! 290 REDEMPTION.
Behold him bruised, rack'd, torn, and sore beset;
Who knows no sin himself, by sinners shent.
Oh ! can it be, thy son, and mine, must die ?
Father forbid it, and some plan devise,
Some other plan, by which the race redeem' d,
May still thy justice expiate, and live.
But if it be, alas ! by thee decreed,
That by his death alone the sinner live,
Oh ! send the shaft thyself, each moment fly
Ten thousand from the bosom of thy love,
To take thy children from the ills of earth,
And speed their entrance to the joys above.
Save these the guilt, which on their souls must fall,
Save him the pangs, that rend his sacred heart,
And me the anguish, which my life destroys."
Beside the Mother, stood beloved John, Who sole of all the Twelve forbore to fly, When wicked hands her matchless Son betray'd. Hard by, a band of holy women move, Too weak, to fend the Stricken from his foes, Too strong in love, to fail him in his need ; She of Magdala, fearless midst the crowd, Salome, Mary, both the Virgin's kin, With many, daughters of fair Solyma, Who all some relics bore of Jesus love ; Some dead to life restored, some sick made well, Or fed, or cloth'd, or of their sins forgiv'n. The Lamb they follow'd, with him sympathized, And aided by their constancy and love ; Yet, every eye a fountain, drench'd with tears, And every feeling consonant with hers, Who nearest to him stood, and call'd him Son.
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