Should man more execrate or boast the guilt [flam'd?
Which rous'd such vengeance? which such love in-
O'er guilt (how mountainous!) with outstretch'd
Stern Justice and soft-smiling Love, embrace, [arms
Supporting, in full majesty, thy throne,
When seem'd its majesty to need support,
Or that, or man, inevitably lost:

What but the fathomless of thought divine
Could labour such expedient from despair,
And rescue both? Both rescue! both exalt!
O how are both exalted by the deed!

The wondrous deed! or shall I call it more?
A wonder in Omnipotence itself!

mystery no less to gods than men !

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220

Not thus our infidels th' Eternal draw,

A God all-o'er consummate, absolute,

Full orb'd, in his whole round of rays complete :
They set at odds Heav'n's jarring attributes,

And with one excellence another wound;

Maim Heav'n's perfection, break its equal beams,
Bid mercy triumph over---God himself,
Undeify'd by their opprobrious praise.

A God all mercy is a God unjust.

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231

Ye brainless Wits! ye baptiz'd Infidels!

Ye worse for mending! wash'd to fouler stains!
The ransom was paid down; the fund of heav'n,
Heav'n's inexhaustible, exhausted fund,
Amazing and amaz'd, pour'd forth the price,

235

240

245

All price beyond: tho' curious to compute,
Archangels fail'd to cast the mighty sum:
Its value vast ungrasp'd by minds create,
For ever hides and glows in the Supreme.
And was the ransom paid? it was; and paid
(What can exalt the bounty more?) for you.
The sun beheld it.---No, the shocking scene
Drove back his chariot: midnight veil'd his face;
Not such as this, not such as Nature makes;
A midnight Nature shudder'd to behold;
A midnight new! a dread eclipse (without
Opposing spheres) from her Creator's frown!
Sun! didst thou fly thy Maker's pain? or start
At that enormous load of human guilt
Which bow'd his blessed head, o'erwhelm'd his cross,
Made groan the centre, burst earth's marble womb
With pangs, strange pangs! deliver'd of her dead? 255
Hell howl'd; and heav'n that hour let fall a tear:
Heav'n wept, that men might smile! Hear'n bled,
Might never die!--
[that man

210

259

And is devotion virtue? 'tis compell'd. What heart of stone but glows at thoughts like these? Such contemplations mount us, and should mount The mind still higher, nor ever glance on man Unraptur'd, uninflam'd.---Where roll my thoughts To rest from wonders? other wonders rise,

262

And strike where'er they roll: my soul is caught: 265 Heav'n's sov'reignblessings, clust'ring from the cross,

Rush on her, in a throng, and close her round,
The pris'ner of amaze! In his blest life
I see the path, and in his death the price,
And in his great ascent the proof supreme,
Of immortality.---And did he rise?
Hear, O ye Nations! hear it, O ye Dead!
He rose! he rose! he burst the bars of death.
Lift up your heads, ye everlasting Gates!
And give the King of Glory to come in.
Who is the King of Glory? he who left
His throne of glory for the pang of death.
Lift up your heads, ye everlasting Gates!
And give the King of Glory to come in.
Who is the King of Glory? he who slew
The rav'nous foe that gorg'd all human race!
The King of Glory he, whose glory fill'd
Heav'n with amazement at his love to man,
And with divine complacency beheld
Pow'rs most illumin'd wilder'd in the theme.

270

275

280

235

The theme, the joy, how then shall man sustain ? Oh, the burst gates! crush'd sting! demolish'd throne! Last gasp of vanquish'd Death. Shout,earth and heav'n, This sum of good to man! whose nature then Took wing, and mounted with him from the tomb. Then, then, I rose; then first humanity Triumphant past the crystal ports of light, (Stupendous guest!) and seiz'd eternal youth, Seiz'd in our name. E'er since 'tis blasphemous

294

All price beyond: tho' curious to compute,
Archangels fail'd to cast the mighty sum:
Its value vast ungrasp❜d by minds create,
For ever hides and glows in the Supreme.

240

245

210

And was the ransom paid? it was; and paid (What can exalt the bounty more?) for you. The sun beheld it.---No, the shocking scene Drove back his chariot: midnight veil'd his face; Not such as this, not such as Nature makes; A midnight Nature shudder'd to behold; A midnight new! a dread eclipse (without Opposing spheres) from her Creator's frown! Sun! didst thou fly thy Maker's pain? or start At that enormous load of human guilt Which bow'd his blessed head, o'erwhelm'd his cross, Made groan the centre, burst earth's marble womb With pangs, strange pangs! deliver'd of her dead? 255 Hell howl'd; and heav'n that hour let fall a tear : Heav'n wept, that men might smile! Heav'n bled, Might never die!-[that man

259

And is devotion virtue? 'tis compell'd. What heart of stone but glows at thoughts like these? Such contemplations mount us, and should mount The mind still higher, nor ever glance on man Unraptur'd, uninflam'd.---Where roll my thoughts To rest from wonders? other wonders rise,

262

And strike where'er they roll: my soul is caught: 265 Heav'n's sov'reignblessings, clust'ring from the cross,

Rush on her, in a throng, and close her round,
The pris'ner of amaze! In his blest life

I see the path, and in his death the price,
And in his great ascent the proof supreme,
Of immortality.---And did he rise?
Hear, O ye Nations! hear it, O ye Dead!
He rose! he rose! he burst the bars of death.
Lift up your heads, ye everlasting Gates!

And give the King of Glory to come in.
Who is the King of Glory? he who left
His throne of glory for the pang of death.
Lift up your heads, ye everlasting Gates!
And give the King of Glory to come in.
Who is the King of Glory? he who slew
The rav'nous foe that gorg'd all human race!
The King of Glory he, whose glory fill'd
Heav'n with amazement at his love to man,
And with divine complacency beheld
Pow'rs most illumin'd wilder'd in the theme.

270

275

280

28

The theme, the joy, how then shall man sustain ? Oh, the burst gates! crush'd sting! demolish'd throne! Last gasp of vanquish'd Death. Shout,earth and heav'n, This sum of good to man! whose nature then Took wing, and mounted with him from the tomb. Then, then, I rose; then first humanity Triumphant past the crystal ports of light, (Stupendous guest!) and seiz'd eternal youth, Seiz'd in our name. E'er since 'tis blasphemous

294