The Poems of John Byrom :: :: University of Virginia Library

Th' Eternal Mind, ev'n Heathens understood,
Was Infinitely Pow'rful, Wise, and Good.
In their Conceptions, who conceiv'd aright,
These Three Essential Attributes unite.
They saw that, wanting any of the Three,
Such an All-perfect Being could not be.

411

II

For Pow'r from Wisdom suff'ring a Divorce
Would be a foolish, mad and frantic Force.
If Both were join'd, and wanted Goodness still,
They would concur to more pernicious Ill;
However nam'd, their Action could but tend
To Weakness, Folly, Mischief without End.

III

Yet some of old, and some of present Hour,
Ascribe to God an arbitrary Pow'r,
An absolute Decree, a mere Command,
Which Nothing causes, Nothing can withstand;
Wisdom and Goodness scarce appear in Sight;
But all is measur'd by resistless Might.

IV

The verbal Question comes to this, in fine:
“Is Good or Evil made by Will Divine,
Or such by Nature? Does Command enact
What shall be right, and then 'tis so in Fact?
Or is it right, and therefore we may draw
From thence the Reason of the Righteous Law?”

V

Now, tho' 'tis Proof indisputably plain,
That all is right which God shall once ordain,—

412

Yet, if a Thought shall intervene between
Things and Commands, 'tis evidently seen
That Good will be commanded. Men divide
Nature and Laws, which really coincide.

VI

From the Divine, Eternal Spirit springs
Order and Rule and Rectitude of Things,
Thro' outward Nature, His Apparent Throne,
Visibly seen, intelligibly known,—
Proofs of a Boundless Pow'r, a Wisdom's Aid,
By Goodness us'd, Eternal and Unmade.

VII

Cudworth perceiv'd that what Divines advance
For Sov'reignty alone is Fate, or Chance,—
Fate, after Pow'r had made its forcing Laws;
And Chance before, if made without a Cause.
Nothing stands firm or certain in a State
Of fatal Chance or accidental Fate.

413

VIII

Endless Perfections after all conspire,
And to adore excite and to admire;
But to plain Minds the Plainest Pow'r Above
Is Native Goodness to attract our Love;
Centre of all Its various Pow'r and Skill
Is One Divine, Immutable Good Will.