TEARS. "Jesus wept."-John, xi. 35. NOT worthless are the tears, When pure their fountain-head, Which human hopes and fears Compel us oft to shed. In grief or joy they tell Far more than words can teach ; Their silence hath a spell In joy, though bright and brief, Its essence they make known; And how they soften grief The mourner's heart will own. Yet tears there are which fall, Of time's brief woe or mirth. Tears which are shed, alone, For God's all-pard'ning love ; But to the mourner known, And Him who dwells above. Can there be drops more pure, "Till time's last sun be set? Yes! Tears once fill'd His eye, The lost to seek and save. And fresh, from age to age, Their memory shall be kept; While man shall bless the page Which tells that JESUS wept! QUICKENED, but helpless. "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, 'Loose him, and let him go."-John, xi. 44. Is it not thus, in spirit, to this day, With souls whom thou, O Lord, hast call'd from death, Who, powerless, helpless, fetter'd, thus obey Are there not those who, as in graves have lain, Dead to the life which Thou alone canst give, Until thy Spirit has recall'd again Their souls, as from the dead, and bade them live? The voice hath been obey'd: obey'd so far, And death's enthralments keep us prisoners still. Our grave-clothes cling around us; we are bound, And blinded by the trappings worn so long; Thy word once more must speak, and by its sound Render the quicken'd, but still helpless strong. Let not thy glorious work be incomplete; PHILIP'S REQUEST. "Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us."-John, xiv. 8. HADST thou so long with Jesus been, Had not the dead been rais'd to life, The lame, the blind, the deaf been heal'd? Had not the waves' tumultuous strife, Still'd by His voice, their Lord reveal'd? The words He utter'd day by day, The Deity but veil'd in man? Yet, who shall chide thee? Are not we The gospel page without, is spread, Revealing truths then dimly shown, Ere Christ ascended from the dead, That man the Comforter might own. Within the heart, his light and grace But, like thyself, we would discern, Oh, may our hearts no longer wrong And ask ye yet your Lord to see? |