 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
235
The ORIGIN of a METHODIST.
A Song, set to a very melancholy Tune.
A madman, knave, and motley fool,
Downward once took their way;
To Satan brought, he ey'd 'em cool,
And thus was heard to say.—
Downward once took their way;
To Satan brought, he ey'd 'em cool,
And thus was heard to say.—
“A thought just strikes my royal pate,
“That these Three blended well,
“Wou'd make a Fiend as truly great
“As any Fiend in Hell.”
“That these Three blended well,
“Wou'd make a Fiend as truly great
“As any Fiend in Hell.”
He fang'd 'em up with eager speed,
He blended, 'em in haste,
Just as a pastry cook wou'd knead
A parcel of puff-paste.
He blended, 'em in haste,
Just as a pastry cook wou'd knead
A parcel of puff-paste.
Of Zealot Pride he added store,
To make the mass ferment;
Of dark Hypocrisy yet more,
And Temper Violent.
To make the mass ferment;
Of dark Hypocrisy yet more,
And Temper Violent.
When finish'd—on his face a gloom
He stamp'd, with black Despair;
Sure mark which Fiends—such is their doom,
Must ever—ever wear.
He stamp'd, with black Despair;
Sure mark which Fiends—such is their doom,
Must ever—ever wear.
“Hence, hence, (cries Satan) hence to Earth,
“With winged vengeance fly,
“Sworn foe to chearfulness and mirth,
“Reason and Truth defy.
“With winged vengeance fly,
“Sworn foe to chearfulness and mirth,
“Reason and Truth defy.
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“Let Fear the hellish agent prove
“To awe the vulgar crew;
“And paint the pow'r that rules above,
“In my infernal hue.
“To awe the vulgar crew;
“And paint the pow'r that rules above,
“In my infernal hue.
“The sheep's Obstetrix first proclaim,
“Yourself, to aid New Birth;
“Then blind, and by the nose lead tame,
“Those chosen sheep on earth.
“Yourself, to aid New Birth;
“Then blind, and by the nose lead tame,
“Those chosen sheep on earth.
“Tell 'em, for You that Heaven keeps
“His boundless vast domain;
“And all his other children steeps
“In everlasting pain.
“His boundless vast domain;
“And all his other children steeps
“In everlasting pain.
“Their hides fleece well, and grunt and groan,
“As your poor soul were sick;
“And give all Worship but your own,
“A Present to Old Nick
“As your poor soul were sick;
“And give all Worship but your own,
“A Present to Old Nick
“Against good Works, Hell's dreaded bane,
“Faith's zealot battery play;
“Good Works destroy'd, we soon shall reign,
“And all mankind obey.
“Faith's zealot battery play;
“Good Works destroy'd, we soon shall reign,
“And all mankind obey.
“By Melancholy's road allure
“To Suicide, mankind;
“For few the torments can endure
“Of a despairing mind.
“To Suicide, mankind;
“For few the torments can endure
“Of a despairing mind.
“Against the Stage, our greatest foe,
“With noise unceasing bawl;
“For 'tis as sure as Hell's below,
“Or that, or we must fall.
“With noise unceasing bawl;
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“Or that, or we must fall.
“Veil'd in Religion's Mask—aloud
“Preach Hell and endless pain;
“And when you've poison'd all the crowd,
“Return to Hell again.”
“Preach Hell and endless pain;
“And when you've poison'd all the crowd,
“Return to Hell again.”
So said—Old Nick with horrid grin,
His Janus-darling kist;
Dubb'd him—Ambassador from Sin,
And hail'd him—Methodist.
His Janus-darling kist;
Dubb'd him—Ambassador from Sin,
And hail'd him—Methodist.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |