Heav'n his Rain upon the Vine And thus converts the Water into Wine Which does revive Man's Heart his Cares relieve And to his Face a better Lustre give Than when with Oyl it does anointed shine With Oyl another noble Gift Divine He fills the teeming Glebe with Crops of Corn Which cloath the Vallys and the Hills adorn The Staff of Humane Life at his Command Springs from the Furrows of the fruitful Land He from the Clouds does the sweet Liquor squeeze Which cheers the Forests and the Garden Trees With the rich Juice he feeds their thirsty root Which fills their Limbs with Sap their Heads with Fruit. To this the Cedars that adorn the Brow Of Lebanon their Height and Beauty owe. The Firs too thrive by drops from Heav'n distill'd In which the Storks their Airy Houses build The Mountains reer'd their Heads at his Command And Pillars to his Praise erected stand In these and in the Rocks the salvage Kind From the pursuer's Arms safe Refuge find He form'd the Moon the Seasons to divide And gave it Empire o'er the Ocean's tide The Sun he burnish'd till its Orb became A Spring of Light and undecaying Flame Which knows the Stages of its heav'nly way And does by turns roll up by turns display The wide and bright expansion of the Day 'T is God who made the Day that makes the Night He in the Air to suffocate the Light Does from his open'd Stores of Darkness let A gloomy Deluge out of liquid Jet He wipes the Colours off from Nature's Face And lays on Night's deep Shadows in their place Now the wild Beasts by Hunger bit awake And from their drowsy Eyes their Slumber shake From out their Dens the Spoilers yawning come The Forests Range and o'er the Mountains roam Young rav'ning Lyons from the Woods retreat Roar out to Heav'n and beg from God their Meat They on his Providential Care rely Who does his Creatures various Wants supply But when with his reviving Morning Ray The rising Sun regenerates the Day They to their Dens retire with Toil opprest Stretch out their weary Limbs and take their rest But Man goes forth to labour in the Morn When the tir'd Lyon does from his return God's Works of Pow'r our Wonder and his Praise Thro' all the World his Works of Goodness raise To form the Sea he drew his Compass round And with the mark it left describ'd the ground Then dug th' unfathom'd Hollow which the Main And all the Floods and Rivers might contain So populous these watry Regions are That Nations numberless inhabit there Mute Nations that are here supply'd with Food Whose Finny Wings divide the crystal Flood Here 't is the Ships along the yielding Tide Before the Wind upon their Bellys glide The Whale the Soveraign that the Sea controlls Here takes his Pleasure and in Pastime rolls He plays and tumbles in his Watry Court And troubles all the Ocean with his Sport He makes his Spouts for his Diversion play And toss against the Clouds th' uplifted Sea Projected Billows from his Nostrils rise And mix the Ocean with th' astonish'd Skys This mighty Monster who does Monarch reign And all the Nations that possess the Main All creeping Creatures Herds and harmless Flocks All Beasts that range the Woods or hide in Rocks All Passengers that beat th' Etherial Road With feather'd Wings wait for their Meat from God At his expence they eat by various ways He for his numerous Family purveys His open'd Hand dispences fresh supplys That more than all his Creatures Wants suffice To substitute Successors in the place Of those that perish and to save the Race And Kind of every living Creature God Does his prolific Spirit send abroad Which thro' the Earth does quick'ning Pow'r diffuse And Heat which fresh Productions there produce Since on the Earth th' Almighty does dispence Th' unnumber'd Blessings of his Providence And with his Favours has all Nature crown'd Let all the World with Songs of Joy resound Let Men for ever bless his glorious Name Recite his Wonders and his Praise proclaim If stupid Man this Tribute should neglect His God th' ungrateful Wretch can soon correct If on the Earth he does in Anger look It trembles at the terrible Rebuke It from its strong Foundations starts for fear And twisting Gripes its working Entrails tear The Mountains shiver