242 LYRIC POEMS. Part II. 5 Downward t turn my wbnd'ring eyes On clouds and storms below Those sander - regions of the skies Thy num'rous glories show. b The noisy winds stand ready there Thy orders to obey, [air, With sounding wings they sweep the To make thy chariot way. 7 There,like a trumpet, loud and strong, Thy thunder shakes our coast: While the red lightnings wave along The banners of thine host. s On the thin air, without a prop, Hang fruitful show'rs arounill At thy command they sink, and drop Their fatness on the ground. Part III.. .8 Now to the earth I bend my song, And cast my eyes abroad, Glancing the British isles along; Blest isles, confess. your God. 10 How did his wond'rosis skill array Your fields in charming green; A thousand herbs his art display, A thousand flowers between ! ii Tall oaks for future navies grow, Pair Albion's best defence, While corn and vines rejoice below, Those luxuries of sense. i2 The bleating flocks his pasture feeds And herds of larger size, That bellow thro' the Lindian meads, His bounteous hand supplies. Part IV. IS We see the Thames caress the shores, He guides her silver flood : While angry Severn swells and roars, Yet hears her ruler God. 14 The rolling mountains of the deep Observe his strong command ; His breath can raise the billows steep Or sink them to the sand. 15 Amidst thy watry kingdoms,Lord, 'l'ho finny nations play, And scalymonsters, at thy word, Rush thro'. the northern sea. Part V. it Thy glories blaze all nature round, And strike the gazing sight, Thro'skies, and seas, and solid ground, With terror and delight. 17 Infinite strength, and equal skill, Shine thro' the worlds abroad, Our souls with vast amazement fill, And speak the builder God. 18- But the sweet beauties of thy grace Our softer passions movc ; Pity sdivine in Jesu's face We see, adore, and lose. God's Absolute Dominion. l LORD, when my thoughtful soul sur- veys Fire, air and earth, and starsand seas, , I call them all thy slaves: Commission'd by my Father's will, Poisons shall cure, or balms shall kill; Vernal suns, or Zephyr's breathy May burn or blast the plants to death That sharp December saves -What can winds or planets boast But a precarious pow'r? The sun is all in darkness lost, Frost shall be fire, and fire be frost, When he appoints the hour. 2 Lo, the Norwegians near the polar sky Chafe their frozen limbs with snow; Their frozen limbs awake and glow, The vital flame touch'd with a strange supply Rekindles, for theGod of life is nigh; He bids thevital flood inwonted circles flow. Cold steel, expos'd,to northern air, Drinks the meridian fury of the mid - night bear, And burns th' unwary stranger there. 3 Enquire, my soul, of ancient fame, Look back two thousand years, and see Th' Assyrian prince transform'd a brute, For boasting to be absolute Once to his court the God of Israel came, A King more absolute than be. I see the furnace blaze with rage Sevenfold, I see amidst the flame Three Hebrews of immortal name : They move, they walk across the burning stage [stood Unhurt, and fearless, while the tyrant A statue; Fear congeal'd his blood : Nor did the raging element dare Attempt their garments, or their hair ; It knew the Lord of nature there. Nature, compeled by a superior cause, Now breaks her own eternal laws, Nowseems to break them, and obeys Her sov'reign King in different ways, Father, how bright thy glories shine ! How broad thy kingdom, how divine 1 Nature, and miracle, and fate, and chance are shine. 4 Hence from my heart, ye idols, flee, Ye sounding names of vanity! No more lips shall sacrifice To chance and nature, tales and lies : Creatures without a God can yield me no supplies. What is the sun, or what the shade, Or frosts, or flames, to kill or save? His favour is my life, his lips pronounce me dead And as his awful dictates. hid, Earth is my mother, or any grave.
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