1 E'er the blue Heav'ns were stretch'd abroad,
From Everlasting was the Word;
With God he was; the Word was God,
And must divinely be ador'd.

2 By his own Pow'r were all Things made;
By him supported all Things stand;
He is the whole Creation's Head,
And Angels fly at his Command.

3 E'er Sin was born, or Satan fell,
He led the Host of Morning-Stars;
(Thy Generation who can tell,
Or count the Numbers of thy Years?)

4 But lo, he leaves those Heav'nly Forms,
The Word descends and dwells in Clay,
That he may hold Converse with Worms,
Drest in such feeble Flesh as they.

5 Mortals with Joy beheld his Face,
Th' Eternal Father's only Son;
How full of Truth! how full of Grace!
When thro' his Eyes the Godhead shone!

6 Arch-Angels leave their high Abode,
To learn new Myst'ries here, and tell
The Loves of our descending God,
The Glories of EMANUEL.