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  • 5. FIVE BOOKS IN REPLY TO MARCION.

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    5. Five Books in Reply to Marcion.

    (Author Uncertain.)

    Book I.-Of the Divine Unity, and the Resurrection of the Flesh.

    Part I.-Of the Divine Unity.

    After the Evil One's impiety

    Profound, and his life-grudging mind, entrapped

    Seduced men with empty hope, it laid

    Them bare, by impious suasion to false trust

    5 In him,-not with impunity, indeed;

    For he forthwith, as guilty of the deed,

    And author rash of such a wickedness,

    Received deserved maledictions. Thus,

    Thereafter, maddened, he, most desperate foe,

    10 Did more assail and instigate men's minds

    In darkness sunk. He taught them to forget

    The Lord, and leave sure hope, and idols vain

    Follow, and shape themselves a crowd of gods,

    Lots, auguries, false names of stars, the show Is

    15 Of being able to o'errule the births

    Of embryos by inspecting entrails, and

    Expecting things to come, by hardihood

    Of dreadful magic's renegadoes led,

    Wondering at a mass of feigned lore;

    20 And he impelled them headlong to spurn life,

    Sunk in a criminal insanity;

    To joy in blood; to threaten murders fell;

    To love the wound, then, in their neighbour's flesh;

    Or, burning, and by pleasure's heat entrapped,

    25 To transgress nature's covenants, and stain

    Pure bodies, manly sex, with an embrace

    Unnameable, and uses feminine

    Mingled in common contact lawlessly;

    Urging embraces chaste, and dedicate

    30 To generative duties, to be held

    For intercourse obscene for passion's sake.

    Such in time past his deeds, assaulting men,

    Through the soul's lurking-places, with a flow

    Of scorpion-venom,-not that men would blame

    35 Him, for they followed of their own accord:

    His suasion was in guile; in freedom man

    Performed it.

    Whileas the perfidious one

    Continuously through the centuries1

    Is breathing such ill fumes, and into hearts

    40 Seduced injecting his own counselling

    And hoping in his folly (alas!) to find

    Forgiveness of his wickedness, unware

    What sentence on his deed is waiting him;

    With words of wisdom's weaving,2 and a voice

    45 Presaging from God's Spirit, speak a host

    Of prophets. Publicly he3 does not dare

    Nakedly to speak evil of the Lord,

    Hoping by secret ingenuity

    He possibly may lurk unseen. At length

    50 The soul's Light4 as the thrall of flesh is held;

    The hope of the despairing, mightier

    Than foe, enters the lists; the Fashioner,

    The Renovator, of the body He;

    True Glory of the Father; Son of God;

    55 Author unique; a Judge and Lord He came,

    The orb's renowned King; to the oppress

    Prompt to give pardon, and to loose the bound;

    Whose friendly aid and penal suffering

    Blend God and renewed man in one. With child

    60 Is holy virgin: life's new gate opes; words

    Of prophets find their proof, fulfilled by facts;

    Priests5 leave their temples, and-a star their guide-

    Wonder the Lord so mean a birth should choose.

    Waters-sight memorable!-turn to wine;

    65 Eyes are restored to blind; fiends trembling cry,

    Outdriven by His bidding, and own Christ!

    All limbs, already rotting, by a word

    Are healed; now walks the lame; the deaf forthwith

    Hears hope; the maimed extends his hand; the dumb

    70 Speaks mighty words: sea at His bidding calms,

    Winds drop; and all things recognise the Lord:

    Confounded is the foe, and yields, though fierce,

    Now triumphed over, to unequal6 arms!

    When all his enterprises now revoked

    75 He7 sees; the flesh, once into ruin sunk,

    Now rising; man-death vanquisht quite-to heavens

    Soaring; the peoples sealed with holy pledge

    Outpoured;8 the work and envied deeds of might

    Marvellous;9 and hears, too, of penalties

    80 Extreme, and of perpetual dark, prepared

    For himself by the Lord by God's decree

    Irrevocable; naked and unarmed,

    Damned, vanquisht, doomed to perish in a death

    Perennial, guilty now, and sure that he

    85 No pardon has, a last impiety

    Forthwith he dares,-to scatter everywhere

    A word for ears to shudder at, nor meet

    For voice to speak. Accosting men cast off

    From God's community,10 men wandering

    90 Without the light, found mindless, following

    Things earthly, them he teaches to become

    Depraved teachers of depravity.

    By11 them he preaches that there are two Sires,

    And realms divided: ill's cause is the Lord12

    95 Who built the orb, fashioned breath-quickened flesh,

    And gave the law, and by the seers' voice spake.

    Him he affirms not good, but owns Him just;

    Hard, cruel, taking pleasure fell in war;

    In judgment dreadful, pliant to no prayers.

    100 His suasion tells of other one, to none

    E'er known, who nowhere is, a deity

    False, nameless, constituting nought, and who

    Hath spoken precepts none. Him he calls good;

    Who judges none, but spares all equally,

    105 And grudges life to none. No judgment waits

    The guilty; so he says, bearing about

    A gory poison with sweet honey mixt

    For wretched men. That flesh can rise-to which

    Himself was cause of ruin, which he spoiled

    110 Iniquitously with contempt (whence,13 cursed,

    He hath grief without end), its ever-foe,-

    He doth deny; because with various wound

    Life to expel and the salvation whence

    He fell he strives: and therefore says that Christ

    115 Came suddenly to earth,14 but was not made,

    By any compact, partner of the flesh;

    But Spirit-form, and body feigned beneath

    A shape imaginary, seeks to mock

    Men with a semblance that what is not is.

    120 Does this, then, become God, to sport with men

    By darkness led? to act an impious lie?

    Or falsely call Himself a man? He walks,

    Is carried, clothed, takes due rest, handled is,

    Suffers, is hung and buried: man's are all

    125 Deeds which, in holy body conversant,

    But sent by God the Father, who hath all

    Created, He did perfect properly,

    Reclaiming not another's but His own;

    Discernible to peoples who of old

    130 Were hoping for Him by His very work,

    And through the prophets' voice to the round world15

    Best known: and now they seek an unknown Lord,

    Wandering in death's threshold manifest,

    And leave behind the known. False is their faith,

    135 False is their God, deceptive their reward,

    False is their resurrection, death's defeat

    False, vain their martyrdoms, and e'en Christ's name

    An empty sound: whom, teaching that He came

    Like magic mist, they (quite demented) own

    140 To be the actor of a lie, and make

    His passion bootless, and the populace16

    (A feigned one!) without crime! Is God thus true?

    Are such the honours rendered to the Lord?

    Ah! wretched men! gratuitously lost

    145 In death ungrateful! Who, by blind guide led,

    Have headlong rushed into the ditch!17 and as

    In dreams the fancied rich man in his store

    Of treasure doth exult, and with his hands

    Grasps it, the sport of empty hope, so ye, so

    150 Deceived, are hoping for a shadow vain

    Of guerdon!

    Ah! ye silent laughingstocks,

    Or doomed prey, of the dragon, do ye hope,

    Stern men for death in room of gentle peace?18

    Dare ye blame God, who hath works

    155 So great? in whose earth, 'mid profuse displays

    Of His exceeding parent-care, His gifts

    (Unmindful of Himself!) ye largely praise,

    Rushing to ruin! do ye reprobate-

    Approving of the works-the Maker's self,

    160 The world's19 Artificer, whose work withal

    Ye are yourselves? Who gave those little selves

    Great honours; sowed your crops; made all the brutes20

    Your subjects; makes the seasons of the year

    Fruitful with stated months; grants sweetnesses,

    165 Drinks various, rich odours, jocund flowers,

    And the groves' grateful bowers; to growing herbs

    Grants wondrous juices; founts and streams dispreads

    With sweet waves, and illumes with stars the sky

    And the whole orb: the infinite sole Lord,

    170 Both Just and Good; known by His work; to none

    By aspect known; whom nations, flourishing

    In wealth, but foolish, wrapped in error's shroud,

    (Albeit 'tis beneath an alien name

    They praise Him, yet) their Maker knowing! dread

    175 To blame: nor e'en one21 -save you, hell's new gate!-

    Thankless, ye choose to speak ill of your Lord!

    These cruel deadly gifts the Renegade

    Terrible has bestowed, through Marcion-thanks

    To Cerdo's mastership-on you; nor come'

    180 The thought into your mind that, from Christ's name

    Seduced, Marcion's name has carried you

    To lowest depths.22 Say of His many acts

    What one displeases you? or what hath God

    Done which is not to be extolled with praise?

    185 Is it that He permits you, all too long,

    (Unworthy of His patience large,) to see

    Sweet light? you, who read truths,23 and, docking them,

    Teach these your falsehoods, and approve as past

    Things which are yet to be?24 What hinders, else,

    190 That we believe your God incredible?25

    Nor marvel is't if, practiced as he26 is,

    He captived you unarmed, persuading you

    There are two Fathers (being damned by One),

    And all, whom he had erst seduced, are gods;

    195 And after that dispread a pest, which ran

    With multiplying wound, and cureless crime,

    To many. Men unworthy to be named,

    Full of all magic's madness, he induced

    To call themselves "Virtue Supreme; "and feign

    200 (With harlot comrade) fresh impiety;

    To roam, to fly.27 He is the insane god

    Of Valentine, and to his Aeonage

    Assigned heavens thirty, and Profundity

    Their sire.28 He taught two baptisms, and led

    205 The body through the flame. That there are gods

    So many as the year hath days, he bade

    A Basilides to believe, and worlds

    As many. Marcus, shrewdly arguing

    Through numbers, taught to violate chaste form

    210 'Mid magic's arts; taught, too, that the Lord's cup

    Is an oblation, and by prayers is turned

    To blood. His29 suasion prompted Hebion

    To teach that Christ was born from human seed;

    He taught, too, circumcision, and that room

    215 Is still left for the Law, and, though Law's founts

    Are lost,30 its elements must be resumed.

