The Works of the Late Aaron Hill ... In Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, And of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With An Essay on the Art of Acting |
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St. Matthew, Chapter v.
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 | The Works of the Late Aaron Hill |  |
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St. Matthew, Chapter v.
The
son of God, beheld the numerous train,
And would not let 'em follow him, in vain.
To a near mountain, he directs his way,
Whence, best, his voice might his discourse convey.
Around him, wide, the gath'ring audience press'd,
Whom thus, aloud, their gracious guide address'd:
And would not let 'em follow him, in vain.
To a near mountain, he directs his way,
Whence, best, his voice might his discourse convey.
Around him, wide, the gath'ring audience press'd,
Whom thus, aloud, their gracious guide address'd:
Blessed are they, whose hearts are free from pride,
Angels, high thrones, for humble souls, provide;
Blessed are they, who, here, sharp sorrows feel,
The joys of heav'n shall all earth's mis'ries heal:
Unsought prosperities shall crown the meek;
And righteous souls shall find the food they seek:
Blessed are they, in whom soft mercy reigns,
Mercy, in heav'n, the merciful obtains:
The pure, in heart, the face of God shall see;
And mild peace-makers shall his children be.
Angels, high thrones, for humble souls, provide;
Blessed are they, who, here, sharp sorrows feel,
The joys of heav'n shall all earth's mis'ries heal:
Unsought prosperities shall crown the meek;
And righteous souls shall find the food they seek:
Blessed are they, in whom soft mercy reigns,
Mercy, in heav'n, the merciful obtains:
The pure, in heart, the face of God shall see;
And mild peace-makers shall his children be.
Do not, ye happy few! ye chosen train!
Of worldly scorn, or pow'rful foes, complain:
Then are ye blest, when men the trials make,
How nobly ye can suffer, for my sake:
When false accusers persecute ye most,
And proud revilers of your ruins boast;
Instead of mourning, then, let triumph reign,
For great is the reward, ye, thence, shall gain.
Just so, of old, were the good prophets us'd,
So scorn'd, so pointed at, and so accus'd.
Of worldly scorn, or pow'rful foes, complain:
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How nobly ye can suffer, for my sake:
When false accusers persecute ye most,
And proud revilers of your ruins boast;
Instead of mourning, then, let triumph reign,
For great is the reward, ye, thence, shall gain.
Just so, of old, were the good prophets us'd,
So scorn'd, so pointed at, and so accus'd.
You are the salt, for seasoning all mankind,
God does your savour, in your suff'rings, find:
Salt, without savour, no wise hand will chuse,
For, who would keep a thing, he cannot use?
But, since you light the world, yourselves must shine,
Your lustre must adorn your bright design.
None does a torch, beneath a bushel, hide,
When he would have its light shoot strong, and wide.
A city, on a mountain, must be shown,
'Tis seen at distance, and, at distance, known.
Live, therefore, so, that men, by praising you,
May glorify your heav'nly father, too.
God does your savour, in your suff'rings, find:
Salt, without savour, no wise hand will chuse,
For, who would keep a thing, he cannot use?
But, since you light the world, yourselves must shine,
Your lustre must adorn your bright design.
None does a torch, beneath a bushel, hide,
When he would have its light shoot strong, and wide.
A city, on a mountain, must be shown,
'Tis seen at distance, and, at distance, known.
Live, therefore, so, that men, by praising you,
May glorify your heav'nly father, too.
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Let none, among ye, mis-conceive my aim,
As if, to overthrow your laws, I came.
I come not, to destroy, but to fulfil,
The prophet's word, and my great father's will.
Believe me! earth shall sooner pass away,
And all the glorious lamps of heav'n decay,
Than one small tittle of God's sure decree,
Stand, un-perform'd, tho' it mistaken be.
As if, to overthrow your laws, I came.
I come not, to destroy, but to fulfil,
The prophet's word, and my great father's will.
Believe me! earth shall sooner pass away,
And all the glorious lamps of heav'n decay,
Than one small tittle of God's sure decree,
Stand, un-perform'd, tho' it mistaken be.
There are, who strive about degrees above,
Where rank is never gain'd by pride, but love:
He, who does God's appointed rules obey,
And teaches men, to keep his holy way;
He shall be great, in heav'n, by his reward;
He least, who least does heav'n's high will regard.
I know, ye think, the Pharisees, and Scribes
Most fill'd, with righteousness, throughout the tribes:
And yet, unless yourselves more righteous are,
Ye dream of heav'n, but ne'er shall enter there.
Where rank is never gain'd by pride, but love:
He, who does God's appointed rules obey,
And teaches men, to keep his holy way;
He shall be great, in heav'n, by his reward;
He least, who least does heav'n's high will regard.
I know, ye think, the Pharisees, and Scribes
Most fill'd, with righteousness, throughout the tribes:
And yet, unless yourselves more righteous are,
Ye dream of heav'n, but ne'er shall enter there.
