The Horse shall leave his prancing and his head Shall giddy turn run round and fall down dead Asses shall bray and Camels breathe their last And dizzy'd Sheep themselves in Ditches cast The nimble Dogs shall howl forget their meat And teaming Ewes for pain their Breasts will beat All which will his unhappiness compleat He acts as if he knew not what I meant This shall not be a gen'ral punishment His only shall it feel my people's Beasts Must be exempted from these carrion Feasts They shall continue healthy fat as ever Mercy shall be the Skreen by which I 'll sever Their Herds and Flocks from thine that thou mayst see He must be loser that opposeth me All 's done and yet his heart doth harder grow Heav'n must him wonders more and greater shew ' If Souldiers when their Breaches open lye ' Can neither them defend nor fortify ' Do still refuse to make a fair surrender ' On honourable terms despise the tender ' Of Lives and Arms or what else is thought fit 'To grant the next resolve is storming it ' With res'lute bravery so that they may know From Justice what they did to Mercy owe. Thus Heav'n proceeds against him when secure Moses nor Aaron must make overture But suddenly call out a fixt Brigade Of Granadiers who ne'er yet mercy had Where Justice was Commander Water Earth Are both too mild the Tyrants settled wrath To mittigate the fiery element Must act its part in Pharaoh's punishment I 'll give no warning Go and Cinders take Out of the Furnace of which you shall make Large Hand granado's and them upward throw Which kindling there shall ashes turn below Ashes that may breed Boils on Beast and Man Then let his wise men cure them if they can They throw it 's done the dusty ashes fell The Magi cry we ne'er saw such a spell For they like Causticks such Blisters made Such Boils and Blains as Egypt never had The Sorcerers for shame pulled in their Crests Because their Boils grew on their Heads Hands and Breasts By which their Monarch might most plainly see That it was no enchantment but decree For their destruction Yet the blinded man Acted by God persists as he began Not mov'd by Blood Frogs Lice nor Flies nor Murrain The Boils and Scabs do not his pride restrain This angry Heav'n resents and gives command To Moses saying Early rise and stand Before the King to morrow ' nd let him know That Jacobs God will have his Servants go To sacrifice Bid him look to his State I will no more with him Capitulate But one great plague after another send Until his pride with 's life is at an end And Kingdom ruin'd that the world may see There 's none on Earth hath equal pow'r with me The Murrain I will turn to pestilence That he and his may death receive from thence His stubborness admits of no suspence My first plague could his pride have conquered Second or third but all by me forbid Struck gently that his case might warning be To all are haughty stubborn false as he Each Tyrant shall receive this Tyrants doom Either in this or in the world to come Tell him he holds of me his Crown His rise Was to inform the faithful and the wise Of my great pow'r and mercy that they may Tremble at that and for this ever pray Thinks he fond man that I can always see And not redress my peoples misery No he shall find about this time to morrow The Heav'ns arm to magnify his sorrow Clouds dark and pregnant fortifi'd with Thunder A stormy shower shall hurl down to his wonder Hail of such unknown bigness and such weight As him and his with present Death will fright Bid him his Wise men call to assign the cause Of such a rupture in great Nature's Laws Ask if they can at once raise such a show'r As may begin such day and end such hour And in that time surround th' Egyptian Coasts Then bid defiance to the Lord of Hosts Go now proud Pharaoh try thy utmost skill To save thy people from this threatned ill If thou wilt yet be wise thy Cattle gather Out of the Fields since thou art Egypt's Father Pity thy Children with their Herds and Flocks Afford them shelter from the frozen Rocks Else by this plague such Slaughters will be seen Thro all thy Land as never yet hath been ' Behold the natures of the obdurate ' Tho all of them slight mercy yet ill fate ' Makes some distinction fear of punishment ' Forceth a few into acknowledgment ' Of pow'r divine and for their safety cry ' Whilst others