{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/213/2130262.htm","path":"chr/ecf/213/2130262.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/213/2130262.htm","text":"p. 287 Hymn XV.\n1. In the Birth of the Son light dawned,\u2014and darkness fled from the world,\u2014and the earth was enlightened; then let it give glory\u2014to the brightness of the Father Who has enlightened it!\n2. He dawned from the womb of the Virgin,\u2014and the shadows passed away when He was seen,\u2014and the darkness of error was strangled by Him,\u2014and the ends of the earth were enlightened that they should give glory.\n3. Among the peoples there was great tumult,\u2014and in the darkness the light dawned,\u2014and the nations rejoiced to give glory\u2014to Him in Whose Birth they all were enlightened.\n4. His light shone out over the east;\u2014Persia was enlightened by the star:\u2014His Epiphany gave good tidings to her and invited her,\u2014\u201cHe is come for the sacrifice that brings joy to all.\u201d\n5. The star of light hasted and came and dawned\u2014through the darkness, and summoned them\u2014that the peoples should come and exult\u2014in the great Light that has come down to earth.\n6. One envoy from among the stars\u2014the firmament sent to proclaim to them,\u2014to the sons of Persia, that they might make ready\u2014to meet the King and to worship Him.\n7. Great Assyria when she perceived it\u2014called to the Magi and said to them,\u2014\u201cTake gifts and go, honour Him\u2014the great King Who in Judea has dawned.\u201d\n8. The princes of Persia, exulting,\u2014carried gifts from their region;\u2014and they brought to the Son of the Virgin\u2014gold and myrrh and frankincense.\n9. They entered and found Him as a child\u2014as He dwelt in the house of the lowly woman;\u2014and they drew near and worshipped with gladness,\u2014and brought near before Him their treasures.\n10. Mary said, \u201cFor whom are these?\u2014and for what purpose? and what is the cause\u2014that has called you to come from your country\u2014to the Child with your treasures?\u201d\n11. They said, \u201cThy Son is a King,\u2014and He binds crowns and is King of all;\u2014and great is His power over the world,\u2014and to His Kingdom shall all be obedient.\u201d\n12. \u201cAt what time did this come to pass,\u2014that a lowly woman should bring forth a King? I who am in need and in want,\u2014how then could a king come forth from me?\u201d\n13. \u201cIn thee alone has this come to pass\u2014that a mighty King from thee should appear;\u2014thee in whom poverty shall be magnified,\u2014and to thy Son shall crowns be made subject.\u201d\n14. \u201cTreasures of Kings I have not;\u2014riches have never fallen to my lot.\u2014My house is lowly and my dwelling needy;\u2014why then proclaim ye that my Son is King?\u201d\n15. \u201cGreat treasure is in thy Son,\u2014and wealth that suffices to make all rich;\u2014for the treasures of kings are impoverished,\u2014but He fails not nor can be measured.\u201d\n16. \u201cWhether haply some other be for you\u2014the King that is born, enquire ye concerning Him.\u2014This is the son of a lowly woman,\u2014of one who is not meet to look on a King.\u201d\n17. \u201cCan it be that light should ever miss\u2014the way whereon it has been sent? It was not darkness that summoned and led us;\u2014in light we walked, and thy Son is King.\u201d\n18. \u201cLo! ye see a babe without speech,\u2014and the house of His mother empty and needy,\u2014and of that which pertains to a king nought is in it:\u2014how then in it is a king to be seen?\u201d\n19. \u201cLo! we see that without speech and at rest\u2014is the King, and lowly as thou p. 288 hast said:\u2014but again we see that the stars\u2014in the highest He bids haste to proclaim Him.\u201d\n20. \u201cIt were meet, O men, that ye should enquire\u2014who is the King, and then adore him;\u2014lest haply your way has been mistaken,\u2014and another is the King that is born.\u201d\n21. \u201cIt were meet, O maiden, that thou shouldst receive it,\u2014that we have learned that thy Son is King,\u2014from the star of light that errs not,\u2014and plain is the way, and he has led us.\u201d\n22. \u201cThe Child is a little one, and lo! he has not\u2014the diadem of a king and of a throne;\u2014and what have ye seen that ye should pay honour to Him,\u2014as to a king, with your treasures?\u201d\n23. \u201cA little one, because He willed it for quietness\u2019 sake,\u2014and meek now until He be revealed.\u2014A time shall be for Him when all diadems\u2014shall bow down and worship Him.\u201d\n24. \u201cArmies he has none;\u2014nor has my Son legions and troops:\u2014in the poverty of His mother He dwells;\u2014why then King is He called by you?\u201d\n25. \u201cThe armies of thy Son are above;\u2014they ride on high, and they flame,\u2014and one of them it was that came and summoned us,\u2014and all our country was dismayed.\u201d\n26. \u201cThe Child is a babe, and how is it possible\u2014He should be King, unknown to the world?\u2014And they that are mighty and of renown,\u2014how can a babe be their ruler?