FREE-WILL AND FIRST-CHOICE.
WHO knoweth all things, and hath made The evil and the good foreseen, Allows this soul to grow and fade,
And that for ever to be green,—
Can He be Just ?—who knew, from all The countless ages long before, That some would stand and some would fall, And seal their doom for evermore?
Does knowing all add letting be Absolve the Knower from all sin ? For He can both the sequel see, And doth make all things to begin.
And shall not He who set the wheel To run its course take all the blame ?
The wheel may smoothly run or reel, And bring Him praise or bring him shame.
But who shall chide the driven orb If, haply, it shall miss the goal ? External powers its choice absorb, And we to judge must know the whole.
And this we may not, but we read An all-pervading, mighty Power Has given us a simple creed, And choice of sweet or choice of sour.
And as our choice is, so our doom ; But is it choice, or is it law, - Predestined law, that leaves no room But from the urn our lot to draw.
Free-will without First-choice would seem A mockery, an empty sound ; That He who made must yet redeem, By human sense may not be found.
Ah ! let it be, our brains are weak,
We cannot know the things we see ; With gropings blind the truth we seek,—
We'll take on trust, and let it be.
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