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Christmas Day.
“The Word was made flesh.”
—John i. 14.
“God was manifest in the flesh.”
—1 Tim. iii. 10.
“In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
—Col. ii. 9.
“Perfect God and perfect Man.”
—Athanasian Symbol.
Jehovah in our flesh array'd,
Eternity in time display'd,
The Virgin-born, of God the Son,
The Natures, two, the Person, one,
Creator, yet a Creature found,
Both crucified and glory-crown'd,
Oh, myst'ry dread! almighty plan
Where Man is God, and God is Man.—
Such Incarnation saints believe;
Implicit faith, not reason, there
Welcomes the truth their minds receive,
And worships it, in wond'ring prayer.
Eternity in time display'd,
The Virgin-born, of God the Son,
The Natures, two, the Person, one,
Creator, yet a Creature found,
Both crucified and glory-crown'd,
Oh, myst'ry dread! almighty plan
Where Man is God, and God is Man.—
Such Incarnation saints believe;
Implicit faith, not reason, there
Welcomes the truth their minds receive,
And worships it, in wond'ring prayer.
Hosannah! to this awful Day;
And, while we hear the heaven-born lay,
By hymning Angels sung on high
As shepherds watch beneath the sky,
Thy Church, O Lord! repeats the strain
Till,—Hallelujah! rings again,
And every heart becomes a lyre
Whose living chords Thy gifts inspire,
Who, on this solemn night did'st shake
The heaven of heavens, by Advent here,
And Love's eternal anthem wake
To carol in the coming year.
And, while we hear the heaven-born lay,
By hymning Angels sung on high
As shepherds watch beneath the sky,
Thy Church, O Lord! repeats the strain
Till,—Hallelujah! rings again,
And every heart becomes a lyre
Whose living chords Thy gifts inspire,
Who, on this solemn night did'st shake
The heaven of heavens, by Advent here,
And Love's eternal anthem wake
To carol in the coming year.
The centre and circumference
Of all thy Word and Will dispense,
O God! that Incarnation is
From whence our glory, and our bliss.—
The Root of sacramental grace
That sanctifies our fallen race,
Each mystery, mercy, and the plan
For granting peace to pardon'd Man,—
All these, and more, this Day of days
When God in human Flesh was shrined,
Kindle th' adoring Church with praise
Whose key-note is, redeem'd Mankind.
Of all thy Word and Will dispense,
O God! that Incarnation is
From whence our glory, and our bliss.—
The Root of sacramental grace
That sanctifies our fallen race,
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For granting peace to pardon'd Man,—
All these, and more, this Day of days
When God in human Flesh was shrined,
Kindle th' adoring Church with praise
Whose key-note is, redeem'd Mankind.
Incarnate! through Thy life and love,
Already seems the Church above;
For, in Thy Person, where Thou art,
The Members have a mystic part:
With Thee they hang upon the Cross,
With Thee endure all earthly loss,
And from Thy glory-crowns of heav'n
Predestined rays to them are giv'n,
Since Thou and they incorp'rate are
Combined in sacerdotal prayer,—
Offer'd by one High Priest for all
Who on His bleeding pangs rely,
And both in life and death recall
Incarnate God, Who came to die.
Already seems the Church above;
For, in Thy Person, where Thou art,
The Members have a mystic part:
With Thee they hang upon the Cross,
With Thee endure all earthly loss,
And from Thy glory-crowns of heav'n
Predestined rays to them are giv'n,
Since Thou and they incorp'rate are
Combined in sacerdotal prayer,—
Offer'd by one High Priest for all
Who on His bleeding pangs rely,
And both in life and death recall
Incarnate God, Who came to die.
Hosannah! Lord, and still, again
Hosannah! soars the wingéd strain.—
Thy Sacraments extensions are
Of what Thy gifts and graces bear;
And on this day, let paschal food
Feed with Thy Body and Thy Blood
Baptizéd myriads, who unite
Their worship in that wondrous Rite,
Where many grow mysterious one
By the true Person of the Son,
In Whom the Father's Image shines
With beams of uncreated glory,
Whence emanate those blessed lines
In which we read Redemption's story.
Hosannah! soars the wingéd strain.—
Thy Sacraments extensions are
Of what Thy gifts and graces bear;
And on this day, let paschal food
Feed with Thy Body and Thy Blood
Baptizéd myriads, who unite
Their worship in that wondrous Rite,
Where many grow mysterious one
By the true Person of the Son,
In Whom the Father's Image shines
With beams of uncreated glory,
Whence emanate those blessed lines
In which we read Redemption's story.
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