REDEMPTION. 347
And their attending hosts, with myriads more,
Who feal lived and died, their steady faith
Preserving Him towards, whose advent they,
And promised restoration, saw begun ;
Though long from fields of unavoided strife,
They peaceful slept the slumber of the just,
Or from congenial pastoral life recall'd,
In Memphian darkness waited sure reward.
Nor only warriors, patriarchs, and kings,
But that illustrious host, and royal race
Of prophets, priests, and seers, Levitic bands,
In Limbus long detain'd, to brighter fields,
And Gospel's genial ray, as hoped, now wake.
The chief was Anna's son, to Silo brought,
The first fruit of her womb, vow'd to the Lord;
With whom he talk'd, whom, favor'd, he beheld,
Strong in whose might, the Tyrian kings he crush' d,
Philistia's lords, and all his foes subdued ;
Next t' him in place and sacerdotal power,
Came who the royal sinner stern rebuked,
That robb'd the Hethite of his one ewe lamb,
Nor regal state fear'd, nor his kingly frown.
Beside him Ahias, who, though blind from age,
Pierced with prophetic ray, the thin disguise
Of her, who sought Abia's fate to learn.
Dimly no more his sightless eyeballs roll,
Nor tott'ring in his gait, with feeble knees,
Whose limbs celestial vigor fresh instills,
And youth immortal his full powers restores.
But more illustrious in that saintly throng,
As gifted more with thaumaturgic power,
Stood he, who shut the heav'ns, yet without rain,
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