The Elixir

Teach me, my God and King,

In all things Thee to see,

And what I do in anything

To do it as for Thee.

Not rudely, as a beast,

To run into an action;

But still to make Thee prepossest,

And give it his perfection.

 A man that looks on glass,

On it may stay his eye;

Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,

And then the heav'n espy.

All may of Thee partake:

Nothing can be so mean,

Which with his tincture—"for Thy sake"—

Will not grow bright and clean.

 A servant with this clause

Makes drudgery divine:

Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,

 Makes that and th' action fine.

This is the famous stone

That turneth all to gold;

For that which God doth touch and own

Cannot for less be told.

- George Herbert (1593-1633)