13 BY

Ver. To rule fo rude an animal

Incapable art thou;
Presum’At thou then to rule the ball,
Or teach me so to do?

S O N G LXXXIX.
Quest. 19. Concerning the Peacock and the Ofiricb.

Job xxxix 13,—18.
Y whose skill was the peacock vain,

With curious colours dy'd ?
Whence hath his sweeping tail and train

Its finely painted pride?
Such beauteous plumes, and wings so wide,

Tell, whence the ostrich wears ;
So big, she other birds beside,

A feather'd beast appears?
14 Her eggs expos’d she in the dust,

Where laid, leaves to be warm'd; 15 Thoughtless how fuon they may be crush'd;

Or by wild roamers harm’d. 16 Her labour vain and fearless is,

She's harden'd 'gainst her brood; 17 For God does from the common bliss

Of wisdom her exclude. 18 Yet if in danger fhe but lift

Her neck and wings on high,
She both the horse and rider swift,
Does scornfully defy:

SONG XC.
Quest. 20. Concerning ibe Horse for Battle,

Job xxxix. 19.–25. 19 DIDS

IDST thou, O Job, for war of state,

Give to the gen'rous horse
His confidence, his boldness great, ,

His fpirit, and his force ?
Hast thou with terror cloth'd his mane?

Canst thou his courage snake ?
Or cause him, like the little wren,

Or filly infect, quake?

20

Ver. With formidable native fire

His fourting noftirls glow;
And smoke and flame in furious ire,

Amidst the battle blow. 21 Proud of his firength he paws the ground,

And pranses on the land,
Tears up the turf, and spurns around,

The pallive yielding sand.
When he the noisy martial founds,

And warlike trumpet hears ;
He then rejoicing leaps and bounds,

And pricks his list ning ears.
22 When he perceives, even from afar,

Th’advancing foes alarms,
He forward springs to face the war,

And meet the glit'ring arms.
23 Dauntless he runs on sword and spear,

The warior's files invades;
And makes his passage without fear,

Thro'num'rous thick brigades.
The weapons which the horseman weilds,

He mocks with haughty breast;
Of rattling quivers, blazing shields,

He makes a perfect jest.
24 In rage he beats and bites the ground,

He dances o'er the plain;
Nor startles at the alarm's found,

Bat pulls the curbing rein:
25 Derides the trumpet, scorns the shock,

And mad the bridle champs;
Smelling afar the fulph'rous smuke,
And thunder of the camps.

SONG XCI.
Quest. 21. About sbe Hawk and ibe Eagle,

Job xxxix. 26,-30. 26 BESIDE the beasts that tread the ground,

The birds that cleave the air;
Seeft thou how they the skill profound
And pow'r of God declare ?

1

Ver. Is't by thy wit the hawk dues fly,

And fouthward stretch her wings?
Or when cold winter drawing nigh

She wisely fun-ward swings?
27 Dost thou command the eagle's flight,

And bid her mount the sky,
Aloft to travel in her might,

And make her nest on high ?
Dost thou the royal bird direct

Where thus to build her nest,
That no invading pow'r, or fect,

May dare her peace molelt ?
28 That with the strongest förts to vye,

She might her dwelling keep,
In craggy clifts, immensely high,

Insuperable steep.
29 Thence down her haughty eyes she bends,

Low valleys to survey;
And, like a thunderbolt, descends

To truss her heedless prey.
30 Then foon her crooked pounces bare

The carcass takes and tears;
And to her young, swift through the air,

The bloody banquet bears.
These creatures act by that instinct

For which thou can't account :
How must their Maker, dost thou think,

Thy filly views surmount?

SONG XCII.

Quest. 22. About Contending with God: or, A bum

ble Challenge given to fucb as quarrel God's Pre

ceedings. Job. xl. 1, 2.
SHALL God be taught? by whom? by one

That quarrels his decrees?
His measures just be overthrown,

A plaintiff proud to please?

a

Ver. 'Gainst God shall a contender blind,

Presumptuously essay,
To teach him how to change his mind,

And how to mend his way?
Tupbraid th’ Almighty, what is this

But justice to diflruit?
For he who God almighty is

Can never be unjust.
Since from his creatures never he

Had ought to hope or fear,
Can such a being tempted be

Amiss the helm to steer.
2 Shall God to man's instruction bow ?

Shall man presume to learn,
And teach the great Creator how

His creatures to govern?
Who, of the whole created tribe,

My ways can rectify ?
Shall silly mortal man prescribe,

And dictate unto me?
He therefore must be catechiz'd,

That would his Maker teach;
And, not with his proceedings pleas'd,

Of folly him impeach.
Let then th' accufer, that would scan,

And blame my ways profound,
Solve at his peril, if he can,

The questions I propound.

SONG XCIII.

Job's Humble submission : or, Tbe murmuring Mourb cropped, und unjust Complainis filenced.

Job xl. 3, 4, 5. 3, 4 3, 4 BEHOLD, O Lord, most vile am I,

, For now thy heav’nly light Detects the great stupidity

That did my mind benight.

Ver. I finn'd in that I fought so bold

The argument to state ;
And judged that with thee I could

Thy providence debate.
Sham'd and confounded I resign,

For now I can't withstand
Thy words and arguments divine,

Nor answer one demand.
5 Once have I spoken, Lord; yea, twice;

And though my words were few,
Yet great their number, gross their vice,

Did high presumption shew.
Upon my mouth, which argu'd vain,

Henceforth my hand be laid;
I spake what I won't speak again,

Nor sand to what I said.
Prostrate before thy feet I ly ;

Through grace, I'll now adore
Thy greatness, pow'r, and majesty;

But I'll contend no more.

SONG XCIV.
Quest. 23. Moe Challenges given to jos for bis fur.

tber Humiliation. Tbe vanity of vying witb God
for Justice, or of cbarging bim witb unrigbteouf-
ness.

Job xl. 6, 7, 8.
6'TIS good for thee, O man, that thou

Down to thy knees be thurst;
Yet better is the lower bow,

Down to the very dust.
in That therefore thy assuming mind,
7

Be leveli'd to the ground,
Some farther questions are design'd,

Thy boasted skill to sound.
Oft didst thou wish to plead with me,

Prepare then for the talk,
If courage yet remain with thee

To answer what I ask.