Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

To praise him is to ferve him, and fulfil,
Doing and fuff'ring, his unqueftion'd will;
'Tis to believe what men infpir'd of old,
Faithful, and faithfully inform'd, unfold;
Candid and juft, with no false aim in view,
To take for truth what cannot but be true;
To learn in God's own fchool the Chriftian part,
And bind the task affign'd thee to thine heart:
Happy the man there feeking and there found,
Happy the nation where fuch men abound!

How fhall a verfe imprefs thee? by what name
Shall I adjure thee not to court thy fhame?
By their's whose bright example, unimpeach'd,
Directs thee to that eminence they reach'd-
Heroes and worthies of days paft, thy fires?
Or his, who touch'd their hearts with hallow'd fires?
Their names, alas! in vain reproach an age,
Whom all the vanities they fcorn'd engage;
And his, that feraphs tremble at, is hung

Disgracefully on ev'ry trifier's tongue,

Or ferves the champion in forensic war
To flourish and parade with at the bar.
Pleasure herself, perhaps, fuggefts a plea,
If int'reft move thee, to pursuade ev'n thee.
By ev'ry charm that fmiles upon her face,
By joys poffefs'd, and joys ftill held in chafe,
If dear fociety be worth a thought,

And if the feast of freedom cloy thee not,
Reflect that these, and all that seems thine own,
Held by the tenure of his will alone,

Like angels in the fervice of their Lord,

Remain with thee, or leave thee at his word;

That gratitude and temp'rance in our use
Of what he gives, unfparing and profuse,
Secure the favour, and enhance the joy,
That thankless wafte and wild abuse destroy.

But, above all, reflect-how cheap foe'er
Those rights that millions envy thee appear,
And, though refolv'd to risk them, and fwin down

The tide of pleasure, heedlefs of his frown

That bleffings truly facred, and when giv'n

Mark'd with the fignature and ftamp of heav'n,
The word of prophefy, those truths divine
Which make that heav'n if thou defire it thine,
(Awful alternative! believ'd, belov'd,
'Thy glory; and thy fhame, if unimprov'd)
Are never long vouchfaf'd, if pufh'd afide
With cold disgust or philofophic pride;
And that, judicially withdrawn, difgrace,
Error, and darkness, occupy their place.

A world is

up in

arms, and thou, a spot Not quickly found if negligently fought, Thy foul as ample as thy bounds are small, Endur'ft the brunt, and dar'ft defy them all: And wilt thou join to this bold enterprize A bolder ftill, a conteft with the fkies? Remember, if he guard thee and secure, Whoe'er affails thee, thy fuccefs is fure; But, if he leave thee, though the skill and pow'r

Of nations, fworn to spoil thee and devour,

Were all collected in thy fingle arm,

And thou couldst laugh away the fear of arm,

That strength would fail, oppos'd against the push.. And feeble onset of a pigmy rush.

Say not (and, if the thought of fuch defence
Should spring within thy bofom, drive it thence)
What nation amongst all my foes is free

From crimes as base as any charg'd on me?
Their measure fill'd, they too fhall pay the debt
Which God, though long forborn, will not forget.
But know that wrath divine, when most severe,
Makes juftice still the guide of his career,
And will not punish, in one mingled crowd,
Them without light, and thee without a cloud.

Mufe, hang this harp upon yon aged beech,
Still murm'ring with the folemn truths I teach
And, while, at intervals, a cold blast sings

Through the dry leaves, and pants upon the ftrings, My foul fhall figh in fecret, and lament

A nation fcourg'd, yet tardy to repent.

I know the warning fong is fung in vain;

That few will hear, and fewer heed the strain:
But, if a sweeter voice, and one defign'd

A bleffing to my country and mankind,

Reclaim the wand'ring thousands, and bring home
A flock, fo fcatter'd and fo wont to roam,
Then place it once again between my knees;
The found of truth will then be sure to please:

And truth alone, where'er my life be caft,
In scenes of plenty or the pining waste,

Shall be my chofen theme, my glory to the last.

« ForrigeFortsett »