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The Poetical Works of Thomas Traherne

by Thomas Traherne

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Amendment

I

  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 ravisheth my soul to see the end,
To which this work so wonderful doth tend.

II

  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.

III

  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.

IV

  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.

V

  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?

VI

  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
As unto thee we offer up the same,
Than as to us from Thee at first they came.

VII

  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.

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