III. A Song of Praise for Creation.
1
Thou wast, O God: And thou wast Blest
Before the world begun;
Of thine Eternity possest,
Before times Glass did Run.
Thou needest none thy praise to Sing,
As if thy Joy could Fade.
Could'd thou have needed any thing,
Thou could'st have nothing made.
2
Great and Good God, it pleased Thee
Thy God-Head to declare.
And what thy Goodness did decree
Thy Greatness did prepare.
Thou spak'st, and Heaven and Earth Appear'd
And Answer'd to thy Call;
As if their Makers Voice they heard
Which is the Creatures ALL.
3
Thou spak'st the Word, most mighty Lord,
Thy Word went forth with Speed,
Thy Will, O Lord, it was thy VVord,
Thy VVord it was thy Deed.
Thou brought'st forth Adam from the Ground,
And Eve out of his Side.
Thy Blessing made the Earth abound
VVith these two multiply'd.
4
Those three great Leaves, Heaven, Sea and Land
Thy Name in Figures shew.
Brutes feel the bounty of thy Hand,
But I my Maker know.
Should not I here thy Servant be,
Whose Creatures serve me here?
My Lord, whom should I fear but Thee,
Who am thy Creatures Fear?
5
To whom, Lord, should I Sing but Thee,
The Maker of my Tongue!
Lo? Other Lords would Seize on Me,
But I to Thee belong.
As VVaters hast unto their Sea,
And Earth unto its Earth;
So let my Soul return to Thee
From whom it had its Birth.
6
But ah! I'm fallen in the Night,
And cannot come to Thee.
Yet Speak the Word, Let there be Light;
It shall Enlighten me.
And let thy VVord, most Mighty Lord,
Thy Fallen Creature raise,
O make me o're again, and I
Shall Sing my Makers praise.
