Thus if one member fuffer'd, all were griev'd; 535
If one was glad, of joy they all partook.
This was a Church well worthy of the name,
The Spouse of Christ, the Bride, the Virgin pure,,
"The Lamb's beloved wife, the heav'nly Queen.
The daughters of Jehovah, one with him,
Who claims a One-nefs with the living God.
Such was the Church by the apoftles built,
And such the beauty of its difcipline ;
Such were its leaders, fuch its members too :
Such was its flaming love, its unity,

And fuch its pow'r, and fuch its fure defence.
God was its founder, Chrift its only head ;.
The Spirit its inftructor, leader, guide:
God's glory was its pole-ftar, and his word

540

545

The faithful compass was by which the fteer'd; 550
Her hope was firm, faith pure, her love was warm:
Her zeal was fervent, and her doctrine clear,

From error free; her worship was devout.
The twelve apostles of the Holy Lamb
Were her first minifters and faithful guides.
She was a perfect body, organiz'd

In ev'ry part, for ev'ry duty fit..

Taught by the Spirit, ev'ry truth fhe knew,
And practis'd ev'ry precept of her Lord.
And fo fuccefsful were thofe chofen ones.
Who first proclaim'd the Savior's name to men,
That in a little time they fpread the word
Throughout the Leffer Afia, and the World ;
For fo the Romans call'd their empire vaft,

555

560

566

Thousands and millions heard, believ'd, and own'd The Gospel of our Lord, and were baptiz'd. Liv'd holy lives, and dy'd most happy deaths: Conform'd to Jefus in their time of life, They flept in him, and fhall with him defcend, When he shall come again to reign on earth. 570 Ten thousand preachers of the Gospel rofe, Proclaim'd the word in many diftant lands.

575

Ten thousand times ten thousand own'd its pow'r ;
Ten millions fuffer'd deaths of various kinds,
In teftimony of the faith they held.
Until at length the force of truth prevail'd,
And idols throughout all the empire fell;
And Jefu's name was every where ador'd.

5851

Thus far my Savior's procefs I have trac'd, And sketch'd föme part of that important plan 580. Which fev'ral years ago, in diftant climes, I drew with pleasure, hoping to compleat. But all my times are in the hands of God, And he can call me in a moment hence, To render up before his awful barA full account of all my words and deeds. And if my Lord and Savior, and my Judge, Shall give his plaudit, and pronounce, Well done! I fhall not fear the num'rous hofts of hell, Nor in the leaft regard what men can say; Whether they praife or blame, 'twill be alike. If God is pleas'd, all Heav'n will fmile on me,. But if he frowns, who can his anger bear? Not me; a worm, a creature of the duft

590

But Lord, I fly to thee, to thee commit

My foul and body, and my feeble works,
Intended for thy praife: accept them all,
Through Jefus Christ, in whom may I be found,
Now and forever. Bleffed be my God,
Who thus far has affifted me to fing

His praife, who gave his precious life for me,
And whom I love with all my nobleft pow'rs:
In whofe bleft fervice I would wish to spend
Whatever part of my fhort life remains:
In him I hope to live, in him to die,

And may I dwell with him forevermore,

595

600

605

Where peace, and love, and joy, and glory reign.
Where in a nobler ftrain his praise I'll fing,

In notes fublime, and imitate the lays

Of feraphs thron'd in light, and Christ himself 610 Will not disdain to liften to my fong

END OF THE SEVENTH BOOK

BOOK VIII.

5

His second coming, and commencement of the Millenium. HASTEN, O Lord, the long expected day, When Jefus fhall again from Heav'n descend, No more to bleed and fuffer, but to reign! At thought of this my foul is fill'd with joy. My heart is fraught with matter rich and free, And from the facred volume I will draw Divine instruction, knowledge deep and large.. Oft has my feeble mind fresh pleasure felt While ruminating on the joyful scene, The bright appearing of my Savior, God, And his fucceeding reign, which is to last A thousand years, before the day of doom.. This period fhall my present subject be.

10

But little time remains from now till then,
And yet great things and mighty must be done 15
Before the reign of Jefus can begin.

The Jews muft to their ancient land return,
And fafely dwell therein as heretofore.
And then their enemies once more must rife,
And think to take a spoil, and take a prey :

They like a storm against the land shall come,
And fhall by force Jerufalem reduce,
[Rifling the houses, plund'ring all the goods,
Abufing feeble women, leading men

Forth from the city to captivity,

20

25

Shall think the day and victory their own.
But when they fhall have taken half away,
Before the time permits to take the whole,
Behold, the Lord Jehovah will appear!
That glorious Jefus, who is gone to Heav'n
Triumphant then to earth he will return;
Dismay and terror on the hoft will feize,
And thus their pride and fury will be stay'd,
Nor farther feek their conqueft to pursue.

This great event the prophets have foretold
In plainest words, without the leaft disguise;
And yet, astonishing! 'tis not believ❜d
By many who profefs the Chriftian name.
But if it should be difbeliev'd by all,

30

35

It cannot be prevented. 'Tis decreed

40

That Chrift, our Savior, fhall to earth defcend.

And incredulity itfelf's a fign

That Jefu's day is nigh, and haftens on.

For he hath hinted, that when he fhall come,
Faith in his coming hardly shall be found ;
The world fhall be as carelefs, unconcern'd,
As in the famous days of Noah's age,
When he was order'd to prepare an ark,
To fave himfelf and houfe from being drown'd,
By water floods long threaten'd and delay'd.
How did the world at laft begin to mock,

45

5.0

And ridicule the old and foolish man!
While each purfu'd their business or their mirth,
Nor heeded all the warnings that were giv'n!
Eating and drinking, marrying wives employ'd 55