HYMN VI.
8.8.8.8
James Montgomery
The Guilt and Folly of denying God.
"There is a God," all Nature cries, All Knowledge proves "there is a God:" "There is no God," the Fool replies, Whose heart is duller than the clod. | The grateful clod, refresh'd with rains, Pours flowers along its Maker's path; But the Fool's heart a Fool's remains, Untouch'd by love, unmoved by wrath. | And yet the wretch himself deceives; While fiends believe, and trembling fly, He trembles though he disbelieves; And conscience gives his life the lie. | Can guilt, can madness further go? Yes, his who God in works denies, Whose creed saith "Yes," whose life says "No:" Am I more holy, just, and wise? | My soul, sink down in shame and grief; So fair without, so foul within; Thy faith is specious unbelief, Thy righteousness, self-righteous sin. | 7 O God! Thou art, Thou surely art, And those who truly seek Thee find; Put Thou Thy laws into my heart, In mercy write them on my mind. | Light in Thy light I long to see, Thy glory in Thy goodness trace; Ah! then reveal Thy Son in me, Through faith may I be saved by grace. | |