Sing the blest promise of his grace,
And the performing God.

3 Proclaim salvation from the Lord,
To sinful, dying men;

His hand has writ the sacred word
With an unerring pen.

4 Engrav'd as in eternal brass,
The gracious promise shines;
Nor shall the hand of time erase
Those everlasting lines.

5 Then why these doubts and sad complaints, If Christ and we are one?

The word extends to all the saints,
Who humbly love the Son.

6 By faith in this our souls have liv'd,
And part of heav'n possess'd;

We'll praise him then for grace receiv'd,
And trust him for the rest.

HYMN 58. L. M.

The promised Saviour sent.

1 To those who fear and trust the Lord,
His mercy stands forever sure;
From age to age his promise lives,
And the performance is secure.

2 He spake to Abram and his race,
In thee shall all the earth be bless'd!
The mem❜ry of that ancient word
Lay long in his eternal breast.

3 But now no more shall Isr'el wait;
No more the Gentiles lie forlorn;
Lo! the desire of nations comes,
Behold! the promis'd Saviour's born.

1

2

3

HYMN 59. S. M.

The Birth of Christ.

BEHOLD! the grace appears,
The blessing promis'd long;
Angels announce the Saviour near
In this triumphant song:

'Glory to God on high,

And heav'nly peace on earth;
Good-will to men, to angels joy,
At the Redeemer's birth !'

In worship so divine

Let men employ their tongues!
With the celestial hosts we join,
And loud repeat their songs:

4

'Glory to God on high,

And heav'nly peace on earth;
Good-will to men, to angels joy,
At our Redeemer's birth!'

HYMN 60. C. M.

The Coming of the Kingdom of Christ. Ps. xcviii.

1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come;
The long-predicted king;

Let ev'ry heart prepare him room,
And heav'n 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 No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground!
He comes to make his blessings flow
To earth's remotest bound.

4 Thus God displays his truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove

The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.

1

2

3

The Hope of Salvation through Christ.

RAISE your triumphant songs
To an immortal tune;

Let the wide earth resound the deeds
Celestial grace hath done!

Sing how eternal love

Its well-beloved chose,

And bade him raise our sinful race
From an abyss of woes.

Pardon and peace from heav'n
Jesus proclaims abroad;

And brings to erring, guilty man,
Sure mercy from his God.

4 Now, sinners, dry your tears;
Let hopeless sorrow cease!
Bow to the sceptre of his love
And take the offer'd peace.

5

Lord, we obey thy call;
We lay an humble claim

To the salvation thou hast sent,
And bless and praise thy name.

16*

HYMN 62. L. M.

The Piety of Jesus.

1 FATHER divine,' the Saviour cried,
While horrours press'd on every side,
And prostrate on the ground he lay,
Remove this bitter cup away;

2 But if these pangs must still be borne,
And stripes, and wounds, and cruel scorn,
I bow my soul before thy throne,
And say; thy will, not mine, be done."

3 My dear Redeemer, and my Lord!
I read my duty in thy word;
But in thy life thy law appears,
Drawn out in living characters.

4 Such was thy piety and zeal,
Thy def'rence to the Father's will,
Thy love and meekness so divine,
I would transcribe and make them mine.

5 Cold mountains and the midnight air
Witness'd the fervour of thy pray'r;
The desert thy temptations knew,
Thy conflict and thy vict'ry too.

6 Be Christ my pattern; let me bear
More of his gracious image here!

Then God, the Judge, shall own my name, Among the foll'wers of the Lamb.