Anti-Achitophel | Page 8

_David_ met in all her Pride,?Three Brothers saw by Miracle brought back,?Like _Noahs_ Sons sav'd from the worlds great wrack;?An unbelieving _Ham_ graced on each hand,?'Twixt God-like _Shem_, and pious _Japhet_ stand.
'Tis true, when _David_, all his storms blown o're,?Wafted by Prodigies to _Jordans_ shore,?(So swift a Revolution, yet so calm)?Had cur'd an Ages wounds with one days Balm;?Here the returning _Absolon_ his vows?With _Israel_ joyns, and at their Altars bows.?Perhaps surpriz'd at such strange blessings showr'd,?Such wonders shewn both t'_Israels_ Faith, and Lord,?His Restoration-Miracle he thought?Could by no less than _Israels_ God be wrought.?Whilst the enlightened _Absolon_ thus kneels,?Thus dancing to the sound of _Aarons_ Bells,?What dazling Rays did _Israels_ Heir adorn,?So bright his Sun in his unclouded Morn!?'Twas then his leading hand in Battle drew?That Sword that _Davids_ fam'd ten thousand slew:?_Davids_ the Cause, but _Absolons_ the Arm.?Then he could win all Hearts, all Tongues could charm:?Whilst with his praise the ecchoing plains all rung,?A thousand Timbrels play'd, a thousand Virgins sung;?And in the zeal of every jocund Soul,?_Absolons_ Health with _Davids_ crown'd one Bowl.
Had he fixt here, yes, Fate, had he fixt here,?To Man so Sacred, and to Heav'n so dear,?What could he want that Hands, Hearts, Lives could pay,?Or Tributary Worlds beneath his feet could lay??What Knees, what Necks to mount him to his Throne;?What Gems, what Stars to sparkle in his Crown??So pleas'd, so charm'd, had _Israels_ Genius smil'd;?But oh the Pow'rs, by treacherous snakes beguil'd,?Into a more than _Adams_ Curse he run,?Tasting that Fruit has _Israels_ World undone.?Nay, wretched even below his falling state,?Wants _Adams_ Eyes to see his _Adams_ Fate.?In vain was _Davids_ Harp and _Israels_ Quire;?For his Conversion all in vain conspire:?For though their influence a while retires,?His own false Planets were th'Ascendant Fires.?Heav'n had no lasting Miracle design'd;?It did a while his fatal Torrent bind.?As _Joshua's_ Wand did _Jordan's_ streams divide,?And rang'd the watry Mountains on each side.?But when the marching _Israel_ once got o're, }?Down crack the Chrystal Walls the Billows pow'r, }?And in their old impetuous Channel roar. }
At this last stroke thus totally o'rethrown,?Apostasie now seal'd him all her own.?Here ope'd that gaping Breach, that fatal door,?Which now let in a thousand Ruines more.?All the bright Virtues, and each dazling Grace,?Which his rich Veins drew from a God-like Race;?The Mercy, and the Clemency Divine,?Those Sacred Beams which in mild _David_ shine;?Those Royal Sparks, his Native Seeds of Light,?Were all put out, and left a Starless Night.?A long farewel to all that's Great and Brave:?Not Cataracts more headstrong; as the Grave?Inexorable; Sullen and Untun'd?As Pride depos'd; scarce _Lucifer_ dethron'd?More Unforgiving; his enchanted Soul?Had drank so deep of the bewitching Bowl,?Till he whose hand, with _Judahs_ Standart, bore?Her Martial Thunder to the _Tyrian_ shore,?Arm'd in her Wars, and in her Laurels crown'd;?Now all forgotten at one stagg'ring wound,?Falling from _Israels_ Faith; from _Israels_ Cause,?Peace, Honour, Int'rest, all at once withdraws:?Nor is he deaf t'a Kingdoms Groans alone,?But could behold ev'n _Davids_ shaking Throne;?_David_, whose Bounty rais'd his glittering Pride,?The Basis of his Glories Pyramide.?But Duty, Gratitude, all ruin'd fall:?Zeal blazes, and Oblivion swallows all.?So _Sodom_ did both burnt and drown'd expire;?A poyson'd Lake succeeds a Pile of Fire.
On this Foundation _Baals_ last Hope was built,?The sure Retreat for all their Sallying Guilt:?A Royal Harbour, where the rowling Pride?Of _Israels_ Foes might safe at Anchor ride;?Defie all Dangers, and even Tempests scorn,?Though _Judahs_ God should Thunder in the Storm.
Here _Israels_ Laws, the dull Levitick Rolls,?At once a clog to Empire, and to Souls,?Are the first Martyrs to the Fire they doom,?To make great _Baals_ Triumphant Legends room.?But ere their hands this glorious work can Crown,?Their long-known Foe the Sanedrin must down;?Sanedrins the Free-born _Israels_ Sacred Right,?That God-like Ballance of Imperial Might;?Where Subjects are from Tyrant-Lords set free,?_From that wild Thing unbounded man would be_;?Where Pow'r and Clemency are poys'd so even,?A Constitution that resembles Heav'n.?So in th'united great THREE-ONE we find?A Saving with a Dooming Godhead joyn'd.?(But why, oh why! if such restraining pow'r?Can bind Omnipotence, should Kings wish more?)?A Constitution, so Divinely mixt,?Not Natures bounded Elements more fixt.?Thus Earths vast Frame with firm and solid ground, }?Stands in a foaming Ocean circled round; }?Yet This not overflowing, That not drown'd. }?But to rebuild their Altars, and enstal?Their Moulten Gods, the Sanedrin must fall;?That Constellation of the Jewish Pow'r,?All blotted from its Orb must shine no more;?Or stampt in _Pharoahs_ darling Mould, must quit?Their Native Beams, for a new-model'd Light;?Like _Egypts_ Sanedrins, their influence gone,?Flash but like empty Meteors round the Throne:?That that new Lord may _Judahs_ Scepter weild,?To whom th'old Brickill Taskmasters must yield;?Who, to erect new Temples for his Gods,?Shall th'enslav'd _Israel_ drive with Iron Rods;?If they want Bricks for his new Walls t'aspire,?To their sad cost, he'll find 'em Straw and Fire.
All this t'effect, and their new Fabrick