before his death 
 
 Should come, though aged then, and feebly burned 
 
 The lamp of Ife ! He took the child and said 
 
 He spoke as one inspired of God : " Now let 
 
 Thy servant, Lord, depart in peace, as Thou 
 
 Hast said. I have Thy great salvation seen, 
 
 As man's desires, and great as Thou art great ! 
 
 Where man is lost, where sin is found, as wide 
 
 As heaven and deep as hell ; to ends of earth 
 
 Extended. Light of God to lighten man ; 
 
 Prepared before the face of all, to shine 
 
 On all the Gentile lands, neglected long 
 
 And far from God, as well as Jews brought nigh ; 
 
 ' Numbers zviii. 1516 : Lake ii. 24.
 
 37 
 
 Those favored long with oracles divine. 
 The book of God and sacrifices blest, 
 Communications new and prophets wise, 
 To point the way to Him. The far off now 
 Brought near, shall be the heirs of life with Christ!" 
 
 The parents wondered much at what was said 
 
 Of Him, their Son. The good man blest them both, 
 
 Then to the mother said : "A sword shall pierce 
 
 Thee through, when He by wicked hands is slain! 
 
 Then shall thou feel a mother's love a love 
 
 Excessive, not misplaced, on such a Son 
 
 As daggers piercing through thy soul ! Then thou 
 
 Shalt see Him, not as Son of God by faith, 
 
 For thee expiring ; but thy own dear Son, 
 
 By brutal men destroyed ! And faultless He ; 
 
 Destroyed to gratify malicious foes ! 
 
 Thy heart shall bleed, but He, the Son of God 
 
 Shall hold thee up and bind thy broken heart ! 
 
 He shall be spoken of as sign of ill,* 
 
 And omen of the nation's fall ! By Him 
 
 Shall many fall in Israel ; others rise. 
 
 The first be last, and last be first : For last 
 
 Shall Israel rise again. Rejected first, 
 
 For first rejecting Him ; received again, 
 
 The living from the dead ! Their fulness hence, t 
 
 When Gentile fulness ends, and blindness long 
 
 Judicial curse for imprecations bold 
 
 And blasphemous shall be removed ; the veil 
 
 Taken off, and they with joy behold their own 
 
 Messiah as he is ! Dispersed and peeledj 
 
 Among the nations round, as God hath said, 
 
 ' Luke ii. 34. t Rom. xi. ch. J Deut. xxx. 110. 
 
 4
 
 38 
 
 They shall be gathered thence in latter days, 
 
 And settled on their old estates the land 
 
 Their fathers occupied. To Abra'm promised first. 
 
 And to his seed, in generations theirs,* 
 
 To end of time ! Then will He be their God 
 
 Again, forever theirs ! Dispersed no more ! 
 
 Reproached no more! Their day of glory come ! "t 
 
 The old man ended here, his message sealed, 
 
 And calmly waited for the approach of death I 
 
 What scenes of novel joy will greet the eye ! 
 
 New beauties rise along the ancient plains, 
 
 In quick succession rise, like shifting scenes 
 
 In fancied dramas painted ! Barren lands^ 
 
 Grown rich and fertile, tilled again and sown ; 
 
 As Eden yielding fragrant flowers, and more 
 
 Substantial fruit ; new cities built, unwalled 
 
 And safe, with neither bars nor gates to ward 
 
 The foe ; Jerusalem inhabited 
 
 Again in former place, and called the throne 
 
 Of God ; the holy place, where tribes devout 
 
 Shall worship Him in truth, through Christ His Son! 
 
 The sons of strangers then shall build their walls, || 
 
 And dress their vines ,- come bending at their feet, 
 
 In servile office waiting ! Robb'd of them 
 
 Before, they robb'd in turn, shall minister 
 
 To wants of those they crushed ! They shall not plant * 
 
 And others eat j to them again the vine 
 
 Shall yield its fruit nutritious. Safely they 
 
 Shall dwell and safely worship God, in form 
 
 And pattern primitive the church of Christ,** 
 
 * Gen. xvii. 8. Ezk. xxxvii. 11. IT Isaiah Ixv. 21-22. 
 
 t Ezk. xxxvi. | Isaiah be. 10. ** Jerem. iii. 15-18 
 
 t Ezk. xxxvi. 8-12.
 
 39 
 
 Apostles built ! Then men of heathen name, 
 
 Of languages and nations far, shall hold 
 
 The skirts of hasting Jews with deadly grasp,, 
 
 Whilst they imploring say, " We'll go with you 
 
 To repossess the land there God shall dwell !"* 
 
 The jubilee to Israel promised long ; 
 
 To Gentiles never ! blessings which these now 
 
 Enjoy, and richly, end when glorious daysf 
 
 To Jews commence ! The Saviour's looked for reignt 
 
 On earth, is promised where, before the Lord 
 
 As Judge shall come? Earth's jubilee entire, 
 
 When anti-Christ shall cease ! The prophet false, 
 
 And beast shall fall, the judgment set, and they 
 
 In righteous sentence doomed, together writhe 
 
 And rage, eternal in the burning lake ! 
 
 And then shall sound the trump of God, the trump 
 
 Of final doom to man ; and voices great, 
 
 In heaven proclaim the universal reign 
 
 Of Christ ! Till then shall Satan live ; nor taste 
 
 The second death prepared, until this day 
 
 Of glory's passed the thousand years of peace 
 
 On earth ! But shorn of strength, and glory spoiled, 
 
 As chieftain dread of hellish hosts, no power 
 
 Shall then possess to push the nations on 
 
 To fierce encounter! Swords to ploughshares turned, || 
 
 Shall pierce the soil instead of man, and spears 
 
 To hooks, the vine shall dress, nor drink man's blood 
 
 Again, till Satan loosed from prison comes ; 
 
 And comes to those, who dwell in Gentile lands, 
 
 To urge them on to war and spoil desired ! 
 
 Then ploughshares back to swords, and hooks to spears, 
 
 Those instruments of death, shall quick be changed, 
 
 Zeck. viii. 23. J 2 Tim. iv. 1. II Joel iii. 10, and Isaiah 
 
 * Dcut. xxx 7 : Hosea iii. 4-5. Rev. xi. 15. ii. 4.
 
 40 
 
 And hosts untold of mighty men, as led 
 
 By him, shall march against Jerusalem !* 
 
 With martial pomp and warlike dread, shall come 
 
 In long and threatening lines drawn out, as when 
 
 A cloud of wide extent and big with storm 
 
 The lightning's flash and distant thunder's roar 
 
 Rising with tempest's flight, begets deep fear 
 
 And quailing horrors in the soul ! The last 
 
 Great armament of earth ! Earth's strength combined 
 
 Against Almighty God aad Israel's host I 
 
 The city aad the camp of saints beloved, 
 
 They will intrench encouraged by what's gained 
 
 To daring fight and desperation bold ! 
 
 But God shall fight for Israel: Weapons aimed 
 
 At those He loves, shall turn aside, or fall 
 
 As harmless down as leaves of autumn fall 
 
 To earth's soft bosom, shaken by the wind ; 
 
 For He shall rain upon their bands, from heavenf 
 
 An overflowing storm of hailstones great, 
 
 And fire with brimstone mingled ! They shall fall 
 
 Their hosts entire, upon the mountain tops, 
 
 A prey for ravening beasts the sacrifice 
 
 Of God for them ! Here ends, forever ends, 
 
 The power of earth and hell to strive with God ! 
 
 * Ezk. xxxviii. * Ezk. xxxviii. 22 : Rer. xx. 9
 
 SATAN CONQUERED, dec. 
 BOOK II.
 
 And the child grew tmd waxed strong in spirit, filled with 
 Wisdom ; and the Grace of God was upon Him. 
 
 LUKE ii. 40 
 
 Though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience. 
 
 HEB. v. a 
 
 For it became Him * * * * to make the Captain of 
 their salvation, perfect through suffering. 
 
 MSB ii. 10.
 
 BOOK II. 
 
 THOU God of Jacob, thee I now invoke ! 
 
 Impress Thy truth upon my heart, for truth 
 
 I sing ; all else is chaff Thy breath shall drive 
 
 Away. All guises false shall thou tear off 
 
 From truth essential, as habiliments 
 
 Of man's invention, clothing that which needs 
 
 No clothing ; naked best and beautiful 
 
 Appears to Thee. With simple truth my heart 
 
 Impress, that unadorned emissions thence 
 
 May come to touch the heart. Enlighten Thou 
 
 My mind, and guide, that I may walk in paths 
 
 Thy word has marked. In heavenly light may walk, 
 
 And others trace the footsteps clear of Him 
 
 Who goes before ; nor deviate in all 
 
 The way that leads through Christ to Thee. Of Thee 
 
 Thy truth is honored ; man for holding truth. 
 
 The truth let me not sink by this attempt 
 
 At verse unpolished by the rules of art ; 
 
 But me inspire and elevate my strains, 
 
 Unworthy else of such a theme. As barks 
 
 Ill-formed, whose shadows rude in mirrored face 
 
 Of waters seen, are carried o'er the deep, 
 
 And yet no trace remains ; so would I pass 
 
 Through depths profound and oceans vast, and leave 
 
 The truth's unruffled surface still behind ! 
 
 For I would sing of Christ, my Lord : On earth 
 
 Would sing, and sing in heaven ! But chiefly now, 
 
 The path He trod from infant days of peace, 
 
 To manhood's rugged years and thorny ways !
 
 44 
 
 The prophets, bards of God, His praises sung. 
 
 And distant nations caught the strains inspired." 
 
 As round the world they rolled! The classic bards, 
 
 With feeble light and mimic song, attuned 
 
 Their harps to praise of Him unknown the one 
 
 To come, and usher in a golden age ! 
 
 And wise men too, expectants stood : by faith 
 
 Or half imagined hope, they looked for One 
 
 Of wisdom great and royal power, to found 
 
 By right, a school, which as a fountain pure, 
 
 Should send its streams of true philosophy 
 
 Surpassing theirs, to heal the world ! They saw 
 
 His star, the guiding star of God, and came] 
 
 Inquiring where the Christ was born the King 
 
 They came to worship ! Bowed before Him then 
 
 And offered frankincense and gold, and myrrh 
 
 To Him, who needs nor wealth, nor gold ; but thus 
 
 They worshipp'd. blindly worshipp'd Him. their Lord, 
 
 Who asks alone the homage of the heart ! 
 
 Where this withheld, all else of sacrifice 
 
 Is vain and hypocritical ; to Him 
 
 Disloyal and unjust, as offered bribe, 
 
 Insulting to His majesty and truth! 
 
 Now Herod troubled, and Jerusalem 
 By Satan moved to jealousy and hate 
 Behold in Him a certain rival born j 
 Competitor for regal honors, such 
 As earth bestows ! Mistaken men ! Praise more 
 Exalted, and of nobler name, demands 
 From Him attention ; kingly honor's grade, 
 Above mock majesty of earth, as God 
 
 * Rom. x. 13
 
 Above the meanest creature formed! Aspire 
 
 To Herod's throne He could not stained with blood ! 
 
 Though King of Jews was born and Heir of right ! 
 
 Polluted, guilty honors ! Thrones and powers 
 
 And principalities are His ! His throne 
 
 Eternal ! Hence the Spirit to Him thus : 
 
 (t Thy throne, O God, forever, ever stands: 
 
 A sceptre Thine of righteousness and truth ; 
 
 These hast Thou loved, iniquity despised, 
 
 So God annointed Thee with gladdening oil, 
 
 Above the kings of earth ! In perfect form 
 
 The worlds by Thee were made, and supple wing'd, 
 
 To speed through airy fields their onward flight! 
 
 They all shall perish ; feeble grow with age, 
 
 Their fashion change, their glories fade away ! 
 
 But Thou, nor age, nor change shall know ! Thy years 
 
 As deep, unfathomed seas, eternal flow!"* 
 
 Vain man, to fancy Him a rival born ! 
 
 How vain ! Guilty and fearful, deep perplexed, 
 
 Like others of his fellows, sinful men, 
 
 Not quiet on their thrones, he asked of scribes 
 
 And others skilled in prophet's word, where Christ 
 
 Must be ; and strictly bade the wise men search, 
 
 And diligent, till Him they found, that He 
 
 Might sacrifice not worship sacrifice 
 
 The Lord himself ! Presumptuous man ! Would blast 
 
 Earth's brightest hopes, untune the harps of heaven, 
 
 And wake the jarring notes of joy in hell ! 
 
 But him shall God despise and disappoint ! 
 
 The wise men sought and found. The King of kings 
 
 They worshipp'd, and returned. So him they mocked, 
 
 Nor did what he required. Now Herod roused 
 
 fleb. i. 8-12.
 
 46 
 
 To anger fierce, as greedy lion robbed 
 
 Of prey, sends out his myrmidons to slay 
 
 With cruel hands the babes of Bethlehem ! 
 
 Who, innocent, knew ill nor good, nor had 
 
 But then plurality of years attained, 
 
 As greatest age ; above they did not go, 
 
 But downward thence to infants born ! What scenes 
 
 Of horror meet the eye, and wring the heart ! 
 
 Enraged, these slaves of Herod's lust, and slaves 
 
 To lust their own as well foul fiends disguised 
 
 In manhood's form, with devilish minds intent, 
 
 By sins long practised blackest deeds of blood 
 
 Emboldened enter dwellings where till now, 
 
 No fear of ills at hand, the inmates' hearts 
 
 Had ever filled ; here snatch from mother's arms 
 
 And fond embrace, the clinging child, to death 
 
 Consigned! Unhappy mothers ! doomed to see 
 
 Their children torn from them and slain, by men 
 
 (If men they were, I blush to call them such,) 
 
 Of iron hearts, with whom nor tears, nor prayers 
 
 Prevail ! Thrice happy babes ! from all the ills 
 
 Of life at once removed ! Nor bless'd in this 
 
 Alone for Christ's sake slain, for Christ's sake bless'd. 
 
 As martyrs, though unconscious they in works 
 
 Or faith, and passive in the deed ! A voice 
 
 Is heard in Ramah ! Mother's frantic moan* 
 
 And wailing loud, for children gone ! In this 
 
 Is seen the word prophetic. Rachel dead 
 
 Her tomb was there seemed weeping then, instead 
 
 Of mothers crushed, bereaved and comfortless, 
 
 Address'd of God: " Refrain thy voice, thy eyes 
 
 Refrain from tears ; the enemy shall hold 
 
 Thy babes imprisoned long, but smiling hope 
 
 ' Jeremiah xxxi. 15 : Match, ii. 17-13
 
 47 
 
 The end shall crown Thy loved ones shall return/" 
 Thus Satan stood, the Old Dragon named in word 
 Apocalyptic ; ready stood, with jaws 
 Distended wide, and hellish appetite 
 Voracious, to devour the child when born! 
 
 ' Twas night in Eastern lands, and such a night, 
 
 Aside from incidents important, strange 
 
 Economy of God, unfolded there 
 
 As oft they saw : But now among the stars 
 
 The cloudless moon, in queenly majesty 
 
 Looked down on Bethlehem ; benignly look'd 
 
 As on the scene of God's great drama, laid 
 
 On earth, to end in heaven ! Attracting now 
 
 The gaze intense of sainted hosts above, 
 
 And vast concentred energies of mind 
 
 Eternal ! Joseph then, unconscious quite 
 
 Of danger nigh for who could dream that he 
 
 Need fear the tyrant's hate ? in quiet slept, 
 
 When God in vision came and turned his thoughts 
 
 To heavenly musing ! Warned of him but not 
 
 Alarmed that Herod sought the young child's life ! 
 
 And straitly charged to flee in haste away 
 
 From pending ills ! So Joseph quick arose, 
 
 Nor waited for the welcome morn, but fled 
 
 To Egypt safe, with Mary and the child ! 
 
 Prohibited return till Herod's death ; 
 
 For him did God abhor as wicked man, 
 
 For fiendish acts and persecutions oft, 
 
 Against his people done ! Nor this alone, 
 
 As hypocritical and vain in works 
 
 Of piety pretended ! Ardent love 
 
 Of fame posthumous ; pride, the motive base, 
 
 (Not love to God, the motive pure and bless'd,)
 
 Induced the work of magnitude, by him 
 
 Performed, and consecrate to God most High ! 
 
 The temple glorious edifice rebuilt, 
 
 Adorned with gold and evil treasured wealth ; 
 
 Amass'd by power and cankered by the tears 
 
 And blood of those oppress'd ; so deep and dark, 
 
 No acts devotional of outward show 
 
 Can wipe the stain away ; but witness true 
 
 At judgment day shall stand, and speak for God, 
 
 In justice of his deep damnation fixed ! 
 
 God's holy anger now, like waters pent, 
 
 Accumulated long, with whelming force 
 
 And fury burst, to sweep from earth the man 
 
 Who dared to persecute his infant Son ! 
 
 Anon disease, disgusting, foul disease, 
 
 With horrid feature came, and threatening mien, 
 
 As strong man armed, to attack the citadel 
 
 Of life ! A raging fire by process slow 
 
 His vitals burned. A fire which lived by what 
 
 It fed on appetite unsatisfied ; 
 
 Demanding food as fuel to the flame, 
 
 And yet unsatisfied : but burning more, 
 
 The more was fed, till all consumed ! So died 
 
 This wretched man, an enemy to God ! 
 
 Then Joseph came with Mary and the child 
 
 To Nazareth ; that he a Nazarene 
 
 Should thence be called, as prophet's word foretold.* 
 
 As eastern sages bowed to Jesus, King, 
 So must their wisdom bow to Him. " The world 
 By wisdom knew not God." A teacher sent 
 From Him and qualified by Him, must come 
 To teach the way to Him ; instructed well 
 * Math. ii. 23.
 
 49 
 
 And trained in school of God. Philosophy 
 Unsanctified, did oft o'erleap its bounds. 
 (For sound philosophy its circle had, 
 Of truth and usefulness to man ;) assume 
 The place of revelation pure, and claim 
 To teach instead of God, how happiness 
 Could be attained on earth, and how attained 
 In heaven! So turning from the path which God 
 Designed, and lighted by His providence 
 And truth the only way to eminence, 
 Of good report with Him, and valued high ; 
 And usefulness, and all that's loved of Him 
 On earth it madly plunged its votaries down 
 The darkest maze of thought perplex'd, and thought 
 Disparted from its hand-maid sense, and thought 
 Refined by contact with its kindred thought, 
 Without external test of sober things ; 
 Till whelm'd at last in vortex vast of vain 
 Abstractions, endless as the unfathomed pit, 
 Whence none could e'er return to reason's light, 
 Or light of God ; but rayless night their doom 
 Unending ! Final doom of all, who cast 
 From them the truth of God, and follow guides 
 Of unassisted reason's choice ! But what 
 Was strange and unaccountable to those, 
 Who held the lamp of truth, and saw in light 
 Divine, the way they trod , such men seemed pleased 
 With darkness more than light ; with falsehood, more 
 Than truth ; with vain imagined proofs in place 
 Of inference fair, or logical induction made, 
 As sequence strong ! And when the darkness came 
 They thought 'twas light. And what was truth, to them 
 Sheer falsehood seemed : So when philosophy 
 That's worth the name, on speedy wing did flee 
 5
 
 50 
 
 Their grasp, they knew it not. When wisdom fled 
 
 And virtue fled, they bolder grew, and claimed 
 
 All wisdom, virtue, and acquaintanceship 
 
 With God! Thus whilst professing wisdom theirs-, 
 
 And virtue theirs, excluding others else, 
 
 Whom they discipled not, the Lord pronounced 
 
 Them fools, and mocked their efforts weak 
 
 To find Him out, because in haughtiness 
 
 Of heart and mind, with empty knowledge pufPd, 
 
 They closed their eyes against the light He gave ! 
 
 Of Atheist stamp were some, who stoutly held 
 
 And loud proclaimed, that God's fair universe 
 
 From atoms came fortuitous ; and formed 
 
 Itself with shape designed intelligence 
 
 Impress'd as 'tis to observation clear, 
 
 Of minds untangled with such madmen's creeds. 
 
 They did not firm deny the gods a place 
 
 In their divinity, yet thought them weak 
 
 And unacquainted with the affairs of man ; 
 
 Or unconcerned about his state. And taught 
 That souls were mortal too, like bodies born, 
 
 And so to death were subject and decay ! 
 
 Suppose this dogma true ; then what is man ? 
 
 A worm ! Yes, less than worm ! For its brief day 
 
 Is o'er in shorter space. In labor less, 
 
 And less amount of evil here endures! 
 
 A worm as he is mortal is confess'd, 
 
 And kindred owns with habitants of dust t 
 
 Immortal too in mind ; in principle 
 
 Allied to Heaven, and to infinity 
 
 Allied ! With angel flight he soars above 
 
 Material things, and claims affinity 
 
 With God ! Who immortality alone 
 
 Doth claim essential to himself, but breathed
 
 At first the gift in man a living soul ! 
 
 Fit deity for worshippers so blind : 
 
 Who sought as highest good, indulgence base 
 
 Of animal desire ! At whose low shrine 
 
 Must virtue minister ; nor be pursued, 
 
 But as it pleasure gave, and gave reward 
 
 To appetite, or lust ungratified ! 
 
 Nor was abstemiousness a virtue prized, 
 
 But as excess unfitted for the end 
 
 In view to pamper flesh and slay the soul! 
 
 And others, wiser in their own esteem, 
 
 Yet lax in morals, and in manners base, 
 
 Taught scepticism disguised, for sober truth ! 
 
 They fondly held, with wit affected, grave, 
 
 That what to man appeared as truth, as truth 
 
 Must be received. And what was probable 
 
 To minds matured, might acquiescence claim ; 
 
 But what was probable and certain what, 
 
 Could not agree, nor fix what truth appeared! 
 
 And so unsettled all first principles 
 
 In moral truth, and gave no solid ground 
 
 For man to stand upon no cherished hopes I 
 
 Another class, of more exalted creed, 
 
 One God acknowledged : obligations thence 
 
 To moral law deduced. But these, to God 
 
 No veneration gave, nor love to good, 
 
 Accounted such by Him, the source of good ! 
 
 Their deity a moving principle 
 
 In nature's operations wide ; but not 
 
 Of choice ! Volition gave to man ; to Him 
 
 Denied ! Necessity their god adored ! 
 
 Virtue and vice their great distinctions lost, 
 
 And happiness existed but in name !
 
 52 
 
 Such deity just praise to virtue's cause. 
 Could not bestow, nor vice its due rewarL 
 Here God in character reproached, beholds 
 In mirror'd form, His lovely features mariM' 
 
 And others somewhat more of majesty 
 
 To Deity assigned. His functions, they 
 
 To brighter worlds above, did not confine 
 
 To count the stars and regulate their course, 
 
 In lofty heights of space ethereal : 
 
 Nor to the clouds did fix His sway divine, 
 
 But all the universe, they strictly held 
 
 His presence animated empty thought, 
 
 As subtile, active, penetrating fire ! 
 
 But where it acted, penetrated where, 
 
 Or how pervade all matter space and mind, 
 
 Inscrutable and dark, mysterious all ! 
 
 For they as firmly held him bound to earth 
 
 To matter bound subordinate to fate ; 
 
 And fate was blind, and so could never hold 
 
 The torch to boasted reason's midnight path ! 
 
 Thus darkened they, man's brightest prospects here 
 
 Unfurnished all with hopes of bliss to come ! 
 
 An other class there was, existed long, 
 
 Of Grecian school ; who towered in wisdom high 
 
 Above their fellows. Like the forest oak, 
 
 Of ancient growth and sturdy trunk, whose roots 
 
 Imbedded deep in genial earth, support 
 
 And succour thence received, to cast abroad 
 
 His arms, embracing all beneath him grew ; 
 
 This sect with wide-spread arms embraced all truth, 
 
 All virtue, wisdom, and all knowledge, which 
 
 Their kindred sects had taught : And thus they stood
 
 63 
 
 Pre-eminent and proud, above them all! 
 
 But Israel's God denied ; rejected light 
 
 By Him bestowed, to guide their wandering feet 
 
 In wisdom ways ; so learning evermore 
 
 Approximating still, and onward still, 
 
 Their motto and their course, pursued in vain 
 
 But never reached the truth's appointed goal! 
 
 They turned from God his worship due, and led 
 
 Bewildered minds to worship deities 
 
 Inferior. The foulest creed of hell 
 
 That e'er disgraced theology's fair page! 
 
 Adopted since by those of Christian guise 
 
 Assumed, and modified to suit the taste 
 
 Corrupted : Brat of Pagan birth, baptized 
 
 In Rome, and nurtured there to manhood's size ! 
 
 These taught that souls imprisoned long on earth, 
 
 By means of abstinence and penance done, 
 
 Should be enfranchised thence. Pernicious thought ! 
 
 If not by faith of Jesus qualified, 
 
 And in submission held ! Take him of Rome, 
 
 As one example to our case in point, 
 
 Among the many else which might be named. 
 
 He pass'd the streams and at the fountain drank ; 
 
 Drank large supplies, delighted, often drank, 
 
 The purest waters that philosophy. 
 
 Could ever furnish to a thirsty soul ; 
 
 Yet " died of thirst" of disappointed hope ! 
 
 The world was made for Caesar, not for him ; 
 
 So would not bide the will of Heaven ! Took arms 
 
 Against himself, as ' ' master of himself," 
 
 And rushed quite unprepared to meet his God ! 
 
