3313 
 HI743o 
 
 Hobson 
 
 Christianity the Light of the 
 moral World
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 CHRISTIANITY 
 
 THE * 
 
 Light of the Moral World: 
 
 <~r* 
 
 P 
 
 O 
 
 E 
 
 M.

 
 CHRISTIANITY 
 
 THE 
 
 Light of the Moral World 
 
 A 
 
 POEM. 
 
 By Tho. Hobson, M.A. of Queens College, Oxford. 
 
 
 V ^,--r--:Vafr-. J =fa ? ;.; 
 
 & <7%£ffiM£a9z .*'■/ 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by John Lewis, in the Year, mdccxlv.
 
 H/ r 7¥S~c- 
 
 T O 
 
 Nicholas-Franklyn Miller, Efq; 
 Of Hyde-Hall \ in Hertford/hire. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 
 
 H T may perhaps be a little uncommon 
 
 p| to prefent a grave and lerious compo- 
 
 I ife fition to one, whofe youthful imagina- 
 
 tion fomething of a gayer nature might 
 be more likely to engage. But, as true 
 fentiments of religion cannot be too early incul- 
 cated, I think it no way improper to infcribe the 
 following poem to you, whofe moral as well as 
 intellectual endowments I would by all means en- 
 deavour to improve. 
 
 It will afford you indeed but a very imperfed: 
 reprefentation of the ihining glories of the fubjed:, 
 which it is intended to illuftrate : yet even this 
 faint view of them may deferve your attention, 
 inafmuch as it may contribute towards opening 
 and expanding thegrowing faculties of your mind, 
 
 959399 and
 
 6 Epifik Dedicatory. 
 
 and prepare it for the free admiffion of a more en- 
 livened and extenfive profpeft. As you advance 
 on to maturity, your dawning reafon muft natu- 
 rally gain ftrength and a&ivity, and your judg- 
 ment become more found and piercing, Of which 
 I can never defire you to give a more convincing 
 proof, than by fhewing always, in proportion to 
 their increafe, a reverential regard to the facred 
 truths of our holy religion. 
 
 The bounty of providence, and the fingular libe- 
 rality of a molt indulgent parent, have kindly con- 
 ipired to exempt you from the laborious applica- 
 tion, which ufually attends a learned profeffion. 
 But never think this an excufe for negledling to 
 profecute the ftudy of polite and folid literature; 
 much lefs for disregarding the nobler attainment 
 of a well-grounded and exalted virtue. Your be- 
 ing bleft with greater advantages, is the ftrongeft 
 reafon imaginable why you ought to make greater 
 improvements, and form an intimate acquaint- 
 ance with the moft commendable and ufeful fci- 
 ences. Every fituation, fuperior to the common 
 rank of mankind, demands a fuperior degree of 
 knowledge, both as an ornament and fupport to 
 its dignity. A good patrimony is a truly valuable 
 ingredient in the happinefs of human life: yet 
 there is one more valuable to be acquired by read- 
 ing and reflection, which is good fenje to enjoy it 
 in a proper and becoming manner. Without this 
 
 ennobling
 
 Epiftle Dedicatory. 7 
 
 ennobling qualification, how fmall the diftindion 
 between fome men of fortune, and thofe lefs-noify 
 well-bred animals, which they commonly make it 
 their diversion and their bufinefs to follow ! 
 
 The fpacious field of erudition lies open before 
 you, and invites you with a wonderful variety of 
 inftru&ive and entertaining fcenes. Happy you, 
 who have leifure and liberty to expatiate in it, 
 wherever fancy or genius lead you, without 
 check or confinement ! The feeming dulnefs and 
 narrownefs of the avenues need not weaken your 
 inclinations, nor difcourage your entrance. At 
 every ftep you take, the prolped will gradually 
 enlarge and brighten upon you, and infpire 
 warmer defires and bolder refolutions to proceed. 
 I cannot indeed flatter you, that you fhall 
 meet with nothing to interrupt or retard you in 
 your progrefs. Some little difficulties will un- 
 avoidably fall in your way. But thefe, like the 
 obftacles you meet with in a lively chace, will be 
 infenfibly overcome, when you are animated and 
 fired with a brisk and vigorous purfuit. Your 
 bufinefs is only to gather fome of the faireft flow- 
 ers as you pals along; to reach out your hand to 
 the tree of knowledge, which is moft flourifhing 
 and fruitful in the two great nurferies of learning, 
 and feled from its branches a lafting ftore of its 
 choiceft product. 
 
 The
 
 8 Rpijlle Dedicatory. 
 
 The arts and fciences are truly liberal, and will 
 abundantly reward your induifry, by fupplying 
 you with luch feeds of wifdom, and furnifliing you 
 with fuch excellent truths, as may ferve to regu- 
 late every part of your future condud They will 
 refine and elevate your tafte above every unbe- 
 coming amufement, and enrich your imagination 
 with a treafure of noble ideas, which will infallibly 
 fecure you from that moft vulgar and irkfom of all 
 wants, the want of thought. All the little fears 
 and follies of inconfiderate youth, will fly, like 
 fhadows, before the rifing fun of knowledge, and 
 we fliall foon fee nothing of that feafon remaining, 
 but its vivacity and innocence. May thefe ever 
 remain, untainted by vicious habits, and unimpair- 
 ed by years ! 
 
 The embellishment of your mind will give a de- 
 cent and beautiful polilh even to your outward be- 
 haviour, and adorn your conversation with all the 
 graces of eafy wit, manly fenfe, and proper lan- 
 guage This will qualify you, not only for a more 
 agreeable enjoyment of folitude, but for appearing 
 in the confpicuous fcenes of life, and promoting 
 in fome meafure the public good, which ought al- 
 ways to be warm at your heart. You had a wor- 
 thy anceftor, eminently skilled in the laws, and 
 zealous for the prefervation of the liberties, of his 
 country. Look back upon his example, and let 
 
 it
 
 Rpijile Dedicatory. 9 
 
 it kindle a glowing emulation in your breaft, and 
 rouze you to an imitation of it in every thing that 
 is generous, great, and excellent ! 
 
 As you encreafe your fphere of knowledge, you 
 will proportionally encreafe the fphere of your 
 pleafures. How many delightful characters will 
 you perceive in the works of nature and the vo- 
 lumes of learning, which to the ignorant obferver, 
 are all one undiitinguifhed univerfal blank! Every 
 new difcovery, even in things of little importance, 
 will be attended with joy, and excite very pleafmg 
 fenfations; juft as the approach of light is grateful 
 to the eye, though it prefents you with no other 
 charms, than its own. It would be tedious to 
 mention particulars, and I might give you a diftafte 
 for thefe future delights, by giving you a languid 
 defcription of them beforehand. But I may inform 
 you in general, that you have in reverfionaninex- 
 hauftible fund of rational pleafures, infinitely more 
 pure and permanent than thofe of thefenfes; the 
 moft exquilice of which, like flafhes of lightning, 
 are gone before they are well perceived, and like 
 them too, often prove fatal and deftru&ive. 
 
 The endearing and important relation, which I 
 bear to you at prefent, gives me a very tender 
 concern for your future welfare and character in 
 the world. I mult therefore leave it upon your 
 heart, that the fureft method of acquiring and pre- 
 ferring both, is by deeply imbibing the found 
 
 B prin-
 
 io Rpiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 principles of religion, and conftantly adorning them 
 with a iuitable practice. This is the only folid 
 foundation of real happinefs ; and the ftru&ure, 
 which you build upon it, will rife with unrivalled 
 ftrength and undecaying beauty. This will add a 
 genuine luftre to all your other bright accomplish- 
 ments, and effe&ually recommend you to theeiteem 
 of all thinking men, beyond any external orna- 
 ments, how glittering and pompous foever. 
 
 Go on then to cultivate and enrich your mind, 
 with every amiable and focial quality, with every 
 moral and chriiiian virtue; that you may fully 
 anlwer the ju'ft expectations of a molt affectionate 
 mother, and be ever diftinguiflied in your ftation 
 by properly difplaying all the advantages of na- 
 ture, education, and fortune! 
 
 Thefe, Dear Sir, are the molt fincere and moft 
 ardent wifhes of 
 
 Tour much obliged, 
 and mofl faithful 
 
 humble Servant, 
 
 M3ES&5. Tho. Hobson.
 
 
 s3*l£M 
 
 M. ^,sg% f%, 
 
 
 
 
 
 cv 
 
 
 
 kH 
 
 
 *d 
 
 ***» 
 
 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 i^^gl^T is a truth univerfally received and acknowledged, 
 s£lfeai&^ ' -H tnat tne g reat author of nature has eftablifhed fome 
 I |Jf|l| invariable law, or (landing rule of action, for the con- 
 
 ££r 
 
 ~ 3 ^^%rW duel: and government of his rational creatures. But there 
 
 have been as many various hypothefes invented to dif- 
 cover and a/certain this law of the moral world, as there 
 have been to explain and account for the phenomena of the natural; 
 Among this great variety of fyftems, that leems to be demonftrably 
 the true one, which takes in the deity for its foundation or center, and 
 makes his immutable will the adequate rule, or ultimate jlandard, of mo- 
 ral actions. Taking the truth of this for granted, it will from hence 
 evidently follow, that the futn and fubftancc of morality and religion 
 confifts in aBing conformably to the divine will, in the fevcral relations 
 we ftand in to our creator, out fellow-creatures, and our fives. 
 
 Nothing ieems more reafonable than that mankind, fhould have a 
 competent knowledge of thefe relations, before they can aft agreeably 
 and confidently with them : Or in other words, than that they fhould 
 know what the will of God is, before they can be obliged to do it. 
 
 b 2 Here
 
 12 Introduction. 
 
 Here then the queftion ariies, by what means fhall they acquire the 
 knowledge of the divine will, or ho<w fhall they dij cover what duties 
 it directs them to perform? They can have no method of knowing 
 this, but either by the ordinary ufe and exercife of their rational facul- 
 ties, or by fome extraordinary fupernaturai information from the author 
 of their being. 
 
 Vain pretenders to fuperior underftanding di [claim all inftruclion from 
 heaven, and have made bold attempts to prove, that their own unafjifled 
 reafon is fuffident to inftrutl: them in the knowledge of all moral and 
 religious duties. But the hiftory of the greateft part of mankind, for 
 near four thoufand years, is a ftanding confutation of this felf-Jufficiency, 
 and an inconteftable proof how fmall and inconfiderable a progrefs the 
 utmoft efforts of human reafon can make towards a perfell dijcovery of 
 the will of God. Confult the moft celebrated writings, and examine 
 the moft refined and exalted fentiments, of heathen mjrali/ls, and you 
 will find them entirely miftaken in fome, very doubtful in others, and 
 quite ignorant in many of the moft effential and important truths of mo- 
 rality and religion. 
 
 Their notions concerning the exiflence and attributes of the deity 
 were at beft very impvfeB and erroneous : And the <worfoip they paid 
 him was debafed and corrupted with the groffeft idolatry and fuperfti- 
 t'lon. They were but little acquainted with their firft original, their 
 diimitv in the rank of beings, and their true happinefs in the prefent 
 fcene of things ; and had only fome wavering and doubtful hopes of the 
 fours immortality, and no manner of conjSure of the reviving body, in 
 a world to come. Whatever faint conceptions they might form of after 
 preme, they had not the leaf idea of a frying power: And the forgo* 
 nefs of fin upon fincere repentance was a doarine fo far from being 
 embraced or nnder/Jood, that as Lacfantins informs us, the great Reman 
 orator thought itabfolutely impoffble. Their fchemes of morality were 
 Ukewife not only olfcure and defective, but ftrangely intermixed and 
 . , collated
 
 Introduction. 13 
 
 polluted with the allowance of the fouleft and mod de ten 1 able vices. 
 And, had they been without fpot or blemifh, yet as long as a future 
 fate of rewards and punilhments remained undif covered or uncertain* 
 they wanted proper fanclions and motives to eftablifh the obligation and 
 inforce the praBice of them. In fhort, the mod compleat rule of ac- 
 tion that can poffibly be colle£l:ed from mere pagan philofophy, would 
 be but a perplexed and indigefled compofition of inconpdent opinions and 
 
 ineffectual precepts. 
 