fear'd and mad do still deny ' Obedience to their great superior ' Hush 't will be o'er said they t is but a shower Impending woe mov'd such as yet had sence To view the Fields in haste and bring from thence Shepherds and Herdsmen saying quickly fly Home with your herds and flocks or all must die Moses hath said it and we do believe That he from God not Satan did receive His Rod his fearful Rod hath such things done As show they were not wrought by him alone However we will for our safety try 'T is no great trouble if we live or dye Others who no regard had for his word Said what Egyptians believe the Lord Faint-hearted Fools unworthy such a King Who laughs at all the Messages they bring From their fam'd Gods our herds shall stay and graze And so like men we 'll dare him to his face Unheard of boldness said the Thunderer Unto his Servant now my mercy's ear Is shut for ever Therefore lift thy hand To Heaven I must send down a starry band Of Bow-men with such Bullets as shall beat Out of their hearts this irreligious heat Man Beast and Herbs thro all the Land shall feel The weighty Stones the keenness of my Steel Make no delay to Heav'n thy Rod stretch forth That I may send from the East West South and North Thunder and Hail and Fire these all around Shall fly aloft and run upon the ground With so great fury that the Waters face Bright horrour shall adorn and ev'ry place Look like it self transparent as the Fire And mixed Hail as if they were entire One body bright yet terrible to see Two el'ments joyn'd that never did agree The Rod's lift up then from the Clouds a voice Rendeth the Sky with such a dreadful noise That Earth tho heavy cannot longer stand But reels and staggers when it feels the hand Omnipotent who gave it its first base It gapes and opens so that there 's no place For Pasture Corn for Cattle Herbs and Trees All sink away unto their destinies Only in Goshen all-wise Providence Against this storm maketh a stout defence He that the troubled Ocean commands Forbid the Hail to fall upon those Lands This unlook'd for this great discrimination Betwixt th' Egyptian and the Hebrew Nation Made the King serious who doth now begin With forc'd
us encourage you to gratify The aged Father last of all comes forth With Mitred head gray hairs of famed worth Who said O King your great experience Of my fidelity and vast expence Deserves of you a better recompence I told that King before the Child was born That he would be the cause of Egypt's scorn If then his Death by him had been decreed As I requested Egypt had been freed From all these plagues For he himself presaged In Childish sports what he would do when aged Pharaoh his Infant Temples did adorn With Egypt's Crown which he pull'd off in scorn By which most just suspicion he gave That he would force the Sceptre not receive It from his hands Then it was my advice That death should pay him for the enterprize But now 't's too late he 's King you his Viceroy Which I forsee you will not long enjoy He threatens kills commands and which is more Destroys our Lands their Fruits and all our store There is but one way left us to preserve Egyyt from ruin that we may not starve To let them go that they may serve the Lord Perhaps this Moses may perform his word He says Heav'n's merciful and will repent Of his fierce anger if ill men relent You have o'rcome me said the raging King Go out in haste Moses and Aaron bring A Monarch is no Monarch when alone His Subjects ruin'd let the men be gone To do as they have said yet I must see Th' extent of this great Goal-delivery Moses Heav'n's fury acted by thy hand I am no longer able to withstand Tell me but who must go Let modesty bound your demands and they shall granted be Who asks too much his own denyal craves I will not part at once with all my Slaves You are not ignorant great Sir I know By this time that my Message from below Came not just Heaven me often did command The Tribes to carry out of Egypt's land And they must go Men Children Herds and Sheep None must be absent when our Feasts we keep Unto Jehovah Is this the justice of your fam'd Jehove Is this the kindness of your God of love To his Vicegerents said the angry King Must they submit to every idle thing That he requires Must every Slave have power To spoil their goods and honours to deflow'r No this