Prefs'd with a greater than feign'd Atlas' load It bow'd, and fhook beneath the burden of a God. Freth horrors feize the camp; defpair, And dying groans, torment the air, And shrieks, and fwoons, and deaths were there: The bellowing thunder, and the lightning's blaze Spread through the host a wild amaze; Darkness on every foul, and pale was every Confus'd and difmal were the cries, face Silence, and deep attention, through the Hebrew bands. Hark! from the centre of the flame, All arm'd and feather'd with the fame, A flight of cherubs guard the words along, "I am the Lord: 'Tis I proclaim "That glorious and that fearful name, Thy God and King: 'Twas I, that broke “Thy bondage, and th' Egyptian yoke; "Mine is the right to speak my will, “And thine the duty to fulfil. “Adore no God befide Me, to provoke mine eyes: "Nor worship Me in shapes and forms that men devife; "With reverence ufe my name, nor turn my words to jeft; "Obferve my fabbath well, nor dare prophane my rest; "Honour and due obedience to thy parents give; "Nor fpill the guiltless blood, nor let the guilty live : "Preferve thy body chaste, and flee th' unlawful bed ; "Nor fteal thy neighbour's gold, his garment, or his "bread; Forbear to blaft his name with falfehood, or deceit ; "Nor let thy wishes loose upon his large estate." Remember your CREATOR, &c. Ecclef. xii. CHILDREN, to your Creator, God, Your early honours pay, While vanity and youthful blood The memory of his mighty name, Be wife, and make his favour fure, When youth and mirth are known no more, No more the bleffings of a feast Shall relish on the tongue, The heavy ear forgets the tafte And pleasure of a fong. Old Old age, with all her difmal train, Invades your golden years With fighs and groans, and raging pain, What will ye do when light departs, And leaves your withering eyes, Without one beam to chear your hearts, From the fuperior skies? How will you meet God's frowning brow, While nature's old fupporters bow, The filver bands of nature burst, The flesh goes down to mix with duft, Laden with guilt, (a heavy load) Uncleans'd and unforgiven, The foul returns t' an angry God, Sun, Sun, Moon, and Stars, praife ye the Lo R D. FAIREST of all the lights above, Thou fun, whofe beams adorn the spheres, And with unweary'd swiftness move, To form the circles of our years; Praife the Creator of the fkies, That drefs'd thine orb in golden rays; Or may the fun forget to rife, Thou reigning beauty of the night, Arife, and to that Sovereign Power Ye twinkling ftars, who gild the skies Proclaim the glories of your Lord, So rich a pavement for his feet. Thou Thou heaven of heavens, fupremely bright, Fair palace of the court divine, Where, with inimitable light, The Godhead condefcends to fhine; Praife thou thy great Inhabitant, O God of Glory, God of Love, THE WELCOME MESSENGER. LORD, when we fee a faint of thine With longing eyes, and looks divine, How we could ev'n contend to lay Our limbs upon that bed! We ask thine envoy to convey Our fouls are rifing on the wing, To venture in his place; For when grim death has lost his sting, He has an angel's face. Jefus, |