 The revelation of Chrifl was intended to remove thefe uncertainties, 
 
 to rectify thele errors, and fupply thefe defeats of un affiled reafon. 
 Accordingly it has made a full and clear difcovery of the nature and 
 perfections of God: it has manifeftly unfolded and difplayed the va- 
 rious relations we bear to him and to one another, and fet before us 
 a regular and uniform lyftem of moral and religious duties from thence 
 arifing, which are recommended and inforced by the aveightiejl and 
 moft endearing obligations. Above all, it has given us the nrongeft 
 ajjurance of the pardon of our tranfgrefiions through the merits of a fa- 
 viour, and fully difclofed to us the unbounded animating proipecf. of a 
 happy immortality. 
 
 The deiign of the following poem is to reprefent this great difference 
 between the difcoveries of reafon, and thofe that are made by revela- 
 tion, in a more obvious view. It therefore defcribes the midnight dark- 
 nefs and original confujion of the firft rude chaos of nature, as a figni- 
 ficant emblem of the deplorable ignorance of the heathen world; and 
 the beautilul order and briijhtnefs of the univerfe arifino- from the /. : >ht 
 of the fun, as an expreffive and lively picture of the clear hmvchdge of 
 the chriflian. The propriety and juftnefs of this companion is confirmed by 
 the inspired At > file, who informs the Ccri/Jh/.ws, that it is Cod, c;/v 
 commanded / ..';/ to pine out of darknefs, at the creation, cu:; / 
 
 fine a ] in our he, irts, for the illumination of the km 
 God in the face, or perfon, of Jefus Chrifl. Even the .tic wri- 
 
 te; y
 
 14 Introduction. 
 
 ters, who only law him as it were through a glajs darkly, defcribe him 
 as aftar that ihould come out of Jacob, as the bright moming-jlar that 
 ftiould viiit us, and as the fun of righteoufnefs that fhould arife with 
 healing in his wings. The evangelical prophet Jfaiah expreily calls 
 him the Light of the gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, and bring 
 them out of darknefs and thefbado-w of death. This was the fure word 
 of prophecy, whereunto they did well that took heed, as unto alight that 
 ihincth in adarkpl&ce, until theday dawned and the day-flar arnje in their 
 hearts. 
 
 Suitably to thefe predictions, our Saviour's immediate forerunner was 
 a burning and a finning light, and his birth was ulliercd in and attended 
 by an extraordinary [far in the firmament. The fublime evangehif em- 
 phatically ftiles him the Trne Light, which lighteth every man, that 
 cometh into the world: And, he that followeth Him, fhall not walk 
 in darknefs, but fhall have the light of life. When St. Paul was lent 
 to convert the gentiles to chrijlianity, he is faid to be fent to open their 
 eyes, and tj turn them from darknefs to light. And St. Peter, after 
 their converfion, exhorts them to fhew forth the prailes of him, who 
 called them out of darknefs into his marvellous light. 
 
 With what great propriety the times of heathen ignorance are here 
 fhadowed out to us under the figurative characleriftic of darknefs ; and 
 the clear revelation of God's will reprelented by the beautiful image of 
 light, feems too obvious to want illuftration. The light of chriftianity 
 was evidently deiigned to make as vifible a change in the moral world, 
 as the great luminary of heaven does daily in the appearances of the na- 
 tural. The faint light of reafon, like a glimmering ftar, ferved indeed 
 to difcover the darknefs of pagan night, but could not difpel it. The 
 fcucifli revelation was a lamp unto their feet, and a lantern unto their 
 paths, through the pilgrimage of life ; but too dim to conduct them 
 fafely through the valley of death, and give them any clear difcovery 
 
 of a ftate beyond it. But the Gofpel of Chrift, wherein thefe fcattered 
 
 2 beams
 
 Introduction. 
 
 l<? 
 
 beams arc all united and enlarged, pouring forth, like the noonday fun, 
 it&Jlrong diffujive luftre, difperfes all the clouds of ignorance and error ? 
 and fully difplays the bright profpeel: of heaven, from whence it felf is 
 revealed. 
 
 Thus much feemed requifite to be premifed by way of introduction, 
 becaufe chriftianity and paganifm are considered in this view throughout 
 the following poem. The more judicious and difcerning reader will 
 readily perceive it to be a. juvenile and crude compofition. And the 
 truth is, it was written above eight years ago, only as a chrijlmas-ex- 
 erc'tje ; and has received but very fmall improvements fince that time, 
 except the addition of fome notes and obfervations, which may ferve 
 to fupport or illuftrate it, where need requires. If the kind and fa- 
 vourable reception, which it met with on that occafion, has too eajily 
 prevailed with me to offer it to a more public perufal ; it is humbly pre- 
 fumed that the foregoing circumftances, together with the good inten- 
 tion of the author, will befpeak all necejjary candour and indulgence to 
 its many imperfections. 
 
 G H R 1-
 
 CHRISTIANITY 
 
 THE 
 
 Light of the Moral World. 
 
 O Goodnefs infinite, Goodnefs immenfe! 
 That all this Good of Evil fhall produce, 
 And Evil turn to Good ! more wonderful 
 Than that, which by Creation firft brought forth 
 
 Light out of Darknefs ! 
 
 Milton. B. 12. 
 
 NOT from eternity, myfterious name! 
 Sole attribute of God ! too big for thought 
 Of man to comprehend ! this pond rous globe 
 Of earth felf-pois'd, nor kindred orbs, that range 
 
 Not from Eternity'] The Exigence of the exiftent Being, has been abundantly demon- 
 World from Eternity, was afierted by many fixated. See Cudwortb's Intellect.. Syft. B. i. 
 antient Philofophers. But the Abfurdity of c. 5. Stillingfleet's Orig. Sac. B. 3. c. 2. 
 this Opinion, and the Creation of the World Clarke's Demonftration Prop. 3. Enquiry into 
 out of nothing by one fuprcme, eternal, felf- the human Soul, Vol. 2. page 345. 
 
 C Through
 
 1 8 Chriftianity the Light 
 
 Through fpace unbounded, far from mortal ken, 
 In fpheric order rolfd their fteady courfe 
 With harmony of motion well attun'd 
 In each confpiring part. Nor was the fcene 
 Of univerfal Beauty s fairer form 
 Coeval with the rude una&ive mafs, 
 Which inftant, at the vital voice of God 
 In operation mighty, from the womb ! 
 Of nothing into pride of being rofe. 
 
 Light dawn'd not yet: nor yet the circling hours 
 Unveil'd the fmiling morn, nor evening clouds 
 With crimfon ting 'd. AU-fhadowing darknefsfpread 
 Her black pavilion o'er the formlefs heap 
 
 Form Coeval] As the Matter, of which Unus erat toto nature vultus in orbe, 
 
 theUniverfc confifts, was not Eternal, io nei- Quern dixere Chaos : rudis indigeftaque moles, 
 
 ther was the prefent Form and Order of Things Nee quicquam nifi pondus iners, congeftaque 
 coeval with Matter ; but arofe by fucceffive eodem 
 
 Degrees out of an undiftinguiped Mafs, Non bene junctarum difcordia femina rerum. 
 wherein the Materials of all Bodies lay at firft Metamor. Lib. I. 
 
 prpmifcuoufly mingled in Darknefs and Con- 
 
 fitfion, as hereafter reprefented. Ovid had Light dawned not yet] Ovid. ibid. Lib. i. 
 
 undoubtedly been acquainted with the Mofaic 
 
 account of the Original of the World, when Nullus adhuc mundo pnebebat lumina Titan, 
 
 he gave the following beautiful Deicription of Nee nova crefcendo reparabat cornui Phcebe. 
 the unfafhioned Chaos, 
 
 Of
 
 of the Moral World. 1 9 
 
 Of undigefted worlds. Dread filence rul'd 
 Uninterrupted through the dreary wafte, 
 And deepned awful horror's deepeft gloom 
 
 Nature was void : And all her laws lay hid 
 In the dull volumes of myfterious night 
 And rolls of anarchy. Creation jarr'd; 
 And foulelt Difcord with inteftine rage 
 Inflam'd the new-born elements to war. 
 Each embryo-creature, uninfpir'd with breath 
 Of purer ether, hung its idle head 
 On the cold bofom of infernal Chaos, 
 Or flept infolded in its native duft, 
 Unconfcious of the moving fprings of life. 
 
 But fhort this dead creation: fhort the rei^n 
 
 Of univerfal darknefs. Power divine 
 
 Nature ivas void] The appearance ofNa- Flowers, or any of the living Creati 
 ture was without Shape or regular Order, and wherewith it is now fq beautifully enrich 
 the Earth was unfurnijhed with Trees, Hubs, and adorned. 
 
 C 2 Spoke
 
 20 Chriftianity the Light 
 
 Spoke the creative word, " Let there be Light, 
 And there was Light — An inftantaneous dawn 
 Of floating rays, at firft diffufe and wide, 
 Shed round the rifing world a languid gleam, 
 To colour o'er the dark unfinifh'd mafs, 
 And form the outlines of a brighter fcene. 
 But when Deformity retir'd, o'ercome, 
 And Order lifted up her beauteous head, 
 Victorious o'er Confufion and Mifrule, 
 The fcatter'd beams, by voice omnipotent 
 From the grofs elements collected, all 
 
 Let there be Light] The firft Thing that Millions of Miles in one Minute. — See what 
 
 was formed out of the rude Matter, which the Critics have remarked upon the Sublimity 
 
 was at firft created, was Light, or thofe fubtil of this Paffage in Smith's excellent Tranflation 
 
 fiery Particles, which now compofe the Body of Longinus page 128. 
 of the Sun. This inftantaneous Production of 
 
 it, Let it be, and it was, gives us the moft At firft diffufe and wide'] Though the Par- 
 noble Idea of the unlimited Power of the tides of Light were made the firft Day, yet 
 Almighty, who commanded all things into Be- we find that they were not united into one 
 ing by his Word. Its original Formation was Body till the fourth. And therefore in this 
 as quick as Thought : and it feems ftill to retain Interval, being diffufed and fcattered abroad, 
 ibme Impreffion of that omnipotent Fiat, they could only give a faint and languijhing 
 which firft produced it. For we are told by Light to the Earth, in Comparifon of that 
 Aftronomers, that the Motion of the Rays of they afforded, after they were collected and 
 Light, which proceed from the Sun, is fo in- embodied in the Sun. See the learned WalFs 
 credibly fwift, as to pafs through above ten critical Notes on Gen. i. 3. 
 
 Obfe-
 
 of the Moral World. 2 1 
 
 Obfequious round their fteady center play'd, 
 And join'd in one huge orb, the radiant Sun, 
 To vanquifh night, and reign the King of day. 
 
 Hail pureft ofF-fpring! unpolluted ftream! 
 Fair effluence of Him, who lives in Light 
 Yet unconceiv'd by man ! Thy golden throne, 
 Forever fix'd by geometric rule, 
 In heaven's high concave, with unbroken laws 
 Of kind attraction, world with world unites 
 In friendly league: And, as a limpid fount 
 Perennial flowing, unexhaufted pours 
 A living luftre round the rolling orbs. 
 
