Ver. He, o'er the airy empty place,
7

In pomp displays on high
The wide expance, and ample space,

Of all the northern iky.
The pond'rous earth, at his command,

Hangs in the ambient air;
No pillars bear the fabric grand,

But just his will and care.
8 He bids the clouds with water pent,

Imprison'd tempests chain ;
Then their big floating wombs, unrent,

Suspend the birth of rain.
Again he bids their bosom ope,

And down the bleffing pours,
To feed the lab'ring farmer's hope

With warm prolific show'rs.
9 Lest his high throne, so dazling bright,

By naked eyes unseen,
With too much glore oppress our light,

He spreads his clouds betwees.
10 He raises rocky fences round

The spacious swelling deep,
Which do the raging billows bound,

Mad waves in prilon keep:
That while the rule of day and night,

The fun and moon maintain,
The rolling feas may have no might

To drown the earth again.
11 High hills, that pillars seem and props

Of heav'n's expanded roof,
Do quake, and bow their tow'ring tops

Aghalt at his reproof.
12 He cleaves the main, bids billou's rise,

Then curbs the swelling tide:
How soon they cope with clouds and skies,

So foon he lays their pride.
The trembling waves, at his command,

Creep fuftly to the shore;
Storms over-aw'd do filent fland,

Do quickly cease to roar.

1

Ver. Thus lawless feas he does control,

Deversifies the deep;
He makes the sleeping billows roll,

The rolling billows fleep.
13 He spreads the heav'ns, their azure face

He garnith'd by his might :
And did them most profusely grace

With constellations bright.
14 His hand the crooked serpent made ;

But who can speak bis art?
Of whom all's nothing that is said,

We know so small a part.
Who can the utmost force explore

Of his almighty hands!
For ev’n the thunder of his pow'r

What mortal understands?

SONG XLIII.

JOB folemnly maintaining his Integrity against ibe
false Accusations of bis Friends. Job xxvii. 2,-6.

S God-Creator lives, who now
A

To Judge my cause denies;
Th’ Almighty, who my vexed foul

With sharp afiliation tries :
3. While in my noftrils breath remains,

Which God infpir'd at first,
No wicked guile ihall by my lips,

Nor falfhood be express'd.
4 I'm flander'd by iny cruel friends,

Their censures underly,
Charg'd with hypocrisy and fraud,

And crimes of deepest dye.
5 Should I acquit their calumnies,

Abfolve their fland'rous tongue,
Confess their libel stuff'd with lies,

My innocence to wrong?
Forbid it Heav'n! so black a charge

Of crimes to me unknown,
I, to my last expiring breath,

Will ftedfastly disown,

Ver. This my rejoicing still shall be,
6

The testimony clear,
And conscience of integrity,

I in my bosom bear.
Reproachfully they me accuse;

But from approved fin
My Judge shall me acquit, as does

His justice-court within.

SONG XLIV.

Tbe bopeless State of the Hypocrite. Job xxvii. 7, 10. 7 7 WHERE

HERE is the hypocrite's false hope,

Though for a time he gain'd
Praise and applause, and lifted up,

In pomp and pleasure reign'd?
8 Where is his hope at last, when once

The mighty God fall wrest
His trembling foul, with violence,

From his reluctant breast ?
, Will God give ear unto his cry,
9

When troubles o'er him flow,
Presaging worse calamity,

His everlasting woe?
Will painted pray’rs avert the blast,

When he perceives with dread,
The clouds of vengeance gath'ring fast

Above his guilty head ?
10 Will God almighty be his joy,

Devotion his delight;
Or pray'er to God his clofe employ,

When crutches fail him quite ?
He prays, compellid with heavy strokes;

But unregarded prayer
He quits; nor more his Judge invokes,

But finks in deep despair.
No favour dare the rebel seek,

That fcorn'd redeeming-grace;
His guilty conscience, dragon-like,

Still flying in his face.

SONG XLV.

Ver. V

Wisdom's Price great, and its Place secret: and the Wisdom that is bid in Goo, unfvercbable by Neture ; but the Wisdom ibat is repealed to Man,

practicable sbrough Grace. Job xxviii. 12,-28. . AIN man would be esteemed wise ; 12 But who, alas! can tell The place where understanding stays,

Or where does wisdom dwell?
13 Nay, wisdom's price, and worth renown'd,

Dull mortals do not know;
Nor is the precious treasure found,

When search'd for bere below.
The land exclaiming, fays aloud,

Ah! never was I blessid
To be the lodging or abode

Of this celestial guest.
14 The sea and swelling waves in rage,

With roaring voice declare,
In vain ye seek to find the sage

And sacred stranger here.
Th’infernal deep, with voice auftere,

And with a hollow found,
Cries out, There's no apartment here,

For wisdoin, under ground. 15 Th' inestimable bliss was ne'er

With gold of Ophir bought ; 16 In price with it the onyx rare

And saphires stand for nought. 17 Rich jewels, pearls, and diamonds choice,

In crowns that draw regard, 18 And rubies fine, are worthless toys 19

With this fine gen compar'd. 20 Who then, by learning, is in case

To Thew whence wisdom flows?
And who the happy dwelling place

Of understanding knows?

21

!

Ver. Since clofe 'tis hid from all the eyes

Of creatures every-where,
That tread the earth, or cut the feas,

Or wing the lucid air.
22 Death and destruction's caves profound,

Cry, Here she never came,
Only our ears have heard the found

Of her immortal fame.
23
Alone the glorious and the great,

All-penetrating God,
Knows his own offspring's hidden feat,

True wisdom's bless'd abode.
24 For he', from off the height immense

Of heav'n's bright crystal-brow,
Surveys in all its vast expanse,

The universe below.
He distant ages, regions, ifles,

Views with omniscient eyes :
25 And in exactly poifing scales

Both winds and water weighs.
26 When he decreed the measure jult,

And manner of the rain;
When he a way for thunder first

And light’ning did ordain :
27 Then faw he wisdom wliere it shin'd.

And did its home declare :
He search'd his own all-lecing mind,

And found it only there.
28 But then to man (from whom he hid

His secret will and way,
Yet duty to him open laid)

Thus did Jehovah say,
Behold, to fear the Lord, and still

From evil to depart;
This, this is wisdom ; this is skill;

Yea, this is heav'nly art.
Let me attempt to know no more

Than God most high revals ;
Nor boldly search for secret ftote,

He in his breast conceals.