You Mortals All, or Christ's Love to Penitent Sinners

Words: English Traditional
Compare: You Mortals All Of High and Low Degree

Music: English Traditional

Meter: 10 10 10 10

Source: G. Walters, A Good Christmas Box (Dudley: G. Walters, 1847; reprinted Ashley: Michael Raven, 2007), p. 40-42.

You mortals all of high and low degree,
Draw near awhile and listen unto me,
Whilst I these lines unfold which you shall find;
Are now compos'd to put you fresh in mind,

Of what our gracious God for us hath done,
In sending of his well-beloved Son,
When thousands on the brink of ruin lay,
He sent his Son there sinful debts to pay.

Let us observe this Prince's homely birth,
When that he first descended on the Earth,
Was by a Virgin in a manger laid,
When Christ was born his mother was a maid.

This sweet babe's birth, both far and near did ring,
And touched the ears of Herod that great King,
Which mighty monarch for to stir up strife,
Was then resolv'd to take away his life.

To make sure of this babe we understand,
He sent forth a decree throughout the land,
That every child where he did rule and reign,
From two years old and under should be slain.

The slayers were sent out their work to do,
And many a pretty, smiling babe they slew,
Cutting their flesh and breaking of their bones,
Dashing their tender heads against the stones.

Through Herod's order was this murdered done,
Slaying of thousands to make sure of one,
But God who knows the wicked heart of man,
Preserv'd his Son from Herod's cruel hand.

Though he escaped that time in Egypt's land,
Yet pray observe and you shall understand,
This babe was born to suffer for our crimes,
And shed his precious blood seven separate times.

The first time that he shed his blood behold!
When he was circumcis'd at eight days old,
The second time as I have often heard,
Was when the Jews with pincers pulled his beard,

Up by the roots, which makes me for to think,
Blood must appear and caused this Lamb to shrink.
The third time that his blood in streams ran down,
Was when the Jews did scourged him through the town.

The fourth time it was in the garden, where
He in great agony did suffer there,
For by the Scriptures it is understood,
With grief of soul he sweat great drops of blood.

The fifth time that his blood for us was shed,
Was when the Jews with thorns crowned his head,
For reason needs mast make us think indeed,
To wear a crown of thorns his head must plead.

The sixth time that he shed his blood and sweat,
As to the cross they nailed his hands and feet,
And monster like there Prince for to abuse,
Over his head was wrote "King Of The Jews."

Nay more than this though Prince and Lord of all,
Gave him to drink sharp vinegar and gall,
And to degrade him, as we understand,
Two thieves were placed by him at each hand.

This being done, one of the thieves said thus,
" If thou be Christ. Now save thyself, and us,"
At which the other straightway did reply,
" It is but justice that we both should die;

" But as for this good man, no ill hath done,
" How dare you to revile this blessed one?"
" Thou Son of God," – this penitent did say,
" In thy Father's kingdom, remember me, I pray."

Thus of his saying Christ great notice took,
And to him then with a most gracious look,
Did answer thus, " thou certainly shall be,
" This very day in Paradise with me."

The seventh time, for to augment his pain,
With a small spear they pierced his side amain,
Whereout there did thus from his heart run down,
Great streams of blood and water on the ground.

Then, as we find, this blessed one was forced,
With a deep groan. He yielded up the ghost,
and at his disillusionment as we hear,
Upon the Earth great darkness did appear.

The Earth did shake, the son withheld its light,
And rocks against each other, they did smite,
The hills did tremble for a little space,
And lofty mountains moved from their place.

Graves they did open and the dead arose,
And at this sight, some of his cruel foes,
Astonished said, " these things seem very odd,
"Surely this man must be the Son Of God."

Then in a sepulcher Christ was lain,
Wherein three nights and days he did remain,
But when he did arise we hear in hell,
Devils trembled and with rage did swell.

Though in deaths fetters Christ was forced to lie,
In God's due time he made his fetters fly,
Death ne'er was so baulk'd since or before,
His resurrection made the devils roar.

From the first time he was upon the earth,
He persecuted was unto his death,
And for our sins he suffered much indeed,
At thought of this what heart can choose but bleed.

But many of us act forbidden things,
And daily crucify the King of kings,
Ere it's too late your wickedness give ov'r,
For Christ will shed his blood for us no more.

As we must die, and Christ our judge must be,
To live with him then let us all agree,
That Christ may say who sits upon the throne,
"Come souls, I died for you! you are my own."

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