Happy, thrice happy he whom heav’nly grace Taught to forsake a soul-ensnaring race, Firm Jonathan; {4} who spurn’d the proffer’d wealth, Glad to secure his soul’s eternal health; Untutor’d he to read God’s Book, or write, Still in Jehovah’s law he found delight; Nor dar’d the holy Sabbath to profane By grasping greedily at filthy gain; He “sleeps in Jesus,” {5a} and through endless days Will rise to hymn his mighty Maker’s praise: Few are his followers; for love of gold Enchains the mind with adamantine fold. Ah! wretched he who makes, from morn till night, The ledger, not the Bible, his delight; Whose coffer with the stores of Mammon bursts, Whose mind for heav’nly treasures never thirsts; Thus let him think while days of Mercy shine, And inwardly digest this truth divine;— Wealthy can he be styl’d who gains “the world” {5b} If after death “his soul” to hell be hurl’d? Say, for what sum can one exchange “his soul,” Destin’d to live while endless ages roll? Of liberty we boast, and loudly cry, While triumph laughs in each expressive eye, “On British ground whoever treads is free, The happiest isle embosom’d in the sea!” And yet e’en here, in this our favour’d land, Full many a form the marks of bondage brand; For Satan, lording o’er a host of slaves, Their way to hell by Sabbath-breaking paves. But some bold spirits, led by grace divine, In wisdom’s path advancing, brightly shine; Some hoary-headed boatmen oft declare “No Sabbath saw them to their toils repair;” Grateful to God who thus our race hath blest, They held their right t’ enjoy Sabbatic rest; And sweet their converse to the Christian’s ear Who learn’d betimes Jehovah’s name to fear. “I left my master,” {6a} thus declar’d a youth, (And Charity presumes he told the truth) “I left my master, and disdain’d his hire, For Sunday’s toil was his profane desire.” “Give God the praise,” the heav’n-taught Pastor cries, “God gave the will, and He the strength supplies; Nor doubt that He who feeds the raven’s brood To you will raiment give, and daily food: Who Christ’s reproach with Christian patience bear A crown of everlasting life will wear.”