Altar and Manger

A  broken   A L T A R,  Lord,  thy  servant  reares,
Made  of  a  heart,  and  cemented  with   teares:
Whose  parts are as  thy hand did frame;
No workmans tool hath touch’d the same.
A   H E A R T alone
Is such a   stone,
As    nothing   but
Thy pow’r doth cut.
Wherefore each part
Of  my   hard   heart
Meets in this frame,
To praise thy Name;
That, if  I  chance  to  hold  my   peace,
These stones to praise thee may not cease.
O  let  thy  blessed   S A C R I F I C E   be  mine,
And sanctifie  this   A L T A R   to   be   thine.

George Herbert (1593-1633)

The manger of Bethlehem. was big with glory; in Christ’s Incarnation was wrapped up all the blessedness by which a soul, snatched from the depths of sin, is lifted up to the heights of glory. Shall not our clearer knowledge lead us to heights of song which angelic guesses could not reach? Shall the lips of cherubs move to flaming sonnets, and shall we, who are redeemed by the blood of the incarnate God, be treacherously and ungratefully silent?

God With Us - Bridging the Great Gulf - C. H. Spurgeon