The Circumcision.
Tand all its terrors cease;
IE ancient law departs
For Jesus makes with faithful hearts
A covenant of peace.
2 The Light of Light divine,
True Brightness undefiled,
He bears for us the shame of sin,
A holy, spotless child.
3 To-day the Name is Thine,
At which we bend the knee;
They call Thee Jesus, Child divine!
Our Jesus deign to be.
ESUS! Name of wondrous love!
Unto which must every knee
Bow in deep humility.
2 Jesus! Name decreed of old:
To the maiden mother told,
Kneeling in her lowly cell,
By the angel Gabriel.
3 Jesus! Name of priceless worth
To the fallen sons of earth,
For the promise that it gave,
"Jesus shall His people save."
4 Jesus! Name of mercy mild,
Given to the holy Child,
When the cup of human woe
First He tasted here below.
5 Jesus! only Name that's given
Under all the mighty heaven,
Whereby man, to sin enslaved,
Bursts his fetters, and is saved.
6 Jesus! Name of wondrous love!
Human Name of God above;
Pleading only this we flee,
Helpless, O our God, to Thee.
321 To the Name of our salvation.
322 Conquering kings their titles take.
150 The Conversion of St. Paul.
E sing the glorious conquest
Before
Were Damascus gate,
WE
When Saul, the Church's spoiler,
Came breathing threats and hate;
The ravening wolf rushed forward
Full early to the prey;
But lo! the Shepherd met him,
And bound him fast to-day.
2 Oh, glory most excelling
That smote across his path!
Oh, light that pierced and blinded
The zealot in his wrath!
Oh, voice that spake within him
The calm, reproving word!
Oh, love that sought and held him
The bondman of his Lord!
3 O Wisdom, ordering all things
In order strong and sweet,
What nobler spoil was ever
Cast at the Victor's feet?
What wiser master-builder
E'er wrought at Thine employ
Than he, till now so furious
Thy building to destroy?
4 Lord, teach Thy Church the lesson,
Still in her darkest hour
Of weakness and of danger,
To trust Thy hidden power:
Thy grace by ways mysterious
The wrath of man can bind,
And in Thy boldest foeman
Thy chosen saint can find.
The Purification.
N His temple now behold Him;
See the long-expected Lord!
Ancient prophets had foretold Him;
God hath now fulfilled His word.
Now to praise Him, His redeemèd
Shall break forth with one accord.
2 In the arms of her who bore Him,
Virgin pure, behold Him lie,
While His agèd saints adore Him,
Ere in perfect faith they die:
Alleluia! Alleluia !
Lo, the incarnate God most high!
3 Jesus, by Thy Presentation,
Thou, Who didst for us endure,
Make us see Thy great salvation,
Seal us with Thy promise sure;
And present us in Thy glory
To Thy Father cleansed and pure.
4 Prince and author of salvation,
Be Thy boundless love our theme!
Jesus, praise to Thee be given
By the world Thou didst redeem,
With the Father and the Spirit,
Lord of majesty supreme!
EJOICE ye sons of men!
Your brightest praises yield!
The everlasting Son
See in the flesh revealed!
The world's Redeemer comes to-day
His own redemption's price to pay!
2 Lo! Simeon's saintly arms
The holy burden bear;
He sees with raptured eye
His true salvation there.
The weary waiting now is past:
The long-expected comes at last.
The agèd saint's embrace
The blessed mother saw,
And on his words so strange
She mused with silent awe.
What conflict for her child is stored?
And what for her this piercing sword?
O Saviour, in Thy courts
We all our sins confess :
But Thou didst once for us
Fulfill all righteousness.
Impure, unclean, oh, may we be
Presented pure and clean in Thee!
And when, O God made Man,
Upon our waiting eye,
In glorious might revealed,
Salvation draweth nigh;
In that great day Thy servants bless,
And be "the Lord our Righteousness"!
The courts of God draw near;
A virgin mother and her babe
Before the Lord appear.
2 O wondrous, blessèd sight!
To faithful eyes made known,
That lowly babe-the mighty God,
The Prince of Peace, they own.
3 And now this temple shines
With glory far more bright
Than e'er the former temple saw,
E'en at its greatest height.
4 The cloud indeed was there,
The symbol of the Lord;
But here the Lord Himself appears,
The true, incarnate Word.
5 Blest Saviour, come once more
With power and grace divine;
Our hearts Thy living temples make,
Wholly and ever Thine.
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