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ODE: ON THE MESSIAH, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When man had disobey'd his lord
Last Line: In visions of eternal day.
Subject(s): Forgiveness; God; Jesus Christ; Clemency


ODES.

WHEN man had disobey'd his Lord,
Vindictive Justice drew the sword;
'The rebel and his race shall die,'
He spake, and thunders burst the sky.

Lo! Jesus pard'ning grace displays,
Nor thunders roll, nor lightnings blaze.
Jesus, the Saviour, stands confest,
In rays of mildest glories drest.

As round Him press the' angelic crowd,
Mercy and Truth He calls aloud;
The smiling cherubs wing'd to view,
Their pinions sounded as they flew:

'Ye favourites of the throne, arise,
Bear the strange tidings through the skies;
Say, Man, the' apostate rebel, lives,
Say, Jesus bleeds, and Heav'n forgives.'

In pity to the fallen race,
I'll take their nature and their place;
I'll bleed, their pardon to procure,
I'll die, to make that pardon sure.

Now Jesus leaves his blest abode,
A Virgin's womb receives the God.
When the tenth moon had wan'd on earth,
A Virgin's womb disclos'd the birth.

New praise employs the' ethereal throng,
Their golden harps repeat the song;
And angels waft the' immortal strains
To humble Bethl'em's happy plains.

While there the guardians of the sheep
By night their faithful vigils keep,
Celestial notes their ears delight,
And floods of glory drown their sight.

When Gabriel thus, 'Exult, ye swains,
Jesus, your own Messiah, reigns!
Arise, the Royal Babe behold,
Jesus, by ancient bards foretold.

'To David's town direct your way,
And shout, Salvation's born to-day!
There, in a manger's mean disguise,
You'll find the Sovereign of the skies.'

What joy Salvation's sound imparts,
You best can tell, ye guileless hearts,
Whom no vain science led astray,
Nor taught to scorn Salvation's way.

Though regal purple spurns these truths,
Maintain your ground, ye chosen youths;
Brave the stern tyrant's lifted rod,
Nor blush to own a dying God.

What! though the sages of the earth
Proudly dispute this wondrous birth;
Though learning mocks Salvation's voice,
Know, Heav'n applauds your wiser choice.

Oh! be this wiser choice my own!
Bear me, some seraph, to His throne
Where the rapt soul dissolves away
In visions of eternal day.





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