Break off your tears, ye saints, and say
How high your great Deliverer reigns;
Tell how he rose to endless day,
And led the tyrant death in chains:
Say,Live for ever, glorious King!
Born to redeem, and strong to save!'
Then ask the monster, Where's thy sting?
And where's thy victory, boasting grave?'
Christ's Death and Exaltation.
YE humble souls, who seek the Lord,
Chase all your fears away;
And bow with transport down to see
The place where Jesus lay.
His life for us he freely gave;
Such wonders love can do!
Thus, cold in death, that bosom lay
Which throbb'd and bled for you.
A moment give your hearts to grief,
And mourn your Saviour slain;
Then dry your tears, and tune your songs,
The Saviour lives again.
Amidst the angelic bands he rears
His once dishonour'd head;
And through unnumber'd years he lives,
Who dwelt among the dead.
With cheerful hope may every saint
The vale of death survey;
Then rise with his ascending Lord
To realms of endless day.
Christ risen, and Death vanquished. Lo! the rock is roll'd away; Death yields up his mighty prey; Jesus, rising from the tomb, Scatters all its fearful gloom.
Mortals shout in rapturous song;
Let the notes be sweet and strong;
Hail the Son of God, this morn
From his sepulchre new born.
Powers of heaven, celestial choirs !
Sing and sweep your sounding lyres:
Sons of men! in joyful strain
Hail your mighty Saviour's reign.
Every note with rapture swell,
And the Saviour's triumph tell:
Where, O death! is now thy sting?
Where thy terrors, vanquish'd king?
114. L. M.
The Resurrection of Christ.
HOSANNA! let us join to sing
The glories of our rising king;
Recount his victories, and tell
How Jesus triumph'd when he fell.
Soon as the morning's earliest ray Brings on the third, the appointed day, Behold an angel from the skies,
Roll back the stone and Jesus rise.
With strength immortal forth he comes,
And power and life from GOD resumes;
The days of pain and sorrow past,
His triumph shall for ever last.
Ye tribes of Adam, raise the song;
And, with your noblest notes, prolong
The triumphs of that day of grace,
Which seal'd salvation to our race.
Salvation-joy-inspiring theme!
Best gift of Him who reigns supreme!
Sweet balm of every human woe,
And source of purest joy below!—
6.
Salvation-sons of men record,
The glories of your rising Lord;
The triumphs of the Saviour tell,
Who died, and conquer'd when he fell.
115. L. M.
The Kingdom of Jesus.
GREAT GOD! whose universal sway
The known and unknown worlds obey,
Extend the kingdom of thy Son,
Till every land his rule shall own.
The sceptre well becomes his hands,
And wise and good are his commands;
His laws protect the humble poor,
And bid oppression rage no more.
They form to righteousness the mind,
To all that's candid, gentle, kind;
Inspire with love the human breast,
And stormy passions soothe to rest.
The gracious doctrines of his word,
The spirit calm, and peace afford;
His promises the fears control,
And comfort yield the contrite soul.
His throne immoveable shall stand,
Upheld by thy almighty hand,
Till all shall love thee and adore,
And vice and misery be no more.
To GOD let fervent prayers arise
With every daily sacrifice,
The great Messiah's reign to spread,
And with new honours crown his head.
Soon may he reign where'er the sun
Doth his successive journies run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till suns shall rise and set no more.
Great GOD! may realms of every tongue,
Dwell on thy love with grateful song;
And with united hearts proclaim,
That grace and truth by Jesus came.
Blessings abound where'er he reigns:
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The contrite heart with peace is blest;
The weary find eternal rest.
Where he displays his healing power, The sting of death is known no more; He points our views and hopes on high, To regions of eternal joy.
Parent of good! to thee we trace
These boundless stores of richest grace;
All have their source in love divine,
And be the praise and glory thine.
Christ's first and last Coming.
SING to the LORD, ye distant lands,
Ye tribes of every tongue:
His grace reveal'd by Christ demands
An ever-grateful song.
Say to the nations, Jesus came
A sinful world to save;
From guilt and error to reclaim,
And rescue from the grave.
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