'But though I speak thus of the vanishing Of all this fabric of a mighty state, All this imperial pomp and power of Rome, And the succeeding of an order new, A heavenly kingdom with a heavenly King, Yet know, O judges, that in all good faith, I ever everywhere have taught and shown Loyal submission to the powers that be. By letter, ere I came myself to Rome, I charged this duty on my brethren here; I told them they could not in any wise Obedient be to God, and not obey The powers by Him set over them to rule: Ask my disciples, make them witnesses, They all will testify I taught them thus. Not that my life is such a prize to me; But I would have the holy name of Him Who bought me with His blood, and made of me A herald of His glorious grace to men-- Yea, I would have that ever-blesséd Name Pure of reproach through me before you all. 'I thank my judges that at least I may Thus freely speak once more before I die. A cloud of witnesses around me here Hangs in my eye; I might behold, beyond These and above, innumerably bright, Thick ranks of hovering angels beckoning me; But I stretch out my hands in suit to these, My fellows, and beseech them one and all, And you, my judges, I beseech--and would I might beseech the whole world with my voice Now speaking for its last time in men's ears!-- Be reconciled through Jesus Christ to God. With me it is a light thing to be judged Of men; albeit obeisance due I pay To this tribunal as ordained of God. But I look forward to be judged of One Before whose eyes the secrets of men's hearts Lie open like the pages of a book. And ye too all who judge me, and all these Who see me judged--yea, and himself, your head, The emperor, with his counsellors, and all That under earth slumber or in the sea, The living generations and the dead, One congregation and assembly called At last together whencesoever found, Shall stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. O, I adjure you and entreat you, hear Betimes my message sent from God to you. One advocate alone, none other, can Plead to the Father with effect for you. But He can, for it is the Judge Himself Will be your advocate, if but you will Now choose Him to be such, and He will speak For you with a resistless eloquence Of wounds shown in His hands and feet and side, Signs of His suffering borne in the behalf Of all those who will come to God by Him.