 And some there were of older name, who soared 
 For many long and weary centuries, 
 5*
 
 54 
 
 Through vagrant fancy's ample regions far, 
 
 On wings themselves had made ! They vainly held 
 
 A being infinite, eternal, wise ; 
 
 With goodness and intelligence replete, 
 
 Replete with virtue, wisdom and with light, 
 
 Which he through vast expanse of space diffused. 
 
 So excellent and pure his nature was, 
 
 That finite minds, conception adequate 
 
 Or true, could never have of what it was j 
 
 Or how diffused or where it centred most ! 
 
 Beyond this vast expanse, or fancied place 
 
 Of everlasting light refulgent day 
 
 This being lived in solitude confined! 
 
 A genius, spirit of celestial light, 
 
 Long known as Demiurgus vile, was sent, 
 
 Or thence for crime expelled, (which, was not known, > 
 
 To mould chaotic matter into form 
 
 Of- order, symmetry and law. Which done, 
 
 The government usurped and reigned o'er all ! 
 
 Then parcelled out the worlds he moulded thus, 
 
 To genii, ministers subordinate 
 
 To him, who governed each his empire well ! 
 
 'Twas he made men and gave them souls, and filled 
 
 The earth with beasts ! How slanderous and how vile ' 
 
 How strange that man, against the light of God. 
 
 Should close his eyes, or shut it thence, by clouds 
 
 Forced in between himself and Him, which cast 
 
 Thick shadows down upon his pathway here ; 
 
 Then fancy that he walks in light, and boast 
 
 Himself of deeds performed, as if he'd done 
 
 Essential service kind to all his race ! 
 
 From these, did systems of religion false, 
 
 As these were false, enlarge and ramify, 
 
 Till man, unsanctified by grace of God,
 
 Unsatisfied with self, with all his gods, 
 
 With ever varying forms unsatisfied, 
 
 Could count by thousands, multiplied by tens. 
 
 The deities to whom he humbly bowed, 
 
 And still unsatisfied ; then fondly sighed, 
 
 To swell his catalogue with more, to whom 
 
 He might pay homage still! A proof 
 
 'Tis plain, " The world by wisdom knew not God." 
 
 Nor were they taught of Him ; by Satan's arts 
 
 Seductive, taught, who power and wisdom had 
 
 Retained from what he was before he fell 
 
 To set religion up as counterfeit 
 
 To God's most holy worship ; mingling grains 
 
 Of truth with error's poisonous cup, to make 
 
 It palatable ! Hence, must be destroyed , 
 
 Ere long : Both satan and his works must fall ; 
 
 He, to the lowest hell, his works as low ! 
 
 The only wise, the true and living God, 
 
 To man revealed in oracles divine ; 
 
 In character, in purpose and in mind 
 
 Revealed a people had ; a chosen race 
 
 To whom He blessings gave, as Hermon's dews 
 
 The fruitful field and yielding vine ; the seed 
 
 And harvest time ; the early rains and rich 
 
 Autumnal showers. With milk and honey oft, 
 
 He flowed their land as welcome streams ; and gave 
 
 Them richer blessings still the stream of life, 
 
 Eternal life, from Him as fountain pure, 
 
 Exhaustless, freely then to every gate 
 
 And dwelling place of Zion flowed ; to make 
 
 Them glad, and fruitful bring their offerings, vows 
 
 And sacrifice of praise to God's own house ! 
 
 And when they strayed from his appointed fold
 
 56 
 
 He gent them pastors kind, to hold in check 
 
 Their foes, and guide them back in safest paths, 
 
 To Him ! And when they wisdom lacked, he sent 
 
 Them prophets, teachers learned in school of God, 
 
 To feed their minds with knowledge pure, divine, 
 
 As watchful shepherd feeds his flock ! But hear, 
 
 O, Earth! The heavenly hosts shall hear ! and stand 
 
 Astonished when they hear ! These nourished sons 
 
 And daughters loved, rebelled against their God! 
 
 They oft rebelled, but He, in mercy oft 
 
 Restored them to himself ! Anon they more 
 
 Ungrateful grew, conspired against his word 
 
 To make it void, by vain traditions, which 
 
 Their fathers one to other gave, from sire 
 
 To son 5 then wrote them in a book, and laid 
 
 It by the side of God's eternal law, 
 
 And taught therefrom, as if it were the book 
 
 Of God! Then Jesus came to magnify 
 
 The law, the law to Moses given, with pomp 
 
 And awful grandeur given at Sinai's mount ; 
 
 Where quailing hosts of Jacob's sons encamped, 
 
 At distance stood, and viewed the wondrous scene ! 
 
 In wild sublime and majesty of storm, 
 
 The lightnings played around the mountain's top 
 
 With sportive freak ! the clouds, in whirling course, 
 
 With thunders charged, were driven along the sky ; 
 
 Loud roared the trump of God, as if the day 
 
 Of wrathful doom to wicked men had come ; 
 
 The voice of words was heard, which paleness sent 
 
 Through all the camp Then God came down to man ! 
 
 The mountain, like some vast volcano, burned 
 
 And smoked, and quaked, beneath his burning feet : 
 
 Eternal fire, which came with Him, and shall 
 
 With Jesua come, when He to judgment comes
 
 57 
 
 Illumed its utmost height ; whilst blackness drear, 
 Unearthly blackness, veiled from all the tribes 
 Its trembling base ! Here man received His law ! 
 This law must be obeyed the moral law 
 Of God, the transcript of Jehovah's self, 
 The Holy Spirit's code or government 
 Divine must be reproached ; Jehovah's crown 
 Dishonored fall, forever fall ; and shame 
 Eternal fill the holy courts of God ! 
 Hope disappointed die among the sons 
 Of heaven, and hosts satanic swell aloud 
 The everlasting song of woe to man, 
 And song of triumph die o'er God in hell ! 
 
 To teach observance to the law's demands, 
 
 By precept and example both, the right 
 
 And province clear of God's dear Son : A Son, 
 
 And yet obedience learns ! A Son, the Heir 
 
 Of all the nature, throne, and glory great, 
 
 Of God ! The Heir of principalities 
 
 And powers, in heaven, on earth the Lord of hell 
 
 And yet obedience learns ! To Him the hosts 
 
 Of God, all meekly bowed, and Him obeyed, 
 
 Yet He obeys his Father's law ! Was rich, 
 
 In glory rich here needs sublimer strains 
 
 Ye harps celestial, swell your songs of praise ! 
 
 And roll through all the wide expanse of heaven, 
 
 Your lofty numbers sweet ! Let all -the earth 
 
 Responsive echo back the strains, in glad 
 
 Hosannas to the Son ! For He had wealth 
 
 More precious than the miser's hoarded store 
 
 Of cankered gold, or aught that earth could boast, 
 
 Were all her glittering piles in one amass'd, 
 
 Till towering readied, like Andes, to the skies ;
 
 58 
 
 Yet sacrificed it all upon the altar pure, 
 
 Of love to man ! What sacrifice is here ! 
 
 Peculiar to the Son ! His wealth, His life ! 
 
 His all ! The sacrifice of Heaven ! Ye host 
 
 Angelic, wonder at the sight ! Behold 
 
 The Son before his Father stand, and there 
 
 Pour out His glory all, as stream of love ! 
 
 Unfailing, living, rolling tide of love ; 
 
 Not pent up there, but bursting forth, through bounds 
 
 Of ancient strength, thence downward flows to earth, 
 
 To wash away the stains of sin, enrich 
 
 The poor and fertilize the souls of men ! 
 
 He first obedience learned, as teacher wise, 
 
 Then others taught what He himself had learned. 
 
 For this He took our flesh, became a child, 
 
 And grew a man, that He might feel as men 
 
 And children feel, and find the avenues 
 
 To human minds and- hearts, and touch the chords 
 
 Responsive in the soul ! He grew in form, 
 
 With wisdom and the Spirit filled : Increased 
 
 In wisdom, and in strength of mind increased ! 
 
 What growth can be, where growth's mature of mind 
 
 And wisdom too ? God's wisdom all is His, 
 
 And infinite perfection's topmost height ! 
 
 His wisdom housed in form of clay, and thus 
 
 Confined, development must have, in course 
 
 Of nature's law, through fleshly organs now 
 
 Assumed ; and these must grow ; so Jesus grew! 
 
 The opening rose, by slow degrees, unfolds 
 
 Its blushing petals fair to perfect growth 
 
 And beauteous form the changeful cause unseen ; 
 
 So He in wisdom grew, unfolding day 
 
 By day His perfect grace, in such degrees 
 
 As man could bear, and be instructed most !
 
 59 
 
 Inspired bards no songs of praiss inscribe 
 
 To Him in infant days what young pursuits, 
 
 What youthful pastimes His, or school boy feats, 
 
 Or early flashings of his genius bright, 
 
 Which indications gave of manhood's fire ; 
 
 Or mental, moral worth, they did not sing. 
 
 What scenes He saw ; what moral culture had ; 
 
 What books He read ; what travels early stored 
 
 His mind with varied lore, for wider range 
 
 Of application meet in after days : 
 
 What scientific halls He trod ; or masters rare 
 
 His yielding mind did shape for usefulness 
 
 To man ; or how His parents led him forth 
 
 To pluck fair flowers from blooming wilds, or view 
 
 With mind delighted, ample fields of gay 
 
 Instructive scenery, rich in thought of Him, 
 
 Who made them thus, and marked relations clear 
 
 Between Himself and all created things : 
 
 Or how He read from nature's volume great, 
 
 Important lessons, that philosophy 
 
 Did never teach, nor could in brightest days, 
 
 They did not sing. Their burden simple, thus 
 
 " He grew in wisdom and in stature grew !" 
 
 Precocious traits of character He once 
 
 Exhibited. Unknown to those who loved 
 
 Him best, He tarried at the feast : The feast, 
 
 At Zion yearly kept, to celebrate 
 
 Their Father's exodus from Egypt's shores 
 
 When Pharaoh's host pursued. His parents sought 
 
 Him by the way, returned and sought him there ; 
 
 With sorrow sought their child, as parents fond 
 
 Would seek. No doubt they called Him truant boy, 
 
 And thoughtless child, to give them pain ; for who
 
 60 
 
 Can tell what pain they felt? what sorrow theirs? 
 What dire foreboings wrung their hearts ? Perhaps 
 They thought Him dead, or else had wandered far, 
 With those who came from Gentile lands to keep 
 The feast ; or lost among the throng, perplexed, 
 With saddened heart, and weary, sought for them ! 
 Three days they sought, with persevering aim, 
 Then found Him in the Temple's sacred courts, 
 Sitting with Doctors learned in holy law, 
 Hearing and asking questions grave, beyond 
 His years ! But who shall fill the outline, drawn 
 By skilful hand? What tints, what shades appeared 
 What studied grace or dignity of form, 
 Expression gave, to fill the picture up 
 To life ? Or who shall say what questions asked ? 
 What answers given to show His wisdom forth ? 
 Above what God has said in holy word, 
 We are not wise. Thy aid impart, O ! God ! 
 And guide me still ! I may not launch my bark, 
 Where waves of endless speculation roll, 
 Nor pilot's skill directs, nor compass points 
 The way ; but follow strict the course laid down 
 In chart of truth. O, God ! Thy word is truth ! 
 Let truth our purpose aid, and demonstrate 
 In light its own, what else would dark remain ! 
 Nor let some fancied muse, presumptuous, blind, 
 Imagined blanks of truth, attempt to fill, 
 Where none, but in distempered minds, exists ! 
 
 The Doctors, Scribes, and all who heard him then. 
 Astonished were, and wondered much, to hear, 
 From one so young, such wisdom deep, and felt 
 Conviction strong, that He was more than man ! 
 Amazed to find him there, His mother said :
 
 61 
 
 '* Son, why thus deal with us ? Behold we sought 
 Thee long with sorrowing hearts ! " To whom the Son : 
 ^ How is this ? why seek Me thus ? Wist ye not, 
 That I must be about my Father's work ? " 
 How slow were they to understand what God 
 Designed by Him to do for fallen man ,' 
 Had they forgotten what to them at first, 
 By holy messenger was said? How He should save 
 His people from their sins ? In majesty 
 And power upon the throne of David sit ; 
 Redeem all Israel from their foes, and fill 
 The earth with peace ? Or was their love 
 For God and cause of truth, and holy zeal 
 In that which wakes the harps of sainted bards, 
 Lost in parental love ? absorbed in self? 
 Oh ! foolish and unwise ! to interpose 
 Their selfish claims, and turn from work of God 
 Their Son, beloved of them, of God beloved, 
 And set apart to life of holy toil ! 
 His heart no selfish feelings knew, nor could 
 He sympathize with aught that's wrong in those 
 He loved. But all that's holy, loved of God 
 On earth, in heaven, responsive felt, approved, 
 And taught to man ! But God, who brings much good 
 From evil cause o'erruled, and thus turns ill 
 To good account, would glorify Himself 
 In their parental feelings, strong embraced. 
 Jesus obedience must to all the law accord. 
 And yield to just authority of those, 
 Who claimed the right, by law divine, to mould 
 With plastic hand His character, to good 
 Report and lovely form. Example just, 
 We here behold of godly sort, and true 
 To first command with promise given ; and hence 
 6
 
 62 
 
 Most worthy imitation prompt, and wide 
 As earth is wide. The Son of God, as Son 
 Of man, returned to his paternal home. 
 Obeyed and served, as subject children should, 
 His parents kind, till His minority 
 Was pass'd, and God's parental law fulfilled ! 
 
 Then came from Galilee to Jordan's stream , 
 
 The Son of God to be baptized of John ! 
 
 The man of God, ordained and sent of Him 
 
 To solemnize the holy rite to man, 
 
 His fellow lost in sin an emblem fit 
 
 Of foulest stains, washed out by Jesus' blood. 
 
 John, overwhelmed with awe, exclaimed : "I need 
 
 To be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou 
 
 To me ? the greater to the less ! To me ! 
 
 A worm, ordained of God to minister 
 
 To man in low estate, degraded, fallen ! 
 
 To me ! who must decrease, as Thou shall rise 
 
 In power, in glory, majesty and grace ! 
 
 To me ! who naught possess, nor aught received, 
 
 But Thou hast given ! ' Twere condescension great 
 
 In Thee, that I the latchet of Thy shoe 
 
 Should loose ; and comest Thou to me ! I need 
 
 The grace which Thou canst give and Thou alone ! 
 
 Grace, signified by instituted rite 
 
 Thy death and life prefigured clear which Thou 
 
 Dost ask I Thou hast no sin, the grace is Thine, 
 
 Then why dost ask the sign, where nothing ought 
 
 Or can be signified, that Thou dost need, 
 
 As man, the sinner needs ? " To whom the Son, 
 
 With meek and modest words replied : "I come 
 
 To ratify this institution new. 
 
 Not as the priests of Levi's tribe ; I come,
 
 63 
 
 From thee the customed washing to receive ; 
 
 For that thou wast not sent of God, and I, 
 
 From Judah sprung, from whom no priest did rise, 
 
 To minister at holy altar's side. 
 
 The priesthood changed, so must the law be changed ;* 
 
 The order new Melchisedk the first, 
 
 Without descent from sire to son, or days 
 
 Commenced, or end of life. Ordained of God, 
 
 Immediate done ; Eternal Priest and King ! 
 
 It thus becomes the King to sanction rites, 
 
 His subjects must, where government is built 
 
 On justice, and on judgment built. I ask 
 
 Obedience free, to laws by Me obeyed ! 
 
 As earthly kings, I do not ask for love 
 
 Where none is given ; for sacrifice and toil, 
 
 Where I nor sacrifice, nor toil bestow ; 
 
 F.or deeds of love, but as I lead the way 
 
 And bright -example give. To follow where 
 
 My footsteps lead, I ask, and ask no more. 
 
 For less I cannot ask. I mark the paths 
 
 Of righteousness and peace, for all to walk 
 
 Therein, and well observe My doctrine plain. 
 
 Hence thou wilt suffer me to be baptized 
 
 Of thee, and thus fulfil My righteous law. " 
 
 With solemn measured step, now hand in hand, 
 Down Jordan's rugged banks the joyful pair 
 Obedient go ! Anon they pause ! whilst crowds 
 On towering battlements above, and crowds 
 On earth convened, with eager gaze, await 
 The scene of interest deep to earth and heaven ! 
 The holy man proceeds : Immersed beneath 
 The yielding wave, now Jesus passive lies ! 
 
 Heb. vii. 12-16.
 
 64 
 
 As he in death's embrace shall lie ! And now 
 
 Emerges from the flood, as he shall rise 
 
 And break death's icy chains ! Triumphant rise 
 
 To conquer death for man and die no more ! 
 
 Now strike your golden lyres, ye sons of God 
 
 And spirits just ! Now roll in numbers sweet 
 
 And loud, your lofty notes to Jesus' praise! 
 
 Nature in smiling beauty clothed, adores 
 
 The Son in silent mood ; her voice is hushed, 
 
 In solemn stillness hushed ; the voice of man 
 
 In breathless silence lost, attentive now 
 
 To Heaven's superior claims ! The Father speaks 
 
 And speaks in accents loud from holy courts, 
 
 Approving what the Son on earth has done ! 
 
 The highest heavens their portals open wide, 
 
 To give free passage to His word sublime. 
 
 And novel exit of the Spirit dove ; 
 
 Which down from heavenly mansions flies, 
 
 On brightest wing of pure celestial light, 
 
 And sits upon the Son, as omen clear, 
 
 Of Heaven's ecstatic joy ! and unction gives 
 
 For future labors, sufferings great, and toil! 
 
 From scenes of liveliest joy, and holiest praise, 
 
 To scenes of direst woe, the Son of God 
 
 Must quickly pass ! He came to stand, in part, 
 
 In place of man. To suffer in his stead ; 
 
 To feel the power of God's arch foe arch fiend ;. 
 
 The enemy of man ; of righteousness ; 
 
 Of holy peace ; of happiness on earth 
 
 And happiness in heaven ! Man's happiness, 
 
 His deepest hell ; man's woe, his highest joy ; 
 
 If damned malignity and joy can find 
 
 A common ground in hell : On earth is none, 
 
 Beyond what seeming happiness or joy,
 
 65 
 
 Employment gives to bad intent pursued, 
 
 And satisfaction due to purpose gained. 
 
 Thus Satan toiled with diabolic aim, 
 
 Opposing God, and work of grace to man ; 
 
 Determined chief to nip in early bud, 
 
 The flower of heaven transplanted now 
 
 On earth ; to check the rising power of God 
 
 Commenced, in progress young ; to stop the tide 
 
 Of life in swelling flood, and turn the stream 
 
 Of death in torrents back upon the world ! 
 
 Is this his purpose dark ? Shall it succeed ? 
 
 The sequel must the great result unfold. 
 
 Resistless then the Spirit led him on, 
 
 To dreary wilds untrod by Him before, 
 
 Where lions lurked for prey, and savage beasts 
 
 With dreadful fierceness roamed ! He feared not these 
 
 Nor need He fear ; for He their mouths could sea), 
 
 As when the prophet slept within the den, 
 
 Unhurt came forth at morning's dawn ! 
 
 But He must meet, as God ordained, the beast 
 
 Of deadliest name ; who roams not here alone, 
 
 But walks the compass of the earth around, 
 
 Watching to plunge immortal souls adown 
 
 The gulf of endless woe, whence none escape ! 
 
 As some lone, blasted fir, on desert wild, 
 
 Exposd to tempests rude and lightnings dire, 
 
 The Son, shut out from intercourse with friends, 
 
 And left of God in gracious purpose left, 
 
 To man most gracious, but to Him severe 
 
 Must face the tempter's storm of fiery darts, 
 
 In vengeance hurled to pierce His sorrowing heart ! 
 
 In solitude most comfortless and drear, 
 While forty days and nights, the Holy One 
 6*
 
 66 
 
 Submissive dwelt ! Dire images of earth 
 
 In ugliest form, and images of hell 
 
 In horrid shapes, his vision haunted day 
 
 And night ! No friendly voice to cheer his heart 
 
 Desponding, sad : No friendly visitant 
 
 Appeared to break the dread monotony 
 
 Of hellish scenes, and thoughts perplexed, infused 
 
 By Satan's power invisible ! No friend 
 
 To his necessities did minister, 
 
 Nor aught of food provide : By miracle 
 
 Sustained, and strengthened to the conflict sore, 
 
 Through power divine ! The forty days of fast 
 
 Scarce ended, when his appetite returned. 
 
 Then came the tempter on with new attack, 
 
 And mode of warfare changed, who thus addressed 
 
 In language fair and studied speech, the Son : 
 
 " Art Thou the Son of God beloved ? The Heir 
 
 Of principalities and powers, and thrones ? 
 
 To whom He gave assurance audible, 
 
 At Jordan's banks few days have intervened 
 
 Of changeless love on Thee bestowed, in sight 
 
 Of heaven's approving hosts, and crowds on earth 
 
 Assembled? Sadly changed Thy form! and sad 
 
 Thy visage, changed by nightly vigils kept 
 
 And fastings long! Is this His boasted love 
 
 For Thee? How false and cruel, thus to leave 
 
 His Son to pine and perish here, shut out 
 
 From sympathy of men ! all friendship, love 
 
 And office kind prohibited ! Did He 
 
 The lightnings charge to strike the dead, or send 
 
 His messenger of vengeance, who destroyed 
 
 The Assyrian camp, at once to cut Thee qff, 
 
 'Twere better far, than linger thus in state 
 
 Of wretchedness unmatched! Assert Thy power
 
 67 
 
 And prove Thyself a worthy Son of God! 
 
 Nor suffer deep disgrace and prostrate rights 
 
 To daunt Thy prowess! Take the kingdom Thine. 
 
 As Thou art Heir, it must be Thine ere long 
 
 The kingdom of the universe Thou art 
 
 The Son, the Heir ; all nature will Thy voice 
 
 Obey ! Command these stones the furnished bread 
 
 Become, that Thou mayest eat and live, and gird 
 
 Thyself with strength omnipotent ! " To whom 
 
 The Son replied : " ' Tis written in the word 
 
 Of God, that man may not exist by bread 
 
 Alone ; but by a just observance, due 
 
 To His commands, adjusted well to all 
 
 His wants, must live ! What seems severe 
 
 Is just and good, as discipline to fit 
 
 By sanctifying grace not else enjoyed 
 
 The soul, for greatest good conferred on earth, 
 
 And happiness of highest praise in heaven ! " 
 
 Then Satan, foiled in first attempt of base 
 Design, in hellish conclave planned, removed 
 Him thence, by power usurped, permitted then, 
 And placed Him on the temple's giddiest height! 
 To whom again deceptive speech employed : 
 " I bow to Thy superior skill in things divine, 
 Thou Chief of hosts invisible, and Chief 
 Of powers on high ! Thy wisdom clear, is like 
 The source of light ! Obscurity removes 
 Where found, and sheds a brighter beam on truth 
 Already bright ! Thy lips pour forth on man 
 Celestial grace, like dews refreshing, rich, 
 Distilled on Herrnon's hill ! Thy glorious head, 
 With radiant brightness crowned, the brilliant sun 
 Excels at highest noon, when stars, bright orbs
 
 68 
 
 Of nightly beam, abashed, their splendor hide 
 
 In his effulgent rays ! ' Tis true as Thou 
 
 Hast said, that man, submissive, must observe 
 
 The word of God and so must live. By that 
 
 Must regulate his erring ways, and thus 
 
 Secure his favor and protecting hand, 
 
 To guide him on, and shield him, else exposed, 
 
 Defenceless, weak, when dangers thick beset 
 
 His path. Now cast thyself from hence; so prove 
 
 Thy doctrine wise, and vindicate the truth 
 
 Of God, in righteousness revealed, and given 
 
 To man, to Thee, as guide infallible ! 
 
 ' Tis written and hence 'tis true, that He shall give 
 
 His angels charge to hold Thee up, lest Thou 
 
 Shouldst dash thy foot against a stone ! Now trust 
 
 With faith implicit, worthy Thee, the word 
 
 Of God, and cast thyself to earth ! " To whom 
 
 Again the Son, unmoved and firm, replied : 
 
 " Thou shalt not tempt the Lord, thy God. ' Twere but 
 
 Temptation, thus to cast one's self without 
 
 The pale of His protecting grace ! All grace 
 
 Is promised, so bestowed, where strict fulfilled 
 
 Conditions claim the promise qualified, 
 
 And guarded well. Who casts himself from hence 
 
 Must be destroyed. Who treads unbidden paths 
 
 May meet, quite unprepared, the foe. Who thrusts 
 
 Himself, uncalled of God, within the reach 
 
 Of Satan's grasp, must feel his power. Help comes 
 
 To those alone, who walk obediently 
 
 In his appointed ways ; all others fail 
 
 And must, for he is just, and can not change ! " 
 
 Then Satan turned, on wings of darkest plume, 
 Once light, by mad rebellion changed, with Him
 
 69 
 
 Through trackless air, he soared to a mountain high, 
 
 And prospect large, in human vision large ; 
 
 Whence countries, kingdoms, passed in bright review, 
 
 Before the Son's enchanted eye ! Their wealth 
 
 And glory pass'd, in trailing flight, as when 
 
 Some meteor's blaze in following course, its way 
 
 Doth quickly speed athwart the evening sky ! 
 
