THE DA Y. [HORNE.] SWEET day, so cool, so calm, so bright, The dew shall weep thy fall to-night; Sweet rose, in airs whose odours wave, Thy root is ever in its grave, Sweet spring, of days and roses made, Be wise then, Christian, while you may, CHILDREN OF LIGHT. [BERNARD BARTON.] WALK in the light! so shalt thou know That fellowship of love, His Spirit only can bestow, Who reigns in light above. Walk in the light!-and sin, abhorred, Shall ne'er defile again; The blood of Jesus Christ, the Lord, Shall cleanse from every stain. Walk in the light!-and thou shalt find Who dwells in cloudless light enshrined, Walk in the light!-and thou shalt own Because that light hath on thee shone Walk in the light!-and e'en the tomb A DIALOGUE BETWEEN DEATH AND THE BELIEVER. [BAXTER.] Death. COME with me, poor mortal, Quickly come away: My name is dreadful Death. Through this narrow portal Come without delay; For here I'll stop thy breath. Presently my dart Shall pierce thee to the heart, And away thy life I'll have: Or any friend to try: For there's none that can thee save. Believer. Welcome, friendly Death; That I have cause to fear? Though thou shalt stop my breath, When thou shalt not be there. Where I shall defy thy dart : As armed by that shield That will save my nobler part. Death. Come away, frail man, And open now thy breast, And take thy mortal wound: Let friends do what they can, And physic do its best, They'll all too weak be found. Lay now aside thy mirth, I will give thee the fatal blow: Thou canst not save thy flesh For my power thou shalt know. Believer. Readily I come, As being not the first, That hath pass'd through thy docr. Thou shalt but help me home When thou hast done thy worst; And thou shalt be no more: By drawing out my blood, And ease me of my grief: That will give me full relief. Death. Thy flesh I'll turn to clay, And leave thee in the grave. Make no longer stay, For come away thou must; It is in vain to crave: Clothed from head to feet, But with a winding-sheet, My prisoner thou shalt be; Bearing my loathsome mark, Thou shalt lie in the dark, And the face of no man see. Believer. Thou shalt but dig the ground, Where God his seed shall sow, And raise it at the spring: And there I shall be found, And Christ his own will know, When here I cease to live, A better life he'll give, Which thou shalt not destroy: And though this life thou spill, The grave My dust in quiet sleep, Till the coming of my Lord: That flesh shall shine with God, And must lie as a thing abhorr❜d. Death. Thy merry days are gone; Thy life shall end in pain: And never shall come again. And the world to thee shall end. Believer. Boast not, O conquer'd foe! For thou could'st have no strength, But what comes from my sin : My Lord will overthrow Thy power at the length; And will thy prisoners win: Thou couldst not keep my head, But he rose, and now doth reign And with him shall I remain. How oft have I undress'd me, I do but go to rest me, And shall rise speedily; My Lord will not delay. When thou hast broke this shell, : And with saints and angels bright. This world is but the womb From which my soul must come Into the eternal light. |