2 It dawns o'er Bethl'hem's holy shed,
And scatt'ring at the sight,
Heaven's idol-host at once have fled,
Before that awful light.
3 Led by the solitary star,
To glory's poor abode,
Lo! wond'ring wisdom from afar
Brings incense to her God.
4 Humility, on Judah's hills,
Watching her fleecy care,
Turns to an angel voice, that fills
With love the midnight air.
5 Like voices thro' yon bursting cloud,
Announce th' Almighty plan;
Hymning, in adoration loud,
"Peace and good-will to man."
FAMILY WORSHIP.
1 O Lord, another day is flown,
And we, a lonely band,
Are met once more before thy throne
To bless thy fost'ring hand.
2 And wilt thou bend a list'ning ear
To praises low as ours?
Thou wilt! for thou dost love to hear
The song which meekness pours.
3 And Jesus thou thy smiles wilt deign, As we before thee pray;
For thou didst bless the infant train,
And we are weak as they.
4 0 let thy grace perform its part,
And let contention cease;
And shed abroad in every heart,
Thine everlasting peace!
5 Thus chasten'd, cleans'd, entirely thine, A flock by Jesus led;
The Sun of holiness shall shine
In glory on our head.
6 And thou wilt turn our wand'ring feet,
And thou wilt bless our way;
Till worlds shall fade, and faith shall greet
The dawn of lasting day.
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.
1 When marshall'd on the nightly plain, The glitt'ring host bestud the sky; One Star alone of all the train,
Can fix the sinner's wandering eye.
2 Hark! hark! to God the chorus breaks,
From every host from every gem;
But one alone the Saviour speaks,
It is the Star of Bethlehem.
3 Once on the raging seas I rode,
The storm was loud, the night was dark, The ocean yawn'd-and rudely blow'd The wind that toss'd my found'ring bark,
4 Deep horror then my vitals froze, Death-struck, I ceas'd the tide to stem; When suddenly a star arose,
It was the Star of Bethlehem.
5 It was my guide, my light, my all,
It bade my dark forebodings cease;
And thro' the storm, and danger's thrall,
It led me to the port of peace.
6 Now safely moor'd-my perils o'er,
I'll sing, first in night's diadem,
For ever and for evermore,
The Star!-the Star of Bethlehem!
VANITY OF THE WORLD.
1 Ah! why should this immortal mind,
Enslav'd by sense, be thus confin'd,
And never, never rise?
Why thus amus'd with empty toys,
And sooth'd with visionary joys,
Forget her native skies?
2 The mind was form'd to mount sublime,
Beyond the narrow bounds of time,
To everlasting things;
But earthly vapours cloud her sight,
And hang with cold oppressive weight
Upon her drooping wings.
3 The world employs its various snares,
Of hopes and pleasures, pains and cares,
And chain'd to earth I lie:
When shall my fetter'd powers be free,
And leave these seats of vanity,
And upward learn to fly?
4 Bright scenes of bliss, unclouded skies,
Invite my soul-O could I rise,
Nor leave a thought below!
I'd bid farewell to anxious care,
And say to every tempting snare,
Heaven calls, and I must go.
5 Heaven calls, and can I yet delay?
Can aught on earth engage my stay?
Ah, wretched, lingering heart!
Come, Lord, with strength, and life, and
Assist and guide my upward flight, [light,
And bid the world depart.
1 'Tis sweet to rest in lively hope,
That, when my change shall come,
Angels will hover round my bed,
And waft my spirit home.
2 There shall my disembodied soul
Behold him and adore;
Be with his likeness satisfied,
And grieve and sin no more.
3 Soon, too, my slumb'ring dust shall hear
The trumpet's quick'ning sound;
And, by my Saviour's power rebuilt,
At his right hand be found.
4 If such the views which Weak as it is below,
What raptures must the church above
In Jesus' presence know!
5 O may the unction of these truths
For ever with me stay,
Till, from her sinful cage dismiss'd,
My spirit flies away!
LONGING TO BE WITH CHRIST.
1 To Jesus the crown of my hope,
My soul is in haste to be gone;
O bear me, ye cherubim, up,
And waft me away to his throne.
2 My Saviour, whom absent, I love;
Whom, not having seen, I adore;
Whose name is exalted above
All glory, dominion, and power:
3 Dissolve thou these bonds, that detain
My soul from her portion in thee;
Ah! strike off this adamant chain,
And make me eternally free.
4 When that happy era begins,
When array'd in thy glories I shine,
Nor grieve any more, by my sins,
The bosom on which I recline:
5 0 then shall the veil be remov'd,
And round me thy brightness be pour'd:
I shall meet him whom absent I lov'd,
I shall see him whom unseen I ador❜d.
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