their Predictions with the greater Advantage to use the past for the future Tense that is to speak of Things to come as already done so that their Prophecies often seem Historical Narrations of Matters already transacted Therefore the Reader is not to be surpriz'd when in the second Song of Moses he finds that great Prophet speaking of what befel the Children of Israel in Canaan as things past in his own Time which did not happen till long after his Death I am of Mr. Cowley's Judgment who in his Preface declares that there are no more noble Subjects of Poetry to be found than those the Scriptures furnish us withal and therefore I have made this Attempt 'T is true Mr. Sandys a Gentleman of great Merit has done this before but that I did not know till after I had begun this Work and made some Progress in it and when I had perus'd part of his Paraphrase I thought I might be able to supply some Defects especially in relation to Perspicuity and Coherence As to the Leviathan and Behemoth mention'd in the latter Part of this Book I have appropriated the Character of the first to the Crocodile and of the last to the Elephant I believe the Marks enumerated by the Learned Bochart do justly determine the Description of the Leviathan to the Crocodile but I can't see any necessity from what he urges to conclude Behemoth to be the Hippopotamus or River-Horse The Character given in Job is in my Opinion more sutable to the Elephant The Reasons alledg'd on both sides may be seen in the Critici before-cited and whether the one or the other be true is not a Matter of that Importance as should oblige me to transcribe the Arguments in this Place Perswaded by the Reasons of some Learned Commentators I have taken the Unicorn for the Uri or wild Bull and not the Oryx or wild Goat according to Boshart or the Rhinoceros according to others I impose not my Opinion on others These are Matters of small Moment and every Man is at liberty to think as he pleases A PARAPHRASE UPON THE Book of JOB CHAP. I. IN ancient Times e'er Moses Wonders wrought And murmuring Israel back from Egypt brought A Prince of great Renown and wide Command Whose name was Iob dwelt in Arabia's Land He in the Heav'nly Paths of Virtue trod And fear'd to Sin because he fear'd his God Sev'n goodly Sons that Admiration bred And Three Fair Daughters crown'd his Nuptial Bed With gracious Heav'n's peculiar Favour blest The prosp'rous Man unmeasur'd Wealth possest His Fleecy Flocks o'er all the Hills were spred And in his Stalls a Thousand Oxen fed When he decamp'd to find a new Abode Three Thousand Camels bore along the Road His precious Goods and groan'd beneath the Load No Lord was found thro' all the Spicy East Whose Herds and Stores so vastly were increast His Sons to Feast each other did prepare By turns rich Liquors and delicious Fare And to their Treats their Sisters they invite To pass the â—lowing hours in soft delight While Charming Music Dances Sports and Play Gave swifter Wings to Time to fly away Beguil'd the Night and hurried on the Day Conscious that Sin does oft such Mirth attend The Father fear'd his Sons might Heav'n offend For he with mournful Eyes had often spy'd Scatter'd on Pleasure's smooth but treach'rous Tyde The Spoils of Virtue over-power'd by Sense And floating Wrecks of ruin'd Innocence He therefore for his Soâ—s to Heav'n convey'd His Supplications and Atonement made And while they Feasted he devoutly pray'd There was a Time when all the Sons of God Came to th' Allmighty's bright and blest Abode To pay their Adoration at his Throne Which high on Adamantine Pillars shone Around in Throngs the prostrate Seraphs lay Absorpt in Glory and Excess of Day ' Midst the bright Cherubs haughty Lucifer By marks of Guilt distinguish'd did appear To whom th' Eternal thus Apostate whence Com'st thou to these blest Seats of Innocence Th' Apostate said I Lands and Seas have crost And past from Clime to Clime from Coast to Coast Till I the Tour of yon low World had made And all its Empires and its States survey'd My Course compleated to these Seats of Light Mounting th' Aerial Void I wing'd my Flight Th' Allmighty then demanded In thy Way And toilsome Course Ambitious Spirit say Hast thou observ'd