When came in flesh the Incarnate Word

Top Media Text Author Text Info Notes Tune Timeline Arrangements Page Scans Instances

When came in flesh the Incarnate Word

Author: Joseph Anstice
Tune: WALSALL (Purcell)
Published in 14 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Piano/Organ
	Six Postludes on English Hymn Tunes

Representative Text

1 WHEN came in flesh the incarnate Word,
The heedless world slept on,
And only simple shepherds heard
That God had sent his Son.

2 When comes the Saviour at the last,
From east to west shall shine
The judgement light, and earth aghast
Shall tremble at the sign.

3 Then shall the pure of heart be blest,
As mild he comes to them,
As when upon the Virgin’s breast
He lay at Bethlehem:

4 As mild to meek-eyed love and faith,
Only more strong to save;
Strengthened by having bowed to death,
By having burst the grave.

5 Lord, who could dare see thee descend
In state, unless he knew
Thou art the sorrowing sinner’s friend,
The gracious and the true?

6 Dwell in our hearts, O Saviour blest;
So shall thine advent’s dawn
’Twixt us and thee, our bosom-guest,
Be but the veil withdrawn.

Source: The New English Hymnal #17

All representative texts • Compare texts • Text size: Regular | Large ^ top

Author: Joseph Anstice

Anstice, Joseph , M.A., son of William Anstice of Madeley, Shropshire, born 1808, and educated at Enmore, near Bridgwater, Westminster, and Ch. Church, Oxford, where he gained two English prizes and graduated as a double-first. Subsequently, at the ago of 22, he became Professor of Classical Literature at King's College, London; died at Torquay, Feb. 29, 1836, aged 28. His works include Richard Coeur de Lion, a prize poem, 1828; The Influence of the Roman Conquest upon Literature and the Arts in Rome (Oxford prize Essay); Selections from the Choice Poetry of the Greek Dramatic Writers, translated into English Verse, 1832, &c. His hymns were printed a few months after his death, as:— Hymns by the late Joseph Anstice, M.A., formerly Student… Go to person page >

^ top

First Line:	When came in flesh the Incarnate Word
Author:	Joseph Anstice
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

Year A, Christmas Season, Second Sunday after Christmas Day

^ top

Notes

When came in flesh the Incarnate Word. J. Anstice. Christmas.] Published in his posthumous Hymns, 1836, p. 17, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines. It is given in Hymns for the Use of the University of Oxford in St. Mary's Church, 1872, and several other modern collections in Great Britain and America.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

^ top