and their Heads incline At the reproof of Majesty Divine The Hills forget they 're fixt and in their fright Of all their weight they strip themselves for flight The Rocks from off their Marble Pillars break And which they us'd to give a Refuge seek The Woods with Terror wing'd outstrip the Wind And leave the heavy panting Hills behind All Nature troubled and in deep distress Of God's Displeasure does her Fear express But I whatever others do will sing The due Applauses of th' Eternal King With pleasure I 'll contemplate all my days His wondrous Works and wondrous Goodness praise And let obdâ—â—ate Sinners who refuse To give him Glory and his Gifts abuse Be from the Earth as they deserve destroy'd While thou my Soul art in his Praise employ'd THE CXIVth PSALM PARAPHRAS'D WHen God a thousand Miracles had wrought The fav'rite Tribes Deliv'rance to promote And marching on in Triumph at their head Their Host to promis'd Canaan led Then Iacob was thy rescu'd Race Distinguish'd by peculiar marks of Grace Their Happiness and Honour to advance He chose them for his own Inheritance With whom alone their gracious God Would make his Residence and blest abode They were from Heav'n instructed to adore Their God and with Celestial Light Canaan was blest as Goshen was before While all their Neighbours lay involv'd in Night God the Foundations of their Empire laid The Model of their Constitution made He on their Throne their King in Person sate And rul'd with equal Laws the Sacred State For this blest purpose Iacob's Seed Was from Egyptian Bondage freed When God to do this wondrous work was pleas'd Great Consternation Nature seiz'd The restif Floods refus'd to flow Panting with Fear the Winds could find no Breath to blow Th' astonish'd Sea did motionless become Horror its Waters did benumb The briny Waves that reer'd themselves to see Th' Almighty's Judgments and his Majesty With Terror crystaliz'd began to halt Then Pillars grew and Rocks of Salt Iordan as soon as this great Deed it saw Struck with a reverential Aw Started and with Precipitation fled In hast the thronging Waves ran backward to their Head Vast Hills were mov'd from out their place Terror the Mountains did constrain To lift themselves from off their Base And on their rocky Roots to dance about the Plain The little Hills astonish'd at the Sight Flew to the Mother Mountains in a fright And did about them skip as Lambs Run to and bleat around their trembling Dams What ail'd thee O thou troubled Sea That thou with all thy watry Troops didst flee What ail'd thee Iordan tell the cause
gaping Chasms amazing to the Sight Mingle the Day with Subterranean Night Th' inclining Poles as wrench'd aside appear And diving Isles conceal themselves for fear At his Command the rising Sun will stay And from the World keep back the ling'ring Day His marshal'd Clouds to intercept the Light Seal up the Stars the twinkling Eyes of Night The spreading Heav'n's he as a Curtain draws Treads down aspiring Waves and gives the Ocean Laws With Orbs of Light he inlays all the Sphears And studs the Sable Night with Silver Stars He all the Constellations hangs on high And bids the Planets wander thro' the Sky Stormy Areturus round the Northern Pole By his direction does unweary'd roll Orion and the Pleiades dispence At his Command their Rays and Influence His skillful hand on Airy Pillars reers The Vaulted Chambers of the Southern Spheres The long Succession of his Mighty Deeds Our everlasting Admiration feeds Behind a black impenetrable Screen Of Pitchy Clouds th' Allmighty walks unseen He that to follow in his Steps essays Thro' all his craggy dark perplexing Ways Scar'd by the sacred Horrors of the Place Will own the Maze Divine he cannot trace Nor the black Gulph and trackless Mountains pass He 'll stand astonish'd and bereft of Sense Lost in the awful Wilds of Providence If he his settled Purpose has exprest A Man of Wealth and Honour to divest What hardy Mortal will his Power withstand Or dares a reason why 't is done demand Till God withdraws the heavy galling Yoke And reconcil'd forbears th' afflicting Stroke Those who would rescue may their Pride express But by their fall their weakness shall