1 BEHOLD

126.

LUKE Xxiii. 33, 34.

upon th' accursed tree,

The Lamb of God in agony;
And hear, O hear! that piercing cry,
Which rises awful through the sky.

2 Yet see, 'midst all his bitter pains,
What mild and heavenly pity reigns;
His cruel foes that pity share,
For them ascends his dying prayer.

3" Father! forgive them," Jesus cries,
As hanging on the cross he dies;
Forgive! for murderers he pray'd,
While heavy sufferings bow'd his head.

4 O! then that heavenly mind he show'd,
Which mark'd indeed the Son of God;
Who for the guilty left the sky,
Who for the guilty came to die.

5 Unequall'd greatness, grace divine!
Meekness and majesty combine:
Wonders appear'd in heaven above,
The greatest was his matchless love.

6 Pattern sublime, and new to man!

'Twas then the reign of grace began;
A spirit new through earth is spread,
And heavenly virtues raise their head.

7 Wide may thy name, bless'd Lord, extend,
Low at thy cross all nations bend;
There ev'ry grateful honour give,

And learn to pity and forgive

127.

JOHN xix. 30.

1 BEHOLD the Saviour on the cross,

a spectacle of woe!

See from his agonizing wounds,
the blood incessant flow:

2 Till death's pale ensigns o'er his cheek,
and trembling lips were spread;
Till light forsook his closing eyes,
and life his drooping head.

3 'Tis finish'd, was his latest voice; these sacred accents o'er,

He bow'd his head, gave up the ghost,
and suffer'd pain no more.

4 'Tis finish'd-the Messiah dies
for sins, but not his own;
The great redemption is complete,
and Satan's power o'erthrown.

5 'Tis finish'd-all his groans are past;
his blood, his pain, and toils,
Have fully vanquished our foes,
and crown'd him with their spoils.

6 'Tis finish'd-legal worship ends,
and gospel ages run;

All old things now are pass'd away,
and a new world begun.

128.

JOHN xix. 41.

1 THE sepulchres, how thick they stand
Through all the road on either hand;
And see they burst upon the sight,
In ev'ry garden of delight.

2 Thither the winding alleys tend,
There all the flow'ry borders end:
Fallen the form which charm'd the eyes,
And silent now the tuneful voice.

3 Deep in that damp and silent cell,
My fathers and my brethren dwell;
Beneath its broad and gloomy shade,
My kindred and my friends are laid.

4 Yet while I tread the solemn way,

My faith that Saviour would survey,
Who deigns to sojourn in the grave,
And died the sons of men to save.

5 I see, I see him leave the tomb,
I see the pledge of life to come,
Through him from these dark scenes I rise
To scenes of bliss beyond the skies.

129.

MAT. xxviii. 5, 6.

1 YE humble souls who seek the Lord,

chase all your fears away,

And bow with pleasure down to see
the place where Jesus lay.

2 Thus low the Lord of life was brought, such wonders love can do:

Thus cold in death that bosom lay

which throbb'd and bled for you.

3 But raise your eyes, and tune your songs, the Saviour lives again:

Not all the bolts and bars of death, the conqu❜ror could detain.

4 High o'er th' angelic bands he rears, his once dishonour'd head;

And through unnumber'd years he reigns, who dwelt among the dead.

With joy like his shall every saint,

his empty tomb survey; Then rise with his ascending Lord, to realms of endless day.

130.

MAT. xxviii. 1. 6.

1 BEHOLD! the earth shakes to its utmost ends,
The angel of the Lord from heaven descends;
His count'nance beaming is as lightning bright,
His shining garment as the snow is white.

2 A sight so dread the strongest heart appals,
The nightly guard as dead before him falls;
But 'midst the scene, the friends of Jesus hear,
A heavenly voice allaying ev'ry fear.

3" Fear not! I know ye come to seek the Lord, He risen is, according to his word:

The morn hath dawn'd of the appointed day, Come see the place where the Redeemer lay.”

4 Ye friends of Jesus, still his tomb draw nigh,
And o'er your Saviour's sufferings heave the sigh;
See in his death what love to man he bore,
And what was suffer'd sinners to restore.

5 Yet while with trembling ye the thunders hear,
Which shall o'erwhelm his enemies with fear;
In Jesus risen, see your bliss begun,
Salvation seal'd, and future glory won.

131.

LUKE xxiv. 1.

1 BLESS'D morning, whose first dawning rays

beheld the Son of God Arise triumphant from the grave,

and leave his dark abode.

2 Wrapp'd in the silence of the tomb,
the great Redeemer lay,
Till the revolving skies had brought
the third, th' appointed day.

3 Hell and the grave combin❜d their force,
to hold our Lord in vain:

The Conqu❜ror then, in power arose, and burst their feeble chain.

4 To thy great name, Almighty Lord!
we sacred honours pay:

And loud hosannahs shall proclaim
the triumphs of the day.