1 

Lord, how can man e'er preach Thy Word?

   He is brittle, crazy glass;

Yet in Thy temple is conferred

   This glorious and transcendent place,

   To be window through Thy grace.

 2 

But when Thou dost anneal Thy story

   In glass, Thy life to shine within

The holy preachers, light of glory

   More radiant grows and more doth win,

   Which else shows waterish, bleak, and thin.

 3 

The life and doctrine blent in one

   As light and color mingled, bring

A strong regard; but speech alone

   Doth vanish like a flaring thing,

   And in the ear, not spirit ring.