At twelve years old, (a wonder to relate,)
He with the Rabbies enters on debate; 7
When men of learning think it strange to find
Such solid wisdom in so young a mind.—
When he, at thirty, to the Baptist came,
And at the river 8 freed himself from blame,
The Holy Ghost descended from above,
And hov'ring, lighted on him, like a dove !
Meanwhile the Father, from on high declar'd
His will aloud, whilst all the people heard
Pronounc'd his character, his claims approv'd,
And fully own'd him as his Son belov'd. 9
Then, strengthen'd in his mind by this event,
He to the desert to be tempted went ;
And though the fiend his holy soul assail'd,
In each assault the baffl'd tempter fail'd.
This conflict o'er, he travell'd all around,
To spread the glorious gospel's joyful sound;
And then began his miracles to shew,
In every place where it was meet to go.
He first of all turn'd water into wine;
Then numbers heal'd who did with sickness pine:--
Restor❜d the blind;--and the defective ear,
He caus'd the sound of human voice to hear.
He made the cripple in a moment go,
And leap for joy, like some young sportive roe.
Upon the boist'rous billows, far from shore,
He walk'd erect, and still'd their noisy roar ;-
Ev'n by a single word, whene'er he pleas'd,
When most it rag'd, the tempest he appeas'd!
He shew'd his Godhead, when the sons of men,
He rais'd from death, and bade them live again!
With five small loaves, five thousand souls he fed ;→→
How great his power!-how wond'rous was that bread!
How oft the furious fiend he dispossess'd,
And gave the tortur'd maniac peace and rest!
How numerous were the miracles he wrought,
To prove the sacred doctrines which he taught!
No guile was found in him at any time,
Nor could pale envy charge him with a crime;
And yet his life, with innocence repleté,
Was not beheld with admiration meet.
Now when the hour, ordain'd of God, drew nigh,
In which, for our offences, he must die,
The traitor came, in seeming virtue bold,
And for a trivial sum his Master sold;
For Judas to destroy him lent his aid,
And for a bribe his gracious Lord betray'd!
When to Caiaphas they had led him bound,
False witnesses encompass'd him around,
Who, to his charge unnumber'd errors laid,
And things that he had neither done nor said.
The Pontiff then, on all that these declare,
Proceeds to try him with insidious care.
He binds him with an oath, to let him know,
Was he indeed the Son of God, or no.
The fact he own'd,-while to the court it seem'd,
That, claiming such a title, he blasphem'd.
Then, spitting in his face, their hate they shew,
And o'er his eyes a deadly covering draw; 10
While some with staves his sacred person bruise,
Well pleas'd the "man of sorrows" to abuse !
When morn appear'd, the rulers of the tribes, The populace, the Levites, and the Scribes, Brought Jesus bound unto the Judgment-Hall, There to be try'd, and cast before them all; But Pilate found in him no fault, or guile, Though justice seem'd to slumber all the while. He own'd it wash'd his hands-and yet at last, Though with regret, the fatal sentence pass'd. Thus Christ, transferr'd to an inhuman throng, Was sorely scourg'd, though he had done no wrong. The soldiers next, the fiercest of his foes,
Advanc'd, and robb'd the sufferer of his clothes;
And in their stead, the vile insulting crew
A robe of scarlet o'er his shoulders threw.
This done, they made a new-invented crown
Of thorns, and on his temples press'd it down.
Then came the blood from every spouting wound,
And, streaming down his cheeks, distain'd the ground.
In his right hand an ample reed they plac'd,
And with feign'd homage their procession grac❜d.
Then, with his cross, he went, severely pain'd,
Until the brow of Calvary they gain'd;
Where, bath'd already in his sweat and gore,
His hands and feet they barbarously tore;
They fasten each, (a shocking sight to see!)
With cruel nails to the accursed tree.
Yet though so great his woes, so fierce his pain,
His mouth he never open'd to complain;
Nor spoke a word to all the savage band,
More than a sheep beneath the shearer's hand!
But mark the prayer, which prov'd his friendship true,
"Father, forgive-they know not what they do!"
Thus he besought, with his departing breath,
That Heaven would pardon those who sought his death.
And thus, amid those great and direful pains,
The life, the blood, that soon forsook his veins,
Became a sacrifice, accepted then,
For all the sins of all the sons of men. 11
Thus God gave up his well beloved Son,
When he his righteous will on earth had done,
That for our souls he might a ransom give,
And bid them, through his death, for ever live!
Then let us praise him, both by night and day,
And never fail our grateful thanks to pay.
All glory, by the hosts of earth and heaven,
Through endless ages, to his name be given.
CHARACTERS OF THE SAVIOUR.
WHILE Soldiers talk of wars and battles fought;
While Sailors speak of wealth from India brought ;-
While Misers praise their heaps of shining ore,
Let Christians join their Saviour to adore.—
Christ is the WOMAN'S SEED, divinely led
To tread down Satan, and to bruise his head ;-
To free us from the curse, that we may live,
And give us all the blessings Heaven can give!
He is the SHILOH, sent us from above,
Our slavish fear, and bondage to remove ;-
From vice our erring footsteps to reclaim,
And thus to prove the virtue of his name.
Christ is the TREE, whence ev'ry saint receives
New life and vigour from its healing leaves:
No one can death's eternal sorrows meet,
Who of its fruit shall freely take, and eat.
He is the ARK, which, from the raging deep,
Did Noah and his household safely keep;
Nor can another bark be found to save
From death's high-swelling and destructive wave.
He is the LADDER Jacob saw of old,
At whose high top the heavens in motion roll'd:
|