By reafon caft, the Atheist quits the field,
And that the world is not eternal yield.
If not eternal, then it once was made;
If made, it certainly a Maker had.
Now all men this must for an axiom take,
That nothing can it self produce or make;
For that this contradiction would imply,

At the fame time to be and not to be.
Some outward cause we therefore must explore,
Either of chance, or an eternal power.

The world's too well proportion'd and defign'd,
To be the work of chance, ill-fhap'd, and blind.
God for her Maker fhe alone will own,
And throws herself at his almighty throne.

Nor does the world, and its harmonious frame, The being of a God alone proclaim ; But Mofes, by his wonder-working rod, Gives us another proof here is a God,

And

And each effect furpaffing nature's laws,
Bids us look out for a fuperiour cause :
In vain philofophers their wisdom try,
And stretch poor nature to extremity,
To make her folve each wondrous mystery:
To nature's-mafter they must often go,
If of effects they would the causes know.

How ftrangely must the Atheist look to fee The fire renounce its burning quality? And things, which nat❜rally increafe its rage, Calm its fierce fcorchings, and its heat affwage, Yet thus its nature did the fire forego, For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego*, In vain the tyrant did their ruin threat, And fev'n times o'er his ftubborn furnace heat: Safe in the midft o'th' flames the brethren ftood, And cool as fummer breezes from the wood.

*See Daniel Chap. iii.

What

What power of nature can transform a flood
Of crystal waters into fcarlet blood? *
Or make the sea without its motion stand,
And in a moment turn to folid land? ↑
Yet thus in ancient days did Mofes fhow
The pow'r of God above, by miracles below.
What ftrength of art can quicken and restore
A man when dead, to what he was before?
Infuse new life into his frozen veins,

And a new foul to his forfaken brains?
Yet this did our all-pow'rful mafter do,

who rais'd from death himself and others too.
Can nature fay, Awake ye dead, arise,
Shake off your fleep, lift up your drowsy eyes?
I will again once more your corps inspire,
Kindle your breath with my enliv'ning fire,
And give your foul back to its ancient friend,
Your foul, which, when I please, I take or lend:
No, she with modesty withdraws her head,
And challenges no power to raise the dead;
* See Exod. Chap. vii. + Ibid Chap. xiv.

But

But owns fhe has a Lord, whose awful fway
She must not, cannot, dares not disobey,

When he commands fhe leaves her wonted

way.

He makes the water, earth, and air, and fire, When he fees fit, against themselves conspire. Makes Lyons, though by nature fierce and wild, * Fearful and gentle as a new-born child; He makes the tender lambs fecurely fleep, Whilft hungry tygers do the sheep-folds keep. Let him but speak, and nature ftops her course, Abates her pace, and flackens all her force. At his command the fun and moon stand still, † And give his fervants light their foes to kill. A word from him makes the clouds ceafe to rain, Another word makes them distil again. || Tho' nature faith our noons are always bright, Yet let him speak and there shall be no light, But day it self fhall be transform'd to night. T

* See Dan. Chap. vi. ↑ Fofbua Chap. x. Il 1 Kings Chap. xviii. As in our Saviour's paffion.

Thus

Thus does each miracles in letters plain,
And at a mighty distance to be seen,
Shew the great name of nature's facred Lord,
By us with love and reverence ador'd.
To him the Atheist must his tribute give,
From whom alone he borrows leave to live.
His being fure he can no more deny,
Of which fo many wonders teftify.

The miracles ftand fix'd in history,
Stamp'd by traditional authority,

To which no man of sense will give the lie.
The credit of the world is much too strong,
To be oppos'd by any fingle tongue.

The facts he therefore cannot well disown,
Unless he has refolv'd to credit none

But what he fees, believing nothing told,

Or think no truth but what his eyes behold.

If not the facts, we take our strength from thence,
And thus we argue for our confequence.