Original - Duke Divinity School

On one hand, Knowledge shines in purest Light;
On one, the Sword of Justice, fiercely bright.
Now bend the Knee in sport, present the Reed;
Now tell the scourged Impostor He shall bleed!
But oh, you Sons of Men, exalt your Voice,
And bid the Soul through all her Powers rejoice;
Mercy, his Darling, in his Bosom found,
Scatters Ambrosial Odors all around;
Unbends his Brow, and mitigates his Frown,
Softens his Rage, and melts his Thunders down.
Changed is the Scene, now Man exalt thine Eye, 255
In thy dread Judge, thy dear Redeemer spy:
E’en Judas struggles his Despair to quell;
Hope almost blossoms in the Shades of Hell. …
Triumphant King of Glory! Soul of Bliss!
What a stupendous Turn of Fate is this!
O whither art Thou raised above the Scorn
And Indigence of Him in Bethlem born!
A needless, helpless, unaccounted Guest,
And but a second to the foddered beast!
How changed from Him who, meekly prostrate laid,
Vouchsafed to wash the Feet himself had made!
From Him who was betrayed, forsook, denied,
Who languished, wept, bled, thirsted, groaned, and died; 256
Hung pierced and bare, insulted by the Foe,
Heaven all in tears above, Earth unconcerned below! …
Mistaken Caiaphas! Ah! which blasphemed,
Thou, or thy Prisoner? Which shall be condemned?
Well mightst Thou rend thy garments, well exclaim;
Deep are the Horrors of Eternal Flame!
But God is good! ’Tis wondrous All! E’en He
Thou gavest to Death, Shame, Torture, died for Thee.
Now the descending Triumph stops its flight
From Earth full twice a Planetary Height.
255Ori.: “My Thoughts are chang’d, now Man exalt thine Eye.”
256Ori.: “Wept, languish’d, pray’d, bled, thirsted, groan’d, and died.”
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