He that was born upon this joyful day,
Around His Saints His glory shall display;
Saved by His grace, unceasing we shall sing
Eternal praise to God our Heavenly King.
For the second hymn at Mattins, Hark, the herald angels sing, will serve, as on Christmas Eve.
¶ For the first hymn at Erensong, From the faint dayspring, will serve, as on Christmas Ere.
O BLESSED LORD, for Thy dear sake,
Our souls to glad thanksgiving wake;
In all Thy faithful hearts below
Bid joys of spring eternal glow,
And every primal curse grow light,
By thinking on Thy blest birthnight.
In sorrow shalt thou toil for bread;
So upon man the doom was said;
To labouring men amid the field,
First was the Holy Babe reveal'd;
And labour now shall lighter be,
So soothed and hallow'd, Lord, by Thee.
In sorrow shalt thou children bear;
Of such a doom is woman heir;
But God, by that one glorious birth,
Our nature took, and dwelt on earth;
Mothers no more their pangs shall blame,
By which the world's Redeemer came.
Ye, for your sins, shall surely die;
All now beneath this sentence lie,
But He Who came this day to save,
He fought with death, He burst the grave;
And when He vanquish'd in the strife,
Then death became the gate of life.
O Offering for the guilty soul,
O strong to make the sinner whole,
O born sin's curses to remove,
All praise, Blest Saviour, for Thy love!
All praise to Thee, Eternal Son,
Father and Spirit, Three in One!
MIRIS PROBAT SESE MODIS.
HOLY Love towards her foes
In mysterious channels flows;
Bowed to soothe, or steeled to blame,
Holy love is still the same.
Pleader for himself he stood :
Now he falls, his eloquent blood
From the ground for mercy cries,
Pleading for his enemies.
God from Heaven His martyr heard,
Heard and bless'd his dying word:
Saul, fierce slayer standing by,
Saul was granted to that cry.
Thus he bowed his drooping head,
Thus his joyous spirit fled :
"Jesu, Lord," his offering free,
"Take the life I owe to Thee."
Some kind angel, watching nigh,
Sweetly closed his tranquil eye,
Whilst the freed spirit winged her flight,
From beam to beam to endless light.
Thou that dealtst thy plenteous store
Daily to the sick and poor,
Now art come, a welcome guest,
To thy Father's table blest.
In thy bridal crown displayed,
In the wedding-robe arrayed
Of Christ's purple life-blood wove,
Meet for His blest feast of love.
Praise to Thee, in winter born,
Virgin-child in world forlorn,
Be all praise to Father, Son,
And Blest Spirit, Three in One.
The hymn, From the faint dayspring, will serve for the second hymn at this festiral, and at the two festivals next succeeding.
The hymns of the Nativity will serve continually until the Eve of the Circumcision.
Saint John the Evangelist's Day.
JUSSU TYRANNI PRO FIDE.
JOHN, by a tyrant's stern command,
Is exiled on a sea-girt strand;
But his free spirit takes her flight
Into the regions of the light.
And there, his awe-struck soul before,
HE stands Who lives for evermore,
Who, as a Lamb, gave up His breath,
And, as a Lion, vanquish'd death.
And now, before his ravish'd eyes,
He brings His kingdom's mysteries,
The faith sown by His martyrs' blood,
Covering the nations like a flood.
Our power baptismal, Lord, revive,
With Thee to die, with Thee to live ;
To tread on earthly things, and love
The better things that are above.
All glory and dominion
To God the Father, Spirit, Son,
Who through our prison leads the way
To realms of everlasting day.
The Ennocents' Day.
BETHL'EM, above all cities blest,
Th' Incarnate Saviour's earthly rest,
Where in His manger safe He lay,
By angels guarded night and day.
Bethlehem, of cities most forlorn,
Where in the dust sad mothers mourn,
Nor see the heavenly glory shed
On each pale infant's martyr'd head.
O Lord teach us, who Thee would win,
Must in the school of woe begin ;
And still the nearest to Thy grace,
Know least of their own glorious place.
To God, the Father in the height,
And to the Son, True Light of Light,
And Holy Ghost, all glory be,
Now and through all eternity.
The Circumcision of Christ.
EIGHT days amid this world of woe
The Holy Babe has been ;
Long named in heaven, He now must go
To take that Name on Him below,
Jesus, Who saves from sin.
His Mother kept the angel's word
Deep in her bosom's store,
But most, by fear and love unstirr'd,
Unconscious of its meaning, heard
The Name the Infant bore.
The traitor sought Him by that Name,
When all the murderous crew,
With sword and staves against Him came;
And on the Cross, the place of shame,
That Name was fix'd in view.
Yet, in His hour of glory now,
That precious Name is given,
Above all names to deck His brow,
And at the Name of Jesus bow
The powers and thrones of heaven.
Worthy art Thou o'er us to reign,
O Christ, for evermore;
Thou, Who for us didst not disdain
That sinners should that Name profane
Which seraphim adore.
To God the Father, God the Son,
And Spirit ever Blest,
The dread Eternal Three in One,
As in the Church is ever done,
All glory be address'd.
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