University of Virginia Library

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AN ODE TO JEHOVAH, Immutable, Merciful and Just.

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III.

Vain Man, as soon as born, begins to dye,
And spends his Vital Stock apace,
Swift his successive Minutes fly,
Industrious soon compleat their destin'd Race.

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The Flame it self, which ling'ring Life sustains,
Preys on the mould'ring Frame, and burns the wasting Veins.
He now an Infant cries, at Manhood now,
Does grasp the Huntsman's Spear, or Warrior's Fauchion wave
'Till bow'd with Years, and sunk with Woe,
Weary he stretches in the peaceful Grave.
His Mind as num'rous Changes undergoes,
At various Times, to various Ends inclin'd;
By Turns his Tide of Passion ebbs and flows,
Impetuous as the Storm, and fickle as the Wind.

IV.

The deep Foundations of the Hills,
And the strong Pillars, which sustain the Isles,
Sap'd by Degrees, shall wear and shrink,
And let their pond'rous Superstructure sink.
The Mountains, which so high in Air ascend,
That their broad Shoulders seem to bear the Sky,
With Age at last shall stoop and bend,
And buried in the Valley lie.

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The Subterranean Roots of Marble Rocks,
Which Winds and Thunder's fiercest Shocks
In vain assail,
Eat by the surer Teeth of Time shall fail.
The Sun may from his Track depart,
May stand, or frighted backward start;
To spread his Lustre may forget,
And now delay to Rise, and now to Set.
The Crystal Spheres that roll on high,
And seem Corruption to defy,
By their own Motion shall decay,
And, like a fading Vesture, wear away,
The World shall strong Convulsions feel,
Sick Orbs shall This and That Way reel.
Exhaling Seas their ancient Caves shall leave,
And Earth's vast Ribs and Girders cleave:
Thro' the wide Chasm, the Sun shall dart his Ray,
And to th' astonish'd Center let in Day.
Fixt Balls of Light their Station shall decline,
And opening Graves their Spoils resign.

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Fragments of Planets, Sheets of Sky,
And Stars abrupt, shall huddled lie,
In these last Throws of Nature's Agony.
And Time it self, that all Things does devour,
Shall perish by its own consuming Pow'r:
This mighty Sampson once shall break
The Pillars which the World sustain,
And of all Nature dreadful Havock make,
Then buried in her Ruins shall remain.

V.

But Thou, Great King! for ever dost endure,
From all Corruption free, and from all Change secure.
Thy happy Days will never cease,
Nor Thy Perfections lessen or encrease.
Thou art without Circumference,
A Center fixt of Bliss, a Sea immense,
Which ne'er from rising Storms Disturbance knows,
Nor with successive Tydes retreats and flows.
Father of Lights, Thy Self Essential Light,
Thy Face unvaried never fades,

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Thou dost not rise by Day, or set by Night,
And never art eclips'd by interposing Shades.
Thou can'st not from Thy Purpose start,
Nor from Thy steady Rule depart.
No watchful Eye in Thee Mutation sees,
For as Thy Being, fixt are Thy Decrees.
Thou never dost, like fickle Man, repent,
Thy Words and Deeds ne'er disagree,
And when Thou'rt pleas'd to say, Thou dost relent,
The Change is made in Us, and not in Thee.

VI.

Hail Mild, Indulgent God of Love!
To Man what Pity in Thy Bowels strove,
When He, who by Thy Goodness was upheld.
Won by the great Impostor's Art,
Against Thy sacred Throne rebell'd,
And took th' Apostate Angel's Part?
Thou, by an Irreversible Decree,
Did'st not to Endless Death the Race condemn,
But that Thy Gracious Nature he might see,

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Did'st of Redemption lay the Wond'rous Scheme.
Divine Compassion such strong Efforts made,
And did with such Success perswade,
That Thou Thy only Co-Essential Son
Did'st from Thy Blissful Bosom give,
That all, who His Celestial Message own,
Might the Blest Station, which they lost, retrieve.
Thou to Thy Uncontested Heir did'st say,
Be Thou of all Created Nature Lord;
The Subject World Thy Scepter shall obey,
And Lost Mankind by Thee shall be restor'd.
Proud Princes shall dispute Thy Right in vain,
In vain against Thy Throne combine,
Defy their empty Threats, for Thou shalt reign,
And, with Applause, accomplish my Design.

VII.

Patient how long dost Thou Delinquents bear?
What Blessings undeserv'd confer?
Not willing to destroy, but to amend,
Thou would'st by gentle Methods Man reduce,

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Nor does the fatal Blow descend,
'Till Rebels proffer'd Life refuse.
Audacious Scoffers, with Infernal Pride,
Affront Thy Throne, Thy Government deride,
They mock Thy Threats, and formidable Pow'r,
Insult Religion, and despise Her Laws,
And, by their long Impunity, secure,
Provoke Thy Justice to assert Thy Cause:
Yet Thy Vindictive Lightnings thro' the Sky,
To strike the Wretches dead, refuse to fly.
Earth, with a Mother's Pity, does forbear
The proud Blasphemer to entomb,
Nor does the Pestilential Air,
With fatal Plagues, the impious Race consume.
They with Thy sleeping Thunder play,
And with Almighty Terrors sport,
Condemn as Fools those who Thy Laws obey,
And, by their Righteous Deeds, Thy Favour court.
Because Thou art not Man but God,
Thy mighty Patience can sustain so long

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So heavy and so vast a Load
Of Provocations, and repeated Wrong.
Thy Heart is tender, and Thy Nature kind;
To Acts of Grace, and not of Wrath, inclin'd,
Quick to forgive, but to Resentment slow;
Thy Vengeance is constrain'd, but willing Mercies flow.

VIII.

Beautous as Mercy's Self and Bright,
Thy spotless Justice ravishes the Sight;
Thy Laws are equal, and Thy Ways upright.
Thy High Tribunal cannot err,
Condemn the Guiltless, nor the Guilty spare.
Thou show'st to Deeds distinguishing Regard,
The Ill do'st punish, and the Good reward.
Partial awhile Thou may'st appear,
And to the Righteous Man Displeasure show,
But to the Good, tho' oft severe,
Thou do'st not Bolts of Thunder throw.
Thou do'st Thy Rod, but not Thy Sword employ,

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Chastise Thou wilt, but not destroy.
Long may'st Thou let Oppressors live,
And suffer Godless Criminals to thrive;
'Till Guilt to full Perfection grown,
Thou cutt'st the ripe Offender down:
And then Thy sudden Vengeance shall declare
Thou did'st not pardon, but the Stroke defer.

IX.

Bewilder'd now we can't Thy Ways explore,
Nor clear the Justice we adore,
In Paths perplex'd she's pleas'd to tread,
And wraps in Clouds her venerable Head:
But at the last decisive Doom,
When Men shall leave the cleaving Tomb,
And to Thy High Tribunal come;
When Thy Impartial Sentence Thou shalt give,
And all shall due Rewards receive;
When Godlike Men shall, crown'd with Glory, reign,
And Rebels groan beneath Vindictive Pain,

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Then Justice, then shall Providence Divine,
Unveil'd, in perfect Lustre shine:
Th' Eternal Scheme of Government display'd,
And all Thy secret Counsels open laid,
Shall rapt'rous Admiration raise,
And grow the Glorious Theme of Everlasting Praise.