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3 Hail! the heavenborn Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings;
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

'OME, Desire of nations, come,

COME

Fix in us Thy humble home!

Rise, the Woman's conquering Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent's head!
Now display Thy saving power;
Ruined nature now restore;

Now in mystic union join

Thine to ours, and ours to Thine!

2 Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love!
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the Heavenly Man:
Oh, to all Thyself impart,

Formed in each believing heart!

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THE

HE Advent of our God

Our

prayers must now employ,

And we must meet Him on His road

With hymns of holy joy.

2 The Everlasting Son
Incarnate deigns to be:

78

S. M.

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Himself a servant's form puts on,
To set His people free.

3 Daughter of Zion, rise,

And greet thy lowly King,
And do not wickedly despise
The mercies He will bring.

4 As Judge, in clouds of light,
He will come down again,
And all His scattered saints unite
With Him in Heaven to reign.

5 Before that dreadful day

May all our sins be gone;
May the old man be put away,
And the new man put on!

6 Praise to the Saviour-Son,

From all the angel host:
Like praise be to the Father done,
And to the Holy Ghost.

SAVIOUR of our race,

Welcome indeed Thou art,
Blesséd Redeemer, Fount of grace,
To this my longing heart!

2 Light of the world, abide

Through faith within my heart;
Leave me to seek no other guide,
Nor e'er from Thee depart.

3 Thou art the Life, O Lord!
Sole Light of life Thou art!

Let not Thy glorious rays be poured
In vain on my dark heart.

S. M.

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4. Star of the East, arise!

Drive all my clouds away;
Guide me till earth's dim twilight dies
Into the perfect day.

Circumcision.

HE ancient Law departs,

THE

And all its terrors cease;

For Jesus makes with faithful hearts
A covenant of peace.

2 The Light of Life Divine,

True Brightness undefiled,

He bears for us the shame of sin,

A holy, spotless Child.

3 His infant body now

Begins our pain to feel;

S. M.

Those precious drops of blood that flow,

For death the Victim seal.

4 To-day the Name is Thine

At which we bend the knee ;
They call Thee Jesus, Child Divine !
Our Jesus deign to be.

5 All praise, Eternal Son,

For Thy redeeming love;
With Father, Spirit, ever One,
In glorious might above.

AS

S with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold;
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.

7s, 6 lines.

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2 As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger-bed,

There to bend the knee before

Him whom heaven and earth adore ;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek the mercy-seat.

;

3 As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin's alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

4 Holy Jesus, every day

Keep us in the narrow way;
And when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
5 In the heavenly country bright,
Need they no created light;

Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,
Thou its Sun which goes not down ;
There for ever may we sing

Hallelujahs to our King. Amen.

BRIGHTEST and best of the sons of the morning,

Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;

Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid!

2 Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are shining; Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;

Angels adore Him, in slumber reclining,

Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all!

3 Say shall we yield Him in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom, and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?

4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation;

Vainly with gifts would His favors secure : Richer by far is the heart's adoration;

Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

5 Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us Thine aid ; Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

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Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

O

THOU! who by a star didst guide
The wise men on their way,

Until it came and stood beside

The place where Jesus lay;

2 Although by stars Thou dost not lead
Thy servants now below,
Thy Holy Spirit, when they need,
Will show them how to go.

3 As yet we know Thee but in part :
But still we trust Thy word,
That blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see the Lord.

4 O Saviour, give us then Thy grace,
To make us pure in heart,

That we may see Thee face to face
Hereafter, as Thou art.

C. M.