And tho' the mountains like a leaf should shake, 55 With the wild swelling that the sea doth make, Yet as he knows himself of Heav'n approv'd, He would e'en then be fearless and unmov'd. No dupe he is, though fraught with boundless love, As serpents wise, though harmless as the dove; 60 Firm, but not furious, without dazzling, clear; Meek, but not mean; and humble, without fear. His are the comforts of the temp'rate mind, Where meekness dwells with chastity refin'd. How sweeter than mad anger's headlong gust, 65 Its fierce convulsions, or the pangs of lust! But if thou think'st that happiness can lye, In the gross pleasures of a sensual sty; In sense, go wallow, as in mud the swine, Immerge in sloth, lust, gluttony, and wine; The pure ethereal soul with these pollute, And o'er insulted man exalt the brute. Yet soon, to seek 'tis base thou shalt confess, 70 75 In sensuality for happiness: Which brutes themselves with truer pleasures know. Nor does the Gospel, churlishly severe, eyes Yet where of mirth resounds the lively voice, The christian knows no impious discontent, Should be imagin'd at whate'er event, 80 85 90 95 Comes in this transient mutable abode, If he has riches he should make them prove, If he is full of sicknesses and poor, He should be happy that he has no more; Should think, like Lazarus, that he shall know, And surely where this recompense is giv'n, 100 105 110 We should not, niggard call, but lib'ral, Heav'n. Line come up 10. 4. 102. "Thy prayers and thine alms are for a memorial before the Throne." Acts, He also knows in prophecies of old, The oracles of truth, it is foretold, That subtle and tyrannic pow'rs should rise, Should prosper, casting mighty monarchs down, 114 That for twelve hundred grief-ful years and more, He knows his various passions to controul He thinks of those distresses which before, 121 125 Line 128 &c. There are some who imagine that Christianity enjoins us, like my lady's gentlewoman, only He chiefly knows of anger to beware, For that to hell, like treach'rous wealth, is near, And if thy foe is with resentment fierce, only to say and do soft things. They are mistaken. It enjoins us in the defence of truth, to be intrepid as lions. Our Saviour satirizes the Scribes and Pharisees in the most nervous and emphatical language:" Ye Serpents! Ye generation of Vipers! How can ye escape the damnation of hell?" Matthew, xxiii. 33. And he says to his Disciples, "Be not afraid of them which kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do, but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell.” Luke, xii; 4, 5. And St. Paul says (meaning from the example of our Saviour to recommend it) "Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin." Hebrews, xii. 4. We may observe, therefore, with truth, there is no observation more unjust than that of the profligate Machiavel, who says Religion depresses the mind and discourages us from daring and noble pursuits. On the contrary, when rightly understood, it excites to the greatest and most hazardous undertakings, provided they tend to the honor of God, or benefit of mankind. |