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 theyâre 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 creatureâs 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.
Amendment
written byThomas Traherne
© Thomas Traherne