"2.Cor.5.19. God was in Christ Reconciling the World to Himself"
By
Katherine Philips
Transcription, correction, editorial commentary, and markup by Staff and Research Assistants at The University of Virginia, John O'Brien, Sara Brunstetter, Rachel Retica
110
2.Cor.5.19.CorinthiansCorinthians2 Corinthians 5:19, from the King James Bible:
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation." God was in Christ Reconciling the
World to himself.
1When God, contracted to Humanity,
2Could sigh and suffer, could be sick and die;
3When all the heap of Miracles combin'd
4To form the greatest, which was, save Mankind:
5Then God took stand in Christ, studying a way
6How to repair the Ruin'd World's decay.
7His Love, Pow'r, Wisdom, must some mean procure
8His Mercy to advance, Justice secure:
9And since Man in Misery was hurl'dhurledhurledPossibly a reference to
Adam and Eve ("Man") being hurled from the Garden of Eden into the the
world.,
10It cost him more to save thenthenthen Read as "than." make
the World.
11Oh! what a desp'rate load of sins had we,
12When God must plot for our Felicity?
13When God must beg us that he may forgive,
14And dye himself before Mankind could live?
15And what still are we, when our King in vain
16Begs his lost Rebels to be Friends again?
17What floods of Love proceed from Heaven's smile,
18At once to pardon and to reconcile?
19What God himself hath made he cannot hate,
20For 'tis one act to Love and to Create:
21And he's too perfect full of Majesty,
22To need additions from our Misery.
23He hath a Father's, not a Tyrant's, joy;
24Shews more his Pow'r to save, than to destroy.
25Did there ten thousand Worlds to ruine fall,
111
26One God could save, one Christ redeem them all.
27Be silent then, ye narrow Souls, take heed
28Lest you restrain the Mercy you will need.
29But, O my Soul, from these be different,
30Imitate thou a nobler Precedent:
31As God with open Arms the World does woo,
32Learn thou like God to be enlarged too;
33As he begs thy consent to pardon thee,
34Learn to submit unto thy Enemy;
35As he stands ready thee to entertain,
36Be thou as forward to return again;
37As he was Crucify'd for and by thee
38Crucifie thou what caus'd his Agony;
39And like to him be mortify'd to sin,
40Die to the World as he dy'd for it then.