| |
This is the day that gladdened them, the Prophets,
Kings, and Priests, for in it were their words fulfilled, and thus were the
whole of them indeed performed! For the Virgin this day brought forth Immanuel
in Bethlehem. The voice that of old Isaiah spake, to-day became reality. He was
born there who in writing should tell the Gentiles’ number! The Psalm that David
once sang, by its fulfilment came to-day! The word that Micah once spake, to-day
was come indeed to pass! For there came from Ephrata a Shepherd, and His staff
swayed over souls. Lo! From Jacob shone the Star, and from Israel rose the Head.
The prophecy that Balaam spake had its interpreting to-day! Down also came the
hidden Light, and from the Body rose His beauty! The light that spake in
Zachary, to-day shined in Bethlehem!
Risen is the Light of the kingdom, in Ephrata the
city of the King. The blessing wherewith Jacob blessed, to its fulfilment came
to-day! That tree likewise, [the tree] of life, brings hope to mortal
men! Solomon’s hidden proverb had to-day its explanation! To-day was born the
Child, and His name was called Wonder! For a wonder it is that God as a Babe
should show Himself. By the word Worm did the Spirit foreshow
Him in parable, because His generation was without marriage. The type that the
Holy Ghost figured to-day its meaning was [explained]. He came up as a root
before Him, as a root of parched ground. Aught that covertly was said, openly
to-day was done! The King that in Judah was hidden, Thamar stole Him from his
thigh; to-day arose His conquering beauty, which in hidden estate she
loved. Ruth at Boaz’ side lay down, because the Medicine of Life hidden in him
she perceived. To-day was fulfilled her vow, since from her seed arose the
Quickener of all. Travail Adam on the woman brought, that from him had come
forth. She to-day her travail ransomed, who to her a Saviour bare! To Eve
our mother a man gave birth, who himself had had no birth. How much more should
Eve’s daughter be believed to have borne a Child without a man! The virgin
earth, she bare that Adam that was head over the earth! The Virgin bare to-day
the Adam that was Head over the Heavens. The staff of Aaron, it budded, and the
dry wood yielded fruit! Its mystery is cleared up to-day, for the virgin womb a
Child hath borne!
Shamed is that people which holds the prophets as
true; for unless our Saviour has come, their words have been falsified! Blessed
be the True One Who came from the Father of the Truth and fulfilled the true
seers’ words, which were accomplished in their truth. From thy treasure-house
put forth, Lord, from the coffers of Thy Scriptures, names of righteous men of
old, who looked to see Thy coming! Seth who was in Abel’s stead shadowed out the
Son as slain, by whose death was dulled the envy Cain had brought into the
world! Noah saw the sons of God, saints that sudden waxed wanton, and the Holy
Son he looked for, by whom lewd men were turned to holiness. The brothers twain,
that covered Noah, saw the only Son of God who should come to hide the nakedness
of Adam, who was drunk with pride. Shem and Japhet, being gracious, looked for
the gracious Son, Who should come and set free Canaan from the servitude of sin.
Melchizedek expected Him; as His vicegerent,
looked that he might see the Priesthood’s Lord whose hyssop purifies the
world. Lot beheld the Sodomites how they perverted nature: for nature’s Lord he
looked who gave holiness not natural. Him Aaron looked for, for he saw that if
his rod ate serpents up, His cross would eat the Serpent up that had eaten Adam
and Eve. Moses saw the uplifted serpent that had cured the bites of asps, and he
looked to see Him who would heal the ancient Serpent’s wound. Moses saw that he
himself alone retained the brightness from God, and he looked for Him who came
and multiplied gods by His teaching:
Caleb the spy bore the cluster on the staff, and
came and longed to see the Cluster, Whose wine should comfort the world. Him did
Jesus son of Nun long for, that he might conceive the force of his own
surname: for if by His name he waxed so mighty, how much more would He by His
Birth? This Jesus that gathered and carried, and brought with him of the fruit,
was longing for the Tree of Life to taste the Fruit that quickens all. For Him
Rahab too was looking; for when the scarlet thread in type redeemed her from
wrath, in type she tasted of the Truth. For Him Elijah longed, and when Him on
earth he saw not, he, through faith most throughly cleansed, mounted up in
heaven to see Him. Moses saw Him and Elijah; the meek man from the depth
ascended, the zealous from on high descended, and in the midst beheld the
Son. They figured the mystery of His Advent: Moses was a type of the dead, and
Elijah a type of the living, that fly to meet Him at His coming. For the dead
that have tasted death, them He makes to be first: and the rest that are not
buried, are last caught up to meet Him.
Who is there that can count me up the just that
looked for the Son, whose number cannot be determined by the mouth of us weak
creatures? Pray ye for me, O beloved, that another time with strength endued, I
in another legend may so set forth their foretaste, as I am able. Who is
adequate to the praising of the Son of the Truth that has risen to us? For it
was for Him the righteous longed, that in their generation they might see
Him. Adam looked for Him, for He is the Cherub’s Lord, and could minister an
entrance and a residence hard by the branches of the Tree of life. Abel longed
after Him, that in his days He might come; that instead of that lamb that he
offered, the Lamb of God he might behold. For Him Eve also looked; for woman’s
nakedness was sore, and He capable to clothe them; not with leaves, but with
that same glory that they had exchanged away. The tower that the many builded,
in mystery looked for One, who coming down would build on earth a tower that
lifts up to Heaven. Yea the ark of living creatures looked in a type for our
Lord; for He should build the Holy Church, wherein souls find a refuge. In
Peleg’s days earth was divided into tongues, threescore and ten. For Him Who by
the tongues, to His Apostles divided earth. Earth which the flood had swallowed
up, in silence cried to her Lord. He came down and opened Baptism, and men were
drawn by it to Heaven. Seth and Enos, Cainan too, were surnamed sons of God; for
the Son of God they looked, that they by grace might be His brethren. But little
short of a thousand years did Methuselah live: He looked for the Son Who makes
heirs of life that never ends! Grace itself in hidden mystery was beseeching on
their behalf that their Lord might come in their age and fill up their
shortcomings. For the Holy Spirit in them, in their stead, besought with
meditation: He stirred them up, and in Him did they look on that Redeemer, after
whom they longed.
The soul of just men perceive in the Son a
Medicine of life; and so it felt desires that He might come in its own days, and
then would it taste His sweetness. Enoch was longing for Him, and since on earth
the Son he saw not, he was justified by great faith, and mounted up in Heaven to
see Him. Who is there that will spurn at grace, when the Gift that they of old
gained not by much labour, freely comes to men now? For Him Lamech also looked
who might come and lovingly give Him quiet from his labour and the toiling of
his hands, and from the earth the Just One had cursed. Lamech then beheld his
son, Noah,—him, in whom were figured types relating to the Son. In the stead of
the Lord afar off, the type at hand afforded quiet. Yea Noah also longed to see
Him, the taste of whose assisting graces he had tasted. For if the type of Him
preserved living things, Himself how sure to bestow life upon souls! Noah longed
for Him, by trial knowing Him, for through Him had the ark been established. For
if the type of Him thus saved life, assuredly much more would He in
person. Abraham perceived in Spirit that the Son’s Birth was far off; instead of
Him in person he rejoiced to see even His day. To see Him Isaac longed, as
having tasted the taste of His redemption; for if the sign of Him so gave life,
much more would He by the reality.