 King of Day] The greater Light to ride Syntag. 2. c. i. Dr. Z-07/g'sAftron. p. 192. 
 the Day, Gen. \. 16. Subter mediam fere re- By geometric Rule] It was a Saying, I think, 
 
 gionem Sol obtinet, dux & princeps, & mo- of Plato, 'O ©m? S Tiau.iJfr,<; £>1. 
 derator luminum reliquorum, mensmundiS: Of kind Attraclion] According to the Prin- 
 
 temperatio, tanta magnitudine, ut cun£ta. fua ciples of Sir Jfaac Nczvtou's Philofophy, the 
 
 luce illujlret & compleat. Cic. Scipon. Somn. Earth and the reft of the Planets are retained 
 
 And the learned Selden tells us that the in their refpeftive Orbits, and regularly per- 
 
 Phenicians called the Sun the Lord of Hea- form their periodical Revolutions, by Virtue 
 
 ven, becaufe it is the moft fplendid and glo- of fome attractive Quality in the Sun, which 
 
 rious of all the heavenly Bodies. De Diis Syr. is the Center of the planetary Syftem. 
 
 At
 
 22 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 At thy approach, the univerfal choir 
 Of raptur'd angels tun'd their filver harps, 
 And fang for joy. The palpable obfcure 
 Of antient Chaos and her Sifter-Night 
 Confounded fled. All nature fmil'd ferene, 
 And, as the rofe frefh-op'ning to the morn, 
 Unveifd her bofom to thy genial beam. 
 
 At thy approach, if philofophic minds 
 Conje&ure truth, the vegetable race 
 Spontaneous kindled into fragrant life: 
 Touch'dby thy plaftic warmth, the flutt'ring brood 
 Of light-wing'd infeds animate appear'd, 
 And crawling reptiles tumbled into day, 
 
 The univerfal Choir'] The morning Stars ctes of Vegetables and Animals. But this 
 
 fang together, and all the Sons of God fhouted cannot be true. For, altho* they now need 
 
 for Joy. 5^.38.7. SezAliltonB.j. Line the Influence and Heat of the Sun, yet they 
 
 252. were originally formed out of the Earth, and 
 
 If philofophic Minds'] It has been the Opi- their Seeds with them, by the Power of God y 
 
 nion o( fome, both Anuents and Moderns, that before the Sun was made. See Bp. Patrick on 
 
 the Earth, being impregnated by the benign Gen. i. 12. Dr. Burnet's facred Theory, B. 2. 
 
 Warmth and Influence of the Sun, at firlt c. 1.2. Dr. Watt's Philof. Eflay, page 105. 
 Jpontaneeujly brought forth all the feveral Spe- 
 
 By
 
 of the Moral World. 2 3 
 
 By ftated laws mechanically form'd. 
 
 But why on Thee this life-infpiring power 
 Has vain Philosophy beftow'd ? — We own 
 Thy ftrong attractive force, thy bounteous ftream 
 Of feven-fold Light ; whofe variegated ray, 
 Refle&ed various, calls forth every charm 
 Where beauty blufties, or where colours glow, 
 In the bright ruby or the tulip gay. 
 But vital influence from Him defcends, 
 Whofe all-commanding fiat firft brought forth, 
 And into full perfection fpoke, the whole. 
 
 Thus lovely from the womb of darknefs rofe 
 All natures works : And thus the fhadowy void 
 Dawn cl into beauteous form. The fafhion'd earth 
 
 Sevenfold Light] Every Ray of Light pro- thefe fevehfok I primary Rays arife all thofe in- 
 
 ceedingfrom theSun confiftsofyfo^sdiftercnt numerable Colours, which form the gay 
 
 Sorts, which have each of them a peculiar Pifture of the Univeric, and every Thing 
 
 unchangeable Colour, namely, red, orange, that is bright andfoautiful in it. See Algarotti 
 
 yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, and on Light and Colours, Dial. 4. 
 from the various Compofitiens and Reflexions of 
 
 Shone
 
 24 Chrifiianity the Light 
 
 Shone out in comlieft order, all-array 'd 
 With fmiling verdure and enamel'd robes 
 Of flowers unnumber'd; whofe unnumber'd fweets 
 Swell' d into rich luxuriance, fair expand 
 Their inmoft foldings, and exhale around 
 A mbrofial odours through the balmy air, 
 A grateful incenfe to the new-born day ! 
 
 The Sun, exalted from his native eaft, 
 In boundlefs glory, to meridian height, 
 Showr'd down inceflant through the pure ferene 
 His gladning beams; which, like a mantle, cloath'd 
 With Light redundant each alternate face 
 Of earth's revolving orb from pole to pole; 
 For yet its fite was not oblique. And hence 
 
 Site was not oblique] If Dr. Burnefs inge- the Air calm and ferene, and free from thofe 
 nious Hypothefis be as true, as it is entertaining, tumultuary Conflicts of Vapours, which" now 
 the Axis of the antediluvian Earth was paral- difturb it : In fliorc, the whole Earth was then 
 lei, and not oblique as at prefenr, to the Axis a Seat of Paradife and Pleafure, very different 
 of the Ecliptic. And hence there was a per- from what it appears to be now. See his fa- 
 pet un! Equinox •, an Equality and Unity of Sea- cred Theory, B. 2. c. I, 2, 3. 
 Ions without any Excejjes of Heat or Cold i 
 
 An
 
 of the Moral IVorld. 2 5 
 
 An unity of feafons; one full bloom 
 
 Of fpring eternal ; one unbounded flow 
 
 Of joy-difFufing plenty, undifturb'd 
 
 By winds or ftorms. And hence were temp'rate 
 climes 
 
 Unchang'd by chilling frofts or fcorching funs, 
 
 And all this globe the feat of paradife, 
 
 The blifsful feat of harmony and love! 
 
 See then the change! review with wondring eye 
 This firft great contrail, f< Chaos wrapt in fhades 
 Of double darknefs," and " a finifh'd world 
 Adorn'd with every beauty Light beftows;" 
 Emblems too juft of thofe two different ftates, 
 That form the Moral World, my future fong. 
 
 A nobler creature, wrought in finer mould, 
 To lord this ample fabric, and adore 
 
 J nobler Creature] Alluding to that of Ovid ; Deerat aJ.huc, & quod dominari in cretcra 
 Sanftius his anima], ment'tique capacius altse, jioflet. Met. Lib. i. 
 
 D Th2
 
 i6 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 The architect immortal, was not yet. 
 The great Three-One, as facred records tell, 
 In unity and kind conjunction join'd 
 To raife his being, and adjuft his frame 
 By due-proportion'd rules. His outward mien 
 Sublime, to view the azure-bending roof 
 Of heaven's high canopy. His inward lamp, 
 A bounteous emanation of the Light 
 Eternal-fhining; image all-divine; 
 With fan&ity of reafon's fineft ray 
 Illuminate, to correfpond with heaven: 
 Nature's great mafter-piece, and end of all 
 
 As facred Records tell] Gen. i. 26. Let Juffit, & ereclos ad fidera tollere vultus. 
 Us make Man. Critics and Commentators upon Image all-divine'] Gen. i. 27. God created 
 
 this Paffage, look upon it as a plain Intima- Man in his own Image, in the Image of God 
 
 tion of a Plurality of Perfons in the divine Ef created he him. Tertullian gives us a fhort 
 
 fence ; and as implying that thefe three Perfons Account wherein this Image of God in Alan 
 
 as it were advifed and confulte d about the Pro- confided. Habent illas ubique lineas Dei, 
 
 duclion of Man, as if a greater Power and qua immcrtalis anima, qua libera & fui arbi- 
 
 Skill was employed in forming a Creature of trii, qua prafcia plerumque, qua rationalis, 
 
 fo much Beauty and Majefly. See Greg. Nyf capax intelletlus & fcientia. Lib. 2. contra 
 
 fen. de Opificio Hominis cap. 3. orat. 8. Marcion. cap. 9. And it is a noble Senti- 
 
 Mien fublime] Cum natura caeteras ani- ment of Cicero, Ad divinam imaginem pro- 
 mantes abjecifitt ad paftum, folum hominem pius accedit humana virtus, quam figura. 
 erexit. Cic. de leg. Lib. 1 . So Ovid. Met. L. 1 . See the various Opinions of Authors, concern- 
 Pronaque cum fpeftantanimalia cetera terram, ing the Image of God in Man, in Stackboufe's 
 Oi homun fublime dedit, ccelumque tueri Hiftory of the Bible, Page 33. 
 
 This
 
 of the Moral World. 2 7 
 
 This vaft harmonious fcheme of things below, 
 And endlefs happinefs his only end! 
 
 Yet here the little mimic world of man 
 A nearer ken demands to fcan its frame. 
 Nice fubtle-moving fprings, and nicer tubes 
 In complex order aptly organized, 
 And rang'd by wifdom's fecret-working hand, 
 Compofe the outward animal-machine; 
 Which vital moves, by foul of lower birth 
 Inform'd, diffufing life through every limb. 
 
 The Mind, an ever-active unmix'd form, 
 A pure immortal flame, by heaven infus'd 
 
 Endlefs Happinefs'] That God in his Act Church, as appears From Treitaus, that Man 
 of Creation had a principal Regard to the is compofed of three diftincT: efTential Parts, 
 Happinefs of his Creatures, and that in his c-w/*a.7o;, xx\ ^yjliu x*l m: Which Doctrin- 
 Actions towards them he is influenced by no is exprefly confirmed by St. Paul. I pray- 
 other Principle, but what is entirely coincident God, fays he, your whole Spirit, and Soul, 
 with, or perfectly fubordinate to this, feems and Body be preferved blamelefs, i Theff. v. 
 evidently proved in a late ingenious Treatife en- 23. Where by Spirit is underftood the purely 
 titled Divine Benevolence. immortal Part of us ; and by Soul, the Seat or 
 
 Soul of lower Birth] The animal or fenfi- all our Deftres, Affetlions, and Paff.cn;. See 
 
 tive Soul of Man. It was the Opinion of the Bp. Brown's Proccedure of the Understanding, 
 
 antient Stoics and Pktonifts, as we learn from B. 2. C. 10. 
 Antoninus, and alfo of the Fathers of the 
 
 D 2 Through
 
 28 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 Through all this wondrous complicated frame, 
 Unrival'd gives the little fyftem laws, 
 And, felf-dependent, regulates the whole. 
 As Newtoris fun the erring planets guides, 
 And orbs revolving into orbs combines 
 In circles well-according: Thus impell'd, 
 And drawn by reafon s intellectual chain, 
 Each fubject paffion moves within its fphere. 
 
 Thrice happy man ! in this tranfcendent light 
 Of native reafon, clear and unobfcur'd 
 By vapours foul, as that eternal fource 
 Of undiminifli'd brightnefs, whence it flow'd ! 
 No tongue canfpeak, no thoughtful heart conceive, 
 With what tranfporting joy his raptur'd eye 
 View'd all creation; ftill intent to read 
 
 Intellectual Cbahi] It is not improbable Paffions,. and kept them in- a juft Obedience to 
 
 that there was lbmething analogous to the at- its Dictates. Something like this is hinted at 
 
 traiiive Force of the Sun originally inherent in N orris's Theory of Love, page 23. 39. and 
 
 in human Reafon, whereby it preferved a in Cbeym's Philof. princip. page 46. 
 beautiful Regularity and Harmony among the 
 
 The
 
 of the Moral World. 29 
 
 The worlds all-perfed volume full difplay'd, 
 Where each inftrudive page, each line, proclaims 
 The author's glory, whofe unerring hand 
 Gave beauty, life, and energy to all. 
 
