empty Vanity in Arms. If God the Spring of Life and Pow'r By whose supplys his various Worlds endure Held back his Streams Mankind would soon expire Dissolve and into nothing strait retire Since his Perfections so transcendent are What Image can his Being represent What can you with Almighty Strength compare What Figure of Infinity invent The senseless Heathens to the Artist run Who deals in Deities of Wood and Stone The Fools bespeak an Antick lacker'd God To Guard their Persons and Abode The melted Metal in the Furnace flows Then in the Mould the stiff'ning Idol glows And when their God grows Hard and Cold The Workman makes him fine and daubs him o'er with Gold The Crowd their gaudy Deity admire Th' effect of Art the Creature of the Fire Then least their Feeble God should fall With Silver Chains they fix him to the Wall A likely Guardian this to save The Men that his Protection crave The Man that 's grown so Indigent and Poor He can't an Off'ring for his God procure To Idols he 's so much inclind Will ways to get Materials find And to engage the chiefest Artist's Care A Graven Image to prepare Tho' after all his Cost and Pains The worthless Piece fixt in his Place remains It can't advance a Step or move a Hand In his Defence that does his help demand Ye Pagan Realms that cover'd lie With the thick Darkness of Idolatry How can a Truth to all reveal'd As clear as Day be still from you conceal'd That is that God's the only God to whom You should with humble Adoration come The Starry Heav'ns which he has made The Earth whose deep Foundations he has laid His Being and his Majesty declare And shew how boundless his Perfectionâ— are Above the Circle of the Earth on high He sits enthroâ—'d amidst th' Emperial Sky Whence when he casts his Eyes around And views the Earth hung low in Air As little Insects creeping on the Ground Contemptible Mankind appear The Heav'nly Sphears as Curtains he expands With Orbs of Light Magnificent His fine transparent Ether with his Hands He spreads to form his Royal Tent. He at his Pleasure can destroy The Kings that greatest Pow'r and Wealth enjoy He can their royal Heads uncrown And from their Thrones can cast them headlong down Deep Root they shall not take nor spread Amidst the Clouds their shady Head Blasted and with th' Almighty's Breath opprest As with a furious Tempest from the East Their ruin'd Branches shall decay And fade like with'ring Plants away Where then says God can Men my Equal see What Object can resemble me Lift up O Man on high thy wond'ring Eyes Regard the Palace of the Holy One View the bright Constellations of the Skies Where he has â—ixt his Adamantine Throne Did not th' Eternal from th' Abyss of Night Call forth those Heav'ns and all those Orbs of Light Do they not run their Courses and dispence At his Command their Light and Influence He their great Gen'ral Day by Day Draws out his glitt'ring Armys in Array In constant Musters on th' Etherial Plains The Squadrons he reviews and all their Posts ordains As Master of his Starry Family He calls his shining Servants out by Name Gives them their Tasks to which they all agree Whereby his Pow'r and Greatness they proclaim Why dost thou say O Iacob I complain And make to God my moan in Vain He to my Sorrow no Compassion shows Neglects my Tears and disregards my Woes The proud Oppressors cruel Yoke Does not his vengeful Wrath provoke I am no more th' Almighty's Care Else he would hear my mournful Pray'r And not desert me in my deep Despair He 'll be no more my Advocate My Cause to manage in debate He will no more my Injuries redress No more condemn my Foes who me oppress He 's pleas'd so long his People to disown That now our Case is desp'rate grown Now if he would he can't assistance give We 're ruin'd and undone past all retrieve O dost thou not unthoughtful Iacob know Who made the Heav'ns above and Earth below Did not thy God th' Eternal Lord Create them with his great commanding Word He rules the World he made with equal Laws Will such a God desert his Peoples Cause Will he that all things wisely does direct His People's Interests neglect Will he their Suff'rings slight and earnest Pray'rs reject He grows not faint nor does his Vigour wast With Age or