re

f

90

C.M.

mf Sages, leave your contemplations,

Brighter visions beam afar; f Joy to the world! the Lord is

Seek the great Desire of Nations ; come;

Ye have seen His natal star ;
Let earth receive her King ;

f

Come and worship ; [Kiny. Let every heart prepare Him room, Worship Christ, the new-born And heaven and nature sing.

mf Saints, before the altar bending, f Joy to the earth! the Saviour

P

Watching long in hope and fear, reigns ;

cresSuddenly the Lord descending, Let men their songs employ ;

In His temple shall appear ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, f Come and worship ; [King. and plains,

Worship Christ, the new-born Repeat the sounding joy.

mp Sinners wrung with true p No more let sins and sorrows grow, pentance,

Nor thorns infest the ground; Doomed for guilt to endless pains, cresHe comes to make His blessings cresJustice now revokes your sentence, flow

Mercy calls you,-break your Far as the curse is found.

chains ; f He rules the world with truth and

Come and worship;

Worship Christ, the new-born grace, And makes the nations prove

King. J. Montgomery. The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love. 92

8.7.8.7. 1. Watts.

f HARK, an awful voice is sounding ; 91

“ Christ is nigh,” it seems to say ; 8.7.8.7.4.7.

“Cast away the dreams of darkness, f ANGELS, from the realms of glory, O ye children of the day.” Wing your flight o'er all the

Startled at the solemn warning, earth;

Let the earth-bound soul arise ; Ye who sang creation's story Now proclaim Messiah's birth ;

Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling, Come and worship ; [King.

Shines upon the morning skies. Worship Christ, the new-born | mf Lo, the Lamb so long expected,

Comes with pardon down from mf Shepherds in the field abiding,

heaven; Watching o'er your flocks by

dimLet us haste, with tears of sorrow, night,

One and all to be forgiven. cresGod with man is now residing,

Yonder shines the infant-light; mf So when next He comes with glory
Come and worship;

р

Wrapping all the earth in fear, Worship Christ, the new-born cresMay He then, as our defender King.

On the clouds of heaven appear.

of

the song

f Honour, glory, virtue, merit, mf For lo ! the days are hastening on, To the Father and the Son,

By prophet-bards foretold, With the co-eternal Spirit,

cresWhen with the ever-circling years While eternal ages run.

Comes round the age of gold ; Latin, 5th century, tr. E. Caswall. f When peace shall over all the earth 93

Its ancient splendours fling, C.M., double.

ff And the whole world send back mf It came upon the midnight clear,

That glorious song of old, pp Which now the angels sing. dim From angels bending near the earth

E. H. Sears. To touch their harps of gold : cresó Peace on the earth, goodwill to

94
men,
[King ";

7.6.7.6., double, From heaven's all, gracious f HAIL to the Lord's anointed ; pp The world in solemn stillness lay

Great David's greater Soni
To hear the angels sing.

Hail, in the time appointed, mf Still through the cloven skies they His reign on earth begun! come,

He comes to break oppression, With peaceful wings unfurled, To set the captive free, And still their heavenly music floats To take away transgression, O’er all the weary world :

And rule in equity. mp Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on heavenly wing,

[mf He comes with succour speedy

To those that suffer wrong ; cresAnd ever o'er its Babel sounds The blessèd angels sing.

To help the poor and needy, pp

And bid the weak be strong ; Yet with the woes of sin and strife cresTo give them songs for sighing, The world has suffered long,

Their darkness turn to light, Beneath the angel-strain have dimWhose souls condemned and dying, rolled

mf Were precious in His sight.] Two thousand years of wrong ; And man at war with man hears not p He shall come down like showers

The love-song which they bring Upon the fruitful earth; pp 0 hush the noise, ye men of strife, cresAnd love, joy, hope, like flowers, And hear the angels sing.

Spring in His path to birth : mp And ye beneath life's crushing load, mf Before Him, on the mountains,

Shall peace, the herald, go,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way

cresAnd righteousness, in fountains,

From hill to valley flcw.
With weary steps and slow,-
cresLook up! for glad and golden hours [mfArabia's desert ranger
Come swiftly on the wing ;

To Him shall bow the knee : pp O rest beside the weary road,

The Ethiopian stranger
And hear the angels sing.

