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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Transportat. I. The season of the Yeare wherein our Saviour was borne: namely in the Winter Solstice or Sun-stead
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 | The Blessed Birth-day |  |
Transportat. I. The season of the Yeare wherein our Saviour was borne: namely in the Winter Solstice or Sun-stead .
Now seemes the Sunnes vnwearied Waggonere,
Who every day surrounds this earthly sphere,
To make a stand, and breath his restlesse teames,
Which through the world convey his golden beames:
Nor doth the day to our appearance seeme,
As yet, his captiue minutes to redeeme
From the prevailing Night, but doth begin
To steale thereon, and some advantage win:
Henceforth the night shall loose, the day shall gaine,
Nor will the sister long in debt remaine
Vnto the brother, but will fairely pay
Some part of what she borrowed every day
Till both be even. This season of the yeare
Did our eternall Sunne chuse to appeare
In our Horizon, our Day to restore
Which sins incroaching night abridg'd before.
In Summers Equinoctiall conceau'd,
In Winter-Sunstead borne. We were bereau'd
Of gladsome day, invellop'd in sad night,
Till this bright starre arose and brought vs light.
Thus did our Day at his conception,
And at his Birth take augmentation:
When such a light into the World is sent
How can the night but shrinke, the day augment?
Who every day surrounds this earthly sphere,
To make a stand, and breath his restlesse teames,
Which through the world convey his golden beames:
Nor doth the day to our appearance seeme,
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From the prevailing Night, but doth begin
To steale thereon, and some advantage win:
Henceforth the night shall loose, the day shall gaine,
Nor will the sister long in debt remaine
Vnto the brother, but will fairely pay
Some part of what she borrowed every day
Till both be even. This season of the yeare
Did our eternall Sunne chuse to appeare
In our Horizon, our Day to restore
Which sins incroaching night abridg'd before.
In Summers Equinoctiall conceau'd,
In Winter-Sunstead borne. We were bereau'd
Of gladsome day, invellop'd in sad night,
Till this bright starre arose and brought vs light.
Thus did our Day at his conception,
And at his Birth take augmentation:
When such a light into the World is sent
How can the night but shrinke, the day augment?
All haile, ô holy, happy, heavenly day
Which turn'st our Winter into joyfull May,
And springing makest an eternall spring,
Where erst sins Autumne a sad Fall did bring:
A Day that makest everlasting Summer
By the approaching of this heavenly commer,
Who did from Heauen to earth so kindly come,
That Earth by him in Heaven might haue a roome.
Which turn'st our Winter into joyfull May,
And springing makest an eternall spring,
Where erst sins Autumne a sad Fall did bring:
A Day that makest everlasting Summer
By the approaching of this heavenly commer,
Who did from Heauen to earth so kindly come,
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O were it winter Solstice once with me!
That this sins night no more encreas'd might be,
But that the blessed day of reformation
In me might finde a joyfull augmentation.
That this sins night no more encreas'd might be,
But that the blessed day of reformation
In me might finde a joyfull augmentation.
O Sunne of righteousnesse who wouldst appeare
In shortest, saddest season of the yeare,
Who being brightnesse would'st in black-month come
That by thy comming all might bright become,
Come vnto me, come into me, that I
To righteousnesse may liue, to sinne may dy.
'Tis black-month still with me because of sinne,
O come, that I may bright become within.
Come that the night of sinne may shrinke in me,
And that the Day of grace encreas'd may be.
In shortest, saddest season of the yeare,
Who being brightnesse would'st in black-month come
That by thy comming all might bright become,
Come vnto me, come into me, that I
To righteousnesse may liue, to sinne may dy.
'Tis black-month still with me because of sinne,
O come, that I may bright become within.
Come that the night of sinne may shrinke in me,
And that the Day of grace encreas'd may be.
| The Blessed Birth-day | |