The sun of Righteousness when he arose1
In our Horizon here, did not disclose
Himself with splendor: There’s no court prepar’d
Nor stately edifice, or foreshore reared
For his reception: this great potentate,
And prince of Heaven and earth assumes no state
When he assumes our nature, but conceals
His oriental lustre under Veils
And clouds of lowliness. First he takes
Not the Angelick nature, but he makes
Our flesh his mantle, where he doth infold
That light which seraphims cannot behold
Without amazement: and this he assumes
Not from some princess decked with plumes
Of honor and wealth, but from a low
And poor though noble Virgin; and if now
We think his birth in some great court to find,
We are deceived, poor Bethlem is design’d
For his first breath; and in that town an Inn: 2 ,
And in that Inn a stable; there begins
This blest Epiphany the world affords
No better room to entertain her Lord.
And now, if only on this History
We gaze; we look to short, the Mystery
Is fruitful. Christ began to speak
And be at once, and ere he spoke to preach
It doth command thy faith, when thou dost see
Effects of greatest weight produc’d to be
From things without all human grandeur, then
Thou must subscribe, this power is not for men,
But God. Great consequence do then speak best
Almighty God, when man they do speak least
Again, it gives thee a true estimate
Of worldly pomp, bids thee not over-rate
That pageantry; the Lord who can best try
And value what is best, did pass it by.
Again thy savior’s infant pattren tells
What his disciple’s duty is how well
Humility become thee, when he
The prince of life and glory, chose to be
Thus humble when he put on flesh it chides
And checks, and shames poor foolish mortals.
Lastly this miracle of love should fire
Thy heart with love again, and with desires
Of suitable returns; and yet if still
It do exceed thy power, as sure it will
Yet such a Heart becomes a sacrifice
Accepted and thy other wants supplies.
Footnotes
1 This is an interesting pun. It seems to not only be addressing the splendor of the sun, but also the “son”. This seems to be working as a title for Jesus Christ (OED). Back to text.
2 These lines are referring to the birth of Jesus Christ. The story of Christ’s birth is found in the Bible’s Gospel of Luke (OED). Back to text.