Yet him, the meek, the merciful, the just, Upon the cross his rebel people hung, Thrice begging help of those, whose sins he bore, And thrice denied of those, not to deny had And mock'd his dying anguish. swore. THE CRUCIFIXION. MONTGOMERY. SUFFERINGS AND DEATH OF CHRIST. MILMAN. FOR thou didst die for me, oh Son of God! I ASK'D the heavens;-" What foe to God By thee the throbbing flesh of man was had done This unexampled deed ?"-The heavens exclaim << "Twas Man;-and we in horror snatch'd the sun From such a spectacle of guilt and shame." I ask'd the sea;-the sea in fury boil'd, And answer'd with his voice of storms;""Twas Man, My waves in panic at his crime recoil'd, Disclos'd the abyss,—and from the centre ran." I ask'd the earth;-the earth replied, aghast, worn; Thy naked feet the thorns of sorrow trod, Thy birthright in the world was pain and grief, Thy love's return ingratitude and hate; The limbs thou healedst brought thee no relief, "'Twas Man;—and such strange pangs The eyes thou openedst calmly view'd thy my bosom rent, That still I groan and shudder at the past." -To Man, gay smiling, thoughtless Man I went, And ask'd him next:-He turn'd a scornful eye, Shook his proud head, and deign'd me no reply. INCARNATION, MIRACLES, AND DEATH OF CHRIST. MILMAN. THE Lord of Hosts hath walked This world of Man; the one Almighty sent His everlasting Son to wear the flesh, And glorify this mortal human shape :And the blind eyes unclosed to see the Lord; And the dumb tongues brake out in songs of praise; And the deep grave cast forth its wondering dead; And trembling devils murmur'd sullen homage: fate: Thou, that wert wont to dwell In peace, tongue cannot tell, Nor heart conceive the bliss of thy celestial state. They dragg'd thee to the Roman's solemn Hall, Where the proud Judge in purple splendour sat; Thou stoodst a meek and patient criminal, Thy doom of death from human lips to wait; Whose throne shall be the world In final ruin hurl'd, With all mankind to hear their everlasting fate. Thou wert alone in that fierce multitude, When "Crucify him!" yell'd the general shout; No hand to guard thee mid those insults rude, Whose lightest whisper'd word And adamantine arms from all the heavens broke out. P They bound thy temples with the twisted thorn, Thy bruised feet went languid on with pain; The blood, from all thy flesh with scourges torn, Deepen'd thy robe of mockery's crimson grain ; Whose native vesture bright Was the unapproached light, Slow struggled from thy breast the parting And every limb was wrung with agony. When at that voice sprang forth the rolling And thou wert laid within the narrow tomb, The sandal of whose foot the rapid hurri- Thy clay-cold limbs with shrouding grave cane. They smote thy cheek with many a ruthless palm, With the cold spear thy shudd'ring side they pierced; The draught of bitterest gall was all the balm They gave, t' enhance thy unslaked, burning thirst: Thou whose words of peace Did pain and anguish cease, clothes bound; The sealed stone confirm'd thy mortal doom, Whom heaven could not contain, Of vast Infinity inclose or circle round. For us, for us, thou didst endure the pain, And the long buried dead their bonds of T' avert the Father's wrathful vengeance |