    Unwilling am I to protract in words

    His last atrocity, or to tell all

    The causes, or the names at length. Enough

    220 It is to note his many cruelties

    Briefly, and the unmentionable men,

    The dragon's organs fell, through whom he now,

    Speaking so much profaneness, ever toils

    To blame the Maker of the world.31 But come;

    225 Recall your foot from savage Bandit's cave,

    While space is granted, and to wretched men

    God, patient in perennial parent-love,

    Condones all deeds through error done! Believe

    Truly in the true Sire, who built the orb;

    230 Who, on behalf of men incapable

    To bear the law, sunk in sin's whirlpool, sent

    The true Lord to repair the ruin wrought,

    And bring them the salvation promised

    Of old through seers. He who the mandates gave

    235 Remits sins too. Somewhat, deservedly,

    Doth He exact, because He formerly

    Entrusted somewhat; or else bounteously,

    As Lord, condones as it were debts to slaves:

    Finally, peoples shut up 'neath the curse,

    240 And meriting the penalty, Himself

    Deleting the indictment, bids be washed!

    Part II.-Of the Resurrection of the Flesh.

    The whole man, then, believes; the whole is washed;

    Abstains from sin, or truly suffers wounds

    For Christ's name's sake: he rises a true32 man,

    245 Death, truly vanquish, shall be mute. But not

    Part of the man,-his soul,-her own part33 left

    Behind, will win the palm which, labouring

    And wrestling in the course, combinedly

    And simultaneously with flesh, she earns.

    250 Great crime it were for two in chains to bear

    A weight, of whom the one were affluent

    The other needy, and the wretched one

    Be spurned, and guerdons to the happy one

    Rendered. Not so the Just-fair Renderer

    255 Of wages-deals, both good and just, whom we

    Believe Almighty: to the thankless kind

    Full is His will of pity. Nay, whate'er

    He who hath greater mortal need34 doth need35

    That, by advancement, to his comrade he

    260 May equalled be, that will the affluent

    Bestow the rather unsolicited:

    So are we bidden to believe, and not

    Be willing to cast blame unlawfully

    On the Lord in our teaching, as if He

    265 Were one to raise the soul, as having met

    With ruin, and to set her free from death

    So that the granted faculty of life

    Upon the ground of sole desert (because

    She bravely acted), should abide with her;36

    270 While she who ever shared the common lot

    Of toil, the flesh, should to the earth be left,

    The prey of a perennial death. Has, then,

    The soul pleased God by acts of fortitude?

    By no means could she Him have pleased alone

    275 Without the flesh. Hath she borne penal bonds?37

    The flesh sustained upon her limbs the bonds.

    Contemned she death? But she hath left the flesh

    Behind in death. Groaned she in pain?

    The flesh Is slain and vanquisht by the wound. Repose

    280 Seeks she? The flesh, spilt by the sword in dust,

    Is left behind to fishes, birds, decay,

    And ashes; torn she is, unhappy one!

    And broken; scattered, she melts away.

    Hath she not earned to rise? for what could she

    285 Have e'er committed, lifeless and alone?

    What so life-grudging38 cause impedes, or else

    Forbids, the flesh to take God's gifts, and live

    Ever, conjoined with her comrade soul,

    And see what she hath been, when formerly

    290 Converted into dust?39 After, renewed

    Bear she to God deserved meeds of praise,

    Not ignorant of herself, frail, mortal, sick.40

    Contend ye as to what the living might41

    Of the great God can do; who, good alike

    295 And potent, grudges life to none? Was this

    Death's captive?42 shall this perish vanquished

    Which the Lord hath with wondrous wisdom made,

    And art? This by His virtue wonderful

    Himself upraises; this our Leader's self

    300 Recalls, and this with His own glory clothes

    God's art and wisdom, then, our body shaped

    What can by these be made, how faileth it

    To be by virtue reproduced?43 No cause

    Can holy parent-love withstand; (lest else

    305 Ill's cause44 should mightier prove than Power Supreme;)

    That man even now saved by God's gift, ma, learn45

    (Mortal before, now robed in light immense

    Inviolable, wholly quickened,46 soul

    And body) God, in virtue infinite,

    310 In parent-love perennial, through His King

    Christ, through whom opened is light's way; and now,

    Standing in new light, filled now with each gift,47

    Glad with fair fruits of living Paradise,

    May praise and laud Him to eternity,48

    315 Rich in the wealth of the celestial hall.

    Book II.-Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws.49

    After the faith was broken by the dint

    Of the foe's breathing renegades,50 and sworn

    With wiles the hidden pest51 emerged; with lies

    Self-prompted, scornful of the Deity

    5 That underlies the sense, he did his plagues

    Concoct: skilled in guile's path, he mixed his own

    Words impious with the sayings of the saints.

    And on the good seed sowed his wretched tares,

    Thence willing that foul ruin's every cause

    10 Should grow combined; to wit, that with more speed

    His own iniquitous deeds he may assign

    To God clandestinely, and may impale

    On penalties such as his suasion led;

    False with true veiling, turning rough with smooth,

    15 And, (masking his spear's point with rosy wreaths,)

    Slaying the unwary unforeseen with death

    Supreme. His supreme wickedness is this:

    That men, to such a depth of madness sunk!

    Off-broken boughs!52 should into parts divide

    20 The endlessly-dread Deity; Christ's deeds

    Sublime should follow with false praise, and blame

    The former acts,53 God's countless miracles,

    Ne'er seen before, nor heard, nor in a heart

    Conceived;54 and should so rashly frame in words

    25 The impermissible impiety

    Of wishing by "wide dissimilitude

    Of sense" to prove that the two Testaments

    Sound adverse each to other, and the Lord's

    Oppose the prophets' words; of drawing down

    30 All the Law's cause to infamy; and eke

    Of reprobating holy fathers' life

    Of old, whom into friendship, and to share

    His gifts, God chose. Without beginning, one

    Is, for its lesser part, accepted.55 Though

    35 Of one are four, of four one,56 yet to them

    One part is pleasing, three they (in a word)

    Reprobate: and they seize, in many ways,

    On Paul as their own author; yet was he

    Urged by a frenzied impulse of his own

    40 To his last words:57 all whatsoe'er he spake

    Of the old covenant58 seems hard to them

    Because, deservedly, "made gross in heart."59

    Weight apostolic, grace of beaming word,

    Dazzles their mind, nor can they possibly

    45 Discern the Spirit's drift. Dull as they are,

    Seek they congenial animals! But ye

    Who have not yet, (false deity your guide,

    Reprobate in your very mind,60 ) to death's

    Inmost caves penetrated, learn there flows

    50 A stream perennial from its fount, which feeds

    A tree, (twice sixfold are the fruits, its grace!)

    And into earth and to the orb's four winds

    Goes out: into so many parts doth flow

    The fount's one hue and savour.61 Thus, withal,

    55 From apostolic word descends the Church,

    Out of Christ's womb, with glory of His Sire

    All filled, to wash off filth, and vivify

    Dead fates.62 The Gospel, four in number, one

    In its diffusion 'mid the Gentiles, this,

    60 By faith elect accepted, Paul hands down

    (Excellent doctor!) pure, without a crime;

    And from it he forbade Galatian saints

    To turn aside withal; whom "brethren false,"

    (Urging them on to circumcise themselves,

    65 And follow "elements,"leaving behind

    Their novel "freedom,") to "a shadow old

    Of things to be" were teaching to be slaves.

    These were the causes which Paul had to write

    To the Galatians: not that they took out

    70 One small part of the Gospel, and held that

    For the whole bulk, leaving the greater part

    Behind. And hence 'tis no words of a book,

    But Christ Himself, Christ sent into the orb,

    Who is the gospel, if ye will discern;

    75 Who from the Father came, sole Carrier

    Of tidings good; whose glory vast completes

    The early testimonies; by His work

    Showing how great the orb's Creator is:

    Whose deeds, conjoined at the same time with words,

    80 Those faithful ones, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,

    Recorded unalloyed (not speaking words

    External), sanctioned by God's Spirit, 'neath

    So great a Master's eye! This paschal Lamb

    Is hung, a victim. on the tree: Him Paul,

    85 Writing decrees to Corinth, with his torch,63

    Hands down as slain, the future life and God

    Promised to the fathers, whom before

    He had attracted.

    See what virtue, see

    What power, the paschal image64 has; ye thus

    90 Will able be to see what power there is

    In the true Passover. Lest well-earned love

    Should tempt the faithful sire and seer,65 to whom

    His pledge and heir66 was dear, whom God by chance67

    Had given him, to offer him to God

    95 (A mighty execution!), there is shown

    To him a lamb entangled by the head

    In thorns; a holy victim-holy blood

    For blood-to God. From whose piacular death,

    That to the wasted race68 it might be sign

    100 And pledge of safety, signed are with blood

    Their posts and thresholds many:69 -aid immense!

