Page:Redemption, a Poem.djvu/274

 268 REDEMPTION.

Jephtha and David, types of him now sent;

Fought them their battles, raised their dead to life,

Wrought justice, kingdom's won, the mouths of lions

Stopp'd, harmless made as lambs, and saved them oft

From pestilence, and tortures worse than death.

Nor ceased with these, their wayward wills to curb ;

But through successive times kept them advised,

With types and figures, and memorial rites,

The coming of the woman's promised Seed ;

Nor with mute forms alone, though the whole law,

Law ceremonial, to this juncture tends;

But sent them seers, who saw before the time,

The date and dawning of Messias' reign.

Bade them describe him, and his lineage trace,

Point out his tribe, tell where he should be born,

And by my servant Daniel named the time,

That all might know when his advent should be.

The fullness of the weeks at length arrived ;

Messias went; in grace and wisdom grew,

(Or seeming grew, unfolding perfect Man,)

And daily open walked in their midst;

Received the Spirit visibly, baptized ;

My voice heard, audible declare This is

My well beloved Son; bade Hear ye him.

Heard him, himself proclaim th' anointed Christ;

His teachings knew, his miracles beheld,

Works, which none others had the pow'r to do.

What more then, to this people could be done ?

Or more paternal tenderness how show ?

Yet they his mission willfully abuse ;

His way obstruct, his miracles ascribe

To Beelzebub, or art, or magic pow'r.

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