Make Thee Ready, as Best Thou Art Able

Make thee rea­dy

as best thou art able

Little Beth­le­hem

gar­nish the bed

Tho’ it be but a crib in a sta­ble

Where the In­fant may pil­low His head

Where the In­fant may pil­low His head.

Type and sha­dow of yore are now end­ed;

Lo

the sub­stance is come

as I ken;

Truth in­car­nate to earth is des­cend­ed

God hath pitch­èd His tent among men.

God hath pitch­èd His tent among men.

He is past through the vir­gin­al por­tal;

The In­vi­si­ble doth not de­cline

To be found in the fa­shion of mor­tal

For to make hu­man na­ture di­vine

For to make hu­man nat­ure di­vine.

Wherefore Ad­am and Eva

for­giv­en

Their in­iq­ui­ty cry

By the grace

And good­will of our Lord are we shriv­en;

Seen of men

He doth ran­som our race;

Seen of men

He doth ran­som our race.