1 Thus saith the first, the great command,
|Let all thy inward powers unite
|To love thy Maker and thy God,
|With utmost vigour and delight.
2 |Then shall thy neighbour next in place
|Share thine affections and esteem,
|And let thy kindness to thyself
|Measure and rule thy love to him.|
3 This is the sense that Moses spoke,
This did the prophets preach and prove,
For want of this the law is broke,
And the whole law's fulfill'd by love.
4 But O! how base our passions are!
How cold our charity and zeal!
Lord, fill our souls with heavenly fire,
Or we shall ne'er perform thy will.