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FAVOURITE CHRISTIAN AUTHORS, i

(

BOOK V.

<?.2^<^7^^2>

JAS. McLEAN.

PIOTOU, N. 8.

1886.

W69

^tl,

(

THE

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<*»»»

ARGUMENT.

PLEASl'Hfi PHOM CONSIDERING THE CHARACTER
OF CFiaiRT AS REVEALED IN THE GOSPEL, —
RErlGIOUS CONTROVERSY NOT FAVOURABLE
lu PIETT. — THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST — MIS
V.IFE — HIS DEATH — Ilir, RESURRECTION — HIS
ASCENSION.

Great was that prophet whom Jehovah chose,
His elect sons from bondage to ^^et free;
And lead them safelv throudi a howling wild.
Beset with dauf^ers, to that fruitful land,
The promis'd gift of heaven ; but greater far
Is he whom now I sing ; the Son of God,
The Saviour of -nankind; who humbly clothed
Himself in human nature, and his life
Gave as a ransom for our ruin'd world.

•3 ^7 5" 6 7

TUP] PLEASURES

How various the conceptions of mi,nkind
Respecting the Messiah 1 Soiuo him deem
A. man, iiot more ; an ani^ol some ; and some
Believe him God ! ' Midst this perplexity
Of jarring thoughts where shall we go to find
The truth ? Can sages tell his crigin ? ■
His naiurc do they know ? All huuiun .skill,
This question to resolve, is impotent;
Supernatural aid is needful ; then inquire
Of those alone whom God has qualified
By agency divine ; and they will tell
Both whence, and who, the great, llcdeemor is.

Those attributes divine, which neither man,
Nor high born angel, can participate ;
The names, which Deity alone cnn bear ;
And worship, that to none but God is due ;
The scriptures openly to him apply;
And he as openly, what they ascribe,
As his just right receives. Hence, who deny
His true divinity, must too reject
The evidence of Scripture, for this truth

OFPIP^TY, 3

Is then; ioscrib'd in characters so plain,

That all, who \^ill, may road, and understand.

But stop, my Muse, nor heedlessly descend
Down to the deep, dark, desolate, domain
Of cheerless controversy I where loud winds,
With endless fury, rave 'mong briers and thorns.
Where every reptili> voiDa.ous slow crawls ;
And wh'To tlio bkssjd lig'it , I'lurir- en .<hiu>' . nut,
But fitful meteors ca'^t ii lurid .!j:;leam
On the hewijderd truvt>llor-<'s irk-ornc wav !

Though sometimes neodful in the cause of truth,
Oft controversy blights the noblest powers
That grace the human soul ; and. after years
Of rancorous dispute, the matter leaves
IJnsettl d as before'! While stormy winds,
And beating rains, destroy the tender flowers,
Which beautify the earth ; the gentle liales,
And softly f»llinir dews, make the grass sprinij.
Unfold the bud, and nurse the mellowing fruit ;
Ev'n so the mind, in all its faculties,

4 THE FLEASIIIIES

IJonoath tniiioc dictated by love,
Expunding flourishes. Not dipt in nail
Wasth.it ansf^lic pen which wrot.^ x\u^ term:?
OtreconciluuieDt betweeo sinful man
And his offended God; then never ou;j:ht
The messenizcrs of peace, with burning pen
In hateful discord dipt, to vfoo mankind
Back to the path of truth ; for human wrath,
Though God oft mai^e it praise him, never can
Work out bin righteousuc^s; or, helpful, turn
One wanderinc; smuer from the way of death.

To every creature an appointed sphere,
By the wise laws of righteous Heafeo, is tixt
Tramovoable. The meanest worm, that ne'er
Ambitious cra7/ls beyond its native elod,
In its own proper circuit, is as free
As the fleet roe whose ample range extends
O'er loity mountains, and far- stretching plaits.
Though swift an(', hi?h the strong wing'd eagle s-oar,
There is a bound aerial that she
Can never pass : nay, from heaven's sapphire gates

OF PIETY I

There is a distput point, which not tho winj^
Of Gabriel can reach 1 Man also hag,
Ev'u for his strongest intellectu'»l powers,
A limit set ; to know this limit well,
And therein give his facultioa full scope,
In serving his Creator, ':hov.s him wise,
And will aflford him joy at to attempt
What lies bejoud the province of the mind,
Betrays hira ignorant, ud fills his soul
With sad perplexity, and rdokling doubt ;
And makes him fooiish as the weak-eyed bat,
Tliat would forsake the twilight mantled tower,
To join the eagle in her sunward flight!

