FOR CHRISTMAS DAY.
HARK! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconcil'd!
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With th' angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark, the herald, &c.
Christ, by highest heav'n ador'd;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin's womb:
Veil'd in flesh the Godhead see!
Hail th' incarnate Deity!
Pleas'd as man with man to dwell,
Jesus our Immanuel!
Hark, the herald, &c.
Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n 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!
Hark, the herald, &c.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.-Luke ii. 14.
HIGH let us swell our tuneful notes,
And join th' angelic throng;
Let heav'n and earth in concert meet,
T'awake a cheerful song.
Good will to sinful men is shewn,
And peace on earth is given;
For, lo! th' incarnate Saviour comes
With tidings glad from heaven.
Glory to God in highest strains,
In highest worlds be paid;
His glory by our lips proclaim'd,
And by our lives display'd.
Oh may we reach those blissful realms
Where Christ exalted reigns;
And learn of the celestial choir
Their own immortal strains.
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.-Isaiah liii. 5.
THE Mighty One, the Son of God,
Hath humbly kiss'd affliction's rod,
That by His stripes we might be heal'd,
Our pardon by His blood be seal'd,
And boundless mercy stand reveal'd.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
And turn'd aside from wisdom's way,
But He hath saved us from our sins;
Our God the ransom-Lamb hath been,
Our God hath saved us from our sin !
O let us cast each vice away,
Which thus the Son of God could slay!
With contrite heart and weeping eye
Behold the Saviour's cross on high,
And every sin and folly fly!
So may we join the song of love
Which saints and angels sing above:
All honour, glory, praise to Thee,
Which wert and art and art to be,
The Lamb slain from eternity!
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.-Isa. liii. 6.
LIKE sheep we went astray,
And broke the fold of God!
Each wandering in a different way,
But all the downward road.
But God, at Death's dread hour,
On Christ our trespass laid,
The vengeance He was pleas'd to pour,
Has bruis'd the serpent's head.
How glorious was the grace,
When Christ sustain'd the shock!
His life and blood the Shepherd pays,
A ransom for his flock.
But He, as God decreed,
From death arose again;
He shall behold a numerous seed,
To recompense His pain.
WHENCE Come those dire portents around,
Which earth and heav'n amaze?
Wherefore do earthquakes rend the ground?
Why hides the sun his rays?
Not thus did Sinai's trembling head
With sacred horror nod,
Beneath the dark pavilion spread
For the descending God!
Thou earth, thy lowest centre shake,
With Jesus sympathize ;-
Thou sun, in deepest gloom be black,
'Tis man's Redeemer dies!
See streaming from the fatal tree
His all-atoning blood!
Is this the Saviour? yes, 'tis He!
Our Saviour and our God!
Let sin no more our souls enslave ;
Break, Lord, the tyrant's chain :
Save us, thou Lamb, sent down to save,
Nor bleed for us in vain.
CHRIST from the dead is rais'd, and made
The first-fruits of the tomb;
For as by man came Death, by man
Did Resurrection come.
And as from Adam all mankind
Did guilt and death derive,
So by the righteousness of Christ
Shall all be made alive.
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