What Man is, conſidered in himſelf, and the
Natural Homage he owes his
Creator &c.
Man! know thyſelf.
O thou great arbiter of life and death!
Nature's immortal, immaterial fun;
Whoſe all Prolific beam late call'd me forth
From darkneſs, teeming darkneſs, where I lay
The worm's inferior, and, in rank, beneath
The duſt I tread on, high to bear my brow,
To drink the ſpirit of the golden day,
And triumph in exiſtence, and couldſt know
No motive, but my bliſs; and haſt ordain'd
A riſe in bleſſing!
I truſt in thee, and know in whom I truſt;
Or life, or death, is equal; neither weighs
All weight in this let me live to thee!
MAN, conſidered in himſelf, is a very helpleſs and a very wretched Being. He is ſubject every moment to the greateſt Calamities and misfortunes. He is beſet with dangers on all ſides, and may become unhappy by numberleſs caſualties, which he could not forſee, nor have prevented, had he foreſeen them.
It is our comfort, while we are obnoxious to ſo many Accidents, that we are under the care of one who directs contingencies, and has in his hands the management of
