(Dum Christe, confixus cruci. No. 65.)
WHILST in the agonies of death,
The Saviour yields his latest breath,
We, too, will mount on Calvary's height,
And contemplate the wondrous sight!
O Lamb of God, by faith we see
How all our hopes are fixed on Thee:
Thy cross we see ordained by heaven,
For man to look and be forgiven.
By this thy saints to glory come,
By this they brave the martyr's doom:
In this the surest proof we find
Of God's vast love to lost mankind.
On this, O Lord! enthroned on high,
With more than royal majesty,
Thou spreadest forth thine arms abroad,
And callest all mankind to God.
Oh! grant us then to find a place
Around the footstool of thy grace,
And there in humble faith to stay,
Till all our sins are washed away.
Oh, banner of the cross, unfurled,
To shine with glory through the world,
Oh, may we ever cleave to Thee,
And thou shalt our salvation be!
The Father, who the Victim gave,
The Son, who died mankind to save;
The Holy Ghost, we all adore,
One God, both now and evermore.
(Vexilla regis prodeunt. No. 66.)
THE royal banner is unfurled,
The cross is reared on high,
On which the Saviour of the world
Is stretched in agony.
See through his holy hands and feet
The cruel nails they drive,
Our ransom thus is made complete,
Our souls are saved alive.
And see, the spear hath pierced his side, And shed that sacred flood,
That holy reconciling tide,
The water and the blood.
Hail! holy cross, from thee we learn
The only way to heaven;
And oh, to thee may sinners turn,
And look, and be forgiven!
Jehovah! we thy name adore,
In Thee we will rejoice,
And sing, till time shall be no more,
The triumphs of the Cross.
(Prone vocem, mens, canoram.
Now, my soul, thy voice upraising,
Sing aloud in mournful strain
Of the sorrows most amazing,
And the agonizing pain,
Which our Saviour,
Sinless bore, for sinners slain.
He the ruthless scourge enduring,
Ransom for our sins to pay,
Sinners by his own stripes curing,
Raising those who wounded lay,
Bore our sorrows,
And removed our pains away.
He to liberty restored us
By the very bonds he bare,
And his nail-pierced limbs afford us
Each a stream of mercy rare,
Us they fasten
To the cross, and keep us there.
When his painful life was ended,
Then the spear transfixed his side, Blood and water thence descended, Pouring forth a double tide:
This to cleanse us,
That to heal us, is applied.
Jesu, may thy promised blessing
Comfort to our souls afford,
May we, now thy love possessing,
And at length our full reward,
Ever praise Thee,
As our ever-glorious Lord.
(Adeste cœlitum chori. No. 68.)
COME, thou blest angelic throng,
Join with us in joyful song;
Christ our Saviour, on this day
Cast the bonds of death away.
All in vain around his tomb
Watched the soldiers through the gloom -
All in vain His crafty foes
Sought with seals the door to close.
Idle fears! no thief will come
To remove him from the tomb :
He, who gave himself to death,
Can himself resume his breath.
On the cross the senseless crowd
Saw him hang, and laughed aloud;
"Now come down," they cried, “and we
Will believe that thou art He."
But thou didst thy Father's will
Even to the death fulfil :
Thou didst not the offering shun,
Priest and Victim, all in one.
So upon the cross he stayed,
And within the tomb was laid:
Now he leaves that dark abode,
Hail Him as the Son of God.
(Aurora cælum purpurat. No. 69.)
THIS holy morn, so fair and bright,
Shall hear our praises swell:
For oh, what joy prevails on earth,
What wild despair in hell!
This morn our mighty King arose
From death's infernal cave,
And many a saint, to welcome Him,
Hath left his ancient grave.
In vain they sealed his sepulchre,
And watched around his tomb,—
The Lord hath gained the victory,
And death is overcome.
weep no more at death's dark Let no more tears be shed:
For why! the vanquisher of death
Is risen from the dead.
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