[Illustration]
The Charioteer, by Horses fierce,
Is rapid whirl’d along;
The Reins they scorn, while Fear of Death
Contends with Reason strong.
The rapid Wheel at length torn off,
The Axle overthrows;
While, from the Casks, the precious Wine
In copious Torrents flows.
The BEGGAR.
_O wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from the Body of this
Death?_
ROMANS vii. 24.
[Illustration]
He that from hence to be releas’d,
With Christ to live, desires,
Despises Death, and to the Stars
In Words like these aspires:
Who from this mortal Body will
Me wretched Man release;
And snatch me Wretch! from this vile World,
To Realms of purest Peace?
The HUSBAND.
_What taketh away the Life? Even Death._
ECCLESIASTICUS xxxi. 27[20].
_Remember that Death will not be long in coming._
ECCLESIASTICUS xiv. 12.
[Illustration]
The Tyrant Death, O Husband fond,
The worst of all its Foes,
Is to our Life and its short Course,
With constant Steps pursues.
Reflect then in thy Prime of Life
(Life’s transitory Day)
That to thy End it thee conducts
By gradual Decay.
[20] The Original of this Passage has no corresponding Words in the
Translation of the Bible now in Use, and the above is therefore inserted
from the former Translation.
The WIFE.
_Of the Woman came the Beginning of Sin, and through her we all die._
ECCLESIASTICUS xxv. 4.
[Illustration]
From Eve, the Mother of Mankind,
Our Parent Adam’s Wife,
Sprang Sin, and thence fell Death arose,
The Enemy of Life.
Let not, howe’er, thy tender Mind
To Grief a Victim fall,
If Death should thee to quit this World,
Like other Mortals, call.
The LAST JUDGMENT.
_We shall all stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ._
ROMANS xiv. 10.
_Watch therefore, for ye know not what Hour your Lord doth come._
MATTHEW xxiv. 42.
[Illustration]
For all his Actions to account,
By God’s express Command,
Each Man before the Judgment-Seat
Of the just Judge shall stand.
Let us be therefore vigilant,
Lest, when that Time shall come,
God, for our Actions, should pronounce
A just but angry Doom.
And since when that Hour shall arrive,
No Mortal can declare;
For its Approach the pious Man
Will watch and well prepare.
_Whatsoever thou takest in Hand, remember the End, and thou shalt never
do amiss._
ECCLESIASTICUS vii. 36.
[Illustration]
Spotless to live if thou desir’st,
And free from every Vice,
Let this Memorial constantly
Be placed before thine Eyes.
For it will often thee remind,
That Death will soon arrive,
And frequent Thought to all thy Acts
Will a due Caution give.
Vouchsafe, O Christ, with Heart sincere,
That we thy Paths may tread,
And that to all the heav’nly Path
May thus be open made.
_As by one Man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin; and so Death
passed upon all Men, for that all have sinned._
ROMANS v. 12.
_FINIS._