great point I will dispute and try Who must be here obeyed he or I Your little ones as pledges I will keep Till you return Go you with Herds and Sheep If this will not content you look you to it I 'll punish you with stripes and Death to boot The present losses I thro you sustain My honour shall repair which I 'll regain By conqu'ring him in you his Subjects slain Go then I say and let your Children stay What! Murmur Serjeants drive the fools away The General omnipotent who far Or near ne'er yet made one false step in War Laugh'd at the indiscretion of his foe And said to his Lieutenant you must go With new rais'd Troops to curb the insolence Of this unwary this bewitched Prince Let Eurus be the Trumpeter whose breath Shall animate the Army threatning Death Death unto Men and Beasts that they may see I do demand this Goal-delivery He spoke no sooner than he was obey'd The hand is stretched forth and Rod display'd O'er Egypt Land then the East Wind doth call The Catterpillers Locusts Insects all Out of their slimy dust who buz and fly About the ears of every stander by Seizing on all the Fruits they could destroy The Earth was cover'd with the numerous swarms No Tree no Fruit no Herb escap't their harms Their Eyes their Mouths their Stings were merciless This made the Prince with tears his grief express Unto the Brethren with heart-breaking voice I cannot longer hear this dreadful noise ' O! that Heav'n had not brought me to the Throne ' O! that I 'd Hermit been and liv'd alone ' In unfrequented Groves in Woods and Caves ' Careless of Crowns Lands Subjects or of Slaves ' If Heav'n had been my Canopy my Bed ' The Flow'ry Earth the Pillow for my Head 'A bundle of Vi'lets Pinks or Cammomile ' Rose-buds with Lillies and sweat smelling Dill ' My meat wild Fruits with quintessence of Bees ' My Drink sweet Liquors from the juicy Trees ' My recreation hunting of the Hare ' The vacant hours I could from Study spare ' Or Fox or Deer or what I liked best ' I had not then by Heav'n been thus opprest ' But so Jehove would have it he did raise ' Me to this shame for his immortal praise ' That Kings may learn true wisdom and their Subjects ' Dread ev'n in thought such great such fearful objects ' As high ambition Diabolick pride ' Will bring on all like Pharaoh stupifi'd ' My hainous crimes and grievous punishment ' Will fright the worst and force them to repent ' As I begin O! may 't not be too late ' I grieve I mourn Alas my cursed fate ' Made me offend your God his Sons and you ' For which I pardon crave with tears and vow ' My Life I see is threat'ned yet spare ' This once that I may see what 's mercies are ' Forgive forgive my friends and you shall see ' That weeping Pharaoh will not falsify Moses the God-like Moses judg'd his heart By his expressions knew no wheedling art Whose Sympathy with tears made him depart And thus accost his maker I have prov'd The King who begs this plague may be remov'd At my request my God let it be so Since he hath vowed that the men shall go Without delay yet be that as it will Omnipotence hath Armies that can kill As these have done such wonders more when shown The more men will thy Justice Mercy own It shall be done I 'll call a Western Wind Shall clear the Land tho you him falfe will find That all those living Clouds shall headlong bear To the Arabick watry Sepulcher Whose purple waves will quickly overflow And send them to the fish that dwell below A Feast that heretofore they did not know I will not leave one Locust on his Coasts That he may know I am the Lord of Hosts This done the Hypocrite forgets his woe His solemn vow and will not let them go Moses said God the blindness of this man Hath still encreased since the War began With us since wonders will not ope his eyes The Sun the Moon the Air shall him despise Stretch out thy Rod to Heav'n and damp the Fires Give light and heat to th' Earth and mens desires With pleasure gratify and let no Star Our En'mies guide it is a time of War Make the Air thick and black for three days space That none of them may see anothers face But fixed sit not rising from his place Yet let my Servants have their wonted joy In Goshen light to see that I employ My wisdom power and justice arm'd with might On their behalf