 Now proudly wrapp'd in thoughts infernal, dark, 
 
 With air of majesty and grace assumed, 
 
 As one who great conception had, of things 
 
 Invisible, eternal, Satan thus 
 
 Resumed : " The kingdoms of the earth are mine ! 
 
 Behold the glory of my power : Seest Thou that king 
 
 In splendor crowned and majesty enthroned ; 
 
 Whose willing subjects bow in waiting low 
 
 At royal feet ? they yield their wealth, and sell 
 
 Their lives at his command ! His courtiers cringe 
 
 And flatter, where reproof would better suit 
 
 Ingenuous minds ; but kings will not receive 
 
 The truth to them applied : Who speaks the truth 
 
 At court must lose what falsehood gains all show 
 
 Of royal favor, pension, power, and place 
 
 Among the great ! Hence maxim wise, by me 
 
 As king of kings : kings must not hear the truth ! 
 
 What pride of station his ! What dignity 
 
 Of state ! above all praise of human lip ! 
 
 And he above all law but mine ! He wills 
 
 His will accords with mine, and so is right 
 
 And his obsequious subjects fall their heads 
 
 Dissevered, strew as falling leaves, the plain, 
 
 To strike in trait'rous hearts new terror deep ! 
 
 He wills, and laboring subjects' hard earned stores 
 
 His coffers fill ; by policy required, 
 
 When threatened kingdoms need defence ! He wills,
 
 70 
 
 And flying squadrons take the field, and hosts 
 
 Embattled meet in deadly fight, nor yield 
 
 Till thousands fall, and cries of deepest woe 
 
 From widows lone and orphans, fill the land ! 
 
 This glory's mine ! I proudly reign o'er all ! 
 
 Seest thou that conqueror return, new flushed 
 
 With triumph great by valor won ? Amid 
 
 Aspiring chieftains won, and loud acclaim t 
 
 What glory beams from his delighted eye, 
 
 While captive thousands grace, in lowly train, 
 
 By right of power enslaved, His large exploit! 
 
 And thousands greet him welcome home ! 
 
 I move the wheels of his triumphal car, 
 
 And claim the glory due ! Now turn and view 
 
 With candid eye, yon legislative hall : 
 
 Here reigns no monarch proud ; but simple head, 
 
 Elected thus by suffrage free, and placed 
 
 By wide consent as chief, with veto rights, 
 
 And check conservative of balanced power ! 
 
 Here I preside in course of wise debate 
 
 And right decision made ! I touch the springs, 
 
 And on the vast machinery moves, that moves 
 
 Remotest interests of the state ! What deeds 
 
 Are here performed of glorious fame ! What scenes 
 
 Of honor here, to eyes not blinded quite 
 
 With false religion's films ! Here honor's code 
 
 In strict observance held, right praise ensures! 
 
 Here servants, masters turn, and wisely stop 
 
 At threshold of debate, the people's voice ! 
 
 And yet themselves are free, and will not hear 
 
 In ample speech before applauding crowds 
 
 A word, detracting dignity of place, 
 
 Or honored post ; else challenged combat fair, 
 
 In single fight and chivalrous, ensues !
 
 71 
 
 A glorious code ! By me concocted well ! 
 
 In hell's dark council first approved, and here 
 
 Prolific nurtured in congenial soil ! 
 
 These scenes, to those of moral vision, may 
 
 Inglorious seem : But they mistake what is 
 
 True glory ; name it crime, and thus mislead 
 
 Themselves and some of kindred sort. Behold 
 
 What honor oft to him accrues, who, safe 
 
 In prowess great, well matched, with single hand 
 
 Against His foe, comes victor off ! His name 
 
 Emblazoned far by herald sheets, as one 
 
 Of noble bearing, firm and gallant man, 
 
 Inscribed on highest dome of pillared fame, 
 
 Shall stand, while kingdoms stand and ages roll ! 
 
 Nor is this all. The path here marked leads on 
 
 To senatorial fame. Where people rule, 
 
 I rule in them, and move their choice of those 
 
 Approved by me and qualified. Seest thou 
 
 A man who holds the promise fairly up 
 
 To his constituents, of loyal deeds 
 
 And service true, yet seeks his own and not 
 
 His country's good? him I approve. Seest thou 
 
 A man who loudly boasts of liberty 
 
 To all ? whose soul is fired in freedom's cause, 
 
 And sounds the tocsin far of trespass'd rights 
 
 Rights dearly bought, when foes invade yet holds 
 
 In bondage vile his fellow man ? him I 
 
 Approve. Seest thou a man whose mind is firm, 
 
 Whose haughty soul disowns the coward's name, 
 
 Nor fears the point of burnished steel, nor yields 
 
 In braggart strife the palm, but throws in high 
 
 Disdain the gauntlet down in mad debate? 
 
 Him I approve, and raise to dazzling heights, 
 
 Beyond ambition's loftiest thought! Proof this,
 
 72 
 
 All doubts aside, that I am king of kings, 
 
 Control the governments of earth, and give 
 
 The honor due, proportionate, to those 
 
 Who faithful stand and true to glory's cause ! 
 
 Thou art a man : And art Thou steeled against 
 
 Ambition? motive worthy highest aim, 
 
 Impressed on human hearts, not dead to fame, 
 
 Befitting man's desire and efforts here 
 
 Is not thy soul with emulation stirr'd, 
 
 To imitate thy sires ? Thou didst descend 
 
 From royal line and noble race of kings : 
 
 Take David as example true, and best 
 
 To our intent. In valiant fight he broke 
 Tried bows of steel, by strength of mighty arm ; 
 Scaled walls of ancient towns ; undaunted pushed 
 His way through troops of foes, and humbled low 
 
 The pride of kings and nations at his feet ; 
 
 Then proudly sat himself and reigned in state 
 
 As monarch bold, whose own achievments made 
 
 Him what he was! Rise! shake Thy stupor off ! 
 
 Worship me ! All this glory shall be Thine! " 
 
 To whom the Son in accents stern replied : 
 
 "Satan, begone! Thou reign'st in hell alone 
 
 Among the damn'd ! Fit place for such a prince 
 
 To boast his crippled power ! On earth thou hast 
 
 No power, beyond permission given, for ends 
 
 Unknown to thee and merciful. ' Tis written 
 
 That man shall worship God, and Him alone 
 
 Shall serve !" O'erwhelmed then Satan stood : soon seemed 
 
 In aspect changed to fierce infernal look, 
 
 As when from heaven's high battlements at first, 
 
 Plunging and howling in despair, he fell, 
 
 And said : " O fool accursed! to attempt alone, 
 
 What myriads leagued, by force nor fraud could do ;
 
 73 
 
 But fled from heaven in consternation dire, 
 
 With glory tarnished and in sad defeat ! 
 
 I know Thee now and might have known before, 
 
 But mad ambition nursed in hell, which burns 
 
 In bosoms restless, urged me on to meet 
 
 This sore repulse ! Far worse than when by Thee 
 
 Expelled, in deep disgust, I left the shades 
 
 Of arbored heaven for burning blasts of hell! 
 
 I fear my kingdom speedily will fall 
 
 As lightning to the ground. Meanwhile I'll wreak 
 
 On Thine defenceless, vengeance fit, and glut 
 
 My hellish hate on those thou cam'st to save." 
 
 Then back on cowering wing to hell he flew ! 
 
 As victor chieftain on the field, unstrung 
 And weary droops, till his exhausted powers 
 He gains is nerved anew for active fight 
 So Jesus drooped ! Not nerveless now His arm 
 That arm invincible, omnipotent 
 But by consent, that he might feel, as man 
 Shall feel in after times, by conflict press'd, 
 Thus sympathy extend and aid, to all 
 The weakest of his chosen ones ! Then came 
 On speedy wing, from realms of light despatched, 
 Commissioned angels, who had watched meantime 
 The contest as it raged astonished watched, 
 And wondered much, to see the wide spread powers, 
 Of heaven and hell in single fight converged ! 
 They came to minister to Him, their Chief, 
 Who ministers for all in holy place 
 Not made with hands ! The ministers of those 
 Who shall be heirs of His salvation, came 
 For once to minister to Him, the Heir of 
 Of all! 0, vast, unmeasurable stoop ! 
 7
 
 To need their proffered grace ! Beyond the reach 
 
 Of thought in widest range ! There's naught on earth 
 
 And naught in heaven, its depth can sound, but love 
 
 Divine ! the fathomed line of God ! Whose heights 
 
 And lengths immense, unknown to all but Him ! 
 
 How vast is Jesus' love ! The soul renewed, 
 
 With all her powers refined, and sense acute 
 
 For such pursuits, will stretch with glowing zeal 
 
 Her anxious thoughts, but never know its heights 
 
 And depths, transcending what, in full extent, 
 
 Her own capacities enjoy ! What need 
 
 She more? What more, my soul, can God impart? 
 
 The soul capacious most, shall then be filled, 
 
 And those of less degree, with Jesus' love ! 
 
 The stars in magnitude may difference have, 
 
 In brilliancy have none ; and thus 'twill be 
 
 With souls redeemed : In blest capaciousness, 
 
 Diversity may know, the same in kind 
 
 If not degree : but all a fulness have, 
 
 And all reflect with equal blaze the light 
 
 Of God, through all the firmament of bliss !
 
 SATAN CONQUERED, &c. 
 
 BOOK III.
 
 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say. repent, 
 for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. 
 
 MAT. iii. 17. 
 
 Never man spake like this man. 
 
 JOHN vii. 40. 
 
 And His fame went throughout all Syria : and they brought 
 unto Him all sick people, that were taken with divers 
 diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with 
 devils, and those which were lunatic, and those which had 
 the palsy : and He healed them. 
 
 MAT. iv. 24.
 
 BOOK III. 
 
 THOU glorious Son of God ! Thou brightest orb 
 In all the galaxy of heaven ! Shed down 
 Thy light on me ! Illume my mind, else dark, 
 Inadequate to contemplation vast ! 
 To study Thee is vast ; too vast for mind 
 Unaided, unenlightened by Thy light ! 
 The light of all on earth, in heaven, through which 
 Thy Father's face is seen ineffable! 
 Help me to strike to numbers true, my harp 
 Inglorious and of earthly sort, unlike 
 The harps of gold attuned by Thee, and placed 
 In hands celestial, which harmonious roll 
 Eternal numbers on; unceasing roll, 
 Once tuned to holy song ! Not so the harps 
 Of earth. Not so the harps by Judah's bards 
 Employed : Oft they in moody silence hung, 
 Where chilling breezes swept them by, high on 
 The drooping willow's bough, till waked by Thee, 
 To notes of praise ! Not so my harp : unlike 
 To all, but him who sweeps its feeble chords : 
 To melancholy numbers tuned quite oft, 
 When tuned at all, if Thou touch not the strings 
 By hand invisible ! Inspirit Thou 
 My song, and teach my numbers how to flow 
 From fount of truth, in purest streams to all, 
 Who thirst for Thee, and righteousness of God ! 
 Now God, the Father, who, at sundry times, 
 By various methods spoke, by angels high, 
 By prophets spoke to man, designs at last 
 7*
 
 78 
 
 To speak through Christ, the word, to all the earth 
 
 Keep silence islands, seas, and distant lands, 
 
 He comes from high and holy place I As clouds 
 
 Of flaming light, his glowing chariot speeds 
 
 Onward it rolls on wings of flying winds, 
 
 As thunders rolling through the vault of heaven 
 
 Mid way in air he takes his stand, thence speaks 
 
 From bright pavilion, which an other sun 
 
 Effulgent seems, and to his Son such high 
 
 Commission gives : " O, Thou, beloved Son r . 
 
 In whom my pleasure infinite, finds room 
 
 For ample exercise, and fit OH Thee 
 
 Spontaneously bestowed! Thy Father's grace 
 
 Hangs mantling o'er thy form delectable, 
 
 As robe of snowy texture o'er the brow 
 
 Of Hermon's mount! Thy beauty rare, exceed* 
 
 The sons of men, as dazzling light of heaven, 
 
 The twilight shades of earth ! Thy garments smell* 
 
 Of myrrh and aloes : Cassia's rich perfume 
 
 Its fragrance brings from palaces of kings, 
 
 To give Thee joy ! Thy head with gladness I 
 
 Annoint, and crown Thee King of kings ! And Thou 
 
 Shalt sit above Thy fellows round, enthroned 
 
 In royal state : Thy footstool, earth ; Thy throne, 
 
 The heaven's wide circuit ; and Thy sceptre, love ! 
 
 Kings' daughters fair shall be among Thy maids 
 
 Of honoi found ; and at Thy side shall stand 
 
 The Queen in gold of Ophir clad ; who shall 
 
 Paternal home and kindred dear forego 
 
 To follow Thee j and Thou with strong desire 
 
 Shalt cleave to her, as she to Thee, her Lord! 
 
 Thy daughter rich attired, shall come to Thee 
 
 * Psalm xlv.
 
 79 
 
 Replete with inward grace and outward state 
 
 Concurring well. Her raiment, needle- work - 
 
 Inwrought with gold a righteous robe from Thee , 
 
 Received. And her companions fit shall come, 
 
 The virgins and herself, with gladness come, 
 
 And crowd Thy palace gates ! Instead of sires, 
 
 Thy sons shall come from far, whom Thou shalt set 
 
 As princes in the earth ! And I will make 
 
 Thy name renown'd, remembered, praised and loved, 
 
 By all the generations yet to come! 
 
 This Thy reward. Thy recompense deserved, 
 
 For sacrifice of all Thou didst with me 
 
 Possess : equality of state and bliss, 
 
 Of glory unobscured ; by angels seen, 
 
 Appreciated, not by man! This keep 
 
 In view as joy before Thee set ; but first, 
 
 Ere this enjoyed, the cross endure, the shame 
 
 Despise : Gird on Thy sword and ride 
 
 As mighty chieftain on, the vanquisher 
 
 Of hellish hosts ! Ride prosperously, because 
 
 Of righteousness, and truth and meekness blest. 
 
 Go forth ! The powers of darkness strong oppose, 
 
 With bold, infernal front, Thy march : but Thou 
 
 Shalt tread them in Thy fury down, and crush 
 
 Them in Thy anger fierce ! Thy own right hand 
 
 Invincible, which felled at first their chief, 
 
 Shall teach Thee warlike deeds, and Thou shalt swell 
 
 The song of triumph loud in every land ! 
 
 Thy weapons meekness, righteousness and truth 
 Mighty through Me become, and shall prevail 
 Against strong holds of hell ! My truth obscured 
 By man with wisdom puiFd, and devilish arts 
 Seduced, by Thee disrobed of error's garb,
 
 80 
 
 Shall shine resplendent as the sun ! and Thou 
 
 My perfect attributes maintain entire ! 
 
 Thy high prerogative shall be, to show 
 
 By teaching simple, unadorn'd and clear, 
 
 The character of Deity sublime, 
 
 Original ! Philosophy,' on wings 
 
 Of fancied plume, presumptuous soared to heights 
 
 Unknown before, and traversed depths profound, 
 
 In search of what it could not find untaught 
 
 By me a Deity entire. A God 
 
 Of attributes divine. A perfect mind, 
 
 Intelligent, and infinite and just ! 
 
 Their deities imperfect, like themselves, 
 
 With passions vile, with rude and hateful lusts, 
 
 Were selfish, mean, intolerant and weak ! 
 
 What could they else, but draw from minds so dark 
 
 A transcript of themselves ? They thought that I 
 
 Was such as they ; hence sought within themselves 
 
 A prototype from which to copy Me, 
 
 The Almighty God ! The High and lofty Q#e, 
 
 Inhabiting eternity ! Me, who 
 
 Spread out the north o'er empty place, and hung 
 
 In unsubstantial air, the ponderous earth ! 
 
 I spoke at first, and this terraqueous glofee 
 
 From chaos rose ! Again, and first born light, 
 
 Hasting with rapid flight, from darkness came, 
 
 Around the centre-orb opaque, itself 
 
 Converged yon brilliant sun ! Worlds, systems vast, 
 
 By worlds and systems multiplied, through space 
 
 I scattered wide, and gave to all their bounds 
 
 Impassable ! On earth's wide circling verge 
 
 I sit : there weigh in scales, the mountains high, 
 
 And toss about as little things, the isles
 
 81 
 
 Of Ocean's bed, fast anchored by my power ! 
 
 Whence I, in range of vision infinite, 
 
 The nations wide behold ; diminutive 
 
 As insects small j or dust of balance large ! 
 
 Or drops to mighty water's depths compared ! 
 
 In ample fists of strongest grasp, I hold 
 
 The winds, and check their power tempestuous, wild, 
 
 Careering with the lightning's onward speed, 
 
 As practiced horseman curbs his plunging steed ! 
 
 Or let them loose at will, to bow as grass 
 
 The lofty forest pines ; to swell with rage 
 
 The ocean's crested wave, or prostrate lay 
 
 The dwelling place of man ! I clothe with clouds 
 
 As garments frail, unrent, earth's vapory floods 
 
 Condens'd ; which thence distil soft showers to fall 
 
 On thirsty grounds producing flowers and herbs, 
 
 Fruits, bread and seed for man ; or sweeping rains 
 
 Pour out, to roll their wasting tides, with dread 
 
 Confusion round the earth ! All systems, worlds, 
 
 And creatures formed, obey my laws supreme, 
 
 With two exceptions, praised in hell ! dispraised 
 
 In heaven and mourned ! And these obedient once, 
 
 And happy in their choice, (volition free 
 
 From all necessity of ill,) to give 
 
 Allegiance just ! But they rebelled, when free 
 
 To stand, so fell ; the angels first, then man 
 
 In time seduced ; thus sealed in judgment right 
 
 Their state in endless woe : if Thou Thyself 
 
 Do not for man receive the stroke, on him 
 
 In justice ought to fall ! The angels pass. 
 
 Man's nature well Thou hast assumed, not theirs 
 
 That punishment may be inflicted just, 
 
 And God be just, on human guilt to Thee 
 
 Imputed, as the substitute of man !
 
 82 
 
 To him I send Thee forth. To him proclaim 
 
 The accepted year of grace secured, if he 
 
 Improve ; or double veugeance stored, if he 
 
 Neglect ! " The Almighty Father ended here. 
 
 To whom the Son most gracious speech returned : 
 
 " Thou speak'st from high ethereal throne ; from earth, 
 
 Thy footstool, I ; nor can again such height 
 
 Attain, of equal grace and glory rich, 
 
 Till all the work assumed by me is done. 
 
 Meanwhile, I will Thy truth make known afar, 
 
 Thy character defend, as Thou hast said. 
 
 Thyself inscrutable, Thy grace from me 
 
 Must shine, as image of Thyself, to show 
 
 Thy glory, else invisible to man : 
 
 Whose vision dimm'd by sin, may not Thy great 
 
 Effulgence see and live, till cleansed from guilt, 
 
 And thus restored to fellowship with Thee ! 
 
 Thy truth, by enemies and seeming friends 
 
 Disfigured, darkened, shall through Me restored, 
 
 Its loved primeval lustre gain, and shine 
 
 With rays increased ; as oft the morning sun 
 
 Obscured by clouds, bursts forth with splendor new, 
 
 Appreciated more the hidden beams 
 
 Returned ! Thy chosen ones, by whom Thy truth 
 
 Was kept, their sacred trust betrayed, mistook 
 
 The institutions too, of Thee ordained, 
 
 Till I should come prefigured sacrifice : 
 
 Which breathing lore,, through dark, perverted minds,. 
 
 Were made to foster arrogance and pride,. 
 
 Exclusiveness of privilege, and hence 
 
 They made Thee partial and unjust! Redeemed 
 
 From this, Thy character as Father, God 
 
 Of universal love and richest grace,. 
 
 Shall soon appear to all who righteousness.
 
 S3 
 
 Approve ; appear in truth revealed, which once 
 
 Withheld in council dark not gracious less 
 
 For Thou mysterious art, in wisdom deep 
 
 And manifold ; to man unsearchable ! 
 
 Although Thy councils, faithfulness and truth, 
 
 Have marked in every age, as guiding lights, 
 
 The way of man on earth! 0, righteous God! 
 
 The heathen world unsanctified by thee, 
 
 Thy character traduce ; with slanderous tongues 
 
 Thy name and cause reproach. The worship due 
 
 To Thee, through sacrifice established, they 
 
 Corrupt with rites of devilish sort, commend 
 
 Thy holiest offerings to unholy gods, 
 
 And deify their fellow men! They fell 
 
 The forest oak which Thou didst rear for man, 
 
 To aid his comforts here, and make a god ! 
 
 Then bow, the master to the servant down, 
 
 Nor know that what their hands have formed, is less 
 
 Than they ! They worship creeping things, and birds, 
 
 And beasts of vilest name ! How vile are they ! 
 
 To look below themselves for objects base, 
 
 On which to place that veneration claimed 
 
 Alone by Thee ! Wilt Thou Thy glory give 
 
 To imaged beasts ? Thy praise to other gods ? 
 
 Gods, that speak not, see not, nor hear the prayer 
 
 Of man debased, when humbled low, he cries 
 
 For aid, nor finds what thus he seeks in vain ? 
 
 The idol gods of every land shall fall 
 
 Before Thy truth proclaimed, as Dagon, famed 
 
 At ancient Ekron, Gath and Ashdod, fell 
 
 Headless before the ark of God, when those 
 
 Uncircumcised and sacrilegious died, 
 
 Who dared the symbol of Thy presence dread, 
 
 From Levi's sons so long detain ! I come
 
 84 
 
 To do Thy will, Thy will before revealed. 
 Dearer to Me, than meat to him who eats 
 Or dies, Thy law engraved upon My heart? 
 I go as 'tis ordained the love I bear 
 Toman impels Me on to show the way 
 Of life to myriads lost ; Thy character 
 From foulest stains retrieve ; entire Thy law 
 Observe and righteous government maintain ! " 
 
 Then back the bright aerial chariot rolled 
 
 To highest courts above : The Son to works 
 
 Beneficient, Himself with zeal address'd. 
 
 Long held the interview divine, as did 
 
 The conclave vast, held on the eternal hills, 
 
 When first was plann'd the way of man's escape 
 
 From sin and hell ! As time on speedy wing 
 
 Takes flight, when kindred spirits meet, so sped 
 
 The time when these conferr'd ; in essence one, 
 
 In person two ! But who of finite mind, 
 
 Shall say, or chronicle in verse what pass'd ? 
 
 Or who attempt above what's known ? Or gaze 
 
 Emboldened, where the angels stand abashed ? 
 
 Meantime the orb of day declined, and night 
 
 With solemn pace came on : fit time for deeds 
 
 Which shun, as crime its just deserts, the test 
 
 Of light ! Then Nicodemus came to hold 
 
 Discourse with Christ, the Son. A ruler he 
 
 Among the Jews, and proud of situation high, 
 
 And worldly fame. In covered darkness came 
 
 For light ; the light of God on darkened points 
 
 Of theologic lore. The light he sought, 
 
 But darkness loved, and secrecy observed, 
 
 Lest he should be reproached with Christ : whose own 
 
 Of kindred tie, to whom He came, received
 
 Him not. Esteemed Him smitten of God, reproached, 
 
 Afflicted thus, as punishment for sin ! 
 
 A man accurs'd, subverting laws of God 
 
 Ordained, and instituted rites, beloved 
 
 As cherished gifts of heaven ! Endeared to all 
 
 The sons, as richest legacy, from sires 
 
 Of honored name received a sacred trust. 
 
 To be observed inviolate in form 
 
 And letter true, though spiritless and dead 
 
 To them, apostate now in heart from God! 
 
 Him Nicodemus found, and thus addressed : 
 
 " Rabbi, Thou art a teacher sent from God. 
 Of this Thou hast assurance given, in works 
 Which none but God can do, or He whom God 
 Assists. The unvarying flow of nature's law, 
 By His Almighty hand established firm, 
 As cause and sure effect, Thy word hath checked 
 And turned to channels new ! The eye unsealed 
 By Thee, with ravished bliss, now welcomes light 
 And dwells on Thee as benefactor kind; 
 Unseen, unknown on earth before ! The lame, 
 From infant days confined, in joyful mood 
 Leap forth Thy word the cause as bounding roes 
 Unscared in native wilds ! The palsied arm 
 New vigor finds ; and life renewed, awakes 
 From death's cold sleep, as blooming spring bursts forth 
 From winter's deepest gloom ! What works are these ! 
 Who can but God control established laws, 
 Which else immutable ? Give vision bright 
 To eyes in darkness sealed! rebuke disease, 
 Defying skill and practiced art of man ? 
 Or life infuse, where death in triumph reigned ? 
 We know Thou art a teacher sent from God." 
 -8
 
 The Saviour, who accepts not flattering praise 
 
 From man, nor holds in admiration great, 
 
 Distinctive appellations given to those 
 
 By birth or merit raised to eminence 
 
 In man's esteem ; in grace and majesty 
 
 Of truth replied : " Man must be renewed, 
 
 Ere he just praise or love attains with God. 
 
 His prostrate powers, corrupt, from Adam first 
 
 Received a bitter root, by disobedience turned 
 
 From good to ill, and hence entailed to all 
 
 The branches grown through Me must be redeemed, 
 
 In principle and radical reform ! 
 
 He must be born again ! The Spirit's work 
 
 Of operation vast, to change the heart, 
 
 And lead the current of the soul from earth .. 
 
 To heaven! Be not surprised at what thou hear'st. 
 
