University of Virginia Library

The holy Virgin and the much lov'd John,
With great fatigue approach'd the cross, whereon
The Saviour hung, and just before the Lord
Had finish'd Man's Redemption, ere the word
Had been pronounc'd which seal'd the deed of love,
And ratify'd Man's claim to bliss above,
They had beheld his agony and pain,
Nor could their eyes the flowing tears retain;
Yet while they look'd on him with piercing grief,
His words replete with love convey'd relief.

Thus have I seen a Rustic full of fears
Surrounded by his family in tears,
A prey to grief—by poverty depress'd,
Ev'n hope has ceas'd to animate his breast:
When lo! Benevolence with lovely grace
Appears to charm his tortur'd mind to peace,
Removes each ill, tho' heighten'd by despair,
Relieves their wants and soothes the Parent's care.

The holy Lord his Mother thus addrest,—
O woman! set thy anxious soul at rest:
No more shall fears thy tender frame annoy,
Behold me now the pledge of future joy.
Those pleasing raptures which have fill'd thy breast,
Those sweet endearing cares thy love exprest,
Are now no more,—I came here to fulfill
The holy Scriptures and thy Maker's will;
For Man I triumph'd over Satan's hate,—
To save Mankind, I took his lowly state,
Became an Infant, object of thy love,
Nor canst thou that solicitude remove
Which tender mothers for their off'spring know,
Yet let those useless tears forget to flow;
For Man shall be restor'd to joys sublime,
Then wait with resignation for the time,
Which soon shall find accomplishment in me,
My Birth, my Life, my Death, shall set you free
But see my lov'd Apostle and my friend,
With filial duty he shall thee attend;
Be he thy future son, let mutual love
Heart-breaking sorrow far away remove.
And thou Disciple, much belov'd receive
Thy mother to thy care, her woes relieve:
Be her support, her failing spirits aid,
And in this trying scene be not dismay'd:
Soon shall you see me on the earth again,
Triumphant o'er mortality and pain.
Then will I fill thy soul with ev'ry ray
Of grace divine, while thou shalt truths display,
Which to pure virtue and true pleasure tend,
To happiness supreme, which ne'er shall end.
This said, he cry'd—Oh, Father, comfort me,
I now commit my spirit unto thee!
Then shook the whole Creation with his woes,
And earth her beauteous order seem'd to lose,
Tremendous scenes unequall'd terror spread,
And from the graves came forth th' awaken'd dead,
The Temple's vail was rent—the conscious Sun,
As if the sight of human guilt to shun,
Withdrew his genial beams, withheld his light,
All Nature wore the awful gloom of night;
The universal horrors which ensu'd,
With wond'ring dread the distant nations view'd.
While unenlighten'd Gentiles trembling stand
And think earth's dissolution is at hand,
Not ev'n the convert Jews know where to rest
Their hope by fear, their faith by doubt represt;
Long the delusive thought they had retain'd,
That Christ in worldly splendor would have reign'd,
That he to Judah wou'd have brought relief
From foreign tyranny, and thus their grief
Had been no more; alas! to follies giv'n,
For earth they almost lost their care for Heav'n.
Others unmindful of the great event
In careless indolence their moments spent,
Join'd the foul stream tradition pour'd along,
Nor sought to be convinc'd if right or wrong
The Scriptures told, whether obscure or clear
They pointed out, or when Christ should appear.
Oh! wou'd they read those books with that concern
They ponder earthly deeds, they soon would learn
Conviction, faith and love, true hope and joy,
Nor would perplexing doubt their minds annoy.

The prophet Daniel does the time declare
When the Messiah should his suff'rings bear;
And Zechariah has expressly told
The sum for which he was betray'd and sold.
But when Isaiah in majestic strains
Describes his Birth, his Life, and dying Pains;
How can they doubt those truths to them reveal'd,
As tho' the Prophet had his God beheld.
Who can these oracles explore, unmov'd,
Where Man's Salvation is so clearly prov'd.
But, ah! the Jews, like Christians now indeed,
Esteem their Bibles, but they seldom read!
Nor e'er compare th' Evangelist and Seer,
Where num'rous types to end their doubts appear;
Which would they do, those types they might explain,
And find fulfill'd in the Messiah's reign.

