THE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY OF GOD.

I

CAN creatures, to perfection, find
Th' eternal, uncreated mind?

Or can the largest stretch of thought
Measure and search his nature out?

II

GOD is a king of pow'r unknown ;
Firm are the orders of his throne:
If he resolve, who dare oppose,
Or ask him why, or what he does?

III

He wounds the heart, and he makes whole;
He calms the tempest of the soul:
When he afflicts with long despair,
Who else can move the heavy bar?

IV

He frowns, and darkness veils the moon,
The fainting sun grows dim at noon:.
The pillars of heav'n's starry roof
Tremble and shake at his reproof.

These are a portion of GOD's ways!
But who his power can describe?
Who can endure his light; or stand
The thunders of his awful hand?

GREAT GOD! in vain man's narrow view Attempts to look thy nature through: Our lab'ring pow'rs with reverence own Thy glories never can be known.

II

Not the high seraph's mighty thought, Who countless years his GOD has sought, Such wondrous height or depth can find, Or fully trace thy boundless mind.

III

Yet, LORD, thy kindness deigns to show Enough for mortal minds to know; While wisdom, goodness, pow'r divine, Thro' all thy works and conduct shine.

IV

O! may our joyous hearts survey
The gracious tenor of thy way;
Explore thy sacred word, and still
Press on to know and do thy will!

THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD.

I

LORD! thou hast search'd and seen us thro';
Thine eye commands, with piercing view,
Our waking and our sleeping hours,
Our heart and mind, with all their pow'rs.

II

Our thoughts, before they are our own,
Are to our GoD distinctly known :
Thou know'st the words we mean to speak,
Ere from our op'ning lips they break.

III

Within thy circling pow'r we stand;
On ev'ry side we find thy hand :
Awake, afleep, at home, abroad,
We are surrounded still with GOD.

Amazing knowledge! vast and great! What large extent! what lofty height! Our minds, with all the pow'rs they boaft, Are in the boundless prospect lost.

V

O may these thoughts possess our breast,
Where'er we rove, where'er we rest!
Nor let our weaker passions dare
Consent to sin,-for GOD is there.

THE OMNISCIENCE AND OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD.

I

FATHER of all! omniscient mind!
Thy wisdom who can comprehend?
Its highest point what eye can find,
Or to its lowest depths descend?

II

What cavern deep, what hill sublime,
Beyond thy reach, shall I pursue?
What dark recess, what distant clime,
Shall hide me from thy boundless view?

III

Thee, mighty GOD! my wond'ring soul, Thee, all her conscious pow'rs adore; Whofe being circumscribes the whole, Whose eyes the universe explore.

IV

Thine essence fills this breathing frame, It glows in ev'ry vital part;

Lights up my mind with livelier flame, And feeds with life my beating heart.

V

To thee, from whom my being came,
Whose smile is all the heav'n I know!
Inspir'd with this exalted theme,
To thee my grateful strains shall flow.

THE ETERNITY OF GOD.

I

THOU didst, eternal GOD! exist
Ere time began his race;
Before the ample elements.
Fill'd up the voids of space.

II

Before the pond'rous earthly globe
In fluid air was stay'd;
Before the ocean's mighty springs
Their liquid stores display'd:

III

Ere thro' the gloom of ancient night
The streaks of light appear'd;
Before the high celestial arch
Or starry poles were rear'd:

IV

Before the bright, harmonious spheres Their glorious rounds begun ; Before the shining roads of heav'n Were measur'd by the sun :

V

Ere men ador'd, or angels knew,
Or prais'd thy wondrous name;
Thy bliss, O sacred spring of life!
And glory were the same.