The Blessed Birth-day celebrated in some religious meditations on the Angels Anthem. Lvc. 2. 14. Also holy transportations, in contemplating some of the most obserueable adiuncts about our Saviours Nativity. Extracted for the most part out of the Sacred Scriptures, Ancient Fathers, Christian Poets. And some moderne Approved Authors. By Charles Fitz-Geffry. The second Edition with Additions |
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 | The Blessed Birth-day |  |
Into this myst'rie they to looke desire,
And looking doe not argue but admire,
Solemnizing the day whose like before
They never saw, they never shall see more.
An holy happy Day, a Day of Daies
Greater then any day; Whose radiant raies
Had they not shin'd and brought this blessed light,
The world had laine drown'd in eternall night.
Better for vs, vile wretches, it had beene
T'haue seene no daies then this day not t'haue seene.
And looking doe not argue but admire,
Solemnizing the day whose like before
They never saw, they never shall see more.
An holy happy Day, a Day of Daies
Greater then any day; Whose radiant raies
Had they not shin'd and brought this blessed light,
The world had laine drown'd in eternall night.
Better for vs, vile wretches, it had beene
T'haue seene no daies then this day not t'haue seene.
O Day of Daies which in due estimation,
Excels the first daies of the Worlds Creation!
Not all the works which those sixe daies brought forth
Can equalise this one daies works for worth.
Then out of darknesse God did light disclose,
Now God himselfe a light is come, that those
Who sate in darknesse and Deaths dreery shade
Might finde the way which vnto life is made.
Then did he ore the Earth the Heavens extend,
Now Heaven it selfe vouchsafeth to descend
And kisse the Earth, and kindely to embrace it,
And with himselfe, boue highest height to place it.
Then after his owne Image God did frame
The last of Creatures, whom he Man did name,
Now after mans owne Image he doth make
Himselfe, and our similitude doth take:
Himselfe is made that which he made, that he
Might what he made from finall marring free.
All things of nothing then were made, but here
We are new made who worse then nothing were.
Hee spake the word, and all things were made then,
Now is the word made flesh and dwels with men.
That men made spirit who were but flesh before,
With him one spirit might be for evermore.
The Angels shouted at the worlds Creation,
More joyfully they sing for th'Incarnation,
Glory to God on high, on earth be peace,
And let good will t'wards Christians never cease.
Excels the first daies of the Worlds Creation!
Not all the works which those sixe daies brought forth
Can equalise this one daies works for worth.
Then out of darknesse God did light disclose,
Now God himselfe a light is come, that those
Who sate in darknesse and Deaths dreery shade
Might finde the way which vnto life is made.
Then did he ore the Earth the Heavens extend,
Now Heaven it selfe vouchsafeth to descend
And kisse the Earth, and kindely to embrace it,
And with himselfe, boue highest height to place it.
Then after his owne Image God did frame
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Now after mans owne Image he doth make
Himselfe, and our similitude doth take:
Himselfe is made that which he made, that he
Might what he made from finall marring free.
All things of nothing then were made, but here
We are new made who worse then nothing were.
Hee spake the word, and all things were made then,
Now is the word made flesh and dwels with men.
That men made spirit who were but flesh before,
With him one spirit might be for evermore.
The Angels shouted at the worlds Creation,
More joyfully they sing for th'Incarnation,
Glory to God on high, on earth be peace,
And let good will t'wards Christians never cease.
| The Blessed Birth-day | |