Insfructivo pleasinir tusk, by light divine.
Full beaming triMu God's holy word, to trace,
With meiik adoring mind, tho sacred steps
Of tlio Messiah, v»hile he lowly waik'd
In the abodes of men. Where'er he went,
Disease and sickness, pain and sonow, fled;
Nay, fled even death, man's formidable foe,
A>^ fliM? the dark and dismal shades of night,

THE PLEASURES

Before the rosy beam, of wakinir morn,
And leave the jojous earth enrob'd in smiW

As day not instantanrous foi th at once
Burst, ou th' astonish'd ;-iu'ht, but dim at first
BreakH o'er the eastern mountains, then the cloud.'
That fleecy han^ in the ^urey orient >kv,
Enkindlini< with the upward sbpin. bea.ns
Uf the approachin- sun, -low vividly ; -
Then the ^reat orb of liL^ht himself appears
Vull o'er the enflam'd horizon, and dispels
Kach trace of darkness from th' abodes ot men ;
Even so, amid the dismal -atherin- -loom
Which hun- o'er Paradise tor man's offence,
The Cxospel faintly dawn'd ; and bri-htor still
O'er the dark moral world it rose, till Hto
And immortality, by its glad beams,
Were openly reveal'd. The woman's Seed,
In Eden was, by God himself, foretold ;
And prophets still, I'rom a-c to age, announcM
Ills co.nin-; ond, in plainer terms, declar'd
His person, character, and offices;

OF PIETY

TIntil at last, an ang^el from the sky
To Nazareth desceDdiou; thus addressM
His vir^ia mother : "Hail, thou that art hi^h
In favor, God is with thee ; thou art blest
Above thv fellow women ; for, by power
Divine, thr.vj shalt oonceive, and bear a Son,
Whom Jesus thou shalt n^^me, because from sin
His people he shall save, (ireat shall he be,
Sou of the Highest call'd ; a'ld the Ijord (rod
To him shall give his father David's throne,
Despite his bitter enemies, and he
Eternally o'er Jacob's house shall reign ;
Nor shall his kingdom ever have a close."

Now was the ancient prophecy fulfill'd,
Which Israel utter'd on his dyin.^j; bed
llespectio^ Shiloh's coming ; for the tribes.
Obedient to the manchite of a kinj^
Not sprung from Judah, and that nothing knew
or Judah's God, crowded the public ways,
Not as, at festive seasons, when they walk'd,
From strength to" strength, cheer'd by the joyful
strains

TOE PLEASTTRES

OK elevating music, to appear

Before their God iu Zion ; but, all sad,

Eiich Ki^ekshis native city, tliat lie amy,

Ev'n there, be mark'd a tributary slave

Of hau-hty Rome! Then pious Joseph, urged

By the decree ot proud Augustus, cam.-,

From Nazareth with Mary hie espou^'d.

To Bethlehem, their royal ancestor's

Paternal town ; but, ihough of royal line,

And near to be deliver'd of a Son,

The heir ol all things both in earth and heaven ;

A stable was the palace, and a stall

The chamber, where tite blessed irgin bore

That heavenly child, of whom the prophets sung

In strains so rapturous ; aud his tirst robes

Were humble swaddlingbands, and hisfir.«tcouch

Was a cold mauger where the beu.-t.s were led 1

wonderful humilit} ! Who can

Contemplate this great sight, and yet be proud

Of earthly riches, or of earthly state ?

Or haughtily a fellow-being scorn,

Because his birth mean, and obccure.

OF PIETY,

Attracted not the notice oi' mankind,
Or wuk'd one echo with a natal song?

