Then tremble not at man, nor fear his frown,
Great your reward; for death, a heavenly crown!
Go search the Scriptures, there attentive read
His eloquence divine; whose every deed,
Whose every word, speaks peace to all mankind :
Ask and receive; seek truth, and surely find."
But, uninspired mortal, oh! forbear
To bind in metre, his all-perfect prayer.
One word, one syllable omitted, spoils !
It breathes of Christ-who only touches soils.
Obey his heavenly counsel; on the sand
Build not thy mansion, fragile to withstand
The storm which may assail. But on the rock
Lay its foundation sure; then shall no shock
Of wind or tempest, hail or driving rain,
O'erwhelm, or sap; but beat on it in vain.
The Sermon finished, Jesus now descends
From the blessed Mount, the multitude attends;
But he forbids, and sending them away,
Deep in the Wilderness retires to pray.
No more encompassed by the thronging crowd,
Jesus with gifts miraculous endowed
His chosen twelve; and after needful rest
And due refreshment taken, thus addressed: “Behold I send you forth as gentle sheep 'Mongst wolves, these precepts therefore strictly keep. Be ye as serpents wise, but as the dove
Harmless, and thus continue in my love.
Heal every sickness; to the lame and blind,
Be eyes and feet; from those over whose mind
Satan usurped dominion holds, expel
The Devil and his angels, and to hell
Consign. At your command the dead shall live;
Freely ye have received, freely give.
Ye for your journey, purse nor scrip require,
The labourer is worthy of his hire.
Greet no man by the way : Be ye content
With what is kindly offered; ye are sent
To the lost house of Israel only. Go,
Speak peace to all; denounce nor curse, nor woe
Such as spurn you or contemn,
God in the day of judgment will condemn.
No fire from Heaven upon the wicked call,
Vengeance to God belongs-Great Judge of all!"
Joyous they part, and through the land proclaim
Pardon and peace, in Christ's redeeming name.
Joyful return-success their mission crowned!
Then Jesus too rejoiced; and looking round
With pleasure on them all, his grateful mind
Gives utterance to his thoughts in prayer refined.
"Father! I thank thee, Lord of Heaven and
Earth!
Who from the wise, the proud, the high of birth,
Hast hid these things, and unto babes revealed
Truths which, till now, have lain obscured,
concealed:
Even so Father; for what in thy sight
Is good, in mine is ever just and right."
Behold we here of Christianity
The gentle doctrine in epitome;
To preach the word, to sow the precious seed,
To man is delegated; but by deed
Of blood to propagate the Christian creed,
Christ strictly hath forbidden. To coerce
Is Antichristian; and the awful curse
Of God will fall on those who veiling hate
In fair religion's mantle, devastate
Mankind. Nor conquering sword, nor wrenching
The Christian church allows. Holy and true,
'Gainst her the gates of hell shall ne'er prevail,
Though craft, and sword, and flame her faith assail.
Founded on Christ, the rock of ages, free
Her chosen seat, the Isle of Liberty.
Oh Britain! Oh my country! drink no more
The poisoned death-cup of the scarlet whore.
Seest thou not all the plagues of God descend,
On those who at her impious altar bend?
"Come out my people; of her sorcery
Partake not, touch not, lest ye also die."
Now, at this time, upon the Sabbath morn,
Jesus was passing through the fields of corn
With his Disciples; they, by hunger pressed,
Plucked the ripe ears. Him instantly addressed
"Wherefore," they say,
"Do thy Disciples on the Sabbath-day
What is unlawful?" Jesus calmly eyed
These crafty hypocrites, and thus replied:
"Have ye not in the Holy Scriptures read,
How David and his followers took the bread-
The shewbread-and were blameless, which alone
Unto the priests was lawful? Had ye known
God's purpose in the Sabbath, and intent,
You had not thus condemned the innocent.
The God of mercy, before sacrifice,
Mercy prefers; nor ye my words despise.
The Priests within the Temple still profane
The Sabbath guiltless; Him you now arraign
Is greater than the Temple-Sovereign Lord,
E'en of the Sabbath, and of right adored."
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