3 He comes, the pris'ners 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 heav'n's eternal arches ring
With thy beloved name.

1 HAIL, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free!
From our sins and fears release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.

2 Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the saints, thou art;
Long desir'd of every nation,
Joy of every waiting heart.

3 Born thy people to deliver,

Born a child, yet God our King,
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.

Luke ii. 8-15.

(C. M.)

1 WHILE 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 seiz'd 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 heav'nly 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 heav'n to men, Begin and never cease."

HYMN 44.

1 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 heav'nly 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 giv'n;
For lo! th' incarnate Saviour comes,
With news of joy from heav'n!

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

Let heav'n and earth in concert sing,
"The promis'd 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!

(C. M.)

HYMN 45.

(IIL 1.)

1 HARK! the herald angels sing

Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild;
God and sinners reconcil'd!

2 Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumphs of the skies;
With th' angelic hosts proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem!

3 Christ, by highest heav'n ador'd,
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,

Pleas'd, as man, with man to dwell,
Jesus, now Emanuel!

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

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of peace.

HYMN 46.

Chorus. SHOUT the glad tidings, exultingly sing; Jerusalem triumphs, Messiah is King.

1 Zion! the marvellous story be telling,

The Son of the Highest, how lowly his birth! The brightest archangel in glory excelling,

He stoops to redeem thee, he reigns upon earth. Chorus. Shout the glad tidings, exultingly sing; Jerusalem triumphs, Messiah is King.

2 Tell how he cometh, from nation to nation,

The heart-cheering news let the earth echo round; How free to the faithful he offers salvation,

How his people with joy everlasting are crown'd. Chorus. Shout the glad tidings, exultingly sing; Jerusalem triumphs, Messiah is King. 3 Mortals! your homage be gratefully bringing, And sweet let the gladsome hosanna arise; Ye angels! the full hallelujah be singing,

One chorus resound through the earth and the skies: Chorus. Shout the glad tidings, exultingly sing, Jerusalem triumphs, Messiah is King.

HYMN 47.

Isaiah ix. 2-7.

1 THE race that long in darkness pin'd
Have seen a glorious light;
The people now behold the dawn,
-Who dwelt in death and night.

(C. M.)

(C. M.)

2 To hail thy rising Sun of life!
The gath'ring nations come,
Joyous as when the reapers bear
Their harvest treasures home.

3 For thou our burden hast remov'd;
Th' oppressor's reign is broke;
Thy fiery conflict with the foe
Has burst his cruel yoke.

4 To us the promis'd Child is born;
To us the Son is giv'n;

Him shall the tribes of earth obey,
And all the hosts of heav'n.

5 His name shall be the Prince of peace,
For evermore ador'd ;

The Wonderful, the Counsellor,
The mighty God, and Lord.

6 His pow'r increasing still shall spread,
His reign no end shall know;
Justice shall guard his throne above,
And peace abound below.

END OF THE YEAR.

HYMN 48.

1 TIME hastens on; ye longing saints,
Now raise your voices high;
And magnify that sov'reign love
Which shows salvation nigh.

2 As time departs salvation comes,
Each moment brings it near:
Then welcome each declining day;
Welcome each closing year.

3 Not many years their course shall run,
Not many mornings rise,

Ere all its glories stand reveal'd
To our transported eyes.

HYMN 49.

St. Luke xiii. 6-9.

1 SEF, in the vineyard of the Lord,
A barren fig-tree stands;
No fruit it yields, no blossom bears,
Though planted by His hands.

2 From year to year the tree He views,
And still no fruit is found;

Then "cut it down," the Lord commands, "Why cumbers it the ground?"

(C. M.)

3 But lo! the gracious Saviour pleads;
"The barren fig-tree spare,
"Another year in mercy wait,

"It yet may bloom and bear:

4" But if my culture prove in vain,
"And still no fruit be found,
"I plead no more; destroy the tree,
"And root it from thy ground."

NEW-YEAR.

HYMN 50.

1 THE God of life, whose constant care
With blessings crowns each op'ning 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,

(L. M.)

Where years and death are known no more.

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.