But though no human voices, loudly rais'd
In joyful acclamation, mark'd the hour,
The blosscd hour, when, of a virgin born,
The Prince of life appear'd; all heaven rcjoic'd;
And the dark caves of hell rcturn'd the groans
Of its inhabitants. Down from the sky ,
A bright angelic band, descending swift,
Illumed the midnight plains of Bethlehem
With the clear shining of their heavenly robes,
And to the wondering shepherds straight revcal'd
The joyful tidings of the Saviour's birth,
And where they would behold the babe divine.
Low in a manger sleeping, careful watch'd [told.
By her that brought him forth. Their message
Before they speed their flight back to heaven's

gates.
They iiDvering o'er the highly honoured earth,
Prais'd God aloud for his good will to men.

THE PLEASTJKKS

I (I

.'J

Nor were the Gentile natioos not appriz'
Of his nativity, by God decreed
Not only to restore the chosen tribes
Of Jacob to lull liberty from all
Their stern oppressois ; but to raise mankind
Through earth's remotest bounda, and make them
The joy of his salvation. A bright star [feel
Flau/d in the orieot, which sages knew
To mark his natal hour ; hence taught, they carac
To Judah's favour'd land, bearing rich gifts,
And when they found hiiu, laid them at his teet,
Whom, lowly worshipping, they own'd a king
Whose scftptre aonn would reach o'er all the earth.
While every nation blest his hap^^y reign.

Time pass'd; and now at Jordan's sacred stream,
Where thousands flock'd to be baptiz'd of John
His areat foierunner, to that solemn rite
Himself submitticg, o'er his blessed head,
Heaven's sapphire gates were opcn'd and rcveal'd,
A glory brighter than when aoonday sun
Shines through an aperture of some dark cloud

•

OF PIETY,

Which veils the azure sky ; while, like a dove,

The Holy Spirit, visibly disclos'd,

Descending lighted on him ; and a voice,

Loud speaking from the dazzling glory, said,

"This is my well be'.oved Son, in whom

My soul doligbteth; and. through whom well pleas'd,

Unto myself I reconcile the world."

Behold the Son of God attested thus.
And thus prepared for conflict, issue iorth
To the lone wilderness himself to meet,
And overthrow, that enemy who first subdu'd
The human race to bondage, by his wiles
I'jsnaring, leading them to sin against
Their gracious Maker, and from Paradise
To be outcast. But though our father fell
By strong temptation tried, not so God's Son
(3d whom man's help was Uid ; he firmly stood
Defying all the tempter's subtile arts;
And after forty days' and forty nights'
Hard contest in the desert, he return 'd

THE PLEASURES

To Galilee victorious, and began

To preaoh salvation to th« human race .

Methinks I hear his sweet rnellifluous voice
God's law expounding to largo listeoing throngs,
Warning them earnestly to tlee from wrath,
To the Messiah who alone can save;
And, while the prophets point to one to come
As a Redeemer, Jesus to himself
Directs their weary, fainting, trembling souls.
Saying, ''I who speak to you myself am he."

Ye reverend servants of the Son of God,
Whose office is to load mankind to heaven ;
Behold the model which your Master left
Of public teaching ; ever follow that,
Nor fear success. It shows not intellect,
But unbelief, t'address immortal cauls
Go matici'S of eternity, in mode
Abstract and hard to comprehend. Be ijlain.
Despite lii' unhallow'd sneer, and foul reproach,
Of those, unfaithful to their sacred trust,

OF PIETY.

Who, poor deluded mortals, tliiak themselves

Highly to be admir'd because they preach,

Not to be understood by the base crowH,

But only by the learn'd, a8 if men's rank,

Or wealth, or learning, could enhance, or lower

The value of their souls I The learn'd and great

Despis'dthc Saviour';* prenching, and wer*^ \A'(

To perish ; while th' illiterate and poor

Heard him with pleasure, understood, believ'd ;

And so wore fitted for immortal joy

With (jri)d in hoaven. Busides, it argues not

A powerful mind well tutor'd, t'obscuro j

The subject it professes to unfold,

But the reverse. Minds are like burning liglits,

The strong and clear make objects plain; the weak

And dim, leave ihem obscure. The glorious sun

is still the nobler light, though the pile moon,

With many a gloomy shadow, makes earth's heights

Seem higher, and her hollows more profound,

Than when illumiu'd by his powerful rays.

