From Sinai's top Jehovah gave the law-
Life for obedience-death for ev'ry flaw.

When the great Sov'reign would his will express,
He gives a perfect rule; what can he less?
And guards it with a fanction as severe

As vengeance can inflict, or finners fear:

Elfe his own glorious rights he would disclaim,
And man might fafely trifle with his name.
He bids him glow with unremitting love
To all on earth, and to himself above;
Condemns th' injurious deed, the fland'rous tongue,
The thought that meditates a brother's wrong:
Brings not alone the more confpicuous part—
His conduct-to the test, but tries his heart.
Hark! univerfal nature fhook and groan'd,
'Twas the laft trumpet-fee the Judge enthron'd;
Rouse all your courage at your utmost need;
Now fummon ev'ry virtue-ftand, and plead.

What! filent? Is your boasting heard no more?

That felf-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 hop'd, but in thy righteousness divine;
My pray'rs and alms, imperfect, and defil'd,
Were but the feeble efforts of a child;
Howe'er perform'd, it was their brightest part
That they proceeded from a grateful heart;
Cleans'd in thine own all-purifying blood,
Forgive their evil, and accept their good:
I caft them at thy feet-my only plea
Is what it was-dependence upon thee:
While ftruggling in the vale of tears below,
That never fail'd, nor fhall it fail me now.

Angelic gratulations rend the fkies:

Pride falls unpitied, never more to rife;

Humility is crown'd; and faith receives the prize,

EXPOSTULATION.

Tantane, tam patiens, nullo certamine tolli

Dona fines?

VIRG.

WHY weeps the mufe for England? What appears

In England's cafe to move the mufe to tears?
From fide to fide of her delightful isle,

Is fhe not cloth'd with a perpetual smile?
Can nature add a charm, or art confer
A new-found luxury, not feen in her?

Where under heav'n is pleasure more pursued?

Or where does cold reflection lefs intrude?

Her fields a rich expanse of wavy corn,
Pour'd out from plenty's overflowing horn;
Ambrofial gardens, in which art fupplies
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 funs, that fcorch the ruffet fpice
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 ftreets;
Her vaults below, where ev'ry vintage meets;
Her threatres, her revels, and her sports;
The scenes to which not youth alene reforts,
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 Eaft to Weft, no forrow can be found;

Or only what, in cottages confin'd,

Sighs unregarded to the paffing wind.

Then wherefore weep for England? What appears
In England's cafe to move the muse to tears?
The prophet wept for Ifrael; wifh'd his eyes
Were fountains fed with infinite fupplies:

For Ifrael dealt in robbery and wrong;

There were the scorner's and the fland'rer's tongue;
Oaths, us'd as playthings or convenient tools,
As int'reft bias'd knaves, or fashion fools;
Adult'ry, neighing at his neighbour's door;
Oppression, labouring hard to grind the poor;
The partial balance, and deceitful weight;
The treach'rous fmile, a mafk for fecret hate;
Hypocrify, formality in pray'r,

And the dull service of the lip, were there.
Her women, infolent and felf-carefs'd,

By vanity's unwearied finger drefs'd,