Behold the father is his daughter\u2019s son,
\nThe bird that built the nest is hatched therein,
\nThe old of years an hour hath not outrun,
\nEternal life to live doth now begin,
\nThe Word is dumb, the mirth of heaven doth weep,
\nMight feeble is, and force doth faintly creep.<\/p>\n
O dying souls, behold your living spring;
\nO dazzled eyes, behold your sun of grace;
\nDull ears, attend what word this Word doth bring;
\nUp, heavy hearts, with joy your joy embrace.
\nFrom death, from dark, from deafness, from despairs
\nThis life, this light, this Word, this joy repairs.
\nGift better than himself God doth not know;
\nGift better than his God no man can see.
\nThis gift doth here the giver given bestow;
\nGift to this gift let each receiver be.
\nGod is my gift, himself he freely gave me;
\nGod\u2019s gift am I, and none but God shall have me.<\/p>\n
Man altered was by sin from man to beast;
\nBeast\u2019s food is hay, hay is all mortal flesh.
\nNow God is flesh and lies in manger pressed
\nAs hay, the brutest sinner to refresh.
\nO happy field wherein that fodder grew,
\nWhose taste doth us from beasts to men renew.<\/p>\n
—-Robert Southwell (1561-1595) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Behold the father is his daughter\u2019s son, The bird that built the nest is hatched therein, The old of years an hour hath not outrun, Eternal life to live doth now begin, The Word is dumb, the mirth of heaven…<\/span><\/p>\n