(Resp. -- Glory to Him Who came and restored it!) 1. Adam sinned and earned all sorrows; -- likewise the world after His example, all guilt. -- And instead of considering how it should be restored, -- considered how its fall should be pleasant for it. -- Glory to Him Who came and restored it! 2. This cause summoned Him that is pure, -- that He should come and be baptized, even He with the defiled, -- Heaven for His glory was rent asunder. -- That the purifier of all might be baptized with all, -- He came down and sanctified the water for our baptism. 3. For that cause for which He entered into the womb, -- for the same cause He went down into the river. -- For that cause for which He entered into the grave, -- for the same cause He makes us enter into His chamber. -- He perfected mankind for every cause. 4. His Conception is the store of our blessings; -- His Birth is the treasury of our joys; -- His Baptism is the cause of our pardon; -- His Death is the cause of our life. -- Death He alone has overcome in His Resurrection. 5. At His Birth a star of light shone in the air; -- when He was baptized light flashed from the water; -- at His Death the sun was darkened in the firmament; -- at His Passion the luminaries set along with Him; -- at His Epiphany the luminaries arose with Him. 6. Revealed was His Glory because of His Majesty; -- revealed was His Passion because of His Manhood; -- revealed was His Love because of His Graciousness; -- revealed was His Judgment because of His Justice. -- He has poured forth His attributes, on them that were His. 7. That whoso has looked on His Glory and despised Him, -- may look again on His Glory and worship Him; -- and whoso has scorned to taste of His Graciousness, -- may fear lest he be made to feel His justice; -- He has poured forth His helps on His worshippers. 8. Lo! the East in the morning was made light! -- lo! the South at noonday was made dark! -- The West again in turn at eventide was made light. -- The three quarters represent the one Birth; -- His Death and His Life they declare. 9. His Birth flowed on and was joined to His Baptism; -- and His Baptism again flowed on even to His Death; -- His Death led and reached to His Resurrection, -- a fourfold bridge unto His Kingdom; and lo! His sheep pass over in His footsteps. 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,] [517] -- 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. Footnotes: [517] The rendering of this line is very conjectural. |
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