The Songs of the Old Testament Translated into English Measures, Song 2
THE Second Song of MOSES. Deut. 32.
The Argument and Vſe.
THis Song is found in the 32. chap. of Deut. and was written by the commandement of God, to be kept in the Arke of Couenant, for a teſtimony againſt the people of Iſrael, when they ſhould forget Gods benefits, and rebell againſt him: As it is there fore-told, and as appeares in the 31. Chap. of the foreſaid booke. Now, the holy Prophet hauing after his Exordium, (wherein hee calleth heauen and earth to witneſſe) made a Narration of the Jewes peruerſeneſſe; Hee prophecieth of three principall things in this Hymne. Firſt, of their future Idolatry with their puniſhment for it. Secondly, of their hatred to Chriſt, with their finall Abiection. And laſtly, of the grace which ſhould be vouchſafed vntounto the Gentiles.
And in this triple-prophecie, there are alſo many particularities laid downe, as conſiderable. Firſt, how perfect, how wiſe, how faithfull, and how iuſt God is in his owne nature. Secondly, how vnreaſonably peruerſe his people were. Thirdly, how neuertheleſſe, God was louing, and heaped vponupon them innumerable benefits (ſome of which are here reckoned vp.) Fourthly, how ingratefully, and deuelliſhly they ſtill requited him. Fiftly, how he puniſhed them with grieuous plagues, but forbare a while their finall ouerthrow, to await their repentance. Sixtly, how reſpectleſſe they ſhould be of all this fauour; and what horrible inhumanities they ſhould be guiltie of. Seauenthly, how mindefull the LORD would be of their obſtinacy; how ſuddainely hee would ruine them; how ſafe they ſhould be, who profeſſed the true God, when his enemies were viſited; how vnable thoſe ſhould be to helpe them in whom they had truſted; how ſeuere, and irrecouerable the iudgement ſhould be; how certaine, in regard the LORD had ſworne it; and how all this ſhould turne to the aduantage of his Elect.
The Vſe which we are to make of this Song; is to repeate it often, in remembrance of Gods Iuſtice and Mercy: and to put our ſelues in minde, by the Iewes example, how ſeuerely God will puniſh ſuch as continue obſtinate in their ſinnes. For, eueryevery man (if he would conſider it) ſhall finde that he in his owne particular, hath receiued as much fauour from his Redeemer, and as vnthankefully requited it. This Song ought alſo to ſtirre vsus vp to a better conſideration of our owne eſtate: and as St. Paul counſelleth; If God hath not ſpared the naturall branches, take wee heed leſt he ſpare not vsus. Rom. 11.21. Yea, when we ſhall reade or ſing this Hymne (which is left as well for our vſe, as for the Iewes) let vsus as St. Paul aduiſeth, in the fore-named Chapter, Meditate the goodneſſe and ſeueritie of God; on them which fell ſeuerity; but towards vsus goodneſſe, if we continue in his goodneſſe, and that otherwiſe wee ſhall be cut off.
The Song.
And Moſes ſpake in the eares of all the Congregation of Jſrael; the words of this Song, vntill they were ended, &c.
… TO what I ſpeake, an eare O hea-uens lend, And heare oh earth what words I vtter will, Like drops of raine, my ſpeaches ſhall deſcend, And as the dew, my doctrine ſhall diſtill, As doth the raine that ſhowreth ſmall on tender flow'rs, And as vponupon the graſſe doe fall the greater ſhow'rs, For I the LORD'S gre…t name will publiſh now. VntoUnto our God the glory render you. …
He is that Rock, whoſe Workes perfection are;
For all his waies with Iudgement guided be:
A God of truth, from all wrong-doing cleare,
A truly iuſt, and righteous-One is He.
Yet they with ſpots themſelues defilde,
Vnlike his Sonnes;
And are a race of crooked, wilde,
And froward ones.
Vnwiſe and fooliſh nation, doſt thou ſo
Thy ſelfe vntounto the LORD vngratefull ſhow?
Thy Father, and Redeemer, is not he?
Hath he not made, and now confirm'd thee faſt?
Oh call to minde the dayes that older be,
And weigh the yeeres, of many Ages paſt,
Thy Father will, (if thou deſire)
Informe thee well;
Thy elders, (when thou ſhalt enquire,)
Can alſo tell
How, the moſt high did Adams Sonnes diuide;
And ſhares for eueryevery Kindred did prouide.
How, he the Nations Limits did prepare,
In number with the Sonnes of Iſrael,
The LORD had in his people then his ſhare;
And Iacob, for his part allotted fell.
Them, in a deſert rude, he found,
Poſſeſt of none:
A place of terrour, and a ground
Vaſt and vnknowne.
He taught them there, he led them farre and nigh:
And kept them as the apple of his eye.
Eu'n as an Eagle, to prouoke her young,
About her neaſt doth houer here and there;
Spread forth her wings, to traine her birds along;
And ſometime, on her backe, her younglings beare:
Right ſo, the LORD conducted them,
Himſelfe alone,
And for aſſiſtant, there with him
Strange God was none:
Them, on the High-lands of the earth he ſet,
Where they the plenties of the fields might eate.
