3 But these fantastic errors of our dream Lead us to solid wrong; We pray God our friends' torments to prolong. And wish uncharitably for them To be as long a-dying as Methusalem. The ripened soul longs from his prison to come, But we would seal and sew up, if we could, the womb. We seek to close and plaster up by art The cracks and breaches of the extended shell, And in that narrow cell Would rudely force to dwell The noble, vigorous bird already winged to part. THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. I. Is this thy bravery, Man! is this thy pride! Rebel to God, and slave to all beside! Captived by everything! and only free To fly from thine own liberty! All creatures, the Creator said, were thine; No creature but might since say, Man is mine! In black Egyptian slavery we lie, And sweat and toil in the vain dru Of tyrant Sin, To which we trophies raise, and wear out all our breath In building up the monuments of death. We, the choice race, to God and angels kin! In vain the prophets and apostles come To call us home, Home to the promised Canaan above, Which does with nourishing milk and pleasant honey flow, And even i' th' way to which we should be fed With angels' tasteful bread: But we, alas! the flesh-pots love; We love the very leeks and sordid roots below. II. In vain we judgments feel, and wonders see; In vain did God to descend hither deign, He was his own Ambassador in vain, Our Moses and our guide himself to be. We will not let ourselves to go, And with worse hardened hearts, do our own Pharaohs grow; Ah! lest at last we perish so, Think, stubborn Man! think of the Egyptian prince, (Hard of belief and will, but not so hard as thou,) Think with what dreadful proofs God did convince The feeble arguments that human power could show; Think what plagues attend on thee, Who Moses' God dost now refuse more oft than Moses he. III. 'If from some God you come,' said the proud king, With half a smile and half a frown, 'But what God can to Egypt be unknown? What sign, what powers, what credence do you bring?' 'Behold his seal! behold his hand!' Cries Moses, and casts down the almighty wand: The almighty wand scarce touched the earth, When, with an undiscerned birth, The almighty wand a serpent grew, And his long half in painted folds behind him drew: Upwards his threatening tail he threw, Upwards he cast his threatening head, He gaped and hissed aloud, With flaming eyes surveyed the trembling crowd, And, like a basilisk, almost looked the assembly dead: Swift fled the amazed king, the guards before him fled. IV.