Too often we complain-but flesh is weak; Silence would waste us, and the heart would break. Behold yon' rose, the poor despondent cries, (Pain on his brow, and anguish in his eyes) What healthy verdure paints its juicy shoots, What equal circulation feeds the roots! At morning dawn it feels the dew-ting'd ray, But opens all its bosom to the day. No art assists it, and no toil it takes13, Slumbers at ev'ning, and with morning wakes14. Why was I born? Or wherefore born a man? Immense my wish; yet tether'd to a span! The slave, that groans beneath the toilsome oar, "Obtains the sabbath of a welcome shore:" What contradictions have for ever ran Ah! what are men, who God's creation scorn? Say, man, what vain pre-eminence is thine ? Else, boasted knowledge, hapless is thy curse, To minds afflicted ever has been giv'n 13 Matth. ch. vi, v. 28. 14 Concerning the sleep of plants, see an ingenious Latin treatise lately published in Sweden. 15 Poetical definition of a centaur. 16 Job, ch. xvii, v 14.-There is a remarkable passage in the Psalms upon this occasion, where the worm takes place of the monarch: "O praise the Lord, ye mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; worms and feathered fowls; kings of the Earth and all people; princes and judges of the world." Psalm cxlviii, v. 10, Septuagint Version. 17" If we pamper the flesh too much, we nourish an enemy; if we defraud it of lawful sustenance, we destroy a good citizen." St. Gregor. Homil, 18 Acts, ch. iv, v. 6, 18. 19 Gen. ch. iii, v. 15. VOL. XVI. Th' Almighty lent an ear to Hannah's pray 'r20, But most th' unhappy wretch, aggriev'd in Rais'd pity in the Saviour of mankind. [mind, He ask'd for peace; Heav'n gave him its own Demons were dumb, and Legion dispossest. [rest, Wither'd with palsy'd blasts, the limbs resume, Thy strength, O manhood; and, O youth, thy Syro-Phenicia's maiden re-enjoy'd [bloom 23! That equal mind, which Satan once destroy'd 24. And, when the heav'nly Ephphatha 25 was spoke, The deaf-born heard, the dumb-born silence broke. Th' ethereal fluid mov'd, the speech return'd; Then rouse, my soul, and bid the world adieu, Just so, the gen'rous falcon27, long immur'd' pride, Soars 'midst the clouds, and proves her highborn kind. When Adam did his Paradise forego, He earn'd his hard-bought bread with sweating brow. Give us the labour, but suppress the woe Yet pain and anguish still too far presume; Just are Heav'n's ways, and righteous is its doom. The bed of sickness (after cares and strife) So, stretch'd beneath the juniper's chill shade, Arm'd with the heav'nly panoply 31 of saints. The wise men mock'd him, and the learned Th' ambitious worldling other patrons try'd; For ever mournful, but for ever dear, To see the image of th' All-glorious Pow'r MEDITATIONS ON CHRIST'S DEATH In mortal bondage, tortur'd ev'ry hour; AND PASSION. AN EMBLEM. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him. Isaiah, ch. liii, v. 5. Σός είμι, ΧΡΙΣΤΕ· σῶσον, ὡς Αυτός θέλεις. Greg. Naz. Carm. lamb. Respice dum transis, quia sis mihi causa doloris HASTE not so fast, on worldly cares employ'd, Thy bleeding Saviour 1 asks a short delay: What trifling bliss is still to be enjoy'd, What change of folly wings thee on thy way? Look back a moment, pause a while 2, and stay. For thee thy God assum'd the human frame; For thee the guiltless pains and anguish try'd; Thy passion (sin excepted) his became : Like thee he suffer'd, hunger, wept, and dy'd. Nor wealth nor plenty did he ever taste, The moss his pillow oft, his couch the ground; The poor man's bread completed his repast; Home he had none, and quiet never found, For fell reproach pursu'd, and aim'd the wound : weeping it is a sort of consolation to an afflicted person to be thoroughly sensible of his affliction." St. Ambrose. 29 Elijah. 30 2 Kings, ch. xix., v. 4—8. Mr. 31 Eph. ch. vi, v. 14-17.-Panoply (from the Greek), a complete suit of armour. Pope, Dryden. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. The way wherein thou oughtest to walk; the truth which thou desirest to obtain: and the life of happiness which thou longest to enjoy." St. August. 2 If you labour for a time, you will afterwards enjoy an eternity of rest. Your sufferings are of a short duration, your joy will last for ever: and if your resolution wavers, and is going to desert you, turn your eyes towards Mount Calvary, and consider what Christ suffered for you, innocent as he was. This consideration will enable you to say in the event, that your sufferings lasted for a moment." Idem. "Through envy proceeded the fall of the world, and death of Christ," St. August. A self-made pris'ner in a dolesome cell, From this one prospect draw thy sole relief, 7" Great God, thy judgments are with justice crown'd, To human crimes and errours gracious still; "For he (Pilate) knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy." Mark, ch. xv, v. 10. Invidia infelix! animi vitalia vidit, 4 Nolo vivere sine vulnere, cum te videam vulneratum. Bouavent. "To know God, without knowing our misery, creates pride: to know misery, without knowing Christ, causes despondence.' St. Augustin. 5"They make a free-will offering to God, who in the midst of their sufferings preserve their gratitude and acknowledgements." Cassian. 6" God's Holy Spirit worketh in the following manner in his rational children. It instructs, moves, and admonishes: as for example; it instructs the reason, moves the will, and admonishes the memory." St. Gregor. in Moral. 7 Translated from the famous French Ode of M. de Barreaux. Grand Dieu! Tes jugements sont remplis équité, &c. Nor can thy goodness counter-work thy will. Thy nature and our lives are everlasting foes! "Severe thy truth, yet glorious is thy scheme; Transpierce our bodies? Ev'ry nerve and pore With Christ's immaculate blood is cover'd and o'er." "When we praise God we may speak much, and yet come short: Wherefore in sum, he is all. When you glorify him, exalt him as much as you can: for even yet he will far exceed. And when you exalt him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary, for you can never go far enough." Ecclus. ch. xliii, v, 27— 30. |