Religion & morality > Cloud of witnesses, for the royal prerogatives of Jesus Christ

C 34 3
He broke and burnt; divine and human laws,
Trod under foot; and to advance his caufe,
Made bloody violence the only claim,
Whereby he wore the royal diadem.
Being ferv’d with beafts devoid of human fenfe;
Much more of honour and of confcience;
Who flew God’s deareft faints in field and city,
’Gainft law and reafon, without fenfe and pity:
Whofe fharpeft fufferings could not aflwage,
Nor death itfelf allay their hellifh rage.
As if their bodies dead felt fenfe of pains,
Cut all in parts, they hung them up in chains:
Heads, legs, and arms, they plac’d on ev’ry port
Of burghs, or other places of refort,
As (landing trophies of their vi&ory,
O’er divine truth, and human liberty.
Well, have they kill’d, and ta’en poffeflion too?
Is this the utmoft that their rage cou’d do?
Only to fend Chrift’s loving iubje&s home,
To their dear country, where they long to come:
What matter where their dully parts do ly?
Interr’d on earth, or fitted up on high?
While as their fouls eternal anthems raife,
In fweet accents to their Redeemer’s praife.
And will not Zion’s King regain his crown?
Throwing fuch vain afpiring mortals down
Into that direful pit, from whence did flow
Thefe mills of pride, which did enchant them fo.
Come then, behold thefe noble witnefles
Adorn’d with holy zeal and faithfulnefs;
Who, like a cloud, do us inviron round.
Viewing (as ’twere what way we’ll (land our ground,
Let’s run our race with equal patience,
With eyes intent upon our recompenfe.