In very pity for our thrall, He thus becomes the criminal; Made 'neath the law, He hastes its yoke to bear, The law is slain by that same sword By which it dares to smite the Lord; A holier law begins which shall prevail, The holier law of love which cannot fail. Thee of a virgin-mother born, In Whom is centred endless morn, We praise Thee, bless Thee, worship and adore, Isaac Williams (from the Latin). Lo! the eighth bright morn is flinging Far and wide its ruddy fire; And obedient hands are bringing To the law the young Messiah; Babe begotten not adopted, Co-eternal with the Sire. Yea, the breathing of the Spirit She endured no mother's throes, Thence did aged Simeon gladly At the Lord's salvation spake "Now in peace dismiss Thy servant, Lord, for Thy great mercy's sake." Thence, too, hoary Anna, walking Who from youth's fair flower and spring-tide There the wide world's future Sovereign Straightway with the law accordant Forth their hallowed gifts they reach, Turtles twain-a pair of pigeons, Twofold is the type of each; For of body and of spirit They the twofold pureness teach. Now in Him the Circumcision Of the old Law they fulfil; While each testament He proveth, As the record of His will, Who, in Trinity abiding, All things wrought and worketh still. Glory, honour, laud and worship, To the Father, Son and Spirit, Unto all eternity, Praise be given, as power belongeth, Praise that never more shall die. W. J. Blew. JERUSALEM, why are thy voices dumb? Where, sons of Jacob, are your notes of glee? Behold! the Lord God, whom ye seek, doth come To-day unto His temple suddenly. Where stand the Levite bands their King to greet? One lowly Virgin beareth up the street Her first-born Son unto thy temple gate. Her forty days of loneliness are o'er ; What present doth the virgin-mother bring? The two young pigeons from her scanty store, And Him, the full sufficient offering. Haply, to-day, with pomp and proffered gold, And bore their ransomed treasures proudly home; But not for them the prophet's eye, grown dim And when resistless broke the glowing word, He was the perfect sacrifice foreshewn By shadowy type of old and symbol high; The first-born of unnumbered sons, alone In Him accepted, and in Him brought nigh. No treasured gold shall buy Him back again, C. F. H. O THOU who art enthroned on high, Whose hope on Thee relies: For Thou, whose words and deeds are one, By Thee, before Thy hands displayed K |