confess Since none a Match in Power with God contends And none his Ways and Counsels comprehends Can I pretend to speak my Case to state And grapple with th' Allmighty in debate Can I his Ear with chosen Language charm And God of all his Arguments disarm Tho' I believ'd my Cause most Right and Just I would my doubtful Innocence distrust I would not plead with God but only pray That Justice he with Mercy would allay Tho' he should kindly grant me my Request Yet I so much despond am so Distrest That I th' amazing Truth should ne'er believe But as a gawdy Dream the joyful News receive Both sharp and lasting Suff'rings I have born With Wrath Divine as with a Tempest torn He perseveres and multiplies his Strokes Tho' no uncommon Guilt his Wrath provokes So fast his fierce redoubled Blows descend That I can scarce to all my Wounds attend No breathing Time is giv'n no short Relief From exquisite and never-ceasing Grief Should I his Throne with all my force Assail Against Allmighty Strength can I prevail If I Appeal to Judges and to Laws What higher Court can Sit to hear my Cause If I my Righteousness before him plead Will not my Words to my Conviction lead Will he not thence my Condemnation draw And in my purest Virtue find a flaw Should God pronounce me just yet I 'd refuse Uneasy Life and Death's Embraces chuse To all things you advance to represent God's Power and Justice fully I assent But then you err when you assert that God Exempts the Righteous from his scourging Rod. No Fav'rite Son is from his Frown secure But in his Turn does his sharp Stripes endure The Foolish from the Wise you cannot know By the false marks of Happiness or Woe 'Twixt Good and Bad there 's no distinction made Unless more frequent Darts the Good invade Against the Just th' Allmighty's Arrows fly For he delights the Innocent to try To show their Constant and their God-like Mind Not by Afflictions broken but refin'd He to the Wicked gives the Earth away And raises Monsters to Imperial Sway. He makes them Peace and Plenty to possess And crowns their Undertakings with Success While Men for Empire fit and Publique Trust Quick in discerning in deciding Just Worthy of Thrones Men of unblemish'd Fame Are oft expos'd to Misery and Shame This is th' Allmighty's Deed if not declare Its genuine Authors who and where they are My Life consumes in never-ceasing Woe My rolling Days uninterrupted flow To disembogue their Flood within the Deep Where all the Streams of Time collected Sleep No eager Couriers in their greatest haste Nor Ship before the Wind advance so fast The Eagle from the Mountains Airy top To strike his Prey does ne'er so swiftly stoop If I resolve my Sorrow to forget That I 'll no more my rash Complaints repeat That my unbridled Passion I 'll restrain This humble Resignation is in vain For God will never my Distress relieve He 'll punish on and tempt Men to believe That Iob by some unusual black Offence Has Heav'n provok'd such Judgments to dispence In vain I strive my Innocence to clear Since I must still these grievous Suff'rings bear Still the sad marks of Heav'n's displeasure wear If by my Vindication I should grow As clean and spotless as the Fleecy Snow When God replies my Stains before conceal'd To my Confusion would be all reveal'd My Foulness he 'll detect that I no more Should boast my Cleanness but my self abhor He 's not a Man my equal in dispute That I should hope his Reasons to refute Can I in Courts of Judgment take my place And plead against th' Allmighty Face to Face In this Debate what Umpire shall preside Hear all our Arguings and the Cause decide Let him his Terrors and his Rod withdraw And let his Mercy mitigate his Law For humane Frailty due Allowance make And I with Courage will my Tryal take I then will boldly speak and free from fear I 'll quickly make my Innocence appear But this request th' Allmighty does refuse He does the Rigour of his Justice use His awful Terrors which my Soul surround Drink up my Spirits and my Hope confound As I have done I therefore will complain This only way is left to sooth my Pain CHAP. X. My constant Woes such constant Groans create That Life 's a black uncomfortable State My Soul abhors