2 Our thirsting can never, O merciful God, Equal thy love and boundless grace; On us thou more blessings and love hast bestowed,

Than stripes deserved our trespasses; O teach us to trust thy fidelity,

And closely united with Christ to be, The Spirit's kind teachings in all things to prove, [praise, and love. Yea, live to thy honour, thee serve,

3 We pray thee, O Being most gracious and mild,

Instruct our minds and teach us now, So that in Immanuel, thine image and child,

How great thy name is, we may know; Ah, show us how easy it is to bear Thy yoke, and to trust thy paternal care, That, till the short period of trial shall end, [commend. Our faith and our love may their author Zinzendorf, 1700-60.

T. IIO.

25. CHRISTIANS, awake, salute the happy morn, [born; Whereon the Saviour of the world was Rise to adore the mystery of love Which hosts of angels chanted from above;

With them the joyful tidings first begun, Of God incarnate, and the virgin's Son. 2 Then to the watchful shepherds it was told, ["Behold, Who heard the angelic herald's voice: I bring good tidings of a Saviour's birth, To you and all the nations upon earth; This day hath God fulfilled his promised word, [Lord.

This day is born a Saviour, Christ the 3 "In David's city, shepherds, ye shall

find

The long-foretold Redeemer of mankind; Wrapt up in swaddling clothes, the Babe divine

Lies in a manger; this shall be the sign." He spake, and straightway the celestial choir, spire. In hymns of joy, unknown before, con

HARK, the glad sound, the Saviour
The Saviour promised long; [comes,
Let every heart prepare a throne,
And every voice a song.

a He comes, the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held;
The gates of brass before him burst,
The iron fetters yield.

3 He comes, from thickest films of vice
To clear the mental ray ;
And on the eye, long closed in night,
To pour celestial day.

4 He comes, the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure;

And, with the riches of his grace,
To bless the humble poor.

5 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim;
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With thy beloved name.

Philip Doddridge, 1702-51.

MORNING star, O cheering sight!
Ere thou cam'st how dark earth's night!
Jesus mine-in me shine;
Fill my heart with light divine.
2 Morning star, thy glory bright
Far excels the sun's clear light:
Jesus be-constantly,
More than thousand suns to me.

3 Thy glad beams, thou morning star,
Cheer the nations near and far;

Thee we own-Lord alone,
Man's great Saviour, God's dear Son.
4 Morning star, my soul's true light,
Tarry not, dispel my night;
Jesus mine-in me shine,
Fill my heart with light divine.

TO God we render thanks and praise,
Who pitied mankind's fallen race,
And gave his dear and only Son,
That us, as children, he might own.
2 What grace, what great benevolence,
What love, surpassing human sense;
For this great work no angel can
Him duly praise, much less a man.
3 The Word eternal did assume

Our flesh and blood, and man become;
The First and Last with wonder see
Partake of human misery.

4 He came to seek and save the lost;
We sinned, and he would bear the cost,
That we might share eternal bliss;
O what unbounded love was this!

5 Thus saved by God's unbounded grace,
We humbly render thanks and praise,
With all the countless ransomed host,
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

BEHOLD, to us a Child is born,

To us a Son is given;

Unto the wretched and forlorn
Descends the Lord from heaven:

The promised seed, Immanuel,
The everlasting God,

Comes down to save from death and hell
Poor sinners by his blood.

2 Great is the hidden mystery That God became a man: He had from all eternity

In mercy formed a plan,

To save from misery and distress
The fallen human race;

And now the Sun of righteousness
His healing beams displays.

3 Come, sinners, view the incarnate
Who us and all things made; [Word,
This helpless babe is Christ the Lord,
Though in a manger laid:
For us to die is Jesus born,
Adore his saving name;

Rejoice, rejoice, for on that morn
The Lord's Salvation came.

HOW shall I meet my Saviour?
How shall I welcome thee?
What manner of behaviour
Is now required of me?
I wait for thy salvation,
Grant me thy Spirit's light,
Thus will my preparation

Be pleasing in thy sight.

2 While with her sweetest flowers
Thy Zion strews thy way,
I'll raise with all my powers
To thee a grateful lay:
To thee, the King of Glory,
I'll tune a song divine,
And make thy love's bright story
In graceful numbers shine.

3 Love caused his incarnation,
Love brought him down to me;
His thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty;
Uncalled he comes with gladness,
Us from the fall to raise,
And change our grief and sadness
To songs of joy and praise.
4 He comes, repenting sinners
With life and love to crown,
And make then happy winners
Of glory like his own.
To him what shall we render,
Our gratitude to show?
O may our love more tender,
More ardent for him glow.

