Of radiant virtues seize their late abode,
And stamp the mansion with the seal of truth.
There heavenly Knowledge shines in glitt'ring pride,
And Patience sits, with meek submissive smile
Disarming stern Oppression; Justice there
Erects her rigid test of right and wrong;
And there, with God's own armour all-begirt,
Stands Fortitude, erect in Christian strength;
There Temp'rance stands with ever-watchful eye,
To curb the passions with a steady rein;
And Candor there her golden rule displays,
To act by others as thy heart must wish
They, in like circumstance, should act by thee:
But chiefly there, in ever-fixed seat,
Sits heav'n-born chairity; her eagle eye
Thrown o'er the wide expanse of Nature's works,
Where, nobly scorning ev'ry meaner tie,
She deems all human ills her own, and sighs
If aught of mis'ry dwell beneath the sun.
With such bright guests the Christian mind is stored,
Pledges of truest knowledge, joy, and peace:
These to make known became the sacred task
By heav'n imposed upon the chosen band;
Thrice happy they to such high office called,
The blessed ministers of God's high will!
For them the fullness of his might is shown,
O'erleaping the strong bounds of nature's laws;
Grim Death for them contracts his hasty stride,
And checks his dart e'ven in the act to strike;
His horrid messengers, Disease and Pain,
Loose their remorseless grasp unwillingly,
And leave their prey to ease and thankfulness;
For them bright Wisdom opens all her stores,
Her golden treasures spreading to their view,
Whilst Inspiration's all-enliv'ning light
Hangs hov'ring o'er their heads in glitt'ring blaze;
Warmed by the ray they pour the sacred strain
In eloquence seraphic; truths divine,
For ever registered in heav'n's high page,
Flow from their lips, and glow within their breasts;
Amazed they feel the sacred ecstacy,
With heav'nly rapture thrill in ev'ry nerve;
Whilst in their flowing words, with wisdom fraught
Celestial, shines the heav'nly Spirit pure.
This is no fancied power, no idle dream,
No flatt'ring scheme by heated fancy formed;
The genuine influence fills each raptured soul,
And beams in ev'ry eye conspicuous.
Far other flame the vain enthusiast feels, When, reason by delusive fancy led
In sad captivity, the thoughts confused
Rush on his mind in dark and doubtful sense.
Consider well, what are the genuine marks
Of heavenly inspiration. It was not
In wild ecstatic rants and dubious phrase,
In doctrines intricate and terms perplexed,
The simple messengers of Jesus spake.
O search and see, were not their docrines pure,
And in such plain and modest phrase expressed
As best befits instruction's wholesome plan?
Mighty to save, they sought no other pow'r,
No meed, but that which conscious Virtue feels
When she conducts some hapless wand'rer back
To paths, without her aid, for ever lost.
If such your heav'nly aim, your lives unblamed
Will give, like theirs, an earnest of your truth;
If daily trained to ev'ry virtuous act,
You tread the steps the blessed Jesus trod,
Through the strait path, the way of holiness,
Then may ye lead your flocks to his abode;
But, O beware! think not the heav'nly guest
Can fix his residence with aught impure;
Think not the heart which pride or int'rest guides
Can ever be the seat of heavenly grace;
If yet the Holy Spirit deigns to dwell
In earthly domes, 'tis not in those defiled
With pride, with fraud, with rapine, or with lust;
'Midst the rough foliage of the thorny brake
The clust'ring grape not blushes, and the fig
Decks not the prickly thistle's barren stalk;
Ev'n thus shall all be measured by their fruits;
So spake the living Oracle of Truth:
O never, never lose this sacred guide,
By every blast of doctrine borne away,
But gazing ever on the Gospel light,
That endless source of evidence and truth,
Prove ev'ry doctrine by that golden rule.
And "try the Spirits if they be of God."
The Call of the Gentiles.
To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.-ROMANS ii. 10.
Он, not to Israel's haughty sons alone
Came the glad tidings of a Saviour born;
Not so repulsed th' Almighty's outstretched arm,
Not so confined His love! The dove-like form
Of mercy, issuing forth, through every clime,
Flies to and fro, to earth's extremest verge,
Speeds her light way, and plies her eager search,
Unwilling to return if chance she find
Whereon to rest her foot! Long time intent
O'er thee, Judæa, self-devoted land!
With many an anxious pause and circling flight
The mystic wanderer hung! Full oft she sought
Thy tow'rs, Jerusalem, thy fated walls,
And wept o'er all the scene! Full oft she called
(E'en as a hen collects her callow brood)
And yet ye would not! "O ungrateful race!"
In deep despair the lovely exile cried;
Then shook soft pity from her wings-and fled.-
Happy the few, on whose selected heads
The plenteous dayspring from on high descended In kindly visitation! Happy they
THE CALL OF THE GENTILES.
On whom that show'r of heav'n-born pity fell;
-Nor fell unfruitful! While impassioned hope,
Firm faith, that wisely builds on reason's rock,
Strong-working, drew them from the crooked path;
Taught them at length with steady eye to bear
The growing light; to hail with grateful joy
Each emanation of these holy truths
That Jesus poured upon their tempered souls!
These, not unaided by supernal grace:
And fraught with confidence and holy zeal,
Sure test of true conversion! these, O Lord,
Were all Thy scanty followers; by Thee
First called, first rescued from a world of woe,
To spread salvation into distant climes;
And tell the meanest habitant of earth
"Glad tidings of great joy!"-Much envied lot
Of ministry like this! Thrice happy state
Of servitude, (if freedom's choicest name
Befit not rather) happier, richer far
Than all that tyranny enthroned could boast,
Or the proud sceptre of imperial Rome!
Conscious I quit the still-increasing theme
Of praise and wonder! Mute admiring joy
Must paint a scene the muse can never reach!
'Tis not for us, unweeting babblers all,
To trace with fit designs the holy group
Forth issuing, for the glorious work prepared,
Their cry Salvation!-God himself their guide!
For us suffice it rather, first to haste
In silent joy, like Abraham from his tent,
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