Classic Poem

When Abraham was bless'd,
And on his face profess'd
The Saviour Christ hereafter born,
‘Thou pilgrim and estrang'd,
‘Thy name, said God, is chang'd,
‘Thy lot secur'd from want and scorn.

‘O Abraham, my friend,
‘My covenant attend,
‘Which Shilo's self shall not repeal,
‘Chastise from carnal sin
‘Thy house and all thy kin,
‘Thy faith by circumcision seal.’

The promis'd Shilo came,
And then receiv'd the name
Of Jesus, Saviour of the soul;
As he the law fulfill'd
Which checks the fleshly-will'd,
And o'er the passion gives controul.

O clean and undefil'd!
Thou shalt not be beguil'd
By youthful heat and female art,
To thee the strains belong
Of that mysterious song
Where none but virgins bear a part.

Come every purer thought,
By which the mind is wrought
From man's corruption, nature's dust;
Away each vain desire,
And all the fiends that fire
The soul to base and filthy lust.

Ye swans that sail and lave
In Jordan's hallow'd wave,
Ah sweet! ah pensive! ah serene!
Thou rose of maiden flush,
Like Joseph's guiltless blush,
And herb of ever-grateful green;

Ye lilies of perfume,
That triumph o'er the loom,
And gaudy greatness far outshine;
And thou the famous tree,
Whose name is chastity,
And all the brilliants of the mine;

Ye doves of silver down
That plume the seraph's crown,
All, all the praise of Jesus sing,
The joy of heav'n and earth,
And Christ's eternal worth,
The pearl of God, the Father's ring.

Let elegance, the flow'r
Of words, in tune and pow'r,
Find some device of cleanest choice
About that gem to place—
‘This is my HEIR of GRACE,
‘In whose perfections I rejoice.’