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 314 REDEMPTION.

Or others bid, to do what they perform'd. Not so this Man, whose life excellent shone, Innate with virtue, worth adorn' d, and pow'r To work, or of his virtues to impart, That others, whom he would, might wonders work, Excelling utmost force of human skill. Yet, if he truly the Messias was, Why this so sudden and nefareous end ? Why, if he were the Prophet known to come, The great Deliverer by Isaias sung, Did he not crush the traitor that betray'd ? Or strike with blindness those, whom he led on ? Who bade the dead to rise, the elements To stay their headlong course, could, with a word, Have paralized their strength, or through their midst, As when at Nazareth he foil'd his foes, Have walk'd unharmed ; till, strong in numbers, hosts Should rise, and with resistless fury those Repel, who now exult o'er his defeat. That he such virtue had, who doubts, that saw? Why he this virtue did not then put forth, Is known to whom alone such pow'r belongs. That, bids me still believe and hope the end, But this, my bosom fills with doubt and dread." "What thou dost argue;" Cleophas replied; " Doth still the more astonish and perplex ; For, howsoe'er untoward proved the end, Israel doth in this at least agree, That of the men of God whom Israel boasts, None e'er were born, so great and good as He. For not the elements alone, earth, air, And fire and flood, his all commanding voice,

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