SECTION I .

Respecting Christ.

Bless'd be Jehovah, Israel's God,
Who now himself has come,
To visit and redeem his folk
From sin and slavish doom.

He in his servant David's house,
Has rais'd, of David's line,
An horn of safety sure for us,
And full of pow'r divine:

As spake his holy seers of old;
Who, since the world began,
Have all, from time to time, foretold,
How God would visit man.

That we should safe from haters' hands
And heavy bondage be:
Much worse than Roman yokes and bands,
From sin and Satan free.

To grant the mercy promised,
And prove his promise true,
Of old to our ancestors made,
To us made out in view.

The destin'd bliss, the plighted truth,
To his remembrance came,
The holy cov'nant seal'd by oath,
And sworn to Abraham.

That we, deliver'd from their hand,
Who hatred to us bear,
In love might serve him at command,
And without slavish fear.

Might, through his grant of promis'd grace,
This loving service give,
In holiness, and righteousness,
Before him, while we live.

SECTION II .

Respecting John the Baptist, his office and work.

And thou, child, shalt be call'd anon,
(Into Elias' place,)
The Prophet of the highest One,
To go before his face.

The herald to prepare his way,
And make salvation known:
The Lamb that takes our sin away,
The victim shall be shown.

He shouts, " Behold! the object bless'd,
The Lamb of God on wing,
To save, by purchase, as a Priest;
By conquest, as a King.

He comes that's mightier than I;
I'll never claim his dues;
Nay, I'm unworthy to untie
The latchet of his shoes. "

Our God, in tender mercy nigh,
Who first did light command,
Has, by the day-spring from on high,
Thus visited our land.

Clear to enlighten those that sit
In darkest shades of death;
And straight, to guide our wand'ring feet,
In grace's peaceful path.