Your
old Law says, if murder you commit,
You shall to judgment come, and answer it:
But learn, from me, that he, whom passion guides,
Shall suffer further, than that law decides:
Both he, who kills, and he, whom pride shall swell,
Shall hazard not man's wrath, but that of hell.
When, therefore, to the altar you would go,
And offer up, to heav'n, the pray'rs you owe,
Examine well your breast, without disguise,
And search, if, there, no hidden malice lies;
If so, go back—forgive, and be forgiven,
And then, with welcome zeal, petition heaven.
You shall to judgment come, and answer it:
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Shall suffer further, than that law decides:
Both he, who kills, and he, whom pride shall swell,
Shall hazard not man's wrath, but that of hell.
When, therefore, to the altar you would go,
And offer up, to heav'n, the pray'rs you owe,
Examine well your breast, without disguise,
And search, if, there, no hidden malice lies;
If so, go back—forgive, and be forgiven,
And then, with welcome zeal, petition heaven.
Again, your law, regarding only facts,
Forbids you to commit adult'rous acts:
I think, the fact not needful to the sin;
For he, who wishes, does, to act, begin.
All this, to man's loose will, may seem severe,
But God requires obedience, love, and fear.
Should thy right hand, or eye, obstruct thy bliss,
And bid thee turn thine ear, from sounds, like this,
Pluck out that eye, and cast that hand away,
Whose ill advice would lead thy soul astray;
For single parts of thee may better die,
Than that the whole, in endless pain, should lie.
Forbids you to commit adult'rous acts:
I think, the fact not needful to the sin;
For he, who wishes, does, to act, begin.
All this, to man's loose will, may seem severe,
But God requires obedience, love, and fear.
Should thy right hand, or eye, obstruct thy bliss,
And bid thee turn thine ear, from sounds, like this,
Pluck out that eye, and cast that hand away,
Whose ill advice would lead thy soul astray;
For single parts of thee may better die,
Than that the whole, in endless pain, should lie.
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A marry'd man, who, licens'd by your laws,
Puts off his wife, must give some written cause:
But, I say, he, who puts his wife away,
Except, for breach of honour, makes her stray:
And he, who marries that abandon'd wife,
Commits adult'ry, and pollutes his life.
Puts off his wife, must give some written cause:
But, I say, he, who puts his wife away,
Except, for breach of honour, makes her stray:
And he, who marries that abandon'd wife,
Commits adult'ry, and pollutes his life.
So, says your antient law, if once you swear,
With strict regard, a breach of oath forbear:
But, I command you, not to swear at all:
Not, by high heav'n, for 'tis God's council-hall:
Not, by the earth, the object of his grace;
Nor, by Jerusalem, his chosen place:
Not, by your head, shall you presume to swear,
Who cannot change the colour of one hair.
Let yes, and no, your guiltless converse fill,
For all beyond, is insolent, and ill.
With strict regard, a breach of oath forbear:
But, I command you, not to swear at all:
Not, by high heav'n, for 'tis God's council-hall:
Not, by the earth, the object of his grace;
Nor, by Jerusalem, his chosen place:
Not, by your head, shall you presume to swear,
Who cannot change the colour of one hair.
Let yes, and no, your guiltless converse fill,
For all beyond, is insolent, and ill.
The partial vengeance of your Hebrew law,
Bids tooth for tooth, and eye for eye, to draw:
I say, resist not: but, of pride bereft,
To him, who strikes thy right cheek, turn thy left.
And, if at law, some wretch thy coat should sue,
Give him both that, and thy next garment, too:
Go two miles length, with him, who drives thee one,
And, from the boldest borrower, never run.
Bids tooth for tooth, and eye for eye, to draw:
I say, resist not: but, of pride bereft,
To him, who strikes thy right cheek, turn thy left.
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Give him both that, and thy next garment, too:
Go two miles length, with him, who drives thee one,
And, from the boldest borrower, never run.
Your law says, love your neighbour, hate your foe;
I say, that charity may farther go:
Love friends and foes: ev'n them, who curse you, bless,
Do good to those, who hate, to you, profess,
Pray for your persecutors, 'midst their scorn,
With god-like clemency, your minds adorn.
The same sun shines, alike, on good and ill,
And equal show'rs their barns, with plenty, fill.
If you love none, but those, who value you,
The Publicans, themselves, can do so, too.
But you, God's chosen, must example give,
Not live, like them, but teach them, how to live.
I say, that charity may farther go:
Love friends and foes: ev'n them, who curse you, bless,
Do good to those, who hate, to you, profess,
Pray for your persecutors, 'midst their scorn,
With god-like clemency, your minds adorn.
The same sun shines, alike, on good and ill,
And equal show'rs their barns, with plenty, fill.
If you love none, but those, who value you,
The Publicans, themselves, can do so, too.
But you, God's chosen, must example give,
Not live, like them, but teach them, how to live.
| The Works of the Late Aaron Hill | |