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.

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.