Sloth more indulgence still demands; Sloth shuts the eyes, and folds the hands. 4 But mark the end; want shall assail, When all your strength and vigour fail; Want, like an armed man, shall rush The hoary head of age to crush. 13 PROV. viii. 22, to the end. 1 KEEP silence, all ye sons of men, and hear with rev'rence due; Eternal Wisdom from above thus lifts her voice to you: 2 I was th' Almighty's chief delight from everlasting days, Ere yet his arm was stretched forth the heav'ns and earth to raise. 3 Before the sea began to flow, and leave the solid land, Before the hills and mountains rose, I dwelt at his right hand. 4 When first he rear'd the arch of heav'n, and spread the clouds on air, When first the fountains of the deep he open'd, I was there. 5 There I was with him, when he stretch'd his compass o'er the deep, And charg'd the ocean's swelling waves within their bounds to keep. 6 With joy I saw th', abode prepar'd which men were soon to fill: Them from the first of days I lov'd, unchang'd, I love them still. 7 Now therefore hearken to my words, ye children, and be wise: Happy the man that keeps my ways; the man that shuns them dies. 8 Where dubious paths perplex the direction I afford; [mind, Life shall be his that follows me, and favour from the Lord. 9 But he who scorns my sacred laws shall deeply wound his heart, He courts destruction who contemns the counsel I impart. 2 Better to weep with those who weep, and share th' afflicted's smart, Than mix with fools in giddy joys that cheat and wound the heart. 3 When virtuous sorrow clouds the face, and tears bedim the eye, The soul is led to solemn thought, 4 The wise in heart revisit oft 5 The noisy laughter of the fool is like the crackling sound Of blazing thorns, which quickly fall in ashes to the ground. 15 ECCLES. ix. 4, 5, 6, 10. 1 As long as life its term extends, 3 The living know that they must die; But all the dead forgotten lie: Their mem❜ry and their name is gone, 5 Then what thy thoughts design to do, 6 1 RULERS of Sodom! hear the voice of heav'n's eternal Lord; Men of Gomorrah! bend your ear submissive to his word. 2 'Tis thus he speaks: To what intent are your oblations vain? Why load my altars with your gifts, polluted and profane? 3 Burnt off'rings long may blaze to and incense cloud the skies; [heav'n, The worship and the worshipper are hateful in my eyes. 4 Your rites, your fasts, your pray❜rs, I and pomp of solemn days: [scorn, I know your hearts are full of guile, and crooked are your ways. 5 But cleanse your hands, ye guilty race, and cease from deeds of sin; Learn in your actions to be just, and pure in heart within. 6 Mock not my name with honours vain, but keep my holy laws; Do justice to the friendless poor, and plead the widow's cause. 7 Then though your guilty souls are with sins of crimson die, [stain'd Yet, through my grace, with snow in whiteness they shall vie. [itself 4 Among the nations he shall judge; his judgments truth shall guide; His sceptre shall protect the just, and quell the sinner's pride. 5 No strife shall rage, nor hostile feuds disturb those peaceful years; To ploughshares men shall beat their swords, to pruning hooks their spears. 6 No longer hosts encount'ring hosts shall crowds of slain deplore: They hang the trumpet in the hall, and study war no more. 7 Come then, O house of Jacob! come to worship at his shrine; And, walking in the light of God, with holy beauties shine. 19 1 ISAIAH ix. 2-8. THE race that long in darkness pin'd have seen a glorious light; The people dwell in day, who dwelt in death's surrounding night. 2 To hail thy rise, thou better Sun! the gath'ring nations come, Joyous, as when the reapers bear the harvest treasures home. 3 For thou our burden hast remov'd, and quell'd th' oppressor's sway, Quick as the slaughter'd squadrons fell in Midian's evil day. 4 To us a Child of hope is born; Him shall the tribes of earth obey, 5 His name shall be the Prince of Peace, for evermore ador'd, The Wonderful, the Counsellor, the great and mighty Lord. 6 His pow'r increasing still shall spread, his reign no end shall know; Justice shall guard his throne above, and peace abound below. 5 Trust in the Lord, for ever trust, and banish all your fears; Strength in the Lord JEHOVAH eternal as his years. [dwells 6 What though the wicked dwell on high, his arm shall bring them low; Low as the caverns of the grave their lofty heads shall bow. 7 Along the dust shall then be spread their tow'rs, that brave the skies: On them the needy's feet shall tread, and on their ruins rise. 21 ISAIAH XXXiii. 13-18. 1 ATTEND, ye tribes that dwell remote, ye tribes at hand, give ear; Th' upright in heart alone have hope, the false in heart have fear. [truth, 2 The man who walks with God in and ev'ry guile disdains; Who hates to lift oppression's rod, and scorns its shameful gains; 3 Whose soul abhors the impious bribe that tempts from truth to stray, And from th' enticing snares of vice who turns his eyes away: 4 His dwelling, 'midst the strength of shall ever stand secure; [rocks, His Father will provide his bread, his water shall be sure. 5 For him the kingdom of the just afar doth glorious shine; And he the King of kings shall see in majesty divine. 2 Hast thou not known, hast thou not that firm remains on high [heard, The everlasting throne of Him who form'd the earth and sky? 3 Art thou afraid his pow'r shall fail when comes thy evil day? And can an all-creating arm grow weary or decay? 