with his Labour past His undeclining Strength feels no decay Still can he punish those who disobey He can as strong an arm as e'er extend To crush his Foes his People to defend Nor dos he with a less attentive Ear The Crys of guiltless Suff'rers hear But then the Seasons of Deliv'rance rest As Secrets in th' Almighty's Breast The Depths of Providence are fathomless Nor will its Heights admit access And therefore in his Pleasure Man must Acquiesce He to his People still Deliv'rance sends When it promotes their Good and serves his glorious Ends. His Counsels which so far exceed our reach Sould Patience and Submission teach He gives supplies of Pow'r to those that want Strengthens the Feeble and revives the Faint The Youngest Men in whose distended Veins And brawny Nerves Athletic Vigor reigns If they on God should not rely Would quickly languish sink and die But those who humbly on his Strength depend Their stock of Vigor ne'er shall spend He 'll reinforce them with recruits of Pow'r And their decaying Strength restore They shall on Wings like Eagles mount on high And with like force and swiftness cut the Sky They shall or Walk or Run still forward press And ne'er complain of Weariness God daily shall their Strength encrease That they their Burdens may sustain with Ease Till he shall chuse his time his Captives to release Part of the LII And the whole LIII Chap. of Isaiah PARAPHRAS'D MY Servant shall acquire divine Renown And regal Honours shall his Temples crown Kings at his Feet their Diadems shall lay And all the willing World his Empire shall obey His Godlike Government and righteous Laws From Men and Angels shall receive applause He shall his own and Subjects Rights maintain Protect his Friends Oppressors rage restrain And everlasting Peace shall bless his glorious Reign As Men at his Affliction were amaz'd And on his wondrous Woe with Horror gaz'd Whose Face was so deform'd his Flesh so worn With all the Toyl and Torments he had born No Eye e'er saw no Tongue can e'er express Such perfect Grief such infinite distress So shall he be exalted and his height Shall bear proportion to his humble state His Heav'nly Doctrines on the Nations round Shall fall as dropping Rain upon the Ground Attentive Monarchs with a greedy Ear Shall all his wise Divine Instructions hear They 'll with profound Humility receive The Oracles and Counsels he shall give No more their impious Tongues shall him condemn No more Religion or its God blaspheme His Godlike
If thou the Cause of Sin wilt not espouse But chase it from thy Heart and from thy House Thou shalt to Heav'n thy chearful Face erect To Heav'n that does the Innocent Protect On strong Foundations stedfast thou shalt stand Danger deride and all thy Fears disband As Summer Floods which o'er the Meadows flow With equal Speed back to their Channel go So thy subsiding Sorrows shall retreat And thou shalt all thy Misery forget Thou shalt dispel with thy prevailing Light The Shades and gloomy Horrors of the Night Thou shalt emerge from Woe and deep Despair Bright as Noon-day and as the Morning fair Thou shalt in Peace thy Fields and Herds survey Secure as well from Beasts as Men of Prey Surrounding Bulwarks shall thy Dwelling fence Against all hostile Rage and Violence When thou shalt lay thy weary Limbs to rest No suddain Dangers shall thy Sleep molest To thee thy Neighbours shall in Throngs resort To see thy Splendor and thy Friendship Court And from thy Power shall humbly ask Support But mighty Woes the Wicked shall Assail In looking after Help their Eyes shall fail Their Hope shall vanish as a blast of Air How shall they scape 't is God denounces War CHAP. XII Then Iob reply'd No doubt but you are Wise And may the barb'rous sensless World despise You 've all the Wisdom of Mankind engrost Can more than Humane Understanding boast If you should dye the Grave and endless Night Would overwhelm all Intellectual Light Blind Ignorance would unmolested reign And Folly Universal Empire gain But know since you your Friend so hardly press As well as you some Reason I possess Nor is its Light more dim or Vigour less Yet you and I in this debate must own We 've no great Flights of Wit or Depths of Wisdom shown That God is