The outside fair, dimensions true,
And towers elaborate strike the view;
But enter, and within you see
Vile objects of idolatry :
The God on whom they fondly doat,
A crane, a cat, an ape, a goat.
Though wisdom once was Egypt's boast,
In types and fables truth was lost:
Hence in his Law we see the Lord
Denounce so plainly things abhorr’d.
And hence Ezekiel's vision sings
That beasts obscene, and creeping things,
Idols become: hence let us learn
Almighty wisdom to discern;
God no prohibitory law
Had made, where he no evil saw ;
What marvel the Commandment's breach
To"heaven, and earth, and sea," should reach:
From God's discriminating hand
Springs no unmeaning, vain command.
In Egypt, needless 'tis to tell,
Rain was itself a miracle:
The elements they worship, turn
To swift destruction, drown, or burn.
"In fires which ran along the ground," Another idol may be found.
The sun, opposing nature's laws,
Three days, at God's command, withdraws.
Shrouded three days in blackest night
Lay Egypt: Israel's tents were light.
Could the magicians' arts expel
The plagues which thick, and thicker fell?
Could priests avert the direful harms
By incantations, spells, and charms?
The priests themselves, who felt the rod,
Exclaimed, "This is the work of God!"
The Lord alone, by Moses' hand,
Could heal the miseries of the land.
Can God inflict, when men displease,
Calamities more dread than these?
In one sad night of vengeance sent,
Th' extirminating angel went.
See the commissioned spirit stand,
Hurl his swift arrows through the land.
The cries of agony resound;
One dead in every house is found.
The shrieking parent, childless left,
Flies to his neighbour; he, bereft
Alike, no comfort has to give,
No eldest born that night might live.
The peasant and the prince alike
The darts of the destroyer strike.
Saved by the heaven-appointed blood,
Israel alone uninjured stood;
Then, when the Paschal lamb they shared,
Th' Atoning Antitype appeared.
The speaking emblem shadowed forth
The sacrifice of countless worth.
Loins girt, feet shod, and staff in hand,
May we too seek the promised land;
But bear in mind it must be won
Before possession's entered on.
See Moses, at the Lord's command,
By faith forsake th' oppressor's land;
Escaped the snares by Pharaoh spread,
The numerous phalanx forth he led.
Mark on the margin how they stand;
Behold they cross the sea by land;
God's mighty power is seen once more,
Oh, miracle! they reach the shore.
Egypt pursues, the ocean braves,
They rush between the parted waves ;
Back to their course the waves retreat,
Again the refluent waters meet.
If Egypt's shrieks are mix'd with prayer,
They pray to gods who cannot hear:
See Egypt sink, ingulf'd their host,
The rider and his horse are lost.
Israel, unworthy of the boon,
Forgets the wondrous rescue soon:
Sav'd, not converted; - discontent
Defeats the mighty blessings sent.
By miracle they still were fed,
From heaven receiv'd their daily bread;
Yet murmur'd at the bounteous hand
Which fed them in that desert land:
Yet we, these pilgrims while we blame,
And cast reproach on Israel's name;
To murmur, too, we sometimes dare,
Though we have bread to eat, and spare.
Moses! thy parting song sublime,
Shall outlive worlds, and bury time.
No hallow'd bard, whate'er his worth,
E'er pour'd more warm effusions forth.
O'er Israel's sin how does he sigh,
His God, his Rock, how glorify:
"Attend the awful truth I sing, "Is no indifferent, no vain thing; "It is your life, your hope, your all; "God is the Lord; obey his call: "In vain for molten gods you strive, “ "Tis I that kill, that make alive. "Fountain of Jacob, just and true, “Thou waterest earth with heavenly dew: "From Thee descend the corn and wine, "All health, all gifts, all grace is thine."
Then pouring the rich blessing round, He shows them where true rest is found: "Oh, people sav'd, adore the Lord, "Shield of thy help, celestial sword! "Approach, abide, secure from harms, "Safe in the everlasting arms. "Beneath that panoply divine,
"Oh! save us, Lord! for we are thine."
LEVITICUS the law proclaims,
And brands two sacrilegious names.
The Gospel truth this book must own,
Anticipating Christ unknown.
Such types through the Old Scriptures run,
And, like the shadow, prove the sun.
NUMBERS the Hebrews' names declare
In due arrangement, just and fair:
The nomenclature so exact,
Not deists can disprove the fact.
While DEUTERONOMY repeats
That law of which the other treats;
Enlarges on the important theme;
With Moses' death completes the scheme.
Whate'er the weeping Jews desired,
Moses no sepulchre required;
Embalmed in his own works, his name
Scorns the poor meed of temporal fame.
See JOSHUA, type of Jesus, stand, Fighting for Canaan's promis'd land !
While JUDGES learn'd their wisdom bring, Before the Jews demand a king.
Well may the weaker sex rejoice
At Deborah's hymn, and Hannah's voice.
The raptures of triumphant song
To Deborah's splendid ode belong.
The contrite prayer, the prostrate mind,
In Hannah's softer strains we find.
The Prophetess, beneath the shade
Of palms, her loud hosannas paid.
In this the patriot strikes the strings,
In that the holy matron sings.
Her orisons in silence framed,
The erring Eli rashly blamed;
Accused of what she most abhorred,
She vex'd the priest, but pleased the Lord.
Each saint, though different are her gifts,
Her heart with equal fervour lifts.
Elkanah's exemplary wife
Adorned the sphere of private life.
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