From the dry ground to spring, thy thirst t' allay Cause light again within thy eyes to spring, 595 Man. Believe not these suggestions which proceed From anguish of the mind and humors black, 600 That mingle with thy fancy. I however Muft not omit a father's timely care To profecute the means of thy deliverance By ransome, or how else: mean while be calm, With maladies innumerable In heart, head, breast and reins; But With answerable pains, but more intense, 615 Thoughts my tormentors arm'd with deadly flings Mangle my apprehensive tenderest parts, Dire inflammation, which no cooling herb Nor breath of vernal air from snowy Alp. Sleep hath forfook and giv'n me o'er 625 To death's benumming opium as my only cure: Thence faintings, fwoonings of despair, And fenfe of Heav'n's defertion. I was his nurfling once and choice delight, His deftin'd from the womb, 631 Promis'd by heav'nly message twice descending. 635 Under his fpecial eye Abftemious I grew up and thriv'd amain; He He led me on to mightieft deeds Above the nerve of mortal arm Against th' uncircumcis'd, our enemies : 640 Whom I by his appointment had provok'd, Of fight, referv'd alive to be repeated 645 The subject of their cruelty or scorn. Nor am I in the lift of them that hope; Hopeless are all my evils, all remedilefs; This one prayer yet remains, might I be heard, No long petition, speedy death, 650 The close of all my miseries, and the balm. In ancient and in modern books inroll'd, 655 With fludy'd argument, and much perfuafion fought Lenient of grief and anxious thought: But with th' afflicted in his pangs their found 660 Little prevails, or rather seems a tune Harsh, and of diffonant mood from his complaint; Unless he feel within Some fource of confolation from above, Secret refreshings, that repair his strength, 665 And And fainting spirits uphold. God of our fathers, what is man! That thou tow'ards him with hand fo various, Or might I say contrarious, Temper'st thy providence through his fhort course, Not ev'nly, as thou rul❜ft Th' angelic orders and inferior creatures mute, 671 Irrational and brute. Nor do I name of men the common rout, That wand'ring loose about 675 Grow up and perish, as the summer flie, To fome great work, thy glory, And people's fafety, which in part they' effect: 680 (regard Changeft thy count'nance, and thy hand with no Of highest favors paft From thee on them, or them to thee of fervice. Nor only doft degrade them, or remit 685 To life obfcur'd, which were a fair difmiffion, Too grievous for the trespass or omiffion; Oft leav'ft them to the hoftile fword Of Heathen and profane, their carcases Q 2 (high, 691 To To dogs and fowls a prey, or elfe captiv'd; 694 With fickness and disease thou bow'ft them down, In crude old age; Though not difordinate, yet cauflefs fuff'ring For oft alike both come to evil end. 700 704 So deal not with this once thy glorious champion, The image of thy ftrength, and mighty minister. What do I beg? how haft thou dealt already? Behold him in this ftate calamitous, and turn His labors, for thou canft, to peaceful end. But who is this, what thing of sea or land? 710 Female of fex it seems, 'That fo bedeck'd, ornate, and gay, Comes this way failing Like a stately ship Of Tarfus, bound for th' iles Of Javan or Gadire 715 With all her bravery on, and tackle trim, Sails fill'd, and ftreamers waving, Courted by all the winds that hold them play, An amber fent of odorous perfume Her harbinger, a damfel train behind; 720 Some |