Christmas.

38

6-8's.

Patient trust in God.

Psalm xxxvii, 5. Isa. xxxvii, 14. 1 Pet. v, 7.

1 LEAVE God to order all thy ways, And hope in Him whate'er betide; Thou'lt find Him in the evil days

Thy all-sufficient strength and guide: Who trusts in God's unchanging love, Builds on the rock that nought can move.

2 What can these anxious cares availThese never-ceasing moans and sighs? What can it help us to bewail

Each painful moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

3 Only thy restless heart keep still,

And wait in cheerful hope; content
To take whate'er his gracious will,

His all-discerning love, hath sent:
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him, who chose us for his own.

39

Christmas.

8's.

Jesus an unchangeable friend.

Mal. iii, 6. Heb. xiii, 8.

1 THIS God is the God we adore,

Our faithful, unchangeable Friend;
Whose love is as great as his pow'r,
And neither knows measure nor end.
2 'Tis Jesus, the First and the Last,

Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home;
We'll praise Him for all that is past,
And trust Him for all that's to come.

40

Angels celebrating Christ's birth.

Isa. xliv, 23.

6.5.

1 WHENCE those sounds symphonious,
Solemn, sweet, and rare;
Music, how harmonious!
Filling all the air?

Hark! 'tis angels singing,
Singing here on earth;
Joyful tidings bringing
Of the Saviour's birth.
2 In that region yonder,
Where the angels sing,
Bursts of joy and wonder
Make the air to ring:-

Christmas.

Praise and adoration

Be to God above:
And to man salvation,
Object of his love!

3 Now, ye heavens, sing ye!
Earth, break forth and cry!
O ye mountains, ring ye
With the sound of joy!
For the Lord has done it;
His the victory;

His own arm has won it:
Israel shall be free.

Circumcision.

41

C. M.

The Name of Jesus precious.

Song of Sol. i, 3; v, 10, 16. Matt. i, 21.

1 How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary rest.

3[Dear Name, the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding-place,
My never-failing treasury, fill'd
With boundless stores of grace.]
4 Jesus! my Saviour, Shepherd, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

5 Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I'll praise Thee as I ought.

6 Till then I would thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath:
And may the music of thy Name
Refresh my soul in death.

42

Prayer for a clean heart.

Psalm li, 10. Rom. ii, 29; viii, 38, 39. 1 OH! FOR a heart to praise my God; A heart from sin set free;

C. M.

A heart that's sprinkled with the blood
So freely shed for me!

2 A heart resign'd, submissive, meek,
My dear Redeemer's throne;

Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone!

3 An humble, lowly, contrite heart,
Believing, true, and clean;

Which neither life nor death can part
From Him that dwells within!

4 A heart in ev'ry thought renew'd,
And fill'd with love divine;
Perfect, and right, and pure, and good;
A copy, Lord, of thine!

5 Thy nature, gracious Lord! impart;
Come quickly from above:

Write thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new,

best name of Love.

Epiphany.

43

11. 10.

The star in the east.

Matt. ii, 9-11.

1 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 bed with the beasts of the stall; Angels adore Him in slumber reclining, Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all.