Like Cæsar or like Alexander wage Eternal war, with unrelenting rage; And bear from conquest all the loud acclaim, 205 Of worthless greatness, and inglorious fame; These so obscure a benefactor scorn'd, Yet urg'd, inflam'd, by envy and by hate, Whose narrow worldly prudence was his bane) He stole what charity design'd the poor. Christian, thou, who wishest happy days, 2.10, 215 ་ The grace of Heav'n, man's unsuborned praise,. 220 This scoundrel passion from thy bosom wring, And makes us having our desires accurst. 225 230 And ah! what heart could have conceiv'd their aim? 236 How his heart heaves with bitter agony! O meek and spotless sufferer look down! 245 More honor'd thus than with a dazzling crown! Hark to that groan profound! he now expires! 250 Line 248. We can prove from profane and Jewish authors that Christ was crucified. Lucian blasphemously calls him "the crucified impostor." The Jews in the early times of Christianity, were wont to call the Christians "the followers of the crucified person." Tacitus, when speaking of the Christians who suffered under Nero, says, Auctor Nomine ejus, Christus, Tiberio imperitante, Per Procuratorem Pontum Pilatum, supplicio affectus erat. They took their name from Christ, who was brought to punishment by the governor Pontius Pilate, in the reign of Tiberius." Tacit. Annal. Lib. XV. 66 Line 249, &c. The miraculcus darkness and the earthquake, which attended the crucifixion of our Saviour, were recorded in the public Roman registers. Tertullian says, Eum Mundi Casum relafun in Arcans vestris habetis. Tertullian: Apcloget. Dr. Clarke says, "this was commonly ap The temple rends, rocks burst, and all around, Which are the quick? the dead? my fainting heart! 256 pealed to by the first Christian writers, as what could not be denied by the adversaries themselves " Phlegon says that in the fourth year of the 202d Olympiad (which was at the time of our Saviour's - crucifixion)" there was the greatest eclipse of the sun that ever happened." He says also there was a remarkable earthquake at the same time. 13th book of the Chronicles or Olympiads. The passage is quoted in Lib. III. chap. xv. in Grotius -de Veritate. See the Line 256. Our Saviour is here called the creator of nature in this sense; not as the original supreme Author of all things, but as the second principle or minister (for he was more than a man and a prophet) through whom mediately God himself framed every thing. For though he is called God in scripture, and when he was on earth he had a dominion over nature, though the winds and the waves obeyed him, all his power, though vast, was a delegated power; and he, however exalted and glorious his rank may be, is yet inferior to the Almighty himself. See How should these thoughts dissolve the feeling mind! To boundless love and gratitude inclin'd! That from his pain ensues our pleasant ease, From his imprisonment our sweet release ; 260 That from his curse a blessing we receive, And that his stripes our healthy strength will give! From his defeat and bitter agony, Comes our triumphant shout of victory; Our heav'nly diadem of bright renown, Of piercing thorns from his afflictive crown. My mighty Master, and my Saviour blest! O for a seraph's voice, a seraph's fire! For all that heav'n propitious could inspire! To the sublimest notes my harp to raise, 265 270 See St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, chap. iii. verse 9.-Epistle to the Hebrews chap. i. verses I and 2. To the Corinthians, 1. Epistle, chap. xv. werse 28. END OF THE FOURTH BOOK. |