32

Poetry.

The following pathetic stanzas are the production of an Irishman of no great pretensions, residing in the parish of Maghera, in the diocese of Derry. They are intrinsically so exquisite, that we have great pleasure in introducing them to the notice of our readers.

Though the morning of life should be gloomy and clouded,
The noon-tide in storms and in tempests should rave,
The evening in darkness, thick darkness, be shrouded,

And close, late and low'ring, in the night of the grave;
Yet the faithful, undaunted, with hope strong and cheering,
Proceeds through the dark vale, not doubting nor fearing,
With transport he looks to the joyful appearing

Of HIM, who came, lowly, "to seek and to save."

Tho' the world in the depth of affliction should leave us,
And those we relied on, stand aloof in our woe;
Tho' foes should combine, whilst false friends deceive us,
And darken the cloud that surrounds us below
Yet the day-star shall rise on the gloom of our sorrow,
Woe reigns to-night here, but joy comes to-morrow,
From "the fountain of life," we may comfort still borrow,
Which earth and her princes could never bestow.

BE sheath'd, O sword of war!
done!
The work of death
The nations, near and far,
Their race of blood have run.

But still one foe remains,

The foe of God and man;
The soul-destroyer reigns,
The monster-" man of sin!"
"Sword of the Spirit," wake,
From Britain's scabbard fly:
His holds of glory shake,

And hurl him from on high!
From Superstition's den,

And Error's ten-fold night, Chase thou the fiends within,

And slay them in thy might. While God's own soldiers well

Thy strength, resistless, wield, The powers of earth and hell

Shall quit the vanquish'd field. "Sword of the Spirit," go,

Thy victories complete; Then lay thy ev'ry trophy low At our IMMANUEL'S feet.

ALL FLESH IS GRASS.

WALK in the fields, at early day,

See how the flowers appear;
They sweetly breathe their lives away,
Nor deem destruction near.

But when the ruthless mower comes,
The pleasing charm is broke;
He severs soon their slender stalk,
With a relentless stroke.

Just so, remorseless death draws near,
Whom youth nor age can fly:
We little think the monster here,
Tho' we are born to die.

We little think, each step we take,
We haste to meet our foe;
We seldom cherish thoughts of death,
Yet, he will come, we know.

The sprightly eye, the blooming cheek,
Are subject to decay;

Those active limbs will soon grow weak-
We only live a day!

Oh, then to be prepar'd for death,
Be this my constant care;
Cheerful may I resign my breath,
No matter when, or where.

The Christian's life, the Christian's death,
Together, God has join'd;

And I must live the Christian's life

If I his death would find.

H.

PRINTED BY J. HADDON, TABERNACLE WALK

S. W.

London Published by Thomas Tegg NM Cheapside, Oct 25.1815.

THE

NEW EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE,

AND

Theological Review.

FEBRUARY 1815.

ESSAY ON THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF CHRIST.

IT has often been remarked the heavenly sanctuary-and his that there is a powerful curiosity second coming to raise the dead in the human mind, which prompts and judge the world. One of us to inquire into the lives and these important topics will procharacters of those who have ren-bably form the subject of an Essay dered themselves illustrious by the in each of our ensuing numbers, extraordinary events which they till the whole be completed. have been the means of achieving, It is unnecessary to apprise the and by the important revolutions reader that, in calling his attention which they have occasioned in the to the life of Jesus Christ, we have world. This principle, under proper no new facts to disclose, nor any regulations, may be productive of fresh discoveries now for the first much good, and from the temperate time to unfold. Whatever the indulgence of it, many advantages wisdom of God hath seen meet may accrue to the cause of know- to communicate to mankind reledge and of truth. Between the specting this interesting subject is history of every event, and the contained in the writings of the character of its author, the con- Evangelists and Apostles, and with nection is obvious; they reflect that information it becomes us to light on each other; and, by an rest satisfied; convinced that if attentive examination of both, we more had been necessary to be can generally discover with cer-known by us, the goodness of God tainty the motives which influenced would have supplied it. the attempt, and the means by which it was accomplished.

Familiarised as we have been to these writings from our early days, Having in our first number we are too apt to regard the suboffered a few remarks on the birth ject as trite and hackneyed, and of Christ, it is proposed, on the of course as being destitute of inpresent occasion, to present to the terest or instruction. But it is only reader's consideration a few general superficial minds that will be reflections on his life and character, swayed by such reflections; for as preliminary to a more particular such is the nature of the subject, investigation of his mediatorial that the more closely it is investiundertaking--his sufferings and gated, and the more intensely it death-his resurrection from the be studied, the greater will be the grave-his glorious ascension to surprise and pleasure with which the throne of his kingdom-the it will fill the mind. Every cirdischarge of his priestly office in cumstance, however minute, is

VOL. I.

F

But there is a glorious harmony and consistency in every part of the christian system, which carries in it incontestible evidence of its

calculated to excite admiration, and lead us to cry out in the words of the apostle, "Great is the mystery of godliness, GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH."-divine authority. Christianity is 1 Tim. iii. 16. indeed, as it professes to be, a

Jesus Christ was not born ac- supernatural religion, and this is cording to the ordinary laws of the amount of all that its advergeneration. His miraculous con- saries can say against it. As the ception in the womb of a virgin, divine and human natures were has indeed been the subject of united in his person, so, in the ridicule to the "disputers of this character of Jesus Christ we may world;" but after all, it is the contemplate that which is no testimony of those who were di- where else to be seen, the joint vinely inspired to write his history, appearance of human weakness and I find nothing in the fact and divine power. We find him itself more incredible than in al- subject to every human want and most every other particular which infirmity, yet claiming and maniI am told concerning him. The festing every perfection of Deity. truth is, that every thing related We behold him weary and thirsty, of him, both by evangelists and asking for a draught of water, and apostles, is so stupendous and at the same time shewing himself wonderful, that nothing short of to be "the fountain of living divine testimony could induce me waters." Yea, we see him ready to receive the doctrines of the to expire upon the cross, and yet gospel, as things which deserve to shewing himself to be the hearer be most surely believed. That of prayer, and the Sovereign of HE who "in the beginning was paradise or the highest heaven. with God, and who was God”— by whom all things were created in heaven and in earth, whether visible or invisible-and by whom creation was sustained, upheld, and governed;-that this infinite and omnipotent Being should condescend to leave the mansions of glory-be born of a woman-become subject to every human infirmity-pass years of sorrow, toil, and poverty; so poor, that though the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests, the Lord of glory had not where to lay his head-that he should endure the contradiction of sinners against himself; patiently sustain their contumely, and at last die by the hands of wicked men, who nailed him as a malefactor to a gibbet-upon a cross, but all nature suffers these, all these, are equally as extraordinary as the miraculous conception of the Saviour, and to act consistently in rejecting the latter I should find myself obliged to

reject the whole.

It is observable, says a late pious author, that whenever in Scripture mention is made of any particular relative to the abasement, the infirmity, and the shame to which Christ submitted, it is presently contrasted by something concerning his exaltation, his power and his glory: that so any objection arising in the mind from a view of the former, may be obviated by the consideration of the latter. Thus we behold him wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger at Bethlehem; but we instantly hear a multitude of the heavenly host singing an hallelujah to him, and the brightest star in the firmament pointing the way to his abode. He expires

with him almost to dissolution. Though his external meanness disguised his real greatness, yet the beams of glory frequently shone through it. He had not the magnificent equipage that other kings