Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake

Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Easter Hymn

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.

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.

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal;

Christ hath burst the gates of hell!

Death in vain forbids His rise;

Christ hath opened Paradise!

Lives again our glorious King:

Where, O Death, is now thy sting?

Once He died, our souls to save:

Where thy victory, O Grave?

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.

What though once we perished all,

Partners in our parents’ fall?

Second life we all receive,

In our Heavenly Adam live.

Risen with Him, we upward move;

Still we seek the things above;

Still pursue, and kiss the Son

Seated on His Father’s Throne.

Scarce on earth a thought bestow,

Dead to all we leave below;

Heav’n our aim, and loved abode,

Hid our life with Christ in God:

Hid, till Christ our Life appear

Glorious in His members here;

Join’d to Him, we then shall shine,

All immortal, all divine.

Hail the Lord of Earth and Heaven!

Praise to Thee by both be given!

Thee we greet triumphant now!

Hail, the Resurrection Thou!

King of glory, Soul of bliss!

Everlasting life is this,

Thee to know, Thy power to prove,

Thus to sing, and thus to love!