in Sheffield circuit, but being requested to preach his funeral fermon, I rode over, being the 14th day of December, and in a deep fnow, yet his memory was fo much refpected, that it brought fuch a confluence of people together, that the chapel would not contain half of them; fo I was obliged to preach in the open air in a field.
As for John Webfter, the feal of the little bird's miniftry, he is now in business for himself, and in the Society, retaining his confidence in the Lord who bought him, and ftriving for the hope of the gofpel. When the divifion took place at Dewsbury, he was carried away with the torrent for fome months, but when he came to understand matters fully, he, with many others, returned to the fold, and I believe it will not be an eafy matter to draw him afide again.
The above narrative is a circumftance among thousands, of God's choofing the foolish things of the world to confound the wife, and weak things to confound the mighty; and things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are, by which he ftains the pride of man, carrying on his own work in his own way, fo that no flefh fhould glory in his prefence; but as it is written, "Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord."
The OMNIPRESENCE of GOD.
HROUGH the unmeasurable tracts of space,
See where by place, uncircumfcrib'd as time,
He reigns extended, and he fhines fublime!
Shouldft thou above the heaven of heavens afcend,
Couldst thou below the depth of depths defcend;
Could thy fond flight beyond the starry fphere,
The radiant morning's lucid pinions bear!
There should his brighter prefence fhine confefs'd,
There his almighty arm thy course arrest!
Couldft thou the thickeft veil of night affume,
Or think to hide thee in the central gloom!
Yet there, all patent to his piercing fight,
Darkness itself would kindle into light:
Not the black manfions of the filent grave,
Nor darker hell from her perception fave;
What power alas! thy footsteps can convey
Beyond the reach of omniprefent day?
In his wide grafp, and comprehenfive eye,
Immediate, worlds on worlds unnumber'd lie:
Syftems inclos'd in his perception roll,
Whofe all-informing Mind directs the whole :
Lodg'd in his grafp, their certain ways they know ;
Plac'd in that fight from whence can nothing go.
On earth his footftool fix'd, in heaven his feat;
Enthron'd he dictates, and his word is fate.
Nor want his fhining images below,
In ftreams that murmur, or in winds that blow;
His Spirit broods along the boundless flood,
Smiles in the plain, and whifpers in the wood;
Warms in the genial fun's enliv'ning ray,
Breathes in the air, and beautifies the day!
Should man his great immenfity deny,
Man might as well ufurp the vacant sky:
For were he limited in date, or view,
Thence were his attributes imperfect too;
His knowledge, power, his goodness all confin'd,
And loft the idea of a ruling Mind!
Feeble the truft, and comfortless the sense,
Of a defective partial Providence!
Boldly might then his arm injuftice brave,
Or innocence in vain his mercy crave;
Dejected virtue lift its hopeless eye;
And heavy forrow vent the heartless figh!
An abfent God no abler to defend,
Protect, or punish, than an abfent friend;
Diftant alike our wants or griefs to know,
To ease the anguifh, or prevent the blow!
If he, fupreme Director, were not near,
Vain were our hope, and empty were our fear;
Unpunifh'd vice would o'er the world prevail,
And unrewarded virtue toil
to fail!
The moral world a fecond chaos lie,
And nature ficken to the thoughtful eye!
Even the weak embryo, ere to life it breaks,
From his high power its flender texture takes;
While in his book the various parts inroll'd,
Increasing, own eternal Wisdom's mould.
Nor views he only the material whole,
But pierces thought, and penetrates the foul!
Ere from the lips the vocal accents part,
Or the faint purpose dawns within the heart!
His fteady eye the mental birth perceives,
Ere yet to us the new idea lives!
Knows what we fay, ere yet the words proceed,
And, ere we form the' intention, marks the deed!
But Conscience, fair vicegerent-light within,
Afferts its Author, and reftores the scene!
Points out the beauty of the govern'd plan,
“And vindicates the ways of God to man.'
Then facred Mufe, by the vaft profpect fir'd,
From heaven defcended, as by Heaven inspir'd;
His all enlight'ning Omniprefence own,
Whence first thou feel'ft thy dwindling prefence known;
His wide Omniscience, juftly grateful, fing,
Whence thy weak science prunes its callow wing!
And bless the' eternal, all-informing Soul,
Whose fight pervades, whose knowledge fills the whole!
IMITATION OF AN OLD SPIRITUAL WRITER,
ND shall thy mercies, O my GoD,
Pafs unregarded by,
When I have laid me down and flept
Beneath thy watchful eye ?
I who have tafted of thy love
Ten thoufand different ways
Shall I not dedicate my Song
To thine eternal praise?
The bufinefs of this empty world
Is idleness to me:
How unimportant every thing
That leads me not to Thee!
Once I could relish worldly scenes,
As well as others do;
But, glory to thy heavenly Name!
Thou didst my taste renew.
A fickly appetite had I,
And fickly joys were mine;
And many an idol tempted me,
And did my heart entwine.
O! it were pain to reckon o'er
The follies of each day;
To call to mind the fenfeless çares
That stole my heart away.
But Thou, my GoD, my Father, Friend!
Hadft mercy then in store;
And fatan's fond delusions fled
Before thy fovereign power.
O, let my gratitude to Thee,
My ftrict obedience prove,
Until I quit this mortal fcene,
And join the hosts above:
There, where no night fhall intervene,
Or figh or tear be known;
Where everlasting joy and peace
The heirs of glory crown.
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