Thro' all the foul tho' virtue holds the rein,
Beats at the heart, and fprings in ev'ry vein :
Yet ever from the clearest source have ran
Some grofs allay, fome tincture of the man.

But who is he ----deep-mufing----in his mind,
He seems to weigh, in reason's scales, mankind;
Fix'd contemplation holds his steady eyes----
I know the fage *; the wisest of the wife.
Bleft with all man could wish, or prince obtain,
Yet his great heart pronounc'd those bleffings vain.
And lo! bright glittʼring in his facred hands,
In miniature the glorious temple ftands.
Effulgent frame! ftupendous to behold!
Gold the ftrong valves, the roof of burnish'd gold.
The wand'ring ark, in that bright dome enshrin'd,
Spreads the strong light, eternal, unconfin'd!
Above th' unutterable glory plays

Prefence divine! and the full-ftreaming rays
Pour thro' reluctant crouds intolerable blaze.
But ftern oppreffion rends Reboam's reign;
See the gay prince, injurious, proud and vain!
Th' imperial fceptre totters in his hand,
And proud rebellion triumphs in the land.
Curs'd with corruption's ever-fruitful spring,
A beardlefs Senate, and a haughty King.
There Afa, good and great, the fceptre bears,
Justice attends his peace, fuccefs his wars:

SOLOMON,

While virtue was his fword, and Heaven his fhield,
Without controul the warrior fwept the field;
Loaded with spoils, triumphant he return'd,
And half her swarthy Sons fad Ethiopia mourn'd.
But fince thy flagging piety decay'd,

*

And barter'd God's defence for human aid ;
See their fair laurels wither on thy brow,
Nor herbs, nor healthful arts avail thee now,
Nor is heav'n chang'd,apoftate prince, but Thou.
No mean atonement does this lapfe require;
But fee the Son, you must forgive the Sire:
He, the juft prince---with ev'ry virtue blefs'd,
He reign'd, and goodness all the man poffefs'd,
Around his throne, fair happiness and peace
Smooth'd ev'ry brow, and fmil'd in ev'ry face.
As when along the burning wafte he stray'd,
Where no pure ftreams in bubbling mazes play'd,
Where drought incumbent on the thirsty ground,
Long fince had breath'd her fcorching blafts around;
The Prophet calls, th' obedient floods repair
To the parch'd fields, for Jofaphat was there.
The new-fprung waves, in many a gurgling vein,
Trickle luxurious through the fucking plain;
Fresh honours the reviving fields adorn,
And o'er the defart plenty pours her horn.

So, from the throne his influence he sheds,
And bids the virtues raise their languid heads :
Where'er he goes, attending Truth prevails,
Oppreffion flies, and Juftice lifts her fcales.
See, on his arm, the royal eagle ftand,
Great type of conqueft and fupreme command;
Th' exulting bird diftinguifl'd triumph brings,
And greets the Monarch with expanded wings.
Fierce Moab's fons prevent th' impending blow,
Rush on themselves, and fall without the foe.
The pious hero vanquish'd Heav'n by pray'r ;
His faith an army, and his vows a war.
Thee too, Ozias, fates indulgent bleft
And thy days fhone, in faireft actions dreft;
Till that rash hand, by fome blind frenzy fway'd,
Unclean, the facred office durft invade.
Quick o'er thy limbs the fcurfy venom ran,
And hoary filth befprinkled all the man.

Tranfmiffive worth adorns the pious * Son,
The father's virtues with the father's throne.
Lo! there he ftands: he who the rage fubdu'd
Of Ammon's fons, and drench'd his sword in blood,
And doft thou, Ahaz, Judah's fcourge, difgrace,
With thy base front, the glories of thy race?

ЈОАТНАМ.

See the vile King his iron fceptre bear----
His only praise attends the pious * Heir;
He, in whofe foul the virtues all confpire,
The best good fon, from the worst wicked fire.
And lo! in Hezekiah's golden reign,
Long-exil'd piety returns again;

Again, in genuine purity she shines,

And with her prefence gilds the long-neglected fhrines.

Ill-starr'd does proud Affyria's impious † Lord
Bid Heav'n to arms, and vaunt his dreadful fword;
His own vain threats th' infulting King o'erthrow,
But breathe new Courage on the gen'rous foe,
Th' avenging Angel, by divine command,
The fiery fword full-blazing in his hand,
Leant down from Heav'n: amid the storm he rode
March'd Peftilence before him; as he trod,
Pale defolation bath'd his steps in blood.

}

Thick wrapt in night, thro' the proud host he past,
Dispensing death, and drove the furious blaft;
Nor bade deftruction give her revels o'er,
Till the gorg'd fword was drunk with human gore,
But what avails thee, pious Prince, in vain
Thy fceptre refcu'd, and th' Affyrian flain?
Ey'n now the foul maintains her latest ftrife,
And death's chill grafp congeals the fount of life.

*

HEZEKIAH.

SENNACHERIB.

Yet fee, kind Heav'n renews thy brittle thread,
And rolls full fifteen fummers o'er thy head;
Lo! the receding fun repeats his way,
And, like thy life, prolongs the falling day.
Tho' nature her inverted course forego,
The day forget to reft, the time to flow,
Yet shall Jehovah's fervants stand secure,
His mercy fix'd, eternal shall endure;
On them her ever-healing rays fhall shine;
More mild and bright, and sure, O fun! than thine.
At length, the long-expected Prince behold,
The last good King; in ancient days foretold,
When Bethel's altar spoke his future fame,
Rent to its base, at good Jofiah's name.
Bleft, happy prince! o'er whose lamented urn,
In plaintive fong, all Judah's daughters mourn;
For whom fad Sion's fofteft Sorrow flows,
And Jeremiah pours his fweet melodious woes.

But now fall'n Sion, once the fair and great,
Sits deep in duft, abandon'd, defolate;
Bleeds her fad heart, and ever ftream her eyes,
And anguish tears her, with convulfive fighs.
The mournful captive spreads her hands in vain,
Her hands, that rankle with the fervile chain;
Till he,* Great Chief! in Heav'n's appointed time,
Leads back her children, to their native clime.