THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD ENDOWMENT FUND ON THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION. POEM. By JAMES OGDEN, AUTHOR of the BRITISH LION Rouz'd. • LONDON: Printed for the Author ; and Sold by J. Hinxman, in Pafernojier- Row ; W. Bristow, in St. Paul's C/jurch-Tard; and at the Gip/d'^/z- Ball, oppofite St. Clement's Church in the Strand. MDCCLXII. [ Price One Shilling.] Advertifement. O^k ^ A PLAIN narration of matters of fa(9:, is perhaps the beft method of clearing up the fundamentals we have received as Chrillians,. whereof the chief is that of the Refurrec^ion. The ftrongeft evidence feems generally to be overlooked,, and which ftrikes immediately on reading the texts of fcripture fet to mufick in the Oratorio of Mefliah : The compofer having chofen the prophecies which point at the coming of Chrift, for his firft opening the performance , thofe which ipeak of his birth, life, do6lrine, and miracles, for the middle ^ and thoie relative to his fufFerings, death, refurredlioUjafcenfion, and fecond coming, to conclude : introducing, in each of thefe, thole texts from the New Teflament, which (hew the completion of each ; whence it appears what a clofe connexion there is between the cano- ' nical 870514 i 6 ) nical books of the Jews and Chriftians. The latter of thefe, in this, have the teftimony of their enemies, that liich things \ytTe foretold long be- fore they came to pals. And if we add to this, that the Jews are, according to their own pro- phecies, a vagabond people, we have an undeni- able evidence, that fome events, long iince foretold in their books, are come to pafs j which is a ftrong prelumption, that thofe regarding Chrift as their expedled Meffiah, their rejecting him, and hence the converfion of pagan nations, whom they held in the utmoft contempt, are truly foretold, and as wonderfully fulfilled. Thofe fcriptures, v/hether of the Old or New Teftament, which relate to the Crucifixion and Re(urrecl:ion, are here caft together : poetry may be fubfer\ ient to religion, if well executed 5 this is left to the public. O N C ' ] O N T H E CRUCIFIXIONand RESURRECTION. T"T7HAT man is He, who weakly will afpire To canvas facred text, as common truths, The 'webs of finite reas'ning ; he but leaves The ark, and, flutt'ring, like the Patriarch^ dove, Still wanders from his reft ; till he returns To drench his wing in Sbilo's brook, ftruck dumb Before the holy oracles of Goc^. Let Let who will feek to climb the giddy heights Fabled of that ParnaffiaJi Mount; to drink Of Helicons intoxicating flream ; Me flirubby Olivet^ or Gethfemene May well fuffice; where oft the Son of man, Nightly, in pray'r and folitude, expos'd His goodly lineaments ; or let me feek Calvary^ and with Him embrace the crofs : Haply the rueful fight of Golgotha May check the ftrain excurdve, left I fing Of light conceits, in loofer meafur'd verfe. Who's Ihh that comes from Edom^ on his way To Bozraj in the greatnefs of his ftrcngth Travailing? 77jis that by Himfelf has wrought Salvation with his arm ; is This the man Whofe form and vifage were fo chang'd ? Is This^ In his humiliation, Him that flood • And found no judgment, meekly while He gave His back up to the fmiters, and his cheeks To [ 3 ] l^ To them that plucked off the hair, nor hid ..,^>0 ' His face from {hame and fpitting ? He who led The houfe of J/raelj like a flock of fheqp ; Nor hunger'd they, nor thirfted, in their way Acrofs the howling wildernefs ? His name What mortal^ or his lin'age fhall declare ? Yet He was bruifed for us, when his foul Was made a facrifice for fln ; He bore Our forrows, and his ftripes became our healing. Wreftling with Death ^ behold the Son of man Hangs ignominious on the crofs. The Jews Mock'd at his pangs ; the foldiers, lefs concern'd, Were dicing for his feamlefs coat. The fun Shone in his flrength : The moon wheel'd oppofite Her perfect orb ; now haft'ning to her wane: Behold fhe reddens! Asa twinkling ftar Firft feen far off, and now extin^l, He veils His glories! not in dim eclipfe, but dark As that difaft'rous night, when Memphis mourn'd Her firft-born fmote of man and beaft. The earth Con- [ 4 ] Convuls'd, from all her firm foundations fliook! The Grave gave up her dead ! The folid rock. Torn from his bafe, with many a fearful crafh Plung'd to the nether deep ! while Clatmur rode Triumphant on the foamy furge, and howl'd Among the billows ! Chaos heard the noife, And from his dark pavilion, where he fits With fable-vefted Night, refponfive roar'd ! How long the Grave retained her prey, fo long The Deep flood yawning for the wreck of worlds ! But when the third morn rofe, the doors o^ Death Burft, whik an angel roU'd away the flone From the fepulchre ; then the hardy Roman Shrunk from his poft, who feldom fhrunk, aghaft! Thenceforth, the fword was girded on thy thigh, O Thou moft mighty ! and thy right hand wrought Terrible things! Forth from his twanging bow The arrows flew abroad ; a threefold ftore His never-failing quiver held ; of fteel The [ s ] The firft, of gold the next ; thofe, fatal oft To Satan and his legions ; thefe, in Heav'n Far-fam'd, the potent and triumphant arms Of flaming Cherubim. The third obtain'd A twofold temper, as the fervid ray- Now kindles life, and now deftroys: Of thefe A formidable ftore await the day, When, at the general marllialment, thy Hoflsy O God ! innumerable, range themfelves Beneath their ftandards. That apoftate crew Worfliipp'd on earth as Gods^ with facriflcc And folemn invocation, left their fhrines, When He made bare his holy arm, and fled. With wounds, inflidled on their hinder parts, Transfix'd, the badge of fliame perpetual : Hell Was ftirred up to help them ; but they found In Hell no fhelter from his ridd (hafts ! O Grave, where is thy vi