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VII. THE CHURCH AND WORD OF G.o.d
VIII. GRACE
IX. THE COMMANDMENTS
X. THE CREED
XI. PRAYER
XII. BAPTISM
XIII. REPENTANCE
XIV. THE LORD'S SUPPER
XV. DEATH
XVI. THE PRAISE OF G.o.d
OF LIFE AT COURT
I. ADVENT.
Come, saviour of nations wild, Of the maiden owned the child That may wonder all the earth G.o.d should grant it such a birth.
Not of man's flesh or man's blood Only of the Spirit of G.o.d Is G.o.d's Word a man become, And blooms the fruit of woman's womb.
Maiden, she was found with child, Nor was chast.i.ty defiled; Many a virtue from her shone: G.o.d was there upon his throne.
From that chamber of content, Royal palace pure, he went; G.o.d by kind, in human grace Forth he comes to run his race.
From the Father came his road, And returns again to G.o.d; Unto h.e.l.l it did go down, Up then to the Father's throne.
Thou, the Father's form express, Get thee victory in the flesh, That thy G.o.dlike power in us Make sick flesh victorious.
s.h.i.+nes thy manger bright and fair; Sets the night a new star there: Darkness thence must keep away; Faith dwells ever in the day.
Honour unto G.o.d be done; Honour to his only son; Honour to the Holy Ghost, Now, and ever, ending not. Amen.
II. CHRISTMAS.
I.
Jesus we now must laud and sing, The maiden Mary's son and king, Far as the blessed sun doth s.h.i.+ne, And reaches to earth's utmost line.[1]
[Footnote 1: Luther's own construction.]
The blessed maker of all we view On him a servant's body drew, The flesh to save at flesh's cost, Else his creation had been lost.
From heaven high the G.o.dlike grace In the chaste mother found a place; A secret pledge a maiden bore-- A thing to earth unknown before.
The tender heart, house modest, low, Straightway a temple of G.o.d did grow: Whom never man hath touched or known By G.o.d's word she with child is grown.
The n.o.ble mother hath brought forth Whom Gabriel promised to the earth; Him John did greet in joyous way While in his mother's womb he lay.
Right poorly lies in hay the boy; Th' hard manger him did not annoy; A little milk made him content Away who no bird hungry sent.
Therefore the heavenly choir is loud; The angels sing their praise to G.o.d, And tell poor men their flocks who keep He's come who made and keeps their sheep.
Praise, honour, thanks, to thee be said, Christ Jesus, born of holy maid!
With G.o.d the Father and Holy Ghost, Now and for ever, ending not. Amen!
II.
A Song of Praise for the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Praised be thou, O Jesus Christ, That a man on earth thou liest!
Born of a maiden--it is true-- In this exults the heavenly crew.
Kyrioleis.[2]
[Footnote 2: (Greek) kurie elxaeson: _Lord, have mercy_.]
The Father's only son begot In the manger has his cot, In our poor dying flesh and blood Doth mask itself the eternal Good.
Kyrioleis.
Whom all the world could not enwrap Lieth he in Mary's lap; A little child he now is grown Who everything upholds alone.
Kyrioleis.
In him the eternal light breaks through, Gives the world a glory new; A great light s.h.i.+nes amid the night, And makes us children of the light.
Kyrioleis.
The Father's son, so _G.o.d_ his name, A guest into this world he came; And leads us from the vale of tears: He in his palace make us heirs.
Kyrioleis.
Poor to the earth he cometh thus, Pity so to take on us; And makes us rich in heaven above, And like the angels of his love.
Kyrioleis.
All this for us hath Jesus done, And his great love to us hath shown: Let Christendom rejoice therefore, And give him thanks for evermore!
Kyrioleis.
III
A SONG OF THE LITTLE CHILD JESUS, FOR CHILDREN AT CHRISTMAS.
TAKEN OUT OF THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE GOSPEL OF ST. LUKE.