this loathsom Lump of Clay Longs to be free to wing to Heav'n its way I 'll make my moan to give its Sorrow vent Else will my Breast be with its Tempest rent I cannot smother such Gigantick Woe Nor on my raging Grief a Muzzle throw I can't forbear to God I 'll thus complain As one that 's Wicked do not me Arraign Why dost thou let me thus in torment lye And thus in vain for Heav'n's Compassion Cry Do not thy Servant by uncommon Woes To Publique Censure and Reproach expose Mankind will Me Condemn and cry we know His Crime 's enormous since his Pain is so Can God Complacence in Oppression take And vex his Creatures for the Pleasure's sake O can a God of Mercy cruel grow No Pity feel no tender Passion show Can God my Father e'er Unnatural prove Shut up his Bowels and forget to love Will he with hostile Force his Sons invade Pleas'd
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
Serpent's Teeth are stor'd But tho' I suffer long they grosly err That thence shall their Impunity infer Their Wickedness exactly I record Their Crimes are safely with my Treasure stor'd Next to the Caves where I my Vengeance hoard To me belongs to punish and reward The Debt is ne'er forgotten tho' deferr'd Vengeance digests and strengthens as it lies And will at last to full Perfection rise Sin and Destruction still together go Vengeance is ripe whenever Sin is so The black and dismal Day approaches near When Justice in its Terrors will appear A Day of greater Sorrow and Distress Than Fear can apprehend or Words express Then suff'ring Israel will in Anguish say I did not pardon tho' I did delay Yet God at last will from his Wrath depart Plead for his People and their Cause assert His tender Nature will at last relent And if his People do he 'll soon repent Commiseration will possess his Breast When he shall see his Israel sore opprest When he shall find the Plagues that he employ'd Has almost Iacob's guilty Race destroy'd He 'll thus the stupid Criminals upbraid Where are the Gods to whom you bow'd and pray'd Now for Protection to your Idols flee The Gods you chose when you rejected me You did your Adoration to them pay Your Sacrifices at their Altars slay And rich Oblations there profusely lay To these Abominations Israel cry In thy distress their Power and Goodness try With loud repeated Pray'rs thy Gods invoke To bring thee Aid and break thy heavy Yoke Now by your sad experience learn and see That I the Lord ev'n I alone am he That can subdue your Foes and set your Captives free I at my Pleasure Kill and make alive I wound and heal I health and sickness give Where is the Arm that can my Pow'r withstand And tear a Pris'ner from my griping Hand I lift my hand most solemnly I swear And as I live for ever I declare That when I once begin to take the Field To whet my glitt'ring Sword and raise my Shield When I my deadly Instruments prepare And arm my self to undertake the War My Fury shall my Enemys devour And on their Land I 'll Storms of Vengeance pour I 'll give my hungry Sword their Flesh for Food And make my thirsty Arrows drunk with Blood Their Voices let the Gentile World employ And joyn with Iacob's Sons in Songs of Joy For on their Foes God will avenge the blood Of those who stedfast in his Service stood To Israel he his Mercy will extend And Heav'nly Light and Truth amidst their Dwellings send A PARAPHRASE On part of the xivth Cha. of Isaiah Beginning at the 4th and ending at the 24th Verse THE Nations round amaz'd and overjoy'd Shall crowd to see proud Babylon destroy'd They 'll spred their Hands to Heav'n and say O blest O long expected Day How from his Throne is the great Tyrant cast The Ravager that all our Towns defac't Ruin'd Mankind and laid all Nature wast How is th' Imperial Purple Plague that reign'd And rag'd so long at last restrain'd Where are the Guards who us'd to wait Before th' Oppressor's Palace Gate Where are the awful Ensigns of his State Where is the fawning flatt'ring Throng That to his Court did once belong Who did the Monster as a God adore And bless the rav'ning Jaws that did Mankind devour The haughty City which the World controul'd Magnificent with Cedar and with Gold Which tow'ring stood amidst the