Page:Works of William Blake; poetic, symbolic, and critical (1893) Volume 2.djvu/64

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Mild Christian regrets to the Devil confess For affronting him thrice in the wilderness Like to Priestley, and Bacon, and Newton, Poor spiritual knowledge is not worth a button. But thus the Gospel of St. Isaac confutes, "God can only be known by His attributes." He had soon been bloody Caesar's elf, And at last he would have been Cresar himself. And as for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, Or Christ and His Father, it's all a boast, Or pride and fallacy of the imagination, That disdains to follow this world's fashion. To teach doubt and experiment, Certainly was not what Christ meant.

What was He doing all that time, From ten years old to manly prime ? Was He then idle, or the less, About His father's business ? Or was His wisdom held in scorn, Before His wrath began to burn, In miracles throughout the land, That quite unnerved the (?) seraph hand ? If He had been Antichrist — creeping Jesus — He'd have done anything to please us: Gone sneaking into synagogues, And not used the elders and priests like dogs, But humble as a lamb or ass, Obeyed Himself to Caiaphas. God wants not man to humble himself. That is the trick of the ancient elf. This is the race that Jesus ran : Humble to God, haughty to man. Cursing the rulers before the people, Even to the temple's highest steeple.
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Thou also dwellest in eternity. Thou art a man. God is no more; Thine own humanity learn to adore, And thy revenge abroad display, In terrors at the last judgment day.

(Apparently earlier.) Was Jesus gentle, or did He Give any marks of gentility ? When twelve years old He ran away, And left His parents in dismay. When alter three days' sorrow found, Loud as Sinai's trumpet's sound. " No, earthly parents, I confess My heavenly Father's business. Ye understand not what I say, And, angry, force me to obey. Obedience is a duty, then, And favour gains with God and men." John from the wilderness loud cried ; Satan gloried in his pride. " Come," said Satan, " come away ; I'll soon see if you obey. John for disobedience bled, But you can turn the stones to bread. God's high king and God's high priest Shall plant their glories in your breast, If Caiaphas you will obey. If Herod you with bloody prey Feed with the sacrifice, and be Obedient ; fall down, worship me." Thunders and lightnings broke around, And Jesus' voice in the thunders sound. Thus I seize the spiritual prey. Ye smiters with disease make way. I come, your King and God, to seize. Is God a smiter with disease ? The God of this world raged in vain, He bound old Satan in His chain, And, bursting forth His furious ire, Became a chariot of fire. Throughout the land He took His course, And traced diseases to their source,
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