1.

169.

Woher? aus Jolephs kles,

Hence, Lord?- From Jo-
Seph's tomb.
Scarce was that Soul moft precious
Back into th' Lamb's Corpfe come,
(A tranfient vifit gracious
It did Hope's pris'ners make,
Having in Paradife been)
But up the Lamb awakes

With brifk and chearful mein.
2. Then after shouts of joy
Giv'n by thofe Angel-legions,
Which bore him company
Unto the fpirits regions;
He does the train difmifs :
Yet two the honour have,
In cafe inquiry rife,

To stay there at his grave.
3. But Jefus longs to get
Soon to his handmaid Mary;
Knowing the lofs fhe's at,
And pain extraordinary.
Had it our lady been,
Mary his Mother bleft,
She had been more ferene,
Nor with fuch fcruples preft.

4. Mary the finnerefs

Walks in the Garden fobbing; And perjur'd Simon's cafe

Brings him too with heart throbbing.

Of him, who th' world's fin bore, The fav'rite work is this, To comfort Sinners poor: Again the can him kifs! 5. He fome steps farther on Finds t'other Sinner fitting, (This th' angel's news had done) 'Twixt fear and hope too fweating. No painter has the heart

To draw a Look like this, Made

up of joy, fhame, smart ; It 'bides a Bride-dress piece.

6. Poor Mary goes and cries, Haftes now the News to carry : The Sinners-Friend next spies

The two who came with Mary. No questions afk'd, they take

Such faft hold of his feet,

What he to Mary (pake, He must therefore repeat. "God bless you! but go ye, "And from me tell my brother "To hafte to Galilee,

7.

66

They'll fee me there with th'
"others."

This faid, from thence he stirs,
Soon on the fame Path went
Two Sabbath-travellers,

Who were for Emmaus bent.
8. It was a bleffed Walk,
Because they with love's anguish
Did mean-while of him talk,
Ready thro' grief to languish.
A third Man with them was,
Before they were aware!
Quite ftrange to them his Face,
However much they stare.
9. Pray tell me, the Man fays,
You weep, what has befel you?
Indignant Cleophas

Replies, "what need to tell you? "For, tho' a ftranger here, "Yet of the fhocking things They made that juft Man bear, "Throughout our City rings. 10. "That Ifr'el he'd redeem, "We could not but furmife it; "He was, in our esteem,

"The Man to enterprize it: "And now this Day, the third "Since he has buried been, "There is a rumour heard, "As were he fomewhere seen, 11. Here Cleophas goes on,

"So much there's no denying, "The grave was found alone, "His Corpfe not in it lying. Dullards!

G 4

Dullards! the stranger cries, Thus needlefly to grieve, (With heart-enkindling Eyes) When will you once believe? 12. The Scripture's Monument, Unto the Chrift so aiming, On you in vain is spent, Tho' of the Spirit's framing! How clearly there are fhewn To each impartial view Crofs, Refurrection ?--"'Tis true!"---Now then, adieu. 13. No, dearest Sir! fay they, Rather let us constrain thee; "Tis dufk, and long thy way,

Let us first entertain thee. Well then! to ftay, refign'd,

He Bread to break began, His Houfe-right comes to mind: The Mannefs knows the Man.

14.

* Gen. ii. 23.

Had Luke not faid that they Th' eleven fought, to tell themt What thus upon the Way

So happily befel them;
I fhould have guess'd, that in
This Pair fo richly bleft,
Or James or John had been,

Thofe Fav'rites moft carefs'd.
15. You'll find these ever, where
Jefus was by himself gone.
John did just now repair
To his dear master's tomb-ftone
And Paul exprefly fays,

That He of James was feen. But in thefe faints it has

No wonder deemed been!

16. Soon after this, as they Were fitting at a Meeting, (But Thomas mifs'd that day)

17. Nay, you may easy be,

'Tis I myself your Lover; Come now the Nail-prints fee, View fresh Pleura over. my How glad were they, they view'd Their Lord return'd from death! But he upon them blow'd

With his Creator's-breath.

18. For Abfolution,

There's by this holy Breathing,
Ev'n Ordination

About your Mouth now wreath-
ing;

That to poor Sinners it

Be like the Seraph's coal *,
But of Self-strength and wit
Burn and confume the whole.
* Ifai. vi.

