LIV. Dissent thus melted in their faithful breast, A lively image of that burning lamp, LV. The hallowed morn that brought Christ from the tomb, LVI. The previous day, the Sabbath of the Jews, From distant village brought their Sunday's fare; From neighbouring spring she filled the morrow's pail; And strove of law divine in nought to fail. LVII. Provision made for nature's few demands, The close of Jewish rest unfolds the law: From Exodus they read the ten commands; Between the rule and deed, they try to draw The devious line, with glowing faith perceive Their loss of Eden; and in Christ believe. LVIII. The margin, comment, pastor's voice combine, They guide the Boor to inspiration's shrine; On truth beneficent their stamp impose, To cherish virtue, and to crush its foes. LIX Within the Christian armoury thus led, The ear of faith can hear, the eye can see; Its tongue can bless the circling blades still red With blood of martyrs: courage tried can flee Resistless wrong; can fearlessly withstand The rack of falsehood, and its burning brand. LX. In peaceful scabbard there he views the sword, That on dark Horeb had in terror gleamed, And from whose point e'en Hebrews' blood had streamed. LXI. From sin to punishment high justice leads, From righteousness to bliss true wisdom guides; In vain for pardon every victim bleeds, If no remorse in sinners' minds resides: No nectar to the soul from heaven can flow, If not distilled by mercy's conscious glow. LXII. That sense of right and wrong to Adam given, LXIII. From holy wrath when Satan shrunk, condemned In dust his scaly agonies to hide; And prostrate man in vain the current stemmed, LXIV. He blessed his God; with faith beheld the prize, From hell's rapacious, withering grasp dissolved : And when on perished joys his woful eyes In silence turned, where cherubim revolved The flaming sword, commanding to depart, The ray of promise brightened in his heart. LXV. When first offended Justice spoke his name, What wild confusion raged through Adam's soul! What writhing anguish wrung his trembling frame, When wrath omnipotent held forth the bowl Of death eternal! and to earth accursed, Consigned the fragments of his sinful dust. LXVI. The fatal draught his every vein quick tides; The Fiend's last spell in Adam's words blasphemes, LXVII. 'Twas when Jehovah marked the crafty wile, That Adam felt his wracked lost mind restored; LXVIII. That deep dismay which Eden did pervade, |