His glory come to see :

6s.

cresWith offerings of devotion,

Sheds the fulness of His grace. Ships from the isles shall meet, Sing, O sing, this blessèd morn, To pour the wealth of ocean

Jesus Christ to-day is born.
In tribute at His feet. I

f God comes down that man may rise, mf Kings shall fall down before Him, Lifted by Him to the skies ; And gold and incense bring ;

Christ is Son of Man that we
All nations shall adore Him,

Sons of God in Him may be.
His praise all people sing:

Sing, O sing, this blessèd morn, cresFor He shall have dominion

Jesus Christ to-day is born.
O'er river, sea, and shore,

f O renew us, Lord, we pray, Far as the eagle's pinion,

With Thy spirit day by day ;
Or dove's Jight wing can soar.

That we ever one may be p For Him shall prayer unceasing

With the Father and with Thee. And daily vows ascend ;

Sing, O sing, this blessèd morn, cres His kingdom still increasing:-

Jesus Christ to-day is born.
A kingdom without end.

C. Wordsworth. mf The mountain dews shall nourish

96 A seed in weakness sown: cresWhose fruit shall spread and mf God from on high bath heard ! flourish,

Let sighs and sorrows cease ;
And shake like Lebanon.

The skies unfold, and lo! f O'er every foe victorious,

Descends the gift of Peace!
He on His throne shall rest;

(Hark! on the midnight air From age to age more glorious,

Celestial voices swell!
All blessing and all blest.

The hosts of heaven proclaim cresThe tide of time shall never

God comes on earth to dwell !] His covenant remove; His Name shall stand for ever ;

Haste with the shepherds ; see rall That Name to us is—Love.

The mystery of Grace;

mf A manger-bed, a Child, J. Montgomery.

Is all the eye can trace, 95

7s., with refrain. Is this the Eternal Son, † SING, O sing, this blessèd morn,

Who on the starry throne, Unto us a child is born,

Before the world began, Unto us a Son is given, [heaven.

Was with the Father one ?
God Himself comes down from cresYes, Faith can pierce the cloud

Sing, O sing, this blessèd morn, Which shrouds His glory now;
Jesus Christ to-day is born.

And hails Him Lord and God, of God with us, Immanuel,

To Whom all creatures bow. Deigns for ever now to dwell, [Faith sees the sapphire throne And on Adam's fallen race

Where angels evermore

dimAdoring, tremble still,

Oh, blest the land, the city blest, » And trembling, still adore.]

Where Christ the ruler is confest! mf 0 Child ; Thy silence speaks,

O, happy hearts and happy homes

To whom this King in triumph And bids us not refuse

comes ! To bear what flesh would shun,

The cloudless Sun of joy He is, To spurn what flesh would choose.

Who bringeth pure delight and cresFill us with holy love,

bliss ; Heal Thou our earthly pride ; .ft

Praise, O my God, to Thee ! Be born within our hearts,

Comforter, for Thy comfort free ! And ever there abide. C. Cuffin, tr. J. R. Woodford. Fling wide the portals of your heart

Make it a temple set apart 97 8.8.8.8.8.8.6.8.

From earthly use for heaven's LIFT up your heads, ye mighty employ, gates,

Adorned with prayer, and love, and Behold the King of glory waits,

joy; The King of kings is drawing near,

So shall your Sovereign enter in, The Saviour of the world is here ; And new and nobler life begin. Life and salvation doth He bring, f Praise, O my God, be Thine, Wherefore rejoice, and gladly sing

For word, and deed, and grace Praise, O my God, to Thee!

Divine. Creator, wise is Thy decree !

Redeemer, come! I open wide The Lord is just, a helper tried,

My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide! Mercy is ever at His side,

Let me Thy inner presence feel, His kingly crown is holiness,

Thy grace and love in me reveal, His sceptre, pity in distress,

Thy Holy Spirit guide us on The end of all our woe He brings;

Until our glorious goal is won ! Wherefore the earth is glad and

. Eternal praise and fame, sings

Be offered, Saviour, to Thy Name! f

Praise, O my God, to Thee ! O Saviour, great Thy deeds shall be!! G. Weissel, tr. Catherine Winkworth.

3.- HIS MANIFESTATION TO THE GENTILES. 98

7s., 6 lines.

mf As with joyful steps they sped, f As with gladness men of old

Saviour, to Thy lowly bed, Did the guiding star behold,

There to bend the knee before As with joy they hailed its light, Thee Whom heaven and earth

Leading onward, beaming bright; adore : p So, most gracious Lord, may we p So may we with willing feet Evermore be led to Thee.

Ever seek the mercy-seat.