Or why so long (in life if long can be) Lent Heav'n a parent to the poor and me?" V. What makes all physical or moral ill? There deviates Nature, and here wanders Will. God sends not ill; if rightly understood, Or partial Ill is universal Good, Or change admits, or Nature lets it fall; When his lewd father gave the dire disease. Think we like some weak Prince, th' Eternal Cause Prone for his fav'rites to reverse his laws? Shall burning AEtna, if a sage requires, Forget to thunder, and recall her fires? Le père jouit-il de l'amour de la France ? Quand l'air souffle la mort aux champs de la Provence, Pourquoi ma mère enfin, ma vertueuse mère, (6 Pour quelques favoris doive changer sa loi? Faut-il qu'aux cris de Pline, un volcan sous la terre Assoupisse ses feux, éteigne son tonnerre? On air or sea new motions be imprest, Oh blameless Bethel! to relieve thy breast? But still this world (so fitted for the knave) If Calvin feel Heav'n's blessing, or its rod, And what rewards your virtue, punish mine. Was made for Cæsar-but for Titus too: Dieu doit-il, des saisons changeant l'ordre éternel, Mais, me dis-tu, ce monde est le règne du crime. Eh bien! soit, j'y consens; ta plainte est légitime, Peuplons un monde entier de mortels vertueux. Mais d'abord pourront-ils s'accorder tous entre eux? Les bons aux soins du ciel ont bien droit de prétendre ; Mais ces bons qui sont-ils? Dieu seul peut nous l'apprendre. L'un de rayons de gloire environne Luther; L'autre allume pour lui les brasiers de l'enfer; L'un révère en Calvin un organe céleste; Comme un monstre infernal un autre le déteste ; Ce , par l'autre est rejeté. que l'un applaudit, par Les mortels ne pensant, ne sentant point de même, And which more blest? who chain'd his country, say, Or he whose Virtue sigh'd to lose a day? « But sometimes Virtue starves, while Vice is fed. » What then? Is the reward of Virtue bread? That, Vice may merit, 'tis the price of toil; The knave deserves it, when he tills the soil, The knave deserves it, when he tempts the main, Where folly fights for kings, or dives for gain. 'The good man may be weak, be indolent; Nor is his claim to plenty, but content. But grant him Riches, your demand is o'er? << No-shall the good want Health, the good want Pow'r? Add Health, and Pow'r, and ev'ry earthly thing, >> Why bounded Pow'r? why private? why no king? Nay, why external for internal giv'n? » Why is not Man a God, and Earth a Heav'n? » Who ask and reason thus, will scarce conceive God gives enough, while he has more to give : |