dispose Of both the Armies who his Angel sent To guards his friends when thro the Sea they went By spreading of a dark and dismal Cloud O'er Egypt's Host while lighted Torches stood By the transparent walls to fright the Flood And light his Servants to the other shore That they might see their enemies no more Alive The sign giv'n Heav'n rais'd the wind That made the Sea contract it self and bind Its furious waves that they might not o'erflow The Walls above nor the new way below Isra'l trod safe th' Egyptians pursue Nor knowing where they were till morning dew Was by the Sun exhal'd and they oâ—erthrew The Foot and Horse sink in the slimy Sands The Chariots cast their Wheels the Riders hands Were feeble when they saw themselves surrounded By th' impetuous Ocean that rebounded With swelling forc't by Thunder and by Rain While they sought to retire but all in vain Heav'n fights for them said they why should we strive Against the stream Is Pharaoh yet alive He was the author of this Tragedy Oh! dye we must we cannot longer flie Vengeance Divine which we have justly brought Upon our selves and this destruction wrought Winds have no ears the Seas are merciless When Heav'n by Men or Angels sends th' express Farewel dear Egypt farewel happiness ' Let Tyrants tremble where my pen relates ' Th' Almighty's fury and th' Egyptian fates ' They fight he wards till that unhappy war ' Wax'd so intense that justice could not spare ' Small parties foil'd he call'd the Arieaban ' Armies too fierce too numerous for man ' The Serpent leads the Van. Their waters fry ' Themselves in blood and took its crimson dye ' Blood that their Streams with stench did putrify ' The drowsy Insects all strong poyson speak ' Frogs haunt the Palace as the watry creek ' Lice there without an optick might be seen ' On the Kings Carpets and the Peasants Skreen ' The mystie Clouds forbad the healthful Sun ' Sucking their poyson while the work was done ' He likewise blusht to see the insolence ' Offer'd to wisdom and omnipotence ' The Stars danc'd up into a higher sphere 'To bath themselves in the Crystal waters there ' Hell storm'd the lower orbs and left its hue ' Black as Egyptian and then withdrew ' At last a Prince of great fidelity ' In Heav'ns guards the first Majestick high ' With vailed face his humble honours made 'To his adored Soveraign thus said ' Holy of Holies 't is your patience ' Procures you all this trouble and expence ' Give me command and this great debate ' Shall soon be ended with their first born's fate ' Your pow'r my hand the Rebels seed shall kill ' As they the infant blood of yours did spill ' He goes with armed Pestilence and Sword ' Two edged sharp for both were Heav'n's word ' And smote the first of all their Beasts and Men ' The sottish crew too late believed then ' So Heav'n would have 't that by this overthrow ' Of theirs a false presumptuous world might know ' That first or last he would proud mortals bow ' Who hastes his out with all things necessar'e ' For their intended journey and their fare ' But ah the wicked's mercies cruel are ' For they like Bears robb'd of their Whelps when young ' With furious haste after Heav'ns Free-men throng ' Resolving to make one attempt for all ' Return Victorious or for ever fall ' And so it was for they no sooner charge ' The Rear of those he did intend t' inlarge ' Than the great Angel of the Covenant came ' As after in the Flesh and quencht their flame ' He was the guide who led them to the shore 'A place made by his power fit to pass o'er 'A Cloud gave light to them that went before ' He view'd the Rear and made the Cloud opac 'To ' maze th' Egyptians and to keep them back ' Commanding Moses to divide the stream ' While they all night lay in a Golden dream ' Pleas'd with the hopes of Conquest while the Sun ' Show'd them the Nest from whence the Birds were gone ' The way they thought was pleasant smooth and plain ' Not knowing that that way would them enshrine ' And so march boldly till a furious Wind ' Rais'd by Jehovah did the Walls unbind ' That rail'd the path to guide his people safe 'To th' other side This did th' Egyptians chafe ' For untam'd surges swell and fill the place ' Where Israel dry-shod walkt no empty space ' Was left The Quick-sands rise they sink below ' The billows did their Chariots overthrow ' Teaching them by experience Heav'n to know ' Half dead some