Page images
PDF
EPUB

37

Part Second.

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

SECTION FIRST-HIS INCARNATION AND MISSION.

51.

L. M. Christ's coming announced. Isaiah xl. 3—5.

1 HARK! in the wilderness a cry!

It shakes the mountains, rends the earth;
The King appears, behold him nigh!
The God by nature, man by birth!
2 Run to and fro, ye heralds, run;
Proclaim aloud, prepare the way!
Redemption's glorious work's begun,
And who his mighty arm shall stay?
3 The paths before his feet make straight,
And every obstacle remove:

Bow down, ye hills, your lofty height,
Do homage to redeeming love.

4 Then shall the lowly valley rise,
Its budding honours spring to view;
Swift the creating mandate flies,
And all is blissful, all is new.

5 Redeemer! now the word fulfil;
Thy glory to our souls make known;
Transform us to obey thy will,
And thee, our Lord and Saviour, own.

6 In us accomplish the design

Of grace, which brought thee from above;
To serve thee, may our pow'rs combine,
Constrain'd by gratitude and love.

D

52.

C. M. The Incarnation.

Isaiah ix. 1, 2, 6, 7.

1 THE race that long in darkness lay
Have seen a glorious light;
The people dwell in day, who dwelt
In death's surrounding night.
2 To hail thy rise, O righteous Sun!
The gath'ring nations come,
Joyful as when the reapers bear
The harvest treasures home.

3 To us a Child of hope is born,
To us a Son is giv'n;

Him shall the tribes of earth obey,
And all the hosts of heav'n.

4 His name shall be the Prince of peace,
The great and mighty Lord,
The Wonderful, the Counsellor,
For evermore ador'd.

5 His pow'r, increasing still, shall spread; His reign no end shall know;

Justice shall guard his throne above,

And peace

abound below.

*53.

148th. The incarnation of Christ. Luke ii. 11.

1

2

THE long expected morn

Has dawn'd upon the earth;
The Saviour Christ is born,

And angels sing his birth :

Come, join the bright seraphic throng; Come, share their joys and swell their song

O! 'tis a lofty theme,

Supplied by angels' tongues!

All other subjects seem

Unworthy of our songs:

3

4

This sacred theme has boundless charms,
It fills, it captivates, it warms.

Now sing of peace divine,
Of grace to guilty man;

No wisdom, Lord, but thine,
Could form the wondrous plan:

Where peace and righteousness embrace,
And justice goes along with grace.

Give praise to God on high,
Ye angels round the throne;
Give praise, ye saints, with joy,
Give praise to God alone;

Unite your noblest songs to raise,
And give the Saviour endless praise.

54.

C. M. Angels rejoicing at the birth of Christ. Luke ii. 13,14.
1 MORTALS, awake! with angels join,
And chant the pleasing lay;
Joy, love, and gratitude combine,
To hail th' auspicious day.

2 In heav'n the rapt'rous song began,
And sweet seraphic fire

Through all the shining legions ran,
And strung and tun'd the lyre.

3 Swift through the vast expanse it flew,
And loud the echo roll'd;

The theme, the song, the joy was new 'Twas more than heav'n could hold. 4 Down through the portals of the sky, Th' impetuous torrent ran: Angelic bands exulting fly,

To bear the news to man.

5 Wrapp'd in the silence of the night,
The world in darkness lay,

When suddenly a glorious light
Shone like a flood of day.

D2

6 Hark! the celestial armies shout, And glory leads the song:

"Good-will and peace" are heard throughout Th' harmonious, heav'nly throng.

7 With joy the chorus we repeat,

Glory to God on high!

Good-will and peace are now complete,
Jesus was born to die.

55.

7s. The Angels' song at the birth of Christ. Luke ii. 14. 1 HARK! the herald angels sing,

66

Glory to the new-born king

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconcil'd.

2 Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th' angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem !"
3 Christ, by highest heav'n ador'd;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Christ, the glorious Prince of peace;
Christ, the Lord our righteousness.

4 Veil'd in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail th' incarnate Deity!
Pleas'd as man with men ť appear
Jesus, our Immanuel, here.

5 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.
6 Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us thy humble home;
Rise, the woman's conqu'ring Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent's head.

*56.

8. 7. 4. The incarnate Saviour worshipped. Matt. ii. 2.
1 ANGELS, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth;
Come and worship,

Worship Christ the new-born King.
2 Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant light;
Come and worship,

Worship Christ the new born King.
3 Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar ;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen his natal star:
Come and worship,

Worship Christ the new-born King.
4 Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In his temple doth appear;
Come and worship,

Worship Christ the new-born King.
5 Sinners, bow'd with true repentance,
Doom'd for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes your sentence,
Mercy calls you,-break your chains;
Come and worship,

Worship Christ the new-born King.

57.

C. M. The objects of Christ's mission. Isa, xlii. 7, lxi. 1. 1 HARK! the glad sound, the Saviour comes, The Saviour promis'd long!

« PreviousContinue »