Behold the father, is his daughters son: The bird that built the nest, is hatched therein: The old of years, an hour hath not out run: Eternal life, to live doth now begin. The word is dumb: the mirth of heaven doth weep: Might feeble is: and force doth faintly creep. O dying souls, behold your living spring: O dazzled eyes, behold your son of grace: Dull ears, attend what word this word doth bring: Up heavy hearts: with joy your joy embrace. From death, from dark, from deafness, from despairs: This life, this light, this word, this joy repairs. Gift better than himself, God doth not know: Gift better than his God, no man can see: This gift doth here the giver given bestow: Gift to this gift let each receiver be. God is my gift, himself he freely gave me: Gods gift am I, and none but God shall have me. Man altered was by sin from man to beast: Beasts' food is hay, hay is all mortal flesh: Now God is flesh, and lies in Manger pressed: As hay, the brutest sinner to refresh. O happy field wherein this fodder grew, Whose taste, doth us from beasts to men renew. |