God's Gifts To Be Enjoyed

From God's all bounteous hand descend Rare gifts in rich effusion, And with those gifts no poisons blend, Nor is their end delusion; So do not spurn if He bestow Those forms arrayed in beauty; If thus His gifts with radiance glow, Enjoyment is a duty. Come, deck your brows with leaves and flowers, Ye fair ones, nothing fearing; Adorn your homes and train your bowers Nor deem this sin's appearing; We do not fit ourselves for bliss By scorning all adorning; We may enjoy the good of this And share heaven's brighter morning. A garment plain may have its stain, And saintly brows lack sweetness; But he who would heaven's glory gain Must here acquire a meetness; So eat and drink, rejoice and sing, But don't forget the ending; The bells of earth more sweetly ring If we are heavenward tending. The world we use, but not abuse, If we enjoy its beauty; And they who all its joys refuse Miss privilege and duty. Then prize earth's joys, but prize much more The bloom beyond the river; God's gifts enjoy, but e'er adore The ever blessed Giver.