l}(^ hold — th' ambassadors of heaven's high King,

Who speak by his authority, ought ne'er

THE PLEASriHES

To court the smiles of princes, nor to, dread
Their frowns ! Be edvnest — none are so who speak,
With cold indiff'reuce of heaven and hell
To d^ing men ! Can jou behold the tears
Of prophets, and apostles; nay, the tears
Ev'n of the Son of Goil ! and yot commend
Tluise dull, cold, heartless, preachers, who ne er
One pitying tear for ruin'd souls? If while [shed
Some (question merely politic pervades
The public mind, the most letharj>;ic rouse
To animation ; and, with lifted arm,
Expressive eye, and countenance deep mark'd
With liigh emotion, now, all eloquent.
Express themselves with feclinjj;, and declare

They arc in earnest , if mere wordly uieo

Deem coldness, in a ((uestion that concerns

The public weal, a crime, and warmth, a virtut! ;

O ! whv should those, whose office 'lis to teach

Mankind, in mattei^ which affect their welfare

Through the long atj;es of eternity,

Deem coldness here a virtue, zeal, a crime ?

ijj^

OF PIETY,

ead

^ho speak,

r.s

ho ne er

ilo [shed

irk'd

ilaro

I virtuii ;

) teach

vell'are

[le ?

While Jesus taught in true simplicity,
With fervent zeal ; he sbow'd himself divine,
By various miracles, in open view
Portorm'd ; and while his nii;4htv works deelared
His power omnipotent, they also show'd
His meroy and his love, to fallen man
IJnparallerd. The water into blood
He turns not, but to wine: with lire from heaven,
Ho blights no mocking eye, but give- the blind
Thi'ir sight : He none with sickness smites, nor
But h(!als the sick, and raises up the dead, [death,
Turning the house of niouroiug into joy.
The tempest he not raises but subdues ;
Brings no destroying hail to smite the earth
VVitii barrenness ; nor locusts to devour
The fruitful fields; but, in the desert wild,
Compassionate, vast multidues he feuds,
With a few fishes and a little bread
So amplified, by his almighty power,
'iMiat all are 'satisfied, and yot remains.
Of fragments, more than was at firpt possess d !

t« THE PLEASURES

Mothinks I see him seated on a hill,
Near the Tiberiao lake, whore thousands flock,
From all the country round, leading the blind,
Bearing the lame, and sick, and sore diseas'd.
To be relieved from all tho various ills ;
Nor do they seek his genorous aid in vain.
O wondrous spectacle ! those at his feot
Laid down pale and emaciated, rise
All flush'd with rosy health ; the lame leap up
Not lame ; the deaf obey his call ; the duh^b
Rise singing; and the blind, now blind no more,
Rise gazing with astonishment on all
Around / while twice ton thousand voices wake
The mountain echoes with Jehovah's praise 1

Again I see him, as the piophet sung
Oi the Messiah, Zion's mighty Kin<.',
All meek and lowly, on au ass's colt
Riding; while a large multitude strip off"
Tlicir upper robes, and strew them in the way,
Mixt with green branches of the joyful palm;
And rapturous the loud hosaunas raise

OF PIETY,

To David's 8oa, who, in Jehovah's name,
Cniuus with salvation to his chosen race.

But why, amid so universal joy.
Is he, wht' causes it, himself' so sad ?
Ne'er was a prospect so magnificent,
And beautilul as that which now they saw
From th' Olive mount. Pull to the view expos'd
All Canaan lay. Jerusalem appear'd
(ylose underneath the eye, seen in each street
With people thickly throug'd ; while all her towers
Shone brightly in iho sun. Another scene
Hose 10 the Saviour's sij^ht than that beheld
By those who t'oUow'd hiui ! He saw the sireota
Flowing >vitli blood of Zion's citizens;
Her lofty edifices crumbling down.
Amid devouriujj; flames, wliose lurid ^lare
Siione on the ghat-tly faces of the dead,
And dyin^, who, in countless numbers, lay,
Thick as autumnal ieavCvS, scattered around
TJnpitied ! He beheld each eminence,
Which overlook'd tlie city, planted thick

THE PLEASIJKKS

With crosses, on which igDomiDious hunpf
The sons of Jacub, while, before their eyes,
That glorious temple where Jehovah dwelt,
Sunk dowc in smouldering rum ! He beheld
Those who escaped from slaughter, captive led
To bondage more enduring, more severe,
Than that 'neath which of old their lathers groan'd
In Egypt! Thus beholding such a scene
Of misery, the piteous Jesus wept.