 Thou canst not see the tempest's form, which sweeps 
 
 Invisible through earth. Thou hear'st the sound 
 
 And seest effects of power the cause concealed 
 
 So works the Spirit on the soul, from sin, 
 
 To God and holiness transformed. Where love 
 
 To things of earthly sort existed long, there love 
 
 To God implanted, burns with vivd flame, 
 
 Holy and pure, as incense sweet, to Him 
 
 Acceptable. Where passions rude enslaved 
 
 The soul the greater to the less enthralled 
 
 There meekness, charity and abstinence 
 
 Enthroned, fast hold in subjugation just, 
 
 The appetites and dark propensities 
 
 Of man. The affections winged with new desire, 
 
 Soar up to element divine, nor seek 
 
 A downward flight ; the heart unbarred, receives 
 
 The Lord as welcome guest from heaven ; the ear 
 
 Unstopp'd, delights in melting strains of truth ;
 
 87 
 
 The ye eunclose 1 admits celestial light, 
 
 And sees through medium clear, the reign of God 
 
 On earth commenced the promised kingdom come T 
 
 To see this kingdom, needs the birth of God ; 
 
 To enter as a subject born, needs birth 
 
 Of water j sign of inward grace and death 
 
 To sin resuscitated life on earth, 
 
 And hope of resurrection last, through Me, 
 
 The first, as surety given, and type of all 
 
 Redeemed, when I shall come to consummate 
 
 Their bliss. Satan's proud reign must cease 
 
 ' Mong men : In hell o'er subjects like himself, 
 
 Fit prince ; fit reign where darkness reigns, and light 
 
 Of God shut out just recompense for deeds 
 
 Rebellious. Here again, his ancient bounds 
 
 Shall Satan know, nor roam at large, nor man 
 
 His influence feel, in free probation's state, 
 
 Turning his moral powers from God. His power 
 
 Malignant, to himself and fiends confined, 
 
 Shall move to fiercest strife and deadliest hate 
 
 Among themselves ; nor find repose from rage 
 
 By rage begot, increased the more indulged 
 
 In reflex vengeance on themselves disgorged ! 
 
 And so eternal on : Agreed in naught 
 
 But curses vain, at intervals, on God 
 
 Bestowed, vociferous and deep as hell ; 
 
 When consciousness of punishment returns ! 
 
 And this is hell ! For Satan and his hosts 
 
 Prepared, who, first disloyalty conceived, 
 
 Which dire rebellion grew, matured, 
 
 And waked the trump of war in heaven ! Such doom 
 
 Awaits not these alone ,- but man, who hates 
 
 As devils hate, beneficent regards ; who loves 
 
 As devils love, impurity and sin ; whose hands
 
 89 
 
 Fast gripe perverting gold, the price of souls ; 
 
 Whose heart, with envy filled and pride, rejects 
 
 Reproof and offered grace ; whose filthy soul 
 
 Is feasted most on tears of orphans crushed, 
 
 And widows wronged of sacred rights : their wail 
 
 Sweet music to his ear, but stops not there, 
 
 Goes up to God, a vengeful cry, and shuts 
 
 Against his prayer the audience door of heaven \ 
 
 All such must have their choice : Companions fit 
 
 For fiends and spirits lost. Companionship 
 
 With saints and spirits just they will not have. 
 
 They serve their master here, must serve him there : 
 
 Receive reward which he receives a part 
 
 In flaming floods and fiery storms of wrath 
 
 Vindictive howling blasts which strong conflict 
 
 With rising groans of spirits damn'd ! But such 
 
 As love the truth, believe on Me, and ways 
 
 Of righteousness and peace pursue ; who hate 
 
 Oppression, robbery and crime, nor love 
 
 Deceptive gold, nor wrest for glittering bribes, 
 
 Just judgment from the poor ; nor outward show 
 
 Of man's estate regard ; but sternly plead, 
 
 Against opposing hosts and bitter scorn, 
 
 For virtue's cause inaliened rights of man, 
 
 Earth's greatest good, high prized ; and claims of God 
 
 Immutable to man's allegiance first, 
 
 Entire, to government divine shall have 
 
 Reward with Me in glorious state, estate 
 
 Imperishable ! Those who serve Me here, 
 
 Shall serve Me there ; my glory see and share ; 
 
 My throne shall share ! As 1 shall conquer death 
 
 And hell and set in triumph crowned ; so these 
 
 Through grace shall reign ! My triumph theirs, and theirs 
 
 Through Me, and God in all a unity
 
 89 
 
 Of love, undying love, unfading bliss ! 
 They perish not, but have eternal life ! 
 My Father loved the world, so loved the world, 
 He gave His Son ! What more could give ? His Son, 
 To whom He all things gave ! So naught remained, 
 But God enthroned ! His throne He could not give : 
 God- head alone reserved ! Most precious gift ! 
 Heaven's treasures poured on man, offending man, 
 By Him offended ! Justice satisfied, 
 Delays to strike : On Me the blow must fall, 
 Till man in free volition, choose or death, 
 Or life. And then from long forbearance shown, 
 With gathered force, shall fall O, wretched man ! 
 On him whose choice is death ! As Moses raised 
 The imaged brass amid the camp, when hosts 
 By venomed serpent's fangs, their deadly wound 
 Received, that dying they might live ; in faith 
 One look bestowed, (what less could God require, 
 What less could Israel give,) gave life in death, 
 And healed the malady entire ; so must 
 The Son of God be lifted up, that man 
 Not Israel's sons alone in every land, 
 Diseased by sin, may look, be healed and live, 
 Through Me, on earth, in heaven, eternal live ! 
 And I, when lifted up effulgent light 
 Of heaven, on earth converged in vision clear, 
 And steadfast look, will fix all eyes on Me, 
 By faith enlightened ! Piercing light of truth ! 
 Who loves the truth, loves light, and comes to Me : 
 His works induced by God and praised of Him, 
 Not man. Who hates the truth, hates light, and shuns 
 Discriminating test. His works transpire 
 Through self, the constant spring to acts unpraised 
 Of God, condemn'd, abhorr'd ! Yet judgment waits, 
 8*
 
 90 
 
 And final doom, for those who disbelieve ! 
 
 As judge to fix man's state in endless bliss 
 
 Or woe, I am not come. The sinner's friend 
 
 I come ! Unearthly love, fit theme of praise 
 
 And song among supernal choirs in bliss, 
 
 My bosom swells, and moves to sacrifice 
 
 Unparalleled on earth ! To die for man, 
 
 As friend for friend, may man ; to die for foes 
 
 Must one, both God and man ! Herein is love ! 
 
 Love pure, divine! But how canst thou believe? 
 
 I speak of earth, thou understandest not ; 
 
 How understand the love of God to man? 
 
 Or feel a sympathetic glow, which burns 
 
 Through all the angel hosts of heaven ? I speak 
 
 What I have seen. My province to reveal, 
 
 Exemplify this love to man ! To thee 
 
 I seem as man ! What man ascends to God ? 
 
 Or thence returns ? Who but the Son, who dwells 
 
 With man, with God, and justly claims alone, 
 
 Equality with Him in attributes 
 
 Divine ? A master thou in sacred school, 
 
 And knowest not these things ! " In thoughtful mood 
 
 Then Nicodemus turned, nor deigned reply. 
 
 The Son of God next choose the twelve, unskilled 
 
 In eloquent debate ; unknown 'mong men 
 
 Of science famed, and deep scholastic lore ; 
 
 Of occupations rude, illiterate ; 
 
 Disciples called in school of morals strict, 
 
 And self-denying toil ; to work with Him, 
 
 And usher in a glorious era new, 
 
 Amid earth's moral gloom, like morning bright 
 
 With orient beams, from thickest night redeemed '. 
 
 But these now weak, need confirmation strong.
 
 91 
 
 Need faith, and wisdom taught in school of Christ. 
 Chosen of Him to revolutionize 
 The world contend with wisdom, learning, skill, 
 Combined against their Lord and them ! To stand 
 Before the kings of earth ; hold forth in lands 
 Benighted long, the light of truth ; confound 
 With wisdom pure, man's wisdom most profound ; 
 And fight in heavenly armor clad, with powers, 
 And principalities in highest seats 
 Of earth enthroned ! But not by strength their own. 
 Innate ; by strength of God and furnished grace, 
 Efficient made, as instruments divine ! 
 
 At Cana soon a marriage feast was held. 
 
 The happy pair much honored by their guest 
 
 Most honored, prominence of character 
 
 And name, on fame's recorded page, have lost. 
 
 Obscure the place they fill in sacred word, 
 
 As shadowy forms in back-ground sketched, to aid 
 
 Design, produce effect and harmony, 
 
 And bold relief. To these gay nuptials kept, 
 
 Was Jesus called and his disciples all ! 
 
 Swiftly the hours in festal gladness pass'd, 
 
 Nor lacked they aught true appetite or taste 
 
 Demands : Meats, fruits, and wines of various sort. 
 
 Their furnished board of elegance did crown ; 
 
 Which custom's due observance claimed, or fit 
 
 Esteemed, where fit occurrence strict required. 
 
 Amid enjoyment's highest glee, ' twas found, 
 
 The wine, despatched with unexpected haste, 
 
 By eager hands, had failed ! The Lord stepp'd forth. 
 
 His form with majesty and power impress'd, 
 
 As when in after times, conflicting winds 
 
 And waves their tumult ceased at his command ;
 
 92 
 
 He willed nor did He more the element 
 
 Obeyed and changed itself to wine ! Was this 
 
 To countenance the midnight revel, dance, 
 
 Or song ? the festive board or wine's excess ? 
 
 Did Jesus prostitute his power divine, 
 
 Beneficent, to build what He destroyed? 
 
 Did sanction then, what now He hates ? Which gives 
 
 Excuse to drunkenness, debauch and crime ? 
 
 And leads blind votaries to hell? Away 
 
 With slander, blasphemy like this, from earth ! 
 
 Let devils prate such ribaldry, not man ! 
 
 Then what design did move the Lord, to work 
 
 At this most unpropitious time, (as seems 
 
 To man of judgment weak,) a miracle 
 
 Of character so dark and doubtful cause ? 
 
 Design imprinted on his works, bespeaks 
 
 For Him, in voice undoubted as his word, 
 
 A wisdom clear and infinite, in means 
 
 Adapted to the end ! To gratify 
 
 Desire of gaping multitudes, for deeds 
 
 Of marvellous sort and vulgar fame, did He 
 
 This miracle perform ? A nobler praise 
 
 Impulsion gave, and urged to work so vast : 
 
 To make His glory known, and so confirm 
 
 The inceptive faith of His disciples young! 
 
 Who other lessons need and soon shall have. 
 
 Next, from Capernaum to Zion came 
 The Lord on works of stern reform intent 
 With his disciples : Here the Temple's courts 
 He trod, reviewed with keen inspective glance, 
 The hallowed dome not as the priests by whom, 
 In trust reposed, this sacred place was kept 
 But Master of the house, to whom inscribed !
 
 93 
 
 Event predicted long in Holy Word :* 
 
 '* Behold I send My messenger before ; 
 
 His warning must ye heed prepare the way, 
 
 The Lord ye seek, in whom all worshippers 
 
 Of God delight, shall come, and suddenly, 
 
 To visit this. His consecrated house ! " 
 
 But what reception fit, or offered praise, 
 
 Did Jesus meet from ministers of God, 
 
 At holy altars there ? They knew Him not ! 
 
 Not so when last he comes as Zion's King ! 
 
 When gladjiosannas loud from infant lips, 
 
 His praises swell perfected praise of God ! 
 
 With indignation stern and just rebuke, 
 
 His bosom glowed, to see these holy courts, 
 
 Where sainted men of old once worshipp'd God, 
 
 By hypocrites polluted. Then by power 
 
 Authority supreme, and means which seemed 
 
 Not suited to the end, by power divine 
 
 With scourge of cords, (how small the means,) expelled 
 
 All who sold oxen, sheep and doves ; o'erthrew 
 
 Their tables stored ; poured out the changer's gold, 
 
 And said in tones of deepest wrath " Take hence 
 
 These things. Make not My Father's house, a house 
 
 Of merchandize ! By prophets called ' The House 
 
 Of prayer ! ' Ye have made it a den of thieves ! " 
 
 As conquest gained, fresh courage quick inspires 
 
 In feeble bands, where spiritless before, 
 
 Nor hope, nor fear could give incitement strong 
 
 So his disciples, new attachment gained, 
 
 And strength, and hope, from what their Master did, 
 
 From what achieved by Him for God and truth ! 
 
 And well to Him applied the Psalmist's words 
 
 >:< Zeal for the House of God will eat Thee up, " 
 
 * Malichi iii. 1,
 
 94 
 
 Thence forth to distant towns of Palestine 
 
 Did Jesus go, proclaiming truth divine ; 
 
 Saying, repent, the kingdom is at hand ! 
 
 Healing the sick, the lame and palsied frame ! 
 
 At times by word ; nor means, nor touch applied ; 
 
 As at Capernaum, when sorely press'd 
 
 By him of martial fame, and wide command, 
 
 To heal his servant loved, with palsy sick 
 
 At home ; who thus his cause did plead with Christ : 
 
 " I am unworthy, Lord, that Thou to me 
 
 6hould'st come ! a man of war and blood ! Speak Thou 
 
 The word, it shall be done ! " To whom the Lord : 
 
 " It shall be done. Thy faith requires, and hence 
 
 Necessity devolves on Me a prompt response. 
 
 Go thou thy way. From hence thy servant lives ! " 
 
 Again by touch, or means employed, as when 
 
 Jairus came, beseeching long that He 
 
 Would heal his daughter sick seemed near to death! 
 
 But while he sues for life, she dies ! Alas ! 
 
 The father's hopes are crushed ! His spirits droop ! 
 
 She, whom he loved, for whom he prayed, now sleeps 
 
 In death ! His friends late come, despairing ask, 
 
 " Why trouble Jesus more ? the child is dead ! " 
 
 But what did Jesus do? What say, to him 
 
 Depress'd and sorrowing o'er his daughter dead ? 
 
 Urged he to stoical indifference then ? 
 
 Or philosophic firmness 'gainst life's ills ? 
 
 Taught he that manhood's stern, redeeming powers 
 
 Should check parental grief, or steel the heart ? 
 
 How kind His words ! " Fear not : believe on Me ! " 
 
 Then grasp'd, amid this scene of sadness deep 
 
 Of broken hearts, tears, groans and sobs suppress'd 
 
 The hand of her beloved in death, to whom, 
 
 In tones of sympathetic tenderness,
 
 95 
 
 He said : " Damsel, arise ! " The scene is changed! 
 The maid comes forth and mingles with her friends, 
 In bloom of health, as morning freshly dawn'd! 
 Sorrow to joy is turned, and Jesus praised! 
 Or when He ope'd the eyes of him, born blind ; 
 Whose friends desired from Jesus' hand, a touch 
 A healing touch. That touch, which bows in wrath 
 The everlasting hills, and rocks old earth 
 Upon its base, till ocean casts her flood 
 O'er side in boiling wastes ; applied in love, 
 Restores the blind, gives life, dissolves the charm 
 Of sin about the soul entwined ! That touch 
 Once felt the blind man dimly saw. The veil 
 In part removed men walking seemed as trees ! 
 All shapes obscure, in glimmering light appeared, 
 And indistinct, as when the twilight gray 
 Precedes the morn ! Again applied : at once 
 The intercepting cloud commingled light 
 And shade dispersed ! He saw ! and clearly saw 
 All objects, shapes, in form distinct, and man 
 In form erect, as man ! And Jesus saw ! 
 Believed, rejoicing followed and obeyed! 
 
 Miracles all divine ! In nature, power, 
 
 Effect and grace ! Worthy of Jesus' hand ! 
 
 He went about doing great good to man ! 
 
 On him the Spirit dove-like sat, with power 
 
 To aid in works beneficent and vast ! 
 
 He to the poor the Gospel preached, and oft 
 
 Deliverance gave to captives bruised ; set wide 
 
 The doors, to prisoners bound, and gave to all, 
 
 As sinners vile, the accepted day of grace ! 
 
 Who shall with mighty works like these, compare 
 
 The false, pretending miracles of Rome ?
 
 96 
 
 In tfashy legends of the church preserved, 
 
 And taught the credulous and blind ! What truths 
 
 Established by these " lying wonders" taught? 
 
 Whose faith's confirmed, on reason built ? Whose lives 
 
 Redeemed from death ? What good to man performed ? 
 
 What maladies are healed ? What woes relieved ? 
 
 What sum to human happiness subjoined ? 
 
 What gained to cause of truth ? What glory given 
 
 To God ? What end secured ? Alas ! the end 
 
 That sanctifies, though vile as hell, the means 
 
 As vile ! To bind in fetters strong, the will, 
 
 And conscience bind ! To mould with better grace. 
 
 The minds of men to base obsequiousness, 
 
 And superstitious fear ! To aggrandize 
 
 The few ; the mass impoverish and enslave ; 
 
 So build ecclesiastical misrule ! 
 
 What character ? what power ? their nature what ? 
 
 Let one example serve : A sainted fool 
 
 Did once call fishes from the rolling deep, 
 
 To hear the truth ; they silent audience gave, 
 
 When man through stubborness, his ear refused ! 
 
 Fit preacher, audience fit, and miracle 
 
 Sublime ! Behold their character and power ! 
 
 The Son of God compassionate, relieved 
 
 Distress, and bound up broken hearts ! With hands 
 
 Of softest touch, wiped tears from widows' eyes ; 
 
 Smoothed dow*n the wrinkled brow of age, care worn, 
 
 And filled with joy the orphan's heart depress'd ! 
 
 His visits opportune were made, and kind, 
 
 With marked design to all confest ; nor doubts 
 
 Could intercept belief, where Jesus went! 
 
 He comes to Nain an ancient city walled. 
 
 Forth issuing from the gates, with solemn tread.
 
 97 
 
 A crowd of mourners came ! With grief bowed down 
 
 A matron pass'd, whom Jesus saw o'erwhelm'd 
 
 A widow she, bereft of all on earth 
 
 Most dear ! Her son, her only son was dead ! 
 
 Her hope in life, her staff in age, was gone ! 
 
 Her counsellor, companion, friend ! and grief 
 
 Had twined its aching cords, relentless, deep, 
 
 Around her heart ! To whom soft words He spoke, 
 
 " Weep not " approached and touched the bier whereon 
 
 The corse was laid. The carriers stand amazed ! 
 
 As if by thunder-bolts of God to earth 
 
 Infixed! Who dares this solemn pageant stop, 
 
 When onward moving to the tomb ? This scene 
 
 Of sacred sorrow interrupt, by words 
 
 Untimely uttered ? Whence this stranger rash, 
 
 Who fears not God ? who meddles thus with hours 
 
 Of sanctity and death? Jesus unknown, 
 
 The dead commands : " Young man, arise ! " The voice 
 
 Of Majesty was heard ! The lad arose, 
 
 As if from sleep refresh'd, and back to her, 
 
 Who mourned his death but late, was given ! How kind ! 
 
 How strange the deed ! W hence comes this power to raise 
 
 The dead ? and change deep sorrow into joy, 
 
 As 'twere by magic done ? Fear came on all! 
 
 And all conviction owned that God was there! 
 
 Enchanted thousands followed where He led, 
 From Galilee, Decapolis. and towns 
 Beyond the Jordan and Jerusalem ; 
 To whom the words of life He ministered. 
 His forum nature's wild impressive scenes 
 The mountain's rugged brow. His glowing lips 
 Poured eloquence from heaven's empyreal fount, 
 Fresh, pure, out-gushing from the heart of God ! 
 9
 
 98 
 
 Unlike the orators of classic Greece, 
 
 Or Rome, unmatched in earthly strains, and praised 
 
 By those whose souls respond to moving speech 
 
 His, heavenly, simple and sublime ; Once felt, 
 
 Forever felt and praised ; Once held in high esteem, 
 
 Forever held ; nor antiquated, lost 
 
 In whirling vortex of the changing schools ! 
 
 His poesy soft music of the soul 
 
 New-born eternal numbers rolls unchanged ! 
 
 Not imaged fancy of creative mind, 
 
 Or wild effusions of distempered brain ; 
 
 The images of truth on God- like mind impress'd ! 
 
 Heaven's glories bright, exhaustless, which man's mind 
 
 Can not conceive ; nor vision unrenewed, 
 
 Can see, nor ear can hear God's perfect love ! 
 
 Hell's dark abyss and ever rolling tide 
 
 Of burning flame ; heaven lost to man, despised, 
 
 Once offered ; groans of myriads damn'd, who would, 
 
 In spite of love and sacrifice divine, 
 
 Their choice pursue to death God's perfect wrath! 
 
 Unlike to Him, the prince of poets called, 
 
 Who, loftiness of thought, with dignity 
 
 Of style combined, and dared attempt 
 
 " Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme," 
 
 And soared to heights unknown to him and all ! 
 
 And so to him, who tuned the scenic lyre 
 
 To notes of loveliest song, and just earned praise ; 
 
 Who held "the mirror up to nature" well, 
 
 Yet often lent to vulgar use, his powers 
 
 Of song ; as birds of highest flight drop down 
 
 To earth and feed on matter vile ! And so 
 
 Unlike to him, " spoiled child of fame," who taught 
 
 The muse to soar, " and with the thunder talked ;" 
 
 Whose light, like beacon lights on mountains high,
 
 99 
 
 At distance glared, but scorched and withered, where 
 
 It should have warmed ! Who sung lascivious song, 
 
 And died the wretched victim of his lusts ! 
 
 His harp is tuned to heavenly cadence sweet, 
 
 Which fills with melody of love, the courts 
 
 Of God on earth, in heaven ! All subjects His : 
 
 Of bold poetic fire, or softer flame, 
 
 Or sweet inspiring theme ! ' Tis His to paint 
 
 The orient morn and western sky with tints 
 
 Of golden light, or blend with silvery hue, 
 
 The flying cloud disparted by the orb 
 
 Of night ! ' Tis His to garnish earth entire, 
 
 With changeful drapery sublime ! To deck 
 
 With foliage green and summer flowers, afar 
 
 The smiling mead ; with fruit the cultured field ! 
 
 To clothe the landscape wide, with wildest grace ; 
 
 Profusion vast of rocks, hills, dales and groves, 
 
 And flowing streams from gushing fountains cool! 
 
 ' Tis His to keep alive the stars, bright lights 
 
 For man ; to feed the burning fire of day, 
 
 And light from thence the midnight lamp of heaven ! 
 
 All thoughts, all themes, all melody are His ; 
 
 All passions, fears and hopes by him controll'd, 
 
 And He the grand original of all 
 
 Existences, and elemental life ! 
 
 His fame from Palestine to Syria spread 
 
 With rapid pace : enduring more than deeds 
 
 Of man, in characters of blood deep traced, 
 
 Or on the monumental pile inscribed ! 
 
 fingraved on grateful hearts and chronicled 
 
 In heaven, eternal stands and brighter grows ! 
 
 Now Satan from his dark retreat thence driven 
 By interval of rest from hellish strife,
 
 100 
 
 And diabolic contest waged with God, 
 
 To fury lashed, as when the Lion chafed, 
 
 From Jordan's swelling tide retreats soars up* 
 
 As prince of airy heights, through starless shades 
 
 To intermediate space and thickest night : 
 
 The seat of principalities and powers 
 
 Of darkness. Here convokes in council vast, 
 
 All spirits vile, unclean, and demons called ; 
 
 Magicians wise, who Moses long withstood, 
 
 Jannes and Jambres, named in after days, 
 
 Their leaders bold. Wizards and witches knownf 
 
 In holy law to Israel given, and there 
 
 Condemn'd. Familiar spirits, sought by those 
 
 Who sought not God ; who divination claimed, 
 
 And power to raise the dead. Like her, of Saul 
 
 Employed j and him of Balak hired to curse 
 
 Whom God had blest. And those long afterward 
 
 At Delphos famed, who uttered oracles, 
 
 Inspired by exhalations rare, divine, 
 
 Uprising from Parnassus' lofty mount f 
 
 Myriads of these convened at 1 is crmmand, 
 
 And thus addressed : " Ye powers aerial, awake! 
 
 Ye disembodied ghosts of those long dead, 
 
 Coursing through darkness drear, your trackless way, 
 
 And must in ' outer darkness ' dwell, condemn'd 
 
 To such eternal state, if ye do not 
 
 Kre long, exert your powers for liberty ; 
 
 Attend my speech ! The Son of God, who seem* 
 
 Impassible unconquered by my arm 
 
 Hath late fresh laurels gained in Palestine ! 
 
 Travelling in the greatness of His power, 
 
 Speaking in righteousness and strong to save, 
 
 ' Eph. ii. 2. t Ex. Mil. 18 : Lev. xix. 31.
 
