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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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Transport. XIII. On the same.
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Transport. XIII. On the same.

Walke on you wisemen stay not till you come
Where wisdome hath tane vp an homely roome.
Thinke not so long a journey little worth,
Wiser you shall returne then you came forth.
Will you be wise indeed? Drink of this well

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Which wisdome opens in a silly Cell.
Drinke of this well your thirst to satisfie,
But ere you drinke vse th'Adders policy,
Your humane Wisdomes poison first eiect,
So shall you finde true wisdomes sweet effect:
Had you come fooles you wiser should become
Then all the Wisards you haue left at home.
Returne, and being return'd report and say
To those Star-gazers who at home did stay,
Not all the Starres they ever saw could shew
So much to them as one Starre did to you,
Tel them, in all the heavens they never shall
A greater finde, then you found in a Stall.
O thou eternall Wisdome make me wise,
That from my heathen-country I may rise,
My Fathers house and kindred to forsake,
Cause me, that I to thee the way may take.
And that I may not erre nor goe astray,
Let that bright starre, thy Word, lead me the way:
Be that vnto my feet a light, and to
My steps, a safe conducting Lampe, that so
With these wise men, I safely may attaine
Vnto the place where thou, Lord, doest remaine:
And finding thee who art my soules best store,
Let me fall downe and humbly thee adore.
Offring those gifts which cannot offred be
By me, vnlesse I them receiue from thee.
The Gold of true obedience I will bring
A tribute due to mine eternall King:
My Frankincence shall be my daily prayers,
(A pleasing perfume vnto thee) My teares
Shed for thy Death and for my sinne, shall bee
My mourning Myrrhe still dropping vnto thee.

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O may this Myrrhe still drop, till I arriue
Where thou and thine in lasting joyes doe liue:
Where thou, from whom all comfort doth arise,
Wipest all teares from true repentant eyes:
Where they shall reape in joy who here below,
The pretious seed of plenteous teares doe sow.
Let this short life of teares a seed-time bee
That I may reape eternall joyes with thee.
I'le goe forth weeping, bearing pretious seed,
Mourning my Fathers and mine owne misdeed,
In hope by thee exempt from all annoy,
To laed home sheaues of everlasting joy.
Sorrow (thou saist) may for a night remaine,
But in the morning ioy returnes againe.
All this Lifes night I'le be content with sorrow,
That night once past joy may giue me good-morrow.