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Thy bitter Death shall be
My constant memory,

My guide at last into death's awful shade.

186

Miss Winkworth. 1855.
Tr. Solomon Franck. 1716.

1 JESUS, Thy soul, for ever blest,
Hath gone among the dead,
And to his peaceful place of rest
The dying thief hath led.

C. M.

2 And all for us; that when, ere long,
We shall resign our breath,
We may not fear to go among
The unseen shades of death.

3 In.death's dark vale I soon must be,
But I will nothing fear;

Thy rod and staff will comfort me;
Thou hast Thyself been there.

Unknown, 1847.

187 Der Du, Herr Jesu, Ruh und Rast. L. M.

1 LORD Jesus, who, our souls to save,
Didst rest and slumber in the grave,
Now grant us all in Thee to rest,
And here to live as seems Thee best.

2 Give us the strength, the dauntless faith,
That Thou hast purchased with Thy Death,
And lead us to that glorious place,
Where we shall see the Father's face.
30 Lamb of God, who once was slain,
We thank Thee for that bitter pain.
Let us partake Thy Death, that we
May enter into Life with Thee.

Miss Winkworth. 1858.
Tr. George Werner. 1538.

188

8,7.

1 HAIL, all hail, Thou Lord of glory! Thee our Father, Thee we own! Abraham heard not of our story,

Israel ne'er our name hath known:

2 But, Redeemer, Thou hast sought us,

Thou hast heard Thy children's wail; Thou with Thy dear Blood hast bought us; Hail, Thou mighty Victor, hail!

Unknown. 1854.

189

EASTER.

L. M.

1 HE dies, the Friend of sinners dies!
Lo! Salem's daughters weep around.
A solemn darkness veils the skies;

A sudden trembling shakes the ground.
2 Come, saints, and drop a tear or two
For Him who groaned beneath your load:
He shed a thousand drops for you,

A thousand drops of richer blood.

3 Here's love and grief beyond degree:
The Lord of glory dies for men!
But lo, what sudden joys we see!
Jesus, the dead, revives again.
4 The rising God forsakes the tomb!

The tomb in vain forbids His rise:
Cherubic legions guard Him home,

And shout Him welcome to the skies.
5 Break off your tears, ye saints, and tell
How high your great Deliverer reigns.
Sing how he spoiled the hosts of hell,
And led the monster, Death, in chains.

6 Say, "Live for ever, wondrous King,
Born to redeem, and strong to save!"
Then ask the monster: "Where's thy sting?
And where's thy victory, boasting grave?"
Watts. 1709. a.

190

1 CHRIST the Lord is risen to-day,
Sons of men and angels say.

Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply.
2 Love's redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won;
Lo! our Sun's eclipse is o'er;
Lo! He sets in blood no more.
3 Vain the stone, the watch, the seal;
Christ hath burst the gates of hell!
Death in vain forbids His rise;
Christ hath opened Paradise.

4 Lives again our glorious King;
Where, O Death, is now Thy sting?
Dying once, He all doth save;
Where thy victory, O Grave?

5 Soar we now where Christ has led,
Following our exalted Head:

Made like Him, like Him we rise; Ours the cross, the grave, the skies! 6 What though once we perished all, Partners in our parents' fall: Second life we now receive,

In our heavenly Adam live.

7 Hail, the Lord of earth and heaven!
Praise to Thee by both be given:
Thee we greet triumphant now;
Hail, the Resurrection Thou!

78.

C. Wesley. 1739.

191

1 THE day of Resurrection!
Earth! tell it out abroad!
The Passover of gladness,
The Passover of God!
From death to Life eternal,
From earth unto the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over,
With hymns of victory.

7,6.

2 Our hearts be pure from evil,
That we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal
Of resurrection light:
And listening to His accents,
May hear, so calm and plain,
His own "All hail!"—and bearing,
May raise the victor strain.
3 Now let the heavens be joyful!
Let earth her song begin!
Let the round world keep triumph,
And all that is therein:
In grateful exultation.

192

Their notes let all things blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen,
Our Joy that hath no end.

John Mason Neale. 1862. a.
Tr. John of Damascus, ab. 780.

Trochaic 7, 6.

1 COME, ye faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness!
God hath brought His Israel
Into joy from sadness!

2 'Tis the spring of souls to-day:
Christ hath burst His prison;

And from three days' sleep in death,
As a sun, hath risen.

3 All the winter of our sins,
Long and dark, is flying
From His light, to whom we give
Thanks and praise undying.

4 Neither might the gates of death,
Nor the tomb's dark portal,
Nor the watchers, nor the seal,
Hold Thee as a mortal:

5 But to-day amidst the twelve
Thou didst stand, bestowing
That Thy peace, which evermore
Passeth human knowing.

193

John Mason Neale. 1862.

Tr. John of Damascus, ab. 760.

Jesu, meine Zuversicht.

1 JESUS my Redeemer lives,

Christ my Trust is dead no more;

In the strength this knowledge gives,

Shall not all my fears be o'er?

7's.

Calm, though death's long night be fraught Still with many an anxious thought?

2 Jesus my Redeemer lives,

And His life I soon shall sec;

Bright the hope this promise gives;
Where He is I too shall be.

Shall I fear then?

Can the Head

Rise and leave the members dead?

3 Close to Him my soul is bound,

In the bonds of hope enclasped;
Faith's strong hand this hold hath found,
And the Rock hath firmly grasped.

Death shall ne'er my soul remove
From her refuge in Thy Love.

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