THE Third Chapter of Habakkuk PARAPHRA S'D. An OD E. W By Mr. BR O O ME. HEN in a glorious terrible Array [his way; From lofty Paran th' Almighty took Born on a Cherub's Wings he rode, Intolerable Day proclaim'd the God; No Earthly Cloud Cou'd his Effulgent Brightness fhroud; March'd in a dreadful Pomp before, Behind a grim and meagre Train, Pining Sickness, Frantick Pain Stalk'd wildly on! with all the dismal Band Which Heav'n in Anger fends to scourge a guilty II. With Terror cloath'd he stood, And all the Rebel Nations view'd, And at his Prefence fled; And, when he spoke, [Land. [fhook. The everlasting Hills from their Foundations The trembling Mountains by a lowly Nod, And wild Confusion from his Reer. H I fee his Sword wave naked in the Air; It sheds around a baleful Ray; The Rains pour down, the Lightnings play, And on their Wings vindictive Thunder bear. III. When thro? the mighty Flood He led the wondring Crowd, What ail'd the Rivers that they backward fled, Why was the mighty Flood afraid? March'd he against the Rivers? or was he Thou mighty Flood, difpleas'd at Thee? The Deity, in all his Equipage of War; He faw him; and his Tide Congeal'd with fear forgot to glide, And stood a Crystal Wall on either fide. Arabia's Sands, Lonely, uncomfortable Lands! Where no refreshing Rain, No gentle Show'rs delight the Swain, Waving the wonder-working Wand ; He ftrikes the ftubborn Rock, and lo!! Then did the Sun his fiery Courfers ftay, The nimble-footed Minutes ceas'd to run Time hung his unexpanded Wingss And all the fecret Springs That carry on the Year! Stop'a in their full Career; Forgot her going down; And And paler grew The difmal Scene to view. How thro' the trembling Pagan Nation Th' Almighty Ruin dealt, and ghaftly Defolation. V. But oh why does th' Almighty frown, And look with Indignation down? And why, O Sion, reigns Such Defolation o'er thy Plains? Lo! how victorious Babylon Like an unruly Deluge rushes on And bears the yielding Pow'rs of Ifrael down? For thee how do I mourn, What Pangs for thee I feel; Ah! how art thou become the Pagan's Scorn, Lovely, unhappy Ifrael! A fhivering Damp invades my Heart; A trembling Horror fhoots thro' every Part. M |