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3. Be not fearful, but be chearful,
You have caufe to joy indeed!
For a Wonder there is yonder,

Go to Bethlehem with all speed.'
4. In a Manger, among ftrangers,
There you'll find an Infant laid,
Who your God is, who all made has :
Kifs him; be ye not afraid.

5 They then ponder'd, and much
wonder'd

What this word fo ftrange could

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And faid, Behold, a tender Child
Lies in a crib, with poor rags veil'd!
2. The place, is David's Bethlehem,
As Micah prophecy'd by name :
The perfon, Jefus Chrift the Lord,
Who to you all can health afford.
3. Greatly rejoice, for 'tis but juft;
Of God with us you now can boast:
He now is born your flesh and blood,
Your Brother, who's the fov'reign.

4.

Good.

What hurts you now fin, death or
grave?

God's felf you for companion have;
Let hell and Devil idly rage,

God's Son does on your fide engage.

5.

He will not, cannot, you forfake;
Him only fill your refuge make :
'Tis true, affaults you may sustain,
(He'll fill attempt, who can't re-
frain)

6. But fure you fhall emerge and win,
For now to God you're near of kin.
Thank him for this,and in your mind
Be hopeful Joy and patience join'd.

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They to Bethle'm ran with haste,
And there fpying Jefus lying,
Joyfully they him embrac'd.
That Babe's kiffes, this impreffes
Such a fire within their heart;
One all over could discover,

What he did to them impart.
8 Deareft Jefus! do thou kifs us,
Then we too will gladly tell
To each stranger, fee who lies there
It is ev'n Immanuel,

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The Spirit did his pow'r and might
Unto their Hearts reveal,
So that no outward meanness could
The God from them conceal.
3. Immanuel! our hearts rejoice,
When we this myst'ry view,
Jehovah now became a Babe,
A Wonder ever new;

And more amazing ftill, when we
Likewife reflect upon

The caufe, which made thee ftoop fo low,

Man worthlefs, vile, undone. 4. Vile as we are, yet are we thine, Twice bought with thy own Blood, Which thou didst fpill, when eight days old,

And on the Crofs's wood: O let it ever in our hearts

Deeply engrav'd remain, Thy Infant fuffrings, toil and fmarts, Likewife thy crofs's pain.

148.

Luke ii. 25-38.

1. Simeon, one of Jerufalem,

A man who felt devotion's flame,

Juft in his walk, who in view kept Ifrael's great hope, and for it wept; 2.He from the holy Ghost had gain'd (Who oft his prefence to him deign'd) A promife, "Thou, before thy grave, Of the Lord's Chrift a fight fhalt have."

3. Into the Temple he one hour Was mov'd to come by Spirit's pow'r: And just then brought, for rites divine,

His parents the Child Jefus in. 4. Directly he his arms ftretch'd out, Careffed the child, and free from doubt,

Blefs'd God: In peace thy fervant

now,

Good Lord, difmifs; thy word is true! 5. For these my eyes at length have view'd

Thy Babe, with faving ftrength endu'd;

Whom thou, immediately prepar'd
By thee, haft 'fore all men declard,
6. A light which fhall benignly burn
To Gentiles hitherto forlorn,
And mean while furely glorify
Its focus, Ifracl's family.
7. As fofeph did attention yield,
The Virgin too who bare the Child,
To all thefe words; aftonishment
Seiz'd them afreth at what was meant
Chor.

8. (To Chrifl be now our homage paid,
The Son of Mary, that chafte maid.)
Simeon to them his blefing gave,
And did these notes with Mary leave:
9. Lo at this Child, fix'd as a rock,
The world fhall gaze; of Ifrael's ftock
Some ftumble at him,themselves rive;
Others fhall thro' him rife and live.
10. It is a great Phænomenon,
And muft meet contradiction.
When thro' thy heart a sharp fword
goes,

'Twill many other hearts difclofe. 11. Anna the prophetefs, who, when Sev'n years she had in wedlock been, Lonely thro' hufband's death once

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Hath longed earnestly

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150.

Matt. ii.

T Bethlehem in Judah's land, When Herod exercised command, Was Jejus born, the bleffed Chrift: Then Magi journey'd from the east, 2. And coming to Jerufalem, They afk'd, if none could fhew to them

The new-born King of Paleftine, Whose star they in the east had seen? 3. The city wonder'd at this word, Herod to jealousy was stirr'd, Confulted Rabbins, what Birth-place Predicted for Mefiah was?

4. They told him from the facred code,

Bethle'm was with this grace endow'd,

For fo 'twas found in Micah's page
Transmitted to the future age:
5. Thou Bethlehem in Judah's coaft,
'Mongft Boroughs art not lowermoft,
For out of thee fhall come a Head,
Who shall my people Ifrael lead.
6. The tetrarch call'd in private then
The magi, and, when firft was seen
Your star? he afk'd ; that by that date
The Babe's age he might calculate.
7. Then go, fays he, to Bethlehem,
Find out the child, fulfil your aim,
And bring me back a just report,
That I may worship in like fort.
8. Soon as the king had them dif-
mifs'd,

They in their journey did perfift,
And the fame ftar they firft had view'd
At last juft o'er one cottage stood.
9. How glad were they to see the star!
So in they went, to that place near,
Chor.

