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The tuneful shell,
The golden lyre,
And vocal choir,

The concert swell.

2 Angelic hosts descend,
With harmony divine;

See, how from heaven they bend,
And in full chorus join!

Fear not, say they;
Great joy we bring:
Jesus, your King,
Is born to-day.

3 Glory to God on high!

Ye mortals, spread the sound,
And let your raptures fly

To earth's remotest bound!
For peace on earth,

From God in heaven,

To man is given,

At Jesus' birth.

HYMN 138. P. M. [#]
The Nativity.

1 No war nor battle's sound

Was heard the world around

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No hostile chiefs to furious combat ran;

But peaceful was the night,

In which the Prince of light

His reign of peace upon the earth began.

2 The shepherds on the lawn, Before the point of dawn,

In social circle sat; while, all around,
The gentle, fleecy brood

Or cropped the flowery food,

Or slept, or sported on the verdant ground.

3 When, lo, with ravished ears,
Each swain delighted hears
Sweet music, offspring of no mortal hand;
Divinely-warbled voice,

Answering the stringed noise,

With blissful rapture charmed the listening band. 4 Hail, hail, auspicious morn!

The Saviour Christ is born!

Such was the raptured seraph's song sublime. Glory to God in heaven!

To man sweet peace be given, Sweet peace and friendship, to the end of time!

HYMN 139. C. M. [#]

Behold, he comes.

1 SING to the Lord, ye distant lands,
Ye tribes of every tongue;

His new-discovered grace demands
A new and nobler song.

2 Say to the nations, Jesus reigns,-
God's own anointed Son;

His power the sinking world sustains,
And grace surrounds his throne.

3 Let heaven proclaim the joyful day,
Joy through the earth be seen;
Let cities shine in bright array,
And fields in cheerful green.

4 With joy lift up your wondering eyes,
Ye islands of the sea;

Ye mountains, sink; ye valleys, rise,
Prepare the Lord his way.

HYMN 140. S. M. [#]

The Lord is come.

1 Joy to the world below-
The Lord himself is come!
Let mighty kings before him bow,
And monarchs give him room.

2 Joy to the earth he brings,
And angels shout his praise;
Let every soul an anthem sing
In heaven-inspiring lays.

3 Far as the curse is found,

He makes his blessings flow;
Thorns shall no more infest the ground,
Nor man his sorrows know.

4 He rules with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.

HYMN 141. C. M. [#]

Christmas.

1 JEHOVAH spake, and Gabriel sped,
Upborne on wings of light;

Celestial glory round him spread,
And changed to day the night.

2 Swift down to earth the herald flew,
From God's eternal throne;
His shining robe, of rainbow hue,
The stars, moon, sun, outshone.

3 The voice of Love was heard on high,
Loud anthems rolled around;
Ten thousand angels left the sky
To chant salvation's sound.

4 From Zion's hill to worlds above
Re-echoed back the strain,
And golden harps, attuned to love,
Thus swept Ephratah's plain ;-

5 He comes! the mighty Saviour comes!
Good will, peace, joy, prevail;
Glad tidings shout; prepare him room;
Hail, glorious Saviour, hail!

6 Wide o'er the world thy sceptre sway,
Till nations prostrate fall;
Kings, princes, men, thy law obey,
And crown thee Lord of all.

HYMN 142. L. M. [#]

Christmas.

1 WORTHY the Lamb of boundless sway,
In earth and heaven the Lord of all ;
Ye princes, rulers, powers, obey,
And low before his sceptre fall.

2 The deed was done; the Lamb was slain;
The groaning earth the burthen bore:

He rose, he lives, he lives to reign,

Nor time's strong arm shall shake his power.

3 Riches, and all that decks the great,
From worlds unnumbered hither bring;
The tribute pour before his seat,

And hail the triumphs of our King.

4 From heaven, from earth, loud bursts of praise
The mighty blessings shall proclaim,-
Blessings that earth to glory raise :
Awake, each soul, and shout his fame.

HYMN 143. S. M. [#]

Birth of Christ.

1 BEHOLD, the grace appears,
The blessing promised long;
Angels announce the Saviour near
In this triumphant song ;—

2 Glory to God on high,

And heavenly peace on earth ;
Good will to men, to angels joy,
At the Redeemer's birth.

3 In worship so divine

Let saints employ their tongues;
With the celestial host we join,
And loud repeat their songs.

4 Glory to God on high,

And heavenly peace on earth;
Good will to men, to angels joy,
At our Redeemer's birth.

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