A PRAYER FOR MANKIND.

GREAT God, whom we with humbled thoughts adore,
Eternal, infinite, almighty King,

Whose dwellings heaven transcend, whose throne before
Archangels serve, and seraphim do sing;

Of nought who wrought all that with wond'ring eyes
We do behold within this various round;

Who makes the rocks to rock, to stand the skies;
At whose command clouds peals of thunder sound:
Ah! spare us worms, weigh not how we, alas!
Evil to ourselves, against thy laws rebel;

Wash off those spots, which still in conscience' glass,
Though we be loath to look, we see too well.
Deserv'd revenge, Oh! do not, do not take:

If thou revenge, who shall abide thy blow?

Pass shall this world, this world which thou didst make, Which should not perish till thy trumpet blow.

What soul is found whose parent's crime not stains?

Or what with its own sins defil'd is not?

Though Justice rigour threaten, yet her reins

Let Mercy guide, and never be forgot.

Less are our faults, far, far than is thy love:

O! what can better seem thy grace divine,

Than they, who plagues deserve, thy bounty prove?
And where thou show'r may'st vengeance, there to shine
Then look and pity; pitying, forgive

Us guilty slaves, or servants now in thrall;
Slaves, if, alas! thou look how we do live,

Or doing ill, or doing nought at all;

Of an ungrateful mind the foul effect.

But if thy gifts, which largely heretofore

Thou hast upon us pour'd, thou dost respect,
We are thy servants, nay, than servants more,
Thy children; yes, and children dearly bought:
But what strange chance us of this lot bereaves?
Poor, worthless wights, how lowly are we brought!
Whom grace once children made, sin hath made slaves.
Sin hath made slaves, but let those bands grace break,
That in our wrongs thy mercies may appear:
Thy wisdom not so mean is, pow'r so weak,

But thousand ways they can make worlds thee fear.
O wisdom boundless! O miraculous grace!
Grace, wisdom, which make wink dim Reason's eye!
And could heaven's King bring from his placeless place,
On this ignoble stage of care to die ;

To die our death, and with the sacred stream
Of blood and water gushing from his side,
To make us clean of that contagious blame,
First on us brought by our first parent's pride!
Thus thy great love and pity, heavenly King!
Love, pity, which so well our loss prevent,
Of evil itself, lo! could all goodness bring,
And sad beginning cheer with glad event.
O love and pity! ill known of these times!
O love and pity! careful of our need!
O bounties! which our horrid acts and crimes,
Grown numberless, contend near to exceed.
Make this excessive ardour of thy love

So warm our coldness, so our lives renew,

That we from sin, sin may from us remove,
Wisdom our will, faith may our wit subdue.
Let thy pure love burn up all worldly lust,
Hell's candid poison killing our best part,
Which makes us joy in toys, adore frail dust
Instead of thee, in temple of our heart.

Grant, when at last our souls these bodies leave,
Their loathsome shops of sin and mansions blind,
And doom before thy royal seat receive,
They may a Saviour, not a judge, thee find.

SONGS, SONNETS,

SEXTAINS, MADRIGALS, AND EPIGRAMS.