 101 
 
 Hath swept like overflowing flood, the land ! 
 Thousands are cringing at His feet, and seek 
 From Him relief, as from the hand of God ! 
 The dead are raised and spirits cleansed from sin ! 
 Before His word divine, diseases flee, 
 As frighted guards, outnumbered, spiritless, 
 Before embattled hosts invincible ! 
 His fame, like lightning from the cloud elanced, 
 To Syria 's flown, untired and onward speeds ! 
 Companions of my toil and pain ! Judge ye 
 Which best, to sit despairing here, or urge 
 Through intermediate air, your hopeless flight, 
 Or meet this crisis, dangerous as 'tis strange, 
 In fit accordance with your prowess shown 
 Before, when multitudes of heathen name, 
 By you were willing led, and yielding host 
 From Israel were seduced ? Come rally then ! 
 And speed your w r ay to this good land j and there 
 Invisible possession take of man ! 
 As single habitants or legions joined, 
 As best may suit our end, and thus oppose 
 This mighty Chieftain, Son of God, so named .' 
 He, or our ancient powers must fall ! Prince, He, 
 Of light, and I of darkness, each distinct 
 In elements of power and principles 
 Evolved, can not affianced live in heaven, 
 Or earth, or hell ! " Then swift in numerous train, 
 As sable clouds o'er midnight hills are driven, 
 The untold swarms of demons dark, descend 
 To scour the plains of Palestine, in quest 
 Of bodies organized, and minds to suit 
 Their hellish purpose fixed bold war wilh God ! 
 Undaunted, Jesus met the common foe 
 To Him and man ! Advised, their nature, power, 
 9*
 
 102 
 
 And mode of warfare understood the world 
 Invisible, in phalanx ranged against the powers 
 Of light ! And not as some of later date 
 Assert mere metaphoric words set down 
 Foul demons put for wan disease, to which 
 Mankind are subject all ; but spirits base 
 Imbodied tangibility assumed, 
 To meet the Son in human flesh arrayed ! 
 
 When Jesus came from off the holy mount, 
 
 Where Peter, James and John his glory saw 
 
 Transfigured form, and brilliant as the light, 
 
 True pattern given of what His saints shall be, 
 
 When glorified with Him a father brought 
 
 His son diseased A spirit furious, dumb, 
 
 Possession long had held of this young lad, 
 
 Which dashed him oft times down, resistless then, 
 
 Foaming and gnashing with his teeth, to earth. 
 
 Where long he'd lay in frenzied, hopeless state ! 
 
 First, the disciples sought. These not empowerd, 
 
 Relief nor aid could give ! How weak is man, 
 
 Where needs Jehovah's arm omnipotent ! 
 
 Next, to the Lord himself applied, nor sued 
 
 In vain ; his faith proportioned to desire, 
 
 By prayer and correspondent acts confirmed. 
 
 As God, now Jesus speaks imperative : 
 
 '' I charge thee, spirit deaf and dumb, unclean, 
 
 To leave thy habitation fond, nor seek 
 
 To enter more such tenement usurp'd ! " 
 
 Reluctant then this demon vile, obeyed 
 
 The word divine, and owned superior power ! 
 
 Submission forced, as all the enemies 
 
 Of God to him accord ! The will untamed, 
 
 The faculties and powers apostate still,
 
 103 
 
 Malignant and inimical, ' gainst Him, 
 
 For mastery will struggle on, till crush'd 
 
 By sentence just, and chained where endless night, 
 
 Despair prolific breeds extremest hell! 
 
 So struggled this malignant spirit then, 
 
 Rent sore the lad and left him dead, as seemed 
 
 To all ! But Jesus' hand, his languid frame 
 
 Raised up to life and health, and friends restored '. 
 
 Nor could their vile concentred hosts, arrayed 
 
 At single point, like legions armed with lance, 
 
 Or spear, and cased in panoply of steel, 
 
 Against the Lord make head. These routed, sued 
 
 For truce as cringing foes subdued, and Him 
 
 Adjured for clemency, as Son of God 
 
 Most High ! Abatement ask'd cf punishment, 
 
 Which due, He might inflict, and will, at time 
 
 Appointed, when the sentence dread by Him 
 
 Pronounced, shall seal the doom of angels lost 
 
 And men! But gave till then what asked. As well 
 
 Permission gave to enter, as besought, 
 
 A herd of swine, two thousand named, which ran 
 
 With fury down the banks of Galilee, 
 
 Where strangling, sunk beneath the whelming flood! 
 
 All power derived, is in subjection held, 
 
 Nor can it be transferr'd without consent 
 
 Of Him who gave. Such slate dependence owns. 
 
 But He, in whom the attributes divine 
 
 All met, gave power to His disciples, such 
 
 As only God can give ! to heal the sick, 
 
 Resuscitate the dead, and in his name, 
 
 To cast foul spirits out, saying : " Go ye* 
 
 And preach My word. Do ye as I hare done ! 
 
 Math. x.
 
 104 
 
 Freely ye have received, now freely give ! 
 
 Behold I send you forth as sheep 'mid wolves, 
 
 Which rend with ravening jaws the purchased flock. 
 
 As serpents, be ye wise. As doves, be kind, 
 
 Affectionate, and innocent, and mild ; 
 
 Thus blending virtue fair, with wisdom prized ; 
 
 Wherever found, by whom acknowledged, praised, 
 
 As fit examples, imitation give ; 
 
 However vile is he, who claims the one, 
 
 Or humble he, the other shows approved ! 
 
 To the lost sheep of Israel go and preach 
 
 Go, preach the kingdom is at hand ! The sick 
 
 Restore ; the lepers cleanse ; the dead raise up, 
 
 And spirits damn'd cast out of those possess'd ! 
 
 Nor raiment, scrip, nor gold provide ; but trust 
 
 In God. My service meets reward. Fear not. 
 
 The sparrow small, o'erlooked by man, by Me 
 
 Is watched with care paternal ; guided on 
 
 In puny flight, as well as birds sublime, 
 
 Of heavenly plume, which sweep the mountain top 
 
 In travelled course ; nor falls without my power 
 
 Or free consent, as second cause controll'd ! 
 
 More valued ye than they immortal men ! 
 
 To propagate My gospel, ye are sent ; 
 
 My providence your ways shall mark, and guide 
 
 In all the paths of life, your footsteps right! 
 
 Fear not. Vile man, opposing God, may kill 
 
 The body ; further can not go. The soul, by faith 
 
 In Me secured ingrafted life > he cannot reach ! 
 
 Who touches this, must Me destroy ; in Me 
 
 ' Tis hid with God ! Shall triumph hence, ' mid flames 
 
 Or racking tortures borne, the arguments 
 
 Of hell ! much used where error's clothed with power ! 
 
 Appliance damn'd, to force weak consciences
 
 105 
 
 To acquiescence base, where argument 
 
 From truth deduced, would but the truth confirm '. 
 
 Nor these your constancy of mind shall shake. 
 
 Beware of men, but fearless truth proclaim 
 
 Of man's seductive arts beware, nor yield 
 
 Conformity to sin ; nor countenance 
 
 Through fear, or praise bestowed, what I abhor! 
 
 He that receiveth you, receiveth Me, 
 
 And who receiveth Me, receiveth God ! 
 
 He who despiseth you, despiseth Me ; 
 
 And who despiseth Me, despiseth God ! " 
 
 And thus He sent the seventy forth. These all 
 Returned, and gave report of gracious works 
 Perform'd : Rejoicing that the demons bowed 
 To missive power, in Jesus' name dispensed! 
 As one who saw the fruit of toil long borne, 
 Conflicts severe and unremitting war, 
 With pow r ers of darkness waged and fiercely fought ; 
 Jesus rejoiced in spirit then ! Appropriate more 
 His joy, than victor crowned, from scenes of blood 
 Returned, where man o'er man, in martial pomp 
 And pageantry of earth, loud celebrates 
 His conquests gained ! Whose vaunted reign is o'er 
 Proud lands of wealth laid waste, and cities burned ! 
 Whose banquet mirth the saddest hour of earth! 
 Whose triumph song the wailing requiem, poured 
 From hearts with grief o'ercharged, for myriads slam! 
 He saw with prescient eye the crippled foe, 
 Whose diabolic hate, unchecked by Him, 
 Earth's family entire would plunge in hell, 
 Shrinking inglorious from the field of strife, 
 With shattered shield and fallen crest, disarmed, 
 Thus meditating new revenge, and said :
 
 106 
 
 ' ' I behold Satan fall as lightning falls 
 
 From heaven ! " AsJDavid when deliv'rance found, 
 
 Thanksgiving then address'd to God : "I thank 
 
 Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth ! in whom 
 
 All wisdom's hid, that Thou hast hid from man, 
 
 Self-styled and hence reputed prudent, wise, 
 
 What Thou to babes wilt show Thy strength divine, 
 
 Omnipotent, to Him, who trusts in Thee, 
 
 Nor boasts His native skill in deadly strife" 
 
 With sin and hell ! By fleshly arm the foe 
 
 I Vanquished not, thus far subdued ! Unchanged, 
 
 And free in his abode, recruited power, 
 
 His cause shall aid in new attack, urged on 
 
 By maddening shame, disgrace, and sore defeat. 
 
 His onset furious, I again must meet, 
 
 As I before have met, and vanquish, once 
 
 For all, this boasting prince of hell, untamed 
 
 And proud! Meanwhile to Thee, O, God! my thanks 
 
 Are due, as I my power and glory all 
 
 To Thee surrendered, poor became to make 
 
 Man rich ; I now, till this performed, depend 
 
 On Thee, as man whose nature, I assume! "
 
 SATAN CONQUERED, &c. 
 BOOK IV.
 
 And some of them would have taken Him ; bnt no man 
 laid hands on Him. 
 
 JOHN vjj. 44, 
 
 Why have ye not brought Him ? 
 
 JOHN vil. 45. 
 
 What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him onto you t 
 And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver, 
 
 MATH. xxvi. 15. 
 
 And they that laid hold on Jesus, led Him away to Caia- 
 phas, the High Priest, where the scribes and the elders were 
 assembled. 
 
 MATH. xxvi. 57. 
 
 And they crucified Him. 
 
 MATH, xrvil. 36
 
 BOOK IV. 
 
 UNSATISFIED with sad repulse endured, 
 From Jesus' arm received recession dread 
 From toils of warfare Satan, chieftain proud, 
 Of hosts infernal, sullen, dark, and wise 
 In policy of hell deceptive gloss, which makes 
 The truth as falsehood seem, and falsehood seem 
 As truth who higher power to none awards, 
 In heaven, or hell, above himself; now sits 
 Enthroned before his spirit-subjects damn'd, 
 As one possessing majesty, with skill 
 And power to conquer God omnipotent ! 
 And thus in wily speech discourse begins : 
 " Ye spirits bold, invincible! Of late, 
 Your parts, ye well have acted : worthy each 
 Of better state of royalty and power 
 Conferr'd ! Return to principalities 
 And thrones, your own, which ye have doubly won, 
 By prowess rare in Palestine ! Eclipsed 
 Your glory late has been, by fleshly forms 
 Assumed ; your purpose grand, of rightful war 
 Declared, and splendid conquest then required. 
 Return with added glory crowned, because 
 Of laurels gained your power, invisible 
 Before on earth, exhibited ; man subdued, 
 Obsequious made before the Son of God I 
 The outposts guard. Scour well the airy heights 
 Of empire vast. Oppose the squadrons bright, 
 Celestial, in their travelled course to earth ; 
 Whilst I, with single hand, attack once more 
 10
 
 110 
 
 This Champion proud, of heaven's pretending hosts, 
 
 Unconquered yet, invulnerable He 
 
 May boasting say. Him I will now assail, 
 
 With all the dread malignity of hell, 
 
 And He shall yield to my superior skill ! " 
 
 Obedient, these dispersed their several ways, 
 
 Whilst Satan girded on his armor dark, 
 
 For single fight, and coursed his way to earth I 
 
 As prince of hell unseen, he walks abroad 
 
 Through all the land ! By means mysterious, foul, 
 
 Which used, beguiled fair Eve to sad revolt, 
 
 Seeking to find in disaffected minds 
 
 A lodgement sure, of base infernal schemes 
 
 Against the Lord ; and thus by artifice, 
 
 Supply the power in open warfare lacked : 
 
 Oft tried, and suited well to dark designs ; 
 
 As when God's people prosperous, rose above 
 
 The neighboring kingdoms round, and thus stood high 
 
 Their enemies subdued and bowing low, 
 
 Much tributary service gave and power, 
 
 To Israel's king ! O'er Moab reign'd, and cast 
 
 His shoe o'er Edom's land ; Philistia's hosts 
 
 Controll'd ; with Ephraim's strength, (not yet disjoined,) 
 
 And Judah's valiant men, the nations awed! 
 
 Then Satan came who oft to passions vile, 
 
 In man, with mark'd success appeals to pride, 
 
 And jealousy and lust to David, proud 
 
 Of state exalted, with suggestions which 
 
 A correspondent end secured. To him he spoke 
 
 Of wealth, of valor, fame, and strength of arms, 
 
 Which brought great revenue of praise, well earned, 
 
 When marshalled men, by him led on, far pushed 
 
 Their conquests o'er the land ! And urged him on 
 
 To number Israel's sons, and sum the force
 
 Ill 
 
 Of mighty men, who, when emergency 
 
 Required, could take the field of hostile strife! 
 
 And spoke of Nineveh, and Babylon, 
 
 And Tyre, with which his state might well compare! 
 
 As fowlers take the unsuspecting prey, 
 
 So he with covered snare, deceived the king ! 
 
 The yielding monarch, fondest credence gave 
 
 To these suggestions, fawning made, and fair, 
 
 As seemed to mind excited : Numbered then, 
 
 By strict command, the people, who transgress'd 
 
 The law T of God, promulged in Israel's code,* 
 
 Nor brought the ransom price, the penalty 
 
 For which the pestilence was sent of God, 
 
 Severe, nor stayed till seventy thousand fell ! f 
 
 Now Satan, wrapp'd in covered light, disguise 
 
 Put on tbat he might gain his purpose dark, 
 
 The constituted powers of Judah seeks, 
 
 To bring complaint in law against the Son 
 
 Of God ; so far and wide to sound alarm, 
 
 And holy indignation deep, excite 
 
 ' Gainst innovations dangerous, introduced 
 
 And blended with the worship pure of God ! 
 
 The sanhedrim, chief priests, and scribes, he roused 
 
 By lengthened speech and argument, that seemed 
 
 With glowing thought replete, and language fit 
 
 Conveyed. Of ancient rites, and sacred held, 
 
 Discoursed, and thus declaimed : " Pretended priest! 
 
 The Son of God, pretended Son and vile ! 
 
 He comes from Judah's tribe, from which, 
 
 No priest ordained of God ere came, or can 
 
 By law : so loud demands a change of law 
 
 Immutable ! and change of rites long used 
 
 * Exodus xx.x. 12-15. t 2 Sam. rxVr.
 
 112 
 
 Inductive priestly washng at the door 
 
 Of tabernacle, first by Aaron, then 
 
 By consecrated sons observed instead 
 
 A washing novel in the Jordan's stream, 
 
 Has substituted, and received from one, 
 
 Not sent, nor priest ordained, nor fit such rites 
 
 Initiatory to administer ! 
 
 The priesthood is in danger ! Worship pure 
 
 Miscalled and mean, for fisherman designed, 
 
 And common minds accursed, who heed not law. 
 
 Who follow flickering light, as ' twere the blaze 
 
 Of mid-day sun effulgent stript of form 
 
 Attractive, he will institute ! Ye scribes 
 
 And priests, and officers elect of God! 
 
 Your holy office then, which now respect 
 
 And veneration claims, and profit yields 
 
 Abundant, (God asks not your toil for naught,) 
 
 Shall most dishonored prove and profitless, 
 
 If ye blast not with sure, but prudent haste, 
 
 This new religion in the bud ! " Then one uprose, 
 
 Who sat in Moses' seat; responsive spoke, 
 
 And due corroboration gave to what 
 
 The seeming angel said : The council charged. 
 
 And all concerned, to watch the impostor vile, 
 
 And follow where he went. His ministry 
 
 Observe, to trap him in his words or works, 
 
 Whether in public or in private done 
 
 Among the poor in cottage low, o'erlooked 
 
 By pharisee and doctor erst such now 
 
 Must have attention, that impression made, 
 
 On minds neglected long, of charity 
 
 And holy deeds performed, might secrecy 
 
 Ensure from public note the end conceal ! 
 
 (V where the leprosy, with venomed breath
 
 113 
 
 The healthful air impregned ; or at the grave, 
 Where decomposed, the human form sent forth 
 Its dread effluvia, arrowy death, dark winged, 
 Through all the air, must they be found, nor shrink J 
 Or at the sick man's couch, where pestilence 
 Unchecked by art of man, stalked forth to meet, 
 As men at arms, and bold, the timid foe ! 
 Or where affliction sanctified the place 
 As holy ground, where Jesus' sympathy 
 Was felt and prized above all earthy bliss ; 
 Must they obtrude : no place exemption gives ! 
 Forthwith the council he dissolved ; who. now, 
 Ambitious others to surpass, in works 
 Malignant ' gainst the Son of God conceived, 
 Dispersed, as troops en ambushment sent out! ] 
 
 At Nazareth commenced. Hither His fame 
 Had come ! But here He did no works of power 
 And grace, because of unbelief and hate ! 
 They, envious, Him attack ; contemptuous ask, 
 " Whatever Thou hast done in other towns, 
 Capernaum and Galilee throughout, 
 Do also here ! Physician, heal Thyself! " 
 To whom the Lord : " Hath prophet honor just ; 
 At home ? where bred, where known ? Where rivalry 
 And jealous hate, with blinding influence, close 
 The eye of candor, and due praise withhold ? 
 A curiosity unlawful, prompts 
 Unjust demands ! Can ye the sovereign will, 
 Or purpose deep of God, as shallow streams, 
 Divert from customed flow ? When famine raged 
 In Israel, many widows pined for bread, 
 Necessitous. To none relief was sent, 
 By good Elijah's hand, except to one 
 10*
 
 114 
 
 To her, who at Sarepta dwelt f ' Twas thus 
 Ordained ! And many lepers also were 
 In Israel, when Elisha cleansed the chief 
 Of Syria's host : But Israel's lepers cleansed 
 He not ! Nor I, what thus ye seek, will grant ! " 
 Then one to other sneering said such sneers 
 For argument are substituted oft, 
 Rejoinder made to gracious speech, to claim 
 The vulgar praise "Is not this Joseph's son ? " 
 So filled with wrath, they rose and would have cast 
 Him down from where the city stood, but He 
 Amid the crowd pass'd on and thus escaped ! 
 But not by stefcdthy means, did He elude 
 Their rage rage, impotent and vain 'gainst Him 
 Directed ; firm intrenched in purpose strong, 
 To give, at will, His life a ransom, due 
 To God's eternal law and man's estate ! 
 
 Next, Him accuse of casting demons out, 
 By power Beelzebub conferr'd. The prince 
 Of demons in collusion with the Son 
 Of God ! As operator, subject, leagued, 
 To work deceptive plans and seeming true, 
 In mesmeretic feats, to gull weak minds .' 
 Or worse, as if against itself arrayed 
 The selfishness of hell to virtue's side 
 Had turned, as servants change their masters oft .' 
 Or stranger still to judgment sane, that sin 
 And holiness were blended, and could hence 
 Community of interest have in hell ! 
 And Satan work for self, and work for God, 
 So build His kingdom up ! And these were scribes. 
 Whose lips should knowledge keep, and teach 
 Untutored minds the law ! To whom the Lord 
 n speech profound : "On earth, who ever saw
 
 115 
 
 A kingdom stand against itself engaged 
 
 In warlike strife? Then how the powers of hell? 
 
 Themselves would soon exterminate ; nor man 
 
 Would need God's power oft interposed, to blast 
 
 Their schemes malignant. In its stead would find 
 
 By human arm, an easy victory gained, 
 
 Nor seek from God, what now he needs, or falls ! 
 
 The strong man armed his palace keeps, and gocds 
 
 In peace, till he the stronger comes and binds 
 
 Him fast ; so Satan keeps fast hold on man, 
 
 And subjugation claims o'er human mind, 
 
 And with demoniac power the body chains 
 
 And tortures deep inflicts, till overthrown 
 
 By power divine, as ye yourselves have seen ' 
 
 A superhuman power by you confess'd, 
 
 Ascribed to hell in arms against itself! 
 
 Denying thus what evidence, the sense 
 
 May give, preverted not by sin indulged 
 
 Your envious madness, goaded to its height 
 
 By bigotry, exclusiveness and pride ! 
 
 Thus ye blaspheme the Holy Ghost, who dwells 
 
 In Me, and works by Me, deliverance kind, 
 
 To those afflicted sore ! And thus provoke 
 
 The Lord. His works of love, to evil cause 
 
 Attribute, and His mercies mock, in spite 
 
 Of sense and reason's light, and light of truth, 
 
 In word prophetic seen ! Can ye escape 
 
 The burning fires of hell? Me, ye have seen 
 
 And hate ! Through Me, My Father see,- and hate .' 
 
 The brightness of His glory, I reflect, 
 
 In rays subdued, on man ! Had I not come, 
 
 Your stubborn sins might palliation claim, 
 
 But now remain and aggravated plead, 
 
 For justice stern and sentence dread ! For Me
 
 116 
 
 Ye blind reject. By Me forgiveness flows 
 To penitence and prayer, as stream of life 
 From, fountain pure. Me, ye despise, nor will 
 From Me receive, what else ye can not have! 
 Oh ! foolish scribes and priests ! Too late shall ye 
 Behold and mourn your fate! Now hear your doom : 
 Ye must be damn'd! " Confounded then, his foes 
 Retired in sullen mood, with faltering step, 
 As ocean swelled by high and angry winds, 
 Retires at calm, with gradual ebb, and leaves 
 The shore in peace where once its fury raged! 
 
 'Tis winter drear in Palestine. The feast* 
 
 Of dedication held to celebrate 
 
 The Temple purified, (by Syria's king 
 
 Polluted,) now is kept. The ancient porch, 
 
 As some vast rock amid the ocean's surge, 
 
 Has long survived the ravages of time, 
 
 And devastating hand of conquering kings ! 
 
 In sacred word, as Solomon's porch is known 
 
 A solemn pile and grand, looks tow'rd the east, 
 
 A monument of what the Temple was, 
 
 When God's symbolic presence dwelt as cloud 
 
 Of glory there ! Here Jesus walked ! The Son 
 
 Of man, nor house, nor home possess'd on earth, 
 
 Here shielded from the wintry blast, spoke words 
 
 Of life to thronging multitudes, and gave 
 
 To weary hearts rich comfort, whilst Himself 
 
 Was friendless and despised ! Round Him, the Jews 
 
 Gathered in haste scribes, pharisees and priests, 
 
 As hungry wolves around the lamb, estranged 
 
 From native fold : Some accusation false, 
 
 To find in words ungarded said, or find 
 
 ' John x. 22.
 
 117 
 
 Some evidence of guilt, as pretext fair, 
 
 That speedy condemnation might ensue ; 
 
 For they were pierced by words of just reproof. 
 
 Oft said, as if by sharp and pointed spears ! 
 
 With seeming honesty, they ask : " If Thou 
 
 Be Christ, why make us doubt ? Thy miracles 
 
 Equivocal, no witness give to claims 
 
 So high important, true or false, to us. 
 
 The guardians lawful of religious rites, 
 
 Must judge of Thy pretentions boasting made ! 
 
 For we, the oracles of God expound, 
 
 And ordinance of sacrifice control. 
 
 Moses we know : He led our fathers forth 
 
 From Egypt ; gave them laws, from God received 
 
 While on the burning mount : His glory saw ! 
 
 But who art Thou ? Whom makest Thou Thyself? 
 
 We look for Christ, a glorious personage, 
 
 In prophet's word described ' The Mighty God ; 
 
 The Prince of Peace ; ' of valor great, and power 
 
 To lead our armies on to valiant fight, 
 
 And drive from hence these powers usurp'd, and held 
 
 Till then, as now, by sufferance wise of God ! 
 
 Art Thou that Christ? Now let Thy speech be plain, 
 
 Nor circumvention use, as oft Thou hast." 
 
 Then Jesus, filled with indignation, spoke 
 His words with terror clothed, as thunder seemed, 
 Forth breaking from a cloud of storm, and awed 
 To silence deep, the while, His caviling foes ! 
 " Have I not said, and plainly said? But ye 
 Believe Me not ! My works My claims confirm, 
 Nor need, nor can they have a stronger proof. 
 My sheep will hear my voice : but ye are not, 
 And will not hear ! My sheep will follow Me
 
 118 
 
 To death ! I give them life eternal life ! 
 
 N'o one can pluck them from My hand, or pluck 
 
 Them from My Father's hand ; for we are ONE ! " 
 
 They audience gave till now. Enraged that He 
 
 Should claim equality with God, in praise, 
 
 Perfections, grace and love, with blasphemy 
 
 Accuse the Son of God, and eager would 
 
 The penalty of Moses' law inflict ! 
 
 When Jesus bold resumed : " Why cast ye stonei 
 
 In furious rage at Me, nor mark what's said ? 
 
 Many good works have I performed, for which 
 
 Do ye thus visit punishment for sin? 
 
 And only due to sin ? Have I blasphem'd ? 
 
 Which of ye all convicteth Me of sin ? 
 
 If then My words ye can not overthrow, 
 
 Nor dare dispute, why credence just withhold t 
 
 ' Tis said in ancient scriptures, ' Ye are gods.' 
 
 Shall men such high appellatives receive, 
 
 In word of God, to whom the word was sent ; 
 
 And ye, with fiendish malice say to Him, 
 
 The Father sanctified, ' blasphemer, Thou ! ' 
 
 Because I said, I am the Son of God? 
 
 Ye hypocrites ! Your father's lusts ye do ! 
 