\u201d\n27. \u201cThy babe is aged, O Virgin,\u2014and Ancient of Days and exalted above all and Adam beside Him is very babe,\u2014and in Him all created things are made new.\u201d\n28. \u201cIt is very seemly that ye should expound\u2014all the mystery and explain it;\u2014who it is that reveals to you the mystery of my Son,\u2014that He is a King in your region.\u201d\n29. \u201cIt is likewise seemly for thee to accept this,\u2014that unless the truth had led us we had not wandered hither from the ends of the earth,\u2014nor come for the sake of thy Son.\u201d\n30. \u201cAll the mystery as it was wrought\u2014among you there in your country,\u2014reveal ye to me now as friends.\u2014Who was He that called you to come to me?\u201d\n31. \u201cA mighty Star appeared to us\u2014that was glorious exceedingly above the stars,\u2014and our land by its fire was kindled;\u2014that this King had appeared it bore tidings to us.\u201d\n32. \u201cDo not, I beseech you, speak of\u2014these things in our land lest they rage,\u2014and the kings of the earth join together\u2014against the Child in their envy.\u201d\n33. \u201cBe not thou dismayed, O Virgin!\u2014Thy Son shall bring to nought all diadems, and set them underneath his heel;\u2014and they shall not subdue Him Whom they envy.\u201d\n34. \u201cBecause of Herod I am afraid,\u2014that unclean wolf, lest he assail me,\u2014and draw his sword and with it cut off\u2014the sweet cluster before it be ripe.\u201d\n35. \u201cBecause of Herod fear thou not;\u2014for in the hands of thy Son is his throne placed:\u2014and as soon as He shall reign it shall be laid low,\u2014and his diadem shall fall on the earth beneath.\u201d\n36. \u201cA torrent of blood is Jerusalem,\u2014wherein the excellent ones are slain;\u2014and if she perceives Him she will assail Him.\u2014In mystery speak ye, and noise it not abroad.\u201d\n37. \u201cAll torrents, and likewise swords,\u2014by the hands of thy Son shall be appeased;\u2014and the sword of Jerusalem shall be blunted,\u2014and shall not desire at all to kill.\u201d\n38. \u201cThe scribes of the priests of Jerusalem\u2014pour forth blood and heed not.\u2014p. 289 They will arouse murderous strife\u2014against me and against the Child; O Magi, be silent!\u201d\n39. \u201cThe scribes and the priests will be unable\u2014to hurt thy son in their envy;\u2014for by Him their priesthood shall be dissolved,\u2014and their festivals brought to nought.\u201d\n40. \u201cA Watcher revealed to me, when I received\u2014conception of the Babe, that my Son is a King;\u2014that His diadem is from on high and is not dissolved,\u2014he declared to me even as ye do.\u201d\n41. \u201cThe Watcher, therefore, of whom thou hast spoken\u2014is he who came as a star,\u2014and was shown to us and brought us good tidings\u2014that He is great and glorious above the stars.\u201d\n42. \u201cThat Angel declared to me\u2014in his good tidings, when he appeared to me,\u2014that to His Kingdom no end shall be\u2014and the mystery is kept and shall not be revealed.\u201d\n43. \u201cThe Star also declared again to us\u2014that thy Son is He that shall keep the diadem.\u2014His aspect was something changed,\u2014and he was the Angel and made it not known to us.\u201d\n44. \u201cBefore me when the Watcher showed himself,\u2014he called Him his Lord before He was conceived;\u2014and as the Son of the Highest announced Him to me:\u2014but where His Father is he made not known to me.\u201d\n45. \u201cBefore us he proclaimed in the form of a star\u2014that the Lord of the Highest is He Who is born;\u2014and over the stars of light thy Son is ruler,\u2014and unless He commands they rise not.\u201d\n46. \u201cIn your presence, lo! there are revealed\u2014other mysteries, that ye may learn the truth;\u2014how in virginity I bare my Son,\u2014and He is Son of God; go ye, proclaim Him!\u201d\n47. \u201cIn our presence the Star taught us\u2014that His Birth is exalted above the world and above all beings is thy Son,\u2014and is Son of God according to thy saying.\u201d\n48. \u201cThe world on high and the world below bear witness to Him,\u2014all the Watchers and the stars,\u2014that He is Son of God and Lord.\u2014Bear ye His fame to your lands!\u201d\n49. \u201cAll the world on high, in one star,\u2014has stirred up Persia and she has learnt the truth,\u2014that thy Son is Son of God,\u2014and to Him shall all peoples be subject.\u201d\n50. \u201cPeace bear ye to your lands:\u2014peace be multiplied in your borders!\u2014As apostles of truth may ye be believed\u2014in all the way that ye shall pass through.\u201d\n51. \u201cThe peace of thy Son, it shall bear us\u2014in tranquillity to our land, as it has led us hither;\u2014and when His power shall have grasped the worlds,\u2014may He visit our land and bless it!\n52. \u201cMay Persia rejoice in your glad tidings!\u2014may Assyria exult in your coming\u2014And when my Son\u2019s Kingdom shall arise,\u2014may He plant His standard in your country!\u201d\n53. Let the Church sing with rejoicing,\u2014\u201cGlory in the Birth of the Highest,\u2014by Whom the world above and the world below are illumined!\u201d\u2014Blessed be He in Whose Birth all are made glad!","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. XIII: Selec...","type":"page"}