backward and some forward strive ' Tho Neptune vow'd none should go out alive ' Prayers were their last shift but they pray'd in vain ' Men of deserv'd ills must not complain ' Their King they blame for his ill conduct had ' He blames himself for all his insults made ' Gainst God and Isra'l the last words he said ' His Standards fallen and all his daring blades ' Drunk with the Sea he tumbled to the shades THE SONG of MOSES After the VICTORY EXOD. XV. ' AWake my Soul and sing Jehovah's praise ' O! may Jehovah my dull Spirits raise ' May Heav'n's Arch-Flamine give me light and heat ' That I with Zeal may on this subject treat ' O! that I might that double portion have ' Eijah once to his Elisha gave ' May Choires of Angels from the sacred Throne ' Help me to sing this Epinicion Great God! our lives our all we owe to thee For thou alone hast got this Victory By drowning all our en'mies in the Sea Sing Hallelujah Horses are vain things to be trusted in Char'ots tho Iron by the Riders sin Will drown and sink when Justice doth begin Sing Hallelujah No battle ever so unequal known Never was host so easily o'erthrown The Winds and Sea this wond'rous work have done Sing Hallelujah We we faint-hearted Foreigners stood still Trembling and scolding tho against our will Until we saw our en'mies case was ill Sing Hallelujah Then we some prospect had of Victory When thou for us a path made thro the Sea 'T was thou not we triumphed gloriously Sing Hallelujah We thro thy strength do stand upon this shore And see our en'mies floating dead nay more Their Horse and Chariots tost the flood all o're Sing Hallelujah He is my strength my song and my salvation He hath reliev'd the hated Hebrew Nation Therefore I will build him an habitation Sing Hallelujah His Covenant with faithful Abra'm made What he to Isaac and to Jacob said Is all fulfilled by this our present aid Sing Hallelujah What Men of War do for those in distress His pow'r for feeble us hath done no less His name 's Jehovah whom we'll ever bless Sing Hallelujah The proud Kings Host was utterly destroy'd When they our Lives and Land thought t o've enjoy'd And us as formerly in Bricks employ'd Sing Hallelujah His chosen men not able to withstand The watry Troops unhors'd and on the Land Are cast or bury'd in the slimy Sand. Sing Hallelujah This unknown way was made for us alone Soft for our feet the Rocks upon us shone Which they attempting sunk down like a Stone Sing Hallelujah We have exper'ence of thy wondrous pow'r Thy glor'ous right hand did our foes devour Saving us at our last and fatal hour Sing Hallelujah Thou didst but blow upon them yet that wind Gather'd the floods together and did bind Them up in heaps that we a way might find Sing Hallelujah The en'my said pursuing we will take These fugitives and kill or bring them back Dividing all the spoil we from them take Sing Hallelujah Lord who among the Gods is like to thee Spotless and Holy full of Majesty Thy praises fearful wonders many be Sing Hallelujah Thy mercy we believe will save and lead Thy Sons redeem'd unto a fertile meed Where they may safely rest and freely feed Sing Hallelujah They that inhabit Palestine shall hear Approaching sorrow will increase their fear With all their Neigbouring Countries far or near Sing Hallelujah The lofty Dukes of Edom shall be then Greatly amazed Moab's mighty men Losing their courage tremble shall with pain Sing Hallelujah The Canaanites tho strong with grief opprest With trembling hearts and voice will say it 's best To leave the Land that Isra'l may have rest Sing Hallelujah Such dread shall fall upon them by thine arm As will their mouths stop lest they offer harm To us when we do over Jordan swarm Sing Hallelujah Then to the place of thy great holiness Thou shalt us bring and we with joy express In all our Songs this weighty business Sing Hallelujah Say'ng O Lord thou shalt for ever reign Since Pharaoh and his Host who caus'd our pain Are drown'd and we on dry Land see them slain Sing Hallelujah It is our turn said Miriam now to sing The weaker Sex by praise may honour bring Unto Jehovah Nissi our great King Sing Hallelujah Our instruments of all sorts let us take Harps Flutes with Timbrels and sweet Music make To him who hath wrought wonders for our sake Sing Hallelujah Great God! our lives our all we owe to thee Since thou alone hast wrought this Victory By drowning all our enemies in the Sea Sing Hallelujah FINIS