good Iob my Servant one In Righteousness and Piety by none Thro' all the wide Terrestrial World out-done Whose perfect Virtue Admiration draws From Men on Earth and finds in Heav'n Applause I 've long observ'd reply'd false Lucifer Thy Favourite and watch'd his Steps with Care Without the Saint is in Perfection seen But is the Saint without a Saint within He serves his God but does he serve for nought Does he thy Glory or his own promote Does he Religion for it's Self regard And Virtue Court not Virtue 's bright Reward Is it his Honour to Revere his God Who has his Smiles but never feels his Rod Hast thou not crown'd the Labour of his Hand Increas'd his Stores extended his Command He can't complain unless with Wealth opprest With Favours over-laden over-blest Entrench'd within th' impenetrable Fence Within the Works and Lines of Providence He can defy the most impetuous Shock And all th' Assaults of Hostile Forces mock With such Abundance blest with Honour Crown'd The Weakest Virtue may maintain its ground But let this Prosp'rous Wealthy Saint be try'd Let this pretended Gold the Test abide Change but the Scene and let thy Frowning Brow The marks of Anger and Displeasure show Extend thy Hand and touch his tender Part Thou 'lt find his Power and Substance next his Heart Despoil'd of these he 'll Curse thee to thy Face And naked Virtue will no more embrace Th' Eternal to th' Apostate thus reply'd Let him Affliction 's sharpest Edge abide The Fence I rais'd around him I remove Go let thy Malice try his Truth and Love Let Righteous Iob thy fiery Tests endure But let his Person be from Pain secure He said Th' Apostate from his Presence went And on his fierce malicious purpose bent He on Arabia made a swift Descent Mean time it happen'd at a splendid Feast Iob's Eldest Son in turn receiv'd the rest The Sisters with their Brothers Drank and Eat All the delightful kinds of Wine and Meat When at Iob's House a Courier did arrive Sweating with Speed Panting and scarce alive Horror and Wildness in his Aspect bred Just Fears of dismal News and thus he said Invading Robbers from Sabea warm'd With hopes of Booty and with Lances arm'd An Inroad made and first the Men destroy'd Who kept thy Herds and then the Spoil enjoy'd I am alone by favourable Fate Escap'd th' unwelcome Tydings to relate While he was speaking with as swift a pace Another came and with as sad a Face And thus he said O Iob a suddain Storm And lowring Clouds did all the Sky deform The bellowing
We 'll overtake them and the Spoil divide Where is the God that Israel saves We 'll our Revenge and Lust of Slaughter cloy Without relenting we 'll destroy We 'll weild the Spear and draw the Sword And root this Nation out by all abhor'd We 'll bath the Desart with a Purple Flood And heal its gaping Wounds with Hebrew Blood While one vile Wretch alive is found The Trumpet no retreat shall sound In dreadful Language we 'll declare Th' Egyptians still their Masters are Tho' their Rebellion they should mourn And ask to Egypt's Brick-kilns to return We would not spare the hateful Race We would all marks of Iacob's House efface Let 'em to Moses cry they are opprest While we in Vengeance reign and on Destruction feast As thus the Gulph the proud Egyptians crost And with loud threats pursu'd our trembling Host Thou with thy powerful Wind didst blow And strait the thawing Heaps began to flow The Waves that stood as Bullwarks were dissolv'd And Pharoah's Chariots and his Troops involv'd They from the roaring Deluge would have fled But to the bottom sank as Lead Among the Gods of all the Nations round Equal to thee is any found Any that can with Rival Glory shine And shew as perfect Holiness as thine When we thy various Triumphs sing And great Atchievments which exalt thy Name To us thy Praises Joy and Comfort bring But to thy Foes Confusion Fear and Shame Thou art a wonder-working God thy Might Does all thy trembling Enemys affright But grateful Admiration in our Breasts excite When thou extendest o'er the Tyde Thy hand that does all Nature guide The conscious Waves the high Command obey'd Like melting heaps of Snow they flow'd apace Marching with fury on they disarray'd Then swallow'd up the impious Race In great Compassion thou hast broke Th' Oppressor's hard unsufferable Yoke For Iacob's Sons in Person thou hast fought Amazing Miracles hast wrought And Israel back from Egypt brought To sacred Canaan's promis'd Land Thou with thy mighty outstretcht hand Shalt rescu'd Israel guide Where with thy favour blest they shall in Peace abide Fame shall together with these Tydings spread Thro' all the Nations Universal dread Wild looks and gestures shall declare How great their Fears and Sorrows are Th' Inhabitants of Palestina's Land Shall trembling and astonish'd stand Edom's proud Potentates shall be afraid And Moab's mighty Men dismay'd The dreadful News shall make pale Tyrants start And melt within his Breast the stoutest Warriour's Heart The Lords of Canaan shall their fears express And all their People their distress The Terrors of thy Conqu'ring Arm These of their Strength and Courage shall disarm Thy Wonders will their Captains so amaze That they will still and Speechless stand and gaze While Iacob's Sons by thee from Bondage brought The People thou hast bought And for the Purchase newly made Such mighty Sums of Miracles hast paid To Canaans happy Land shall safely be convey'd Thither thou'lt lead the favour'd Race And give them safe Possession of the Place Thou wilt fulfil thy great design By planting there these Colonys Divine Their happy Dwellings shall be spread Around Moriah's lofty head On which thy sacred Dome shall stand Diffusing pious Awe thro' all the Land The Lord shall rule with Power and Glory crown'd No Time or Space shall e'er his Empire bound Immortal Pillars his sixt Throne sustain And as himself Eternal is his Reign Not like proud Pharoah's who his Army led To chase our Youth who from his Fury fled Who enter'd with his Troops the opening Sea And hop'd to pass the dreadful Defile But God who had his way beset Drew o'er the Host his watry Net To finish this miraculous Campaign He loos'd the Bonds that did the Waves restrain Strait the congested Billows tumbled down And liquid Ruins did the Tyrant drown His Chariots and his Horse were swept away Ingulph'd and swallow'd by th' o'erwhelming Sea But the firm Waters did erected stand On either hand And left dry ground between till Israel gain'd the Land THE Song of DEBORAH PARAPHRAS'D JUDGES Chap. V. LET the Victorious Tribes of Israel sing Let their loud Shouts thro' Heav'ns wide Chambers ring Let them applaud with one united Voice Their God the glorious Author of their Joys Let them Triumphant Acclamations raise And spend the Breath he gives them in his Praise He has our Swords with Conquest crown'd And spread the fear of Israel's Name around He to avenge us on our Foes Has crush'd the haughty Pow'rs that did our Arms oppose Our Troops from Heav'n with noble Zeal inspir'd The glorious Hazards of the Field desir'd God fir'd their Veins with Military Rage And made 'em long for Arms and eager to engage Ye Potentates and Princes hear Ye Kings and Rulers of the Earth give Ear. I Deb'rah I will in a lofty strain Sing the great King by whom you live and reign When God in Person did our Tribes command And led 'em with a mighty Hand From wild Arabia's Rocks to Canaan's Land As soon as he had pass'd the Field By th' Idumean Farmer till'd What marks of Greatness did his March attend What Pow'r in Miracles did he expend What Terrors did he send before to fright The Lords of Canaan and the Amorite What Pomp and Majesty did he display Floods of impetuous Glory delug'd all his way From his refulgent Sword and radiant Shield Flushes of rapid Splendor spread the Field The trembling Heathen fled for fear For who could such a stress of Lustre bear At every step th' Almighty Leader took Th' astonish'd Earth down to its Center shook Contending Tempests bellow'd under ground And strong Convulsions did with horrid sound The low Apartments break and all the Vaults confound The Earth with dreadful Gripes was sore opprest Which did its twisted Bowels wrest From their low Channels Subterranean Waves Were thrown on Sulphur Mines and fiery Caves The Chasms of gaping Plains and Mountains rent Did yield to struggling Vapours vent And suffocated Nature to relieve To ambient Air admission give Heav'ns Crystal Battlements to pieces dash'd In Storms of Hail were downward hurl'd Loud Thunder roar'd red Lightning flash'd And universal Uproar fill'd the World Torrents of Water Floods of Flame From Heav'n in fighting Ruins came At once the Hills that to the Clouds aspire Were wash'd with Rain and scorcht with Fire The Waters down the Mountains Sides were pour'd And o'er the Vale th' unbridled Deluge roar'd Canaan's proud Hills with this affright Shook to their Base and well they might For Sinai rock'd and quak'd when God Made on its Brow his terrible Abode In Shamgar's and in Iael's days Robbers and Thieves infested all the ways These Sons of Violence pursu'd their Prey On publick Roads in open day Poor Trav'llers to escape the cruel hands Of these Licentious lawless Bands They pass'd thro' Ways and Paths unknown Yet still in fear from Town to Town The trembling People by these Spoilers scar'd To Towns of
remove the Obstructions of great Learning and Critical Remarks methinks it should be a very easie matter to settle this controverted Point ` T is allow'd by all that Utz the Country of Job was expos'd to the Incursions and Depredations of the Chaldeans and 't is allowed likewise that Chaldea was Eastward of Arabia Now suppose that in our English History there had been mention'd a great Man that had in ancient Times been plunder'd by a Band of Scotch-men and the Habitation or Country of this unfortunate Man being mention'd by an obscure or obsolete Word a Controversie should arise in what part of England this Man lived would not any Man that was derivered from the encumbrance of great Reading and learned Observations presently conclude that he lived in the North part of England not far from the Borders of Scotland And must it not have been a Critick of extraordinary Sagacity that should have found out his Seat in Middlesex or at the Land's End And yet those that place the Country of Job in Idumea or near Damascus remove it farther from Chaldea than those two Places before-named are from Scotland 'T is not therefore to be doubted but that the Country of Job was in the Eastern part of Arabia and 't is probable 't was near the River Euphrates and that he was of the Posterity of Nachor The Stories therefore of Job's Well near Jerusalem of his Scpulchre in the Plain of Jordan and of the Region in the North of Syria which the Inhabitants shew to Travellers for the Seat of Job are all Modern Fables and not to be regarded But much more ridiculous is the â—â—rror of those Commentatâ—rs who make Constantinople to have been the Seat of Job The Scpulchre of Job in Armenia that favours this Opinion 't is very probable according to the Conjecture of several learned Men was erected in honour of some Captain of the Turks of that Name As to the Time when the Author of this Book liv'â— there are many different Opinions Some believe 〈◊〉 this Book was wrote in the Time when the Israelites were under the Aegyptian Bondage and that it was compos'd to encourage them to a patient suffering of their Afflictions and to confirm them in their dependance upon God for Deliverance And those of this Opinion believe that either Moses himself was the Author or at least the Translator of it and that this was a Tradition among the ancient Jews several Authors testifie Others are of Opinion that the Writing was of much later date and give these Reasons for it They alledge that there are many Syriack and Arabick Words and Forms of Expression that were not in use among the ancient Hebrew Writers the Interpretation of which must be fetch'd from the Rabbins that there are many Elegancies relating to the Constellations and several Fish and Birds which shew it to be of a Modern Date and from hence they conclude that it was then wrote when these Foreign words and manners of Expression were introduc'd into the Hebrew Language They believe therefore that the Author liv'd after David and Solomon and before Ezekiel because he is mention'd by that Prophet Some believe that Isaiah himself was the Author the time when he lived being very sutable to this Conjecture besides the Majesty and Sublimity of his Stile his singular Erudition the similitude of Character and many Words and Forms of speaking common to them both Grotius imagines the Author to be an Hebrew because after the Custom of that Nation he calls Arabia the East tho' others suppose he was an Idumean because he abounds with Syriack and Arabick Words Whether he was the one or the other 't is plain the Author was well vers'd in the Hebrew Language and those of the Neighbouring Countries And that in the Writing of this Book he was under the direction and guidance of Divine Inspiration has been universally acknowledged by the Jews and Christians in all Ages But one single Reflexion prevails with me to believe that the Author was of the oldest date and that is that I cannot imagine that if he had lived after the Deliverance of the Children of Israel from their Aegyptian Bondage and after the Institution of the Mosaical Scheme of Religion he could have been so perfectly silent as to both 'T is hardly to be imagin'd that if he had liv'd after Moses he should ever have design'd to be so accurate and nice in relation to Time as not to say any thing in the whole Book but what might be well suppos'd to have been said by one who liv'd before Moses This exact Care seems not agreeable to the Writers of that Age. And if it should be suppos'd that an Author that many years after took this Subject of Job to write upon should resolve to say nothing but what might be fit to be said in that time when Job liv'd yet 't is a great difficulty to believe that he should be so successful as not in any one Place or in any one Expression to drop any thing that should mention or allude to some Matters of Fact that happen'd after especially such famous ones as the Miracles wrought when the Israelites were brought out of Aegypt their Settlement in the Land of Canaan and the Rites of the Mosaical Religion The same Reasons therefore that convince me that Job himself liv'd before or in the Time of Moses perswade me to think the Author of this Poem whoever he was did so too and therefore 't is very probable that this of Job is the oldest Book in the World The Argument of the Poem is this Job a Prince in his Country of distinguish'd Piety and eminent Justice at the Entrance of the Narration is represented as happy as the favour of Heaven and the affluence of all Earthly Possessions can make him From this present State of Prosperity he is all on a sudden by the permission of Providence for the trial of his Integrity depriv'd of his Estate his Children his Friends and Health and reduc'd to a Condition as perfectly miserable as his former had been happy After this surprizing change of his Fortune to exasperate the bitterness and anguish of his Soul his Wife in a most profane manner provokes and tempts him to quit all his Pretensions to Piety and desperately to renounce all his dependence upon God and all expectations of Deliverance from him In this she is imitated by the Aegyptians and old Grecians as well as other Idolatrous Countries who us'd under any great Calamities to rail bitterly at their Gods to pull down their Images and drag them about the Streets to be reveng'd on them for not preventing their misfortunes After this three Persons eminent for their Birth Vertue and Wisdom Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar perhaps Elihu was with Job before went to comfort their distress'd Friend Their Design was good and they considering that Wickedness was the meritorious Cause of Suffering and that Divine Justice was not to be clear'd if
If thou the Cause of Sin wilt not espouse But chase it from thy Heart and from thy House Thou shalt to Heav'n thy chearful Face erect To Heav'n that does the Innocent Protect On strong Foundations stedfast thou shalt stand Danger deride and all thy Fears disband As Summer Floods which o'er the Meadows flow With equal Speed back to their Channel go So thy subsiding Sorrows shall retreat And thou shalt all thy Misery forget Thou shalt dispel with thy prevailing Light The Shades and gloomy Horrors of the Night Thou shalt emerge from Woe and deep Despair Bright as Noon-day and as the Morning fair Thou shalt in Peace thy Fields and Herds survey Secure as well from Beasts as Men of Prey Surrounding Bulwarks shall thy Dwelling fence Against all hostile Rage and Violence When thou shalt lay thy weary Limbs to rest No suddain Dangers shall thy Sleep molest To thee thy Neighbours shall in Throngs resort To see thy Splendor and thy Friendship Court And from thy Power shall humbly ask Support But mighty Woes the Wicked shall Assail In looking after Help their Eyes shall fail Their Hope shall vanish as a blast of Air How shall they scape 't is God denounces War CHAP. XII Then Iob reply'd No doubt but you are Wise And may the barb'rous sensless World despise You 've all the Wisdom of Mankind engrost Can more than Humane Understanding boast If you should dye the Grave and endless Night Would overwhelm all Intellectual Light Blind Ignorance would unmolested reign And Folly Universal Empire gain But know since you your Friend so hardly press As well as you some Reason I possess Nor is its Light more dim or Vigour less Yet you and I in this debate must own We 've no great Flights of Wit or Depths of Wisdom shown That God is Wise and still does Right decree All other Nations grant as well as we But you perversly manage the Debate And the true Question never justly State You ought to prove that some enormous fault Has on my Head this sore Affliction brought You should my close Hypocrisy detect Which makes th' Allmighty my Complaint reject Instead of this you with unnatural Pride Your suff'ring Friend insultingly deride Because th' Allmighty does his Ear incline To hear your Pray'r while he is deaf to mine Because your Days are prosp'rous you despise And mock your Neighbour that in Torment lies Contempt th' afflicted Righteous Man attends And Scorn instead of Pity from his Friends A Man reduc'd to Misery and Want Who once could Honour and Abundance vaunt In his successful thriving Neighbour's Sight Tho' like a Lamp esteem'd when fresh and bright Is scorn'd when glimm'ring with expiring Light Yet of the Just this is the Common Fate While Wicked Men enjoy a prosp'rous State Robbers and Spoilers see their Wealth endure And those who God provoke live most secure With lavish hand he does his Favours throw And undeserv'd Rewards on these bestow Ask of the Beasts the Beasts will strait return That they the same sad Circumstances mourn They 'll cry the tawny Tyrants that possess The lawless Empire of the Wilderness The strip'd and spotted Monsters of the Wood The Bears and Wolves inur'd to Spoil and Blood These fat with Rapine Peace and Power enjoy Yet persevere to ravage and destroy Mean time the harmless Flock and useful Herd By the Destroyer's Hand are never spar'd They fall unhappy Creatures either way To Men their Friends or Beasts their Foes a Prey Ask all the Feather'd Nations of the Air They 'll all with one Confed'rate Voice declare That the voracious Vulture and the Kite The Hawk and Eagle that in Blood delight With all the long-wing'd Rovers of the Skies Which Cruize among the Clouds to ken a Prize They 'll say this rav'ning Race is most secure Whilst the meek Dove and harmless Fowls endure A thousand Mischiefs from th' Invader's Power Then on the Ocean 's oazy Margin stand And of the sinn'd Inhabitants demand How 't is with them they 'll all as one complain The same unequal Fate attends the Main They 'll cry the vast Leviathan that moves The Deep around and Seas before him Shoves With all the Spoilers and the murth'ring Race Of scaly Ravagers that vex the Place In Peace possess the Empire of the Flood And undisturb'd regale themselves with Blood Unweildy with their Fat without controul The lazy Tyrants on the Billows roll Pamper'd with Spoil the wanton Monsters Sleep Along the Shore or Sport within the Deep While their Luxurious Bellies to supply Whole Shoals of inoffensive Fishes Dy. But whoe'er entertain'd a doubtful Thought If God this State of Things ordain'd or not Who by his Power all Beings did produce And by his Wisdom fix'd their end and use He may his Creatures lives at Pleasure take They are his own who can Objections make God's Soveraign Right of Empire I respect But this Concession can't my Cause affect Can you some monstrous Guilt or Error show Commensurate to my stupendous Woe Have Patience then with an attentive Ear My just Defence and Allegations hear Use a Judicious and Impartial taste And you 'll no more unjust Reproaches cast You 'll see with what Integrity I act And all your Censures rashly made retract Bildad the Cause between us would refer To antient Fathers as less apt to err Wisdom I grant in Hoary Heads appears And Understanding is matur'd by Years Rarely a Beardless Oracle we know Judgment by Age does to Perfection grow But when we most our Ancestors commend Their greatest Wisdom can't with God's contend Antiquity's Traditions can't decide Against a Rule Divine our certain Guide We can't in any but th' Eternal Mind Councel and Knowledge in Perfection find God is a Mind all Intellectual Light Clear without Mist without a Blemish bright From him the Spring those streams of Wisdom flow That feed the thinking reasâ—ning World below The Wise on Earth who most deserve our Praise Shine but with dim and delegated Rays We should with equal Reverence adore The Wonders of his Wisdom and his Power He levels with the Dust the proudest Town O'erthrows her Forts and breaks her Bullwarks down Her gilded Palaces he overturns And her high Towers amidst the Rubbish spurns Her Rooms of State and Roofs of Cedar meet Huddled in Ruin in th' embarrast Street Tho' all bewail her miserable Fall None dares attempt to build again her Wall If wretched Slaves in Prison he restrains Who shall release them from their pond'rous Chains He tyes the Clouds the Bottles of the Skies And to the Earth his Heav'nly Dew denies Then cleaving Drought the Sunburnt Mountains chap And for the Rain the thirsty Meadows gape Anon the Rivers swell at his Command O'erflow their Banks and kindly drown the Land Wisdom and Strength are his 't is he imparts To all the Crafty their successful Arts. He shows them how to lay a wise Design How to Attack and how to Countermine Mean time their
advance And with his Gifts enrich'd his own Inheritance To seek out Iacob he the Desart past And found him in a lonesome yelling Wast With pain and want and servile Chains opprest A Prey to every fierce Egyptian Beast God with Compassion mov'd to such distress Led the lost Stranger thro' the Wilderness He shielded him with his resistless Might And to direct him to proceed aright He on his Mind diffus'd his Heav'nly Light He did his Wants and Pleasures too supply And kept him as the Apple of his Eye See as an Eagle o'er her young ones flys Spreads out her Wings and flutters in the Skys How from their Nest she does her Offspring bear Their Courage to provoke and make 'em dare To try their Wings and trust themselves in Air So did th' Almighty Iacob's Sons excite From Egypt's Prisons to attempt their flight Which he assisted with a Father's Care And did their way thro' parting Waves prepare He thro' the pathless Desart was their guide And when the Tribes for Egypt's Onions cry'd He in the Wilderness his Table spread And in his Airy Ovens bak'd the Bread With which th' ungrateful Murmurers were fed Then marching onward with a mighty hand He led them to possess a fertile Land There they the vanquish'd Heathen Lords pursu'd Reduc'd their Towns and their strong Forts subdu'd That they the fruitful Region might enjoy And with delights their ravish'd Senses cloy A Soil which Nature 's choicest Favours crown With Floods of Milk and Hony overflown Hony that runs in yellow fragrant Seas From out the holes of Rocks and hollow Trees Bath'd in their Oyl their chearful Faces shone And with the Grape 's rich blood they warm'd their own And yet the Tribes by gracious Heav'n carest Rever'd abroad at home with Plenty blest Grew fat and vicious like a pamper'd Beast They all the Bounds of grateful Duty broke Spurn'd at their Lord and kick'd against his Yoke Strange Gods inveigled their perfidious Heart The Worship of th' Almighty to desert Tho' he had unexampled Kindness shown And had espous'd their Int'rests as his own Then in his Breast fierce Jealousy began The Rage of God as well as 't is of Man They impious Adoration prostrate pay And Sacrifices in their Temples slay To foul Infernal Fiends that there abide And in the Mock-Divinitys reside The Fools the Gods they serve themselves create All upstart Deitys of modern Date Gods the productions of fantastic Fear Not Gods above but manufactur'd here But their Celestial Father they forgot Who their unthankful Tribes from Egypt brought Who as a Rock did them in danger hide Remove their Fears and for their Wants provide Who gave them Riches with a bounteous Hand Rais'd them to Honour and to wide Command Such their Perversness and Offences were That God his People once his tender Care In his fierce Indignation did disclaim And threw his Children off his Children but in Name Henceforth he said I will conceal my Face And hide my self from this unfaithful Race Then they and all the Nations round shall see The sad Event of their Apostacy From my Protection and my Favour cast Which they have long abus'd they shall at last The dreadful fruits of their Rebellions tast Since the perverse and stubborn Tribes agree To fire my Soul with Rage and Jealousy Imaginary Gods while they adore And to their Fictions give Almighty Pow'r In like designs against them I 'll engage And will their Sons with Jealousy enrage The Time will come when I 'll no more confine My Favours and Regard to Iacob's Line To grieve their Sons my Blessing I 'll dispence Among a salvage People void of Sense I 'll like my Sun spread my inlightning Grace On every Nation sprung from Adam's Race On thee O Iacob I thy angry God Vast heaps of heavy Mischief will unload For kindled by my Wrath a Fire shall burn The Forrests down and Hills to Cinders turn It thro' the Bowels of the Earth shall spread And scorch the cold Apartments of the Dead All Nature's Frame shall my fierce Anger feel And surfeited with Wrath the drunken Earth shall reel I all my Stores and Arsenals will drain To pour Destruction down and deadly Pain I 'll from my Quiver all my Arrows send And Israel to destroy will all my Vengeance spend Some shall by ling'ring Famine wasted ly And shall not till 't is late have leave to dy Their Air shall be infected and the Breath That fed their Life shall now give certain Death Fevers in livid poisonous Steams convey'd And burning Plagues their Dwellings shall invade If any shou'd these foremost Plagues outlive I 'll to the Forrest Beasts Commissions give And to the Serpents that in Caves abide Or in the Dust their speckled Terrors hide Th' Apostate Sons of Iacob to devour That slight my Favours and defy my Pow'r If these Domestic Mischiefs can't destroy This stubborn Nation I 'll the Sword employ I 'll bring in sure Destruction from afar And all the Terrors of resistless War Their Innocence in vain the Virgins plead Young Men their Youth the Old their Hoary Head Pierc'd with the Sword the sucking Infant crys And in th' expiring Mother's Bosom dys I from the Earth would these Apostates drive And leave no Soul of Iacob's Line alive Did not I fear the Heathen would blaspheme Reproach my Conduct and my Wrath condemn That they would vaunt and say their mighty hand Israel subdu'd and chas'd him from his Land For Iacob's void of Sense and does reject Th' Advice by which he should his ways direct O that these unconsidering Tribes were wise O that they knew wherein their Int'rest lyes That they to wholesome Counsels would attend Think on their Ways and on their later End That they would thus reflect God's vengeful Blow Is sure and fatal be it ne'er so slow The Debt of Vengeance does by his delay Augment the Sum which he at last will pay How should a Man a Thousand chase and two Ten Thousand flying Enemys pursue Had not their God in Wrath withdrawn his Aid And their high Fences flat and open laid Had he not shut them up in Holes and Caves Or sold 'em to th' insulting Foe for Slaves For let our Foes be Judges they 'll declare That to our God their own inferiour are This by th' Suffâ—rings which they undergo Their conquer'd Towns and routed Armys know Had he been pleas'd among us to abide Conquest had still attended Israel's side 'T is from our selves alone our Suff'rings spring For Sin at last will sure Destruction bring I planted Iacob as a noble Vine Expecting thence a rich and gen'rous Wine But 't is degenerate and a sourer Juice The Vines in Sodom's Fields did ne'er produce No baseâ— Stock did in Gomorrah grow Wormwood and Gall from its prest Clusters flow No ranker Poison wild Arabia yields Than this that grows in Palestina's Fields Their Wine outdoes the Venom Asps afford Or that with which the