 Blindly he leads you on to war with Me, 
 
 And hence to war with God ! Effrontery 
 
 Unmatched! unknown, but in the depths 
 
 Of hell ! where ye your native element 
 
 Shall find, and kindred spirits, who accord 
 
 With you in envy, jealousy and hate ! " 
 
 Routed but not dismayed, they then withdrew, 
 And consultation held what could be done 
 In case so critical. At once agreed 
 Thereon, the council must deliberate.
 
 119 
 
 Forthwith the sanhedrim was called ; and soon 
 
 The hall of state was thronged, as when in hell, 
 
 The massive edifice by Satan built, 
 
 And sung by poet blind heroic verse 
 
 Was filled by peers of that infernal prince, 
 
 Devising means to crush the new-made pair 
 
 If that were best, or else by subtlety 
 
 If best, to win them o'er to side of hellf 
 
 Here scribe, and pharisee and priest conferr'd. 
 
 Now one, well skilled in intrigue, learned in school 
 
 Of priestly kind, rose up and thus harangued : 
 
 " Fathers and brethren, hear ! Full well were we 
 
 Forewarned of this bold innovator's course 
 
 What specious arts and fraud He would employ ; 
 
 How He, with seeming miracles, would draw 
 
 The crowd to servile waiting at His feet, 
 
 And great renown among the vulgar sort 
 
 Would gain ! With eagle-eye, Him ye have watch'd, 
 
 And evidence of large amount laid up, 
 
 To meet and test His claims, confronted here ; 
 
 But naught prevailed. Where'er He goes, the world, 
 
 Grown mad, still flock to hear His speech divine ; 
 
 Seeing His mighty works, they bow to Him 
 
 As God ! regarding not our holy law 
 
 In force against idolatry and sin ! 
 
 We thus shall well-earned reputation lose ; 
 
 Our ancient rites their glory lose, and more, 
 
 Far worse, Jehovah's name shall be despised 
 
 These things allowed, will end in anarchy 
 
 And death to hopes of pregnant joy, as ye 
 
 May judge ! Ye guardians of the public good, 
 
 Awake ! Nor idly here debate, as 'twere 
 
 A measure small of import ye discuss, 
 
 And not of danger imminent to all !
 
 120 
 
 Already are the people won, and range 
 
 Themselves on side of this imposter great ! 
 
 And how shall wise decrees prevail, by you 
 
 Put forth, if public sentiment work not 
 
 With righteous cause, which now ye advocate ? 
 
 Let energetic means, devised at once, 
 
 A speedy execution have, so end 
 
 This mockery of legislation now ! " 
 
 Amid applauding cheers, sat down. Then rose 
 
 Another, somewhat more in age advanced, 
 
 Some untouched point to reach ; and thus poured forth 
 
 Exciting speech : " My peers in law ! 
 
 To me your audience give ! This subject now 
 
 Demands investigation ; nay, demands 
 
 Executive decision ! Scenes like these, 
 
 Do not our tributary state befit ! 
 
 This Jesus claims to be a King ! And king 
 
 Of whom ? The Jews ! Pretensions such, shall soon 
 
 The Tetrarch's hate excite ! Will Pilate brook 
 
 Such insult offered? or will Herod pass 
 
 In silence, base indignities preferr'd ? 
 
 Will Caesar know a rival here, and rest 
 
 On his imperial throne ? I tell you nay. 
 
 His sweeping cohorts armed, will quick o'erthrow 
 
 What yet remains of toleration small, 
 
 To us vouchsafed in our religion, law 
 
 Administered by privilege enjoyed 
 
 And dear as life ; which others can boast ! 
 
 Shall this or life be sold ? In looks that burn, 
 
 I read your answer ! Then exert your rights 
 
 Legitimate, ere this shall reach its height 
 
 Of mad career, to crush seditious crime, 
 
 Wherever known ; or soon, amid the storm 
 
 Of Csesar's wrath, this nation sinks unmourned ;
 
 121 
 
 Nor aught remain but cheerless void, where once 
 
 Her ancient glory shone ! " His speech here closed. 
 
 Silence ensued ! The heart's deep feeling moved, 
 
 Forbade response! Then Nicodemus spoke 
 
 The same who came by night to see the Lord : 
 
 " Ye elders of the people hold ! nor thus 
 
 Impetuous urge your onward way ! What's done 
 
 In haste, is oft ill done, by accident, 
 
 If well. And oft repentance bitter comes 
 
 In after thought, which fore thought should have been, 
 
 And calm precursor to the deed. Will ye 
 
 Condemn the man unheard ? or hither bring, 
 
 And thus confront Him with yourselves ? And here 
 
 Give place for just extenuation made, 
 
 Or explanation due to majesty 
 
 Of law by Him contemn'd, as some believe? 
 
 Can ye by law, condemn this man unheard ? 
 
 I charge you, weigh this matter well, nor act 
 
 Precipitate, where judgment given requires 
 
 Deliberation cool before it pass ! " 
 
 Here ended. No responsive impulse now 
 Sends forth approving shout, but silence first 
 Prevailed. Not as before, when feelings deep, 
 Too deep for utterance fit by words, fast closed 
 All lips ; such as surprise begets, or shock 
 Of fear, or when the coursing blood is chill'd 
 By deeds of horror done! But soon were all 
 Restored ; with anger filled ; then silence broke 
 By murmuring words, which louder grew, to him 
 Address'd, sarcastic said, and deeply felt 
 Through all the house, " Art thou of Galilee ? " 
 Then Caiaphas, high-priest that year, (God's law 
 
 11
 
 122 
 
 Ordaining priests for life, by man was changed,)* 
 
 Demanding audience, rose ; prophetic spoke, 
 
 As one a sacred trust discharged for God 
 
 Permitted so for Aaron's place he filled, 
 
 To whom, because of station occupied, 
 
 There was some lingering reverence due, not due 
 
 To him as man, but to his office held 
 
 Divine ! He spoke in name of Israel's God, 
 
 As by the Spirit moved the Spirit moves 
 
 Some men to speak in praise of God, who love 
 
 Him not! As Beor's son, whom Balak hired 
 
 To curse : Restrained of God he could not curse, 
 
 But blessings asked instead ! Respectful now, 
 
 All eyes to him are turned, who thus begins : 
 
 " What! know ye not expediency demands, 
 
 (Ye nothing know it seems,) that one must die, 
 
 To save our nation, which must perish else ? 
 
 Jesus must die! The public safety needs 
 
 The sacrifice ; and justice stern requires 
 
 The largest sum of human happiness, 
 
 By smaller ills, soon pass'd, and felt by few, 
 
 To man in aggregate should be secured ! 
 
 But not this nation only, benefit 
 
 Of vast amount shall thence receive, for He 
 
 Shall bring God's children, scattered wide through earth. 
 
 Together in one fold united, bless'd, 
 
 As careful shepherd herds his wandering sheep ! " , 
 
 This speech, as pretext served, to close with haste 
 
 Deliberation then protracted long ; 
 
 So speedy sentence pass'd, unanimous 
 
 That Jesus Christ the Son of God must die '. 
 
 ' Exodus xl. 15. John xi. 51
 
 123 
 
 As prudent mariner, who shortens sail, 
 
 Lets drive his bark before resistless winds ; 
 
 So Jesus flees before the gathering storm, 
 
 Foreboding ill, and thickening every hour ! 
 
 His time not come, Himself to offer up, 
 
 As voluntary sacrifice to God ; 
 
 He goes to Ephraim city, there to dwell 
 
 In solitude, till God's appointed time 
 
 Shall call Him forth to meet once more the foe ! 
 
 The yearly feast, the nation's jubilee, 
 
 JVot that the fiftieth year was kept, when slaves, 
 
 Among themselves were freed, but when themselves 
 
 Egyptian bondage 'scaped, was nigh at hand. 
 
 They sought for Jesus there amidst the crowd, 
 
 And one to other, in the Temple said, 
 
 " What think ye? will He come to keep the feast?" 
 
 The sanhedrim again was called, no more 
 
 To be dissolved, till this great crisis pass ! 
 
 Now Satan comes, disguised as once before ; 
 
 Disguise could none deceive, but those themselves 
 
 Did first deceive and blind ; for eyes not closed 
 
 By bigotry, could such bold falsity 
 
 Detect. To these as messenger of light 
 
 He seems, and thus addresses nattering speech: 
 
 " Ye men of wisdom deep, and firmness large? 
 
 Proud may ye be of your renown'd debate, 
 
 And just decision made ! This land entire 
 
 With acclamation rings, and due applause 
 
 On you bestowed. Well may ye boast your fame 
 
 And ancient origin ; but more, far more, 
 
 Your recent deeds of glory, which do add 
 
 A double glory to your fame, if add you can, 
 
 To that which perfect is, nor more can have ! 
 
 Rome in the zenith of her pride to whom
 
 124 
 
 Ye bow as tributary power ; not fit 
 
 As 'tis, the servant should as master sit 
 
 Could not such senate boast ; grave, learned in law, 
 
 And eloquence of native sort, not taught 
 
 In schools, mechanical and frigid more, 
 
 Than coruscations pale at northern pole ; 
 
 But such as moves to grand and just results I 
 
 But while I speak this great impostor's yet 
 
 At large ! What's done is well. What need ye more. 
 
 But judgment pass'd enforce ? Him lurking ye 
 
 Shall find in secret place, as criminal 
 
 From justice fled ! His followers, faithful men 
 
 Worthy of better cause and rich reward, 
 
 Fidelity ensures to deeds of praise 
 
 Deceived, round Him as body guard encamp, 
 
 And strictest watch maintain. But stratagem 
 
 Shall well effect what force may not attempt ; 
 
 As frequent disaffection makes in ranks 
 
 A breach, where valiant hosts would be repulsed! 
 
 Among this faithful number faithful where 
 
 Disloyalty were virtue there is one, 
 
 Judas by name, of noble mind and bold, 
 
 Fitted this honored enterprise to head, 
 
 And such assistance give to apprehend 
 
 Our common foe, as ye may need. From first, 
 
 Although as one of His disciples known, 
 
 He was not duped, but His integrity 
 
 Held fast, and independency of mind 
 
 Evinced. In hopes of gain, He was induced 
 
 To join their band, not lured by promise large 
 
 And vain, of future good ; if haply He 
 
 Might hold their treasured wealth. Him hither, I 
 
 Will send. With whom confer and measures take 
 
 To bring this matter to an end. Whilst I,
 
 125 
 
 Meanwhile required by cause of truth, speed on 
 To distant fields of neeJy toil, and large ! " 
 So spoke the fiend, arch enemy to God! 
 To whom with one consent they credence gave, 
 As 'twere the will of God revealed, in stream 
 Of inspiration poured from fount divine ! 
 So work delusive charms on minds deceived, 
 Who will not truth receive and hate the light ! 
 
 Now on the mount of Olivet, the Son 
 Of God in musing sadness stood, and looked 
 With eye of melting pity down upon 
 Jerusalem ! The city outspread wide, 
 Lay at his feet like pictured map, and fair 
 To view as fancied place of fairy tale, 
 In imaged beauty drawn ! Her walls and towers 
 And lofty battlements of threatening look, 
 Defying troops of foes, whom God defied 
 Stretching far west and south amid tall trees, 
 And outline dim of towering hills, were lost! 
 Along the brow of famed Moriah's mount, 
 Sacred to all the chosen seed where once 
 The Patriarch, his son, as sacrifice 
 To God. in figure offered up, and him 
 Received to life again the northern wall 
 Ran straight ; Jehoshaphat's deep vale, 
 With Cedron's dark and flowing stream below ! 
 Whilst far o'er Zion's hill so fondly sung 
 By ancient bards of God in sacred strains, 
 To which all Christian hearts responsive beat 
 Rose high the southern wall, with Hinnom's vale, 
 Where Judah's sons apostatized from God, 
 Their children sacrificed at Moloch's shrine 
 Spread wide and dreary seemed symbolic hell! 
 11*
 
 126 
 
 Here Jesus stood and looked, and felt, and wept ' 
 
 And thus the heart's sad feeling poured, in strains 
 
 Of sorrow forth : " Alas ! Jerusalem ! 
 
 Jerusalem ! Thou city fair, once loved 
 
 By Zion's King, and dwelling place of God ! 
 
 Beautiful once for situation ! styled 
 
 The joy of earth ! The prophets thou hast kill'd, 
 
 And those in mercy sent to thee, to show 
 
 Thy sons the way of peace ! Thy children oft, 
 
 Would I have gathered home to God, but they 
 
 Would not ! Now desolation, like a cloud 
 
 Hangs threatening o'er thy head ; ere long shall burst 
 
 And sweep Thy loveliness from earth ! The day 
 
 Shall come not distant far thy enemies 
 
 Shall compass thee around, and keep thee in 
 
 On every side ! Thy walls and proudest towers 
 
 Lay low ; nor leave one stone in order laid, 
 
 Of all thy dwellings fair ! Jerusalem ! 
 
 Jerusalem! Oh! hadst thou known in this 
 
 Thy day, the way of peace ! But now 'tis hid 
 
 Forever from thine eyes ! Ye shall not see 
 
 Me hence till ye shall say blessed is He, 
 
 That cometh in the name of God, Most High ! " 
 
 Thus He denounced God's vengeance just on those 
 
 Who would not hear his word, with broken heart 
 
 And interrupted speech his utterance broke 
 
 By sighs and tears! Nor inconsistent this : 
 
 As man of sympathetic heart, he wept! 
 
 As God of attributes divine, he spoke ! 
 
 Here too behold an exhibition kind, 
 
 Of highest love ! Compassion pure, divine ? 
 
 Benevolence refined, above what men 
 
 Or angels feel ! Ye waiting angels, poised
 
 127 
 
 On radiant wing, now hovering round the Son ! 
 
 Can ye the mystery of these tears explain, 
 
 In language used in courts above ? Or find 
 
 In Heaven's own copiousness of phrase and song, 
 
 Fit numbers to rehearse this scene to hosts 
 
 On high, when ye return ? Here you may pause 
 
 In wonder wrapt, nor think to explore the vast 
 
 Profound of Jesus' love ! Ye giddy ones 
 
 Of earth ! whose days are spent in revelry 
 
 And mirth ; who pass the Saviour by, nor heed 
 
 His sorrowing mien and outstretched arm to you ; 
 
 O, wonder not at what He felt though angels may 
 
 Nor think it strange that Jesus wept! He wept 
 
 Not o'er himself, though scorned ; o'er man as doom'd 
 
 To hopeless woe, for base ingratitude 
 
 And sin, He wept, nor could His tears withhold! 
 
 And such his ministers should be. Their hearts 
 
 Should feel the word themselves to others speak. 
 
 Not with vain trifling air, most awful truths 
 
 Repeat in studied forms of elegance, 
 
 To please fastidious taste, nor mourn results 
 
 When truth's despised ; but weep in secret place ; 
 
 Like Jeremiah, weep o'er pride, when man 
 
 Rejects and mad defies Jehovah's arm 
 
 Omnipotent, made bare, upraised to strike, 
 
 With whetted sword, the rebel down ! And such 
 
 Was Paul, who warned with tears, both day and night, 
 
 The sinner, who, without repentance, faith 
 
 And prayer, must meet eternal wrath ! He felt 
 
 Oppressive weight of sorrowing heart, for those 
 
 Who held relationship with him and Christ ; 
 
 Who zeal and perseverance had, in works 
 
 The law required, but destitute of faith,
 
 123 
 
 Could not be saved ! For them he wished himself 
 
 Accursed from Christ if tl at perchance could work 
 
 Redemption sought, from hell So deep he felt 
 
 Solicitude for those exposed to woe ! 
 
 Ye ministers profess'd ! who never feel 
 
 As Jesus felt ; whose hearts are never fill'd 
 
 With bitterness for man coademn'd, and hence 
 
 Exposed to pains of second death ; but give 
 
 The lie most palpable to what ye preach, 
 
 By fond applause oft sought of man, and not 
 
 Of God : Far better ye should never tread 
 
 Again His holy courts, as once ye trod ; 
 
 But there record in ever during form, 
 
 Your guilt and penitence to God confess'd ! 
 
 An ancient bard, of God inspired, who lived 
 
 When Judah's sons rebuilt the Temple, sung 
 
 Of Jesus thus : " Rejoice aloud ! O, thou 
 
 Daughter of Zion .' Shout ! O, daughter blest, 
 
 Of loved Jerusalem ! Behold ! thy King, 
 
 Having salvation, cometh ! He is just : 
 
 No royal equipage or state is his 
 
 Riding an ass, and meek, behold, He comes ! " 
 
 Now Jesus came, as was by ancient seers 
 
 Declared. The people saw their King approach, 
 
 And caught enthusiastic glow of pride 
 
 Or patriotism, or inspiration true 
 
 Of Holy Spirit's fire if that could be 
 
 For God designed in spite of pharisee 
 
 And priest, and hell combined, in triumph now 
 
 His Son should enter Z ion's ancient gates ! 
 
 In crowds the people rush, ambitious all 
 
 To honor Him they soon despise ! Him meet 
 
 With waving branches of the palm, and shout
 
 129 
 
 Hosanna to the King of Israel blest, 
 
 Who comes in name of God ! He came to keep 
 
 The feast the last that He would keep ! At night 
 
 Sat down with His disciples loved, to break 
 
 The bread He ne'er again would break ! to drink 
 
 The cup, no more He'd drink, till new He'd drink 
 
 It in his Father's kingdom ! Solemn hour 
 
 Of meditation deep and mournful thought ! 
 
 Their eyes were turned upon their Lord. His voice 
 
 Soon heard, in mellow tones addressed, relieved 
 
 The sad suspense which silence had imposed : 
 
 u I now must go and leave you in the world ! 
 
 I will not leave you comfortless My peace 
 
 Shall still with you abide ! The Holy Ghost, 
 
 The Comforter, shall dwell within your breasts, 
 
 To guide you into truth all truth ; but not 
 
 To give impulsion blind to doubtful acts : 
 
 Impressions strong, of lessons taught by Me , 
 
 Before, the Spirit on your hearts shall make, 
 
 And hence through truth, shall lead to truth, and what 
 
 The truth requires ! And He, your comforts too. 
 
 Shall well enlarge. My promises secured 
 
 To you, at highest courts My power shall there 
 
 Prevail applied by Him, shall aid impart 
 
 In darkest hours ! Why then should sprrpw fill 
 
 Your hearts ? Orphans ye shall not be ! But I, 
 
 O'er you my guardian care will still exert ! " 
 
 Their feelings deep, with interest new, now clothed 
 
 His speech ! They seemed to hang upon His words' 
 
 Their lives suspended on His lips ! And none 
 
 Of them could ask, " Lord, whither goest Thou? " 
 
 The Lord resumed : " I go to meet My death ! 
 
 Well pleased to meet that death which God ordained ; 
 
 But wounded in the house of friends,
 
 130 
 
 Hy one of you betrayed ! Their pent-up grief, 
 
 Like smothered force of some volcanic fire, 
 
 Struggling for vent, burst forth at length, in words 
 
 Of loudest wail, and each inquiring spoke, 
 
 '' Lord, is it I ? " Then Jesus answered calm : 
 
 '' 'Tis he to whom I give the sop." Then gave 
 
 To Judas, who, then frowning left the scene, 
 
 Which angels could not contemplate unmoved, 
 
 Plotting dark mischief 'gainst the Son of God ! 
 
 Now Satan, having failed in all attempts 
 
 Before, to conquer Christ, resolved at once 
 
 To enter Judas : him through hopes of wealth 
 
 Deceive, to act as traitor and betray 
 
 The Lord ! Fit habitation for such guest ! 
 
 A man of blackest heart and devilish mind ; 
 
 A devil called by Him who can not err 
 
 By Him who knows the heart can read its thougths, 
 
 As lettered book of execution fair, 
 
 Is read by man when covered deep and dark, 
 
 The motive lies ; to which the outward act, 
 
 Alone as index points, nor known before, 
 
 To observation strict or eye of man ! 
 
 A thief! who loved ill-treasured wealth, and talk'd 
 
 As hypocrites, who large professions make. 
 
 When charity 's diffusive made of waste 
 
 When Mary poured the costly ointment cweet, 
 
 On Jesus' head ; by Him approved and blest, 
 
 As proud memorial of her deep-felt love ! 
 
 Vile man, he loved not God ! Profess'd to love 
 
 The poor ; but cared for such, as hypocrites 
 
 For cause of truth! Him, Jesus had reproved 
 
 For avaricious thought; that he despised 
 
 And sought revenge ! The fiend ! what would he else ? 
 
 His filthy soul, now moved by hellish springs,
 
 131 
 
 Nor awed by Jesus' presence him he'd left 
 Determined soon for gold to sell his Lord '. 
 
 The sanhedrim, disturbed, and anxious sat, 
 
 Waiting return of officers sent out 
 
 To take the foe. These, overawed by words 
 
 Of majesty, returned, but brought Hitn not! 
 
 Before them now appears a man, with look 
 
 Of stern resentment on his down-cast brow, 
 
 Imprinted deep. Suspicious seemed, as one 
 
 From justice 'scaped, with dark design impell'd .' 
 
 His eye with fitful glance surveyed the hall 
 
 And all the court. The sanhedrim returned 
 
 His look ; with interest watched this stranger come. 
 
 Waiting some message big with import, which 
 
 Should bring relief to minds embarrass'd long, 
 
 And weary grown with watchfulness and care ! 
 
 At length, when curiosity was raised 
 
 To utmost height, the stranger silence broke, 
 
 And thus inquired : " What will ye give, and I 
 
 Will sell this vile impostor to your hand ? 
 
 Well known to me His haunts, where He retires 
 
 With His disciples, and pretending bows 
 
 In prayer and supplication to His God ! 
 
 From me He can not 'scape ; nor will suspect 
 
 Me as a traitor to His cause, who once 
 
 Such firm adherence proved Who followed where 
 
 He led, by day and night, through hunger, cold 
 
 And heat ; nor aught my own, could call on earth ? 
 
 My salutation, now as erst shall He 
 
 Receive : Him ye shall know, whom I shall kiss, 
 
 And hail as Master loved ! To me confide 
 
 The conduct of this great affair. What think 
 
 Ye now ? will give my price ? " With quick despatch
 
 132 
 
 Him they secured and gave the price he ask'd 
 
 The thirty pieces value of His Lord ! 
 
 The price for which he bartered heaven, to gain 
 
 The pains of hell ! Ah ! better 'twould have been, 
 
 That he had ne'er been born ! nor seen the light ! 
 
 Nor ever lent his ear to sound ! nor moved 
 
 His slanderous tongue to speak Messiah's name ! 
 
 The wakeful din of active life, is hushed 
 To slumbering stillness now in Palestine. 
 Season of rest for man and beast : the last 
 To caverns deep, the first to wonted couch 
 Repair. All save the watchman in his tower 
 Who nightly cries " all's well ," when councils dark, 
 Foretoken ill and those on mischief bent : 
 Determined, well or ill, that Christ shall die! 
 Now while the nickering taper casts dim light 
 Around the court, where scribes, and pharisees 
 And priests, in gloomy conclave sit their deeds 
 As dark as pall of night now o'er them spread 
 The moon soft tinges with her silvery light 
 The ancient olives green, whose shadowy groves 
 And arbors clad with creeping vines, rich dress 
 And grace impart to lone Gethsemane. 
 Here Jesus now retires. Here oft retired, 
 When night dews fell upon His lovely form 
 And howling winds swept by, to pour His soul 
 All out in prayer, and there sweet converse hold 
 With God. O, sacred spot, so oft bedewed 
 With Jesus' tears ! now witness of His groans 
 And agonies ! His time at hand, takes two 
 Of Zebedee's sons and Peter, (others watch,) 
 Aside, and thus exclaims : ' ( Now is My soul 
 With sorrow overwhelmed baptized with grief! "
 
 133 
 
 Then bade these also watch, whilst He withdrew ; 
 (Fatigued they could not watch, but fell asleep !) 
 Three times withdrew and fell upon His face ! 
 Meanwhile the sweat, profuse as drops of blood, 
 Gushed forth from every pore so great His grief! 
 And thus to God, His plaint makes known, each time 
 The same : "My Father, O, let pass this cup, 
 If that may be ; if not, Thy will be done ! 
 
 save Me from this hour ; but for this cause 
 
 1 came to meet this hour. Thy will be done ! " 
 Sinner ! behold with agony, the Son 
 
 Of God now prostrate lay ! What agony 
 
 Is His ! Behold Him now with faltering step, 
 
 Approach His death that death He came to die! 
 
 What mystery is here ! How dark the cloud 
 
 O'erhangs this scene, without the piercing light 
 
 Of God ! His Father's face withdrawn, and left 
 
 To feel as man, the tempter's power ! To feel 
 
 The weight of sin concentred wrath of God ! 
 
 See here the travail of His soul for man, 
 
 Who else could not be saved ! The Just One now 
 
 Suffering for sin, that whosoe'er believes 
 
 On Him, may be accounted just with God ! 
 
 Now hovering near, aloft in air, is seen 
 
 A shape, unearthly in its form and bright 
 
 A sun at mid-night seems, dispelling night. 
 
 It proved an angel, timely sent, the Son 
 
 To reinstate in power and grace again ! 
 
