Occasional verse, moral and sacred Published for the instruction and amusement of the Candidly Serious and Religious [by Edward Perronet] |
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ON THE CRUCIFIXION.
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 | Occasional verse, moral and sacred |  |
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ON THE CRUCIFIXION.
WHO hath believed the REPORT? Isa. liii. 1.
I
Calm as the midnight is my soul,When underneath the bloody tree;
'Tis there my thoughts sublimely roll,
Revolving on that mystery!
II
There I behold, lift up on high,The mark of unrelenting scorn;
The god whose wisdom form'd the sky,
The man of griefs—forsook, forlorn.
III
The man, at whom the father cries,“Awake, O sword! and vengeance take
“On him, who now devoted lies
“A surety for the sinners sake!
IV
“Spare not his body, nor his soul;“On him the whole demand shall lie:
“Himself has undertook the whole,
“And he the whole shall satisfy.
V
“He only shall the wine-press tread,“The dregs of my displeasure taste:
“On him, and on his guiltless head,
“The weight of my revenge shall rest.”
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VI
Is this then he that comes from far,From edom with his garments dy'd?
Is this the bright, the morning star,
Eclips'd, as mourning for his bride?
VII
Is this the Father's only Son,The image of himself unseen;
The fulness of the three in one,
In likeness of the sons of men?
VIII
In whom I view th'incarnate god,An isaac on the altar slain;
No angel there to stay that rod,
Or bid, “Re-sheath the sword again.”
IX
There, then, I see the Prince of Peace,Lord of the living and the dead,
Pour from his wounded sides recess
The last rich drop he has to shed.
X
'Tis there I see each legal type,Dreadful unfolded to my view,
The pascal lamb for slaughter ripe,
The great burnt-offering burnt anew.
XI
There too, with them who stood aroundHis cross, with tearful eyes, I see
Fresh mysteries streaming from that wound,
That, as it streams, atones for me!
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XII
There, with the mother of her Lord,Whose soul the sword of anguish pierc'd,
I seem to share the sad record,
And weep, with her, the scene rehears'd.
XIII
There I behold the mighty sunIn darkness plunge his visual rays;
And there the pale and shiv'ring moon,
For sorrow seems to veil her face.
XIV
All Nature feels the direful shock,As Nature's self abhorr'd their deeds;
While Jewish hearts, more hard than rock,
Revile the Sufferer as he bleeds.
XV
'Tis there I see what sin deserves,'Tis there I see what sin has done,
When on that cross mine eye observes
The Father's co-eternal son!
XVI
There I bewail, with downcast eyes,My own ingratitude and shame;
How much I need, yet little prize,
The merits of the bleeding lamb!
XVII
'Tis there, in types of blood, I read,What Justice might have done to me;
Transferr'd from my offending head,
And nail'd with Jesus to the tree.
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XVIII
'Tis there, between two thieves, I viewThe only innocent and just;
The god of all, who all things knew,
Humbled with felons to the dust.
XIX
'Tis there, with wonder, I behold,What Patriarchs once could scarce conceive;
Nor Prophets, tho' themselves foretold,
For wonder, easily believe.
XX
There I behold th'angelic throngBending o'er Heaven's eternal steep;
While Seraphs, struck, suspend their song,
And high Archangels seem to weep!
XXI
There Gabriel, foremost of the choir,Hangs o'er his harp with melting eye,
To see the god that did inspire
That harp with life, accursed die!
XXII
Nor seems ev'n Hell without its share;Seiz'd with distractions wild amaze,
Their eyelids flash more horrid glare,
As scorch'd with flames of fiercer blaze.
XXIII
Their loss bewail'd with shriller cries,Their fall a fate no tongue can tell;
But sunk as judgment seems to rise,
They deeper sink to deeper Hell!
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XXIV
The foul arch-fiend, with bruised head,Now shudders for his future doom;
While sin and death united dread
The approaching triumph of the Tomb .
XXV
All this, and more, methinks I see,By faith's strong realizing eye;
My curse all cancel'd on that tree
On which the tree of life did die!
XXVI
“But when (I ask) did this begin?“Who first such thoughts of love could dare?
“With art divine condemn the sin,
“And yet the sinner kindly spare?”
XXVII
I ask'd, and, as I listen'd, heardThis gracious answer to my plea:
“Ere yet creation's self appear'd,
“Or aught but deity could be:
XXVIII
“Ere the bright orb that lights the day,“Or that fair lamp that gilds the night;
“Ere shone the stars, whose cluster'd ray
“Adorns the firmament with light:
XXIX
“High as the fount from whence it flow'd,“Deep as the source from whence it sprung;
“Ere seraph forms extatic glow'd,
“Or morning stars their mattins sung,
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XXX
“This mystery of love began“Its source in his eternal mind,
“Who god with god, as man with man,
“Then sware to rescue lost mankind.
XXXI
“In that great moment all was fix'd;‘I come (he cries) to do thy will:
‘Be judgment but with mercy mix'd,
‘And I her vengeance will fulfil.
XXXII
‘I will the sinner's curse sustain,‘I will the debt of justice pay;
‘The law's long injur'd rights regain,
‘And bear the injurer's guilt away!’
XXXIII
“His word th'incarnate surety kept;“And, well prepar'd to feel the smart,
“Thy surety has discharg'd the debt,
“And snatch'd its dagger from thy heart:
XXXIV
“Took on himself the load of sin,“Content to bear imputed guilt,
“He still remain'd untaint within,
“And spotless as the blood he spilt.
XXXV
“Be then His acts thy wonder's joy,“Thy life the witness of His love;
“Its sweet descant thy sweet employ,
“Till sown in death it blooms above.
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XXXVI
“Where long as Heav'n itself shall live,“Long as the god that died for thee;
“So long His love shall life survive,
“And Saints revolve the mystery!”
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