    The flesh (a witness credible) is given

    For food. The Jordan crossed, the land possessed,

    Joshua by law kept Passover with joy,

    105 And immolates a lamb; and the great kings

    And holy prophets that were after him,

    Not ignorant of the good promises

    Of sure salvation; full of godly fear

    The great Law to transgress, (that mass of types

    110 In image of the Supreme Virtue once

    To come,) did celebrate in order due

    The mirrorly-inspected passover.70

    In short, if thou recur with rapid mind

    To times primordial, thou wilt find results

    115 Too fatal following impious words. That man

    Easily credulous, alas! and stripped

    Of life's own covering, might covered be

    With skins, a lamb is hung: the wound slays sins,

    Or death by blood effaces or enshrouds

    120 Or cherishes the naked with its fleece.

    Is sheep's blood of more worth than human blood,

    That, offered up for sins, it should quench wrath?

    Or is a lamb (as if he were more dear!)

    Of more worth than much people's? aid immense

    125 As safeguard of so great salvation, could

    A lamb, if offered, have been price enough

    For the redeemed? Nay: but Almighty God,

    The heaven's and earth's Creator, infinite,71

    Living, and perfect, and perennially

    130 Dwelling in light, is not appeased by these,

    Nor joys in cattle's blood. Slain be all flocks;

    Be every herd upburned into smoke;

    That expiatively 't may pardon win

    Of but one sin: in vain at so vile price;

    135 Will the stained figure of the Lord-foul flesh-

    Prepare, if wise, such honours:72 but the hope

    And faith to mortals promised of old-

    Great Reason's counterpart73 -hath wrought to bring

    These boons premeditated and prepared

    140 Erst by the Father's passing parent-love;

    That Christ should come to earth, and be a man!

    Whom when John saw, baptism's first opener, John,

    Comrade of seers, apostle great, and sent

    As sure forerunner, witness faithful; John,

    145 August in life, and marked with praise sublime,74

    He shows, to such as sought of olden time

    God's very Paschal Lamb, that He is come

    At last, the expiation of misdeed,

    To undo many's sins by His own blood,

    150 In place of reprobates the Proven One,

    In place of vile the dear; in body, man;

    And, in life, God: that He, as the slain Lamb,

    Might us accept,75 and for us might outpour

    Himself Thus hath it pleased the Lord to spoil

    155 Proud death: thus wretched man will able be

    To hope salvation. This slain paschal Lamb

    Paul preaches: nor does a phantasmal shape

    Of the sublime Lord (one consimilar

    To Isaac's silly sheep76 ) the passion bear,

    160 Wherefore He is called Lamb: but 'tis because,

    As wool, He these renewed bodies clothes,

    Giving to many covering, yet Himself

    Never deficient. Thus does the Lord shroud

    In His Sire's virtue, those whom, disarrayed

    165 Of their own light, He by His death redeemed,

    Virtue which ever is in Him. So, then,

    The Shepherd who hath lost the sheep Himself

    Re-seeks it. He, prepared to tread the strength

    Of the vine, and its thorns, or to o'ercome

    170 The wolf's rage, and regain the cattle lost,

    And brave to snatch them out, the Lion He

    In sheepskin-guise, unasked presents Himself

    To the contemned77 teeth, baffling by His garb

    The robber's bloody jaws. Thus everywhere

    175 Christ seeks force-captured Adam; treads the path

    Himself where death wrought ruin; permeates

    All the old heroes' monuments;78 inspects

    Each one; the One of whom all types were full;

    Begins e'en from the womb to expel the death

    180 Conceived simultaneously with seed

    Of flesh within the bosom; purging all

    Life's stages with a silent wisdom; debts

    Assuming;79 ready to cleanse all, and give

    Their Maker back the many whom the one80

    185 Had scattered. And, because one direful man

    Down-sunk in pit iniquitous did fall,

    By dragon-subdued virgin's81 suasion led;

    Because he pleased her wittingly;82 because

    He left his heavenly covering83 behind:

    190 Because the "tree" their nakedness did prove;

    Because dark death coerced them: in like wise

    Out of the self-same mass84 re-made returns

    Renewed now,-the flower of flesh, and host

    Of peace,-a flesh from espoused virgin born,

    195 Not of man's seed; conjoined to its own

    Artificer; without the debt of death.

    These mandates of the Father through bright stars

    An angel carries down, that angel-fame

    The tidings may accredit; telling how

    200 "A virgin's debts a virgin, flesh's flesh,

    Should pay." Thus introduced, the Giant-Babe,

    The Elder-Boy, the Stripling-Man, pursues

    Death's trail. Thereafter, when completed was

    The ripe age of man's strength, when man is wont

    205 To see the lives that were his fellows drop

    By slow degrees away, and to be changed

    In mien to wrinkles foul and limbs inert,

    While blood forsakes his veins, his course he stayed,

    And suffered not his fleshly garb to age.

    210 Upon what day or in what place did fall

    Most famous Adam, or outstretched his hand

    Rashly to touch the tree, on that same day,

    Returning as the years revolve, within

    The stadium of the "tree" the brave Athlete,

    215'Countering, outstretched His hands, and, penalty

    For praise pursuing,85 quite did vanquish death,

    Because He left death of His own accord

    Behind, disrobing Him of fleshly slough,

    And of death's dues; and to the "tree" affixed

    220 The serpent's spoil-"the world's86 prince" vanquisht quite!

    Grand trophy of the renegades: for sign

    Whereof had Moses hung the snake, that all,

    Who had by many serpents stricken been,

    Might gaze upon the dragon's self, and see

    225 Him vanquisht and transfixt. When, afterwards,

    He reached the infernal region's secret waves,

    And, as a victor, by the light which aye

    Attended Him, revealed His captive thrall,

    And by His virtue thoroughly fulfilled

    230 The Father's bidding, He Himself re-took

    The body which, spontaneous, He had left:

    This was the cause of death: this same was made

    Salvation's path: a messenger of guile

    The former was; the latter messenger

    235 of peace: a spouse her man87 did slay; a spouse

    Did bear a lion:88 hurtful to her man89

    A virgin90 proved; a man91 from virgin born

    Proved victor: for a type whereof, while sleep

    His92 body wrapped, out of his side is ta'en

    240 A woman,93 who is her lord's94 rib; whom, he,

    Awaking, called "flesh from his flesh, and bones

    From his own bones; "with a presaging mind

    Speaking. Faith wondrous! Paul deservedly,

    (Most certain author!) teaches Christ to be

    245 "The Second Adam from the havens."95 Truth,

    Using her own examples, doth refulge;

    Nor covets out of alien source to show

    Her paces keen:96 this is a pauper's work,

    Needy of virtue of his own! Great Paul

    250 These mysteries-taught to him-did teach; to wit,

    Discerning that in Christ thy glory is,

    O Church! from His side, hanging on high "tree,"

    His lifeless body's "blood and humour" flowed.

    The blood the woman97 was; the waters were

    255 The new gifts of the font:98 this is the Church,

    True mother of a living people; flesh

    New from Christ's flesh, and from His bones a bone.

    A spot there is called Golgotha,-of old

    The fathers' earlier tongue thus called its name,-

    260 "The skull-pan of a head: "here is earth's midst;

    Here victory's sign; here, have our elders. taught,

    There was a great head99 found; here the first man,

    We have been taught, was buried; here the Christ

    Suffers; with sacred blood the earth100 grows moist.

    265 That the old Adam's dust may able be,

    Commingled with Christ's blood, to be upraised

    By dripping water's virtue. The "one ewe"

    That is, which, during Sabbath-hours, alive

    The Shepherd did resolve that He would draw

    270 Out of th' infernal pit. This was the cause

    Why, on the Sabbaths, He was wont to cure

    The prematurely dead limbs of all flesh;

    Or perfected for sight the eyes of him

    Blind from his birth-eyes which He had not erst

    275 Given; or, in presence of the multitude,

    Called, during Sabbath-hours, one wholly dead

    To life, e'en from the sepulchre.101 Himself

    The new man's Maker, the Repairer good

    Of th' old, supplying what did lack, or else

    280 Restoring what was lost. About to do-

    When dawns "the holy day"-these works, for such

    As hope in Him, in plenitude, (to keep

    His plighted word,) He taught men thus His power

    To do them.

    What? If flesh dies, and no hope

    285 Is given of salvation, say, what grounds

    Christ had to feign Himself a man, and head

    Men, or have care for flesh? If He recalls102

    Some few, why shall He not withal recall

    All? Can corruption's power liquefy

    290 The body and undo it, and shall not

    The virtue of the Lord be powerful

    The undone to recall?

    They, who believe

    Their bodies are not loosed from death, do no,

    Believe the Lord, who wills to raise His own

    295 Works sunken; or else say they that the Good

    Wills not, and that the Potent hath not power,-

    Ignorant from how great a crime they suck

    Their milk, in daring to set things infirm

    Above the Strong.103 In the grain lurks the tree;

    300 And if this104 rot not, buried in the earth,

    It yields not tree-graced fruits.105 Soon bound will be

    The liquid waters: 'neath the whistling cold

    They will become, and ever will be stones,

    Unless a mighty power, by leading on

    305 Soft-breathing warmth, undo them. The great bunch

    Lurks in the tendril's slender body: if

    Thou seek it, it is not; when God doth will,

    'Tis seen to be. On trees their leaves, on thorns

    The rose, the seeds on plains, are dead and fail,

    310 And rise again, new living. For man's use

    These things doth God before his eyes recall

    And form anew-man's, for whose sake at first106

    The wealthy One made all things bounteously.

