Part 8 (1/2)
Of all their Hopes and Plots, here lay the Store: For what Encouragement could they have more, When they beheld the King's own Brother fall, From his Religion, and to wors.h.i.+p _Baal_?
The Priest well knew what Pow'r, and what Controul He had usurp'd o're ev'ry _Baalite_'s Soul, That such a Prince must their G.o.d's Cause pursue, And do whatever they would have him do; Else from his Throne he should be curs'd and d.a.m.n'd: For _Baal_'s High-Priest, a Right t' all Crowns had claim'd.
An Article 'tis of a _Baalite_'s Faith, That o're Crown'd Heads a Sovereignty he hath.
Thus on a sure Foundation, as they thought, They had their Structure to Perfection wrought When G.o.d, who shews regard to Sacred Kings, } The Plot and Plotters to Confusion brings, } And in a moment down their _Babel_ flings. } A _Levite_, who had _Baalite_ turn'd, and bin One of the Order of the _Chemarim_, Who in the Plot had deeply been concern'd, And all their horrid Practices had learn'd; Smote in his Conscience with a true Remorse, From King and Land diverts the threat'ning Curse.
_Libni_, I think they call'd the _Levite_'s Name, Which in _Judea_ still will be of Fame; Since following Heaven's Impulse and high Command, He prov'd a Glorious Saviour of the Land.
By him the deep Conspiracy's o'rethrown, The Treason, and the Traytors all made known: For which from _Baalites_ he had Curses store; But by the _Jews_ loaded with Blessings more.
The h.e.l.lish Plotters were then seiz'd upon, And into Goals and Iron Fetters thrown; From whence to Lawful Tryals they were born, Condemn'd for Traytors, and hang'd up with Scorn: Yet _Chemarims_ with matchless Impudence, With dying Breath avow'd their Innocence: So careful of their Order they still were, Lest Treason in them Scandal should appear, That Treason they with Perjury pursue, Having their Arch-priest's Licence so to do.
They fear'd not to go perjur'd to the Grave, Believing their Arch-priest their Souls could save: For all G.o.d's Power they do on him bestow, And call him their Almighty G.o.d below.
To whom they say three powerful Keys are given, Of h.e.l.l, of Purgatory, and of Heav'n.
No wonder then if _Baalites_ this believe, They should, with their false Oaths try to deceive, And gull the People with their Dying Breath, Denying all their Treason at their Death.
This made Impression on some easie Minds, Whom or good Nature, or false Pity blinds; Mov'd their Compa.s.sion, and stirr'd up their Grief, And of their dying Oaths caus'd a Belief.
This did effect what the curs'd Traytors sought, The Plots Belief into Discredit brought, Of it at first, some Doubts they only rais'd, And with their Impudence the World amaz'd: Tho' _Azyad_'s Murder did the _Jews_ convince, Who was a man most Loyal to his Prince, And by the b.l.o.o.d.y _Chemarims_ did fall, Because he seiz'd the Trayt'rous Priests of _Baal_: Tho' _Gedaliah_'s Letters made all plain, Who was their Scribe, and of a ready Brain: A _Levite's_ Son, but turn'd a _Baalite_, Who for the King's own Brother then did write, And Correspondence kept i'th' _Egyptian_ Court, To whom the Traytors for Advice resort; Who like a zealous, trayt'rous _Baalite_ dy'd, And at the Fatal Tree the Plot deny'd.
Tho' _Amazia_ did at first believe, And to the h.e.l.lish Plot did Credit give; Tho' the Great Council of the _Sanhedrim_, Among the _Jews_ always of great Esteem, Declar'd to all the World this Plot to be, An h.e.l.lish, and a curs'd Conspiracy, To kill the King, Religion to o'rethrow, And cause the _Jews_ their Righteous Laws forgoe; To make the People to dumb Idols fall, And in the place of G.o.d, to set up _Baal_: Tho' all the People saw it, and believ'd; Tho' Courts of Justice, hard to be deceiv'd, Had added to the rest their Evidence, Yet with a strange unheard of Impudence, The _Baalites_ all so stoutly had deny'd } Their h.e.l.lish Plot, with Vows and Oaths beside, } And with such Diligence themselves apply'd. } They at the last, their sought for point had got, And artfully in doubt had brought their Plot.
A thousand cunning Shams and Tricks they us'd, Whereby the simple Vulgar were abus'd; And some o'th' _Edomitish_ Evidence, Who _Mammon_ wors.h.i.+p'd, were brought off with pence.
_Libni_, for whom, before their Harps they strung, } Who was the Subject of each _Hebrew_'s Song, } Was villify'd by every Rascall's Tongue. } In Secret, and inglorious did remain, And the Plot thought the Project of his Brain.
The _Baalites_ thus encourag'd by Success, Increase their Hopes, and their black Projects bless: Like the bold _t.i.tans_, Plot on Plot they lay, And Heav'n it self with impious Arms essay.
A new Invention wrought in h.e.l.l below, The _Jews_, and their Religion to o'erthrow; They bring to light, with this their Hopes they raise, And for dire Plots, think they deserve the Bays.
This Engine stronger than th' old _Roman_ Ram For Battery, by a new name call'd Sham, With well learn'd, and successful Arts they use To overthrow the _Syn'gogues_ of the _Jews_, Their Wors.h.i.+p and Religion to confound.
And lay their Glorious Temple on the Ground.
With this new Engine, they a Breach had made, By which they hop'd the Loyal _Jews_ t' invade.
With Troops of Treasons, and Rebellious Plots, Led on by Villains, perjur'd Rogues and Sots; And with such Arms, in h.e.l.ls black Work-house form'd, The peaceful _Jews_ they violently storm'd; Who 'gainst the _Ba'lites_ Plots had no defence, But G.o.d, their Laws, and their own Innocence.
Among the Princes of the _Jewish_ Race, For Wisdom, _Hushai_ had the Chiefest Place, Prudent in Speech, and in his Actions close, Admir'd by all, and feared by his Foes; Well skill'd, and knowing in the _Jewish_ Laws, Able to plead, and to defend a Cause, Of piercing Judgment, and of pregnant Wit, Did once Chief Judge of all _Judea_ sit; Was then esteem'd the Honor of the Gown, } And with his Vertues sought to serve the Crown, } Till Foes procur'd him _Amazia_'s Frown. } Then he descended from the hight of Place, Without a Blemish, and without Disgrace; Yet inly griev'd; for he could well divine The Issue of the _Baalites_ curs'd Design, To see Religion, and G.o.d's Righteous Cause, The Ancient Government, the Nation's Laws, Unpropping, and all ready strait to fall, And the whole Race of _Jews_ made Slaves to _Baal_: With Zeal inspired, boldly up he 'rose, To wrestle with the King's, and Nation's Foes; And tho' he was with Wealth and Honor blest, He scorn'd to give his Age its needful Rest: He learn'd, that man was not born for himself, To get great t.i.tles, Names, or sordid Pelf, To wear a lazy Life, himself to please, With Idleness, and with luxurious Ease: When he beheld his Country in distress, And none the Danger able to redress, He did resolve, tho' not affecting Fame, Or to obtain a Patriot's Glorious Name, His Rest, his Life, his Fortune to expose, Rather than see his Countrey's dangerous Foes Run on uncheck'd, till they had brought the Land, To their, and to a _Baalite_ King's Command.
He could not therefore so himself forget, To see the Barques of Government o'erset; But with his Skill he help'd the Boat to trim, And boldly did oppose _Eliakim_.
_Eliakim_ was Brother to the King, From the same Loins, and Royal _Seed_ did spring; Of Courage bold, and of a daring mind, } To whom the King, ev'n to Excess was kind; } And tho' he had a Son, for him the Crown design'd. } Sweet _Azaria_, like the beauteous Morn, Whence all Sweets flow, did once that Court adorn, A budding Rose, whose Beauty's newly blown, Or like a Cedar on Mount _Lebanon_: He in his Father's Grace, and Favor grew, And towards him the People's Eyes he drew.
He was by most belov'd, admir'd by all, For's Zeal to G.o.d, and's Hatred unto _Baal_: But ah! this mov'd the cursed _Baalite_'s Hate, Disturb'd his Peace, and Troubles did create.
What can't Design and h.e.l.lish Malice do?
With Lyes they close this n.o.ble Prince pursue.
They think his Father too indulgent grown, Whose Love had many Blessings on him thrown, But what exceeded all the rest beside, He chose the sweet _Jerusha_ for his Bride: A Blessing he esteemed far above The Crown, and all things but his Father's Love: For that he still above his Life did prize, Dear as his Fame, and dearer than his Eyes.
