66 MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART." FOR thou wert born of woman! thou didst come, Not in thy dread omnipotent array; And not by thunders strewed was thy tempestuous road; Nor indignation burnt before thee on thy way. But thee, a soft and naked child, Thy mother undefiled, In the rude manger laid to rest The heavens were not commanded to prepare A gorgeous canopy of golden air: Nor stooped their lamps th'enthroned fires on high: A single silent star came wandering from afar, Gliding unchecked and calm along the liquid sky; The eastern sages leading on As at a kingly throne, To lay their gold and odours sweet Before Thy infant feet. The earth and ocean were not hushed to hear Nor at thy presence brake the voice of song Of all the race of man By simple shepherds heard alone, That soft Hosanna's tone. And when thou didst depart, no car of flame To bear thee hence in lambent radiance came; Nor visible angels mourned with drooping plumes : Nor didst thou mount on high from fatal Calvary With all thine own redeemed outbursting from their tombs. For Thou didst bear away from earth But one of human birth, The dying felon by Thy side, to be In Paradise with Thee. Nor o'er Thy cross the clouds of vengeance brake; A little while the conscious earth did shake At that foul deed by her fierce children done; A few dim hours of day the world in darkness lay; Then basked in bright repose beneath the cloudless sun. While Thou didst sleep beneath the tomb, Consenting to Thy doom: Ere yet the white-robed angel shone Upon the sealed stone. And when Thou didst arise, Thou didst not stand With devastation in Thy red right hand, Plaguing the guilty city's murtherous crew; But Thou didst haste to meet thy mother's coming feet, And bear the words of peace unto the faithful few. Then calmly, slowly didst Thou rise Into thy native skies, Thy human form dissolved on high "EQUAL WITH GOD:-YET MADE HIMSELF OF NO REPUTATION." FOR Thou didst die for me, O Son of God! Before the ages were, the Eternal, eldest born. Thy birthright in the world was pain and grief, The limbs thou healest brought Thee no relief, The eyes Thou openedst calmly viewed Thy fate : In peace, tongue cannot tell, Nor heart conceive the bliss of Thy celestial state. They dragged Thee to the Roman's solemn hall, Thy doom of death from human lips to wait; Whose throne shall be the world In final ruin hurled, With all mankind to hear their everlasting fate. Thou wert alone in that fierce multitude, When "Crucify him!" yelled the general shout; Whose lightest whispered word The Seraphim had heard, And adamantine arms from all the heavens broke out. They bound Thy temples with the twisted thorn, Deepened Thy robe of mockery's crimson grain; Was the unapproached light, The sandal of whose foot the rapid hurricane. They smote Thy cheek with many a ruthless palm; With the cold spear Thy shuddering side they pierced; The draught of bitterest gall was all the balm They gave, t'enhance Thy unslaked, burning thirst: Thou, at whose words of peace Did pain and anguish cease, And the long-buried dead their bonds of slumber burst. |