Oft have I faid; the praise of doing well The odours of the fweets inclosed, would die ; Into the balm of pureft virtue caft, Loft Solomon! purfue this thought no more: And filent weep, that while the deathless Muse Awaking therefore, as who long had dream'd, Refolved, as time might aid my thought, to rife; Bid her exalt her melancholy wing, And, raised from earth, and fav'd from paffion, fing Their wishes, fmiles, and looks deceitful, all and vain. TEXTS TE X T S CHIEFLY ALLUDED TO IN THE THIRD BOOK. Or ever the filver cord be loofed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Ecclefiaftes, chap. xii. vers. 6. The fum arifeth, and the fun goeth down, and haffeth to his place where he arofe. Ecclefiaftes, chap. I. verf. 5. The wind goeth towards the fouth, and turneth about unto the north. It whirleth about continually; and the wind returneth again, according to his circuit. Verf. 6. All the rivers run into the fea: yet the fea is not full. Unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. Verf. 7. Then fhall the duft return to the earth, as it was : and the spirt fhall return unto God who gave it. Ecclefiaftes, chap. xii. vers. 7. VOL. II. F Now Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from Heaven, and confumed the burnt-offering, and the facrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the houfe. II. Chronicles, chap. vii. verf. 1. By the rivers of Babylon, there we fat down; yea we wept, when we remembered Sion, &c. Pfalm cxxxvii. verf. 1. I faid of laughter, it is mad; and of mirth, what doth it? Ecclefiaftes, chap. ii. verfe 2. No man can find out the work that God maketh, from the beginning to the end. Ecclefiaftes, chap. iii. verf. 11. Whatfoever God doth, it fhall be for ever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. Verf. 14. Let us hear the conclufion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep his Commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclefiaftes, chap. xii. Verf. 13. POWER: THE ARGUMENT. Solomon confiders man through the feveral stages and conditions of life; and concludes in general, that we are all miferable. He reflects more particularly upon the trouble and uncertainty of greatnefs and power; gives fome inftances thereof from Adam down to himself; and ftill concludes that all is Vanity. He reafons again upon life, death, and a future being; finds human wifdom too imperfect to refolve his doubts; has recourfe to religion; is informed by an Angel, what shall happen to himself, his family, and his kingdom, 'till the redemption of Ifrael: and, upon the whole, refolves to fubmit his enquiries and anxieties to the will of his Creator. COME OME then, my foul: I call thee by that name, Thou busy thing, from whence I know I am: For, knowing what I am, I know thou art; Since that must needs exift, which can impart. But how cam'ft thou to be, or whence thy fpring? From force of inftinct more than choice of will As the wild courfes of the blood ordain; Hovers |