Ver. To rule fo rude an animal

Incapable art thou;

Prefum'ft thou then to rule the ball,

Or teach me fo to do?

SONG

LXXXIX.

Queft, 19. Concerning the Peacock and the Ostrich,
Job xxxix 13,-18.

13 BY whofe skill was the peacock vain,

With curious colours dy'd?

Whence hath his fweeping tail and train
Its finely painted pride?

Such beauteous plumes, and wings fo wide,
Tell, whence the oftrich wears;

So big, the other birds befide,

A feather'd beast appears?

14 Her eggs expos'd fhe in the duft, Where laid, leaves to be warm'd;

15 Thoughtless how foon 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 horfe and rider fwift,
Does fcornfully defy.

SONG XC.

Queft. 20. Concerning the Horfe for Battle,

19 DIDS

Job xxxix. 19,-25.

IDST thou, O Job, for war or state,
Give to the gen'rous horfe

His confidence, his boldnefs great,

His fpirit, and his force?

20 Haft thou with terror cloth'd his mane?
Canft thou his courage fhake?

Or cause him, like the little wren,
Or filly infect, quake?

Ver. With formidable native fire

His fnorting noftirls glow;

And fmoke and flame in furious ire,
Amidst the battle blow.

21 Proud of his ftrength he paws the ground,
And pranfes on the land,
Tears up the turf, and fpurns around,
The paffive yielding fand.
When he the noify martial founds,
And warlike trumpet hears;
He then rejoicing leaps and bounds,
And pricks his lift'ning ears.

22 When he perceives, even from afar,
Th' advancing foes alarms,

He forward fprings to face the war,
And meet the glit'ring arms.

23 Dauntless he runs on fword and spear,
The warior's files invades ;
And makes his paffage without fear,
Thro' num'rous thick brigades.

The weapons which the horfeman weilds,
He mocks with haughty breast;
Of rattling quivers, blazing fhields,
He makes a perfect jeft.

24 In rage he beats and bites the ground,
He dances o'er the plain;
Nor ftartles at the alarm's found,
But pulls the curbing rein:

25 Derides the trumpet, fcorns the fhock,
And mad the bridle champs;
Smelling afar the fulph'rous fmoke,
And thunder of the camps.

SONG XCI.

Queft. 21. About the Hawk and the Eagle, Job xxxix. 26,-30. 26 BESIDE the beasts that tread the ground,

The birds that cleave the air;

Seeft thou how they the fkill profound
And pow'r of God declare?

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

And fouthward flretch her wings?
Or when cold winter drawing nigh
She wifely fun-ward fwings?

27 Doft thou command the eagle's flight,
And bid her mount the fky,
Aloft to travel in her might,
And make her neft on high?

Doft thou the royal bird direct
Where thus to build her neft,
That no invading pow'r, or fect,
May dare her peace moleft?

28 That with the ftrongeft forts to vye,
She might her dwelling keep,

In craggy clifts, immenfely high,
Infuperable fteep.

29 Thence down her haughty eyes the bends,
Low valleys to furvey;

And, like a thunderbolt, defcends
To trufs her heedlefs prey.

30 Then foon her crooked pounces bare
The carcass takes and tears;

I

And to her young, fwift through the air,
The bloody banquet bears.

These creatures act by that inftinct
For which thou can't account :
How muft their Maker, doft thou think,
Thy filly views furmount?

SONG XCII.

Queft. 22. About Contending with GoD: or, A bum-
ble Challenge given to fuch as quarrel God's Pro-
ceedings. Job. xl. 1, 2.

1 SHALL God be taught? by whom? by one
That quarrels his decrees?

His measures juft be overthrown,
A plaintiff proud to please?

Ver. 'Gainft God fhall a contender blind,
Prefumptuously effay,

To teach him how to change his mind,
And how to mend his way?

T' upbraid th' Almighty, what is this
But juftice to diflrust?

For he who God almighty is
Can never be unjuft.

Since from his creatures never he
Had ought to hope or fear,
Can fuch a being tempted be
Amifs the helm to fleer.

2 Shall God to man's inftruction bow?
Shall man prefume to learn,
And teach the great Creator how
His creatures to govern?

Who, of the whole created tribe,
My ways can rectify?

Shall filly mortal man prefcribe,
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 fcan,

And blame my ways profound,

Solve at his peril, if he can,
The questions I propound.

SONG XCIII.

JOB's Humble fubmiffion: or, The murmuring Mouth
Stopped, and unjuft Complaints filenced.

Job xl. 3, 4, 5.

3,4 BEHOLD, O Lord, moft 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 fo bold
The argument to state;

And judged that with thee I could
Thy providence debate.

Sham'd and confounded I refign,
For now I can't withstand
Thy words and arguments divine,
Nor anfwer one demand.

5 Once have I fpoken, Lord; yea, twice;
And though my words were few,
Yet great their number, grofs their vice,
Did high prefumption shew.
Upon my mouth, which argu'd vain,
Henceforth my hand be laid;

I fpake what I won't fpeak again,
Nor fland to what I faid.
Proftrate before thy feet I ly;
Through grace, I'll now adore
Thy greatness, pow'r, and majesty;
But I'll contend no more.

୧

SONG XCIV.

Quest. 23. Moe Challenges given to Joв for his further Humiliation. The vanity of vying with GOD

for Justice, or of charging him with unrighteouf nefs.

Job xl. 6, 7, 8.

6"TIS good for thee, O man, that thou Down to thy knees be thurst;

7

Yet better is the lower bow,
Down to the very duft.

That therefore thy affuming mind,
Be levell'd to the ground,

Some farther questions are defign'd,
Thy boasted skill to found.

Oft didft thou wifh to plead with me,
Prepare then for the task,

If courage yet remain with thee
To answer what I ask.