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Ver. But foon their hope fhall be diffolv'd,
30 And funk in fudden fright;

Their pride abafh'd, their heads involv'd,
In everlasting night.

SONG XXVII.

Afflictions beaped up and come to an Extremity.
Job xvi. 14, 15, 16.

14 F breaking woes a num'rous train
Invade my frighted foul,

As crouding billows of the main
Do o'er each other roll.

What war does the Almighty wage
With fuch a feeble flea,
That like a giant in his rage,
He fiercely runs on me?

15 Sackloth I wear upon my fkin,
Of ornaments defpoil'd;

And dabbled in the duft unclean,
My glory lies defil'd.

16 My cheeks with conftant weeping fade,
Stain'd with a briny bath;

And on mine eye-lids hangs the shade
Of gloomy difmal death.

SONG XXVIII.

The growing Strength of the righteous. Job xvii.

9 THE plant of grace shall ever thrive,
Though nature's brood decay;

The righteous in the Lord fhall live,
And ftill hold on his way.

His hands from mifchief clean withal
His heart from malice free: .
Stronger and stronger ftill he shall
For work or warfare be.

He marches dauntless on his way,
Let blackeft tempests blow;
No dangers do his heart difmay,
But makes his vigour grow.

9.

SONG XXIX.

Death and the Grave, the Saint's familiars.
Job xvii. 13, 14.

Ver. MY earthly friends have turn'd my foes,

13

14

So cruel and unjuft,

That I expect, to end my woes,
More friendship in the duft.

No house of pleasure here 'bove ground,
Do I expect to have;

My bed of reft for fleeping found,
I've made the filent grave.

Lo! welcome death on me attends,
The hungry grave me waits;
These made I my familiar friends,
My relatives and mates.

I to corruption cry'd, O duft,

Thou art my father known;
From thee I came, to thee I must
Return as ev'n thine own.

I to the worm faid, Brother worm,
And fifter, you and I

Do differ but in fize and form,
We are of kin fo nigh.

I'm but a mortal worm like you;
This loathfome piece of clay
Muft to your pow'r a booby bow,
Until the rifing day.

SONG XXX.

The Calamities that await the wicked.
Job xviii. 5, 6. 10. 12. 14,-20.

5 THE wicked's fplendor fhall decay,
Like fhort-liv'd fparks of fire;

6 Thick fogs fhall choke his glorious day, And make his beams expire.

10 By labour'd plots and deep defigns,
Which he for others flows,

A halter for himfelf he twines;
His wiles become his woes.

Ver. Death and deftruction o'er his head
Do conftantly impend;

12

His pleafures, which he gluts with greed,
Shall all in torment end.

14 His hope fhall fall and never rise,

For with his bloody dart
The king of terrors in furprise,

Shall frike him to the heart.

15 Quite from the earth, God's 'venging hand The wicked man fhall chafe;

16 Nor leave behind a branch to ftand Of all his hateful race.

17 In after-times the gedlefs wretch Shall be unknown to fame;

18 Or mention'd only with reproach, With horror, and with fhame.

19 In future fame fome names indeed
Will fland for little good;

Like Pontius Pilate in the creed,
For blafphemy and blood.

20 Such oft, in time, the wicked's fate
Do indicate the ftore

Of forrow, which his foul await,
When time fhall be no more.

SONG XXXI.

Reproof to Reproachers. Job xix. 2, 3. 22.

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HY cruel friends, will
fo long
With bitter words me vex;

My name reproach, my virtue wrong,
My righteous caufe perplex?

Muft ftill your anfwers without fenfe,
And void of argument,

With folemn grave impertinence,
My fpirit thus torment?

3 Can pious lies deferve applause,
By being fpoke aloft?

Or do you think them true, because

You humm'd them o'er fo foft?

Ver. The wounds you give me cruel are;
Your contumelious words,

And fland'rous taunts, are fharper far
Than keenest pointed fwords.

22 God's right t' afflict, him well becomes,
But your afflicting rod,
With pride and paffion bafe, affumes
The priviledge of God.

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SONG XXXII.

Friends turned to Enemies, and Brethren to Aliens

Job xix. 11,-14. Comp. ch. xvii. 4. 6.

GOD's trying fury kindles bright,

Ev'n of its own accord;

'Gainst me, whofe heart and cause is right,
He waves his glitt'ring sword.

12 Fierce troops and regimented woes
In battle-rank, I fee,

Do by his order me inclofe,

And fiercely rush on me.

13 Brethren and kindred knit their brows,
And treat me as unknown;

Break nature's bonds, renounce their vows,
And their own blood difown.

14 Familiar friends and kins-folk too,
Who kindly me embrac'd,
Have fail'd me, and forgot me now,
And all their friendship past.
Difdainful ftriplings me defpife,

Who honour'd me before;
Yea, those I once did chiefly prize
Now chiefly me abhor.

Juft Lord, from their reproaches please

To vindicate my name,

And mercifully cover thefe

Perfidious friends with fhame.

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The Happiness that awaits the godly; Or, The bleffed Hope of the righteous.

Job xix. 25, 26, 27.

Ver. THAT my Redeemer lives I know,

25

Though by his fentence juft,

My body, for a feafon, low,

Shall dwell with fellow duft.
In him triumphant over death,
I'll trample on the grave;
For he that conquer'd hell and wrath,
Can duft and afhes fave.

May living Head, when bankrupt time
Shall its laft minute fpend,

He then from heav'n his throne fublime
In triumph fhall defcend.

He on the furface of the earth

As Judge fupreme fhall ftand;
And from the tomb to recent birth
His captive duft demand.

25 The mighty Conqueror fhall invade
And fack the cruel grave,

27

Force every vault where bones were laid,
And rescue every slave.

Though worms and putrefaction fhall
My mould'ring skin confume,
And eat my flesh; yet, at his call,
May body now fhall bloom:

Reviv'd I from the duft fhall rife,
And God my Saviour fee,

With thefe my own corporeal eyes,
That fhall immortal be.

I for myself, and for my gain,
Shall fee the happy fight;
And over death for ever reign,
To fhare the vision bright.

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