A Companion to the Services of the Church of England for Every Sunday in the Year

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1843. Excerpt: ... around and about Him seemed of earth, except to the eye of faith; one note alone had He of Divinity. As great men of this world are often plainly dressed, and look like other men, all but some one costly ornament on their breast or on their brow; so the Son of Mary, in His lowly dwelling, and in an infant's form, was declared to be the Son of God Most High, the Father of Ages, and the Prince of peace, by His star; a wonderful appearance which guided the wise men all the way from the East, even unto Bethlehem. This being the character of this season of the year, our services throughout it, as far as they are proper to it, are full of the image of a king in his royal court, of a sovereign surrounded by subjects, of a glorious prince upon a throne. There is no thought of war, or of strife, or of suffering, or of triumph, or of vengeance, connected with the Epiphany, but of august majesty, of power, of prosperity, of splendour, of serenity, of benignity. Now, if at any time, it is fit to say, "The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him" (Hab. ii. 20). "The Lord sitteth above the waterflood, and the Lord remaineth a King for ever." "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." "O come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker." "O magnify the Lord our God, and fall down before His footstool, for He is holy." "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; bring presents, and come into His courts." I said that at this time of year the portions of our services which are proper to the season, are of a character to remind us of a king on his throne, receiving the devotions of his subjects. Such is the narrative itself, already referred to, of the coming of the wise men, who sought Him with th...