The scone is chanir'd — now in Gethscmane,
Retir'd ilone, he to his Father icneels
Ardent in prayer. Each quivering leaf is still,
Awed into silence while its Maker speaks.
In heaven's high azure vault, the peaceful night,
Hangs forth her silver lamps, sweet shedding down,
On earth, a sottpale light; and all around
Is beautiful. But what mean these deep sighs,
And hoavy ,q;ro;.ns, which issue from the spot
Where Jasus Laeels? ! he is deeply wounded!
See 1 how his blood, distaining all his robes.
Falls to the ground, like copious drops of dew

OF PIETY,

t»

From the oighfc alippherd's locks. No human foe

Is near, and yot he bleeJs 1 Ah ! tU the aworJ,

Not of iafuriated feeble man,

That now awakes to smite him, but the sword,

The keen edg'd sword ! of an avenging God

llais'd agaiust reb^l men, thit thoy, deep piero'd,

May feel eteri<al agony ; aid il%

The S )n of God, between them and that sword,

(Jastiug himself as a broad shield, receives

Its dreadful strokes ! Hence flows his nrecious

And heoo the awfal aogiMsh of his soul [blood I

Unspe-ikable, breath'd out in sighs and groans I

The scene ischang'd— striptof his blood stain'u
And tix'd high on a tree, by rugged nails [robes,
Forc'a through his b-^nds and feet, naked he hangs,
'Mid scoffiuiT thousands 1 In his sacred flesh
Deep are the traces of the cruel scourge !
Sore is his ''isage marr'd with impious blows !
A crown of thorus fixd on his blessed head.
In fiendish mockery, makes many a w^/und [hair,
Whenoe bluod flows copious drenching his long

TBK PLKASl]KK8

.It

And, trickling down the furrows of the lash,
Falls to the earth i His mother sees him haug
Kxpos'd and bloediui^; hears the horrid shout.i
Of those who mock his bitter agony I
Keeo anguish, as a sword, pierces her soul !
Ev'q angels stand aghast at the dire scent; ;
And instantly those scoffers, into hell,
Would smite unpitying; did not God's arm
iiold back their flaming swords, at the request
Of Him who, on the cross, asks and receives
Forgiveness for his foes. Their swords restrain'.!,
Those angels with theii wings veil the bright sun,
Spreading thick darkness over all the rarth,
In uuisoii with the appalling scene
On Calvary ; and hiding from the eye
Of public scorn, the dying Prince of life I

But, ah ! that veil of darkne-s cannot hide
Tlie bleeding victim from the cruel sight [round
Of this world's prince, whose archers, hovering
in countless myriads, pour theii fiery shafts
Into his soul uncea^inu ! Flow intense

OF PIETY,

Tlio holy aaj^ol.'* on the conflict ^aze,

Nor dare to interfere ! For though thbir stro.u.2;th,

Superior to ill ans^els, might ward off,

Succrisat'ully, each deadly shaft propell'd

By power not infinite; yet arrows keen,

Ev'n from th' Almighty's arm, i^tick fast within

His agonizing soul ; which powerful shafts,

Did he oppos.-., would smite ev'n Gabriel down

Quick as the oak falls by the bolt of heaven I

What means chat loud and lamentable cry ?
Has God forsaken his beloved Son ?
Is man's redemption lost? The sun shines forth —
Ah me ! how ghastly pale is Jesus now !
His eyes are waxing dim, and his parch'd lips
Scare; quivu'l Yet he yields not up his soul,
Until he erie^, triumphantly aloud, [shout

' 'Tisfinish'd 1" And thou^sh mevi hv^ed not the
Of victory thus rais'd, in their behalf,
By God's own Son ; yet, in reply, the eartli
Quakes to it^ centre ; and the flinty rocks
Break into pieces; while the thick wove veil,