19. At length comes Thomas, when
The Lamb's again retired;
They all accoft him then,

We've seen our Lord defired;
We faw him corp'rally!

Doubtless, faith he, you feem
To yourfelves right; but I

Count it a brain-fick dream.
20. And till to fee I've leave
His two Hands perforated,
And with this finger have

Each Nail-print penetrated;
And thefe hands alfo put

Within his Side's great gafh;
I'll think it nothing but

Your heated fancy's flash.
21. Thus wait they, longing much
For his again appearing;

A Week goes, yet no fuch
Good news could they be hearing.
Once in the Night at last,

Th' eleven are all there,
The doors are bolted fast;
Their Jefus does appear.
22. How goes 't. Difciples dear?
Think you, fays he, I linger!
To Thomas: well! come here,
And give me now thy finger!

It in the Nail-holes lay; Give hither thy hand too, (Why fo diftruftful? pray) Here 'twas the spear went thro'. 23. He no more reas'ning ftood, But yields with glad proftration His Lord, and alfo God,

The rightful Adoration. Says Jefus, on his part,

Thou b'liev'ft as feeing me; Henceforth a happy Heart Will b'lieve and nothing fee. 24. Another time again, The Lamb prevents their wishing; He's at Tiberias seen,

Where eight were gone a fishing, Peter the Renegade,

Free-thinking Thomas too,
Zebedee's fons fo stay'd,
Nathanael the true.
25. They all, tho' fleepy each,

Their eyes on fome one faften, Who walks there on the Beach, Whither they now would hasten. "Children! fhew me your Meat!" Good Father, had we ought! "To th' right caft out your net---" It fcarce will hold the draught. 26. The vail foon drops off one, John, favorite of Jefus : It is the Lord! then loon

His Fish-frock Peter feizes.
Mark by the way from this,
When one's fall'n into fin,
His first thought ever is,

The Nakednefs he's in.
27. A word the Saviour faid,
Shock'd Adam at his feason
♦ Gen. iii. 11.
But Peter's Cafe indeed
Yielding another reason,
Spares him this cenfure's fhock;
So that the bashful foul
May take his fifher's frock

Without the Lamb's controul.

28. "Come hither, dear hearts! look, "I've been here your manciple; The Lamb is ev'n a Cook:

Behold, ye houfhold-people!
Whene'er the kitchen-smoke
Affects and pains your eyes,
Then thank that Brother-cook,
Who this before you tries.
29. Whene'er ye blow up coals,
Or muft a fire be making,
Then think, the Spoufe of fouls
Was in a coal-fire raking
Once at Tiberias fea
Upon fome graffy plain;
Then, in like way, did he
Difciples entertain.

30. When eating's o'er, the cook
Gives place unto the Teacher;
The Renegade is fhook

A little by his Preacher. The Man of Rock all o'er *, *Matt. xvi. 18.

The Lamb does catechife, Whether his love be more

Than he in others fpies? 31 Thou know'ft that I love thee, Says he, with finner-feature; "Then feed my lambs for me, "Jonah's fon, Simon Peter! Again he questions this,

"So then, thou lov'ft me deep? Thou know'it, how deep it is. "Then feed for me my Sheep. 32. Then he the third time faid, "Wilt thou not, Simon! love me?" Here, he, now pale, now red,

Replies, Doft thou not prove me, Thou true Omniscience?

(But in an humble ftrain.) Thus did the Lamb from hence Ev'n trebly him ordain. 33. Primeval Righteousness (No Ananias there was, T'whom Peter's happiness A grievance, and not clear was) That

That fort of Martyrdom
To him too then predicts,

Which what

34.

yet

ill-became

With equity corrects.

But ah! man's fallen race, Whilft in its old-corruption, Ne'er makes from Nature's ways

Ev'n fuch a fhort exception, But that it always will,

(Ev'n tho' the halter prefs) Be conning over Lill

Its own Self-righteousness. 35. The Lord fays, Follow me!

He does it: but however, "John alfo follows thee,"

Says he to the dear Saviour! John?---is that more than right, Who, leaning on the Breaft, As Jefu's favourite,

2

Is mouth to all the reft?
36. Is not thy next Man I?
Says the apoftatiser:
Why ftands he still in th' way?
Let me be thy adviser,
(The patient Lamb doth say ;)
What bufinefs is't of thine,
If I would have him stay?