Skys See where her Head in heaps of Rubbish lys Is this the City will Spectators say That all the World her Empire did survey That made the Nations tremble with her Frowns And gave to Kings their Tributary Crowns How great a Change good Heav'ns how soon Is all her Pride and Glory gone God by a great illustrious Stroke Of Justice has her Monarch's Scepter broke And freed the groaning Nations from his Yoke He has destroy'd the Tow'rs of Babylon And rent the Pillars that upheld her Throne He has her cruel Pow'r withstood And on her Head aveng'd the Nation 's Blood She that the Faces of the Poor did grind That ne'er to Mercy was inclin'd Shall no Compassion from the Conq'rour find The People by her Yoke opprest By Heav'n deliver'd from their Bondage rest Kingdoms enslav'd their Liberty regain And Captives from their Feet shake off the servile Chain Loud Triumphs universal Joy And Songs of Praise shall all the Earth employ The Pines and Fir-trees on the Hills rejoyce And with a grateful Voice The Cedars that in stately Order grow On Lebanon's high Airy Brow Cry we of this Deliv'rance too partake Let us as well as Men our thankful Off'ring make We Liberty as well as they enjoy No more shall Babylon employ Her Ravagers our quiet to annoy Our Spoils shall yield no more supply To the proud City's Luxury No more the Feller shall our Forest wound No more the Axe shall thro' the Hills resound Nor shall our mangl'd Limbs o'erspred th' encumber'd ground The Grave shall for th' Assyrian Monarch's sake Disturb the Peaceful Dead and make Her drousy Lodgers rise Shake from their Feet their Chains and Slumber from their Eyes Princes and Kings who underground Only with Worms and Dust are crown'd She from their Beds of Darkness shall release The only Thrones they now possess To meet Assyria's Tyrant on his way The Grave this Royal Embassy shall send And as instructed they shall say O King does thus thy Pomp and Empire end Feeble as we art thou become Must we conduct thee to a narrow Tomb For whom the World before had scarce sufficient room Art thou whose Scepter had so vast a sway Whose Will ev'n Kings themselves did once obey Stript of thy Pow'r and Majesty Art thou as Naked Poor and Weak as we Could not thy Conq'ring Armys save Their mighty Monarch from the Grave Must thou too in a dark and dusty Bed Lay thy Imperial awful Head And be with Worms instead of Scarlet spread And must the Ear That us'd to hear The Viol 's or the Harp's melodious Noise Or the Flatterer's softer Voice Be now with us the Dead entomb'd To everlasting Silence doom'd How art thou fal'n from Heav'n O Lucifer Son of the Morn How does thy Glory disappear Which once thy Temples did adorn Grown mad with Pride by Flatt'ry fed Thou in thy Heart has oft blaspheming said I into Heav'n will as a God arise And shine above the Stars amidst the Skys Worship Divine will me befit I base Mortality disown And therefore will on Zion fix my Throne And there to be ador'd in Majesty will sit Above the Clouds of Heav'n will I ascend And my Dominion o'er the World extend My Greatness Men shall like to God's adore And uncontroul'd like his shall be my Sov'raign Pow'r Yet Tyrant thou shalt sink as low as Hell And of thy State divested dwell In the gloomy Shades beneath In the dusty Courts of Death Where thy Arrival will the
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
chase The wicked Man and all his hateful Race No Offspring in his Dwelling shall remain His Family and Honour to sustain Ages to come with Horror shall relate His suddain Ruin and his dismal Fate As that he liv'd in was amaz'd to see So strange a Turn such Woe and Misery So shall the Hopes of all the wicked end Such Desolation does their House attend CH. XIX Then Iob reply'd How long will you my righteous Cause perplex How long my Ears with idle Speeches vex Must Answers void of Sense and Argument And grave Impertinence my Soul torment You wound me with your contumelious words And slanders sharper than the keenest Swords Iob in Affliction you refuse to know And a shy Stranger 's unconcernness show Grant I have sinn'd yet in my Flesh I bear Strokes of vindictive Justice so severe That I with Reason might from Friends