{"id":243,"date":"2015-11-17T21:43:57","date_gmt":"2015-11-17T21:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/?page_id=243"},"modified":"2017-08-29T18:48:25","modified_gmt":"2017-08-29T18:48:25","slug":"christmas-day-vi","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/christmas-day-vi\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Day VI"},"content":{"rendered":"

The sun of Righteousness when he arose1<\/a> <\/sup><\/a>
\nIn our Horizon here, did not disclose<\/a>
\nHimself with splendor: There’s no court prepar’d
\nNor stately edifice<\/a>, or foreshore reared
\nFor his reception: this great potentate<\/a>,
\nAnd prince of Heaven and earth assumes no state
\nWhen he assumes our nature, but conceals
\nHis oriental<\/a> lustre under Veils
\nAnd clouds of lowliness. First he takes
\nNot the Angelick<\/a> nature, but he makes
\nOur flesh his mantle<\/a>, where he doth infold
\nThat light which seraphims<\/a> cannot behold
\nWithout amazement<\/a>: and this he assumes
\nNot from some princess decked with plumes
\nOf honor and wealth, but from a low
\nAnd poor though noble Virgin; and if now
\nWe think his birth in some great court to find,
\nWe are deceived, poor Bethlem is design’d
\nFor his first breath; and in that town an Inn: 2<\/a> <\/sup><\/a>,
\nAnd in that Inn a stable; there begins
\nThis blest Epiphany<\/a> the world affords
\nNo better room to entertain her Lord.
\nAnd now, if only on this History
\nWe gaze; we look to short, the Mystery
\nIs fruitful. Christ began to speak
\nAnd be at once, and ere he spoke to preach
\nIt doth command thy faith, when thou dost see
\nEffects of greatest weight produc’d to be
\nFrom things without all human grandeur, then
\nThou must subscribe, this power is not for men,
\nBut God. Great consequence do then speak best
\nAlmighty God, when man they do speak least
\nAgain, it gives thee a true estimate
\nOf worldly pomp<\/a>, bids thee not over-rate
\nThat pageantry; the Lord who can best try
\nAnd value what is best, did pass it by.
\nAgain thy savior’s infant pattren tells
\nWhat his disciple’s duty is how well
\nHumility become thee, when he
\nThe prince of life and glory, chose to be
\nThus humble when he put on flesh it chides
\nAnd checks, and shames poor foolish mortals.
\nLastly this miracle of love should fire
\nThy heart with love again, and with desires
\nOf suitable returns<\/a>; and yet if still
\nIt do exceed thy power, as sure it will
\nYet such a Heart becomes a sacrifice
\nAccepted and thy other wants supplies.<\/p>\n

Footnotes
\n<\/a>1<\/sup> 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.<\/a>
\n<\/a>2<\/sup> 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.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/243"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=243"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":463,"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/243\/revisions\/463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newellpoems.library.okstate.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}