    All naked fall; with its own body each

    315 He clothes. Why man alone, on whom He showered

    Such honours, should He not recall in all

    His first perfection107 to Himself? man, whom

    He set o'er all? Flesh, then, and blood are said

    To be not worthy of God's realm, as if

    320 Paul spake of flesh materially. He

    Indeed taught mighty truths; but hearts inane

    Think he used carnal speech: for pristine deeds

    He meant beneath the name of "flesh and blood; "

    Remembering, heavenly home-slave that he is,

    325 His heavenly Master's words; who gave the name

    Of His own honour to men born from Him

    Through water, and from His own Spirit poured

    A pledge;108 that, by whose virtue men had been

    Redeemed, His name of honour they withal

    330 Might, when renewed, receive. Because, then, He

    Refused, on the old score, the heavenly realm

    To peoples not yet from His fount re-born,

    Still with their ancient sordid raiment clad-

    These are "the dues of death"-saying that that

    335 Which human is must needs be born again,-

    "What hath been born of flesh is flesh; and what

    From Spirit, life; "109 and that the body, washed,

    Changing with glory its old root's new seeds,110

    Is no more called "from flesh: "Paul follows this;

    340 Thus did he speak of "flesh." In fine, he said111

    This frail garb with a robe must be o'erclad,

    This mortal form be wholly covered;

    Not that another body must be given,

    But that the former one, dismantled,112 must

    345 Be with God's kingdom wholly on all sides

    Surrounded: "In the moment of a glance,"

    He says, "it shall be changed: "as, on the blade,

    Dispreads the red corn's113 face, and changes 'neath

    The sun's glare its own hue; so the same flesh,

    350 From "the effulgent glory"114 borrowing,

    Shall ever joy, and joying,115 shall lack death;

    Exclaiming that"the body's cruel foe

    Is vanquisht quite; death, by the victory

    Of the brave Christ, is swallowed; "116 praises high

    355 Bearing to God, unto the highest stars.

    Book III.-Of the Harmony of the Fathers of the Old and New Testaments.

    Now hath the mother, formerly surnamed

    Barren, giv'n birth:117 now a new people, born

    From the free woman,118 joys: (the slave expelled,

    Deservedly, with her proud progeny;

    5 Who also leaves ungratefully behind

    The waters of the living fount,119 and drinks-

    Errant on heated plains-'neath glowing star:120 )

    Now can the Gentiles as their parent claim

    Abraham; who, the Lord's voice following,

    10 Like him, have all things left,121 life's pilgrimage

    To enter. "Be glad, barren one; "conceive

    The promised people; "break thou out, and cry,"

    Who with no progeny wert blest; of whom

    Spake, through the seers, the Spirit of old time:

    15 She hath borne, out of many nations, one;

    With whose beginning are her pious limbs

    Ever in labour.

    Hers "just Abel"122 was,

    A pastor and a cattle-master he;

    Whom violence of brother's right hand slew

    20 Of old. Her Enoch, signal ornament,

    Limb from her body sprung, by counsel strove

    To recall peoples gone astray from God

    And following misdeed, (while raves on earth

    The horde of robber-renegades,123 ) to flee

    25 The giants'sacrilegious cruel race;

    Faithful in all himself. With groaning deep124

    Did he please God, and by deserved toil

    Translated125 is reserved as a pledge,

    With honour high. Perfect in praise, and found

    30 Faultless, and just-God witnessing126 the fact-

    In an adulterous people, Noah (he

    Who in twice fifty years127 the ark did weave)

    By deeds and voice the coming ruin told.

    Favour he won, snatched Out of so great waves

    35 Of death, and, with his progeny, preserved.

    Then, in the generation128 following,

    Is Abraham, whose sons ye do deny

    Yourselves to be; who first-race, country, sire,

    All left behind-at suasion of God's voice

    40 Withdrew to realms extern: such honours he

    At God's sublime hand worthily deserved

    As to be father to believing tribes

    And peoples. Jacob with the patriarchs

    (Himself their patriarch) through all his own

    45 Life's space the gladdest times of Christ foresang

    By words, act, virtue, toil. Him follows-free

    From foul youth's stain-Joseph, by slander feigned,

    Doomed to hard penalty and gaol: his groans

    Glory succeeds, and the realm's second crown, so

    50 And in dearth's time large power of furnishing

    Bread: so appropriate a type of Christ,

    So lightsome type of Light, is manifest

    To all whose mind hath eyes, that they may see

    In a face-mirror129 their sure hope.

    Himself

    55 The patriarch Judah, see; the origin

    Of royal line,130 whence leaders rose, nor kings

    Failed ever from his seed, until the Power

    To come, by Gentiles looked for, promised long,

    Came.

    Moses, leader of the People, (he

    60 Who, spurning briefly-blooming riches, left

    The royal thresholds,) rather chose to bear

    His people's toils, afflicted, with bowed neck,

    By no threats daunted, than to gain himself

    Enjoyments, and of many penalties

    65 Remission: admirable for such faith

    And love, he, with God's virtue armed, achieved

    Great exploits: smote the nation through with plagues;

    And left their land behind, and their hard king

    Confounds, and leads the People back; trod waves;

    70 Sunk the foes down in waters; through a "tree"131

    Made ever-hitter waters sweet; spake much

    (Manifestly to the People) with the Christ,132

    From whose face light and brilliance in his own

    Reflected shone; dashed on the ground the law

    75 Accepted through some few,133 -implicit type,

    And sure, of his own toils!-smote through the rock;

    And, being bidden, shed forth streams; and stretched

    His hands that, by a sign,134 he vanquish might

    The foe; of Christ all severally, all135

    80 Combined through Christ, do speak. Great and approved,

    He136 rests with praise and peace. But Joshua,

    The son of Nun, erst called Oshea-this man

    The Holy Spirit to Himself did join

    As partner in His name:137 hence did he cleave

    85 The flood; constrained the People to pass o'er;

    Freely distributed the land-the prize

    Promised the fathers!-stayed both sun and moon

    While vanquishing the foe; races extern

    And giants' progeny outdrave; razed groves;

    90 Altars and temples levelled; and with mind

    Loyal138 performed all due solemnities:

    Type of Christ's name; his virtue's image. What

    Touching the People's Judges shall I say

    Singly? whose virtues,139 it unitedly

    95 Recorded, fill whole volumes numerous

    With space of words. But vet the order due

    Of filling out the body of my words,

    Demands that, out of many, I should tell

    The life of few.

    Of whom when Gideon, guide

    100 Of martial band, keen to attack the foe,

    (Not keen to gain for his own family,

    By virtues,140 tutelary dignity,141 )

    And needing to be strengthened142 in the faith

    Excited in his mind, seeks for a sign

    105 Whereby he either could not, or could, wage

    Victorious war; to wit, that v. with the dew

    A fleece, exposed for the night, should be

    Moistened, and all the ground lie dry around

    (By this to show that, with the world,143 should dry144

    110 The enemies' palm); and then again, the fleece

    Alone remaining dry, the earth by night

    Should with the self-same145 moisture be bedewed:

    For by this sign he prostrated the heaps

    Of bandits; with Christ's People 'countering them

    115 Without much soldiery, with cavalry146

    Three hundred-the Greek letter Tau, in truth,

    That number is147 -with torches armed, and horns

    Of blowers with the mouth: then148 was the fleece,

    The people of Christ's sheep, from holy seed

    120 Born (for the earth means nations various,

    And scattered through the orb), which fleece the word

    Nourishes; night death's image; Tau the sign

    Of the dear cross; the horn the heraldings

    Of life; the torches shining in their stand149

    125 The glowing Spirit: and this testing, too,

    Forsooth, an image of Christ's virtue was:150

    To teach that death's fierce battles should not be

    By trump angelic vanquished before

    Th' indocile People be deservedly

    130 By their own fault left desolate behind,

    And Gentiles, flourishing in faith, received

    In praise.

    Yea, Deborah, a woman far

    Above all fame, appears; who, having braced

    Herself for warlike toil, for country's sake,

    135 Beneath the palm-tree sang how victory

    Had crowned her People; thanks to whom it was

    That the foes, vanquisht, turned at once their backs,

    And Sisera their leader fled; whose flight

    No man, nor any band, arrested: him,

    140 Suddenly renegade, a woman's hand-

    Jael's151 -with wooden weapon vanquished quite,

    For token of Christ's victory. With firm faith

    Jephthah appears, who a deep-wounding vow

    Dared make-to promise God a grand reward

    145 Of war: him152 then, because he senselessly

    Had promised what the Lord not wills, first meets

    The pledge153 dear to his heart; who suddenly

    Fell by a lot unhoped by any. He,

    To keep his promise, broke the sacred laws

    150 Of parenthood: the shade of mighty fear

    Did in his violent mind cover his vow

    Of sin: as solace of his widowed life

    For154 wickedness, renown, and, for crime, praise,

    He won.

    Nor Samson's strength, all corporal might

    155 Passing, must we forget; the Spirit's gift

    Was this; the power was granted to his head.155

    Alone he for his People, daggerless,

    Armless, an ass-jaw grasping, prostrated

    A thousand corpses; and no bonds could keep

    160 The hero bound: but after his shorn pride

    Forsook him thralled, he fell, and, by his death,-

    Though vanquisht,-bought his foes back 'neath his power.

    Marvellous Samuel, who first received

    The precept to anoint kings, to give chrism

    165 And show men-Christs,156 so acted laudably

    In life's space as, e'en after his repose,

    To keep prophetic rights.157

    Psalmographist

    David, great king and prophet, with a voice

    Submiss was wont Christ's future suffering

    170 To sing: which prophecy spontaneously

    His thankless lawless People did perform:

    Whom158 God had promised that in time to come,

    Fruit of his womb,159 a holy progeny,

    He would on his sublime throne set: the Lord's

    175 Fixt faith did all that He had promised.

    Corrector of an inert People rose

    Emulous160 Hezekiah; who restored

    Iniquitous forgetful men the Law:161

    All these God's mandates of old time he first

    180 Bade men observe, who ended war by prayers,162

    Not by steel's point: he, dying, had a grant

    Of years and times of life made to his tears:

    Deservedly such honour his career Obtained.

