Epiphany Hymn 10: The Fourfold Bridge

Adam sinned and earned all sorrows;

and the world, following his example, earned all guilt.

And instead of considering how it might be restored,

it considered how its fall might be made pleasant for it.

Glory to him who came and restored it!

Refrain: Glory to him who came and restored it!

This cause called the Pure One

to come and be baptized, he too, along with the defiled.

Heaven was torn open for his glory.

So that the Purifier of all might be baptized with all,

he came down and sanctified the water for our baptism.

For the cause for which he entered the womb,

for the same cause he went down into the river.

For the cause for which he entered the grave,

for the same cause he makes us enter his chamber.

He made mankind perfect for every cause.

His conception is the storehouse of our blessings;

his birth is the treasury of our joys;

his baptism is the cause of our pardon;

his death is the cause of our life.

He alone has overcome death, in his resurrection.

At his birth a star of light shone in the sky;

when he was baptized, light flashed from the water;

at his death the sun was darkened in the heavens;

at his suffering the lights of heaven set along with him;

at his Epiphany the lights of heaven rose with him.

His glory was revealed because of his majesty;

his suffering was revealed because of his manhood;

his love was revealed because of his graciousness;

his judgment was revealed because of his justice.

He has poured out his attributes on those who were his,

so that whoever has looked on his glory and despised him

may look on his glory again and worship him;

and whoever has scorned to taste his graciousness

may fear that he will be made to feel his justice.

He has poured out his help on his worshipers.

See, the East was made bright in the morning!

See, the South was made dark at noon!

The West in its turn was made bright again in the evening.

The three quarters represent the one birth;

they declare his death and his life.

His birth flowed on and was joined to his baptism;

and his baptism flowed on in turn as far as his death;

his death led on and reached to his resurrection,

a fourfold bridge to his kingdom; and see, his sheep cross over in his footsteps.

And just as, except by the door of birth,

no one can enter the creation,

so, except by the door of resurrection,

no one can enter the kingdom;

and whoever has cut off his bridge has brought his hope to nothing.

He put on his armor, and conquered, and was crowned;

he left his armor on earth and ascended,

so that if anyone desires the crown,

he may go to the armor and win by it

the crown of victory he longs for.

He fulfilled righteousness on earth, and ascended.

But if he, the Cleanser of all, was baptized,

what man is there who will not be baptized?

For grace has come to baptism

to wash away the foulness of our wound.

The compulsion of God is a force that prevails over all;

but what comes by compulsion does not please him

as what comes of a discerning will does.

Therefore, in our fruits, he calls us,

who do not live as under compulsion, by persuasion.

He is good, for see, he labors at these two things:

he does not will to constrain our freedom,

nor again does he let us abuse it.

For had he constrained it, he would have taken away its power;

and had he let it go, he would have deprived it of help.

He knows that if he constrains, he deprives us;

he knows that if he casts off, he destroys us;

he knows that if he teaches, he wins us.

He has not constrained and he has not cast off, as the Evil One does:

he has taught, chastened, and won us, as the good God.

He knows that his treasuries are full:

he has put the keys of his treasuries into our hands.

He has made the cross our treasurer

to open the gates of Paradise for us,

as Adam opened the gate of Gehenna.