University of Virginia Library

To Jordan's banks whose waters sweetly glide
Then to the Baptist came our heav'nly Guide;
There to receive in those transparent streams
That holy rite, which thro' the world proclaims
The Christian's glory: when John thus addrest
With great humility his sacred Guest.
And comest thou, to be baptiz'd of me?
Rather let me receive that bliss from thee,
My holy God, from this let me abstain,
O wash me, wash me from corruption clean!

To whom the mild, the bless'd Redeemer said,
Thou to perform it be not now afraid;
It must be so; for we therein fulfil
The sacred law, and God's most holy will;
Then was the Christ baptiz'd—
When lo! the Heav'ns a glorious scene display'd,
And that great Pow'r, who when the world was made
Illum'd the whole,—bid ev'ry creature move
Descended in the semblance of a Dove.

The Holy Ghost on your redeeming friend
Now rests, oh Earth, in silent awe attend!
And ye blest Angels, that the throne surround
With praises hear, how mercy doth abound
To sinful Man. Jehovah speaks, indeed,
And shews Salvation in his glorious meed.
Man can no longer doubt, no longer say,
That Christ the great Messiah makes long stay,
His coming, Heav'n and Earth do witness bear
While God th' eternal Father speaks his care,—
“This is my Son, my well beloved Son,”
O chearful sound, thou wond'rous three in one.
This is the evidence which shines so bright
And gives the world such glorious rays of light,
The sacred undivided Trinity,
One God in essence, tho' in persons three,
Or as recorded by the inspir'd John,
The Father, Word, and Spirit, three in one.

The work stupendous to preserve Mankind,
To the Messiah being now assign'd,
In this high state with lowliness behold
The Prince of Peace, his sacred truths unfold,
To poor unletter'd Fishers, men who knew
Those ills which must from earthly wants accrue,
These he ordain'd to aid his vast design,
To raise Mortality to life divine.
No men of eminence his doctrine taught,
No Ministers in Palaces he sought,
Where Learning, Wit, and Elocution shine
In all the splendor which the world calls fine.
Nor did he try the Pharisees to gain,
To be attended by a deep taught train;
But those he chose were humble, poor, and meek,
These were the Mighties, Christ vouchsaf'd to seek.
With these he went abroad—
While crouds admiring, follow'd to behold
The Lamb of God, his gracious love unfold;
Who with compassion and a heav'nly smile
In plain, descriptive, yet enchanting stile
Sets Heav'n's delights before them in array,
And each beatitude declar'd the way.

Thus preach'd the Saviour of the world around,
While pow'r and energy his preaching found;
Not like the pompous doctrine of the schools,
Reveal'd in formal and unmeaning rules,
T' amuse the head, but not the heart improve,
Nor from the sinner fell despair remove.

Ah! where is He, who has no higher aim
Than what the soundness of his morals claim?
Say what can Man, all imperfection, do,
Whose highest virtues are his duties too;
Infirmities and errors him surround,
Disturb'd societies oft him confound;
The duties of each moment still come on,
And blessings rise up with the rising sun.
Health, family, and friends, air, light, and food,
With all those pleasing joys the earth calls good,
Are blended in him; but when sin appears
It sinks him down amidst desponding fears.
Or where's the over-righteous in God's law
Whose high-wrought zeal will not admit a flaw
In human state, but like the Pharisee
Who would not with the Publican agree,
To pay devotion to the living God,
But pledg'd himself free from the dreadful rod
That's due to sin, and thought vain-glorious pride
Would rather aid than cast his plea aside.
Alas! such specious cov'rings wont avail,
For in the day of wrath they'll surely fail.
But when th' atoning Lamb, without disguise,
Appears the meritorious sacrifice,
Then Man appropriates, new life, new light,
And all his guilt is taken from his sight.
By this I know that Christ was born for me,
Fulfill'd the Law, and suffer'd on the Tree;
And in my nature has he mourn'd and dy'd,
Eternal justice too has satisfy'd;
Has finished my redemption with his blood,
On this I stand, on this my faith holds good;
And as in Adam none can death survive,
Ev'n so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Here then begins the Christian's life,—a war
Which we against a sinful world declare.
Now all those ills the human passions rear'd,
Which would allure us from fair Virtue's guard,
Fly far behind,—they've lost the pow'r to charm,
Nor can the hoping Penitent alarm;
But Truth and Mercy bid the conflict cease,
And lead the faithful Soul to endless Peace.

So the industrious labourer pursues
His daily toil, inspir'd with pleasing views;
Each chearful day he acts and hopes the best,
And night rewards his toil with tranquil rest.