Wise and still does Right decree All other Nations grant as well as we But you perversly manage the Debate And the true Question never justly State You ought to prove that some enormous fault Has on my Head this sore Affliction brought You should my close Hypocrisy detect Which makes th' Allmighty my Complaint reject Instead of this you with unnatural Pride Your suff'ring Friend insultingly deride Because th' Allmighty does his Ear incline To hear your Pray'r while he is deaf to mine Because your Days are prosp'rous you despise And mock your Neighbour that in Torment lies Contempt th' afflicted Righteous Man attends And Scorn instead of Pity from his Friends A Man reduc'd to Misery and Want Who once could Honour and Abundance vaunt In his successful thriving Neighbour's Sight Tho' like a Lamp esteem'd when fresh and bright Is scorn'd when glimm'ring with expiring Light Yet of the Just this is the Common Fate While Wicked Men enjoy a prosp'rous State Robbers and Spoilers see their Wealth endure And those who God provoke live most secure With lavish hand he does his Favours throw And undeserv'd Rewards on these bestow Ask of the Beasts the Beasts will strait return That they the same sad Circumstances mourn They 'll cry the tawny Tyrants that possess The lawless Empire of the Wilderness The strip'd and spotted Monsters of the Wood The Bears and Wolves inur'd to Spoil and Blood These fat with Rapine Peace and Power enjoy Yet persevere to ravage and destroy Mean time the harmless Flock and useful Herd By the Destroyer's Hand are never spar'd They fall unhappy Creatures either way To Men their Friends or Beasts their Foes a Prey Ask all the Feather'd Nations of the Air They 'll all with one Confed'rate Voice declare That the voracious Vulture and the Kite The Hawk and Eagle that in Blood delight With all the long-wing'd Rovers of the Skies Which Cruize among the Clouds to ken a Prize They 'll say this rav'ning Race is most secure Whilst the meek Dove and harmless Fowls endure A thousand Mischiefs from th' Invader's Power Then on the Ocean 's oazy Margin stand And of the sinn'd Inhabitants demand How 't is with them they 'll all as one complain The same unequal Fate attends the Main They 'll cry the vast Leviathan that moves The Deep around and Seas before him Shoves With all the Spoilers and the murth'ring Race Of scaly Ravagers that vex the Place In Peace possess the Empire of the Flood And undisturb'd regale themselves with Blood Unweildy with their Fat without controul The lazy Tyrants on the Billows roll Pamper'd with Spoil the wanton Monsters Sleep Along the Shore or Sport within the Deep While their Luxurious Bellies to supply Whole Shoals of inoffensive Fishes Dy. But whoe'er entertain'd a doubtful Thought If God this State of Things ordain'd or not Who by his Power all Beings did produce And by his Wisdom fix'd their end and use He may his Creatures lives at Pleasure take They are his own who can Objections make God's Soveraign Right of Empire I respect But this Concession can't my Cause affect Can you some monstrous Guilt or Error show Commensurate to my stupendous Woe Have Patience then with an attentive Ear My just Defence and Allegations hear Use a Judicious and Impartial taste And you 'll no more unjust Reproaches cast You 'll see with what Integrity I act And all your Censures rashly made retract Bildad the Cause between us would refer To antient Fathers as less apt to err Wisdom I grant in Hoary Heads appears And Understanding is matur'd by Years Rarely a Beardless Oracle we know Judgment by Age does to Perfection grow But when we most our Ancestors commend Their greatest Wisdom can't with God's contend Antiquity's Traditions can't decide Against a Rule Divine our certain Guide We can't in any but th' Eternal Mind Councel and Knowledge in Perfection find God is a Mind all Intellectual Light Clear without Mist without a Blemish bright From him the Spring those streams of Wisdom flow That feed the thinking reasâ—ning World below The Wise on Earth who most deserve our Praise Shine but with dim and delegated Rays We should with equal Reverence adore The Wonders of his Wisdom and his Power He levels with the Dust the proudest Town O'erthrows