HA

In our hearts and lives abound: May thy presence

With us evermore be found.

ADVENT.

HYMN 41. C. M.

ARK! the glad sound, the Saviour comes,
The Saviour promised long:

Let every heart prepare a throne,

And every voice a song.

2 On him the Spirit, largely pour'd,

Exerts his sacred fire;

Wisdom and might, and zeal and love,

His holy breast inspire.

He comes, the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held;

The gates of brass before him burst,
The iron fetters yield.

4 He comes, from thickest films of vice

To clear the mental ray ;

And on the eyes oppress'd with night,
To pour celestial day.

5 He comes, the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of his grace,
T'enrich the humble poor.

6 Our glad hosannas, Prince of peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim;
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With thy beloved Name.

Born to reign in us for ever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring.

4 By thine own eternal Spirit,
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit,
Raise us to thy glorious throne.

CHRISTMAS.

HYMN 43. C. M.

WHILE

Luke ii. 8-15.

HILE 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;
Good-will, henceforth, from heaven to men,
Begin and never cease."

HYMN 44. C. M.

WHILE angels thus, O Lord, rejoice,

Shall men no anthem raise?

O may we lose these useless tongues,
When we forget to praise.

2 Then let us swell responsive notes,
And join the heavenly throng;
For angels no such love have known,
As we, to wake their song.

3 Good-will to sinful dust is shown,
And peace on earth is given;
For lo! th' incarnate Saviour comes,
With news of joy from heaven.

4 Mercy and truth, with sweet accord,
His rising beams adorn;

Let heaven and earth in concert sing,

"The promised child is born!"

5 Glory to God, in highest strains, By highest worlds is paid; Be glory, then, by us proclaim'd,

And by our lives display'd;

6 Till we attain those blissful realms,
Where now our Saviour reigns;
To rival these celestial choirs
In their immortal strains.

HYMN 45. III. 1.

HARK! the herald angels sing,

Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild;
God and sinners reconciled.

2 Joyful all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies;
With th' angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
3 Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the Virgin's womb.

4 Veil'd in flesh, the Godhead see:
Hail th' incarnate Deity,

Pleased, as man, with man to dwell;
Jesus, now Emmanuel.

5 Risen with healing in his wings,
Light and life to all he brings;
Hail the Sun of righteousness!

TH

NEW YEAR.

HYMN 50. L. M.

HE God of life, whose constant care
With blessings crowns each opening year,
My scanty span doth still prolong,
And wakes anew mine annual song.

2 How many precious souls are fled
To the vast regions of the dead,
Since to this day the changing sun
Through his last yearly period run!

3 We yet survive; but who can say,
"Or through this year, or month, or day,
I shall retain this vital breath,

Thus far, at least, in league with death?"

4 That breath is thine, eternal God; "Tis thine to fix my soul's abode; It holds its life from thee alone,

On earth, or in the world unknown.

5 To thee our spirits we resign,

Make them and own them still as thine;
So shall they live secure from fear,
Though death should blast the rising year.

6 Thy children, panting to be gone,
May bid the tide of time roll on,
To land them on that happy shore,
Where years and death are known no more.
7 No more fatigue, no more distress,
Nor sin, nor hell, shall reach that place;
No groans, to mingle with the songs
Resounding from immortal tongues:
8 No more alarms from ghostly foes;
No cares to break the long repose;
No midnight shade, no clouded sun,
But sacred, high, eternal noon.

9 O, long-expected year! begin;

Dawn on this world of woe and sin; Fain would we leave this weary road, To sleep in death, and rest with God. HYMN 51. C. M.

S o'er the past my memory strays, Why heaves the secret sigh? 'Tis that I mourn departed days,

Still unprepared to die.

2 The world and worldly things beloved,
My anxious thoughts employ'd;
And time unhallow'd, unimproved,
Presents a fearful void.

3 Yet, holy Father, wild despair
Chase from my labouring breast;

Thy grace it is which prompts the prayer,
That grace can do the rest.

4 My life's brief remnant all be thine;
And when thy sure decree

Bids me this fleeting breath resign,
O speed my soul to thee.

How

Who stand on Sion's hill; Who bring salvation on their tongues, And words of peace reveal.

2 How charming is their voice:

How sweet their tidings are: "Sion, behold thy Saviour-King, He reigns and triumphs here."

3 How happy are our ears

That hear this joyful sound,
Which kings and prophets waited for,
And sought, but never found.

4 How blessed are our eyes

That see this heavenly light:
Prophets and kings desired it long,
But died without the sight.

5 The watchmen join their voice,
And tuneful notes employ;
Jerusalem breaks forth in songs,
And deserts learn the joy.

6 The Lord makes bare his arm
Through all the earth abroad:
Let every nation now behold
Their Saviour and their God.

HA

HYMN 54. II. 6.

Psalm lxxii.

"AIL to the Lord's Anointed,
Great David's greater Son;
Hail, in the time appointed,
His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free,
To take away transgression,
And rule in equity.

