1 Death and the devils in great horror
at Christ's coming.
13 He tramples on death, seizes the prince
of hell, and takes Adam with him to Heaven.
IMPIOUS death and her cruel
officers hearing these things,
were seized with fear in their
several kingdoms, when they saw
the clearness of the light,
2 And Christ himself on a sudden
appearing in their habitations,
they cried out therefore, and said,
We are bound by thee; thou seemest
to intend our confusion before
the Lord.
3 Who art thou, who has no signs
of corruption, but that bright
appearance which is a full proof of
thy greatness, of which yet thou
seemest to take no notice?
4 Who art thou, so powerful,
and so weak, so great and so little;
mean, and yet a soldier of the first
rank, who can command in the form
of a servant and a common soldier?
5 The king of Glory, dead and
alive, though once slain upon the
cross?
6 Who layest dead in the grave,
and art come down alive to us,
and in thy death all the creatures
trembled, and all the stars were
moved; and now hast thy liberty
among the dead, and givest
disturbance to our legions?
7 Who art thou, who dost release
the captives that were held
in chains by original sin, and
bringest them into their former
liberty?
8 Who art thou, who dost spread
so glorious and divine a light over
those who were made blind by the
darkness of sin?
9 In like manner all the legions
of devils were seized with the like
horror, and with the most submissive
fear cried out, and said,
10 Whence comes it, O thou
Jesus Christ, that thou art a man
so powerful and glorious in majesty
so bright as to have no spot, and
so pure as to have no crime? For
that lower world of earth, which
was ever till now subject to us,
and from whence we received
tribute, never sent us such a
dead man before, never sent such
presents as these to the princes of
hell.
11 Who therefore art thou, who
with such courage enterest among
our abodes, and art not only not
afraid to threaten us with the
greatest punishments, but also
endeavourest to rescue all others
from the chains in which we hold
them?
12 Perhaps thou art that Jesus,
of whom Satan just now spoke to
our prince, that by the death of
the cross thou wert about to
receive the power of death.
13 Then the King of Glory
trampling upon death, seized the
prince of hell, deprived him of all
his power, and took our earthly
father Adam with him to his glory.