John Byrom: Goodness

“Th' Eternal Mind, ev'n Heathens understood,
Was Infinitely Powerful, Wise, and Good.”

John Byrom

The True Grounds Of Eternal And Immutable Rectitude" St. 1 
Miscellaneous Poems (1773)
Context: Th' Eternal Mind, ev'n Heathens understood,
Was Infinitely Powerful, 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.

“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.”

John Byrom

The True Grounds Of Eternal And Immutable Rectitude" St. 6
Miscellaneous Poems (1773)

“The One Unbounded, Undivided Good,
By all His Creatures partly understood.”

John Byrom

St. 5
Miscellaneous Poems (1773), Divine Love, The Essential Characteristic of True Religion
Context: The One Unbounded, Undivided Good,
By all His Creatures partly understood.
If therefore Sense of its apparent Parts
Raise not His Love or Worship in our Hearts,
Our selfish Wills or Notions we may feast,
And have no more Religion than a Beast.

“Centre of all Its various Pow'r and Skill
Is One Divine, Immutable Good Will.”

John Byrom

The True Grounds Of Eternal And Immutable Rectitude" St. 8
Miscellaneous Poems (1773)
Context: 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.

“All which she entreats, for His Sake, to be done,
Who suffer'd to save them, Christ Jesus, His Son,—
In respect to the World, the Redeemer of All;
"To the Church of the Faithful, most chiefly," saith Paul;
And to them who shall suffer, whoever they be,
In the Spirit of Christ, in the highest Degree.
How ought such a Goodness all Minds to prepare
For an hearty "Amen" to this Catholic Pray'r!”

John Byrom

Source: Miscellaneous Poems (1773), A Paraphrase on the Prayer used in The Church Liturgy for All Sorts and Conditions Of Men, IX

World , Faith , Suffering , Christ

“Of all Religions if we take a View,
There is but one that ever can be true, —
One God, One Christ, One Spirit, none but He.
All else is Idol, whatsoe'er it be,—
A Good that our Imaginations make,
Unless we love it purely for His Sake.”

John Byrom

St. 3
Miscellaneous Poems (1773), Divine Love, The Essential Characteristic of True Religion

Love , God , Religion , Imagination