    With zeal immense, Josiah, prince

    185 Himself withal, in like wise acted: none

    So much, before or after!-Idols he

    Dethroned; destroyed unhallowed temples; burned

    With fire priests on their altars; all the bones

    Of prophets false updug; the altars burned,

    190 The carcases to be consumed did serve

    For fuel!

    To the praise of signal faith,

    Noble Elijah, (memorable fact!)

    Was rapt;163 who hath not tasted yet death's dues;

    Since to the orb he is to come again.

    195 His faith unbroken, then, chastening with stripes

    People and frenzied king, (who did desert

    The Lord's best service), and with bitter flames

    The foes, shut up the stars; kept in the clouds

    The rain; showed all collectively that God

    200 Is; made their error patent;-for a flame,

    Coming with force from heaven at his prayers,

    Ate up the victim's parts, dripping with flood,

    Upon the altar:164 -often as he willed,

    So often from on high rushed fire;165 the stream

    205 Dividing, he made pathless passable;166

    And, in a chariot raised aloft, was borne

    To paradise's hall.

    Disciple his Elisha was, succeeding to his lot:167

    Who begged to take to him Elijah's lot168

    210 In double measure; so, with forceful stripe,

    The People to chastise:169 such and so great

    A love for the Lord's cause he breathed. He smote

    Through Jordan; made his feet a way, and crossed

    Again; raised with a twig the axe down-sunk

    215 Beneath the stream; changed into vital meat

    The deathful food; detained a second time,

    Double in length,170 the rains; cleansed leprosies;171

    Entangled foes in darkness; and when one

    Offcast and dead, by bandits'slaughter slain

    220 His limbs, after his death, already hid

    In sepulchre, did touch, he-light recalled-

    Revived.

    Isaiah, wealthy seer, to whom

    The fount was oped,-so manifest his faith!

    Poured from his mouth God's word forth. Promised was

    225 The Father's will, bounteous through Christ; through him

    It testified before the way of life,

    And was approved:172 but him, though stainless found,

    And undeserving, the mad People cut

    With wooden saw in twain, and took away

    230 With cruel death.

    The holy Jeremy

    Followed; whom the Eternal's Virtue bade

    Be prophet to the Gentiles, and him told

    The future: who, because he brooded o'er

    His People's deeds illaudable, and said

    235 (Speaking with voice presaging) that, unless

    They had repented of betaking them

    To deeds iniquitous against their slaves,173

    They should be captived, bore hard bonds, shut up

    In squalid gaol; and, in the miry pit,

    240 Hunger exhausted his decaying limbs.

    But, after he did prove what they to hear

    Had been unwilling, and the foes did lead

    The People bound in their triumphal trains,

    Hardly at length his wrinkled right hand lost

    245 Its chains: it is agreed that by no death

    Nor slaughter was the hero ta'en away.

    Faithful Ezekiel, to whom granted was

    Rich grace of speech, saw sinners' secrets; wailed

    His own afflictions; prayed for pardon; saw

    250 The vengeance of the saints, which is to be

    By slaughter; and, in Spirit wrapt, the place

    Of the saints' realm, its steps and accesses,

    And the salvation of the flesh, he saw.

    Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, too,

    255 With Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, come;

    Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai,

    And Zechariah who did violence

    Suffer, and Malachi-angel himself!

    Are here: these are the Lord's seers; and their choir,

    260 As still they sing, is heard; and equally

    Their proper wreath of praise they all have earned.

    How great was Daniel! What a man!

    What power!

    Who by their own mouth did false witnesses

    Bewray, and saved a soul on a false charge

    265 Condemned;174 and, before that, by mouth resolved

    The king's so secret dreams; foresaw how Christ

    Dissolves the limbs of kingdoms; was accused

    For his Lord's was made the lions' prey;

    And, openly preserved175 before all eyes,

    270 Rested in peace.

    His Three Companions, scarce

    With due praise to be sung, did piously

    Contemn the king's iniquitous decree,

    Out of so great a number: to the flames

    Their bodies given were; but they preferred,

    275 For the Great Name, to yield to penalties

    Themselves, than to an image stretch their palms

    On bended knees. Now their o'erbrilliant faith,

    Now hope outshining all things, the wild fires

    Hath quencht, and vanquisht the iniquitous!

    280 Ezra the seer, doctor of Law, and priest

    Himself (who, after full times, back did lead

    The captive People), with the Spirit filled

    Of memory, restored by word of mouth

    All the seers' volumes, by the fires and mould176

    285 Consumed.

    Great above all born from seed

    Is John whose praises hardly shall we skill

    To tell: the washer177 of the flesh: the Lord's

    Open forerunner; washer,178 too, of Christ,

    Himself first born again from Him: the first

    290 Of the new convenant, last of the old,

    Was he; and for the True Way's sake he died,

    The first slain victim.

    See God-Christ! behold

    Alike, His Twelve-Fold Warrior-Youth!179 in all

    One faith, one dove, one power; the flower of men;

    295 Lightening the world180 with light; comrades of Christ

    And apostolic men; who, speaking truth,

    Heard with their ears Salvation,181 with their eyes

    Saw It, and handled with their hand the late

    From death recovered body,182 and partook

    300 As fellow-guests of food therewith, as they

    Themselves bear witness.

    Him did Paul as well (Forechosen apostle, and in due time sent),

    When rapt into the heavens,183 behold: and sent

    By Him, he, with his comrade Barnabas,

    305 And with the earlier associates

    Joined in one league together, everywhere

    Among the Gentiles hands the doctrine down

    That Christ is Head, whose members are the Church,

    He the salvation of the body, He

    310 The members' life perennial;

    He, made flesh, He, ta'en away for all, Himself first rose

    Again, salvation's only hope; and gave

    The norm to His disciples: they at once

    All variously suffered, for His Name,

    315 Unworthy penalties.

    Such members bears

    With beauteous body the free mother, since

    She never her Lord's precepts left behind,

    And in His home hath grown old, to her Lord

    Ever most choice, having for His Name's sake

    320 Penalties suffered. For since, barren once,

    Not yet secure of her futurity,

    She hath outgiven a people born of seed

    Celestial, and184 been spurned, and borne the spleen185

    Of her own handmaid; now 'tis time to see

    325 This former-barren mother have a son

    The heir of her own liberty; not like

    The handmaid's heir, yoked in estate to her,

    Although she bare him from celestial seed

    Conceived. Far be it that ye should with words

    330 Unlawful, with rash voice, collectively

    Without distinction, give men exemplary

    (Heaven's glowing constellations, to the mass

    Of men conjoined by seed alone or blood),

    The rugged bondman's186 name; or that one think

    335 That he may speak in servile style about

    A People who the mandates followed

    Of the Lord's Law. No: but we mean the troop

    Of sinners, empty, mindless, who have placed

    God's promises in a mistrustful heart;

    340 Men vanquisht by the miserable sweet

    Of present life: that troop would have been bound

    Capital slavery to undergo,

    By their own fault, if sin's cause shall impose

    Law's yoke upon the mass. For to serve God,

    345 And be whole-heartedly intent thereon,

    Untainted faith, and freedom, is thereto

    Prepared spontaneous.

    The just fathers, then, And holy stainless prophets, many, sang

    The future advent of the Lord; and they

    350 Faithfully testify what Heaven bids

    To men profane: with them the giants,187 men

    With Christ's own glory satiated, made

    The consorts of His virtue, filling up

    The hallowed words, have stablished our faith;

    355 By facts predictions proving.

    Of these men

    Disciples who succeeded them throughout

    The orb, men wholly filled with virtue's breath,

    And our own masters, have assigned to us

    Honours conjoined with works.

    Of whom the first

    360 Whom Peter bade to take his place and sit

    Upon this chair in mightiest Rome where he

    Himself had sat,188 was Linus, great, elect,

    And by the mass approved. And after him

    Cletus himself the fold's flock undertook;

    365 As his successor Anacletus was

    By lot located: Clement follows him;

    Well known was he to apostolic men:189

    Next Evaristus ruled without a crime

    The law.190 To Sixtus Sextus Alexander

    370 Commends the fold: who, after he had filled

    His lustral times up, to Telesphorus

    Hands it in order: excellent was he,

    And martyr faithful. After him succeeds

    A comrade in the law,191 and master sure:

    375 When lo! the comrade of your wickedness,

    Its author and forerunner-Cerdo highs-

    Arrived at Rome, smarting with recent wounds:

    Detected, for that he was scattering

    Voices and words of venom stealthily:

    380 For which cause, driven from the band, he bore

    This sacrilegious brood, the dragon's breath

    Engendering it. Blooming in piety

    United stood the Church of Rome, compact

    By Peter: whose successor, too, himself,

    385 And now in the ninth place, Hyginus was,

    The burden undertaking of his chair.

    After him followed Pius-Hermas his

    Own brother192 was; angelic "Pastor" he,

    Because he spake the words delivered him:193

    390 And Anicetus194 the allotted post

    In pious order undertook.'Neath whom

    Marcion here coming, the new Pontic pest,

    (The secret daring deed in his own heart

    Not yet disclosed,) went, speaking commonly,

    395 In all directions, in his perfidy,

    With lurking art. But after he began

    His deadly arrows to produce, cast off

    Deservedly (as author of a crime

    So savage), reprobated by the saints,

    400 He burst, a wondrous monster! on our view.

    Book IV.-Of Marcion's Antitheses.195

    What the Inviolable Power bids

    The youthful people,196 which, rich, free, and heir,

    Possesses an eternal hope of praise

    (By right assigned) is this: that with great zeal

    5 Burning, armed with the love of peace-yet not

    As teachers (Christ alone doth all things teach197 ),

    But as Christ's household-servants-o'er the earth

    They should conduct a massive war;198 should raze

    The wicked's lofty towers, savage walls,

    10 And threats which 'gainst the holy people's bands

    Rise, and dissolve such empty sounds in air.

