Poetical recreations consisting of original poems, songs, odes, &c. with several new translations : in two parts / part I, occasionally written by Mrs. Jane Barker, part II, by several gentlemen of the universities, and others.

UPON CHRIST's NATIVITY.

BEhold an Universal Darkness has o'er-spread This lower World, and Man in Sin lyes dead. Now black Despair his heavy burthen's made, And being fall'n, God's Wrath can ne'er be paid: For since his Native Innocence is flown, All the first promises of Bliss are gone. Think then, O Adam! on the state thou'rt in, And all Ma••kind by reason of thy Sin. Alas poor Man! thy Paradise is lost, And thou might'st justly from thy Bliss be toss'd

Into th' infernal Lake; where with great pain, B'ing exercis'd, thou might'st lament in vain.

But stay a while, What Musick's this I hear! Which sounds so sweetly from the heav'nly Sphere! Look here, O Man! are thine Eyes upwards bent? Here's Angels, surely, on a Message sent. Man. What Anthem's this, sweet Angels, that you sing Unto us Men? do ye glad tydings bring? Ang. We come from Heaven, we declare no Ill, But Peace on Earth, and unto Men Good-will. M. How so, we pray? can God be friends agen? Will he be reconcil'd to sinfull Men? Is God so kind, so mercifull a God, So soon to cast away his angry Rod? A. You need not doubt, wou'd you but with the Eye Of stedfast Faith, pierce through the Starry Sky, You might behold there God himself contriving, Not for your Death, but your Eternal Living. M. But how shall we of this assured be? What sign or token may we find or see? A. Want ye a sign? then do but us believe: Here's one, behold a Virgin does conceive:

A Virgin true and chast do's now bring forth A Son unto you of Transcendent Worth: This is the true Messias, whom of old The Patriarchs and Prophets so fore-told; This is the Seed to Adam, promised By God, to break the subtle Serpent's Head: M. This being then the day of Iesus Birth, Let us affect our Hearts with godly Mirth; Let us, I say, both triumph, joy, and sing, Glory be to our Christ, our Priest, our King.