Joyous were to-day the Watchers, that the Wakeful
came to wake us! Who would pass this night in slumber, in which all the world
was watching? Since Adam brought into the world the sleep of death by sins, the
Wakeful came down that He might awake us from the deep sleep of sin. Watch not
we as usurers, who thinking on money put to interest, watch at night so oft, to
reckon up their capital, and interest. Wakeful and cautious is the thief, who in
the earth hath buried and concealed his sleep. His wakefulness all [comes to]
this, that he may cause much wakefulness to them that be asleep. Wakeful
likewise is the glutton, who hath eaten much and is restless; his watching is to
him his torment, because he was impatient of stint. Wakeful likewise is the
merchant; of a night he works his fingers telling over what pounds are coming,
and if his wealth doubles or trebles. Wakeful likewise is the rich man, whose
sleep his riches chase away: his dogs sleep; he guards his treasures from the
thieves. Wakeful also is the careful, by his care his sleep is swallowed: though
his end stands by his pillow, yet he wakes with cares for years to come. Satan
teaches, O my brethren, one watching instead of another; to good deeds to be
sleepy, and to ill awake and watchful. Even Judas Iscariot, for the whole night
through was wakeful; and he sold the righteous Blood, that purchased the whole
world. The son of the dark one put on darkness, having stripped the Light from
off him: and Him who created silver, for silver the thief sold. Yea, Pharisees,
the dark one’s sons, all the night through kept awake: the dark ones watched
that they might veil the Light which is unlimited. Ye then watch as [heaven’s]
lights in this night of starry light. For though so dark be its colour yet in
virtue it is clear.
For whoever is like this clear One, wakeful and
prayerful in darkness, him in this darkness visible a light unseen surrounds! The
bad man that in daylight stands, yet as a son of darkness deals; though with
light clad outwardly, inly is with darkness girt. Be we not deceived, beloved,
by the fact that we are watching! For whoso does not rightly watch, his watch is
an unrighteous watch. Whoso watches not cheerfully, his watching is but a
sleeping: whoso also watches not innocently, even his waking is his foe. This is
the waking of the envious one! a solid mass, compact with harm. That watch is
but a trafficking, with scorn and mockery compact. The wrathful man if he wakes,
fretful with wrath his wake will be, and his watching proves to him full of rage
and of cursings. If the babbler be waking, then his mouth becomes a passage
which for sins is ready but for prayers shows hindrance.
The wise man, if so be he that watches, one of two
things chooseth him; either takes sweet, moderate, sleep, or a holy vigil keeps.
That night is fair, wherein He Who is Fair rose to come and make us fair. Let
not aught that may disturb it enter into our watch! Fair be kept the ear’s
approach, chaste the seeing of the eye! hallowed the musing of the heart! the
speaking of the mouth be cleared. Mary hid in us to-day leaven that came from
Abraham. Let us then so pity beggars as did Abraham the needy. To-day the rennet
fell on us from the gentle David’s house. Let a man show mercy to his
persecutors, as did Jesse’s son to Saul. The prophets’ sweet salt is to-day
sprinkled among the Gentiles. Let us gain a new savour by that whereby the
ancient people lost their savour. Let us speak the speech of wisdom; speak we
not of things outside it, lest we ourselves be outside it!
In this night of reconcilement let no man be wroth
or gloomy! in this night that stills all, none that threatens or disturbs! This
night belongs to the sweet One; bitter or harsh be in it none! In this night
that is the meek One’s, high or haughty be in it none! In this day of pardoning
let us not exact trespasses! In this day of gladnesses let us not spread
sadnesses! In this day so sweet, let us not be harsh! In this day of peaceful
rest, let us not be wrathful in it! In this day when God came to sinners, let
not the righteous be in his mind uplifted over sinner! In this day in which
there came the Lord of all unto the servants, let masters too condescend to
their servants lovingly! In this day in which the Rich became poor for our sakes,
let the rich man make the poor man share with him at his table. On this day to
us came forth the Gift, although we asked it not! Let us therefore bestow alms
on them that cry and beg of us. This is the day that opened for us a gate on
high to our prayers. Let us open also gates to supplicants that have
transgressed, and of us have asked [forgiveness.] To-day the Lord of nature was
against His nature changed; let it not to us be irksome to turn our evil wills.
Fixed in nature is the body; great or less it cannot become: but the will has
such dominion, it can grow to any measure. To-day Godhead sealed itself upon
Manhood, that so with the Godhead’s stamp Manhood might be adorned. |
|
