A Rehearsal Of Christ's Love Towards The World Poem by Rees Prichard

COME, hear me relate our Redeemer's vast love,
When to purchase our souls he first came from above;
That love bear in mind, which then cost him so dear,
And still, whilst you live, his blest mem'ry revere.

When Satan essay'd with success to deceive
(Transform'd to a serpent) our Grandmother Eve;
We then for an apple were sold ev'ry one,
And none cou'd redeem us, but Jesus alone:

Who, when he our woeful condition did 'spy,
Expressly forsook the pure Regions on high,
Disdain'd not to enter the pure Virgin's womb;
But, to save us from hell, did our nature assume.

So Mary grew pregnant of Him, we adore,
(How wond'rous a thing!) by the Spirit's great pow'r,
Though a maid scarce to years of maturity grown,
And tho', all her life, she a man ne'er had known.

When her reck'ning was up, e'er the dawning of day,
Her Son she brought forth on a bundle of hay,
In a stable at Bethl'em :- in swaddling clothes drest,
In a manger she afterwards laid him to rest.

At his birth there were angels from heav'n employ'd;
(Who at their commission were quite overjoy'd)
To proclaim to the world, that on that very morn,
Christ Jesus, their blessed Redeemer, was born.

When the three Eastern Magi first lift up their eyes,
And saw the new star, that illumin'd the skies,
They left their own country, and travell'd from thence
To worship the Babe, not regarding expence.

When Herod the birth of our Saviour first knew,
To slay him, he sent out his butchering crew,
And, lest Christ shou'd 'scape, he destroy'd ev'ry one
Of the Infants at Bethl'em, nor spar'd his own son.

But Mary, she silently 'rose in the night,
And to Egypt retir'd with her Child in a fight ;-
And there she resided - how long can't be said -
'Till Herod howe'er, and his butchers were dead.

Christ came back again on vile Herod's demise,
To a nation excessively dull and unwise,
Where the Gospel He preach'd to a wrong-headed throng,
Who lov'd not the truth, for - I can't tell how long!

He deign'd most extraordinary wonders to do,
That he was the promis'd Messiah, to show :
Yet the Jews, nor the truth, nor his wonders, believ'd,
But sought to destroy him, as long as he liv'd.

Mark'd out from the rest by a trait'rous embrace,
He by Judas was sold to that reprobate race,
Whose Avarice drove him (so wretched was he!)
To end by a halter his days on a tree.

The night Christ was seiz'd, an effusion of blood
Sweated down from his head to his heels in a flood,
On thinking how bitter the pains! how severe!
Which he for the sins of each age was to bear.

With torches and staves, he a pris'ner was made,
As late after supper devoutly he pray'd :-
With cords he was bound, and then hurry'd along
Before the high-priests by the loud-shouting throng.

Pilate question'd him afterwards closely a while,
But cou'd not find in him transgression, or guile;
Yet wrongfully sentenc'd the guiltless to die,
Though his hands he had wash'd - and, he cou'd not tell why.

He order'd him, first, to be whipp'd 'till the blood
From his head to his heels his blest body o'erflow'd,
Then (that Christ might be fix'd to the Cross) he commands
Strong nails to be drove thro' his feet and his hands.

A large crown of thorns on his head, next, was plac'd,
And he with a robe of fine scarlet was grac'd,
On the knee, with mock homage, he then was ador'd;
With blows and grimace they insulted the Lord.

With the cross on his shoulders they forc'd him to go
Tow'rds Golgotha, (never consid'ring his woe!)
To which they affix'd him alive, in great pain:
Thus Christ on the cross was most cruelly slain!

And, yet though his grief and his pains were so vast,
When the nails, thro' his hands and his feet, they drove fast;
As sheep when they're shorn seldom murmur or bleat,
His lips he ne'er op'd, tho' his wrongs were so great!

But with pitiful accent his Father besought,
To pardon the Jews this detestable fault,
Because that they were not then conscious of guilt,
Nor knew 'twas the blood of their Saviour they spilt.

And thus from this life did our Saviour depart,
When he on the cross had first suffer'd the smart,
The Woes, and the Penance, and Vengeance entire,
Which God for the sins of the world did require.

At the price of his blood, by a death full of pain,
He reconcil'd man to his Father again,
And the favour of God to us sinners restor'd;
Then still, whilst we live, let us all praise the Lord!

On the cross, he the sins of us all did sustain,
And wash'd in his blood, 'till not one did remain -
He made us all, kings, and all priests unto God:
Then still, whilst we live, let us Jesus applaud!

The law he fulfill'd, and his Sire fully pleas'd,
Our pardon he bought with his blood, and releas'd
Our souls from hell's dungeon - our sentence he tore:
Then little, and great, let us Jesus adore!

Like Samson, he conquer'd the powers beneath,
And our brethren'd accuser, the old Dragon, by death!
By bruising his head, he the victory gain'd :
Then let us praise Christ, who the palm has obtain'd:

The wrath of his Sire he did fully efface -
He made us his sons by adoption and grace -
He gave us a share in the kingdom of God -
Then still, whilst we live, let us Jesus applaud!

For us crowns of gold, (to encircle each brow)
And elegant robes of the whiteness of snow,
He purchas'd - and also the kingdom of God:
Then still, whilst we breathe, let us Jesus applaud!

All possible glory, thanksgiving, and pow'r,
Be 'scrib'd to the Trinity now, and each hour -
All praise and applause, to our Saviour, and Head :
And, to this, let
Amen
by each Christian be said!