Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
We sing the praise of Him who died,
Of Him who died upon the Cross,
The sinner's hope, though men deride,
For this we count the world but loss.
Inscribed upon the Cross we see
In shining letters, "God is love;"
He bears our sins upon the tree,
He brings us mercy from above.
The Cross-it takes our guilt away,
It holds the fainting spirit up,
It cheers with hope the gloomy day,
And sweetens every bitter cup.
It makes the coward spirit brave,
And nerves the feeble arm for fight,
It takes the terror from the grave,
And gilds the bed of death with light.
The balm of life, the cure of woe,
The measure and the pledge of love,
The sinner's refuge here below,
The angel's theme in heaven above!
Go to dark Gethsemane,
Ye that feel the tempter's power,
Your Redeemer's conflict see;
Watch with Him one bitter hour.
Turn not from His griefs away;
Learn from Him to watch and pray.
See Him at the judgment-hall,
Beaten, bound, reviled, arraigned,
See Him meekly bearing all,
Love to man His soul sustained :
Shun not suffering, shame, or loss;
Learn of Christ to bear the Cross.
Calvary's mournful mountain view;
There the Lord of Glory see,
Made a sacrifice for you,
Dying on the accursed tree :
“It is finished!" hear Him cry :
Learn of Jesus Christ to die.
Early to the tomb repair,
Where His breathless body lay;
Angels keep their vigils there;
Who hath taken Him away?
"Christ is risen !" He seeks the skies;
Saviour! teach us so to rise.
ALL we like wandering sheep have strayed
From fold, from pasture and from stall;
Our guilt on Innocence was laid,
Christ bore the burden of us all.
Though many a secret tear He shed,
Yet still He uncomplaining stands,
Like the dumb lamb to slaughter led,
Or the mute sheep in shearer's hands.
He wept no misdeeds of His own,
For others' faults He bore the rod,
Yet we esteemed Him stricken down
By the avenging hand of God.
For our iniquities He bled,
A curséd death for sin He died,
To make our peace He bowed His head, To save us He was crucified.
LORD Jesu, when we stand afar,
And gaze upon Thy holy Cross,
In love of Thee, and scorn of self,
O! may we count the world as loss!
When we behold Thy bleeding wounds,
And the rough way that Thou hast trod,
Make us to hate the load of sin
That lay so heavy on our God.
O holy Lord, uplifted high,
With outstretched arms, in mortal woe,
Embracing in Thy wondrous love
The sinful world that lies below;
Give us an ever-living faith
To gaze beyond the things we see,
And in the mystery of Thy death
Draw us and all men unto Thee.
BEHOLD the Saviour on the Cross,
A spectacle of woe!
See from His agonising wounds
The blood unceasing flow;
Till death's pale hues o'er all His cheek,
And trembling lips were spread;
Till light forsook His closing eyes,
And life His drooping head;
""Tis finished"-was His latest voice;
Those sacred accents o'er,
He bowed His head, gave up the ghost,
And suffered pain no more.
""Tis finished"-The Messiah dies,
For sius, but not His own;
The great redemption is complete,
And Satan's power o'erthrown.
""Tis finished"- All His groans are past:
His blood, His pain and toils;
Have vanquished death and all our foes,
And crowned Him with the spoils !
HARK! the voice of love and mercy
Sounds aloud from Calvary :
See the rocks are rent asunder;
Darkness veils the mid-day sky!
'It is finished!"
Hear the dying Saviour cry.
O what joy to helpless sinners
These triumphant words afford!
Heavenly blessings without measure
Flow to us through Christ the Lord:
"It is finished!"
Saints His dying words record.
All the types and shadows finished
Of the ceremonial law :
Man's redemption now completed,
Death and hell no more shall awe :
"It is finished!"
Saints, from hence your comfort draw.
Tune your harps anew, ye seraphs;
Join the triumph to proclaim;
All on earth and all in heaven
Join, to praise the Saviour's Name:
Alleluia !
Glory to the bleeding Lamb!
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