One possessed with a devil
Beelzebub. Of Blasphemy, and of Words.
(The Gospel History, Section 92)
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb man spake and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Is this the Son of David? But when the Pharisees and scribes which came down from Jerusalem heard it, they said, He hath Beelzebub: and, By the prince of the devils casteth he out the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
One possessed with a devil
(The Saviour of the World, Vol VI Book III Poem XXXI)
Now, see you, Armageddon’s field is here
In this same house. What stirs the folk to fear?
A sullen, silent man in raging mood,
Scowling and violent, brake through the crowd
And came where Jesus stood; blind eyes of hate
Glared hard on the mild Lord, nor would he ’bate
His murderous wrath, nor, sightless, lower lids
For all the men could do: lo, Jesus bids;
Sudden, the devil goes; the blind eyes see;
The dumb lips speak the Lord’s dear clemency:
Poor man, he was released; a gentle soul,
Set free from demoniacal control!
Be there no more the Lord of love t’ oppose
Than fearful brethren sore aware of foes,
And the dislodgéd devil seeking place
Where best to hinder Christ’s converting grace?
“Is this the Son of David?” people cried:
But there were those come thither to deride;
From the City journeyed they to track him down,
With subtleties to thwart, in northern town,
Provincial.
“Good people there, make way;
Let’s hear what this Pretender hath to say,
That He makes bold with God’s peculiar right,
Constraining devils, giving blind men sight.
Not far to seek, the power by which He wrought;—
What, know ye not, Beelzebub hath caught
The witless ever by this same device:—
First, in his toils some soul doth he entice;
Then, bids his devils go, possess the man;
Calls forth another slave, unfolds his plan,
Bids him depart, set free the man possess’d;—
‘So men the more shall follow my behest;
What he believes in orders a man’s ways,
And these, convinced, shall serve me all their days’:
Now, do ye know the secret of His power
Who hath done works before you this same hour.”
The fickle crowd lent a too facile ear;—
“The rulers, sure, know best; how shall’t appear
Which of the twain is right? We’ll offer test;
This Rabbi works good works be it confess’d,
But, be they works of God? Or is it true
The devil for ill ends good works will do?”
Then, turning to the Lord, these men cried out,
(One minute, quick to praise, the next, to flout),
“Rabbi, we know those works done in our midst,
That devils themselves perform the thing thou bidd’st;
But, say, whence comes this marv’llous power of Thine?
Give sign from heaven that we may know’t divine!”
St. Luke xi. 14, 15, 16.
St. Matthew xii. 22–24.
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