Amendment

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That all things should be mine,  
 This makes His bounty most divine.  
 But that they all more rich should be,  
 And far more brightly shine,  
 As used by me;
It ravishes my soul to see the end,  
To which this work so wonderful doth tend.  

 That we should make the skies  
 More glorious far before Thine eyes  
 Than Thou didst make them, and even Thee
 Far more Thy works to prize,  
 As used they be  
Than as they’re made, is a stupendous work,  
Wherein Thy wisdom mightily doth lurk.  

 Thy greatness, and Thy love,
 Thy power, in this, my joy doth move;  
 Thy goodness, and felicity  
 In this exprest above  
 All praise I see:  
While Thy great Godhead over all doth reign,
And such an end in such a sort attain.  

 What bound may we assign,  
 O God, to any work of Thine!  
 Their endlessness discovers Thee  
 In all to be divine;
 A Deity,  
That will for evermore exceed the end  
Of all that creature’s wit can comprehend.  

 Am I a glorious spring  
 Of joys and riches to my King?
 Are men made Gods? And may they see  
 So wonderful a thing  
 As God in me?  
And is my soul a mirror that must shine  
Even like the sun and be far more divine?

 Thy Soul, O God, doth prize  
 The seas, the earth, our souls, the skies;  
 As we return the same to Thee  
 They more delight Thine eyes,  
 And sweeter be  40
As unto Thee we offer up the same,  
Than as to us from Thee at first they came.  

 O how doth Sacred Love  
 His gifts refine, exalt, improve!  
 Our love to creatures makes them be
 In Thine esteem above  
 Themselves to Thee!  
O here His goodness evermore admire!  
He made our souls to make His creatures higher.

© Thomas Traherne