Whence nature he informs, and with one ray Thence issuing I behold, (but mortal sight Sublimely rais'd, Heaven's Everlasting Son; Support the train of their triumphant Prince. But if resentment reddens their mild beams, On one hand, knowledge shines in purest light; Thus glorious thro' the courts of heav'n, the source Of life and death eternal bends his course; Loud thunders round him roll, and lightnings play; Th' angelic host is rang'd in bright array: Some touch the string, some strike the sounding shell, And mingling voices in rich concert swell: Voices seraphic; blest with such a strain, Could Satan hear, he were a god again. Triumphant King of Glory! Soul of bliss! What a stupendous turn of fate is this! O! whither art thou rais'd above the scorn And indigence of him in Bethlem born; A needless, helpless, unaccounted guest, And but a second to the fodder'd beast? How chang'd from him, who meekly prostrate laid, Vouchsaf'd to wash the feet himself had made ? From him, who was betray'd, forsook, deny'd, Wept, languish'd, pray'd, bled, thirsted, groan'd, and dy'd; Hung pierc'd and bare, insulted by the foe, All heav'n in tears above, earth unconcern'd below! And was't enough to bid the sun retire? Mistaken Caiaphas! Ah! which blasphem'd? Thou or thy pris'ner: which shall be condemn'd? Well might'st thou rend thy garments, well exclaim, Deep are the horrors of eternal flame! But GOD is good! 'tis wondrous all! Ev'n he Thou gav'st to death, shame, torture, dy'd for thee. Now the descending triumph stops its flight There all the clouds condens'd, two columns raise, The grand tribunal of this awful court. Sheets of bright azure, from the purest sky, Stream from the crystal arch, and round the columns fly, Death, wrapt in chains, low at the bases lies, And on the point of his own arrow dies. Here high enthron'd, th' Eternal Judge is plac'd, With all the grandeur of the Godhead grac'd; Stars on His robes in beauteous order meet, Now an archangel, eminently bright, From off his silver staff of wondrous height Unfurls the Christian flag, which waving flies, And shuts and opens more than half the skies. The Cross so strong a red, it sheds a stain Where'er it floats, on earth, and air, and main; Flushes the hill, and sets on fire the wood, And turns the deep-dy'd ocean into blood. O formidable Glory! dreadful bright! Refulgent torture to the guilty sight. Ah, turn, unwary Muse, nor dare reveal What horrid thoughts with the polluted dwell. Say not, (to make the sun shrink in his beam) Dare not affirm they wish it all a dream; Wish, or their souls may with their limbs decay, Or God be spoil'd of His eternal sway. But rather, if thou know'st the means, unfold How they with transport might the scene behold. Ah, how! but by repentance, by a mind Thus then with fervency till now unknown, "O Thou! whose balance does the mountains "weigh, "Whose will the wild tumultuous seas obey, "Whose breath can turn those wat'ry worlds to "That flame to tempest, and that tempest tame; "Earth's meanest son, all trembling, prostrate falls, "And on the bounty of thy goodness calls. "O give the winds all past offence to sweep, "To scatter wide, or bury in the deep: Thy power, my weakness, may I ever see, "And wholly dedicate my soul to thee! "Reign o'er my will; my passions ebb and flow, "At thy command, nor human motive know. "If anger boil, let anger be my praise, "And sin the graceful indignation raise. 66 My love be warm to succour the distress'd, "And lift the burden from the soul oppress'd. "O may my understanding ever read "This glorious volume, which thy wisdom made! |