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 |  |
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Transportat. X. The Sheepheards going to Bethlehem to see the Babe.
Hie vnto Bethlem, Sheepheards, that your eyes
May not envy your eares felicities:
But that they may be blessed to behold
That word, which vnto them the Angel told.
Then greatest credite gaineth the relation
When th'eye vnto the eare giues attestation.
As for your flocke, you left your sweetest sleepe,
So for the Sheepheard leaue a while your sheep.
But hie with hast, that so with speed againe
You may returne, and with your flock remaine.
The supreme Sheepheard hardly will dispense,
With any Sheepheards long non residence
From their owne charges: Nor is absent being,
Longer allow'd, then while himselfe is seeing:
But when in seeking them imploy'd they are
Himselfe for them and for their flock takes care.
Come; let vs with these joyfull Sheepheards hie
Vnto the Cratch where this sweet babe doth lie,
That is, his Church. This place doth still afford
This blessed Infant swathed in his word.
Let vs when there he doth his words impart,
Lay them vp all with Mary in our heart:
More blest by bearing them she did become,
Then by her bearing him within her wombe.
O blessed Man, who in his heart doth swathe
And bind vp sure his word! For he that hath
His word hath him. The word it selfe is he,
Then where his word is, needs himselfe must be.
This Stall aboue a Pallace I will prize,
This Cratch aboue a Crowne. No Paradise,
Shall my transported soule affect but this:
This she esteemes on earth her chiefest blisse,
Still in thy temple, blessed Lord to be,
Where she thy word may heare, thy selfe may see.
May not envy your eares felicities:
But that they may be blessed to behold
That word, which vnto them the Angel told.
Then greatest credite gaineth the relation
When th'eye vnto the eare giues attestation.
As for your flocke, you left your sweetest sleepe,
So for the Sheepheard leaue a while your sheep.
But hie with hast, that so with speed againe
You may returne, and with your flock remaine.
The supreme Sheepheard hardly will dispense,
With any Sheepheards long non residence
From their owne charges: Nor is absent being,
Longer allow'd, then while himselfe is seeing:
But when in seeking them imploy'd they are
Himselfe for them and for their flock takes care.
Come; let vs with these joyfull Sheepheards hie
Vnto the Cratch where this sweet babe doth lie,
That is, his Church. This place doth still afford
This blessed Infant swathed in his word.
Let vs when there he doth his words impart,
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More blest by bearing them she did become,
Then by her bearing him within her wombe.
O blessed Man, who in his heart doth swathe
And bind vp sure his word! For he that hath
His word hath him. The word it selfe is he,
Then where his word is, needs himselfe must be.
This Stall aboue a Pallace I will prize,
This Cratch aboue a Crowne. No Paradise,
Shall my transported soule affect but this:
This she esteemes on earth her chiefest blisse,
Still in thy temple, blessed Lord to be,
Where she thy word may heare, thy selfe may see.
What is the obiect of the Eare? A sound.
What the best sound? A voice. What voice is found.
To be the best? A voice of words compos'd.
What words the best? The words by God disclos'd.
All other words in vttering vanisht been:
God in his word is heard, and also seene.
What the best sound? A voice. What voice is found.
To be the best? A voice of words compos'd.
What words the best? The words by God disclos'd.
All other words in vttering vanisht been:
God in his word is heard, and also seene.
O blessed they who heare the joyfull sound!
Most blest who him of whom they heare haue found.
Who in the field the Trumpets sound disdaines
He never in the Triumph part obtaines.
They never shall in heaven embrace thee, Lord,
Who here refuse to heare thee in thy word.
Here let me haue a glimps of thee by hearing
That there I may enioy thy full appearing.
Most blest who him of whom they heare haue found.
Who in the field the Trumpets sound disdaines
He never in the Triumph part obtaines.
They never shall in heaven embrace thee, Lord,
Who here refuse to heare thee in thy word.
Here let me haue a glimps of thee by hearing
That there I may enioy thy full appearing.
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