 In this fair work, as in a mirror bright, 
 He faw, well-pleas'd, the true congenial forms 
 Of right and good : he faw his Makers will; 
 And all he ow'd to him was grateful praife, 
 With pure devotion of the filent heart. 
 Unaw'd by iron force of tyrant laws, 
 In golden liberty 'twas his to range 
 The wide-extended fcene, where fancy led, 
 And, with deep- penetrating thought, explore 
 Caufe after caufe. His freedom, unconfin'd 
 
 Allperf eft Volume) Alluding to the Story Nature; of Things alone : but, that he clearly 
 
 of one Antony, an Afcetic, who, when he perceived the Agreement between them and 
 
 was afked by a Philofopher what he did with- the divine Will; the Knowledge or which, as 
 
 out Books, anfwered, O philofophe, metis well as of all other Things, it is. highly pro- 
 
 eodex ell natura creaturarum, qui adeft cum bable, was communicated to him by ibme im- 
 
 voluero,. verbaquc mihi rekgit Dei. mediate bifpiratian from God himlelf. See 
 
 His Maker's will) It is not here meaiv, Bp. Williams's 13. Led. Serm. u Revclac 
 
 that Adam, even in his perfeil Stare, was ca- examined, Vol. x. Diff. i, 2, 3. 
 pableof. difcovering the Will of God from the 
 
 By
 
 3<d Chrijlianity the Light 
 
 By narrow bounds, knew no fevere reftraint, 
 But one fhort rule, one negative command, 
 The pledge of his obedience, f( Not to eat 
 " Of one forbidden fruity whofe mortal tafte 
 Wou'd blend corruption with the feeds of life, 
 And on his future offfpring death entail, 
 Death unrepriev'd, and everlafting woe. 
 
 One negative Command] The Jews had a 
 conftant Tradition, that there was a Revela- 
 tion of moral Duties made to Adam foon after 
 his Creation : but as tbefe could then fcarce 
 have any Place, it was requifite that fome 
 other Inftance of Obedience fhould be impo- 
 fed •, and a lefs Reftraint was impoffible, than 
 the Prohibition of one Jingle Tree in the whole 
 Garden. See SelJende Jur. N. & G. Lib. i. 
 c. 9. Revel, exam. Vol. 1. page 87. Dr. 
 Jenkin's Reafonablenefs, Vol. 1. c. 13. 
 
 Forbidden Fruit] Of the Tree of the Know- 
 ledge of Good and Evil thoufualt not Eat, Gen. 
 ii. 17. The Learned are not agreed, whether 
 this was the Fruit of a Vine, or of an Indian 
 Fig-Tree, or of what Sort it was. Nor does 
 it leem neceffary for us to know. For, as 
 one juftly obferves, if it was not requifite to 
 have been concealed, it would not have paffed 
 unfpecified in the Text ; nor would the Tree 
 have been revealed, which concealed their Na- 
 kednefs, and that ctncealed, which revealed 
 it. — But, that the Fruit might contain fome 
 noxious Quality, which introduced a ftrange 
 Diforder and Corruption into the human Con- 
 ftitution, may be prov'd upon the Principles 
 of natural Knowledge. The Indians, for in- 
 
 ftance, are acquainted with a Juice, which 
 turns the Perfon, who drinks it, into an Idiot ; 
 and yet leaves him in the Enjoyment of his 
 Health, and all the Powers of his Body found 
 and perfect. Revel, examin. Vol. 1. DifT. r. 
 Jenkin's Reafonablenefs, Vol. 2. p. 260. 
 
 Death unreprieved] In the Day that thou 
 eatejl thereof, thou fhalt fur ely die, Gen. ii. 17. 
 that is, Thou fhalt certainly contract a mortal 
 Infirmity, and from henceforth be in a dying 
 Condition. — Adam indeed was naturally made 
 capable of Diffolution, and his Life was to be 
 preferved by the Tree of Life ; which, as the 
 antient Fathers and fome modern Divines 
 conjecture, had a Virtue in it to maintain all 
 the Organs of the Body in the fame Perfec- 
 tion, wherein they were created. But upon 
 his Tranfgrejfion, this extraordinary Means of 
 preferving his Life was to be taken from 
 him •, and then of Courfe the common Law of 
 Mortality muft take Place, and he muft return 
 to the Duft out of which he was formed. See 
 Dr. John Clarke on moral Evil, page 211. A. 
 Bp. King on the Orig. of Evil, C. 4. Sect. 1. 
 Not. 2. Sect. 8. Not. 3S. And his Serm. 
 on Gen, ii. 16. 
 
 Thus
 
 of the Moral JVorld. 3 1 
 
 Thus wilf d Jehovah. And while reafon rul'd, 
 
 Supreme in power to guard this facred law 
 
 Inviolate; how bleft was Eden's pair! 
 
 How chafte their pleafures and fublime their joys 
 
 They walk'd with God, and all their paths were 
 peace. 
 
 But Woman, prone to err, prompt to deceive, 
 Yet firft deceiv'd by adulation fmooth 
 Of glozing ferpent-tongue, too fondly gaz'd 
 On the myfterious tree's ambrofial fruit, 
 Which look'd temptation, and infiam'd her breaft 
 
 Serpent-Tongue] Naluralijis have obferved, phim. 'Tis therefore likely enough that the 
 
 that the whole Species of Serpents are endued Tempter made Ufe of fome fuch Serpent of 
 
 with a native Subtilty above all other Crea- fttrpajjing Brigbtnefs, which Eve might eafily 
 
 tures. And therefore a Serpent was the pro- mijtake for one of the illuftrious Angels or 
 
 pereft Infirument for the Devil to make ufe heavenly Seraphim ; and thereby feduced her 
 
 of in deceiving our firft Parents. What par- to give Credit to him. For we cannot fup- 
 
 ticular Kind it was of, may be difficult to de- pole that (he was fofimple, to think that brute 
 
 termine. But that ieems to be the moft pro- Creatures had the fame Gift of talking as fhe 
 
 bable Conjecture, which fuppofes it to have had, much lefs, that they knew more of 
 
 been a flying fiery Serpent, like thofe which God's Will than fhe did. See Plin. Nat. Hift, 
 
 are ftill bred in Arabia and Egypt. Thefe, Lib. 8. c. 21. Bafil. Horn, de Paradilb. 
 
 in Numb. xxi. 6. are called Seraphim, which Tertul. de Praefcrip. Heret. c. 47. Patrick's 
 
 is tranflated/if^, becaule they (hone like Fire Comment, 'Tcnuifon of Idol. p. 356. Mede's 
 
 when they flew in t!ie Air. — -Such of the Difc. 40,41. Revel, exam. Dill". 2. And 
 
 holy Angels, as were fent to deliver God's the more curious Reader may fee a finely 
 
 Will to Mankind, are thought to have ap- imagined Dialogue between Eve and the Ser- 
 
 peared in the Form of thekjbinittg Serpents, pent in Burnet's Archfeol. Philof. Lib. 2. c. 7. 
 and fox that Reafon were likewiie ftikd Sera- 
 
 With
 
 32 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 With the proud hopes of being wife, like God! 
 And had (he only gaz'd ! — The awe-ftruck mufe 
 Might fhun to paint, with horror's trembling hand, 
 That maze of errors, and thofe worlds of woe, 
 Ere&ed on the ruins of her fall. 
 
 Man felt the wound: yet let not man arraign 
 Nature's ftill-pleafmg foible, ftill the beft, 
 And faireft work of God. For holy writ, 
 In juftice to her name, aflerts this truth, 
 We fell by woman, yet by woman rofe, 
 Loft paradife by Eve, an earthly blifs, 
 But, happy change! by Mary heaven we gain. 
 
 Of being wife] Cod doth know, that in the our fir (I Parents, whether they would be good 
 
 Day ye eat thereof, yefoallbe as Gods, know- or evil, whether they would own the Sove- 
 
 ing Good and Evil, Gen. iii. 5. The Serpent reign ty of their Creator, and whether they 
 
 here very falfly infinuated, that the Reafon would obey or difobey his Commands. See 
 
 of the Prohibition was, becaufe God knew Pool's Annotations, and Rutherforth's Efiay 
 
 that by eating the forbidden Fruit, Man would on Virtue, C. xi. N. a. 
 
 attain to higher Degrees of Wifdom. For the Only gazed] It is the joint Opinion of 
 
 Tree was not called the Tree of Knowledge many, both antient and modern Writers, that 
 
 of Good and Evil, becaufe God intended by if our firft Parents had continued innocent, 
 
 that Name to reprefent the Fruit of it as fome- ihey would have been travjlated into a more 
 
 thing that would improve the Underftanding, perfect State of Blifs and Happinefs, without 
 
 or make thofe who eat of it more knowing; but ever undergoing Death. 
 becaufe he defigned thereby to make Tryal of Pleafing foible] See Milton B. 10. 1. 888. 
 
 Here
 
 of the Moral World. 33 
 
 Here then let Hope, the lovely foiling queen 
 Of diftant joy, prophetic of a Light 
 To rife with healing in his facred wings, 
 Invigorate the dark-defponding mind, 
 And lead it dauntlefs down the gloomy depths 
 Of midnight darknefs, to the chearful dawn 
 Of man's redemption, heaven's aufpicious morn. 
 
 See then, how rifmg from the fatal fource 
 Of our rebellious parents foul revolt, 
 Sin rear'd her hydra-head: Difeafe advanc'd 
 
 Prophetic of a Light'] Alluding to that Jntipathy. And Naturalifts obferve that this 
 
 obfcure prophetic Promife of a Saviour, which Antipathy is ftill greater and more vehement 
 
 was made foon after the Fall. I will put En- between the Serpent and the Female Sex; in- 
 
 mity, fays the Almighty denouncing the Curfe fomuch that if but the naked Foot of a If c 
 
 agamft the Serpent, between thee and the Wo- doth never fo little prefs the Head of a Ser- 
 
 man, and between thy Seed and her Seed: It pent, he prefently dies. Mede's Difc. 42. 
 
 Jhall brv.ife thy Head, and thou Jhalt bruife his Revel, exam. Vol. 1. DilT. 7. 
 
 Heel. 1'his Sentence, fays a great Author, Sin rear'd, &c.J Sin or moral EvilviasRr&in- 
 
 was defigned for Adam's Confolaticn, and as troduced by our firft Parents abufing their Li- 
 
 a Stay of Hope, that his Seed fhould deftrpy berty, and tranfgreffivg the Law of their God. 
 
 the Power of Satan, and be reflored to the And natural Evils, fuch as Difeafes, Pa , 
 
 Favour of God. And without this Hope, he Death, and the like, arc the nei > ffary C01 
 
 muft have been vcid of all Inducements to qaences of moral Evil. See Dr. Sam. Clarke's 
 
 Love and Obedience, and have had no Senfe Demonflrat. page 108. Dr. Berriman's firft 
 
 of Religion at all. Bp. Sherlock on Prophecy Serm. at B. Left. Or the Subjeft treated 
 
 page 6g, 82. — 'Tis worthy of Notice how more at large in Dr. John Clarke's Enquiry, 
 
 remarkably this Prophecy is fulfilled, even in &c. and A. Bp. King's Effay on Evil, with 
 
 the moft literal Senle. For between theSer- the learned Notes ol his ingeniou. TranflajQr. 
 j tut and Man there fubfifts the moil deadly 
 
 E In
 
 34 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 In various ghaftly fhapes, an awful train ! 
 And fin-born Death, that ever dreaded foe, 
 Triumphant reign'd o'er all. Hence Vice diffus'd 
 Her pleafing poifons, and unnumber 'd ills, 
 Curs'd harveft, fprung; the baneful weeds of woe: 
 And hence are both diforder'd in their frame, 
 The world of nature, and the world of man! 
 A fcene, more horrid than the viewlefs mafs 
 Of rude materials, ere the fource of day 
 Effus'd his orient beam! as after light 
 A dreary darknefs molt offends the eye. 
 
 Thus order into blind confufion ran, 
 And difcord . deep-involv'd the ruffled mind 
 
 IhelVcrld of Nature] Even the inanimate have been altered and theSeafons changed. 
 