these can be assign'd but me Up then and with undaunted courage go I will be always with thy mouth if so Thy Tongue shall like a ready Writers Pen Such reasons give all shall convince all men This burden Lord 's to heavy for my back And thou hast many stronger some one take This service to perform let me still keep The tender Flocks of Jethro Kids and Sheep As heretofore Look on this bush ungrateful fearful man Leprosie Serpent Blood then if you can Deny obedience to his just commands Who promiseth to guide thy mouth and hands It is thy Wisdom not thy Lisping Tongue I choose for this transaction one is sprung From the same stock with thee who shall declare With art Divine what my intentions are And how I think to order this affair He 's on the road and big with expectation Since I inform'd him how the Hebrew nation Should by my pow'r his word thy hand be freed And bloody measures broke that were decreed By Egypt for their ruin Give this in charge when he doth first appear That when to Goshen he doth back repair He may nor art nor words nor labour spare Both of you shall be strengthned from above To show that I afflicted Israel Love And shall have joynt commission he thy mouth Shall be and thou to him as God of truth This Rod's the instrument that you must use This Vengeance working Rod on those refuse T' ' bey my will that mighty Monarch shall By this dry Wand despised be and fall I say be gone ' Heav'n could not be nor in that Heav'n a Jove ' If Earth could scan the secrets of his Love ' How he contrives deliberates decrees ' The fates of private Men and Monarchies ' His wisdom is a Sea that hath no bottom ' His providence a depth that none can fathom ' His Wills a Law none ought to disobey ' In Heav'n and Earth he doth the Sceptre sway 'To Friends he is kind to enemies austere ' Yet Justice holds the ballance here and there ' He wants not agents to effect his will ' That Fishermen or Shepherds can fulfil ' If men were wanting Water Earth dry Rods ' Can force the stubborn to obey the Gods This new post doth not Moses elevate Above the thoughts of his late low estate Tho he be chose Heav'ns Envoy he doth go First unto Midian that his friends may know Their Shepherd must on Embassy be sent To Eyypt whence he came in Banishment His Kindreds burthen to condole and try Once more his Fate for their delivery The news when Jethro heard he sighing said My dearest Son I wish my feeble aid Could any way assist you in this task It should be giv'n before you could it ask My Prayers and Tears shall be that God direct And grant the success you from him expect ' The enemies of God and of his Laws ' Submit for secret not for open cause ' Jethro is willing with his Son to part ' The staff of 's Life the joy of 's Daughters heart ' Tho for that loss he afterward may smart Night had no sooner shut the Shepherds eye Than he a splendid Vision did espy Of form divine who thus itself exprest Sleep on my Friend sleep on and take thy rest Then up and haste to Egypt for its strife ' Gainst thee is ended with that Monarch's life ' When Angels guard and give the opiate ' Men rest secure nothing can hurt or hate Before next light gilded that Hemisphere The Shepherd wak'd said Zipporah my Dear I 've for thy love and for our livelihoods In Desarts liv'd in Mountains and in Woods These forty years where my integrity Was known to all my greatest love to thee Now Heav'n resolv'd to alter my condition Sends me to Egypt Dear let no suspicion Of fraud or hatred harbour in thy breast My God commands and his commands are best I 'm wholly yours said she Heav'ns will be done Tho Nature bids me grieve when left alone You know that Man and Wife are flesh and bone Life of my Soul nothing can us two part Thou know'st I ever had a tender heart Since first I saw and helpt thee at the Well True true my Dear I am content to dwell Where you think fit What must we take from hence Only the Boys the rest to Providence I will commit except this holy Wand Which I must always carry in my hand And wonders work with it in that curst land ' None but the Lover knows the grief to part ' With that is lov'd since both have but one heart Heav'n calls again and bids him when he sees The faithless King make fair discoveries Of his Intentions and the fearful end He for his stubbornness will on him send I know he 'll raging say think'st that I will Dismiss my Slaves thy humour to fulfill No they have sworn to be mine for ever In this opinion I will persevere To this reply when they came first 't is true They said their Lives and Fortunes were your due Ingratitude they scorn'd whilst you was kind Fresh obligations them anew did bind And they 're the same tho you have chang'd your mind But now their God commands who hath a right O'er them and you whose wisdom valour might None can oppose when he 's resolv'd to fight He saith that Israel was his first-born Son And must tho now your Slave in haste be gone If thou persist in disobedience Thy first born kill'd he 'll force his people hence ' Good Kings are Heav'ns beloved mankinds joy ' Whilst they their time and counsels do employ 'To rule with justice clemency and love ' In imitation of their King above ' Whilst they resolve their conduct to confine ' Within the limits of the Law Divine ' Which give them ease and firmly fix their Crown ' Procure mens favour bring new blessings down ' Upon their heads and hearts but when their will ' Is restless as the Sea that ne'er lyes still ' But beats th' adjacent Rocks and plows the Sands ' Threat'ning a Deluge o're the fertile Lands ' Smiting the great and blasting those below ' With subtle Lightning slighting friend and foe ' Such Jehu's curst are their own overthrow Away he goes not fearing ill success Since potent Heav'n espous'd his business And travels hard till mid-day's scorching Sun Be at on his head which forc'd him to sit down Under a shady Beech where angry J'ove Appear'd again not as before in love His aspect threat'ned death which had ensu'd If Zipp'rah had not softned the cloud Who run in haste unto her younger Son And cut his fore-skin with a flinty Stone Then took the same and threw 't at Moses feet With unbecoming words she did him greet Is your just God with human blood aton'd Must Kings for his displeasure be dethron'd Must Women to their darlings Tygers prove T' oblige a cruel God Is this his Love Hard hearted man hard hearted as thy God I cannot will
King give them from law refuge ' They grow more bold and act as if they had 'A Royal Lease to follow their old Trade ' Or like a Miser who thro age doth feel ' His seared Soul within its house to reel ' Cries O this ill-got Gold What shall I do ' It has destroy'd my Soul and Body too ' Yet for prevention I will Alms-house rear ' Or Chappel build to which men may repair ' As I have ofton done my crimes to hallow ' Straining at Gnats that I might Camels swallow ' If none of these I to the poor will give 'A mighty summ that so my Soul may live ' But if of that disease he doth recover ' O! how he frets and acts his tricks all o'er ' With more industry craft and perjury ' Say'ng now I am no more affraid to die So Pharoah griev'd with Blood and with the Frogs Calls out for Moses flatters lies and coggs As if he 'd not been settled on the lees But rack'd and fin'd by these discoveries And fit with them to offer sacrifice Heav'n condescends and Moses is content With his fair words tho the â—…yâ—w falsely meant ' Thus Nineveh's repentance tho a flash ' Kept from its back the Prophets threatned lash ' And Ahab's humbling did for Judah's King ' Obtain reprieve tho not for his off-spring ' So Phaaroh for a feignâ—d acknowledgement ' Had half the plague remov'd Heav'n on him sent Tho thou hast now left off self-glorying Said Moses thou may'st glory in this thing That God in mercy will grant thy request And send these Vermin from thy land in haste Commanding them henceforth to make abode Within Nile's banks Contend no more with God But pray and wait To morrow thy shalt see This plague remov'd from off thy land and thee If to thy words thou add sincerity Then thou shalt know that none is like the Lord Whose pow'r will quickly ease to thee afford We shall no sooner ask than 't will be done They pray Heaven hears the daring Frogs are gone In shoals to Nile or perisht by the way When God saith go his creatures must not stay As soon as Pharaoh had the news receiv'd He smiling said your friend may be deceiv'd Kings can not by their promises be bound To Jove himself their Counsellours have found