Below his Feet, for that he all things trod, Adoreing nothing more except his G.o.d.
Young as he was, he had acquired Fame, His Breast infired with a Warlike Flame, In Foreign Wars, his Courage he had shown, Had Lawrels won, and brought home fair Renown: Happy, most happy, till with wondrous Art, His Foes had wrought him from his Father's Heart; And so much Power on _Amazia_ won, He by Degrees, grew jealous of his Son.
And who for this can _Amazia_ blame, If that the King the Father overcame?
For Crowns by Kings esteemed are more near, Than Children, or than Sons, belov'd more dear.
His Foes, _Baal_'s Friends, had laid their artful Snairs, Hight'ned his Father's Jealousies and Fears, And made each innocent Action of the Prince, To give his Jealous Father an Offence.
If with wise _Hushai_ they the Prince did see, They call'd their Meeting a Conspiracy, And cry, that he was going to rebell: Him _Absalom_ they name, _Hushai_ _Achitophel_.
With Slander thus the Prince they did pursue, Aiming at's Life, and the wise _Hushai_'s too.
When they much pleased, and triumphing saw, The King his Royal Favors to withdraw, Which like a Spring on him before did flow, And from him, all on others to bestow: Defenceless left, naked, almost forlorn, Subject to every trifling Rhimers Scorn, And beyond _Jordan_ by their malice drove, No Succor left him but the People's Love; (For he was still their Darling and Delight, Because they saw he was no _Baalite_,) Their Hopes now almost at their Height did seem, To place the Crown upon _Eliakim_.
The _Jews_, G.o.d's People and peculiar Care, For their true Wors.h.i.+p still most zealous were; That Jewel seem'd most pretious in their Eyes, And it above all Humane things they prize.
No Torments could make them their Faith deny, They willingly for their Religion die: Their Liberties were also dear to them, Sprung from a free, and not a slavish Stem, Th' _Egyptian_ Bondage for their Souls unfit, They never in _Judea_ would permit; Their own known Laws, they willingly obey, Hate Tyranny and Arbitrary Sway: Nor did they many Priviledges want, Kept from the Time they first the Land did plant; For which to Death they lawfully would strive, If injur'd by their King's Prerogative: For some of them have try'd to break the Bound, And did like _Ethnick_ Kings, their People's Freedom wound, So _Rehoboam_ caus'd them to rebell, And lost at once ten Tribes of _Israel_.
No people were more ready to obey Their Kings, who rul'd them by a gentle Sway, Who never sought their Consciences to curb, Their Freedom or Religion to disturb.
To such they always open-hearted were, For them, they neither Coin, nor Blood would spare.
Such Kings might their Prerogatives improve, And rule the _Jews_, ev'n as they pleas'd with Love; But stiff indeed they were, and moody grew, } When Tyrants did with cruel Stripes pursue } Them sore oppress'd, and sometimes murmur'd too. } Kings they had try'd of ev'ry sort and size.
Best govern'd by the Warlike and the wise.
Tho' Kings they lov'd, and for them Reverence had, They never would adore them as a G.o.d.
G.o.d's Wors.h.i.+p, and their Laws they did prefer, They knew, them men might by bad Councils Err.
Tho' Loyal, yet oppress'd, they did not fear To make their heavy Grievances appear.
This was indeed the Humor of the _Jew_, The People by Complaints their Griefs would shew; And never would, in truth, contented seem, Untill redress'd by their wise _Sanhedrim_.
Thus now the _Jews_, tho' free from ill Design, In their Religious Cause together joyn: They cast their Eyes on _Amazia_'s Son, Who, without Arts the People's Love had won: Full of tormenting Jealousies and Fears, _Eliakim_ a dangerous man appears: The sober part of the whole _Sanhedrim_, Desire to keep _Judea's_ Crown from him: For they foresaw if he should wear the Crown, _Baal_'s Wors.h.i.+p he'd set up, and G.o.d's cast down: That all the Nations must be Slaves to _Baal_, Suffer in Flames, fly, or 'fore Idolls fall.
Great were their Fears, but yet they did abhor The very Thought of a dishonest War: For they had seen the Kingdom's many Scarrs, Th' unseemly Marks of former Civil Wars.