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 |  |
Lascivious songs, vaine Carols hence avaunt,
And whatsoere prophane throats vse to chaunt,
Which through the eare powre poyson to the heart:
A better subiect doth this day impart.
The King of Kings is subiect of our verse,
Whose praise all tongues are too few to rehearse.
That what the maker shall in verse offend,
The subiect may both Verse and Maker mend.
To sacred songs is Sions muse inclin'd:
Some holy matter, fits an holy mind.
Sing we high mysteries in an humble straine
And lofty matters in a lowly veine.
The sacred subiect which we sing, affords
Strong lines, but strong in matter, not in words.
For things so high they cannot be exprest,
By anywords, the plainest are the best.
He who was borne so humbly, doth refuse
To haue his birth sung by a swelling muse.
Ill doth a flaunting Phrase devotion fit:
Wee sing to shew our zeale, and not our wit.
Let Gentiles striue to be profanely witty,
This holy day, calls for an holy ditty.
Then let our ditty asnwere to the day:
And with heauens Quiristers lets sing, and say,
Glory to God on high, on earth be peace,
And let good will t'wards Christians never cease.
And whatsoere prophane throats vse to chaunt,
Which through the eare powre poyson to the heart:
A better subiect doth this day impart.
The King of Kings is subiect of our verse,
Whose praise all tongues are too few to rehearse.
That what the maker shall in verse offend,
The subiect may both Verse and Maker mend.
To sacred songs is Sions muse inclin'd:
Some holy matter, fits an holy mind.
Sing we high mysteries in an humble straine
And lofty matters in a lowly veine.
The sacred subiect which we sing, affords
Strong lines, but strong in matter, not in words.
For things so high they cannot be exprest,
By anywords, the plainest are the best.
He who was borne so humbly, doth refuse
To haue his birth sung by a swelling muse.
Ill doth a flaunting Phrase devotion fit:
Wee sing to shew our zeale, and not our wit.
Let Gentiles striue to be profanely witty,
This holy day, calls for an holy ditty.
Then let our ditty asnwere to the day:
And with heauens Quiristers lets sing, and say,
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And let good will t'wards Christians never cease.
| The Blessed Birth-day | |