Fountain of Christ's Blood

For Christmas

Words and Music: English Traditional

Compare: There Is A Fountain of Christ's Blood
Here is a Fountain of Christ's Blood

Source: G. Walters, A Good Christmas Box (Dudley: G. Walters, 1847), p. 14.

There is a fountain of Christ's blood,
Wide open set to drown our sins,
Where Jesus stands with open arms
Of mercy to invite you in.

Here we might see his bleeding wounds,
And hear him breathe forth dying groans;
He shed his rich redeeming blood,
Only to do poor sinners good.

He's crown's with thorns, spit on with scorn,
His flesh is pain's, his soul is torn;
With rugged nails through hands and feet,
They nailed our Redeemer sweet.

With bloody spears they pierc'd his side,
And bruis'd his bleeding body sore,
From each sad wound the blood ran down,
The spring of life could bleed no more.

With all his precious blood was spent,
The thunder roared, the rocks were rent,
The earth did quake, the clouds did rumble,
Which made hell shake and devils tremble.

The sun and moon in mourning went,
The sea did road, the temple rent,
When Christ's rich precious blood was shed,
It open'd graves and rais'd the dead.

Who did in frightful form appear,
With ghastly looks the spirits stood,
The Jews did 5tremble then with fear,
And said This was the Son of God.

But they had crucified their King,
The true blood royal spring of life,
Whose precious blood I farther tell,
Had power to quench the flames of hell.

Just form'd from dust, frail flesh how base,
To fly into thy Maker's face!
Condemn thy God! What hast thou done?
E'en crucifie'd the Blessed One!

Vain with the pride of filthy flesh,
Which is but dust and loathsomeness,
'Tis but a coffin turn'd with breath,
By sickness broached, drawn out by death.

Let sorrow heave thy soul with groans,
Shed tears and bathe his bleeding wounds,
Then rent thy heart, Christ's mercy crave,
Who knows but still his blood can save.

Such precious mercies Jesus gives,
His bleeding wounds and dying throbs,
Shake off believers' filthy rags,
And clothe your souls in shining robes.

Sheet Music: Journal of the Folk=Song Society. No. 7 Being the Second Part of Vol. II. (London: The Folk=Song Society, 1905), No. 33, p. 133.

Note in Text:

"Here is a fountain of Christ's Blood" is mentioned by Hone in his Ancient Mysteries (1823) as a carol still annually printed on ballad-sheets. It has nothing in common with Cowper's hymn which begins "There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood." Compare the tune with that of "Christmas Now Is Drawing Near At Hand," "Have you not heard," "The Iron Peel" and "Death and the Lady" in this Journal. — L. E. B.

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