The poetical works of Thomas Traherne faithfully reprinted from the author's original manuscript together with Poems of Felicity reprinted from the Burney manuscript and Poems from Various Sources: Edited with preface and notes by Gladys I. Wade |
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 | The poetical works of Thomas Traherne |  |
II.
David a Temple in his Mind conceiv'd;
And that Intention was so well receiv'd
By God, that all the Sacred Palaces
That ever were did less His Glory pleas.
And that Intention was so well receiv'd
By God, that all the Sacred Palaces
That ever were did less His Glory pleas.
If Thoughts are such; such Valuable Things;
Such reall Goods; such human Cherubins;
Material Delights; transcendent Objects; Ends
Of all God's Works, which most His Ey intends.
O! What are Men, who can such Thoughts produce,
So excellent in Nature, Valu, Use?
Which not to Angels only grateful seem,
But God, most Wise, himself doth them esteem
Worth more than Worlds? How many thousand may
Our Hearts conceiv and offer evry Day?
Holy Affections, grateful Sentiments,
Good Resolutions, virtuous Intents,
Seed-plots of activ Piety; He values more
Than the Material World He made before.
To such as these the Blessed-Virgin-Mother
Of God's own Son, (rather than any other)
Apply'd her Mind; for, of her pious Care
To treasure up those Truths which she did hear
Concerning Christ, in thoughtful Heart, w're told;
But not that e'r with Offerings of Gold
The Temple she enricht. This understood,
How glorious, how divine, how great, how good
May we becom! How like the Deity
In managing our Thoughts aright! A Piety
More grateful to our God than building Walls
Of Churches, or the Founding Hospitalls:
Wherin He givs us an Almighty Power
To pleas Him so, that could we Worlds creäte,
Or more New visible Earths and Hev'ens make,
'Twould be far short of this; which is the Flower
And Cream of Strength. This we might plainly see,
But that we Rebels to our Reason be.
Shall God such sacred Might on us bestow?
And not employ't to pay the Thanks we ow?
Such grateful Offerings able be to giv;
Yet them annihilat, and God's Spirit griev
Consider that for All our Lord hath don,
All that He can receiv is this bare Sum
Of God-like Holy Thoughts: These only He
Expects from Us, our Sacrifice to be.
Such reall Goods; such human Cherubins;
Material Delights; transcendent Objects; Ends
Of all God's Works, which most His Ey intends.
O! What are Men, who can such Thoughts produce,
So excellent in Nature, Valu, Use?
Which not to Angels only grateful seem,
But God, most Wise, himself doth them esteem
Worth more than Worlds? How many thousand may
Our Hearts conceiv and offer evry Day?
Holy Affections, grateful Sentiments,
Good Resolutions, virtuous Intents,
Seed-plots of activ Piety; He values more
Than the Material World He made before.
To such as these the Blessed-Virgin-Mother
Of God's own Son, (rather than any other)
Apply'd her Mind; for, of her pious Care
To treasure up those Truths which she did hear
Concerning Christ, in thoughtful Heart, w're told;
But not that e'r with Offerings of Gold
The Temple she enricht. This understood,
How glorious, how divine, how great, how good
197
In managing our Thoughts aright! A Piety
More grateful to our God than building Walls
Of Churches, or the Founding Hospitalls:
Wherin He givs us an Almighty Power
To pleas Him so, that could we Worlds creäte,
Or more New visible Earths and Hev'ens make,
'Twould be far short of this; which is the Flower
And Cream of Strength. This we might plainly see,
But that we Rebels to our Reason be.
Shall God such sacred Might on us bestow?
And not employ't to pay the Thanks we ow?
Such grateful Offerings able be to giv;
Yet them annihilat, and God's Spirit griev
Consider that for All our Lord hath don,
All that He can receiv is this bare Sum
Of God-like Holy Thoughts: These only He
Expects from Us, our Sacrifice to be.
| The poetical works of Thomas Traherne | |