For paying court to flesh; and make me fear
From joys fo brittle happinefs to fhare.
It fhall inftru&t me henceforth not to prize
The comforts which from well-join'd clay arise;
Tho' in one perfou elegantly meet,
A form quite perfect, and a foul most sweet.
'Tis heav'ns laft, beft, and crowning gift; to be
Receiv'd with gratitude, and hail'd with joy;
As the prime blefling it can to us lend;
Not ftrains of fulfome worship to expend;
Nor in th' incenfe of flattery convey'd,
As adoration to a goddefs paid.
I trust that it my doating eyes will cure,
And make me walk in wifdom's path secure ;
Incline me always preference to fhow
Το "charms that from meek and good spirits flow;"
Before each fleeting, ornamental grace,
Which decorates with white and red the face.
My roving meditations I reprefs
From long excurfions thro' scenes of diftrefs.
Fancy awhile attention ftrictly paid,
To the foliloquy a lover made;
But judgment now again refumes the fway,
And while her lips inftructive truths convey,
My mind the happily directs and bends,
To felf-concerning thoughts which wifdom lends.
Howe'er, when on the whole fcene I look'd round,
With mortel objects, and death's trophies crown'd;
I could not fail to fmite my breast and figh,
The nobleft of things visible to spy
"Under the pale horse and his rider lie :"
While I in these pathetic terms exclaim,
"What ills, thou Adam, from thy failings came!”
What direful defolation haft thou brought
On the world, by thy difobedience wrought!
The pow'rful mifchiefs fee that from fin flow!
Sin, the most stately bodies has laid low;
Sin has on earth been fo harth and fevere,'
Among the best of God's creation there;
That deadly bane of nature would have caft
In deepest hell, where forments ever last,
My better part, but that our grac'ous LORD'
Himself a ransom for us did afford.
What due acknowledgments can finners show,
For the great gratitude to GoD they owe!
What can a heav'n of blefs'd believers give!
Or what warm love fhould he from them receive!
Can they with ample thanks before him bend!
Such a deliv'rer, benefactor, friend!
While my mind on thefe doleful objects refts,' A faithful monitor within fuggests— "Muft in me likewife this fad change fucceed? "And am I, in like manner, doom'd to bleed?
Am I to breathe my last, and in my turn
Become a corpfe, and be what I now mourn?
“Is there a time approaching, then, fo near,
In which this body, carry'd on a bier,
Shall all this wretched world's temptations leave, "And be configned to its clay-cold grave?
"While fome kind friend, perhaps, at parting máy
Let fall a tear, and, Oh! my brother fay?"
Nothing more certain; and which fhall endure
Than laws of Medes and Perfians, more fure;
A firm decree has ratify'd the doom,
To which at laft all mortal men muft come.
Should now one of thofe ghaftly figures rife
From its confinement, prefent to my eyes;
In dread deformity before me stand,
With haggard vilage lift a clatt'ring band,
And point it fully to my wond'ring fight;
Or open its thin jaws, form'd to affright;
Then with a hoarfe, tremendous murmur speak,
And horribly this profound filence break:
Should it addrefs me just as Samuel's ghoft
Did once the fearful, trembling king accoft-
The LORD fhall give you to the hand of death, "And thou muft, alfo, foon refign thy breath; "Yet but a little while and thou fhalt be
In the fame ftate wherein you now find me." The folemn warning, in a way fo grave, Maft on my mind, fure, ftrong impreffions leave: Commands in thunder would fearce deeper fink Yet ont vaftly more to fear, I think,
That which the LORD exprefsly has declar'd,
"Thou fure fhalt die ;" and be for death prepar❜d.
Well then, fince fentence is against me pafs'd,
Since by a right'ous judge I have been caft;
And know not when the warrant may arrive;
Let me to fin die, to JEHOVAH live,
Before I death from his juft ftroke receive.
Let me the short, uncertain time employ,
Which before execution I enjoy,
In making preparations for that ftate
Where does a blefs'd and better life await;
That when the fatal time comes, when my eyes
Muft on all objects clofe below the skies;
may again my Saviour efpy,
Seated majestic in the realms on high.
Since then this frame, fo wonderfully made, Muft to the grave be very foon convey'd ; Since all my pow'rs of flesh must foon give way To inactivity, gloom, and decay:
Oh! let it always be my earnest care
To use them right, while in my pow'r they are
Let me the poor ftrive always to relieve,
And belefs ready to receive than give."
In humblest posture let my knees ftill bow,
Before the throne of grace, devoutly low;
While on the earth my eyes are firmly held,
With penitence and dread confufion fill'd;
Or reverently look to heav'n above,
For gracious mercy, and forgiving love!
In ev'ry friendly interview let ftill
The law of kindness all my converse fill ;"
Or if my friends choose rather godly speech,
Let ftill my tongue the gospel of peace teach.
Oh! that in ev'ry public concourse I
Might, like a trumpet, raise my voice on high;
And in melod'ous accents spread around
A much more joyful and harmonic found;
While I in elevated language fing
Glad tidings which from free falvation spring!
Be fhut ftill refolutely clofe, my ears,
Against the wicked whispers flander bears;
And strictly careful always to refrain
From filthy talking of a breath profane;
Attend to knowledge which from wisdom breaks,
And stedfast hear when your Redeemer fpeaks;
Imbibe the prec'ous truths deep in the mind,
And be they strongly to the heart inclin❜d,
Bear me, my feet, to the house of the LORD;
To beds with fick, and domes with paupers ftor'd."
As all my members ftill on GoD depend,
May they with rev'rence always to him bend;
And may I be the willing inftrument,
By which his praise may o'er the world be fent!
Then, ye embalmers, you may fpare your pain, Since I by faith procuré my greatest gains ;
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