expect Commiseration not such proud neglect If you with such censorious Arrogance And haughty words against me will advance If you will still such black Indictments read If you will still my Innocence implead Consider coolly my afflicted State Should your imperious scorn new Grief create And to th' unequal load add greater weight I by th' Almighty's Arm am overthrown And prest beneath his heavy Vengeance groan Inevitable Snares his hand has set And drawn around me his destructive Net To Heav'n with fruitless Accents I complain Of this hard measure this excess of Pain And Cry to be redress'd but Cry in vain By Heav'n forsaken I am left a Prey To Woes that me encompass every way Inexorably Deaf th' Almighty stands Rejects my Prayer and minds not my Demands He in my Paths has such Obstructions laid And fenc'd me in with such a close Blockade That I must ever lye without Relief In this dark Prison this Strong-hold of Grief No golden thread of Light the way will show And let me thro' this Labyrinth of Woe Of all my Glory I am stript the Crown From my dishonour'd Head is fallen down I 've lost my Power my Children my Renown I 'm perfectly destroy'd I 'm lost undone And never to return my Hope is gone A miserable Object here I lye A Wretch that would not live and cannot dye His Fury kindles of its own accord And unprovok'd he waves his glitt'ring Sword Against me as his Foe he throws his Dart And yet he knows my Zeal and upright Heart Black Troops of Suffrings Regimented Woes In Battle drawn their swarming Throngs disclose On me they come and marking out the Ground Th' Infernal Legions lye encamp'd around Brethren and Kindred treat me as unknown Break Nature's Bonds and their own Blood disown Familiar Friends who kindly me embrac't Forget me now and all our Friendship past Those of my Houshold in Rebellion rise Mock me their Lord and my Commands despise I to my Servant for Assistance cry He minds me not but Scoffing passes by And lets me helpless and neglected lye My sore Disease does from my Presence fright My Wife and makes her to abhor my sight Tho' I my earnest Supplication make And beg and pray for our dear Childrens sake Those tender Pledges of our mutual Love Yet no entreaties her Compassion move She will not stay to help me in distress And by condoling words her Love express Disdainful Youth and Children me despise Tho' to salute them from my Seat I rise My bosom Friends whom chiefly I before Esteem'd and lov'd now chiefly me abhor My Skin and Flesh are perish'd from the Bone The Boils have spar'd my Mouth and Lips alone To let me make my lamentable moan Some Pity O my Friends some Pity take On my distress for antient Friendship 's sake I am abandon'd and despairing left Of Riches Honour Children Friends bereft Remark the grievous Wounds my sore Disease Has made thro' all my Flesh but what are these Compar'd with those which in my Soul I feel Inflicted by th' Almighty's fatal Steel O then in soft Compassion's Arms relent Retract your Speeches and my Fate lament Will you assume the Priviledge of God And when you please afflict me with your Rod Inhumane Friends say does it not suffice That all consum'd with pain my Body lies But you my Soul with ill Discourses wound Empty of Sense tho' they with Gall abound O that my Speech was written that my Words Were Register'd and kept in safe Records O that an Iron Pen's repeated stroke Would grave deep Furrows in the Marble Rock Let Letters fill them up of inlaid Lead That all to come may my Profession read I solemnly pronounce that I believe That my Redeemer does for ever live When future Ages shall their Circuit end And Bankrupt Time shall its last Minute spend Then he from Heav'n in Triumph shall descend He on the Surface of the Earth shall stand And from the Grave his Captive Saints demand The slumb'ring Dead shall waken at his Call And from their Limbs their Leaden Chains shall fall Victorious Life at his Command shall fleeâ— To vanquish Death and set her Pris'ners free It shall new warmth and vital Vigour spread Thro' all the cold Apartments of the Dead It shall in Triumph march thro' Shades beneath Thro' all the dusty Galleries of Death Th' invading Conquerour shall