תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

Hæc damnata pati diros fine fine labores,
Numinis æternum exilium, longafque catenas;
Horrendis vicibus miferos vexare lacertos,
Per liquidum fudans fulphur, folidofve per ignes:
Altera primævæ dum furgit ad atria lucis,
Delicias inter vivas, à fonte fluentes
Æterno, quorum rara intervalla voluptas
Tempeftate gravi patitur, veneranda JEHOVA
Cum mandata vocant vindictæ effundere nimbum
Atrocem in Regis ftomachum, Populumque rebellem:
Aut magni trepidanda refigere juffa TONANTIS,
Et narrare manu lapfuras fulminis iras,

Cum ponit fupplex animos faftumque Tyrannus,
Et plorat Populus lacrimofa in veste rebellis.
Quî Superi poffint cœlorum in limite claudi?
Quî cerni Facies, finis quam nulla coercet?
Summa vel ima DEUS, tenet hæc, tenet ifta locorum?
Omnia qui finxit, nonne omnia numine complet?
O! ubi nigra cohors talem fcrutabitur umbram,
Tam fpiffam tenebris, Lumen quæ fallat acutum,
Sublimem Autorem vifus, oculique Parentem?

Angelus intereà quid creditur effe? videtur Mens pura? an folidum corpus, feu mollior aer?

Men

These bound to bear an everlafting Load,
Durance of Chain, and Banishment of God;
By fatal Turns their wretched Strength to tire;
To swim in fulph'rous Lakes, or land on folid Fire:
While Those exalted to primæval Light,
Excess of Bleffing, and Supreme Delight,

Only perceive fome little Paufe of Joys

In those great Moments, when their God imploys
Their Ministry, to pour his threaten'd Hate
On the proud King, or the Rebellious State:
Or to reverse JEHOVAH's high Command,
And speak the Thunder falling from his Hand,
When to his Duty the proud King returns;
And the Rebellious State in Ashes mourns.
How can good Angels be in Heav'n confin'd;
Or view that Prefence, which no Space can bind?
Is GOD above, beneath, or yon', or here?
He who made all, is He not ev'ry where?

O how can wicked Angels find a Night

So dark, to hide 'em from that piercing Light,

Which form'd the Eye, and gave the Pow'r of Sight?

What mean I now, of Angel when I hear;

Firm Body, Spirit pure, or fluid Air?

Mentes nulla operum nifi mentibus apta fecutæ,
Pectoribus noftris faciles, animifque propinquæ,
Internos tantùm motus fub corde cierent,
Se neque fubjicerent externo luminis igni.
Nonne autem noftri quondam novere Parentes
Effe illis fenfumque dapum, cumque artubus offa?
Ni foret, ABRAM US feffos potuitne lavare,
Aut SARA jucundis epulis lenire palatum?
Surgeret unde timor? quò LOTI audacia, captos
Eripere, & fævum membris arcere furorem?
Quo more ingreffus certamina vera JACOBUS'
Luctantis Seraphini ictus persensit iniquos?
Qua vi Materiæ potuit fe opponere Forma,
Aut Anima exilis mortalia tangere Membra?

Aere denfato conftant, radiisve coactis? Unde igitur flecuntque animos, & noftra per auras Vota ferunt? ipfos levibus ludibria ventis Spargeret aufter agens, & turbine ferret iniquo.

An credam indutos (ut facro carmine fertur) Materiem veram, folidafque ad corpora vires? Quî fit (quandoquidem nos æqua forte potitos Numen idem circum expanfis complectitur alis)

Spirits to Action spiritual confin'd,

Friends to our Thought, and Kindred to our Mind,

Should only act and prompt us from within,
Nor by external Eye be ever seen.

Was it not therefore to our Fathers known,

That these had Appetite, and Limbs, and Bone?
Elfe how could ABRAM wafh their weary'd Feet;
Or SARAH please their Tafte with fav'ry Meat?
Whence should they fear? or why did LOT engage
To fave their Bodies from abufive Rage?
And how could JACOB, in a real Fight,
Feel or refift the wrestling Angel's Might?
How could a Form it's Strength with Matter try?
Or how a Spirit touch a Mortal's Thigh?

Now are they Air condens'd, or gather'd Rays? How guide they then our Pray'r, or keep our Ways, By stronger Blafts ftill fubject to be toft,

By Tempefts scatter'd, and in Whirlwinds loft?

Have they again (as Sacred Song proclaims)
Subftances real, and exifting Frames?

How comes it, fince with them we jointly share
The great Effect of one Creator's Care;

[blocks in formation]

Ipfis fortia adhuc florefcere lætaque membra,
Dum noftri languent pereuntque doloribus artus?
Cur, Nobis fub valle diù luctantibus ima

Contra pauperiem & curas, morbumque necemque,
Ipfi perpetuæ producunt munera vitæ

Mellifluos inter cantus fcenafque virentes?

dum,

Mens vaga dum latum circumfpicit undique Mun-
Agnofcitque, Nihil fe efferre in lumina poffe;
Dum furgit paulatim, atque ordine fingula luftrat,
Percurrit valles pictas, clivofque feraces
Umbrarum; fontes vivos, minerafque tepentes,
Auguftum Thamefin, fæcundaque flumina Nili:
Omne etiam genus in terris, pecudesque ferafque,
Seu faltus & prata colant, feu littoris oras;

Et mare qui tranant vaftum, quique ætheris auras,
Pinnigerum alatumque gregem; Vermemque pufillum,
Terrarum imbellem Dominum, fub corpore parvo
Jactantem ætherios divini pectoris ignes.
Jamque fuperne volans Cœli convexa tuetur,
Ætheraque expanfum, quem cærula gloria veftit
Effufum ingenti fpatio, noctifque per umbram
Innumeræ complent immenfo lumine Stella;
Hinc recolit Superos, titulis qui infignibus aucti,

[ocr errors]

Or

« הקודםהמשך »