EEDEMPTION.
So go thou before me, who celebrate In verse, Israel's true Ark, the Saviour, God-man, Prince of peace. Shepherd of Israel, Sing sweetly unto me ; attune mine ear, As heretofore thy harp, give soul to sense, And pleasing harmony to theme divine. But thou, bless' d Spirit, for thou saw'st it all, And every step partook' st of that grand scheme, By which ungrateful man was saved from doom, First tell, what human knowledge far transcends, Without thee ne'er could know, what did in heav'n Befall, by high decree ordain'd, before The God-man came to earth, our ills to share. Recount his lineage, whence his high descent, What Sire begot, what Mother calls him Son; Then what vocation drew him from his throne, T' attempt the rugged way, o'er which he trod, From Bethl'hem's crib, to Calv'ry's fated hill.
Before th' Almighty's throne, the seraphim, And all the heav'nly powers, assembling, held, As wont, high festal day. Incense of praise With sweetest perfume, redolent arose, More grateful to th' Omniscient sense, than fat Of bulls, or sheep on thousand altars slain; Nor wanted music's melody, nor song, Such as harmonious spirits, jubilant, Before the Majesty of Heav'n, entone. Silence ensued throughout th' empyreal vault; When, smiling, the great Father to the Son Thus spake : " Only begotten Son, this day The long expected year begins. Immersed In guilt, and alienate in wrath, frail man
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