Religion

On a very profane Compliment in a noble and devout Poem

by Mather Byles 1707–1788

From Poems on Several Occasions (1744)

Religion

AH! Cease, vain Muse, forbear thy hardy Lays,
Nor urge the Thunder on thy guilty Bays,
How durst tho thus debase the SAVIOUR'S Blood,
And raise a Mortal o'er the Throne of GOD:
Melodiously-Profane, prefer his Name,
And, gay in Eloquence, thy Judge blaspheme?
O'er the black Lines remain perpetual Gloom,
And Flames, and deep Oblivion be the Doom.
Round the dire Rant shall sudden Lightnings rage,
And kindling Vengeance blast the impious Page.
So when th' Arch-Angel left his heav'nly Song,
And mock'd his Maker with a Seraph's Tongue.
MESSIAH, terrible Wrath! arose,
And hurl'd him down to Hell's tremendous Woes,
Where Seas of Fire with roaring Storms resound,
And endless Darkness spreads its brooding Horrors round.

MLA

Byles, Mather. “On a very profane Compliment in a noble and devout Poem.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/byles/5/.

Chicago

Byles, Mather. “On a very profane Compliment in a noble and devout Poem.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/byles/5/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Mather Byles