A. Strephon at laft has found a mufe, Courfe ballad-fingers, who for pence A pindarick Ode on the death of his royal Highness I. Peak, mournful mufe, in proper accents tell Let the whole band of Helicon Juftly their pious weeds put on, And urge the dreadful theme; Let no Pierian fountain more Yield her infipid cuftomary ftore, But let each briny ftream Afford Afford difconfolate relief, And let Parnaffus tops be tumify'd with grief. 2. For lo! by dire decree of fate, Th' illuftrious Denmark has refign'd his breath. And falls a prey to ftern inexorable death. O'erwhelm'd with mighty forrows, mighty cares. Behold the filent court, the warlike field The melancholy scene display, Their tributary mourning yield, And fignalize the dismal inauspicious day. 3. A Prince adorn'd with every grace, A Prince from all impetuous paffions free, And glory of the crown. 4. This late difafter to reflection brings When long fuccefs did on our actions fmile, Whilft fighs poffefs thofe hearts where raptures dwelt before. Se 5. So when refulgent fol with eaftern light 6. Could we like Niobe our lofs bemoan, But why, rafh mufe, this inadvertent thought? Do all his merits ferve for nought? Or can the length of mouldring time his worth erace? As foon may rivers cease to run, Be cancell❜d in the book of fame. Coelestial foul, farewel, enjoy that feat By Seraphims prepar'd for thee; Where of an happiness compleat Thou wilt an everlafting fharer be. No interfering fublunary powr's Q. I defire your opinion on the words of our Saviour on the vii. chap. of St. Matthew's Gospel, the 13th and 14th verses: Enter ye in at the ftrait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to deftruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Be caufe caufe ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it? 4. As our Saviour elsewhere compares the kingdom of the Meffiah here, and the kingdom of glory hereafter, to a nuptial feaft, to a marriage entertainment, fo the metaphor of a strait gate may feem to bear a natural allufion to the customary ufage at wedding fuppers; for it was usual in those ancient times to ftreighten the gate that led to the folemnity, by opening the wicket only, that the guests invited to the banquet might not crowd diforderly. And as the ftrait gate fignifies the way to eternal happiness, fo the Gentile Philofophers represented the paths of virtue under the like expreffion. Cebes (who was a Theban Philofopher, and Socrates his scholar) tells us in his Pinax, that the ascent to virtue is exceeding ftrait. And hence we may learn the modefty of the humble Jefus, in that, tho' he was the divine λóy, the eternal Word, yet he no ways affected fingular expreffions, but was willing fo far to condefcend to mens capacities, as to use their customary if pertinent modes of speech. But to the question that may be started to the explanation of the paffage, in what fenfe the gate that leadeth unto life is ftrait, we answer, that the expreffion is very proper upon a twofold account; either as taken in a respective, or in an abfolute intendment. The gate is firait in a respective sense, because men are fo perverfe as to make it fo, because fo few are willing to go in thereat; for the many choose the way that leadeth to deftruction; a way appofitely term'd broad, with regard to the crowding travellers, to the multitude of finners. The foremention'd Cebes fays of the narrow way, that very few there are that walk therein. And fmall indeed was the number of the virtuous in the time of the poinant fatyrift (if we make no poetical allowance) who compar'd the fum total of the upright to the feven gates of Thebes, to the feven months of Nile. The gate is therefore strait in an abfolute fenfe, be 3 caufe caufe a religious life is a very nice, a very difficult undertaking. The way of virtue, fays the fame Cebes, is rocky and uneven. But then it may be ask'd, how this comports with thofe Scripture-paffages that reprefent the paths of religion under the endearing notion of peace and pleafantnefs. In answer to the objection we think it proper to obferve, that the ftraitness of the gate (as taken in the latter fenfe) has a more peculiar regard to the commencement of a virtuous life, to our firft entrance on a holy converfation. It is difficult (no doubt) for the natural man to thwart the prevailing biass of his nature, to fwim against the rapid ftream, to struggle with his reluctant paffions, and turn the current of his violent affections. It is difficult (no doubt) to put off the old man, to wrestle with flesh and blood, to bring the body under, to fubdue the tyranny of the will, and captivate the rebellious thoughts to the obedience of Christ. But when once we have made a thorow conqueft, when once we have led captivity captive, then what was before exceeding difficult, will become easy to us; then we fhall behold religion in another view; then virtue will difclofe her unrival'd charms, and we fhall be enamour'd with her furprizing bounty. Then every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill fhall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made ftrait, and the rough ways fhall be made smooth. Then we fhall willingly, we fall chearfully fubmit to that pious fentence; Great peace have they that love thy law, and they shall not be offended at it. |