Salvo's from his own word than can oppose The faint assaults of every Monarch's foes And I 'll believe them tho I lose my Crown My promise lately made I will not own Nor let them go This the Almighty knew Who call'd the brethren and obedience due To his commands required which they give And he commands that scatter'd Dust may live Turning to Lice both upon man and beast That might make Pharaoh shuck and all the rest This done the Itching Monarch calls aloud To Jannes Jambres all the Sophi brood Can you make Lice said he No cry'd the Wizard To counterfeit this thing we will not hazard Lest fire consume us or a worser thing That after this Heav'n may upon us bring For what 's already done for here we see The print of 's Fingers Pow'r and Majesty Which doth confound us and our Foppery 'A fair confession but Hypocrisy ' Will speak the truth when 't thinks the same a lie ' When a duluding Sp'rit infatuates ' Prince Priest or people to despise the fates ' Their policy is madness and their pride ' Such insolence as God and men deride Thus fared it with Pharaoh his release From Blood Frogs Lice presage a fourth disease The God of Miracles could not behold But must subdue the proud suppress the bold Go Moses then said he by morning light Stand before Pharaoh in his peoples sight And let him know it is Jehovah's will That he with speed his just commands fulfil In letting Israel go that they may pay Their Homage if he make them longer stay Thro his refusal by my next alarm A fearful Host great swarms of Flies shall arm Which will molest him more than Frogs or Lice And all his Servants bid him take advice Say 't is no cheat Goshen shall make thee know That I my people love and to them owe By promise freedom from the noisome beast With every thing the greatest and the least That may infest them Tho they dwell by thee Their Habitations shall no shelter be To thee and thine from stinging stinking Flie. Observe this warning since I speak in love Mercy not Judgment 't is I most approve Consider well the sign will be to morrow And will to thee beginning be of sorrow ' Who can such charms of love and goodness hear ' Unless 't be Pharaoh and not shed a tear ' But ah his Heart his Bowels hard'ned are He will not let Heav'n convenanted go But leave to sacrifice at home if so He gives To which Moses made this reply Who gives but half he doth the whole deny Because that half is giv'n unwillingly Our God commands us to the wilderness And he best knows which is the fittest place If among you we stay then we must offer Such things as you which our God will not suffer If ours it will be said we innovate Your sacred Rites and your Decrees of State Both these may on us sudden ruin being And therefore we must plainly tell the King That since our God hath fix'd the time the place And Sacrifice we must with thee find grace When he perceiv'd excuses were in vain That obstinacy did encrease his pain The next resolve was feign'd obedience To God and Moses thus you may from hence Remove with my free leave if you will swear Not to go far and let me quickly hear That you have begg'd of him to set me free From the proud insects all and loathsome Flie. Moses reply'd If thou do keep thy word At thy desire we will entreat the Lord Who I am sure will order the retreat Of these wingâ—d troops tho noisome fierce and great To morrow they shall every one remove From thee and thine thy gratitude to prove The thing is done yet Pharaoh still denies The people Licence to do sacrifice Nor Blood nor Frogs nor Lice nor Flies can awe The stubborn Prince nor to obedience draw His callous heart that self-deceiving cheat Must be out-witted by a plague as great As any of the former Heav'n once more Calls unto Moses as he did before Saying go to the Palace and declare To him again what my intentions are I am his and the Hebrews God tho he Knows not my name nor his own destiny If he refuse to hearken to this word I will lift up my hand with flaming Sworâ— O'er's Cattle Horses Asses Camels Sheep And Oxen which he doth in Pastures keep Pestilent fogs shall from the earth arise Malignant vapours from the starry Skies These shall their blood corrupt whence putrid hearts Shall scorch with piercing pains and shiv'ring sweats So that the Oxe shall fall beneath the yoke The sacrifice shall die before the stroke