“There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God.”
1.
“Ye have forgotten the exhortation”—
Come blessed sleep, most full, most perfect, come;
Come sleep, if so I may forget the whole;
Forget my body and forget my soul,
Forget how long life is and troublesome.
Come happy sleep to soothe my heart or numb,
Arrest my weary spirit or control;
Till light be dark to me from pole to pole,
And winds and echoes and low songs be dumb.
Come sleep and lap me into perfect calm,
Lap me from all the world and weariness:
Come secret sleep that hidest us from harm,
Safe sheltered in a hidden cool recess:
Come heavy dreamless sleep, and close and press
Upon mine eyes thy fingers dropping balm.
2.
“Which speaketh unto you as unto children.”
Art thou so weary then, poor thirsty soul?
Have patience, in due season thou shalt sleep.
Mount yet a little while, the path is steep;
Strain yet a little while to reach the goal;
Do battle with thyself, achieve, control:
Till night come down with blessed slumber, deep
As love, and seal thine eyes no more to weep
Thro' long tired vigils while the planets roll.
Have patience, for thou too shalt sleep at length,
Lapped in the pleasant shade of Paradise.
My Hands That bled for thee shall close thine eyes,
My Heart That bled for thee shall be thy Rest:
I will sustain with everlasting Strength,
And thou, with John, shalt lie upon my Breast.