Where Jefus on coarfe ftraw and hay,
The beafts around him feeding, lay.
10. The Child they with his Mother
faw,

And homage paid; then forth they draw,

As gift and feal of their devoir, Pure gold and frankincenfe and myrrh.

11. God in a vifion did them warn, Go not to Herod, let him learn Nought from you; fo to their own home

Back by another road they roam. 12. After this caution us'd with them, Joseph had too a facred dream, An angel faid to him, Awake! Inftantly child and mother take, 13. Your course to Egypt straightway

fteer;

Stay there, till you shall farther hear; There's urgent caufe for what I fay, Herod will feek the Child to flay.

14. Jofeph on this arofe outright,
Took child and mother in the night,
To Egypt fled, and there did hide,
Till Herod after fome time dy'd.

15. (And here we cannot but apply
To their return thence, by and by,
What the Lord by Hofhea fpake,
My fon from Egypt I call'd back.)
16. Now foon as Herod faw his end
Was thro' the magi not attain’d,
In open fury he began
His purpose yet to ascertain.

17. Within, and all round Bethlehem,
Up to the date he guefs'd from them,
Yea higher, till two years fullfill'd,
He all male-babes caus'd to be kill'd.
18. Of this coaft well might Jeremy
Write down, in Rama what a cry!
Rachel the mother weeping fore,
Of children robb'd, who come no

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Come all to me with one accord, Ye heavy laden creatures ! Come hither, all ye weary Souls : I'll give you rest from all your toils, And mould anew your natures. 2. My yoke is fweet, my burthen light,

Who'll take it up, fhall 'fcape the weight

Of lafting condemnation; I will affift him with my strength To conquer fin, and gain at length The prize of his falvation. 3. My active and my paffive zeal Was to perform my Father's will, And fet a bright Example To guide your thoughts and actions by;

If this is fix'd before your eye,

Your heart shall be my temple. 4. The world would chufe the blifs I fhew,

Was it not charg'd to bid adieu

To its own Will and pleasure : Alas! there is no other path, But a true meek and humble faith, That leads to endless treasure. What creature on this earthly ball Was ever found fince Adam's fall, Without its rueful story? Who'll here not bear for Jefus fake, Hereafter endless shame shall take,

5.

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Juft as a lilly blooms and dies, So quick away the World ftill flies With all its fame and power. 7. The worldling dreads the name of death,

And startled by a dying breath,

He makes a feign'd fubmiffion: He tires himself with trifles here, Th' immortal foul's his meanest care, Whilst in a hail condition.

8. But when he feels he cannot live, He fancies, that a Lord forgive!

Will purchase his falvation : But ah! the long-rejected Grace May no more shine upon his face, May no more have compaffion. What doth the mifer's ftore avail? Or what the young man's ftrength? both fail,

9.

When Death puts to the trial: Hadft thou at hand the richest store, All earthly wit, all earthly pow'r,

Death would take no denial. 10. No refpite learning can obtain ; All worldly grandeur is in vain,

To thwart the fatal fentence: Who will not feek the Saviour's face In the bright day of offer'd grace, Muft die without repentance.

But croffes keep, like wholefome falt,
The flesh from falling and revolt,
And ruin everlasting.

14. Think not the cross a bitter pill;
Reflect what reprobates must feel
In their defpairing station,
Where foul and body must endure
Pains paft expreffion and paft cure;
Without the leaft ceffation.

15. But you that make a better choice,

Shall fhare your great Redeemer's joys,

When this your warfare's over; No mortal tongue can e'er exprefs, With what rewards the God of grace Will crown his faithful lover. 16. And what our great and gracious Lord

Has promis'd in his holy Word,

And feal'd with his own Spirit, He will perform, and fafely bring Our fouls where faints and angels fing

11. But ye dear foll'wers of God's 1. lamb,

Ye that here fuffer in his name;

Your Crofs fhall end in glory: Keep close to God's revealed will, And ftill keep up a Christian zeal,

To flight what's tranfitory. 12. Return ye good for evil deeds; Your innocence at last fucceeds,

In spite of worldly croffes : Give God the vengeance of your caufe, Obferve your Saviour's Gofpel-laws, He will retrieve your loffes. 13. Were you to live in conftant eafe, And live as long as you should please,

Your faith would foon be wafting;

Of his eternal Merit.

152. Matt. x.

OW very beauteous are the

H feet!

The voice of preachers O how fweet; Who, as commiffion'd from above, Bring to us Tidings good of love, 2. Of peace and righteoufnefs compleat,

Of foul's true health and blissful state, Of Abolition of all guilt,

By Chrift obtain'd thro' his blood fpilt!

3. When Jefus his difciples fent, (On Judah then the word was spent) He faid, From these my rules don't ftray;

No vifit yet to Gentiles pay,

4.

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