Classic Poem

GOODNESS .

Y E seraphs, who God's throne encircling still,
With holy zeal your golden censors fill:
Ye flaming ministers, to distant lands
Who bear, obsequious, his divine commands;
Ye cherubs, who compose the sacred choir,
Attuning to the voice the' angelic lyre!
Or ye, fair natives of the heavenly plain,
Who once were mortal, — now a happier train!
Who spend in peaceful love your joyful hours,
In blissful meads and amaranthine bow'rs.
Oh, lend one spark of your celestial fire,
Oh, deign my glowing bosom to inspire;
And aid the Muse's unexperienc'd wing,
While Goodness; theme divine, she soars to sing!
Though all thy attributes divinely fair,
Thy full perfection, glorious God! declare;
Yet if one beams superior to the rest,
Oh, let thy Goodness fairest be confess'd:
As shines the moon amidst her starry train,
As breathes the rose amongst the flow'ry scene,
As the mild dove her silver plumes displays;
So sheds thy mercy its distinguish'd rays.
This led, Creator mild! thy gracious hand,
When formless Chaos heard thy high command;
When, pleas'd, thy eye thy matchless works review'd,
And Goodness placid, spoke that all was good!
Nor only does in Heav'n thy Goodness shine,
Delighted Nature feels its warmth divine;
The vital Sun's illuminating beam,
The silver crescent, and the starry gleam,
As day and night alternate they command,
Proclaim that truth to ev'ry distant land.
See smiling Nature, with thy treasures fair,
Confess thy bounty and parental care;
Renew'd by thee, the faithful seasons rise,
And earth with plenty all her sons supplies.
The generous lion, and the brinded boar,
As nightly through the forest walks they roar,
From thee, Almighty Maker, seek their prey,
Nor from thy hand unsated go away:
To thee for meat the callow ravens cry,
Supported by thy all-preserving eye:
From thee the feather'd natives of the plain,
Or those who range the field, or plough the main,
Receive with constant course the' appointed food,
And taste the cup of universal good;
Thy hand thou open'st, million'd myriads live;
Thou frown'st, they faint, thou smil'st, and they revive!
On Virtue's acre, as on Rapine's stores,
See Heav'n impartial deal the fruitful show'rs!
" Life's common blessings all her children share,"
Tread the same earth, and breathe a general air!
Without distinction boundless blessings fall,
And Goodness, like the Sun, enlightens all!
Oh man! degenerate man! offend no more!
Go, learn of brutes thy Maker to adore!
Shall these through every tribe his bounty own,
Of all his works ungrateful thou alone!
Deaf when the tuneful voice of Mercy cries,
And blind when sov'reign Goodness charms the eyes!
Mark how the wretch his awful name blasphemes,
His pity spares — his clemency reclaims!
Observe his patience with the guilty strive,
And bid the criminal repent and live;
Recal the fugitive with gentle eye,
Beseech the obstinate, he would not die!
Amazing tenderness — amazing most,
The soul on whom such mercy should be lost!
But wouldst thou view the rays of goodness join
In one strong point of radiance all divine,
Behold, celestial Muse! yon eastern light;
To Bethlehem's plain, adoring, bend thy sight!
Hear the glad message to the shepherds given,
" Good will on earth to man, and peace in Heav'n!"
Attend the swains, pursue the starry road,
And hail to earth the Saviour and the God!
Redemption! oh thou beauteous mystic plan,
Thou salutary source of life to man!
What tongue can speak thy comprehensive grace?
What thought thy depths unfathomable trace?
When lost in sin our ruin'd nature lay,
When awful Justice claim'd her righteous pay!
See the mild Saviour bend his pitying eye,
And stop the fightning just prepar'd to fly!
(O strange effect of unexampled love!)
View him descend the heav'nly throne above:
Patient the ills of mortal life endure,
Calm, though revil'd, and innocent, though poor!
Uncertain his abode, and coarse his food,
His life one fair continued scene of good;
For us sustain the wrath to man decreed,
The victim of eternal justice bleed!
Look! to the cross the Lord of life is tied,
They pierce his hands, and wound his sacred side;
See God expires! our forfeit to atone,
While Nature trembles at his parting groan!
Advance, thou hopeless mortal, steel'd in guilt,
Behold, and if thou canst, for bear to melt!
Shall Jesus die thy freedom to regain,
And wilt thou drag the voluntary chain!
Wilt thou refuse thy kind assent to give,
When dying he looks down to bid thee live!
Perverse, wilt thou reject the proffer'd good,
Bought with his life, and streaming in his blood?
Whose virtue can thy deepest crimes efface,
Re-heal thy nature, and confirm thy peace!
Can all the errors of thy life atone,
And raise thee from a rebel to a son!
O blest Redeemer, from thy sacred throne,
Where saints and angels sing thy triumphs won!
(Where from the grave thou rais'd thy glorious head,
Chain'd to thy car the pow'rs infernal led)
From that exalted height of bliss supreme,
Look down on those who bear thy sacred name;
Restore their ways, inspire them by thy grace,
Thy laws to follow, and thy steps to trace;
Thy bright example to thy doctrine join,
And by their morals prove their faith divine!
Nor only to thy church confine thy ray,
O'er the glad world thy healing light display;
Fair Son of Righteousness! in beauty rise,
And clear the mists that clould the mental skies!
To Judah's remnant, now a scatter'd train,
Oh, great Messiah! show thy promis'd reign;
O'er Earth as wide thy saving warmth diffuse,
As spreads the ambient air, or falling dews;
And haste the time when, vanquish'd by thy pow'r,
Death shall expire, and sin defile no more!