4 Glory to God in highest strains, In highest worlds be paid; His glory by our lips proclaim'd, And by our lives display'd.
5 0! may we reach those blissful realms Where Christ exalted reigns; And learn of the celestial choir Their own immortal strains.
40. The Angel's Song at the Birth of Christ.—
1 WHILE shepherds watch'd their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down, And glory shone around.
2 "Fear not," said he--for mighty dread Had seized their troubled mind-- "Glad tidings of great joy I bring To you and all mankind."
3 "To you, in David's town, this day Is born of David's line,
The Saviour who is Christ the Lord, And this shall be the sign:
4 "The heavenly Babe you there shall find, "To human view display'd,
"All meanly wrapt in swathing bands, "And in a manger laid."
5 Thus spake the seraph, and forthwith Appear'd a shining throng
Of angels, praising God; who thus Address'd their joyful song:
6. "All glory be to God on high, "And to the earth be peace: "Goodwill,henceforth, from Heaven to men, "Begin and never cease."
41. Reflections on the New Year.
1 WHILE, with ceaseless course, the sun
Hasted through the former year,
Many souls their race have run, Never more to meet us here: Fix'd in an eternal state, They have fled from all below We a little longer wait,
But how little none can know.
2 As the winged arrow flies, Swift its destin'd mark to find; As the lightning from the skies Darts, and leaves no trace behind ;- Thus with speed our fleeting days Bear us down life's rapid stream: Lord! on high our wishes raise; All on earth is but a dream.
3 Thanks for mercies past receive; Pardon of our sins renew;
Teach us henceforth how to live, With eternity in view:
Guide the young and warn the old; Bid all seek the Saviour's love; So, when life's brief tale is told, All shall dwell with Thee above.
1 THE Lord of earth and sky, The God of ages praise; Who reigns enthron'd on high, Ancient of endless days; Who lengthens out our trial here, And spares us yet another year!
2 Barren and wither'd trees,
We cumber'd long the ground; No fruit of holiness
On our dead souls we found: Yet doth He us in mercy spare, Another, and another year.
3 When justice bared the sword, To cut the fig-tree down,
The pity of our Lord
Cried, "Let it still alone:" The Father mild inclin'd His ear, And spar'd us yet another year.
4 Jesus! thy speaking blood From God obtain'd the grace, Who therefore hath bestowed On us a longer space: Thou didst in our behalf appear, And, lo, we see another year.
5 Then dig about our root,
Break up our fallow-ground, And let our gracious fruit
To thy great praise abound: O let us all thy praise declare, And fruit unto perfection bear!
43. The Prospect of a New Year.
1 God of our life, thy constant care
With blessings crowns the opening year: Our fleeting days Thou dost prolong, And wak'st anew our annual song.
2 How many, many souls have fled To the vast regions of the dead, Since from this day the changing sun Through his last yearly period run.
3 We yet survive! but who can say, Or through the year, or month, or day, They will retain the vital breath,
Thus far at least in league with death?
4 To Thee our spirits we resign, Make them and own them still as thine; So shall they smile secure from fear, Though death should blast the rising year.
44. The uncertainty of life a reason for continual
TO-MORROW, Lord, is thine: Lodg'd in thy sovereign hand, And, if its sun arise and shine, It shines by thy command.
The present moment flies, And bears our life away; O! may thy servants, truly wise, Improve each passing day.
3 Since on each winged hour Eternity is hung,
Awaken, by thy mighty power, The aged and the young.
One thing demands our care ;- Be that one thing pursued; Lest, now despis'd, we never hear Thy pardoning voice renew'd.
5 Teach us thy name to fear; Spread an alarm abroad! And cry, in every careless ear, "Prepare to meet thy God!"
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