 Part of the Creation felt the fad Effecls of the c r u u-j u- a ~,i * „£.„„c 
 
 , , _. , „. . . tir 1 1 n-i Some fay, He bid his Angels turn aicanle 
 
 Introduction or bin into the World. 1 he n ,, D , ' cr „. . • . D r^ „„ „ „„j m „,„ 
 
 ,, , „,, . , , c1 „., 1 heroles of Earth twice ten Degrees, and more, 
 
 Ground was cur fed for Adam s bake — thorns r , c > A , t-u -Xr '„.,_„,,n,'i 
 
 ,_.,.„, . i i,i ■■ /- From theSun s Axle: They \s\thLavourt>u\h d 
 
 and T/ji/t es it brought lorth unto him, Gen. r . Lr , . ~, , ' _ , • n ■ ru,.,„*. 
 
 J n .... & . c r> Oblique the centric Globe-- to bring in Lbanre- 
 
 in. 17, 1 8. Milton has given us a fine De- _ f c ^ r , .-,,. c ° T ■ ^-/^ 
 
 r ■ '■ r , „ .° ■■ i . ^7 Of beams to each Clime. — is. io. .Lin. 60S. 
 
 fcnption or the Alterations^ which the At- J 
 
 .■ commanded to be made in the Courfe The Conferences of which Obliquity are de- 
 
 of Nature foon after the. Fall ; wherein he fcribed more particularly in Dr. Bimiet'sfacred 
 
 fuppofes the very Pojition of the Earth to Theory, B. 2. C. 6. 
 
 In
 
 of the Moral World. 3 5 
 
 In mad-fermenting tumults. Thus the foul 
 Loft that true confonance, which fweetly flow'd 
 From paflions harmoniz'd by reafon's hand. 
 For as the Sim, when from his center mov'd, 
 Would want the juft proportion of his power, 
 And tumbling worlds, on worlds prone-rufhing reel 
 Excentric from their orbs, and rudely mix 
 In Chaos wild, and elemental war: 
 So, when the fecret all-conne&ing charm 
 Of moral gravitation ceas'd to draw, 
 And fovereign Reafon yielded up his fway, 
 Each lawlefs paffion, burfting from their bounds, 
 Bent all their violence with brutal might 
 To overturn the pillars, that fupport 
 The temple of fair Virtue and her laws. 
 Such was the dire event of daring pride 
 
 Mad-fermeni 'bigTumults] After Reafon had very frequently ufurped the Power of govern- 
 once, receeded from its original Superiority, a ing ; from whence perpetual Diforder, Tumult, 
 ftrange Irregularity of PafTion and Appetite and Confufwn unavoidably arofe in the Mind 
 was introduced, and the inferior Faculties of Man. 
 
 E 2 Too
 
 
 6 Chrtjiianity the Light 
 
 Too curious good and ill to know!— yet ftill 
 The profpeft darkens with fucceeding times. 
 
 Benighted man the bright idea loft 
 Of one all-forming, all-fuftaining God, 
 Of wifdom infinite and power immenfe ; 
 And, fad exchange ! the monfter-figur'd throne 
 Of Folly rofe. Hence various fancies form'd 
 As various Gods. This deify 'd a dance 
 Of antic interfering atoms. — This 
 The dull material fyftem call'd his God; 
 
 Benighted Mali] It cannot be queftioned, One True God was loft, Deities were multiplied 
 hut that a general intellellual Darknefs pre- to an almoft incredible Number. Qui Deos 
 vailed, and a falfe Worfhip took Place, very ejfe dixerunt, fays Cicero, tanta- flint in varie- 
 early in the antediluvian World. We are ex- tate ac dijfenjione, ut eorum moleftum fit di- 
 prdly told by Mofes, that the Earth was cor- numerare fententias. De Nat. Deor. lib. i. 
 rupt before God, and, That all Flefh had See He/tod. Op. & Dier. L. i. V. 250. Ter- 
 corrupted his Way upon the Earth, Gen. vi. tull. Apoll. C. 14. Dr. Jenkin's Reafonable- 
 11, 12. whereby Corruption, the Jewijh Doc- nefs, Vol. 1. page 356. 
 tors fay, is always underftood Impurity or Ido- Deify' d a Dance] It was the abfurd Ooi- 
 latry. And Sanchoniatho has given a partial- nion of Democritus, Epicurus, and others, that 
 lar Account how the Hoft of Heaven came to the World was formed by an accidental Con- 
 be worlhipped in the fecond Generation from courfe of the feveral Parts whereof it confifts. 
 Adam, and Pillars or rude Stones in the fifth, And the Univerfe was a Work fo full ofJVon- 
 ajnd haw Statues and eminent Perfons were der to the antient Stoics, that they thought it 
 confecrated in the ninth. See Hyde'?, Relig. a God. Vis ilium, h. e. Deum, mundum voca- 
 Vet. Perf. page 58. Dr. Arth. Young on Ido- re? Nonfalleris, fays Seneca. See Cic. de N. 
 latry Vol. i. page 7. Deor. lib. 1. §. 20. 24. and, lib. 2. § 17. 37. 
 
 - us Gods) After the Knowledge of the 
 
 And
 
 of the Moral World. 3 7 
 
 And that before the Sun, the throne of Light, 
 
 Faint ihadow of his Maker, proftrate fell : 
 
 Nay forne to birds, and beafts, and creeping things 
 
 A groveling, fenfelefs, adoration paid : 
 
 While fome, with fceptic doubt, believ'd in none, 
 
 Or, half-believing, impioufly deny'd 
 
 His providential eye ; whofe boundlefs glance, 
 
 Quick-darting through the univerfal frame 
 
 Before the San] The moft antient Idolatry 
 was the Worfhip of the Hoft of Heaven ; and 
 its ProfefTbrs were called Zabii. By which 
 are underftood not only Chaldeans, Egyptians, 
 Canaanites, and Syrians, but all other Nations, 
 who followed the like Practices. The chief 
 Object of their Adoration was the Sun, known 
 by the Name of Mithra, which the learned 
 Hyde derives from Mihr, Love or Mercy. He 
 indeed is of Opinion that the Per/tans did not 
 worfhip the Sun, as is generally believed ; but 
 only confidered him as a glorious Light, and 
 the fitteft Symbol of the Divinity. But what- 
 ever they did, it is certain that other Nations 
 adored him under various Appellations. The 
 Greeks had a Temple at Alexandria, where 
 they offered human Sacrifices to him : And 
 there are Roman Inscriptions remaining, where- 
 in Mithra is ftiled the Invincible, Almighty, 
 and molt Holy Gad. See Dr. Long's Aftro- 
 oomy, page 179, 192. 
 
 Nay feme to Birds] The antient Heathens 
 had fo many different Images and Symbols of 
 their Deities, that there was fcarce any Part 
 
 of the animal Creation, but what was facred 
 to one God or another. They worfhipped all 
 Things but the true God, who only of all 
 Things was to have been worfhipped. See Dr. 
 South' 1, Serm. Vol. 3. page 284. Dr. Young 
 on Idolatry, Vol. 1. page 69, 91. 
 
 Believed in none] Nullos effe omnino deos 
 Diagoras Melius & Theodoras Cyrenaicus puta- 
 verunt. — Abderitcs quidem Protagoras, fo- 
 phiftes illis temporibus vel maximus cum in 
 principio libri lie pofuiffet, Be divis, neque 
 utfint, neque ut nonfint, habso dicere, Athe- 
 nienfium juffu urbe atque agro eft extermina- 
 tus, iibrique ejus in concione combufli. Cic. 
 de Nat. Deor. Lib. 1. 
 
 Deny'd his providential Eye] The Acade- 
 mics, Epicureans, and others, admitted indeed 
 the Extjlence of Deities, but looked upon them 
 as indolent and unaSiive Beings, that were no 
 way concerned in the Government of fublunary 
 Thjngs. — Telamo uno vcriu totum locum 
 conficit, cur dii homines negligunt ; nam (i 
 bonis, male malts lit, quod nunc 
 abeji. Cic, de Nat. Deor. Lib. 3. § 33. 
 
 Of
 
 38 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 Of heaven and earth, as through a cryftal globe, 
 O'er-rules, dire&s, and a&uates the whole. 
 
 Not the learn'd Stagirites all-fearching thought, 
 Exploring nature's depths, could reach the Caufe 
 Immortal, uncreate; but blindly deem'd 
 T1V effedt eternal, infinite, unmade. 
 
 Nor Plato, Tullys God, heathen Divine, 
 In all his charms of moving eloquence, 
 E'er with unfaultring tongue pronounc'd this truth, 
 That God is One. While this great truth lay hid, 
 This all-combining principle unknown; 
 
 Learned Stagirite] Ariftotle, fo called from noured him with the Title of the God of 
 
 the Town of Stagira, where he was born. Philofophers. — Audiamus Platoncm quafi 
 
 Though he was fo great an Enquirer into the quendam Deum Philolbphorum. De Nat. 
 
 Works of Nature, that he could not give into Deor. lib. 2. §. 12. — And again, Deus ille 
 
 that abfurd Opinion of the World's being form- nofter Plato. Epift. ad Atticum 16. lib. 4. — 
 
 ed by a fortuitous Concourfe of Atoms; yet he And yet in another Place he fays, Jam de 
 
 was ignorant of its true Original and imagined Platonis biconftantia longum eft dicere, qui in 
 
 it to be Eternal. Maluit hanc pulchram mun- Tim<eo patrem hujus mundi nominari neget 
 
 di faciem ab aterno effe, quam aliquando ex poffe : — Idem & in Timao dicit, & in Legi- 
 
 jeterna deformitate emerfiffe. Valefius, de bus, & mundum Deum effe, & ccelum, & ajlra, 
 
 Sac. Philof. Cic. de Acad. Lib. 4. §. 34, &c. & terram, & animos, & eos, quos majorum 
 
 Tully'sGod] Cicero entertained fo high an injlitutis accepimus. De Nat. Deor. lib. 1. 
 
 Opinion of Plato's Wifdom, that He ho- §. 12. 
 
 The
 
 of the Moral TVorld. 3 9 
 
 The philofophic wit, the deep-read fage, 
 Immortal fons of Reason, ne'er could form 
 A plan of Moral Wifdom juit and true. 
 Syftem compar'd with fyftem, ftill each jarr d 
 With each, yet center'd all in this — they Errd. 
 
 Not lefs bewilder 'd in furrounding fhades 
 Of ignorance, from whence his being rofe, 
 And what his final end, man blindly walk'd 
 The maze of life. Dark to futurity, 
 His mental eye, like outward fight immur'd 
 
 Moral IVifdom] Whoever is converfant in 
 the Writings of the heathen Philofophers,muit 
 eafily difcern what diffonant, interfering, and 
 irreconcileable Precepts of Morality they con- 
 tain. — It mud be confeffed that they /poke 
 well of the Excellency and Advantage of par- 
 ticular Virtues : But how to reduce them into 
 a uniform confiftent Scheme, and lay Men un- 
 der an Obligation to praclife them, was fome- 
 thing beyond the Power of human Wit and 
 Reajon to accomplifh. And indeed it was ab- 
 folutely impoffible, that there mould be any 
 perfecl Syftem of moral Duties, where the full 
 fundamental Principles of Religion were not 
 known and believed. See Bp. Leng, Serm. xi. 
 at B. Left. Dr. Roger's Neceflity of Divine 
 Revel. Serm. i. 
 