Keep thou within thy Line.
37. And ev'n whilst this I fing,
In my Disciple-station,
Thy mercy in one thing

Í beg with fupplication;
Me and my People fave

The queftion who I be;
So th' Witness-cloud fhall have
Its fimple courfe quite free.
38. Then fome time after they,
Th' eleven Hearts anointed,
Appear in Galilee

Upon a Mount appointed;
They fee him with their eyes,
Adore him on the Knee;
Yet fome ev'n now furmife,
They see not what they see.
When the Lord came, said he:
39.
In Earth I am and Heaven

Plenipotentiary,

To back your Office given: Therefore I fend you out

On all the Earth abroad,

You need no Nation doubt

They're all your rightful road. 40. When you've Difciples made, Who as God's generation Are unto Baptifm led;

You have Authorization From Sire, Son, Spirit too,

For thus baptizing them; And then what I've taught you

Them alfo teach the fame. 41. Me you have ev'ry day,

I am for you provided Till the World melts away,

Howe'er this be derided.
Content th' Apostles be,

And glad believe the fame,
Baptizing (as we fee)
Point-blank in Jefu's Name*
* Acts x. 48, &c.

42.

The Saviour's love fo burns
Towards his Congregation,
That he to Galilee turns

For one more Vifitation.
Five hundred Brethren were
Gather'd together now;
Amongst them ftands he there,
As I here amongst you.
43. How fain would I have seen
This Synagogue together!
Were they not thro' this Scene,
Enraptur'd one with th' other?
Should it please him to try,

And now come in this Room;
There's none but would be nigh

To ftrait departing home. 44. Once after this he comes

To th' elev'n at their dishes,
Eats of their Honey-combs,
A piece too of their Fishes.
(At thefe Agape, true,

He dealt fomewhat fevere !
'Caufe

Caufe he to them would fhew
How hard their hearts all were.)
45. Their Call and right renews,
Without all limitation,
O'er all Men to diffufe

The Blood-grace baptization;
Which faves whoe'er complies
To Faith, not chufing death;
So that whoever dies,

Muft needs have spurn'd at Faith. 46. Lord! the Apostles faid, (Jumbling one thing with th'other) Since thou haft profpered,

And art God-man, our Brother, Who favest Ifrael;

Will not the time foon come, That Prætor Ceft' we tell

To get 47. Ye rev'rend Fathers band! We think you fenfeless truly; 'Mongit as a child must stand' Wondring, how you, unruly, Impertinent, clamorous

him back to Rome?

'Bout worldly kingdom's plan, No better knew to use

The true God now made Man. 48. Yet ftop !---had I at fuch

A Time liv'd, I can fancy,
I might have fhewn as much
Or more extravagancy.
I praise our Teftament,

In which the pooreft thing
Knows more to true intent,
Than Prophet once or King.
49, Says he, my children all!
I heartily intreat you,
To that one General

The Guardianthip commit you,
My Father, who now me
Calls to my feat of Reft;
He quite decifively,

Has this Plan in his breast.

50. So drop this World's research,
"Tis needlefs, hurtful trouble;
But to build up my Church,
Ufe application double ;

My Spirit foon to you
Shall powers full convey,
Ye grace's children! fo
Reft patient till that day.
51. If in Jerufalem

There is found one or other, Who would leave Darkness-realm, And would become a brother; Or in Judæa's land,

Or even Samarie, Nay, till the Western strand, And ye chance to be nigh: 52, And is fome Satan there The ground with you difputing, Then fhove him from you far,

To thofe that better fuit him. If th' Bulgar tells his heart, Attend to, learn his cafe, Alleviate his Smart,

And let him go in Peace. 53. Should any pois'nous fnake Disturb you in your preaching, Bid it the place forfake,

And go ye on with teaching; Should one that bears you grudge, Worfe fumes than arfenick

Within your body lodge,

54.

It fhan't ev'n make you fick. Should fome poor man distress'd, Who fain would praife my merits, Be bodily opprefs'd

Of fickness caufing Spirits ;
Loofe ye their painful Bands,
His foul and body chear,
As his Phyficians,

In all his griefs and care.
55. Till then I have defign'd
You Sabbath-recreation,
Not only in one mind,

But in one Congregation; Stay fomewhere in a room, Within this very town, Till the Baptizer come

From your dear Father down. 56. John baptiz'd high and low

Men, women, with fuch fentence,