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 Prieft. So fhall we one Day reign with him Above, In the bright Realms of endlefs Peace and Love.
To 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 Christ.
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, do
They spread the News fo welcome unto Men;.
Imeon, the Froud and Grand, and worldly. Wise, "Things m lon life, do nat rally despi
So long expected, wifh'd-for, and defir'd, And which can never be enough admir'd... God in the Perfon of his only Son,
Gave us Himself! what could he more have done?
Olet this Love, which doth all Thought tran
Make us to love him, and our Lives amend;
To leave our Sins, from which he came to fave
All thofe, who would by him Salvation have.
To love and help the poor for Jesus' fake,
And to their Cottages our Vifits make:
Since he a State of Poverty did chufe,
And fumptuous Pomp and Grandeur did refuse.
And let us love our greatest Enemy,
Since Jefus Chrift even for fuch did die;
And bids us love, and bless, and for them pray;
And not from them our Faces turn away,
But do them good, altho' they ill requite;
Which is the Way to overcome their Spite. *
Thus, if ye love me, fays our bleffed Lord,
Keep my Commandments, and obey my Word.
* Mat. v. 44. Rom. xii. 21.
And if a Man his Saviour loves not, he
A Monster of Ingratitude must be ;
And at the laft, tremendous, dreadful Day,
He'll be Anathema, Maran-atha. *
What! love not him, who being in the Form
Of God, became a poor defpifed Worm!
To fave us Wretches from Damnation;
O most amazing Condefcenfion!
What Thing, so strange as this, can any tell?'
That God's eternalSon fhould come and dwell
In Humane Flesh, our great Immanuel!
Why was't he would be born, why would he die
To fave us from eternal Mifery?
To do all this for us, what could him move?
St. John has plainly told us, God is Love. †
LL Glory to the mystick Three
For our Redemption;
Glory for Chrift's Nativity,
Both God's, and Mary's Son!
*I Cor. xvi. 22.
ti Joh. iv. 8.
Neither the brightest Seraphim
In Heaven, ever can,
Nor the most knowing Cherubim,
Conceive God's Love to Man!
All Glory to the facred Three,
One ever-living Lord:
As at the First, ftill may he be
Belov'd, obey'd, ador'd.
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