Their hearts of resignation to the will

Of Heaven, their patient bearing of reproach
And shame, their charity, and faith, and hope,-
Thou didst remember, and in full repaid.
No bankrupt thou, who at the bargained hour
Of payment due, sent to his creditors

A tale of losses and mischances, long.

Ensured by God himself, and from the stores
And treasures of his wealth, at will supplied,—
Religion, thou alone, of all that men,

On earth, gave credit, to be reimbursed

On the other side the grave, didst keep thy word, Thy day, and all thy promises fulfilled.

As in the mind, rich with unborrowed wealth, Where multitudes of thoughts for utterance strive, And all so fair, that each seems worthy first To enter on the tongue, and from the lips Have passage forth,-selection hesitates Perplexed, and loses time, anxious, since all Cannot be taken, to take the best; and yet Afraid, lest what he left be worthier still; And grieving much, where all so goodly look, To leave rejected one, or in the rear Let any be obscured: so did the bard, Though not unskilled, as on that multitude Of men who once awoke to judgment, he Threw back reflection, hesitating pause. For as his harp, in tone severe, had sung What figure the most famous sinners made, When from the grave they rose unmasked; so did He wish to character the good; but yet,

Among so many, glorious all, all worth

Immortal fame, with whom begin, with whom

To end, was difficult to choose; and long

His auditors, upon the tiptoe raised

Of expectation, might have kept, had not
His eye-for so it is in heaven, that what
Is needed always is at hand-beheld
That moment, on a mountain near the throne
Of God, the most renowned of the redeemed,
Rejoicing: nor who first, who most, to praise,
Debated more; but thus, with sweeter note,
Well pleased to sing, with highest eulogy,
And first, whom God applauded most,―began.

With patient ear, thou now hast heard,-though whiles,

Aside digressing, ancient feeling turned

My lyre,-what shame the wicked had, that day,
What wailing, what remorse; so hear, in brief,

How bold the righteous stood, the men redeemed,
How fair in virtue, and in hope how glad!
And first among the holy shone, as best
Became, the faithful minister of God.

See where he walks on yonder mount that lifts
Its summit high, on the right hand of bliss,
Sublime in glory, talking with his peers
Of the incarnate Saviour's love, and passed
Affliction lost in present joy! See how
His face with heavenly ardor glows, and how
His hand, enraptured, strikes the golden lyre!
As now, conversing of the Lamb, once slain,
He speaks; and now, from vines that never hear
Of winter, but in monthly harvest yield
Their fruit abundantly, he plucks the grapes
Of life! But what he was on earth it most
Behoves to say. Elect by God himself,
Anointed by the Holy Ghost, and set
Apart to the great work of saving men;
Instructed fully in the will divine,

Supplied with grace in store, as need might ask,
And with the stamp and signature of heaven,
Truth, mercy, patience, holiness, and love,
Accredited; he was a man, by God,

The Lord, commissioned to make known to men
The eternal counsels; in his Master's name,
To treat with them of everlasting things,
Of life, death, bliss, and wo; to offer terms
Of pardon, grace, and peace, to the rebelled;
To teach the ignorant soul, to cheer the sad;
To bind, to loose, with all authority,
To give the feeble strength, the hopeless hope.
To help the halting, and to lead the blind;
To warn the careless, heal the sick of heart,
Arouse the indolent, and on the proud

And obstinate offender to denounce

The wrath of God. All other men, what name

Soe'er they bore, whatever office held,

If lawful held,—the magistrate supreme,

Or else subordinate, were chosen by men,

Their fellows, and from men derived their power,
And were accountable for all they did,

To men; but he, alone, his office held
Immediately from God, from God received
Authority, and was to none but God
Amenable. The elders of the church,
Indeed, upon him laid their hands, and set
Him visibly apart to preach the word
Of life; but this was merely outward rite,
And decent ceremonial, performed

On all alike, and oft, as thou hast heard,
Performed on those God never sent; his call,

His consecration, his anointing, all

Were inward, in the conscience heard and felt.
Thus, by Jehovah chosen, and ordained
To take into his charge the souls of men,

And for his trust to answer at the day
Of judgment,-great plenipotent of heaven,
And representative of God on earth,-
Fearless of men and devils; unabashed
By sin enthroned, or mockery of a prince,
Unawed by armed legions, unseduced
By offered bribes, burning with love to souls
Unquenchable, and mindful still of his
Great charge and vast responsibility;—
High in the temple of the living God,
He stood, amidst the people, and declared
Aloud the truth, the whole revealed truth,
Ready to seal it with his blood. Divine
Resemblance most complete! with mercy now
And love, his face, illumed, shone gloriously;
And frowning now indignantly, it seemed

As if offended Justice, from his eye,

Streamed forth vindictive wrath! Men heard, alarmed;

The uncircumcised infidel believed;

Light-thoughted Mirth grew serious, and wept ;
The laugh profane sunk in a sigh of deep
Repentance; the blasphemer, kneeling, prayed,
And, prostrate in the dust, for mercy called;
And cursed, old, forsaken sinners gnashed
Their teeth, as if their hour had been arrived.
Such was his calling, his commission such.
Yet he was humble, kind, forgiving, meek,
Easy to be entreated, gracious, mild;
And, with all patience and affection, taught,
Rebuked, persuaded, solaced, counselled, warned,
In fervent style and manner. Needy, poor,
And dying men, like music, heard his feet
Approach their beds; and guilty wretches took
New hope, and in his prayers wept and smiled,
And blessed him, as they died forgiven; and all

Saw in his face contentment, in his life,
The path to glory and perpetual joy.
Deep-learned in the philosophy of heaven,
He searched the causes out of good and ill,
Profoundly calculating their effects

Far past the bounds of Time; and balancing,
In the arithmetic of future things,

The loss and profit of the soul to all

Eternity. A skilful workman he

In God's great moral vineyard: what to prune
With cautious hand he knew, what to uproot;
What were mere weeds, and what celestial plants,
Which had unfading vigor in them, knew;
Nor knew alone, but watched them night and day,
And reared and nourished them, till fit to be
Transplanted to the paradise below.

Oh! who can speak his praise? great, humble man! He in the current of destruction stood,

And warned the sinner of his wo; led on
Immanuel's members in the evil day;
And, with the everlasting arms embraced
Himself around, stood in the dreadful front
Of battle, high, and warred victoriously

With death and hell. And now was come his rest,
His triumph day. Illustrious like a sun,
In that assembly, he, shining from far,
Most excellent in glory, stood assured,

Waiting the promised crown, the promised throne,
The welcome and approval of his Lord.

Nor one alone, but many-prophets, priests,
Apostles, great reformers, all that served
Messiah faithfully, like stars appeared

Of fairest beam; and round them gathered, clad
In white, the vouchers of their ministry-

The flock their care had nourished, fed, and saved.