Wash me, and dry these bitter tears, O let heart no further roam, 'Tis thine by vows, and hopes, and fears, Long since-O call thy wanderer home To that dear home, safe in Thy wounded side, hide. EASTER EVE. As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Zech. xi. 11. AT length the worst is o'er, and Thou art laid All still and cold beneath yon dreary stone Around those lips where power and mercy hung, The dull earth o'er Thee, and thy foes around, Thou sleep'st a silent corse, in funeral fetters wound. Sleep'st Thou indeed? or is thy spirit fled, Whether in Eden bowers thy welcome voice Or in some drearier scene thine eye controuls 'That, as thy blood won earth, thine agony Might set the shadowy realm from sin and sorrow free. 66 Where'er Thou roam'st, one happy soul, we know, Waits on thy triumph-even as all the blest Each on his cross, by Thee we hang a while, Till we have learn'd to say, ""Tis justly done, Only in glory, LORD, thy sinful servant own." Soon wilt Thou take us to thy tranquil bower Till thine elect are number'd, and the grave k St. Luke xxiii. 43. Then on thy bosom borne shall we descend, Again with earth to blend, Earth all refin'd with bright supernal fires, Tinctur'd with holy blood, and wing'd with pure desires. Meanwhile with every son and saint of thine Sitting by turns beneath thy sacred feet Know them by look and voice, and thank them all For words of hope, and bright examples given To shew through moonless skies that there is light in Heaven. O come that day, when in this restless heart When in the grave with Thee my limbs shall rest, But stay, presumptuous-CHRIST with thee abides In the rock's dreary sides: He from the stone will wring celestial dew If but the prisoner's heart be faithful found and true. When tears are spent, and thou art left alone Think thou art taken from the cross, and laid Take Moses' rod, the rod of prayer, and call The fount of holy blood; and lift on high Thy grovelling soul that feels so desolate and dry. Prisoner of Hope thou art look up and sing In hope of promis'd spring. As in the pit his father's darling lay Beside the desert way, m And knew not how, but knew his GoD would save So, buried with our LORD, we'll close our eyes 1 Zechariah ix. 12. m Gen. xxxvii. 24. Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope. They took him and cast him into a pit, and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. EASTER DAY. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. St. Luke xxiv. 5, 6. OH! day of days! shall hearts set free Enthroned in thy sovereign sphere year: Thou shedd'st thy light on all the And week-days, following in their train, The fullness of thy blessing gain, |