The Holy Innocents' Day.

"The LORD bringeth the counsels of princes to none effect.'

30. WHEN it reach'd the tyrant's ear,

Brooding anxious all alone,

That the King of kings was near,
Who should sit on David's throne:

Stung with madness, straight he cries,
"Treason threatens-draw the sword!
Rebels all around us rise!

Drown the cradles deep in blood !”

What is guilty Herod's gain,

Though a thousand babes he slay?
CHRIST, amid a thousand slain,
Is in safety borne away.

Honour, glory, virtue, merit,

Be to Thee, O Virgin's Sox!

With the FATHER, and the SPIRIT,
While eternal ages run.

"These were redeemed from among men, being the first

fruits unto GOD and to the Lamb."

31. LOVELY flowers of martyrs, hail!

Smitten by the tyrant foe

On life's threshold,—as the gale
Strews the roses ere they blow.

First to die for CHRIST, sweet lambs!
At the very altar ye,

With your martyr-crowns and palms,
Sport in your simplicity.

Honour, glory, virtue, merit,

Be to Thee, O Virgin's SON!
With the FATHER, and the SPIRIT,
While eternal ages run.

"They serve GOD day and night in His temple: they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall lead them unto living fountains of water."

32. As wolves attack their helpless prey,
So Herod holds his murd'rous way,
And hopes, but O! he hopes in vain,
To mingle JESUS with the slain.

The cradles flow with infant blood,
But God his fury hath withstood:
The LORD alone he sought to slay,
The LORD alone escapes away.

Ye mothers, let no tears be shed;
Yea, weep not though your babes be dead;
For now they stand around the throne,
And JESUS counts them as His own.

The FATHER'S Name we loudly raise,
The SON, the Virgin-born we praise,
The HOLY GHOST we all adore,
One GOD, both now and evermore.

The Circumcision of Christ.

"There is none other name under heaven given among

men, whereby we must be saved."

33. "TIs for conquering kings to gain

Glory o'er their myriads slain;

JESU, Thy more glorious strife
Hath restored a world to life.

So no other Name is given
Unto mortals under Heaven,
Which can make the dead to rise,
And exalt them to the skies.

That which CHRIST so hardly wrought,

That which He so dearly bought,

That salvation, mortals, say,

Will you madly cast away?

Rather gladly for that Name
Bear the cross, endure the shame;
Joyfully for Him to die

Is not death, but victory.

E

Dost Thou, JESU, condescend
To be call'd the sinner's friend?
Ours then it shall always be

Thus to make our boast of Thee.

Glory to the FATHER be;
Glory, Virgin-born, to Thee;
Glory to the HOLY GHOST,
Ever from the heavenly host.

"When eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the Child, His name was called JESUS."

34. THE Word, Who dwelt above the skies

With GOD, before the world began,

Now on the virgin's bosom lies,

A helpless new born Child of man.

Already on His sinless head

The streams of wrath begin to flow;
Already on His infant bed,

The taste of grief the LORD must know.

The lowliest poverty He bears,

That we may be with wealth supplied;
He weeps, and by His precious tears,
A guilty world is purified.