Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany · Part 5

(Resp.--Blessed is He Who atoned your sins, that ye might receive His Body worthily!)

1. The flock of Jacob came down--and stood round the well of water.--In the water they put on the similitude of the wood that was covered by it.--Mysteries these and types of the Cross,--wherein the parables are interpreted.

2. There are shown in these rods similitudes,--and in the sheep, parables.--The Cross in the rods is figured, and in the sheep the souls of men.--His wood was a mystery of our Wood;--likewise his sheep a mystery of our flock.

3. The sheep of Christ rejoice,--and stand round the laver of baptism;--in the water they put on the likeness--of the living and goodly Cross--whereon gaze all things created,--and all of it is stamped on them all.

4. At the well Rebecca received--in her ears and hands the jewels.--The Spouse of Christ has put on--precious things that are from the water:--on her hand the living Body,--and in her ears the promises.

5. Moses drew water and watered the sheep--of Jethro the priest of sin.--But our Shepherd has baptized His sheep--Who is the high priest of truth.--At the well the flocks were dumb,--but here the sheep have speech.

6. The People passed through the water and were baptized:--the People came up on dry land and became as heathen.--The Commandment was savourless in their ears;--the manna corrupted in their vessels.--Eat ye the living Body,--the medicine of life that gives life to all!

7. To the sons of Lot Moses said,--"Give us water for money,--let us only pass by through your border."--They refused the way, and the temporal water.--Lo! the living water freely given,--and the path that leads to Eden!

8. From the water Gideon chose for himself--the men who were victorious in the battle.--Ye have gone down to the victorious waters:--come ye up and triumph in the fight!--receive from the water atonement,--and from the fight the crowning!

9. Ye baptized, receive your lamps,--like the lamps of the house of Gideon;--conquer the darkness by your lamps,--and the silence by your hosannas!--Gideon likewise in the battle--triumphed by the shout and the flame.

10. David the King longed after--the water of the well, and they brought it him;--but he drank it not, for he saw that with blood of men it was bought.--In the midst of the water ye have revelled--that was bought with the blood of God.

11. Out of Edom the prophet saw--God coming as one that presses the grapes.--He made ready the winepress of wrath,--He trod down the peoples and delivered the People.--He has turned and ordained Baptism;--the peoples live, the People is come to nought.

12. In the river Jeremiah buried--the linen girdle that was marred;--and [the People] waxed old and decayed.--...--The peoples that were decayed and marred,--by the waters have been clad in newness.

13. In Siloam, the blessed stream--the priests anointed Solomon.--His youth was had in honour;--his old age was despised.--Through the pure waters ye have been clad--in the purity of Heaven.

14. The fleece that was dry from the dew,--Jerusalem was figured in it:--the bason that was filled with water,--Baptism was figured in it.--That was dry after the manner of its type;--this was full after the manner of its symbol.

15. The wearied body in water--washes and is refreshed from its toil.--Lo! the laver in which are hidden--refreshing and life and delights.--In it wearied Adam had rest--who brought labour into the creation.

16. The fountain of sweat in the body--is set to protect against fever:--the fountain of Baptism--is set to protect against the Flame.--This is the water that avails--for the quenching of Gehenna.

17. He who journeys through the desert,--as armour takes to himself water--against all-conquering thirst.--Go ye down to the fountain of Christ,--receive life in your members,--as armour against death.

18. Again, the diver brings up--out of the sea the pearl.--Be baptized and bring up from the water--purity that therein is hidden,--the pearl that is set as a jewel--in the crown of the Godhead.

19. Sweet water in his vessel--the seaman lays up as a store;--in the midst of the sea he lays up and keeps it, the sweet in the midst of the bitter.--So amidst the floods of sin,--keep ye the water of Baptism.

20. The woman of Samaria said to our Lord,--"Lo! verily the well is deep."--Baptism though it be high,--in its mercy has stooped down with us:--for the atonement is from above--that has come down unto sinners.

21. "He that drinks the water that I shall give him,--verily never again shall he thirst."--For this holy Baptism,--for it be ye athirst, my beloved;--never again shall ye be athirst,--so that ye should come to another baptism.

22. In the baptism of Siloam--the blind man washed, and his eyeballs--were opened and enlightened by the water;--he cast off the darkness that was on them.--The hidden darkness ye have cast off;--from the water ye have been clad in light.