2 He comes with succour speedy,
To those who suffer wrong,
To help the poor and needy,

And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing,

Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemn'd and dying,
Were precious in his sight.

3 He shall descend like showers
Upon the fruitful earth;
And love and joy, like flowers,
Spring in his path to birth:
Before him, on the mountains,
Shall peace, the herald, go;
And righteousness, in fountains,
From hill to valley flow.

4 To him shall prayer unceasing,
And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom, still increasing,
A kingdom without end:
The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove;
His Name shall stand for ever:
That Name to us is Love.

O'ER

HYMN 55. C. M.

Isaiah ii. 2-5.

'ER mountain-tops the mount of God In latter days shall rise,

Above the summits of the hills.

And draw the wondering eyes.

2 To this the joyful nations round,
All tribes and tongues, shall flow;
Up to the mount of God, they'll say,
And to his house we'll go.

3 The beams that shine from Sion's hill Shall lighten every land;

The King who reigns in Salem's towers Shall all the world command.

4 Among the nations he shall judge;

His judgments truth shall guide:
His sceptre shall protect the just,
And crush the sinner's pride.

5 For peaceful implements shall men
Exchange their swords and spears;
Nor shall they study war again
Throughout those happy years.

6 Come, O ye house of Jacob! come
To worship at his shrine;
And, walking in the light of God,
With holy graces shine.

LENT.

HYMN 56. II1 1.
Litany.

AVIOUR, when in dust, to thee,

SAVIO

Low we bow th' adoring knee; When, repentant, to the skies Scarce we lift our streaming eyes; O, by all thy pains and woe, Suffer'd once for man below, Bending from thy throne on high, Hear our solemn litany.

2 By thy birth and early years,
By thy human griefs and fears,
By thy fasting and distress
In the lonely wilderness,
By thy victory in the hour
Of the subtle tempter's power;
Jesus, look with pitying eye;
Hear our solemn litany.

3 By thine hour of dark despair,
By thine agony of prayer,
By the purple robe of scorn,
By thy wounds, thy crown of thorn,
By thy cross, thy pangs and cries,

By thy perfect sacrifice;

Jesus, look with pitying eye;
Hear our solemn litany.

4 By thy deep expiring groan,
By the seal'd sepulchral stone,
By thy triumph o'er the grave,
By thy power from death to save;
Mighty God, ascended Lord,
To thy throne in heaven restored,
Prince and Saviour, hear our cry,
Hear our solemn litany.

HYMN 57. L. M.

MY God, permit me not to be

A stranger to myself and thee: Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove, Forgetful of my highest love.

2 Why should my passions mix with earth, And thus debase my heavenly birth? Why should I cleave to things below, And all my purest joys forego?

3 Call me away from flesh and sense;

Thy grace, O Lord, can draw me thence:
I would obey the voice divine,
And all inferior joys resign.

HYMN 58. C. M.

ALAS, what hourly dangers rise,

What snares beset my way;
To heaven, O let me lift mine eyes,
And hourly watch and pray.

2 How oft my mournful thoughts complain,
And melt in flowing tears:
My weak resistance, ah, how vain,
How strong my foes and fears.

3 O gracious God, in whom I live,
My feeble efforts aid;

Help me to watch, and pray, and strive,
Though trembling and afraid.

4 Increase my faith, increase my hope,
When foes and fears prevail;
And bear my fainting spirit up,
Or soon my strength will fail.

5 Whene'er temptations fright my heart,
Or lure my feet aside,

My God, thy powerful aid impart,
My guardian and my guide.

6 O keep me in thy heavenly way,
And bid the tempter flee;
And let me never, never stray
From happiness and thee.

2 Yet sovereign mercy calls, "Return;" Dear Lord, and may I come?

My vile ingratitude I mourn;

O, take the wanderer home. 3 And canst thou, wilt thou yet forgive And bid my crimes remove? And shall a pardon'd rebel live

To speak thy wondrous love?

4 Almighty grace, thy healing power, How glorious, how divine;

That can to life and bliss restore

So vile a heart as mine.

5 Thy pardoning love, so free, so sweet, Dear Saviour, I adore:

O keep me at thy sacred feet,
And let me rove no more.

HYMN 60. L. M.

THOU, to whose all-searching sight The darkness shineth as the light, Search, prove my heart; it looks to thee, O burst its bonds, and set it free.

2 Wash out its stains, remove its dross,
Bind my affections to the cross;
Hallow each thought, let all within
Be clean, as thou, my Lord, art clean.

3 If in this darksome wild I stray,
Be thou my light, be thou my way;
No foes, no violence I fear,

No harm, while thou, my God, art near.
4 When rising floods my soul o'erflow,
When sinks my heart in waves of woe,
Jesus, thy timely aid impart,
And raise my head, and cheer my heart.

5 Saviour, where'er thy steps I see, Dauntless, untired, I follow thee: O let thy hand support me still, And lead me to thy holy hill. [See Hymns on Repentance.]

PASSION WEEK AND GOOD FRIDAY. HYMN 61. III. 4.