THE Mosaic Creation

When first the starting Hours, with fleeting Pace, O'er Time's eternal Plain began their Race: The wise Creator with his Hands did rear, The Fabric of this beauteous Theatre: The wond'rous Frame of Heav'n and Earth arose At his Command, and did their Forms disclose: Th' expanded Earth was one continu'd Void, 'Till his creating Pow'r its Strength employ'd: No Form the hudled Mass of nothing bore, But gloomy Marks of wild Confusion wore, Clouds of substantial Darkness to be felt, On the brown Face of unshap'd Nature dwelt, Th' Almighty's Spirit on the Waters play'd, And all his heav'nly Energy betray'd. Th' Eternal spake: Let smiling Light convey Around th'Abyss an unaccustom'd Day. Strait from the Region of tremendous Night, Dawn'd forth, in ruddy Streaks, primaeval Light, Its orient Beams e'en charm'd th' Almighty's Sight. Then by his Pow'r a Separation made, Between the lovely Light and beamless Shade; The streaming Light, was call'd refulgent Day, The Darkness Night, and sunk in Horror lay. And when the Ev'ning and the Morn came round, Thus far th' Almighty's First Day's Work was crown'd. Again the God-head spoke: Let strait appear, A Firmament amidst the Waters clear, To part the Streams with an officious Care. Soon a new model'd Firmament was seen Divide the Waters, with its lucid Screen, So in distinguish'd Channels calmly move, Waters beneath the Sky, and those above: Then by his Mouth the sacred Name of Heaven, Was to the new-created Aether given. And when the Ev'ning and the Morn came round, The Labour of God's Second Day was crown'd. Then from his Throne, thus said the Pow'r supreme, Let all these Waters make one flowing Stream, Which roll beneath the vast Aetherial Mold, And let one Place their liquid Troops infold; That the dry Land may shew its recent Head, And with extended Force its Beauties spread. No sooner spoke, but the dry Land appear'd, And from the Deep, its barren Forehead rear'd; The Name of Earth, th'unmeasur'd Land possess'd, As that of Sea, the congregated Waves express'd; The spacious Forms his Pow'rful Hands had made, With secret Pleasure did his Mind invade: Once more th'Eternal spoke: Let teeming Earth, Disclose a sudden and prolific Birth; Let grassy Burdens load the naked Plain, And useful Herbs in verdant Triumph reign; Let Fruit-Trees bearing Fruit, in Vigour grow, Which on the Years their Product may bestow; And let the pregnant Seeds of ev'ry Kind, To every Herb, and every Tree assign'd: With springing Grass, the Fields were cover'd o'er, And Herbs, which in themselves, their Seedings bore; In stately Rows the spreading Fruit-Trees stood, Bearing their proper Seed, and God pronounc'd it good: So when arriv'd the Ev'ning and the Morn, Thus far his Work the Third Day did adorn. Jehovah said; let glorious Lights display Their beamy Splendor round the heav'nly Way, Which may distinguish Night from chearful Day; Whilst in its Orb each shining Spark appears, For Signs, for Seasons, and revolving Years. When strait with Lights the Crystal Plain was spread, That on the Earth their dazzling Lustre shed: Two Lights immensely great, he form'd in haste, Which in the Skies were to Advantage plac'd. The greater Orb to rule the burning Day, The less amidst the Shades of Night to stray, And from the darken'd Space its Beams convey. To these the Stars, with twinkling Lustre bright, He added, to adorn the Face of Night: High in the Azure Roof they took their Place, With their fair Rays, this under World to grace; So when the Godhead saw how all Things stood, His awful Voice declar'd the Labour good: And when the Ev'ning and the Morning clos'd, The Fourth Day's Work in Order was compos'd. Again th'Almighty spoke; Let now the watry Field, Unnumber'd Shoals of moving Creatures yield, With a vast Product of the feather'd Kind, To fan, with various Wings, the buxom Wind. Huge Whales he form'd, the Monsters of the Deep, And Creatures which on Earth's low Surface creep, With springing Fowls that wing the airy Steep: Each in themselves their proper Kind contain'd, That all was good his sacred Tongue explain'd: Increase, and Multiply, the Maker said, And o'er the Earth be fruitfully convey'd; Full to the Brim the foaming Ocean lade, And let the num'rous Fowl the Land invade: So when the Ev'ning and the Morn roll'd on, The Fifth Day's Labour was compleatly done. Jehovah said; Let th' obsequious Earth, Produce a mingled instantancous Birth, Of Cattle, creeping Forms, and Beasts of Prey, And let their Seed be stor'd in the cemented Clay, Lest moldring Time should wear the Kind away. The furious Herds the shady Forest trace, Low grov'ling Reptiles print the flow'ry Space, And ev'ry Creature fill'd his proper Place. Th' Eternal look'd, and saw 'twas wond'rous good, 'Cause all Things in a just Decorum stood: Thus from his Seat th'Almighty did declare, Let us make MAN, whose nobler Form may bear Our heav'nly Image, and our Likeness wear: And let the finny Race, and ev'ry Drove, With Beasts that round the globous Ball shall rove, And those whose Belly sweep the dusty plain, Confess him Lord, and own his pow'rful Reign: In his own Image God created Man, As Male and Female join'd, his Hours began. The Father Hand pour'd wond'rous Blessings round, And with unmeasur'd Bounty they were crown'd. Increase, be fruitful, and the Earth subdue, The Maker said, this Pow'r is given to you. Rule with unrival'd Sway the scaly Land, Beast, Fishes, Birds, each living Thing command. The Lord went on; Behold, to you I've given, The Use of ev'ry Herb that's under Heaven; And ev'ry Tree that beareth Fruit, for Food, Pleasing to Life, and to the Palate good: To ev'ry Beast that roams the Forest round, And ev'ry creeping Thing that crawls the Ground, With all the winged Flocks, the wholesom Herbs, whose Green Is with an everlasting Verdure seen. With this sweet Grass they may their Hunger ease, And all its meagre rav'nous Troops appease. Then God survey'd the finish'd Globe with Care, And lo! the Work appear'd Divinely fair: So when the Ev'ning and the Morning came, The Sixth Day's Light smii'd on the glorious Frame