Grant her indebted to what zealots call Grace undeserved, yet surely not for all--- Some beams of rectitude she yet displays, Some love of virtue, and some power to praise; Can lift herself above corporeal things, And, soaring on her own unborrow'd wings, Possess herself of all that's good or true, Assert the skies, and vindicate her due. Past indiscretion is a venial crime,
And if the youth, unmellow'd yet by time, Bore on his branch, luxuriant then and rude, Fruits of a blighted size, austere and crude, Maturer years shall happier stores produce, And meliorate the well concocted juice. Then, conscious of her meritorious zeal, To Justice she may make her bold appeal, And leave to Mercy, with a tranquil mind, The worthless and unfruitful of mankind. Hear then how Mercy, slighted and defied, Retorts the' affront against the crown of Pride. Perish the virtue, as it ought, abhorr'd, And the fool with it, who insults his Lord. The' atonement, a Redeemer's love has wrought, Is not for you the righteous need it not. Seest thou yon harlot wooing all she meets, The worn-out nuisance of the public streets, Herself from morn to night, from night to morn, Her own abhorrence, and as much your scorn; The gracious shower, unlimited and free, Shall fall on her, when Heaven denies it thee. Of all that wisdom dictates this the drift, That man is dead in sin, and life a gift.
Is virtue then, unless of Christian growth, Mere fallacy, or foolishness, or both? Ten thousand sages lost in endless woe, For ignorance of what they could not know? That speech betrays at once a bigot's tongue, Charge not a God with such outrageous wrong.
Truly not I-the partial light men have,
My creed persuades me, well employ'd may save; While he that scorns the noonday beam, perverse, Shall find the blessing unimproved a curse. Let heathen worthies, whose exalted mind Left sensuality and dross behind, Possess for me their undisputed lot, And take unenvied the reward they sought; But still in virtue of a Saviour's plea,
Not blind by choice, but destined not to see. Their fortitude and wisdom were a flame Celestial, though they knew not whence it came, Derived from the same source of light and grace, That guides the Christian in his swifter race; Their judge was Conscience, and her rule their law, That rule, pursued with reverence and with awe, Led them, however faltering, faint, and slow, From what they knew, to what they wish'd to know. But let not him that shares a brighter day, Traduce the splendour of a noontide ray, Prefer the twilight of a darker time,
And deem his base stupidity no crime;
The wretch, who slights the bounties of the skies, And sinks, while favour'd with the means to rise, Shall find them rated at their full amount, The good he scorn'd all carried to account. Marshaling all his terrors as he came, Thunder, and earthquake, and devouring flame, From Sinai's top Jehovah gave the law, Life for obedience, death for every flaw. When the great Sovereign would his will express, He gives a perfect rule; what can he less? And guards it with a sanction as severe As vengeance can inflict, or sinners fear: Else his own glorious rights he would disclaim, And man might safely trifle with his name. He bids him glow with unremitting love To all on earth, and to himself above;
Condemns the' injurious deed, the slanderous tongue, The thought that meditates a brother's wrong: Brings not alone the more conspicuous part, His conduct, to the test, but tries his heart.
Hark! universal Nature shook and groan'd; 'Twas the last trumpet-see the Judge enthroned! Rouse all your courage at your utmost need, Now summon every virtue, stand and plead. What! silent? Is your boasting heard no more? That self-renouncing wisdom, learn'd before, Had shed immortal glories on your brow, That all your virtues cannot purchase now. All joy to the believer! he can speak- Trembling yet happy, confident yet meek. Since the dear hour, that brought me to thy foot, And cut up all my follies by the root,
I never trusted in an arm but thine, Nor hoped but in thy righteousness divine: My prayers and alms, imperfect and defiled, Were but the feeble efforts of a child; Howe'er perform'd, it was their brightest part, That they proceeded from a grateful heart; Cleansed in thine own all-purifying blood, Forgive their evil, and accept their good; I cast them at thy feet-my only plea Is what it was, dependance upon thee; While struggling in the vale of tears below, That never fail'd, nor shall it fail me now. Angelic gratulations rend the skies, Pride falls unpitied, never more to rise, Humility is crown'd, and Faith receives the prize.
Tantane tam patiens, nullo certamine tolli
WHY weeps the Muse for England? What appears In England's case, to move the Muse to tears? From side to side of her delightful isle
Is she not clothed with a perpetual smile? Can Nature add a charm, or art confer A new-found luxury not seen in her? Where under Heaven is pleasure more pursued? Or where does cold reflection less intrude? Her fields a rich expanse of wavy corn, Pour'd out from Plenty's overflowing horn; Ambrosial gardens in which Art supplies The fervour and the force of Indian skies; Her peaceful shores, where busy Commerce waits, To pour his golden tide through all her gates; Whom fiery suns, that scorch the russet spice Of eastern groves, and oceans floor'd with ice, Forbid in vain to push his daring way To darker climes, or climes of brighter day; Whom the winds waft where'er the billows roll, From the world's girdle to the frozen pole; The chariots bounding in her wheel-worn streets; Her vaults below, where every vintage meets; Her theatres, her revels, and her sports; The scenes to which not youth alone resorts, But age, in spite of weakness and of pain, Still haunts, in hope to dream of youth again;
All speak her happy: let the Muse look `round From East to West, no sorrow can be found: Or only what, in cottages confined,
Sighs unregarded to the passing wind.
Then wherefore weep for England? What appears In England's case, to move the Muse to tears? The prophet wept for Israel; wish'd his eyes Were fountains fed with infinite supplies: For Israel dwelt in robbery and wrong:
There were the scorner's and the slanderer's tongue; Oaths, used as playthings or convenient tools, As interest bias'd knaves, or fashion fools; Adultery, neighing at his neighbour's door; Oppression, labouring hard to grind the poor; The partial balance, and deceitful weight; The treacherous smile, a mask for secret hate; Hypocrisy, formality in prayer,
And the dull service of the lip were there. Her women, insolent and self-caress'd, By Vanity's unwearied finger dress'd, Forgot the blush that virgin fears impart To modest cheeks, and borrow'd one from art; Were just such trifles, without worth or use, As silly pride and idleness produce;
Curl'd, scented, furbelow'd, and flounced around, With feet too delicate to touch the ground, They stretch'd the neck, and roll'd the wanton eye, And sigh'd for every fool that flatter'd by. He saw his people slaves to every last, Lewd, avaricious, arrogant, unjust; He heard the wheels of an avenging God Groan heavily along the distant road: Saw Babylon set wide her two-leaved brass, To let the military deluge pass;
Jerusalem a prey, her glory soil'd,
Her princes captive, and her treasures spoil'd; Wept till all Israel heard his bitter cry,
Stamp'd with his foot, and smote upon his thigh;
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