her Forts and breaks her Bullwarks down Her gilded Palaces he overturns And her high Towers amidst the Rubbish spurns Her Rooms of State and Roofs of Cedar meet Huddled in Ruin in th' embarrast Street Tho' all bewail her miserable Fall None dares attempt to build again her Wall If wretched Slaves in Prison he restrains Who shall release them from their pond'rous Chains He tyes the Clouds the Bottles of the Skies And to the Earth his Heav'nly Dew denies Then cleaving Drought the Sunburnt Mountains chap And for the Rain the thirsty Meadows gape Anon the Rivers swell at his Command O'erflow their Banks and kindly drown the Land Wisdom and Strength are his 't is he imparts To all the Crafty their successful Arts. He shows them how to lay a wise Design How to Attack and how to Countermine Mean time their
Strength in Troops repair'd They left their old Abodes to be possest By Owls and Bats and every rav'ning Beast Until their fruitful Land at last Became a wild Inhospitable Wast O Israel these were thy sad Wants and Woes These thy Oppressions when I Deb'rah rose When I arose a Mother to restore Thy former Peace and Wealth and Pow'r Till then thy blind Apostate Sons forsook Theirs and their Father's God and took New fangled Gods of old unknown Gods lately into Reputation grown Gods carv'd in Wood or cut in Stone Heav'n thus provok'd excited Foes Who full of rage against our Citys rose Confed'rate Kingdoms War with Israel wag'd And horrid Slaughter in our Bowels rag'd And well it might for we were so disarm'd That when the Foe our Gates alarm'd Did there a single Shield or Spear Midst forty Thousand Israelites appear O Israel then I rose to rescue thee From thy vile Chains to set thee free Nor can my Song too much exalt the Fame Of those great Chiefs who freely came To give me Aid and to subdue our Foes Did gen'rously their Lives expose Give them their due Applause but chiefly bless The God who gave them Courage and Success Ye Lords in Courts of Judgment who preside And thro' the Streets in awful State With num'rous Trains attended ride Th' Almighty's wondrous Work relate Ye People who can leave your safe Abodes And travel now secure in Publick Roads You that do now in Joy and Peace Your Fig-trees and your Vines possess You who no more the noise of Archers hear But unmolested to your Springs repair Do you rehearse God's righteous Deeds Whence this your unexpected Peace proceeds Awake awake O Deborah awake Quickly thy Harp and Timbrel take A Song of Triumph and of Joy rehearse In lofty Strains and noble Verse A Song that may just Honour pay To the great Deeds of this illustrious Day O Barak rise arise thou valiant Chief Whose Conqu'ring Arms have brought relief To Israel in our vast distress And made our haughty Foes their Impotence confess Thou mighty Man advance and lead along Thy Spoils and Trophys thro' the cleaving Throng Thy Captives lead in clanking Chains All their vast Army's small Rematns Thou who the dreadful Battel didst display On that decisive glorious Day Now draw thy Pomp and Triumph in Array Iacob's Remains by Heav'n with Empire crown'd Have laid their Yoke on Canaan's Kings around Ev'n me the Lord has rais'd to Regal Sway And made the Mighty my Commands obey Thy Sons did first the War embrace Forward in Arms O Benjamin And next to thee a few of Ephraim's Race Advanc'd and joyn'd their Troops with thine Rulers and Nobles from Manasses came Whose brave example did the rest inflame The Scribes of Zebulun and learned Men To weild the Sword laid down the Pen. The Princes and the Lords of Issachar Despising Danger undertook the War With Zeal they follow'd me their Head And Barak to the Field their valiant Squadrons led Ah Reuben how were we dismay'd To be defrauded of thy Aid Ah why didst thou desert thy Country's Cause Why did not Reuben share this day's applause Say when thy Breth'ren arm'd with Sword and Shield For Liberty advanc'd into the Field Why didst thou sullen in thy Tents abide As if in Blood and Int'rest not Ally'd Couldst thou to Arms thy Shepherd's Crook prefer And rather chuse thy bleating Sheep to hear Than the loud Thunder of a noble War Oh how much Trouble to our State Did this ignoble Deed of thine create Gilead beyond the