Come let's adore the King of love,
And King of sufferings too:
For love it was that brought him down,
And set him here in wo.
Love drew him from his Paradise,
Where flow'rs that fade not grow:
And planted Him in our poor dust,
Among us weeds below.
Here for a time this heav'nly Plant
Fairly grew up and thriv'd:
Diffus'd its sweetnes all about,
And all in sweetnes liv'd.
But envious frosts, and furious storms
So long so fiercely chide:
This tender Flow'r at last bow'd down
Its bruised head, and dy'd.
O narrow thoughts, and narrower speech,
Here your defects confess:
The life of Christ, the death of God,
How faintly you express!
Help, O thou blessed Virgin-root,
Whence this fair Flow'r did spring;
Help us to raise both hart and voice,
And with more spirit sing:
To Father, Son and holy Ghost,
One undivided Three,
All highest praise, all humblest thanks
Now and for ever be.