THE PLEASURES

That hides from view the holiest of all,
Rending in twain from top t^ bottom, show*
The mercy seat to all alike reveal'd !
Nay ; ov'n the dead hear the victorious cry,
'• 'Tis firiish'd," and, arisiuy; from the tomb,
Walk to the holj city, and declare
That Je'jus, dyin^^, has abolish'd death,
And spoil'd the grave! The angels hear the cry,
" 'Tis finish'd," and with speed, to heaven's bright
They bear the joyful tidings; a glad shout [gates
Rinjjjs through the empyroan, onward still,
Tliroughout the universe, from sun to sun,
From star to star, resounding ; hell's dark caves
Alone the echoes mournfully return.

The scene is chang'd — now lowly in the tomb
The Saviour sleeps i.) death ; a darksome cloud
Hangs heavy o'er his chosen little bacd
Of laitliCul lollowers; and all hib foes
Rejoice. In the grave's mouth a stune is lixt
Secure, and seal'd. A Roman guard, well arm'd,
Before the sepulchre keeps anxious watch.
And why ? L^st those weak timid fishermen,

oFPF^rrv,

Who fled their Master while he liv'tl, should, now
T hat he is dead, wax bold ; and, from the grave
Stealing the body, teach that he has risen
By his own power, and so seduce mankind,
But all the efforts of his foes are vain,
To hold him in the tomb; as well may night.
By rolling to the eastern gates of morn,
A gloomy cloud keep back the rising sun.

Scarce had the sabbath ended, and the dawn
Sh.d feeble twilight o'er Judea's hiils ;
When a bright angel bursting from the sky,
Descended to the sepulchre ; the earth
Quak'd at his cominti, and the guard turn'd pale
With icy terror! Back ho roU'd the stone
From the grave's mouth, and boldly sat on it,
Dsepite the Roman spears that glittered in
The radiant beams of his own countenance.
And sparklin:; robes ! Then, bursting the strong

bands
or death and hell, the Son of God walk'd I'orfh,
A mighty con(|ueror, to die no more !

THE PLEASDUES

Meanwhile those pidus women, who had seen
Where Jer^iis was intomb'd and mark'd the spot,
They, rising early loay; ere yet 'twas day,
Came towards the sepulchre, witii costly drugs
T' embalm their Master's body, W(mde)iog much
Wlio would the stone remove which ch s'd his gr-^ve,
And grant them free admittance. Who can tell
The mingling feelings which possess'd their minds,
When they the open tomb beheld, and heard
The angel's narrative ? How did they run
To spread the joyful tidings that their Lord,
Whom late they saw expire on Calvary,
And laid in Joseph's lomb. was now alive j
That they themselves had seen him, heard him
speak,

Had held him by the feer, luid worshipped him ;

And that even from himself they brought the news '

Of his arising ! Still the evidence

Of their strange tidings, like the dawning light,

Grew brighter ; till, at last, Jesus himself,

His followers being met, stood in the midst,

OFPEETY,

I %■"

AqJ, after friendly salutation, show'd,
His hands and feet uiark'd with the nigged nails ;
His side imprinted with the soldier's spear ;
Then were they glad to see their risen Lord !

The scene is chang'd— Now on Mount Olivet
The Son of God, hi? Father's gracious work
In man's behalf well fininh'd, ready stands
To mount th' aerial regions, and possess
His everlasting throne. The fishermen
Of Galilee are with him, to receive
His parting blessing, He is not asham'd
To own them as his kinsmen, though around,
Not viewless to bis eye, heaven's shining hosts
Stand gazing with astonishment He cheers
Their droopinj- minds, informing them aright
Ol'his true kingdom. Then, full iu their view,
He leaves the earth, slow rising through the air;
The dazzling splendour of his glorious train
He vails, in mercy to their feeble sight,
Till high ascended; then the heavenly host,
Made visible, unfold their sparkling wings,

m THE PLEASURES OF piety;

And mark his path with brightness, aH if all
The glittering stars, leaving night's vault ungcm'd
Had in one glorious constellation met,
To light the Conqueror to his many crowns 1

BND or BOOK HflH.

s;cm'd