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. XI. The starre conducting the Wise-men.
You who seeke Christ, remoue your gazing eyes
From the dull Earth, advaunce them to the skies
He who from heaven did come, will not be found
By such as seeke him poring on the ground,
But while their feet doe tread as in disdaine
On earth, their eyes must fixt in heaven remaine.
Even while he was in body here below
No low thing could the way vnto him show:
They who so long a journy to him took
Walking on earth, yet still to Heaven did look:
And by no earthly thing conducted are
To him on earth, but by an heavenly Starre.
A starre which to the night no service lends
Nor on the ever-changing Moone attends.
But with the Sunne corrivalling in light,
Shines more by day then other Stars by night.
From the dull Earth, advaunce them to the skies
He who from heaven did come, will not be found
By such as seeke him poring on the ground,
But while their feet doe tread as in disdaine
On earth, their eyes must fixt in heaven remaine.
Even while he was in body here below
No low thing could the way vnto him show:
They who so long a journy to him took
Walking on earth, yet still to Heaven did look:
And by no earthly thing conducted are
To him on earth, but by an heavenly Starre.
A starre which to the night no service lends
Nor on the ever-changing Moone attends.
But with the Sunne corrivalling in light,
Shines more by day then other Stars by night.
The Poles though in the sea they be not drencht
Yet is their luster oft by cloulds neere quencht,
This starre still shining through the heavens doth glide
And to that Sunne which never sets, doth guide:
While the Astronomers amazed are
Musing which is the Sunne, which is the starre,
But this amazement soone remou'd shall bee,
When they no more this radiant Starre shall see,
Which so long shall before the wisemen runne,
Till it haue brought them to their farre sought Sunne,
Then no lesse musing shall possesse their mind,
That he is vanisht, then that first he shinde.
Yet is their luster oft by cloulds neere quencht,
This starre still shining through the heavens doth glide
And to that Sunne which never sets, doth guide:
While the Astronomers amazed are
Musing which is the Sunne, which is the starre,
But this amazement soone remou'd shall bee,
When they no more this radiant Starre shall see,
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Till it haue brought them to their farre sought Sunne,
Then no lesse musing shall possesse their mind,
That he is vanisht, then that first he shinde.
Still doth a starre to thee, ô Lord, conduct,
Which thy wise-hearted seekers doth instruct
Thee so to seeke as that they shall not misse
To finde thee, and with thee eternall blisse.
A Starre which though his Orbe be earth, and here
Doth to thy seekers for a time appeare,
Yet doth from heauen deriue his splendent light,
And vnto heauen his followers lead aright.
A starre which doth the Sunne excel so farre
As doth the Sunne the smallest twinkling starre.
That other starre the while it selfe did bide
In heaven, a few to thee on earth did guide:
This Starre although it shineth here below
Yet millions vnto heaven the way doth show.
And as that Starre appeared not againe
When it had brought them where thou didst remaine
No more shall this, whose office then is done
When once we haue attain'd vnto the Sunne.
Which thy wise-hearted seekers doth instruct
Thee so to seeke as that they shall not misse
To finde thee, and with thee eternall blisse.
A Starre which though his Orbe be earth, and here
Doth to thy seekers for a time appeare,
Yet doth from heauen deriue his splendent light,
And vnto heauen his followers lead aright.
A starre which doth the Sunne excel so farre
As doth the Sunne the smallest twinkling starre.
That other starre the while it selfe did bide
In heaven, a few to thee on earth did guide:
This Starre although it shineth here below
Yet millions vnto heaven the way doth show.
And as that Starre appeared not againe
When it had brought them where thou didst remaine
No more shall this, whose office then is done
When once we haue attain'd vnto the Sunne.
Lord, let that Starre, thy word, still be my guide
And let my foot-steps never from it slide,
Vntill it doe me to that Citty bring
(The glorious Court of our most glorious King)
Where needs nor Sunne nor Moone their light display,
God and the Lamb giues it eternall day.
In this lifes darknesse wee doe need this light,
For here we walke by Faith and not by sight.
But when we come to that celestiall Citty,
Then shall we take vp this melodious Ditty
As we haue heard, so now ô Lord, wee see
How thou in Heaven doest walke, and wee with thee.
And let my foot-steps never from it slide,
Vntill it doe me to that Citty bring
(The glorious Court of our most glorious King)
Where needs nor Sunne nor Moone their light display,
God and the Lamb giues it eternall day.
In this lifes darknesse wee doe need this light,
For here we walke by Faith and not by sight.
But when we come to that celestiall Citty,
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As we haue heard, so now ô Lord, wee see
How thou in Heaven doest walke, and wee with thee.
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