128 KEDEMPTION.
Bought with his own and Israel's royal blood, Trembled before the Infant's whisper'd name. For he had ask'd, and heard the record read "Though Bethlehem of Juda is the least, Yet out of her the Captain shall arise, To rule the people of the Lord of Hosts." Sinister grew the monarch's angry brow, Foreboding evil to the Son of Man ; Whilst with deceit as deep as was his guilt, He, summoning the Wisemen, artful ask'd, What time the star, which guided them, appear'd ; Then hastive sent them on their way, enjoin'd To bring him word, that he might come t' adore.
The Magi more delay not. Issu'ing forth, With joy exceeding, they pursue the star, Its zenith fix'd o'er where the young Child was, With virgin beams on Bethlehem clearly pour'd ; On Bethlehem Ephrata, who, though small, Was privileged thus, her Lord the first to see. The lowly roof they enter, and behold The queenly Mother with her royal Son. Except the glory circling round his head, Which clear jaspadean shines, no other beam Reveals the hidden God; for, since the day, On which he typical first shed his blood, Obedient to the law, the radiance, which The shepherds had allured, fading from view, Left but this circlet on his sacred brow. By this they know whom they so long had sought, A moment stand, inspired with sacred joy, With ears enravish'd drink the heav'nly sounds, Which now anew, from bright angelic harps,
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