Poems on Several Occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

I said, when vig'rous Health was flown,
And God the Sentence gave,
My Life descends to Darkness down,
The Portals of the Grave:
Stopp'd th' unfinish'd Course appears,
Lost my Residue of Years.

II

Ne'er shall again my living Eye
See the Majesty on high;
In his Courts, as heretofore,
Behold the Face of God no more;
View his glorious Cloud divine
O'er the Ark and Cherubs shine.

328

III

To Earth's Inhabitants adieu,
And Converse of the Sons of Men:
Here close my troubled Days and few,
Nor Mark remains that I have been.
The Shepherd Swain, as shifts the Wind,
Removes his Tent, no Footsteps Trace we find,
The transitory Shade has left no Print behind.

I

E'er half the Age of Man complete,
I find an early Doom,
Cut like a Web, imperfect yet,
In Anger from the Loom:
Pining Sickness ends my Days,
God commands, and Death obeys.

II

In Shade of Night and Death I lye,
Counting Minutes as they fly,
Ling'ring fly with slow Delay,
As doubtful to renew the Day.
Nature glad the Morn shall see
Rise, but never rise to Me.

III

Before the Stars their Sway resign,
My Life enfeebled must depart;
For, Oh! this instant Wrath Divine
In sunder rends my bleeding Heart:

329

My Spirit leaves the mangled Clay,
My Bones all broke the 'Venger's Might display:
So the fierce Lion tears his unresisting Prey.

I

Yet unexpected Dawn arose,
And shed a cheerless Light;
Which still my boding Fears suppose
Would set in deadly Night,
E'er returning Ev'ning Shade
Timely Rest to Man convey'd.

II

The Crane deserted and alone,
Pours a melancholy Moan;
Flitting low in wintry Skies,
The solitary Swallow flies;
Murm'ring through the lonely Grove,
Sadly cooes the widow'd Dove.

III

Mine Eyes with looking upward fail,
With vain Expectance of Relief;
Thy Pow'r, O Lord, can yet avail,
Can heal the most obdurate Grief.
Prostrate to Dust my Soul is bent,
Nor Death nor Hell thy Purpose can prevent,
All Impotence am I, but Thou Omnipotent.

330

I

Alas! 'tis He demands my Tears,
'Tis He directs the Blow;
Whence grov'ling droop my tedious Years
In Hopelessness of Woe?
He, whose World-creating Call
Spoke forth Nothing into All.

II

O Lord, Thy pow'rful Words bestow
Life on mortal Man below;
Spirit, from Corruption free,
Exists dependantly on Thee:
Thy Commands, that all controll,
Speak Recov'ry to my Soul.

III

For Peace my Bitterness was great,
Yet Love Thou deignest to display;
My Life deliv'ring from the Pit,
That turns our Earth to common Clay:
Thy Mercy hears my plaintive Cries,
My past Misdeeds no more in Judgment rise,
And all my num'rous Sins are vanish'd from Thine Eyes.

I

No Tongue thy Glory, Lord, displays
In Death's eternal Gloom;
But Dark Oblivion all must raze
Inhabiting the Tomb:
There no Place for Song remains
Speechless Silence ever reigns.

331

II

Thy Truth have living Saints receiv'd,
There unheard and unbeliev'd;
Thither Hope can ne'er descend,
For Life and Hope together end.
After Death no Heirs we have,
All are childless in the Grave.

III

The Living shall thy Mercy sing,
The Living chant their joyous Lays;
The Father with the Son shall bring
The joint Thank-Offering of their Praise;
As I to-day: This let my Son,
And each succeeding Heir of David's Crown,
Transmit with scepter'd Rule hereditary down.

I

The God of David, Nature's Lord,
Attentive heard my Pray'r;
Jehovah, gracious by his Word,
Did raise me from Despair:
Now my Terrors all are o'er,
Death is dreadful now no more.

II

Therefore, my Soul, aloud proclaim
Praise to th' Everlasting Name;
Tell in sacred Hymns my Joy,
And ev'ry Instrument employ;
Lead the vocal Quire to sing,
Wake to Harmony the String.

332

III

Within his Temple's hallow'd Gate,
My God incessant I'll adore,
Those happy Courts divine, which late
I thought alive to see no more.
As Incense there my Voice I'll raise,
In grateful Anthems spend my added Days,
And yield my lengthen'd Life a Sacrifice of Praise.