ABSTRACT
ETernal Reafon, Glorious Majcfty,Compar'd to whom what can be {aid to be ? W hofe Attributes are Thee, who art alone Caufc o f all various things, and yet but O n e; Whofe E{fence can no more be fearch’d by Man, Then Heav’n thy Throne begrafped with a Span. Yet if this great Creation was defign’d T o feveral ends fitted for every kind ; Sure Man (the World's Epitome muft be Form’d to the beft, that is, to ftudythee. And as our Dignity, ’tis Duty too, Which is fumm’d up in this, to know and da. Thefe comely rows o f Creatures fpell thy Name, Whereby we grope to find from whence they came, By thy own Chain o f Caufes brought to think There muft be one, then find that higheft Link. Thus all created Excellence we fee Is a refemblance faint and dark o f thee. Such fiiadows are produc’d by theMoon-beams O f Trees or Houfes in the running ftrearns. Y et by Impreffions born with us we find How good, great, juft thou art, how unconfin’d, Here we are fwallowed up and gladly dwell, Safely adoring what we cannot tell. All we know is, thou art fuprcmely good, And doft delight to be fo underftood. A fpicy Mountain on the Univcrfe, On which thy richeft Odours do difperfe. But as the Sea to fill a Velfel heaves More greedily than any Cask receives, Befieging round to find fome gap in it, Which will a new Infufion adm it:
69 So doft thou covet thatfhau mayft difpencc Upon che empty World thy Influence ; L ov’ft to disburfe thy felf in kindnefs: Thus The King of Kings waits tobe gracicus. On this account, O G od, enlarge my heart T o entertain what thou wouldft fain impatt. Nor let that S a u l, by feveral titles-thine, And mofl capacious form’d for things Divine, (So nobl y meant, that when it mofl doth mifs, ’ Tis in miftahen panting? after BlifsJ) Degrade it felf in fordid things delight, Or.by prophaner mixtures lofe its right. Oh ! that with fixt unbroken thoughts it may Admire the light which does obfeure the day. And fince ’tis Angels work.it hath to do, May its compofure be like Angels too. When fhall thefe clogs o f Senfe and Fancy break, That I may hear the God within me fpeak ? When with a filent and retired art. Shall I withal! this empty hurry pact? T o the Still Voice above, my Soul, advance; M y light and joy plac’d in this Countenance. By whofe difpcnce my Soul to fuch frame brought, May tame each trech’rous, fix each fcat’ring thought; W ith fuch diftin&ions all things here behold, And fo to feparate each drnfs from gold, That nothing my free Soultnay fatisfie, Butt’imitate, enjoy, and itudy thee.