Flood of Iopran stay'd And of the haughty Foe afraid Refus'd to give his Brethren Aid Dan on his Wealth and Shipping too intent No Succours to our Army sent Asher with like inglorious Negligence Trusting to Rocks and Caves as his defence Stay'd on the Shore and no Assistance gave Our Worship or our Liberty to save But oh what wondrous Deeds were done By Napthali and Zebulun With what an ardour what a warlike rage Did those brave Men in Fight engage Methinks I see those Warriours make Their bold and irresistible Attack Greedy and fond of Danger they The Squadrons cleft and cut the way To the chief Places of the Field Which did the chiefest choice of ruin yield Which were with plenty of Destruction stor'd And all the horrid shapes of danger did afford Where Death triumphant in the Battel stood Besmear'd with Brains and Dust and Blood Great Potentates of formidable Fame Captains and Kings against us came Their confluent Troops from every Coast Compos'd a vast o'erâ—lowing Host. We saw th' advancing Deluge from afar And all the must'ring Tydes of complicated War They stopt and in Battalia stood Upon the Banks of Kishon's Flood Thither our eager Squadrons flew There did we fight and there proud Iabin's Troops subdue The radiant Host of Stars above Drew out and did in warlike order move They did their Darts from Heav'n's high Turrets throw And charg'd with fatal influence the Foe They to our Aid their glitt'ring Forces brought And against Sisera in their Courses fought O Kishon then thy troubled Tyde Was choak'd with Carcasses with Crimson dy'd Swords Helmets Shields roll'd all beneath And of the lighter Instruments of Death Spears Arrows Darts a floating Wood O'erspread the surface of thy Flood Thy current swept their Troops away And with their mighty Spoils enrich'd the wondring Sea Thy banks and all the Vale about Were spread with marks of ignominious rout Chariots o'erturn'd and scatter'd Shields And broken Hoofs deform'd the Fields Hoofs torn and on the stony places cast O'er which the flying Horsemen past Accurst th' Almighty's Angel cry'd Accurst be Meroz who her help deny'd Vengeance and Plagues on her vile People light Who would not for their God and Country fight But let us Iael's Courage sing Let loud Applauses thro' our Citys ring Of Heber's Wife above the rest Of Womankind may she be blest Great Sis'ra choak'd with heat and dust Demanded Water from the Spring She to allay the Gen'ral's thirst Did Milk and Cream in costly Vessels bring She to the Nail the left apply'd And with her right hand did the Hammer guidâ— And as the mighty Sisera Stretcht on the Pavement â—leeping lay Th' undaunted Woman with a noble blow Drove in the Nail and pierc'd his Temples thro Amaz'd not waken'd with the Wound He sprung and bounded from the ground The brave Virago did her blow repeat And laid him prostrate at her feet He bow'd and fell and gasping lay Quiver'd and groan'd his Life away She drew his Sword and with a Manly stroke The Warriours Head from off his Shoulders took His Mother looking thro' her Window said Why is his Triumph thus delay'd Why does his lingring Chariot stay Why roll his Wheels so slowly on the way Her Maids nay she her self reply'd The Conqu'rors stay their Booty to divide The distribution made each Chief can shew A Damsel for his share or two But Sis'ra's Prey outshines the rest His
is a party-colour'd Vest Which Gems and rich Embroidery adorn Fit by the greatest Princes to be worn These boastful words she spoke while Sisera Dead in the Tent of Iael lay Lord let his Fate attend thine Enemys So let them perish who against thee rise But let the Men who Wickedness abhor Who love thee and thy Name adore Be like the Sun Who when refresh'd does in his Vigour rise Eager to run All the blew Stages of the spacious Skys David's Lamentation Occasion'd by the Death of Saul and Ionathan 1 SAMUEL Chap. I. WHen Ionathan and Saul expiring lay On the curst Hills of Gilbâ—a Ah black inglorious fatal Day 'T was then unhappy Israel Thy Beauty Strength and Glory fell How were thy mighty Warriours slain What a red Deluge bath'd the reeking Plain How were thy Sons to Conquest long inur'd How were thy Valiant Chiefs devour'd By the Philistine's unrelenting