IT may be proper to obferve, that fome paffages, in the preceding Effay, having been unjustly fufpected of a tendency towards Fate and Naturalism, the author composed this Prayer as the fum of all, to shew that his fyftem was founded in free-will, and terminated in piety: That the first caufe was as well the Lord and Governor of the Univerfe as the Creator of it; and that, by fubmiffion to his will (the great principle enforced throughout the Effay) was not meant the fuffering ourselves to be carried along by a blind determination, but the refting in a religious acquiefcence, and confidence full of Hope and Immortality. To give all this the greater weight, the poet chose for his model the Lord's Prayer, which, of all others, best deserves the title prefixed to this Paraphrafe. THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER. DEO OPT. MAX. FATHER of All! in every Age, every Clime ador'd, By Saint, by Savage, and by Sage, Thou Great Firft Cause, leaft understood; To know but this, that Thou art Good, Yet gave me, in this dark Estate, Left free the Human Will. What Confcience dictates to be done, This, teach me more than Hell to shun, What Bleffings thy free Bounty gives, For God is paid when Man receives, Yet not to Earth's contracted Span Thy Goodness let me bound, Or think Thee Lord alone of Man, Let not this weak, unknowing hand And deal damnation round the land, If I am right, thy grace impart, If I am wrong, oh teach my neart Save me alike from foolish Pride, Teach me to feel another's Woe, That Mercy I to others show, Mean though I am, not wholly fo, O lead me wherefoe'er I go, Through this day's Life or Death, This day, be Bread and Peace my Lot: Thou know'ft if best bestow'd or not, To Thee, whose Temple is all Space, Whofe Altar, Earth, Sea, Skies! One Chorus let all Being raise ! All Nature's Incense rise ! MORAL |