This firmly is of thee to be believ'd;
That God all this, both will effect, and can.
Of all the Virgins which in Ifrael be,
God hath been pleas'd to make his Choice of
thee,
To be the Mother of his only Son,
By a mysterious Operation.
Then, with a Virgin-Modefty, the Maid
Transported at that which the Angel faid,
Reply'd, Behold the Handmaid of the Lord!
Be it to me according to thy Word.
I to it do confent with all my Heart.
Then did the Angel Gabriel depart :
And then immediately (as I believe)
The Virgin did within her Womb conceive
The Second Perfon in the Trinity,
The true and only Son of God, was he,
Who thus our Human Nature did affume,
And God and Man, one Perfon, did become.
And thus the Thing fo long foretold, was done,
A Virgin fball conceive, and bear a Son.*
Whose Name was to be call'd Immanuel,
Which fignifies, that God with Man fhould dwell.
Accordingly, after nine Months were gone,
The Virgin then brought forth her bleffed Son;
Who took our Nature without Spot of Sin:
Thus did his Being in our Flesh begin.
O most profound, amazing Myftery!
For Humane, or Angelic Search too high !
Let us, poor Men, with grateful Hearts adore
Our wife and gracious God, who would restore
Our fallen Race, in this ftupendous Way, on!
From that moft woful State wherein we lay!
This must be evermore by All confefs'd
Tobe fuch Love as cannot be exprefsid!
That God should think nothing too great, or
To part with for Mankind: what Love was here!
Oh how fhall we exprefs our Gratitude
To him, who unto us fuch Love hath fhew'd;
How careful fhou'd we be, we don't offend
So dear, and fo omnipotent a Friend?
How zealous for his Honour fhould we be?
How circumspect, his Precepts to obey?
Rememb'ring we have dedicated been
To him, who came to fave us from our Sin;
And if fuch mighty Love we do despise,
And from the Chriftian Faith apoftatize,
If we rebel against God's only Son,
Who came from Heav'n for our Salvation,
And fide with his grand Enemy the Devil,
Refufing good, and madly chufing Evil:
Such, no Way can escape the Wrath to come,
The hottest Place in Hell will be their Doom.
But, Reader, better Hopes I have of thee,
That thou wilt do no more fo wickedly
As thou haft done, but wilt in Chrift believe,
Who took our Flesh, to die that we might live.
Think of th'amazing Condefcenfion,
Admire th’Humility of God the Son!
Who stoop'd so infinitely for our Sake,
When he did our Redemption undertake!
Think after this, how odious Pride will be, And for the Dev'l, make Men fit Company. Wherefore, let's imitate the Life of Christ, Our great Meffiah; Prophet, King, and Priest. So fhall we one Day reign with him Above, In the bright Realms of endlefs Peace and Love.
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
One God, whom we Adore,
Be Glory, as it was, is now,
And fhall be evermore.
On Christmas-Day, Dec. 25. being the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift.
Λόγος αΐδιος το πατρὸς.
His Day the Church doth keep in Memory
Of Chrift, the Son of God's, Nativity :
Who was in Bethl'hem, in a Stable born,
(A Room which Gentlemen and Ladies fcorn;)
And in a Manger would vouchfafe to lye,
To teach us mortal Men, Humility.
This wond'rous Birth the Angels did declare
To Shepherds, as by Night they watching were:
They, by the Angel's kind Direction, went,
And found their Saviour to their Heart's con-
Then joyfully return'd they Home again, And praifing God for what they'd heard and feen, Jo
They spread the News fo welcome unto Men;
Imean, the Froud and Grand, and worldly. Wise, Things 'm low life, do nat' rally despis
|