Adoring thrones in order fell; The leffer powers at diftance dwell, And caft their glories down fucceffive at his feet "Lift up your heads, Eternal doors," he cries; Open, and shoot celestial day Upon the lower skies. Heaven's mighty pillars bow'd their head, As their Creator bid, : And down Jehovah rode from the superior sphere, The wheels beset with burning gems; His radiant eyes proclaim'd the God, He breath'd, and fulphur ran, a fiery stream: He spoke, and (though with unknown speed he came) Chid the flow tempeft, and the lagging flame. Sinai receiv'd his glorious flight, With axle red, and glowing wheel, F 3 Did Did the winged chariot light, And rifing finoke obfcur'd the burning hill. Lo, the gloomy pride out-braves The pyramids to heaven aspire, And mix with stars, but fee their gloomy offspring higher. So have you feen ungrateful ivy grow Round the tall oak that fix fcore years has stood, And proudly shoot a leaf or two Above its kind fupporters utmost bough, And glory there to ftand the loftieft of the wood. Forbear, young Mufe, forbear; The flowery things that poets fay, Are vain and useless here; Nor fhall the burning hills of old Nor all that lying Greece has told, Not half fo high Her lightnings fly, Not half fo loud her thunders roar Crofs the Sicanian fea, to fright th' Italian fhore. Quakes at the terrors of the fire, While all below its verdant feet Stagger and reel under th' Almighty weight: Prefs'd Prefs'd with a greater than feign'd Atlas' load It bow'd, and fhook beneath the burden of a God. Freth horrors feize the camp; despair, And dying groans, torment the air, And fhrieks, and fwoons, and deaths were there : The bellowing thunder, and the lightning's blaze Spread through the host a wild amaze; Darkness on every foul, and pale was every Confus'd and difmal were the cries, face: Silence, and deep attention, through the Hebrew bands. Hark! from the centre of the flame, All arm'd and feather'd with the fame, A flight of cherubs guard the words along, "I am the Lord: 'Tis I proclaim "That glorious and that fearful name, Thy God and King: 'Twas I, that broke "Thy bondage, and th' Egyptian yoke; "Mine is the right to speak my will, "And thine the duty to fulfil. F 4 "Adore "Adore no God befide Me, to provoke mine eyes: "Nor worship Me in shapes and forms that men devise; "With reverence ufe my name, nor turn my words to jeft; "Obferve my fabbath well, nor dare prophane my reft; "Honour and due obedience to thy parents give; "Nor fpill the guiltlefs blood, nor let the guilty live: "Preferve thy body chafte, and flee th' unlawful bed; "Nor fteal thy neighbour's gold, his garment, or his "bread; "Forbear to blaft his name with falfehood, or deceit; "Nor let thy wishes loofe upon his large eftate." Remember your CREATOR, &c. CHILDREN, to your Creator, God, Your early honours pay, While vanity and youthful blood The memory of his mighty name, Be wife, and make his favour fure, When youth and mirth are known no more, -No more the blessings of a feast Shall relish on the tongue, The heavy ear forgets the tafte And pleasure of a fong. Old Old age, with all her dismal train, With fighs and groans, and raging pain, What will ye do when light departs, How will you meet God's frowning brow, While nature's old supporters bow, Can you expect your feeble arms, The filver bands of nature burst, The flesh goes down to mix with duft, Laden with guilt, (a heavy load) Uncleans'd and unforgiven, To be shut out from heaven. Sun, |