 Dark to Futurity'] 'Tis well known how 
 
 much the Philofophers of old were In the 
 Dark, with Regard to a future' State ; fome 
 doubting of it, others abfolutely denying it, and 
 even they, who favoured the Opinion moll, 
 never rifing higher than to a bare Probability. 
 Vid. Cic. Tufc. Quell, lib. i. §. n. The 
 Poets, who were the Prophets of thofe Days, 
 were the only Perfons that fpake of it with 
 Confidence; and yet they have reprefented it 
 under fuch extravagant Ideas, that one can 
 fcarce imagine that they believed their t 
 Defcripiions. — The Truth is, all the Argu- 
 ments, that can be drawn from unaflifted 
 Reafon, amount to no more than a mere Pof- 
 fibility of a future Exiftence, which is very far 
 from a Proof of an actual one. Dr. Burnet's 
 Demonstration of trueRelig. Jchnfon'sScrm. 
 on the Law of Nat. pag. 24. 
 
 By
 
 40 Chriflianity the Light 
 
 By horizontal bounds, faw nought beyond 
 The narrow verge of Time. The cloud hung deep, 
 And veil'd Eternity, that untry'd ftate! 
 That pleafing awful fcene ! whofe endlefs views 
 Amaze, and warm, and animate the foul. 
 Even God's imperial care, the chofen Jew, 
 Saw but a typic-light ; a ray that fhone, 
 As through a glafs obfcure, in dubious gleams 
 Oft unperceiv'd, too languid to difplay, 
 Celeftial Canaan, thy immortal realms, 
 Where ftreams of pleafure unpolluted flow ! 
 What then was life ! How vain its flatt'ring joys ! 
 How fhort their vanity ! unfolid all 
 As fleeting vapours, or delufive dreams ! 
 
 Typic-light] It has lately been a Subject of figurative Reprefentations, were but very cenfu ■ 
 
 very learned Delate, whether or no the Doc- fed, obfcure, and imperfeil, in Companion of that 
 
 trine of a future State was known under the clear Knowledge of Life and Immortality, which 
 
 Jewijh Difpenfation. — If it be granted that is brought to Light by the Go/pel. See Mr. 
 
 the Jews had fome Notices of it ; it mud at IVarburton's Divine Legat. B. v. Seft. 5, 6. 
 
 the fame Time be granted that thefe Notices, Mr. Rutberfortb's Effay on Virtue, Chap, 
 
 being conveyed .to them only under typical or xi. xii. 
 
 All
 
 of the Moral TVorhL 4 1 
 
 AH focial ties were loofe: the feeling fenfe 
 Of fweet humanity, that kindly melts 
 In foft compallion to another's woe, 
 Scarce taught the unrelenting heart to fhed 
 A pitying tear. Hence fierce and uncontroul'd 
 Each felfifh paffion reign'd : hence fecret fraud 
 And lawlefs violence, the cruel arts 
 Of favage life, diflblv'd thefacred bonds 
 Of unity and peace. Hence fheath'd in arms 
 Refulgent, man, infatiate of revenge, 
 Form'dthe rudefpear; and, more than brutal, dard 
 To ftain the polifh'd fteel with human blood. 
 Thus war grew glorious: war, abhorrent moil: 
 From nature's Hate of fympathizing love, 
 
 Hence fecret fraud, &c] Thefe, and many bery; and the Plund '' W of nei 
 
 other deteftable Vices, were not only p) bouring Nations w^ efteem'd the hig 
 
 by whole Nations,' but admitted by the great- Pitch of h triftotle fpeaks 
 
 eftPhilofi ihers into their moft refine ■ ms difdainfully of M '■.... 
 
 Morality. The Perfians, in ' ;;/, per-, and even Cicero is an Advocate tor 
 
 t ht their Chil - r ': ir (red and Revenge. See the Bp. of Leu 
 
 • .-.•, fo they fpoke Truth to their Friends, fecond Pajlcral Letter. Dr. Jenkin's Reafon- 
 
 — Others encouraged private Theft and Rob- ablenefs, Vol. I. page 3 
 
 F And
 
 42 Chrifiianity the Light 
 
 And unreferv'd benevolence to all! 
 
 * 
 
 Such was their joylefs life: their woeful end 
 Fancy's creative pencil fcarce can paint 
 In all its hideous forms. When Death approach'd, 
 That dire, inexorable king of dread, 
 In the full pomp of terrors deep-array 'd, 
 What images of Doubt and pale Defpair 
 Rofe to th' aftonifh'd view ; while on the heart 
 A heavy horror laid its leaden hand ! 
 Hope fickned into fear: Hope fled with life, 
 And left them in the grave. -Diftrading thought! 
 To Be no more ! or, what the wife think worfe 
 Than non-exiftence, Be — They knew not what, 
 They knew not where ! Imprifon'd in a clod 
 
 Worfe than Non-exijlcnce] Utter Extinc- cifion and Deprivation of Exiftence. But 
 
 tion orCefTation of Being is what fome of the not to be at all is furely more eligible, than to 
 
 moft learned Doctors among the Jews have be miferable always ; Our Saviour himielf hav- 
 
 efteemed the moft dreadful of all Punifh- ing determined the Queftion, Matt. xxvi. 24. 
 
 ments •, fo interpreting Topbet, Abaddon^ the See Bp. Barlow's, Remains, page 470. Dr. 
 
 Vale of Slaughter^ and the like, for final Ex- Beutley's firft Serm. at B. Lect. 
 
 Of
 
 of the Moral JVorld. 43 
 
 Of chilling clay ! Be moulder d down to duft, 
 And blown in atoms round the whirling globe! 
 Be plung'd in whelming floods, or bath'd in flames 
 Of liquid fulphur! Or be doom'd to lie 
 Fix'd in the cold embrace of icy chains ! 
 Perhaps be worfe than confcience-wounding guilt 
 Can e'er imagine ! Oh tremendous fate, 
 Too horrid to conceive! — The thought is hell! 
 
 Though Stoics boaft their unimpailion'd man, 
 Of mild compofure in the jaws of death, 
 While death, he thinks, annihilates his foul: 
 Though Socrates, an almoft-chriftian man, 
 By his own Damon prompted to be bold, 
 With feeming calmnefs drank the fatal bowl : 
 
 By his own Damon'] That Socrates had an Cicero, De Divinat. 3. And even the Fa- 
 attendant spirit, which diverted him from thcrs of the Church come into the fame Opi 
 Dangers, appears very evident from the Tc- nion : lertull. De Anima, & Apol. adv. 
 ftimonies of Plutarch, de Genio Socratis ; Gentes : O, contra Celfum Lib. 7. Lac- 
 Plata, Theag: sEIian, Var. Hift. Lib. 8. tantius De Origine Erroris, Lib. 2. 
 
 F 2 Though
 
 44 Christianity the Light 
 
 Though rigid Cato, ohftinately brave, 
 Humanely tender of his country's good, 
 With foul unfliaken, the blood-drinking fteel 
 Plung'd in his bofbm, and intrepid feign'd 
 A cold indifference, whether balmy fleep 
 One night, or death forever clos'd his eyes: 
 Though god-like Brutus, of all heathen race 
 The heft, could boldly to the fpedre fay, 
 77/ meet thee there ; and put the ghoft to flight : 
 Yet nature, back-recoiling, ftood aghaft, 
 Nor dar'd to rufh into the dreadful gulph, 
 Till pufh'd by indignation and defpair. 
 
 Rigid Cato] His Principles were thofe of Self-Micrder,\ T o\. 3. and the ChriftMn Hero, C.i . 
 
 a Stoic ■, which Seel:, to ufe the Words of a I'll meet thee there] This was the calm 
 
 late excellent Author, profeffed a proud, ft iff, Anfwer, which Brutus gave to his evil Genius, 
 
 arrogant, and mamiable Virtue, and an extra- who faid he would meet him at Philippi. — 
 
 vzgantunnalural Contempt of Pain and Death. 'Tis a fine Obfervation of Sir Richard Steel 
 
 it is very jujlly remarked by the fame on this Occafion, " That whatever Law we 
 
 r, That 1 \e would have acted a Part may make to our felves, from the Greatnefs 
 
 . more i the Charailer of a Pa- of Nature or the Principles of Philofophy, is 
 
 trio!, a Man of true Courage and invincible itfelf but an artificial Paflion, whereby we 
 
 Intion ; if, inftead of diftrefling his vainly hope to fubdue thofe that are no. 
 
 ' abandoning the Public to Ruin, Chriftian Hero, page 20. See Plutarch's Life 
 
 f to -live, and referred of Brutus ', and Mr; Cowkjt's Pindarique Qde 
 
 fell for future Service to his Country, entitled, Brutus, 
 S-e Mr. Fojler's fecond Sermon of Duels and 
 
 Thus
 
 of the Moral World. 45 
 
 Thus dark was reafon; though at firit infus'd 
 Spotlefs and pure : nor could it re-aflume, 
 By native force, that bright congenial beam, 
 Which opes eternity to mortal man. 
 Ifhappinefs.be then his being's end, 
 In fpite of fceptic pride, he wants a Light, 
 A clearer Light than beft-taught reafon lends, 
 Devoutly to be wiftfd for, to revive 
 His low-defponding foul, and guide the way 
 Through the dull pilgrimage of human woe, 
 To happier worlds of unimagin'd blifs. 
 
 And, fhall he want this Light, this Sun of life! 
 Shall man, like buzzing infects of an hour, 
 Mock'd with unreal hopes, with real ills 
 
 jf clearer Light] Divine Revelation is ab- though Reafon may coTifeiTure, and amufe 
 
 folutcly necefiary to aflure us of the general with pleafing Expectations, it has no Pri 
 
 Refurreclion of the Body to a future State, be- to proceed upon in forming a certain (' 
 
 caufe natural Reafon gives no Intimation of fion. See Mr. Fojter'% Serm.. Vohiwpage 
 it. And as to thcEternity of future Rewards, 
 
 Perplexd
 
 46 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 Per plex'd, fpend out his little fpan, and then 
 Sink down to duft, to nothing, unrepriev'd ! 
 All-gracious heaven forbids the dreadful thought. 
 
 For, while infhrouded in this veil of night, 
 The moral Chaos, like primasval mafs, 
 In deep, expreffive filence call'd for Light ; 
 While royal Magi, journeying from the eaft, 
 And wide-furveying all the ftarry vault, 
 With holy zeal inflam'd, attentive gaz'd ; 
 Kind heaven in beamy luflxe fair-difplay'd 
 The leading Star, to optic tube unknown, 
 Glad harbinger of Light, whofe powerful beams 
 O'er earth fhall fhine effulgent, to dethrone 
 
 Royal Magi) The ftudious and inquifi- into utter Dqrknefs, Bp. Hall's Contempla- 
 tive, whole Bufinefs and Profeffion led them tion on the Sages and the Star. 
 to fearch into the more abftrufe Parts of Na- To optic Tube unknown] 'Tis generally 
 ture, and more particularly into the Motions agreed that this Star was no common one. 
 and Difpoiitions of the heavenly Bodies, were And Saint Cbryfojlom fuppofes it not to have 
 diftinguifhed by the Title of Magi, Ifthefe been any real, though extraordinary Star; 
 Wife Men, fays a pious Prelate, had been but fome. rational and heavenly Power affum- 
 acquaintcd with all the Stars of Heaven, and ing that Form, like the Ifraelites Angel in 
 not feen the Star that guided them to Chrijl, the cloudy Pillar. Horn. 6. on St. Matt. 
 they had only had Light enough to lead them 
 
 The
 
 of the Moral JVorld. 47 
 
 The Prince of darknefs, and diffufe around 
 The blifsful dawn of Evangelic Day. 
 
 Let univerfal nature joyn the hymn, 
 To angels notes and inftruments attun'd, 
 And ufher in with acclamations fweet 
 The fovereign Light! Let liftning planets ftand 
 In folemn adoration deeply fix'd ! 
 On Lebanon, ye ftately cedars bow, 
 In fign of worfliip, your low-bending heads; 
 And humbler myrtles, fragant homage breath ! 
 Ye head-long torrents, that impetuous roll ; 
 In fmooth ferenity attendant, ftop 
 Your rapid courfe; and ye flow-dimpling rills 
 In foft melodious murmurs tell your joys ! 
 With fweeteft notes, fweet Philomela, charm 
 The nodding groves; and all ye feather 'd choir, 
 Symphonious warbling your inftindive lays, 
 
 Confpire
 
 48 Clmjiianity the Light 
 
 Confpire to fwell the univerfal fong. 
 