For them he made the Rocke with hony flowe,
They ſuckt out oyle from flints, and they did feed
On milke of ſheepe, on butter of the Cowe,
Fat lambs and goates, and rammes of Baſhan breed;
Of wheat he gaue them for their food,
The fulleſt feede,
And they did drinke the pureſt blood
The grape did bleed.
But, here-withall; vnthankefull Iſrael,
Soone fat became, and ſpurned with his heele.
They waxed fat, and groſſe, and couer'd o're;
And then their God and Maker did forſake:
Their Rocke of health regarded was no more,
But with ſtrange Gods him Iealous did they make:
Yea, they with what was moſt abhor'd,
His wrath entiſ…;
To deuils (not vntounto the LORD)
They ſacrifice:
To gods vnknowne, that new inuented were,
And ſuch, as their fore-fathers did not feare.
They minded not the Rocke, which them begat,
But hauehave forgot the God that form'd them hath,
Which, when the LORD perceiu'd, it made him hate
His ſonnes and daughters, mouing him to wrath.
I will, to marke their end, (ſaith he)
Obſcure my face;
For they, vnfaithfull Children be,
Of froward race:
My wrath, with what was not a God they mou'd;
And hauehave mine anger, with their follies prou'd.
But, by a people, without being (yet)
Their Iealous wrath, will I prouoke for this,
And by a fooliſh nation make them fret,
For in my wrath a fire enflamed is;
And to the depth of hell it ſhall
Deuouring goe,
Earth with her fruits and mountaines all
Conſuming to.
In heapes, I miſchiefes will vponupon them throw,
And ſhoot mine arrowes, till I hauehave no moe.
With hunger parched, and conſum'd with heat,
I will enforce them to a bitter end,
The teeth of beaſts, vponupon them I will ſet,
And the invenom'd duſt-fed, Serpent ſend.
The ſword without, and terrour grimme
Within ſhall ſlay,
Young men, and maides, the babe and him
Whoſe haire is gray:
Yea, I had vow'd to ſpread them here and there,
Vntill that men forget they euer were.
But this, the Foe compel'd me to delay,
Leſt that their Aduerſaries prouder growne,
Should when they ſaw it; thus preſume to ſay:
This, not the LORD; but our high-hand hath done·
For, they a people are in whom
No Counſell is:
And neuer will their dulneſſe, come
To iudge of this.
Oh! would their wiſedome, this might comprehend;
And that they would conſider of their end!
How ſhould one make a thouſand runneaway?
Or two men put tenne thouſand to the foile;
Except their Rocke, had ſold them for a pray;
And that the LORD, had cloſ'd them vp the while?
For with our God their God compare
They neuer may,
And if our foes the iudges were,
Thus would they ſay:
But, they hauehave Vines of thoſe that Sodome yeelds,
And ſuch as grow within Gomorrha fields.
The Grapes are gall (that grow vponupon their vine)
Their Cluſters, are extreamely bitter all,
Yea, made of Dragons venome is their wine;
And of the cruell Aſpes infectious gall.
And may I this forget to beare
In minde with me?
Or ſhall it not be ſealed where
My treaſures be?
Yes, mine is vengeance, and I will repay:
Their feet ſhall ſlide at the appointed day.
Their time of ruine, neare at hand is come,
Thoſe things, that muſt befall them, haſte will make:
For ſure, the LORD ſhall giuegive his people doome,
And on his Seruants will compaſſion take.
Yea, when he ſees, their ſtrength is all
Bereft and gone;
And they ſhut vp in priſon, ſhall
Be left alone:
Where are their Gods, become (then will he ſay)
Their Rocke on whom they did affiance lay?
Who eate the fatteſt of their ſacrifice?
Who, of their drinke oblations, dranke the wine?
Let thoſe vntounto their ſuccour now ariſe,
And vnderunder their protection them enſhrine.
Oh! therefore now, conſider this,
That I am Hee;
That I am Hee, and that there is
No God with mee.
I kill, and make aliue, I wound, I cure:
And there is none, can from my hand aſſure.
For, vp to heauen I my hand doe reare,
And (as I liue for euer) this I ſay,
If once I whet my ſword, that ſparkles cleare,
And ſhall my hand to acting vengeance lay;
I will not ceaſe, till I my foes,
With vengeance quite,
Nor till I hauehave repaid all thoſe
That beare me ſpite.
And in the bloud, which I ſhall make to flow,
I'le ſteepe mine arrowes, till they drunken grow.
My ſword ſhall feed on fleſh and bloud of thoſe,
That either ſhall be ſlaine, or kept in thrall,
When I beginne to quit me of my foes.
Then, with his people Ioy you kindreds all;
For he their bloud (that ſerue him) will
With bloud purſue;
And all his foes repayeth ſtill
With vengeance due.
But, to his land will mercy ſhewing be,
And thoſe that are his people pitties He.