The bed of sickness (after cares and strife)
Is weak man's cradle for a second life:
Death's but a moment; and, before we die,
We touch the threshold of 'eternity!

So, stretch'd beneath the juniper's chill shade,
Th' afflicted prophet 9 in despondence pray'd:
"Oh, take the burthen of my life away,
Dead are my sires; nor better I than they:"
At length a scraph cry'd, "Arise and eat;
Behold thy bev'rage; and behold thy meat:
Heav'n's one repast shall future strength supply
For forty days, till Horeb meets thy eye."
The good man neither fears, 'desponds, nor
faints,

Arm'd with the heav'nly panoply 3 of saints.

MEDITATIONS ON CHRIST'S DEATH 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. Σίς είμι, ΧΡΙΣΤΕ· σῶσον, ὡς Αυτός θέλεις. Greg. Naz. Carin, lamb. Respice dum transis, quia sis mihi causa doloris HASTE not so fast, on worldly cares employ'd, Thy bleeding Saviour 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 3: 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. 31 Eph. ch. vi, v. 14-17.—Panoply (from the Greek), a complete suit of armour. Pope, Dryden.

Mr.

The wise men mock'd him, and the learned

scorn'd;

Th' ambitious worldling other patrons try'd;
The pow'r that judg'd him, ev'ry foe soborn'd;
He wept un-pity'd, and un-honour'd dy'd.

For ever mournful, but for ever dear,
O love stupendous! glorious degradation!
No death of sickness, with a common tear ;-
No soft extinction claims our sorrows here;
But anguish, shame, and agonizing passion!
The riches of the world, and worldly praise,
No monument of gratitude can prove;
Obedience only the great debt repays,
An imitative heart, and undivided love!
To see the image of th' All-glorious Pow'r
Suspend his immortality, and dwell
In mortal bondage, tortur'd ev'ry hour;
A self-made pris'ner in a dolesome cell,
Victim for sin, and conqueror of Hell 4!
Lustration for offences not his own!
Th' unspotted for th' impure resign'd his breath;
No other off'ring could thy crimes atone:
Then blame thy Saviour's love, but not his death.

From this one prospect draw thy sole relief,
Here learn submission, passive duties learn;
Here drink the calm oblivion of thy grief:
Eschew each danger, ev'ry good discern,
And the true wages of thy virtue earn.
Reflect, Oman, on such stupendous love,
Such sympathy divine, and tender care 5;
Beseech the Paraclete thine heart to move,
And offer up to Heav'n this silent pray'r.

7" Great God, thy judgments are with justice crown'd,

To human crimes and errours gracious still;
Yet, though thy mercies more and more abound,
Right reason spares not fresh-existing ill,

"For he (Pilate) knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy."

Mark, ch. xv, v. 10. An antient Heathen also hath personified envy, and painted her in a mischievous attitude; - Gnara malorum,

Invidia infelix! animi vitalia vidit,
Lædendique vias.

4 Nolo vivere sine vulnere, cum te videam vulneratum. Bonavent. "To know God, without knowing our misery, creates pride: to know misery, without knowing Christ, causes despondence.” St. Augustin.

"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, mov 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 d' équité, &c.

Nor can thy goodness counter-work thy will.
Ah no! The gloom of sin so dreadful shows,
That horrour, guilt,and death the conscience fill:
Eternal laws our happiness oppose;

Thy nature and our lives are everlasting foes!

"Severe thy truth, yet glorious is thy scheme;
Complete the vengeance of thy just desire;
See from our eyes the gushing torrents stream,
Yet strike us, blast us with celestial fire;
Our doom, and thy decrees, alike conspire.
Yet dying we will love thee and adore.

Where shall the flaming flashes of thy ire

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.