23. His hands Pilate washed--that he might not be of them that slew.--Ye have bathed your bodies,--your hands together with your mouths.--Go in and be of them that eat,--for this medicine of life gives life to all.

24. "Come after Me and verily I will make you--fishers of men."--For instead of a draught of that which perishes,--they fished for the draught that is forever.--They who had taken fishes for death,--baptized and gave life to them that were to die.

25. An hundred and fifty fishes were taken--by Simon's net from the water;--but there were taken by his preaching,--out of the bosom of Baptism,--ten thousands and thousands of men,--a draught of the sons of the Kingdom.

26. Lo! our priest as a fisher--over the scanty water is standing;--he has taken thence a great draught--of every shape and of every kind;--he has drawn up the draught to bring it near--to the King of kings, most high.

27. Simon took the fishes and drew them up,--and they were brought near before our Lord:--Our priest has taken from out of the water,--by the Hand which he received from Simon,--virgins and chaste men who are brought near--in the festival of the Lord of feasts.

28. In Thy mercy I adjure Thee pardon me,--for in mercy Thou too hast sworn,--Rabboni, "In the death of him that dieth,--I have no pleasure, but in his life."--Thou hast sworn and I have adjured:--O Thou Who hast sworn, pardon him who has adjured!

Hymn VIII.

(Resp.--Happy are ye whose bodies have been made to shine!)

1. God in His mercy stooped and came down,--to mingle His compassion with the water,--and to blend the nature of His majesty--with the wretched bodies of men.--He made occasion by the water--to come down and to dwell in us:--like to the occasion of mercy--when He came down and dwelt in the womb:--O the mercies of God--Who seeks for Himself all occasions to dwell in us!

2. To the cave in Horeb He stooped and came down,--and on Moses He caused His majesty to dwell;--He imparted His glorious splendour to mortals.--There was therein a figure of Baptism:--He Who came down and dwelt in it,--tempers within the water--the might of His majesty,--that He may dwell in the feeble.--On Moses dwelt the Breath,--and on you the Perfecting of Christ.

3. That might then none could endure;--not Moses chief of deliverers,--nor Elijah chief of zealots;--and the Seraphin too vail their faces,--for it is the might that subdues all.--His mercy mingled gentleness--in the water and by the oil;--that mankind in its weakness--might be able to stand before Him--when covered by the water and the oil.

4. The captive priests again in the well--hid and concealed the fire of the sanctuary, --a mystery of that glorified fire--which the Highpriest mingles in Baptism.--The priests took up of the mire,--and on the altar they sprinkled it;--for its fire, the fire of that well,--with the mire had been mingled;--a mystery of our bodies which in the water--with the fire of the Holy Spirit have been mingled.

5. The famous Three in Babylon--in the furnace of fire were baptized, and came forth;--they went in and bathed in the flood of flame, they were buffeted by the blazing billows.--There was sprinkled on them there--the dew that fell from heaven;--it loosed from off them there--the bonds of the earthly king.--Lo! the famous Three went in and found a fourth in the furnace.

6. That visible fire that triumphed outwardly,--pointed to the fire of the Holy Ghost,--which is mingled, lo! and hidden in the water.--In the flame Baptism is figured,--in that blaze of the furnace.--Come, enter, be baptized, my brethren,--for lo! it looses the bonds;--for in it there dwells and is hidden--the Daysman of God,--Who in the furnace was the fourth.

7. Two words again our Lord spake--which in one voice agree in unison:--He said, "I am come to send fire,"--and again, "I have a baptism to be baptized with."--By the fire of Baptism is quenched the fire,--that which the Evil One had kindled:--and the water of Baptism has overcome--those waters of contention--by which he had made trial--of Joseph who conquered and was crowned.

8. Lo! the pure fire of our Redeemer--which he kindled in mankind of His mercy!--Through His fire He quenched that fire--which had been kindled in the defiled and sinful.--This is the fire wherein the thorns--are burnt up and the tares.--But happy are your bodies--that have been baptized in the fire--which has consumed your thickets,--and by it your seeds have sprung up to heaven!

9. Jeremiah in the womb He sanctified and taught.--But if the lowly bosom of wedlock--was sanctified in conceiving and bringing him forth,--how much more shall Baptism sanctify--its conception and its bringing forth--of them that are pure and spiritual!--For there, within the womb--is the conception of all men;--but here, out of the water,--is the birth whereof the spiritual are worthy.