Inhuman bondage! The hard galling load م Now had they pass'd the' Arabian bay, And march'd between the cleaving sea; [way, The rising waves stood guardians of their wondrous But fell with most impetuous force, On the pursuing swarms, And buried Egypt all in arms, Blending in watry death the rider and his horse, O'er struggling Pharaoh roll'd the mighty tide, Apis and Ore in vain he cries, And all his horned gods beside, And curs'd the Hebrews as he died. Ah! foolish Israel to comply With Memphian idolatry! And bow to brutes, (a stupid slave) To idols impotent to save! Behold thy God, the Sovereign of the sky, Hark! the shrill echoes of the trumpet roar, Rails kept them from the mount before, Now from the rails their fear: 'Twas the same herald, and the trump the same Thus while the labouring angel swell'd the sound. The lesser powers at distance dwell, And cast their glories down successive at his feet: Upon the lower skies. Heaven's mighty pillars bow'd their head, As their Creator bade, And down Jehovah rode from the superior sphere, A thousand guards before, and myriads in the rear. His chariot was a pitchy cloud, The wheels beset with burning gems, The day was mingled with the night, He breath'd, and sulphur ran, a fiery stream: He spoke,and(though with unknown speed he came) Chid the slow tempest, and the lagging flame. Sinai receiv'd his glorious flight, And rising smoke obscur'd the burning hill. Lo, the gloomy pride out-braves The stately pyramids of fire; And mix with stars, but see their gloomy offspring higher. So have you seen ungrateful ivy grow Round the tall oak that six score years has stood, And proudly shoot a leaf or too Above its kind supporter's utmost bough, And glory there to stand the loftiest of the wood. Forbear, young Muse, forbear; The flowery things that poets say, Are vain and useless here; Nor shall the burning hills of old Or learned Rome has heard; Ætna shall be nam'd no more, Not half so high Her lightnings fly, Not half so loud her thunders roar Cross the Sicanian sea, to fright the' Italian shore. Behold the sacred hill: its trembling spire Quakes at the terrors of the fire, While all below its verdant feet Stagger and reel under the' Almighty weight: Press'd with a greater than feign'd Atlas' load Deep groan'd the mount; it never bore Infinity before, It bow'd, and shook beneath the burden of a GOD. Fresh horrors seize the camp; despair, And dying groans, torment the air, And shrieks, and swoons, and deaths were there; Let Moses speak, or Israel dies: Yet, with recovering mind, commands [bands. Silence, and deep attention, through the Hebrew Hark! from the centre of the flame, All arm'd and feather'd with the same, Majestic sounds break through the smoky cloud : Sent from the All-creating tongue, A flight of cherubs guard the words along, And bear their fiery law to the retreating crowd. I am the Lord: 'tis I proclaim That glorious and that fearful name, Thy GoD and King: 'twas I, that broke 'Adore no God beside me, to provoke mine eyes; Nor worship me in shapes and forms that men devise; With reverence use my name, nor turn my words to jest; Observe my sabbath well, nor dare profane my rest; Honour, and due obedience to thy parents give; Nor spill the guiltless blood, nor let the guilty live: Preserve thy body chaste, and flee the' unlawful bed; Nor steal thy neighbour's gold, his garment, or his bread; Forbear to blast his name with falsehood, or deceit, Nor let thy wishes loose upon his large estate.' REMEMBER YOUR CREATOR, &c. ECCLESIASTES XII. CHILDREN, to your Creator, GOD, Your early honours pay, ile vanity and youthful blood memory of his mighty name Demands your first regard: Nor dare indulge a meaner flame Till you have lov'd the Lord. |