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E'er long-wifh'd Night brings neceffary Reft:
Still viewing with Regret his Darling EVE,
He for Her Follies, and His own must grieve:
Bewailing still a-fresh their hapless Choice;
His Ear oft frighted with the imag'd Voice
Of Heav'n, when firft it thunder'd; oft his View
Aghaft, as when the Infant Light'ning flew;
And the ftern CHERUB ftop'd the fatal Road,
Arm'd with the Flames of an Avenging GOD.
His Younger Son on the polluted Ground,
First Fruit of Death, lies Plaintif of a Wound
Giv'n by a Brother's Hand: His Eldest Birth
Flies, mark'd by Heav'n, a Fugitive o'er Earth.
Yet why these Sorrows heap'd upon the Sire,
Becomes nor Man, nor Angel to enquire.

Each Age finn'd on; and Guilt advanc'd with Time; The Son ftill added to the Father's Crime;

'Till GOD arose, and great in Anger faid:

Lo! it repenteth Me, that Man was made.

Withdraw thy Light, Thou Sun! be dark, Ye Skies! And from your deep Abyss, Ye Waters, rise!

The

Audivere Undæ Dominum: & mandata fecuti
Effrænes fluctus, nimbique immane furentes
Subjectas rapido fuperârunt agmine terras.
Tradidit interea Noa fervanda fideli

Quæ voluit fupereffe DEUS: naufragia mundi
Profpexit Pater immunis, victorque tumentes
Diluvii fremitus ferventiaque æquora sprevit.

Sed Venti pofuere, & decrefcentibus undis Emergit Tellus; pacifque Infigne Columba Ore refert placido ramum felicis Olivæ. At Noa, licèt alma fides mærentia firmat Pectora, adhuc tacitæ tangunt præcordia curæ; Dum poft terga videt mundi lugubre fepulchrum, Et defolatas communi funere gentes; Profpicit inde aliam faciem abfimilemque priori Surgere, vix relegens veteris veftigia formæ: Hic fefe in longum extendunt deferta locorum Squallida; prærupti hìc tollunt capita afpera montes. Vota Pater folvens, media inter facra frequentem Effundit lacrymam, & tacitus meliora precatur; Spemque fovet; miferas etiam dum fpectat aquarum Relliquias, omni ex numero quêis fpiritus auræ Purior ætheriæ, de tot modo millibus, Octo.

Et

The frighted Angels heard th' Almighty Lord; And o'er the Earth from wrathful Viols pour'd Tempests and Storms, obedient to his Word. Mean time, His Providence to NOAH gave The Guard of All, that He defign'd to fave. Exempt from general Doom the Patriarch stood; Contemn'd the Waves, and triumph'd o'er the Flood.

The Winds fall filent; and the Waves decrease:
The Dove brings Quiet, and the Olive Peace:
Yet ftill His Heart does inward Sorrow feel,
Which Faith alone forbids Him to reveal.
If on the backward World his Views are caft,
'Tis Death diffus'd, and univerfal Waste.
Present (fad Profpect!) can He ought defcry,
But (what affects his melancholy Eye)

The Beauties of the Antient Fabric loft,

In Chains of craggy Hill, or Lengths of dreary Coaft?
While to high Heav'n his pious Breathings turn'd,
Weeping He hop'd, and Sacrificing mourn'd;
When of GOD's Image only Eight He found

Snatch'd from the Wat'ry Grave,and fav'd from Nations

drown'd;

And

Et tribus è Natis, qui jam fpes fola relicti
Unde ortum Regna expectarent, profpicit unum
Fatali fixum opprobrio, nudumque favore

Divino, æternâque onerantem labe nepotes.

[Amicus,

Rex quanquam illuftris, quanquam OMNIPOTENTIS At varios vitæ cafus, multofque labores

Abramus fubiit; duri difcrimina belli

Pertulit, & cæfis quæfivit regna tyrannis:
Difficili fponfæ fubjecit colla; jugoque
Affuetus, sensit servæ quoque jura superbæ.
Jam miferam invitus mæstâ cum prole parentem
Ejicit, ah! nudam, nemorumque per avia folas
Quæfituram umbras, & agreftis munera victûs:
Jamque aliud thalami dilectum pignus, & omnem
Spem fenii, ad Moriæ fatalia culmina ducit
Infelix! puerum hea ferro jugulare cruento
Cogitur, aut magni contemnere juffa TONANTIS.

Ipfum oculis fpectare DEUM data copia Mosi: Sed qualem vidit? denfâ circum undique flammiâ, Undique inacceffo velatum lucis amictu.

Lumina fin radios potuiffent ferre corufcos;

Quam brevis hæc, unâ vix nocte morata, Voluptas!

And of three Sons, the future Hopes of Earth,
The Seed, whence Empires muft receive their Birth,
One He forefees excluded Heav'nly Grace,

And mark'd with Curses, fatal to his Race.

ABRAHAM, Potent Prince, the Friend of GOD, Of Human Ills muft bear the deftin'd Load; By Blood and Battels muft his Pow'r maintain, And flay the Monarchs, e'er He rules the Plain; Muft deal juft Portions of a fervile Life To a proud Handmaid, and a peevish Wife; Muft with the Mother leave the weeping Son, In Want to wander, and in Wilds to groan; Must take his other Child, his Age's Hope, To trembling MORIAH'S melancholy Top, Order'd to drench his Knife in filial Blood; Destroy his Heir, or difobey his GOD.

MOSES beheld that GOD; but how beheld?
The Deity in radiant Beams conceal'd,
And clouded in a deep Abyss of Light;

While present, too fevere for Human Sight,
Nor staying longer than one swift-wing'd Night.

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