Sword How terrible how sudden was their Fate These Pillars fal'n that prop'd thy State Who shall support thy sinking Empire's weight Let Fame be struck with horror dumb That to our Foes the News may never come Let our dishonour be to Gath unknown Proclaim it not in Askelon Lest if their Daughters come to know Our loss and unexampled Woe They in their Feasts and Dances should express Insultingly their Joy at our distress And impiously ' devout should raise Their carv'd and graven Gods in wicked Songs of Pâ— Ye Hills of Gilbâ—a the fatal place O'er which the Foe did Israel chase Ye luckless Hills Spred with your Monarch's Ignominious Spoils May you the marks of Heav'n's displeasure bear Be you no more the Farmer 's care Let no kind Cloud hereafter pour On your parch'd Heads one fruitful Shower May the relentless harden'd Sky No Rain by Day or Dew by Night supply To ease your Thirâ—t and gaping clefts cement With Fire be blasted and with Thunder rent Let not a blade of Grass or Corn Nor one green Tree your Heads adorn By Heav'n accurst to future Ages stand Uncultivated Heaps of barren Sand. For vanquish'd Israel o'er these Mountains fled There with ignoble Rout the Fields were spred There lay our Weapons mingled with our Dead There scatter'd Bucklers lay Which routed Israel cast away There may the Shield of Saul be found Midst common Bucklers on the ground Thy Body too unhappy Monarch there Lys mixt with vulgar Corps expos'd in open Air. O Saul O Ionathan ye mighty Dead You ne'er before in Battel fled The Arrows from the Son's unerring Bow Have pierc'd ten thousand valiant Warriours thro' The Father 's unresisted Sword Like raging Fires around devour'd By no Opposer e'er withstood The crimson Conq'ror reek'd in Hostile Blood Till now you ever us'd to come Laden with Spoils and Trophys home Your Chariots thro' the confluent gazing Throng Us'd in slow State to roll along While crowds of Captive Princes chain'd Wiping their Brows with dust and sweat distain'd Did panting in the Pomp appear Part of the long Procession of the Rear Our Daughters both in Mind and Habit gay With Songs and Dances on the way Met and increast the Triumph of the Day Thus Vict'ry us'd to crown The mighty Father and the valiant Son Now vanquish'd o'er the Hills they fly From the pursuing Enemy Surprising change of Providence Those who resistless were can now make no defence So courteous were the Royal Pair So condescending mild and Debonnair That they became to all the Nation dear No more their kindness fail'd to move The People's universal Love Than their fam'd Courage did their Neighbours fear They liv'd in strongest bonds of Love combin'd And as they liv'd so they together dy'd So close was their Affection joyn'd That Death it self could not the knot divide For tho' they fell opprest with Pagan Power Their Love still triumph'd o'er the Conquerour And yet their Clemency did ne'er abate Their Courage and their Martial heat For they as swift as hungry Eagles flew Or to attack or to pursue And when they were in fight engag'd Like Lyons when provok'd they thro' the Battel rag'd O Daughters of Ierusalem express A Sorrow worthy of our vast distress Unite your Groans and mournful Crys Unite your Tears and Agonys Apply your selves to weeping day and night Raptures of Grief be your Delight Thro' every Street lamenting go Strains of unruly Anguish show And howling Tempâ—sts raise of wild despairing Woe too exquisite Affliction can't be shown Since Saul is fal'n from his Imperial Throne Saul lys upon the Mountains dead Who with abundance Israel fed Who gave you Garments glorious to behold Scarlet adorn'd with Needle-work and Gold Who hung rich Bracelets on your Arms And with bright Gems increas'd your native Charms Whose Arms enrich'd your Towns with precious Spoil And fill'd with Foreign Wealth Iudea's happy Soil How did the mighty Prince and all His valiant Chiefs in Battel fall How are the Hills with Slaughter spred How are our Captive Sons in Triumph led Captives who drag th' inglorious Chain Captives less happy than the Slain Horror and Shame hark how the shouting Foe How proud Philistia mocks our Woe Thro' all their Streets what Acclamations ring Hear how their Daughters sing See