Under one chief of the spiritual state,

The members all combin'd, and all fubordinate.
Shew fuch a seamless coat, from schism so free,
In no communion join'd with heresy.

If such a one you find, let truth prevail :
Till when your weights will in the balance fail:
A church unprincipled kicks up the scale.
But if you cannot think (nor fure you can
Suppose in God what were unjust in man)
That he, the fountain of eternal grace,
Should fuffer falfehood, for fo long a space,
To banish truth, and to ufurp her place :
That seven fucceffive ages fhould be lost,
And preach damnation at their proper coft;
That all your erring ancestors fhould die,
Drown'd in th' abyfs of deep idolatry :
If piety forbid fuch thoughts to rise,
Awake, and open your unwilling eyes:
God hath left nothing for each age undone,
From this to that wherein he fent his Son :

Then think but well of him, and half your work is done.
See how his church, adorn'd with every grace,
With open arms, a kind forgiving face,

Stands ready to prevent her long-loft fon's embrace.
Not more did Joseph o'er his brethren weep,
Nor lefs himself could from discovery keep,
When in the crowd of fuppliants they were seen,
And in their crew his beft-beloved Benjamin.
That pious Joseph in the church behold,
To feed your famine, and refuse your gold;
The Joseph you exil'd, the Joseph whom you

fold.

}

}

}

}

}

Thus,

Thus, while with heavenly charity she spoke,
A streaming blaze the filent fhadows broke;
Shot from the fkies; a chearful azure light:
The birds obfcene to forefts wing'd their flight,
And gaping graves receiv'd the wandering guilty spright.
Such were the pleafing triumphs of the sky,
For James's late nocturnal victory;

The pledge of his almighty Patron's love,
The fireworks which his angels made above.
I saw myself the lambent easy light

Gild the brown horror, and difpel'the night:
The meffenger with speed the tidings bore:
News, which three labouring nations did reftore;
But heaven's own Nuntius was arriv'd before.
By this, the Hind had reach'd her lonely cell,
And vapors rofe, and dews unwholfome fell.
When the, by frequent observation wife,

As one who long on heaven had fix'd her eyes,
Difcern'd a change of weather in the skies.
The western borders were with crimson spread,
The moon defcending look'd all-flaming red;
She thought good-manners bound her to invite
The stranger dame to be her guest that night.
'Tis true, coarse diet, and a short repast,
(She faid) were weak inducements to the taste
Of one fo nicely bred, and fo unus'd to faft:
But what plain fare her cottage could afford,
A hearty welcome at a homely board,
Was freely hers; and, to fupply the reft,
An honeft meaning, and an open breaft:

}

}

Laft,

Laft, with content of mind, the poor man's wealth,
A grace-cup to their common patron's health.
This the defir'd her to accept, and stay,

For fear fhe might be wilder'd in her way,
Because she wanted an unerring guide,
And then the dew-drops on her filken hide
Her tender constitution did declare,
Too lady-like a long fatigue to bear,
And rough inclemencies of raw nocturnal air.
But most she fear'd that, traveling so late,
Some evil-minded beafts might lie in wait,
And without witnefs wreak their hidden hate.
The Panther, though the lent a listening ear,

Had more of lion in her than to fear:

Yet, wifely weighing, fince fhe had to deal
With many foes, their numbers might prevail,
Return'd her all the thanks fhe could afford;
And took her friendly hoftefs at her word:
Who entering first her lowly roof, a shed
With hoary mofs, and winding ivy spread,
Honeft enough to hide an humble hermit's head,
Thus graciously bespoke her welcome gueft:
So might these walls, with your fair prefence bleft,
Become your dwelling-place of everlasting reft;
Not for a night, or quick revolving year,
Welcome an owner, not a fojourner.
This peaceful feat my poverty secures ;
War feldom enters but where wealth allures :
Nor yet defpife it; for this poor abode
Has oft receiv'd, and yet receives, a God;

A God victorious of a Stygian race

Here laid his facred limbs, and fanctify'd the place.
This mean retreat did mighty Pan contain :
Be emulous of him, and pomp disdain,
And dare not to debase your foul to gain.

The filent ftranger stood amaz’d to see

Contempt of wealth, and wilful poverty :
And, though ill habits are not foon control'd,
A while fufpended her defire of gold.
But civilly drew in her sharpen'd paws,
Not violating hofpitable laws,

And pacify'd her tail, and lick'd her frothy jaws.
The Hind did first her country cates provide ;
Then couch'd herself securely by her fide.

THE THIRD PART.

MUCH malice mingled with a little wit,

Perhaps, may cenfure this myfterious writ:

Because the Mufe has peopled Caledon

With Panthers, Bears, and Wolves, and beafts

unknown,

As if we were not stock'd with monfters of our own.
Let Æfop anfwer, who has fet to view

Such kinds as Greece and Phrygia never knew i
And mother Hubbard, in her homely dress,

Has fharply blam'd a British Lioness;

That queen, whose feast the factious rabble keep,
Expos'd obfcenely naked and asleep.

}

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Led by those great examples, may not I
The wanted organs of their words supply?
If men transact like brutes, 'tis equal then
For brutes to claim the privilege of men.
Others our Hind of folly will indite,
To entertain a dangerous guest by night.
Let those remember, that he cannot die
Till rolling time is loft in round eternity;
Nor need the fear the Panther, though untam'd,
Because the Lion's peace was now proclaim'd :
The wary favage would not give offence,
To forfeit the protection of her prince;
But watch'd the time her vengeance to complete,
When all her furry fons in frequent fenate met.
Mean-while the quench'd her fury at the flood,
And with a lenten fallad cool'd her blood.

Their commons, though but coarse, were nothing scant,
Nor did their minds an equal banquet want.
For now the Hind, whose noble nature strove
T'exprefs her plain fimplicity of love,

Did all the honours of her house fo well,
No fharp debates disturb'd the friendly meal.
She turn'd the talk, avoiding that extreme,
To common dangers past, a sadly-pleafing theme;
Remembering every storm which tofs'd the state,
When both were objects of the public hate,
And dropt a tear betwixt for her own childrens fate.
Nor fail'd fhe then a full review to make
Of what the Panther fuffer'd for her fake:

}