 | Poems on several subjects |  |
IV. Autumn, or Harvest.
Trees, herbs and flowers now cease their annual growth,
And frugal farmers shake themselves of sloth,
Call in the aid of lab'ring nymphs and swains,
To reap the yellow harvest from the plains.
The sickle cuts down high and low; and all
With equal fate, are in the sheaves let fall.
The best reserved for the next year's seed;
The worst for food; for so it is decreed.
It must be ground, eat, and cast out in dung;
So is the fate of all, both old and young.
God, as a farmer, calls his servant Death,
Who, with his sickle, cuts all mankind's breath.
The best reserv'd for the next world's good,
With all the blessings of God's Spirit endu'd.
The worst are left for's wrath to feed upon,
In endless flames and misery to groan.
And frugal farmers shake themselves of sloth,
Call in the aid of lab'ring nymphs and swains,
To reap the yellow harvest from the plains.
The sickle cuts down high and low; and all
With equal fate, are in the sheaves let fall.
The best reserved for the next year's seed;
The worst for food; for so it is decreed.
It must be ground, eat, and cast out in dung;
So is the fate of all, both old and young.
God, as a farmer, calls his servant Death,
Who, with his sickle, cuts all mankind's breath.
The best reserv'd for the next world's good,
With all the blessings of God's Spirit endu'd.
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In endless flames and misery to groan.
Thus calls aloud the wheeling year to man,
As I have sung. We may by Winter scan
Our infancy, wherein we can do nought
But mourn in guilt we from our parents brought.
As I have sung. We may by Winter scan
Our infancy, wherein we can do nought
But mourn in guilt we from our parents brought.
The Spring doth shew our growing youth, where vice,
With Nature's depravation, doth entice
To sin in action 'gainst our God, that gave us
Our beings first, and means of grace to save us.
With Nature's depravation, doth entice
To sin in action 'gainst our God, that gave us
Our beings first, and means of grace to save us.
The Summer shews our manhood and our strength;
And Harvest death, that cuts us off at length.
And Harvest death, that cuts us off at length.
Sure, after death, we must in judgment stand,
Either on Christ's right, or on his left hand,
There to receive a sentence of duration
Beyond conception, far beyond expression.
If on his right-hand, we'll to heaven go,
Where we'll be free of sorrow, grief and woe.
Yea, that mount Zion, city of our God,
Shall be our lasting and our blest abode;
That holy place, ev'n new Jerusalem,
Where we shall shine each as a seraphim.
Either on Christ's right, or on his left hand,
There to receive a sentence of duration
Beyond conception, far beyond expression.
If on his right-hand, we'll to heaven go,
Where we'll be free of sorrow, grief and woe.
Yea, that mount Zion, city of our God,
Shall be our lasting and our blest abode;
That holy place, ev'n new Jerusalem,
Where we shall shine each as a seraphim.
If on his left hand, hell must be our lot,
Tormented with a worm that dieth not.
Tormented with a worm that dieth not.
As seamen shun the dang'rous rocks and shelves,
God grant us faith in Christ to save ourselves.
In Infancy our Winter, Spring of youth,
Guide us and ours, Lord, in the ways of truth.
And in the Summer of our nat'ral days,
Lord stablish, strengthen, settle all our ways.
And, in our Autumn, fit us all for death,
That, in thy favour, we may yield our breath.
God grant us faith in Christ to save ourselves.
In Infancy our Winter, Spring of youth,
Guide us and ours, Lord, in the ways of truth.
And in the Summer of our nat'ral days,
Lord stablish, strengthen, settle all our ways.
And, in our Autumn, fit us all for death,
That, in thy favour, we may yield our breath.
| Poems on several subjects | |