With joint consent let all the world attend

1 With joint Consent let all the World attend,
And let my Precepts in their Hearts descend,
Let high and low, and rich and poor, give Ear,
And my Instructions with Attention hear:
My Mouth supply'd with Wisdom from my Heart,
Shall sacred Oracles to you impart;
The sound Result of prudent Contemplation
And Thoughts digested for your Information.

2 Mine Ear I will to Parables incline;
Whilst to my Harp I sing the deep Design.
In dang'rous Times why should my courage fail,
Tho' wicked Men against me would prevail:
Those Men, who all their Hope in Treasure place,
And boast to see their ill-got Wealth increase,
Cannot from Death, their Dearest Friend deliver.
Or change the Will of GOD; that's fix'd forever.

3 In this, their vain Endeavours they must quit,
The Mark is far too high for them to hit;
No Sums of Wealth a Grant so large can buy;
That Man, by Nature mortal, should not die;
No Wisdom can secure the Wise from Death,
Nor Fools by Folly stay their fleeting Breath;
But both must fall, their Wealth must be resigned,
And in the Grave their mould'ring Dust confined.

4 For tho' they think their Names will have no End,
But unto distant Ages shall extend;
That all their stately Seats shall still endure,
And that their Lands and Treasures are secure:
Yet shall they fall, how great so e'er their State,
And with the Beasts shall meet one common Fate;
Their transient Glory shall be disrespected,
Their Memory forgot, and quite neglected.
But their Remembrance last in lands

Part II

5 How greatly then, their Folly's, to be blam'd
Who walk in Error ever unreclaim'd;
Whose Children still repeat repeat their gross Mistake,
And like their Sires, absurd Conclusions make;
They all like Sheep, when to the Slaughter led,
The Prey of all devouring Death are made:
Their Beauty (whilst the Righteous are protected,)
Within the dreary Tomb shall be neglected.

6 But GOD shall snatch me from th'expecting Grave,
And shall my Soul unto himself receive:
Then fear not thou, tho' worldly Men abound,
In envy'd Wealth, and are with Honour crown'd;
Nor let their prosp'rous State disturb thy Peace,
Altho' their large Possessions still encrease;
For when they die, their Wealth must be resigned,
And all their Glory in the Grave confined.

7 And yet, enticed in the Flatt'rers Snare,
They tho't their State was blest, and took no Care;
Their Fathers Steps they tread, and when they die,
In endless Darkness, like their Father lie;
For Man, how great so-e'er his State may be,
Unless he walks from Vice and Folly free,
As like a Beast, he hath his Life directed,
So shall he perish like a Beast neglected.

Source: The Psalms of David: with the Ten Commandments, Creed, Lord's Prayer, &c. in metre...for the use of the Reformed Protestant Dutch church of the city of New York #XLIX

• MIDI file from The Psalms of David: with the Ten Commandments, Creed, Lord's Prayer, &c. in metre...for the use of the Reformed Protestant Dutch church of the city of New York #XLIX