Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany · Part 7

10. And like as, save by the door of birth,--none can enter into creation;--so, save by the door of resurrection,--none can enter into the Kingdom,--and whoso has cut off his bridge, has brought to nought his hope.

11. He put on His armour and conquered and was crowned;--He left His armour on earth and ascended,--that if any man desires the crown,--he may resort to the armour and win by it--the crown of victory which he yearns after.

12. He fulfilled righteousness on earth, and ascended.--But if He, the All-cleanser, was baptized,--What man is there that shall not be baptized?--for grace has come to baptism--to wash away the foulness of our wound.

13. The compulsion of God is an all-prevailing force;--[but that is not pleasing to Him which is of compulsion,] --as that which is of discerning will.--Therefore in our fruits He calls us--who live not as under compulsion, by persuasion.

14. Good is He, for lo! He labours in these two things;--He wills not to constrain our freedom--nor again does He suffer us to abuse it.--For had he constrained it, He had taken away its power;--and had He let it go, He had deprived it of help.

15. He knows that if He constrains He deprives us;--He knows that if He casts off He destroys us;--He knows that if He teaches He wins us.--He has not constrained and He has not cast off, as the Evil One does:--He has taught, chastened, and won us, as being the good God.

16. He knows that His treasuries abound:--the keys of His treasuries He has put into our hands.--He has made the Cross our treasurer--to open for us the gates of Paradise,--as Adam opened the gate of Gehenna.

Hymn XI.

(Resp.--Let the bodies rejoice which the Evil One had made naked, that in the water they have put on their glory!)

1. Give thanks, O daughter, that thy crownings have been doubled;--for lo! thy temples and thy sons rejoice.--The dedication of thy temples is in the ministration;--The dedication of thy sons is in the anointing.--Blessed art thou that at once......--......the tabernacle for them that dwell in thee,--and the Spirit has abode upon thy sons!

2. Our Lord opened up Baptism--in the midst of Jordan the blessed river.--The height and the depth rejoiced in Him;--He brings forth the first fruits of His peace from the water,--for they are first fruits, the fruits of Baptism.--The good God in His compassion will bring to pass--that His peace shall be first fruits on earth.

3. Moses stretched out the temporal Tabernacle;--the priests bathed themselves in water,--and went in and ministered; and were stricken and punished,--because their heart within was not cleansed.--Blessed art thou that in the Passover of the great Passion,--the priests by the savour of their oblations,--lo! are cleansing souls in thee!

4. Great was the mystery that the Prophet saw,--the torrent that was mighty.--Into its depths he gazed and beheld--thy beauty instead of himself; thee it was he saw, for thy faith passes not away,--thou whose flood unseen shall overwhelm--the subtleties of idolatry.

5. Though John was great among them that are born of women,--yet he that is little is greater than he,--in this that his baptized were again baptized,--in the baptism that was of the Apostles.--Blessed art thou that thy priest is greater than he--in this alone that forever--abides his baptism.

6. The baptism that was of Siloam--did not bring mercy to the man that was laid there--who for thirty and eight years awaited it,--for he was a respecter of the persons of the Levites.--Blessed art thou that thy healing is in thee for all men,--and thy priests are devoted and ready--for all that are in need of thy help.

7. The Prophet healed the waters that were unwholesome,--and cured the disease of the land that was barren,--so that its death was done away and its region resounded, for its offspring increased and its bosom was filled.--Greater is Thy grace, Lord, than Elisha's!--Multiply my lambs and my flocks--at the great stream of my fountain!

8. Great is the marvel that is within thy abode;--the flocks together with the Shepherds,--those at the stream of the waters,--two unseen with one manifest who baptizes.--Blessed is he who is baptized in their fountains!--for three arms have upheld him,--and three Names have preserved him!

Hymn XII.

(Resp.--Blessed is He Who went down and was baptized in Jordan, and turned back the People from error!)

1. In Baptism Adam found again--that glory that was among the trees of Eden.--He went down, and received it out of the water;--he put it on, and went up and was adorned therein.--Blessed be He that has mercy on all!

2. Man fell in the midst of Paradise,--and in baptism compassion restored him:--he lost his comeliness through Satan's envy,--and found it again by God's grace.--Blessed be He that has mercy on all!

3. The wedded pair were adorned in Eden;--but the serpent stole their crowns:--yet mercy crushed down the accursed one,--and made the wedded pair goodly in their raiment.--Blessed be He that has mercy on all!

4. They clothed themselves with leaves of necessity;--but the Merciful had pity on their beauty,--and instead of leaves of trees,--He clothed them with glory in the water.--Blessed be He that has mercy on all!

5. Baptism is the well-spring of life,--which the Son of God opened by His Life;--and from His Side it has brought forth streams.--Come, all that thirst, come, rejoice!--Blessed be He that has mercy on all!

6. The Father has sealed Baptism, to exalt it;--and the Son has espoused it to glorify it;--and the Spirit with threefold seal--has stamped it, and it has shone in holiness.--Blessed be He that has mercy on all!

7. The Trinity that is unsearchable--has laid up treasures in baptism.--Descend, ye poor, to its fountain!--and be enriched from it, ye needy!--Blessed be He that has mercy on all!

Hymn XIII.

Hymn of the Baptized.

(Resp.--Brethren, sing praises, to the Son of the Lord of all; Who has bound for you crowns, such as kings long for!)

1. Your garments glisten, my brethren, as snow;--and fair is your shining in the likeness of Angels!

2. In the likeness of Angels, ye have come up, beloved,--from Jordan's river, in the armour of the Holy Ghost.

3. The bridal chamber that fails not, my brethren, ye have received:--and the glory of Adam's house to-day ye have put on.

4. The judgment that came of the fruit, was Adam's condemnation:--but for you victory, has arisen this day.

5. Your vesture is shining, and goodly your crowns:--which the Firstborn has bound for you, by the priest's hand this day.

6. Woe in Paradise, did Adam receive:--but you have received, glory this day.

7. The armour of victory, ye put on, my beloved:--in the hour when the priest, invoked the Holy Ghost.

8. The Angels rejoice, men here below exult:--in your feast, my brethren, wherein is no foulness.

9. The good things of Heaven, my brethren, ye have received:--beware of the Evil One, lest he despoil you.

10. The day when He dawned, the Heavenly King:--opens for you His door, and bids you enter Eden.

11. Crowns that fade not away, are set on your heads:--hymns of praise hourly, let your mouths sing.