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| EXULT, my soul, in consciousness proud, | |
| That I in God’s image was made: | |
| That ’mid nature’s irrational crowd, | |
| Moral light to me was conveyed; | |
| When dust, by His pure breath refined, | 5 |
| In flesh the “vital spark” enshrined. | |
| |
| Oh! how shall I deserve the station | |
| Omnipotence assigns to me; | |
| Whose spiritual elevation | |
| Is next to angels in degree? | 10 |
| How Mercy’s likeness manifest, | |
| Reflected in each mortal breast? | |
| |
| Perilous pre-eminence! to hold | |
| Perfection’s model in the mind; | |
| Yet feel how the inferior mould | 15 |
| In which its essence is confined, | |
| May all its majesty efface, | |
| And leave of stamp divine no trace. | |
| |
| Immortal reason! hast thou no beam | |
| Of bright intelligence to prove | 20 |
| Thy semblance to that Sire supreme, | |
| Whose breath is life, whose blessing love? | |
| Triumph! though passions dim thy ray, | |
| In thee God’s image we survey. | |
| |
| Justice, by thee e’er directed, | 25 |
| His strongest feature typifies; | |
| In truth (through reason best reflected) | |
| His spirit’s light I recognize; | |
| And in beneficence e’er trace | |
| His brightest trait; celestial grace! | 30 |
| |
| How glorious this filiation | |
| Between the Lord of worlds and me! | |
| Oh! how shall I deserve the station, | |
| Next to the angels in degree? | |
| Like these, by walking in His ways; | 35 |
| Like these, by singing e’er His praise. | |
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