Did not th' Almighty, with immediate Care,
Direct and govern this capacious All,
How soon would things into Confusion fall;
Earthquakes the trembling Ground would tear,
And blazing Comets rule the troubled Air.
Wide Inundations with resistless force
The lower Provinces o'erflow,
In spight of all that Human Strength could do,
To stop a raging Sea's impetuous Course:
Murder and Rapine ev'ry place would fill,
And sinking Virtue stoop to prosp'rous Ill.
Devouring Pestilences rave,
And all that part of Nature which has Breath,
Deliver to the Tyranny of Death,
And hurry to the Dungeons of the Grave,
If watchful Providence were not concern'd to save.
Let the brave Soldier speak, who oft has been
In dreadful Sieges, and fierce Battles seen;
How he's preserv'd, when Bombs, and Bullets fly
So thick, that scarce one Inch of Air is free;
And tho' he does ten Thousand see
Fall at his Feet, and in a Moment die,
Unhurt retreats, or gains unhurt the Victory.
Let the poor Ship-wreck'd Sailor show,
To what invisible protecting Power
He did his Life and Safety owe,
When the loud Storm his well-built Vessel tore,
And half a shatter'd Plank convey'd him to the Shore.
Nay, let th' ungrateful Sceptick tell us, how
His tender Infancy protection found,
And helpless Childhood was with safety crown'd,
If he'll no Providence allow?
When he had nothing but his Nurse's Arms
To guard him from innumerable fatal Harms.
From Childhood, how to Youth he ran
Securely, and from thence to Man?
How in the Strength and Vigour of his Years,
The feeble Bark of Life he saves,
Amidst the Fury of tempestuous Waves,
From all the Dangers he foresees, or fears;
Yet ev'ry Hour 'twixt  and  steers;
If Providence, which can the Seas command,
Held not the Rudder with a steady Hand?