On visiting a Faded Flower.
Ah! lovely flow’r, art thou already dead,
Thy freshness lost, and native fragrance fled?
Fair once thou flourish’d on thy lowly stem,
Pleasing their sight and smell, who near thee came;—
I found thee then in infant blossom gay—
Why call’d so soon to witness thy decay?
What sudden blast so sorely blighted thee?
And what thy message or thy charge to me?
Was it to tell me that in childhood so,
My beauty too receiv’d a fatal blow?
That fell distemper’s unrelenting storm
Blighted its bloom, ere ripen’d into form?
Yes; to my sorrow, ’twas the case I find,
Nor want such help to bring it back to mind;
The casual remembrance claims a tear—
But let me not long idly ponder here;
A more important lesson thou hast brought,—
Oft’ learn’d, but not remember’d as it ought;
Then faded not in vain thy beauteous tint,
For it has given one seasonable hint;
Reminded thoughtless me in whisper smooth—
I too shall die,—a most momentous truth:
Which recollection brings a serious train
Of mix’d ideas to my busy brain.
Day after day flies with unceasing speed—
One day, how near I know not, is decreed,
The utmost bound’ry of my mortal date:
Then death will summon to his awful gate;
Nought can from his commission’d stroke release,
Nature must yield within his cold embrace,
Nothing more sure;—this mortal body must
Moulder and mingle with its kindred dust.
But shall this thinking principle within,
Also a period have in death’s domain?
Must that more noble part its mansion quit,
And then in common air evaporate?
No! such a thought appals the human heart,
And makes it doubly loath with life to part;
We will but for a time be separated,
To be in lasting union re-united.
A soul immortal’s given to my care,
Which weal, or woe, with me shall endless share.
Have trifles then such melancholy brought,
Or for a moment occupied my thought—
That should on everlasting things be fix’d—
Turn from this world and settle on the next!
The fashion of this world shall pass away—
The sun itself grow dim—and time decay:
This whole terrestrial system have an end:
Then why upon such fleeting things depend;
So empty in themselves, and transient,
So fluctuating all that they present.
For take this world, even at its best,
Suppose ourselves of all its good possess’d,
Something is wanting—we are far from rest.
Much in this world, it really matters not,
Was meanest of the mean my destin’d lot:
External comforts, blessings are, I grant,
And call for thanks to heaven, by whom they’re sent;
These in my station I have large enjoy’d,
Though one great blessing is to me denied;
Even that, for some wise purpose is withheld—
For real good these eyes from light are veil’d,
Not from the effects of gloomy dull chagrine,
Disgust or envy, but with mind serene;
From vain amusements I would now depart,
And while youth’s ardour animates my heart,
Direct my thoughts to Him who rules above,
The spring of action and the source of Love.
But how effect the rational design—
A God of love indeed, but is he mine?
Am I obnoxious to his threaten’d ire—
God out of Christ is a consuming fire!
Our great apostacy from heaven at first,
Made its pure law declare us all accurs’d.
God could not stoop to pardon an offence
Against his law, committed only once,
And when its precepts we do daily break,
In every thing we think, or speak, or act;
What can be done—for God will not forgive,
Unless full satisfaction he receive;
That satisfaction is not in our power,
And to attempt it we offend the more,
More that Almighty Being is provok’d,
Whose word expressly saith, “He’ll not be mock’d:”
Infinite purity will ne’er be stain’d,
But each perfection to the full maintain’d,
Then let not poor presumptuous mortals e’er
Approach to God, but by a Saviour dear;
For He that form’d them will no favour shew,
But spurn them and their proffer’d service too.
Such is our state, we only can expect
Acceptance, for a Mediator’s sake—
Mercy’s God’s darling attribute reveal’d,
That justice also might be reconcil’d,
That rebel subjects might have free access
Unto his gracious favour,—he no less
Than parted with a dear and only son,
Who cheerful undertook the cause alone.
Here admiration fills the musing mind,
Heaven’s uncreated heir his place resign’d;
His Father’s bosom for a season left,
Offer’d himself a voluntary gift;
Though worlds unknown, unnumber’d, by his hand
Were form’d, sustain’d, and rul’d by his command.
Though seraph choirs with adoration prais’d,
And round his throne celestial music rais’d;
Though of such glory, of such bliss possess’d,
As could not be augmented nor decreas’d,
Though happy in himself he could have been,
Had all this world sunk underneath its sin;
Yet came to shew even with his latest breath,
A love divine that stronger was than death!
When vain was every scheme man could invent,
Law’s threats to mitigate or to prevent;
That great days—man stood forward in the breach,
Did what, nor men, nor angels ere could reach.
That for the work he might be qualified,
Veil’d his divinity, not laid aside;
Step’d in a willing substitute, and gave
All that a violated law could crave;
Essential dignity in him at once
Did its demands and threat’nings both silence,
Obey’d its precepts, paid its penalty,
And thus the law did highly magnify.
Yes; law and justice to the full are pleas’d!
Offended Deity’s in him appeas’d!
Hence all our hope, that God will us accept!
The only way we can his wrath escape!
