52 39
C.M. J. Hart
“Bethlehem.” Matt. 2. 1, 5, 6; Luke 2. 4-16
Come, ye redeemèd of the Lord,
Your grateful tribute bring; And celebrate, with one accord, The birthday of our King.
2
3
4
Let us with humble hearts repair (Faith will point out the road) To little Bethlehem, and there Adore our infant God. [In swaddling bands the Saviour view! Let none his weakness scorn; The feeblest heart shall hell subdue, Where Jesus Christ is born.] No pomp adorns, no sweets perfume The place where Christ is laid; A stable serves him for his room, A manger is his bed.
5 The crowded inn, like sinners’ hearts, (O ignorance extreme!) For other guests, of various sorts, Had room; but none for him. 6 But see what different thoughts arise In our and angels’ breasts; To hail his birth they left the skies, We lodged him with the beasts! 7 Yet let believers cease their fears, Nor envy heavenly powers;
40
53 If sinless innocence be theirs, Redemption all is ours. JOSEPH HART 1759 11s J. Hart “And the Word was made flesh.” John 1. 14
How blest is the season at which we appear! Bow down, sense and reason, faith only reign here. ’Tis heard by mere nature with coldness and scorn, That God, our Creator, an infant was born. 2 Lost souls to recover, and form them afresh, Our wonderful Lover took flesh of our flesh; From sin to release us – that yoke so long worn, The holy child Jesus of Mary was born. 3 Poor sinners dejected, of comfort debarred, Whose hearts are afflicted because they’re so hard; Despairing of favour – cold, lifeless, forlorn, Remember, the Saviour in winter was born. 4 And ye that sincerely confide in the Lamb, (He loves you most dearly) rejoice in his name; No more the believer from God shall be torn – To hold him for ever an Infant was born. JOSEPH HART 1759 41 11s E. L. Schlict Rejoicing in the Incarnation of Christ. Matt. 2. 10
My God, my Creator, the heavens did bow To ransom offenders, and stooped very low; The body prepared by the Father assumes, And on the kind errand most joyfully comes. 2
O wonder of wonders! astonished I gaze,
