The Burning Babe

[Verse]

As I in hoary winter's night

Stood shivering in the snow

Surprised I was with sudden heat

Which made my heart to glow

And lifting up a fearful eye

To view what fire was near

A pretty babe all burning bright

Did in the air appear

Who, scorched with excessive heat

Such floods of tears did shed

As though His floods should quench His flames

Which with His tears were bred

"Alas!" quoth He, "but newly born

In fiery heats I fry

Yet none approach to warm their hearts

Or feel my fire but I!"

My faultless breast the furnace is

The fuel, wounding thorns

Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke

The ashes, shames and scorns

The fuel Justice lay on

And Mercy blows the coals

The metal in this furnace wrought

Are men's defiled souls

For which, as now on fire I am

To work them to their good

So will I melt into a bath

To wash them in my blood

With this He vanished out of sight

And swiftly shrunk away

And straight I called unto mind

That it was Christmas Day