Paul Gerhardt (tr. John Chr. Jacobi).

REJOICE, our nature Christ assumes,
Born of a virgin, lo, he comes,
As the Messiah, fore-ordained;
Adore and wonder, every land.

2 He left his bright, his glorious throne, He bowed the heavens, to earth came down,

And thus his wondrous race began,
As God with God and man with man.

3 To save mankind from ruin sent,
From God he came, to God he went;
He stooped to death, and to the tomb,
Ere he his glory did resume.

4 Behold a great, a heavenly light,
From Bethlehem's manger shining bright,
Around those who in darkness dwell,
The night of evil to dispel.

5 Incarnate God, exert thy power,
Arise, thou glorious conqueror;
Subdue sin, death, and every foe,
Erect thy kingdom here below.

Luther, from Latin of Ambrose.

On this day;-Don't delay
To accept God's favour.

2 See your Saviour in a manger;
'Midst his own,-yet unknown,
Treated like a stranger,
Tended by an earthly mother:
Him believe, and receive,
He is Christ your Brother.

3 Ye that feel quite poor and needy,
Come who will,-take your fill,
All things now are ready:
He is come to be your Saviour,
Full of love,-to remove
Guilt and curse for ever.

4 Jesus, hear my supplication,
Grant me grace,-to embrace
Thee as my salvation :

Then like Simeon, (O what favour,) I desire, to retire

Hence in peace for ever.

INFINITE Source, whence all did spring, The whole creation's Head and Lord, Almighty and eternal King,

Who art in heaven and earth adored : Thou, whom the heavens cannot contain, Didst deign to leave thy throne above, To be an infant poor and mean:

O mystery deep, O boundless love!

2 The cause of this,-I know it well, Was thy great love and my great woe; To rescue me from death and hell,

Thou didst consent to stoop so low; My misery moved the God of grace, Who in the Father's bosom lay, When the due time had taken place, His great compassion to display.

3 What offering shall I bring to thee; Immanuel, my King and God; Who didst vouchsafe a man to be,

To save me by thy precious blood; Thou, at whose birth the angels sing, "Peace upon earth, goodwill to men," To whom the sages humbly bring

Their gifts, though thou appear so mean. 4 This will I do, thou Child divine, I'll give thee that for which thou cam'st; My soul and body, Lord, are thine, And them, in love to me, thou claim'st:

COME, thou universal blessing,
Thou, the woman's promised seed;
Perfect bliss and joy unceasing

Deign throughout the earth to spread; By thy holy incarnation,

Life and death, our guilt remove, Visit us with thy salvation,

Bless us with thy heavenly love.

2 Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free,
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.
3 Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a king,
Born to reign in us for ever,

Now thy gracious kingdom bring;
By thine own eternal Spirit,

Rule in all our hearts alone; By thine all-sufficient merit, Raise us to thy glorious throne. Ch. Wesley, 1708-88.

COME, ye redeemed of the Lord,
Your grateful tribute bring,
And celebrate with one accord

The birth of Christ our King:
Let us with humble hearts repair
(Faith will point out the road)
To little Bethlehem, and there
Adore the incarnate God.

2 All glory to Immanuel's name The choirs of angels sing; Gladly these heralds peace proclaim, Peace from our God and King: Well might the shepherds haste away This wondrous babe to see; Well might the sages homage pay, And bow to him the knee.

3 We all have reason to rejoice, When we this mystery view,

HE has come! the Christ of God;
Left for us his glad abode;
Stooping from his throne of bliss,
To this darksome wilderness.

2 He has come! the Prince of Peace;
Come to bid our sorrows cease;
Come to scatter with his light
All the shadows of our night.

3 He, the mighty King, has come,
Making this poor earth his home;
Come to bear our sins' sad load;
Son of David, Son of God.

4 He has come, whose name of grace
Speaks deliverance to our race;
Left for us his glad abode;
Son of Mary! Son of God.

5 Unto us this Son is given!

He has come from God's own heaven;
Bringing with him from above
Holy peace and holy love.

ARISE, my spirit, bless the day
Whereon the great Creator

A child became; thy homage pay;
Adore the Mediator.

This is the night in which he came,
Was born, and put on human frame,
Us sinners to deliver

From sin and death for ever.

2 Welcome, thou Source of every good, O Jesus, King of glory;

Welcome, thrice welcome, Lamb of God,
To this world transitory:

In grateful hymns thy name I'll praise,
With heart and voice throughout my days;
For thy blest incarnation
Procurèd my salvation.

3 O lovely Infant, thou art full
Of grace above all measure;
Thou art more precious to my soul
Than earth with all its treasure: