That made thy Flood break Nature's Laws Thy Course thou didst not only stop And roll thy liquid Volumes up But didst ev'n backward flow to hide Within thy Fountain's Head thy refluent Tyde What did the lofty Mountains ail What Pangs of Fear did all the Hills assail That they their Station could not keep But scar'd with danger run like tim'rous scatter'd Sheep But why do I demand a Cause Of your Amazement which deserves Applause Yours was a just becoming Fear For when th' Almighty does appear Not only you but the whole Earth should quake And out of Rev'rence should its place forsake For he is Nature's Sov'raign Lord Who by his great commanding Word Can make the Floods to solid Crystal grow Or melt the Rocks and make their Marble flow THE CXLVIII PSALM PARAPHRAS'D YE bright Immortal Colonys That People all the Regions of the Skys That in your blissful Seats above Inhabit Glory dwell in Light and Love Ye mighty Gen'rals who command Th' Almighty's Host ye Ministers that stand In his blest Presence to receive What Orders he is pleas'd to give Ye Guards and Houshold Servants who resort To pay attendance at his Court Ye Saints and Seraphs who astonish'd see His Greatness and essential Majesty Tune your Celestial Harps and sing The Triumphs of th' Eternal King All ye his Heav'nly Hosts applaud In long continu'd Shouts your wonder-working God Ye Sun and Moon and Stars that grace the Night Praise him the unexhausted Spring of Light Whence your dependent Influence streams Whence you derive your delegated Beams Exalt his Name and spread his Praise As far as you diffuse your Rays Let all the glorious Worlds above agree In this Celestial Harmony And let the dancing ecchoing Sphears around Reverberate the Joy and propagate the sound Ye thin transparent Regions of the Air And all ye flying Nations there With one melodious Voice th' Eternals Praise declare Let Tempests with their stormy Noise And Thunder with its roaring Voice God's own Artillery proclaim Thro' all the list'ning World th' Eternal's Fame From ev'ry Quarter all ye Winds arise On whose swift Wings th' Almighty flys When he his Progress makes into th' inferiour Skys Blow all your Blasts and all your Breath employ In loud Applauses and in Songs of Joy Ye Vapours that by God's Command arise To fill Heav'n's Magazines with fresh Supplys And for the Meteors new Materials bring As you ascend to Heav'n th' Eternal's Praises sing Ye Clouds that by pursuing Winds are driv'n Pour with your Rain your Praises forth Let these ascend as high as Heav'n As that descends to bless the Earth Praise the Divine Artificer Ye Lightnings which his Hands prepare And all ye curious Fireworks of the Air. Praise him ye other Meteors of the Sky Ye Hailstones Mists and Woolly Snow The Manufactures which he works on high For Nature's Service here below Let Nature's mighty Sov'raign Lord Be by the Deep and all the Floods ador'd In Consort let the Billows roar And make his Praise rebound from Shore to Shore Let the scaly People dance Before 'em let their Lords the mighty Whales advance And high amidst the Air on this great Day Let all the Waterworks from their vast Nostrils play And while the Deep the Air and Sky Vocal become th' Almighty's Name to raise Let not the Earth stand silent by But joyn to celebrate his Praise Ye Dragons Wolves and all ye salvage Kind On ecchoing Hills in Consort joyn'd To him your Adoration pay Whose Bounty in the Desart finds you Prey Do you your Gratitude express And make his Praises ring thro' all the Wilderness Ye Pines and Cedars tune your selves to play Th' Almighty's Praises on this solemn Day And sing ye Mountains Hills and Floods To th' Instrumental Music of the Woods Ye Kings the King of Kings adore And at his Feet your borrow'd Scepters lay Applaud the Spring of all Imperial Pow'r You 're here but Subjects and should Homage pay Let Songs of Praise the Gratitude attest Of Aged Men long by his Favours blest Let rapt'rous Zeal Young Men and Maids inflame To celebrate their Maker's Fame Let lisping Infants at his Praises aim Let all th' Eternal's Works conspire To execute this blest design To praise him let them all combine And make the World one Universal Quire THE Song of MOSES PARAPHRAS'D DEUT. Chap. 32. ATtend O Heav'ns and you Empyreal Sphears Did you possess as many list'ning Ears As Starry Eyes all as you roll along Should be employ'd to hear my following Song To my important words a while attend And back my Notes in tuneful Ecchoes send Peace ye tumultuous Waters of the Deep A while ye yelling Monsters silence keep And let the Billows roll and rock themselves asleep Be still ye Earthquakes in the Caves beneath Ye Winds be husht and stop your stormy Breath Thunders your bellowing deaf'ning Noise forbear Tempests be gone and leave in Peace the Air That so the quiet Earth and Air and Sea Without disturbance may attention pay Whilst I th' Almighty's wondrous Deeds display And let not my Divine Discourse be vain Let it distill as Dew and drop as Rain That in their grassy Garments cloaths the Hills And with rich Fruits the smiling Vally fills Whilst I to all the World aloud proclaim His Majesty his great and awful Name Whilst I his Triumphs sing ye Tribes do you To God ascribe the Pow'r and Glory due God is a Rock unchang'd by Ages past And by the future shall unshaken last Perfect are all his Works and all his Ways From Truth 's Eternal Rule he never strays Upright and Equal all his Acts appear He 's just when kind and gracious when severe Therefore ye Sons of Iacob be it known On your own heads you 've pull'd Destruction down Your black Offences have incens'd your God And forc'd his hand to take his vengeful Rod. Say not that yours the Faults of Children are Which a kind Father is induc'd to spare Your Crimson Spots your foul and loathsome stains Tell the rank Poison that infects your Veins Your unexampled Contumacy shows You are not Children but invet'rate Foes Th' Almighty's Goodness do you thus despise Ah foolish Generation and unwise Your Great Deliverer do you thus requite His Pow'r and Mercy thus perversly slight You by a vast expence of Wonders bought He from your Bondage back from Egypt brought He then advanc'd you to Imperial Sway And made the Pagan Kings your Laws obey From all Mankind he chose you for his own And did your Sons with Pow'r and Plenty crown Consult our antient Fathers to the source Of our recorded Story have recourse You 'll find when God did with a lib'ral hand Among the Nations give the parted Land He Canaan's happy Region did divide Where Iacob's Offspring should at last reside He from the Pagan did his People bound And for himself fenc'd this Inclosure round And blest with his Abode the sacred Ground To Wealth and Pow'r he Israel did
empty Vanity in Arms. If God the Spring of Life and Pow'r By whose supplys his various Worlds endure Held back his Streams Mankind would soon expire Dissolve and into nothing strait retire Since his Perfections so transcendent are What Image can his Being represent What can you with Almighty Strength compare What Figure of Infinity invent The senseless Heathens to the Artist run Who deals in Deities of Wood and Stone The Fools bespeak an Antick lacker'd God To Guard their Persons and Abode The melted Metal in the Furnace flows Then in the Mould the stiff'ning Idol glows And when their God grows Hard and Cold The Workman makes him fine and daubs him o'er with Gold The Crowd their gaudy Deity admire Th' effect of Art the Creature of the Fire Then least their Feeble God should fall With Silver Chains they fix him to the Wall A likely Guardian this to save The Men that his Protection crave The Man that 's grown so Indigent and Poor He can't an Off'ring for his God procure To Idols he 's so much inclind Will ways to get Materials find And to engage the chiefest Artist's Care A Graven Image to prepare Tho' after all his Cost and Pains The worthless Piece fixt in his Place remains It can't advance a Step or move a Hand In his Defence that does his help demand Ye Pagan Realms that cover'd lie With the thick Darkness of Idolatry How can a Truth to all reveal'd As clear as Day be still from you conceal'd That is that God's the only God to whom You should with humble Adoration come The Starry Heav'ns which he has made The Earth whose deep Foundations he has laid His Being and his Majesty declare And shew how boundless his Perfectionâ— are Above the Circle of the Earth on high He sits enthroâ—'d amidst th' Emperial Sky Whence when he casts his Eyes around And views the Earth hung low in Air As little Insects creeping on the Ground Contemptible Mankind appear The Heav'nly Sphears as Curtains he expands With Orbs of Light Magnificent His fine transparent Ether with his Hands He spreads to form his Royal Tent. He at his Pleasure can destroy The Kings that greatest Pow'r and Wealth enjoy He can their royal Heads uncrown And from their Thrones can cast them headlong down Deep Root they shall not take nor spread Amidst the Clouds their shady Head Blasted and with th' Almighty's Breath opprest As with a furious Tempest from the East Their ruin'd Branches shall decay And fade like with'ring Plants away Where then says God can Men my Equal see What Object can resemble me Lift up O Man on high thy wond'ring Eyes Regard the Palace of the Holy One View the bright Constellations of the Skies Where he has â—ixt his Adamantine Throne Did not th' Eternal from th' Abyss of Night Call forth those Heav'ns and all those Orbs of Light Do they not run their Courses and dispence At his Command their Light and Influence He their great Gen'ral Day by Day Draws out his glitt'ring Armys in Array In constant Musters on th' Etherial Plains The Squadrons he reviews and all their Posts ordains As Master of his Starry Family He calls his shining Servants out by Name Gives them their Tasks to which they all agree Whereby his Pow'r and Greatness they proclaim Why dost thou say O Iacob I complain And make to God my moan in Vain He to my Sorrow no Compassion shows Neglects my Tears and disregards my Woes The proud Oppressors cruel Yoke Does not his vengeful Wrath provoke I am no more th' Almighty's Care Else he would hear my mournful Pray'r And not desert me in my deep Despair He 'll be no more my Advocate My Cause to manage in debate He will no more my Injuries redress No more condemn my Foes who me oppress He 's pleas'd so long his People to disown That now our Case is desp'rate grown Now if he would he can't assistance give We 're ruin'd and undone past all retrieve O dost thou not unthoughtful Iacob know Who made the Heav'ns above and Earth below Did not thy God th' Eternal Lord Create them with his great commanding Word He rules the World he made with equal Laws Will such a God desert his Peoples Cause Will he that all things wisely does direct His People's Interests neglect Will he their Suff'rings slight and earnest Pray'rs reject He grows not faint nor does his Vigour wast With Age or with his Labour past His undeclining Strength feels no decay Still can he punish those who disobey He can as strong an arm as e'er extend To crush his Foes his People to defend Nor dos he with a less attentive Ear The Crys of guiltless Suff'rers hear But then the Seasons of Deliv'rance rest As Secrets in th' Almighty's Breast The Depths of Providence are fathomless Nor will its Heights admit access And therefore in his Pleasure Man must Acquiesce He to his People still Deliv'rance sends When it promotes their Good and serves his glorious Ends. His Counsels which so far exceed our reach Sould Patience and Submission teach He gives supplies of Pow'r to those that want Strengthens the Feeble and revives the Faint The Youngest Men in whose distended Veins And brawny Nerves Athletic Vigor reigns If they on God should not rely Would quickly languish sink and die But those who humbly on his Strength depend Their stock of Vigor ne'er shall spend He 'll reinforce them with recruits of Pow'r And their decaying Strength restore They shall on Wings like Eagles mount on high And with like force and swiftness cut the Sky They shall or Walk or Run still forward press And ne'er complain of Weariness God daily shall their Strength encrease That they their Burdens may sustain with Ease Till he shall chuse his time his Captives to release Part of the LII And the whole LIII Chap. of Isaiah PARAPHRAS'D MY Servant shall acquire divine Renown And regal Honours shall his Temples crown Kings at his Feet their Diadems shall lay And all the willing World his Empire shall obey His Godlike Government and righteous Laws From Men and Angels shall receive applause He shall his own and Subjects Rights maintain Protect his Friends Oppressors rage restrain And everlasting Peace shall bless his glorious Reign As Men at his Affliction were amaz'd And on his wondrous Woe with Horror gaz'd Whose Face was so deform'd his Flesh so worn With all the Toyl and Torments he had born No Eye e'er saw no Tongue can e'er express Such perfect Grief such infinite distress So shall he be exalted and his height Shall bear proportion to his humble state His Heav'nly Doctrines on the Nations round Shall fall as dropping Rain upon the Ground Attentive Monarchs with a greedy Ear Shall all his wise Divine Instructions hear They 'll with profound Humility receive The Oracles and Counsels he shall give No more their impious Tongues shall him condemn No more Religion or its God blaspheme His Godlike
Sorrow can resist its force Thy blest Instructions and thy grave Advice Can teach the Blind and make the stupid Wise. Display'd by thy Divine Discourse I find A Heav'nly Day irradiates my Mind Thou hast thy point by solid Reason prov'd And like an Oracle all doubts remov'd What knowing Spirit has thy Bosom fir'd For thou hast argu'd as a Man inspir'd But say to whom dost thou address thy Speech Am I so weak and of so short a reach That I must still be taught the Common Theme Of God's Imperial Sway and Power supreme I could th' Almighty's wondrous Works with ease Like you recite as for example these He all the wanton Monsters form'd that play And bound above the Bosom of the Sea Wild Water-Gyants hideous Forms that reign Lords of the vast inhospitable Main A salvage Race that range the liquid Fields And fill with Rapine all the wavy Wilds All the mute Nations of the deep Abyss And Finny People of the Floods are his To hide from God its sad Inhabitants And dusky Realms Hell thicker Darkness wants Compacted Shadows and substantial Night Elude the Sun 's but not th' Almighty's Sight Death does in vain her sable Covering spread And in her secret Vaults loâ—k up the Dead Th' Almighty's Eye does all her Spoils survey And no distinction knows of Night or Day He o'er the empty Space displays on high The blue Expansion of the Northern Sky He hangs the pond'rous Earth in liquid Air And his Command and Providential Care Are the sole Pillars that support it there He bids the loose and fluid Clouds sustain Imprison'd Tempests and suspend the Rain Distended with the Waters in 'em pent Their Wombs hang low in Air but are not rent But then at his Command successive Drops Distill from Heav'n and crown the Farmer 's Hopes Lest his high Throne above expression bright With deadly Glory should oppress our sight To break the dazling Force he draws a Skreen Of sable Shades and spreads his Clouds between He raises rocky Bounds around the Deep And does the raging Waves in Prison keep That whilst as order'd by Alternate sway The Sun and Moon shall rule the Night and Day The Foaming Surges rolling o'er the Strand Might not a Deluge spread and drown the Land The Hills and Mountains whose aspiring tops Appear the Pillars and unshaken props Reer'd to sustain the Heav'n's expanded Roof Tremble with Fear and shake at his Reproof He with his mighty Power the Sea divides And ploughs deep Furrows in its wounded Sides At his Command the threatning Billows rise Mix Waters with the Clouds and lave with foam the Skies But in a moment he corrects their Pride And bids the Sea repel her swelling Tide Uproar is husht the Ocean at his Frown Shrinks in and calls it's tow'ring Surges down The trembling Waves creep softly to the Shore And Tempests over-aw'd no longer roar The Heav'nly Spheres around in Order turn'd With clust'ring Constellations he adorn'd He the great Serpent form'd and bid him rowl His Starry Volumes round the Northern Pole These of his Works are part but still I own To us his Wonders are but little known To such extent who can his Reason stretch As his vast Power and Providence can reach His boundless Wisdom who can comprehend Who will to search the dark Abyss descend Who can his Wonders number who declare Of Energy divine the utmost Sphere CH. XXVII The Pious Iob here paus'd a while and stay'd For their reply but no reply was made Then he his grave and wise Discourse revives And said as God my great Creator lives Who has to hear and judge my Cause deny'd And my vext Soul with sharp Affliction try'd While the warm blood dilates my winding Veins And in my Nostrils while my Breath remains That Breath th' Almighty did himself inspire Gently to fan and feed the vital Fire No Falshood will I mix in this debate Nor with perfidious Lips express Deceit Under the Censure of my Friends I lye Charg'd with Offences of the deepest Dye Oppression Fraud and deep Hypocrisy Shall I acquit their rash Censorious Tongue Confess th' Indictment and my Virtue wrong Forbid O Heav'n that I should ever own So black a Charge of Crimes to me unknown I till I Dye will stedfastly assert The pure Intention of my upright Heart From this Profession will I ne'er depart Conscience whose Court of Justice is within Can ne'er accuse me of delib'rate Sin The wicked and their ways I so detest That might I feed Revenge within my Breast And might I have permission to bestow The greatest Curse upon my greatest Foe I would desire that Foe might all his days Delight in vicious Men and vicious Ways What if the Sinner's Magazines are stor'd With the rich Spoils that Ophir's Mines afford What if he spends his happy Days and Nights In softest Joys and undisturb'd Delights Where is his Hope at last when God shall wrest His trembling Soul from his reluctant Breast Must he not then Heav'n's Vengeance undergo Condemn'd to Chains and Everlasting Woe This is his Fate but often here below Justice o'ertakes him tho' it marches slow And when the Day of Vengeance does appear The Wretch will cry but will th' Almighty hear If bath'd in Tears Compassion he invokes The unrelenting Judge will multiply his Strokes His vain Complaints and unregarded Prayer Will drive the raving Rebel to despair Or will he e'er with Confidence apply Himself to God and on his Aid rely Will he not rather cease in his distress His Prayers to Heav'n hereafter to address Do not disdain to learn and I 'll reveal How the just God does with the Wicked deal To you some secret Methods I 'll detect By which he 's pleas'd his Conduct to direct All you your selves have by Experience found For my Assertions there 's abundant ground I grant that some not all the wicked Band As you assert feel God's vindictive Hand And this should make the proud Oppressor dread Lest Vengeance should assail his guilty Head Children he multiplies to be devour'd By ling'ring Famine or the raging Sword Untimely Death his Offspring shall consume And sink them deep in black Oblivion's Womb. His Wives well pleas'd to see the Tyrant's Fate Shall joyful Mourners on his Funeral wait Tho' he does Gold in lofty Mountains heap And as the dust has Silver Treasure cheap Tho' Robes of State wrought with Sidonian Skill And rich embroider'd Vests his Wardrobe fill Yet shall the Just and Upright Man divide His precious Treasures and his Purple Pride The Judge's righteous Sentence shall restore The Wealth he wrested from the injur'd Poor His Dwelling like the Moths shall soon decay Which settles in a Garment for a Day But suddainly is crush'd and swept away Or like the Lodge a Keeper does erect His Garden Fruit or Vintage to protect Which when the Swain has gather'd in his Store Is pull'd as quickly down as reer'd before When Heav'n th' Oppressor shall of
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
Strength in Troops repair'd They left their old Abodes to be possest By Owls and Bats and every rav'ning Beast Until their fruitful Land at last Became a wild Inhospitable Wast O Israel these were thy sad Wants and Woes These thy Oppressions when I Deb'rah rose When I arose a Mother to restore Thy former Peace and Wealth and Pow'r Till then thy blind Apostate Sons forsook Theirs and their Father's God and took New fangled Gods of old unknown Gods lately into Reputation grown Gods carv'd in Wood or cut in Stone Heav'n thus provok'd excited Foes Who full of rage against our Citys rose Confed'rate Kingdoms War with Israel wag'd And horrid Slaughter in our Bowels rag'd And well it might for we were so disarm'd That when the Foe our Gates alarm'd Did there a single Shield or Spear Midst forty Thousand Israelites appear O Israel then I rose to rescue thee From thy vile Chains to set thee free Nor can my Song too much exalt the Fame Of those great Chiefs who freely came To give me Aid and to subdue our Foes Did gen'rously their Lives expose Give them their due Applause but chiefly bless The God who gave them Courage and Success Ye Lords in Courts of Judgment who preside And thro' the Streets in awful State With num'rous Trains attended ride Th' Almighty's wondrous Work relate Ye People who can leave your safe Abodes And travel now secure in Publick Roads You that do now in Joy and Peace Your Fig-trees and your Vines possess You who no more the noise of Archers hear But unmolested to your Springs repair Do you rehearse God's righteous Deeds Whence this your unexpected Peace proceeds Awake awake O Deborah awake Quickly thy Harp and Timbrel take A Song of Triumph and of Joy rehearse In lofty Strains and noble Verse A Song that may just Honour pay To the great Deeds of this illustrious Day O Barak rise arise thou valiant Chief Whose Conqu'ring Arms have brought relief To Israel in our vast distress And made our haughty Foes their Impotence confess Thou mighty Man advance and lead along Thy Spoils and Trophys thro' the cleaving Throng Thy Captives lead in clanking Chains All their vast Army's small Rematns Thou who the dreadful Battel didst display On that decisive glorious Day Now draw thy Pomp and Triumph in Array Iacob's Remains by Heav'n with Empire crown'd Have laid their Yoke on Canaan's Kings around Ev'n me the Lord has rais'd to Regal Sway And made the Mighty my Commands obey Thy Sons did first the War embrace Forward in Arms O Benjamin And next to thee a few of Ephraim's Race Advanc'd and joyn'd their Troops with thine Rulers and Nobles from Manasses came Whose brave example did the rest inflame The Scribes of Zebulun and learned Men To weild the Sword laid down the Pen. The Princes and the Lords of Issachar Despising Danger undertook the War With Zeal they follow'd me their Head And Barak to the Field their valiant Squadrons led Ah Reuben how were we dismay'd To be defrauded of thy Aid Ah why didst thou desert thy Country's Cause Why did not Reuben share this day's applause Say when thy Breth'ren arm'd with Sword and Shield For Liberty advanc'd into the Field Why didst thou sullen in thy Tents abide As if in Blood and Int'rest not Ally'd Couldst thou to Arms thy Shepherd's Crook prefer And rather chuse thy bleating Sheep to hear Than the loud Thunder of a noble War Oh how much Trouble to our State Did this ignoble Deed of thine create Gilead beyond the Flood of Iopran stay'd And of the haughty Foe afraid Refus'd to give his Brethren Aid Dan on his Wealth and Shipping too intent No Succours to our Army sent Asher with like inglorious Negligence Trusting to Rocks and Caves as his defence Stay'd on the Shore and no Assistance gave Our Worship or our Liberty to save But oh what wondrous Deeds were done By Napthali and Zebulun With what an ardour what a warlike rage Did those brave Men in Fight engage Methinks I see those Warriours make Their bold and irresistible Attack Greedy and fond of Danger they The Squadrons cleft and cut the way To the chief Places of the Field Which did the chiefest choice of ruin yield Which were with plenty of Destruction stor'd And all the horrid shapes of danger did afford Where Death triumphant in the Battel stood Besmear'd with Brains and Dust and Blood Great Potentates of formidable Fame Captains and Kings against us came Their confluent Troops from every Coast Compos'd a vast o'erâ—lowing Host. We saw th' advancing Deluge from afar And all the must'ring Tydes of complicated War They stopt and in Battalia stood Upon the Banks of Kishon's Flood Thither our eager Squadrons flew There did we fight and there proud Iabin's Troops subdue The radiant Host of Stars above Drew out and did in warlike order move They did their Darts from Heav'n's high Turrets throw And charg'd with fatal influence the Foe They to our Aid their glitt'ring Forces brought And against Sisera in their Courses fought O Kishon then thy troubled Tyde Was choak'd with Carcasses with Crimson dy'd Swords Helmets Shields roll'd all beneath And of the lighter Instruments of Death Spears Arrows Darts a floating Wood O'erspread the surface of thy Flood Thy current swept their Troops away And with their mighty Spoils enrich'd the wondring Sea Thy banks and all the Vale about Were spread with marks of ignominious rout Chariots o'erturn'd and scatter'd Shields And broken Hoofs deform'd the Fields Hoofs torn and on the stony places cast O'er which the flying Horsemen past Accurst th' Almighty's Angel cry'd Accurst be Meroz who her help deny'd Vengeance and Plagues on her vile People light Who would not for their God and Country fight But let us Iael's Courage sing Let loud Applauses thro' our Citys ring Of Heber's Wife above the rest Of Womankind may she be blest Great Sis'ra choak'd with heat and dust Demanded Water from the Spring She to allay the Gen'ral's thirst Did Milk and Cream in costly Vessels bring She to the Nail the left apply'd And with her right hand did the Hammer guidâ— And as the mighty Sisera Stretcht on the Pavement â—leeping lay Th' undaunted Woman with a noble blow Drove in the Nail and pierc'd his Temples thro Amaz'd not waken'd with the Wound He sprung and bounded from the ground The brave Virago did her blow repeat And laid him prostrate at her feet He bow'd and fell and gasping lay Quiver'd and groan'd his Life away She drew his Sword and with a Manly stroke The Warriours Head from off his Shoulders took His Mother looking thro' her Window said Why is his Triumph thus delay'd Why does his lingring Chariot stay Why roll his Wheels so slowly on the way Her Maids nay she her self reply'd The Conqu'rors stay their Booty to divide The distribution made each Chief can shew A Damsel for his share or two But Sis'ra's Prey outshines the rest His
Dead amaze On thee the pale Inhabitants will gaze And cry is this the late pretended God That govern'd Millions with his Nod And on the Necks of Captive Princes trod Is this th' Immortal Man that never cloy'd With Blood and Rapine all the Earth destroy'd That Princes of their Thrones did disposses Did wasted Nations with his Yoke oppress And made the empty World a howling Wilderness Who Tow'rs demolish'd goodly Buildings burn'd And Cities into Rubbish turn'd Who never gave his People rest Nor once his Pris'ners from their Chains releast When other Sov'raign Princes die They lie in pompous Sepulchres prepar'd To Lodge their Royal Family And as they liv'd they are in State inter'd But none thy Body in the Tomb shall lay They 'll cast it as a rotten Branch away No Funeral Honours shall thy Herse adorn But as the bloody Raiment of the Slain Whom the next Pit or Quarries entertain Thy more polluted Carcass shall with scorn Be trodden under foot and into pieces torn Thou shalt not from thy Palace be convey'd As other Monarchs use to be Nor in a stately Tomb be laid With costly Rites and sad Solemnity Because thy Salvage Hand Has slain thy People and destroy'd thy Land God shall all Marks and Monuments efface Of this ungodly cruel Race His Hand that rais'd them up shall pull 'em down And strip them of their Glory and Renown Resistless Ruin he will on 'em send Their House and Empire shall together end Let it ye Medes and Persians be you Care Destruction for their Children to prepare No tenderness to Age or Sex express But on the Sons avenge the Father's Wickedness That this curst House may never more Regain their Splendor and their former Pow'r Thus saith the Lord of Hosts OBabilon Thou 'rt fully ripe for Ruin grown In Storms of Vengeance I 'll against thee rise Which shall thy careless Sons surprise Thy lofty Tow'rs I 'll level lay And sweep thy vile Inhabitants away Thee like to Sodom I will make And turn thee to a mighty Lake The lonesome Bittern shall possess This Fenny Seat this Reedy Wilderness The Waves shall thro' thy Cedar Chambers rowl And on thy Shore shall Water-Monsters howl The Palaces where cruel Kings did reign In time to come shall entertain The mute Oppressors of the Main So Babylon shall always be The Seat of Blood and Tyranny A scaly Garrison shall dwell In every Fort and Cittadel The swift Assassins of the Flood shall sport Within thy Monarch's weedy Court Thither shall Fish of every Kind resort There thy Luxurious Sons they shall devour And feed on those who fed on them before THE xxxivth Cha. of Isaiah PARAPHRAS'D