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30.
BEHOLD from heaven a Saviour sent,

Earth kneel thy Prince before ;
And let the starry firmament

The Virgin-born adore.

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Maker of all, Himself hath He

In servant guise arrayed ;
With flesh of man, man's flesh to free,

And save the souls He made.

3 Word of the Sire--ere Time began,

The Father's breast He leaves ;
And born in Time-as Son of Man,

An infant's birth receives.

4 Where feeds the ox He deigns to feed,

The hay His pallet-bed ;
He deigns a little milk to need,

On whom the Saints are fed.

5 The Hands that wield earth, seas, and skies,

With swaddling bands are wound;
A weak and wailing Babe He lies,

To lift us from the ground.

6 Judge of the world-His outstretched hands

Us to His crib invite;
O love unbounded, that demands

A love as infinite.

7 Borne at the Virgin Mother's breast,

Lord Jesu, praise to Thee ;
With Holy Sire and Spirit Blest,

To all eternity. Amen.

31.

Psalm XCVIII.
i Joy to the world! the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King ;
Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth ! the Saviour reigns ;

Let men their songs employ ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy:
3 Let the whole earth His love proclaim,

With all her different tongues ;
And spread the honour of His Name,

In melody and songs.
4 No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow,

Far as the curse is found.

5 He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.

32.

1 CHILDREN of the Heavenly King,

As ye journey, sweetly sing ;
Sing your Saviour's worthy praise,
Glorious in His works and ways!

2 Oye banished seed, be glad !

Christ our Advocate is made;
Us to save, our flesh assumes ;
Brother to our souls becomes.

3 Shout, ye little flock, and blest !

You on Jesus' throne shall rest;
There your seat is now prepared,

There your kingdom and reward. 4 Lift your eyes, ye sons of Light!

Zion's city is in sight :
There our endless home shall be,
There our Lord we soon shall see.

5 Fear not, brethren ; joyful stand

;
On the borders of your land;
Jesus Christ, your Father's Son,

Bids you undismayed go on. 6 Lord ! obediently we go,

Gladly leaving all below:
Only Thou our Leader be,
And we still will follow Thee !

7. Cennick

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33.
Felix dies quam proprio.
O BLESSED day, when first was poured
The Blood of our Redeeming Lord !
O blessed day, when first began
His sufferings for sinful man !

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Scarce entered on this life of woe,
His Infant Blood begins to flow;
A foretaste of His death He feels,
An earnest of His love reveals.

3 From heaven descending to fulfil

The bidding of His Father's will,
A victim even now He lies
Before the day of sacrifice.

4 For love of us His woes begin ;

The Sinless suffers for our sin;
The Law's great Maker for our aid
Obedient to the Law is made ;

5 The wound He through the Law endures

Our freedom from that Law secures ;
Henceforth a holier law prevails,
The law of love, which never fails.

6 Lord, circumcise our hearts, we pray,

And take what is not Thine away;
Thy Name, Thy likeness may they bear ;
Yea, stamp Thy holy image there.

7 O Lord, the Virgin-born, to Thee

Eternal praise and glory be ;
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore. Amen.

7. Chandler. (tr.*)

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34.

Verbum quod ante secula.
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. 2 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. 3 The lowliest poverty He bears,

That we may be with weaith supplied ;
He weeps, and by His precious tears

A guilty world is purified.
4 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. 5 O Thou who camest from the sky

To be the Lamb for sinners slain,
Thou wilt not leave Thy saints to die,
Nor let such toil be spent in vain.

7. Chandler. (tr.) See Hymns for the New Year at page 263.

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