Sack the Grave Force every Tomb and rescue ev'ry Slave Destruction's Empire shall no longer last Death from her sad Dominions shall be chas't And Desolation laid for ever wast From opening Tombs th' enliven'd Dead shall rise And to enjoy the Light lift up their wond'ring eyes Tho' Worms and Putrefaction shall consume This mortal Body in the silent Tomb I shall revive and from the Grave arise And see my God with these corporeal Eyes I for my Self shall see the blessed sight For my own Profit for my vast Delight He shall my Virtue from your Slanders clear Assert my Cause and Iob pronounce sincere This is th' unshaken Pillar of my Hope This does my Soul opprest with Sorrow prop That tho' as I have said the rav'ning Worm Shall eat my Flesh and break this mortal Form My reunited Parts I shall assume When my Redeemer does to Judgment come For ever to be clear'd by an impartial Doom But you my Friends no doubt will still aver That Persecuting me you do not err You 'll say that in my Conduct may be found For your Censorious words abundant ground But of th' Almighty's Justice be afraid His dreadful Vengeance will your Heads invade He will from Heav'n consuming Wrath reveal Against all fierce uncharitable Zeal The Day is coming when the Judge supream Will your rash Words and Cruelty condemn CH. XX. He said and Zophar thus in heat reply'd Such is thy Obstinacy such thy Pride With such disdain thou dost our Reasons slight And art so careful to exclude the Light All thy own Words so full and weighty seem To thee sufficient in thy own esteem That I no farther Argument design'd To Cure a Man so obstinately Blind But since transported
to a wild excess Thou dost against thy Friends such Threats express Since thou dost Heav'n with thy Complaints alarm And mark us out for God's vindictive Arm I must my setled Resolution break For thus provok'd who can forbear to speak Thou dost upbraid us as of Sense bereft Without Compassion without Justice left That we Contempt and Shame would on thee pour And like outrageous Beasts thy Life devour But I that fully know thy gross mistake Can 't silent sit but must an Answer make Hast thou who mak'st to Wisdom such pretence Not yet remark'd the Course of Providence How since the Earth's Foundations first were laid Thro' all the Revolutions Time has made The Triumphs of th' unjust have quickly past And his vain Joys did but a moment last Tho' his bright Head above the Clouds he reers And mingles Lustre with contiguous Stars O'erturn'd and ruin'd he deserts the Skies And in the Dust dispers'd in Fragments lies Th' unrighteous perish with a swift decay Like his own Ordure cast with Scorn away Those who before his Glory did admire Now seiz'd with Wonder for his Place enquire Astonish'd they these questions oft repeat Where can we find him now where is his Seat His Fame and short-liv'd Glory disappear Like thin Illusions form'd of gawdy Air. Like wanton Dreams that in the Fancy play Or empty Phantomes that by Twilight stray The Eye that saw him ne'er shall see him more Ne'er shall his House again unfold to him her Door His Children strive t' appease the Poor in vain These of their Suff'rings publiquely complain Those to restore their Substance are compell'd Which from the Poor their griping Father held With Vice decrepit he perceives within The sad effects of his past youthful Sin His wasted Flesh and putrifying Bones Force him to utter never-ceasing moans As he to Sin did with Affection cleave So Sin too faithful him shall never leave The guilty marks of his unbridled Lust Are still his sad Companions in the Dust. Tho' Vice is by him greedily embrac't And proves most sweet and grateful to his taste Tho' the delicious Morsel with his Tongue He rolls about the Pleasure to prolong Yet the sweet Meat he swallow'd down so slow Does in his Bowels Gall and Wormwood grow It does like Poison rage along his Veins And gripes and racks him with tormenting pains What if th' Oppressor Riches has devour'd And down his Throat unmeasur'd Treasure pour'd He cannot long th' unrighteous Load retain His loathing Stomach with regret and pain Shall cast the precious Surfeit up again God shall his Belly of its Prey beguil And