The creation of the world. Gen.1

"Now let a spacious world arise,"

Said the Creator Lord:

At once th' obedient earth and skies

Rose at his sovereign word.

[Dark was the deep; the waters lay

Confused, and drowned the land:

He called the light; the new-born day

Attends on his command.

He bids the clouds ascend on high;

The clouds ascend, and bear

A wat'ry treasure to the sky,

And float on softer air.

The liquid element below

Was gathered by his hand;

The rolling seas together flow,

And leave the solid land.

With herbs and plants, a flowery birth,

The naked globe he crowned,

Ere there was rain to bless the earth,

Or sun to warm the ground.

Then he adorned the upper skies;

Behold the sun appears;

The moon and stars in order rise

To make our months and years.

Out of the deep th' almighty King.

Did vital beings frame,

The painted fowls of every wing,

And fish of every name.]

He gave the lion and the worm

At once their wondrous birth;

And grazing beasts of various form

Rose from the teeming earth.

Adam was framed of equal clay,

Though sovereign of the rest

Designed for nobler ends than they,

With God's own image blest.

Thus glorious in the Maker's eye

The young creation stood;

He saw the building from on high,

His word pronounced it good.

Lord, while the frame of nature stands,

Thy praise shall fill my tongue;

But the new world of grace demands

A more exalted song.