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CI.

Signs of the coming of the Son of Man in Glory.

TH' Apoftles ask our Lord what Signs portend
His coming, and the World's approaching
End:

He thus--- Impoftors first shall rise, and claim
A Title to the Great Messiah's Name:
Rumours of Wars the guilty World affright,
Prodigious Signs, and many a fearful Sight
Glare in the Heav'ns, the Sun to darkness turn,
The Moon and Stars,as cloth'd in Sackcloth mourn;
The firmeft Hearts fhall fail with anxious Pain
For Ills they feel, and Ills that yet remain:
Well may the Earth with horrid murmurs quake,
When ev'n the Pow'rs of Heav'n themselves fhall
shake :

With fervent Heat the Elements shall flow,

Yon azure Vault with ruddy Vengeance glow:
Then when the guilty World diffolves for fear,
Look up with Joy for your Redemption's near
Then shall you fee the Son of Man appear

}

Amidft the Clouds, the World's Great Judge con

fefs'd,

Circled with glittring Hofts, and Myriads of the

Blefs'd.

CI.

St. LUKE Chap. XXI. Ver. 25,26,27.

202

25. There fhall be figns in the fun, and in the moon, and in the Stars; and upon the earth diftrefs of nations, with perplexity, the fea and the waves xoaring;

26. Mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven fhall be shaken.

27. And then they shall fee the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

CII.

Chrift's Agony. He is ftrengthen'd by an Angel.

'Twas

Was dead of Night and thro' the folemn
Shade,

The Moon a faint and doubtful glimm'ring made,

When in the Garden Jefus kneel'd and pray'd: ---O Father! O, if poffible it be,

(Unbounded Might! what is not so to Thee?)
Remove this Cup, this bitter Cup away,
But fince 'tis thine to order, mine t'obey,
Father, thy Will be done, ftill did he pray;
While faint, large Sweats, as in the doubtful Strife
Betwixt encroaching Death and lab'ring Life;
As watry Mists the Sun, enwrapt him round,
Then roll'd in fanguine Drops upon the Ground,
When loe, a heav'nly Watcher cleaves the Air,
As Lightning fwift, as Love or Mercy, fair;
Defcending from the Chariot of a Cloud,
Where kneel'd our Saviour, thrice he lowly
bow'd;

Then his opprefs'd Humanity sustains,

And strengthens him against approaching greater Pains.

CII.

St. LUKE Chap. XXII. Ver. 41, to 44.

102

41. He kneeled down and prayed. 42. Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.

43. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, ftrengthening him.

44. And being in an agony, he prayed more earneftly and his fweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

CIII.

Our Saviour carried firft to Pilate, then to Herod.

Ο

UR Lord betray'd, the Crowd to Pilate bring,
And plead he fought to make himself a King;
Herded with factious Galilean Jews,
And Tribute unto Cefar did refuse.
Examin'd, when no Caufe of Death he found,
The Governour to Herod fends him bound.
Receiv'd with Joy, the Tyrant hop'd that He
Some long expected Miracles fhou'd fee:
Silent he stood, the Guards defpis'd and scorn'd,
And him blafphem'd, in Royal Robes adorn'd:
To Pilate brought again, he calls the Jews,

Who nothing prove, tho' strongly they accuse;
Fain wou'd the Governour have him releas'd,
Since One he always did at their Great Feaft;
They Mercy to themselves and him deny,
No other Voice is heard, but Crucifie!
Those Wretches to the Lord of Life prefer
A black Seditious and a Murderer.

At length the facile Governor's o'recome,
He mounts the Judgment-Seat, and there pro
nounc'd his Doom.

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