    Wherefore we, justly speaking emulous words,199

    Out of his200 own words even strive to express

    The meaning of salvation's records,201 which Is

    15 Large grace hath poured profusely; and to ope

    To the saints' eyes the Bandit's202 covert plague:

    Lest any untrained, daring, ignorant,

    Fall therein unawares, and (being caught)

    Forfeit celestial gifts. God, then, is One

    20 To mortals all and everywhere; a Realm

    Eternal, Origin of light profound;

    Life's Fount; a Draught fraught203 with all wisdom. HE

    Produced the orb whose bosom all things girds;

    Him not a region, not a place, includes as

    25 In circuit: matter none perennial is,204

    So as to be self-made, or to have been

    Ever, created by no Maker: heaven's,

    Earth's, sea's, and the abyss's205 Settler206 is

    The Spirit; air's Divider, Builder, Author,

    30 Sole God perpetual, Power immense, is He.207

    Him had the Law the People208 shown to be

    One God,209 whose mighty voice to Moses spake

    Upon the mount. Him this His Virtue, too,

    His Wisdom, Glory, Word, and Son, this Light

    35 Begotten from the Light immense,210 proclaims

    Through the seers' voices, to be One: and Paul,211

    Taking the theme in order up, thus too

    Himself derives; "Father there is One212

    Through whom were all things made: Christ One, through whom

    40 God all things made; "213 to whom he plainly owns

    That every knee doth bow itself;214 of whom

    Is every fatherhood215 in heaven and earth

    Called: who is zealous with the highest love

    Of parent-care His people-ward; and wills

    45 All flesh to live in holy wise, and wills

    His people to appear before Him pure

    Without a crime. With such zeal, by a law216

    Guards He our safety; warns us loyal be;

    Chastens; is instant. So, too, has the same

    50 Apostle (when Galatian brethren

    Chiding)-Paul-written that such zeal hath he.217

    The fathers'sins God freely rendered, then,

    Slaying in whelming deluge utterly Parents alike with progeny, and e'en

    55 Grandchildren in "fourth generation"218 now

    Descended from the parent-stock, when He

    Has then for nearly these nine hundred years

    Assisted them. Hard does the judgment seem?

    The sentence savage? And in Sodom, too,

    60 That the still guiltless little one unarmed

    And tender should lose life: for what had e'er

    The infant sinned? What cruel thou mayst think,

    Is parent-care's true duty. Lest misdeed

    Should further grow, crime's authors He did quench,

    65 And sinful parents' brood. But, with his sires,

    The harmless infant pays not penalties

    Perpetual, ignorant and not advanced

    In crime: but lest he partner should become

    Of adult age's guilt, death immature

    70 Undid spontaneous future ills.

    Why, then,

    Bids God libation to be poured to Him

    With blood of sheep? and takes so stringent means

    By Law, that, in the People, none transgress

    Erringly, threatening them with instant death

    75 By stoning? and why reprobates, again,

    These gifts of theirs, and says they are to Him

    Unwelcome, while He chides a People press

    With swarm of sin?219 Does He, the truthful, bid,

    And He, the just, at the same time repel?

    80 The causes if thou seekst, cease to be moved

    Erringly: for faith's cause is weightier

    Than fancied reason.220 Through a mirror221 -shade

    Of fulgent light!-behold what the calf's blood,

    The heifer's ashes, and each goat, do mean:

    85 The one dismissed goes off, the other falls

    A victim at the temple.

    With calfs blood

    With water mixt the seer222 (thus from on high

    Bidden) besprinkled People, vessels all,

    Priests, and the written volumes of the Law.

    90 See here not their true hope, nor yet a mere

    Semblance devoid of virtue:223 but behold

    In the calf's type Christ destined bodily

    To suffer; who upon His shoulders bare

    The plough-beam's hard yokes,224 and with fortitude

    95 Brake His own heart with the steel share, and poured

    Into the furrows water of His own

    Life's blood. For these "temple-vessels" do

    Denote our bodies: God's true temple225 He,

    Not dedicated erst; for to Himself

    100 He by His blood associated men,

    And willed them be His body's priests, Himself

    The Supreme Father's perfect Priest by right.

    Hearing, sight, step inert, He cleansed; and, for a "book,"226

    Sprinkled, by speaking.227 words of presage, those

    105 His witnesses: demonstrating the Law

    Bound by His holy blood.

    This cause withal Our victim through "the heifer" manifests

    From whose blood taking for the People's sake

    Piacular drops, them the first Levite228 bare

    110 Within the veil; and, by God's bidding, burned

    Her corse without the camp's gates; with whose ash

    He cleansed lapsed bodies. Thus our Lord (who us

    By His own death redeemed), without the camp229

    Willingly suffering the violence

    115 Of an iniquitous People, did fulfil

    The Law, by facts predictions proving;230 who

    A people of contamination full

    Doth truly cleanse, conceding all things, as

    The body's Author rich; within heaven's veil

    120 Gone with the blood which-One for many's deaths-

    He hath outpoured.

    A holy victim, then,

    Is meet for a great priest; which worthily

    He, being perfect, may be proved to have,

    And offer. He a body hath: this is

    125 For mortals a live victim; worthy this

    Of great price did He offer, One for all.

    The231 semblance of the "goats" teaches that they

    Are men exiled out of the "peoples twain"232

    As barren;233 fruitless both; (of whom the Lord

    130 Spake also, in the Gospel, telling how

    The kids are severed from the sheep, and stand

    On the left hand234 ): that some indeed there are

    Who for the Lord's Name's sake have suffered: thus

    That fruit has veiled their former barrenness:

    135 And such, the prophet teaches, on the ground

    Of that their final merit worthy are

    Of the Lord's altar: others, cast away

    (As was th' iniquitous rich man, we read,

    By Lazarus235 ), are such as have remained

    140 Exiled, persistent in their stubbornness.

    Now a veil, hanging in the midst, did both

    Dissever,236 and had into portions twain

    Divided the one shrine.237 The inner parts

    Were called "Holies of holiest" Stationed there

    145 An altar shone, noble with gold; and there,

    At the same time, the testaments and ark

    Of the Law's tablets; covered wholly o'er

    With lambs'skins238 dyed with heaven's hue; within

    Gold-clad;239 and all between of wood. Here are so

    150 The tablets of the Law; here is the urn

    Replete with manna; here is Aaron's rod

    Which puts forth germens of the cross240 -unlike

    The cross itself, yet born of storax-tree241 -And over it-in uniformity

    155 Fourfold-the cherubim their pinions spread,

    And the inviolable sanctities242

    Covered obediently.243 Without the veil

    Part of the shrine stood open: facing it,

    Heavy with broad brass, did an altar stand;

    160 And with two triple sets (on each side one)

    Of branches woven with the central stem,

    A lampstand, and as many244 lamps:

    The golden substance wholly filled with light

    The temple.245

    Thus the temple's outer face,

    165 Common and open, does the ritual

    Denote, then, of a people lingering

    Beneath the Law; amid whose246 gloom there shone

    The Holy Spirit's sevenfold unity

    Ever, the People sheltering.247 And thus

    170 The Lampstand True and living Lamps do shine

    Persistently throughout the Law and Seers

    On men subdued in heart. And for a type

    Of earth,248 the altar-so tradition says-

    Was made. Here constantly, in open space,

    175 Before all eyes were visible of old

    The People's "works,"249 which ever-"not without

    Blood"250 -it did offer, shedding out the gore

    Of lawless life.251 There, too, the Lord-Himself

    Made victim on behalf of all-denotes

    180 The whole earth252 -altar in specific sense.

    Hence likewise that new covenant author, whom

    No language can describe, Disciple John,

    Testifies that beneath such altar he

    Saw souls which had for Christ's name suffered,

    185 Praying the vengeance of the mighty God

    Upon their slaughter.253 There,254 meantime, is rest.

    In some unknown part there exists a spot

    Open, enjoying its own light; 'tis called

    "Abraham's bosom; "high above the glooms,255

    190 And far removed from fire, yet 'neath the earth.256

    The brazen altar this is called, whereon

    (We have recorded) was a dusky veil.257

    This veil divides both parts, and leaves the one

    Open, from the eternal one distinct

    195 In worship and time's usage. To itself'

    Tis not unfriendly, though of fainter love,

    By time and space divided, and yet linked

    By reason.'Tis one house, though by a veil

    Parted it seems: and thus (when the veil burst,

    200 On the Lord's passion) heavenly regions oped

    And holy vaults,258 and what was double erst

    Became one house perennial. Order due

    Traditionally has interpreted

    The inner temple of the people called

    205 After Christ's Name, with worship heavenly,

    God's actual mandates following; (no "shade".

    Is herein bound, but persons real;259 ) complete

    By the arrival of the "perfect things."260

    The ark beneath a type points out to us

    210 Christ's venerable body, joined, through "wood,"261

    With sacred Spirit: the aërial262 skins

    Are flesh not born of seed, outstretcht on "wood; "263

    At the same time, with golden semblance fused,264

    Within, the glowing Spirit joined is

    215 Thereto; that, with peace265 granted, flesh might bloom

    With Spirit mixt. Of the Lord's flesh, again,

    The urn, golden and full, a type doth bear.

