47. Amendment

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

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.

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