The Crucifixion. O'ERWHELMED in depths of woe, Upon the tree of scorn, Hangs the Redeemer of mankind, See! How the nails those hands And feet so tender rend; See! Down his face, and neck, and breast, Hark! With what awful cry His spirit takes its flight; That cry, it pierced his mother's heart, Earth hears, and to its base Rocks wildly to and fro; Tombs burst; seas, rivers, mountains quake; The veil is rent in two. The sun withdraws his light; THE CRUCIFIXION. Shall man alone be mute ? Come youth! Come hoary hairs! Come rich and poor! Come all mankind! Come! fall before his cross Who shed for us his blood Who died the victim of pure love, To make us sons of God. Jesus! all praise to Thee, Our joy and endless rest! Be thou our guide while pilgrims here, Our crown amid the blest. Lyra Catholica. 179 It is Finished. CHRIST has done the mighty work, Nothing left for us to do But to enter on his toil, Enter on his triumph too. He has sowed the precious seed, Ours it is to reap the fields, Make the harvest joy our own. His the pardon, ours the sin,- His the good and ours the ill, His the love and ours the hate. Ours the darkness and the gloom, His the shade-dispelling light; Ours the cloud and his the sun, His the day-spring, ours the night. His the labor, ours the rest, His the death and ours the life, Ours the fruits of victory, His the agony and strife. Horatius Bonar. It is Finished. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished:" and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.-ST. JOHN xix. 30. "It is finished!" All is done As the Eternal Father willed; Now his well-beloved Son Hath his generous word fulfilled; Here accomplished what was said, Yet should bruise the serpent's head! Blood of heifer, goat, or ram; Typical, in days of yore, Of the one incarnate Lamb! Lamb of God! for sinners slain, Thou the curse of sin hast braved; Braved and borne it-not in vain : Thou hast died-and man is saved. * IT IS FINISHED. 182 "It is finished!" Wrath of man Here hath wrought and done its worst; Still subservient to His plan, Greatest, Wisest, Last, and First! God shall magnify His praise By that very act of shame; "It is finished!" From the tree Gently lower The Crucified! With a sister's tender care, With a more than brother's love, "It is finished!" By the veil By the yet more fearful tale Of the dead uprisen again; By each rent and rifted rock, By that last expiring cry, Heard amid the earthquake's shock! "It is finished!" Bear away To the garden-tomb its dead: 1 |