Man, the Image of God

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,

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?

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

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

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,

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!

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;

Like these, by singing e’er His praise.