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: for His deeds
Will then approve Him man alike and God
Commingled, and the world will furnish signs
225 No few.
While then the Son Himself of God
Is seeking to regain the flesh’s limbs,
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 tree Himself
Is fixed; wine drugged with myrrh, is drunk, and gall
Is mixt with vinegar; parted His robe,
And in it 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 they 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 then should suffer, keeping Passover,
And handing down a memorable rite
To His disciples, taking bread alike
And the vine’s juice, “My body, and My blood
260 Which is poured for you, this is,” did He say;
And bade it ever afterward be done.