On Easter-Day

How Christ triumph'd o'er the Grave and Hell,
Is joy to think, tho' terrible to tell.
When Rods had made his sacred Body bleed,
And purple Robes did aggravate that Deed;
When Pilate, to consummate all his Scorns,
Adorn'd his Temples with a Crown of Thorns;
Hard were their hearts who did endure to see
Their Saviour bleeding, bound to set them free.
Those then who did his Agonies deride,
When they had pierc'd his feet, his hands and side,
Were of much harder metal made, more fit
For their descent into th'infernal Pit;
While dying Christ, by a diviner fate,
Gave Heaven to the repenting Reprobate;
To shew whom Faith and Penitence sustain,
Will sure a place in Paradise obtain.
Bless'd then were those whose eyes were never dry,
After they saw their Lord and Saviour die;
Till searching in the Sepulchre, they find
That sacred Body could not be consin'd
To Earth, which was declar'd before must rise,
To chear their hearts, and dry their blubber'd eyes.
When the dull mist of Nature was remov'd,
They saw and knew whom they ador'd and lov'd:
Surpriz'd with joy, transported with delight,
They trembling do approach his awful sight;
Until enlightned they at last grow bold,
By recollecting what he had foretold;
Which fix'd their Faith, and by a joy'd Converse,
He then his Resurrection did rehearse;
And by his Spirit made them understand,
And look for his Ascension then at hand.
Thus fill'd with heavenly Wisdom, they retir'd,
Well satisfied with what they most desir'd:
And by their Records of these Truths do teach
Us by a lively Faith, how we may reach
The same assurance, and like Comforts find,
Unless we will be obstinately blind.
If we can sin subdue, this world despise,
This day we may with Christ to Heaven rise.