Page images
PDF
EPUB

And e'en for bread, whene'er that bread was giv'n,
He render'd thanks sincere to gen'rous Heav'n.
Ah how unlike to many who possess,

Whate'er can reason, or can fancy bless;
Whose hours in various pleasures glide away; 75
Who feast luxuriously each jocund day;

Yet little of the sacred donor deem,

Or while they cram, their feeder they blaspheme!

With what a full command he could divest,

The wild rebellious passions from the breast,

80

Appears in all the horrid misery,

Of his severe stupendous agony;

When nature shock'd, a strong reluctance shew'd, At that affrightful and oppressive load

Of griefs, which were appointed to be borne,

A cruel death, with still more cruel scorn.
Yet there, e'en there, inflexibly resign'd,
He still preserves his constancy of mind;
And humbly says, "In mercy Father, pray,

Vouchsafe to take this bitter cup away.

85

مو

"If it be possible; O be it done!

"But be thy will perform'd, and not my own!"

Yet some deluded, vainly will declare

The total inutility of pray'r.

But such as heretics should be esteem'd,

95

And without bigotry unworthy deem'd,

To bear of Christians, the respected name,

For bad their tenets are, provoking b'ame.
For our great Lord, our Chief, our Saviour blest,
The strong necessity for pray'r confest,

Ask, and the heav'nly good ye shall receive,
"For to his sons my Father loves to give."
And then he wisely says, "oft watch and pray,
"Lest by temptation ye be led astray."

100

[ocr errors]

For our strong lusts, like a besieging foe,

Are active all our guards to overthrow,

Are vigilant to win, by storm or guile,

Our inner camp, to burn it or to spoil.

Line 96, &c. Luke 18. 1.

7

And he himself has taught us how to pray,

In a concise, but comprehensive way,

[ocr errors]

115

"Our Father, who in Heav'n dost keep thy throne, "Be thy name hallow'd, and thy name alone. "O may thy kingdom come triumphant forth; "Thy will, as 'tis in heaven, be done on earth. "Grant us our daily comforts, and relieve, "As we our neighbour's trespasses forgive. "From all temptation keep, or 'gainst it arm, "And helpless shield us from surrounding harm: "For the great kingdom is for ever thine, "The pow'r, the glory, endless and divine." 120, Oft would he pass, by pious love inspir'd,

The night in pray'r upon a hill retir❜d.

And with the doctrine that the Master taught,
Are the epistles of his servants fraught.

Much is the potency of fervent pray'r,

125:

And great the benefit from hence we bear.

Line 121 and 122. Vide Luke vi. 12.

Line 124. "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thess. v. 11 Timothy v. 5.

For not alone more readily is giv'n,
The blessing, when solicited, from heav'n,
But hence more oft we happily retreat,
Of business and of passion from the heat;
And free from all impertinent controul,
Calmly improve the welfare of the soul.
Christians must know the usefulness of pray'r,
When they reflect upon the state they bear;
His children in a land they do not know,
His soldiers in the quarters of the foe,

His tender sheep where wolves ferocious roam,
His precious treasure where the thief can come.

Our Saviour's piety is first approv'd,

130

135

As 'twas the vital principle that mov'd

His mind to action, and as this we deem
Of ev'ry moral duty the supreme.

Yet some there are, who of its merit doubt;
Or think true greatness may exist without.
For other virtues it may rev'rence gain;
Yet but a partial lustre 'twill obtain;

140

145

As this great virtue's absence must at least
Make dim, if not obnubilate the rest.

For is it natʼral merit to revere,.

E'en in a low imperfect character ?

Can we be struck with goodness that's confin'd,

And not transported our affections find,

By boundless goodness in th' eternal mind?

Or how can we of gratitude approve,

And not be grateful to the source of love?

150

155

Such conduct in essentials wrong must be,
And has not fitness nor consistency..
For what is piety, but warm esteem,
And love, and gratitude, to the Supreme ?
If these to man, are needful duties thought,
Can they be held as trifling or as naught,
To the great perfect Author of all good,

160

Who claims our highest love, respect and gratitude?

Awake harmonious verse, my harp awake!

Myself will rise for my great Maker's sake! 165

« PreviousContinue »