 Even muteft creatures, by your filence praife, 
 
 And fpeak in a&ion what the tongue denies ! 
 
 But moft let man, molt favour'd, crown the hymn 
 With loud Hofannahs, floating on the winds, 
 To his redeeming God; who deigns to leave 
 His feraph-circled throne, and realms of blifs, 
 To refcue man from nature's felleit foes, 
 From Sin and Death ; and give him to the skies, 
 Heir of their joys ! — But lo, the morn comes on, 
 Big with the facred birch! The heav'n of heav'ns 
 Unfolds its cryftal portals, pouring wide 
 A golden deluge ; and tK EternahSon, 
 Leaving the height of glory, where he dwelt 
 Through fumlefs ages, to reftore on earth 
 The blamelefs life of Eden and its bloom, 
 The univerfal Deity di (plays! 
 
 Hail
 
 of the Moral JVorld. 49 
 
 Hail fource of joy ! celeftial day-fpring hail! 
 Whether to Prophet old, devoutly rapt 
 In eager contemplation, half-unveil'd ; 
 Or to exulting Patriarch, friend of God, 
 Gazing afar, through diftant ages feen 
 In vifions dim : Or now more clear reveald 
 In heav'n-illumind tomes, by 7hee; fit-nam 'd 
 The Sun of righteoufnefs, the world's True Light. 
 Hail mighty Lord! by thy all-conquering pow'r, 
 The raylefs night of Ignorance, o'ercome, 
 Throws off her dusky fhrowd, and re-aflumes 
 The fmiling robes of day. At thy approach 
 Benign, Diforder and Confufion fly, 
 Confounded more: the congregated cloud 
 
 Exulting Patriarch} Your Father Abra- Mejftab, as many learned Writers have con- 
 ham rejoiced to fee my Day, and He faw it, jedtured, was that divine Perfon, who appear- 
 and was glad, John viii. §6. — 'He had a ed fo often to Abraham in Dreams or Vifions. 
 very ftrong Affurance given to him, " That See Dr. Toung, on Idolatry, Vol. i. p. 39. and 
 in Him, All the Families of the Earth Mr. IVarburtons Div. I ,?gat. Vol. 2. p. 592. 
 mould be blejfed : Gen. xii. 3. that is, Sun of Righteoufnefs) See Malachi, Ch. iv. 
 from his Loins in the Fulnefs of Time the 2. St, John % Ch. i. 9. Ch. viii. 12. Ch. xii. 4.0. 
 promifed Mejftab fhould fpring. And this 
 
 G Of
 
 50 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 Of mental Errors, diffipated, yields 
 
 Its dull domain; and bright-ey'd Truth prefides, 
 
 Triumphant, on her native-cryftal throne. 
 
 From numerous ages hid, the beauteous fcene 
 
 Of moral Order, Harmony and Love, 
 
 Full on the mind its ever-pleafmg charms 
 
 Profufely pours. Thy animating beams 
 
 Shedding, all-bounteous, o'er the groveling foul 
 
 Their fweeteft influence, whate'er is dark 
 
 Illuminates, whate'er is low, exalts 
 
 To god-like excellence : by Thee refin'd 
 
 And elevated, Reafon knows to rule, 
 
 And rebel-paffions own thy upright laws. 
 
 No more feall man, unknowing to adore 
 The God fupreme, revolve a reftlefs round 
 
 Of wild, diffracting, iii-foreboding thoughts, 
 
 Numerous Jgef] The Period of Time, learned Archbijhop Uper\ moft accurate chro- 
 from the Creation of the WorlJ, to the nological Account, was no lefs than the Space 
 Coming of Jefus Cbrifi, according to the of four thsufnnd Tears, 
 
 Without
 
 of the Moral World. 5 1 
 
 Without a folid center where to fix 
 
 His fteady view: no more, by gloomy fears 
 
 And black defpair environ'd, grope his way 
 
 Through the perplexing maze of life, bereft 
 
 Of prefent happinefs, and future hope: 
 
 No more, unconfcious of his final end, 
 
 Ask what he is, or what he is to be? 
 
 Nor, wilder 'd in the fruitlefs fearch, lament, 
 
 With Wollaflon, he wants a furer guide 
 
 Than Nature lends, to mark th' unerring paths 
 
 That lead to /?///>. --The faithful guide is come; 
 
 The genuine beam, full-darting from above, 
 
 Strong to defcribe, and piercing to unfold, 
 
 Enlightens all the ways of God to man. 
 
 In Thy unclouded fplendor, all-eclips'd, 
 
 Lament with WoUafton~\ This great Au- gion of Nature was his Theme, he contented 
 
 thor, after having fet all the Arguments, that himfelf with that Light, which Nature af- 
 
 unaffifted Reafon could podibly fugged, for forded ; his Bufinefs being to fhew what a. 
 
 the Immortality of the Soul, in the ftrongtft heathen Philofopher, without any other Help, 
 
 and mod beautiful Light, ingenuoufly con- might be fuppofed to think. Religion of Na- 
 
 fefles, That he begun to be very fenfible how lure delineated, page 2 1 1. 
 much he wanted a Guide. But, as the Reli- 
 
 G 2 Fallacious
 
 5 2 Chrijiianity the Light 
 
 Fallacious Oracles, extinguifh'd, die, 
 
 Like twinkling lamps before the rifing morn. 
 
 Drown'd in Thy facred light, the richeft page 
 
 Of claffic genius un- enlivened feems 
 
 And dim; tho' kindled by the brighteft Stars, 
 
 That ever antient Greece or Rome adorn'd. 
 
 Virtue, thy nobleft offspring, redefcends 
 Majeftic in her form, to awe mankind, 
 And make them bleft. With foft-attra&ive charms 
 And unaffe&ed grace, fhe gently wins 
 The captivated foul ; each difcord tunes 
 To fweeteft harmony; and thro' the breaft 
 
 Fallacious Oraclei] The Deftructlon of Claffic Genius] All the loftieif. Flights of 
 the heathen Idolatry, and its flying as it were Pagan Theology and Eloquence are low and 
 before the Face of Chrijiianity, appeared at fluttering to the inconceivable Sublimity of the 
 firft in the gradual Declenjion, and at length marvellous Paflfages that occur in the facred 
 in the utter Abolition of its Oracles. In Tally's Writers. They have innumerable Advan- 
 Time they had begun to be contemptible •, tages from the Dignity of their Subject, and 
 but they were every where wholly fubdued and the grand Confequences of their Doctrines ; and 
 filenced in the fame Proportion as the Chri- every Thing in them is expreffed agreeably 
 Jlian Religion prevailed and became eftablifhed to Nature, and the Rules of the greateft Ma- 
 in the World. See Cic. De Divin. Lib. 2. fters of Greece and Rome, tho' in a Manner 
 §• 565 57- Dr. Jenkin's Reafonablenefs Vol. much excelling their beft Compofitions. See 
 1. p. 351. Dr. B err i man's & Left. Serm. 10. Blackwall's facred Clafflcs, Vol. 1. Part. 2. 
 
 Diffufes
 
 of the Moral JVorld. 5 3 
 
 Diffufes all the fympathies of love 
 
 And focial friendship. Brightned and enlarg d 
 
 By thy expanding ray, wide o'er the world, 
 
 And vital as the folar warmth, fhe fpreads 
 
 Her animating empire, and imprints, 
 
 Deep on the human heart, the tender law 
 
 Of univerfal kindnefs, that commands 
 
 A generous, great beneficence to All. 
 
 Hence righteoufnefs and peace each other kifs, 
 
 Juftice led on by fair integrity, 
 
 And mercy, meeting truth, joins hand in hand. 
 
 Hence enemies, their wrathful ire forgot, 
 
 With mutual tranfport fhare the mutual joy, 
 
 And kindly to Thy temple walk as friends. 
 
 Univerfal Kindnefs] How idly and ignorantly learned and Ingenious Letter to Colonel John 
 
 it has been objected againft the Chriftian Re- **** m Flanders, on the Subject ofKeli- 
 
 velation, " That it no where recommends gion, p. 42. printed for J. Clark, 1744. — 
 
 Frienujhip, Benevolence, or the Love of our Nay, it even encourages and ftrictly enjoins 
 
 Country, may be fully feen in Mr. Balguy's the Love of our Enemies ; a Duty little knoivn, 
 
 firft Letter to a Deift, page 26. Mr. Fojter's and Ms pratlifed, before its Appearance. 
 
 Serm. Vol. 1. page 64. and in a late very Hence Rigbteouji!efs,<kc.]ScePfalm\xxxv.io. 
 
 Such
 
 5 4 Chrijlianity the Light 
 
 Such the great change in life ! a wondrous change 
 From darknefs, terror, violence and hate, 
 To brightnefs, hope, benevolence and love! 
 In death, behold a more amazing change! 
 
 Man dares tranfgrefs; man boldly dares to live 
 And die in fin: yet, while kind heav'n accepts 
 Contrition for our crimes, atonement ftrange 
 To un-enlightned fage ; Sahation reigns 
 Victorious: no impending horrors chill, 
 No dubious fears diftrad, the parting foul. 
 Unfhaken at the profped of the grave, 
 She fmiles on death grim-glaring, and defies 
 Its pointlefs fling: In her exiftence fixt; 
 From hell's dread tyrant, bound in penal chains, 
 
 Atonement ftrange~\ It does not appear that libidine impulfus, aut errore deceptus, aut 
 
 the heathen World had any Notion of Repen- vi coaftus, a juftitise via Japfus eft. Poteft 
 
 tance, and much lefs that they depended upon enim red uciac hberari, ft eum pxniteat acto- 
 
 it, or thought it of any Efficacy. Nay Lac- rum, & ad meliora converfus fatisfaciat Deo; 
 
 tantius tells us that3V/y thought the Doctrine quod fieri poffe Cicefo nan putavit. Be vera 
 
 impojfibk. Nee tamen deficiat aliquis, aut de Cultu, Lib. 6. C. 24. 
 fe iplb defperet, fi aut cupiditate viftus, aut 
 
 For-
 
 of the Moral JVorld. 5 5 
 
 Forever free, ihe fpurns the fordid earth, 
 And foars to untry'd being, wing'd with joy, 
 With certain hope to pafs through darker realms, 
 And land fecure in regions crown'd with light. 
 There, like a mariner, repos'd on fhore, 
 See ftorms of atoms burft from wrecking worlds; 
 See planets tumbling wildly from their fpheres, 
 And nature's laft convulfing pangs of death, 
 Her felf, above the ruins, high-enthron'd, 
 And ever bleft with undecaying youth ! 
 
 But here prefumptuous Reafon will enquire, 
 Why twice two thoufand years, by lowring clouds 
 O'erfhadow'd, this bright profped lay conceal'd 
 From mortal ken? -~ Too pious to confront 
 Wifdom divine, the confcious miife declines 
 
 rrefumptuous Rcafott] Chriftianity as old Serm. i. where it i? fhewn with the greateft 
 
 as the Creation, page 375. and elfewhere. S and Clearnefs of Argument, 5 
 
 This Objection is fully confueed by many able the CI Dijpenfa lion was delivered in its 
 
 Writers, and particularly by Mr. Law, in his propei . I as foon as it became fully 
 
 late Considerations on the Theory of Religion, necejfary. See alfo Mr. Balguy's Tratts, p. 305. 
 
