His abfolute eternity

Doth from himself arise ;

Nor is it poffible that he

Should e'er be otherwise.

Eternity! Who can conceive

With what it doth abound?
The mighty joys, the pond'rous grief,
That hang upon the found?

In Heav'n, this is the happy word,
That fweetens pleasure there;
In Hell, 'tis the tormenting sword,
That kills with deep despair.

Oh! may fuch awful thoughts as these,
Improv'd by meditation,

Conduce unto thy fervant's peace,

And furth'rance of falvation.

And when thou call'ft me to the grave,
Lord, grant me this request,

That I may free admittance have

To thine eternal rest.

An

An Enquiry after Happiness.

MISTAKEN mortals, strive in vain,
With anxious cares and restless pain;
In fearching after happiness,

Which fain they would on earth poffefs.

But wanting intellectual light,
They know not where to fix aright:
Some think 'tis this, and others that,
Treasures, or pleasures, robes of state.

While fenfual objects they pursue,
They take the falfe and leave the true :
So children pleas'd with painted toys,
Prefer them to fubftantial joys.

The world's a gilded counterfeit,
And yet but few difcern the cheat :
Poor mortals thus, by error led,
Seek for the living 'mongit the dead.

The way of life unto the wife
Is far above created skies;

Earth cannot give what ne'er was her's,
Tho' meteors fhine, they are not stars.

Of

Of all enjoyments here below,

'Tis Heav'n the Saviour's love to know; As in the facred word reveal'd,

And by the holy spirit feal'd.

From this internal evidence,

Flow joys beyond the reach of fense:
Of bleffedness he cannot mifs,
Whose God the God of Jacob is.

'Tis grace's fulness, glory's crown,
To fee and know as we are known.
Jefus, let me thy love poffefs,
And I'm fecur'd of happiness.

Fallen Angels and fallen Man.

WITH humble rev'rence, Lord, I would effay

The triumphs of thy juftice to display;
That awful attribute, whose glory fhines
In punishing rebellious angels crimes:
Once happy spirits, holy, wife, and good,
While in their native innocence they stood;
Form'd of pure fubftance in creation's morn,
And claim'd the privilege of Heav'n's first-born;
In foremost rank of creatures took their place,
Were honour'd to behold their Maker's face;

Prime fav'rites in the glorious courts above,
Near the imperial feat of great Jehove;
Amongst their fellows were inur'd to fing
Melodious anthems to th' eternal King:
This was their happy ftate, this their employ,
And wanted nothing to compleat their joy.

But oh! the dire effects of curfed fin! When Lucifer, and multitudes with him Combining, their allegiance to withdraw, Refus'd fubjection to their sov'reign's law; Raifing rebellion, thought to seize the throne, And place the bold ufurper thereupon: Till, to their coft, they found that there could be But one Almighty, and their Maker he; Whose wrath, incens'd against the rebel crew, The sword of his tremendous justice drew; Which brandish'd high, the Heav'n's began to roar, With peals of thunder never heard before, Mixt with inceffant light'nings, flaming bright; Storms of red vengeance quell'd their boasted might. No longer able now to make defence,

'Twas vain to strive against Omnipotence. Confufion feiz'd upon the rebel hoft,

Raging with malice, though the day was loft.

Inexorable juftice them purfu'd,

With dreadful horrors, and their powers fubdu'd:

Banish'd

Banish'd for ever from the realms of blifs,
And hurl'd precipitant to Hell's abyss;

By Heav'n's decree bound fast in iron chains,
Referv'd in darkness for severer pains,
Unto the judgment day, when they must bear
Eternal torments, rack'd with black despair.

Here pause awhile, my foul, reflect and learn What does belong unto thine own concern. With low proftration come, admire free grace Extended unto fallen Adam's race.

To fill the feats apoftate angels left,
A chofen lot of men God would accept
In a Redeemer. Oh! the blest design,
To make electing love in glory fhine;
When in th' eternal council 'twas decreed,
That God's own Son fhould be the woman's feed;
And human nature should in time affume,
To bear his Father's wrath in finners' room;
His blood should as a facrifice be spilt,
To make atonement and remove their guilt;
An everlasting righteousness bring in,
And all believers should be fav'd by him.
A scheme of wonders, deep mysterious love,
Contriv'd by wisdom in the court above!

When