Fat soil, full spring, sweet olive, grape of bliss,

   That yields, that streams, that pours, that dost distil,

Untilled, undrawn, unstamped, untouched of press,

   Dear fruit, clear brooks, fair oil, sweet wine at will!

Thus Christ unforced prevents in shedding blood

The whips, the thorns, the nails, the spear, and rood.

 

He pelican’s, he phoenix’ fate doth prove,

   Whom flames consume, whom streams enforce to die:

How burneth blood, how bleedeth burning love,

   Can one in flame and streame both bathe and fry?

How could he join a phoenix’ fiery pains

In fainting pelican’s still bleeding veins?

 

Elias once, to prove God’s sovereign power,

   By prayer procured a fire of wond’rous force.

That blood and water and wood did devour,

   Yea, stones and dust beyond all Nature’s course:

Such fire is love, that, fed with gory blood,

Doth burn no less than in the driest wood.

 

O sacred fire! come show thy force on me,

   That sacrifice to Christ I may return.

If withered wood for fuel fittest be,

   If stones and dust, if flesh and blood will bum,

I withered am, and stony to all good:

A sack of dust, a mass of flesh and blood.