 This done ; the conflict o'er with death and hell ; 
 
 The Saviour now exulting speaks, as if 
 
 ' Twere pass'd : " The Son of man's betrayed ! Arise 
 
 From sleep ! Let us go hence ; behold, they come ! " 
 
 The rolling stream with channel wide, deep notch'd, 
 When earth in form uprose from eldest floods, 
 12
 
 134 
 
 Sweeping in majesty through richest plains 
 
 The meadows burdened with their promised store 
 
 Of winter food for strolling herds, at will 
 
 Cropping the herbage now of pastures green, 
 
 Nature's fair carpet, spread through lengthen'd vales ; 
 
 The woodland hills, with verdant beauty crown'd, 
 
 Where warbling song of sweetest note is heard ; 
 
 Luxuriant fields of ripening grain, with hue 
 
 Of gold, continuous waving o'er the land, 
 
 Like undulations mild of Ocean's swell 
 
 As well the distant mountains, blending soft 
 
 Their fading tints with azure sky proclaim 
 
 That God is good! How good to send His Son, 
 
 To suffer pangs of hell for man, hear one 
 
 Inspired : " He spared Him not ! but freely gave 
 
 Him up ! " As culprits given by justice up, 
 
 To meet reward of crime, so God gave up 
 
 His Son to meet for man, result of sin 
 
 To feel stern justice' sword transfix His soul ! 
 
 What holy love ! The embodied love of Heaven ! 
 
 The gathered rays of strong celestial fire, 
 
 Burning indelibly upon His heart 
 
 The glowing truth Thy death must be the life 
 
 Of myriads dead ! Intensity of love ! 
 
 What sensibilities were His ! How deep 
 
 The fountain of that love ! As deep as sin! 
 
 That turbid current flowing down to hell ! 
 
 I would that mine were such a heart ! O Lord! 
 
 Vouchsafe Thy grace and give me such a heart! 
 
 A heart, whose sensibilities acute, 
 
 Shall ready impress take from seal divine ! 
 
 A heart, whose deep affections, pure 
 
 And free, as those that flowed from Jesus' soul, 
 
 Shall pour at morn, at noon ; at eve, a tide
 
 135 
 
 Of prayer aad sympathetic love oa maa ! 
 Not there to waste its flow ; but rising reach 
 Its source again, which thence reflective sends 
 To this, else barren world, the blessing sought I 
 Withhold all else Thou wilt ! Deny not this ! 
 
 Leading a band with lamps aad torches bright, 
 
 Which marked their course ; (the lamp of night was gone,) 
 
 Armed as against a thief with staves and swords, 
 
 Now Judas urged by Satan on, (hig will, 
 
 All mental power aad physical, to him 
 
 Subservient,) swift advancing, comes to meet 
 
 The Lord and His disciples, " Whom seek ye ? " 
 
 Aloud demands the Son of God, with voice 
 
 ShalljWake the dead, when he in glory comes! 
 
 As troops aggressive checked by sudden fire, 
 
 And routed, when with hopes of victory flush'd ; 
 
 So these stood fixed, then backward fell to earth, 
 
 Repuls'd by Jesus' word ! This done to show 
 
 They could succeed but by consent alone 
 
 His time now come, to stern necessity 
 
 Divine would yield, and not to powers of earth 
 
 Inquires again : " Whom seek ye thus ? " If Me 
 
 Ye seek, let these their wonted ways depart! 
 
 So pleads exemption kind for His ! as said 
 
 Jehovah by the word : " The shepherd, I* 
 
 Will smite. The sheep will scatter hence ! " 
 
 Encouraged by such free permission given, 
 
 Judas approached and kiss'd the Lord. The last 
 
 Shall give ! Sad seal of infidelity 
 
 Most base that heaven e'er saw, till paralleled 
 
 By those at Rome, who sat in papal chair : 
 
 Yicais of Christ on earth, pretended ! Lambs 
 
 * Zech. xiii 7.
 
 136 
 
 Speaking with lion's voice ! Professing love 
 
 To God, in works denied ! Usurping powers 
 
 He never gave deposed the kings of earth, 
 
 And drank the blood of saints from golden cup ! 
 
 Sons of perdition ! they betrayed the Lord ! 
 
 The chalice of His wrath, ere long shall drink 
 
 Unmixed, when Babylon the great shall fall ! 
 
 The signal given, the band approach and bind 
 
 The Saviour, as a murderer, whom, through fear 
 
 Of foul resistance, strict necessity 
 
 Makes sure ! Oh ! shameful deed ! and shameless men 
 
 Lost to all sense of moral worth and fame ! 
 
 Ye midnight clouds, thick gather o'er the scene, 
 
 Eclipse in darkest night this darker shame, 
 
 Lest the wide concave blush at such a sight, 
 
 And mourning stars weep floods to drown the world ! 
 
 Him bound, they led before the court. As sheep 
 
 Before her shearers dumb, He opened not 
 
 His mouth! Arraigned, He answered not ! Nor plead 
 
 Exemption for Himself from deepest ills 
 
 That hellish machination could invent ! 
 
 From hence to Pilate's judgment seat, and thence 
 
 To Herod sent, (for Pilate knew that He 
 
 From Herod's jurisdiction came.) Here mocked 
 
 And set at naught ; arrayed in gorgeous robe 
 
 Of majesty ; by brutal soldiery 
 
 Despised ; remanded thence to Pilate's bar 
 
 The last tribunal, cognizance should take 
 
 Of this important case ! Ah ! wicked man ! 
 
 Dishonored Christ, to honor Herod more ! 
 
 So these before at enmity had lived, 
 
 By mutual sin 'gainst Him were reconciled ! 
 
 As frequent since, great men of earth have leagued,
 
 137 
 
 When sacred truth was sold and Christ betrayed ! 
 Pilate, forewarn'd by dream his wife that day 
 Had had concerning Christ, to him promulged, 
 Whilst due deliberation held awhile 
 The waiting crowd, by form of law, so used 
 Wavered in judgment, so through fear demurred, 
 And questioned oft the clamorous rout, who still 
 Held firm, because of proof suborned, that He 
 Of treason stood convicted clear, and hence 
 Must die ! But Pilate sought the more to shun 
 Participation in the deed a deed 
 Of doubtful issue marked, to Him it seemed ; 
 Till one as organ of the whole, their will 
 And sentence to communicate, stepp'd forth, 
 And thus remarked : "If thou let this man go, 
 Thou art not Caesar' s friend. Does he not claim 
 To be a king ? A case of treason foul, 
 ' Gainst Caesar, clear as noon-tide sun, when clouds 
 Are scattered by his rays ! Caesar's thy friend : 
 Wouldst thou his friendship barter for a dream ? 
 As custom bids, release Barabbas now, 
 A robber, true , but pure in character, 
 Beside this malefactor vile, who makes 
 Himself the king of Jews ! and moves the crowd 
 To deeds seditious most and secret crimes ! 
 Let Him be crucified !" This word, quick through 
 The rabble host in echoing peels rang loud, 
 Rending the air in universal shout, 
 " Let Him be crucified ! Release Him not ! " 
 In token then of innocence not his, 
 Pilate, with water washed his hands, (not clean 
 Of guilt,) next scourged, then gave the Saviour up ! 
 Full license gained, the soldiers now with haste. 
 Not sensible to pity, drag Him forth 
 12*
 
 138 
 
 To the Praetorian hall, where tauntingly 
 
 They hail Him King ! His form with purple robe 
 
 Invest, as sign of royalty. His due ; 
 
 (Acceded in derision, not in truth !) 
 
 With thorns his head entwine, which piercing deep 
 
 Bring crimson currents forth from hallowed brows, 
 
 Which many crowns shall wear ! The mimic reed 
 
 Bestow, then bow the knee in mockery, 
 
 And heap with lavish hand, indignities 
 
 Upon His head ! Ye puny worms of earth ! 
 
 Ye know not whom ye thus insult ! Nor know . 
 
 That He, who passive bears your cruel gibes, 
 
 Now holds the thunder in his fists, could hurl 
 
 To bottomless abyss, your wicked hosts, 
 
 Who, oft unhurt have braved the battles' storm ; . 
 
 But stays through intercession kind, not sought, 
 
 The Father's wrath o'ercharged, else deepest hell, 
 
 Would instant be your fate, eternal sealed ! 
 
 Surrounded by a motely host of scribes, 
 Priests, pharisees and people common herds 
 Together with the Roman cohorts armed, 
 Bearing his cross, with feeble step and slow, 
 Toward Calvary now Jesus goes ! The crowd, 
 Incensed, they know not why, nor sympathy 
 Nor sorrow feel for Him oppress'd, till grown 
 Weary. He sinks beneath the cursed load ! 
 Another then, late from the country come, 
 They press to bear it to the fatal spot ! 
 Now thirstihg for His blood, as ravening beasts 
 For prey, when hunger fierce impels them on, 
 They hurry to its consummation soon, 
 Their crowning act of most malignant hate ! 
 Here on the cross erect, between two thieves.
 
 139 
 
 With arms extended, held by rugged spikes 
 
 Infixed -His body's weight suspended thus 
 
 Bleeding and fainting, dying, Jesus hangs! 
 
 Ah ! who can tell the measure of His pain ? 
 
 Those dying pangs! that burning thirst! that sense, 
 
 How keen ! of gracious approbation lost ! 
 
 (The while His Father's countenance withdrawn.) 
 
 When loud He agonizing cries : " My God, 
 
 Why hast forsaken me ? " But at His pain. 
 
 Behold they scoff! To slake His thirst, they give 
 
 Him gall and vinegar to drink ! And yet 
 
 He prays, "My Father! O, forgive; they know 
 
 Not what they do ! " Was ever love like this ? 
 
 Not satisfied with that, which hell might own 
 
 As satisfaction vast, for vengeance loved ; 
 
 They pierce His side with martial spear, whence flows 
 
 Rich blood and water forth for sinners spill'd! 
 
 Then priests and scribes, whom Satan moved, that they 
 
 Might triumph in His name for this is now, 
 
 His hour and powers of darkness pass Him by. 
 
 Wagging their heads and mocking say : "If thou 
 
 Be Christ, the King of Israel? save Thyself 
 
 And us. He others saved, Himself can not ! 
 
 Let Christ, the King of Israel, now descend 
 
 From thence, that we may see, and so believe." f . 
 
 Thus Jesus died ! Amid this scene He breathed 
 
 His spirit out, an oflfering pure for Heaven ! 
 
 Now supernatural night, as pall of death, 
 
 Covers the land, as if the funeral hour 
 
 Of earth had come ! The rending rocks ; the earth 
 
 Trembling ; the opening graves ; the shattered veil ; 
 
 Nature's dread agony attest ! The sun 
 
 In darkness hides his beams by hand
 
 140 
 
 Of God put out, as flickering taper quench'd ! 
 
 The heavens put on their deepest weeds of woe ! 
 
 The stars look forth in gloom, and o'er the cross 
 
 Cluster, as orphan children, crushed with grief. 
 
 Bending in sadness o'er their father dead ! 
 
 Three hours creation mourned o'er Jesus slain! 
 
 Nor cheerful seemed ! nor mourned alone. All His. 
 
 Who loved and followed Him, in sorrow mourned, 
 
 And wandered forth as chance might lead, like sheep 
 
 Scattered, without the shepherd's guiding care ! 
 
 They thought that Israel would have been redeemed ; 
 
 But how, or when, or what redemption was, 
 
 They could not tell ! But one thing knew and felt, 
 
 Their Lord was dead ! And with Him, died their hopes 
 
 Of all the promised good to Israel due 
 
 Due, not by merit, but by gracious word 
 
 So little knew of His design ! So weak 
 
 Their faith ! He died for what? They could nottell ! 
 
 But faith replies that man may go to heaven ! 
 
 Heaven! Glorious heaven! I love to muse on heaven ! 
 
 At meditation's calm and holy hour, 
 
 Of evening shade, or morning's dawn, to rove 
 
 By river's bank, beneath the sloping hill, 
 
 With verdant coppice fringed, and shady oaks 
 
 Arranged with tasteful hand, by Him I love 
 
 Above all friends ; with gentle cascade's hum, 
 
 (Small voice of God, for thus He speaks, as well 
 
 As in the thunder's roar,) through balmy air, 
 
 Faint breaking on my ear ; with cottage roofs, 
 
 ' Mid clustering trees and village spire the rays 
 
 Of closing day, or early glittering beams 
 
 Of fresh, inspiring morn, reflecting far 
 
 In distant view. ' Tis here I love to think 
 
 Of God and heaven, and harps of gold, soft tuned
 
 141 
 
 To melody and crowns by victors worn, 
 
 Through Jesus gained ; and friends redeemed from earth. 
 
 Singing with angel voice the praise of God, 
 
 Whom I shall meet : And here I love to pray ; 
 
 To offer sacrifice of praise at morn, 
 
 And eve, and breathe on earth the atmosphere 
 
 Of God ! Anticipated heaven ! O, this 
 
 Is happiness below! But what compared 
 
 To happiness above ! where faith is lost, 
 
 And hope, in ocean vast of blissful love !
 
 SATAN CONQUERED, &c. 
 EOOK V.
 
 The first day of the week, cometh Mary Magdalene early, 
 when it was yet dark, trnto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone 
 taken away from the sepulchre. 
 
 JOHN xx. 1. 
 
 That through death He might destroy him that had the 
 power of death, that is, the devil. 
 
 HEB. ii. 14. 
 
 And a cloud received Him out of their sight. 
 
 ACTS i. 9. 
 
 Sit thou on My right hand, until I make thy foes thy foot 
 stool. 
 
 Ps. ex. 1 : ACTS ii. 34-35.
 
 BOOK V. 
 
 ERE morning broke on eastern hills, or tinged 
 
 With blushing light, night's dusky clouds ; or erst 
 
 The twilight grey had come ; two female forms* 
 
 Were seen low bending o'er the sepulchre 
 
 Of Christ. It was a tomb of rock, dug out 
 
 By art of man ; wherein no man was laid 
 
 Before. They came to seek their Saviour dead ! 
 
 With spices came, and ointments to embalm 
 
 The body of the Lord ! (The way of life, 
 
 They did not know as now ' tis known, how He 
 
 Should rise, and captive lead sin, death and hell!) 
 
 The tomb was sealed, the Roman guards, as charged, 
 
 Kept watch, and due precaution used, to hold 
 
 His body prisoned long. Far east, while dark, 
 
 The keepers saw a form approaching fast, 
 
 Bright wing'd with heavenly light, above the sun ! 
 
 In majesty it moved and nearer came, 
 
 A messenger of God confest ! Around 
 
 Whose head, red lightnings beamed vindictive wrath 
 
 Against those men who dared oppose the power 
 
 Exerted now to glorify the Son ; 
 
 ' Twas thus ordained in heaven, that He as prince 
 
 Of life, should rise, attended by His guards. 
 
 For fear of these, the keepers shook and fell 
 
 Prostrate to earth as dead ! If thus they fear 
 
 The emanation of His power, how much 
 
 Shall fear the Lord himself! Earth trembling, heaved 
 
 With dread convulsive throes, as if in pangs, 
 
 * Matth. xxviii. 1. 
 
 13
 
 146 
 
 To bring another world to birth ! The stone 
 
 Was rolled away ! The crucified came forth 
 
 To life, as God, in form divine arrayed, 
 
 And glorious to the eye of faith, as that 
 
 Which Peter saw, when on the holy hill, 
 
 His soul was wrapt, then awed and overwhelm'd ! 
 
 Free passage gained by whom it was not known 
 
 A work so vast was done, the stone was great, 
 
 And they had questioned how it could be done 
 
 With haste they entered where the Lord of late 
 
 Had laid, but found Him not. Instead a man, 
 
 Clothed in white garments, flowing down to earth, 
 
 Sitting beside the vacant spot! What sense 
 
 Of mingled grief and fear conflicting sore 
 
 Now rends their hearts ! They, weeping sought 
 
 Their Saviour there entombed, and Him would find 
 
 By sorrow deep impell'd : But now would fly 
 
 Affrighted from the place, once sacred held ! 
 
 Sacred as burial place of Him they loved. 
 
 The stationed angel posted there, to make 
 
 Report of what was done, instructed well 
 
 In upper courts, ere sent, by God's own word, 
 
 To know what these endured for Jesus' sake, 
 
 To them soft words, most soothing speech, address'd : 
 
 " Be not affrighted ye, who seek by faith 
 
 And love, the Saviour crucified ! No ills 
 
 May come to those who seek Him thus. Believe 
 
 What He has said, what said before His death : 
 
 He is not here ! Untenanted He's left 
 
 This prison house of death ! Hath conquered death ! 
 
 As once He said : 'I '11 be thy plague! O, death ! 
 
 And thy destruction, grave ! I will redeem 
 
 My sons from death, and ransom from the grave 
 
 My chosen ones ! Nor shall repentance stay
 
 147 
 
 The vengeful work, till hell subdued at last, 
 
 Shall own my conquering arm and judgment just! '* 
 
 Now come behold the place where low he laid 
 
 As you shall lay but now in triumph lives ! 
 
 Now sings the victor's song, whose echoing strains, 
 
 In sweetest numbers roll through all the worlds 
 
 Of light ; where myriad choirs repeat the song 
 
 And roll it back to earth. Thus interchanged, 
 
 The raptured notes rise high and higher still, 
 
 Till all the universe is filled with praise ; 
 
 * Loud hallelujahs to the Lamb, who once 
 
 Was dead and lives again forever lives! ' 
 
 Mistake me not. These higher notes of praise 
 
 To Him, ye can not sing with fleshly tongues, 
 
 Nor yet can hear with ears of fleshly mould ! 
 
 A state preparatory now is yours 
 
 To sing His praise in grovelling strains, (a gift 
 
 Ye can not prize too high, it cost His blood ;) 
 
 To love with carnal hearts renewed, but not 
 
 Redeemed from earth ; to fight with weapons, He 
 
 Shall furnish to your hand, the powers of hell; 
 
 But fear ye not. The Lord hath vanquished him, 
 
 Through death, who had the power of death ! He may 
 
 Annoy and grieve, but can not harm. His fiends, 
 
 Restricted in their powers, permitted still 
 
 To skirt the camp of saints, will hurl quite oft 
 
 Their poisoned shafts in hellish showers, to vex 
 
 The godly hosts ; but fear ye not their rage 
 
 Infernal. Even this by him o'erruled, 
 
 Shall work for good among his saints. His cause 
 
 Promote, though seemingly it may retard ; 
 
 And finally with crowns, unfading, bright, 
 
 The victor's head adorn ! Why lenient He 
 
 " Iloseaxii. 14.
 
 148 
 
 Appears, where naught but wrath in quenchless fires, 
 
 Should burn to lowest depths of hell, the end 
 
 Shall well disclose. Till then seek not to know. 
 
 Let this suffice : As conquerors from the field, 
 
 Reserve and thus enhance the glory gained 
 
 To future day, their triumph show ; so He 
 
 Shall bind and lead in captive chains the prince 
 
 Of hell man's deadliest foe when Gabriel's blast 
 
 Shall wake, and congregate the nations dead 
 
 With those alive, to celebrate the deed ! 
 
 Great day of God Almighty ! ushered in 
 
 By angel shouts and songs, with harps of gold, 
 
 Attuned that day anew ! The herald sons 
 
 Of light shall then proclaim, with trump of God, 
 
 The battle done ! The victory gained by Christ 
 
 The Lord ! In following train the Son shall come, 
 
 Riding the conqueror's horse, by Him one day* 
 
 On Patmos seen ; celestial armies, close 
 
 In rear, all dress'd in linen white and clean! 
 
 His eyes as flames of fire shall then appear, 
 
 Flashing with vengeance tow'rd His left the place 
 
 Where wicked men appointed stand but soft 
 
 With pleasure beaming tow'rd His right for there 
 
 His chosen ones shall stand. Upon His head 
 
 His many crowns, rich gemm'd, reflecting light 
 
 Of softest ray, shall glorious shine, as orbs 
 
 Of brightest beam admired ! His perfect form, 
 
 Clothed in a vesture dipp'd in blood, the sign 
 
 Of man redeemed and triumph over hell, 
 
 Shall fill the ransomed soul with ravished bliss 
 
 Whilst on His front, emblazoned fair, shall glow 
 
 His name, THE WORD OF GOD, in characters 
 
 Most legible to all the hosts of earth ! 
 
 * Rev. xix. 11-10.
 
 149 
 
 No one, that day, will dare dispute that He 
 Is Son of God, divine ; and one with Him 
 In all the attributes of truth ! But Lord 
 Of all, confess'd by all, shall reign o'er all 
 The sons of men ; for e'en the wicked then, 
 Shall bow the knee to Him, confess His name, 
 And own Him King of kings ! Close at the seat 
 Of God, this holy pageant then shall halt. 
 That Satan, introduced by seraph guards, 
 Confined in massive chains, confused, and bowed 
 With covered shame, may stand before the Judge, 
 Once more confronted ! What an hour of woe ! 
 Each moment pregnant with ten thousand years 
 Of pain! The eye of God inflicting pangs, 
 More grievous than the piercing flames of hell! 
 Then writhing to and fro, like Etna's top, 
 When rocked with raging fires within, shall hear 
 His sentence pass : ' Cast him alive and bound, 
 Into the lake of fire, to plunge and howl 
 Forever in the billowy flame ! ' Loud then, 
 The voice once heard by favored saint of God, 
 Forth issuing from the throne, shall sound afar 
 O'er hills, and plains, and mirror-surfaced sea * 
 ' Praise our God, ye His servants ! Praise Him, ye 
 That fear Him! ' And the voice of multitudes, 
 Echoing through heaven as many waters roar, 
 ' Hallelujah ! Hallelujah ! Amen ! 
 For the Lord God omnipotent doth reign! ' 
 Ere this can be, the Father's grace, through Christ, 
 Must flourish in the earth, and cultured, bear 
 Abundant fruit. And Satan's power must have 
 Another check. A thousand years shall lief 
 In chains, debarred his wonted intercourse 
 
 ' Rev. XY. 2. t Rev, xx. 1. 
 
 13*
 
 150 
 
 With earth. Then persecutions, wars, shall cease 
 
 The while, and peace with joy, shall bless the world ! 
 
 Return and fill your place in this great scheme, 
 
 Nor mourn your Saviour's death. For now through death , 
 
 He lives ! shall die no more ! Him shortly you 
 
 Shall see ! Tell His disciples crush'd, what you 
 
 Have seen and heard." Here closed. The females turned -, 
 
 With weeping left the place where once they sat,* 
 
 With mournful joy ! the Saviour met, and Him 
 
 Addressed, but knew Him not, until his voice, 
 
 Well known, they heard, to theirs rejoinder made : 
 
 '' Mary why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou ? " 
 
 With ecstacy of joy, then Mary hailed 
 
 Him Rabbi, flew as she was wont, to clasp 
 
 His feet in close embrace, as dearest friend 
 
 Who had escaped a thousand fancied deaths, 
 
 From perilous seas and sickly climes returned .- 
 
 But suddenly was checked her gushing joy, 
 
 When stern the Lord made answer, " Touch me not ' 
 
 I have not yet ascended to My God : 
 
 Thy God. My Father, also thine ! Withhold 
 
 The fond expression of thy love. I know 
 
 Thy heart, and well appreciate thy zeal ; 
 
 Thy strict fidelity have seen and loved : 
 
 But thou hast known Me in the flesh ; no more 
 
 Canst know Me thus. The form that now is mine, 
 
 Thou canst not touch, unless a miracle 
 
 Be wrought, (that yet may be if faith require.)! 
 
 It is the spirit's vehicle, refined 
 
 From matter gross, and principles corrupt, 
 
 Of earthly sort the process pass'd in death 
 
 All intercourse familiar, hence must cease, 
 
 Except through prayer, the spirit's channel free, 
 
 * MaUh. xxvii. 61. t John xz. 27,
 
 151 
 
 Through which communion must be held with God ! 
 Tell My disciples that I live ! That death 
 Through death, by Me is changed to endless life '. 
 That I have triumphed over hell's vile host ! 
 Their chief, in proud conceit invincible 
 And dauntless, strove to oppose My grand design ; 
 Oft met Me in the fierce attack, with arms 
 Of horrid mould, devised in hell, and shaped 
 For certain conquest 'mong the sons of earth, 
 Unaided by my arm ! But these I turned 
 Against himself, so firmly stood unharmed, 
 As Hermon breasts the storm that sweeps the plain I 
 Who then recoiled, and changed quite oft his mode 
 Of war, as hellish council did suggest : 
 At length this one expedient tried, as last 
 Of all infernal schemes that wisdom damn'd, 
 Could well conceive ! The pharisees and scribes, 
 By sophistry which none but he can use, 
 And none but they receive, unless like them 
 Deceived, were urged to seek my life ! and on, 
 Through pretext varying oft to suit the end, 
 Were led to accomplish what their hearts desired ; 
 And thus to fill their cup of vengeful wrath !* 
 But He o'erleaped his own design and failed, 
 When confident success at last had turned 
 The scale to side of hell ! To make all sure, 
 He whispered round among the Jews, to ask 
 Of Rome, a guard to watch the sepulchre 
 That night, that My disciples might not take 
 The body hence ; but did not know, (so long 
 He held the key of death,) that I laid down 
 My life a sacrifice for man, and hencef 
 Could take again, at will, what I resigned ! 
 
 t 1 These, ii. 15-16. + John s. 18
 
 152 
 
 All things secured, he kept not watch himself* 
 
 But back, to hold a jubilee in hell, 
 
 With all his fiends, o'er what was gained, he took 
 
 His way. How short the triumph and how base ! 
 
 An hour of fiendish joy, and revelry* 
 
 In pain, succeeded by eternal night ! 
 