from his Bowels wrest the wealthy Spoil The profitable and delightful Sin Which he has suck'd with so much pleasure in Shall like a Viper gnaw and tare his Heart And wound his Entrails like a poison'd Dart. The Streams of Joy and Rivers of Delight Which he believ'd would all his toil requite Shall disappoint his hope and in their stead Amazing Floods of Sorrow shall succeed For that his Neighbours wrongs may be redrest Which he by Fraud or Violence opprest He shall refund his wicked Wealth and more Shall give what justly was his own before Tho' he may Riches gorge the painful Spoil In massy Vomit quickly will recoil The time it stays the bloated Glutton lies Distended to a vast Hydropic Size But he no Strength or Nourishment shall reap From the crude Mass and undigested heap Because the Poor despairing he has left Whom he by Rapine of his Goods bereft Because by open or by secret Guilt The Dwelling he has seiz'd another built Therefore his inward Gripes and conscious Fear With self-revenging Pains his heart shall tare Convulsive Throws and raging Agonies Shall rack his Soul and on his Bowels seize The Riches he so eagerly did crave With all his watchful Care he shall not save His Heir what Treasure he has left behind Shall ne'er enquire for none he 'll hope to find When he shall most with Power and Wealth abound With Guards encompass'd and with Empire crown'd Then suddain Mischiefs shall his Seat surround Fierce Bands of Spoilers shall his Lands invade And far away his Wealth shall be convey'd When he designs his Riches to enjoy And all his Senses with Delights to cloy A dismal storm of Wrath Divine shall rise And gath'ring Vengeance shall disturb the Skies While he is feasting free from Fear or Care The Heav'n's shall hurl down unexpected War God on his Head shall such a Tempest pour As did thy Children in their Mirth devour His Consternation and distracting Fear Shall make him fly to scape the Sword and Spear But a swift Arrow from an Iron Bow Shall overtake and strike the Rebel thro' Officious Friends to heal his wounded Veins Shall draw the bloody Weapon from his Reins Whose glitt'ring point distain'd with issuing Gall Shows certain Death attends his suddain fall He shall in raging Pangs and Horror lye Hopeless of Life and yet afraid to dye Against him God shall Storms and Plagues provide And stores of Wrath in secret places hide He his dark Caves and Magazines shall stow With chosen Vengeance and collected Woe From cleaving Clouds a fiery Tempest pour'd Like that which on the Hills thy Flocks devour'd Shall on his Substance and his House descend And to destroy the Wretch its Fury spend His Progeny if any shall remain Shall pass their dismal Days in Grief and Pain Thus Heav'n by dreadful Judgments shall reveal The Wickedness he did with Care conceal The Earth shall all her Elements unite Muster her Armies and against him Fight The Substance he has gain'd shall flow away Like rapid Torrents in that dreadful Day When God provok'd by all his Crimes shall come In Storms of Wrath th' Oppressor to consume God to th' unjust this Portion shall divide This sad Inheritance is on him ty'd He 's the right Heir with him it shall abide CH. XXI And then afflicted Iob reply'd Forbear To interrupt me thus with Patience hear And weigh my Arguments while I proceed In my Defence this I 'll accept instead Of all the Consolation which from you Is to a Friend in such Affliction due Sedately hear my Reasons out and then Reproach and mock your suff'ring Friend agen When I in bitter Anguish make my moan Do I complain of cruel Man alone I oft with Reason do and must declare That God's vindictive Arm is too severe That I the mark of all his Weapons stand While Men more guilty scape his vengeful Hand But what if I of Man alone complain Is my Complaint unjust because 't is vain Have I not reason to indulge my Grief When neither Man nor God afford Relief Consider well my sad afflicted State My unexampled Suff'rings will create Astonishment and make you hold your Peace And from reproaching me for ever cease When I reflect that Providence Divine Does on the Wicked as on Fav'rites shine That vile and irreligious Wretches cloy Their pamper'd Senses