    Itself denotes that the new covenant's Lord

    Is manna; in that He, true heavenly Bread,

    220 Is, and hath by the Father been transfused266

    Into that bread which He hath to His saints

    Assigned for a pledge: this Bread will He

    Give perfectly to them who (of good works

    The lovers ever) have the bonds of peace

    225 Kept. And the double tablets of the law

    Written all over, these, at the same time,

    Signify that that Law was ever hid

    In Christ, who mandate old and new fulfilled,

    Ark of the Supreme Father as He is,

    230 Through whom He, being rich, hath all things given.

    The storax-rod, too, nut's fruit bare itself;

    (The virgin's semblance this, who bare in blood

    A body:) on the "wood"267 conjoined 'twill lull

    Death's bitter, which within sweet fruit doth lurk,

    235 By virtue of the Holy Spirit's grace:

    Just as Isaiah did predict "a rod"

    From Jesse's seed268 -Mary-from which a flower

    Issues into the orb.

    The altar bright with gold

    Denotes the heaven on high, whither ascend

    240 Prayers holy, sent up without crime: the Lord

    This "altar" spake of, where if one doth gifts

    Offer, he must first reconciliate

    Peace with his brother:269 thus at length his prayers

    Can flame unto the stars. Christ, Victor sole

    245 And foremost.270 Priest, thus offered incense born

    Not of a tree, but prayers.271 The cherubim272

    Being, with twice two countenances, one,

    And are the one word through fourfold order led;273

    The hoped comforts of life's mandate new,

    250 Which in their plenitude Christ bare Himself

    Unto us from the Father. But the wings

    In number four times six,274 the heraldings

    Of the old world denote, witnessing things

    Which, we are taught, were after done. On these275

    255 The heavenly words fly through the orb: with these

    Christ's blood is likewise held context, so told

    Obscurely by the seers' presaging mouth.

    The number of the wings doth set a seal

    Upon the ancient volumes; teaching us

    260 Those twenty-four have certainly enough

    Which sang the Lord's ways and the times of peace:

    These all, we see, with the new covenant

    Cohere. Thus also John; the Spirit thus

    To him reveals that in that number stand

    265 The enthroned elders white276 and crowned, who (as

    With girding-rope) all things surround, before

    The Lord's throne, and upon the glassy sea

    Subigneous: and four living creatures, winged

    And full of eyes within and outwardly,

    270 Do signify that hidden things are oped,

    And all things shut are at the same time seen,

    In the word's eye. The glassy flame-mixt sea

    Means that the laver's gifts, with Spirit fused

    Therein, upon believers are conferred.

    275 Who could e'en tell what the Lord's parentcare

    Before His judgment-seat, before His bar,

    Prepared hath? that such as willing be

    His forum and His judgment for themselves

    To antedate, should 'scape! that who thus hastes

    280 Might find abundant opportunity!

    Thus therefore Law and wondrous prophets sang;

    Thus all parts of the covenant old and new,

    Those sacred rights and pregnant utterances

    Of words, conjoined, do flourish. Thus withal,

    285 Apostles' voices witness everywhere;

    Nor aught of old, in fine, but to the new

    Is joined.

    Thus err they, and thus facts retort

    Their sayings, who to false ways have declined;

    And from the Lord and God, eternal King,

    290 Who such an orb produced, detract, and seek

    Some other deity 'neath feigned name,

    Bereft of minds, which (frenzied) they have lost;

    Willing to affirm that Christ a stranger is

    To the Law; nor is the world's277 Lord; nor doth will

    295 Salvation of the flesh; nor was Himself

    The body's Maker, by the Father's power.278

    Them must we flee, stopping (unasked) our ears;

    Lest with their speech they stain innoxious hearts.

    Let therefore us, whom so great grace279 of God

    300 Hath penetrated, and the true celestial words

    Of the great Master-Teacher in good ways

    Have trained, and given us right monuments;280

    Pay honour ever to the Lord, and sing

    Endlessly, joying in pure faith, and sure

    305 Salvation. Born of the true God, with bread

    Perennial are we nourished, and hope

    With our whole heart after eternal life.

    Book V.-General Reply to Sundry of Marcion's Heresies.281

    The first Book did the enemy's words recall In

    order, which the senseless renegade

    Composed and put forth lawlessly; hence, too,

    Touched briefly flesh's hope, Christ's victory,

    5 And false ways' speciousness. The next doth teach

    The Law's conjoined mysteries, and what

    In the new covenant the one God hath

    Delivered. The third shows the race, create

    From freeborn mother, to be ministers

    10 Sacred to seers and patriarchs;282 whom Thou,

    O Christ, in number twice six out of all,283

    Chosest; and, with their names, the lustral284 times

    Of our own elders noted, (times preserved

    On record,) showing in whose days appeared i

    15 The author285 of this wickedness, unknown,

    Lawless, and roaming, cast forth286 with his brood.

    The fourth, too, the piacular rites recalls

    Of the old Law themselves, and shows them types

    In which the Victim True appeared, by saints

    20 Expected long since, with the holy Seed.

    This fifth doth many twists and knots untie,

    Rolls wholly into sight what ills soe'er

    Were lurking; drawing arguments, but not

    Without attesting prophet.

    And although

    25 With strong arms fortified we vanquish foes,

    Yet hath the serpent mingled so at once

    All things polluted, impious, unallowed,

    Commaculate, -the blind's path without light!

    A voice contaminant!-that, all the while

    30 We are contending the world's Maker is

    Himself sole God, who also spake by voice

    Of seers, and proving that there is none else

    Unknown; and, while pursuing Him with praise,

    Who is by various endearment287 known,

    35 Are blaming-among other fallacies-

    The Unknown's tardy times: our subject's fault

    Will scarce keep pure our tongue. Yet, for all that,

    Guile's many hidden venoms us enforce

    (Although with double risk288 ) to ope our words.

    40 Who, then, the God whom ye say is the true,

    Unknown to peoples, alien, in a word,

    To all the world?289 Him whom none knew before?

    Came he from high? If 'tis his own290 he seeks,

    Why seek so late? If not his own, why rob

    45 Bandit-like? and why ply with words unknown

    So oft throughout Law's rein a People still

    Lingering 'neath the Law? If, too, he comes

    To pity and to succour all combined,

    And to re-elevate men vanquisht quite

    50 By death's funereal weight, and to release

    Spirit from flesh's bond obscene, whereby

    The inner man (iniquitously dwarfed)

    Is held in check; why, then, so late appear

    His ever-kindness, duteous vigilance?

    55 How comes it that he ne at all before

    Offered himself to any, but let slip

    Poor souls in numbers?291 and then with his mouth

    Seeks to regain another's subjects: ne'er

    Expected; not known; sent into the orb.

    60 Seeking the "ewe" he had not lost before,

    The Shepherd ought292 to have disrobed himself

    Of flesh, as if his victor-self withal

    Had ever been a spirit, and as such293

    Willed to rescue all expelled souls,

    65 Without a body, everywhere, and leave

    The spoiled flesh to earth; wholly to fill

    The world294 on one day equally with corpses

    To leave the orb void; and to raise the souls

    To heaven. Then would human progeny

    70 At once have ceased to be born; nor had

    Thereafter any scion of your295 kith

    Been born, or spread a new pest296 o'er the orb.

    Or (since at that time297 none of all these things

    Is shown to have been done) he should have set

    75 A bound to future race; with solid heart

    Nuptial embraces would he, in that case

    Have sated quite;298 made men grow torpid, reft

    Of fruitful seed; made irksome intercourse

    With female sex; and closed up inwardly

    80 The flesh's organs genital: our mind

    Had had no will, no potent faculty

    Our body: after this the "inner man"

    Could withal, joined with blood,299 have been infused

    And cleaved to flesh, and would have ever been

    85 Perishing. Ever perishes the "ewe: "

    And is there then no power of saving her?

    Since man is ever being born beneath

    Death's doom, what is the Shepherd's work, if thus

    The "ewe" is stated300 to be found? Unsought

    90 In that case, but not rescued, she is proved.

    But now choice is allowed of entering

    Wedlock, as hath been ever; and that choice

    Sure progeny hath yoked: nations are born

    And folk scarce numerable, at whose birth

    95 Their souls by living bodies are received;

    Nor was it meet that Paul (though, for the time,

    He did exhort some few, discerning well

    The many pressures of a straitened time)

    To counsel men in like case to abide

    100 As he himself:301 for elsewhere he has bidden

    The tender ages marry, nor defraud

    Each other, but their compact's dues discharge.

    But say, whose suasion hash, with fraud astute,

    Made you "abide," and in divided love

    105 Of offspring live secure, and commit crime

    Adulterous, and lose your life? and, though

    'Tis perishing, belie (by verbal name)

    That fact.. For which cause all the so sweet sounds

    Of his voice pours he forth, that "you must do,

    110 Undaunted, whatsoever pleases you; "

    Outwardly chaste, stealthily stained with crime!

    Of honourable wedlock, by this plea,302

    He hath deprived you. But why more? 'Tis well

    (Forsooth) to be disjoined! for the world, too,

    115 Expedient 'tis! lest any of your seed

    Be born! Then will death's organs303 cease at length!

