Part the First

1 Come, and let us sweetly join,
Christ to praise in hymns divine!
Give we all, with one accord,
Glory to our common Lord;
Hands, and hearts, and voices raise:
Sing as in the ancient days;
Antedate the joys above,
Celebrate the feast of love.

2 Strive we, in affection strive:
Let the purer flame revive;
Such as in the martyrs glow'd,
Dying champions for their God:
We like them may live and love;
Call'd we are their joys to prove;
Sav'd with them from future wrath;
Partners of like precious faith.

3 Sing we then in Jesu’ name,
Now as yesterday the same;
One in ev’ry time and place,
Full for all of truth and grace:
We for Christ our master stand,
Lights in a benighted land;
We our dying Lord confess;
We are Jesu’ witnesses.

4 Witnesses that Christ hath dy'd;
We with him are crycify'd:
Christ hath burst the bands of death:
We his quick'ning Spirit breathe;
Christ is now gone up on high;
Thither all our wishes fly:
Sits at God's right-hand above;
There with him we reign in love.