 Now death, through me, has lost its sting ! The grave 
 
 Its victory ! Death as tyrant reigned o'er man, 
 
 From Adam down to Moses, and from him 
 
 To Me, through Satan's power ! Through him man sinn'd. 
 
 By sin came death so held the key of death ! 
 
 But I have wrenched it from his grasp, and him 
 
 Confined to boundaries marked ! Behold I live ! 
 
 And hold henceforth the keys of death and hell ! 
 
 When Gabriel's trump shall sound, the dead shall rise, 
 
 To meet rewards of life on earth they pass'd ! 
 
 The silent church-yards, planted round with yews, 
 
 Whose solemn tops have sighed to moaning winds, 
 
 Through ages past, shall send their myriads forth, 
 
 To meet the hosts from ocean's bed disgorged, 
 
 (That charnel-house of navies vast, through time ;) 
 
 With all the treasured legions from the field 
 
 Where millions slaughtered fell, and slept beneath 
 
 The green clad mound a foul commingled mass ; 
 
 And these shall join in phalanx large, 
 
 The nations still alive, to pass review, 
 
 In airy fields of amplest space, sublime, 
 
 Before the Judge on burning clouds enthroned ! 
 
 My saints shall rise in image of their God, 
 
 Forever blest, (so shall My servant teach. )t 
 
 Their natural bodies, though dishonored, vile, 
 
 And powerless, when they die, in wisdom changed, 
 
 Shall rise in power, in bliss and honor live, 
 
 Luke txii, S3. t I Corinth, xv. 40. 49.
 
 153 
 
 And immortality put on the dress 
 
 Of saints, well wrought to suit their state renewed 
 
 And strike their harps to songs of victory tuned, 
 
 O'er death and hell, through Me their living Head ! 
 
 Tell My disciples, also Peter, (mark 
 
 The injunction,) Peter, who through fear denied 
 
 Me once, when following where I bid him not 
 
 So fell, and pierced his soul with sorrows through ! 
 
 Him I restored when penitent, and thus, 
 
 On all impetuous service unrequired, 
 
 Or rash unskilful zeal however bright 
 
 It burn, My seal of disapproval stamp'd 
 
 Tell him, tell my disciples all, that I 
 
 Will go before them into Galilee ; 
 
 There shall they see me." Here dismissed at once, 
 
 This subject new, delightful to them both, 
 
 Which held them long, unconscious of the time 
 
 That passed, that Mary might communicate 
 
 With haste, the joyous message as enjoined. 
 
 ' Twas on the eve of that same day that Christ* 
 
 Arose, two men of visage sad and speech 
 
 Subdued, were seen approaching near a place 
 
 Call'd Emmaus. Their whole demeanor showed 
 
 Some dread calamity to Israel come ! 
 
 ' Twas clear that disappointed hope had fixed 
 
 Its impress deep upon their clouded brows ! 
 
 And they were Christ's disciples doubtful now, 
 
 Of what their Lord had said before His death, 
 
 That they should see His Kingdom prosperous rise 
 
 Discussing what the probable result, 
 
 Of all these strange occurrences should be. 
 
 And as they reasoned thus between themselves, 
 
 Luke xxiv. 13.
 
 154 
 
 The Saviour came, as one whose journey led 
 
 That way, to join their walk, (so strangers oft 
 
 Unite in travelled ways,) and thus inquired : 
 
 " What sad communications these, ye make 
 
 To one and other as ye pass along? " 
 
 Then Cleopas astonished greatly said : 
 
 " Art Thou a stranger in Jerusalem? 
 
 And uninformed that Christ, a prophet great 
 
 In deed and word, condemn'd by scribes and priests, 
 
 Was crucified ? We thought, (His word inspired 
 
 Such hopes,) that Israel would have been redeem'd, 
 
 By dint of His strong arm ! That Judah's sons 
 
 With Israel joined, should worship God again 
 
 In peace, delivered from their foes ! Three days 
 
 Have pass'd our fondest hopes are crushed ! 
 
 Besides, some females from the sepulchre 
 
 Returned, who sought to find His body there, 
 
 Reported that they^heard from angel's lips, 
 
 In vision seen around the sepulchre, 
 
 That He is still alive ! And some, who heard 
 
 These things but doubted, found 'twas true indeed, 
 
 But saw Him not! " The Saviour then replied, 
 
 His speech was stern, but kind : " O fools! and slow 
 
 Of faith, to disbelieve the prophets' word ! 
 
 Ought not the Christ to suffer what Himself, 
 
 In love to man, agreed before He came 
 
 To take upon Himself? that justice' claims, 
 
 Of fearful grasp 3 might not the prisoner hold, 
 
 Shut out from mercy's reach ? ' Twere unjust else ! 
 
 Nor could He e'er resume His glory, veiled 
 
 From angel's view, by human form put on, 
 
 But through that course of suffering, humbleness, 
 
 And shame o'er which ye grieve, but shall no more." 
 
 He then in condescension to their state
 
 155 
 
 Untaught, from Moses on to Malachi 
 
 Explained, in speech not mystified in school 
 
 Of man, the word revealed concerning Christ ! 
 
 To Him the prophets all gave witness cleat : 
 
 Agreement strict between themselves, he showed. 
 
 Between their word and facts transpired, so plain 
 
 That captious infidelity could ask 
 
 No more, nor sophistry, in seeming garb 
 
 Of truth, pervert the argument deduced! 
 
 Their unbelief, as darkness at the blush 
 
 Of morn, dispersed ; the truth their minds illumed, 
 
 And warmed as fire of God their hearts, to glow 
 
 Of zeal and ardent love, as they arrived 
 
 At Emmaus. Here stopp'd to pass the night, 
 
 (For they had press'd the stranger hard to be 
 
 Their guest ;) and as they sat at meat, He took 
 
 As oft He did before His death, the bread, 
 
 Gave thanks, and bless'd, then gave to each a part. 
 
 At once their eyes unsealed, beheld their Lord ! 
 
 Not long beheld He vanished out of sight ! 
 
 With strength renewed, as when the soul refreshed 
 
 By interview divine, or fed with bread 
 
 Of God, begins life's pilgrimage afresh ; 
 
 The two disciples now return, to greet 
 
 Their loved companions at Jerusalem ! 
 
 To them rehearsed what pass'd : How Jesus came, 
 
 And joined them by the way ; their tardiness 
 
 Reproved ; and exposition gave of what 
 
 The prophets had declared concerning him ; 
 
 Became their guest ; took bread, gave thanks, was known ; 
 
 Then vanished out of sight ! Whose word, as shock 
 
 Electric, pass'd from one to other round, 
 
 Among the faithful few, revived their hopes ; 
 
 Confirmed their faith ; fresh zeal and love inspired,
 
 156 
 
 And gave impulsion new to holy joy ! 
 
 Yet some there were, (how strange!) who doubted still ! 
 
 On a lone mountain's top in Galilee, 
 
 Far from the scene of Jesus' tragic death, 
 
 Now the disciples met, await as taught, 
 
 The coming of the Lord ! He bade them wait 
 
 His coming here ! Here in the flesh, He loved 
 
 To tread, with them, the mountain wilds, and draw 
 
 From Nature's ample stores, instruction rich, 
 
 And easy grasped by feeble minds. Again, 
 
 Would meet them here and last injunction give ! 
 
 He comes ! But as He lingers in the way, 
 
 Some doubt ! He nearer comes ! He speaks! They bow 
 
 In adoration down 'The Lord proceeds ! 
 
 "All power in heaven and earth is mine ! Go ye 
 
 And preach the gospel ye have learned and felt, 
 
 To every man : baptizing all who shall 
 
 Through faith receive my word : rejecting all 
 
 Who will not thus believe they shall be damn'd ! 
 
 Bid them observe My laws, and love My truth ; 
 
 And lo ! I will be with you all, Amen ! 
 
 Begin your message at Jerusalem, 
 
 Where I was crucified ! My triumph there 
 
 Must first be seen. Not as impostors do, 
 
 Do ye commence in place remote from that 
 
 The scene is made, to propagate some tale 
 
 Incredible ; at home could be disproved : 
 
 But where I bled and died and rose, there preach 
 
 Repentance in My name ! My death and life 
 
 The basis of the offers which ye make 
 
 To man ; of pardon, life and peace through Me ! 
 
 There pray, and tarry, till ye be endued 
 
 With power from Heaven. This promise ye received
 
 157 
 
 From me I from My Father. John did well 
 
 Baptize with water : ye shall be baptized 
 
 Few days hence with the Holy Ghost! Ask not 
 
 To know the times and seasons not revealed 
 
 Kept in the Father's power. Short time shall pass 
 
 Before the Son of man shall come, to set 
 
 His Kingdom up on earth, in form and power ! 
 
 Come in the glory of His Spirit down, 
 
 To recognize His church, baptize in one 
 
 His people all one body organized 
 
 And He the Head. One Spirit then shall guide 
 
 The whole, till He shall come the second time ! " 
 
 Meanwhile was Michael sent to overseef 
 
 With four associate sons of God elect, 
 
 The resurrection of the saints : To seal, 
 
 And mark from Israel's tribes, twelve thousand each ; 
 
 (The tribe of Dan except : For cause unknown 
 
 On earth, they wait for His salvation now !)t 
 
 The glorious retinue of Christ, to wing 
 
 With Him through azure fields, their way to Heaven ! 
 
 First fruits of God through Him, as pledge of what 
 
 The harvest all shall be : presented now 
 
 By Him as priest of God, in holy place, 
 
 As Aaron's sons, the sheaf before the Lord ! 
 
 Now Michael comes to Moses' grave the spot 
 
 Concealed from man to wake this man of God 
 
 He was a type of Christ, a faithful man 
 
 And bid him join the waiting host, who rose 
 
 When Christ arose and walked with solemn pace, 
 
 Around Jerusalem ! Amazed, he saw 
 
 A shape of huge dimension, wing'd with plumes 
 
 Of darkest shade, and spear of hellish mould, 
 
 " Matth. xviii. 16. 20 : Acts i. 4-7. t Genesis xlix. 18. 
 t Rev. vii. 1-8: Rev. xiv. 1^. Matth, xzvii. 52-53, 
 
 14
 
 153 
 
 In hand, awaiting his approach, stood firm ! 
 
 Dark desperation lowered upon his brow. 
 
 And from his eye defiance flashed, as when 
 
 The lion hunted stands at bay ! His voice, 
 
 Unearthly hissing seemed ; resembling most, 
 
 If aught on earth it did resemble, sounds 
 
 From mad Vesuvius' belching mouth, as thus 
 
 He spoke : " Avaunt thou soft plumed son of light ! 
 
 Thou weak, effeminate angel ! nursed in heaven, 
 
 ' Mid green celestial bowers, and genial fruits 
 
 Ambrosial ! Stand, and thou shalt feel my steel, 
 
 Proved in the battle's strife, thou hast not seen ! 
 
 Think'st thou to meet me, when thy Master fell 
 
 Powerless before this weighty spear well poised ? 
 
 What wouldst thou here ? Wouldst take from me the key 
 
 Of death ? or wouldst invade my province, held 
 
 Four thousand years with undisputed right ? 
 
 Thy Master, true, escaped 't would not been thus 
 
 Had I kept watch instead of man. Here miss'd, 
 
 For once, my mark : but I shall catch ere long, 
 
 In wily snare, this soaring bird. Meantime, 
 
 No more shall ' scape. This body dead, I saw 
 
 Deposited of God, as I was perched 
 
 Unseen on Pisgah's top, in charnel house 
 
 Unknown to thee. The door I closed with haste, 
 
 Then turned with unrelenting hand the key 
 
 Of everlasting night on this famed saint 
 
 Of God ! From God came life by me came death ! 
 
 Thus I obtain just vengeance, sought by me 
 
 In heaven, on earth, in pleasure, pain, in weal, 
 
 In woe, in hell, unceasing sought ; since he. 
 
 Unjust and partial, laid on me the curse 
 
 Of endless pain because of rights maintained 
 
 By those, who would not cringe to power usurp'd !
 
 159 
 
 My heart increasing burns with direful hate 
 
 Tow'rd God, whilst sore remembrance haunts 
 
 My soul, in ghastly form, with what I was, 
 
 And what am now, and what He is, and what 
 
 Would be if justice reign'd ! My spirit free, 
 
 Was cast in largest mould celestial, formed 
 
 For glory, conquest, power supreme on earth, 
 
 In heaven ! Befitting more that I should reign, 
 
 Than He who thunders forth unjust decrees, 
 
 Bearing unequally on those He rules ; 
 
 And yet I'm doomed to service vile and damn'd! 
 
 Can this be borne ? Witness ye heavens ! Ye powers 
 
 Of earth ! Ye spirits lost who congregate 
 
 In airy plains ! Ye powers of hell ! That here, 
 
 I wage eternal war with God ! " To whom 
 
 Michael made answer mild ; " The Lord rebuke* 
 
 Thee Satan, boastful in thy speech, and proud J 
 
 I bring no railing accusation bold 
 
 'Gainst thee ; though I in justice might. Nor dare 
 
 I rail, as thou has railed. I fear not thee, 
 
 Nor thy great spear in battle tried. The Lord 
 
 Of hosts I fear, whose representative 
 
 I stand : and therefore use soft language, such 
 
 As suits my station high, before His throne ! 
 
 Thou canst not harm me daring fiend : My life 
 
 Secure in power divine, is hid from thee ! 
 
 Thou canst not wield ' gainst me thy polished spear ; 
 
 But paralyzed must stand, as criminal 
 
 Thou art, and hear the will of God. My speech 
 
 Not harsh, but true, shall well portray thy state ; 
 
 Hid from thyself, by strong delusions thou 
 
 Has cherished long, and fed by luring hopes, 
 
 Concocted by infernal fancy's aid ! 
 
 * Jude 9. " He disputed about the body of Moses."
 
 160 
 
 Thou hast no power but what the Lord permits 
 
 Thee in His providence to exercise, 
 
 Against His people thou may'st think ; but not 
 
 Against them, rather for their good ; that they, 
 
 When tempted, proved, may be as gold 
 
 Refined and unalloyed, from sins expurged ! 
 
 Thou may'st forbid, but canst not stop the dead 
 
 From coming forth at God's command. How vain 
 
 The thought hadst thou kept watch instead of man, 
 
 The Lord could not have risen ! His rising sinks 
 
 Thee down to endless night ! His life thy death 
 
 Shall prove ! His power has forced from thee the kej 
 
 Of death ! Dost think thou hold'st it still ? Make search 
 
 Deluded fiend ! Amid thy various stores 
 
 Of hellish husbandry and implements 
 
 Of second death, where found ? Thick night from thee 
 
 Has brooded long o'er man. No cheering beam 
 
 Could pierce the gloom, tillJesus rose ! From Him 
 
 Diverges now in brightest ray the light 
 
 Of life, to utmost ends of earth : From thence 
 
 Returns to blend with kindred light in heaven ! 
 
 Dost thou see this light? Thou canst not see it 
 
 Nor yet would man, hadst thou held sway. But know 
 
 From hence he may resist thy boasted power, 
 
 By offered grace accepted ; nor shall walk 
 
 In darkness, if he choose the light of God ! 
 
 I charge thee now, in name of Him Most High, 
 
 Who rules in hell and metes out punishment 
 
 To crime proportionate, that thou attempt 
 
 No interference here, or thou shall feel 
 
 The heaviest blow his vengeance can inflict ! 
 
 Go hide thee in the night of hell, nor show 
 
 Thy darkened visage, grim as hell itself, 
 
 Again among the sons of God, till He.
 
 161 
 
 Shall call thee forth to meet thy final state ! " 
 Then Satan turned, his spear let fall, nor made 
 Reply, but seemed like raging waves convulsed, 
 When howling storms sweep o'er the midnight sea ! 
 His broad, dark wings he plied ; repeated oft 
 The attempt abortive, moving the elastic air 
 With flapping beat and heavy sound, like that 
 Of some tall bark becalm'd, when first she meets 
 The breeze with sails untrimm'd ! Then slowly rose, 
 And tow'rd the abyss of hell he laboring fled 
 Beyond the verge of earth a conquered foe! 
 
 Then Michael quickly sped, what time detained 
 
 He soon redeemed, and marshall'd on the plains 
 
 The new raised host of God's elect, to pass 
 
 With Jesus up to glorious state a troop 
 
 Invisible to mortal eye ! In what 
 
 Arrangement placed it was not known to man ; 
 
 Perhaps, (as fruitful fancy now suggests,) 
 
 ' Twere safe to say, they ranged in order thus :* 
 
 First grand division, on east were those 
 
 From Judah, Issachar and Zebulon ; 
 
 The second, on the south, from Reuben, Gad 
 
 And Simeon. On the west, the third were those 
 
 From Levi, Benjamin, Manasseh raised ; 
 
 (Manasseh stood in place of Ephraim left) 
 
 And on the north, the fourth stood those redeemed, 
 
 From Joseph, Asher, Naphthali ; (for Dan 
 
 Remained unsealed,) with Jesus in the midst! 
 
 A glorious host, with banners flouting high, 
 
 In triumph floating, waiting now the word 
 
 From Christ their King ! His chariots bright 
 
 Their number twenty thousand named, by onef 
 
 ' I Numbers, ii. ch. t Ps. Ixviii. 17. 18. 
 
 14*
 
 162 
 
 Inspired in waiting stood, conveyance fit 
 
 For retinue divine ! And hovering near, 
 
 Ten thousand times ten thousand angels filled 
 
 The mid- way air! From Bethany began, 
 
 With awful majesty, his upward flight 
 
 Himself alone was visible to man 
 
 Leading those captive now, whom captive death 
 
 Had held ; in long and gloomy triumph held ! 
 
 Parted at once from His disciples, while 
 
 With hands upraised, in accents sweet not used 
 
 On earth He poured His farewell blessing down 1 
 
 Then rang the trump of God with solemn peal,* 
 
 And tone of gladness, new and loud, not heard 
 
 At Sinai's mount, nor at the jubilee 
 
 By Israel held, whilst angels' shouts convulsed 
 
 The teeming air ! His rapt disciples gazed 
 
 Intensely up their senses all absorbed 
 
 In sight ! The Saviour onward urged His way ' 
 
 Then came the intervening cloud, and He 
 
 Was lost to earth ! But onward still He soars. 
 
 With His accompanying host from orb to orb, 
 
 Where posted angels cheer them as they pass, 
 
 Till they arrive at Heaven's high outer wall, 
 
 Of jasper studded thick with precious stones, 
 
 Bright as the brilliant sun's meridian li?ht! 
 
 Here pause. The escorting angels slow advance 
 
 In front, and thus make proclamation loud : 
 
 ' ' Lift up your heads, ye gates ! and be lift up 
 
 Ye everlasting doors ! and let the King 
 
 Of glory in ! " The angel who kept guard 
 
 Within, the same who watched with flaming gword, 
 
 The tree of life in Paradise, when first 
 
 The interdiction pass'd ; inquiring speaks : 
 
 Pa. xlviu 5.
 
 163 
 
 " Who is this King of glory ? " Those without 
 
 Again reply : " The Lord of hosts ! The Lord 
 
 Mighty in battle, He is King of kings 
 
 And King of glory ! " Open wide, then flew 
 
 The everlasting doors ! On high the gates 
 
 Were thrown! Then onward Jesus moved, 
 
 With gracious step, His train all following close, 
 
 Approached His Father's throne, and thus began 
 
 His speech sublime, whilst angel hosts 
 
 With wings at rest closed down, in silence stood : 
 
 " O ! Righteous Father ! God ! The hour has come ! 
 
 Now glorify thy Son ! I have declared 
 
 Thy name to man, and honored Thee on earth ! 
 
 The work assigned to Me have done and now 
 
 I come to Thee to claim the glory due 
 
 The glory I enjoyed with Thee, ere man 
 
 A being had, or time its course began ! " 
 
 On whom the Father's smile complacent fell, 
 
 Bright as the lightning's flash, without its glare, 
 
 Reflected far o'er all the heavenly choirs, 
 
 In waiting bowed, as He made answer thus : 
 
 '' ! Son beloved ! Thou image of Myself! 
 
 From whom did emanate, in yonder world, 
 
 All the divine perfections, as the light 
 
 From its concentred source ! Well hast Thou earned 
 
 The glory claimed. To this hast thou aspired, 
 
 And kept My promise large, in view ; when wrapt 
 
 In conflict dread, which none but Thou could bear! 
 
 Thou didst humility put on, in sight 
 
 Of wondering crowds below their nature pass 
 
 Here lost Thy reputation, sacred held 
 
 Before, among the sons of heaven ! Above 
 
 Their rank, pre-eminent, thou once didst stand, 
 
 And sway Thy sceptre o'er their myriad hosts !
 
 To Thee they bowed, and Thee adored divine ! 
 This Thou didst sacrifice ! To man's low state 
 Stoop down, to meet on equal ground His foe! 
 Him Thou hast conquered ! Welcome Thy return .' 
 Thou, in Thy former glory, shalt be crown'd ; 
 The travail of Thy soul_ shalt see, and reign 
 O'er all the earth ! Sit Thou at My right hand ! " 
 The Son sat down upon His Father's Throne. 
 And from Him shone the God head as before ! 
 Then rang the holy choirs, through all their ranks 
 Symphonious, " Worthy is the Lamb, who once 
 Was slain, now victor over death is crown'd ; 
 To have again all power and praise in heaven ! 
 Amen ! Hallelujah ! Amen ! Amen ! " 
 
 Long His disciples looked with ardent gaze 
 
 And deep abstraction tow'rd the fancied place, 
 
 Where the bright cloud received their Lord, and wrapt 
 
 Around His lovely form, its ample folds 
 
 Of fleecy light ! Two angels from the rest 
 
 Detached, to turn their minds from this event 
 
 To one not yet transpired, by words of hope 
 
 Thus broke their wakeful dream : " Ye men 
 
 Of Galilee ! Why stand ye gazing up 
 
 To heaven ? Why doth despondency weigh down 
 
 Your hearts? as if the Saviour would not come 
 
 Again to earth ! He shall descend, as ye 
 
 Have seen Him rise, in power and glory rise, 
 
 From earth to heaven ! Him the heavens must retain. 
 
 Until the time appointed come ; His work 
 
 Of meditation done ! The Father's grace, 
 
 Through Him as channel fit, must first be poured. 
 
 In richest streams on earth ; and myriads bow 
 
 To His redeeming power ! The day and hour.
 
 165 
 
 Not known to man ; nor to the angels known ! 
 
 Nor can the Son reveal, what God ordains 
 
 Must secret stand, until preceding signs, 
 
 As bright precursors, indication give 
 
 Of His approach ! Watch, therefore ! Watch! That day 
 
 Shall come ! Come as a snare to all who dwell* 
 
 Upon the earth! No future prophets bold, 
 
 By long array of mathematic proofs, 
 
 Shall fix the time as demonstration clear ! 
 
 Nor can they fix what God has never shown, 
 
 But by eventful signs, described, and plain ! 
 
 Sudden the lightning streams from east to west. 
 
 Nor sends a herald forth to give alarm : 
 
 So shall His coming be to rebel foes 
 
 The signs acknowledged, hailed by faithful friends ! 
 
 As in the days of Noah, men were blind 
 
 To signs, and deaf to warnings given, and turned 
 
 Away to feastings, merriment and crime ; 
 
 Marrying and giving in marriage thoughtless souls 
 
 As if their fleeting joys could never end ; 
 
 Nor heeded what the preacher said, till they 
 
 Were overwhelm'd with woe ; so shall it be 
 
 When Christ shall come ! Perhaps that morn may be 
 
 The fairest earth e'er saw a festive day 
 
 Among the proud, to solemnize exploits 
 
 Of man some large achievements madt in arts, 
 
 Unfolding rich resources, hid till now, 
 
 To swell the flood of happiness on earth ! 
 
 False pleasure beams in every eye, and shouts 
 
 Of mirth and gladness fill the air ! Here loud 
 
 The roar of cannonry r js heard, and here 
 
 The dance, and here the song ! And here the glass 
 
 With sparkling death is filled ! In yonder hall, 
 
 ' Luke xxi. 35.
 
 166 
 
 (The time as fit, for this occasion fixed,) 
 
 The marriage vow proceeds. The man of God 
 
 Stands up to speak the joyful words. The guests 
 
 In silent expectation stand ; (how gay ! 
 
 In richest dress attired, with care that day 
 
 At toilet given !) The ready banquet waits, 
 
 And glad festivities at closing scene 
 
 At once the trump of God shall sound, with blast 
 
 Of fearful note, and deafening shouts come down 
 
 To earth ! The heavens shall part ! The Saviour come ! 
 
 His chariot large thick clouds of brightest flame ! 
 
 His steeds the coursing winds tempestous driven ! 
 
 His train the embodied hosts of heaven ! His voice 
 
 The awful thunder's roar! His eye's bright beam 
 
 The lightnings flash, o'erpowering mortal sight ! 
 
 The dead shall rise ! The judgment set! The good 
 
 Ascend to meet the Lord in air ! The heavens 
 
 Together roll with dreadful shock ! The earth 
 
 In penal fires be wrapt ! The wicked fall 
 
 From mercy's reach their day of sorrow come ! 
 
 Satan with all his hosts sink down to hell 
 
 Remediless their state for ever damn'd ! 
 
 And Jesus reign on earth as now in heaven ! "
 
 </\/HA ra --my 
 
 -///. UHUUI I. \\\- 
 
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