Classic Poem

PARABLE LXX

The Second Birth.

There was a man of high degree
Amongst the Jews, a Pharisee,
The same to Jesus Christ repair'd
By night, and thus his mind declar'd:
Rabbi, we perfectly descry,
That thou'rt a teacher from on high;
For no man can so far transcend,
Unless his God his deeds attend.
To him Christ Jesus made reply,
In deed, in very deed, say I,
Except a man be born again,
He sees not Jesus in his reign
Then Nicodemus, In what sense
Can man in age new birth commence?
Can he return him to the womb,
And there his childhood re-assume?
Then Jesus thus th' objecter press'd,
'Tis truth, the very truth profess'd,
No man can Christ in pow'r confront,
But by the spirit and the font:
Then marvel not that I maintain,
Ye must indeed be born again
Where the wind listeth it can blow,
Thou hear'st the sound, but dost not know
Whence comes it, or what point to touch;
Men in the spirit born are such.
Then said the ruler, still in doubt,
How can these myst'ries be made out?
Then Christ, Art thou a master here
To whom these things do not appear?
In truth, in very truth direct,
We plainly speak from intellect,
And still bear witness from our eyes,
And ye our evidence despise
If earthly things ye not receive
At telling, how will you believe
If heav'nly things should be display'd?
For no man heav'ns ascent has made,
But He, the Son of man, profess'd,
That came from heav'n of heav'n possess'd.
For in the desart, as appear'd,
The serpent Jethro's son had rear'd:
Ev'n in such wise, on such a plan,
They shall lift up the Son of man,
That whosoe'er their hearts ally
To him, thro' faith, may never die,
But be to endless life consign'd
For God so greatly lov'd mankind,
That he gave up his Son and heir,
That whoso plac'd affiance there,
Should not in jeopardy be cast,
But be to life eternal pass'd
For God did not his Son degrade,
That all men should be convicts made,
But that they should thro' him be sav'd,
For he has condemnation stav'd,
Whoe'er on him their trust repose:
But condemnation waits on those
Already, who deny the name
Of God's begotten Son that came
And this is guilt, because the light
Illum'd the world divinely bright;
But men did rather love their gloom
Thro' evil deeds in dread of doom.
For men, whose ways are all unclean,
Hate light, nor chuse they to be seen,
Lest their foul deeds should be reprov'd:
But he, that did as best behov'd,
Seeks light, to have his workings known,
That they were done in God alone.