But heavy will his hot displeasure fall
On all who hear, yet slight the gospel call:
Then shudder daring infidelity,
For heavy, heavy will it fall on thee;
The measure of your wickedness is full,
For ye not only slight but ridicule.
What Christ said to the Pharisees, self-wise,
Methinks most fitly now to you applies;
Ye will not enter mercy’s open door,
And what still aggravates your crime the more,
To hinder others who would enter there,
Have laid a stumbling block, a deadly snare!
’Gainst all that’s sacred and divine have set
Your impious talents to obliterate,
And make abortive all that Heaven design’d,
To cheer in every woe the drooping mind.
But vain such foolish impotent efforts!
Omnipotence itself the whole supports!
Let not your hearts admit a single doubt,
His real friends, for he will sure make out
His word, and promises, concerning you;
Nor fail in one, if truth itself be true.
Exalt him in your hearts higher and higher,
Let God be true, and every man a liar,
Who dares to question with effront’ry broad,
The being, or veracity of God!
Nor fear his burning wrath should on them break,
In whom even devils do believe and quake!
The Lord enthron’d in highest heaven shall laugh;—
Exalted far ’bove atheistic scoff—
And justly doth in indignation say,
“Vengeance belongs to me, I will repay.”
See such a person, at a dying hour,
When conscious guilt the soul doth overpower;
When death tears off the thick film from her eyes,
And sweeps away her refuges of lies;
The sand-built system cannot stand the shock,
False rear’d on shatter’d reason’s broken rock;
Down falls the tower of self-sufficiency,
And all within, chaos and uncertainty.
The soul is well nigh bordering on despair!
Forc’d to remove, and go, she knows not where!
In terror driven upon its vast frontiers—
Eternity sounds dreadful in her ears!—
Trembling she stands, upon its boundless brink,
And quite incapable to act or think!
Cited by conscience to his awful bar,
With whom her life has been open at war!
That monitor will be no more supprest,
But speaks terrific language in the breast!
Points to a powerful and incensed God,
And thence doth very fearful things forebode
Truly deplorable is such a case—
From which religion can alone release.
Nought but well grounded hope, and heaven-born faith
Can bear through ills of life, or sweeten death,
When that dread monarch comes in frowns array’d,
Nature shrinks back, confounded and dismay’d;
Nor is it strange for death is nature’s foe,
Dissolving every tender tie below,—
But when his icy hand the heart blood chills,
When bodily and mental pain assails,
And every source of earthly comfort fails:
True faith in Christ will then its hold maintain,
And in that conflict will the soul sustain;
Opens bright prospects, and doth plainly show
That death, at worst, is now a conquer’d foe!
Teaches to follow Him who once did brave—
Nay, triumph’d over and subdued the grave!
If in that hour the Saviour grant relief,
As long before to the expiring thief;
And whisper in the Gospel’s cheering voice,
“To-day thou’lt be with me in Paradise!”
How will the soul, then elevated high
Above this planet, hail its native sky!
And though a darksome valley lies between,
Each promise is a staff whereon to lean!
Dust to its fellow dust doth fearless lend,
And joyful flies Eternity to spend,
’Mong fellow-saints on high, at God’s right hand!
O! glorious exit, from a world of pain,
To where, nor guilt, nor sorrow, enter can:
Their state of trial happily is past;
And let me recollect while mine doth last,
To order so my conduct while in this,
As to obtain a life of endless bliss.
Since health and strength are seasons then most meet,
To make our peace with heav’n sure and complete.
Let not the slighting of such golden times
Be added to the number of my crimes;
But of ourselves we nothing can acquire—
No! not so much as form one good desire.
May God’s good spirit then my soul inspire,
To apply to Jesus, a Physician fit,
The Saviour gracious and compassionate;
Who will, with open arms of love, embrace
Returning penitents, won by his grace,
T’ accept free mercy on the offer’d plan,
At infinite expense prepar’d for man:
The gospel call doth well my right ensure,—
“Come all who will and drink life’s water pure.”
None are excluded, high and low the same,
Have to their Maker’s favour equal claim:
Though none can merit, all may humbly crave
What’s freely promis’d—hoping to receive.—
Oh! Thou who wilt not turn away thine ear,
But listen to the needy’s pray’r sincere.
Look then upon me in my lost estate;
Thy fulness to my wants accommodate:
Impute to me a righteousness divine,
Else everlasting mis’ry will be mine.
In each vicissitude and wildering maze,
Keep from arraigning thy most perfect ways—
For what is good thou only dost bestow—
All that is evil from ourselves doth flow.
With love to Thee, O! do my bosom warm!
Good-will to all that bear the human form.
My heart and its affections wholly draw,
And hold in due subjection to thy law.—
So as thou canst approve, direct my way,
Else will this perverse heart far from thee stray;
Unnumber’d vanities lie lurking here,
Which, in unguarded moments, oft’ appear,
Leaving a sting behind sharp and severe.
No power, sin to withstand, is mine I own—
O! let Almighty power in me be shown,
And snatch me as a firebrand from the flame,—
Raise a new monument to mercy’s name.