4 Supreme in wisdom as in pow'r the Rock of ages stands; Though him thou canst not see, nor the working of his hands. [trace 5 He gives the conquest to the weak, supports the fainting heart; And courage in the evil hour his heav'nly aids impart. 6 Mere human pow'r shall fast decay, and youthful vigour cease; But they who wait upon the Lord, in strength shall still increase. 7 They with unweary'd feet shall tread the path of life divine; With growing ardour onward move, with growing brightness shine. 8 On eagles' wings they mount, they their wings are faith and love, [soar, Till, past the cloudy regions here, they rise to heav'n above. 1 BEHOLD my Servant! see him rise Him have I chosen, and in him 2 On him, in rich effusion pour'd, my Spirit shall descend; My truths and judgments he shall to earth's remotest end. [show 3 Gentle and still shall be his voice, no threats from him proceed; The smoking flax he shall not quench, nor break the bruised reed. 4 The feeble spark to flames he 'll raise; the weak will not despise; Judgment he shall bring forth to and make the fallen rise. [truth, 5 The progress of his zeal and pow'r 6 He who erected heav'n's bright arch, and bade the planets roll, Who peopled all the climes of earth, and form'd the human soul, 7 Thus saith the Lord, Thee have I my Prophet thee install; [rais'd, In right I've rais'd thee, and in I'll succour whom I call. [strength 8 I will establish with the lands a covenant in thee, To give the Gentile nations light, 9 Asunder burst the gates of brass; 10 I am the Lord, and by the name 11 Lo! former scenes, predicted once, conspicuous rise to view; And future scenes, predicted now, shall be accomplish'd too. 12 Sing to the Lord in joyful strains! let earth his praise resound, Ye who upon the ocean dwell, and fill the isles around! 13 O city of the Lord! begin the universal song; And let the scatter'd villages the cheerful notes prolong. 14 Let Kedar's wilderness afar lift up its lonely voice; And let the tenants of the rock 15 Till 'midst the streams of distant lands the islands sound his praise; And all combin'd, with one accord, JEHOVAH's glories raise. 1 How few receive with cordial faith the tidings which we bring? How few have seen the arm reveal'd of heav'n's eternal King? 2 The Saviour comes! no outward pomp bespeaks his presence nigh; No earthly beauty shines in him 3 Fair as a beauteous tender flow'r Grief was his close companion still 5 Yet all the griefs he felt were ours, ours were the woes he bore: Pangs, not his own, his spotless soul with bitter anguish tore. 6 We held him as condemn'd by Heav'n, an outcast from his God, While for our sins he groan'd, he bled, beneath his Father's rod. 7 His sacred blood hath wash'd our from sin's polluted stain; [souls His stripes have healed us, and his reviv'd our souls again. [death 8 We all, like sheep, had gone astray in ruin's fatal road: On him were our transgressions laid; he bore the mighty load. 9 Wrong'd and oppress'd, how meekly in patient silence stood! [he Mute, as the peaceful harmless lamb, when brought to shed its blood. 10 Who can his generation tell? from prison see him led! With impious shew of law condemn'd, and number'd with the dead. 11 'Midst sinners low in dust he lay; the rich a grave supply'd: Unspotted was his blameless life; unstain'd by sin he died. 12 Yet God shall raise his head on high, though thus he brought him low; His sacred off'ring, when complete, shall terminate his woe. 13 For, saith the Lord, my pleasure then shall prosper in his hand; His shall a num'rous offspring be, and still his honours stand. 14 His soul, rejoicing, shall behold the purchase of his pain; And all the guilty whom he sav'd shall bless Messiah's reign. 6 See! nations hasten to his call from ev'ry distant shore; Isles, yet unknown, shall bow to him, and Isr'el's God adore. 7 Seek ye the Lord while yet his ear is open to your call; While offer'd mercy still is near, before his footstool fall. 8 Let sinners quit their evil ways, their evil thoughts forego: And God, when they to him return, returning grace will show. 9 He pardons with o'erflowing love: for, hear the voice divine! My nature is not like to yours, nor like your ways are mine: 10 But far as heav'n's resplendent orbs beyond earth's spot extend, As far my thoughts, as far my ways, your ways and thoughts transcend. 11 And as the rains from heav'n distil, nor thither mount again, 12 But swell the earth with fruitful and all its tribes sustain : [juice, So not a word that flows from me shall ineffectual fall; But universal nature prove obedient to my call. 13 With joy and peace shall then be led the glad converted lands; The lofty mountains then shall sing, the forests clap their hands. 14 Where briers grew'midst barrenwilds, shall firs and myrtles spring; And nature, through its utmost eternal praises sing. [bounds, 27 ISAIAH lvii. 15, 16. 1 THUS speaks the high and lofty One: ye tribes of earth, give ear; The words of your Almighty King with sacred rev'rence hear: 2 Amidst the majesty of heav'n my throne is fix'd on high; And through eternity I hear the praises of the sky: 3 Yet, looking down, I visit oft the humble hallow'd cell; And with the penitent who mourn 'tis my delight to dwell; 4 The downcast spirit to revive, the sad in soul to cheer; |