How shall I praise the eternal God,
That infinite Unknown?

Who can ascend his high abode,
Or venture near his throne?

2

The great Invisible! he dwells
Conceal'd in dazzling light;
But his all-searching eye reveals
The secrets of the night.

3

Those watchful eyes, that never sleep,
Survey the world around;
His wisdom is a boundless deep,

Where all our thoughts are drown'd.

4

Speak we of strength? his arm is strong, To save, or to destroy:

To him eternal years belong;

And endless is his joy.

He knows no shadow of a change,

Nor alters his decrees;

Firm as a rock his truth remains

To guard his promises.

CAN creatures to perfection find
The eternal, uncreated Mind?

G

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

2

Angelic hosts, who round him stand
To execute his high command,
Revering bow before his throne,
Whose nature is by them unknown.

3

His sovereign power, what mortal knows?
If he command, who dares oppose?
The beamings of his piercing sight
Bring dark hypocrisy to light.

4

Great God! thy glories shall employ
Our holy fear, our humble joy:
Sustain❜d by thee we here proclaim
The matchless honours of thy name.

God Incomprehensible; but his Perfections displayed. in his Works and Ways.

1

GREAT God! in vain man's narrow view
Attempts to look thy nature through:
Our labouring powers with reverence own,
Thy glories never can be known.

2

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

3

Yet, Lord, thy kindness deigns to show
Enough for mortal minds to know:
While wisdom, goodness, power divine,
Through all thy works and conduct shine

4

Oh may our joyous hearts survey
The gracious tenour of thy way;
Explore thy sacred name, and still
Press on to know and do thy will.

73. P. M.

Jehovah Eternal and Unchangeable.

1

JEHOVAH reigns! let every nation hear, And at his footstool bow with holy fear: Jehovah reigns unbounded and alone, And all creation hangs beneath his throne; He reigns alone-let no inferior nature Usurp or share the throne of the Creator.

2

This goodly world, the creature of a day, Though built by God's right hand, must pass away;

And long oblivion creep o'er mortal things, The fate of empires, and the pride of kings: Eternal night shall veil their proudest story, And drop the curtain o'er all human glory.

3

But fix'd, O God, for ever stands thy throne :

Jehovah reigns-a universe alone!

The eternal fire that feeds each vital flame, Collected or diffus'd is still the same: Hedwells within his own unfathom'd essence, And fills all space with his unbounded presence.

4

But oh! our highest notes the theme debase,

And silence is our least injurious praise; Cease, cease your songs; the daring flight control;

Revere him in the stillness of the soul: With silent duty meekly bend before him; And deep within your inmost hearts adore him.

74. L. M.

God Eternal and Unchangeable.

1

ÅLL-POWERFUL, self-existent God,
Who all creation dost sustain !

Thou wast, and art, and art to come;
And everlasting is thy reign.

2

Fix'd and eternal as thy days,
Each glorious attribute divine,
Through ages infinite, shall still
With undiminish'd lustre shine.

3

Fountain of being, Source of good!
Immutable dost thou remain ;
Nor can the shadow of a change
Obscure the glories of thy reign.

4

Earth may, with all her

powers, dissolve, If such the great Creator's will; But thou for ever art the same ;I AM is thy memorial still.

75. C. M.

The Immutability of God.

1

THROUGH endless years thou art the same,
O thou eternal God!

Ages to come shall know thy name,
And spread thy praise abroad.

2

The strong foundations of the earth
Of old by thee were laid;

By thee the beauteous arch of heaven
With matchless skill was made.

3

Soon shall this goodly frame of things,
Form'd by thy powerful hand,
Be, like a vesture, laid aside,
And chang'd at thy command.

4

But thy perfections, all divine,
Eternal as thy days,
Through everlasting ages shine
With undiminish'd rays.

5

Thy servants' children, still thy care,
Shall own their fathers' God;

To latest times thy favours share,
And spread thy praise abroad.