Lord, remember that in love
Thou didst leave Thy throne above,
Our frail manhood to assume,
In the blessed Virgin's womb.
Now Thy Church, each circling year,
Celebrates Thy love most dear;
Love that brought Thee here alone,
For the guilty to atone.
Ransom'd by the holy tide
Flowing from Thy wounded side,
Jesus, Thy blest Name we hail,
God with us, Emmanuel!
The Circumcision of Christ.
O BLESSED day, when first was pour'd
The blood of our redeeming Lord!
O blessed day, when first began
His sufferings for sinful man!
Soon as He treads this world of woe,
His Infant blood begins to flow;
Thus early was His love confess'd,
A figure of His death express'd.
Lord, circumcise our hearts, we pray,
Our fleshly natures prune away;
Thy Name, Thy likeness may we bear!
Oh, stamp Thy holy image there.
THE Word, Who dwelt above the skies,
With God before the world began,
Now on the Virgin's bosom lies,
A helpless, new-born child of man.
Already on His sinless head,
The streams of wrath begin to flow;
Already on His infant bed,
The taste of grief the Lord must know.
A simple dress, a mean abode,
A life obscure His glory hide;
Proud man, behold thy lowly God,
And let the sight destroy Thy pride.
O Thou, Who camest from the sky
To be the Lamb for sinners slain; Oh, do not leave Thy saints to die, Nor let such toil be spent in vain.
'TIS for conqu'ring kings to gain
Glory o'er their myriads slain :
Jesu, Thy more glorious strife
Hath restor'd a world to life.
Yes:
: no other name is given
Unto mortals under heaven,
Which can make the dead to rise,
And exalt them to the skies.
What the Lord so hardly wrought,
What His blood so dearly bought,
That salvation, brethren, say!
Shall we madly cast away?
Rather, gladly for that Name
Bear the cross, endure the shame :
Joyfully for Him to die
Is not death, but victory.
How lovely in the Eastern sky
Shines forth the herald from on high!
And, oh, how glad the news from heaven,
The King is born, the Son is given.
Behold the long predicted sign,
The star of Jacob's ancient line!
The eastern sages hail its rays,
And raptur'd stand in anxious gaze.
And soon within their hearts there shine
Rays fairer still and more divine,
Which gently summon them to rise,
And trust the guidance of the skies.
When God commands, the wise obey,
Love sees no danger in the way;
Home, neighbours, friends, their steps recall,
The voice of God outweighs them all.
Oh! while the star of heavenly grace
Invites us, Lord, to seek Thy face;
May we no more that grace repel,
Nor quench the light which shines so well.
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.
O COME, all ye faithful,
Rejoicing, triumphant,
To Bethlehem hasten with glad accord;
He lies in a manger
The Monarch of angels;
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
He, true God of true God,
Light of Light eternal,
The womb of a Virgin hath not abhorr'd,
The Son everlasting,
Not made, but begotten:
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
O raise your hosannahs
Ye chorus of angels,
Thro' heaven's wide courts be your praises pour'd: To God in the highest
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
To-day Thou wast born
For Thy people's salvation,
O Jesu, for aye be Thy Name ador'd:
Thou art of the Father
The Word, now Incarnate:
come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
JESU, Lord, Thy praise we sing,
Thou the martyr's crown and King,
Who dost raise above the skies
All who earth and sin despise !
At Thy will the Scriptures tell
How Thy martyr Stephen fell,
How he bowed his drooping head,
And to sleep was gently laid.
'Twas Thy Spirit from above
Fill'd his heart with strength and love;
First to own his Lord in death,
First to gain the crown of faith;
Gazing upward to the skies,
With his parting breath he cries,
Jesu, Lord, my soul receive,
Jesu, Lord, my foes forgive.
Lord, for him Thy name we bless;
Grant to us like holiness;
May we ever live to Thee,
And in death have victory.
Saint John the Evangelist's Day.
O THOU, Who gavest Thy servant grace,
On Thee the living Rock to rest,
To look on Thy most gracious face,
And lean on Thy protecting breast,
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