The hardy Guards now took the sad alarm,
Heart-sinking fear did all the soul disarm;
The light'ning's livid flash deep terror spread,
The thunder's awful sound increas'd their dread,
The night's dark gloom o'ercame meridian light,
And long try'd valour yielded at the sight.
But that some shew of courage might appear,
Or they might gain dismission from their care,
They then approach'd the Mount with falt'ring tread,
And broke the culprits legs, but found Christ dead.
On him they then forbore the useless stroke,
For Scripture faith, his bones shall not be broke;
Yet one who was on this dire task employ'd,
Whose fear had not his cruelty destroy'd,
With wanton rage to cowardice ally'd,
Advanc'd his spear and pierc'd the Saviour's side.
The purple flood stream'd torrents on the ground,
And blood and water mingled in the wound.
Here stands the bulwark, here the Christian's fence,
The Adamah, the First, the Last, from whence
Springs love to Man,—this is the glorious prize
The pure oblation, and the sacrifice
Once offer'd, ever saving Man from doom,
The oath to shew his death until he come,
The Covenant, Baptismal Jordan's stream,
The holy Eucharist, the vow supreme!—
Eternal God thy mercies I adore,
O aid me, Truth Divine! while I explore
Thy wond'rous works; oh grant, Almighty Lord,
My pen, my heart, and life may all accord
To shew thy praise, how thy great goodness will'd
To have each tittle of thy law fulfill'd;
And may thy wond'rous mercy Man engage
To find Salvation in the sacred page.

Now while the tragic scene made pity reign,
One of the Sanhedrim went forth to gain
Christ's sacred body of the Roman Chief;
And, his consent receiv'd, with pious grief
He took it down, and with a solemn gloom
Repos'd it in a new and spacious tomb.
When fix'd in wrath, the Leaders of the Jews,
Their malice to relinquish yet refuse;
To the High Priest with hasty steps they go,
But all was discord, anarchy and woe.
The glory of the Shekinah was fled,
The beauty of the Israelites was dead;
In vain did Caiaphas assume the chair,
In vain he now commands attention there;
Increasing numbers tumults more increase,
And restless Satan almost su'd for peace.
To hush their various clamours he forsook
His outward terrors, then himself betook,
With all the venerable form and grace—
The mild resemblance of a Rabbi's face;
Then for admission to the Priest he sues,
Who vainly still endeavour'd to reduce
The throng to order, but as soon he'd gain
Both peace and order from the raging main.
At length the arch-deceiver struggled through
The num'rous multitude, and gain'd the view
Of Caiaphas; then in his ear instill'd
Revenge and falshood,—yea, his bosom fill'd
With rankling envy, hinting that the friends
Of Christ would steal him, to promote their ends;
Then would report abroad in artful strain,
That he their glorious Lord had rose again.
Th' attentive Priest in thoughtful silence heard,
Approv'd, and by a sign his friends prepar'd,
For private conf'rence—who with him retir'd
To learn what new concurrence was requir'd.
He then unfolds the scheme—they orders send
Commission'd with his name one to attend
The Roman Judge, that Soldiers might be sent
To frustrate what Christ's friends would now invent.
Thus were produc'd by the malicious Jews
Those strong convincing proofs that so conduce
To fix the Christian's Faith, had not they sought
A Guard of Pilate, they with mischief fraught
Had form'd a tale whose plausible pretext
The early converts might have much perplext.

Pilate at once comply'd with their request,
He thought it prompted by a skilful breast;
The Watch was fix'd, the Sepulchre made sure,
A stone of pond'rous weight secur'd the door.
Yea, that no plan their prudence might defeat,
They seal'd it with the signet of the state;
But what is human soresight, what avails
The seal, the pond'rous stone when justice fails?
What are the hardy vet'rans when they stand
Against Jehovah's all victorious hand?
For at th' appointed time the trembling earth
Display'd his wond'rous might who'd given birth
To all this spacious globe: her horrid shocks
Sent forth dismay, and rent the stony rocks:
When lo! the Spirit of the Lord descends
From Heav'n, attended by an host of friends—
Angelic friends, who gladly him surround,
To see Omniscience sin and death confound.
Oh, Death, where is thy sting! thy triumphs Grave!
Now all thy gloomy terrors thou must leave;
Behold the great Messiah reassumes
His sacred form which vivid life illumes;
Christians may well admire the glorious deed,
That Resurrection which lost Man has freed.
This is the joyful day the Saviour sends,
On this Man's hope, on this his life depends;
The Heav'ns resound with praise, th' angelic throng
With harps celestial, sing the glorious song,
None but th' Eternal Godhead e'er could plan
Returning love, returning love to Man;
Christ the first-fruits, the chains of Death has broke,
And Man's recover'd from the Serpent's yoke:
Christ shews the world that as he rose again,
Triumphant over Death, o'er Hell and pain;
So Man to Immortality shall rise,—
So Man in triumph shall ascend the skies.