YE various Nations who disperse Your Dwellings thro' the spacious Universe Inhabitants of every distant Soil Of every Continent and every Isle At Heav'n's dread Summons all appear Let all the World collected throng to hear Things that will melt their trembling Hearts with fear Against the Nations God's fierce Anger burns Against them he his pointed Vengeance turns He brings his oldest Stores of Fury forth Hidden Reserves of Rage and high fermented Wrath. He will the swiftest Kinds of Death employ The Heathen Nations to destroy Who mixing Arms advance from far Against our Land Confed'rate War Their Bodies shall unburied lie a Feast To every rav'ning Forrest Beast Vultures and all the Rovers of the Air To the red Fields of Slaughter shall repair Where they great Chiefs and Potentates shall eat And royal Banquets shall their Hunger treat From heaps of putrifying Dead Amidst the Skies A noisome Scent shall rise And thro' the tainted Air Malignant Vapours spread Down from the Hills on which their Armys stood Torrents shall run of reeking Blood And rocky Fragments roll along th' impetous Flood The Plains shall lie and all the Vales around Beneath the Purple Inundation drown'd Nature shall groan and during this attack Her universal Frame shall with Convulsions shake The Sun and Moon amaz'd to see Nature's convulsive Agony Shall spring and start from out their Sphears And all the glitt'ring Host of Stars Seiz'd with no less affright Shall fly away from Mortals sight And in the Bosom hide of antient Night The vast Expansion drawn around the World Shall like a useless Sail be furl'd All the blew Volumes of the Sky shall roll Themselves together as a Parchment Scrole Celestial Orbs that round us shine Falling from Heav'n the World shall see As Leaves in Autumn from the Vine Or Figgs when ripe fall from the shaken Tree Th' Almighty's Sword so 't is in Heav'n decreed Shall bath it self in Blood and on Destruction feed The radiant Spoiler down the Sky Shall like projected Lightning fly On Edom's Fields he 'll make his swift descent To execute his dire Intent The reeking Ravager will march in hast To slay the Men and lay the Country wast Where e'er his Course the Conq'rour bends Ruin in all its frightful Forms attends Death and Destruction keep an equal pace And Desolation shews her ghastly wastful Face The glitt'ring Glutton shall be gorg'd with Food Made fat with Spoil and drunk with Blood Not with the Blood of Goats and Lambs Nor fatted with the Flesh of Rams But with the Blood of Israel's Foes And with their Flesh who Israel's God oppose Princes and Lords with these combin'd Against us in Destruction too are joyn'd Princes and Lords who arm'd with Pow'r The People as their Prey devour Who lawless sway like Unicorns possess Or the wild Bulls that range the Wilderness God has a mighty Sacrifice in hand In Bozrah and at his command Vast slaughter will be made in Edom's Land A Slaughter and a Sacrifice Where harmless Beasts are sav'd and Man th' Offender dies So great a Slaughter shall be made That all the Land shall under Blood be laid The Carcasses of Idumeans slain Shall cover every Hill and Plain For this is that tremendous Day Which God appoints wherein to pay The mighty Sums of Fury in arrear And his vast Debt of Vengeance clear His long contracted Debt of Vengeance due To Nations that his People's fall pursue Their Floods to lazy Streams of Pitch shall turn And kindled Brimstone shall their Cities burn The Clouds shall spouts of Flame on Edom pour Such as Gomorrah did devour Whence everlasting Smoke shall rise As from a burning Mount amidst the Skies No People more shall e'er possess This ruin'd Land this burning Wilderness No Trav'ller ever more shall pass Thro' this accurs'd inhospitable Place Ne'er shall be seen the footsteps of a Man But the hoarce Bittern and the Pelican The Owl and Raven shall inhabit there With all th' illboding Monsters of the Air. God to accomplish his design O'er Edom shall extend his measuring Line Shall draw his Compass round about And for Destruction mark the People out No Idumean Prince or Lord Shall scape the Conq'ring Sword Thistles and thorny Trees Shall flourish in their Princes Palaces Nettles shall spâ—ing around their