3 But God in His mercy would save us,
A Rose full of fragrance He gave us;
It made of the desert a garden,
By bringing to us life and pardon.

4 Now blossoms the church through its merit
To bring forth the fruit of the Spirit;
For Jesus her growth e'er doth nourish,
In Him she doth live and doth flourish.

5 All mankind now ought to adore Him,
And joyful sing anthems before Him;
But few in their hearts will enthrone Him,
The many, alas, do disown Him.

6 Ye sinners hard-hearted remaining,
Why are ye the Savior disdaining?
Why are ye so proud in your spirit,
And trust in yourselves and your merit?

7 Ah, seek ye the places most lowly,
And weep before Jesus, the Holy;
Come down, leave all sin and all malice,
Then find ye the Rose of the valleys.

8 O Jesus, I ever adore Thee,

My Rose, and my Crown, and my Glory,
Thou wholly my heart art possessing,
Thy sweetness is fulness of blessing.

9 My Rose is my godly adorning,
My Rose is my joy night and morning;
The sinful desires it suppresses,

And sweetens my griefs and distresses.

10 The world may of all things bereave me,
Her thorns, they may tear me and grieve me,
And death may all earthly ties sever,
My Rose still is mine-mine forever.

H. A. Brorson.

C. Doving, Tr.

127

A VIRGIN most pure, as the prophets did

tell,

Hath brought forth a Savior, as it hath befell, To be our Redeemer, from death, hell and sin, Which Adam's transgression had wrappéd us

in.

Rejoice and be merry, set sorrow aside, Christ Jesus, our Savior, was born on this tide.

2 In Bethlehem city in Judah it was
Where Joseph and Mary together did pass,
And there to be taxéd with many one moe,
For Caesar commanded the same should be

SO.

Rejoice and be merry, etc.

3 But when they had entered the city so fair, A number of people so mighty was there That Joseph and Mary, whose substance was

small,

Could procure in the inn no lodging at all.
Rejoice and be merry, etc.

4 Then they were constrained in a stable to lie, Where oxen and asses they used there to tie; Their lodging so simple, they held it no scorn, But against the next morning our Savior was born.

Rejoice and be merry, etc.

Within an ox manger she laid Him to sleep.
Rejoice and be merry, etc.

6 Then God sent an angel from heaven so high To certain poor shepherds in fields where they

lie,

And charged them no longer in sorrow to

stay,

Because that our Savior was born on this

day.

Rejoice and be merry, etc.

7 Then presently after the shepherds did spy A number of angels appear in the sky, Who joyfully talked and sweetly did sing, "To God be all glory, our heavenly King. Rejoice and be merry, etc.

Ano

128

SEE, amid the winter's snow,

Born for us on earth below,
See, the tender Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years!
Hail, thou ever blesséd morn,
Hail, Redemption's happy dawn,
Sing through all Jerusalem,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

2 Lo, within a manger lies

He who built the starry skies,
He, who throned in height sublime,
Sits amid the Cherubim.

Hail, thou ever-blesséd, etc.

3 Say, ye holy shepherds, say,
What your joyful news today?
Wherefore have you left your sheep
On the lonely mountain steep?
Hail, thou ever-blesséd, etc.

4 "As we watched at dead of night,
Lo, we saw a wondrous light;
Angels singing, 'peace on earth',
Told us of the Savior's birth."
Hail, thou ever-blesséd, etc.

5 Sacred Infant, all Divine,
What a tender love was Thine,
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this.

Hail, thou ever-blesséd, etc.

6 Teach, O teach us, Holy Child, By Thy face so meek and mild; Teach us to resemble Thee,

In Thy sweet humility!

Hail, thou ever-blesséd, etc.

E. Caswall.

A

130

LL praise to Jesus' hallowed name,
Who of virgin pure became

True man for us! the angels sing,
As the glad news to earth they bring,
Kyrie Eleis!

2 The heavenly Father's only Son
For a manger leaves His throne;
Disguised in our poor flesh and blood
Is now the everlasting Good.
Kyrie Eleis!

3 He whom the world could not inclose
Doth in Mary's lap repose;

He is become an infant small,
Who by His might upholdeth all.
Kyrie Eleis!

4 Th' eternal Light, come down from heaven,..
Hath to us new sunshine given;
It shineth in the midst of night,
And maketh us the sons of light.
Kyrie Eleis!