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 |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
 | The Blessed Birth-day |  |
The divine Nature our fraile nature takes
And of his nature vs partakers makes.
God of a Virgin pure is borne, thereby
To purge mans fowle impure nativity.
The bread of life is in a manger laid,
That Man (become a beast because he straid
From his Creator, now by grace restor'd
T'a better state then nature could afford)
Might with this Heavenly provender be fed.
Come man, and eate of this most blessed Bread,
(Bread which did more then all the Worlds worth cost)
And gather vp the crums that none be lost.
One crum of this doth farre that feast surpasse
Which by th'Assyrian Monarch once made was.
Come nere so many, none shall hungry rise,
This only Loafe all commers will suffice.
The Manna of Eternall mercy falls
In full abundance and for gatherers cals:
That Man with food of Angels may be fed
And vnto life eternall nourished.
And of his nature vs partakers makes.
God of a Virgin pure is borne, thereby
To purge mans fowle impure nativity.
The bread of life is in a manger laid,
That Man (become a beast because he straid
From his Creator, now by grace restor'd
T'a better state then nature could afford)
Might with this Heavenly provender be fed.
Come man, and eate of this most blessed Bread,
(Bread which did more then all the Worlds worth cost)
And gather vp the crums that none be lost.
One crum of this doth farre that feast surpasse
Which by th'Assyrian Monarch once made was.
43
This only Loafe all commers will suffice.
The Manna of Eternall mercy falls
In full abundance and for gatherers cals:
That Man with food of Angels may be fed
And vnto life eternall nourished.
Come ye that hunger, gather vp this Man,
Which who so eats againe nere hunger can:
Yet hungers still: More hunger doth arise
From this sweet food, the more it satisfies.
Such is the nature of these heavenly dainties,
Their pleasure still encreaseth with their plenties:
They who doe tast them least, haue least delight,
But frequent feeding breeds more appetite:
They still moue longing by their sweet variety
But never loathing by a cloid satiety.
Which who so eats againe nere hunger can:
Yet hungers still: More hunger doth arise
From this sweet food, the more it satisfies.
Such is the nature of these heavenly dainties,
Their pleasure still encreaseth with their plenties:
They who doe tast them least, haue least delight,
But frequent feeding breeds more appetite:
They still moue longing by their sweet variety
But never loathing by a cloid satiety.
And let not him who feedeth feare, or thinke
That to his bread and meate he shall want drinke,
He who is food our hunger to expell
Is against thirst a never failing well.
There goes and flowes from this celestiall mountaine
Bread against hunger, and gainst thirst a fountaine.
Drinke of this Fountaine, which who so once tasteth
Shall never thirst. This fountaine never wasteth
But is to them that drinke, a water springing
To life eternall, and them thither bringing.
A double vertue this one Fountaine hath,
It quencheth thirst, and also is a Bath
To wash and clense vs from our sins pollution,
That so our filth may not be our confusion.
That to his bread and meate he shall want drinke,
He who is food our hunger to expell
Is against thirst a never failing well.
There goes and flowes from this celestiall mountaine
Bread against hunger, and gainst thirst a fountaine.
Drinke of this Fountaine, which who so once tasteth
Shall never thirst. This fountaine never wasteth
But is to them that drinke, a water springing
To life eternall, and them thither bringing.
A double vertue this one Fountaine hath,
44
To wash and clense vs from our sins pollution,
That so our filth may not be our confusion.
Come every Naaman, and here bathe, thereby
To wash away thy soules fowle leprosie.
And being made cleane beware thou sinne no more,
Least worse ensue then that which went before,
But with the thankfull Leaper turne againe
And with thy clenser ever more remaine,
Rendring him thanks and singing forth his praise,
Ioyning with th'Angels in their joyfull layes,
Glory to God on high, on earth be peace,
And let good will t'wards Christians never cease.
To wash away thy soules fowle leprosie.
And being made cleane beware thou sinne no more,
Least worse ensue then that which went before,
But with the thankfull Leaper turne againe
And with thy clenser ever more remaine,
Rendring him thanks and singing forth his praise,
Ioyning with th'Angels in their joyfull layes,
Glory to God on high, on earth be peace,
And let good will t'wards Christians never cease.
| The Blessed Birth-day | |