310 REDEMPTION.
'Twas ere Aurora tinged the early dawn, After that woeful sabbath pass'd, that first, To Jesus' tomb, came Magdalen, Joan, Mary of James, with spices, scented nard, Sweet smelling herbs, exequial to embalm, Whom they supposed still slumber'd in the tomb. Amazed, they saw the sealed stone roll'd back, And his dark grave exposed. The linen cloths, Which wrapp'd his mangled form, and bound his head, Were laid aside, but whom they sought was gone. Two shining spirits, cloth'd in dazzling vests, At either end sat, where the Dead had lain. The glorious vision fill'd their souls with dread ; Fear shook their knees, denied them pow'r to flee, And fix'd them shiv'ring, rooted to the spot, Whilst tears from Mary's eyes stream' d on the ground. To whom the angels, heav'nly mild, thus said :
" Woman,why weepest thou? Whom dost thou seek?" She thus : "Because they've ta'en away my Lord, And I know not, where now they him have laid." To her the angels, comforting, replied : " Why do you seek the living with the dead ? He is not here but risen. Heard ye not The words he spake, while yet in Galilee He walk'd ? The Son of Man by sinful hands Shall be betray'd, condemn'd, and crucified, And slain ; but on the third day rise again, Victorious from the dead. So hath it been. Go tell the rest, that what he said is done."
Whilst yet her eyes the silver torrent dimm'd, She doubting, turn'd, and Jesus saw, but knew Him not, and to the gard'ner, so she thought,
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