The Sacred Minister: a New Poem, Part III

The sacred Minister is now prepar'd, And waits the Call of Nolan Instrument: It rings: It tolls: He gravely walks along, And, with Mind Heav'nwards, to his Desk repairs: Reaching that Place, as well as going there, He lifts his Soul, as flies the winged Dart: To Heav'n it goes, solliciting its Aid, And asking it Prosperity to send.

Now, with well furnish'd Mind and warmed Heart, He pours out sentimental, cordial Prayers; Such as no Reader of a Book can pour. Infatuation yet will keep it's Ground. A well known Liturgy, the Spawn of Rome, Must yet be us'd: And yet the piteous Priests, Who have no Praying Powers, or none dare move, A formal Piety encourage will: Which, though Devotion's Name and Form it wear; Tis not the Thing: For those confin'd to Forms Must to low Words of others sink their Minds, And, with sunk Minds, old Terms must mumble o'er.

Not such Coelestius: He no Crutches needs. Pinion'd with Faith and Love he soars aloft, And heav'nwards bears his Flock on Eagle's Wings: They gladly mount, and think it good to rise; Nor willing are to sink to Things below.

And now the Minister, when he has sung With tuned Heart and Voice his LORD's high Praise, Rises the Messages of Heav'n to speak. These from the Oracles Divine he took: Nor does ever a Discourse produce, Wherein he does not fairly shew, how Men May come to GOD by CHRIST, and blessed prove.

The Manner of his speaking is most plain; And yet adapted to the Truths he brings. When he Religion's Doctrines, and its Laws, Explains and urges, placid is his Face: And his whole Air shews sorth his Mind serene. If he the Promises of Grace unfolds, He's all alive, by quickning Motives rais'd: And, when the Terrors of Almighty Wrath He would display, he speaks with potent Voice.

Quite seemly too his Actings all appear: Not like to those, which Raphael drew for Paul, That He might shew, with high uplifted Hands, His high Dislike of Vile Idolatry, Which in vain Athens mightily prevail'd: Much less will he in Christian Temples use The trifling Gestures of the Theatre. As, in discoursing, greatly he will scorn Of human Wisdom the enticing Words; So, in his Method of Delivery, He will no Garrick for a Pattern take. But, as his Subjects variously demand, He will or calm or vehement appear In Word and Action, as may well become The Words of JESUS and eternal Life.

So speaks he, as to Men, form'd from above, Redeem'd by JESUS, Candidates for Bliss, And yet in Danger of perpetual Woes, These, by persuasive Motives, taught by CHRIST, He wooes to Wisdom, Virtue, Happiness. And since mere Suasions will not gain these Ends, He lifts his Prayer, that Energy Divine May, to his Toil, a prosperous Issue give.

The Labour done; he then quite spent returns To bless his Household: And, though yet fatigu'd, He's still for Labour: For he loves his Work; Nor thinks, that all is done, while Part remains: This Part at Home, or, he, abroad, performs: For, by his Lips and Walk, he preaches still, And thus the Word of Life holds forth to all.