Church poetry : or, Christian thoughts in old and modern verse . CONTEMPLATION. HYMN TO DARKNESS. John Norris. Hail, thou most sacred, venerable thing! What muse is worthy thee to sing ?Thee from whose pregnant, universal womb,All things, even light, thy rival, first did dares he not attempt, that sings of thee, Thou first and greatest mystery?Who can the secrets of thy essence tell ?Thou, like the light of God, art inaccessible. Before great Love this monument did raise,This ample theatre of praise ; 216 CONTEMPLATION. Before the folding circles of the skyWere tuned by Him, who is a
Church poetry : or, Christian thoughts in old and modern verse . CONTEMPLATION. HYMN TO DARKNESS. John Norris. Hail, thou most sacred, venerable thing! What muse is worthy thee to sing ?Thee from whose pregnant, universal womb,All things, even light, thy rival, first did dares he not attempt, that sings of thee, Thou first and greatest mystery?Who can the secrets of thy essence tell ?Thou, like the light of God, art inaccessible. Before great Love this monument did raise,This ample theatre of praise ; 216 CONTEMPLATION. Before the folding circles of the skyWere tuned by Him, who is all harmony ;Before the morning stars their hymn began, Before the council held for man,Before the birth of either time or place,Thou reignMst unquestioned monarch in the emptyspace. Thy native lot thou didst to light resign, But still half of the globe is with a quiet, but yet awful hand,Like the best emperors thou dost thee the stars above, their brightness owe, And mortals their repose below ;To thy protection fear and sorrow flee,And t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, booksubjectreligio, bookyear1848
