Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 16.djvu/371

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For equal judgment, Lord, to thee, The nations [1] all submit; Be therefore [2) merciful to me, And my just soul acquit [3].

Thus, by God's gracious providence [4], I'm still preserv'd secure, Who all the good and just defends With a resistless [5] power.

[1] Yet, in the very verse berore, he talks of nations that oppose.

[2] Because all nations submit to God, therefore God must be merciful to Dr. Gibbs.

[3] Of what? Poor David never could acquit A criminal like thee, Against his Psalms who could commit Such wicked poetry.

[4] Observe the connexion.

[5] That's right, doctor; but there will be no contending, as you desired a while ago.

'Tis wonderful that Providence Should save thee from the halter, Who hast in numbers without sense Burlesqu'd the holy Psalter.

All men he does with justice view, And their iniquity With direful vengeance can pursue. Or patiently [6] pass by.

Lo! now th' inflictions [7] they design'd By others to be born, Even all the mischiefs [8] in their mind, Do on themselves return.

O'er all the birds that mount the air, And fish that in the floods appear (9][9] [sic].

[6] That is no great mark of viewing them with justice. God has wiser ends for passing by his vengeance on the wicked, you profane dunce!

[7] Ay, but what sort of things are these inflictions?

[8] If the mischiefs be in their mind, what need they return on themselves? are they not there already?

[9] Those, I think, are not very many: they are good fish when they are caught, but till then we have no great sway over them.

Confounded at the sight of thee, My foes are put to flight [1)[1] [sic]. Thus thou, great God of equity, Dost still assert my right [2].

But God eternally remains, [3] Fixt in his throne on high, And to the world from thence ordains [4] Impartial equity.

[1] The doctor is mistaken; for, when people are confounded, they cannot fly.

[2] Against Sternhold and Hopkins.

[3] That is false and prophane; God is not fixed any where.

[4] Did any body ever hear of partial equity? And