how they dance While their victorious Troops with Israel's Spoils advance O Israel where is now thy warlike Fame How will thy once much dreaded Name By Foes so often vanquish'd be despis'd By all the Nations of th' Uncircumcis'd Oh Ionathan how dear wert thou to me How dear must be thy Memory No Time can from my Breast remove Thy Image or thy wondrous love A Love like which we none recorded find A Love surpassing that of Womankind Their Love was ne'er so tender pure and strong And never lasted in excess so long What gen'rous Friendship hast thou shown What dreadful Dangers undergone To raise thy Rival to thy Father's Throne Kindest of Brothers my afflicted Soul Does thy unhappy Fall condole Thy suddain thy disast'rous Fate Does Agonies of Grief create As in a Storm my rolling Bowels move With strong Convulsive Throws of sad distracted Love I would the highest marks express Of uncontroul'd unmerciful distress For if my Grief does not outrageous grow 'T is unbecoming my unmeasur'd Woe Nothing 's enough that 's less than all that Love can show THE Second PSALM PARAPHRAS'D WHat means this mighty Uproar whence arise This great Commotion these tumultuous Crys What has alarm'd the Nations what offence Does all the jealous States around incense What does the Heathen Fire with so much Rage What Iacob's Sons in such Designs engage As they can ne'er effect or if they do They 'll miss the end they furiously pursue Infatuated Men you 'll sure repent Your rash Attempts too late the sad event Will show your Projects vain your Malice impotent Confed'rate Princes wicked Friendship make And in their Anger desp'rate Councels take Against their great Creator and his Son And hope the Lord 's Anointed to dethrone Let us say they assert
our Liberty And keep our Kingdoms from Oppression free We 'll ne'er agree to vindicate the Cause Of this new King nor e'er obey his Laws Th' Almighty sets his Fav'rite up in vain We 'll ne'er consent to this Usurper's Reign We his proud Yoke will never tamely bear But will his servile Chains asunder tear But the great God who sits enthron'd on high Above the Starry Convex of the Sky Insultingly will mock their foolish Pride Laugh at their Threats and their vain Plots deride In fiery Indignation he shall pass A dreadful Sentence on this impious Race The marks of high Displeasure he shall show And pour Destruction on th' audacious Foe Thus from his Throne sublime th' Eternal spoke And with his awful Voice the Frame of Nature shook In spite of all the Princes that combine Or to retard or frustrate my design On Sion's Hill my Fav'rite I 'll enthrone And fix upon his Head th' Imperial Crown Submissive States his Empire shall obey And at his Footstool Kings their Scepters lay He shall Tyrannic Cruelty correct And tenderly his Subject's Rights protect He shall assert Divine Religion's Cause Heav'n's sacred Int'rests manage with Applause And rule the World with just and equal Laws To execute his high important Charge My Viceroy I invest with Pow'r at large Vast Pow'r I give him but I give him none But what is mixt with Mercy like my own No other Pow'r but what is understood To be intended for his Subjects good His just and gentle Conduct shall confess He seeks his Glory in their Happiness I to the World will publish thy Decree That raises me to Regal Dignity Thus said the Lord let it this Day be known That thou art my begotten only Son Thy high Descent let all the Nations own Thou art intitul'd by thy Royal Birth To all the Realms and Nations of the Earth Make thy demand and by my Grant divine The Pagan States and Kingdoms shall be thine I 'll subject all the spacious tracks of Land From Pole to Pole to thy supream command Thou shalt of all the Regions be possest From the Sun's rising to the adverse West Only the limits which the World surround Thy Universal Monarchy shall bound Arm'd with a Rod of Iron thou shalt reign O'er proud Oppressors and their Rage restrain Thou shalt in pieces dash like Potters Clay Thy stubborn Foes who insolently say We 'll ne'er his Title own nor his Commands obey Ye foolish Kings and Potentates be wise And be instructed where your Safety lies The Son of God with Acclamations meet And prostrate lye adoring at his