    The while you hope salvation to retain,

    Your "total man" quite loses part of man,

    With mind profane: but neither is man said

    120 To be sole spirit, nor the flesh is called

    "The old man; "nor unfriendly are the flesh

    And spirit, the true man combined in one,

    The inner, and he whom you call "old foe; "304

    Nor are they seen to have each his own set

    125 Of senses. One is ruled; the other rules,

    Groans, joys, grieves, loves; himself305 to his own flesh

    Most dear, too; through which306 his humanity

    Is visible, with which commixt he is

    Held ever: to its wounds he care applies;

    130 And pours forth tears; and nutriments of food

    Takes, through its limbs, often and eagerly:

    This hopes he to have ever with himself

    Immortal; o'er its fracture doth he groan;

    And grieves to quit it limb by limb: fixt time

    135 Death lords it o'er the unhappy flesh; that so

    From light dust it may be renewed, and death

    Unfriendly fail at length, when flesh, released,

    Rises again. This will that victory be

    Supreme and long expected, wrought by Him,

    140 The aye-to-be-revered, who did become

    True man; and by His Father's virtue won: Who

    man's redeemed limbs unto the heavens

    Hath raised,307 and richly opened access up

    Thither in hope, first to His nation; then

    145 To those among all tongues in whom His work

    Is ever doing: Minister imbued

    With His Sire's parent-care, seen by the eye

    Of the Illimitable, He performed,

    By suffering, His missions.308

    What say now

    150 The impious voices? what th' abandoned crew?

    If He Himself, God the Creator's self,

    Gave not the Law,309 He who from Egypt's vale310

    Paved in the waves a path, and freely gave

    The seats which He had said of old, why comes

    155 He in that very People and that land

    Aforesaid? and why rather sought He not

    Some other311 peoples or some rival312 realms?

    Why, further, did He teach that, through the seers,

    (With Name foretold in full, yet not His own,)

    160 He had been often sung of? Whence, again,

    Could He have issued baptism's kindly gifts,

    Promised by some one else, as His own works?

    These gifts men who God's mandates had transgressed,

    And hence were found polluted, longed for,

    165 And begged a pardoning rescue from fierce death.

    Expected long, they313 came: but that to those

    Who recognised them when erst heard, and now

    Have recognised them, when in due time found,

    Christ's true hand is to give them, this, with voice

    170 Paternal, the Creator-Sire Himself

    Warns ever from eternity, and claims;

    And thus the work of virtue which He framed,

    And still frames, arms, and fosters, and doth now

    Victorious look down on and reclothe

    175 With His own light, should with perennial praise Abide.314

    What315 hath the Living Power done

    To make men recosnise what God can give

    And maul can suffer, and thus live?316 But since

    Neither predictions earlier nor facts

    180 The latest can suede senseless frantic317 men

    That God became a man, and (after He

    Had suffered and been buried) rose; that they

    May credit those so many witnesses

    Harmonious,318 who of old did cry aloud

    185 With heavenly word, let them both319 learn to trust

    At least terrestrial reason.

    When the Lord

    Christ came to be, as flesh, born into the orb

    In time of king Augustus' reign at Rome,

    First, by decree, the nations numbered are

    190 By census everywhere: this measure, then,

    This same king chanced to pass, because the Will

    Supreme, in whose high reigning hand doth lie

    The king's heart, had impelled him:320 he was first

    To do it, and the enrolment was reduced

    195 To orderly arrangement. Joseph then

    Likewise, with his but just delivered wife

    Mary,321 with her celestial Son alike,

    Themselves withal are numbered. Let, then, such

    As trust to instruments of human skill,

    200 Who may (approving of applying them

    As attestators of the holy word)

    Inquire into this census, if it be

    But found so as we say, then afterwards

    Repent they and seek pardon while time still

    205 Is had322

    The Jews, who own323 to having wrought

    A grave crime, while in our disparagement

    They glow, and do resist us, neither call

    Christ's family unknown, nor can324 affirm

    They hanged a man, who spake truth, on a tree:325

    210 Ignorant that the Lord's flesh which they bound326

    Was not seed-gendered. But, while partially

    They keep a reticence, so partially

    They triumph; for they strive to represent

    God to the peoples commonly as man.

    215 Behold the error which o'ercomes you both!327

    This error will our cause assist, the while,

    We prove to you those things which certain are.

    They do deny Him God; you falsely call

    Him man, a body bodiless! and ah!

    220 A various insanity of mind

    Sinks you; which him who hath presumed to hint

    You both do, sinking, sprinkle:328 for His deeds

    Will then approve Him man alike and God

    Commingled, and the world329 will furnish signs

    225 No few.

    While then the Son Himself of God

    Is seeking to regain the flesh's limbs,330

    Already robed as King, He doth sustain

    Blows from rude palms; with spitting covered is

    His face; a thorn-inwoven crown His head

    230 Pierces all round; and to the tree331 Himself

    Is fixed; wine drugged with myrrh,332 is drunk, and gall333

    Is mixt with vinegar; parted His robe,334

    And in it335 lots are cast; what for himself

    Each one hath seized he keeps; in murky gloom,

    235 As God from fleshly body silently

    Outbreathes His soul, in darkness trembling day

    Took refuge with the sun; twice dawned one day;

    Its centre black night covered: from their base

    Mounts move in circle, wholly moved was earth,

    240 Saints'sepulchres stood ope, and all things Joined

    In fear to see His passion whom they knew!

    His lifeless side a soldier with bare spear

    Pierces, and forth flows blood, nor water less

    Thence followed. These facts they336 agree to hide,

    245 And are unwilling the misdeed to own,

    Willing to blink the crime.

    Can spirit, then,

    Without a body wear a robe? or is't

    Susceptible of penalty? the wound

    Of violence does it bear? or die? or rise?

    250 Is blood thence poured? from what flesh. since ye say

    He had none? or else, rather, feigned He? if

    'Tis safe for you to say so; though you do

    (Headlong) so say, by passing over more

    In silence. Is not, then, faith manifest?

    255 And are not all things fixed? The day before

    He then337 should suffer, keeping Passover,

    And handing down a memorable rite338

    To His disciples, taking bread alike

    And the vine's juice, "My body, and My blood

    260 Which is poured339 for you, this is," did He say;

    And bade it ever afterward be done.

    Of what created elements were made,

    Think ye, the bread and wine which were (He said)

    His body with its blood? and what must be

    265 Confessed? Proved He not Himself the world's340

    Maker, through deeds? and that He bore at once

    A body formed from flesh and blood?

    This God

    This true Man, too, the Father's Virtue 'neath

    An Image,341 with the Father ever was,

    270 United both in glory and in age;342

    Because alone He ministers the words

    Of the All-Holder; whom He343 upon earth

    Accepts;344 through whom He all things did create:

    God's Son, God's dearest Minister, is He!

    275 Hence hath He generation, hence Name too,

    Hence, finally, a kingdom; Lord from Lord;

    Stream from perennial Fount! He, He it was

    Who to the holy fathers (whosoe'er

    Among them doth profess to have "seen God"345 )-

    200 God is our witness-since the origin

    Of this our world,346 appearing, opened up

    The Father's words of promise and of charge

    From heaven high: He led the People out;

    Smote through th'iniquitous nation; was Himself

    285 The column both of light and of cloud's shade;

    And dried the sea; and bids the People go

    Right through the waves, the foe therein involved

    And covered with the flood and surge: a way

    Through deserts made He for the followers

    290 Of His high biddings; sent down bread in showers347

    From heaven for the People; brake the rock;

    Bedewed with wave the thirsty;348 and from God

    The mandate of the Law to Moses spake

    With thunder, trumpet-sound, and flamey column

    295 Terrible to the sight, while men's hearts shook.

    After twice twenty years, with months complete,

    Jordan was parted; a way oped; the wave

    Stood in a mass; and the tribes shared the land,

    Their fathers' promised boons! The Father's word,

    300 Speaking Himself by prophets' mouth, that He349

    Would come to earth and be a man, He did

    Predict; Christ manifestly to the earth

    Foretelling.

    Then, expected for our aid,

    Life's only Hope, the Cleanser of our flesh,350

    305 Death's Router, from th' Almighty Sire's empire

    At length He came, and with our human limbs

    He clothed Him. Adam-virgin-dragon-tree,351

    The cause of ruin, and the way whereby

    Rash death us all had vanquisht! by the same

    310 Our Shepherd treading, seeking to regain

    His sheep-with angel-virgin-His own flesh-

    And the "tree's" remedy;352 whence vanquisht man

    And doomed to perish was aye wont to go

    To meet his vanquisht peers; hence, inter-posed,

    315 One in all captives' room, He did sustain

    In body the unfriendly penalty

    With patience; by His own death spoiling death;

    Becomes salvation's cause; and, having paid

    Throughly our debts by throughly suffering

    320 On earth, in holy body, everything,

    Seeks the infern! here souls, bound for their crime,

    Which shut up all together by Law's weight,

    Without a guard,353 were asking for the boons

    Promised of old, hoped for, and tardy, He

    325 To the saints'rest admitted, and, with light,

    Brought back. For on the third day mounting up,354

    A victor, with His body by His Sire's

    Virtue immense, (salvation's pathway made,)

    And bearing God and man is form create,

    330 He clomb the heavens, leading back with Him

    Captivity's first-fruits (a welcome gift

    And a dear figure355 to the Lord), and took

    His seat beside light's Father, and resumed

    The virtue and the glory of which, while

    335 He was engaged in vanquishing the foe

    He had been stripped;356 conjoined with Spirit; bound

    With flesh, on our part. Him, Lord, Christ, King, God,

    Judgment and kingdom given to His hand,

    The father is to send unto the orb.

    (N.B.-It has been impossible to note the changes which I have had to make in the text of the Latin. In some cases they will suggest themselves to any scholar who may compare the translation with the original; and in others I must be content to await a more fitting opportunity, if such ever arise, for discussing them.)

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