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;
Glory, and Majefty, and Pow'r,

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,
The Rebel Nations were afraid,

And at his Prefence fled;

And, when he spoke,

[Land.

[fhook.

The everlasting Hills from their Foundations

The trembling Mountains by a lowly Nod,
With Reverence ftruck, confefs'd the God.
He dealt Affliction from his Van,

And wild Confusion from his Reer.
They thro' the Tents of Cuban ran;
The Tents of Cuban quak'd with Fear,
And Midian trembled with Despair.

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 Flood beheld from far

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,
Oppofe their fiery Coasts in vain.
See the great Prophet stand

Waving the wonder-working Wand

;

He ftrikes the ftubborn Rock, and lo!!
The stubborn Rock feels the Almighty Blow,
And from it Streams and rapid Torrents flow.
IV.

Then did the Sun his fiery Courfers ftay,
And backward held the falling Day.

The nimble-footed Minutes ceas'd to run
And urge the lazy Hours on.

Time hung his unexpanded Wingss

And all the fecret Springs

That carry on the Year!

Stop'a in their full Career;
Then the aftonish'd Moon

Forgot her going down;
H 2

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