 To
 
 5 6 Chriftianity the Light 
 
 To folve the doubt, and asks if all but this 
 Lays open to our view ? If we can tell 
 Why men were not made angels, brutes not men? 
 Why each revolving planet faintly fhines 
 With borrow 'd luftre, and the fun his own? 
 Tell how the central orb this fyftem binds, 
 Or how, felf-balanc'd, high on nothing hangs? 
 Even tell, why fmalleft atoms prone defcend, 
 Or fympathetic magnets forceful draw 
 The trembling fteel ? — The known effects are plain : 
 The deep, myfterious caufe a Newton fhuns. 
 Thefe far evade the microfcopic eye 
 
 If all but this lays open] The natural Religion to the Courfe of Nature, Part i. C. 7. 
 World and the natural Government of it, How the central Orb, &c] That there is 
 
 being fuch an incomprehenfibk Scheme ; fo fuch a Thing as Gravitation and Attraction, 
 
 incomprehenfible, that a Man mud really in is manifeft from its vifible Effecls here upon 
 
 a literal Senfe know nothing at all, who is Earth : And that the heavenly Bodies attracl 
 
 not fenfible of his Ignorance in it ; immedi- or gravitate to one another, is made extreme- 
 
 ately fuggefts, and ftrongly mews the Credi- ly probable by Sir Ifaac Newton. But what 
 
 bility, that xht moral World and Government the phyfical Caufe of Gravity or Attraclion is, 
 
 of it may be fo too. Our Ignorance therefore the Newtonian Philofophy does by no means 
 
 of God's natural Government ought to be pretend to explain or determine. See Derham's 
 
 a fufficient Anfwer to all our fliort-fighted Phyf. Theol. B. 1. C. 5. Wollafton\ Relig. 
 
 Objections againft the Equity and Goodnefs of Nat. page 79. Benlley's B. Lect. Serm. 7. 
 
 of his moral Difpenfations. See the Ld. Bp. Enquiry into the human Soul, Vol. 1. page 
 
 of Brijlor-i excellent and beautiful Analogy of 9S. and Newton's Optics, page 314, 322. 
 
 Of
 
 of the Moral IVor/d. 5 7 
 
 Of all-exploring reafon, unperceiv'd ; 
 And ignorance in thefe accounts for thofe. 
 
 Tis ask'd again, why partial, and reftrain d 
 To narrow bounds, this all-revealing light 
 Shines with contra&ed ray ? --- Can we explain, 
 Why various animals with various powers 
 By heaven invefted ? Why the fightlefs mole, 
 Encavern'd, grovels in her darkfome cell? 
 Or why the eagle, up th' ethereal blue 
 Soaring aloft, imbibes the folar blaze 
 Full-pouring on her eye ? — Let Reafon tell : 
 If reafon anjwer, then — we fohe the reft. 
 
 Why partial] Want of UniverfaJity is an painful to them. See Derbam's Phyf. Theol. 
 
 Objection frequently urged againft Cbriftianity B. 4. C. 2. and the Speilatcr N° 121. 
 
 by its modern Enemies. But of how little Why the Eagle] Her Jlrong and piercing Sight 
 
 Force or Weight they are is evidently fhewn isfinely defcribedin theBookoP/^, Ch. 59.37. 
 
 in Bp. £«//i?r's Analogy, P. 2. C. 6. Mr. Bal- We jolve the reft] It is manifeft from all 
 
 guy's Tracts, page 324. and Mr. Law's Confi- natural Appearances, that the original Gifts of 
 
 derations on the Theory of Religion, Serm. 1. God are actually difpenfed in a very unequal 
 
 The fightlefs Mole] That Moles have Eyes Manner. And, forafmuch as all Gifts are 
 
 in their Head is manifeft unto any, that wants free, every Reafon that can be given, why 
 
 them not in his own. Brown'' s Vulgar Errors. God fhould be at perfect Liberty in diftribu- 
 
 Yet, tho' they are not totally blind, they have ting natural Light in various Degrees, will 
 
 DOtSight enough to diftinguifh particular Ob- equally hold with Regard to Supernatural Light, 
 
 jefts ; and their Eyes are formed in fuch a or the additional ABi&ance oi Revelation. See 
 
 Manner, that the Idea of Light is probably Mr. Gurdon'sB. Led. Serm. 14. 
 
 H Or
 
 58 Chrijii unity the Light 
 
 Or it may be; as fountains, fmall at firft, 
 Roll down their ftreams in full, majeftic flow, 
 And gather as they roll; till nobly loft 
 In ocean's all-abforbing, wide abyfs: 
 Thus may the Light divine, a while confin'd, 
 Shed partial brightnefs ; and, by juft degrees, 
 DifFufe a boundlefs fplendor through the depth 
 Of fwift-defcending time, till time it felf 
 Sink in eternity's involving fea. 
 
 Ceafe then to blame ; nor fcan with critic eye 
 The ways of providence. How vain the task, 
 How vain the toil, with Reajoris fcanty line 
 To found the vaft unfathomable depths 
 Of heaven's profound, all-wife, unerring fcheme ! 
 Quit that dread point, and learn the firft and beft 
 
 With critic Eye] We are not at prefent, open to his Eye, before whom pajl, prefent, 
 
 fays a fine Writer, in a proper Situation to and to come, are fet together in one Point of 
 
 judge of the Counfels of Providence, fince but View. And this fliould effectually check our 
 
 little arrives at our Knowledge, and even that Prefumption, fince it is in vain to apply our 
 
 little we difcern imperfectly. — Thofe Parts of Meafures of Regularity to Matters, of which 
 
 the moral World, which have not an abfolute, we know neither the Antecedents nor the Con- 
 
 may yet have a relative Beauty, in Reipect fequents, the Beginning nor the End. 
 of feme other Parts concealed from us, but 
 
 r\r
 
 of the Moral World. 5 9 
 
 Of human knowledge; learn Thy f elf to know; 
 To glow with pure devotion ; to adore 
 With humble, grateful homage; well-fecur'd 
 Of this great truth, " whatever is, is beft. 
 
 Let reafon foar, when mounted on the wings 
 Of meek-ey'd Faith; and, unprefuming, wait 
 Till heaven evolves the mazy-winding folds 
 Of God s eternal will. — How bright the fcene, 
 How juft the plan, when each myfterious law, 
 Each latent fpring of wifdom infinite 
 Unveifd fhall fhine! How big the fwelling joy, 
 When truth in tides fhall flow upon the foul, 
 And faith, complete, be fwallow'd in fruition ! 
 When, full-reveal'd, the filial Light Himfelf 
 Shall pour upon thee one immortal day! 
 
 Hozv big the fwelling Joy] It is very rea- of Enjoyments mull be afforded to our Curh' 
 
 fonable to believe, that a great Part of the fity and Admiration, in a Scene ib large and 
 
 Pleafure, which happy Minds fhall enjoy in various as fhall then be laid open to our View, 
 
 a. future State, will arile from an enlarged Con- in the Society of fuperior Spirits, who perhaps 
 
 templation of thtfecret and amazing Steps of will join with us in lb delightful a Profpccl ! 
 
 Providence from the Beginning to the End See the Spectator, N° 237. 
 of Time. And what a perpetual Succeffion 
 
 FINIS.
 
 
 An Eclogue. 
 
 O more in beauty's praife my numbers move, 
 Nor melt away in dying falls of love. 
 A child on earth, yet heaven's eternal king, 
 The manger'd-god, the virgin's fon I fing. 
 Thou fountain- good, with light my foul o'erflow 
 With hallow'd ardour bid my bofom glow ! 
 Fir'd at the promife of thy dawning ray, 
 The eaftern Sages found celeftial day. 
 
 Led by a captain-flame, with fweet furprize, 
 The infant-deity falutes their eyes. 
 No jewels fparkle here; nor India k ftores 
 The portals brighten, or emblaze the doors: 
 But young-ey'd Seraphims around him glow, 
 And Mercy fpreads her many-colcur'd bow! 
 
 Her
 
 The Magi : sin Eclogue. 6 1 
 
 Her bow, compos'd of new-created light, 
 How fweetly lambent, and how foftly bright! 
 The facred circle of embodied rays 
 His cradle crowns, and on his temples plays : 
 Promifcuous luftre brightens half the skies, 
 New beauties kindle and new glories rife. 
 The venerable Three, low-bending down, 
 Prefent their offerings, and the Godhead own. 
 
 Mag. I. 
 From eaftern realms, where firft the orient light 
 Springs into day, and gilds the fading night, 
 To Thee we bend, before the morning rife; 
 A purer morning trembles from thy eyes! 
 
 Mag. 2. 
 Thou fpotlefs eflence of primaeval light ! 
 Thy vaflals own, and wafh thy Ethiops white. 
 Thy cloud of fable witneffes adorn 
 With the firft rofes of thy fmiling morn. 
 
 Mag. 5.
 
 6 2 The Magi: An Eclogue. 
 
 Mag. 3. 
 By bards foretold, the ripened years are come: 
 Gods fall to duflr, and Oracles are dumb. 
 In vain fhall fly-blown Belzebub rebel ; 
 Anubis howls, and Moloch finks to hell! 
 
 Mag. I. 
 No more fhall Memphian timbrels wake the morn, 
 Nor towring Ammon lift his gilded horn. 
 No more the Bull lhall fear the facred knife ; 
 No Sacrifice from hence fhall drink his life. 
 
 Mag. 2. 
 Ye valleys, blufli with never-fading flowers; 
 Forever fmile ye meads, and blow ye bowers; 
 Bleat all ye hills, be whitened all ye plains; 
 O earth rejoice, th' eternal Shepherd reigns! 
 
 Mag. 3. 
 Ye lillies, dip your leaves in falling fnow, 
 Ye rofes, with the morning-purple glow, 
 
 To
 
 The Magi: sin Eclogue. 63 
 
 To crown the God ! Ye angels, hafte to pour 
 Your dew of ne&ar, and your ftarry fhower! 
 
 Mag. 1. offers Frankincense. 
 For Tloee Arabian happy forefts rife, 
 And clouds of odours fw r eetly ftain the skies. 
 While fragrant wreaths of fmoaking incenfe roll, 
 Receive our prayers, the incenfe of the foul! 
 
 Mag. z. offers Myrrh. 
 The weeping Myrrh with balmy forrow flows, 
 Thy cup to fweeten, and to footh thy woes. 
 So Prophets fing : for, human and divine, 
 The man was born to grieve, the God to Jhine. 
 
 Mag. 3. offers Gold. 
 The ore of India ripens into gold 
 To gild thy courts, thy temples to infold. 
 Accept the emblematic gift : again 
 Satumian years revolve a golden reign. 
 
 Emblematic Gift] Some imagine that the/*?- ftity, the Myrrh of his Humanity, and 
 cenfe was intended as an Emblemof Chrift'aDfcpj- oi' his Royalty. See Pool's Synop.on Mat.'u. 1 1 
 
 Mag. 1.
 
 64 
 
 The M a g i : An Eclogue. 
 
 Mag. I. 
 Smile facred infant, fmile! thy fragrant bread 
 Excels the odours of the fpicy eaft ! 
 The burnifli'd gold is drofs before thy eye; 
 Thou God of iweetnefs, God of purity! 
 
 Mag. 2. 
 In vain the Sun with light his orb arrays, 
 Our fenfe to dazzle, and as God to blaze: 
 Through his tranfparent fallacy we fee, 
 And own the Sun is but zftar to 7bee. 
 
 Mag. 3. 
 Hail Lord of nature, hail! to Thee belong 
 My fong, my life — I give my life, my fong : 
 Live in thy light, confefs thy day divine, 
 Adore thy love, and freely give thee mine! 
 
 Errat. p. 7. lin. ult. read produce, p. 14. lin.13. read True. 
 
 rp,. 
 
 MVIVEK 
 
 LOS A I