1 EDEN from each flowery bed
Did for man short sweetness breathe;
Soon, by Satan's counsel led,
Man wrought sin, and sin wrought death.
But of life the healing tree
Grows in rich Gethsemane.
2 Hither, Lord, thou didst resort
Oft-times with thy little train;
Here wouldst keep thy private court:
O confer that grace again;
Lord, resort with worthless me
Oft-times to Gethsemane.
3 True, I can't deserve to share
In a favour so divine;
But since sin first fixed thee there,
None have greater sins than mine;
And to this, my woful plea,
Witness thou, Gethsemane.
4 Sins against a holy God,
Sins against his righteous laws,
Sins against his love, his blood,
Sins against his name, and cause;
Sins immense as is the sea,-
Hide me, O Gethsemane.
"Mercy and truth are met together."
1 COME, behold a great expedient,
God revealed in flesh appears;
God himself becomes obedient,
And the curse for sinners bears;
'Tis a great, a gracious plan,
Wounding sin, yet sparing man.
2 O the wisdom of contrivance,
O the grace that shines therein,
God forgives without connivance,
He forgives, yet spares not sin;
Justice sees the victim bleed,
Nothing more can justice need.
3 Whither should we go, O whither,
Whither from the glorious sight?
Truth and mercy meet together,
Righteousness and peace unite:
'Tis the cross that gives us rest,
Makes us safe, and makes us blessed.
"In the cross of Christ I glory."
1 IN the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o'er the wrecks of time,
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
2 When the woes of life o'ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me;
Lo, it glows with peace and joy.
3 When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming,
Adds more lustre to the day.
4 Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
5 In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
1 WHEN on Sinai's top I see
God descend in majesty,
To proclaim his holy law,
All my spirit sinks with awe.
2 When, in ecstasy sublime,
Tabor's glorious steep I climb,
At the too transporting light,
Darkness rushes o'er my sight.
3 When on Calvary I rest,
God, in flesh made manifest,
Shines in my Redeemer's face,
Full of beauty, truth, and grace.
4 Here I would for ever stay,
Weep and gaze my soul away;
Thou art heaven on earth to me,
Lovely, mournful Calvary.
"Salve, caput cruentatum."
1 O SACRED Head, now wounded,
With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, thy only crown:
O sacred Head, what glory,
What bliss till now was thine;
Yet, though despised and gory,
I joy to call thee mine.
2 What thou, my Lord, hast suffered,
Was all for sinners' gain:
Mine, mine was the transgression,
But thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Saviour:
'Tis I deserve thy place;
Look on me with thy favour,
Vouchsafe to me thy grace.
3 What language shall I borrow
To thank thee, dearest Friend,
For this thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
O make me thine for ever;
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
Outlive my love to thee.
4 Be near me when I'm dying,
O show thy cross to me:
And for my succour flying,
Come, Lord, and set me free.
These eyes, new faith receiving,
From Jesus shall not move;
For he, who dies believing,
Dies safely through thy love.
Bernard of Clairvaux. c. 1140.
Tr. Paul Gerhardt. 1659.
Tr. James Waddell Alexander. 1849.
"A light shined in the prison."
1 'Tis mystery all! the Immortal dies,
Who can explore his strange design?
In vain the first-born seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! let earth adore;
Let angel-minds inquire no more.
2 He left his Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite his grace,
Emptied himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For, O my God, it found out me.
3 Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke; the dungeon flamed with light,
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
4 No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in him, is mine;
Alive in him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
"Arise, shine, for thy light is come."
1 AWAKE, glad soul, awake, awake;
Thy Lord hath risen long,
Go to his grave, and with thee take
Both tuneful heart and song;
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