But let it not be thought, their horrid Deeds Had pull’d this dreadful Judgment on their Heads; Or that for Crimes too horrible to tell, Like guilty _Sodom_ Thunderstruck they fell; 150 Or like presumptuous _Dathan_: Other Climes Afford as frequent and as flagrant Crimes. But when o’er all Degeneracy prevails, And on the Minds grown callous Precept fails; Where only the least vicious are the best, 155 Some must be made Examples to the rest. The Chance was their’s----but why to them ’twas giv’n, Remains among the Mysteries of Heav’n; Which hides its Secrets from our erring Sense; For Chance on Earth in Heav’n is Providence. 160 As when to some Frontier by slow Blockade, And silent Sap, a sure Approach is made, If skilful Miners can their Chamber set, Under some Ravelin, Horn-work, or Lunette, The starting Pile a loud Explosion tears, 165 And all aloof the shatter’d Fragments bears; Stones, Arms, and blasted Guards together fly, And scatter’d round in one great Ruin lie: While those who neighbouring Bastions maintain, With Grief behold their Fellow-Soldiers slain; 170 Conscious of equal Guilt, none e’er presum’d To think for greater Crimes they first were doom’d; But thankful that so long themselves are spar’d, With double Vigilance they stand prepar’d.---- So may the World----For now by dreadful Bands, 175 Lo the wide Universe invested stands! Winds, Flames, and Sulphur in her Bowels lurk, And in her hidden Chambers secret work. In this great Siege the Crown-works and Lunettes Are spacious Provinces and wealthy States; 180 Mountains her Curtains, Seas her Ditches are, And mighty Kingdoms are the Bastions there: And lo! where springs the Mine! the Mine of Fate! And in wide rushing Ruins whelms a State! Let none here deem this bold poetic Strain, 185 A wild unreal Fiction of the Brain. Who can with curious Eye this Globe survey, And not behold it tott’ring with Decay; All Things created God’s Designs fulfill, And nat’ral Causes work his destin’d Will. 190 And that eternal Word which cannot lie, To Mortals hath reveal’d in Prophecy, That in these latter Days such Signs should come, Preludes and Prologues to the gen’ral Doom. But not the Son of Man can tell that Day; 195 Then, left it find you sleeping, watch and pray!