feet Bow down your Necks to take his gentle Yoke Lest your neglect his Fury should provoke If you refuse this Monarch to obey Be sure you 'll perish in your wicked way For if his Wrath so dreadful does appear When scarcely kindled what have you to fear Who by your desp'rate Provocations raise The Spark to Flames and make his Fury blaze No longer your Subjection then delay The safe and happy Men are only they Who as their Refuge and secure Defence Repose in him their Trust and Confidence THE CIVth PSALM PARAPHRAS'D MY grateful Soul th' Almighty's Name adore Great is his Being great his Works of Pow'r Immortal Honours Majesty Renown And Dignity Divine his Temples crown His Robe of State is wrought with Light reâ—in'd An endless Train of Lustre flows behind His Throne 's of massy burnish'd Glory made With Heav'nly Pearl and Gems Divine inlaid Whence Floods of Joy and Seas of Splendour flow On all th' Angelic gazing Throng below Who drink in Pleasures by their ravish'd Sight Delug'd in vast ineffable Delight He as a Tent the Heav'n's expansion reers And as a Curtain stretches out the Sphears He makes the Mists his Pillars to sustain His airy Rooms and lays their Beams in Rain The Clouds th' Almighty's rolling Chariots bear Their Lord thro' all the spacious Fields of Air. He harnasses the manag ' Winds and flys On their swift Wings to visit all the Skys The various Meteors of the Air above Wait his Commands and by his Order move Tempests and Windy Vapours rais'd on high To do his Will like Menial Servants fly Lightnings and all his wildest Works of Fire His Ministers to serve their Lord conspire These sensless Creatures such Obedience shew To their great Master as his Angels do To him her Father Nature owes her Birth He laid the deep Foundations of the Earth He hung the pondrous heap in fluid Air And made its weight it s own Supporter there Then he the Waters o'er its Bosom roll'd And liquid Garments did the Earth enfold The Rocks and Hills conceal'd in Billows stood And o'er the Mountains tops the Deluge rais'd its Flood God's great Command chastis'd the Water's Pride He bad the Flood call down its tow'ring Tide And strait the ebbing Deluge did subside Th' Almighty form'd a vast capacious Deep Where he his Watry Regiments might keep The waves file off and thither make their way To form the mighty Body of the Sea Where they encamp and in their Stations stand Entrench'd in Works of Rock and Lines of Sand. Yet some Deserters still the Sea forsake And from their Posts by stealth Excursions make The Sun to some lets down his helping Ray They climb the golden Line and thus convey Themselves in Vapours high amidst the Air And to the Hills aspiring heads repair Others by secret Channels from the Deep Pass undiscern'd and up the Mountains creep Whence gushing out in Springs they downward flow And thro' the flowry Vales back to the Ocean go While God in Prison holds the mighty Deep And does in rocky Chains the raging Monster keep That it may ne'er surmount the ambient Shore And with its Flood may drown the Earth no more He to refresh and cloath the Meads with Grass Bids all his Rivers thro' the Vallys pass Kindly their course th' indented Banks restrain Kindly the Hills retard their gliding train For thus the ling'ring Streams at leisure flow And greater Riches on the Fields bestow Beasts tame and salvage to the River's brink Come from the Fields and Wilderness to drink Thither the feather'd Singers of the Air To quench their thirst and prune their Wings repair Then midst the Willows that adorn the Flood Or on the Branches in some neighb'ring Wood The painted Heralds in melodious Lays Proclaim their gracious Benefactor 's Praise He from his high Aerial Chambers where Th' Almighty Chymist does his Works prepare Digests his Lightnings and distills his Rain Pours down his Waters on the thirsty Plain He sends refreshing Showers to cheer the Hills And with his Bounty all the Vally fills The Earth made fruitful with his Heav'nly drops With a rich Harvest crowns the Farmer 's Hopes He does the Fields his open Table spred Where all the Beasts with grassy Meat are fed He Plants for Food and Physic does produce Thro' all the Earth for Man his Viceroys use He pours from