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Christ, the first fruits.
Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day!
Sons of men and angels say:
Raise your joys and triumphs high:
Sing ye heavens! thou earth reply!
2 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.
3 Vain the stone, the watch, the seal—
Christ hath burst the gates of hell;
Death in vain forbids his rise,
Christ hath opened paradise.
4 Lives again our glorious King!
Where, O Death, is now thy sting?
Once he died, our souls to save:
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave?
5 Soar we now where Christ hath led,
Following our exalted Head:
Made like him, like him we rise,
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies!
6 King of glory, Fount of bliss,
Everlasting life is this:
Thee to know, thy power to prove,
Thus to sing, and thus to love.
C. Wesley.